US07672220B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and method of multiple antenna receiver combining of high data rate wideband packetized wireless communication signals, where the apparatus includes M receive antennas, receiving M high data rate wideband packetized wireless communication signals, where each of the signals includes N frequency bins. The apparatus, in an exemplary embodiment, includes (1) a joint timing recovery units that perform joint coarse signal timing estimation, joint frequency offset estimation, and joint fine timing estimation on each of the signals, (2) M Fast Fourier Transform units (FFTs) that each convert the digital data for each of the M signals into frequency domain information for each of the N received frequencies and that output Q pilots for each of the signals, where Q is a positive integer, and (3) a combiner that weights and combines the outputs of the M FFTs for each of the N received frequencies.
US07672208B2
A write-once optical disc, and an apparatus and method for recording management information on the optical disc are provided. The disc includes at least one recording layer, a plurality of temporary defect management areas (TDMAs) on the at least one recording layer, and a plurality of defect management areas (DMAs) on the at least one recording layer. At least one of the TDMAs includes first and second indicators. The first indicator indicates which TDMA is an in-use TDMA, and the second indicator indicates whether or not the recording medium is closed.
US07672206B2
A recording method and a malfunction detection method of an optical disc device are provided. The level of a signal driving a laser diode is detected during a recording operation. The detected level is compared with a reference limit, and the recording operation is controlled according to the comparison result. If the detected level exceeds the reference limit, a recording speed or power is adjusted downwardly, otherwise it is adjusted upwardly. If the detected level exceeds the reference limit, a malfunction in a front photodetector inside the optical disc device is reported to an external host. Appropriate control of the recording operation according to the disc reflection light incident on the front photodetector prevents degradation of recording quality. The reporting of the abnormality/malfunction in the optical disc device or the front photodetector makes it possible for the user to take a quick action against the abnormality or malfunction.
US07672202B2
An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a diffraction grating including a first grating for diffracting a first laser light beam, and a second grating for diffracting a second laser light beam which is shorter in wavelength than the first laser light beam, the diffraction grating being disposed in a common optical path for guiding the first laser light beam and the second laser light beam to an optical disc; and a photo detector including in a first light receiving area, a main light receiving unit, a front sub-light receiving unit, and a rear sub-light receiving unit that receive reflected light beams, which are reflected by the optical disc, of a main beam, of a front sub-beam, and of a rear sub-beam, respectively, the first laser light beam being diffracted by the diffraction grating into the main beam, the front sub-beam formed in front of the main beam, and the rear sub-beam formed at the back of the main beam, wherein the first grating is set such that the front sub-light receiving unit and the rear sub-light receiving unit in the first light receiving area are disposed at positions which substantially avoid unnecessary diffracted light beam spots which are generated by projecting to the first light receiving area unnecessary diffracted light beams, the unnecessary diffracted light beams generated by the second grating from the first laser light beam.
US07672188B2
A system for blocking multiple memory read port activation including a first memory read port word line driver that includes a first polarity hold latch with an output connected to an input of a first buffer, and a second memory read port word line driver that includes a second polarity hold latch with an output connected to an input of a blocking switch and a second buffer with an input connected to an output of the blocking switch, wherein a second input of the blocking switch is also connected to the output of the first polarity hold latch and the blocking switch is configured to allow or block a signal transmission between the input and the output of the blocking switch dependent on a signal assertion of the second input to the blocking switch.
US07672187B2
An elastic power header device and methods of operation are provided to improve both the read and the write margin of static random access memory (SRAM) cells by increasing read stability, reducing read disturbance and improving the Signal to Noise Margin (SNM) figure of merit. For example, various implementations of an elastic power header device are utilized as programmable resistances to permit the power supply lines to reach a maximum voltage. Allowing the power supply lines to reach the reference voltage allows more flexibility in read margin, write margin and read stability. Furthermore, this additional flexibility can be controlled by means for adjusting a voltage. This adjustment voltage can fine-tune the programmable resistances so that the read margin and the write margin can be more conveniently controlled.
US07672176B2
A writing circuit for a phase change memory is provided. The writing circuit comprises a driving current generating circuit, a first switch device, a first memory cell and a second switch device. The driving current generating circuit provides a writing current to the first memory cell. The first switch device is coupled to the driving current generating circuit. The first memory cell is coupled between the first switch device and the second switch device. The second switch device is coupled between the first memory cell and a ground, wherein when the driving current generating circuit outputs the writing current to the first memory cell, the second switch device is turned on after the first switch device has been turned on for a first predetermined time period.
US07672174B2
A semiconductor memory device includes an equalizing signal generation circuit comprising a clamping circuit that clamps a voltage level less than the voltage level of a high voltage level by being controlled by the high voltage, and an equalizing signal driver receiving an output signal of the equalizing signal generation circuit as a driving signal.
US07672162B2
A non-volatile memory device and system as well as a LSB read method are disclosed. The LSB read method includes reading LSB data from a memory cell during a main LSB read operation making reference to a flag cell threshold voltage, determining whether the LSB data contains an error, and if the LSB data contains an error re-reading the LSB data during a LSB recover-read operation without making reference to the flag cell threshold voltage.
US07672161B2
Systems, methods, and/or devices that facilitate accessing data from memory are presented. An adaptive detection component can be employed to reduce or minimize detection error and distinguish information stored in memory cells during read operations. A decoder component can include the adaptive detection component, which can employ an adaptive Linde-Buzo-Gray (LBG) algorithm. The decoder component can receive information associated with a current level from a memory location during a read operation, and can analyze and process such information. The adaptive detection component can receive the processed information and, along with other information, can process such information using the iterative LBG algorithm until reconstruction levels and corresponding threshold levels are determined. Such reconstruction levels and/or threshold levels can be compared to the value associated with the information read from the memory location to determine the data value of the data in the memory location.
US07672149B2
A device (1) for feeding electrical energy from an energy source with variable source voltage into an electric power supply network (15), said device (1) including a transformer (112) for galvanic isolation, a resonant inverter (11) with semi-conductor switches (a-d; A, B), one or several resonant capacitors (17; 18, 19; 20, 21) and one rectifier (113), is intended to provide high efficiency and have galvanic isolation. This is achieved in that the resonant inverter (11) is operated in the full resonant mode if the operating voltage is in an operation point (MPP) and in the hard-switching mode if the voltages exceed the operation point (MPP).
US07672139B2
A shelf for electronic plug-in units is provided. The shelf includes at least one support plate that has at least one shaped opening. At least one guide rail is arranged for being mounted on the support plate, which includes a guide groove for receiving the electronic plug-in unit. There is also provided at least one positioning unit arranged on the guide rail, which includes a trunnion insertable form-fittingly into the shaped opening in the support plate to fix a position of the positioning unit relative to the support plate, and a locking element to lock in place an electronic plug-in unit fully inserted into the guide rail.
US07672120B2
A keyboard is to be designed as a standardized keyboard having a certain length, width and thickness. The keyboard may be used interchangeably among different mobile computer systems. A keyboard cable associated with the keyboard may be designed such that it can accommodate an interface connector at any location relative to a bottom end of the keyboard. One or more control devices may also be used in conjunction with the keyboard. The control device may be designed with standardized dimensions, electrical interface, interface connector and cable length to enable it to accompany the keyboard among the different mobile computer systems.
US07672116B2
A fast terminal box includes a casing, a cover, plural wiring sockets, plural metal connection components and a plurality of wiring terminals. The wiring sockets are placed and distributed on a bottom plate of the casing one by one. The metal connection component is provided on the wiring socket for connection purpose. The casing and the cover are combined to each other. The wiring terminals are distributed at sidewall of the casing for receiving corresponding wiring plugs therein. The fast terminal box is characterized in heat sink metal fins are contained in a space around the wiring socket, and heat sink metal fins contact pins of a diode and the metal connection component respectively through corresponding connection portions thereof. Wiring apertures are defined in an outer surface of the heat sink metal fins, thereby improving heat dissipating effect and especially by utilization of heat sink metal fins of covering construction, heat dissipation effect being more effectively improved, and also the heat sink metal fins capable of being mounted conveniently and quickly.
US07672109B2
A safety switching apparatus for safe disconnection of an electrical load in an automated installation has at least one input for connecting a signaling device. The safety switching apparatus has an evaluation and control unit and at least one switching element controlled by the evaluation and control unit in order to interrupt an electrical power supply path to the load. The switching element is a changeover switch having at least two mutually alternative switching paths, with a first switching path being located in the electrical power supply path to the load and with a second switching path leading to a monitoring unit.
US07672107B2
Devices, such as mobile devices, may be exposed to short circuit and output overload events. To protect against such events, mobile devices typically include circuitry to limit currents so as not to exceed a pre-programmed current limit. Various embodiments of the present invention include devices and methods for detecting pre-programmed current limits and for limiting currents in response to such detection. In some embodiments, both the current limit detector and the current limit controller circuitry include scaled current switches. The scaling may be substantially similar between the programmed-current limit detector and the current limit controller circuitry.
US07672103B2
A circuit for protecting a semiconductor device from electrostatic discharge by protecting an internal circuit from electrostatic current flowing into an input/output pad includes a first discharge unit that discharges the electrostatic current to a first power supply line or a second power supply line. A second discharge unit protects the internal circuit from electrostaticity flowing from the input/output pad or the second power supply line. A power clamp unit discharges the electrostatic current, which is discharged to the first power supply line or the second power supply line by the first discharge unit, to the opposite power supply line. A trigger unit drives the first discharge unit and the power clamp unit with first and second detection voltages generated in response to a voltage drop of the discharged electrostatic current.
US07672101B2
A system includes a driving device operating at first supply voltage Vdd1 and having a CMOS output. A driven devise operates at a second supply voltage Vdd2 lower than the first supply voltage Vdd1, and has a CMOS input with an NMOS pull-down transistor. A protection circuit includes a first resistor coupled to the CMOS output of the driving device and a gate of the NMOS pull-down transistor. A parasitic NPN bipolar junction transistor has a drain connected to the gate of the NMOS pull-down transistor sad a source coupled to a lower-voltage supply rail VSS. A second resistor connects a gate of the parasitic NPN bipolar junction transistor to Vss. The second resistor has a resistance sized for controlling a trigger voltage of the parasitic NPN bipolar junction transistor for protecting a gate oxide layer of the NMOS pull-down transistor from an electrostatic discharge.
US07672099B2
A power controller is positioned within a current path between the line side and the load side of an electrical circuit. The power controller closes the current path in the presence of a control supply and opens the current path in the absence of the control supply. A power supply electrically connected to the current path provides the control supply. A sensor system receives power from the power supply, monitors the current in the current path and outputs a sensor signal indicative of a current condition within the current path. A logic controller also receives power from the power supply, receives the sensor signal and removes the control supply from the power controller when the sensor signal does not satisfy an established criteria. The sensor system may include one or both of an imbalance sensor for monitoring the current balance among two or more electrical lines and over-current sensors for monitoring current in individual lines.
US07672097B1
An electrical control device including an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit has a circuit protection component such as, e.g., a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). The exemplary GFCI includes a TEST circuit activator and a RESET circuit activator, as well as a visual circuit status indicator indicia that is in an active (illuminated) state when the circuit is in a fault condition. The status indicator indicia is visually, physically, ergonomically or otherwise positively informatively associated with the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator. The positive informative association between the indicator indicia and the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator may be made by physical and/or visual boundaries or markings on a cover portion of the device or by integrally incorporating the indicia in the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator. The indicia may be a steady state or a blinking illumination. According to an aspect, a prompting indicator provides a prompting indicia for a user to activate the TEST circuit activator and/or the RESET circuit activator or replace a defective component of the device.
US07672088B2
A spin valve structure is disclosed in which an AP1 layer and/or free layer are made of a laminated Heusler alloy having Al or FeCo insertion layers. The ordering temperature of a Heusler alloy such as Co2MnSi is thereby lowered from about 350° C. to 280° C. which becomes practical for spintronics device applications. The insertion layer is 0.5 to 5 Angstroms thick and may also be Sn, Ge, Ga, Sb, or Cr. The AP1 layer or free layer can contain one or two additional FeCo layers to give a configuration represented by FeCo/[HA/IL]nHA, [HA/IL]nHA/FeCo, or FeCo/[HA/IL]nHA/FeCo where n is an integer ≧1, HA is a Heusler alloy layer, and IL is an insertion layer. Optionally, a Heusler alloy insertion scheme is possible by doping Al or FeCo in the HA layer. For example, Co2MnSi may be co-sputtered with an Al or FeCo target or with a Co2MnAl or Co2FeSi target.
US07672083B1
A disk drive having a translatable ramp is disclosed. The disk drive includes a head gimbal assembly having a proximate end that is attached to an actuator, and a distal end that includes a lift tab. The ramp includes a lift tab supporting surface located as close to a pivot axis of the actuator as is the lift tab. The ramp also includes a ramp guiding surface that is in contact with a mating surface of the disk drive base. A fastener selectively allows or prevents relative translation between the ramp and the disk drive base. The aforementioned contact constrains the relative translation so that the relative translation changes the distance between the lift tab supporting surface and the disk axis of rotation more than the relative translation changes the distance between the lift tab supporting surface and the actuator pivot axis.
US07672075B2
In a magnetic recording medium including a servo pattern region having a servo pattern formed of a concave/convex pattern having convex portions and concave portions and a data recording region, the region having a data track pattern, the convex portions are formed in an address pattern region of the servo pattern region such that the maximum opening lengths, which are located in the respective same radius regions of the respective opening lengths along the rotating direction of a substrate of the concave portions constituting the concave/convex pattern are set to first lengths that are double the minimum opening lengths along the rotating direction of the concave portions in the respective same radius regions. With this arrangement, the magnetic recording medium can securely read a magnetic signal and has a servo pattern having excellent surface smoothness.
US07672068B2
An optical assembly includes a light path and at least one optic to be positioned in the path. A support arrangement supports the optic having a foot arrangement including at least one foot that receives a direct manipulation with the foot slidingly engaged against a support surface to move the optic relative to the light path. Movement of the foot may move the optic along a predetermined path. The foot defines a footprint for engaging the support surface and receives the direct manipulation in a way which changes the footprint on the support surface to move the optic responsive to changes in the footprint. A movement arrangement may selectively bias the foot against the support surface during a movement mode, intended to permit movement of the foot against the support surface, and in a locked mode, intended to lock the foot against the support surface.
US07672067B2
This invention effectively limits light incidence on an adhesive material fixing an optical element. An optical device includes an optical element, a supporting member connected to the optical element through an adhesive material to support the optical element, and a light shielding film formed in an unirradiated region on the surface of the optical element to limit light incidence on the adhesive material.
US07672058B2
A compound eye is provided. The compound eye includes a microfluidic device defining a plurality of wells therein. A plurality of lenses are disposed in corresponding wells of the microfluidic device. Each lens has a tunable focal length. A tuning structure tunes the focal length of each lens in response to a predetermined stimulus.
US07672057B2
A microscope objective having at least four lenses or groups of lenses and which can be used to improve image contrast. According to the invention, a phase plate, aligned concentrically to the optical axis, can be integrated into and taken out of the air space between the first lens and the second lens, as viewed from the object side. The defined arrangement of the phase plate and the associated shift of the real pupil into the air space between the first two lenses or groups of lenses, respectively, of the microscope objective allows a microscope objective, initially designed as a bright-field variant, to be redesigned as a phase contrast variant with relative ease.
US07672052B2
The present invention relates to an optical sheet and a method of assembling a liquid crystal display module that is capable of preventing an inflow of impurities on a backlight unit, thereby minimizing screen staining caused by the impurities. An optical sheet installed between a liquid crystal display panel and a light guide member according to the present invention includes a transparent peeling sheet adhered to the front surface of the optical sheet facing the liquid crystal display panel; and a semitransparent peeling sheet stuck to the rear surface of the optical sheet facing the light guide member.
US07672041B2
An optical fiber lighting apparatus includes an exciting light source, a first optical fiber, a second optical fiber, a wavelength conversion unit, and a reflecting member. The first optical fiber guides the exciting light emitted from the exciting light source. The wavelength conversion unit receives the exciting light exiting from the first optical fiber to generate a wavelength-converted light having a wavelength different from that of the exciting light. The second optical fiber guides at least part of the wavelength-converted light generated by the wavelength conversion unit. The reflecting member reflects, of the reflected scattered light and/or the wavelength-converted light generated by the wavelength conversion unit, at least part of light that has not directly struck the incident region of the second optical fiber, toward the incident region of the second optical fiber.
US07672040B2
A flexible electro-optic display comprises a layer of solid electro-optic material; a backplane comprising at least one electrode arranged to apply an electric field to the layer of electro-optic material; and an adhesive layer disposed between the layer of electro-optic material and the backplane and adhesively securing the layer of electro-optic material to the backplane, the adhesive layer having a storage modulus (G′) of at least about 104 Pascals at 10−3 Hz and 70° C.
US07672039B2
To stabilize the supply of color material particles as well as reduce the wasteful amount of color material particles used and suppress deformation or damages of the outer walls of a plurality of cell regions partitioned by partition walls provided upright, an interval holding section having a first height dimension for holding an interval between a non-display area of the surface of a substrate for a display panel, which has an electrode at each of the cell regions, and a non-transfer area of the surface of an electrophotographic transfer body, is provided between the non-display area of the surface of the substrate and the non-transfer area of the surface of the transfer body, at a predetermined value at the time when the transfer body transfers the color material particles to the substrate, and the color material particles are transferred to the substrate from the transfer body while biasing the substrate toward the transfer body in such a way that the interval holding section holds the interval between the non-transfer area of the transfer body and the non-display area of the substrate at the first height dimension.
US07672035B2
A separable modulator architecture is disclosed. The modulator has a mirror suspended from a flexible layer over a cavity. The flexible layer also forms supports and support posts for the mirror. An alternative separable modulator architecture has a mirror suspended over a cavity. The modulator is supported by supports and support posts. The support posts comprise a flexible layer over support post plugs. A bus structure may be formed upon the flexible layer arranged over the support posts.
US07672033B2
In a light modulating apparatus of an external modulating type which is used in an optical communication system, there are provided an LN modulator, a light branching circuit, a photoelectric converter, a bias control circuit, a driver for an LN modulator which serves to drive the LN modulator in response to an input electric signal, a capacitor for cutting off DC and low frequency components of the input electric signal, a low frequency component compensating circuit for compensating the DC and low frequency components of the input electric signal, and an adding circuit for adding an output of the bias control circuit and that of the low frequency component compensating circuit and generating a bias control signal of the LN modulator.
US07672028B2
A printer is configured to print a color target that associates colors to which humans are most sensitive to color variance with areas of the color target within which color measurement is less prone to meassurement error. The printer then prints the color target according to the association. In an optional impemementation, measurements of like color elements within the target are average. In a further optional impementation, the averaging is performed using weighted values, wherein the weighting is based on color measurement accuracy within an area within the color target wherein each measured element is located. In a still further implementation, a color look-up table is generated according to measurements made of the color target.
US07672018B2
An image is generated by performing area coverage modulation to express a halftone color according to a gross area of dots displayed in a pixel of the image. The image is generated in such a manner that the halftone color is expressed with a selected one of dither patterns corresponding to respective predetermined densities, each of the densities being determined by the gross area of dots calculated in view of shapes of the dots.
US07672016B2
A color patch that was printed based on a plurality of test ink quantity sets prepared in advance is image inputted; a graininess index is calculated based on the inputted color patch image; the graininess index on a printing medium obtained when printing is performed according to an arbitrary ink quantity set is predicted based on a graininess profile produced based on the corresponding relationship between the test ink quantity set and the graininess index.
US07672012B2
A display device for use as a computer monitor, the display device comprising: a flat panel display for displaying images from a computer; a printer, the printer including: (a) a printer controller configured to receive print data in a compressed form, decompress the print data, and output dot data based on the decompressed print data; (b) a pagewidth printhead for receiving the dot data and printing onto print media.
US07672008B2
An image processing device including a detector for detecting a characteristic feature formed from image data and a separator for separating halftone dot graphic regions and halftone dot photographic regions from the image data based on the characteristic feature.
US07672007B2
An information processing methodology gives rise to an application program interface which includes an automated digitizing unit, such as a scanner, which inputs information from a diversity of hard copy documents and stores information from the hard copy documents into a memory as stored document information. Portions of the stored document information are selected in accordance with content instructions which designate portions of the stored document information required by a particular application program. The selected stored document information is then placed into the transmission format required by a particular application program in accordance with transmission format instructions. After the information has been transmission formatted, the information is transmitted to the application program. In one operational mode, the interface interactively prompts the user to identify, on a display, portions of the hard copy documents containing information used in application programs or for storage.
US07672005B1
A method and apparatus for comparing portions of data from a digital raster signal to a plurality of scan blocks of data, where each scan block in the plurality describes either a defined image area or entire image frame is disclosed. Included are a hashing function that calculates hash codes for spatially-defined segments of an incoming raster signal; a recent scan hash table containing hash codes for scan blocks received within a specified time period; a comparator for comparing calculated hash codes for the spatially-defined segments of the incoming raster signal with hash codes stored in the recent scan hash table; a pixel capture and timing module for capturing a digital raster signal; and an output selector for selecting for transmission a compressed form of a scan block, a hash code index, or no data if a scan block exists in a remote frame playout buffer.
US07671996B2
The present invention relates to a surface plasmon resonance sensor which has a first dielectric layer, a metal layer disposed on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer covering the metal layer. The surface plasmon resonance sensor includes: a sensor main body provided with an opening for exposing a part of a surface of the metal layer on a side facing the second dielectric layer, and for allowing a measurement sample to be brought into contact with this surface; a light source for introducing a beam into the metal layer from one end of the metal layer in a longitudinal direction of the metal layer; and a detection unit detecting a beam emitted from the other end of the metal layer, has high sensitivity in measurement, is downsized, and is usable in a simple manner.
US07671995B2
Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing technique which provides high specificity and accuracy has been an important method for molecular sensing technology. In the past, in order to affix 45 nm gold film onto glass or silicon substrate, several nanometers of chromium (Cr) or titanium (Ti) has been used as adhesive layer for the attachment of Au film. However, the existence of Cr or Ti thin film deteriorates the performance of SPR sensor due to their characteristic optical absorption. Our experimental results have confirmed the uses of conducting metal oxide, specifically, ITO and Zinc Oxide (ZnO) can be used to replace Cr or Ti for better performance in terms of SPR resonant properties (resonant angle and HMBW) and sensitivity enhancement for 3 to 15 times than traditional ones. It would contribute significantly to the SPR applications in both biosensors and gas sensors.
US07671986B2
This invention discloses a variety of spectroscopy apparatus based on high sensitivity photo detector arrays and image sensors employing sidewall-passivated mesa-structure hetero-junction phototransistors (HPTs).
US07671970B2
In order to improve the productivity of a lithographic apparatus, a stage apparatus for holding two patterning devices is described. The patterning devices are arranged such that the distance between the patterns in the scanning direction corresponds to the length of the pattern in the scanning direction. By doing so, an improved exposure sequence may be performed by exposing a first die with a first pattern, skipping a second die adjacent to the first die, and exposing a third die adjacent to the second die using a second pattern.
US07671959B2
The invention provides display devices that minimize permeation of oxygen and moisture, as well as methods of manufacturing such display devices. A display device according to the present invention includes an insulating substrate, a cover substrate connected to the insulating substrate, and a display element positioned between the insulating substrate and the cover substrate. The display device further includes a first sealant along an edge of one of the insulating substrate and the cover substrate, the first sealant including a first part and a second part spaced apart from each other, a second sealant provided along the edge of the other of the insulating substrate and the cover substrate, the second sealant being arranged between the first part of the first sealant and the second part of the first sealant, and an encapsulation film interposed between the first sealants and the second sealant.
US07671957B2
A TFT array substrate of a display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of scanning signal lines formed in a display region; a plurality of display signal lines formed in the display region; a plurality of TFTs arraigned in matrix in the display region; a plurality of scanning lead-out lines arranged in a frame region formed outside the display region in accordance with the scanning signal lines; a gate insulating film formed on the plurality of scanning lead-out lines; and a first conductive layer formed on the gate insulating film and applied with a predetermined potential, the first conductive layer being formed to cover the plurality of scanning lead-out lines outside the sealing material.
US07671956B2
A liquid crystal display panel and a fabricating method thereof for minimizing a resistance of a silver dot caused by thickness of a silver dot and preventing distortion of a common voltage are disclosed. In the liquid crystal display panel, a common pad may be formed on a first substrate. A common electrode supplies a common voltage through a common pad to a second substrate opposite to the first substrate. A conductive dot is substantially formed between the common electrode and the common pad to electrically connect the common electrode and common pad. An organic protective film minimizes conductive dot height on the first substrate at an area substantially corresponding to the common pad.
US07671953B2
A substrate for a liquid crystal display includes: a line-shaped fine groove formed on the substrate; and a metal line at least formed within the fine groove. The substrate enables a decrease in the height difference between the metal line and the surface of the substrate, thereby enhancing reliability in manufacturing the liquid crystal display. In addition, the aperture ratio of the pixel is enhanced, brightness is enhanced, and high resolution is realized.
US07671949B2
A polarizing plate with optical compensation function, including a polarizing layer and an optically compensating layer, wherein the optically compensating layer includes an optically compensating A-layer including a stretched polymer film and an optically compensating B-layer including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer.
US07671929B2
A pixel element includes a transistor, a pixel electrode and a storage capacitor. The transistor is a switch device of the pixel element. A data signal is applied to the pixel electrode by switching the transistor. The storage capacitor includes the first electrode and the second electrode. Several holes are formed on a surface of the first electrode. Therefore, layers disposed over the first electrode duplicate the shape of the holes, so that the layers have rough surfaces, for increasing the reflectivity.
US07671927B2
A method and an apparatus for reducing channel switching delay in a digital broadcast receiver are provided. The digital broadcast receiver includes a signal reception unit, which receives a broadcast signal and converts the received broadcast signal into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal, a digital demodulation unit, which retrieves a transport stream from the IF signal, a demultiplexing unit, which extracts a video signal from the transport stream by parsing the transport stream, a video decoder, which retrieves a video image from the video signal by decoding the video signal, and an output selection unit, which prevents a background image from being output and outputs the video image when sensing a first intra frame of the video signal input to the video decoder after the digital broadcast receiver is switched to a new channel.
US07671925B2
A circuit for reducing cross-color artifacts in video data can include three luminance/chrominance (Y/C) separator circuits each configured to provide sets of chrominance coordinates based on a respective three contiguous composite video frames. A first circumcircle calculator circuit is coupled to the three Y/C separator circuits and is configured to provide a circumcircle for a set of chrominance coordinates corresponding to the first, second and third contiguous composite video frames. A second circumcircle calculator circuit is coupled to the three Y/C separator circuits and is configured to provide a circumcircle for a set of chrominance coordinates corresponding to the second and third contiguous composite video frames and a fourth contiguous composite video frame. Related methods and computer program products are also disclosed.
US07671916B2
Motion sensing of a portable device using two cameras. A first camera is directed along a first viewing axis and a second camera is directed along a second viewing axis, different from the first viewing axis. The second viewing axis can be substantially opposite the first viewing axis. A motion processing module determines changes in images from the first camera and changes in images from the second camera. The motion processing module compares the direction of change determined from the first camera images relative to the direction of change determined from the second camera images. The motion processing module determines the motion of the portable device based in part on the comparison.
US07671908B2
For correlated double sampling in an image sensor, a comparator receives and compares a reset signal and a sensing signal from a pixel of the image sensor. Also, a controller adjusts a voltage at a controlled input of the comparator to compensate for offset of the comparator from feed-back of an output of the comparator. The controller includes at least one charging current source and at least one discharging current source that are controlled to adjust such a voltage.
US07671906B2
An image transmission apparatus transfers to an external apparatus data amount information indicating an amount of target image data and information of a priority order of the target image data. The apparatus also receives from the external apparatus a response signal indicating whether the external apparatus will accept transmission of the target image data in accordance with the data amount information, the information of priority order, and a free storage capacity to store the target image data in the external apparatus. Transmission of the target image data is controlled in accordance with the response signal.
US07671905B2
An image processing apparatus is provided which includes a memory for storing plural photographic images, an input key for instructing a desired photographic image among the photographic images stored in the memory to be subjected to image processing, a determining section to determine whether a photographic image related to the photographic image which is instructed to be subjected to the image processing by the input key is stored in the memory, and an informing section to inform a user when the determining section determines that the related photographic image is stored.
US07671904B2
An apparatus for capturing images is provided. The apparatus for capturing images includes a control unit that determines whether an internal memory is available for use, and a process-driving unit that loads background processes.
US07671901B2
An image processing apparatus has an input portion for receiving video signals, an illumination sensor for detecting illumination of an environmental light, a corrector for correcting the video signals, and a controller for controlling the corrector to correct the video signals in accordance with distribution of luminance or hue or saturation of the video signals and with the detected illumination when any change occurs in the video signal. The apparatus further has a detector for detecting a change of the video signals in accordance with a mean value of luminance of the inputted video signals, a corrector for correcting the video signals, and a controller for controlling the correction portion to correct the video signals in accordance with distribution of luminance or hue or saturation of the video signals when the detector detects the change of the video signals.
US07671898B2
A color space transformation matrix calculating method is provided that calculates a color space transformation matrix which transforms colors in a first color space to colors in a second color space. The method optimizes a plurality of constant color-space transformation matrices, so that each of the constant color-space transformation matrices is adjusted to transform each standard color in the first color space to each goal color in the second color space, which correspond to each of the standard colors. The method further calculates interpolation functions for each matrix element of a color-space transformation matrix applied for the entire gamut of the first color space, based on the constant color-space transformation matrices.
US07671896B2
An object of this invention is to provide an image sensing apparatus which shortens the photographing interval in single shooting and sequential shooting. To achieve this object, an image signal corresponding to an object image is read from an image sensing element to output image data by the processes of a signal processing circuit and A/D converter. An image processing circuit integrates the image data output from the image sensing element for white balance processing. An image display circuit performs processing of displaying on a display an object image during imaging on the image sensing element. A system controller so controls as to cause the image processing circuit to perform integral processing of the image data for the white balance during read of an image signal from the image sensing element, and cause the display to display the object image after integral processing ends.
US07671891B2
Online camera calibration methods have been proposed whereby calibration information is extracted from the images that the system captures during normal operation and is used to continually update system parameters. However, such existing methods do not cope well with structure-poor scenes having little texture and/or 3D structure such as in a home or office environment. By considering camera families (a set of cameras that are manufactured at least partially in a common manner) it is possible to provide calibration methods which are suitable for use with structure-poor scenes. A prior distribution of camera parameters for a family of cameras is estimated and used to obtain accurate calibration results for individual cameras of the camera family even where the calibration is carried out online, in an environment which is structure-poor.
US07671887B2
A system for navigating an image-guided object through an imaged subject supported on table in relation to an image acquired by an image detector is provided. The system includes a first tracking element attached to the patient, and a second tracking element attached at the table. The first and second tracking elements define first and second coordinate systems. A controller is operable to register the second coordinate system with a third coordinate system defined by the image detector, measure a spatial relation between the first tracking element and the second tracking element, register the first coordinate system with the third local coordinate system defined by the image detector based on the spatial relation between the first and second tracking elements, and generating a composite image comprising a virtual image of the object in spatial relation to the image of the imaged subject acquired by the image detector.
US07671881B2
A timing detection circuit including a first timing detection circuit, a second detection circuit, and an output circuit is disclosed. The first detection circuit detects, among multiphase clocks having n mutually different phases and a frequency of k times the frequency of a reference clock, a closest clock having a clock edge closest to a valid edge of the synchronizing signal and generates first detect signal DET_A indicating the detected clock. The second timing detection circuit detects within which of k successive cycles of the representative clock selected from the multiphase clocks the valid edge of the synchronizing signal is positioned and generates second detect signal DET_B indicating the detected cycle. The output circuit receives the first detect signal and the second detect signal and outputs first output signal OUT_A and second output signal OUT_B.
US07671877B2
A lateral position of a photoreceptor belt is detected by at least a first sensor and a second sensor, respectively located near a first imager and a second imager. The detected lateral positions of the photoreceptor belt by the first sensor is compared to the detected lateral position of the photoreceptor belt by the second sensor. Based on this compared difference, a correction is applied to the position of the second imager relative to the photoreceptor belt. To apply the correction, the location of the start of scan (SOS) of the respective imagers is moved.
US07671863B2
Architectures for graphic engine chips with minimum impact on other resources are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a graphic engine architecture includes a scheduler that is configured to schedule an execution time for each of the drawing instructions sent in groups from a processor. Each drawing instruction includes a piece of time information. The scheduler is provided to fetch the drawing instructions from a FIFO buffer that buffers the drawing instructions. Subsequently, the drawing instructions are successively executed according to their scheduling.
US07671854B2
A high-potential output stage includes an output circuit to power a load with a variable high potential when it receives a low-level active input logic signal. It also includes a driving circuit which produces a high-level control logic signal as a function of the input logic signal to drive the output circuit which is powered by a DC high potential. The output stage also synchronizes the input logic signal with variations of the variable high potential.
US07671851B1
New methods and apparatus are provided for efficiently and safely providing controls and displays therefore, particularly, but necessarily to be used within the center stack region of a vehicle instrument panel. The apparatus utilizes, in most embodiments, a rear projection display and machine vision sensing of control position and, optionally, finger touch. A very stylistic and easy to use instrument panel results which can be programmed or otherwise provided in many different forms to suit different users or option package designs.
US07671848B2
The present invention includes a display device for displaying an image and receiving light simultaneously or alternately. The display device includes: a plurality of display elements for displaying the image on a display surface of the display device by emitting light; a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light incident on the display surface formed by the display elements; a storing unit for storing, as an initial value, a difference between two amounts of light received by the light receiving elements; and a detecting unit for detecting a state of contact with or proximity to the display surface and subtracting the initial value stored by the storing unit from a difference between the two detected amounts of received light.
US07671847B2
A touch panel for an electronic apparatus is provided. The touch panel comprises a thin film transistor substrate, a plurality of conductive islets, a supporting pattern layer and an elastic conductive film. The plurality of conductive islets is formed on the thin film transistor substrate. The supporting pattern layer is formed above the thin film transistor substrate. The supporting pattern layer has a plurality of apertures. Each of the plurality of apertures for exposing at least part of each of the plurality of conductive islets. The elastic conductive film is formed on the supporting pattern layer.
US07671845B2
A computer system includes a processor creating a renderable image in a first orientation, a display showing the image in the first orientation, and a directional input device having an orientation indicator that is movable between a first position associated with the first image orientation and a second position associated with a second image orientation. The orientation indicator may provide a visual indication of the orientation of the image being shown on the display. The orientation indicator may be movable between a first position associated with the first image orientation and a second position associated with a second image orientation. The processor may create the renderable image in the second orientation and the display may show the image in the second orientation in response to the orientation indicator moving from the first position to the second position.
US07671836B2
The invention is related to electronic devices (1), preferably cell phones or handhelds, containing a layer (2) and a moving mechanism for this layer (2), so that the layer (2) is extractable out of a rest position from the main casing (10). The described layer (2) usually contains a keypad (3). According to the invention, the moving mechanism allows the layer (2) to be extractable out of his rest position in different directions, preferably in two, three, or four directions. The inventive arrangement allows a more comfortable and flexible use of the device.
US07671833B2
A display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a display panel; a plurality of pixels disposed on the display panel; a plurality of sensor data lines disposed on the display panel and disposed between two adjacent pixels; and a plurality of sensing units disposed on the display panel and disposed between two adjacent pixels.
US07671832B2
Various techniques are described for improving the color uniformity across a backlight for backlighting an LCD. In one embodiment, the backlight uses rows of red, green, and blue LEDs in a mixing chamber. The LEDs are arranged in clusters, such as GRBG or GBRG, each cluster having an associated white point. In order to achieve color uniformity along the left and right edges of the backlight, the LEDs in those edge clusters are specially selected to compensate for the color imbalance in the white point relative to the dimensions of the cluster. For example, a non-compensated cluster of GRBG along the left edge will produce a reddish tint along the left edge since the red peak intensity is to the left of the center of the cluster. To offset this reddish tint along the left side, the cluster's overall white point is blue-cyan shifted. As a result, the left edge of the backlight has the same white point as near the middle of the backlight, where the white point imbalance of a single cluster is offset by the white point imbalance of the surrounding clusters. Similarly, a GBRG cluster along the left edge will have its white point red-yellow shifted.
US07671830B2
Two display panels constituted at least by having a plurality of scanning lines and signal lines with display pixels situated near each intersecting point of each scanning line and signal line besides a common electrode situated in common with each of the display pixels and the display panels having a predetermined numbers of the scanning lines respectively. While repeating alternately between each of the display panels in a display period within a one frame period, an operation sequentially selects a number of the scanning lines of each of these display panels corresponding to the ratio of the numbers of the scanning lines in each of these display panels at predetermined scan timing. Reversal control of the signal polarity of each common signal voltage is applied to the common electrode of each display panel so that reversal drive of each display panel is performed for every scanning line and frame period.
US07671821B2
An image signal generating unit supplies a single image signal to multiple image display units having different unit numbers. Embedded in the image signal is an index signal designating the image display units on which the image signal is to be displayed. Each image display unit compares its unit number with the index signal to select displayable frames of the image signal, preferably storing and displaying the most recent selected frame. Each image display unit can thereby display a different image. The image signal may have a standard format.
US07671816B2
An antenna includes a core formed of a high-permeability material and a coil wire wrapped around at least a part of the core. In one embodiment, the high-permeability material includes ferrite material.
US07671815B2
A multi-band antenna device for a portable radio communication device has first and second radiating elements (10, 20). A controllable switch (30) is arranged between the radiating elements for selectively interconnecting and disconnecting thereof. The state of the switch is controlled by means of a control voltage input (VSwitch). A filter (40) that blocks radio frequency signals is arranged between the feeding portion and the control voltage input. A DC blocking arrangement (50) is arranged between a grounding portion (14) on the first radiating element and ground wherein the first and second radiating element are generally planar and arranged at a predetermined distance above a ground plane. By means of this arrangement, two broad and spaced apart frequency bands are obtained with retained performance and small overall size of the antenna device. A communication device comprising such an antenna device is also provided.
US07671809B2
Disclosed is an antenna device for transceiving a wireless signal with an ion-implanted antenna pattern implanted inside a casing of an electronic device. The ion-implanted antenna pattern is connected to an antenna module of a motherboard of the electronic device in order to feed the wireless signal transceived by the ion-implanted antenna pattern, while the connection could be either by an antenna signal feeding line connected to the ion-implanted antenna pattern and the antenna module, or by an antenna coupling element coupled with the ion-implanted antenna pattern and connected to an antenna signal feeding line.
US07671808B2
A communications device, such as a cellular telephone, comprises a RF circuit and a PIFA antenna having feed and shorting terminations. An electrically conductive, self supporting member is provided to effect a connection between contact points of the RF circuit and the antenna. The member has at least one feed pillar and a shorting pillar which are substantially permanently connected to respective contact points of the RF circuit, and an antenna interface which forms a pressure connection with the terminations of the antenna.
US07671803B2
A wireless communication system comprising a radio module. The radio module comprises a radio transceiver and an antenna electrically coupled to the radio transceiver. The radio module may also comprise an electromagnetic shield disposed relative to the antenna to enable the antenna to transmit a radio signal to a location external to the electrical device without electromagnetic interference from within the electrical device.
US07671800B2
A DOA estimating apparatus and method in a smart antenna system using a fixed beamforming scheme are provided. An uplink weight for a received uplink signal is calculated and a projection matrix of an interference signal is generated using the uplink weight. A covariance matrix of the interference signal is generated using the projection matrix of the interference signal, and power of the received signal and power of the interference signal are calculated using the covariance matrix of the interference signal and a covariance matrix of the received signal. A DOA is estimated based on the difference between the received signal power and the interference power.
US07671797B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided. In use, a plurality of coordinates is identified. Further, at least one aspect of an antenna is adjusted based on the coordinates. In addition, the coordinates include source coordinates that indicate a location of a source of a signal received by the antenna. Additionally, the at least one aspect of the antenna is adjusted includes an orientation of the antenna, where the orientation is further determined based on a strength of the signal received by the antenna.
US07671791B2
The present disclosure provides a system for converting differential-GPS signals to a format suitable for input to a conventional GPS receiver and combining the converted signal with GPS ranging signals. The combined signals are provided to a conventional GPS receiver via a cable. Circuitry for converting the augmentation signal and combining it with a GPS signal are co-located in a housing which supports both a standard GPS antenna and a differential GPS augmenting signal antenna.
US07671787B2
On adjusting a target specification data error predicted value so as to become larger on detecting maneuver of a target, the target specification data error predicted value is adjusted, in consideration of type of the maneuver and a course of the target, so as to make a direction of varying specification data large and to make a direction of constant specification data small. It is therefore possible to quickly recover a delay of the following of the varying specification data and to avoid increasing an error of the constant specification data.
US07671784B2
Techniques for detecting contraband are described, as are techniques for generating an image of living tissue. A location of interest relative to a target space is received, and a radar signal is transmitted in the direction of the location of interest. Portions of the radar signal are detected with multiple receiving structures. The detected portions are processed to generate information corresponding to dielectric or loss properties, the properties corresponding to particular positions within the target space. A determination is made as to whether contraband is present in the target space based on the determined properties.
US07671779B1
An analog front end for a multi-channel signal processor is provided. The analog front end includes a first stage that is operable to receive a plurality of channel inputs. The first stage includes a ping/pong capacitor array corresponding to each of the channel inputs and an operational amplifier that may be coupled successively to each of the ping/pong capacitor arrays.
US07671758B1
A method and apparatus for programming a remote control is provided. Control data that identifies one or more mode codes is stored in a computing device that is operationally connected to a detector. A user presses a button on a source remote control to cause an input signal to be transmitted from the source remote control to be received by the detector. The detector decodes the input signal, and consults the control data to determine a particular IR code that is associated with the source remote control. The computing device may then display information identifying a particular mode code on a display to allow the user to manually program a target remote control with the particular mode code. Alternately, the computing device may transmit the particular mode code to the target remote control to allow the target remote control to automatically configure itself with the particular mode code.
US07671740B2
A transmitter electrode (10) for a capacitive sensing device comprises a conductive sheet material (12), said conductive sheet material comprising a first connecting point (16) for connecting the electrode to an electronic sensing unit. According to the invention the conductive sheet material comprises at least one second connecting point for connecting the electrode to an electronic sensing unit, said second connecting point (16′) being arranged at a certain distance from said first connecting point so that said conductive sheet material forms a conductive path between said first and second connecting point. The first and second connecting point (16, 16′), which in use are both connected to the electronic sensing unit, enable to check the integrity of the transmitter electrode and the connection lines used to connect the transmitter electrode to the electronic sensing unit.
US07671731B2
A warning system for buildings has evaluation units embodied as freely-programmable control units, and the evaluation units have at least one first interface with a building security bus, the evaluation units also have second interfaces for furnishing a high data transmission rate, and a data connection between a building management system and a first evaluation units is made by a series connection to at least one further evaluation unit via the second interfaces.
US07671724B2
A vehicle anti-theft apparatus and method can prevent the theft of a vehicle and the illegal use thereof without increased costs. The apparatus includes an IC card carried by a user of a vehicle, an IC card reader in the vehicle for reading information contained in the IC card, and an authentication processing section in the vehicle for authenticating the user when the vehicle is used. The IC card includes a memory for storing identification information and use time limit information of the vehicle. The IC card reader reads the identification information and the use time limit information stored in the memory. When the identification information of the IC card and authentication identification information stored beforehand in the vehicle coincide with each other, and when a current time is within a use time limit of the use time limit information, the authentication processing section permits the use of the vehicle.
US07671712B2
The invention disclosed is a method of levitating one or both ends of an object permanently or temporarily, or altering the distance between two objects or the momentum of an object by manipulating the direction of the magnetic field of a permanent or electromagnet.
US07671710B2
Provided is an oscillator including: a MEMS resonator for mechanically vibrating; an output oscillator circuit for oscillating at a resonance frequency of the MEMS resonator to output an oscillation signal; and a MEMS capacitor for changing a capacitance thereof caused by a change in a distance between an anode electrode and a cathode beam according to an environmental temperature.
US07671705B2
A SAW filter comprises an IDT disposed on a piezo-electric substrate, wherein the IDT includes comb-shaped electrodes having a plurality of interdigital electrodes arranged in a propagation direction of surface acoustic waves and bus bars for connecting these interdigital electrodes, arranged in opposition, and the interdigital electrodes are crossed with one another. The IDT comprises one or more branch electrodes branched from the interdigital electrode and positioned in a non-overlap zone between an overlap zone at which the interdigital electrodes overlap and the bus bar, and the branch electrode includes a branch electrode body extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the propagation direction of surface acoustic wave. The SAW filter can be applied to any of a longitudinally coupled multi-mode filter, a ladder type filter, a resonator, a filter having a resonator connected in series to a longitudinally coupled multi-mode filter, and the like. A SAW filter and a SAW resonator highly resistant to damages to the electrodes with high Q and low insertion loss can be provided.
US07671698B2
A directional coupler having a first structure with distributed lines having a first conductive line intended to convey a main signal between two end terminals and having a second conductive line, coupled to the first one, intended to convey a secondary signal proportional to the main signal; and a second structure with local elements including, between a first terminal of the coupler intended to extract the secondary signal and a first end of the second line, two attenuators in series between which is interposed a low-pass filter and, between a second terminal of the coupler and the second end of the second line, at least one attenuator.
US07671692B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for compensating carrier feedthrough in a quadrature modulation system. In order to suppress the carrier feedthrough, and minimize and compensate the carrier feedthrough, differences of baseband differential input DC voltages in an in-phase as well as a quadrature-phase are simultaneously adjusted to 0 or a certain slight voltage difference by a simple analog circuit. Therefore, it is possible to suppress carrier feedthrough using a simple analog type apparatus for compensating carrier feedthrough, and simply achieve an apparatus for carrier feedthrough using a variety of quadrature modulators.
US07671688B2
A programmable reference-less oscillator provides a wide range of programmable output frequencies. The programmable reference-less oscillator is implemented on an integrated circuit that includes a free running controllable oscillator circuit such as a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a programmable divider circuit coupled to divide an output of the controllable oscillator circuit according to a programmable divide value. A non-volatile storage stores the programmed divide value and a control word that controls the output of the controllable oscillator circuit. The control word provides a calibration capability to achieve a desired output frequency in conjunction with the programmable divider circuit. Open loop temperature compensation is achieved by adjusting the control word according to a temperature detected by a temperature sensor on the integrated circuit. Additional clock accuracy may be achieved by adjusting the control word for process as well as temperature.
US07671684B2
A FET bias circuit applies a bias voltage that is not adjusted separately to an amplifying element FET of a FET amplifying circuit. In the FET bias circuit is provided a monitor element FET m having a gate connected to the gate of the amplifying element FET a and a source connected to the source of the amplifying element FET a, respectively, and having a drain current with respect to the bias voltage substantially proportional to the drain current of the amplifying element FET a. In the FET bias circuit is further provided a fixed bias circuit for applying the bias voltage so that the amplifying element FET a enters a predetermined operating class by applying a bias voltage to the monitor element FET m so that a drain current flowing to the monitor element FET m enters a predetermined operating class.
US07671683B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit has an amplifier circuit which includes a phase compensating capacitor and has a feedback loop, and a stability determining and adjusting circuit which measures an amplitude of a voltage outputted from the amplifier circuit at a predetermined plurality of frequencies and adjusts a capacitance value of the phase compensating capacitor on the basis of a ratio between measured values of the amplitude.
US07671679B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a capacitor element which defines a prescribed decay time constant with one or more resistors, an MOS transistor connected to the capacitor element via its gate, and a constant current generating element which generates a constant current. The capacitor element is charged with the constant current so as to create a linearly changing voltage. The linearly changing voltage is applied to the gate so that the MOS transistor can accordingly output a smoothly changing current.
US07671678B2
Protection for the transmission of higher amplitude outputs required of differential amplifiers formed by thin oxide transistors with limited maximum voltage tolerance used where compliance with communication protocol standards requires handling voltages which may, in transition, exceed desirable levels is provided by limiting the voltage across any two device terminals under power down conditions.
US07671672B2
An active circuit includes (a) a first chopper circuit that receives an input signal and a chopping signal of a frequency higher than a base band of the input signal, and that provides a modulated input signal; (b) an amplifier that receives the modulated input signal and that provides an amplified signal resulting from amplifying the modulated input signal; and (c) a second chopper circuit that receives the amplified signal and the chopping signal to provide an output signal. The chopping signal has a frequency that may be dynamically adjusted to accommodate changes in impedance and signal spectrum as a result of the operations of the chopper circuits. The active circuit further includes a low pass filter that receives the output signal and that attenuates components of the output signal above the base band of the input signal. In this manner 1/f noise introduced by the amplifier is eliminated or reduced.
US07671660B2
A logic assembly (400) is composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type and comprises a logic circuitry (410) having at least a set of switches each having a main current path and a control terminal. The main current path forms a series arrangement having first and second conducting terminals coupled to power supply lines. The main current paths being coupled to a common node that forms an output of logic assembly (400). The control terminals of said switches being coupled to clock circuitry for providing mutually non-overlapping clock signals to said control terminal. The logic assembly further comprises an output boosting circuit (420) for boosting the output of said logic assembly (400) including a capacitive means (421) for enabling supply of additional charge to the output of said logic assembly (400). It further includes a bootstrapping circuit (422) for enabling an additional supply of charge to a first end of said capacitive means, resulting in a boosted voltage at a second end of said capacitive means.
US07671646B2
The digital duty cycle correction circuit according to the present invention includes a first conversion circuit for buffering an internal clock output from a delay locked loop (DLL), converting the buffered internal clock into first and second clocks through first and second terminals, delaying the second clock according to voltage supplied to the second terminal through a capacitor, converting the delayed second clock into a first signal, and converting the first clock into a third clock, which rises at a falling edge of the first clock and falls at a rising edge of the first signal; and a second conversion circuit for converting the third clock into an output clock, which rises at a falling edge of the third clock and falls at a rising edge of the third clock.
US07671641B1
A frequency divider includes a first latch and a second latch. The first latch is configured to receive a clock signal. The first latch is cross-coupled to the second latch. The second latch includes a circuit configured as a low-pass filter. The second latch further includes a differential pair of transistors. Each of the transistors include a drain, a source and a gate. The gates of the at least two transistors configured to receive a signal generated by the first latch. Additionally, the gates of the at least two other transistors are coupled to a control signal for determining a low-pass characteristic of the second latch.
US07671636B2
A switching circuit includes: a transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode and a control electrode; a zener diode; and a capacitor. A connection between the first electrode and the second electrode is capable of temporally switching between a condition state and a non-conduction state by switching a control voltage of the transistor. The zener diode and the capacitor are coupled in series between the first electrode and the control electrode of the transistor. The first electrode is a drain or a collector.
US07671629B2
A circuit comprises first, second, third, and fourth transistors. The first transistor has a first current electrode, a control electrode for receiving an input signal, and a second current electrode. The second transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the first transistor for providing an output signal, a control electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor, and a second current electrode coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal. The third transistor has a first current electrode coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode, and a second current electrode coupled to the first current electrode of the first transistor. The fourth transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the control electrode of the third transistor, a control electrode coupled to the control electrodes of the first and second transistors, and a second current electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor.
US07671622B2
On-die-termination control circuit includes a mode detecting unit for detecting a power-down mode and a power-down delay configured to delay an on/off control signal in the power-down mode. On-die-termination control circuit provided a shift register configured to delay an on/off control signal in synchronization with shift clocks in a non-power-down mode, and transfer the on/off control signal as received without delay in a power-down mode, a power-down delay configured to delay the on/off control signal in the power-down mode, and not to delay the on/off control signal in the non-power-down mode and a controller configured to control enabling/disabling of an on-die-termination operation according to information about enable/disable timing of an on-die-termination operation provided by the on/off control signal that have passed through the shift register and the power-down delay.
US07671620B2
A testing system for optical and electrical monitoring of a production quality and/or for determining optical and electrical properties of solar cells, comprising a first conveyor device for conveying the solar cells to a test region, a second conveyor device for moving the solar cells through the test region, a third conveyor device for conveying the solar cells out of the test region, an optical checking device located in the test region for visual checking of the solar, and an electrical checking device also located in the test region for checking electrical functions of the solar cells, the electrical checking device including an illumination device for shining light on light-sensitive surfaces of the solar cells and also including an electrical contacting device for picking up voltages and/or currents and electrical contacts of the solar cells, the first, second and third conveyor devices including a common, linear conveyor belt system which passes through the test region and has a vacuum suction device for holding the solar cells on a surface of a conveyor belt system.
US07671617B2
A test system includes: a tester; and a test board, on which a multi-chip package including plural memories is mounted, being connected to the tester by way of a transmission line. The transmission line includes a compensation unit for compensating signal distortion.
US07671610B2
Improved probing of closely spaced contact pads is provided by an array of guided vertical probes that has a sideways scrub relative to the line of contact pads. With this orientation of scrub motion, the probes can be relatively thin along the contact line, and relatively thick perpendicular to the contact line. The thin dimension of the probes allows for probing closely spaced contact pads, while the thick dimension of the probes provides mechanical robustness and current carrying capacity. The probes have a predetermined curvature in a plane including the contact line, to help determine the amount of scrub motion during contact. In a preferred embodiment, an array of probes is provided for probing two closely spaced and parallel rows of contact pads, offset from each other by half the contact pad pitch.
US07671594B2
A medical apparatus includes a medical assist device to process signals to relating biological functions. A first lead is operatively connected to the medical assist device, the first lead having a distal end and a proximal end. A second lead is operatively connected to the medical assist device, the second lead having a distal end and a proximal end. The first electrode is operatively connected to the distal end of the first lead, and a second electrode is operatively connected to the distal end of the second lead. A filter circuit is operatively connected near the distal end of the first lead and the distal end of the second lead. A compensation circuit, operatively connected to the first lead, provides a compensation voltage to enable the filter to effectively block changing magnetic fields induced current in the second lead from passing through the second electrode of the distal end of the second lead.
US07671592B2
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a scan section which executes a diffusion weighted imaging pulse sequence on an imaging area of a subject within a static magnetic field space thereby to acquire magnetic resonance signals, an image generating part which generates an image with respect to the imaging area, based on the magnetic resonance signals acquired by the scan section, a display unit which displays the image generated by the image generating part on a display screen thereof, and a window setting part which sets a window level and a window width at the time that the display unit displays the image, based on diffusion parameters calculated from the magnetic resonance signals acquired by the scan section. The display unit displays the image on the display screen by the window level and the window width both set by the window setting part.
US07671588B2
An MRI apparatus which obtains a tomogram of an object by utilizing magnetic resonance includes a calibrating device which figures out a relationship between a center frequency and an optimal gain of RF transmission with respect to a predetermined range of central frequencies, a saving device which saves information expressing said relationship, and a setting device which sets the RF transmission gain according to the center frequency during subsequent scanning by utilizing the saved information.
US07671573B1
A projected on-time (POT) switching regulator is provided. The regulator includes a switching regulator controller and a main switch. The controller includes a feedback comparator and an on-timer. The feedback comparator compares the output voltage to a reference voltage. Whenever the feedback comparator trips, the main switch is turned on, and the on-timer controls the turn-on duration (on-time) of the main switch, where the duration is adjusted by the input and output voltages according to a preset transfer function. The transfer function is applicable to both CCM and DCM operation. However, during CCM mode operation, at least above a minimum on-time, the on-time is adjusted so that the switching frequency of the regulator is approximately constant. The on-timer includes a comparator that compares an adjustable voltage VFQ to a ramp voltage VIFQ generated by providing an adjustable current IFQ to a capacitor CREF. VFQ and IFQ are adjusted so that, during CCM mode operation, at least above the minimum on-time, the switching frequency of the regulator is approximately constant.
US07671565B2
A system and method links batteries in parallel to conductors using wire bonds that act as fuses in the event of an overcurrent condition in a battery. To protect the wire bonds in the case of a larger overcurrent condition, a fuse may be added in series to the parallel batteries.
US07671562B2
A battery pack for an electric appliance has a base body, a locking unit for locking the base body to the electric appliance, an actuating element for unlocking the base body, which element is intended to be actuated by a user in an actuating direction, and a removal direction in which it is possible to remove the base body after it has been unlocked from the electric appliance. The actuating direction has at least one component oriented counter to the removal direction.
US07671559B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed at a method and system for recharging batteries for wireless electronic devices. According to one embodiment, a battery charging and monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a host machine providing a plurality of charging slots and a plurality of wireless devices coupled to and powered by a plurality of batteries. The host machine is adapted to communicate with the plurality of wireless devices through a plurality of wireless links to monitor the plurality of batteries coupled to the wireless devices. According to another embodiment, an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device is adapted to couple with at least a rechargeable battery and to negotiate with the rechargeable battery for an agreed range of power parameters. The electronic device is further adapted to accept power from and to provide power to the rechargeable battery at the agreed range of power parameters.
US07671548B2
An electric drive system comprising several electric drives, each of which comprises an electric motor, and a control system which is arranged to control said several electric drives and comprises a first outer controller and a first speed controller. A signal supplied to the input of the first speed controller is generated by using the output signal of said first outer controller, and the first speed controller is arranged to generate an output torque signal at its output. The control system further comprises a torque controller per each electric drive, which torque controller is arranged to control the torque of the corresponding electric motor. A signal supplied to the input of each torque controller is generated by using the output torque signal of the first speed controller.
US07671544B2
A system and architecture for managing lighting through a seamless low-voltage bus network is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of control units that serve as nodes for integrating devices, such as light fixtures, control switches and sensors into the bus. Each of the control units preferably includes a printed circuit board and node interconnects for assembling the low-voltage bus and for integrating the devices. Alternatively, the system comprises a central hub with a master printed circuit control board and a plurality of interconnects for assembling the bus and for integrating the devices.
US07671542B2
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) backlight having a plurality of LED strips, in which driving current supplied to each of the plurality of LED strips is adjusted according to measured differences in chromaticity coordinates between the actual light chromaticity and brightness output by each LED strip and a desired light chromaticity and brightness of each LED so that the LED backlight generates light of a desired color with a uniform brightness, and methods of operating the same.
US07671541B2
An LED-based lamp assembly or diode lamp assembly effectively replaces a filament or incandescent type lamp assembly for cabin/compartment reading light applications for reducing power consumption and improving fuel efficiency. The diode lamp assembly comprises a light-emitting diode in circuit with peripheral components for effecting or simulating a low resistance through the diode lamp assembly. The simulation of a low resistance via the diode lamp assembly appears the same as the normal operation of a filament lamp assembly to existent circuit polling mechanisms so that the latter need not be replaced. Rather, the targeted element to be replaced is a relatively high power consumption filament lamp. A lamp monitoring method is further disclosed as bootstrap-supported by the teaching of the diode lamp assembly.
US07671527B2
A substrate having color elements includes a base member; a bank formed over the base member, the bank defining a plurality of color element areas; and color element films formed of liquid materials of a plurality of colors deposited in the color element areas. The bank has a different-color separation bank portion positioned between color element films of different colors, and a same-color separation bank portion positioned between color element films of the same color. A height of the different-color separation bank portion is greater than a height of the same-color separation bank portion.
US07671526B2
A light emission device and display device including the light emission device are provided. The light emission device includes a first electrode located on the first substrate and extending in a first direction. A second electrode is arranged above the first electrode and extends in a second direction crossing the first direction. An insulation layer is interposed between the first and second electrodes. A plurality of electron emission regions are electrically connected to the first or second electrodes. A light emission unit is located on the second substrate. Furthermore, one or more cut-away portions are formed in the second electrode at a crossed region between the first and second electrodes such that an overlapping area between the first and second electrodes is reduced.
US07671521B2
A spark plug having a multilayer firing tip that minimizes the amount of precious metal used and a method of assembling a spark plug with a multilayer firing tip. The firing tip includes a discharge end and a weld end, with the weld end being connected to a center electrode, and more specifically to a base electrode on the center electrode. The weld end has a coefficient of thermal expansion, which is not between the values for the coefficients of thermal expansion for the discharge end and the base electrode. More specifically, the weld end has a coefficient of thermal expansion which is greater than the coefficients of thermal expansion for the discharge end and base electrode. The weld end is formed from Nickel and Chromium with a limited amount of additional elements. The spark plug is assembled by providing a first elongated material formed from the material used for the discharge end and a second elongated material formed from a material used for the weld end. The two materials are then joined to form a single joined material and are severed to create a firing tip. The firing tip is welded to the center electrode of the spark plug and more specifically, the base electrode.
US07671514B2
The present invention provides an electroactive solid-state actuator, including a solid polymer electrolyte film having first and second main surfaces facing each other, and first and second conductive polymer layers infiltrated into the first and second main surfaces of the solid polymer electrolyte film. Further, a method of manufacturing the electroactive solid-state actuator is provided, the method including preparing a solid polymer film having first and second main surfaces facing each other, infiltrating a monomer of a conductive polymer into the first and second main surfaces of the solid polymer film, followed by polymerization, to form first and second conductive polymer layers, and immersing the solid polymer film into an ionic liquid or liquid electrolyte to be converted to an electrically conductive polymer.
US07671513B2
A motor (1) includes a stator (4) and a rotor (6), the stator including piezoelectric actuators (11,12,21) for maneuvering staples (30A, 30Z) maintaining the stator and its linear displacement (L) along a guide (2), the actuators serving to drive the rotor in rotation (R).
US07671505B2
An electric motor includes a cylindrical yoke with a bottom; a bracket that covers an opening of the yoke; and a brush holder. The brush holder includes a brush housing portion, with the brush housing portion having three side piece portions, excluding a bottom piece portion, integrally formed; a first disk portion; and a second disk portion. The first disk portion and the second disk portion are integrated with the bottom piece portion of the brush housing portion. A ring-shaped abutting surface and the bottom piece portion of the brush housing portion are formed on a bracket-side disk surface of the brush holder. The abutting surface is formed as a holding portion that is pressed to the yoke by the bracket via a bracket-side elastic member.
US07671496B2
A direct drive without bearings for coupling to a shaft has a housing having a first end face composed of a connection flange with a central recess and a second end face composed of a removable cover diametrically opposed to the connecting flange, a rotor and a stator located coaxially with each other inside the housing, with the stator being fixedly connected with the housing, and locking elements via which the rotor is fixed inside the housing in position in a radial direction, and/or axial direction.
US07671491B2
A moving coil type linear actuator system which can stably and linearly control a relatively large load despite using relatively low electric force applied to a coil unit, thus enhancing control accuracy and preventing energy loss.
US07671478B2
A system and method for packaging a magnetic sensor is described. A sensor die is constructed such that connection pads are situated on two opposing sides of the die in two vertical arrays. Bonding wires connect the connection pads on the sensor die to wire bond pads on a substrate. Alternatively, the connection pads are connected to solderable chip pads on the substrate using flip chip bonding. Traces and vias are used to connect the wire bond pads or the solderable chip pads to sensor package pads. The sensor package pads are located on a single side of a sensor package for mounting on a next assembly. The next assembly has a land pattern that includes at least one leveling pad for positioning the sensor die perpendicular to the next assembly while being mounted and a single row of pads for making connections to the sensor package.
US07671476B2
A semiconductor device including: a semiconductor substrate including an electrode; a resin protrusion formed on the semiconductor substrate; and an interconnect electrically connected to the electrode and formed to extend over the resin protrusion. The interconnect includes a first portion formed on a top surface of the resin protrusion and a second portion formed on a side of a lower portion of the resin protrusion. The second portion has a width smaller than a width of the first portion.
US07671472B2
A semiconductor device includes a first interlayer insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate; a second interlayer insulating film formed on the first interlayer film and including a plurality of grooves; a first barrier metal formed on inner surfaces of the grooves; a first interconnect part and a first bonding electrode part including a copper film formed on the first barrier metal; a second barrier metal formed on the first interconnect part and the first bonding electrode part; a second interconnect part including a metal film formed on the first interconnect part via the second barrier metal; a second bonding electrode part including a metal film formed on the first bonding electrode part via the second barrier metal; and a third interlayer insulating film formed on the second interlayer insulating film, the second interconnect part, and the second bonding electrode part, and including an opening that allows exposure of the surface of the second bonding electrode part.
US07671470B2
The present invention provides an enhanced interconnect structure with improved reliability. The inventive interconnect structure has enhanced mechanical strength of via contacts provided by embedded metal liners. The embedded metal liners may be continuous or discontinuous. Discontinuous embedded metal liners are provided by a discontinuous interface at the bottom of the via located within the interlayer dielectric layer.
US07671466B2
A semiconductor package with a heat dissipating device and a fabrication method of the semiconductor package are provided. A chip is mounted on a substrate. The heat dissipating device is mounted on the chip, and includes an accommodating room, and a first opening and a second opening that communicate with the accommodating room. An encapsulant is formed between the heat dissipating device and the substrate to encapsulate the chip. A cutting process is performed to remove a non-electrical part of structure and expose the first and second openings from the encapsulant. A cooling fluid is received in the accommodating room to absorb and dissipate heat produced by the chip. The heat dissipating device covers the encapsulant and the chip to provide a maximum heat transfer area for the semiconductor package.
US07671464B2
A wiring board used for mounting an LED bare chip capable of firmly bonding the LED bare chip and improving yield. In a printed wiring board 2, a distance D between wiring patterns 81 and 85 disposed so as to oppose each other is the smallest at a position nearest to a center point (G) of an LED chip 14 disposed at a designed location, and increases with an increasing distance from the point G. In addition, pattern edges 83 and 87 of the wiring patterns 81 and 85 recede in the direction of widening the distance D as a distance from the center point G increases with respect to electrode edges 148 and 149 of the LED chip 14.
US07671459B2
Microelectronic devices, stacked microelectronic devices, and methods for manufacturing such devices
Stacked microelectronic devices and methods for manufacturing such devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a stacked microelectronic device assembly can include a first known good packaged microelectronic device including a first interposer substrate. A first die and a first through-casing interconnects are electrically coupled to the first interposer substrate. A first casing at least partially encapsulates the first device such that a portion of each first interconnect is accessible at a top portion of the first casing. A second known good packaged microelectronic device is coupled to the first device in a stacked configuration. The second device can include a second interposer substrate having a plurality of second interposer pads and a second die electrically coupled to the second interposer substrate. The exposed portions of the first interconnects are electrically coupled to corresponding second interposer pads.
US07671455B2
A multi chip housing has a lead frame to which plural die are soldered. A heat spreader conductive cap encloses a volume containing the plural die or chips and is fixed to the periphery of the lead frame. The die may be silicon or GaN based MOSFETs or integrated circuits or a mixture thereof. The tops of the die are closely spaced from the interior of the cap and the volume is filled with a thermally conductive, electrically insulating plastic encapsulant. One die can be connected to the clip as well as the lead frame and the other may be an IC die insulated from the clip.
US07671444B2
The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) chip fabrication, and more particularly, to an e-fuse device including an opening, a first via and a second via in an interlayer dielectric, wherein the opening, the first via and the second via are connected to an interconnect below the interlayer dielectric; a dielectric layer that encloses the first via and the second via; and a metal layer over the dielectric layer, wherein the metal layer fills the opening with a metal, and wherein the first via and the second via are substantially empty to allow for electromigration of the interconnect during re-programming of the e-fuse device.
US07671433B2
A spin transistor comprises a spin injector for injecting, from a first nonmagnetic electrode carriers with a spin parallel to a spin band forming the band edge of a first ferromagnetic barrier layer, to a second nonmagnetic electrode layer, as hot carriers. It also comprises a spin analyzer whereby, due to spin-splitting at the band edge of a second ferromagnetic barrier layer, the spin-polarized hot carriers are transported to a third nonmagnetic electrode when the direction of the spin of the carriers injected into the second nonmagnetic electrode is parallel to that of the spin of the spin band at the band edge of the second ferromagnetic barrier layer, whereas the hot carriers are not transported to the third nonmagnetic electrode in the case of antiparallel spin. A memory element is also provided that comprises such a spin transistor.
US07671427B2
A method of manufacturing a film bulk acoustic resonator and the resonator manufactured thereby. The method includes the laminating a sacrificial layer on a semiconductor substrate, removing a predetermined area from the sacrificial layer to realize electric contact between a signal line of the semiconductor substrate and a lower electrode, forming the lower electrode by depositing metal film for lower electrode on the sacrificial layer, by patterning based on a shape of the sacrificial layer, forming a piezoelectric layer by depositing a piezoelectric material on the lower electrode and by patterning based on a shape of the lower electrode, and forming an upper electrode by depositing metal film on the piezoelectric layer and by patterning based on a shape of the piezoelectric layer, wherein at least one of a deposition pressure and a deposition power is controlled to generate upward stress when depositing the metal film for the lower electrode.
US07671423B2
A semiconductor chip comprises low voltage complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sectors and high voltage lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) sectors and at least one transistor within at least one of the low voltage CMOS sectors. The transistor has a semiconducting channel region within a substrate. A gate conductor is above the top layer of substrate, and the gate conductor is positioned above the channel region. A source/drain region is included in the substrate on a first side of the gate conductor and a lateral source/drain region is included in the substrate on a second side of the gate conductor opposite the first side. The lateral source/drain region is positioned a greater distance from the gate conductor than the source/drain region is positioned from the gate conductor. The embodiments herein also include a source/drain ballast resistor in the substrate between the lateral source/drain region and the gate conductor.
US07671415B2
An electro-static discharge protection circuit and a semiconductor device having the same is disclosed. The electro-static discharge protection circuit has a current control circuit. The current control circuit has a first capacitive element. When the external source voltage is applied to the external source voltage supply line, the booster circuit in the internal circuitry boosts the internal source voltage of the internal source voltage supply line. The external source voltage becomes transiently greater than the internal source voltage at the early stage of the boosting step when the booster circuit boosts the internal source voltage based on the external source voltage. The first capacitive element restricts a current from flowing from the second terminal of the thyristor rectifier circuit to the internal source voltage, even when the external source voltage becomes transiently greater than the internal source voltage at the early stage of the boosting step when the booster circuit boosts the internal source voltage based on the external source voltage. This prevents the thyristor rectifier circuit from malfunctioning and turning on.
US07671412B2
A substrate, thermal treatment assembly and method of operating the thermal treatment assembly are described for controlling the temperature of a substrate. An electrical potential is applied across two or more locations on the substrate in order to generate an electrical current through a portion of the substrate, thereby altering a temperature of the substrate. The electrical current may dissipate electrical energy in the form of thermal energy due to the intrinsic resistance of the portion of substrate to the flow of electrical current.
US07671410B2
An improved Fast Recovery Diode comprises a main PN junction defining a central conduction region for conducting high current in a forward direction and a peripheral field spreading region surrounding the central conduction region for blocking high voltage in the reverse direction. The main PN junction has an avalanche voltage equal to or lower than an avalanche voltage of the peripheral field spreading region so substantially the entire said main PN junction participates in avalanche conduction. This rugged FRED structure can also be formed in MOSFETS, IGBTS and the like.
US07671409B2
A field-effect transistor power device includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, a wide gap semiconductor including a channel region and a drift region, the channel region and the drift region forming a series current path between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a gate insulating film that covers the channel region, and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. In the series current path which is electrically conducting when the field-effect transistor power device is in an ON state, any region other than the channel region has an ON resistance exhibiting a positive temperature dependence, and the channel region has an ON resistance exhibiting a negative temperature dependence. A ratio ΔRon/Ron(−30° C.) is 50% or less.
US07671400B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a device isolation layer formed in a semiconductor substrate to define a plurality of active regions. Floating gates are disposed on the active regions. A control gate line overlaps top surfaces of the floating gates and crosses over the active regions. The control gate line has an extending portion disposed in a gap between adjacent floating gates and overlapping sidewalls of the adjacent floating gates. First spacers are disposed on the sidewalls of the adjacent floating gates. Each of the first spacers extends along a sidewall of the active region and along a sidewall of the device isolation layer. Second spacers are disposed between outer sidewalls of the first spacers and the extending portion and are disposed above the device isolation layer. An electronic device including a semiconductor memory device and a method of fabricating a semiconductor memory device are also disclosed.
US07671384B2
An integrated circuit device comprises a memory cell well formed with a flash memory device, first and second well of opposite conductivity types for formation of high voltage transistors, and third and fourth wells of opposite conductivity types for low voltage transistors, wherein at least one of the first and second wells and at least one of the third and fourth wells have an impurity distribution profile steeper than the memory cell well.
US07671383B2
A semiconductor device, includes: a first conductivity type semiconductor base having a main face; a hetero semiconductor region contacting the main face of the semiconductor base and forming a hetero junction in combination with the semiconductor base, the semiconductor base and the hetero semiconductor region in combination defining a junction end part; a gate insulating film defining a junction face in contact with the semiconductor base and having a thickness; and a gate electrode disposed adjacent to the junction end part via the gate insulating film and defining a shortest point in a position away from the junction end part by a shortest interval, a line extending from the shortest point to a contact point vertically relative to the junction face, forming such a distance between the contact point and the junction end part as to be smaller than the thickness of the gate insulating film contacting the semiconductor base.
US07671381B2
A semiconductor device including a MISFET formed in a well at a main surface of a substrate, a second MISFET formed at a main surface of the substrate, and a passive element formed over the main surface of the substrate and having two terminals. A conductive film is formed at a rear face of the semiconductor substrate. The conductive film is connected with a fixed potential and also electrically connected with the conductive film.
US07671363B2
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, an electro-optical device includes a peripheral circuit wiring arranged in a peripheral area located peripheral to a pixel area. The peripheral circuit wiring has overlapping portions that overlap vertical conduction terminals in plan view. The overlapping portions are arranged on a lower layer side relative to the vertical conduction terminals. An insulating film electrically insulates the overlapping portions of the peripheral circuit wiring from the vertical conduction terminals.
US07671354B2
An integrated circuit includes a contact, a first spacer, and a first electrode including a first portion and a second portion. The second portion contacts the contact and is defined by the first spacer. The integrated circuit includes a second electrode and resistivity changing material between the second electrode and the first portion of the first electrode.
US07671351B2
An optical dispersion finger sensor includes an integrated circuit substrate, and an optical source for directing light into a user's finger when positioned adjacent the integrated circuit substrate. The light may propagate into and be dispersed by the user's finger so that at least a portion of the dispersed light exits the user's finger in a direction toward the integrated circuit substrate. The sensor may also include at least one optical dispersion sensing pixel on the integrated circuit substrate for sensing dispersed light from the user's finger. A processor may be connected to the optical dispersion sensing pixels for generating optical dispersion biometric data based upon dispersed light from the user's finger.
US07671350B2
An instrument and method for measuring the elemental composition of a test material. The instrument has a source of penetrating radiation for irradiating an irradiated region of the test material, a detector for detecting fluorescence emission by the test material and for generating a detector signal, and a controller for converting the detector signal into a spectrum characterizing the composition of the test material. A platen of attenuating material extends outward from adjacent to, and surrounding, the irradiated surface of the test material. In certain embodiments, the thickness of the attenuating platen is tapered such as to decrease with increasing radial distance from the central irradiated region of the test material.
US07671345B2
A method for performing photo-modification of a biological sample, the method comprising: (a) irradiating the sample; (b) detecting one or more signals based on the irradiated sample; (c) using one or more processor means to analyze the detected signals and determine one or more irradiation parameters, and, (d) returning to (a) conditioned on the irradiation parameters. Thus modifications may be determined and executed interactively as an experiment progresses, and therefore directed towards specific structures and/or events identified as of particular interest in the course of the experiment.
US07671344B2
A system and method are disclosed that provide up to complete transmission of ions between coupled stages with low effective ion losses. A novel “interfaceless” electrospray ionization system is further described that operates the electrospray at a reduced pressure such that standard electrospray sample solutions can be directly sprayed into an electrodynamic ion funnel which provides ion focusing and transmission of ions into a mass analyzer.
US07671343B2
Mass analysis method and mass spectrometer in which the S/N of mass spectra does not deteriorate due to accumulation if an ionization method, such as MALDI, producing spectral intensities that are not uniform in time is employed. Every given number of collected mass spectra are accumulated and stored to produce primary accumulation mass spectra. After the measurements, some of the stored primary accumulation spectra are selected according to a given rule based on a time trace of the intensities of the primary accumulation mass spectra. The selected spectra are accumulated to produce a secondary accumulation mass spectrum.
US07671338B2
An apparatus and method for characterizing gas flow through features fabricated in a hollow part. A pressure regulated cooled gas is applied to an interior of the part to the features fabricated in the part. At the same time, a pressure regulated heated gas is applied to an exterior part skin; and the heated gas has a controlled temperature differential from the pressure regulated cooled gas applied to the part interior. An infrared signature of escaping gas and the surrounding part skin is analyzed by a classification method to identify acceptable and unacceptable fabricated features.
US07671332B2
An autofocus method for bringing an electron beam into focus on a specimen. Characteristics of the brightness at plural kinds of focus values are found for sets of data. The characteristics are accumulated creating a focus function. The focus function is approximated by a quadratic curve. The focus value at the peak point is found from the quadratic curve. Based on the focus value, the focal condition of the beam is set.
US07671329B2
An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer comprises a control device 70 for collectively controlling each of the following factors: the amount of liquid drops in the aerosol that is to be supplied to a plasma torch 20, the flow rate of carrier gases 76A and 76B in this aerosol, the RF output of a high-frequency power source 80, and the distance Z between plasma torch 20 and sampling interface 15 and 16.
US07671327B2
A self calibrating irradiation system is provided. The system includes sources for providing a calibration beam and a radiation beam, one or more detectors and a processor. A method of calibrating an irradiation system is also provided. The method includes measuring the energy of a calibration beam and periodically updating a transmission value of the laser system based on a calibration factor and the energy of the calibration beam.
US07671321B2
An apparatus for capturing images. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a coded lens array including a plurality of lenses arranged in a coded pattern and with opaque material blocking array elements that do not contain lenses; and a light-sensitive semiconductor sensor coupled to the coded lens array and positioned at a specified distance behind the coded lens array, the light-sensitive sensor configured to sense light transmitted through the lenses in the coded lens array.
US07671317B2
In a solid state imaging device to be included in an imaging device such as a digital camera, a ramp run-up AD conversion circuit for AD converting a pixel signal is provided corresponding to one or a plurality of pixel columns. A column counter provided in each ramp run-up AD conversion circuit holds an upper bit, and a clock signal is supplied to one or plural latches for holding a lower bit. Thus, fast and accurate AD conversion can be realized while suppressing increase of clock frequency.
US07671313B2
An image sensor has plural array blocks B1 to B20 arranged in a two dimensional (2D) arrangement. Each array block has a sub array and a corresponding analogue to digital (A/D) converter for performing an A/D conversion of light signals (or detection signals) output from the sub array. The sub array has plural picture element cells arranged in a 2D arrangement. Each A/D converter has a pulse delay circuit having delay units of plural stages connected in series. Each delay unit delays an input pulse by a delay time corresponding to a level of the light signals received from the sub array. A pulse delay type A/D converter is used as the A/D converter, which outputs the number of the delay units as an A/D conversion data item through which the input pulse passes for a measurement time period.
US07671311B2
Systems, including apparatus and methods, for driving airflow along a surface of a gimbal. The systems may comprise a gimbal apparatus including a payload and also including a gimbal mount supporting a first gimbal and a second gimbal. The first gimbal may be coupled pivotally to the gimbal mount. The second gimbal may be coupled pivotally to and supported by the first gimbal. The second gimbal may be coupled to and may support the payload. The gimbal apparatus may orient the payload by pivotal movement of the first and second gimbals relative to the gimbal mount about at least two nonparallel axes. The system also may comprise a fan mounted to the first gimbal. The systems also may comprise operating the fan to drive airflow through a gap disposed between the first and second gimbals.
US07671310B2
A microwave range having a hood for removing contaminated air includes a chamber having an inner cavity configured to receive items to be heated; an electric component room containing electric components, the electric component room being located above an upper wall of the chamber; and an outer case defining at least one passage between the chamber and the outer case through which contaminated air is received and discharged, and through which air for cooling the electric components flows.
US07671309B2
A microwave combustion system is presented that can replace the conventional spark plug in an internal combustion engine. One or more microwave pulses are provided to a microwave feed in a plug that sits in the cylinder. A microwave generated plasma generated by the plug in the vicinity of a fuel mixture can provide for highly efficient combustion of the fuel-air mixture.
US07671294B2
A twin plasma apparatus including an anode plasma head and a cathode plasma head. Each of the plasma heads includes an electrode and a plasma flow channel and a primary gas inlet between at least a portion of the electrode and the plasma flow channel. The anode plasma head and the cathode plasma head are oriented at an angled toward one another. At least one of the plasma flow channels includes three generally cylindrical portions. The three generally cylindrical portions of the plasma flow channels reduce the occurrence of side arcing.
US07671282B2
A structure of a circuit board for improving the performance of routing traces is described as eliminating the resonant effects from the inner layers in a circuit board. For eliminating the stray capacitor effect between the planes in the circuit board, the present invention uses a method for etching an area of a power plane and the area is corresponding to a routing plane. Consequently, the routing trace can make good electric potential reference of a ground plane. Due to the reduction of the stray capacitor, the structure for improving the performance of routing traces of the invention can avoid the resonance effect and parasitic resonance in the circuit board as produced in a high-frequency situation in order to promote the quality of the circuit board.
US07671276B2
An armed enclosure apparatus includes a housing to be mounted on a building to encircle a telephone junction box. A cover is provided for engagement with the housing by means of a plurality of security screws. The apparatus further includes a plurality of screw tamper switch assemblies which sense tampering with the security screws and generate a corresponding signal which is transmitted along the telephone lines to a central monitoring station.
US07671268B2
An apparatus for the amplification and projection of the sound of a musical instrument, such as an acoustic guitar, adapted to mount within the guitar itself. The apparatus may mount within the sound hole of the guitar, with an outward facing speaker within the sound hole adapted to project the sound of the instrument. The apparatus may have an amplifier attached to the speaker in a unitary design. The apparatus may be battery powered.
US07671260B2
A production method of a musical instrument and its components (parts, materials or the like), a musical instrument and its components obtained in accordance with the methods that can achieve the effect of increased sound quality of the musical instrument because of deterioration with age after many years by reforming the quality of the coating layer on the surface of the musical instrument or its components in a short time, are provided. A production method of a musical instrument and of a component of the musical instrument includes steps of: coating the component; and irradiating ultraviolet that has the highest peak value of strength in the far ultraviolet wavelength region on a coating layer, and the musical instrument or the component of the musical instrument are made in accordance with this method. It is preferable that energy of the ultraviolet light at the far ultraviolet wavelength region is 50% or more of total energy of the ultraviolet light and the ultraviolet light is irradiated in a vacuumed atmosphere or in an inert gas atmosphere.
US07671258B2
This work describes a new class of short polypeptides that can self-assemble to form regular nanotubes with an average diameters of about 50 nm. These peptides (7 to 8 amino acids) have a structure very similar to those observed in surfactant molecules with a defined hydrophilic head group constituting of charged amino acids and a lipophilic tail made out of hydrophobic amino acids such as alanine, valine or leucine. Cryo-TEM micrographs show numerous three-fold junctions connecting the self-assembling nanostructures and thus leading to the formation of a rather dense network of entangled nanotubes. Additionally, the observation of clear openings at the end of the supramolecular structures confirms the presence of tubular organization.
US07671257B1
Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated G07-NPDI4214, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line G07-NPDI4214 with plants of another corn plant. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred G07-NPDI4214 including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line G07-NPDI4214 and plants produced by said methods.
US07671256B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH748450. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH748450, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH748450 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH748450.
US07671253B2
The present invention relates to methods to control the spread of recombinant DNA molecules between sexually compatible plants of differing genetic composition. The invention describes the production of transgenic plants that comprise recombinant traits of interest or concern linked to repressible lethal genes. The lethal genes are blocked by the action of repressor molecules produced by the expression of repressor genes located at a different genetic locus. The lethal phenotype is only expressed after the segregation of the repressible lethal gene construct and the repressor gene following meiosis. The present invention may be employed for both open-pollinated and hybrid seed production systems and may be used to maintain genetic purity by blocking unintended introgression of genes from plants devoid of the specific repressor gene. The invention includes methods that impart traits that are desirable for environmentally responsible heterologous protein production, to genetic material used to impart said traits and to new plants and products derived by said methods.
US07671252B2
The invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules which encode novel fatty acid desaturase family members. The invention also provides recombinant expression vectors containing desaturase nucleic acid molecules, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced, and methods for large-scale production of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), e.g., DHA.
US07671249B2
In the operation input device of the prior art, the input of a position and the input of an attitude are mixed up and both the position and attitude may be changed by the result of the input of a change in attitude. Therefore, the intention of an operator cannot be reflected accurately.To solve the above problem, an operation input device of the present invention has a first movement detection unit for detecting the position and attitude of a first operation input unit and a second movement detection unit, connected to the first movement detection unit, for detecting the position and attitude of a second operation input unit to separate a part for inputting a position from a part for inputting an attitude.
US07671236B2
Provided is a process of producing cyclohexanone oxime comprising the steps of: pre-mixing an inorganic process solution containing a high concentration of hydroxylamine phosphate with a first stream of cyclohexanone such that the concentration of hydroxylamine phosphate is reduced to 80% or less of its initial concentration; and subjecting hydroxylamine phosphate in the premixed inorganic process solution to an oximation reaction with a second stream of cyclohexanone. According to the process, oximation is performed after the inorganic process solution containing a high concentration of hydroxylamine phosphate has been pre-mixed with the first stream of cyclohexanone to reduce the concentration of hydroxylamine phosphate. As a result, not only that the efficiency of oximation and the yield of cyclohexanone oxime are increased, but also the organic content of the inorganic process solution discharged from the oximation tower is reduced.
US07671233B2
A process for preparing a carboxylic acid by the carbonylation of an alcohol in a reaction medium is provided. The reaction medium includes a catalyst promoter having a metal species selected form the group consisting of group IIIA-IVA metals, group IB-VIIIB metals and lanthanides, together with a hydrohalic acid to prevent catalyst precipitation and to maintain high reaction rates in case of low water content.
US07671222B2
The invention is a process for epoxidizing an olefin with hydrogen and oxygen in the presence of a catalyst mixture containing a titanium or vanadium zeolite and a supported catalyst comprising palladium, rhenium and a carrier. The process results in significantly reduced alkane byproduct formed by the hydrogenation of olefin.
US07671219B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing fullerene 1,3-dioxolane conveniently at high yield. Fullerene 1,3-dioxolane is manufactured by reacting a fullerene oxide and a carbonyl compound in the presence of a catalyst.
US07671218B2
Reagents are provided for the introduction of phosphonate groups into fluorescent dyes. Methods are also provided for preparing dye conjugates.
US07671217B2
The invention relates to a method for the thermal decarboxylation of dicarboxylic acids, in particular to 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid as an educt. According to said method the educt is used in solid form and/or the reaction is carried out in the presence of a plurality of fluidised bed bodies. No solvents are used in the reaction and the decarboxylation product that is formed during the reaction is carried away from the reaction zone in gaseous form.
US07671199B2
The invention relates to an improved process for preparing [(1R), 2S]-2-aminopropionic acid 2-[4-(4-fluoro-2-methyl-1H-indol-5-yloxy)-5-methylpyrrolo[2,1-f][1,2,4]triazin-6-yloxy]-1-methylethyl ester of the formula: Compound I has been shown to be useful for the treatment of certain types of cancer.
US07671191B2
Disclosed are methods for preparing 2-alkynyladenosine derivatives of formula A: or a stereoisomer, pharmaceutically acceptable salt, hydrate, solvate, acid salt hydrate or isomorphic crystalline form thereof, the method comprising the step of: contacting 2-iodoadenosine-5′-N-ethyluronamide with a compound of formula B: wherein Z is —C(═O)OR or —CH2C(═O)R, where R is a C1 to C5 alkyl, preferably The methods are useful for preparing 2-alkynyladenosine derivatives that are, in certain embodiments, adenosine receptor agonists.
US07671184B2
The invention relates to a molecular beacon in the form of a hairpin oligonucleotide or oligonucleotide analogue comprising a first nucleotide sequence containing two or more aromatic or heteroaromatic ring systems P able to form an excimer or exciplex; a second sequence (the loop) consisting of an oligonucleotide probe able to hybridise with a target polynucleotide; and a third sequence containing one or more aromatic or heteroaromatic ring systems X, wherein at least one aromatic ring system X interacts with two aromatic ring systems P of the first sequence inhibiting excimer or exciplex formation. The invention further relates to a method for detecting the presence of a target polynucleotide using such a molecular beacon, and to a kit comprising a molecular beacon of the invention for use in this method.
US07671182B2
The present invention relates to allelic variants of the human Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription-6 (STAT6) gene and provides primers and methods suitable for the detection of these allelic variants for applications such as molecular diagnosis, prediction of an individual's disease susceptibility, and /or the genetic analysis of the STAT6 gene in a population. Specifically, the invention provides a method for detection of predisposition to atopic disorders/other immunological disorders such as, autoimmune disorders, inflammatory disorders, fibrosis, etc. where STAT6 plays an important role by screening for human Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription-6 (STAT 6) gene variants.
US07671180B2
The present invention provides novel Fibroblast Growth Factor-like (FGF-like) fusion polypedtides.
US07671179B2
Dominant negative alleles of human mismatch repair genes can be used to generate hypermutable cells and organisms. By introducing these genes into cells and transgenic animals, new cell lines and animal varieties with novel and useful properties can be prepared more efficiently than by relying on the natural rate of mutation. These methods are useful for generating genetic diversity within immunoglobulin genes directed against an antigen of interest to produce altered antibodies with enhanced biochemical activity. Moreover, these methods are useful for generating antibody-producing cells with increased level of antibody production. The invention also provides methods for increasing the affinity of monoclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies with increased affinity.
US07671176B2
The invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules, host cells that contain an isolated nucleic acid molecule, and substantially pure polypeptides. For example, the invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode polypeptides having mu3 opiate receptor activity, host cells that contain an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide having mu3 opiate receptor activity, and substantially pure polypeptides that have mu3 opiate receptor activity. In addition, the invention provides methods and materials for identifying mu3 opiate receptor agonists and antagonists.
US07671174B2
The present invention provides a ligand to GPR8, in particular polypeptides capable of binding to GPR8 or its amides or esters, or salts thereof, as well as the DNA encoding for such polypeptides. The ligand to GPR8 of the present invention is useful in developing receptor-binding assay systems with the use of a GPR8 expression system, for screening candidate compounds for drugs such as preventive/therapeutic agents for obesity, appetite stimulants, and prolactin production inhibitors.
US07671171B2
Disclosed are processes for preparing polyareneazole polymers that include contacting, in polyphosphoric acid, azole-forming monomers and metal powder, the metal powder added in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 0.9 weight percent, based on the total weight of the azole-forming monomers, and reacting the azole-forming monomers to form the polyareneazole polymers. Polyareneazoles, filaments and yarns are also disclosed.
US07671168B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula I, which are unsymmetrical aromatic ether diacids, and polymers formed from the same. [R′—(Y)p—O]q—Ar—[O—(X)r—R′]s I Polymers formed from the functionalized unsymmetrical aromatic ether diacids are expected to have controllable degradation profiles, enabling them to release an active component over a desired time range. The polymers are also expected to be useful in a variety of medical applications.
US07671167B2
A poly(arylene ether) copolymer is the product of oxidative copolymerization of monomers including a monohydric phenol and a dihydric phenol. It has an intrinsic viscosity of about 0.04 to about 0.15 deciliter per gram and, on average, about 1.8 to about 2 hydroxyl groups per molecule. The poly(arylene ether) copolymer is enriched in low molecular weight copolymer chains and copolymer chains that include a terminal unit derived from the dihydric phenol.
US07671166B2
The present invention provides materials, devices, and methods involving new heterocyclic, shape-persistent monomeric units with internal free volume. In some cases, materials the present invention may comprise monomers, oligomers, or polymers that incorporate a heterocyclic, shape-persistent iptycene. The present invention may provide materials having low dielectric constants and improved stability at high operating temperatures due to the electron-poor character of materials. In addition, compositions of the invention may be easily synthesized and readily modified to suit a particular application.
US07671164B2
A method of making a polycarbonate is described. The method comprises melt reacting an ester-substituted diaryl carbonate and a multifunctional compound of the formula: in the presence of catalyst to form an oligomer comprising less than 2,000 ppm of an ester-linked terminal group, and melt polymerizing the oligomer to form a polycarbonate. Use of specific reaction conditions produces a polycarbonate having an Mw of greater than or equal to 25,000 g/mol as determined by gel-permeation chromatography relative to polystyrene standards. Polycarbonates comprising units derived from the multifunctional compound, including homopolycarbonates, aliphatic copolycarbonates further comprising units derived from an aromatic dihydroxy compound, and aliphatic polycarbonate-polyesters, are also disclosed, as are a thermoplastic composition and an article including the disclosed polycarbonates.
US07671154B2
Crosslinked polymeric materials are described that contain pendant amine capture groups. The amine capture groups include N-sulfonyldicarboximide groups that can react with amine-containing materials by a ring opening reaction. Reaction mixtures used to prepare the crosslinked polymeric materials, articles containing the crosslinked polymeric materials, methods of making articles, and methods of immobilizing an amine-containing material are also described.
US07671153B2
The invention relates to method of protecting a flooring surface and flooring materials by providing a hardcoat surface layer comprising a perfluororpolyether. The invention also relates to certain hardcoat compositions.
US07671148B2
Process for producing a catalyst system, which comprises the following steps: A) provision of a mixture of at least two different organic transition metal compounds, at least one hydrolyzed organoaluminum compound and a solvent and impregnation of a dry porous support component with the mixture from step A), with the total volume of the mixture being from 0.6 to 1.5 times the total pore volume of the support component, and also catalyst systems obtainable in this way and their use for olefin polymerization.
US07671141B2
Disclosed herein are second order nonlinear optic polyimide polymers comprising repeating units represented by the formula: wherein each of the substituents is given the definition as set forth in the Specification and Claims. Also disclosed are the preparation processes of these polymers, chromophore-forming compounds for synthesis of these polymers, and the intermediate polymers thereof. The second order nonlinear optic polyimide polymers of formula (I) may be used in the manufacture of electro-optic (EO) devices, such as electro-optic waveguide devices.
US07671139B1
A functionalized polymer defined by the formula where π is a polymer chain, R10 is a divalent organic group, and β is a hydroxyl group, an alkoxyl group, or an amine group, where the amine group can be represented by the formula —NR2, where at least one R is a monovalent organic group and where the second R is hydrogen or a monovalent organic group, and where the alkoxyl group can be represented by the formula —OR′, where R′ is a monovalent organic group.
US07671137B2
To provide a rubber composition for a tire increasing the interaction between rubber fillers, low in heat buildup, and able to raise the vulcanization speed.A rubber composition for a tire containing 100 parts by weight of (A) a sulfur-vulcanizable diene-based rubber, (B) 0.1 to 1 part by weight of a 4,4′-oxybis(benzenesulfonylazide) and (C) a vulcanization type compounding agent, wherein the ingredients (A) and (B) are mixed at the time of a first mixing step before the compounding of the ingredient (C).
US07671135B2
A polar monomer-olefin copolymer comprising a polar monomer unit in an amount of 50 to 75% by mol and an olefin unit in an amount of 25 to 50% by mol, and containing a chain structure consisting of two or more olefin units; a process for producing said copolymer comprising the step of radically copolymerizing 100 parts by mol of an olefin with 1 to 100 parts by mol of a polar monomer; and a process for producing said copolymer comprising the step of radically copolymerizing an olefin having a concentration in a polymerization reactor of 0.04 to 100 mol/liter with a polar monomer having a concentration therein of 0.01 to 25 mol/liter.
US07671130B2
This document relates to adhesive compositions comprising 1) a thermoplastic vulcanizate of thermoplastic polyurethane and at least partially crosslinked rubber, and 2) an adhesion modifying amount of styrenic block copolymer. These compositions are especially useful in adhering to polar engineering thermoplastics and so find utility in laminates and composite articles comprising at least one polar engineering substrate and the described adhesive compositions.
US07671127B2
The invention relates to thermoplastic molding compositions, comprising A) from 35 to 95% by weight of at least one graft copolymer A), which is obtainable via reaction of A1) from 5 to 95% by weight of a polymer A1), which is obtained from at least one dicarboxylic anhydride a11) and from at least one vinylaromatic comonomer a12), and A2) from 5 to 95% by weight of a polyamide A2), B) from 5 to 40% by weight of at least one ungrafted or grafted, non-particulate rubber without core-shell structure B), which has functional groups which can react with the end groups of component A), C) from 0 to 50% by weight of at least one particulate or fibrous filler or particulate or fibrous reinforcing material C), D) from 0 to 60% by weight of at least one copolymer D) composed of vinyl aromatic monomers d1) and of comonomers d2), and E) from 0 to 40% by weight of at least one other additive E), where the entirety of components A) to E) gives 100% by weight, and also to processes for preparation of the thermoplastic molding compositions, to the use of the thermoplastic molding compositions for production of moldings, of foils, of fibers, or of foams, and finally to the moldings, foils, fibers, and foams obtainable from the thermoplastic molding compositions.
US07671120B2
A curable material useful as thermal material comprises at least one vinyl-terminated silicone oil, at least one conductive filler, and at least one hydrogen terminated silicone oil. The hydrogen terminated silicone oil is used to reduce a shear modulus G′ of the cured thermal interface material.
US07671118B2
A stabilizer system for stabilizing halogen-containing polymers comprising a perchlorate salt and at least one indole compound, a composition comprising such a stabilizer system, process for stabilizing a chlorine-containing polymer using such a stabilizer system, and an article manufacture comprising PVC stabilized by such a stabilizer system.
US07671113B2
The present invention discloses a method for the manufacture of nanoscale particles of Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR). As SBR particles are elastic in nature, conventional methods of size reductions such as impacting, grinding are unable to achieve the final size. The present invention successfully achieves size reduction of the elastic material to nano scale by carefully controlled hydrodynamic cavitation techniques.
US07671109B2
Disclosed are tinted, abrasion resistant coating compositions comprising polymer-enclosed color-imparting particles. Also disclosed are methods for making such a composition and substrates at least partially coated with a hard coat deposited from such a composition.
US07671105B2
A resin composition and an article formed therefrom are disclosed. The resin composition comprises a halogenated polyol, a brominated polyol different from the halogenated polyol, and a flame retardant. The resin composition may further comprise other components, such as supplemental polyols, catalysts, adhesion promoters, surfactants, blowing agents, additives, or combinations thereof. The article comprises the reaction product of an isocyanate, the halogenated polyol, and the brominated polyol in the presence of the flame retardant, a blowing agent, and optionally, one of more of the other components. Typically, the article is defined as a polyurethane foam. The article exceeds Class I flammability requirements, such as flame spread index, smoke density, and convective flame spread parameter according to ASTM E-84 and FM 4880 testing. In addition, the article exhibits excellent dimensional stability and adhesion strength, and may be used to form building materials, such as insulation, wall, and ceiling panels.
US07671102B2
Gelled biopolymer based foams are disclosed. The gelled foams comprise a cross-linked biopolymer, preferably alginate; optionally, a foaming agent such as hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose; and a plasticizer, preferably glycerin sorbitol, or a mixture thereof, that forms the predominant portion of the gelled foam. The foams are soft and pliable and have high absorbency. They are used as wound dressing materials, controlled release delivery systems, cell culture, barrier media for preventing tissue adherence, and bioabsorbable implants. They also have various personal care applications, especially in oral hygiene, and can be used in food applications.
US07671093B2
A mixed co-crystal comprising an API, a first co-crystal former, and a second co-crystal former which is isomorphically substitutable with said first co-crystal former is described. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a mixed co-crystal, methods of making mixed co-crystals, and methods of using mixed co-crystals are also described.
US07671087B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to amines. A second aspect of the present invention relates to the use of the amines as inhibitors of a mammalian anandamide transporter. The compounds of the present invention will also find use in the treatment of numerous ailments, conditions and diseases which afflict mammals, including but not limited to asthma, neuropathic pain, persistent pain, inflammatory pain, hyperactivity, hypertension, brain ischemia, Parkinson's disease, spasticity, Tourette's syndrome, schizophrenia, hemorrhagic shock, septic shock, cardiac shock, migrane, Horton's headache, multiple sclerosis, anorexia, AIDS wasting syndrome, organ rejection, autoimmune diseases, allergy, arthritis, Crohn's disease, malignant gliomas, neurodegenerative diseases, Huntington's chorea, glaucoma, nausea, anxiety, psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, premature ejaculation, and stroke. Another aspect of the present invention relates to combinatorial libraries of amines, and methods for preparing the libraries.
US07671083B2
This invention provides phenylene-thiophene compounds that exhibit useful electronic properties such as high mobility and high on/off ratio. The invention also provides electronic devices incorporating these compounds. These devices include field effect transistors (FETs), thin film transistors (TFTs), display devices, light-emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells, photo-detectors, and memory cells. Further, the invention also describes a method for manufacturing these field effect transistors. The invention describes an electronic device comprising one or more compounds represented by Formula: (I) where R is selected from substituents comprising 1-20 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from substituted or unsubstituted alkyl groups, substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl groups, and substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl groups; n is an integer selected from 2 through 6; and m and m′ are integers selected independently from 1 through 3.
US07671082B2
This invention relates to synthetic excitatory amino acid prodrugs and processes for their preparation. The invention further relates to methods of using, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising, the compounds for the treatment of neurological disorders and psychiatric disorders.
US07671060B2
The invention relates to a novel group of compounds of Formula (I) or a salt thereof: wherein R1, R2, R3, n, A and HET-1 are as described in the specification, which may be useful in the treatment or prevention of a disease or medical condition mediated through glucokinase (GLK) such as type 2 diabetes. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds, methods of treatment of diseases mediated by GLK using said compounds and methods for preparing compounds of Formula (I).
US07671059B2
Disclosed are 2-amino-7,8-dihydro-6H-pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-5-one compounds, their stereoisomers, tautomers, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and prodrugs thereof; compositions that include a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and one or more of the 2-amino-7,8-dihydro-6H-pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-5-one compounds, either alone or in combination with at least one additional therapeutic agent. Disclosed also are methods of using the 2-amino-7,8-dihydro-6H-pyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-5-one compounds, either alone or in combination with at least one additional therapeutic agent, in the prophylaxis or treatment of cellular proliferative, viral, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and central nervous system diseases.
US07671057B2
The problem of the present invention is to provide a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for diabetes and/or complications of diabetes based on the novel mode of action.The protease-inhibiting compound according to the present invention is a compound represented by the general formula (I) [wherein all the symbols have the same meanings as described in the specification], its salt or solvate, or a prodrug thereof, is useful as a preventive and/or therapeutic agent for diabetes and/or complications of diabetes.
US07671053B2
The present invention provides benzamide inhibitors of the P2X7 receptor of the formula: wherein R1-R3 are as defined herein. The compounds of the invention are useful in the treatment of IL-1 mediated disorders, including, without limitation, inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; allergies, asthma, COPD, cancer, reperfusion or ischemia in stroke or heart attack, autoimmune diseases and other disorders.
US07671047B2
One embodiment of the invention relates to compounds of the formula I, in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 have the meanings given in the specification. Other embodiments of the invention relate to physiologically acceptable salts of the compounds of formula I, to processes for their preparation and to medicaments comprising these compounds. The compounds of the invention are suitable for use, for example, as hypolipidemics.
US07671039B2
The present invention relates to a composition containing beta-glucan as an effective ingredient for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The above captioned beta-glucan is preferably the beta-1.3/1.6 glucan having a lactic acid as a substituent and this beta-1.3/1.6 glucan is preferably produced from Aureobasidium pullulans SM2001(KCCM 10307).
US07671038B1
The administration of adenine nucleotides or adenosine and inorganic phosphate to a human host results in the generation of elevated liver, other organs and red blood cell adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) pools as well as increased levels of ATP and adenosine in the extracellular blood plasma compartment of the blood. The present invention deals with the utilization of the elevated intracellular ATP levels and the elevated extracellular levels of ATP and adenosine for the treatment of a broad spectrum of clinical targets in HIV disease/AIDS and the achievement of decisive therapeutic gains.
US07671037B2
We found that FIZZ1/RELMα is inducible by hypoxia in lung. The hypoxia-upregulated expression of FIZZ1/RELMα was located in the pulmonary vasculature, bronchial epithelial cells, and type II pneumocytes. Recombinant FIZZ1/RELMα protein stimulates rat pulmonary microvascular smooth muscle cell (RPSM) proliferation dose-dependently. Therefore, we renamed this gene as hypoxia-induced mitogenic factor (HIMF). HIMF strongly activated Akt phosphorylation. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 inhibits HIMF-activated Akt phosphorylation. It also inhibits HIMF-stimulated RPSM proliferation. Thus, the PI3K/Akt pathway, at least in part, mediates the proliferative effect of HIMF. HIMF also has angiogenic and vasoconstrictive activity. Notably, HIMF increases pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance more potently than either endothelin-1 or angiotensin II.
US07671021B2
The present invention provides a conjugate containing a moiety linked to a homing molecule that selectively homes to tumor lymphatic vasculature. The invention also provides a method of directing a moiety to tumor lymphatic vasculature in a subject by administering to the subject a conjugate containing a moiety linked to a homing molecule that selectively homes to tumor lymphatic vasculature.
US07671019B2
The invention relates to the discovery that 3-deoxyglucosone (3DG) and other alpha-dicarbonyl sugars associated diseases and disorders are present and produced in the skin. Further, the invention relates to the discovery that amadorase, an enzyme that mediates 3DG synthesis, is also present in the skin. Thus, the invention further relates to methods of inhibiting production and function of 3-deoxyglucosone and other alpha-dicarbonyl sugars in skin thereby treating or prevention various diseases, disorders or conditions. Additionally, the invention relates to treatment of various diseases, disorders or conditions associated with or mediated by oxidative stress since 3DG induces ROS and AGEs, which are associated with the inflammatory response caused by oxidative stress.
US07671010B2
The present invention concerns compositions comprising and methods of identification and use of targeting peptides selective for cancer tissue, particularly prostate or ovarian cancer tissue. The method may comprise identifying endogenous mimeotopes of such peptides, such as GRP78, IL-11Rα and hsp90. Antibodies against such targeting peptides or their mimeotopes may be used for detection, diagnosis and/or staging of prostate or ovarian cancer. In other embodiments, the compositions and methods concern novel type of gene therapy vector, known as adeno-associated phage (AAP). AAP are of use for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to particular tissues, organs or cell types, such as prostate or ovarian cancer. In still other embodiments, targeting peptides selective for low-grade lipomas may be used for detection, diagnosis and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents.
US07671004B2
A cleaning composition comprises a first surfactant and a second surfactant. The first surfactant is of the general formula R1—O-(A)mH, wherein R1 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 10 to 16 carbon atoms, A is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript m is a positive number. The second surfactant is of the general formula R2—O—(B)nH, wherein R2 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having from 12 to 15 carbon atoms, B is an alkyleneoxy group, and subscript n is a positive number. The cleaning composition has an average degree of alkoxylation of from about 3 to about 8 moles and an excess of the first surfactant relative to said second surfactant. The cleaning composition can further comprise a third surfactant in addition to the first and second surfactants. If employed, the third surfactant typically can comprise a linear alkyl sulfonate (LAS) and/or an alkyl ether sulfate (AES).
US07670996B2
A lubricant composition having a base oil and one or more additives wherein the lubricant composition has a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of more than 5.6 cSt; a cold cranking simulated dynamic viscosity at −35° C. according to ASTM D 5293 of less than 6200 centiPoise (cP); and, a mini rotary viscosity test value of less than 60000 cP according to ASTM D 4684, wherein the base oil has been obtained from a waxy paraffinic Fischer-Tropsch synthesized hydrocarbon.
US07670993B2
A method for cleaning oil wells to increase the flow of oil thereof by use of a unique aqueous cleaning emulsion comprising of water, hydrocarbon solvent, detergent and acid. This one step method provides for the simultaneously cleaning/removal of asphaltene and/or paraffin and scale. This method can be used alone or with the assistance of a wash tool which is a combination pressure and surge wash tool having a nipple assembly. A by-pass port is coupled to the nipple assembly and a diverter cup is coupled to the by-pass port. A plurality of pressure wash cups are positioned on the tool. A pressure wash port is located between the plurality of pressure wash cups and a pump shoe assembly is coupled to a bottom pressure wash cup.
US07670991B2
The invention relates to novel substituted benzoylcyclohexenones of the formula (I) in which Q, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, Y and Z have one of the meanings given in the disclosure, to processes for their preparation, and to their use.
US07670980B2
A cutting tool insert which can, for example, be used for machining of hardened steel, hot and cold working tool steel, die steel, case hardened steel, high speed steel and ductile grey cast iron and composed of a composite comprising a cBN-phase and a binder phase comprising a titaniumcarbonitride phase and a TiB2 phase is disclosed. In the XRD pattern from the composite using CuKa-radiation, the peak height ratio of the strongest (101) TiB2 peak and the strongest cBN (111) peak is less than about 0.06, the (220) from the titanium carbonitride phase in the XRD-pattern intersects both vertical lines of the PDF-lines of TiC (PDF 32-1383) and TiN (PDF 38-1420) and the lowest intersected point height is at least about 0.15 of the maximum (220) peak height of the ceramic binder phase. The insert is made by powder metallurgical methods milling, pressing and sintering, the sintering being performed at lowest possible temperature for shortest possible time necessary to obtain a dense structure.
US07670971B2
The disclosure relates to pre-moistened webs and wipes having visible compressed sites that provide the perception of a cloth-like texture. The disclosure also relates to a nonwoven web made of non-thermoplastic fibers with at least one compressed site on the surface of the web that remains visible when the web is pre-moistened.
US07670964B2
Embodiments of a gas cluster ion beam apparatus and methods for forming a gas cluster ion beam using a low-pressure process source are generally described herein. In one embodiment, the low-pressure process source is mixed with a high-pressure diluent source in a static pump to form a mixed source, from which a gas cluster jet is generated and ionized to form the gas cluster ion beam. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US07670961B2
The present invention relates to a process that minimizes the cracking of low-k dielectric polymers. In an example embodiment, on a semiconductor substrate (200), there is a method of forming a composite dielectric disposed on a metal layer passivated with plasma deposited silicon oxide SiOx. The method comprises depositing a first layer of a first predetermined thickness of a spin-on dielectric on the metal layer protected with a plasma deposited silicon oxide SiOx. Next a thin stress relief layer of a second predetermined thickness is disposed on the first layer of spin-on-dielectric. Upon the thin stress-relief layer, a second layer of a third predetermined thickness of spin-on dielectric is deposited. Low-k spin-on dielectrics may include hydrogen silsequioxane (HSQ) and methyl silsequioxane (MSQ).
US07670958B2
An etching method includes applying a photoresist over a substrate, forming an opening in the photoresist, and etching the substrate under the opening using a plasma generated with a gas composition containing argon and an amount of higher atomic mass inert gas. The amount may be effective to increase photoresist stability compared to otherwise identical etching lacking any of the higher atomic mass inert gas. The photoresist may have a composition sensitized to an actinic energy wavelength of 248 nm or less. A method of increasing the stability of 248 nm or less photoresist during RIE includes providing a means for reducing electron temperature of a plasma and etching a substrate exposed through photoresist openings without substantially destabilizing the photoresist.
US07670951B2
A method and device for input/output connections is provided. Devices and methods for connection structure are shown with improved mechanical properties such as hardness and abrasion resistance. Land grid array structures are provided that are less expensive to manufacture due to reductions in material cost such as gold. Ball grid array structures are provided with improved resistance to corrosion during fabrication. Ball grid array structures are also provided with improved mechanical properties resulting in improved shock testing results.
US07670947B2
A process for forming an interconnect structure in a low-k dielectric layer includes etching to form trenches in the dielectric layer, removal of photoresist, and further etching to remove damaged portions of the dielectric layer in sidewalls of the trenches. An interconnect structure includes a low-k dielectric layer formed on a substrate, and a conductor embedded in the dielectric layer, the conductor having an edge portion with an inwardly rounded shape.
US07670944B2
Method and structures are provided for conformal lining of dual damascene structures in integrated circuits. Trenches and contact vias are formed in insulating layers. The trenches and vias are exposed to alternating chemistries to form monolayers of a desired lining material. Exemplary process flows include alternately pulsed metal halide and ammonia gases injected into a constant carrier flow. Self-terminated metal layers are thus reacted with nitrogen. Near perfect step coverage allows minimal thickness for a diffusion barrier function, thereby maximizing the volume of a subsequent filling metal for any given trench and via dimensions.
US07670939B2
Various semiconductor chip packages and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes coupling a solder bump to a side of a semiconductor chip and bringing the solder bump into contact with a conductor pad coupled to a substrate and positioned in an opening of a solder mask on the substrate. The conductor pad has a first lateral dimension and the opening has a second lateral dimension that is larger than the first lateral dimension. A metallurgical bond is established between the solder bump and the conductor pad.
US07670937B2
Method for producing doped regions on the rear face of a photovoltaic cell. A doping paste with a first type of conductivity is deposited on a rear face of a semiconductor-based substrate according to a pattern consistent with the desired distribution of regions doped with the first type of conductivity. Then, an oxide layer is deposited at least on the portions of the rear face of the substrate not covered with the doping paste. Finally, an annealing of the substrate diffuses the doping agents in the substrate and forms doped regions under the doping paste.
US07670936B1
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an interface layer, a nitrided gate dielectric, a gate electrode, and source drain regions. The interface layer is formed in a substrate by laser processing. The nitrided gate dielectric is formed over the interface layer by laser processing. The gate electrode is formed over the substrate and the gate dielectric after the laser processing step, and source/drain regions are formed in the substrate proximate to the gate electrode.
US07670929B2
The invention provides methods of direct bonding substrates at least one of which includes a layer of semiconductor material that extends over its front face or in the proximity thereof. The provided methods include, prior to bonding, subjecting the bonding face of at least one substrate comprising a semiconductor material to selected heat treatment at a selected temperature and in a selected gaseous atmosphere. The bonded substrates are useful for electronic, optic, or optoelectronic applications.
US07670925B2
A semiconductor device is disclosed that includes multiple logic circuit cells having respective logic circuits formed therein; and multiple interconnects connected to the corresponding logic circuit cells. At least one of the interconnects has an opening formed therein so as to have an opening ratio different from one or more of the opening ratios of the remaining interconnects.
US07670920B2
An embodiment relates generally to a method of forming a capacitor. The method includes depositing a first layer of polysilicon on a substrate and implanting a high dose of implant into the first layer of polysilicon. The method also includes depositing a layer of dielectric over the first layer of polysilicon and depositing a second layer of polysilicon over the layer of dielectric. The method further includes implanting an equivalent concentration of implant in both the first layer of polysilicon into the second layer of polysilicon.
US07670918B2
Resistor elements are formed by doping impurity into a single crystal film formed on a substrate such as a silicon-on-insulator substrate. A semiconductor device having such resistor elements is used as a detector for detecting an amount of airflow, for example. The impurity density in the single crystal silicon is made lower than 1×1020/cm3 to suppress a resistance change by aging especially at a temperature higher than 310° C. To obtain a high temperature coefficient of the resistor element as well as a low resistance change by aging, the impurity density is set in a range from 4×1019/cm3 to 1×1020/cm3, and more preferably in a range from 7×1019/cm3 to 1×1020/cm3. As the impurity, N-type impurity such as phosphorus or P-type impurity such as boron may be used. It is preferable to use the impurity having a low diffusion coefficient to attain a low resistance change by aging.
US07670916B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a first dopant area and a second dopant area in a semiconductor substrate, the first dopant area and the second dopant area doped with one selected from the group consisting of Sb, Ga, and Bi. The semiconductor memory device includes an insulating layer disposed in contact with the first dopant area and the second dopant area, and a gate electrode layer disposed in contact with the insulating layer.
US07670911B2
A method for manufacturing a vertical MOS transistor comprising forming a protrusion-like region, forming a silicon oxide film on an exposed surface of the protrusion-like region and a surface of the silicon semiconductor substrate, increasing a film thickness of at least the silicon oxide film on the silicon semiconductor substrate by thermal oxidation to form a first insulating film, forming a lower impurity diffusion region, removing the silicon oxide film to expose a silicon side of the protrusion-like region, thermally oxidizing the silicon side to form a second insulating film having a thinner film thickness than a film thickness of the first insulating film, forming a gate electrode over a side of the protrusion-like region, and forming an upper impurity diffusion region.
US07670910B2
A self-aligned inner gate recess channel in a semiconductor substrate includes a recess trench formed in an active region of the substrate, a gate dielectric layer formed on a bottom portion of the recess trench, recess inner sidewall spacers formed on sidewalls of the recess trench, a gate formed in the recess trench so that an upper portion of the gate protrudes above an upper surface of the substrate, wherein a thickness of the recess inner sidewall spacers causes a center portion of the gate to have a smaller width than the protruding upper portion and a lower portion of the gate, a gate mask formed on the gate layer, gate sidewall spacers formed on the protruding upper portion of gate and the gate mask, and a source/drain region formed in the active region of the substrate adjacent the gate sidewall spacers.
US07670909B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor memory device with a vertical channel transistor includes forming a plurality of pillars each having a hard mask pattern thereon over a substrate, each of the plurality of pillars comprising an upper pillar and a lower pillar; forming a surround type gate electrode surrounding the lower pillar; forming an insulation layer filling a space between the pillars; forming a preliminary trench by primarily etching the insulation layer using a mask pattern for a word line until a portion of the upper pillar is exposed; forming a buffer layer over a resultant structure including the preliminary trench except on a bottom of the preliminary trench; and forming a trench for a word line by secondarily etching the insulation layer until the surround type gate electrode is exposed.
US07670908B2
This invention discloses semiconductor device that includes a top region and a bottom region with an intermediate region disposed between said top region and said bottom region with a controllable current path traversing through the intermediate region. The semiconductor device further includes a trench with padded with insulation layer on sidewalls extended from the top region through the intermediate region toward the bottom region wherein the trench includes randomly and substantially uniformly distributed nano-nodules as charge-islands in contact with a drain region below the trench for electrically coupling with the intermediate region for continuously and uniformly distributing a voltage drop through the current path.
US07670901B2
A method of fabricating a bottle trench and a bottle trench capacitor. The method including: providing a substrate; forming a trench in the substrate, the trench having sidewalls and a bottom, the trench having an upper region adjacent to a top surface of the substrate and a lower region adjacent to the bottom of the trench; forming an oxidized layer of the substrate in the bottom region of the trench; and removing the oxidized layer of the substrate from the bottom region of the trench, a cross-sectional area of the lower region of the trench greater than a cross-sectional area of the upper region of the trench.
US07670897B2
A non-volatile memory semiconductor device and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a PN junction diode formed over a semiconductor substrate. Insulating films may be formed over the PN junction diode and patterned to have via holes. A resistive random access memory including a first metal pattern may be in contact with a first region of the PN junction diode. An oxide film pattern may be formed over the first metal pattern and a second metal pattern formed over the oxide film pattern. The first metal pattern, the oxide film pattern and the second metal pattern may be formed in the via holes.
US07670891B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed which comprises forming a gate structure on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween, forming a first insulating film to cover top and side surfaces of the gate structure and the major surface of the semiconductor substrate, reforming portions of the first insulating film which cover the top surface of the gate structure and the major surface of the semiconductor substrate by an anisotropic plasma process using a gas not containing fluorine, and removing the reformed portions of the first insulating film.
US07670885B2
A method of manufacturing a thin-film semiconductor device, including forming a crystallized region on a transparent insulating substrate, implanting an impurity into the crystallized region and an amorphous semiconductor layer to form a source diffusion region and a drain diffusion region in the crystallized region, subjecting the resultant structure to heat treatment, thereby not only activating the impurity implanted in the crystallized region and the amorphous semiconductor layer but also restoring crystallinity of only a portion of the amorphous semiconductor layer which is formed on the crystallized region to thereby turn the portion into a polycrystalline semiconductor layer, and subjecting the resultant surface to selective etching to thereby leave only the polycrystalline semiconductor layer and to remove the amorphous semiconductor layer formed on other regions, thereby forming, in a self-aligned manner, a stacked source diffusion layer and a stacked drain diffusion layer.
US07670877B2
A method of packaging a semiconductor component with a printed wiring board is disclosed. The method includes determining a first distance, applying a thin film onto a surface of the semiconductor component such that the thin film is spaced apart from a support of the semiconductor, applying a solder pad onto the printed wiring board, placing the semiconductor component with the thin film onto the printed wiring board, and positioning the thin film adjacent the solder pad.
US07670872B2
Methods of forming LED packages and light emitting devices are provided. LED packages and light emitting devices are preferably formed from ceramic layers, such as AlN, though layers of non-ceramic materials can also be used. The layers are formed to include vias, apertures, and metallization layers. The layers are then bonded together to form a panel. The panel is scribed to form a grid of snap lines and then the panel is fractured along the snap lines. To form light emitting devices from the panel, LED dies are added and encapsulated before the panel is fractured.
US07670842B2
The present invention provides a method for discriminating an organic farmland from a conventional farmland, comprising; (a) measuring an amount of nitrogen isotope in a soil sample of a farmland; (b) calculating a nitrogen isotope index according to the formula (I) using the resultant nitrogen isotope value and (c) determining whether the farmland belongs to an organic farmland or a conventional farmland. According to the present invention, it is possible to objectively discriminate an organic farmland from a conventional farmland or discriminate an organic crop from a conventional crop.
US07670833B2
This invention presents the high throughput (HT) analysis technology for molecular fractions employing micro-array format. Molecules are fractionated according to the properties of molecules and are assigned primary designated orders while their tissue origins are assigned secondary designated orders such that each fractionated molecules become addressable and traceable. Fractionated molecules are recovered, arrayed, and analyzed according to the same primary designated orders and secondary designated order in a high throughput manner. The above properties of molecules can be measured and predicted.
US07670830B2
Trichoderma spp. strains with high capacity for fungus biological control in wide ranges of temperature and pH are described, such strains being compatible with each other. Likewise, a process of selection of such strains through molecular markers is described. The described process reduce the number of necessary experiments to determine if a Trichoderma strain, not previously described, can display a biological activity more acceptable than those well known.
US07670822B2
A novel aldolase is described. 4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-keto-pentanoic acid, which is useful as an intermediate in the synthesis of 4-hydroxy-L-isoleucine, may be synthesized from acetaldehyde and α-ketobutyric acid using a novel aldolase, which is derived from the genus Arthrobacter.
US07670818B1
The present invention relates to an isolated β-mannanase protein having an amino acid sequence which is 90% similar to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, as well as isolated polynucleotides encoding the β-mannanase protein, and isolated expression systems and host cells containing the polynucleotides. The present invention also relates to a method of recombinantly producing β-mannanase protein. Also disclosed is a method of degrading mannans and polysaccharides in plant material, which involves providing plant material and contacting the plant material with the β-mannanase protein of the present invention under conditions effective to degrade mannans and polysaccharides in the plant material.
US07670809B2
The invention concerns a method for random mutagenesis comprising the replication of a DNA sequence in the presence of an efficient amount of at least a mutase, for example a Pol β, the random mutagenesis rate being at least of the order of 1 mutation for 400 base pairs. The replication product, optionally recombined and amplified, is cloned in an expression vector so as to generate mutated polypeptides which will be selected on the basis of the desired property or properties.
US07670806B2
This disclosure provides methods for catalyzing the release of ADP-ribose from poly(ADP-ribose) or O-acetyl-ADP-ribose. Also provided are methods for modifying DNA repair or chromatin structure by introducing into the cell an agent that modifies the activity of an ARH3 polypeptide, or variant or fragment thereof. Further provided are methods for screening molecules involved in the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of proteins or O-acetyl-ADP-ribose content, and method for treating disorders by altering activity of an ARH3 protein.
US07670793B2
The invention provides a method of enumerating the number of cells of a cell type in a cell sample by (a) counting the white blood cells in the cell sample to obtain the white blood cell population of the sample; (b) determining the proportion or percentage of the cells of the cell type in the white blood cell population in the sample; and (c) calculating the number of cells of the cell type in the sample. The cell type may be a lymphocyte sub-set selected from the group comprising CD4+ lymphocytes, CD 45 cells, CD19 cells, CD16 and CD56 positive cells, CD8 cells, CD3 cells or any combination thereof. The method is particularly useful in monitoring the immune status of a patient infected with HIV or other immune deficiency state or disease or condition where CD4+ lymphocytes or CD4+ T cells are monitored or counted.
US07670786B2
A membrane-based assay device for detecting the presence or quantity of an analyte residing in a test sample is provided. The device utilizes a self-calibrated magnetic binding assay format (e.g., sandwich, competitive, etc.) that includes detection probes capable of generating a detection signal (e.g., fluorescent non-magnetic particles) and calibration probes capable of generating a calibration signal (e.g., fluorescent magnetic particles). The amount of the analyte within the test sample is proportional (e.g., directly or inversely) to the intensity of the detection signal calibrated by the intensity of the calibration signal. It has been discovered that the fluidics-based device of the present invention provides an accurate, inexpensive, and readily controllable method of determining the presence of an analyte in a test sample.
US07670785B2
The present invention is directed to polynucleotides encoding polypeptides associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis and homologs thereof. The invention further relates to diagnostic and therapeutic methods for utilizing these polynucleotides and polypeptides in the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and related disease states. The invention further relates to screening methods for identifying agonists and antagonists of the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention, and compounds identified thereby.
US07670783B2
Methods for screening for neurological disorders are disclosed. Specifically, methods are disclosed for screening for neurological disorders in a subject by analyzing a tissue sample obtained from the subject for the presence of elevated levels of neurotoxic amino acids or neurotoxic derivatives thereof associated with neurological disorders. In particular, methods are disclosed for diagnosing a neurological disorder in a subject, or predicting the likelihood of developing a neurological disorder in a subject, by determining the levels of β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) in a tissue sample obtained from the subject. Methods for screening for environmental factors associated with neurological disorders are disclosed. Methods for inhibiting, treating or preventing neurological disorders are disclosed.
US07670779B2
The present invention relates to modification of amplification buffer used in amplification reactions. The modifications result in a significant improvement in results of amplification. In particular, the present invention provides methods and buffers for performing an amplification reaction utilizing a buffer comprising nucleotide triphosphates comprising treating the buffer to substitute a portion of the nucleotide triphosphates with nucleotide diphosphates.
US07670777B2
The invention relates to a method for detecting the methylation status in DNA samples. According to the invention, a DNA methyl transferase and a labeled S-adenosylmethionine derivative allow a detectable label to be covalently bonded to the DNA, in accordance with the respective methylation status of the DNA sample.
US07670762B2
This invention provides an antigen-free and immunologically inert tissue graft material and methods of preparing and using these tissue graft materials.
US07670755B2
A writing pattern data generating method for, in order to form a first photomask for use in a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device which including forming a first resist pattern on a mask film formed on a first film using the first photomask, forming a first mask pattern by etching the mask film, removing the first resist pattern, forming a second resist film on the mask film, forming a second resist pattern on the mask film, forming a second mask pattern by etching the mask film, removing the second resist pattern, and forming a first film pattern by etching the first film, the generating method comprising correcting a first pattern data in accordance with a difference between the first film pattern and the second mask pattern and a difference between the first resist pattern and the first mask pattern.
US07670751B2
Photoacid generators generate sulfonic acids of formula (1a) or (1c) upon exposure to high-energy radiation. R1—COOCH(CF3)CF2SO3−H+ (1a) R1—O—COOCH(CF3)CF2SO3−H+ (1c) R1 is a C20-C50 hydrocarbon group having a steroid structure. The photoacid generators are compatible with resins and can control acid diffusion and are thus suited for use in chemically amplified resist compositions.
US07670747B2
A pattern transfer method includes first through third steps. In the first step, a desired pattern is transferred onto a resin layer formed on a substrate, a release layer being disposed between the substrate and the resin layer. In the second step, which is executed after the first step, the pattern having been transferred onto the resin layer is transferred to the substrate and the release layer is partially exposed. In the third step, which is executed after the second step, the release layer present between the substrate and the resin layer is dissolved and is thus removed from the substrate.
US07670738B2
A photoconductor comprising a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer comprised of at least one charge transport component, and where the photogenerating layer contains a boron containing compound.
US07670734B2
A photoconductor containing an optional supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer comprised of a chelating agent and a titanyl phthalocyanine; and at least one charge transport layer comprised of at least one charge transport component; and wherein a silanol is present in at least one of the photogenerating layer and charge transport layer, and wherein said at least one charge transport component is comprised of wherein X and Y are independently a suitable hydrocarbon, a halogen, or mixtures thereof.
US07670730B2
A method for correcting an exposure parameter of an immersion lithographic apparatus is provided. In the method, an exposure parameter is measured using a measuring beam projected through a liquid between the projection system and a substrate table of the immersion lithographic apparatus and offset is determined based on a change of a physical property impacting a measurement made using the measuring beam to at least partly correct the measured exposure parameter. Also, there is provided an apparatus and method to measure a height of an optical element connected to liquid between the projection system and the substrate table in the immersion lithographic apparatus.
US07670729B2
A measurement method for measuring a distortion of a projection optical system that projects a pattern, used by an exposure apparatus that exposes the reticle pattern onto an object to be exposed, the measurement method includes the steps of a first exposing step for exposing a mark pattern onto the object to be exposed, the mark pattern having a mark on or near an optical axis of the projection optical system and a mark beside the optical axis, and being arranged at a position of the reticle, a second exposing step for only exposing a mark on or near the optical axis of the projection optical system in the mark pattern, measuring step for measuring a shape of the mark formed on the object to be exposed via the first and second exposing steps, and calculating step for calculating the distortion of the projection optical system from the shape of the mark measured by the measuring step.
US07670727B2
A zero power identical pair of oppositely-oriented meniscus lens elements mounted in the projection light path, serves as curved mask support while compensating for optical anomalies such as beam shift and beam deviations produced by other transparent supports for the curved mask. The zero-power meniscus lens pair, without affecting the transmission beam characteristics, lets the beam diffract as efficiently as does a regular planar mask, thus preserving the partial coherence effects and resolution concepts of projection lithography. This simple but novel optics device is not only expected to clear several barriers for curved mask projection lithography but also find place in other applications where collimated or converging light beams have to travel extra paths without significant aberration.
US07670725B2
An optical mask for use with an exposure beam includes a mask substrate adapted to be placed on a traveling path of the exposure beam. A reference pattern is formed on the mask substrate. The reference pattern is adapted to direct the exposure beam to travel in a predetermined reference direction. A comparative pattern is formed on the mask substrate. The comparative pattern is adapted to direct the exposure beam to travel in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the reference direction.
US07670719B2
This invention provides a cell frame for a redox flow battery that prevents leakage of electrolyte out of the cell frame and also provides a good workability in assembling the redox flow battery. Also, this invention provides a redox flow battery using the cell frame. In the cell frame 30 for the redox flow battery 30 comprising a bipolar plate 21 and a frame 31 fitted around a periphery of the bipolar plate 21, the frame 31 has, on each side thereof, an inner seal and an outer seal to press-contact with a membrane and also seal electrolyte. The frame 31 has, on each side thereof, an inner seal groove 34 and an outer seal groove 35 for placing therein the inner seal and the outer seal, respectively, to prevent the electrolyte from leaking out, and O-rings are placed in the respective seal grooves.
US07670718B2
A Battery Assembly comprises a rack assembly, a plurality of guiding strips, two polar heads, a plurality of lithium batteries and safety units. The guiding strips are connected to the polar heads and are disposed on the rack assembly, respectively. The rack assembly has a containing space for accommodating the lithium batteries, and each lithium battery is connected to the guiding strip by a guiding piece via one safety unit, such that the lithium batteries are connected in parallel, thus providing enough power with a small size. In addition, each safety unit can cut off the broken lithium battery separately, so as to avoid the immediate shut-off of the electric power.
US07670711B2
The present invention provides novel compositions that find advantageous use in making electrodes for electrochemical cells and electrochemical devices such as solid oxide fuel cells, electrolyzers, sensors, pumps and the like, the compositions comprising cerium-modified doped strontium titanate. The invention also provides novel methods for making and using anode material compositions and solid oxide fuel cells and solid oxide fuel cell assemblies having anodes comprising the compositions.
US07670707B2
A laminar electrical contact for fuel cells is disclosed. By optimizing the contact area and pressure between a separator plate and a membrane electrode assembly, the lamina of the present invention improves fuel cell efficiency and performance. The lamina may rest upon compliant members or springs that push the lamina into the adjoining membrane electrode assembly, thereby assuring continuous and robust electrical contact between the separator plate and the membrane electrode assembly.
US07670694B2
Improvements to magnetic recording device including magnetic recording media are described. The improvements include the addition of copper to the recording layer as well as improved underlayers. In addition, improved manufacturing processes and magnetic/recording properties for media through heating and oxidation are described.
US07670689B2
The sulfidation resistance of a silver-base material coating is further improved by making a concentration gradient of silver, oxygen and of one or more oxidizable alloying elements that may be present in the material, from the free surface of the coating up to a depth comprised between 10 nm and 1 μm and more particularly between 100 nm and 1 μm. Thus, the coating comprises a stack of one main layer made from silver-base material and of one oxidized thin film. The thin film, with a thickness comprised between 10 nm and 1 μm, thus presents a decreasing silver concentration gradient from the interface between the thin film and the main layer to the free surface of the thin film. Deposition of the coating on a support can be achieved by two successive physical vapor deposition steps, and more particularly by magnetron cathode sputtering.
US07670688B2
An erosion-resistant article for use as a component in plasma process chamber. The erosion-resistant article comprises a support and an oxide coating comprising yttrium, which is disposed over the support. The support and the oxide coating preferably have material compositions that differ from one another in coefficient of thermal expansion by no more than 5×10−6/K. Preferred oxide coating compositions include yttria and yttrium aluminum garnet. Preferred supports include alumina supports and aluminum-silicon carbide supports.
US07670682B2
A carbon based foam article is made by heating the surface of a carbon foam block to a temperature above its graphitizing temperature, which is the temperature sufficient to graphitize the carbon foam. In one embodiment, the surface is heated with infrared pulses until heat is transferred from the surface into the core of the foam article such that the graphitizing temperature penetrates into the core to a desired depth below the surface. The graphitizing temperature is maintained for a time sufficient to substantially entirely graphitize the portion of the foam article from the surface to the desired depth below the surface. Thus, the foam article is an integral monolithic material that has a desired conductivity gradient with a relatively high thermal conductivity in the portion of the core that was graphitized and a relatively low thermal conductivity in the remaining portion of the foam article.
US07670679B2
A core-shell ceramic particulate is provided. The core-shell ceramic particulate comprises a core particulate structure comprising a plurality of primary particulates and a plurality of primary pores; and a shell at least partially enclosing the core particulate structure. Each of the primary particulates comprises a plurality of secondary particulates and a plurality of secondary pores; and the shell comprises a plurality of tertiary particulates and a plurality of tertiary pores. A method of making a core-shell ceramic particulate is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a core particulate structure comprising a plurality of primary particulates and a plurality of primary pores wherein each primary particulate comprises a plurality of secondary particulates and a plurality of secondary pores; and disposing a shell comprising a plurality of tertiary particulates and a plurality of tertiary pores onto the core particulate structure.
US07670674B2
There is described a cutting tool with improved properties for metal machining having a substrate of cemented carbide and a hard and wear resistant coating on the surface of said substrate. The coating is deposited by Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD). The coating is composed of metal nitrides in combination with alumina (Al2O3). The coating is composed of a laminar multilayered structure. The insert is further treated to have different outer layers on the rake face, and flank face respectively.
US07670673B2
A heat-resistant, light-shielding film having high light shielding capacity, high heat resistance, high sliding characteristics, low surface gloss and high electroconductivity, and useful for optical device parts, e.g., shutter or aperture blades for digital cameras and digital video cameras, and aperture blades for adjusting light intensity for projectors; method for producing the film; and aperture and light intensity adjusting device using the film.The heat-resistant, light-shielding film comprising a heat-resistant resin film base (A) resistant to 200° C. or higher, coated, on one or both sides, with an Ni-base metallic film (B) having a thickness of 50 nm or more by sputtering and then with a low-reflectivity film (C) of Ni-base oxide also by sputtering, and having a surface roughness (arithmetic average height Ra) of 0.1 to 0.7 μm.
US07670671B2
A laminated barrier is provided that can be easily attached to the frame of a vehicle door. The barrier reduces the passage of water, dust and sound into and through the vehicle door. The barrier is generally flat and includes a channel formed therein that aids in locating a bead of adhesive material, aligned with, but located on an opposite side of the barrier from the channel. The bead of adhesive material bonds the barrier to the door frame of the vehicle. The channel acts as a witness line and can be formed as part of an overall thermoforming step, or more simply by using a single heated die element during a step when the barrier is trimmed.
US07670663B2
A flame-resistant closure includes at least one closing part having at least one two-dimensional backing fabric (14) of warp threads (10) and weft threads (12) and having functional threads (16) on the right side of the backing fabric (14). The functional threads at least partially extend through the backing fabric (14), and form the closing elements (18). The backing fabric (14) is of the non-flame-resistant type. At least some sections of the backing fabric reverse side include a substrate layer (32) with a substantially inflammable medium and/or with an active extinguishing medium. This closure meets even high demands on inflammability.
US07670659B2
Substrates, coatings and methods for marking substrates using the coatings. The substrate contains a coating of encapsulated marking materials. Capsules of the encapsulated marking materials are designed to preferentially absorb a predetermined wavelength of light or range of wavelengths of light. The capsules contain color chemistry capable of activation by the predetermined wavelength of light or range of wavelengths of light for the generation of a color response. By utilizing capsules of differing color chemistries, such substrates are capable of multi-color image generation.
US07670649B2
A curable ambient cure high-solids coating composition including (a) an epoxy resin; (b) an amphiphilic block copolymer containing at least one epoxy resin miscible block segment and at least one epoxy resin immiscible block segment; wherein the immiscible block segment comprises at least one polyether structure provided that the polyether structure of said immiscible block segment contains at least one or more alkylene oxide monomer units; such that when the epoxy resin composition is cured, the toughness of the resulting cured epoxy resin composition is increased; and (c) a sufficient amount of a nitrogen-containing curing agent to cure the coating composition at ambient temperature of less than about 60° C.
US07670646B2
Atomic-Layer deposition systems and methods provide a variety of electronic products. In an embodiment, a method uses an atomic-layer deposition system that includes an outer chamber, a substrate holder, and a gas-distribution fixture that engages or cooperates with the substrate holder to form an inner chamber within the outer chamber. The inner chamber has a smaller volume than the outer chamber, which leads to less time to fill and purge during cycle times for deposition of materials.
US07670637B2
An apparatus for applying a coating solution and a method of fabricating a liquid crystal display device using the same are provided. In order to improve the shape of the inside of the nozzle and to secure the geometrical uniformity of the inside of the nozzle, the apparatus includes a nozzle comprising a nozzle body, the nozzle body including an external body and an internal body. A distance between the external body and the internal body is controlled. An inlet port is provided on the nozzle body so that coating solution is received, and a discharge port is provided below the nozzle body to coat the surface of a material to be processed with the coating solution and a driving unit for moving the nozzle in a predetermined direction.
US07670633B2
Methods, devices, and compositions relating to processed grain products are shown. An exemplary method shown is a fiber separation process for the ethanol industry corn products of Distillers Dried Grains (DDG) and Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) resulting from the widely used dry grind technology. The disclosed process and apparatus allows the removal and separate recovery of fiber-reduced DDG or DDGS products with expanded potential for use as a non-ruminant feed product in addition to the removal and separate recovery of a fiber-enriched product. The specific processes, devices, and compositions shown are readily adaptable to modern ethanol production plants.
US07670632B2
The invention provides saponin mixtures and compounds which are isolated from the species Acacia victoriae and methods for their use. These compounds may contain a triterpene moiety, such as acacic or oleanolic acid, to which oligosaccharides and monoterpenoid moieties are attached. The mixtures and compounds have properties related to the regulation of apoptosis and cytotoxicity of cells and exhibit potent anti-tumor effects against a variety of tumor cells.
US07670629B2
Bacterial infections in cattle and sheep are treated by applying a solution of zinc chloride to the hooves of the animals. Preferably, the solution is applied to the hooves by placing the solution in a foot bath and guiding the animals through the foot bath. The spent solution can then be mixed with manure and applied to the fields. The zinc acts as a micronutrient.
US07670623B2
A hemostatic composition includes a carrier medium including a predetermined amount of a particulate material. The particulate material is comprised of core particles with a coating. The core particles have an average particle size of about 5 nm to 10 μm, and the coating is one of gold, silica, silver, platinum, steel, cobalt, carbon, a polymer, or a combination thereof.
US07670622B2
The present invention relates to a biocompatible polymer composition, suitable for in vivo vessel repair, comprising a matrix pre-polymer, a filler and a curing agent, wherein said composition wherein said biocompatible polymer composition is curable in the presence of a curing catalyst at 37° C. to form a cured material with an elongation until rupture of at least 5% and an elastic modulus of at least 1 MPa.
US07670615B2
An alcoholic foam composition, which can be dispensed as a foam via a pump-foam system contains a) at least 52 to ≦99 wt % of an alcohol or mixture of alcohols, b) a surfactant or a surfactant mixture, c) at least one polyalkylene glycol, d) optionally, at least one foam stabilizer, e) optionally, at least one member selected from the group consisting of cosmetic auxiliaries, adjuvants, active ingredients, and mixtures thereof, and f) optionally water. The surface tension of component b) lies in the range of ±15 dyn/cm of the surface tension of component a) or corresponds to the surface tension of component a), and the sum of components a) to f) is 100 wt % relative to the total quantity of the foam composition.
US07670608B2
Botulinum toxin has been shown to be useful for the treatment of pain when administered for cervical dystonia. Given efficacy for pain relief in regional dystonia, further expanded applications have included myofascial pain, muscle tension headaches, and other forms of headache syndromes. The application in headache practice has expanded to migraine as well as certain secondary headache syndromes. Although multiple case reports involving the use of botulinum toxin have shown promise in its utility for the treatment of primary pain syndromes, to date, controlled trials have failed to consistently and more definitively prove utility. Described herein is a method for selection of patients with headache syndromes more likely to respond to botulinum administration. The method involves identifying coincident diseases and signs within the patient's medical history, and selecting such patients for induction into clinical studies for pain or preferential primary treatment of pain using a botulinum based pharmaceutical.
US07670606B2
A vaginal care composition is introduced directly into the vagina in the form of an ovule, a cream or an ointment or with a tampon or which is brought into a position outside the vagina on a panty liner. The composition comprises viable Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium microorganisms, non-viable Saccharomyces cultures, saccharide(s), vitamin A, and zinc.
US07670600B2
The present invention provides molecules, including IgGs, non-IgG immunoglobulins, proteins and non-protein agents, that have increased in vivo half-lives due to the presence of an IgG constant domain, or a portion thereof that binds the FcRn, having one or more amino acid modifications that increase the affinity of the constant domain or fragment for FcRn. Such proteins and molecules with increased half-lives have the advantage that smaller amounts and or less frequent dosing is required in the therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic use of such molecules.
US07670598B2
A method for treating cancer cells is provided comprising directly or systemically administering a therapeutically effective dose of an attenuated measles virus. In one embodiment, the therapeutically effective dose is from about 103 pfus to about 1012 pfus and is delivered by direct injection into a group of cancer cells or via intravenous injection.
US07670594B1
The present invention relates to a series of compositions that are very effective hair and skin conditioners. These compositions are composed of a poloxomer ester and an alkyl dimethicone copolyol. The poloxomer ester has from 14 to 40 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, at least one polyoxypropylene group and between and at least 40% by weight polyoxyethylene group in the molecule. The inclusion of the alkyl group in the alkyl dimethicone copolyol improves wet comb and skin feel.
US07670583B2
The present invention relates to processes for the purification of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Known methods of single-wall carbon nanotube production result in a single-wall carbon nanotube product that contains single-wall carbon nanotubes in addition to impurities including residual metal catalyst particles and amounts of small amorphous carbon sheets that surround the catalyst particles and appear on the side of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. The present purification processes remove the extraneous carbon as well as metal-containing residual catalyst particles.
US07670577B2
A nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter which is operated for a relatively long time at low exhaust-gas temperatures in the range between 120 and 250° C. exhibits a decreasing storage capacity as a result of incomplete regeneration at said temperatures. In order to re-establish the original storage capacity of the catalytic converter which is operated in this way, two-stage regeneration is proposed, wherein the storage catalytic converter is initially partially regenerated at the low exhaust gas temperature by means of a switch from the lean mode to the rich mode, and wherein subsequently, with rich exhaust gas again, the exhaust-gas temperature of the engine is raised into a range of between 300 and 400° C. for complete regeneration.
US07670576B2
Methods to reduce hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in chromite processing wastes include one or more of the following steps: contacting the chromite processing wastes with an oxygen scavenger or chemical reducer; permitting the chromite processing wastes to react with the oxygen scavenger or chemical reducer; contacting the chromite processing wastes with ferrous ion; contacting the chromite processing wastes with sulfide ion; and, contacting the chromite processing wastes with ferrous sulfide.
US07670575B2
The method and furnace according to the invention enable a continuous processing of anode slime and are particularly suited to be connected to a process where anode slime is treated by hydrometallurgic methods after roasting. In the method according to the invention, the slime containing valuable metals and selenium is dried, roasted, sulfatized and cooled. The method includes steps to be carried out in succession, in continuous operation, so that the slime forms a slime layer on the conveyor and is conveyed to be treated in successive drying, roasting, sulfatizing and sulfuric acid removal and cooling units.
US07670566B2
Disclosed are devices for dispensing air treatment chemicals. There is a substrate bearing a first volatile air treatment chemical that is capable of being dispensed from the substrate when the substrate is heated, and an indicator unit holding a volatile indicator chemical separate from the first volatile air treatment chemical such that the volatile indicator chemical is capable of being dispensed from the unit when the unit is heated. The extent of dispensing of the first volatile air treatment chemical can be indicated by a visible cue whose appearance results from the dispensing of the volatile indicator chemical. In one form the unit also holds a second air treatment chemical. In another the indicator unit is a replaceable cartridge positionable more remote from the heater than the substrate.
US07670562B2
The invention generally relates to a dispensing container for analytical disposables. In particular test elements, for the storage and removal of one disposable each from a storage container provided in the form of a drum cartridge.
US07670561B2
A joint to be attached to a port of a micro fluidic element, has an outer peripheral surface of truncated subulate shape at a front end portion of the joint to form a front surface as a top of the truncated subulate shape, and a cuneiform space in an inside of the joint at the front end portion of the joint, the joint is made of an elastomer, and the cuneiform space includes a front end overlapping the front surface as seen in a direction along which a tube is guided by the cuneiform space when the tube is inserted into the joint so that the tube is enabled to penetrate the front surface through the front end.
US07670552B2
The present invention provides a hydrogen peroxide indicator and a peracetic acid indicator that include a substrate on which is disposed an indicator composition that includes at least one of a select group of colorants and a transition metal salt. As a result of exposure to hydrogen peroxide and/or peracetic acid, the colorants change color, and even become colorless, thereby providing an indication of the presence of hydrogen peroxide and/or peracetic acid.
US07670547B2
Low alloy steel for oil country tubular goods contains, in percentage by mass, 0.20% to 0.35% C, 0.05% to 0.5% Si, 0.05% to 0.6% Mn, at most 0.025% P, at most 0.01% S, 0.005% to 0.100% Al, 0.8% to 3.0% Mo, 0.05% to 0.25% V, 0.0001% to 0.005% B, at most 0.01% N, and at most 0.01% O, the balance comprising Fe and impurities, the steel satisfying Expression (1): 12V+1−Mo≧0 (1) where the symbols of elements represent the contents of the elements in percentage by mass. In this way, the steel according to the present invention has high SSC resistance.
US07670540B2
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for manufacturing a balloon catheter in which a non-contact type laser perforator and printer are separately provided above a primary extruder such that inflation apertures can be uniformly perforated through a non-vulcanized lumen tube and simultaneously, tube cutting positions can be printed on the lumen tube at positions uniformly spaced apart from the inflation apertures without stopping a primary extrusion process. Also, a bond preventing agent layer is coated on the lumen tube at balloon inflating portions prior to cutting the tube, to facilitate a secondary extrusion of the tube. With this configuration, continuous and accurate perforation of inflation apertures is possible and automatic tube cutting can be achieved based on the printed tube cutting positions. Also, the present invention can compensate for a time delay due to a bond preventing agent application process and achieve high productivity and minimized loss of material.
US07670536B2
Disclosed is a lock of a molding system having a rod and a platen. The lock includes a lock member associated with the rod that is movable between a clamped position and a released position by a clamp assembly. A complementary lock member is associated with the platen. The lock member and the complementary lock member are cooperatively operable to move between a lockable condition and an unlockablecondition within a relatively lower flex zone of the platen. The relatively lower flex zone of the platen is a portion of the platen adjacent to the rod relative to a relatively higher flex zone of the platen also adjacent to the rod.
US07670531B2
A method for producing a formed wooden article by cutting out a primary blank member from a raw wood and forming the same into a final three-dimensional shape having a substantially uniform thickness, comprises: a primary compression step in which the primary blank member is compressed by primary molding dies, and the primary blank member is processed into a primary compressed article having a high compression portion in a vicinity of portions of the primary blank member corresponding to a die surface; a secondary blank processing step in which the primary compressed article is cut and processed into a secondary blank member; and a secondary compression step in which the secondary blank member is compressed by using secondary molding dies and the final three-dimensional shape is transferred onto the secondary blank member.
US07670509B2
A silica nanofiber is derived from a crystalline polymer filament of a polymer including straight chain polyethyleneimine backbones, which is capable of forming a water-insoluble crystal in the presence of water molecules at room temperature, and the crystalline polymer filament in the silica concentrates metal ions, thereby realizing a composite nanofiber including metals or metal ions in the silica. Furthermore, the composite nanofiber of the present invention can be easily produced by fixing a polymer structure in the silica as the scaffold for metal ions and concentrating metal ions at the scaffold or reducing the metal ions. Furthermore, a metal-containing silica nanofiber can be easily obtained by removing a polymer component from the composite nanofiber, the composite nanofiber association, and the complex nanofiber structure. These nanofibers can be assembled and integrated, and the assembled or integrated association or structure can realize various shapes.
US07670505B2
Compounds of the general formula I (variables defined herein) and processes for making compounds including 2,6 -naphthyl radicals are provided. Polymerizable or nonpolymerizable liquid-crystalline compositions including one or more compounds including 2,6 -naphthyl radicals, and products and processes employing such compositions, are also provided.
US07670499B2
Special amine compositions comprising a) 30-70% by weight of a polyetherdiamine of the general formula (I) in which n is from 10 to 70, b) 3-30% by weight of a monoamine of the general formula R1—NH2, in which R1 is the straight-chain or branched, saturated or preferably unsaturated radical of a hydrocarbon having 5 to 22 carbon atoms or of a monofunctional polyetheramine having a molecular weight of up to 400 g/mol and c) 3-30% by weight of a di- or triamine and d) 5-40% by weight of an alkylphenol of the general formula (II) in which R2 is the straight-chain, branched or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated radical of a hydrocarbon having 5 to 14 carbon atoms, and curable epoxy resin compositions comprising these special amine compositions, the use of which results in thermosets which have a low degree of crosslinking, are resilient even at low temperatures and are resistant to chemical compositions, and the production of shaped articles and coatings using these curable compositions.
US07670497B2
A composition that may be used for cleaning a metal containing conductor layer, such as a copper containing conductor layer, within a microelectronic structure includes an aqueous acid, along with an oxidant material and a passivant material contained within the aqueous acid. The composition does not include an abrasive material. The composition is particularly useful for cleaning a residue from a copper containing conductor layer and an adjoining dielectric layer that provides an aperture for accessing the copper containing conductor layer within a microelectronic structure.
US07670490B2
A method of storing and dispensing a fluid includes providing a vessel configured for selective dispensing of the fluid therefrom. The vessel contains an ionic liquid therein. The fluid is contacted with the ionic liquid for take-up of the fluid by the ionic liquid. There is substantially no chemical change in the ionic liquid and the fluid. The fluid is released from the ionic liquid and dispensed from the vessel.
US07670489B2
The invention relates to a method for purifying effluents in an anaerobic reactor (1) in which the micro-organisms are held by supports, the supports forming a bed which is fixed in a part (4, 5) of the reactor. The inventive method is characterized in that it includes a step wherein the reactor is backwashed once it has been at least partially clogged, by temporarily suspending the supports. Advantageously, the method includes an initial step for starting the reactor, during which the load of the reactor is increased with a short and constant hydraulic residence time.
US07670487B2
A depressurization process for a packed separation column is provided where the column system experiences a rapid and/or severe drop in pressure that could potentially damage column components. The process provides a safe de-pressurization of the column on the outlet side by decreasing the outlet pressure in controlled steps while allowing the inlet pressure of the column time to lower after each decreased step.
US07670484B2
A filter cartridge including a filtering body having first and second porous filter walls. The second porous filter wall having a density that is different than the first porous filter wall. The density of the second porous filter wall being defined by interstitial spaces. The filter cartridge further including discrete chemically filtering particles that are captured within the interstitial spaces of the second porous filter wall when the filtering body is in a vertical filtering orientation.
US07670479B2
A fluid container for dispensing a first fluid and a consumable additive. The fluid container includes a first chamber for containing a first fluid and an additive dispensing system. The first chamber is configured such that the first fluid may be dispensed from the first chamber. The additive dispensing system selectively operable to dispense an amount of additive and is not in fluid communication with the first chamber.
US07670477B2
A process and the use of a process for desulphurizing a hydrocarbon feed is described which comprises at least one of the following steps: A a step for selective hydrogenation of diolefins present in said initial hydrocarbon feed, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a metal from group VIII of the periodic table on an inert support based on metal oxides, in the presence of a quantity of hydrogen which is in excess with respect to the stoichiometric value necessary for hydrogenating all of said diolefins, the mole ratio between the hydrogen and the diolefins being in the range 1 to 5; b) Extraction, using an appropriate solvent, of said hydrogenated fraction to obtain at least two cuts including: a raffinate comprising the majority of the olefins, paraffins and naphthenes and a reduced quantity of sulphur-containing compounds contained in the initial feed; a heavy fraction containing the heavy aromatic hydrocarbons and the majority of the sulphur-containing compounds contained in the initial feed; C a step for regenerating the solvent by distillation; at least two of steps A, B and C being carried out jointly.
US07670475B2
A process and apparatus for the electrolytic separation of fluorine from a mixture of gases is disclosed. Also described is the process and apparatus for the generation of fluorine from fluorine/fluoride containing solids, liquids or gases.
US07670473B1
The present invention is directed to a top surface of a workpiece surface influencing device and a method of using the same. The top surface of the workpiece surface influencing device is adapted for use in an electrochemical mechanical processing apparatus in which a solution becomes disposed onto a conductive surface of a workpiece and electrochemical mechanical processing of the conductive surface is performed while relative movement and physical contact exists between the top surface and the conductive surface. The top surface comprises a ceramic material that presents a substantially planar contact area to the conductive surface, the ceramic material having a hardness greater than that of the conductive surface. A plurality of channels are formed through the top surface.
US07670469B2
In recent years, copper wiring has emerged as a promising substitute for the aluminum wiring in integrated circuits, because copper offers lower electrical resistance and better reliability at smaller dimensions than aluminum. However, use of copper typically requires forming a diffusion barrier to prevent contamination of other parts of an integrated circuit and forming a seed layer to facilitate copper plating steps. Unfortunately, conventional methods of forming the diffusion barriers and seed layers require use of separate wafer-processing chambers, giving rise to transport delays and the introduction of defect-causing particles. Accordingly, the inventors devised unique wafer-processing chambers and methods of forming barrier and seed layers. One embodiment of the wafer-processing chamber includes equipment for physical vapor deposition and equipment for chemical vapor deposition to facilitate formation of diffusion barriers and seed layers within one chamber, thereby promoting fabrication efficiency and reducing defects.
US07670467B2
A supercapacitor having a metal oxide electrode and a method for preparing the same. The method comprises preparing a substrate composed of a current collector and a titanium dioxide ultrafine fiber matrix layer formed on the current collector, and electrochemically depositing a metal oxide thin film layer onto the substrate by a constant current potentiometry or a cyclic voltammetric method. Since the metal oxide is uniformly deposited on the substrate having a wide specific surface area with the titanium dioxide ultrafine fiber, a bonding material or a conductive particle need not to be added to the capacitor electrode. Therefore, a resistance of the capacitor electrode is prevented from being increased, and thus a capacitance of the capacitor electrode is prevented from being decreased.
US07670460B2
A process for the production of paper which includes the steps of providing an aqueous suspension containing cellulosic fibers, and optional fillers; adding to the suspension: (a) at least one charged organic polymer; and (b) an aqueous sol containing silica-based particles; wherein the sol has: (i) an S-value within the range of from 10 to 45%; (ii) a viscosity within the range of from 5 to 40 cP; and (iii) a molar ratio of SiO2 to M2O, where M is alkali metal or ammonium, within the range of from 10:1 to 40:1; and (III) forming and draining the suspension on a wire. The invention is further directed to processes for making paper wherein the added sol has: (i) an S-value within the range of from 10 to 45%; (ii) a viscosity within the range of from 5 to 40 cP; and (iii) a silica content of at least 10% by weight, or wherein the added sol has: (i) an S-value within the range of from 10 to 45%; (ii) a viscosity within the range of from 7 to 25 cP; (iii) a silica content of at least 10% by weight; (iv) a molar ratio of SiO2 to M2O, where M is alkali metal or ammonium, within the range of from 10:1 to 40:1; and (v) a pH of at least 10.6. The invention is further directed to a process for making paper wherein the added sol is modified by an aluminum-containing compound, a boron-containing compound or a mixture thereof and has: (i) an S-value within the range of from 10 to 45%; (ii) a viscosity within the range of from 5 to 40 cP; (iii) a silica content of at least 10% by weight; and (iv) a molar ratio of SiO2 to M2O, where M being alkali metal or ammonium, within the range of from 10:1 to 40:1.
US07670459B2
Fibrous products containing a durable softening agent are disclosed. The softening agent generally comprises a polysiloxane containing a plurality of first functional groups. In order to improve the wet retention of the softening agent on cellulosic fibers, the softening agent is reacted with a retention agent. The retention agent generally comprises a cationic polymer having a second functional group. In one embodiment, for instance, the softening agent contains epoxy groups or anhydride groups, while the retention agent contains amine groups. Products that may be made according to the present invention include tissue products, wipes and other absorbent articles.
US07670456B2
In a multi-effect falling-film evaporator, purified water for special purposes is produced. In each effect, a steam phase and a water phase is produced from the feed water. The steam phase is used for heating in the subsequent effect, whereby it condenses to product water, and the water phase becomes the feed stream for the subsequent effect. A reject stream is removed from the process to carry off impurities separated from the water. According to the invention, a reject stream is removed from each effect. Preferably, each reject stream is a condensed fraction of the steam generated in the respective effect.
US07670453B1
A device for treating with microwave plasma a container. The container is placed in a chamber (12) made of a conductive material and is rotationally symmetrical, and the device includes a wave guide tunnel (15) substantially perpendicular to the axis (A1) of the chamber and which emerges therein in the form of a rectangular window whereof the smaller dimension corresponds to its dimension along the chamber axis. The internal diameter of the chamber (12) is such that the microwaves are propagated in the chamber mainly according to a mode whereby the electric field resulting from the propagation of the microwaves exhibit an axial rotational symmetry.
US07670451B2
A cable is installed in coiled tubing for use in. downhole wells; the cable having an expandable jacket (22) extruded around it. After being installed in the coiled tubing, and the expandable jacket is caused to expand, securing the cable in the coiled tubing. The expandable jacket is caused to expand by the application of heat or by the application of a liquid hydrocarbon. The expandable jacket may be discontinuous along the length of the power cable, discontinuous portions being provided by interspersing the expandable jacket with sections non-expandable material.
US07670446B2
A method is disclosed for preparing metastable nanoenergetic composites (MNC) and for wet loading those MNCs into percussion primer cups. The method involves dispersing nanosize reactants in an inert liquid or, alternatively, making a nanosize reactant surface modification for improvement of reactant's chemical inertness towards water, followed by application of additives supporting a solid reactant particle dispersion in water or water solution prior to mixing. After mixing of the reactants, one maintains the presence of liquid water together within an energetic material in order to enhance safety during pre-loading of the primer mixture into the primer cups and during the final drying.
US07670445B2
A titanium alloy contains vanadium, from 10 to 20% by weight; aluminum, from 0.2 to 10% by weight; and a balance essentially titanium, and the alloy has a microstructure including a martensite phase. Alternatively, the titanium alloy contains vanadium, from 10 to 20% by weight; aluminum, from 0.2 to 10% by weight; and a balance essentially titanium, and the alloy has a microstructure including a β phase capable of transforming into a martensite phase by cold working or cooling under a room temperature.
US07670444B2
Disclosed is a non-heat treated steel for hot forging, particularly suitable for producing connecting rods of automobile engines. The steel consists essentially of: by weight, C: 0.3-0.8%, Si: 0.1-2.0%, Mn: 0.3-1.5%, P: 0.01-0.15%, Cr: 0-1.0%, V: 0-0.4%, Al: 0-0.05%, N: 0.005-0.03% and the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, provided that the contents of C, Mn and Cr fulfill the following condition: 1.40[C %]+0.28[Mn %]+0.50[Cr %]≧0.75 Pearlite area fraction in this steel after hot forging is 50% or more. Notches are provided with laser beam on an intermediate part at the location from which fracture starts, and load is applied. Then, the intermediate is split to be two components (big end or cap and small end/rod for connecting rod). The components are adhered to form the parts.
US07670441B2
A method of processing materials at multiple work sites that prevents contamination of the atmosphere. The method includes providing a plurality of work sites containing workpieces, positioning a track connecting the sites, providing a mobile system comprising an enclosure and a treatment system in communication with a space enclosed by the enclosure, moving the mobile system so that the enclosure surrounds the workpieces on the first site, processing those workpieces, moving the mobile system along the track as a single unit onto a second work site, and processing those workpieces on the second site. The enclosure may be readily openable at opposing portions facing the track to enable the enclosure to pass over workpieces on the plurality of work sites. Additionally, a method of constructing an operation for processing workpieces is provided.
US07670439B2
A dishwasher includes a pump assembly having a chopper blade and apertured plate arrangement which function to chop soil particles entrained in a flow of washing fluid. The chopper blade floats or axially slides relative to a drive member from a first position spaced from the apertured plate to a second position closer to the apertured plate in order to macerate the soil particles. The chopper blade is actually mounted to a hub member including a shaft portion that extends into and abuts an inner portion of an impeller to maintain a desired spacing between the chopper blade and the apertured plate, while transferring drive from the drive member to both the chopper blade and impeller.
US07670433B2
The problem solved by this Invention is to provide a vacuum evaporation deposition method of the winding type and a vacuum evaporation deposition apparatus of the winding type which can form a metal film on a base film made of single layer plastic film without thermal deformation and with superior productivity. To solve the above problem, there are provided an electron beam irradiator 21 for irradiating an electron beam onto a film material 12 arranged between an unwinding roller 13 and a deposition source 16; an auxiliary roller 18 for guiding the film 12 in contact with the deposited metal layer and arranged between a can roller 14 and a winding roller 15; a DC bias power source 22 for applying a DC voltage between the auxiliary roller 18 and the can roller 14; electricity removing unit 23 for removing electricity from the film 12 and arranged between the can roller 14 and the winding roller 15. The electricity removing unit 23 is a plasma generating source of the DC dipolar discharge type wherein one of its electrodes is earthed.
US07670430B2
It is provided a method for gently and safely recovering only sodium metal from a flux containing sodium metal in a short time and in a reusable form. Flux 23 is heated in a medium 19 unreactive with sodium metal 22 at a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of sodium metal to separate and recover the sodium metal 22 from the flux 23. The medium is a hydrocarbon, for example.
US07670429B2
High throughput screening of crystallization of a target material is accomplished by simultaneously introducing a solution of the target material into a plurality of chambers of a microfabricated fluidic device. The microfabricated fluidic device is then manipulated to vary the solution condition in the chambers, thereby simultaneously providing a large number of crystallization environments. Control over changed solution conditions may result from a variety of techniques, including but not limited to metering volumes of crystallizing agent into the chamber by volume exclusion, by entrapment of volumes of crystallizing agent determined by the dimensions of the microfabricated structure, or by cross-channel injection of sample and crystallizing agent into an array of junctions defined by intersecting orthogonal flow channels.
US07670420B2
A binder for the production of a layer for road works or civil engineering comprises, with respect to the total weight of the binder:(a) 2 to 98% in weight of at least one purely natural or modified natural resin, of vegetable origin, having a softening point measured of 30 to 200%;(b) 98 to 2% in weight of at least one oil of vegetable origin having a viscosity at 25° C. of 50 mPa·s to 1000 Pa·s,(c) the binder having: (c1) either a penetrability at 25° C., of 20 to 300 1/10 mm and a softening point of 30 to 75° C., (c2) or a penetrability at 15° C., of 300 to 900 and a viscosity at 60° C., and (d) the binder being exempt of any natural or synthetic elastomer and of any thermoplastic polymer.
US07670409B2
A method for processing an organic solvent-containing air is disclosed. The method can be operated in spite of a rapid fluctuation of the concentration of the organic solvents in the air to be processed, specifically, the method does not increase the organic solvent content in the air to be emitted into the atmosphere after processing, even if the concentration of the organic solvents rapidly changes. The method comprises carrying out simultaneously and continuously an adsorbing-removing step, a regenerating step, and a combustion step, while mixing a purified air produced in the adsorbing-removing step with an exhaust gas from a combustion furnace produced in the combustion step, and decomposing the organic solvents in the mixture by oxidation.
US07670404B2
This structure (11) comprises first and second filtering elements (15A, 15B) extending essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis (X-X′) of the structure (11) between an admission region (21) of the gases into the structure (11) and an evacuation region (23) of the gases from the structure, and comprises a seal (17) for joining these elements (15A, 15B). The seal (17) comprises at least one downstream pat (43) which has a thermal mass per unit length greater than the thermal mass per unit length of an upstream part (41) of the seal (17). The invention is for use in particulate filters for the exhaust gases of a motor vehicle diesel engine.
US07670397B2
A filter-fan unit has a housing, at least one fan arranged in the housing, and at least one filter connected to the housing. The housing is transferable from a transport/storage position into a position of use, wherein the transport/storage position is significantly smaller than the position of use. The housing is foldable from the transport/storage position into the position of use. The housing has a housing frame and one or more sidewalls connected with one side to the housing frame.
US07670396B2
A filter for filtering a fluid passing therethrough is provided. The filter includes a filter media having an outer periphery, an inner periphery, a first end portion, and a second end portion. The filter further includes a first end cap disposed on the first end portion. The filter further includes a second end cap disposed on the second end portion. The filter further includes a deflecting member disposed over a portion of the outer periphery, wherein the fluid is deflected by the deflecting member and a portion of the fluid is filtered by the filter media by entering through a portion of the outer periphery not covered by the deflecting member.
US07670393B2
A method for causing chemical reactions between fluids, comprising the steps of arranging a plurality of metal sheets for providing first fluid flow channels adjacent to and in heat transfer contact with second fluid flow channels between adjacent ones of the metal sheets, placing catalyst material within at least some of the flow channels, passing a first fluid mixture through the first fluid flow channels and a second fluid mixture through the second fluid flow channels, wherein the first fluid mixture is different from the second fluid mixture, each fluid mixture undergoing separate reactions, one of the reactions being endothermic while the other reaction is exothermic, and causing heat to transfer between the adjacent fluid flow channels.
US07670386B2
An improved socket for a prosthesis uses a liner material providing fluid flow through a porous matrix whose local pressure is adjusted by a control system communicating with multiple valves and pressure sensors. Control of pressure in a viscoelastic material provides an improved trade-off between comfort and stability.
US07670383B1
A prosthetic device for replacement of a hip bone that includes an acetabular component configured to connect to a femoral implant and a pubis member. The pubis member connects to the acetabular component and includes a clamping portion that is configured to attach to an opposed healthy pubis bone. The pubis member further includes a worm or other clamping method drive that is configured to tighten the clamping portion against the opposed healthy pubis bone thereby providing stability to the prosthetic hip bone and avoiding the use of bone screws in the opposed healthy pubis bone.
US07670375B2
Methods for limiting the movement of flowable material introduced into or between tissue layers of the human spine. The method can include inserting a member between tissue layers of the human spine. The member has a first configuration for insertion of the elongated member between tissue layers. The shape of the member is changed into a second configuration that defines a barrier that limits or directs the movement of flowable material. Flowable material is introduced to a selected location between the tissue layers and the barrier acts to limit or direct the movement of the flowable material.
US07670369B2
An endoluminal prosthesis is disclosed and comprises a first generally tubular stent, a second generally tubular stent, and a generally tubular graft member concentrically disposed between the first and second stents. One or more of the first and second stents may have a body portion and a flaring portion. The first and second stents each may have a recoil force such that the combined application of the first and second recoil forces secures the graft member between the first and second stents.
US07670368B2
A venous valve with a frame and a cover on the frame for unidirectional flow of a liquid through the valve.
US07670360B2
A spinal implant assembly is provided for stabilizing the spine. The assembly includes an elongated plate, bolts, and nuts. The plate is fixed to vertebrae spanning an injury or deformity to a disc or vertebra using the bolts and nuts. Screws can provide additional stability. The nuts are configured to extend through the plate to clamp the plate between collars on both the bolts and nuts.
US07670359B2
Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for interbody fusion. In some embodiments, a device is provided for fusing vertebral bodies. The device includes a shell configured to be disposed between a first body and a second body, an injection opening to receive fusing material, and a delivery hole configured to enable fusing material to flow into at least one of the first body and the second body.
US07670358B2
A system and method for ameliorating spinal column anomalies, such as scoliosis, includes bone screws which are to be implanted in the pedicle region(s) of individual to-be-derotated vertebrae and in vertebrae to which balancing forces must be applied as the spinal column is manipulated en mass to achieve an over-all correction of the condition. A pedicle screw cluster derotation tool simultaneously engages multiple pedicle screws and transmits manipulative forces to multiple vertebrae to effect a whole-spine correction. Pre-contoured spinal rods are engaged post-derotation to secure the correction.
US07670357B2
What is described is a surgical instrument for manipulating a bent surgical wire. The surgical instrument is particularly suitable for inserting one or both ends of a wire, which is bent in the shape of a U, in apertures provided for that purpose in a bone plate. The instrument possesses two jaws that can be moved relative to one another for the purpose of generating a gripping force, at least one of the jaws having a wire-receiving device which positions a bent wire, which is to be received, in a plane substantially parallel to the direction of gripping force.
US07670355B2
Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site.
US07670349B2
The invention provides a device having two components: a needle advancing apparatus slidable longitudinally along a catheter to advance needles into a tissue membrane, such as a blood vessel wall, around an opening in the membrane; and, a suture retrieval assembly insertable through the catheter beyond a distal side of the tissue membrane. The needle advancing apparatus advances suture through the tissue wall. The suture retrieval assembly grabs the suture on the distal side of the tissue membrane for extraction thereof through the opening in the tissue membrane. A method for suturing a membrane beneath the patient's skin is also disclosed.
US07670348B2
An exemplary medical apparatus insertable into the vasculature of a patient at an insertion point for treating a defect in the heart, may include an elongated, flexible driver sufficient in length to extend from the insertion point to the defect in the heart; and a staple frangibly attached to the distal end of the driver. Another exemplary medical apparatus may include a catheter sufficient in length to extend from the insertion point to the patent foramen ovale; a housing attached to the distal end of the catheter; a driver extending into the housing; and a staple frangibly attached to the driver. Another exemplary medical apparatus may include a steering catheter sufficient in length to extend from the insertion point to the patent foramen ovale; an end effector attached to the distal end of the steering catheter, the end effector having a cross-section sufficiently small to allow it to be moved through the vasculature to the patent foramen ovale; and a staple held by the end effector, wherein the staple is frangibly separable from and deployable out of the end effector to close the patent foramen ovale.
US07670345B2
A bone incision block includes an incision guide, a localization reference adjustably attached to the incision guide, a fastener for fastening to a bone, and an adjustment device. The incision guide defines an incision plane, and the localization reference enables the incision plane to be spatially determined. The adjustment device is operatively coupled between the fastener and the incision guide, wherein the incision plane can be set relative to the bone via the adjustment device, and a spatial position of the adjustment device can be determined via a registration element.
US07670344B2
A finely-adjustable resection guide has two bodies pivotally connected to each other. One of the bodies has a plurality of threaded through-bores extending in perpendicular directions through the body. Two thumbscrews extend through the threaded through-bores. The thumbscrews can translate linearly with respect to the body as they are turned. A cutting block is pivotally connected to the body that has the thumbscrews. Linear translation of one of the thumbscrews causes the cutting guide surface of the cutting block to pivot about one axis and linear translation of the other thumbscrew causes the cutting guide surface to pivot about another axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. A third threaded member is provided to adjust the proximal-distal position of the cutting guide surface.
US07670335B2
The present invention relates to a device assembly and tissue ablation transducer having a plurality of helical elements that can be operated out of phase to orient the acoustical energy beam forward or backward in the longitudinal direction. The transducers includes a cylindrical inner electrode, a cylindrical piezoelectric material disposed over the inner electrode, and a cylindrical outer electrode disposed over the cylindrical piezoelectric material. Spiral grooves are cut through at least the outer electrode separating the transducer into a plurality of functionally discrete helical transducer segments. The helical transducer segments can be operated independent from one another. An array of intertwined helical transducers arranged linearly along a helical axis are also contemplated.
US07670332B2
An anti-reflux drainage device includes an elongated member defining a lumen, and a valve disposed along the elongated member. The valve can include one or more lumens in fluid connection with the lumen of the elongated member, a socket, a shaft disposed in the socket, and a stopper connected to the shaft that occludes the second lumen when exposed to retrograde pressure. Another such device includes an elongated member and a ball valve. The ball valve can include a seat and a shoulder defined by the elongated member, and a ball disposed in the elongated member between the seat and shoulder that occludes lumen when exposed to retrograde pressure.
US07670327B2
A method is disclosed for the delivery of therapeutic agents into tissues, blood vessels, and body ducts of the human body. A novel catheter enables controlled directing of emitted drug delivery to assist control of drug dwell time in targeted areas. One coaxial catheter embodiment provides capability for locating an outer lumen of the system into the target region, with localization of said outer lumen carried out by use of appropriate medical imaging modalities. In one embodiment, an inner lumen of the catheter means is primed with the agent to be delivered, and recirculated flow of the agent through pluralities of appropriately positioned port holes on the two lumens then occurs via one or more active and/or passive flow driving and guiding techniques intrinsic to the design of the coaxial catheter system. Another coaxial catheter embodiment carries and emits agent in an outer cannula and recaptures agent plus liquid or fluids in the body (such as blood, bile, serum, stable (non-flowing) liquid or kinetic liquid) in an inner cannula.
US07670326B2
A syringe adapter element for use in a drug mixing system including a housing element having a syringe port adapted for fluid connection with a syringe and a fluid port adapted for fluid connection with a fluid flow adapter element, a needle and at least one septum disposed in the housing element, the needle having a sealed orientation wherein the at least one septum blocks fluid flow through the needle and a fluid flow orientation wherein the needle punctures the at least one septum so as to permit fluid to flow through the needle, and an anti-separation device adjacent the fluid port, such that when the syringe adapter element is connected to a fluid flow adapter element, the anti-separation device applies a force that acts against separating the syringe adapter element from the fluid flow adapter element.
US07670324B2
A disposable absorbent article adapted to be worn about a lower torso of a human body and having a chassis, a non-removable absorbent core component disposed in a crotch region of the chassis, and a replaceable absorbent core component disposed in capillary liquid communication with the non-removable absorbent core component and having longitudinally disposed regions of liquid permeability and liquid impermeability on the same surface. The replaceable absorbent core component may be removed and a like component may be substituted without the removal of the absorbent article from the wearer. The replaceable absorbent core component may be disposed inside an openable chassis pocket, with access for its removal and replacement provided by an aperture in a backsheet, an openable end of an external pocket, or an openable end of an internal pocket formed at an area of a waist end edge where the backsheet and a topsheet may be separated.
US07670321B2
A sealing element for isolating or sealing off a component or structure of an injection or administering device from other components or structures of the device or from the surroundings, wherein the isolated component or structure is an electrical component. The invention encompasses methods of forming and using the sealing element, and an injection or administering device including the sealing element.
US07670320B2
An indwelling needle includes a cylindrical main body to be fixed to a fitted body, a cylindrical hub for holding a needle, and a cylindrical protective cover which surround the needle and is provided slidably along the needle. In the usage state, the hub and the needle are advanced to the tip end side with respect to the main body and the protective cover is retreated to the rear end side with respect to the main body to project a cutting edge of the needle. In the housed state, the hub is retreated to the rear end side with respect to the main body, and the protective cover is advanced to the tip end side and the cutting edge of the needle is housed within the protective cover. Erroneous sticking into medical staff is prevented, and the burden on a patient is reduced.
US07670311B2
Methods and devices for reducing the mineral content of a region of non-intimal vascular tissue are provided. In the subject methods, an isolated local environment that includes the region to be demineralized is produced. The pH of the local environment is then reduced to a subphysiologic level, e.g. by flushing with an acidic dissolution fluid, for a period of time sufficient for the mineral content of the region to be reduced. The devices of the subject invention are characterized by comprising a means for producing an isolated local environment that includes a non-intimal region of vascular tissue. Also provided are kits for practicing the subject methods.
US07670299B2
A medical device for severing and removing small amounts of internal tissue for biopsy sampling or other purposes is disclosed. Versions of the device may include a hollow probe having a piecing tip, a tissue receiving aperture and a vacuum lumen; a cutter within the probe having a cutting edge that moves past the tissue receiving aperture, and a cutter driver mechanism. A cutter for use with versions disclosed herein may include an angled cutting tip and a cutting edge having a concave grind. Versions of the device also may include an aspirator fluidly connected to the vacuum lumen, coordinated operation of the aspirator and the cutter driver mechanism, and a fluid management system. Versions described may be used for removing multiple samples of tissue during a single insertion of the probe proximate to a target tissue mass.
US07670296B2
A connector for blood pressure measurement systems is provided, wherein the connector enables interchangeable individual connection of a cuff to various gage housings, including those equipped with a male fitting or a female fitting, yet wherein the presence of the connector also desirably prevents inadvertent connection of a gage housing to certain other medical equipment.
US07670294B2
A needle guide includes a straight conduit having a linear passage of an inner diameter that allows passage of the needle and a funnel for increasing the diameter of an opening of the straight conduit at a second end wherein a distance from a center of an opening of the funnel to an ultrasonic probe body is larger than a distance from a center of an opening of the straight conduit at a first end to the ultrasonic probe body.
US07670292B2
A method and system for managing at least one animal is disclosed. The method can include imaging, such as ultrasound imaging, a lung of a live animal, such as a ruminant animal or bovine animal. The imaging can be performed to determine a degree of respiratory damage from past respiratory illness. After imaging, information regarding respiratory damage can be used to select at least one aspect of the treatment, care or disposition of the animal. For example, the information can be used to select the amount or type of feed provided to the animal at a feedlot. The information also can be used to select how long the animal should be housed at the feedlot prior to slaughter. If an animal is diagnosed with a respiratory illness, information about its degree of respiratory damage from past respiratory illness also can be used to select the appropriate medical treatment or lack of treatment.
US07670287B2
A medical diagnostic instrument includes a housing containing at least one battery and a light source, such as a lamp, for illuminating a medical target. A switch includes a movable member that selectively moves at least one of the battery and the lamp into and out of electrical connection with the other. The instrument is preferably fabricated from a diecast or an extrusion process wherein a thin plastic sleeve member having text and/or graphic materials can be shrink fitted onto an extruded handle.
US07670284B2
A medical device (10) includes an articulating shaft (20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, or 20f) with a pair of slat assemblies (31, 33). By moving an articulator (37), the slat assemblies (31, 33) are configured to concurrently push while the other pulls in order to bend the articulating shaft (20). The articulating shaft (20) includes a series of pivot members (26, 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d, 126e and 226e, or 126f and 226f). The pivot members (26) may include inner links (126e, 126f) and outer links (226e, 226f) . A method for articulating a shaft of a medical device is also provided.
US07670281B2
An instrument support apparatus is disclosed. In some embodiments, the instrument support apparatus may be for supporting an instrument having a shaft extending along a shaft axis relative to a patient positioned adjacent to an external frame. In some embodiments, the instrument support apparatus may include a base fixedly mountable onto the external frame, a pivot assembly mounted for pivoting relative to the base, an arm assembly extending along a longitudinal axis, and a support assembly configured to support the instrument on the arm assembly.
US07670280B2
A female stimulation device and method for enhancing female sexual stimulation. The device includes a body having a tip portion, a flange, and an intermediate side wall portion. The intermediate side wall portion extending from the tip portion to the flange. The vacuum produced by the device can be controlled, and additional structures and elements may be added to enhance clitoral blood flow and stimulation without causing injury when the device is applied to a user.
US07670278B2
A direct bone conduction hearing aid system for generating direct bone conduction vibration includes a vibrator that is placed in an implanted vibrator unit and an implanted energy-receiving unit that has an energy-receiving inductive coil. A vibrator supply cable connects the implanted energy-receiving unit to the implanted vibrator unit. A mounting arm connects the implanted vibrator unit with an anchoring fixture that is anchored to the skull bone through the skull bone surface. The implanted vibrator unit is positioned in the mastoid cavity. The mounting arm is positioned laterally to the implanted vibrator unit and the bone fixation portion of the anchoring fixture.
US07670277B2
A method of solidifying toxic or hazardous liquid waste, including the steps of pumping an aqueous waste, e.g., from a drilling fluid holding area; through a shearing device; adding the layered phyllosilicate to said aqueous waste in an amount sufficient to solidify the aqueous waste sufficiently such that the solidified aqueous waste has no free liquid; shearing the pumped aqueous waste, containing said layered phyllosilicate, sufficiently to partially exfoliate the layered phyllosilicate into phyllosilicate platelets and tactoids while in contact with the aqueous waste; pumping the sheared aqueous waste and layered phyllosilicate to a solidification area; and allowing the sheared aqueous waste and partially exfoliated layered phyllosilicate sufficient time to solidify such that there are no free liquids remaining in the solidified waste.
US07670275B2
A scoring system uses a grooved roller and a variety of resilient annular scoring tools. The scoring tools have scoring features or blades of different profiles, and further have annular bases uniform in width to enable their interchangeable installation into one or more tool-retaining grooves formed into the roller. The bases are much larger than the scoring features to provide increased strength and durability, along with more stable mounting of the scoring tool. In one version, a single roller assembly is formed by removably securing processing sleeves and spacing sleeves on a common support member.
US07670265B1
A handle toss training apparatus can be utilized to aid in improving a person's balance, coordination, and skills respective to a maneuver commonly referred to as a handle pass. The handle toss training apparatus includes a balancing board with a base. The base provides a rotational, a rolling, and a pitch motion for the balancing board. A handle is fastened to a wall via a cable. Tension for the handle is created by the specific material used for fabrication of the cable or by a variable weight system.
US07670262B2
“Threshold A is substituted in a power-on state, “threshold B”, which is lower than “threshold A”, is substituted in a power-off state, and “threshold C”, which is lower than “threshold B” is substituted during a brake operation, as a rapid deceleration determination threshold. The rotational speed of an output shaft of an automatic transmission and the rapid deceleration determination threshold are compared to determine whether a vehicle is rapidly decelerating. The engagement state of a lock-up clutch is controlled based on whether the vehicle is rapidly decelerating.
US07670259B2
A system for braking a vehicle includes a transmission having a plurality of gear sets for establishing a plurality of forward and reverse gear ratios and an actuator for changing the gear ratios. The system also includes a plurality of sensors for detecting a plurality of vehicle operating parameters and an auxiliary brake for reducing a speed of the vehicle. A controller having a processor configured to receive a plurality of output signals from the plurality of sensors has control logic for activating one of the actuator and the auxiliary brake based on the received output signals. A method for operating the system for braking is also provided. The method includes determining road grade, determining an acceleration of the vehicle, determining an activation status of the primary brake, determining a position of the throttle, determining whether extra braking is and activating the auxiliary brake based on the extra braking determination.
US07670251B2
A bicycle hub gearbox is provided for a multi-speed hub with a coaster brake mechanism. The bicycle hub gearbox basically has a first planetary gear mechanism, a second planetary gear mechanism, a braking mechanism and a clutch mechanism. The second planetary gear mechanism is operatively coupled with the first planetary gear mechanism. The braking mechanism is selectively coupled to the first planetary gear mechanism. The clutch mechanism selectively couples an output side of the first planetary gear mechanism to an input side of the second planetary gear mechanism to selectively transmit either a driving torque applied by a rider in a driving direction depending on a selected gear ratio or a braking torque applied by the rider in a braking direction to the braking mechanism independent of a selected gear ratio via one path such that a resulting braking effect is substantially equal independent of the selected gear ratio.
US07670249B2
A multi-speed automatic transmission includes an input, an output, a first gear unit drivable connected to the input and including a component rotating at the speed of the input and a first gear unit output, the first gear unit producing a gear ratio of a speed of the input and a speed of the first gear unit output, a planetary gear unit including a modified Simpson gearset, the gear unit being secured to first, second, third, fourth and fifth rotating members, the fifth member being secured to the output for rotation therewith, a first clutch being operable to connect the first rotating member and the first gear unit output, a second clutch being operable to connect the second rotating member and the first gear unit output, a third clutch being operable to connect the third rotating member and an element rotating at a speed of the input, a fourth clutch being operable to connect the fourth rotating member and said element rotating at the speed of the input, a first brake being operable to hold the fourth rotating member against rotation, and a second brake being operable to hold the third rotating member against rotation.
US07670238B2
A novel ball hitting training device configured to hold two bats together in a secure configuration. Also provided is a method of using the device to increase bat speed; strengthen the arm, core, and grip; and improve, and receive feedback on, bat swing technique. The training device allows the user to assess if his hands and grip are optimally positioned to deliver maximum power to the ball upon contact. The device provides two pockets, each having a bat handle end and a bat head end. The pockets are connected to each other between the bat handle ends and the bat head ends. Each bat handle end includes a bat handle opening, such that each pocket can receive a bat through the bat handle opening. A fastener near the bat handle end cinches the device around the bats, which may allow for the twisting of the bats such that the handles are touching and the knob of one bat is closer to the bat handle openings than the knob of the other bat. The device receives bats of various sizes and is constructed of a durable material, such as neoprene. It may also be advantageous that the fastener be a strap of double-sided hook and loop-type fastener material.
US07670237B2
An apparatus for training sports skills for games conducted on a playing surface having a goal using one or more simulated opponents on the playing surface to train a player to strike the game object away from an opponent in addition to practicing striking the game object into the goal. A game object machine(s) can be used to project game objects to one side of the playing surface. A controller can be provided to control operation of the simulated opponent(s) and the game object machine(s) to train placement memory and reaction time in addition to muscle memory. For ice hockey and soccer, the controller can receive input from sensor(s) on the game object, player being trained or the goal to locate the game object and/or player to position the simulated opponent(s) to train the player to strike the game object past the simulated opponent into the goal.
US07670220B2
Racing games and other computer-implemented games having garage, showroom and test drive features are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for implementing a racing game in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes displaying a plurality of cars in a simulated showroom setting. Game players can roam freely about the showroom in first-person mode and inspect the cars in close detail. If a player desires, he or she can test drive one or more of the cars to assess its performance before competing in a racing event with the car.
US07670212B1
A method for trimming an undesirable portion of a metatarsal pad of a chicken paw using a power operated rotary knife. The steps of the method include: a) providing a power operated rotary knife including an annular knife blade rotatable about a central axis and defining a central open area; moving one of the rotary knife and the chicken paw with respect to the other to position the rotary knife with respect to a bottom of the chicken paw such that the undesirable portion of the metatarsal pad is within the central open area of the blade and the cutting edge of the blade is proximate to a periphery of the undesirable portion; and moving one of the rotary knife and the chicken paw such that the cutting edge of the blade slices a layer of the metatarsal pad thereby removing at least part of the undesirable portion.
US07670209B2
The present invention provides a pad conditioner for dressing a surface of a polishing pad which is used in a polishing apparatus for polishing works, comprising: a substrate disposed opposite to the polishing pad; a plurality of pellets removably attached to the substrate; and a plurality of linear elastic members which have tip ends and are implanted into the pellets, wherein upon contact of the tip ends of the linear elastic members with the polishing pad, the linear elastic members elastically deform, so that a pressure necessary for conditioning the pad is generated in order to maintain a change in conditioning capability within a predetermined range and have a wide margin for adjusting a height of the conditioner.
US07670208B2
The invention concerns a carrier plate (2) holding an abrading element, for detachable mounting on a rotatably mounted abrading plate (1) driven during use, for abrading stone or concrete floors, which carrier plate (2) has sides (2a, 2b) which form an acute angle with each other. The sides (2a, 2b) have flanges (2a1, 2b1) which are formed for surrounding engagement with a shoulder (1a) arranged on the abrading plate (1) so that the carrier plate (2) can be fixed on the abrading plate (1) with an engagement based on form and friction.
US07670205B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a girdle which can improve posture by acting on the muscles around the pelvis, is easy to handle and can be worn with no uncomfortable feeling. An example of the present invention is a girdle (short girdle and long girdle) containing, in an area fitting over a wearer's body, a tightening portion for which the magnitude of a tightening force varies with areas. When the garment is being worn, the tightening fabric portion extends from the vicinity of an upper part of the buttocks cleft, passing the vicinities of upper parts of the right and left buttocks, to the vicinities of the right and left greater trochanters, and the tightening fabric portion may be made of material having a tightening force. Moreover, a body front tightening fabric portion is provided at the front of the garment.
US07670198B2
A terminal fitting (1) has a rectangular tubular main portion (10) and a stabilizer (30) to guide the main portion (10) into a cavity formed in a connector housing. The stabilizer (30) is folded between two adjacent walls (13, 14) of the main portion (10) so that the stabilizer (30) is integral to each of the adjacent walls (13, 14).
US07670190B2
An electrical interconnection device (100) includes a first connector (10), a second connector (20) defining a positioning member (25), a connecting member (30), a cover (50) enclosing the first connector and the second connector to combine therebetween and a restricting member (40) assembled to the first connector. The connecting member (30) electrically connects the first connector with the second connector. The restricting member (40) comprises a plate (41) mounted to the first connector and an elastic portion (44) connected to the plate, said elastic portion has at least two elastic arms spaced from one another, the elastic arms being selectively locked into positioning grooves (253) of the positioning member, while said first connector and second connector are swiveled.
US07670189B1
Various connector devices are respectively equipped so that an electrical cable having a substantially right-angle cable head can be electrically coupled to an electronic apparatus by way of a suitable connector device. In turn, the electrical cable can be routed substantially tangentially away from the electronic apparatus in a predetermined direction. The connector devices also provide standoff distances that enable the dressing of electrical cables away from an apparatus having crowded connector sites. In this way, numerous cables can be routed away from an apparatus along a common direction and without mechanical interference with one another.
US07670176B2
Two connection interfaces are combined in a single assembly for high frequency signal propagation of a GPS antenna. At least one connection interface is a constant impedance connector. The connector assembly allows for the application of o-rings and gaskets to be placed circumferentially about the radome to protect against environmental elements, mechanical shock and vibration. The first connection interface has a male plug on a first piece of a dual connector design, and a complementary female plug on a second piece. The second connection interface comprises a plug of any standard industry connector mounted on the second piece opposite the complementary female plug, and is configured to easily mate to a corresponding plug from a cable or other electronic equipment.
US07670163B2
An electric connection and an electric component, the electric component comprising connectors for connecting the electric component. The connectors are formed of a first and a second electrically conductive laminar conductor, which are placed opposite each other and isolated from one another with an insulator, whereby the electric component is arranged to be connected through the plane surfaces of the laminar conductors, and the insulator is arranged between the laminar conductors such that the insulator comprises at least one free plane surface.
US07670150B2
An electrical connector mountable to a circuit board is disclosed. The disclosed connector includes a shell which comprises a first plate-like portion, a second plate-like portion and connection portions. The first plate-like portion extends in a predetermined direction and is provided with fixed portions at opposite ends thereof in the predetermined direction. The fixed portion is to be fixed to the circuit board. The second plate-like portion extends in the predetermined direction. Each of the connection portions connects the first and the second plate-like portion. The second plate-like portion is provided with force resist portions at opposite ends thereof in the predetermined direction. The force resist portions are configured so that, when a force is applied to the electrical connector along a direction from the first plate-like portion towards the second plate-like portion, the force resist portions resist the force.
US07670148B2
This invention describes an I/O module for a modular automation controller. The controller has a main assembly including a motherboard. The I/O modules plug into the motherboard. The modules are parallel to the motherboard allowing use of surface mount LED indicators reducing manufacturing costs. The modules use a plastic cover which retains the module's PCA as well latches the module to the motherboard, making the automation controller less expensive.
US07670147B1
A capacitance circuit board signal-adjusting device, and more particularly, a signal adjusting device capable of increasing the clarity of a high frequency signal; the signal adjusting device includes a circuit board disposed in a connector, a plurality of transmission circuits disposed on the circuit board, one side of the transmission circuit is a signal input terminal and another side thereof is a signal out terminal; it is characterized in that a copper foil in the middle section of transmission circuit is planned in advance to generate a capacitor naturally by breaking off a slit; the capacitor including two parallel sections arranged distantly side by side, a medium disposed between the two parallel sections and two breaches disposed in two directions opposite to each other at two diagonal ends. Whereby, the capacitor naturally generated in the circuit board plus a resistor connected thereto in parallel can constitute a signal filter; it can reduce components, shorten the manufacturing process, reduce the cost and achieve the good signal adjustment effect while being put into practice.
US07670141B2
The present invention is an oral irrigator comprising a pump, a discharge nozzle and a pressure control. The pump has a generally constant operating speed and feeds the discharge nozzle. The pressure control is adapted to modify a discharge pressure at the nozzle without a significant change in pump speed. The pressure control modifies a level of fluid flow restriction between the pump and the nozzle. The modification of the level of fluid flow restriction is accomplished by modifying aspects of a fluid flow path extending through the pressure control. The aspects modified include the diameter, length and/or number of direction changes of the fluid flow path.
US07670138B2
The present invention is a quartz-product baking method for baking a first quartz product and a second quartz product to remove a metal contained therein, the first and second quartz products being to be loaded into a heat-processing apparatus for heat-processing a semiconductor substrate so that at least a part of each quartz product is brought into contact with a heat-processing atmosphere of the heat-processing apparatus, the quartz-product baking method comprising the steps of: with the use of a jig including a first jig element and a second jig element that are disengageably stacked in a tier-like manner, placing the first quartz product on the first jig element, stacking the second jig element on the first jig element, and placing the second quartz product on the second jig member; placing on a lid member the jig in which the quartz products are placed in a tier-like manner, elevating the lid member to load the jig into a baking vertical vessel through a lower opening thereof, and hermetically sealing the lower opening of the baking vertical vessel with the lid member; heating an atmosphere in the baking vertical vessel; and supplying a baking gas containing a hydrogen chloride gas and a gas for enhancing reactivity of the hydrogen chloride gas, into the baking vertical vessel.
US07670136B2
An improved artificial candle having an exterior appearance of a traditional wax candle, but which provides illumination by means of producing and burning acetylene gas.
US07670132B2
An injection molding apparatus includes a first mold half, a second mold half opposite to the first mold half, an eject pin, a component collector and a buffer device. The eject pin penetrates through the first mold half. The component collector is configured for receiving the molding component molded. The buffer device includes a buffer plate, a connection plate and an elastic element. The elastic element includes two elastic arms connected with each other. The two elastic arms form an angle θ in a range 0°<θ<180° in its natural state and partly inserting into the buffer plate and the connection plate respectively. The buffer device is disposed at a same side as the first mold half and the buffer plate is adjacent to the second mold half. The buffer device is configured for buffering the molding component during a knockout process.
US07670130B2
A shutter assembly having at least one rigid edge and at least one hanger edge is described. The rigid edge provides stability to the shutter assembly and the hanger edge allows the shutter assembly to be mounted to a dwelling. The shutter assembly can be formed in an open mold from a cementitious slurry comprising gypsum cement and water. A reinforcing mat or fiber can be disposed in the mold and saturated with the cementitious slurry. A tool disposed adjacent the mold and including a plurality of rotatable sections can be used to form the rigid edge and the hanger edge.
US07670125B2
The invention concerns a device for injection molding comprising a first fixed half-mold and a second half-mold mobile in direction (y) of the side blocks of an injection molding machine. Between the first and the second molds are mounted first and second intermediate elements mobile in the direction of the side blocks. The first and the second intermediate elements comprise each a mold support pivoting relative to a base about a pivoting axis. Centering elements are used to center the intermediate elements relative to the half-molds upon the opening and closure of the injection molding device.
US07670120B2
A scroll-type refrigerant compressor includes a drive shaft with an off-axis lubrication conduit which is supplied with oil from an oil pan located in the lower part of the compressor by an oil pump that is disposed at a first end of the shaft. The lubrication conduit has lubrication holes at the different shaft guide bearings. The second end of the shaft is equipped with a device that enables the orbital movement of the moving scroll of the compressor. The aforementioned shaft also includes a return conduit which is inclined in relation to the axis of the shaft and which extends over at least part of the length thereof. One of the ends of the return conduit opens at the wall of the shaft in the area located beyond the rotor on the side of the oil pan. In addition, fluid communication is provided between the lubrication conduit and the return conduit.
US07670118B2
A hot-gas blowing fan includes a heat resisting impeller, a bearing, a heat insulting layer, a cooling portion, first and second magnetic couplings, a non-magnetic partition wall, and a collar. The heat insulating layer is disposed between the impeller and the bearing. The impeller and bearing are attached to the rotating shaft. The cooling portion is disposed between the heat insulating layer and the bearing. The cooling portion includes a cooling fluid that does not contact the bearing or the rotating shaft. The collar is positioned between the heat insulating layer and the impeller and is positioned between the heat insulating layer and the rotating shaft. The collar is made of a different material than the heat insulating layer.
US07670113B1
A turbine blade for use in a gas turbine engine, the blade having a trailing edge cooling circuit that includes a series of multiple pass serpentine flow cooling passages arranged along the trailing edge region of the blade in series such that the cooling air flowing through a lower serpentine passage will then flow into the serpentine passage located above in order to greatly increase the cooling air flow path through the trailing edge region. The last leg of each serpentine flow passage includes a row of cooling air exit holes to discharge cooling air from the serpentine passage out through the trailing edge of the blade. The rotation of the rotor blade acts to increase the cooling air pressure as the cooling air passes through the series of serpentine passages. Because the cooling air passes through the lower reaches of the rotor blade first, the lower reaches receives the most cooling while the upper reaches receives heated cooling air. Because the upper reaches of the blade require less cooling to maintain the metal temperature within limits, the series serpentine cooling passages of the present invention provides for a higher level of cooling while using minimal amounts of cooling air.
US07670110B2
A fluid pump assembly includes a rotatable component that can be rotated about an axis and a static vane assembly located adjacent to the rotatable component. The static vane assembly includes a circumferential surface axially spaced from the rotatable component, and one or more vanes extending from the circumferential surface toward the rotatable component. The one or more vanes are configured to produce a radial load on the rotatable component when the rotatable component is rotating about the axis and a fluid is present between the static vane assembly and the rotatable component.
US07670109B2
A turbine (100) of a turbine installation, especially a steam turbine of a steam turbine installation, includes at least one radial or diagonal turbine stage (120) with radial or diagonal inflow and axial outflow, and also at least one axial turbine stage (121-125) with axial inflow and axial outflow. The at least one radial or diagonal turbine stage (120) forms the first stage of the turbine (100) and the at least one axial turbine stage (121-125) is arranged downstream of the radial or diagonal turbine stage (121) as an additional stage of the turbine. The at least one radial or diagonal turbine stage (120) has a higher temperature resistance than the at least one axial turbine stage (121-125). The turbine (100) makes it possible to significantly increase the process temperature of the steam turbine installation, wherein measures for increasing the temperature resistance need only to be adopted for components of the radial or diagonal turbine stage (120).
US07670105B2
A drain pump is provided that reduces the operating noise when the head is low. The drain pump has a pump casing, and an impeller. The pump casing has a drain inlet for sucking in drain water at a lower end part and a drain outlet for discharging drain water at a side part. The impeller has a shaft part disposed extending in a vertical direction inside the pump casing, a main blade disposed on the outer circumferential side of the shaft part, an auxiliary blade disposed on the lower side of the main blade, and a disc shaped dish part disposed between the main blade and the auxiliary blade. The dish part has an annular partition part extending upward from the outer circumferential edge part of the main blade, which is disposed at a position lower than the upper end part of the partition part.
US07670091B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a bolt that effectively prevents gouging, seizure and racing between the bolt and nut without the aid of a guide boss and is effective when combined with the case nut. The object can be attained by providing a bolt having a threaded shank portion wherein a plural number of notched faces slanting toward the end of the threaded shank portion at an angle ranging from ±15° to ±80° toward the axis of the threaded shank portion, are formed at the beginning of the thread part of the threaded shank portion.
US07670086B2
A method of repairing and renewing a manhole chimney utilizes a circumferentially stretchable liner sleeve which is inserted into the manhole and pressed by an inflatable bladder into engagement with the walls of the manhole chimney. The sleeve is coated with an uncured resin, which is allowed to cure as the sleeve is pressed against the chimney walls, thereby attaching the sleeve to the walls of the manhole chimney. The stretchable sleeve eliminates air spaces between the sleeve and the chimney walls, and precludes formation of undesirable folds in the sleeve. The sleeve stretches circumferentially up to 150% of its unstretched diameter, while having a substantially unstretchable length.
US07670082B2
Reactive gabion/geocomposite articles, and their methods of manufacture, for controlling contaminants in soil, sediment or water that allow the passage of essentially non-contaminated water therethrough. The articles and methods described herein utilize gabions, which are box shaped cages or grids (see FIG. 2) made of either steel wire mesh or plastic. In one embodiment, the reactive geotextile mats are lined on the top major surface with a gabion cage or grid. In other embodiments, the cages or grids surround a geocomposite containing reactive material. The gabion/geocomposite articles can be constructed in-situ (at the site of deployment) or remotely (on land or barge) and set in place. They are typically placed side-by-side and, in a preferred embodiment, are configured to cover a target sediment area, underwater. The gabion/geocomposite articles may be filled with clean sediment, silt, sand and/or concrete block or rock to hold the reactive geocomposite in place and for armoring.
US07670064B2
An optical module has a lens holder with a lens assembly of, for example, three lenses and a diaphragm. The lenses and the optional diaphragm are unequivocally oriented by the geometrical form thereof such that no other optical adjustment is required. The optical module has a specially embodied circuit carrier with a thin region and a thick region that holds the thin, relatively sensitive region as in a frame, the thin region preferably carrying a semiconductor element. Along with the particularly low tolerances between the semiconductor element and the lens unit, the invention advantageously enables a more reliable assembly (e.g. soldering, gluing, etc.) of a semiconductor element, for example in flip-chip mounting technology, on a thin and thus relatively stable, flat plane, than comparable assembly processes of components on exclusively flexible circuit carriers. The optical module is particularly suitable for interior and exterior applications on motor vehicles.
US07670060B2
A fiber optic connector arrangement includes a locking device for fastening together a pair of male plug and female socket components, which locking device consists of locking elements mounted solely on a pair of telescopic adapter housings that support the plug and socket components when in the engaged condition. In order to increase the operational life of the connector components, one of the plug and socket components contains a recess for receiving an auxiliary second locking device that extends longitudinally in a normally non-stressed unlocked inoperative condition from the other component.
US07670055B2
A cam follower includes a shaft member which is cantilevered at one end and a slide bearing fitted onto the outer periphery of the other end of the shaft member. The slide bearing is composed of a cylindrical matrix made of an Fe-based sintered metal material having an Fe content of 90 wt % or more and a slide layer formed from the inner peripheral surface to the both end faces of the matrix. The slide layer is made of a slide material composition having a base material such as polyethylene resin blended with a lubricant such as silicone oil and a globular porous silica impregnated with this lubricant.
US07670051B2
The invention provides for a slider for a leak proof slider-zipper assembly having a leading edge and a trailing edge comprising a pair of protrusions at the bottom of the leading edge, a pair of protrusions at the bottom of the trailing edge, and an opening plow protruding from the top surface of the slider, between the leading edge and trailing edge, and having height not more than the height of the slider. The opening plow has a sloping surface from the leading edge towards the trailing edge such that the height of the opening plow at the leading edge is less than the height of the opening plow at the trailing edge.
US07670050B2
A packaging container made of plastic film has a strap handle arranged within the contour of the container: The container has a container wall made of plastic film. The container wall has an inner side and the strap handle is arranged on the inner side. The container wall has an access opening through which the strap handle is accessible from the exterior of the container. A support patch made of plastic film is connected to the container wall. The access opening is closed off relative to the interior of the container by the support patch.
US07670044B2
Circulation systems for ponds, lakes, or other bodies of water using a flotation platform, dish, and impeller. One embodiment has a connecting arrangement between the drive motor and the impeller that permits the two to be easily and quickly coupled and uncoupled. The connecting arrangement also is designed to accommodate slight misalignments between the shafts. An arrangement to adjust and calibrate the depth of the inlet to the draft tube is disclosed. The system further includes solar panels that can be pivotally swung outwardly to open positions, angularly adjusted about a horizontal axis, and mounted to face toward the central axis of the flotation platform rather than away from it. Arrangements are further provided to monitor and control the components of the system including remotely from shore.
US07670037B2
An automotive headlamp bulb provides the two light or three filament sources in a single bulb. One source may be used to generate a standard headlamp beam, while the second source may be used to generate an augmenting side beam in response to a turning signal. A similar third filament may provide an augmenting beam to the opposite side, or farther to the same side. The single bulb eliminates the need for a second bulb, or a second reflector in an advanced headlamp system with turning light augmentation.
US07670027B2
A laser illuminator comprising at least one optical diffusion means capable of modifying an optical diffusion condition (3) and at least one optical suppression means for suppressing divergence of light (100), wherein the optical diffusion means and the optical suppression means are disposed along an optical path of a laser beam (6) radiating from a laser source and the laser beam is converted into a diffused and non-divergent light beam (6-2) for illuminating or exciting an object by passing through the optical diffusion means and the optical suppression means.
US07670026B1
An apparatus for providing illumination includes a lower light panel that contains at least one battery and electronic control circuitry therein. A plurality of LEDS are each disposed in a corresponding plurality of recesses in the light panel. A reflective coating is preferably included in each of the recesses. A clear plastic sheet is disposed over an upper surface of the light panel. A rug is disposed over the light panel and is detachably-attached thereto. When a person steps on the rug one or more of a plurality of pressure activated switches are energized which, in turn, activates the circuitry and energizes the LEDS. The LEDS are illuminated for a first predetermined period of time that is selectable. When the first timer elapses the lights and circuitry turn off and the apparatus returns to a quiescent state until the cycle is repeated. The rug is removed from the light panel for cleaning of the rug and the plastic sheet is also removed for servicing of the light panel.
US07670025B2
A backlight module comprising a back bezel, at least one light emitting device, a first circuit board, and a second circuit board is provided. The light emitting device, which has an electrode, is disposed on the side of the back bezel, while the first circuit board is disposed on the edge of the back bezel. An elastic clip is used to electrically connect the first circuit board directly with the electrode of the light emitting device, while the second circuit board is electrically connected to the first circuit board.
US07670023B1
A flashlight including a photovoltaic power source adapted to convert incident light energy to electrical energy and wherein the flashlight is configured such that the flashlight is induced to orient the photovoltaic power source to face upwards when the flashlight is placed on a generally horizontal surface. The flashlight can include a rechargeable battery pack so as to have a hybrid power supply. Also, a method of powering a flashlight including attaching at least one solar cell to a body of a flashlight, connecting the at least one solar cell to a battery such that electrical output of the solar cell can charge the battery, and connecting a switch and a lamp to the at least one solar cell and the battery such that a user can actuate the switch to connect the battery to the solar cell for charging of the battery or to the lamp for generation of light from the flashlight.
US07670021B2
A lighting assembly comprises a light fixture. The light fixture includes a trim formed by a stamping or die casting process. The trim has thermally conductive properties and includes a flange around a perimeter of the trim. The light fixture includes a light source mounted to a central portion of a front surface of the trim, and a heatsink formed by an extrusion or die casting process. The heatsink has thermally conductive properties and is mounted to a back surface of the trim. The light fixture includes an attachment mechanism connected to the light fixture. A recessed can housing mounted to a surface may be provided. The light fixture may be mounted to the recessed can housing by inserting the heatsink into the recessed can housing and engaging the attachment mechanism to an interior portion of the recessed can housing to brace the flange against the surface.
US07670007B2
A projection display is capable of suppressing both the trapezoidal distortion of an enlarged image projected on a screen by oblique projection and aberrations resulting from oblique projection and includes a projection optical system provided with lenses that can be easily manufactured and assembled. The projection optical system for obliquely projecting an image formed by a display device on the screen includes a free curved lens having a rotationally asymmetric free curved surface. The free curved lens has fringing parts having outlines of a shape coinciding with an arc of a circle having the center on the optical axis of the free curved lens.
US07670003B2
An examination assembly advantageous for use with wheelchair bound patients comprises a rotatable stand which receives medical equipment, an arm assembly mounted on the stand comprising a main arm connected to the stand and an auxiliary arm operatively connected to the main arm, a table which mounts at least part of the medical equipment having a table area and an underside, and an S-bracket connecting the auxiliary arm to the table such that the auxiliary arm is remote from the table. The auxiliary arm is above the table and the S-bracket comprises a mounting flange, an underside flange and a linking flange connecting the mounting flange to the underside flange. Fasteners connect the underside flange to the table.
US07670001B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for accurately imaging, assessing and measuring a patient's macular pigment. A multiband filter is employed in combination with a color digital fundus camera to provide a method that operates with a single imaging exposure. The multiband filter has bandpass regions within spectral ranges of the red, green and blue detectors of the CCD array employed within the fundus camera, the bandpass regions being sufficiently sharply defined so as to avoid regions where the CCD detector responses spectrally overlap. This provides three discrete channels of grayscale data corresponding to the bandpass regions of the multiband filter, which can be used to calculate macular pigment topographically. Methods are also disclosed for calculating the optical density of the macular pigment and advantageously displaying the resulting data.
US07669998B2
An ink set including at least three black ink compositions different in concentration, wherein the colorant of the black ink composition having the highest concentration is a pigment, the colorant of the black ink composition having the lowest concentration is a dye, and the colorant(s) of the black ink composition(s) for medium gradation having medium concentration between them is a pigment or dye.
US07669997B2
A method of forming an ink-jet image containing the steps of: applying a pre-treatment solution to a textile; and ejecting droplets of an ink-jet ink on the textile through an ink-jet head, wherein the ink-jet ink includes a disperse dye, a dispersing agent, water and a water-soluble organic solvent; the pre-treatment solution comprises an organic acid; and a pH value of the pre-treatment solution is smaller than a pH value of the ink-jet ink.
US07669995B2
A sealing component includes an elastomeric material. An exterior side surface of the elastomeric material is to define at least a first seal with a first external mating member into which the sealing component is insertable. An interior surface of the elastomeric material is to define a second seal and a third seal with a second external mating member insertable into the sealing component.
US07669990B2
The present invention provides a liquid droplet ejecting device including a liquid droplet ejecting head; a liquid storage unit that stores a liquid; a first flow path and a second flow path that connect the liquid droplet ejecting head and the liquid storage unit, the second flow path connecting with the first flow path in the liquid droplet ejecting head; a bypass flow path connected with the first flow path and the second flow path; a liquid feed unit provided between the liquid storage unit and a connecting portion of the bypass flow path and the first flow path, and circulating the liquid in the liquid droplet ejecting head and the liquid storage unit, and a pressure control unit provided at the bypass flow path, and controlling pressure of the liquid flowing through the bypass flow path from the first flow path side to the second flow path side.
US07669989B2
A liquid application device and an inkjet recording apparatus are capable of reducing nonuniformity in application of liquid onto a recording medium, and thereby forming high-quality images on a steady basis. In the present invention, information indicating the lapse of time after the previous circulation operation is obtained. Subsequently, based on the obtained information indicating the lapse of time, a preliminary circulation sequence is determined. Finally, the preliminary circulation sequence is performed based on the determined preliminary circulation sequence.
US07669988B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for depositing a material on a surface. In accordance with the method a stream of a component material is formed having formed printing and non-printing droplets and satellite droplets of the material. The stream is directed at the surface. A deflecting energy is applied to separate printing droplets from non-printing droplets in the stream, so that only printing droplets travel to the surface. The deflecting energy is adapted to direct non-printing droplets for non-printing drop collection, and to direct at least a portion of the satellite droplets to be controlled in a manner adapted to prevent the material in the satellite droplets from reaching the surface, so that less than all of the material in the satellite droplets reaches the surface. Articles are also provided having limited satellite material.
US07669976B2
A ink drop ejection device that has a nozzle and a bubble forming chamber for holding ejectable liquid. At least one heater element is suspended in the bubble forming chamber to heat the ejectable liquid to a temperature above its boiling point to form a gas bubble therein. The generation of the bubble causes the ejection of a drop of the ejectable liquid (such as ink) through the nozzle to effect printing. The heater element is configured such that the strain of thermal expansion is not relieved by bending about its thinnest cross sectional dimension.
US07669975B2
A discharge control unit controls discharge from a discharge electrode at low voltage, has a high density mounting based on downsizing of the discharge control portion eliminates electric leakage and has excellent discharge stability. The discharge control unit includes: a heating portion including at least one heat-generating body and driver ICs electrically connected to the heat-generating bodies and caused to generate heat by flowing an electric current to an optional point of one heat-generating body or selectively flowing the same to a plurality of heat-generating bodies; and a heat generation portion insulating film covered on at least the heat-generating bodies; and discharge electrodes, to which voltage is applied, disposed at the heat generation portion insulating film so as to correspond to the heat-generating bodies; wherein discharge is carried out from discharge portions of the discharge electrodes selectively heated by the heat-generating bodies.
US07669971B2
Provided is a nozzle arrangement for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle arrangement includes a substrate defining an ink chamber with an ink ejection port and ink holes for receiving ink from an ink reservoir, and a magnetic actuation device arranged in the chamber and actuatable via an external pulsed magnetic field to eject ink via the ink ejection port. The arrangement also includes a blocking mechanism arranged in the chamber and configured to operatively block movement of the actuation device to prevent ejection of ink from the chamber.
US07669970B2
An ink nozzle unit is provided for an inkjet printhead. The nozzle unit includes a substrate assembly. A nozzle extends from the substrate assembly. The nozzle defines an internal nozzle chamber and an ink ejection portal through which ink supplied to the nozzle chamber can be ejected. A magnetic field generator is configured to generate a magnetic field passing though the nozzle chamber. A paddle is movably mounted within the nozzle chamber and includes at least one solenoid coil. An actuator is configured to activate the solenoid coil so that the paddle moves and ejects ink within the nozzle chamber out through the ink ejection portal.
US07669969B2
An ink jet type printing apparatus in which an ink supply needle is located near one side in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocated directions of a carriage, a circuit board is mounted on a wall of an ink cartridge in the vicinity of the side on which an ink supply port is formed and plural contacts for connecting to external control means are formed on the exposed surface of the circuit board.
US07669968B2
A refill unit that includes an ink cartridge formed by jointing a pair of body members, a case, a door for closing an opening of the case, a pushing unit disposed on the door and pushing the ink cartridge into the case, and a leg portion disposed on the pushing unit for contacting evenly with the ink cartridge.
US07669966B2
A liquid droplet discharging head includes: a substrate; a pressure chamber connected to the substrate; a penetrating portion formed in the substrate to discharge a liquid droplet; and a plurality of liquid droplet guiding portions formed at the penetrating portion of the substrate to guide the liquid droplet, in which each of the liquid droplet guiding portions extends with a curvature in an discharging direction of the liquid droplet.
US07669959B2
A droplet ejection device includes a droplet ejection head, a conveyance member, a cleaning unit and a coating unit. The droplet ejection head ejects droplets. The conveyance member retains a recording medium and conveys the recording medium to oppose the droplet ejection head. The cleaning unit cleans the conveyance member. The coating unit applies a coating liquid, with a characteristic of repelling the liquid that is ejected from the droplet ejection head, onto the conveyance member. A surface tension γo of the coating liquid, a critical surface tension γb of the conveyance member, and a surface tension γi of the liquid that is ejected from the droplet ejection head satisfy the following equations (1) and (2). γo<γb (1) γo<γi (2)
US07669957B2
A method of removing particulates from an ink ejection face of a printhead is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) flooding the face with ink from the printhead, thereby dispersing the particulates into the flooded ink; and (b) transferring the flooded ink, including the particulates, onto a transfer surface moving past the face. Damage to the face is avoided since the transfer surface does not contact the face.
US07669942B2
A brake system and a brake device for use with automobiles is provided in which braking energy stored in an auxiliary pressure source can be effectively used for braking, even if an electrical system fails. The vehicle brake system includes a proportional pressure control valve for generating braking liquid pressure by adjusting the braking energy stored in the auxiliary pressure source. A passage transmits the liquid pressure generated by a brake pedal stroke, a switching valve opens the passage in the powered condition and closes the passage in the off-powered condition, and an auxiliary control portion activates the proportional pressure control valve. Even in the off-powered condition, the high pressure accumulated in the auxiliary pressure source can be used to adjust the required braking liquid pressure at the proportional pressure control valve.
US07669941B2
A wheel end (A) has a housing (2, 70, 80, 90) and a hub (4) provided with a spindle (32) that projects into the housing, and the hub rotates relative to the housing on an antifriction bearing (6) located between the housing and hub spindle. The housing has a tubular core (12, 72, 82, 92) that encloses the bearing and ring mounts (14, 74, 84, 94) spaced outwardly from the core and also webs (16,76,86,96) that connect the ring mounts to the core. A road wheel (B) is attached to the hub and rotates with the hub relative to the housing. The housing is secured to a suspension upright (C) at its ring mounts. The core deflects relative to the ring mounts, owning to forces and moments transferred through the bearing from the suspension upright to the road wheel and vice versa, and the magnitude of those forces and moments are reflected in signals derived from strain sensor modules (SM) attached to the webs of the housing.
US07669940B2
An adaptable wheel assembly, comprises an integral wheel and a cover member removably attached to the wheel. A disk portion of the wheel is formed without decorative openings therethrough and has an angularly uniform outer surface. The disk portion of the wheel has first threaded holes provided adjacent a rim portion of the wheel, while a hub portion thereof includes at least one second threaded hole provided adjacent a pilot bore of the wheel. The cover member has a plurality of first holes aligned with the first threaded holes and at least one second hole aligned with the at least one second threaded hole. First threaded fasteners extend through the first holes to engage the first threaded holes, while at least one second threaded fastener extends through the at least one second hole to engage the at least one second threaded hole.
US07669939B2
A surface finishing ball of compressible material, adapted to be driven on a rotational axis is made from a layered body of compressible material that is formed in multiple disk-like layers that are separated in planes generally perpendicular to the rotational axis. Layers are also slit on circumferentially spaced planes that extend generally radially from an outside surface to define a plurality of foam fingers. A clamping system is used to compress and hold a center portion of the layered body in a direction along the axis of rotation such that the uncompressed outer ends of the fingers define a generally spherical ball.
US07669928B2
A vehicle seat having an adjustable thigh support, the vehicle seat comprising an adjustable thigh-support component, wherein the component is an adjustment plate that is moveable in the fore and aft directions of the vehicle; and wherein the adjustment plate is positioned generally toward the front edge of the seat; a motor-driven vertical power screw for rotatably moving the adjustment plate in the fore and aft direction of the vehicle, wherein tile seat length is increased when the screw rotatably causes the adjustment plate to move in the fore direction of the vehicle, and wherein the seat length is decreased when the screw rotatably causes the adjustment plate to move in the aft direction of the vehicle; and a seat cushion having an underside that contacts at least a portion of the front face of the adjustment plate, wherein the surface area of the seat-cushion underside that contacts the front face of the adjustment plate varies as a function of the adjust-plate position.
US07669915B2
An interior trim arrangement for a motor vehicle door assembly is provided. The trim arrangement includes a trim panel with inner and outer portions connected by an upper portion that spans therebetween. The outer portion attaches the interior trim panel to the window belt line of the vehicle door assembly. A breakaway portion is integrated to the trim panel. The breakaway portion has an upper segment that extends orthogonally from an outer segment. The upper and outer segments are respectively elongated along the upper and outer portions of the trim panel. The outer segment is configured to attach the breakaway portion to the window belt line of the vehicle door assembly. The upper segment defines an aperture therethrough that is configured to receive the lock knob of the door lock assembly. The breakaway portion is configured to separate from the interior trim panel under a predetermined threshold lateral loading condition.
US07669910B2
A sealing strip configured to be combined between a vehicle bodywork and glazing, and including an acoustic damping mechanism when subjected to action of a vibrational field. The sealing strip works in shear combined with local movements of the glazing in its plane, while the bodywork deforms in the direction of the local normal to the glazing.
US07669908B2
An assembly for opening and closing a cargo opening of a motor vehicle includes first and second posts located at opposite lateral sides of the cargo opening, the second post being spaced laterally from the first post, an endgate able to open and close the cargo opening, and first, second and third brackets, each bracket secured to one of the posts and the endgate, and defining a lateral axis and an upright axis. The first bracket is secured to the first post. The second bracket is secured to the second post such that the lateral axis of the second bracket is aligned with the lateral axis of the first bracket. The third bracket is secured to the first post at an elevation higher than an elevation of the first bracket such that the upright axis of the third bracket is aligned with the upright axis of the first bracket.
US07669902B2
An electrically-operable strike for locking and unlocking doors. The strike is mounted on a face plate which in turn is mounted on a door jamb. The face plate is provided with mounting apertures which receive adjustment inserts each having an offset aperture for a mounting screw for mounting the strike on the face plate. The face plate also has a tongue extending distally from a lip and a break-off portion at the distal end of the tongue. The strike is first mounted with the offset apertures in a distal position. If the strike does not function properly due to preload, the strike is remounted with the offset apertures in a proximal position and the break-off portion is removed.
US07669899B2
An apparatus for sealing a section of a pipe interior includes a clamp having a magnetic engagement means for axially positioning the clamp within the interior of a pipe and preventing relative axial movement there-between and a sealing plate securable thereto. Movement of the sealing plate against the clamp results in deformation of a resilient sealing member thereby forming a seal between the apparatus and the pipe. The apparatus can be used in conjunction with another oppositely oriented apparatus or other sealing means to form a sealed space within the tube. Pressurization of the sealed space allows for a radial and/or axial force being applied to the sealed section of the pipe.
US07669876B2
A low profile trailer hitch includes a frame for attachment to a vehicle and a draw bar pivotally attached to the frame that includes upper and lower substantially similar curved plates, a stationary stop plate and a plurality of apertures for extending stop pins through both the upper and lower plates. The draw bar has a first towing position wherein the draw bar abuts against the stationary stop plate of the frame with a trailer coupling end of the draw bar extending outwardly away from a bumper of a vehicle upon which the hitch is mounted. The draw bar may be pivoted to a storage position with the coupling end disposed at a location substantially adjacent or within a periphery of the bumper and captured in the storage position by stop pins extending through the upper and lower plates.
US07669873B1
A mower includes a zero turn radius (ZTR) traction unit carrying a front mounted cutting deck. The cutting deck is suspended beneath a carrier frame by a height of cut adjustment system comprising a plurality of pivot links and suspension chains extending between the carrier frame and the cutting deck. A hydraulic cylinder coupled to one of the pivot links can simultaneously lift the chains or permit the chains to lower to change the height of the cutting deck relative to the carrier frame. This same cylinder can also fold the carrier frame and the cutting deck relative to the traction unit about a fold pivot axis when a fold latch is selectively released by the operator. The carrier frame includes a center step for helping the operator mount or dismount the traction unit. The center step has a front viewport for allowing an operator who is seated on the traction unit to view the front edge of the cutting deck.
US07669872B2
The disclosed folding mechanism comprises a rear frame member of a bicycle, which has a combining structure positioned at a front portion thereof, wherein the combining structure includes a first joining surface; a front frame member of the bicycle, which has a second joining surface positioned at a rear portion thereof for being joined with the first joining surface; at least one pivot structure, which is provided at an edge of the combining structure for connecting the front frame member, such that the front and rear frame members can relatively move on the pivot structure; and at least one binder, which is deposited at the combining structure of the rear frame member and a position on the front frame member adjacent to the combining structure for fixing the second joining surface of the front frame member and the first joining surface of the rear frame member at a combining position where the two joining surfaces contact mutually. By using the folding mechanism, a bicycle equipped with the same can be folded or expanded.
US07669871B2
A wheel securing adapter is provided in a bicycle fork to attach a skewer of a wheel securing axle thereto. The wheel securing adapter is disposed in an axle mounting opening of the fork. The wheel securing adapter has an internally threaded bore and an external surface configured and arranged to cooperate with the axle mounting opening to prevent at least one of relative axial movement and relative rotational movement of the wheel securing adapter within the axle mounting opening. The fork includes a pair of fork legs having upper ends coupled to the fork stem and lower ends with axle mounting openings. Preferably, a cutout surrounds one of the axle mounting openings on an inner side surface that faces the other fork leg to form the mounting opening for the wheel securing adapter.
US07669863B2
A walker for use by those with limited mobility. The walker includes a seat assembly that assists the user in rising from a seated position or sitting from a standing position. The seat assembly is mounted in a frame and includes at least one gas spring mounted between the seat assembly and the frame that deflects the seat assembly while the user is rising from the seat or dampens the deflection of the seat when the user is sitting. The walker may include other capabilities and attachments, including a braking system and mountings for ancillary equipment.
US07669862B2
A collapsible spider wheel assembly on a towing device enables storage of the device into a standard rectangular space. Once collapsed, the collapsible spider assembly is protected within the body of the towing device. Furthermore, actuation of the folding and unfolding may be accomplished through the usual telescoping of the carrying handle of such a device, such as in a suitcase embodiment. While the spider wheels are in the open position, the carrying apparatus may exert a drive force to climb up stairs and braking force to descend stairs. The unit operates as a normal wheeled carrying apparatus while traversing a horizontal surface.
US07669856B2
A wagering game wherein a player is dealt a card and the dealer is dealt a card, and a player wins if a player's card and the dealer's card are of equal rank, or if a player is dealt a second card that falls in rank between a player's card and a dealer's card. The player is given an option to exchange his or her initial card. The player is also given an option to double his or her wager before his second card is dealt. A bonus round can also be offered wherein a bonus card is dealt and the player wins a bonus if the bonus card falls between the dealer's card and the player's second card.
US07669845B2
An automated banking machine (10) includes at least one sheet dispensing mechanism (34, 36, 38, 40, 210). Each sheet dispensing mechanism includes a picking member (72, 212). The picking member rotates, and with each rotation causes an end sheet to be picked from a stack (42, 264) of sheets. The picking member (212) includes an arcuate projecting portion (258) that reduces the risk of damage to the leading edge areas of sheets due to opposed picking and stripping forces.
US07669843B2
A method and apparatus for high capacity stacking and stitching in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include determining if an image production document is to be stitched, wherein if it is determined that the image production document is to be stitched, sending the image production document along a first paper path to a first stacking tray to be stitched and stacked, and if it is determined that the image production document is not to be stitched, determining if the image production document requires a higher quality registration stacking than the stacking provided at the first stacking tray, wherein if it is determined that the image production document requires a higher quality registration stacking than the stacking provided at the first stacking tray, sending the image production document along a second paper path to a second stacking tray to be stacked in a high quality registration manner, and if the image production document is determined not to require a higher quality registration stacking than the stacking provided at the first stacking tray, sending the image production document along one of the first paper path to the first stacking tray to be stacked and the second paper path to the second stacking tray to be stacked.
US07669841B1
A support brace includes a bottom section that has planar top and bottom surfaces. The bottom surface is seated on a ground surface, and the top surface abuts a bottom surface of a user foot. The bottom section has linear sides wherein one is diagonally offset from adjacent ones. A first wall extends upwardly from the bottom section. A second wall extends upwardly from the bottom section and has a longitudinal length registered perpendicularly to the first wall. The second wall has sloping top surfaces extending upwardly and away from the first wall that define a shoulder against which a wood plank is supported. A third wall abuts the bottom section and is spaced from the second wall for defining a passageway therebetween. The second wall has a lowest elevation defined above a highest elevation of the third wall.
US07669840B2
A hook unit for use with a clamp in a manufacturing environment. The hook unit includes a base and a sliding member arranged therein. A hook extends through the base and sliding member. The hook and sliding member form a barrier for the clamp.
US07669820B2
A supporting device for supporting a main component and an electronic apparatus using the same are provided. The supporting device comprises a holder, a connecting unit and an engaging unit. The holder is placed on a surface. The connecting unit is disposed immovably on the holder. The engaging unit is disposed immovably on the main component and able to be lodged in or separated from the connecting unit, so that the main component is lodged in or separated from the holder. The engaging unit comprises an actuator and a movable lock. The actuator is able to move the movable lock, so that the movable lock is lodged in or separated from the connecting unit. The movable lock comprises a restricting unit for restricting the movement of the actuator.
US07669819B2
A hanger system adapted to be positioned in adjustable, spanning relation across an upper surface of a wall panel structure with leg members extending generally downwardly in substantially adjacent relation to outwardly projecting faces of the wall panel structure. At least one of the leg members is adapted to operatively support personal and/or business articles in hanging relation across a face of the wall panel structure.
US07669813B2
A geomatics pole support comprises a body and pole engaging members for connecting the support to a geomatics pole so that the body is retained by the pole engaging members projecting generally laterally outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the pole. The body further includes a terrain engagement surface adapted to engage a ground surface and to hold at least a portion of the pole in a stable position out of contact with the ground surface.
US07669807B2
A mounting clip for mounting a component on a supporting part having an aperture includes a head section for attaching the component. A shank section is insertable in the aperture. At least two latching fingers are resiliently held apart from the head section on opposite shank section sides which spread outward toward the head section. At free ends the latching fingers have latching surfaces that rest against a supporting part underside when the mounting clip is inserted in the aperture. The shank section has on one side which extends perpendicular to the sides having the latching fingers, a contact surface that is supported on the aperture inner edge, and has on the side opposite the contact surface an elastically resilient rib or tongue that is supported with a preload against the aperture inner edge after the mounting clip is placed in the aperture.
US07669804B2
Systems and methods to deliver crew, cargo and other logistics services to space platforms. In one embodiment, a rendezvous and docking vehicle (RDV) comprises two docking mechanisms coupled to the RDV body. A pressurizable passageway connects the docking mechanisms. In one embodiment, the two docking mechanisms are different. An alternative embodiment comprises docking mechanisms which are the same. Also included is a flight control system. The flight control system may vary between embodiments, being autonomous, automated, or remotely controlled (e.g., remote pilot). One embodiment can also include a docking control system in the RDV. A propulsion system is coupled to the RDV in some embodiments, and the RDV may be augmented by a mated spacecraft's propulsion system in other embodiments. The mated spacecraft's propulsion system may even be under the control of the RDV.
US07669799B2
A multifunctional member with a first active member (30), which is adapted to contract if exposed to a temperature above a first transition temperature range. A second active member (40), which is adapted to contract if exposed to a temperature above a second transition temperature range. A core member (20), which is adaptive for deformation. The first and second active members (30, 40) are attached on opposite or different sides of the core member (20). A heat source operatively connected to the first and second active members (30, 40) to expose them to transition temperatures. The first active member (30) contracts while above the first transition temperature range causing the second active member (40) to expand, wherein the second active member (40) is below the second transition temperature range. The second active member (40) contracts while above the second transition temperature range causing the first active member (30) to expand, wherein the first active member (30) is below the first transition temperature range.
US07669780B2
A fluid supply nozzle includes a fluid flow-in section into which a fluid flows in, a reservoir section for storing the fluid, a flow velocity control wall provided between the fluid flow-in section and the reservoir section and including an orifice for making the fluid flow in the reservoir section while reducing a flow velocity, and a discharging section including a slit for discharging the fluid with pressure of the fluid applied to the reservoir section. A substrate processing apparatus is formed so as to include the fluid supply nozzle. Moreover, a substrate processing method includes the step of discharging a fluid in a single-layered, continuous film to supply the fluid onto a substrate. Thus, the substrate is processed. To perform this method, the fluid supply nozzle of the present invention can be used.
US07669779B2
Improved rail clip support shoulders are less expensive than conventional shoulders. The rail seat includes a concrete rail tie; a pair of rail clip support shoulders cast in place in said rail tie each said shoulder having a rail face between its external sides; a pair of shoulder insulators each shaped to lie against the rail face of the rail shoulder; a pair of rail clips each having a base section adapted to seat within the rail clip support shoulder and a toe section adapted to seat on the rail base, the toe section comprising a pair of bifurcated arms extending from said base section and being bent in a curve so that the toes lie adjacent but beyond the base; the arrangement being such that the clamping force exerted by each installed clip is at least 8 kilonewtons and the leading edge of the base section of the rail clip first engages a loading incline on either side of the rail clip ramp, while the line of contact of the trailing edge of base section is on the concrete rail tie and the trailing edge does not contact the rail clip ramp in the support shoulder until at least 40% of the distance to fully install the clamp has been traveled.
US07669777B2
The present invention applies a slope predictive control method to a Variable Temperature Control (VTC) system, measuring the slope of the discharge temperature as a function of flow regulation device position, and using this slope to predict the position of the flow regulation device needed to achieve the desired discharge temperature. The present invention also monitors the response of the VTC over time and utilizes a self-learning algorithm to predict the response time of the system in order to determine when further control adjustments need to be taken.
US07669776B2
A thermostatic mixing valve for hot and cold water has two-stage inlet chambers for the hot and cold water flows respectively. The inlet chambers distribute the flows uniformly with respect to porting for admitting the flows to the mixing chamber to reduce asymmetric flow patterns and promote thorough mixing of the flows within the mixing chamber.
US07669771B2
Described is a handheld device for performing a transaction. The device includes a first receiving means for receiving first information via a first input device, the input device being one of an optical reader module, a card swipe module, a touch-sensitive screen, and a key pad. The device further includes a first processing means for processing the first information with a processor and a first generating means for generating a first output via a printer. The device also includes a second receiving means for receiving second information via a second input device, the second input device being one of the optical reader module, the touch-sensitive screen, the card swipe module, and the key pad, a second processing means for processing the second information with the processor and a second generating means for generating a second output via one of the printer and a display module.
US07669760B1
A location verification provision is implemented to determine the location of a device associated with a user at the time of an attempted transaction. The attempted transaction includes receiving user identification and/or payment information, which is associated with the device in an entry stored in a database. Location information of the device, as well as a time at each location, may also be stored in the database. To verify that the device is located at the location of the transaction, a comparison operation may be performed. If the device is located where the transaction is being processed, the transaction may be completed. Predetermined criteria may be defined to account for possible inaccuracies in location and time calculations.
US07669757B1
Automated transaction machines dispense currency notes and enable the conduct of transactions. In some cases a user is enabled to dispense merchandise from a self-service dispensing machine and is also enabled to selectively receive cash value by charging the amount of such value to a source of monetary source associated with data read from a machine readable article such as a card (80, 82). A user may receive cash value by presenting a printed voucher or other item to a service provider located at a facility (14) at which the service provider exchanges the voucher or other item for cash. Alternatively, cash may be dispensed to the user directly from the self-service dispensing machine. Alternatively the user may pick up merchandise ordered through the machine at a delivery station disposed from the machine.
US07669739B2
The invention relates to a rotary device for dispersing a gas in a molten metal. The device comprises a hollow shaft at one end of which is attached a rotor. The rotor has a roof and a base which are spaced apart and connected by a plurality of vanes. A compartment is defined between each adjacent pair of vanes and the roof and the base, and each compartment has an inlet and first and second outlets. A flow path is defined through the shaft into the inlets of the compartments and out of the first and second outlets. Each first outlet is disposed radially outwardly of the respective inlet and arranged to disperse gas laterally of the rotor in use, and each second outlet is disposed in the roof of the rotor and arranged to disperse gas upwardly from the rotor in use.
US07669725B2
A bottle assembly is provided. The bottle has inner and outer bodies that are selectively engageable and form a space therebetween for insulation by air. The inner and outer bottles can be selectively secured by a deformable collar. The bottle assembly may have a vented nipple that promotes latch-on to an areola region of the nipple.
US07669719B2
A membrane structure is provided. The membrane structure includes a first layer having a plurality of pores; and a second layer disposed on, the first layer. The second layer has a plurality of unconnected pores. At least a portion of the plurality of unconnected pores of the second layer is at least partially filled with a filler such that the first layer is substantially free of the filler. At least a portion of the plurality of unconnected pores of the second layer is in fluid communication with at least one of the pores of the first layer. A method of making a membrane structure is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a first layer having a plurality of interconnected pores; disposing a second layer on the first layer, and filling at least a portion of the unconnected pores of the second layer with a filler such that the first layer is substantially free of the filler. Disposing a second layer includes depositing a metal layer on the first layer; and anodizing the metal layer to convert the metal layer into porous oxide layer.
US07669716B2
A container member including a rigid cup portion defining a chamber. The container member has an opening at one end in communication with the chamber and a flexible suspension member extending over the opening. The suspension member has an inner surface facing the chamber, an opposing outer surface and a cavity extending from the outer surface to the inner surface. The cavity is in communication with the chamber and sized to receive at least a portion of the product to be packaged therethrough. The container assembly includes a retainer having a retaining member removably positioned to extend over the cavity. The retaining member holds the at least a portion of the product in position in the chamber such that the at least a portion of the product does not contact the cup portion.
US07669711B1
A disk pack balancing station is disclosed for balancing a disk pack assembly, the disk pack assembly comprising a plurality of components including a plurality of disks coupled to a hub of a spindle motor with at least one disk spacer between the disks. The disk pack balancing station comprises a first biasing arm rotated about a pivot to apply a first biasing force to a first component of the disk pack assembly, and a second biasing arm moved linearly to apply a second biasing force to a second component of the disk pack assembly. This configuration enables the disk pack balancing station to balance a number of different disk pack assemblies, including a disk pack comprising an even number of disks and a disk pack including an odd number of disks.
US07669706B2
A device and method for sequencing trays includes a tray receiving conveyor and a recirculating conveyor. Trays are placed on the recirculating conveyor and merged with ejected trays into a multiple of sequenced trays at one or more merge locations. The system can include more than one merge location, with one of the merge locations providing a merge of trays into a contiguous sequence of trays.
US07669696B2
Equipment for producing shaft information consists of a housing, a base, a first cover, a sliding guide with a code carrier and an electronic circuitboard with a sensor for detection of a code on a code carrier and electronic circuits for evaluation of the detected code. The housing has channels of different functions. The sliding guide can be inserted into a sliding guide channel. On movement of the lift cage the code carrier slides in the sliding guide past the sensor.
US07669694B2
A muffler of a vehicle includes a first muffler body so as to form a first chamber, at least a second muffler body including a housing, one end portion opened and the other end portion closed, wherein one of the second muffler bodies is fitted into the other end portion of the first member to form a second chamber and the other second muffler bodies are fitted into each other through the one end portions in series to form third chambers if more than one second muffler bodies are assembled, an inflow pipe to connect the outside with the first, second and/or third chamber by passing the one end portion of the first muffler body, and an outflow pipe to communicate the first, second, and/or third chamber with the outside by passing through the other end portion of the last second muffler body.
US07669692B2
A sound diffuser includes a front plate defining a plurality of sound exit holes. An outer frustoconical wall extends from the front plate, the outer frustoconical wall decreasing in diameter from the front plate. An inner frustoconical wall extends from the outer frustoconical wall toward the front plate, the inner frustoconical wall decreasing in diameter toward the front plate and defining a sound entry opening spaced apart from the front plate. A plurality of legs are coupled to at least one of the front plate and the outer frustoconical wall, the legs extending away from the front plate to contact a speaker cover. First and second straps operatively extend from the front plate, the first strap having a distal end with a fastener for connection to a speaker case. The second strap also has a distal end with a fastener for connection to the speaker case.
US07669689B2
Since a rigid supporting structure for a gear box GB and a rolling type rack supporting device RSD are employed, an electric power steering apparatus having no response delay and having a high transmission efficiency can be realized. Further, a high steering performance required for a long period and a steering assist force that is increasing recently can be efficiently transmitted to wheels. Further, when the wheels collide with a shoulder of a road to receive a counter input, a torque sensor TS detects a torque and an assist steering force against the counter input is outputted to an output shaft OS. Consequently, the torque of the counter input is restrained from being transmitted to a steering shaft SS side. Thus, a kick back and a vibration are advantageously hardly transmitted to a steering wheel SW from the wheels.
US07669686B1
An all-terrain vehicle having an improved parking locking mechanism disposed within the housing of a transmission assembly. The parking locking mechanism includes a locking-lever guide disposed eccentrically about the axis of rotation of the shift drum and a locking lever having a body with an opening therein engaging the locking-lever guide. The guide and the opening constructed and arranged to cooperate with each other such that rotation of the shift drum moves the locking lever into locking engagement with one gear of the transmission.
US07669681B2
A motorbike whose driving force is enhanced and whose wheels are prevented from slipping is disclosed. The present invention includes a main body; an air suction section provided in the main body; a front rear wheel assembly provided in the front and rear side of the main body; a connection bar and a connection link; a brake mechanism constituted by a brake disc fixed to the rotation shaft of the main body and a caliper which presses portions of the brake disc to apply a braking force; and a controller constituted by an acceleration pedal and a braking pedal which are respectively connected to the engine and the brake mechanism through a flexible cable, the acceleration pedal and the braking pedal being hinge-joined to each other at one end thereof to control driving of the engine and braking of the rear wheel shaft, respectively.
US07669680B2
A mounting configuration is provided for mounting an ABS unit on a base model motorcycle which permits a relatively large-sized and heavy ABS unit to be easily mounted on a vehicle body frame. A V-shaped engine is longitudinally mounted on the frame, and a rear wheel is supported on a rear swing arm which is pivotally supported on the frame by a pivot shaft, the rear wheel driven via a drive shaft. An ABS unit is arranged on one side of the vehicle body in a space below and to one side of the pivot shaft so as to avoid interference with the rear swing arm or the like, thus it is possible to easily mount the ABS unit on a base model. Further, by arranging exhaust pipe system parts on another side of the vehicle body, it is possible to obtain a proper lateral balance of the vehicle body.
US07669678B2
The present disclosure describes an all terrain straddle-type vehicle for carrying a load including a rider. The vehicle includes a frame, a plurality of wheels, a rear fender, a front fender, and a body panel. The wheels, including front and rear wheels coupled to the frame. The fenders are secured to the frame for covering the wheels. The fenders are formed from a plastic material having a smooth portion and a textured portion thereon. The smooth and textured portions are disposed adjacent to one another and formed integrally on the fender. The textured portion is positioned on the fender in a location of frequent rider or other load contact. The body panel is secured to the frame forward of the rear fender. The body panel includes a textured portion situated in a location of frequent rider contact. A method of manufacturing a fender is also disclosed.
US07669667B2
A walk aerator comprises a frame supported by a plurality of ground engaging wheels, the frame carrying a coring head having a plurality of side-by-side tine assemblies. The wheels define a wheelbase which is substantially equal to or less than the width of a coring swath and the wheels are located in advance of the coring head to keep the wheels from passing over the holes or soil cores left in any preceding coring swathes formed by the aerator. The vertical position of the coring head is adjustable up and down as the ground contour changes to keep hole depth substantially constant. The tine assemblies are reciprocated by a single crankshaft driven by a single pulley, the crankshaft being assembled from multiple crank arms that are splined and bolted together. Sealed bearings connect drive arms that drive the tine assemblies to the crankshaft. The crankshaft can be disassembled to allow the sealed drive arm bearings to be replaced. Integral core deflectors are used on the drive arms. A connecting link extending across each drive arm is used to connect each drive arm to the coring head to decrease the coring head depth.
US07669662B2
A top drive system for drilling with casing includes a casing feeder and a torque head. In one embodiment, the casing feeder is adapted to position a casing for engagement with the torque head. The casing feeder includes a pair of conveying arms for engagement with the casing. Each conveying arm may be raised or lowered by a cylinder. The conveying arms are equipped with a motor driven roller for engaging and lifting the casing. The casing feeder may also be equipped with a counting apparatus to determine the positioning of the casing in the torque head.
