US08362779B2
A receiver coil apparatus for an electromagnetic survey system, comprising: a tubular outer frame defining an internal passage; a rigid inner member; a receiver coil; a plurality of first elastic suspension members suspending the receiver coil from the rigid inner member within the internal passage; and a plurality of second elastic suspension members suspending the rigid inner member within the internal passage.
US08362778B2
A shim arrangement for increasing the homogeneity of a magnetic field within a homogeneous field region, comprising: shim channels extending within a volume between a magnetic field generator and the homogeneous field region; at least one piece of shim material located within each shim channel; an arrangement for moving each shim piece along the corresponding shim channel; and retaining means for retaining each shim piece in position. Shimming is performed by moving shim pieces within the shim channels, with the magnet at field. No shim pieces are added to, or removed from, the shim channels during the shimming step.
US08362777B2
An optimization of a magnetic resonance apparatus is achieved by a device and a method to generate a gradient field in a magnetic resonance apparatus, wherein a field directed in a first direction is generated by a first flat/saddle coil cooling system, a field directed in an additional direction is generated by an additional flat/saddle coil cooling system, and wherein a gradient field pointing in a direction is composed of at least the field generated by the first flat/saddle coil cooling system and the field generated by the additional flat/saddle coil cooling system.
US08362776B2
A method, system, and apparatus including a radio-frequency (RF) phased coil array for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging apparatus that includes a first RF coil element tuned to a first frequency and configured to receive MR signals and a second RF coil element tuned to a second frequency different than the first frequency and configured to receive MR signals.
US08362770B2
A method for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of a sample comprises preparation of the sample and carrying out an NMR spectroscopy measurement. Preparation includes excitation of long lived coherences (LLC) between the singlet state S0 and the central triplet state T0 of nuclei of the sample. The thermal equilibrium Boltzmann distribution (Iz+Sz) is thereby transformed into a difference (Iz−Sz), which is flipped to the transverse plane, and irradiation of the sample with an rf-field is initiated. The LLC is sustained by maintaining the rf-irradiation during an interval t1 and the LLC is converted into observable magnetisation by interrupting the rf-irradiation. The method allows nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements with improved spectral resolution.
US08362767B2
A method for utilizing received formation data to determine one or more fluid instance such as reservoir wettability while in one of a subterranean environment or a surface environment. The method comprising: (a) obtaining at least one set of formation data wherein the set of formation data includes magnetic resonance data from two or more samples within an approximate common characteristic region in the reservoir; (b) computing from the at least one set of received formation data a first fluid instance of the one or more fluid instance using at least two mathematical variables from the group consisting of one of oil saturation, water saturation, T1, T2, diffusion coefficient, tortuosity from long time diffusion coefficient or some combination thereof; and (c) interpreting the computed first fluid instance as at least one wettability property between the fluids in a formation located in the subterranean environment and the formation.
US08362766B2
Systems and methods for analyzing and affecting manifestations of subtle energy resonance are provided. A memory array associated with a transducer is read and stored in a memory of an analysis device. The memory array is then exposed to an energy environment which causes changes to the memory array. A second reading of the memory array indicates the changes to the memory array as compared to the first reading. The detected changes are analyzed and used to generate an energy signature and a report concerning any combination of the changes, the rate of changes, and the generated energy signature. The energy data concerns subtle energy in a designated energy environment which may include one or more animate or inanimate crystalline resonators. Tuning of a generator allows for manipulation of cell resonance, which may be used for research or in order to produce a desired resonance.
US08362762B2
A magnetic field measurement device includes: a magneto-optical sensor that measures a first axial component of a magnetic field in the direction of a first axis that is arbitrarily set in the magnetic field that is to be measured; and a second magneto-optical sensor that measures a second axial component of the magnetic field in the direction of a second axis that form an angle q (0
US08362759B2
A phase current prediction method is disclosed. The phase current prediction method predicts current representative of a PWM period using a motor model which receives current measured through a single current sensor as an input, instead of the measured current, and determines the predicted current to be phase current.
US08362742B2
A recharging system and method for an implantable medical device includes: a secondary coil associated with the implantable medical device; an external power source including a primary coil and a modulation circuit operatively coupled to the primary coil, the modulation circuit being capable of driving the primary coil at a carrier frequency when the primary coil is in proximity to the secondary coil and of varying the carrier frequency in response to sensor data received from the implantable medical device; a first sensor associated with the implantable medical device and in communication with the modulation circuit, the first sensor capable of sensing a first condition indicating a need to adjust the carrier frequency during a charging process; and a second sensor associated with the implantable medical device and in communication with the modulation circuit, the second sensor capable of sensing a second condition which is affected by the carrier frequency.
US08362740B2
A system of a plurality of parallel-connected fuel cell converter devices and a method for controlling the system are provided. The system includes a plurality of fuel cell converter devices, a parallel connection unit, a power control unit, a Mux control unit, and a master controller. The output ends of the plurality of fuel cell converter devices are connected in parallel by the parallel connection unit. The master controller reads signals from the power control unit and the Mux control unit and determines accordingly which fuel cell converter devices need to be turned on to meet the requirement of a load. The method includes the steps of estimating a load, determining the number of the fuel cell converter devices to be turned on, calculating an output power, discharging, and charging. Thus, the plurality of fuel cell converter devices is controlled to output the required power of the load.
US08362739B2
Control apparatus 1 for photovoltaic modules 3 which can be connected to one or more photovoltaic modules 3. The control apparatus is able to check for the proper working of the solar modules, and also to collect all electrical data like voltage, current, power, energy in order to calculate also the efficiency of the plant. Up to 16 modules can be used (including a master controller, temperature measurement modules, output modules, input modules) and they are interconnected by using a bus system which does not require any wire. A base level consist of one master controller module and one or more input modules. An extended system includes also additional modules, like measurement of temperatures or relay outputs.
US08362733B2
A motor drive system includes: a three-phase motor; a power conversion device that supplies power for driving the three-phase motor; and an output filter that is arranged between an output of the power conversion device and the three-phase motor and has a configuration in which a setting value of a filter resonance frequency is selectable and changeable.
US08362715B2
This invention relates to a lighting system. The lighting system includes a plurality of interconnectable polygonal lighting modules, wherein each lighting module has a plurality of connection members each including at least one electrical terminal. The connection members are arranged rotationally symmetrically at the lighting module. The lighting system further includes bridge members. Each bridge member has bridge terminals and is mountable at neighboring connection members of different lighting modules, to form a bridge providing an electric connection between connection terminals of the different connection members.
US08362713B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for systems and methods that provide a method of power management of a lighting source, including providing a lighting facility, wherein the lighting facility includes the lighting source, an external control device for communicating between the lighting facility and an external control source, an internal control facility, an energy storage device, and a connection to external power; and shifting power usage between the external power and the energy storage device as controlled by the internal control facility and as a result of information received from the external control source.
US08362712B1
An illumination source for a camera includes one or more LEDs, and an electrical circuit that selectively applies power from the DC voltage source to the LEDs, wherein the illumination source is suitable for handheld portable operation. In some embodiments, the electrical circuit further includes a control circuit for driving the LEDs with electrical pulses at a frequency high enough that light produced has an appearance to a human user of being continuous rather than pulsed, the control circuit changing a pulse characteristic to adjust a proportion of light output having the first characteristic color spectrum output to that having the second characteristic color spectrum output. Some embodiments provide an illumination source including a housing including one or more LEDs; and a control circuit that selectively applies power from a source of electric power to the LEDs, thus controlling a light output color spectrum of the LEDs.
US08362708B2
A circuit arrangement for operating a discharge lamp is provided. The circuit arrangement may include a commutating device, which is configured to exhibit an input which is coupled to a direct-current source and has an output which can be coupled to a discharge lamp; the commutating device being configured in such a manner that it couples the direct-current source to the output and the polarity with which the direct-current source is coupled to the output can be commutated by a control device; the control device including a measurement input which is coupled to a measuring device which is configured to deliver a measurement value which is a measure of the magnitude of a lamp voltage; wherein the control device is configured to control the commutating device in such a manner that the polarity at which a higher lamp voltage prevails is coupled longer to the output.
US08362707B2
A lighting system includes time division light output sensing and adjustment for ambient light. In at least one embodiment, time division light output sensing involves modulating power to a light emitting diode (LED) set, and the set of LEDs includes one or more LEDs. In at least one embodiment, each LED in the LED set is included in a single lamp, and, in at least one embodiment, the set of LEDs is contained in multiple lamps. In at least one embodiment, for each lamp, a controller modulates power to the LED set by selectively reducing power to the LED set using time division algorithm to allow a light sensor to sense the brightness of ambient light with a reduced contribution from the LED set. In at least one embodiment, a lighting system also includes time division light output sensing and adjustment for different spectra LEDs.
US08362683B2
An organic light emitting display apparatus includes a plurality of sub-pixels, each of the sub-pixels having a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode, and an intermediate layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, the intermediate layer having a plurality of layers including an organic emission layer, at least one layer of the plurality of layers in the intermediate layer being commonly shared by two sub-pixels arranged in a first direction and by at least two sub-pixels arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
US08362681B2
A semiconductor light emitting apparatus includes an elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube that includes an elongated wavelength conversion tube wall having wavelength conversion material, such as phosphor, dispersed therein. A semiconductor light emitting device is oriented to emit light inside the elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube to impinge upon the elongated wavelength conversion tube wall and the wavelength conversion material dispersed therein. The elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube may have an open end, a crimped end, a reflective end, and/or other configurations. Multiples tubes and/or multiple semiconductor light emitting devices may also be used in various configurations. Related assembling methods are also described.
US08362670B2
A plurality of stator teeth 2 are arranged at a constant interval in a circumferential direction on the inner circumferential face side or the outer circumferential face side of a ring-shaped stator core 1 that is made of a plurality of steel plates. The winding wire 5 is wound about the stator teeth. An insulator 4 that electrically insulates the stator core and the winding wire is provided therebetween. A gap 6 is formed between the winding wire and the insulator. Accordingly, a desired distance can be secured between the stator teeth and the winding wire regardless of the thickness of the insulator, and, thus, the influence of leakage magnetic fluxes that acts on the winding wire can be reduced. Accordingly, the influence of leakage magnetic fluxes formed near the stator teeth that acts on the winding wire can be reduced regardless of the thickness of the insulator.
US08362668B2
A rotor for a rotating electrical machine suppresses demagnetization of permanent magnets without deteriorating motor characteristics, is low-cost, and is highly reliable. The rotor has a plurality of rotor cores that are stacked together, a plurality of permanent magnets axially divided by the rotor cores and circumferentially arranged on each of the rotor cores, to circumferentially form magnetic irregularities, and a rotor blank made of nonmagnetic material arranged between those of the rotor cores that are adjacent to each other.
US08362644B2
A system, method, and apparatus for managing an application of power from photovoltaic arrays to power conversion components. The method may include arranging a first array and a second array in series, coupling a positive terminal of a first array to the power conversion component, coupling a negative terminal of a second array to the power conversion component, and modulating an amount of current flowing between a negative terminal of the first array and a positive terminal of the second array so as to ramp up a level of current flowing through the arrays as the arrays are brought online with the power conversion component. A voltage of any terminal on either of the arrays may be limited so that the voltage on any of the terminals does not reach a restricted level.
US08362637B2
The description relates to generating power using wind energy. The current disclosure provides an opportunity to develop a new energy generating resource. According to some aspects, the apparatus uses a passive device to capture wind, and accelerate the wind toward a turbine and other fan or turbine blades to generate power in a confined structure. The foot print of the current design is scalable to individual users or businesses such as homes, industrial facilities, small business sites, as well as small power utilities such as wind farms. The passive devices to capture wind can have active electronic or mechanical controls to control the amount of wind flowing in the structure to generate power.
US08362635B2
A updraft wind powered electrical generator system mountable to sides of a vertical, man-made structures facing prevailing winds. The updraft system includes a tubular housing that can include at least one fixed helical vane formed onto the inner surfaces of the tubular housing in a spiral and adapted to direct wind into a spiraled flow and focus fluid onto a fan blade assembly associated with an alternator system and located within the tubular housing before a system exhaust. A generator cone can be mounted near the center and front of the fan blade assembly facing wind passing through the tubular housing. As wind passes over the generator cone it experiences compression between the generator cone and housing resulting in increased pressure and velocity of the fluid, thereby increasing rotational speed of the generator blades and generator as the compressed, spiraled fluid passes through the blades and exits the tubular housing.
US08362629B2
Equipment having an energy management system includes an articulated arm, a work implement, an energy management system, and a hydraulic circuit. The articulated arm includes hydraulic actuators designed to maneuver the articulated arm, and the work implement is fastened to the articulated arm. The energy management system is adjustable between a first configuration and a second configuration, and includes a hydraulic rotating machine and an electric rotating machine coupled to the hydraulic rotating machine. When the energy management system is in the first configuration, the hydraulic rotating machine and the electric rotating machine function as an electric motor powering a hydraulic pump. When the energy management system is in the second configuration, the hydraulic rotating machine and the electric rotating machine function as a hydraulic motor powering an electric generator. The hydraulic circuit is designed to supply a hydraulic fluid to drive the hydraulic actuators when the energy management system is in the first configuration, and is further designed to recover the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic actuators and to generate electrical power when the energy management system is in the second configuration.
US08362625B2
Annular, linear, and point contact structures are described which exhibit a greatly reduced susceptibility to process deviations caused by lithographic and deposition variations than does a conventional circular contact plug. In one embodiment, a standard conductive material such as carbon or titanium nitride is used to form the contact. In an alternative embodiment, a memory material itself is used to form the contact. These contact structures may be made by various processes, including chemical mechanical planarization and facet etching.
US08362624B2
Provided are a multi-chip package and a method of manufacturing the same, which can facilitate wire bonding even when an upper chip is larger than a lower chip or overhangs a lower chip. A multi-chip package includes a substrate having first and second bonding pads on a top surface thereof, a first chip connected to the first bonding pads on the substrate, an insulating layer formed on the substrate so as to surround lateral surfaces of the first chip, a set of openings formed in the insulating layer so as to expose the second bonding pads, and a second chip formed on the insulating layer and the first chip, the second chip having a larger area than the first chip and connected to the second bonding pads using wires that pass through the second openings.
US08362619B2
A nonvolatile memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate comprising alternating, parallel active regions and isolation regions; first and second selection lines intersecting the active regions and the isolation regions; first junctions formed in the active regions between the first and second selection lines; spacers formed on sidewalls of the first and second selection lines; second junctions deeper than the first junctions formed in the first junctions, respectively; contact plugs coupled to one side of the respective second junctions; and dummy plugs coupled second sides of the respective second junctions.
US08362611B2
A semiconductor module is of a structure such that a wiring layer, an insulating resin layer and a semiconductor device are stacked in this order by bonding them together with compression. In the wiring layer, bump electrodes each having a base and a tip portion are provided in positions corresponding respectively to device electrodes of the semiconductor device. The bump electrodes penetrate the insulating resin layer and are electrically coupled to the corresponding device electrodes.
US08362607B2
An integrated circuit package includes a thermally and electrically conductive package lid. The package lid may be in electrical communication with an electrically conductive pad connected to a power plane, ground plane, or signal route in the integrated circuit. The electrically conductive package lid may provide an electrical connection for electrical power or electrical signals or may serve as an electrical ground. In some embodiments, the package lid may include a thermally and electrically conductive material. In other embodiments, the package lid may include an electrically insulative substrate coated on at least one surface with a layer of metal or another conductive material. The conductive layer may be electrically connected to electrical ground, a reference voltage, or a signal pay by at least one electrically conductive via.
US08362603B2
Light-emitting structures, and related components, systems, and methods associated therewith are provided. In one embodiment, a light-emitting structure includes at least one LED, a contact bond pad supported by the at least one LED, and a flexible circuit member bonded to the contact bond pad.
US08362601B2
A method of manufacture of a wire-on-lead package system includes: providing a die attach paddle with paddle extensions distributed along the periphery of the die attach paddle, providing leadfingers surrounding the die attach paddle, attaching a semiconductor die to the die attach paddle wherein the semiconductor die is larger than the die attach paddle, and connecting bond wires between the semiconductor die and the leadfingers and between the semiconductor die and the paddle extensions.
US08362597B1
A shielded package includes a shield assembly having a shield fence, a shield lid, and a shield lid adhesive electrically coupling the shield lid to the shield fence. The shield fence includes a porous sidewall through which molding compound passes during molding of the shielded package. Further, the shield fence includes a central aperture through which an electronic component is die attached and wire bonded.
US08362588B2
A method for fabricating a circuitry component includes providing a semiconductor substrate, a first coil over said semiconductor substrate, a passivation layer over said first coil; and depositing a second coil over said passivation layer and over said first coil. Said second coil may be deposited by forming a first metal layer over said passivation layer, forming a pattern defining layer over said first metal layer, a first opening in said pattern defining layer exposing said first metal layer, forming a second metal layer over said first metal layer exposed by said first opening, removing said pattern defining layer, and removing said first metal layer not under said second metal layer.
US08362587B2
An interconnect for transmitting an electric signal between electronic devices includes a first coupling element electromagnetically coupled to, and immediately juxtaposed to, a second coupling element. The first coupling element is mounted on and is electrically connected to a first electronic device having a first integrated circuit. The second coupling element may be mounted on and electrically connected to the first electronic device, and electrically connected to an interconnect on a second electronic device, or the second coupling element may be mounted on and electrically connected to the second electronic device.
US08362582B2
A semiconductor structure is provided, which includes multiple sections arranged along a longitudinal axis. Preferably, the semiconductor structure comprises a middle section and two terminal sections located at opposite ends of the middle section. A semiconductor core having a first dopant concentration preferably extends along the longitudinal axis through the middle section and the two terminal sections. A semiconductor shell having a second, higher dopant concentration preferably encircles a portion of the semiconductor core at the two terminal sections, but not at the middle section, of the semiconductor structure. It is particularly preferred that the semiconductor structure is a nanostructure having a cross-sectional dimension of not more than 100 nm.
US08362576B2
Atomic layer deposition is enhanced using plasma. Plasma begins prior to flowing a second precursor into a chamber. The second precursor reacts with a first precursor to deposit a layer on a substrate. The layer may include at least one element from each of the first and second precursors. The layer may be TaN, and the precursors may be TaF5 and NH3. The plasma may begin during purge gas flow between a pulse of the first precursor and a pulse of the second precursor. Thermal energy assists the reaction of the precursors to deposit the layer on the substrate. The thermal energy may be greater than generally accepted for ALD (e.g., more than 300 degrees Celsius).
US08362570B2
This method for making complementary p and n MOSFET transistors with Schottky source and drain electrodes controlled by a gate electrode, comprising: making source and drain electrodes from a single silicide for both p and n transistors; segregating first impurities from groups II and III of the periodic table at the interface between the silicide and the channel of the p transistor, the complementary n transistor being masked; and segregating second impurities from groups V and VI of the periodic table, at the interface between the silicide and the channel of the n transistor, and the complementary p transistor being masked.
US08362551B2
In one embodiment, a field effect transistor has a semiconductor body, a drift region of a first conductivity type and a gate electrode. At least one trench extends into the drift region. A field plate is arranged at least in a portion of the at least one trench. A dielectric material at least partially surrounds both the gate electrode and the field plate. The field plate includes a first semiconducting material.
US08362550B2
A semiconductor device includes a drift region, a well region extending above the drift region, an active trench including sidewalls and a bottom, the active trench extending through the well region and into the drift region and having at least portions of its sidewalls and bottom lined with dielectric material. The device further includes a shield disposed within the active trench and separated from the sidewalls of the active trench by the dielectric material, a gate disposed within the active trench above the first shield and separated therefrom by inter-electrode dielectric material, and source regions formed in the well region adjacent the active trench. The gate is separated from the sidewalls of the active trench by the dielectric material. The shield and the gate are made of materials having different work functions.
US08362548B2
In one embodiment, a contact structure for a semiconductor device having a trench shield electrode includes a gate electrode contact portion and a shield electrode contact portion within a trench structure. Contact is made to the gate electrode and the shield electrode within or inside of the trench structure. A thick passivating layer surrounds the shield electrode in the contact portion.
US08362541B2
A manufacturing method of DRAM is provided. A substrate having a deep trench is provided, and then a deep trench capacitor including a bottom electrode, an upper electrode and a capacitor dielectric layer is formed in the deep trench. A part of the upper electrode of the deep trench capacitor is removed to form a first trench. A buried strap is formed in the substrate on one side of the upper electrode. An isolation structure is formed in the first trench to define an active region. A part of the substrate adjacent to the isolation structure is removed to form a second trench. A first heavily doped region is formed on the bottom of the second trench, and the first heavily doped region is electrically connected to the buried strap. A dielectric layer is formed on the bottom of the second trench.
US08362538B2
An object is to provide a memory device which does not need a complex manufacturing process and whose power consumption can be suppressed, and a semiconductor device including the memory device. A solution is to provide a capacitor which holds data and a switching element which controls storing and releasing charge in the capacitor in a memory element. In the memory element, a phase-inversion element such as an inverter or a clocked inverter includes the phase of an input signal is inverted and the signal is output. For the switching element, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region is used. In the case where application of a power supply voltage to the phase-inversion element is stopped, the data is stored in the capacitor, so that the data is held in the capacitor even when the application of the power supply voltage to the phase-inversion element is stopped.
US08362535B2
A non-volatile memory cell includes a semiconductor substrate with isolation structures formed therein and thereby transistor region and capacitor region are defined therein. A conductor is disposed over the isolation structures, the transistor region and a first-type doped well disposed in the capacitor region. The conductor includes a capacitor portion disposed over the first-type doped well, a transistor portion disposed over the transistor region, a first edge disposed over the isolation structure at a side of the transistor region, and an opposite second edge disposed over the first-type doped well. Two first ion doped wells are disposed in the transistor region and respectively at two sides of the transistor portion, and constitutes a transistor with the transistor portion. A second ion doped region is disposed in the capacitor region excluding the conductor and constitutes a capacitor with the capacitor portion.
US08362524B2
A portion-to-be-melted of a fuse is surrounded by plates, so that heat to be generated in a meltdown portion of the fuse under current supply can be confined or accumulated in the vicinity of the meltdown portion of the fuse. This makes it possible to facilitate meltdown of the fuse. The meltdown portion of the fuse in a folded form, rather than in a single here a fuse composed of a straight-line form, is more successful in readily concentrating the heat generated in the fuse under current supply into the meltdown portion, and in further facilitating the meltdown of the fuse.
US08362521B2
Group III nitride semiconductor crystals of a size appropriate for semiconductor devices and methods for manufacturing the same, Group III nitride semiconductor devices and methods for manufacturing the same, and light-emitting appliances. A method of manufacturing a Group III nitride semiconductor crystal includes a process of growing at least one Group III nitride semiconductor crystal substrate on a starting substrate, a process of growing at least one Group III nitride semiconductor crystal layer on the Group III nitride semiconductor crystal substrate, and a process of separating a Group III nitride semiconductor crystal, constituted by the Group III nitride semiconductor crystal substrate and the Group III nitride semiconductor crystal layer, from the starting substrate, and is characterized in that the Group III nitride semiconductor crystal is 10 μm or more but 600 μm or less in thickness, and is 0.2 mm or more but 50 mm or less in width.
US08362515B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a chip package which includes a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface and having at least a side surface, and at least a trench extending from the upper surface towards the lower surface and extending from the side surface towards an inner portion of the substrate, wherein a width of the trench near the upper surface is not equal to a width of the trench near the lower surface, and at least an insulating layer located on a sidewall of the trench, and at least a conducting pattern located on the insulating layer, wherein the side surface is separated from the conducting pattern in the trench by a predetermined distance such that a portion of the insulating layer is exposed, and at least a conducting region electrically connected to the conducting pattern.
US08362511B2
A semiconductor light emitting structure including a substrate, a second type electrode layer, a reflecting layer, an insulating layer, a first type electrode layer, a first type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second type semiconductor layer is provided. The second type electrode layer formed on the substrate has a current spreading grating formed by several conductive pillars and conductive walls, which are staggered and connected to each other. The reflecting layer and the insulating layer are formed on the second type electrode layer in sequence, and cover each conductive pillar and each conductive wall. The first type electrode layer, the first type semiconductor layer and the active layer are formed on the insulating layer in sequence. The second type semiconductor layer is formed on the active layer, and covers each conductive pillar and each conductive wall.
US08362500B2
Provided are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package having the same. The light emitting device includes a first light emitting structure layer including a plurality of semiconductor layers, a first electrode on the first light emitting structure layer, a first insulation layer under the first light emitting structure layer, a second light emitting structure layer including a plurality of semiconductor layers under a first reflective layer, a second reflective layer under the second light emitting structure layer, a bonding layer between the second light emitting structure layer and the first reflective layer, and a plurality of connection members connecting the first light emitting structure layer to the second light emitting structure layer in parallel.
US08362485B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a thin film circuit portion and a method for manufacturing a thin film circuit portion by which an electrode for connecting to an external portion can be easily formed under a thin film circuit. A stacked body including a first insulating film, a thin film circuit formed over one surface of the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed over the thin film circuit, an electrode formed over the second insulating film, and a resin film formed over the electrode, is formed. A conductive film is formed adjacent to the other surface of the first insulating film of the stacked body to be overlapped with the electrode. The conductive film is irradiated with a laser.
US08362481B2
There is provided, in combination, an integrated circuit chip, a device, and a multilayered structure mounted between the integrated circuit chip and the device. The multilayered structure has signal pathways that transfer signals between the integrated circuit chip and the device, and at least one signal pathway with a first wireless coupling element in the multilayered structure that is in communication with a second wireless coupling element in one of the integrated circuit chip, the device, and the multilayered structure.
US08362478B2
An object is to provide a transistor including an oxide layer which includes Zn and does not include a rare metal such as In or Ga. Another object is to reduce an off current and stabilize electric characteristics in the transistor including an oxide layer which includes Zn. A transistor including an oxide layer including Zn is formed by stacking an oxide semiconductor layer including insulating oxide over an oxide layer so that the oxide layer is in contact with a source electrode layer or a drain electrode layer with the oxide semiconductor layer including insulating oxide interposed therebetween, whereby variation in the threshold voltage of the transistor can be reduced and electric characteristics can be stabilized.
US08362476B2
A cubic epitaxial article and electronic devices therefrom includes a single crystal cubic oxide substrate having a substrate band gap and a top surface. An epitaxial cubic oxide alloy layer that includes at least one transition metal or group IIA metal disposed on the top surface of the substrate. The epitaxial cubic oxide alloy layer has a band gap that is different than the substrate band gap and has a lattice that is lattice matched within 5% to a lattice of the single crystal cubic oxide substrate.
US08362474B2
It is an object to provide an organic field effect transistor including an electrode which can reduce an energy barrier at an interface between a conductive layer and a semiconductor layer, and a semiconductor device including the organic field effect transistor. A composite layer containing an organic compound and an inorganic compound is provided in at least part of one of a source electrode and a drain electrode in an organic field effect transistor, and as the organic compound, a carbazole derivative represented by the general formula (1) is used. By providing the composite layer in at least part of one of the source electrode and the drain electrode, an energy barrier at an interface between a conductive layer and a semiconductor layer can be reduced.
US08362469B2
An organic light emitting display apparatus capable of preventing or reducing an IR drop and a decrease in a contrast ratio, and a method of manufacturing the same. The organic light emitting display apparatus includes: a substrate; a plurality of thin film transistors on the substrate; a plurality of organic light emitting diodes, each of the organic light emitting diodes including: a pixel electrode electrically connected to a corresponding one of the thin film transistors, a portion of an opposite electrode, the opposite electrode being above the substrate and covering all of the substrate, and an intermediate layer between the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode and comprising at least an organic light emitting layer; an opposite electrode bus line between adjacent pixel electrodes of the organic light emitting diodes on the opposite electrode of the organic light emitting diodes; and a black matrix surrounding the opposite electrode bus line.
US08362461B2
An apparatus includes a primary planar quantum well and a planar distribution of dopant atoms. The primary planar quantum well is formed by a lower barrier layer, a central well layer on the lower barrier layer, and an upper barrier layer on the central well layer. Each of the layers is a semiconductor layer. One of the barrier layers has a secondary planar quantum well and is located between the planar distribution of dopant atoms and the central well layer. The primary planar quantum well may be undoped or substantially undoped, e.g., intrinsic semiconductor.
US08362457B2
A semiconductor device includes a lower electrode, a variable resistance layer disposed over the lower electrode, the variable resistance layer is included a reactive metal layer being interposed between a plurality of oxide resistive layers and an upper electrode disposed over the variable resistance layer.
US08362453B2
There is provided a rain sensor capable of adequately detecting raindrops in a captured image. The rain sensor includes: a surface light source 14 which emits light to a windshield G to cause light to be incident on a raindrop detection region T set on the windshield G at a critical angle or more; a camera 15 which is arranged on the optical path of light totally reflected by the detection region T and captures the detection region T; and a detection unit which detects raindrops adhering to the detection region T from contrast in the image captured by the camera 15; the detection unit detects the raindrops adhering to the detection region T based on at least one of the captured image in the detection region T to which light is emitted from the surface light source 14 and the captured image in the detection region T to which light is not emitted from the surface light source 14.
US08362448B2
Apparatus and method for high spatial resolution imaging of a sample's structure, including a diffraction-limited resolution volume with a plurality of dye molecules which can be switched between different states and have a distribution density which is greater than the inverse of the diffraction-limited resolution volume, where at least one state is fluorescing, the fluorescence being collected by an objective lens and imaged on a spatially resolving detector by an optical system. At least one light source provided for emitting a switching radiation and for emitting an excitation radiation. At least one of the light sources is arranged to radiate through the sample, and a switching and/or fluorescence excitation of the dye molecules is carried out. The switching is a photoactivation or a photodeactivation of the dye molecules. A focusing arrangement is provided for switching and/or for excitation to generate a line-like illumination region extending in a direction of illumination.
US08362445B2
A UV-LED photoemission ionization source and process are disclosed that provide ionization of analytes including volatile molecular species and organic residues for detection with various ion analyzers. The UV-LED source produces low-energy UV light (200 nm to 400 nm) that yields photoemission electrons from various conducting surfaces. These photoemission electrons provide direct and indirect ionization of analytes including trace organic residues without need of high electric fields.
US08362440B2
Fouling in the fill portion of a cooling tower is monitored by transmitting radiation through a cooling tower, detecting the amount of radiation that has penetrated the cooling tower, and calculating the density of the fill portion of the cooling tower based on the detected radiation. A higher than expected density indicates the presence of fouling on the fill portion of the cooling tower. A rate of fouling may be established by monitoring the density of the fill portion of the cooling tower over time.
US08362437B2
There is provided a radiographic imaging device including: a radiation detector; a switching power supply; a storage section; a reading section; and a control section that controls the switching power supply so as to implement switching control and cause electricity to be accumulated in the storage section at a time when charge is not being read by the reading section, and stop switching control at a time when charge is being read by the reading section.
US08362434B2
A system and method is provided for analyzing detector data acquired during molecular breast imaging (MBI) that reduces a patient's radiation does without a reduction in image quality. The method processes and combines initial images acquired by the two gamma-camera detectors of the MBI system to produce a hybrid or composite image set having reduced noise and improved contrast. The composite image provides image quality comparable to that of traditional MBI methods, but at a lower patient radiation dose.
US08362430B1
A method of large-scale active THz imaging using a combination of a compact high power THz source (>1 watt), an optional optical system, and a camera for the detection of reflected or transmitted THz radiation, without the need for the burdensome power source or detector cooling systems required by similar prior art such devices. With such a system, one is able to image, for example, a whole person in seconds or less, whereas at present, using low power sources and scanning techniques, it takes several minutes or even hours to image even a 1 cm×1 cm area of skin.
US08362422B2
The present invention discloses a sample feeding device for an ion mobility spectrometer, which is adapted to guide a sample to be detected into an inlet of a drift tube of the ion mobility spectrometer. The sample feeding device comprises a solid sample feeding component; a sample inlet component; a attachment component, wherein the solid sample feeding component has an internal cavity defined therein, one end of the solid sample feeding component is communicated with the sample inlet component through the internal cavity, while the other end is communicated with the inlet of the ion drift tube through the attachment component; and a gaseous sample feeding component, comprising a body and an external attachment component, the body has a gas channel therein, and the external attachment component includes an inlet hole which is communicated with the gas channel, wherein when the external attachment component is fitted with the sample inlet component, the body is inserted into the internal cavity, so that a channel of the solid sample feeding component is closed, and only the gas channel of the gaseous sample feeding component is communicated with the inlet of the drift tube of the ion mobility spectrometer.
US08362420B2
An apparatus (10) for separating Ions based on ion mobility includes a conduit (12) defining a closed path. The conduit is configured such that a uniform electric field is produced about the closed path upon application of a voltage causing ions within the conduit (12) to move about the closed path and to separate the ions based upon ion mobility. A method of separating a plurality of ions is also disclosed.
US08362417B2
Provided are methods for measuring renin activity in a plasma sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve ionizing purified angiotensin 1 from the sample and detecting the amount of angiotensin 1 ions generated. The amount of detected angiotensin 1 ions are then related to the amount of angiotensin 1 generated in the sample, which in turn is related to renin activity in the sample.
US08362410B2
A high-energy beam is precompensated by a process including receiving a high-energy beam from a source and energy from a target. The target energy includes wavefront aberrations related to atmospheric and other external disturbances encountered along a distance separating the target. A correction signal is determined responsive to the high-energy beam and the target energy. The correction signal is also configured to pre-compensate for wavefront aberrations related to the atmospheric and other external disturbances and to cancel aberrations introduced by the adaptive optics techniques. A wavefront of the outcoupled high-energy beam is adjusted responsive to the determined correction signal. A beam control system includes three adaptive optics servo loops and an aperture-sharing element. The arrangement is adapted to self-cancel internal optical-path-difference errors in the outcoupled beam and to pre-compensate the outcoupled beam according to a conjugate of the wavefront aberrations related to atmospheric and other external disturbances.
US08362408B2
A steerable projectile comprises a pressure chamber to hold gas in a pressurized state; and a body section coupled to the pressure chamber, the body section having a flight system to use the pressurized gas for adjusting a trajectory of the projectile. The pressure chamber comprises an orifice in a wall of the pressure chamber; and a check valve corresponding to the orifice, the check valve configured to allow gas that results from ignition of a propellant to enter the pressure chamber via the corresponding orifice and to prevent the gas, once inside the pressure chamber, from exiting the pressure chamber via the corresponding orifice.
US08362407B2
An apparatus for small particle and nanoparticle synthesis. A durable particle generator capable of high temperature particle synthesis. The particle generator is configured as to minimize susceptor degradation associated with harsh reaction conditions, for example, using encased susceptors.
US08362403B2
A drive load measuring system for a conveyor-type oven is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a drive load measuring system includes: a pair of mounting assemblies that support opposing end portions of a rotating drive shaft of an oven drive unit; and a PLC control unit operatively connected to the mounting assemblies. The mounting assemblies each include a pivot bracket mounted to the body of the oven and a force sensing fastener inserted into the pivot bracket and configured to generate an output signal representative of the load on the force sensing fastener. The PLC control unit can be configured to calculate load values of the force sensing fasteners and to detect rapid changes in the load values that may indicate jam-ups of conveyors driven by the oven drive unit. Alternatively, the PLC control unit can be configured to detect when load values of the force sensing fasteners exceed a threshold value, which may also indicate jam-ups of the conveyors. According to another embodiment, a drive load measuring system includes a pair of in-line torque sensors attached to a rotating drive shaft of an oven drive unit at or near end portions of the drive shaft; and a PLC control unit operatively connected to the mounting assemblies.
US08362398B2
A vehicle radiant heating control system is provided that comprises a radiant heating element, a power source and a controller. The power source is operatively connected to the radiant heating element. The controller operatively controls the radiant heating element and the power source. The controller operates the radiant heating element by intermittently supplying power generated by the power source to the radiant heating element.
US08362394B2
A neck for a welding torch includes a rigid, non-tubular, elongated member having opposite first and second ends. The first end is connectable to a rear portion of the welding torch. The second end is connectable to a welding tip portion of the welding torch. The member locates and holds the welding tip portion in a precisely given location, and does not communicate welding power, welding wire, shielding gas, or cooling water between the first and second ends.
US08362389B2
Aims are to provide a tubular-body residual-stress improving apparatus and an adjustment method thereof capable of adjusting irradiation position with favorable reproducibility, even when an optical fiber is eccentric. In the tubular-body residual-stress improving apparatus, an optical control unit (5) includes a rotational hold mechanism (9) for holding an optical fiber (6) in a manner that the optical fiber (6) is rotatable in a circumferential direction of the optical fiber (6), and, if a position of an intensity peak of the laser beam from the optical fiber (6) in an axial direction of the tubular body (2) is offset from the center of an irradiation profile, a position at which the optical fiber (6) is held in the circumferential direction is adjusted by the rotational hold mechanism (9) so as to eliminate the offset or to minimize an influence of the offset.
US08362387B2
Electrodes are disclosed for use in a non-contact initiation plasma arc torch, the electrodes including an electrode body having a distal end opposing the outlet of the nozzle and a tapered section adjacent the distal end configured so that the electrode diameter decreases in the direction of the distal end. The electrode tapered section includes at least one discontinuity forming an edge, the edge being disposed as so to have an included angle of no greater than about 90 degrees. The configuration of the edge provides a localized enhancement of electrical field during non-contact initiation of a pilot arc using the electrode. The discontinuity and edge can be formed in various ways. Related torch designs including nozzles are disclosed.
US08362378B2
An electrical switch has a casing, fixed and moving contacts, and an internal operator turning and moving the moving contact relative to the fixed contact for switching. The casing has an opening through which an engagement part of the operator is accessible from outside for engaging a pull chain to turn the operator. The casing has a tubular part by which the switch may be mounted and through which the pull chain extends. The tubular part, being molded, has an inner surface defining a passage for the pull chain, an outer surface bearing a screw thread for engagement by a threaded nut, and, in a transverse cross-section, four recesses between the inner and outer surfaces to alleviate deformation of the screw thread due to shrinkage in molding.
US08362370B2
The present invention has the object of providing a technology that can facilitate inexpensive shields of individual electronic components with good heat exchange efficiency, the electronic circuit board according to the present invention being provided with: a plurality of conductor parts in a standing state that can extend and contract on a ground pattern that surrounds an electronic component on the electronic circuit board, a conductive plate, and securing members for holding the plate such that the plurality of conductor parts contact the plate in a state in which the conductor parts contract from their natural length.
US08362360B2
A wired circuit board assembly sheet has a plurality of wired circuit boards, distinguishing marks for distinguishing defectiveness of the wired circuit boards, and a supporting sheet for supporting the plurality of wired circuit boards and the distinguishing marks. Each of the distinguishing marks has an indication portion for indicating a specified one of the wired circuit boards.
US08362353B2
The present invention discloses photovoltaic modules with a multi-layer fluoropolymeric film wherein the reflectance spectrum of the multi-layer fluoropolymeric film exhibits at least one minimum in the wavelength between 400 and 1100 nm. The film is useful as a light capture front sheet in solar modules, and more broadly as an antireflection layer. The invention further discloses photovoltaic arrays formed from such modules.
US08362346B1
An adjustable, adaptable, hands-free harmonica holder for suspending a harmonica from an existing stand, providing a new method for a performer to play the harmonica while simultaneously playing other instruments. The holder comprising an attachment mechanism for securing the subject apparatus to a stand, adjustable arm or arms extending from said attachment mechanism to support the harmonica, a platform to which the harmonica is mounted, and a sound baffle, said sound baffle being adaptable to both deflect and isolate voice and harmonica sounds.
US08362344B2
A coated string for a stringed device which includes a coating applied to the surface of the string. The coating includes a base layer bonded to the surface of the string and an at least partially transparent low-friction top coat applied to the base layer. The base layer includes heat activated pigments that change color when heated above a color shifting temperature. In one embodiment, the color of the pigment in one area contrasts with the color of the pigment in an adjacent area without otherwise affecting the low-friction surface of the coating. The areas of different color created in locations along the length of the low-friction coated string.
US08362343B2
A method of uncoupling mitochondria in a subject including administering nanotubes to the subject in a therapeutically effective amount, wherein the nanotubes are self-rectifying is provided. A method of decreasing reactive oxygen species and decreasing detrimental loading of Ca2+ into mitochondria is provided, including administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of nanotubes into the subject. A method of reducing weight, treating cancer, reducing the effects of traumatic brain injury, or reducing the effects of ageing, in a subject including administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of nanotubes into the subject is also provided.
US08362334B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV806292. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV806292, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV806292 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV806292 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV806292.
US08362327B2
A potato cultivar designated ‘Newton’ is disclosed. The invention relates to the tubers of potato cultivar ‘Newton’, to the seeds of potato cultivar ‘Newton’, to the plants of potato ‘Newton’, to the plant parts of potato cultivar ‘Newton’ and to methods for producing a potato plant produced by crossing potato cultivar ‘Newton’ with itself or with another potato variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a potato plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic potato plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to potato cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from potato variety ‘Newton’, to methods for producing other potato cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from potato cultivar ‘Newton’ and to the potato plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid potato tubers, seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing potato cultivar ‘Newton’ with another potato cultivar.
US08362322B2
Materials and methods for modulating (e.g., increasing or decreasing) lignin content in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding lignin-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to generate transgenic plants having a modulated lignin content.
US08362319B2
Isolated nucleic acids and polypeptides associated with lipid and sugar metabolism regulation are provided. In particular, lipid metabolism proteins (LMP) and encoding nucleic acids originating from Arabidopsis thaliana are provided. The nucleic acids and polypeptides are used in methods of producing transgenic plants and modulating levels of seed storage compounds in a plant. Preferably, the seed storage compounds are lipids, fatty acids, starches, or seed storage proteins.
US08362305B2
The present invention is directed to inhibitors of tyrosinase, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such tyrosinase inhibitors, and methods of making and using the same. Specifically, included in the present invention are compositions of matter comprised of at least one 2,4-dihydroxybenzene analog, which inhibit the activity of tyrosinase and which inhibit the overproduction of melanin.
US08362303B2
A process for producing an aromatic aldehyde compound has steps of converting alkyl-substituted or non-substituted benzene into a compound of formula I by halomethylation, and allowing the compound of formula I and alkyl aldehyde to react in presence of phase transfer catalyst at a reaction temperature under alkaline condition to obtain the aromatic aldehyde compound.
US08362294B2
Compounds of formula (I) pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable esters thereof; which are useful for the treatment of COX-2 dependent disorders.
US08362288B2
A process for preparing a composition of alcoholic esters of straight chain monocarboxylic acids containing 6 to 26 carbon atoms and glycerin, starting from a vegetable or animal oil, neutral or acidic, virgin or recycled with mono-alcohols containing 1 to 18 atoms, in the presence of a zinc aluminate catalyst and in the presence of a controlled quantity of water, can directly produce, in one or more steps, an ester which can be used as a propellant or fuel along with glycerin having improved purity containing a reduced quantity of ethers by using a partially dried catalyst.
US08362283B2
The present invention relates to methods for the synthesis of galanthamine, morphine, intermediates, salts and derivatives thereof. In preferred embodiments, the invention relates to methods for improving the efficiency and overall yield of said morphine, morphine related derivatives and intermediates thereof. In further embodiments, the invention relates to methods for improving the efficiency and overall yield of galanthamine and intermediates thereof.
US08362275B2
Monomers and polymers based on dihalogen indolocarbazole and poly(indolocarbazoles), and methods of making such and using the same are described, as well as organic electronic devices incorporating the same.
US08362274B2
The present invention relates to an arylalkylamine compound represented by the following formula [I] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a process for preparing the same, and use of the above-mentioned compound as an activating compound (CaSR agonist) of a Ca sensing receptor, a pharmaceutical composition containing the above-mentioned compound as an effective ingredient, etc. The symbols in the formula represent the following meanings: Ar: optionally substituted aryl or optionally substituted heteroaryl here, the cyclic portion of the heteroaryl is bicyclic heterocyclic ring in which 5- to 6-membered monocyclic heterocyclic ring containing 1 or 2 hetero atom(s) and benzene ring are fused; R1: a group selected from the group consisting of optionally substituted cyclic hydrocarbon group, and optionally substituted heterocyclic group; n: an integer of 1 to 3; X: single bonding arm, —CH2—, —CO—, —(CH2)m—CO—, —CH(R2)—CO—, —(CH2)p—Y—(C(R3)(R4))q—CO—, —NH—CO— or —N(R5)—CO—; in the above-mentioned respective definitions of the X, the bonding arm described at the left end represents a bond with R1; m is an integer of 1 to 3; p is an integer of 0 to 2; q is an integer of 0 to 2; Y: —O— or —SO2—; R2: phenyl or lower alkyl; R3, R4: each independently represents hydrogen atom or lower alkyl; R5: lower alkyl; provided that the ring portion of the group represented by R1 is neither naphthylidine nor partially saturated group thereof, and, when X is —CH2— or —CO—, R1 is not naphthyl.
US08362271B2
The present invention to a process for preparing 1-phenylpyrazoles of the formula I in which each R1 is independently selected from chlorine, fluorine, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy and haloalkoxy; n is 1, 2 or 3; each R2 is independently selected from cyano, nitro, halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, alkylthio and alkoxycarbonyl; m is 0, 1 or 2; A is alkyl, aryl or aryl-C1-C4-alkyl, where A optionally bears 1, 2, 3 or 4 substituents comprising reacting a phenyl halide of the formula (II) with apyrazole derivative of the formula (III) in which X is chlorine, iodine or bromine; and R1, n, R2, m and A are each as defined above, in the presence of a base and a catalytic system comprising a ligand and a metal compound selected from palladium compounds, iron compounds and copper compounds.
US08362263B2
Disclosed are crystalline S-(−)-amlodipine adipic acid salt anhydrous and a preparation method thereof. The crystalline S-(−)-amlodipine adipic acid salt anhydrous exhibits excellent physical and chemical properties including non-hygroscopicity, solubility, thermal stability, and photostability, and is superior in formulation processability and long-term storage safety.
US08362261B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing 1-pyridyl-substituted pyrazoles, comprising the reaction of acetyleneketones with pyridylhydrazine derivatives to give 1-pyridyl-substituted dihydro-1H-pyrazoles, the further reaction thereof with elimination of water to give 1-pyridyl-substituted trihalomethylpyrazoles, and the further processing thereof.
US08362255B2
A process for the manufacture of (un)substituted phenylsulfanylphenyl-piperidines comprising the use of benzyl as N-piperidine protecting group is disclosed.
US08362254B2
Method for producing 4-formylaminopiperidine derivatives of the formula (I) and also the acid addition salts of these compounds, comprising the reaction of 4-aminopiperidine derivatives of the formula (II) or the acid addition salts of these compounds in the presence of compounds of the formula (III) and the use of 4-formylaminopiperidine derivatives of the formula (I) produced in such a way for protecting inanimate organic material against the effect of light.
US08362242B2
This invention pertains to methods, mixtures, kits and compositions pertaining to analyte determination and/or quantification by mass spectrometry using compounds comprising a reporter moiety and a non-encoded detectable label. The compounds can be used in sets for the analysis of mixtures of labeled analytes.
US08362230B2
The invention provides a method for characterising a sample comprising nucleic acid derived from a cell. The method comprises determining whether a sample comprises at least a minimal sequence of at least one new microRNA (miRNA) according to the invention or a mammalian ortholog thereof and characterizing the sample on the basis of the presence or absence of the miRNA. The invention further provides nucleic acid molecules and collections thereof and their use in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The invention furthermore provides a method for identifying a miRNA molecule or a precursor molecule thereof.
US08362227B2
The invention provides methods to detect C. difficile in biological samples using real-time PCR. Primers and probes for the detection of C. difficile are provided by the invention. Articles of manufacture containing such primers and probes for detecting C. difficile are further provided by the invention.
US08362212B2
Engineered antibodies to human IL-23p19 are provided, as well as uses thereof, e.g. in treatment of inflammatory, autoimmune, and proliferative disorders.
US08362192B2
A method for obtaining an aromatic polyamide crumb from an aromatic diamine and an aromatic diacid chloride, which aromatic polyamide comprises 5(6)-amino-2-(p-aminophenyl)benzimidazole terephthalamide units and has a relative viscosity ηrel of at least 3, by: (1) adding at least monomers (i)-(iii) in N-methyl pyrrolidone as solvent wherein (i) is 0-30 mole % para-phenylenediamine (PPD), (ii) is 20-50 mole % 5(6)-amino-2-(p-aminophenyl)benzimidazole (DABPI), (iii) is 49.05-50.05 mole % terephthaloyl dichloride (TDC), and optionally calcium chloride to obtain a CaCl2/aromatic diamine molar ratio less than 0.5, and an aromatic diamine/aromatic diacid chloride ratio between 0.99 and 1.01; (2) mixing the monomers and the optional calcium chloride to a homogenous mixture having a monomer concentration of 5 to 12 wt %; followed by (3) adding calcium chloride to the homogeneous mixture to obtain a CaC12/aromatic diamine molar ratio 0.6-1.0; and (4) polymerizing the mixture.
US08362190B2
There is provided a method for producing a hyperbranched polymer. A method for producing a hyperbranched polymer comprising polymerizing a dithiocarbamate compound of Formula (1): wherein R1 is H or CH3; R2 and R3 are individually a C1-5 alkyl group, etc., A1 is Formula (2) and/or Formula (3): wherein A2 is a linear, branched or cyclic C1-30 alkylene group that optionally contains an ether bond or an ester bond and X1, X2, X3 and X4 are each independently H, a C1-20 alkyl group, etc., by heating at 50 to 250° C.
US08362181B2
A sulfur-containing anionic polymerization initiator defined by the formula: R1S—R2aR3⊖Li⊕ where R1 is a monovalent organic group, R2 is a divalent organic group, R3 is a divalent organic group or a bond, and a is an integer from 1 to about 5.
US08362176B2
A process of making a polymerisable ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer from an unsaturated non-mineral oil, the oil being a mixture of triglycerides, some of which comprise at least one fatty acid having at least two non-conjugated unsaturated bonds at least one of which is ethylenically unsaturated, the process comprising the steps of: i) conjugating the non-conjugated unsaturated bonds, ii) reacting the reaction product of step (i) with an enophile having an acid, ester or anhydride moiety to form an adduct, iii) reacting the adduct with an ethylencially unsaturated monomer having a moiety reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile to form an intermediate iv) reacting the intermediate of step (iii) with a chain extender having at least two moieties reactive with the acid, ester or anhydride moiety of the enophile to form the macromonomer, where the oil has an iodine value of from 110 to 180 g of iodine per 100 g of oil.
US08362173B2
To provide a polymer which selectively adsorbs an acidic water-soluble target substance, a polymer which has a specific recognition site for an acidic water-soluble target substance, a production process thereof, and an acidic water-soluble target substance-adsorbing agent.A polymer which selectively adsorbs at least one kind of an acidic water-soluble target substance, in which the polymer has a cross-linked structure formed through a two-step reaction including a Michael addition reaction of a polymer having an amino group and/or imino group with an unsaturated carbonyl cross-linker, and a subsequent radical polymerization.
US08362162B2
The present invention relates to compositions and processes of making polymers having a controlled molecular weight distribution. The molecular weight distribution is controlled, for example, by controlling the relative monomer concentrations during contact with a pre-catalyst and/or using a catalyst comprising a catalytic amount of a molecule having the structure: wherein M=group 2-8 metal, preferably group 4 as a neutral or charged moiety; Y=any substituent including fused rings; L=any ligating group, especially a pyridyl or pyridylamide; X=alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, H or hydride, halide, or other anionic moiety; y=an integer from 0 to the complete valence of M; R=alkyl, aryl, haloalkyl, haloaryl, hydrogen, etc; x=1-6, especially 2; Dashed line=optional bond, especially a weak bond; and X and (CR2)x may be tethered or part of a ring.
US08362155B2
[Problem] To provide a conjugated diene polymer cyclized product free from coloring, a conjugated diene polymer cyclized product that has a narrow molecular weight distribution and is free from coloring, and a method for producing these conjugated diene polymer cyclized products.[Means for Resolution] A conjugated diene polymer cyclized product having a Gardner color scale of not more than 3.0. A conjugated diene polymer cyclized product having a Gardner color scale of not more than 3.0 and a ratio of weight average molecular weight/number average molecular weight of not more than 1.5. A method for producing a conjugated diene polymer cyclized product includes adding water to a conjugated diene polymer solution obtained by polymerizing a conjugated diene in a solvent by using an organoalkali metal compound as an initiator, thereby terminating the polymerization and then subjecting the subject conjugated diene polymer to a cyclization reaction.
US08362150B2
A method for copolymerizing alkenyl aromatic monomer and conjugated diene in the gas phase. Other embodiments include methods for forming anionic gas-phase polymerization using a solid-supported anionic polymerization catalyst.
US08362144B2
N-hydroxysuccinimide acrylate ester monomers are described which provide N-hydroxysuccinimide derivatized monomers for the formation of polymeric cell culture surfaces suitable for culture of difficult to culture cells including undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. Methods of making the monomers and are also described.
US08362142B2
The present invention discloses polyurethane dispersions based on aliphatic isocyanates which form hard coatings wherein the coatings also have good solvent resistant properties. The enhanced properties of the coatings are achieved by including from 1 to 8 weight percent of a high functional polyol in the polyol formulation for producing the dispersions.
US08362139B2
The present disclosure relates to a coating composition that can be applied to a conductive substrate via an anodic electrodeposition process, a substrate coated with the coating composition and a process for applying the coating to a substrate. The coating composition comprises an aqueous dispersion of at least partially neutralized copolymer comprising α-olefin and unsaturated carboxylic acid. After a layer of the coating has been applied to the substrate, it can be heated to cure the coating and form a crosslinked network that provides a durable chip and corrosion resistant finish.
US08362138B2
A dispersion of a water-insoluble colorant, having: fine particles of at least one kind of water-insoluble colorant dispersed in a water-containing medium; and a polymer compound or surfactant having a structural unit represented by formula (I): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; one of R2 to R5 represents a single bond which bonds to W, and the others each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent; Q represents a group of atoms necessary for forming, with the carbon atoms, a ring; J represents —CO—, —COO—, —CONR6—, —OCO—, a methylene group, a phenylene group, or —C6H4CO—; R6 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; W represents a single bond or a divalent linking group.
US08362137B2
A pigment dispersion including a pigment and a block polymer including a repeating unit including a hetero ring residue or an anthraquinone ring residue of a colorant is disclosed.
US08362136B2
A thermoplastic molding composition, comprising 10 to 98.99% of a thermoplastic polyester, 0.01 to 20% of a hyperbranched polycarbonate, and/or hyperbranched AxBy polyester, wherein Ax and By are different monomers and indices x and y are functional groups in A and B, x is at least 1.1 and y at least 2.1; 1 to 60% of a graft polymer comprising 20 to 80% of a graft base comprising an elastomeric polymer based on alkyl acrylates, 20 to 80% of a graft of 60 to 95% of styrene or of substituted styrenes of formula 1 R is an alkyl radical or hydrogen, R1 is an alkyl radical, n is 1-3, and 5 to 40% by weight of an unsaturated nitrite, 0 to 60% of a copolymer comprising, 60 to 95 of styrene and/or substituted styrenes of formula 1, 5 to 40% of an unsaturated nitrile, 0 to 60% of other additives.
US08362135B2
Improved compositions for the restoration, repair and assembly of materials include (a) a conditioner composition including a polymer that matches or is substantially the same as that to which Chemical Abstracts registry number (CAS No.) 222414-16-6 is assigned (commercially available as RHOPLEX 1834 acrylic emulsion) and (b) an adhesive composition that also includes a polymer that matches or is substantially the same as that to which CAS No. 222414-16-6 is assigned. Adhesive composition can also include a polymer that matches or is substantially the same as that to which CAS No. 253351-13-2 (commercially available as RHOPLEX 1950 acrylic emulsion) is assigned. First, the conditioner composition is injected into a gap between the two structures to be adhered. Next, the adhesive composition is injected into the gap. In one embodiment, the compositions are used to restore and repair historic plaster ceilings and walls.
US08362127B2
A halogenated non-polymeric phenyl ether flame retardant is described having the general formula (I): wherein each X is independently Cl or Br, n is an integer of 1 or 2, and each p is independently an integer of 1 to 4, provided that, when each X is Cl, the total amount halogen in the ether is from about 50 to about 65 wt % and when each X is Br, the total amount halogen in the ether is from at least 70 wt % to about 79 wt % and wherein from about 30% to about 80%, for example from about 35% to about 75% of the halogenated ethers are fully halogenated the remainder being partially halogenated. The present flame retardant provides superior mechanical properties when incorporated into a polymer than similar flame retardants which contain a higher amount of fully halogenated species.
US08362113B2
A self-repairing concrete includes a predetermined amount of concrete, micro-capsules and water being mixed together for a fixed function of micro-cracks, wherein a mass ratio of the concrete, micro capsules, and water is 100:1-15:15-50. The manufacturing method mixing water with micro-capsules until the micro-capsules are fully dispersed into the water; placing a mixture of water and micro-capsules in a stirring container and adding a predetermined amount of cement into the stirring mixture; stirring; and gradually adding filling into the concrete slurry into a mixing container and removing bubbles in the concrete slurry in the mixing container to form the self-repairing concrete.
US08362098B2
A process for producing viscoelastic flexible polyurethane foams by reacting a) polyisocyanates with b) compounds having at least two hydrogen atoms which are reactive toward isocyanate groups, c) blowing agents, wherein b) comprise b1) from 70 to 10 parts by weight of at least one polyether alcohol having polyoxypropylene units, a nominal functionality of from 3 to 6 and a hydroxyl number of 100 to 300 mg KOH/g, b2) from 10 to 70 parts by weight of at least one polyetherol having polyoxypropylene units, a nominal functionality of 2 and a hydroxyl number of 50 to 350 mg KOH/g, b3) from 10 to 30 parts by weight of at least one polyether alcohol having ethylene oxide units, a nominal functionality of from 2 to 3 and a hydroxyl number of 50 to 550 mg KOH/g, b4) from 0 to 20 parts by weight of at least one graft polyetherol having a nominal functionality of from 2 to 3 and a hydroxyl number of 20 to 40 mg KOH/g.
US08362094B1
A simple, room-temperature method of producing zinc oxide nanoparticles was established by reacting zinc nitrate hexahydrate and cyclohexylamine (CHA) in either aqueous or ethanolic medium. Particles of polyhedra morphology were obtained for zinc oxide, prepared in EtOH (ZnOE) and zinc oxide prepared in water (ZnOW). The results indicate that there are significant morphological differences between ZnOE and ZnOW. ZnOE showed a regular polyhedral shape, while spherical and chunky particles were observed for ZnOW. The morphology was crucial in enhancing the cyanide ion photocatalytic degradation efficiency of ZnOE by a factor of 1.5 in comparison to the efficiency of ZnOW at equivalent loading of 0.0166 ZnO nanoparticles wt %.
US08362093B2
A method of slurrifying oil contaminated materials by introducing a microemulsion or microemulsion-forming surfactant(s) to the material and subjecting the mixture to suitable shear or mixing forces to suitably blend such mixtures. The method may be applied directly to wastes such as waste drill mud cuttings and muds, emulsions, sludges, or soil substrates contaminated with water and/or oil drilling fluids in order to both reduce the viscosity and improve the lubricity, wetting, and flow properties of the substrate.
US08362089B2
The invention provides an aqueous composition that can alleviate at least one of the problems that conventional aqueous compositions for cosmetics have (e.g., insufficient temporal stability, insufficient viscosity increase, being incapable of being used in a variety of pH ranges and being incapable of providing sufficient thixotropy). The aqueous composition for cosmetics includes: (A) at least one selected from the group consisting of a cross-linked product of a hydroxyalkyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 5, a cross-linked product of a hydroxyalkyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 5 and an acyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 18 and a cross-linked product of an acyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 18; and (B) a water-soluble polymer material. When the water-soluble polymer material (B) is an association type poly(meth)acrylate polymer, a nonionic or cationic cellulose polymer, a poly(meth)acrylic acid polymer or xanthan gum, the aqueous composition exhibits excellent viscosity increase ratio and temporal stability.
US08362084B2
The present invention concerns the discovery that proteins encoded by a family of genes, termed here HDx-related genes, which are involved in the control of chromatin structure and, thus in transcription and translation. The present invention makes available compositions and methods that can be utilized, for example to control cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro and in vivo.
US08362083B2
A taste-masked liquid composition of docusate includes a docusate salt, povidone, a polyether, and water. Additional ingredients in the composition may include thickeners, sweeteners, flavorants, polyols, preservatives, chelating agents and pH adjusters. Such compositions may be used as taste-masked oral compositions of docusate, and may provide therapeutic effects such as stool-softening.
US08362079B2
The invention relates to a method and composition for treatment of oxidative stress resulting from hemodialysis treatment in patients suffering from chronic kidney failure or End-Stage Renal Disease by administration of cystine, cysteine or mixtures thereof.
US08362075B2
Sulphones of formula (I) are disclosed for use in treatment of cancer.
US08362069B2
Pharmaceutical/dermatological emulsions containing at least one avermectin compound, notably ivermectin, include at least one fatty phase and at least one aqueous phase, the at least one avermectin compound being solubilized in the fatty phase, which emulsions are useful for the treatment of a variety of dermatological conditions/afflictions, in particular rosacea.
US08362064B2
Compounds of formula (I) are agonists of PPARγ, useful for the treatment of respiratory disease; formula (I): wherein R1, R2 or R3 each independently represents halo, cyano, nitro, amino, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy, haloalkoxy, carboxylic acid or an ester or amide thereof; R4 represents hydrogen or alkyl; m, n or p independently represents 0, 1, 2 or 3.
US08362061B2
The invention relates to methods for detecting the presence of a compound of formula I in a biological test sample: where R2, R3, and R4 are as defined in the specification; or a salt thereof.
US08362054B2
Therapeutic compounds, compositions, methods, and medicaments related thereto are disclosed herein.
US08362053B2
Provided are various compounds of Formula I (I). Also provided are various compounds of Formula II (II). Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the above compounds. Additionally, methods of inhibiting macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) activity in a mammal are provided, as are methods of treating or preventing inflammation in a mammal. Further provided are methods of treating a mammal having sepsis, septicemia, and/or endotoxic shock. Also provided are methods of treating a mammal having an autoimmune disease, and methods of treating a mammal having a tumor.
US08362043B2
The present invention provides a compound of formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are as defined herein. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods using such compositions for treating a caspase-mediated diseases and processes for preparing the compounds of the invention.
US08362041B2
Disclosed herein is a method for the production of disulfide compounds of the formula (I) PAC-SA—SB—R* (I) wherein PAC-SA is a residue of a pharmaceutically active drug a metabolite thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof that is covalently bonded via the sulfur atom, SA of a reduced sulfhydryl, sulfinyl, sulfonyl or sulfonamide group to the sulfur atom SB of an oxidized sulfhydryl group of a pharmacologically acceptable sulfhydryl compound in the absence of an acid. Preferably the pharmaceutically active drug is a proton pump inhibitor and the sulfhydryl compound is N-acetyl cysteine. The disulfide compounds according to the invention can be prepared either in vitro or in vivo and are stable in the acidic conditions of the stomach. Pharmaceutical compositions containing compounds of the formula (I) and a method for the treatment or prophylaxis of gastrointestinal disorders using compounds of the formula (I) are also described.
US08362039B2
Compounds of formula (I) are disclosed. Compounds according to the invention bind to and are agonists, antagonists or inverse agonists of the CB2 receptor, and are useful for treating inflammation. Those compounds which are agonists are additionally useful for treating pain.
US08362036B2
A composition comprising an antacid, and a local, topical anesthetic. The composition is used to relieve pain or discomfort associated with a sore throat, and therefore, the invention is also directed to a method of alleviating the pain or discomfort associated with a sore throat comprising instructing a human to orally administer the composition.
US08362035B2
This invention relates to novel crystalline forms of the following Compound (1), and the sodium salt thereof, and methods for the preparation thereof, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and their use in the treatment of Hepatitis C Viral (HCV) infection:
US08362034B2
The present invention relates to a composition for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases containing the novel quinoline compound, the centipede extracts or compounds isolated from the extracts. The novel quinoline compound, the centipede extracts or a quinoline compound and a phenol compound isolated from the extracts of the invention exhibit excellent LDL-antioxidant activity, ACAT inhibiting activity, and anti-inflammatory activities, so that they can be included as an effective ingredient in a composition for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease including hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and myocardial infarction mediated by LDL-oxidation, cholesteryl ester synthesis and accumulation, and inflammation.
US08362030B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts or tautomers thereof which are inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) and thus useful for the treatment of cancer, inflammatory diseases, reperfusion injuries, ischaemic conditions, stroke, renal failure, cardiovascular diseases, vascular diseases other than cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, neurodegenerative diseases, retroviral infections, retinal damage, skin senescence and UV-induced skin damage, and as chemo- or radiosensitizers for cancer treatment.
US08362024B2
This invention relates to novel purinyl derivatives of formula Ia or Ib Wherein the symbols are as defined in the Specification and of pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof useful for the treatment or alleviation of diseases or disorders associated with the activity of potassium channels, for the preparation of a medicament for such treatment and to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds.
US08362020B2
The present disclosure is generally directed to antiviral compounds, and more specifically directed to compounds which can inhibit the function of the NS5A protein encoded by Hepatitis C virus (HCV), compositions comprising such compounds, and methods for inhibiting the function of the NS5A protein.
US08362017B2
The present invention provides compounds for modulating protein kinase enzymatic activity for modulating cellular activities such as proliferation, differentiation, programmed cell death, migration and chemoinvasion. Even more specifically, the invention provides compounds for modulating c-Kit kinase activity and methods of treating diseases mediated by c-Kit activity utilizing the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof.
US08362016B2
Novel compounds of the general formula (I), the use of these compounds as pharmaceutical compositions, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and methods of treatment employing these compounds and compositions. The present compounds are activators of PPARδ and should be useful for treating conditions mediated by the same.
US08362013B2
ABT-263 bis-HCl and crystalline polymorphs thereof are suitable active pharmaceutical ingredients for pharmaceutical compositions useful in treatment of a disease characterized by overexpression of one or more anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins, for example cancer.
US08362010B2
The present invention relates to novel benzenesulfonanilide compounds of the formulae I and I′ and physiologically tolerated acid addition salts and the N-oxides thereof. The compounds possess valuable therapeutic properties and are particularly suitable, for treating diseases that respond to modulation of the serotonin 5-HT6 receptor. wherein R1 is hydrogen or methyl; R2 is hydrogen or methyl and is positioned vicinal to the radical R1; R3 hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl, halogen, C1-C3 alkoxy, fluorinated C1-C3 alkyl or fluorinated C1-C3 alkoxy; R4 is hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, C3-C4 cycloalkyl, C3-C4 cycloalkylmethyl or fluorinated C1-C4 alkyl; R5 is hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, C1-C4 alkyl, fluorinated C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 alkoxy or fluorinated C1-C4 alkoxy; and R6 is hydrogen, fluorine or chlorine.
US08362008B2
The present invention pertains generally to the field of therapeutic compounds. More specifically the present invention pertains to certain amido-thiophene compounds that, inter alia, inhibit 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1). The present invention also pertains to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and the use of such compounds and compositions, both in vitro and in vivo, to inhibit 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1; to treat disorders that are ameliorated by the inhibition of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1; to treat the metabolic syndrome, which includes disorders such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, and associated disorders including insulin resistance, hypertension, lipid disorders and cardiovascular disorders such as ischaemic (coronary) heart disease; to treat CNS disorders such as mild cognitive impairment and early dementia, including Alzheimer's disease; etc.
US08362005B2
Compounds of formula (I): wherein variables B, m, n, J, R4, Ea, Eb, Ec, Re, Rf, RPG and Y are as described herein, which are antagonists of CGRP receptors and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the CGRP is involved, such as migraine. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP is involved.
US08362002B2
Disclosed are compounds of Formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof. Such compounds are MEK inhibitors and are useful in the treatment of proliferative diseases, such as cancer. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds as well as methods of using the compounds and compositions of the invention in the treatment of cancer.
US08362000B2
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 Y, Z, R1, and s are defined herein.
US08361996B2
The present invention provides a novel series of imidazolyl substituted steroidal and indan-1-one derivatives and salts thereof having the following general structural formulae (A and B)
US08361995B2
The present invention relates to the use of at least one gestagen selected from the group consisting of chlormadinone acetate, 3α-hydroxy-6-chloro-17α-acetoxy-4,6-pregnadien-20-one (3α-hydroxy-chlormadinone acetate) and 3β-hydroxy-6-chloro-17α-acetoxy-4,6-pregnadien-20-one (3β-hydroxy-chlormadinone acetate) as gestagen component and optionally at least one oestrogen selected from the group consisting of ethinyl oestradiol, oestrone, oestriol as oestrogen component and oestradiol to produce a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of melasma and optionally for simultaneous hormonal contraception or optionally for simultaneous hormone replacement for women.
US08361994B2
A compound having the structure useful for treating hypertension, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), congestive heart failure, conditions resulting from excessive water retention, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, cirrhosis, pre-eclampsia, osteoporosis or nephropathy.
US08361992B2
The present disclosure concerns complexes of 4-hydroperoxy ifosfamide. In one embodiment the complexes can be represented by the formula wherein A represents an ammonium species selected from the conjugate acid of a basic amino acid, quaternary ammonium, aliphatic ammonium, heterocyclic ammonium, aromatic ammonium, substituted and unsubstituted pyridinium, guanidinium, and amidinium, and wherein X and Y independently represent leaving groups. Also disclosed herein are methods for making such compounds and formulating pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Methods for administering the disclosed compounds to subjects, particularly to treat hyperproliferative disorders, also are disclosed.
US08361980B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods of treatment of diseases that are sensitive to drugs that downregulate the function of microRNA's, mRNA, non-coding RNA, or viral genomes. In particular, it has been discovered that a very long term effect of an anti microRNA oligonucleotide may be obtained when administered to a primate. Therefore, the present invention relate to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treatment of primates, including humans wherein the compositions are administered with a long time interval.
US08361957B2
In certain aspects, the present invention provides compositions and methods for increasing red blood cell and/or hemoglobin levels in vertebrates, including rodents and primates, and particularly in humans.
US08361955B2
The present invention is concerned with the therapy of neuroblastoma and related diseases. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method for treating or preventing neuroblastoma comprising administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). Preferably, said BMP4 is applied together with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
US08361953B2
The present invention is directed to rinse aid compositions with improved biodegradability that may be used in automated carwash operations to promote drying and improve the appearance of vehicles.
US08361952B2
A stability enhancement agent for use in a solid detergent and solid detergent compositions is described. Stability enhancement is provided by a hydratable salt, water and a polyepoxysuccinic acid or polyepoxysuccinic acid metal salt binding agent forming a dimensionally stable composition. Preferred polyepoxysuccinic acid or polyepoxysuccinic acid metal salts have a molecular weight of between about 400 and about 1,500 g/mol. The stability enhancement composition for use in a solid detergent and solid detergent compositions are preferably biodegradable and substantially free of phosphorus and NTA.
US08361947B2
A paint removal system is disclosed which comprises an environmentally safe paint stripping composition of which the primary constituent is benzyl alcohol, and which is applied to a substrate of one or more layers of paint to be removed from a surface. An impermeable biodegradable membrane is used in conjunction therewith, whereby the membrane is applied as a cover over the applied paint stripper to assist in the penetration of the paint stripping compound into the layers of paint and to assist in subsequent removal of the released paint and used stripper.
US08361945B2
The present invention provides a method for cleaning dentures by contacting the dentures with a solid, multi-layered composition having at least two parts in water. The first part of the composition comprises a) calcium hypochlorite, magnesium hypochlorite and mixtures thereof, b) a builder, c) a water-soluble polymer, d) an acid, and e) wherein the first part does not contain sodium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite and mixtures thereof. The second part comprises a) a functional ingredient, b) a builder or filler, and c) wherein the second part does not contain any oxidant.
US08361942B2
A solid composition including calcium and/or magnesium hypochlorite, a builder (e.g., one or more of carbonate, bicarbonate, sesquicarbonate), an acid, a water-soluble polymer, at least one anionic surfactant, and optionally, a hydrotrope. The composition does not include any potassium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite, N-halogenated compounds, peroxides, persulfates, hydantoins, isocyanurates, or carboxylic acids that also have hydroxyl, amino, amido, imino, or imido groups. Upon dissolution of the composition in water, the calcium and/or magnesium hypochlorite and acid react to form hypochlorous acid. The use of hypochlorous acid, rather than direct use of an alkaline or alkaline earth hypochlorite results in a composition that is typically acidic rather than basic, and that results in improved cleaning. The composition is particularly suited for cleaning and disinfecting dentures.
US08361936B2
A treatment fluid composition for treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore is formed from an aqueous fluid, a hydratable polymer and a water-soluble, non-symmetrical, inorganic peroxide breaking agent, which is capable of undergoing heterolytical cleavage. A method of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a wellbore may also be performed by forming a treatment fluid from an aqueous hydrated polymer solution. This is combined with a water-soluble, non-symmetrical, heterolytically cleavable inorganic peroxide breaking agent. The treating fluid is introduced into the formation. An optional crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the polymer may also be included.
US08361933B2
Disclosed herein are expression vectors which display a passenger polypeptide on the outer surface of a biological entity. As disclosed herein the displayed passenger polypeptide is capable of interacting or binding with a given ligand. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the expression vectors. N/C terminal fusion expression vectors and methods of making and using are also disclosed.
US08361932B2
This invention pertains to the in vitro detection of proteases using a single peptide-conjugate nanocrescent surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) probes with at least nanomolar sensitivity. The probe enables detection of proteolytic activity in extremely small volume and at low concentration. In certain embodiments the probes comprise an indicator for the detection of an active protease, where the indicator comprises a nanocrescent attached to a peptide, where said peptide comprises a recognition site for the protease and a Raman tag attached to the peptide.
US08361930B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a high temperature superconductor (HTSC) from a strip including an upper side precursor layer and which, for continuous sintering of the precursor layer within a furnace in the presence of a fed-in reaction gas, is drawn across a support. A furnace for performing the method is also described.
US08361928B2
Disclosed herein is a method for increasing the production of crops, particularly wheat and soybean, using herbicide resistant cultivars. In one aspect of this method, the method increases crop yield by diminishing the impact of the root diseases caused by Gaeumannomyces and Rhizoctonia species by treating the crop with an herbicide, in particular glyphosate. In another aspect the method for treating crops reduces the effects foliar pathogens and diseases, particularly fungal pathogens, such as rusts, including soybean rust, stem rust, stripe rust and leaf rust.
US08361926B2
A process for producing a polysaccharide superabsorbent particulate including the process steps of bringing into contact a polysaccharide with a polyphosphate or a polyphosphoric acid as crosslinking agent in the presence of water to form a polysaccharide gel drying the polysaccharide gel, comminuting the dried polysaccharide gel to form polysaccharide superabsorbent polymer particles, coating the particles with a polyphosphate or polyphosphoric acid, crosslinking the coated particles, and surface treating the particulate with a metal multivalent salt or an acid. The invention further relates to a polysaccharide superabsorbent polymer particulate obtainable by this process, a water-absorbent polysaccharide, a composite, a process for producing a composite, a composite produced by this process, the use of the polysaccharide superabsorbent particulates or of the composites as well as the use of polyphosphates.
US08361924B2
Disclosed herein is fine particles of core-shell structure, each particle being composed of a core particle which is formed from a first material and has the face-centered cubic crystal structure and a shell layer which is formed from a second material differing from the first material on the surface of the core particle and has the face-centered cubic crystal structure, the fine particles containing particles which are multiply twinned fine particles and are surrounded by the {111} crystal plane.
US08361923B2
A process is provided for producing a complex oxide catalyst which exhibits superior catalytic activity in a vapor phase catalytic oxidation reaction, particularly in production of unsaturated aldehyde and unsaturated carboxylic acid. The process is characterized by the steps of preparing an aqueous slurry by mixing a complex oxide containing molybdenum and cobalt with an acid and water; drying the aqueous slurry; and calcining the resulting dried solid. Preferably, the complex oxide is obtained as follows: a molybdenum- and cobalt-containing complex oxide catalyst which has been used in a vapor phase catalytic oxidation reaction is mixed with an aqueous extracting solution obtained by dissolving at least one of ammonia and an organic base in water, to thereby extract molybdenum and cobalt into the aqueous phase; and the aqueous phase is dried and is then calcined under an atmosphere of an oxidizing gas.
US08361916B2
An object of the invention is to provide an optical glass for precision press having optical properties of a high refractive index and a low dispersion property and having a low molding temperature, a high devitrification resistance, an excellent molding property, and a small specific gravity. The optical glass of the invention contains, in terms of % by mass on the basis of oxides, respective components of B2O3: 10 to 20%, SiO2: 0.5 to 12%, La2O3: 25 to 50%, Gd2O3: 0 to 20%, Y2O3: 0 to 20%, provided that La2O3+Gd2O3+Y2O3: 35 to 60%, ZnO: 5 to 20%, Li2O: 0.2 to 3%, ZrO2: 0 to 0.5%, Ta2O5: 3 to 18% and WO3: 3 to 20%, and has optical constants of a refractive index nd of 1.84 to 1.86 and an Abbe number vd of 37 to 42 and a glass transition point (Tg) of 630° C. or lower.
US08361914B2
Optical components that maintain transparency (remain clear) in high energy environments, including in applications of high-intensity gamma-ray radiation dosage of 1.29×109 rads and greater, and neutron energy at neutron fluxes ranging from 3×109 to 1×1014 n/cm2 sec and greater, and fluencies ranging from 2×1016 to 8.3×1020 n/cm2 and greater. Further, the optical components have a bulk laser damage threshold of 105+/−20 J/cm2, a surface laser damage threshold of 72+/−15 J/cm2, a Stokes shift of about 9%, and a fractional thermal loading of about 11%.
US08361912B2
A hood, dash, firewall or engine cover liner is provided for a vehicle. The liner includes a nonlaminate acoustical and thermal insulating layer of polymer fiber that shows no signs of any thickness increase, delamination, deterioration or any undesirable effect which may affect performance for at least 330 hours when maintained at a temperature of at least approximately 150° C. The liner may include a relatively high density, nonlaminate skin of polymer fiber and/or one or more facing layers constructed from polymer material.
US08361909B2
A conductive paste including conductive particles each of which has a size of greater than or equal to 0.1 μm and less than or equal to 10 μm, a resin, and a solvent is placed over a first conductor and the solvent is vaporized. In this manner, a second conductor having the conductive particles and a memory layer including the resin between the first conductor and the conductive particles is formed.
US08361900B2
A copper interconnect includes a copper layer formed in a dielectric layer. A liner is formed between the copper layer and the dielectric layer. A barrier layer is formed at the boundary between the liner and the dielectric layer. The barrier layer is a metal oxide.
US08361897B2
A method for depositing at least one thin-film electrode onto a transparent conductive oxide film is provided. At first, the transparent conductive oxide film is deposited onto a substrate to be processed. Then, the substrate and the transparent conductive oxide film are subjected to a processing environment containing a processing gas acting as a donor material or an acceptor material with respect to the transparent conductive oxide film. The at least one thin-film electrode is deposited onto at least portions of the transparent conductive oxide film. A partial pressure of the processing gas acting as the donor material or the acceptor material with respect to the transparent conductive oxide film is varied while depositing the at least one thin-film electrode onto at least portions of the transparent conductive oxide film. Thus, a modified transparent conductive oxide film having reduced interface resistance and bulk resistance can be obtained.
US08361896B2
A connector assembly includes a substrate and a connector. The substrate includes a ground layer and a trace layer. The substrate defines a substrate edge, and the ground layer defines a ground edge. The connector is mounted on the substrate such that a portion of the connector overhangs the substrate edge of the substrate. The connector includes a first signal contact that defines a mating portion, a mounting portion, a first transition portion connected to the mating portion, and a second transition portion connected to the first transition portion and the mounting portion. The first transition portion of the signal contact at least partially crosses the ground edge such that a gap is defined between the ground edge and the first transition portion and a substantial portion of the second transition portion extends over the gap when the electrical connector is mounted on the substrate.
US08361891B2
Methods for consistently reproducing channels of small length are disclosed. An ink composition comprising silver nanoparticles and a surface modification agent is used. The surface modification agent may also act as a stabilizer for the nanoparticles. A first line is printed which forms a modified region around the first line. A second line is printed, which is repelled from the modified region. As a result, a channel between the first line and the second line is formed.
US08361886B2
A method for programming an anti-fuse element in which the ratio between current values before and after writing is increased to ensure accuracy in making a judgment about how writing has been performed on the anti-fuse element. The method for programming the anti-fuse element as a transistor includes the steps of applying a prescribed gate voltage to a gate electrode to break down a gate dielectric film, and moving the silicide material of a silicide layer formed on a surface of at least one of a first impurity diffusion region and a second impurity diffusion region, into the gate dielectric film in order to couple the gate electrode with at least the one of the first impurity diffusion region and the second impurity diffusion region electrically through the silicide material.
US08361884B2
In one embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming islands by forming deep trenches within scribe lines of a substrate. The islands have a first notch disposed on sidewalls of the islands. A first electrode stack is formed over a top surface of the islands. The back surface of the substrate is thinned to separate the islands. A second electrode stack is formed over a back surface of the islands.
US08361879B2
Stress-inducing structures, methods, and materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, an isolation region includes an insulating material in a lower portion of a trench formed in a workpiece and a stress-inducing material disposed in a top portion of the trench over the insulating material.
US08361876B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming first and second alignment marks by forming first and second alignment mark grooves on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate and filling the grooves with a material different from the semiconductor substrate; forming a first element on the first surface in alignment using the first alignment mark; bonding a support substrate to the first surface; reversing a bonded structure of the support substrate and the semiconductor substrate around a predetermined axis and thinning the semiconductor substrate from a second surface side of the semiconductor substrate at least until a thickness with which a position of the second alignment mark is detected by reflected light obtained by application of alignment light from the second surface side of the semiconductor substrate is obtained; and forming a second element on the second surface in alignment using the second alignment mark.
US08361874B2
A polysilicon film to be a resistor element is formed on a resistor element formation region of a semiconductor substrate while a polysilicon gate and high concentration impurity regions are formed on a transistor formation region. Thereafter, an insulating film is formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate. Then, a photoresist film is formed to cover the transistor formation region, and a conductive impurity is ion-implanted into the polysilicon film. Next, the photoresist film is removed by ashing.
US08361864B2
A semiconductor device having a saddle fin gate and a method for manufacturing the same are presented. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an isolation structure, and gates. The semiconductor substrate is defined with first grooves in gate forming areas. The isolation structure is formed in the semiconductor substrate and is defined with second grooves which expose front and rear surfaces of the gate forming areas. The gates are formed within the first grooves in the gate forming areas. Gates are also formed in the second grooves of the isolation structure to cover the exposed front and rear surfaces of the gate forming areas. The second grooves are wider at the lower portions that at the upper portions.
US08361863B2
A method of forming an embedded DRAM cell having multiple-thickness gate dielectrics. An oxidation-enhancing dopant is selectively implanted into a well region in an area that is exposed by a first mask. A thermal oxidation step simultaneously produces the field dielectric for two distinct devices each having a different oxide thickness. The method is applicable to quad-density DRAM cells using fewer oxidation steps. The method is also applicable to planar DRAM cells, and does not require increasing the number of masks during the fabrication of planar DRAM cells.
US08361851B2
Tensile stress is applied to the channel region of an N-type metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistor by directly forming a material having a tensile stress, for example, tungsten, in the contact holes on the source region and drain region of the NMOS. Then, the dummy gate layer in the gate stack of the NMOS transistor is removed, so as to further reduce the counter force of the gate stack on the channel region, thereby increasing the tensile stress in the channel region, enhancing the drift mobility of the carrier, and improving the performance of the transistor. The present invention avoids using a separate stress layer to create tensile stress in the channel region of an NMOS transistor, which advantageously simplifies the transistor manufacturing process and improves sizes and performance of the transistor.
US08361850B2
A method of manufacturing a transistor by which sufficient stress can be applied to a channel region within allowable ranges of concentrations of Ge and C in a mixed crystal layer. A semiconductor device is also provided.
US08361846B2
An array substrate for a display device includes a substrate; gate and data lines crossing each other on the substrate to define a pixel region; a thin film transistor connected to the gate and data lines and including a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode, an active layer on the gate insulating layer, an ohmic contact layer on the active layer, and source and drain electrodes on the ohmic contact layer; and a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode, wherein the source and drain electrodes are separated from each other to define a separate region, wherein the separate region includes first to third regions in different directions, and wherein the active layer is removed in at least one of the first to third regions.
US08361845B2
An object is to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which suppresses an influence on a semiconductor element due to entry of an impurity element, moisture, or the like from outside even in the case of thinning or removing a substrate after forming a semiconductor element over the substrate. A feature is to form an insulating film functioning as a protective film on at least one side of the substrate by performing surface treatment on the substrate, to form a semiconductor element such as a thin film transistor over the insulating film, and to thin the substrate. As the surface treatment, addition of an impurity element or plasma treatment is performed on the substrate. As a means for thinning the substrate, the substrate can be partially removed by performing grinding treatment, polishing treatment, or the like on the other side of the substrate.
US08361831B2
In the zinc oxide film forming apparatus (1), the deposit containing zinc oxide is formed on the conductive layer of the resin substrate (9) by electrodeposition in the deposition part (2), and the resin substrate (9) is carried to the applying part (4). Subsequently, the film forming material which is in liquid or paste form and contains particles of zinc oxide and solvent is applied onto the conductive layer, and then the solvent is removed from the film forming material on the conductive layer by volatilization. It is therefore possible to easily and efficiently form the porous zinc oxide film which has superior adhesion to the conductive layer of the resin substrate (9).
US08361823B2
A method of making an inorganic light emitting layer includes combining a solvent for semiconductor nanoparticle growth, a solution of core/shell quantum dots, and semiconductor nanoparticle precursor(s); growing semiconductor nanoparticles to form a crude solution of core/shell quantum dots, semiconductor nanoparticles, and semiconductor nanoparticles that are connected to the core/shell quantum dots; forming a single colloidal dispersion of core/shell quantum dots, semiconductor nanoparticles, and semiconductor nanoparticles that are connected to the core/shell quantum dots; depositing the colloidal dispersion to form a film; and annealing the film to form the inorganic light emitting layer.
US08361821B2
In one aspect of this invention, a pixel structure includes a scan line formed on a substrate and a data line formed over the substrate defining a pixel area, a switch formed inside the pixel area on the substrate, a shielding electrode having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, and formed over the scan line, the data line and the switch, where the first portion is overlapped with the switch and the second portion is overlapped with the data line, and a pixel electrode having a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion, and formed over the shielding electrode in the pixel area, where the first portion is overlapped with the first portion of the shielding electrode so as to define a storage capacitor therebetween and the second portion has no overlapping with the second portion of the shielding electrode.
US08361813B1
A method for depositing graphene is provided. The method includes depositing a layer of non-conducting amorphous carbon over a surface of a substrate and depositing a transition metal in a pattern over the amorphous carbon. The substrate is annealed at a temperature below 500° C., where the annealing converts the non-conducting amorphous carbon disposed under the transition metal to conducting amorphous carbon. A portion of the pattern of the transition metal is removed from the surface of the substrate to expose the conducting amorphous carbon.
US08361811B2
An electronic component is provided on a substrate. A thin-film capacitor is attached to the substrate, the thin-film capacitor includes a pyrochlore or perovskite dielectric layer between a plurality of electrode layers, the electrode layers being formed from a conductive thin-film material. A reactive barrier layer is deposited over the thin-film capacitor. The reactive barrier layer includes an oxide having an element with more than one valence state, wherein the element with more than one valence state has a molar ratio of the molar amount of the element that is in its highest valence state to its total molar amount in the barrier of 50% to 100%. Optionally layers of other materials may intervene between the capacitor and reactive barrier layer. The reactive barrier layer may be paraelectric and the electronic component may be a tunable capacitor.
US08361810B2
Methods are disclosed for producing a bioweapon-sensitive fibrous-network product, wherein the subject products exhibit a color change in response to exposure to a biological agent (or portion thereof) as used in a biological weapon. Also disclosed are fibrous-network products that contain units of biopolymeric material that impart a color change to the products in response to exposure to a biological agent (or portion thereof) as used in a biological weapon.
US08361807B2
Various embodiments described in the application relate to an apparatus, system, and method for generating, within a conduit, discrete volumes of one or more fluids that are immiscible with a second fluid. The discrete volumes can be used for biochemical or molecular biology procedures involving small volumes, for example, microliter-sized volumes, nanoliter-sized volumes, or smaller. The system can comprise an apparatus comprising at least one conduit operatively connected to one or more pumps for providing discrete volumes separated from one another by a fluid that is immiscible with the fluid(s) of the discrete volumes, for example, aqueous immiscible-fluid-discrete volumes separated by an oil.
US08361803B2
An isotope-doped nano-structure is provided. The isotope-doped nano-structure includes at least one isotope-doped nano-structure segment having at least two isotopes of the element. The at least two isotopes of the element are mixed uniformly in a certain proportion. The isotope-doped nano-structure can be used for isotope labeling one type of the unlabeled structures such as DNAs, proteins, glucoses, gluconic acids, starches, biotin enzymes, sorbitols, or organic amines. An isotope labeled structure is also provided.
US08361790B2
The present invention relates to a human host cell generated from fusion of a human embryonic kidney-derived cell and a human B-cell-derived cell, by using genetic engineering techniques. The human host cell with stable characteristics well preserved may be efficiently used to produce heterologous desired recombinant protein-based pharmaceuticals.
US08361789B2
The present specification discloses clonal cell lines susceptible to BoNT/A intoxication, methods of producing such clonal cell lines, and methods of detecting Botulinum toxin serotype A activity using such clonal cell lines.
US08361788B2
Immortalized avian cell lines containing E1A nucleic acid sequences are useful for the production of viruses and are particularly useful for the production of recombinant viral vectors which can be employed for the preparation of therapeutic and/or prophylactic compositions for the treatment of animals and more particularly humans.
US08361786B2
The present invention provides novel photobioreactors, modules thereof, and methods for use in culturing and harvesting algae and cyanobacteria.
US08361780B2
Tetrahymena is used as a host cell in a biological assay for identification of modulators of tubulin ligases.
US08361776B2
The present invention relates to a process of adaptation of Pitman Moore strain of rabies virus to Primary chick fibroblast cells for the production of rabies vaccine.
US08361773B2
Recombinant DNA encoding NruI- and SboI-like restriction endonucleases and methylases and their amino acid sequences are provided as well as methods for expressing the enzymes in transformed host cells and purifying the enzymes.
US08361756B2
This invention provides nucleic acids and proteins involved in oligosaccharide modification in the species Bifidobacteria. The invention provides methods for utilizing the proteins of the invention to generate human milk oligosaccharides or oligosaccharide mimics. The invention also provides compositions containing the human milk oligosaccharides or oligosaccharide mimics and methods for use.
US08361754B2
The present invention relates to a gene that encodes a hyperactive reverse transcriptase having DNA polymerase activity and substantially reduced RNase H activity, vectors containing the gene and host cells transformed with the invention. The present invention also includes a method of producing the hyperactive reverse transcriptase, producing cDNA from mRNA using the reverse transcriptase of the invention, kits and assay templates made using the hyperactive reverse transcriptase.
US08361744B2
The present invention relates generally to the fields of molecular biology and protein technology. More specifically, the invention concerns signal sequences for the secretion of heterologous polypeptide from bacteria. The invention also concerns recombinant polypeptides and uses thereof.
US08361742B2
A method and system for rapidly detecting Candida on the skin of a host, such as an infant with diaper rash, is provided. The method includes contacting a dermal sample with a colorant that exhibits a certain spectral response (e.g., color change) in the presence of Candida. For example, the colorant may change from a first color to a second color, from colorless to a color, or from a color to colorless. The colorant is typically capable of differentiating between Candida (e.g., Candida albicans) and other microorganisms commonly associated with diaper rash, such as S. aureus and E. coli. Thus, when a dermal sample is placed into contact with the colorant, the color change may simply be observed to determine whether the infection is caused by Candida. If the color change occurs to a certain extent (e.g., from yellow to bright red), it may be determined that the test sample contains Candida. Likewise, if a color change occurs to a lesser extent (e.g., from yellow to faint orange) or not at all, it may be determined that the dermal sample contains other microorganisms (e.g., S. aureus or E. coli), no infection is present, or that the infection is simply due to other causes. Regardless, it will become readily apparent whether or not treatment for Candida is needed.
US08361740B2
The invention relates to methods for making a peptide standard for mass spectrometry said method comprising (a) identifying endopeptidase cleavage sites in a parent polypeptide sequence of interest; (b) selecting peptide sequences from said parent polypeptide which are defined by endopeptidase cleavage sites of step (a); (c) adding a C-terminal extension to each selected sequence; wherein if the endopeptidase cleavage site is C-terminal to its recognition sequence then the C-terminal extension comprises 1 to 6 amino acids, wherein if the endopeptidase cleavage site is N-terminal to its recognition sequence then the C-terminal extension comprises said recognition sequence, wherein if the endopeptidase cleavage site is within its recognition sequence then the C-terminal extension comprises the remainder of said recognition sequence C-terminal to the cleavage site; and (d) synthesizing a peptide having the extended amino acid sequence of step (c). The invention also relates to peptide standards and methods of analysing samples.
US08361734B2
The present invention relates to diuretic pharmaceutical compositions and methods and in particular to certain derivatives of the formula I: or a prodrug or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US08361729B2
Binding assays for identifying compounds that modulate human T1R2 polypeptide associated taste are disclosed. These assays detect the specific binding of compounds to a human T1R2 polypeptide or the modulation of the specific binding of a compound that specifically binds to a human T1R2 polypeptide. The binding assays may include the use of detectable labels, e.g., radionuclides, enzymes, fluorophases, and the like. Compounds identified in these binding assays have putative application as T1R2 taste modulators, particularly sweet taste, and potentially are useful additives in compositions for human or animal consumption.
US08361724B2
The invention provides methods related to evaluating the methylation status of a polynucleotide that includes an internal control.
US08361722B2
Disclosed are compositions and methods for reducing the proliferation of ALL cancer cells through targeted interactions with ALL1 fusion proteins.
US08361721B2
Gene expression profiling and hierarchical clustering analysis readily identify differential gene expressions in normal renal epithelial cells and renal cell carcinomas. Genes identified by this analysis would be useful for diagnosis, prognosis and development of targeted therapy for the prevention and treatment of conventional renal cell carcinoma.
US08361720B2
A cleavage-based real-time PCR assay method is provided. In general terms, the assay method includes subjecting a reaction mixture comprising a) PCR reagents for amplifying a nucleic acid target, and b) flap cleavage reagents for performing a flap cleavage assay on the amplified nucleic acid target to two sets of thermocycling conditions. No additional reagents are added to the reaction between said first and second sets of cycles and, in each cycle of the second set of cycles, cleavage of a flap probe is measured.
US08361691B2
A radiation-sensitive composition contains (A) a low-molecular-weight compound having one or more acid-dissociable groups which decompose by the action of an acid to enhance solubility in an alkaline developing solution and one or more radiation-sensitive acid-generating groups which generate an acid upon application of an active ray or radiation per molecule, and having a polystyrene-reduced number-average molecular weight (Mn) measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of 500 to 4,000, and (B) a solvent.
US08361682B2
Disclosed is a blue resin composition for a color filter that includes a colorant including an azaporphyrin-based dye and a blue pigment, an acrylic-based binder resin, a reactive unsaturated compound, a polymerization initiator, and a solvent.
US08361664B2
Active metal fuel cells are provided. An active metal fuel cell has a renewable active metal (e.g., lithium) anode and a cathode structure that includes an electronically conductive component (e.g., a porous metal or alloy), an ionically conductive component (e.g., an electrolyte), and a fluid oxidant (e.g., air, water or a peroxide or other aqueous solution). The pairing of an active metal anode with a cathode oxidant in a fuel cell is enabled by an ionically conductive protective membrane on the surface of the anode facing the cathode.
US08361663B2
The porous carbon structure according to one embodiment of the present invention includes mesopores, and at least two kinds of macropores having different average pore diameters. The porous carbon structure includes inter-connected pores and thereby increases specific surface area and improves electronic conductivity.
US08361657B2
For the purpose of increasing the electric capacity of lithium secondary batteries comprising titanium-based negative electrode materials, the present invention aims to produce a titanium oxide compound whose crystal structure, crystallite size, specific surface area and primary particle size are controlled, and to provide a lithium secondary battery comprising such a compound.The present invention produces a lithium secondary battery by using, as an electrode active material, a titanium oxide compound for use in an electrode, which is represented by TiO2.(H2O)a.(A2O)b (wherein A is Na or K, a is 0
US08361656B2
A composite anode active material including: a metal capable of alloy formation with lithium; an intermetallic compound; and a solid solution, in which the solid solution is an alloy of the metal capable of alloy formation with lithium and the intermetallic compound, and the solid solution and the intermetallic compound have a same crystal structure.
US08361654B2
The present invention provides a production process of a metal sulfide, which includes placing a metal component and sulfur in a conductive container, and applying a pulsed direct current to the container in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to cause the metal component to react with sulfur, and also provides a metal sulfide obtained by the process and represented by a composition formula: MSx, wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Fe, and Co, and 1
US08361653B2
A non-aqueous electrolyte battery comprising a negative electrode containing a carbon material capable of doping and dedoping lithium ions as a negative electrode active material; a positive electrode containing a composite oxide of lithium and a transition metal as a positive electrode active material; and a non-aqueous electrolytic solution; wherein the non-aqueous electrolytic solution contains 0.001% by weight or more and 5% by weight or less of a diamine compound having two tertiary amino groups capable of interacting with a proton.
US08361652B2
A chemical source of electrical energy may include a positive electrode (cathode) made of an electrically conductive material, a mixture of lithium sulphide and sulphur, a permeable separator or membrane, and a negative electrode (anode) made of an electrically conductive material or a material that is able reversibly to intercalate lithium ions, wherein an aprotic electrolyte comprising at least one lithium salt in at least one solvent is provided between the electrodes.
US08361648B2
In a portable electronic device having a battery compartment and a removeable cover therefor, the battery compartment and cover are configured to accommodate batteries of at least two different sizes.
US08361643B2
A battery cover latch mechanism includes a battery cover forming a first clasp, a main body, a button forming a second clasp latching to the first clasp; and a resilient member assembled on the button. The main body includes an assembly portion defining a notch; and a button hole communicating with the notch. The button and the resilient member are slidably assembled in the assembly portion, the resilient member seals the notch. The invention also discloses an electronic device using the battery cover latch mechanism.
US08361642B2
A battery pack thermal management system is provided that is comprised of at least one enclosure failure port integrated into at least one wall of a battery pack enclosure, where the enclosure failure port(s) remains closed during normal operation of the battery pack, and opens during a battery pack thermal runaway event, thereby providing a flow path for hot gas generated during the thermal runaway event to be exhausted out of the battery pack enclosure in a controlled fashion.
US08361635B2
A coated article is described. The coated article includes a substrate, a combining layer formed on the substrate, a plurality of chromium nitride layers and a plurality of copper-zinc alloy layers formed on the combining layer. The combining layer is a chromium layer. Each chromium nitride layer interleaves with one copper-zinc alloy layer. A method for making the coated article is also described.
US08361634B2
A process for joining a bronze part and a silicon carbide ceramic part comprising: providing a bronze part, a SiC ceramic part, a Al foil and a Ni foil; placing the SiC ceramic part, the Al foil, the Ni foil, and the bronze part into a mold, the Al foil and the Ni foil located between the SiC ceramic part and the bronze part, the Al foil abutting against the SiC ceramic part, the Ni foil abutting against the bronze part and the Al foil; placing the mold into a chamber of an hot press sintering device, heating the chamber and pressing the bronze part, the SiC ceramic part, the Al foil, and the Ni foil at least until the bronze part, the SiC ceramic part, the Al foil and the Ni foil form a integral composite article.
US08361633B2
Optically clear adhesives and laminates that include the adhesives are provided. The adhesives and laminates remain haze-free and are cloud point-resistant when placed in environments of high humidity and elevated temperature. The adhesives and laminates are useful in optical electronic display applications.
US08361632B2
Optically clear adhesives and laminates that include the adhesives are provided. The adhesives and laminates remain haze-free and are cloud point-resistant when placed in environments of high humidity and elevated temperature. The adhesives and laminates are useful in optical electronic display applications.
US08361629B2
A half mirror has a shape on a substrate and excels in appearance and design and is fabricated by a method. The method includes forming an organic film by applying, onto a transparent substrate or film, a primer composition containing an addition-polymerizable compound having three or more reactive groups, an addition-polymerizable compound having an acidic group, and an addition-polymerizable compound having a hydrophilic functional group, and polymerizing the primer composition. The method includes turning the acidic group into a metal (M1) salt by treating the organic film with an aqueous solution containing metal (M1) ions, and turning the metal (M1) salt into a metal (M2) salt by treating the organic film with a metal (M2) ion aqueous solution containing metal (M2) ions that are lower in ionization tendency than metal (M1) ions, and (d) reducing metal (M2) ions to form a metal film on a surface of the organic film.
US08361627B2
The invention relates to a composition for the corrosion protection of metal substrates and to the production thereof, and to a method for producing corrosion-resistant coatings.
US08361625B2
An interlayer film for a laminated glass which reduces transmittance of ultraviolet rays having wavelength of 380 to 400 nm and has an excellent durability to light exposure, while maintaining high visible light transmittance. The interlayer film for a laminated glass comprises a thermoplastic resin and an indole compound having a structure represented by the following chemical formula 1: Wherein R1 represents an alkyl group having 1-3 carbon atoms, and R2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group having 1-10 carbon atoms, or an aralkyl group having 7-10 carbon atoms.
US08361622B2
Metal oxides are modified by aminohydrocarbyl-substituted monoalkyltrisiloxy groups in a defined percentage of T1 and T2 groups relative to total T groups wherein the T groups denote connectivity of siloxy bonds to the metal oxide have a high positive triboelectric chargeability, the triboelectric charge being stable even in conditions of high humidity.
US08361592B2
There are disclosed a honeycomb structure capable of providing a honeycomb catalytic body which is excellent in purification efficiency with a small pressure loss and which can be mounted even in a limited space, a honeycomb catalytic body which is excellent in purification efficiency with a small pressure loss and which can be mounted even in a limited space, and a manufacturing method of the same. A honeycomb catalytic body 50 of the present invention is a honeycomb catalytic body of a flow-through type through which cells as through channels extend from an inlet to an outlet, both the surfaces of partition walls 4 of a honeycomb structure 1 and the inner surfaces of pores 25 carry a catalyst to form catalyst layers 5, and the catalyst carrying partition walls have a permeability of 1×10−12 [m2] or more, preferably 1×10−9 [m2] or less.
US08361576B2
A movable mold and a slide mold are employed. There is also employed a deposition apparatus which is equipped with a deposition element such as a target electrode in the inside of a depositing chamber. A body portion and a cover member are primarily molded by the movable mold and the slide mold. The molds are opened while the body portion being left in the movable mold and while cover member being left in slide mold. The body portion left in the movable mold is deposited in the molds with its inner surface being covered with the depositing chamber. Next, the slide mold is driven so that the cover member may be registered with the deposited body portion. Then, a secondary molding resin is injected to integrate the body portion and the cover member.
US08361573B2
A coating composition comprising a blend of at least two dye fixatives, at least one of which is a cationic polymer, and at least one of the other dye fixatives is a polyvalent metal salt, to form a water-insoluble complex. The ink recording sheets comprise a composition that is absorbed into the surface of the substrate as a sizing material, or alternatively, forms a continuous layer on the substrate. The present invention also encompasses methods for making the ink jet recording sheets.
US08361564B2
A method for implanting a dopant in a substrate is provided. A patterned photoresist mask is formed over the substrate, wherein the patterned photoresist mask has patterned photoresist mask features. A protective layer is deposited on the patterned photoresist mask by performing a cyclical deposition, wherein each cycle, comprises a depositing phase for depositing a deposition layer over surfaces of the patterned mask of photoresist material and a profile shaping phase for providing vertical sidewalls. A dopant is implanted into the substrate using an ion beam. The protective layer and photoresist mask are removed.
US08361563B2
An ink composition comprising: (A) an isoindoline-based pigment; (B) a pigment dispersing agent; (C) a radically polymerizable compound; and (D) a polymerization initiator; the radically polymerizable compound (C) comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by Formula (I) to Formula (III): wherein R1 denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, A1 denotes a single bond or a divalent linking group, R2 denotes a monovalent substituent, m denotes an integer of 0 to 13, and when m is an integer of 2 to 13, the R2s may be identical to or different from each other, R3 denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, A2 denotes a single bond or a divalent linking group, and n denotes an integer of 1 to 5.
US08361548B2
A process for the coating of substrates comprising insertion of a substrate into a process oven, plasma cleaning of the substrate, rehydration of the substrate, dehydration of the substrate, withdrawal of a metered amount of one or more chemicals from one or more chemical reservoirs, vaporizing the withdrawn chemicals in one or more vapor chambers, and transfer of the vaporized chemicals into a process oven, thereby reacting with the substrate. An apparatus for the coating of substrates comprising a process oven, a gas plasma generator, a metered chemical withdrawal subsystem, and a vaporization subsystem.
US08361543B2
Methods and apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility. One or more electronic locate marks are displayed in a display field of the display device, based at least in part on one or more actuation data sets representing at least one physical locate mark created by an actuation of a marking device used for the marking operation. Exemplary actuation data sets comprise at least two pieces of geographic information for a corresponding physical locate mark. Electronic locate marks may be rendered statically or dynamically in the display field (e.g., as feedback during the marking operation, and/or in a timed sequence so as to recreate the marking operation), and may be overlaid on a digital image of work site/dig area in which the marking operation is performed.
US08361542B2
Methods for applying a treatment, such as colorant, to an installed landscaping material (such as wood chips or mulch), reducing the need to replace worn or weathered material. The methods include applying a pre-treatment to protect elements proximate the landscape material that are not to be treated, applying a treatment liquid to the landscaping material by spraying, and then rinsing any elements proximate the landscape material that may have be inadvertently and undesirably treated. Also described is a sprayer apparatus for applying treatment liquid to a landscaping material. The sprayer apparatus includes first and second spray outlets and an agitator therebetween. In use, the landscape material to be treated is first sprayed, the material is agitated (e.g., turned), and a second spray of treatment liquid is applied to the landscape material.
US08361536B2
A method for fixing antibody on the surface of medical instrument, mainly includes: 1) pre-treating the instrument surface; 2) preparing holes: preparing multicrystal phase structure which has same size holes in the surface of the instrument by chemical corrosion, electrochemical corrosion, anodic oxidation, micro-arc oxidation, micro-arc nitridation; 3) post-treating the instrument surface; 4) fixing the antibody: immerging the bare metal scaffold which has holes in surface into a buffer solution containing antibody, adjusting the pH value of the antibody buffer solution, fixing the antibody on the surface of the instrument by the attraction between positive and negative charge and hole effect; and 5) confirming the effectiveness of the fixed antibody by artificial simulation hemodynamics and detecting method of antibody activity in scaffold surface.
US08361534B2
Disclosed are compositions comprising carbohydrate; lipid, comprising from about 0.25% to about 2.5% lecithin by weight of total lipid; from about 0.5% to about 10% hydrolyzed casein protein by weight of total protein; and from about 90% to about 99.5% intact protein by weight of total protein; wherein the compositions are nutritional powders. The nutritional powders provide improved oxidative stability and sensory performance.
US08361533B2
The present invention relates to frozen food products, such as ice creams, having special emulsifying systems. The emulsifying system preferably contains mono esters of propane-1,2-diol and fatty acids, such as 2-PGME, and it may furthermore contain additional emulsifiers such as 1-PGME and/or diglycerides. The frozen food products are characterized by improved organoleptic and sensory properties as well a reduced rate of melting. The invention furthermore relates to the emulsifying systems as such as well as methods of preparing the frozen food product.
US08361530B2
An oligosaccharide mixture comprising 5-70 wt % of at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide selected from the group comprising GalN Acα1,3Galβ1,4Glc and Galβ1,6GalN Acα1,3Galβ1,4Glc, 20-90 wt % of at least one neutral oligosaccharide selected from the group comprising Galβ1,6Gal, Galβ1,6Glβ1,4Glc Galβ1,6Galβ1,6Glc, Galβ1,Galβ1,3Glc, Galβ1,3Galβ1,4Glc, Galβ1,6Galβ1,6Galβ1,4Glc, Galβ1,6Galβ1,3Galβ1,4Glc, Galβ1,3Galβ1,6Galβ1,4Glc and Galβ1,3Galβ1,3Galβ1,4Glc and 5-50 wt % of at least one sialylated oligosaccharide selected from the group comprising NeuAcα2,3Galβ1,4Glc and NeuAcα2,6Galβ1,4Glc; food products comprising said oligosaccharide mixture.
US08361528B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a flake having a high level of whole grains, such as oat groats, nuts and/or other particulate. An embodiment of the present invention provides a flake having a low degree of degradation giving the flake a granola appearance and texture, a relatively large thickness of the flake, which further contributes to the appearance and the crunchy texture, and/or uses a low degree of cook to the binding constituent that provides the high viscosity for binding and a resultant crunchy texture.
US08361520B2
Antioxidant skin care composition comprising at least two antioxidant components one of which is a solid coffee extract antioxidant, which exhibits a synergistically increased antioxidant potency as measured by ORACsc compared to the antioxidant potency of antioxidant skin care compositions which do not contain at least two antioxidant components one of which is a solid coffee extract antioxidant. The skin care compositions are particularly suited for use in the treatment of wrinkles, pigmentation effects caused by sun damage and redness in the skin.
US08361518B2
The present invention relates to products obtained from crude olive pomace oil by centrifugation or decantation of the pomace, wherein said products contain a specific composition of triterpenic acids (especially maslinic and oleanolic acids), fatty acids, and ethyl esters; these products are suitable for use as additives in human or animal food products or in cosmetics products.
US08361516B2
The présent invention relates to a composition comprising sarsasapogenin or a plant extract containing it in order to improve the gêneral state of the skin and in particular to improve and/or embellish any part of the body showing a déficit in lipids. More particularly, the invention is directed to a cosmetic method to improve the figure, comprising the step of topically applying to the skin a cosmetic or dermopharmaceutical composition comprising sarsasapogenin to favour the expansion and/or the formation of the subcutaneous adipose tissue, and/or to favour the lipid synthesis in the epidermis.
US08361513B2
The present invention herein provides antimicrobial zeolite which hardly causes any color change with the elapse of time even when it is incorporated into a resin to form an antimicrobial resin composition. The present invention thus relates to antimicrobial zeolite which comprises zeolite whose ion-exchangeable ions are partially or wholly replaced with hydrogen ions and silver ions; and an antimicrobial resin composition which comprises the foregoing antimicrobial zeolite in an amount ranging from 0.05 to 80% by mass.
US08361509B2
Pharmaceutical form containing at least an active compound and a polymeric matrix, wherein said polymeric matrix comprises at least one polymer of cationic nature and at least one biodegradable polymer, process for the preparation thereof, pharmaceutical formulations comprising said pharmaceutical form, and their uses. The pharmaceutical form provides enhanced absorption of active compounds across the mucosa.
US08361505B1
An apparatus and method for the preparation and formation of a stable sub-colloidal-sized silver metal hydrosol in pure distilled water without the use of supporting or stabilizing proteins, carbohydrates, or similar types of ligands. The silver metal hydrosol is created by passing an alternating current, high-voltage arc discharge between two pure silver electrodes. The discharge arc passes from a silver wire suspended above the distilled water working fluid, first through the air, and then through the working fluid to a submerged silver plate, thereby completing the circuit. With the passage of the discharge arc through the silver wire, a quantity of the silver metal is deflagrated from the bulk surface of the metal and is vaporized into silver metal atoms, or aggregates of atoms, dispersed into the air. The vaporized silver metal atoms are rapidly quenched into separate atoms or aggregates upon making contact with the cooled working fluid.
US08361503B2
Provided are methods for preparing gelled, solubilized extracellular matrix (ECM) compositions useful as cell growth scaffolds. Also provided are compositions prepared according to the methods as well as uses for the compositions. In one embodiment a device, such as a prosthesis, is provided which comprises an inorganic matrix into which the gelled, solubilized ECM is dispersed to facilitate in-growth of cells into the ECM and thus adaptation and/or attachment of the device to a patient.
US08361496B2
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions in the form of a gel for controlled- or sustained-release of a pharmaceutically active agent and to methods for treating or preventing a condition in an animal by administering to an animal in need thereof the pharmaceutical compositions. One particular type of condition for which the pharmaceutical compositions are useful is a microbial infection, e.g., of the skin, ear, or eye, especially for veterinary applications.
US08361495B2
Biodegradable cationic block copolymers are disclosed, comprising a hydrophilic block comprising first repeat units derived from a first cyclic carbonyl monomer by ring-opening polymerization, wherein more than 0% of the first repeat units comprise a side chain moiety comprising a quaternary amine group; a hydrophobic block comprising second repeat units derived from a second cyclic carbonyl monomer by ring-opening polymerization; an optional endcap group; and a chain fragment derived from an initiator for the ring opening polymerization. The cationic block copolymers form aqueous micelle mixtures suitable for antimicrobial applications.
US08361494B2
An engineered lipoprotein including (a) a core particle or a plurality of core particles, each core particle has (i) an inner part comprising a hydrophilic active agent and a hydrophilic portion of an amphiphilic cholesterol and (ii) an outer part including a hydrophobic portion of the amphiphilic cholesterol, (b) a layer surrounding the core particle or a plurality of core particles, the layer includes a phospholipid, (c) an apoprotein associated with the layer, and optionally, (d) a homing molecule associated with at least one of the apoprotein or the phospholipid.
US08361493B2
The patch according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a support; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on at least one surface of the support, wherein: the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer contains an acrylic copolymer obtained by copolymerizing monomer components containing (a) at least one kind of a monomer of a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester and (b) at least one kind of a monomer of an N-hydroxyalkyl(meth)acrylamide; a content of the (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester monomer (a) with respect to a total amount of the monomer components is 50 wt % to 90 wt % and a content of the N-hydroxyalkyl(meth)acrylamide monomer (b) with respect to the total amount is 1 wt % to 20 wt %; and the monomer components are substantially free of a monomer having a carboxyl group.
US08361491B2
A porous silicon implant impregnated with a beneficial substance, such as a micromineral required for healthy physiology, is implanted subcutaneously and is entirely corroded away over the following months/year to release the micromineral in a controlled manner. In a second embodiment the implant may have a large number of holes which contain beneficial substance and which are closed by bio-errordable doors of different thickness so as to stagger the release of the beneficial substance over time as the doors are breached.
US08361484B2
One aspect of the invention relates to a hydrogel comprising a polymer comprising a plurality of pendent hydroxyl groups, a crosslinker, and a sclerosing agent. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for reducing lung volume in a patient comprising the steps of advancing into a region of a patient's lung via said patient's trachea a multi-lumen catheter lumen through a bronchoscope; and co-administering, through the multi-lumen catheter, a first mixture comprising a first amount of a polymer containing a plurality of pendent hydroxyl groups; a second mixture comprising a second amount of a crosslinker; and a third mixture comprising a third amount of a sclerosing agent; thereby forming a hydrogel in said region. In certain embodiments, the compositions and methods described herein are intended for use in the treatment of patients with emphysema of the lung.
US08361478B2
Described are vaccines against malarial infections, which are based on recombinant viral vectors, such as alpha viruses, adenoviruses, or vaccinia viruses. The recombinant viral-based vaccines can be used to immunize against different Plasmodium infections, such as infections by P. falciparum or P. yoelii. Codon-optimized circumsporozoite genes are disclosed. Replication-defective adenoviruses may be used, derived from serotypes that encounter low titers of neutralizing antibodies. Also described is the use of different adenoviral serotypes that are administered to elicit a strong immune response, either in single vaccination set-ups or in prime-boost set-ups in which compositions based on different serotypes can be applied.
US08361471B2
A synergistic adjuvant is provided comprising synergistically effective amounts of at least one type 1 interferon and at least one CD40 agonist, wherein these moieties may be in the same or separate compositions. In addition, fusion proteins and DNA conjugates which contain a type 1 interferon/CD40 agonist/antigen combination are provided. The use of these compositions, protein and DNA conjugates as immune adjuvants for treatment of various chronic diseases such as HIV infection and for enhancing the efficacy of vaccines (prophylactic and therapeutic) is also provided.
US08361470B2
Human anti-human IL-21 monoclonal antibodies and the hybridomas that produce them are presented. Certain of these antibodies have the ability to bind native human IL-21, a mutant recombinant IL-21 protein and/or peptide regions of human IL-21. These human anti-IL-21 antibodies are useful in therapeutic treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, particularly diseases mediated by T follicular helper cells, B cells, TH cells or TH17 cells.
US08361469B2
The invention relates to antibodies that specifically bind to tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) and that reduce the clotting time of blood. Such antibodies have utility in the treatment of subjects with a coagulopathy.
US08361468B2
The present invention is directed to humanized antibodies which bind the human C5a receptor and their use as therapeutic and diagnostic agents. The present invention is further directed toward nucleic acid sequences which encode said humanized antibodies, and their expression in recombinant host cells. In particular, the present invention is directed towards humanized antibodies derived from murine antibody 7F3 which specifically binds to the human C5a receptor.
US08361464B2
The invention relates to therapeutic conjugates with the ability to target various antigens. The conjugates contain a targeting antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof and an anthracycline chemotherapeutic drug. The targeting antibody and the chemotherapeutic drug are linked via a linker comprising a hydrazide moiety.
US08361459B2
Cells derived from postpartum tissue such as the umbilical cord and placenta, and methods for their use to regenerate, repair, and improve neural tissue, and to improve behavior and neurological function in stroke patients are disclosed.
US08361455B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of using peristalsis to force a polymer plug through a mammalian lumen, thereby removing any calculi and/or calculi fragments present in the lumen. In one embodiment, the method is used as an alternative to conventional lithotripsy. In another embodiment, the method is used in conjunction with lithotripsy, thereby removing the small calculi fragments that result from such procedures.
US08361453B2
The invention provides medical devices that comprise an iodinated polymer and that can be viewed using X-Ray imaging techniques. The invention also provides novel iodinated polymers that can be incorporated into or coated on medical devices.
US08361445B2
The present invention is directed to the use of antibiotics for preparing topical oral antibiotic formulations for treating and/or preventing black-line stains. This invention is further directed to a method of treating and/or preventing black-line stains comprising administration of a topical oral antibiotic formulation. The invention is additionally directed to a topical oral antibiotic formulation for use in treating and/or preventing black-line stains.
US08361440B2
The invention relates to an imaging method for simultaneously determining in vivo distributions of bioluminescent and/or fluorescent markers and radioactive markers at identical projection angles, the distribution of the bioluminescent and/or fluorescent markers being determined by separate detection of photons having a first average energy, which are emitted by the bioluminescent and/or fluorescent markers, by means of at least one first detector and the distribution of the radioactive markers being determined by simultaneous separate detection of photons having a second average energy, which are emitted by the radioactive markers, by means of at least one second detector. Furthermore, it also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the imaging method, containing at least one CCD camera (1, 2) as first detector, at least one single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) detector (3) as second detector and a layer (5), which essentially reflects the photons of the bioluminescent and/or fluorescent markers and essentially transmits the photons of the radioactive markers.
US08361436B2
The invention concerns a crystalline solid designated IM-17 which has the X-ray diffraction diagram given below. Said solid has a chemical composition expressed by the empirical formula: mXO2: nGeO2: pZ2O3: qR: wH2O, in which R represents one or more organic nitrogen-containing species, X represents one or more tetravalent element(s) other than germanium and Z represents at least one trivalent element.
US08361435B2
The invention concerns a crystalline solid designated IZM-2, which has the X ray diffraction diagram given below. Said solid has a chemical composition expressed as the anhydrous base in terms of moles of oxides by the formula XO2:aY2O3:bM2/nO, in which X represents at least one tetravalent element, Y represents at least one trivalent element and M is at least one alkali metal and/or an alkaline-earth metal with valency n, a and b respectively representing the number of moles of Y2O3 and M2/nO; a is in the range 0 to 0.5 and b is in the range 0 to 1.
US08361421B2
The present invention provides a method of treating a raw syngas stream and an apparatus therefor. In the method a raw syngas stream is passed to a hydrolysis unit to provide a hydrolysed syngas stream and a condensed water stream. The hydrolysed syngas stream is passed to an acid gas removal unit to separate H2S and a part of the CO2 from the hydrolysed syngas stream to provide a treated syngas stream and an acid off-gas stream. The acid off-gas stream and a sulphur dioxide-comprising stream are passed to a catalytic zone to react H2S in the acid off-gas stream with SO2 in the sulphur dioxide-comprising stream to provide an elemental sulphur stream and a catalytic zone off-gas stream.
US08361419B2
Disclosed is a method for preparing cerium carbonate powder by mixing a cerium precursor solution with a carbonate precursor solution to cause precipitation, wherein at least one solvent used in the cerium precursor solution and the carbonate precursor solution is an organic solvent. Cerium carbonate powder obtained from the method, cerium oxide powder obtained from the cerium carbonate powder, a method for preparing the cerium oxide powder, and CMP slurry comprising the cerium oxide powder are also disclosed. The method for preparing cerium carbonate using an organic solvent, allows the resultant cerium carbonate powder to have a size and shape controllable from the initial nucleation step. Additionally, it is possible to easily control the size and shape of cerium oxide powder obtained from the cerium carbonate powder.
US08361410B2
A hematology analyzer or cytometer cartridge system having flow metering. It may have on- or off-cartridge flow metering and control. The system may have local and direct flow measurement to provide accurate counts per unit volume. There may be numerous arrangements for fluidic circuit checks of the cartridge. Examples may include checks pertaining to zero flow, interface, pressure, flow rate, fluid type and quality, backflow, dry qualification, temperature exposure limits, and so on, of the circuits and cartridge associated items.
US08361400B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a honeycomb structural body which is low in pressure loss and can prolong a period up to a regenerating process. The present invention is directed to a columnar honeycomb structural body comprising a large number of through holes placed in parallel with one another in a length direction with wall portion interposed therebetween, wherein: each of the through holes has one of ends sealed; one end face of the through hole differs in opening area from the other end face thereof; a ceramic material which constitutes the wall portion has an average pore diameter in a range from 5 to 30 μm; and the rate of capacity of micro pores each having a pore diameter two or more times larger than the average pore diameter is set to 30% or less of the capacity of the entire micro pores.
US08361396B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated-polymer-synthesis systems that include discrete reagent-solution-addition, wait-time, and reagent-solution-draining sub-systems which together significantly increase throughput and decrease sub-system idle time. The automated-polymer-synthesis systems that represent embodiments of the present invention additionally include switches at points in which carriers can be received from multiple input paths or output to multiple different output paths. The automated-polymer-synthesis systems that represent embodiments of the present invention generally include an input spur and output spur in addition to a main loop, allowing carriers containing only completed polymers to be removed and new carriers input, so that carriers traverse the automated-polymer-synthesis systems independently from one another.
US08361390B2
The present invention relates to a liquid chromatography apparatus X, which is provided with a deaerator 4. The liquid chromatography apparatus X is further provided with a dissolved oxygen density adjusting means for maintaining a density of dissolved oxygen in an eluting solution to be supplied to a column 60 constant. Preferably, the dissolved oxygen density adjusting means is configured so as to adjust the density of the dissolved oxygen in the eluting solution by adjusting a degree of decompression in a decompression space of the deaerator 4 based on a measurement result by temperature measurement means 40A, 40B, and 40C for measuring the temperature of the eluting solution.
US08361383B2
Provided is an allergen reduction-processing agent capable of giving an allergen reducing effect to a fibrous product while restraining whitening, and chalk marks. As chemical agents having an allergen-restraining effect, a zirconium based compound and a sulfonyl group-containing aromatic compound are used. An aqueous dispersion containing these components is used as an allergen reduction-processing agent for processing a fibrous product. The ratio by weight of the zirconium based compound to the aromatic compound is preferably 1 to 6:0.05 to 1.5.
US08361381B2
A process for making a diffusion hardened medical implant having a porous surface is disclosed. The medical implant is made by a hot isostatic pressing process which simultaneously forms that porous surface and the diffusion hardened surface.
US08361378B2
An immersion nozzle used for measuring a level of molten metal, wherein a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion which are made of carbon are imbedded in a pair of slots which are provided on the surface of the immersion nozzle separately from each other and along the longitudinal direction in such a way that the first and second conductive portions form integral parts of the surface of the immersion nozzle.
US08361377B2
The invention relates to blowing equipment (1) that uses a pressurised fluid for blowing vessels from preforms of a thermoplastic material and including a body (3) and a neck (6), wherein said equipment comprises a blowing mould (5) with a moulding cavity (4) in which the body (3) of a preform (2) can be placed, said mould (5) including an upper surface (7) from which protrudes the neck (6) of a preform (2) once the body (3) of said preform (2) is placed in the cavity (4), and wherein said equipment (1) also includes a nozzle (8) with an end (9) shaped so as to be placed in functional sealed relation with the protruding neck (6) of the preform (2). The end (9) of the nozzle (8) is connected to a means (12) for degassing the blowing fluid, capable of bearing tightly on the upper surface (7) of the mould (5) so as to define an inner volume (13) in which the blowing fluid blown under pressure into the preform (2) can be discharged after the preform (2) blowing operation. The equipment includes a degassing means capable of expanding the blowing fluid around the blowing cavity, wherein said means includes a plurality of channels (28) arranged around said blowing cavity, said channels (28) having one side opening into the inner volume of the degassing means (12) while the other side gives into an annular channel (29) for discharge into the atmosphere.
US08361375B2
Forming mold or electroforming mother die having release layer and method for manufacturing the same
A forming mold or electroforming mother die including a mold or mother die, and a release layer composed of an organic thin film on a mold surface or mother die surface which is formed by contacting the mold or mother die with an organic solvent solution including a silane surfactant represented by formula [1] Rn—Si—X4-n [1] where R represents an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or halogenated hydrocarbon having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or a hydrocarbon group or a halogenated hydrocarbon group having a linking group which has 1 to 20 carbon atoms, X represents a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an acyloxy group, and n represents an integer of 1 to 3; and a catalyst capable of interacting with the silane surfactant, and a production method thereof.
US08361367B2
A method of forming a simulated combustible fuel element for simulating a semi-burned combustible fuel element, including, first, covering a surface of the semi-burned combustible fuel element with a material selected to produce a resiliently flexible mold, and second, after the selected material has set, removing the semi-burned combustible fuel element from the mold. Next, a predetermined amount of liquefied body material is introduced into the mold, and a body is produced resembling the semi-burned combustible fuel element with one or more cavities therein and an exterior surface simulating the surface of the semi-burned combustible fuel element, the body including one or more light passages. After the body material is cured, the mold is removed from the body.
US08361363B2
To provide a foam board of a polyolefin resin which has an excellent heat insulating property and sound absorption property, of which a product can be material-recycled and which can continuously be produced at a low cost; a method for producing a foam board, which comprises extrusion-foaming by ejecting a mixture of a polyolefin resin composition containing a linear polypropylene resin having a melt tension of from 5 to 30 g at 230° C. and a foaming agent containing at least carbon dioxide in the supercritical state, by means of an extruder which has a multi-hole type die having an opening diameter of from 0.1 to 1.0 mm and the number of openings of from 50 to 5,000 at an ejection amount (V) of from 0.05 to 0.45 kg/hr per one opening in the die at a melt-extrusion temperature of from 160 to 250° C., under atmosphere at a proximal resin pressure of from 7 to 20 MPa at the openings of the die.
US08361357B2
A process for preparing a spray-dried detergent powder having: (i) detersive surfactant; and (ii) other detergent ingredients; wherein the process has the steps of: (a) dosing an aqueous detergent slurry into a drop tank; (b) transferring the aqueous detergent slurry from the drop tank to a pipe, and transferring the aqueous detergent slurry along the pipe through at least one pump to a spray nozzle; (c) contacting a detergent ingredient to the aqueous detergent slurry in the pipe to form a mixture; (d) spraying the mixture through the spray nozzle into a spray-drying tower; and (e) spray-drying the mixture to form a spray-dried powder, wherein the ratio of (i) the volume of the pipe of step (b) in liters to (ii) the volume of the drop tank of step (a) in liters is less than 1:1.
US08361347B2
The blue phosphor of the present invention includes ZrO2 and a metal aluminate that is represented by the general formula aBaO.bSrO.(1−a−b)EuO.cMgO.dAlO3/2.eWO3, where 0.70≦a≦0.95, 0≦b≦0.15, 0.95≦c≦1.15, 9.00≦d≦11.00, 0.001≦e≦0.200, and a+b≦0.97 are satisfied. This blue phosphor has a ZrO2 content of 0.01 to 1.00% by weight. In the blue phosphor of the present invention, two peaks whose tops are located in a range of diffraction angle 2θ=13.0 to 13.6 degrees are present in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained by measurement on the blue phosphor using an X-ray with a wavelength of 0.774 Å.
US08361339B2
The present invention provides such a formation method that an antireflection structure having excellent antireflection functions can be formed in a large area and at small cost. Further, the present invention also provides an antireflection structure formed by that method. In the formation method, a base layer and particles placed thereon are subjected to an etching process. The particles on the base layer serve as an etching mask in the process, and hence they are more durable against etching than the base layer. The etching rate ratio of the base layer to the particles is more than 1 but not more than 5. The etching process is stopped before the particles disappear. It is also possible to produce an antireflection structure by nanoimprinting method employing a stamper. The stamper is formed by use of a master plate produced according to the above formation method.
US08361338B2
The embodiments of methods described in this disclosure for removing a hard mask layer(s) over a polysilicon layer of a gate stack after the gate stack is etched allows the complete removal of the hard mask layer without the assistance of photolithography. A dielectric material is deposited over the substrate with the gate stacks. The topography of the substrate is removed by chemical mechanical polishing first. Afterwards, an etching gas (or vapor) is used to etch a portion of the remaining dielectric layer and the hard mask layer. The etching gas forms an etch byproduct that deposits on the substrate surface and can be subsequently removed by heating. The etching and heating to remove etch byproduct are repeated until the hard mask layer is completed removed. Afterwards, the remaining dielectric layer is removed by wet etch. The methods described are simpler and cheaper to use than conventional methods for hard mask removal.
US08361333B2
This invention provides an inexpensive and rapid method for fabricating a high-anisotropic-etch ratio, shaped glass structures using a novel photosensitive glass composition. Structures of the photosensitive glass may include micro-channels, micro-optics, microposts, or arrays of hollow micro-needles. Furthermore, such shaped glass structures can be used to form a negative mold for casting the shape in other materials.
US08361332B2
A method of fabricating micro-lenses is provided. A first layer is formed on a substrate. The first layer is comprised of a first material and the substrate is comprised of a second material. An opening is formed in the first layer and an etchant is provided in the opening to etch both the substrate and the first layer to form a first mold for a first micro-lens. The etchant etches the first layer at a different rate than the substrate. A lens material is added to the etched molds to form micro-lenses.
US08361327B2
The present invention relates to an agricultural water-recycling system comprising an iron (Fe)-ionizing module and a method of recycling agricultural water using the same, and more particularly to an agricultural water-recycling system comprising an iron (Fe)-ionizing module and a method of recycling agricultural water using the same, in which phosphorus (P) contained in effluent from a sewage treatment plant is removed by using the iron (Fe)-ionizing module comprising an iron (Fe)-ionizing electrode consisting of an iron plate serving as a cathode and a titanium plate serving as an anode and an electrode-washing device. According to the present invention, an effluent treatment process of a sewage treatment plant and an electrode washing process needed for iron ionization can be simultaneously performed, the iron ionization is controlled depending on the concentration of phosphorus contained in the effluent, thereby improving effluent treatment efficiency.
US08361325B2
There is provided a method or a system for obtaining an aqueous solution substantially free of inorganic anionic pollutants selected from perchlorate, cyanide or chromate present therein, comprising contacting the aqueous solution containing said pollutants with a complex comprising micelles of an organic cation adsorbed on clay for removal of said pollutants from the aqueous solution. The method and system may also utilize a mixture of a complex of an organic cation adsorbed on clay as a micelle, and a granular material or a complex of an organic cation adsorbed on clay as a micelle. There is also provided a system comprised of a column accommodating the mixture of a complex of an organic cation adsorbed on clay as a micelle, and a granular material.
US08361324B1
A simple, room-temperature process of using zinc oxide nanoparticles was established by reacting zinc nitrate hexahydrate and cyclohexylamine (CHA) in either aqueous or ethanol medium. Particles of polyhedra morphology were obtained for zinc oxide, prepared in EtOH (ZnOE) and zinc oxide prepared in water (ZnOW). The results indicate that there are significant morphological differences between ZnOE and ZnOW. ZnOE showed a regular polyhedral shape, while spherical and chunky particles were observed for ZnOW. The morphology was crucial in enhancing the cyanide ion photocatalytic degradation efficiency of ZnOE by a factor of 1.5 in comparison to the efficiency of ZnOW at equivalent loading of 0.0166 ZnO nanoparticles wt %.
US08361319B2
A wastewater treatment system includes wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds, an anoxic zone having denitrifying bacteria, and an aerobic zone having nitrifying bacteria. The anoxic zone is coupled to the aerobic zone, and wastewater flows from the anoxic to the aerobic zone or vice versa. A fluidized bed heat exchanger configured to accept heat from a heat engine and to transfer the heat from the heat engine to the wastewater is positioned in the aerobic zone or the anoxic zone. The fluidized bed heat exchanger includes particulate media, and fluidization of the particulate media scrubs bacterial growth from portions of the fluidized bed heat exchanger. Treating wastewater can include flowing wastewater having nitrogen-containing compounds into a biological reactor having an anoxic zone and an aerobic zone, and heating the wastewater with heat from a heat engine to facilitate denitrification reactions in the anoxic zone and nitrification reactions in the aerobic zone.
US08361318B2
An object of the invention is to provide a spiral separation membrane element that can reduce the pressure loss of a feed-side channel and be much less vulnerable to the problem of inhibition or blockage of the flow in the feed-side channel. The spiral separation membrane element includes one or more separation membranes, one or more feed-side channel components, one or more permeation-side channel components, and a perforated hollow core tube around which the separation membranes, the feed-side channel components and the permeation-side channel components are wrapped, wherein the feed-side channel component is a net formed by fusion bonding.
US08361310B2
Gas oil components, coking process recycle, and heavier hydrocarbons are cracked or coked in the coking vessel by injecting an additive into the vapors of traditional coking processes in the coking vessel. The additive contains catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), quenching agent(s), carrier(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack or coke these components. Modifications of the catalysts in the additive improve performance for certain desired outcomes. One exemplary embodiment of the present invention uses the olefin production capabilities from newly developed catalysts to increase the production of light olefins (e.g. ethylene, propylenes, butylenes, pentenes) for alkylation process unit feed, the production of oxygenates, and petrochemical feedstocks, such as plastics manufacture. Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is the use of the olefin production from newly developed catalysts to improve the coker naphtha quality. A third exemplary embodiment of the present invention uses the cracking characteristics of newly developed catalysts to optimize the production of light gas oils, naphtha, and gases from the coking process.
US08361309B2
A diesel fuel composition comprising a (1) sulfur content of less than 10 ppm; (2) a flash point of greater than 50° C.; (3) a UV absorbance, Atotal, of less than 1.5 as determined by the formula comprising Atotal=Ax+10(Ay) wherein Ax is the UV absorbance at 272 nanometers; and wherein Ay is the UV absorbance at 310 nanometers; (4) a naphthene content of greater than 5 percent; (5) a cloud point of less than −12° C.; (6) a nitrogen content of less than 10 ppm; and (7) a 5% distillation point of greater than 300 F and a 95% distillation point of greater than 600 F.
US08361306B2
There is provided a control apparatus for a gas sensor, which has a sensor element equipped with first and second oxygen pumping cells. The sensor control apparatus is configured to drive the first oxygen pumping cell to adjust the oxygen concentration of gas under measurement, drive the second oxygen pumping cell to produce a flow of electric current according to the amount of oxygen pumped out of the oxygen concentration adjusted gas by the second oxygen pumping cell, perform specific drive control to control the amount of oxygen pumped by the second oxygen pumping cell to a predetermined level after startup of the sensor element and before the application of the drive voltage between the electrodes of the second oxygen pumping cell.
US08361287B2
A multi-element cover system for controlling acid mist in metal electrowinning or electrorefining cells is made of an electrolyte resistant material and is applied above the surface of the electrolyte and below the electrical connections of the electrodes in order to provide a continuous and substantially airtight seal above the electrolyte. The cover system comprises a plurality of flexible longitudinally concave caps arranged between the cathode and the anode that help to shift the acid mist towards the sides of the cell using the same energy that disengages it from the electrolyte; lids between the electrodes and the wall of the corresponding end of the cell; and lateral enclosures located at both sides of the cell in the space between the electrodes and the lateral walls of the cell, the lateral enclosures having at least a top side, end walls at each end and an inner side projecting towards the electrolyte, thus forming a chamber inside the lateral enclosure, with the lower side of the enclosure or the electrolyte itself acting as the bottom boundary of the chamber, the chamber being connected to external acid mist suction means and its inner side provided with bores above the electrolyte level so as to in this fashion, in collaboration with the flexible caps, uniformly suck and remove the acid mist confined under the caps throughout the entire cell with a gentle suction and without the risk of crystal formation due to oversaturation of the droplets contained in the mist.
US08361285B2
An electrochemical antifouling system for preventing fouling organisms from adhering to seawater-wetted structures includes a direct current circuit for creating an electrolytic environment in seawater, the direct current circuit having an adjustable direct current source, a lattice electrode having a single metallic component so as to provide a dimensionally stable lattice structure, the lattice electrode electrically insulated from a surface of a seawater-wetted structure, at least one corrosion-resistant counter electrode having polarity opposite to the lattice electrode and disposed at a distance therefrom, and a switching device configured to alternatively switch the lattice electrode to (a) a continuous operating mode, and (b) a temporary depletion mode, wherein the lattice electrode is disposed in a distance range from the surface of the seawater-wetted structure so that the surface lies within an area of influence of an increase in pH value of the seawater caused by electrolysis.
US08361281B2
There is disclosed a desalinization apparatus, and methods related to desalinization. In an embodiment, a desalinization apparatus includes at least one port for receiving airflow therethrough, at least one port for receiving salt water therethrough, at least one output for providing outflow of pure water vapor, and at least one output for proving outflow of a mixture of water, salt and air; and a plurality of chambers for evaporating the salt water into the airflow, at least one of the chambers forming a plurality of ports arranged in a plurality of rows. In an embodiment, a method includes providing airflow to a desalinization apparatus; providing salt water to the desalinization apparatus; forming a vortex in the airflow to evaporate water vapor from the salt water; and providing the water vapor in the airflow to a condenser so as to obtain pure water.
US08361275B2
When a substrate is etched by using a processing gas including a first gas containing halogen and carbon and having a carbon number of two or less per molecule, while supplying the processing gas toward the substrate independently from a central and a peripheral portion of a gas supply unit, which face the central and the periphery part of the substrate respectively, the processing gas is supplied such that a gas flow rate is greater in the central portion than in the peripheral portion. When the substrate is etched by using a processing gas including a second gas containing halogen and carbon and having a carbon number of three or more per molecule, the processing gas is supplied such that a gas flow rate is greater in the peripheral portion than in the central portion.
US08361270B2
The invention relates to a method for axial joining of a hybrid joining component to a workpiece, wherein the joining component has a thermoplastic joining section and a metal section which can be heated, having the following steps: moving the joining component into contact with a surface of the workpiece; heating of the metal section such that the joining section at least partially melts; ending the heating of the metal section such that the joining component makes a force-fitting, interlocking and/or integral connection with the surface of the workpiece. In this case, the joining component is held with a regulated force and/or in a regulated position with respect to the workpiece at least during the heating of the metal section, in such a manner that the joining component can be joined to the surface of the workpiece without any opposing support.
US08361268B2
A method of transferring a device includes the steps of: arranging a first substrate, on which a device is provided with a release layer having a planar shape equal to or smaller than the device interposed therebetween, and a second substrate, on which an adhesive layer is provided, so as to be spaced from and opposite each other in a state where the device and the adhesive layer face each other; and irradiating a laser beam having an irradiation area larger than the base area of the release layer onto the entire surface of the release layer from the first substrate side so as to ablate the release layer, to separate the device from the first substrate, and to transfer the device on the second substrate.
US08361261B2
A method of assembling a secondary containment liner includes providing at least a pair of uncoated, impermeable sheet components. Respective substrate elements are secured to corresponding edges of the sheet components such that the substrate elements overlap the corresponding edges of the respective sheet components. The substrate elements are themselves overlapped and an impermeable coating is applied to the overlapping substrate elements to sealably bond the adjoining sheet components to one another and thereby define an assembled liner.
US08361258B2
A precursor composition of a reactive material that comprises a metal material and an energetic material, such as at least one oxidizer or at least one class 1.1 explosive. The metal material defines a continuous phase at a processing temperature of the precursor composition and the energetic material is dispersed therein. The metal material may be a fusible metal alloy having a melting point ranging from approximately 46° C. to approximately 250° C. The fusible metal alloy may include at least one metal selected from the group consisting of bismuth, lead, tin, cadmium, indium, mercury, antimony, copper, gold, silver, and zinc. The reactive composition may have a density of greater than approximately 2 g/cm3. The reactive composition may also include a polymer/plasticizer system.
US08361253B2
The invention relates to a process for the continuous heat treatment of steel strip material whose thickness d1, d2 periodically varies along its length, more particularly of strip flexibly rolled with a roll gap varying as a function of time, wherein the continuous heat treatment of the strip material takes place while the strip material passes through an induction furnace in which the strip material is induction heated at a constant frequency which can be selected to be such that the mathematical induction depth δ of the induced current up to which the magnetic field has been reduced to 63% of the field strength of the outer field is greater than half the thickness of the strip portions with the smallest thickness d2.
US08361239B2
A hand dishwashing detergent composition comprising a humectant, and a pearlescent agent to provide superior grease cleaning and hand mildness.
US08361231B2
Provided is a liquid vaporization system capable of promoting vaporization of a liquid material while solving a problem of residual liquid material. A liquid vaporization system has a liquid vaporization apparatus having a pump and a vaporizer. The vaporizer has a case, a heater provided inside the case, a heat storage plate heated by the heater, and a mesh. The mesh is formed by interweaving wires and has an overall flat plate shape. By overlapping the mesh on an upper surface of the heat storage plate, minute irregularities are formed on the heat storage plate by the mesh. A nozzle is provided above the mesh, whereby the liquid material is dropped from the nozzle onto the heat storage plate. The liquid material spreads over the heat storage plate in a thin film and is heated and vaporized on the upper surface of the heat storage plate.
US08361217B2
The invention relates to metallic paint comprising water and/or organic solvent and also at least one film-forming agent, at least one organofunctional silane, and at least one metallic effect pigment, the metallic effect pigment being a leafing aluminum pigment.The invention also relates to a process for preparing the metallic paint of the invention, and its use. Also, furthermore, an article painted with the metallic paint of the invention, and a vehicle finish.
US08361210B2
Described is a method for treating wood, in which the wood is brought into contact with a mixture of liquid or water-soluble organic ammonium carboxylate and an active ingredient which repels invertebrates, characterized in that the organic ammonium carboxylate has the formula (1): [NR1R2R3R4]+n[R5(COO)n]−n (1), in which R1, R2 and R3 are selected from hydrogen, substituted and unsubstituted alkyls containing 1-6 carbon atoms, R4 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl containing 1-6 carbon atoms, R5 is hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon containing 1-6 carbon atoms and n is an integral 1-6 and whereby wood-preservative active ingredient contains a chelating agent which repels invertebrate, which chelating agent is selected from an aminopolycarboxylic acid or a salt thereof, a hydroxy acid or a salt thereof or a phosphonate or a salt thereof or a mixture of chelating agents which belong to two of more groups thereof.
US08361206B2
Dessicants employed in dehumidifying moisturized air present within a water-damaged building are themselves dehumidified to liberate collected moisture through the use of heated air vented from an on-site electric generator to be drawn over and about a heat exchanger fired by diesel fuel.
US08361204B1
A vacuum-pressure swing absorption concentrator includes a motor driven compressor having pressure and vacuum heads that are connected to a pressure reservoir and a vacuum reservoir respectively. The pressure and vacuum reservoirs are selectively and alternately interconnected in sequence through a main valve to a pair of nitrogen filtering sieve beds. A controller operates the valve to alternately and cyclically interconnect the sieve beds to the pressure and vacuum reservoirs respectively. During each cycle, a respective bed is pressurized and enriched oxygen is produced and delivered to a tank for use by a patient. At the same time, the other bed is evacuated through the vacuum reservoir. A crossover valve delivers oxygen from a pressurized bed to an evacuated bed to facilitate purging of impurities previously collected in the evacuated bed.
US08361203B2
A carbon porous body (ICY) includes a carbon skeleton containing carbon atoms, wherein the carbon skeleton includes carbon main sections and carbon linking sections mutually linking the carbon main sections; a distance D1 between adjacent carbon main sections and a distance D2 between adjacent carbon linking sections satisfy the relationship of D1
US08361198B2
A process is described for purifying synthesis gas by means of a pressure swing adsorption unit which is desorbed by a vacuum produced by a so-called ejector, which is driven by steam generated by a heat exchanger which uses the heat in the flue gas duct or in the useful-gas duct for the generation of steam. The pressure swing adsorption unit is operated advantageously in cyclic turns of adsorption under excess pressure, depressurization desorption and vacuum desorption and the gas desorbed by the ejector being cooled in a cooler so that the contained steam can be condensed and discharged or is advantageously returned to the feed gas for the synthesis gas production. The foreign gas desorbed by the pressure swing adsorption unit, which contains at least partly not yet consumed fuel gas, is recycled to the fuel gas. In an advantageous embodiment, the vacuum from the ejector is stored in an intermediate tank and applied to the pressure swing adsorption unit according to the vacuum desorption cycle. Also disclosed is a device for running this process.
US08361184B2
A concentrated, homogenous, stable, water-soluble fertilizer suspension comprising: water-soluble mineral nutrients of at least nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and magnesium; and an organic stabilizing additive; and wherein the pourable, aqueous suspension has water-soluble mineral nutrients amounting to at least about 80 percent by weight (wt. %) of the suspension.
US08361172B2
In the present invention, a fuel composition and a process for making the same are disclosed. Specifically, in the present invention, triglycerides useful for distillate fuels are described along with their method for preparation from Fischer-Tropsch acid by-products and the glycerol by-product from biodiesel generation. By using these two by-product streams, the overall efficiency of both processes is improved and a new source of distillate fuels is created. These triglycerides can be used to improve the lubricity of Fischer-Tropsch derived distillate fuels. In addition, these triglycerides also have low melting points and have viscosities compatible with distillate fuels.
US08361166B2
A system and method for presenting electronic device security and tracking information. A method includes but is not limited to making accessible at least one first webpage capable of presenting a category for an electronic device registered with an electronic device security and tracking system and method (ESTSM) service; making accessible at least one second webpage capable of accepting a report that the electronic device has been stolen; and making accessible at least one third webpage capable of accepting at least one item of information pertaining to enablement of the electronic device.
US08361164B2
The construct described herein allows opposing tissues to form adhesions with either side of the construct, as part of the natural healing process. The construct however is multi-layered, wherein the space between the layers provides the protection from unwanted adhesions forming between and bonding separate tissues. In one embodiment, this space between layers of the construct may be developed spontaneously, that is the multiple layers are released by design after a finite time and the opposing tissues are free to move independent of each other, free of adhesions.
US08361163B2
A substantially cup-shaped prosthetic device for a joint is provided. The prosthetic device includes an outer surface configured to operatively engage at least one of a first bone of the joint and a component and an inner surface configured to connect to a second bone of the joint. The inner surface is rotationally asymmetric to minimize intrusion on a vascular region of the second bone.
US08361160B2
A device and methods for use in determining the trajectory of a patella of a patient during a navigated knee replacement surgical procedure are described. The device includes a first component including a mounting for attachment to a posterior surface of the patient's patella and a second component having an outer surface presenting a formation adapted to engage with a femoral part of the patient's knee. A slider mechanism allows the second component to translate relative to the first component in a substantially medial-lateral direction of the patient when the first component is attached to the patient's patella. The device can be used in a method to help determine the medial-lateral position for a patella implant.
US08361154B2
The described devices are bound spinal implants that may be surgically implanted into the spine to replace damaged or diseased discs using a posterior approach. The discs are prosthetic devices that approach or mimic the physiological motion and reaction of the natural disc.
US08361147B2
A prosthetic device for use as an artificial meniscus is disclosed. The prosthetic device restores shock absorption, stability, and function to the knee joint after removal of the damaged natural meniscus. In some embodiments, the prosthetic device includes an anti-migration feature. The anti-migration feature is a bridge for engagement with a femur notch in some instances. Generally, the anti-migration feature allows the artificial meniscus to be implanted into the patient's knee and maintain its position within the knee without penetrating the adjacent bone. The bridge is reinforced with fibers in some instances.
US08361132B2
A system for affecting a temperature of a patient, the system includes: a nose catheter that is adapted to be inserted into a nose upper channel and to receive a first fluid; and a temperature control and fluid supply unit that is adapted to supply the first fluid and control a temperature of the first fluid so as to affect a temperature of a brain of a patient when the nose catheter is inserted into the nose upper channel of a patient and receives the first fluid.
US08361122B2
Provided is a spinal fixation system including a taper lock screw including an inner housing and an outer housing that are translatable relative to one another to transition the taper lock screw between a locked position and an unlocked position. A locking device releasably connects to and operationally interacts with a flange of the taper lock screw. An unlocking device releasably connects to and operationally interacts with inner housing unlocking tool receptors of the taper lock screw to unlock the taper lock screw.
US08361121B2
A system and method for ameliorating spinal column anomalies, such as scoliosis, includes bone screws which are to be implanted in the pedicle region(s) of individual to-be-derotated vertebrae and in vertebrae to which balancing forces must be applied as the spinal column is manipulated en mass to achieve an over-all correction of the condition. A pedicle screw cluster derotation tool simultaneously engages multiple pedicle screws and transmits manipulative forces to multiple vertebrae to effect a whole-spine correction. Pre-contoured spinal rods are engaged post-derotation to secure the correction.
US08361120B2
The present invention relates to an outrigger for securing a longitudinal spinal rod, preferably a horizontally offset spinal rod, with respect to a bone anchor. The outrigger may include a housing having a first throughbore to receive the bone anchor and a second throughbore to receive the spinal rod, a cam for surrounding the bone anchor, the cam being disposed within the first throughbore, and a collet having a passage for surrounding the spinal rod, the collet being disposed within the second throughbore. The cam may be moveable from a first position to a second position such that, in the first position, the spinal rod and bone anchor are free to move with respect to the housing and in the second position, the spinal rod and collet are secured with respect to the housing. The collet may be moveable between a first configuration to a second configuration such that movement of the cam from the first position to the second position causes the collet to move from the first configuration to the second configuration. The cam preferably may move into contact with the collet when the cam is moved into the second position. The collet preferably may be compressible into the second configuration. The cam may also include an intermediate position wherein in the intermediate position, the spinal rod is free to translate with respect to the housing but is prevented from articulating with respect thereto.
US08361116B2
Spinal distraction apparatus includes at least one plate member having upper and lower surfaces adapted for placement between opposing upper and lower spinous processes having outer lateral surfaces. A pair of scissoring elements are hingedly affixed to the plate member to engage with the lateral surfaces of the spinous processes. A device is provided for locking the scissoring elements in position once a desired degree of contact is made. In a preferred configuration, the scissoring elements are sandwiched between a pair of opposing plate members, each having upper and lower surfaces adapted for placement between opposing upper and lower spinous processes, and the inner surfaces of the scissoring elements are concave. The device for locking the scissoring elements in position is a fastener that extends through a central portion of both scissoring elements and the plate members. The apparatus may further include a retractor with upper and lower plates for spreading the upper and lower spinous processes apart to receive the plate with scissoring element(s), and wherein the upper and lower surfaces of the plate member have notches to accommodate the upper and lower plates.
US08361115B2
The present invention is a multi-textured infant teether or teething device, where a portion of the teether is a rounded and curved, hard, smooth, hollow, metal exterior that is comprised of sterling silver, aluminum or any other rust-resistant metal material and a portion of the teether is a handle that is comprised of either metal covered by rubber or plastic or solely of rubber or plastic to prevent the teether from becoming too cold to hold. Inside the multi-textured teether will be a liquid or gel, comprised of water, food grade propalyne glycol, any other food grade, freezer-friendly gel or similar non-toxic material, that has the ability to remain cold for a prolonged time period following refrigeration or freezing, which shall be enclosed in a sealed bag, enclosed expandable plastic material or other container capable of being frozen while holding a liquid and/or gel in order to prevent leakage.
US08361111B2
The invention generally relates to devices, systems, and methods for percutaneous closure of cardiac openings and obliteration of the cardiac cul-de-sacs. In one embodiment, a closure device includes a patch with an adhesive and/or a removable frame. The patch may be placed across a cardiac opening, such as a patent foramen ovale, or across a cardiac cul-de-sac, such as a left atrial appendage. In another embodiment, a closure device includes a balloon together with adhesives and/or substances for stimulating tissue growth coated on, or contained within, the balloon. The balloon may be inserted into a cardiac opening, such as the patent foramen ovale, or into a cardiac cul-de-sac, such as a left atrial appendage.
US08361107B2
A sphygmomanometer cuff is provided for measuring the blood pressure over a blood vessel. The sphygmomanometer cuff has at least one inflatable cuff part (3), which can be filled with a fluid for exerting pressure on the blood vessel, wherein the inflatable cuff part (3) has different widths at at least two points (I, II) along its longitudinal direction.
US08361105B2
Catheters, assemblies, and methods for delivering and recovering embolic protection devices. Catheters are provided that can be advanced over single length guide wires and which can be retracted over single length wire shafts of distal embolic protection devices. One catheter is a two-port catheter having two sidewall ports, a distal end port, and a proximal end port. The two-port catheter can be advanced over a guide wire threaded between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port. An embolic protection device wire shaft can be back loaded into the distal end port and out the proximal sidewall port. A three-port catheter includes a distal end port, and distal, intermediate, and proximal sidewall ports. The distal sidewall port can be dimensioned to accept passage of a filter body through the port. The distal end port can be dimensioned to accept only a guide wire to provide a smooth transition from the guide wire to the small profile distal end. The guide wire can extend between the distal end port and the intermediate port while the filter body shaft can extend through the proximal port, to be distally urged through the distal sidewall port. Another catheter embodiment is a slotted catheter, including a biased, normally open slot over most of its length. The slot can be sufficiently small to resist unwanted transverse movement of a wire through the slot. The slotted catheter can be retracted over a wire by forcing the wire through the resilient slot.
US08361104B2
A vascular occlusion device that includes a central support member that has at least one mesh embolic ribbon extending outwardly from the central support member in the generally radial direction is provided. The mesh embolic ribbon has a collapsed and an expanded configuration.
US08361102B2
A surgical guide wire or K-wire and method of use are provided. The K-wire or guide wire has opposite end portions and a shank portion in between. One end portion has a deformable end portion that, once outside of a confining guide passage, can be deformed to present a projected forward facing area that is larger than the transverse cross section of the K-wire or guide wire while in the passage. The increased area will provide increased resistance to additional forward axial movement into the surgical site.
US08361101B2
The present invention discloses devices, systems and methods for increasing blood pressure in a blood vessel by introducing an anchor within that traps a particle capable of increasing in volume as it is exposed to blood flow. As the particle increases in volume, it serves to decrease the cross sectional area of the blood vessel, resulting in decreased blood flow and increased blood pressure. This invention may be used to arterialize blood vessels in the venous system to prepare them for an exposure to arterial pressures.
US08361100B2
Applicator instruments for the delivery, deployment, and tamponade of hemostats and methods therefor
An instrument for deploying hemostats has an intermediate shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a central lumen, and an inner shaft telescopically received within the central lumen of the intermediate shaft. The instrument includes an inflatable balloon, a first actuator for inflating the balloon, and a second actuator for moving the distal ends of the intermediate and inner shafts relative to one another for changing the shape of the inflated balloon. A proximal end of the balloon is secured to the distal end of the intermediate shaft and the distal end of the balloon is secured to the distal end of the inner shaft. The intermediate and inner shafts are moveable so that the inflated balloon has a toroidal shape and a flattened distal face. The inflated balloon has a major axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the intermediate shaft.
US08361095B2
A thrombectomy device may include an elongate torsion member having a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of helically arranged engagement members disposed at a distal portion of the elongate torsion member. Preferably, at least a portion of the engagement members has a rounded, atraumatic shape. The engagement members have a collapsed state where the engagement members are compressed toward the elongate torsion member, and an expanded state where the engagement members are expanded radially outward. Preferably, the engagement members are attached to and extends radially outward from the elongate torsion member at a different longitudinal point such that the engagement members are spaced longitudinally and circumferentially from each other when in the expanded state. When the thrombectomy device is deployed in a body lumen or cavity, the engagement members expands out to contact a wall of the body lumen or cavity.
US08361086B2
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for the stabilization and fastening of two pieces of tissue. A single device may be used to both stabilize and fasten the two pieces of tissue, or a separate stabilizing device may be used in conjunction with a fastening device. The stabilizing device may comprise a probe with vacuum ports and/or mechanical clamps disposed at the distal end to approximate the two pieces of tissue. After the pieces of tissue are stabilized, they are fastened together using sutures or clips. One exemplary embodiment of a suture-based fastener comprises a toggle and suture arrangement deployed by a needle, wherein the needle enters the front side of the tissue and exits the blind side. In a second exemplary embodiment, the suture-based fastener comprises a needle connected to a suture. The needle enters the blind side of the tissue and exits the front side. The suture is then tied in a knot to secure the pieces of tissue. One example of a clip-based fastener comprises a spring-loaded clip having two arms with tapered distal ends and barbs. The probe includes a deployment mechanism which causes the clip to pierce and lockingly secure the two pieces of tissue.
US08361085B2
Systems and methods for harvesting and implanting hair using image-generated topological skin models
Systems and methods are provided for orienting a hair harvesting tool relative to a follicular unit to be harvested. Further, systems and methods of implanting follicular units are provided, which are based on the orientation of the existing follicular units or based on predetermined insertion angle. The provided systems and methods use image processing and image-generated topological skin models. In some embodiments surface fit is performed using, for example, a planar fit, quadric fit, cubic fit, mesh fit and parametric fit.
US08361080B2
A spinal implant insertion tool, comprising: a) a shaft having distal end having upper and lower pairs of prongs extending therefrom, the prongs adapted for holding an implant or an implant trial and defining a centerline therebetween, and b) an adjustable stop slidably received upon the shaft of the tool, wherein the adjustable stop has a bifurcated distal end defining first and second prongs that are off-centerline from the centerline. Because the stop is bifurcated and thereby avoids the centerline of the vertebral bodies, it will not collide with components of a Caspar distractor.
US08361062B2
A microwave antenna assembly is disclosed. The antenna assembly includes a feedline having an inner conductor, an outer conductor and an inner insulator disposed therebetween and a radiating portion including a dipole antenna coupled to the feedline and a trocar coupled to the dipole antenna at a distal end thereof. The antenna assembly also includes a slidable outer jacket disposed about the radiating portion and the feedline. The slidable outer jacket being configured to slide about at least one of the radiating portion and the feedline from a closed configuration, in which the slidable outer jacket is mated with the trocar and a retracted configuration, in which the slidable outer jacket is retracted in a proximally exposing at least a portion the radiating portion.
US08361052B2
Methods and systems for treating pleural disease comprising a providing a low dosage of a sclerosing agent over a period of time. Certain examples include catheter with a sclerosing agent that is inserted into the pleural space. The sclerosing agent is released in a sustained-release manner over a period of time to achieve diffuse pleurodesis of the pleural layers.
US08361050B2
Described is a spring-loaded cartridge cap for use in a drug infusion pump. The cap is ejected if it is not properly inserted into the pump. In one embodiment, the cap includes three detent pins that mate with detents in a cartridge chamber within the drug infusion pump. As the cap is inserted into the cartridge chamber of the drug infusion pump, the distal end of the cartridge compresses a coil spring within the cap. To secure the cap within the cartridge chamber, the cap is rotated such that each detent pin moves within a slot until a locking detent is engaged.
US08361042B1
A fat harvesting container, having a transparent container assembly with a top edge, a base, an exterior wall with first and second sections, and an incline wall. The first section extends from the top edge to the base. The second section extends from the top edge to the inclined wall, and the inclined wall extends from the second section to the base. The transparent container assembly also comprises a first outlet. The fat harvesting container also comprises a lid assembly, a tubing assembly, and a first valve assembly. The inclined wall biases liquid matter towards the first outlet, thus facilitating its exit therethrough with minimum movement of liquid matter and fat matter within the transparent container assembly. This way liquid matter and fat matter remain separate and a probability of remixing is reduced and prevented.
US08361031B2
A medical device including an operation determiner for determining operations to be performed by the medical device in response to a gesture of the device with respect to the medical device, and an operation data accessor for accessing operation data for the operation performed by the medical device.
US08361013B2
A system for perfusion management that monitors, maintains, diagnoses, or treats perfusion deficiencies.
US08361012B2
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for combining a solid particulate with a solvent prior to an injection protocol within an injector device. The solid particulate may be a pharmaceutical compound and the microcapsules contain a solvent for such particulate. Upon application of pressure, the microcapsules may be configured to burst and release the solvent, thereby dispersing and/or partially dissolving the particulate. The injector therefore allows for the use of relatively unstable pharmaceutically active compounds in a device that requires relatively long storage times and the use of pharmaceutical compounds that are relatively stable in the dry state.
US08361011B2
The present invention concerns a housing for supporting the proximal inlet ports of at least two isolated lumens, for use in a patient fluid administration system, wherein each of the lumens further comprises a distal outlet for connecting to at least one patient fluid administration member, and wherein the housing further comprises an integral unit, wherein the unit comprises a distal frame layer, a female connector layer, for connecting to at least one of the fluid peripheral elements and at least one intermediate gasket layer for providing sealing between each of the isolated lumens.
US08361000B2
An automated infant massager system that monitors an infant's physical, physiological and behavioral response to the massage and can adjust the intensity of the massage and massager duration settings based on the responses of the infant and/or information from a user, preferably autonomously. A processor, which is operatively associated with the infant massager, coordinates overall operations and functions of the infant massager, as well as receiving information regarding the infant's physical, behavioral, and physiological responses to the massage. The user input through the remote receiver transmitter, and/or an associated bar code/radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner, and/or direct communications with the processor may be employed. In a further embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of infant massaging units are controlled in network fashion by means of a processor and router, thereby permitting one or more infant massagers to be controlled by one or more users and allows one or more automated infant massagers to communicate and interface with electronic medical record (EMR) systems.
US08360999B2
A magnetic levitation vibration system comprising a top plate, a base plate, at least one first magnet, at least one second magnet, at least one electromagnetic actuator comprising an upper half and a lower half, a controller, a sensor, and a control circuit. A method for the treatment or prevention of musculoskeletal indications comprising providing a top plate, providing a base plate, generating a first magnetic field to levitate the top plate, generating a second magnetic field to drive the top plate into vibration, adjusting frequency of vibration of the top plate; and adjusting magnitude of vibration of the top plate.
US08360997B2
A robot arm formed from one or more optionally interlinked active pivoted levers, wherein a base is fixed to the one end of a support and a pivoting piece is pivotably mounted on the second end of the support with pneumatic muscles running form the base to the pivoting piece. Individual pneumatic muscles engage on opposing sides of the pivot axis of the pivoting piece and the base of a pivoting lever is fixed to the pivoting piece of the adjacent pivoting lever interconnected thereto. The controller measures the position of the individual pivoting levers and the pressure in the individual pneumatic muscles, calculates the externally acting forces from the pressure-distance diagrams for the individual pneumatic muscles and the geometric lever mechanical ratios for all pivoting levers and limits said forces.
US08360992B2
A tissue penetrating system includes a plurality of cartridges, each with a distal port and a proximal port. A plurality of penetrating members are provided, each being coupled to a cartridge. Each penetrating member has a sharpened distal tip and a shaft portion slidably disposed within the cartridge. A seal is formed by a fracturable material between the penetrating member and the cartridge. The seal is positioned at one or both of a distal port or a proximal port of the cartridge. A user interface is configured to relay at least one of, skin penetrating performance or a skin penetrating setting.
US08360991B2
A method of lancing the tissue of a patient provides a tissue penetration element with a tip configured to penetrate tissue and a shaft portion. The tissue penetration element is disposed in proximity to the tissue of the patient. The tissue penetration element is driven distally towards the tissue of the patient. Contact is made between the tip and the tissue of the patient. The tip is advanced into the tissue during a penetration stroke to a position of maximum inward displacement. The tissue penetration element is allowed to settle upon reaching the point of maximum inward penetration for at least about 1 millisecond with no driving force imposed on the tissue penetration element. The tissue penetration element is displaced proximally over a withdrawal stroke and the tip is removed from the tissue.
US08360987B2
A console for measuring plantar foot pressure includes a support case and at least two temperature sensitive pads, disposed in the case, configured to allow a user to measure the temperature of the soles of their feet without assistance.
US08360985B2
A vital sign measurement device includes a sensor fixation device, an optical sensing system, and an output unit. The sensor fixation device is adapted to be placed against an anatomical location of a subject, within which is an artery. The optical sensing system includes an optical source, an optical refractor, and an optical detector, all of which are held by the sensor fixation device and move with movement of the sensor fixation device. The optical sensing system is positioned with respect to the sensor fixation device to sense movement corresponding to an arterial pulse when the sensor fixation device is placed against the anatomical location of the subject. The optical sensing system can sense an arterial pulse from the movement, bending, or compression of at least one portion of the optical sensing system relative to other portions of the optical sensing system resulting in a change in an optical signal received by the optical detector. The output unit receives, from the optical sensing system, an input indicative of movement corresponding to an arterial pulse and generates, using the input, a measure of the vital sign.
US08360977B2
A monitor for an extracorporeal therapy access site is disclosed. The monitor includes a bandage atop or adjacent the access site and a sensor for monitoring the bandage. The bandage includes a layer of polymer that expands when wetted with blood. The expansion causes a break in continuity of the sensor, or in an alternate embodiment, causes a sensor to cease detecting a target. When the break occurs, the control circuit monitoring the bandage sends a signal that a break has occurred, and a remote monitor then takes appropriate action, such as ceasing therapy, sending an alert, or sounding an alarm. In another embodiment, connecting wires in a continuity circuit are held apart by a polymer that dissolves when contacted by blood. If a leak occurs and a small portion of the polymer dissolves, the wires make contact, thus detecting a blood leak.
US08360976B2
A device and method for mapping, diagnosing and treating disorders or other diseases, disorders or conditions (e.g., bleeding, ischemic or necrotic tissue, and presence of certain chemicals or substances) of the intestinal tract is provided using a capsule passing through the intestinal tract and sensing optical characteristics as the capsule passes through. Further, a capsule tracking system is provided for tracking a capsule's location along the length of an intestinal tract as various treatment and/or sensing modalities are employed. In one variation, an acoustic signal is used to determine the location of the capsule. A map of optical characteristics may be derived from the pass of a capsule to diagnose the disorder or disease. The capsule or subsequently passed capsules may treat, further diagnose or mark the intestinal tract at a determined location along its length.
US08360971B2
Surgical retractor systems including removable angling devices and methods of use are provided. A surgical retractor system can include a head with an opening, a blade including a nipple, and an angling device including a handle. The nipple can include a first recess that runs circumferentially around an exterior surface of the nipple and terminates at a flange. The opening can be configured to receive the nipple. The nipple can be longer than the opening such that the flange and at least a portion of the recess extend beyond an end of the opening when the blade is attached to the head. The angling device can be configured to receive the flange such that the angling device can be removably attached to the flange. The angling device can be used to manipulate the position of the blade when the angling device is attached to the flange.
US08360965B2
An endoscopic image pickup unit includes: a first fixed lens frame which holds a first objective lens group; a second fixed lens frame which, being fitted over the first fixed lens frame, holds a second objective lens group; a movable lens frame which, being installed in the second fixed lens frame so as to be able to move forward and backward along a photographic optical axis, holds a movable lens; and a deformation preventing member which, being interposed between a distal end body and the second fixed lens frame, prevents the second fixed lens frame from being deformed by fixing force of the fixing member when the endoscopic image pickup unit is fixed to the distal end body.
US08360958B2
Apparatus for lengthening the penis, said apparatus designed to support itself on the user's pelvis and comprising a substantially ring-shaped base element, wherefrom extend a pair of telescopic arms which join at the opposite end thereof to a bridge element having means of fastening to the penis, said arms articulated to the base element in such a way as to enable an angular movement with respect to a plane parallel to the base element, wherein the base element is coupled to a substantially ring-shaped lower base by means of rotation so that the base element is rotatable with respect to the lower base and the central longitudinal axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the penis. Thus with two rotational axes available the user has the option of choosing the most comfortable penis position and can rotate the upper bridge in ascending-descending direction and right-left direction simultaneously.
US08360950B2
The disclosure describes a device for asymmetrical irradiation of a body cavity or site, such as after removal of tissue, e.g. biopsy or lumpectomy. The device includes an elongated tubular shaft having an inner lumen and a tubular wall with a plurality of lumens extending within the wall which are configured for receiving a radiation source. The distal portion of the tubular shaft is cut into a plurality of longitudinally separated wall segments with a lumen extending within at least one of the wall segments. A support member is positioned within the separated wall segments to support and position the wall segments in a desired configuration for brachytherapy. An expandable member such as an inflatable balloon is mounted on the distal shaft portion about the separated wall segments wall which when inflated secures the distal shaft portion within a desired intracorporeal site for brachytherapy treatment.
US08360940B2
An exercise device for a lower leg and foot is provided. The exercise device provides a user with the ability to exercise multiple muscles in both lower legs and both feet, and provides the user with multiple exercises with a single exercise device. Additionally, the exercise device is capable of providing variable resistances during exercise to accommodate users of different strength and to accommodate a user's increase in strength. To provide variable resistance, the exercise device includes a plurality of resilient resistance member interchangeably coupled to a housing of the exercise device.
US08360938B2
A hip thrust sled may include a pair of spaced apart runners configured in generally parallel relation to each other. A first cross member extends between and is connected to the spaced apart runners proximate to a distal end of the hip thrust sled. A second cross member extends between and is connected to the spaced apart runners near a proximal end of the hip thrust sled to receive removable weights. A pendulum arm is rotatably attached at its distal end to the first cross member and is configured at a proximal end to move vertically relative to the spaced apart runners. The pendulum arm extends towards the proximal end of the hip thrust sled at an upward angle. An adjustable stop may limit the vertical movement of the pendulum arm. A handlebar may be attached to the proximal end of the pendulum arm.
US08360937B2
An elevated adventure course, having an ascending entrance-exit tracking member with bases secured downwardly therefrom. The bases oriented leftwardly and rightwardly in alternating fashion to define a non-linear pathway.
US08360936B2
Portable fitness monitoring systems with displays, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method of providing training feedback to an individual using a heart rate sensor and a display module supported by the individual during a physical activity includes the steps of determining a maximum heart rate value for the individual, defining a heart rate zone as a range of heart rate values that correspond to a range of percentages of the maximum heart rate value, associating a color with the heart rate zone, wirelessly transmitting heart rate data from the heart rate sensor to the display module during the physical activity, and displaying the color associated with the heart rate zone to the individual on the display module during the physical activity in response to the heart rate data.
US08360935B2
A method for controlling a movable resistance element belonging to a training device. The resistance element is influenced by a user with a muscular force. A device is adapted to generate a reference signal for controlling a power conversion device coupled to and controlling a movable resistance element belonging to a training device, and which is influenced by a user with a muscular force. A computer program for carrying out the method and a use of the device.
US08360932B2
In a vehicle mounting an engine equipped with an exhaust turbocharger and a fluid transmission device as the power transmission device, occurrence of surging in the exhaust turbocharger is prevented at the time of connecting a lockup clutch in the fluid transmission device. When a condition for connecting the lockup clutch is held to lock up the fluid transmission device coupled to the engine 1 equipped with the exhaust turbocharger, the operation is executed by lowering a target engine rotational speed for a predetermined period of time prior to the locking up to avoid the occurrence of surging caused by a decrease in the engine rotational speed due to the lockup. A lockup clutch control device 50 includes first timer means 51 for setting a time for executing the operation by decreasing the target engine rotational speed, and second timer means 52 for setting a time for waiting for the start of lockup.
US08360930B2
A clutch control device for obtaining a good shift shock reducing effect regardless of a change in clutch engagement point. A target NeV database stores a target NeV map as a target value of the ratio between an engine speed (Ne) and a vehicle speed (V) obtained from the engine speed after primary speed reduction by a gear transmission. The time period from the time of detection of a downshift operation to the time of completion of the reengagement of the clutch is composed of a first period until the clutch becomes a partially engaged condition after disengagement of the clutch, a second period during which the partially engaged condition is maintained, and a third period from the time when the clutch in the partially engaged condition starts to be driven in its engaging direction to the time when the reengagement of the clutch is completed.
US08360914B2
A power transmitting apparatus configured to improve vehicle starting performance using the torque amplifying function of a torque converter, improve power transmitting efficiency during steady vehicle operation and reduce size of the power transmitting apparatus. A power transmitting apparatus configured to transmit power from a driving source of a vehicle to its wheels configured to selectively transmit/cut-off driving force to the wheels comprises a torque converter having a torque amplifying function. A clutch mechanism includes a first clutch to transmit the driving force to the wheels through a power transmitting system of the torque converter and a second clutch to transmit the driving force without the power transmitting system of the torque converter. A selecting device controls the first/second clutch per the conditions of the vehicle. A planetary gear configured to select the power transmission pathway during forward operation and switch the power transmission pathway during reverse operation.
US08360912B2
Chain return arrangement and sprocket and chain assembly employed therein with the bow flanks of the horizontal chain links (1) of the chain assembly (10) exhibiting a concave trough at least below an equatorial line (7) and the chain link pockets (52) of the sprocket (50) that receive the horizontal chain links at their tooth flanks (53) in the contact areas (55) to the chain links (1) having a convex crown shape to match the troughed bow flank. This significantly reduces the surface pressures between the two parts.
US08360911B2
A multiple sprocket assembly receives a chain and transfers torque therefrom to a rear wheel hub of a bicycle. The multiple sprocket assembly includes a plurality of different-sized multiple-toothed sprockets arranged coaxially about the rear wheel hub. A plurality of annular support elements extend between the sprockets and have a plurality of openings disposed circumferentially on the annular support element. The openings are aligned with tooth gaps of an adjoining smaller sprocket. The sprockets and the annular support elements are configured to transmit torque from the smaller sprocket to a larger sprocket.
US08360896B2
A sports activity swing trainer having a concave curved surface area on which a person stands to practice a swing for a sports activity.
US08360893B2
A ride system provides guest compartment(s) with a roll degree of freedom through a pivoting connection. The guest compartment is attached to a track via a chassis, the chassis being attached to the track such that the guest compartment rides substantially above the track but has a roll degree of freedom relative to the chassis.
US08360891B2
In a game device (200), a memory unit (201) stores a position of a player character, a position of an enemy character, an elapsed time up to a present time after the enemy character has appeared, and candidates of a position where a new enemy character is to appear. A measuring unit (202) measures an elapsed time up to a present time after the enemy character has appeared, and stores the measured elapsed time in the memory unit (201). A calculating unit (203) calculates a reference distance which becomes a determination criterion for a position where a new enemy character appears based on the stored elapsed time. The reference distance monotonically increases relative to the increasing of the elapsed time. An appearance setting unit (204) selects a candidate having a distance to the player character closest to the reference distance among the candidates stored in the memory unit (201), and causes a new enemy character to appear at the selected candidate position.
US08360885B2
A system, computer-readable storage medium including instructions, and a computer-implemented method for obtaining votes for participants in a television program are described, in which code for a game is transmitted to a computer system, where the game includes an in-game voting module that allows a player of the game to cast votes for participants in a television program. At least one vote for at least one participant in the television program is received from the in-game voting module. A database including vote counts for the participants in the television program is updated based on the at least one vote for the at least one participant.
US08360879B2
In an overturn determination process, it is determined that a race kart that is a player object is to be overturned if the race kart is changed into a predetermined pose. In an overturn process, the race kart is forcedly overturned and spun only during a first predetermined time period T1 by experiencing external forces that causes an overturn, and the race kart is rotated by inertia only during a second predetermined time period T2 without experiencing the external forces. Then, a process is performed for bringing the direction of the player kart's height close to the normal vector of the ground and bringing the traveling direction of the race kart close to the pre-overturn traveling direction, whereby the race kart is recovered to a state capable of running again. While the race kart is overturned, an operation control process is not performed, and an operation input from the controller is not accepted.
US08360873B1
A method of combining games based on levels of interactivity of the games is disclosed. It is identified that a player is idle with respect to a primary game, the primary game having a first level of interactivity. A secondary game having a second level of interactivity is selected based on the second level of interactivity being compatible with the first level of interactivity. The player is provided with an option to participate in the secondary game white the player is idle with respect to the primary game.
US08360857B2
In accordance with some embodiments, there is provided a method, apparatus and article of manufacture for providing a flat rate play session using a gaming device. The flat rate play session may define a duration of, for example, a period of time, a number of game plays, and/or a number of qualifying events. In some embodiments, a flat rate play session may define a game and a wager amount per game play. In some embodiments, a player may be allowed to change the game and/or the wager amount per game play during the flat rate play session. In some embodiments, a retail price may be calculated for the flat rate play session based on a number of simulations of the flat rate play session and a desired profit margin. In some embodiments, various user interfaces (e.g., touch-screen menus) may be used to allow a player to select and purchase a flat rate play session. Various user interfaces (e.g., touch-screen menus) may also be used to allow a player to reconfigure a flat rate play session during the duration of the flat rate play session.
US08360854B2
A method of the present invention includes requiring a player to purchase a predetermined amount of playing time for a predetermined amount of money; inputting an initial average Return-To-Player (RTP) percentage of the regulated game; initiating the regulated game, and during the purchased predetermined amount of playing time: providing a plurality of reward generating assets and enabling the player to interact therewith, a successful interaction with a reward generating asset generating a reward for the player, and providing a plurality of time penalty inducing assets, interaction with one of which imposes a predetermined time penalty during which the player is prevented from interacting with any of the plurality of reward generating assets whereby, after interaction with one of the plurality of penalty inducing assets, the initial average RTP percentage is reduced by an amount proportional to a length of the predetermined time penalty.
US08360839B2
Various embodiments for a game of chance are described. In an exemplary embodiment, a card game is played in which the object of the game is for each player to arrange, for example, six cards (dealt to them from a standard deck of playing cards) into three two-card combinations, with each combination having a predetermined target value of, for example, 7, 14, or 21, such that the values of the cards in each combination come as close to, but do not exceed, the target value for each respective combination.
US08360834B1
The present invention is an improved AHU that can be easily architecturally disguised, made in a modular unit, have increased overall efficiency and ease of servicing, reduce radial noise emissions and allow for the direct adjacent placement of additional AHU's. This AHU has a cuboid structure with smooth side walls that are insulated and adapted for the attachment of aesthetic surface treatments, roof inset fans louvered end walls with door access. Heat removal can accomplished through angled heat exchangers also housed within the enclosure. Air filtration is also accomplished with angled filters. The improved aesthetic appearance of these units also eliminates the use of surrounding architectural parapet walls or screening units. The improved space effectiveness and modularity shall provide greater flexibility in building construction.
US08360823B2
An abrasive article includes a support pad, a first abrasive element, a second abrasive element and a fixation mechanism. The support pad has a first major surface, a second major surface, a first edge, a second edge and a channel. The channel is formed within the first major surface and extends from the first edge to the second edge. The first and second abrasive elements are each positionable over a portion of the support pad. The fixation mechanism is positioned within the channel ad secures an edge of the first abrasive element and an edge of the second abrasive element to the support pad.
US08360815B2
There are provided an adhesive brassiere and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein a molded brassiere cup is manufactured by a computer numerical control (CNC) mold including a barrier hole defining a V-shaped cross section to form a rim around the molded brassiere cup, the molded brassiere cup is finish-cut by a steel cutter on a press, and an adhesive is applied to an inner surface of a molded brassiere cup so that the adhesive brassiere is secured only by the adhesive strength of the adhesive, without any shoulder or back straps, whereby this strapless and backless brassiere has an esthetically excellent appearance and does not cause any skin irritation problems including itching/inflammation/scratching.
US08360813B1
A rescue pole is secured to a clamping mechanism having a hollow body with exterior sections connected by sidewalls. A pair of opposed curved arms extends from the hollow body. Each arm has a pin extending through a pair of aligned, linear slots in the hollow body, with the slots converging toward the pole. A drive mechanism within the body member is pivotally secured to each curved arm. A pulley is mounted on the body between the curved arms opposite the pole. First and second rope members secured to the drive mechanism operate the curved arms. Pulling the first rope through the pulley moves apart the exterior attached arms. Pulling the second rope through the hollow body moves together the exterior attached arms.
US08360807B2
A multiple coaxial cable plug connection (50), particularly for the detachable connection of a plurality of coaxial cables to a circuit board for operating frequencies of several GHz, comprises a first connector (10) and a second connector (20), wherein said connectors (10, 20) can be inserted in each other along a plug axis, wherein the first connector (10) has a plurality of first coaxial contact arrangements (26) disposed next to each other transversely to the plug axis, and the second connector (20) is equipped with second coaxial contact arrangements (27) that match the first coaxial contact arrangements (26), and wherein the first coaxial contact arrangements (26) each are attached to the end of an associated coaxial cable. High precision of the connection, and at the same time a reduced insertion force, are achieved in such a multiple coaxial cable plug connection in that the first coaxial contact arrangements (26) are floatingly supported in a first housing (11), while the second coaxial contact arrangements (27) are permanently installed in a second housing (21).
US08360803B2
A corrosion resistant electrical connection structure has an electrically conductive cable with an electrically conductive core and an insulative outer cover. An electrically conductive terminal is electrically connected to a lead of the core that extends beyond the insulative outer cover. A molded hot melt seal seals the lead of the core and the terminal interface section from ambient electrolytes. In an exemplary embodiment, the core is made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy and the terminal is made from a copper alloy.
US08360800B1
A pair of electrical connectors (10, 12) can be mated by inserting a pair of guide pins (50a, 50b) lying on side axes (22, 24) of a first connector, into a pair of guide sleeve passages (70a, 70b) that lie on side axes of a second connector. The first and second connectors each can be adjusted to laterally shift front parts of the guide pins and front parts of the guide sleeves, so the distance A′ between the two pins and the distance B′ between the two sleeves is slightly reduced or slightly increased to prevent one of the connectors from mating with a third connector.
US08360795B2
The power connection system for a power tool includes a housing defining a recess, a plurality of electrical connector guide grooves, an electric motor connected to a tool member, an electric circuit connected to the motor, and arcuate electrical contact prongs disposed in the recess. The power cord has complementary arcuate receptacles that can be removably engageable with the prongs in a desired manner, the cord being connectable to a power source to connect the power tool to the power source, and a lock pin that locks the power cord to the housing. The power cord may be universally connected to any power tool having a similar recess with arcuate prongs.
US08360794B2
An electrical connector includes an insulating housing defining a pair of pivotal grooves on two opposite sides of a front end thereof and a L-shaped recess at each side thereof. A plurality of contacts are arranged in the housing. A metal shell defines a pair of pivotal posts sliding assembled in the pivotal grooves, the metal shell rotating downward to cover on the insulating housing. The shell defines a locking element extending to the front end of the housing and inserted in the L-shaped recess to lock the metal shell with the insulating housing.
US08360789B2
The present invention relates to an interconnection system for connecting two electronics cards together, wherein the system includes first and second subassemblies including housings each receiving at least one connector, the first and second subassemblies being configured for fastening to first and second electronics cards respectively; and a coupling, third subassembly including housings receiving connector couplings, said connector couplings being configured to couple the connectors of the first subassembly with the connectors of the second subassembly; the third subassembly being configured to be placed between the first and second subassemblies.
US08360788B2
The present invention provides a freely rotatable electrical conduction structure including at least two cylindrical electrical conduction portions, an insulated material portion and at least two electrical conduction terminals. The at least two cylindrical electrical conduction portions are arranged separately along an axis, wherein the inner surface of each cylindrical electrical conduction portion is welded with an end of a conducting wire. The insulated material portion is combined with the at least two cylindrical electrical conduction portions via injection molding to form a circular shaft assembly. The at least two electrical conduction terminals correspond to the at least two cylindrical electrical conduction portions respectively, and each electrical conduction terminal partially projects to form an arc contact portion configured to abut onto the outer peripheral surface of its corresponding cylindrical electrical conduction portion. Each electrical conduction terminal is allowed to rotate around its corresponding cylindrical electrical conduction portion with its arc contact portion keeping contacting and conducting with the outer peripheral surface.
US08360781B2
This application describes methods for responding to a hazardous material based upon properties of the hazardous material based on its name. This application also describes methods of teaching hazardous material responders how to use the method of responding to a hazardous material based upon properties of the hazardous material based on its name.
US08360779B1
A method and apparatus are provided for displaying a plurality of alphanumeric characters on a display device that is connected to an automated device having a processor, a memory, and an input device. The automated device executes a plurality of instructions that configure the processor to provide a reading focus tool on the display device. The reading focus tool includes a first section and a rectangular window within the first section and a notch section. The reading focus tool overlays the plurality of alphanumeric characters and aligns at least one line of alphanumeric characters within at least one of the rectangular window and the notch section. Further, a user is enabled to move the reading focus tool to a selection of alphanumeric characters to be read.
US08360775B2
For proper fitness of a core portion of an abutment to a patient, a wax model base for an abutment of a dental implant includes an engagement portion 1 engaging with an implant fixture analog embedded in a gypsum model without rotation, a truncated conical portion 2, a building portion 4 provided directly on an inner peripheral edge of a ring-like first stepped portion 3, which is provided on an oral cavity inner side of the truncated conical portion 2, or through a cylindrical portion 4a having a low height to have a conical shape expanding toward the oral cavity inner side and have a cutoff portion 5 on an outer peripheral surface, a cylindrical portion 7 provided on an inner peripheral edge of a ring-like second stepped portion 6 provided on the building portion 4, and a screw hole 8 along a center axis of the base.
US08360755B2
A wet-running pump comprises a rotor which is connected to a pump wheel and which is arranged in a wet area adapted to have a guided fluid passed therethrough. The wet area is separated from a dry area wherein a stator which cooperates with the rotor, is arranged. The wet area is separated from the dry area by a conductor plate, wherein the electric lines thereof form the stator such that the conductor plate simultaneously forms a separating can, thus simplifying the construction and mounting of the wet-running pump.
US08360745B2
An air driven diaphragm pump includes an performance control actuator having a housing with opposed air chambers. The pump includes pump chambers facing the air chambers and pump diaphragms extending between each air chamber and each pump chamber, respectively. The actuator further includes an air valve, an intake to the air valve and an engagement. The intake includes an intake passage and a performance control intake adjuster rotatably mounted. The intake adjuster has a helical channel and a closure element extending adjustably into the intake passage. The engagement engages the helical channel for control of the intake. The helical channel has varied pitch to provide a nonlinear relationship between rotation and axial advancement of the intake adjuster. The nonlinear relationship gives flow rate proportional to the angular rotation of the intake adjuster. The end points of the channel provide a practical minimum pump performance of about 40% of maximum pump flow rate and a maximum pump performance of about 97% of maximum pump flow rate.
US08360739B2
A control apparatus for a negative pressure generating apparatus that includes an ejector that generates a negative pressure whose magnitude is larger than that of a negative pressure to be taken from an intake passage in an intake system for an internal combustion engine provided in a vehicle; and state change means for making the ejector function or stop functioning. The control apparatus includes prohibition control means for prohibiting the state change means from making the ejector function, according to a temperature of intake air.
US08360738B2
Device for adjusting the operating pressure of an oil-injected compressor installation with a compressor element (2) driven by a motor (4) with an adjustable rotational speed and a control module (13), where the device (15) is provided with a controlled inlet valve (16) which is connected to the air inlet (5) and a blow-off mechanism (17) which can be closed by means of a blow-off valve (19), where the inlet valve (16), the blow-off valve (19) and the control module (13) are electrically controllable components which are connected to an electronic control unit (22) for adjusting the operating pressure (Pw), which is measured by an operating pressure sensor (23).
US08360736B2
A method of controlling a motor operating a pumping apparatus of a system includes determining a trip value for a parameter, floating the trip value, and monitoring the operation of the pump. Monitoring the operation of the pump includes determining a value for the parameter, comparing the value to the trip value, and determining whether the comparison indicates a condition of the pump. The method of controlling the motor also includes controlling the motor to operate the pump based on the condition of the pump.
US08360732B2
A rotor blade section and a method for assembling a rotor blade for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade section includes a plurality of ribs each extending in a generally chord-wise direction. Each of the plurality of ribs includes an outer surface. The outer surface has a generally aerodynamic contour. The rotor blade section further includes at least one cross-member extending between adjacent ribs of the plurality of ribs, and an outer body mounted to the plurality of ribs. The outer body has an aerodynamic contour generally corresponding to the aerodynamic contour of the plurality of ribs.
US08360726B1
A turbine rotor blade with near wall cooling that provides full coverage film cooling for the leading and trailing edges. A first layer of chordwise extending cooling channels are formed on a spar, and a second layer of chordwise extending cooling channels are formed over the first layer to provide near wall cooling. Open ends of the two layers of channels on both pressure and suction side walls of the blade open into a leading edge slot and the trailing edge wall sides to discharge film cooling air.
US08360717B2
A blade of a turbomachine, in particular of a gas turbine, is disclosed. The blade includes at least one fastening section for fastening the same in a locating section of a rotor-side or stator-side component of the turbomachine. The, or each, fastening section has a core region which is made of a relatively brittle and relatively light material and is embedded in an encasing region made of a material having relatively high ductility.
US08360711B2
An apparatus for cooling air for an intake to a gas turbine, is provided and includes a pressurized water piping and nozzle apparatus for producing a water spray in an airflow to the intake; and evaporative media for receiving the spray and causing a pressurizing of the air in the airflow.
US08360703B2
A fastener assembly is configured for use in an associated fastener driving tool for driving a fastener from the assembly into an associated substrate. The assembly includes a row of fasteners, each having a shank, arranged substantially parallel to each other. A collation system is formed from a plastic material that is molded onto and adhered to the fasteners. The plastic material is molded to define a collar portion substantially encircling the fastener shank and a connecting portion extending between and connecting adjacent collar potions. The plastic material is formulated from an adhesive polymer. When the fastener is driven from the driving tool, the collar portion remains adhered to the fastener such that the collar portion penetrates the substrate with the fastener.
US08360697B2
The invention relates to a method of reducing vibrations, occurring during a machining operation, of a machine element (7,8) and/or of a workpiece (5) in a machine tool, production machine and/or in a machine (1) designed as a robot, wherein an additional mass (9a, 9b, 9c) is attached to the machine element (7,8) and/or to the workpiece (5) in an automated manner, wherein the mass of the additional mass (9a, 9b, 9c) is adapted to the machining operation. Furthermore, the invention relates to a machine (1) in this respect. The invention enables vibrations, occurring during a machining operation, of a machine element (7,8) of a machine (1) and/or of a workpiece (5) to be reduced.
US08360683B2
A coastal oil recovery system and method for clean up of land based contamination with a containment device having a reverse funnel shaped top hood, rigidly attached to vertical walled sides, a plurality of ground screws to pull the containment device into the soil, a plurality of water jets to fill the containment device and float oil from contaminated soil and vegetation upward into the top hood for extraction by discharge hoses. Due to the shape of the top hood, the depth of the floating oil will increase as it reaches the top of the top hood, facilitating extraction.
US08360678B2
A crash barrier system is provided that generally includes a hydraulic actuator driven piston operably connected to a hydraulic circuit and the crash barrier. In general, the hydraulic circuit includes a normal-UP and normal-DOWN section, an emergency-UP section, and an external pressure relief valve. In order to automatically provide corrective action in the event of an overpressure condition, the external pressure relief valve is connected to the hydraulic circuit. Upon occurrence of condition that causes the hydraulic fluid pressure to exceed a predetermined value, hydraulic fluid is released through the pressure relief valve to maintain the pressure at or below the predetermined value.
US08360677B2
A hydraulic detachable coupling, which can transmit rated torque in a manner stable to vibrations, and can fully withstand abnormal torque. For this purpose, in a hydraulic detachable coupling (4) mounted detachably on a rotor (1) of a steam or gas turbine or other machine, a coupling sleeve (4b), which is fitted on a shaft end portion of a casing penetrating shaft (2) in the rotor (1), includes a taper hole portion (4b-a) which is interference-fitted on a taper shaft portion (2a) of the shaft end portion by a hydraulic pressure, and a straight hole portion (4b-b) having teeth (13) engaging a plurality of teeth (12) formed in a straight shaft portion (2b) of the shaft end portion, the taper hole portion (4b-a) and the straight hole portion (4b-b) being located adjacent to each other.
US08360676B2
A shaft support structure for a vehicle, capable of enhancing a degree of freedom for setting an assembly process of a to-be-supported member without the necessity of a dedicated tool. A collar is screwed in an internally threaded hole of one of pivot plates attached to a body frame with the collar being tightened using cut grooves formed at one end thereof. A gap is formed between the pivot plates and a pivot pipe as a to-be-supported member is adjusted. The pivot pipe is supported by the body frame via the support bolt with a washer being provided on the seating surface of the head section of the support bolt in the pivot plate. The washer is provided with projecting portions to be engaged with the cut grooves of the collar and is formed with outer circumferential cut grooves to be engaged with a given rotary tool.
US08360675B2
Embodiments described herein relate to dividers and folders with tabs adjustable along at least two edges thereof. One embodiment is directed to a folder comprising a first panel, a second panel coupled to the first panel, at least one tab mating feature associated with the second panel, and a tab configured to mate with the at least one tab mating feature. The at least one tab mating feature is configured such that the tab is positionable in at least two positions along a first axis adjacent a first edge of the second panel and in at least two positions along a second axis adjacent a second edge of the second panel, wherein the first axis is transverse to the second axis.
US08360674B2
An applicator device, particularly suited for mascara, may deliver high or low viscosity liquids or semi-liquids, and contains a valve controlling flow between a product reservoir, an intermediate pooling area, and a product dispensing chamber. The arrangement prevents backflow to the product reservoir, precluding contamination of the product supply. Product delivery from the product dispensing chamber is from one of several methods. In one method, a plurality of prongs each comprise a conduit to the product dispensing chamber and thereby allow for dispersed product delivery from the prong tips. Alternatively, there may be one or more openings on the applicator head being interconnected to the dispensing chamber, which permits product to extrude between the rows of prongs and thereby be applied to a receiving surface. A third embodiment combines the two methods along with alternating height prongs to more effectively apply mascara onto all sides of a user's lashes.
US08360672B2
A tool for applying finish compound to a structural member is disclosed. The tool includes a conduit, a handle and a finish-compound receiving member. The conduit may include a single discharge hose or may include a plurality of discharge hoses. The handle may include a first support and a second support acting as a grip for a user to grasp the tool. The handle may further include at least one hole formed in the handle to receive the conduit. The finish-compound receiving member may include a finish-compound receiving surface having at least one opening formed therein. The conduit leads from a pump that is in communication with a reservoir of finish compound to the at least one hole in the handle. The handle also includes a hollow interior, such that finish compound is pumped through the conduit into the hollow interior. The hollow interior communicates with the at least one opening formed in the finish-compound receiving surface for dispensing finish compound to the finish-compound receiving surface for application.
US08360670B2
A pen-like applicator contains a pen shaft having a removable cap at a first end and at the other, second end, a delivery button that acts upon a reservoir for application fluid. A protective device while being in a protected position, protects the delivery button from being actuated when the cap is on and being coupled to the movement of the cap in a way, such that the protective device is in a release position that releases the delivery button for actuation when the cap is removed.
US08360667B2
A printer that includes a cassette housing portion into which a tape cassette is detachably installed in a vertical direction, a feeding device that feeds the tape mounted in the tape cassette, a printing head that performs printing on the tape, a platen roller that is located facing the printing head, a roller holder that rotatably supports the platen roller, a mechanical sensor having a switch terminal that is capable of protruding and retracting, a sensor holder that holds the mechanical sensor between the shaft of the roller holder and the platen roller and that is capable of moving independently of the roller holder between a third position and a fourth position, and a determination device that determines the type of the tape based on protrusion and retraction of the switch terminal.
US08360664B2
A thermal imaging camera, with an electromechanical shutter device for interrupting the ray path from time to time, has a motor (1), a motor shaft (2) and a shutter flag (3). The motor shaft (2) and the shutter flag (3) are in connection with one another via a crank-and-rocker mechanism. The crank-and-rocker mechanism includes a crank (4) rotatable about the motor shaft (2) with a crank pin (5) and with a rocker (6), at one end of which an elongated hole (8) is provided, which forms a rectilinear sliding joint together with the crank pin (5), and at the other end of which the shutter flag (3) is formed.
US08360660B2
An optical module 10 include a substrate 11, a holding member 12 of resin that is secured to the substrate 11, has a pair of through holes 21 drilled through the substrate 11 in a direction orthogonal to the upper surface 11a, and the entire length L in the direction orthogonal to the upper surface 11a is at least 1.9 mm and less than 2.8 mm, and a pair of guide pins 13 that are inserted into the through holes 21 and secured to the holding member 12 by locking pieces 14, in which one end section of each of the guide pins 13 is held by the holding member 12 across the entire length L and the other end section to be inserted into one of guide pin insertion holes 32 of the MT connector 30 projects 2.8 mm or more from the holding member 12. This structure downsizes the optical module connected to an MT connector.
US08360653B2
Double row angular contact ball bearing (10) has split inner rings (18, 24) and two plastic comb snap cages (32, 44). The comb cage has retaining tabs (38, 50) which mate with retaining grooves (22, 28) in the split inner rings. These retaining tabs hold the inner rings into the bearing.
US08360650B2
A method for lubricating a rolling element bearing by an ultra low viscosity volatile fluid comprises injecting a liquefied fluid flow into the bearing, lubricating rolling contacts between the rings and the rolling elements of the bearing by the liquefied fluid, providing a flow restriction for the liquefied fluid so as to maintain at least part of the fluid at a pressure which is above the evaporation pressure which is defined by evaporation of the fluid at the temperature or temperatures which prevail(s) in the bearing.
US08360649B2
A wheel bearing apparatus incorporating a wheel speed detecting apparatus has a wheel bearing with an outer member and an inner member. A sensor holder is injection molded from synthetic resin and is embedded with a wheel speed detecting sensor. The sensor holder is mounted on an inner side end of the outer member. The inner side seal of the seals includes an annular sealing plate, a slinger and a pulser ring. An anchoring portion is formed integrally with the metal core. The sensor holder is being integrally molded with the metal core from synthetic resin that surrounds the anchoring portion.
US08360639B2
In an X ray imaging system, a rotational support device supports an X ray source in a rotatable manner, to adjust an orientation angle thereof. An angle detector is disposed on the X ray source removably, for detecting the orientation angle. A shift determiner operates when the X ray source is moved pivotally, and determines a shift amount for an FPD device to a position opposed to the X ray source according to the orientation angle from the angle detector and a distance between the X ray source and the FPD device. A pseudo signal generator generates a pseudo signal of a level irrespective of the shift amount by correcting a detection signal from a shift detector according to the shift amount from the shift determiner, and supplies a second moving device with the pseudo signal. Movement of the FPD device is controlled according to the shift amount.
US08360637B2
A signal processing device is provided including: an alternating voltage generation section that generates a square shaped alternating voltage from plural direct voltages, and applies the square shaped alternating voltage to a sensor that is either a temperature detection sensor or a humidity detection sensor; a current-voltage conversion section that converts current of an output signal output from the sensor to an analog voltage; a selector section that selects a range of the current convertible by the current-voltage conversion section from one or other of plural current ranges; and a resistance value computation section that computes the resistance value of the sensor, based on the voltage value of the analog voltage converted by the current-voltage conversion section, the range of current convertible by the current-voltage conversion section, and the voltage value of the voltage generated by the alternating voltage generation section.
US08360634B2
A thermostat disposed to operate in a direction that is normal to the direction of flow of the fluid for which the thermostat regulates the temperature. In one embodiment, the thermostat comprises two mating faces, their movement being controlled either by the expansion or contraction of the carefully selected and apportioned materials in the thermostat pack or by a sensor-triggered controller in response to the temperature of the fluid to which the thermostat is exposed. The first type or Type 1 is normally closed, typically for use in liquid-cooled engines. The second type or Type 2 is normally open, typically for use in industrial applications, such as in solvent evaporation/recycle units where it is desirable to stop direct coolant flow into a paint gun cleaner or a similar equipment, when the temperature of the coolant reaches beyond a pre-determined upper limit.
US08360630B2
The mixer insert (2) for a static mixer (1) extends in one longitudinal direction (L), the mixer insert (2) having a multitude of elements (2e) running transverse to the longitudinal direction (L) and at least two longitudinal supports (2f) running in longitudinal direction (L), and the static mixer insert (2) consisting of a multitude of base elements (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) arranged alongside one another in longitudinal direction (L), each base element (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) comprising a longitudinal support (2f), and the base elements (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) and their longitudinal supports (2f) being arranged relative to one another such that a longitudinal support (2f) running over the entire length of the mixer insert (2) is present, and base elements (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) arranged alongside one another are bonded to one another in a fixed manner at least via the longitudinal supports (2f).
US08360629B2
A mixing apparatus comprising: a) a mixing well characterized by an internal volume not exceeding 100 ml.; b) a drive mechanism including a stationary circumferential gear on an inner surface of the mixing well; and c) a planetary mixing element driven by a mixing element gear which engages the stationary circumferential gear.
US08360622B2
An LED light bulb that includes a base providing an electrical connector and a substantially hollow envelope extending from the base. The light bulb further includes a metal space separator having a top side, bottom side and side wall that has a plurality of holes connected by at least one channel that extends through the interior of the separator, such that air can pass through the separator. At least one LED is mounted on the separator in electrical connection with the base connector.
US08360607B2
The invention provides systems and methods for providing illumination. A lighting unit may have a support structure, and one or more light emitting elements supported by a circuit board contacting the support structure. A first optical element and a second optical element may be provided. A remote luminescent material may be provided on one or more optical elements. Light emitting elements configured to excite the luminescent material such as highly efficient light emitting diodes may be directed towards the luminescent material. The support structure may be a heat dissipating element, which may conduct heat from a heat source to a surface of the support structure. The heat dissipating element may have a passageway permitting the formation of a convection path to dissipate heat from the support structure. Such lighting units may be used to replace conventional fluorescent light tubes or other lighting devices, or may be provided as standalone lighting units.
US08360606B2
According to one embodiment, a light-emitting device includes a ceramic substrate, a plurality of light-emitting elements, and pressure member. The substrate includes a first surface in contact with a thermally radiative member, a second surface positioned in a side opposite to the first surface, and an outer circumferential surface which bridges outer circumferential edges of the first surface and the second surface. The light-emitting elements are mounted on the second surface of the substrate. The pressure member elastically press the substrate toward the thermally radiative member. A gap is provided between the pressure member and the outer circumferential surface of the substrate.
US08360604B2
LED lighting systems include an enclosure adjacent at least one LED that is configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure. The enclosure has less than about 10% total absorption. The enclosure also has a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure (1) directly from the at least one LED, and (2) after one or more reflections within the enclosure.
US08360600B2
An electronic illuminating device includes an illuminating area, a routing area and a control area. The illuminating area includes multiple light-emitting blocks and multiple illuminating area power-supply lines. Each the light-emitting block employs at least one light-emitting element as light source, and further is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the illuminating area power-supply lines. The routing area includes multiple routing area power-supply lines, and each the routing area power-supply line is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the illuminating area power-supply lines. The control area provides powers to the routing area power-supply lines. A width of at least one of the illuminating area power-supply lines and the corresponding routing area power-supply line or a length of at least one of the routing area power-supply lines is adjusted, such that differences among resistances between the light-emitting blocks and the control area are within 20%.
US08360588B2
A pillar light emitting module including a light guide bar, a first sleeve, a second sleeve, at least two light sources and a plurality of first diffusion structures is provided. The light guide bar has a first end and a second end corresponding to the first end. The first sleeve holds the first end of the light guide bar and has a first bottom surface. The second sleeve holds the second end of the light guide bar and has a second bottom surface. Two light sources are respectively face the first end and the second end respectively and disposed adjacent to the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface respectively for emitting light to enter the light guide bar. The first diffusion structures are disposed on the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface respectively for guiding the light to the light guide bar.
US08360581B2
This invention provides a stereoscopic image display system that allows a plurality of experiencing persons to visually recognize stereoscopic images by their naked eyes at one time.In correspondence with a distance between eyes of an experiencing person, a plurality of projectors and a plurality of half mirrors are arranged around a periphery of a retroreflective sheet placed horizontally. The respective projectors receive parallax images of an object as a display target which are taken along a circumferential direction of the object. Image light beams (left and right parallax images) emitted from the adjacent two projectors are reflected from the half mirrors and then enter the retroreflective sheet. The two incident image light beams are reflected from the retroreflective sheet in directions of incidence thereof, respectively. The two reflected light beams pass through the half mirrors and then separately enter the right and left eyes of the experiencing person. Thus, the experiencing person can visually recognize a stereoscopic image of the object, which is seen from every direction, at the entire periphery of the retroreflective sheet.
US08360580B2
The present invention relates in general to taking geometrico-morphological measurements on a subject. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of measuring the position of a remarkable point of the subject's eye. The method includes amongst others, the steps of capturing images in different relative postures (APIV1, APIV2, (O1,X1,Y1,Z1), (O2,X2,Y2,Z2)) of a subject, identifying reference points of the eye ((RCG1, RCD1), (RCG2, RCD2)), and calculating the remarkable point (CROD, CROG) as a function of the captured images. The values of the posture parameter (APIV) are obtained by a position-identification element (60, 70, 80, 700, 800) having at least one known geometrical characteristic that is placed on the subject's head. Each captured image contains a representation of the position-identification element (60, 70, 80, 700, 800). The posture parameter is thus calculated as a function of these images and of the known geometrical characteristic.
US08360577B2
A method for grading a cataract, the method including creating a three-dimensional image of at least most of a lens of an eye having a cataract from information received from an imaging system, comparing the three-dimensional image with a first template to determine an optical density of the lens, and determining a grade for the cataract based on the comparison of the optical density of the lens and a volume of the first template. A system and computer software code for grading a cataract are also disclosed.
US08360556B2
A wiring board to be connected to an object includes: contact points to be connected to the object; wires connected to the contact points; and a substrate on which the contact points and the wires are formed. The substrate has a first portion which has openings and overlaps with the object when the wiring board is connected to the object, and a second portion which is continuous to the first portion. The contact points include first contact points formed in the first portion on one surface of the substrate facing the object, and second contact points formed in the second portion, on the other surface of the substrate, at areas which do not overlap with the first contact points when the substrate is bent so that the first portion is overlapped with the second portion.
US08360555B2
A cradle unit for a printhead cartridge is provided having a support bay for removably receiving the printhead cartridge, and an interface mounted on a slanted face within the support bay, the interface comprising connections which are movably tilted on said slanted face so as to be exposed within the support bay for connection with connections of the printhead cartridge when received in the support bay. The connections of the interface connect the printhead cartridge with a power supply which is remote from the interface.
US08360546B2
An in situ process for preparing a phase change magnetic ink including combining a phase change ink composition with a reducing agent; wherein the phase change ink composition comprises a carrier, an optional colorant, and an optional dispersant, and wherein the reducing agent has at least one alcohol functionality; heating the combined phase ink composition and reducing agent to a first temperature sufficient to provide a melt composition; adding a metal salt to the melt composition under an inert atmosphere to provide a metal salt-melt composition; heating the metal salt-melt composition to a second temperature sufficient to effect a metal reduction reaction to reduce the metal salt to metal nanoparticles thus forming in situ a phase change magnetic ink including the metal nanoparticles; optionally, filtering the phase change magnetic ink while in a liquid state; cooling the phase change magnetic ink to a solid state.
US08360540B2
A recording apparatus of the present invention includes: a recording head having ejection openings which eject liquid, a liquid supply unit which supplies the liquid to the recording head, and a supply control unit which controls the liquid supply unit. The recording head includes: a liquid supply portion and first and second discharge portions; a first passage connecting the supply portion and the first discharge portion; a second passage which branches off from the first passage and communicates with the second discharge portion; a supply passage which branches off from the second passage and which supplies the liquid to the ejection openings; and a first filter disposed nearby a position at which the second passage branches off from the first passage, which filtrates the liquid flowing from the first passage to the second passage.
US08360538B2
A toolbox with drawers for holding tools and the like and a display rack for holding and displaying such tools. The display rack is movable vertically relative to the toolbox and may assume a first tool accessible and tool visible position and a second position where the tools are not accessible and are not visible. A locking mechanism maintains the inaccessible tool position of the display rack. Preloaded struts operate to extend the display rack to its tool accessible and tool visible condition when the retaining force on the display rack is released. A retaining mechanism is used to hold the display rack in its elevated position.
US08360533B2
Disclosed is a regenerative braking system capable of minimizing uncomfortable feeling during the braking operation while improving responsiveness and control performance by performing the braking operation using an electric motor. An electro-mechanical braking system is used when braking a rear wheel or front and rear wheels, so variable frictional braking is achieved, thereby maximizing the recovery rate of the regenerative energy.
US08360529B2
A vehicle seat assembly with a seat back mounted to pivot on a seat cushion by a recliner mechanism, and is urged forwardly by a torsion bar subassembly which has two ends fixed respectively to the seat back and to the seat cushion. The torsion bar subassembly urges the seat back to pivot forwardly for only a limited arcuate range of travel from a vertical position.
US08360517B2
There is disclosed an insert suitable for use within a seating system of an automotive vehicle.
US08360516B2
A passenger seat includes a rigid frame, a seat pan supported by the frame and movable relative to the frame, a leg rest pivotally attached to a forward end of the seat pan, a seat back pivotally attached to a rearward end of the seat pan, and a single actuator linked to the leg rest such that extension of the actuator causes the leg rest to pivot forward, the seat pan to move forward, and the seat back to recline. A method of adjusting the passenger seat includes activating the actuator such that extension of the actuator causes the leg rest to pivot forward, the seat pan to move forward, and the seat back to recline.
US08360513B2
A wind deflector for a vehicle is provided. The wind deflector includes a movably mounted deflector element and an actuator for moving the deflector element. The actuator can move the deflector element in a linearly oscillating manner in one direction in space, especially vertically. The linear movement can be performed regardless of a curvature of a class A surface of a vehicle.
US08360511B2
A folded hopper for a mining truck, having a floor made of an anti-abrasive material that increases its resistance and simplifies manufacturing work, bringing up substantial savings of welding and being of low weight, and improving load distribution. The floor includes floor folds with anti-abrasive, side folding that eliminates welding at joints and floor, which improves mechanical resistance and eliminates stress arising from heat concentration upon welding. At the sides, the reinforcement on several beams is simplified by two larger joining beams that keep the structure rigid.
US08360509B2
This invention provides a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half is constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline.
US08360505B2
A door is open and held by engaging a latch with a striker of a vehicle body. The door has a release actuator connected to the latch. The vehicle body includes a power drive and a control module. An operating unit instructs the control module to close the door. The control module instructs the release actuator to disengage the latch from the striker. After the control module instructs the power drive to start closing of the door, releasing of the release actuator is stopped by the control module at a door position determined by actual voltage of a power source.
US08360502B2
A tarp system with a knuckle arm assembly having a housing on an upper arm with a bent enclosure with a flexible torque shaft or universal joint connector substantially within the enclosure, such as an extruded tube. A first end of the flexible torque shaft or universal joint connector may be used in conjunction with a motor, preferably mounted away from the bend in the enclosure to minimize the envelope of the tarp system around a container of a container of a trailer or rail car. A second end of the flexible torque shaft or universal joint connector is attached to an axle shaft for a roller or the like that is used in conjunction with a tarp.
US08360492B2
A gripping apparatus for gripping containers may comprise a gripping element which has two gripping parts that can move relative to one another and a carrier on which the gripping parts are arranged. At least one portion of the container to be gripped can be received between these gripping parts. The gripping apparatus may comprise a detachment mechanism for detaching the gripping parts from the carrier, wherein this detachment mechanism can be actuated manually and without the aid of a tool in order to detach the gripping parts from the carrier.
US08360485B2
An electronic device with a holding mechanism is provided. The device includes a main body, a housing, a carriage, a first elastic member, a stopper member, a second elastic member, and a button. The housing includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and a third sidewall formed between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, an opening is defined in the second sidewall. The stopper member is slidably received in the housing and connected to the third sidewall. The carriage is slidably received in the housing and connected to the first sidewall. The ridge protrudes from the carriage and is capable of blocking a free end of the stopper member to retain the carriage in a retracted position. The button is slidably connected to the housing and includes a distal end, which engages with the stopper member.
US08360481B2
A housing pipe joint (1) for connecting a pair of pipes comprising: a pair of housings (3) each including a housing body (4) and a flange portion (5); fitting portions (4a) located in parallel on an inner surface of the housing body to fit with the pipes (P), each fitting portion including one stepped section (4a3) angled diagonally relative to the center axis line (C); and a positioning member (6) on opposed surfaces of the flange portion, the positioning member engaging with the other positioning member to position the housings at a first or a second position when one housing is rotated on a plane about a symmetric point (Sy); at the first position the distance between the opposed fitting portions is the closest and the pipes are movably coupled; and at the second position the distance is the largest and the pipes are fixedly coupled to the housings.
US08360480B2
A collar assembly for coupling a blade assembly and a removable jar to the base of a motorized blender includes an interlock assembly that prevents coupling of the blade assembly to the blender motor unless the jar is secured to the collar assembly, and prevents removal of the jar from the collar assembly when the collar and blade assembly is coupled to the blender base.
US08360470B2
A restraining system includes a restraining volume that is bounded by a cladding, and is deployable by expansion of the restraining volume, to restrain or protect an object or person. Deployment of the restraining volume by expanding it into a restraining position is performed by a mechanical enlarging unit, rather than by a pyrotechnic gas generator, so that the restraining system may be restored to a storage position following a deployment.
US08360466B2
Before a thorax protecting portion of an airbag is altered to a storage mode, at least a part above a gas supply port of the thorax protecting portion is folded along a folding line extending through a thickness limiting portion, so that the thorax protecting portion is partitioned into a main protecting portion, to which the inflation gas is supplied from the gas supply port, and an auxiliary protecting portion, to which the inflation gas is supplied via the main protecting portion. The thickness limiting portion has an arcuate portion that is curved to bulge rearward, and the thickness limiting portion is arranged in the thorax protecting portion such that the rear end of the arcuate portion is located in the auxiliary protecting portion.
US08360460B1
The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein may be easier and quicker than prior art systems. Furthermore, the apparatuses and method disclosed herein may be more effective over rough terrain. The apparatuses and methods disclosed herein include a tongue attached to the conveyance, a floating hitch attached to the motor vehicle, and a compression-hitching pin. A conveyance can be hitched to a motor vehicle simply by inserting the hitching pin through the tongue of the conveyance and the floating hitch of the motor vehicle and then pushing down on the handle of the hitching pin and turning the handle to lock the hitching pin in place.
US08360457B2
The trailer steering mechanism automatically steers the trailer wheels in accordance with the tow vehicle steering and articulation between the tow vehicle and trailer during backing maneuvers to facilitate backing maneuvers and to prevent or greatly reduce the possibility of jackknifing between tow vehicle and trailer. The mechanism includes a pivotally attached steering frame connected between the steerable wheels of the trailer and one or more hydraulic cylinders that, when locked, create a very strong link between the tow vehicle and the trailer and its steering system. An alternative embodiment employs two non-powered hydraulic cylinders in tandem. The cylinders are able to withstand great loads, and more importantly, are able to disengage while under great load without jamming. The cylinders provide links that exert lateral force to the trailer to push or pull the trailer into a turn while backing, in addition to controlling the steering mechanism of the trailer.
US08360442B2
A system for exchange and reconditioning of winding or rewinding multi-components shafts associated with a web handling device comprising an omni-directional mobile cart having a plurality of subassemblies thereon for receiving, storing and transfer of one or more clean and/or to-be-reconditioned shafts between the web handling device and a maintenance station wherein a shaft is mounted in similar manner to the mounting of the shaft on the web handling device for disassembly, cleaning, repairing reassembly and storage of the clean shaft on the cart in anticipation for subsequent exchange of such clean shaft for a to-be-reconditioned shaft mounted on the web handling device. In the system, the removal of the to-be-reconditioned shaft from the web handling device, storage of this shaft on the cart and installation of a clean shaft previously stored on the cart are all performed without modification or material repositioning of the cart from its initially established position relative to the web handling device. A method for shaft exchange is disclosed.
US08360441B2
The grocery cart cup holder a front, middle, and rear frame. The front frame has along an outer end a plurality of front clips, which are used to secure the front frame onto the shopping cart seat frame. The middle frame has at least one circular opening, and is hingedly connected to both the front frame and rear frame. The rear frame has at least one back clip that attaches onto the shopping cart seat frame. The grocery cart cup holder can fold flat to enable use of the grocery cart seat, and the cup holder can fold up to provide a cup holder that consists of the circular opening at an elevated position working in tandem with the grocery cart seat to create a cup holder.
US08360439B2
The invention describes an adapter for a handheld machine tool, comprising a locking unit (40), which can be releasably and fixedly attached to a housing (10) of a handheld machine tool, and a rotatably mounted shaft (32), which can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a drive shaft (20) of the handheld machine tool, wherein the locking unit (40) has at least one means (42, 62) for a latching connection.
US08360438B2
A seal (500) comprises a seal body (502) having a mounting portion (504), a first leg (506) and a second leg (508), a first stiffening member (514) and a second stiffening member (516) separated by an arcuate shear seal portion (529) in which the motions of the first leg (506) and second leg (508) are relatively constrained by the second stiffening member (516).
US08360433B2
A realistic professional team sports board game, including an On-The-Roll mechanism where, once play begins, real time play continues, generally against a clock, opposing teams continue to roll dice continuing sub-play actions or elements, until a play is completed, as by a touchdown, tackle and a series of rules and charts, based on statistical compilation that maps various combinations of offensive and defensive strategies and dice rolls into realistic game situations and the progression among them. Both teams: secretly choose a strategy, generally by selecting a card placed face down; roll dice; reveal strategy choices by turning cards face up; determine a situation chart to consult, and further determine which result is selected from within the chart, based on some combination of which cards were played and the results of the dice rolls. A variety of play cards affect the overall game momentum of either team.
US08360432B2
Invention relates to a three-dimensional spherical sliding puzzle having a frame made of eight corner pieces, and seventeen square pieces each mobile in grooves bordering the corner pieces and along guide grooves defined in the corner pieces. The square pieces are moved independently, one at a time by one finger of a user while other the other square pieces are locked in place. The corner pieces are easily extrudable and can be assembled by the snap-connections-and are detached seamlessly with each other by symmetrical male-female-couplers. The grooves provided by the corner pieces of the ball frame have 18 points, where each of the 17 square pieces can be situated, whereby one free point is utilized for moving the pieces one at a time. The corner pieces each include retaining nails having a tip thickening located at an end thereof for releasably clamping to control buttons of the square pieces.
US08360425B2
A depinching mechanism including a frame, a star wheel assembly, a limiter arm, a rocker arm and a sensor is provided in present invention. Through the depinching mechanism the star wheel assembly is lifted from the first position to the second position when paper jam occurs, and thus depinched the media the user can clear the paper jam. And after that the star wheel assembly is lowered from the second position to the first position. The star wheel assembly remains in the first position in the normal printing process. Since when paper jam occurs the star wheel assembly is lifted by the depinching mechanism, the user can easily and conveniently remove the jammed paper. And thus, the depinching mechanism can facilitate the user to remove jammed paper when paper jam occurs in printer. Thus, the depinching mechanism can be used in printers to solve the paper jamming problems.
US08360424B2
An image forming apparatus capable of accurately detecting a thickness of various sheets. A CPU of the image forming apparatus sets the degree of amplification to a large value, if a sheet basis weight is equal to or less than a threshold value, and sets the degree of amplification to a small value, if the sheet basis weight is larger than the threshold value. One of magnetic sensors, which are disposed facing respective ones of magnets mounted to a displacement member of a sheet thickness detection device of the image forming apparatus, is selected according to the set degree of amplification. When a sheet passes through a detection part of the displacement member, a displacement of the detection part amplified through the displacement member is detected by the selected sensor and a sheet thickness is detected based on an output of the sensor.
US08360422B2
A method and system for performing sheet registration are disclosed. Output values for a sheet may be identified within a reference frame. A difference between each output value and a corresponding desired output value may be determined. Input values may be determined based on at least the differences. State feedback values may be determined based on information received from one or more sensors. Jerk values may be determined for multiple drive rolls based on the input values and the state feedback values. A desired angular velocity for each drive roll may be determined based on the corresponding jerk value. A motor voltage may be determined for each drive roll that tracks an observed angular velocity value to the desired angular velocity value. The jerk values may create a linear differential relationship between the input values and the output values. The steps may be performed multiple times.
US08360416B2
A sheet feeder includes a tray on which sheets are to be placed, a rope connected to the tray, a pulley which includes a shaft and on which the rope is taken up such that the winds thereof are aligned in an axial direction of the shaft, and a motor for moving the tray upward by rotating the pulley about the shaft in a direction to take up the rope to locate the uppermost sheet on the tray at a sheet pickup position. A sheet remaining amount detection device applied to this sheet feeder includes a position detector for detecting a present position which is a present take-up position of the rope on the pulley in the axial direction, and a remaining amount detecting section for detecting the remaining amount of the sheets on the tray based on the present position detected by the position detector.
US08360415B1
A media tray includes a cleaning mechanism that is fed into the media feed system of a printer automatically when the media tray is emptied of print media and then retracted when the media tray is accessed.
US08360411B2
The present invention relates to equipment used to manufacture PV cells or modules. In some embodiments, a support structure is provided that provides support for substrates used in the manufacture of PV cells or modules. The support structure provides support for the substrate at the edge, allows access to the rear of the substrate and is composed of materials that do not contaminate the substrate during processing.
US08360409B2
A system for simultaneously treating multiple workpieces is configured with sites, configured to hold respective workpieces, affixed on a rotatable base. Each site has a shelf accommodating an interior space and may be positioned by base rotation in alignment with a station of fixed location. Each station is equipped with an active component. The active components are movable simultaneously within respective stations into the respective interior spaces of respective aligned sites.
US08360406B2
Disclosed herein is a securing device for plate-like work pieces, comprising a body member and an anchor member, the body member having a first end and a second end, the first end having an engagement portion, a biasing member to basis the body member laterally within a plurality of aligned openings in said work pieces and biasing the engagement portion past the openings, the engagement portion having an operative surface to engage an outer surface on a first outer work piece, the body member including a threadable portion, the anchor member being operable to engage an outer surface on a second outer work piece, the anchor member including a threaded member to engage the threadable portion, the threaded member be rotationally operational to draw the body member toward the anchor member.
US08360399B2
The mid-span winch has a support frame, a reel mounted in this support frame and a handle affixed to the support frame. The mid-span winch has a longitudinal axis extending horizontally from the reel and a vertical axis intersecting the longitudinal axis at a point on the reel. The handle is mounted to the support frame at a location on the support frame which is coincidental with the vertical axis. Wobbling and twisting motions in the winch body are thereby readily perceived with a true amplitude. A corrective action can then be applied to the winch body without using an excessive or a shy force. In another aspect of the present invention, the handle has a hand grip which extends obliquely from the longitudinal axis, whereby both a wobbling motion and a twisting motion on the winch body can be stabilized at once in a same grasp.
US08360395B2
A sliding valve assembly includes a valve body having a fluid conducting port adjacent to a fluid impervious surface. The actuator allows fluid to travel through the valve assembly and into a fluid blocking position where the fluid impervious surface obstructs the fluid from traveling through the valve assembly. First and second sealing assemblies include a primary seal ring, a secondary seal ring around the primary seal ring, and a spring forcing the primary seal ring against a sealing surface. As pressure in the system increases, this pressure is delivered to the sealing assemblies to force them against the sealing surfaces to enhance the sealing relationship. Cams and cam followers affixed to the valve body overcome the frictional forces of the sealing system and the valve body and valve housing to increase the efficiency of the valve assembly and the system in which the valve assembly is used.
US08360394B2
A control system comprising a current control module and a force control module. The current control module selectively supplies a current to a turbine bypass valve (TBV) to adjust the TBV to a predetermined position. The force control module selectively adjusts the current in response to a determination that an actual TBV position is less than a predetermined distance from the predetermined position.
US08360392B2
A valve control device, in particular for control pods or similar equipment used in the mining and/or production of mineral oil/natural gas, comprises a valve housing in which hole or boring sections are arranged, and a valve slide movable relative to the hole sections, with at least a first and a second flow hole for the alternative connection of a feed line from a fluid pressure hose with at least one actuator or of the actuator to return line for leading the fluid away, wherein in each case one of the connections is made and the other is interrupted. To improve such a valve control device in that with only slight and economical constructional modifications with retention of all the advantages of known valve control devices, a substantial reduction in the leakage flow is facilitated or even almost completely suppressed, at least first and second valve elements which in the closed position can be pressed onto a valve seat formed especially at a hole section are laterally assigned to the flow holes, wherein in the connection position of the first flow hole the second valve element is in the closed position and in the connecting position of the second flow hole the first valve element is in the closed position each pressed onto the respective assigned valve seat in its closed position.
US08360383B2
A seat sliding device for preventing accidental operation of the operation member. The seat sliding device includes a biasing member 60 which biases a lock member 50 in response to the operation of an operation lever 70 in an unlocking pivoting direction and which is tiltable around a shaft 62 as the tilting center together with the operation lever 70 in response to the operation of the operation lever 70. A balancer 64 of the biasing member 60 has a shape and mass, etc. adapted so as to bring a position of the center of gravity of the tilting body including the operation lever 70 and the biasing member 60 close to the shaft center of the shaft 62.
US08360380B2
A cup holder for holding and retaining a cup includes a container integrally formed of a resin material as one structure with flexibility. The container includes a bottom portion, a cup retaining portion defined as a sidewall upstanding from the bottom portion, and at least one flexible protruding portion formed in the sidewall where the bottom portion does not contact. The flexible protruding portion is thinner in thickness than other portion of the side wall and protrudes towards an inside direction of the cup retaining portion. A rib is formed on an outside surface of the container to extend from the other portion of the side wall formed thicker than the protruding portion to a center of the protruding portion. An urging device is formed for pressing the protruding portion towards an inside of the container.
US08360367B2
A system and method for highly efficient constellations of satellites which give single, double, . . . k-fold redundant full earth imaging coverage, or k-fold coverage for latitudes greater than any selected latitude is given for remote sensing instruments in short periods of time, i.e., continuous coverage, as a function of the parameters of the satellite and the remote sensing instrument for many different types of orbits. A high data rate satellite communication system and method for use with small, mobile cell phone receiving and transmitting stations is also provided. Satellite instrument performance models, full and partial satellite constellation models, and satellite cost models are disclosed and used to optimize the design of satellite systems with vastly improved performance and lower cost over current major satellite systems.
US08360363B2
A floor structure in an aircraft includes a plurality of seat rails that extend parallel in relation to each other, and at least one floor panel. The floor panel extends over the seat rails and rests on the individual seat rails. In order to be able to fasten interior equipment components to the seat rails situated underneath the floor panels, the at least one floor panel includes a plurality of through-holes through which the interior equipment components of the aircraft can be locked into place on the seat rails.
US08360352B1
A reel for the management, transport, and storage of flexible materials such as electrical cords, air hoses, and the like, comprises a hollow cylindrical central hub with a pair of disk-like side plates radially attached to the outer ends of the hub, a slidable hand grip mounted on said reel and a rotatable winding knob for controllable rotation of the reel by an operator. The cord take-up portion of the hub has a provisional retainer shaped to receive a loop formed, preferably, in the middle of the cord's length. Once the loop is hooked over the provisional retainer, an operator reels in both halves of the cord simultaneously by turning with the winding knob. Conversely, holding the reel by the slidable hand grip with one hand and pulling outward on both ends of the cord simultaneously with the free hand, unreels the cord as needed. Once the cord is fully unwound from the hub, the provisional retainer allows it to falls free of the reel for unfettered use.
US08360349B1
The present invention relates to a control system for a rotary grinder. Rotary grinders control systems of the present invention are, for example, used to grind plastic or wood to reduce the size of the material to a desired size. Material to be ground is forced by an hydraulic ram toward a rotor having a plurality of cutters thereon. The control system is capable of controlling the grinding operation as a function of ram velocity and pressure as well as power consumption by the rotor.
US08360346B2
A bodyspray assembly is disclosed that provides a pivotable spray head mounted essentially flush with the surrounding enclosure wall. In one embodiment, a special tool is provided to rotate a waterway housing, to selectively couple the waterway housing to a source from the front of the assembly. In another embodiment, rotation of a spray face assembly rotates a waterway housing, to selectively couple the waterway housing to a source from the front of the assembly. The bodyspray assembly provides ball and socket type articulation.
US08360345B2
A system, in certain embodiments, may include a spray coating device having a handle, a fluid head comprising a fluid valve and a trigger coupled to the fluid valve, and a quick disconnect fastener coupling the fluid head with the handle. A system, in other embodiments, may include a spray coating device having a body, a pivot joint coupled to the body, and a trigger having a lever coupled to the pivot joint. The trigger may be configured to move in a first direction. The system also may include a valve disposed in the body and movable in a second direction crosswise to the first direction, wherein the lever is configured to bias the valve in the second direction.
US08360339B2
A fire suppression apparatus and method of generating foam are provided in which a foam-forming liquid is introduced under high velocity and pressure into a mixing manifold through a plurality of jets, and a non-combustible gas is introduced under high velocity and pressure into the center of the mixing manifold, downstream of the jets and in the direction of flow of the foam-forming liquid. The foam generated in the mixing manifold is discharged through a hose and nozzle connected to the mixing manifold. The apparatus may be a self-contained unit, supported on a frame, with its own supply of foam-forming liquid and non-combustible gas.
US08360338B2
A fuel injection valve with reduced adhesion of deposits to a fuel injecting portion and superior in durability is provided. Also provided is a method for machining multi-orifice type fuel injecting portions easily, less expensively, in good surface roughness, in high productivity, and with few variations in shape, accuracy and surface roughness, using inexpensive equipment. The surface roughness of fuel injecting portions comprising orifices and apertures is made Rz 2 μm or less. Apertures are formed by press working so as to each have a plastic-worked surface of Rz 0.2 μm or less in surface roughness and then orifices are formed in the bottoms of the apertures so as to have a plastic-worked surface of Rz 0.2 μm or less in surface roughness. Further, when abrasion resistance of the nozzle is required, the fuel injecting portions are finished to a surface roughness of Rz 2 μm by quenching.
US08360336B2
A method of forming a rack (45) (e.g. of the type used in a geared system such as a rack and pinion), suitable for use in a stairlift rail, comprises providing a plurality (30) of elongate strips (10) and securing the plurality of strips together as a stack of strips to form the rack. The strips may be profiled to provide a profile to the rack. Preferably the profile provides a toothed rack on which a gear or roller of a stairlift carriage may be driven. The rack may be formed in a continuous process. The rack may be straight or curved. A rack comprising a plurality of elongate strips secured together as a stack of strips is also described.
US08360333B2
A bi-directional two-dimensional (2D) matrix barcode symbology for use with bar code, cell phones and other optical readers. A finder structure includes indicia for locating data blocks containing bytes of information encoded through bi-directional and orthogonal lines containing individual bits of information. Individual blocks contain error correction information, and are formed into 2×2 superblocks used to build larger codes. Intrinsic prefix information provides a redundant geometric identification for individual blocks within the overall structure, providing a built-in mapping of the overall structure, even when portions are missing or undecodable. The overall symbol has a second set of error correction parameters for further redundancy. The symbology is a versatile symbology in that the number of check data blocks is user selectable to provide the desired level of error correction.
US08360331B2
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag assembly and method of manufacturing the assembly including an RFID semiconductor chip having an antenna interface mounted on a mounting substrate and having a predetermined operating frequency, a conductor coupled to the antenna interface and formed on the mounting substrate, an antenna electrically coupled to the conductor having a first radiating element lying in a first plane and a second radiating element lying in a second plane that is at an angle relative to the first plane, and an enclosure having a body with a cavity dimensioned for receiving the mounting substrate and RFID semiconductor chip, the conductor, and the first and second radiating elements, the mounting substrate being positioned proximate to the closed end of the cavity and a seal for closing the opening and sealing the cavity.
US08360328B2
An antenna for an RFID transponder device having a substrate and an RF integrated circuit. The antenna comprises two opposing conductive elements arranged on one side of the substrate and electrically connected to the integrated circuit; and a conductive patch arranged between the elements on the same side of the substrate and not electrically connected to them.
US08360325B2
A wireless IC device and an electronic apparatus are obtained, which can achieve miniaturization and improve the gain of a radiator plate (electrode) without providing a dedicated antenna. A wireless IC device is provided, in which a loop electrode is provided in a ground electrode provided on a printed wiring circuit board, and in which a wireless IC chip that processes a transmission/reception signal or an electromagnetic coupling module is coupled to the loop electrode. The ground electrode is coupled to the wireless IC chip or the electromagnetic coupling module via the loop electrode, and transmits or receives a high-frequency signal. The ground electrode is formed with a slit for adjusting a resonant frequency thereof.
US08360323B2
A labeling method for marking a product with invisible information. The label includes a removable laminate formed from a light transmissive layer, and a light transmissive adhesive that detachably affixes the label to a product. The label includes an invisible marker that contains information, detectable by light of selected wavelength. The amount of marker selected is sufficient to allow information in the marker to be detected only when the laminate is affixed over a surface with a selected optical background. The label laminate is removed from the surface of the product and affixed to a surface having the selected optical background and is exposed to light that renders the information in the marker detectable. The method allows covert information in the label laminate to be reliably detected and read with the use of minimal quantities of marker material.
US08360310B2
Systems and techniques for managing implementation of user interfaces and related elements of a point of sale application. A stencil is created to define aspects of a user interface to be used with on or more point of sale applications. A user interface defined by the stencil is integrated with a point of sale application model, with integration including establishing bindings between elements defined by the stencil and corresponding elements of the application and importing appropriate specific elements defined by the model to more generalized elements defined by the stencil. An integrated point of sale configuration is loaded to one or more point of sale stations for use in point of sale operations.
US08360309B2
Methods of reducing transaction time in a self-service terminal are described. The methods involve pre-stacking a defined amount of media, such as a commonly withdrawn amount of money, before the user has performed any service selection. During service selection, the user is given an option to withdraw the defined amount of money and if the user selects this option, the pre-stacked amount is dispensed. If the user selects an option to withdraw a different amount of money, a second dispenser in the self-service terminal may be used to stack and dispense this different amount.
US08360307B2
The invention provides a closures (106) for a compartment (100) having one or more walls (112, 114, 116, 118) and an opening (110) defined by at least one of the walls (112, 114, 116, 118). The closure (106) is associated with at least one fastener located inside the compartment (100). The fastener can hold the closure (106) in a first position (eg. closed) relative to the opening (110). The fastener is adapted to cause the closure (106) to assume a second position (eg. open) relative to the opening (110) upon receipt of a suitable signal. The closure (106) has at least on indicium (108) visible from outside the compartment (110). The indicium (108) is adapted to provide a visual indication of a status of the closure (106) or the compartment (110), such as closure open, closure closed, compartment empty, compartment occupied. Instead of indicium (108) or in addition to it, the closure of the invention can include in the fastener means for communicating to a remote device, a status of the closure or the compartment. The closure and the compartment may form an array with other closures and compartments having similar fasteners. In that event, the fastener in each compartment may be addressable.
US08360278B2
A pressure vessel, a system and/or a method dispense a comestible mixture. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method are used to cool, freeze and/or entrain a gas into the comestible mixture before dispensing the same. The pressure vessel may have a lid and a body that are connected to form an air-tight compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a deformable bag of the comestible mixture. The bag has an opening to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag and/or the compartment through a hole in the lid. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a compressor or other source of a compressed gas a hose to communicate the compressed gas from the compressor into the compartment. Further, the hose communicates the compressed gas to a freezing chamber and/or a cooling chamber of the machine. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a tube to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag to the freezing chamber and/or the cooling chamber.
US08360276B2
A manual inflator having a status indicator that indicates whether a fully-charged, unspent gas cylinder has been installed on the inflator. The status indicator comprises a “single point” indicator having an indicator window that displays the color “green” when the automatic inflator is fully operational or the color “red” when the inflator is at least partially inoperable automatically due to the removal of the gas cylinder or due to the firing of the inflator resulting in a spent gas cylinder.
US08360272B2
A bottle return station preferably with a dispensing station provides for the receipt of empty bottles. Bottles are provided through an acceptor which accepts bottles having a particular configuration while not accepting others. The empty bottle returns are guided to a receiving station where they can be retrieved by an operator. Meanwhile a dispensing station can be accessed by users.
US08360269B1
A communication box includes a box body and a box lid. The box body has an accommodation space therein. The box lid includes a lid body and two engaging members. Upper and lower ends of the two engaging members are detachably connected to the box body. The two engaging members are respectively and pivotally connected two opposing sides of the lid body, so that the two engaging members are rotatable relative to the lid body. Compared the conventional communication box, the communication box of the present invention can be opened in different ways. Through one of the two engaging members, either side of the box lid can be opened. Alternatively, the box lid can be detached from the box body through disengagement of the two engaging members. The present invention can be used in different occasions and is convenient for operation, without limitation of space.
US08360267B1
A locking mechanism for a trigger assembly in a lid of a drinking container is provided. In one embodiment, the locking mechanism comprises a button member, a stop and a manifold. The button member is moveable in a first direction from a first locked position to a second unlocked position. The button member is further moveable in a second direction toward an interior of the lid when the button is disposed in the second position. The button member has a locking protrusion portion. The locking protrusion portion of the button member is disposed proximate the stop in the first position, and distal the stop in the second position. The stop limits movement of the button member in the second direction with the button member disposed in the first position. A manifold is slidingly connected to the button member. The manifold is displaced by the button member when the button member is moved in the second direction. The manifold operates a seal assembly to allow fluid communication between the drink aperture and the container body.
