US07751162B1
The present invention is directed to a device that includes a housing assembly including a plurality of line terminals, a plurality of load terminals, and a plurality of receptacle load terminals coupled to the plurality of load terminals by a plurality of conductors. A circuit interrupting assembly is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals, the circuit interrupting assembly establishing electrically continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and interrupting the electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a tripped state. A wiring state detection circuit is coupled to the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. At least one switchable element is coupled to the wiring state detection circuit, the at least one switchable element including a plurality of switching states. The at least one switchable element is disposed in at least one of the plurality of conductors coupled between the plurality of receptacle load terminals and the plurality of load terminals. The at least one switchable element is also configured to change switching states in response to a stimulus generated by the wiring state detection circuit.
US07751155B2
In an ink-jet printing device which has an ink-jet recording head in which a plurality of nozzles are formed, and forms an image based on multi-level image data, a gamma correction parameter is selected according to discharging characteristics of the recording head to an input gradation level or according to lightness characteristics of a printed image to an input gradation level, and an image is formed based on the selected gamma correction parameter. For example, even when there is a variation in lightness characteristics of recording heads as in FIG. 9, an optimal gamma correction parameter is selected for each recording head and the image is formed. Thus, a constant image quality is obtained even if the recording heads are exchanged.
US07751149B1
A disk drive suspension and method with a low profile limiter structure located within the vertical extent of the slider, the tongue free and any gap provided by the limiter structure so as to not increase the overall vertical extent of the suspension. The limiter structure has a tab separated on three sides from the suspension beam portion and extending from the beam portion locus toward the suspension tongue portion free end. The tab has a projecting shoulder spaced at a gap from the beam portion. The tongue free end outer terminus has an opening that interfits with the tab in tab shoulder engaging relation to block free end movement away from the locus beyond that permitted by the gap.
US07751147B2
An air bearing surface (ABS) for a head assembly for a data storage device is described. The ABS includes a member, comprising a first extended region and a second extended region, wherein these two regions define a channel. This channel is open to the leading edge (LE) of the ABS, and is configured so as to allow air to flow along the channel toward the trailing edge (TE) of the ABS. As a result, the pressure of the air flowing along the channel does not experience significant fluctuations in pressure until approaching the trailing edge.
US07751145B1
A disk drive baseplate includes a raised major surface oriented essentially parallel to the disk, a recessed major surface, and a boundary contour between the raised major surface and the recessed major surface. In one embodiment, the baseplate further includes an air channel adjacent to and at least partially outboard of the raised major surface, wherein the air channel includes the recessed major surface.
US07751131B2
A lens module including a lens barrel, multiple lenses, and multiple cushions is provided. The lens barrel has an assembling opening, an inner wall, and multiple positioning structures. The positioning structures are integrally formed on the inner wall. An internal diameter of the positioning structure adjacent to the assembling opening is greater than an internal diameter of the positioning structure far away from the assembling opening. In addition, the lenses are respectively fixed in the corresponding positioning structure along an assembling direction. Each cushion is disposed in a pitch between two adjacent lenses, and each lens assembled in the lens barrel is disposed at a predetermined position through the positioning structures and cushions.
US07751128B2
A wide-angle lens whose angle of view is more than 90 degrees and less than 120 degrees includes, in order from an object side thereof: a first lens having a negative power and including a spherical glass body; a second lens having a positive power and including an aspheric surface; and a third lens having a positive power and including an aspheric surface.
US07751124B2
Various embodiments and methods relating to groups of anamorphic prisms that are configured to reduce smile in a multi-beam optical system are disclosed.
US07751115B2
An electronic paper display device, a manufacturing method and a driving method thereof are disclosed. Micro protrusion members are formed at electrodes or at insulating layers. Consequently, the electrophoretic particles are prevented from being securely attached to an upper or the lower structure, and therefore, the quality of pictures is improved, and the contrast ratio of the pictures is increased. The relative sizes and the injection amounts of two kinds of electrophoretic particles are changed such that the relative sizes and the injection amounts of the electrophoretic particles are different from each other. Consequently, the driving voltage is lowered by excessively electrifying the electrophoretic particles of one kind. Protrusions are formed at the corresponding electrode such that a relatively large electric field is distributed around the electrode at which electrophoretic particles are located in the initial stage of voltage application. Consequently, the electrophoretic particles are easily separated from the electrode and moved even at low driving voltage. As such, the voltage level of the driving voltage pulse is lowered. Consequently, it is possible to further increase the response speed of the driving devices and to lower the internal voltage of the devices, thereby reducing the costs related to the driving devices.
US07751114B2
Disclosed herein are a system and apparatus for operating a device that comprises an array of micromirrors. The system and apparatus are usable for repairing stuck micromirrors of the micromirror array during the operation. The reparation applies, at the ON state, two consecutive refresh voltages to the mirror plates of the micromirrors in the array with the pulses being separated in time longer than the characteristic oscillation time of the micromirrors. The reparation can be applied independently to the micromirrors. Alternatively, the reparation can be incorporated with a bias inversion process.
US07751112B2
A magnetic field may be applied to a plasmon path to affect plasmon propagation.
US07751108B2
The micro-actuation element (X1) includes a movable unit (111), a frame (112) and a coupler (113) for connecting these, where the unit, the frame and the coupler are integrally formed in a material substrate having a multi-layer structure that consists of electroconductive layers (110a-110c), such as a core conduction layer (110b), and insulation layers (110d, 110e) intervening between the electroconductive layers (110a-110c). The movable unit (111) includes a first structure originating in the core conduction layer (110b). The frame (112) includes a second structure originating in the core conduction layer (110b). The coupler (113) includes a plurality of electrically separated torsion bars (113a, 113b) that originate in the core conduction layer (110b) and are connected continuously to the first structure and the second structure.
US07751105B2
A hologram recorder applies a recording beam (S) and a reference beam (R) to the illumination site (p) of a hologram recording medium (B). The interference between the recording beam (S) and the reference beam (R) produces multiple hologram recording at the illumination site (p). The recorder includes a recording-purpose reference beam reflector (10) for reflecting the reference beam (R) to the illumination site (p), and a pivot mechanism for pivoting the reflector (10) about an axis (x) to vary the incident angle (θr) of the reflected reference beam (R) to the recording medium (B). The reflector (10) is disposed to cross a predetermined optical path. The axis (x) of the pivot mechanism is so arranged that the reflected reference beam (R) is directed to the illumination site (p) even when the incident angle (θr) of the beam (R) changes due to the pivoting of the reflector (10).
US07751103B2
An image data sequencing method for a memory unit inside an optical scanning device. The image data sequencing method is particularly suitable for scanning a line of pixels with each pixel comprising a plurality of primary colors. The image data sequencing method involves scanning a line of pixels to obtain the data for a primary or secondary color. The pixels within the scan line are subdivided into groups. A storage space is reserved both before and after the address space inside the memory unit for holding the scanned primary or secondary color data so that all the primary or secondary color data constituting a pixel are in a fixed sequence next to each other inside the memory unit. When all the primary or secondary color data of pixels within a group are secured, the group of data is released from the memory unit.
US07751100B2
A scanning apparatus includes a housing with a flatbed. A loading glass is installed at the scan flatbed for loading a to-be-scanned document. A photoelectric sensing device is disposed in the housing for sensing the light signals corresponding to the to-be-scanned document to generate electric signals. The electric signals are transmitted through a flat cable to a motherboard. When the photoelectric sensing device shifts and the flat cable touches the bottom of the housing, the first adsorptive slice of the flat cable and the second adsorptive slice on the bottom of the housing adsorb each other. Therefore, the rubbing between the flat cable and the loading glass can be avoided and the quality of the scanning images can be improved.
US07751099B2
An image reading apparatus including: a paper supply section; a transporting path for transporting a document supplied from the paper supply section; a first sensor which reads an image on a first surface of the document from one side of the transporting path; a second sensor which reads an image on a second surface of the document from the other side of the transporting path; and an image processing section which is constituted so as to correspond to a first reading mode in which two sides of the document are read using the first sensor plural times, and a second reading mode in which two sides of the document are read using the first sensor and the second sensor, and which makes a registration position and direction of an output image in both the first and second reading mode the same.
US07751096B2
A scanning device includes a housing, a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), and a light emitting diode (LED), a photosensor for detecting light that is emitted from the CCFL and the LED and then by way of a document, and a control circuit for controlling operations of the scanning device. The LED can be used to perform scans while the CCFL is heating.
US07751086B2
An image processing apparatus configured to generate image data for forming an image using a plurality of color materials of similar colors and of different densities includes a gradation changing unit configured to conduct a gradation changing process for changing gradation of C, M, Y, and K signals of an image and a color separation unit configured to conduct a color separation process for separating color component data for a dark color material into color component data for a dark color material and color component data for a light color material. The gradation changing unit is configured to conduct the gradation changing process before the color separation unit conducts the color separation process.
US07751084B2
An image processing apparatus of the present invention compares the density value of K-color at each position around a blank character with a reference density value, thereby deciding whether it is necessary to remove other color components. Based on the result of a decision, the apparatus removes the color components. Thus, other color components can be removed only in the region where the density value of K-color is high. Hence, when a background image is an uneven image, a kickback processing can be performed suitably around the blank character.
US07751078B2
Provided is an electronic document generating apparatus capable of easily generating an electronic document from a document while controlling the document per document and capable of supporting the generated electronic document to be managed per electronic document. The electronic document generating apparatus (101) includes: a document scanning unit (111) that scans a document on which a code is provided to generate image data of the scanned document; a job category information obtaining unit (116) that obtains job category information indicating a predetermined job category, from code information represented by the code; a job category unique information database (118) in which job category unique information specifying a data structure of code information for each job category is held; and a various information obtaining unit (119) that selects predetermined job category unique information identified by the job category information, from among plural job category unique information held in the job category unique information database (118) and that obtains, from the code information, various information other than the job category information according to the data structure specified by the job category unique information.
US07751076B2
A control apparatus used in an image forming apparatus has a CPU board (100) and a relay board having I/Fs (311-314) and a CPU (301). The I/Fs are connectable with driver boards (5001-5004), and have common standards. The CPU detects each connection state of the driver boards to the I/Fs, decides an ID for the relay board according to the connection state, and performs consistency control to secure consistency of control between the driver boards, based on the ID for the relay board. The CPU board is communicatably connected to the relay board. The CPU board obtains the ID for the relay board 300, and performs control according to the ID for the relay board.
US07751070B2
Remote output environment remarkably improving convenience in remote output mode is provided so that print process according to original direction information detected by transmitter image forming apparatus can be performed by receiver image forming apparatus. Therefor, image processing system including first device having input unit of inputting image data and communication unit of performing data communication, and second device having communication unit of performing data communication and output unit of outputting image data sets the remote output mode for performing through the communication unit the data communication of the image data input by the first device and causing the second device to output the communicated data, causes the first device to acquire the direction information input by the first device, and causes in this mode the second device to output the image data from the first device in output manner based on the acquired information.
US07751049B1
A fluid quality monitoring apparatus (100) comprising a fluid flow channel (120) having a photo sensing material (104) disposed upon a first surface and a light source emitting light (132) through an opposing light transitive surface (106). The condition of the fluid affects the absorption and reflection of the light. The penetrating light is received by the photo sensing material (104), which provides an output that can be utilized to analyze the condition of the fluid. The light can be provided via a plurality of LEDS, the incorporation of a radially distributed series of fiber optic strands, or any other light source. The sensing material can include defraction gratings, improving the monitoring process. The sensing material can be incorporated in a variety of configurations. The apparatus is preferably designed to be integrated between a fluid filter and the respective filter mounting bracket.
US07751048B2
Optofluidic microscope devices and methods of using optofluidic microscope devices, where each optofluidic device comprises a body with a fluid channel having a surface, light transmissive regions in the body wherein the light transmissive regions have different dimensions, an illumination source adapted to provide illumination through the light transmissive regions, and an optical detector adapted to receive light from the illumination source through the light transmissive regions. The light transmissive regions and optical detector can be used to image an object flowing through the fluid channel.
US07751045B2
A method for aligning a beam spot with a waveguide portion of a wavelength conversion device includes scanning a beam spot over the input face of the wavelength conversion device while measuring the output intensity of the device such that an output intensity for each of a plurality of fast scan lines is generated. A first alignment set point is then determined based on the output intensity of each fast scan line. A second scan of the beam spot is then performed over the fast scan line containing the first alignment set point while measuring the output intensity for each point along the fast scan line. A second alignment set point is then determined based on the output intensities measured during the second scan. The beam spot is then aligned with the waveguide portion using the first alignment set point and the second alignment set point.
US07751039B2
The subject matter described herein includes an optical assay system for intraoperative assessment of tumor margins. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a biological sample containment and illumination apparatus for holding a biological sample for illumination by a plurality of electromagnetic radiation probes. The biological sample containment and illumination apparatus includes a plurality of frame members positioned with respect to each other to form an interior space for receiving a biological sample. At least one of the plurality of frame members includes a plurality of probe receiving locations for receiving a plurality of electromagnetic radiation probes. The probe receiving locations position the probes with respect to the biological sample to allow illumination of plural locations of the biological sample by the probes.
US07751033B2
The invention relates to a method for measurement of a line (S), in particular, an optical distance measurement method, whereby an input means (24,42) of a distance measuring device (20,22) is operated, which triggers a measuring sequence of distance measurements, during which individual measurements (10-16) of distances from the distance measuring device (20,22) triggered by the distance measuring device (20,22) are carried out perpendicular to the line (s) for measurement. According to the invention, at least one maximum value (10,16) and at least one minimum value of the distances are determined from the measuring sequence and the length of the line (s) determined from the at least one maximum value (10,16) and the at least one minimum value (13). The invention further relates to a distance measuring device (20,22), in particular, a hand-held measuring device for carrying out said method.
US07751024B2
A motion picture camera is provided having a film magazine inside of which a film supply reel, from which a motion picture film to be exposed having a supporting layer and a light-sensitive emulsion layer is unwound and moved over a film conveying path past a picture window for picture exposure and a film winding reel are placed, onto which the exposed motion picture film is wound. A device, which serves to remove foreign bodies located on one or both surfaces of the motion picture film, is placed in the film conveying path between the film supply reel inside the film magazine and the picture window.
US07751017B2
A display apparatus includes a backlight assembly, a display assembly and a board combining member. The backlight assembly includes a light source generating light and a container receiving the light source. The display assembly includes a display panel received in the container and displaying an image, a driving printed circuit board (“DPCB”) disposed on an outer face of the container, and a flexible printed circuit board (“FPCB”) connecting the DPCB to the display panel. The board combining member combines the DPCB with the outer face of the container to be capable of moving corresponding to a thermal expansion of the container such that a position of the DPCB with respect to the FPCB is not substantially changed. Thus, the FPCB is prevented from warping due to the thermal expansion of the container.
US07751016B2
The present invention can perform, at the time of mounting flexible printed circuit boards on a display substrate, the accurate alignment without wrong mounting. A first alignment mark and a second alignment mark for performing the alignment of a flexible printed circuit board with a display substrate are attached to left and right sides of a group of lines which are formed on the flexible printed circuit board. Further, when at least one of the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark is equally divided into four areas, a shape of the alignment mark in at least one area is a shape obtained by folding back the shape of the alignment mark in other areas.
US07751013B2
TFTs are formed on a substrate. An interlayer insulation film is formed on the substrate to cover the TFTs. Lower layer portions of SD lines formed of a multi-layered film which are formed on the interlayer insulation film constitute a lower electrode of an organic EL layer. An uppermost layer of the SD line is formed of a chemically stable metal oxide film, and the SD layer is used as it is. On the other hand, as a lower electrode of an organic EL layer, an upper layer of the SD line is removed and an Al—Si, alloy film of the SD line is used. Due to such a constitution, it is possible to reduce a cost by shortening steps while holding the performance and the reliability of organic EL.
US07750995B2
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display. In the LCD, a reflective polarizer and an optical retarder are provided between an absorbing polarizer and a backlight unit. This structure recycles light that would ordinarily be removed by absorption in conventional LCDs to be used for the display, so that light efficiency and display luminance of the LCD may be improved.
US07750991B2
A backlight assembly includes at least one lamp including a lamp electrode, at least one lamp socket holding the lamp, an inverter applying electric power to the lamp, and a receiving container including a socket receiving portion corresponding to an end portion of the lamp to receive the lamp socket and an inverter receiving portion for receiving the inverter. Therefore, a manufacturing process may be simplified, and manufacturing costs is decreased.
US07750989B2
An exemplary prism sheet includes a transparent main body. The transparent main body has a surface. A plurality of first elongated micro-protrusions and second elongated micro-protrusions protrude from the surface of the main body. Each of the first elongated micro-protrusions extends along a first direction. Widths and heights of each of the first elongated micro-protrusions vary along the first direction. Each of the second elongated micro-protrusions extends along a second direction that intersects with the first direction. Widths and heights of each of the second elongated micro-protrusions vary along the second direction. A method for making the prism sheet and a liquid crystal display device using the prism sheet are also provided.
US07750985B2
An array substrate including scan lines and data lines together defining pixel regions, common lines, and a defect is provided. At least one pixel region includes a storage capacitor having an upper electrode and a bottom electrode. Each said upper electrode is a portion of a pixel electrode. Said bottom electrode is a portion of one common line, and the defect is positioned in said storage capacitor. A cutting process is performed to divide said pixel electrode having said defect into a first portion and a second portion not connecting to each other, and to isolate a section of one of said common lines corresponding to the first portion from other portions of said common line. Said first portion of said pixel electrode is then electrically connected to one scan line, and said second portion is electrically connected to said other portions said common line corresponding to said second portion.
US07750979B2
A pixel-data processing circuit delivers a fixed number of pixels to a video processing stage using an irregular sampling pattern that is defined by a variably-definable sampling window. In one example embodiment directed to processing an input stream of pixels corresponding to an array of video pixels, the window size is selected from one of various options for sampling subsets of the array as a two-dimensional window that spans the pixels in the array. A sampling-window is used such that the window size is a multiple of the sampling-window size and the sampling-window size defines the fixed number of pixels. The processing includes concurrently moving pixel data from the input stream into a first set of line buffers with the pixels stored in the first set of line buffers including pixels for the established window size, prefetching the stored pixels from the first set of line buffers into a second set of line buffers, the second set of line buffers being sufficiently long to store at least the pixels corresponding to the established sampling-window size, and fetching the fixed number of pixels from the second set of line buffers. In various applications, in addition to flexibility, the present invention realizes enhanced throughput.
US07750978B2
An audio/video separator provides a high-performance and cost-effective solution to analog TV reception with only one A/D converter and a minimum of analog IF components. The apparatus may operate on a digitized TV signal and, when integrated with a digital video processor, process video signals while separating audio signals. The resultant audio and video signals may be considered to have excellent signal quality due to highly optimized demodulation architecture and digital signal processing techniques on both audio and video data paths.
US07750945B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a video signal processing device, which can produce a digital video signal, excellent in image quality, fully utilizing effective picture elements of the imaging element, without performing a special control of an imaging element driving unit.In accordance with a contour correction gain calculated based on a compression ratio detecting signal outputted from an image compressing unit 21, a contour correction unit 22 can carry out a contour correction on a compressed image. Accordingly, an NTSC/PAL encoder 24 can output a preferable video signal, which has been subjected to an appropriate contour correction. Moreover, a digital outputting unit 25 outputs an uncompressed video signal, and therefore can provide a preferable video signal without deteriorating the effective picture elements of an imaging element.
US07750943B2
A shooting-information-detecting section detects shooting information from an image pick-up section. A motion-detecting section detects a motion direction of an image on an overall screen based on a motion direction of the image pick-up section contained in the shooting information. A processing-region-setting section sets a processing region in at least any one of a predicted target image and a peripheral image thereof, which correspond to a target pixel in the predicted target image. A processing-coefficient-setting section sets a motion-blur-removing-processing coefficient that corresponds to the motion direction detected in the motion-detecting section. A pixel-value-generating section generates a pixel value that corresponds to the target pixel based on a pixel value of a pixel in the processing region set in the processing-region-setting section and the processing coefficient set in the processing-coefficient-setting section. Motion-blur-removing processing can be accurately performed.
US07750935B2
A data recording and/or reproducing apparatus and method in which, during a recording operation, the maximum bit rate of a transport stream may be detected and along with the transport stream written into a storage medium. During a reproducing operation, the recorded transport stream and maximum bit rate information may be read from the storage medium and a band width or rate for transferring data over a digital interface may be set in accordance with the read maximum bit rate information. As a result, the digital interface band may be utilized for transferring data with a relatively high efficiency.
US07750933B2
An optical scanning unit that includes a first optical device that forms collimated light from light radiated from a light source, a second optical device that focuses the collimated light onto a deflector, and an imaging optical device that focuses light deflected by the deflector onto an exposure object. The optical scanning unit further includes a refraction unit and a diffraction unit, and the power of the refraction unit is φr, the power of the diffraction unit is φd, and the ratio φr/φd is such that 0.5<φr/φd<1.3.
US07750921B2
When printing image data obtained by an input device, the present invention is intended to effectively utilize the color reproduction area of the printer. An image data processing method of the present invention comprises the steps of scale-down shifting a first color space point outside a maximum color reproduction area of an output unit to a second color space point within the maximum color reproduction area of the output unit; computing an amount of shift by which the first color space point is shifted to the second color space point; converting the second color space point to a third color space point within a color reproduction area smaller than the maximum color reproduction area of the output unit; and outputting an image to the output unit using image data obtained by scale-up shifting the third color space point to a fourth color space point within the maximum color reproduction area of the output unit based on the computed shift amount.
US07750915B1
Methods, apparatuses, and systems are presented for performing multiple concurrent accesses in a shared memory resource comprising storing a first group of data elements in data entries across multiple banks in the shared memory resource, a first data element of the first group being stored in a data entry in a first bank; skipping at least one data entry in at least one bank after storing a last data element of the first group, to introduce an offset; following the offset, storing a second group of data elements in data entries across multiple banks in the shared memory resource, a first data element of the second group being stored in a data entry in a second bank different from the first bank; and concurrently accessing the first data element of the first group from the first bank and the first data element of the second group from the second bank.
US07750914B2
A system may include a graphics memory, a data bus, a processor, and a vertex shader. The data bus may be operatively connected to the graphics memory. The processor may send vertex data to the graphics memory via the data bus. The vertex shader may read the vertex data from the graphics memory and may subdivide the vertex data into subdivided vertex data. The vertex shader may also write the subdivided vertex data to the graphics memory.
US07750912B2
In one embodiment, a system comprises a memory; a memory interface coupled to the memory; a processor unit coupled to the memory interface, a second interface coupled to the processor unit, and a graphics processing unit. The processor unit comprises at least one processor core and a display controller configured to couple to a display. The graphics processing unit is configured to render data into a frame buffer representing an image to be displayed on the display. The processor unit is configured to deactivate the second interface if the graphics processing unit is not rendering, and the display controller is configured to read the frame buffer data for display even if the second interface is deactivated.
US07750911B2
A pen-based system allows users, such as artists, graphic designers and illustrators, and the like, to create accurate curve models by sketching. A tool set implemented in software that runs on a computer system combines paper sketch metaphors and a minimalist gesture set. This tool set provides an environment where the artists can focus on the creative task at hand rather than the details of operating software. A pen-based drawing method and system allows users to create and edit three dimensional (“3D”) objects by sketching.
US07750882B2
A display apparatus for displaying display data, including: a first driver applying a gray scale voltage to first lines in response to display data; and a second driver applying a selection voltage to second lines in a case of selecting a line of a pixel and a non-selecting voltage to the second lines in a case of not selecting a line of a pixel, wherein the second driver in turn applies the selection voltage to each line of the second lines, wherein said second driver applies the selection voltage once per line to the second lines in one frame period, wherein the second driver applies the selection voltage to one line of the second lines in a first period of one horizontal scanning period and applies the non-selecting voltage to the same one line of the second lines in a second period of the same one horizontal scanning period.
US07750870B2
A method and circuit to control of a circuit for addressing at least one line electrode of a plasma display panel having, for each line, a line selection stage formed of two switches in series between two input terminals of the selection stage, the method including use of a first one of the two switches of the selection stage of each line to flow a current from or to an inductive element of the addressing circuit.
US07750858B2
A drawer structure of a rod-shaped body, which does not require a complicated inner structure, is provided. In a present preferred embodiment, a structure draws a rod-shaped body out of a housing for housing the rod-shaped body. A guide for holding the rod-shaped body so that the rod-shaped body can be rotated about an axis and slid in the direction of the axis, and an encasing surface which crosses at a predetermined angle to the axis of the rod-shaped body are formed on the housing side. The rod-shaped body has an internal surface facing to the encasing surface, and a cap is formed at a tip of the rod-shaped body so that the internal surface may be a predetermined angle to the axis of the rod-shaped body. When the rod-shaped body is inserted into the guide and the rod-shaped body is rotated from a state where the encasing surface and the internal surface are contacted with each other, the rod-shaped body performs a translatory movement in an axial direction of the guide according to the cam effect.
US07750856B2
An antenna includes at least one element whose physical shape is at least partially defined as a second or higher iteration deterministic fractal. The resultant fractal antenna does not rely upon an opening angle for performance, and may be fabricated as a dipole, a vertical, or a quad, among other configurations. The number of resonant frequencies for the fractal antenna increases with iteration number N and more such frequencies are present than in a prior art Euclidean antenna. Further, the resonant frequencies can include non-harmonically related frequencies. At the high frequencies associated with wireless and cellular telephone communications, a second or third iteration, preferably Minkowski fractal antenna is implemented on a printed circuit board that is small enough to fit within the telephone housing.
US07750855B2
A modulation system that can be used alone or in conjunction with current modulation techniques for data transmission in portable phones. The system consists of two orthogonal antennas of opposite polarization in which signals can be individually received and processed. A phase delay signal combination system allows combining the signals received on the two paths to allow selective reception of various polarizations. The rate of change between these two antennas will be different for each data signal, allowing a large increase in the number of users.
US07750842B2
In one aspect, a system to generate a radar signature of an object includes electromagnetic processing modules that include a first module including at least one processing unit to perform a shooting and bouncing (SBR) technique to solve for physical optics and multi-bounce characteristics of the object, a second module including a processing unit to perform a physical theory (PTD) technique to solve for material edges of the object and a third module including a processing unit to perform an incremental length diffraction coefficient (ILDC) to solve for material boss/channel. Results from the first, second and third modules are coherently integrated by frequency to generate radar cross section (RCS) values of the object in real-time. Performance of the system is scalable by adding processing units to at least one of the first, second or third modules.
US07750829B2
A method and apparatus to scalably encode or decode an audio signal or a video signal. A signal distribution is considered after binarization is performed based on a tree structure. Thus, a decoding end can minimize generation of quantization errors and restore an original signal. In addition, only frequency components perceptually important in terms of human hearing are set to an upper layer and encoded without decreasing a bandwidth which is restored from an upper layer. Therefore, sound quality can be increased by decreasing quantization noise while maintaining a relatively large frequency bandwidth, and the degradation of a compression performance is prevented.
US07750822B2
To restrain a communicatable distance from being shortened even when a power source voltage is lowered. A heart beat signal transmission control portion controls a resonance starting oscillation portion to output a start signal in synchronism with a heart beat signal detected by a heart beat signal detecting portion and controls a resonance starting portion to output a biometric information signal in response to the start signal. An element switching portion receives a signal representing a voltage supplied from a battery portion from a voltage detecting portion and instructs the resonance starting oscillation portion to set the start signal to a period in correspondence therewith. The resonance starting oscillation portion outputs the start signal by a period in correspondence with instruction of the element switching portion. The resonance starting portion and an antenna resonance portion carry out self-excited oscillation operation in response to each start signal and transmit the biometric information signal in correspondence with the biometric signal by high power even when a power source is lowered.
US07750820B1
An emergency alerting device for a Christmas tree utilizing a sheath having a housing forming an open chamber which is capable of encompassing the top of a Christmas tree. The decorative element is connected to the sheath and includes a smoke detector mounting to the surface of the decorative element. An alarm receives a signal from the smoke detector which sets off a perceivable audio noise. A source of power linked to the audio alarm activates the auto alarm.
US07750819B2
Methods and systems for detecting wafer shift/slide in a semiconductor process chamber have been disclosed. The vibration amplitude is measured in terms of acceleration because an increase in vibrational acceleration correlates with an increase of displacement of a wafer. The vibration of a chamber is measured. External vibratory forces acting on the chamber may be transmitted to the wafer inside the chamber. The methods/systems determine if there is a net resultant force that may cause an unconstrained wafer to move from its original position in a chamber by measuring the relative chamber vibrations in three orthogonal directions. A tri-axial or three uni-axial accelerometers are mounted on a preferably exterior wall of the chamber to measure its vibration amplitude. The signal obtained as a function of time is then compared against a predetermined alarm amplitude to provide notification for corrective action.
US07750817B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for monitoring the dispensing of a beverage from a dispensing apparatus into a container using a scale and other devices. Methods of the present invention may perform the following steps: measuring a scale time for the container on a scale, measuring a end weight for the container on the scale, and determining that a dispense event has occurred for the beverage based on whether a tilt condition of a dispensing apparatus occurred substantially within the scale time and based on whether the end weight of the beverage dispensed into the container approximates a serving based on point-of-sale information. In some embodiments the tilt condition is measured by a sensor device that does not contact the beverage being dispensed. Further embodiments may use pour time and the weight of the dispensing apparatus. The determined dispense event may determine the brand of the beverage dispensed.
US07750803B2
A security system comprises a first sensor disposed in an area to be monitored in a building to monitor the area; a moving robot having a robot main body, a second sensor for monitoring the area to be monitored and a robot operation processor for moving the robot main body according to an operation mode data indicating an operation of the robot main body; a controller including first and second sensor information monitor means for collecting first sensor information and second sensor information which are acquired by the first and second sensors, and an operation mode data generator for generating the operation mode data from the first sensor information or the second sensor information and transmitting the operation mode data to the robot operation processor.
US07750795B2
When a warning lamp 20a on the meter panel lights up in an in-vehicle system 1, the description of the content of warning and coping strategies about the lighted warning lamp are displayed on a display device 13. Thus, a user can be swiftly informed of the description of the content of warning and coping strategies. This can make it unnecessary for the user to spend time and effort looking for a service manual and opening the service manual and searching for appropriate pages, and can enhance user-friendliness.
US07750794B2
An alarm system for use with unloading tractor-trailers includes an alarm that is physically located within the tractor-trailer and connected to a fixed structure located outside the tractor-trailer. If the tractor-trailer inadvertently pulls away from the loading dock while a forklift driver is in the trailer, the alarm will go off inside the trailer making the forklift driver aware of the movement of the trailer.
US07750783B2
A coil unit includes a planar coil, a magnetic member that is provided under the planar coil, a magnetic flux leakage prevention member that is provided under the magnetic member, and a heat sink that is provided under the magnetic flux leakage prevention member. The magnetic flux leakage prevention member is electrically insulated from the heat sink. The magnetic flux leakage prevention member is insulated from the heat sink using a double-sided adhesive tape, for example. Since the heat sink dissipates heat generated from the planar coil and is electrically insulated from the magnetic flux leakage prevention member, the heat sink does not function as a member which receives a magnetic flux.
US07750773B2
An improved field emission system and method is provided that involves field emission structures having electric or magnetic field sources. The magnitudes, polarities, and positions of the magnetic or electric field sources are configured to have desirable correlation properties, which may be in accordance with a code. The correlation properties correspond to a desired spatial force function where spatial forces between field emission structures correspond to relative alignment, separation distance, and the spatial force function.
US07750766B2
Embodiments of an automatic single- or multi-pole circuit breaker for use in low-voltage applications are disclosed. The circuit breaker includes at least a first fixed contact this is coupled/uncoupled with a first moving contact. The moving contact is operatively connected to an operating mechanism that enables its displacement. The circuit breaker includes a kinematic tripping device driven by means of a first separating movement of the moving contact away from the fixed contact. The kinematic tripping device includes an operative member capable of tripping the operating mechanism, which in turn takes effect on the moving contact, thus determining a second rapid separating movement until the circuit breaker tripped position is reached.
US07750765B2
A compact via transmission line for a printed circuit board having preferred characteristic impedance and capable of miniaturizing the printed circuit board including a multilayer printed circuit board, and extending the frequency range of a via transmission line mounted on the printed circuit board, and a design method of the same. The transmission line has a central conductor forming an inner conductor layer boundary make up a signal via hole, a plurality of via holes arranged around the central conductor form an outer conductor layer boundary, and a plurality of conductor plates formed of a printed circuit board conductor layer, is further provided with a constitutive parameter adjustment clearance hole between the inner and outer conductor layer boundaries of the compact via transmission line, and electrically isolates to prevent cross-talk of a signal propagating through a signal via hole with other signals in a high-frequency signal band.
US07750761B2
A signal transmission structure includes two power planes, a signal line and a first pillar. The power planes spaced by an interval space provide a first voltage and a second voltage respectively. The signal line, disposed on first surfaces of the power planes, is disposed across the interval space. The first pillar is disposed within the interval space and is aside the signal line, in which the first pillar is apart from the power planes and the signal line.
US07750760B2
The present invention provides an RF module capable of converting electromagnetic waves in the TE mode to balanced electromagnetic waves in the TEM mode without adjustment and outputting the balanced electromagnetic waves while easily realizing miniaturization. The RF module includes: a waveguide (3) in which a half-wavelength TE mode resonator (2) is formed; an E plane coupling window (4) formed in a wall portion (3a) orthogonal to an H plane out of wall portions (3a) to (3e) constructing the TE mode resonator (2) in the waveguide (3); an output line (5a) provided at the edge on the side of the wall portion (3d) parallel with the H plane on the E plane coupling window (4), and magnetically coupled to electromagnetic waves in the TE mode resonator (2); and another output line (5b) provided at the edge on the side of the wall portion (3e) parallel with the H plane in the E plane coupling window (4), and magnetically coupled to the electromagnetic waves.
US07750758B2
A system and method are provided which includes ring resonator structures coupled together with beam structure(s). The ring resonators are configured to operate in the contour or breathe mode. The center of the coupling beam structure is used as a nodal anchor point for anchoring the ring resonators and the beam structures, and also provides a reflecting interface. In an embodiment, the coupling beam structure includes two quarter-wavelength matched beams and an anchor located at a nodal point for coupling the two quarter-wavelength matched beams and ring resonator structures. The symmetric ring design also provides a differential drive and sense configuration while balancing the driving forces about the anchor located at the center of the beam structure. The system exhibits low energy losses while providing large sensing signals and a high quality factor (Q) of about 186,000 at a resonant frequency of about twenty-nine (29) MHz.
US07750757B2
The present invention has for its object to provide a matching circuit with multiband capability which can be reduced in size, even if the number of handled frequency bands rises. The matching circuit of the present invention comprises a load having frequency-dependent characteristics, a first matching block connected with one end to the load with frequency-dependent characteristics, and a second matching block formed by lumped elements connected in series to the first matching block. And then, when a certain frequency band is used, matching is obtained with the series impedance of the first matching block and the second matching block. When a separate frequency band is used, a π-type circuit is constituted by connecting auxiliary matching blocks to both sides of the second matching block. Next, at the same frequency, by taking the combined impedance of this π-type circuit and a load whose characteristics do not depend on the frequency to be Z0, the influence of the second matching block is removed.
US07750750B2
Enhanced polar modulator for transmitter. Within a phase locked loop (PLL), a two point modulation topology is employed in which phase information passes through a limiter (e.g., a +90° or +re/2) in which the phase information dynamic range is divide by a factor (e.g., by 2) and a maximum frequency deviation is also divided by a factor (e.g., by 2). Then, a double balanced up-converter mixer/modulator is implemented to perform gain adjustment (e.g., magnitude and/or amplitude adjustment) and phase changes of 0° and +180° or 0 and +re (e.g., negative gains values may be employed). Phase adjustment in such an architecture is split and provided to both the PLL and to the mixer/modulator of such a polar modulator within a transmitter module such as may be implemented within a communication device (e.g., which may be a wireless communication device). This architecture that includes a PLL with a double balanced up-converter mixer/modulator suppresses even harmonics.
US07750747B2
A clock selection circuit and synthesizer that is capable of selecting an optimum clock signal from among a plurality of clock signals in a short time. A reference-clock counter counts clock pulses in an inputted reference clock signal (REF). A clock counter counts clock pulses in one of the plurality of clock signals which is selected by a selection unit and frequency-divided by a frequency divider. An instruction-signal output unit outputs a plurality of comparison-instruction signals during an interval in which a difference occurs between the counts of two of the plurality of clock signals having the closest frequencies. A comparison unit compares the count of the reference-clock counter and the count of the clock counter. The selection unit selects a clock signal by a binary search according to the result of the comparison.
US07750742B2
An All Digital PLL (ADPLL) and oscillation signal generation method using the ADPLL is provided for generating a spur-free oscillation signal by improving the frequency resolution of the ADPLL. An all digital phase-locked loop of the present invention includes a digitally controlled oscillator for generating an oscillation signal having a frequency corresponding to an inputted control signal, a re-timer for retiming a reference clock based on the oscillation signal, a feedback circuit for accumulating a number of clocks of the oscillation signal within a time period and generating a phase information of the oscillation signal in synchronization with the retimed reference clock, a sigma-delta modulator for sigma-delta modulating a frequency command signal into a modulation signal having a less number of bits than a number of bits of the frequency command signal, a reference phase accumulator for accumulating phases corresponding to the modulation signal, a phase difference detector for generating a phase difference information between an output signal of the reference phase accumulator and the phase information, and a digital loop filter for filtering the phase difference information to generate the control signal.
US07750725B2
A stabilizing current source circuit is provided. The stabilizing current source circuit is used for stabilizing a current provided by a current source, and the current of the current source increases when temperature rises. The stabilizing current source circuit comprises a current source circuit and an adjustment circuit. The current source circuit provides a current that increases when temperature rises. The adjustment circuit is coupled to the current source circuit and provides an input current that increases when temperature rises. The current of the current source is subtracted from the input current to generate a current source current which does not vary with temperature.
US07750722B2
A charge pump circuit has an input voltage generating circuit and a voltage step-up circuit. The input voltage generating circuit has a constant current circuit that generates a constant current, a charge transfer correction device that generates a correction voltage based on the constant current, a constant voltage circuit that generates a constant voltage, and a buffer amplifier that outputs an input voltage obtained by adding the correction voltage to the constant voltage. The voltage step-up circuit has charge transfer devices, capacitors and a clock driver. The charge transfer devices are connected in series to an output terminal of the buffer amplifier and are made of the same element as and have substantially the same characteristic as that of the charge transfer correction device. Each of the capacitors has one end connected to each connection point of each of the plurality of charge transfer devices. The clock driver uses the input voltage as a power supply voltage, generates clock pulses having opposite phases based on the power supply voltage, and alternately supplies the clock pulses to another end of each of the plurality of capacitors.
US07750717B2
A method, system, and apparatus to a novel single supply level shifter circuit for multi-voltage designs, capable of up/down shifting are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a first circuit, a second circuit, a voltage source with an output voltage equal to a voltage value of the second circuit, a level shifter circuit coupled with both an output of the first circuit and an output of the voltage source and wherein the level shifter circuit is used to convert a voltage value of a signal from the first circuit to the voltage value of the second circuit, and a capacitor loop circuit associated with the first circuit, the level shifter circuit and the voltage source and configured with a capacitor to charge from at least one of a first circuit output voltage.
US07750714B2
A semiconductor device minimizes generation of an output signal skew of an input buffer and thus stabilizes the operation of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes an input potential detection unit outputting a detection signal in response to a level of an input signal, an input buffer buffering the input signal, and an output path control unit that receives the output signal of the input buffer and the detection signal of the input potential detection unit and outputs an output driving signal in response to the level of the detection signal.
US07750709B1
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that biases a floating node within an integrated circuit. During operation, the system first identifies the floating node within the integrated circuit to be biased. The system then determines a desired bias voltage. Next, the system couples a low-power bias source to the floating node to supply the desired bias voltage, wherein the floating node is biased without stopping data transmission through the floating node during biasing.
US07750705B2
An interface of the present invention includes a first inverter circuit that inverts a logic level of an input signal given to an external input terminal and outputs the inverted logic level, a second inverter circuit that outputs a potential in which a logic level of an output signal of the first inverter circuit is inverted, that is, a potential higher or lower than a logic of an input signal applied to the first inverter circuit by the amount of a predetermined potential, and a feedback path that positive-feedbacks an output signal of the second inverter circuit to the external input terminal. The interface circuit of the invention positive-feedbacks a potential of the output signal of the second inverter circuit and shifts the potential of the external input terminal in a floating state to an H or L level potential.
US07750695B2
A system and method for performing phase-locked loop is disclosed. The system includes phase frequency detector circuitry, charge pump circuitry having first current mirror circuitry and second current mirror circuitry, loop filter circuitry, and voltage controlled oscillator circuitry. The phase frequency detector circuitry generates an up signal and a down signal based on the phase difference of an input signal and a feedback signal. The charge pump circuitry includes the first current mirror circuitry and the second mirror circuitry and generates a charge pump output signal based on the up and down signals. The loop filter circuitry generates a filtered control signal based on the charge pump output signal. The voltage controlled oscillator circuitry generates the feedback signal with a repeating waveform based on the filtered control signal.
US07750692B2
Digital divider for low voltage LOGEN. LOGEN is a local oscillator generator. One implementation presented herein provides for a pseudo-complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), in that, it is not a true CMOS type circuitry that has no DC current dissipation, but nevertheless does operate well at relatively high frequencies and relatively low power supply voltage levels. Appropriately placed p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (P-MOSFETs) and n-channel MOSFETs (e.g., N-MOSFETs) are employed to provide for an all digital divider circuitry. In some embodiments, four active circuitry element levels are stacked between a power supply voltage and ground voltage level. In other embodiments, three active circuitry element levels are stacked between a power supply voltage and ground voltage level. The three active circuitry element levels embodiment provides for a greater area savings (e.g., because of the fewer elements) and also provides reduced input capacitance than the four active circuitry element levels embodiment.
US07750686B2
The present invention discloses a current-matching method comprising steps of: providing a plurality of current channels; grouping the plurality of current channels into W sets, each of which has Q channels; and matching the channels of the same set in current, where both W and Q are integers greater than or equal to 2. The present invention also discloses a current-matching circuit including hierarchical tree structure having two or more levels, each of which includes multiple matching devices, wherein each matching device at a preceding level corresponds to a predetermined number of matching devices at a next level. Respective matching devices at a last level control currents in respective current channels; the channels of the same group are matched with one another in current.
US07750673B2
An improved interconnect structure in programmable devices gives a new dimension to the routing architecture, where architecture is divided into various domains. It includes at least one set of input lines, each set having predetermined number of input lines; an equal number of sets of routing lines, each set of routing lines being connected to a corresponding set of input lines using a switch box; thereby forming domain based routing structures, each domain being disjoint with the other domain. Segregating FPGA routing resources into various independent routing domains is done; each domain providing connectivity to route a signal to a set of sinks.
US07750672B2
The exemplary embodiments provide a resilient integrated circuit. An exemplary IC comprises a plurality of composite circuit elements, a state machine element (SME), and a plurality of communication elements. Each composite circuit element comprises an element controller, an element interface and a selected circuit element which may vary by element type, and which may be configurable. The state machine element assigns various functions based on element type, such as assigning a first configuration to a first element type, assigning a second configuration to a second element type, and providing a first data link for the corresponding assignments. The element controller controls the execution of data operations by the circuit element. Function assignment, routing, fault detection, and re-assignment and data re-routing can occur in real time for a wide variety of programs and algorithms, providing for the IC to continue the same functioning despite defects which may arise during operation.
US07750670B2
A reconfigurable logic array (RLA) having a logic capacity and configured to process a function having a total logic requirement that exceeds the logic capacity of the RLA. The RLA includes first and second storage regions and a plurality of programmable logic elements located between the first and second storage regions. When the function is parsed into a plurality of functional blocks, this configuration allows the RLA to process the function by sequentially processing the functional blocks in alternating directions within the RLA, using the plurality of programmable logic elements to sequentially process each of the functional blocks and using the first and second storage regions to temporarily hold the input and output for that one of the functional blocks.
US07750669B2
A reprogrammable integrated circuit, including one or more logic dies including circuit components; and one or more reprogrammable interconnect dies including reprogrammable interconnect components electrically connected to the circuit components to define signal routing paths between the circuit components to allow a user to develop an integrated circuit.
US07750662B2
An electro-optical device includes a peripheral circuit that is provided in a peripheral area, a terminal that is provided in the peripheral area; and an electric wiring pattern that provides an electric connection between the terminal and the peripheral circuit, the electric wiring pattern having a low resistance portion and a high resistance portion, the high resistance portion having a winding layout in a terminal-overlapping area of the peripheral area at which the terminal is formed when viewed in plan.
US07750656B2
The circuit distributes a test signal applied to a pad of an electronic device that is enabled during test phases of the device and disabled during normal functioning. The circuit includes a “master” buffer, one or more “slave” buffers, one for each replicated pad, and an interconnection bus of the “master” and “slave” buffers. During a test phase, the “master” buffer replicates on the interconnection bus the test signal fed to a pad of the device, while the “slave” buffers convey to the various replica pads of the feed pad the signal present on the interconnection bus. During the normal operation of the device, the circuit remains disabled.
US07750655B2
It is an object of the present invention to dramatically reduce thermal deformation without using any special material in a multilayer substrate and a probe card.According to the present invention, in a probe card including at least one circuit board connected in an electrically conductive manner to a probe brought into electrical contact with an inspection object, the circuit board includes a base layer and a surface layer stacked on at least an inspection object side surface of the base layer. The surface layer has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the base layer, and grooves dividing the surface layer into a plurality of areas are provided in the surface layer.
US07750653B2
An electronic testing machine that tests electronic components using test contacts is disclosed. A contact takes a plurality of electrical readings for a component retained in a test plate as the test plate is moved in microsteps. These electrical readings can be used to determine alignment and/or to correct alignment as necessary using an adjustment mechanism.
US07750639B2
The invention relates to the management of large stationary batteries. The invention is a comprehensive system and process for the management of stationary batteries that are used for backup power and are deployed in widely dispersed locations. The system is comprised of Mega-Tags, a battery testing and data acquisition device, and web-based software. The system software can automatically analyze, determine and report predicted battery failure data such as a future anticipated failure date by aging standard ohmic test values such as impedance, conductance, or resistance, by multiplying the test value by a monthly factor derived from statistical analysis and comparing the aged value to a baseline value to determine the predicted failure date.
US07750632B2
A method for producing a magnetic resonance image using an ultra-short echo time. The method includes applying a pulse sequence to an object, detecting a spirally encoded and phase encoded magnetic resonance signal associated with the object, and reconstructing the magnetic resonance image based on the spirally encoded and phase encoded magnetic resonance signal. The pulse sequence includes a slab-selective radiofrequency pulse, a slab-selective gradient pulse, a plurality of variable duration slice encoding gradient pulses, a plurality of first spiral encoding gradient pulses, and a plurality of second spiral encoding gradient pulses. The detection of the spirally encoded and phase encoded magnetic resonance signal occurs concurrently with the application of one of the plurality of first spiral encoding gradient pulses and with the application of one of the plurality of second spiral encoding gradient pulses.
US07750614B2
A switching regulator for inputting a power source, supplying output power to an external circuit, and adjusting the output voltage to a target voltage, the switching regulator has a switching regulator circuit having first and second transistors, a feedback circuit that receives the output voltage, and outputs a control pulse signal at a frequency in accordance with the received output voltage; a PLL circuit unit having a PLL circuit, and a first control signal generating circuit that outputs the first control signal for controlling the first transistor; and a drive circuit that outputs a second control signal that controls the second transistor; and a control circuit that monitors the period of the PLL output pulse and the control pulse signal, and controls the ON and OFF timing of the second transistor when a difference of monitored periods.
US07750612B2
A voltage-pulse converting circuit according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a first input terminal and a second input terminal applied with an input voltage to be converted into a pulse; an integrator having positive and negative input terminals; an input switching unit switching connection between the first and second input terminal and the positive and negative input terminals of the integrator; and a first comparator comparing a first detection voltage with an output voltage of the integrator and a second comparator comparing a second detection voltage different from the first detection voltage with the output voltage, the input switching unit switching the connection based on a comparison result of the first and second comparators.
US07750610B2
A voltage supply interface provides both coarse and fine current control with reduced series resistance. The voltage supply interface has a segmented switch having N component switches that are digitally controlled. The voltage supply interface replaces a conventional sense resistor with a calibration circuit that has a replica switch that is a replica of the N component switches. The calibration circuit includes a reference current IREF that is sourced through the replica switch. A feedback amplifier forces a common voltage drop across the replica switch and the n-of-N activated component switches so that the cumulative current draw through the segmented switch is n·IREF. The current control of the voltage interface can be coarsely tuned by activating or deactivating component switches, and can be finely tuned by adjusting the reference current. The current sense resistor is eliminated so that the overall series resistance is lower.
US07750609B2
A switching power supply IC (21) is provided with, in a form integrated into an integrated circuit: a terminal (T2) whereupon an input voltage (Vin) is applied through an inductor (Lex); a terminal (T3) from which an output voltage (Vout) for a loading LED is extracted; a transistor (N1) connected between the terminal (T2) and a grounding end; a transistor (P1) connected between the terminal (T2) and the terminal (T3); a transistor (P2) connected between the terminal (T3) and a backgate of the transistor (P1); and a switching control section (CTRL) for performing switching control to each transistor. During a step-up operation, the switching control section (CTRL) controls the switching of the transistors (N1, P1) complementarily to each other while continuously keeping the transistor (P2) on, and turns off all of the transistors (N1, P1, P2) when a step-up operation is stopped.
US07750607B2
The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle has a first switch electrically connected to an I/O end; a capacitor bank; a discharge resistance; and a controller. The capacitor bank has series-connected electric double layer capacitors, and balanced resistances. Each of the balanced resistance is parallel-connected to each electric double layer capacitor, and has substantively the same resistance value. The capacitor bank and discharge resistance are connected to the first switch. The controller controls the first switch while monitoring the voltage of the capacitor bank and the operating state of the ignition key operating the ignition switch of the vehicle, so as to connect the capacitor bank to the discharge resistance when the ignition switch is turned off.
US07750596B2
The semiconductor device according to the present invention generates pulse width modulation signals for controlling inverter circuits that drive a motor. The semiconductor device includes: a first register which holds values for determining a period in which each pulse width modulation signal becomes active; a correction buffer which holds a correction value; a first counter; a second counter which counts a value obtained by temporally advancing or delaying a count value of the first counter; a selector which selects the count value of the first counter or the count value of the second counter; and a pulse width modulation control unit which generates each pulse width modulation signal, logical values of which are switched in a timing when the selected count value matches the value held by the first register.
US07750592B2
When performing numerical control of a rotary table, the moment of inertia and the center of gravity of a control target change because of a placed object fixed onto the rotary table. A rotary table to which a placed object has been fixed serves as a target plant, the actual motion of this is compared with motion calculated by an identification model of the target plant, and a torque command value is corrected. The identification model comprises a term pertaining to angular acceleration and a term pertaining to angle of rotation, and by including the term pertaining to angle of rotation, correction of a torque command corresponding to a change in the center of gravity can be performed.
US07750585B2
A particularly high level of performance in a sensorless, electronically commutated multiphase electric motor can be achieved, wherein for one full cycle at least, one motor phase is controlled in an asymmetrical manner relative to a further motor phase by controlling a commutation angle of one motor phase by reduction relative to a corresponding commutation angle of the other motor phase. Alternatively or in addition, according to the aforementioned method, at least one motor phase is asymmetrically controlled by reduction by self-reference for a full cycle, a commutation angle being controlled by reduction relative to a preceding or subsequent commutation angle or the size of the intermediate angles between two commutation angles being varied, the reduced commutation angle always being preceded or followed by a measurement angle within which the relevant motor phase is switched at zero current for detecting the rotor position by measuring the counter-electromotive force.
US07750575B2
The present invention relates to a plasma source. The plasma source includes a cathode assembly having an inner cathode section and an outer cathode section. An anode is positioned adjacent to the outer cathode section so as to form a gap there between. A first power supply generates a first electric field across the gap between the anode and the outer cathode section. The first electric field ionizes a volume of feed gas that is located in the gap, thereby generating an initial plasma. A second power supply generates a second electric field proximate to the inner cathode section. The second electric field super-ionizes the initial plasma to generate a plasma comprising a higher density of ions than the initial plasma.
US07750572B2
The invention relates to a microwave power tube consisting of an electron gun comprising a cathode that generates an electron beam in a microwave structure of the tube, and a collector for collecting electrons from the beam. In addition, the tube comprises a magnetic device for spreading the beam in the collector, which generates a periodic amplitude-modulated magnetic spread field Bblm. The invention is suitable for microwave power tubes.
US07750568B2
A Plasma Display Panel (PDP) includes: a first substrate; a second substrate arranged parallel to the first substrate; a partition wall interposed between the first and second substrates; a groove formed on the partition wall; and a reflection preventive layer formed on the groove to reduce reflective luminance in a display area.
US07750567B2
The present invention presents top/bottom widths of the first and second barrier rib of the plasma display device. The first barrier rib fulfills a condition of 0
US07750562B2
An organic light emitting apparatus obtained by dividing a plurality of organic light emitting apparatuses that are integrally formed, including a substrate; an organic light emitting device which is placed on the substrate and has a first electrode, an organic compound layer and a second electrode provided on the substrate in this order; and an inorganic moisture barrier layer formed on the organic light emitting device to cover the organic light emitting device. The inorganic moisture barrier layer has, around the organic light emitting device, a division end formed by dividing the inorganic moisture barrier layer, and the division end of the inorganic moisture barrier layer has a thickness smaller than the inorganic moisture barrier layer on the organic light emitting device.
US07750558B2
An OLED device, comprising: a first electrode; a conductive protective electrode comprising a transparent conductive oxide layer wherein the conductive protective electrode is a hermetic layer having a thickness less than 100 nm; one or more organic layers formed between the first electrode and conductive protective electrode, at least one organic layer being a light-emitting layer; and a patterned auxiliary electrode in electrical contact with the conductive protective electrode.
US07750550B2
A surface light source device comprises a lower substrate, a cathode electrode formed on the lower substrate, an electron emitter connected electrically to the cathode electrode, an upper substrate comprising a plurality of space parts and a plurality of space partitioning parts, wherein the plurality of space parts and the lower substrate form an emitting space over the electron emitter and the plurality of space partitioning parts divide adjacent space parts, and a fluorescent layer and an anode electrode formed on the upper substrate.
US07750547B2
An embodiment of an electron emission device includes first and second substrates facing each other, unit pixels being defined on the first and the second substrates, an electron emission unit on the first substrate, phosphor layers on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate, each phosphor layer corresponding to at least one unit pixel, non-light emission regions between the phosphor layers, and spacers interposed between the first and the second substrates and arranged in the non-light emission regions, wherein the non-light emission regions comprise spacer loading regions loaded with the spacers, wherein a width of a spacer loading region and a pitch of the unit pixels satisfies the following condition: A/B≧about 0.2, where A indicates the width of the spacer loading region and B indicates the pitch of the unit pixels located along the width of the spacer loading region.
US07750535B2
A method for fabricating a quartz nanoresonator which can be integrated on a substrate, along with other electronics is disclosed. In this method a quartz substrate is bonded to a base substrate. The quartz substrate is metallized so that a bias voltage is applied to the resonator, thereby causing the quartz substrate to resonate at resonant frequency greater than 100 MHz. The quartz substrate can then be used to drive other electrical elements with a frequency equal to its resonant frequency. The quartz substrate also contains tuning pads to adjust the resonant frequency of the resonator. Additionally, a method for accurately thinning a quartz substrate of the resonator is provided. The method allows the thickness of the quartz substrate to be monitored while the quartz substrate is simultaneously thinned.
US07750531B2
A direct drive motor in a washing machine includes a stator having a winding portion with coils wound thereon, a rotor having a sidewall, and a rear wall with a pass through hole at a center, and fastening pass through holes around the pass through hole, an annular washer in close contact with, and fixedly secured to, the rear wall of the rotor, the annular washer having fastening pass through holes in a surface thereof in correspondence to fastening pass through holes in the rear wall of the rotor, a connector of resin having a vibration mode different from the washing shaft, fixedly secured to an inner side of the rear wall of the rotor for supporting the washing shaft, the connector having fastening pass through holes in correspondence to the fastening pass through holes around the pass through hole, bolts passed through the fastening pass through holes in the connector, the rotor, and the washer, and nuts fastened to the bolts for holding the connector, the rotor, and the washer together.
US07750530B2
A method of providing an outside rotor electric machine having a reduced radial air gap variation across an axial length of the air gap, the machine including a rotor having a cylindrical elongated portion supporting magnets and a flange extending at least partially radially from a rotating shaft, the method comprising increasing a radial deflection of the elongated portion in proximity of the flange by connecting the elongated portion to the flange through a radial spring having a stiffness lower than that of the elongated portion.
US07750512B2
An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the invention is operable in a first mode in which a first unit group comprising at least one of a plurality of functional units is activated and a second mode in which a second unit group comprising at least one of the plurality of functional units is activated. In the first mode, a control unit is operable to: activate a first power source circuit; input a first voltage to a third power source circuit; and supply an operation voltage converted by the third power source circuit to the first unit group. In the second mode, the control unit is operable to: activate a second power source circuit and deactivate the first power source circuit; and supply a second voltage output from the second power source circuit to the second unit group without intervention of the third power source circuit.
US07750507B2
An electronics support apparatus for rotating electronics is provided that eliminates the need for electrical contact brushes and/or reduces the number of inductive power coupling coil pairs required to provide power to the rotating electronics. With the apparatus, a single inductive power coupling coil pair is utilized in which the coils are oriented at approximately 90 degrees, i.e. at a right angle, to each other, e.g., the “outer” coil (secondary transformer coil) is oriented approximately 90 degrees to the “inner” coil (primary transformer coil). A transformer core, or “elbow core,” having an approximately 90 degree bend is provided for coupling the magnetic energy of the primary transformer coil with the secondary transformer coil, thus imparting or coupling energy simultaneously through 2 axes of motion.
US07750501B2
A system and method for preventing over voltages in a power system coupled to an electric machine are disclosed. Briefly described, one embodiment is a method comprising detecting an operating voltage on a high voltage direct current (HVDC) bus, determining if at least one component of the power system is operational, communicating a signal to a power converter of the power system when the detected operating voltage is greater than a threshold voltage and when the component is not operational, and shorting together a plurality of terminals of the electric machine.
US07750495B2
A power line adapter and its controlling method to be operated in a power-saving mode are disclosed. The power line adapter includes a power-transmitting module for generating a DC supply voltage and a data-transmitting module for transmitting data. Furthermore, the data-transmitting module at least includes a power line communication circuit and an Ethernet physical layer transceiver. The controlling method comprises steps of: monitoring a link signal generated by the Ethernet physical layer transceiver when the power line adapter is operated in an active mode; and, disconnecting the DC supply voltage to the power line communication circuit and entering the power-saving mode if the link signal indicates a disconnection over a first time period.
US07750492B1
A bearingless floating wind turbine has a tall and narrow main support structure with a center of buoyancy located well above the center of gravity to provide stability to the wind turbine while supported for rotation in a body of water, a vertical axis turbine blade extends from the main support structure and rotates together under a wind, and a non-rotating shaft extends through the main support structure with a vertical axis direct drive generator connected between the main support structure and the non-rotating shaft to produce electricity when the main support structure rotates. an anchor line connected to the non-rotating shaft prevents the floating wind turbine from drifting in a body of water.
US07750489B2
This invention discloses a power control system comprising a prime mover and a generator driven by the prime mover. A control device is coupled with the generator to ascertain a change in speed of the generator and vary an output power of the generator according to the change. The control device applies a signal to reduce the generator output power and another signal to restore the generator output power. The power control system may include a transmission, a speed converter, and/or an accessory.
US07750487B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a first component with a compliant interconnect bonded to a second component with a land pad by a metal to metal bond. In some embodiments, the first component may be a microprocessor die and the second component a package substrate.
US07750482B2
An integrated circuit packaging system comprised by providing a substrate with a first surface including conductive regions for receiving a flip chip die and a second surface including electrical contacts for external electrical connections. Providing the flip chip die over the substrate. Depositing a controlled volume of resin between the first surface of the substrate and the flip chip die and adhering the flip chip die to the first surface of the substrate to form the controlled volume of resin into a zero fillet resin.
US07750469B2
A semiconductor chip and manufacturing method thereof, the semiconductor chip including a plurality of bumps connected to a driving circuit integrated on a semiconductor substrate and an organic insulating layer disposed on the driving circuit. The organic insulating layer extends from the semiconductor substrate less than the plurality of bumps such that a lower edge of the plurality of bumps protrudes further than a lower edge of the organic insulating layer.
US07750464B2
There is provided a semiconductor device which makes equalization of wirings between address system chips easy and reduce the influence of crosstalk noise and capacitive coupling noise among data system wirings for connecting the chips. There are mounted, on a module board, a plurality of stacked memory chips which a data processor chip simultaneously accesses. Address system bonding pads to which a plurality of memory chips correspond are commonly coupled by a wire to a bonding lead at one end of the module board wiring whose other end is coupled by a wire to an address system bonding pads of the data processor. Data system bonding pads of the data processor chip are individually coupled to data system bonding pads of the memory chip. With respect to an arrangement of the plurality of data system bonding pads of the data processor chip, an arrangement of the data system bonding pads to which the memory chip, coupled by the data system wiring, corresponds is made such that memory chips are disposed in an alternating sequence.
US07750460B2
A die package generally including (A) ground paths routing a power ground from a ground power set of contact pads in a first conductive layer to a ground ring in a second conductive layer, (B) core paths routing a core voltage from a core power set of contact pads in the first conductive layer to a core ring in the second conductive layer, and (C) input/output voltage paths routing input/output voltages from an input/output power set of contact pads in the first conductive layer to an input/output ring in the second conductive layer, (i) the input/output ring surrounding the core ring, (ii) the ring being configured to power input and output circuits of the die, (iii) the input/output ring being split into ring segments isolated from each other and (iv) at least one particular ring segment having a length of less than a single connector pitch.
US07750446B2
Disclosed are IC package structures comprised of standard IC packages modified with separate circuit interconnection structures and disposed to interconnect either directly to other IC packages or to intermediate pedestal connectors which serve to support and interconnect various circuit elements, thus effectively allowing critical signals to bypass the generally less capable interconnection paths within standard interconnection substrates.
US07750444B2
A LOC semiconductor package with the leadframe for the package is revealed. The LOC semiconductor package primarily comprises a plurality of leadframe's leads, at least a tie bar, a chip, and an encapsulant encapsulating the components mentioned above. Each lead has a bonding finger. The tie bar has a dummy finger where the dummy finger is linearly disposed at one side of the disposition area of the bonding fingers. The chip has an active surface with the bonding fingers. When the dummy finger and the bonding fingers are disposed above the active surface by a die-attaching layer, the dummy finger is adjacent to one edge of the active surface. The bonding fingers are electrically connected with the bonding pads. The dummy finger will bear the concentrated stresses to avoid the bonding fingers on the active surface to delamination or break due to external stresses and to avoid the interference to the layout of the leads.
US07750437B2
A semiconductor device has a rectifier circuit and integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate of a first conduction type, and has a first well region in the substrate, a second well region in first well region, and a diode region formed in second well region and constituting a diode with second well region. The rectifier circuit is formed by the diodes. An input power supply terminal, changing between positive and negative potentials, is connected to second and first well regions of a first diode and to diode region of a second diode. A current supply terminal is provided in the vicinity of first well region of first diode, and is connected to the substrate and a prescribed power supply, so as to supply a current to the PN junction between the first well region and the semiconductor substrate when the input power supply terminal is at negative potential.
US07750430B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises forming a deposition structure including a first substrate, an insulating layer and a second substrate of a SOI substrate; etching the second substrate located in a boundary of cell and core regions and a peripheral region to form a line-type trench; filling an isolating film in the trench; removing the second substrate and the insulating layer of the peripheral region; performing a selective epitaxial growth (SEG) process using the first substrate exposed in the peripheral region to form an epitaxial layer; and performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process on the epitaxial layer. As a result, the method has a floating body effect to shorten a developing period and improve a process yield.
US07750424B2
A microlens, an image sensor including the microlens, a method of forming the microlens and a method of manufacturing the image sensor are provided. The microlens includes a polysilicon pattern, having a cylindrical shape, formed on a substrate, and a round-type shell portion enclosing the polysilicon pattern. The microlens may further include a filler material filling an interior of the shell portion, or a second shell portion covering the first shell portion. The method of forming a microlens includes forming a silicon pattern on a semiconductor substrate having a lower structure, forming a capping film on the semiconductor substrate over the silicon pattern, annealing the silicon pattern and the capping film altering the silicon pattern to a polysilicon pattern having a cylindrical shape and the capping film to a shell portion for a round-type microlens, and filling an interior of the shell portion with a lens material through an opening between the semiconductor substrate and an edge of the shell portion. The image sensor includes a microlens formed by a similar method and a photodiode having a cylindrical shape.
US07750422B2
In a solid state image pickup apparatus with a photodetecting device and one or more thin film transistors connected to the photodetecting device formed in one pixel, a part of the photodetecting device is formed over at least a part of the thin film transistor, and the thin film transistor is constructed by a source electrode, a drain electrode, a first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode arranged on the side opposite to the first gate electrode with respect to the source electrode and the drain electrode, and the first gate electrode is connected to the second gate electrode every pixel, thereby, suppressing an adverse effect of the photodetecting device on the TFT, a leakage at turn-off TFT, variation in a threshold voltage of the TFT due to an external electric field, and accurately transferring photo carrier to a signal processing circuit.
US07750410B2
In producing complementary sets of metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) field effect transistors, including nFET and pFET), carrier mobility is enhanced or otherwise regulated through the reacting the material of the gate electrode with a metal to produce a stressed alloy (preferably CoSi2, NiSi, or PdSi) within a transistor gate. In the case of both the nFET and pFET, the inherent stress of the respective alloy results in an opposite stress on the channel of respective transistor. By maintaining opposite stresses in the nFET and pFET alloys or silicides, both types of transistors on a single chip or substrate can achieve an enhanced carrier mobility, thereby improving the performance of CMOS devices and integrated circuits.
US07750404B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device including an insulated gate field effect transistor including a gate electrode film formed, via a gate insulating film, on a semiconductor film formed on a support substrate via an insulating film, and a source region and drain region formed in the semiconductor film to sandwich the gate electrode film in a gate length direction, a support substrate contact including a polysilicon film formed on a first opening via a silicon oxide film, the first opening extending through the semiconductor film and the insulating film and reaching the support substrate, an interlayer dielectric film formed on the semiconductor film and the support substrate contact, and an interconnection connected to the polysilicon film via a conductive material, the conductive material filling a second opening, which extends through the interlayer dielectric film and reaches the support substrate contact.
US07750402B2
In a power semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a source region of a second conductivity type formed in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate, and a drain drift region of the second conductivity type formed in the surface portion of the semiconductor substrate, the drain drift region being apart from the source region, a drain region of the second conductivity type is formed in a surface portion of the drain drift region. The drain region has a larger impurity concentration than the drain drift region. A drain buried region of the second conductivity type is formed immediately below the drain region in the drain drift region. The drain buried region has a larger impurity diffusion region than the drain drift region. A gate insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate between the source region and the drain drift region, and a gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating layer.
US07750395B2
Devices and methods are provided with respect to a gate stack for a nonvolatile structure. According to one aspect, a gate stack is provided. One embodiment of the gate stack includes a tunnel medium, a high K charge blocking and charge storing medium, and an injector medium. The high K charge blocking and charge storing medium is disposed on the tunnel medium. The injector medium is operably disposed with respect to the tunnel medium and the high K charge blocking and charge storing medium to provide charge transport by enhanced tunneling. According to one embodiment, the injector medium is disposed on the high K charge blocking and charge storing medium. According to one embodiment, the tunnel medium is disposed on the injector medium. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US07750393B2
Provided are example embodiments of a non-volatile memory device and a method of fabricating the same. The non-volatile memory device may include a control gate electrode arranged on a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating layer interposed between the semiconductor substrate and the control gate electrode, a storage node layer interposed between the gate insulating layer and the control gate electrode, a blocking insulating layer interposed between the storage node layer and the control gate electrode, first dopant doping regions along a first side of the control gate electrode, and second dopant doping regions along a second side of the control gate electrode. The first dopant doping regions may alternate with the second dopant doping regions. Stated differently, each of the second dopant doping regions may be arranged in a region on the second side of the control gate electrode that is adjacent to one of the first dopant doping regions.
US07750388B2
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device that contains a trench metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor and a field effect transistor (FET), and a design structure including the semiconductor device embodied in a machine readable medium. The trench MIM capacitor comprises a first metallic electrode layer located over interior walls of a trench in a substrate, a dielectric layer located in the trench over the first metallic electrode layer, and a second metallic electrode layer located in the trench over the dielectric layer. The FET comprises a source region, a drain region, a channel region between the source and drain regions, and a gate electrode over the channel region. The trench MIM capacitor is connected to the FET by a metallic strap. The semiconductor device of the present invention can be fabricated by a process in which the trench MIM capacitor is formed after the FET source/drain region but before the FET source/drain metal silicide contacts, for minimizing metal contamination in the FET.
US07750387B2
Disclosed are a semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor device includes a floating gate on a semiconductor layer; a first contact on the floating gate; a MIM capacitor including a lower electrode, an insulating layer, and an upper electrode on the first contact; a second contact on a drain region of the semiconductor layer; a metal island on the second contact; a via on the metal island; and a bit line on the via.
US07750383B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor apparatus including a semiconductor substrate, a transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate, an insulating film disposed on the semiconductor substrate, a ferroelectric capacitor and an upper mask. The ferroelectric capacitor includes a lower electrode disposed on the insulating film, a ferroelectric film disposed on the lower electrode and an upper electrode disposed on the ferroelectric film. The upper mask includes a hard mask disposed on the upper electrode and a sidewall mask disposed on at least part of a sidewall of the hard mask.
US07750381B2
In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device may include a Si substrate, a gate electrode provided on the semiconductor via a gate dielectric layer, a first epitaxially grown layer provided on the Si substrate, a channel region provided in the Si substrate below the gate electrode, a source/drain region provided in the first epitaxially grown layer sandwiching the channel region, and having a first conductivity type impurity, a second epitaxially grown layer provided between the channel region and the first epitaxially grown layer, and provided below the gate electrode, and having a second conductivity type impurity opposite to the first conductivity type.
US07750379B2
One aspect of this disclosure relates to an integrated circuit structure. An integrated circuit structure embodiment includes a substrate, a gate dielectric over the substrate, a carbon structure having a predetermined thickness in contact with and over the gate dielectric, and a layer of desired gate material for a transistor in contact with and over the carbon structure. The layer of desired gate material includes a predetermined thickness corresponding to the predetermined thickness of the carbon structure to support a metal substitution process to replace the carbon structure with the desired gate material. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US07750365B2
An insulated gate bipolar transistor includes a first main electrode on a first main surface and in contact with a base region of an insulated gate transistor at the first main surface, a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type on a second main surface, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type on the second main surface and vertically aligned with a region of the first main electrode in contact with the base region, and a second main electrode formed on the first and second semiconductor layers. An interface between the second main electrode and each of the first and second semiconductor layers is parallel to the first main surface, a distance between the first main surface and the interface is equal to 200 μm or smaller, and a thickness of each of the first and second semiconductor layers is equal to 2 μm or smaller.
US07750362B2
A semiconductor light-emitting device includes: a hollow body including a bottom wall and a surrounding wall cooperating with the bottom wall to define an encapsulant-receiving recess, the bottom wall being formed with a through-hole, the surrounding wall having a diffuse surface that surrounds the encapsulant-receiving recess; a heat-dissipating body provided on a bottom side of the bottom wall and covering the through-hole in the bottom wall; a light-emitting chip disposed in the through-hole in the bottom wall; a transparent encapsulant filling the encapsulant-receiving recess and the through-hole; and a wavelength-converting layer covering the transparent encapsulant.
US07750355B2
The object of this invention is to provide a high-output type nitride light emitting device.The nitride light emitting device comprises an n-type nitride semiconductor layer or layers, a p-type nitride semiconductor layer or layers and an active layer therebetween, wherein a gallium-containing nitride substrate is obtained from a gallium-containing nitride bulk single crystal, provided with an epitaxial growth face with dislocation density of 105/cm2 or less, and A-plane or M-plane which is parallel to C-axis of hexagonal structure for an epitaxial face, wherein the n-type semiconductor layer or layers are formed directly on the A-plane or M-plane.In case that the active layer comprises a nitride semiconductor containing In, an end face film of single crystal AlxGa1-xN (0≦x≦1) can be formed at a low temperature not causing damage to the active layer.
US07750350B2
An organic thin film transistor with circular semiconducting elements applied to the substrate in a plurality of hexagonal patterns, a method of producing the same, and a shadow mask used in the method that allows for formation of the organic thin film transistor without need for precise alignment of the shadow mask on the substrate. The substrate has a plurality of thin film transistors, each having a drain electrode, a source electrode, a gate electrode, and a channel formed of semiconducting elements that, due to relative dimensions and alignments of the semiconducting elements, may connect both the drain electrode and the source electrode of one transistor but not two electrodes of adjacent transistors. The shadow mask includes openings in the hexagonal pattern, and the pattern is rotated at an angle of 15° relative to longitudinal axes of the drain and source electrodes to form channels.
US07750349B2
A switching element substrate for a liquid crystal display device for transmissive display includes an insulating substrate, and a plurality of switching elements formed on one of surfaces of the insulating substrate. A transmitting region is defined on an exposed part of the other surface of the insulating substrate. Each of the switching elements includes a monocrystalline silicon layer.
US07750345B2
An object is to provide a structure for forming a circuit for which high-speed operation and low-voltage operation are required and a circuit for which sufficient reliability is required at the time of high voltage application in a circuit group provided over one substrate in a semiconductor device, and a manufacturing method thereof. A semiconductor device is provided with a plurality of kinds of transistors which include single-crystal semiconductor layers with different thicknesses, which are separated from a single-crystal semiconductor substrate and bonded, over one substrate. The single-crystal semiconductor layer of a transistor for which high-speed operation is required is formed thinner than that of a transistor for which high resistance to a voltage is required, so that the thickness of the single-crystal semiconductor layer is made to be thin.
US07750344B2
Doped aluminum oxide layers having a porous aluminum oxide layer and methods of their fabrication. The porous aluminum oxide layer may be formed by evaporation physical vapor deposition techniques to facilitate formation of a high-purity aluminum oxide layer. A dopant material is embedded in the pores of the porous aluminum oxide layer and subsequently converted to a dielectric form. The degree of porosity of the porous aluminum oxide layer may be controlled during formation to facilitate control of the level of doping of the doped aluminum oxide layer. Such doped aluminum oxide layers are useful as gate dielectric layers, intergate dielectric layers and capacitor dielectric layers in various integrated circuit devices.
US07750337B2
In the nitride semiconductor device of the present invention, an active layer 12 is sandwiched between a p-type nitride semiconductor layer 11 and an n-type nitride semiconductor layer 13. The active layer 12 has, at least, a barrier layer 2a having an n-type impurity; a well layer 1a made of a nitride semiconductor that includes In; and a barrier layer 2c that has a p-type impurity, or that has been grown without being doped. An appropriate injection of carriers into the active layer 12 becomes possible by arranging the barrier layer 2c nearest to the p-type layer side.
US07750324B2
A charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes a first block area divider configured to divide a pattern forming area into a plurality of first block areas in order to make a number of shots when forming a pattern substantially equal; an area density calculator configured to calculate, using a plurality of small areas obtained by virtually dividing the pattern forming area into mesh areas of a predetermined size smaller than all of the first block areas, a pattern area density of each small area positioned therein for each of the first block areas; a second block area divider configured to re-divide the pattern forming area divided into the plurality of first block areas into a plurality of second block areas of a uniform size, which is larger than the small area; a corrected dose calculator configured to calculate, using the pattern area density of each small area, a proximity effect-corrected dose in each corresponding small area positioned inside the second block area for each of the second block areas; a beam dose calculator configured to calculate, using the proximity effect-corrected dose of each small area, a beam dose of a charged particle beam in each corresponding small area; and a pattern generator configured to form a predetermined pattern on a target object by irradiating a charged particle beam of the beam dose calculated for each of the small areas.
US07750320B2
A workpiece or semiconductor wafer is tilted as a ribbon beam is swept up and/or down the workpiece. In so doing, the implant angle or the angle of the ion beam relative to the workpiece remains substantially constant across the wafer. This allows devices to be formed substantially consistently on the wafer. Resolving plates move with the beam as the beam is scanned up and/or down. This allows desired ions to impinge on the wafer, but blocks undesirable contaminants.
US07750315B2
A fluorescence or luminescence scanner and a method for generating 3D fluorescence or luminescence scans are disclosed. The scanner records a fluorescence and/or luminescence image and an optical image of the body to be examined. A pattern, such as a pattern of stripes or some other geometric pattern, is projected at a first angle onto the body to be examined. As a function of the geometric angles, based on the patterns recorded, 3D location information of each surface point of the scanned body is calculated. Both an optical image and a 3D fluorescence and/or luminescence image are obtained. The mutually superimposed (fused) images can be displayed in the form of a 3D fluorescence or luminescence scan.
US07750305B2
In a radiation detector (10) for a time of flight positron emission tomography (PET) scanner (2), a radiation sensitive member (20) generates a signal (22) indicative of a radiation detection event. A time to digital converter (34) includes digital delay elements (40) operatively interconnected as a ring oscillator (36, 36′) and readout circuitry (50, 52, 60, 82, 84, 86, 88) configured to generate a timestamp for the radiation detection event based at least on a state of the ring oscillator when the signal is generated. Delay trim elements (46) operatively connected to the digital delay elements set a substantially common delay for the digital delay elements. Additionally or alternatively, the digital delay elements (40) include readout buffers (48′) having transition times substantially longer than a delay of the digital delay elements, analog to digital converters (82, 84) digitize values of the delay elements, and decoding circuitry (86, 88) computes the state of the ring oscillator (36′) based on the digitized values.
US07750301B1
Systems and methods are disclosed herein, as an example, to provide microbolometer resonant cavity tuning techniques and calibration techniques in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. For example, in accordance with one embodiment, a method of operating an array of microbolometers on a substrate of an infrared camera system includes filtering infrared radiation to pass a first infrared radiation wavelength and to block a second infrared radiation wavelength, wherein the first infrared radiation wavelength is different than the second infrared radiation wavelength; setting a spacing between the microbolometers and the substrate to approximately tune the microbolometers to the second infrared radiation wavelength which is blocked by the filtering; and determining calibration data for the microbolometers.
US07750295B2
The present invention provides a new extractor for a micro-column and an alignment method of the aperture of the extractor and an electron emitter for a micro-column. Further, the present invention provides a measuring system, a method for measuring, and an alignment method using the principle of the alignment.
US07750293B2
A method and an apparatus are for three-dimensional tomographic image generation in a scanning electron microscope system. At least two longitudinal marks are provided on the top surface of the sample which include an angle therebetween. In consecutive image recordings, the positions of these marks are determined and are used to quantify the slice thickness removed between consecutive image recordings.
US07750283B2
An auto darkening eye protection device comprising a shutter assembly and a control circuit in electrical communication with the shutter assembly. The shutter assembly is adjustable between a clear state and a dark state. The control circuit comprises a microcontroller programmed to store a plurality of memory presets including at least one setting corresponding to the operation of the shutter assembly. At least two of the plurality of memory presets are individually configured for a specific type of welding. In another embodiment, an auto darkening eye protection device is provided, the device comprising a shutter assembly and a control circuit in electrical communication with the shutter assembly. The shutter assembly is adjustable between a clear state and a dark state. The control circuit comprises a microcontroller programmed to monitor and store at least one parameter corresponding to the operation of the auto darkening eye protection device. In another embodiment, an auto darkening eye protection device is provided, the device comprising a shutter assembly, a control circuit in electrical communication with the shutter assembly, and a communication device in electrical communication with the control circuit. The shutter assembly is adjustable between a clear state and a dark state. The control circuit comprises a microcontroller. The communication device enables communication between the control circuit and a computer via the communication device.
US07750281B2
An image sensor includes a pixel with a drive transistor and a select transistor. The drive transistor is driven according to a voltage at a floating diffusion node. The select transistor is coupled in series with the drive transistor for being turned on when the pixel is selected. The image sensor also includes a current mirror unit having first and second branches conducting mirrored currents. The first branch is coupled to the drive transistor, and the second branch is coupled to the select transistor at an output node of the pixel. With such biasing by the current mirror, gain drop in the drive transistor is minimized.
US07750274B2
A frozen food package and method of producing and using the same is disclosed. The food package includes a bag which is freezable, ovenable and microwaveable. A frozen food assembly within the bag includes uncooked food, preferably an entree. Typically, the food assembly includes a meat, a fruit or vegetable, and a flavoring liquid such as a broth or stock, and may include infused oil or a dairy product. The uncooked food is typically embedded in the frozen liquid to facilitate handling and shipping and to align the frozen food with a display window of the bag. Chemical preservatives are not necessary and sauces may be omitted although sauces are not burned in the cooking process. The method typically includes sealing the frozen uncooked food in the liquid-impermeable bag and cooking the food in the sealed bag. The resulting dish is a substantial improvement over the well-known precooked frozen meals.
US07750259B2
The present invention relates to a single-pole or multi-pole switch to be used preferably in low-voltage systems. The switch (1) comprises an outer casing (2) containing for each pole at least one fixed contact (10) and one mobile contact (20) that can be coupled to/uncoupled from one another. The mobile contacts (20) are housed in appropriate seats (25) provided on a mobile element (50). The switch (1) moreover comprises an energy-accumulation control mechanism (60), operatively connected to the mobile element (50) to enable its movement. The switch (1) according to the invention is advantageously provided with means of axial support operatively connected to the mobile element (50) in order to support the gravitational thrusts that are generated along the axis of rotation of the mobile element itself when said axis is inclined with respect to a substantially horizontal plane.
US07750246B2
An electric cable includes an electrical conductor surrounded by a first layer of mica tape made up of mica particles deposited by means of a polymer binder on a backing, a second layer of a polyimide tape, and a third layer of a polytetrafluoroethylene tape, where the first layer is subjected to heat treatment at a temperature of at least 400° C. and the ratio R of the weight per unit length of PTFE over the sum of the weights per unit length of the polymer binder and of the polyimide is such that R is greater than or equal to 2 when the section of the electrical conductor is no greater than 0.2 mm2, R is greater than or equal to 4 when the section of the electrical conductor is strictly greater than 0.2 mm2 and strictly less than 0.6 mm2, R is greater than or equal to 6 when the section of the electrical conductor is equal to 0.6 mm2, and R is greater than or equal to 12 when the section of the electrical conductor is strictly greater than 0.6 mm2.
US07750245B2
A composite control cable has a polymer core and a plurality of strands of electrically conductive material extending in the longitudinal direction of the cable around said core. The polymer is selected from polymers presenting elongation at break that is greater than 7%, and traction strength such that the resultant traction strength of the cable is greater than a predetermined limit value.
US07750239B2
An electrical device for wiring an electrical appliance is provided. The electrical device includes a grounding wire having a fork and a grounding screw with the grounding wire permanently installed on the electrical device. A clamp mechanism is provided having a flexible sheet of material having a top surface, a bottom surface, a top end, and a bottom end substantially opposite the top end with the material being substantially bowed prior to insertion of the wire. An aperture is formed through the material adjacent the top end for receiving the threaded portion of a clamp screw therethrough with the screw head contactable with the to surface of the material. A pair of cutouts are adjacent the top end of the clamp mechanism with the cutouts being shaped and designed for determining the proper insertion depth of the wires beneath the material wherein upon insertion of the wire between the bottom surface of the material and the electrical device, the material substantially flattens.
US07750234B2
An integrated photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell generates hydrogen and oxygen from water while being illuminated with radiation. The PEC cell employs a liquid electrolyte, a multi-junction photovoltaic electrode, and a thin ion-exchange membrane. A PEC system and a method of making such PEC cell and PEC system are also disclosed.
US07750220B2
An ensemble of acoustic steelpan musical instruments, being an innovation which significantly improves upon traditional acoustic steelpan prior art. Said improvements include an extension of note range across the assemblage of G-Pans, a substantial reduction in the number of steelpans required to effectively cover the steelpan musical range, the use of a compound design whereby individual component parts of the instrument, specifically the playing surface, chime, rear attachment, or skirt and the playing stick or mallet, are optimized for their specific function, the application of a variety of techniques for eliminating or reducing, non-musical sympathetic vibrations and the inclusion of a variety of mechanical and acoustic resonator designs, to enhance optimally, the sound projection of the aforementioned instrument.
US07750217B2
The present invention provides in combination, an intonated string nut and string locking mechanism for a musical string instrument with a fretted fingerboard where the combination intonated string nut and string locking mechanism includes a string nut fulcrum and a string locking means, where each string nut fulcrum may have a varying linear position in relation to each individual string in order to provide the optimum compensation amount for improving the consistency and production of in-tune musical notes during play for musical string instruments with fretted fingerboards.
US07750216B1
A novel maize variety designated PH926 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH926 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH926 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH926 or a trait conversion of PH926 with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PH926, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PH926 and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US07750215B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH365545. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH365545, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH365545 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 CH365545.
US07750209B2
There is provided a gene coding for the amino acid sequence listed as SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 70, for example. Co-expression of the 4′CGT gene and AS gene in a plant lacking natural aurone synthesis ability is carried out to successfully accumulate aurones and alter the flower color to have a yellow tint. In addition to the expression of both genes, the flavonoid pigment synthesis pathway of the host plant itself is inhibited to obtain flowers with a more defined yellow color.
US07750208B2
The invention provides an anther-specific expression promoter in plant, wherein said promoter is a promoter of Oncidium aureusidin synthase gene OgAS1, and has a sequence as SEQ ID No: 3. The invention provides further a gene expression cassette that comprised a promoter having a DNA sequence as SEQ ID No: 3, and a polynucleotide that encode an open reading frame and is linked to the 3′ end of said promoter, wherein said promoter can activate the transcription of said polynucleotide in an organism containing said gene expression cassette. The invention provides also a gene expression vector that contains a promoter having DNA sequence as SEQ ID No: 3. The invention provides further a process for producing a transgenic plant or part of organ, tissue or cell of said transgenic plant containing the above-described gene expression cassette.
US07750203B2
An absorbent article, preferably a disposable absorbent article such as a diaper, is disclosed that provides an improved immobilization of absorbent polymer material when the article is fully or partially urine loaded. This absorbent core is useful for providing an absorbent article of increased wearing comfort. Specifically disclosed is an absorbent core useful for an absorbent article comprising a substrate layer and absorbent material, the absorbent material comprising an absorbent polymer material, the absorbent material optionally comprising absorbent fibrous material, the absorbent fibrous material not representing more than 20% of the weight of absorbent polymer material, wherein the absorbent material is immobilized when wet such that the absorbent core achieves a wet immobilization of more than 50%, preferably of more than 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% according to the Wet Immobilization Test described herein.
US07750190B2
Produce the target substance, or a polynuclear poly(formylphenol) expressed by General Formula (2), in an industrial setting with ease and at high purity by causing a polynuclear poly(hydroxymethylphenol) or polynuclear poly(alkoxymethylphenol) to react with hexamethylene tetramine in the presence of an acid and then hydrolyzing the obtained reaction product.
US07750188B2
A method for producing aniline or toluenediamine is disclosed which comprises forming a dispersion comprising hydrogen gas bubbles dispersed in a liquid medium comprising either nitrobenzene or dinitrotoluene, wherein the hydrogen gas bubbles have a mean diameter less than 1 micron; and subjecting the dispersion to hydrogenation reaction promoting conditions comprising pressure less than about 600 kPa and temperature less than about 200° C., whereby at least a portion of the nitrobenzene or dinitrotoluene is hydrogenated to form aniline or toluenediamine, respectively. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.
US07750183B2
In the method for separating and purifying a basic amino acid, preferably the basic amino acid selected from arginine, lysine or ornithine from a culture containing the amino acid, the culture containing the a basic amino acid and microbial cells, preferably the culture whose pH is 4 to 10, is charged onto the top of a column filled with a weak acid cation exchange resin whose particle size is 300 μm or more and passed therethrough, and then an eluent is poured into the column from the top thereof whereby accomplishing the separation and the purification of the basic amino acid.
US07750181B2
This invention relates to certain dioxodihydropyridine derivatives and certain methacrylic acid and furan derivative precursors thereof, processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and their use as anti-proliferative agents, especially tumour growth inhibitors and anti-cancer agents, antibiotics and/or antiviral agents.
US07750179B2
The invention relates to a process for purifying (meth)acrylates.
US07750173B2
Tantalum compounds of Formula I hereof are disclosed, having utility as precursors for forming tantalum-containing films such as barrier layers. The tantalum compounds of Formula I may be deposited by CVD or ALD for forming semiconductor device structures including a dielectric layer, a barrier layer on the dielectric layer, and a copper metallization on the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer includes a Ta-containing layer and sufficient carbon so that the Ta-containing layer is amorphous. According to one embodiment, the semiconductor device structure is fabricated by depositing the Ta-containing barrier layer, via CVD or ALD, from a precursor including the tantalum compound of Formula I hereof at a temperature below about 400° C. in a reducing or inert atmosphere, e.g., a gas or plasma optionally containing a reducing agent.
US07750166B2
The present invention relates to novel ionic liquids comprising a docusate, docusate variant, or other sulfonate anion. The ionic liquids may be conveniently made via, for example, metathesis. The ionic liquids are often hydrophobic and useful in many hydrocarbon compositions, polymer compositions, and in supercritical carbon dioxide applications. The ionic liquids are capable of hindering static electricity buildup in the hydrocarbon compositions and can therefore minimize flammability and/or explosiveness.
US07750164B2
The present invention provides convergent processes for preparing epothilone A and B, desoxyepothilones A and B, and analogues thereof. Also provided are analogues related to epothilone A and B and intermediates useful for preparing same. The present invention further provides novel compositions based on analogues of the epothilones and methods for the treatment of cancer and cancer which has developed a multidrug-resistant phenotype.
US07750155B2
This invention relates to novel N-hydroxyacrylamide compounds of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. More particularly, it relates to novel N-hydroxyacrylamide compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which act as a HDAC inhibitor, to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same and to a method of using the same therapeutically in the treatment and/or prevention of HDAC-related disease.
US07750153B2
The present invention relates to novel crystalline alkali metal and alkaline earth metal salts of 2′,3′-dideoxy-2′,3′-didehydroinosine. The present invention also provides a novel process for preparation of didanosine in high yield and purity using novel intermediates. Thus, for example, 5′-O-acetyl-2′,3′-dideoxy-2′,3′-didehydroinosine is reacted with monomethyl amine to give 2′,3′-dideoxy-2′,3′-didehydro inosine, which is then reacted with sodium hydroxide and crystallized to give crystalline 2′,3′-dideoxy-2′,3′-didehydroinosine sodium salt. 2′,3′-Dideoxy-2′,3′-didehydroinosine sodium salt is hydrogenated using raney nickel catalyst in aqueous medium and then neutralized with hydrochloric acid to yield didanosine.
US07750149B2
Disclosed are carbenes of the general formula: and including salts thereof, and metal complexes thereof. The carbenes are useful in any reaction where carbenes and carbene-metal complexes are used. The carbenes disclosed herein are particularly useful in asymmetric catalysis.
US07750143B2
RNA interference using small interfering RNAs which are specific for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and the VEGF receptor genes Flt-1 and Flk-1/KDR inhibit expression of these genes. Diseases which involve angiogenesis stimulated by overexpression of VEGF, such as diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration and many types of cancer, can be treated by administering the small interfering RNAs.
US07750134B2
The invention provides isolated SUMO-specific protease-like (or “SSP”) domain-containing polypeptides from microorganisms, including bacteria, protozoans and yeast, including Escherichia, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Chlamydia, Plasmodium, Trypanosma, Mesorhizobium, Rickettsia, Cryptosporidium and Candida species. The invention further provides modifications of such polypeptides, functional fragments therefrom, encoding nucleic acid molecules and specific antibodies. Also provided are methods for identifying polypeptides and compounds that associate with or modulate the activity of the SSP domain-containing polypeptides. Further provided are methods of modulating a biological activity in a cell, and treating pathological conditions, using the described nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides and compounds.
US07750130B2
Provided is the azobenzene derivative denoted by general formula (I). In general formula (I), R1 denotes a hydrogen atom or the like; Ar1 and Ar2 each independently denote an arylene group optionally comprising a substituent R or an aromatic heterocycle optionally comprising a substituent R, wherein Ar1 and Ar2 which are bonded through an azo group comprise at least two substituents denoted by R in total and multiple atoms and/or substituents denoted by R may be identical or different; R denotes a halogen atom or the like; X denotes an alkylene group optionally comprising a hetero atom; X1 denotes —NH— or the like; Y denotes a hydrogen atom or the like; a denotes an integer ranging from 0 to 2; and m and n each independently denote an integer ranging from 1 to 8.
US07750126B2
A full-length cDNA corresponding to an EST (AA418955), which does not show any homology to other proteins in the database but has a weak homology to G-CSF, has been successfully isolated by synthesizing primers based on the EST sequence, and effecting PCR-cloning from a human fetal spleen library. Sequencing of the thus-isolated cDNA and analysis of its structure revealed that the cDNA has typical characteristics of a factor belonging to the IL-6/G-CSF/MGF family. It is also found out that the culture supernatant of said sequence-transfected CHO cells shows a proliferation supporting activity towards bone marrow cells in the coexistence of kit ligand.
US07750124B2
An isolated antibody that specifically binds to an extracellular domain of human DLL4 and affects growth of a tumor comprising cancer stem cells is described. Also described is a method of treating cancer comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an anti-DLL4 antibody.
US07750114B2
The invention relates to cysteine containing peptides of the structure XXCCXXXXXXXCXXXCXXXXXXQXXCXXXCXCXXXXXXXCXXXXXX, of the structure XXCCXXXXXXXCXXXCXXXXXXXXXCXXXCXCXXXXTXXCXXXXXX and of the structure XXCCXXXXXXXCXXXCXXXXXXXXXXCXXXCXCXXXXXXXXCXXXXXX, wherein X, independently of one another, represents any naturally occurring amino acid, as well as to nucleic acid sequences encoding said peptides, to vectors comprising said sequences, as well as to pharmaceutical compositions containing said peptides and their use as pharmaceutics, particularly for the treatment of cancers.
US07750112B2
The present invention relates to polymers comprising benzotriazole containing repeating units. Optical devices, comprising the polymers of the present invention, can show significant advantages in color purity, device efficiency and/or operational lifetime. In addition, the polymers can have good solubility characteristics and relatively high glass transition temperatures, which facilitates their fabrication into coatings and films that are relatively thin, thermally stable, and relatively free of defects.
US07750105B2
A process for producing rosin resins comprising reacting together rosin and phenolic compound and/or terpene-phenol resin, in the presence of a Brønsted acid. These resins may be used as tackifiers in adhesive formulations, including chloroprene contact cements.
US07750096B2
An aqueous polymer dispersion is prepared by reacting at least one olefin in the presence of at least one polymerization catalyst and one emulsifier in an aqueous medium by a process wherein the polymerization catalyst is prepared in an in situ reaction by reacting the ligand compound 2,6-dichloro-para-benzoquinone (Ia) and/or 2,3,6-trichloro-para-benzoquinone (Ib) with a phosphine compound or diphosphine compound and with a metal compound and the polymerization reaction is effected in an aqueous medium.
US07750095B2
The techniques disclosed provide a treatment method for passivating the interior surface of a polymerization reactor to minimize the formation of a polymer coating on the surface. The passivation is performed using a passivating agent that reacts with adsorbed water to form labile passivation products. Both the passivating agent and passivation products may be easily removed from the reactor prior to polymerization. Other embodiments provide a reactor system with a tank configured to automatically add a passivating agent to the reactor and processes for making polymers using a treated reactor.
US07750092B2
A composition having a bismaleimide oligomer and preparation methods thereof are provided. The composition having a bismaleimide oligomer comprises a bismaleimide oligomer, wherein the bismaleimide oligomer is in an amount of more than 75 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the composition. Specifically, the bismaleimide oligomer is prepared by reacting bismaleimide monomers with batch-added barbituric acid.
US07750091B2
Compositions comprising blends of polyphenylene and poly(aryl ether sulfone) and methods for making such blends are disclosed. Miscible blends of polyphenylene and poly(aryl ether sulfone) are also disclosed. The blends are useful in numerous applications such as in the preparation of articles and of foams having reduced density.
US07750085B2
A water-absorbing agent according to the present invention includes water-absorbent resin particles having an internal cross-linked structure, wherein a vicinity of a surface of the water-absorbent resin particle is cross-linked with a surface cross-linking agent, and the water-absorbent resin particle has therein a sea-island structure having (i) part containing a first water-soluble multivalent metal salt such as aluminum sulfate and (ii) part not containing the first water-soluble multivalent metal salt. With this arrangement, it is possible to provide a water-absorbing agent having less water-soluble component content, more excellent liquid permeability, and more excellent water retention under pressure than the conventional water-absorbing agent.
US07750081B2
A polypropylene resin, useful for the production of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, is provided. The polymer of the present invention is a blend of high crystalline polypropylene homopolymer and a high ethylene ethylene/propylene random copolymer (RCP). The present invention also provides a method of preparing the novel resin as well as a novel BOPP film comprising the resin.
US07750079B2
Compositions, such as lens precursor compositions, and methods for producing lens precursor compositions have been invented. The present methods include forming a premix composition, which can include one or more monomeric components, forming a macromer composition, which includes one or more silicon containing macromers, forming a premix/initiator composition, which can include a photoinitiator, and contacting the premix/initiator composition with the macromer composition to form a polymerizable monomer-containing composition useful in the production of producing silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
US07750075B2
The present invention relates to an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive composition containing ester plasticizer having at least one of ether linkages in the molecule represented by formula 1, alkali metallic salt and quaternary ammonium salt together and polarizer and LCD using the same. The acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive composition of the present invention for polarizer has improved antistatic property, owing to the synergy effect of ester plasticizer having one or more ether linkages, alkali metallic salt and quaternary ammonium salt, in addition to the excellent adhesive force and durability. In particular, the acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive composition provided by the present invention shows excellent durability and improved antistatic property by adding quaternary ammonium salt containing weakly coordinated anions.
US07750074B2
The present invention relates to copolymer surfactants and their use in, e.g., coatings such as latex paint and solvent-based paint, and to a method of dispersing colored pigments using the copolymer surfactant, colorant compositions in which at least one pigment is dispersed by a copolymer surfactant of the invention, a paint which has a colorant composition of the invention, and a method for making a paint having a colorant composition of the invention.
US07750069B2
At least one resin component which is selected from a biodegradable resin and a plant-based resin, and a flame retardancy-imparting component are kneaded to obtain a resin composition having flame retardancy. This resin composition makes it possible to apply the environment-friendly resin such as the biodegradable resin and the plant-based resin, for example, polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate to exterior bodies of home appliances. Particularly, in the case where polylactic acid is used with the acetylacetonatoiron as the flame-retardant component, a resin composition having excellent flame retardancy can be provided as a non-halogen material.
US07750063B2
A dental filling material comprising an inner core and outer layer of material disposed and surrounding the inner core, both the inner core and outer layer of material each containing a thermoplastic polymer. The thermoplastic polymer may be biodegradable. A bioactive substance may also be included in the filling material. The thermoplastic polymer acts as a matrix for the bioactive substance. The composition may include other polymeric resins, fillers, plasticizers and other additives typically used in dental materials. The filling material is used for the filing of root canals.
US07750060B2
The invention relates to a radiation curable composition including a polyester urethane (meth)acrylate oligomer prepared from ortho-carboxylic polyester polyols, where the composition, after cure, has a secant modulus greater than about 600 MPa and an elongation at break of at least about 10%. The invention also relates to coated optical fibers and optical fiber ribbon including at least one coating derived from this composition, and to a process of making these coated optical fibers.
US07750057B2
There is provided a method for obtaining an aqueous solution of an alkali metal salt of an aromatic dihydroxy compound by decomposing a waste aromatic polycarbonate by an alkali metal hydroxide aqueous solution. The method comprises (1) a dissolution step of dissolving a waste aromatic polycarbonate in a chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent, (2) a decomposition step of adding an alkali metal hydroxide aqueous solution to this solution to decompose the aromatic polycarbonate, (3) a re-dissolution step of adding water to this decomposed solution to dissolve a solid, (4) a two phase formation step of leaving the treated solution obtained in the step (3) to stand to form an organic solvent phase (organic phase) and an aqueous solution phase (aqueous phase), and (5) a separation/collection step of separating the aqueous phase from the organic solvent phase and collecting the aqueous phase.
US07750055B2
Polyvinyl alcohol gels, particularly hydrogels, which are produced by methods and formulas and are provided with a characteristic profile that is adjustable to a large extent, e.g. outstanding mechanical properties with moduli of elasticity of 30 MPa and stiffnesses of 25 MPa at a breaking elongation of 550 percent, or full transparency in a wide range of water contents.
US07750053B2
Products and compositions for preventing or reducing the severity of hypertension. These products contain (a) ferulic acid or a ferulate ester, and (b) caffeic acid and/or a chlorogenic acid. The preventive or remedy can suppress a rise in blood pressure and alleviate hypertension, and is usable as a food.
US07750047B2
The invention provides the use of certain benzoic acid and benzamide compounds as modulators of enzymes histone acetyltransferases, which are involved in gene expression and cancer and also use of such compounds in the treatment of diseases due to defects in gene regulation predominantly cancer.
US07750044B2
The present invention relates to a novel class of polymeric compounds having specific quaternized amine based upon a dimer acid reacted with an alkanolamine to make an ester quaternary compound. Dimer acid is a C-36 diacid having a cyclic structure and two amine groups that allow for the synthesis of a high molecular weight cationic compound which is extremely substantitive to human skin and are well tolerated by human tissue making them suitable for use preparation of barrier products for personal care applications. These materials are dimethylaminopropyl amine free, which is highly desirable in personal care applications.
US07750033B2
The present invention relates to a prophylactic agent or a therapeutic agent for a disorder of collagen or elastin metabolism, which comprises a substance possessing JNK inhibitory activity as an active ingredient.
US07750032B2
The invention provides trisubstituted pyrazoles and imidazoles of Formula I: wherein L2, q, R13, R14, R15, R16, Z1 and Z2 are as described in the Summary of the Invention; and methods of using such compounds to treat or prevent diseases or disorders associated with the activity of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) families, particularly the activity of PPARδ.
US07750029B2
(R)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-4′-[2-[(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)amino]ethyl]acetic acid anilide or its salt shows a potent bladder relaxation effect in “isolated rat bladder smooth muscle relaxation test”, dose-dependently lowers the contraction frequency of rhythmic bladder contractions in “rat rhythmic bladder contraction measurement test” and, moreover, prolongs the urination intervals in “urination functions measurement test on cyclophosphamide-induced overactive bladder model rat”. Owing to these effects, the above compound is useful as a remedy for ovaractive bladder.
US07750020B2
The present invention provides compounds of the formula (I), which are activators of glucokinase activity and, thus, may be employed as therapeutic agents for the treatment of glucokinase mediated conditions. Accordingly, the compounds of formula (I) may be employed for the prevention and the treatment of impaired glucose tolerance, Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
US07750015B2
The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters, and tautomers thereof, wherein: Q is selected from the group consisting of: L is selected from the group consisting of: pharmaceutically compositions comprising one or more compounds of formula (I), and methods of using the compounds of formula (I).
US07750010B2
The present invention is directed to compounds of Formula I: I (where A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, B4, D1, D2, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, R4, R5a?, R5b, R5c, R6, m and n are defined herein) useful as antagonists of CGRP receptors and useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the CGRP is involved, such as headache, migraine and cluster headache. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP is involved.
US07750004B2
Compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 protein, compositions containing the compounds and methods of treating diseases during which are expressed the Mcl-1 protein are disclosed.
US07750003B2
A compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy, for example in the treatment of proliferative disease such as cancer and particularly in disease mediated by an mTOR kinase and/or one or more PI3K enzyme.
US07750001B2
A novel method for immunosuppressive in a mammal suffering from an immune disease, including administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a heterocyclic compound represented by the general formula (I) (wherein X or other variables are as defined in the specification) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is disclosed. A novel heterocyclic compound represented by the general formula (II) (wherein X or other variables are as defined in the specification) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is also disclosed.
US07749997B2
Compounds of formula (I) or salts thereof, wherein A, and R1 to R5 are as defined in the specification, are DGAT-1 inhibitors and are thereby useful in the treatment of, for example, obesity. Processes to make compounds of formula (I) are also described.
US07749995B2
The invention is directed to compounds of Formula (I) described herein useful as CETP inhibitors, compositions containing them, and methods of using them.
US07749981B2
The present invention provides a drug-eluting stent, wherein the stent is coated with one or more non-nucleotide P2Y12 receptor antagonist compounds or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, or hydrate thereof. When the stent is placed in a narrowed or damaged arterial vessel, a therapeutically effective amount of the P2Y12 receptor antagonist compound is eluted continuously from the stent to the local environment of the stent. The P2Y12 receptor antagonist compound-eluting stents are useful in preventing thrombosis and restenosis, and are effective in inhibiting the contraction of vascular smooth muscle cells, inhibiting cell proliferation, and reducing inflammation.
US07749978B2
The invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for inhibiting the expression of the Huntingtin gene (HD gene), comprising an antisense strand having a nucleotide sequence which is less than 25 nucleotides in length and which is substantially complementary to at least a part of the HD gene. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the dsRNA together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; methods for treating diseases caused by the expression of the HD gene, or a mutant form thereof, using the pharmaceutical composition; and methods for inhibiting the expression of the huntingtin gene in a cell.
US07749977B2
A method for the identification of genes that are essential for the maintenance of specific cell phenotypes is disclosed. The method includes the initial step of identifying a cell type with a phenotype of interest. Gene inactivation is performed on an aliquot of cells of the cell type of interest. Selection is then performed to an aliquot of the cell culture to which gene inactivation has been applied. Cells which continue to maintain the phenotype following gene inactivation have not had the gene of interest inactivated whereas cells in which genes necessary for maintaining the phenotype have been inactivated have been lost. Utilizing subtraction analysis between treated and untreated aliquots the gene in the cells which has been inactivated that affects the phenotype of interest is identified. Genes that are identified by the method are also disclosed as well as antibodies directed against the gene product of the identified genes. Further a customized kit for the practice of the gene identification method is also disclosed.
US07749970B2
The topical application of an azalide antibiotic such as azithromycin to the eye is useful in treating or preventing ocular infections. In one embodiment, the azalide antibiotic is supplied to the eye in a depot for sustained release. A more convenient dosing regimen can also be provided by the use of an appropriate depot. Furthermore, a composition containing a combination of medicaments is also provided.
US07749963B2
An isolated recombinant vaccinia virus complement control protein (hrVCP) polypeptide comprises a modified amino acid sequence comprising one or more amino acid substitutions to an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2. The hrVCP polypeptide exhibits a complement activation regulatory activity greater than a complement activation regulatory activity of a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2. The one or more amino acid substitutions are selected from the group consisting of H98Y, E102K, E108K, E120K, and combinations thereof.
US07749960B2
The present invention pertains to osteoprotegerin obtainable from milk sources, in particular human and bovine milk. The present invention also relates to the use thereof for preparing an ingestible preparation and/or a pharmaceutical composition, in particular to the use of such a preparation/composition for preventing or treating disorders associated with bone metabolism and immune function.
US07749924B2
A membrane comprising at least one polymeric layer including i) a plastomer, ii) a low density polyethylene, iii) a propylene-based polymer, and optionally iv) flame retardant.
US07749910B2
The invention provides a method for reducing the roughness of a free surface of a semiconductor wafer that includes removing material from the free surface of the wafer to provide a treated wafer, and performing a first rapid thermal annealing on the treated wafer in a pure argon atmosphere to substantially reduce the roughness of the free surface of the treated wafer. The material removal is selected and conducted to improve the effectiveness of the subsequent rapid thermal annealing in reducing the roughness of the free surface of the treated wafer.
US07749908B2
A silicon-on-insulator transfer wafer having a front surface with a circumferential lip around a circular recess is polished. In one version, the circular recess on the front surface of the wafer is masked by filling the recess with spin-on-glass. The front surface of the wafer is exposed to an etchant to preferentially etch away the circumferential lip, while the circular recess is masked by the spin-on-glass. The spin-on glass is removed, and the front surface of the transfer wafer is polished. Other methods of removing the circumferential lip include applying a higher pressure to the circumferential lip in a polishing process, and directing a pressurized fluid jet at the base of the circumferential lip.
US07749902B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using double patterning. The method includes: forming a first material layer pattern having recesses in a first direction on an object layer and a second material layer pattern formed on the first material layer pattern; selectively etching the second material layer pattern and the first material layer pattern in a direction perpendicular to the first direction to form an etching mask; and etching the object layer to form minute patterns.
US07749895B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an interlayer insulating film over a semiconductor substrate. The interlayer insulating film is selectively etched to form a hole defining a storage node region. A lower electrode is formed in the hole. A support layer is formed over the lower electrode. The support layer fills an upper part of the hole and exposes the interlayer insulating film. A dip-out process is performed to remove the interlayer insulating film. The supporting layer is removed to expose the lower electrode. A dielectric film is formed over the semiconductor substrate including the lower electrode. A plate electrode is formed over the semiconductor substrate to fill the dielectric film and the lower electrode.
US07749879B2
The use of atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form a semiconductor structure of a silicon film on a germanium substrate is disclosed. An embodiment includes a tantalum nitride gate electrode on a hafnium dioxide gate dielectric on the silicon film (TaN/HfO2/Si/Ge), which produces a reliable high dielectric constant (high k) electronic structure having higher charge carrier mobility as compared to silicon substrates. This structure may be useful in high performance electronic devices. The structure is formed by ALD deposition of a thin silicon layer on a germanium substrate surface, and then ALD forming a hafnium oxide gate dielectric layer, and a tantalum nitride gate electrode. Such a structure may be used as the gate of a MOSFET, or as a capacitor. The properties of the dielectric may be varied by replacing the hafnium oxide with another gate dielectric such as zirconium oxide (ZrO2), or titanium oxide (TiO2).
US07749868B2
A semiconductor substrate shaped to have a curved surface profile by anodization. Prior to being anodized, the substrate is finished with an anode pattern on its bottom surface so as to be consolidated into a unitary structure in which the anode pattern is precisely reproduced on the substrate. The anodization utilizes an electrolytic solution which etches out an oxidized portion as soon as it is formed as a result of the anodization, to thereby develop a porous layer in a pattern in match with the anode pattern. The anode pattern brings about an in-plane distribution of varying electric field intensity by which the porous layer develops into a shape complementary to a desired surface profile. Upon completion of the anodization, the curves surface is revealed on the surface of the substrate by etching out the porous layer and the anode pattern from the substrate.
US07749866B2
A method for sawing a wafer includes the following steps. A wafer which has an active surface, a back surface and a plurality of longitudinal and transverse sawing lines is provided, wherein the sawing lines are located on the active surface so as to define a plurality of dies. A multiple-type tape is attached on the active surface of the wafer, wherein the multiple-type tape includes a first tape and a second tape, the second tape is located between the first tape and the active surface of the wafer, and the second tape is transparent. The back surface of the wafer is grinded. The first tape is removed. Finally, the wafer including the second tape is sawn along the sawing lines so as to separate the dies from one another.
US07749863B1
A method for fabricating a thermal management substrate comprises acts of ion-implanting a substrate material to form a substrate layer, a ion-implanted layer, and an overlay layer; bonding a handle wafer to the overlay layer with a SiO2 bonding layer; splitting the ion-implanted wafer at the ion-implanted layer, resulting in a handle wafer SiO2 bonded with the overlay layer; depositing an insulating layer onto the overlay layer; and removing the handle wafer, whereby the resulting thermal management substrate comprises an overlay layer epitaxially fused with the insulating layer.
US07749862B2
A method for minimizing defects when transferring a useful layer from a donor wafer to a receptor wafer is described. The method includes providing a donor wafer having a surface below which a zone of weakness is present to define a useful layer to be transferred, molecularly bonding at a bonding interface the surface of the useful layer of the donor wafer to a surface of the receptor wafer to form a structure, heating the structure at a first temperature that is substantially higher than ambient temperature for a first time period sufficient to liberate water molecules from the bonding interface, with the heating being insufficient to cause detachment of the useful layer at the zone of weakness, and detaching the useful layer from the donor wafer.
US07749854B2
A self-converged memory material element is created during the manufacture of a memory cell comprising a base layer, with a bottom electrode, and an upper layer having a third, planarization stop layer over the base layer, a second layer over the third layer, and the first layer over the second layer. A keyhole opening is formed through the upper layer to expose the bottom electrode. The first layer has an overhanging portion extending into the opening. A dielectric material is deposited into the keyhole opening so to create a self-converged void within the keyhole opening. An anisotropic etch forms a sidewall of the dielectric material in the keyhole opening with an electrode hole aligned with the void and exposing the bottom electrode. A memory material is deposited into the electrode hole in contact with the bottom electrode and is planarized down to the third layer to create the memory material element.
US07749852B2
Methods of forming a dielectric layer of a MIM capacitor can include forming a passivation layer on a dielectric layer of a MIM capacitor to separate the dielectric layer from direct contact with an overlying photo-resist pattern. Related capacitor structures are also disclosed.
US07749843B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device with a bulb-shaped recess gate pattern is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of oxide layers over a substrate; forming a silicon layer to cover the oxide layers; forming a mask over the silicon layer; etching the silicon layer using the mask as an etch mask to form a plurality of first recesses to expose the oxide layers; etching the oxide layers to form a plurality of second recesses; and forming a plurality of gate patterns at least partially buried into the first recesses and the second recesses.
US07749838B2
A super-silicon-rich oxide (SSRO) non-volatile memory cell includes a gate conductive layer on a substrate, a source/drain in the substrate at respective sides of the gate conductive layer, a tunneling dielectric layer between the gate conductive layer and the substrate, a SSRO layer serving as a charge trapping layer between the gate conductive layer and the tunneling dielectric layer, and an upper-dielectric layer between the gate conductive layer and the SSRO layer.
US07749833B2
A method of manufacturing a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor device is disclosed. A gate dielectric layer is formed on an active area of a substrate. A gate electrode is patterned on the gate dielectric layer. The gate electrode has vertical sidewalls and a top surface. A liner is formed on the vertical sidewalls of the gate electrode. A nitride spacer is formed on the liner. An ion implanted is performed to form a source/drain region. After salicide process, an STI region that isolates the active area is recessed, thereby forming a step height at interface between the active area and the STI region. The nitride spacer is removed. A nitride cap layer that borders the liner is deposited. The nitride cap layer has a specific stress status.
US07749830B2
A semiconductor structure fabrication method. The method includes providing a structure which includes (a) first and second semiconductor regions, (b) first and second gate dielectric regions on the first and second semiconductor regions, respectively, (c) a high-K dielectric region on the first gate dielectric region, K being greater than 4, (d) an electrically conductive layer on the high-K dielectric region, (e) a poly-silicon layer on the electrically conductive layer and the second gate dielectric region, and (f) a hard mask layer on the poly-silicon layer. The hard mask layer is patterned resulting in first and second hard mask regions. The poly-silicon layer is etched with the first and second hard mask regions as blocking masks resulting in first and second poly-silicon regions. The first and second poly-silicon regions are exposed to a surrounding ambient.
US07749827B2
Thin film transistor (TFT) and flat panel display including the TFT and their methods of manufacture
A Thin Film Transistor (TFT) reduces interconnection resistance of source/drain electrodes, prevents contamination from an active layer, reduces contact resistance between a pixel electrode and the source/drain electrodes, smoothly supplies hydrogen to the active layer and has high mobility, on-current characteristics, and threshold voltage characteristics The TFT includes an active layer having a channel region and source/drain regions, a gate electrode supplying a signal to the channel region, source/drain electrodes respectively connected to the source/drain regions and including at least one of Ti, a Ti alloy, Ta, and a Ta alloy; and an insulating layer interposed between the source/drain electrodes and the active layer and including silicon nitride.
US07749820B2
Thin film transistor, manufacturing method thereof, display device, and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed is a manufacturing method of a thin film transistor, which enables the formation of a thin film transistor by using only one photomask. The method includes: over a substrate sequentially forming a first insulating film, a first conductive film, a second insulating film, a semiconductor film, an impurity semiconductor film, and a second conductive film; forming a resist mask thereover using a first photomask; performing a first etching to allow the side surface of the layers including an upper portion of the first insulating film, the first conductive film, the second insulating film, the semiconductor film, the impurity semiconductor film, and the second conductive film to be coplanar to a side surface of the resist mask; and performing a second etching to selectively etch the first conductive film to allow the side surface of the first conductive film is located inside the side surface of the layers.
US07749807B2
A method for making a semiconductor multi-package module includes a processor and a plurality of memory packages mounted on a surface of the multipackage module substrate. In some embodiments the memory packages include stacked die packages, and in some embodiments the memory packages include stacked memory packages. In some embodiments the processor is situated at or near the center of the multipackage module substrate and the plurality of memory packages or of stacked memory package assemblies are situated on the multipackage module substrate adjacent the processor.
US07749799B2
Methods for bringing or exposing metal pads or traces to the backside of a backside-illuminated imager allow the pads or traces to reside on the illumination side for electrical connection. These methods provide a solution to a key packaging problem for backside thinned imagers. The methods also provide alignment marks for integrating color filters and microlenses to the imager pixels residing on the frontside of the wafer, enabling high performance multispectral and high sensitivity imagers, including those with extremely small pixel pitch. In addition, the methods incorporate a passivation layer for protection of devices against external contamination, and allow interface trap density reduction via thermal annealing. Backside-illuminated imagers with illumination side electrical connections are also disclosed.
US07749796B2
A method for manufacturing a solid state image pickup device in which a semiconductor substrate includes a pixel region where a plurality of pixels are arranged, each pixel including a signal charge accumulating portion and a transistor, and a pixel well of a first conductive type shared by the respective pixels, the method comprising: (a) a first step of forming a first impurity doped region by ion-implanting an impurity of the first conductive type to a surface of the semiconductor substrate together with the pixel well at a surface density of 1×1014 cm−2 or less in total; (b) a second step of forming an interlayer film after the first step; (c) a third step of forming a hole for providing a contact electrode in the interlayer film on the first impurity doped region; (d) a fourth step of forming a contact portion by ion-implanting an impurity of the first conductive type through the hole; and (e) a fifth step of forming the contact electrode by filling the hole.
US07749794B2
Methods of preparing electrodes, as well as related devices, components, systems, and methods, are disclosed.
US07749793B2
A method of making a Lateral-Moving Micromachined Thermal Bimorph which provides the capability of achieving in-plane thermally-induced motion on a microchip, as opposed to the much more common out-of-plane, or vertical, motion seen in many devices. The present invention employs a novel fabrication process to allow the fabrication of a lateral bimorph in a fundamentally planar set of processes. In addition, the invention incorporates special design features that allow the bimorph to maintain material interfaces.
US07749791B2
A sensor comprising a semiconductor film having a plurality of mesopores and containing an oxide, and electrodes electrically connected to the semiconductor film, wherein at least part of surfaces in the mesopores is coated with an organic material.
US07749790B2
A photoelectric conversion device comprises a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type serving as a photoelectric conversion element together with a part of the first semiconductor region; a gate electrode transferring electric carriers generated in the photoelectric conversion element to a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type. Moreover, the photoelectric conversion device comprises an isolation region for electrically isolating the second semiconductor region from a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type adjacent to the second semiconductor region. Wiring for applying voltage to the gate electrode is arranged on the isolation region. Here, a fifth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type having an impurity concentration lower than that of the fourth semiconductor region is provided between the fourth semiconductor region and the isolation region.
US07749787B2
Provided is a method of forming quantum dots, including: forming a buffer layer on an InP substrate so as to be lattice-matched with the InP substrate; and sequentially alternately depositing In(Ga)As layers and InAl(Ga)As or In(Ga, Al, As)P layers that are greatly lattice-mismatched with each other on the buffer layer so as to form In(Ga, Al)As or In(Ga, Al, P)As quantum dots.
US07749779B2
A landing pad for use as a contact to a conductive spacer adjacent a structure in a semiconductor device comprises two islands, each of which is substantially rectangularly shaped and is spaced apart from one another and from the structure. Conductive spacers are adjacent to each island and overlapping each other and overlapping with the conductive spacer adjacent to the structure. The contact to the landing pad is on the conductive spacers adjacent to the islands and spaced apart from the structure.
US07749778B2
A method of monitoring and testing electro-migration and time dependent dielectric breakdown includes forming an addressable wiring test array, which includes a plurality or horizontally disposed metal wiring and a plurality of segmented, vertically disposed probing wiring, performing a single row continuity/resistance check to determine which row of said metal wiring is open, performing a full serpentine continuity/resistance check, and determining a position of short defects.
US07749771B2
Disclosed is a device, for detecting an analyte in a sample, comprising a sample pad for collecting the sample, a test strip coupled to the sample pad, and a housing enclosing and allowing visualization of the test strip. The sample pad can include one or more markings for determining the amount of sample collected. The device can also include a run fluid container that fits over the sample pad and forms an air-tight seal around the housing. Further, the device can include a second sample pad/test strip combination for detection of a second analyte. Also disclosed are methods for detecting an analyte in a sample using the device.
US07749750B2
A culturing apparatus has a culture vessel having a first elastic seal bonded on its upper surface and a culture space formed thereon, and a joint for supplying solution such as a medium to the culture vessel and a second elastic seal having microprojection formed at the lower face. The first elastic seal has a valve for supplying or discharging solution. The second elastic seal is formed with microprojection at the position corresponding to a valve for preventing a spill. The culture vessel and the joint are sucked between the first elastic seal and the second elastic seal, thereby forming an integral seeding device.
US07749743B2
An isolated xylanase gene with mutations includes a fifty-eighth amino acid or a thirty-eighth amino acid generated from transforming asparagine to aspartic acid so as to form the isolated xylanase gene. A site-specific mutagenesis method includes: mutating the forty-first amino acid or the thirty-eighth amino acid of the xylanase gene by transforming asparagine to aspartic acid so as to form the isolated xylanase gene.
US07749742B2
A method is disclosed that allows the production of peptides having three or more amino acid residues easily, inexpensively and at high yield without going through a complex synthesis method. A novel enzyme that efficiently produces a peptide from bacteria belonging to the genus Empedobacter or the genus Sphingobacterium is provided. The enzyme acts on a carboxy component and an amine component to form peptides having three or more amino acid residues by acting on a carboxy component and an amine component.
US07749739B2
This invention relates to a process for producing an amide compound from a nitrile compound using a microbial catalyst, wherein a microbial cell having nitrile hydratase activity of 50 U or higher per mg of dry cell at a reaction temperature of 10° C. is brought into contact with a nitrile compound in an aqueous medium without being immobilized. This method utilizes a microbial cell that exhibits high nitrile hydratase activity in the reaction without being entrap-immobilized. Thus, an amide compound can be effectively produced from a nitrile compound without problems of decreased reaction speed or lowered amount produced per unit cell amount, which are caused by entrap-immobilization. Accordingly, an amide compound can be produced within a very short period of time in the case of a batch reaction and with a very small-scale facility in the case of a continuous reaction.
US07749733B2
The invention is concerned with the systematic elucidation and identification of regulatory sequences. The invention provides among others screenings and detection methods with which regulatory sequences can be identified. The invention further provides regulatory sequences and use thereof in various fields such as, but not limited to, protein production, diagnostics, transgenic plants and animals, and the therapeutic field.
US07749728B2
The failure of many anticancer drugs to control growth of solid cancers may stem in part from inadequate delivery to tumor regions distant from vasculature. However, extricating the effect of tissue penetration from the many other factors that affect a drug's efficacy in tumors with distance from vasculature is generally not possible. The present invention relates to an effect-based assay which employs a multilayered cell culture (MCC), a tissue-engineered disc grown from tumor cells on a permeable membrane. One side of the culture may be exposed to a drug or other test substance while the other side is temporarily sealed off. Cells adjacent both the exposed side and the sealed side, of the MCC may then be compared since they have similar rates of proliferation and other biochemical properties. For example, the effect of the drug or other the test substance may be evaluated by immunohistochemical or other labeling techniques. The invention may be applied to discover drugs that exhibit desirable penetration properties.
US07749725B2
The present invention relates to a method for screening drugs for use in treating hypertension using the tubular renin-angiotensinogen system identified by the present invention. The invention further relates to a method to diagnose sodium status and sensitivity in an individual by measuring urinary angiotensinogen or angiotensin-I.
US07749711B2
The present invention provides methods utilizing the fat-induced antibody response (FIAR) to assess endothelial function. Additional methods are provided that utilize FIAR for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of vascular diseases, the success of treatment for these diseases, and as a measure of the oxidative stress imposed upon vascular endothelium. Still more methods are provided for measuring the oxidation products of lipids in blood following the administration of a polyunsaturated fatty acid (fat-induced acute response) to monitor the treatment success of a vascular disease, for monitoring the degree of endothelial inflammation, and for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of a cardiovascular disease.
US07749707B2
The present invention provides a method for obtaining or amplifying a polynucleotide (a tester-specific polynucleotide), in which an amount existing in a sample (tester) is larger than the amount existing in another sample (driver), easily and within a short time as well as with high efficiency, a polynucleotide obtained (amplified) by such method, a method for identifying gene mutation in the tester, and a kit to be used in such methods.
US07749702B2
The invention provides methods, nucleic acids and kits for detecting, or for detecting and distinguishing between or among liver cell proliferative disorders or for detecting, or for detecting and distinguishing between or among colorectal cell proliferative disorders. The invention discloses genomic sequences the methylation patterns of which have utility for the improved detection of and differentiation between said class of disorders, thereby enabling the improved diagnosis and treatment of patients.
US07749697B2
Multiplex overlap-extension RT-PCR provides an efficient method of linking two or more nucleotide sequences encoding for domains or subunits of a heteromeric protein, in a single reaction. Especially, the linkage of variable region encoding sequences from e.g. immunoglobulins, T cell receptors or B cell receptors is eased with the method of the present invention. This allows for a more efficient way of generating libraries of variable region encoding sequences. The capability to perform the multiplex overlap-extension RT-PCR using template derived from an isolated single cell enables the generation of cognate pair libraries in a high-throughput format.
US07749690B2
Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide die identification. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a wafer patterning technique is disclosed that provides multiple-exposure patterning to provide a unique identifying mark for each die on a wafer.
US07749684B2
A method for manufacturing a conductive pattern capable of forming a highly precise pattern, also capable of forming by using a simple process, and being free from problems such as treatment of waste fluids. The method for manufacturing a conductive pattern forming body includes a process of preparing a pattern forming body substrate including a base material, and a photocatalyst containing layer formed on the base material including a photocatalyst and a binder whose wettability of an energy irradiated part is changed so as a contact angle to a liquid is reduced; a process of forming wettability pattern including a liquid repellent area and a lyophilic area on the photocatalyst containing layer by irradiating the photocatalyst containing layer in a pattern with energy; a metal colloid coating process of adhering a metal colloid only to the lyophilic area of the surface of the photocatalyst containing layer on which the wettability pattern is formed, by coating the metal colloid; and a process of forming a conductive pattern by solidifying the metal colloid adhered to the lyophilic area of the wettability pattern.
US07749681B2
A composition for forming a lower layer film comprises a polymer (A) having a naphthalene derivative structural unit shown by the following formula (1), wherein R1 represents a hydroxyl group and the like, X represents a substitutable alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and the like, n represents 0 to 6, m represents 1 to 8, and n+m represents an integer from 1 to 8, provided that two or more R1s may be the same or different and two or more Xs may be the same or different.
US07749663B2
A method for adjusting one or more dimensions of a photomask subsequent to etching of a defective pattern in the chrome-containing layer thereof is provided. The method includes subjecting the chrome-containing layer of a photomask to a wet etch process utilizing a solution comprising deionized water and ozone. The length of exposure is directly proportional to the degree of adjustment desired. Accordingly, the method of the present invention provides a way in which dimensions of a photomask may be adjusted by a small amount (e.g., a few angstroms) or more severely adjusted, for example, by 20-30 nanometers or more.
US07749658B2
The main object of the invention is to obtain LiMnPO4 having an excellent crystalline and a high purity at a lower temperature. The present invention provides a method for manufacturing LiMnPO4 including the steps of: precipitating for obtaining precipitate of manganese hydroxide (Mn(OH)x) by adding a precipitant to a Mn source solution in which a Mn source is dissolved; reducing for obtaining a reduced dispersion solution by dispersing the precipitate in a reducing solvent; adding for obtaining an added dispersion solution by adding a Li source solution and a P source solution to the reduced dispersion solution; pH adjusting for adjusting the pH of the added dispersion solution in the range of 3 to 6 to obtain a pH-adjusted dispersion solution; and synthesizing for synthesizing by reacting the pH-controlled dispersion solution by a heating under pressure condition.
US07749657B2
A positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which is high in safety, high in capacity, excellent in rate performance and high temperature storage performance and high in charge/discharge efficiency is provided. The positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is obtained by adding Al to a Li—Ni—Co—Ba—O system raw material or preferably by adding Al and an amorphous phase of an oxide thereto. The positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is a composite oxide having a total composition represented by LiaNibCocBadAleOx or LiaNibCocBadAleMfOx where M: one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Si, Ba, B, P and Al a: 1.0 to 1.2 mol b: 0.5 to 0.95 mol c: 0.05 to 0.5 mol d: 0.0005 to 0.01 mol e: 0.01 to 0.1 mol f: 0.01 mol or less (not inclusive of 0).
US07749656B2
The invention provides a hydrogen storage alloy, and in particular, the hydrogen storage alloy according to the invention has a narrow hysteresis and a maximum hydrogen concentration, (H/Lm (NixAlyMoz)), equal to 7. The hydrogen storage alloy, according to the invention, is an ABw type alloy and represented by the general formula: Lm(NixAlyMoz), and where 4.7≦w≦5.3, Lm is a La-rich misch metal and comprises La, Ce, Pr, and Nd., w=x+y+z, x, y and z are a mole number, respectively.
US07749655B2
An anode active material for a lithium secondary battery, wherein a nitride compound containing silicon or metal such as copper, tin, germanium, indium and zinc is doped with second metal such as ferrum, cobalt, nickel and copper. To obtain the anode active material, a predetermined amount of metal nitride or silicon nitride is added to a second metal powder and then mixed uniformly. The mixture powder is filled into a container, and then a pressure is applied thereto to obtain a solid sample. The solid sample is heat-treated and pulverized into fine powder. The fine powder is heat-treated to obtain the metal nitride or the silicon nitride doped with the second metal.
US07749651B2
A electrical connector for connection to an electrochemical cell is described. The connector comprises a conductive lid; a ferrule disposed within an opening through the conductive lid; a conductive center pin disposed within the ferrule; and a hermetic seal formed between the pin and an interior surface of the ferrule. A mating terminal connector adapted to be connected to the ferrule and the conductive center pin is further provided. The terminal connector is a device for easily and quickly connecting the cell to a circuit board of the kind found in an implantable medical device, such as a cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, neuro-stimulator, drug pump, and the like.
US07749650B1
A method and apparatus is provided in which at least one layer pair comprised of an inner, thermally insulating layer and an outer, high yield strength layer, surrounds the casing of a battery, the at least one layer pair inhibiting the flow of hot, pressurized gas from within the battery through perforations formed in the battery casing during a thermal runaway event.
US07749646B2
A battery having a nanostructured battery electrode is disclosed wherein it is possible to reverse the contact of the electrolyte with the battery electrode and, thus, to return a battery to a reserve state after it has been used to generate current. In order to achieve this reversibility, the nanostructures on the battery electrode comprise a plurality of closed cells and the pressure within the enclosed cells is varied. In a first embodiment, the pressure is varied by varying the temperature of a fluid within the cells by, for example, applying a voltage to electrodes disposed within said cells. In a second illustrative embodiment, once the battery has been fully discharged, the battery is recharged and then the electrolyte fluid is expelled from the cells in a way such that it is no longer in contact with the battery electrode.
US07749633B2
A device which can mix and store fuel and water, which is orientation independent and which has a small volume. The device includes: at least one inlet for fuel and/or water; and at least one outlet for a mixture of fuel and water, wherein the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet are connected to a flexible chamber in which fluids are mixed and temporarily stored.
US07749632B2
An auxiliary coolant system, for a fuel cell stack system, includes a reversible coolant pump, a control valve, and plumbing lines. The pump enables the reversal of the coolant flow direction in the fuel cell stack system. The auxiliary coolant system is in parallel with the primary coolant system, and communicates with the primary coolant system via valves. During start-up, when coolant flow is from right-to-left through the fuel cell stack system, one valve of the primary coolant system will be partly open and control the amount of cold coolant make-up from the primary coolant system to the fuel cell stack while the valve of the auxiliary coolant system will be controlling the temperature differential between the inlet and outlet of the stack.
US07749629B2
An electrolyte membrane characterized by comprising a porous body formed from a melt-moldable fluororesin and having interconnected pores and an ion exchange resin with which the interconnected pores are filled, is provided. Specifically, the porous body is formed, for example, from an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/[CF2═CF—(OCF2CFY)a—Oc—(CF2)b—SO3H] copolymer (wherein Y is a fluorine atom or a trifluoromethyl group, a is an integer of 0 to 3, b is an integer of from 0 to 12, and c is 0 or 1, provided that when b=0, C=0), or the like. An electrolyte membrane reinforced by such a porous body has high mechanical strength even if it is thin, and is excellent in dimensional stability when hydrated, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a membrane-electrode assembly having the electrolyte membrane provides a high output and is excellent in durability.
US07749626B2
A solid oxide fuel cell stack generates power by an electrochemical reaction of oxygen with hydrogen or hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a reformed gas which is produced from a natural gas by a reformer, and supplies waste heat and an anode exhaust gas containing steam to the reformer. The reformed gas produced by the reformer is reduced its CO concentration through a CO shift converter and a CO selective oxidizer. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack generates power by an electrochemical reaction of oxygen with hydrogen contained in a reformed gas which is emitted through the CO selective oxidizer with reduced CO concentration and with condensed moisture by a condenser.
US07749624B2
A method for controlling the pressure within a fuel cell stack to control the stack relative humidity. In one embodiment, a two-position valve receiving the cathode exhaust is switchable between a fully open and a fully closed position, where the valve is opened when the fuel cell system is operating at a low operation temperature and the valve is closed when the fuel cell system is operating at a high operation temperature. A fixed restriction valve is provided in parallel with the two-position valve so that when the two-position valve is fully closed, the proper amount of pressure is provided at the cathode output. In another embodiment, the two-position valve employs leak paths so that when the two-position valve is in the closed position, the cathode exhaust gas can still flow through.
US07749621B2
A method is provided for forming a photoactive coating having a photoabsorption band in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The method includes depositing a precursor composition over at least a portion of a float glass ribbon in a molten metal bath by a CVD coating device. The precursor composition includes a titania precursor material and at least one other precursor material selected from chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), rhenium (Re), and mixtures thereof.
US07749617B2
The present invention provides a novel organic compound capable of simultaneously emitting fluorescence and phosphorescence. The organic compound according to the present invention is an organic compound consisting of only elemental hydrogen and at least two kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of elements belonging to the thirteenth group to the seventeenth group of the second period to the fifth period of the periodic table, and being capable of simultaneously emitting fluorescence and phosphorescence at a temperature of from −30° C. or more and 100° C. or less.
US07749613B2
A multi-layer aluminum brazing sheet including a core layer, interliner, braze clad layer and a sacrificial layer, in which the post-braze strength of the brazing sheet is optimized by controlling the manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), copper (Cu) and magnesium (Mg) contents of the core layer and the Mn, Si and Cu content of the interliner and the Mn, Si and Zn content of the sacrificial layer and the specifics of the braze thermal cycle. The brazing sheet maintains corrosion resistance, while optimizing post-braze strength, by utilizing 0.5 wt. % to 1.2 wt. % Cu in the interliner. Further, the interliner and sacrificial layer of the brazing sheet contain low or no magnesium to maintain the brazing sheet's braze-ability.
US07749608B2
The present invention provides a flexible electrode array, comprising a silicone containing body, at least one metal trace layer and at least one electrode pad on the surface.
US07749600B1
A mop yarn formed with a core of microdenier synthetic filament fibers wrapped with a sheath. The sheath generally includes carded staple fibers spun around the core.
US07749598B2
A prefabricated, faced roofing board composite includes a first board layer made of a polymeric material or a predominantly polymeric material and a fire and weather resistant fiberglass-based facer bonded to a top major surface of the first board layer and forming a top major surface of the composite. The fiberglass-based facer is substantially impervious to the passage of hot gases of combustion, water, and water vapor through the thickness of the fiberglass-based facer. The faced composite can be a cover board, an insulation board; can include cover board and insulation board layers; and can include cover board, insulation board, and baseboard layers. A second fiberglass-based facer that is substantially impervious to the passage of hot gases of combustion through its thickness can form a bottom major surface of the composite. The polymeric material or predominantly polymeric material of the board layer to which each fiberglass-based facer is bonded penetrates part of the way through, but not completely through, the fiberglass-based facer.
US07749596B1
An engineered crack-resistant paper or board for improved runability formed by depositing a thin discontinuous thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer onto a cellulose fiber network web and having same absorbed into the network in specific geometrical formations. The base sheet thus formed may then be used for various end uses such as packaging, containers, plates, cups, low-weight coated printing grade boards or the like.
US07749593B2
An exterior surface covering has a colored outer layer that transmits infrared radiation and an inner layer with a thermochromic pigment that absorbs heat at low temperature and reflects at high temperatures. The outer layer conceals the color change of the thermochromic pigment.
US07749591B2
The present invention relates a laminated sheet having improved toner-fixing property and toner blocking resistance, that comprises a base material made of paper, one or more thermoplastic resin layer(s) provided on one side or both sides of said base material, a toner-fixing layer provided thereon, wherein two or more hydrophilic macromolecular substances each having a different glass transition temperature are used as binders and constitutes said toner-fixing layer, at least a hydrophilic macromolecular substance (A) having a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or above and a hydrophilic macromolecular substance (B) having a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or below are contained as said hydrophilic macromolecular substances therein.
US07749586B2
An adhering member comprises an adhesive layer 2 of a thickness R formed on one surface of a backing 1, and a liner 3 of a thickness T laminated on the adhesive layer, and has a half-cut formed in the liner for making handleability satisfactory while preventing seepage of contents. The adhering member excellent in handleability and stability is obtained by providing, for example, the half-cut 4 having a rectangular or inverted triangular sectional shape, a groove width of 200 μm or less, and a groove depth of more than 14T/15 but less than (T+R).
US07749585B2
Medical dilatation balloons comprise a polymer that has the attribute of memory, and/or is crosslinked to impart memory. Such balloons exhibit a reduced tendency to overinflate at high inflation pressures. Furthermore, such balloons when shrunk radially by the application of heat while restraining axial shrinkage, exhibit customizable linear or non-linear compliance curves and lower crosslinking profile relative to the same balloon when unshrunk. Also disclosed is an expansive element within a tube whose outer diameter is equal to the outer diameter of the tube from which it was made. In addition, disclosed are (a) processes for preparing crosslinkable polymers, (b) joining crosslinked balloons to catheter systems, (c) forming shrunk balloon elements, and (d) forming an expansive element within a tube whose outer diameter is equal to the outer diameter of the tube from which it was made.
US07749583B2
A paperboard including a solid bleached sulfate paperboard substrate and a coating applied to the paperboard substrate to form a coated structure, the coated structure having a basis weight, a caliper thickness and a Parker Print Surf smoothness, the Parker Print Surf smoothness being at most about 3 microns, the basis weight being at most about Y1 pounds per 3000 ft2, wherein Y1 is a function of the caliper thickness (X) in points and is calculated as follows: Y1=3.79+13.43X−0.1638X2.
US07749580B2
The invention relates to a gloss coated multifunctional printing paper that can be used with a variety of office printing equipment including inkjet and electrophotographic and to processes of making and using the paper. a paper substrate; and a pigmented composition coated on at least one surface of the substrate, said pigmented coating composition comprising (1) a first pigment having a BET surface area in the range of from about 50 to about 750 m2/g; (2) a second pigment having a BET surface area in the range of from about 5 to about 49 m2/g; and (3) a polymeric binder, Said coated paper having a coating gloss equal to or greater than about 30% at 75° and a Bristow Absorption length of less than about 180 mm.The coating compositions may contain other additives such as lubricants, optical brighteners and coating rheology modifiers. The coating formulations can be applied to the base stock using any of a large number of coating techniques including application roll with bent blade, rod, air knife, slot die, curtain spray and gravure. The paper can be used with various inkjet and electrophotographic printing apparatus and techniques.
US07749578B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a polarizing plate protective film exhibiting a reduced variation value retardation, which is highly stable against polarizing plate degradation, polarizing plate dimension, and polarizing plate curl. Disclosed is a cellulose ester film possessing cellulose ester, polymer X having a weight average molecular weight of 2000-30000 prepared by copolymerizing ethylenic unsaturated monomer Xa containing no aromatic ring and hydrophilic group within a molecule and ethylenic unsaturated monomer Xb containing no aromatic ring but a hydrophilic group within a molecule, and polymer Y having a weight average molecular weight of 500-3000 prepared by polymerizing ethylenic unsaturated monomer Ya containing no aromatic ring.
US07749577B2
Provided are multilayer laminates having one or more layers comprising twisted nematic liquid crystals and one or more layers of a polymeric sheet comprising a polymer with a modulus between 20,000 psi (138 MPa) and 100,000 psi (690 MPa). The twisted nematic liquid crystal layers reflect infrared radiation. Thus, the multilayer laminates are useful to reduce the transmission of infrared energy. For example, in some embodiments the multilayer laminates are useful as windows to reduce energy consumption necessary to cool the interior of a structure such as an automobile or building. Preferably, the multilayer laminates retain the beneficial properties of safety glass. The multilayer laminates may include additional layers such as infrared absorbing layers, half wave plates, and the like, to minimize the transmission of infrared energy. The multilayer laminates may also include further additional layers such as polymeric films, polymeric sheets, rigid sheets, and the like.
US07749575B2
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display utilizing a vertically aligned state of liquid crystal molecules when no voltage is applied and to a method of manufacturing the same. The invention is aimed at providing a liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same in which the existing step for forming vertical alignment films can be omitted to achieve a cost reduction.The liquid crystal display includes a monofunctional monomer having a structure expressed by X-R (where X represents an acrylate group or a methacrylate group, and R represents an organic group having a steroid skeleton). A liquid crystal material is sandwiched between substrates which is then irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the monofunctional monomer, thereby forming a polymer film at an interface of a substrate. The monofunctional monomer has a hydrophobic skeleton such as an alkyl chain and a photoreactive group on one side of the skeleton.
US07749574B2
The present invention generally comprises a silicon dioxide atomic layer deposition method. By providing pyridine as a catalyst, water may be utilized as the oxidization source while depositing at a low temperature. Prior to exposing the substrate to the water, the substrate may be exposed to a pyridine soak process. Additionally, the water may be co-flowed to the chamber with the pyridine through separate conduits to reduce interaction prior to entering the chamber. Alternatively, the pyridine may be co-flowed with a silicon precursor that does not react with pyridine.
US07749566B2
Disclosed is a system and method for providing an effective means for making it easy to identify which holes in an interface plate are to be populated with probes and which are to be left empty. This identification of holes or apertures in a plate is used most commonly an electrical probe testing plates where a probe array is set up and inserted though the plate. The problem is that it is very difficult to double check to see if all probes are installed. With a two-tone color identifier (or other techniques disclosed herein) it is easy to visually or machine read the probe plate for probe installation errors. The method employs coating the plate with a colorant and ablating colorant adjacent holes, which are either populated or empty, the difference being easy to spot.
US07749562B1
A method of making a friction material which includes a porous base material, at least one type of resin material, and at least one type of nanoparticle-sized friction modifying particle, is disclosed. The resin material and the nanoparticle-sized friction modifying particles are substantially uniformly dispensed throughout the base material.
US07749560B2
A crack in a cooling system may be sealed by the direct addition of dry or powder sodium silicate or a glycol based slurry of sodium silicate. The sodium silicate may be used in conjunction with an inert bulking agent, such as a cellulosic material. The sealant composition may further contain a metal which is non-reactive with sodium silicate. The method has particular applicability in the treatment of cracks in the cooling systems of internal combustion engines.
US07749557B2
A method of manufacturing a superconducting wire includes the step of drawing a wire formed by coating raw material powder for a superconductor with a metal or a wire with a multifilamentary structure, the step of sealing an end portion of a clad wire or a multifilamentary wire after the step of drawing, and the step of first rolling, rolling the multifilamentary wire after the step of sealing. With this method, a superconducting wire having high and uniform performance can be obtained.
US07749549B2
Use of vegetable seed flour, in particular Brassicaceae flour, as a cytotoxic agent with improving action.
US07749548B2
The present invention relates to a composition comprising ethanol, polyol, salicylic acid, triclosan, allantoin, licorice acid or its di-alkali metallic salt, dl-camphor, houttynia cordata extract, green tea extract, and aloe extract as main ingredients and water and perfume essence as auxiliary ingredients. The present composition has excellent elimination effect of offensive odors caused by sweat.
US07749544B2
An Aids and associated conditions related to Aids treating compositions is disclosed. The compositions comprise: a medicament selected from an extract of at least one of the following plant families: Apocynaceae (Pleioscarpa Bicarpellata); Annonaceae (Cleistopholis Patens); Dichapetalaceae (Dichapetehan Madagasca Riense); Annoceae (Uvaristrum Pierreanum); Cynocynaceae (Strophantus Gratus); Asclepiadaceae (Gongronema Latifolium); Combretaceae (Combretum Racemosum); Apocynaceae (Alostonia Boonei); Amaranthaceae (Alternanthera Pungens); Aroceae (Anchomanes Differmis); Cyperaceae (Seleria Voivinil); Anacardiaceae (Lannea Acida); Bignoniaceae (Kigelia Africana); Bombacaceae (Ceiba Pentanota); Anarcardiaceae (Antrocaryon Micraster); Bombacaceae (Bombax Bounopozense): Anarcardiaceae (Spondias Mombin); Caricaceae (Carica Papaya); a glyceryl ester of any of the foregoing extracts; a saponin of any of the foregoing extracts; an alkaloid of any of the foregoing extracts; a protein of any of the foregoing extracts; a fat of any of the foregoing extracts; a sugar of any of the foregoing extracts; and any mixture of any of the foregoing.
US07749543B2
The invention relates to a combined pharmaceutical preparation comprising parathyroid hormone and a bone resorption inhibitor, said preparation being adapted for (a) the administration of parathyroid hormone during a period of approximately 6 to 24 months; (b) after the administration of parathyroid hormone has been terminated, the administration of a bone resorption inhibitor during a period of approximately 12 to 36 months.
US07749536B2
The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising aliphatic amine polymers such as for example Sevelamer HCl as the active pharmaceutical ingredient, wherein the aliphatica amine polymers are spray granulated. The present invention further provides methods of preparing stable pharmaceutical compositions of aliphatic amine polymers such as for example Sevelamer HCl, preferably in tablets dosage forms.
US07749535B2
Dietary supplements include a complementary blend of fruits including at least noni and Luo Han Guo. Other fruits having a high ORAC value, such as blueberries and raspberries, are also preferably incorporated. The combination of the Luo Han Guo and noni masks the noni's flavors and odors while sweetening the dietary supplements. The Luo Han Guo can be simultaneously provided in both powder and liquid form so that the liquid form acts as the primary sweetener while the powder form acts as the primary masker. The dietary supplements also have an enhanced natural preservative effect, providing an extended shelf life without the use of artificial preservatives.
US07749532B2
Disclosed are once-daily formulations containing tetracyclines, especially doxycycline. Such formulations are useful, for instance, for the treatment of collagenase destructive enzyme-dependent diseases, such as periodontal disease and acne, and acute and chronic inflammatory disease states, such as rosacea and arthritis.
US07749531B2
An apparatus and method are provided for visually monitoring, detecting, and/or determining the presence, absence, and/or growth of harmful or potentially harmful bacterial microorganisms beneath a wound dressing, in one example used to cover an indwelling central venous catheter or other catheter. A bacteria detection apparatus includes a barrier membrane, a permeable membrane for placement proximate a wound or a catheter insertion site, and an indicator between the barrier membrane and the permeable membrane for indicating the presence of bacteria proximate the permeable membrane. A method of using a bacterial growth detection apparatus is also provided.
US07749529B2
This invention relates to compositions, methods, devices and kits relating to the infusion of a catheter lock solution into an indwelling catheter. Inventive compositions, methods, devices and kits aid in diminishing the effects of microbial infection in catheters and occlusion of the catheters. A lock solution provided by the invention includes citrate and a paraben. The solution preferably has a density suitable for retention of the solution in a catheter during the lock period. Another lock solution provided by the invention includes citrate, a paraben and a photo-oxidant, such as, for example, methylene blue.
US07749527B2
Semi-solid compositions comprising metaflumizone, a gelling agent and a non-aqueous solvent. The semi-solid compositions of this invention may be topically administered to animals, and are useful for preventing or treating, ectoparasitic infestations in warm-blooded animals for prolonged periods of time.
US07749524B2
Disclosed are compositions that include a structuring agent, a silicone powder and a swelling agent, other compositions further including a liquid fatty phase, methods of making the compositions, and their use on keratin material.
US07749523B2
A cosmetic exfoliating composition for use in cleansing and conditioning the skin of the hand, face, heels/knees/elbows and/or body of a human being which is stable and which does not leave a greasy or tacky after-feel when said composition is applied to and rinsed from skin with water and the skin is dried.
US07749520B2
The present invention relates to liposome formulations that are physically stable. In particular the present invention relates to steric stabilization of cationic liposomes by incorporating glycolipids into the liposomes. The stabilized liposomes can be used either as an adjuvant for antigenic components or as a drug delivery system. In particular the invention relates to vaccines with adjuvants in aqueous media for immunization, where the final product is stable.
US07749513B2
The present invention relates to cholesterol-lowering preparations, in particular to a bacterial preparation for use as a medicament for lowering of the blood cholesterol level. The present invention provides inter alia a preparation of Rhodospirillum spp. and/or Phaeospirillum with cholesterol-lowering effects, food supplements and foodstuffs comprising said preparation and methods for the preparation and use thereof.
US07749510B2
Site-specific Listeria integration vectors and methods for their use are provided. The subject vectors include a bacteriophage integrase gene and a bacteriophage attachment site, where in many embodiments the bacteriophage that is the source of these elements is a listeriophage. In certain embodiments, the subject vectors further include a multiple cloning site, where the multiple cloning site may further include a polypeptide coding sequence, e.g., for a heterologous antigen. The subject vectors and methods find use in a variety of different applications, including the study of Listeria species and the preparation of Listeria vaccines.
US07749502B2
The present invention relates to an oral composition and an immunogenic composition for the suppression of the pathogenic effects of the intra-oral bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis associated with periodontal disease.
US07749498B2
Disclosed are antibodies that provide superior anti-coagulant activity by binding native human TF with high affinity and specificity. Also disclosed are methods of using such antibodies to reduce cancer cell tissue factor activity and to detect cancer cells that express TF.
US07749493B2
The present invention provides methods and vector systems for the generation of chimeric recombinant adenoviruses. These hybrid adenoviruses contain a genome that is derived from different adenovirus serotypes. In particular, novel hybrid adenoviruses are disclosed with improved properties for gene therapy purposes. These properties include: a decreased sensitivity towards neutralizing antibodies, a modified host range, a change in the titer to which adenovirus can be grown, the ability to escape trapping in the liver upon in vivo systemic delivery, and absence or decreased infection of antigen presenting cells (APC) of the immune system, such as macrophages or dendritic cells. These chimeric adenoviruses thus represent improved tools for gene therapy and vaccination since they overcome the limitations observed with the currently used serotype subgroup C adenoviruses.
US07749491B2
Agents and methods to alter rAAV transduction are provided.
US07749484B2
A material mixture is disclosed for storage of hydrogen for a hydrogen-using device and release of hydrogen on demand of the hydrogen-using device, especially by heating of the mixture. Such a mixture suitably comprises a solid hydrogen-containing lithium compound (e.g. LiBH4) and a solid magnesium compound, MgX, the magnesium compound being reactive with the lithium compound to release hydrogen and yield solid by products containing lithium and X. X may include one or more of F, Cl, OH, O, S, Se, Si, CO3, SO4, Cu, Ge, Ni, (OH)Cl, and P2O7.
US07749468B2
An apparatus is provided for carrying out a cavitation induced reaction comprising a reaction chamber for a liquid reaction medium, means for producing cavitation in the liquid reaction medium, at least one reactant inlet to the reaction chamber, an inert gas inlet conduit with a sparger for injecting a flowing stream of dry inert gas into the reaction chamber, a venting outlet for removal of a stream of the inert gas from the reaction chamber, and a recirculation conduit for re-circulating a stream of the inert gas from the venting outlet to the inert gas inlet conduit.
US07749467B2
A radial flow reactor fluid duct distribution apparatus is presented. The apparatus includes a plate of sufficient thickness to impart strength to the fluid flow duct and is milled to have narrow slots allowing fluid to flow through the plate, while preventing the passage of catalyst through the plate.
US07749465B2
A reformer module (10) comprises a hollow support member (12) having at least one passage (14) extending longitudinally therethrough. The hollow support member (14) has an external surface (20), a barrier layer (22) arranged on at least a portion of the external surface (20) of the hollow support member (12), a catalyst layer (24) arranged on the barrier layer (22) and a sealing layer (26) arranged on the catalyst layer (24) and the external surface (20) of the hollow support member (12) other than the at least a portion of the external surface of the hollow support member (12). By providing the barrier layer (22) and the catalyst layer (24) on the exterior surface (20) of the hollow support member (12), the distribution of the barrier layer (22) and/or the catalyst layer (24) may be more precisely controlled and thus a non-uniform distribution of barrier layer (22) and/or catalyst layer (24) may be achieved.
US07749463B2
Apparatus for producing nano-particles comprises a furnace defining a vapor region therein. A precipitation conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end is positioned with respect to the furnace so that the inlet end is open to the vapor region. A quench fluid port positioned within the precipitation conduit provides a quench fluid stream to the precipitation conduit to precipitate nano-particles within the precipitation conduit. A product collection apparatus connected to the outlet end of the precipitation conduit collects the nano-particles produced within the precipitation conduit.
US07749459B2
A device, located in a vessel having an inlet and at least one outlet, through which a mixture of fluids flows, for promoting electrostatic coalescence of a first conductive fluid emulsified in a second fluid. The device includes a number of tubular electrostatic coalescer elements extending in the flow direction which are arranged in a matrix arranged over the cross sectional area of the vessel, and an applicator operative to apply an electrical field to the fluids flowing through the coalescer elements.
US07749449B2
A chamber chip 17 is provided with a pre-branching chamber 21, branching chamber 22, and a guiding fluid passage 24 for these chambers 21. The branching chamber 22 has a separation wall 23 which defines two branching compartments 29A and 29B. A wall surface of the branching chamber positioned at a side of the rotary shaft 13 has a spread angle θe from an outlet end section 24b of the guiding fluid passage 24 which is an obtuse angle. The rotation of the chamber chip 17 about the rotary shaft 13 causes a liquid 23 to flow from the pre-branching chamber 21 through the guiding fluid passage 24 into the branching chamber 22. By a Coriolis force acting in an opposite direction to a rotation direction R1, R2 about the rotary shaft 13, the liquid 23 is selectively supplied to any one of the branching compartments 29A and 29B.
US07749444B2
A microfluidic device for performing a test on the reagent includes a fill port formed on the chip to inject the reagent into at least one of the channels, one or more heating portions for performing a test on the reagent injected into the channel, and a micropump. An inside of the micropump and a vicinity of the channel connecting to an inlet and an outlet of the micropump are filled with a drive solution that is driven by the micropump, a gas is sealed between the reagent and the drive solution in the channel to prevent the reagent from contacting the drive solution directly, and the micropump directly drives the drive solution in the forward and backward directions, so that the reagent is repeatedly moved to the test portions through the gas in an indirect manner or is repeatedly passed through the test portions through the gas.
US07749443B2
The present invention is directed to an enhanced sampling device, herein referred to as an ESD, for enhancing the collection efficiency of the SPME method by enhancing the flow of the analytes onto the sampling fiber. The ESD includes a tubular main body, used for a sampling shroud, which directs a flow of analytes to contact the fiber during collection. One end of the main body is open and faces the sample, allowing analytes to flow into the ESD and contact the fiber. A second piece of tubing branches from the other end of the main body and becomes an outlet port, possibly leading to a pump. The ESD permits more rapid transport and absorption of the analytes to the fiber for collection.
US07749441B2
An automatic analyzer is disclosed that dispenses a sample and a reagent into each of a plurality of reaction vessels to allow them to react with each other, and that measures the liquid formed as a result of the reaction. This automatic analyzer includes a first reagent storage case for storing the reagent to be used for the reaction, a second reagent storage case for storing the reagent for supplemental purpose, and a reagent conveying unit for conveying the reagent from the second reagent storage case to the first reagent storage case.
US07749433B2
The invention relates to a high-hardness palladium alloy for manufacturing semi-finished products to be used in goldsmith's art or jewels to be obtained by the lost wax casting method, which comprises, in the following concentrations, expressed in thousandths by weight (‰): palladium from 948 to 990‰; copper from 0.0 to 50‰; indium from 0.0 to 50‰; gallium from 1 to 48‰; aluminium from 0.8 to 49.5‰; ruthenium from 0.0 to 50‰; rhenium from 0.0 to 50‰; silicon from 0.1 to 1.2‰; platinum from 0.0 to 40‰; nickel from 0.0 to 50‰; iridium from 0.0 to 40‰. In the manufacturing process of the above alloy, the component elements of said alloy are placed in a crucible, respectively made of zirconia, boron nitride or other ceramic material, and are melted using the induction method and using a protective atmosphere, respectively of argon, nitrogen or other inert gas.
US07749432B2
A cast, austenitic steel composed essentially of, expressed in weight percent of the total composition, about 0.4 to about 0.7 C, about 20 to about 30 Cr, about 20 to about 30 Ni, about 0.5 to about 1 Mn, about 0.6 to about 2 Si, about 0.05 to about 1 Nb, about 0.05 to about 1 W, about 0.05 to about 1.0 Mo, balance Fe, the steel being essentially free of Ti and Co, the steel characterized by at least one microstructural component selected from the group consisting of MC, M23C6, and M(C, N).
US07749406B2
Silicon oxide and electrically conductive doped silicon materials are joined in a protective environment to yield a composite SiOx:Si material that exhibits the properties of SiOx, and yet is electrically conductive due to the presence of the Si. Such a composite material finds use as a target for DC and/or AC sputtering processes to produce silicon oxide thin films for touch-screen applications, barrier thin films in LCD displays and optical thin films used in a wide variety of applications.
US07749402B2
Disclosed herein is a winter precipitation barrier composition, comprising: a retaining agent, a solvent, and optionally, an auxiliary component, such as a rheology/viscosity modifier, surfactant, detergent, foaming/defoaming additive, humectant, dye, colorant, fragrance, or a combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the retaining agent comprises a primarily hydrophobic monomer or a hydrophilic monomer.
US07749399B2
Process for the production of flexographic printing plates by means of direct laser engraving by engraving a print relief in the relief-forming layer with the aid of a laser and cleaning the resulting printing plate with a liquid cleaning agent.
US07749391B2
A system and method is disclosed for pre-treating water to remove substantial amounts of particulates prior to filtration. A coagulant, such as chitosan is mixed with turbid water and adheres to particulate matter to form large clumps. The water/coagulant mixture is placed in a first reservoir elevated above a second reservoir having a strip of porous material, such as polyester felt, positioned with one end in the first reservoir and another end above the second reservoir and preferably below the waterline in the first reservoir. A middle portion of the porous material is elevated above the first and second ends, but at a height relative to the waterline of the first reservoir that is equal or less than the height water will rise in the porous material due to capillary action.
US07749389B2
The objectives of this invention are to provide a filler for separating optical isomers, capable of efficiently carrying out optical resolution of optical isomer mixtures, and to provide a process for separating optical isomers by a simulated moving bed chromatography utilizing the filler. This invention provides a filler made of a carrier supporting a specific amount of an optically active high molecular weight compound. Separation by the simulated moving bed chromatography using the filler is carried out under the condition that the capacity factors have specific values.
US07749388B2
This relates to filter columns for isolating nucleic acids, particularly at small elution volumes. The filter column is adapted for stable placement within the upper portion of standard plastic collection tubes of various sizes. The body of the filter column has a number of surfaces to accommodate placement within variously sized collection tubes. The filter column contains nucleic acid-specific filter which can be located at alternate regions within the filter column, providing different filter surface areas and loading volume capacities using the same column body. The filter column has an opening on an upper end adapted to be sealed by a cap. A method for recovering nucleic acids using such filter column is also provided.
US07749386B2
The invention provides methods and an apparatus for more efficiently and economically producing purified water from sea water or some other salty or brackish water source. The efficiency is derived from the co-location with a power plant or other thermal generating source that will heat the feed water. Reverse osmosis membrane filtration systems work optimally when the feed water is at certain higher temperature, where that temperature is typically higher than the feed water at ambient temperatures. By using the heated sea water as the byproduct of the power plant electricity generating process and if necessary mixing it with ambient temperature sea water, if needed to lower the water temperature, and using this feed water with a higher temperature than ambient water temperature, the efficiency of the reverse osmosis system can be increased.
US07749384B2
An apparatus is provided that includes: a containment system 208 having at least one sidewall and bottom that are substantially impermeable to a passage of water; a distribution system 124 to introduce an aqueous stream comprising nitrates into the containment system; a de-nitrification system 128 comprising a de-nitrification media, the media being contained within the containment system; a pump to pressurize the stream and cause the stream to pass through the de-nitrification media, thereby converting at least most of the nitrates into nitrogen gas and forming a treated stream; and a collection system 132 to remove the treated stream from the containment system.
US07749383B2
A filter cartridge in a filter-in-filter design with an inner filter and an outer filter. A mechanism, for example crush ribs, connects an upper end plate of the outer filter and an upper end plate of the inner filter to prevent relative axial and radial movement therebetween when assembled. Relative axial or radial motion can create a rattling noise which is sometimes perceived as a low quality filter. The crush ribs are, for example, formed on an interior surface of the upper end plate of the outer filter, and the ribs engage an outer perimeter of the upper end plate of the inner filter. One or more of the ribs crush when the inner filter is installed into the outer filter to ensure tight axial and radial engagement between the filters.
US07749370B2
This invention provides the oxidative mixed water with pH around 7.4 ranging from the weak acidity to weak alkalinity, high power of killing microorganisms, and high power of healing wound by electrolysis using the three-compartment cell composed of an anode compartment, a cathode compartment, and a middle compartment between the anode compartment and the cathode compartment. Mixing anode water with cathode water produced using the three-compartment device forms the oxidative mixed water.
US07749369B2
The present invention relates to a gel processing and transfer device, useful for the processing and transferring un-damaged and intact gel with minimal handling, said device comprising at least 4 separable components namely: a base plate for holding the gels with facility to drain out solution; a retaining rim with attached side-walls, said side walls are fastened to the base plate by a fastening means; at least one “O” ring fixed to the retaining rim to give leakproof arrangement with the base plate; and a lid to cover the assembly.
US07749363B2
A cell for the electrowinning of aluminium by the electrolysis from an aluminium compound dissolved in a molten electrolyte (50), comprises: (I) a plurality of non-carbon anodes (10), each anode being suspended in operating in the molten electrolyte by an anode stem (11) that connects the anode (10) to a positive current source; and (II) a thermic insulating cover (60,60′) which covers the electrolyte (50) and through which each anode stem (11) extends from the positive current source to an anode (10). The insulating cover (60,60′) comprises a plurality of movable sections (60) that together cover a substantial part of the electrolyte (50). Each movable section (60) covers a corresponding portion of the electrolyte (50) that is located therebelow and that can be uncovered by moving the corresponding movable section (60). The anode stem (11) of each anode (10) extends through the insulating cover (60,60′) between two movable sections (60) or between a movable section (60) and a fixed section (60′) of the insulating cover (60,60′) when the sections (60) are in a covering position over the electrolyte (50). Each movable section (60) is movable to uncover the corresponding electrolyte portion without interrupting operation of any anode (10), for example by tilting, in particular pivoting, or sliding and/or lifting the section (60).
US07749361B2
A method of sputtering a copper seed layer and the target used therewith. The copper included in the sputtering target includes a first dopant reactive with copper and a second dopant unreactive with copper. Examples of the first dopant include Ti, Mg, and Al. Examples of the second dopant include Pd, Sn, In, Ir, and Ag. The amount of the first dopant may be determined by testing stress migration and that of the second dopant by testing electromigration.
US07749359B2
A reactor is provided for converting organic material to charcoal, with the reactor having a furnace and a retort extending through the furnace. The retort has an auger extending therethrough, with the auger having a flight with gaps therein. Members project inwardly from the walls of the retort at the gaps in the flight to unplug blockages in the retort. A gas collection system is provided which has a branched portion having two or more venting tubes, each with valves so that each may be shut off independently to allow to off-line cleaning without requiring shutdown of the system. A method for converting organic material may be practiced by introducing combustible materials into the reactor.
US07749347B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for bonding sheets together without trapping bubbles between two adjacent sheets and a procedure for easy detachment of the completed stack of bonded together sheets from the apparatus that constructed it. The present invention is particularly well suited for use with apparatus for construction of three-dimensional objects from a stack of thin sheets bonded together.
US07749340B2
A technique for technique for increasing the compliance of lead-free solders containing silver is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a Sn—Ag—Al alloy composition comprising (0.01-20)% Ag, (0.01-2)% Al, balanced with Sn. In another particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a Sn—Ag—Cu—Al alloy composition comprising (0.01-20)% Ag, (0.01-1)% Cu, (0.01-2)% Al, balanced with Sn. In still another particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a Sn—Ag—Al—Ni composition comprising (0.01-20)% Ag, (0.01-2)% Al, (0.01-4)% Ni, balanced with Sn. In yet another particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a Sn—Ag—Cu—Al—Ni alloy composition comprising (0.01-20)% Ag, (0.01-1)% Cu, (0.01-2)% Al, (0.01-4)% Ni, balanced with Sn.
US07749332B2
Aqueous compositions comprising: (a) a surfactant; and (b) a thickening system comprising: (i) a gellan gum; and (ii) a thickener selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate thickeners, xanthan gums, guar flours, alginates, carrageenans, carboxy -methylcelluloses, bentonites, wellan gums, carob flours and mixtures thereof; wherein the surfactant comprises a fatty acid soap, and wherein the fatty acid soap is present in an amount of 2 to 20 % by weight based on the composition are disclosed, along with uses therefor.
US07749328B2
The invention relates to a method of operating a dishwasher with a central control unit, by measuring the turbidity of the rinsing liquid and establishing the course of the program as a function of the turbidity of the rinsing liquid. In a pre-rinse operation, measurement values determined by a sensor system are derived from the soiling of the rinsing liquid and supplied to the control unit, which calculates therefrom associated parameters for the further course of the program and establishes the latter correspondingly.
US07749325B2
A method of producing a separated GaN crystal body grown by vapor phase epitaxy on a substrate made of material different from GaN is provided. In this method, a nitride deposit is formed during the growth on a periphery of the substrate and GaN crystal body. The present method comprises the steps of: processing the periphery of the substrate to remove the nitride deposit; and, after the peripheral processing, separating the substrate from the GaN crystal body to make the substrate and the GaN crystal body independent of each other.
US07749317B2
A mixed polymer fiber, comprising a crosslinked polymer fiber comprising carboxyalkyl cellulose and a galactomannan polymer or a glucomannan polymer, and cellulose fiber.
US07749305B1
A hydrogen purification system and method that utilizes a hydrogen separator with a novel composite structure. The hydrogen separator has a first porous layer of a hydrogen permeable material. The first porous layer is comprised of premanufactured nano-particles of hydrogen permeable material that have been bonded together. A solid layer of the same hydrogen permeable material is then disposed onto the first porous layer. A pressure differential is created across the structure of the composite hydrogen separator. The porous layer of hydrogen permeable material supports the solid layer and enables the solid layer to withstand large pressure differentials. Furthermore, the porous layer of the hydrogen permeable material bonds to the solid layer, thereby greatly increasing the effective surface area of the solid layer that is exposed to hydrogen gas. Accordingly, a large flow rate of hydrogen gas can be obtained in a small amount of space.
US07749304B2
A method for storing hydrogen is described. The hydrogen is infused into hollow spheres. The spheres are made from a polymer which has a tensile strength sufficient to contain hydrogen under selected internal pressure conditions; and has a permeation coefficient which can be adjusted under variable humidity conditions. Adjustment of the humidity level after the hydrogen is infused results in the walls of the spheres becoming impermeable to hydrogen. The hydrogen stored in the spheres can then be released at a desired time by readjusting the humidity level. The released hydrogen can be directed to any type of equipment which is fueled by hydrogen or otherwise uses the gas. Related articles and systems are also described.
US07749302B2
The invention relates to a method, by means of which the valuable metals contained in a sulphidic, multicomponent concentrate are recovered using hydrometallurgical treatment. One constituent of the concentrate is copper sulphide, which is leached using an alkali chloride-copper (II) chloride solution. The sulphides of other valuable metals, such as zinc, nickel, cobalt and lead are leached before copper leaching and each is recovered as a separate product before copper recovery.
US07749297B2
A niobium powder is described which when formed into an electrolytic capacitor anode, the anode has the capacitance of at least 62,000 CV/g. Methods of making flaked niobium powder which have high capacitance capability when formed into electrolytic capacitor anodes is also described. Besides niobium, the present invention is also applicable to other metals, including valve metals.
US07749295B2
A vacuum cleaner includes a dust collector that compresses dust stored inside a dust container to minimize the volume of the dust. The dust collector would include one or more pressing plates that are used to compress the dust stored in dust collector. Various methods are used to control movements of the movable pressing plates to facilitate the compression operations. Also, various methods are used to determine when the dust collector is full and needs to be emptied.
US07749292B2
A dust collecting apparatus for separating particles from an airflow comprises at least a first cyclonic separator for removing larger particles from the airflow and a plurality of second cyclonic separators, arranged in parallel and in tandem with one another, for removing smaller particles.
US07749283B2
The object of the present application is a dye carrier composition containing oxidative and/or non-oxidative dyes as well as (a) 6.1 to 25 weight percent of at least one fatty alcohol with 14 to 20 carbon atoms, (b) 1 to 20 weight percent of at least one fatty acid alkanolamide and (c) 1 to 15 weight percent of at least one fatty alcohol alkoxylate and/or fatty acid alkoxylate, the weight ratio of fatty alcohol (a) to fatty acid alkanolamide (b) being equal to 4:1 to 1:3 and at the same time the weight ratio of fatty alcohol (a) to alkoxylate (c) being equal to 5:1 to 1:2. Another object is the use of the afore-said combination of components (a) to (c) to produce a nacreous luster effect in dye carrier compositions and colorants for keratin fibers.
US07749282B2
The present invention relates to methods of using heterogeneous cleaning compositions, particularly for cleaning an article.
US07749281B2
A suspension liner sleeve providing an interface between a residual limb and a hard prosthetic socket includes a resilient seal element extending around its outer periphery to enhance a sealing effect between the sleeve and the interior of a prosthetic socket to isolate the distal end of the socket from atmosphere after the sleeve with a residual limb has been inserted within the socket and to thereby improve the retention of the liner sleeve and the residual limb in the prosthetic socket.
US07749268B2
Described are methods for therapeutically treating the spine that involve the implantation of a medical device, such as a fusion cage, disc nucleus implant, or artificial disc, that transmits loads to a volume of bone tissue of the spine, and the reinforcement of that volume of bone tissue to decrease the risk of fracture or other injury resultant of the transmitted loads.
US07749250B2
A soft tissue repair assembly. The assembly includes a flexible member having first and second ends, and a strand passing through the flexible member. The strand has first and second strand ends extending through the flexible member, such that pulling at least one of the first and second strand ends changes the flexible member from a first shape suitable for insertion through soft tissue to a second shape suitable for securely lodging the soft tissue repair assembly relative to soft tissue.
US07749249B2
A device for closing holes in tissue is delivered via a catheter to the inside of a body lumen such as a heart. An elastic barbed clip is expanded, pulled into the tissue and released, pulling the tissue with it. The operation is fully reversible.
US07749240B2
An ultrasonic surgical system includes a handpiece including an ultrasonic transducer and a first storage unit; a probe connected to the ultrasonic transducer; a calculation unit; and a control unit. The first storage unit stores a first parameter relating to control of the ultrasonic transducer. The probe transmits ultrasonic vibrations output from the ultrasonic transducer to a treatment target, and includes a second storage unit storing a second parameter relating to control of the ultrasonic transducer. The calculation unit calculates a control parameter for controlling the ultrasonic transducer, based on both the first parameter and the second parameter. The control unit controls the ultrasonic transducer based on the control parameter.
US07749230B2
An extractable device is used to insert a medicinal filling into a spinal disc. The device comprises a filling member and a flowable medicine. The filling member is made of a flexible and permeable wall and is provided with a holding portion and an injection port via which the flowable medicine is injected into the holding portion after the filling member is inserted into the spinal disc. The holding portion is provided with an opening which is releasably lashed by one end of one or more threads so as to make the opening leakproof. Upon completion of solidification of the flowable medicine in the holding portion of the filling member, other end of the thread is pulled to unlash the opening of the holding portion, thereby enabling the filling member to be extracted from the spinal disc so as to leave only the medicine in the spinal disc.
US07749227B2
A precision adjustable surgical tool holder/driver is provided which is easily disassembled for cleaning and precisely reassembled. The holder/driver has a positionable handle allowing adjustment of the position of the handle about the spindle of the holder to enable the “handedness” of the holder to be changed in order to accommodate a user while operating from the left or right side of the patient, standing behind or in-front of the patient, or for use in different surgical methods. The holder/driver includes a “limited-play” capture mechanism, which connects the drive end of the housing to its locking sleeve via a limited-play locking device. The limited-play locking device utilizes a disengageable, precision fitted bayonet pin and seat combination in part to accomplish the precision reassembly feature of the present invention.
US07749222B2
A surgical system including a source of electrical energy, the source including a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection, a first jaw member including a first electrode connected thereto and electrically isolated therefrom, the first electrode being electrically connected to the first electrical connection, a second jaw member pivotally connected to the first jaw member and including a second electrode connected thereto and electrically isolated therefrom, the second electrode being electrically connected to the second electrical connection and electrically isolated from the first electrode, and an elongated shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the first jaw member and the second jaw member are connected to the distal end of the shaft.
US07749216B2
A corneal surgery apparatus capable of accurately measuring a three-dimensional corneal shape in a state of being subjected to corneal ablation. The apparatus has a unit including a laser source emitting a laser beam to bring about corneal ablation and a first optical system irradiating a cornea with the beam, a unit including a light source emitting measurement light with a wide wavelength band, a beam splitter dividing the light, a second optical system irradiating the cornea with one divided light, a movable reference mirror on an optical path of the other divided light and a photo-detector at a position photo-receiving interference light of the measurement light reflected by the cornea and the mirror, which obtains a three-dimensional corneal shape based on an interference light image, a unit obtaining corneal ablation data based on obtained corneal shape data, and a unit controlling the ablation unit based on the ablation data.
US07749189B2
The invention includes a device having a chamber within a syringe. A fluid passageway extends through a syringe piston. A valve is associated with the passageway controlling fluid passage through the piston. The invention includes a piercing structure having a head segment and a body portion, with a channel through the body portion and through at least one surface of the head without passing through the tip. In another aspect the invention encompasses a method of preparing an agent for administration to an individual. A first component is provided within a syringe and a second component is provided within a vial. A closed valve is associated with a fluid passageway between the vial and the syringe barrel through a piston. Valve repositioning allows fluid passage and sliding of the piston joins the first and second components. Repeated sliding of the piston mixes the components to produce the medication agent.
US07749178B2
A massager (12) includes an inductively chargeable battery (48), avoiding the need to deal with batteries and cords while providing a pleasant exothermic warmth. Different embodiments of sealing and skinning (13) make the massager (12) hygienically safe and fluid- and water-resistant. Sophisticated controls (50) provide the massager with the ability to respond to direct-mounted user controls (20, 22), wireless communication controls such as remote controls (30) and a plethora of other protocol-compatible devices, systems and media. A mating base (14) supports the massager (12) for inductive charging in a stable, aesthetically pleasant and safe relationship.
US07749174B2
A method and apparatus for obtaining a sample of blood. An embodiment consists of an apparatus which integrates lancing, sample collection, and analysis. The presence of patients finger on the active sampling area can be sensed by monitoring the pressure applied by the finger on the device.
US07749170B2
A plurality of thermometer models are manufactured from a universal clinical thermometer cure. The thermometer core includes a housing, a controller storing a software program, a power source, a probe, a probe cord, and a display. A plurality of model selection devices are produced, each corresponding to a different thermometer model. One of the model selection devices is selected and connected to the controller. The controller operates the thermometer as a function of the connected model selection device such that the thermometer is configured with the features and default settings of the thermometer model corresponding to the connected model selection device.
US07749169B2
A breath tester housing assembly is provided. The assembly comprises a housing having a base to be gripped by an operator, a display oriented to be in line with an operator's direct line of view while gripping the base, and a mouthpiece interface for interfacing with a removable mouthpiece so that when a subject blows into the mouthpiece, the display is not in the direct line of view of the subject. The assembly further comprises a mouthpiece for engaging to the mouthpiece interface. The mouthpiece comprises a body having a substantially planar surface.
US07749167B2
An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and method wherein both imaging of a contrast effect and imaging of a tissue appearance before and after inflow of a contrast medium can be realized on condition that low-power transmission and a high frame rate are maintained. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a transmission/reception unit for transmitting subject ultrasonic waves with a band substantially centered at a fundamental frequency and generating a received signal based on an ultrasonic echo from the subject, a harmonic unit for extracting a signal of a harmonic component of the fundamental frequency included in the received signal and extracting a signal of the fundamental component with the band substantially centered the fundamental frequency included in the received signal, and a display unit for generating a display image based on the extracted harmonic and fundamental components.
US07749153B2
A device for an incubator (1) comprising a platform (6), a ventilation aggregate (12) and a cover (8), wherein the cover (8) comprises a chamber (30) communicating with the ventilation aggregate (12) via at least a first duct (14), and with a patient bed rest (10) of the incubator (1) via flow apertures (32).
US07749151B2
System, including apparatus and methods, for positioning medical material in living tissue using hollow elements that are formed unitarily from a synthetic bioabsorbable material. The hollow elements are optionally filled with a core material and a heat shrink process is performed so that the hollow elements are tightened around the core material.
US07749148B2
A separator drum for a separator having a vertical rotational axis. The separator drum includes an upper drum section, a lower drum section, and a screw connection formed between the upper end lower drum sections without a locking ring. The upper drum section is screwed into the lower drum section or the lower drum section is screwed into the upper drum section. A portion of the upper drum section adjacent the screw connection engages behind a portion of the lower drum section adjacent the screw connection in a manner of a clamping device.
US07749141B2
A kick training apparatus includes; a foot-receiving receptacle, which receives at least a front portion of a foot, and a band including a first end coupled to the foot-receiving receptacle, wherein a second end of the band is configured to be restrained by a hand.
US07749128B2
There is provided an automatic transmission comprising a first shaft capable of receiving torque from an engine, and four planetary gear sets arranged coaxially on the first shaft and in series in an axial direction of the first shaft. Each of the four planetary gear sets has a single sun gear and a single ring gear. Further, the automatic transmission comprises an output wheel arranged coaxially on the first shaft, and capable of outputting torque transmitted from the engine through some of the four planetary gear sets. The output wheel is arranged between two of the four planetary gear sets. Accordingly, the noise or vibration from the planetary gear sets in the automatic transmission may be reduced, while the overall length of the first shaft may be made shorter, and the overall size of the automatic transmission may be made smaller.
US07749126B2
The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes four planetary gear sets having five torque transmitting devices, three fixed interconnections and a grounded member. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to at least one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The five torque transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, and are operated in combinations of three to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.
US07749124B2
A vehicle differential gear device has: a differential case having a plurality of pinion gear insertion holes and a side gear passage hole; a plurality of shaftless type pinion gears that are rotatably supported in the plurality of pinion gear insertion holes formed in the differential case; and a pair of side gears that are rotatably supported in the differential case, engage with the plurality of shaftless type pinion gears, and has an outer diameter greater than that of the plurality of shaftless type pinion gears, the side gear passage hole allowing passage of the pair of side gears.
US07749117B2
Improvement in the design of variable original radius chainrings for coupling to conventional bicycle cranks in order to apply traction, which primarily consists of its being provided with a plurality of possible anchorages to the crank, so that the user may adjust the relative position between the crank and the major radius of the chainring, and thus optimize the biomechanics of his own pedalling; furthermore, other design parameters are offered to endow this non-circular pedalling with leg speeds optimized within the limitation of pedalling with cranks at 180 degrees and therefore with a dead spot.
US07749115B1
A bat having a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The area(s) adjacent to the central portion of the barrel have an increased performance with respect to the central portion of the barrel to effectively enlarge the sweet spot, or preferred hitting area. At least one tubular member of the barrel is circumferential aligned and axially spaced from another tubular member.
US07749110B2
The present invention provides a tennis training systems. Methods of practicing and teaching tennis are also provided herein. In one aspect, the training system employs an elongated, elastic cord having a proximal end and a distal end, a vibration dampener configured to be received within a string bed of a racket and operatively connected to the proximal end of the cord, and a connection disc operatively connected to the distal end of the cord. The vibration dampener is connected to the proximal end of the cord by means of an integral loop. Optionally, the connection disc is releasably connected to the distal end of the cord by means of an integral loop.
US07749106B2
A molded rubber material for a golf ball is obtained by molding and vulcanizing a rubber composition composed of (a) a diene rubber, (b) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof, (c) an organic peroxide, and (d) an inorganic oxide. The inorganic oxide is prepared by a plasma process, a laser process or flame synthesis, has an average particle size of at most 200 nm, and is added in an amount of at least 1 wt % based on the zinc acrylate. The molded rubber material has a high hardness, a good resilience, and excellent durability.
US07749101B2
A wood-type golf club head includes a metal sole portion, an elastic body and a weight member. At least one recess is defined in the metal sole portion to extend in a front-rear direction over at least half-length of a front-rear length of the sole portion. The elastic body is embedded in the recess. The weight member is fixed to the recess to cover the elastic body. The weight member is flush with the sole portion. A total area of the recess is in a range of 10% to 60% of that of the sole portion.
US07749098B2
A golf putter head having a vertically curved putter face with multiple horizontal contact facets. The face has a vertical radius of curvature that is at least 2 inches and no more than 3.5 inches. The face includes a plurality of horizontal contact facets that are vertically curved to match the vertical radius of curvature. The contact facets, along with the radius of curvature, ensure that no more than two of the horizontal contact facets contact the golf ball when struck by the putter head at a speed of less than 15 miles per hour. The putter produces a horizontal linear contact, or impact, geometry that compensates for misdirection of the path of the putter head throughout the stroke of the putter head. At least one of the horizontal contact facets is located at an elevation above the center of curvature and at least one is located below.
US07749095B2
A weight material is provided on a heel side of a hosel portion in a golf club head. A convex portion E is provided on the heel side of the head. The weight material is disposed within the convex portion. The weight material is made of high specific gravity metal such as tungsten, and welded on both a lower column and a skirt portion.
US07749091B2
The present invention is a method, system and/or apparatus for achieving a level balance through the use of one or more fluids, solids and/or gases (identified herein as “liquidwick”), whether individually applied or applied in selected combination, or whether applied through phase-shifting combinations, the liquidwick being partially or fully placed in a closable container which is securely insertable into a cavity within an instrument desired to achieve balance (such as, for example, a pool stick or a golf club).
US07749090B2
A billiard table and billiard ball storage compartment with mating connectors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a billiard table is provided comprising a frame comprising a first connector, a playing surface supported by the frame, and a billiard ball storage compartment comprising a second connector, wherein the second connector is configured to mate with the first connector when the billiard ball storage compartment is moved into a first position with respect to the frame. In exemplary embodiments, the billiard ball storage compartment comprises a ball storage box and/or a ball receiver box.
US07749086B2
In a state in which a dynamic damper and paper dampers are installed to an inner portion of a first propeller shaft, there is provided a structure in which inclined end portions in an inner side in a diametrical direction of the paper dampers opposing to an inner weight of the dynamic damper are positioned in such a manner as to be largely away from the inner weight. Accordingly, since an offset space can be formed between the inclined end portions of two paper dampers and an end portion in an axial direction of the inner weight of the dynamic damper, it is possible to avoid a contact between both the elements.
US07749076B2
A system for verifying one or more downloaded components 54 of a gaming device 10 that includes the gaming device, which has an alterable hard drive 80 (or other persistent storage media 90), and the downloaded components that further include gaming-related content 92-96. A related method includes: enabling initiation of a game on the gaming device 10; downloading the gaming-related content 92-96 to the alterable hard drive 80 while the gaming device 10 is enabled for game play; reading an identifier associated with the gaming-related content 92-96; verifying that the identifier is valid (using verification software 70); and reconfiguring the gaming device 10 to utilize the newly-downloaded, gaming-related content 92-96 in response to an initiating event.
US07749066B2
Novel enhanced gaming systems employ unique, specialized, for example, FIRESTAR ™ type of indicia disposed upon at least one location of a plurality of pre-mapped locations housed on, for example, a multiplicity of bingo-type of cards. Percentages of indicia arrayed on, for example, card sets are controlled by a gaming proprietor's or operator's configuration settings as are the respective locations of the subject indicia, for example, by using a random number generator to induce players to participate in multiple opportunities to garner prizes, for example, for achieving a bingo-type of victory concomittant with pre-established winning requirements and a pre-selected occurrence of a unique specialized indicum. Progressive reports serve to keep players, proprietors/operators and gaming authorities apprised of earnings both in terms of amounts, odds and related data on occurrence of the same indicia in real time providing unique inducement and tracking value in both hard copy and electronic form.
US07749060B1
A game system for playing a game between a plurality of players, the system comprising: a plurality of matching tile groupings, each one of the matching tile groupings defined by a plurality of tiles having a machine-readable identifier configured to identify its corresponding tile, wherein each one of the matching tile groupings is distinguishable from one another based on a distinct human-readable identifier disposed and viewable only on its bottom surface; a board comprising a plurality of distinct positions for placing each tile; and a scoring brick configured to: maintain each player's score, determine a penalty matching tile grouping and a bonus matching tile grouping, read the machine-readable identifier, and adjust the player's score, wherein the player's score is penalized for a penalty tile, and the player's score is rewarded for a bonus tile or for a predetermined number of consecutively read tiles.
US07749054B2
A modular straight separator bar for a rotor for a threshing system of an agricultural combine that is mountable on a single mounting lug and interchangeable with a rasp bar at a plurality of locations on the rotor. As a result, more straight separator bars may be mounted towards the front of the rotor providing the threshing system the capability of performing increased separation in the threshing process without interrupting the helical flow pattern of the crop material.
US07749048B2
A method of operating a polishing apparatus in which a substrate is held with a carrier head supported by a movable support of the polishing apparatus, the substrate is brought into contact with a polishing surface at a polishing station of the polishing apparatus and the substrate is polished, the substrate is removed from the polishing surface, the support moves to transfer the carrier head to a different station of the polishing apparatus, and the polishing surface is conditioned. The conditioning overlaps with at least one of removing the substrate or moving the support.
US07749047B2
A toy vehicle. The toy vehicle includes a body with at least one rollable wheel operatively connected to the body, and a pneumatic system operatively connected to the body and configured to store a pressurized gas and release stored gas upon a triggering event. A lifter is operatively connected to the at least one wheel and is configured to use energy from the pressurized gas to cause the toy to jump responsive to the triggering event, at least in part, by extending the at least one wheel.
US07749046B2
A toy vehicle may include a drive unit; a plurality of wheels; mechanical linkage coupling the drive unit to one or more of the wheels to permit energy stored in the drive unit to be discharged to drive the one or more driven wheels and propel the vehicle; and a user operable selector mechanism configured to permit a user of the toy to select, from a plurality of different speeds, a desired speed at which the vehicle is propelled when energy from the drive unit is discharged through the one or more driven wheels.
US07749044B1
A manually operated air-driven music box which will generate music at a relatively constant tempo as a user moves the music box back and fourth in opposite directions through the air. The music box has a rotatable drum cylinder to activate tone arms. A first propeller on one end of a drive axle and a second propeller on an opposite end of the drive axle rotate the drive axle as the music box is moved through the air. A gear mechanism for the drive axle rotates the drum cylinder in the same direction as the drive axle is rotated by the propellers. The first propeller is constructed to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and the second propeller is constructed to rotate in a clockwise direction.
US07749037B2
The present invention relates to a process for forming an organic electronic device having at least two organic layers. The process includes (a) applying a first organic layer having a first organic material by a method selected from vapor deposition and liquid deposition from a first organic liquid medium; (b) applying a second organic layer having a photoactive compound directly over at least a portion of the first organic layer by liquid deposition from a second organic liquid medium, wherein the first organic material is sparingly soluble in the second organic liquid medium.
US07749032B1
A probe connector has an insulating housing having at least one inserting hole and an installing groove adjacent to the inserting hole for communicating with thereof. At least one probe pin assembly mounted to the inserting hole comprises a cylindraceous barrel, an elastic element received in the barrel, and a plunger mounted to the barrel and exposing from an end of the barrel. The barrel has a main body, with an opening formed thereon and facing the installing groove. A fixing element fixed in the installing groove has an elastic arm which is formed with a resting portion projecting into a chamber surrounded by the main body through the opening. The resting portion resiliently rests against a side of the plunger when the plunger is pressed downwards to deflect to contact an inner surface of the main body by an opposite side thereof.
US07749019B2
An electrical receptacle includes a housing having a cover or face member coupled to a base, and a mounting bridge extending around and contacting the bottom and the two opposite ends of the base. Each of the end-contacting portions of the mounting bridge has at least one base tab that projects inwardly into engagement with the end of the base, and at least one face tab, preferably barbed, that projects upwardly into the face member. During assembly, the base tabs preferably are bent over an upper edge of the base to firmly clamp the mounting bridge to the base. A line contact assembly extending along each side of the base has at least one line contact tab that projects upwardly into the face member. Mating snap-fit connectors afford additional robustness to the assembly.
US07749018B1
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring system. The system includes a plug connector device that is configured to terminate a plurality of wires. A portion of the plurality of wires are configured to transmit electrical power provided by an electrical power distribution system. An electrical wiring device is configured to provide the electrical power to a load. The electrical wiring device includes a receptacle disposed therein. The receptacle is configured to receive the plug device, such that electrical continuity is established between the electrical wiring device and the plurality of wires when the plug device is inserted into the receptacle.
US07749014B2
An electrical connector assembly for mounting on a circuit board includes a pressing frame, a base, and a pressing pole. The base and the pressing frame may be mounted on two opposite surfaces the circuit board so that a pivoting portion and protruding pieces of the base respectively pass through the circuit board. The pressing frame is mounted on the pivoting portion. The pressing pole mounts to the protruding pieces and can be translated so as to urge the pressing frame toward a closed position. A receptacle connector may be mounted between the pivoting portion and the protruding pieces and secured by the pressing frame. A radiator may be mounted over on the receptacle connector. A plurality of fastener may extend between the radiator and the base so as to secure the radiator in position.
US07749009B2
A preferred embodiment of an electrical connector includes a housing having a body. The body defines a contact-receiving aperture extending therethrough, and a heat-transfer aperture extending therethrough in substantially the same direction as the contact-receiving aperture for facilitating circulation of air through the body.
US07749008B2
The present invention is embodied in a submersible electrical cable connector having a cable-side connector assembly and a receptacle-side connector assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the cable-side connector assembly includes a generally circular printed circuit board having individual pin assemblies, each pin assembly having its own spring-loaded mechanism. The pin assemblies provide for an electrical connection between the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly. The printed circuit board also includes an oil valve that allows oil to flow between the cable-side connector assembly and the receptacle-side connector assembly when the two connector assemblies are coupled together. The cable-side connector assembly additionally includes a cap having a bleed valve that allows a user to remove air trapped within the submersible electrical cable connector when it is filled with oil.
US07748996B2
A signal exchange system includes a circuit board, a transforming connector and a network port. The transforming connector is electrically connected to the circuit board and includes at least one connecting terminal. The connecting terminal is electrically connected to an external device. The network port is disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to the transforming connector for receiving a power signal transmitted from the transforming connector and transmitting a data signal.
US07748993B2
A connector to be connected to a mating connector includes a housing having a receptacle recess portion for receiving the mating connector, and a terminal retained in the housing. The housing includes a containing groove extending in a connecting direction for containing a fitting portion of the terminal. The fitting portion of the terminal includes an engaging portion at a side end edge thereof. The containing groove includes a regulating wall portion extending in the connecting direction and located inner side than a position of an edge surface of the engaging portion at the containing groove. The regulating wall portion includes a regulating surface extending in the connecting direction and a width direction of the terminal. When the mating connector is extracted, the regulating surface regulates an elastic deformation of the fitting portion by abutting against and engaging with the engaging portion.
US07748991B2
An aspect of the present invention inheres in an IC socket includes a plate-like socket base body which includes through hole forming portions having a plurality of contact housing holes formed so as to penetrate the plate-like socket base in a front-to-back direction, and having through holes formed around the respective contact housing holes so as to penetrate the plate-like socket base in the front-to-back direction, and a plated layer formed continuously on an inner wall of the through hole, on the front and back surfaces of the through hole forming portion, and on a surface of the contact piece.
US07748986B1
An End of Car (EOC) junction box assembly includes a housing wherein a plurality of female/female contact sockets couple with a corresponding plurality of male contact pins and are positioned by a fitting that enables the female/female contact sockets to interface with an EOC receptacle plug also included in the housing body, such that alternate positions of the fitting and EOC receptacle plug are available during assembly while the components included in the housing body are restrained from rotation following assembly.
US07748983B2
Methods and apparatus for use in fire extinguisher training are provided. These methods and apparatus are implemented electronically without the need for an open flame. The training apparatus includes a display having a plurality of light sources adapted to display a varying light pattern simulating a dynamic flame; a sensor adapted to detect a stimulus emitted by one of a fire extinguisher and a fire extinguisher simulator and output a signal corresponding to the detected stimulus; and one or more processors adapted to receive the output from the sensor and vary the light pattern simulating the dynamic flame on the display in response to the stimulus detected by the sensor. The methods and apparatus may be used to train firefighters in the proper use of a fire extinguisher, for example, training in the techniques typically required when suppressing class A, B, C, D, or K type fires.
US07748979B2
A device and system for use in a root canal treatment, the device having a probe member and a handpiece for holding the elongate probe member, the probe member having an elongate distal portion capable of being accommodated in a root canal, said probe member comprising: at least one treatment channel having a distal opening in said elongate distal portion, said at least one treatment channel being configured for enabling operation of a suitable root canal treatment tool via said distal opening; at least one illumination channel comprising a first light guide having a first proximal end configured for optical coupling to a light source system, and a second distal end in said distal portion for illuminating internal regions of the root canal during operation of said device; at least one light collection channel comprising a second light guide having a first proximal end configured for optical coupling to an imaging system, and a second distal end located in said distal portion for collecting and transmitting light reflected from internal regions of the root canal to said proximal end during operation of said device. A number of methods for monitoring and carrying out various dental treatments are provided.
US07748978B2
A piezoelectric lighter includes a lighter housing having a fuel storage chamber for storing liquefied gas therewithin, a gas releasing valve and a dual ignition arrangement adapted for generating two flames. The dual ignition arrangement includes second and second nozzles spacedly supported at the lighter housing, second and second piezoelectric units spacedly received in the lighter housing, and second and second actuators spacedly and movably mounted on the lighter housing. The second actuator is supported on top of the second piezoelectric unit to depress the second depressible part thereof for producing the second flame, wherein the second actuator is supported on top of the second piezoelectric unit to depress the second depressible part thereof for producing the second flame, such that the lighter is adapted for selectively producing the second and second flames via the second and second actuators respectively.
US07748972B2
Tensioning installation for the frameworks of pre-tensioned architectural elements designed for the two-way pre-tensioning of concrete or mortar plates, or the like, comprising a molding assembly made up of a flat molding plate (3) delimited on the perimeter by adjustably positioning side walls (4). The assembly rests on an oversized support platform (1)on which the molding assembly is surrounded by a perimeter area (10) of support platform (1) proper, in which perimeter area (10) hydraulic tensioning devices (7) are provided, which are integral to support platform (1) and are arranged in juxtaposition forming opposite facing pairs according to rectilinear alignments forming a grid. Said hydraulic tensioning devices (7) are all connected together serially forming a hydraulic circuit (8) which, in turn, is connected to a hydraulic pressure connection point (9).
US07748971B2
This invention relates to a method for use in dispensing fluids especially particulate matter on to a surface to be coated, comprising a blade traversing along said surface, whereby the fluid is dispensed in front of said blade on to said surface, whereafter said blade is swept across the dispensed fluid such that it imparts vibrations. The fluid (5) is fed on to said surface through the bottom outlet of a container (3) vibrated cooperatively with the blade (7).
US07748967B2
Disclosed herein is a linear compressor in which a piston reciprocally moves in a cylinder upon receiving a reciprocating drive force of a linear motor to compress working-fluid, for example, refrigerant, received in the cylinder. The linear compressor comprises the piston adapted to reciprocally move in the cylinder, the piston being internally formed with a suction path, a suction valve to open or close the suction path of the piston to selectively connect the suction path of the piston to the interior of the cylinder, and a suction valve stopper to limit the degree of opening of the suction valve, whereby no excessive stress is applied to the suction valve. This has the effect of eliminating damage and deformation of the suction valve, minimizing vibration and noise due to the opening/closing operations of the suction valve, and maintaining the compression efficiency of the compressor at a constant value.
US07748965B2
A livewell/baitwell pump for installing in a boat or other suitable vessel or apparatus, the pump comprising a pump cartridge assembly having a cartridge body with one or more flexible cantilever snap tabs and with a discharge hose; a pickup tube having an interior cavity with one or more undercuts and with a pickup tube; and each cantilever snap tab of the cartridge body being releasably coupled to a respective undercut of the pickup tube when the cartridge body is inserted into the interior cavity for permitting rotation of the pickup tube and the cartridge body in relation to one another for quickly and easily coupling the discharge hose and the pickup tube in any direction to corresponding hosing or tubing during installation of the pump in the boat or other suitable vessel or apparatus. The pump further comprises an anti-rotation locking ring that permits the rotation of the pickup tube to a desired orientation in relation to the pump cartridge assembly when the anti-rotation locking ring in a first position, and that prevents rotation of the pickup tube once in the desired direction in relation to the pump cartridge assembly when in a second position.
US07748952B1
A small twin spool gas turbine engine with a bearing support arrangement in which the bearings are dampened by O-rings secured between the bearing races and the support structure, and in which the bearings are arranged in series so that a cooling air can be passed through the bearings to prevent overheating. The aft end of the engine includes high speed and low speed ball bearings supported with preload springs to add additional damping capability. The fore and aft end bearing support assemblies forms a cooling air path for the cooling fluid to flow through a passage within one of the guide vanes, through the bearings and out through a hole in the low pressure turbine rotor disk. the bearing cooling air passage includes a snorkel tube that extends from a guide vane cooling air passage and into the bypass air channel to draw in the cooling air used for the bearings. The snorkel tube includes a slanted opening so that dirt particulates do not enter the bearing cooling air passage.
US07748951B2
A bearing housing sealing system is provided for a centrifugal pump of the type having a rotating shaft supported by roller bearing elements, a housing for the roller bearing elements, the housing having a cylindrical entry for the passage of the pump shaft through the housing and isolating the roller bearing elements and a lubricant for the roller bearing elements. The bearing housing sealing system comprises an outer stationary cover that is attached about the cylindrical entry of the housing. The outer stationary cover includes a cylindrical opening for fitting around the pump shaft, and a raised portion extending outwardly from the housing and defining a casing having an inner volume. A flinger is positioned within the inner volume of the stationary cover and includes an outer face and an inner face. At least one set of vanes is formed either the outer face or the inner face. The flinger is further configured for attachment to the pump shaft for rotational movement with the shaft.
US07748947B2
A wind turbine for use in generating electricity. The wind turbine includes a housing being secured atop a tower. A wheel is mounted within the housing and is rotatable about a horizontal axis when struck by winds passing over the front of housing. The wheel has a hub and a number of paddles radiating outwardly from the hub and above the housing. An electrical current generator is connected to the wheel so as to be powered thereby. A wind shield is mounted within the housing for selectively preventing winds passing over the front of the housing from reaching the wheel.
US07748937B2
A fastener system for connecting a first member to a second member is described. The fastener system includes a flexible shell having therein a flexible reinforcement member in the form of a frame. The shell and frame can be placed through holes in the two members and filled with a filler material that hardens to form a rigid fastener in order to connect the first and second members together. The fastener system and method can be used even when the holes in the two members are misaligned or are of different sizes.
US07748936B2
A clamping device with overload protection and a process to connect both elements, which are to be connected, whereby the clamping device is fitted with an element to be connected first, an element to be connected second, which is connected to the first element, and a bracing bolt to connect. In order to ensure effective overload protection, the clamping device contains a sleeve, which is connected with the second element to be connected through the bracing bolt, and which runs through the first element to be connected, and a sleeve tensioning device, which is engaged with the sleeve, and which clamps the first element to be connected with the second element to be connected, whereby the bracing bolt is stretched to a predetermined stress level in relation to its elastic limit, whereby the sleeve is released of tension up to a predetermined release level, and a transgression of the operating force, which separates the two elements to be connected, leads—beyond an operating force limit—to a stress release of the sleeve relative to the clamping, by the bracing bolt, and to a breaking of the bracing bolt.
US07748935B2
A broaching tool for the machining of bore surfaces, namely for introducing at least one groove, is proposed, the tool having a cutter head (5) with at least one cutter (69) and with a body (3) bearing the cutter head (5). The tool is characterized in that the cutter head (5) is rotatably movable and positioned eccentrically in the body (3), and that the middle axis (65) of the cutter head (5) forms an acute angle α with the middle axis (7) of the body (3).
US07748934B2
A machine reaming tool includes a reaming head or interchangeable head (1) and a shaft (2), wherein the interchangeable head (1) is of one piece and may be exchanged, and in an axial direction and at each location, thus including means for the exchange adaptation, is thinner than a maximal thickness hmax, wherein this maximal thickness hmax is computed in millimeters from a diameter D1 of the interchangeable head in millimeters as hmax=6 mm+(1/10)·(D1−12 mm). On account of this, a guide portion (18) for cutters of the reaming head (1) becomes very much shorter than usual, but despite this ensures an adequate quality of machining. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the interchangeable head (1) in a plane shaft-side end-face (15) comprises cutout (11) for the centering fastening on the shaft (2).
US07748933B1
A rasp that has a mounting plate with a number of debris vent ports formed in it. The debris vent ports are formed to allow dust and debris to escape, thereby eliminating a hydroplaning effect on the abrasive surfaces while using the rasp, as well as making the tool lighter. A number of sharp pointed screws are screwed into the plate so that the points extend below the base of the plate. The screw tips become the abrasive rasping surface. The screws can be turned in or out to raise or lower the tips, to change the amount of rasping action from fine to aggressive. The screws can also be easily removed when they become worn so that the abrasive surface is always uniform and fresh. Finally, unlike the other tools, the screws can be removed to clean the base of the plate thoroughly to remove dried or caked mud.
US07748931B2
A supplemental fluid adjustable depth air sparging system which is used to remediate contaminates from groundwater within the soil. An adjustable depth air injection point injects compressed air, and an adjustable depth chemical injection point injects a chemical oxidizer or nutrient into saturated or groundwater regions of the soil's subsurface to remove contaminants including chlorinated solvents from the soil's subsurface.
US07748930B2
A system and method for efficiently delivering an aqueous solution to plants includes a microporous hydrophobic tubing coated with a hydrophilic polymer that has a distal portion positionable adjacent a root system of a plant and a lumen for channeling an aqueous solution from an inlet to the distal portion. The tubing along the distal portion has a porosity adapted for permitting a flow of the aqueous solution therethrough when acted upon by a surfactant root exudate generated by the roots due to water stress. A pressure regulating device is upstream of the tubing's inlet, and a reservoir adapted for holding the aqueous solution therein is situated in fluid communication with an upstream end of the pressure regulating device. Additional tubing can be provided for channeling a nutrient solution to the plant roots.
US07748923B2
An element is to be mounted on a shaft of a non-positive displacement machine and forms a gap for limited passage of a flowing medium. A bush-like part for mounting on a shaft of the machine has an outer periphery provided with a recess for accommodating a ring. During operation of the machine, the ring, which is partially surrounded on its faces by circular ring-shaped walls of the recess, forms an axial gap with the circular, ring-shaped walls of the recess and a radial gap with the bottom of the recess. The ring is held by frictional contact with a rigid wall which surrounds it. To reduce wear on rings made of soft, flowable material, a second recess is formed in the rigid wall and surrounds the faces of the ring that project from the walls of the bush-like part. One of the lateral bounds of the second recess is formed by a tubular part detachably joined to the rigid wall.
US07748915B2
A camera module having an inner wall installed and a method for forming the camera module are disclosed. The camera module includes a lens; a sensor component for sensing light gathered by the lens; and a fixing module, for fixing the lens. The fixing module includes an inner wall that is installed on the sensing component. The inner wall of the fixing module protects a sensing region of an image sensor from unwanted matter resulting from manufacturing or from the outside environment.
US07748914B2
A single-lens reflex camera has a first image pickup device as a main image pickup device, a second image pickup device for live-view observation, a reflection mirror which switches an optical path between an optical path directed toward the first image pickup device and an optical path directed toward the second image pickup device, and a control section. When the shooting operation is instructed with the second image pickup device driven and a live-view displayed, the control section starts driving the reflection mirror to retract the reflection mirror from the optical path, and stops the second image pickup device and starts driving the first image pickup device while the reflection mirror is driven in a retracting direction.
US07748902B1
A radiotherapy system including a stationary radiation source that emits a radiation beam towards an isocenter located at a target, a skull attachment attachable to a patient's skull, a coupler attached to the stationary radiation source and to the skull attachment, wherein the coupler is operable to translate the skull attachment and to rotate the skull attachment about first and second rotational axes of the coupler.
US07748900B2
There is described an x-ray system with an x-ray source, an x-ray detector and at least one industrial robot having at least three, in particular six, axes of rotation, in which the x-ray source and/or the x-ray detector are/is arranged, directly or by means of a bearer, on the industrial robot, and where the industrial robot is constructed to be mobile, in particular is arranged on a device trolley.
US07748896B2
A method is provided for measuring a temperature of a molten metal bath by an optical fiber surrounded by a cover. The optical fiber is immersed in the molten bath, and the radiation absorbed by the optical fiber in the molten bath is fed to a detector, wherein the optical fiber is heated when immersed in the molten bath. The heating curve of the optical fiber has at least one point P(t0, T0), wherein the increase ΔT1 in the temperature T of the optical fiber over the time Δt in a first time interval t0−Δt up to the temperature T0 is smaller than the increase ΔT2 in the temperature of the optical fiber over the time Δt in an immediately following second time interval t0+Δt.
US07748889B2
There is provided a combination pastry blender and culinary whisk, comprising a handle portion at one end and a connecting region connecting the handle portion and a mixing region generally in the shape of an inverted dome, wherein the mixing region is principally formed of a wire bent to form a plurality of wires arranged adjacent to each other and defining a generally convex surface for pastry blending, the bent wire being stiff enough to withstand the stress and pressure whereby in a pastry blending operation the mixing region maintains the inverted dome shape, and the bent wire also being relatively thick to be able to press onto a pasty for blending thereof but without cutting therethrough.
US07748886B2
An irreversible electrical base for irreversibly converting an incandescent lighting product to a low-power lighting product is provided. Various methods of converting an incandescent lighting product to a low-power lighting product and converting a low-power lighting product to an incandescent lighting product, are provided. Various non-threaded incandescent light bulbs, non-threaded halogen incandescent light bulbs, and non-threaded LED-based light bulbs are provided. A keyless lighting fixture having an insert and twist connector is provided.
US07748885B2
The present invention discloses a lighting unit comprising: a reflector panel; a plurality of substantially U-shaped cold cathode tubes held parallel relative to the reflector panel; an inverter substrate; cold cathode tube holders for holding the cold cathode tubes parallel relative to the reflector panel in such a manner that terminals of the cold cathode tubes are arranged in a row along one side of the reflector panel; a substrate holder for holding the inverter substrate to be vertically relative to the reflector panel in such a manner that a lower side of the inverter substrate reaches a positions where the terminals are arranged in a row; a plurality of notches upwardly cut deep from the lower side of the inverter substrate so as to receive the terminals; and solders provided for making electrical connections between the terminals and electrical supply patterns formed in the notches.
US07748884B2
An optical display device, including a light guiding plate, a light detecting sensor and at least two illuminants. The light detecting sensor and the illuminants are commonly mounted on a wiring board with the at least two or more illuminants disposed to face a light incidence surface of the light guiding plate. The light detecting sensor is disposed on the same side of the wiring board as the illuminants with respect to the light guiding plate.
US07748883B2
An exemplary mounting apparatus is for adjustably fixing a light guide pipe in a chassis of an electronic device. The chassis includes a mounting plate. The mounting apparatus includes a first sleeve engaging with the light guide pipe, a second sleeve attached to the mounting plate, and a resilient member disposed between the first sleeve and the second sleeve.
US07748882B2
A thin-profile, optically efficient lighting device for use with, among other things, flat information displays, includes a combination of three optically coupled light propagating structures, fabricated of electromagnetic flux transmitting materials. The first structure may be a generally elongated optical pipe adapted to receive light from at least one light source such as a light emitting diode. Radiation from additional sources is coupled into the first structure by a second structure which injects the radiation thereinto. Light injected into the first structure is directed into the third structure where it is redirected so that it propagates out of the third structure uniformly and efficiently and in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the third structure. A device can include multiple bodies of any or all three structures.
US07748881B2
A vehicle bulb shield with material differences in configuration, thickness, strength, grade or surface coating in the leg and shield sections, manufactured from a tailor welded steel strip of different materials to obtain desired corresponding combinations of features in each component from each material. A progressive forming process is used to accommodate the different metal combinations within the tailor welded steel strip (e.g. material type and/or thickness), and thereby allow new material property configurations in the bulb shield components. A material property configured bulb shield design enables consideration of formability of material in different component sections, the rigidity of material in different component sections, and cost of different materials, in a single component design. Since vehicle bulb shields can be configured with locally different material properties, the improved tailor welded strip bulb shield with specific material property configurations in the different bulb shield components can possess higher rigidity, higher complexity and lower cost.
US07748875B2
A photographic light diffusing device is provided. A flexible, transparent cowl is adapted to be mounted on a photographic light source, the cowl including a plurality of ribs and an opening through which the photographic light source is visible when the cowl is mounted on the photographic light source. The cowl elastically deforms to fit onto the photographic light source. A removable, flexible cover is placed over the opening of the cowl.
US07748872B2
An apparatus comprises a light source, preferably an LED, a reflector, a light-conducting element mounted on the light source for directing light from the light source to an end of the light-conducting element, and a lens mounted on the end of the light-conducting element for directing light into a central beam. Light from the light source is directed to the reflector into a peripheral beam. The central and peripheral beams comprise substantially all of the light generated by the light source. The lens is in effect mounted on a pedestal above the LED. The pedestal transmits all the light rays in the central solid angle to the lens without loss.
US07748866B2
A decorative lighting apparatus comprising a structure, a plurality of light emitting elements configured to emit light, and a plurality of refractive elements each having a plurality of surfaces. The plurality of refractive elements is connected to the structure such that the plurality of light emitting elements emits light through the plurality of refractive elements to a viewer to refract the light in a plurality of directions.
US07748863B1
A sign light to illuminate a sign such as a real estate sale sign. The sign light is configured to suspend between the crossarm of a sign post and the sign. The sign light includes a housing, a light source, and sign mounting hardware. The housing allows the sign light to suspend from a crossarm of a sign post. The housing includes an internal compartment. The light source is located within the internal compartment of the housing. The sign mounting hardware is directly coupled to the housing to provide a mounting location for a sign to hang from the mounting hardware. The housing and mounting hardware facilitate suspending the sign light between the crossarm of the sign post and the sign.
US07748862B2
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a light guide plate, a bottom chassis, a liquid crystal display panel disposed on the light guide plate to display an image, a flexible printed circuit board connected to the liquid crystal display panel and outwardly bent toward a rear surface of the bottom chassis to be fixed to the rear surface, and at least one point light source disposed at an adjacent position to an incident surface of the light guide plate. The light guide plate includes an inclined portion from a lower side of the light guide plate toward an upper side of the light guide plate. Advantageously, the liquid crystal display apparatus may prevent the occurrence of the step-difference between the point light source and the light guide plate, thereby improving light efficiency and brightness.
US07748856B2
A mirror reflective element for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror substrate having a front surface and a rear surface. The mirror substrate has a first reflector portion and a second reflector portion, with the first reflector portion having a principal reflector portion of the mirror reflective element. The rear surface of the mirror substrate has a curved recess established thereat, and the second curved reflector portion is established at the curved recess. The curved recess has a radius of curvature that is less than a radius of curvature of the first reflector portion, whereby the curved recess, when coated by a reflector coating, provides a wide angle auxiliary reflector portion integrally formed with the mirror reflective element.
US07748854B2
A light-quantity adjusting function of a diaphragm used for light quantity control for improving the contrast of a projected image is controlled to cancel light quantity variation due to variation of the driving power of the light source for increasing the service life. This control keeps the quantity of light coming into a display element at a constant value and achieves both service life extension of the light source and image projection having no brightness fluctuation.
US07748846B2
Alteration of a fixation or peripheral stimulus displayed on a computer-driven display allows a human subject to maintain extended visual fixation upon the resulting dynamic stimulus. The fixation is presented upon the display and the stimulus is altered to allow resensitization of the subject's retina, thereby allowing prolonged visual fixation upon the resulting dynamic target. A dynamic stimulus may utilize a frequency doubling illusion.
US07748831B2
An inkjet recording apparatus including a main tank, a sub tank, a supply device, and a recording head is provided. The main tank stores ink. The sub tank includes a storage chamber that houses an absorber for absorbing the ink and a supply port that communicates with the storage chamber at an upper portion of the sub tank. The supply device supplies the ink from the main tank to the sub tank through the supply port of the sub tank. The recording head discharges the ink supplied from the sub tank and performs recording while reciprocating over a recording medium. The sub tank further includes a gap inside the storage chamber that guides the ink supplied by the supply device toward a lower portion of the absorber.
US07748823B2
The inkjet maintenance device cleans a printhead with a wiper on a first platform and cleans the wiper with a scraper on a second platform. Two slits with different shapes disposed on a base of the maintenance device allow the first platform and the second platform to slide respectively. In a single stroke of maintenance, the first platform and the second platform are simultaneously pushed substantially horizontally while the first platform further moves substantially vertically relative to the second platform, which allows the scraper on the second platform to clean the wiper of the first platform in the same stroke when the wiper cleans the printhead.
US07748821B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet printer that can wipe off ink adhering to an ink ejection face and besides can clean a lip of a cap in such a manner that foreign materials adhering to the lip can surely be removed. An ink-jet printer includes a cap, a wiper, a cap cleaning blade, and an ink supplier. The cap is contactable with and separable from an ink ejection face of an ink-jet head, and includes a lip that is brought into close contact with the ink ejection face. The wiper is movable in parallel to and relative to the ink ejection face. The cap cleaning blade is provided integrally with the wiper, and, while being in contact with the lip, cleans the lip in association with the wiper moving relative to the ink ejection face. The ink supplier supplies ink wiped off by the wiper to the cap cleaning blade.
US07748811B2
A liquid jet apparatus includes a liquid jet head and a driving signal generating circuit. The driving signal generating circuit generates driving signals including ejection pulses to control the ejection of liquid droplets. A first driving signal is supplied to a first actuator unit and a second driving signal is supplied to a second actuator unit. A first ejection pulse is generated, followed by a second ejection pulse generated after a delay time of Δt. The delay time Δt is set within a range that allows a liquid droplet to be ejected with reduced misting and reduced deviation from a predetermined path.
US07748793B2
A control system for an electromechanical brake with self-reinforcement has a unit adapted to recognize brake failure, a unit adapted to detect the actual state of motion of the device to be braked, and a unit adapted to open and close the brake upon recognition of a failure dependent upon the detected actual state of motion of the device to be braked. The unit adapted to detect the state of motion detects in particular the rotational velocity of a brake disk assigned to the brake.
US07748791B2
A combination secondary master cylinder and brake pedal compliance device for an automotive braking system includes a cylinder having a signal chamber, a working chamber, and a compliance chamber. Elastic devices mounted within the working chamber and compliance chamber allow the apparent compliance of the friction braking system attached to the combination device to remain at a relatively constant value notwithstanding the presence of varying amounts of powertrain braking.
US07748789B2
A pavement profiler having a grinding element within an enclosure for smoothing an existing road surface includes a transporter having a frame supported on a set of wheels with the enclosure situated between the forward and rearward wheels of the transporter. Positioning mechanisms coupled between the transporter frame and the grinding element enclosure positions the grinding element relative to the pavement surface. The positioning mechanisms includes a front support and a front lift mechanism, and a rear support and a rear lift mechanism. The rear support has vertically extending tracks fixed to the transport frame, and vertically extending rails movable relative to the tracks, the rails being coupled to the rear lift mechanism. Forwardly projecting flanges fixed to the rails have a pivot defining element. Rearwardly projecting flanges from the enclosure are coupled to the pivot defining element to permit the enclosure to pitch relative to the transport frame. A slot is provided in one of flanges receiving a pin from an adjacent flange so that the slot and pin limit the range of pitching motion of the grinding element enclosure.
US07748788B2
In a child seat which has a seat portion and a back portion and in which the back portion provided with a shoulder belt guide for guiding a shoulder belt of a seat belt of a vehicle from the shoulder to the chest of a sitter, the child seat is provided with a belt guide position adjusting mechanism for changing the position of the shoulder belt guide in the left and right directions of the back portion.
US07748784B2
There is provided a device for fixing a component, in particular a headrest in or on a vehicle whereby the component includes at least one fixing bar. The fixing bar may be displaced relative to the device in a first direction essentially parallel to the longitudinal extension thereof. The device includes a tolerance compensation member in contact with the fixing bar. The tolerance compensation member may be displaced in a second direction relative to the device, running essentially perpendicular to the first direction.
US07748778B1
An apparatus is provided for securing a moveable scat substructure of a vehicle seating system to a stationary base substructure of the vehicle seating system during a dynamic event such as, for example, rapid vehicle deceleration. In one embodiment, an inertia lock apparatus is provided for a vehicle seating system and includes: a striker bar; a pendulum latch pivotally moveable between a normal orientation and a latching orientation; and a lock mechanism configured to prevent the pendulum latch from moving from the latching orientation to the normal orientation. In another embodiment the inertia lock apparatus includes a release mechanism for moving the pendulum latch from the latching orientation to the normal orientation, thereby unlocking the lock mechanism and resetting the apparatus. In another aspect, a vehicle seating system including the inertia lock apparatus is provided.
US07748777B2
A collapsible support frame includes a plurality of segmented legs pivotally connected to an inner surface of a collar, and are held together by an elastic cord. The legs pivot between a folded and a deployed position. In the folded position, the legs segments form a bundle to facilitate storage or transport. Portions of the legs segments may seat within leg seats formed in the outer surface of the collar. In the deployed position, the legs pivot to contact leg support seats formed at angles in an inner surface of the collar. After contact, each leg extends in a different direction supported by its respective leg support seat. The elastic cord provides tension that keeps the leg segments together in the deployed position, and prevents the leg segments from becoming lost or separated in the folded position.
US07748773B2
A structural member reinforcement includes a body portion having a plurality of side walls. The side walls are spaced to define an opening therebetween. A plurality of cells are disposed in the opening between the side walls. Each of the plurality of cells defines a channel. An expandable material, such as structural foam or noise vibration and harshness (NVH) foam, is disposed in the channel of at least one of the plurality of cells. The reinforcement may be used to reinforce a structural member, such as a vehicle frame. The structural member may define a cavity, and the reinforcement may be disposed within the cavity.
US07748772B2
A resilient aerodynamic skirt assembly is provided, the aerodynamic skirt assembly comprising a skirt panel adapted to connect to a trailer to route airflow along the trailer, skirt supports adapted to connect the skirt to a trailer are also provided with a plurality of resilient struts providing lateral support to the skirt panel, the resilient struts allowing substantial lateral deflection of the skirt panel away from an aerodynamic configuration. A method of assembling an aerodynamic skirt assembly and an aerodynamic skirt kit are also provided.
US07748764B2
A compartmentalised skirt for flatbed trucks and utility vehicles including in combination a skirt section for attaching to the flatbed or rear tray of a vehicle, the skirt section incorporating compartments in the skirt section which can be used for the storage of tools and equipment.
US07748761B2
In order to produce a gripping device for a robot or for a gantry loader that can be employed in a flexible manner, it is proposed that the gripping device should comprise at least one linearly displaceable gripping jaw and at least one pivotal gripping connection. The gripping jaw may be linearly displaced along a longitudinal axis of the gripping device by means of a linear drive to grip and release a workpiece. The pivotal gripping connection can be pivotably rotated along a pivotal axis to likewise grip and release a workpiece. In an embodiment, the pivotable gripping connection can be arranged in a plurality of different positions with respect to the housing of the gripping device so that a plurality of different gripping orientations can be achieved.
US07748751B2
Systems and methods for making connections between pipe sections. In one embodiment, a pipe connection consists of a pair of flanges having conically tapered sealing surfaces and a tapered seal ring. A first one of the flanges has a male nose extending forward from the face of the flange, while a second one of the flanges has a female pocket which is recessed into the flange. The seal ring has conically tapered surfaces complementary to those of the flanges so that, when the connection is assembled, a seal is created between the seal ring and each of the flanges. The nose of the male flange extends forward so that, when the connection is assembled, the nose makes direct contact with the pocket of the second flange, forming a substantially gap-free conduit through the flanges.
US07748750B2
A fitting for collecting or distributing high-pressure fluid via fluid transmission lines is provided. The fitting includes a body, and a plurality of apertures formed in the body in a common plane, intersecting inside the body such that all of the apertures are in mutual fluid communication. The fitting also includes first and second compression members positioned on opposing sides of the body and coupled thereto so as to exert a compressing bias to the body in an axis perpendicular to the common plane. The compression members each comprise a raised contact surface corresponding to the region of the body where the plurality of apertures meet, and through which the compressing bias is exerted. The fitting may be an elbow-fitting, a tee fitting, a cross-fitting, or some other configuration.
US07748745B2
A marker pole for embedding in a support medium for drawing attention to potentially hazardous subsurface structures within the support medium includes a generally elongate pole body molded from a generally brightly colored plastic material with a penetrating end formed with a tapered tip for insertion into the support medium, the taper being greater than forty-five degrees from a centerline longitudinal axis of the; and a metal impact cap fitted over the end opposite the penetrating end, the impact cap including a generally cylindrical body having an access opening on one end thereof and a substantially planar surface opposing the access opening, the planar surface being in substantial contact with the upper surface of the pole body for enhanced force transmission between the impact cap and the pole body during insertion of the pole into the support medium using an impact producing tool.
US07748736B2
An enhanced head-and-neck restraint system is provided for use with a vehicle having a passenger compartment with a seat assembly and a safety belt assembly mounted therein. The restraint system includes first and second collar straps each having an inflatable cushion integrated thereto. A first end of each collar strap is attached to a headrest portion of the seat assembly to transition between a retracted position, in which the collar straps are substantially inside the headrest portion, and a use position, in which each collar strap attaches to a belt webbing of the safety belt system. A fluid dispensing apparatus is in fluid communication with the inflatable cushions, and operable to selectively transition the inflatable cushions from a non-expanded state to an expanded state when the collar straps are in the use position.
US07748735B2
There is provided an airbelt system in which an inflator and an anchor are mounted to the seat base without using a flexible pipe and with a relatively simple structure. An anchor for connecting the webbing of the airbelt is rotatably supported on the outer surface of a side plate of a base frame of the seat with a plurality of arcshaped long holes and step bolts passed through the long holes. An inflator is disposed inside the side plate. The gas port of the inflator is substantially coaxial with the rotation axis center of the anchor.
US07748732B2
An tear seam in a cover of an airbag includes multiple, non-intersecting slits defined in a fabric of the cover that may be woven with weft yarns oriented generally parallel to a longitudinal axis and warp yarns oriented generally transverse thereto. The multiple slits are diagonal with respect to the longitudinal axis and include end portions. The end portions of substantially all adjacent slits mutually overlap, to weaken the strength of the fabric along the tear seam.
US07748729B2
A highback for controlling a gliding board, such as a snowboard, through leg movement of a rider. The highback is comprised of an upright support member including at least two portions that are to be contacted by and to support a rear portion of the rider's leg and that are movable relative to each other for setting a desired forward lean of the highback. The support member may include a lower portion with a pair of mounting locations for mounting the highback to a gliding board component, such as a snowboard binding, and an upper portion movably supported by the lower portion to vary the forward lean of the highback. The lower portion of the support member may be mounted to a snowboard binding baseplate for lateral rotation between a plurality of lateral positions. The highback may include a forward lean adjuster that prevents the upper portion from moving in the heel direction beyond a predetermined forward lean position. The forward lean adjuster may be coupled to the upper portion and the lower portion of the highback to maintain the upper portion in the selected forward lean position independent of the gliding board component. A locking arrangement may also be provided to lock the highback in an upright riding position to prevent toe-edge travel relative to the board for enhanced board response.
US07748728B2
A recumbent tricycle pedicab consisting of a front frame and a rear frame pivotally interconnected in a manner which enables steering by leaning. The front frame supports, a single wheel, a pedal and drive mechanism, and a driver's seat, while the rear frame supports a fixed handlebar and a two-wheeled passenger/cargo cab. A cab frame supports side panels, a front to rear panel, a passenger seat at least one storage pouch, and signal lights. At least one window or panel which can be rolled down for protection of the passengers or rolled-up and secured to allow ventilation. The front to rear panel opens to allow entry. The pedicab also has a cargo and storage area behind the passenger seat and contents are secured using at least one cargo net attached to the cab frame. Decking on rear frame provides a floor for cab and entry area.
US07748725B2
A skateboard deck is provided with a first lower layer and an upper layer coupled to an upper surface of the first lower layer. The upper layer includes a top surface provided in part by a fiber-reinforced layer and in part a side barrier. The skateboard deck may further include one or more additional lower layers affixed beneath the first lower layer. The fiber-reinforced layer may be inlaid within the side barrier, which may be an outer portion of a wood veneer or thermoplastic sheet. The fiber-reinforced layer may be formed substantially of woven para-aramid fibers encased in an adhesive matrix.
US07748723B2
A device for stabilizing and supporting wheelbarrows which maintains the balance and increases the resistance of a system (wheelbarrow) including an angled monolithic body which is made up of two arms which define a triangular shape, whose ends have holes for the insertion of affixing means to affix to the leg of a wheelbarrow. In one embodiment, one of said arms makes up an arched area along most of its length which generates two points of support, a first point of support defined on the end of the joint affixing with the leg of the wheelbarrow and a second point of support defined in the area near where the two arms meet to define that angle. The arched area of the arm, positioned substantially horizontally and defining the two points of support, absorbs deformation, and also absorbs the load applied to the element, bringing more stability to the wheelbarrow on flat or irregular surfaces, providing a stabilizer comprised by each leg.
US07748717B2
A housing part (10) for a drive unit, as well as a method and mold for manufacturing such a housing part, which housing part (10) is composed of a first component (11) and has a radial seal (28) formed onto it composed of a second, elastic component (60), which has a radial sealing surface (40) for sealing a housing in a watertight fashion; the housing part (10) and radial seal (28) are produced by means of an injection molding process; at least one riser dome (36) is formed onto the radial seal (28) and extends from the radial sealing surface (40) in the axial direction (12).
US07748716B2
Flat gasket with a gasket plate comprising at least one sheet metal layer, at least one fluid through-opening to be sealed, and a plurality of screw through-openings, the sheet metal layer having at least one supporting element for receiving pressing forces, and the supporting element being in the form of a bead stamped into the sheet metal layer; in order to improve the durability of the supporting bead while in operation, the bead is designed so as to form with its bead crest, in a plan view of the sheet metal layer, an endless continuous line closed within itself, so that the bead does not have any free bead ends.
US07748715B2
A bearing seal includes a radially split stator and a rotor. The rotor is enclosed within the stator along the internal length of the rotor. The rotor may, optionally, also be radially split.
US07748712B2
A tactile scratch media apparatus and method are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a scratch media having a tactile data pattern to provide information to a user and a scratch region on the scratch media having a plurality of layers that conceal the tactile data pattern. The tactile data pattern may include a raised tactile data and/or an indented tactile data. The raised tactile data and the indented tactile data may be a braille character, an alphanumerical character and/or a tangible data. The surface edge of the raised tactile data and/or the indented tactile data of the tactile data pattern may be curved. The tactile data pattern may be arranged according to an overlapping pattern arrangement and/or a non-overlapping pattern arrangement. The arrangement of the overlapping pattern arrangement and the non-overlapping pattern arrangement may be based on a combination of a print data and the raised tactile data and/or the indented tactile data.
US07748709B2
A device for aligning flat objects, in particular mail items, has a base face, a side wall, and at least one spindle thread, which is let into the base face. The spindle thread is embodied to transport flat objects lying on the base face in a conveyance direction, thereby pushing them against the side wall. The spindle thread has at least one aligning region. Each aligning region is subdivided respectively into a decompression segment and a compression segment. The pitch of the spindle thread increases along the conveyance direction in each decompression segment and decreases in each compression segment.
US07748707B2
A method for deskewing a sheet. The method includes positioning a lower roller pair and at least one upper roller pair to form a substantially vertical transport path, wherein the lower roller pair and at least one upper roller pair each form a nip. The method includes driving the lower roller pair and the at least one upper roller pair so as to transport the sheet upward along the substantially vertical transport path, opening the nip formed by the at least one upper roller pair as a trailing edge of the sheet approaches the lower roller pair. The method further includes continuing to drive the lower roller pair so that the trailing edge passes through the nip formed by the lower roller pair and upward movement of the sheet ceases with the trailing edge supported by the lower roller pair, wherein gravity and continued rotation of the lower roller pair work together align the trailing edge with the lower roller pair.
US07748706B2
An image-forming device includes an extension tray and an engaging unit. The cover member is capable of opening and closing thereon. The extension tray is rotatably attached to an upper part of the cover member. The engaging unit engages the cover member with the main casing when the cover member is closed. The engaging unit includes an engagement part, an engaging part, and an operating part. The operating part disengages the engaging part from the engagement part when operated. The operating part is capable of being operated when the extension tray is closed.
US07748705B2
A paper discharge tray 6 includes: a paper loading portion 7 provided in a bent form including a first tray surface 7a and a second tray surface 7b; a rear wall 8 for supporting and aligning the trailing end of paper discharged on the paper loading portion 7; and an installation portion 10 provided along the paper loading portion 7. On two portions of the first tray surface 7a, there are provided guide members 11 each having a first slope 11a that inclines upward in the paper discharge direction (direction indicated by an arrow A in the figure). When paper of a predetermined size is discharged on the guide members 11, the paper slides down along the first slopes 11a and the second tray surface 7c, and then is loaded with the trailing end of the paper aligned by the rear wall 8.
US07748703B2
A device for stacking flat, flexible postal items in a stacking compartment in an upright position includes a stacking roller positionable in proximity of the stacking compartment. A covered belt system feeds the postal items consecutively to the stacking roller, wherein the belt system has a first belt and a second belt. A deflection roller on an axis deflects the first belt from the second belt so that the second belt continuous to transport a postal item to the stacking roller. A first profile roller on the deflection roller has a predetermined roller length and includes a number of diameter taperings over its roller length. Deflectable pressure means press the postal items into the diameter taperings of the first profile roller to reduce a free flexible lengths of a postal items.
US07748702B2
A method and a device combine auxiliary and main stacks in a delivery or feeder of a machine for processing printing materials. The device includes a rake that can be moved in and out between the main and auxiliary stacks by a motor drive. A control computer controls the motor drive of the rake. Different speed profiles are stored in the control computer for the drive of the rake as a function of the printing materials in the stacks. A sheet-fed offset printing press having the device is also provided.
US07748696B2
A sheet feeder (1) having a stack hopper (9) for holding a stack of sheets (8), and feed belts (5, 6, 7) for advancing the bottom-most sheet from the stack, has traction belts (110, 111, 112) between the feed belts. The traction belts extend around a shaft (25) beneath the hopper and around a shaft (27) positioned intermediate the reach of the feed belts, a short distance short of separators (30, 31). The traction belts are preferably thicker than the feed belts and textured on their outer surface.
US07748694B2
A sheet carrying device includes: a pickup roller sending out a sheet on a sheet mounting tray into a carrying path one sheet at a time; a sheet carrying device rotating the pickup roller; a control section controlling a roller first driving motor; and a carrying delay detecting section detecting delay in sheet carrying carried out by the pickup roller. The control section controls the roller first driving motor, in a case where the delay in the sheet carrying is detected by the carrying delay detecting section, so that (i) the pickup roller once stops and then restarts rotating and (ii) a start-up acceleration of the pickup roller, which start-up acceleration is an acceleration from the restart of rotation to arrival at a predetermined speed, becomes lower than a first start-up acceleration from start of rotation of the pickup roller to arrival at the predetermined speed in a case where there is no delay in the sheet carrying. This makes it possible to prevent process efficiency from deteriorating due to retry, in an arrangement in which a feeding operation of a sheet from the sheet mounting try is retried.
US07748693B2
A sheet carrying device includes a pickup roller sending out a sheet to a carrying path one by one from a document mounting tray, a roller first driving motor rotating the pickup roller, a control section controlling the roller first driving motor, and a slip detecting device detecting whether the pickup roller slips in an amount not less than a predetermined amount in carrying the sheet. Detecting that the pickup roller slips, the control section controls the roller first driving motor to perform a slip-settling operation for decreasing a start-up acceleration of the pickup roller from a time when starting to rotate to a time when reaching a predetermined speed. This allows reliably carrying a sheet and suppressing a decrease in a carrying speed of the sheet in order to prevent a decrease in a speed of a process including sheet carrying, even when the pickup roller slips in feeding the sheet from the sheet mounting tray.
US07748691B2
A manual feed tray including a cover member pivotally supported at a lower end and assuming a storage position and a sheet feeding position; a sheet feeding platform situated at the lower end side of the cover member in the sheet feeding position, and mounted to the cover member so as to be capable of sliding toward the upper end side of the cover member and so as to leave a gap between the sheet feeding platform and itself; and an extension member assuming a storage position in which the extension member is stored in the gap between the sheet feeding table and the cover member and a pulled-out position.
US07748690B2
A quick-action cylinder with safety device to prevent blocking is described, wherein the quick-action cylinder provides a mechanical lock for a center draw-in nipple (2) in a center bore (23) in a housing of a quick-action cylinder, wherein in the locked position one or more locking members (3) are urged into contact with an exterior periphery of the draw-in nipple by a force of a spring assembly (12) which is arranged in the housing in one or several spring compartments (13), and wherein the unlocked position of the draw-in nipple (2) is attained by applying pressure to a locking piston (7) which operates to oppose the force of the spring assembly. The safety device prevents self-blocking of the locking device of the draw-in nipple (2) in the center bore (23) when the pressure medium enters the spring compartment (13) of the spring assembly (12) from the cylinder space (11) of the locking piston. For this purpose, a relief bore (15; 25; 26) is disposed in the spring compartment (13), extending to a lower-pressure clearance space (19). One or more pressure elements (16; 21; 24; 27) are arranged in the region of the relief bore which are brought into an open position in the event of an overpressure in the spring compartment (13), thereby discharging the pressure medium from the spring compartment (13).
US07748688B2
The invention relates to a packing structure (1) for a fluid exchange column, the packing structure defining an exchange surface for at least one down-flowing liquid phase that is to be put into intimate contact with at least one up-flowing gas phase, the structure including a volume formed by a plurality of rows of bundles of tubes (10), each bundle having four tubes (10a-10d) respectively oriented along four directions (D10a-D10d) forming an angle relative to the axis of the structure, the plurality of tubes forming a plurality of passages opening out to the outside surface of the structure (1).
US07748676B2
A wall-mount support includes: a wall bracket adapted to be mounted on a wall, defining a vertical track, and having front and rear connecting ends disposed outwardly of the vertical track; a carrier mounted slidably on the vertical track; a supporting unit connected to the carrier and adapted to support an electronic device thereon; and an arcuate cover plate having front and rear ends. The front and rear ends of the arcuate cover plate are respectively connected to the front and rear connecting ends of the wall bracket to define an accommodating space between the cover plate and the wall bracket. The arcuate cover plate is pivoted to one of the front and rear connecting ends of the wall bracket so as to be rotatable relative to the wall bracket about an axis parallel to the vertical track between opened and closed positions.
US07748674B2
A shelf bracket having a ledge and a plurality of side members, the shelf bracket being formed from a blank. The blank has a plurality of side portions, which can be bent downwardly to create the side members. The blank also has a ledge portion which forms the ledge of the shelf bracket. The side portions and the ledge portion of the blank are separated by a plurality of bend lines, to facilitate bending for the formation of the shelf bracket. The blank desirably has a lip portion which can be bent upwardly to form a lip of the shelf bracket. The blank can also have a plurality of stiffener portions which can be bent to create stiffeners in the shelf bracket, and one or more ribs in the side portions to provide strength to the shelf bracket.
US07748673B2
A hook is provided for simultaneously supporting a shower curtain and a shower curtain liner in side by side spaced, parallel relation on a shower curtain rod. The shower curtain and the shower curtain liner each have an opening therein proximate the top edge thereof. The hook includes a portion for engaging the rod. First and second spaced support portions, each of which is connected to the rod engaging portion, are provided. Each of the support portions includes a generally “U” shaped portion defined in part by an upstanding member. The upstanding member of the first support portion is adapted to be received through the opening in the shower curtain to retain the shower curtain. The upstanding member of the second support portion is adapted to be received through the opening in the shower curtain liner to retain the shower curtain liner. The hook is fabricated from a single continuous wire section by making a series of bends therein.
US07748672B2
A patient care equipment support is transferable between a first device having a first coupling member and a second device having a second coupling member. The equipment support comprises an equipment supporting portion configured to support patient care equipment, and a coupler extending downwardly from the equipment supporting portion. The coupler has a central opening and a plurality of peripheral openings disposed about the central opening. The first coupling member engages the central opening and at least one of the peripheral openings when the equipment support is carried by the first device. The second coupling member engages the central opening and at least one of the remaining peripheral openings when the equipment support is transferred to the second device.
US07748665B2
A manager system for managing peripherals of a sump pump having a base and a manager frame. The base has a predetermined characteristic related a sump holding the sump pump. The manager frame is attached to the base at a predetermined ergonomic location with at least one fastener. The frame has a seat for resting the frame against the base and orienting the frame relative to the base. The frame has at least one fastener engagement surface engaged by the at least one fastener to stably hold the frame in the predetermined ergonomic location on the base. The frame has multiple storage locations adapted for storage of multiple sump pump peripherals on the frame.
US07748657B1
The tool is coupleable to an arm of a reel of a fishing rod. The tool includes a shank at one end removably coupleable to a rotating drive. A cylinder is oriented opposite the shank with a hollow bore extending into a free end of the cylinder. A slot extends through a wall of the cylinder with an axial leg adjacent an entry of the slot and a circumferential leg spaced from the axial leg by a bend. The arm passes into the bore with portions of the arm first passing through the axial leg and then into the circumferential leg. The arm is thus securely held within the slot of the cylinder and the arm rotates when the cylinder is caused to rotate along with the shank when the shank is coupled to the drive and the drive is rotated, and line is drawn onto the reel.
US07748646B2
A sprinkler comprises a nozzle, a turbine and a gear train reduction. The gear train reduction has an output stage that is coupled to the nozzle. The turbine is located between the nozzle and the gear train reduction and is coupled to an input stage of the gear train reduction.
US07748639B2
A heating and cooling system for a multi-level space is provided that comprises at least one lower level return air duct and at least one upper level return air duct, and a thermostat for controlling the operation of the heating or cooling system through either a low voltage cooling activation signal or a low voltage heating activation signal. The heating and cooling system further comprises a first motorized damper having connection means for receiving at least a low voltage heating activation signal from the thermostat, the first motorized damper being installed in each lower level return duct and configured to drive the damper to an open position when the connection means receives a low voltage heating activation signal, wherein the first motorized damper is operatively closed when the thermostat alternatively transmits a low voltage cooling activation signal such that the cooling system substantially receives no air flow through each lower level return air duct and effectively receives only air flow from the upper level of the space.
US07748635B2
In a cellular phone, a central control section generally locks a noncontact IC card function as an invalid state. When an ID of an external device to which the cellular phone approaches is already registered in a registration list, the central control section releases the lock to execute electronic payment processing. After that, the central control section locks the noncontact IC card function as the invalid state. Meanwhile, when the ID of the external device is not registered yet, in the case that a user instructs to release the lock, the central control section releases the lock to execute the electronic payment processing. When the external device is not registered yet, the ID of the external device is automatically registered in the registration list.
US07748620B2
A transaction terminal includes a housing, a touch screen, a card reader, an imaging module, and a decode circuit coupled to the imaging module. The imaging module in one embodiment is disposed in the housing so that an imaging axis extends rearward of the housing. In a typical use of the terminal a store clerk can easily move objects into a field of view of the terminal. The transaction terminal can be coupled to a POS network which remotely sends a trigger signal actuating the imaging module when an age-proof-require product is being purchased.
US07748607B2
A transaction product includes a housing, a tray, one or more articles and an account identifier. The tray is selectively maintained within and readily removable from the housing. The one or more articles are selectively maintained by the tray, and each of the one more articles are readily removable from the tray. The account identifier is associated with the housing and links the transaction product to an account or record having a value configured to be used toward one or more of a purchase and a use of goods or services. Other products, cards, assemblies and associated methods are also disclosed.
US07748592B2
A friction stir welding device for welding an article by means of a welding tool, includes: a tool holding section configured to hold the welding tool and rotate round a predetermined reference axial line; rotation driving unit configured to drive the tool holding section to rotate round the reference axial line; movement driving unit configured to drive the tool holding section to move along the reference axial line; and a car body loaded with the tool holding section, the rotation driving unit and the movement driving unit, the car body being configured to travel above or below the article.
US07748587B2
A refill for staples, which can not be removed from a cartridge unless all sheet-type connected staples in a stapler body are delivered. A refill for staples is installed in a detachable manner in a stapler body, and includes a refill body which holds the sheet-type connected staples, and a pressing member which presses the sheet-type connected staples. A delivery port delivering the sheet-type connected staples and a locking plate provided with a locking section which locks a locked section in the stapler body are formed in the refill body. When the sheet-type connected staples are pressed, the pressing member is engaged with the locking plate not to allow rotation of the locking plate, and, when the sheet-type connected staples are not pressed, the pressing member is disengaged from the locking plate to allow rotation of the locking plate. Thereby, the locking section of the locking plate can be removed from the locked section in the stapler body.
US07748586B2
A driving tool in a form of a combustion type nail driving machine 1 for injecting a nail by combustion gas is provided. The driving tool includes a lower pusher which is arranged at a distal end in a projecting direction of a nose through which the nail passes, formed with an elongated hole, and adapted to come into contact with a wood, an upper pusher which is urged by the lower pusher, and an extending-contracting mechanism interposed between the lower pusher and the upper pusher. The extending-contracting mechanism includes a bush which is in contact with the upper pusher and formed with a threaded hole, and a screwing part which can be screwed into the threaded hole after passing through the elongated hole. The screwing part includes a bolt which connects the lower pusher and the bush, and a lever.
US07748577B2
The cartridge piston has an outer wall, an inner support body and radial connection webs between the outer wall and the inner support body. In order to ensure a good sealing behavior under unilateral strain or asymmetric strain by a pressing plunger, a stiffening body connected to the connection webs is provided between the outer wall and the inner support body. The connection webs have a gap that extends at least up to half the height of the cartridge piston at the lower side of the cartridge piston between the outer wall and the stiffening body.
