US08092835B1
Injectable microspheres are obtained from double bond functionalized polyhydric alcohol ester by a method comprising dissolving the double bond functionalized esters in a hydrophobic organic solvent, forming an aqueous solution of stabilizer, forming an oil in water emulsion where the solution of stabilizer constitutes the continuous phase and the solution of ester constitutes the disperse phase and evaporating the organic solvent or from block copolymer of PGCLM and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol).
US08092832B2
Fentanyl containing dosage forms and methods using same are described. These dosage forms include substantially less fentanyl by weight than know oral formulation and have advantages in terms of cost and side effects. These dosage forms are intended for oral administration of fentanyl across the oral mucosa.
US08092829B2
The invention relates to the use of R-enantiomers of arylpropionic acids or the pharmacologically acceptable salts or derivatives thereof, in a pure or enriched form in contrast to the racemic compound, for the production of medicaments which inhibit the activation of nuclear transcription factor AP-1 and which are suitable for treating illnesses which are influenced by said factor.
US08092828B2
Provided herein are methods for treating cancer by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a fixed, non-antagonistic molar ratio of cytarabine and an anthracycline. Such methods are particularly useful in the treatment of patients with advanced hematologic cancers or proliferative disorders.
US08092824B2
An antibiotic coating of implants is described, which is characterized in that the coating comprises at least one saturated, organic, hydrophobic, low molecular matrix former whose melting point is in the temperature range of 45° C. to 100° C., in which a low molecular, hydrophobic additive is dissolved and that an antibiotic/antibiotics is/are suspended in the mixture of matrix former and additive and/or in which an antibiotic/antibiotics miscible with a mixture of matrix former and additive is/are dissolved.
US08092813B1
When using squalene in a vaccine adjuvant, there is a possibility of contamination with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Environmental exposure to PCBs may adversely affect children's immune responses to routine vaccinations. Thus the invention uses squalene with low or no PCB contamination, particularly when derived from shark liver.
US08092809B2
This invention provides Pseudomonas exotoxin A-like chimeric immunogens that include a non-native epitope in the Ib domain of Pseudomonas exotoxin. Methods of eliciting an immune response using these immunogens also are provided.
US08092807B2
The present invention provides polypeptides having the property of binding to a given Class I pMHC CHARACTERISED IN THAT said polypeptide has a KD for the said given Class I pMHC of less than or equal to 1 μM and/or has an off-rate (koff) for the said given Class I pMHC molecule of 2 S−1 or slower AND said polypeptide has at least a 45% identity and/or 55% similarity to a defined high-affinity ILT-like molecule AND said polypeptide inhibits CD8 binding to the given pMHC to a greater extent than a soluble truncated variant of Wild-Type ILT-2. Such high-affinity ILT-like molecules are useful, either alone or associated with a therapeutic agent, for the inhibition of cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses.
US08092795B2
The present invention provides a liquid seasoning, which brings on a sufficient salty taste although it has a low common salt concentration, and which exhibits for example a pharmacological effect such as an antihypertensive effect at a high level. The present invention relates to a liquid seasoning, which contains the following components (A) to (C):(A) 3.55% or less by weight of sodium;(B) 0.5% to 4.2% by weight of potassium; and(C) 0.1% to 10% by weight of a food material having an antihypertensive effect,wherein the remaining portion of the liquid seasoning excluding component (C) is adapted by incorporation of a substance other than component (C) to have a nitrogen content (D) of 1.6% or more based on the total weight of the liquid seasoning.
US08092791B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing herpes simplex virus (HSV) amplicon particles which includes co-transfecting a host cell with the following: (i) an amplicon vector comprising an HSV origin of replication, an HSV cleavage/packaging signal, and a heterologous transgene expressible in a patient, (ii) one or more vectors individually or collectively encoding all essential HSV genes but excluding all cleavage/packaging signals, and (iii) a vhs expression vector encoding a virion host shutoff protein; and then isolating HSV amplicon particles produced by the host cell, the HSV amplicon particles including the transgene. Also disclosed are a system and a kit for preparing HSV amplicon particles, HSV amplicon particles prepared according to the process of the present invention, and their use.
US08092790B2
Various exemplary compounds, compositions, methods and devices are disclosed. An exemplary composition or formulation includes methyl anthranilate, fatty acid and an amine such as, but not limited to, monoethanolamine or triethanolamine. Such an exemplary composition is optionally an emulsion. An exemplary method applies an exemplary compound to an insect nest. Such an exemplary compound may be in a composition or formulation. Exemplary compounds optionally include semiochemicals of insects, plants and/or animals. Other exemplary compounds, compositions, methods and devices are also disclosed.
US08092784B2
Enzyme substrates and associated technology of the present invention are provided. An enzyme substrate of the invention may comprise a biologically functional fluorescent dye and an enzyme-specific substrate moiety attached in such a way that the functionality of the functional dye is diminished. An enzymatic reaction may cleave at least a portion of the substrate moiety from the enzyme substrate to provide a more functional product dye. This product dye may be nonfluorescent or weakly fluorescent, in general, and relatively fluorescent, in a particular condition, such as when bound to a partner biological molecule or an assembly of partner biological molecules. An enzyme substrate of the present invention may thus be useful in fluorescence detection, and/or in any of a variety of useful applications, such as the detection of enzymatic activity in a cell-free system or in a living cell, the screening of drugs, or the diagnosis of disease.
US08092773B2
The liquid fullerene derivative according to the present invention contains a fullerene moiety, a benzene ring bonded to the fullerene moiety, and first to third alkyl substituents R1, R2 and R3 bonded to 2-, 4- and 6-positions of the benzene ring, respectively, and the first to third alkyl substituents R1, R2 and R3 each contain at least 12 carbon atoms. The liquid fullerene derivative which is liquid at room temperature without requiring a solvent and easily exhibits the function of the fullerene itself, a method for producing the same, and a device using the same are provided.
US08092772B2
The present invention relates to a use of a two-way spray nozzle (1) with protective gas for manufacturing granular sodium percarbonate, said nozzle comprising a central tube (2) having an outlet for an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, an inner jacket tube (3) arranged coaxially around the central tube, and having an outlet for aqueous sodium carbonate solution, an outer jacket tube (4) arranged coaxially around the central tube and inner jacket tube, and having an outlet for a protective gas, a threaded ring slot (5) arranged around the central tube at a distance from the outlet of the central tube, wherein the threads of the ring slot are arranged at an angle α with respect of the direction of the longitudinal axis (12) of the central tube, and in which said protective gas is used at a pressure of less than 0.7 bar. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing granular sodium percarbonate.
US08092770B2
This invention relates to an amorphous non-glassy ceramic composition that may be prepared by curing, calcining and/or pyrolyzing a precursor material comprising silicon, a Group III metal, a Group IVA metal, and/or a Group IVB metal.
US08092767B2
A method of decomposing nitrogen dioxide to nitrogen monoxide in an exhaust gas of a lean-burn internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine, comprises adjusting the C1 hydrocarbon:nitrogen oxides (C1 HC:NOx) ratio of the exhaust gas to from 0.1 to 2 and contacting this exhaust gas mixture with a particulate acidic refractory oxide selected from the group consisting of zeolites, tungsten-doped titania, silica-titania, zirconia-titania, gamma-alumina, amorphous silica-alumina and mixtures of any two or more thereof and passing the effluent gas to atmosphere.
US08092765B2
To extract arsenic from intermediates containing arsenic, to outside the system in stable form. A method of processing non-ferrous smelting intermediate containing arsenic in sulfide form and a non-ferrous smelting intermediate containing arsenic and copper as metal; a solution adjusting step of adding an oxidation agent to the leaching solution to oxidize trivalent arsenic to pentavalent arsenic and obtain an adjusting solution; and a crystallization step of converting arsenic in the adjusted solution to scorodite crystals.
US08092761B2
A microfluidic diaphragm valve. The valve comprises: an inlet port; an outlet port; a weir positioned between the inlet and outlet ports, the weir having a sealing surface; a diaphragm membrane for sealing engagement with the sealing surface; and a thermal bend actuator for moving the diaphragm membrane between a closed position in which the membrane is sealingly engaged with the sealing surface and an open position in which the membrane is disengaged from said sealing surface.
US08092760B2
Provided is a scanning arm which moves to collect pollutants on the surface of a semiconductor wafer, for use in a semiconductor wafer pollutant measurement apparatus, and a scanning device using the same. The scanning arm includes: an X-axis portion; a Z-axis portion which is perpendicularly installed with the X-axis portion so as to move forward and backward along the X-axis portion; and a Y-axis portion which is perpendicularly installed with the Z-axis portion so as to move up and down with respect to the Z-axis portion.
US08092755B2
Injection nozzles for use in a gas distribution device are disclosed. In one aspect, the injection nozzle may include: a tube having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; wherein the inlet comprises a plurality of flow restriction orifices. In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to an injection nozzle for use in a gas distribution device, the injection nozzle including: a tube having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; wherein the fluid inlet comprises an annular orifice surrounding a flow restriction device. Injection nozzles according to embodiments disclosed herein may be disposed in a gas distribution manifold used in a vessel, for example, for conducting polymerization reactions, spent catalyst regeneration, and coal gasification, among others.
US08092754B2
Disclosed herein is a mass production system and method of synthesized carbon nanotubes. The system is configured to completely open the reaction chamber to an outside during synthesis of the carbon nanotubes in the reaction chamber while allowing a specific gas to occupy a predetermined region within the reaction chamber, thereby blocking introduction of external air into the reaction chamber which is opened to external air. The system comprises a reaction chamber having at least one opening opened to external air, and at least one different-specific gravity gas occupying region filled with a different specific gravity gas having a different specific gravity from that of the external air to block the external air from being introduced into the reaction chamber through the opening, a carbon nanotube synthesizing unit positioned in the different-specific gravity gas occupying region to synthesize carbon nanotubes by the medium of a catalyst introduced thereto through the opening, a conveying unit to convey the catalyst to the carbon nanotube synthesizing unit through the opening, and a gas supply unit to supply the different specific gravity gas and a carbon source gas used for synthesizing the carbon nanotubes to the different-specific gravity gas occupying region and the carbon nanotube synthesizing unit, respectively.
US08092753B2
Systems and methods for treating a fluid with a body are disclosed. Various aspects involve treating a fluid with a porous body. In select embodiments, a body comprises ash particles, and the ash particles used to form the body may be selected based on their providing one or more desired properties for a given treatment. Various bodies provide for the reaction and/or removal of a substance in a fluid, often using a porous body comprised of ash particles. Computer-operable methods for matching a source material to an application are disclosed. Certain aspects feature a porous body comprised of ash particles, the ash particles have a particle size distribution and interparticle connectivity that creates a plurality of pores having a pore size distribution and pore connectivity, and the pore size distribution and pore connectivity are such that a first fluid may substantially penetrate the pores.
US08092749B2
An exhaust gas treatment device for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, has a housing in which is arranged at least one ceramic body for exhaust gas treatment. To reduce the risk of damage for the ceramic body and/or the housing in the case of an inexpensive design, the ceramic body has a machined contact zone at least on its outlet end, and the housing has a bearing zone facing the ceramic body on its outlet end. The contact zone and the bearing zone cooperate with one another so that in the case of axial contact on the outlet end between the ceramic body and the housing, the ceramic body is in direct and axial contact with the housing in a line or over an area via the contact zone and the bearing zone, so that the contact is distributed in the circumferential direction or is continuous.
US08092738B2
A method is provided for molding an integral joint including a stationary member and an enclosure rotatable about the stationary member. The method utilizes a joint formation assembly defining an inner cavity, a first passageway connected to the inner cavity, an outer cavity surrounding the inner cavity, and a second passageway connected to the outer cavity. The method includes the steps of: introducing moldable material into the inner cavity from the first passageway to form the stationary member; introducing moldable material into the outer cavity from the second passageway to form the enclosure; and divorcing the inner cavity from the outer cavity for separately and independently forming the enclosure around the stationary member to allow rotatable movement of the enclosure about the stationary member.
US08092736B2
A composition and its use as a mold release composition are disclosed. The composition comprises a fluorotelomer, which comprises repeat units derived from a fluoroalkene, and optionally a comonomer, and has an endgroup derived from an alcohol, an alcohol derivative, or a combination thereof, and said fluorotelomer has or comprises a structure depicted as H(CX2)pBqDr or a mixture of structures depicted as H(CX2)pBq and H(CX2)pDr, wherein each X is independently H or F, provided at least one X is F, p is a number from about 16 to about 1500, B represents a unit derived from a hydrofluorocarbon, q is a number from 0.02 to 0.4, D represents an endgroup derived from said alcohol, alcohol derivative, or combination thereof, and r is a number 0.2 to 1.0. The composition comprises a silane having the formula R1n—Si—(Z)4-n wherein Z is OR2, Cl, or H, wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a hydrocarbon radical having 1-34 carbon atoms, and combinations of two or more thereof, R2 is selected from the group consisting hydrogen, a hydrocarbon radical having 1-4 carbon atoms, and combinations of two or more thereof, provided that R1 and R2 both cannot be hydrogen, and n is a number from 1 to 3. The composition may further comprise a solvent and/or a catalyst.
US08092728B2
A molded plastic skid base for a resin building is formed with all of its openings facing downward and with runners integral with a deck that forms a floor of the base. Replaceable wear plates cover the bottoms of the runners and have truck loading notches molded at their ends and a longitudinal channel in which fastener heads are positioned. Stake down slots are provided in the ends of the runners and wear plates in a diagonal orientation so as to be aligned toward the center of the building, below the base. The floor of the base is a grid formed of diagonally oriented ribs, at least some of which may be shorter in their center than at their ends, is crowned in the center and has openings which taper upwardly. A solid sheet may be placed over the grid to close it. Bosses for receiving the wear plate mounting fasteners are positioned at the same locations along the sides of the base as the fastener mounting locations for attaching the building side walls to the base, to provide a greater thickness of material at those locations for the building sidewall fasteners to penetrate. Edges of a septic tank opening formed in the base are slanted downwardly and rear corners of the opening are triangular in shape. Downwardly opening openings are also formed in the base into which weights and weight covers may be fixed.
US08092724B2
The instant invention pertains to a method and a fluid composition for producing contact lenses with improved lens quality and with increased product yield. The method of the invention involves adding a phospholipid into a fluid composition including a lens-forming material in an amount sufficient to reduce an averaged mold separation force by at least about 40% in comparison with that without the phospholipids.
US08092710B2
A method of making a chromonic structure comprises (a) preparing a first aqueous mixture comprising (i) a continuous water-soluble polymer phase and (ii) a discontinuous chromonic phase comprising a chromonic material, to form chromonic nanoparticles; (b) non-covalently crosslinking the resulting chromonic nanoparticles with a multivalent cation salt; (c) dispersing the resulting crosslinked chromonic nanoparticles in a water-soluble polymer phase to form a chromonic nanoparticle dispersion; and (d) preparing a second aqueous mixture comprising (i) the chromonic nanoparticle dispersion and (ii) a continuous chromonic phase comprising a chromonic material.
US08092709B2
A stabilized composition consists essentially of unsaturated hydrocarbon-based materials, and a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a hydroxybenzophenone and a nitroxyl radical based stabilizer. A method for stabilizing unsaturated hydrocarbon-based precursor material against the polymerization comprises providing a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of a hydroxybenzophenone and a nitroxyl radical based stabilizer.
US08092698B2
The present invention provides etchant solutions including deionized water and an organic acid having a carboxyl radical and a hydroxyl radical. Methods of forming magnetic memory devices are also disclosed.
US08092697B2
In a method for fabricating a molecule characterization device, there is formed an aperture in a support structure, and electrical contact pads are formed on a selected surface of the support structure for connection to molecular analysis circuitry. Then at the aperture is provided at least one carbon nanotube. An electrically insulating layer is deposited on walls of the aperture to reduce an extent of the aperture and form a smaller aperture, while depositing substantially no insulating layer on a region of the nanotube that is at the aperture.
US08092686B2
Modified resins are disclosed for removing a wide variety of solids and/or ionic species from the liquids in which they are suspended and/or dissolved. These modified resins are especially useful as froth flotation depressants in the beneficiation of many types of materials (e.g., mineral and metal ores), including the beneficiation of impure coal comprising clay impurities, as well as in the separation of valuable bitumen from solid contaminants such as sand. The modified resins are also useful for treating aqueous liquid suspensions to facilitate the removal of solid particulates, as well as the removal of metallic ions in the purification of water. The modified resins comprise a base resin that is modified with a coupling agent, which is highly selective for binding to solid contaminants and especially siliceous materials such as sand or clay.
US08092684B2
A device, system and method for exchanging components between first and second fluids by direct contact in a microfluidic channel. The fluids flow as thin layers in the channel. One of the fluids is passed through a filter upon exiting the channel and is recycled through a secondary processor which changes the fluid's properties. The recycled fluid is reused for further exchange. The filter excludes blood cells from the recycled fluid and prevents or limits clogging of the filter. The secondary processor removes metabolic waste and water by diafiltration.
US08092680B2
Provided herein are methods and system for the production of biogas, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classified Class A Biosolids, and pathogen reduced organic liquid fertilizer. Through the digestion of waste materials using sequential phases in an efficient digestion process, enhanced biomass conversion efficiency and improved output of products (in quantity and/or quality) are obtained with a significant reduction in dwell time in each phase.
US08092677B2
The present invention is to provide a method of producing a separating agent for an enantiomeric isomer having a high optical resolution power together with sufficient solvent resistance. That is, a method of producing a separating agent for an enantiomeric isomer comprising the steps of allowing the porous carrier to carry the optically active polymer compound by bringing the porous carrier into contact with a dope of the optically active polymer compound and exposing a product to radiation.
US08092673B2
A treatment device for magnetically treating liquid in a liquid container includes a container holder to receive the liquid container. An active cooling unit is associated with the container holder to cool the liquid within the liquid container. At least one magnet associated with the container holder to generate a magnetic field within the liquid in the liquid container.
US08092672B2
A method and apparatus for catalytic hydroconversion processing of less volatile carbonaceous material to volatile liquid products is disclosed. The process is carried out in a plug-flow reactor system using nanosize metallic catalyst particles dispersed in the reactant slurry with compressed hydrogen/hydrogen-sulfide at a temperature between about 275° C. and 525° C. at a pressure of between about 800 psi and 6000 psi and a residence time in the reactors between about 1 minute and 4 hours.
US08092668B2
The present invention provides a test strip for measuring a signal of interest in a biological fluid when the test strip is mated to an appropriate test meter, wherein the test strip and the test meter include structures to verify the integrity of the test strip traces, to measure the parasitic resistance of the test strip traces, and to provide compensation in the voltage applied to the test strip to account for parasitic resistive losses in the test strip traces.
US08092664B2
The present teachings relate to microfluidic valves and pumping systems, which may be suitable for controlling and facilitating liquid flow. Electrodes are disposed proximately to volumes containing a liquid. The liquid flow can be facilitated by electrowetting forces. Processes for controlling the flow of liquids, as well as for pumping liquids, are also disclosed.
US08092662B2
Novel transition metal complexes of iron, cobalt, ruthenium, osmium, and vanadium are described. The transition metal complexes can be used as redox mediators in enzyme based electrochemical sensors. In such instances, transition metal complexes accept electrons from, or transfer electrons to, enzymes at a high rate and also exchange electrons rapidly with the sensor. The transition metal complexes include at least one substituted or unsubstituted biimidazole ligand and may further include a second substituted or unsubstituted biimidazole ligand or a substituted or unsubstituted bipyridine or pyridylimidazole ligand. Transition metal complexes attached to polymeric backbones are also described.
US08092658B2
A deposition system and method of operating thereof is described for depositing a conformal metal or other similarly responsive coating material film in a high aspect ratio feature using a high density plasma is described. The deposition system includes a plasma source, and a distributed metal source for forming plasma and introducing metal vapor to the deposition system, respectively. The deposition system is configured to form a plasma having a plasma density and generate metal vapor having a metal density, wherein the ratio of the metal density to the plasma density proximate the substrate is less than or equal to unity. This ratio should exist at least within a distance from the surface of the substrate that is about twenty percent of the diameter of the substrate. A ratio that is uniform within plus or minus twenty-five percent substantially across the surface of said substrate is desirable. The ratio is particularly effective for plasma density exceeding 1012 cm−3, and for depositing film on substrates having nanoscale features with maximum film thickness less than half of the feature width, for example, at ten percent of the feature width.
US08092651B2
A papermaking machine for making paper includes a forming section, a press section, and a drying section. The paper web is pressed between two press members while enclosed between a press felt and a transfer belt having non-uniformly distributed microscopic depressions in its surface, the web following the transfer belt from the press to a transfer point at which the web is transferred via a suction transfer device onto a structuring fabric, the web then being dried on a drying cylinder. The transfer point is spaced a distance D from the press nip selected based on machine speed, a basis weight of the web, and the surface characteristics of the transfer belt, such that within the distance D a thin water film between the web and the transfer belt at least partially dissipates to allow the web to be separated from the transfer belt.
US08092632B2
The invention relates to a method for bonding metal or plastic substrates, in which the substrate is freed from adhering impurities, a dual-component polyurethane adhesive is directly applied onto at least one substrate without prior application of a primer and the substrates are joined and cured. According to the invention, the dual-component polyurethane adhesive is composed of a component A, containing 1 to 98% by weight with reference to the component A of an oleochemic polyol, 1 to 10% by weight of at least one three-, four- or five-functional polyol with a molecular weight of 90 to 750 g/mol, 2.5 to 60% by weight of at least on aldehyde resin, keton resin and/or keton/aldehyde resin with a molecular weight of 250 to 25000 g/mol, and 0 to 70% by weight of other additives and a component B, containing at least one polyisocyanate, the NCO/OH ratio of the isocyanate component to the polyol component ranging between 1.0 and 2.0:1.
US08092630B2
A method of manufacturing an absorbent article for animals is provided, wherein U-shaped fixing parts(3,30) are mounted to each side edge of a base material(20) of a diaper main body, and then separated into fixing protrusions(31) along a cutout line(41) to serve as movable parts(21,22), thereby allowing firm tightening to the crural area of hind legs and the trunk.
US08092629B2
A method for forming a porous PTFE layer includes steps of: combining one or at least two unburned porous PTFE films and a support body that can withstand a heating condition in the following process (a rod or plate shaped support body made of mesh or the like is preferable) by using a predetermined means in such a manner that a slip can be prevented in a heating treatment in the following process; and heating the matter resulted from the above process at a temperature of at least 150° C. and less than the melting point of the PTFE film for the range of 5-120 minutes (preferably at a temperature in the range of the melting point of a thermoplastic resin fiber to 320° C. for the range of 10-60 minutes in the case in which the thermoplastic resin fiber or the like is used in the process).
US08092628B2
New compositions and methods of using those compositions as bonding compositions are provided. The compositions comprise a cycloolefin copolymer dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system, and can be used to bond an active wafer to a carrier wafer or substrate to assist in protecting the active wafer and its active sites during subsequent processing and handling. The compositions form bonding layers that are chemically and thermally resistant, but that can also be softened or dissolved to allow the wafers to slide or be pulled apart at the appropriate stage in the fabrication process.
US08092626B2
Methods for reducing the density of thermoplastic materials and the articles made therefrom having similar or improved mechanical properties to the solid or noncellular material. Also disclosed are improvements to foaming methods and the cellular structures of the foams made therefrom, and methods for altering the impact strength of solid or noncellular thermoplastic materials and the shaping of the materials into useful articles.
US08092618B2
The invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the formation of foulant deposits on petroleum processing equipment. The invention involves a first mixture comprising an acid phosphate ester. The first mixture is applied to the surface of the petroleum processing equipment at a high temperature. Then a second mixture comprising a metal salt is applied also at a high temperature. The result is sufficient to provide an effective coating that prevents the formation of foulant deposits on the petroleum processing equipment. The second mixture reacts with any polyphosphate in the coating to prevent any contamination of petroleum materials within the petroleum processing equipment.
US08092610B1
Disclosed is a cleaning device for cleaning a driver used in a disk drive manufacturing process. The cleaning device includes: a body; a replaceable cleaning pad mounted in the body; and a cover mounted to the body over the cleaning pad, in which, the cover includes an opening to receive the driver and to expose a portion of the cleaning pad to receive and clean the driver. The cleaning device further includes a cleaning pad rotation mechanism mounted in the body that connects to the cleaning pad and rotates the cleaning pad. The cleaning pad rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the cleaning pad such that an unused portion of the cleaning pad is exposed to the opening for receipt of the driver and the cleaning pad rotation mechanism may be activated to rotate the cleaning pad.
US08092605B2
A method and apparatus for confining a plasma are provided herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus for confining a plasma includes a substrate support and a magnetic field forming device for forming a magnetic field proximate a boundary between a first region disposed at least above the substrate support, where a plasma is to be formed, and a second region, where the plasma is to be selectively restricted. The magnetic field has b-field components perpendicular to a direction of desired plasma confinement that selectively restrict movement of charged species of the plasma from the first region to the second region dependent upon the process conditions used to form the plasma.
US08092601B2
A substrate processing system includes a source unit configured to supply a deposition material to a substrate, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate to receive the deposition material, a shadow mask comprising a frame that includes two opposing arms; and a crossbar configured to be mounted to the two opposing arms. The frame and the crossbar define a plurality of openings that allow the deposition material supplied by the source unit to be deposited on the substrate. A transport mechanism can produce relative movement between the shadow mask and the substrate.
US08092591B2
Light structural mortar compositions containing light loads, type II synthetic anhydrite and additives and methods for the production and use thereof are disclosed and described. Such compositions may be useful for application in ferro-cement constructive systems in order to provide thermal, acoustic and anti-seismic characteristics desirable for coating on interior and exterior walls and ceilings/roofs, as a substitution of cement-based mortar.
US08092588B2
The present invention relates to the addition of biocidal agents to colloidal silicate coating compositions, said compositions being useful for coating structures prepared from Portland cement compositions.
US08092583B2
An ink set includes a cyan ink composition containing C.I. pigment blue 15:6 or C.I. pigment blue 60 as a pigment and a magenta ink composition containing at least one quinacridone pigment selected from the group consisting of C.I. pigment violet 19, C.I. pigment red 122, C.I. pigment red 202, and C.I. pigment red 209, or a quinacridone solid solution pigment formed of at least two selected from the above group, as a pigment.
US08092581B2
A gas separation membrane has: a polymeric microporous membrane which has a polyolefin as a main component, and which is manufactured by wet phase separation process, and has a porosity of 20 to 80%, an average pore diameter of 1 to 100 nm and a piercing strength at 100° C. of 2 to 50 N; and a gas-separating thin film, which is provided on at least one surface, and/or the interior of the polymeric microporous membrane, and which comprises a fluorine-containing gas-separating resin as a main component, and has an average thickness of 0.01 μm to less than 0.4 μm. The gas separation membrane having an oxygen-nitrogen separation factor not smaller than 1.4.
US08092563B2
A system for treating exhaust gas from an engine is disclosed. The system may include a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port and defining a flow path therebetween. A fluid treatment element may be arranged in the flow path and configured to treat exhaust gas. A conduit may be fluidly connected with at least one of the housing ports and may have first and second tubular portions. The first portion may have a first cross-section with an inner diameter, and the second portion may have a generally elongated second cross-section with an inner width and an inner length. The inner length of the second cross-section of the conduit may be smaller than the inner diameter of the first cross-section of the conduit, and the inner width of the second cross-section of the conduit may be greater than the inner diameter of the first cross-section of the conduit.
US08092560B2
Since structural portions of a device made of a plurality of materials are different from one another in mechanical hardness, it is very difficult to uniformly lap the structural portions. This is attributable to generation of machining recessions due to differences in lapped amount when large fixed abrasive grains are used, and generation of lapping marks caused by that the dropped abrasive grains rotate. Accordingly, in order to cope with the disadvantage, it is essential to surely grip abrasive grains of small size to a surface of a surface plate.[Solving Means]Abrasive grains are fixedly forced into a surface of a lapping tool with mechanical pressure and then the surface of the lapping tool including the abrasive grains is subjected to plasma processing, whereby an improvement in adhesion between the abrasive grains and a surface plate and reduction in the number of loose abrasive grains, which are dropped from the surface of the lapping tool, can be achieved, so that it is possible to realize lapping, in which a surface of a device made of a plurality of materials is made very plane.
US08092559B2
Disclosed are strategies for the economical microbial generation of hydrogen, useful as an alternative energy source, from hydrocarbon-rich deposits such as coal, oil and/or gas formations, oil shale, bitumen, tar sands, carbonaceous shale, peat deposits and sediments rich in organic matter through the management of the metabolism of microbial consortia.
US08092557B2
An electrode for a rechargeable lithium ion battery includes an electro-active material, a (polystyrenebutadiene rubber)-poly (acrylonitrile-co-acrylamide) polymer, and a conductive additive. A battery using the inventive electrode is also disclosed.
US08092554B2
The discharge print paste formulation contains synthetic layered silicate as a carrier and thickening agent, one or more bleaching agents selected from sodium hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide, water and optionally sodium hydroxide and discharges color when applied to washable color fast natural fabric (cotton, linen) or washable synthetic and permanent press fabric. The discharge print paste formulation is applied to the fabric. The treated fabric is dried at room temperature, washed and dried to get a pattern of discharged color where the discharge print paste formulation is applied.
US08092552B2
The present invention provides a dyeing composition comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable medium, one or more oxidation dyes, aqueous ammonia, ammonium chloride and one or more additives selected from ceramides, silicas, ascorbic acid and/or its salts, fatty acids and/or salts thereof, alkanolamines and/or salts thereof, crosslinked homopolymers of acrylic acid, copolymers of dialkyldiallylammonium chloride and acrylic acid, and particular cationic polymers, or mixtures thereof. It likewise provides a method of colouring human keratin fibres, employing the said composition in the presence of a composition comprising one or more oxidizing agents. The invention further provides a multiple-compartment device appropriate to the implementation of the said method, comprising in a first compartment a dyeing composition according to the invention and in another compartment a composition comprising one or more oxidizing agents.
US08092540B2
An implant, in particular an intervertebral implant, comprising (A) two articulating parts (4; 5) having each a central axis (1; 26), each a curved slide surface (6; 7) intersecting the central axes (1; 26), and each an axially outermost end (14; 15) that can be connected to a bone, where (B) the slide surfaces (6; 7) are curved and displaceable one on the other, where (D) the second articulating part (5) is rotatable about two mutually skewed axes of rotation (10; 11) relative to the first articulating part (4).
US08092534B2
An implantable revision device includes a motion restrictor configured to substantially restrict motion of a previously implanted motion preservation disc. The motion restrictor may have a substantially incompressible portion including an upper surface configured to abut an upper plate of a previously implanted motion preservation disc and including a lower surface configured to abut a lower plate of the previously implanted motion preservation disc.
US08092532B2
A prosthesis assembly replaces a cephalad portion of a left natural facet joint on a vertebral body and a cephalad portion of a right natural facet joint on a vertebral body. The prosthesis assembly has a left prosthesis body accommodating fixation to the vertebral body at or near a left pedicle and without support by a lamina. An artificial left facet joint structure carried by the left prosthesis body and is adapted and configured to replace a cephalad portion of the left natural facet joint. The prosthesis assembly further has a right prosthesis body accommodating fixation to the vertebral body at or near a left pedicle and without support by a lamina. An artificial right facet joint structure is carried by the right prosthesis body and is adapted and configured to replace a cephalad portion of the right natural facet joint.
US08092530B2
Cartilage implant devices having oval articular ends are provided. The articular ends have a convex upper face and a concave lower face. The convex upper face has a first circular pitch radius and a first circular roll radius. The concave lower face has a first surface comprising a second circular pitch radius and a second circular roll radius, and at least two second surfaces each second surface having a third circular pitch radius and a third circular roll radius. The convex upper face blends into a rim, wherein at least a first and second portion of the rim extends at least a first distance along the vertical axis and a third and fourth portion of the rim tapers inward along the vertical axis, the rim blends into the concave lower face. The implant devices further have a stem extending from the concave lower face away from the convex upper face.
US08092525B2
A method according to one embodiment may include providing a heart valve implant including an anchor capable of engaging coronary tissue, a shaft coupled to said anchor, and a valve body coupled to said shaft. The method may further include at least partially collapsing the heart valve implant and percutaneously inserting the heart valve implant into a heart. The percutaneously inserted implant may be secured within the heart and may then be expanded. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US08092518B2
Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. In a first embodiment, an expandable pre-assembled heart valve includes a plastically-expandable annular base having plurality of upstanding commissure posts. A tubular flexible member including a prosthetic section and a fabric section is provided, with the prosthetic section being connected to the commissure posts and defining leaflets therebetween, and the fabric section being attached to the annular base. In a second embodiment, an expandable heart valve includes an annular tissue-engaging base and a subassembly having an elastic wireform and a plurality of leaflets connected thereto. The annular base and subassembly are separately stored and connected just prior to delivery to the host annulus. Preferably, the leaflet subassembly is stored in its relaxed configuration to avoid deformation of the leaflets. The expandable heart valves may be implanted using a balloon catheter. Preferably, the leaflets of the heart valves are secured to the commissure regions of the expandable stents using a clamping arrangement to reduce stress.
US08092517B2
An implantable device for regulating blood flow through a blood vessel comprising an elongated support dimensioned and configured to be implanted in a blood vessel. The support includes a linking member linking axially spaced apart portions to one another. A valve membrane extends between the axially spaced apart support portions and includes first region folded over the first linking member and attached thereto and a second region adjacent the first region and unattached to the first linking member. The second region is movable between a first position to enable blood flow and a second position to inhibit blood flow.
US08092516B2
A rotationally-symmetric stent graft for deploying in a curved vessel has identical spaced stents along its length, with the stents being further apart in the region of the greatest curvature. The ends of the stents are parallel to each other and to the ends of the graft. The inter-stent spacing may vary along the entire length of the graft or only adjacent one end.
US08092515B2
The present disclosure relates to surgical systems including energized/energizable stents, and methods of using the same in the prevention of restenosis. A surgical system for treating a stenosis and/or a restenosis site s provided. The surgical system includes an electrosurgical generator; an energy transmitting conduit connectable to the electrosurgical generator; and a stent positionable in a body lumen at a site of a stenosis. The stent is fabricated from an electrically conductive material and adapted to electrically communicate with the electrosurgical generator, and the energy transmitting conduit delivers electrosurgical energy to the site of the stenosis.
US08092511B2
A system and method for treating and repairing complex anatomy characterized by a plurality of vessel portions oriented at various angles relative to each other. The system including a graft device that is capable of being assembled in situ and has associated therewith a method that avoids the cessation of blood flow to vital organs. A delivery catheter system and various graft supporting, mating and anchoring structures are additionally included.
US08092502B2
A polyaxial bone screw assembly includes a threaded shank body integral with an upper capture structure and a head having an inner cavity for receiving the capture structure. The capture structure is threaded and the head includes a threaded opening for rotatable assembly with the capture structure and eventual locking frictional engagement between the capture structure and the head.
US08092497B2
The invention provides an intervertebral implant for the lumbo-sacral joint, the implant comprising a spacer suitable for being disposed between the fifth lumbar vertebra L5 and the vertebra S1 of the sacrum that is articulated to the vertebra L5. The implant comprises a flexible tie having end portions suitable for being fastened to the sacrum with the help of fasteners such as pedicular screws. The flexible tie has an intermediate portion suitable for co-operating with a connection system such as a hook provided on the spacer so that the flexible tie connects the spacer to the sacrum. The flexible tie is put under tension in such a manner as to exert a return force on the spacer towards the vertebra S1.
US08092495B2
A spinal platform for delivering a therapeutic agent to a spinal cord target includes a brace member for attachment to a plurality of bony structures surrounding at least a portion of the spinal cord target, a carriage member operatively coupled to and movable along the brace member, and a universal joint for adjusting the coronal or sagittal angle of a surgical instrument. The brace member includes at least one longitudinal rail and a plurality of attachment members. The plurality of attachment members is operably connected to the at least one longitudinal rail. The at least one longitudinal rail includes a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a middle portion extending between the proximal and distal end portions. The universal joint is seated within a portion of the carriage member and is capable of delivering the therapeutic agent to the spinal cord target.
US08092490B2
Photochemical tissue bonding methods include the application of a photosensitizer to a tissue and/or tissue graft, followed by irradiation with electromagnetic energy to produce a tissue seal. The methods are useful for tissue adhesion, such as in wound closure, tissue grafting, skin grafting, musculoskeletal tissue repair, ligament or tendon repair and corneal repair.
US08092488B2
An improved bone retractor tool includes a pair of arms pivotably connected to one in a pliers-like configuration and a pair of tissue engagement plates each having forward and rearward portions, each of the pair of tissue engagement plates mounted on the upper end of one of the pair of arms and extending generally parallel with one another when the pair of arms are in closed position. Forward bone engagement spikes are mounted on and extend forwards from the forward portions of the tissue engagement plates. A releasable securement mechanism is mounted on the pair of arms for releasably retaining the pair of arms in a selected position relative to one another, and a tensioning device is mounted on the pair of arms for tensioning the lower ends away from one another thereby forcing the pair of tissue engagement plates towards one another upon the securement mechanism being released.
US08092484B2
A removable blood clot filter includes a number of locator members and anchor members, and a bio-resorbable structure that causes locator members and/or anchor members to deploy to an initial configuration which changes when the bio-resorbable structure is resorbed. The bio-resorbable structure causes the filter locator members and/or anchor members to press against the vessel wall sufficient to locate and anchor the filter upo delivery. After the bio-resorbable structure is resorbed, the locator members and/or anchor members change shape to apply less pressure against the vessel wall. The bio-resorbable structure may be activated by exposure to radiation so that actuation of the locator members and/or anchor members can be enabled or initiated by a clinician.
US08092479B2
A method for placing an implant within a hollow body organ by providing a member with distal and proximal ends. The member has at least one tensioning tether with a first end attached to at least one of the distal and proximal end and a second ends attached to the member between the distal and proximal ends. The step includes moving the member towards the deployed shape by applying tension to the tether.
US08092472B2
The present invention relates to devices and methods for the endoscopic treatment of hollow organs. The invention provides improved devices and methods for apposing and fixating multiple regions of the outer surface of a hollow organ. The invention is particularly useful for procedures in which multiple regions of the outer surface of the stomach are brought into apposition and fixated, for example procedures to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or procedures to treat obesity.
US08092463B2
An apparatus for vertical callus distraction includes a linear drive having first and anchors, each with a plate-shaped region, that are able to be displaced relative to one another by way of the linear drive and substantially orientated perpendicularly to the direction of displacement. The first anchor is connected to a fixed bone segment and the second anchor is connected to a movable bone segment for cultivating the growth of callus between the bone segments. The linear drive has a first element with the first anchor fixed to an end of the first element, and a second element with the second anchor fixed to an end of the second element. The first and second elements are translationally displaced relative to one another with the linear drive preventing rotation of the first element relative to the second element, and preventing relative rotation between the first and second anchors.
US08092460B2
The present invention describes a magnetic targeting system suitable for guiding a biocompatible device to a target area within the body (in vivo) and method of using the same. The system includes a targeting member having a steering material and is attached to the biocompatible device. The system also includes at least one anchoring member constructed and arranged for the inclusion of a magnetic material effective for influencing the traversal of the steering material, in vivo. The magnetically influenced anchoring member interacts with the targeting member such that the biocompatible device is positionable relative to the target area.
US08092451B2
A bipolar electrosurgical instrument has a pair of pivotable juxtaposed jaw members and a locking mechanism operatively associated with a second of the jaw members. The locking mechanism has a first position engaged with the second jaw member for preventing movement of the second jaw member between an axially aligned orientation and at least one angled orientation, and a second position. The second position is disengaged from the second jaw member allowing for movement of the second jaw member between the axially aligned orientation and the at least one angled orientation. The instrument has an actuation mechanism operatively connected to a first of the jaw members with the actuation mechanism operable to move the first jaw member between an axially aligned first orientation and at least one angled orientation. An articulation knob is operatively associated with the locking mechanism and effectuates independent operation of the locking and actuation mechanisms.
US08092446B2
In a device for material processing by laser radiation, including a source of laser radiation emitting pulsed laser radiation for interaction with the material; optics focusing the pulsed processing laser radiation to a center of interaction in the material and a scanning unit shifting the positions of the center of interaction within the material. Each processing laser pulse interacts with the material in a zone surrounding the center of interaction assigned to the laser pulse so that material is separated in the zones of interaction. A control unit controls the scanning unit and the source of laser radiation such that a cut surface is produced in the material by sequential arrangement of zones of interaction. The control unit controls the source of laser radiation and the scanning unit such that adjacent centers of interaction are located at a spatial distance a≦10 μm from each other.
US08092441B2
A disposable wearing article has longitudinally extending side edges of a front waist region. The side edges are defined by a pair of hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric layers having mutually opposed surfaces tightly bonded to each other. Fastening zones are formed by an adhesive applied on longitudinally extending side edges of the rear waist region. Landing zones are formed from plastic filmstrip tightly bonded to the side edges of the front waist region.
US08092434B2
A nasal passage washing device includes a pliable body including an open top; and an applicator cap removably attached to the pliable body to cover and uncover the open top. The applicator cap includes an applicator tip having a substantially frustoconical configuration sized and shaped for receipt at least partially within a nostril of a user for sealing engagement therewith, the applicator tip including a hole to transfer washing solution there through, a washing solution transfer tube in communication with the hole of the applicator tip and a bottom of an inside of the pliable body to transfer washing solution from the bottom of the inside of the pliable body to the hole of the applicator tip, and a one-way air valve that only allows air flow into the pliable body through the one-way air valve and does not allow air flow and washing solution flow out of the pliable body through the one-way air valve.
US08092431B2
The present disclosure relates to a seal assembly for a cannula. The cannula includes a housing having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The seal assembly is located in the proximal portion of the housing and includes a first seal including a first tri-slit, a second seal disposed co-axially and proximal to the first seal and including a second tri-slit, and a third seal disposed co-axially to the first seal and the second seal and including a central opening. A cap is coupled to the proximal portion of the housing and adjacent the third seal and includes a plurality of suture retaining features, such as tabs, for management of sutures during surgery. Fluid leakage out of the cannula, during surgery, is substantially reduced due to the leakage being limited to a channel defined by the first tri-slit, the second tri-slit, and the central opening.
US08092422B2
The invention relates to a dual-chamber carpule comprising a cylinder (1) comprising a bypass (3), a central plug (6) and an end plug (10), and an attachment; the invention further relates to a method for producing and filling said dual-chamber carpule.
US08092416B2
An apparatus and a method for connecting medical tubing or any other type of fluidic circuit conduits (e.g., cannulae) to a ventricular assist device (“VAD”) or any other pumping device used for blood pumping during cardiac circulatory support for vascular surgery. The apparatus and the method prevent air bubbles from entering a cardiac circulatory support system when connecting cannulae to a VAD that may later enter the blood stream of a patient during cardiac surgery, and also provide for purging any air bubbles that may have entered the cardiac circulatory support system during a cannulae-VAD connection.
US08092410B2
A hydrotherapy jet includes a jet body having an open upstream end and an open downstream end and defining a flow path between the open upstream end and open downstream end, a flapper disposed within the flow path, the flapper having upstream flapper and downstream flapper ends and rotatably connected to the jet body at the upstream flapper end to rotatably oscillate about the upstream flapper end when a stream of water is introduced from upstream to downstream through the flow path and a head spoiler formed on the downstream flapper end to reduce the frequency of oscillation of the flapper wherein a stream of water pulsating effect is felt by a user of the jet apparatus adjacent the open downstream end as the flapper rotatably oscillates.
US08092408B2
A massage device comprising an elongated flexible handle having a resilient ball movably secured to one end of the handle.
US08092407B2
A massage machine using a small size and high torque brushless DC motor includes a driving unit moved up and down along guide rails of a chair and a first motor for moving the driving unit up and down. A pair of treatment head bases are driven reciprocally in opposite directions to each other; and a second motor reciprocally drives the treatment head bases in opposite directions to each other. Treatment heads are respectively supported by the treatment head bases; and a third motor drives the treatment heads in a plane substantially perpendicular to a backrest. A control circuit drives the respective motors respectively independently of one another. Each motor is a brushless motor. A control circuit corrects, corresponding to a load imposed on the brushless DC motor, a waveform of a drive signal applied to a winding of the brushless DC motor so as to allow a current flowing through the winding of the brushless DC motor to have a substantially sinusoidal waveform making it possible to reduce discomfort due to motor noise, and to accurately control the motor rotation speed.
US08092404B2
The invention is an apparatus for increasing intrathoracic pressure for resuscitating cardiac arrest patients. The apparatus comprises a flexible, substantially inelastic belt wrapped around the patient's chest and attached to a force converter. The force converter converts a downwardly directed force into a chestward resultant, which depresses the sternum, and two belt tightening resultants. The force converter comprises a pair of arm assemblies, each having a pair of spaced arms, which are pivotably mounted to a base. The base is positioned near the patient's sternum and the ends of the belt attach to one end of each arm assembly. The opposite, handle ends of the arm assemblies are depressed toward the chest causing tightening of the belt and compression of the chest cavity.
US08092400B2
The present application relates to a method for determining the position or relative position of body parts, taking into account the anatomical symmetry, wherein at least one first-side body part is provided on the first side of an anatomical body, and at least one second-side body part is provided on the second side of the anatomical body, wherein the first side is separated from the second side by a body symmetry plane, said method comprising the steps of: providing first-side body part data which describes or implies the position of the at least one first-side body part; providing second-side body part data which describes the position of the at least one second-side body part; providing symmetry plane data which describes the position of the body symmetry plane; calculating the mirrored position or mirrored positions of the at least one second-side body part which results after the position of the at least one second-side body part has been mirrored on the body symmetry plane, on the basis of the second-side body part data and the symmetry plane data, and determining and/or displaying a deviation between the mirrored position or positions of the at least one second-side body part and the position or positions of the at least one first-side body part; and/or determining a mirrored relative position of the second-side body parts, on the basis of the second-side body part data and the symmetry plane data.
US08092384B2
A method for performing a blood assay is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: positioning an acoustic biosensor in fluid communication with a blood vessel of the patient whereby blood from the blood vessel contacts the biosensor. The biosensor includes at least one material adapted to bind to an analyte. The method also includes the steps of detecting a change in at least one of an electrical and mechanical property of the biosensor indicative of a mass change resulting from binding of the at least one material with the analyte and transmitting a real time signal representative of mass change to a display module to provide real time analysis by a clinician.
US08092380B2
System and method for improving hospital patient care by providing a continual measurement of health
A system for improving hospital patient care by generating a Health Score. The system includes an interface module for receiving incoming medical data from a patient, a transformation module for transforming each of the medical datum into a transformed Health Score value, and a combination module for combining the transformed Health Score values corresponding to each of the medical datum into a single Health Score. A presentation and comparison module displays the Health Score as a Health Score plot over a predetermined time frame, such that a user may identify health trends in a patient by evaluating said Health Score plot.
US08092379B2
A sensor may be placed on a patient to obtain physiological measurements. The application of the sensor on the patient may start a timer set to run for a given time interval. If the sensor is repositioned before the interval is expired, the timer is reset. If the time expires without the sensor being repositioned, a caregiver is prompted to reposition the sensor.
US08092378B2
A medical device for managing tissue in an organ, such as the stomach, for retracting or positioning tissue and related organs to allow certain regions of the stomach to be acquired for a gastroplasty procedure. The medical device includes an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a tissue treatment device attached to the distal end of the elongated body. The tissue treatment device includes a first jaw opposite a second jaw, and each jaw is adapted to acquire tissue. A retractor is disposed along the tissue treatment device and adapted to be moveable from a delivery position to a retraction position to move or manage the tissue of the stomach. The medical device also includes a collapsible barrier disposed between the first and second jaws of the tissue treatment device to direct tissue into the first and second jaws separately.
US08092377B2
An endoscope device includes an optical coupler, an image pickup module, a second bundle of optical fibers, a photodetector and an image processing module. The optical coupler has an input end optically coupled to a light source, a first output end and a second output end. The image pickup module includes a lens module and a first bundle of optical fibers. A end of the first bundle of the optical fibers is optically coupled to the output end of the optical coupler. An opposite end of the first bundle of the optical fibers is configured for emitting the light to illuminate an object. The second bundle of optical fibers has a end optically coupled to an image side of the lens module. An opposite end of the second bundle of the optical fibers and the second output end of the optical coupler are optically coupled to the photodetector.
US08092372B2
An insertion assisting tool for an endoscope which is a tubular insertion assisting tool which is provided with an inflatable and deflatable balloon attached to a tip end outer peripheral part, and through which an insertion section for an endoscope is capable of being inserted, comprising: an air hole formed at an outer periphery and/or a tip end part of the insertion assisting tool.
US08092367B2
The present disclosure is directed to an external cardiac basal annuloplasty system (ECBAS or BACE-System: basal annuloplasty of the cardia externally) and methods for treatment of regurgitation of mitral and tricuspid valves. The BACE-System provides the ability to correct leakage of regurgitation of the valves with or without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, particularly when the condition is related to dilation of the base of the heart. This ECBAS invention can be applied to the base of the heart epicardially, either to prevent further dilation or to actively reduce the size of the base of the heart.
US08092364B2
Counterpulsation methods and systems for assisting the heart of a patient involve, for example, coordinating the operation of a pulsatile pump to suction blood from an artery through a first conduit while the heart is in systole and expel the blood into the first conduit and the artery while the heart is in diastole.
US08092362B2
A separator arrangement includes a separator having a drum with a vertical rotation axis. The drum is placed on a rotatable drive spindle and is surrounded by a shroud. A separating wall separates the separator arrangement into a sanitary area that includes the drum and the shroud and a drive area that includes the drive device. The separator and the drive device are decoupled as a unit, in terms of vibration, by at least one of the separating wall and a foundation attachment. The drive device includes a motor, a coupling, at least one bearing device, and a flange section around the drive spindle underneath a drive cover, and a sealing device. A membrane arrangement is formed in a region of the drive cover and, for vibration purposes, decouples the drive cover from the machine frame in a region around the drive spindle.
US08092358B2
The present invention provides a charging member which can maintain excellent wear resistance even though being used repeatedly. In the charging member having a surface layer, the surface layer is a surface layer constituted by at least one selected from silsesquioxanes having structures represented by a compound (1), a compound (2), a compound (3), a compound (4), a compound (5) and a compound (6), and a polysiloxane having a first unit represented by SiO0.5R1(OR2)(OR3), a second unit represented by SiO1.0R4(OR5) and a third unit represented by SiO1.5R6, wherein the silsesquioxane is contained in the polysiloxane.
US08092355B2
Motional training is achieved by providing a subject with vibrotactile feedback in response to an attempt by the subject to perform predetermined motions. In particular, an attempt by the subject to perform at least one predetermined motion is monitored using sensors, such as force plates or inertial sensors. The sensor signals indicate results of the attempt by the subject to perform the at least one predetermined motion, and a variance between the at least one predetermined motion and the results of the attempt by the subject to perform the at least one predetermined motion is determined. Vibrotactile signals are then sent to the subject by activating one or more actuators coupled to the subject, where the one or more actuators are spatially oriented with respect to the subject to indicate one or more directions. The vibrotactile signals indicate the variance with respect to the one or more directions.
US08092353B2
An apparatus and system are disclosed for a fitness stick. The apparatus includes an elongated rod having a center point, a first end, and a second end. The apparatus also includes a first track connected with the rod and extending helically away from the center point along an outer surface of the elongated rod toward the first end, and a second track connected with the rod and extending helically away from the center point along an outer surface of the elongated rod toward the second end. Any point along the second track is reflectively symmetrical to a corresponding point on the first track about a central plane extending through the center point and orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the elongated rod. The system includes the apparatus, first and second hand-slides, and a resistance band coupling the first hand-slide with the second hand-slide.
US08092352B2
An apparatus permitting a user to perform a simulated bicycling exercise is provided. The design includes a frame and a first (lower front) mounting point including a multiple element distributed load arrangement and a second (upper rear) mounting point configured to maintain the frame a first lower front mounting point including a pin defining an axis substantially representing a line joining the second upper rear mounting point and the first lower front mounting point. The design includes a seat, a wheel, and pedals, and the frame is configured to pivot about the axis in response to leaning by the user. Handlebars may be provided that enable force application and enhance the leaning or pivoting in the bicycle riding simulation experience.
US08092351B1
An exercise apparatus comprises: a frame; a crank system supported by the frame; a right and left foot members supported by the frame; first and second flexible element coupled to the crank system and foot support members such that downward motion of either foot support member causes rotation of the crank system; and a crank offset assembly configured to prevent the crank system from becoming locked at a top dead center location.
US08092340B2
A method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain includes operating an engine driveably connected to first vehicle wheels, providing an electric motor driveably connected to second vehicle wheels, shifting a gear selector between a forward drive position and a reverse drive position, reducing vehicle speed to or lower than a reference speed, and using a transmission located between the engine and the first wheels and the electric motor to produce reverse or forward drive corresponding to the position to which the gear selector is shifted.
US08092334B2
A variable speed front differential assembly for a vehicle is provided including a first side shaft, a second side shaft, and an input shaft. An offset differential case houses a differential mechanism engaging the first side shaft and the second side shaft. A speed selection assembly is movable from a first speed position to a second speed position. A speed reduction assembly is mounted adjacent the offset differential case. The speed selection assembly directly engages the offset differential case housing when in the first speed position such that a 1:1 drive ratio is achieved. The speed selection assembly engages the offset differential case through the speed reduction assembly when in the second speed position such that an increased drive ratio is achieved.
US08092327B2
In a spring-loaded tensioner lever having a coiled torsion spring accommodated in a space inside the lever, a stopper mechanism, comprising a pin held removably in a hole in the lever, holds an arm of the torsion spring against movement in the unwinding direction while the lever, or the chain, is being mounted on a mounting surface. The pin and a bent end of the arm of the spring fit into holes in the mounting surface positioned so that a pivot shaft-receiving hole of the lever is automatically aligned with a shaft-mounting hole in the mounting surface.
US08092325B2
A continuously variable belt transmission for a vehicle which can generate a cancellation hydraulic pressure for cancellation with a simple construction, as well as urge a movable sheave in the direction for producing a belt pressing force even at the time a vehicle is towed. A member to form a first hydraulic chamber P1 where a pressing force acting on the movable sheave is generated and a circular member forming a part of a second hydraulic chamber P2 where a hydraulic pressure is generated to cancel a centrifugal hydraulic pressure generated in the first hydraulic chamber P1 are provided, wherein the circular member is formed of an elastic member urging the movable sheave in the direction for generating the belt pressing force at a position of the movable sheave in a predetermined gear ratio.
US08092319B1
The present invention provides a novel solution to imparting backspin on high lofted golf clubs. The present invention seeks to define a class of scoreline patterns that result in a higher density of scorelines along the bottom perimeter of an iron face. This in turn, results in increased spin on a golf ball when struck low on the face.
US08092311B2
A bearing arrangement for a universal joint including a securing ring which is inserted in an annular groove of a universal-joint yoke with a form fit is arranged such that it can be adjusted. In this case, both the securing ring and an associated contact surface on a base of the universal joint bush have a contact surface which rises helically.
US08092309B2
A gaming system is described that is configured to provide on-line poker games with only live participants. The gaming system may link gaming devices located in a casino or across a gaming enterprise. The gaming system may comprise a number of secure transaction terminals that are distributed throughout the gaming venue or gaming enterprise. The secure transaction terminals may be designed for operation only by a human operator. The secure transaction terminals may include one or more of mobile devices that may be moved throughout the gaming venue or the gaming enterprise, thin-client gaming devices with fixed locations and wager-based video gaming machines with fixed locations. The gaming system may include one or more servers configured to provide head-to-head poker games involving live players, monitor the locations of the secure transaction terminals within the gaming venue or gaming enterprise and limit game participation based upon the locations of the secure transaction terminals being utilized in the gaming venue. The game participation based upon location may be performed to prevent collusion among players.
US08092305B2
A reel device for a gaming machine comprising a chassis configured to support the reel device and a reel structure attached to the chassis. The reel structure has a hub, a frame, and a spoke attached to the hub and the frame. The frame may define the periphery of the reel structure. The periphery of the reel structure may have media adapted to display a symbol to a game player. The reel may further have a board attached to the chassis and a plurality of light-emitting diodes positioned on the board, wherein the plurality of light-emitting diodes may be adapted to transmit light to at least a portion of the media. The light-emitting diodes may have a plurality of beam angles and output power levels.
US08092304B2
Techniques for simulating mechanical reels are disclosed. The techniques are especially suitable for simulating mechanical reels typically used for reel-based games in gaming machines (or units). Image of at least one rotating mechanical reel can be projected on at least one projection surface to effectively simulate at least one mechanical reel. The image can be projected on multiple rotating projection surfaces (or reels) to give a closer illusion of a mechanical reel-based game. Projection can be accomplished by using a projection system coupled to one or more processors that processes projection data.
US08092297B2
A gaming system includes a controller linked to a plurality of gaming devices. The central server tracks: (i) a quantity of gaming devices being actively played by players, or (ii) a quantity of players actively playing at the gaming devices. The controller determines the players' eligibility for different awards based on the tracked quantity. When the controller tracks a first quantity, the controller provides the active players with an opportunity to win a first award. When the central server tracks a second quantity, the central server provides the active players with an opportunity to win a second award. As the tracked quantity changes, the controller determines or modifies the number of awards available to the players actively playing at the gaming devices.
US08092295B2
A game system 1 has a bookmaker terminal 20 for setting odds for various events, and a plurality of gaming machines 50 that receive, via communication means 10, odds information set by the terminal 20. Each of the gaming machines 50 has: a gaming device 55 for executing the gaming machine-original game; a game control section 70 for controlling the execution of the game played on the gaming machine 50, as well as for controlling acceptance/payout of a gaming medium; and a bookgame control section 70 for accepting a bet by the odds on the event, with respect to the received odds information. Accordingly, in a game arcade, even when a popular event is relayed, it is possible to provide a game system in which the attention of the player to the gaming machine is not decreased.
US08092287B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for providing a real-time interactive surface. In one embodiment, such a system comprises an activity surface for use as a venue for an interactive experience, and an interactive experience control unit including an events management application. The events management application is configured to monitor and coordinate events occurring during the interactive experience. The system also comprises a surface rendering application interactively linked to the events management application, the surface rendering application configured to render a visual image for display at the activity surface in real-time, the visual image corresponding to one or more visual assets associated with a subset of the events occurring during the interactive experience. The system further comprises a surface display module interactively linked to the surface rendering application, the surface display module configured to display the rendered real-time visual image at the activity surface to provide the real-time interactive surface.
US08092278B2
Chamfer correction is performed to a chamfered portion at least on a front side of a silicon wafer after an incoming inspection. Thereby, a thickness of the chamfered portion on the front side of the wafer is restored, and thus the number of reclamation cycles of the silicon wafer can be increased. In addition, the chamfered portion is not deformed even after reclamation is repeated for a plurality of times.
US08092270B2
A method of making a tubulation-free gas filled electrode or lamp having the steps of providing a glass or quartz tube having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; inserting a cathode into the first end; crimping the first end thereby securing the cathode and making the first end airtight; securing a solid plug inside the tube second end but leaving a gap between the plug and tube through which gas can pass; evacuating air from inside the tube by drawing it through the second end past the plug; charging the tube with a gas; and sealing the plug gap to make the second end airtight.
US08092269B2
A decrease in yield and degradation of productivity can be avoided when a spark plug having an insulator with low mechanical strength is manufactured. In a second process, a terminal electrode 15 is inserted to a predetermined position in a state where an insulator 12 is heated to a temperature equal to or greater than the softening temperatures of first to third powder materials 16P, 17P, and 18P such that the first powder material 16P becomes a first conductive sealing material layer 16, the second powder material 17P becomes a resistor 17, and the third powder material 18P becomes a second conductive sealing material layer 18. In addition, a speed at which the terminal electrode 15 is inserted is reduced between the start and the end of the second process.
US08092267B2
A submarine escape suit assembly comprises a submarine escape suit (10) and a liferaft pack (11). The pack (11) is formed by an outer casing (20) that can be pulled open to access a sealed inner casing (21) containing a liferaft. A cord (27) on the inner pack (11) is pulled to commence inflation of the liferaft (10).
US08092266B2
A marine vessel propulsion unit includes an engine, a drive shaft, a propeller shaft, a propeller, an intermediate shaft, a forward-reverse switching mechanism, and a shock reduction mechanism. The intermediate shaft is arranged on a central rotation axis of the propeller shaft. The intermediate shaft is arranged to transmit rotation between the drive shaft and the propeller shaft. The forward-reverse switching mechanism is arranged to switch a rotational direction of the propeller shaft to a forward drive direction or a reverse drive direction. The shock reduction mechanism includes a plurality of spring members and a pair of stopper portions. The shock reduction mechanism is arranged on the central rotation axis of the propeller shaft. The plurality of spring members are arranged to absorb a force in the rotational direction by elastically deforming in the rotational direction when the force in the rotational direction is applied to the intermediate shaft. The pair of stopper portions are arranged to prevent elastic deformations of the plurality of spring members by coming into contact with each other when the elastic deformation amounts of the plurality of spring members reach a predetermined value.
US08092250B2
An electric connection device including a first connection member to be powered by an electric current and a second conjugated connection member, the first connection member being provided with at least one luminous member having at least two states and powered by a portion of the supply current of said first connection member. The device includes a position sensor having two states and provided in the first connection member so as to be actuated by a portion of the second connection member, or a mobile portion of the first connection member driven by a portion of said second member when said members are in a connection position, thus switching the position sensor from state to the other, the latter being adapted to switch the luminous element or one of them from one state to the other depending on its own state.
US08092248B2
The invention concerns a Cable clamp for a cable connector, the cable clamp being arranged for receiving and capturing a portion of at least one cable extending along an extension direction from the connector. The cable clamp includes a first section and a plurality of second sections which are movably attached or attachable to the first section; the first section includes at least one through-hole extending in the direction of extension, which through-hole is configured for receiving a first portion of at least one cable penetrating through the hole and at least a portion of the second sections is arranged for capturing between them a second portion of the at least one cable penetrating through the hole and extending therefrom.
US08092231B2
A socket for an electric component provided with a plurality of contact pins in a socket body. The contact pin each have a lower contact part that is electrically conductive with a contact point on a substrate, an upper contact part that contacts the terminal of the electric component when pressure is applied, and an upper spring part that is located between the lower contact part and the upper contact part, that is elastically deformed when pressure is applied, and that, by its elasticity, presses the upper contact part against the terminal. The contact pins are each formed in such a shape that the location of the contact point with respect to the terminal does not change when pressure is applied and the upper contact part is rotated about the contact point (contact projection) of the upper contact part and the terminal.
US08092229B2
A core conductor of a coaxial connector is electrically connected to a terminal electrode which is provided at an end of a surface of a board, and a shell GND of the coaxial connector is electrically connected to a GND electrode which is provided at an end of a back surface of the board in a relay connector. The shell GND has a substantially columnar outer shape. The relay connector includes: a conductive first block having a first surface and a second surface being opposite to the first surface, the first block formed with a through hole, the coaxial connector being provided in the through hole, a part of the shell GND being provided in the through hole, the core conductor of the coaxial connector being projected from the first surface of the first block; and a conductive second block provided with a board rest part on which the board is to be placed, the second block operable to relatively move with respect to the first block and being electrically connected to the first block.
US08092218B2
The arrangement for fastening a dental prosthesis to a male bar including a female housing that is connectable to the dental prosthesis and at least two inserts that are insertable into the female housing and extend over the male bar when the female housing is attached to the latter. The arrangement allows a simpler adjustment of the retention force that retains the female housing on the male bar.
US08092213B2
In a flame arrester insert comprising two metal strips (1, 2) wound together, of which a first metal strip (1) is a smooth strip and the second metal strip (2) is a grooved strip having defined grooving, so that they rest on each other at defined contact points (3) and, between the contact points (3), form defined gaps (4) for the passage of a fluid, the stability can be increased and corrosion prevention can be implemented even with inexpensive materials by the metal strips (1, 2) resting directly on each other at the contact points (3) and, outside the contact points (3), having a surface coating (5) which, close to the contact points, is a uniform joint coating of the surfaces of the metal strips (1, 2) that point toward each other.
US08092190B2
Systems and methods for using variable speed drives to restart downhole submersible pump motors. In one embodiment, a downhole pump is controlled using a variable speed drive that includes a control system configured to detect interruptions in the operation of the pump system. After an interruption that requires the restart of the pump motor, the control system determines the reverse rotational speed of the pump motor and restarts the motor when this speed is sufficiently low. The control system may be configured to reduce the output voltage of the variable speed drive and sweep through a range of output frequencies to determine the frequency at which the current drawn by the motor is lowest. This is the frequency at which the drive's output matches the speed of the motor and the apparent impedance of the motor is highest. When the speed is low enough, the motor is restarted.
US08092187B2
A blade for the use in the generation of power has a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first shell portion of the blade extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge. A second shell portion of the blade also extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge. A root portion of the blade is positioned proximate the wind turbine and a tip portion which extends from the root portion away from the wind turbine. A trailing edge insert is positioned between the first shell portion and the second shell portion proximate the root portion. The trailing edge insert has a surface which extends between and separates the first shell portion from the second shell portion at the trailing edge, such that the insert provides a high lift profile for increased blade efficiency.
US08092186B2
A random pitch impeller for a fuel pump has number of blades. An incremental angle of the blades is set by the expression: Δθ i = ( 360 N ) + ( - 1 ) i × Am × sin ( p 1 × 360 N × i ) × cos ( P 2 × 360 N × i ) , where ΔθI is the incremental angle between the blades, N is the total number of blades (N=2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, . . . ), Am is the distribution magnitude of the inter-blade interval (equally divided angle) (0
US08092185B2
A cooling fan (10) includes a bottom plate (12) a top cover (14) covering the bottom plate, a sidewall (13) disposed between the bottom plate and the top cover, and an impeller (16) enclosed in a space formed between the bottom plate, the top cover and the sidewall. The impeller includes a hub (162), and a plurality of blades (164) radially and outwardly extending from the hub. Each of the blades includes a windward surface (164a) and a leeward surface (164b) opposite to the windward surface. The leeward surface of each blade defines three indents (171, 172, 173) therein. Two protrusions (174) are formed between adjacent indents. The uneven leeward surface is provided for lowering the noise level generated by the cooling fan during an operation thereof.
US08092179B2
An example turbine blade includes a blade having an airfoil profile extending radially toward a blade tip. A shelf is established in the blade tip. A sealing portion of the blade tip extends radially past a floor of the shelf. The sealing portion extends from a blade tip leading edge to a blade tip trailing edge. A groove is established in the blade tip. The groove extends from adjacent the shelf to adjacent the blade tip trailing edge. The groove is configured to communicate a fluid from a position adjacent the shelf to a position adjacent the blade tip trailing edge.
US08092173B2
A method of controlling a wind turbine, where a control signal for a controllable parameter of the wind turbine is determined repeatingly at successive time steps, and a control history including respective control values derived from or included in past control signals is stored. These control values stored in the control history are then used to determine an alert parameter for the controllable parameter, the alert parameter being a function of the variations of the control signals over time. The wind turbine is then controlled according to the most recent control signal only if the alert parameter is below an alert threshold, and otherwise according to a modified control strategy. The control method may be performed on pitch reference signals for controlling the individual and/or collective pitch of the blades. The invention further relates to a control system configured to perform the above control method, and a wind turbine comprising such system.
US08092171B2
A method of assembling a wind turbine. The method includes coupling a pitch bearing to a hub that includes a wall. The pitch bearing includes a plurality of sets of pitch bearing teeth. At least one blade is coupled to the pitch bearing such that the blade is rotatable about a pitch axis. A plurality of pitch gearbox brackets are coupled to the hub wall. A pitch drive system is selectively coupled to one of the plurality of pitch gearbox brackets, wherein a predetermined set of pitch bearing teeth are in contact with the pitch drive system.
US08092166B2
A fan assembly for creating an air current is described. The fan assembly includes a nozzle mounted on a base housing a device for creating an air flow through the nozzle. The nozzle includes an interior passage for receiving the air flow from the base, a mouth through which the air flow is emitted, the mouth being defined by facing surfaces of the nozzle, and spacers for spacing apart the facing surfaces of the nozzle. The nozzle extends substantially orthogonally about an axis to define an opening through which air from outside the fan assembly is drawn by the air flow emitted from the mouth. The fan provides an arrangement producing an air current and a flow of cooling air created without requiring a bladed fan. The spacers can provide for a reliable, reproducible nozzle of the fan assembly and performance of the fan assembly.
US08092159B2
A cooling arrangement for a first stage nozzle of a turbine includes a slot formed in a forward face of the first stage nozzle, the slot opening in a direction facing a combustor transition piece and adapted to receive a flange portion of a seal extending between the first stage nozzle and the transition piece. The slot has a closed end formed with at least one cooling cavity provided with at least one cooling passageway extending between the cavity and an external surface of the first stage nozzle.
US08092156B2
An outdoor unit of an air conditioner is provided. The outdoor unit includes a base assembly defining a lower exterior of the outdoor unit and supporting a plurality of parts, left and right panels that are provided on the base assembly to define left and right exteriors of the outdoor unit, a pair of top panels that are provided between upper ends of the left and right panels to define a top exterior of the outdoor unit, a blower assembly including a blower fan generating air current and a motor providing a torque to the blower fan, a frame assembly supporting the blower assembly and including a pair of transverse supports interconnecting the left and right panels and a motor mount disposed between the pair of transverse supports to support the motor, and a shroud enclosing the blower fan and the motor and guiding airflow generated by the blower fan. The motor mount is received to an inside of the shroud.
US08092151B2
A wind turbine with a tower, a nacelle, a main shaft, a hub and blades is provided. The wind turbine also includes a liquid medium distribution system for transport of liquid medium in the wind turbine. The liquid medium distribution system has a first distribution sub-system located in the tower, a second distribution sub-system located in the nacelle, a third distribution sub-system located in the hub, a tower-nacelle-interface connecting the first distribution sub-system to the second distribution sub-system, and a nacelle-hub-interface connecting the second distribution sub-system to the third distribution sub-system. Further, a method of transporting liquid medium in a wind turbine is provided.
US08092148B2
A gas turbine having at least one compressor, at least one combustion chamber, and at least one turbine, the or each compressor and/or the or each turbine having a rotor that includes rotor blades surrounded by a stationary housing, and a run-in coating being assigned to the housing is disclosed. The gas turbine includes at least one channel which is configured to apply a pressure prevailing on the high-pressure side of the blades of a rotor to a low-pressure side of the same in the area of a gap between the radially outer ends of the blades and the housing and thereby prevent a flow through the gap.
US08092142B2
Improvements in a vertical recreational vehicle ramp and lift that allows a recreational vehicle to be stored and transported in a vertical orientation. A cable from the lift mechanism connects to a recreational vehicle. The cable in then retracted to lift the recreational vehicle into a vertical orientation. This method of storage reduces the amount of space that is required to store a recreational vehicle. The storage method can be used in a garage, on the back or within a mobile transportation vehicle. The lifting device can be a powered or manual crank device that lifts the recreational vehicle. The ramp can be used to transport other vehicles into the truck and also provides protection of the wheels of the recreational vehicle against here the vehicle is stored.
US08092140B2
A container storage and retrieval system (1) has first, second and third storage zones (2, 3, 4) for storing containers. The first storage zone (2) stores containers of product in frames (6), each frame (6) including a plurality of stacks (7) of containers. The second storage zone (3) stores containers of product in stacks (7). An automated retrieval system retrieves selected stacks of containers from the second storage zone (3) and replenishes the second zone (3) with containers by receiving frames (6). The third storage zone (4) includes a second automated retrieval system for retrieving selected partial stacks or stacks of containers, and replenishing the third storage zone with containers by receiving stacks from the second storage zone. Orders are collated by transferring a required number of complete frames (6) from the first storage zone (2), a required number of complete stacks (7) from the second storage zone (3) and a required number of stacks (7) or partial stacks from the third zone (4).
US08092138B2
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a vacuum processing system for processing large area substrates, such as flat panel displays (i.e., LCD, OLED, and other types of flat panel displays), solar panels, and the like. In one embodiment, a vacuum processing system includes a plurality of processing chambers coupled to a vacuum transfer chamber suitable to accommodate a large area substrate and a least one horizontal platform disposed between adjacent processing chambers. The vacuum transfer chamber has a robot disposed therein. The platform is coupled to a base supporting one of the adjacent processing chambers.
US08092135B2
The present invention relates to a device for fastening two elements to one another, comprising a rod-like member having opposite ends which are aligned on a common longitudinal axis (X-X) and a threaded portion formed in the region of a first end. A characteristic of the rod-like member is that it comprises a tapered portion formed in the external wall of the rod-like member, the tapered portion having the vertex of its taper facing towards the threaded portion and a taper angle (α), measured relative to the longitudinal axis (X-X), that is within a range variable between 2° and 6°.
US08092134B2
A fastener, of which severe strength is demanded and which can also be applied to a location, in which a flush surface equipment is taken into consideration, and which can be manufactured readily and quickly and reduced in manufacturing cost, is provided. A fastener (1) joins a skin of an airplane and a structural material positioned inside the skin and one end surface of a flush head (3) is covered by an insulator layer (5).
US08092133B2
The invention relates to a retaining device for retaining objects on a vehicle wall, comprising: a supporting element (4) for placing on a front side (2) of the wall (1) with devices (5) for retaining one or a plurality of objects (6) and a fastening element (8, 9) for locking the supporting element (4) on a rear side (3) of the wall (1), as well as a method for mounting objects with this retaining device. In order to reduce the installation cost, and in order not to be dependent on the supporting wall thickness, the fastening element (8) is pin-shaped and has a head (9) at one end so that it can be inserted through an opening (7) in the wall (1) and can be prevented against sliding out in one direction, and the supporting element (4) comprises a connecting device (13) with which the supporting element (4) can be solidly connected to the fastening element (8) projecting from the front side (2) of the wall.
US08092132B2
A fastener with a threaded nut, a clip, a first engagement feature and a second engagement feature. The nut has front and rear surfaces and a first lock structure that is disposed between the front and rear surfaces. The clip has a body, which defines an aperture, a second lock structure and an engagement member. The second lock structure is coupled to the body and engages the first lock structure to axially retain the clip to the nut. The engagement member extends into the aperture in the body. The first engagement feature is coupled to either the nut or the clip and comprises at least one tooth. The second engagement feature is associated with the other one of the nut and the clip and is engaged with the first engagement feature to inhibit rotation between the nut and the clip.
US08092130B2
The invention relates to a fixing element having a concentric end face forming a frictional surface for friction welding joining to a flat part by rotational force and axial force applied by the fixing element to the part, and having multiple radially oriented ridges on the end face. The ridges are limited in the direction of rotation by a front groove introduced into the friction surface, the ridges rising only slightly over the friction surface in the axial direction and being provided with a scraping surface that pushes the material scraped during the friction welding process into the front groove.
US08092114B2
A connecting device or means and method of connecting components are described. In one example, a device comprises a first connecting element that is configured to be arranged on the first component in the connected state of the components and a second connecting element that is configured to be arranged on the second component in the connected state of the components. At least one of the connecting elements comprises a curved bearing surface which is in the form of an arc of a circle in longitudinal section. The first connecting element may comprise a housing and at least one holding element which is moveable relative to the housing of the first connecting element and, in a holding position, cooperates with the second connecting element.
US08092110B2
An oral care instrument includes at least one oral care agent. In one embodiment, the oral care agent can be provided on one or more surfaces of the oral care instrument or included within cavities within the head or in one or more surfaces of a head. In other embodiment, the oral care agent can be provided in or on a thin slab subsequently bonded onto a surface, or applied as a stable coating. The oral care instrument can also be provided with a wear indicator. The oral care agents can be released during one use, during multiple uses, or throughout the life of the instrument. Water, oral secretions and/or chemicals within the mouth can activate the oral care agents.
US08092108B2
A liquid applicator includes an elongated cylindrical body having an end cap within which a plunger is slidably moveable. The cylindrical body defines a bore receiving a plunger seal and piston secured to the interior end of a sliding plunger handle. The remaining end of the cylindrical body is coupled to a porous nib having a flow control valve in communication therewith. The plunger is removable from the piston and sealing plunger following the liquid filling process.
US08092106B2
A keyboard includes a main body including a plurality of input keys and a hanger mounted on the main body including a hook for hanging the keyboard.
US08092104B2
A tape printing apparatus, comprising a port for connecting to external apparatus; a first memory for storing label data defining at least one label; and a second memory comprising program information.
US08092103B2
A film-carrying system and a film-carrying device used therein are provided. The film-carrying system includes a support base, a film-carrying device and a film. The film-carrying device includes a support connection part, an elastic part, and a film connection part. The support connection part is coupled to the support base while the film connection part is coupled to the film. The elastic part has a free end and a fixed end; the free end connects to the film connection part, and the fixed end connects to the support connection part. The elastic deformation of the elastic part provides the film connection part with a degree of freedom in linear displacement, and the film connection part also has a degree of freedom in angular displacement corresponding to the support connection part.
US08092090B2
A fluid dynamic bearing device having high bearing performance at low cost is provided.A bearing member 6 includes an inner diameter part 8 having a radial bearing surface and an outer diameter part 7 having a mounting surface for a bracket 5. Both the inner diameter part 8 and the outer diameter part 7 are made of a resin. The inner diameter part 8 is preferably formed of an oil-impregnated resin, and more preferably a porous resin, and the outer diameter part 7 is formed of a nonporous resin.
US08092080B2
A circuit affixed to a moving part of an engine for sensing and processing the temperature of the part. The circuit generates a signal representative of the temperature sensed by a thermocouple (110) and amplified by an amplifier (112). A square wave oscillator (113) with a temperature sensitive capacitor (C8) varies its frequency in response to changes of a local temperature of the circuit. A chopper (114, J27) converts the output of the amplifier into an alternating current signal. The chopper is gated by the square wave oscillator and a second input is coupled to an output of the amplifier. Thus, the chopper has an output signal having a frequency representative of the local temperature and an amplitude representative of the thermocouple temperature, whereby the combined signals represent the true temperature of the part.
US08092073B2
A tank adapted to be used for suspending separation media slurry before transferring the separation media slurry to a column or a container comprises: an impeller (7) adapted to rotate in order to mix the media slurry, a nozzle (9) provided protruding into the tank from the bottom (8) thereof, and an adjustable pipe (5) having an open end (6) positioned in the tank and which can be adjusted in position. The nozzle (9) and the adjustable pipe (5) are adapted to be connected to a pump (3) adapted to pump liquid from the adjustable pipe (5) when the open end (6) of the adjustable pipe (5) has been positioned in an uppermost liquid phase provided in the tank when the media slurry has started to sediment and pump the liquid, possibly containing a small amount of media, through the nozzle (9) back into the tank from the tank bottom (8) in order to start re-suspending media that has sedimented in the tank.
US08092064B2
Illumination assemblies, components, and related methods are described. An illumination assembly is provided that comprises a plurality of illumination tiles each having a light emission surface. The plurality of illumination tiles are arranged in a two-dimensional array. The illumination tiles are constructed and arranged so as to provide a substantially contiguous illumination surface comprising the light emission surfaces of the plurality of the illumination tiles. Each illumination tile is illuminated by at least one solid state light-emitting device. A method of local dimming an illumination assembly of a display (e.g., LCD) backlight unit is also provided.
US08092056B2
The invention relates to a light module (1) for a lighting device for a motor vehicle. The lighting module (1) comprises a light source (3) for emission of electromagnetic radiation, preferably in the form of light which is visible for the human eye, and a reflector (2) for focusing the emitted radiation. At its apex, in the area of its optical axis (8), the reflector (2) has an opening (7) for holding a light-emitting part (5) of the light source (3). A reflector neck (9) is formed on the reflector (2), surrounding at least a part of the holding opening (7), to which reflector neck (9) another part (4, 6) of the light source (3) is attached. In order to reduce the installation space required for lighting devices in a motor vehicle, it is proposed that the reflector (2) has a slot (17), which extends into the holding opening (7), below the holding opening (7), the width of which slot (17) transversely with respect to the optical axis (8) of the reflector (2) is greater than the width of the light-emitting part (5) of the light source (3). The lamp (3) can therefore be replaced more easily, and in less space.
US08092055B2
Microprocessor-controlled light emitting diode (LED) arrays are built into an extruded tubular lens within a mast that is connected to a base assembly. A means of mounting, which may be an adjustable clamp, permits the base assembly to be connected to a seat post or other mounting point on a bicycle or other vehicle. The tubular lens allows for substantial dispersion of light, and various light patterns produced by the arrays may be selected and those patterns alternated automatically to achieve greater visibility of the vehicle to surrounding motorists. A handle within the base assembly allows a rider to lower the mast from its vertical operating position easily and pivotally up to 90 degrees parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame to facilitate mounting and dismounting the vehicle.
US08092054B2
An LED illuminating device includes an optical section, an electrical section, and a heat dissipation section. The heat dissipation section is provided with a heat sink and at least one heat pipe therein. The heat sink includes a metal tube, a plurality of metal fins extending radially and outwardly from the metal tube, and a heat-absorbing plate attached to a bottom of the metal tube. A chamber is axially recessed from a top of the metal tube to the heat-absorbing plate. The heat pipe includes an evaporating section and a condensing section. The evaporating section of the heat pipe is attached to an inner surface of the heat-absorbing plate. The condensing section of the heat pipe is attached to an inner circumferential surface of the metal tube. The light source is attached to an outer surface of the heat-absorbing plate.
US08092051B2
An efficient LED array. In an aspect, an LED apparatus includes a metal substrate having a reflective surface, and LED chips mounted directly to the reflective surface to allow for thermal dissipation, and wherein at least a portion of the LED chips are spaced apart from each other to allow light to reflect from a portion of the reflective surface that is located between the portion of the LED chips. In another aspect, a method includes configuring a metal substrate to have a reflective surface, and mounting a plurality of LED chips directly to the reflective surface of the metal substrate to allow for thermal dissipation, and wherein at least a portion of the LED chips are spaced apart from each other to allow light to reflect from a portion of the reflective surface that is located between the portion of the LED chips.
US08092049B2
An LED floodlight fixture includes (1) a housing that has (a) at least one end-portion and (b) a single-piece extrusion including (i) a base having an LED-adjacent surface and an opposite surface and (ii) a heat-dissipating section having heat-dissipating surfaces extending from the opposite surface, and (2) an LED arrangement mounted to the LED-adjacent surface in non-water/air-tight condition with respect to the housing. The housing preferably forms at least one venting gap to provide cool-air ingress to and along the heat-dissipating surfaces by upward flow of heated air therefrom. Additionally and/or alternatively, the base of the single-piece extrusion has one or more venting apertures to provide cool-air ingress for such purpose. One aspect of the invention involves the heat-dissipating section of the extrusion including a closed extruded wireway therealong enclosing wires extending to/from electrical component(s).
US08092024B2
An apparatus for measuring a subject's eye having an instrument axis, comprising a slit projector for projecting slits of light, at least one sensor. The apparatus being adapted to form a first image of light from a first slit on the at least one sensor after the light scatters from the eye along a first pathway. The apparatus adapted to form a second image of light from the first slit on the at least one sensor after the light scatters from the eye along a second pathway. The apparatus comprising a processor operatively coupled to receive the first image and the second image, the processor adapted to perform a projective transformation of the second image and to combine data from the first image and the second image, after it is transformed, to form a third image.
US08092023B2
Ocular surface interferometry (OSI) devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for measuring a tear film layer thickness (TFLT) of the ocular tear film, including lipid layer thickness (LLT) and/or aqueous layer thickness (ALT). The measured TFLT can be used to diagnosis dry eye syndrome (DES). An imaging device can be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture optical wave interference interactions of specularly reflected light from the tear film combined with a background signal(s) in a first image. The imaging device can also be focused on the lipid layer of the tear film to capture a second image containing the background signal(s) present in the first image. The second image can be subtracted from the first image to reduce and/or eliminate the background signal(s) in the first image to produce a resulting image. The resulting image can be processed and analyzed to measure a TFLT.
US08092020B2
A method for diagnosing a disease state in a subject, including examining the subject's eyes in order to determine whether the subject exhibits one or more symptoms of the disease state. Symptoms of the disease state include altered ocular characteristics, such as pupil size, pupil motility, ocular blood vessel coloration, and strobe light cutoff frequency. By evaluating changes to ocular characteristics, a disease state can be diagnosed in a subject. In addition, the severity of the disease state also can be determined.
US08092014B2
A plastic lens plastic includes a plastic substrate (1) having a first main surface that is a convex surface (1A) and a second main surface that is a concave surface (1B), a photochromic compound-containing photochromic layer formed on the convex surface side of the substrate, and an impact-absorbing primer layer formed on the concave surface side of the substrate.
US08092004B2
An image recording apparatus which records images on front and back surfaces of a sheet, including: a head which ejects ink onto the sheet for recording; a sheet-supply roller which contacts the sheet to transfer the sheet for supplying to the head; sheet-transfer rollers which are disposed on a downstream side of the head so as to be rotatable forwardly and reversely, and which transfer the sheet passed through the head while nipping the sheet, toward an outside of the image recording apparatus when forwardly rotated or toward the sheet-supply roller when reversely rotated such that the sheet is permitted to be again supplied to the head by the sheet-supply roller; a sheet-return path which is branched from a connecting path that connects the sheet-transfer rollers and the head so as to extend toward the sheet-supply roller, and through which the sheet is transferred toward the sheet-supply roller by the reverse rotations; and a roller-driving control section which drives the sheet-transfer rollers and the sheet-supply roller such that the sheet is transferred through the sheet-return path in a state in which the sheet is warped.
US08091992B2
A continuous inkjet printhead includes a jetting module including a nozzle operable to eject a continuous stream of fluid through the nozzle, a stimulation device operable to break the stream of fluid into first and second droplets having first and second volumes, wherein the droplet volumes travel along a first path, and a drop deflection mechanism that includes a gas flow path, a first flow path restriction positioned within the flow path, and a second flow path restriction positioned within the flow path, the second flow path restriction being non-parallel relative to the first flow path restriction, the drop deflection mechanism providing a gas flow which interacts with the first and second droplets to cause at least one of the first and second droplets to begin traveling along a second path.
US08091979B2
An apparatus for free-spraying an inkjet printhead includes a feed table with a slot carrier which can be deflected counter to a spring force and has at least one free-spraying slot disposed opposite at least one inkjet printhead. The slot carrier is shaped in such a way that the at least one free-spraying slot is deflected out of a transport path corresponding to an entry of an item of mail being fed in.
US08091973B2
A printing system comprising: a printhead cartridge comprising a printhead; a cradle unit for supporting the printhead cartridge; and an interface at which the cradle unit is removably engageable with the printhead cartridge, the interface comprising connections for connecting the printhead cartridge with a power supply which is remote from the interface and a power regulation circuit for regulating supply of power from the power supply to the printhead cartridge.
US08091967B2
A spindle drive for a lumbar support in a backrest structure of a motor vehicle seat includes two gliders guided on a carrier of the lumbar support. Each glider is connected to a spindle nut which is engaged with an associated thread section of a spindle. The thread sections have threads of opposite thread pitch, so that the gliders are movable in opposite directions and pivot towards and away from the carrier supporting bails of a supporting device hinged to the carrier and being adjustable substantially perpendicular to the carrier. At least one of the spindle nuts partly encompasses the spindle and can be clipped onto its associated thread section of the spindle.
US08091946B2
A screwless visor for use in a vehicle is disclosed. The visor includes a body, and an arm having a first end and a second end with the second end arranged in the body. The arm also has an elbow arranged near the first end. The visor also includes a mounting assembly secured to the headliner. The mounting assembly includes an inner collar arranged over the first end of the arm and a bracket in contact with the inner collar. The bracket has a hook extending from a surface thereof wherein the hook is in contact with the headliner. The screwless mount assembly will allow for easier installation and removal of the visor from the headliner of the interior of an automotive vehicle.
US08091939B2
A security partition for use in a vehicle having side curtain air bags is shown. The partition includes a frame. The frame in combination with the vehicle defines a cavity. The side curtain air bags are configured to deploy and occupy the cavity. A side wing is configured to be fastened to the frame. The side wing includes a body, and an air bag director. The plane of the air bag director is angled relative to the plane of the body.
US08091937B2
A sliding tarp for hauling landscaping materials and debris is composed of a flexible, foldable rectangular sheet having attached to its underside a widthwise row of three elongated, relatively rigid convex glides disposed rearward of a location midway between the front and rear edges of the sheet, and arranged so that the tarp can be folded along longitudinal fold lines extending between adjacent glides.
US08091926B2
A device (10) for connecting two duct elements (12, 14) and a baffle (34) in an aircraft air conditioning system may include first (30) and second (32) connecting flanges each connected to one of the two duct elements (12, 14), and at least one connecting element (38) formed on the first connecting flange (30) which interacts with at least one corresponding connecting element (40) formed on the second connecting flange (32) to establish the connection of the two duct elements (12, 14) and the baffle (34). The first (30) and/or second connecting flange (32) has/have an opening (44) for receiving the baffle (34), which is substantially disc-shaped and formed with at least one air passage (46, 48). The baffle (34) serves to control the flow of at least one air stream flowing through the connected duct elements (12, 14).
US08091924B2
A device for coupling a coolant supply to a roller, in particular for continuous casting installations, wherein the roller is supported for rotation in a stationary pillow block, includes a sealing unit coupled to an axial roller borehole in a pressure-tight manner, and a stationary pillow block cover releasably attached to the pillow block and covering the axial roller borehole. An insert may extend through a center opening of the pillow block cover and be attached to the pillow block cover by a flange. The inside diameter of the center opening of the pillow block cover may be greater than an outside diameter of the bush to enable a removal of the sealing unit from the roller borehole without removal of the pillow block cover.
US08091922B2
A trailer jack capable of rapid gross and incremental adjustments in height adapted for attachment to a trailer. The jack is comprised of an inner member nested within an outer member, a collar, a housing and a pin. The inner member is threadably connected to the outer member with a bolt having a crank attached at one end. The bolt enables incremental adjustments in the trailer height by extension and retraction of the inner member with respect to the outer member. The connected outer and inner members are secured to the trailer with a pin inserted through the housing, a hole in the collar and one of a plurality of longitudinal holes in the outer member. To create rapid gross adjustments in the trailer height, the pin is retracted, a different hole in the outer member is registered with the hole in the collar and the pin re-inserted.
US08091915B2
An animated novelty device for mounting on a ball of a trailer hitch on a vehicle, the device including an electric motor for imparting motion to selected elements of the device. The motor is electrically connected to the vehicle braking system whereby the device is set in motion by energizing the vehicle brakes.
US08091912B2
A boat towing system for towing a boat behind a vehicle comprising a boat trailer having a frame constructed and arranged with a first portion and a second portion that are pinned together to permit one section to move relative to the other section. The second portion is constructed and arranged to accommodate floatation panels. A spring biased buckle is mounted on the second portion and has a strap which has a hooked portion on its distal end. The boat towing system further comprises an attachment mount connected to the vehicle.
US08091908B2
A trailer for towing by a bicycle is disclosed comprising a tow arm adapted for coupling by a hitch to the bicycle. The tow arm is pivotally coupled to an upper portion of the trailer frame and can be collapsed against the frame. The frame can comprise plural frame sections that can also pivot to a collapsed position and a lower shelf foldable to a collapsed position as well. Locking elements can be provided for selectively locking the trailer components against relative pivoting motion. One or more actuators for selectively locking and unlocking the frame components can be provided. One such actuator can simultaneously unlock first and second transversely spaced apart hinge elements. The hitch can comprise a flexible coupling that provides torsional resistance against rolling motion of the trailer, particularly when the trailer is mounted to a seat post or other location above the rear wheel of the bicycle. The flexible hitch coupling can provide a progressively increasing torsional resistance to such rolling while allowing pivoting of the trailer relative to the bicycle as the bicycle is steered and flexing to accommodate variations in pitch between the bicycle and trailer.
US08091902B2
An ice skateboard comprising a skateboard having a top surface, a bottom surface, side edges, and a front and back section, said ice skateboard having an ice blade assembly attached to the bottom surface, said ice blade assembly comprising a mounting plate having at least one integral ice blade that extends outwardly at substantially right angles from said mounting plate.
US08091900B2
An apparatus for operating a roller up and down is provided, which includes a main body fixed to a bottom of a shoe, an operating body to which the roller is imbedded, which is slidably mounted within the main body, and an operating assembly to move the operating body within the main body between an operating position and a non-operating position, wherein the roller protrudes out from the main body in the operating position while the roller is retracted into the main body in the non-operating position. A wearer of a shoe is capable of shifting the shoe between an operating position in which the roller protrudes out from the bottom of the shoe and a non-operating position in which the roller is retracted into the bottom of the shoe, by a simple operation. Accordingly, the shoe can be used as a roller shoe when the roller is in the operating position, and used as a general walking shoe for everyday use when the roller is in the non-operating position. As a result, the wearer can conveniently use a roller shoe as well as a walking shoe with one shoe.
US08091897B2
A split mechanical composite seal assembly for providing a seal between a rotating shaft and a static surface. The split mechanical composite seal assembly includes first and second axially adjacent annular seal elements. The first and second seal elements each include a sealing edge contacting the shaft to provide a respective seal between the first and second seal element and the shaft. A static housing receives the first and second seal elements and engages the static surface to provide a static stationary seal, while concomitantly providing a flex region that engages the seal elements to form a dynamic seal therewith. A holder assembly receives one seal element and may include a double-angled lead-in to facilitate installation of the seal element. The holder assembly may include a detent groove for receiving and retaining an O-ring disposed about the seal element. The static housing may comprise two mating segments having overlapping surfaces.
US08091892B2
A configurable manual controller for manipulating images or symbols on a display is adapted for construction with matable building elements arranged by a user. The user forms the manual controller to exhibit a customized ornamental appearance reflecting the user's game-inspired, ergonomic, or style preferences.
US08091890B2
A medium feeding device includes a feed roller pair, a transport roller, a medium guiding path section, and a controller. The feed roller pair includes a feed driving roller driven by power and a feed driven roller to be rotationally driven, and feeds a medium to be fed toward the downstream side in a feed direction. The feed driving roller and the feed driven roller are separated from each other. The transport roller pair transports the medium, which is fed by the feed roller pair, toward the downstream side in the feed direction. The transport roller pair includes a transport driving roller that is disposed on the downstream side of the feed roller pair in the feed direction and is driven by power and a transport driven roller that is rotationally driven.
US08091889B2
A paper-sheet-thickness detecting device includes a reference roller provided on a fixed rotation shaft; a detection roller provided to face and come into contact with the reference roller; a detection block in which the detection roller is provided at one end and the other end is rotatably fixed around a fulcrum shaft so that the detection block is turned and displaced according to a thickness of a paper sheet passing through between the reference and detection rollers; a holding block that holds the fulcrum shaft; a first pressing member fixed to the holding block to maintain contact between the detection and reference rollers by pressing the detection block, the first pressing member being displaced according to rotation and displacement of the detection block when the paper sheet passes through between the reference and detection rollers; and a displacement detector that detects a displacement amount of the first pressing member.
US08091887B2
A plurality of moving-amount detecting units respectively detects a moving amount of the sheet fed by a feeding unit at a plurality of points in a width direction of the sheet. A skew detecting unit detects a skew of the sheet based on the moving amount of the sheet detected by the moving-amount detecting units.
US08091874B2
A bar clamp with adjustable jaw pads for clamping and for spreading work pieces includes a main housing having a bar opening for extending a bar therethrough, and a bar advancing mechanism with a bar gripping member in proximity to the bar opening. There is an elongated slide bar extending through the bar opening, and a handle and trigger connected to the main housing wherein the trigger is connected to the bar advancing mechanism such that activation of the trigger causes advancement of the bar through the main housing. It also includes a first jaw base connected to the main housing and extending upwardly therefrom. A first jaw pad is rotatably connected to the first jaw base, so as to be rotatable in at least two planes, to adjust angles between the elongated slide bar and the first jaw pad. A separate, second jaw base is connected to the elongated slide bar. There is a second jaw pad rotatably connected to the second jaw base, so as to adjust an angle between the elongated slide bar and the second jaw pad. The second jaw pad is rotatable in at least one plane, preferably two and in some embodiments, three planes.
US08091857B2
A valve assembly (10) to regulate the flow of a refrigerant. The valve assembly (10) includes a movable valve member (25) to which there are attached two pistons (29 and 30). A refrigerant under pressure is applied to the pistons (29 and 30) to cause movement of the movable valve member (25) to connect or disconnect pipes (17 and 18) through which the refrigerant is to flow.
US08091849B2
A suspension device for a hardware element, which includes a mobile carriage, an arm designed to support the equipment to be suspended, and means for connecting between the arm and the carriage, in which the connection means include damping means in order to damp movement of the arm in relation to the mobile carriage.
US08091845B2
A holder comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a base, a first wall and a second wall. The first and second walls extend upwardly from the base to define a space for receiving at least partially a lid or a cover. The second portion has a first member extending downwardly from the second wall and a second member with a bridge extending between the first and second members. The second member has a lever portion and a grasping portion. In use, the grasping portion is movable between a first position, where a gap is formed between the grasping portion and the first member, and a second position, where the grasping portion is biased towards the first member.
US08091841B2
A force adjustment assembly for use within a telescoping subassembly that includes a first elongated member and a second elongated member that is supported by the first elongated member for sliding motion along an extension axis, the subassembly further including a force equalizer assembly that includes a strand having first and second ends that are supported by the second and first elongated members, respectively, the adjustment assembly comprising a preloader supported by at least one of the first and second elongated members and supporting at least a portion of the strand, the preloader applying a preload force via the strand when the second elongated member is in a fully extended position and an adjuster for adjusting the preload force applied by the preloader.
US08091832B2
A nacelle cowling for a turbojet, characterized in that it is provided with a fixed part and a mobile part, the mobile part being adapted to slide along the fixed part, from a closed position wherein the mobile part extends in the extension of the fixed part, up to an open position wherein the mobile part is at least partly superimposed to the fixed part. For example, the fixed part is located in the upper part of the cowling, the mobile part being located in the lower part of the cowling.
US08091823B2
The present invention provides a flapping apparatus with a large flapping angle. The flapping apparatus includes a frame, a drive motor, a slider, connection links, actuating links and wings. The frame includes I-shaped plates which face each other in parallel, and coupling rods which couple the opposite corners of the upper ends of the I-shaped plates to each other. The drive motor is fastened to the frame such that a rotating shaft thereof is disposed inside the frame. The slider includes lateral bars which are reciprocated upwards and downwards. The connection links are rotatably coupled at first ends thereof to both ends of the lateral bar. The actuating links are rotatably coupled at first ends thereof to second ends of the connection links. The actuating links are rotatably coupled at second ends thereof to the coupling rods. The wings are respectively attached to the upper surfaces of the actuating links.
US08091806B2
A movable spread head comprises a tubular member, a watering member, a valve core, a housing, a front cover, a control member, and a first and a second watering elements. The valve core is axially installed on a front end of the tubular member, the control member is located on a top end of the housing and includes a first and a second press portions to be selectively pressed to generate a levering action, such that the valve core is actuated to move axially to engage with the tubular member or the watering member tightly, so that water flow from an outlet of the tubular member is guided to one of first and second water orifices to flow outward from one of the first and the second watering elements, thereby decreasing related components and size, simplifying structure, and operating the movable spread head easily.
US08091795B1
An Intelligent Thermostat (IT) device and method of use for the retrieval and display of real-time energy demand and energy pricing. The IT device is configured to perform automatic adaptation of energy conservation based on real-time fluctuations in the energy pricing from a Utility Company. The IT device controls a multicolor backlight to immediately notify the user of real-time fluctuations in the energy pricing.
US08091793B2
A faucet has a fixture body in fluid communication with a pressurized supply of hot water. The fixture body has a spout outlet configured to dispense water from the fixture body. At least one operating valve is coupled to the fixture body for controlling a flow of water to the spout outlet. A bypass valve is disposed in the fixture body for controlling a recirculating flow of water through the fixture body, where the bypass valve changes state when heated and when cooled to block and permit the recirculating flow of water based on a temperature of the water.
US08091789B2
A barcode imaging apparatus includes a source of electromagnetic radiation and an image acquisition device. The acquisition device is configured to be sensitive to a wavelength of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the source of electromagnetic radiation. In use, a bar code to be read is illuminated by the source of electromagnetic radiation and an image of the barcode is captured by the image acquisition device at the wavelength of that radiation. The source of electromagnetic radiation includes a Light Emitting Diode (LED), a Current Source, a Driver for the current source, a Clock Pulse Generator, and a Monostable. The LED is powered by the Current source which is in turn driven by the Driver which is controlled by the Clock Pulse Generator through the Monostable.
US08091788B2
Methods and systems are disclosed for processing of 2-D images of optical code symbols having information bearing characteristics in predominantly a single dimension (such as a linear barcode). In a preferred system, pixel summing or averaging is used to generate virtual scan lines for imaging of encoded symbols to improve the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the resulting virtual scan lines. For example, pixel summing or averaging of an imaging array may be performed in a direction orthogonal to the virtual scan line direction in order to increase the SNR of the virtual scan line signal over what can be achieved with virtual scan lines created using a single image pixel for each virtual scan line pixel. The increased SNR offered by this technique of pixel summing or averaging of an imaging array may allow capture of images with reduced exposure time, enabling capture of images of objects moving at high speed without the necessity of high intensity light sources.
US08091780B2
A customer interface device for interfacing with a customer at a store may include a touch screen for displaying information and receiving customer instructions, a keypad, a wireless sensor for scanning tags attached to merchandise of the store, and at least one user input component to accept customer payment for items to be purchased, wherein the touch screen, the keypad, the wireless sensor and the at least one user input component are detachable modular components.
US08091778B1
A banking system computer can receive a transaction request from a remotely located customer, and then determine the nearest bank in the banking system that is able to process the transaction request. The computer then provides the customer with directions to the bank. Before arrival of the customer at the bank, the computer provides the bank with each of notification of the impending arrival of the customer, transaction information usable by the bank to process the transaction request, and an image of the customer. Personnel at the bank can then recognize and greet the arriving customer.
US08091774B2
A printing system is provided having a cellular telephone which has an input at which a print medium is loaded into the telephone, a printer, and a sensor for sensing an identifier of the loaded print medium. The cellular telephone uses the sensed identifier to determine whether or not the loaded print medium is a valid print medium on which printing can be performed by the printer. If the loaded print medium is determined to be valid, the cellular telephone controls the printer to print on the loaded print medium. If the loaded print medium is determined to not be valid, the cellular telephone ejects the loaded print medium at the input.
US08091772B2
A system for automatically registering an appliance, including a storage housed within an electrical appliance for storing identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, and a communication card including a controller, an interface connector for connecting the communication card to the electrical appliance, a wireless cellular modem for transmitting data, and a card memory for storing program code, wherein when the communication card is connected to the electrical appliance via the interface connector, the program code automatically instructs the controller to collect the identifying information about the electrical appliance and its purchase, to collect owner information and to transmit at least a portion of the collected information to at least one remote recipient using the cellular modem. A method is also described and claimed.
US08091771B2
Provided is a method for managing competition entry by means of products having printed labels, the labels having human-readable information relating to a competition and machine-readable coded information relating to an identity of the label and being uniquely indicative of the product item. The label includes regions selected from the group consisting of information fields, buttons, and entry fields. The method includes the steps of receiving from a sensing device the machine-readable coded data, generating interaction data based on the received coded data, correlating the interaction data with a competition, and recording an entry in the competition based on the correlated interaction data. The method also includes the step of transmitting information relating to the competition entry for display on a display device.
US08091765B2
A method of bonding a stainless steel part to a titanium part by heating a component assembly comprised of the titanium part, the stainless steel part, and a laminated titanium-nickel filler material placed between the two parts and heated at a temperature that is less than the melting point of either the stainless steel part or the titanium part. The component assembly is held in intimate contact at temperature in a non-reactive atmosphere for a sufficient time to develop a hermetic and strong bond between the stainless steel part and the titanium part. The bonded component assembly is optionally treated with acid to remove any residual free nickel and nickel salts, to assure a biocompatible component assembly, if implanted in living tissue.
US08091760B2
The invention concerns to a device for fixing conductor tracks on at least one first main-surface of at least one solar cell.
US08091738B2
A product dispenser includes a housing having a backplate and a cover that, together, define a reservoir recess, and a refill unit received in the housing, the refill unit including a product reservoir positioned in the reservoir recess and holding product for dispensing, and a pump carried by the product reservoir and actuated to dispense the product. The cover pivots relative to the backplate and is pushed to pivot about a pivot point and actuate the pump. The pivot point is positioned such that the volume of the reservoir recess increases as the pump is actuated to dispense the product. The product reservoir may include a pair of cylindrical recess positioned on a common axis and projecting inwardly toward one another, and the cover may include a pair of inwardly projecting journals that are removably received in the cylindrical recesses, the cylindrical recesses and the journals acting together to form the pivot point of the cover.
US08091732B2
A food container made of thin plastic sheet material comprises a bowl and a lid, each having a peripheral sealing region with a downwardly facing channel generally shaped like an inverted “U”. The outward edges of the channels are lockingly engaged. The channels mate and engage to form a primary seal at a conical interface and a secondary seal at a rib. The rib may be on either the base, the lid, or both. Leverage provided by elastic forces in the lid's channel tightens the seals.
US08091726B2
A pressure vessel having a cell with a locking pin, and a cap and associated methods and systems. The locking pin may be configured to engage the cap when the pressure vessel is pressurized to prevent rotation of the cap without depression of the cap.
US08091701B1
Disclosed are embodiments of an apparatus to store and protect paintbrushes. The apparatus comprises a first outer shell flexibly coupled to a second outer shell in an arrangement suitable for the storage of a paintbrush in the interior space described by first and second outer shells. A brush shaping flap, which is flexibly coupled to an outer shell, maintains the shape of brush bristles while a brush is stored in the apparatus. One or more magnetic elements are used to hold the brush in place in the apparatus. The magnetic elements are positioned to engage the ferromagnetic ferrule of a paintbrush. An attachment means may be coupled to the apparatus thus allowing for convenient attachment to a persons belt. A plurality of ventilation holes may be provided on the apparatus. A spring means may be provided for urging the bristle shaping flap against the brush bristles.
US08091693B2
A method and a plant for filling a hydraulic circuit with a control fluid, in which a vacuum is generated within the hydraulic circuit, the control fluid is supplied to a degasification chamber, a vacuum is generated in the degasification chamber containing the control fluid and the control fluid is supplied under pressure from the degasification chamber to the hydraulic circuit while continuing to maintain the vacuum in the hydraulic circuit.
US08091691B2
A disk brake for a traction machine having a damping height of a damping mechanism that can be adjusted integrally. According to one embodiment, a disk brake includes: a static iron core; a spring and a coil assembly in the static iron core; a dynamic iron core assembly including a dynamic iron core, a dynamic disk, and first and second friction rotors configured to fit with the dynamic iron core and the dynamic disk; a plurality of connecting bolts; a plurality of spacers; a damping mechanism on the dynamic iron core assembly, the damping mechanism including a plurality of damping components on the dynamic iron core; an adjusting toothed belt assembly coupled to the damping components and banded to a circumferential outer surface of the dynamic iron core; and an adjusting bracket on the dynamic iron core and coupled to the adjusting toothed belt assembly.
US08091687B2
In an elevator system, an operation of a car is controlled by an operation control section. When a specific user in the car is certified by personal authentication of a personal authentication section after a landing call registration operation is performed by a user through a landing call operation section provided on a landing, the operation control section counts registered specific floors present in a traveling direction of the car according to the landing call registration operation in the registered specific floors based on registered floor information received from the personal authentication section, and performs a destination floor registration with the registered specific floor being a destination floor of the car if the number of the counted registered specific floors is one.
US08091683B2
A motorcycle includes a spark arrester having an increased surface area without any undue increase in the length of a silencer or the width of the motorcycle. The motorcycle includes a rear wheel and a silencer provided on a side of the rear wheel. The silencer includes an outer tube and a spark arrester which is tubular and is disposed inside the outer tube, the longitudinal axis of the spark arrester being oriented in a longitudinal direction of the outer tube. In a sectional plane which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the outer tube and the spark arrester, the outer tube has an outside dimension in a height direction greater than an outside dimension of the outer tube in a lateral direction, and the spark arrester has an outside dimension in the height direction greater than an outside dimension of the spark arrester in the lateral direction.
US08091678B2
A control system for a construction vehicle, such as a motor grader, is provided. The control system includes a plurality of joysticks supported by an operator seat assembly of the motor grader.
US08091671B1
A snowboard has a removable tripod at the rear. A tiller mounts atop the tripod. The rider end of the tiller supports a motor. The distal end of the tiller supports a powered wheel. The power assembly doesn't compromise the shape and dynamics of a traditional snowboard as much of the prior art has. Another advantage is that it can be made integral with the snowboard and also easily removed. The ease of control with the handle and radical turning ability of over 180° make it unique in this field. The tripod mounting and balancing are also unique and useful. It is lighter in weight and simpler than previous embodiments in this are. The tiller can be locked with the wheel up for freestyle snowboarding.
US08091668B2
A motor vehicle is equipped with an outside air introduction assembly 104 functioning to introduce the outside air into a radiator 92 in an engine cooling system during driving, as well as with an outside air introduction assembly 114 functioning to introduce the outside air into an engine 22 during driving. The motor vehicle is also equipped with shutter plates 106 capable of regulating the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 104, as well as with shutter plates 116 capable of regulating the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 114. The shutter plates 106 and the shutter plates 116 are individually actuated and controlled to increase the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 104 and the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 114 with an increase of temperature of cooling water detected as a cooling water temperature Twe in the engine cooling system. Such actuation and control assures the adequate cooling performances to cool down the cooling water by the radiator 92 and to cool down the engine 22.
US08091664B2
A movable body includes a fuel cell, a fuel supply means which supplies fuel containing hydrogen to the fuel cell, a limit means which limits the amount of the supplied fuel, a body which includes a space in which an occupant is housed, a conversion means which converts the supplied electric power from the fuel cell to driving force for driving the body, a control portion which controls the operation of the conversion means, and an operating member. The operating member is disposed at a position where the operating member can be operated by the occupant housed in the body, and provides an instruction to execute a control that limits the amount of the supplied fuel using the limit means, without stopping the operation of the control portion.
US08091648B2
A system and method are provided for direct connecting downhole control hydraulics through an oil field hanger, where the hanger is coupled to a wellhead, to hydraulic lines extending outside the wellhead. Further, the direct connection allows hydraulic system integrity with reduced contamination and leakage. Hydraulic tool ports, formed on the hanger, are coupled with hydraulic lines extending downward to a hydraulic tool. Side ports, formed in the hanger, are fluidicly coupled to the hydraulic tool ports. Hydraulic lines extending outside the wellhead are directly coupled with the side ports by accessing the side ports through access openings in the wellhead when the ports are aligned with the access openings. The system can still maintain pressure within internal spaces of the wellhead after the connection by sealing the access openings with flanges, where the hydraulic lines extend through openings in the flanges that are also sealed around the lines.
US08091647B2
The present embodiment of the invention relates to an apparatus and method for using components in a subsea assembly formed from a raw polymer material combined with a marine growth inhibitor material.
US08091640B2
Introducing within a well or pipe a mandrel equipped with an inflatable membrane which can expand radially under the effect of an internal pressure. Positioning the mandrel opposite the portion to be treated, in introducing a pressurized fluid within the membrane such that its end regions form annular bulges pressing firmly against the wall, whereas its mid-region expands to a lesser degree. Forming a peripheral annular space into which is then injected a cement which is liquid but able to harden. Leaving the cement to set so as to form a solid sleeve. Deflating the tubular membrane. Withdrawing the mandrel together with the deflated membrane. The method can be used in the oil sector, particularly for repairing and/or plugging a portion of casing.
US08091637B2
A method for filling an annular area within a wellbore penetrated by a subterranean formation is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) introducing a proppant into a wellbore to form a gravel pack of the proppant, wherein a specimen of the proppant has a non-globular and non-fibrous shape, and wherein the shape is further selected to provide the proppant the ability to bridge together such that the proppant has a maximum bridging span of at least 3 times larger than a largest overall dimension of the proppant specimen, where the maximum bridging span is the largest outlet hole diameter that the proppant can bridge under the weight of gravity; and (b) passing fluid through the gravel pack.
US08091627B2
A downhole tool string component has a tubular body with an inner and outer diameter. A pocket is formed in the outer diameter and is adapted to receive downhole instrumentation. A covering is attached to the outer diameter of the component and is adapted to seal the pocket from outside debris, the pocket having a bottom floor and a plurality of side walls. A stress relief is formed in the pocket.
US08091623B2
The invention relates to an air mixer vent (5), designed in particular for a motor vehicle air conditioning system (1). Said vent comprises an air deflector element (15), which is located on the air mixer vent (5) and protrudes from a surface of said vent (5), the latter (5) being configured as a partially cylindrical vent or having a curved cross-section in relation to the pivoting axis (6).
US08091621B2
A number of flat tubes, flat tube heat exchangers, and methods of manufacturing both are described and illustrated. The flat tubes can be constructed of one, two, or more pieces of sheet material. A profiled insert integral with the flat tube or constructed from another sheet of material can be used to define multiple flow channels through the flat tube. The flat tubes can be constructed of relatively thin material, and can be reinforced with folds of the flat tube material and/or of an insert in areas subject to higher pressure and thermal stresses. Also, the relatively thin flat tube material can have a corrosion layer enabling the material to resist failure due to corrosion. Heat exchangers having such flat tubes connected to collection tubes are also disclosed, as are manners in which such tubes can be provided with fins.
US08091611B2
A casting die assembly which does not produce any burrs includes a stationary die and a movable die that are clamped in a condition in which a slide core is caused to move toward a center of a movable die, and a back surface of a protrusion of the slide core contacts a stopper section provided on a frame section. The stopper section is subjected to the pressure applied to the slide core during a casting operation. Since the stopper section is provided on part of the frame section, which is integrally formed on the periphery of the stationary die, the stopper section is not caused to retreat or deform by the casting pressure and as a result, the slide core is not moved and burrs are not produced.
US08091608B2
A method of forming a hollow sand core involves placing a preform into a cavity defined in a mold, where the preform has a predetermined configuration. A granular material is then introduced into the mold cavity and around the preform. The introduced granular material is established around the preform to form the hollow sand core. The preform is deformed in a manner sufficient to enable removal of the preform from inside the hollow sand core, and then is removed from the sand core. The removal of the preform exposes a hollow portion of the sand core.
US08091607B2
The disclosure relates to a garage door assembly. The garage door assembly includes a plurality of interconnected garage door panels, a track and a cable. A bracket assembly is attached to one of the panels. The bracket assembly includes a moveable member including a roller which is rotatably received in the track. A fixed member is attached to a panel and includes a portion to which the cable is attached. The moveable member selectively accommodates the fixed member.
US08091588B2
A metallic tubular structure having an inner surface providing a passage for conveying fluid or vapor, an outer surface, a multi-layer, strength-enhanced first end segment, a multi-layer, strength-enhanced second end segment, and a flexible segment intermediate the multi-layer, strength-enhanced first end segment and the multi-layer, strength-enhanced second end segment, the metallic tubular structure comprising: a first inner metallic tubular member, the inner surface thereof providing a fluid- or vapor-conveying passage for conveying fluid or vapor therethrough, the first inner metallic tubular member longitudinally extending the entire length of the metallic tubular structure, the first inner metallic tubular member comprising one or more metallic layers; a second metallic tubular member circumferentially disposed on the outer surface of a first end of the first inner metallic tubular member, the second metallic tubular member longitudinally extending a predetermined distance on the first inner metallic tubular member forming a multi-layer, strength-enhanced first end segment thereat; and a third metallic tubular member circumferentially disposed on the outer surface of a second end of the first inner metallic tubular member, the third metallic tubular member longitudinally extending a predetermined distance on the first inner metallic tubular member forming a multi-layer, strength-enhanced second end segment thereat, wherein each of the second metallic tubular member and the third metallic tubular member form spaced apart tubular members so that the two spaced apart metallic tubular member are not contiguous with one another.
US08091587B1
A system and method for installing and removing a flow restrictor assembly in a shower, while prevents tampering with the flow restriction system thus installed. Tampering is prevented by concealing the flow restrictor assembly behind a shower wall, attached directly to a water supply line. The system further prevents tampering by concealing the tool-hole necessary for its removal behind a flow restrictor disk, so that there are no visible means of removing the flow restrictor assembly. The flow restrictor assembly threads onto a showerhead arm and the flow restrictor assembly with the attached showerhead arm threads directly into the water line. When the showerhead arm is unthreaded, the flow restrictor assembly remains connected to the water line by an external screw thread. The flow restrictor must be removed to reveal the tool-hole which may only then be engaged by a tool for removal.
US08091586B2
A method of manufacturing a venturi tube 10′ having a certain fluid flow direction is provided. The method provides a first core member 11 in a mold. The first core member has a periphery and an end 21 of a certain size. A second core member 17 is provided in the mold upstream of the first core member. The second core member has a periphery and an end 22 with a size that is less than the certain size. At least a portion of the end of the second core member is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the end of the first core member such that a step is defined between the first and second core members. Material is molded about the peripheries of the first and second core members such that the peripheries define a stepped fluid flow surface of a venturi tube, and so that any resulting flash occurs only in the certain flow direction.
US08091585B1
A pneumatic regulator unit housing having multiple output lines for connection to pneumatic devices such as needles used in creating tattoos is disclosed. The regulator unit comprises multiple outputs where each output is operatively connected to a respective pneumatic device such as a needle used for the tattooing operation.
US08091581B2
A water level control device has connected tubular housings, one serving as a support for a hose connection and the other serving to support a valve housing assembly for operation of a toggle valve within the valve housing. An airtight float serves to raise the one extreme of a float rod when buoyed by sufficient water level admitted through apertures in the valve housing. The other extreme of the float rod is attached to a rod holder to hold the float rod. The rod holder passes through an outlet apertured valve seat wherein a valve washer attached to the rod holder within the toggle valve cavity is urged against the outlet valve seat by water pressure from a water hose.
US08091577B2
A valve seat 20 is arranged between the supply circuit 8 and a downstream circuit 18. A valve body 21 blocks a fluid flow between the supply circuit 8 and the downstream circuit 18 by contacting the valve seat 20. The valve body 21 connects the supply circuit 8 to the downstream circuit 18 for supplying the fluid to the downstream circuit 18 by separating from the valve seat 20. A through hole 24 extends through the valve body 21 and thus defines a part of the supply circuit 8. The through hole 24 is defined in such a manner that the fluid that has flowed from the through hole 24 proceeds between the valve seat 20 and the valve body 21 and is thus supplied to the downstream circuit 18. The valve body 21 is formed in such a manner that a pressure receiving area at an upstream side of the through hole 24 is smaller than a pressure receiving area at a downstream side of the through hole 24. This reduces a pressure loss caused by the fluid passing through a backflow prevention structure that permits forward fluid flow from the supply circuit 8 to the downstream circuit 18 but prohibits backflow of the fluid.
US08091573B2
An apparatus and method for accessing a sub sea pipeline. The apparatus comprises a entry guide (2) having a channel extending there-through for guiding a pipeline intervention device and means for attaching the entry guide to the external wall of a section of pipeline so that the longitudinal axis (b) through the centre of the channel of the entry guide forms an angle of between about 1° and 10° with the longitudinal axis (a) through the centre of the pipeline section.
US08091562B2
Applicator (1) for a cosmetic product, typically a mascara, comprising an application means (4) having an axial core (40) which is unitary with axial rod (3) at its lower part (31) and a stack (41) of a plurality of N elements which cooperate with axial core (40) through a typically central orifice (50) allowing the axial core (40) to extend therethrough, characterized in that: the elements are elements E (5) lacking complete rotation symmetry, and the axial core (40) and the plurality of elements E (5) operate jointly with an angular orientation means for elements E (5) with respect to axial direction (10), in a transverse plane (11) which is perpendicular to the axial direction (10), in a manner that each element Ei (5) is rotatably connected with axial core (40) and has a predetermined angular orientation αi with respect to the axial core (40).
US08091558B2
The invention relates to a cigarette substitute, comprising a hollow tubular element (1) provided with a generator of products to be inhaled (7, 8), with internal heating means (6) for heating the inspired air or at least part of the generator of products to be inhaled, and with a device (8) for triggering the generator of products to be inhaled. It is characterized in that the triggering device comprises an element (8) sensitive to the heat produced by heating means that are situated outside the substitute (1) and are independent of the latter, said heat-sensitive element (8) being made of a material that cannot ignite or burn under the conditions of normal use of the substitute (1). It is thus possible to activate the cigarette substitute with the aid of a flame, without thereby causing combustion of the generator of products to be inhaled.
US08091555B2
Mouth guards of varying designs. The mouth guard is generally moldable and has non-planar biting surfaces. In other embodiments, the mouth guard has base members or flanges that have means for retaining medicaments and the like. Other versions have thermochromic elements selected to allow color changes at desired temperatures.
US08091547B2
An apparatus for delivering humidified gases has a connection manifold adapted to connect with inlet and outlet ports of a slide on water chamber in a single slide on motion. Connection of the gases inlet and gases outlet ports as well as any additional electrical and/or pneumatic connections are all made in the same slide on motion. The water chamber may include inwardly extending elongate extension tubes with one of the extension tubes having an air bleed aperture to aid filling of the chamber.
US08091545B2
Containers for incrementally dispensing pressurized contents are described. The containers comprise a vessel suited to contain pressurized contents, a port integral with the vessel and through which pressurized contents contained in the vessel can be released from the vessel, preferably incrementally in approximately equal amounts, and a measuring device disposed in or otherwise associated with the vessel such that the quantity or amount of contents in the vessel can be measured or assessed. The measuring device senses ambient conditions in the vessel and, directly or with other components, indicates, for example, the amount of pressurized contents remaining in the vessel and displaying it to an observer. Devices for incrementally dispensing pressurized contents from such containers are also described.
US08091535B2
An internal combustion engine has a high-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation line and a low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation line with a low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation valve. The low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation line branches off from the exhaust-gas system downstream of a turbine of an exhaust-gas turbocharger and opens into a fresh-air system upstream of a compressor of the exhaust-gas turbocharger. An exhaust-gas flap is disposed in the exhaust-gas system downstream from where the low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation line branches off from the exhaust-gas system. At least one pressure sensor is disposed in the low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation line and configured such that the at least one pressure sensor determines a pressure difference in the low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation line between a point upstream of the low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation valve and a point downstream of the low-pressure exhaust-gas recirculation valve. A method for operating an internal combustion engine is also provided.
US08091530B2
A method for controlling a mechanical solenoid valve of a high-pressure fuel pump to supply fuel to an engine is provided. In one example, current supplied to the mechanical solenoid valve is adjusted according to a pressure downstream of the fuel pump. The method can reduce current used to operate the mechanical solenoid valve as well as pump noise, at least during some conditions includes.
US08091525B2
A rocker arm supported by a support portion of an engine and to be driven by a cam includes a sheet-metal rocker arm body manufactured by plastic working and including a cam follower, a fulcrum portion manufactured by cutting and including a through hole supplying lubricant, and a lubricant discharging hole. The cam follower includes a first slide-contact surface being in sliding contact with the cam. The lubricant discharging hole is defined by an outer surface of the fulcrum portion and an outer surface of the sheet-metal rocker arm body and in communication with the through hole. The lubricant discharging hole biases the lubricant supplied from the through hole in a direction toward the first slide-contact surface.
US08091520B2
A split-cycle engine includes a crankshaft. A compression piston is received within a compression cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke during a single rotation of the crankshaft. An expansion piston is received within an expansion cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the expansion piston reciprocates through an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke during a single rotation of the crankshaft. A crossover passage interconnects the compression and expansion cylinders. The crossover passage includes a crossover compression (XovrC) valve and a crossover expansion (XovrE) valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween. The crossover compression valve is timed to open when the pressure in the compression cylinder is less than the upstream pressure in the crossover passage at the crossover compression valve.
US08091513B1
A securing device for helping to keep a pet secure and safe in the back of a car featuring a vertical and horizontal platform connectable via a hook and slot mechanism; headrest straps disposed on the top edge of the vertical platform for harnessing headrests of front seats of the car; adjustable legs disposed on the bottom edge of the vertical platform for engaging the floorboard of the backseat of the vehicle; winged sideboards pivotally attached side edges of the vertical platform; hook components disposed on the vertical platform for engaging bottom areas of the front seats of the vehicle; and an extension panel pivotally attached to a front edge of the horizontal platform for providing additional length to the horizontal platform.
US08091503B2
An apparatus indicates a temperature of an object. The apparatus includes a porous substrate, a mirror image of a first image pattern printed with a first phase-change ink having a first phase change temperature on a first side of the porous substrate, and an adhesive layer applied to the first side of the porous substrate to enable the porous substrate to be affixed to an object.
US08091495B2
The present invention is directed to a maritime vessel that uses a solid or semi-solid material to enclose substantially natural gas storage vessels in the hold of the vessel.
US08091493B2
A sewing machine includes an image pickup device that picks up over a sewing machine bed; a feature point coordinates calculation device that extracts feature points from the picked up image and calculates two-dimensional coordinates of the feature points; a reference coordinates storage device that stores three-dimensional reference coordinates of the feature points; a correlation device that correlates the reference coordinates with the feature point coordinates; a parameter calculation device that calculates a parameter about the image pickup device; a parameter storage device that stores the calculated parameter; a comparison image acquisition device that acquires the picked up image as a comparison image; a first determination device that determines whether comparison information matches with parameter information; and a first notification device that notifies that it is necessary to re-calculate the parameter depending on the result by the first determination device.
US08091491B2
The present invention is about a process for treating all the ashes produced by a coal dust boiler (1), able to reduce the total unburnt matter content, to increase the combustion efficiency of the boiler (1), and to have the light ashes as the only waste arising from the coal combustion. In particular, said process provides for the extraction of the heavy ashes (4) from the boiler bottom (23), the ashes coming from the hoppers of the economizers (5) and the fraction of light ash richer of unburnt matter coming from the filters (11) used to collect the dust from the flue gas; said ashes are mixed in a silo (15), proportioned and transferred in one or more feeders (17) of the coal mills (18), and reintroduced in the boiler (1) after being mixed with the coal through the burners (2).
US08091490B2
A table may include a table top and one or more legs or support pedestals. The table may also include one or more handles that may enhance the portability of the table. For example, if the table is a fold-in-half table, then the table top may include first and second sections that may be moved between an folded position and an unfolded position. The handle may include first and second sections that are connected to the first and second sections of the table top. The first and second sections of the handle may be collectively grasped, which may help prevent the table top from unintentionally unfolding. The table top may also include receiving portions that are sized configured to receive one or more portions of the handle. This may allow, for example, at least a substantial portion of the handle to be disposed in receiving portions when the handle is in a retracted position. This may also allow, for example, at least a substantial portion of the handle to be disposed outside the receiving portions when the handle is in an extended position.
US08091484B2
The present invention makes it easy to employ a floor surface aisle crossing a conveyance path in a conveyance system using a conveyance carriage 1 which travels on guide rails 7a and 7b laid on a floor surface 6 along the conveyance path, wherein at an aisle crossing section 14 in the conveyance path that the aisle on the floor surface crosses, a pit 15 is provided by digging down into the floor surface 6, and inside this pit 15, elevating guide rails 16a and 16b movable vertically parallel between a raised level at which the elevating guide rails connect the guide rails 7a and 7b before and after the pit 15 and a lowered level at which the upper surfaces of the elevating guide rails become flush with the floor surface 6 are disposed, and over the pit 15, a floor member 18 is laid so as to be flush with or substantially flush with the floor surface 8 while leaving elevating apertures for the elevating guide rails 16a and 16b.
US08091476B2
By executing low-speed conveyance of web by a web feeding mechanism before the printing operation begins, slack W22a, W10a, and W15a in the web located downstream of the guide rollers, and the slacked web is accumulated in the air loop portion, thereby completing the standby for printing. At that time, the amount of web conveyance (accumulation) is saved. Then, high-speed printing operation begins, and when the amount of printing has reached the amount of web conveyance saved, high-speed conveyance by the web feeding mechanism begins.
US08091474B2
A system for extracting liquid from a mass comprising a portable platform having an upper surface, a system mass input, a polymer feeding and blending system on the upper surface, a liquid extraction assembly on the upper surface, and piping having a first section between the system mass input and the polymer feeding and blending system, and a second section between the polymer feeding and blending system and the liquid extraction assembly. The system is configured to have mass inputted into the system mass input, transport the mass to the polymer feeding and blending system through the first section of the piping, inject polymer into the mass in the polymer feeding and blending system, and transport the mass from the polymer feeding and blending system to the liquid extraction assembly. Pressure from mass forced into the liquid extraction assembly forces liquid in the mass to exit the mass.
US08091473B2
A juice extractor capable of extracting juice from vegetables, fruits or soymilk from beans is disclosed. The extractor includes a housing having a draff outlet port and a juice outlet port, a screw having an upper rotary shaft inserted in a rotary shaft hole of the housing and a lower rotary shaft with a plurality of screw spirals formed on an outer periphery thereof, and a mesh drum for extracting the juice toward the juice outlet port, and a rotary brush mounted between the housing and the mesh drum and having a brush holder. Various nutrients and intrinsic flavor contained in the vegetables or fruits are maintained to the fullest extent by employing a very low speed screw of a squeezing mode. Also, since the housing accommodating the screw is vertically fixed to an upper portion of a drive unit, the material is automatically moved downward without pressing the material down, and the draff is discharged while squeezing and grinding the materials put in an inlet port.
US08091468B2
A fluid power linear drive device comprises a housing tube on whose outer periphery an output drive slide can slide linearly. For this purpose on the outer periphery of the housing tube there are two guide face pairs each having two guide faces extending along the housing tube on the outer periphery of the housing and, in the axial is direction of a first transverse axis of the housing tube, opposite each other, which in the direction of a second transverse axis, perpendicular to the first transverse axis, are spaced apart. The guide faces, as considered in a cross section of the housing tube, are slanted in each case in relation to the first and second transverse axis, first bearing elements arranged on the output drive slide are engaging the guide faces of the one, first guide face pair, such first bearing elements being able to pivot in relation to a pivot axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing tube independently of each other in relation to the output drive slide, and the guide faces of the other, second guide face pair are engaged by second bearing elements arranged of the output drive slide, the transverse position of the second bearing elements assumed in the axial direction of the first transverse axis in relation to the output drive slide being able to be varied.
US08091466B2
The invention relates to a breech for a repeating rifle with a lock guide, a bolt head arranged in the lock guide, a locking sleeve arranged concentrically with the bolt head with several locking elements that can be moved by an expansion device between an inner unlocked position and an outer locked position, and a locking lever that is arranged in the lock guide and that can be activated by means of a bolt handle with which is associated a first cam element that is arranged so that it can rotate in the lock guide with a rear contact surface for support against a fixed control element. To allow especially smooth-running and safe locking action, a second cam element, which can rotate independently of the first cam element and that has a rear control cam for support against the fixed control element is associated with the locking lever.
US08091462B2
A locking system for a firearm attachment. The locking system having a rotating lock ring having a lock-and-release lever rotatably mounted thereto. The lock-and-release lever having a lock engagement surface optimally configured to forcefully engage a locking surface when in a locked orientation. The locking ring having a nonconcentric engagement surface that repositions in a radial direction when the locking ring rotates and the nonconcentric engagement surface is configured to engage the muzzle of a firearm for locking the muzzle attachment thereto.
US08091458B2
A food slicing machine is provided which is particularly suitable for slicing food products such as bacon, cheese or cooked meats. The machine has a slicing blade (1), and advancing apparatus (5, 6) operable to engage one end (13) of a food product (4) to be sliced and, on an advancing stroke, push the food product towards the slicing blade for slicing of the other end of the product. The machine includes a sensor (1) operative to produce a sensing signal representative of the position of said one end (13) of the product prior to engagement thereof by the advancing apparatus, and control circuitry for controlling the extent of a return stroke by the advancing apparatus in dependence upon the sensing signal.
US08091453B2
A wire stripper includes: a first main body having a main body portion, a rear grip, a lower engaging portion and an internal accommodating space; a second main body having an outer casing, an inner casing received in the outer casing, two upper engaging portions, two first rail holes located on both sides of the outer casing, two second rails, two first rails located on both sides of the inner casing and two second rail holes; and a third main body having a left casing and a right casing combined with each other, a front grip extending downwards from the left casing and the right casing, an acting portion connected between the second main body and the third main body, and a spring portion abutting in the front grip and the rear grip. The second main body and the third main body are received in the accommodating space.
US08091451B2
The invention relates to a power divider for motor vehicles, comprising a housing (1), a primary shaft (2) having a drive connection to a first driven axis, a controlled friction coupling (4) and a displacement drive (6, 7, 8) for the drive of a second driven axis. The friction coupling (4) can be actuated by means of two ramp rings (1, 16) which can rotate counter to each other and which comprise articulated jacks (19, 20). In order to use the toothed wheels as a displacement drive and to provide a compact and economical actuator, the control curves are embodied on a control cam (25) which comprises two control sliding tracks (35, 36) which are offset in relation to each other and can be rotated about a parallel axis in relation to the axis of primary shaft (2). The control cam (25) is rotationally mounted on the second toothed wheel (7) or the shaft thereof (9).
US08091447B2
A sequential control device having a rotatable drum and having a plurality of guide grooves and a corresponding plurality of engagement forks, each including a supporting portion on the outer surface of the drum, a drive portion to drive a corresponding synchronizing sleeve of the gearbox, and a pin engaging in a corresponding guide groove of the drum. The guide grooves are shaped to produce selective axial movement of the pins and engagement forks, upon rotation of the drum, to cause each time the engagement of a given gear. The pins are positioned on the same side of the drive portion of the engagement forks. A through groove is provided on the outer surface of the drum and extends from an end of the drum to at least the guide groove farthest from that end, to guide the pins of the engagement forks when mounted on the drum.
US08091445B1
A two-speed transmission having an input shaft and an output shaft, the transmission being capable of transitioning between fixed ratios, the high-range ratio being direct 1:1 and the low-range ratio being about 2:1. The transmission is a simple lightweight, yet robust, configuration utilizing only two gear meshes, being comprised of an input gear, a cluster gear, and an output gear. The transmission is controlled with a clutch and a sprag and with the input and output shafts turning in the same direction.
US08091442B1
A measuring head has a base and extending spaced apart vertical sidewalls that form a slot into which a tube through which a fluid flows is placed and at least one sensor element mounted in at least one of the sidewalls to detect a characteristic of the flowing fluid. At least one through passage is formed in each of the sidewalls that are aligned opposing each other to form a pair of passages through which a strap is passed above the tube in the head slot and a fastener holds the strap bound to the sidewalls to retain the tube in the slot. One embodiment has a pair of the sidewall slots on each side of a sensor element mounted in a sidewall. A passage also can be provided in the head base through which a strap can pass and then be passed through a pair of the sidewall passages.
US08091437B2
A transducer system includes a plurality of transducer elements formed on a flexible substrate with localized circuit elements and interconnects associated with each transducer element.
US08091436B2
A differential force sensor method and apparatus for automatically monitoring manual injections through an intravenous line. The differential force sensor includes two piezoresistive sense die that are packaged in close proximity utilizing a number of packaging processes. The two piezoresistive sense die can be utilized to measure forces exerted on a diaphragm on either side of an orifice. The piezoresistive sense die can be packaged in close proximity to make intimate contact with the diaphragms on either side of the orifice. The differential force sensor further includes two plungers that make intimate contact with the diaphragm and transfer the force into the piezo-resistive sense dies. Additionally, one or more ASICs and microcontrollers can be utilized to provide thermal calibration and differential calculation.
US08091433B2
A gas meter gas a conduit for passage of a gas flow; an ioniser arranged to ionise the gas flow in the conduit; a modulating electrode structure arranged for modulating the ion distribution in the ionised gas flow; and at least a detecting electrode structure downstream of the modulating electrode structure arranged for detecting the modulated ion distribution in the ionised gas flow. The modulating electrode structure is arranged downstream of the ioniser and is configured to generate an electrical field which is substantial in a parallel to the direction of the gas flow.
US08091430B1
A system for protecting a diaphragm of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a housing coupled to the MEMS device such that its sensing diaphragm is surrounded thereby. A perforated barrier in the housing is adjacent to the sensing diaphragm. A protection diaphragm in the housing has its first side exposed to an external environment of interest, and has its second side facing the perforated barrier and spaced apart therefrom. A fluid is disposed contiguously between the second side of the protection diaphragm and the sensing diaphragm.
US08091417B2
A method for determining an amount of correction of a bearing height includes the steps of: determining the heights of bearings in an engine by using a transfer matrix method based on an actually measured bearing load and an actually measured crank deflection; determining a computed bearing load acting on each of the bearings based on the determined bearing height; determining a reference bearing load acting on each bearing when the bearing height of each bearing is positioned on a reference plane; determining a load difference between the computed bearing load and the reference bearing load on each bearing; and comparing the determined load difference with a set range and, when the determined load difference exceeds the set range, determining a correction range of the bearing height such that the load difference falls within an allowable range.
US08091414B2
Methods of monitoring replacement of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) by a non-particulate matter filter. The disclosed methods takes into account a change in delta pressure based soot load estimates (DPSLE) over time to detect whether the DPF has been replaced. The estimate, which is measured by the delta pressure drop across the filter, can be used to determine whether a device that does not have the capability of trapping soot, such as a muffler, has been inserted.
US08091413B2
An arrangement of a mass intake air flow measurement device suitable for integrating a humidity sensing device as well as a temperature sensing device and a pressure sensing device is provided. A second bypass passage bypassing a bypass passage is formed and a humidity sensing device is mounted in the second bypass passage. A second bypass passage inlet and a second bypass passage outlet formed in a wall surface of the bypass passage are opened parallel to the direction of flow of air flowing in the bypass passage.
US08091409B2
A storm water run-off percolation rate test system includes a turbid water generator having a silt or sediment source providing silt into a mixing tank. A pipeline carries turbid water from the mixing tank to a test pit or test site. A flow meter measures the amount of turbid water moved into the test pit. Detectors detect a water level in the test pit. A controller automatically controls the turbid water generator and flow of turbid water into the test pit, and records data on the amount of turbid water provided into the test pit over time, to determine a percolation rate. In a method for determining a percolation rate, turbid water is created and used in the percolation rate testing, to more accurately simulate run-off.
US08091402B2
In this bottle can manufacturing method, when a portion located at the skirt portion 7 is being molded, the portion extending in an opposite direction in which the male threaded portion 6 extends from a lower end 6a of the male threaded portion 6 over a range of at least approximately 180° along a circumferential direction of the skirt portion 7, the inner surfaces of molding pre-form portions of the first circumferential wall portion and the convexly curved surface portion from among the molding pre-form portions of the skirt portion 7 are pressed outward in the radial direction of the bottle can body.
US08091401B2
Thin shredder blade having blade points without steps, including blade body and cutting part located on periphery of blade body and includes a blade point. The cutting part includes a primary protrusion protruding from the cutting part. The primary protrusion includes a top, an inclined plane extending between the top and blade point, and an acute angle formed by inclined plane and blade body. The plane is an inverted triangle. The cutting part further includes first and second hemlines extending from the blade body and intersecting to the blade point. A first plane extends between the top and first hemline and intersects with the inclined plane. The blade body includes a large protrusion which protrudes in the same direction as the primary protrusion. The blade sets formed by the thin blades and the manufacturing method of the thin blades are provided.
US08091400B2
The present invention relates to a device for forming, in particular for cold forming, here in particular for cold extruding, a workpiece, which device has a forming die and a feed device by means of which a relative movement can be generated between the workpiece and the forming die, wherein the device has a frequency generating device which interacts with the feed device and by which the relative movement between the workpiece and the forming die, as generated by the feed device, can be modulated in such a way that following a forward stroke in which the workpiece and/or the forming die pass through a first stroke travel in the feeding direction, a movement of the forming die and/or of the workpiece can be effected in a subsequent reverse stroke, over a second stroke travel in a direction opposite to the feeding direction, and to a method for forming a workpiece wherein a relative movement between the workpiece and a forming die is generated by a feed device, which relative movement between the workpiece and the forming die, produced by the feed device, is modulated in such a way that following a forward stroke in which the workpiece and/or the forming die pass through a first stroke travel, a movement of the forming die and/or of the workpiece can be effected in a subsequent reverse stroke, over a second stroke travel in a direction opposite to the feeding direction.
US08091394B2
There is provided a foreign pipe or tube determining method capable of accurately determining a foreign pipe or tube. The foreign pipe or tube determining method in accordance with the present invention includes a step for determining the presence of a foreign pipe or tube by comparing the length of each pipe or tube in a size measuring step with the length of each pipe or tube measured in an actual weighing and length measuring step, which is associated with each pipe or tube in the size measuring step, a step for determining the presence of a foreign pipe or tube by comparing the weight of each pipe or tube calculated in a weight calculating step with the weight of each pipe or tube measured in the actual weighing and length measuring step, which is associated with each pipe or tube in a weight calculating step, and a step for determining the presence of a foreign pipe or tube based on the material of each pipe or tube determined in a material determining step.
US08091391B2
A padlock that can be unlocked by the owner of the padlock by dialing an unlocking number or by authorized security personals with a general key. The padlock mainly contains a lock body, a block, a shackle, a general locking device and a private locking device. The lock body has a first channel and a second channel therein. The block is engaged with the second channel. The block has a receptacle therein. The shackle has a longer arm slidably received in the first channel and a shorter arm engageable with the receptacle of the block. The general locking device is formed in the lock body for locking or unlocking the longer arm of the shackle. The private locking device is formed in the lock body for controlling movements of the block in order the block to be engaged with or disengaged from the shorter arm of the shackle.
US08091383B1
A significant improvement in ring designs which greatly increases the size of the ring in order to accommodate larger ornamentation such as stones incorporated into the ring. The present invention achieves its improved design by making the ring large enough so that it encircles two adjacent fingers of a hand or two adjacent toes of a foot, thereby increasing the size of the ring so that it can accommodate larger ornamentation such as large stones.
US08091380B2
A motor-operated selector valve relating to refrigerating technology is provided. In the present invention, a slider is controlled by a stepper motor so as to be rotatablely displaced among four positions on a flat bottom surface of a valve seat. Three outlets on the flat bottom surface are communicated with a normal open inlet in the valve seat via flow-guiding orifices in the slider respectively. In the first working position, the first outlet and the third outlet are in communication with the normal open inlet at the same time; in the second working position, the second outlet is in communication with the normal open inlet; in the third working position, the third outlet is in communication with the normal open inlet; in the fourth working position, the first outlet is in communication with the normal open inlet.
US08091376B2
A bent coil used in a ducted heating and cooling unit improves heat exchange. The bent coil increases the overall surface area of the coil for a given duct volume. Openings in a separation wall focus an air flow from fans towards the bent coil. Fins direct the air through the bent coil, and a net removes turbulence from the air flow prior to moving through the bent coil. The bent coil discharges air both longitudinally and laterally, eliminating the need for any additional ducting downstream from the bent coil to divert air toward the sides.
US08091375B2
In an air conditioning system for circulating cooled air to an enclosed space, a controller including a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a microcontroller for controlling the indoor fan or blower to prevent operation of same if a fan run-on mode is selected or continuous fan operation is selected and the humidity sensed in the enclosed space is greater than a predetermined amount. Continuous fan operation is allowed unless the humidity exceeds a user defined setpoint during an air cooling operating mode. If the humidity sensed is greater than the predetermined amount, the fan is operated only when the system is providing cooled air, such as when the system compressor is energized.
US08091371B2
A mid turbine frame of a gas turbine engine includes an outer case which supports a spoke casing co-axially positioned therein. The spoke casing has load transfer spokes extending radially from an inner case and secured to the outer case. A load transfer device is provided to transfer load from the spokes to the outer case in addition to load transfer through a first group of fasteners securing the spokes to the outer case, thereby forming a secondary load transfer path from the spokes. The load transfer device includes an opening of the outer case into which at least some of the spokes are inserted.
US08091370B2
A liner cap assembly is disclosed for use in a gas turbine engine combustor. The assembly includes an outer ring that extends along an axis. Multiple struts are circumferentially arranged about an inner diameter of the outer ring and extend radially inwardly therefrom. A plate is supported by and axially aligned with the struts. The plate includes multiple circumferential openings that support a collar and a premix tube at each of the openings. The plate is arranged between leading and trailing edges of the struts to provide a stiffened liner cap assembly that is robust and resistant to the vibrations typically found in dry low NOx systems.
US08091368B2
A turbomachine combustion chamber including a chamber bottom with at least one opening designed to receive a combustion bowl in the axis of which an air and fuel injection device is mounted is disclosed. The downstream end of the flared bowl includes a divergent with a double partition delimiting an annular cavity. The first outer partition includes inlet orifices arranged to cool the second inner partition by impact and the second inner partition includes outlet orifices. The inlet orifices, distributed in at least two circular rows on the periphery of the divergent, are in staggered rows with the outlet orifices.
US08091363B2
Embodiments for an apparatus and associated method for reducing the residence time in a gas turbine combustor are disclosed. The embodiments of the present invention comprise a fuel nozzle that extends to a downstream plane of an end cap for a combustion liner where the axial distance of the premixer is reduced, however the swirl for mixing the fuel and air, is increased. As a result, the mixing of the fuel and air is essentially unchanged, thereby allowing higher air pressures and operating temperatures within the premixer without inducing auto-ignition.
US08091358B2
A control method for an internal combustion engine supercharged by means of a turbocharger provided with a turbine and with a compressor; the control method contemplates the steps of: establishing at least one operating limit curve on a Reduced Mass Flow Rate/Compression Ratio map; establishing at least one intervention curve of a wastegate valve which adjusts a bypass pipe of the turbine on a Reduced Mass Flow Rate/Compression Ratio map; establishing at least one intervention curve of a Poff valve which adjusts a bypass pipe of the compressor on a Reduced Mass Flow Rate/Compression Ratio map; using the operating limit curve to limit the pressure target downstream of the compressor used by the engine control; controlling the opening of the wastegate valve if the intervention curve of the wastegate valve is exceeded; and controlling the opening of the Poff valve if the intervention curve of the Poff valve is exceeded.
US08091357B2
A system for recovering engine exhaust energy is provided. The system includes an exhaust system including a first exhaust branch and a second exhaust branch. The system includes a first and a second group of exhaust valves associated with a plurality of engine cylinders. The system also includes an energy recovering assembly. The system further includes a control mechanism configured to control at least one of the first and second groups of exhaust valves according to a determined timing strategy based on at least one engine operating parameter.
US08091356B2
In a vehicular brake system, an input piston and a pressure piston are coaxially and axially movably supported in a cylinder, and a brake pedal is coupled to the input piston. Pressure chambers formed on the axially opposite sides of the input piston communicate with each other via a communication passage. A control oil pressure can be supplied to a first supply port of the communication passage, and a reaction-force oil pressure can be supplied to a second supply port of a reaction-force chamber of the input piston, while braking oil pressures can be delivered from delivery ports of the respective pressure chambers.
US08091355B2
A hydraulic circuit for an actuator that has a piston and piston rod that will move a load in a first direction, and which can be externally loaded in an opposite direction, includes a flow compensated valve between the actuator and a control valve. When the piston in the actuator is moved in the second opposite direction under the external load and the rate of flow of fluid out of the actuator through the flow compensated valve exceeds a selected rate, an orifice is introduced in the flow path to restrict flow from the actuator.
US08091348B2
A method and system for managing an exhaust gas feedstream from an internal combustion engine operative lean of stoichiometry includes steps and apparatus for diverting exhaust around a three-way catalytic converter during NOx adsorber regeneration thereby increasing reductants available in the NOx adsorber to react with the adsorbed NOx.
US08091347B2
In an embodiment of an exhaust gas purification apparatus, when an accumulation amount of particulate matter in a DPF (33) exceeds a predetermined amount and an exhaust gas temperature of an engine is lower than a restoration operable temperature, an intake air amount reducing operation is executed by an air intake throttling device (24) provided for an air intake pipe (21) of the engine, and a heating operation is executed by an electric heater (34) provided upstream from the DPF (33), thereby increasing the exhaust gas temperature to the restoration operable temperature to start a restoration operation of the DPF (33).
US08091345B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for efficiently increasing exhaust flow temperature for an internal combustion engine. The method includes excepting a user input to disable an exhaust valve opening mechanism. The method further includes monitoring exhaust gas mass flows and temperatures, interpreting required exhaust temperatures for aftertreatment devices, and surveying a plurality of operating conditions for a combustion engine. The method includes determining a crankshaft angle for dynamically engaging an exhaust valve open mode based on the exhaust temperature, the required exhaust temperature, and the engine operating conditions. Dynamically engaging the exhaust valve open mode includes selecting a specific crankshaft angle for each combustion cycle of the engine.
US08091333B2
Provided is a flexible wire to be inserted in a pipe and rotated in a high speed to remove scales in the pipe by striking the scales. The flexible wire includes a main wire line which is formed by alternately winding a central wire line with clockwise and counterclockwise wires along a longitudinal direction of the central wire line, an auxiliary wire line which is a single line having a diameter smaller than that of the main wire line and extends in a longitudinal direction of the main wire line, and an outermost wire which winds the auxiliary wire line so as to bind the auxiliary wire line and the main wire line.
US08091328B2
A coppice header for a forage harvester adapted to be mounted on and powered by a forage harvester. The header including at the front side two circular rotatable knives, a feeding drum being mounted above each knife, said drums being rotatable about the same rotation axis as the respective knives, wherein each feeding drum is equipped with one or more flat hook-shaped extensions adapted to grab the cut stems in the region immediately above the rotatable knives. The header may also be provided with a front feed roll placed behind the knives and two additional feed rolls placed behind the front feed roll, wherein the front feed roll is equipped with guiding blades along the length of the feed roll. The blades have a central protrusion, so that the blades are longer in a region around the middle of the blade than at the lateral ends of the blades.
US08091327B2
The invention relates to a retractile finger (1) for fitting to a grain harvester auger (3) main shaft (2), which retractile finger comprises an elongated portion (4) having at one of its ends a portion in the form of a guide (5) for fitting to the above-mentioned shaft (2), the elongated portion (4) and the portion in the form of a guide (5) being formed in one piece made of polyethylene with a molar mass of between 3.9 and 10.5 million g/mol.
US08091323B2
A reclosable film structure for a package is disclosed, in particular a reclosable lap seal, comprising a multiple layer film with an interior pressure sensitive adhesive layer, and methods of manufacture thereof. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer is positioned between a first and a third layer on either side of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer and is continuous throughout the package. The package is heat sealed at an open end to initially close the package by folding over an outer lap seal segment onto an inner lap seal segment and heat-sealing together. Upon opening the package at the lap seal, the package delaminates between the first and second layers along one of the lap seal segments, thus exposing the pressure sensitive adhesive layer to facilitate reclosing the package, oriented away from the package interior and away from the food removal path to maintain the adhesion strength by avoiding food contact.
US08091317B2
A wire bolt comprising an elongated section of wire rope with a section of threaded stud attached to each end is disclosed for use in reinforcing concrete structures. Part of the wire rope portion is coated with a substance to prevent that portion from bonding with the concrete. The threaded rod portion can be attached within the concrete by epoxy or attached to the concrete by appropriate mechanical means. The wire bolt can be attached to a concrete building structure during initial construction of a structure or retrofit into existing structures. Wire bolts should be installed in areas susceptible to shear or bending failure and serve to prevent the concrete sections from separating in a seismic event.
US08091310B2
Moisture-resistant materials comprise an open net-like fabric with strands of varying thicknesses and polymer film thereon. The material is both resistant to water penetration and also slip resistant under dry or wet conditions. The moisture-resistant materials are suitable for use in various applications including roofing underpayment, flashing, housewrap and other construction sheet-like materials. An optional second layer of fabric may be applied to the moisture-resistant material, for example, to improve the strength, tear resistance, and scuff resistance of the moisture-resistant material.
US08091308B2
An improved dry stack insulated building block and block wall system, the block having a first and a second side wall, a central web interposed between the side walls, a pair of end transverse webs, and a pair of intermediate transverse webs. The side walls, central web, and transverse webs define a first, a second, and a third cell. A first cell core, second cell core, and a pair of third cell cores of insulative material are inserted in the respective cells. The cell cores have trapezoidal shaped ear members which matingly fit in notches in the transverse webs, the trapezoidal shaped ear members providing for the creation of a notch gap between the base of the ear members and the notch bottom of the respective notches, thereby accommodating crumbing in the notch bottom.
US08091307B2
The convection baffle for hollow blocks increases the R-value of a hollow block when one or more convection dampers are received within passages defined through the hollow block. The convection baffle includes an upper wall having laterally opposed first and second side edges, a lower wall having laterally opposed first and second side edges, first and second laterally opposed sidewalls, and a central wall having opposed upper and lower edges. The convection baffle is substantially G-shaped. The convection baffle decreases convection current flow within the passage of the hollow block to increase the overall R-value of the hollow block.
US08091306B2
A metal joint for concrete slabs including means of separating the slabs and means allowing the horizontal movement of slabs relative to each other while avoiding vertical movement between the edges of the slabs, the metal joint comprising a first part incorporated in a first slab, comprising a vertical web with an upper edge and provided with a series of tenons which extend horizontally towards the exterior of the slab and a second part incorporated in a second slab comprising in its upper section a web with an upper edge and a series of mortise elements which extend towards the interior of the slab and are arranged opposite the tenons so that they can engage with each other, wherein the upper edges of the webs terminate at the top by an upper sharp edge strengthened by a cold-rolled fold so as to form a right angle on the outer side of the slab and a sharp edge with an acute angle in contact with the concrete of the slab thus forming a smooth upper surface and a sharp edge of the joint of the adjacent slabs.
US08091301B2
Partition walls for absorbing or reflecting sound waves are already available in various types and qualities. Such partition walls are generally permanently fixed to a structural member of a building, for example, or are otherwise permanently stationed, in order to absorb a substantial part of the incidental sound waves, and thus actually remove them. The invention relates to an improved sound-insulating partition wall. The invention also relates to an assembly method for such a wall.
US08091300B2
A block for use in a building panel includes a plurality of layer components. Each of the layer components is separately formed from the others. Each of the layer components provides a load-bearing support function, an environmental protection function, and/or a utility function. The constructive material used to form each of the layer components and a configuration of each of the layer components are selected so as to allow the building panel to meet at least one predetermined criteria when the block is disposed in the building panel and coupled to other blocks.
US08091297B2
A building construction frame element consists of a wooden core of a single piece of wooden material provided with a thermal break formed of an insulating material extending across the heat conductance path of the element, which may be in the form of stud for a wall or ceiling. A method for producing the frame element is also disclosed.
US08091294B2
A method and apparatus are provided, for allowing pets to ascend and descend on a foldable staircase having a plurality of stair treads operatively connected by articulating links in such a manner that the treads can be pivoted in unison from a stowed position of the staircase, in which the treads are substantially stacked upon one another, to a plurality of extended positions, in which the links position the treads in a spaced and parallel relationship to one another. A latch selectively secures the staircase in a selected one of the extended positions. The latch is configured for preventing further pivoting of the treads in either direction between the stowed and extended positions of the staircase, when the latch is engaged.
US08091291B2
There is provided a structure which can reduce the lifting workload and the building workload at a high place.A structure 1 of the invention includes a rectangular frame 11 arranged horizontally, a rectangular main beam 12 arranged vertically on the frame 11, and a principal rafter 13 supporting the main beam 12 and can be built on the ground. The structure 1 is used as a greenhouse roof frame. The lifting workload and the building workload for building a greenhouse roof frame, a framework of the entire greenhouse and a greenhouse, can be greatly reduced as compared with those of the prior art.
US08091290B1
A device comprising a generally rounded configuration having an inner surface and interior, and an outer surface. There is a wall thickness between the inner surface and outer surface. The entertainment device has a base having a generally tubular configuration with walls and a floor. The base couples to the entertainment Sphere, and forms the base thereof. The device has a plurality of screen subassemblies coupled to the wall thickness of the entertainment device sphere.
US08091289B2
A modular enclosure, such as a shed, may include a floor constructed from one or more floor panels. The floor panels, which may be constructed from blow-molded plastic, may include a pattern disposed on the upper surface. The floor panels may also include depressions that are formed in the lower surface and extend towards the upper surface. If desired, the depressions may be generally aligned with a portion of the pattern in the upper surface and the depressions may have a length that is less than the distance separating the upper surface and the lower surface. Advantageously, the depressions may be sized and configured to increase the strength of the floor panels. In addition, the floor panels may include a pattern disposed on the lower surface and the depressions may be at least partially disposed in the pattern. The patterns on the opposing sides of the panels may be generally offset and/or have different orientations.
US08091288B2
Greenhouse construction consisting of a number of rooves with supporting members, such as longitudinal beams, ridges and gutters. These supporting members are provided with rails for moving a carriage or the like over them. The rails and supporting members provide each other with structural strength so that a relatively slim construction with no or hardly any restriction in the light level in the greenhouse construction occurs.
US08091287B2
A forced hot-air gutter thawing system includes a multiple of gutter sections which each include a multiple of molded in hot air flow passages adjacent a liquid passageway. A hot air source such as a conventional hot-air type furnace communicates hot air through a manifold which distributes hot-air through the gutter sections to prevent ice and snow from blocking the liquid passageway. The gutter sections are assembled together through heat staking or other fastening arrangement such that the gutter sections may be combined in a modular manner to provide a gutter system for various dwellings.
US08091275B2
This invention provides pH buffered plant nutrient compositions, methods for fertilizing a plant growing or a seed germinating in a hydroponics system, methods for growing a plant in a hydroponics system, and methods for making a pH buffered plant nutrient composition. The compositions and methods of this invention are useful with distilled water, deionized water, filtered water, and United States municipal tap water. The compositions and methods of this invention are useful with most of the municipal water supplies in the United States. pH buffering agents useful in the practice of this invention include phosphate buffers, aquarium buffers, 2-[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid, and mixtures thereof.
US08091269B2
An electroshock wand for safely and humanely stunning and capturing aquatic creatures is provided. The electroshock wand has a body, an anode member, and a cathode member. The anode and cathode members are attached at or near the electroshock end of the body, with the anode and cathode members being axially spaced from one another. The anode and cathode members create an intense and localized electrical field between one another that momentarily stuns a target organism. The target organism, once stunned may then be collected. This device offers a nonlethal method of capturing invasive species and removing them from specific environments.
US08091266B2
A multifunction tool kit for firearm maintenance has a main tool body having one or more facilities for connection of various tool components. The present invention may include a first tool component having an attachment facility adapted to removably connect to one of the facilities for connection of the main tool body. At least one of the opposing ends of the first tool component may terminate in a feature adapted to fit one or more components on a firearm. A feature may be exposed and extend outwards from the opposing sides of the main tool body when the first tool component is connected to the main tool body. The invention may also include additional tool components, such as a thread protector, an alignment gauge having a grease pot with grease cap, a throat erosion gauge, a spacer with pin punch, a stock liner tool, a muzzle wear gauge, and a handle.
US08091253B2
A fabric article treating device having a dispenser adapted for location inside of a fabric article drying appliance and a removable reservoir. The dispenser and reservoir are adapted for fluid communication with one another. The reservoir is configured to contain a benefit composition and to minimize leakage of the benefit composition during installation and removal of the removable reservoir. Corresponding male and female fitments establish fluid communication between the dispenser and the reservoir. The male fitment is adapted to pivot to aid in engaging the female fitment.
US08091250B1
An apparatus for improving the speed, accuracy, and economy in obtaining linear measurements during construction includes a body that includes a pair of straddle members that span across a thickness dimension of any preferred type of dimension lumber, including wood and synthetic building materials. If desired, the apparatus is designed to straddle a width, rather than a thickness, dimension. A number of receiving locations, such as edges, slots, or recesses, are provided on the apparatus that each correspond with a particular relative position, edge, mark, end, or surface of the dimension lumber. Each receiving location is able to receive and retain an end of a tape measure. An adjustable thumb member is provided that pivots around a center shaft and is adjustable longitudinally to better secure the end of the tape measure. The retaining force provided by the thumb member is adjustable. A threaded rod, hole in the straddle member, and securing knob are optionally provided for better securing the apparatus to the dimension lumber.
US08091244B2
The present invention relates to an ophthalmic holding mechanism for holding an eyeglass frame. The holding mechanism includes a base, a clamping mechanism configured for releaseably securing a lens mount of an eyeglass frame, and an actuator operatively associated with the clamping mechanism for causing linear and rotational movement thereof. The clamping mechanism is moveably coupled to the base for linear and rotational movement about an axis of rotation relative to the base, wherein the clamping mechanism is rotatable about first and second spaced pivot points. The present invention also relates to a method of tracing a lens mount of an eyeglass frame.
US08091239B2
A method is provided for producing a bearing ring (1) for large-size rolling bearings including at least one track (3) that is provided with a hardened peripheral layer. With the method the peripheral layer that is to be hardened is exposed to the electric field of an inductor in order to be heated and is then quenched. At least two inductors (2) are disposed above a common zone (a) of the annular track (3) that is to be hardened at the beginning of the hardening process. These inductors (2) heat the opposite peripheral layer to a hardening temperature at this location. The inductors (2) are moved in the opposite direction along the annular track in order to heat the adjacent central zones (b). Sprinklers (5) that are directed onto the heated peripheral layers are turned on following a short distance, and the peripheral layers are quenched starting from the center of the zone (a) that was heated at the beginning. The inductors (2) and the sprinklers (5) continue to be moved on the halves of the rings thereof until coinciding again in a zone (c) located opposite the point of departure and once again forming a joint heating zone there. Both inductors (2) are lifted perpendicular to the surface of the track (3) upon reaching the required hardening temperature. The sprinklers (5) are directed onto zone (c).
US08091238B2
The apparatus mounts a locking element into a groove in an edge of a panel. An advance device feeds a stream of locking elements to a pressing device which mounts the locking elements into the groove on the edge of the panel. The locking elements are fed from a line of locking elements stored on a reel. A separating device cuts the line of locking elements into individual locking elements. The separating device is positioned either upstream of the advancing device or immediately upstream of the pressing device. When the separating device is immediately upstream of the pressing device, a spring is used to flex the stream during the short stoppage when the separating device separates individual locking elements from the line of locking elements.
US08091235B2
A manufacturing method for manufacturing a liquid ejection element including a liquid flow path which is open at an ejection outlet for ejecting liquid, and an energy generating member for generating energy usable for ejecting the liquid from liquid flow path through the ejection outlet, the manufacturing method, includes a step of forming the energy generating member on a front side of a substrate; a step of forming a top plate member on the side having the energy generating member formed by the energy generating member forming step, wherein the top plate member is a member in which the liquid flow path and the ejection outlet are formed; and a step of thinning the substrate, having the top plate member formed thereon by the top plate member forming step, from a back side thereof.
US08091234B2
A manufacturing method, for a liquid discharge head that includes a silicon substrate in which a supply port is formed for supplying a liquid, includes the steps of providing the silicon substrate, a mask layer provided with an opening that corresponds to the supply port being provided on one face of the silicon substrate; forming a groove in the silicon substrate along the shape of the opening in the mask layer; removing, via sandblasting, silicon of the silicon substrate inward of the groove in the silicon substrate; and performing, from the one face, anisotropic etching of the silicon substrate that has been sandblasted, and forming the supply port.
US08091222B2
An adapter apparatus and methods for using in providing such adapter apparatus include providing a substrate having a plurality of openings defined therethrough. A plurality of conductive elements are mounted within corresponding openings thereof using a curable material.
US08091221B2
A method of fabricating a circuit board includes the following steps. First, a patterned metal board is provided. The patterned metal board includes a patterned circuit having at least a pad. Next, a dielectric layer is formed on the patterned metal board to cover the patterned circuit. Thereafter, a processing treatment is preformed on a surface of the patterned metal board in which the surface is opposite to the patterned circuit, such that at least a conductive joint column disposed on the pad and a circuit layer having the patterned circuit are formed. Afterwards, a solder mask layer is formed on the dielectric layer to cover the circuit layer, such that the solder mask layer is in contact with the conductive joint column, the conductive joint column passes through the solder mask layer, and a height of the conductive joint column exceeds a thickness of the solder mask layer.
US08091220B2
A sensor utilizing a non-leachable or diffusible redox mediator is described. The sensor includes a sample chamber to hold a sample in electrolytic contact with a working electrode, and in at least some instances, the sensor also contains a non-leachable or a diffusible second electron transfer agent. The sensor and/or the methods used produce a sensor signal in response to the analyte that can be distinguished from a background signal caused by the mediator. The invention can be used to determine the concentration of a biomolecule, such as glucose or lactate, in a biological fluid, such as blood or serum, using techniques such as coulometry, amperometry, and potentiometry. An enzyme capable of catalyzing the electrooxidation or electroreduction of the biomolecule is typically provided as a second electron transfer agent.
US08091215B2
When a component (X) is fed to a pickup position (53) but no suction action is carried out due to a variety of reasons, a reverse feeding action is carried out to return the component (X), which has been fed to the pickup position (53), to a position upstream of the pickup position (53) in the tape feeding direction. The same component (X) is thus not wasted but is resupplied to the pickup position (53) in the following pickup action, whereby the amount of waste of components is reduced.
US08091210B1
A method provides a structure in a magnetic recording transducer. The structure resides on an underlayer. The method includes providing a protective layer and providing layer(s) for the structure. The protective layer covers a field region but exposes a device region in which the structure is to reside. A first portion of the layer(s) reside in the device region, while a second portion of the layer(s) reside in the field region. The method also includes removing the second portion of the layer(s) using an over-removal condition. The underlayer is covered by a remaining portion of the protective layer after the removing step is completed. The method also includes removing the remaining portion of the protective layer. An underlayer removal rate is substantially less than a protective layer during the step of removing of the protective layer.
US08091208B2
Forming an inlay comprising an antenna wire having two end portions and a site for a transponder chip, comprises: mounting the wire to a surface of substrate; and leaving the end portions of the antenna wire free-standing, as loops adjacent terminal areas of a site on the substrate for the transponder chip. With the transponder chip installed on the substrate, the free-standing loops are repositioned to be substantially directly over the terminals of the transponder chip, in preparation for interconnection of the loops to the terminals of the transponder chip, then are bonded to the terminals. An embedding tool for mounting the wire on the substrate may embed the wire in or adhesively place a self-bonding wire on a surface of the substrate. The substrate may have two transponder chips, and function as a secure inlay. An anti-skimming feature is included in the inlay.
US08091204B2
A method for the manufacture of metallically encapsulated ceramic armor through the use of low pressure processing methods in autoclave furnaces or brazing furnaces.
US08091198B2
A pallet includes a platform and a plurality of support assemblies located at multiple positions on the platform. One support assembly is associated with each location of the component to be supported. Each support assembly has a linkage assembly to support and enable movement of a support element to position the support element in a desired location for each version of a component. A support element locking mechanism on each support element allows for selectively preventing vertical movement of the support element relative to the linkage assembly. Additional locking mechanisms associated with the linkage assembly prevent movement of the linkage assembly relative to the base.
US08091193B1
A fuel insertion tube tool for installing a fuel tube on a barb. The tool has first and second arms that are pivotably attached through an arm pivot axis. Each arm has a grip to engage the fuel tube. A tab extends from the first arm and is pivotably attached to a proximal end of a bar with a pivot pin that defines a bar axis. The bar axis and the arm axis are perpendicular to each other. A hook is disposed at a distal end of the bar for engagement with an attachment site. The tab functions as a fulcrum to reduce the amount of force required to install the fuel tube on the barb. The bar has weight reducing holes and the grips have straight knurls for frictional engagement with the fuel tube.
US08091191B2
A complete machining center has a horizontal machine bed (1) with a vertical-axis trunnion (2) pivotal horizontally with computer-coordination proximate a first-end portion (3) and a traveling tool column (4) with computer-coordinated horizontal X and Y axes and vertical Z tool travel on a compound slide (6) proximate a second-end portion (5) for horizontal access of a cutting tool (12) on the traveling tool column to work pieces on a work-piece rotator (10) and for horizontal access of the cutting tool to work pieces on a vertical-axis milling table (38), either of which are positioned on the horizontally pivotal vertical-axis trunnion (2). A work-piece changer (31) is provided for optionally manual or computer-coordinated work-piece setup, setup reversing and finished-work-piece removal.
US08091190B2
A mirror for a piezoelectric resonator consisting of alternately arranged layers of high and low acoustic impedance is manufactured by at first producing a first layer on which a second layer is produced, so that the second layer partially covers the first layer. Then, a planarization layer is applied on the first layer and on the second layer. Subsequently, a portion of the second layer is exposed by structuring the planarization layer, wherein the portion is associated with an active region of the piezoelectric resonator. Finally, the resulting structure is planarized by removing the portions of the planarization layer remaining outside the portion.
US08091184B2
This invention provides a single or multi-ganged clip that can be grouped into a festooned arrangement. That is, a plurality of clips are arranged together into a discrete assembly along a line of extension so that a human or automated handler can retrieve a grouping, separate one-clip-at-a-time from the grouping, and apply the separated clip to a mold cavity or other assembly structure. Each clip can include a base with opposing ends aligned in the direction of extension and transverse to an elongation direction for a connecting segment (if any) between ganged clip members. In an illustrative embodiment, these base ends include opposing male and female connectors. In this embodiment the male connector is a cylinder with an axis that extends transverse to the direction of elongation and the female connector defines a conforming cylindrical inner diameter, which allows it to nest over the male cylinder. A gap opening is provided at the far edge of the female connector to provide clearance for the base that connects the male cylinder to the clip member base end. This gap can be sized to allow a predetermined range of angular rotation of the male connector within the female connector. Clips can be stored as discrete groupings that are stacked in a container, or paid out in a continuous grouping from a spool.
US08091168B2
A handheld vacuum cleaner housing with a frame element forming at least a portion of a handle and extending in a main handle direction. A through hole passes through and is encircled by the frame element, and is configured to receive one or more fingers of an operator. A top casing element is connected to the frame element and covers at least some of a top side of the frame element. A bottom casing element is connected to the frame element and covers at least some of the bottom side of the frame element. The frame element, top casing element and bottom casing element are arranged to form at least part of a vacuum source housing for accommodating at least a part of a vacuum source. A vacuum cleaner having a similar housing, as well as a detachable second housing having a debris compartment and nozzle, is also provided.
US08091166B2
The invention relates to an extendable cover for walkways for accessing aircraft, especially for the connection between the rotunda and the tunnel of a walkway, which is formed by at least two telescopically coupled casings (9 and 10) which are linked to one another at the lower part according to a transverse pin defined by two aligned linkages (15) connecting the side walls (11 and 13) of each side of said casings at the lower part.
US08091163B2
A bed rail having an operating position at one of the sides of a bed and a stored position between a mattress and box spring of the bed. To take down the bed rail, a guard frame portion is disengaged from a base frame portion, then the guard frame portion is pivoted and slid into the base frame portion. To set up the bed rail, the guard frame portion can be slid out of the base frame portion, pivoted relative to the base frame portion, then engaged to the base frame portion and into the operating position at a side of the bed.
US08091161B1
A variable spring surface deck and a foundation having a variable spring surface deck thereon. The deck comprises a plurality of longitudinal spring wire support rods which are maintained in a spaced orientation in a planar configuration. They are maintained as such in various structures, such as a mat having a series of parallel slots, or a carrier having spaced, open corrugations. The support rods are located in chosen slots or corrugations. A second, cross-wire layer of lateral spring wire support rods can be included in the variable spring surface deck. The variable spring surface foundation includes the variable spring surface deck located on a top bearing structure of a foundation unit.
US08091153B2
A device (10) for opening a toilet flushing system including a water cistern (12) supplied by a filler valve, and having a bottom discharge orifice (14) and a vertical movable discharge valve element (15) associated with this orifice (14) which is capable of occupying a low closed position for keeping the water in the cistern (12) or a high open position for discharging the water to a toilet pan, a float (18) which, when the cistern (12) is full, is submerged in order to move the valve element (15) to its open position, and a rod (22) for blocking the valve element (15) capable of being blocked or released by a magnetic valve and a finger at two emptying levels of the cistern.
US08091148B2
A fixing structure for safety helmet fastening strap, including a frame body mounted under a bottom of a helmet shell. The frame body has multiple fixing seats each of which is formed with a passage and an opening through which a fastening strap can pass. The fixing seat has arms extending from the fixing seat. The fixing seats are securely connected with the frame body with better load capability. Accordingly, the fixing seats can bear the extrusion force of the injection molded foam material without deflection or displacement. The helmet shell, the frame body and the fixing seats are bonded with a foam material filler to together form an integrated body. The arms of the fixing seats help the fixing seats and the frame body to hold the foam material filler.
