US08686539B1
A shielded inductor in an integrated circuit includes conductive loops disposed on a deep-well noise shield for isolating a noise coupling between the conductive loops and the substrate of the integrated circuit. The deep-well noise shield includes a first well disposed within a second well that is disposed within the substrate of the integrated circuit. The second well includes a peripheral well, a deep-well layer, and slot wells. The peripheral well surrounds a periphery of the first well. The peripheral well and the deep-well layer are coupled together to provide two p-n junctions that separate the first well and the substrate. The slot wells are distributed inside the periphery of the first well. Each slot well and the deep-well layer are coupled together. Each slot well has a width and a length that is at least three times the width.
US08686537B2
To reduce the radio frequency (RF) losses associated with high RF loss plating, such as, for example, Nickel/Palladium/Gold (Ni/Pd/Au) plating, an on-die passive device, such as a capacitor, resistor, or inductor, associated with a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) is placed in an RF upper signal path with respect to the RF signal output of the RFIC. By placing the on-die passive device in the RF upper signal path, the RF current does not directly pass through the high RF loss plating material of the passive device bonding pad.
US08686535B2
Embodiments of the disclosure include a shallow trench isolation structure having a dielectric material with energetic species implanted to a predetermined depth of the dielectric material. Embodiments further include methods of fabricating the trench structures with the implant of energetic species to the predetermined depth. In various embodiments the implant of energetic species is used to densify the dielectric material to provide a uniform wet etch rate across the surface of the dielectric material. Embodiments also include memory devices, integrated circuits, and electronic systems that include shallow trench isolation structures having the dielectric material with the high flux of energetic species implanted to the predetermined depth of the dielectric material.
US08686532B2
A semiconductor chip 100 includes a logic unit and an analog unit 153. Furthermore, the semiconductor chip 100 includes a silicon substrate 101; a first insulating film 123 to a sixth insulating film 143 formed on the silicon substrate 101; and an annular seal ring 105 consisting of a first conductive ring 125 to a sixth conductive ring 145 buried in the first insulating film 123 to the sixth insulating film 143, which surrounds the periphery of the logic unit and the analog unit 153. In the seal ring region 106, there is formed a pn junction acting as a nonconducting part 104, which blocks conduction in a path from the logic unit, through the seal ring 105 to the analog unit 153.
US08686526B2
The invention is directed to providing a semiconductor device receiving a blue-violet laser, of which the reliability and yield are enhanced. A device element converting a blue-violet laser into an electric signal is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate. An optically transparent substrate is attached to the front surface of the semiconductor substrate with an adhesive layer being interposed therebetween. The adhesive layer contains transparent silicone. Since the front surface of the device element is covered by the optically transparent substrate, foreign substances are prevented from adhering to the front surface of the device element. Furthermore, the adhesive layer is covered by the optically transparent substrate. This prevents the adhesive layer from being exposed to outside air, thereby preventing the degradation of the adhesive layer 6 due to a blue-violet laser.
US08686520B2
Magnetoresistive structures, devices, memories, and methods for forming the same are presented. For example, a magnetoresistive structure includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic spacer layer proximate to the first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer proximate to the first nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a first antiferromagnetic layer proximate to the second ferromagnetic layer. For example, the first ferromagnetic layer may comprise a first pinned ferromagnetic layer, the second ferromagnetic layer may comprise a free ferromagnetic layer, and the first antiferromagnetic layer may comprise a free antiferromagnetic layer.
US08686519B2
A MEMS accelerometer uses capacitive sensing between two electrode layers. One of the electrode layers has at least four independent electrodes arranged as two pairs of electrodes, with one pair aligned orthogonally to the other such that tilting of the membrane can be detected as well as normal-direction movement of the membrane. In this way, a three axis accelerometer can be formed from a single suspended mass, and by sensing using a set of capacitor electrodes which are all in the same plane. This means the fabrication is simple and is compatible with other MEMS manufacturing processes, such as MEMS microphones.
US08686516B2
Improved silicide formation and associated devices are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a fin structure disposed over the semiconductor substrate and having spaced source and drain regions extending outwardly from a channel region, and a gate structure disposed on a portion of the fin structure, the gate structure engaging the fin structure adjacent to the channel region. The device also includes a first silicide layer disposed on the fin structure, the first silicide layer extending outwardly from the gate structure along a top portion of the source region and a second silicide layer disposed on the fin structure, the second silicide layer extending outwardly from the gate structure along a top portion of the drain region. Further, the device includes a source contact conductively coupled to the first silicide layer and a drain contact conductively coupled to the second silicide layer.
US08686511B2
A planar transistor with improved performance has a source and a drain on a semiconductor substrate that includes a substantially undoped channel extending between the source and the drain. A gate is positioned over the substantially undoped channel on the substrate. Implanted source/drain extensions contact the source and the drain, with the implanted source/drain extensions having a dopant concentration of less than about 1×1019 atoms/cm3′, or alternatively, less than one-quarter the dopant concentration of the source and the drain.
US08686504B2
The present invention discloses a double diffused drain metal oxide semiconductor (DDDMOS) device and a manufacturing method thereof. The DDDMOS device is formed in a substrate, and includes a first well, a gate, a diffusion region, a source, and a drain. A low voltage device is also formed in the substrate, which includes a second well and a lightly doped drain (LDD) region, wherein the first well and the diffusion region are formed by process steps which also form the second well and the LDD region in the low voltage device, respectively.
US08686494B2
The disclosed recessed thyristor-based memory cell comprises in one embodiment a conductive plug recessed into the bulk of the substrate, which is coupled to or comprises the enable gate of the cell. Vertically disposed around this recessed gate is a thyristor, whose anode is connected to the bit line and cathode is connected to the word line. The disclosed cell comprises no other gate, such as an access transistor, and hence is essentially a one-transistor device. As facilitated by the vertical disposition of the thyristor, the disclosed cell takes up a small amount of area on an integrated circuit when compared to a traditional DRAM cell. The disclosed cell is simple to manufacture in its various embodiments, and is easy to configure into an array of cells. Isolation underneath the cell assists in improving the data retention of the cell and extends the time needed between cell refresh.
US08686488B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, made of polysilicon containing a p-type impurity as a group XIII element, and having a lower film and an upper film stacked on the lower film, an inter-electrode insulating film formed on the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode formed on the inter-electrode insulating film. One of a concentration and an activation concentration of the p-type impurity in the upper film is higher than one of a concentration and an activation concentration of the p-type impurity in the lower film.
US08686463B2
A capping system includes: a moving portion moving a stem, on which an optical semiconductor element is mounted, horizontally; a fixer fixing a cap having a window, on the stem; a camera taking an image of the cap and the stem from above the cap and the stem; a detector detecting whether the optical semiconductor element is present within a visual field of the camera; and a searching action controller controlling the moving portion to move the stem so the detector searches the optical semiconductor element. The searching action controller causes searching radially and outwardly from a search starting point.
US08686458B2
A light emitting diode device emitting at a wavelength of 390-415 nm has a bulk gallium and nitrogen containing substrate with an active region. The device has a current density of greater than about 175 Amps/cm2 and an external quantum efficiency with a roll off of less than about 5% absolute efficiency.
US08686457B2
A light emitting element having a recess-protrusion structure on a substrate is provided. A semiconductor light emitting element 100 has a light emitting structure of a semiconductor 20 on a first main surface of a substrate 10. The first main surface of the substrate 10 has substrate protrusion portion 11, the bottom surface 14 of each protrusion is wider than the top surface 13 thereof in a cross-section, or the top surface 13 is included in the bottom surface 14 in a top view of the substrate. The bottom surface 14 has an approximately polygonal shape, and the top surface 13 has an approximately circular or polygonal shape with more sides than that of the bottom surface 14.
US08686456B2
Provided are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a light unit. The light emitting device includes a support substrate, a light emitting structure layer disposed on the support substrate, the light emitting structure layer including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer, an electrode electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a volume layer disposed on the light emitting structure layer, the volume layer having a thickness greater than a thickness of the electrode.
US08686449B2
A light emitting device comprises a substantially planar light transmissive substrate having a light emitting surface and an opposite surface. The substrate is configured as a light guiding medium. The light emitting device also comprises at least one phosphor material disposed as a layer on the light emitting surface with a plurality of window areas and at least one source of excitation radiation of a first wavelength positioned adjacent to at least one peripheral edge of the substrate. The source is configured to couple excitation radiation into the substrate such that it is waveguided within the substrate by total internal reflection. Additionally, the light emitted by the device from the light emitting surface comprises first wavelength radiation and second, longer wavelength photoluminescent light emitted by the phosphor layer as a result of excitation by the source.
US08686443B2
An organic light-emitting display device comprises a substrate including a plurality of light-emitting regions separated by a non-light-emitting region, an organic light-emitting element disposed on each of the light-emitting regions, and a photoactive element disposed on the non-light-emitting region.
US08686440B2
In at least one embodiment of the organic light-emitting component (10), the latter comprises a unipolar charge carrier balder layer (3), a first layer (1) and a second layer (2) which are applied to opposing sides of the charge carrier barrier layer (3) and are in each case formed of at least one organic material, and two ambipolar injection layers (4), which are applied to the sides of the first (1) and second layers (2) remote from the charge carrier barrier layer (3). Such an organic, light-emitting component (10) may be operated efficiently with alternating current.
US08686438B2
When viewed in a plan view, a termination region (TM) surrounds an element region (CL). A first side of a silicon carbide substrate (SB) is thermally etched to form a side wall (ST) and a bottom surface (BT) in the silicon carbide substrate (SB) at the termination region (TM). The side wall (ST) has a plane orientation of one of {0-33-8} and {0-11-4}. The bottom surface (BT) has a plane orientation of {000-1}. On the side wall (ST) and the bottom surface (BT), an insulating film (8T) is formed. A first electrode (12) is formed on the first side of the silicon carbide substrate (SB) at the element region (CL). A second electrode (14) is formed on a second side of the silicon carbide substrate (SB).
US08686433B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting layer, a substrate that is transparent to an emission wavelength of the light emitting layer and positioned to receive an emission wavelength from the light emitting layer, a convex pattern including a collection of a plurality of convex portions discretely arranged on a front surface of the substrate with a first pitch, an n type nitride semiconductor layer located on the front surface of the substrate to cover the convex pattern and a p type nitride semiconductor layer located on the light emitting layer. The light emitting layer is located on the n type semiconductor layer. Each of the convex portions includes a sub convex pattern comprising a plurality of fine convex portions discretely formed at the top of the convex portion with a second pitch smaller than the first pitch, and a base supporting the sub convex pattern.
US08686431B2
Techniques for manufacturing optical devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) using a separation process of thick gallium and nitrogen containing substrate members, are described.
US08686429B2
Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to LED chips having improved overall emission by reducing the light-absorbing effects of barrier layers adjacent mirror contacts. In one embodiment, a LED chip comprises one or more LEDs, with each LED having an active region, a first contact under the active region having a highly reflective mirror, and a barrier layer adjacent the mirror. The barrier layer is smaller than the mirror such that it does not extend beyond the periphery of the mirror. In another possible embodiment, an insulator is further provided, with the insulator adjacent the barrier layer and adjacent portions of the mirror not contacted by the active region or by the barrier layer. In yet another embodiment, a second contact is provided on the active region. In a further embodiment, the barrier layer is smaller than the mirror such that the periphery of the mirror is at least 40% free of the barrier layer, and the second contact is below the first contact and accessible from the bottom of the chip.
US08686423B2
A thin film transistor array panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a substrate, a gate line formed on the substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer, and a data line formed on the semiconductor layer, wherein the data line comprises a lower data layer, an upper data layer, a data oxide layer, and a buffer layer, wherein the upper data layer and the buffer layer comprise a same material.
US08686422B2
A stem wiring (13a) having a broad line width is formed above branch wirings (13b) having a narrow line width. In a region where the stem wiring (13a) is connected to the branch wiring (13b), the stem wiring (13a) overlaps with the branch wiring (13b) via a gate insulating film when seen in a plan view, a contact hole is provided in the gate insulating film so as to uncover the branch wiring (13b), and the stem wiring (13a) is electrically connected to the branch wiring (13b) via a connecting conductor formed in the contact hole. Consequently, a TFT array substrate can be achieved, in which a disconnection failure or an abnormal line width is reduced without enlarging the dimension of a driving circuit region.
US08686419B2
A memory device in a 3-D read and write memory includes a resistance-changing layer, and a local contact resistance in series with, and local to, the resistance-changing layer. The local contact resistance is established by a junction between a semiconductor layer and a metal layer. Further, the local contact resistance has a specified level of resistance according to a doping concentration of the semiconductor and a barrier height of the junction. A method for fabricating such a memory device is also presented.
US08686417B2
An object is to manufacture a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor at low cost with high productivity in such a manner that a photolithography process is simplified by reducing the number of light-exposure masks. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a channel-etched inverted-staggered thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film and a conductive film are etched using a mask layer formed with the use of a multi-tone mask which is a light-exposure mask through which light is transmitted so as to have a plurality of intensities. In etching steps, a first etching step is performed by wet etching in which an etchant is used, and a second etching step is performed by dry etching in which an etching gas is used.
US08686415B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of shortening writing operation by concurrently determining potentials of memory cells on one word line. A plurality of transistors having switching characteristics are connected to one potential control circuit, whereby writing potentials are determined concurrently. A potential continues to be changed (raised or decreased) stepwise, a desired potential is determined while changing the potential, and whether data resulted from reading with respect to written data is correct or not is continuously checked, so that high-precision writing operation and high-precision reading operation can be achieved. In addition, favorable switching characteristics and holding characteristics of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor are utilized.
US08686409B2
A method of repairing a defective pixel in a display apparatus that includes forming an insulating layer to cover the plurality of second signal wires, cutting both sides of a region of the corresponding second signal wire of the defective pixel and the insulating layer to form both sides of a cut region, forming contact holes adjacent to the both sides of the cut region, respectively, such that an upper portion of the corresponding second signal wire is exposed, forming a repair metal layer on the insulating layer to contact the contact holes and the second signal wire, and forming a repair insulating layer to cover the repair metal layer.
US08686400B2
Disclosed herein is a light emitting device including a light emitting structure including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer including at least one combination of a well layer of a first composition formed of a nitride-semiconductor material having first electronic energy and a barrier layer of a second composition formed of a nitride-semiconductor material having higher electronic energy than the first electronic energy, and an interface layer disposed between the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the active layer or between the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the active layer. The interface layer includes first, second and third layers having different energy bandgaps, the energy bandgaps of the first and second layers are greater than the energy bandgap of the barrier layer, and the energy bandgap of the third layer is less than the energy bandgap of the barrier layer.
US08686390B2
Provided is a nonvolatile memory element achieving a stable resistance change and miniaturization, and a method of manufacturing the same. The nonvolatile memory element includes: a first electrode formed above a substrate; an interlayer insulating layer formed above the substrate including the first electrode and having a memory cell hole reaching the first electrode; a barrier layer formed in the memory cell hole and composed of a semiconductor layer or an insulating layer connected to the first electrode; a second electrode formed in the memory cell hole and connected to the barrier layer; a variable resistance layer formed on the second electrode and having a stacked structure whose resistance value changes based on electric signals; and a third electrode connected to the variable resistance layer and formed on the interlayer insulating layer to cover the memory cell hole.
US08686385B2
The PCRAM device includes a semiconductor substrate including a switching device; an interlayer insulating layer having a heating electrode contact hole exposing the switching device, a heating electrode formed to be extended along a side of the interlayer insulating layer in the heating electrode contact hole, wherein the heating electrode has a width gradually increased toward a bottom of the heating electrode and is in contact with the switching device, first and second phase-change layers formed within the heating electrode contact hole that includes the heating electrode, and a phase-change separation layer formed in the heating electrode contact hole between the first and second phase-change layers.
US08686384B2
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a nanomaterial assembly layer, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. The nanomaterial assembly layer is formed of an assembly of a plurality of micro conductors via gaps between the micro conductors. The first electrode layer is provided on the nanomaterial assembly layer. The second electrode layer is provided on the first electrode layer.
US08686379B1
Systems for preparing solid samples for microscopic examination in cross section or planametric orientation. The sample preparation systems include a sample support, an excitation beam to remove material from the surface of the sample, and a beam shield that protects the sample from the excitation beam, where sequential vertical adjustment of the beam shield permits the selective exposure of a series of substantially planar sample surfaces.
US08686378B2
A charged particle beam drawing apparatus includes an electrostatic lens including an electrode member and configured to project the plurality of charged particle beams onto the substrate via the electrode member. In the electrode member are formed a plurality of first openings via which the plurality of charged particle beams pass, and a plurality of second openings different from the plurality of first openings, a total area of the plurality of second openings being not smaller than a total area of the plurality of first openings.
US08686376B2
A system for detecting a plurality of analytes in a sample includes an aperture array and a lens array for generating and focusing a plurality of excitation sub-beams on different sub-regions of a substrate. These sub-regions can be provided with different binding sites for binding different analytes in the sample. By detecting the different luminescent responses in a detector, the presence or amount of different analytes can be determined simultaneously. Alternatively or in addition, collection of the luminescence radiation can be performed using the lens array for directly collecting the luminescence response and for guiding the collected luminescence response to corresponding apertures. The excitation sub-beams may be focused at the side of the substrate opposite of the lens array, and an immersion fluid is provided between the lens array and the substrate to increase the collection efficiency of the luminescence radiation.
US08686375B2
An active detector and methods for detecting molecules, including large molecules such as proteins and oligonucleotides, at or near room temperature based on the generation of electrons via field emission (FE) and/or secondary electron emission (SEE). The detector comprises a semiconductor membrane having an external surface that is contacted by one or more molecules, and an internal surface having a thin metallic layer or other type of electron emitting layer. The kinetic energy of molecules contacting the semiconductor membrane is transferred through the membrane and induces the emission of electrons from the emitting layer. An electron detector, which optionally includes means for electron amplification, is positioned to detect the emitted electrons.
US08686365B2
Optical imaging structures and methods are disclosed. One structure may be implemented as an imaging pixel having multiple photodetectors. The photodetectors may detect different wavelengths of incident radiation, and may be operated simultaneously or at separate times. An imager may include an imaging array of pixels of the type described. Methods of operating such structures are also described.
US08686363B1
A hyperspectral stimulated emission depletion (“STED”) microscope system for high-resolution imaging of samples labeled with multiple fluorophores (e.g., two to ten fluorophores). The hyperspectral STED microscope includes a light source, optical systems configured for generating an excitation light beam and a depletion light beam, optical systems configured for focusing the excitation and depletion light beams on a sample, and systems for collecting and processing data generated by interaction of the excitation and depletion light beams with the sample. Hyperspectral STED data may be analyzed using multivariate curve resolution analysis techniques to deconvolute emission from the multiple fluorophores. The hyperspectral STED microscope described herein can be used for multi-color, subdiffraction imaging of samples (e.g., materials and biological materials) and for analyzing a tissue by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (“FRET”).
US08686354B2
An apparatus, system and method for the continuous flow extraction, collection and analysis of small amounts of energetic substance/s and their reacted/unreacted residue/s in real time are provided. The apparatus includes an agitator that generates a particulate material from a surface. A vacuum gathers particulate material which is provided to a mixing module. The mixing module creates a supercritical matrix containing the particulate matter. A separator separates and removes waste in the supercritical matrix from the supercritical matrix. Concentrated particulate material from the supercritical matrix is provided to a mass spectrometer for analysis and detection of a target material in proximate real-time. In one embodiment, the separator provides the supercritical matrix to a tube arm. The tube arm is heated to reduce solvent in the supercritical matrix. A collector in the tube arm concentrates particulate material, which is volatilized by a laser. Volatilized particulate material is provided to the mass spectrometer. In another embodiment, the separator provides the supercritical matrix to an electrospray or APCI module whose output is provided direct to the mass spectrometer.
US08686351B2
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring ions for analysis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample including an ionizing source for converting molecules of a sample into gas phase ions in a region at about atmospheric pressure, an ion analysis device, and an ion transfer member operably coupled to a gas flow generating device, in which the gas flow generating device produces a laminar gas flow that transfers the gas phase ions through the ion transfer member to an inlet of the ion analysis device.
US08686350B2
This invention relates to mass spectrometry that includes ion trapping in at least one of the stages of mass analysis. In particular, although not exclusively, this invention relates to tandem mass spectrometry where precursor ions and fragment ions are analyzed. A method of mass spectrometry is provided comprising the sequential steps of: accumulating in an ion store a sample of one type of ions to be analyzed; accumulating in the ion store a sample of another type of ions to be analyzed; and mass analyzing the combined samples of the ions; wherein the method comprises accumulating the sample of the one type of ions and/or the sample of another type of ions to achieve a target number of ions based on the results of a previous measurement of the respective type of ions.
US08686347B2
Example apparatus and methods for use in normalization of testing machines used to test samples in vessels are disclosed. An example apparatus includes verification source and a photon emitter positioned in the verification source. The example photon emitter includes a C14 source, a scintillator adjacent to the C14 source, and a filter adjacent to the scintillator. The example photon emitter is to emit photons through the filter for detection by a photon counter.
US08686346B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for a frequency selective imager. In particular, the frequency selective imager includes an array of pixels arranged in a focal plane array. Each pixel includes at least one nanoparticle-sized diameter thermoelectric junction that is formed between nanowires of different compositions. When a nanoparticle-sized diameter thermoelectric junction senses a photon, the nanoparticle-sized diameter thermoelectric junction emits an electrical pulse voltage that is proportional to an energy level of the sensed photon. In one or more embodiments, the frequency selective imager is a frequency selective optical imager that is used to sense photons having optical frequencies. In at least one embodiment, at least one of the nanowires in the frequency selective imager is manufactured from a compound material including Bismuth (Bi) and Tellurium (Te).
US08686340B2
According to one embodiment, a solid imaging device includes an imaging substrate, a light-shielding member and a AD conversion circuits. The imaging substrate is two-dimensionally arranged with a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels have a top face formed with an optoelectronic conversion element for converting incident light into an electric charge and storing it and a back face opposite to the top faces. The imaging substrate is formed with a top face by the top face of the plurality of pixels and formed with a back face by the back face of the plurality of pixels. The light-shielding member is provided on the top face side of the imaging substrate. The AD conversion circuits is formed on the back face of the pixels shielded from the light.
US08686338B2
A method and apparatus for imaging targets with an imaging reader. The method includes: (1) capturing return light from a target over a field of view of the solid-state imager and generating image data corresponding to the target; (2) transmitting the image data from the solid-state imager to the host when the gate circuit is set to the transmitting mode; and (3) preventing the image data from transmitting to the host when the gate circuit is set to the blocking mode.
US08686337B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: multiple micro lenses, which are disposed in each of a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, focus the incident light into the light-receiving surface; with the multiple micro lenses of which the planar shape is a shape including a portion divided by a side extending in the first direction and a side extending in the second direction being disposed arrayed mutually adjacent to each of the first direction and the second direction; and with the multiple micro lenses being formed so that the depth of a groove between micro lenses arrayed in a third direction is deeper than the depth of a groove between micro lenses arrayed in the first direction, and also the curvature of the lens surface in the third direction is higher than the curvature of the lens surface in the first direction.
US08686334B2
Terrestrial solar tracking photovoltaic arrays that may include a modular design that is sized and weighted to facilitate installation with a small amount of manpower. The array may further be adapted to be adjusted during or after installation to accommodate the necessary power requirements. The terrestrial solar tracking photovoltaic array may include a torque tube that may be constructed of discrete sections. A drive may be connected to the torque tube to rotate the torque tube. A number of solar cell modules may be connected to the torque tube. The modules may be positioned at offsetting angular orientations depending upon their distance away from the drive. This offset positioning compensates for twisting distortion of the torque tube caused by the drive rotating the torque tube. At one point of rotation, each of the solar cell modules may be substantially aligned in a common plane.
US08686327B2
A missile nose fairing system includes sections attached at an aft end thereof to a missile body, a restraint for normally preventing aftward displacement of the plurality of sections, and a drive unit for releasing the restraint in response to a received signal. Each of the sections has an outer surface that converges to a common forward pointed tip for enclosing and protecting a guidance head when in an extended position and is retractable into a corresponding recessed region formed within a missile nose when the drive unit is activated releasing the restraint.
US08686326B1
In certain aspects, this invention is a “control system” that detects and minimizes (or otherwise optimizes) an angle between vehicle centerline (or other reference axis) and vehicle velocity vector—as for JDAM penetration. Preferably detection is exclusively by optical flow (which herein encompasses sonic and other imaging), without data influence by navigation. In other aspects, the invention is a “guidance system”, with optical-flow subsystem to detect an angle between the vehicle velocity vector and line of sight to a destination—either a desired or an undesired destination. Here, vehicle trajectory is adjusted in response to detected angle, for optimum angle, e.g. to either home in on a desired destination or avoid an undesired destination (or rendezvous), and follow a path that's ideal for the particular mission—preferably by controlling an autopilot or applying information from navigation. Purposes include real-time angle optimization to improve autopilots or guidance, and vehicle development or testing.
US08686320B2
Flash lamps connected to short-pulse circuits and flash lamps connected to long-pulse circuits are alternately arranged in a line. The duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the long-pulse circuits is longer than the duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the short-pulse circuits. A superimposing of a flash of light with a high peak intensity from the flash lamps that emit light for a short time and a flash of light with a gentle peak from the flash lamps that emit light for a long time can increase the temperature of even a deep portion of a substrate to an activation temperature or more without heating a shallow portion near the substrate surface more than necessary. This achieves the activation of deep junctions without causing substrate warpage or cracking.
US08686310B2
A packaged chip detection and classification device includes a rotation unit for transporting a plurality of packaged chips, a packaged chip detection unit, and a packaged chip classification unit. The rotation unit includes a rotary turntable, a plurality of receiving portions formed on the rotary turntable, and a plurality of suction-exhaust openings respectively formed in the receiving portions. Each receiving portion is used to selectively receive at least one of the packaged chips. The packaged chip detection unit includes a packaged chip detection module adjacent to the rotation unit for detecting each packaged chip. The packaged chip classification unit includes a packaged chip classification module adjacent to the rotation unit for classifying the packaged chips. Therefore, the packaged chip detection and classification device can be used to detect and classify no-lead packaged chips by matching the rotation unit, the packaged chip detection unit, and the packaged chip classification unit.
US08686309B2
A touch panel includes an insulating substrate, a transparent conductive layer, a number of electrodes, a number of conductive wires, and at least one conductive zone. The transparent conductive layer corresponding to a touch area of the touch panel is fixed on the insulating substrate. The electrodes are electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer. The conductive wires are electrically connected to a controller and are respectively electrically connected to the electrodes. The at least one conductive zone has two ends. One of the two ends of the at least one conductive zone is electrically connected to the controller. The at least one conductive zone and the conductive wires are disposed in a trace area of the touch panel at a distance.
US08686307B2
An electrical contact (1) that comprises a core body (3) made from elasticmaterial and having outer, inner and side surfaces, a metal mesh layer (5) extending to the outer and sidesurfaces of the core body (3) and a bonding layer (7) covering the edge of the metal mesh layer (5) at the side surface of the core body (3). Since the metal mesh layer (5) is provided to the outer surface (contact surface) of the core body (3), the outer surface comes in contact with the other contact surface with a number of contact points. By providing the bonding layer (7), the edge (cut surface) of the metal mesh (5) is rarely exposed to air and the rusting which occurs easily at the edge can be prevented. And, the bonding layer (7) has a function for preventing the key top material from coming into around the outer surface of the electrical contact at the process for attaching the contact (1) to the key top. Accordingly, an electrical contact capable of having a number of contact points, such as a metal mesh, prevents rust of the metal mesh and further failure of a bonding operation to a key top of a key switch can be provided.
US08686297B2
An electronic device may have a housing in which an antenna and a proximity sensor formed from flex circuit structures are mounted. The flex circuit structures may include first and second flex circuit layers. The first and second flex circuit layers may include metal antenna structures and metal proximity sensor electrode structures. Solder may be used to attach electrical components to the flex circuit layers and may be used to electrically connect metal structures on the first and second flex circuit layers to each other. The first and second flex circuit layers may be laminated together using a compressive fixture. The compressive fixture may have a first fixture with a convex surface and a second fixture with a concave surface so that the laminated flex circuit layers are provided with a bend.
US08686293B2
A silane-crosslinked polyolefin insulated wire includes a conductor, and an insulating cover layer extruded on an outer periphery of the conductor. The insulating cover layer includes a silane-crosslinked polyolefin to be cross-linked by reacting water with a polyolefin having an alkoxysilyl group as a side chain. The insulating cover layer further includes a guanidine derivative having a boiling point of not less than 170° C. and a melting point of less than 190° C. in an environment at 760 mmHg as a crosslinking promoter to promote crosslinking of the polyolefin in an amount of not less than 0.05 parts by mass and not more than 0.5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polyolefin.
US08686280B2
A see-through type solar battery module includes optically transparent first and second substrates and a plurality of annular clusters. Each cluster includes: a plurality of spherical solar cells; a conductive layer to which first electrodes of the plurality of solar cells are electrically connected in parallel; a conductive member to which second electrodes of the plurality of solar cells are electrically connected in parallel; a bypass diode connected to the conductive layer and the conductive member; and a conductive connection member that electrically connects the conductive layer to conductive member of the cluster that is adjacent in a predetermined direction. By providing the clusters in a snowflake configuration, or in a single rectilinear pattern, the scope is enlarged for selecting the ratio between sunlight transmission ratio and electrical generation capability, so that enhanced freedom of design for use as a window material is obtained.
US08686268B1
A system of associating sheet music notation with keyboard keys of a keyboard instrument and sight reading comprises a rectilinear colored strip adapted to be disposed upon the keyboard instrument. The colored strip includes first and second sets of markings corresponding to first and second octaves of the keyboard. Each of the sets includes wide markings corresponding to white keys of the keyboard and narrow markings corresponding to black keys thereof. Each of the wide markings of the first set is color-coded with a first color and each of the wide markings of the second set is color-coded with a second color different from the second color. The system further comprises a musical notation including musical notes color-coded with the same colors the first and second sets of markings on the colored rectilinear strip.
US08686257B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1M1K and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1M1K with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1M1K through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1M1K or a locus conversion of PH1M1K with another maize variety.
US08686256B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1DB1 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1DB1 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1DB1 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1DB1 or a locus conversion of PH1DB1 with another maize variety.
US08686252B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1KFW and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1KFW with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1KFW through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1KFW or a locus conversion of PH1KFW with another maize variety.
US08686248B1
A novel maize variety designated X05B912 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X05B912 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X05B912 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X05B912, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X05B912. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X05B912.
US08686238B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP27007 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP27007, cells from soybean variety XBP27007, plants of soybean XBP27007, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP27007. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP27007 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP27007, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP27007, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP27007. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP27007 are further provided.
US08686235B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB45E12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB45E12, cells from soybean variety XB45E12, plants of soybean XB45E12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB45E12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB45E12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB45E12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB45E12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB45E12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB45E12 are further provided.
US08686233B2
The present invention provides insecticidal polypeptides related to shuffled Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1 polypeptides. Nucleic acids encoding the polypeptides of the invention are also provided. Methods for using the polypeptides and nucleic acids of the invention to enhance resistance of plants to insect predation are encompassed.
US08686229B2
The invention provides seed and plants of spinach hybrid RX 06681651 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of spinach hybrid RX 06681651 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a spinach plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another spinach plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the leaf and gametes of such plants.
US08686210B2
A process for obtaining gaseous hydrocarbons from a starting material which contains oxygen-containing hydrocarbons. The process includes providing the starting material and contacting the starting material with a porous catalyst at a temperature of 300-850° C. in the absence of oxygen in a converting reactor so as to form a hydrocarbon-containing product gas mixture in which a proportion by weight of gaseous hydrocarbons is greater than a proportion by weight of liquid hydrocarbons in the gas mixture. Additionally, the process includes collecting a hydrocarbon-containing product gas stream of the hydrocarbon-containing product gas mixture and introducing the product gas stream into a separation apparatus in which product fractionation is carried out.
US08686209B2
In an α-olefin manufacturing process by the oligomerization of ethylene using an iron complex of a diimine of a 2,6-diacylpyridine or a 2,6-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, in which certain substituted iminoaryl groups are present, less higher molecular weight unwanted products are produced when the diimine and/or its precursor arylamine does not have impurities with substitution on a second ortho position to the imino group. This leads to less fouling of the process apparatus and higher yields of desired α-olefins.
US08686208B2
A process for making styrene including providing a C1 source to a reactor containing a catalyst and reacting toluene with the C1 source in the presence of the catalyst to form a product stream comprising ethylbenzene and styrene. The C1 source can be selected from the group of methanol, formaldehyde, formalin, trioxane, methylformcel, paraformaldehyde, methylal, dimethyl ether, and combinations thereof, and wherein the catalyst contains a nitrogen-substituted zeolite.
US08686205B2
A process is disclosed for making styrene by converting methanol to formaldehyde in a reactor then reacting the formaldehyde with toluene to form styrene in a separate reactor.
US08686201B2
In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing ethanol, comprising the step of reacting carbon monoxide with at least one reactant in a reactor containing a reaction medium to produce a liquid reaction product comprising acetic acid. The process further comprises the step of separating the reaction product in a flasher into a liquid recycle stream and a vapor stream. The vapor stream is then distilled in a rectification tower and an overhead stream and an acetic acid stream are withdrawn therefrom, wherein the acetic acid is substantially free of halogen promoters. The process further comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid of the acetic acid stream in the presence of a second catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water. Ethanol is recovered from the crude ethanol product.
US08686192B2
Methods of converting cellulose or related biorenewable carbohydrate materials into high-value chemical compounds. The methods provide a means of converting low-cost materials such as cellulose and biomass into high yields of compounds such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, methanol, hydroxyacetone, glycolaldehyde and dihydroxyacetone.
US08686191B2
The present invention relates to the technical field of radiation curing photopolymerization initiator, and particularly to an environmentally-friendly new oxidation process for converting several specific aryl-1,2-diol compounds to corresponding arylhydroxyketones.
US08686188B2
A method for refining an organic composition containing 4-aminodiphenylamine, aniline, azobenzene, and phenazine, having the steps of feeding the organic composition to a first rectification column, producing a first effluent composition containing aniline, azobenzene, phenazine, and a small amount of 4-aminodiphenylamine at the top of the first rectification column and a second effluent composition containing crude 4-aminodiphenylamine at the bottom of the first rectification column, feeding the second effluent composition to a second rectification column, and producing a 4-aminodiphenylamine composition at the top of the second rectification column and a residual composition at the bottom of the second rectification column.
US08686187B2
The invention discloses an ethoxydiphenylethane derivative and a synthetic method and uses thereof 4′ position of phenylethane B aromatic ring is chemically modified by ethoxy and hydroxy at position 3′ thereof is simultaneously modified to water soluble prodrug such as phosphate, and similarly, amino acid side chain is introduced to amino at position 3′ to form amino acid amide water soluble prodrug having the structure shown as formula (I) the ethoxydiphenylethane derivative and the prodrug thereof include strong tubulin aggregation inhibiting ability and obvious target damage effect for tumor vessels, selectively cause dysfunction and structural damage of tumor vessels and induce apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in order to play the role of killing tumor cells or inhibiting tumor metastasis in case that the tumor cells are free from the support of nutrition and oxygen.
US08686186B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods or processes for purifying CTA, systems for purifying CTA, methods or processes for cooling mother liquor streams, systems for cooling mother liquor streams, methods or processes for treating mother liquor solids, systems for treating mother liquor solids, and the like.
US08686184B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: where R1, R2, R3, a, R4, R5, and R6 are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and process and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08686180B2
This disclosure relates to a process for preparing 5-aminobenzofuran derivatives of general formula (I): in which R1 and R2 are as defined in the description, by treating a 5-N-alkylamidobenzofuran derivative of general formula (II): in which R1, R2, and R3 are as defined in the description, with a strong acid, so as to form an acid addition salt of the compound of formula (I), which salt is itself treated, if necessary, with a basic agent so as to form this compound of formula (I) in free base form.
US08686179B2
A fluorinated bis(acyl)-containing compound of Formula (I), where R1, Ar, L, R2, R3, Rf, n, p and q are as defined in the claims, and a fluorinated polyester formed from the fluorinated bis(acyl) compound are described. More particularly, the fluorinated bis(acyl) has an aromatic ring bonded to two acyl groups plus at least one third group that contains a perfluoroalkylsulfonamido group. The fluorinated polyesters formed from the fluorinated bis(acyl)-containing compound can be used to provide a low energy surface with a relatively low refractive index compared to many other polyesters. A method of preparing a monosubstituted-arylene compound of formula Rf1-L2-CH2—Ar2—CH2—W, where Ar2, Rf1, L2, R6 and W are as defined in the claims by reaction of a compound of formula Rf1-L2-H with a compound of formula W—CH2—Ar2—CH2—W.
US08686177B2
Disclosed are compounds according to formula (I) as well as pharmaceutical compositions which include those compounds. Also disclosed are methods of using such compounds, which have activity as agonists or as antagonists of LPA receptors; such methods including treating cancer, producing radioprotection and/or radiomitigation, enhancing cell proliferation, treating a wound, treating apoptosis or preserving or restoring function in a cell, tissue, or organ, culturing cells, preserving organ or tissue function, and treating a dermato logical condition.
US08686165B2
The present disclosure relates to processes for the preparation of taxane derivatives with improved purity and enhanced stability. The taxane derivatives prepared according to the processes described herein are useful for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions.
US08686161B2
The present invention relates to novel and stable polymorphic forms of Perindopril (L)-Arginine designated as Form γ and amorphous form and processes for their preparation. The present invention also provides the novel polymorph Form γ with greater stability to heat and humidity and can be prepared on large scale by an efficient, economic and reproducible process.
US08686148B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing new tiotropium salts, these new tiotropium salts as such, pharmaceutical formulations containing them and their use for preparing a medicament for the treatment of respiratory complaints, particularly for the treatment of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma.
US08686136B2
Disclosed are compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic protein family members, compositions containing the compounds and uses of the compounds for preparing medicaments for treating diseases during which occurs expression one or more than one of an anti-apoptotic protein family member.
US08686120B2
This invention features methods and compositions useful for treating and diagnosing diseases of the nervous system, retina, skin, muscle, joint, and cartilage using a Dragon family protein. Protein and nucleic acid sequences of human, murine, zebrafish, and C. elegans Dragon family members are also disclosed.
US08686119B2
The present invention relates to humanized monoclonal antibodies, pharmaceutical compositions that include the same, and use thereof for the treatment of a variety of indications, particularly cancer and immunodeficiency disorders. In particular, the present invention provides modified antibodies or fragments thereof having specific amino acid modifications compared to the humanized monoclonal immunomodulatory antibody termed hBAT-1.
US08686116B2
The present invention relates to a milk fraction obtainable by acidification of micellar casein and separation from precipitated casein named acid soluble protein from micellar casein. It was found that the milk fraction and especially certain sub-fractions thereof are bioactive and promote GLP-1 release in vitro. Based on these results, acid soluble protein from micellar casein may be useful in the treatment and the prevention of diabetes type II, obesity and may further be added to formulas directed at other purposes addressing the gastro-intestinal tract.
US08686106B2
The present invention provides a carbon black-dispersed polyamic acid solution composition having a high solids content and a high carbon black content. The invention further provides an intermediate transfer belt using the polyamic acid solution composition. The carbon black-dispersed polyamic acid solution composition is obtained by uniformly dispersing carbon black in a polyamic acid solution obtained by reacting biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and an aromatic diamine in an organic polar solvent. The biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride includes 2,3,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride. The aromatic diamine includes 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether and p-phenylenediamine. The polyamic acid solution has a solids content of 25 weight % or more.
US08686102B2
The present invention provides for textiles treated with a composition comprising the reaction product of e) an oxirane or oxetane compound comprising at least two oxirane or oxetane groups; and f) an amino silane having the formula: N(H)(R1)R2Si(OR3)3-a-b-c(OR4)a(R5Si(OR6)d(R7)e)bR8c with R1 is chosen from the group consisting of H or a monovalent hydrocarbon radical containing one to 20 carbon atoms; R2 and R5 are independently selected from a group consisting of oxygen or a divalent linear or branched hydrocarbon radical consisting of 1-60 carbons; R4 is a hydrocarbon radical that contains 3 to 200 carbon atoms; R3, R6, R7, and R8 and are each independently selected from the group of monovalent linear or branched hydrocarbon radicals having from 1 to 200 carbon atoms; the subscript b is zero or a positive number and has a value ranging from 0 to 3; the subscripts a, and c are zero or positive and have a value ranging from 0 to 3 subject to the limitation that (a+b+c)≦3; and the subscripts d and e are zero or positive and have a value ranging from 0 to 3 subject to the limitation that (d+e)≦3, wherein the treated textile has enhanced wet strength.
US08686101B2
A coating liquid for forming a low dielectric constant amorphous silica-based coating film with a dielectric constant of 3.0 or below and a film strength (Young's modulus) of 3.0 GPa or more, and also having a smooth surface with an excellent hydrophobicity. The coating liquid contains (1) a silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing bis(trialkoxysilyl)alkane (BTASA) and alkoxysilane (AS) in the presence of tetraalkylammoniumhydroxide (TAAOH), or (2) a silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing bis(trialkoxysilyl)alkane (BTASA), alkoxysilane (AS) and tetraalkylorthosilicate (TAOS) in the presence of tetraalkylammoniumhydroxide (TAAOH).
US08686092B2
A series of resins were synthesized using a range of bio-based materials to control the molecular architecture, and therefore the properties, of the inventive resins. The utility of these resins was demonstrated in the formulation of powder coatings, such as β-hydroxy amide crosslinked and hybrid types. Generally, the bio-based resins flowed out on heating faster than conventional petrochemically-based resins, allowing the use of lower temperatures in the curing oven than is typically possible and a more active catalyst system, especially in the carboxylic acid-epoxy crosslinked hybrid coating formulations.
US08686090B2
The thermosetting, non-polymeric coating composition includes at least one monomeric material having a plurality of carbamate and/or urea groups, at least one crosslinker reactive with the at least one monomeric material, and a sag control agent that is a crystalline reaction product of an amine and an isocyanate.
US08686082B2
A nylon 11 composite has significantly improved flexural modulus while keeping or even increasing the impact strength. This composite system may comprise a nylon 11/filler/modifier. The “ball” portion of badminton shuttlecocks made by this type of composite more closely emulate the flight capabilities of natural feather shuttlecocks than neat nylon 11.
US08686071B2
The invention relates to a cured rubber composition, its preparation and a tire with a component of such rubber composition. A reinforcing resin is used to promote stiffness for the cured rubber composition. The elastomer for the rubber composition is primarily comprised of at least one isoprene-containing elastomer.
US08686068B2
A polymerizable composition which contains a cycloolefin monomer, metathesis polymerization catalyst, cross-linking agent, and carbon fiber which is brought into contact in advance with a sizing agent which includes a compound having an unsaturated terminal group and a polar group, a cross-linkable shaped article obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition, a cross-linked shaped article obtained by cross-linking the cross-linkable shaped article, and a cross-linked shaped article composite which contains the cross-linked shaped article and other members.
US08686061B2
The invention relates to a two-component or multicomponent system for producing a dental material, to the use of the system for producing a dental material.
US08686059B2
The present invention relates to an aminimide compound having a structure represented by the following general formula (I) in the molecule thereof, relates to a curable composition using the aminimide compound and relates to a method for curing the composition; in which R0 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have an optional substituent, an aryl group which may have an optional substituent, or a heterocyclic residue which may have an optional substituent. R1, R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an optional substituent. However, at least two of R1, R2 and R3 may bond to each other to form a cyclic structure.
US08686058B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose viscoelastic foams having a renewable natural resource contents of between about 1 and about 25 wt % of the foam. The foams may have a ratio of elastic modulus (E′) at 20° C. to 25% compression force deflection (CFD) of 25 to 125.
US08686050B2
This invention provides compound having a structure of Formula I or Formula II Uses of such compounds for treatment of various indications, including prostate cancer as well as methods of treatment involving such compounds are also provided.
US08686046B2
Amidine analogs that can inhibit the activity of sphingosine kinase 1 and sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK1 & SphK2) are provided. The compounds can prevent angiogenesis in tumor cells.
US08686041B2
The invention relates to inhibition of ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) for suppression of tumor cells proliferation. More particularly, the invention relates to methods of treatment of proliferative disorders by the selective inhibition of OAT, and further provides the use of OAT inhibitors, specifically, 5-amino-1,3-hexadienyl-carboxylic acid (Gabaculine), and Gabaculine analogue 8, for compositions and methods for the treatment of proliferative disorders such as hepatocellular carcinoma. The invention further provides methods and kits for the diagnosis of a pathologic proliferative disorder in a mammalian subject, based on determining the level of OAT expressed in a biological sample obtained from a subject.
US08686040B2
The invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment of pruritis ani and other perianal disorders. There are currently few treatments for these conditions, many of which have significant side effects. The methods of the invention involve the administration, in a cream or lotion of pregabalin, an anti-epileptic agent that has pain relieving properties. This topical form of pregabalin may also include the addition of other agents such as immunomodulators, antibiotics or agents that enhance wound healing. This method may be useful as a new and safe treatment for pruritis ani, skin conditions and other anorectal disorders. Previous positive clinical experience suggests that this new treatment is promising for these disorders.
US08686033B2
Phosphoric esters comprise A) one or more structural units derived from substances of component a), the substances of component a) being selected from orthophosphoric acid and one or more of its derivatives, B) one or more structural units derived from substances of component b), the substances of component b) being selected from one or more compounds of formula (I) R2—O—(CH2CH2O)u(C3H6O)v(DO)w—H (I) and C) one or more structural units derived from substances of component c), the substances of component c) being selected from one or more diols of formula (II) HO—(CH2CH2O)a(C3H6O)b(DO)c—H (II) where the sum total a+b+c is ≧1, and the phosphoric ester contains 2 or more phosphorus atoms per molecule which are bridged via a structural unit derived from the compounds of formula (II). The phosphoric esters of the invention are very useful in the manufacture of cosmetic, pharmaceutical and dermatological compositions.
US08686032B2
Compounds of formula (I) are inhibitors of histone deacetylase activity, and are useful in the treatment of, for example, cancers:
US08686015B2
The present invention is directed to inhibitors of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such GSNOR inhibitors, and methods of making and using the same.
US08686014B2
A compound of Formula (I): where A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, G1, L, R1, R2, R3, R4, Y1, Y2 and Y3 are as defined in claim 1; or a sail or N-oxide thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to processes and intermediates for preparing compounds of formula (I), to insecticidal, acaricidal, molluscicidal and nematicidal compositions comprising compounds of formula (I) and to methods of using compounds of formula (I) to combat and control insect, acarine, mollusc and nematode pests.
US08686013B2
Cosmetic compositions comprising substituted amino heterocyclic carbamoyl analogs and methods of using such compositions to impart anti-aging benefits to the skin are disclosed. The substituted amino heterocyclic carbamoyl analogs are believed to have modulatory activity against one or more biochemical pathways implicated in skin aging.
US08686012B2
The present invention relates to screens for compounds that can induce stem cell differentiation. In addition, isoxazoles and sulfonyl hydrazones are identified as general classes of compounds that can induce differentiation of stem cells into cells of neuronal and cardiac fate, respectively.
US08686002B2
The invention relates to compounds of general formula (I), corresponding enantiomeric, diastereomeric and/or tautomeric forms thereof as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and the prodrugs of said compounds. The invention also relates to the use of said compounds as binding partners for 5-HT5 receptors for treating diseases that are modulated by a 5-HT5 receptor activity, in particular, for treating neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders as well as signs, symptoms and dysfunctions.
US08685995B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating a disorder or disease characterized by cellular proliferation and migration by co-administering a synergistically effective amount of an mTOR inhibitor and a μ-opioid receptor antagonist.
US08685986B2
The present invention is to provide a medical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of glaucoma which comprises a pyridylaminoacetic acid compound represented by the formula (1): wherein R1, R2, R3, Y, and Z are defined in the specification.
US08685967B2
The present invention relates to substituted triazolopyridines and analogs thereof, the use of the compounds as phosphodiesterase 10 (PDE10) inhibitors for the treatment of PDE10-modulated disorders, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds.
US08685965B2
Compounds of Formula (I), (wherein variables A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, L, J, Q, R4, Ea, Eb, Ec, R6, R7, Re, Rf, RPG, W, Y and Z are as described herein) useful as antagonists of CGRP receptors, and useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which CGRP receptors are involved, such as headache, and in particular migraine and cluster headache. 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 receptors are involved.
US08685964B2
The present application relates to the use of heterocyclic compounds, some of which are known, for controlling animal pests including arthropods and in particular insects, furthermore to novel heterocyclic compounds and to processes for their preparation.
US08685962B2
Articles of manufacturing (such as tobacco products), methods, devices and compositions for preventing or reducing tobacco-associated damage and/or disorders associated with oxidative stress in a subject, and which utilize a TSPO receptor ligand (such as diazepam), are disclosed.
US08685956B2
The present disclosure relates generally to a pharmaceutical compositions and methods of reducing acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity. The disclosure includes pharmaceutical compositions including acetaminophen and one or more components selected from S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-methylmethionine (SMM), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The disclosure also relates to methods of reducing acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in a subject by administering or co-administering one or more of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-methylmethionine (SMM), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with acetaminophen to a subject.
US08685954B2
The present invention relates to therapeutic compositions for treating cancer or preventing the growth of cancer cells, e.g., tumor growth, in a subject. The present invention also relates to methods for treating cancer, e.g., inhibiting tumor growth, in a subject who has become resistant to treatment, by administering to a subject an effective amount of a proteasome inhibitor and an effective amount of a therapeutic agent, e.g., a chemotherapeutic agent. The present invention further relates to methods for purging bone marrow, i.e., removing cancer cells from bone marrow, by exposing the bone marrow cells to a proteasome inhibitor and a therapeutic agent, e.g., a chemotherapeutic agent.
US08685936B2
The invention relates to prodrugs of hydroxyl-substituted adamantane compounds, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods for inhibiting sphingosine kinase and for treating or preventing hyperproliferative disease, inflammatory disease, or angiogenic disease.
US08685919B2
The invention provides materials and methods for promoting weight loss or preventing weight gain, and in the treatment of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and associated disorders. In particular, the invention provides novel glucagon analogue peptides effective in such methods. The peptides may mediate their effect by having increased selectivity for the GLP-1 receptor as compared to human glucagon.
US08685905B2
Disclosed are methods in which an aliphatic polyether selected from polyalkylene oxides with monomer units having 3 to about 10 carbon atoms and polyvinyl ethers with ether groups having 2 to about 8 carbon atoms is added to a hydrocarbon lubricant; such methods in which the hydrocarbon lubricant comprises oxidation products that are dissolved by the addition of the polyether or polyvinyl ether; hydrocarbon lubricants containing a polyether selected from polyalkylene oxides with monomer units having 3 to about 10 carbon atoms and polyvinyl ethers with ether groups having 2 to about 8 carbon atoms; methods of lubricating machines with these lubricants; lubrication systems including these hydrocarbon lubricants; and machines including these lubrication systems.
US08685903B2
An embodiment includes a method of servicing a well bore. The method may comprise introducing a lost circulation composition into a lost circulation zone, the lost circulation composition comprising hydraulic cement, nano-particles, amorphous silica, clay, and water. The method further may comprise allowing the lost circulation composition to set in the lost circulation zone. Another embodiment includes a lost circulation composition. The lost circulation may comprise hydraulic cement, nano-particles, amorphous silica, clay, and water.
US08685901B2
A method of servicing a wellbore in contact with a subterranean formation, comprising placing into a wellbore a composition comprising a calcium aluminate cement and a polyvalent cation-containing compound, and allowing the composition to set. A method of increasing the thickening time of a calcium aluminate cement comprising contacting the calcium aluminate cement with a polyvalent cation-containing compound. A method of adjusting the thickening time of a calcium aluminate cement comprising contacting the calcium aluminate cement with a polyvalent cation-containing compound and at least one other set modifier.
US08685893B2
The transformation yield of electroporation is increased by using higher DNA concentrations and DNA affinity purification. Fusion proteins of a viral coat protein variant and a heterologous polypeptide are useful in phage display systems.
US08685892B2
The present invention relates to methods, compositions and systems for detecting perchlorate in a sample. Compositions useful for detecting perchlorate in a sample include those comprising a perchlorate reductase, a reductant and an electron shuttle. In an exemplary embodiment, the composition comprises perchlorate reductase from Dechloromonas agitata, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and N-methylphenazinium methylsulfate. The present invention also provides for methods of using the compositions disclosed herein, as well as systems thereof. In some exemplary embodiments, the methods comprise a concentration step, in which, for example, the sample is contacted with a cationic solid phase extraction column. Employing this step provides certain advantages such as a lowered detection limit and the removal of contaminants.
US08685890B2
The invention relates to a method for providing a multispecific peptide ligand comprising a polypeptide covalently linked to a molecular scaffold at three or more amino acid residues and capable of binding to two or more separate targets, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first repertoire of polypeptides, each polypeptide comprising two or more reactive groups capable of covalent linkage to a molecular scaffold, and at least one loop which comprises a sequence of two or more amino acids subtended between two of said reactive groups; (b) providing a second repertoire of polypeptides as described in (a); (c) joining at least one loop of one or more members of the first repertoire to at least one loop of one or more members of the second repertoire to form at least one polypeptide comprising two loops, and (d) conjugating the composite polypeptide(s) to a molecular scaffold at at least three amino acid positions.
US08685887B2
The present application relates to surfactant compositions comprising a) at least one phosphated arylphenol alkoxylate surfactant having an average degree of alkoxylation of from 4-8; and b) at least one alkylamine alkoxylate surfactant having an average degree of alkoxylation of from 2-12 and to the use of these compositions in pesticide formulations comprising solid or encapsulated pesticidally active ingredients or formulation aids and methods for improving the re-suspension properties of pesticide suspensions.
US08685881B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing esters from triglycerides by using solid heterogeneous catalysts comprised of calcined calcium carbonate, particularly for obtaining biodiesel.
US08685878B2
A multimetallic nanoscale catalyst having a core portion enveloped by a shell portion and exhibiting high catalytic activity and improved catalytic durability. In various embodiments, the core/shell nanoparticles comprise a gold particle coated with a catalytically active platinum bimetallic material. The shape of the nanoparticles is substantially defined by the particle shape of the core portion. The nanoparticles may be dispersed on a high surface area substrate for use as a catalyst and is characterized by no significant loss in surface area and specific activity following extended potential cycling.
US08685876B2
A supported platinum catalyst comprising an open-pored support material and platinum of oxidation state 0, wherein an XRD spectrum of the catalyst is free of signals of elemental platinum.
US08685874B2
A ceramic material having a high toughness can include carbon and a transition metal. The transition metal can have an elemental body centered cubic structure at room temperature. A substantial amount of the ceramic can be of a rhombohedral ζ phase of the transition metal and carbon. These materials can have a high thermal shock resistance, high fracture toughness, and good high temperature performance. A particulate mixture of a carbon source and a transition metal source can be assembled (12) and reacted (14) under high pressure and high temperature. The transition metal source can include a transition metal of a metal which has an elemental BCC structure at room temperature. The particulate mixture carbon to transition metal ratio is chosen so as to achieve a zeta phase carbide and processing is affected in order to retain the zeta phase at a substantial weight percent of the material (i.e. greater than about 5 wt %). The carbide ceramic can be cooled (16) and depressurized (18) to acquire the ceramic material.
US08685870B2
Absorbent sheet materials are produced from a coformed blend of absorbent fibers and extensible meltblown polymer fibers. Laminates of these extensible coforms are prepared with layers of extensible polymeric fibers or filaments. The absorbent sheet materials are incrementally stretched to improve softness and drape.
US08685866B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including alternately repeating a process of forming a first metal oxide film including a first metal element and a process of forming a second metal oxide film including a second metal element on a substrate accommodated in a processing chamber, so as to form a third metal oxide film including the first and second metal elements with a predetermined composition ratio on the substrate. One of the first and second metal elements of the third metal oxide film has a concentration higher than a concentration of the other, and one of the first and second metal oxide films including the higher-concentration metal element is formed in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) mode or an atomic layer deposition (ALD) saturation mode, and the other of the first and second metal oxide films is formed in an ALD unsaturation mode.
US08685864B2
In a method for the treatment of a substrate surface of a flat substrate with a process medium at the substrate underside, the process medium has a removing or etching effect on the substrate surface. The substrates are wetted with the process medium from below in a manner lying horizontally. The upwardly facing substrate top side is wetted or covered with water or a corresponding protective liquid over a large area or over the whole area as protection against the process medium acting on the substrate top side.
US08685863B2
The present invention relates to a semiconductor process, a semiconductor element and a package having a semiconductor element. The semiconductor element includes a base material and at least one through via structure. The base material has a first surface, a second surface, at least one groove and at least one foundation. The groove opens at the first surface, and the foundation is disposed on the first surface. The through via structure is disposed in the groove of the base material, and protrudes from the first surface of the base material. The foundation surrounds the through via structure. Whereby, the foundation increases the strength of the through via structure, and prevents the through via structure from cracking.
US08685855B2
A tray for film formation by a CVD method includes a tray main body (2) and a supporting member (3) mounted on the tray main body (2) for supporting a silicon wafer (5). The supporting member (3) has a holding portion (3c), on which the silicon wafer (5) is directly placed. The holding portion (3c) has its lower surface (3d) apart from a surface (2a) of the tray main body that is opposed to and apart from the supported silicon wafer (5), whereby the thickness distribution of an oxide film formed on the silicon wafer can be made uniform. The tray has a structure for reducing a contact area between the supporting member (3) and the tray main body (2), with the holding portion (3c) having a tilted surface with its inner circumferential side closer to the tray main body surface (2a) that is opposed to the silicon wafer.
US08685853B2
A method for creating a dual damascene structure while using only one lithography and masking step. Conventional dual damascene structures utilize two lithography steps: one to mask and expose the via, and a second step to mask and expose the trench interconnection. The novel method for creating a dual damascene structure allows for a smaller number of processing steps, thus reducing the processing time needed to complete the dual damascene structure. In addition, a lower number of masks may be needed. The exemplary mask or reticle used within the process incorporates different regions possessing different transmission rates. During the exposing step, light from an exposing source passes through the mask to expose a portion of the photoresist layer on top of the wafer. Depending on the transmission rate of the different regions, different thickness of the photoresist layer are exposed and later removed by a developing solution, which allows a subsequent etch process to remove portions of both the dielectric layer and photoresist layer to create a dual damascene structure.
US08685850B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, the gate contact is formed by a selective deposition on the gate electrode. One acceptable technique for the selective deposition is by plating. Plating is one process by which a metal structure, such as a gate contact, may be formed directly on the gate electrode. The plating is carried out by immersing the semiconductor die in a plating solution with the gate electrode exposed. The gate contact is plated onto the gate electrode and thus is ensured of being fully aligned exactly to the gate electrode. After this, the appropriate dielectric layers are formed adjacent the gate contact and over the source and drain to ensure that the gate electrode is electrically isolated from other components of the transistor.
US08685849B2
A semiconductor device in one embodiment includes a depletion junction, a peripheral region adjacent the depletion junction, and a buffer layer. The buffer layer is adapted to reduce localization of avalanche breakdown proximate the interface between the depletion junction and the peripheral region.
US08685839B2
In a semiconductor wafer with a supporting tape attached to the back side of the wafer, a coating member having a refractive index close to that of the supporting tape is formed on a pear-skin surface of the supporting tape to thereby planarize the pear-skin surface. Thereafter, a pulsed laser beam is applied from the upper side of the coating member to the semiconductor wafer in the condition where the focal point of the pulsed laser beam is set at a predetermined depth in the semiconductor wafer. Accordingly, the pulsed laser beam can be sufficiently focused inside the semiconductor wafer to thereby well form a modified layer inside the semiconductor wafer.
US08685836B2
A method for forming a silicon layer according to inventive concept comprises: preparing an SOI substrate; applying an etchant or vapor of the etchant to the SOI substrate; and irradiating a light to the SOI substrate.
US08685822B2
A semiconductor component that includes gate electrodes and shield electrodes and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor component. A semiconductor material has a device region, a gate contact region, a termination region, and a drain contact region. One or more device trenches is formed in the device region and one or more termination trenches is formed in the edge termination region. Shielding electrodes are formed in portions of the device trenches that are adjacent their floors. A gate dielectric material is formed on the sidewalls of the trenches in the device region and gate electrodes are formed over and electrically isolated from the shielding electrodes. The gate electrodes in the trenches in the device region are connected to the gate electrodes in the trenches in the gate contact region. The shielding electrodes in the trenches in the device region are connected to the shielding electrodes in the termination region.
US08685815B2
Embodiments of a dielectric layer containing a hafnium tantalum titanium oxide film structured as one or more monolayers include the dielectric layer disposed in a transistor. An embodiment may include forming a hafnium tantalum titanium oxide film using a monolayer or partial monolayer sequencing process such as reaction sequence atomic layer deposition.
US08685813B2
Embodiments of a method of integration of a non-volatile memory device into a MOS flow are described. Generally, the method includes: forming a dielectric stack on a surface of a substrate, the dielectric stack including a tunneling dielectric overlying the surface of the substrate and a charge-trapping layer overlying the tunneling dielectric; forming a cap layer overlying the dielectric stack; patterning the cap layer and the dielectric stack to form a gate stack of a memory device in a first region of the substrate and to remove the cap layer and the charge-trapping layer from a second region of the substrate; and performing an oxidation process to form a gate oxide of a MOS device overlying the surface of the substrate in the second region while simultaneously oxidizing the cap layer to form a blocking oxide overlying the charge-trapping layer. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08685812B2
A logic switch intentionally utilizes GIDL current as its primary mechanism of operation. Voltages may be applied to a doped gate overlying and insulated from a pn junction. A first voltage initiates GIDL current, and the logic switch is bidirectionally conductive. A second voltage terminates GIDL current, but the logic switch is unidirectionally conductive. A third voltage renders the logic switch bidirectionally non-conductive. Circuits containing the logic switch are also described. These circuits include inverters, SRAM cells, voltage reference sources, and neuron logic switches. The logic switch is primarily implemented according to SOI protocols, but embodiments according to bulk protocols are described.
US08685793B2
An assembly and method of making same are provided. The assembly can be formed by juxtaposing a first electrically conductive element overlying a major surface of a first semiconductor element with an electrically conductive pad exposed at a front surface of a second semiconductor element. An opening can be formed extending through the conductive pad of the second semiconductor element and exposing a surface of the first conductive element. The opening may alternatively be formed extending through the first conductive element. A second electrically conductive element can be formed extending at least within the opening and electrically contacting the conductive pad and the first conductive element. A third semiconductor element can be positioned in a similar manner with respect to the second semiconductor element.
US08685792B2
An integrated circuit package system includes: providing a mountable integrated circuit system having an encapsulation with a cavity therein and a first interposer exposed by the cavity; mounting a second interposer over the first interposer for only stacking a discrete device thereover, and with the second interposer over the encapsulation and the cavity; and mounting an electrical component over the second interposer.
US08685783B2
On a first structure having a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer a crown is formed through the third dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. A fourth dielectric layer is deposited over the first structure and thereby is over the crown. A portion of the fourth dielectric layer is removed to form a first spacer having a remaining portion of the fourth dielectric layer. A portion of the third electric layer is also removed during the removal of the portion the fourth dielectric layer, resulting in a second spacer having a remaining portion of the third dielectric layer. A second structure is thereby formed. A phase change material layer is deposited over the second structure. An electrode layer is deposited over the phase change layer. Portions of the electrode layer and the phase change layer are removed by a chemical-mechanical-polishing process to form a phase change region having a remaining portion of the phase change layer and to form an electrode region having a remaining portion of the electrode layer.
US08685777B2
The fabrication of a semiconductor fixed structure defining a volume, for example of a MEMS micro electro-mechanical system includes, determining thicknesses beforehand depending on the functional distances associated with elements. At least one element is formed on a substrate by thermal oxidation of the substrate so as to form an oxide layer followed by selective etching of the oxide layer so as to define the volume in an etched portion by baring the underlying substrate so as to define the element in an unetched portion, and later oxidation of the substrate so as to form an oxide layer, in order to obtain the elements at the functional distances.
US08685768B2
The inventive concept provides organic light emitting diodes and methods of manufacturing an organic light emitting diode. The organic light emitting diode includes a substrate, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer formed on the substrate, an organic light emitting layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and generating light, and a scattering layer between the first electrode layer and the substrate or between the first electrode layer and the organic light emitting layer. The scattering layer scatters the light.
US08685761B2
A method of making an electronic device with a redistribution layer includes providing an electronic device having a first pattern of contact areas, and forming a redistribution layer on a temporary substrate. The temporary substrate has a second pattern of contact areas matching the first pattern of contact areas, and a third pattern of contact areas different than the second pattern of contact areas. The second pattern of contact areas is coupled to the third pattern of contact areas through a plurality of stacked conductive and insulating layers. The first pattern of contact areas is coupled to the second pattern of contact areas on the transferrable redistribution layer. The temporary substrate is then removed to thereby form a redistributed electronic device.
US08685753B2
Methods are provided for detecting and optionally quantitating multiple analytes, including nucleic acid and/or polypeptide analytes, in particle-based assays that can be highly multiplexed. Compositions, systems, and kits related to the methods are also featured.
US08685751B2
A method of continuously regulating fluid pressure of a first fluid in a fluid flow path by continuously adjusting at least one fluid flow characteristic of a second fluid flow which is engaged with the first fluid flow through a flexible barrier.
US08685736B2
The invention provides for the use of isolated polynucleotides encoding maize poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins to identify endogenous PARP encoding genes or cDNAs from a plant and to produce plant cells and plants with high vigor.
US08685734B2
The present invention is directed to an improved method of purifying virus, particularly reovirus. Infectious virus can be extracted from a cell culture with a detergent to produce high titers of virus, and the virus can then be purified by simple steps such as filtration and column chromatography. Viruses and compositions comprising the viruses prepared according to the present invention are also provided.
US08685731B2
The invention relates to a process for the coloring of cells, preferably E1-immortalized HER cells, more preferably PER.C6 cells in a reactor in suspension in a cell culture medium, wherein the cells produce a biological substance, preferably an antibody, wherein at least one cell culture medium component is fed to the cell culture and wherein the cell culture comprising the cells, the biological substance and cell culture medium is circulated over a separation system and wherein the separation system separates the biological substance from substances having a lower molecular weight than the biological substance and wherein the biological substance is retained in or fed back into the reactor. Preferably part of the substances of lower molecular weight is continuously removed from the cell culture.
US08685726B2
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for maintaining undifferentiated pluripotent stem cell cultures.
US08685719B2
The invention relates to production of lysine, and provides several isolated polynucleotide molecules useful for the production of L-lysine. One such polynucleotide encodes an aspartate kinase (ask), an aspartate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (asd) and a dihydrodipicolinate reductase (dapB). Other polypeptides encode ask, asd, dapB and a diaminopimelate dehydrogenase (ddh); ask, asd, dapB, ddh and an ORF2 poypeptide; and ask, asd dapB, ddh, ORF2 and a diaminopimelate decarboxylase (lysA). The invention further provides methods of making and using the polynucleotides, and methods to increase the production of L-lysine.
US08685717B2
An apparatus comprising an assembly and a cover. The assembly comprises a sample block configured to receive a microtiter tray having a plurality of vials, each vial comprising a cap having a surface and a perimeter. The cover comprises a platen, vertically and horizontally displaceable in relationship to the sample block, the platen having a plurality of recesses. Each recess corresponds to a respective vial and is shaped and arranged to clear the surface of its respective cap when the cover is displaced onto the sample block. The cover includes a skirt in contact with and surrounding a perimeter of the platen. The skirt is configured for mating with a perimeter of a microtiter tray when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block, and also configured such that the cover contacts a microtiter tray when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block.
US08685711B2
Disclosed are methods, kits, and compositions for the highly sensitive detection of molecules. The methods, kits, and compositions are useful in determining concentrations of molecules in samples to levels of 1 femtomolar, 1 attomolar, or lower. The methods, kits, and compositions also allow the determination of concentration over a wide range, e.g., 7-log range, without need for sample dilution.
US08685705B2
The invention concerns the production of cholesterol of the Fungi kingdom. More particularly, the invention concerns genetically modified Fungus independently producing cholesterol from a simple carbon source. The invention also concerns the use of the inventive Fungus for producing non-marked and marked cholesterol.
US08685696B2
The present invention is directed to isolated bacteriophages having specificity and lytic activity against strains of Salmonella species, methods of using the bacteriophages, progeny and derivatives derived therefrom, to control the growth of Salmonella species in various settings (e.g., food safety, sanitation, probiotics).
US08685693B2
The specification discloses Clostridial toxins or Clostridial toxin chimeras comprising an inactivation cleavage site, polynucleotide molecules encoding such toxins or chimeras, compositions comprising such toxins or chimeras, and method of producing such toxins or chimeras.
US08685689B2
Specified restriction endonucleases have been characterized for the first time by their amino acid and DNA sequences. These sequences and those with at least 90% identity thereto have been used as probes in sequence similarity analyses to identify sequence matches in a sequence database that corresponds to novel restriction endonucleases or isoschizomers. The sequence similarity analyses includes selecting a positive sequence match from any sequence producing an expectation value of less than or equal to e−02.
US08685683B2
The present invention relates to newly identified genes that encode proteins that are involved in the synthesis of L-ascorbic acid (hereinafter also referred to as Vitamin C) and/or 2-keto-L-gulonic acid (hereinafter also referred to as 2-KGA). The invention also features polynucleotides comprising the full-length polynucleotide sequences of the novel genes and fragments thereof, the novel polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotides and fragments thereof, as well as their functional equivalents. The present invention also relates to the use of said polynucleotides and polypeptides as biotechno logical tools in the production of Vitamin C and/or 2-KGA from microorganisms, whereby a modification of said polynucleotides and/or encoded polypeptides has a direct or indirect impact on yield, production, and/or efficiency of production of the fermentation product in said microorganism. Also included are methods/processes of using the polynucleotides and modified polynucleotide sequences to transform host microorganisms. The invention also relates to genetically engineered microorganisms and their use for the direct production of Vitamin C and/or 2-KGA.
US08685678B2
Aspects of the present invention include methods and compositions for determining the number of individual polynucleotide molecules originating from the same genomic region of the same original sample that have been sequenced in a particular sequence analysis configuration or process. In these aspects of the invention, a degenerate base region (DBR) is attached to the starting polynucleotide molecules that are subsequently sequenced (e.g., after certain process steps are performed, e.g., amplification and/or enrichment). The number of different DBR sequences present in a sequencing run can be used to determine/estimate the number of different starting polynucleotides that have been sequenced. DBRs can be used to enhance numerous different nucleic acid sequence analysis applications, including allowing higher confidence allele call determinations in genotyping applications.
US08685671B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing a human-type glycoprotein having reduced glycosylation by genetically manipulating an enzyme involved in glycosylation using a Hansenula polymorpha system. In detail, the present invention relates to a process for producing a human-type glycoprotein by identifying a dolichyl-phosphate-mannose dependent α-1,3-mannosyltransferase gene from H. polymorpha, constructing a H. polymorpha mutant strain producing a glycoprotein exhibiting reduced glycosylation by disrupting the identified gene, and subjecting the mutant strain to various genetic manipulations for the synthesis of human-type glycan.
US08685669B2
The invention provides humanized mouse anti-human IL-31 antibodies and antibody fragments that are capable of binding IL-31 and thereby neutralizing, inhibiting, limiting, or reducing the proinflammatory or pro-pruritic effects of IL-31.
US08685668B2
This invention relates to methods of expressing eukaryotic proteins in prokaryotic hosts, particularly eukaryotic proteins that require formation of disulfide bridges for biological activity. Various approaches are used including fusion to thioredoxin, cytoplasmic expression of disulfide isomerases, deficiencies in thioredoxin and/or glutathione reductases, deficiencies in proteases, and the like. The method is applicable to express monomeric and dimeric forms of the eukaryotic protein with biological activity such as monomeric and dimeric forms of a disintegrin or a disintegrin domain. Included are the vectors, host cells expressing the proteins, the expressed proteins and methods of using the proteins.
US08685663B2
A method for measuring cholesterol in low-density lipoprotein contained in a sample, which comprises reacting a sample with (i) a combination of cholesterol ester hydrolase and cholesterol oxidase or (ii) a combination of cholesterol ester hydrolase, an oxidized coenzyme and cholesterol dehydrogenase in the presence of: [a] a polyoxyethylene-polyoxyalkylene alkylaryl ether; [b] one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene-polyoxyalkylene copolymer, a polyoxyethylene alkenyl ether, a polyoxyethylene branched alkyl ether, and a polyoxyethylene-polyoxyalkylene branched alkyl ether; [c] one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of a primary amine, a secondary amine, a tertiary amine, and a quaternary ammonium; and [d] a polyanion, and measuring a substance formed or consumed in the reaction.
US08685655B2
A method for dissociating avidin or streptavidin efficiently from a biotin derivative, thereby making it possible to isolate a target material efficiently under a mild condition in a short period, and a dissociation agent for use thereof, are provided.The method for dissociating avidin or streptavidin from a biotin derivative, includes mixing a combination of avidin or streptavidin with desthiobiotin with a water-soluble polymer to which biotin or a derivative thereof is bound.
US08685651B2
A humanized antibody derived from mouse monoclonal anti-CD4 antibody B-F5 is able to activate CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells and is useful for preparing immunosuppressive compositions.
US08685626B2
During a multiple patterning process every nth element of the pattern is removed. The removal of the elements of the patterns happens after the pattern has been printed into the radiation sensitive material or etched into substrate. Advantageously, the original mask is not varied, and another exposure step is used to remove the elements of the pattern.
US08685622B2
a method for preparing a lithographic printing plate that includes imagewise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a coating provided on a support having a hydrophilic surface, the coating containing thermoplastic polymer particles and an infrared radiation absorbing dye characterized in that the coating further comprises a phenolic stabilizer.
US08685619B2
A resist composition having a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (I), a resin being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid and not including the structural unit represented by the formula (I), and an acid generator represented by the formula (II), wherein R1, A1, A13, A14, X12, R23, R24, R25, X21 and Z1+ are defined in the specification.
US08685618B2
A resist composition having; (A1) a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (I), (A2) a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (II) and being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid and not including the structural unit represented by the formula (I) and (B) an acid generator. wherein R1, A1, A13, X12, A14, R3 and ring X1 are defined in the specification.
US08685615B2
A resist underlayer film forming composition used in a lithography process includes: a polymer (A) containing a unit structure having a hydroxy group, a unit structure having a carboxy group, or combination thereof; a crosslinkable compound (B) having at least two vinyl ether groups; a photoacid generator (C); a C4-20 fluoroalkylcarboxylic acid or a salt of the fluoroalkylcarboxylic acid (D); and a solvent (E). The polymer (A) includes a unit structure selected from unit structures of Formula (1), Formula (2), and Formula (3);
US08685606B2
Disclosed is a toner for electrostatic image development that satisfies both low-temperature fixing ability and excellent high-temperature storage stability, achieves excellent charge property and shatter resistance, and consequently can form a high-quality image even by a high-performance machine such as a high-speed machine.The toner is composed of toner particles obtained by forming a shell layer containing a styrene-acryl-modified polyester resin on the surface of each of core particles comprising a binder resin containing at least a styrene-acrylic resin. The styrene-acryl-modified polyester resin is obtained bonding a styrene-acrylic polymer segment to a terminal of a polyester segment, and the content of the styrene-acrylic polymer segment in the styrene-acryl-modified polyester resin is 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.
US08685604B2
A toner including a colorant and a first binder resin is provided. The first binder resin has first and second glass transition points at a temperature Tg1 of −20 to 20° C. and a temperature Tg2 of 35 to 65° C., respectively, measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a heating rate of 5° C./min. A ratio h1/h2 of a baseline displacement h1 observed in the first glass transition point to a baseline displacement h2 observed in the second glass transition point is less than 1.0. The first binder resin has a structure in which a first phase is dispersed in a second phase. The first and second phases consist of portions having larger and smaller phase difference values, respectively, than an intermediate value between maximum and minimum phase difference values in a binarized phase image obtained by an atomic force microscope with a tapping mode method.
US08685600B2
There is provided an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate; an intermediate layer; a photosensitive layer; and a surface layer, in this order, the surface layer including two or more charge transporting materials each including a reactive substituent and respectively having mutually different ionization potentials, in an amount of 90% by weight or more relative to the total solid content of the surface layer, and the content ratio X of each of the two or more charge transporting materials satisfying the following Formula (1). X(n) represents a content ratio (weight %) of a charge transporting material that has the nth highest ionization potential among the two or more charge transporting materials; X(n−1) represents a content ratio (weight %) of a charge transporting material that has the (n−1)th highest ionization potential among the two or more charge transporting materials; and n is an integer of two or more and represents a variable equal to or lower than the number of charge transporting materials contained in the surface layer. X(n−1)≧X(n) Formula (1).
US08685595B2
The present invention relates to a novel holographic photopolymer based on prepolymer-based polyurethane compositions, the preparation of said photopolymer and its use for a very wide range of optical applications.
US08685587B2
A discharge port is located at a lower portion of the case of a gas-liquid separator. A discharge valve is located at the discharge port. A water retaining portion is located at the bottom of the case. The water retaining portion is located at a position lower than the discharge valve. An upward inclination surface is formed on the bottom of the water retaining portion. The upward inclination surface is inclined upward toward the discharge valve. A downward inclination surface is formed on the bottom of the water retaining portion. The downward inclination surface is inclined downward toward the upward inclination surface. A cover portion is located in an upper portion of the water retaining portion. The cover portion defines a gas passage in an upper portion of the water retaining portion. The gas passage is open at a portion closer to the inlet and connected to the discharge valve.
US08685582B2
A fuel cell system includes at least one fuel cell and at least one air conveyor that conveys a process air flow to the fuel cell. At least one heat exchanger is also provided, through which the process air flow flows after the air conveyor and through which a cooling medium flow flows. A region with catalytically active material is arranged in the flow direction of the process air flow before or in the region of the heat exchanger. In addition a fuel can be fed to the region with the catalytically active material.
US08685581B2
A fuel cell system (10) comprises a fuel cell (14) and an evaporative cooling system (16), which is in thermal contact with the fuel cell (14), in order that heat generated by the fuel cell (14) during operation of the fuel cell (14) is absorbed through evaporation of a cooling medium and is removed from the fuel cell (14). The fuel cell system (10) further comprises a device (22) for sensing the pressure in the evaporative cooling system (16). A control unit (24) is adapted to control the operating temperature of the fuel cell (14) in dependence on signals that are supplied to the control unit (24) from the device (22) for sensing the pressure in the evaporative cooling system (16), in such a way that the cooling medium of the evaporative cooling system (16) is transferred from the liquid to the gaseous state of matter by the heat generated by the fuel cell (14) during operation of the fuel cell (14).
US08685570B2
At least one of an aqueous solution A containing lithium, an aqueous solution B containing iron, manganese, cobalt, or nickel, and an aqueous solution C containing a phosphoric acid includes graphene oxide. The aqueous solution A is dripped into the aqueous solution C, so that a mixed solution E including a precipitate D is prepared. The mixed solution E is dripped into the aqueous solution B, so that a mixed solution G including a precipitate F is prepared. The mixed solution G is subjected to heat treatment in a pressurized atmosphere, so that a mixed solution H is prepared, and the mixed solution H is then filtered. Thus, particles of a compound containing lithium and oxygen which have a small size are obtained.
US08685566B2
A process to induce polymerization of an organic electronically conductive polymer in the presence of a partially delithiated alkali metal phosphate which acts as the polymerization initiator.
US08685564B2
A magnesium battery includes a first electrode including an active material and a second electrode. An electrolyte is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electrolyte includes a magnesium compound. The active material includes an inter-metallic compound of magnesium and antimony. The active material also includes antimony or an alloy of bismuth and antimony.
US08685560B2
The battery comprises a can, a cap, and a seal. The cap fits into the can to build a housing with a closed interior volume, and the seal sealing cap and can in relation to one another. A porous membrane spills the interior volume into two subcells with each subcell containing one or multiple layers of electrolyte and one or multiple layer structures. The latter comprise a conducting film at least partially coated with active material and contain one or more through-holes. The layer structure is parallel to the porous membrane and the conducting film is connected to either can or cap. This construction allows for a large area of contact between active material and electrolyte and as between electrolyte and porous membrane which result in a high performance of the battery.
US08685558B2
A drive battery assembly of an electric, fuel cell or hybrid vehicle has a plurality of battery cells (10), which are outwardly closed by their own individual cell housings (12) and are combined into a cell stack. At least one cooling fin (16) planarly abutting the cell housings (12) removes heat by way of coolant. Canals (28) for coolant are formed by the walls of the two-walled cooling fins (16) being distanced in sections.
US08685555B2
A safety current interrupter device for a rechargeable cell is provided comprising a deformable material (2) adapted to deform when the temperature reaches a threshold value, a deformable membrane (3) adapted to deform under the effect of pressure and/or deformation of the deformable material (2), and an electrically conductive link member (4), adapted to break as a result of the deformation of the deformable membrane (3).
US08685554B2
A battery system includes a battery module that has a plurality of batteries which are provided with release portions each for releasing internal gas when an internal pressure is increased, and an exhaust portion which is provided with an opening portion and guides gas released from the release portions to the opening portion, a non-resettable switch element which is provided at a position where the guided gas passes in a vicinity of the opening portion, and is changed from a first state preset as one of an opened state and a closed state into a second state as the other one of the opened state and the closed state when a preset reference temperature or higher is reached, and a high-temperature abnormality determination unit which determines that the battery module has an abnormality when the switch element is in the second state.
US08685549B2
A nanocomposite article that includes a single-crystal or single-crystal-like substrate and heteroepitaxial, phase-separated layer supported by a surface of the substrate and a method of making the same are described. The heteroepitaxial layer can include a continuous, non-magnetic, crystalline, matrix phase, and an ordered, magnetic magnetic phase disposed within the matrix phase. The ordered magnetic phase can include a plurality of self-assembled crystalline nanostructures of a magnetic material. The phase-separated layer and the single crystal substrate can be separated by a buffer layer. An electronic storage device that includes a read-write head and a nanocomposite article with a data storage density of 0.75 Tb/in2 is also described.
US08685548B2
Compositions including one or more a central cores having a cyclic group, and a plurality of arms extending from the central cores, wherein the arms comprise perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) or its derivatives. Methods of preparing the compositions are also provided. Methods of preparing storage media that incorporate the compositions therein are further provided.
US08685547B2
Aspects are directed to recording media with enhanced magnetic properties for improved writability. Examples can be included or related to methods, systems and components that allow for improved writability while reducing defects so as to obtain uniform magnetic properties such as uniformly high anisotropy and narrow switching field distribution. Some examples include a recording medium with an exchange tuning layer inserted between the hard layer and the soft, semi-soft or thin semi-hard layer so as to maximize the writability improvement of the media. Preferably, the exchange tuning layer is granular and reduces or optimizes the vertical coupling between the hard layer and the soft, semi-soft or semi-hard layer of a magnetic recording or storing device.
US08685541B2
Disclosed are electroluminescent materials comprising a homopolymer based on recurring structural units of the formula (I) wherein R9, R9′ R9″, R11, R13 R14, R11′, R13′, R14′ independently are H or an organic substituent, where at least one of R9, R9′ R9″, R11, R13 R14, R11′, R13′, R14′ comprises a group R10 of the formula —(Sp)x10-[PG′]< wherein Sp is a divalent organic spacer, PG′ is a group derived from a polymerizable group, and x10 is 0 or 1, with substituents and spacer as defined in claim 1. Further disclosed are some novel polymers of this class as well as monomers for their preparation. The homopolymers are advantageously used as a host material in devices further comprising a luminescent component, which is usually selected from phosphorescent metal complexes and fluorescent dopants.
US08685538B2
Stable nanoparticles comprising poorly soluble drugs are disclosed, as well as methods of making and methods of using such nanoparticles, e.g., as therapeutics and diagnostics.
US08685536B2
A polyamide-imide resin insulating coating material, which is obtained by reacting an isocyanate component with an acid component, has a main solvent component of γ-butyrolactone. In the coating material, a total compounding ratio of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and trimellitic anhydride (TMA) is 85 to 98 mol %, where the total compounding ratio is given by averaging a compounding ratio of MDI to the isocyanate component and a compounding ration of TMA to the acid component.
US08685534B2
In one embodiment the present invention provides for a high thermal conductivity resin that comprises a host resin matrix 32 a high thermal conductivity filler 30. The high thermal conductivity filler forms a continuous organic-inorganic composite with the host resin matrix, and the fillers have an aspect ratio of between 3-100. The fillers are substantially evenly distributed through the host resin matrix, and are aligned in essentially the same direction. In some embodiments the resins are highly structured resin types.
US08685532B2
The present invention relates to composites comprising inorganic micro pigments and/or fillers in the form of surface-phosphated microparticles, whose surface is at least partially coated with finely divided with alkaline earth carbonate nanoparticles by means of binders based on copolymers comprising as the monomers one or more dicarboxylic acids and one or more monomers from the group of diamines, triamines, dialkanolamines or trialkanolamines and epichlorohydrin, a method for producing such composites, aqueous slurries thereof and the use thereof in papermaking or in the field of production of paints and plastics as well as the use of the binders for the coating of microparticles with nano alkaline earth carbonate.
US08685527B2
A member a support for a device includes a mass of rubber delimited by two substantially parallel opposite surfaces forming respectively a supporting surface and a surface for connection with a tire. The mass includes an opening arranged in the connecting surface delimiting a recess arranged in the mass, and the opening does not lead to outside of the connecting surface.
US08685523B2
There are provided an optical surface protection film capable of permitting even a visual inspection of a coated body having a fine roughness, such as a prism sheet, to be performed under the condition that the protection film is attached to the coated body and excelling in adhesion reliability without an optical adverse effect on the coated body, and an optical film with the surface protection film. The optical surface protection film (1) has a base material layer (10) and an adhesive layer (12) stacked on one surface of the base material layer. The surface of the base material layer (10) on the side of the adhesive layer (12) has an arithmetic surface average roughness (Ra2) of 0.65 μm or less. The other surface of the base material layer (10) has an arithmetic surface average roughness (Ra1) of 0.6 μm or more.
US08685521B2
The invention provides a stitchbonded nonwoven fabric comprising a nonwoven web, stitches of a first yarn, and stitches of a second yarn wherein the first yarn comprises polyester bicomponent fibers exhibiting latent crimp and comprising poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate). The invention further provides a process for making such stitch-bonded nonwoven fabric.
US08685515B2
A refrigerant-transporting hose having excellent low-refrigerant permeability, acid resistance, and flexibility includes a tubular resin layer for contacting with a refrigerant, in which the resin layer is formed of a resin composition containing (A) an aliphatic polyamide; (B) a semi-aromatic polyamide; and (C) an elastomer, in which a weight mixing ratio “component (A)/component (B)” between the component (A) and the component (B) is 95/5 to 60/40, and the component (A) and the component (B) are in a compatible state.
US08685505B2
There is provided a dimensionally stable laminated paperboard material having a tear-resistant polymer film core. The tear-resistant paperboard laminate is a multi-layer paperboard laminate with an integral polymer core having a tear resistance a thickness of at least 1 mil and a tear resistance of at least 350 grams of force in machine direction and 400 grams of force in cross direction, as measured by the Elmendorf tear propagation test. Two paperboard substrates are bonded on respective opposite sides of the polymer core, to provide printability, facilitate adherence and prevent frictional resistance. The multi-layer paperboard-polymer-paperboard laminate is particularly useful for child-resistant, senior-friendly and pilfer-proof packaging and may be printed on, hot-stamped, embossed, die-cut and glued using conventional printing and converting techniques. An adhesive laminating process and an extrusion laminating process for manufacturing the laminate are also disclosed.
US08685503B2
A surface-treated paper produced by applying a surface sizing composition to at least one surface of a base paper, wherein said surface sizing composition comprises a non-film-forming polymer latex and a metallic salt, said non-film-forming polymer latex has a minimum film-forming temperature (MFFT) of greater than 70° C., and said surface sizing composition does not form a continuous film on the treated surface.
US08685496B2
An alignment layer is tested using an AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) and a FT-IR (Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscope) under various process conditions so that inferiority of the alignment layer can be detected and optimum process conditions can be obtained, thereby minimizing the inferiority of the alignment layer by applying the optimum process conditions.
US08685492B2
A method is provided for producing a double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) sheet of a nonwoven fabric substrate, whereby the inherent performance of the PSA is more fully exploited using an aqueous dispersion-type PSA composition. This method comprises preparing an aqueous dispersion-type PSA composition and a nonwoven fabric substrate serving as a support. The method also comprises forming PSA layers which impregnate the substrate and which are obtained by drying the composition. These PSA layers impregnate the substrate so that the area of gaps observed in a vertical cross-section perpendicular to the machine direction of the substrate is about 500 μm2/400 μm or less.
US08685483B2
This invention relates to electrolyte formulations and methods of use thereof to treat or prevent dehydration and taste fatigue. The electrolyte formulation of the invention addresses the needs of a broad population, particularly the needs of an older population. The electrolyte formulation of this invention comprises a dietary fiber source, such as Acacia Gum, a sodium ion source, a potassium ion source, a calcium ion source, a chloride ion source, and a citrate ion source.
US08685477B2
A method and apparatus for preparing a single serving of a frozen slurry beverage in a disposable drink container or cup by preparing a supply of fine frozen particles of water in the form of ice flakes and/or ice nuggets of compressed ice flakes, depositing a predetermined quantity or amount of the fine frozen particles of partially frozen water into a disposable single serving drinking cup or container, dispensing or adding a predetermined quantity or amount of flavored liquid beverage mix into the disposable single serving drinking cup or container and blending the fine frozen particles of partially frozen water and the flavored liquid beverage mix into a substantially uniform frozen slurry beverage of a predetermined consistency.
US08685476B2
Polydimethylsiloxane and/or siloxane (silicone)-derived chemical compounds are used to coating harvested forages to protect against rain and/or other weather damage and to suppress mold and spoilage in harvested forages. The PDMS compound and derivatives thereof are also found to suppress the damage resulting from oxidation within the feedstuff mass. When applied, PDMS coats the feedstuff and is included in the moisture portion of the feed or forage mass. This helps preserve the feed quality and slows the damaging effects of spoilage organisms and oxidation.
US08685475B2
Disclosed is a method for manufacturing fermented tea having superior flavor using Bacillus sp. strains isolated from Korean traditional fermented foods.
US08685471B2
Pest control compositions, blends, and formulations are disclosed. The blends contain, in a synergistic combinations, at least two ingredients such as Lilac Flower Oil, D-Limonene, Thyme Oil, Lime Oil, Black Seed Oil, Wintergreen Oil, Linalool, Tetrahydrolinalool, Vanillin, Isopropyl myristate, Piperonal (aldehyde), Geraniol, Geraniol 60, Triethyl Citrate, and Methyl Salicylate.
US08685467B2
An apparatus for controlled delivery of nitric oxide. A pump draws air through an activated carbon filter and into a reaction chamber. The generation of nitric oxide occurs in the reaction chamber. A second pump draws the gas in the reaction chamber through a calcium hydroxide filter and delivers the nitric oxide through an orifice, or aperture, that controls the flow of nitric oxide delivered. The nitric oxide is filtered through a calcium hydroxide filter just prior to being made available for various nitric oxide therapies. Topical applications that provide a nitric oxide therapy to a surface are also provided.
US08685456B2
The present invention is directed to topical compositions, comprising isoflavone nanoparticle compositions. The isoflavone nanoparticle compositions contain isoflavone in the form of nanoparticles and preferably a carrier. In the topical compositions recrystallization of the isoflavone to bigger particles is avoided.
US08685455B2
An object of the present invention is to increase the rate at which lignan-class compounds are absorbed into the body, namely, to provide fast-acting lignan-class compounds.Provided is an oil-in-water emulsion which comprises a water phase and an oil phase comprising at least one kind of lignan-class compounds dissolved therein and being emulsified in the water phase, wherein the oil droplets which serve as a dispersion phase in the emulsion are made finer by high-speed agitation or other method so that their average particle size is 1000 nm or smaller, preferably 500 nm or smaller, and more preferably 300 nm or smaller, whereby the rate at which lignan-class compounds are absorbed into the body is improved to impart immediate action.
US08685451B2
This invention pertains to a multi-layered tablet for a triple combination release of active agents to an environment of use. More particularly, the invention pertains to a multi-layered tablet (1) comprising two external drug-containing layers (2 and 3) in stacked arrangement with respect to and on opposite sides of an oral dosage form (4) that provides a triple combination release of at least one active agent. In one embodiment of the invention the dosage form is an osmotic device. In another embodiment of the invention the dosage form is a gastro-resistant coated core. In yet another embodiment of the invention the dosage form is a matrix tablet. In a different embodiment the dosage form is a hard capsule.
US08685437B2
The invention relates to the film products and methods of their preparation that demonstrate a non-self-aggregating uniform heterogeneity. Desirably the films disintegrate in water and may be formed by a controlled drying process, or other process that maintains the required uniformity of the film.
US08685424B2
A method of preparing antimicrobial-containing polymeric products is provided, the method involving electrospinning a dispersion comprising a dispersible polymer, a fiberizing polymer, and one or more antimicrobial agents. The electrospun material is heated to remove solvent and the fiberizing polymer, giving a nonwoven polymeric material having antimicrobial agent incorporated therein. The material can be in the form of, for example, a non-woven sheet, tube, or covering.
US08685421B2
A wound spacer device comprising multiple beads connected by non-absorbable suture material is disclosed. The device can be applied, for example, by a first responder to an injured individual, or can be applied by a trauma treatment facility, such as a Level 2 medical unit. In typical embodiments the device allows for site-specific controlled elution of an antimicrobial agent, such as Tobramycin, including defined elution over a period of time, such as 48 or 72 hours.
US08685419B2
The present invention relates to a cosmetic composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, a colorant comprising an inorganic fibrous matrix with tunnels and organic dye compounds incorporated at least partially in said tunnels, said compounds being selected from the indigoids, and present in an amount such that the weight ratio of colorant to matrix is greater than or equal to 0.028.The invention also relates to a method of cosmetic treatment of keratinous materials, comprising the application of said cosmetic composition.
US08685416B2
Methods for inducing an immune response to a tumor in a subject are disclosed herein. These methods include selecting a subject with a tumor and administering a therapeutically effective amount of apoptotic tumor cells conjugated to a CpG oligodexoynucleotide (ODN) to the subject. In some embodiments, the CpG ODN is a K-type or a D-type CpG ODN. Methods for treating a tumor in a subject are also disclosed herein. These methods include selecting a subject with a tumor and administering a therapeutically effective amount of apoptotic tumor cells conjugated to a CpG oligodexoynucleotide (ODN) to the subject. In some embodiments, the tumor cells are autologous. In additional embodiments, the tumor is a lymphoma, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer or a lung cancer.
US08685404B2
Methods are provided for the treatment of subjects with cognitive or neuropsychiatric impairment induced by substance addiction and for increasing cognitive function in a subject with substance addiction. In some embodiments, the methods include administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule including covalently linked first, second, and third domains; wherein the first domain is an MHC class II β1 domain and the second domain is an MHC class II α1 domain; or wherein the first domain is an MHC class I α1 domain and the second domain is an MHC class I α2 domain; and wherein the third domain is covalently linked to the first domain and comprises an antigen of the central or peripheral nervous system.
US08685400B2
Compositions and methods for reducing inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) of a mammal that has been subjected to a stroke, traumatic injury to the CNS such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), or having an autoimmune or CNS disease have been developed. The compositions and methods described herein include antibodies that specifically bind to at least one component (e.g., ASC, NALP1) in a mammalian inflammasome (e.g., the NALP1 inflammasome) and have use as treatments for SCI, TBI, stroke, and autoimmune and CNS diseases in a mammal. In a rodent model of SCI, therapeutic neutralization of ASC using a polyclonal antibody that specifically binds to ASC inhibited the inflammasome, reduced caspase-1 activation, XIAP cleavage, and interleukin processing, resulting in significant tissue sparing and functional improvement. Additionally, in a rodent model of TBI, neutralization of ASC after TBI reduced caspase-1 activation and XIAP cleavage. Further, in a rodent thromboembolic stroke model, neutralization of NLRP1 resulted in reduced histopathological damage in mice and reduced cytokine activation, suggesting that the inflammasome complex forms in the brain after stroke and is a therapeutic target for reducing the detrimental consequences of post-stroke inflammation.
US08685398B2
Novel polypeptides comprising a chemokine-binding peptide and an Fc fragment are disclosed. The polypeptides are capable of binding to certain chemokines so as to modulate their activity. These polypeptides can be used to modulate in vivo chemokine-dependent processes such as inflammation and autoimmunity, and to treat associated conditions.
US08685394B2
Compositions and methods are disclosed which are useful of the treatment and prevention of proliferative disorders. Such Compositions comprise inter alia an anti-CTLA-4 agent, e.g. ipilimumab or tremelimumab in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents such as dasatinib, imatinib, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, cisplatin or etoposide.
US08685391B2
Dermatological and cosmetic compositions and methods are provided to reduce the appearance of biological and/or environmentally-caused aging.
US08685379B2
The present invention relates to a high concentration functional material gel composition and effective delivery composition thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to a high concentration functional material gel composition comprising a small organic molecule having at least one of a carbonyl group and at least one of an isolated hydroxyl group from the carbonyl group as a defined mandatory element holding and delivering amounts of functional materials. This is achieved without depending on employing additional incompatible materials in the functional composition, including for example inorganic salts, polymers, absorbents petroleum waxes, and paraffin hydrocarbons.
US08685377B2
Agent for treating fibers containing keratin, particularly human hair, having in a cosmetically acceptable carrier, (a) at least one amphiphilic, cationic polymer comprising at least one structural unit of formulae (I) to (IV), wherein R1 and R4 independently=H or methyl; X1 and X2 independently=O or NH, A1 and A2 independently=ethan-1,2-diyl, propan-1,3-diyl or butan-1,4-diyl, R2, R3, R5 and R6 independently=(C1-C4) alkyl, R7═(C8-C30) alkyl, and (b) at least one film-forming anionic and/or stabilizing anionic polymer comprising at least one structural unit of formula (V) and at least one structural unit of formula (VI), wherein R8 and R9 independently=hydrogen or methyl, with the proviso that R8 and R9 are not simultaneously methyl, R10=hydrogen or methyl, R11=carbamoyl, linear or branched (C4 to C12) alkylaminocarbonyl, linear or branched (C4 to C12) alkylaminoethyl-aminocarbonyl, linear or branched (C4 to C12) alkylaminopropyl-aminocarbonyl, linear or branched (C4 to C12) alkyloxycarbonyl, linear or branched (C4 to C12) alkylaminoethyloxycarbonyl, linear or branched (C4 to C12) alkylaminopropyloxycarbonyl, linear or branched (C2 to C12) acyloxy, A3=hydroxyl or an organic group having at least one sulfonic acid group that bonds through an oxygen atom or an NH group to the structural fragment. The invention also relates to use of agents for temporarily styling hair and for haircare, particularly as aerosol hairspray or aerosol hair mousse.
US08685375B2
The present invention relates to a cosmetic composition for caring for and/or making up keratin fibers, in stick form, which can be applied dry, (i), in the form of an emulsion comprising a fatty phase dispersed in an aqueous phase, the said fatty phase comprising carnauba wax and/or synthetic beeswax, in a content of at least 2% by weight relative to the total weight of the said composition, and (ii) having a shear hardness of between 375 g/m and 5000 g/m, the said shear hardness being measured at 20° C. on a cylindrical stick using a rigid tungsten wire 250 μm in diameter, by advancing the wire relative to the stick at a rate of 100 mm/minute. The invention also relates to the process for coating keratin fibers comprising at least one step of applying a composition in accordance with the invention.
US08685367B2
Preferred embodiments relate to compositions of inherently radiopaque, biocompatible, bioresorbable polymeric particles and methods of using them for embolizing a body lumen.
US08685343B2
An apparatus and methods for concentrating samples for application to microfluidic devices are disclosed. The methods involve electrophoresing charged molecules from a high volume sample into a smaller volume. The analyte of interest can be a charged molecule or can be modified to be charged using, for example, one or more ionic moieties.
US08685340B2
A liquid dispenser for a microfluidic assay system is described. The dispenser includes at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle. A pin tip at one end of the transfer pin is structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle. The tip uses capillary action to transfer the sample from the pin to the receptacle.
US08685335B2
A chemical release system. Implementations may utilize implementations of a first cartridge that include a body coupled with a cartridge head at a first end and coupled with an end plug at a second end where the cartridge head includes a through hole configured to engage with an annular flange in a main head. The body may have an internal cross section. The first cartridge may also include a flow restrictor plate disposed within the body between the first end and the second end where the flow restrictor plate is oriented substantially parallel to the cartridge head within the body, includes only one opening therethrough, and substantially conforms with the internal cross section of the body. The body may include one or more through holes in a side of the body located between the flow restrictor plate and the cartridge head.
US08685328B2
In order to remove a pathogenic effect of a microorganism in a room or a work space in a short period of time, an ion diffusing apparatus, which includes an ion generator (17, 18) for generating positive ions each including H+(H2O)m and negative ions each including O2−(H2O)n, where m and n are arbitrary integers, and a blower for delivering the positive ions and the negative ions, which are generated from the ion generator (17), from a blowout opening, is operated to widely distribute, with a high concentration, the positive ions and the negative ions in the room.
US08685323B2
Methods and apparatuses for encapsulating inorganic micro- or nanostructures within polymeric microgels are described. In various embodiments, viruses are encapsulated with microgels during microgel formation. The viruses can provide a template for in situ synthesis of the inorganic structures within the microgel. The inorganic structures can be distributed substantially homogeneously throughout the microgel, or can be distributed non-uniformly within the microgel. The inventive microgel compositions can be used for a variety of applications including electronic devices, biotechnological devices, fuel cells, display devices and optical devices.
US08685318B2
An apparatus for sanitizing oral appliances is provided. The apparatus includes a housing movable between open and closed positions, at least one ultraviolet light source for emitting one or more sanitization means within the sanitizing chamber, and at least one power source for powering the ultraviolet light source. In the open position the housing allows insertion of the appliance, and in the closed position the housing defines a sanitizing chamber. The apparatus may include an appliance suspension system. The apparatus may include a reflective interior surface provided on at least a portion of the sanitizing chamber. The ultraviolet light source may be adapted to generate ozone within the sanitizing chamber. The apparatus may include control circuitry connecting the ultraviolet light source to the power source for the purpose of activating and deactivating the ultraviolet light source.
US08685316B2
A Ni-based heat resistant alloy has a composition of, by mass percent, carbon: 0.001 to 0.1%, chromium: 16 to 22%, aluminum: 0.5 to 1.5%, molybdenum: 0.1 to 2.0%, tungsten: 0.1 to 6.0%, niobium: 3.5 to 5.5%, titanium: 0.8 to 3.0%, iron: 16 to 20%, and the balance being nickel and inevitable impurities. A parameter Ps indicating a segregation tendency is in a range of Ps≧−3.5. The parameter Ps is represented by Formula (1). Ps=1.05×Al content+0.6×Ti content−0.8×Nb content−0.3×Mo content (1)
US08685315B2
A strength-ductility balance at a high temperature above 1000° C., particularly a high temperature above 1050° C. is improved by rendering a chemical composition of Cr-based alloy into Cr: more than 60 mass % but less than 65 mass %, C+N: not more than 20 mass ppm, S: not more than 20 mass ppm, O: not more than 100 mass ppm, O as an oxide: not more than 50 mass ppm, and the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities.
US08685314B2
First and second components, which may be metallic components, are joined together in a process including introducing a sinterable powder between the components, the powder being retained within a receptacle, displacing the second component towards the first component to compress the powder, and subsequently applying heat and pressure to the powder to form a sintered bond.
US08685311B2
A melt spinning apparatus includes an apparatus body and a nozzle for extruding melted resin, a primary hot air passage formed around the nozzle, and a secondary hot air passage formed in a zone outside of the primary hot air passage, which are formed in the apparatus body. The primary hot air passage discharges primary hot air onto fibers of the melted resin extruded from the nozzle. The secondary hot air passage discharges secondary hot air to maintain the temperature of the primary hot air. The discharge angle of the secondary hot air from the secondary hot air passage is set in a range of 0° to 50° with respect to the direction of the melted resin extruded from the nozzle. The secondary hot air forms an air curtain that blocks the atmospheric air.
US08685308B2
Disclosed is an injection mold for washing machine diaphragms wherein the operations of an uppermost first slide core to support the upper part of a first step of a diaphragm manufactured in a cavity and a cam core to support the lower part of a second step of the manufactured diaphragm are controlled to automatically separate the manufactured diaphragm from the cavity.
US08685303B2
A mine support includes an elongate metal member and a coating comprising post-consumer recycled thermoplastic disposed on the member. The thermoplastic may include post-consumer recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate), and the coating may be an injection molded coating. A first layer of the coating may be provided with a thickness at least about 0.1 mm and a crystallinity between about 16% and about 30%, and a second layer of the coating may be provided with a thickness at least about 0.1 mm and a crystallinity between about 6% and about 14%. Either the first layer or second layer may contact the elongate metal member.
US08685302B2
Monolithic acoustically-treated composite structures and methods for fabricating the same are provided. A monolithic acoustically-treated composite structure comprises an internal frame assembly comprising a unitary composite frame structure and at least one acoustic panel assembly. The unitary composite frame structure defines a shape of the monolithic acoustically-treated composite structure to be fabricated. A composite overlay covers the internal frame assembly. The method for fabricating the monolithic acoustically-treated composite structure comprises forming the unitary composite frame structure, including the at least one acoustic panel in the unitary composite frame structure, and covering the internal frame assembly with the composite overlay.
US08685300B2
The present invention relates to a thermoforming device for thermoforming a product (1) from a plastic foil (23), and to a corresponding method. The invention relates particularly to a thermoforming process and device in which a slot (2) is arranged in a product (1) to be formed. The invention also relates to a product (1), particularly a flowerpot, manufactured using this thermoforming device or method. The thermoforming device is characterized in that the cutting sleeve (10) and cutting plate (7) and/or hold-down element (8) define an auxiliary cutting line through which the plastic foil (23) is cut in order to arrange a slot (2) in the product (1) to be formed. The functions of slot-forming and product-foil separation are hereby performed by substantially the same components.
US08685298B2
A process for hot shaping a workpiece of metal or an intermetallic compound at a temperature of higher than about 1000° C. The method comprises at least partially coating the surface of the workpiece with a coating agent that comprises an oxide phase and an additive and/or an adhesive before processing the workpiece into a formed body or a rolling product. A coating agent for reducing the heat emission from the workpiece comprises a predominant amount of an oxide phase. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US08685283B2
Micelle-templated superficially porous particles having a solid core and an outer porous shell with ordered pore structures and a narrow particle size distribution, such as about ±5% (one sigma), and a high specific surface area of about 5 to about 1000 m2/g.
US08685282B2
A process for the production of syngas and hydrogen starting from liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and/or oxygenated compounds, also deriving from biomasses, and mixtures thereof, envisages recourse to a membrane reactor in an architecture that uses a succession of reaction and separation stages. The process includes a section for pre-heating the reagents, a number of sections for short-contact-time catalytic partial oxidation for producing syngas and hydrogen in a number of stages followed by separation of hydrogen produced via membranes, a thermal-recovery section, a section for removing produced carbon dioxide, and a section for cooling and removing condensate. Optionally, the process includes a section for purifying obtained hydrogen via pressure-swing adsorption (PSA) and generating purge gas with medium calorific value. Furthermore, the process includes a section for hydrodesulphuration of the reagents and could include a section for conversion of the CO2 and H2 produced by a reverse-water-gas-shift (RWGS) reaction.
US08685279B2
Phosphor that can provide white LED that uses a blue LED or an ultraviolet LED as a light source and that has superior luminous efficiency. This phosphor includes, as a main component, α-type sialon represented by a general expression: (M1)x(M2)y(Si,Al)12(O,N)16 (where M1 is one or more types of elements selected from a group consisting of Li, Mg, Ca, Y, and lanthanide element (except for La and Ce) and M2 is one or more types of elements selected from a group consisting of Ce, Pr, Eu, Tb, Yb, and Er, and 0.3≦X+Y≦1.5 and 0
US08685278B2
It is provided a fluorescent zirconia material including a fluorescent component and emitting fluorescence when excited with a light of a predetermined wavelength, the fluorescent component including a fluorescent material, the fluorescent material including at least one kind of Y2SiO5:Ce, Y2SiO5:Tb, (Y, Gd, Eu)BO3, Y2O3:Eu, YAG:Ce, ZnGa2O4:Zn and BaMgAl10O17:Eu and the fluorescent material being capable of emiting the fluorescence when subjected to firing treatment at temperatures ranging from 1300 to 1600(° C.) under oxidizing environments.
US08685270B2
A method for producing a semiconductor wafer sliced from a single crystal includes rounding an edge using a grinding disk containing abrasives with an average grain size of 20.0-60.0 μm. A first simultaneous double-side material-removing process is performed wherein the semiconductor wafers are processed between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each working disk having a working layer containing abrasives having an average grain size of 5.0-20.0 μm, wherein the semiconductor wafer is placed in a cutout in one of a plurality of carriers rotatable by a rolling apparatus such that the semiconductor wafer lies in a freely movable manner in the carrier and the wafer is movable on a cycloidal trajectory. A second simultaneous double-side material-removing process is performed including processing the semiconductor wafers between two rotating ring-shaped working disks, each working disk having a working layer containing abrasives having an average grain size of 0.5-15.0 μm.
US08685259B2
The present invention concerns a fluid distributor in a multistage column, each plate P of the column being divided into a certain number of panels Pa, and each panel Pa being equipped with a distributor of the invention, said distributor comprising: a) a solid jet breaker located substantially in the axis of the outlet opening of the collecting baffle of the panel Pa; b) an intermediate perforated plate extending laterally beyond the jet breaker, with a degree of opening in the range 10% to 40%; c) a distribution plate extending over the entire panel Pa, and with a degree of opening in the range 5% to 20%.
US08685254B2
A method is generally described which includes environmental alteration. The method includes determining a placement of at least one vessel capable of moving water to lower depths in the water via wave induced downwelling. The method also includes placing the at least one vessel in the determined placement. Further, the method includes generating movement of the water adjacent the surface of the water in response to the placing.
US08685245B2
A method and an apparatus for separating suspended matter from liquid includes a concentrator filter that draws the liquid out of the suspension while the filter kept unblocked by a sparging filter that allows scrubbing of the concentrator filter by gas bubbles. This invention can be used to replace cross-flow filtration and centrifugation in the bioprocess industry and to reduce the volume of suspensions to concentrate the yield of the end product in the chemical industry.
US08685220B2
The invention provides a capillary electrophoresis apparatus which can improve the operability and measuring speed. According to the invention, a sensor for identifying the type of sample containers is fixed at the position away from a capillary anode electrode. The sensor is made to be closer to the sample containers by moving a moving stage so that the sample containers disposed on the moving stage can be identified by the sensor. A fixing apparatus for fixing at least a pair of sample containers is provided on the moving stage.
US08685219B1
An apparatus for capillary zone electrophoresis includes a polyelectrolyte multilayer positioned in a capillary tube for analytical separations of macromolecules. The capillary comprises a passage defined by passage walls comprising fused silica and the polyelectrolyte multilayer positioned within the passage. The polyelectrolyte multilayer comprises layers with alternating charge. The apparatus includes a power supply having a positive electrode and a negative electrode for generating an electric field therebetween and a sensor positioned adjacent the passage for sensing macromolecules.
US08685218B2
A precision flow controller is capable of providing a flow rate less than 100 microliters/minute and varying the flow rate in a prescribed manner that is both predictable and reproducible where the accuracy and precision of the flowrate is less than 5% of the flow rate. A plurality of variable pressure fluid supplies pump fluid through a single outlet. Flowmeters measure the flow rates and a controller compares the flow rates to desired flowrates and, if necessary, adjusts the plurality of variable pressure fluid supplies so that the variable pressure fluid supplies pump fluid at the desired flow rate. The variable pressure fluid supplies can be pneumatically driven.
US08685207B2
Finely divided, starch-containing polymer dispersions which are obtainable by free radical emulsion polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the presence of at least one redox initiator and starch, (a) from 30 to 60% by weight of at least one optionally substituted styrene, (b) from 1 to 60% by weight of at least one C1-C12-alkyl acrylate and/or C1-C12-alkyl methacrylate, (c) from 0 to 10% by weight of at least one other ethylenically unsaturated copolymerizable monomer, being used as ethylenically unsaturated monomers and (d) from 15 to 40% by weight of at least one degraded starch which has a molar mass Mw of from 1000 to 65 000 g/mol being used as the starch, the sum (a)+(b)+(c)+(d) being 100% and being based on the total solids content, and the polymerization being carried out in the presence of at least 0.01% by weight, based on the monomers used, of at least one terpene-containing chain-transfer agent, processes for the preparation of the finely divided, starch-containing polymer dispersions by emulsion polymerization of the monomers (a), (b) and (c) with redox initiators in the presence of (d) degraded starch and at least 0.01% by weight, based on the monomers used, of at least one terpene-containing chain-transfer agent, and use of the finely divided, starch-containing polymer dispersions as sizes for paper, board and cardboard.
US08685206B2
A fire resistant fluff pulp web made from a fluff pulp web, a fire retardant component present in and/or on the fluff pulp, and a fire retardant distributing surfactant which distributes the fire retardant component in and/or on the fluff pulp web in a manner so that the fluff pulp web passes one or more fire resistance tests. Also, a process for preparing these fire resistant fluff pulp webs, as well as for treating outer fibrous layers comprising an air-laid mixture of these fire resistant fluff pulp fibers and bicomponent fibers with up to about 5% additional fire retardant and which are used in fire resistant air-laid fibrous structures useful in upholstery, cushions, mattress ticking, panel fabric, padding, bedding, insulation, materials for parts in devices and appliances, etc.
US08685204B2
An object of the invention is to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film-peeling method capable of easily detaching the pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film from a glass substrate with no damage to the glass substrate or no adhesive deposit on the glass substrate, and to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film suitable for use in such a peeling method. The invention is directed to a method for peeling a pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film from an optical film-carrying glass substrate including a glass substrate and the pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film bonded thereto, which includes: exposing the optical film-carrying glass substrate to an environment at a temperature of 40 to 98° C. and a relative humidity of 60 to 99% for three minutes or more; and then peeling the pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film from the glass substrate under the environment.
US08685202B2
In a method for manufacturing a printed circuit board, a substrate, including a number of plated through holes (PTHs) is provided. Each of the PTHs has an electrically conductive layer plated on its inner wall and includes an electrically connecting portion and a stub. A protective layer is formed on a surface of the substrate adjacent to the stub. An etching device, including an upper plate and a number of spray tubes corresponding to the PTHs, is provided. Each of the spray tubes includes a protruding portion beyond the upper plate. The substrate is arranged in such a manner that the protective layer is in contact with the upper plate and the protruding portions are received in the stubs. After that, the protruding portions spray an etchant to etch and remove the electrically conductive layer of the stubs, and the protective layer is removed.
US08685193B2
An expansion band includes a first layer, a second layer, a shrinking layer for shrinking said first layer and said second layer, a bond line for sealing said first layer and said second layer to form an inner space therein and dividing said inner space into a plurality of air passages which can communicate with each other, a plurality of air passages formed between said first layer and said second layer, and an air nozzle communicate with said air passage.
US08685192B2
A method of and an arrangement for producing a fixing part, for example in the form of a touch-and-close fastener part, includes the formation of a carrier structure (10) provided with stem-like fixing elements (12) connected to one another at least in pairs via intermediate elements (14) to form cramp-like, in particular U-shaped, fixing parts (16). The stem-like fixing elements (12) engage through the carrier structure (10) and project beyond it. Each intermediate element (14) extending between these fixing elements (12) is arranged on the carrier structure (10). The respective fixing part (16) is introduced as a whole into the carrier structure (10) which, for this purpose, is designed in the form of a cramp-like, in particular U-shaped, molding prior to introduction.
US08685190B2
A method is provided for making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment. An elastic element applicator is provided that is configured to move a section of a continuous strand of elastic element generally about a plane. A first web of material is conveyed in a first web moving direction such that the first web intersects the plane. Then, the applicator is operated to move the elastic element about the plane, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first web along a direction generally transverse to the web moving direction and such that the first web draws the continuous elastic strand from the elastic element applicator as the first web is conveyed away from the plane. The elastic element applicator may be in the form of a spin cylinder or bracket that is operated to spin the elastic element about the moving first web, thereby applying the elastic element on the first web.
US08685188B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for fractionating gypsum slurry which can surely control the density of the gypsum slurry fractionated from the mixer (fractionated slurry), which can restrict change of the flow rate of the fractionated slurry, and which can reduce the consumption of foam or foaming agent. The fractionation apparatus (30) fractionates the gypsum slurry from a mixer (4) for mixing calcined gypsum and water. The mixer has a hollow connector section (50), which allows the gypsum slurry to flow from a mixing area inside of the mixer into a chute section (5), and the chute section (5) discharging the inflow of gypsum slurry through its slurry discharge port onto a gypsum board liner paper. The fractionation apparatus has a slurry fractionation port (33) opening to the chute section or the hollow connector section, and causes a part of the gypsum slurry in the chute or hollow connector section to be delivered to a slurry delivery conduit (11,13,19).
US08685185B2
Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to materials processing methods using femtosecond duration laser pulses, and to the altered materials obtained by such methods. The resulting nanostructured (with or without macro- and micro-structuring) materials have a variety of applications, including, for example, aesthetic applications for jewelry or ornamentation; biomedical applications related to biocompatibility; catalysis applications; and modification of, for example, the optical and hydrophilic properties of materials including selective coloring.
US08685184B2
Described herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for shape-setting hyperelastic, single-crystal shape memory alloy (SMA) material while preserving the hyperelastic properties of the material. Also described are hyperelastic, single-crystal SMA devices that have been shape set by these methods. In particular, described herein are hyperelastic, single crystal SMA dental archwires and methods of forming them while preserving the hyperelastic properties, e.g., without significant grain boundaries in the crystal structure.
US08685175B2
An apparatus and process for isomerizing a hydrocarbon stream rich in a C4 hydrocarbon and/or at least one of a C5 and C6 hydrocarbon which includes a first drier and a second drier; and a reaction zone communicating with at least the first drier. The first drier operates at a first condition to dry the reactant and the second drier operates at a second condition during regeneration. The used regenerant remaining in the second drier after regeneration can (1) pass through a vent-to-flare assembly in a batch-wise manner; (2) pass through a downflow-depressure-to-low-pressure-device assembly in a batch-wise manner; (3) pass through a cross-over piping purge assembly to minimize upsets in the reaction and fractionation zones when the second drier is placed back in operation; or any combination of (1) (2) and/or (3) to minimize upsets in the reaction and fractionation zones when the second drier is placed back in operation.
US08685154B2
The methods and compositions of the present invention provide an ink jet ink having a colorant, an aqueous vehicle, and water stable and water soluble phthalocyanine and/or naphthalocyanine dye chromophores.
US08685153B2
This invention relates to an adsorbent system, adsorbent cartridge, and external canister for removing gaseous contaminants from air or another gas.
US08685149B2
A breather 2 on a top of a tank body 1 is opened through a carbon dioxide permeable membrane 3 to an atmospheric air so as to take an inert gas containing plenty of carbon dioxide permeated through the membrane 3 into the tank body 1 by a negative pressure due to reduction of a fuel F in the tank body 1.
US08685146B2
Processes and apparatuses are provided for preparing liquified natural gas from a natural gas feed that comprises C5 to C7 hydrocarbons and C8 or greater hydrocarbons. An exemplary process includes effecting the preferential adsorption of the C8 or greater hydrocarbons from the natural gas feed over adsorption of hydrocarbons having less than 8 carbon atoms to provide a C8-depleted natural gas stream. The process continues with effecting the preferential adsorption of the C5 to C7 hydrocarbons from the C8-depleted natural gas stream over adsorption of hydrocarbons having less than 5 carbon atoms to form a C5 to C8-depleted natural gas stream. The C5 to C7 hydrocarbons are preferentially adsorbed with higher selectivity and capacity than adsorption of the C5 to C7 hydrocarbons during preferentially adsorbing the C8 or greater hydrocarbons. The C5 to C8-depleted natural gas stream is then liquified.
US08685139B2
A method is described for smelting fragmentized aluminum scrap, with the aluminum scrap to be smelted being molten in a furnace after thermal pre-treatment in a hot-gas stream. In order to provide advantageous process conditions it is proposed that the aluminum scrap is subjected at first in a continuous flow of material to the thermal treatment and is smelted thereafter, and that from the hot gas stream guided in a circulation for the thermal treatment of the aluminum scrap a partial stream is branched off and is guided into the furnace.
US08685128B2
A filter element arrangement is provided which includes a media pack comprising Z-filter media, a preform and an overmold sealing a portion of the interface between the preform and the media pack, and also forming an air cleaner seal for the filter element. The overmold preferably comprises molded, foamed, polyurethane. A variety of media pack shapes can be used.
US08685118B2
A wax comprises a metathesis product and/or a product that resembles, at least in part, a product which may be formed from a metathesis reaction. The wax may be used to form articles, for example, candles (container candles, votive candles, and/or a pillar candles), crayons, fire logs, or tarts. The wax commonly includes other components in addition to the metathesis product.
US08685116B2
The present invention relates to a shading process characterized by using a composition comprising a phthalocyanine to which at least one dyestuff is attached through a covalent bonding, to shading compositions, to new compounds used in these shading compositions as well as to the production of these new compounds.
US08685113B2
Disclosed is a first composition of an oxidative permanent hair dye product that includes a C1-C4 alcohol, an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, an antioxidant, an oxidative dye, a C14-C22 fatty alcohol, a metal sequestering agent, an alkali agent, and purified water. According to the oxidative permanent hair dye product according to the present invention, foams generated by mixing a liquid first composition that includes a dye and a liquid second composition that includes an oxidant continuously retained on hair for more than 30 minutes, and thus hair, even close to the root, can be simply and conveniently colored in the same manner as shampooing without using a comb or brush.
US08685111B2
An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a composition suitable for leather tanning comprising zeolite treated with monocarboxylic acid and to a method for manufacturing said composition. An embodiment of the present disclosure method comprises providing zeolite into a reactor and keeping said zeolite in motion while introducing concentrated monocarboxylic acid thereto provided that the mean temperature of the resulting composition is 50° C. or below.
US08685109B2
A prosthetic foot includes a foot member, a heel member operatively coupled to the foot member. At least one of the heel member and foot member define an arch portion that faces a support surface that the prosthetic foot contacts during use. An insole member contacts said arch portion, the insole member configured to facilitate a rollover of the prosthetic foot in at least one of a lateral-medial and a medial-lateral direction during ambulation.
US08685098B2
The present invention provides an expandable fusion device capable of being installed inside an intervertebral disc space to maintain normal disc spacing and restore spinal stability, thereby facilitating an intervertebral fusion. In one embodiment, the fusion device includes a body portion, a first endplate, and a second endplate, the first and second endplates capable of being moved in a direction away from the body portion into an expanded configuration or capable of being moved towards the body portion into an unexpanded configuration. The fusion device is capable of being deployed and installed in both configurations.
US08685094B2
An orthopedic device set, including: a plurality of intervertebral spacer elements, each spacer element having a different axial thickness from each other element, the axial thicknesses being selected to increase by an increment from one element to another; and an instrument for holding ones of the intervertebral spacer elements, the instrument comprising a shaft having a distal end, a selectively grasping subassembly for alternatively rigidly holding each spacer element at the distal end so that the spacer element cannot move relative to the instrument, and releasing the spacer element.
US08685087B2
In a first aspect, the invention provides an IOL having an optic with a peripheral section including one or more visually observable markers formed on the optic peripheral section and located within the visually observable zone of a surgeon viewing the IOL in the implanted condition through the pupil. In a second aspect of the invention, the IOL peripheral section includes an edge provided with a plunger engagement segment configured to inhibit off-axis movement of a plunger tip when engaged therewith.
US08685084B2
A kit for implanting a prosthetic vascular conduit includes a prosthetic vascular conduit for coupling to a prosthetic valve having an annular portion. The conduit includes a terminal collar member for receiving the valve. The kit further includes a holder including a shaft and a hub including a receiving portion configured for housing a prosthetic valve. The conduit is fitted on the holder so that at least a portion of the conduit wraps over the receiving portion of the hub. A sleeve member fitted onto the conduit in a position corresponding to the receiving portion of the hub, and a portion of the collar member is wrapped or folded over the sleeve member. The sleeve member is slidable away from the hub to unwrap the collar member such that it is disposed around the annular portion of a prosthetic valve.
US08685082B2
The present invention provides a base material which can be formed into valved lumen shape tissue having an ampulla and a leaflet consisting of body tissue. Specifically, the base material includes a first column 5 that forms an upstream tubular section 4 of a blood vessel 3, a second column 7 that forms a downstream tubular section 6 of the blood vessel 3, a plurality of bulges 10 for forming an ampulla 8 and a leaflet 9 of the blood vessel 3, and engagement means 11 that causes the bulge 10 to engage the first column 5 and/or the second column 7. The engagement means 11 includes recesses 15a and 15b in axial end surfaces of one or both of the first column 5 and the second column 7, and an engagement section 18 that overhangs from a bulge body 17 and engages the recesses. An outer peripheral surface of the body 17 of the bulge 10 is an ampulla forming surface 20, and a gap provided between the bulge body 17 and the first column 5 and/or the second column 7 is a leaflet forming section 22.
US08685080B2
An endo luminal support structure (10) includes strut members (11) interconnected by swivel joints (15) to form a series of linked scissor mechanisms. The structure can be remotely actuated to compress or expand its shape by adjusting the scissor joints within a range of motion. In particular, the support structure can be repositioned within the body lumen or retrieved from the lumen. The support structure can be employed to introduce and support a prosthetic valve (100) within a body lumen.
US08685073B2
An apparatus for treating meibomian gland dysfunction caused by meibomian gland obstruction in order to restore the natural flow of secretion from the meibomian gland comprises the application of a combination of energy, suction, vibration, heat, aspiration, chemical agents and pharmacological agents to loosen and thereafter remove the obstructive material.
US08685072B2
A device and method for restoring functionality of blood vessels are disclosed. Laser energy is accurately and precisely applied in order to restore vessel functionality. This is accomplished by a controlled, reliable and specific shrinkage and/or strengthening of the vessel structure by controlled transport of laser radiation via an optical fiber to the treatment site. Laser wavelength is chosen according to the required penetration depth in tissue. In a preferred embodiment, wavelength of approximately 1470 nm is used. A mini-endoscope is preferably used to control the process by visual inspection from the inside of the vessel but other means may also be combined to control the procedure. Full 360° radial emission, i.e., delivery of laser radiation perpendicularly or fairly inclined relative to the veins axis, is beneficial, and is accomplished by means of a radial emitting fiber. In another preferred embodiment, a 360 degree radiation pattern can be achieved by using a twister or side-emitting fiber, along with rotational and sweeping movements to apply energy in an even, more-controlled, and guided manner. Valve function is restored to recover whole vein functionality, avoiding the need of closing it. In a preferred embodiment, energy is applied from the outside of the vessel, by inserting a device through the skin and tissue. In another preferred embodiment, specific radiation absorbers are located at suitable positions inside the vessel wall, to selectively target radiation to tagged locations. Vessel function is restored preserving its structure. A wide range of vessel diameters are effectively treated. Vessels include veins, arteries and fistulas.
US08685070B2
A faceted bone screw and a method for manufacturing the same includes a screw thread configuration having facets that are incorporated into one or more of the leading edge, trailing edge or root of the thread. The facets are generally made up of a plurality of transitioning peaks and valleys which vary the depth of the thread and are disposed in one or more locations throughout the threaded portion of the bone screw. The facets operate to reduce the torque required to drive the bone screw into bone, while at the same time operate to assist in anchoring the bone screw within the bone once inserted therein, and thereby reduce the possibility for the screw backing out after insertion.
US08685068B2
A disposable single indication orthopedic trauma surgical kit has no bone plates other than a single bone plate precontoured and sized to match an anatomic shape of a portion of a bone of a patient's extremity. The single bone plate has a plurality of fastener apertures. The surgical kit also has a plurality of fasteners with heads that are dimensioned to mate with the fastener apertures. The surgical kit also has a disposable torque driver adapted to engage the fastener heads. The foregoing components are contained in a sterile sealed container.
US08685061B2
A prosthesis for the replacement of multiple diseased or traumatized spinal facets comprises a portion that replaces at least a bony portion of the facets to be replaced and where the prosthesis attaches to the vertebra in a manner that does not require attachment to, or abutment against, the lamina. Multiple configurations of the prosthesis provide for replacement of the two inferior facets, the two superior facets, a superior and inferior facet, or all four facets. A method of installing the prosthesis is provided that is comprised of the steps of resecting at least a portion of the facets that carry the diseased or traumatized spinal facets and attaching the prosthesis in a manner that does not require attachment or abutment against the lamina.
US08685054B2
A valvuloplasty balloon assembly includes a balloon (50) provided with end shoulders (64, 66) preferably integral with end cones (54, 56) of the balloon (50). The end shoulders (64, 66) provide a substantially perpendicular stop shoulder (68) at either end of the cylindrical portion (52) of the balloon (50). The restraining shoulders (64, 66) act to hold the balloon (50) within a valve (16) of a heart (10), for instance. This prevents unwanted slippage of the balloon (50) during a valvuloplasty procedure and thus prevents possible damage caused as a result of such slippage.
US08685053B2
A catheter assembly comprises a manifold positioned at a proximal end of the catheter assembly. A tether member has a proximal end region fixedly engaged to a portion of the manifold. A proximal tubular member has a first end region engaged to the manifold. The proximal tubular member is disposed about at least a portion of the tether member. At least a portion of the tether member distal of the manifold is fixedly engaged to at least a portion of the proximal tubular member.
US08685052B2
Various medical devices and methods for cutting, evacuating and/or performing work on tissue are provided. The devices and methods may utilize a reciprocating mechanism or motor powered by suction from a vacuum source. The medical devices and methods may be used on tissue in various regions of a patient's body and for treating various conditions, e.g., for performing a polypectomy.
US08685045B2
Medical suturing devices, systems, and methods will be useful for endoscopic (with or without access ports) or other surgeries in which access is limited, including ear, nose, and throat procedures. Articulation motions may be transferred from a handle to needle grasping jaws using an axial movement of a shaft that has axial stiffness (such as being stiff in compression) and lateral flexibility or an axial movement of a cable. An extension body (within which the shaft or cable moves) between the handle and jaws can be pre-bent or custom bent by the user. Portions of the devices may be disposable, replaceable, and/or reusable. A spring adjacent the clamp may open the clamp or impose a gripping force.
US08685042B2
The various embodiments of the present inventions provide stabilization devices and methods for use of the stabilization devices with minimally invasive gynecological procedures such as methods of preventing pregnancy by inserting intrafallopian contraceptive devices into the fallopian tubes.
US08685022B2
A device (1) according to the invention for externally fixing broken bones (62, 62′) of a patient, particularly the extremities, comprises a support (11) composed of a plurality of joint elements (2, 2) that are stringed together, wherein said support can be disposed outside the body of the patient. The proximal ends (41) of at least two percutaneously disposed pins (4) are anchored in the bone tissue (61) of the patient, and the distal ends (42) are fixed to the support (11). The joint elements (2) are stringed on a central tensile force element (3), and in each case two adjoining joint socket (22). The individual ball joints, and thus the support (11), can be fixed in a reversible frictionally engaged manner by applying a tensile force of the central tensile force element (3). The joint elements (2, 2′) in turn are designed such that a pin (4) can be fastened to the support (11) in a clamping and/or frictionally engaged manner by applying the tensile force of the central tensile force element (3).
US08685020B2
Various forms of surgical instruments are disclosed. In various embodiments, an end effector having operable and closable jaws is attached to a distal end of an elongate shaft such that portions of the jaws are axially offset from the elongate shaft. Other jaw embodiments are coupled to an actuation arrangement that permits portions of the jaws to be moved out of axial alignment with the elongate shaft. Other jaw embodiments are configured to facilitate tissue dissection. Electrosurgical instruments are also disclosed. One embodiment employs a flexible electrode that is conformable to tissue.
US08685018B2
An electrosurgical wand. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are electrosurgical wands including an elongate housing that defines a handle end and a distal end, a first discharge aperture on the distal end of the elongate housing, a first active electrode of conductive material disposed on the distal end of the elongate housing, a first return electrode of conductive material disposed within the first fluid conduit, and an aspiration aperture on the distal end of the elongate housing fluidly coupled to a second fluid conduit.
US08685012B2
A method and apparatus that will alter the fibrous strands in the fatty layers of the skin to reduce the appearance of cellulite and adipose tissue. Electromagnetic energy is used to selectively shrink or alternatively photoacoustically ablate the collagen in the constricting bands of connective tissue that causes the dimpled appearance of cellulite and adipose tissue while avoiding damage to the surrounding fatty cells.
US08685009B2
An end effector assembly for use with an electrosurgical instrument is provided. The end effector assembly includes a pair of opposing jaw members configured to grasp tissue therebetween. The assembly also includes a thread-like member having a first end coupled to at least one jaw member and a drive member coupled to a second end of the thread-like member. The drive member is configured to position the thread-like member between a first position and a second position, wherein the thread-like member cuts tissue when positioned in the second position.
US08685007B2
A method and a device for forming cut surfaces in a transparent material, particularly in the cornea, by producing optical breakthroughs in the material by application of laser radiation focused into the material. The focal point is adjusted in three dimensions to form the cut surface by the sequential arrangement of optical perforations. The focal point is guided in such a manner that cutting is divided into at least two steps, and in at least one of the steps, the formation of the cut is carried out with a path radius that decreases in size, and in one of the steps, the cut formation is carried out with a path radius that increases in size.
US08685005B2
A light delivery system to provide light treatment to a patient includes a catheter assembly having a plurality of light sources that transmit light towards a target site within a patient. In one embodiment, the light delivery system has a plurality of light sources mounted to a flexible transparent base that extends at least partially through a distal tip of the catheter assembly. The light sources can be wire bonded or mounted in a flip chip arrangement onto the base. In one embodiment to produce the distal tip, an array of light energy sources can be held by an array of holders of a fixture device. A vacuum is applied to secure each light energy source in a corresponding holder. While the vacuum is applied, the energy sources are electrically connected by wire bonding. The vacuum can be reduced or stopped thereby permitting removal of the light energy sources from the fixture device.
US08684988B2
A disposable absorbent article includes two laterally opposing longitudinally extending barrier cuff strips attached to an interior surface of an absorbent assembly in laterally opposing attachment zones. Each barrier cuff strip may include a water-impermeable layer and may be extensible. A longitudinally extending elastic gathering member is attached to each barrier cuff strip adjacent to its proximal edge. When the article is worn, the elastic gathering members contract and raise the barrier cuff strips to form side barriers. The absorbent assembly includes an absorbent core that may contain superabsorbent particles, which may be contained inside pockets. A portion of the absorbent assembly such as the portion that lies between the barrier cuff strip attachment zones may be extensible and may include a water-impermeable layer. The laterally opposing attachment zones may act as dams preventing a lateral flow of liquid bodily waste.
US08684973B2
A micropump, which in particular is a pump for a medicinal active substance and which may be an insulin pump or an analgesic pump, has at least one valve, which has a valve chamber, and has a pump chamber. At least one immobile structural element, which reduces the valve chamber volume, is provided in the valve chamber.
US08684970B1
A therapeutic apparatus for treating body tissue comprises a vessel enclosing a detonation chamber into which a detonatable mixture is introduced and then detonated using an igniter to form at least one shockwave and/or acoustic wave. A wave guide assembly having a converging geometry directs the wave to a tip of the wave guide assembly that is placed in contact with tissue to be treated by the wave. The wave guide assembly may include a wave focusing section surrounding the vessel, a flexible conduit connected to the wave focusing section and a needle connected to the conduit and sized for insertion into patient tissue to be treated. A cap connected to the end of the needle is formed from material permitting the wave or waves generated in the detonation chamber to pass therethrough to treat the patient tissue into which the needle is inserted.
US08684963B2
Multi-lumen catheter having a monolithic elongate tubular shaft member having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal length therebetween. The tubular shaft member has an outer cross-sectional dimension that varies along the length of the tubular shaft member. The tubular shaft member has an inner core made of a first material and an outer layer made of a second material. The inner core has a first lumen and a second lumen defined therein, the first lumen having a first lumen cross-section and a length extending at least along a portion of the length of the tubular shaft member. The first lumen cross-section is substantially uniform along the length of the first lumen. The second lumen has a second lumen cross-section and a length extending along the length of tubular shaft member. The second lumen cross-section is substantially uniform along the length of the second lumen.
US08684961B2
An insert for a breast-receiving funnel of a breast pump includes an elongate inflatable bladder which defines a pressure chamber. The elongate inflatable bladder is configured to fit in a teat receiving space of the breast receiving funnel so that the bladder extends from an inner end of the funnel towards an outer end of the funnel. The bladder lies between a user's teat and the funnel when a breast is inserted in the funnel, such that the elongate inflatable bladder is configured to deform towards a user's teat located in the teat receiving space in a predetermined manner when a pressure difference is applied between the teat receiving space and the pressure chamber such that a peristaltic action is applied to the user's teat, to aid the expression of milk therefrom.
US08684957B2
A method of using and assembling a device configured to treat a spine of a patient is provided. The method of assembling includes providing a support member configured to be connected to a torso of a patient and coupling an actuator mechanism to the support member, the actuator mechanism configured to distract a spine of the patient relative to the torso by extending in a generally superior direction relative to the support member.
US08684956B2
A device for directing a liquid onto a plurality of surfaces of the oral cavity, the device including a chamber for maintaining the liquid proximate the surfaces, where the chamber is defined by front, rear and base inner walls of the device and the front and rear inner walls each include a plurality of openings, the devices further including a first manifold and a second manifold, a first port and a second port; and means for providing an effective seal of the device within the oral cavity.
US08684955B2
A back kneading device capable of causing a massage mechanism to protrude forward and return to an original normal position is provided with no increase in size and complexity in construction. The back kneading device mounted in a chair massage apparatus includes the massage mechanism having a pair of right-hand and left-hand massage members, a base member for pivotally supporting the mechanism at its lower end, a vertical movement mechanism for imparting a vertical motion to the base member, an advancing and retracting mechanism for rockably driving the massage mechanism, and a rock restricting mechanism for an adjusting an angle of rotation of the massage mechanism so that, when the device is in an upper position, an upper end of the massage member protrudes forward, whereas, in a lower position, a lower end thereof protrudes forward.
US08684947B2
This invention describes a method for processing pressure signals derivable from locations inside or outside a human or animal body or body cavity. Different aspects of the invention relate to a method for optimal differentiating between cardiac beat- and artifact-induced pressure waves, a method for obtaining new and improved information from said pressure signals, a method for obtaining signals predicting pressures inside a body or body cavity from pressure signals outside said body or body cavity. In particular, this invention describes a method for modifying individual continuous non-invasive pressure-related signals into signals highly predictable of the corresponding invasive pressure-related signals based on already established relationships that can be used for formula-based adjustments of individual signals solely obtained by a non-invasive approach.
US08684945B2
An improved digital tuning fork device for administering a vibratory sensation test to a human subject comprising an integrated vibratory mechanism and timer, with the vibratory mechanism generating vibrations having a known frequency and amplitude, with the amplitude of the vibrations degrading over time to replicate in a controlled manner the natural degradation of vibrations generated by a mechanical tuning fork, and a method of use thereof.
US08684944B2
A thermometer is described which is suitable as an indwelling thermometer to detect pyrexia or oestrus in a mammal. The thermometer provides a continued signal that a predetermined reference temperature has been exceeded, which temperature is selected to be indicative of pyrexia or oestrus in a given species and may change according to species.
US08684943B2
A method, system, stethoscope and server for classifying a cardiovascular sound recorded from a living subject. The method comprises the steps of: identifying diastolic and/or systolic segments of the cardiovascular sound; dividing at least one of the identified diastolic and/or systolic segments into a number of sub-segments comprising at least a first sub-segment and at least a second sub-segment; extracting from the first sub-segment at least a first signal parameter characterizing a first property of the cardiovascular sound, extracting from the second sub-segment at least a second signal parameter characterizing a second property of the cardiovascular sound; and classifying the cardiovascular sound using the at least first signal parameter and the at least second signal parameter in a multivariate classification method.
US08684941B2
An electronic sphygmomanometer determines whether a position of a measurement site falls within a proper range, and notifies whether the position of the measurement site falls within the proper range. When determination is made that a time in which the position of the measurement site falls within the proper range is not less than a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), measurement of a blood pressure is automatically started. When determination is made that a time in which the position of the measurement site is out of the proper range is not less than a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds), the measurement of the blood pressure is started. Further, whether the position of the measurement site falls within the proper range is notified while correlated with the measurement result.
US08684940B2
An electronic sphygmomanometer acquires a patient ID and recommended site information read from an ID card before measurement. The recommended site indicating the site to be attached to a cuff of a left site or a right site is thereby specified for every person to be measured (patient ID). Thereafter, the site to be attached to the cuff is guided by notifying the specified recommended site to the person to be measured.
US08684929B2
The invention comprises a method for visualising a chronological sequence of measurements, in particular obtained from a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) process, comprising the step of presenting measured data in polar coordinate graphing system. A device 100 is disclosed that comprises a measuring unit 101, in particular a continuous glucose measuring unit, a communication link 103 for transmitting the measured data, in particular a wireless transmission device with a sending 104 and a receiving part 105, and a display 110, optionally with a computing unit 107 that is designed and programmed to visualise data obtained from the measuring unit according to the previously described method, in particular a mobile phone display, MP3 player display, handheld computer display, laptop computer display, personal computer display or other display device being addressable by the communication link. The method and the device enable both the patient and the physician or HCP to improve their recognition of important and/or periodic events during a chronological sequence of (CGM) measurements.
US08684926B2
A system and method for knowledge verification utilizing biopotentials and physiologic metrics, which includes a computer-based device having stored thereon Probe, Relevant and Gallery image data, and a biopotential amplifier removably connected to a human subject via disposable Ag/Ag—Cl electrodes. Furthermore, the system comprises an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter to digitize said biopotential data for subsequent storage on said computer-based device, analysis software for discriminating said subject's event-related response to the exogenous stimuli, a visual display system comprising an LCD video monitor, and control software for presenting the Probe, Relevant and Gallery visual stimuli in a weighted, pseudo-random sequence which can be modulated by the outcome of said analysis software. Probe image data are not generally known to said human subjects but relevant to the knowledge to be verified; Relevant image data are generally known to said human subjects but not relevant to the knowledge to be verified; and Gallery image data are not generally known to said human subjects and not relevant to the knowledge to be verified. Said knowledge verification system can utilize parametric or non-parametric, e.g., artificial neural networks, analysis to provide an output of verification, or non-verification of knowledge of interest. Exemplary headband and electrode configurations optimized to produce the desired signals are disclosed.
US08684923B2
A method of aggregating medical information can include receiving, at a remote aggregation system, individual syndromes collected by mobile personal medical devices associated with respective bodies as the mobile personal medical devices move within an environment, aggregating the individual syndromes at the remote aggregation system, and determining whether an environmental syndrome exists for at least some of the individual syndromes. Related systems and computer program products are also disclosed.
US08684907B2
In an exemplary embodiment an adjustable urethral sling includes a flexible mesh support having a mesh envelope at a suburethral potion and an expansion chamber within the mesh envelope. A conduit may be provided that extends along the flexible mesh support and that is in fluid communication with the expansion chamber. When installed in a patient the sling may loop under the urethra and out exit sites. An access port may be provided in a subcutaneous pocket and attached to the conduit to allow for remote expansion of the expansion chamber from a desirable location to allow adjustment of the sling with the patient in a standing position. The mesh envelope allows tissue ingrowth around the container so that the container can be expanded for a long period of time after implantation. The expansion chamber may be U-shaped to provide lateral closing pressure to the urethra when expanded.
US08684899B2
A method for brachytherapy in a lumpectomy cavity of a breast including, positioning a distal end of a brachytherapy device within the cavity, expanding an expandable surface portion located between proximal and distal ends of the device within the cavity, the source lumen tubes defining a curved configuration within the cavity; and positioning a source of radiation sequentially within one or more source lumens of the source lumen tubes according to a brachytherapy treatment plan. The device includes an inner tube, and a plurality of source lumen tubes located around the inner tube and including distal ends secured together with the inner tube at the distal end disposed within the body cavity, the source lumen tubes comprising proximal portions sufficiently long to extend outside the breast.
US08684882B2
In a power tool, a tubular gear case is disposed frontwardly of a motor and configured to accommodate a planetary gear speed reduction mechanism, a tubular motor bracket is attached to the motor and configured to connect the motor and the gear case together, and at least one pin is pierced through the motor bracket and the gear case to connect the motor bracket and the gear case together. The pin is engaged with a first-stage internal gear located at a first stage of the planetary gear speed reduction mechanism whereby the first-stage internal gear is restrained from rotating and located in position in an axial direction thereof.
US08684881B2
Provided is a transmission gear box for bikes including: crank arms that receive a rotational driving force from rotatable pedals of each bike and transmits the received rotational driving force to a main shaft; a transmission gear unit that receives the rotational driving force from the main shaft and performs a transmission mode shifting operation at a gear tooth ratio according to a selected transmission mode gearshift; a lever manipulation unit that selects one of the transmission mode gearshifts of the transmission gear unit according to manipulation of a transmission mode shift lever, to thus manipulate one of cables connected to the respective transmission mode gearshifts; and a clutching unit that is operated by one cable selected by the lever manipulation unit to thus make one of ring gears of the transmission gear unit fixed in a gear tooth engagement coupling manner and to thereby manipulate a transmission mode shifting process of the transmission gear unit.
US08684872B2
A tensioner for tensioning flexible drives employs an extruded shaft which can provide a relatively complex cross sectional shape to provide anti-rotation features to inhibit rotation of a pivot bushing located on the shaft. The pivot bushing has a frustoconical outer shape, as does the pivot surface of the hub of the tensioner arm which pivots on the pivot bushing. A dampening spring urges the pivot bushing towards the tensioner arm's pivot surface, providing for wear compensation and for dampening. The degree of dampening which is generated between the pivot bushing and the tensioner hub can be selected in a variety of manners: by varying the spring force; by changing the effective contact surface area between the pivot bushing and pivot surface; and/or by changing the coefficient of friction between the pivot bushing and the pivot surface.
US08684864B2
A face insert for golf club head in one embodiment can comprise a substrate comprising a score line groove-free front surface. A cover layer is provided at least on the front surface of the substrate. The cover layer can alternatively overlay at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the substrate. The cover layer comprises a ball-striking surface spaced by the cover layer from the substrate. Plural elongated score line grooves can extend into the polymer layer from the ball-striking surface. In addition, visible markings are interposed between the cover layer and the front surface of the substrate, the visible markings being visible through the cover layer. In one form the visible markings comprise elongated score line markings and target markings in a central portion of the substrate. The visible markings can be screen-printed markings, which are then protected by the cover layer from wear. The cover layer can be molded and can be a polymer layer. The score line grooves can be formed, for example, by molding during molding of the polymer layer.
US08684863B2
A golf club head is presented comprising a sole including a weight member secured to a weight mount. The weight member is preferably constructed so that it has a low profile and so that it interacts with an angled abutment portion of the weight mount to locate the weight member in the golf club head.
US08684861B2
A golf club head has a striking face with a plurality of scorelines including a first scoreline and a second scoreline adjacent thereto. The striking face also has a plurality of auxiliary grooves each spaced from the scorelines. In a first imaginary vertical plane, a first path is formed by a first intersection between the first imaginary vertical plane and the striking face, and the auxiliary grooves have a first concentration no less than 0.17 measured between the first and second scorelines. A second imaginary vertical plane is horizontally spaced from the first imaginary plane. A second path is formed in the second imaginary vertical plane by a second intersection between the second imaginary vertical plane and the striking face. The auxiliary grooves in the second imaginary vertical plane have a second concentration that is different from the first concentration measured between the first and second scorelines.
US08684846B2
Flexibly configurable button panels for electronic devices and dynamic display systems for wager based gaming machines are disclosed. Button panels include a flexible cable, surface mount or other cable connectors spaced along and coupled thereto, and button assemblies coupled thereto via the cable connectors to provide electrical access from buttons to circuit lines. Relative physical locations of buttons are then reconfigurable to form different button panel configurations while the buttons remain coupled to the flexible cable. A dedicated dynamic button panel controller for processing button functions and a button panel identification device having an identification code can also be provided. Buttons can be removably coupled to the cable connectors, and can also include dynamic displays thereupon. Other gaming machine dynamic displays can also be provided. Separate dynamic display controllers can be provided to control dynamic displays directly to alleviate processing burdens on the master gaming controller.
US08684841B2
A storage medium having stored thereon a game program executable by a computer 21 of a game apparatus 1 including touch coordinate pair input means for outputting coordinate information based on a predetermined coordinate system in accordance with a touch operation performed by a player. A first object P1 and a second object P2 are displayed on a display screen based on first object position data DC3 and second object position data DC5. While input coordinate pairs are being detected, the first object position data DC3 is updated based on the input coordinate pairs. The second object position data DC5 is updated based on the first object position data DC3.
US08684840B2
In a game which is implemented as a plurality of player characters move on a map, one or more desired player characters, from among the plurality of player characters, are moved toward a desired position on the map by means of an easy operation.A game is carried out on a game apparatus in which a touch panel is disposed on a front surface of a display device on which a game screen is displayed. All player characters 100 displayed in a range enclosed by means of an operation carried out on the touch panel in such a way as to enclose positions of the player characters 100 displayed on the game screen are set as selected characters. When a pressing operation has been carried out on the touch panel with respect to a position displayed on the game screen, a position on a field corresponding to the position input by means of the operation is set as a destination of the selected characters. In this way, all the player characters for which the destination has been set are moved toward the position of the destination.
US08684838B2
A gaming method for presenting both gaming content based video signals and secondary video signals over a single display using a Display Manager is disclosed. The Display Manager receives one or more video signals from a Gaming Controller and one or more video signals from a system device, and then displays one or multiple video signals on one or more shared displays. The screen may be split between multiple signals, or one or more signals may overlay one or more background signals. The overlaid signals may completely obscure the background signals, or they may provide a level of transparency by allowing the background signal to be partially or completely visible. The Display Manager splits, overlays, superimposes, or otherwise shares the display among the video input signals. A touch router device interprets touches at a touch screen shared display to transform coordinates to enable interpretation of the player's touch inputs.
US08684823B2
Various embodiments are directed to gaming machines, gaming systems, methods, and computer-readable media for presenting a multi-tiered promotional game having a promotional base game component, promotional bonus game component, and a cash giveaway component. According to one embodiment, the gaming system includes a player tracking system having a database of player gaming data that includes a record of multi-tiered promotional game entry points and multi-tiered promotional bonus game entry points. The gaming system also includes a plurality of gaming devices in communication with the player tracking system, wherein each gaming device presents a primary game. The gaming devices also include a secondary display associated with each gaming device, wherein the secondary display is capable of presenting a promotional base game or a promotional bonus game. The gaming system further includes a multi-tiered promotional game server in communication with the secondary display, wherein the multi-tiered promotional game server manages the promotional base game and the promotional bonus game.
US08684817B2
Method and apparatus are described for conducting a secondary game at a gaming device. In various embodiments, a player may acquire equity in the secondary game in such forms as a location of a game character, a number of symbols aggregated, a degree of completion of a puzzle, or a defensive provision. Certain symbols or outcomes in a primary game, however, may cause the player to lose equity in the secondary game.
US08684813B2
Methods and systems for providing a lottery ticket to a player of a hybrid game having a gambling game portion and an entertainment game portion are provided. One or more lottery tickets are generated by a lottery system and transmitted to the hybrid game where the one or more lottery tickets are held in a queue. Attendant rules for issuing a lottery ticket are also transmitted to the hybrid game. The hybrid game receives player actions from the entertainment portion of the hybrid game and, based on the player actions and the attendant rules, awards a lottery ticket to the player.
US08684809B2
Systems, apparatuses and methods for increasing potential payout opportunities using multiple card indicia representing multiple cards. One embodiment involves determining whether any one or more of a plurality of cards of a draw poker hand are to be randomly provided with multiple card indicia representing multiple cards, presenting the plurality of cards of the draw poker hand, including the one or more of the plurality of cards determined to be randomly provided with multiple card indicia, facilitating user identification of which of the plurality of cards to hold, replacing the cards that are not held, and identifying a plurality of resulting hands, each of the plurality of resulting hands including a different subset of a total of the indicia of the cards that were held, the cards that were replaced, and any cards provided with multiple card indicia.
US08684804B2
A photographing device having a game function which determines win/loss of photographing devices based on information regarding image files, is provided with a first parameter obtaining unit configured to obtain a first parameter regarding a first image file which was generated by the photographing device, a second parameter obtaining unit configured to obtain a second parameter regarding a second image file which is stored in another photographing device, a score calculating unit configured to calculate scores regarding the first image file and the second image file based on the first parameter and the second parameter, respectively, a win/loss determining unit configured to determine win/loss of the photographing device and the other photographing device, and generate win/loss information, a recording unit configured to store the win/loss information, in accumulated manner, as intrinsic information which is intrinsic to the photographing device, and a notifying unit configured to output the accumulated win/loss information.
US08684800B2
A body armor cooling system for law enforcement officers or military or security personnel having a hook-shaped nozzle attached to one end of a flexible hose member and a bellows assembly attached to the other end of the flexible hose member. The end of the hook-shaped nozzle is tucked beneath the protective armor that the law enforcement officer is wearing in order to provide a cooling effect. The bellows assembly is connected to the air conditioner vent opening on the dash of the vehicle. The bellows assembly makes an air tight seal with the dash of the vehicle and it can easily be attached and detached. A universal vent attachment system makes the present invention usable in any vehicle.
US08684799B2
An apparatus and method for cleaning carcasses is described and illustrated, as is a device for mixing a cleaning substance that can be used in such applications. In some embodiments, the apparatus and method utilize a multi-phase cleaning substance spraying procedure in which the cleaning substance has desired levels of chlorine dioxide and is delivered to the carcasses at desired flow rates, both of which can vary between phases of the procedure and/or at different locations of the carcasses being cleaned.
US08684780B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a display device including the same, and associated methods, the OLED display including a substrate member, an organic light emitting element on the substrate member, and a liquid crystal polymer layer on the organic light emitting element, wherein the liquid crystal polymer layer is configured to delay a phase of light passing therethrough.
US08684778B1
A paddle device. First and second paddle assemblies each have a paddle blade extending from a paddle end of a paddle arm so that the paddle structures each have a paddle blade end and a paddle arm end. A hand crankable crank shaft arrangement have a center and first and second ends and having handle segments. The paddle arm end of the first paddle structure is coupled to the first end of the crank shaft arrangement and the paddle arm end of the second paddle structure is coupled to the second end of the crank shaft arrangement. First and second handle grips are rotatably coupled to the crank shaft arrangement so as to permit the crank shaft arrangement to rotate with respect to the first and second handle grips when the crankshaft arrangement is cranked. This abstract is not to be considered limiting.
US08684774B1
A wedge connector assembly for forming an electrical connection with an elongate electrical conductor includes a resilient spring member and a cam wedge member. The spring member defines a spring member channel. The spring member channel has a spring member channel axis and is configured to receive the electrical conductor such that the electrical conductor extends along the spring member channel axis. The cam wedge member is mounted on the spring member such that the cam wedge member is rotatable relative to the spring member about a pivot axis to a locking position wherein the cam wedge member captures the electrical conductor in the spring member channel and elastically deflects the spring member.
US08684771B2
An electrical contact is provided for an electrical receptacle. The contact includes a main body, a first segment that is an extension of the main body and substantially parallel to the main body, a second segment substantially perpendicular to the main body and the first segment, a third segment substantially perpendicular to the second segment and substantially parallel to the main body and the first segment, a first wipe that extends from the first segment, a second wipe that extends from the second segment, and a third wipe that extends from the third segment.
US08684770B2
A cable connector assembly has a first connector, a second connector and a ribbon cable connecting the first and the second connectors. The first connector includes a first insulating housing, a number of first contacts and a first shielding covering the first insulating housing. Each first contact includes a first contacting portion, a first retaining portion and a first connection portion. The first shielding has a first grounding section. The second connector includes a second insulating housing, a number of second contacts and a second shielding. Each second contact includes a second contacting portion, a second retaining portion and a second connection portion. The second shielding has a second ground section. The ribbon cable includes a number of wires, each wire having one end electrically connecting with the first connection portions and the first grounding section and having the other end electrically connecting the second connection portions and the second ground section.
US08684766B2
A connector includes an insulator including contact insertion grooves and partition walls positioned therebetween, the contact insertion grooves being elongated in an insertion/removal direction of a thin plate-shaped object inserted into the insulator and arranged in a direction orthogonal thereto; and contacts inserted into the contact insertion grooves, each contact including first and second contact portions, and a connecting portion which connects the first and second contact portions to each other, wherein at least one of the first and second contact portions comes in contact with the thin plate-shaped object when the thin plate-shaped object is inserted into the insulator. A hollow portion is formed in each partition wall of the insulator so as to overlap part of each contact as viewed in a contact arranging direction, and so as to be prevented from being communicatively connected with the contact insertion grooves by the partition walls.
US08684751B2
A connector assembly includes a circuit board, a signal plug and a cable. The circuit board has at least one pair of traces of the same length. The signal plug is disposed at a front side of the circuit board, and has at least one pair of terminals of the same length that are respectively conducted to a paired first signal contacts of the pair of traces. The cable extends from the circuit board in a left-right direction and conducts to the circuit board. An extension direction of the cable is substantially perpendicular to an insertion direction of the signal plug. The cable has at least one pair of differential signal lines that are respectively conducted to a paired second signal contacts of the pair of traces.
US08684747B1
An intelligent tutoring system can be implemented using filters, predictive modeling, and a knowledge warehouse, which allows content to be dynamically selected for individualized presentation to a learner. Such an intelligent tutoring system can be implemented using a variety of techniques, including polynomial vector equations in modeling, extensible markup language storage formats for presentation data, and a knowledge warehouse with information stored in data cubes.
US08684745B2
Method and apparatus are provided for a hand-held planetarium which displays a sky pattern comprising graphical representations of one or more celestial objects. A sensing system comprising one or more sensors provides information about an orientation of the device. A controller receives the information about the orientation of the device from the sensing system and determines therefrom an altitude angle of a pointing axis and an azimuthal angle of the pointing axis. The controller accesses a database of celestial objects and determines, from within the database, one or more selected celestial objects for display based at least in part on a measure of proximity of the celestial objects to the pointing axis. Graphical representations of the one or more selected celestial objects are displayed on a display screen. The planetarium may switch between a normal orientation mode and a downward facing orientation mode.
US08684744B2
An injection training dummy, including a) a three-dimensional shell member which can be penetrated by an injection needle, and b) a closure member detachably interconnected with the shell member, wherein c) the shell member and the closure member constitute a chamber into which liquid can be injected through the injection needle, and d) the shell member and the closure member are designed such that they do not absorb the liquid.
US08684741B2
A method and apparatus for analyzing pattern colorings and evaluating various psychological symptoms or disorders in art therapy are disclosed. The method suggests performance-related elements such as completeness, accuracy and degree of concentration as elements, can objectively and quantitatively rate these elements as well as various color-related elements, can detect the changes of these elements in pattern colorings, can estimate the levels and changes of psychological symptoms and disorders and determine whether the symptoms and disorders are serious or not, can acquire various kinds of knowledge in the field of art therapy and establish a knowledge base, and can interpret the pattern colorings based on the analysis and knowledge base. The apparatus consists of units obtaining inputs of characteristics of clients, analyzing and rating the various elements in the pattern colorings, and outputting various kinds of information to the clients, parents, teachers, and art therapists.
US08684737B1
A firearm trigger trainer, for aiding a trainee in developing a smooth trigger control, has a handle, sized and weighted to represent the actual weight and feel of the real firearm, but without a gun barrel, thus providing a non-threatening, non-fear inducing appearance of the firearm trigger trainer. The trigger member is coupled to a single biasing spring for biasing the trigger member for simulating triggering forces used in firing a real firearm; and the method instructs the trainee to smoothly actuate the trigger member over and over to produce smooth, even pressure to the trigger, thus enhancing accuracy of shots using real firearms. Two or more removable biasing springs having different stiffness are provided for substituting one spring for another to correspond to a particular firearm.
US08684732B2
A system, method and device design to prevent, treat and maintain dental periimplant infections including a dental implant to be inserted into a jawbone of a patient that includes a base segment provided at one distal end of the implant which is configured to be put inside and come in contact with the jawbone, an abutment portion provided on an end opposite to the one distal end of the implant to which an artificial tooth is configured to be attached, and a plurality of removable segments which are configured to be put inside and come in contact with the jawbone and are removably attached to the base segment. If an infection is diagnosed around an implant site, infected removable segments can be extracted while maintaining positioning of the uninfected removable segments and the base segment. The infected removable segments are replaced with cleaned or sterilized removable segments.
US08684731B2
A capsule for receiving and delivering high-viscosity dental materials has a housing which defines an interior chamber. The housing and the interior chamber have a first section, a transition area, and an exit nozzle. The interior chamber of the transition area tapers continuously towards its second end. The interior chamber of the transition area is defined by the outer surfaces of an oblique truncated cone with an opening angle of approximately 55°.
US08684718B2
First, a horizontal nozzle is inserted between an upper mold section and a lower mold section in a horizontally extending state. Then, liquid resin is horizontally discharged from a discharge port of the horizontal nozzle. Thus, the liquid resin is supplied into a cavity. Thereafter the upper mold section and the lower mold section are closed. Consequently, an electronic component mounted on a substrate is dipped in the liquid resin stored in the cavity. Therefore, the electronic component is resin-sealed on the substrate by compression molding.
US08684715B2
A vane machine for expansion or compression of gases, air, engine exhaust, vapors or a mixture thereof, includes a housing with a cylindrical space having inlet and outlet ports, a shaft offset in parallel or eccentric relative to a central housing axis and first and second circular discs on the shaft mutually offset in parallel. Slides are guided by the circular discs and displaceable in direction of an inner housing wall. Vane cells are formed by two neighboring slides and an adjoining region of the wall and volumes of the vane cells in vicinity of the inlet and outlet ports differ. To obtain reliability and efficiency, each circular disc has a plurality of circular arcuate slots, each slide can have a circular arc shape on an end facing the housing, and the circular arcuate part of each slide moves into circular arcuate slots of first and second circular discs.
US08684714B2
An orbital engine with a first outer generally tubular body with a first axis, and a second generally tubular inner orbiter body with a second axis, the second inner body being moveable within the first outer body. The first and second axes are parallel, but not colinear. The second inner body revolves, but does not rotate, within the first outer body Vanes extending generally radially relative to both the inner and outer bodies define multiple chambers in the space between the outside of the inner body and the inside of the outer body. The vanes reciprocate relative to both the inner and outer bodies, and no vane traverses the entire inner surface of the outer body. When fitted with ports in the outer body and valves, the orbital engine may be implemented as an internal combustion engine, gas compressor, liquid pump, air motor, blower, fan or turbine, etc.
US08684705B2
The disclosure describes systems and methods relating generally to filtration. Even more particularly, this disclosure relates to controlling the operation of a pump using filter information. A removable filter can include an electronically readable tag storing filter information. The filter information can be read by a tag reader and rules applied to the filter information to determine whether or how to operate a pump.
US08684697B2
A steam turbine nozzle airfoil with integral inner and outer sidewalls is engaged with an inner ring and an outer ring in a nozzle assembly. Previous designs required large clearances between radial surfaces to permit simultaneous circumferential loading of the inner and outer sidewall into the inner and outer rings. The inventive arrangement provides for breech loading of the inner sidewall into the inner ring which allows near line-to-line radial contact on the hooks between the rings and the integral sidewalls of the Singlet nozzle airfoil. Tighter radial clearance overcome problems with loose assembly such as movement during welding, gaps leading to stress risers and performance issues associated with nozzle throat control.
US08684693B2
The invention relates to a device for adjusting the angle of attack of a rotor blade of a wind power plant, comprising a flexible clad drive train that can be moved by a driving wheel, wherein the rotor blade can be rotated about the longitudinal axis thereof by said drive train in opposite directions. According to the invention, the clad drive train can be moved only in a single plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the driving wheel and engages on a pivot bearing ring forming an end piece of the rotor blade, and the driving wheel is connected to a motor/transmission unit, which is mounted on the hub of the rotor blade, for the individual adjustment of the rotor blade.
US08684691B2
A squealer tip formed from a pressure side rib and a suction side rib extending radially outward from a tip of the turbine blade is disclosed. The pressure and suction side ribs may be positioned along the pressure side and the suction side of the turbine blade, respectively. The pressure and suction side ribs may include chamfered leading edges with film cooling holes having exhaust outlets positioned therein. The film cooling holes may be configured to be diffusion cooling holes with one or more tapered sections for reducing the velocity of cooling fluids and increasing the size of the convective surfaces.
US08684690B2
A variable chord morphing helicopter rotor blade is disclosed. The variable chord morphing helicopter rotor blade includes an extensible quasi-static chord section connected to the rotor blade, an adjusted airfoil chord length of the rotor blade corresponding to extension of the quasi-static chord section relative to a baseline airfoil chord length, the adjusted airfoil chord length determined according to helicopter flight conditions.
US08684677B1
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a variable geometry turbine comprising: a turbine wheel mounted on a turbine shaft within a housing assembly for rotation about a turbine axis, the housing assembly defining a gas flow inlet passage upstream of the turbine wheel; an annular wall member defining a wall of the inlet passage and which is displaceable in a direction substantially parallel to the turbine axis to control gas flow through the inlet passage; at least one moveable rod operably connected via a first end of the rod to the annular wall member, the rod being moveable to control displacement of the annular wall member, the rod extending in a direction substantially parallel to the turbine axis; wherein the rod is provided with a region of reduced radius which extends only partly around the rod, the region of reduced radius being remote from a second end of the rod to which a component of an actuator assembly for moving the rod is connectable.
US08684674B2
A shroud for turbine engines. The shroud has an integrated anti-rotation device that prevents circumferential movement of the shroud during normal engine operation, and which allows for circumferential installation in split annular case designs. Since the anti-rotation device is an integral part of the shroud and/or annular split turbine case, no additional parts are necessary for assembly or disassembly. Moreover, existing annular split turbine cases can be reworked to accept the anti-rotation device and yet still be backwards compatible with original shroud designs.
US08684671B2
A turbomachine casing forming a continuous annular ring extending over 360° around a bladed wheel and serving as a propagation medium for rotating waves, each rotating wave being generated by two standing waves of the same frequency, and the casing including at least one longitudinal stiffener at its outer periphery that is dimensioned and positioned in such a manner as to separate the frequencies of the two standing waves of at least one given rotating wave.
US08684645B2
The present disclosure relates to a removable gate for defining storage areas in a transport trailer. The removable gate includes a first elongated housing, a second elongated housing and a pair of supports. Each elongated housing carries a pair of outwardly biased retractable members. When in the extended position the retractable members engage supports thereby securing the gate in a desired position. Retracting the members permits removal and repositioning of the gate. The removable gate is pivotal about the first elongated housing upon retraction of the second pair of retractable members, and pivotal about the second elongated housing upon retraction of the first pair of retractable members.
US08684642B2
A cutting insert has an upper face, a lower face, a side face, an upper cutting edge, a lower cutting edge and a through hole. The upper face has a substantially polygonal shape. The side face has a first side face and a second side face. The first side face has at least one upper concave part and at least one lower concave part. The at least one upper concave part and the at least one lower concave part are separated from each other through a thick part being continuous along a width direction of the side face. The thick part has a curved region extending in the shape of a wave from one end to the other end in the width direction of the first side face in a side view.
US08684634B2
Provided is a cage for protecting a worker in an excavation. The cage includes spaced apart side panels formed from a material suitably-strong to withstand a force exerted on the side panels by a collapsing wall of the excavation. A plurality of cross members extend between the side panels to substantially maintain a distance separating the side panels when subjected to the force exerted by the collapsing wall of the excavation. And a connection head that is cooperable with a coupler supported by a boom of a piece of mechanized equipment is included to couple the cage to the boom. The connection head is coupled to one or both of the side panels, one or more of the cross members, or one or both of the side panels and at least one of the cross members.
US08684626B2
A permeable paver that has water permeability of on average about 1 inch per hour and compressive strength of an average of about 8000 psi, the paver manufactured by forming a mixture comprising blast-furnace slag, sand, gravel and portland cement into predetermined sizes, shapes and colors as desired utilizing a hydraulic-type or equivalent compacting block forming machine.
US08684621B2
A ball joint includes a joint housing having a recess, a ball stud having a ball head, a sealing bellows having a sealing seat on the housing side and a sealing seat on the stud side in the form of a bellows mouth which is adapted to be brought into contact with the ball stud, a bellows body of the sealing bellows extending between the sealing seat on the housing side and the bellows mouth, and further includes a joint socket, the ball head being accommodated for swiveling motion within the joint socket, and the joint socket being inserted in the recess of the joint housing.
US08684619B2
A device for cleaning debris from a target surface. The device has a sole plate with permanent bristles and a removable/replaceable pad. The device also has a replaceable, on-board supply of cleanser. The pad/cleanser may be replaced when depleted and replaced with a new pad/cleanser or may simply be replaced with a new pad/cleanser when that pad/cleanser is more suitable for a particular cleaning task.
US08684613B2
Apparatus, systems and methods for camera integration with cover glass and for processing cover glass to provide a camera window for an electronic device are disclosed. A camera window can be integrated into the cover glass. The apparatus, systems and methods are especially suitable for cover glasses, or displays (e.g., LCD displays), assembled in small form factor electronic devices such as handheld electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones, media players, personal digital assistants, remote controls, etc.). The apparatus, systems and methods can also be used for cover glasses or displays for other relatively larger form factor electronic devices (e.g., portable computers, tablet computers, displays, monitors, televisions, etc.).
US08684607B2
A thrust sliding bearing 1 includes an synthetic resin-made annular bearing body 5 having an annular upper surface 2, an annular outer peripheral surface 3, and an annular lower surface 4; a synthetic resin-made annular bearing body 7 having an annular lower surface 6; a sheet metal-made reinforcement member 10 having an annular lower surface 8 and an annular upper surface 9; a synthetic resin-made thrust sliding bearing piece 11 interposed between the annular upper surface 9 of the reinforcement member 10 and the annular lower surface 6 of the bearing body 7; and a synthetic resin-made radial sliding bearing piece 16 disposed between an annular inner peripheral surface 13 of a hollow cylindrical portion 12 of the reinforcement member 10 and an annular outer peripheral surface 15 of a hollow cylindrical portion 14 of the bearing body 7.
US08684590B2
A device for mixing powder of the like with a liquid, the device including both a dispersion tube having its bottom portion open and designed to be in the liquid and having a delivery orifice for powder or the like in its top portion, and a mixer located in the dispersion tube and including a first rotary stirrer disposed in the vicinity of the bottom end of the dispersion tube and suitable for creating a first downward stream in the dispersion tube. The mixer further includes a second rotary stirrer disposed between the delivery orifice for powder or the like and the first rotary stirrer, and suitable for creating a second downward stream in the dispersion tube.
US08684585B2
An illumination device and a lens thereof are provided. The lens includes a surrounding sidewall, a light-incident surface, a light-incident structure, and a light-emitting surface. The surrounding sidewall includes two planar portions opposite to each other and two arc-surface portions opposite to each other to surround a reference axis. The light-incident surface is located at a side of the surrounding sidewall to receive a light emitted from a point light source. The light-incident structure located on the light-incident surface includes a plurality of bar-shaped protrusions. Each bar-shaped protrusion includes a plurality of first light-diffusing surfaces not parallel to the light-incident surface. The light-emitting surface is located at the other side of the surrounding sidewall and is opposite to the light-incident surface. The light-emitting surface is substantially circular. A cross-section area of the lens gradually increases from the light-incident surface to the light-emitting surface.
US08684579B2
An electronic device includes a display module, a base and a keyboard module. The display module is pivoted on the base. The keyboard module is disposed on the base. The keyboard module has a plurality of keys. Each of the keys includes a main body and an imprinted structure. The main body has a top surface. The imprinted structure is disposed on the top surface of the main body and includes a light guiding portion and a light scattering portion. A light emitted by the display module illuminates the keyboard module. The light is guided towards a specific direction when the light passes through the light guiding portion, and the light is scattered in other directions when the light passes through the light scattering portion.
US08684575B2
A lighting unit including a lens body can achieve luminous flux utilization efficiency equal to or greater than a conventional lighting unit even with a reduced width of the lens body. A vehicle lighting unit can be constituted by a plurality of the lighting units. The lighting unit can include an LED light source, and a lens body disposed in front of the LED light source so that light emitted from the LED light source can be incident thereon. The lens body can include a lens portion configured to receive the light from the LED light source to collect the light, a front surface including the lens portion, a rear surface opposite to the front surface, a first end surface functioning as a light exiting surface having a substantially rectangular shape greater in width than in thickness, and a second end surface opposite to the first end surface.
US08684572B2
An LED connector assembly includes a housing having a cavity formed therein. A connector interface is positioned on the housing to receive electrical wiring from a power source. An LED package is provided having at least one LED die coupled thereto. The LED package is removably received in the cavity of the housing and retained using features in the LED package and housing. The LED package is electrically coupled to the connector interface to provide power to the at least one LED die.
US08684559B2
Solid state light sources, lighting devices and lamps arranged to provide emission with a warm temperature and high CRI. One embodiment of a solid state lighting device according to the present invention comprises a light emitting diode (LED) device capable of emitting light in an emission spectrum. A filter arranged so that at least some light from the LED light source passes through it, with the filter filtering at least some of one or more portions of the light source emission spectrum. The resulting light source light has a different temperature but substantially the same CRI after passing through the filter.
US08684558B2
A light bar structure including a base, a flexible circuit board (FCB), a first circuit, a second circuit, and a first connector is provided. The base has first and second surfaces. The FCB is on the first surface. The first circuit on the FCB includes N+1 serial first conductive contact pads, N light-emitting elements, and a first conductive wire. N≧1 and N is a positive integer. The second circuit on the FCB includes N+1 serial second conductive contact pads, and a second conductive wire. To form a closed loop, the first connector connects a first one of the first conductive contact pads and a first one of the second conductive contact pads and the second connector connects a (i+1)-th one of the first conductive contact pads and a (i+1)-th one of the second conductive contact pads. 1≦i≦N and i is a positive integer.
US08684554B2
A solar assembly includes a base and at least one LED coupled to the base. An illumination panel having a first end and a second end is provided. The first end is coupled to the base. The illumination panel extends from the base between the first end and the second. The illumination panel reflects light emitted from the at least one LED. A solar panel receptacle is positioned at the second end of the illumination panel. A solar panel housing is removably attached to the solar panel receptacle. The solar panel housing has a solar panel to power the at least one LED.
US08684547B2
A backlight unit and a display apparatus using the same are disclosed. The backlight unit includes an optical sheet, a reflector having a reflective surface spaced apart from the optical sheet and having an inclined surface, a fixture connected to one side of the reflector, and a light source disposed to one side of the reflector.
US08684546B2
Modulated light sources are described. A modulated light source may have first light sources that are configured to emit first light, which has first color components that occupy a range that is beyond one or more prescribed ranges of light wavelengths. The modulated light source may also have a light converter that is configured to be illuminated by the first light. The light converter converts the first light into second light. The second light has one or more second color components that are within the one or more prescribed ranges of light wavelengths. Strengths of the one or more second color components in the second light are monitored and regulated to produce a particular point within a specific color gamut.
US08684541B2
A lighting apparatus used for a projection type display is provided, which can change the incident ray volume to an optical modulation device without changing the optical output intensity of the lamp, and can exhibit excellent effects in expressive power of an image and adaptability to the use environment. The lighting apparatus of the present invention comprises; a light source, two fly-eye lenses constituting a uniform lighting device, and a shading plate arranged between these fly-eye lenses and constituting a dimming device for adjusting the amount of light of the outgoing light from the light source. The angle of inclination of the shading plate is controlled based on an image signal supplied to the optical modulation device, thereby enabling adjustment of the amount of light.
US08684538B2
In various embodiments, a method for projecting at least one light beam is provided. The method may include providing at least one light beam; and setting a time base of a processor configured to control the at least one light beam as a function of a deflection of the at least one light beam.
US08684531B2
An image signal storing unit stores an image signal provided from the outside. An image processing unit appropriately processes the image signal stored in the image signal storing unit in accordance with the instruction from an adjusting unit. A projecting unit projects, onto a display area, light corresponding to an image created by the image processing unit. A display size determination unit computes the display size of the picture plane displayed on a screen based on an image captured by the camera provided adjacent to the projection-type video-image display device. The display size determination unit then determines whether or not the display size of the picture plane is equal to or larger than a predetermined upper-limit size.
US08684523B2
A spectacle lens includes a first region which is located in at least part of a portion of a lens where a pivotal angle of an eyeball of a wearer ranges from 20 to 60 degrees and in which correcting astigmatism has priority over correcting average power based on prescribed power, and a second region which is formed inside the first region and in which correcting the average power has priority over correcting the astigmatism.
US08684520B2
A lens is provided that is capable of preventing or slowing the progression of myopia when worn by a person. The lens has a power profile that reduces on-axis and off-axis hyperopic defocus created by the optics of the eye by creating on-axis and off-axis myopic defocus. The on-axis and off-axis myopic defocus is created by providing light rays that pass through a central vision region of the optical portion and light rays that pass through a peripheral region of the optical portion an increase in positive (plus) power. The overall effect is to prevent or slow the progression of myopia without any perceptible degradation in the person's central vision.
US08684518B2
An elastic miniaturized hinge used in eyeglasses. A first element fixed to the front portion of eyeglasses, and a second element fixed to a temple of the eyeglasses, said first and second elements are rotatably fixed to each other by means of a shaft. A first end portion of the shaft rotatingly fixed to the first element, a portion of the shaft adjacent to the first end portion housed in a through hole made in the second element. A second portion of the shaft is housed in the internal space of a helical elastic and fixed to the shaft, so that the rotation of the shaft and therefore of the second element with respect to the first element is counteracted by the action of the helical elastic.
US08684510B2
A drying device includes a drying unit configured to carry out a drying process on a recording medium by blowing heated air from a discharge port formed at a location partway along the conveyance path of the recording medium as the medium is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction. A drying zone is disposed on the downstream side of the drying unit in the conveyance direction over the front face of the recording medium so that the air blown from the discharge port is retained in the drying zone. An upper surface of the drying zone is defined by an extended surface portion of an outer surface of a housing of the drying unit, the extended surface portion extending from the discharge port toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction to cover the conveyance path from above.
US08684499B2
A method enables multiple inkjet printhead dies to be manufactured by bonding a single wafer to a single polymer layer. Multiple die sites on the single wafer are arranged in a predetermined pattern that corresponds to the pattern in which a plurality of aperture arrays are arranged in the polymer layer. The die sites on the wafer and the aperture arrays in polymer layer are aligned, the wafer and polymer layer are bonded, and the bonded wafer and polymer layer are cut to form a plurality of inkjet printhead dies.
US08684495B2
A liquid ejection head includes: a plate base material; and an actuator; wherein the plate base material has: ejection holes having recessed portions; and an ejection face having ejection openings. The recessed portions include pairs each constituted by two recessed portions located side by side and at least one of which has the ejection openings. A shortest line segment of a certain pair is equal to or shorter than that of another pair, an average value of lengths of the respective recessed portions constituting the certain pair is not larger than that of lengths of the respective recessed portions constituting another pair.
US08684488B2
A liquid ejecting device is provided. The liquid ejecting device includes a conveyer, liquid ejecting heads with nozzles to eject droplets of liquid, an liquid purging unit to purge the liquid out of the nozzles, a detector unit to detect presence of a recording medium, a storage unit to store length of the recording medium, a judging unit to judge whether the recording medium is jammed in a conveyer path, a head identifier unit to identify an overlapping liquid ejecting head assumedly facing the jammed recording medium based on the detected result obtained by the detector unit and the length of the recording medium, and an purge controller unit to control an amount of the liquid to be ejected from the nozzles in the remaining liquid ejecting heads to be smaller than an amount of the liquid to be ejected from the nozzles in the identified overlapping liquid ejecting head.
US08684473B2
A gear pump includes: a drive shaft; a first gear; a second gear; a first plate disposed between the first gear and the second gear, and arranged to liquid-tightly seal the first surfaces of the first and second gear; a pair of second plates disposed, respectively, on the second surfaces of the first and second gears, and arranged to liquid-tightly seal the second surfaces of the first and second gears, each of the second plates including a tooth top sealing portion having a seal surface arranged to seal a tooth top of the first gear and a tooth top of the second gear, and to form a suction portion with the first plate and the second plate; and an urging member arranged to urge the drive shaft toward the seal surface of the tooth top sealing portion of one of the first and second plates.
US08684463B2
An apparatus for selectively moving a seat back of a motor vehicle seat relative to a seat bottom includes an armrest movably mounted to the vehicle seat, a seat back actuator and mechanical linkage engaged with and between the armrest and the seat back actuator. The armrest has a first position that supports an arm of an occupant of the motor vehicle seat, and is movable from the first position to a second position. The seat back actuator is responsive to actuation to allow the seat back of the vehicle seat to be moved relative to the seat bottom, and is responsive to release thereof to block movement of the seat back relative to the seat bottom. The mechanical linkage is responsive to movement of the armrest from the first position to the second position to actuate the seat back actuator and to otherwise release the seat back actuator.
US08684458B2
A swing assembly has a seat with a folding back that locks the swing automatically when the back folds from an upright configuration to a flat configuration so the swing is stable. The swing assembly includes an upper cross bar having two ends, a lower cross bar having two ends and a lateral support attached to each end of the upper cross bar and the lower cross bar, respectively. The swing assembly has a seat with two ends and a back. The back foldably attaches to the seat. A pair of seat supports attached to each end of the seat and moveably attach to a hanging support mounted on the upper cross bar adjacent each lateral support. A lower back support hangs from the seat back to automatically aligns with and lock with the lower cross bar when the swing moves from the upright configuration to the flat configuration.
US08684449B2
The invention relates to a B-pillar for a vehicle including a main section (20) with a hat-shaped section (21) comprising a central flange (22), two web portions (23, 24) and two side flanges (25, 26). At least the hat-shaped section (21) is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa along at least part of the length of the side flanges (25, 26). The B-pillar (13) includes a cover plate (40) welded to the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) so as to form a closed profile, the cover plate (40) having a breaking strength below 1100 MPa at least in the region in which it bears against the side flanges (25, 26). The side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in the region in which the side flanges bear against the cover plate (40).
US08684448B2
A system and method aerodynamic fairings including a gap fairing. The gap fairing includes multiple panels. The multiple panels are interconnected utilizing connectors to form a half conical shape extending from a front portion of a trailer. The gap fairing also includes supports connected to the multiple panels through support structure of the trailer.
US08684445B2
A vehicle door arrangement having a vehicle door for closing a door opening in a bodywork of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, and having a pivoting device, which comprises a carrier arm bearing the weight of the vehicle door and at least one guide arm controlling the movement of the vehicle door, wherein the carrier arm and the guide arm are of the same length and are arranged pivotally mounted on the vehicle door and the bodywork in such a way that the arms form a parallelogram. The support arm is pivotally mounted level with a horizontal bodywork section defining a lower limit of the door opening.
US08684439B1
Telescoping side rails for a pickup truck are extensible, hidden vertical pillars within each side wall of a pickup truck. The extensible vertical pillars are connected at the top by the side rail sitting atop the side walls. A set of telescoping pillars is added to each of the two side walls bordering the bed of the pickup truck. When extended, either manually or via a powered option, the vertical pillars, which are joined at the top by the side rail, form a skeleton structure of a tall side wall. The side rail is an added stabilizing connection. The skeleton structure can be used alone or with added horizontal beams inserted through horizontal access ports in the extended pillars. Preferably, the access ports allow passage of a standard 2×4 or other stake through the pillars to create added structural stability to each set of telescoping pillars.
US08684435B1
A tailgate inner-handle is vertically rotatably mounted and includes: cylinders having sliding holes formed in outer circumferential surfaces along a longitudinal direction; pistons inserted in the cylinders and having fitting holes; a handle mounted at one end of the piston; a carrying bar entering the cylinders through the sliding holes to be inserted in the fitting holes; a motor connected so as to slide the carrying bar; and a control module configured to apply power to the motor according to whether the tailgate is opened or closed. The inner-handle according to the present invention protrudes from the tailgate or returns to an original position according to an opening/closing state of the tailgate, so that a user may more easily and conveniently hold the inner-handle regardless of a height of the user without needing to adjust an opening angle of the tailgate.
US08684427B2
In one embodiment, an energy absorber, comprises: a plurality of crush lobes including a base and sides extending from the base to an outer wall; and a composite insert in the energy absorber. The insert comprises a second plastic material and reinforcement. The second plastic material is different than the crush lobe material. The insert is located at an area of the crush lobes, and wherein the area is the side and/or the outer wall. In another embodiment, an energy absorber comprises: a plastic frame; thermoplastic crush lobes extending from the frame, wherein the crush lobes comprise an outer wall, an extending wall, and a base; and a plastic insert located at an area having a volume of the crush lobes, wherein the insert occupies less than or equal to 90% of the area volume. The insert comprises reinforcement and a plastic material different than the thermoplastic crush lobes.
US08684422B2
The disclosure relates to a fixing mechanism for fixing a component. The fixing mechanism includes a base, a bottom wall disposed on the base, and two lateral walls disposed on the base and connected to the bottom wall. A containing space is formed between the base, the bottom wall, and the two lateral walls. The fixing mechanism further includes a hook. The hook includes a cantilever portion and a hooking portion. The cantilever portion is connected to the bottom wall and for pressing against the component when the component is contained inside the containing space. The hooking portion is connected to the cantilever portion and engages with a lateral surface of the component when the component is contained inside the containing space. The fixing mechanism further includes two engaging parts for laterally engaging against the component when the component is contained inside the containing space.
US08684413B2
A pretensioning device (10) for a safety belt, of a motor vehicle, having a gas generator (17), a piston (21) guided in a tube (16), which closes a pressure area (20) in the tube (16) that is pressurized by the gas generator (17) whereupon the piston (21) is able to move in a pretensioning movement which is able to be conveyed to the safety belt by means of an inertia body (19a) resting on a front face (9) of the piston (21). The piston (21) forms a pass-through opening (1) releasable upon exceeding of a predetermined pressure and a recess (26) is provided in the front face (9) with an inertia body (19a) resting thereon, so that a flow connection is created from the pass-through opening (1) to the area (25) located behind the piston (21) in the direction of the pretensioning movement (S).
US08684400B2
A knee airbag (100) which is deployed between the vehicle occupants and a vehicle structure (2) and a gas generator (4) for filling the knee airbag (100) with inflating gas, wherein the knee airbag (100) has a base chamber (10) which is filled first with inflating gas, and at least one further upper chamber (20, 30) which receives the inflating gas conducted through the base chamber (10). A flow obstacle (12, 23) for the inflating gas is arranged between the base chamber (10) and the one or more upper chambers (20, 30). The one or more upper chambers (20, 30) is rolled up or collapsed and is secured in the rolled-up or collapsed state, the securing (21, 22) being designed in such a manner that it fails when a predetermined degree of filling of the base chamber (10) is reached.
US08684394B2
A snow board comprises an elongate board and at least one binding mounted transverse the longitudinal axis of the board. The binding includes an anchor pivotally mounted on the binding. The anchor moves between two operative positions to lock, and then release, the heel of a boot in the binding. A motor assembly increases and decreases the tension in a cable to move the anchor between the two operative positions. The motor assembly is remotely controlled.
US08684393B2
A ski which when it is flat on a horizontal plane, and loaded at its waist in such a way that the edges touch said horizontal plane at the waist, has a side cut extending between the front and rear contact lines; when it is pivoted around its longitudinal axis and tilted by a non-zero angle α relative to said horizontal plane, and loaded at its waist in such a way that one of the edges touches said plane at the waist, has a side cut extending between two end contact points, front and rear respectively wherein for a tilt (α) equal to 35°, the ratio of the distance (Dα) separating the front end contact point and the front contact line, related to the distance (D) separating the mid-point (9) of the shoe and the front contact line, is more than 12%.
US08684389B2
A tow hitch comprises an elongated tubular shank of rectangular cross-section having four side walls; and at least one tow ball mounted to an adjacent side wall of the shank with a mounting shank extending from a base of the tow ball through a first hole in the adjacent side wall and a second hole in a side wall opposite the adjacent side wall.
US08684381B2
A stabilizer bar for a commercial vehicle which comprises an elongate torsion spring (5), two suspension arms (6, 7) which are securely connected to and extend away from the torsion spring (5) and, between which the torsion spring (5) extends. An actuator (12) is connected in parallel with the torsion spring (5) and is connected to the torsion spring (5) or the suspension arms (6, 7) with the intermediate connection of hinge joints (23, 25) or leaf springs (17, 19).
US08684367B2
Methods and apparatus for regulating the function of a suspension system are disclosed herein. Suspension characteristics often contribute to the efficiency of a suspended system. Depending on the desired operating parameters of the suspended system, it may be desirable to alter the functional characteristics of the suspension from time to time in order to maintain or increase efficiency. The suspension hereof may be selectively locked into a substantially rigid configuration, and the damping fluid may be phase separated and/or cooled to increase damping rate during use (or offset rate degradation). The suspension hereof may generate power usable to achieve any or all of the foregoing or to be stored for use elsewhere in the suspended system or beyond.
US08684366B2
A vehicle height adjustment device affords better footing by ensuring that a vehicle height is lowered upon vehicle stop.A vehicle height adjustment device 100 in a vehicle has means (ECU) for predicting a vehicle stopping predicted time, and when a predicted vehicle stopping predicted time is not more than a predefined reference vehicle stopping time, implementing a vehicle height lowering control mode, and enabling a vehicle height lowering operation through switching of a switching valve.
US08684349B2
A sheet feeder, including; a sheet holding portion; a sheet supply portion; an inclined member having an inclined surface and configured to guide each sheet in a sheet feed direction; and separation protrusions which are provided on the inclined member and each of which protrudes from the inclined surface such that a distal end thereof is located more downstream in the sheet feed direction than a proximal end thereof, wherein each separation protrusion has a contact surface and said each sheet comes into contact with one or more contact surfaces of the separation protrusions, and wherein each separation protrusion protrudes from the inclined surface such that the distal end of one of the separation protrusions is located more downstream in the sheet feed direction than the proximal end of another of the separation protrusions that is located immediately downstream of the one of the separation protrusions in the sheet feed direction.
US08684348B2
A sheet supplying device includes a recording media container to accommodate a stack of recording media therein, a sheet feeding unit to feed a recording medium from the stack of recording media in the recording media container, a frame to support the recording media container and the sheet feeding unit, a holder to hold the recording media container by surrounding the outer circumference of the recording media container, and a locking mechanism to engage the frame and the holder with each other. The recording media container is detachably attachable to the frame in a first detaching and attaching operation and a second detaching and attaching operation. The locking mechanism causes the frame and the holder to engage at removal of the recording media container in the first detaching and attaching operation.
US08684343B2
A composite fabrication vent assembly for connection to an inflatable bladder, the combination of a vent assembly and an inflatable bladder, and a method of mechanically connecting a vent assembly and a bladder. The vent assembly comprises a body member having a first clamping surface, a clamping member having a second clamping surface, and a carriage member interconnecting the body member and the clamping member, with the first and second clamping surfaces in opposing relationship. With the open end of an inflatable bladder inserted between the opposed clamping surfaces, the carriage member is adapted to translate the body member and clamping member toward one another to form an airtight seal with the inflatable bladder. A controlled source of pressurized gas, connected to a gas inlet of the vent assembly, can then inflate and deflate the bladder in a controlled manner through one or more passageways in the vent assembly.
US08684336B1
An improved crown pulley assembly attached to an upper end of a vertical drilling rig derrick mast used in conjunction with an improved top drive assembly which is used within the drilling rig derrick for the drilling of a well, the improved crown pulley assembly having a crown frame supporting a plurality of pulleys with the top drive providing two sets of paired top drive pulleys, the pulleys suspending a single drive cable through the plurality of pulleys with an anchor end of the single drive cable affixed below the derrick and the winch end of the cable attached to a winch to raise and lower the improved top drive assembly within the drilling rig derrick.
US08684316B2
A trailing edge flap mechanism incorporates a support beam, a flap carrier beam supporting an aerodynamic flap, a first link interconnecting a first and second rotation points and a second link interconnecting third and fourth rotation points. The support beam has a ground connection on a first fixed axis of rotation. A connecting link has a ground connection on a second fixed axis of rotation and is connected to the first link intermediate the first and second rotation points. An actuator is connected with a drive link pivotally engaged to the first link for initial forward and aft movement of a nose profile of the Fowler flap substantially parallel to the wing lower surface with extending aft movement providing a rapidly changing angle of the flap with respect to the wing upper surface.
US08684301B2
An aircraft nacelle includes a wave attenuation panel which limits or prevents the propagation of at least one wave produced during the pumping of the power plant and includes a layer that is in contact with the air flow that can allow passage of the at least one wave, at least one alveolar structure, and a reflective or impermeable layer, wherein the wave attenuation panel is inserted between the air intake and the power plant, and the layer that is in contact with the air flow ensures the continuity of the aerodynamic surfaces that are arranged downstream and upstream and the wave attenuation panel includes inserts that can be inserted between the air intake and the power plant so as not to crush the wave attenuation panel.
US08684300B2
An aircraft landing gear comprising: a shock-absorbing main leg having a sprung part for attachment to an aircraft and an un-sprung part including a slider and an axle carrying at least one wheel, the wheel having a toothed ring gear; a drive transmission mounted externally on the sprung part, or on the un-sprung part, of the main leg, the drive transmission having at least one motor and a drive pinion for meshing with the toothed ring of the wheel; and an actuator for lifting the drive transmission into and out of driving engagement with the toothed ring and for maintaining the driving engagement as the landing gear deflects during a ground taxiing operation. Also, a method of operating the aircraft landing gear.
US08684288B2
The method and systems efficiently extract recyclable materials from a mixed solid waste stream. The methods and systems use sizing, density and dimensional separation to produce intermediate waste streams that are enriched in particular recyclable materials. The recyclable materials can then be efficiently sorted from the individual intermediate streams using mechanized sorting equipment.
US08684281B2
In accordance with certain embodiments, a spray system is provided with a spray tip including a core tip structure having a first material, wherein the core tip structure includes a liquid passage extending to a liquid exit orifice. The spray tip also includes a wear resistant coating disposed about the core tip structure, wherein the wear resistant coating has a second material relatively harder than the first material.
US08684279B1
A railroad alignment system for easily and efficiently lifting and aligning railroad tracks during installation. The railroad alignment system generally includes first vertical support and a second vertical support with a horizontal support extending therebetween. The vertical supports are vertically adjustable through use of a pair of adjustment members. A clamp assembly extends downwardly from the horizontal support at a position midway between the first vertical support and second vertical support. Through use of a pair of adjustment members, the clamp assembly may be closed to secure a track in place for alignment and lifting.
US08684271B2
A code that stores a history of what has been done to it and where it has been. The history can be stored in a local memory. The code can be changed based on that history.
US08684264B2
A mobile communication device and a data verification system applying a smart card having double chips are applicable to data verification processing when the mobile communication device drives the smart chip to perform transaction with a front end access device. The mobile communication device includes a wireless communication unit, a processing unit and a smart chip. When the processing unit receives a transaction request sent by the front end access device or the processing unit executes a transaction procedure, the processing unit performs data verification processing during transaction through the smart chip.
US08684262B1
An automated banking machine is operative to cause financial transfers responsive at least in part to data read from data bearing records. The automated banking machine includes a card reader that is operative to read card data from user cards corresponding to financial accounts. The automated banking machine is operative to cause a determination to be made that read card data corresponds to stored data for an account authorized to carry out transactions that transfer and/or allocate funds between accounts. The automated banking machine is further operative to provide users with a receipt for transactions conducted. The automated banking machine is operative to cause the value of cash dispensed or received to be assessed or credited to the financial accounts corresponding to card data.
US08684257B2
A plurality of conductor bars are positioned within slots of a laminated electric steel disc stack, and the ends of the conductor bars are brazed to end rings to manufacture a rotor. The method includes inserting the conductor bars into the slots of the disc stack, providing the end rings with slots for receiving the ends of the conductor bars; positioning spacers of braze material adjacent each end of each of the conductor bars to create a gap between the end rings and the steel disc stack; and applying heat to melt the braze material of the spacers whereby braze material is furnished by the spacers of braze material to braze the first and second ends of the conductor bars to the first and second end rings. Channels are provided in the face of the end rings facing the steel disc stack to drain away excess braze material.
US08684255B2
A method of manufacturing an elongate insert configured to be integrated by CIC in a metal container, including coated yarns bonded together, the coated yarns being formed from metal-coated ceramic fibers. The method includes placing the coated yarns side by side in a bundle and pulling the fiber bundle through a shaping element so as to compact the fiber bundle transversely while forming the fiber bundle so as to have a defined cross section. A metal part incorporating a fibrous insert can be manufactured by the CIC technique.
US08684239B2
An apparatus for pulsed dispensing of liquid. The apparatus includes a syringe body structure communicating with an input passage for pressurized actuation air, and communicating with an exit passage for allowing discharge of the liquid. An air input passage flow air controller is operative to increase the flow rate of the input air in accordance with a relationship that depends at least partially on a reduction of liquid volume in the syringe body structure resulting from a previous pulsed dispensing operation.
US08684236B2
A dispensing apparatus including a product dispenser in which product is dispensed by manual movement of an activation mechanism as, for example, by moving a lever with a person's hand, arm or foot. The dispensing apparatus includes a piezoelectric electrical generator for generating electrical energy as a result of the manual movement of the activation mechanism. The piezoelectric generator is carried on an elongated cantilevered spring member which biases an activation mechanism to return to an unbiased position after deflection by a user to dispense fluid. The electrical energy from the generator may be utilized in the dispensing apparatus to power a data communication unit for receiving information about the product dispenser and transmitting the information to a receiver, preferably but not necessarily wirelessly. The relative amounts of electrical energy generated may be used to estimate the amount of fluid dispensed and the extent to which a fluid reservoir is full.
US08684235B2
A trigger-type liquid sprayer of the present invention is provided with a liquid sprayer body 2 having a nozzle 21 and a trigger lever 22 and a shroud 3 covering the liquid sprayer body 2 and sprays a liquid from a spray hole 211 in the nozzle 21 by a pulling operation of the trigger lever 22. The nozzle 21 is rotatable with respect to the liquid sprayer body 2 and provided so as to open/close a flow passage for the liquid according to a rotational position of the nozzle 21 when an operation lever 24 mounted on the nozzle 21 is rotationally moved, and an abutment portion 31 for positioning the nozzle 21 at a position where the flow passage is opened through abutment of the operation lever 24 is provided at the shroud 3.
US08684230B1
A collapsible container for dispensing viscous materials has a bottle section with exterior screw threads and a cap element with nozzle aperture and internal, mating yet greater in density screw threads so that relative turning of the bottle section with respect to the cap section causes dispensing of material and collapsing of the bottle section into the cap element. The exterior screw threads are provided with uniformly spaced surface discontinuities. The cap element is provided with a resilient, inwardly directed tab which glides over the exterior edge of the screw threads of the bottle section as the bottle section is rotated with respect to the cap element until the tab aligns with a discontinuity thereof which causes an audible or tactile click to be sensed for ensuring uniformity and ease of exact dosing.
US08684227B2
A merchandise display hook for displaying items of merchandise includes a support rod and a helix disposed about the support rod and extending along at least a lengthwise portion of the support rod. The support rod includes mounting structure for mounting the display hook to a display fixture and has a first end adjacent the mounting structure and a second end opposite the first end adjacent the helix for loading the items of merchandise onto the support rod and for dispensing the items of merchandise from the support rod. The merchandise display hook further includes a time delay mechanism attached to the helix adjacent the second end of the support rod so as to define a space therebetween for loading and dispensing the items of merchandise. The time delay mechanism includes a gear assembly configured for permitting the items of merchandise to be loaded onto the support rod at a rate that is faster than the rate at which the items of merchandise can be dispensed from the support rod.
US08684222B2
A tray, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircrafts, including a tray body defining a receiving surface for receiving thereon items to be carried by use of the tray. The tray body includes an interlocking device for releasably engaging an interlocking device of the tray body of a similar tray, when at least two trays are positioned such that the receiving surfaces of the tray bodies are overlapping each other partially. The interlocking device of the trays interacting such that when one of the trays is drawn in a drawing direction, the other tray is moved along in the drawing direction.
US08684218B1
Vessel including a unitary or two-part vessel base having an intermediate wall portion, upper and lower wall portions on opposite sides of the intermediate wall portion, and upper and lower seal rims adjacent the respective upper and lower wall portions. The upper and intermediate wall portions define an upper chamber space including at least one upper chamber. The lower and intermediate wall portions define a lower chamber space including at least one lower chamber. The seal rims include edges configured to provide suction when pressed against a flat surface, preferably when these rims are wet. Lids engage with upper and lower lid-receiving portions, respectively, defined by the vessel base to selectively close the upper or lower chamber space. The two-part vessel base has a mating structure to facilitate selective attachment and separation.
US08684214B2
Provided is a degassing container for a refrigerator in which a portion of air within a storage space is forcedly discharged to allow the storage space to become a low pressure state. The degassing container includes a case, a door, a gasket, a pressing part, and a degassing adjustment part. The case has an opened side. The door selectively shields the opened side of the case. The gasket is interposed between the door and the case and elastically deformed and closely attached when the door is shielded. The pressing part is provided in the door and the case and selectively closely attaches the door by a rotation operation. The degassing adjustment part selectively enters and exits air within the case by operating the pressing part. Therefore, the refrigerator has improved storage performance.
US08684208B2
A container that is re-useable and may be disassembled for cleaning and reassembled and resealed for use as a beverage or foodstuffs container. The container assembly for storing foodstuffs or liquids includes an annular upper body with a first end adapted to receive a cap, and a second open end which connects with an annular lower body including a first open attachment end and a second closed bottom of container end and a seal which is compressed when securing the upper and lower bodies together.
US08684205B2
A device that assists with equalizing air pressure within a bottle with the atmospheric air pressure as liquid is being poured from the bottle and includes one or more relatively short air tubes. The air tubes are situated with an upper inlet rim of the air tubes located flush with or relatively near the bottle rim. Whether an insert or integrated into the manufacture of a container, the one or more air tubes that extend partially into the container allow air to pass into the container as the liquid exits the container. The pressure equalizer not only minimizes or prevents the common glugging effect, but it allows liquid from a bottle to be poured smoothly at any angle and orientation. A cap incorporating a detachable pressure equalizer is also described.
US08684204B2
The invention relates to a locking cover (1), made of a molded plastic material, for a vessel having a neck, intended for locking a plug (4) in the neck (3) of the vessel (2), including a wire-cap (6) which surrounds the plug and the neck, a ring (7) which is attached around the wire-cap (6) and shaped so as to have a central opening (17) providing access from the outside of the cover (1) to the inside of the vessel via the plug, and a cap (23) attached to the ring and shaped so as to close said opening (17). The cap (23) comprises attachment tabs (25) which are spaced apart from each other along the annular periphery of the opening (17) of the ring (7) and which are clamped between the ring (7) and the wire-cap (6).
US08684201B2
The present invention relates to a drinking apparatus including a vent system that removably connects to a drinking container. The vent system is used to create a variety of leak resistant drinking containers, such as toddler drinking cups, baby bottles, and other drinking containers. The vent system includes a substantially rigid disc portion and base portion, the base portion including base air vent channels merging into an integral one-way valve. The vent system provides passage for air from the exterior of the bottle to the interior of the bottle, but it does not allow liquid to exit the bottle via the vent system. An optional anti-bubble tube may be used with the vent system to provide for air entering the inverted container to reach an air pocket formed in the bottom portion of the container.
US08684199B2
A coupler yoke and a coupler draft gear are used in the field of carriages of a railway and aim at solving the problems of lower strength, low safety and reliability and the like in the prior art. The coupler yoke comprises a hollow yoke body with the cross section being in a long concentric-square shape, the inner side surface of the one end of the hollow yoke body is a bearing surface, and at least part of the heavy loading area of the bearing surface protrudes outwards relatively to the end surface of the light loading area. The coupler yoke is used for connecting couplers between the carriages of a train, so that the carriages are connected to form the train for transmitting the tractive force in the transportation; the distribution pattern of the existing bearing surface is changed due to the arrangement of a middle groove.
US08684194B2
A wine rack for mounting on a wall or other surface, the wine rack including at least a first and second pair of support members. In one embodiment, the first pair of support members may support at least a first and a second wine bottle in a substantially parallel relation to the wall, wherein the second bottle is positionable proximate the wall, and wherein the label of the first wine bottle is visible to a person standing in front of the wine rack.
US08684188B2
A hydrophilic filtration membrane having high chemical resistance, high strength, high water permeability and high blocking performance, and being superior in fouling resistance is provided. A hydrophilic filtration membrane containing a hydrophilic polyethersulfone having a contact angle of 65 to 74 degree, a molecular weight of 10,000 to 100,000, and the number of hydroxy groups of 0.6 to 1.4 per 100 polymerization repeating units. The hydrophilic filtration membrane may additionally contain a polyvinylpyrrolidone having a molecular weight of 10,000 to 1,300,000.
US08684186B2
A sifting implement for use with a container, such as a wheelbarrow or bucket. The sifting implement includes a frame having an opening through which compost, dirt, rocks, sand, or other material is sifted. A primary screen is supported in the opening to catch larger items in the material being sifted. Other screens are used for separating different size materials. A bracket is attached to the implement and engages an edge of the container, which allows the implement to be tilted in order to dump the larger items. The sifting implement also includes a containment border disposed around the opening to direct the separated items toward the front of the implement when the implement is tilted to dump the items.
US08684183B2
Described is a portable carrying case for storing and transporting culinary essentials such as cooking equipment, instruments and accessories such as cutlery, spices, cookbooks, scales and other assortment of kitchen necessities. A knife compartment within said portable carrying case may be detached to serve as a standalone knife retaining compartment.
US08684182B2
A package is disclosed including a blister and a folded paperboard card, and having features that provide for the package to be displayed in a self-standing configuration.
US08684172B2
An analyte sensor container system is provided for storing and dispensing analyte sensors. The analyte sensor container system includes a container body having a moveable member received therein. The moveable member may have one or more compartments with one or more analyte sensors supported thereon and a lid hinged to the container body. An elevator mechanism causes relative movement between the container body and moveable member upon opening and closing the lid. As such, the one or more analyte sensors are readily accessible to a user when the lid is opened, and retract into the container body upon lid closure. Methods of storing analyte sensors are provided as are numerous other aspects.
US08684167B2
An apparatus for dispensing a pallet sleeve beneath a load comprises a conveyor component including conveyor elements configured to convey the load thereon in a first direction, one or more stations spaced apart along the first direction and a mechanism for changing the relative vertical positions of the conveyor elements and the stations. The apparatus further includes a pallet sleeve dispenser adjacent the conveyor component and configured for storing pallet sleeves in spaced apart sections aligned with a corresponding station. A drive element associated with each of the stations is configured to engage a pallet sleeve to drive the pallet sleeve from the dispenser to the conveyor component in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A retention mechanism is provided to support a stack of pallet sleeves above a lowermost sleeve being driven from the dispenser to the position underneath the load on the conveyor component.
US08684163B2
A destroying apparatus aims to destroy electronic elements with magnetic substance. The destroying apparatus includes a conveying unit and a destroying unit. The conveying unit includes a collection plane to hold a plurality of electronic elements, at least one picking arm spinning against the collection plane to form a conveying path, a barrier portion connecting to the collection plane to block the electronic elements on the conveying path, and a release passage corresponding to the barrier portion to allow the electronic elements to escape the conveying path. The picking arm includes a magnetic attraction portion to attract the magnetic substance on the conveying path. The destroying unit is located correspondingly to the release passage and includes a plurality of cutting elements and a cutting path between the cutting elements to communicate with the release passage.
US08684154B2
A banknote handling apparatus stores a code list in which codes of banknotes stored in a storage unit are arranged in order in which the banknotes are stored. The banknote handling apparatus reads the codes when the banknotes are sequentially fed from the storage unit, and checks a target group of the codes of N successive banknotes including the last fed banknote (N is a natural number not less than 2) against the code list. When the target group and a reference group of the codes of N successive banknotes in the code list match each other, the banknotes remaining in the storage unit after the feeding of the banknotes are identified by regarding one of the codes of the reference group in the code list as a boundary.
US08684149B2
A brake disk includes a disk chamber and a one-piece component made up of a friction ring having connecting links, a supporting ring and extensions developed on the supporting ring. In order to prevent cracking caused by tensile stresses, which may occur during the temperature increase in response to braking, recesses are developed at the transition between the supporting ring and the disk chamber.
US08684146B2
A wear adjustor adjusts the wear of brake pads and a brake disc of a pneumatic disc brake having a rotary-lever-actuated brake application device. The adjustor is insertable into an adjusting spindle and attached to a caliper of the disc brake by way of a mounting disc. An axial bearing is formed axially on one side of a drive ring and a ball ramp coupling with a freewheel function is formed axially on the opposite side of the drive ring. The ball ramp coupling has balls, has the drive ring arranged at the drive-input side axially between the axial bearing and the balls thereof, and has a drive-output-side clutch ring. A cone clutch is arranged between the drive-output-side clutch ring and a spring sleeve for a cylindrical spring. A torque-dependent coupling with positive restraint is arranged axially between the cone clutch and the spring sleeve.
US08684127B2
An electric power steering system includes a shaft coupling that drivably couples a worm gear to an output shaft such that the worm gear is tiltable with respect to the output shaft. The shaft coupling includes a fixing part coupled to the output shaft and a cylindrical part having an inner periphery in rectangular cross section and fixed to the fixing part. A coupling part that is inserted in the cylindrical part and that has an outer periphery in non-circular cross section, engageable with the inner periphery, is formed at a proximal end part of the worm gear, and the outer periphery is ridged such that gaps that allow the coupling part to tilt are provided inside the cylindrical part. Then, the cylindrical part presses an inner ring of the first rolling bearing toward an axially distal end side of the worm gear.
US08684125B2
An articulated steering load-carrying vehicle (1) with a front portion (2), which by a steering joint (10) is connected to a rear portion (3), and in which the front portion (2) includes a first power engine (12) and at least one forward driven wheel pair (5, 5′), and in which, the rear portion (3) includes a load receiving device (6) and at least two driven wheel pairs (7, 7′; 8, 8′). A second wheel pair (8, 8′) of the at least two driven wheel pairs (7, 7′; 8, 8′) on the rear portion a second wheel pair (8, 8′) is steeringly connected to the rear portion. A system for driving of such a load-carrying vehicle is also provided.
US08684124B2
A suspension system for use with a motorcycle includes a device for producing a supply of pressurized air. The suspension system is operably disposed between a frame member and a wheel frame member of the motorcycle. The suspension system comprises at least one double-acting pneumatic cylinder.
US08684117B2
Various methods and systems are provided for a vehicle with an engine system and a power dissipation system. One example method includes, during directing airflow from an airflow generating device to cool a component of the power dissipation system, and directing the airflow from the airflow generating device to cool a component of the engine system.
US08684110B2
A sidewall coring apparatus for obtaining a plurality of formation cores from a sidewall of a wellbore includes a core catching tube configured to be sealed downhole and to store the plurality of formation cores therein. The core catching tubes includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve concentric with the inner sleeve. The inner and outer sleeves include corresponding slots configured to align in response to relative movement of the inner and outer sleeves, and when aligned the slots of the inner and outer sleeves allow evacuation of fluid from the core catching tube as each of the plurality of formation cores is inserted into the core catching tube.
US08684106B2
A battery pack 10 includes a housing 11, a group of cells 12, a board 13, a plurality of second terminals 14, and a cover 15. An opening 16c is formed in the housing 11. The board 13 has a terminal arranging part 13A. A plurality of the second terminals 14 are arranged on the terminal arranging part 13A of the board 13. The cover 15 has a plate-like shape, and covers an area of the board 13 which is positioned between the terminal arranging part 13A and the opening 16c.
US08684104B1
A detachable head for ramming a pipe casing including an external ring having a first diameter, wherein the first diameter is operatively sized to enable the external ring to engage with an outer surface of the pipe casing, a reaction ring having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter, and operatively sized to enable the reaction ring to engage with a front surface of the pipe casing, an internal ring having a third diameter, wherein the third diameter is smaller than both the first and second diameters, and operatively sized to enable the external ring to engage with an inner surface of the pipe casing, and wherein the reaction ring is secured between the internal and external rings.
US08684102B2
A seeding implement is provided that includes a depth adjustment mechanism configured to facilitate rapid reconfiguration of a ground engaging tool for varying penetration depths. In an exemplary embodiment, the seeding implement includes a ground engaging tool and a packer arm pivotally coupled to a packer support structure. The seeding implement also includes a packer wheel rotatably coupled to the packer arm, and configured to rotate across a soil surface to limit a penetration depth of the ground engaging tool into the soil. The seeding implement further includes a depth adjustment assembly including a slot within the packer support structure, a corresponding slot within the packer arm, and a fastener disposed through the slots. In this configuration, the penetration depth of the ground engaging tool is varied by adjusting a position of the fastener within the slots.
US08684101B2
A temperature-activated valve for a conventional fire sprinkler utilizing a hyperelastic single-crystal shape memory alloy is described. The shape-memory element expands as it is heated, forcing a bolt to break, thereby opening the sprinkler valve. The devices described are less susceptible to accidental breakage than conventional actuators, and have fewer moving parts. Transition temperature of the shape memory alloy can be tuned to a narrow range.
US08684096B2
Anchor assemblies for installation within an existing conduit. The anchor assemblies have a nondeformable mandrel, an expandable metal sleeve, and a swage. The expandable metal sleeve is carried on the outer surface of the mandrel. The swage is supported for axial movement across the mandrel outer surface from a first position axially proximate to the sleeve to a second position under the sleeve. The movement of the swage from the first position to the second position expands the sleeve radially outward into contact with the existing conduit.
US08684094B2
A flow control system for use with a subterranean well can include a flow chamber through which a fluid composition flows, and a closure device which is biased toward a closed position in which the closure device prevents flow through the flow chamber. The closure device can be displaced to the closed position in response to an increase in a ratio of undesired fluid to desired fluid in the fluid composition. A structure can prevent the closure device from being displaced to the closed position. The fluid composition can flow through the structure to an outlet of the flow chamber.
US08684090B2
A telescopic riser section device for a riser which is arranged to connect a wellhead to a surface vessel, the telescopic riser section being placed between the wellhead and the riser and being provided with at least one actuator arranged to apply a downward tensile force to the riser; an actuator-pressurizing circuit being connected to the at least one actuator and being arranged on the riser section and/or on the riser.
US08684089B2
The present invention relates to a fluid circulation system for circulating fluid in a subsea cavity, the cavity being filled with a first fluid and having first and second end ports. The system comprises a container (26) containing a second fluid, fluid lines (21, 27) extending from the container to the first and second end ports of the cavity, respectively, and a pump (22) for exchanging the second fluid provided in the container (26) and the first fluid provided in the subsea cavity (10). The invention also relates to a method for circulating fluid in a subsea cavity.
US08684082B2
The present invention includes methods relating to the setting of fluids or slurries in a wellbore. In one embodiment, a method of isolating a portion a wellbore by preparing a sealant composition comprising a fluid component and a polymeric additive component, placing the sealant composition into a wellbore and subjecting the sealant composition to ionizing radiation. The ionizing radiation can cause bonding between polymeric additive components and create a polymer matrix within the sealant composition that increases the mechanical strength of the sealant composition.
US08684078B2
A system for attaining and maintaining a pre-determined fluid level in a petroleum-producing well having a pump, such as a progressive-cavity pump, and a pump motor having a variable-frequency drive control using two sensors: a pump pressure sensor located at the pump depth and a casing pressure sensor located at the casinghead of the well. A programmable computer is connected to the first and second pressure sensors and the motor speed control so that the programmable computer controls the operation of the pump motor to attain and maintain a target fluid level in the well over a predetermined time interval for reaching the target fluid level in the well. The programmable computer computes an error signal to control a variable frequency drive motor, where the error signal is computed periodically from the difference between in the actual fluid level in the well and the target fluid level in the well according to a rate reference curve. In general, the rate reference curve is generated according to an exponential or hyperbolic function.
US08684073B2
Present invention regards a device for injection and stimulation of fluids in a wellbore, where the device is typically is installed in Christmas trees, wellheads or subsea. The device comprises two separable sections, where the section that is mounted/arranged within the Christmas tree or wellhead, will remain in a closed position even if the other section due to external forces is broken off or in other ways is damaged.
US08684068B2
An apparatus and method for controlling the horizontal oscillation of an edge dam of a twin roll strip caster is provided. The apparatus includes an oscillation unit which horizontally oscillates an oscillation plate in accordance with an oscillation waveform so that an edge dam refractory coupled to the oscillation plate horizontally oscillates, a servo valve which outputs the oscillation waveform to the oscillation unit, and a control unit which applies the oscillation waveform to the servo valve, thus controlling the horizontal oscillation of the oscillation unit. The amplitude, frequency and waveform of the oscillation are variably controlled depending on casting conditions. The edge dam horizontally oscillates, using the servo valve and a hydraulic cylinder, thus rapidly removing edge skull and suppressing the generation and growth of skull, thereby preventing a casting roll or edge dam from being damaged.
US08684061B2
A confined space control cover that covers a man-way to a confined space area that includes a polyester base cover and an attachment perimeter orifice that covers the man-way, a heavy nylon strapping with two ends that is utilized to secure the confined space control cover over the man-way and a plurality of steel eyelets that are disposed on both ends of the strapping. A lock is placed through the eyelets on both ends to secure the control cover to the man-way. The control cover also includes a warning sign disposed on the front of the base cover to prevent persons from entering the confined space area and a maintenance tag that is attached to the strapping to indicate maintenance activity performed near or within the confined space area or man-way.
US08684057B2
The invention is for enabling one piece of rotation driving means 17 to drive to rotate both of an outer side shaft portion 3 of a drum shaft 1 and a screw shaft 4 on an inner side as a driving apparatus 10 of a tire building drum D, including an outer shaft 13 connected to the outer side shaft portion 3, a middle shaft 14 connected to the screw shaft 4, one piece of the rotation driving means 17 connected to the middle shaft 14 by way of a rotation transmitting member 18, and a clutch 26 interposed between the rotation transmitting member 18 connected to the middle shaft 14 and the outer shaft 13, and constituted to transmit rotation of the rotation driving means 17 to both of the middle shaft 14 and the outer shaft 13 in connecting the clutch 26 and transmit the rotation of the rotation driving means 17 only to the middle shaft 14 in cutting the clutch 26.
US08684052B2
The invention relates to a device comprising a profiled rail (10) and at least one fastening element (12) for fixing a machine tool and/or a workpiece to the profiled rail (10). The fastening element (12) is provided with at least one clamping jaw (22, 24) and a clamping means (26) that is effectively connected to the clamping jaw (22) in order to brace the clamping jaw (22) with the profiled rail (10). According to the invention, the clamping means (26) is embodied as an eccentric lever.
US08684048B2
A standalone packaging manipulation apparatus performing predetermined packaging manipulation operations on bags being transported along an arcuate transportation path of a rotary-type bag transportation apparatus, the standalone packaging manipulation apparatus including a main arm that pivots and also extends and retracts in a horizontal plane, a sub-arm provided at a distal end portion of the main arm so as to ascend and descend and to rotate in the horizontal plane, and filling nozzle provided on the sub-arm with a predetermined spacing therebetween and simultaneously filling a plurality of bags with liquid. The operation of these elements is performed by mutually independent servomotors.
US08684046B2
A puncture repair kit has a bottle unit positioned with greater stability. A puncture repair kit includes a compressor device, and a bottle unit in which a cap is attached to an opening in a bottle container which houses a puncture sealing agent. The compressor device includes a compressed air discharge port. The cap includes an air intake port for feeding compressed air from the compressed air discharge port into the bottle container, and a sealing agent/compressed air removal port for removing puncture sealing agent and compressed air in succession from the bottle container by feeding in compressed air. When the cap of the bottle unit is oriented downwards, the air intake port is directly connected with the compressed air discharge port. When this direct connection is made, the basal plane of the cap and the basal plane of the compressor device are flush with each other.
US08684042B2
The aircraft comprises: a fuel valve; an actuator for controlling the valve; and a tank panel extending between the valve and the actuator. It is arranged in such a manner that the bearing point(s) between the panel and a first one of the members selected from the valve and the actuator, and preferably the actuator, is/are provided by means of the second one of these members.
US08684035B2
The invention relates to a quick connect coupling (15) for connecting hydraulic lines, especially in earth moving machines and the interchangeable add-on devices and tools thereof. The quick connect coupling (15) comprises a first and a second connecting part (15a or 15b) which can be releasably coupled along a coupling axis to transfer a hydraulic liquid. In order to avoid axial forces during coupling, the hydraulic liquid to be transferred, in the coupled state, emerges from the one connecting part (15a or 15b) at a right angle to the coupling axis and enters the other connecting part (15b or 15a) at a right angle to the coupling axis.
US08684028B2
A fuel quality traceable and remote system for monitoring and controlling fuel characteristics during transport from a fuel supply to a supplied device is provided. The system includes one or more subsystems that include at least one sensor monitoring the characteristics of the fuel. The sensor operably sends the data relating to the characteristics to a data register-transmitter which sends the data to a base station that uploads the data to a remote server. The remote server is remotely accessible by a user. The system can also generate warning messages to warn a user when the characteristics are outside a tolerable range. Further, the system can automatically or manually interrupt fuel transport when the characteristics are outside a tolerable range.
US08684027B2
A protective cover of the present invention is adapted to be disposed on a wall-mounted faucet. The protective cover includes a cover plate. Two protruding posts, two abutting posts, and two extension posts vertically extend from one surface of the cover plate. Each distal end of the protruding posts is formed with a location hole. Each distal end of the extension posts is formed with a hook portion. Therefore, the protruding posts and the abutting posts can abut against the wall-mounted faucet so as to make the location hole receive the location shafts of the faucet and make the hook portions abut against the faucet. Thereby, the present invention can be firmly disposed on wall-mounted faucets to provide a protective effect.
US08684025B2
A dual faucet structure includes a main body and two metallic pipes integrally formed with a cold water pipe and a hot water pipe of the main body. The main body has a water outlet between the cold water pipe and the hot water pipe. Each of the two metallic pipes has axial protrusions or grooves around an inner wall thereof. The cold water pipe and the hot water pipe have mating grooves or protrusions on outer walls thereof by injection molding to connect with the two metallic pipes. The present invention uses the environment friendly material to form the main body which connects with the metallic pipes. The dual faucet structure of the present invention is cost-effective and provides stable water flow and is environment friendly and has larger torque.
US08684024B2
A spill containment system is attachable to a riser pipe with an axially moveable seal. The spill containment system allows access to a drop tube in the riser pipe via a removable liquid communication assembly. The spill containment system includes a sealed interstitial space, which remains sealed during installation, service and use of the system. The spill containment system is protected by a weather resistant cover assembly.
US08684017B2
So that a drive (38, 50, 52) can be formed in the case of a standing parasol (2) having a mast (12) and a collapsible parasol canopy with canopy and support struts (4, 6), in which the canopy struts (4) and the support struts (6) are respectively connected to an upper or a lower articulation ring (8, 10), and in which the upper articulation ring (8) is connected to a telescopic tube (22) which is guided in the mast (12) and can be raised and lowered and the telescopic tube (22) for raising and lowering is connected to a circulating member (34), it is proposed that the circulating member (34) may be actuated by way of an upper deflection roller (36) and a drive gear (50) that is arranged on the mast (12), and that the upper deflection roller (36) is arranged on a deflection support by means of a deflection roller bearing (28), the deflection support being secured to the mast and projecting into the telescopic tube (22).
US08684014B2
Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method, which can process an entire wafer at a sufficiently high temperature and can sufficiently suppress adhesion of particles on a surface of the wafer, when the peripheral portion of the wafer is processed. The liquid processing apparatus includes a holding part to hold the substrate, a rotation driving part to rotate the holding part, and a shield unit. The shield unit includes an opposed plate opposed to the substrate held by the holding part, a heating part to heat the substrate through the opposed plate, and a heated gas supplying part to supply heated gas to a surface of the substrate held by the holding part.
US08684013B2
An eye makeup fallout protector for use in shielding the user's face beneath the eye during the application of eye makeup includes a planar flexible shield member and supporting handle. The shield member is curved to conform generally to the user's lower eyelid. The handle is removable to facilitate cleaning and replacement of the shield member.
US08684012B1
A hair roller system that comprises a hair roller having a heating element, a battery, and a signal receiver is described. In one embodiment, the hair roller system also comprises a signal output device that allows a user to activate a hair roller to heat after being placed in their hair. Activating a heating element in a hair roller after it is placed in a person's hair avoids burns and discomfort from handling excessively hot rollers. In some embodiments, a hair roller may comprise an on/off switch, a temperature set point feature, and/or a heat duration set point feature.
US08684010B2
A guided medical propulsion capsule driven by strong electro-magnetic interaction between an external AC/DC magnetic gradient-lobe generator and a set of uniquely magnetized ferrous-conductive elements contained within the capsule. The capsule is navigated through the lumens and cavities of the human body wirelessly and without any physical contact for medical diagnostic, drug delivery, or other procedures with the magnetically guiding field generator external to the human body. The capsule is equipped with at least two sets of magnetic rings, disks and/or plates each possessing anisotropic magnetic properties. The external magnetic gradient fields provide the gradient forces and rotational torques on the internal conductive and magnetic elements needed to make the capsule move, tilt, and rotate in the body lumens and cavities according to the commands of an operator.
US08684009B2
Systems and method utilizing microelectronic devices for determining relative positions such as distances and/or angles between at least two points is described. The points may be locations of parts of the body such as the fingers on a person's hand. A first microelectronic device is adapted to emit magnetic signals and at least a second microelectronic device is adapted to receive the magnetic signals, wherein a controller is adapted to communicate with the first and second microelectronic devices. The second microelectronic device and/or the controller are adapted to determine a distance and angle between the first and the second microelectronic devices based on the strength of the magnetic signals received by the second microelectronic device.
US08684007B2
The oral appliance for the treatment of sleep apnea provides greater comfort to the user and maintains an open air passage through the mouth by preventing the tongue from blocking the windpipe during sleep. The appliance has a mouthpiece including a frame of hard material and a tooth tray of softer material that conforms closely to the tooth pattern of the user. A spoon-like tongue depressor extends adjustably from the forward center of the device, the tongue depressor having a downward convex bowl that holds the tongue away from the windpipe of the user. The tongue depressor has a stein captured by and rotating in the adjuster, so that the tongue depressor may be prevented from rotating as the adjuster is threaded inwardly or outwardly in the front of the device. An air passage is preferably provided to each side of the tongue depressor adjuster.
US08684001B2
Methods and apparatus for treatment of medical disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and congestive heart failure are disclosed. A method involves delivering pressurized air, oxygen or other breathing gas to a patient during a respiratory cycle, where pressure of the air is decreased according to an expiratory unloading factor during expiration. The timing and magnitude of the pressure change may be fully automated and responsive to feedback from a motor load sensor, optionally in combination with a pressure sensor.
US08684000B2
CPAP treatment apparatus is disclosed having a controllable flow generator (34, 38, 40) operable to produce breathable gas at a treatment pressure elevated above atmosphere to a patient by a delivery tube (32) coupled to a mask (30) having connection with a patient's airway. A sensor (44, 50, 56, 58) generates a signal representative of patient respiratory flow, that is provided to a controller (54, 62, 64). The controller (54, pressure. In one preferred form the increase in pressure is zero if the treatment pressure before the apnea exceeds a pressure threshold. Below the pressure threshold the increase in pressure is an increasing function of the duration of the apnea multiplied by the difference between the pressure threshold and the current treatment pressure.
US08683991B2
A cooking top, in particular a cooking top suitable for household use, comprises: an upward facing top cover, a first gas burner in turn comprising first flame divider means which put the first burner in operative communication with the outside of the top cover, the flame divider means comprising first flame outlets in turn comprising outlet sections, said outlet sections defining a first crown which defines and at least partly surrounds a first portion of the cooking top, and a second gas burner in turn comprising second flame divider means in operative communication with the outside of the top cover, the second flame divider means comprising second flame outlets in turn comprising outlet sections, the second flame divider means being formed in the first portion of the cooking top, the first and the second flame divider means being separate and independent of each other with the outlet sections of the first and/or second flame outlets facing upwards at least partly.
US08683981B2
A fuel supply system includes a low pressure fuel pump, which suctions and discharges fuel accumulated in a fuel tank, and a high pressure fuel pump, which suctions and discharges the fuel discharged from the low pressure fuel pump and supplies the fuel to a fuel injection valve installed in an internal combustion engine, the low pressure fuel pump, high pressure fuel pump, and fuel injection valve being connected in series, wherein the low pressure fuel pump and high pressure fuel pump are configured in such a way as to be driven or stopped independently of each other, one by each motor, and the pressure of the fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump is made variable by a combination of the drive or stop of the low pressure fuel pump and the drive or stop of the high pressure fuel pump.
US08683976B2
Methods and systems are provided for identifying and indicating degradation of an engine cylinder spark plug. In response to a cylinder misfire event during selected engine operating conditions, followed by an occurrence of a threshold number and/or rate of pre-ignition events in the same cylinder, a controller may determine that the spark plug is degraded. The controller may limit combustion in the cylinder in response to the degradation. Additionally, cylinder pre-ignition mitigating steps may be taken.
US08683971B2
An intake manifold includes a first piece and a second piece. The first piece includes a first branch pipe half portion and an intake air introducing portion. The second piece is connected to the first piece by vibration-welding and includes a second branch pipe half portion, an additional body, and a connecting portion. The second branch pipe half portion is connected to the first branch pipe half portion. The additional body is connected to the intake air introducing portion. The second branch pipe half portion and the additional body are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance. The connecting portion connects the second branch pipe half portion to the additional body.
US08683952B2
An automated cat litter box includes a cat litter tray, a cat litter return bin that collects soiled cat litter from the cat litter tray and that returns recycled cat litter to the cat litter tray, a control unit, and one or more drive units operated by the control unit to drive the cat litter tray and the cat litter return tray to automatically recycle the soiled cat litter during a cat litter box cleaning cycle.
US08683948B2
An animal feeder for mounting to a tree includes a feed storage bin having a bottom opening positioned to deposit feed on to a dispersion disc positioned within a cowling to distribute feed through a directional opening in the cowling by rotating the disc with a timer controlled motor mounted below it and a gripper for mounting on a tree.
US08683939B2
A bookmark for marking pages in a book includes a laminar element for insertion between laminar book parts. A magnetic clip provides attractive clipping force through a laminar book part for gripping the laminar book part. A hinge part defines at least one abutment area in which the hinge part abuts the laminar book part. A releasable page holder includes a flexible element and a page retaining element, the flexible element being attached, at a first end, to the laminar element and, at a second end, to the page retaining element. The first end is located adjacent an edge of the laminar book part and extends from the first end along an edge of the laminar book part, and the second end is movable with respect to the first end by means of flexing of the flexible element away from the laminar book part towards the second end of the elongate flexible element, to enable the page retaining element to engage and retain the page whilst the bookmark is held in place on the laminar book part by the magnetic clip.
US08683938B2
Provided is an underwater posture stabilization system which, by being attached to various underwater equipment such as undersea equipment and underwater vehicles having different shapes and positions of the center of gravity according to their purpose and the like, allows simply and reliably setting their posture in water (basic posture), is excellent in versatility, is not only excellent in posture stability since, when the posture inclines under the effect and the like of tidal currents and pulsating currents, a moment to restore the posture to its original posture naturally acts, but is also capable of easily changing the posture as needed, and also is capable of stably controlling the posture even in the presence of complicated tidal currents and pulsating currents, and is excellent in reliability, stability, and certainty of posture control. The underwater posture stabilization system includes a frame to be attached to an apparatus body of the underwater equipment, a pair of sliding portions arranged so as to be freely movable back and forth on both side portions of the frame, a support member freely movable up and down which is fixed at a lower end thereof to each sliding portion, and arranged upward or obliquely upward, and a floating body arranged at a tip of each support member.
US08683935B2
A mooring leg connector for use with a mooring leg extending up from the sea floor to connect a floating structure to be moored to the seabed wherein disconnection and connection of the mooring leg is done by pulling in and out a connector elongated body extending in the mooring leg direction. The connector has a latch mechanism for fixation of the mooring leg to the floating structure to be moored and preventing movement in the direction of the seabed, and a flexible part with a double articulation axis located at the bottom of the connector body above the attachment member, the connector body being received in a housing which is fixed to a part of the structure to be moored, wherein the latch mechanism includes guiding elements and followers or orientation pins between the body of the connector and the housing.
US08683933B1
The Device object of the present invention is a solid rocket motor integrated into a propulsion system. The system is designed to be effective for most type of transportation including airplanes, submarines, trains, and ships, such as oil tankers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.
US08683918B1
A system for removing debris from tree crop product utilizes a plurality of screening and transport rollers which have disk-shaped members having projections that are curved and extend rearwardly in a direction opposed to the direction of rotation of the rollers, at least a portion of the projections of adjacent rollers overlapping to form voids.
US08683913B2
A piston includes a piston head, a ring zone and a piston skirt having load-bearing skirt wall sections and rear connecting walls which interconnect the skirt wall sections and piston-pin bosses which run on a boss axis that is set back from a piston axis and penetrate the connecting walls. The peripheral lower edge of the connecting walls is convex in relation to an axis and the upper edge of said connecting walls, preferably below the ring zone, is concave in relation to an axis perpendicular to a piston-pin axis. The piston is equipped with a reinforced section in the vicinity of the piston head running radially behind the ring zone.
US08683912B2
A hydraulic cylinder contamination prevention system for preventing large and small contaminants from entering into a hydraulic cylinder, including a hydraulic cylinder rod cover for underwater use with at least one automatic valve for preventing water circulation between the outside environment and the enclosed environment of the cylinder rod cover when the cylinder is stationary, egress of water from the cylinder rod cover when the cylinder is retracted, and ingress of water into the cylinder rod cover when cylinder is extended, and an external and abrasive cylinder rod scrubber.
US08683910B1
A hydraulic cylinder includes a cylinder assembly having a cylinder, defining an inner hydraulic chamber and being for reciprocating receipt of a piston and piston rod therein; a piston rod extending from the inner hydraulic chamber exteriorly of the cylinder; and a piston head assembly connected with the piston rod and disposed for reciprocation within the cylinder assembly. The piston head assembly includes a piston head and a valve assembly including a passageway defined in the piston head and a valve member having an outer surface and being sized and configured for reciprocation in the passageway between extended and retracted positions therein, the valve member defining at least one flat defined along the outer surface and at least one transition surface between the outer surface and the flat, the transition surface forming an angle with the flat of less than 90 degrees.
US08683906B2
A ammunition loading machine is provided. The ammunition loading machine includes a base frame. A rake assembly is mounted to the base frame and configured to index a linear row of cases along a first linear axis. A platen assembly is also mounted to the base frame and is movable relative to the base frame along a second linear axis that is orthogonal to the first linear axis. A propellant hopper is fixedly mounted to the base frame. The platen assembly is movable relative to the propellant hopper to transfer propellant from the propellant hopper to a propellant filling mechanism that is movable with the platen assembly. The rake assembly is adjustable to accommodate multiple different sizes of cartridges. The rake assembly and platen assembly are commonly linked to a cam drive mechanism for simultaneously moving the rake assembly and the platen assembly.
US08683904B2
A target transportation device includes a first transportation portion which is capable of applying a transportation force toward a downstream side from an upstream side of a transportation path to a target, a second transportation portion which is provided on the transportation path at a position at the downstream side with respect to the first transportation portion in a transportation direction and is capable of applying a transportation force toward the downstream side from the upstream side of the transportation path to the target while nipping the target, and a cutting member which is provided on the transportation path at a position between the first transportation portion and the second transportation portion and is capable of cutting the target in the width direction perpendicular to the transportation direction of the target. The second transportation portion is configured so as to be capable of changing a nipping position of the target in the transportation direction of the target.
US08683894B1
A positioning structure for a ratchet wrench contains a ratchet wrench including a driving head, a receiving cavity, a first groove, a second groove, and a hole. The receiving cavity has a driving member, and the driving member having a toothed portion. The first groove has two opposite retaining blocks each having a plurality of locking teeth so as to engage with the toothed portion and having an orifice and a receiving aperture, and between two receiving apertures is defined a first resilient element. The second groove has a directional control member mounted, and the directional control member has a limiting portion, a recessed portion, an actuation portion, and a shaft, wherein a second resilient element is fitted onto the shaft and is inserted into the hole of the second groove, and the actuation portion is inserted into two orifices of the two retaining blocks.
