US08259020B1
An antenna system for satellite communication, mounted on a moving platform, includes an antenna assembly, a control and display unit, and an antenna steering unit. The antenna assembly includes a dipole driven element assembly and at least one director element mounted on an antenna mast. The antenna steering unit includes a support housing, a rotary joint comprising a BNC connector, an electronic magnetic compass. an angular velocity-sensing gyroscope, a global positioning system receiver, a signal processor and a motor. The direction of the antenna's azimuth axis is determined based on the heading of the moving platform determined by the signal processor. In one embodiment, the director elements, the antenna mast and the azimuth mast are all articulated on flexible joints comprising a cable and spring mechanism allowing the director elements to fold toward the antenna mast and allowing the antenna assembly to fold toward the azimuth mast for stowing.
US08259016B2
A multi-band monopole antenna for a mobile communications device includes a common conductor coupled to both a first radiating arm and a second radiating arm. The common conductor includes a feeding port for coupling the antenna to communications circuitry in a mobile communications device. In one embodiment, the first radiating arm includes a space-filling curve. In another embodiment, the first radiating arm includes a meandering section extending from the common conductor in a first direction and a contiguous extended section extending from the meandering section in a second direction.
US08259013B2
A protective circuit board including a layered insulating substrate, a printed circuit pattern disposed within the insulating substrate, and a loop antenna electrically connected to the printed circuit pattern. Ends of the loop antenna can be inserted into the insulating substrate and connected to the printed circuit pattern. Portions of the printed circuit pattern may extend out of the insulating substrate, and may be connected to the loop antenna. The protective circuit board can be included in a secondary battery pack comprising a secondary battery. The loop antenna can be adhered to the secondary battery.
US08259012B2
A system that provides GPS-based navigation/orbit determination capabilities for high-altitude spacecraft. The system uses an existing spacecraft processor and an easy-to-space-qualify minimum-hardware front end to minimize the need for new space-qualified hardware. The system also uses coherent integration to acquire and track the very weak GPS signals at high altitudes. The system also uses diurnal thermal modeling of a spacecraft clock and precision orbit propagation to enable longer coherent integration, a special Kalman filter to allow weak signal tracking by integrated operation of orbit determination and GPS signal tracking, and a segment-by-segment, post-processing, delayed-time approach to allow a low-speed spacecraft processor to provide the software GPS capability.
US08258995B2
Methods and apparatuses for imaging material properties in natural-fiber-containing materials can utilize time-domain data. In particular, images can be constructed that provide quantified measures of localized moisture content. For example, one or more antennas and at least one transceiver can be configured to collect time-domain data from radiation interacting with the natural-fiber-containing materials. The antennas and the transceivers are configured to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation at one or more frequencies, which are between 50 MHz and 1 THz, according to a time-domain impulse function. A computing device is configured to transform the time-domain data to frequency-domain data, to apply a synthetic imaging algorithm for constructing a three-dimensional image of the natural-fiber-containing materials, and to provide a quantified measure of localized moisture content based on a pre-determined correlation of moisture content to frequency-domain data.
US08258994B2
In an IR jamming system for defense against missiles with IR-sensitive homing heads, one or more jamming beams are generated, whose diameter is less than that of the optical aperture of the IR-sensitive homing head of the missile. The optical aperture of the IR-sensitive homing head of the missile is at least partially illuminated by the jamming beam or beams.
US08258983B2
Systems and methods for performing efficient, inexpensive data logging of aircraft sensor data. An example system on board an aircraft includes a plurality of data sources that provide sensor data associated with a plurality of avionic components, a line replaceable processing unit that is in signal communication with the plurality of data sources via one or more databuses, a wireless router connected to the line replaceable processing unit via a data cable and a portable data unit in wireless data communication with the wireless router. The wireless router receives at least a portion of the sensor data from the line replaceable processing unit and sends the received sensor data to the portable data unit.
US08258982B2
Safe driving evaluation systems, methods, and programs acquire traffic signal information that indicates the display status of a traffic signal present ahead in the traveling direction of a vehicle, determine the vehicle is within a prescribed stop supplement zone set up in front of the traffic signal installation point, and determine a red light encounter, which is a state where the vehicle is within the stop supplement zone and the traffic signal information indicates that the traffic signal is red. The systems, methods, and programs perform a stop supplementary operation with respect to a driver in order to stop the vehicle at the traffic signal installation point based on a driving operation of the vehicle during the red light encounter, and calculate a stop supplement percentage.
US08258981B2
A warning apparatus for installation on a vehicle is disclosed. The warning apparatus may include a detector for detecting a road hazard and a display that is activated to transmit an alert in response to detection of the hazard.
US08258980B2
A method for driver assistance by generating lane information for supporting or for replacing lane information of a video-based lane information device includes: generating the lateral lane information based on the video-based lane information device of the vehicle; ascertaining at least one reliability parameter of the lateral lane information received from the lane information device; receiving navigation system-based lateral lane information from at least one other vehicle via a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device; and supporting or replacing the lateral lane information received from the lane information device based on the received navigation system-based lateral lane information as a function of the ascertained reliability parameter.
US08258972B2
An electronic device and method to prevent falling of the electronic device include setting one or more alarm means, detecting an acceleration and a moving direction of the electronic device using the three-axis accelerometer, and detecting that the electronic device is in a falling state if the acceleration is larger or equal to the acceleration of gravity and the moving direction is in the gravitational direction. The electronic device and method further include activating one or more of the alarm means if the electronic device is in the falling state or if a clip connected with a strap of the electronic device is not in a tightened state.
US08258968B2
Hand held Remote Transponder Breathalyzer comprises of a portable breathalyzer device having a breath sensor circuitry used for converting given breath sample content into electronic signals; and a processor for storing a toxic breath setting and processing received conditioned electronic signals, and for comparing the received electronic conditioned signals with a preset threshold setting stored in the memory storage of the processor, and accordingly controlling the functional operation of a uniquely coded transponder circuitry.If given breath sample into the transponder breathalyzer sensor generated electronic conditioned signal is below toxic breath setting threshold. The processor upon receipt of the non-toxic electronic signal transmits a signal to activate for a preset time the functional operation of the transponder circuitry.In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the Remote Transponder Breathalyzer additionally utilizes a voice recognition method, accordingly only given user be able to operate the Remote Transponder Breathalyzer.
US08258961B2
An apparatus including an enclosure for an RFID reader to be affixed to a storage container; an RFID reader that scans a first storage container using a first antenna and a second storage container using a second antenna; and a networked system of RFID apparatuses including a primary RFID apparatus and secondary RFID apparatuses that are controlled by the primary RFID apparatus.
US08258951B2
One or more plants may be associated with an electronic tag including a memory circuit and interrogation interface. The memory circuit in the electronic tag may include data corresponding to the one or more plants. According to an embodiment the data may include at least one data coordinate corresponding to an external database holding data related to the one or more plants. The external database may hold plant care information such as a record of treatments received by the one or more plants and/or plant care instructions, for example. The data may be structured.
US08258950B2
An apparatus includes a carrier, and a system that is responsive to wireless signals transmitted by tags on items carried by the carrier for maintaining a local inventory of items carried by the carrier. A different apparatus involves a carrier having a container with an interior, a sensor for detecting a condition externally of the container that can be related to an environment within the container, and a system that handles information from the sensor in a manner facilitating an evaluation of the likelihood that a problem exists within the container. Another apparatus involves a carrier for a plurality of items, and a system that is responsive to wireless signals received from a remote location for determining a current location of the carrier and for evaluating whether the carrier is proceeding along an intended route.
US08258949B1
A combined night light and alarm device preferably includes a portable housing, a light emitting section located inside the housing, an alarm section located inside the housing, and a plug attached to the housing and adapted to be removably connected to an existing electrical outlet. An audible alarm is included for notifying residents/occupants when the device senses motion of unauthorized persons. Such a plug may be electrically coupled to the light emitting section and the alarm section respectively. A logic gate may be located inside the housing. Such a logic gate may be electrically coupled to the light emitting section and the alarm section respectively. In this manner, the logic gate cooperates with the light emitting section and the alarm section in such a manner that light and sound are automatically emitted upon simultaneously detecting first and second triggering events around the housing.
US08258944B2
A hospital bed obstacle detection device and related method for detecting an obstacle between first and second components of a hospital bed is provided.
US08258942B1
A housing holds a microprocessor, a power management system, a pair of communication modules, multiple internal antennas, and a plurality of sensors and interfaces. The housing is connected to a mobile object. One of the communication modules connects to a GPS system through one of the antennas. The other communication module connects to a mobile cellular network or a radio or satellite system through the other antennas. The microprocessor uses the GPS system to determine the position of the object; frequency with which locational fixes are stored is user-determined. The microprocessor can be interactively reprogrammed via the mobile cellular network and creates a data structure for transmission of locational and other environmental data through the mobile cellular or other networks. The microprocessor has the ability to command the unit to separate from the object at an appropriate time to facilitate recovery.
US08258939B2
In at least one embodiment, a device for controlling one or more vehicle features for a primary driver and a secondary driver is provided. The device comprises at least one controller that is configured to receive at least one driver status signal indicative of the driver being one of the primary driver and the secondary driver and to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the one of the primary driver and the secondary driver based on the at least one driver status signal. The controller is further configured to control one or more vehicle features and to prevent the one or more vehicle features from being disabled in response to determining that the at least one driver status signal indicates that the driver of the vehicle is the secondary driver.
US08258936B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for acquiring integrated operational data and support data regarding a vehicle. The apparatus comprising a network interface for communicating with the vehicle and a processor that is coupled to the network interface. The processor is configured to transmit a first request for operational data to the vehicle, receive the requested operational data from the vehicle, the requested operational data including at least one event indicator, and retrieve the support data that corresponds to a selected event indicator from a stored location.
US08258933B2
The present invention provides parking guidance methods for a vehicle, which comprises: calculating an estimated backward track of the vehicle from a current steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor; calculating an estimated parking space from the estimated backward track and a relative angle inputted by a driver through an input means; converting coordinates of the calculated estimated backward track and estimated parking space into image coordinates; synthesizing the converted image coordinates with an image acquired by a camera provided at the rear of the vehicle; and displaying the synthesized image on a monitor of the vehicle. The methods enhances driver's convenience and safety in the event of back-in perpendicular parking.
US08258930B2
A remote control method and medium, a control device and a controlled device of a remote control system. The control device of the remote control system includes an identification information storage unit for storing identification information of the control device and attribute information on a single control function of one or more controlled devices controlled by the control device, a signal generation unit for generating a signal including the identification information and the attribute information, a switch unit for receiving a user's input and activating the signal generation unit, a modulation unit for modulating the generated signal into an omni-directional signal, a transmission unit for broadcasting the modulated signal to the one or more controlled devices, and an attachment unit, positioned on a back face of the control device, for attaching the control device thereto.
US08258926B2
A method for automatically checking in passengers and their luggage by an electronic input of the passenger data or travel data by the passenger himself into an automatic check-in terminal is provided. In the automatic check-in terminal, possibly following selection of various criteria, the boarding pass and one or more information media for attachment to the luggage are created and output. The information medium created is a luggage tag which is easy to affix to the luggage item and which contains, in machine-readable form, at least all the data and information which are required for a later generation of an internationally standardized, preferably self-adhesive luggage band which is affixed to the luggage item within a conveying and sorting system in addition to the luggage tag.
US08258916B2
The present invention relates in general to the field of integrated circuits, and more specifically to a meander resistor. Basically, a meander resistor can be considered as a bar resistor with the exception of the corner squares (right-angle bends). The Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) sensitivities of on-chip resistors can be a problem for both electronic manufactures and electronic component users. As others components, passive devices are known to be susceptible to ESD events. The context of this invention is to improve the reliability of the resistors during an ESD event. An ESD stress means that high current and high voltage levels are applied to the device. The device has to be able to dissipate this energy without failure.
US08258906B2
A magnetizer for magnetizing permanent magnets positioned in-situ a mechanical member is disclosed. The magnetizer comprises at least one primary superconducting coil configured to project a magnetic field flux configuration of a first type to at least a portion of a distal volume of a first type, and at least two auxiliary coils symmetrically disposed about the at least one primary superconducting coil and configured to project magnetic field flux configurations of a second type to at least a portion of a distal volume of a second type. A method of magnetizing a permanent magnet in-situ within a mechanical member is also disclosed.
US08258899B2
NEMS (Nano-Electro-Mechanical Systems) apparatuses are described. By applying a static electric field, an arm or beam in a NEMS apparatus is made to bend so that one electrical conductor is made to contact another electrical conductor, thereby closing the NEMS apparatus. Some apparatus embodiments make use of electrostatic coupling to cause the arm or beam to bend, and some apparatus embodiments make use of piezoelectric materials to cause the arm or beam to bend. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08258897B2
Coupling between non-adjacent resonators and wave propagation through the waveguide structure in distributed EM filters are reduced by forming one or more holes in one or more of the resonators (planar or folded) and by passing a conductive structure through each hole normal to the resonator. The conductive structures (vertical vias or horizontal strips) are preferably grounded, either by direct connection or capacitive coupling to one or more ground planes or by creation of a virtual ground. The holes are spaced apart from the edges of the resonator so as to minimize any interference with the current and fields concentrated at the edges of each resonator. These conductive structures narrow the effective cavity width “aeff” for the waveguide as a whole and between non-adjacent resonators without affecting the cavity width “a” between adjacent resonators. Consequently the conductive structures have no effect on the desired coupling between adjacent resonators and the desired filter response of parallel-coupled filters while increasing the attenuation of the wave propagating in the waveguide and the attenuation of the wave coupled between non-adjacent resonators.
US08258890B2
A transient voltage suppressing (TVS) circuit with uni-directional blocking and symmetric bi-directional blocking capabilities integrated with an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter supported on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The TVS circuit integrated with the EMI filter further includes a ground terminal disposed on the surface for the symmetric bi-directional blocking structure and at the bottom of the semiconductor substrate for the uni-directional blocking structure and an input and an output terminal disposed on a top surface with at least a Zener diode and a plurality of capacitors disposed in the semiconductor substrate to couple the ground terminal to the input and output terminals with a direct capacitive coupling without an intermediate floating body region.
US08258889B2
A directional coupler for the directional transmission of high-frequency signals provides at least three lines and at least three ports. Two lines of the three lines are connected in a conductive manner at least at their ends. A third line is arranged between the two first lines and coupled to the latter in an electromagnetic manner. In this context, the high-frequency signal is transmitted from the third line to the first line and second line. The coupling is implemented via a coupling gap.
US08258888B2
A substrate device includes: a substrate; a ground layer disposed on one of two opposing surfaces of the substrate; a transmission line disposed on the other of the two opposing surfaces of the substrate; a pad which is disposed on the other of the two opposing surfaces of the substrate and connected to the transmission line; and a connector connected to the pad via a contact point. The pad has a part on the transmission line side and a part positioned on the opposite side of the transmission line with respect to the contact point with the connector which are electrically insulated from each other.
US08258882B2
A clock signal distributing device includes a plurality of LC resonant oscillators, each resonating at a frequency conforming to values of a first inductor and a first capacitor to oscillate a signal, an injection locked LC resonant oscillator that resonates at a frequency conforming to values of a second inductor and a second capacitor to oscillate a signal which is synchronous with an input clock signal, and transmission lines that connect oscillation nodes of the plurality of LC resonant oscillators and the injection locked LC resonant oscillator with one another.
US08258878B2
A phase locked loop (PLL) includes a clock generating circuit, a first phase detecting circuit, a first loop filter, a first VCO, a first mixer and a control circuit. The clock generating circuit generates a first clock signal. The first phase detecting circuit detects a phase difference between an input data signal and a feedback signal and generates a detection output signal according to the phase difference. The first loop filter, coupled to the first phase detecting circuit, generates a first VCO control signal according to the detection output signal. The first mixer, coupled to the first VCO and the clock generating circuit, mixes the output data signal and the first clock signal to generate the feedback data signal. The control circuit, coupled to the clock generating circuit and the first loop filter, for adjusting the first clock signal according to the first VCO control signal to calculate a gain of the first VCO.
US08258858B2
A circuit includes a supply voltage and a control current line including two resistors. A sink current line branches off from the control current line between the resistors. A current sink transistor has an emitter that is connected to the sink current line and a collector that is connected to ground via a first further resistor. At least one reference transistor has an emitter that is connected to its base, to the supply voltage via a second further resistor and to the base of the current sink transistor. The collector of the reference transistor is connected to ground or to an emitter of a further reference transistor, which is switched in a manner similar to the first reference transistor.
US08258854B2
A temperature sensor having one or more mirror circuits output temperature dependent output signals is disclosed in one embodiment. The temperature sensor includes a sampling circuit coupled to receive a clock signal that samples the output signals for a duration of a predetermined number of clock cycles. The temperature sensor additionally includes a phase control circuit that receives the clock signal and generates a control signal that enables subsequent sampling operations. Each subsequent sampling operation has a duration of the predetermined number of clock cycles. The control signal from the phase control circuit further enables input and output terminals of respective circuit components in the mirror circuits to be switched for each subsequent sampling operation.
US08258848B2
A level shifter includes first and second NMOS transistors with gates connected to inverted circuit and circuit inputs, respectively, sources connected to the ground, and drains connected to circuit and inverted circuit outputs, respectively. First and second PMOS transistors have their gates connected to the inverted circuit and circuit outputs, respectively, and sources connected to the high voltage supply. A third PMOS transistor of the multiple independent gate type has its source connected to the drain of the first PMOS transistor, drain and back-gate connected to the circuit output, and front-gate connected to the inverted circuit input. A fourth PMOS transistor of the multiple independent gate type has its source connected to the drain of the second PMOS transistor, drain and back-gate connected to the inverted circuit output, and front-gate connected to the circuit input.
US08258838B2
A delay locked loop includes a delay amount setting unit configured to set a delay amount of an external clock signal, a coarse delay unit configured to primarily delay the external clock signal by the set delay amount based on a first unit duration which is a unit delay amount of the coarse delay unit; and a fine delay unit configured to secondarily finely delay the primarily delayed clock signal based on a second unit duration, which is a unit delay amount of the fine delay unit and smaller than the first unit duration.
US08258836B2
Locked loops, bias generators, charge pumps and methods for generating control voltages are disclosed, such as a bias generator that generates bias voltages for use by a clock signal generator, such as a voltage controlled delay line, in a locked loop having a phase detector and a charge pump. The charge pump can either charge or discharge a capacitor as a function of a signal from the phase detector to generate a control voltage. The bias generator can receive the control voltage from the capacitor, and it generates bias voltages corresponding thereto. A portion of the bias generator can have a topography that is substantially the same as at least a portion of the topography of the charge pump. As a result, it can cause the charge pump to charge the capacitor at the same rate that it discharges the capacitor over a relatively wide range of control voltages.
US08258832B2
Provided is a loop filter which receives first and second currents whose current ratio is n (where n is a natural number). The loop filter includes a first-order filter path, a second-order filter path, and a third-order filter path. The first-order filter path includes an operational amplifier generating an output impedance by increasing by as much as n times an impedance of a second input node to which the second current is applied. The first-order filter path performs a first-order filtering on the first current applied to a first input node by using the operational amplifier. The second-order filter path performs a second-order filtering on the first current applied to the first input node. The third-order filter path performs a third-order filtering on the first current applied to the first input node.
US08258827B2
A frequency doubler receiving an in-phase oscillating signal and an inverse oscillating signal and generating an output signal oscillating at a multiplied frequency, accordingly. The frequency doubler has a first transistor, a second transistor, a first inductor and a second inductor. A first terminal of the first transistor and a first terminal of the second transistor are at a common voltage. The frequency doubler receives the in-phase oscillating signal and the inverse oscillating signal via control terminals of the first and second transistors. The first and second inductors couple a second terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal of the second transistor to an output terminal of the frequency doubler, respectively. The first and second inductors may be separate inductance devices or, in another case, be implemented by a symmetric inductor.
US08258826B2
The present invention realizes low power consumption at the time of an automatic frequency control circuit operation. An automatic frequency control circuit includes a mixing unit that generates a modulated signal from a reception signal according to a frequency of a local signal, a demodulation unit that demodulates the modulated signal supplied by the mixing unit, an error evaluation unit that generates a frequency error signal according to a duty of the demodulated signal supplied by the demodulation unit, a holding unit that holds a frequency setting of the local signal and updates the frequency setting according to the frequency error signal supplied by the error evaluation unit, and an oscillation unit that controls a frequency of the local signal according to the frequency setting supplied by the holding unit.
US08258818B2
Techniques for operating a switched-capacitor circuit to reduce input and feedback dependence and/or reduce reference modulation. A switched-capacitor circuit can be operated in four phases. In a first phase at a start of a cycle, the capacitor is charged/discharged by a common mode signal to mask any residual charge stored in the capacitor from a previous cycle. In a second phase, the capacitor is charged with an input signal. During a third phase, the capacitor is charged with a wide-bandwidth auxiliary reference signal, and during a fourth phase the capacitor is charged with a reference signal. During the third and fourth phases, the capacitor may be coupled to an integrating circuit to integrate a difference between the input signal and the reference signal.
US08258815B2
The present invention relates to a circuit for generating a clock signal. The circuit comprises a current source to generate a reference current and provide a first voltage V1, a first current generator to generate a first mirror current during a first half cycle based on the reference current, a first capacitor including a first end, and a first transistor having a first threshold voltage VTH1. The first transistor includes a gate to receive the first voltage V1, a drain coupled to the first current generator and a source coupled to the first end of the first capacitor so as to allow the first mirror current to charge the first capacitor during the first half cycle, wherein the period of the first half cycle is a function of the first bias voltage V1 minus the first threshold voltage VTH1.
US08258803B2
Provided is a test apparatus and a test method related to the test apparatus for testing a device under test, including: a plurality of test modules that exchange a signal with the device under test; a test control section that outputs a group read instruction for collectively reading data stored in two or more of the test modules; and a control interface section that reads the data from the two or more test modules according to the group read instruction, and collectively sends the read data to the test control section.
US08258801B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a microscale or sub-microscale signal line, interconnected with one set of parallel nanowires of a nanowire crossbar, serves as a multiplexer. The multiplexer is used to detect the conductivity state of a nanowire junction within the nanowire crossbar. In one method embodiment of the present invention, a first signal is output to the two nanowires interconnected by the nanowire junction, while a second signal is output to the remaining nanowires of the nanowire crossbar. Then, the second signal is output to the two nanowires interconnected by the nanowire junction, while the first signal is output to the remaining nanowires of the nanowire crossbar. The resulting signal detected on the multiplexer is reflective of the conductivity state of the nanowire junction.
US08258797B2
In a method of determining interference in a capacitance sensor, a signal is transmitted on a transmitter sensor channel of the capacitive sensor. The signal is received on a receiver sensor channel of the capacitive sensor, the receiver sensor channel being coupled with an amplifier. Behavior of the amplifier is examined for non-linearity to determine if a level of interference has been received by the receiver sensor channel in conjunction with receipt of the signal.
US08258775B2
A phase error circuit including phase difference logic and delay and register logic. The phase difference logic provides a pulse difference signal including at least one difference pulse indicative of a timing difference between selected edges of a pair of clock signals. The delay and register logic receives the pulse difference signal and provides a phase error value representing phase error between the clock signals. The delay and register logic may include a delay line with multiple delay cells and taps coupled in series in which each tap provides an output state of a delay cell. The register logic registers a state of each tap to provide delay bits in response to each trailing edge of the difference pulses. Each delay bit may remain set until reset so that the longest pulse difference signal is registered to provide the peak phase error.
US08258770B2
A multi-phase voltage regulator module connects to a central processing unit and is able to operate in one of a high-load mode and a low-load mode. The multi-phase voltage regulator module comprises: a pulse-width-modulation controller generating a plurality of phase-width-modulation signals; and, a plurality of phase circuits, each of which receives a corresponding one of the phase-width-modulation signals and generates a corresponding output current to the central processing unit; wherein a first portion of the phase circuits are activated when the multi-phase voltage regulator module is operated in the low-load mode at a first time, and, a second portion of the phase circuits are activated when the multi-phase voltage regulator module is operated in the low-load mode at a second time, the first portion being non-identical to the second portion.
US08258766B1
A digital low dropout regulator is disclosed. The digital low dropout regulator includes a switch, a resistive element, a capacitive element coupled to the resistive element at a node, and a switch controller. The switch controller is configured to: couple to the node to receive an output voltage, compare the output voltage to a reference voltage, and control the switch based on a comparison of the output voltage and the reference voltage. The switch is configured to selectively provide a supply voltage to the node via the resistive element.
US08258755B2
A method of charging a secondary battery and a charging device that can improve stability and extend the life span of the battery. When the secondary battery includes a plurality of cells, the charging method is changed when a voltage imbalance from 100 mV to 300 mV occurs among the cells. In that range, the charging method changes from a constant current-constant voltage charging method to a pulse-charging method. When the voltage imbalance is 300 mV or more, the electricity path is blocked, shutting down the battery. When the voltage imbalance is 100 mV or less, the constant current-constant voltage charging method is maintained. The method and device also stop charging when the battery reaches full charge.
US08258735B2
A second control unit includes a current-command generating unit that generates, based on a torque command T*, a current command of the motor, a voltage-amplitude-index calculating unit that calculates, based on the current command, a voltage amplitude index (a modulation ratio PMF), a current-command adjusting unit that generates, based on the modulation ratio PMF and a frequency FINV of the motor, a current command adjustment amount dV, and a voltage command/PWM signal generating unit including a pulsation-suppression-signal generating unit that generates, based on a DC voltage EFC, a pulsation suppression signal for suppressing a pulsation component of a power supply 2f component to generate a gate signal (a PWM signal) to an inverter.
US08258730B2
A motor driving circuit capable of outputting a dual FG signal includes a control unit, a first Hall unit, a second Hall unit and a logic unit. The control unit is electrically connected to the first Hall unit and configured to generate a first FG signal based on a Hall signal sent by the first Hall unit. The second Hall unit is configured to detect the change in magnetic fields to generate a second FG signal to the logic unit. The logic unit is electrically connected to the control unit and the second Hall unit. The logic unit is configured to perform a logic operation based on the received first and second FG signals to convert them into a dual FG signal for an external system. With the control unit, the first Hall unit, the second Hall unit and the logic unit being integrated in the motor driving circuit, the convenience in use can be improved greatly. Furthermore, the working hours and the production cost can be reduced.
US08258714B2
The present invention discloses an LED controller with phase-shift dimming function and an LED Phase-Shift dimming circuit and method thereof. The LED controller includes: a power circuit for supplying DC power to multiple LED channels; and an LED phase-shift dimming circuit for receiving a pulse width modulation (PWM) input signal and generating multiple phase-shifted PWM signals with a shifted phase between one another, wherein a turn-ON timing of each of the multiple phase-shifted PWM signals follows a turn-OFF timing of a previous PWM signal which is the input PWM signal or a previous one of the multiple phase-shifted PWM signals.
US08258710B2
Solid state light source driving and dimming systems are provided that enable a plurality of solid state light source (e.g., LED) driver circuits to be coupled to a single AC voltage source. The driver circuits may include constant current circuitry configured to generate a constant AC current from the AC voltage source, and rectifier circuitry configured to generate a DC current to drive the solid state light source (e.g., LEDs). Dimming control includes shunt circuitry operable with a PWM switch to shunt the AC voltage source during certain portions of a PWM signal and to decouple the shunt circuitry from the AC voltage source during other portions of the PWM signal. Shunting the AC voltage source causes the interruption of the DC current to effectively turn off the LEDs. Decoupling the shunt circuitry may improve overall efficiency of power transfer to the LEDs.
US08258709B2
In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for controlling a plurality of LED channels. The method includes receiving an LED brightness signal having a plurality of superimposed pulse width modulated (PWM) brightness signals each having a duty cycle and amplitude at a unique modulation frequency, each PWM brightness signal being proportional to the brightness of a respective LED channel. The method also includes determining a pulse area of each PWM brightness signal at each respective unique frequency. The pulse area is proportional to the product of the amplitude and the duty cycle. The method also includes generating pulse area signals proportional to the respective pulse area and comparing the respective pulse area signals to user defined and/or preset photometric values to generate respective error signals proportional to the difference between the respective pulse area signals and the user defined and/or preset photometric values.
US08258702B2
In at least one embodiment, an ambient lighting system comprising a lighting module and a controller is provided. The lighting module is configured to drive a light emitting device (LED) arrangement to display a desired ambient color in response to a lighting control signal and to transmit a lighting status signal providing diagnostic information for one of the lighting module and the LED arrangement. The controller is configured to transmit the lighting control signal including first digital data indicative of the desired ambient color and a feed signal for powering the lighting module on a bi-directional data communication bus between the controller and the lighting module. The controller is further configured to receive the lighting status signal on the bi-directional data communication bus.
US08258700B2
A plasma display panel has a front substrate (3) and a back substrate (2) arranged opposed to each other through a discharge space (4). On the back substrate, a fluorescent layer (5) is formed. On the front substrate, display electrodes are formed extending in a horizontal direction, a discharge cell area is demarcated corresponding to the display electrodes, and a plurality of shielding films (13) extending in the horizontal direction are moreover formed at each position which is among the display electrodes and within the discharge cell area. When the distance between the shielding films and the fluorescent layer is set to be D, the width L of a shielding film and the distance S between the shielding films satisfy 0.58≦L≦D and D≦S≦1.73D. This reduces the reflectance ratio of outdoor daylight to improve lighted room contrast.
US08258688B2
A stylable lamp with bulb including model of the present invention includes a luminous base, a bulb, and a connecting portion. The bulb includes a model and a covering layer. The covering layer is made of transparent material. The model is embedded in the covering layer substantially. The model has an optical property different from that of the covering layer. As such, patterns and sculptures can be provides with the model. A smooth outer surface can be formed with the covering layer. An artistic lamp provided by the present invention can be cleaned up easily. The connecting portion connects the holder and a lamp adapter together and includes a scalable conjunction portion which is able to keep electric power supply continuing when position of the holder is adjusted.
US08258686B2
A spark plug includes a tubular metal shell, an insulator, a cylindrical center electrode, and a ground electrode. The ground electrode has an inclined portion, a straight portion, and a bend between the inclined and straight portions. The inclined portion extends obliquely with respect to the axial direction of the center electrode from a base end of the ground electrode, which is joined to an end of the metal shell, to the bend that is positioned closer to the center electrode in the radial direction of the center electrode than the base end. The straight portion extends substantially parallel to the axial direction of the center electrode from the bend to a tip end of the ground electrode. The straight portion has an inner side surface facing the side surface of an end portion of the center electrode through a spark gap in the radial direction of the center electrode.
US08258677B2
The embodiments relate to a piezoelectric component including at least one fully active piezoelectric element comprising electrode layers and piezoelectric layers arranged therebetween. The electrode layers are conveyed to a lateral edge of the piezoelectric element and contacted there. The external electrode is attached in a structured fashion for electrical contacting and/or a structured external electrode is made available: The external electrode essentially includes two components, namely the contacting field and the contacting path. In the event of several piezoelectric elements (piezoelectric actuator in multilayer structure) stacked one above the other, the contacting path functions as a collector electrode, which connects the contacting fields of the piezoelectric elements to one another. The insulation path exists for the electrical insulation of the contacting path from electrode layers which are not to be contacted. A reliable contacting of the electrode layers is possible with the structure according to the invention. A fully active, piezoceramic multilayer actuator with the described contacting is used in automotive engineering for activating fuel injection valves.
US08258676B2
A crystal device that has stable vibration characteristics and that offers high reliability and high accuracy. The crystal device includes a first major face, which contains a portion of a base and a portion of a vibrating prong within a single plane, formed on the crystal plate, and a second major face, which contains another portion of the base and another portion of the vibrating prong within a single plane, formed on a crystal plate, wherein the first major face and the second major face have different outer shapes. The shapes of the first and second major faces can be produced by first forming mask layer patterns on a crystal substrate by exposure through different mask patterns and then etching the crystal substrate using the thus formed mask layer patterns.
US08258669B2
A motor including a stator and rotor. The stator includes a stator core, slot portions and coils. The stator core includes stator core pieces with teeth portion having a distal end portion and two side portions, a yoke portion, and a claw portion formed at one of the two side portions. At the distal end portion, the stator core pieces are connected so that claw portions protrude in the same circumferential direction to form the stator core into a cylindrical shape. The slot portions are formed between adjacent teeth portions and between the stator core pieces. The coils form three phases which are inserted into the slot portions, are bridged between two of the slot portions and include end portions that protrude from an edge face of the stator core in an axial direction. The coils are arranged so that the end portions are intersected with each other.
US08258656B2
The invention relates to a cover (20) for a secondary part (2) of an electrical linear motor (1), wherein the secondary part (2) includes at least one first and one second secondary partial element (12), and wherein each secondary partial element (12) comprises a toothed profile, and wherein the cover (20) extends over the toothed profiles of the first and second secondary partial elements (12), forming a continuous surface. The invention further relates to a secondary part (2) comprising a cover (20) and a linear motor (1) comprising a secondary part (2) and a cover (20).
US08258648B2
Biasing unit, a spindle member, and a link mechanism of a windmill for a wind power generator vary an angle of a blade in a first stage where the angle is made nearly parallel to the wind so that the blade easily rotates in light winds, a second stage where the angle is made nearly perpendicular to the wind so that the blade easily rotates at high speed when the wind speed increases, and a third stage where the blade is pushed back from the state of being nearly perpendicular to the wind to the state of being nearly parallel to the wind so as to prevent the excessive rotation in strong winds, without electrical control being not required. Accordingly this wind power generator has an excellent starting performance and can control the excessive rotation at low cost.
US08258635B2
An implantable hermetically sealed microelectronic device and method of manufacture are disclosed. The microelectronic device of the present invention is hermetically encased in a insulator, such as alumina formed by ion bean assisted deposition (“IBAD”), with a stack of biocompatible conductive layers extending from a contact pad on the device to an aperture in the hermetic layer. In a preferred embodiment, one or more patterned titanium layers are formed over the device contact pad, and one or more platinum layers are formed over the titanium layers, such that the top surface of the upper platinum layer defines an external, biocompatible electrical contact for the device. Preferably, the bottom conductive layer is larger than the contact pad on the device, and a layer in the stack defines a shoulder.
US08258634B2
A contact pad array is provided. The contact pad array includes a plurality of first contact pads and a plurality of second contact pads. The first contact pads are arranged along the first direction. Each first contact pad includes two first lengthwise sides and two widthwise sides. The second contact pads are arranged along the first direction. Each second contact pad includes two second lengthwise sides and two second widthwise sides. The length of the second lengthwise side is substantially shorter than that of the first lengthwise side, and the width of the second widthwise side is substantially larger than that of the first widthwise side. The projection of the first widthwise side of each first contact pad on the first direction is completely within the projection of the second widthwise side of the corresponding second contact pad on the first direction.
US08258627B2
A plurality of metal interconnects incorporating a Group II element alloy for protecting the metal interconnects and methods to form and incorporate the Group II element alloy are described. In one embodiment, a Group II element alloy is used as a seed layer, or a portion thereof, which decreases the line resistance and increases the mechanical strength of a metal interconnect. In another embodiment, a Group II element alloy is used to form a barrier layer, which, in addition to decreasing the line resistance and increasing the mechanical integrity, also increases the chemical integrity of a metal interconnect.
US08258626B2
A copper interconnection structure includes an insulating layer, an interconnection body including copper and a barrier layer surrounding the interconnection body. The barrier layer includes a first barrier layer formed between a first portion of the interconnection body and the insulating layer. The first portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body that faces the insulating layer. The barrier layer also includes a second barrier layer formed on a second portion of the interconnection body. The second portion of the interconnection body is part of the interconnection body not facing the insulating layer. Each of the first and the second barrier layers is formed of an oxide layer including manganese, and each of the first and the second barrier layers has a position where the atomic concentration of manganese is maximized in their thickness direction of the first and the second barrier layers.
US08258617B2
A technique which prevents cracking in a solder resist layer covering an interposer surface between external coupling terminals of an interconnection substrate, thereby reducing the possibility of interconnect wire disconnection resulting from such cracking. A semiconductor package is mounted over an interconnection substrate. An underfill resin layer seals the space between the semiconductor package and the interconnection substrate. External coupling terminals, interconnect wires and a solder resist layer are formed over the surface of an interposer (constituent of the semiconductor package) where the semiconductor chip is not mounted. In an area where an interconnect wire passing between two neighboring ones of the external coupling terminals intersects with a line connecting the centers of the two external coupling terminals, the interconnect wire is not covered by the solder resist layer.
US08258616B1
An integrated circuit comprises a semiconductor die including N bond pad pairs each including a first bond pad and a second bond pad that is spaced from the first bond pad. N bond wires are associated with a respective one of the N bond pad pairs. Each of the bond wires have opposite ends that communicate with the first and second bond pads of a respective one of the N bond pad pairs. The first and second bond pads of the N bond pad pairs are connected to a reference potential and create a shielded area between the N bond pad pairs.
US08258614B2
An integrated circuit package system comprising: providing a substrate having a cavity; sealing a package over the cavity of the substrate; and forming an encapsulant over the package and a portion of the substrate substantially preventing the encapsulant from forming in the cavity.
US08258605B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor device which includes a semiconductor chip and a base substrate. The semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor substrate, an interconnect layer and a high-frequency interconnect. The interconnect layer is provided on the substrate. The high-frequency interconnect is formed within the interconnect layer. The semiconductor chip is mounted onto the base substrate. An electromagnetic shield layer is provided between the high-frequency interconnect and the interconnect.
US08258603B2
A solid-state far ultraviolet light emitting element is formed by a hexagonal boron nitride single crystal, excited by electron beam irradiation to emit far ultraviolet light having a maximum light emission peak in a far ultraviolet region at a wavelength of 235 nm or shorter.
US08258598B2
An e-fuse and an e-fuse control circuit are provided. The e-fuse includes a polysilicon layer and a metal silicide layer stacked on the polysilicon layer. The e-fuse operates in an open state when the silicide layer is broken by burning while one portion of the polysilicon layer is exposed.
US08258591B2
The present invention provides a MEMS device, be implemented on many MEMS device, such as MEMS microphone, MEMS speaker, MEMS accelerometer, MEMS gyroscope. The MEMS device includes a substrate. A dielectric structural layer is disposed over the substrate, wherein the dielectric structural layer has an opening to expose the substrate. A diaphragm layer is disposed over the dielectric structural layer, wherein the diaphragm layer covers the opening of the dielectric structural layer to form a chamber. A conductive electrode structure is adapted in the diaphragm layer and the substrate to store nonvolatile charges.
US08258581B2
A semiconductor device includes first and second p-type diffusion regions, and first and second n-type diffusion regions that are each electrically connected to a common node. Each of a number of conductive features within a gate electrode level region is fabricated from a respective originating rectangular-shaped layout feature having a centerline aligned parallel to a first direction. The conductive features respectively form gate electrodes of first and second PMOS transistor devices, and first and second NMOS transistor devices. The gate electrodes of the first PMOS and second NMOS transistor devices are electrically connected. However, the first PMOS and second NMOS transistor devices are physically separate within the gate electrode level region. The gate electrodes of the second PMOS and first NMOS transistor devices are electrically connected. However, the second PMOS and first NMOS transistor devices are physically separate within the gate electrode level region.
US08258578B2
A semiconductor device includes a gate on a semiconductor substrate. One side wall of the gate may include at least one protrusion and an opposite side wall of the gate may include at least one depression. A contact is formed through an insulating layer disposed over the gate. The contact at least partially overlaps at least one of the protrusions in the gate. A metal layer is disposed on the insulating layer. The metal layer includes a first structure shifted to a first side of the gate. The first structure at least partially overlaps the contact such that the contact electrically couples the first structure to the gate through the insulating layer.
US08258576B2
A semiconductor device has a first MOS transistor formed on first active region of the first conductivity type, having first gate electrode structure, first source/drain regions, recesses formed in the first source/drain regions, and semiconductor buried regions buried and grown on the recesses for applying stress to the channel under the first gate electrode structure, and a second MOS transistor formed on second active region of the second conductivity type, having second gate electrode structure, second source/drain regions, and semiconductor epitaxial layers formed on the second source/drain regions without forming recesses and preferably applying stress to the channel under the second gate electrode structure. In a CMOS device, performance can be improved by utilizing stress and manufacture processes can be simplified.
US08258573B2
A semiconductor component includes a body with a drift zone, a source zone, a body zone, and a drain zone. A gate forms a MOS structure with the drift zone, with the source zone and with the body zone. An edge termination between the lateral edge and the MOS structure includes a plurality of field rings which enclose the MOS structure. The lateral edge is at the same potential as the drift zone, and the edge termination reduces voltage between the lateral edge and the source zone. A horizontally extending edge plate is disposed at the front side between the lateral edge and the edge termination. The edge plate is at the same potential as the drift zone and forms a plate capacitor structure including a field plate lying above the edge plate.
US08258566B2
An EEPROM device may have, at the region where the control gate is formed, a gate oxide layer having a relatively smaller thickness than the gate oxide layer of the tunneling region by removing the gate oxide layer, at a predetermined thickness, at the region where the control gate is formed. Thus, integration of an EEPROM device may be maximized as a result of minimizing the area of the control gate.
US08258564B2
An integrated circuit is described. The integrated circuit may comprise a multitude of floating-gate electrodes, wherein at least one of the floating-gate electrodes has a lower width and an upper width, the lower width being larger than the upper width, and wherein the at least one of the floating-gate electrodes comprises a transition metal. A corresponding manufacturing method for an integrated circuit is also described.
US08258553B2
The chip area of a semiconductor device having a plurality of standard cells is to be made smaller. A semiconductor device includes first and second standard cells. The first standard cell includes a diffusion region, a functional device region opposed to the diffusion region, and a metal layer. The second standard cell includes another diffusion region continuous with the diffusion region, another functional device region opposed to the other diffusion region, and further another diffusion region formed between the other diffusion region and the other functional device region. The metal layer and the other functional device region are coupled together electrically through the diffusion regions.
US08258552B2
A cell of a semiconductor device includes a diffusion level including a plurality of diffusion regions separated by inactive regions. The cell includes a gate electrode level including conductive features defined to extend in only a first parallel direction. Adjacent conductive features that share a common line of extent in the first parallel direction are fabricated from respective originating layout features that are separated from each other by an end-to-end spacing having a size that is substantially equal and minimized across the gate electrode level region. Some of the conductive features form respective PMOS and/or NMOS transistor devices. A total number of the PMOS and NMOS transistor devices in the cell is greater than or equal to eight. A width of the conductive features within a five wavelength photolithographic interaction radius is less than a wavelength of light of 193 nanometers as used in a photolithography process for their fabrication.
US08258525B2
A light emitting diode of one embodiment includes a light emitting device having a plurality of N-type semiconductor layers including a first N-type semiconductor layer and a second N-type semiconductor layer on the first N-type semiconductor layer, an active layer on an upper layer of the plurality of N-type semiconductor layers, and a P-type semiconductor layer on the active layer. The first N-type semiconductor layer includes a first Si doped Nitride layer and the second N-type semiconductor layer includes a second Si doped Nitride layer. The first and second N-type semiconductor layers have a Si impurity concentration different from each other.
US08258523B2
A display device fabricated with a substrate; a display unit disposed on the substrate and including an electrode; a conductive protruding portion disposed along an outer side of the display unit and electrically connected to the electrode; a sealing substrate fixed to the substrate by an adhering layer surrounding substrate at the display unit and the conductive protruding portion, the adhering layer including a resin and a plurality of carbon fibers impregnated with the resin, and the sealing substrate including a through hole; a metal layer disposed at one side of the sealing substrate, facing the substrate, and contacting the conductive protruding portion electrically connected with the electrode; and a conductive connection portion filling the through hole and contacting the metal layer.
US08258519B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a novel semiconductor. In one aspect, the semiconductor may include a transparent layer having a first surface, a first doped layer, a second doped layer, and an active layer. The first doped layer may be formed over the first surface of the transparent layer and have a plurality of first-type electrodes formed thereon. The second doped layer may be formed over the first surface of the transparent layer and have a plurality of second-type electrodes formed thereon. The active layer may be formed between the first doped layer and the second doped layer. A distance between at least one of the first-type electrodes and a nearest other one of the first-type electrodes may be greater than each of respective distances between the at least one of the first-type electrodes and more than two of the second-type electrodes.
US08258514B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device which employs a thin-film transistor. In addition, the semiconductor device has a gate electrode, a gate insulation film, an organic semiconductor layer, a structure, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an electrode material layer.
US08258504B2
This organic field effect transistor comprises a semiconductor layer made of an organic semiconductor material. The mobility μsup of the charge carriers in the first portion of the semiconductor layer is X times greater than the mobility μinf of the charge carriers in the second portion of the semiconductor layer, with the first portion corresponding to 10% of the volume of the semiconductor layer closest to the gate electrode and the second portion corresponding to 10% of the volume of the semiconductor layer closest to the drain and source electrodes.
US08258500B2
The invention relates to a photovoltaic device, uses of the photovoltaic device, combinations of this photovoltaic device with circuits and to a method of generating electricity from light using this photovoltaic device.
US08258495B2
A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for depositing materials including germanium (Ge), antimony (Sb) and nitrogen (N) which, in some embodiments, has the ability to fill high aspect ratio openings is provided. The CVD method of the instant invention permits for the control of nitrogen-doped GeSb stoichiometry over a wide range of values and the inventive method is performed at a substrate temperature of less than 400° C., which makes the inventive method compatible with existing interconnect processes and materials. In some embodiments, the inventive method is a non-selective CVD process, which means that the nitrogen-doped GeSb materials are deposited equally well on insulating and non-insulating materials. In other embodiments, a selective CVD process is provided in which the nitrogen-doped GeSb materials are deposited only on regions of a substrate in a metal which is capable of forming an eutectic alloy with germanium.
US08258494B2
A nonvolatile memory device, includes: a lower side electrode aligned in a first direction; an upper side electrode positioned above the lower side electrode and aligned in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a memory unit provided between the lower side electrode and the upper side electrode. At least one selected from the lower side electrode and the upper side electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode having a forward-tapered side wall, the second electrode having a reverse-tapered side wall and being adjacent to the first electrode via an insulating layer in substantially identical plane.
US08258489B2
An energy contamination detection apparatus includes a membrane and a charge collection plate disposed at a distance from the membrane. The membrane is configured to receive an ion beam and allow a portion of the ion beam having energy levels above a desired energy level to pass therethrough toward the charge collection plate and absorb or reflect portions of the ion beam having energy levels at or below the desired energy level. A voltage source is electrically coupled to the charge collection plate for providing a bias voltage to the charge collection plate. A detection circuit is coupled to the charge collection plate and is configured to detect energy contamination based on an amount of charge collected on the charge collection plate.
US08258487B1
The invention relates to a plurality of light sources to power a variety of applications including microarray readers, microplate scanners, microfluidic analyzers, sensors, sequencers, Q-PCR and a host of other bioanalytical tools that drive today's commercial, academic and clinical biotech labs.
US08258485B2
A source-collector module (SOCOMO) for generating a laser-produced plasma (LPP) that emits EUV radiation, and a grazing-incidence collector (GIC) mirror arranged relative to the LPP and having an input end and an output end. The LPP is formed using an LPP target system having a light source portion and a target portion, wherein a pulsed laser beam from the light source portion irradiates Xenon liquid in the target portion. The GIC mirror is arranged relative to the LPP to receive the EUV radiation at its input end and focus the received EUV radiation at an intermediate focus adjacent the output end. A radiation collection enhancement device having at least one funnel element may be used to increase the amount of EUV radiation provided to the intermediate focus and/or directed to a downstream illuminator. An EUV lithography system that utilizes the SOCOMO is also disclosed.
US08258484B2
The invention relates to a charged particle multi-beamlet lithography system for exposing a target using a plurality of beamlets. The system has a beam generator, a beamlet blanker, and a beamlet projector. The beam generator is configured to generate a plurality of charged particle beamlets. The beamlet blanker is configured to pattern the beamlets. The beamlet projector is configured to project the patterned beamlets onto the target surface. The system further has a deflection device. The deflection device has a plurality of memory cells. Each memory cell is provided with a storage element and is connected to a switching electrode of a deflector.
US08258479B2
A radiation detection system can include a first scintillator having a first edge extending between a first surface and a second surface of the first scintillator. The radiation detection system can also include a second scintillator having a second edge extending between a third surface and a fourth surface of the second scintillator. The first edge of the first scintillator can be coupled to the second edge of the second scintillator. In a particular embodiment, a first portion of the first scintillator and a second portion of the second scintillator can both lie along a line that is perpendicular to the first surface of the first scintillator. In another embodiment, an optical coupling material can be coupled between the first edge and the second edge.
US08258466B2
A smart FAIMS sensor system and method includes a 2/2-electrode filter that pumps the ions through the system and separates the ionic species, a detector for collecting the separated ions and generating a detector signal in response to the collected ions, and a controller configured to change the operating parameters of the system in response to changes in the sensor's environment detected by the sensor. The ability to dynamically change the operating parameters of the sensor enables the sensor to maintain high sensitivity to environmental threats while decreasing the incidences of false positive events.
US08258463B2
An apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to perform imaging by using a plurality of image capture elements for accumulating electric charges, a storage unit configured to store an offset correction image, a correction image generation unit configured, when capturing a radiation image through radiant-ray irradiation, to combine the offset correction image with an image captured by using a part of the plurality of image capture elements through the imaging unit without radiant-ray irradiation to update the offset correction image, and a correction processing unit configured to correct the captured radiation image, based on the offset correction image.
US08258462B2
A method for calibrating an ion trap mass spectrometer is disclosed. The method includes establishing an optimal phase and amplitude-m/z relationship by acquiring peak quality data at varying values of amplitude and phase. The resonant ejection voltage applied to the electrodes of the ion trap may then be controlled during analytical scans in accordance with the established relationship between m/z and resonant ejection voltage amplitude.
US08258460B2
A transmissive optical encoder comprises a base, a first leadframe, a second leadframe, an optical emitter, a shielding portion, an optical receiver, and a lens. The base has a first housing and a second housing. The first leadframe and the second leadframe are respectively disposed in the first housing and the second housing. The optical emitter for emitting a light is disposed in the first housing and coupled to the first leadframe. The shielding portion is extended from the first leadframe being bent to cover the optical emitter and exposes the optical emitter by an opening formed thereon. The optical receiver for receiving the light is disposed in the second housing and coupled to the second leadframe. The lens is disposed on the first housing for rendering the light passing through the opening to the optical receiver.
US08258451B2
In certain embodiments, a system is provided for image capture that includes a unit cell that includes a Capacitor TransImpedance Amplifier (CTIA) subcircuit, a Source Follower per Detector (SFD) subcircuit, and a Direct Injection (DI) subcircuit. The unit cell may operate using one of the subcircuits selected in response to a control signal. A column amplifier may be coupled to the unit cell. The column amplifier may be operable to receive an intermediate signal from the unit cell and couple components of the column amplifier corresponding to the selected subcircuit in response to the control signal. The column amplifier may generate an output signal from the intermediate signal using the coupled components of the column amplifier.
US08258433B2
A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes an electro-optic reflective element, a photo sensor and a light concentrator. The electro-optic reflective element has a front substrate with a first surface and a transparent second surface electrically conductive coating disposed on a second surface, and the electro-optic reflective element has a rear substrate with a third surface transflective metallic reflector disposed at a third surface thereof. The photo sensor is disposed behind a fourth surface of the rear substrate and operable to detect light passing through the transflective metallic reflector and the electro-optic reflective medium disposed between the second and third surfaces. The light concentrator is disposed between the photo sensor and the fourth surface of the rear substrate, and the light concentrator receives light passing through the transflective metallic reflector of the electro-optic reflective element and concentrates light onto a light sensing surface of the photo sensor.
US08258430B2
A method of determining a contact point of a laser beam on an edge of a body and a system for performing the same, in which the method includes a) moving the laser beam relative to the edge in a spatial direction until the laser beam touches the edge, in which the spatial direction is at a right angle relative to an axis of the laser beam and in which the edge is formed at an opening, b) measuring acoustic oscillations produced photoacoustically during the movement of the laser beam, and c) determining the laser beam point of contact with the edge based on the measured acoustic oscillations.
US08258425B2
A laser head for irradiating an interaction region of a structure with laser light to remove material from the structure. The laser head includes a housing, an anchoring mechanism, and a connector coupled to the housing and optically coupled to a laser generator. The anchoring mechanism is reversably coupled to the housing and releasably affixed to the structure by vacuum pressure. The anchoring mechanism releasably holds the laser head at a selected position in relation to the structure. The connector transmits laser light from the laser generator. The laser head further includes a plurality of optical elements contained in the housing. The laser head further includes a containment plenum coupled to the housing. The containment plenum is optically coupled to the plurality of optical elements to receive the laser light. The containment plenum confines the material and removes the material from the interaction region resulting from irradiating the structure with the laser light.
US08258421B2
A shielding gas (SG) flow controller for an arc welder includes SG input/output with a controllable valve therebetween, and having a control input, and a controller having a first input receiving a welding signal representing arc current and a gas flow setting controller generating a flow setting output based on the welding signal, representing a desired SG flow. Input and output pressure sensors provide SG input and out pressure to second and third controller inputs, respectively. A flow setting output modifier modifies the flow setting output of the gas flow setting controller based on the SG input/output pressure, the welding signal, and a characteristic of the controllable valve into a control signal input to the control input of the controllable gas valve to maintain a substantially constant SG flow corresponding to the flow setting output substantially independent of actual SG input/output pressures.
US08258420B2
A wire electrical discharge machining apparatus includes a unit capable of separately opening and closing each of a high impedance path and a low impedance path, a unit that sets an open/close pattern in which a combination of closing one of the feeding paths and opening another one of the feeding paths is designated for switching power feeding between the high impedance path and the low impedance path, a unit that changes pulse energy per feeding pulse in a present feeding path to reduce a difference in discharge pulse energy applied to an inter-electrode gap from a machining power supply between at a time of high-impedance-path feeding and at a time of low-impedance-path feeding, and a unit that controls opening and closing of the path open/close unit in accordance with the changed open/close pattern.
US08258414B2
A railcar has an on-board system for weighing a load of the railcar. A center plate load cell is attached to the bottom of the railcar body and supports the first end of the railcar body on a truck assembly via the center bowl of the truck assembly. A pair of side bearing load cells are mounted to the bottom of the railcar body so as to flank the center plate load cell. A pair of side bearings are positioned on the top surface of the truck assembly bolster in alignment with the pair of side bearing load cells. Circuitry sums signals from the center plate load cell and the pair of side bearing load cells to provide a summed output corresponding to a weight of the railcar load. The summed output is conditioned and transmitted via a satellite and/or cable system to a remote receiving station.
US08258407B2
A wiring board is provided to protect an electronic device from static electricity and lightning surge without reducing packaging density. A wiring board is provided with a first wiring pattern (3) including mounting pads (8, 10), on which an electronic device (5) is mounted, a second wiring pattern (21) having lower impedance than the first wiring pattern (3), ICT wirings (13, 15) extending from the mounting pads (8, 10) of the first wiring pattern (3), and ICT pads (17, 19) formed at distal ends of the ICT wirings (13, 15). The ICT wirings (13, 15) extend towards the second wiring pattern (21) so that the ICT pads (13, 15) are in the vicinity of the second wiring pattern (21), and discharge gaps (G) are formed between the ICT pads (13, 15) and the second wiring pattern (21).
US08258406B2
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate. A layer is located between the first substrate and the second substrate. The layer includes a first region and a second region. The first region comprises an electrophoretic display layer having electrophoretic particles. The second region is located between the first region and an edge of the first substrate and includes a contact portion. The distance between the first substrate and the second substrate corresponding to the second region is smaller than the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate corresponding to the first region.
US08258403B2
An insulation coating for electric wires has a resin coating made from polyimide resin or polyamide-imide resin as a constituent resin, the insulation coating being formed by dispersing phenyl trialkoxysilane and pure water in the resin coating. The phenyl trialkoxysilane is included 3 to 100 parts by weight for the constituent resin of 100 parts by weight in the resin coating.
US08258393B2
A thermoelectric device is provided. The thermoelectric device includes a P-type thermoelectric component, an N-type thermoelectric component, and an electrically conductive layer. Each of the P-type thermoelectric component and the N-type thermoelectric component includes a substrate and a nanowire structure. The conductive layer connects the P-type thermoelectric component set with the N-type thermoelectric component set. The thermoelectric device is adapted for recycling heat generated by the heat source, and for effectively converting the heat into electrical energy.
US08258386B1
A novel maize variety designated 10905730 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety 10905730 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into 10905730 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety 10905730, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety 10905730. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety 10905730.
US08258375B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB55E10 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB55E10, cells from soybean variety XB55E10, plants of soybean XB55E10, and plant parts of soybean variety XB55E10. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB55E10 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XB55E10, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB55E10. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB55E10 are further provided.
US08258371B2
The present invention relates to a new process for the production of arachidonic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid in plants through the co-expression of a Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase, Δ-9-elongase, Δ-8-desaturase and a Δ-5-desaturase and a process for the production of lipids or oils having an increased content of unsaturated fatty acids, in particular ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids having at least two double bonds and a 18 or 20 carbon atom chain length. Preferably the arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid are produced in at least a 1:2 ratio. The invention furthermore relates to the production of a transgenic plants, preferably a transgenic crop plant, having an increased content of arachidonic acid and/or eicosapentaenoic acid, oils or lipids containing C18- or C20-fatty acids with a double bond in position 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15 or 17 of the fatty acid produced, respectively due to the expression of the Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase, of the Δ-9-elongase, of the Δ-8-desaturase and of the Δ-5-desaturase in the plant. The expression of the inventive Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase leads preferably to linoleic acid and linolenic acid as products having a double bond in the position 9, 12 and 15 of the fatty acid. The invention additionally relates to specific nucleic acid sequences encoding for proteins with Δ-12-/Δ-15-desaturase-, Δ-9-elongase-, Δ-8-desaturase- or Δ-5-desaturase-activity, nucleic acid constructs, vectors and transgenic plants containing said nucleic acid sequences.
US08258368B2
A reusable and absorptive mat for the absorption, dispersion and retention of a liquid is disclosed. The absorptive mat comprises a plurality of non-woven layers, of carded and randomly laid viscose rayon fibres having a cross-section of substantially rigid multi-limbed configuration. The layers are stitchbonded in an as laid state, thereby substantially limiting entanglement and breaking of individual fibres. The stitchbonding is performed with a thread under limited tension so as to maintain uniformity of the absorptive mat. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a reusable and washable article for the absorption, dispersion and retention of a liquid comprising providing a plurality of viscose rayon fibres, carding the plurality of fibres, randomly laying the carded fibres into a continuous random web structure and stitchbonding the continuous random web structure in an as laid state.
US08258365B2
Acrylate adhesive composition comprising N-methacryloyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and/or N-acrylol-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine. The adhesive composition ensures an adhesion of substrates under moist conditions, in particular a biocompatible and waterproof adhesion to human skin.
US08258363B2
Methods and apparatus relate to separating and removing aromatic compounds from a hydrocarbon stream. Splitting of the hydrocarbon stream into constituents as desired relies on a membrane and distillation columns that supply feed into the membrane and receive retentate and permeate streams output from the membrane. Configurations employing the membrane and the distillation columns enable benzene recovery and facilitate efficient separation.
US08258359B2
A process is disclosed for making styrene and/or ethylbenzene by reacting toluene with a C1 source over a catalyst in one or more reactors to form a product stream comprising styrene and/or ethylbenzene where the catalyst time on stream prior to regeneration is less than 1 hour.
US08258358B2
A process for the production of propylene, the process including: fractionating a hydrocarbon stream comprising n-butenes, isobutylene, and paraffins into at least two fractions including a light C4 fraction comprising isobutylene and a heavy C4 fraction comprising n-butenes and paraffins; contacting at least a portion of the heavy C4 fraction with a metathesis catalyst to form a metathesis product comprising ethylene, propylene, C4+ olefins, and paraffins; fractionating the metathesis product into at least four fractions including an ethylene fraction, a propylene fraction, a C4 fraction comprising C4 olefins and paraffins, and a C5+ fraction; cracking the light C4 fraction and the C5+ fraction to produce a cracking product comprising ethylene, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbons; and fractionating the cracking product into at least two fractions including a light fraction comprising propylene and a fraction comprising C5 to C6 hydrocarbons.
US08258348B2
A process for producing a carbonyl compound corresponding to an olefin, the process comprising reacting the olefin with molecular oxygen in a water-containing liquid phase comprising a palladium catalyst, a vanadium compound, and a heteropoly acid having a heteropoly anion represented by the Formula: [XaMbM′cOd]n− wherein X is any of elements selected from P, Si, and S; a represents an integer of 1 or 2; M and M′ represent any of elements selected from Mo, W, V, Ta, and Nb; b and c represent an integer of 0 or more; d represents an integer of 1 or more; and n represents an integer of 1 or more.
US08258333B2
A method for producing N-(2-amino-1,2-dicyanovinyl)formamidine, including the steps of reacting an N-(2-amino-1,2-dicyanovinyl)formimidate and ammonia by adding aqueous ammonia to a solution or suspension of an N-(2-amino-1,2-dicyanovinyl)formimidate in ether, or alternatively directly adding an N-(2-amino-1,2-dicyanovinyl)formimidate or adding a solution or suspension of an N-(2-amino-1,2-dicyanovinyl)formimidate in ether to a liquid containing ether and aqueous ammonia.
US08258332B2
A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of preparing a reactive polymer, and reacting the reactive polymer with a halosilane compound containing an amino group.
US08258330B1
Carrier fluid compositions and their use in processes for reducing the concentration of persistent organic pollutants, such as polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorodibenzo-p-furans (PCDDF), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and pesticides, such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, chlorinated toxaphenes and camphenes, in fish oil are disclosed. The process includes vacuum distillation of the fish oil in the presence of the carrier fluid compositions to provide a fish oil residue having a reduced concentration of persistent organic pollutants.
US08258325B2
The present invention relates to a mixture comprising diesters of the formula (I) where R1 to R8═H or alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, where the R1 to R8 radicals may be the same or different, which is characterized in that at least two different diesters I are present in the mixture, said diesters differing in the structure of at least one of the carboxylic acid radicals C8H17COO present, to a process for preparing diesters of an isosorbide derivative of the formula I, in which a hexahydric alcohol and/or a monoanhydro or dianhydro derivative of the alcohol is esterified with a mixture of at least two different carboxylic acids of the empirical formula C8H17COOH, and to the use of these mixtures in paints, inks or coatings, in plastisols, adhesives or adhesive components, in sealants, as plasticizers in polymers or polymer components, as solvents, as lubricant oil components and as assistants in metal processing, and also PVC compositions or plastisols comprising PVC and from 5 to 250 parts by mass of the mixture per 100 parts by mass of PVC.
US08258314B2
A process is described for the preparation of substituted heteroaromatics of the general formula (I) where X is oxygen, sulphur or NR5 where R5 is hydrogen, C1-C20-alkyl or C5-C6-aryl and R4 is C1-C20-alkyl, C5-C6-aryl or heteroaryl, R1, R2, R3 is hydrogen, halogen, C1-C20-alkyl, C5-C6-aryl or heteroaryl, by reaction A) of a halogenated heteroaromatic of the general formula (II) where X has the meaning given for formula (I) and R6 is bromine, iodine or chlorine and R1, R2 and R3 have the meaning given for formula (I), with a Grignard reagent of the general formula (III) R4MgHal (III) where R4 has the meaning given for formula (I) and Hal is bromine, iodine or chlorine or B) reaction of the halogenated heteroaromatics of the formula (II) with magnesium firstly to give a Grignard compound of the general formula (IIIa) where Hal is bromine, iodine or chlorine and X and R1, R2 and R3 have the meaning given for formula (I), and further reaction with a halogenated compound of the general formula (IV) R4Hal (IV) where R4 has the meaning given for formula (I) and Hal is bromine, iodine or chlorine, where the reactions A) or B) are in each case carried out in the presence of an Ni or Pd catalyst, characterized in that the process is carried out in the presence of cycloalkyl alkyl ether as solvent and optionally a further solvent. Likewise described is the use of cycloalkyl alkyl ethers, in particular cyclopentyl methyl ether, in the Kumada reaction for the preparation of substituted heteroaromatics, in particular substituted thiophenes.
US08258311B2
The present disclosure relates to compounds effective as human protein tyrosine phosphatase beta (HPTP-β) inhibitors thereby regulating angiogenesis. The present disclosure further relates to compositions comprising said human protein tyrosine phosphatase beta (HPTP-β) inhibitors, and to methods for regulating angiogenesis.
US08258307B2
The present invention provides a new amide compound and salt thereof that is capable of inhibiting biofilm formation or removing deposited biofilms. The present invention also provides a biofilm formation inhibitor or a biofilm remover containing the amide compound or salt thereof as an active ingredient.An amide compound or salt thereof according to the present invention is denoted by General Formula (1): wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, R2 is a C5-12 alkyl group, and Q is a substituent denoted by Formula (Q1) or (Q2), wherein n and m are 0 or 1.
US08258302B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide 2-iminocarboxylic acid derivatives, and a practically suitable industrial method for producing benzazepinones in a short process under mild conditions. The present invention provides a method for producing a benzazepinone or a salt thereof, which comprises opening a ring of an isoquinoline derivative and subsequently converting the thus generated amine into a benzazepinone through lactamization reaction.
US08258300B2
The azo dyes relate to thiophene azo dyes of the general formula: where R1 is Cyano or C1-C5 alkoxy carbonyl; R2 is hydrogen, halogene, C1-C2 alkyl, phenyl, or substituted phenyl; and R3 is C1-C5 alkoxy carbonyl, C1-C4 alkanoyl, benzoyl, phenyl, alkyl substituted phenyl, or alkoxy phenyl; or R2 and R3 are fused cycloalkane with C3-C5.
US08258299B2
The present invention provides two synthetic routes for the preparation of Temsirolimus (compound 1b and analog of Temsirolimus 1a). The first route includes the synthesis of CCI-779 by directly reacting rapamycin (4b) or Prolyl-rapamycin (4a) with substituent-2,2-bis(methoxy) propionic acid anhydride(11) in the presence of an organic base, followed by deprotection to give CCI-779 or Proline CCI-779. The second route includes a process involving a reaction of rapamycin-OH-31-sily ether (4d) or Prolyl-rapamycin-OH-31-sily ether (4c) with substituent-2,2-bis(methoxy) propionic acid anhydride(11) in the presence of an organic base and followed by subsequent hydrolysis step to obtain the desired CCI-779 or Proline CCI-779.Compound 11, as described in this invention, is stable at room temperature, cost effective and ease of processing.
US08258286B2
The present invention is directed to RNA interference (RNAi) molecules targeted against a nucleic acid sequence, and methods of using these RNAi molecules to reduce off-target toxicity.
US08258283B2
The present invention relates to a composition for detection of HCV by a single step reaction, comprising a specific primer and probe. In particular, the present invention relates to a composition for detection of HCV by a single step reaction, comprising the primer sequences of SEQ ID NOs:1 and 2; a composition for detection of HCV by a single step reaction, comprising both the primer sequences and a probe of SEQ ID NOs:5 or 9; a method for detecting HCV by a single step reaction, comprising the steps of obtaining a sample from a subject, and amplifying and detecting HCV using the primer and probe; and a kit comprising the primer and probe, in which the HCV detection method is characterized by a single step reaction.
US08258280B2
Described in this application is a synthetic P. vivax circumsporozoite protein useful as a diagnostic reagent, for antibody production, and as a vaccine protective against infection with any strain of P. vivax.
US08258271B2
The invention describes isolated mTOR-associated proteins (“mTOR-APs”) as well as isolated variants and fragments thereof and the isolated nucleic acids encoding them. The invention also describes vectors and host cells containing nucleic acid encoding an mTOR-AP polypeptide and methods for producing an mTOR-AP polypeptide. Also described are methods for screening for compounds which modulate mTOR-AP activity and methods for treating or preventing a disorder that is responsive to mTOR-AP modulation.
US08258266B2
The present invention provides isolated monoclonal antibodies, particularly human antibodies, that bind to IP-10 with high affinity, inhibit the binding of IP-10 to its receptor, inhibit IP-10-induced calcium flux and inhibit IP-10-induced cell migration. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the antibodies of the invention, expression vectors, host cells and methods for expressing the antibodies of the invention are also provided. Immunoconjugates, bispecific molecules and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibodies of the invention are also provided. The invention also provides methods for inhibiting IP-10 activity using the antibodies of the invention, including methods for treating various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
US08258263B2
Novel chimeric moieties that show significant efficacy against cancers are provided. In certain embodiments the chimeric moieties comprise a targeting moiety attached to an interferon. In certain embodiments, the chimeric moieties comprise fusion proteins where an antibody that specifically binds to a cancer marker is fused to interferon alpha (IFN-α) or interferon beta (IFN-β).
US08258260B2
The present invention relates to immunotherapeutic methods, and molecules and cells for use in immunotherapeutic methods. In particular, the present invention relates to the immunotherapy of cancer. The present invention furthermore relates to tumor-associated T-helper cell peptide epitopes, alone or in combination with other tumor-associated peptides, that serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients of vaccine compositions which stimulate anti-tumor immune responses. In particular, the present invention relates to 49 novel peptide sequences derived from HLA class II molecules of human tumor cell lines which can be used in vaccine compositions for eliciting anti-tumor immune responses.
US08258257B2
The disclosure provides methods and compositions useful for treating claudin-4 associated disorders including cell proliferative disorders. The disclosure also provide claudin-family binding peptides useful in the methods of the disclosure.
US08258251B2
Ceramic oxide aerogels having improved flexibility are disclosed. Preferred embodiments exhibit high modulus and other strength properties despite their improved flexibility. The gels may be polymer cross-linked via organic polymer chains to further improve strength properties, without substantially detracting from the improved flexibility. Methods of making such aerogels are also disclosed.
US08258250B2
Provided are compositions comprising a superhydrophilic amphiphilic copolymer and a carrier and composition comprising a superhydrophilic amphiphilic copolymer, a micellar thickener and a carrier.
US08258249B2
The present invention relates to superabsorbent polymer comprising acrylic acid made by the process comprising the steps of heating an aqueous glycerine solution to form glycerine; transporting the glycerine to the dehydration reactor; dehydrating the glycerine to an acrolein-comprising dehydration product; gas phase oxidating of the acrolein-comprising dehydration product to obtain an acrylic acid-comprising monomer gas; bringing into contact of the monomer gas with a quench agent to obtain an acrylic acid-comprising quench phase; working-up the quench phase to obtain an acrylic acid-comprising monomer phase; and polymerizing the acrylic acid-comprising monomer phase; wherein a plurality of gas bubbles is generated and wherein the dehydration occurs at least partially in the liquid phase. The superabsorbent polymer has certain properties for biodegradability and sustainability. Further, at least about 25% of the acrylic acid is based on glycerine. The superabsorbent polymer has a sustainability factor of at least about 80%.
US08258244B2
Disclosed is a process for producing a thermoplastic copolymer, which comprises step of supplying a monomer mixture (a) to a loop reactor continuously to produce a copolymer (A), the monomer mixture (a) comprising an aromatic vinyl monomer (a1), a vinyl cyanide monomer (a2) and an N-substituted maleimide monomer (a3). The process enables the production of a thermoplastic copolymer which has an excellent balance among physical properties such as heat resistance, color and flow property, reduces the amount of bleeding that may cause mold staining during molding processing and has excellent handleability and productivity.
US08258241B2
A method for producing a modified conjugated diene polymer includes a modification step (A) that subjects a conjugated diene polymer having a cis-1,4-bond content of 98.5% or more and possessing an active end to a modification reaction to introduce an alkoxysilane compound having two or more reactive groups including an alkoxysilyl group into the active end of the conjugated diene polymer, and a condensation step (B) that subjects the residue of the alkoxysilane compound introduced into the active end to a condensation reaction in the presence of a condensation catalyst that includes at least one element among the elements of the groups 4A, 2B, 3B, 4B, and 5B in the periodic table. The method can produce a modified conjugated diene polymer that exhibits low heat build-up and excellent wear resistance.
US08258232B2
Transparent acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive comprising a filler, the acrylate-pressure sensitive adhesive comprising a polyacrylate and particles of silicate and/or of silica gel. The particles of silicate and/or of silica gel have a size of not more than 50 nm. The acrylate pressure-sensitive adhesive is prepared by a process in which acrylates and comonomers are polymerized in the presence of at least one organic solvent or in bulk, the particles of silicate and/or of silica gel being mixed in before or after the polymerization.
US08258231B2
A process for preparing a dispersion of a particulate solid comprising: dispersing a particulate solid with a dispersant and a liquid medium, wherein the dispersant is a random copolymer obtained or obtainable from the copolymerisation of a composition comprising: i) one or more monoethylenically unsaturated hydrophilic monomers, ii) one or more monoethylenically unsaturated hydrophobic monomers, iii) one or more di- and/or higher-ethylenically unsaturated monomers, and iv) one or more chain transfer agents; wherein the dispersion step is effected by a mechanical treatment which reduces the particle size of the particulate solid.
US08258228B2
The invention relates to compositions intended to be applied to the surfaces of freshly poured mortars and/or concretes, before the beginning of the setting, in order simultaneously to prevent the evaporation of the water present in said mortars and/or concretes, which is necessary for their setting and then for their hardening, and in order to create, on said treated surfaces, high adhesiveness for the finishing materials intended to cover them, these compositions being provided in the form of aqueous emulsions comprising at least one paraffin wax (a), alone or in combination with at least one hydrocarbon compound (b) and/or with at least one other hydrocarbon compound (c) different from the hydrocarbon compound (b), and also comprising at least one latex (d) formed of a colloidal aqueous emulsion of at least one polymer, and at least one pulverulent inorganic or organic filler (e).
US08258225B2
Disclosed is a coating formed from a composition containing a film-forming resin and a plurality of particles dispersed in the resin. The average particle size of the particles is 0.1 to 50 microns, and the particles have a hardness sufficient to impart greater mar and/or scratch resistance to the coating as compared to a coating where no particles are present. Also, the difference between the refractive ranges from 1 to 1.5. A method for preparing a powder coating including the particles also is provided.
US08258213B2
The present invention provides to a rubber composition for a breaker topping including 15 to 50 parts by weight of carbon black and 5 to 50 parts by weight of silica based on 100 parts by weight of a rubber component (provided that a butadiene rubber containing 1,2-syndiotactic polybutadiene crystals is not included) including 10 to 45% by weight of a modified butadiene rubber and/or a modified styrene-butadiene rubber and 55 to 90% by weight of a natural rubber and/or an isoprene rubber for the purpose of improving low fuel cost while keeping rigidity, elongation at break and peel strength at high level.
US08258212B2
A method for producing a solid intermediate compound for incorporating into liquid bitumen obtained from petroleum or into mineral oils in order to produce liquid/polymer bitumen. According to the method, a polymer for producing the liquid/polymer bitumen is hot-mixed with solid bitumen, the mixture is then cooled, and the solid intermediate compound thus obtained is split. The intermediate compound obtained, the liquid/polymer bitumen formed from the intermediate compound, and a bitumen-coated material containing the intermediate compound or liquid/polymer bitumen are also disclosed.
US08258205B2
Disclosed herein are inks including an aqueous vehicle; at least one encapsulant-dispersed pigment; and at least one block copolymer binder dispersed throughout the aqueous vehicle and having Structure I and comprising a hydrophobic block (A) and a hydrophilic block (B);
US08258203B2
The present invention pertains to a black inkjet ink comprising aqueous vehicle and carbon black pigment stabilized to dispersion by a certain block copolymer dispersant. The invention further pertains to an ink set comprising this black ink and at least a second ink which contains a reactive species capable of destabilizing the carbon black dispersion. Still further, the invention pertains to a method of printing wherein the black ink and second ink are printed in an overlapping relationship, thereby minimizing penetration, feathering and/or bleed of the black pigment and improving print quality.
US08258192B2
A silicone composition emulsion and a method for preparing the same are provided. The method is characterized in that a low-molecular-weight polysiloxane and an emulsifier are added into a high-viscosity silicone composition. The low-molecular-weight polysiloxane has a viscosity of 5-3,000 mPa·s, and the emulsifier is an nonionic surfactant. The amount of the low-molecular-weight polysiloxane is 5-50 parts and the amount of the emulsifier is 40-150 parts, based on 100 parts of the high-viscosity silicone composition.
US08258190B2
The present invention relates to the field of polymer chemistry and more particularly to encapsulated contrast agents and methods for using the same.
US08258188B2
Disclosed is a method of enhancing the immune response of an animal, including mammals and humans, to prevent or ameliorate immunoinflammatory diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, increase immune system development, maintain or increase CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte levels, increase immune function, increase immune response against viruses and prevent or ameliorate the Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 diabetes and obesity by administering orally or parenterally a therapeutically effective amount of punicic acid to the animal.
US08258181B2
The NSAID, sulindac and/or its metabolites and derivatives, in combination with hydrogen peroxide or another oxidizing agent, such as arsenic trioxide that generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), significantly enhances the killing of cancer cells. This effect occurs at concentrations of each compound that individually have little or no activity directed against cancer cells. A skin cream has been developed and used to treat skin cancer and precancerous skin growths that effectively removes the lesions with no effect on surrounding normal skin.
US08258175B2
A compound of formula or a prodrug and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X is O, N or S; R1 is hydrogen, halo, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkylamine, alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl, and substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl or heteroaralkyl; R2 is hydrogen, halo, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyalkyl substituted or unsubstituted alkylamine, alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl, and substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl or heteroalkyl; R3 is hydrogen, halo, hydroxy, substituted or unsubstituted alloy substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkylamine alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heteroaryl, and substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl or heteroalkyl; and R4-R7, is used to represent groups R4, R5, R6 and R7 which are H, OH, alkyl, alkoxy, alkylamine, hydroxyalkyl, halo, CF3, NH2, NO2, COOH, C═O.
US08258169B2
Compounds of formula (I) in which the substituents are as defined in claim 1, are suitable for use as microbiocides.
US08258162B2
The present invention provides compounds represented by general formula (I): or pharmaceutical acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1 and R2 are each hydrogen, lower acyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl or the like; R3 is lower alkyl, halo-lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, optionally substituted aryl, optionally substituted heteroaryl or the like; R4 is cyano, lower alkoxycarbonyl, carboxy or the like, which exhibit potent COMT inhibitory activities. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions containing said compound, and uses thereof.
US08258161B2
A novel crystalline anhydrous toluenesulfonic acid salt form of a selective PPAR gamma partial agonist which has a fused bicyclic aromatic group attached to an oxypropanoic acid moiety is stable and non-hygroscopic. The crystalline salt form is useful for making pharmaceutical formulations for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, hyperglycemia, obesity, and dyslipidemia.
US08258160B2
The present invention provides heterocyclic derivatives that modulate the activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturase. Methods of using such derivatives to modulate the activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturase and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such derivatives are also encompassed.
US08258158B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein A1, A2, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 have the significance given herein.
US08258148B2
The present invention relates to spiroindoline modulators of muscarinic receptors. The present invention also provides compositions comprising such spiroindoline modulators, and methods therewith for treating muscarinic receptor mediated diseases.
US08258137B2
A process for the release of a biologically active species comprising the steps of: providing a mesoporous oxide-based material having structural order and at least one level of porosity; fixing or immobilizing said biologically active species in said ordered mesoporous oxide; and providing said ordered mesoporous oxide with said fixed or immobilized biologically active species in vivo thereby realizing intraluminally induced substantially pH-independent supersaturation of said biologically active species resulting in enhanced transepithelial transport; wherein said biologically active species is a poorly soluble therapeutic drug classified as belonging to Class II or Class IV of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System and said ordered mesoporous oxide has a pore size in the range of 4 to 14 nm.
US08258134B2
Provided herein are compounds of the formula (I): as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein the substituents are as those disclosed in the specification. These compounds, and the pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are useful for the treatment of metabolic diseases and disorders such as, for example, type II diabetes mellitus.
US08258130B2
This invention is directed to a compound of formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and L1 are as defined herein, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound, and the use of the compound to treat allergic and/or inflammatory disorders, particularly disorders such as allergic rhinitis, asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
US08258129B2
The present invention encompasses compounds of general formula (1) wherein X and R1 to R3 are as defined in the disclosure, which are suitable for the treatment of diseases characterized by excessive or abnormal cell proliferation, and the use thereof for preparing a pharmaceutical composition having the above-mentioned properties.
US08258115B2
The present invention refers to new salts of S-adenosyknethionine (SAMe) with improved stability and containing at least 70% by weight of SAMe.
US08258111B2
The present invention concerns methods and compositions for diagnosing and/or treating vascular diseases including cancer, cardiac diseases, vascular diseases of the eye, and inflammatory diseases. The methods involve measuring the levels of one or multiple miRNAs in patient samples and using the test results to diagnose and/or predict an optimal treatment regimen for the patient. Compositions described in the invention include nucleic acids that function as miRNAs or miRNA inhibitors that can be introduced to a patient to reduce or increase vascularization as needed.
US08258099B2
The invention is directed to peptide modulators of Pin1 and Pin1-related proteins and the use of such modulators for treatment of Pin1 associated states, e.g., for the treatment of cancer or neurodegenerative disease.
US08258088B2
The invention relates to lubricating grease compositions having a base oil mixture based on oils having viscosities (ISO VG 2 to ISO VG 1500) that are standard for industrial lubricants, an ionic liquid, a thickening agent, e.g., based on a polyurea compound and conventional additives that can be used at current service temperatures that are higher than 120° C. to 260° C., in particular at a service temperature in the region of high service temperatures that are higher than 180° C. to 260° C. and also at low temperatures as low as −60° C. The invention also relates to a method for producing said type of lubricating grease compositions.
US08258086B2
An anti-seize composition includes lubricating solids and at least one of a material selected from a grease and an oil. The lubricating solids include at least 15 weight percent of nano-sized lubricating solid particles. The nano-sized lubricating solid particles each have at least one dimension, on average, of less than 500 nm.
US08258082B2
Focused libraries of vectors or genetic packages that display, display and express, or comprise a member of a diverse family of antibody peptides, polypeptides or proteins and collectively display, display and express, or comprise at least a portion of the focused diversity of the family. The libraries have length and sequence diversities that mimic that found in native human antibodies.
US08258080B2
Provided are methods of applying a tissue marking to a tissue and rendering said tissue marking colorless when desired, comprising implanting into the tissue an amount of the tissue marking in sufficient quantity to form a detectable marking, said tissue marking comprising at least one colored compound comprising a thermally activatable fragmentation group and at least one infrared absorbing compound, wherein the at least one colored compound is capable of being rendered colorless by unimolecular fragmentation of the thermally activatable fragmentation group when the tissue marking is non-imagewise exposed by a source of infrared radiation and applying sufficient infrared radiation to a sufficient amount of the tissue marking to render the tissue marking colorless when desired.
US08258077B2
A crystalline Al phase and a crystalline TiH2 phase each having a maximum length of 200 nm or less are dispersed in an amorphous phase containing an Al—Mg alloy to obtain a hydrogen storage material capable of reversibly storing and releasing hydrogen.
US08258074B2
The invention is drawn to a catalyst having a substantially bimodal support phase and an active metal phase that is suitable and stable for desulfurization of high-olefin content naphtha streams with minimal octane-loss running at low hydrogen pressure. The active metal phase preferably includes cobalt, molybdenum and at least one additional metal selected from the alkali-metals group.
US08258065B2
Systems and methods associated with semiconductor articles are disclosed, including forming a first layer of material on a substrate, etching trenches within regions defining a passive element in the first layer, forming metal regions on sidewalls of the trenches, and forming a region of dielectric or polymer material over or in the substrate. Moreover, an exemplary method may also include forming areas of metal regions on the sidewalls of the trenches such that planar strip portions of the areas form electrically conductive regions of the passive element(s) that are aligned substantially perpendicularly with respect to a primary plane of the substrate. Other exemplary embodiments may comprise various articles or methods including capacitive and/or inductive aspects, Titanium- and/or Tantalum-based resistive aspects, products, products by processes, packages and composites consistent with one or more aspects of the innovations set forth herein.
US08258060B2
The sheet structure includes a plurality of linear structure bundles including a plurality of linear structures of carbon atoms arranged at a first gap, and arranged at a second gap larger than the first gap, a graphite layer formed in a region between the plurality of linear structure bundles and connected to the plurality of linear structure bundles, and a filling layer filled in the first gap and the second gap and retaining the plurality of linear structure bundles and the graphite layer.
US08258059B2
High voltage-resistant semiconductor devices adapted to control threshold voltage by utilizing threshold voltage variation caused by plasma damage resulting from the formation of multilayer wiring, and a manufacturing method thereof. Exemplary high voltage-resistant semiconductor devices include a plurality of MOS transistors having gate insulating films not less than about 350 Å in thickness on a silicon substrate, and the MOS transistors have different area ratios between gate electrode-gate insulating film contact areas and total opening areas of contacts formed on the gate electrodes.
US08258057B2
Methods of fabricating a first contact to a semiconductor device, which fundamentally comprises providing a semiconductor device formed on a substrate. The substrate further includes a conductive surface. A dielectric layer is formed over the substrate and has an opening exposing the conductive surface. The opening extends an entire length of the semiconductor device, partway down the entire length of the device, extending from the device onto adjacent field of the device, or and a combination thereof. A barrier layer is formed within the opening. A copper containing material fills the opening to form a first contact to the semiconductor device.
US08258051B2
The present III-nitride crystal manufacturing method, a method of manufacturing a III-nitride crystal (20) having a major surface (20m) of plane orientation other than {0001}, designated by choice, includes: a step of slicing III-nitride bulk crystal (1) into a plurality of III-nitride crystal substrates (10p), (10q) having major surfaces (10pm), (10qm) of the designated plane orientation; a step of disposing the substrates (10p), (10q) adjoining each other sideways in such a way that the major surfaces (10pm), (10qm) of the substrates (10p), (10q) parallel each other and so that the [0001] directions in the substrates (10p), (10q) are oriented in the same way; and a step of growing III-nitride crystal (20) onto the major surfaces (10pm), (10qm) of the substrates (10p), (10q).
US08258044B2
The invention relates to a method for fabricating chip elements provided with a groove from devices formed on a wafer. The method comprises the steps consisting in, depositing a sacrificial film on the wafer so as to leave a central part of each device exposed and to cover an edge of the device at the level of which the groove is to be formed; applying a mold on the sacrificial film; injecting a hardenable material into the mold; hardening the hardenable material; dicing the wafer between the devices; and eliminating the sacrificial film.
US08258037B2
Techniques for incorporating nanotechnology into decoupling capacitor designs are provided. In one aspect, a decoupling capacitor is provided. The decoupling capacitor comprises a first electrode; an intermediate layer adjacent to the first electrode having a plurality of nanochannels therein; a conformal dielectric layer formed over the intermediate layer and lining the nanochannels; and a second electrode at least a portion of which is formed from an array of nanopillars that fill the nanochannels in the intermediate layer. Methods for fabricating the decoupling capacitor are also provided, as are semiconductor devices incorporating the decoupling capacitor design.
US08258030B2
The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having a semiconductor nonvolatile memory element that is highly reliable and that can increase a variation of a threshold voltage. Further, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a highly reliable semiconductor nonvolatile memory element using a large substrate. According to the present invention, sputtering using, as a target, a solid solution containing silicon that exceeds a solid solubility limit is conducted, so that a conductive film including a conductive layer of a metal element that is a main component of the solid solution and silicon particles is formed, and then, the conductive layer of the metal element is removed to expose silicon particles. Furthermore, a semiconductor device having a semiconductor nonvolatile memory element using the silicon particles as a floating gate electrode is manufactured.
US08258026B2
An insulated-gate field-effect transistor (220U) is provided with an empty-well region for achieving high performance. The concentration of the body dopant reaches a maximum at a subsurface location no more than 10 times deeper below the upper semiconductor surface than the depth of one of a pair of source/drain zones (262 and 264), decreases by at least a factor of 10 in moving from the subsurface location along a selected vertical line (136U) through that source/drain zone to the upper semiconductor surface, and has a logarithm that decreases substantially monotonically and substantially inflectionlessly in moving from the subsurface location along the vertical line to that source/drain zone. Each source/drain zone has a main portion (262M or 264M) and a more lightly doped lateral extension (262E or 264E). Alternatively or additionally, a more heavily doped pocket portion (280) of the body material extends along one of the source/drain zones.
US08258022B2
An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device comprises a substrate having a pixel region, a gate line on the substrate, and a data line crossing the gate line to define the pixel region. A thin film transistor (TFT) includes a gate electrode connected to the gate line, an insulating layer on the gate electrode, an active layer on the insulating layer, an ohmic contact layer on the active layer, a source electrode connected to the data line and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode. A pixel electrode connects to the drain electrode and is disposed in the pixel region. An opaque metal pattern is provided on end portions of the pixel electrode.
US08258019B2
In some embodiments, selective electroless plating for electronic substrates is presented. In this regard, a method is introduced including receiving a coreless substrate strip, attaching solder balls to a backside of the coreless substrate strip, and forming a backside stiffening mold amongst the solder balls. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08258014B2
According to an embodiment of a method of manufacturing a power transistor module, the method includes mechanically fastening a first terminal, a second terminal and at least two different DC bias terminals to an electrically conductive flange; connecting the flange to a source of a power transistor device; electrically connecting the first terminal to a gate of the power transistor device; electrically connecting the second terminal to a drain of the power transistor device; mechanically fastening a bus bar to the flange which extends between and connects the DC bias terminals; and electrically connecting the bus bar to the drain via one or more RF grounded connections.
US08258010B2
A plurality of semiconductor die is mounted to a carrier separated by a peripheral region. An insulating material is deposited in the peripheral region. A first opening is formed in the insulating material of the peripheral region to a first depth. A second opening is formed in the insulating material of the peripheral region centered over the first opening to a second depth less than the first depth. The first and second openings constitute a composite through organic via (TOV) having a first width in a vertical region of the first opening and a second width in a vertical region of the second opening. The second width is different than the first width. A conductive material is deposited in the composite TOV to form a conductive TOV. An organic solderability preservative (OSP) coating is formed over a contact surface of the conductive TOV.
US08258008B2
A method for manufacturing a package-on-package system includes: providing an interposer substrate; mounting a base substrate under the interposer substrate and having a first integrated circuit die connected thereto; forming an encapsulant between the interposer substrate and the base substrate, the encapsulant encapsulating the first integrated circuit die; and forming a via z-interconnection extending through the encapsulant and one of the substrates to the other of the substrates.
US08258005B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an electrode pad in a surface layer of an insulating layer; disposing a conductive particle, of which at least a portion of the surface is coated with a thermoplastic resin, over the electrode pad; and fixing the conductive particle over the electrode pad using the resin, by heating the resin to soften the resin, and then cooling and solidifying the resin after the conductive particle and the electrode pad are electrically connected to each other, to form the conductive particle as an external connection terminal.
US08257996B2
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a radiation detector comprising a photosensitive sensor assembly (1, 4), a scintillator (6) that converts the radiation into radiation to which the photosensitive sensor assembly (1, 4) is sensitive, the scintillator (6) being fastened by adhesive bonding to the sensor assembly, the sensor assembly comprising a substrate (4) and several attached sensors (1), the sensors (1) each having two faces (11, 12), a first face (11) of which is bonded to the substrate (4) and a second face (12) of which is bonded to the scintillator (6). The method consists in linking the following operations: the sensors (1) are deposited via their second face (12) on an adhesive film (13); and the sensors (1) are bonded via their first face (11) to the substrate (4).
US08257995B2
A cleave plane is defined in a semiconductor donor body by implanting ions into the wafer. A lamina is cleaved from the donor body, and a photovoltaic cell is formed which comprises the lamina. The implant may cause some damage to the crystal structure of the lamina. This damage can be repaired by annealing the lamina using microwave energy. If the lamina is bonded to a receiver element, the receiver element may be either transparent to microwaves, or may reflect microwaves, while the semiconductor material absorbs the microwaves. In this way the lamina can be annealed at high temperature while the receiver element remains cooler.
US08257987B2
Films of III-nitride for semiconductor device growth are planarized using an etch-back method. The method includes coating a III-nitride surface having surface roughness features in the micron range with a sacrificial planarization material such as an appropriately chose photoresist. The sacrificial planarization material is then etched together with the III-nitride roughness features using dry etch methods such as inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching. By closely matching the etch rates of the sacrificial planarization material and the III-nitride material, a planarized III-nitride surface is achieved. The etch-back process together with a high temperature annealing process yields a planarize III-nitride surface with surface roughness features reduced to the nm range. Planarized III-nitride, e.g., GaN, substrates and devices containing them are also provided.
US08257981B2
Novel chemical compounds, with application in fluorometric analytical methods, for qualitative and quantitative determination of biomolecules. The aim of the invention is to identify and prove the suitability of such compounds. Said aim is achieved with compounds of formula (1) where R1 is an antenna function, R2 is a chelate forming agent, containing a coordinated lanthanide(III)ion, X is —OH or a group with affinity for the biomolecule, bonded to a carboxylate group of the chelate forming agent by means of an amide bond and Y is —H or a group with affinity for the biomolecule, coupled to the antenna function.
US08257975B2
The present invention relates to using a marker in a functional fluid, which survives the use of the functional fluid in an application, with a reagent solution to identify the functional fluid rapidly either before, during or after the functional fluid's use and which is a suitable method for identifying a functional fluid in the field, and which may employ the use of test wipe, or medium, that contains the reagent solution.
US08257965B2
The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages associated with prior art arrays by providing an array comprising a plurality of biological membrane microspots associated with a surface of a substrate that can be produced, used and stored, not in an aqueous environment, but in an environment exposed to air under ambient or controlled humidities. Preferably, the biological membrane microspots comprise a membrane bound protein. Most preferably, the membrane bound protein is a G-protein coupled receptor, an ion channel, a receptor serine/threonine kinase or a receptor tyrosine kinase.
US08257957B2
The present invention provides genetically modified host cells and use of same for producing isoprenoid compounds.
US08257954B2
Provided are compositions comprising modified recombinant polymerases that exhibit branching fractions that are less than the branching fractions of the polymerases from which they were derived, or branching fractions that are less than about 25% for a phosphate-labeled nucleotide analog. Also provided are compositions comprising modified recombinant polymerases that exhibit closed polymerase/DNA complexes with increased stability relative to the parental polymerases. Also provided are compositions comprising modified recombinant polymerases that exhibit decreased rate constants relative to the parental polymerases. Provided are methods for generating polymerases with the aforementioned phenotypes. Provided are methods of using such polymerases to make a DNA or to sequence a DNA template.
US08257945B2
A method of search for and identification of a eukaryotic IRES element active in cap-independent translation of RNA in eukaryotic cells is provided, comprising the following steps: i) screening eukaryotic mRNA sequences or corresponding DNA sequences for a potential IRES element having a block of nucleotides having: a) a length of at least 30 nucleotides; b) an adenine nucleotide content of at least 40 mol-%; and c) a pyrimidine nucleotide content of less than 40 mol-%; ii) inserting said potential IRES element into a linear dicistronic construct between an upstream gene and a downstream GUS reporter gene, whereby said potential IRES element is positioned for IRES-dependent translation of said downstream GUS gene and whereby said upstream gene is preceded by a stable hairpin structure to prevent IRES-independent translation of said genes; and iii) testing said potential IRES element for IRES-dependent translation of said GUS gene in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate or in a wheat germ extract in vitro translation assay, whereby GUS gene expression is quantitated preferably relative to a construct having a reference IRES element or a non-IRES element between said upstream gene and said GUS gene.
US08257942B2
The invention is a matrix for preparing a tissue sample made of saline, albumin, gelatin, formaldehyde, a detergent, sucrose, lysine, and glutaraldehyde. The matrix is formed by first preparing a solution of saline, albumin, and gelatin, and then mixing the solution with formaldehyde, a detergent, and sucrose. Immediately prior to fixation of the tissue, a separately prepared lysine-glutaraldehyde mixture is added. The resulting matrix will harden rapidly and may be used to fix tissue samples for histological processing. In particular, a layer of the matrix may be poured into a mold and allowed to harden to form a base. One or more tissue samples may then be pinned to the base of matrix in the mold and then covered with the matrix. Once the matrix hardens, the pins and mold may be removed, and the tissue sample or samples embedded in the matrix are ready for sectioning.
US08257933B2
A novel method for detection of an inflammatory disease and a novel composition for prevention or treatment of an inflammatory disease are provided. The method for detection of an inflammatory disease comprises using RANKL and/or OPG as a marker in a biological sample. The composition for prevention or treatment of an inflammatory disease comprises RANKL and/or M-CSF as an active ingredient.
US08257930B2
Compositions and methods related to transgenic plants comprising seed production technology are provided. Specifically, maize plants having a E6611.32.1.38 event which confers seed production technology are provided. The plant harboring the E6611.32.1.38 event at the recited chromosomal location comprises the genomic/transgene junctions described. The plant genomic DNA flanking the integrated E6611.32.1.38 event can be used to design assays that will be specific for the E6611.32.1.38 event. The characterization of the genomic insertion site of the E6611.32.1.38 event provides for an enhanced breeding efficiency and enables the use of molecular markers to track the transgene insert in the breeding populations and progeny thereof. Various methods and compositions for the identification, detection, and use of the maize E6611.32.1.38 event are provided.
US08257925B2
A miniaturized assembly is provided whereby a fluid sample can be divided into a plurality of sample portions in retaining wells and the sample fluid can be displaced from open ends of the wells while simultaneously being sealed in the wells. A method of dividing a fluid sample using the assembly is also provided.
US08257917B2
The present invention provides for the first time the identification of salivary protein and RNA factors that can be used in the detection of primary Sjögren's Syndrome. The present invention therefore provides methods of diagnosing and providing a prognosis for Sjögren's Syndrome, by examining relevant proteins (including certain autoantigens and autoantibodies) and RNA in a patient's saliva.
US08257909B2
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device capable of highly detailed patterning using a resist pattern having smoothed wall surfaces and reduced roughness. The method includes the steps of: forming a resist pattern over a base layer; applying a resist pattern smoothing material onto a surface of the resist pattern, thereafter heating and developing; and etching the base layer using the smoothed resist pattern, wherein one of an application thickness and a heat temperature is adjusted so as to smooth at least wall surfaces of the resist pattern. Aspects in which a maximum opening dimension and a minimum opening dimension of the smoothed resist pattern are ±5% of a predetermined opening dimension D (nm), and an average opening dimension Dav. (nm) of the smoothed resist pattern satisfies Dav. (nm)≧D (nm)×(90/100), are preferable.
US08257906B2
A radiation imageable coating includes a first thermochromic layer including a bleachable antenna dye and a second thermochromic layer including a non-bleachable antenna dye.
US08257895B2
An emulsion aggregation toner composition includes toner particles including: an unsaturated polymeric resin, such as amorphous resins, crystalline resins, and combinations thereof; an optional colorant; an optional wax; an optional coagulant; and an IR absorber. The use of an IR absorber may permit formation of color toners that have uniform gloss and crease properties, i.e., the IR absorbers may prevent gloss and crease differences between color and black toners.
US08257889B2
A imaging member, such as a photoreceptor, comprising a capped structured organic film comprising a plurality of segments and a plurality of linkers arranged as a covalent organic framework, wherein the structured organic film may be a multi-segment thick structured organic film.
US08257883B2
A fuel cell that employs a decomposition catalyst on one or more of the membrane, bipolar plates or diffusion media layers in the fuel cell that decomposes hydrogen peroxide, and thus reduces the generation of hydroxyl free radicals. In one embodiment, the decomposition catalyst is ruthenium oxide and is deposited on the structure by various processes, such as chemical vapor deposition process.
US08257876B2
To improve a response performance in a fuel cell system in which an on/off valve such as an injector is disposed in a fuel supply passage, by decreasing a pressure adjusting error occurring when the drive cycle of the on/off valve fluctuates. A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell, a fuel supply passage for supplying to the fuel cell a fuel gas supplied from a fuel supply source, an on/off valve for adjusting a gas state on the upstream side of the fuel supply passage to supply the gas to the downstream side thereof, and control means for driving and controlling the on/off valve. The control means calculates a feed-forward correction flow rate based on the drive cycle of the on/off valve, corrects the command value of the gas injection flow rate of the on/off valve by use of the feed-forward correction flow rate, and drives and controls the on/off valve based on the command value.
US08257871B2
An electrolyte for a lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery including the same are provided. The electrolyte includes: a cyclic ester; an organic solvent including a nitrile-containing solvent represented by Formula 1 at a content ranging from 1 to 5% by volume; and a lithium salt, R—C≡N (1) wherein R is selected from the group consisting of a C1 to C10 aliphatic hydrocarbon, a C1 to C10 halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon, a C6 to C10 aromatic hydrocarbon, and a C6 to C10 halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon. The electrolyte can improve swelling characteristics and discharge capacity characteristics at a low temperature, and realize equal or better performance in characteristics such as capacity, life span and the like, as compared to a conventional carbonate-containing electrolyte.
US08257870B2
A non-aqueous electrolyte for a battery comprises a non-aqueous solvent containing a specified cyclic phosphazene compound and a specified difluorophosphate compound, a specified aniline derivative and a support salt.
US08257863B2
Batteries and related compositions and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of making a battery can include heating at least one cathode including a cathode material in an atmosphere including oxygen, heating the cathode in a vacuum, adding the cathode into a housing, adding a separator into the housing, and adding an anode into the housing.
US08257859B2
A battery cover latching mechanism includes a housing member, a cover, and a latching assembly. The cover is detachably assembled to the housing member, and the latching assembly is mounted on the housing member and the cover. The cover includes two positioning blocks, and the latching assembly defines two latching holes located at opposite sides of the latching assembly. The positioning blocks are received within or removed out from the latching holes to lock or unlock the cover, respectively. Thus, the battery cover latching mechanism has simple structure and is easy to operate.
US08257855B2
A battery system including: a plurality of subunits each of which has a heatsink and a battery cell and two voltage terminals symmetrically positioned with respect to a centerline of that battery cell, wherein all of the battery cells are arranged so that their voltage terminals are aligned along two rows; a plurality of identical busbar supports equal in number to the plurality of subunits, each having two slots and mounted on a corresponding different one of the subunits with each of the terminals of the battery cell extending up through the two slots; and a plurality of bimetallic busbars, each one supported by a different corresponding subset of the busbar supports and electrically connected directly to either a first or second terminal of each of the battery cells of each of the modules on which those busbar supports are mounted.
US08257848B2
A battery comprises a battery cell having two voltage terminals and a flexible sidewall; a wall structure against which the battery cell is located, the wall structure including a sidewall that is adjacent to the sidewall of the battery cell; and a tooth structure that extends away from the sidewall of the wall structure and towards the sidewall of the battery cell, wherein the tooth structure includes a distal end sufficiently sharp to puncture the flexible sidewall of the battery cell when the flexible sidewall of the battery cell is forced up against the tooth structure due to a build up of excess pressure inside the battery cell.
US08257847B2
A main object of the present invention is to provide a lithium secondary battery whose potential can be rapidly increased immediately after the start of overcharge, thereby terminating charging before a safety valve is actuated. This object can be solved by a lithium secondary battery comprising: a cathode having a phosphate compound of olivine structure as a cathode active material, an anode, a separator sandwiched between the cathode and the anode, an electrolyte comprising a supporting salt dissolved therein, and a safety valve having a valve-opening pressure within the range of 25 kgf/cm2 to 30 kgf/cm2, wherein assuming that the initial amount of Li contained in the cathode is 100, the initial amount of Li contained in the electrolyte is within the range of 5 to 20.
US08257845B2
Embodiments of the present invention help to produce discrete track media and bit patterned media having both excellent recording and reproducing performance and reliability. According to one embodiment, a manufacturing method forms a nonmagnetic layer mainly composed of the same element as a nonmagnetic element contained in magnetic recording layers and on the magnetic recording layers and a mask layer having apertures for forming more concentrated parts of the nonmagnetic element in the magnetic recording layers on the nonmagnetic layer. The method implants ions of the nonmagnetic element through the nonmagnetic layer masked by the mask layer to form the more concentrated parts of the nonmagnetic element in the magnetic recording layer.
US08257830B2
A protective liner includes a base layer that can be affixed to an aircraft canopy or other substrate, a conductive polymeric interlayer positioned over the base layer, and a conductive top layer containing a reactive organic salt, or a hygroscopic salt, positioned over the conductive polymeric interlayer. The substrate can also be treated with a multilayer stack (including a substrate base coat layer, a metal layer positioned over the substrate base layer, a metal oxide layer positioned over the metal layer, and a tie layer positioned over the metal oxide layer). The protective liner can be affixed to a pretreated substrate by lamination or other means to form an enhanced, multilayer stack having beneficial properties.
US08257825B2
The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell, including a porous membrane including ceramic fibers crisscrossed in a network and pores formed by the ceramic fibers coalesced at intersection points, and a proton conductive polymer inside the pores.
US08257816B2
A sign (20) for viewing by persons in a traffic area accessible by the random passage of persons through the area, the sign (20) including a label (22) formed of a thin layer of plastic material upon which the subject matter of the desired sign is printed. A planar substrate (24) of molded material is fused to the label (22). The planar substrate (24) includes a mounting feature (26) adapted to secure the sign (20) to a second object. During manufacture, an injection device (46) and ejector system (50) are associated with a first sign mold portion, a label is placed in a second sign mold portion, the first and second sign mold portions are closed together during injection, and the previously formed sign is removed from the first sign mold portion via the ejector system (50) prior to closing the mold portions together.
US08257813B2
An information recording medium comprising a substrate (1), a recording layer (2) formed on the substrate in order to record information, a color filter (4) formed on the substrate, and a thermal reflectance variation layer (3) formed on the substrate in order to vary light reflectance by heat incident to irradiation of light and to reflect visible light entering from one side of the substrate through a color filter. High precision color writing or color label writing can be carried out on an information recording medium such as DVD and BD where a label can be written on the surface by irradiating light.
US08257808B2
An electronic device housing includes a substrate and a metallic coating formed on the substrate. The substrate has a surface roughness of less than 60 nm. The metallic coating includes a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers. Each one of the first layers and each one of the second layers are alternately deposited on each other. The first layer and the second layer may be respectively tantalum pentoxide layer and silicon dioxide layer or may be respectively niobium pentoxide layer and zirconium dioxide layer.
US08257806B2
A surrounding label wherein the back side of an ending part can be superposed on and bonded with a water-based adhesive to the front side of a beginning part, the back side of the surrounding label has a water absorption of from 1 to 30 ml/m2, the surrounding label has an Elmendorf tear strength, as measured in either of the winding direction of the label or the direction perpendicular to that direction, of from 8 to 50 gF, and the label contains a thermoplastic resin.
US08257800B2
A retardation film and formula thereof, and method for manufacturing the same are provided. Furthermore, the retardation film is applied to compensate TFT-LCD viewing angle. Referring to the formula of the invention, the positive A film-embedded negative C optically anisotropic coating of the retardation film can be formed by single step coating, and the retardation film with net negative C symmetry in whole is easily manufactured.
US08257797B2
The general field of the invention is that of airbags. The invention relates to a process for improving the tear strength and the combing strength of coated fabrics intended for uses in the field of inflatable bags using a silicone composition comprising an additive containing a polyorganosiloxane resin (V) and a calcium carbonate. After coating the composition onto the fabric supports and curing, the coated supports not only have optimum adhesion and crease resistance properties, but also have good properties in terms of combing strength and tear strength.
US08257785B2
A method for producing a composite nanoparticle, including the steps of: changing the conformation of a dissolved polyelectrolyte polymer from a first extended conformation to a more compact conformation by changing a solution condition so that at least a portion of the polyelectrolyte polymer is associated with a precursor moiety to form a composite precursor moiety with a mean diameter in the range between about 1 nm and about 100 nm; and cross-linking the polyelectrolyte polymer of the composite precursor moiety to form a composite nanoparticle.
US08257780B2
Therapeutic skin cleansing and multifunctional coating compositions containing hydrogen peroxide and an organosilane quaternary compound in aqueous formulations are used to treat skin disorders including wounds, abrasions, ulcers, burns, infections, irritations, microbes, soil, water, psoriasis, acne vulgaris, blemishes, age spots, sclerosis, other physical or chemical injuries, and other skin deficiencies.
US08257775B2
A molded animal chew toy or pet treat that is formed by molding of textured vegetable protein (TVP). The TVP may include fibrous material and may be combined with a resin (binder) and a plasticizer and formed by a heating molding machine, such as an injection molding or extrusion operation. The resin and plasticizer content may be selected to optimize the molding process.
US08257769B2
Disclosed is a process for recovering volatile compounds from an aqueous tea extract by distilling the said extract by fractional distillation comprising condensing of vapors, separating the oil phase condensate from the aqueous phase and refluxing the substantially oil-free aqueous phase.
US08257759B2
An antitussive composition is provided. A pharmaceutical composition for relieving, preventing and/or treating a cough includes a sufficient amount of the Morus australis Poir extract as an active component. The effective Morus australis Poir extract is prepared by extracting the root-bark of the Morus australis Poir with water, ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, or a combination thereof. The crude extract can be further fractioned by ultrafiltration or reverse phase column.
US08257758B2
A purified amino-terminal polypeptide fragment of the soy β-conglycinin α′ subunit is prepared by selective extraction of defatted soy with an aqueous solution of sodium bisulfite, precipitation with ethanol, and Metal Affinity Chromatography (MAC) under denaturing conditions to obtain the α′ subunit. The α′ subunit is then enzymatically treated with chymotrypsin and subjected to further MAC to recover the amino-terminal fragment of the polypeptide (MW 28,000 Da).
US08257756B2
Methods for preparing black soybean hull extracts and uses thereof. The methods can comprise: (1) extracting crushed black soybean hull with aqueous solution containing enzyme and filtering the extracted liquid; (2) ultrafiltration of the extract liquid with an ultrafiltration membrane; (3) absorbing the ultrafiltration liquid with an absorption resin or an ion exchange resin, and elution with ethanol to obtain purified extract liquid; (4) concentrating the purified extract liquid under vacuum; (5) spray drying the concentrated liquid. The extract can contain: 10-45% of cyanidin, 10-25% of catechin, and 40-80% of OPC, and with a total polyphenol content as high as 70-100%. The extract can be used for preparing drugs or food containing antioxidants, or used for improving metabolic syndrome or eyesight.
US08257754B2
A natural formulation of compounds that would to modulate inflammation is disclosed. The formulation would also inhibit expression of COX-2, inhibit synthesis of prostaglandins selectively in target cells, and inhibit inflammatory response selectively in target cells. The compositions containing at least one fraction isolated or derived from hops. Other embodiments relate to combinations of components, including at least one fraction isolated or derived from hops, tryptanthrin and conjugates thereof, rosemary, an extract or compound derived from rosemary, a triterpene species, or a diterpene lactone or derivatives or conjugates thereof.
US08257753B2
The present invention concerns the use, in a cosmetic composition, of an effective quantity of active principle originating from flax (genus Linum) to reinforce the barrier function of the skin and to protect the skin and the appendages against external aggressions. The active principle originates from the hydrolysis of flax proteins and contains principally polypeptides or peptides. The invention likewise relates to the use, in a cosmetic composition, of a peptidic hydrolysate of flax as active principle capable of activating HMG-CoA reductase. The invention likewise relates to the use of a peptidic hydrolysate of flax as active principle capable of activating transglutaminase. The active principle can likewise be used to prepare pharmaceutical compositions intended to prevent or combat against the pathologies linked to alterations to the barrier function, such as certain hypersensitivies, irritations of the skin and reactive skins, or atopic dermatitis.
US08257742B2
A novel method of treating endometriosis is disclosed. The method comprises administering to a female subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of particles comprising an agent capable of inhibiting phagocytic cells of the female subject.
US08257736B2
A method of fabricating a drug-transfer device includes forming a package having a first component retaining multiple volumes of a drug and a second component retaining an agent. The first component and the second component are integrally formed together. The agent is configured to suppress a physiological effect of the drug when the agent contacts the drug or is coadministered with the drug. The method allows exterior surfaces of the first and second components to be cleanable (e.g., prior to final assembly). After such cleaning, either no or substantially no amount of drug and agent is present outside the package. According to some embodiments, the package may be fabricated such that either no or substantially no amount of the drug is present within the second component and such that either no or substantially no amount of the agent is present within the first component.
US08257732B2
A device for promoting the clotting of blood comprises a clay material in particle form and a receptacle for containing the clay material. At least a portion of the receptacle is defined by a mesh. Another device comprises a gauze substrate and a clay material disposed on the gauze substrate. Another device is a bandage comprising a substrate, a mesh mounted on the substrate, and particles of a clay material retained in the mesh. A hemostatic sponge comprises a substrate, a hemostatic material disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and a release agent disposed on a second surface of the substrate. The release agent is disposed on the wound-contacting surface of the substrate. When treating a bleeding wound, application of the hemostatic sponge causes at least a portion of the hemostatic material to come into contact with blood through the release agent and through the substrate.
US08257722B2
A method and device for local delivery of water-soluble or water-insoluble therapeutic agents to the surface of a normal or diseased body lumen is disclosed. An expandable structure of a medical disposable device, such as a balloon of a balloon catheter, is coated with an amphiphilic polymer coating comprising a therapeutic agent and an amphiphilic polymer or co-polymer. The medical disposable device is inserted into a body lumen, and expanded to contact the amphiphilic polymer coating against the body lumen. The total solubility of the polymer or co-polymer in vivo prevents any embolic hazard associated with the amphiphilic polymer coating.
US08257721B2
An oral care product comprising a source of calcium ions, a source of phosphate ions, and an insoluble whitening agent for deposition onto the teeth, characterized in that the source of calcium ions and the source of phosphate ions are physically separate prior to the use of the product.
US08257719B2
An oral care composition including a hydrophilic, aliphatic, polyether-based thermoplastic polyurethane, a glycol polymer, and a poly(N-vinyl lactam). These components form a tacky film having a thickness of about 1 mils to about 50 mils. A whitening agent, such as a peroxide, can be absorbed into the tacky film, and adapted to desorb from the tacky film to whiten teeth to which the film is joined. A method is also provided in which the components are extruded through a twin screw extruder and output to a die to produce the film. The whitening agent can be deposited on the film and absorbed by the film to form a relatively stable oral care composition including the whitening agent.
US08257716B2
The present invention relates to an isolated antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds with high affinity to at least a portion of a segment of human prostate-derived Ets transcription factor (PDEF). The anti-PDEF antibody of the present invention is effective in prognostic and diagnostic assays for detecting PDEF with immunohistochemistry. The present invention also relates to methods of making the anti-PDEF antibody disclosed herein. The present invention further relates to vaccines against cancers associated with positive expression of PDEF, as well as methods for treating those cancers. Vectors, diagnostic kits, and hybridomas are also disclosed.
US08257713B2
The present invention is concerned with the development of a vaccine against Aeromonas hydrophila for use especially in fish. The invention provides an immunogenic S-layer protein of approximately 50 kDa of A. hydrophila for use in the development of a vaccine, as well as the nucleic acid encoding said protein and vaccines comprising said protein or nucleic acid encoding said protein.
US08257707B2
Provided herein are IL-18 receptor antigen binding proteins and polynucleotides encoding the same. Expression vectors and host cells comprising the same for production of the antigen binding proteins are also provided. In addition, provided are compositions and methods for diagnosing and treating diseases mediated by IL-18 receptor.
US08257705B2
A phage display library of variable heavy domain (VHH or VH) fragments (sdAb fragments) derived from the antibody repertoire of a non-immunized llama is disclosed. The sdAb fragments of the library are characterized by the absence of cysteine residues in complementarity determining regions (CDRs) and a very low presence of residues of glutamic acid, arginine and glycine at positions 44, 45 and 47, respectively, of the VL interface of the variable heavy domain VHH. The large size of the library (in the order of 109) makes it a source of antigen-binding fragments having high affinity to almost any antigen of interest. The library is preferably generated using a modified fd-tet phage growing in plaques in the absence of a tetracycline.
US08257699B2
The invention relates to the discovery of novel soluble neutral active Hyaluronidase Glycoproteins (sHASEGPs), methods of manufacture, and their use to facilitate administration of other molecules or to alleviate glycosaminoglycan associated pathologies. Minimally active polypeptide domains of the soluble, neutral active sHASEGP domains are described that include asparagine-linked sugar moieties required for a functional neutral active hyaluronidase domain. Included are modified amino-terminal leader peptides that enhance secretion of sHASEGP. The invention further comprises sialated and pegylated form of a recombinant sHASEGP to enhance stability and serum pharmacokinetics over naturally occurring slaughterhouse enzymes. Further described are suitable formulations of a substantially purified recombinant sHASEGP glycoprotein derived from a eukaryotic cell that generate the proper glycosylation required for its optimal activity.
US08257697B2
A method for determining a patient's susceptibility to anaphylaxis comprises assaying the activity of platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) activity and comparing the measured activity to a reference value, wherein the level of PAF-AH activity inversely correlates with the susceptibility to anaphylaxis. The method further comprises determining the severity of anaphylaxis by correlating the degree of reduced PAF-AH activity to the reference value. The method further comprises measuring IgE concentration and comparing the measured concentration to a reference concentration. The invention further provides a method for diagnosing anaphylaxis in a patient comprising measuring the serum concentration of platelet activating factor (PAF) and comparing the measured concentration to a reference value, wherein the concentration of PAF correlates directly with severity of anaphylaxis. The invention also provides a kit for performing the required assay or assays.
US08257694B2
A nutritional composition for reducing oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation in humans, while allowing for the oxidative reactions necessary to sustain vital biological functions. The nutritional compositions comprise adaptogens comprising astragalus root, ashwagandha root, cordyceps, holy basil leaf, maca root, reishi mushrooms, schisandra, and suma root; superfoods comprising acerola, camu-camu, pomegranate, bilberry, blueberry, Goji berries, Acai, maitake, citrus bioflavonoids, rose hips, and Gingko biloba; probiotics comprising Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, and Streptococcus thermophilus; and enzymes comprising amylase, papain, cellulase, lactase, lipase, protease, and bromelain. The nutritional compositions may also be provided as a meal replacement and further comprise one or more plant products, algae, vitamins, minerals, protein and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM).
US08257686B2
The present invention relates to a method for protecting a human patient or a mammalian animal to be subjected to chemotherapy treatment of a tumor not residing in the scalp of the patient or the skin of the animal against chemotherapy-induced alopecia, comprising administering to the scalp of the patient or the skin of the animal an effective amount of a composition comprising a chemical inducer of the stress protein response sufficiently prior to the administration of a chemotherapeutic drug. It also relates to pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced alopecia. It further relates to a method for protecting a human patient or a mammalian animal to be subjected to chemotherapy treatment of a tumor not residing in the scalp of the patient or the skin of the animal against chemotherapy-induced alopecia, comprising administering to the scalp of the patient or the skin of the animal an effective heat dose sufficiently prior to the administration of a chemotherapeutic drug.
US08257681B2
Compositions of high specific activity 117mSn with specific activity of greater than 100 Ci/g Sn and methods of producing the same. The method includes exposing 116Cd to an α-particle beam of sufficient incident kinetic energy and duration to convert a portion of the 116Cd to 117mSn to form an irradiated material. The irradiated material is dissolved to form an intermediate solution containing 117mSn and 116Cd. The 117mSn is separated from the 116Cd to yield high specific activity 117mSn.
US08257680B1
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of preparing radiofluorinated substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, and alkenyl compounds. In a preferred embodiment, potassium fluoride-18 is used. Another aspect of the invention relates to arylammonium compounds containing fluorine-18 that are useful as imaging agents. In certain embodiments, the ammonium compound is a tetraaryl ammonium salt. Another aspect of the invention relates to arylsulfonium compounds containing fluorine-18 that are useful as imaging agents. In certain embodiments, the sulfonium compound is a triaryl sulfonium salt. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of obtaining a positron emission image of a mammal, comprising the steps of administering to a mammal a compound of the invention, and acquiring a positron emission spectrum of the mammal.
US08257677B2
The invention relates to a method of dispersing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a continuous phase, especially in at least one dispersion medium, the carbon nanotubes, especially without prior pretreatment, being dispersed in a continuous phase, especially in at least one dispersion medium, in the presence of at least one dispersant (dispersing agent), with introduction of an energy input sufficient for dispersing, and also to the dispersions that are obtainable in this way, and to their use. With the method of the invention it is possible for the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to be dispersed in high concentrations and with high storage stability.
US08257674B2
Particles having a relative viscosity or thickening effect ηrelof more than 2, measured in a liquid medium having a viscosity of 1 Pas at a temperature of 25° C. and measured at a shear gradient of 10 s−1. The particles can form beds having a porosity ε>0.5 in a dry form.
US08257668B2
A hydrogen generator according to the invention comprises: a combustion gas passage (5) configured to flow combustion gas coming from a combustor; a preheat-evaporator (6) which is supplied with a material gas and water and configured to evaporate the water and heat the material gas by heat transmitted from the combustion gas passage and a carbon monoxide reducer (10) through partition a wall; a reformer (7) configured to generate reformed gas from the material gas and steam fed from the preheat-evaporator by using a reforming catalyst (8) and heat transmitted from the combustion gas passage through the partition wall; the carbon monoxide reducer (10) configured to remove carbon monoxide from the reformed gas fed from the reformer by a carbon monoxide removing catalyst (9); a cylindrical body (3) closed at both ends thereof having an internal space is divided by the partition walls (1), (2), (30), (47) to form the combustion gas passage, preheat-evaporator, reformer and carbon monoxide reducer within the cylindrical body (3), wherein a heat transmission buffering section (11) is formed between the preheat-evaporator and the carbon monoxide reducer such that the partition wall (30) that defines the preheat-evaporator and the partition wall (47) that defines the carbon monoxide reducer are opposed to each other with a space therebetween.
US08257663B2
A vascular access device for communicating with the vascular system of a patient may include a status indicator. The status indicator may detect and signal that a period of time has elapsed in relation to the use of the vascular access device.
US08257653B2
A measurement module for glucose testing includes a glucose testing measurement module housing, a test strip receptacle formed in the housing, and a connector portion formed in the housing and shaped to permit mechanical removable attachment of the housing to a hand-held computer. Electronics determine the amount of glucose present in a sample of body fluid, when the test strip is positioned in the receptacle and the body fluid is placed on a test strip, and communicate the glucose amount to the hand-held computer via the connector portion.
US08257652B2
A measurement module for glucose testing includes a glucose testing measurement module housing, a test strip receptacle formed in the housing, and a connector portion formed in the housing and shaped to permit mechanical removable attachment of the housing to a hand-held computer. Electronics determine the amount of glucose present in a sample of body fluid, when the test strip is positioned in the receptacle and the body fluid is placed on a test strip, and communicate the glucose amount to the hand-held computer via the connector portion.
US08257649B2
Superior hydroxyls are provided which have effects on organic and inorganic compounds and/or pollutants over substantial periods of time and/or at substantial distances from where the superior hydroxyls are generated. Also provided is a hydroxyl generator, in which UV-lamps are positioned such that the coronas which they produce when emitting UV-radiation fill substantially all of the interior space of the hydroxyl generator. The coronas overlap each other by a maximum amount of between 5% and 25% of the radius of each corona.
US08257643B2
A temperature maintenance and/or possible heating apparatus for long products, continuously cast and sheared to size by means of shearing means so as to define segments of bloom, said apparatus being disposed between a casting machine having a first casting line and a second casting line, and a rolling line disposed downstream of the casting machine in order to make long rolled metal products. The apparatus comprises a first furnace, a second furnace and a transit tunnel. The first furnace is provided with a first introduction rollerway. The second furnace is disposed upstream with respect to said first furnace, provided with a second introduction rollerway. The transit tunnel is located aligned with said first casting line, adjacent and parallel to the longitudinal extension of the second furnace and upstream of said first furnace.
US08257640B2
In accordance with certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a process for forming a multilayered electrospun composite is provided. The process includes forming a dispersion of polymeric particles, a fiberizing polymer, and a solvent, the dispersion having a viscosity of at least about 50,000 cPs. Nanofibers from the dispersion are electrospun onto a first ePTFE layer. A second ePTFE layer is applied onto the nanofibers to form a composite structure. The composite structure is heated.
US08257639B2
A process for making a stimuli responsive liquid crystal-polymer composite fiber comprising mixing a liquid crystal, a polymer, and a solvent; processing the mixture in the presence of an electric potential across a collection distance; phase separating a polymer and said liquid crystal; and encapsulating said liquid crystal within said polymer. The fiber generally comprises a liquid crystal core and a polymer shell wherein the liquid crystal is responsive to chemical changes, thermal and mechanical effects, as well as electrical and magnetic fields. A liquid crystal containing fiber can be utilized as optical fibers, in textiles, and in optoelectronic devices.
US08257630B2
A method for fabricating a 3D (three-dimensional) structure such that the 3D structure has a surface with hydrophobicity by using a metal foil such as an aluminum foil is disclosed. The method includes preparing a metal foil base by attaching a metal foil on an outer surface of a predetermined-shaped 3D structure; anodizing the metal foil base; coating a polymer material on the outer surface of the metal foil base material to form a negative replica structure; forming an outer structure by covering an outer surface of the negative replica structure with an outer formation material; and removing the metal foil base.
US08257629B2
A manufacturing method of a honeycomb structure that can improve a manufacturing efficiency and a raw material yield is provided. There is provided a manufacturing method of a honeycomb structure comprising: subjecting a raw material to extrusion forming to form a honeycomb formed body 100 having a partition wall that partitions a plurality of cells that serve as flow paths for a fluid and are extended from one end surface to the other end surface; forming a plurality of notches extended in a direction along which the cells are extended in the honeycomb formed body 100 to form a partial segment aggregate 120 in such a manner that a plurality of partial segments 3 are partitioned; and forming a buffer portion 5 between respective partial segments 3 adjacent to each other in the partial segment aggregate 120 to fill an entire space between the respective partial segments adjacent to each other, thereby obtaining a honeycomb structure 130.
US08257625B2
A method of molding a micro-fibrous filter including the steps of: (a) forming an aqueous slurry of micro-fibers; (b) introducing the slurry under pressure into the top of an annular molding space so that a mass of fibers becomes compacted on a vertical cylindrical screen and liquid is discharged from the molding space through the screen; (c) increasing the effective open area of the screen by moving upwardly a sleeve in sliding contact with the screen at a rate substantially equal to the rate at which the height of the mass of fibers increases above the support; then (d) removing, drying, and curing the resulting tubular mass of fibers. Acrylate binder resin compatible with the e.g. acidic conditions needed to stabilize the resin, can form part of the fiber slurry used for molding the filter, and after filter formation and drainage can be cured by heat to form the filter.
US08257624B2
A method for making a porous material, includes melt-blending two or more non-miscible polymers to obtain a co-continuous melt, solidifying the melt to obtain a solid mass consisting of two co-continuous polymer phases, and selectively extracting one of the co-continuous phases thereby creating within the solid mass an essentially continuous pore network having an internal surface. The method further includes replicating the internal surface of the pore network within the solid mass by coating the internal surface with successive layers of materials, and selectively extracting the solid mass without extracting the layers of materials, to thereby yield the product porous material, formed of the layers of materials. The material has a void fraction higher than about 75%, and mainly having essentially fully interconnected sheath-like non-spherical pores and essentially non-fibrous walls.
US08257623B2
An extrusion die is processed to alter the flow of extrudable material through the die by collecting data reflecting flow variations across the face of the die, constructing a graded resistance flow restrictor utilizing the data, and forcing an abrasive machining medium through the flow restrictor and die with the flow restrictor being arranged to deliver higher abrasive flow through die portions initially exhibiting low extrusion rates, the resulting die being useful for the manufacture of ceramic honeycomb bodies exhibiting a reduced incidence of shape defects attributable to die flow variations.
US08257611B2
A compound of formula (1): wherein A1 and A2 are —O—, —NR—, —S—, or —CO—, in which R is a hydrogen atom or substituent; Z is one or two atoms selected from a carbon atom or a non-metal atom of Group 14, 15 or 16 in the Periodic Table, and forms a five- or six-membered ring with the C—C═C—C or C═C—C═C; R1, R2, and R3 each are a substituent; m is an integer of 0 to 4; L1 and L2 are a single bond or divalent linking group; X is a non-metal atom of Group 14, 15 or 16 in the Periodic Table, and may have a hydrogen atom or R4; and at least one of R, R1, R2, R3, and R4 is substituted with a polymerizable group; a liquid crystal composition, an optical film, a retardation sheet, a polarizing plate, and a liquid crystal display.
US08257608B2
A method for conducting froth flotation using a collector which is primarily hydrocarbon in nature or is a mixture of hydrocarbons with certain oxygenates, the collectors being substantially free of polynuclear aromatics, sulfur and nitrogen.
US08257603B2
Methods are provided for laser patterning a partial depth surface portion of a glass body by controlling the amount of stress induced in the glass body. A laser beam is directed along an impinged path on the surface portion of the glass body to heat the glass body to form a swell. The glass body is then cooled and etched. The surface portion of the glass body is heated above the strain point at a heating rate HR to form a swell. The heating rate HR is a function of a target temperature T and an exposure time of the output laser beam. The exposure time is controlled to reach a target temperature above the softening point of the glass body and does not require a power density that would lead to laser ablation of the surface portion. The surface portion is cooled below the strain point to induce regions of localized stress. The unablated surface portion is etched while in a state of laser-induced localized stress to form a patterned glass body.
US08257594B2
A water-on-water filtration system that includes a filter member and two storage vessels. The system includes a plurality of valves that are controlled to place a first of the storage vessels in a fill state in which the first storage vessel is being filled with filtered water, and concurrently place the second of the storage vessels in a service state in which filtered water held in the second storage vessel is delivered as an output of the filtration system. The filtration system can be configured to supply a constant output of filtered water to meet a constant demand while using a relatively small filter member and relatively small storage vessels.
US08257589B2
A coalescing agent for facilitating the separation of a non-aqueous phase from an aqueous phase of an aqueous medium, said agent consisting of particles of a polymeric foam material having: an IFD no. of 40 or higher (i.e. at least 40); a BR no. of 35 or higher (at least 35); a SF no. of 1.8 or higher (i.e. at least 1.8) and a density of 42 kg/m3 or less.
US08257570B2
In order to provide a high-performance electrophoresis chip and an electrophoresis unit having the same that can restrain the diffusion of sample at an intersection between the electrophoresis groove and the sample introduction groove and prevent decrease in contrast and decrease in resolution, an electrophoresis chip is provided with a sample introduction groove, an electrophoresis groove, and a through hole. The sample introduction groove, the electrophoresis groove, and the through hole are formed on different substrates. In the electrophoresis chip, by combining the substrates, the sample introduction groove and the electrophoresis groove are located in different planes.
US08257568B1
Disclosed is a method for monitoring sources of public water supply for a variety of pathogens by using a combination of ultrafiltration techniques together dielectrophoretic separation techniques. Because water-borne pathogens, whether present due to “natural” contamination or intentional introduction, would likely be present in drinking water at low concentrations when samples are collected for monitoring or outbreak investigations, an approach is needed to quickly and efficiently concentrate and separate particles such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites in large volumes of water (e.g., 100 L or more) while simultaneously reducing the sample volume to levels sufficient for detecting low concentrations of microbes (e.g., <10 mL). The technique is also designed to screen the separated microbes based on specific conductivity and size.
US08257563B2
An apparatus to produce high purity hydrogen and electricity is disclosed in one embodiment of the invention as including a fuel cell configured to convert the chemical energy of a fuel to electricity and heat. An electrolyzer cell is placed in electrical and thermal communication with the fuel cell and is configured to electrolyze an oxygen-containing compound, such as steam or carbon dioxide, using the electricity and heat generated by the fuel cell. In selected embodiments, the fuel cell and electrolyzer cell are physically integrated into a single electrochemical cell stack.
US08257562B2
The present invention relates to a wettability switch that comprises an electrochemically active element having a wetting surface with switchable wetting properties. The electrochemically active element comprises an electrochemically active polymer, and surface active molecules each having a lyophobic portion and a lyophilic portion. In the wettability switch, each of said surface active molecules exposes one of said lyophobic portion and said lyophilic portion towards said wetting surface, and the identity of said portion depends on an electrochemical state of said polymer.
US08257554B2
A thermosetting urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin composition containing a rheological-enhancing amount of a thickening agent, the use of the resin composition for formulating an adhesive binder for preparing fiber mats and the fiber mats made using the adhesive binder, wherein improved mat properties and faster cure speeds can be obtained.
US08257539B2
A device for treating perishable objects or liquids and a method of fabricating the device. The method comprising breaking a single piece of magnetic material into a plurality of pieces; inhibiting movement of the pieces with respect to each other during the breaking of the magnetic material; and forming a magnetic structure comprising the plurality of pieces of the magnetic material.
US08257537B2
A manufacturing device used when manufacturing composite material through the RTM method and the vacuum assisted RTM method and provides a manufacturing device which is capable of manufacturing a laminate excellent in the handling property and formability continuously by making the manufacturing device of a laminate to be comprised of an adhesion device for partially adhering and integrating inter-layers of a laminate precursor in which two or more reinforcing fiber base materials having a resin material on a surface are laminated by the resin material to obtain a laminate, the adhesion device including a pressing tool and a plate tool arranged facing each other, the pressing tool including a pressing plate and a plurality of pressing pins, at least one of the pressing tool and the plate tool having a raising and lowering function, and at least one of the pressing tool and the plate tool having a heating function.
US08257533B2
A box having a top surface and a resealable cover, the resealable cover comprising a top layer and a base layer. The top layer comprises a first clear film layer, an adhesive layer, and a second clear film layer disposed on a resealable adhesive layer. The base layer comprises a third clear film layer an adhesive layer, and a fourth clear film layer. In one embodiment, ink printing may be disposed between the first adhesive layer and the second clear film layer and/or between the second adhesive layer and the fourth clear film layer.
US08257530B2
A tread portion of a tire 1 to be mounted to a front wheel is divided in the tire widthwise direction into three regions comprising the center tread region A and respective shoulder tread regions C. Two types of tread rubber are used for the tread portion of the front tire. JIS-A hardness of tread rubber of the center tread region A is larger than JIS-A hardness of tread rubber of each shoulder tread region C. A tread portion of a rear tire 11 is divided in the tire widthwise direction into five regions comprising the center tread region A, respective intermediate regions B and respective shoulder tread regions C. Three types of tread rubber are used for the tread portion of the rear tire. JIS-A hardness of tread rubber of the intermediate tread region B is larger than JIS-A hardness of tread rubber of the center tread region A and JIS-A hardness of tread rubber of each shoulder tread region C.
US08257527B2
A laminated stretchable sheet and a method for producing the same of the present invention include: a step of shrinking the continuous sheets W1 and W2 in a width direction Y along folding lines WL extending in the flow direction of continuous sheets W1 and W2 thereby forming slack portions W1b and W2b that can be stretched; a step of placing an elastic member F that can be stretched in the width direction Y on the continuous sheets W1 and W2 while the elastic member F is aligned with the slack portions W1b and W2b; a step of attaching at least opposite end portions of the elastic member F in the width direction Y to the continuous sheets W1 and W2, during the placement, thereby forming a composite sheet; a step of stretching the slack portions W1b and W2b and the elastic member F in the width direction Y; and a step of attaching together the continuous sheets W1 and W2 and the elastic member F intermittently in an intermediate portion between the opposite end portions.
US08257523B1
An apparatus and process for making thermite compositions. The process includes providing a fuel-based slurry and at least one oxidizer-based slurry, formulating combination of fuel-based slurry and oxidizer-based slurry in a solvent to a desired energetic dose depending on nanocomposites' use, circulating the fuel-based slurry/oxidizer-based slurry combination in a mixing device operating semi-continuously during mixing and dispensing cycles forming a homogeneous mixed slurry, agitating ultrasonically or by high shear rate mixers the mixed slurry, and drying of the mixed slurry forming compact structures.
US08257522B2
Propellant compositions are provided herein for use in small arms cartridges. Such propellant compositions include a cellulose-based organic fuel, a non-azide, nitrogen-containing primary organic oxidizer and a secondary nitrate, perchlorate, chlorate of peroxide oxidizer. Preferably, such compositions are in the form of extruded shaped hollow cylindrical grains having dimensions that makes it loadable in a muzzleloader firearm or small calibre firearm cartridge case. Ignition grains are also provided for use alone or in a mixture with the propellant compositions. When used in a small calibre firearm or muzzleloader, the temperature of combustion is at a level that ensures substantially complete combustion of the fuel during firing so that the products of combustion are mostly gaseous.
US08257513B2
The present invention provides a high strength steel sheet with 780 MPa class tensile strength excellent in bending workability and fatigue strength. The high strength steel sheet is (1) a steel sheet whose steel composition contains: C: 0.05-0.20%; Si: 0.6-2.0%; Mn: 1.6-3.0%; P: 0.05% or below; S: 0.01% or below; Al: 0.1% or below; and N: 0.01% or below, the balance comprising iron and inevitable impurities, in which (2) a microstructure comprises a polygonal ferrite structure and a structure formed by low-temperature transformation, in which, when a sheet plane located at a depth of 0.1 mm from a surface of the steel sheet is in the observation under a scanning electron microscope with respect to twenty sights in total in different positions in the sheet-width direction, the maximum value of the areal proportion of the polygonal ferrite (Fmax) and the minimum value of the areal proportion of the ferrite (Fmin) in a 50 μm×50 μm area in each sight satisfy Fmax≦80%, Fmin≧10%, and Fmax−Fmin≦40%.
US08257512B1
The present disclosure is directed at formulations and methods to provide new steel alloys having relatively high strength and ductility. The alloys may be provided in sheet or pressed form and characterized by their particular alloy chemistries and identifiable crystalline grain size morphology. The alloys are such that they include boride grains present as pinning phases. Mechanical properties of the alloys in what is termed a Class 1 Steel indicate yield strengths of 300 MPa to 840 MPa, tensile strengths of 630 to 1100 MPa and elongations of 10% to 40%. In what is termed a Class 2 steel, the alloys indicate yield strengths of 300 MPa to 1300 MPa, tensile strengths of 720 MPa to 1580 MPa and elongations of 5% to 35%.
US08257497B2
Systems and methods for insitu post atomic layer deposition (ALD) destruction of active species are provided. ALD processes deposit multiple atomic layers on a substrate. Pre-cursor gases typically enter a reactor and react with the substrate resulting in a monolayer of atoms. After the remaining gas is purged from the reactor, a second pre-cursor gas enters the reactor and the process is repeated. The active species of some pre-cursor gases do not readily purge from the reactor, thus increasing purge time and decreasing throughput. A high-temperature surface placed in the reactor downstream from the substrate substantially destroys the active species insitu. Substantially destroying the active species allows the reactor to be readily purged, increasing throughput.
US08257495B2
A crucible holding member includes a mesh body having an axis direction. The mesh body includes a hollow, an opening, and a plurality of strands. The hollow is provided inside the opening. The opening faces toward one end of the axis direction. The plurality of strands include a plurality of carbon fibers and are woven diagonally with respect to the axis direction to provide the hollow and the opening. The plurality of strands are folded inwardly or outwardly at an edge of the opening, thereby providing a two-layered portion along the edge of the opening. A matrix is filled between the plurality of carbon fibers of the mesh body.
US08257493B2
The present invention relates to conjugated polymers and a method for their synthesis. Furthermore, the present invention relates to electro-synthesis methods for producing polymers that include the use of at least one Lewis acid and at least one proton trap to form organic conjugated polymers having elevated refractive indices. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to an organic polymer having an elevated refractive index, the organic polymer formed by a process comprising the steps of: providing a solution of unsaturated organic monomer units and at least one acidic component; impeding saturation of the unsaturated organic-monomer units by at least one protic element in the solution; and polymerizing the unsaturated organic monomer units to form a conjugated organic polymer having a refractive index of at least about 2.3 for electromagnetic energy having a wavelength of about 700 nm.
US08257492B2
A method for purifying silicon bearing materials for photovoltaic applications includes providing metallurgical silicon into a crucible apparatus. The metallurgical silicon is subjected to at least a thermal process to cause the metallurgical silicon to change in state from a first state to a second state, the second stage being a molten state not exceeding 1500 Degrees Celsius. At least a first portion of impurities is caused to be removed from the metallurgical silicon in the molten state. The molten metallurgical silicon is cooled from a lower region to an upper region to cause the lower region to solidify while a second portion of impurities segregate and accumulate in a liquid state region. The liquid state region is solidified to form a resulting silicon structure having a purified region and an impurity region. The purified region is characterized by a purity of greater than 99.9999%.
US08257489B2
The invention generally provides gypsum-containing slurries including stucco, naphthalenesulfonate dispersant, and pregelatinized starch. The naphthalenesulfonate dispersant is present in an amount of about 0.1%-3.0% by weight based on the weight of dry stucco. The pregelatinized starch is present in an amount of at least about 0.5% by weight up to about 10% by weight of pregelatinized starch by weight based on the weight of dry stucco in the formulation. Other slurry additives can include trimetaphosphate salts, accelerators, binders, paper fiber, glass fiber, and other known ingredients.
US08257479B2
The present invention provides a water-based ink for ink-jet recording containing a coloring agent and water. The coloring agent contains a dye represented by the following general formula (1). The ink further includes a substance having a structure in which a carbon atom and a nitrogen atom are covalently bound.
US08257478B2
Compounds originally isolated from marine fungi are useful as antifouling (antibacterial and/or anti-larval settlement) agents. The compounds are 3-chloro-2,5-dihydroxy benzyl alcohol, cyclo-(Pro-Phe),3-methyl-N-(2-phenylethyl) butanamide, and succinic acid. The compounds are non-toxic or low-toxic. They can be used alone or in combination, as active ingredients for making environment-friendly antifouling formulations/coatings.
US08257459B2
Various high performance, high efficiency filter media are provided that are cost effective and easy to manufacture. In particular, various filter media are provided having at least one layer with a waved configuration that results in an increased surface area, thereby enhancing various properties of the filter media. The filter media can be used to form a variety of filter elements for use in various applications.
US08257458B2
A cyclonic fluid separator has a tubular housing (10) in which the fluid is accelerated and swirl imparting means (2) for inducing the fluid to swirl through an annular space between the housing and a central body (1) mounted within the housing (10), which central body (1) is provided with resonance abatement means, such as: tensioning means (20,22) which apply a tension load to an elongate tail section (8) of the central body (1) such that the natural frequency of the central body (1) is increased; vibration dampening means (31,50,60), which inhibit vibration of at least part (8) of the central body (1); solid particles (31) arranged in a segmented tubular tail section (8) of the central body (1), a viscous liquid (50) arranged between a tubular tail section (8) of the central body (1) and a tensioning rod (51), apertures (60) drilled radially through a tail section (8) of the central body (1); and/or a low pressure fluid (80) injected through a central opening (82) in the central body (1).
US08257455B2
A plasma burner and a diesel particulate filter (DPF) trap that can effectively oxidize and remove a particulate material (PM) within an exhaust gas by preheating fuel and mixing the fuel with the exhaust gas are provided. The DPF includes: a filter that is connected to an exhaust conduit at a side opposite to that of an engine; a plasma burner that is provided within the exhaust conduit between the engine and the filter, and that includes a fuel inlet that supplies fuel and a flame vent that projects a flame by a plasma discharge, and that heats exhaust gas; and a fuel inflow conduit that connects the fuel inlet and a fuel tank.
US08257443B2
An interbody fusion cage having a generally symmetric, annular cage body surrounding a central void extending from a lower surface to an upper surface in which to retain graft material in contact with adjacent vertebra. A lateral channel extending into each half from the cage perimeter contains a worm drive screw. One or more longitudinal channels extending from the upper surface to the lower surface intersect each lateral channel and house a pin which is provided with a series of helically cut worm gear teeth on its external surface for engaging the worm drive screw. The pins are simultaneously externally threaded and engaged to the cooperatively threaded internal surface of the longitudinal channel such that rotation of the drive screw by the surgeon after implantation causes the pins to rotate with the longitudinal channel and advance into the adjacent bone.
US08257441B2
An intervertebral disc prosthesis comprises first and second articulated elements wherein one the elements includes an articulated tongue and the other of the elements includes a groove adapted to receive the tongue. The first and second elements are adapted to be moveable with respect to each other in various planes.
US08257439B2
The present invention relates to an intervertebral disc prosthesis comprising at least three pieces including an upper plate, a lower plate, and a movable core at least in relation to a plate, wherein it also comprises two anatomic adaptation elements of which each has, on one hand, a surface in contact with a surface of a vertebra and, on the other hand, a face of which at least a part has a surface in contact with at least a part of the plate opposite to which the anatomic adaptation element is mounted, the anatomic adaptation elements being fixed onto the plates via fixation means.
US08257437B2
Systems for minimally invasive disc augmentation include an anulus augmentation implant suited for minimally invasive deployment. A nucleus augmentation component may be included. The anulus augmentation implant shields weakened regions of the anulus fibrosus and/or resists escape of natural nucleus pulposus and/or the augmentation component. Methods and deployment devices are also disclosed. Several embodiments cause or allow fibrosus or bony ingrowth in or around the augmentation.
US08257435B2
A skin integrated device for implantation with an improved device-skin interface for the ingrowths of skin cells and tissues throughout the pores, having a solid frame, which may also be permeable.The characteristics of pore size, porosity and size of the compressed and sintered particles constitute a long-term skin integrated device for transfer of vital and therapeutic substances, and necessary forces and moments from the outer delivery and prosthetics devices to the human body. The ingrowth of the skin along with the intermittent layer of fine silver provides a barrier for infection.
US08257432B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a prosthesis for placement at an Os opening from a main body lumen to a branch body lumen. The prosthesis comprises a radially expansible support and at least one frond extending axially from an end of the support. The support is configured to be deployed in at least a portion of a first body lumen, which can be a branch body lumen. At least one frond is extendable into across an ostium, e.g., from the first body lumen into a second body lumen, which may be a main body lumen.
US08257431B2
Methods of making multi-furcated grafts and, more particularly, a bifurcated graft from at least one ePTFE member are provided. Also provided are grafts made according to such methods.
US08257423B2
A stent/graft assembly includes a tubular graft connected in substantially end-to-end relationship with a generally tubular stent. Free ends of the stent and graft extend in opposite directions from the end-to-end connection during a pre-deployment orientation of the assembly. However, the graft is inverted during deployment so that free ends of the graft and the stent extend in substantially the same direction from the end-to-end connection in a post-deployment orientation. Thus, at least a portion of the stent is disposed within at least a portion of the graft in a post-deployment orientation of the assembly.
US08257419B2
A system for treating a diseased body conduit bifurcation that is readily deliverable into a region of a body conduit having typically asymmetric anatomy, such as a vessel bifurcation is provided. The system comprises a delivery device such as a catheter having a shaft with varying torsional properties along its length and a delivery apparatus mounted at its distal end. A distal end of the device can be inserted into the main branch and at least one side branch of a vessel bifurcation. The distal end includes at least two expansion members having expandable scaffolds or prostheses mounted thereon. One scaffold is configured such that one expansion member extends through the length of the scaffold while the other expansion member extends through the side-structure of the scaffold. A second scaffold is mounted on the expansion member extending through the side-structure of the first scaffold.
US08257418B2
A balloon catheter includes a catheter tube, an inflatable balloon, the ends of which are attached to the catheter tube, and a stent attached around the balloon. The stent extends at least partly along the length of the balloon. In an uninflated state, at least the outside surface of the balloon not covered by the stent is provided with a relief structure which is substantially disappeared in an inflated state of the balloon. A related method involves manufacturing a balloon catheter.
US08257411B2
A minimally invasive method for treating varices including pelvic varices in females, varicoceles, and also oesophageal varices is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of inserting a catheter device into the blood vessels of a patient and advancing the distal end of the catheter to reach the varix or varices. The insertion may be made in the femoral vein or in other vessels as appropriate. Preferably, x-ray, angiography, or other imaging techniques are used to visualize and position the catheter. An optical fiber or optical fiber bundle is then inserted into the catheter and the distal end is advanced to a predetermined point near the varix or varices. Laser energy of preferably 980 nm is then transmitted to the varix to close the blood vessel. Imaging techniques such as angiographies may again be performed to confirm closure of the vein. The method is an out-patient procedure that requires no incision or general anesthesia, requires no recovery time, and does not require that any foreign objects be left in the body. This method has been shown to have a higher success rate than previous embolization and surgical procedures.
US08257410B2
Enhancing the effectiveness of therapeutic ionizing radiation and other treatments of disease in which cells are to be destroyed or modified, by subjecting cells in need thereof to low-dose radiation to increase the sensitivity of the cells to subsequent subjection with a lethal dose of high dose radiation (HDR), a chemotherapeutic agent, or other type of therapeutic treatment.
US08257393B2
An active suture that can be used for both wound closure and the delivery of therapeutic fluids to the tissue surrounding a wound is disclosed. The active suture may include a connector designed to join a fluid source, such as a syringe or conventional IV delivery system, to an internal passageway that is embedded within a braided suture. The internal passageway may be comprised of a fine polymeric tube and is capable of conducting and emitting a fluid into at least a portion of the braided suture and surrounding tissue. The invention enables delivery of an efficacious volume of drug bearing solution on the order of milliliters per day, provides a high level of fluid delivery rate control enabling the physician to start or stop drug administration at his/her discretion, and offers a means of providing more than one type of medication that may be selected post-surgically in accord with unexpected patient symptoms that may arise.
US08257391B2
Reinforcing lumen rings are configured and adapted for use in conjunction with a circular endoscopic stapling instrument having a staple cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. The reinforcing lumen rings maintain anastomotic lumen, e.g. as formed by the circular endoscopic stapling apparatus, in an open condition. The reinforcing lumen rings can include an annular ring having an outer terminal edge and an inner terminal edge, the outer terminal edge having a diameter which is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the staple cartridge assembly and the inner terminal edge having a diameter which is substantially equal to an inner diameter of the staple cartridge assembly.
US08257388B2
A surgical instrument, e.g. forceps, and method to be used for suturing tissue are provided, the surgical instrument comprising a first arm and a second arm that are spring-connected at a proximal end, while at a distal end the first arm and the second arm can be moved towards each other, and wherein at least the first arm and/or the second arm can be provided with a bullet that is suitable for receiving and affixing a surgical needle, wherein the bullet is designed for being positioned at the distal end, at an inside and/or lower side of the end of an arm.
US08257384B2
Interventional catheters are disclosed for use in performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in vessels that are accessed retrograde to blood flow. The catheters include an elongated shaft slidably disposed within a sheath, a distal region having an end effector and a filter disposed proximal to the end effector to capture emboli liberated during the diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. The filter includes a plurality of struts that cooperate with an exterior surface of the catheter to define a reservoir to retain captured emboli, the reservoir configured so that advancement of the sheath contracts the filter without squeezing or dislodging captured emboli beyond a distal end of the filter.
US08257376B2
A tissue lesion creating device is structured and arranged to be inserted through the vascular system into a body vessel adjacent the heart and to be subsequently subjected to a change of shape in order to penetrate into the heart tissue. The tissue lesion creating device may thus be used for treating disorders to the heart rhythm regulation system. A kit of devices provides a plurality of devices for creating a lesion pattern for treating such disorders.
US08257369B2
Suturing instruments in accordance with the invention are dimensioned and configured to apply sutures to approximate; ligate, or fixate tissue in, for example, open; mini-incision, trans-vaginal, laparoscopic, or endoscopic surgical procedures. In some embodiments, the suturing instruments include a distal portion that is deflectably and/or pivotally coupled to the remainder of the instrument for improved maneuverability and functionality during surgery. In other embodiments, the suturing instruments are capable of housing multiple needle and suture assemblies and/or reloading the needle and suture assembly without removing the instrument from the surgical site.
US08257365B2
Methods and devices for providing a minimally-invasive placement of a mechanical structure for reducing the volume of a hollow body organ. Anchors may be secured within the hollow body organ and then cinched together using a tensioning member to form a stricture within the hollow body organ. In another embodiment a tensioning member may be threaded along the hollow body organ and then cinched to reduce the volume. The strictures may be placed anywhere within the hollow body organ, and more than one stricture may be formed within the hollow body organ.
US08257358B2
In one preferred aspect, a method is provided for forming an opening in bone for the sequential dilation of tissue.
US08257347B2
Device/system and treatment method of varicose veins and other vein abnormalities are presented. Treatment A comprises combining two wavelengths to occlude abnormal veins. Wavelengths are chosen as effective absorption peaks of hemoglobin and/or water, e.g. 980 nm and 1460 nm. Irradiations of blood, collagen and water in the vessel cause occlusion/shrinkage. Constant power-density is used based on fiber withdrawal speed and structural vein parameters. Treatments employ dual laser wavelengths or highly-controlled vein-wall damage wavelengths. Monitored control parameters and predetermined vein structural parameters. Alternatively, 1460+60 nm laser energy is employed, having high absorption in the vein wall, creating little thermal stress outside the vein, and being effective in initiating damage reaction response. Treating at 1460+60 nm has benefits of high vein closure rates and favorable post-operative results, i.e., little post-operative pain/discomfort, brusing/inflammatory reactions, due to their very high absorption in small volumes of the collagen/water in vein walls.
US08257346B2
Unified systems and methods enable control of the use and operation of a family of different treatment devices, to treat dysfunction in different regions of the body.
US08257342B2
A dual lumen gastrointestinal feeding and aspirating device includes an aspiration channel which carries a feeding channel. The aspiration channel has a distal opening with a larger size than that of the feeding channel so it can operate more effectively as a stent and accommodate larger sized instruments. The distal end of the aspiration channel is repeatably moveable between open and closed conditions in response to the extension and retraction, respectively, of the instrument therethrough.
US08257339B1
An operative member has a cylindrical catheter, an essentially cylindrical hub, an interior passageway and a roll out, open ended flutter valve. The valve has a fixed end secured to the hub and an extendable end. A needle has a stylet distal end and a proximal end formed with a gripping handle. The needle is adapted to be removably positioned within the interior passageway of the catheter and hub. The distance between the handle and the distal end of the needle is slightly greater than the length of the catheter and the hub. After providing the components set forth above, the present invention includes the step of inserting the catheter and needle into a pleural space of a patient and then withdrawing the needle thereby creating an air passageway through the catheter and the catheter and then unrolling the flutter valve from the hub.
US08257338B2
Medical apparatus and processes controllably generate medically useful micro or nano bubbles of medically desirable and controllably selectable size, size distribution, homogeneity and concentration (and/or other key bubble parameters) for patient infusion, and/or which may incorporate therapeutic or other agents for patient infusion and/or may be combined with therapeutic or other agents prior to infusion into patients. The bubble generation apparatus and processes controllably permit the adjustment and selection of key bubble parameters through bubble generation actuation and orientation techniques and through selection of bubble fluid compositions in order to facilitate medical research and/or to optimize treatment for imaging, therapy, sonoporation, inertial and non-inertial cavitation, and acoustic activation, among other medical uses. Disposable cartridges containing such bubbles are provided and may include means for patient infusion.
US08257332B2
An elastic composite is provided in a disposable absorbent garment such as a diaper or training pants. The elastic composite has a base layer, a top layer, and an elastic construction disposed therebetween. The elastic construction includes a plurality of spaced apart (e.g. generally equally spaced apart) elastic elements (e.g. strands or threads) that are aligned in a generally cross machine direction and in generally parallel relation. Further, the top and base layers define a first longitudinally extending side edge and a second longitudinally extending side edge between which, the elastic construction is disposed. The elastic composite further includes an elasticized region, wherein the elastic construction is disposed, a first non-elasticized region disposed between the first side edge and the elasticized region, and a second non-elasticized region disposed between the second side edge and the elasticized region.
US08257330B2
The absorbent article provides a signal viewable from the top surface of the absorbent article which gives a perception of depth within the absorbent article. This creation of depth perception is accomplished by the use of at least two tones within a color and/or by the use of multiple tones and multiple colors operating together to create a perception of depth within the absorbent article.
US08257329B2
The present invention relates to a contraband retrieval device that can be used as a law enforcement tool that allows a law enforcement officer to retrieve items that are ingested or inserted into the body. A pan includes a plurality of apertures in a bottom thereof. Drug use, excrement can be retrieved in the pan and with water or a suitable liquid can be washed away leaving behind contraband substances which was contained in the excrement in the pan. The contraband substances can be retrieved from the pan and placed into evidence in a criminal investigation.
US08257327B2
An apparatus for cleansing and applying therapy or prophylaxis to wounds, in which irrigant fluid containing a physiologically active material from a reservoir connected to a conformable wound dressing and wound exudate from the dressing are recirculated by a device for moving fluid through a flow path which passes through the dressing and a means for fluid cleansing and back to the dressing. The cleansing means (which may be a single-phase, e.g. microfiltration, system or a two-phase, e.g. dialytic system) removes materials deleterious to wound healing, and the cleansed fluid, still containing materials that are beneficial in promoting wound healing, is returned to the wound bed. The dressing and a method of treatment using the apparatus.
US08257324B2
Simple microneedle devices for delivery of drugs across or into biological tissue are provided, which permit drug delivery at clinically relevant rates across or into skin or other tissue barriers, with minimal or no damage, pain, or irritation to the tissue. The devices include a substrate to which a plurality of hollow microneedles are attached or integrated, and at least one reservoir, containing the drug, selectably in communication with the microneedles, wherein the volume or amount of drug to be delivered can be selectively altered. The reservoir can be formed of a deformable, preferably elastic, material. The device typically includes a means, such as a plunger, for compressing the reservoir to drive the drug from the reservoir through the microneedles, In one embodiment, the reservoir is a syringe or pump connected to the substrate.
US08257323B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a cannula having a body with a first outer diameter, a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a portion outward of the first outer diameter having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter that is adapted to space tissue from the fluid inlet to maintain fluid flow. Such a cannula is particularly useful for cardiopulmonary bypass procedures using a kinetically assisted venous drainage system.
US08257318B2
The application disclosed concerns an injection device for apportioning set doses of a drug from a reservoir (40) to a subject. The injection device comprises a rotatable scale drum (50) which is screwed out from the proximal end of the injection device when a does is set. The rotatable scale drum (50) is coupled to a piston rod drive (100, 130) through a push button (30) and a connector pipe (80). When setting a does, the push button (30) engages the scale drum (50) such that both the push button (30) and the scale drum (50) rotate away from the housing (10). During injection, the scale drum (50) is released from the push button (30) and engaged with the connector pipe (80) in order to rotate the piston rod (120).
US08257317B2
A surgical access device or trocar defines an access channel for instruments extending from a proximal end to the distal end thereof. The trocar comprises a cannula and a seal assembly disposed at the proximal end of the cannula. The seal assembly comprises a first or zero seal, a second or instrument seal, and a trocar shield disposed proximally of the first seal and the second seal. The first seal seals the access channel in the absence of an instrument extending therethrough. The second seal seals the access channel in the presence of an instrument extending therethrough. The trocar shield protects the first seal and second seal from damage as an instrument is advanced through the access channel. The trocar shield comprises an open proximal end and a tapered distal end comprising a plurality of longitudinal pleats, converging in an opening.
US08257313B2
An integrated septum and needle tip shield for use in a catheter assembly includes a septum configured to removably engage with an inner surface of a catheter hub and a tip shield secured inside the septum. The tip shield is configured to move between an open position in which a tip of a needle is distal of the tip shield and a closed position in which the tip of the needle is protected inside the tip shield.
US08257309B2
The invention relates to a disposable injector with a housing, with a cylinder/piston unit which is arranged thereon and has a manually movable piston, and with a detachable container adapter mounted upstream of this cylinder/piston unit, wherein the container adapter supports a container that is closed by an openable stopper. The piston of the cylinder/piston unit is movable via a pump rod. The container adapter engages at the front end around the cylinder of the piston/cylinder unit. The container adapter has an intermediate floor which supports a dual adapter having at least one through-channel. The container, which bears tightly with its stopper on the dual adapter, sits longitudinally displaceably in the rear of the container adapter. The container is opened by displacing it towards the intermediate floor and pushing the stopper into the container.With the present invention, a disposable injector is developed which stores a liquid and an active substance in each case separately and in a sterile manner and provides a space in which the active substance, for its application, is dissolved in the liquid or mixed with the liquid.
US08257305B2
For selective treatment of diseased tissue sections or organ parts, the surface of medical devices entering into contact with areas thereof under pressure is coated with lipophilic substantially water-insoluble medicaments binding to various tissue components with good adherence thereto, said medicaments having an effect thereupon a short time after entering into contact therewith without exerting a harmful influence upon adjacent healthy tissue.
US08257304B2
A balloon catheter may include a multi-lumen tube having an inflation lumen and a guide wire lumen. The multi-lumen tube may include a proximal end and a distal end and may terminate at a distal tip. The catheter may include an extension tube extending distally from the distal tip of the multi-lumen tube and a dilatation balloon disposed about the multi-lumen tube and the extension tube. The distal tip of the multi-lumen tube may be under the balloon.
US08257295B2
An intraocular pressure sensor system has a first pressure sensor located in an anterior chamber of an eye and a remote pressure sensor located remotely from the first pressure sensor. The remote pressure sensor measures or approximates atmospheric pressure. A difference between readings from the first pressure sensor and the remote pressure sensor approximates intraocular pressure.
US08257292B2
The present invention teaches a head and neck cast for providing secure immobilization of a patient's upper neck and head extremities and includes a lower ergonomically configured ring supported upon the shoulders of the wearer. An upper ring is vertically displaceable in each of upper and lower directions relative to the lower support ring via an interconnecting network of both scissoring and vertically extending jacks. In this fashion, the neck and head of the patient is immobilized via the positional support provided by the lower ring and without the need for screws mounted to the skull.
US08257279B2
Medical devices for navigation through anatomy, including guidewires, which may have a core wire, a slotted tubular member, or both. Embodiments may have coils, including non-circular cross-section edge-wound marker coils, extended coil tips, and soldered or glued mesial joint coils. Core wires may have a step, ridge, or taper at the joints to the tubular member, and may be flattened at the distal tip. Radiopaque material may be located inside the tubular member, and the distal tip may be heat treated to make it shapeable. Additional tubular members or coils may be used concentrically or in line and may enhance flexibility, provide radiopacity, reduce friction, or reduce material or manufacturing cost. Tubular members may be chamfered or tapered continuously or incrementally. Slots may be arranged in groups, such as groups of three, and may be equal in depth or unequal in depth to provide a steerable or compressible tip.
US08257271B2
Systems and methods using constant false alarm rate techniques for event detection. One example of an event detection method includes collecting a first distribution of measurements for a first physiological parameter. In another example, the first distribution of measurements includes only non-event measurements. One or more values are determined corresponding to at least a first tail area of the first distribution from at least one measurement of the first physiological parameter toward an end point of the distribution. A threshold is established based on a specified false alarm rate. The one or more values are compared to the threshold. The method includes determining if the measurement is representative of a detected event using the comparison.
US08257263B2
An ultrasonic probe having a combination of plural types of functions and thereby easy to carry. The ultrasonic probe includes: a housing part for housing a first group of ultrasonic transducers and a second group of ultrasonic transducers in a first edge part and a second edge part having different curvatures from each other, respectively, the first and second groups of ultrasonic transducers transmitting ultrasonic waves according to drive signals and receiving ultrasonic echoes to output reception signals; and a grip part rotatable relative to the housing part.
US08257252B2
A surgical apparatus for positioning within a tissue tract accessing an underlying body cavity includes a seal anchor member comprising a compressible material and being adapted to transition between a first expanded condition to facilitate securing of the seal anchor member within the tissue tract and in substantial sealed relation with tissue surfaces defining the tissue tract and a second compressed condition to facilitate at least partial insertion of the seal anchor member within the tissue tract. The seal anchor member has proximal and distal ends defining elongated perimeters. At least one port extends between the proximal and distal ends and is adapted for reception of an object whereby compressible material defining the at least one port is adapted to deform to establish a substantial sealed relation with the object.
US08257249B2
A flexible tube for an endoscope comprises: a spiral tube including a band-shaped plate which is spirally wound; a braid which covers an outer circumferential surface of the spiral tube; and an outer skin made of a resin, which covers an outer circumferential surface of the braid, wherein the braid includes metal fibers deposited with a release agent and heat-resistant resin fibers deposited with a bonding material, the metal fibers and the resin fibers are blended in a mesh pattern, and the braid is bonded to the outer skin by the bonding material.
US08257248B2
A body-insertable apparatus that is used in a state of being introduced in a body of a subject, and that performs a predetermined function inside the body of the subject includes an imaging circuit 27, a battery 40 that supplies with energy to be used to drive the imaging circuit 27, a power switch 33 that switches energy supply to the imaging circuit 27 from the battery 40, a switch control circuit 32 that performs a switching control of the power switch 33, and a signal detecting circuit 31 that detects a magnet and that transmits, to the switch control circuit, a control signal to cause the power switch 33 to toggle the switching control based on this detection state, and is possible to be turned on and off a main switch at a desirable timing before introduction into the body of the subject, thereby achieving energy saving in which a life of a battery is saved, and suppressing unnecessary radio wave radiation.
US08257233B2
A weightlifting system includes a weight bar first frame member that extends along a longitudinal axis. The first frame member includes a front face, a first side face, a second side face and a multiple of opposed pairs of openings disposed along the longitudinal axis. Each of the multiple of opposed pairs of openings are generally L-shaped and include a first opening and a second opening. A weightlifting weight arm system includes a weight horn and a bracket assembly that is engageable with at least two opposed pairs of openings of the multiple of opposed pairs of openings.
US08257226B2
A variable speed drivetrain for an electronic throttle body is disclosed. The system includes a gear arrangement for the drivetrain of the electronic throttle body that includes a driving gear, a set of driven gears and a set of intermediate gears. The system also includes a clutch that is configured to selectively engage with one of the driven gears according to the selected mode of operation.
US08257222B2
In a powertrain for a motor vehicle that includes a power source, a transmission driveably connected to the power source and wheels of the vehicle, an electric machine able to operate as an electric motor for transmitting power to at least some of the vehicle wheels, a method for controlling the powertrain includes operating the power source and the transmission in a desired gear to produce a first wheel torque in response to a demanded wheel torque, increasing the demanded wheel torque while turning the vehicle along a curved path, and using the electric motor to provide a second wheel torque, such that a combined magnitude of the first wheel torque produced in the desired gear and the second wheel torque is equal to or greater than the increased demanded wheel torque.
US08257221B2
A method of operating a hybrid drive system with an internal combustion engine and a supplemental electric machine for a motor vehicle including first and second gear changing partial drives each with gear changing gearwheels, wherein during operation there is torque flow from one gear changing partial drive to the other partial drive results in a gear change between gearwheels.
US08257217B2
An infinitely variable power transmission comprising an input shaft, a layshaft, a variator transmitting power from the input shaft to the layshaft, an output shaft, and an internal/external gear pair transmitting power from the layshaft to the output shaft. The output shaft axis may be offset a limited distance from the input shaft axis.
US08257215B2
A multi-speed planetary coupling transmission (3) which includes a plurality of planetary gear sets (4, 5, 6) and a plurality of shifting elements (A, B, D, E). Depending on actuation of the shifting elements (A, B, D, E), various gear ratios can be achieved by the transmission. At least one provided electric machine (EM1) is functionally connected with one of the planetary gear sets (6). From the electric machine (EM1), a torque can be introduced, via a shaft (6B) of the planetary gear set (6) associated with the electric machine (EM1), in order to support torque acting on the associated planetary gear set (6) and achieve a gear ratio in the transmission (3) via the electric machine (EM1).
US08257204B1
The automatic ball collection system contains a blower sub-system and a collection device. The blower sub-system drives the balls on the ground towards the collection device, and the balls are then automatically collected by the collection device. The blower sub-system contains a number of blowing devices configured at the corners capable of producing air flow substantially along ground surface so as to push the balls to roll towards the collection device. As such, the players' time and effort in constant bending and picking up balls, and the possible injury resulted as such are avoided.
US08257199B2
A golf ball including a unitary core having a volume, an outer surface, a geometric center, and an outermost transition volume adjacent to the outer surface, the core being formed from a substantially homogenous composition; and a cover layer including ionomer, metallocene-catalyzed polymer, polyester, polyamide, non-ionomeric thermoplastic elastomer, copolyether-ester, copolyether-amide, polycarbonate, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, or polystyrene block copolymer. The outermost transition volume is disposed between the core outer surface and the geometric center, the transition volume has an outer portion congruent with the core outer surface, and comprises the outermost 45% of the core volume or less. Both a hardness of the core outer surface and a hardness within the outermost transition volume are less than the hardness of the geometric center to define a negative hardness gradient.
US08257195B1
A golf club head having a center of gravity located at a point close to the face and the sole is disclosed herein. In particular, the golf club head comprises a hollow body including a weight lip and face component, and the weight lip extends from the sole inside the body into the face component. The golf club head is preferably a wood-type or hybrid-type golf club head.
US08257175B2
A gaming apparatus for providing a wager-based game that may include a primary display unit, a secondary display unit, a value input device and a first controller is described. The secondary display unit may include a viewing window, a first object coupled to a movable member, a second object and a semi-transparent mirror. The viewing window, the semi-transparent mirror, the first object and the second object may be positioned, such that an image of one of the first object or the second object is transmitted through the mirror and an image of one of the first object or the second object is reflected by the mirror such that one image appears transposed on the other image when viewed through the viewing window. Via the movable member, a position of the first object may be changed. When the transposed images including the first object and the second object are viewed through the viewing window, the change in the position of the first object may cause an apparent depth of the first object to appear to change relative to an apparent depth of the second object.
US08257165B2
In various methods, systems, and computer-readable media embodiments, first information about possible future outcomes of an event may be provided to at least one user of a gaming device. Wagers may be associated with possible outcomes. A first set of likelihood values corresponding to a set of possible outcomes may be determined using second information based on the wagers. Each of the first set of likelihood values may correspond to a respective possible outcome of the set. A second set of likelihood values may be determined based at least in part on the first set if one or more of its likelihood values are greater than or less than specific values. The second set of likelihood values may be associated with possible outcomes of the set. Third information based on the second set of likelihood values may be provided to at least two of the users.
US08257146B2
A process for surface preparation of parts to be coated using Thermal Spray or Cold Spray technologies, which is the result of a step in which the relevant surface is abraded by steel-based abrasive material, and later washing off of any residue thereof.
US08257137B2
A simulated eye capable of being changed between a normal and a dilated state. The simulated eye includes a simulated pupil, a circuit board, and at least one cylindrical portion. The circuit board is configured for supplying the at least one cylindrical portion with power. The at least one cylindrical portion is electrically connected to the circuit board. When the circuit board is operated to power on or power off the at least one cylindrical portion, the at least one cylindrical portion is driven to move toward or away from the eyeball, such that a size of a colored area consisting of the simulated pupil is changed between a normal state and a dilated state.
US08257136B2
A toy is provided that has a dynamo for converting manual movement into an electrical charge for the dynamo located within a housing. A miniature vehicle is induced to locomote through receipt of the electrical charge. A dock is provided for selectively creating an electrical coupling of the vehicle to the dynamo to transfer the electrical charge and decoupling to allow the vehicle to locomote. A charge storage device and an electrical motor in the vehicle allow for prolonged vehicle locomotion separate from the charge transfer by the dynamo. A toy is also provided that has a dynamo for converting manual movement into an electrical charge, the dynamo located within a housing. The dynamo transfers an electrical charge to a wheeled miniature vehicle through an electrically conductive circuit about which the vehicle travels. Additional amusement functions of LED light output or speaker auditory output are optionally provided.
US08257124B2
Swimming fins of the kind comprising a foot pocket provided with a outsole and an upper closed at the tip and open at the heel zone, for lodging with slight clearance the feet of a scuba diver wearing diving booths, characterized by the fact that the outsole and/or the upper sections of the said fins are provided with a number of through holes.
US08257121B2
A propeller shield that is designed to pivot over and away from a distal face of a propeller on a motorized boat. Generally, when the boat is at rest or moving in reverse through water, the propeller shield pivots down over the propeller's distal face and prevents accidental bodily contact with the propeller. As the boat moves forward in the water, the propeller shield pivots up and away from the propeller to allow the boat to move forward without the propeller shield causing an undesirable amount of drag or otherwise adversely affecting the boat's performance. Typically, the propeller shield has a shield member, which is sized and shaped to cover the propeller's distal face, and a connection mechanism, which attaches the shield member to the boat. In some cases, the shield member optionally comprises one or more fluid vents and hydroplane surfaces.
US08257117B2
An electrical connector is provided. The connector includes a substrate having a wire end and a mating end. The substrate has signal traces extending between the wire end and the mating end. Wire terminals are joined to the wire end of the substrate. Each of the wire terminals is electrically coupled to a signal trace. Each of the wire terminals is configured to couple to a conductor of a cable. Mating contacts are joined to the mating end of the substrate. Each of the mating contacts is electrically coupled to a signal trace so that the signal trace directs electrical signals between a wire terminal and the mating contact. The mating contacts are configured to engage a contact of a corresponding connector.
US08257111B1
A sealed electrical splice assembly includes a housing defining a cavity and including an opening. A conductive bus plate is retained in the cavity. A plurality of electrically conductive terminals are received in the cavity are electrically connected to the bus plate. The plurality of terminals are connected to a plurality of wire conductors. A seal plug is disposed in the cavity through the opening adapted to sealingly engage an interior surface of the housing surrounding the seal plug. An end cover overlies the seal plug disposed in the opening. The cavity receives the plurality of terminals through the end cover and the seal plug thereby allowing the seal plug to sealingly engage the plurality of wire conductors.
US08257109B2
A lever push-in wire connector having a sealant therein to enable formation of a waterproof electrical connection by axial insertion of a wire into a chamber contained a resilient conductor protected by the sealant with the resilient conductor displaceable into a waterproof electrical contact with the wire while both the resilient conductor and the wire remain in the presence of the sealant.
US08257107B2
A shielding connector apparatus includes an equipment-side shielding connector (50) with an equipment-side shielding housing (51) and an electric wire-side shielding connector (20) with an electric wire-side shielding housing (21). A connector fit-on nut (65) is formed on the equipment-side shielding housing (51). The electric wire-side shielding housing (21) has a fit-on bolt (39) that is screwed into the connector fit-on nut (65) to fit both shielding connectors together. An equipment-side contact surface (64) is formed on the equipment-side shielding housing (51). An electric wire-side contact surface (38) is formed on the electric wire-side shielding housing (21).
US08257106B2
A method and apparatus for power wiring. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a splice box comprising (i) a plug having a plurality of plug pins, each plug pin of the plurality of plug pins for coupling to a conductor within a cable adapted for coupling to a power line; (ii) a first pin receptacle for coupling to a first guide pin of a connector; and (iii) a first pair of retention bars disposed within the first pin receptacle, the first pair of retention bars for retaining the first guide pin.
US08257098B2
A socket connector includes a socket body, a plurality of contacts received in the socket body; and a pick-up cap mounted upon the socket body. The socket body includes a base and a first sidewall and a second sidewall respectively located by opposite sides of the base. The first sidewall and the second sidewall are respectively formed with a first protrusion and a second protrusion. The pick-up cap includes a cover section and a first flange and a second flange which respectively extend downwardly from opposite sides of the cover section and which are respectively engaged with the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the socket body. The first flange and the second flange are respectively formed with a first notch and a second notch arranged in asymmetrical manner and engaged with the first protrusion and the second protrusion, respectively.
US08257094B2
A lead terminal includes signal lead pins and GND lead pins. The signal lead pin connects one signal pattern on a flexible substrate and another signal pattern on a rigid substrate. The GND lead pin connects one GND pattern on the flexible substrate and another GND pattern in the rigid substrate. A holding member has an insulating property and holds pairs of the signal lead pins and the GND lead pins at a distance. One main part of the signal lead pin and another main part of the GND lead pin form a microstrip line structure.
US08257088B1
A portable assembly forming a polyhedron or other geometric-shaped enclosure, the assembly comprising a framed enclosure member having generally the shape of a polyhedron when erected, multiple frame member supports that form edges of the polyhedron-shaped enclosure, the multiple frame member supports supporting the framed enclosure member, and multiple tensile members, each tensile member removably attached to a point along a longitudinal axis of a first frame member support, the tensile member extending from the first frame member support through the polyhedron-shaped enclosure and removably attached to a point along a longitudinal axis of a second frame member support, the tensile member extending from the second frame member support through the polyhedron-shaped enclosure to a point along a longitudinal axis of a third frame member support such that the tensile members form peripheries of multiple voids inside the polyhedron-shaped enclosure.
US08257081B2
A dental attachment is embedded in a denture base so as to attach to a keeper made of a soft magnetic material built in a tooth root by magnetic attractive force. The dental attachment comprises an attachment main body which has a magnetic body delivering magnetic attractive force and a cap which covers a head portion located on the opposite side of an attractive surface to attach the keeper of the attachment main body. The cap, made of a non-magnetic material, is installed in the attachment main body so as to be able to move between a contacting position (A) which contacts with the head portion and an extended position (B) which is far from the head portion for a certain distance.
US08257078B2
An orthodontic corrective appliance for correcting malpositioned molars, wherein one end of the appliance is mounted on a supporting device, and the other end is applied to the given molar with spring loading includes a pusher element which is guided axially in a sleeve and is acted upon by a compression spring, and the free end of the pusher element extends from the sleeve and is provided with a connecting piece which is applied to the supporting device. Several small tubes on the outer surface of the sleeve have inner bores that guide and support a spacer bar that extends parallel to the sleeve. The end of the spacer bar that points towards the connecting piece is supported on one of the tubes, and the end of the spacer bar that faces away from the connecting piece is supported on a transpalatal arch, a Goshgarian lock or similar element.
US08257070B2
A seal apparatus includes at least one pair of gears; a side plate arranged adjacent to the pair of gears; and a housing sandwiching the side plate. At least one of the side plate and the housing includes a shoulder portion. The seal apparatus further includes a seal member arranged between the housing and the side plate and arranged at the shoulder portion. The seal member separates a low pressure area from a high pressure area in a radial direction of the gear. The shoulder portion is located in the low pressure area. At least a part of the seal member faces the high pressure area. The seal apparatus further includes a backup member reinforcing the seal member and facing a tip portion of the shoulder portion; and a containing portion formed between a root portion of the shoulder portion and the seal member to be capable of containing a part of the seal member at least when the seal member is elastically deformed.
US08257069B2
An improved high torque rotary abutment motor is provided that is capable of producing ultra high pressures, while still remaining light weight and reliably efficient. The rotary abutment motor is provided with a body and rotor are sealed in the axial direction with two face spring seals compensating for tolerance and wearing gap. In such a configuration, increasing pressures create increasing force of sealing, thereby allowing operational pressures in excess of what is currently available today.
US08257062B2
A thrust piston pump apparatus PM1 can be driven by an electric motor 110 and is provided with a pump housing 120, a reciprocating piston 130 assembled into the pump housing 120, and a motion conversion mechanism 40 provided between the reciprocating piston 130 and a rotor 113 of the electric motor 110. In the electric motor 110, a tubular rotor 113 is disposed in a stator (magnet 112), and a cylinder portion 121A of the pump housing 120 is coaxially housed in the rotor 113. The reciprocating piston 130 is assembled into the cylinder portion 121A of the pump housing 120 in such a manner as to be able to reciprocate along a cylinder axis. The motion conversion mechanism 140 converts a rotary motion of the rotor 113 of the electric motor 110 in relation to the pump housing 120 and the reciprocating piston 130 to a reciprocating motion of the reciprocating piston 130.
US08257055B2
A system for pumping multiphase fluids includes a phase separator (14), a gas-gas jet pump (30) and a liquid pump (36). The phase separator (14) receives a LP multiphase fluid and separates a LP gas phase and a LP liquid phase from the LP multiphase fluid. The gas-gas jet pump (30) receives the LP gas phase from the phase separator (14) and a HP gas supply from a sustainable gas source, and has an outlet providing outlet gas at a pressure higher than that of the LP gas phase. The liquid pump (36) receives the LP liquid phase from the phase separator (14), and has an outlet providing outlet liquid at a pressure higher than that of the LP liquid phase.
US08257054B2
A peristaltic pump assembly includes a pump body including a mounting pin coupled thereto. A removable cassette is slidably received on the mounting pin and is secured to the pump body via a retaining feature. The mounting pin is also configured to allow the removable cassette to rotate into and/or out of an installed position, or to position(s) therebetween.
US08257042B2
A torque converter includes a pump shell constituting an internal space for retaining ATF and capable of rotating about the rotation axis; a blade engaging with the pump shell; and an extension sleeve pressing the blade against the pump shell. The pump shell has a groove into which a tip portion of the blade is fit formed at its inner peripheral surface. In the state where the tip portion is fit into the groove, the extension sleeve presses the blade to fix the blade to the pump shell. The groove forms an acute angle θ with respect to a meridian of the shell passing through the groove. The groove extends in one direction, has one end opened and the other end closed, and has a width larger on the side of the one end than on the side of the other end. The groove has a portion smallest in width equal to the width of the tip portion.
US08257041B1
A turbine blade with a cooling circuit that includes three separate 3-pass serpentine flow cooling circuits that each flow in the aft direction of the blade. Each of the three 3-pass serpentine circuits includes a first leg on the pressure side of the blade with a row of film cooling holes to discharge cooling air to the pressure side surface of the blade. The first and the second 3-pass serpentine circuits each include second and third legs located on the suction side of the blade, and the third legs include a row of film cooling holes to discharge cooling air onto the suction side wall surface. The third 3-pass serpentine circuit includes a second leg on the suction side and a third leg aft of the first and second legs and positioned between both the pressure side and suction side walls. Cooling air for a leading edge cavity and showerhead arrangement is supplied from the first leg of the first 3-pass serpentine circuit. The third leg of the third 3-pass serpentine circuit includes a row of exit holes to discharge cooling air out the trailing edge of the blade.
US08257036B2
A high drag vortex generator for inhibiting the formation of boundary layer gas flow is mounted in a duct having a strong adverse pressure gradient with high speed gas flow over a primary aerodynamic. The vortex generator includes a mounting for supporting the high drag vortex generator at a spatial interval in the high speed gas flow above the primary aerodynamic surface. The high drag vortex generator is supported from the mounting and extends from the mounting in the high speed gas flow less than the full distance to the primary aerodynamic surface. Each high drag vortex generator includes first and second vanes. The first and second vanes have flow confining components at substantial right angles to one another. The vanes flow confining components deflect fluid flow towards and/or away from the primary aerodynamic surface inhibiting boundary layer formation downstream of the vortex generator.
US08257034B2
A radial fan comprises a casing having a side portion and a pot-like casing portion, an impeller wheel arranged therein and having radially extending blades, an electric motor arranged at the side portion, and a pressure chamber which is formed by the casing portion and the side portion. The pressure chamber with the impeller wheel space between the blades forms in cross-section a nozzle in the manner of a venturi nozzle. The ratio of the greatest blade height H/greatest diameter D of the scroll is substantially between H/D=0.08 and H/D=0.3.
US08257033B2
Disclosed is a method of producing a stator blade for use in a turbo-molecular pump. The method includes subjecting a metal plate to a slitting process to form a blade element having an upstream edge surface and a downstream edge surface, wherein a laser beam is emitted onto the metal plate at an incident angle oblique to a principal surface of the metal plate. Thus, the upstream edge surface and/or the downstream edge surface can be formed to extend obliquely relative to the principal surface of the metal plate, in a simple manner, while eliminating a need for a burr removal operation which would otherwise be necessary in a punching-based slitting process.
US08257032B2
A guide vane for a gas turbine with a vane base body which is of single-piece design and comprises a profiled vane blade extending between a vane root and a cover plate and also the vane root formed integrally with the vane blade and the cover plate formed integrally with the vane blade, is intended, in a relatively simple way to be able to be matched to the individual conditions of use with especially little outlay on apparatus and logistics. For this purpose, according to the invention, a flow-routing body with an advance guide blade that is connected upstream of the vane blade as seen in the direction of flow of the working medium of the gas turbine is joined to the vane base body.
US08257024B1
An exemplary geared turbomachine fluid delivery system includes a first fluid path configured to communicate fluid from a supply to a gear system of a geared turbomachine, and a second fluid path configured to communicate fluid from the supply to the gear system. The fluid introduced to the gear system by the first fluid path is cooler than that the fluid introduced to the gear system by the second fluid path.
US08257017B2
A method for cooling a component of a turbine is provided, wherein a fluid with a pressure below 1 bar is guided away from the component. Moreover, a turbine is described comprising a component, a conduit which is connected to the component so that a fluid can be guided away from the component, and a fluid discharge which is connected to the conduit. The fluid discharge is constructed so that it removes a fluid with a pressure below 1 bar.
US08257015B2
A steam turbine is provided. The steam turbine includes a rotor shaft including a plurality of buckets coupled thereto. The steam turbine further includes a stationary component coupled to a steam turbine casing, wherein the stationary component is coupled upstream from the buckets such that a wheelspace is defined between the buckets and the stationary component. The stationary component includes a first ring coupled to the steam turbine, a second ring coupled to the steam turbine radially inward from the first ring, and at least one airfoil extending between the first ring and the second ring. The steam turbine includes a cooling fluid flowpath defined through at least the first ring, the airfoil, and the second ring. The cooling fluid flowpath is configured to channel a cooling fluid to the wheelspace.
US08257010B2
Disclosed is a bar feeder, which is capable of reliably loading a bar onto a guide rail with a simplified structure. The bar feeder 1 comprises a stock rack 8, a guide rail 4 for guiding a bar to a bar machining apparatus, and a bar supply mechanism 32 for taking bars W one by one out of the stock rack 8 and supplying the taken-out bar W onto the guide rail 4. The bar supply mechanism 32 includes a lifting member 40 adapted to lift a downstreammost one of the bar W on the stack rack 8, a bar receiving member 42 adapted to receive thereon the lifted bar W and supply the bar W onto the guide rail 4, and a stopper member 36 adapted to holds a second-downstreammost one of the bar W to be subsequently supplied. The lifting member 40 and the bar receiving member 42 are adapted to be driven by a common moving device 44, in such a manner that the lifting member 40 is linearly moved in an upward-downward direction in conjunction with a swing movement of the bar receiving member 42. The structure designed to drive the lifting member 40 and the bar receiving member 42 by the common moving device 44 makes it possible to reduce the number of components for a driving section, and achieve structural simplification.
US08257009B2
An assembly for detachably connecting an implement having a pair of mounting pins to a machine provided with a dipper stick and a pair of tilt links operatively connected to the dipper stick, comprising a first assembly including a pair of jaw members pivotally connected to the dipper stick and cooperable upon pivotal movement thereof to selectively grip and release one of the mounting pins, and means for selectively pivoting the jaw members in opposite directions to effect such grip and release of the one of the mounting pins; and second and third assemblies each including a pair of jaw members pivotally connected to one of the tilt links and cooperable upon pivotal movement thereof to selectively grip and release the other of the mounting pins, and means for selectively pivoting the jaw members in opposite directions to effect such grip and release of the other of the mounting pins.
US08257001B2
A tool system having at least two tool parts with opposed end contact surfaces which bear against one another in the region of an interface. The contact surfaces have a tooth system thereon including intermeshing teeth and recesses. The tooth system is shaped and positioned such that the contact surfaces can be fitted together only in at least one defined rotary angle position with respect to the center axis of the tool parts.
US08256999B2
A metal cutting system with a tool holder, a shim, an insert with a top depression, a top piece and a clamp. A rake face cooling channel for fluid delivery is formed between the top piece and the depression in the insert. A primary discharge slot at the end of the rake face cooling channel delivers fluid from below the cutting edge of the insert. A second cooling channel for delivery of fluid to the flank face is formed between the insert and the shim or is formed between the shim and the tool holder with a portion of the cooling channel passing through the shim.
US08256997B2
A blower assembly for a pneumatic carrier transmission system including a first blower for supplying air; a second blower for exhausting air, wherein the first and second blowers are connected in series; and a dual passageway connecting device connected to and in communication with the first and second blowers, the dual passageway connecting device comprising a connecting tee having a tee inlet, a first tee outlet in communication with the tee inlet, and a second tee outlet in communication with the tee inlet, a first valve connected to and in communication with the first tee outlet, a first passageway connected to and in communication with the first valve, a second valve connected to and in communication with the second tee outlet, and a second passageway connected to and in communication with the second valve, wherein the first blower is operable to supply air through the first passageway and the second blower is operable to exhaust air through the second passageway. A pneumatic carrier transmission system including a first terminal; a second terminal; a transmission conduit connecting the first and second terminals in fluid communication with each other; a dual passageway connected to and in fluid communication with the transmission conduit; a first blower for supplying air to the transmission conduit; a second blower for exhausting air from within the transmission conduit to outside the transmission conduit; a first, non-controlled check valve connected to the transmission conduit for exhausting air from within the transmission conduit; and a second, non-controlled check valve connected to the transmission conduit for permitting air into the transmission conduit.
US08256996B2
Process and a device (2) for the pneumatic conveyance of powdered material (4), in which a cylindrical chamber (10, 12), which can be connected with a reservoir (6) by a sealable inlet (14, 16) and with a delivery line (28) by a sealable outlet (18, 20), is alternately filled with material from the reservoir (6) and emptied of this material by applying a negative pressure to the chamber with its outlet (18, 20) closed and its inlet (14, 16) open through a bordering wall formed by a gas-permeable filter element (50) to draw material into the chamber (10, 12) from the reservoir (6), and by then admitting a gas under pressure into the chamber (10, 12) with its inlet (14, 16) closed and its outlet (18, 20) open to force the material previously drawn into the chamber (10, 12) out of the chamber and into the delivery line (28).
US08256990B2
Drainage units comprise lightweight aggregate held within a perforated sleeve having an exterior surface, where at least a portion of the exterior surface comprises a barrier material which is substantially impervious to solids.
US08256988B1
An apparatus and method for disrupting a hurricane are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a plurality of interconnected slabs. The slabs are connected using a series of cables. Cushions placed between the slabs prevent damage to the slabs during use. In practice, the interconnected slabs are towed to a position in the anticipated path of a hurricane. Once the interconnected slabs are positioned at a pre-determined location within the hurricane, they are maneuvered with the hurricane such their position remains generally fixed relative to the hurricane. The slabs form a partial barrier between the ocean and atmosphere thereby interfering with the critical mechanics, namely the rise of warm, moist air, of hurricane formation. The interconnected slabs are maneuvered with the hurricane for extended time periods such that they constantly disrupt the mechanics of hurricane formation.
US08256985B2
A collapsible barrier (10) comprises: a first pair of members (12,14) pivotally coupled together at a first coupling (16); and a second pair of members (18, 20) pivotally coupled together at a second coupling (22); wherein each member (12, 14) of the first pair is pivotally coupled at a respective lateral coupling (24, 26) to a corresponding member (18, 20) of the second pair such that the members (12, 14, 18, 20) are movable from an erected configuration where the members of the first pair are mutually inclined at a first angular separation, and a collapsed configuration where the members of the first pair are mutually inclined at a second angular separation which is less than the first angular separation.
US08256984B2
A first portable medical device is adapted for use in an interlocking system for interlocking the first medical device to a second medical device. The first device includes a housing having opposite sides, a selective element, a blocking element, and a clamp mechanism. At least one of the opposite sides includes a matable element to detachably attach a second medical device. The selective element restricts the attachment of the second device to only one side of the first device. The blocking element prevents a third medical device from attaching to the first and second devices once the first and second devices are attached. The clamp restricts the attachment of the second device to only one side of the first device when the clamp is attached to a support member. The clamp permits slide ratcheting axial movement of a clamp shaft.
US08256979B2
An application substance reservoir for a toothbrush is provided. The reservoir has a data carrier and may be filled with toothpaste or another application substance. An electric toothbrush is also provided. The data carrier of the application substance reservoir may contain, for example, information regarding the prevailing filling level of the application substance reservoir and the type of application substance. The electric toothbrush has a data receiver for reading the data stored in the data carrier, a data transmitter for writing to the data carrier, and a control unit which may display the filling level in the application substance reservoir or the particular application substance used.
US08256973B2
An ink ribbon cartridge includes an ink replenishing configuration. An ink ribbon is housed in a housing. An ink replenishing member replenishes ink into the ink ribbon. An ink storing member holds a supply of the ink, the ink storing member being movable either to a first position where the ink storing member contacts the ink replenishing member and supplies the ink to the ink replenishing member or a second position where the ink storing member does not contact the ink replenishing member and does not supply the ink to the ink replenishing member.
US08256969B2
To provide an optical fiber cord with an optical connector of higher flexibility resistance, and the method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. An optical fiber cord with an optical connector, wherein said fiber cord, wherein said the optical connector comprising a stop ring having a through hole formed therein, though which said optical fiber is disposed; a crimping ring being disposed around said optical fiber to crimp said stop ring and said optical fiber cord; a ferrule being disposed at the tip end part of said optical fiber in said optical fiber cord; a spring being disposed around said optical fiber and between said ferrule and said stop ring; a plug frame being engaged with said stop ring; a grip being engaged with said plug frame; wherein said through hole of said stop ring having a stepwisely narrowing part in which a hole diameter is gradually reduced from said crimping part side to said ferrule side.
US08256966B2
The invention is directed to a roller bearing arrangement comprising two rings arranged mutually concentrically and at least regionally inside each other, and comprising a gap between these rings, so that they are rotatable in opposite directions about an imaginary axis at the center of the rings and approximately perpendicular to the ring plane, wherein disposed in the region of a gap portion situated between the rings and surrounding the axis of rotation at an approximately constant radius is at least one raceway for at least one row of rollers, each having a rotationally symmetrical shape and rolling displacingly between the rings, each of which rollers, when the rings and the rollers are at the same temperature, has at least one point or region of contact with the raceway portions on each of the two rings, so that the radial and/or axial clearance between the two rings is equal to zero or at least is negligibly small; and comprising a mechanism for compensating for temperature-induced radial changes in the cross section of the raceway for at least one row of rollers, so that the compressive stress exerted on the rollers and/or the clearance between the rings remains approximately constant, even in the case of a temperature difference between the rings and/or between them and the rollers.
US08256960B2
A seal for an opening of a bore in a component, with a threaded screw, around a core shaft of which a helical screw thread is arranged. The screw engages in the bore and the thread creates a mating thread in a wall of the bore. The diameter of the bore is larger than the diameter of the core shaft. A helical channel, which is located between the core shaft of the screw and a wall of the bore, and which is delimited by the thread, is interrupted at a minimum of one point in a liquid-tight and/or gas-tight manner.
US08256958B2
A tamper evident product distribution pouch especially well-suited for pharmaceuticals is provided, which is made from a single sheet of folded and sealed flexible plastic in a simplified folding and heat-sealing operation that reduces manufacturing steps. The tamper evident pharmaceutical pouch includes a header containing an arrangement of mounting holes and a slot for use as a handle. A pouch is formed by folding over the sheet of material and heat sealing the edges along the length of the pouch. The opening of the pouch adjacent the header. This opening is covered by a flap that extends down from the header over the opening. The flap is not sealed along the edges and can be completely pivoted away from the opening. Adhesive is placed on the flap that contacts the front of the pouch to close and seal the pouch opening.
US08256955B2
The invention discloses an induction type of electronic thermometer probe motion detection device, including a probe and a probe holder; wherein the probe includes a cavity and a probe tip; Inside the probe tip has a heating mechanism, wherein the probe tip and the heating mechanism electrically connected with the host of the electronic thermometer by wires; Inside the cavity locates a magnetic inductive switch, wherein the magnetic inductive switch communicates with the host of electronic thermometer by wires; A magnetic signal source located in the position of the other side of the probe holder after the placement of the probe, where corresponds to the magnetic inductive switch, and then the magnetic signal source and the magnetic inductive switch composed to the probe motion detection device. When the probe put back to the probe holder, the magnetic inductive switch will induce the magnetic signal source in the probe holder, and the magnetic inductive switch is on the closed mode and communicates with the host of the electronic thermometer by wire, then turns off the pre-heating process; Likewise, when the probe leave the probe holder, the magnetic inductive switch is not able to induce the magnetic signal source, and the magnetic inductive switch is on the open mode and communicates with the host of the electronic thermometer by wire, then initiates the pre-heating process.
US08256947B2
A light-emitting device, comprising: a radiation source (5), which emits radiation having a first wavelength, an optical waveguide (10), into which the radiation emitted by the radiation source is coupled, and a converter material (15), which converts the radiation transported through the optical waveguide (10) into light (20) having a second, longer wavelength. A light-emitting device of this type can have an improved light conversion efficiency.
US08256944B2
There is provided a vehicle lamp. The vehicle lamp includes a lamp body including a hole portion therein; an outer lens, attached to the lamp body to form a lamp chamber; a lamp unit provided in the lamp chamber and including a light emitting element serving as a light source; a heat sink; and a fan. The heat sink includes a base portion fitted into the hole portion of the lamp body; outer fins disposed on a surface of the base portion and extending outside of the lamp body; and inner fins disposed on another surface of the base portion and extending into the lamp chamber. The fan moves air in the lamp chamber toward the inner fins, which are configured such that the air passing between the respective inner fins is guided toward the outer lens.
US08256941B2
The invention relates to a vehicle light system comprising a laser device for generating a laser beam, further comprising a light output module provided with a phosphor element for emitting a light beam upon incidence of the generated laser beam and provided with an optical element associated with the phosphor element for producing a light output beam. Furthermore, the light system comprises a further light output module provided with a corresponding further phosphor element and a second optical element. The laser device is arranged to switch between a first state, in which the generated laser beam is directed to the phosphor element, and a second state in which the generated laser beam is directed to the further phosphor element.
US08256935B1
An apparatus and method for creating electronically simulated flames is disclosed. The apparatus includes features to allow for remote control of multiple electronic flame apparatuses with hand held transmitters and/or computer control with the use of a transceiver. The apparatus can employ incandescent and LED type bulbs or lamps to create a variety of color and brightness conditions. An Internet-based portal is also disclosed to allow for remote access by authorized users.
US08256928B2
A LED lamp includes at least one LED element having electrode terminals, a conductive heat-receiving member electrically and mechanically connected with the electrode terminals of the at least one LED element, for receiving heat emitted from the at least one LED element via the electrode terminals, a casing for housing, at substantially sealed state, the at least one LED element and the heat-receiving member, a plurality of fins thermally coupled with the casing and arranged at a position out of a main irradiation direction of light from the at least one LED element, and a conductive heat-transfer member electrically and mechanically connected with the heat-receiving member, the heat-transfer member extending to a position at which the plurality of fins exist.
US08256921B2
An apparatus, system and method for lighting an area, for example, an outdoors pedestrian area or building facade or an auto traffic area, or an indoor large area, which provides indicator/guide light, reference light for structures, and task lighting for a target area. The method uses first lighting sources that are directly viewable by observers and which can be historical, architectural, or aesthetically selected sources, but which produce a relatively low level of light or luminance insufficient to effectively light the area but sufficient to act as an indicator or guide, as well as to provide reference illumination on buildings or structures. Second lighting sources are configured to produce directional light to light the area but hide the light sources from most conventional observer viewing angles and may be enclosed within the general outlines of the globe or transmissive surface area of the fixture. Additionally, the fixture may appear to the average observer that the two sources are one historic or architectural source. Use of low-level directly viewable sources allows lower levels of light from the second sources to effectively light the area. This produces benefits regarding light pollution, such as reducing sky glow, glare, and spill light, as well as reducing energy usage.
US08256917B2
Five embodiments of security safe light modules are disclosed which provide dedicated, low-power light modules for illuminating, on demand, the combination lock of security safes and, particularly, the combination lock of a security safe designed to store firearms. Several embodiments are designed to magnetically or adhesively adhere to the outer surface of the steel access door of a safe immediately above the combination lock dial or keypad, while others are designed to be permanently sandwiched between the outer surface of the access door and the combination lock which is secured to the door's outer surface with screws accessible from the inside of the safe. All embodiments include a housing preferably made of polymeric structural resin, a 3-volt lithium coin cell, a light emitting diode, and a switch. Certain embodiments provide a timed circuit which automatically shuts off power to the LED.
US08256912B2
The present high positioning reproducible mirror-actuator interface disclosed herein overcomes the deficiencies associated with conventional interface systems and offer a number of advantages that are disclosed herein. Generally, the mirror mounts provide a reliable and robust interface between the mirrors and actuators, that serve to move and position the mirrors, as wells as providing an interface between the mirrors and gravity compensator pins. The mirror mount is characterized as having a body that has an outer peripheral wall that includes a plurality of flexible elements around the perimeter of the body, each having a high stiffness in plane and a high flexibility out of plane. The body is open at the first end to allow flexing of the flexible elements. The flexible elements providing a direct coupling interface between the mirror mount and the mirror. The flexible elements of the mirror mount provides a number of advantages and increases the performance capabilities of the first mechanical interface between the mirror mount and the actuator.
US08256908B2
An antiglare film is provided, the antiglare film including: a support; and an antiglare layer including a surface that has asperities, wherein the antiglare layer contains at least first light-transmitting particles and second light-transmitting particles, the first light-transmitting particles have an average particle size that is 0.01 to 2.5 μm greater than an average thickness of the antiglare layer, the second light-transmitting particles have an average particle size that is at least 0.1 μm smaller than the average thickness of the antiglare layer, the first light-transmitting particles are contained in an amount of 0.1 to 2 mass % based on a total solid content in the antiglare layer, the second light-transmitting particles are contained in an amount of 2 to 30 mass % based on the total solid content in the antiglare layer, and the second light-transmitting particles include organic polymer-containing particles each of which has a core particle/shell layer structure.
US08256907B2
A vehicle reflector can include a plurality of retroreflection elements including a first reflection surface, a second reflection surface, and a third reflection surface which are adjacently disposed to form a corner portion of a substantially regular hexahedron. The first reflection surface can be inclined by 35.264°+angle α1 with respect to a reference axis. The second reflection surface can be inclined by 35.264°+angle α2 with respect to the reference axis and can be disposed at a position rotated by 120° about the reference axis from the first reflection surface. The third reflection surface can be inclined by 35.264°+angle α3 with respect to the reference axis and can be disposed at a position rotated by 120° in an opposite direction from the second reflection surface about the reference axis from the first reflection surface. The angle α1, angle α2 and angle α3 can be set to satisfy a relation of −α1=α2=α3 or −α1≈α2=α3.
US08256906B2
A sliding cover structure and an electronic apparatus are disclosed. The sliding cover structure is used for covering a lens, and includes a base, a first cover, a second cover and a swing part. The first cover slides forwards and backwards on the base, and slides between an opening position that does not cover the lens and a closing position that covers the lens. The second cover moves upwards and downwards on the base. The swing part is pivoted with the base and has a first contact end and a second contact end. The pivoting position of the swing part and the base is located between the first contact end and the second contact end so that the swing part can perform a seesaw operation. The first contact end is located below the second cover so that the first contact end drives the second cover to move upwards.
US08256901B2
An apparatus and method of cooling an image projecting apparatus. The image projecting apparatus includes a main body frame, at least one heat generating unit, a heat dispersion part, at least one heat transfer member, and a single cooling fan, where the first side of the at least one heat transfer member is connected to the at least one heat generating unit, and a second side of the at least one heat transfer member is connected to the heat dispersion part.
US08256892B2
A print medium for ink-jet printing can comprise a base substrate; an ink-receiving layer comprising metal oxide particulates or semi-metal oxide particulates and a binder; and a gloss layer comprising colloidal silica and greater than 5 wt % of a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone. The ink-receiving layer can be positioned between the substrate and the gloss layer.
US08256888B2
Systems and methods of lenticular printing are disclosed. The systems and methods include an imaging device to process a lenticular image from two or more original images interlaced together. A printer of the imaging device prints the lenticular image on a substrate. A UV-cured gel deposition system of the imaging device is configured to deposit a UV-cured gel on the printed lenticular image to serve as a lenticular lens. The printing of the lenticular image and the depositing of the lenticular lens occurs concurrently to reduce the amount of manufacturing required to produce the lenticular device.
US08256882B2
According to one aspect of the invention, a remanufacturing method of a liquid container forms an inlet in a certain area, for example, a buffer chamber, other than a specific section including liquid reservoirs and flow paths adjoining to and directly communicating with a bubble trap flow path in the liquid container. In the state of closing a liquid feeder and opening an air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects a liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the upstream of the inlet with the liquid. In the state of opening the liquid feeder and closing the air open structure, the remanufacturing method injects the liquid through the inlet to fill a space in the downstream of the inlet with the liquid. The remanufacturing process seals the inlet after completion of the injection of the liquid. This arrangement enables the liquid to be refilled into the liquid container without damaging the functions of the liquid container.
US08256875B2
A two pass print mode method and apparatus limits wind-related print defects produced during printing, utilizing a reciprocating carrier of a printer carrying a printhead having an array of columns of actuator-fired fluid-jetting nozzles along a bi-directional scanning path. Due to instructions from a controller, printing proceeds along an initial partial swath on a print medium during a first pass along the scanning path by firing actuators associated with a first plurality of segments of a given column of nozzles. Then, printing proceeds along a final partial swath on the print medium during a second pass along the scanning path by firing actuators associated with a second plurality of segments of the given column of nozzles. Each segment of nozzles of the first and second pluralities includes more than one consecutive nozzle so that gaps are created in the partial swath printing accommodating wind-related effects without causing wind-related print defects.
US08256870B2
An image recording apparatus includes: a recording head having a plurality of recording elements; a conveyance device which conveys at least one of the recording head and a recording medium; a recording defect information acquisition device which acquires recording defect information; a recording defect correction device which corrects an image defect caused by the recording element having a recording defect; an image reading apparatus which reads in an image of a test chart for density measurement recorded by the recording head; a recording density information acquisition device which acquires recording density information indicating recording density of the plurality of recording elements; a density correction information calculation device which calculates density correction information; a density correction device which corrects density of image data; an uncorrected recording defect information acquisition device which acquires uncorrected recording defect information; and a recording density information amendment device which amends the density correction information.
US08256866B2
There is provided an ink jet recording apparatus capable of shortening the recording duration even when an image to be recorded includes a high-duty area having a large amount of ink to be discharged in the case of two-sided recording on a recording medium. The ink jet recording apparatus, which reverses the recording medium to enable two-sided recording, performs dividing the image to be recorded on a high-duty area having a large amount of ink to be discharged into two (first and second) planes, first plane recording involving a unit area to be subjected to an ink discharge amount below a predetermined amount, reversing the recording medium, and recording on the rear surface, and reversing the recording medium again, and second plane recording.
US08256865B2
An indication is received of a vacuum source level measured by a vacuum sensor in a printing device. The vacuum level is associated with a pulse-width modulation (PWM) level for a PWM controller. The measured vacuum level is compared to an expected vacuum level. The PWM level of the PWM controller is adjusted in view of the comparison to achieve a virtual PWM level.
US08256857B2
A method improves transfer efficiency of ink images on an image receiving member that were formed with small ink drops. The method includes identifying image data that correspond to ink drops that have a mass less than a predetermined threshold and that fail to comingle with another ink drop ejected with reference to the image data, modifying the identified image data to generate ink drops that comingle with at least one other ink drop ejected with reference to the image data, generating firing signals for inkjet ejectors in a print head with reference to the image data and modified image data, and ejecting in response to the firing signals a plurality of ink drops from the inkjet ejectors for each identified image data to enable a coalesced ink drop to form on an image receiving surface that has a mass that is greater than the predetermined threshold.
US08256853B2
An opening device for a slide assembly includes a swing member with a pin portion, a first resilient member and a pusher connected to the first rail. The first resilient member applies a force to the pusher. An engaging member pivotably connected to the second rail and includes a block and a positioning leg contacting a portion of the second rail. The engaging member is connected to a second resilient member. When the second rail is retracted relative to the first rail, the block of the engaging member contacts the pin portion of the swing member. When a pull force is applied to the retracted second rail, the engaging member swings an angle on the second rail to disengage the block from the pin portion of the swing member, and the engaging member returns to its original position relative to the second rail.
US08256850B1
Pivotally mounted doors forming the floor of a railroad car are prevented from opening inadvertently through not allowing fluid pressure to be applied to a door opening piston until the fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined amount. A control valve can control the position of a spool.
US08256845B2
A bamboo chair includes L-shaped first bamboo strips arranged in parallel, L-shaped third bamboo strips arranged in parallel, first reinforcing members fixedly connected between the straight horizontal sides of the L-shaped third bamboo strips and the straight horizontal sides of the L-shaped first bamboo strips in a parallel manner, a second reinforcing member fixedly connected between the arched vertical sides of the L-shaped first bamboo strips and the arched vertical sides of the L-shaped first bamboo strips at the bottom side, L-shaped second bamboo strips arranged in parallel and supported between the arched vertical sides of the L-shaped first bamboo strips and the arched vertical sides of the L-shaped third bamboo strips, and third reinforcing members respectively fixedly connected between the arched vertical sides of the L-shaped third bamboo strips and the straight horizontal sides of the L-shaped second bamboo strips and between the arched vertical sides of the L-shaped second bamboo strips and the arched vertical sides of the L-shaped first bamboo strips.
US08256841B2
A child restraint system for use in vehicles comprises a seat portion and a base. The base secures the child restraint system to a vehicle seat with a vehicle restraint such as a seat belt or a LATCH system. The base both engages the vehicle restraint and includes a force-multiplying mechanism for tensioning the vehicle restraint. Tensioning the vehicle restraint secures the base by forcing the base against the vehicle seat. An embodiment of the base includes a platform configured to rest on the vehicle seat, an upright member joined to the platform, and a tensioning device, including a force-multiplying mechanism, for tensioning the vehicle restraint.
US08256835B2
A tablet adjustment mechanism is provided to control the movement of a tablet of a seat assembly between a lowered non-use or stowed position under the armrest and a raised or use position, and further control the tablet's movement between an inward use position and an outward use position. The adjustment mechanism includes a plunger inside of a pivot element, the plunger's longitudinal and rotational or pivotal movements being controlled by a pin engaging a slot in the plunger, and also by a guide pin traversing an arcuate slot in a tablet support arm. The adjustment mechanism may limit lateral or sideward movement of the tablet when the tablet is in its fully lowered or stowed position and during at least some of the pivotal movement toward its raised position.
US08256821B2
The present invention is concerned with an accessory module system for a vehicle, the system comprising an accessory module assembly for location against an interior of a vehicle windscreen and which defines a plurality of sites for the modular location of one or more electronic accessories or the like, in particular for communicating with and/or through the vehicle windscreen, the accessory module system also including a cover assembly for location between the windscreen and a rigid frame assembly forming part of the accessory module assembly, the cover assembly being resiliently deformable in order to be capable of closely conforming to the shape of the windscreen.
US08256819B1
A system and method for creating a storage enclosure in a vehicle having a cargo area defined by a floor a pair of spaced apart side panels and a tailgate is disclosed. The system includes a forward bushing that is mounted from the top panel and an aft bushing that is also mounted from the top panel at a distance from the forward bushing. The system the tailgate and a locking mechanism to create a lockable, secure space. The locking mechanism includes a forward plate having a forward aperture having sides adapted for accepting the forward bushing, and an aft plate that is connected to the forward plate. The aft plate having an aft aperture adapted for accepting the aft bushing and having a stop that allows the forward bushing to travel along the forward aperture until the stop prevents the aft bushing from advancing towards the forward plate, thereby preventing the forward bushing from advancing forward and out of the forward aperture. The arrangement allows removal of the top panel from the locking mechanism by moving the top panel aft until the aft bushing moves out of the aft aperture, allowing the aft edge to be lifted from the aft aperture, and thus allowing the top panel to be positioned where the forward bushing may be removed from forward aperture in the forward plate.
US08256818B1
An embodiment of a vehicle mounted table system comprises hardware adapted to attach to a cargo area of a vehicle by way of one or more coupling mechanisms. The embodiment has a slider assembly adapted to slide relative to the hardware whereby the slider assembly can be slid at least partially out of a tailgate of the vehicle while the hardware remains attached to the vehicle. Operatively coupled to the slider assembly is one or more platforms, the platforms folding out of the vehicle through a hinge-turntable assembly. The embodiment also includes a canopy assembly having a flexible covering and one or more associated canopy supports, the one or more canopy supports adapted for attachment to the table structure when the tailgating assembly is fully deployed.
US08256793B1
A multifunctional stroller includes a frame, a user interface, a light assembly, a music playback device, and a timer-actuated switch electrically coupled directly to a power source. Sensors determine a real-time temperature at the multifunctional stroller and are coupled directly to the timer-actuated switch. Such sensors generate and transmit first, second and third input signals to the timer-actuated switch upon detecting first, second and third triggering events respectively. The user interface generates and transmits first and second control signals to the light assembly and the timer-actuated switch respectively upon receiving corresponding user inputs respectively. The timer-actuated switch is toggled to an open position upon receiving at least one of the first, second and third input signals within a first time period after receiving the second control signal so that power is transmitted to the music playback device for a second time period.
US08256792B2
A stroller with a front tray in front of the seat that can be folded down. The front tray is attached to two side bars of the stroller and can rotate around an axis that is horizontal and perpendicular to the moving direction of the stroller. The rotation axis is along a substantially straight side of the tray. When the tray is folded down, the tray is substantially vertical with the straight side at the top, and an infant car sear can be placed on the stroller such that the vertical tray is inserted into a notch in the base of the car seat.
US08256790B2
An adjustable receiver hitch system including a slide member that may be installed on a receiver tube attached to a vehicle, extending therethrough. Near the distal end of the slide member is disposed a rotationally pivotable bearing assembly. Interchangeable connection ends may be attached to the bearing assembly and are used to connect to a towed trailer. One interchangeable end may feature a height adjustment capability, while others may have fixed vertical heights. The system allows a user to adjust the attachment portion of the hitch in multiple ways to connect to a towed trailer to allow for attachment without an exact alignment between the primary vehicle and the trailer.
US08256788B2
Foot rests are provided for a saddle-ride type vehicle each including a step portion for placing a foot and an attachment portion which extends from the step portion toward a vehicle body frame and is turnably attached to a corresponding one of step brackets on the vehicle-body-frame side. The step portion includes: a first foot-placing portion, a second foot-placing portion, and a third foot-placing portion which extend in a vehicle width direction; a first reinforcement member and a second reinforcement member which connect the first foot-placing portion and the second foot placing portion; and a third reinforcement member and a fourth reinforcement member which connect the first foot-placing portion and the third foot-placing portion.
US08256787B2
An adjustable bicycle suspension system includes a first stroke adjustment unit and a second stroke adjustment unit. The first stroke adjustment unit is configured to adjust a stroke of a suspension by changing a position of the suspension at a first position or a second position. The second stroke adjustment unit is configured to change the position of the suspension at the second position independently from the first position.
US08256784B2
A vehicle with front and rear steering is disclosed. The vehicle can be a cycle. The cycle includes a front wheel steered by a front hand-steering mechanism, and two back wheels steered by a back hand-steering mechanism. The back wheels are dual inclined casters with full rotational movement. A drive train forward of the front wheel drives the front wheel, while a rider is inclined in a seat in a recumbent orientation. The front and rear steering provides unlimited maneuverability and turning capabilities.
US08256780B2
A steering device includes left and right arm mechanisms each including a front arm and a rear arm whose one ends are rotatably connected to a wheel-mounting portion at wheel-side connecting points and whose other ends are rotatably connected at body-side connecting points. The front arm and rear arm of the arm mechanisms each include a plurality of links, and adjacent links are rotatably connected to each other at an intermediate connecting point. An arm driving device drives the arm mechanisms independently from each other such that the angles of individual links around the connecting points are uniquely determined.
US08256779B1
An apparatus for practicing balance required for performing a trick of a sporting board traveling over a given terrain is provided. The apparatus may include a first or “top” deck, a second or “bottom” deck and one or more pivot elements. The top and bottom decks may respectively include first and second side edges, first and second (e.g., nose and tail) ends, first and second (e.g., upper and lower) surfaces and one or more apertures. The bottom deck may also include a centerline that is defined between the bottom-deck-nose and bottom-deck-tail ends. The top-deck-upper surface is adapted for a rider to ride on. The bottom-deck-upper surface is adapted to be in communication with at least a portion of the top-deck-lower surface, and the bottom-deck-lower surface is adapted to be positioned over a surface of the ground. The pivot elements are (i) disposed at least in part in one of the top-deck and bottom-deck apertures, and (ii) adapted to allow the top deck to rotate horizontally about an axis perpendicular to the bottom deck when the apparatus is in motion. When the top deck is positioned at an angle to the centerline causing the top deck to overhang at least a portion of the first side edge of the bottom deck, the top-deck-lower surface is in communication with the bottom-deck-upper surface above an intersection of the first side edge of the second deck and the bottom-deck-upper surface; thereby, permitting the rider to practice maintaining the balance with the top deck so positioned and with the apparatus in motion.
US08256778B1
A unique attachment mechanism whereby a trash can dolly can be affixed to the underside of a mop bucket by an interconnection mechanism by a simple rolling motion so that it is not necessary to lift a heavy mop bucket filled with water to interconnect the mop bucket and the trash can dolly.
US08256776B2
A specially formed cylindrical disc, set in a fixed position, to be utilized on the PIC® inline skate to allow for jumps and spins in the sport of inline figure skating. The performance pick disc is made of molded rubber or synthetic material. The purpose of the performance pick is to provide enhanced spins, jumps, and footwork common in the sport of inline figure skating. The continuous curved shape of the performance pick discs outer edges provides a toe-in angle of between 0 and 22 degrees, the optimal angle being between 5 and 12 degrees for jumps and 0 to 5 degrees for spins. In a variation, the outer edges are slanted at an angle between 20 and 45 degrees on both sides continuously around the cylindrically formed disc to provide an optimal surface for push offs common in inline figure skating maneuvers.
US08256766B2
A sheet aligning mechanism that aligns sheets of paper includes, in a shift tray, a pair of main joggers and a pair of sub joggers, which are arranged downstream of the main joggers in a sheet discharge direction, for use in width-direction alignment of the sheets. One of the sub joggers is configured to move from a position where the sub jogger is not upwardly receded to an upwardly-receded position so that the thus-opened up space, of which height corresponds to a height difference between the two positions, can be utilized for sheet removal.
US08256765B2
A storage device for a mail-handling machine, said storage device comprising a mailpiece-receiving deck along a longitudinal edge of which a referencing wall extends, and through which a conveyor belt passes for the purpose of conveying mailpieces along said referencing wall from an inlet of the device towards a sloping surface against which said mailpieces accumulate, said storage device further comprising a pivot arm that is mounted to move both vertically about hinge pin and horizontally along a slide rail, on which arm firstly a friction roller is mounted for pressing said mailpieces against the conveyor belt, and secondly a holding roller is mounted for pressing said mailpieces against the sloping surface.
US08256764B2
A sheet of paper is conveyed by a convey roller to a print receiving member and pushed forward thereon while being supported by ribs and pressed downward by pressing members so as to keep a predetermined distance between the paper and a recording head while an image is printed on the paper. Since the pressing members press respective side portions of the paper, the paper can be bent downward outside the outmost ribs and prevented from rising at the side portions.
US08256763B2
A paper feeding apparatus transports paper one by one through a transportation mechanism to an image forming unit of an image forming apparatus. The paper feeding apparatus includes a paper feed cassette to contain paper, a paper side guide arranged in the paper feed cassette to position the paper in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a transport direction of the paper, and a dust removing roller arranged in the paper side guide and in contact with the paper contained in the paper feed cassette.
US08256758B2
A bookbinding system that includes: a center folding unit configured to perform center folding on an integrated sheet bundle; an additionally folding unit configured to additionally perform folding of a folded portion of the center-folded sheet bundle; a back surface forming unit configured to form a back surface on the sheet bundle by pressing a front end of the folded portion of the center-folded sheet bundle and both surfaces of the sheet bundle; and a control unit configured to change the content of additionally folding according to whether to perform the back surface forming or not.
US08256756B2
A printing system includes a processing unit configured to cause a sheet processing unit to execute a sheet processing including a folding processing and a trimming processing on a printed sheet by executing a job, a determining unit configured to determine whether a fold line of a sheet folded by the folding processing is cut out by the trimming processing, and a control unit configured to perform controlling such that the fold line of the sheet folded by the folding processing is not cut out by the trimming processing if the determining unit determines that the fold line of the sheet folded by the folding processing is cutout by the trimming processing.
US08256755B2
A clamp apparatus includes a clamp unit capable of retaining a workpiece, a cylinder driven under the supply of a pressure fluid, and a drive force transmission mechanism, which is capable of transmitting a drive force from the cylinder to the clamp unit. The drive force transmission mechanism includes a guide body disposed displaceably inside of a body, two pairs of rollers retained rotatably on both side surfaces of the guide body, and a spindle inserted through a second link groove of the guide body that rotatably supports a clamp arm. The clamp arm is rotatably operated and is capable of clamping the workpiece under a displacement action of the guide body.
US08256753B2
A multi-station machine vise that is disclosed herein that utilizes soft jaws, which are symmetrical and machineable on all four sides. The jaws being identical in size and configuration makes them interchangeable/usable on any vise station, which results in reduced operating costs. The movable jaws are precisely located and fastened to the vise utilizing a jaw carrier, which incorporates a pull-down action to eliminate jaw lift. The jaw carrier includes a downwardly positioned wedge design that engages a corresponding wedge on a slide that moves the jaw carrier and the jaw. Incorporating the pull-down mechanism into the jaw carrier disposed between and slide and the jaw allows for simplifying the design and manufacture of the jaws.
US08256746B2
A cross-flow reservoir has a uniquely integrated filter and heat exchanger, whereby the reservoir, filtration and cooling functions are all performed by a single unit and without connecting fittings and connecting hoses therebetween.
US08256741B2
A pneumatic pressure regulating valve, the opening of which can be automatically changed in a pressure-related manner, including a control diaphragm that is subjected to a reference pressure, to the gas pressure as well as to a governor spring, wherein a change in the differential pressure causes an adjustment of the control diaphragm and the latter itself or a closing element actuated by it changes the opening through an outflow cross-section, and wherein a structure that is arranged adjacent to the outflow cross-section on the diaphragm side forms a stop for the control diaphragm or for the closing element in the closed position of said control diaphragm. At least one preliminary stop is arranged in the pressure regulating valve such that, when the control diaphragm is moving in its closing direction, the control diaphragm or the closing element first comes into contact with the preliminary stop and that, when the control diaphragm is moving further in its closing direction, the control diaphragm or the closing element will then, while being subjected to elastic and flexible deformation or being further subjected to elastic and flexible deformation respectively, further reduces the opening and, in a final position, also comes into contact with the stop.
US08256737B2
The present invention relates to a leverage device for leveraging a first member into a final position relative to a second member. Also disclosed is a leverage system that uses the leverage device. The leverage device of the present invention at least includes a mounting bracket, an actuating lever, a first linkage member, a second linkage member, and a cam.
US08256733B2
A support mechanism includes a bracket, a sliding member, a connecting unit, and an elastic member. The sliding member is slidably connected to the bracket. The connecting unit includes a first arm, a second arm pivotally connected to the first arm, a first pivot pivotally connecting a first ends of the first arm and the second arm, a second pivot pivotally connecting a second end of the first arm opposite to the first pivot and the bracket, a third pivot pivotally connecting a second end of the second arm opposite to the first pivot and the bracket, and a connecting piece sleeved on the first pivot. The elastic member is positioned between the connecting piece and the bracket. The sliding member resists the first arm and the second arm by an elastic force of the elastic member acting on the first arm and the second arm.
US08256730B2
A fixing member for handheld electronics is disclosed. The fixing member includes a fixing seat, a slot disposed in the fixing seat, a rotation axis set on the fixing seat, a one-way rolling member pivoted in the fixing seat and part of the one-way rolling member exposes on inner surface of the slot. The one-way rolling member is set on the rotation axis. Thus a side wall of the handheld electronic leans against the one-way rolling member when a handheld electronic is set inside the slot. Therefore, the handheld electronic is mounted inside the slot easily and stably without falling off.
US08256729B2
In a support for holding and positioning a utility load in space having a base (10) and an elongated supporting arm (12) which between its longitudinal ends is swingably supported on the base (10) for swinging moment about a vertical first axis (24) and about a horizontal second axis (30) which intersects the vertical first axis (24), the supporting arm (12) carrying on one side of the second axis the utility load and on the other side of the second axis carrying a counterweight compensating for the utility load, the utility load being arranged on a first connector arm (14) which is pivotally supported at one end of the supporting arm (12) for moment about a third axis (36), the counterweight (18) being arranged on a second connector arm which is swingably supported on the other end of the supporting arm (12) for movement about a fourth axis (38), the third and fourth axis being parallel to one another, the spacing (Ln) between the engagement point (N) of the utility load and the first connector arm (14) and the third axis (38) being equal to the spacing between the third axis (38) and the vertical axis (24), the spacing (Lg) measured in the longitudinal direction of the second connector arm (16) between the center of gravity (G) of the counterweight (18) and the fourth axis (38) being equal to the spacing between a fourth axis (38) and the vertical first axis (24), and the two connector arms (14, 16) being so coupled with one another by a coupling means that in any pivoted position they are directed antiparallel to one another.
US08256728B2
Speaker assemblies are disclosed that are configured for simple installation and removal. Speaker assemblies include a gear ring, a plurality of screws adapted to rotate when the gear ring is rotated, and a latching mechanism adapted to extend one or more latches outward when the screws are rotated. Methods of installing speaker assemblies include inserting a frame through a mounting hole in a mounting panel. A gear ring coupled to a plurality of screws is rotated, and a plurality of latches extend outward to engage a back-side surface of the mounting panel. Methods of making speaker assemblies include coupling a plurality of screws with a gear ring to enable rotation of the plurality of screws upon rotation of the gear ring. A latching mechanism is coupled to each of the plurality of screws.
US08256715B2
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to providing wing designs with payload integration capabilities on existing modularly assembled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Exemplary embodiments of the present invention present a novel technique of adding payloads to existing UAVs while improving flight performance over existing techniques by maintaining a similar overall weight with improved aerodynamic properties. The technique includes using a reinforced foam core center wing with a fiberglass epoxy skin. A lightweight payload canopy cover integrates onto the center wing as an agnostic enclosure for payloads. The payload canopy cover may contain venting holes for the cooling of electronic payloads. The systems may also include common devices such as antennas, GPS, and batteries for use with a wide range of payloads.
US08256711B2
The invention relates to a landing gear casing that comprises a longitudinal box with walls defining an inner housing (24) open at the bottom and enabling the stowage of the landing gear (20) inside the housing and the deployment thereof outside the housing, the walls of the casing separating the non-pressurised inner housing from a surrounding pressurised area (18) of the aircraft, characterised in that the casing includes a primary inner frame including: several primary transverse reinforcement arcs (26, 28) inside the housing; at least one longitudinal central reinforcement arc (30a, 30b) inside the housing; wherein the walls of the casing and the reinforcement being adapted to conform to the shapes of the landing gear (20) and the stowage/expansion mechanism (22) thereof.
US08256709B2
An aircraft propeller-engine layout includes at least one engine (10) arranged in a tail (2) of a fuselage (1) of an aircraft and has at least one propeller arrangement, with a shaft of the propeller (6, 7) being connected to a shaft (21) of the engine (10) via at least one transfer shaft (12).
US08256697B2
A seal system including a sleeve configured to receive a rotatable shaft therein and a dynamic race configured to be rotatably coupled to the shaft. The seal system further includes a biasing element configured to urge the dynamic race into engagement with a static race to form a primary seal, and a shroud configured to be rotatably coupled to the sleeve and positioned radially outside the biasing element. The seal system also includes a sealing element configured to be positioned radially inside the biasing element and to sealingly engage the sleeve to provide a secondary seal to generally block fluid bypassing the primary seal.
US08256695B2
A process of forming a semiconductive carbon nanotube structure includes imposing energy on a mixture that contains metallic carbon nanotubes and semiconductive carbon nanotubes under conditions to cause the metallic carbon nanotubes to be digested or to decompose so that they may be separated away from the semiconductive carbon nanotubes.
US08256694B2
A spray-gun line-connecting device is provided for the connection of a plurality of lines between a robotic arm and a spray device. The spray-gun line-connecting device may provide a plurality of cylindrical connection joints at an interface between mating surfaces. For example, the lines may include enlarged cylindrical heads, which fit within cylindrical receptacles in a first mating surface. A second mating surface may extend over the first mating surface, and include passages aligned with the lines.
US08256691B2
A nozzle module for an injection valve has a nozzle body with a nozzle body opening extending in the direction of a longitudinal axis, and which can be hydraulically coupled to a fluid feed; a nozzle needle which is movable axially in the nozzle body opening and which in a closed position prevents a flow of fluid through at least one injection opening and otherwise releases the fluid flow; and an induction-heated heating element disposed between the nozzle body and the nozzle needle. The heating element is at least partially spaced a distance away from the nozzle body and from the nozzle needle, and during operation of the injection valve the fluid can flow against a side of the heating element facing the nozzle body and a side of the heating element facing the nozzle needle.
US08256688B2
The present invention relates to a method for certifying and subsequently authenticating original physical or digital documents. The concept of the evidence lies in the dual nature of a physical information item and a digital information item, one being the reference for the other that cannot lie amended at the risk of the evidence being lost. For a physical original document associated with a bubble seal there is a corresponding time-and-date-stamped, proprietary paperless reference counterpart. For a time-and-date-stamped, proprietary digital original document there is a corresponding reference counterpart in the form of a bubble seal.
US08256679B2
When configuring multiple patient monitors (12) in a healthcare environment, configuration is simplified and setup time is reduced by employing barcoded configuration information that is scanned into the monitors (12) using a barcode scanner (14). A first monitor (12a) is configured by selectively scanning one or more barcodes contained in a configuration booklet. Once the first monitor (12a) is configured, its configuration information is stored and printed in barcoded format. The printed barcodes are then scanned into a second patient monitor (12b), without requiring the user to navigate the configuration barcode booklet a second time. Additionally, a patient's ID barcode is printed on vital signs records generated by the monitor, such as by a strip chart recorder or printer (20).
US08256678B2
There is described an image sensor based indicia reading terminal comprising a variable setting imaging lens having a first setting at which the terminal has a first plane of optimum focus and a second setting at which the terminal has a second plane of optimum focus. According to one embodiment, a first predetermined picture size where picture size is determined according to a number of pixels subject to read out, can be associated to the first lens setting and a second picture size can be associated to the second lens setting such that the terminal with the lens setting set to the first setting reads out a frame of a first picture size and with the lens setting set to a second setting reads out a frame of a second picture size. In addition to or in place of the picture size operational parameters, different operational parameters can be associated to the respective first and second lens settings. Additionally or alternatively, different processes for determining an operational parameter and/or different algorithms for determining an operational parameter can be associated to each of the first and second lens settings.
US08256675B2
The invention relates to a voltage converter comprising a rectification unit and a voltage regulation unit, wherein the input side of the voltage converter can have an AC voltage applied to it, the output side of the voltage converter can have a rectified voltage taken from it, and the voltage regulation unit regulates the power in the voltage converter.
US08256674B2
Apparatus and methods for identifying and counting objects having identifiers entering and exiting a surgical field are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus has an entry scanner, a hand held scanner and an exit scanner for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. In another embodiment, the apparatus has a plurality of lower antennas and an upper antenna for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. Various surgical devices with identifiers and methods for preventing electromagnetic coupling between and protecting objects and identifiers are also provided. The invention further provides apparatus and methods comprising a handheld scanner and a mat adapted to underlie a patient during a surgical procedure.
US08256655B2
A surgical stapling apparatus includes a staple cartridge and an anvil member. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in rows of retention slots. The staple cartridge may have an annular or linear configuration of retention slots. The tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge may be tapered or stepped. The anvil member has a tissue contacting surface that includes a number of pockets arranged for substantially aligning with the retention slots. In addition, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil member may complement the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge.
US08256651B2
The shopping cart organizer fits removably into the child's seat area of a shopping cart, and facilitates the monitoring of a child by a parent or guardian shopper during a shopping trip. The device includes two rigidly connected panels and a hinged panel that permit the devices to fold and nest compactly for storage when not in use. A first panel serves as a seat bottom for the child's seating area, and may be padded. A second panel extends upwardly and rearwardly from the first panel to face a rearwardly facing child in the child's seat, and includes a series of shopping related features thereon to keep the child occupied. A third panel extends outwardly and rearwardly from the upper edge of the second panel to face the shopper and includes a series of aids to assist the shopper, e.g., charts, coupon and list holders, calculator, article storage hooks, etc.
US08256645B2
A fluid dispenser is disclosed where a backoff distance is determined and implemented to prevent leakage while dispensing sequentially an accurate, precise amount of fluid substantially independent of the fluid remaining in a syringe-type dispenser. The fluid characteristics of the fluid, e.g. viscosity, surface tension, etc. affect the backoff distance that may be determined heuristically for fluid type, amount of fluid remaining in the syringe and amount to be dispensed. Once the fluid characteristics are known, the dispensing may be accomplished automatically with a processor loading new drive and backoff steps to a motor controller.
US08256644B2
The invention relates to a dispenser for hygiene products, which dispenser comprises a rear section (2, 22, 32), two side sections (3, 4; 23, 24;33, 34), a front section (5, 25, 35), an upper section (6, 26, 36) and a lower section (7, 27, 37) having means for dispensing hygiene products. At least the rear section (2, 22, 32) and the two side sections (3, 4; 23, 24;33, 34) comprise substantially flat components made from a plastic material, and that the front section (5, 25, 35) and the upper section (6, 26, 36) form a single sheet metal component having at least one cylindrical single-curvature bend.
US08256643B2
An articulated structure to connect a cover to a support, which may be installed on a container or is formed from a single piece with an opening section of the container, comprising an articulated joint to guide the cover between a closed position and an open position with a pivot point situated on the outer side of the cover and/or the support, and an elastomer spring part, which grips the outer side of the cover as well as the support and is prestressed at least in the closed position of the cover under tension, characterized in that a force application point of the elastomer spring part to the cover and/or to the support at least in the closed position of the cover is displaced to the outside beyond the pivot point of the articulated joint.
US08256639B1
A travel bowl assembly for traveling in a vehicle including a bowl divided into a snack section and a cup holder section. A container extends downward from a bottom of the bowl member, secondarily used as a cup holder insert and assembly support. The cup holder insert can be integrated or removably attached to the bowl. A pliant adapter can be integrated or removably attached to the cup holder insert. The pliant adapter utilizes flexible winglets for compensating between dimensional differences between the cup holder insert and a receiving cup holder. The pliant adapter is formed having a tapered sleeve for sliding the adapter onto a tapered sidewall of the cup holder insert. A cover can be provided, sealing the snack section of the bowl. A lid can be provided, sealing the container. The lid can be fastened to a storage interface disposed on the lower surface of the bowl.
US08256635B2
A collapsible cargo container assembly includes a collapsible skeleton framework defining a front, rear and opposite sides of the container assembly and includes a plurality of generally parallel ribs spaced from and generally planar to each other when the container assembly is in an open condition. A plurality of articulated braces are connected to and extend between the ribs to hold the ribs in spaced relationship in the open condition of the container assembly. The articulated braces are foldable to position the ribs in juxtaposition alongside each other in a collapsed condition of the container assembly. A flexible cover is positioned substantially about the collapsible framework and is fixed thereto for folding therewith as the framework moves back-and-forth between the open and collapsed conditions thereof.
US08256630B2
A frame structure includes two side frames and a foldable frame coupled with the side frames to fold between an unfolded position and a folded position. The foldable frame includes a transmission link supported between the side frames, a sliding joint slidably coupling with the transmission link, and two folding arms coupling the transmission link to the side frames respectively. Each of the folding arms has an upper end pivotally coupling with the sliding joint and a lower end pivotally coupling with the respective side frame. At the unfolded position, the sliding joint is upwardly slid to an upper end of the transmission link to move the side frames away from each other. At the folded position, the sliding joint is downwardly slid away from the upper end of said transmission link to move the side frames towards each other for folding the side frames side-by-side.
US08256628B2
A shelving system includes a product, a base, a tray insert, a template, and a placement clip. The base has a top surface forming a receptacle and includes a hanger assembly for securing the base to a shelving unit. The tray insert is secured into the receptacle formed in the top surface of the base. The tray insert has a plurality of slots spaced along a length of the insert. The template is received over the tray insert to cover the insert. The template has openings through the tray insert to selectively expose a desired subset of slots. The placement clip is secured through one of the openings in the template into a pair of the desired subset of slots. The placement clip acts to secure the template to the tray insert and is adapted to maintain the product.
US08256627B2
A snap-mount blanking panel for an equipment rack or cabinet enclosure has ergonomic grips spaced laterally inwardly and offset forwardly to permit comfortable and reliable mounting and removal of the blanking panel regardless of lateral clearance. A special stacking structure engages the grips in a manner to position a blanking panel, when stacked upon a lower blanking panel, in a fixed and stabilized relation to the lower blanking panel. The stacking features enable stable stacking of multiple units, one on top of another, without requiring external confinement of the stack.
US08256626B2
A composite membrane is provided for the separation of water with at least one separation layer of cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol, with the separation layer being subjected in a separate process step to a post-crosslinking operation with an acid or an acid-releasing compound and at least one dialdehyde.
US08256615B2
A packaging container includes a pallet, an enclosure base, an enclosure box, a sheet, and a set of fasteners. The pallet includes a bottom deck, a top deck, and a set of support members. The enclosure base is placed on the pallet top deck. The enclosure box is placed above the pallet top deck around the enclosure base, and includes a top wall, first and second pairs of opposed side walls, an open bottom, and a first set of through-holes. The sheet is passed across the pallet hollow structure and fastened to the enclosure box to connect the pallet to the enclosure box, and includes a center panel, a pair of side flaps, and a second set of through-holes. The set of fasteners are passed through the first and second sets of through-holes to fasten the sheet to the enclosure box from outside the enclosure box.
US08256605B2
In order to transport printed circuit boards (30) through a processing system (12), printed circuit boards (30) lying one behind another can be connected by means of holding clips (22) to form a type of chain. The outer ends of the holding clips (22) are suspended on two spaced-apart transport chains (16) which provide for transport and mounting. The holding clips are formed in two parts with a lower holding part (22) and an upper holding part (40), between which a printed circuit board (30) is mounted.
US08256604B2
A banknote processing machine includes: a receipt section which receives a banknote; a temporary storage section which includes a pair of first and second drums, and a tape wound between the pair of first and second drums, the tape having an end fixed to the first drum, a tape section for banknote sheets and a tape section for partition sheets positioned at a side of the end with respect to the tape section for banknote sheets, the temporary storage section releasably receiving a conveyed banknote by winding the conveyed banknote on the first drum together with the tape section for banknote sheets and releasably receiving at least one partition sheet by winding the partition sheet on the first drum together with the tape section for partition sheets; and a control section which causes the temporary storage section to release the partition sheet wound on the first drum, and causes the receipt section to receive the partition sheet from the temporary storage section, in response to the receipt section receiving a banknote.
US08256602B2
Roller conveyors of an aircraft cargo deck, including rollers for transporting freight packages, particularly containers, and a channel with side walls and a base for the installation of locking bar elements to hold the freight packages, are provided. The side walls have reinforcing sections with recesses in which the rollers are installed, whereby axles on which the rollers are rotatably mounted are fixed in each of the side walls. This results in an extremely sturdy but nevertheless lightweight construction.
US08256591B2
The present invention relates generally to a support mechanism for luggage, and more specifically to a support mechanism for luggage having U-shaped recesses within which telescoping handle tubes are positioned.
US08256590B2
A vibration suppressing device and a vibration suppressing method that are capable of obtaining an accurate optimum rotation speed and shortening a time period from generation of chatter vibration to calculation of the optimum rotation speed are provided. The vibration suppressing device includes: vibration sensors for detecting time-domain vibrational accelerations of a rotary shaft in rotation; and a control device for calculating a chatter frequency and a frequency-domain vibrational acceleration of the rotary shaft at the chatter frequency on the basis of the time-domain vibrational accelerations detected by the vibration sensors, and when the calculated frequency-domain vibrational acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold value, calculating an optimum rotation speed on the basis of a predetermined parameter, and rotating the rotary shaft at the calculated optimum rotation speed.
US08256585B2
A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly includes a base wall extending between a rear end and front end. The base wall has opposite side edges. The base wall has a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end with the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end. The brake beam wear liner also includes side walls extending from the opposite side edges and flanges extending outward from the side walls generally opposite the base wall. The side walls and the base wall define an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly.
US08256584B2
A parking brake assembly for a railway car includes a ratchet mounted for rotation on a threaded piston rod of a brake actuator and a holding pawl engageable with the ratchet for maintaining a push rod of the parking brake assembly to apply braking force when the air pressure is lost in the brake pipe and releasing the push rod to accordingly release the braking force when the supply of air pressure in the brake pipe is restored. An operating lever and a cylinder connected thereto are provided for selectively rotating the holding pawl. Valve is provided for supplying air pressure to and evacuating it from the cylinder. Release mechanism is provided for manually releasing the braking force. The parking brake assembly is employed with either truck-mounted or carbody-mounted braking system.
US08256579B2
The present invention relates to a braking apparatus and an elevator system comprising the braking apparatus for grasping or gripping a hoisting rope of the elevator. The system comprises a pair of brake shoes, a motorized rotatable camshaft with at least one cam surface for pressing against a push plate to compress a spring means and keep the shoes apart or when the motor is disengaged cause the cam shaft to not push on the push plate such that the springs expand cause the brake shoes to come together and grip the hoisting rope.
US08256576B2
An oil circulation system for a gas turbine engine includes a variable displacement scavenge pump for pumping oil, a first actuator for controlling displacement of the scavenge pump, a variable displacement pressure pump for pumping oil, a second actuator for controlling displacement of the pressure pump, and a drive shaft. Both the scavenge pump and the pressure pump are driven by the drive shaft.
US08256569B1
A sound muffler combines a resonator chamber with a dissipative layer surrounding a through pipe. The muffler provides sound attenuation over a wide range of sound frequencies while maintaining unimpeded flow of gases through the pipe. This attenuation is achieved by combining dissipation with a frusto-conical resonant chamber. The dissipation is achieved by encircling the through passage with a layer of low density material such as metallic or ceramic foam or loosely packed fibers of a heat resistant material. The low density material attenuates the high frequency waves while permitting the passage of low frequency sound waves into the frusto-conical resonant chamber.
US08256568B2
A protective sleeve having an external sound-amplifying member is configured to cover a portable electronic product having an audio port, and it includes a covering element covering the portable electronic product and a sound-amplifying member. A surface of the covering element is provided with a connecting hole in communication with the audio port. The sound-amplifying member is hollow and connected to the outside of the covering element. One end of the sound-amplifying member is formed into an insertion section inserted into the connecting hole, and the other end thereof is formed into a sound-amplifying section. The sound of the portable electronic product is emitted from the audio port and amplified through the sound-amplifying member and the sound-amplifying section. By this structure, an external loud speaker is unnecessary, and the protective sleeve itself can generate a sufficient sound-amplifying effect, thereby increasing the functionality and practicability of the protective sleeve.
US08256564B2
A vehicle, such as a motorcycle, can include an exhaust pipe connected to a back or rear side of an engine of the vehicle. A rear cushioning member can be provided between the engine and a rear wheel of the vehicle. The exhaust pipe can include a front portion that extends from the engine backward on one side of the rear cushioning member, with respect to a widthwise direction of the vehicle, and a transverse portion that extends, in a direction substantially transverse to a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, from the one side to another side, between the rear cushioning member and the rear wheel.
US08256554B2
A hybrid bicycle includes a control system for providing a control input for a motor component or a gearing adjustment mechanism of the bicycle. The motor component, if employed, assists in forward propulsion of the bicycle and the control system, when providing a control input for the motor increases drive power applied by the motor to the bicycle. The gearing adjustment mechanism, if employed, effects a change in a gearing ratio applied to a wheel of the bicycle, and the control system, when providing a control input for the gearing adjustment mechanism continuously varies the gearing ratio.
US08256543B2
A bicycle may tow a trailer for the purposes of carrying a heavy or large object across great distances. A motor may be mounted to the trailer which drives a rear wheel of the bicycle. To this end, a transmission is added to the rear hub of the bicycle which is mechanically coupled to the output shaft of the motor. When the trailer is detached or not used in conjunction with the bicycle, the rider does not have to carry the weight of the motor. Also, this setup provides a stable configuration since the bicycle is pulling the trailer.
US08256536B2
A backreamer includes a distal end configured for connection to product and a proximal end configured for attachment to a distal end of a drill string. The backreamer includes a backreaming cutter having a cutting side that faces toward the proximal end of the backreamer. The backreamer also includes a proximal assembly that extends between the proximal end of the backreamer and the backreaming cutter. The proximal assembly defines a vacuum passage for removing material cut by the backreaming cutter. The backreamer further includes a drive stem for transferring torque to the backreaming cutter for rotating the backreaming cutter. The drive stem is rotatably supported within the proximal assembly such that the drive stem and the backreaming cutter are rotatable relative to the proximal assembly. The backreamer additionally includes a distal assembly that extends between the backreaming cutter and the distal end of the backreamer. The distal assembly includes a vacuum blocking plate positioned distally with respect to the backreaming cutter. The backreaming cutter and the drive stem are rotatable relative to the vacuum blocking plate.
US08256529B2
The invention relates to an arrangement for employing a drill steel centralizer travelling on a feed beam of a rock drill machine. The drill steel centralizer has a pressure fluid-operated actuator for closing a transfer opening intended for a drill rod during drilling, whereby pressure fluid is fed into the actuator during drilling.
US08256522B2
A flow control screen having a fluid flow path between a perforated section of a base pipe and a filter medium positioned around a blank pipe section of the base pipe. A valve assembly, including a piston body and a valve plug, is disposed within the fluid flow path. The piston body has an internal seat and a collet assembly that is radially outwardly constrained in a first operating position of the piston body to retain the valve plug therein and radially outwardly unconstrained in a second operating position of the piston body. Reverse flow is initially prevented as an internal differential pressure seats the valve plug on the internal seat and causes the piston body to shift to the second operating position upon reaching a predetermined threshold. Thereafter, an external differential pressure causes the valve plug to be expelled through the collet assembly, thereby no longer preventing reverse flow.
US08256512B2
A method for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation includes providing heat to a first portion of the formation using a heater. The heating section of the heater is at least partially located in a substantially horizontal or inclined portion of a wellbore and is located in or proximate to a hydrocarbon containing layer of the formation. The heating section has a length that is at most 1/2 the length of the horizontal or inclined portion of the wellbore. At least a portion of the heating section in the wellbore is moved such that heat is provided to a second portion of the formation. The second portion is horizontally displaced from the first portion of the formation.
US08256510B2
Screen assemblies capable of being disposed in a bore for hydrocarbon fluid production are described. The screen assemblies can support filter mediums and reduce or eliminate plugging by swellable material. One screen assembly includes filter mediums supported by a rigid member located exterior to a portion of a base pipe. The rigid member can include openings through which the filter mediums can be in fluid communication with an inner diameter of the base pipe. Swellable material can be disposed exterior to a second portion of the base pipe adjacent to the rigid member. The filter mediums can be displaced to contact a wellbore and the rigid members can help reduce or prevent plugging of screen assembly openings.
US08256505B1
A well cellar system includes a substantially planar base plate, the base defining an aperture sized to receive a conductor pipe. The planar base plate is an integral structural member which, in conjunction with the seal between the base plate and the wall and the riser and the conductor, are sufficiently robust to support the weight of the conductor pipe and its auxiliary equipment. The sealed well cellar is afforded with a laterally extending flange which serves as an anti-buoyancy anchor. A anti-buoyancy port allows the upward floatation pressure to be balanced out by water pressure within the cellar during placement to avoid floatation. A sacrificial anode housing is provided with a removable lid and holes for allowing passage of electrolyte. Although the preferred embodiments of sealed well cellars are metal and plastic, a cementaceous embodiment is also envisioned.
US08256501B2
A plate-type heat transport device and electronic instrument are provided. The plate-type heat transport device includes a heat absorbing plane absorbing heat because of the evaporation of a working fluid, a heat emission plane opposing the heat absorbing plane and emitting heat because of the condensation of the working fluid, and a flow path two-dimensionally arranged between the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane to align with the heat absorbing plane and the heat emission plane, the flow path allowing the working fluid to flow therethrough for changing the phase of the working fluid, and the flow path being capable of two-dimensionally diffusing the working fluid by generating a capillary force in the condensed working fluid.
US08256498B2
A heat dissipation apparatus includes a heat sink and a pair of first heat pipes. The heat sink includes a pair of first fin assemblies staggered with a pair of second fin assemblies. The first and second fin assemblies each define a receiving groove therein. The second fin assemblies each further defines an opening communicating with the receiving groove of a corresponding second fin assembly. The first heat pipes each include an evaporation section and a condensation section. A portion of the condensation section of each of the first heat pipes is inserted into the receiving groove of each of the first fin assemblies. The other portion of the condensation section of each of the first heat pipes is received in the receiving groove of each of the second fin assemblies through the opening.
US08256496B2
The invention relates to an air diverter for a vehicle cooling system. There is a need for an improved vehicle cooling system. An air diverter is provided for a vehicle cooling system having a radiator, a fan for moving air through the radiator and a cooling unit positioned in front of the radiator with respect to air moving through the radiator. The fan is surrounded by a fan shroud. The air diverter includes a collector and a conduit. The collector is positioned between the cooling unit and the radiator. The collector receives a portion of air which passes through the cooling unit. The conduit extends around an edge of the radiator and communicates air from the collector to the interior of the fan shroud while bypassing the radiator.
US08256495B2
A fan is enclosed in the enclosure of an electronic apparatus. The fan discharges air out of a ventilation opening of the fan. Heat radiating fins are located in an air passage extending from the ventilation opening. A dust catcher is removably mounted on an outside surface of the enclosure into an opening of the enclosure. The dust catcher is located in the air passage between the heat radiating fins and the ventilation opening. The dust catcher serves to catch the dust in the air passage. The dust catcher is removed from the enclosure along with the dust.
US08256494B2
A continuous-casting unit produces a longitudinally extending and traveling strand having a solid shell and a liquid core. A strand-guiding apparatus has a plurality of longitudinally spaced section frames and respective pairs of roller assemblies carried on the frames and transversely flanking and bearing transversely on the strand. Each pair forms a gap through which the strand passes, and each roller assembly is formed by two aligned subrollers. A respective center is provided bearing between the subrollers of each roller assembly and bracing inner ends of the respective subrollers transversely against the respective frame. Respective outer rollers at outer ends of the subrollers of each roller assembly brace the respective outer ends transversely against the respective frame. The subrollers are shaped or supported on the respective frame such that in an unloaded condition the gap is transversely narrower at the center bearing than at the outer bearing.
US08256473B2
A container supplied to a carousel type filling unit is directed onto a supporting and weighing device (1) that presents a hollow body (12) attached to the carousel and housing a load cell. The hollow body (12) is equipped with a pedestal (19) presenting a platform (20) on which to stand the container, and a connecting element (21) of which a first end (21a) is coupled with the load cell internally of the hollow body (12) and a second end (21b), opposite to the first end (21a), is secured to the platform (20). To advantage, the first end (21a) of the connecting element (21) is seated in a through opening (13) afforded by the underside of the hollow body (12).
US08256471B2
This storage facility (I) comprises at least one light fuel tank (C1, C2, C3) and at least one heavy fuel tank (C4), each one of the tanks being equipped with a vent pipe (12, 22, 32, 42). All of the vent pipes open into the same collector (14) intended to communicate these pipes with one another and to be connected to a tank (10) of a delivery vehicle. Furthermore, whether respectively associated with a light fuel tank or a heavy fuel tank, the vent pipes are provided with means (13, 23, 33, 43) for condensing the vent gases flowing through these pipes, the condensates from these condensation means being discharged into the or at least one of the light fuel tanks. It is thus possible to minimize the discharge of light fuel vapors from the facility, whether into the atmosphere or into the tank of the delivery vehicle.
