US09005911B2
A system and method for identifying a botulinum neurotoxin inhibitor employing a botulinum neurotoxin substrate complex having a peptide substrate, preferably SNAP-25, a reporter domain on one side of said peptide substrate and an immobilization domain on the opposite side of said peptide substrate. The botulinum neurotoxin inhibitor is identified by its ability to decrease the relative amount of cleaved complex, detected through measuring a decrease in complex bound to a solid support. The method of the present invention also utilizes novel cells that express a botulinum neurotoxin substrate complex. Also provided are novel stable cell lines that express the botulinum toxin substrate complex and viral vectors capable of efficiently expressing an active light chain of the BoNT within mammalian cells.
US09005909B2
A method of sample analysis is provided. In certain embodiments, the method comprises: a) labeling cells of a blood sample using an antibody that specifically binds to phospho-AMPK or a phosphorylated target thereof, to produce a labeled sample; and b) measuring antibody binding by a population of blood cells of the labeled sample using flow cytometry. In particular embodiments, the method may further comprise, prior to the labeling step: contacting blood with a test agent ex vivo or in vivo; and comparing the evaluation to results obtained from a reference sample of blood cells.
US09005902B2
A method of diagnosing in a host infection by or exposure to a mycobacterium which expresses ESAT-6 comprising (i) contacting a population of T cells from the host with one or more peptides or analogues selected from the peptides represented by SEQ ID NO:1 to 11 and analogues thereof which can bind a T cell receptor which recognises any of the said peptides, and (ii) determining whether the T cells of said T cell population recognise the peptide(s) and/or analogue(s). The method may performed in vivo. Peptides and a kit which enable the method to be carried out are provided.
US09005896B2
The present invention describes methods for amplifying a target nucleic acid wherein target nucleic acids hybridize to capture probe nucleic acids which are immobilized to a support via their 5′ end. The hybridization product is further extended with a polymerase to form a double stranded nucleic acid. To this double stranded nucleic acid, a hairpin nucleic acid is ligated. This ligation product is further amplified and sequenced.
US09005894B2
Disclosed is a method of determining KIR genotypes for one or more individuals in parallel, the method comprising: for each individual, amplifying the polymorphic exon sequences of the KIR genes, pooling the KIR amplicons, performing emulsion PCR followed by pyrosequencing in parallel to determine all the amplicon sequences present in the individual to determine which KIR alleles are present in the individual.
US09005891B2
The invention relates to methods of depleting RNA from a nucleic acid sample. The RNA may be any RNA, including, but not limited to, rRNA, tRNA, and mRNA. The method is useful for depleting RNA from a nucleic acid sample obtained from a fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FPET) sample. The method may also be used to prepare cDNA, in particular, a cDNA library for further analysis or manipulation.
US09005882B2
Correction of reticle defects, such as EUV reticle defects, is accomplished with a second exposure. Embodiments include obtaining a reticle with a first pattern corresponding to a design for a wafer pattern, detecting dark defects and/or design/OPC weak spots in the first pattern, exposing a resist covered wafer using the reticle, and exposing the wafer using a second reticle with a second pattern or a second image field with openings corresponding to the dark defects, with a repair pattern on the reticle or on another reticle, or with a programmed e-beam or laser writer.
US09005880B2
New photoresist compositions are provided that are useful for immersion lithography. Preferred photoresist compositions of the invention comprise one or more materials that have sulfonamide substitution. Particularly preferred photoresists of the invention can exhibit reduced leaching of resist materials into an immersion fluid contacting the resist layer during immersion lithography processing.
US09005873B2
A method for producing a semiconductor device includes the steps of: applying a composition for forming a resist underlayer film for EUV lithography including a novolac resin containing a halogen atom onto a substrate having a film to be fabricated for forming a transferring pattern and baking the composition so as to form a resist underlayer film for EUV lithography; and applying a resist for EUV lithography onto the resist underlayer film for EUV lithography, irradiating, with EUV through a mask, the resist underlayer film for EUV lithography and a film of the resist for EUV lithography on the resist underlayer film, developing the film of the resist for EUV lithography, and transferring an image formed in the mask onto the substrate by dry etching so as to form an integrated circuit device.
US09005872B2
A resist composition including a base component (A) which exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under action of acid, a basic-compound component (C) and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the component (B) including a compound represented by formula (b1), and the component (C) including at least one compound represented by formulas (c1) to (c3) (wherein Z1 represents a ring skeleton-containing hydrocarbon group, Q1 represents a divalent linking group containing oxygen, Y1 represents a fluorinated alkylene group, M+ represents an organic cation, R1 represents a fluorinated alkyl group or a hydrocarbon group, L1+ and L2+ represents a sulfonium or an iodonium, Z2 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, Y2 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group containing no fluorine, R2 represents an organic group, Y3 represents an alkylene group or an arylene group; and Rf represents a fluorine-containing hydrocarbon group).
US09005870B2
According to one embodiment, an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition includes a resin (P) containing a repeating unit (A) that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, is decomposed to thereby generate an acid and at least two types of repeating units B1), (B2) that when acted on by an acid, are decomposed to thereby generate an alkali-soluble group, wherein the alkali-soluble group generated by the repeating unit (B1) is different from the alkali-soluble group generated by the repeating unit (B2).
US09005860B2
An electrostatic-image developing toner contains a polyester resin prepared by addition reaction of a polycondensate of a carboxylic acid component and an alcohol component with an isocyanate-containing compound. The polycondensate has an active hydrogen group. The alcohol component includes a rosin diol represented by general formula (1): (wherein R1 and R2 are each independently hydrogen or methyl; L1, L2, and L3 are each independently a divalent linking group selected from the group consisting of carbonyl, carboxyl, ether, sulfonyl, optionally substituted linear alkylenes, optionally substituted cyclic alkylenes, optionally substituted arylenes, and combinations thereof; L1 and L2 or L1 and L3 are optionally taken together to form a ring; and A1 and A2 are rosin ester groups).
US09005857B2
The present invention relates to a thermochromic color-memory toner containing: a microcapsule pigment encapsulating a thermochromic color-memory composition; and a binder resin, in which the microcapsule pigment shows a hysteresis characteristic that, in a temperature-rise process, decoloration starts when the temperature reaches t3 and the pigment completely reaches a decolored state in a temperature region of t4 or higher, and in a temperature-drop process, coloration starts when the temperature reaches t2 and the pigment completely reaches a colored state in a temperature region of ti or lower, and ti is in a range of from −50 to 0° C. and t4 is in a range of from 50 to 150° C.
US09005856B2
A hydroxygallium porphyrazine derivative mixture including: a plurality of different hydroxygallium porphyrazine derivatives each represented by the following General Formula (A-2): where A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, B3 and B4 each independently represent a nitrogen atom or a carbon atom bonded to hydrogen, with the proviso that both of A1 and B1 are carbon atoms each bonded to hydrogen or only one of A1 and B1 is a nitrogen atom, both of A2 and B2 are carbon atoms each bonded to hydrogen or only one of A2 and B2 is a nitrogen atom, both of A3 and B3 are carbon atoms each bonded to hydrogen or only one of A3 and B3 is a nitrogen atom, and both of A4 and B4 are carbon atoms each bonded to hydrogen or only one of A4 and B4 is a nitrogen atom.
US09005853B2
Provided are a photosensitive resin composition which is excellent in a moisture and heat resistance and provides a cured product thereof with a high elastic modulus at high temperature and which is excellent as well in a hollow structure holding property and a photosensitive film prepared by using the same, a forming method for a rib pattern, a hollow structure and a forming method for the same and an electronic component. In an electronic component having a hollow structure, a photosensitive resin composition is used as a rib material or a cover material for forming the hollow structure described above, and it is characterized by using a photosensitive resin composition containing (A) a photopolymerizable compound having at least one ethylenically unsaturated group and (B) a photopolymerization initiator and a photosensitive film obtained from the above photosensitive resin composition. Used as the component (A) are acrylate compounds or methacrylate compounds, to be specific, an acrylate compound or a methacrylate compound having an amide group and an acrylate compound or a methacrylate compound containing a urethane bond.
US09005850B2
Provided is a photolithography mask capable of forming fine patterns beyond a critical resolution of an exposer without replacing or changing the exposer. The mask includes an at least partially light absorbing phase shift layer and uses a complex wavelength light source.
US09005844B2
On each of upper and lower surfaces of a flat-plate-like support substrate having a longitudinal direction and having fuel gas flow channels formed therein, a plurality of power-generating elements A connected electrically in series are disposed at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction. On each of the upper and lower surfaces of the support substrate, a plurality of recesses are formed at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction. Each of the recesses is a rectangular-parallelepiped-like depression defined by four side walls arranged in a circumferentially closed manner and a bottom wall. That is, in the support substrate, frames are formed to surround the respective recesses. Fuel electrodes of the power-generating elements A are embedded in the respective recesses.
US09005833B2
The invention relates to a system having high-temperature fuel cells, for example SOFCs. A reformer connected upstream of the high-temperature fuel cells at the anode side, a start burner for the preheating of the cathodes of the high-temperature fuel cells, an afterburner and an operating heat exchanger are present at the system in accordance with the invention. Oxidizing agent can be supplied to the high-temperature fuel cell cathodes through the operating heat exchanger. In addition, it can be heated with the exhaust gas of the high-temperature fuel cells. Exhaust gas conducted through the operating heat exchanger can flow in an exhaust gas line together with environmental air and can then be conducted away into the environment as cooled exhaust gas.
US09005816B2
A cathode includes a carbon material having a surface, the surface having a first thin layer of an inert material and a first catalyst overlaying the first thin layer, the first catalyst including metal or metal oxide nanoparticles, wherein the cathode is configured for use as the cathode of a lithium-air battery.
US09005811B2
A composite of silicon and tin is prepared as a negative electrode composition with increased lithium insertion capacity and durability for use with a metal current collector in cells of a lithium-ion battery or a lithium-sulfur battery. This negative electrode material is formed such that the silicon is present as a distinct amorphous phase in a matrix phase of crystalline tin. While the tin phase provides electron conductivity, both phases accommodate the insertion and extraction of lithium in the operation of the cell and both phases interact in minimizing mechanical damage to the material as the cell experiences repeated charge and discharge cycles. In general, roughly equal atomic proportions of the tin and silicon are used in forming the phase separated composite electrode material.
US09005808B2
Selenium or selenium-containing compounds may be used as electroactive materials in electrodes or electrochemical devices. The selenium or selenium-containing compound is mixed with a carbon material.
US09005803B2
A secondary battery that can easily adjust power by disposing a plurality of jelly-rolls for the secondary battery in a case and connecting electrodes of the jelly-rolls in either electrical series or in electrical parallel, with corresponding welds. The secondary battery is constructed with a plurality of jelly-rolls each having a first electrode tab and a second electrode tab protruding from the jelly-roll, a case having an opening accommodating insertion of the jelly-rolls, and a cap plate sealing the opening of the case and bearing electrode terminals on a bottom side of the cap plate facing the jelly-rolls. The first electrode tabs protruding from the jelly-rolls are electrically connected to the electrode terminals and the second electrode tabs protruding from the jelly-rolls are electrically connected to the cap plate.
US09005799B2
A battery module and methods for bonding cell terminals of battery cells together are provided. The battery module includes a first battery cell having a first cell terminal, and a second battery cell having a second cell terminal. The battery module further includes an exothermal reactive layer having first and second sides. The first and second sides are disposed adjacent to the first and second cell terminals, respectively. The exothermal reactive layer is configured to ignite to form a bonding joint between the first and second cell terminals in response to a laser beam contacting at least a portion of the exothermal reactive layer.
US09005790B2
A battery module includes a plurality of rechargeable batteries, and a module case housing the plurality of rechargeable batteries, wherein at least one part of one side of the module case includes reinforcing fiber. Accordingly, the strength of the module case is improved.
US09005786B2
Lithium-ion batteries, unlike other chemistries, may need the voltage of every cell monitored. This may employ a wiring harness or interconnect board that connects the leads of each cell to battery monitoring electronics. These leads can be protected from each other by one or more methods including physical segregation, insulation, and fusing. If a fuse is used it can be located as close as possible to the terminal of the cell. The fuse can be located inside the sealed compartment of the cell itself. The leads would be passed out of the cell in a second location allowing the use of alternative sense lead wiring harnesses or interconnect board designs that save on packaging cost and volume. By locating the fuse inside the cell, design and validation efforts involved in placing a fuse inline with the wiring harness are eliminated.
US09005783B2
A secondary battery comprises an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, a separator for insulating the first electrode and the second electrode from each other, a first electrode tab extending from the first electrode, a second electrode tab extending from the second electrode, and a pouch including a body and a cover. The body includes a receiving part for accommodating the electrode assembly, and a body sealing part extending from the receiving part. The cover includes a covering part corresponding to the receiving part of the body, and a cover sealing part corresponding to the body sealing part. At least two insulation layers and a conductive are provided at the body and the cover, respectively. The first electrode tab and the second electrode tab are electrically connected to the conductive layers of the body and the cover, respectively.
US09005781B2
A perpendicular recording medium having a perpendicular magnetic recording layer and a magnetically soft underlayer structure disposed beneath the recording layer. The soft underlayer structure includes at least first and second soft magnetic layers having different magnetic permeabilities to create a magnetic permeability gradient in the soft underlayer structure. One or more of the soft magnetic layers can be antiparallel coupled. The soft underlayer structure of the present invention having a magnetic permeability gradient advantageously leads to reduced adjacent track erasure (ATE) while maintaining good overwrite (OW) properties.
US09005778B2
There is provided a novel organic compound suitably used for a blue light-emitting device and an organic light-emitting device including the novel organic compound. The organic compound is an acephenanthryleno[4,5-k]benzo[e]acephenanthrylene derivative.
US09005776B2
A compound having a benzotriazole ring structure and a formula (1): wherein Ar is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, aromatic heterocyclic group, or condensed polycyclic aromatic group; A and B are the same as or different from each other and each represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent group of formula (2), provided that A and B are not simultaneously hydrogen atoms: wherein R1 to R8 are the same as or different and each represent a hydrogen atom, a deuterium atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a cyano group, a trifluoromethyl group, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aromatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group, or condensed polycyclic aromatic group; m is an integer of 0, 1 or 2; X represents a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom; when X is a nitrogen atom, the nitrogen atom does not have substituents or bonding groups of R1, R2, R3 and R4; and when m is 2, a plurality of R1, R2, R3, R4 and X each are the same or different.
US09005774B2
In one aspect, an organic light emitting diode device that includes a first electrode, a second electrode facing the first electrode, an emission layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and an auxiliary layer interposed between either one of the first electrode and the second electrode and the emission layer, wherein the auxiliary layer includes a substituted or unsubstituted pyrene-based compound having at least one appended phenyl group is provided.
US09005773B2
A novel substance exhibiting phosphorescence is provided. The novel substance is an organometallic complex represented by General Formula (G1). In General Formula (G1), R1 represents a haloalkyl group having 1 to 9 carbon atoms which may have a substituent. In addition, R2 represents any of an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having 5 to 8 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, and an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms which may have a substituent. Further, Ar represents an arylene group having 6 to 13 carbon atoms which may have a substituent. M represents either a Group 9 element or a Group 10 element.
US09005771B2
Compounds containing 2-azatriphenylene are provided. In particular, compounds containing a 2-azatriphenylene core having an additional aromatic group are provided. The compounds provided may be emissive or non-emissive materials. The compounds may be used in organic light emitting devices, particularly as host materials, hole blocking layer materials, or emitting dopants. Devices comprising 2-azatriphenylene containing compounds may demonstrate improved stability and efficiency.
US09005770B2
Provided are a novel compound, an organic EL element which contains such novel compound and has a high external extraction quantum efficiency and a long service life, an illuminating apparatus and a display apparatus.
US09005764B2
Provided is a windowpane for a combustion apparatus in which a light-blocking layer containing an inorganic pigment powder and a glass powder is formed on a surface of a transparent crystallized glass plate and the light-blocking layer can sufficiently hide an adhesive, a gasket or the like used to fix the windowpane to the body of the combustion apparatus and which can reduce the occurrence of cracks due to heat in the light-blocking layer. A windowpane for a combustion apparatus in which a light-blocking layer containing an inorganic pigment powder and a glass powder is formed on a surface of a transparent crystallized glass plate, wherein the light-blocking layer contains 30 to 50% by mass of the inorganic pigment powder and 50 to 70% by mass of the glass powder and has a thickness of 1 to 10 μm and the inorganic pigment powder has an average particle size of 0.8 μm or less.
US09005750B2
Provided is a transparent conductive film including a hard coat layer having sufficient hardness, a superior abrasion resistance, and a superior soil resistance; also, provided are an electronic device and a touch panel using the transparent conductive film. A transparent conductive film 10 includes a transparent film base 11, a transparent conductive layer 12, and a hard coat layer 13, wherein the hard coat layer 13 is formed of a composition for forming hard coat containing the component (A): a curable compound including at least one of an acrylate group and a methacrylate group; the component (B): a reactive fluorine-containing compound; and the component (C): a reactive silicon-containing compound.
US09005749B2
An intermediate transfer member that includes a mixture of superhydrophobic dimpled polyimide particles, an optional conductive component, and an optional polymer.
US09005748B1
A coating material containing borosilicate flake glass is disclosed, together with methods for the preparation and use thereof.
US09005736B2
An electronic component manufacturing method that efficiently grinds a cover layer provided on a substrate even when the substrate is warped includes the step of forming first grooves at intervals in a cover layer provided on a substrate by repeating grinding with a rotary blade at a pitch more than a thickness W of the rotary blade. Next, at least portions provided in the cover layer along the first grooves are removed to reduce the thickness of the cover layer by repeating grinding at a pitch equal to or less than the thickness W of the rotary blade.
US09005731B2
The present invention concerns a composite plate (1) comprising a first cover layer (3), a second cover layer (5), and a core layer (7) arranged between the first and the second cover layers (3, 5) and having a plurality of cells (9) which are at least partially open towards the first cover layer (3) and which are separated from each other by walls as well as a method of draining such a composite plate (1). In order to provide such a composite plate (1) in which improved resistance to ingress of liquid or formation of liquid accumulations is guaranteed in a simple and continual fashion it is proposed that a draining layer (13) is provided in the first cover layer (3), wherein the cells (9) are at least partially covered by the draining layer (13).
US09005724B2
A composition includes a mixture of a first polymer and a second polymer. The first polymer is selected from the group consisting of a polymer including ethylene residues and vinyl alcohol residues and a polymer including vinyl alcohol residues. The second polymer includes ethylene residues, vinyl acetate residues and maleic anhydride residues. An amount of the first polymer in the mixture is about 50% to about 95% by weight. An ink-printable composition includes the above composition as an ink-receiving material.
US09005719B2
Described herein are organoaminosilane precursors which can be used to deposit silicon containing films which contain silicon and methods for making these precursors. Also disclosed herein are deposition methods for making silicon-containing films or silicon containing films using the organoaminosilane precursors described herein. Also disclosed herein are the vessels that comprise the organoaminosilane precursors or a composition thereof that can be used, for example, to deliver the precursor to a reactor in order to deposit a silicon-containing film.
US09005709B2
A method for fabricating a substrate for transfer printing using a concave-convex structure and a substrate for transfer printing fabricated thereby. The method includes preparing a handling substrate having a concave-convex structure formed thereon; forming a sacrificial layer along the concave-convex structure on the handling substrate; coating a polymer on the handling substrate having the sacrificial layer formed thereon to form a polymer substrate having bumps filling a concave portion of the concave-convex structure; and removing the sacrificial layer from the handling substrate. The substrate includes a handling substrate having a concave-convex structure formed thereon; and a polymer substrate placed on the concave-convex structure and having bumps filling a concave portion of the concave-convex structure of the handling substrate. This process of manufacturing provides a device to be stably performed on an ultrathin substrate and may secure high degree of alignment and high transfer yield in a transfer printing process.
US09005705B2
A method for producing a substrate with a copper or a copper-containing coating is disclosed. The method comprises a first step wherein a first precursor, a second precursor and a substrate are provided. The first precursor is a copper complex that contains no fluorine and the second precursor is selected from a ruthenium complex, a nickel complex, a palladium complex or mixtures thereof. In the second step, a layer is deposited at least on partial regions of a surface of the substrate by using the first precursor and the second precursor by means of atomic layer deposition (ALD). The molar ratio of the first precursor:second precursor used for the ALD extends from 90:10 to 99.99:0.01. The obtained layer contains copper and at least one of ruthenium, nickel and palladium. Finally, a reduction is performed step in which a reducing agent acts on the substrate obtained after depositing the copper-containing layer.
US09005699B2
A method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium includes the steps of (a) forming a perpendicular magnetic recording layer and (b) applying an ion beam to regions between tracks of the perpendicular magnetic recording layer so as to form separation regions for magnetically separating the tracks from each other. In the step (a), a continuous film layer composed of a multilayer film is formed, and CoB layers and Pd layers are laminated in the multilayer film. In the step (b), the CoB layers and the Pd layers are melted by the ion beam so as to form an alloy of metals contained in the CoB layers and the Pd layers to thereby form the separation regions.
US09005698B2
A process of forming an integrated circuit containing a piezoelectric thin film by forming a sol gel layer, drying in at least 1 percent relative humidity, baking starting between 100 and 225° C. increasing to between 275 and 425° C. over at least 2 minutes, and forming the piezoelectric thin film by baking the sol gel layer between 250 and 350° C. for at least 20 seconds, annealing between 650 and 750° C. for at least 60 seconds in an oxidizing ambient pressure between 700 and 1000 torr and a flow rate between 3 and 7 slm, followed by annealing between 650 and 750° C. for at least 20 seconds in a pressure between 4 and 10 torr and a flow rate of at least 5 slm, followed by ramping down the temperature.
US09005697B2
A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: depositing an amorphous silicon layer on an insulating substrate; converting the amorphous silicon layer to a polysilicon layer by a plurality of laser shots using a mask; forming a gate insulating layer on the polysilicon layer; forming a plurality of gate lines on the gate insulating layer; forming a first interlayer insulating layer on the gate lines; forming a plurality of data lines on the first interlayer insulating layer; forming a second interlayer insulating layer on the data lines; and forming a plurality of pixel electrodes on the second interlayer insulating layer, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of transmitting areas and a plurality of blocking areas arranged in a mixed manner.
US09005694B2
The invention relates to a method for providing organic, semi-organic, mineral, inorganic and hybrid thin layers and thin layers containing nanoparticles, by simultaneous or alternate spraying of solutions of reactive partners (that is polymer/polymer interacting by hydrogen bonding, polyelectrolyte/small oligo-ion, inorganic compounds, etc.) on the surface of a solid substrate.
US09005693B2
An artificial fingerprinting solution that includes a heated blend of glyceryl trioleate and artificial sebum configured to approximate the fingerprint oil of a human. The artificial fingerprinting solution may also be included in a kit that also includes an artificial fingerprint stamp that has an artificial fingerprint transfer member that imitates a human fingerprint and is capable of receiving and holding at least a portion of the artificial fingerprint solution when the artificial fingerprinting transfer member contacts the artificial fingerprint solution.
US09005691B2
A method of producing a semifinished confectionary product, such as chocolate or similar, using at least one centrifugal unit for simultaneously grinding and mixing at least some of the ingredients of the semifinished product, and which includes an elongated processing chamber with a substantially horizontal axis, at least one inlet for the ingredients to be processed and one outlet for the processed ingredients, and a powered shaft fitted inside the processing chamber, coaxially with the axis, and fitted with a succession of radial appendixes arranged between the inlet and the outlet; the method including the steps of loading at least a first ingredient of the semifinished product through the inlet; grinding the first ingredient inside the grinding and mixing unit by rotating the shaft at a first speed; loading at least a second ingredient through the inlet, after grinding; rotating the shaft at a second speed to grind and mix the ingredients to form a mixture of the same grain size as the semifinished product; loading at least a third ingredient through the inlet; mixing the third ingredient with the previously ground mixture to form a further mixture; bringing the further mixture to a given temperature to obtain the semifinished product; and transferring the semifinished product to a storage or packaging station.
US09005682B2
This invention relates to a preparation comprising a probiotic bacterial strain and a prebiotic mixture comprising 5-70 wt % of at least one N-acetylated oligosaccharide selected from the group comprising Ga1NAcα1,3Ga1β1,4G1c and Ga1β1,6Ga1NAcα1,3Ga1β1,4G1c, 20-95 wt % of at least one neutral oligosaccharide selected from the group comprising Ga1β1,6Ga1, Ga1β1,6Ga1β1,4G1c Ga1β1,6Ga1β1,6G1c, Ga1β1,3Ga1β1,3G1c, Ga1β1,3Ga1β1,4G1c, Ga1β 1,6Ga1β 1,6Ga1β 1,4GIc, Ga1β 1,6Ga1β 1,3Ga1β 1,4GIc Ga1β 1,3Ga1β 1,6Ga1β 1,4GIc and Ga1β1,3Ga1β1,3Ga1β1,4G1c and 2-50 wt % of at least one sialylated oligosaccharide selected from the group comprising NeuAcα2,3Ga1β1,4G1c and NeuAcα2,6Ga1β1,4G1c. The invention extends to food products comprising said preparation and to the use of the preparation in the prevention and treatment of infections.
US09005676B2
This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for modulating immune system comprising at least one polysaccharide extracted from Radix Astragali, Radix Codonopsis, Ganoderma sinense, or mixtures thereof, and their extraction process. The present invention further relates to a method of modulating immune system by applying said pharmaceutical composition to a subject suffering from cancers, and a method of preventing and/or pretreating and/or treating cancers in the subject, where said method comprises applying said pharmaceutical composition before/during chemotherapy.
US09005672B2
A bioscaffolding can be formed within a post-myocardial infarct region sufficient to cause attenuation of a rate of myocardial infarct expansion. A bioscaffolding may further be formed in the post-myocardial infarct region to cause an increase in posterior left ventricular wall thickness. The gel or bioscaffolding can be formed from a mixture of gel components of different gelation systems. For example, a bioscaffolding can be formed by mixing at least two different components of at least two different two-component gelation systems to form a first mixture and by mixing at least two different components (other than the components that make up the first mixture) of the at least two different two-component gelation systems to form a second mixture.
US09005669B2
Disclosed is a method for improving decontamination in meat, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetable processing using a combination of acid(s) and peroxy compound(s). The method comprises a “stacked” approach, sequentially adding the acid(s) and peroxy compound(s) to an aqueous stream to provide a point-of-use low-pH antimicrobial composition that is highly effective for decontamination of food products, as well as safer for use in a processing facility.
US09005662B2
An article comprising a polyelectrolyte complex comprising an interpenetrating network of at least one predominantly positively charged polyelectrolyte polymer and at least one predominantly negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymer, the polyelectrolyte complex further comprising a plurality of closed-shell pores, the plurality of pores having at least one average transverse dimension between about 100 nanometer and about 1000 micrometers.
US09005658B2
A pharmaceutical pellet is provided, comprising a spherical core containing the active substance with a smooth surface and a coating on the core, which controls pH-independent release of the active substance. With a pellet of this kind, the release of the active substance may follow a profile with a lag-phase from 60 minutes to 840 minutes, where during the lag-phase a proportion of 5 wt. % or less of the active substance is released. Furthermore, the active substance may be released from the pellet with a profile such that, after the lag-phase, the release of the active substance is between 3 and 25 wt. % per hour. The active substance is a metoprolol salt.
US09005642B2
Intumescent fire retardant paint includes an insecticide. The paint can be a latex. Another active agent, for example, a mold inhibitor, may be included. The insecticide may be, for example, a termiticide.
US09005639B2
A process for preparing silicate shell microcapsules comprises adding a water reactive silicon compound to an oil in water emulsion, thereby condensing and polymerizing the water reactive silicon compound to form silicate shell microcapsules having a core comprising the oil phase of the said emulsion. The water reactive silicon compound comprises a tetraalkoxysilane and an alkoxysilane having an amino or quaternary ammonium substituted alkyl group.
US09005637B2
Compositions and methods for combination therapy are provided. The compositions comprise a multiple unit dosage form having both a therapeutic agent and a nutritional supplement. The combination therapy is useful for restoring a nutrient depletion associated with a particular disease state. Additionally, the combination therapy can prevent or attenuate the depletion of a nutrient caused, in whole or in part, by the co-administrated therapeutic drug. Methods of manufacturing the formulations are likewise described.
US09005636B2
This invention relates to oral pharmaceutical compositions of metformin and rosuvastatin. In detail, a pharmaceutical composition comprising metformin, rosuvastatin, sustained release carriers and/or excipients reduces the side effects caused by statins and enhances safety, patients' convenience and compliance with its one-per-day dosage. In addition, regulation of an early effective blood concentration of the drug and maintenance of the drug's concentration at a steady level in vivo by a controlled-release can be advantageously used as a pharmaceutical composition for preventing and treating hyperlipidemia.
US09005635B2
A personal health care article. More particularly, a personal health care article comprising at least one porous disintegratable solid substrate comprising: from about 1% to about 70%, by weight of said substrate, of a surfactant, from about 10% to about 70%, by weight of said substrate, of one or more polymers, from about 0.025% to about 85%, by weight of said substrate, of one or more health care actives, optionally a plasticizer, and optionally an aesthetic agent wherein said article is ingestible. The invention also comprises a process for making a personal health care article.
US09005630B2
The present invention relates to a fusion protein comprising a first peptide and a second peptide linked together with a linker, wherein the first peptide is an allergen and the second peptide is a targeting unit and the second targeting unit peptide is a FGL-2 C-terminal peptide according to SEQ ID no 1. Provided herein are also uses of said fusion protein as a vaccine for treating shrimp allergy, as well as a vaccine composition and methods of its production.
US09005627B2
Contiguous overlapping peptides (COPs) for the treatment of allergic patients by Specific Immunotherapy (SIT) are provided from the sequence of the major allergen of ragweed pollen Amb a 1. Such peptides while providing all potential T cell epitopes are devoid of the three-dimensional structure of the original allergen, therefore reducing their ability to bind IgE.
US09005624B2
Provided are binding molecules that specifically bind to rabies virus and are capable of neutralizing the virus. Further provided are nucleic acid molecules encoding the binding molecules, compositions comprising the binding molecules and methods of identifying or producing the binding molecules. The binding molecules can be used in the diagnosis, prophylaxis and/or treatment of a condition resulting from rabies virus. In certain embodiments, they can be used in the post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies.
US09005623B2
The invention relates to a flu virus hemagglutinin-specific monoclonal antibody which recognizes an antigenic structure present both on the H1 and H3 subtypes of the hemagglutinins of type A flu viruses and on the hemagglutinin of type B flu viruses. Within type B flu viruses, the antigenic structure is present on the hemagglutinins of type B flu viruses belonging to the B/Victoria group and/or to the B/Yagamata group.
US09005611B2
A composition comprises a biological molecule that is susceptible to aggregation, dimerization or hydrolysis, wherein the ionic strength is less than 40 mM.
US09005582B2
A medical delivery system that enables the delivery of therapeutic agents to malignant tissue utilizing delivery agents and heating of the delivery agents thereby causing the release of the therapeutic agents within the tumor is disclosed. The therapeutic agents may be chemotherapy agents, radiation therapy agents, and other appropriate materials. The magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated by the therapeutic agents in a biocompatible coating may be delivered to tumor sites utilizing attenuated strains of bacteria that seek and reside at tumor sites. An alternating magnetic field device with a prescribed frequency range may be used to induce heating of the magnetic nanoparticles in the patient thereby melting the coating and releasing the therapeutic agents within the tumor.
US09005573B2
A new synthesis technique has been developed to prepare a family of coherently grown composites of at least two zeotypes. Examples of these composites are represented by the empirical formula. NanMmk+TtAl1-xExSiyOz where “n” is the mole ratio of Na to (Al+E), M represents at least one metal of zinc, Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 and the lanthanide series of the periodic table, and any combination thereof, “m” is the mole ratio of M to (Al+E), “k” is the average charge of the metal or metals M, T is the organic structure directing agent or agents, “t” is the mole ratio of N from the organic structure directing agent or agents to (Al+E), and E is a framework element such as gallium. The synthesis technique is the Layered Conversion Synthesis technique.
US09005572B2
A device includes a chemical hydride fuel pellet having a plurality of holes extending from a first end to a second end. A plurality of tubes formed of water vapor permeable and hydrogen impermeable material extend from the first end to the second end through the tubes. A container has an inlet for water vapor containing gas coupled to the first end of the tubes and an outlet coupled to the second end of the tubes. A hydrogen outlet is coupled to the fuel pellet.
US09005562B2
A method of purifying ammonia borane is provided whereby crude ammonia borane is dissolved in a basic aqueous solution, the solution is heated to decompose and precipitate impurities found in the crude ammonia borane, and the impurities are separated by filtration. The aqueous solution containing dissolved ammonia borane is then cooled to a temperature of from 10° C. to −10° C., to precipitate the ammonia borane, which is recovered and dried to yield a high-purity product.
US09005559B2
The invention provides an exhaust gas cleaning oxidation catalyst and in particular to an oxidation catalyst for cleaning the exhaust gas discharged from internal combustion engines of compression ignition type (particularly diesel engines). The invention further relates to a catalysed substrate monolith comprising an oxidising catalyst on a substrate monolith for use in treating exhaust gas emitted from a lean-burn internal combustion engine. In particular, the invention relates to a catalysed substrate monolith comprising a first washcoat coating and a second washcoat coating, wherein the second washcoat coating is disposed in a layer above the first washcoat coating.
US09005557B2
A process for reducing the amount of magnesium in a lithium-containing brine by adding an aqueous solution of KCl to the brine to precipitate at least some of the magnesium as carnallite salt is disclosed. Lithium salts prepared using this magnesium removal process are also disclosed.
US09005556B2
A simple, inexpensive and non-corrosive industrial separation method making it possible to separate zirconium and hafnium tetrachlorides from mixtures thereof, a simple industrial method allowing the zirconium/hafnium separation, and a method making it possible to produce fractions enriched with zirconium and containing hafnium at a trace level are disclosed.
US09005555B2
A method for preparing solid ruthenium nitrosyl nitrate, including: 1) drying a ruthenium-containing spent catalyst, and calcining the spent catalyst, and cooling to room temperature, whereby yielding a ruthenium-containing solid; 2) grinding the ruthenium-containing solid to yield a powder, introducing the powder to a fluidized bed reactor, aerating the fluidized bed reactor with nitrogen or an inert gas, charging hydrogen, whereby yielding ruthenium metal; 3) contacting a mixed gas of ozone and air with the ruthenium metal, whereby yielding gaseous ruthenium tetroxide; 4) introducing the gaseous ruthenium tetroxide into a three-stage absorption plant, whereby yielding an acid solution including ruthenium nitrate; 5) adding a solid of sodium nitrite to the acid solution, stirring, and heating a resulting solution, whereby yielding a solution of ruthenium nitrosyl nitrate; and 6) extracting the solution of ruthenium nitrosyl nitrate with anhydrous ether.
US09005552B2
Provided is a new catalyst capable of removing carbon monoxide economically without adding particular reaction gas externally. Also provided are a process for producing and an apparatus using such a catalyst. Impregnation of a Ni—Al composite oxide precursor of a nonstoichiometric composition prepared by the solution-spray plasma technique with a ruthenium salt to be supported and performing reduction treatment allows CO methanation reaction to selectively proceed even in the high-temperature range in which CO2 methanation reaction and reverse water-gas-shift reaction proceed preferentially with conventional catalysts. Selective CO methanation reaction occurs reproducibly with another Ni—Al composite oxide precursor or an additive metallic species. Also, the low-temperature activity of CO methanation reaction can be improved through steps different from conventional catalyst production processes in producing such a catalyst material, whereby the temperature window the resulting catalyst material has can be utilized most effectively.
US09005543B2
Apparatus for punching and solid phase extraction of dried biological fluid spot and related methods
An apparatus for punching and extracting analytes from a dried biological fluid spot includes a tube and a sorbent bed. The tube includes a proximal tube opening, a distal tube opening, and a distal section. The distal section includes a tube wall having a tapered diameter that reduces down to the distal tube opening. The apparatus may also include a tube extension that includes an extension wall having a tapered diameter that reduces from a proximal extension opening to a distal extension opening. The tube extension is movable between an attached position and a detached position. At the attached position, the tube extension is secured to the tube by frictional contact between the extension wall and the tube at the distal tube opening. At the detached position the tube extension is physically separate from the tube. The sorbent bed is disposed at an axial distance from the distal tube opening and in the tube or the tube extension. The sorbent bed has a composition configured for solid phase extraction.
US09005540B2
Hollow conjugated polyelectrolyte (HCPE) microcapsules contain at least one conjugated polyelectrolyte and at least one other polyelectrolyte of complementary charge and the microcapsule has a hollow core. The conjugated polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a multiplicity of charged repeating units where a portion of the charged repeating units form a pi-conjugated sequence. The complementary polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a complementary charged repeating unit to the charged repeating units of the conjugated polyelectrolyte. The HCPE microcapsules can be formed by successively coating a sacrificial core with alternating layers of complementary polyelectrolytes, at least one of which is a conjugated polyelectrolyte. The sacrificial core can be removed to form the hollow center of a HCPE microcapsule. The HCPE microcapsules can be contacted with a medium containing microbes where the HCPE microcapsules associate with the microbes and efficiently kill the microbes when irradiated with light or other electromagnetic radiation.
US09005539B2
A reaction chamber including an upper region for processing a substrate, a lower region for loading a substrate, a susceptor movable within the reaction chamber, a first sealing member positioned on a perimeter of the susceptor, a second sealing member positioned between the upper region and the lower region, wherein the first and second sealing members are selectively engaged with one another to limit communication between the upper region and the lower region.
US09005535B2
An exhaust treatment device includes an inner shell, an outer shell and insulation material positioned between the inner shell and the outer shell. An inlet tube has an end in communication with a cavity defined by the inner shell. A substrate for treating engine exhaust is positioned within the inner shell. A baffle plate includes a plurality of apertures positioned such that the exhaust passes through the apertures prior to entering the substrate. The baffle plate supports an end of the inner shell and the inlet tube.
US09005531B2
An apparatus for the decontamination of air, the apparatus comprising a housing (1) having an air inlet (4) and an air outlet (6) with an air passage (2) there between, means (20) for directing a stream of air through the housing, the housing containing a non-thermal plasma cell (30), an ultraviolet emitting device (40) and an ozone depletion catalyst (42), the non-thermal plasma comprising an anode (32), a dielectric (32) and a cathode (33), the cathode being in the form of a meshed enclosure which surrounds the ultraviolet emitting device and ozone depletion catalyst to form a reaction chamber and Faraday cage. The non-thermal plasma cell may also be provided as a columnar cell for forming an array of cells and the dielectric may comprise water droplets to improve the efficiency of the device.
US09005527B2
A biosensor system determines an analyte concentration of a biological sample using an electrochemical process without Cottrell decay. The biosensor system generates an output signal having a transient decay, where the output signal is not inversely proportional to the square root of the time. The transient decay is greater or less than the −0.5 decay constant of a Cottrell decay. The transient decay may result from a relatively short incubation period, relatively small sample reservoir volumes, relatively small distances between electrode surfaces and the lid of the sensor strip, and/or relatively short excitations in relation to the average initial thickness of the reagent layer. The biosensor system determines the analyte concentration from the output signal having a transient decay.
US09005521B2
The distribution of Ni—Si compound grains is controlled to thereby improve the properties of Corson alloys. The copper alloy for electronic materials comprises 0.4 to 6.0% mass of Ni and 0.1 to 1.4% by mass of Si, with the balance being Cu and unavoidable impurities.The copper alloy comprising: small particles of Ni—Si compound having a particle size of equal to or greater than 0.01 μm and smaller than 0.3 μm; and large particles of Ni—Si compound having a particle size of equal to of greater than 0.3 μm and smaller than 1.5 μm. The number density of the small particles is 1 to 2000 pieces/μm2 and the number density of the large particles is 0.05 to 2 pieces/μm2.
US09005517B2
A method for making a cordierite filter article, including: firing an extruded green body batch composition according to: a first temperature ramping from ambient temperature up to a first soaking temperature; a first soaking at a temperature of at least 1255° C. for at least 2 hours; a second temperature ramping from the first soak temperature down to a second soak temperature; and a second soaking at a temperature of at least 1250° C. and at least 5° C. below the first soaking temperature, as defined herein.
US09005514B2
The presently disclosed subject matter is directed to methods of making and using films that serve as barriers to atmospheric oxygen. More particularly, the presently disclosed subject matter pertains to methods of making and using films wherein at least one layer of the film contains a blend of primary and secondary barrier components. The primary barrier component is present in the layer in an amount of from about 65 to 95 weight percent, based on the blend weight, and comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene unit content ranging from 21 to 30 mol %. The secondary barrier component is present in the layer in an amount of from about 5 to 55 weight percent, based on blend weight, and comprises ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer having an ethylene unit content ranging from 41 to 50 mol %.
US09005512B2
A resist layer constituted by a resist composition (which may include unavoidable impurities) including a polymerizable compound that includes polyfunctional monomers that become polymers having three dimensional structures by cross linking when polymerized and a polymerization initiating agent which is activated by one of light and an electron beam is formed on a substrate. A surface of a mold having a predetermined pattern of protrusions and recesses is pressed against the resist layer. Light is irradiated onto the resist layer to cure the resist layer. The mold is separated from the resist layer under conditions that the temperature of the resist layer is 40° C. or greater.
US09005503B2
A method of making an electrical stimulation lead includes disposing conductive contacts in a spaced-apart longitudinal arrangement within a mold. A portion of a stylet tube is disposed within the mold, and the stylet tube extends through the conductive contacts. Conductive wires are positioned external to the stylet tube and each contact is coupled to at least one of the wires. A non-conductive material is molded between adjacent pairs of the contacts, around the wires, and over the stylet tube, to form a portion of the lead. This portion includes the contacts, the stylet tube, the wires, and one or more non-conductive spacers formed from the non-conductive material. Finally, the portion of the lead is removed from the mold. Another method includes placing a temporary tube around the conductive contacts and forming spacers by introducing flowable, curable, non-conductive material within the tube and between the conductive contacts.
US09005488B2
The invention aims at an aqueous ink for high-temperature electrochemical cell electrodes and/or electrolyte containing particles of at least one mineral filler, at least one binder, and at least one dispersant. It also concerns the electrode and the electrolyte using such an ink.
US09005476B2
Polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys are described as are methods of forming the polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys. The polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys are formed according to a melt processing method that includes melt processing a polyarylene sulfide with a reactively functionalized disulfide compound and a liquid crystal polymer in a one or two step process. The reactively functionalized disulfide compound is added in a stoichiometric amount to react with a portion of the polyarylene sulfide. The melt processing forms a polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer copolymer that is a compatibilizer in the alloy. The polyarylene sulfide/liquid crystal polymer alloys may provide low chlorine content products having excellent strength characteristics.
US09005473B2
A method of removing at least a portion of a silicon oxide material is disclosed. The silicon oxide is removed by exposing a semiconductor structure comprising a substrate and the silicon oxide to an ammonium fluoride chemical treatment and a subsequent plasma treatment, both of which may be effected in the same vacuum chamber of a processing apparatus. The ammonium fluoride chemical treatment converts the silicon oxide to a solid reaction product in a self-limiting reaction, the solid reaction product then being volatilized by the plasma treatment. The plasma treatment includes a plasma having an ion bombardment energy of less than or equal to approximately 20 eV. An ammonium fluoride chemical treatment including an alkylated ammonia derivative and hydrogen fluoride is also disclosed.
US09005468B2
The invention relates to a ternary composition comprising difluoromethane, 3,3,3-trifluoropropene and a hydrocarbon-derived compound containing at least two fluorine atoms and having a boiling point of between −30 and −18° C., which is selected from 1,1-difluoroethane, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene and 1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene. This composition is particularly suitable for use as a heat-transfer fluid in the presence of countercurrent heat exchangers.
US09005461B2
A plasma monitoring method using a sensor, the sensor having a substrate; a first electrode, the first electrode being a conductive electrode and formed on the substrate while being isolated from the substrate; an insulating film formed on the first electrode; a contact hole formed in the insulating film and having a depth from a surface of the insulating film to the first electrode; and a second electrode, the second electrode being a conductive electrode, formed on the surface of the insulating film, and faced to plasma during a plasma process, the plasma monitoring method including measuring and monitoring potentials of the first electrode and the second electrode or a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode during the plasma process is disclosed. A plasma monitoring system carrying out the plasma monitoring method is also disclosed.
US09005460B2
The present invention provides methods of selectively removing one or more graphene layers from a graphene material by: (1) applying a metal to a surface of the graphene material; and (2) applying a hydrogen containing solution to the surface of the graphene material that is associated with the metal. The hydrogen containing solution dissolves the metal along with one or more layers of graphene associated with the metal, thereby removing the layer(s) of graphene from the graphene material. In some embodiments, the hydrogen containing solution is an acidic solution, such as hydrochloric acid. In some embodiments, the metal is zinc. In some embodiments, the methods of the present invention are utilized to selectively remove one or more layers of graphene from one or more targeted sites on the surface of a graphene material.
US09005457B2
The present invention relates to a counter electrode for DSSC which includes a porous membrane include a carbon-based material calcinated at high temperature and a platinum nano-particles and maintains higher conductivity than a thin membrane and in which the electrolyte moves smoothly, a method of preparing the same, and a DSSC using the same which is improved in photoelectric efficiency.
US09005455B2
A device for extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the device being characterized in that it comprises: a main duct for conveying a flow of said suspension, the duct being of a length that is sufficient to enable a layer of said suspension to develop that is depleted in solid phase; flow disturbance means for disturbing the flow of said suspension, said means being provided in the main duct and being adapted to cause at least one recirculation vortex to form so as to increase locally the thickness of said depleted layer; and liquid extraction means disposed in a region of the device where said suspension is enriched in liquid phase as a result of said recirculation vortex.A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising injecting said suspension into such a device at a flow rate suitable for causing at least one recirculation vortex to be formed, and extracting a fraction of said suspension that is enriched in liquid as a result of said vortex.
US09005449B2
A method of reducing disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants including contacting the water with an amount of a non-decomposed moss effective to reduce the level of disinfection by-products. A method of determining the effectiveness of a first method of reducing disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants, the first method including contacting the water with an amount of a non-decomposed moss effective to reduce the level of disinfection by-products, the method including determining the effectiveness of the first method by measuring the level of the disinfection by-products in water treated with disinfectants and contacted with the amount of non-decomposed moss.
US09005434B2
A water filter including a housing, at least one cylindrical filter component disposed within the housing, an inflow pipe extending through, and parallel to a longitudinal axis of, the at least one cylindrical filter component, the inflow pipe including a series of openings arranged along the length of the inflow pipe so as to cause a cyclonic motion of the contaminated water out of the inflow pipe and into contact with the at least one cylindrical filter component, a first outflow pipe that delivers filtered water from the at least one cylindrical filter component, and a second outflow pipe that delivers contaminants from the at least one cylindrical filter component.
US09005433B2
An oxidative treatment process, e.g., oxidative desulfurization or denitrification, is provided in which the oxidant is produced in-situ using an aromatic-rich portion of the original liquid hydrocarbon feedstock. The process reduces or replaces the need for the separate introduction of liquid oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxide and organic hydroperoxide in an oxidative treatment process.
US09005426B2
Described are methods and systems to apply a plurality of test voltages to the test strip and measure at least a current transient output resulting from an electrochemical reaction in a test chamber of the test strip so that a glucose concentration can be determined that are generally insensitive to other substances in the body fluid sample that could affect the precision and accuracy of the glucose concentration.
US09005425B2
Methods, systems, and compounds for detecting modified nucleic acid bases are disclosed and described. The methods provide for detecting a nucleic acid lesion and can include directing a nucleic acid adduct into a channel, wherein the nucleic acid adduct includes a nucleic acid having a lesion and a current modulating compound coupled to the nucleic acid at the lesion (110), and measuring a change in current through the channel in response to the current modulating compound to detect the lesion (112). The method can optionally include forming the nucleic acid adduct. Also provided is a method for identifying the number of repeat nucleotides in at least a portion of a nucleic acid strand, a method of assigning a registration marker within a nucleic acid, and a method of obtaining sequence information from a nucleic acid comprising assigning a registration marker on the nucleic acid.
US09005418B2
Proteins that are electrophoretically separated in a gel are derivatized to produce fluorescent emissions by incorporating halo-substituted organic compounds into one or both of the electrode buffer solutions at the two ends of the gel. The halo-substituted compounds used are ones that bear an electric charge at the pH of the buffer solutions and gel, and the polarity of the charge on the compounds is such that the compounds migrate from the electrode buffer into the gel under the electrophoretic influence concurrently with the migration of the proteins into the gel. Once the proteins are separated and distributed within the gel and the gel is fully penetrated with the halo-substituted compounds, the gel is irradiated with ultraviolet light to induce a reaction between the halo-substituted compounds and the proteins through the tryptophan residues on the proteins, producing fluorescent reaction products.
US09005412B2
An exemplary electrolyzer includes an electrode plate assembly including a plurality of perforated electrode plates and electrically conductive busbars. The plurality of electrode plates includes one or more positive electrode plates interleaved with one or more negative electrode plates. Each electrode plate has a first aperture and a second aperture, the second aperture being larger than the first aperture and lined with a non-conductive grommet. The plurality of electrically conductive busbars includes a first positive conductive busbar and a first negative conductive busbar. Respective conductive busbars extend through the first aperture of corresponding positive and negative electrodes and through the non-conductive grommet of the second aperture of each corresponding negative and positive electrode. The first positive conductive busbar is in electrical contact with each positive electrode and insulated from each negative electrode, and the first negative conductive busbar is in electrical contact with each negative electrode and insulated from each positive electrode.
US09005411B2
An electrochemical compressor includes one or more electrochemical cells through which a working fluid flows, and an external electrical energy source electrically connected to the electrochemical cell. Each electrochemical cell includes an anode connected to the electrical energy source; a cathode connected to the electrical energy source; an ion exchange membrane disposed between and in electrical contact with the cathode and the anode to pass an electrochemically motive material of the working fluid from the anode to the cathode, the ion exchange membrane comprising polar ionic groups attached to nonpolar chains; and a non-aqueous solvent comprising polar molecules, the polar molecules of the non-aqueous solvent being associated with and electrostatically attracted to the polar ionic groups of the ion exchange membrane.
US09005406B2
A method and a system for producing a change in a medium. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the energy modulation agent.
US09005404B2
An accelerated vapor recompression apparatus 10 converts incoming flow 35a to a concentrate 35c by developing a concentration profile 146 within a tank 30 holding a liquid 23 containing dissolved solids. The resulting curve 160 of saturation temperature of the stratified liquid 23 (such as a brine 23 or other material 23) moves away from the curve 162 corresponding to fully mixed conditions. The shift 174, 180 in saturation temperature results in increased boiling without increased energy from a heater 70 or compressor 50. A method 90, 200 of control of the system provides interventions 203, 204, 205, 206 at different levels 92, 94, 96, 98 of control, ranging from mass flows 35 to work of a compressor 50, heat from a heater 70, and a predictive processing 215 of feedback 217 for controlling commands 216 algorithmically.
US09005392B2
A method of joining substrate portions includes positioning the substrate portions such that the substrate portions overlap at an overlap area. The substrate portions each have a melting temperature and an outer surface. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrate portions. A jet of the heated fluid is directed from a fluid orifice onto the substrate portions at the overlap area. The heated fluid penetrates at least one of the outer surfaces of the substrate portions. The substrate portions are at least partially melted using the heated fluid. The substrate portions are compressed using a pressure applying surface adjacent the fluid orifice to join the substrate portions together at the overlap area.
US09005390B2
A room temperature bonding apparatus includes angle adjustment means supporting a first sample stage holding a first substrate so as to be able to change a direction of the first sample stage; a first driving device driving the first stage in a first direction; a second driving device driving a second sample stage holding a second substrate in a second direction not parallel to the first direction; and a carriage support table supporting the second sample stage in the first direction when the second substrate and the first substrate are brought into contact. The apparatus can impose a load exceeding a withstand load of the second driving device on the first and second substrates. Further, the apparatus uses angle adjustment means to change direction of the first substrate to be parallel with the second substrate and uniformly impose the larger load on a bonding surface.
US09005389B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for a bubble-free bonding of large-surface glass panes in an automatic production process. An embodiment of the device comprises: a) a pivoting bench plate having a securing device for receiving a glass pane, b) a barrier material application head having a camera for monitoring, at least one ventilation element being mounted by a mounting head, c) an adhesive metering and application head having a process control sensor for the application of adhesive, d) a gripping device having a covering plate gripper for receiving a covering plate, and e) a vacuum suction device and a closing device for the ventilation system.
US09005387B2
A method for fabricating a window member for a display device of a portable terminal includes: fabricating a high-hardness sheet to be attached to a surface of the window member (‘sheet fabrication step’), fabricating a body of the window member with a high-polymer synthetic resin (‘body fabrication step’), and attaching the high-hardness sheet to an outer surface of the body (‘attaching step’), in which the outer surface of the body is formed to have a curved surface in the body fabrication step.
US09005381B2
A method of molding a wind turbine blade in a mold is provided. The method includes applying a film to an inside surface of a mold, assembling component layers for the wind turbine blade on the film, performing curing to harden the component layers, and subsequently removing the cured wind turbine blade from the mold. Also provided is a film suitable for use in a wind turbine blade molding process and a mold suitable for molding a wind turbine blade.
US09005379B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing a pipe, particularly for supplying fuel to an engine, comprising the steps of: prearranging a pipe made of stainless steel (1), executing a hot-pressing operation at at least one end (3) of the pipe (1); and subjecting the at least one end (3) of the pipe (1) to heat treatment, followed by cooling.
US09005377B2
Methods for modifying a physical characteristic of finished endodontic instruments made from one or more superelastic alloys is described which include heat treating one or more finished endodontic instruments in a salt bath for a specific time (e.g., from about four hours to about six hours), at a specified temperature (e.g., from about 475° C. to about 550° C.), and preferably at a specified pH range.
US09005367B2
A liquid composition comprising (A) at least one polar organic solvent, selected from the group consisting of solvents exhibiting in the presence of from 0.06 to 4% by weight of dissolved tetramethylammonium hydroxide (B), the weight percentage being based on the complete weight of the respective test solution (AB), a constant removal rate at 50° C. for a 30 nm thick polymeric barrier anti-reflective layer containing deep UV absorbing chromophoric groups, (B) at least one quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and (C) at least one aromatic amine containing at least one primary amino group, a method for its preparation and a method for manufacturing electrical devices, employing the liquid composition as a resist stripping composition and its use for removing negative-tone and positive-tone photoresists and post etch residues in the manufacture of 3D Stacked Integrated Circuits and 3D Wafer Level Packagings by way of patterning Through Silicon Vias and/or by plating and bumping.
US09005362B2
The present invention is to provide a method for growing a group III nitride crystal that has a large size and has a small number of pits formed in the main surface of the crystal by using a plurality of tile substrates. A method for growing a group III nitride crystal includes a step of preparing a plurality of tile substrates 10 including main surfaces 10m having a shape of a triangle or a convex quadrangle that allows two-dimensional close packing of the plurality of tile substrates; a step of arranging the plurality of tile substrates 10 so as to be two-dimensionally closely packed such that, at any point across which vertexes of the plurality of tile substrates 10 oppose one another, 3 or less of the vertexes oppose one another; and a step of growing a group III nitride crystal 20 on the main surfaces 10m of the plurality of tile substrates arranged.
US09005355B2
Anticorrosive coating compositions as disclosed comprise a binding polymer and an aluminum phosphate corrosion inhibiting pigment dispersed therein. The coating composition comprises up to 25 percent by weight aluminum phosphate. The binding polymer can include solvent-borne polymers, water-borne polymers, solventless polymers, and combinations thereof. The aluminum phosphate is made by sol gel process of combining an aluminum salt with phosphoric acid and a base material. Aluminum phosphate colloidal particles are nanometer sized, and aggregate to form substantially spherical particles. The coating composition provides a controlled delivery of phosphate anions of 100 to 1,500 ppm, depending on post-formation treatment of the aluminum phosphate, and has a total solubles content of less than 1500 ppm, The amorphous aluminum phosphate is free of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, and has a water adsorption potential of up to about 25 percent by weight water when present in a cured film.
US09005344B2
The present application is directed to a hydrophobic membrane assembly (28) used within a gas-generating apparatus. Hydrogen is separated from the reaction solution by passing through a hydrophobic membrane assembly (28) having a hydrophobic lattice like member (36) disposed within a hydrogen output composite (32) further enhancing the ability of the hydrogen output composite's ability to separate out hydrogen gas and prolonging its useful life.
US09005337B2
A system and method for the purification of biogas, the system comprising: a gas compressor for increasing the pressure of the biogas for processing; a gas processor for removing any CO2, volatile organic compounds, and H2S, from the gas; an optional biological sulfur removal system for treating offgas from the gas processor; a regenerative thermal oxidizer system for treating gas from the biological sulfur removal system for thermal destruction of volatile organic compounds, H2S, and CH4 slipped from the gas processor; a catalytic oxygen removal system for receiving product gas from the gas processor and removing oxygen from the product gas; and a caustic scrubber for receiving product gas from the catalytic oxygen removal system and neutralizing any acid formed during catalytic oxygen removal.
US09005331B2
Core-shell particles encapsulated by a thin film of a catalytically active metal are described. The particles are preferably nanoparticles comprising a non-noble core with a noble metal shell which preferably do not include Pt. The non-noble metal-noble metal core-shell nanoparticles are encapsulated by a catalytically active metal which is preferably Pt. The core-shell nanoparticles are preferably formed by prolonged elevated-temperature annealing of nanoparticle alloys in an inert environment. This causes the noble metal component to surface segregate and form an atomically thin shell. The Pt overlayer is formed by a process involving the underpotential deposition of a monolayer of a non-noble metal followed by immersion in a solution comprising a Pt salt. A thin Pt layer forms via the galvanic displacement of non-noble surface atoms by more noble Pt atoms in the salt. The overall process is a robust and cost-efficient method for forming Pt-coated non-noble metal-noble metal core-shell nanoparticles.
US09005328B2
A high temperature filter and a self-cleaning filtering system for filtering media, such as biomass materials, are provided. The filter and filtering system is particularly useful in the filtration of syngas in a plasma arc gasification process to remove char and other particles of down to a submicron size from the syngas. The filter is formed from a pleated metal mesh material including end caps secured by a high-temperature metallic paste or adhesive, such that the filter is capable of withstanding operating temperatures up to 2000° F. The system includes a backflush unit for injecting cleaning media therein to remove trapped char and other debris from the filter. At least two filtering systems can be placed in parallel so that one system can be cleaned while the other is operating. A method for filtering media is also disclosed.
US09005326B2
A cyclone separator has individual cyclones each provided with a cell tube with a guide device that causes a gas stream passing through the cell tube to rotate. A particle discharge is positioned perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the cyclone separator and discharges particles separated from the gas stream. The discharge direction of the separated particle is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cyclone separator and is oriented toward the particle discharge. The individual cyclones include at least four individual cyclones that are arranged such that a connecting line, connecting of these four individual cyclones those individual cyclones that are neighboring each other at a minimal spacing, respectively, forms a diamond, wherein the sides of the diamond are positioned at an angle of 30 to 60 degrees relative to discharge direction.
US09005320B2
A plasma gasification reactor, and process for its operation, with one or both of, first, a quench zone within an upper part of a top section of the reactor and, second, feed ports through a lateral wall of a middle section of the reactor for supplying feed material to a feed bed within the middle section and the feed ports located proximate the feed bed. The quench zone is provided with nozzles for introducing a fluid to reduce the temperature of molten solid bits sufficiently to minimize their sticking within external ductwork. The middle section feed port arrangement assists in more thorough reaction of light particles in the feed material that may otherwise exit with gaseous products.
US09005319B2
The disclosed embodiments provide systems for the removal and use of tar from a biomass gasification system. For example, in one embodiment, a biomass gasification system includes a reactor configured to gasify a biomass fuel in the presence of air to generate a producer gas. The system also includes an absorber configured to receive a mixture of the producer gas and tar and to absorb the tar into an organic solvent to produce treated producer gas and a rich solvent mixture containing at least a portion of the tar. The system further includes a recycle line configured to direct the rich solvent mixture to a biomass gasifier.
US09005317B2
Modified solid fuel manufacturing method and modified solid fuels manufactured using the manufacturing method. When solid fuels are manufactured by crushing low grade coal, mixing the crushed low grade coal with solvent oil to prepare a slurry, heating the slurry to at least the boiling point of water to evaporate moisture included in the slurry, separating the solvent oil from the slurry to produce charcoal dust and compression compacting said charcoal dust, by heating the slurry to at least the boiling point of water, the non-volatile components included in the low grade coal are extracted with the solvent oil, the outer surface of the low grade coal and the internal surfaces of the pores are coated with the extracted non-volatile components, and the content of heavy oil added from the outside will be less than 0.5 mass % relative to the solid fuel after drying.
US09005315B2
A method for marking a petroleum hydrocarbon or a liquid biologically derived fuel by adding at least one compound having formula (I), wherein R1 and R2 independently represent hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl groups, and G represents hydrogen or at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of C1-C18 alkyl and C1-C18 alkoxy.
US09005309B2
A four-link hydraulic buffer knee joint assembly which includes a hydraulic center axle configured at a center hole of a four-link hydraulic main body and utilizes a spring force and an oil-filling piston to achieve the auto-filling of hydraulic oil. The hydraulic center axle is able to utilize adjustable knobs provided on an outer side of the center axle to adjust the bending speed and the spring-back recovery speed. The setting location of the hydraulic center axle differs from the one of conventional joint assembly such that the overall size of the knee joint assembly is reduced while the joint assembly includes the functions of adjustable hydraulic bending and stretching speeds and buffering for the hydraulic head to return to its horizontal state. The four-link hydraulic main body comprises a setting changeable controlling axle for achieving the function of the buffered safety brake against the ground.
US09005299B2
Methods and devices are provided for knee joint replacement with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) substitution. Generally, the methods and devices can allow a knee joint to be partially or totally replaced in conjunction with substitution of the knee joint's ACL. In one embodiment, a knee replacement prosthesis can include a medial or lateral femoral implant, a femoral intercondylar notch structure, a medial or lateral tibial insert, and an ACL-substitution member. The ACL-substitution member can be configured to engage with the femoral intercondylar notch structure during a full range of knee motion and/or during only early knee flexion.
US09005296B2
An intervertebral implant can include: a tapered arcuate shape. The implant can include a solid non-elastic portion. The implant can include an implant-suitable material. The implant can be at least partially porous, and optionally, the pores can be filed with a biodegradable material that can include one or more active agents, such as growth factors. The implant can be formed from a hybrid of at least two implant-suitable materials. The implant can include a body having a rounded surface and a substantially flat surface. Optionally, the substantially flat surface can be opposite of the rounded surface. The rounded surface and substantially flat surface can extend from a base to a tip of the tapered arcuate shape. The base may be substantially flat, where the tip can be rounded. The tapered arcuate shape can extend from a substantially flat base and curve to a tip of the arc.
US09005294B2
An assembly for inserting an artificial disk is provided. The assembly includes an artificial disk, which includes a body which has a predetermined thickness to be inserted between vertebrae, and includes an incision recess incised on one side of the body in a sideways direction and a penetrating hole formed on the side on which the incision recess is formed in a vertical thickness direction, and a connecting unit which is inserted into the penetrating hole and serves as a shaft of a rotational movement of the body, and includes a connecting hole formed on a side surface of the connecting unit, and a guide protrusion, a first insertion tool which includes a connecting rod, and a handle, and a second insertion tool which includes a support rod, an insertion end, a support end, and a handle.
US09005292B2
A vertebral spacer includes a body having a top side, a bottom side, a front side, and a rear side. The top side is configured to be positioned adjacent to a first vertebra and the bottom side is configured to be positioned against a second vertebra. First, second, third and fourth bores extend through the body. First and second compression fasteners disposable in the first and third bores, and first and second locking fasteners disposable in the second and fourth bores. The first compression fastener and the first locking fastener cooperate to apply and lock a first predetermined compression force between the body and the first vertebra. The second compression fastener and the second locking fastener cooperate to apply and lock a second predetermined compression force between the body and the second vertebra.
US09005291B2
An implant having a base with a first contact surface and a hinged element, hingedly interconnected with a first portion of the base, providing a second contact surface. The first portion of the base is displaceable relative to a second portion so that the base can be shortened from an initial length towards a second length. A linking segment is hingedly connected to both the second portion of the base and to the hinged element so that shortening of the base causes the linking segment to push a region of the hinged element away from the base, thereby changing an angle of the second contact surface relative to the first contact surface.
US09005285B2
Medical delivery devices include a needle and a flexible compressible impermeable tube attached to the needle. The compressible tube has an open interior channel. The device is adapted to releasably hold a length of a medical implant in the open interior channel of the tube. The medical implant can be slidably inserted into the interior channel of the tube and is loosely held by the tube.
US09005281B2
Intraocular implants and methods of making intraocular implants are provided. The intraocular implants can improve the vision of a patient, such as by increasing the depth of focus of an eye of a patient. In particular, the intraocular implants can include a mask having an annular portion with a relatively low visible light transmission surrounding a relatively high transmission central portion such as a clear lens or aperture. This construct is adapted to provide an annular mask with a small aperture for light to pass through to the retina to increase depth of focus. The intraocular implant may have an optical power for refractive correction. The intraocular implant may be implanted in any location along the optical pathway in the eye, e.g., as an implant in the anterior or posterior chamber.
US09005280B2
A system designed to store an implant together with the tools necessary to implant the stored implant, and a method of using such system. Such system includes an implant storage tool adapted to retain the implant within a storage container. The implant storage tool is operable to provide an implant applicator.
US09005276B2
Stents and methods of fabricating stents with prohealing layers and drug-polymer layers are disclosed.
US09005275B2
This document provides methods and materials that can be used to replace a circumferential segment of an esophagus. For example, methods and materials that can be used to provide a tubular connection from one stump end of an esophagus to another stump end of the esophagus are provided.
US09005274B2
A method for treating a body conduit/lumen having an undesired reduced diameter includes determining a target diameter of the conduit/lumen in a target location of the conduit/lumen, and delivering a self-expanding metal stent in a contracted configuration to the target location. In a fully expanded configuration, the stent has a diameter that is more than 50% larger than the target diameter over an entire length of the self-expanding stent.
US09005271B2
A fenestrated stent graft (1) with a tubular side arm (11) extending therefrom in which the side arm can be turned inside out to extend into the stent graft during deployment of the stent graft and extended out during deployment. Also disclosed is a deployment device (19) for such a side arm stent graft which has a deployment catheter (26) and a side arm guide (32), the side arm guide is releasably fastened at a proximal end to the branch tube (11) and is able to be moved independently of the deployment catheter such that the branch tube can be extended from the tubular body of the stent graft while it is fastened onto the side arm guide. The side arm guide can be formed from a side arm catheter (32) and a side arm guide wire (34) carried in the side arm catheter.
US09005267B2
An endovascular delivery system includes an endovascular prosthetic device and a signal active guide wire engaging the endovascular prosthetic device. A rotary encoder is coupled with the guide wire and the endovascular prosthetic device to provide an encoder signal on the guide wire. The encoder signal is indicative of axial angular position of the endovascular prosthetic device during implantation of the endovascular prosthetic device in a body of a patient.
US09005265B2
A stent made of a material having a low strength and having a main body circumscribing a cylindrical shape and radially expandable from a contracted starting position into a dilated support position, comprising a) a plurality of support segments disposed around the circumference and arrayed on one another in the axial direction each segment being formed by a strut meandering in its coarse structure in its contracted starting position and having alternately opposing meandering curves expandable into the support position made of flexible material; b) a plurality of axial connectors connecting between zenith points of at least a part of the meandering curves in the axial-parallel direction of the support segments; (c) a plurality of x-ray marker projections, and d) at least one stabilizer for stabilizing the strut coarse structure in its contracted starting position against radial expansion and being automatically detachable upon radial expansion.
US09005261B2
A therapeutic laser with a source of pulsed electromagnetic radiation, a control device for controlling the intensity and/or the duration of the therapeutic laser applied to the tissue, and a detection device for detecting optoacoustic signals triggered by irradiating the living tissue with the pulsed electromagnetic radiation. The therapeutic laser is characterized by an evaluation device that acts on the control device and is used for calculating a degree of quality B(t) from the optoacoustic signals detected by the detection device for individual laser pulses applied to a predetermined laser spot and determining a fit function f(t) at a predetermined point in time Δt1, the fit function f(t) approximating the mean curve of B(t) for 0≦t≦Δt1. The intensity and/or the irradiation time of the therapeutic laser is defined by the parameters for the predetermined laser spot, the parameters being determined for the fit function f(t).
US09005251B2
The invention relates to bone compression devices and bone compression systems, and in particular, to bone compression devices and systems for use in connection with vertebrae. The bone compression devices and bone compression systems are disposed, or installed, along at least one bone to maintain the at least one bone in a desired spatial relationship. Broadly, the invention is directed to a bone compression device for placing in communication with at least one bone having a bone radius of curvature, the bone compression device comprising a plate having a pre-formed shape, a deformed shape, and at least one elastic shape therebetween, the pre-formed shape having a pre-formed radius of curvature less than the bone radius of curvature, the deformed shape having a deformed radius of curvature greater than the bone radius of curvature, and at least one of the at least one elastic shapes having an elastic radius of curvature that substantially corresponds to the bone radius of curvature. The invention is also directed to a bone compression system wherein the plate includes a string attached to each end of the plate and a tensioner for facilitating the movement of the plate from the pre-formed shape to the at least one elastic shape. Methods of maintaining a bone in a spatial relationship and methods of contouring the bone compression devices are also disclosed.
US09005248B2
The present invention provides spinous process implants and associated methods. In one aspect of the invention, the implant includes at least one extension with a first part and a second part where at least one arm is coupled to each of the first part and the second part. The first part and the second part are movable from a compact to a distracted state. In another aspect, the present invention provides a second extension that is slidingly coupled to the first and second arms. The second extension further comprises a third part and a fourth part that move with the first and second part.
US09005242B2
In one aspect, the present invention provides a device for occluding an aperture in a body, for example, a patent foramen ovale (PFO), including a first side adapted to be disposed on one side of the septum and a second side adapted to be disposed on the opposite side of the septum. The device has an elongated, low-profile delivery configuration and a shortened, radially expanded deployment configuration. The first and second sides are adapted to occlude the aperture upon deployment of the device at its intended delivery location. The device also includes a radially expandable center portion. In some embodiments, the center portion includes a plurality of ribs provided by slits in device. The ribs expand radially when the device is deployed. The expandable center portion facilitates the positioning of the device in the aperture. The device can be secured in the deployed configuration using a catch system.
US09005239B2
The invention relates to a medical instrument comprising at least one movable tool element and at least one actuating element which is mounted such as to be pivotal about a pivotal axis and is coupled to the at least one tool element for the purposes of moving the tool element as a result of a pivotal movement of the actuating element, wherein, for the pivotal mounting of the at least one actuating element, there is provided a pivotal bearing comprising a bearing shaft holder and a bearing shaft which is held in the bearing shaft holder in a working position, wherein the at least one actuating element incorporates the bearing shaft or the bearing shaft holder, wherein the bearing shaft holder has an insertion opening and is insertable through the insertion opening into the bearing shaft holder in a direction that is transverse or substantially transverse to the pivotal axis.
US09005236B2
A distal protection device provided with a filter basket having a self-expanding radial loop designed to position the filter basket within human vasculature and to hold the filter basket open during deployment.
US09005234B2
A vascular occlusion device for occluding a body cavity includes an elongate member for injecting embolization material into the body cavity and a deflecting device. The deflecting device is disposed around a distal end of the elongate member and is expandable to contact an interior wall of the body cavity in the expanded state. The deflecting device is configured to be deflected by the embolization material to change a shape of the deflecting device in the expanded state. The deflecting device provides a visual and tactile indication of completion of embolization based on the shape of the deflecting device in the expanded state.
US09005228B2
Vitrectomy probes and system related thereto are disclosed herein. The disclosure describes various example vitrectomy probes having an adjustable cutting port size. Various example features are described for adjusting the size of the cutting port. Further, the disclosure provides examples for adjusting the size of the cutter port while the vitrectomy probe is in operation.
US09005225B2
This disclosure is directed to a device for facilitating treatment via a vascular wall defining a vascular lumen containing an occlusion therein. The device includes an intravascular device including a shaft having a distal end and a proximal end. The device includes a handle assembly fixed about the proximal end of the shaft, the handle assembly including a first portion. Rotation of the first portion in a first direction about a longitudinal axis of the shaft causes rotation of the shaft in the first direction when a torque applied by the first portion to the shaft is below a first maximum torque. Further rotation of the first portion in the first direction about a longitudinal axis of the shaft does not cause rotation of the shaft in the first direction when the torque applied by the first portion to the shaft is equal to or above the first maximum torque.
US09005224B2
An implant delivery system for delivering a sheet-like implant is disclosed. The device includes an implant spreader assembly disposed proximate the distal end of a delivery shaft. The implant spreader assembly includes a first arm and a second arm. The arms are coupled to the delivery shaft such that the first arm and second arm are moveable between a closed position and an open position. When the first and second arms are in the closed position, the arms extend generally in the longitudinal direction. When pivoting to the open position the distal end of each arm travels in a generally transverse direction to spread a sheet-like implant.
US09005222B2
A system for supporting the urethra using an introducer needle, the ends of which are flattened and which have openings therethrough, a handle having a latch mechanism which engages the opening in the flattened portion of the first end of the introducer needle, an implant, and a connector joining the end of the implant to the flattened portion of one of the ends of the introducer needle. These components are used to draw the implant into position, either through vaginal or abdominal incisions, to form a U-shaped loop beneath the urethra. The ends of the implant are adjusted to provide proper support for the urethra. The implant can have slits that open under applied tensile force.
US09005219B2
A device includes a clip including first and second arms distal ends of which are biased apart and a core member including first and second portions connected to one another via a frangible link. The first portion includes a first protrusion for engaging a cut-out in the first arm. The frangible link is fractured when subjected to a load of at least a predetermined level deploying the clip. The device also includes a capsule slidably housing the core member and a proximal portion of the clip.
US09005217B2
Apparatus for controlling a steerable invasive probe having a handle. The apparatus includes a platform and a jig, which is mounted on the platform and is configured to receive the handle. The jig includes at least a first gear that is positioned and shaped to rotate the handle about an axis of the probe and a second gear that is positioned and shaped to operate a control on the handle for deflecting a tip of the probe. A drive module includes one or more motors. A transmission is coupled to the drive module and to the jig so as to controllably rotate at least the first and second gears and to translate the platform along a direction parallel to the axis in order to advance and retract the probe.
US09005210B2
The present invention relates in certain embodiments to medical devices for treating vertebral compression fractures. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to instruments and methods for controllably restoring vertebral body height by controlling the flow of bone cement into the interior of a vertebra and the application of forces causes by the cement flow. An exemplary system utilizes Rf energy in combination a conductive bone cement for selectively polymerizing the inflow plume to increase the viscosity of the cement. In one aspect of the invention, the system utilizes a controller to control bone cement flow parameters to either allow or disallow cement interdigitation into cancellous bone. A method of the invention includes pulsing the flows of bone cement wherein high acceleration of the flow pulses can apply expansion forces across the surface of the cement plume to reduce a vertebral fracture.
US09005208B2
An instrument for setting ligament tension between a distal femur and a proximal tibia has a rod mounted on a femur. The rod has an extension extending along a first axis. A first drive element is mounted on the distal femur and is rotatable about a second axis. A body is rotatably mounted on the rod extension for rotation about the first axis. The body has a second drive element engaging the first drive element and a third drive element extending about a third axis offset from the first and second axes. A ligament tensioning element is mounted on the body and has a foot for engaging a posterior condyle of a femur and has a fourth drive element. A fifth drive element engages both the third and fourth drive elements for moving the ligament balancer with respect to the body along the third axis.
US09005191B2
According to some embodiments, a method of treating a subject having diabetes or symptoms associated with diabetes is provided. The method includes delivering a neuromodulation catheter within a vessel (e.g., hepatic artery) having surrounding nerves that innervate the liver (e.g., sympathetic nerves of the hepatic plexus). The method may also include modulating (e.g., disrupting, ablating, stimulating) the nerves by mechanical compression, energy delivery, or fluid delivery.
US09005187B2
An implantable oxygen generator system is disclosed. The implantable oxygen generator system includes a receiver configured to generate an electrical current, and an electrode set configured to deliver the electrical current to water molecules of an interstitial fluid within a tissue, wherein the electrical current electrolyzes the water molecules into oxygen molecules.
US09005181B2
A connector for providing sterile access to a flexible container is provided that comprises a tubular member having a first portion and a second portion, each of the first portion and the second portion having an open end. The first portion and second portion are joined to each other by a frangible segment, with each of the first portion and the second portion having a gripable surface associated therewith that is configured to facilitate the application of torsional force to the tubular member at the frangible segment. Upon the application of a sufficient amount of torsional force, the frangible segment will break, permitting the first and second portions to be separated from each other.
US09005180B2
In certain embodiments, a vial adaptor for removing liquid contents from a vial comprises a piercing member and a bag. The bag can be contained within the piercing member such that the bag is introduced to the vial when the vial adaptor is coupled with the vial. In some embodiments, the bag expands within the vial as liquid is removed from the vial via the adaptor, thereby regulating pressure within the vial. In other embodiments, a vial comprises a bag for regulating pressure within the vial as liquid is removed therefrom. In some embodiments, a vial adaptor is coupled with the vial in order to remove the liquid. In some embodiments, as the liquid is removed from the vial via the adaptor, the bag expands within the vial, and in other embodiments, the bag contracts within the vial.
US09005178B2
A dispensing cartridge, particularly for dental impression materials, formed from a plastic material having at least one inlet and at least one outlet, and including a metal reinforcement tube.
US09005170B2
Methods and apparatus for employing an adhesive strap about a medical connection for improving connection integrity for greater safety and reliability and a cross contamination barrier for medical syringes is disclosed. Also, a shielding tube for a medical syringe which acts as a barrier against cross contamination across a syringe plunger is disclosed. The tube comprises a pattern of raised ribs inside to protect against potentially tube tearing edges of an associated plunger rod assembly and to provide a skid resistant surface when disposed about flanges of the syringe.
US09005160B2
A medicament delivery device includes a distal housing part; a proximal housing part in which a multi-chamber medicament container is arranged, with the proximal housing part movable relative to the distal housing part for mixing substances in the container; a plunger rod arranged to act on a stopper in the container, where movement of the housing parts toward each other forces the stopper against the plunger rod for mixing the substances in the container; a drive force unit for forcing the plunger rod for subsequent delivery of medicament; an activation member slidable through the distal housing part and releasably connected to the drive force unit; and a guide shell one-way rotatable in the distal housing part with threads that cooperate with threads on the proximal housing part. The guide shell and plunger rod have guide members such that they are rotationally locked but slidable in relation to each other.
US09005152B2
A dialysis system includes a fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump; a spent dialysis fluid membrane pump; a first balance chamber having a fresh dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump and a spent dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the spent dialysis fluid membrane pump; a second balance chamber having a fresh dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump and a spent dialysis fluid compartment connected fluidly to the spent dialysis fluid membrane pump; and a dialysis fluid cassette, wherein at least one of the fresh dialysis fluid membrane pump, the spent dialysis fluid membrane pump, the first balance chamber and the second balance chamber includes a fluid receiving portion provided in the dialysis fluid cassette.
US09005146B2
A massage roller includes a generally resilient roller body and a plurality of massage zones having various densities provided on the roller body.
US09005143B2
In some embodiments, nerves surrounding arteries or leading to organs are targeted with energy sources to correct or modulate physiologic processes. In some embodiments, different types of energy sources are utilized singly or combined with one another. In some embodiments, bioactive agents or devices activated by the energy sources are delivered to the region of interest and the energy is enhanced by such agents.
US09005141B1
The present invention relates to a light-weight, small and portable ambulatory sensor for measuring and monitoring a person's physical activity. Based on these measurements and computations, the invented system quantifies the subject's physical activity, quantifies the subject's gait, determines his or her risk of falling, and automatically detects falls. The invention combines the features of portability, high autonomy, and real-time computational capacity. High autonomy is achieved by using only accelerometers, which have low power consumption rates as compared with gyroscope-based systems. Accelerometer measurements, however, contain significant amounts of noise, which must be removed before further analysis. The invention therefore uses novel time-frequency filters to denoise the measurements, and in conjunction with biomechanical models of human movement, perform the requisite computations, which may also be done in real time.
US09005140B2
The present invention relates to embodiments which enable repetitive measurement and monitoring of the load applied to an apparatus, in a system, and/or by a method which may exceed a predetermined threshold of weight. Specifically, the present invention relates to weight monitoring apparatus, locomotion monitoring apparatus, a gait-response apparatus, a weight monitoring system, and a therapeutic load monitoring method.
US09005130B2
A method for tracking cardiac conditions is disclosed. An electrical signal from a patient's heart is sensed. A heart signal parameter value and an associated heart rate value are computed from the electrical signal. Based on the heart rate value, one of a plurality of histograms stored in a histogram memory is updated with the heart signal parameter value. After a data collection time period has elapsed, a statistical value of the heart signal parameter is computed from the selected histogram. A detection threshold for abnormal values of the heart signal parameter is then computed based on the statistical value.
US09005129B2
A biometric monitoring device is used to determine a user's heart rate by using a heartbeat waveform sensor and a motion detecting sensor. In some embodiments, the device collects collecting concurrent output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor and output data from the motion detecting sensor, detects a periodic component of the output data from the motion detecting sensor, and uses the periodic component of the output data from the motion detecting sensor to remove a corresponding periodic component from the output data from the heartbeat waveform sensor. From this result, the device may determine and present the user's heart rate.
US09005120B2
A vital signs monitor system is integrated with personal protective equipment (“PPE”) so that upon wearing the PPE, the monitor is placed in an operational position to monitor a vital sign. In one embodiment, the vital signs sensor comprises a thermal sensor located at a mouth guard to automatically make operational contact with tissue under the tongue when the mouth guard is worn. A second vital signs monitor comprising reflective pulse oximetry devices senses oxygen saturation and heart rate. Vital signs data are communicated to an RF module located in an associated helmet for transmission to a remote location. A gateway at that remote location receives the transmitted vital signs data and forwards that data to a data collection, organization, and access system that is programmed to make the vital signs data available over the Internet. Medical personnel, coaches, supervisors at the location of the PPE can monitor the vital signs of the wearer by accessing the data collection, organization, and access system with hand held, or portable computing equipment over the Internet.
US09005119B2
A system and method for providing computerized, knowledge-based medical diagnostic and treatment advice. The medical advice is provided to the general public over networks, such as a telephone network or a computer network. The invention also includes a stand-alone embodiment that may utilize occasional connectivity to a central computer by use of a network, such as the Internet. New authoring languages, interactive voice response and speech recognition are used to enable expert and general practitioner knowledge to be encoded for access by the public. “Meta” functions for time-density analysis of a number of factors regarding the number of medical complaints per unit of time are an integral part of the system. A re-enter feature monitors the user's changing condition over time. A symptom severity analysis helps to respond to the changing conditions. System sensitivity factors may be changed at a global level or other levels to adjust the system advice as necessary.
US09005118B2
A surgical access system for providing access to a surgical site in a patient includes a surgical access device defining a port and a light emitter coupled to the surgical access device for illuminating the port. The light emitter preferably comprises an elongated shaft having a light transmitting element housed therein, which emits light transmitted to the elongated shaft from a light source. The elongated shaft is configured to be inserted in an elongated channel in the access device. The elongated channel has or forms a window for transmitting light emitted by the light emitter into the interior of the access device.
US09005113B2
In one embodiment, an endoscopic camera for a robotic surgical system includes a stereo camera module mounted to a robotic arm of a patient side cart. The optical and electro-optic components of the camera module are hermetically sealed within a first housing. Signals from an electro-optic component travel through traces in a ceramic substrate forming one side of the hermetically sealed first housing. A second housing surrounds the first housing and optical fibers are dispersed between the housings to provide lighting in a body cavity. The camera module may be sterilized by an autoclave.
US09005108B2
Devices and methods are provided for drug delivery. The device may include a housing configured for intralumenal deployment into a human or animal subject and first and second reservoirs within the housing, each reservoir having an actuation end, an opposed release end, and a plug moveable from the actuation end toward the release end. First and second drug formulations may be contained in the first and second reservoirs, respectively. The device may also include one or more actuation systems configured to drive the first and second plugs so as to drive the first and second drug formulations from the first and second reservoirs. The housing may include a porous membrane sidewall in fluid communication with the release ends of the first and second reservoirs, the porous membrane sidewall being configured to distribute the first and second drug formulations driven from the first and second reservoirs.
US09005099B2
Delivery systems and methods for delivering riboflavin (R/F) and UVA irradiation to the sclera are disclosed. The R/F is delivered and then activated with UVA irradiation through the use of LEDs or optical fibers, thereby causing cross-linking of the collagen tissue. Delivery systems include implantable structures which provide surfaces that conform to the sclera. The delivery systems include various types of structures for delivery of R/F onto the sclera surface. Additionally, the delivery systems include UVA sources which provide irradiation of R/F in sclera collagen tissue.
US09005089B2
An abdominal exercise device has a kneeling pad and a roller. The kneeling pad includes a top surface and two spaced apart kneeling recesses. The kneeling recesses are formed in the top surface of the kneeling pad. The roller is positioned movably relative to the kneeling pad when in use and includes a bracket, a left handle, a right handle, a front wheel and two rear wheels. The left and right handles are attached to a middle of the bracket. The front wheel is mounted on a front of the bracket. The rear wheels are mounted on a rear of the bracket. The kneeling recesses are ergonomically designed to correspond to contours of the human knees, thereby providing a comfortable support for a user's knees. The three wheels ensure that the roller has good balanced performance such that the user can steadily operate the roller.
US09005084B2
An improved finger exerciser to exercise each finger individually by depressing directly against the resistance of a spring. Embodiments are described wherein the device includes an electronic controller in operative communication with individual finger exercise elements to sense exercise parameters and provide tactile feedback to a user. In embodiments, the disclosed finger exerciser is configured to communicate sensed measurements to an integrated controller and/or a mobile device, such as a distance each finger is pressed, speed, response time, repetition count, and so forth. In embodiments, the exerciser is configured to provide tactile feedback, such as vibration, to a user via the finger pads. The finger exerciser may receive communications from an integrated controller and/or mobile device to activate a tactile stimulator. In some embodiments, the finger exerciser includes one or more spatial sensors to monitor movement of the device and communicate spatial information to an integrated controller and/or mobile device.
US09005083B2
A start safety circuit arrangement is incorporated into a work apparatus having an internal combustion engine. Combustion air and fuel are supplied to the combustion chamber by a control unit for the engine operation. The fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber is ignited by an ignition plug. An operating mode selector has a start position for enriching the fuel/air mixture. A safety brake device in an operating mode brakes the work tool. A start position sensor is arranged on the operating mode selector and a brake position sensor is associated with the safety brake device. The status signal of the brake position sensor and the status signal of the start position sensor are combined to cause the control unit to disable the engine operation if the operating mode selector is in start position (III) and the safety brake device is in its standby mode (B).
US09005063B2
A hybrid drive train for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one internal combustion engine and at least one electric motor, which is functionally connected to the internal combustion engine, or can be functionally connected to said internal combustion engine, wherein a multi-speed transmission having two planetary gear sets, with at least one transmission input shaft and at least one transmission output shaft is provided, wherein the multi-speed transmission exhibits at least four shift elements, the selective actuation of which results in different transmission ratios between the at least one transmission input shaft and the transmission output shaft, such that at least three forward gears are realized.
US09005060B2
A derailleur 10, for moving a chain 60 to different sized sprockets arranged small to large in a sprocket nest 101 is disclosed. The derailleur 10 has a pivot guide feed arm 11 for directing the chain 60 onto one of multiple sprockets within the sprocket nest 101. The pivot guide feed arm 11 is rotatably mounted at a pivot end on an angular pivot pin 12 and when the pivot guide feed arm 11 rotates about the pivot pin 12 an opposite chain guide end of the pivot guide feed arm 11 traces a path substantially parallel to a tangent to the outer periphery of the sprocket nest 101. The movement of the pivot guide feed arm 11 is mechanically driven by a user command and is preferably moved by a connected rod or wire or cable 109.
US09005058B2
A belt-type stepless transmission is provided with: an input shaft; an input pulley having a stationary sheave and a movable sheave; a transmission shaft disposed parallel to the input shaft; an output pulley having a stationary sheave and a movable sheave; a belt wound around the input pulley and the pulley; an output shaft disposed coaxially with the transmission shaft; and a cam mechanism having a sheave-side cam which is provided and affixed to the movable sheave and a shaft-side cam which is provided and affixed to the output shaft and causing the sheave-side cam and the shaft-side cam to make contact with each other to thereby enable the transmission of torque between the movable sheave and the output shaft and apply an axial pressing force corresponding to the torque to the movable sheave.
US09005052B1
A golf ball having a core layer comprising a thermoplastic polyester elastomer formed from a polytetramethylene glycol with a molecular weight greater than or equal to 1400 g/mol is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an inner core sphere is the core layer and has a diameter ranging from 0.875 inch to 1.4 inches. The core comprises the inner core, an intermediate core and an outer core. The mantle component comprises an inner mantle and an outer mantle. The cover layer is preferably composed of a thermoplastic polyurethane.
US09005050B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball that decrease the spin rate on the driver shots while suppressing the decrease in the spin rate on the approach shots in a golf ball having a urethane cover. The present invention provides a golf ball having a core consisting of a center and at least one intermediate layer covering the center, and a cover covering the core, wherein the cover contains polyurethane, and has a slab hardness of 85 or less in JIS A hardness, the core has a surface hardness of 60 or more in Shore D hardness, the intermediate layer has a thickness ranging from 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm, and a resin component constituting the intermediate layer has a hardness from 62 to 68 in Shore D hardness, a flexural modulus from 300 MPa to 500 MPa, and a maximum storage modulus E′ between −30° C. to 0° C. ranging from 1,000 MPa to 2,000 MPa.
US09005044B2
Described herein is an amusement ride that includes an object that supports a passenger, a carriage that releasably supports the object, a propulsion mechanism that accelerates the carriage and the object releasably supported by the carriage up to a desired velocity, and a braking mechanism that decelerates the carriage to release the object from the carriage at the desired velocity.
US09005041B2
A driveline shield system having a cap disposed to releasably engage a bearing mounted adjacent a drive shaft. The cap supports a tubular guard or shield in a coaxial position relative to the drive shaft. One or more lugs on the bearing are disposed to seat in corresponding slots formed in the cap. When the lugs are seated in the slots, rotation of the cap relative to the bearing causes the bearing and the cap to engage one another. A U-shaped clip is pivotally mounted to the cap and rotatable between a first position in which the clip extends into the slot and secures the lugs in engagement with the cap and a second release position in which the clip is retracted from the slot, thereby permitting relative rotation between the cap and bearing.
US09005037B2
A rotational vibration damper includes a primary side (32) and a secondary side (46) which is rotatable with respect to the primary side (32) around an axis of rotation (A) against the action of a damper element arrangement (28). At least one damper element unit (42) of the first group (70) and at least one damper element unit (42′) of the second group (70′) are pre-loaded, and the primary side (32) and the secondary side (46) are pre-loaded in a basic relative rotation position with respect to one another. Proceeding from the basic relative rotation position of the primary side (32) with respect to the secondary side (46), a pre-loading path (V, V′) of at least one pre-loaded damper element unit (42) is shorter than a maximum relative rotation path of the primary side (32) with respect to the secondary side (46).
US09005036B2
Users are arranged to employ gameplay terminals which including computing hardware for executing one or more software products The users share gameplay experiences by including in the one or more software products a host game software application for implementing one or more games on one or more of the terminals, and appending one or more software components to the host game software application for providing control of the host game software application on a real-time basis for recording gameplay experiences for sharing amongst the users based upon one or more of: game view, sub-game view, sensor data employed to control the game, video camera views of one or more users playing the game, game events occurring during playing the game. A software development kit is also described.
US09005030B2
A system for sharing score experiences includes one or more devices on which one or more games are played, a gameplay experience service arrangement and a communication arrangement for communicatively coupling the devices to the gameplay experience service arrangement. The devices include computing hardware for executing one or more games software products for implementing the one or more games when executed upon the computing hardware. The devices are operable to record a gameplay experience (GEV) played thereupon including an associated score, wherein the one or more devices are operable to upload their recorded gameplay experiences (GEV) and associated score to the gameplay experience service arrangement which maintains a score list corresponding to the uploaded gameplay experiences. The score list is accessible to the devices for identifying relative gameplay performances of users of the devices, for example via replaying of the recorded gameplay experiences.
US09005028B2
Methods and systems are described for automatically sending a popup or other message to another person's electronic device upon finishing a predetermined goal in a video game. The predetermined goal can be, for example, killing a first boss in under five minutes. The message to the friend can include a link or button enabled such that the friend can begin the game on his device in the same room, mission, scenario, etc. that the first player started out in so that the friend can attempt to duplicate or ‘one up’ the first player's achievement. Friends who are interested in receiving such messages can be determined from existing social networking sites.
US09005018B2
A gaming system identifies, from a gaming network having a cluster of electronic gaming machines (EGMs), those of the EGMs having an availability and unavailability for use. Those of the EGMs having the availability for use are organized. A user selects one of the organized EGMs.
US09005015B2
A gaming system including a central server linked to a plurality of gaming machines and a plurality of bonus awards. The central server monitors wagers on the gaming machines. Based at least in part on the wagers the central server determines when bonus events will occur and which gaming machine(s) will provide the bonus awards. In one embodiment, the central server determines which gaming machine will provide a primary bonus award and any secondary bonus awards. In one embodiment, the number of secondary bonus awards is determined based on the number of active gaming machines. The selected gaming machine then determines a component of or the amount of the bonus award to be provided to the gaming machine selected by the central server.
US09005011B2
Techniques for processing and presenting wagering data are presented herein. In one embodiment, a method comprises configuring a wagering game terminal for contemporaneously presenting content for a plurality of wagering games. Configuring the terminal can include dividing a player interface into a plurality of areas, wherein each of the areas is associated with one of the plurality of wagering games. The configuring can also include resizing the content to fit in the areas. The method can also include receiving, from a remote wagering game server, results for one or more of the wagering games, and selecting portions of the content, wherein the portions of the content graphically represent the results. The method can also include displaying the portions of the content.
US09005008B2
Methods and systems for making a side bet in a hybrid game having a gambling game portion and an entertainment game portion are provided. The side bet is made in regards to the play of the entertainment portion of the hybrid game and can be made using a real world credit, a game world credit or a game world element. If the side bet is made using a real world credit, the real world credits used by the gambling game portion of the hybrid game and credited to a player are incremented or decremented. If the side bet is made using a game world element, the entertainment game portion of the hybrid game is updated based on the outcome of the side bet.
US09004991B2
Provided is a temperature control apparatus of a working machine that is inexpensive, energy-saving and capable of eliminating the temperature difference between a temperature in a room in which the working machine is installed and a temperature of a working area.
US09004988B2
A slaughtered pig leg parts conveyor device is provided for conveying individual pig leg parts, wherein an individual pig leg part includes at least a portion of a pig leg and the pig foot. The conveyor device includes a track and one or more pig leg part carriers movable along said track, each carrier being adapted to carry an individual pig leg part. Each carrier has one pig foot retaining assembly adapted to engage on a single pig foot so as to retain the pig leg part in a position suspended from the carrier. The retaining assembly includes a pig foot aperture adapted to receive the pig foot.
US09004975B1
An optical toy adapted to enable a user, such as a child, to see a 3-dimensional image that is representative of an object being held in front of the toy. The toy includes a frame which surrounds a set of optical components and an optical components carrier. The set of optical components of the toy includes an optically-transparent (e.g., convex) lens and a reflective (e.g., concave) mirror surface that is located behind the transparent lens. The optical components carrier to which the set of optical components of the toy is attached is removable from the rear of the frame to be replaced by a different carrier having a different set of optical components.
US09004969B2
A method of making a spark plug electrode includes several steps. One step includes providing an inner core of a ruthenium (Ru) based alloy or an iridium (Ir) based alloy. Another step includes providing an outer skin over a portion or more of the inner core in order to produce a core and skin assembly. The outer skin can be made of platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), or an alloy of one of these. Yet another step includes increasing the temperature of the core and skin assembly. And another step includes hot forming the core and skin assembly at the increased temperature.
US09004963B1
A line collector for a marine propulsion unit comprises a spool-like body for collecting fishing line, nets, weeds, and other debris. The line collector can be positioned between two propellers to protect an internal seal of the marine propulsion unit.
US09004960B2
An improved outer layer of plating comprising a binary metal alloy of gold and palladium is employed on connector contacts. The binary metal alloy is plated on at least the contact surface of the contacts. Intermediate plating layers can be applied between the outer layer of gold and palladium and the conductive base of the contacts. The binary metal alloy of gold and palladium may be configured to have a mostly gold or a mostly silver appearance, depending upon the relative concentration of gold and palladium in the binary metal alloy.
US09004956B2
A conducting wire terminal seat comprises a main body which includes a first body and a second body. The first and second bodies respectively have a chamber for allowing an entry of high and low current (or voltage) conducting wires which is then electrically connected to metal units in respective chambers. A height (or length) of the first body is larger than a height (or length) of the second body, so that a distance from the first body to an operating area is smaller than a distance from the second body to the operating area. Therefore, the operator operates the loading and unloading operation of the high and low current conducting wires under a safer circumstance.
US09004955B2
A plug-in connector element (10) has at least two contact plates (72, 74) formed by shaped electrically conductive sheet metal strips. Each contact plate has a connection portion (76) for the electrical connection of the plug-in connector element (10) to an electrical line (6), a contact portion (82) for a detachable electrical connection of the plug-in connector element (10) to an associated connecting element, and a compensating portion (80) arranged between the connection portion (76) and the contact portion (82) for a resilient deflection of the contact portion (82) with respect to the connection portion (76). The connection portion (76), the compensating portion (80) and the contact portion (82) are integrally formed from the sheet metal strips (72, 74). A plug-in connector part has a plurality of plug-in connector elements.
US09004954B2
An electrical connection assembly includes a first connector which includes a first electrical contact surrounded by a first connector wall defining a first connector cavity. The first connector wall includes a plurality of ribs extending into the first connector cavity. A second connector is matable with the first connector along a mating axis and includes a second electrical contact in electrical communication with the first electrical contact when the first connector is mated with the second connector. The second connector includes a second connector body surrounding the second electrical contact.
US09004949B2
A stacked electric connector includes an insulating body, multiple electrically conductive terminals, a circuit board, a hub integrated circuit, and multiple outputting terminals. Multiple tongues portions extend forwards from the insulating body. Multiple terminal slots are disposed within the tongue portions. The electrically conductive terminals are disposed within the terminal slots. One end of each electrically conductive terminal extends out of the insulating body and is electrically connected to the circuit board. The electrically conductive terminals and the tongue portions together construct multiple connecting ports having the same interface. The hub IC is disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to the electrically conductive terminals. The outputting terminals are disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to the hub IC. An amount of the outputting terminals is equal to an amount of the electrically conductive terminals of each connecting port.
US09004948B2
An end cap of a lighting tube includes a first assembly member and a second assembly member. The first assembly member includes a first shell, several recesses, and two first position-limiting elements. The first shell has a first central-securing element, and the first shell forms a first area and a second area. The two first position-limiting elements are disposed on the first area. The second assembly member includes a second shell, a first elastic element, a second elastic element, and two positioning elements. An end of the second shell is connected to a lighting tube and a second central-securing element of the second shell is secured with the first central-securing element. The first elastic element is disposed on the second shell. The second elastic element is disposed on the second shell. The two positioning elements are disposed on the second shell.
US09004947B2
A shield connector is provided capable of reducing the number of components and assembly processes while ensuring shielding characteristics and movability. First and second connectors 10 and 20 respectively including terminals 16 and 26, connector housings 11 and 21 having operation opening portions 12 and 22 for connecting the terminals, and service covers 13 and 23 covering the opening portions, electric wires 40 connecting both the connectors, and a shield shell 50 shielding both the connectors and the electric wires are included. The shield shell is divided into a first shield shell 51 fixed to the first connector and second shield shells 52 and 53 fixed to the second connector, and the peripheral edges of the shield shells overlap each other while enabling relative movement between the first shield shell and the second shield shell. The service cover of the first connector has an interlocking portion 15.
US09004946B2
Electrical plug-and-socket connector, electrical mating connector, electrical plug-in connection and made-up electric cable. The disclosure relates to an electrical plug-and-socket connector, in particular electrical pin socket, with a plug-and-socket connector body and electromagnetic shielding provided on the plug-and-socket connector body, the plug-and-socket connector body and the shielding having coding means which correspond to each other, by means of which the shielding is provided in a certain orientation on the plug-and-socket connector body.
US09004933B2
A detonator (14) has a printed circuit board (18) with conductive contact pads (26) which are electrically connected to conductors (32, 34) by means of a compression-type fitting. The compression-type fitting includes a cover (40), a seal (46) and a locking member (54) through which the electrical conductors in the form of a cable (12) are slidably threaded in the stated order. The detonator (14) has at its trailing end (24) a wedge-shaped part (28) having a serrated surface (28A). Locking member (54) has a tapered cavity (56) having a serrated surface (56A). Cover (40) is slid along cable (12) to force locking member (54) into locking engagement with wedge-shaped part (28) to hold conductors (32, 34) in contact with contact pads (26).
US09004929B2
A method for producing electric components (1) for high-voltage applications, in particular ignition systems. An insulator (3) is produced as a hollow body from a thermoplastic material by an injection-molding method, the electrical functional part (2) is introduced into the insulator (3), and a casting material is cast in the intermediate space between the electrical functional part (2) and the insulator (3). Also, an electric component (1) having an electrical functional part (2) and an insulator (3) for high-voltage applications, in particular ignition systems The insulator (3) preferably consists of polyphenylene sulfide having a glass fiber content.
US09004927B2
A low-profile electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts and a pair of mounting pieces positioned at opposite sides of the insulative housing. The insulative housing includes a half-opened plug-receiving space. Each contact includes a fixing portion, a deformable contacting portion extending into the plug-receiving space and a soldering portion for being mounted to a circuit board. Each mounting piece includes a retaining portion, a bending portion extending sidewardly from the retaining portion and a mounting portion parallel to the retaining portion. The mounting portions are adapted for being fixed to the circuit board in order that when a plug is inserted into the plug-receiving space, the mounting portions replace the soldering portions to bear a great deal of impact force.
US09004924B2
A magnetic power connector and an electronic system using a magnetic power connector are disclosed, wherein a magnetic element of the magnetic power connector is magnetically attracted to a matching magnetic connector to ensure a stable contact. In addition, the electrical conductive path created between the contact elements does not pass through any elastic elements, thereby avoiding heating and improving the lifespan of the elements. Furthermore, sealing can be disposed in the gaps between the connector elements to make the connector waterproof. In addition, a trigger signal can be generated by establishing an electrical connection between a signal contact element and the conductive element in the magnetic power connector so as to achieve the purpose of identification or control, thereby avoiding the functional failure caused by the damage of the contact element of the matching magnetic connector.
US09004923B2
A switching electrical power contactor having a bi-blade type switch, has ferrous plates attached to the blades to increase the current carrying capacity and reduce the resistance of the switch.
US09004922B2
An interactive education system for teaching patient care to a user is described. The system comprises a patient simulator; a virtual instrument for use with the patient simulator in performing patient care activities; means for sensing an interaction between the virtual instrument and the simulator, and means for providing feedback to the user regarding the interaction between the virtual instrument and the simulator. In one aspect, the system includes a maternal simulator, a fetal simulator, and a neonatal simulator.
US09004919B2
One possible embodiment of the invention could be a methodology of creating a proposed sulcus emergence profile for a dental implant surgical site, comprising of the following steps obtaining data of a specific patient's mouth needed to create a computer-generated virtual model of that patient's mouth; processing said obtained data to create a computer-generated virtual model of the patient's mouth; comparing virtual model data as it pertains to a site map of a proposed dental implant surgical site with virtual model data as it pertains to a site map of a mirror location in the mouth of the surgical site, allowing the mirror location site map to be transposed and overlaid upon the site map of the surgical site; and creating from that comparison of virtual model data, a proposed sulcus emergence profile for the implant surgical site.
US09004916B2
An orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body and a ligating member. The ligating member retains an archwire in an archwire slot and includes archwire control structure including projecting portions spaced apart in a mesial-distal direction with a recessed area therebetween. The recessed area and the projecting portions overlie the archwire slot. The recessed area may include a flat or a curved surface in a mesial-distal direction. The recessed area and projecting portions may define a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of curvature of the archwire seated in the slot. The archwire contacts one or both of the projecting portions resulting in a larger moment arm and better rotational control of the bracket with the force applied by the archwire.
US09004914B2
An Active Energy Assist (AEA) baking chamber includes an AEA light source assembly and a heater pedestal. The AEA baking chamber further includes a controller for controlling a power input to the AEA light source assembly and a power input to the heater pedestal. A method of forming interconnects on a substrate includes etching a substrate and wet cleaning the etched substrate. The method further includes active energy assist (AEA) baking the substrate after the wet-cleaning. The AEA baking includes placing the substrate on a heater pedestal in an AEA chamber, exposing the substrate to light having a wavelength equal to or greater than 400 nm, wherein said light is emitted by a light source and controlling the light source and the heater pedestal using a controller.
US09004913B2
A gas burner, which is particularly suitable for flame treatment of substrates having large surfaces, e.g. for coating such surfaces in a combustion chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) process, includes a burner body with a gas supply connection and a nozzle plate, wherein the burner body and the nozzle plate constitute together a gas plenum and the nozzle plate constitutes a perforated wall section of the plenum. The nozzle plate includes a large number of nozzles extending from a plenum side to a flame side of the nozzle plate and it is made of a plurality of sheets which are arranged in a stack and extend substantially perpendicular or substantially parallel to the nozzle extension. The sheets include through openings, wherein the through openings of all sheets are at least partly aligned with each other, or they have a comb-like form.
US09004906B2
A cavity insert for a mold stack is disclosed, the cavity insert being dimensioned to define a continuous annular cavity insert cooling chamber. The cavity insert also provides a first and second decompression chamber in fluid communication with each end of the cavity insert cooling chamber. Also disclosed is a chamber extension feature in fluid communication with the cavity insert cooling chamber to promote cooling in the downstream region of the cavity insert.
US09004903B2
The invention provides a deckle system for extrusion dies. In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods of cleaning an extrusion die equipped with a retractable external deckle system. Also provided in some embodiments is a deckle system having a novel deckle adjustment mechanism. In other embodiments, the invention provides an advantageous internal deckle member equipped with a removable, replaceable internally threaded insert.
US09004895B2
A thermoforming device heats a plastic film to a substantially uniform temperature, in order to impart a curved shape to said film. The device includes a chamber, the internal pressure of which is variable and which is closed by the film, a system for measuring a sag in the film arranged outside the chamber and opposite said film, and a system for heating the film. The heating system includes a hot air blowing unit which is suitable for producing a hot airflow flowing parallel to the film between two opposite edges of said film.
US09004892B2
An optical lens mold includes a mold body, a magnetic fluid, a plurality of thermocouples, a plurality of electromagnets, a controlling unit and a power source. The mold body defines a plurality of injection chambers and a cooling channel surrounding the plurality of injection chambers. The magnetic fluid contains magnetic particles and flows in the cooling channel. The thermocouples are capable of sensing temperatures of the plurality of injection chambers correspondingly. The electromagnets are positioned above the cooling channel corresponding to the plurality of thermocouples. The plurality of thermocouples and the plurality of electromagnets are connected to the controlling unit via the power source, the controlling unit is capable of the comparing the standard temperature value with temperature values sensed by the plurality of thermocouples, and maintaining the temperature of the plurality of injection chambers in a normal state.
US09004885B2
The present invention relates to a reciprocating compressor in which a cylinder of a compression unit is tightly fixed to a hermetic shell, and a stator of a reciprocating motor is fixed to the hermetic shell by a support spring consisting of a leaf spring, so as to reduce the gap between a compressor body and the hermetic shell and thus reduce the size of the compressor. In addition, the masses of the members of the reciprocating motor and of the compression unit, as well as the elasticity of the spring supporting the members, are properly adjusted to offset the force being applied to the hermetic shell, thereby minimizing the vibrations of the hermetic shell. Further, the relative velocity of the reciprocating motor increases such that the relative velocity of the reciprocating motor is faster than the relative velocity of the compression unit, thereby improving the efficiency of the motor.
US09004883B2
A low noise, high efficiency solenoid pump includes a housing containing a hollow electromagnetic coil. Within the coil resides a pump assembly defining a tubular body having a pair of opposed ends which respectively include an inlet or suction port and an outlet or pressure port and within which a plunger or piston resides. The piston is biased in opposite directions by a pair of opposed compression springs. A first compression spring limits and arrests travel of the piston during the suction or return stroke and a second compression spring limits travel of the piston during the pumping stroke and returns the piston after the pumping stroke. The piston includes a first check valve that opens to allow hydraulic fluid into a pumping chamber during the suction stroke and closes during the pumping stroke to cause fluid to be pumped out of the pumping chamber. A second check valve opens to allow pumped fluid to exit the pumping chamber and the pump body through the outlet or pressure port and closes to inhibit reverse flow.
US09004880B2
A fan motor set locating structure includes a base seat and a motor set. The base seat has a bearing cup. At least one locating notch is formed on a top section of the bearing cup. A bearing is disposed in the bearing cup. The motor set includes an insulation support. One side of the insulation support is formed with a sleeve. The sleeve is capped on the bearing cup. The sleeve has at least one protrusion section protruding from the sleeve to the bearing cup corresponding to the locating notch. The protrusion section is engaged in the locating notch in abutment with the bearing. Accordingly, the motor set can be quickly fixedly assembled with the bearing cup to fix the bearing. Therefore, the number of the components is decreased and the assembling process is speeded.
US09004876B2
A cooling system includes a fan group with a number of fans arranged in a row, a rail extending in a direction parallel to the row of the fans. A backup fan slidably mounted to the rail, a motor configured to control the movement of the backup fan, and a control board to determine whether there exists one malfunction fan in the fan group. When one abnormal fan exists in the fan group, the control board outputs a control signal to the motor, to enable the motor to drive the backup fan to move to a location corresponding to the abnormal fan.
US09004862B2
A control system for calibrating a wind turbine sensor placed on a component of a wind turbine and related methods are disclosed. The wind turbine includes a rotor having at least one wind turbine blade. The method comprises pitching one or more of the at least one of the wind turbine blades according to a predetermined pitch movement which induces a vibratory motion in the at least one turbine blade. A wind turbine sensor measures a vibratory response signal at least partly caused by the vibratory motion. A characteristic sensor response value is determined from the vibratory response signal. The characteristic sensor response value may be compared to a predetermined sensor calibration parameter to determine whether a difference is greater than a predefined tolerance parameter. In this manner, the wind turbine sensor may be calibrated.
US09004859B2
A casing treatment for a fan or compressor stage 10 of a gas turbine engine comprises circumferential grooves 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E which extend in a series disposed between the leading edges 20 and trailing edges 22 of blades 6 of a fan or compressor stage 10. The grooves 16 vary in depth d in order to optimise the stall margin of the fan or compressor stage 10 while preserving peak efficiency.
US09004848B2
A feeding device includes a housing, a first conveying mechanism mounted on the housing, and a distribution mechanism. The housing forming a receptacle space includes a top surface defining a receiving opening communicated with the receptacle space. The distribution mechanism includes a slide platform slidably mounted on the top surface, a distribution member, and elastic members. The slide platform defines an unloading opening communicated with the receiving opening and a mounting groove adjacent to the unloading opening. The distribution member is movably mounted in the mounting groove. The elastic member elastically resists the distribution member to protrude out from the unloading opening. The stacked feeding trays resist the distribution member to move away from the unloading opening. When the top feeding tray is moved above the distribution member, the distribution member retracts by an elastic force to separate the top feeding tray from the stacked feeding trays located below.
US09004844B2
A forklift truck includes a truck body, a fork, a mast, tilting and lifting mechanisms, tilt and lift levers, tilting and lifting operation detectors, an auxiliary switch, a tilt angle detector and a controller. The tilt and lift levers are adapted to operate the tilting and lifting mechanisms, respectively. The auxiliary switch is disposed on the lift lever at a position where the auxiliary switch and the lift lever are operable by the same operator's hand. The controller is adapted to control the tilting and lifting mechanisms based on signals from the tilting and lifting operation detectors and the auxiliary switch. When the auxiliary switch is in operative position and the lifting operation detector detects that the lift lever is in operative position, the controller controls the tilting mechanism so as to tilt the fork to have a predetermined tilt angle based on a signal from the tilt angle detector.
US09004843B2
Method and apparatus for handling aerogenerator blades that provide a versatile means for handling aerogenerator blades without an unbalanced distribution of the loads in the blade. The method comprises positioning an upper mounting part (103) over the blade after the upper mold has been retracted; lifting the blade with the upper mounting part from the under mold using a lifting means; positioning the blade over an under mounting part (104) which is fixedly attached to an inferior movable support (102); attaching the upper mounting part to the under mounting part, wherein the upper and under mounting parts together have the inner surface substantially corresponding to the shape of the blade outer profile section. The invention further comprises an apparatus for handling aerogenerator blades.
US09004841B2
Disclosed are apparatuses and methods for use thereof for loading bulk material into freight containers. One apparatus comprises a hopper configured to receive bulk material that is sized and shaped to be at least partially enclosable by a container to occupy a substantial volume of the container and a ram. The ram comprises a plate and a driver configured to move the plate from a back end of the hopper to an open end of the hopper to expel material into a container. Another apparatus comprises a hopper configured to receive bulk material that is sized and shaped to be at least partially enclosable by a container to occupy a substantial volume of the container and a reciprocating conveyor floor system. Optionally, a chute can be employed in combination with a loader vehicle to quickly and efficiently load bulk material into a container.
US09004836B2
A security fastener, for use with a corresponding key, having a channel in a head of the security fastener for receiving the key, the bottom of the channel being profiled wherein the depth of the channel varies along the length of the channel; a key for use with a security fastener; a combination, or a kit of parts, comprising a security fastener; a method of manufacturing a security fastener; and a method of processing an order for a security fastener.
US09004819B2
A method for installation of an offshore wind turbine. The method includes prefabrication of a foundation that provides buoyant force and uprighting force to the foundation so as to keep it upright without external forces. The method further includes installation on a dock that includes assembling the offshore wind turbine into a complete set, and finishing testing in a state of the complete set. The method further includes transporting the complete set to an offshore site in a way of floating on the water, and then offshore installation that includes sinking the complete set onto a sea bed by gravity on the offshore site, and fixing the foundation to finish the installation. The present invention also provides a method for recovery of an offshore wind turbine, which is performed generally in steps reversed to the method for installation.
US09004816B2
A method for remediating contaminated soil includes adding a heat-activated oxidizing agent into the soil; exposing the soil to direct current through a first set of electrodes so as to cause migration of the oxidizing agent through the soil and pore water contained in the soil; and exposing the soil to alternating current through a second set of electrodes so as to heat the soil and thus to activate the oxidizing agent. The first and second sets of electrodes are optionally the same set.
US09004807B2
A vehicle access control system includes an elongate, generally hollow, generally planar base platform having a first and a second distal end. A generally hollow enclosure is atop the base platform. A first lift gate is intermediate the enclosure and the first distal end of the base platform, while a second lift gate is intermediate the enclosure the second distal end of the base platform. A first lift arm is pivotally coupled to the first lift gate and extends generally perpendicularly away from a longitudinal axis of the base platform. Likewise, a second, opposing lift arm is pivotally coupled to the second lift gate and extends generally perpendicularly away from the longitudinal axis of the base platform. The base platform is configured for direct contact with a mounting surface. In addition, the vehicle access control system is transportable as a unit.
US09004806B2
An elongated clamp for securing a flexible fabric-like shroud to a scaffold support member including two opposed jaws movable between an open and closed position by a one pin and an at-least-one wedge combination. The flexible shroud is held to the support member by the clamp's gripping force. Multiple clamps securable at different points along the various standard support members can provide positive securement of the shroud.
US09004805B2
A progressive release or multi-point engagement device according to aspect of the present disclosure includes a first component and a second component connected to the first component with mounted coil spring. The first component is movable relative to the second component and latch by moving the canted coil spring to a second common groove. Alternatively, a second spring is used to move the second component and relative to a third component. When a second engagement position is desired, a relatively higher a force may be necessary to move the relevant component.
US09004802B2
A tolerance ring has a band with outwardly extending corrugated protrusions forming waves that engage an outer surface of a shaft. At one end of the tolerance ring is an inwardly flared guide surface extending axially and radially from the band. The guide surface acts as a tapered entrance to a bore of a housing to assist during assembly.
US09004796B2
An application device for applying a flowable substance includes an outer shell, and inner shell, and a reservoir defined between the inner and outer shells. The outer shell has an outer circumferential wall and an outer bottom. The inner shell has an inner circumferential wall and an inner bottom defining an inner space and is sealingly received in the outer shell for telescopic movement between a closed position and a released position. At least one orifice is formed in the inner bottom of the inner shell. A closure means closes off the at least one orifice in the closed position, wherein at least one pin forming at least part of the closure means extends from the outer shell.
US09004794B2
A telescopic chalk holder for drawing upon a drawing surface and including an outer cylinder having a tip at one end, a chalk stick received within the outer cylinder, the tip in radial receipt of the chalk stick, a push rod received by a second end of the outer cylinder and extending at least a portion of the chalk stick through the tip, and a push rod providing pressure to the chalk stick as the tip is manipulated over the drawing surface.
US09004793B2
A lipstick case lipstick body lift seat anti-slipped structure includes a lipstick case, an outer tube, a lift seat with an opening facing upward, and a lipstick body. A plurality of anti-slipped blocking grooves is formed on an upwardly inclined side of each of the two inclined guiding grooves. The outer tube is sleeved on an outer side of the small diameter guiding tube, and a spiral guiding groove is disposed on an inner wall of the outer tube concavely. The lipstick body is sleeved in the lift seat. Two lift guiding columns are disposed on an outer wall of the lift seat protrudingly for engaging with the inclined guiding grooves correspondingly and pressing into the spiral guiding groove. An anti-slipped blocking portion is protrudingly disposed on an outer diameter of each of the lift guiding columns corresponding to the anti-slipped blocking grooves.
US09004790B2
A cutter unit is incorporated in a printer to cut a paper in accordance with an instruction from a controller of the printer. The cutter unit includes a cutter blade, a position sensor for detecting that the cutter blade is or is not in a reference position, a motor for driving the cutter blade, a drive circuit for the motor, and a cutter control element for controlling the drive circuit on the basis of a result of the detection of the position sensor to operate the cutter blade in accordance with the instruction from the controller.
US09004788B2
A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed equipped with a transfer mechanism that transfers a substrate processed at a processing block to a carrier so that the increase of the number of transfer process is suppressed, improving the processing efficiency. The substrate processing apparatus is configured in such a way that, when a second-transfer module houses at least one substrate and a carrier that can house the at least one substrate is not placed in a carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to a buffer module. When the second transfer module houses at least one substrate and the carrier that can house the at least one substrate is placed in the carrier-placement unit, the at least one substrate is transferred to the carrier, regardless of whether or not a substrate is being transferred from the buffer module to the carrier.
US09004781B2
A method and structure for reinforcing a fusion splice part where optical fiber cores extending from sheaths of a pair of optical cables are spliced to each other, wherein a reinforcing member is provided along the fusion splice part so that both ends of the reinforcing member overlap with each of the sheaths of the optical cables; an adhesive tube covers the periphery of the fusion splice part provided with the reinforcing member so that both ends of the adhesive tube overlap with each of the sheaths of the optical cables, and is contracted; and a protective tube covers the periphery of the adhesive tube so that both ends of the protective tube overlap with each of the sheaths of the optical cables, the adhesive tube is outwardly projected in the length direction, and is contracted.
US09004777B2
An optical fiber coupling assembly includes a first optical fiber connector and a second optical fiber connector. The first optical fiber connector includes a first body having a first light incident surface, first optical lenses, first plugs, and second plugs. The first optical lenses, the first plugs, and the second plugs are formed on the first light incident surface. The first optical lenses are positioned between the first plugs, and the first plugs are positioned between the second plugs. The second plugs are longer than the first plugs. The second optical fiber connector includes a second body having a second light incident surface and second optical lenses formed on the second light incident surface. First engaging holes and second engaging holes are defined in the second light incident surface. The first plugs are inserted into the first engaging holes, and the second plugs are inserted into the second engaging holes.
US09004772B2
A rolling bearing unit includes: a rolling bearing; a grease reservoir in which grease is reserved; an outer ring spacer disposed adjacent to an outer ring of the rolling bearing; and a bellows-shaped grease medium that connects a second side wall that defines the grease reservoir on the outer ring spacer side, to a step portion of the outer ring. The grease medium is disposed so as to be impregnated with a base oil contained in the grease.
US09004765B1
An air foil bearing has a bearing housing having a shaft hole in which a rotary shaft is inserted and a top foil fixed to the shaft hole to support the circumference of the rotary shaft, an air flow path is formed at the top foil by means of a plurality of dams protruding on the inner surface of the top foil, and the air flow path is formed so that air between the top foil and the rotary shaft flows along the circumference of the inner surface of the top foil.
US09004763B2
A buried plug has interference which is made to exert a load or stress less in a widthwise direction of the guide rail than in a lengthwise direction of the guide rail, thereby protect raceways on the guide rail against any deformation such as bulge. The buried plug has a mating zone to press fit into a counterbore of a bolt hole and a leading zone to guide the mating zone into the counterbore. Let assuming a definition that a direction perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the guide rail is referred to a direction opposed to the raceway surface or the widthwise direction of the guide rail, the interference exerting a force on the counterbore in the widthwise direction is determined less than the interference exerting the force on the counterbore in the lengthwise direction of the guide rail.
US09004750B2
A system connects a bracelet to a watch case by a link. The watch case includes a caseband and a back cover. The link includes a first hollow element and a second element partly nesting in the first hollow element. The first hollow element carries a first device to fasten to the watch case. The second element carries a second device to fasten to an adjacent bracelet link. The watch case includes a mechanical device arranged to pivot the first hollow element so that the first hollow element is pressed against the caseband of the watch case.
US09004741B2
A device for agitating a canister of material to mix the material therein. A housing in which the canister is inserted has a ball mounted to the bottom end of the housing. The ball is mounted on an axle driven by an external rotary power drill. The ball is located offset with respect to a main axis of the housing and is also mounted offset with respect to the axle of rotation thereby causing rotation of the canister as well as reciprocal motion of the canister.
US09004738B2
The present invention provides a display device comprising: back plate, lightguiding plate, optical film, and positioning unit. Lightguiding plate is disposed on back plate. Optical film is disposed on lightguiding plate. Optical film comprises at least one positioning section. Positioning section comprises first extending section extending out from the margin of optical film, and second extending section being connected with extending section. Positioning unit is disposed close to optical film and fixed on back plate. Positioning unit comprises main section and hold down section connecting to main section. The present invention, adding positioning unit comprising a groove holding first extending section and hold down section holding down second extending section on back plate, makes optical film positioned and prevents disposition and falloff during the manufacturing and transportation process. In addition, without applying tapes to position optical film, as a result, optical film waving is prevented.
US09004735B2
A backlight module includes a light guide plate and only one light source. The light guide plate has a main body and protrusions. The main body has a light emitting surface, a light incident surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface. The protrusions are positioned on the light incident surface, and face the light source. The protrusions diffuse the light rays from the only one light source and guides the light rays into the main body. The light emitting surface has a light emitting area and a marginal area surrounding the light emitting area. The marginal area has a light diffusion area adjacent to the light incident surface and the first side surface. An included angle between the light incident surface and the first side surface is an obtuse angle. An included angle between the light incident surface and the second side surface is an obtuse angle.
US09004734B2
A light guide plate includes a number of optical fibers positioned side by side and transparent curable glue adhering the optical fibers together. The optical fibers and the curable glue cooperatively form a light incident surface and a light output surface connected to the light incident surface. The light output surface defines light output holes.
US09004729B2
An internal IR filter assembly for an illuminator has a lamp disposed within a reflector with a face plate. A spring-biased IR filter is shaped as a hollow sleeve telescopically disposed over the lamp. A fixed cylindrical pedestal has one end coupled to the face plate. A sliding cylindrical mount is coupled to the IR filter and telescopically disposed over the fixed pedestal. A gear drive is engaged to a driven gear or hub. A motor is coupled to the gear drive to selectively and reversibly rotate the gear drive. The driven gear is coupled to the sliding cylindrical mount of the IR filter to selectively and reversibly translate the IR filter with respect to the lamp. At least one rod is coupled to the driven gear to prevent the rotation of the driven gear. The rod is slidable within the illuminator but rotationally fixed relative to the illuminator.
US09004715B1
A modular lighting assembly for a modular frame piece comprising a power module, a heat spreader, a circuit board with traces that provide electrical pathways, at least one illumination element, and a cover. The circuit board is disposed upon the heat spreader, the cover is disposed upon the circuit board and encapsulates the circuit board, the power module is electrically connected to the traces on the circuit board. The traces on the circuit board are electrically connected to the at least one illumination element to enable power transfer from the power module to the at least one illumination element. The modular lighting assembly can be slidably disposed within a slot of a modular frame profile.
US09004713B2
An interior illumination assembly comprising a lamp housing mountable on an interior panel and a lamp removably supportable within the lamp housing. The lamp includes an LED module carrying an LED and removably receivable by the lamp housing into an installed position in the lamp housing. A lens is disposed across the module opening and a reflector carried by the LED module reflects light from the LED through the lens into the compartment.
US09004712B1
The invention disclosed provides a convertible safety body cover with interchangeable light patterns. The safety body cover has an outer front panel permanently connected to an outer rear panel. A first light pattern is mounted to an inner front panel that is removeably mounted to the outer front panel. A second light pattern is mounted to an inner rear panel that is removeably mounted to the outer rear panel. The light pattern panels are removed and replaced with different light pattern panels to create different visual effects.
US09004710B2
A backlight device of the present invention includes: a chassis having a bottom plate; a plurality of LED substrates 25 that are rectangular and that are arranged such that one end face on the short side of the LED substrate 25 faces the short side of the bottom plate; LEDs arranged on the LED substrates 25; first through holes that go through the LED substrates 25; second through holes 42 that are disposed nearer the end face of the LED substrate 25 than the first through holes 41, that go through the LED substrates 25, and that are horizontally longer than the first through holes 41 along the long side direction of the LED substrates 25; plate-shaped through holes disposed in the bottom plate; and securing pins that have a size that enables the LED substrates 25 to be secured in the plate surface direction thereof by the securing pins going through the first through holes 41 and plate-shaped through holes, that secure the LED substrates 25 in the short side direction thereof by going through the second through holes 42 and plate-shaped through holes, and that are a size allowing the LED substrates 25 to move in the long side direction thereof.
US09004709B2
An anti-abrasion optical diffusion film (2), an LCD device and a light source using the anti-abrasion optical diffusion film (2) are disclosed, in order to solve the problem of the prior art that the diffusion particles are abraded or detached in large area, when an optical diffusion thin film receives external force. The anti-abrasion optical diffusion film (2) includes a substrate (21) and a diffusion coating (22); the diffusion coating (22) includes diffusion adhesive layer (24) and diffusion particles (23). The variation coefficient of the diameter of the particles is 10-100%. The invention improves the anti-abrasion ability of the optical diffusion thin film.
US09004696B1
An image projection apparatus includes: a light source; an exhaust fan having a rotary shaft provided with at least one blade, the rotary shaft being rotated to exhaust air inside the apparatus to the outside of the apparatus; a guide having a sloped face that is sloped toward the exhaust fan, the sloped face having a first side surface facing the light source and a second side surface provided opposite of the first side surface; a first flow path, defined by the first side surface of the guide, to guide air heated by the light source toward the rotary shaft of the exhaust fan; and a second flow path, defined by the second side surface of the guide, to guide air having temperature lower than temperature of the air heated by the light source, toward the rotary shaft of the exhaust fan.
US09004689B2
A method of determining a corneal thickness and an apparatus for determining said is provided. The method comprises the following the steps: —illuminating a cornea by a plurality of stimulator point light sources, capturing an image of the cornea comprising reflected images of the stimulator point light sources, obtaining a model representing an anterior surface of the cornea, —constructing a second model representing a posterior surface of the cornea from the image by ray-tracing the reflected images of the stimulator point light sources towards the model representing the anterior surface of the cornea, determining the corneal thickness from the model representing the anterior surface and the second model representing the posterior surface.
US09004687B2
A universal headset-mounted Neuropsychological Testing System utilizes eye tracking, with a single screen fixed with respect to the face and a dot on the screen driven to present an object that both eyes are focused on using a set of prisms, with the prisms eliminating interocular distance considerations. Ultrathin optics cast a virtual image at 40 centimeters and a universal mask against which the test taker's face is placed fixes the single screen with respect to the face so that head movement is not a factor. Additionally, miniature cameras are located in the headset housing beneath the eyes, and a quick release tensioning unit provides easy headset mounting and removal. Moreover, all elements are located in the headset hood to eliminate the effects of head movement as well as environmental distractions.
US09004677B1
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for an adaptive filter scheme in handheld positioning device are described herein. The adaptive filter scheme may determine a direction that the positioning device is traveling and adjust one or more parameters of the filter scheme based at least in part on the determined direction. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09004676B2
A recording apparatus includes: a first housing; a second housing pivotable about a shaft relative to the first housing between a close position and a distant position; and a tank mount portion provided in the second housing such that a mounting direction of a tank with respect to the tank mount portion in a state in which the second housing is at the distant position has a downward component in a vertical direction. The tank mount portion includes a resistance applying mechanism which applies a resistance force to the tank in a state in which at least a part of the tank is inserted into the tank mount portion when the second housing is at the distant position.
US09004675B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for three-dimensional printing directly onto an article of apparel. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing onto an article of apparel, including receiving an undistorted three-dimensional pattern for display on the article, the undistorted three-dimensional pattern configured for placement on an irregular three-dimensional surface; creating a predistorted three-dimensional pattern from the undistorted three-dimensional pattern for printing onto a simple three-dimensional shaped object; receiving the predistorted three-dimensional pattern in a three-dimensional printing system; and printing the predistorted three-dimensional pattern onto the article.
US09004662B2
A filter, the alignment of which does not need to be adjusted, and an ink-jet recording apparatus having such a filter are provided, the ink-jet recording apparatus capable of avoiding leakage of residual liquids in filter exchange operation. The filter of the present invention includes an upper capsule member, a lower capsule member, and a filter medium. The upper capsule member has a central connecting port and a peripheral connecting port, and also has a pipe section that extends, within the capsule, from the peripheral connecting port to the vicinity of the bottom surface (the deepest section) of the lower capsule member. A liquid supplied from the peripheral connecting port via the pipe section is filtered through the filter medium, and the filtered liquid is output from the central connecting port.
US09004646B2
A rotary inkjet imaging apparatus includes a curved print zone having a longitudinal axis and in which a page of media is held in a curved configuration at a stationary position, a carrier movable bi-directionally along a linear path defined adjacent to the curved print zone and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, and at least one inkjet printhead supported by the carrier for undergoing movement within the curved print zone along a curved path winding about a central axis extending parallel to the guide path and coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the curved print zone such that the inkjet printhead moves about the central axis multiple revolutions and prints on the page concurrently as the carrier unidirectionally moves along the linear path and the printhead moves within the curved print zone and through portions of the curved path in which the printhead faces toward the page.
US09004639B2
A method measures distances between two printed lines on a rotating image receiving member to identify fluid drop mass or fluid drop velocity changes in inkjet ejectors in an inkjet printing system. An initial distance between the two lines is measured at the start of the operational life of the system. During the operation of the printing system, the lines are reprinted and the distance between the two lines compared to the initial distance stored in association with the printheads that printed the lines. If the distance has changed by more than a predetermined amount, a printer parameter is adjusted.
US09004638B2
The present invention provides a color measuring apparatus and a printing apparatus that enable the user to easily keep a backing plate. A color measuring apparatus includes a holder on which a backing plate is capable of being attached, the backing plate having a white portion and a black portion, and a sensor for measuring color patterns on a sheet on the backing plate. Either one of the white portion and the black portion faces the sensor, depending on the attached state of the backing plate on the holder.
US09004632B2
An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head and a driving unit. The recording head includes a plurality of element columns. Each element column includes a plurality of recording elements arrayed in a first direction to discharge ink, and is divided into a plurality of groups including a plurality of continuous recording elements. The driving unit drives the recording head and execute control so that the plurality of recording elements in each group is driven in order at a specific time interval. A number of the element columns is equal to or larger than a number of recoding elements in a group. The driving unit controls driving of the plurality of element columns so that recorded data of one column is recorded within a conveyance width of a recording medium to be conveyed within the specific time interval.
US09004631B1
A mechanism enables inkjets in a printhead to be operated to eject ink in an effort to replace ink exposed to ambient conditions with ink from within the printhead. The mechanism includes a controller configured to operate an intermediate imaging member to rotate to align a plurality of apertures with inkjets on a printhead. The inkjets are operated to eject ink through the plurality of apertures and ink from within the printhead replaces the ejected ink without impacting the formation of subsequent ink images.
US09004625B2
A nail print apparatus, including: a print head which performs printing on a nail region on the basis of image data including a first design and a second design that is a background of the first design; and an image data processing unit which has a second image data processing unit that processes the image data so that the second design covers an entire nail region.
US09004613B2
Two pressure chambers of the master cylinder and brake cylinders provided respectively for front left and right wheels are respectively connected directly to each other by master passages. Provided respectively in the master passages are master cut-off valves each as a normally-closed electromagnetic open/close valve. As a result, when the brake pedal is not operated and when no current is supplied to solenoids of the respective master cut-off valves, the pressure chambers and the brake cylinders are respectively disconnected to each other, preventing an outflow of the working fluid from the pressure chambers, i.e., fluid chambers of a master reservoir to the brake cylinders.
US09004611B2
A wheel-balancing weight mounts to a wheel with a flange. The weight includes a body and a clip. The body is stamped by a punch to define a pocket within which an attaching portion of the clip resides. The defined pocket has a planar base and opposing side walls generally perpendicular to the base. The body as stamped by the punch includes a pre-stake for each side wall external to the pocket and adjacent the side wall, and an undercut for each side wall within the pocket and generally located at a juncture of the side wall and the base.
US09004607B1
A towable cart including an axle, at least one bearing rotatably coupled to the axle, a frame configured for selectable attachment to the bearing, and a container attached to the frame. A tow bar has a first and a second end, and is coupled to the axle at the first end of the tow bar. A first end of a tip structure is pivotally coupled to the container and a second end of the tip structure is fixedly attached to the bearing. An arm is attached to the container and is selectably coupled to the tow bar. The container is in a loading condition when the arm is coupled to the tow bar and is in an unloading condition when the arm is not coupled to the tow bar. The container is movable between the loading condition and the unloading condition over a pivoting range greater than ninety degrees.
US09004606B2
An arrangement is provided for vertically adjusting a bezel and a bezel support defining a webbing guide for a seat belt webbing integrated into a vehicle seat. The adjustment arrangement includes a bearing block arrangement and a slotted latch plate mounted in a frame channel of the seat. A spring biased height adjustment frame extends from the bezel support and a spring biased release member is pivotally mounted within the bezel support and provided with a latching tooth engageable and disengageable with the latch plate for establishing various vertical positions of the bezel and the bezel support relative to an upper end of the frame channel.
US09004601B2
A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, lock members supported by the base plate to be movable between engaged and disengaged positions, an operating mechanism for moving the lock members between the engaged and disengaged positions, and an unlocked-state forcibly holding mechanism, for forcibly holding each of the lock members, including a forced lock release projection on one lock member and a forced lock release surface on the ratchet plate and which engages with the forced lock release projection to hold the lock members in the disengaged position. The lock members, on which the forced lock release projection is not formed, are subjected to a force so as to be urged downward due to gravity when the seatback is in between the forwardly-tilted position and the first-stage locked position.
US09004594B2
An actuator system for controlling a lumbar support includes a wire fixed and coupled with a lumbar support at one end; a driving motor rotatable in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction; a worm coupled with the driving shaft of a driving motor; a deceleration part having a worm gear and a screw which decelerates the power of the driving motor; a slider connected to the other end of the wire, and having a protrusion portion and a spiral groove so as to carry out rectilinear reciprocating motion according to the rotation direction of the driving motor; and a housing inserted by the slider and having a wire-passing hole, a connection hole, a mounting hole and a guide hole, wherein the bending degree of a lumbar support may be automatically controlled by rotation driving force applied in a set range, thereby providing riding comfort to passengers.
US09004593B2
A child carrier having a carrier pass through which defines a restraint path between opposed carrier sides and having a carrier restraint tensioner coupled at a fixed location on the child carrier which operates to adjust length of a carrier restraint disposed in the restraint path to secure the child carrier in relation to a vehicle seat.
US09004590B2
Described are display assemblies having a display coupled to a passenger seat back, a video shroud coupled to the passenger seat back and with an inner opening positioned adjacent the display, wherein a gap is positioned between an outer edge of the display and an edge of the inner opening, and a light apparatus having at least one lighting element coupled to the passenger seat back, wherein the at least one lighting element is positioned to emit light through the gap. The display assembly may also include a diffuser coupled to the video shroud and positioned adjacent the gap.
US09004588B2
In certain embodiments, a mobile entertainment system includes a screen assembly with a display and a signal generating device. A housing pivotally coupled to the screen assembly can have a lower portion, an upper portion, and a housing cavity sized and shaped to receive the screen assembly. The upper portion can receive at least a portion of the signal generating device. At least a portion of the screen assembly can rotate through an opening in the lower portion. A shell can receive the housing.
US09004585B1
Multiple convertible furniture configurations adapted to provide multiple seating surfaces by interchangeable and removable support cushion units inclusive in a single furniture element. Removably self-supporting cushion seat assemblies are selectively secured to a primary furniture element as auxiliary arms and back surfaces, each of which has internally deployable support legs allowing cushion seat assemblies to be used independently wherein combination with the original chair sofa support unit increasing the number of seating surfaces and arrangement possible.
US09004582B2
In a floor structure of a vehicle body center section, a floor side member is provided at lower portions of a main floor panel, a vertical wall is formed at a front side of a rear floor panel, a rear seat is installed on the rear floor panel, a rear seat leg extends downward along the vertical wall, a lower end portion of the rear seat leg is mounted to a portion of the rear floor panel, a rear seat leg reinforcement member that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction is disposed on each of upper portions at both left and right sides of the floor panels, a rear end portion of the reinforcement member is connected to the lower end portion of the rear seat leg, and a front end portion of the reinforcement member is connected to the main floor panel and the floor side member.
US09004578B1
A bracket for use in a vehicle includes a base configured to be welded to an interior surface of a vehicle fascia and configured to receive a sensor. The base has a configuration that generally matches a shape of at least a portion of the interior surface. An orientation of the sensor is based at least in part on an orientation of the base relative to the interior surface of the vehicle fascia.
US09004573B2
A convertible top of a cabriolet vehicle includes a convertible top cover, which is adjustable by means of a convertible top rod assembly between a closed position spanning a vehicle interior and a storage position opening the vehicle interior toward the top. The convertible top rod assembly includes a rod arrangement on both sides in relation to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the convertible top. Each rod arrangement includes a main link and a main column, which are pivotably mounted on a vehicle-fixed main bearing. At least one transverse bow connects the rod arrangements with each other. The transverse bow is respectively connected to an auxiliary link on both sides in relation to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the convertible top. Each auxiliary link is pivotably connected to the respective main column on the one hand and to the respective main link on the other hand.
US09004568B2
In a cowling fastening structure (1) for fastening a first cowling member (2) and a second cowling member (3) to each other by using a clip (30), the two cowling members are provided with opposing walls (13, 21) having a mutually aligned through holes (15, 26) formed therein, the clip is provided with a first member (31) and a second member (32) joined by a hinge (33). A free end of the first member formed with an engagement hole (39) is passed through the through holes, and a free end of the second member formed with an engagement claw (44) is passed around the opposing walls so as to engage the engagement claw with the engagement hole.
US09004565B2
A one-piece construction chopsticks including a body having a first portion and a second portion conjoined by a U-shaped back end, the first and second portions having a respective S-shaped center portion and reverse-S shaped central portion disposed in a figure 8 position relative each other, that permits the separation of the front ends to pick up a food particle upon only the application of pressure on the center and central portions. A notch in each of the center and central portions helps to align the first and second portions and limits the size of the opening between the grasping ends.
US09004542B2
A pipe fastening structure includes an end member attached to an end part of a metal pipe, and a nut for fastening the end member attached to the metal pipe to a counterpart. In the pipe fastening structure, the end member has a first spherical part to be brought into contact with a sealing surface of the counterpart, a second spherical part formed integrally with the first spherical part so as to be in contact with a sliding surface formed in the nut, and a neck continuous with the second spherical part and having the shape of a straight pipe.
US09004540B2
The present invention relates to a security element (20) for security papers, value documents and the like, having a feature region (24) that selectively influences incident electromagnetic radiation (30). According to the present invention, it is provided that the feature region (24) includes metallic nanopatterns (28) in which volume or surface plasmons are excited and/or resonance effects are caused by the incident electromagnetic radiation (30).
US09004536B2
A seatbelt tension adjustment device includes an elongated upper body having a downward facing protrusion that is pivotally secured to a lower body having a box-like shape. The lower body including an upper surface for receiving the protrusion and an internal cavity for positioning a rotatable drum therein. The rotatable drum working in unison with the downward facing protrusion to engage a seatbelt in an adjustable manner.
US09004535B2
A chassis for an electric vehicle comprises: a base frame, a front frame, a rear frame, two side frames, four suspension devices and four wheels. The front frame and the rear frame have the front arc-shaped tube and the arc-shaped rear tube fixed to the base frame, the arc-shaped tubes can not only reduce the number of tubes required but also increase the area of thrust force as compared to the straight tubes. Besides, the arc of the arc-shaped tubes avoids a connection point of an acute angle. Moreover, the height is larger than the width, which will produce less torque on the base frame as compared to that if the height is smaller than the width, thus preventing the torque acted on the base frame from damaging the connection points and improving the structural strength of the chassis at the connection points.
US09004533B2
A steering apparatus includes an inner column, an outer column fitted onto the inner column, a vehicle body mounting bracket, a distance bracket fixed to the outer circumference of the outer column and slidably held between left and right side plates of the vehicle body mounting bracket, and a tightening rod. The distance bracket is formed with telescopic slots through which the tightening rod is inserted. The distance bracket includes left and right front tightening portions and left and right rear tightening portions. The axial distance between the pair of left and right front tightening portions and the pair of left and right rear tightening portions is shorter than the axial length of each telescopic slot. The outer column is formed with a pair of left and right through-holes into which the left and right front tightening portions or the left and right rear tightening portions is inserted.
US09004529B2
A vehicle side door structure has: a door outer panel; a door inner panel having a service hole; a door trim mounted to a vehicle transverse direction inner side of the inner panel; an inner pad provided, between the inner panel and the trim, spanning, in a vehicle longitudinal direction, over an outer peripheral edge of the hole as seen in a vehicle side view; and an outer pad between the outer and inner panels overlapping a vehicle transverse direction outer side of the inner pad as seen in a vehicle side view, and having a first region that, at a side collision, is pushed by the outer panel and passes through the hole and pushes the inner pad toward the trim side, and a second region that, at a side collision, separates from the first region and pushes the inner pad toward the trim side via the inner panel.
US09004528B2
A vehicle seat assembly comprises a vehicle seat comprising a rigid frame, one or more resilient portions and a covering material, wherein an openable deployment seam is provided at a portion of the covering material, and wherein the vehicle seat defines a recess. An airbag module is provided within the recess and comprises a housing, an airbag and an inflator system. Also provided is gripping means which is movable between a first position and a second position in which the portion of the covering material is restrained to assist deployment of the airbag through the deployment seam.
US09004526B2
A vehicular passive safety device includes a vehicular seat, a far-side airbag device, and a roof airbag device. The vehicular seat has a seat cushion and a seat back. In the far-side airbag device, a far-side airbag that is accommodated in a lateral portion of the seat back located inside in a vehicle width direction is supplied with a gas from a far-side inflator, and is expanded and deployed forward of the lateral portion with respect to a vehicle. In the roof airbag device, a roof airbag that is accommodated in a ceiling portion of a vehicle body is supplied with a gas from a roof inflator, and is expanded and deployed downward of the ceiling portion, and the expanded and deployed roof airbag abuts on or faces an upper portion of the expanded and deployed far-side airbag from inside in the vehicle width direction.
US09004520B2
In one example, a jack adaptor is mounted to a trailer structure. A jack flange, which can comprise a jack flange extension, of a jack is inserted downwardly through an opening in an upper portion of the jack adaptor. The jack can be rotated to a position that misaligns the jack flange with the opening through which it has been inserted. The jack can then be actuated to raise the jack flange into engagement with the upper portion of the adaptor for use in raising the trailer structure. The process is reversed to disengage the jack flange from the adaptor to permit removal of the jack.
US09004519B1
A switchable mechanism for steering a trailer when towing and backing is disclosed. A turntable having a rotatable upper portion is attached to a front of a trailer, with a slide mounted to the turntable with a center of the slide mounted generally over an axis of rotation of the turntable. A carriage is mounted to the slide, the carriage being movable between a first position and a second position. At least one steering controller is coupled between the carriage and steerable wheels of the trailer. A towbar is coupled to the turntable, with sideways displacement of the towbar steering the steerable wheels in both forward and backward directions. The towbar is connectable to any conventional hitch, meaning that no modifications are needed to the tow vehicle, and any tow vehicle with a conventional hitch can tow a trailer of the instant invention.
US09004511B1
According to a further embodiment, an automotive vehicle including a body frame having opposed side frames and a subframe having opposed side members is disclosed. The subframe includes a stabilizer bar connection assembly comprised of generally U-shaped recess formed in each of the opposed side members and a generally U-shaped bushing disposed within the recesses. The opposed side frames overlie the opposed side members adjacent the recesses and secure the bushings within their respective recess.
US09004510B2
A vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle may include a base portion and a modular portion. The base portion may be a four wheel vehicle having an operator area with seating for at least two occupants in a side-by-side arrangement. The modular portion may be coupled to the base portion resulting in a six wheel vehicle. The wheels of the modular portion may be powered by an engine of the base portion.
US09004508B2
In a movable bed composed by combining a bed main portion and a wheelchair, the wheelchair has chair back bottom rails having cutout portions in a chair back bottom, and a chair back guide portion installed rotatably about a rotation point with respect to a chair base portion, the chair back guide portion having sliding portions engaged with the chair back bottom rails so as to be slidable and arranged to be disengageable from the chair back bottom rails by being located in the cutout portions, and in a fourth state (flat posture), the sliding portions are located in the cutout portions, the chair back guide portion and the chair back bottom are disengaged so as to be separable from each other, and a back lifting posture of the bed main portion and the chair back bottom can be performed over the entire width of the bed, whereas in a first state (chair posture), the sliding portions are engaged with the chair back bottom rails and can slide along the chair back bottom rails.
US09004505B1
A folding device for a golf cart includes a main part to which two side wheels, a handle and a front wheel unit are connected. A tubular portion is movably mounted to a front wheel stem and a connection member is connected between the tubular member and a handle stem. Two rods are connected between side wheel stems. An operation member is pivotably connected to the tubular portion and has notches so that the protrusion of the main part is engaged with the notches to control the main part to connect to or to separate from the tubular member. The tubular member is movable on the front wheel stem so as to fold or expand the front wheel unit.
US09004504B2
A wheel 4 mounted on a vehicle body 2 by a suspension arm 6 can be retained in a raised position by a retaining mechanism 10. The retaining mechanism 10 comprises a latching element 12 which can be disposed in a deployed position by a control element 14. When the control element 14 is moved to a position corresponding to the deployed position of the latching element 12, the latching element 12 is resiliently displaceable towards the vehicle body 2, to allow the suspension arm 6 to rise, for example when the wheel 4 is driven over an obstacle. The latching element 12 can then move to the deployed position to prevent lowering of the arm 6, so retaining the wheel 4 in the raised position. All wheels of the vehicle may be moved to the raised position, so as to reduce the ride height of the vehicle.
US09004503B2
A binding system for snowboards that minimizes leg pain while snowboard users are approaching or are riding on a chairlift. The rotatable binding system enables one of two boot bindings attached to a snowboard to rotate up to 90 degrees placing a user's boot in parallel with the long sides, and sliding direction, of the snowboard. The binding system includes a base plate, which is fixed to the snowboard, and a top plate that is rotatably attached to the base plate by a center screw, and a boot binding harness mounted to the top plate. A hinge plate can connect the base plate to a mid static disk, which can in turn rotatably attach to the top plate. The binding system can include a latch lever that acts as a hands-free locking system that is mounted through an outer ridge of the base plate and connected to a retractable plunger.
US09004497B2
In a device for machining, in particular etching and/or developing, substrates, in particular wafers, in particular etching and/or developing, having a turntable, the turntable has a Venturi gap.
US09004486B1
Devices and methods to collect and align print media sheets. According to a device herein, a tray has a base and receives print media sheets. Registration guides are connected to the tray. The registration guides define a corner in the tray. A tamper mechanism comprises a rotating helical brush extending perpendicularly from the base adjacent to a side of the tray opposite the corner. The tamper mechanism is positioned to tamp the print media sheets against the registration guides causing a stack of the print media sheets to be squared against the corner.
US09004483B2
An image forming system includes the following elements. An image forming apparatus forms images on plural sheets sequentially transported with a spacing therebetween. A sheet transport apparatus includes a transport section which receives and transports the plural sheets farther downstream. The sheet transport apparatus supplies a different type of sheet from a different-type-of-sheet supply device, inserts it into the spacing, and transports the sheets. The sheet transport apparatus includes the following elements. A transport information obtaining unit obtains information concerning transporting of sheets. A different-type-of-sheet stop unit supplies the different type of sheet, on the basis of the information concerning transporting of sheets, and stops the different type of sheet at a position before the transport section. A different-type-of-sheet supply information output unit outputs information concerning the supply of the different type of sheet, the information being obtained regarding a standby state of the different type of sheet.
US09004482B2
A sheet conveyor incorporated in an image forming apparatus includes an attraction/separation unit including an attraction belt, a first tension roller, and a second tension roller, a support member to support the attraction/separation unit, a roller drive unit to rotate one of the first and second tension rollers, a charging member to uniformly charge a surface of the attraction belt, a mechanism to swing the attraction/separation unit to move the attraction belt reciprocally about the support member between a sheet attraction position and a sheet conveyance position being located farther from the sheet stack than the sheet attraction position, and a pressing member disposed inside a loop of the attraction belt to press the attraction belt at the sheet attraction position toward the sheet stack and separating from the attraction belt at the sheet conveyance position.
US09004481B2
In a provided apparatus, an upper roller to be engaged with a sheet upper face and a lower roller to be engaged with a sheet lower face are arranged at a sheet discharging port in a manner capable of being pressure-contacted and being separated, the upper roller is formed with a large-diameter soft roll face and a small-diameter hard roll face, and a pressurization force of roller lifting-lowering means with which the upper roller is pressure-contacted to and is separated from the lower roller is switched to be high or low.
US09004473B2
An articulated work holder for a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle including a base member and first, second and third, support arms having multiple degrees of rotational movement and a vise member carrying vehicle engagement pads for supporting a fractional dimensioned, performance vehicle between the vise engagement pads.
US09004472B2
A five axis vise includes two separated vise body portions that are supported on a machine tool table or other support that fixes the vise body portions in position. The vise body portions have jaws spaced up from the machine tool table sufficiently to permit machining five surfaces of a work piece held in the jaws. A vise screw is rotatably mounted in one of the vise body portions, and extends to the other vise body portion to actuate a movable jaw on the other vise body portion. The vise screw is threaded into a jaw nut that has a drive surface that engages and drives a driven surface on the movable jaw, with the drive and driven surfaces being inclined relative to the axis of force application to provide a downward force component on the movable jaw as it is tightened. The vise screw is an assembly of a threaded shank or shaft and a hub that is rotatably mounted in one of the body portions, with the threaded shank or shaft being locked in position in the hub.
US09004462B2
Vaporizable material is supported within a vessel to promote contact of an introduced gas with the vaporizable material, and produce a product gas including vaporized material. A heating element supplies heat to a wall of the vessel to heat vaporizable material disposed therein. The vessel may comprise an ampoule having a removable top. Multiple containers defining multiple material support surfaces may be stacked disposed within a vessel in thermal communication with the vessel. A tube may be disposed within the vessel and coupled to a gas inlet. Filters, flow meters, and level sensors may be further provided. Product gas resulting from contact of introduced gas with vaporized material may be delivered to atomic layer deposition (ALD) or similar process equipment. At least a portion of source material including a solid may be dissolved in a solvent, followed by removal of solvent to yield source material (e.g., a metal complex) disposed within the vaporizer.
US09004455B2
A device, system, and associated methods for appliance lifts are disclosed. The appliance lift sits on the bottom of a cabinet, rolls forward and rotates forward and up using four rotating bars and a gear with spring and damper linking them together. This system consists of a platform dimensioned of a size and shape to support most kitchen counter-top appliances or any other like sized items. The platform is supported by a series of linkages housed in a frame. The frame is then on a moveable track. The entire structure is sized to fit inside the lower section of a standard kitchen cabinet.
US09004451B2
A control valve (8) for a medical suction device (1) is provided, with the control valve (8) having an actuating element for freeing and closing a flow path (15) through a valve chamber (11) through the use of a valve plunger (12). Additional air intake openings (16) are formed on the actuating element (10) and define an additional flow path (21) through the valve chamber (11).
US09004439B2
A post anchor for securing a support post for a structure comprises a base with four upstanding sidewalls forming a cavity into which a post is inserted, and means to secure the post inside the cavity. Interior ribs and exterior augmented corners resist deformation under pressure exerted by the post. Interior channels allow water to drain from inside the cavity toward a drain hole. The anchor post is slightly elevated relative to the ground, allowing air and water to circulate around the post and post anchor. The post anchor is made of a thermoplastic polymer which is given a textured surface, and may include an ultraviolet protection additive.
US09004438B2
A display stand includes a base, a leg and a bracket. The bracket is mounted to a backside of the base and includes a bridge for receiving the at least one portion of the leg. The bridge includes a first detent and a second detent. The portion of the leg that is received by the bridge is movable into a first position or a second position. A different portion of the leg mates with the first detent to support the display stand at a first viewing angle when the leg is rotated while in the first position. Yet another portion of the leg mates with the second detent to support the display stand at a second viewing angle that is different from the first viewing angle when the leg is rotated while in the second position.
US09004436B2
A pedestal structure of a cash register display is disclosed, including a base, a supporting arm, a retaining shaft lever, at least one extension spring and a display loading plate. Multiple retaining grooves and an inclined slide walls are arranged on each of two side plates of the base. The supporting arm is pivoted between the two side plates through a first pivot unit, and a first end section of the supporting arm is provided with a slide opening. The retaining shaft lever passes through the slide opening and is positioned in one of the retaining grooves or on the inclined slide wall of each of the side plates. The extension spring is installed between the first pivot unit and the retaining shaft lever. The display loading plate is pivoted on a second end section of the supporting arm.
US09004432B2
A rotatable housing assembly for use in mounting slides to equipment racks has components for different mounting options on different sides of the housing, and a retractable pin for use in positioning the housing. In some embodiments the housing is rotatably mounted to a bracket attached to a slide member, for example approximate a front of the side, and the retractable pin extends into a semicircular slot of the bracket for use in indexing position of the housing. The housing may include a button for use in retracting the retractable pin, and the assembly may provide for toolless mounting of the slide, and do so in a variety of rack configurations.
US09004425B2
A damping device includes a cylinder which is under pressure and which has a connection opening for a mount-on part which is fastened to an outer surface of the cylinder by means of an annular tensioning band element. The tensioning band element encircles the cylinder and the mount-on part on a circumferential region and, by its pretensioning, exerts a holding force on the mount-on part. The tensioning band element is underdimensioned in relation to the cross section of the cylinder and mount-on part and the distance between the two structural component parts and is expanded in a final mounting position in relation to a pre-mounting state in order to apply the pretensioning.
US09004413B2
With respect to each of trains, a ground device 6 detects a train location in the control section on the basis of a propagation time of a radio wave between a vehicle radio set 4 and a wayside radio set 5, in the case in which the ground device 6 determines that the number of trains has reached the controllable number of trains or there is the possibility that the number of trains reaches the controllable number of trains in its own control section, a ground device 6 disposed in an adjacent control section to the control section in which the number of trains is reaching the controllable number of trains, when a train 2 scheduled to travel toward the control section stops in a station 8, prevents departure of the train 2 scheduled to pass through the border of the control section by making the train 2 wait at the station 8.
US09004412B2
A detection system may include a transmitter associated with a first train configured to emit an end-of-train signal. The detection system may include a receiver associated with the transmitter and configured to receive the end-of-train signal from the transmitter. The receiver may also be configured to receive at least one remote signal from a second train and determine whether the second train is a collision threat based on the remote signal from the second train.
US09004401B2
An actuator which is operable in response to one of an electrical and an electro-mechanical input signal is provided. The actuator includes an outer casing defined about a central axis, an output shaft disposed within the casing, the output shaft being axially moveable over a stroke length. Further, the actuator also includes a drive mechanism co-operable with the output shaft to drive the output shaft along a part of the stroke length, wherein the actuator is configured such that the output shaft is drivable along all or part of the remainder of the stroke length by external loading while being unconstrained by the drive mechanism.
US09004399B2
A nacelle assembly for a turbine engine has a cowl for a turbine engine. The cowl has a first surface spaced from a second surface. The second surface defines defining a bypass flow passage. A flow volume is spaced between the first surface and the second surface. A plurality of holes are disposed on the cowl. Each of the plurality of holes are configured to alter local air pressure about one of the first surface and the second surface of the cowl. The plurality of holes are in communication with the flow volume.
US09004390B2
A roll medium holding unit is disclosed that includes a core part configured to be inserted in a core pipe of a roll medium; and plural diameter-increasing members configured to be variably arranged at corresponding first positions provided along a periphery of the core part and arranged at corresponding second positions provided away from the core part. The roll medium holding unit is capable of being set in a first holding state where the diameter-increasing members arranged at an outer peripheral surface of the core part support the roll medium with the diameter-increasing members arranged at the corresponding first positions and capable of being set in a second holding state where the core part of a holding member supports the roll medium with the diameter-increasing members arranged at the corresponding second positions.
US09004385B2
A machine for shredding plastic container including a pressing device having a main housing having an interior space, a first opening for feeding container and a second opening for disposing the shredded pieces, a fixed plate position at one end within the housing and having slits arranged in matrix pattern, facing the interior of the housing, and having sharp edges, a movable plate having plurality of blades connected to at least one arm. The movable plate can move along a central axis within the housing and the blades have edges facing the sharp edges of the fixed plate. The containers are placed between the plates, such that when the movable plates moves along the central axis of the housing toward the fixed plate, the blades crash and cut the container into flakes. Pegs protrude from the blades, such that when the arm moves forward, the pegs punch the container.
US09004375B2
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for generating a mist comprising a conduit having a mixing chamber and an exit; a working fluid inlet in fluid communication with said conduit; a transport nozzle in fluid communication with the said conduit, the transport nozzle adapted to introduce a transport fluid into the mixing chamber; the transport nozzle having an angular orientation and internal geometry such that in use the transport fluid interacts with the working fluid introduced into the mixing chamber through the working fluid inlet to atomize and form a dispersed vapor/droplet flow regime, which is discharged as a mist comprising working fluid droplets, a substantial portion of the droplets having a size less than 20 μm.
US09004373B2
A headlight washer assembly includes a bracket secured to a rear surface of a component of a vehicle adjacent an opening therein through which a headlight washer device is configured to extend and retract. The bracket provides a recessed mounting surface for securing the headlight washer device to the component of the vehicle such that, unlike prior art approaches, the fasteners do not protrude from the front surface of the component of the vehicle. A cap concealing the opening in the component is received within the opening flush with the front surface of the component. In one embodiment, the component is a body panel of a vehicle.
US09004371B2
Systems and related methods involving isolation tubs are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes: an isolation tub formed of fiberglass reinforced plastic resin, the tub defining a reservoir; concrete positioned within the reservoir; and rails extending across the tub and being supported by the concrete, the rails being spaced from each other to form a special trackwork (STW) assembly.
US09004363B2
An apparatus includes a diffusive plate that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of an imaging lens arrangement and covers a side face of a solid rectangular defining a volume space within which parts of a scan engine are deposited. The parts of the scan engine including at least the illumination light source, the imaging lens arrangement, an imaging sensor, and a controller for controlling both the illumination light source and the imaging sensor. The diffusive plate includes a first opening to allow light enter the imaging lens arrangement through the first opening. The area enclosed by the boundary of the diffusive plate substantially equal to the area of the side face of the solid rectangular.
US09004360B2
A contactless communication device including an energy interface configured to activate the contactless communication device or a contactless communication partner based on a first carrier signal; and a contactless high speed data interface configured to enable data communication between the contactless communication device and the contactless communication partner based on a second carrier signal having a frequency greater than a high frequency (HF).
US09004358B2
Disclosed embodiments, as well as features and aspects thereof, are directed towards providing a system, device and method for calculating comprehensive ballistic solutions, or portions thereof, via a varying magnification optical range determining and ballistic trajectory calculating apparatus referred to as a ballistic solutions device. Advantageously, embodiments of a ballistic solutions device may drastically reduce marksman error in milling targets by employing a measurement component configured to measure angular movement of a projectile launching device, such as a rifle, thus delivering consistently accurate distance to target estimations. Additionally, embodiments of a ballistic solutions device may also comprise features and aspects that enable a user to leverage available real-time field data such that error associated with the measurement of those variables is minimized prior to calculating and rendering a comprehensive ballistic solution derived from stored DOPE.
US09004356B2
A read head system has a housing and a read positioned in the housing with a slot for swiping a magnetic stripe of a financial transaction card with the slot utilized to enable a financial transaction between a buyer and seller. The read head reads data on the magnetic stripe and produces a signal indicative of data stored on the magnetic stripe. The read head includes an output jack configured to be coupled to at least one of a audio jack or microphone port of a mobile device. The read head provides the signal to the mobile device.
US09004342B2
Hot-rolled high-strength steel elongated structural members and method of making same are disclosed by hot-rolling high-strength steel having a specific chemical composition to provide structural units. The units are then welded together to provide structural members of desired geometrical configuration including a thin web with opposed thicker flanges extending therefrom to increase the load bearing capacity of the members.
US09004335B2
A method and related device for machining a workpiece is provided, wherein material of the workpiece is removed in a machining region by a non-contact removal process. The workpiece is excited by means of an excitation oscillation having a natural resonant frequency of the workpiece, or a composite comprising the workpiece and a coupling element that is rigidly coupled to the workpiece is excited by means of an excitation oscillation having a joint natural resonant frequency of the workpiece and the coupling element. The natural resonant frequency is selected such that in the machining region an oscillation occurs that has a maximum oscillation amplitude in relation to the excitation amplitude of the excitation oscillation.
US09004332B2
A cup holder includes one or two supporting members that support a container inserted into a receiving portion of a holder main body, and is arranged in a circumferential direction of the holder main body. A container having the protrusion and recess pattern on a side surface can smoothly be taken out from the receiving portion with a low risk of the supporting members interfering with other members around the holder main body.
US09004327B2
Disclosed is a paw insertion device. In one embodiment, the device includes two pivotally interconnected arms. Each of the arm can include a paw insertion guide at a distal end. The insertion guides are designed to be inserted into an article of animal footwear. The opposite grip ends of the arms can then be brought together to spread apart the insertion guide and permit the animal paw to be easily positioned within the footwear. A lock subassembly is also included for permitting the insertion device to be locked in the opened position.
US09004324B2
An actuator cap includes a housing and an actuator. The actuator has first and second actuating members and a manifold in fluid communication with a dispensing orifice. The actuator is hingedly attached to the housing at a pivot. The pivot is located on an interior surface of the housing and positioned at or above a base of the manifold. The actuator resiliently deforms about the pivot when one of the first and second actuating members is actuated.
US09004313B2
A stack of hygiene sheet products including first and second webs that are interfolded with each other. The stack includes a top panel of the first web and a top panel of the second web, wherein the top panel of the first web overlays the top panel of the second web but has been cut away so that the top panel of the second web is revealed by the top panel of the first web. An adherence layer is placed on the top panel of the first web and the top panel of the second web and is exposed at the top of the stack so that it can adhere to an adjacent stack so that when the last sheets of the adjacent stack are pulled through a dispenser opening of a dispenser, the first and second sheets are pulled securely through with it as a result of the direct adherence.
US09004308B2
A lined transport tank for mounting to a truck is provided. The tank has a lined tank body. The tank body has an inner surface. A baffle is removably connected to the inner surface of the tank body. A retaining system is removably connecting the baffle to the inner surface of the tank body. The retaining system has a pair of elongated members fixedly connected to the inner surface of the tank body. The pair of elongated members is restraining movement of the baffle in a first direction. A retainer is connected to the pair of elongated members. The retainer is restraining movement of the baffle in a second direction. The second direction is different from the first direction. A retaining system for removably connecting an element to a surface is also provided.
US09004301B2
A container having an first chamber; a second chamber; an upper seal forming a lower portion of the upper chamber; a lower seal adjacent the upper seal, the lower seal forming an upper portion of the lower chamber; a plurality of upper seal apertures in the upper seal; and a plurality of lower seal apertures in the lower seal, the upper seal apertures and the lower seal apertures rotatable between an open position with the upper and lower seal apertures aligned and a closed position with the upper and lower seal apertures nonaligned.
US09004300B1
A display rack and display rack shelf. The display rack includes a frame which supports one or more of the shelves. The frame has first, second and lateral sides and defines a plurality of vertically-spaced pairs of horizontally-aligned apertures. The shelf includes first and second end portions. The first end portion includes a movable support element with a single piece cross member and a pair of movable engagers at opposite lateral sides of the shelf for engagement with a selected pair of apertures along the first or second sides of the frame. The single-piece cross member and each movable engager of the movable support element is slidable toward and, alternatively, away from the second end and is rotatable about a corresponding axis to permit setting of the angular position of the shelf. The second end portion side is configured for pivotal engagement with one of the front and rear sides of the frame. The shelf of the rack is adjustable for a plurality of angular orientations by a selective positioning of the first end portion with respect to the second end portion.
US09004294B2
A feedwell for a gravity separation vessel for introducing a feed stream such as oil sand slurry to the gravity separation vessel is provided comprising a walled member having an upper perimeter edge, a lower perimeter edge and a substantially continuous wall extending from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge; an inlet for introducing the feed stream into the walled member positioned adjacent the substantially continuous wall; and a bottom floor having an opening and extending generally beneath the lower perimeter edge; whereby a perimeter of the opening is less than a perimeter of the walled member.
US09004285B2
A classifying apparatus including: a rotor with a plurality of annularly disposed blades, which rotates; and a louver with a plurality of blades which are disposed at an outer circumferential portion of the rotor so as to supply from the outer circumferential portion a fluid for dispersing and classifying a powder material, wherein the powder material is supplied to a gap between the rotor and the louver and centrifugally classified into fine powder and coarse powder, and wherein at least one of the following relationships is satisfied: Relationship (1): α≧50° Relationship (2): D2/D1≧1.17 where α denotes an angle formed between imaginary lines connecting the center of the rotor with both ends of each blade of the louver, D1 denotes a diameter of the rotor, and D2 denotes an inner diameter of the louver.
US09004281B1
An improved reusable protective enclosure system, comprising a protective housing and cap member for jars, bottles and similar receptacles of glass or other fragile material. Its main object is the construction of a housing that renders a vial or jar contained therein resistant from breakage if the housing is allowed to fall or suffers a sudden shock. Another object of the reusable protective enclosure system is the construction of an airtight enclosure, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. Other advantages of the invention are that the inner receptacle be it made of glass or other fragile material, can be readily and repeatedly accessed, removed for sterilization or recycling and replaced for continued use.
US09004280B2
In the case of a package (1) for single-dose films (2) containing active substances, comprising an upper packaging material element (3) and a lower packaging material element (4) which are connected together by a peripheral seal area or respectively sealing seam (5) such that a cavity (6) for holding the film (2) is formed, said cavity being enclosed on all sides, wherein the upper packaging material element (3) and the lower packaging material element (4) each have at least one cut (7, 8) in the region of the seal area or respectively, the sealing seam (5), said cuts being congruent, and at least one cut (7, 8) is crossed by a folding or bending line (10), the folding or bending line (10) is formed in a weakened manner.
US09004272B2
An apparatus for transporting and processing a plurality of articles includes a conveyer structured to convey a plurality of articles along a conveyer path and at least one processing station provided along the conveyer path to perform at least one processing operation. The conveyer path includes at least one loop or festoon.
US09004271B2
A conveyor belt module, a conveyor belt, a weighing system, and a method for weighing articles conveyed on a conveyor belt. A conveyor belt includes an array of load cells embedded in belt modules to measure forces normal to the belt's conveying surface. The measurements are transmitted from the belt to a remote controller as part of a vision system that identifies individual articles conveyed on the belt and pressing down on underlying load cells. The vision system determines which load cells underlie the individual articles and combines their measurements to compute the weights of the articles on the fly.
US09004263B2
A drive unit for a roller conveyor assembly having a motor and an integrated motor controller. The controller is mounted on a circuit board and connected to the rear of the motor housing. A cover for the controller substantially encloses the controller. An opening in the cover allows access to a terminal block from the controller. The terminal block receives wiring to external devices and to other zone controllers. Wiring between the circuit board for the controller and the motor is performed as a step in the assembly of the integrated motor and controller. The motor and controller are configured to be mounted below the rollers and between the side frames of a conveyor assembly. An output shaft from the motor is coupled to the rollers to power the conveyor assembly.
US09004255B2
A currency bill processing system includes a transport mechanism that is configured to transport bills from an input receptacle along a transport path that extends generally horizontally past at least one detector. The transport path transitions generally-vertically upward between a first and a second output receptacle. The transport mechanism is configured to deliver some of the bills toward a first end of the system into the first output receptacle and some of the bills toward a second end of the system into the second output receptacle. The system provides access openings in a front side of the system that are proximate the first and the second output receptacles thereby permitting operator access into the first and the second output receptacles from the front side.
US09004253B2
A flow control assembly for an automatic transmission includes a valve for opening and closing communication with a source of pressurized fluid and a rotatable cam secured to a member, contact between the cam and a plunger of the valve causing said communication to open, absence of contact between the cam and the plunger causing said communication to close.
US09004252B2
A transmission may include gears and a clutch to allow the transfer of torque, at a variety of gear ratios, between an input shaft and an output shaft. The clutch may include a cushion piston to decrease the velocity of a transmission piston before the transmission piston engages a clutch element. The cushion piston may be contained within the transmission piston and configured so the cushion piston ceases movement toward the clutch element before the transmission piston. The pistons may be coupled together such that the cushion piston may resist movement of transmission piston toward the clutch element.
US09004251B2
An electromagnetic clutch includes a wrap spring being wound around to be in a pressure bonding state relative to an outer peripheral surface of a tubular portion of a driving-side rotation member. A first end of the wrap spring connects to a driving arm of a driving member, which connects to a driven-side rotation member. A second end of the wrap spring connects to a rim portion of an operating member formed in a disc form. The operating member is rotatable relative to the driven-side rotation member about the rotation axis as the center and movable along the rotation axis. After a rotation of the operating member is restrained, the driving member is restrained from rotation, which operates the wrap spring to twist and cancels the pressure boding state of the wrap spring relative to the driving-side rotation member, which in turn provides a power cutoff state.
US09004243B2
A magneto-rheological damping assembly including a piston (28) defining a core (38). A pair of spaced electromagnets (46) are disposed about the core (38) and are connected to a controller (48) for selectively generating a magnetic flux. A pair of permanent magnets (52) are disposed about the electromagnets (46) and a pole segment (54;154;56;156) is disposed therebetween. A main gap (74) extends through the piston (28) through which magneto-rheological fluid (26) is conveyed. Flux generated by the magnets controls the viscosity of the fluid in the main gap (74) to control the damping force of the assembly. The controller (48) defines an off operating state for cancelling the flux from the permanent magnets (52) across the main gap (74). The core (38) and the pole segment (54;154;56;156) define a closed auxiliary gap (80) extending axially between the electromagnets (46) and radially between the core (38) and the internal pole segment (56) for preventing leakage of flux across the main gap (74) when the assembly is in the off operating state.
US09004242B2
Apparatus for absorbing shock, particularly repetitive shocks, comprises a frame and a shock-absorbing component comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA). In one type of apparatus, one or more SMA rings (65) are mounted on brackets (64) on a frame (62, 63) so that shock received by the frame from one direction changes the shape of the rings into ellipses with major chords in a first direction, and shock received by the frame from the opposite direction changes the shape of the rings into ellipses with major chords in a second direction which is at right angles to the first direction. In other types of apparatus, SMA shock-absorbing components (16, 27, 37, 46, 89) are mounted in a frame (11, 12,13,14,15,17, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 31, 32, 34, 35, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47) so that the way in which the shock-absorbing component is deformed is independent of the direction of the shock received by the frame. The shock-absorbing components preferably include a superelastic SMA, optionally in combination with a martensitic SMA. The apparatus is useful for a wide variety of purposes, including the protection from shock of medical devices, electronic assemblies, vehicles, bridges and buildings.
US09004229B2
In order to achieve simple maintenance and/or installation of an elevator system, a marking device has at least one light emitting unit for generating at least one mark on a component of the system.
US09004226B1
In one embodiment, provided is an actively tunable acoustic attenuator having a frame, a membrane within the frame, and a mass secured to the membrane. In another embodiment, provided is an actively tunable acoustic attenuator having a frame, a membrane within the frame, and a mass secured to the membrane. The membrane is coupled, either indirectly or directly, to the frame via a variable stiffness coupler. In another embodiment, provided is an actively tunable acoustic attenuator having a frame and a plurality of membrane layers within the frame. An active material is between at least two of the plurality of membrane layers. A mass is secured to at least one of the plurality of membrane layers.
US09004220B2
A strut suspension is disposed on a vehicle front side of a rotation center of a front wheel. A rack and pinion mechanism is disposed on a vehicle front side of the strut suspension. Since the strut suspension and the rack and pinion mechanism are disposed on the vehicle front side of the rotation center of the front wheel, a foot space can be moved forward to a position where the foot space overlaps the front wheel. A vehicle cabin space can be thereby increased.
US09004217B2
An electric work vehicle is provided in which the length of a high-tension cable connecting an electric motor included in a slewing motor with an inverter for controlling the electric motor can be set to be comparatively short. A region on a main frame is divided into three regions consisting of a center region, a first side region, and a second side region, via a first vertical rib and a second vertical rib. A slewing hydraulic motor and a slew assist electric motor, which constitute the slewing motor, are disposed in the center region, and an inverter for controlling the slew assist electric motor is disposed in a position near the second vertical rib in a second tool chamber provided in the second side region.
US09004216B1
An airbag system mitigates intrusion in the event of an offset rigid barrier impact to a forward corner of a motor vehicle. An airbag is attached proximate a distal end of a front rail. When in the inflated condition, the airbag has an angular leading edge. An impact detection sensor generates a signal upon a corner impact event, whereby a controller processes the signal generated by the detection sensor and electrically actuates an inflator upon a predetermined impact severity. The angular leading edge of the airbag in the inflated condition acts against the offset rigid barrier to generate a lateral force against the offset rigid barrier to push the motor vehicle away from the barrier and thereby redirect impact energy by lateral movement of the motor vehicle.
US09004215B2
A coupling arrangement having a rotational axis, about which the coupling arrangement can rotate, having: a first coupling element with an axially-extending flat-side spur toothing system having radially extending first teeth, a second coupling element with an axially-extending flat-side corresponding toothing system which engages axially into the spur toothing system and has radially-extending second teeth, and at least one means for bracing the first coupling element axially with the second coupling element, which coupling elements are fixedly connected fixedly to one another to rotate together about the rotational axis via the toothing systems to transmit torque. The teeth of at least one of the toothing systems have tooth tip lines that are curved convexly in the axial direction away from a tooth root.
US09004205B2
A multi-vehicle arrangement for heavy haulage includes at least a first tractor unit mechanically connected with a second tractor unit, wherein each tractor unit forms a separately drivable tractor unit including a driver cab), a digital communication device, steering wheels, a braking system, and a power train comprising a power source, a friction clutch, and an automatic transmission, where the friction clutch is arranged to be disengaged or engaged for drive torque transmission from the power source to the automatic transmission, a digital communication link is provided between the tractor units by the digital communication devices, and a control system of the first tractor unit is arranged to control at least a clutch load of the friction clutch of each of the first and second tractor units for the purpose of reducing the risk of over-heating of any of the friction clutches during engagement or disengagement of the friction clutches.
US09004200B2
A robot has a track assembly having tracks configured to move the robot in a first direction and a wheel assembly having wheels configured to move the robot in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A toggling assembly switches between the track assembly and the wheel assembly. The robot modules can mate with each other. The robot module has an elongated shaft with a head and a narrow neck. The shaft extends outward from the side of the robot module. A mating robot module has a clamping mechanism with opposing clamps which in an opened position receive the shaft. In a closed position, the clamps define an opening which matches and engages the cross-section of the neck of the elongated shaft. The clamping mechanism has a drive mode to drive the module, a clamping mode for docking, and neutral mode for alignment prior to clamping.
US09004195B2
A method of forming a wellbore is disclosed. An inner string and an outer string are conveyed downhole. The inner string is attached to the outer string at a first location and the wellbore is formed. The inner stringy is attached to the outer string at a second location us hole of the first location and an annulus between the outer string and the wellbore is cemented without retrieving the inner string from the wellbore.
US09004190B2
A hand held material moving tool is disclosed. The material engaging implement has a material engaging portion adapted for movement of material. A handle is connected to a top surface of the tool. The handle is positioned low and in close proximity to the material engaging portion of the implement. The handle is connected to the tool by a swivel mechanism permitting a predetermined amount of pivot of the implement in relation to the handle about an axis.
US09004184B2
The invention provides a wellbore system comprising an expandable tubular element arranged in a wellbore formed in an earth formation whereby an annular space is present between the tubular element and a wall surrounding the tubular element. The tubular element is provided with sealing means for sealing the annular space, wherein the sealing means includes a foldable wall section of the tubular element. The foldable wall section has a reduced bending stiffness relative to a remainder wall section of the tubular element and is deformable from an unfolded mode to a folded mode by application of a compressive folding force to the tubular element. The foldable wall section when in the folded mode comprises at least one annular fold extending radially outward into said annular space. The wellbore system further comprises a folding device for applying said folding force to the tubular element.
US09004181B2
A system and method is provided for a law profile rotating control device (LP-RCD) and its housing mounted on or integral with an annular blowout preventer seal, casing, or other housing. The LP-RCD and LP-RCD housing can fit within a limited space available on drilling rigs.
US09004165B2
A method and assembly for recovering oil using elastic vibration energy involves placing a downhole apparatus in a well, which downhole apparatus is connected to aboveground power supply units and contains an ultrasonic transducer that provides for the generation of high frequency elastic vibrations, exciting elastic vibrations of different frequencies and then repeatedly applying the elastic vibrations to the oil formation, wherein both high and low frequency vibrations are applied to the formation. The low frequency vibrations are generated with the aid of an electric pulse device which is connected to an aboveground power supply and includes the following electrically interconnected components: a charger, a unit of energy storage capacitors, a discharge unit with electrodes, and two switching devices. The method and assembly make it possible to recover oil from depths of over 2000 meters and to act effectively on the formation being treated.
US09004163B2
The equipment for drilling and reinforcing a borehole of a well comprises a drill pipe string carrying a drill tool at its lowermost end and a downhole treatment device held on the drill pipe string for applying a liner of polymer material at the surface of the borehole. The polymer material is a fusible and/or curable material dissolved and/or emulsified and/or dispersed in drilling fluid or mud circulated through the drill pipe string and an annulus between the drill pipe string and the wall of the borehole. The treatment device is adapted to concentrate energy for fusing and/or curing the polymer material contained in the drilling fluid in a limited space at the vicinity of the wall of the borehole. The treatment device thus focuses its energy in the vicinity of the wall and allows a continuous reinforcing of the borehole simultaneously while drilling.
US09004155B2
Passive completion optimization with fluid loss control. A completion string includes a set of well tools interconnected as a portion of the completion string, the well tools including a well screen assembly, at least one valve which controls fluid communication between an interior and exterior of the string, and two packer assemblies, each of the packer assemblies including at least one swellable seal element, and the packer assemblies longitudinally straddling the valve and the screen assembly. Another completion string includes a set of well tools interconnected as a portion of the completion string, the well tools including two packer assemblies, a well screen assembly, and the screen assembly including an inflow control device which restricts fluid flow through the screen assembly, each of the packer assemblies including a swellable seal element, and the packer assemblies longitudinally straddling the screen assembly.
US09004152B2
A heat exchange device for powdery and granular materials configured to reduce adherence and accumulation of the materials and manufacturing time. The heat exchange device includes at least one substantially hollow disk-shaped heat exchanger among a plurality of heat exchangers that is disposed on the shaft about which the heat exchanger rotates. The hollow disc-shape heat exchanger includes a cutout recess part, plate surfaces extending from one side edge of the cutout recess part and forming a wedge-shaped plate surface, and a smoothly bulging projection formed at a central part of the heat exchanger. In addition, an opening is provided in the hollow disk-shaped heat exchanger at a tip end of the projection, and a shaft is inserted into the opening and joined to the hollow disc-shaped heat exchanger.
US09004143B2
A blinds-between-glass window assembly includes spacers with a thermal break. The assembly is modular in that the same components can be used to form window assemblies of varying thicknesses by replacement of the corner keys. A spring counter-balance mechanism is mounted within a side rail to provide a counter-balancing force against a magnetic follower. Guards are disclosed to reduce scratching or marring that can occur if the blind slats bump against the frame or glass.
US09004140B2
A hollow body batten having sidewalls (2) joined by a transverse wall (4) which divides the hollow body into a fabric cavity (6) and a clip cavity (8). Access to the clip cavity (8) is through a clip slot (10) which extends from end to end of the batten. Access to the fabric cavity (6) is through a fabric slot (12) which extends from end to end of the batten.
US09004137B2
The invention relates to bicycle work stands for making repairs and changing and mounting tubeless tires. There is provided a one-sided wheel work stand with a pivotal upper wheel bracket which allows the user to work unobstructed on the wheel and then acts as a device to lay the wheel flat for better sealing. In related embodiments, the work stand is configured to assist a user in adapting 32 mm 15 QR axle hubs and in truing a bicycle wheel while attached to the work stand.
US09004136B2
A center-folded film splicer is disclosed. The splicer comprises a splicer assembly that is adjustably mounted to a wrapping device such that it can be moved between a storage position and an operating (or splicing) position. The splicer assembly comprises a pair of heat bars, an upper heat bar and a lower heat bar, connected with a synchronized hinge and a back-up pad bar disposed therebetween. In this manner, the upper and lower layers (or “legs”) of the films from a depleted film roll and a fresh film roll can be simultaneously sealed to each other to create a continuous film that does not need to be rethreaded through the wrapping device when replacing film rolls.
US09004126B2
A pneumatic tire for improving steering stability performance on dry and wet road surfaces. The tire tread pattern has circumferential center main grooves, outside and inside main grooves, land sections demarcated by the main grooves, ground contact borders on both sides of the tire, and closed shoulder lug grooves. A ratio Wmax/Wout of a maximum main groove width Wmax and an outside main groove width Wout is at between 1.5 and 2.5 inclusive. A ratio Sin/Sout of a groove area ratio Sin of a region on a tire-widthwise second side of a tire centerline and a groove area ratio Sout of a region on a first side of the tire centerline is at least 1.10 and smaller than 1.25. A groove area ratio of a region on the second side of a tire-widthwise centerline of the intermediate land sections exceeds that of a region on the first side.
US09004120B2
A wheel assembly includes a rim, a rib surrounding and radially spaced apart from the rim, and a resilient member that engages the rib. The resilient member is tied to the rim, such that the rim is resiliently held in relation to the round rib at least in part by tension in the resilient member.
US09004116B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for inflating a chamber within an inflatable avalanche safety system. The method includes providing an inflatable avalanche safety system including an inflatable chamber; receiving a user-triggered action intended to activate the avalanche safety system; transmitting ambient air from an external region to within the inflatable chamber; and inflating the inflatable chamber entirely with the transmitted external ambient air to a particular internal pressure and shape configured to protect the user from burial during an avalanche. The transmission of ambient air within the inflatable chamber may be accomplished with a fan or an electrical component.
US09004101B2
Disclosed is a device for causing turbulent flow in a tank assembly that includes, inter alia, a base portion and a vane element that extends in an axial direction from the base portion. The vane element has a curved surface formed at a distal end thereof which is adapted and configured to redirect fluid traversing the device axially in a non-axial direction. Still further, a plurality of shoulder elements extend radially outward from the axis of the vane element and are adapted and configured for limiting that axial insertion of the device into a fitting associated with the tank assembly. In an embodiment of the present invention, the vane element includes lateral edges which are adapted and configured for press-fit engagement with an inside diameter of the fitting associate with the tank assembly.
US09004098B2
A water pressure regulator includes a sealing member and a body having a diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm assembly is positioned and secured within the body to define first and second chambers. The diaphragm assembly has a force acting thereon from within the second chamber. The first chamber defines first and second zones and a passageway therebetween. An inlet of the body is configured to provide water to the first zone and an outlet of the body is configured to deliver water out of the second zone. The sealing member is positioned within the first zone. The sealing member seals the passageway by a force of the water in the first zone acting upon the sealing member and by a gravitational force acting upon the sealing member. The sealing member is formed in the shape of a spherical ball. The water pressure regulator may be used in a watering system.
US09004088B1
A portable canopy can be deployed either on a vehicle or on a paved area. Depending on the amount of tension of its elastic corner straps, the canopy can be deployed in a convex configuration, so as to arch over the cab of a vehicle, or alternatively in a substantially flat configuration, so as to cover a pavement. A series of coil spring strips within the canopy urge it to curl up around its longitudinal axis, so that, when the corner straps are released on one side, that side is lifted by the contraction of the coil strips, thereby expelling accumulated snow/ice to the other side of the vehicle or pavement.
US09004086B2
A processing chamber for post-wet-etch removing of drying fluid (DF) is disclosed. The chamber includes a chamber wall surrounding a processing volume and a plurality of nozzles disposed annularly about the processing volume and arranged into a set of nozzle rows that includes at least one nozzle row. The chamber also includes a plenum and a set of manifolds coupled to the plurality of nozzles to deliver the supercritical CO2 to the plurality of nozzles. Each nozzle has a nozzle outlet directed toward an interior portion of the processing volume and the nozzles are configured to flow the supercritical CO2 toward the substrates in a manner that minimizes recirculation loops and vortices.
US09004085B2
A dishwashing machine including a dishwasher rack that assumes at least two different height positions; a spraying device to apply washing liquor to items to be washed, wherein the spraying device is assigned to the dishwasher rack; a hydraulic system to supply the spraying device with washing liquor; and a coupling with at least two openings to provide a liquid-conducting connection between the hydraulic system and the spraying device at the at least two different height positions and at at least two tilt positions. The at least two different height positions and the at least two tilt positions are assigned to at least one of the at least two openings to establish the liquid-conducting connection.
US09004079B2
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus capable of drying a substrate to be processed while suppressing the pattern collapse or the occurrence of contamination. A substrate is held in a liquid bath while being immersed in a liquid, and the liquid bath is disposed in a processing space of a processing vessel. A processing of drying the substrate is performed by replacing the liquid in the liquid bath with a supercritical-state fluid. A predetermined mechanism moves liquid bath between a processing location in the processing case and a stand-by location outside the processing case. A heater installed in the processing case changes the fluid to a supercritical state or maintains the supercritical state while cooling mechanisms cool down the liquid bath moved to the stand-by location outside the processing vessel.
US09004077B2
A pubic patch is provided to apply to the pubic area of a woman, particularly the mons pubis (Pubic Mound) area of the pelvic region. The pubic patch includes an adhesive base with a front side and a back side with decorative material attached to the front side, and the back side attached to human body. The pubic patch may further comprise fragrances and/or illuminating devices. The decorative material may be hairs attached to supporting sheet or LED material. Further, a products kit is provided which contains a plurality of pubic patches. The product kit may include an instruction booklet. A method of using the pubic patch is also provided comprises the steps of selecting a pubic patch and applying the pubic patch to the human surface in the pubic area.
US09004072B2
A cannula support assembly capable of supporting a nasal cannula that delivers oxygen or other gas or gas mixtures to a user is disclosed. The assembly has a plurality of retention clips into which cannula tubes are inserted and retained in a manner so as not to interfere or cause discomfort to a user. The front support assembly housing has a left and a right depression that lowers housing elements well below the line-of-sight of the user so that his or her vision is not impaired when using the assembly. The depressions also allow for the user to wear eyeglasses in conjunction with using the assembly.
US09004064B2
A delivery device that includes a cutter for opening a barrier layer to provide fluid access to a dose chamber, and a diverting structure for direct air flow toward the dose chamber.
US09004063B1
An inhaler device having an air canister with a nozzle aperture and a nozzle shaft, the nozzle shaft has a first and second end, the first end is external to the canister and the second end protrudes into the canister, wherein a lip is at the second end, a gasket sandwiched between the nozzle aperture and shaft, a gasket extension extending downwardly, a spray orifice in the shaft at the first end, an external ventilation hole in the shaft external to the canister, an internal ventilation hole in the shaft, and an air channel in the nozzle shaft fluidly connected to each spray orifice, external and internal ventilation hole, wherein the nozzle shaft can move between an open and closed position, the nozzle shaft is biased in the closed position.
US09004058B1
A barbeque grill and outdoor patio accessory system with an automotive theme has a barbeque grill with a multi-component automobile-shaped upper housing. The system has a grill control panel having a general form of an automobile dashboard. Upon activation of a keyed switch the burner igniter provides the ignition spark for the burner, and the audio playback system plays pre-recorded audio themed sounds. The system has an integrated patio lighting assembly with a light housing having a general shape of an automobile wheel and tire assembly. The light housing is located in a general area with respect to the wheel and tire assembly location on a typical automobile. The lighting member can be extended out and away from the first side upper housing via a telescopic pole. The lighting member is pivotally located on a pole second end via a ball and socket joint.
US09004048B2
A gas sensor assembly for sensing a pressure of a gas including a housing, a carrier, an electronic chip, a cap and a biasing apparatus. The housing has a wall defining cavity with a port open to the gas. The carrier is mounted to the wall in the cavity. The electronic chip is secured to the carrier on an opposed side from the port and includes a diaphragm portion exposed to the port. The cap is mounted to the chip on an opposed side from the carrier. The biasing apparatus is located between the cap and the wall of the housing, with the biasing apparatus being configured to bias the cap toward the chip whereby gas pressure acting against the diaphragm is opposed by the biasing apparatus.
US09004047B2
An engine assembly generally includes an engine and an intake manifold. The engine includes a plurality of cylinders. The plurality of cylinders includes a pair of cylinders. The engine is configured to sequentially fire the pair of cylinders. The intake manifold defines a plurality of ports. Each port is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of cylinders. The plurality of ports includes a pair of ports. Each of the pair of ports is disposed in fluid communication with one of the pair of cylinders. The intake manifold further includes a baffle disposed between the pair of ports to restrict fluid flow within the intake manifold between the pair of ports.
US09004040B2
An internal combustion engine includes, but is not limited to an engine block, a crankshaft associated to the engine block, a cylinder head fixed on top of the engine block so as to define an assembly axis of the internal combustion engine, a camshaft, and a housing for a timing device connecting the crankshaft to the camshaft, the housing having a frontal opening which is laterally delimited by two opposite sidewalls belonging to the engine block and two opposite sidewalls belonging to the cylinder head, the frontal opening being closed with a first cover fixed to the sidewalls of the engine block, and with a second cover fixed to the sidewalls of the cylinder head.
US09004039B2
A cylinder lubrication system comprises a cylinder liner defining a cylinder, a piston reciprocally mounted in the cylinder for axial travel along a cylinder axis and having a piston skirt that moves in close proximity with the cylinder, an oil supply passage extending substantially circumferentially about an outer surface of the cylinder liner, an oil supply line fluidly connecting the oil supply passage to an oil supply, a series of small holes extending radially through the cylinder liner, from the cylinder to the oil supply passage, and operable as oil passages for lubricating oil from the oil supply to flow to the upper portion of the cylinder.
US09004030B2
A variable valve actuating apparatus includes: a first lock recessed portion; a first lock member; a second lock recessed portion formed in the second rotary member's side; a second lock member; a first lock passage arranged to supply the hydraulic fluid, and thereby to move the first lock member out of the first lock recessed portion; and a second lock passage arranged to supply the hydraulic fluid, and thereby to move the second lock member out of the second lock recessed portion, at least a part of the first lock recessed portion and at least a part of the second lock recessed portion being disposed at a position to be projected in an axial direction when the first lock member and the second lock member are in the lock state.
US09004017B2
A water heater includes a bypass that is formed, on the side of a water supply pipe, branching from a main water path and bypassing a part of the main water path, and a flow path switching unit (a valve and a stepping motor) that is formed at a branching portion of the main water path and the bypass. The flow path switching unit is controlled by a controller and that can selectively switch a flow path between the main water path and the bypass. A microbubble generator generating microbubbles is provided on the bypass, the microbubble generator including a water agitator portion, a compression portion and a decompression portion. When the controller determines that scale has built up, the flow path is switched to the bypass by the flow path switching unit, and water containing microbubbles is caused to flow inside the water heater.
US09004005B2
An apparatus for aligning a dispenser includes a table having a first alignment mark, an alignment plate provided along at least one side of the table, at least one syringe supplying a dispensing material to the alignment plate through a nozzle provided at one end portion thereof to form a second alignment mark, a first image camera provided along a side of the syringe and detecting an image of the second alignment mark, a second image camera detecting an image of the first alignment mark, and an alignment control unit aligning the image of the second alignment mark and a first reference position, and aligning an image of the first alignment mark and a second reference position.
US09004001B2
A co-extrusion device has at least one first inlet port to receive a first material, at least one second inlet port to receive a second material, a first combining channel arranged to receive the first material and the second material and combine the first and second materials into a first combined flow flowing in a first direction. a splitter channel arranged to receive the first combined flow and to split the first combined flow into at least two split flows in a second direction at least partially orthogonal to the first direction, wherein each split flow consists of the first and second materials, and a second combining channel arranged to receive the split flows and combine the split flows into a second combined flow in the first direction, and at least one exit orifice arranged to allow the materials to exit the device as a single flow. A method for depositing a structure comprising interdigitated materials includes merging flows of at least two materials in a first direction into a first combined flow, dividing the first combined flow in a second direction to produce at least two separate flows, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, and merging the two separate flows into a second combined flow.
US09003996B2
The present invention of MagDrag relates to methods and apparatus of a magnetic hull attaching sea anchors to slow down and impair the forward motion of sea vessels. The basic MagDrag device includes three major components, a large magnet, a sea anchor bag and a buoy.
US09003995B2
A floating offshore structure is disclosed. The floating offshore structure, which is for drilling or production, includes a semi-submerged platform body in the shape of a cylinder that is extended vertically above and below the sea level. The platform body is formed with a concave part that reduces its cross-sectional area. The concave part is discontinuously formed along an external circumferential surface of the platform body. The depth of submergence of the platform body is adjusted so that the water line is located at the concave part in an extreme marine condition.
US09003982B1
A horticulture apparatus for preparing and seeding a strip of farmland with a tractor includes a front frame fixed with the tractor and including a horizontal tine support bar for holding a plurality of downwardly-projecting tines. The front frame includes a middle frame pivot mount and pivot angle adjustment mechanism. A middle frame is fixed with the middle frame pivot mount and is adapted to be raised or lowered. A longitudinal support bar is fixed with a drill planter roller assembly that includes two drill planter roller frames each supporting at least one adjustable drill planter roller. A U-shaped back frame has two forward arms each pivotally fixed with the middle frame and including a rear drill planter roller. A seed distributing mechanism for fixing with the tractor includes a hopper having an open top end and a bottom end that includes a seed distribution opening and a seed spreader.
US09003981B2
A furniture connector includes a pair of connector blocks disposed in opposing relation. Each of the connector blocks includes: a first end which cooperate to removably secure an end of a longitudinal frame member between the pair of connector blocks; and a second end having a first flange and a second flange extending longitudinally. When the pair of connector blocks are secured to the end of the longitudinal frame member, the first flange of each connector block cooperate to define a proximal transverse channel where a first transverse frame member may be removably secured to the pair of connector blocks. The second flange of each connector block cooperate to define a distal transverse channel where a second transverse frame member may be removably secured to the pair of connector blocks.
US09003977B2
Various methods and systems are provided for a rail vehicle. In one example, a rail vehicle includes a first engine positioned in a central location of the rail vehicle, the first engine configured to combust at least one of a first fuel or a second fuel. The rail vehicle further includes a fuel tank positioned in place of an operator cab, the fuel tank configured to store the second fuel.
US09003971B2
An apparatus for producing proof prints on which the correctness of page impositions can be checked comprises a stand configured to receive a roll of paper. A first printer and a second printer are provided for printing pages on the front side and the rear side, respectively, of a paper web fed from the paper roll. An optical sensor is arranged between the first printer and the second printer. The optical sensor is configured to detect the position of an alignment mark which has been printed by the first printer on the front side of the paper. A control unit modifies the spatial relationship between the rear side of the paper and what is printed on the rear side of the paper depending on the detected position of the alignment mark. This can be accomplished either by electronically modifying the second pages as such, or by mechanically modifying the paper position with respect to a printing head contained in the second printer.
US09003967B2
Embodiments of the present relate generally to devices and methods for separating and removing liquid waste from mixed waste. One embodiment relates to a trash compactor having a suction line for removing collected liquid. A further embodiment relates to a trash compactor having a sloped platen for allowing liquid to collect for subsequent removal or drainage.
US09003966B2
At least part of the side of the crossbeam facing the knotter is inclined at an angle of more than ninety degrees to the upper wall of the baling chamber in order to permit a smooth flow of air from the fan past the knotter.
US09003965B2
Method of baling switchgrass whole stalks into square bales at bulk densities between 12.5 and 20.5 lbs/ft3, optimized for highway transport after dry down to maximize semi-trailer truck payloads.
US09003939B2
Rotary cutting apparatus has a frame, a first rotary device and a second rotary device. Each of the first and second rotary devices has a shaft concentrically arranged about a rotational axis and a drum and are arranged in the frame in such a way that said first and second axes are substantially horizontal and substantially in the same vertical plane. A pair of bearing housings is arranged on either side of each of the drums. A first pair of bearing housings is movable relative to the frame in a transverse direction to the first rotational axis by means of a force means. Means is provided for passive vibration attenuation of at least the first shaft that includes a mass damper having a housing and a damping body movably arranged inside the housing, wherein the mass damper is associated with the first pair of bearing housings.
US09003936B2
A cutting head of a waterjet cutting system is provided having an environment control device and a measurement device. The environment control device is positioned to act on a surface of a workpiece at least during a measurement operation to establish a measurement area on the surface of the workpiece substantially unobstructed by fluid. The measurement device is positioned to selectively obtain information from within the measurement area indicative of a position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece. A control system is further provided and operable to position the cutting head relative to the workpiece at a standoff distance based at least in part on the information indicative of the position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece obtained by the measurement device. A method of operating a waterjet cutting system is also provided.
US09003932B2
A combination tool of the locknut wrench type, which includes a leveling device and a screwdriver blade on the opposite end. The locknut head and screwdriver ends may be interchanged depending on the size locknut wrench needed and the type of screwdriver needed.
US09003931B2
A pair of pliers having replaceable jaws is provided. The first plier member has a handle and a jaw assembly. The first plier member jaw assembly includes a body defining an elongated slot and having at least one guide surface. The second plier member has a handle assembly and a jaw assembly. The second plier member jaw assembly is selectively disposed in one of two configurations, a first configuration, wherein the second plier member jaw assembly is separated from the first plier member, and a second configuration, wherein the second plier member jaw assembly is slidably coupled to the first plier member with the second plier member jaw assembly guide member at least one guide surface slidably engaging the first plier member jaw assembly body at least one guide surface.
US09003926B2
An oil passage structure of a chain-driven oil pump includes three lines of oil passages for supplying oil from the center support to the torque converter, a first oil passage for supplying oil to the torque converter through the inside of an input shaft of the torque converter, a second oil passage for supplying oil to the torque converter through a space defined by the outer periphery surface of the input shaft and the inner periphery surface of a stator shaft, and a third oil passage for supplying oil to the torque converter by bypassing the drive sprocket. The third oil passage is provided on the outer periphery side of the drive sprocket and in a position where it does not interfere with the operation of a chain. Accordingly, it is possible to utilize the flex lock-up to a maximum extent, and to reduce the diameter of the sprocket.
US09003915B2
Regardless of the shift range of the ‘current shift stage’ while the shift lever is at the home position, the shift range is necessarily shifted to N range if the operator presses the first button. Thus, the operator can shift the shift range from N range to R range or D range (N→R, N→D) if, while maintaining the pressed state of the first button, the operator moves the shift lever from the home position, which is at the center of the three shift positions, to A position or B position corresponding to indication R or indication D.
US09003913B2
An operation input device includes: an operation body having a handle portion, the operation body tilting when the user tilts the operation axis line of the handle portion, and the operation body turning when the user turns the handle portion around the rotation axis line; a stopping portion that abuts on and stops the operation body so as to limit a tilting range of the operation body; a first concavo-convex portion disposed on the operation body; and a second concavo-convex portion. The second concavo-convex portion is disposed at a position corresponding to the first concavo-convex portion of the operation body when the stopping portion stops a tilting motion of the operation body. The first concavo-convex portion and the second concavo-convex portion are engaged with each other so as to restrict a turning motion of the operation body.
US09003910B2
An instrumental unit includes: a step motor; a gear including: a gear body rotated by torque of the step motor, the gear body including a first surface formed with a recess and a second surface opposite to the first surface; and a rotary shaft projecting from the first and second surfaces; a controlling spring accommodated in the recess, a center of the controlling spring through which the rotary shaft projects, the controlling spring having lengths in long and short axis directions orthogonal to each other and having a line-symmetric shape with respect to each of the long and short axis directions; and a case accommodating the step motor, the gear body and the controlling spring, an inner surface of the case including: a first portion supporting the second surface; and a second portion pressing the controlling spring in the recess of the first surface.
US09003895B2
The present invention pertains to a flow conditioner for displacing and mixing fluid flow to minimize the effects of thermal gradients on the accuracy of a transit time ultrasonic flowmeter and defines an envelope in a cross sectional direction in a pipe having a first ramp adapted to be disposed in the pipe and extending from the outside of the envelope inward toward the center of the pipe in a downstream direction with respect to the fluid flow and forming an angle between 0° and 90° relative to the pipe's inner surface. The conditioner has a second ramp adapted to be disposed in the pipe and in juxtaposition with the first ramp, the second ramp extending from the outside of the envelope inward toward the center of the pipe in an upstream direction with respect to the fluid flow and forming an angle between 0° and 90° relative to the pipe's inner surface. An apparatus for determining fluid flow in a pipe having ultrasonic transducer sites. A method for determining fluid flow in a pipe. A method for affecting fluid flow in a pipe.
US09003889B2
A resonant pressure sensor including one or more resonant-type strain gauges arranged on a diaphragm may include a sensor substrate made of silicon and including one surface on which one or more resonant-type strain gauge elements are arranged and the other surface which is polished to have a thickness corresponding to the diaphragm, a base substrate made of silicon and including one surface directly bonded with the other surface of the sensor substrate, a concave portion formed in a portion of the base substrate bonding with the sensor substrate, substantially forming the diaphragm in the sensor substrate, and including a predetermined gap that does not restrict a movable range of the diaphragm due to foreign substances and suppresses vibration of the diaphragm excited by vibration of the resonant-type strain gauge elements, one or more conducting holes, and a fluid.
US09003888B2
A method for obtaining seismic information about a subsurface formation using at least one fiber optic cable having its proximal end coupled to a light source and a photodetector comprises: transmitting into the cable at least one light pulse; receiving at the photodetector a first and second light signals indicative of the physical status of at least one first cable section and at least one second cable section, respectively, wherein the first and second sections are selected so as to provide first and second information items, respectively; optionally, further processing at least one of the first and second information items so as to produce derivative information; and outputting at least one of the first, second, and derivative information items to a display; wherein the second item differs from the first item in at least one aspect selected from the group consisting of: resolution, area, and location.
US09003886B2
Embodiments of compact micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices are provided, as are embodiments of methods for fabricating MEMS devices. In one embodiment, the MEMS device includes a substrate, a movable structure resiliently coupled to the substrate, and an anchored structure fixedly coupled to the substrate. The movable structure includes a first plurality of movable fingers, and a second plurality of movable fingers electrically isolated from and interspersed with the first plurality of movable fingers. The anchored structure includes fixed fingers interspersed with first and second pluralities of movable fingers in a capacitor-forming relationship. First and second interconnects are electrically coupled to the first and second pluralities of movable fingers, respectively.
US09003883B2
In an angular velocity sensor, an upper electrode of a first piezoelectric element and a lower electrode of a second piezoelectric element are connected to an input terminal of a first Q/V conversion circuit, and a lower electrode of the first piezoelectric element and an upper electrode of the second piezoelectric element are connected to an input terminal of a second Q/V conversion circuit. Thus, vibration noise components of the quantities of charge generated at the first and second piezoelectric elements are cancelled out, and Coriolis components of the quantities of charge generated at the first and second piezoelectric elements are added, whereby only the Coriolis components are extracted.
US09003874B2
A communication system can include a transmitter which transmits a signal, and at least one sensing device which receives the signal, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal being detected by the line through a material of the enclosure. A sensing system can include at least one sensor which senses a parameter, at least one sensing device which receives an indication of the parameter, the sensing device including a line contained in an enclosure, and a transmitter which transmits the indication of the parameter to the line through a material of the enclosure. Another sensing system can include an object which displaces in a subterranean well. At least one sensing device can receive a signal from the object. The sensing device can include a line contained in an enclosure, and the signal can be detected by the line through a material of the enclosure.
US09003870B2
To address this and/or other needs, the present inventor devised, among other things, a passive moisture detection probe that can be installed and left in place to continuously indicate whether the moisture-content in the wall-cavity of a building is below or above a desirable level. One exemplary moisture detection assembly includes a moisture-absorbent sensor element and an indicator. The sensor element, which can be placed in contact with the inner surface of a home's exterior sheathing, expands and contracts in response to the moisture content of the sheathing. The indicator, for example a rod, moves in responsive to the expansion and contraction of the sensor element, with its relative position corresponding to the moisture in the exterior sheathing and thus providing an on-going and observable sign of moisture intrusion.
US09003867B2
To provide a gas sensor which can stably carry out a retention of a sensor element by a contact member and a reservation of an electric continuity between them. A contact member has an insertion port in which the sensor element is inserted and retained to obtain an electric connection with the sensor element. The contact member is provided with a plurality of sensor element retaining members which respectively have a plurality of abutting parts abutting on the sensor element, at least a part of a plurality of abutting parts is a first abutting part which has a leading end part formed as a linear shape or a point-like shape, and the leading end part of the first abutting part is a free end part which applies an elastic force to the sensor element while having point contact or line contact with the sensor element.
US09003865B2
An in-oil gas concentration measuring system comprises: gas extracting which extracts an in-oil gas from an insulating oil sample; component detecting which detects gas components of the in-oil gas extracted by the gas extracting; extracted-gas concentration calculating which calculates, on the basis of data detected by the component detecting, extracted-gas concentrations of the gas components being detected; extracted-gas concentration storing which stores information on the extracted-gas concentrations calculated by the extracted-gas concentration calculating as a result of two or more extractions performed by the gas extracting, the information being stored in each of the extractions; and in-oil gas concentration calculating which calculates in-oil gas concentrations of the gas components on the basis of the extracted-gas concentrations thus stored in the extracted-gas concentration storing.
US09003864B2
A method for estimating wear resistance of a tread portion of a tire comprises: a tire manufacturing step in which the tire to be evaluated is manufactured; a rubber seat sampling step in which an evaluation rubber seat is cut out from the tread portion of the tire to include a part of the tread surface; an abrasion step in which the rubber seat is subjected to abrasion by the use of an indoor wear testing machine; and a wear resistance estimating step in which the wear resistance of the tire is estimated based on a state of the wear of the rubber seat caused in the abrasion step.
US09003857B2
A current density changing portion is formed in a heating process on an upper base side with respect to a center portion of a flat metal plate in a direction of current flow, by passing current from a lower base side to the upper base side of the flat metal plate which is rectangular when viewed from above. As a result, a quenchable portion is formed on the upper base side with respect to the center portion of the flat metal plate in the direction of current flow, and a non-quenchable portion is formed on the lower base side with respect to the center portion of the flat metal plate in the direction of current flow. The flat metal plate is press-formed after the heating process, so a complex die cooling structure is not necessary during press-forming, which enables the die cost to be reduced.
US09003853B2
Disclosed is a roller hemming device capable of maintaining performance to hem a work at low cost. Specifically disclosed is a roller hemming device for performing preliminary bending to a work placed on a bottom die along a guide surface formed on the bottom die, which includes a roller for hemming the work, and a guide member protruding radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the roller. The guide member is in contact with the guide surface of the bottom die during the preliminary bending.
US09003838B2
A laundry treating appliance having a drum, defining a treating chamber, with a lifter and a balancing system having at least one balancing ring and a reservoir located in the lifter and a liquid supply system fluidly coupled to the reservoir. Liquid may be supplied to the ring and to the reservoir through the ring to offset an imbalance in a laundry load located within the drum.
US09003834B2
The present invention provides a glass substrate for magnetic disk in which surface irregularity of a principal surface is suppressed and a method for efficiently manufacturing a glass substrate for magnetic disk. The method includes the steps of: forming a sheet glass material by performing press forming to molten glass, a principal surface of the sheet glass material having target flatness for the glass substrate for magnetic disk, the sheet glass material having a surface shape to be ground using a grinding abrasive grain; grinding the sheet glass material using a fixed abrasive grain; and polishing the sheet glass material using a loose abrasive grain, the sheet glass material having surface irregularity of the principal surface ground using the fixed abrasive grain.
US09003833B2
This invention provides a porous glass with a varied porous structure that shows an excellent optical performance. A method of manufacturing a porous glass comprising: a first step of forming a surface layer containing a boron compound and an alkali metal compound as main ingredients on a matrix glass containing a silicon oxide, a boron oxide and an alkali metal oxide; a second step of heat treatment the matrix glass and the surface layer for phase separation to form a phase-separated glass; and a third step of acid treatment the phase-separated glass to form the porous glass having pores.
US09003826B2
The motor (1) of the present invention is fed by the mains voltage (Vac), and comprises a main winding (MW), an auxiliary winding (AW), a first triac (2) connected in series to the auxiliary winding (AW) which provides to start up the motor (1) by being actuated at the moment of start up in order to operate the motor (1), a second triac (3) connected in series to the main winding (MW) which provides the motor (1) to continue operating and a control unit (4) which controls the start up and operation of the motor (1) by actuating the triacs (2 and 3) when required.
US09003824B2
An aseptic ice making system includes an ice making system to receive water from a water supply. The ice making system includes an ice producing subsystem to produce ice and a positive air pressure subsystem to maintain a positive air pressure environment within the ice making system.
US09003814B2
A method for operating an air-conditioning system for an aircraft includes compressing ambient air with a compressor driven by a shaft in communication with a motor and a turbine. The method includes forwarding the compressed air to an aircraft cabin for circulation and removing circulated compressed air from the aircraft cabin. The method also includes forwarding the circulated compressed air to the turbine, depressurizing the circulated compressed air in the turbine and capturing energy created by depressurizing the circulated compressed air.
US09003813B2
A water discharge system enhances heat transfer to the atmosphere by limiting the mixing of heated discharge water with the ambient water of a receiving water body. The heated water is maintained near the top surface of the receiving water body which increases the transfer of heat to the atmosphere as compared to a system where the discharge water is mixed quickly with the ambient water.
US09003807B2
The present invention comprises a gas turbine engine and a process for operating a gas turbine engine. A fluid structure receives compressed air from a compressor and extends toward a stationary blade ring in a turbine to discharge the compressed air directly against a surface of the blade ring such that the compressed air impinges on the blade ring surface. The compressed air then passes through at least one opening in the stationary blade ring and into cooling passages of a corresponding row of vanes.
US09003806B2
A method of operating a combustor having a central nozzle and a plurality of outer nozzles surrounding the central nozzle is provided. The method includes providing a liquid fuel to only the plurality of outer nozzles at a specified total energy input. The method includes decreasing the liquid fuel to the plurality of outer nozzles while simultaneously increasing a gas fuel to the central nozzle and the plurality of outer nozzles to substantially maintain the specified total energy input. The method includes supplying a fuel-air ratio of the gas fuel to the central nozzle that exceeds a threshold value such that a central nozzle flame is anchored. An air-fuel ratio of the gas fuel to the plurality of outer nozzles is less than the threshold value such that a plurality of outer nozzle flames are lifted until a purge flow is supplied to the outer nozzles.
US09003802B2
A fuel injector device for an annular combustion chamber of a turbine engine, including a pilot circuit feeding an injector and a multipoint circuit feeding injection orifices formed in a front face of an annular ring mounted in an annular chamber, together with a thermal insulation mechanism insulating the front face and including an annular cavity formed around the injection orifices between the front face of the annular ring and a front wall of the annular chamber and configured to be filled in operation with air or with coked fuel.
US09003795B2
The disclosed subject matter relates to methods and systems for operating a solar steam system in response to a detected or predicted reduced insolation condition (for example, sunset or a cloud condition). In some embodiments, for a period of time, enthalpy stored within a solid material of a conduit via which steam travels en route to a steam turbine is used to heat the steam to drive the turbine. In some embodiments, a net migration of heliostats away from the steam superheater is carried out in response to the detected or predicted reduced insolation condition.
US09003789B2
An energy harvesting system for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy includes a heat engine that operates using a shape memory alloy active material. The shape memory alloy member may be in thermal communication with a hot region at a first temperature and a cold region at a second temperature lower than the first temperature. The shape memory alloy material may be configured to selectively change crystallographic phase between martensite to austenite and thereby one of contract and expand in response to the first and second temperatures. A thermal conduction element may be in direct contact with the SMA material, where the thermal conduction element is configured to receive thermal energy from the hot region and to transfer a portion of the received thermal energy to the SMA material through conduction.
US09003772B2
A method for metering fuel from a high pressure system, comprising at least one high pressure pump, one pressure accumulator and one high pressure injection valve, into an exhaust gas duct of an internal combustion engine in order to regenerate a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst (NSC) disposed in the exhaust gas duct, wherein a higher pressure of the fuel is generated by the electrically actuated high pressure pump, which discretely delivers fuel and has a constant stroke volume, wherein the fuel is supplied to the pressure accumulator comprising a pressure measuring device for determining the fuel pressure and wherein the fuel is injected into the exhaust gas duct via the downstream, electrically actuated high pressure injection valve.
US09003771B2
The invention relates to a static mixer for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine-driven vehicle, with a plurality of flow guide elements which influence the flow of an exhaust gas stream and which are inclined at a given angle relative to the mixer plane and are held in the exhaust gas channel by means of at least one retaining strip. According to the invention the at least one retaining strip is made resilient at least in partial regions and/or is elastically supported in the plane of the mixer.
US09003763B2
An apparatus performs a power cycle involving expansion of compressed air utilizing high pressure (HP) and low pressure (LP) air turbines located upstream of a gas turbine. The power cycle involves heating of the compressed air prior to its expansion in the HP and LP air turbines. Taking into consideration fuel consumption to heat the compressed air, particular embodiments may result in a net production of electrical energy of ˜2.2-2.5× an amount of energy consumed by substantially isothermal air compression to produce the compressed air supply. Although pressure of the compressed air supply may vary over a range (e.g. as a compressed air storage unit is depleted), the gas turbine may run under almost constant conditions, facilitating its integration with the apparatus. The air turbines may operate at lower temperatures than the gas turbine, and they may include features of turbines employed to turbocharge large reciprocating engines.
US09003757B2
A rope assembly that is adapted to extend between first and second attachment points comprises a line arranged to define a plurality of loops and at least one pair of organizers. The at least one pair of organizers is configured to engage the line such that line segments of the line between the at least one pair of organizers are maintained in a desired relationship with each other and such that the desired relationship facilitates transfer of loads through the rope assembly between the first and second attachment points.
US09003751B2
A mower carrying a rotary cutting deck has a height of cut system for adjusting the vertical position of the deck relative to the mower frame for changing or adjusting the height of cut. The height of cut system comprises a pair of parallel cross shafts that carry a plurality of pivotal suspension linkages that connect to the deck, the cross shafts and linkages pivoting jointly with one another and with a pivotal control lever. One of the cross shafts carries a torsion spring to counterbalance the weight of the deck. The control lever is maintained in a plurality of adjusted pivotal positions by a height selection bracket fixed to the frame with the height selection bracket being capable of having its position changed or adjusted relative to the frame by a single adjustment bolt. Each suspension linkage has its effective length adjusted by turning a threaded adjuster carried at the upper end of a connecting rod that is part of each linkage to allow the deck to be leveled relative to a reference plane. The adjustment of the height selection bracket is accomplished without affecting the length adjustments previously made to any of the suspension linkages.
US09003750B2
A debris sweep and dry assist device is for use with a strapping machine. The debris sweep and dry assist device is positioned between the strapping machine and an associated strap supply. The device includes a body having a strap inlet and a strap outlet and defining a strap path therethrough. The body has a first wall at about the strap inlet and a second wall at about the strap outlet. The body has a first manifold and a plurality of first branches extending between the first manifold and the first wall to provide a plurality of flow paths from the first manifold to the environs through the first branches. A compressed is gas directed into the first manifold and flows out of the first branches, and is directed onto strap material at a location at about the strap inlet.
US09003749B2
A form-fill-seal machine includes a vertical sealing mechanism, a first film detection sensor, and a controller. The vertical sealing mechanism has a horn, an anvil, and an ultrasonic transmitter. The vertical sealing mechanism sandwiches a cylindrical film conveyed by a pull-down belt mechanism, by the horn and the anvil, and seals the cylindrical film by applying ultrasonic vibrations to the cylindrical film. The first film detection sensor detects whether the cylindrical film is sandwiched by the horn and the anvil. The controller stops the ultrasonic transmitter in a circumstance in which the first film detection sensor detects that the cylindrical film is not sandwiched by the horn and the anvil.
US09003731B2
Implementations of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for incorporating face- and center-mounted panels into a single wall module to form nested wall modules. For instance, face-mounted panels can nest within the center-mounted panels. Additionally or alternatively, center-mounted panels can nest within the face-mounted panels to form windows.
US09003730B2
A roof vent and a roof structure are described. A roof vent can include a baffle with a cross-section where a first portion extends upward from a bottom plate and a second portion extends from the first portion to define a space between the bottom plate and the second portion. A roof structure may or may not have a roof deck, and comprises a plurality of roof cover elements with a radiant barrier layer underneath the top surfaces of at least some of the roof cover elements. In another embodiment, a roof structure may comprise more sheathing layer vent members than roof cover layer vent members. In yet another embodiment, a roof structure may comprise a layer of roof tiles with at least one vent member, the vent member comprising lateral end portions of a base member with a non-planar profile to engage a similar profile of an adjacent roof cover element.
US09003729B2
A photovoltaic array, including: (a) supports laid out on a surface in rows and columns; (b) photovoltaic modules positioned on top of the supports; and (c) fasteners connecting the photovoltaic modules to the supports, wherein the supports have an upper pedestal surface and a lower pedestal surface such that the photovoltaic modules are positioned at a non-horizontal angle when edges of the photovoltaic modules are positioned on top of the upper and lower pedestal surfaces, and wherein a portion of the fasteners rotate to lock the photovoltaic modules onto the supports.
US09003726B2
System and method for establishing a self-aligning mounting system for mounting photovoltaic modules
Provided are a system and method for a self-aligning system for mounting at least one photovoltaic module to a surface. The system includes a plurality of rails, each rail having a plurality of slideably attached friction locking retainers, and a plurality of anchors with fasteners extending opposite from friction locking retainers. A collapsible separator is coupled between the rails and structured and arranged to align the rails to each other at a pre-defined separation distance. Each friction locking retainer structured and arranged to laterally slide along a portion of each rail and remain as positioned by a user. Each friction locking retainer further structured and arranged to grip and permit adjustment of at least one photovoltaic module during mounting. An associated method of use is also provided.
US09003725B2
Example weather barrier apparatuses for sealing or sheltering vehicles at loading docks are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a first seal to be engaged by a vehicle as the vehicle moves between a departed position and a parked position relative to the first seal. The first seal has a penetration portion movable between a relaxed condition when the vehicle releases the first seal and an activated condition when the vehicle engages the first seal. A second seal is coupled adjacent the first seal. The second seal has an opening to be positioned adjacent the penetration portion of the first seal such that at least a portion of the penetration portion extends across at least a portion of the opening when the first seal is in the relaxed condition, and the opening of the second seal receives at least the penetration portion of the first seal when the first seal is in the activated condition.
US09003723B2
A method of manufacturing a steel pipe stiffening brace member which has a shaft constituted of a main shaft member and an auxiliary shaft member and a stiffening steel pipe obtained by connecting side edges of four flat steels surrounding the shaft to each other. In the stiffening steel pipe, inside nook portions facing a side edge of the main shaft member are formed in stiffening members 25 and 26 having a V- or L-shaped cross section by fillet welding, and outside corner portions 25b and 26b are formed in the stiffening members 25 and 26 by partial penetration welding. Thereafter, side edges of the stiffening members 25 and 26 are abutted against each other, outside corner portions 27b and 28b are temporarily assembled by partial penetration welding, and outside corner portions 25b and 26b and outside corner portions 27b and 28b are subjected to partial penetration welding.
US09003720B2
A lifting apparatus to be embedded within a precast concrete panel or slab to enable the panel to be lifted, positioned atop a road bed, and elevated above the road bed. A lifting apparatus is located at each corner of the panel. Each lifting apparatus has a threaded sleeve extending through the panel to receive a removable threaded lifting bolt by which to establish a lifting point at which a lifting force is applied to lift and position the panel. When the threaded lifting bolt is rotated completely through the threaded sleeve, a pushing force is applied against a base plate, whereby to elevate the panel above the road bed as is necessary to make the panel level with adjacent panels during the construction or repair of a roadway. Grout is pumped through the panel to fill the space between the panel and the road bed.
US09003710B2
A window balance assembly for installation in a window assembly can include a balance portion that is connected to a carrier that may have a first and second side. The balance portion may be arranged to be drawn out of the carrier on the first or second sides of the carrier. The balance portion may be a spring member or element. As the spring element is drawn out of the carrier, contact made between the spring element and the carrier may generate a friction that results in undesired chatter of the spring element and/or audible noise from the carrier. This friction may be reduced by controlling the contact made between the spring element and the carrier. Further, a reduction of friction between the spring element and the carrier may result in a reduction in spring chatter and a reduction in audible noise from the carrier.
US09003692B2
A single use, hermetically sealing mousetrap has an enclosure accessible through a rotatably mounted door controlled by a spring-loaded door opening gear mechanism. Inside the enclosure is a spring-actuated setting axle/kill bar and setting bar combination that is movable between a kill position and a set position by manipulation of a setting handle positioned outside the enclosure. When in the set position, the door opening gear mechanism opens the door and tensions a torsional door spring. When the trap is tripped, the kill bar moves rapidly to the kill position which releases the door opening gear mechanism and allows the door spring to close the door and hermetically seal the trap with the dead mouse inside.
US09003685B1
A hinged trigger guard having a base member that includes a base member body portion; a base member projection extending from the base member body portion and having a base member aperture formed therethrough; an extension member that includes an extension member body portion; two ears extending from the extension member body portion, wherein an extension member recess is defined between at least a portion of the ears, and wherein an extension member aperture is formed through each of the ears. An extension member projection extends from the extension member body portion. The extension member is pivotably attached to the base member when the base member aperture is aligned between the extension member apertures and a pivot/installation pin is positioned within the aligned extension member apertures and base member aperture.
US09003674B2
Disclosed are an evaporator, an evaporation method, and a substrate processing apparatus, which can increase the concentration of generated vapor of an organic solvent and efficiently heat the organic solvent. The evaporator includes a fluid tube, a liquid organic solvent supply device for supplying the organic solvent liquid to one end of the fluid tube, and heating units for heating the fluid tube. The fluid tube has a cross section that increases from the one end to the other end. When the organic solvent liquid supplied to one end of the fluid tube is heated, the organic solvent vapor is discharged from the other end of the fluid tube. The substrate processing apparatus includes the above-described evaporator.
US09003664B2
A shaft material integrally having a shaft portion and a flange portion is formed by a forging process. The end face of the shaft portion of the shaft material and the end face of the flange portion on the opposite side of the shaft portion are ground relative to the corrected face, and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft material is ground relative to the end faces. This renders the cylindricity of the radial bearing faces formed on the outer periphery of the shaft portion of the produced shaft member to be 3 μm or lower. Moreover, a shaft material integrally having the shaft portion and flange portion is formed, while simultaneously thrust hydrodynamic groove regions are formed on both end faces of the flange portion. After the forging process, radial hydrodynamic groove regions are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion.
US09003660B2
Device for securing a first element of a watch 1 having a first threaded portion 11 to a second watch element 2 including a second threaded portion 22, including an intermediate element 3 for the angular orientation of the first element 1 relative to the second element 2. The intermediate element 3 includes a third threaded portion 31, arranged for cooperating with the first threaded portion 11 of the first element 1, and a fourth threaded portion 32, arranged to cooperate with the second threaded portion 22 of the second element 2. The thread pitches of the third threaded portion 31 and fourth threaded portion 32 are different.
US09003657B2
A manufacturing method includes providing a substrate with an outer surface and at least one interior space and machining the substrate to selectively remove a portion of the substrate and define one or more cooling supply holes therein. Each of the one or more cooling supply holes is in fluid communication with the at least one interior space. The method further includes disposing an open cell porous metallic layer on at least a portion of the substrate. The open cell porous metallic layer is in fluid communication with the one or more cooling supply holes. A coating layer is disposed on the open cell porous metallic layer. The coating layer having formed therein one or more cooling exit holes in fluid communication with the open cell porous metallic layer. The substrate, the one or more cooling supply holes, the open cell porous metallic layer and the cooling exit holes providing a cooling network for a component.
US09003651B2
Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create features. Conventional photolithography steps can be used in combination with pitch-reduction techniques to form superimposed, pitch-reduced patterns of crossing elongate features that can be consolidated into a single layer. Planarizing techniques using a filler layer and a protective layer are disclosed. Portions of an integrated circuit having different heights can be etched to a common plane.
US09003650B2
A conductive sleeved fastener assembly includes an electrically-conductive fastener having a fastener head and a fastener shank extending from the fastener head and an electrically-conductive fastener sleeve receiving the fastener shank of the fastener and a fastener sleeve flange provided on the fastener sleeve and disposed in direct contact with the fastener head of the fastener. A method of preparing a conductive sleeved fastener for use is also disclosed.
US09003640B1
A method for fabricating a magnetic recording transducer is described. The method includes providing a pinned layer for a magnetic element. The portion of the magnetic transducer including the pinned layer is transferred to a high vacuum annealing apparatus before annealing the magnetic transducer. The portion of the magnetic recording transducer is annealed in the high vacuum annealing apparatus. A tunneling barrier is provided after the step of annealing the part of the magnetic recording transducer. A free layer for the magnetic element is also provided.
US09003632B2
A thimble mechanism for retention of a shackle in a wire rope loop termination. In one preferred embodiment, a thimble device is provided for a shackle having a pair of opposed legs with each leg having an end with a width smaller than a depth. The thimble device includes a thimble body having an external arcuate edge with a rope groove for receipt of a wire rope therein. A central opening extends through the thimble body with the central opening larger than the width but smaller than the depth of the shackle ends. A keyway is provided in the thimble body extending from the central opening to the arcuate edge of the thimble body.
US09003627B1
A micro-coupling active release mechanism including a shape memory alloy (SMA) cylindrical ring that is fit into a bushing or other mating attachment creating an interference joint held in place by frictional forces. The interference joint can be released upon actuation in which the SMA cylindrical ring is heated causing it to shrink in size, relieving the frictional forces of the interference joint thereby releasing the SMA cylindrical ring from the bushing or other mating attachment.
US09003626B2
A docking station formed of a tray having a clamping portion coupled to a receiver portion for motion along a travel axis therebetween. A lever is coupled for moving the clamping portion between an expanded position spaced away from the receiver portion, and a retracted position adjacent to the receiver portion. The lever includes a preload portion that is adapted for preloading the clamping portion in the retracted position, and a latching portion that is coupled for retaining the clamping portion in the retracted position. The preload portion of the lever is a resiliently bendable member, such as a spring. Optionally, the lever is a second class lever.
US09003622B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for assembling a front panel, a plurality of side panels, a back panel, and a roof panel in a complete body assembly line for various vehicles. The complete body assembling apparatus realizes a new type of a coupling apparatus by which hangers for vehicle models are held in a post buck in a complete body line for a vehicle and the post buck is flexibly movable depending on the changes in various vehicle models. This in turn, allows various vehicle models to be produced in a single process by flexibly coping with various vehicle models and enhancing the efficiency of an entire complete body assembling process.
US09003620B2
A process for producing a liquid ejection head having a piezoelectric body provided with an ejection orifice for ejecting liquid and a pressure chamber communicating therewith for retaining the liquid, wherein an electrode is formed on an inner wall surface of the pressure chamber to deform the pressure chamber by piezoelectric action caused by applying voltage to the electrode to eject the liquid, comprising providing the piezoelectric body in which a surface thereof having the ejection orifice has an arithmetic mean roughness of 0.1-1 μm, forming a dry film resist pattern on the surface of the piezoelectric body so as to expose the ejection orifice and a linear region connected thereto, and forming a metal thin film pattern being connected to the electrode on the inner wall surface and continuously extending from the inner wall surface to the linear region by using the dry film resist pattern as a mask.
US09003616B2
A plastic clip of the present invention includes a clip boss integrally formed in a fixed panel; and a clip main body detachably assembled to the clip boss. The clip boss includes fitting portions provided in two lower side portions of a vertical plate provided with a fitting hole; and locking projections provided in front and back upper ends of the fitting portions. The clip main body includes an inverted triangular input portion provided in a lower end portion; a locking projection provided in an upper end portion of the input portion; a clip-boss input guide hole provided in the center of an upper end; a clip-boss input guide portion provided in the center of an internal upper portion and connected to the clip-boss input guide hole; and an elastic fitting piece provided in a lower end of the clip-boss input guide portion.
US09003607B1
A transmission device applied to rotary shafts for facilitating the assembling process. The transmission device includes at least one rotary shaft, a drive member movable along with the rotation of the rotary shaft, a transversely movable driver, a turning unit and a transmission unit. The turning unit has a first end connected with the driver and a second end assembled with the transmission unit. When the transmission unit is longitudinally moved, a connection section and a carrier body are driven by the transmission unit to lift or lower a base body or a frame in accordance with the operation mode of an electronic apparatus.
US09003606B2
A synchronous movement device applied to dual-shaft system includes a first shaft and a second shaft, which are assembled with each other and synchronously rotatable. The synchronous movement device further includes a driver and a driving rail disposed on the first shaft, a reactor and a reacting rail disposed on the second shaft and a link unit connected between the driver and the reactor. When the first shaft drives the driver to rotate, the driver pushes the link unit to move along the first and second shafts to forcedly push the reactor to rotate in a direction reverse to the moving direction of the driver. Accordingly, the first and second shafts are synchronously rotated.
US09003605B2
A furniture hinge including a toggle-type hinge and a line shock absorber arranged transversely to a major axis of the toggle-type hinge. The line shock absorber is inserted into a holder and the holder is attached to the toggle-type hinge. The holder includes a bearing part and a position part, which are fixed to each other by at least one coupling element in the form of an unreleasable connection or a releasable one.
US09003604B2
In a door checker for automobile which is applicable to vehicles having different full open angles of doors, and which makes no chattering noise by vibration, a free end portion of a check lever plate is provided with a core plate exposed portion where a core plate is exposed from a cover layer, a full open stopper mechanism includes: a stopper pin fitted in the core plate exposed portion, the stopper pin having anti-falling expanded portions; a stopper plate swingably supported on the stopper pin; and a cushion member supported by the stopper plate, and configured to cushion an impact of full opening of the door by receiving a case, and a pressing piece is provide integrally and continuously to the cover layer, the pressing piece configured to press the cushion member toward the stopper pin to thereby keep the stopper plate in contact with the stopper pin.
US09003603B2
In a pivot fixture for pivotable parts, comprising a guide unit with a guide tube and an arrest unit with an engagement rod slidably disposed in the guide tube, the engagement rod is provided with control cam structures and an expansion body with a friction surface is slidably disposed on the engagement rod, the friction surface being arranged adjacent an inner wall section of the guide tube for engagement with the wall section upon expansion of the expansion body by the engagement rod.
US09003601B2
The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleanerA vacuum cleaner of the disclosure includes a body, a dust collecting unit disposed at one side of the body and provided with a dust collecting container storing the dust, a pressurization member compressing the dust stored in the dust collecting container, a driving device operating the pressurization member, and a dust emptying notification unit noticing the dust emptying time by visualizing a storage condition of the dust within the dust collecting container while sliding-moving by operating the pressurization member.In the disclosure, the accommodating condition of the dust for the dust collecting unit can be easily shown.
US09003599B1
A new vacuum cleaner has fence elements with upright arms are easily attachable to caster modules and create an upwardly opening hose space through which a vacuum hose can be wound for storage. The caster modules have sockets that extend throughout the height of the modules. The fence elements have tabs that hook onto lower edges of the modules, and can be clipped onto the caster module by pressing a detent on the fence element downwardly into an upper end of the socket until the tabs snap over the lower portion of the module, locking it in place.
US09003592B2
A pole-cleaning device sleeve having a pole-like member with a proximal end, a distal end, opposite to the proximal end, and a length separating the distal and proximal ends, the pole-like member having a head portion defining a working surface and being coupled to the distal end of the pole-like member, the pole-cleaning device also having a removably couplable sleeve with a distal end substantially adjacent to the head portion, a proximal end terminating at a location along the pole-like member length, and a sleeve length separating the distal and proximal ends, an outer layer being of a substantially deformably-resilient and polymer-based material, an inner layer coupled to the outer layer and contacting an outer surface of the pole-like member, and the outer and inner layers encapsulating at least a portion of the pole-like member.
US09003590B2
A handle section of a small electric device is described that has a handle housing in which a drive unit is disposed, a first connector element extending from the housing being adapted for connection with an attachment section, the first connector element being coupled to the drive unit; a second connector element extending from the housing being adapted for connection with the attachment section, the second connector element being coupled to the drive unit, wherein the first connector element linearly reciprocates relative to the housing during operation and the second connector element linearly reciprocates relative to the housing with a 180 degrees phase shift with respect to the first connector element.
US09003589B2
The subject matter of the invention is a floor of a dome module as an interface between an air passenger bridge or air passenger stairs and the airplane, wherein the floor comprises a stationary floor section and a floor head part, wherein the floor head part exhibits several floor segments, which are connected to one another by a buffer cross-beam that is flexible over at least a portion of its length, wherein several floor segments are horizontally displaceable relative to one another.
US09003582B2
Provided is a pillow and method of marking the pillow to mitigate tinnitus. The pillow includes a first and second portions of fill material, an anchor strip assembly and a pillow casing. The anchor strip assembly is disposed between the first and second portions of fill material. The anchor strip assembly includes an anchor strip and a plurality of speakers secured to the anchor strip at a distance from each other. A first and second edge portions the anchor strip extends beyond edges of the first and second portions of fill material. The pillow casing secures the anchor strip assembly disposed between the first and second portions of the fill material inside the pillow casing such that the first and second edge portions of the anchor strip are secured respectively between a first and second seams of the pillow casing.
US09003580B2
A mattress display includes at least one primary test bed including a head portion and a foot portion; at least one secondary test bed including a head portion and a foot portion; a wall, wherein the at least one primary and secondary test beds are in a spaced apart parallel relationship and positioned perpendicular with respect to the wall, wherein the at least one primary test bed is oriented such that the head portion is distally located from the wall and the foot portion 20 is proximal to the wall, and wherein the at least one secondary test bed is oriented such the head portion is proximal to the wall and the foot portion is distal to the wall; and a barrier disposed in close proximity to the head portion of the primary test bed, wherein the barrier is configured to provide an end user of the primary test bed with at least partial privacy, noise reduction, and/or light reduction.
US09003577B2
Ligature-resistant lavatory assembly incorporating a ligature-resistant adjustable faucet and valve, particularly suitable for use in behavioral health, psychiatric facilities, or prisons. The ligature-resistant adjustable faucet control includes a fixable seating element and a control knob at least partially rotatable received in the seating element. The control knob is connected to a mixing valve so that rotation of said control knob controls the mixing valve and, in turn, adjusts the temperature of water dispensed from the faucet.
US09003576B2
Grab rail assemblies are disclosed for mounting on walls, such as the tiled walls of a showering area or a mud room. The assemblies are designed to aesthetically meld with the surrounding environment by having a front tile mounting panel. They may also be provided with a drainage system to avoid water collecting long term within the rail when the rail is used in a shower.
US09009857B2
The availability of software assets on electronic devices, such as mobile devices of users, is restricted based on the time as determined by a managing server. An application that runs on the electronic devices communicates with the server to obtain information regarding which software assets are permitted to be accessed, and restricts user access accordingly. The server may use a clock, in combination with administrator-generated access restriction policies, to determine which software assets are to be made available on each electronic device at particular points in time.
US09009856B2
Mechanisms are provided to allow particular parties and applications access to protected application programming interfaces (APIs) without the use of security domains. Trusted parties and applications may have access to protected APIs while unfrosted parties and applications may be restricted to a more limited set of APIs. Public keys associated with individual applications that are used to enforce licensing policies can be repurposed for use in a verification process to prevent unauthorized access to APIs. A credential storage manager can be used to maintain permission and certificate information. An application authorization manager may access credential storage and maintain trusted application information.
US09009853B2
In an embodiment, communication is controlled between a service provider web application executed in a first web browser instance on a device platform of the device and a partner web application executed in a second web browser instance on the device platform. A signal is received, at a control module at the device, from the partner web application, the signal for initiating communication between the partner web application and the service provider web application. The control module, provided by the service provider and installed on the device, uses technology that is native to the device platform. The control module uses a list of partners approved by the service provider to determine whether the partner web application is approved for communication with the service provider web application. If the control module determines the partner web application is approved, the control module allows communication to proceed.
US09009852B2
The present technology relates to a method for granting a user secure access to one or more resources accessed by a process. The process is defined in a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) registry and includes one or more process-steps, where each process-step accesses one or more resources stored in an SOA repository.
US09009850B2
Apparatuses, computer readable media, methods, and systems are described for accessing table layout data identifying a plurality of fields included in a table stored in a database, accessing log data identifying a number of times each of the fields of the table has been queried, ranking the fields based on the number of times each of the fields of the table has been queried, determining a first subset of the fields that have not been queried at least a predetermined number of times, and generating an update to the table by removing the first subset of the fields from the table.
US09009842B2
In an embodiment of the invention, wherein users must be able to access a computer system to perform respective functions, initial data is acquired from data sources, some of the initial data pertaining to previously granted system access rights. The initial data is used to create a crowdsourcing task, which is executed to acquire crowdsourced data from SMEs in an SME population, wherein the crowdsourced data comprises additional data pertaining to previously granted system access. The crowdsourced data is used to create a set of role definitions, wherein the role definitions determine which of the users are assigned to be members of a particular role associated with the system, and further determine the access rights that are granted to each member of the particular role.
US09009834B1
In a computer-implemented method, a digital content item to be tested is received. A display of a visual representation of the digital content item is simulated, where the visual representation is selectable and the digital content item is associated with a code snippet that is executed when the visual representation is selected. A simulated user click on the visual representation is received and the code snippet is executed in response. Processing actions of the code snippet are monitored, and it is determined whether the processing actions violate one or more predetermined system policies indicative of a content item unsuitable for service. A score for the code snippet is calculated based on one or more violations of the one or more predetermined system policies. The digital content item is suspended to prevent service of the digital content item if the score exceeds a predetermined threshold score, and validated for service otherwise.
US09009819B1
A method and apparatus for detecting rogue security software whereby a timeframe and a threshold pop-up score are defined. A user computing system is monitored/scanned for any pop-up events being presented to the user and once a pop-up event is detected, the source process, or application, associated with the pop-up event is identified. The identified source process is then monitored for at least the defined timeframe and each pop-up event associated with the identified source process in the defined timeframe is counted and used to compute a pop-up score for the identified source process. The pop-up score for the identified source process is then compared with the threshold pop-up score and if the pop-up score associated with the identified source process exceeds the threshold pop-up score, the status of the identified source process is transformed to the status of identified “suspect” source process.
US09009818B2
A system and method for detecting malware in compressed data. The system and method identifies a set of search strings extracted from compressed executables, each of which is infected with malware from a family of malware. The search strings detect the presence of the family of malware in other compressed executables, fragments of compressed executables, or data streams.
US09009797B1
A system and method for Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) access control for a mobile device. An entity requesting to utilize MRCP resources establishes a relationship with a MRCP resource provider. The MRCP resource provider maintains account information for the entity, and the entity receives a unique account number for identification purposes. The entity requests from the MRCP resource provider generation of at least one MRCP access PIN associated with the account information, and provides a data string associated with the MRCP access PIN to the MRCP resource provider.
US09009796B2
In one embodiment, a method to authenticate a claimant comprises receiving, from the claimant, at least one of a set of beam data from a spot beam transmission, comparing the claimed at least one set of beam data to a known valid data set, and authenticating the claimant when a difference between at least one set of beam data and the known valid data set is less than a threshold.
US09009794B2
Systems and methods are provided for assignment and exchange of temporary access rights based on proximity of user devices. A first user device may receive a temporary access right that enables a second user device to access a content asset which the first user device is not authorized to access. In response to receiving the temporary access right, the first user device may access the content asset. Access to the content asset may be maintained after the first user device leaves the proximity of the second user device until the content asset is played back in its entirety. The proximity may be based on physical location or virtual connections through online services. The temporary access right may be requested by or assigned to the first user device from the second user device and may limit the number of times that the content asset is accessed on the first user device.
US09009792B1
Methods, apparatus, and other embodiments associated with automatically configuring a secure wireless connection are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a security logic in a first device. The security logic is configured to determine a security code for wirelessly connecting to a second device by sending a request to initiate communication to the second device. The security logic is further configured to receive a reply from the second device in response to the request. The apparatus also includes a communication logic configured to establish a secure wireless connection to the second device from the first device by automatically initiating a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) based, at least in part, on the security code.
US09009790B2
Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to managing multiple public user identifiers (PUIDs) in a database by setting customizable access rules and requiring authorization from applications for access. These PUIDs can be virtually any electronic identifier such as a telephone number, email address, FACEBOOK name, etc. The PUID database is on the memory of a mobile communication device. Applications on the mobile communication device or on the network request access to the PUID database. Access logic on the mobile communication device checks another database of PUID Access Policies and Preferences (PAPP) for authorization. The PAPP database may allow the application immediate access, deny access, or query the user for allowance. The PUID database and PAPP database are on a server on a network.
US09009778B2
A service category associates a set of authenticators and a set of authentication and authorization policies. When an authenticator attempts to connect the network, the service category for such authenticator determined and the authentication and authorization policies applied. A feature of the present invention is that these policies are segmented into several sub-policies to support multiple services and apply different authentication and authorization policies for each type of service. These sub-policies are a tunnel policy, a credential validation policy, in inner tunnel policy and an authorization policy. Successful negotiation of each policy allows the authenticator to connect a network.
US09009767B2
A system, method and computer readable media are disclosed for presenting a simultaneous multimedia experience to a plurality of computing devices, each at different locations. The method involves coordinating a simultaneous presentation of multimedia content to a plurality of computing devices, receiving a control signal from a computer of one of the plurality of computing devices to control the presentation of multimedia content, and broadcasting the control assigned to each of the plurality of computing devices such that a control event substantially simultaneously occurs in the presentation of a multimedia content at each of the plurality of computing devices. Where commercial breaks and length of presentation differences occur in various time zones or geographically disparate areas, the method may include utilizing synchronization points, adding new content in time gaps at a computing device and/or modifying the length of the presentation to maintain synchronization among the computing devices in a group.
US09009766B2
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving at a network device interposed in a network path between a source and a receiver, video optimized for a wired network link located between the source and the network device, identifying the receiver as a wireless device, optimizing the video for wireless transmission, and transmitting the video optimized for wireless transmission to the receiver. An apparatus is also disclosed.
US09009765B2
An object with embodiments of the present invention is to achieve a solution for fast channel change that improves bandwidth utilization, wherein the fast channel change is accomplished by initiating a unicast stream until a multicast stream can provide the desired media. The bandwidth utilization is achieved by delaying the multicast session and by terminating the unicast session at the latest when the multicast session starts. The delay of the multicast session is dependent on the network latency. Latency in this context refers to the time passed from when the client sends an IGMP JOIN message until it receives the first packet of the multicast stream.
US09009754B2
Alternate digital content is inserted into mobile devices with a method and apparatus that comprises an alternate content scheduler, an alternate content reporter, and a micro-splicer. The alternate content scheduler further comprises a mobile network interface for interaction with a mobile data and broadcast network, a micro-splicer interface for interfacing with a micro-splicer, a rulebook that is shared with the network which provides the rules for alternate content scheduling, a preference provisioning module comprising an alternate content scheduler library for storing user or network preferences, a scheduler for providing tight synchronization between original program content and alternate content, and a metric recording interface to an alternate content reporter. The micro-splicer works in tandem with the alternate content scheduler to render synchronized display of alternate multimedia content on the mobile device.
US09009752B2
A peer-to-peer (P2P) application which can be applied to TVs. The P2P application promotes a social networking aspect by allowing devices connecting to either the home mesh network and/or Internet to share contents and create common-interest channels. The P2P application does not require support from network infrastructure (e.g., no central servers), and consequently is extremely cost-effective and easy to deploy. The distributed nature of this system allows users to join or leave the network at will. It takes advantage of the local home mesh network connectivity, or existing Internet connections. A participant that tunes into a broadcast on an Internet channel is not only downloading a video stream, but also uploading it to other participants watching the program. Data mining systems capture user preferences and create personalized Internet channels on the TV using the P2P network.
US09009746B2
The present disclosure involves a method of conducting a transaction. In one aspect, the method includes: displaying a media program on a media display device; indicating, while the media program is being displayed, an item associated with the media program is available for purchase; receiving authentication information of a prospective purchaser of the item; and completing a purchase of the item in response to the authentication information. In another aspect, the method includes: receiving, from a media display device, a user authentication request that contains user login credentials; granting the user authentication request in response to the user login credentials; and sending an authentication permission to the media display device; wherein the receiving and the sending are each performed such that the user login credentials and the authentication permission are sent through one or more intermediate hops without being inspected by any of the intermediate hops.
US09009738B2
Device identification techniques using identifiable device functions are described. In one or more implementations, data is obtained that describes functions of a device that are identifiable for use in conjunction with a computing device and a device identifier (ID) is computed for the peripheral device based on the identifiable device functions.
US09009732B2
A method of processing raw events to typed events, each raw event including data items containing data values, the method includes: providing a library of event type objects, each event type object relating to a given event type and including attributes of given data types, the attributes in each event type object structured according to a given structure; for each raw event, determining an event type object in the library which meets: (i) each of the data items in the raw event maps to an attribute in the event type object, and (ii) a data value in each of the data items is of a data type detected to match the given data type of the mapped attribute; and generating a typed event from each raw event, the typed event including the data values of the raw event structured according to the structure of the determined event type object.
US09009721B2
A method and system for aggregating installation scopes within an isolation environment, where the method includes first defining an isolation environment for encompassing an aggregation of installation scopes. Associations are created between a first application and a first installation scope. When the first application requires the presence of a second application within the isolation environment for proper execution, an image of the required second application is mounted onto a second installation scope and an association between the second application and the second installation scope is created. Another association is created between the first installation scope and the second installation scope, an this third association is created within a third installation scope. Each of the first, second, and third installation scopes are stored and the first application is launched into the defined isolation environment.
