US08383517B2
A substrate processing method that can selectively remove deposit produced through dry etching of silicon. A substrate has a silicon base material and a hard mask that is made of a silicon nitride film and/or a silicon oxide film and formed on the silicon base material, the hard mask having an opening to which at least part of the silicon base material is exposed. A trench corresponding to the opening is formed in the silicon base material through dry etching using plasma produced from halogenated gas. After the dry etching, the substrate is heated to a temperature of not less than 200° C., and then hydrogen fluoride gas and helium gas are supplied toward the substrate.
US08383512B2
A method provides electrical connections to a stack of contact levels of an interconnect region for a 3-D stacked IC device. Each contact level comprises conductive and insulation layers. A portion of any upper layer is removed to expose a first contact level and create contact openings for each contact level. A set of N masks is used to etch the contact openings up to and including 2N contact levels. Each mask is used to etch effectively half of the contact openings. When N is 3, a first mask etches one contact level, a second mask etches two contact levels, and a third mask etches four contact levels. A dielectric layer may be formed on the sidewalls of the contact openings. Electrical conductors may be formed through the contact openings with the dielectric layers electrically insulating the electrical conductors from the sidewalls.
US08383511B2
Openings are formed in first and second mask layers. Next, diameter of the opening in the second mask layer is enlarged so that the diameter of the opening in the second mask layer becomes larger by a length X than diameter of the opening in the first mask layer. Thereafter, mask material is formed into the opening in the second mask layer, to form a cavity with a diameter X within the opening in the second mask layer. There is formed a mask which includes the second mask layer and the mask material having therein opening including the cavity.
US08383510B2
Upon forming a complex metallization system, the parasitic capacitance between metal lines of adjacent metallization layers may be reduced by providing a patterned etch stop material. In this manner, the patterning process for forming the via openings may be controlled in a highly reliable manner, while, on the other hand, the resulting overall dielectric constant of the metallization system may be reduced, thereby also significantly reducing the parasitic capacitance between stacked metal lines.
US08383505B2
A solder ball contact and a method of making a solder ball contact includes: a first insulating layer with a via formed on an integrated circuit (IC) chip and a metal pad; an under bump metallurgy (UBM) structure disposed within the via and on a portion of the first insulating layer, surrounding the via; a second insulating layer formed on an upper surface of an outer portion of the UBM structure that is centered on the via; and a solder ball that fills the via and is disposed above an upper surface of an inner portion of the UBM structure that contacts the via, in which the UBM structure that underlies the solder ball is of a greater diameter than the solder ball.
US08383492B2
A method is provided for producing a thin substrate with a thickness below 750 microns, comprising providing a mother substrate, the mother substrate having a first main surface and a toughness; inducing a stress with predetermined stress profile in at least a portion of the mother substrate, said portion comprising the thin substrate, the induced stress being locally larger than the toughness of the mother substrate at a first depth under the main surface; such that the thin substrate is released from the mother substrate, wherein the toughness of the mother substrate at the first depth is not lowered prior to inducing the stress. The method can be used in the production of, for example, solar cells.
US08383476B2
A method of forming a device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with a cell area and forming first and second gates of first and second transistors in the cell area. The first gate includes a second sub-gate surrounding a first sub-gate. The first and second sub-gates of the first gate are separated by a first intergate dielectric layer. The second gate includes a second sub-gate surrounding a first sub-gate. The first and second sub-gates of the second gate are separated by a second intergate dielectric layer. The method also includes forming first and second junctions of the first and second transistors. A first gate terminal is formed and coupled to the second sub-gate of the first transistor. A second gate terminal is formed and coupled to at least the first sub-gate of the second transistor.
US08383467B2
A thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of manufacturing the same are provided, the TFT including a gate insulating layer on a gate. A channel may be formed on a portion of the gate insulating layer corresponding to the gate. A metal material may be formed on a surface of the channel. The metal material crystallizes the channel. A source and a drain may contact side surfaces of the channel.
US08383449B2
A thin film transistor array panel includes a substrate, a plurality of first and second signal lines crossing each other on the substrate, source electrodes connected to the first signal lines, drain electrodes connected to the second signal lines, pixel electrodes connected to the drain electrodes, a first partition formed on the source and drain electrodes and having a first opening, wherein a lower width of the first opening is wider than an upper width of the first opening, an organic semiconductor formed in the first opening and at least overlapping the portions of the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a gate electrode connected to the second signal line and at least overlapping the portion of the organic semiconductor.
US08383447B2
A reverse image sensor module includes first and second semiconductor chips, and first and second insulation layers. The first semiconductor chip includes a first semiconductor chip body having a first surface and a second surface facing away from the first surface, photodiodes disposed on the first surface, and a wiring layer disposed on the second surface and having wiring lines electrically connected to the photodiodes and bonding pads electrically connected to the wiring lines. The second semiconductor chip includes a second semiconductor chip body having a third surface facing the wiring layer, and through-electrodes electrically connected to the bonding pads and passing through the second semiconductor chip body. The first insulation layer is disposed on the wiring layer, and the second insulation layer is disposed on the third surface of the second semiconductor chip body facing the first insulation layer and is joined to the first insulation layer.
US08383446B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a photoelectric conversion portion that receives an incident light from a back surface side of a silicon layer to perform photoelectric conversion on the incident light; and a pixel transistor portion that outputs signal charges generated in the photoelectric conversion portion towards a front surface side of the silicon layer, wherein a gettering layer having internal stress is provided on the front surface side of the silicon layer at a position to overlap the photoelectric conversion portion on a plan view layout thereof.
US08383440B2
System and method for providing a light shield for a CMOS imager is provided. The light shield comprises a structure formed above a point between a photo-sensitive element and adjacent circuitry. The structure is formed of a light-blocking material, such as a metal, metal alloy, metal compound, or the like, formed in dielectric layers over the photo-sensitive elements.
US08383438B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fabricating light-emitting diodes. The method includes etching grooves on a growth substrate, thereby creating mesas on the growth substrate. The method further includes fabricating on each of the mesas an indium gallium aluminum nitride (InGaAlN) multilayer structure which contains a p-type layer, a multi-quantum-well layer, and an n-type layer. In addition, the method includes depositing one or more metal substrate layers on top of the InGaAlN multilayer structure. Moreover, the method includes removing the growth substrate. Furthermore, the method includes creating electrodes on both sides of the InGaAlN multilayer structure, thereby resulting in a vertical-electrode configuration.
US08383433B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention disclose a light emitting diode (LED) and a method of fabricating the same. The LED includes a substrate, a semiconductor stack arranged on the substrate, the semiconductor stack including an upper semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a lower semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type, isolation trenches separating the semiconductor stack into a plurality of regions, connectors disposed between the substrate and the semiconductor stack, the connectors electrically connecting the plurality of regions to one another, and a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) having a multi-layered structure, the DBR disposed between the semiconductor stack and the connectors. The connectors are electrically connected to the semiconductor stack through the DBR, and portions of the DBR are disposed between the isolation trenches and the connectors.
US08383432B2
Colloidal-processed Si particle devices, device fabrication, and device uses have been presented. The generic device includes a substrate, a first electrode overlying the substrate, a second electrode overlying the substrate, laterally adjacent the first electrode, and separated from the first electrode by a spacing. A colloidal-processed Si particle layer overlies the first electrode, the second electrode, and the spacing between the electrodes. The Si particle layer includes a first plurality of nano-sized Si particles and a second plurality of micro-sized Si particles.
US08383431B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) including: a substrate; a reflection layer on the substrate and including metal; a first electrode on the reflection layer and including a light transparent aluminum zinc oxide (AZO); an organic layer on the first electrode and including an emitting layer; and a second electrode on the organic layer and including a semi-transparent reflection layer.
US08383428B2
An exhaust pressure measuring device including a connection pipe connected to a middle of an exhaust line for carrying byproduct gas, the connection pipe having an opening formed in a middle of a body thereof; a chamber provided at an outer side of the connection pipe and communicating with an inside of the connection pipe through the opening, the chamber having a nitrogen supply line connected thereto, the nitrogen supply line allowing nitrogen gas to be supplied from the outside; and a pressure sensor installed to the chamber to measure pressure in the chamber, whereby a change of exhaust pressure in the exhaust line is measured from the measured pressure in the chamber.
US08383425B2
The invention provides methods and compositions for the rapid and sensitive detection of post-translationally modified proteins, and particularly of those with post-translational glycosylations. The methods can be used to detect O-GlcNAc posttranslational modifications on proteins on which such modifications were undetectable using other techniques. In one embodiment, the method exploits the ability of an engineered mutant of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase to selectively transfer an unnatural ketone functionality onto O-GlcNAc glycosylated proteins. Once transferred, the ketone moiety serves as a versatile handle for the attachment of biotin, thereby enabling detection of the modified protein. The approach permits the rapid visualization of proteins that are at the limits of detection using traditional methods. Further, the preferred embodiments can be used for detection of certain disease states, such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
US08383423B2
A peptide-coated nanoparticle that includes a nanocrystal surrounded by a graded shell that is composed of at least two different semiconductor molecules. At least one peptide is attached to the surface of the graded shell to render the nanoparticle biocompatible. The nanocrystal core and graded shell are optionally annealed with ultra violet radiation prior to and/or after attachment of the peptide(s).
US08383422B2
The present invention provides an immunochromatographic device, which contains the following (a) and (b): (a) a first device part holding a first insoluble carrier used for developing a complex formed with an analyte and a labeling substance comprising a metal labeled with a first binding substance that can bind to the analyte and capturing the analyte and the labeling substance at a reaction portion containing a second binding substance that can bind to the analyte, and (b) a second device part holding a second insoluble carrier used for developing a liquid and a third insoluble carrier used for absorbing a liquid, in such a way that the first insoluble carrier does not come into contact with the second insoluble carrier and the third insoluble carrier.
US08383421B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge for automatic measurement used in an automatic measuring device, capable of automatically performing measurement including heat treatment of a sample, and a measuring device using the cartridge.The present invention relates to a cartridge for use in measuring a component to be measured contained in a sample, comprising: at least a heat-treatment well for performing heat treatment of the sample; and a reaction well for reacting the component to be measured in the sample with a material specifically reacting therewith.
US08383418B2
A method for operating a tissue processor is described. During the operation of a tissue processor a reagent is fed from a container into a retort of the tissue processor, which retort does not contain any tissue samples. Thereafter, the reagent is returned into the container. During feeding, returning and/or in between feeding and returning a measured value is detected by a sensor of the tissue processor. This value is representative of a concentration of the reagent. During this feeding, this returning and/or in between no tissue sample is placed in the retort.
US08383417B2
Methods are described for monitoring the amounts of PTH variants in a biological sample by digesting the sample to produce surrogate peptides specific to the targeted PTH variants, and detecting and quantifying the surrogate peptides by selective reaction monitoring (SRM) mass spectrometry, using a set of precursor-to-product ion transitions optimized for sensitivity and selectivity. The PTH variants, or a portion thereof, may be concentrated in the sample by means of immunoaffinity capture or other suitable technique. The mass spectrometric method described herein enables the concurrent measurement of peptides representative of a plurality of targeted PTH variants in a single assay.
US08383414B2
An optic light guide test sensor comprises a light guide, a reagent-coated membrane, and a mesh layer. The reagent-coated membrane and the mesh layer are attached to the light guide at an output end of the light guide. The light guide test sensor is adapted to be used to test the level of an analyte in a biological fluid sample when used with a readhead. A method of manufacturing the light guide test sensor involves providing a plurality of light guides, providing a strip of reagent-coated membrane, and providing a strip of mesh layer. The reagent-coated membrane and mesh layer are attached to the light guides by ultrasonic welding. The reagent-coated membrane and mesh layer may also be attached to the light guides by adhesive.
US08383413B2
The present invention provides a novel method for assaying OPC contained in natural substances, foods and beverages, pharmaceuticals and/or cosmetics.The present invention is a novel method for assay of OPC which assays anthocyanidin, obtained by hydrolysis of OPC, to determine the total amount of OPC, and elucidates the proportions of the polymerization degrees of OPC by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine the contents of the respective polymers in OPC.
US08383404B2
The present invention relates to methods of identifying, collecting and isolating hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and compositions of purified HSCs. Specifically, the present invention provides methods of isolating and purifying CD150+ HSCs, CD48− HSCs, and CD244− HSCs. The present invention also relates to purified cell samples with enriched CD150+ HSCs, CD48− HSCs, and CD244− HSCs populations, as well as methods of treating subjects with such compositions.
US08383403B2
In one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a method for preparing reticulocyte mimetics. In another aspect of the present disclosure there are provided reticulocyte mimetics obtained using the method. In yet another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a whole blood reference control including the reticulocyte mimetics as provided. In still another aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a composition useful for preparing reticulocyte mimetics.
US08383399B2
A transgenic avian containing in its genome an exogenous nucleotide sequence which includes a promoter component and a vector with reduced promoter interference wherein the exogenous nucleotide sequence is integrated into the genome and the avian.
US08383398B2
A conventional shuttle vector constructed by fusing an E. coli-derived plasmid and a transformant-derived plasmid functions in both E. coli and the transformant bacterium, and there exists no expression vector that functions only in a non-E. coli transformant. The present invention provides an plasmid expression vector comprising (1) a plasmid replication unit that functions in an anaerobic microorganism other than E. coli and (2) a protein expression unit formed from DNA coding for a protein having target activity and a DNA fragment containing a promoter and a terminator that function in the anaerobic microorganism. The expression vector of the present invention is capable of being replicated only in a transformant, eliminating the risk of the replication of the transformant gene in other pathogenic or aerobic bacterium, providing an extremely safe and reliable vector and gene transporter for therapeutic application.
US08383392B2
Disclosed is a transformant prepared by introducing a ketoreductase gene involved in the biosynthesis of L-epivancosamine into an actinobacterium originally capable of producing daunorubicin. Also disclosed is a process of efficiently producing a non-natural daunorubicin derivative using the transformant. The transformant is capable of efficiently producing a non-natural daunorubicin derivative such as epidaunorubicin.
US08383386B2
Factor Xa variants and methods of use thereof are disclosed.
US08383367B2
IL-21 variants nucleic acid sequences are provided that encode a peptide having deletions and zero to ten conservative amino acid substitutions in the region of amino acid residues 65-96 of SEQ ID. NO:2.
US08383358B2
The invention provides anti-SPARC antibody-based techniques for predicting a response to chemotherapy.
US08383356B2
The present invention is directed to the detection of target analytes using electronic techniques, particularly AC techniques.
US08383353B2
Method for in vitro detection and/or quantification and/or identification of bacteria present in a fluid medium M constituting a biological material, in which method a suspension of microbeads of solid polymer material capable of binding proteins is prepared; the microbeads are loaded with β2GPI proteins; said loaded microbeads are brought into contact with the fluid medium M, in the presence of ions of an oxidizing metal, so as to bind the bacteria to the β2GPI proteins; the microbeads thus prepared are separated from their suspension medium, so as to obtain a residue; and the bacteria of the residue are detected and/or quantified and/or identified.
US08383344B2
The invention relates to ribonucleic acids, probes and methods for detection, quantification as well as monitoring the expression of mature microRNAs and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). The invention furthermore relates to methods for monitoring the expression of other non-coding RNAs, mRNA splice variants, as well as detecting and quantifying RNA editing, allelic variants of single transcripts, mutations, deletions, or duplications of particular exons in transcripts, e.g., alterations associated with human disease such as cancer. The invention furthermore relates to methods for detection, quantification as well as monitoring the expression of deoxy nucleic acids.
US08383340B2
The application describes a method for the preparative purification of RNA, which method is distinguished in that the RNA is purified by means of HPLC using a porous reversed phase as the stationary phase. The use of the porous reversed phase in this HPLC method is also described.
US08383339B2
The present invention is directed to methods and materials for producing complements and reproductions of a master, including such preparation in a high throughput setting, using, inter-alia, liquid supramolecular nanostamping (LiSuNS).
US08383322B2
A method of performing immersion lithography on a semiconductor substrate includes providing a layer of resist onto a surface of the semiconductor substrate and exposing the resist layer using an immersion lithography exposure system. The immersion lithography exposure system utilizes a fluid during exposure and may be capable of removing some, but not all, of the fluid after exposure. After exposure, a treatment process is used to neutralize the effect of undesired elements that diffused into the resist layer during the immersion exposure. After treatment, a post-exposure bake and a development step are used.
US08383316B2
New routes involving multi-step reversible photo-chemical reactions using two-step techniques to provide non-linear resist for lithography are described in this disclosure. They may provide exposure quadratically dependant on the intensity of the light. Several specific examples, including but not limited to using nanocrystals, are also described. Combined with double patterning, these approaches may create sub-diffraction limit feature density.
US08383310B2
The present disclosure relates to a binder resin system suitable for use in forming toner compositions. In embodiments, the binder resin system includes at least one amorphous resin, at least one crystalline resin, and at least one fatty acid salt. The presence of the fatty acid salt reduces plasticization which may otherwise occur upon combining the amorphous and crystalline resins, thereby increasing the glass transition temperature of the binder resin, as well as any toner produced with such binder resin. Toners produced with the disclosed binder resin may also include one or more optional ingredients such as optional colorants, optional waxes, and combinations thereof.
US08383307B2
The toner includes a binder resin; a release agent; a colorant; and a dispersing resin configured to disperse the release agent. The dispersing resin includes a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid unit obtained from an optically active monomer. The polyhydroxycarboxylic acid unit has an optical purity of not greater than 80%, wherein the optical purity is defined as the absolute value of difference between the mole percentage of a L-monomer in the optically active monomer and the mole percentage of a D-monomer in the optically active monomer.
US08383291B2
One embodiment includes three-dimensional hydrophilic porous structures for fuel cell collector plates.
US08383288B2
The present invention provides a resin molding method for fuel cell separator. The fuel cell separator includes: a resin mold region formed inward a predetermined distance from an edge; a through hole formed at the resin mold region; and a front end region formed between the through hole and the edge at the resin mold region. The resin molding method includes: a die set process that the resin mold region of the fuel cell separator is set in the die such that the front end region is held by a pair of anti-deformation pins of the die; and a resin filling process that a resin is filled in the die, wherein the resin is molded on the resin mold region of the fuel cell separator so as to be filled in the through hole, and a resin member is thereby molded on the resin mold region so as to extend outward from the edge.
US08383286B2
A metal oxide thin film structure for a solid oxide fuel cell, prepared by a method comprising dispersing a metal oxide nanopowder in a metal oxide salt solution and subsequent coating of the resulting metal oxide powder dispersed sol and the metal oxide salt solution on a porous substrate, has excellent gas impermeability, excellent phase stability, and is devoid of cracks or pinholes.
US08383283B2
A fuel cell includes an electrolyte matrix having a cathode side with a cathode disposed thereon and an anode side with an anode receiving portion and a sealing portion positioned peripherally to the anode receiving portion. The anode receiving portion has an anode disposed thereon. A fuel conduit has one or more one sealing platforms and having an opening extending through the fuel conduit. The anode is positioned in the opening.The fuel cell includes one or more devices for preventing the occurrence an electrical short circuit between the cathode and the sealing platform. The device for preventing the electrical short circuit is aligned with the sealing portion and sealing platform and is positioned on the electrolyte matrix, the cathode and/or the sealing platform.
US08383280B2
A fuel cell separator plate having a planar substrate having a main body with first and second opposed major surfaces, a first open channel reactant flow field recessed in the first major surface, and a first segment extending from the main body, and a thermally and electrically conductive first current collector layer having a flow field portion on the first major surface of the main body and a heat exchange portion extending from the flow field portion onto the first segment such that heat in the flow field portion conducts to the heat exchange portion during fuel cell use.
US08383274B2
Disclosed are a nonaqueous electrolytic solution for lithium secondary battery comprising an electrolyte dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent and containing at least one compound represented by the formula (I) in an amount of from 0.01 to 10% by mass of the nonaqueous electrolytic solution; a lithium battery containing the electrolytic solution and excellent in low-temperature and high-temperature cycle property; and a formyloxy group-containing compound having a specific structure which is used in lithium batteries, etc. (wherein X represents an alkylene group, an alkenylene group or an alkynylene group; R1 represents H, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group or a group of the formula (II); R2 represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group or a group of the formula (II); R3 to R7 each represent H, F, a methoxy group or an ethoxy group.)
US08383273B2
A nonaqueous electrolyte composition includes: a nonaqueous solvent; an electrolyte salt; a matrix resin; a filler; and a surfactant.
US08383271B2
An electrode 30 (such as a positive electrode for a lithium ion battery) is provided in which an active material layer (35), having an electrode active material as a main component thereof, is held by a metallic power collector (32). A barrier layer (33) containing a non-water-soluble polymeric material (334) and a conductive material (332) is provided on the surface of the power collector (32). An interconnecting layer (34), having higher electrical conductivity than the barrier layer (33) and containing a polymeric material (344) and a conductive material (342), is interposed between the barrier layer (33) and the active material layer (35).
US08383264B2
A cover assembly for a Lithium-ion battery container to improve the durability of the battery. A high pressure injection molded polymer is combined with flanges disposed on the current collecting posts of the battery to provide an improved seal for the battery cover, especially at the interface of the cover and the current collecting posts. The injection molded polymer is fused to the flanges, current collecting posts and container cover to result in a diffusion path of increased length for gases and/or liquids which are known to enter or escape from battery containers. Additional polymer layers can be applied to the assembly to further improve the seal.
US08383260B2
A cooling system for a battery pack module with a plurality of battery cells includes a cooling plate assembly having a first side wall and a second side wall spaced apart from one another. The first and second side walls are connected by a base wall. The first side wall, the second side wall and the base wall have at least one flow channel formed therein. The first side wall has an inlet in fluid communication with the flow channel. The second side wall has an outlet in fluid communication with the flow channel. The cooling plate assembly is configured to be placed in heat transfer communication with the battery cells disposed between the first and second side walls. The cooling plate assembly permits a coolant to flow into the inlet, through the at least one flow channel, and out of the outlet to regulate a temperature of the battery cells.
US08383255B2
An end assembly seals a cylindrical electrochemical cell. The assembly includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) device and a gasket having a protrusion that cooperates with the end assembly isolates the PTC device from primary axial compression forces present in the closure assembly. In further embodiments of the present invention, the end assembly may be produced by insert molding a seal element about the terminal cover and the gasket itself has an E or F shaped cross section.
US08383251B2
A substituted pyrene for electroluminescent applications and a method to produce the substituted pyrenes.
US08383250B2
A light-emitting element includes a cathode, an anode, a red-light-emitting layer that is disposed between the cathode and the anode and emits red light, a blue-light-emitting layer that is disposed between the red-light-emitting layer and the cathode and emits blue light, a green-light-emitting layer that is disposed between the blue-light-emitting layer and the cathode and emits green light, and an intermediate layer that is disposed between and in contact with the red-light-emitting layer and the blue-light-emitting layer and functions so as to control the transfer of positive holes and electrons between the red-light-emitting layer and the blue-light-emitting layer, wherein the intermediate layer contains a first material and a second material different from the first material, the red-light-emitting layer contains a material of the same type as the first material, and each of the blue-light-emitting layer and the green-light-emitting layer contains a material of the same type as the second material.
US08383245B2
Gas barrier multilayer structure precursors are not clouded even when exposed to cold water and have excellent abuse resistance. Gas barrier multilayer structures are obtained from the gas barrier multilayer structure precursors.A gas barrier multilayer structure precursor includes a support and a gas barrier layer precursor formed on the support, the gas barrier layer precursor including a layer (A) and a layer (B), the layer (A) including a polycarboxylic acid polymer and a silicon-containing compound (i) derived from a silane coupling agent represented by Formula (1) below, the weight ratio of the polycarboxylic acid polymer and the silicon-containing compound (i) being in the range of 99.5:0.5 to 80.0:20.0, the layer (B) including a polyvalent metal compound, the layer (A) analyzed by a transmission method showing an infrared absorption spectrum in which the maximum peak height (α) in the range of 1490 to 1659 cm−1 and the maximum peak height (β) in the range of 1660 to 1750 cm−1 have a ratio (α/β) of less than 1. A gas barrier multilayer structure is obtained by subjecting the gas barrier multilayer structure precursor to retort treatment, boil treatment or humidity conditioning treatment. Si(OR)3Z (1)
US08383243B2
Disclosed herein is a component comprising a substantially homogeneous composition of at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of epoxies, acetals, polyesters, non-ionic rubbers, non-ionic polyurethanes, polyether sulfones, polyether ether ketones, polyether imides, polystyrenes, polyethylene terephthalates, polyamides, polyimides, polyvinylchlorides, polyphenylene oxides, polycarbonates, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers, silicones, fluropolymers, and polyolefins, a filler, and a metal plating catalyst. A method of making a component also is described comprising obtaining a polymeric material, a liquid, a filler and a metal plating catalyst; combining the metal plating catalyst with the polymeric material, liquid, and filler to form a substantially homogeneous mixture; and evaporating and/or curing the mixture to form a solidified component. The method is useful for making small, precisely engineered, electronic components without requiring the use of caustic solutions or complex equipment.
US08383242B2
The present invention relates to lightweight components of hybrid design, also termed hybrid component or hollow-chamber lightweight component, composed of a parent body which is composed of galvanized iron and which is reinforced by means of thermoplastics and is suitable for the transmission of high mechanical loads.
US08383238B2
Fine particles of a highly porous, low density material in which the pore chambers have been at least partially evacuated and refilled with a gas having a low thermal conductivity, and the obtained particles are encapsulated with a protective, durable coating. The particles are particularly useful as durable thermal insulating material.
US08383232B2
A printing substrate is provided, wherein the printing substrate includes a top layer; a middle layer, wherein the middle layer is attached to the top layer, and wherein the middle layer further includes a material that is different than the material of the top layer; and a bottom layer, wherein the bottom layer is attached to the middle layer, and wherein the bottom layer further includes a material that is different than the material of the middle layer and a material that is the same as the material of the top layer; and wherein the printing substrate is adapted specifically for use with use with digital imaging systems such as large, flatbed digital printers and the like.
US08383230B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a flexible printed wiring board and multilayered flexible printed wiring board in which, in methods of laminating substrates comprising a non-adhering section and an adhering section, adhesion of the FPC substrates of the flexure part can be prevented and adequate flex resistance can be maintained.The present invention provides a flexible printed wiring board comprising at least an electric insulating layer and a conductor layer wherein the surface of the electric insulating layer has a 10-point average roughness of at least 1.5 μm and less than 2.0 μm and contact angle of at least 60° and less than 120°, or has a 10-point average roughness of at least 2.0 μm and less than 4.0 μm, and also provides a multilayered flexible printed wiring board formed by the lamination of two or more of the flexible printed wiring boards in which the surface of the electric insulating layers of the two or more flexible printed wiring boards exposed in a bendable state are opposing in a non-adhered state, and a part of the wiring boards is laminated on each of a first multilayered flexible printed wiring board and a second multilayered flexible printed wiring board.
US08383226B2
Structures are provided that include electroactive polymers. According to these structures, the electroactive materials have enhanced conductivity in a first direction. Also, the structures include either pores or inclusions. These pores or inclusions are non-parallel to the first direction. In addition, methods for forming structures that include electroactive polymers that have enhanced conductivity in a first direction are provided. These methods allow for pores and/or inclusions to be formed in the electroactive polymers.
US08383222B2
A self-laminating assembly for providing information, such as emergency medical or contact information, or a temporary identification card, for general purposes. Medical data or contact information is entered on a card which is predisposed within the assembly. The card can then be covered with a transparent plastic sheet and folded in half, along a perforation in its center to permanently seal the card within the transparent plastic enclosure.
US08383210B2
A method is described of depositing film of an amorphous or microcrystalline material, for example silicon, from a plasma on to a substrate. Microwave energy is introduced into a chamber as a sequence of discrete microwave pulses, a film precursors gas is introduced into the chamber as a sequence of discrete gas pulses, and gas for generating atomic hydrogen is supplied to the chamber at least during each microwave pulse. Each microwave pulse is followed in non-overlapping fashion with a precursor gas pulse, and each precursor gas pulse is followed by a period during which there is neither a microwave pulse nor a precursor gas pulse.
US08383203B2
A method of imparting high-temperature, degradation resistance to a component associated with an internal combustion engine involving applying a metal slurry comprising a Co-based metallic composition, a binder, and a solvent to a surface of the component, and sintering the Co-based metallic composition to form a substantially continuous Co-based alloy coating on the surface of the body. An internal combustion engine component comprising a metallic substrate and a Co-based metallic coating thereon which has a thickness between about 100 and about 1000 microns.
US08383198B2
The water dispersibility of water-soluble polymer particles can be improved by a method which comprises the following step: i) foaming a fluid composition comprising a compound A) having a weight average molecular weight of less than 10,000 or a water-insoluble polymer B) having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000; ii) contacting the produced foam with water-soluble polymer particles having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000; and iii) drying the particles, whereby the foam collapses during the contacting and/or drying step and the water-soluble polymer particles are encrusted with the compound having a weight average molecular weight of less than 10,000 or the water-insoluble polymer having a weight average molecular weight of at least 10,000.
US08383186B2
A method for treating citrus peel by processing pieces of raw citrus peel through a plurality of progressive, continuous clean steaming and mechanical pressing stages; rupturing at least some of the cells of the pieces of raw citrus peel to release liquid, sugar and oil bound within the pieces of raw citrus peel; and transforming the pieces of raw citrus peel into press cake and pressate. The clean steaming step ay involve using clean steam that is free of chemical water treatment additives.
US08383157B2
The invention relates to novel chitin derivatives and their use in medical treatments of plastic surgery, dermocosmesis and therapy, in particular it relates to natural chitin derivatives, like chitin in nanofibrillar form, oxychitin and other chemical derivatives of chitin, chitosan-hyaluronate and associations for use as subcutaneous fillers or skin protectants.
US08383156B2
Methods for making comb-type antithrombotic conjugate wherein substantially all side chains of water soluble poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) are extended by ring-opening polymerization to form a copolymer wherein substantially all terminals are conjugated to an antithrombotic molecule. In addition, a method is provided for applying a coating comprising a comb-type anti-thrombotic conjugate to at least a portion of an implantable device to prevent or reduce the formation of thrombosis on the surface of the device. A first or sub-layer of the coating is prepared by mixing a polymeric material and a biologically active agent with a solvent, thereby forming a homogeneous solution. A second or outer layer comprising a comb-type anti-thrombotic conjugate may be applied over the inner drug-containing layers using, for example, a dip coating or spray coating process. Alternatively the comb-type antithrombotic conjugate may be used as a matrix material to encapsulate a pharmaceutical agent to form microspheres or nanospheres before depositing the microspheres or nanospheres onto a medical device.
US08383154B2
A novel dosage form. The dosage form is presented in particulate form and before oral ingestion the particulate material is subjected to an aqueous medium, whereby it is converted to a semi-solid form by swelling or gelling of one or more of the components, especially of a gellan gum, of the particulate matter. The invention also relates to a vehicle for oral administration of one or more active substances, the vehicle comprising a gellan gum arranged in a configuration allowing optimal water diffusion so that upon addition of a predetermined amount of an aqueous medium, without the necessity of applying shear forces or other mixing forces, within a time period of 5 minutes or less swells and/or gels and the texture of the swelled vehicle being similar to that of a soft pudding and having a viscosity of at least about 10,000 cps as measured by a Brookfield Viscometer with a #4 LV spindle at 6 rpm and at 20-25° C. In one embodiment of the invention, the particulate matter can be molded into a desired shape or pressed onto a dispensing unit such as a spoon.
US08383150B2
A capsule formulation of pirfenidone is provided that includes pharmaceutically acceptable excipients. In one embodiment, this capsule formulation is capable of sustaining desirable pharmacokinetic responses in a patient. Further provided are methods of treating fibrotic conditions and other cytokine-mediated disorders by administering pirfenidone capsules of such formulation to a patient in need.
US08383142B2
Coatings for implantable devices or endoluminal prosthesis, such as stents, are provided, including a method of forming the coatings. The coatings can be used for the delivery of an active ingredient or a combination of active ingredients.
US08383141B2
Dry cross-linked gelatin compositions are prepared that rapidly re-hydrate to produce gelatin hydrogels suitable as hemostatic sealants. Gelatin is cross-linked in the presence of certain re-hydration aids, such as polyethylene glycol, polyvinylprovidone, and dextran, in order to produce a dry cross-linked gelatin powder. The use of the re-hydration aids has been found to substantially increase the re-hydration rate in the presence of an aqueous re-hydration medium, typically thrombin-containing saline.
US08383133B2
Conjugates of ookinete surface protein Pfs25 are provided that are efficacious as vaccines against Plasmodium falciparum, the most severe form of malaria. Conjugates of ookinete surface protein Pvs25 for use as a vaccine against Plasmodium vivax are also provided. Methods for preparing the conjugates, which comprise the ookinete surface protein bound onto itself or onto another protein by a linking group, are also provided.
US08383131B2
A method of predicting the virulence of a new or uncharacterized PRRS virus strain is provided wherein the strain is injected into swine and allowed to replicate for a period of from about 3-15 days. During this period, the rate of virus growth and/or the magnitude of viremia is determined, and this data is compared with a corresponding growth rate and/or viremia magnitude of a PRRS virus strain of known virulence, as a measure of the virulence of the new or uncharacterized strain.
US08383130B2
The invention provides a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, which is a particular partial sequence of lacritin, and having an amino acid length of not more than 70 residues. The polypeptide of the invention can promote adhesion between a cell and an extracellular matrix, and can promote tear fluid secretion from lacrimal gland acinar cells.
US08383127B2
The present invention relates to a polysaccharide extract derived from a mushroom of the Lentinus genus and also to the method for preparing such an extract. This polysaccharide-rich extract can be used as a nutraceutical, cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparation.
US08383118B2
The present disclosure provides isolated monoclonal antibodies, particularly human monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to Fucosyl-GM1 with high affinity. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the antibodies of this disclosure, expression vectors, host cells and methods for expressing the antibodies of this disclosure are also provided. Immunoconjugates, bispecific molecules and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibodies of this disclosure are also provided. This disclosure also provides methods for detecting Fucosyl-GM1, as well as methods for treating various diseases, including cancer, using anti-Fucosyl-GM1 antibodies.
US08383113B2
The present invention relates to antibodies that differentially recognize multi-dimensional conformations of Aβ-derived diffusible ligands, also known as ADDLs. The antibodies of the invention can distinguish between Alzheimer's Disease and control human brain extracts and are useful in methods of detecting ADDLs and diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease. The present antibodies also block binding of ADDLs to neurons, assembly of ADDLS, and tau phosphorylation and are there useful in methods for the preventing and treating diseases associated with soluble oligomers of amyloid β 1-42.
US08383106B2
Immunoglycoproteins, including antibodies, with improved ADCC and altered glycosylation patterns are provided. Also provided are cell culturing methods and media for producing such immunoglycoproteins, and therapeutic uses of such immunoglycoproteins.
US08383092B2
The invention describes substrates, such as prosthetics, films, nonwovens, meshes, etc. that are treated with a bioadhesive. The bioadhesive includes polymeric substances that have phenyl moieties with at least two hydroxyl groups. The bioadhesive constructs can be used to treat and repair, for example, hernias and damaged tendons.
US08383085B2
A method of making iron-containing nanoparticles (e.g., magnetite nanoparticles) that includes contacting an iron-containing precursor with a reducing agent at a temperature less than 200° C. and allowing the mixture to react to form magnetite nanoparticles.
US08383083B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to novel compounds that can be used to prepare radiolabeled compounds in an effective manner. A second aspect of the present invention relates to a method of synthesizing radiolabeled compounds.
US08383082B1
The invention discloses a pharmaceutical composition of bioactive nanoparticles composed of chitosan, poly-glutamic acid, and a bioactive agent for oral delivery. The chitosan-based nanoparticles are characterized with a positive surface charge and enhanced permeability for oral drug delivery.
US08383078B2
Reactive diluent fluid (22) is introduced into a stream of synthesis gas (or “syngas”) produced in a heat-generating unit such as a partial oxidation (“POX”) reactor (12) to cool the syngas and form a mixture of cooled syngas and reactive diluent fluid. Carbon dioxide and/or carbon components and/or hydrogen in the mixture of cooled syngas and reactive diluent fluid is reacted (26) with at least a portion of the reactive diluent fluid in the mixture to produce carbon monoxide-enriched and/or solid carbon depleted syngas which is fed into a secondary reformer unit (30) such as an enhanced heat transfer reformer in a heat exchange reformer process. An advantage of the invention is that problems with the mechanical integrity of the secondary unit arising from the high temperature of the syngas from the heat-generating unit are avoided.
US08383076B2
A silica composition and a method for forming the silica composition using low surfactant concentrations are disclosed. A metal silicate precursor including a silica source and a hydroxide MOH is prepared, where M is a cation with a valence of 1. In addition, a surfactant solution including a cationic surfactant and an anionic co-surfactant is prepared. Next, the metal silicate precursor and the surfactant solution are mixed to form a mixture. Then the mixture is crystallized to form the silica composition and the silica composition is isolated. The cationic surfactant can have 10 or more carbon atoms, the anionic co-surfactant can have 4 or more carbon atoms, the molar ratio of the cationic surfactant to the silica source can be less than or equal to 0.1:1, the molar ratio of the anionic co-surfactant to the silica source can be less than or equal to 0.1:1, and the molar ratio of the anionic co-surfactant to the silica source can be less than the molar ratio of the cationic surfactant to the silica source.
US08383073B2
A method and apparatus for controlling emissions of acid forming gases such as sulfur dioxide from cement plants is disclosed. Gaseous effluent from the cement plant pyroprocessing chamber is routed to the plant's raw mill to heat and dry the feed meal used in cement production. When the raw mill is in operation microfine lime particles are sprayed into the raw mill using a nozzle system. The spraying of hydrated lime into the raw mill scrubs acid forming gases in the process gaseous effluent. When the raw mill is not operational, microfine lime is sprayed into a gas conditioning tower that is also used to reduce the temperature of the effluent gases to facilitate efficient collection of dust particles prior to emission of the cleansed effluent flow into the atmosphere.
US08383069B2
This application relates to an incubation device for serology or histology supports. It also relates to any apparatus comprising one such device, and to the use of said apparatuses and/or devices in analysis or diagnosis methods.
US08383057B2
A probe array substrate suitable for forming a probe array that has high packing density, that can hold sufficient amounts of probe molecules, and that has little variation in the amounts of probe molecules. A plurality of arrayed probe-holding portions are defined by recesses, and isolating grooves are formed between the adjacent probe-holding portions to prevent probe solutions introduced into the probe-holding portions from spreading to adjacent probe-holding portions. Inner surfaces of the probe-holding portions are made hydrophilic, whereas inner surfaces of the isolating grooves are made hydrophobic. Liquid-introducing protrusions are formed in the probe-holding portions.
US08383053B2
Provided is a microwave reactor including a reaction container for receiving a reaction solution, a microwave radiator for irradiating the reaction solution received in the reaction container with microwaves, and a cooler for cooling the reaction solution received in the reaction container, wherein a heat-generating medium generating heat by absorbing the microwaves is arranged on a surface of the cooler or in the vicinity of the surface at a position receiving the microwaves from the microwave radiator through the reaction solution.
US08383044B2
A blood sampling device useful for collecting a blood sample from a separate vascular access device is described herein. The blood sampling device includes a body shaped and sized for partial insertion into a separate vascular access device. The body includes a reservoir defined within the body, which has an internal volume sufficient to contain enough blood for use in a diagnostic blood test. The body also includes a gas permeable vent disposed on the body, in which the gas permeable vent is in gaseous communication with the reservoir. When connected to a separate vascular access device the blood sampling device collects a blood sample as blood flows into the reservoir from the separate vascular access device and as gases pass out the reservoir via the gas permeable vent.
US08383043B2
A system relating to sample analyzers, and more particular, to sample analyzers that are simple to operate and have a reduce risk of providing an erroneous result to a user. In some cases, the sample analyzer may be a portable sample analyzer that includes a disposable fluidic cartridge. The operators of the analyzers need not be trained.
US08383038B2
A method and apparatus is provided for efficiently supplying a liquid with ions or radicals generated by plasma and so on, or for effectively sterilizing microorganisms present in a liquid or on the surface thereof. The method includes generating plasma in a gas phase by a plasma generation device, producing ions or radicals in the gas phase by the plasma; electrophoresing the ions or radicals toward the liquid by an electric field applied to the produced ions or radicals; and diffusing the ions or radicals into the liquid. The liquid is adjusted to have a pH value of 4.8 or lower for effective sterilization.
US08383034B2
A ferritic stainless steel sheet for a water heater with excellent corrosion resistance of welds and toughness includes, in terms of mass %, 0.020% or less of C, 0.30 to 1.00% of Si, 1.00% or less of Mn, 0.040% or less of P, 0.010% or less of S, 20.0 to 28.0% of Cr, 0.6% or less of Ni, 0.03 to 0.15% of Al, 0.020% or less of N, 0.0020 to 0.0150% of O, 0.3 to 1.5% of Mo, 0.25 to 0.60% of Nb, and 0.05% or less of Ti, the remainder being composed of Fe and unavoidable impurities, and the ferritic stainless steel sheet satisfying the following formulae (1) and (2): 25≦Cr+3.3Mo≦30 (1) 0.35≦Si+Al≦0.85 (2) wherein Cr, Mo, Si, and Al represent the content (mass %) of Cr, Mo, Si, and Al, respectively.
US08383033B2
A method for preparing an implant having a porous metal component. A loose powder mixture including a biocompatible metal powder and a spacing agent is prepared and compressed onto a metal base. After being compressed, the spacing agent is removed, thereby forming a compact including a porous metal structure pressed on the metal base. The compact is sintered, forming a subassembly, which is aligned with a metal substrate portion of an implant. A metallurgical bonding process, such as diffusion bonding, is performed at the interface of the subassembly and the metal substrate to form an implant having a porous metal component.
US08383028B2
A method for manufacturing a co-molded insert part for use in composite, plastic, or metal parts is disclosed. The method comprises the step of providing a three-dimensional molding insert produced by a layer additive manufacturing process. The method further comprises the step of applying a layer material in contact with at least a portion of the molding insert. The method further comprises the step of co-molding the layer material and the molding insert simultaneously to produce a co-molded insert part.
US08383018B2
Provided is a method of forming a nanocomposite solution, and a nanocomposite photovoltaic device. In the method, a metal oxide nanorod solution is prepared and a nanoparticle solution is prepared. The metal oxide nanorod solution and the nanoparticle solution are mixed to form a nanocomposite solution.
US08383006B2
Improved polisiloxane composite barrier to control, preventing the ingress, limiting the level of H2O within devices sensitive to its presence, method for its production, sensitive devices employing such barriers for the control of the H2O level within.
US08383005B2
A thermally conductive silicone grease composition comprising: (A) an organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups in one molecule and having a kinetic viscosity of 5,000 to 100,000 mm2/s at 25° C.; (B) a hydrolyzable methylpolysiloxane having a trifunctional termination at one end and represented by the following general formula (2): wherein R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and b is an integer of 5 to 100; (C) a thermally conductive filler having a thermal conductivity of at least 10 W/m·° C.; (D) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane containing from 2 to 5 hydrogen atoms in one molecule directly bound to silicon atoms (Si—H groups); (E) a bonding aid having a triazine ring and at least one alkenyl group in one molecule; and (F) a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum and platinum compounds.
US08382993B1
A removable drain filter apparatus (20) with an housing (22) connectable with upstream and downstream drain pipes (40, 46) has a filtering chamber wider than the drain pipes and divided into an upstream portion (78) and a downstream portion (82) by a generally planer filter element (50). A hatch cover (32) carries a downwardly extending central core (76) with an O-ring seal (84), a filter securement member (86) for pressing the filter element (50) against an underlying support ledge (29) and a drain hole plug (88). The location of the O-ring (84) relative to the filter element (50) and the plug (88) being tapered enables the filter housing (22) to be drained of any water during removal of the hatch cover and before the watertight seal is broken to eliminate leakage of drain water out of the housing (22) when the hatch (31) is completely opened. The filter (50) bends out of the way of a plumber's auger (96).
US08382992B2
An apparatus for disinfecting a fluid has a fluid-containing structure; an inward-facing first electrically conductive cylindrical body contained within said fluid-containing structure; an outward-facing electrically conductive-second cylindrical body disposed within said first cylindrical body, in mutually facing parallel and coaxial relation thereto, and spaced apart therefrom to define a fluid-occupiable cavity; a power supply electrically coupled between said first cylindrical body and said second cylindrical body, said power supply producing therebetween an electric field, said field comprising a waveform approximating a series of alternating square wave pulses of opposite polarity, said pulses having a maximum absolute value of approximately 60 volts per centimeter, a complete cycle of said waveform, comprising a first pulse and a succeeding pulse of opposite polarity, recurring with a frequency of between about 2 kHz: and about 5 kHz and providing about 2 amps to about 4 amps.
US08382987B2
Capture particles for harvesting analytes from solution and methods for using them are described. The capture particles are made up of a polymeric matrix having pore size that allows for the analytes to enter the capture particles. The pore size of the capture particles are changeable upon application of a stimulus to the particles, allowing the pore size of the particles to be changed so that analytes of interest remain sequestered inside the particles. The polymeric matrix of the capture particles are made of co-polymeric materials having a structural monomer and an affinity monomer, the affinity monomer having properties that attract the analyte to the capture particle. The capture particles may be used to isolate and identify analytes present in a mixture. They may also be used to protect analytes which are typically subject to degradation upon harvesting and to concentrate low an analyte in low abundance in a fluid.
US08382984B2
The invention relates to a method for biologically treating waste water, using a set of micro-organisms having different metabolic spectra, in order to eliminate carbon and nitrogen, even phosphorus. Some of the micro-organisms are fixed to mobile solid carriers (2) and form a fluidised fixed biomass. Some of the micro-organisms are free to be used in an activated mud treatment. To this end, a first non-aerated treatment zone (21a) is followed by a second aerated treatment zone (21b); the treated effluent is subjected to a solid/liquid separation by flotation (6) at a speed higher than 10 m/H; and part of the mud recovered by flotation is recirculated (8) towards the activated mud treatment, said recirculation being controlled (9, 10, 11) so that the MES concentration of the effluent subjected to the liquid/solid separation remains compatible with the retained flotation.
US08382977B1
A pool has an opening formed with upper and lower surfaces and first and second side surfaces. A chamber located interiorly of the opening has a cylindrical well with a vertical axis. A first diverter plate has an exterior edge adjacent to the first side surface and an interior edge between the opening and the well. The first diverter plate is arcuate with a vertical axis of rotation adjacent to the first side surface. A second diverter plate has primary and secondary sections. The primary section has an exterior edge adjacent to the second side surface and an interior edge between the opening and the well and is arcuate with a vertical axis of rotation adjacent to the second side surface. The secondary section is located adjacent the primary section with a vertical axis of rotation essentially co-extensive with the axis of the well.
US08382972B2
The evaporation of the stripping liquid 6 changes the concentration of the standard electrolyte. This causes the quantification accuracy of the chemical substance to be lowered.In order to solve the above problem, this invention provides a method for quantifying a chemical substance contained in a sample solution, characterized by the following stripping gel.The stripping gel covers the stripping electrode, and contains a standard electrolyte and an ionic liquid; however, the stripping gel contains no water.Furthermore, the ionic liquid is hydrophobic and nonvolatile, and the standard electrolyte is consisted of the anion and a metallic ion.
US08382971B2
A method of electrochemical dissolution of ruthenium-cobalt (Ru—Co)-based alloy is disclosed, in which a Ru—Co-based alloy bulk is subjected into an electrolyte solution comprising about 50 wt. % to 75 wt. % of sulfuric acid, thereby electrolyzing the Ru—Co-based alloy bulk and forming a product solution comprising Ru and Co ions in the electrolyte solution.
US08382966B2
A sputtering system is disclosed. The sputtering system includes: a first sputter unit including: a first deposition material plate, a second deposition material plate, where the first and second deposition material plates face each other, and a first magnetic field generator disposed behind each of the first deposition material plate and the second deposition material plate, configured to generate a magnetic field, a second sputter unit including: a third deposition material plate, disposed next to the first deposition material plate, a fourth deposition material plate, disposed next to the second deposition plate, where the third and fourth deposition material plates face each other, and a second magnetic field generator disposed behind each of the third deposition material plate and the fourth deposition material plate, configured to generate a magnetic field, a first gas supply pipe disposed between the first and third deposition material plates, configured to discharge gas to the second and fourth deposition material plates, a second gas supply pipe disposed between the second fourth deposition material plates, configured to discharge gas to the first and third deposition material plates, a first substrate support unit, configured to support a first deposition substrate, oriented toward outer edges of the first and second deposition material plates, and a second substrate support unit, configured to support a second deposition substrate, oriented toward outer edges of the third and fourth deposition material plates.
US08382963B2
A droplet-free wear-resistant coating is manufactured by depositing a wear resistant nitride coating containing a nitride layer which contains at least one metal or metal compound of a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Cr, Al, Si and combinations thereof, on a surface of a substrate by cathodic-arc evaporation using a Venetian blind filter system in front of an arc cathode; to reduce metal microdroplets and/or metal microparticles in the wear resistant coating compared to an wear resistant coating obtained without a Venetian blind filter system.
US08382954B2
A belt for wet-web conveyance which includes a hydrophilic fibrous structure formed by needle punching in a wet-web-side layer thereof and which can be inhibited from increasing in belt width dimension with water absorption of the hydrophilic fibrous structure and from forming base fabric marks. The belt for wet-web conveyance includes a wet-web-side layer including a hydrophilic fibrous structure and a machine-side layer. A base fabric disposed in the belt is constituted of a first woven fabric disposed on the wet-web side and, laminated therewith, a second woven fabric disposed on the press roll side. The first woven fabric is woven from a machine-direction yarn material and a cross-direction yarn material, the machine-direction yarn material being a spun yarn and the cross-direction yarn material being a yarn having a low water absorption.
US08382940B2
A device (6) and a method for generating chlorine trifluoride is described, a high-density plasma (105) being generated in the interior of a plasma reactor (100) using plasma generating means (110, 120, 130, 150, 155, 160, 170, 180), and a first gas and a second gas, which react with one another under the influence of the high-density plasma (105) in the plasma reactor (100) under the formation of chlorine trifluoride, being supplied to the plasma reactor (100) via gas supply means (21, 22, 25, 26). In addition, a gas outlet (20) is provided, via which the generated chlorine trifluoride can be removed from the plasma reactor (100). Finally, a system (5) for etching semiconductor substrates (30), silicon wafers in particular, is described including such an upstream device (6), the system (5) having a process chamber (10) which is connected to the plasma reactor (100) via the gas outlet (20), and the semiconductor substrate (30) being situated in the process chamber (10) and exposed to the gaseous chlorine trifluoride generated by the device (6).
US08382939B2
A method and apparatus for providing flow into a processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a vacuum processing chamber is provided that includes a substrate support pedestal disposed in an interior volume of a chamber body, a lid enclosing the interior volume, a gas distribution plate positioned below the lid and above the substrate support pedestal, and a vortex inducing gas inlet oriented to induce a vortex of gas circulating in a plenum around a center line of the chamber body prior to the gas passing through the gas distribution plate.
US08382937B2
Natural oils, fats and other fatty acid triglycerides are transesterified with polyalcohols such as trimethylolpropane or glycerol to yield polyhydroxyl-functionalized reaction products which are useful materials in the formulation of two component laminating adhesives.
US08382935B2
A balloon catheter including an elongated shaft having an inflation lumen, a guidewire lumen, a proximal shaft section, and a distal shaft section with a balloon on the distal shaft section, the distal shaft section formed by an outer tubular member having an opening in a sidewall, and an inner tubular member having a distal portion in the outer tubular member and a proximal portion extending through the sidewall opening and along an outer surface of a portion of the outer tubular member located proximal to the sidewall opening, with polymeric filler material around the outer surface of at least the proximal portion of the inner tubular member. The inner tubular member preferably comprises a polymeric tube having a reinforcing coiled member embedded therein. Preferably, a crescent shaped portion of the inflation lumen extends along side the proximal portion of the inner tubular member.
US08382932B2
A new lens blocking material (adhesive composition 78) is proposed that essentially overcomes the drawbacks of previous blocking materials. This new material combines traditional UV and/or visible light (VIS) curable polymer materials with specially selected filler (s) as a non polymerizing solid in order to achieve or improve certain desirable material properties, including those of low shrinkage, low exothermic heat of polymerization, and improving the ability to deblock, while simultaneously reducing the high cost associated with such UV/VIS radiation curable materials. The new material is being used in methods for blocking a lens blank (54) onto a lens block (62) with a lens mounting face (64) that has a predetermined block curve, in which the number of different block curves required to cover the full range of standard lenses is minimized.
US08382925B2
Adhering a belt edge tape to both respective side edge portions of the belt on the outer peripheral surface of the building drum by supplying a belt edge tape toward the outer peripheral surface of the building drum by pressing using an extruder which constitutes a supply device facing the building drum in an opposed manner and by pressing the tape to the building drum using a press roller on a leading side as viewed from a position where the tape is supplied in the rotational direction of the building drum, the building drum is rotated in the direction that end portions of the reinforcing cords on the side edge portion of the belt which constitutes a tape adhering side are positioned on a trailing side in the rotational direction of the building drum thus adhering the tape to the side edge portion.
US08382921B1
An apparatus for compressing powders and the like including a head assembly with a distensible elastic platen mounted in a chambered header plate containing a pressurizing fluid. The elastic platen distends in response to the pressurizing fluid. Further, a base assembly includes a rigid platen mounted in a base plate. The rigid platen includes a face with at least one cavity, into which is added powder to be compressed. The elastic platen is aligned with the rigid platen, and during compression, the two platens may be held firmly in contact. The pressurizing fluid pumped into the head assembly causes the elastic platen to deform forming a single distention per cavity. The distensions compress the powder to an optimal density. The apparatus safely and easily compact multiple small samples of explosives and the like into miniature charges.
US08382919B2
A process of forming an ultrafine crystal layer in a workpiece constituted by a metallic material. The process includes: performing a machining operation on a surface of the workpiece, so as to impart a large local strain to the machined surface of the workpiece, where the machining operation causes the machined surface of the workpiece to be subjected to a plastic working that causes to have large local strain in the form of a true strain of at least one, such that the ultrafine crystal layer is formed in a surface layer portion of the workpiece that defines the machined surface of the workpiece. Also disclosed are a nanocrystal layer forming process, a machine component having the ultrafine crystal layer or the nanocrystal layer, and a machine component producing process of producing the machine component.
US08382905B2
Cellulose contained in plant fiber material is hydrolyzed with the use of a pseudo-molten cluster acid as a hydrolysis catalyst to produce saccharide, most of which is glucose. After the glucose is produced, the saccharide is precipitated with the use of an organic solvent, and the saccharide including a solidified saccharide during the hydrolysis and the precipitated saccharide is separated from residues and the cluster acid.
US08382895B2
A method of manufacturing a silicon monocrystal by FZ method, wherein a P-type or N-type silicon crystal having been pulled up by CZ method is used as a raw material. While impurities whose conductivity type is the same as that of the raw material are supplied by a gas doping method, the raw material is recrystallized by an induction-heating coil for obtaining a product-monocrystal.
US08382894B2
Silicon wafers wherein slip dislocations and warpages during device production are suppressed, contain BMDs with an octahedral shape, and of BMDs at a depth greater than 50 μm from the surface of the wafer, the density of BMDs with diagonal size of 10 nm to 50 nm is ≧1×1012/cm3, and the density of BSFs is ≦1×108/cm3. The present silicon wafers preferably have an interstitial oxygen concentration of 4×1017 atoms/cm3 to 6×1017 atoms/cm3, and a density of BMDs with diagonal size of ≧200 nm of not more than 1×107/cm3.
US08382892B2
The invention relates to a monophase amorphous hydraulic binder containing silicon, calcium and oxygen atoms in an arrangement comprising silicate building units having an average connectedness of at least Q1, with none or a part of the calcium atoms being substituted for by a metal atom M[6]x+ sixfold or higher-coordinated with oxygen and/or none or no more than 45 atomic percent of the silicon atoms being substituted for by a metal atom M[4]y+ tetrahedrally coordinated with oxygen, the molar ratio of [CaO+(x/2)·(M[6]x+Ox/2)]:[SiO2+M[4]y+Oy/2] having a value of 0.2 to 1.5, and the binder having less than 3.5% by weight of water, as well as a mixture containing this binder. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods for manufacturing the binder or a mixture containing this binder by reaction grinding a starting material containing silicate building units having a connectedness of Q0 to Q2, with a solid silicate raw material having a connectedness of the silicate building units of Q3 to Q4 and optionally drying the monophase hydraulic binder to a water content of below 3.5% by weight.Finally, the invention relates to a building material made by setting the binder or a mixture containing this binder with water and subsequent hardening.
US08382883B2
In one aspect, the present invention provides a curable composition useful in the preparation of a gas separation membrane. The curable composition comprises a polyvinyl alcohol; an aliphatic polyamine; a polyglycidyl ether; and a salt of a C2 to C4 heterocyclic amino acid. In another aspect the present invention provides a composition comprising a crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol comprising structural units derived from a polyglycidyl ether, a polyamine and the salt of a C2 to C4 heterocyclic amino acid. The compositions are useful in the preparation of gas separation membranes in which the C2 to C4 heterocyclic amino acid in the form of its salt functions as a mobile carrier of carbon dioxide.
US08382877B2
The present invention provides an approach to control the generation and grow of nanocrystal with membrane diffusion method and related apparatuses to produce inorganic oxide nanopowders and metal nanoparticles. With this method, the size and size distribution of inorganic oxide nanopowders and metal nanoparticles can be tuned. It overcomes the shortcomings possessed by the common chemical and physical method of preparing nanoparticles.
US08382871B2
A vacuum cleaner filter bag with an inlet opening including a deflection device and an air-permeable material is provided. The deflection device is arranged in the interior of the vacuum cleaner filter bag in the area of the inlet opening and which is implemented such that an air current flowing in through the inlet opening can be deflected by the deflection device. The air-permeable material layer is arranged in the interior of the vacuum cleaner filter bag, is connected to the vacuum cleaner filter bag at least one point, and includes at least one part that is not connected to the vacuum cleaner filter bag and that includes part of the boundary of the material layer.
US08382869B2
A particulate filtration reverse pulse cleaning system is disclosed. The system comprising a housing, a tubesheet disposed within the housing, a filter for fluid communication with a tubesheet aperture, a support frame connectable with the tubesheet, and a cleaning system associated with the support frame. A filter cleaning system is also disclosed, the support frame comprising a plurality of hollow support legs comprising at least one cleaning aperture and a cleaning system associated with the plurality of hollow support legs. A method for cleaning a filter is also disclosed.
US08382868B2
A method of making polycrystalline CBN compacts, high in CBN content, is provided. The method includes making a powdered composition by subjecting a mixture of CBN, present in an amount of at least 80 volume percent of the mixture, and a powdered binder phase to attrition milling. This powdered mixture is subjected to conditions of elevated temperature and pressure suitable to produce CBN compacts.
US08382867B2
Systems and methods for producing synthetic natural gas are provided. The method can include gasifying a carbonaceous feedstock within a gasifier to provide a raw syngas. The raw syngas can be cooled to provide a cooled raw syngas. The cooled raw syngas can be processed in a purification system to provide treated syngas. The purification system can include a flash gas separator in fluid communication with the gasifier and a saturator. The treated syngas can be converted to synthetic natural gas to provide steam, a methanation condensate, and a synthetic natural gas. The methanation condensate can be introduced to the flash gas separator.
US08382854B2
Oxidative hair coloring compositions comprising a non-ammonia alkalizing agent, such as monoethanolamine, and hydrogen peroxide in a specific ratio. The compositions of the invention have a relatively high lift power for relatively low hair damage. The compositions may comprise little or no ammonia.
US08382848B2
A trial system for an implantable joint replacement includes a guide assembly having a baseplate and a guide plate, the guide plate translatable relative to the base plate along a straight path while directly connected to the baseplate. A first adjustment mechanism may selectively control the translational juxtaposition of the guide plate relative to the baseplate. The guide plate may further be rotatable relative to the baseplate around a rotation axis. A second adjustment mechanism may selectively control the rotational juxtaposition of the guide plate relative to the baseplate, and can lock the plates together. The rotation axis may be medially offset from the center of the guide assembly. The guide plate provides in situ positionable cutting guidance for implantation of prosthetic joint components. The system may further include an articulating insert trial mounted on the guide assembly to determine preferred joint alignment and/or optimal positioning of the guide plate.
US08382847B2
A femoral component of a knee prosthesis has spaced condyle surfaces defining a notch therebetween. The notch defines an elongated cam housing having an anterior cam and a posterior cam at opposite ends of the housing. The tibial component of the knee prosthesis includes a platform and a bearing supported on the platform, the bearing defining bearing surfaces configured to articulate with the condyle surfaces. The tibial component includes a spine projecting superiorly from the bearing that defines an anterior face and a posterior face. The posterior face and the posterior cam define complementary curved surfaces configured for cooperative engagement when the femoral component and the tibial component are at a predetermined flexion angle. The cam housing is configured to form a gap between the posterior cam and the spine when the knee is normally extended. In another feature, the spine includes a stiffening pin extending therethrough.
US08382845B2
A knee joint prosthesis including a femoral component for attachment to a femur. The femoral component includes an anterior portion, first and second condylar portions extending from the anterior portion and having first and second bearing surfaces, the first and second condylar portions having first and second posterior ends, and a third condylar portion defined between the first and second condylar portions and extending anteriorly beyond the first and second posterior ends.
US08382844B2
Methods are provided for preserving and restoring cranial bone flaps. In one aspect, the method to preserve a cranial bone flap includes cleaning a cranial bone flap, washing the cranial bone flap with a sterile saline solution including gentamycin, and washing the bone with a sterile saline solution including vancomycin. The cranial bone flap may be dried, wrapped, and packaged before being stored in a freezer. The fixing method may include removing the preserved cranial bone flap from a freezer and unwrapping the preserved cranial bone flap from any wrappings. A previous wound may be opened for insertion of the preserved cranial bone flap. The preserved cranial bone flap may be washed with a sterile saline solution including gentamycin and a sterile saline solution including vancomycin. The edges of the previous wound may be refreshed by nipping free margins to expose diploic spaces, and the preserved cranial bone flap may be fixed in place within the previous wound.
US08382836B2
A method to impregnate a porous bone replacement material (1) with a liquid impregnating agent (5), wherein a) the bone replacement material (1) is or will be enclosed in a chamber (2) with two openings (3, 4) that can be closed, b) the impregnating agent (5) is introduced into the chamber (2) until the bone replacement material (1) is at least partly immersed in the impregnating agent (5), c) one of the two openings (3, 4) will be closed, d) the chamber (2) is evacuated at least partly via the other, open, opening (4, 3), so that the air contained in the pores of the bone replacement material (1) is at least partly removed from it, e) the vacuum produced in the chamber is terminated again by supplying air or a gas through one of the openings (3, 4), and f) the vacuum produced in the pores of the bone replacement material (1) is terminated by the impregnating agent (5) penetrating into the pores of the bone replacement material (1) immersed into the impregnating agent (5).
US08382832B2
A foldable intraocular lens for providing vision contains an optic body that includes an optical zone and a peripheral zone entirely surrounding the optical zone. The optic body has an anterior face, a substantially opposing posterior face, an optic edge, and an optical axis. The anterior face comprises a central face, a peripheral face, and a recessed annular face therebetween that is disposed posterior to the peripheral face. The intraocular lens further comprises at least one haptic that is integrally formed with the peripheral zone. The haptic comprises a distal posterior face, a proximal posterior face, and a step edge disposed at a boundary therebetween. The haptic further comprises a side edge disposed between the optic edge and the step edge. The proximal posterior face and the posterior face of the optic body form a continuous surface. An edge corner is formed by the intersection of the continuous surface with the optic edge, the side edge, and the step edge.
US08382824B2
A endoprosthesis includes a body comprising a plurality of interconnected struts. The body includes a bioerodible metal. At least a first strut of the plurality of interconnected struts includes a stripe on the surface of the first strut. The stripe including a nitride of the bioerodible metal, a fluoride of the bioerodible metal, or a combination thereof. The stripe runs along the length of the first strut. The stripe is part of a continuous network of stripes on struts adjacent to the first strut.
US08382822B2
A valve prosthesis, such as an artificial venous valve, having a support frame and leaf structure comprising one or more leaflets in which the outer edge of each leaflet engages the inner circumference of the bodily passageway along a serpentine path urged against the passageway by an expandable frame, while the inner edges move in response to fluid to restrict retrograde flow. Optionally, one or more elements can extend from the support frame/leaf structure to provide centering support and/or protection from the leaflet adhering to the vessel wall. In one embodiment, the centering support structure comprises a second or third expandable frames attached to and extending from the proximal and/or distal ends of main valve structure and support frame. In another embodiment, one or more support elements extend outward from the valve support frame to engage the vessel wall to provide greater longitudinal stability.
US08382814B2
Stents and methods of using stents are provided. Stents of the invention provide external support structure for a blood vessel segment disposed within, wherein the stents are capable of resilient radial expansion in a manner mimicking the compliance properties of an artery. The stent may be formed of a knitted or braided mesh formed so as to provide the needed compliance properties. A venous graft with the stent and a vein segment disposed within is provided, wherein graft is capable of mimicking the compliance properties of an artery. Methods of selecting stents for downsizing and methods of using the stents of the invention in downsizing and smoothening are provided. Methods of replacing a section of an artery with a venous graft including a stent of the invention are provided. Methods of reducing intimal hyperplasia in implanted vein segment in a venous graft using stents of the invention are provided.
US08382807B2
Certain embodiments of the invention provide plates for treating periarticular fractures or other non-full body weight bearing applications that combine polyaxial fixation with a low profile and enhanced contouring that more closely conforms to bone. Such plates can be designed to achieve buttressing effect and/or to be used in a reinforcement mode. Other features can be combined with these. Such plates can be created for use on bone sites such as on a tibia, fibula, metatarsal, calcaneous, other foot bone, humerus, radius, ulna, spinal, maxillofacial, as well as sites on other bones.
US08382805B2
A limited angulation bone screw assembly adapted to couple a spinal rod with a vertebra including a bone screw, a bushing and a housing. The pedicle screw having a shaft and an upper head portion, the upper head portion comprising a spherical surface with flats disposed on opposite sides of the upper head portion. The bushing comprising a lower rounded surface for mating with the spherical surface and flats of the upper head portion to restrict the angular movement of the bone screw. The coupled bone screw and bushing are inserted into the housing in a first orientation and then rotated to a second orientation to secure the coupled bone screw and bushing to complete the housing.
US08382774B2
A surgical instrument for applying sutures to tissue includes a needle deployment mechanism and a catch mechanism. In some embodiments, the needle deployment mechanism employs a linear path. Alternatively, it can employ a curved needle. The surgical instrument may include a rotatable head, a bend, and/or a malleable elongated body member formable into various shapes.
US08382772B2
A gastropexy kit includes a plurality of safety needle assemblies. Each safety needle assembly includes a needle and a stylus. A fastener is positioned in a distal end of the needle. The fastener is coupled to one end of the suture and a suture retention hub is coupled to an opposite end of the suture. The fastener is deployed in a patient's stomach via the needle and stylus which has a blunt distal end which extends through the needle to push the fastener out of the needle and to blunt the needle. The suture retention hub is positioned on a patient's skin and adjustably tensions the suture, which, desirably, is a resorbable suture.
US08382769B2
There is provided an intraocular lens insertion device capable of easily positioning a circumference of an optical portion of an intraocular lens with respect to a distal end of a plunger. An intraocular lens insertion device 1 comprises: a cartridge 3 having a lens placement section 16 in which an intraocular lens 2 is to be placed; an insertion device main body 4 having a plunger 5 for pushing out the intraocular lens 2 with the cartridge 3 being attached to the insertion device main body 4; and a deforming means 6 for deforming the lens placement section 16. A slit 21 is formed on the lens placement section 16, and the deforming means 6 deforms the lens placement section 16 in a diameter-decreasing direction thereof when attaching the cartridge 3 to the insertion device main body 4. In this way, the intraocular lens 2 is settled at a predetermined position in the lens placement section 16, thus making it possible to position a circumference of an optical portion 2a of the intraocular lens 2 with respect to a distal end portion of the plunger 5.
US08382764B2
An instrument for use in determining an anterior-posterior dimension of a femur during a minimally invasive surgical procedure includes a body having a base and a member extending upwardly from the base, said member providing a first part of a sliding mechanism. A stylus includes a stylus support providing a second part of a sliding mechanism which can engage with the member to allow relative sliding movement between the stylus and base, and a stylus member mounted on the stylus support. An implant size indicator interacts with the sliding mechanism to be moved relative to a scale by the member to indicate a size of an implant corresponding to the relative positions of the body and stylus.
US08382756B2
A method of positioning an external adjustment device relative to a patient includes placing a magnetic viewing sheet adjacent to a patient and identifying the location of an implanted magnetic assembly using the magnetic viewing sheet by visualizing a magnetic image of the implanted magnetic assembly in the magnetic viewing sheet. The external adjustment device is placed on the patient adjacent to the location where the magnetic image was located.
US08382755B2
Apparatuses and methods for externally fixing and precisely adjusting fractures, such as fractures near the ankle, are disclosed. In one embodiment, an external fixation apparatus includes a first member attachable to a first bone segment through pins, a second member coupled to the first member through a lockable ball joint, wherein first and second ends of the second member may be translated transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the second member, and a pin clamp coupled to and rotatable about the second member through a lockable joint and attachable to a second bone segment. The pin clamp and the second member may be releasably coupled.
US08382754B2
Electrosurgical bipolar forceps for sealing tissue is disclosed. The forceps includes a shaft member having an end effector assembly disposed at a distal end thereof. The end effector assembly includes jaw members movable from a first position in spaced relation relative to one another to at least one subsequent position wherein the jaw members cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween. Each of the jaw members includes a sealing plate that communicates electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween. One or more of the sealing plates includes one or more springs, the sealing plate is configured to slowly flex to accommodate pressure applied to the tissue until a specified closure pressure is obtained based upon at least one of tissue type and tissue thickness.
US08382749B2
An electrosurgical return electrode is disclosed. The return electrode includes a first and second flexible conductive material layers and a material layer disposed between the first and second conductive material layers. The material layer is transitionable between a solid state and a non-solid state, the material layer is also configured to melt upon an increase in temperature beyond a predetermined threshold, thereby increasing conductivity between the first and second conductive material layer.
US08382738B2
A catheter having an elongated shaft with a tubular member which forms at least a portion of the shaft and which is formed of a biaxially oriented thermoplastic polymeric material, and a method of forming the catheter shaft by radially and longitudinally expanding the tubular member to biaxially orient the polymeric material, and, in one embodiment, tapering the tubular member to form a bending stiffness transition. A catheter of the invention has an improved combination of low bending stiffness, high rupture pressure, and high tensile strength, for improved catheter performance.
US08382734B1
A primary component is formed of a flexible sheet with a periphery and a central opening, an exterior recipient surface, and an interior surface with an adhesive for removably coupling to a user with the central opening positionable over the anus of the user. A container has a chamber and an opening for receiving and collecting fecal matter. An intermediate member has a separable fastener removably coupling the container with the primary component.
US08382732B2
An ostomy coupling is disclosed comprising a floatable coupling part. The coupling part is supported with respect to an adhesive wafer by means of a flexible support collar that permits displacement of the coupling part in a floatable manner. The flexible collar comprises plastics film and has bistable shapes. The collar is configured to hold the coupling part stably in (i) an extended position spaced from the adhesive wafer, to facilitate an ostomate to manually brace the coupling part in order to relieve the attachment force when an ostomy appliance is press fitted to the coupling part, and (ii) in a retracted position close to the adhesive wafer.
US08382729B2
Provided is an adhesive patch including a stretchable support and an adhesive layer laminated on at least one side of the support, wherein the stretchable support comprises a woven fabric knitted in stockinette stitch on both sides having two or more rows of crimped polyethylene terephthalate multifilament yarns, the adhesive layer contains 25 to 50% by mass of a liquid organic ingredient and 25 to 50% by mass of a thermoplastic elastomer based on the total mass of the layer and contains 10% by mass or more of methyl salicylate as the liquid organic ingredient based on the total mass of the layer, and the storage elastic modulus (G′) of the adhesive layer is 30000 to 75000 Pa at 10 rad/s and 37° C.
US08382728B1
An emergency medication storage and integrated single use device for providing oral dissolving medications strips in a convenient transparent transfer environment. A thin card size dispenser holds a single medicated strip in user access orientation positioned for direct card insertion to the user's mouth assuring proper dispensing of the medication in an emergency situation.
US08382722B2
A method of manufacturing a metal cannula is disclosed. The method includes the step of providing a metal cannula having a longitudinal axis and defining a fluid channel. Next, the metal cannula is pressed to substantially close the fluid channel and define a first segment and a second segment. In a next step, the metal cannula is cut to separate the first segment from the second segment of the metal cannula. Each of the first and second segments have a pressed edge. The pressed edge substantially seals the fluid channel and has two pressed corners. Afterwards, each of the pressed corners are cut from the pressed edge of the first segment to define a pair of side openings and a distal blunt edge on the first segment. The side openings are in fluid communication with the fluid channel.
US08382721B2
A safety IV catheter includes a unitary, resilient needle guard received in a catheter hub. The needle guard includes a proximal arm or wall that includes an opening through which a needle passes for axial movement. When the needle is retracted from the catheter, it releases the force that had previously prevented movement of the needle guard within the catheter hub. This in turn causes the needle guard to snap into a position in which it is clamped onto the needle shaft and in which its distal wall blocks access to the needle tip. In this condition, the spring needle guard and needle can be removed from the catheter hub. A slot or crimp may be formed in the needle shaft that engages with the needle guard after the protected needle and needle guard are removed from the catheter hub, thereby to prevent removal of the protected needle from the needle guard.
US08382716B2
Pneumoperitoneum needles for providing and/or insufflating a corporal and/or abdominal cavity are provided. The pneumoperitoneum needle can include a housing, an elongate tubular body extending from a distal surface of the housing, and an elongate hollow tubular rod slidably received within the tubular body. The tubular body preferably includes a passage formed therethrough for connection to a gas administration system. The tubular rod preferably includes a blunt distal end defining an opening, and a proximal end portion defining an opening formed therethrough.
US08382714B2
A rail-guided epidural-spinal needle, which includes an epidural needle including a base and a needle shaft connected to the base, the needle shaft having a groove that is formed on an outer surface of the needle shaft and extends along an axis of the needle shaft, the base having an elevated spinal needle inlet disposed thereon, the spinal needle inlet having a conduit formed therein, the conduit being of an acute angle with the groove in a side view of the epidural needle, and being in alignment with the groove in a top view of the epidural needle. The rail-guided epidural-spinal needle also includes a spinal needle having a tip with a unilaterally curved conformation down one side, such that, when the spinal needle is inserted into the conduit of the spinal needle inlet, and pushed forward, the tip thereof reaches the groove and slides along the groove.
US08382711B2
An intravenous (“IV”) liquid delivery system includes: an IV pump tubing set; a shuttle pump or membrane pump actuator operable with the IV pump tubing set; upstream and downstream valve actuators operable with the IV pump tubing set; the IV pump tubing set including an air removal device; an air detector configured to sense air in the IV pump tubing set; a control unit configured and arranged to (i) open the upstream valve actuator and close the downstream valve actuator to allow the pump actuator to draw liquid into a pump actuation portion of the IV pump tubing set, and (ii) close the upstream valve actuator and open the downstream valve actuator to allow the pump actuator to push liquid out of the pump actuation portion, the system configured to attempt to remove the air via the air removal device while operating the upstream and downstream valve actuators according to (i) and (ii).
US08382705B2
A conveyor apparatus and a method for supplying a medicine-solution mixture from a plurality of medicine-active ingredient solutions and additional solution constituents in a body by means of a plurality of feed devices is disclosed. The medicine-active ingredient solutions have different medicine-active ingredient parameters and constituents; the solution constituents have different parameters and constituents. The constituents of at least two medicine-active ingredient solutions and solution constituents are saved in at least one storage device; and are selected by means of one selection device for selection of at least one specific parameter and/or constituent of each medicine-active ingredient solution and/or the solution constituents. By means of a calculating device, at least one additional parameter from all selected parameters is calculated for the control and operation of at least one additional feed device for supplying at least one additional medicine-solution mixture to the body.
US08382688B2
A foot sensor device and method for gait enhancement, the device including: (a) a sensor unit having a casing, the sensor unit for disposing within a shoe of a user, the sensor unit for sensing a parameter associated with a gait event; (b) an electronic communication unit, electrically associated with the sensor unit, for receiving a signal pertaining to the parameter, the electronic unit having: (i) a microcontroller; (ii) a transmitting unit for transmitting, in a wireless fashion, gait information based on the signal, to a unit of an orthosis external to the foot sensor device, and (iii) a housing for housing at least one of the microcontroller and the transmitting unit, and (c) a fastening unit, attached to the housing, adapted to fasten on to the shoe, so as to secure the communication unit in a fixed position during gait.
US08382680B2
The present invention provides a hand-held analysis instrument for analyzing a body fluid. The instrument comprises a housing with a housing opening to which a body part, in particular, a finger, can be applied to generate a puncture wound, an analysis unit for analyzing a sample of a body fluid obtained at the puncture wound, and a piercing unit including a lancet and lancet drive for generating a puncture movement of the lancet. The piercing unit, including the lancet drive, is movable between an operating position and a rest position, the piercing unit being located at the housing opening in the operating position in such a manner that by means of the lancet a puncture wound can be generated in a body part pressed against the housing opening, and the piercing unit being remote from the housing opening in the rest position in such a manner that the space in front of the housing opening is free for the analysis unit, so that it can be moved into a position for receiving blood. An operating device is used for actuating a functional mechanism of the piercing unit. The piercing unit is decoupled from the operating device in one of its two positions and is coupled to the operating device in the other position.
US08382679B2
An autonomic nerve activity measuring apparatus includes: a pulse wave acquiring unit, configured to acquire at least two pulse wave signals from a living body; an electric stimulation unit, configured to apply electric stimulation to the living body; a comparison unit, configured to compare the pulse wave signals acquired by the pulse wave acquiring unit; and an analysis unit, configured to analyze comparison result provided by the comparison unit.
US08382653B2
The present invention provides a system for improving diastolic function of the heart comprising elastic elements and attachment elements, wherein said elastic elements and said attachment elements are configured such that they are capable of being interconnected to form a chain formed of an alternating series of said elastic elements and said attachment elements, and wherein said attachment elements are adapted to be anchored in the wall of the heart and with option for drug delivery to the wall of the heart. The invention further provides devices, methods and kits, for mounting the ventricular function assisting device of the invention.
US08382646B2
The invention relates to a walking aid for a mechanically driven treadmill, comprising at least one tractive element that is guided over two respective deflection rollers and that is driven directly or indirectly by means of the treadmill. The tract of said element that directly faces the treadmill belt is displaced in the same direction as said belt and the tract of the element that faces away from the belt is displaced in the opposite direction to the latter. The aid also comprises at least one fixing element, which is located on the tractive element, for supports for part of the feet and/or legs.
US08382644B1
A training device for diaphragmal breathing exercises, the device including (a) a beaker having a substantially cylindrical shape, with a bottom on one end and an opening on the other end; (b) an inner chamber within the beaker, the inner chamber having a bottom end and an open end on the same side as the open end of the beaker; (c) a lid having inner and outer circumferential ridges, wherein the lid fittingly mounts over the open end of beaker using an outer ridge and fittingly mounts over the inner chamber using the inner ridge; and (d) the lid further having a tubular coupling portion. A breathing tube is fittingly coupled to the tubular coupling portion on one end. A mouthpiece mounted on the other end of the breathing tube. The bottom end of the inner chamber has a stepped shape with a plurality of openings on each step. The lid has a plurality of openings.
US08382642B2
A vehicle control apparatus includes: an automatic-stop-and-restart-control-unit stopping/restarting an engine, a brake-fluid-pressure-control-unit controlling wheel-cylinder-pressure using a brake-system, which intensifies brake-manipulation-force by a brake-booster to cause master-cylinder-pressure in a master-cylinder while the engine operates, and which transfers the master-cylinder-pressure to wheel-cylinders to cause the wheel-cylinder-pressure, the brake-system including an actuator automatically increasing pressure in the wheel-cylinders irrespective of the brake-manipulation-force; a negative-pressure-detection-unit which detects the vacuum-pressure; a first-determination-unit which determines whether the vacuum-pressure is not more than a first threshold while the engine stops, a restarting-unit which allows the automatic-stop-and-restart-control-unit to restart the engine when the first-determination-unit determines that the vacuum-pressure is not more than the first threshold; a second-determination-unit which determines whether the vacuum-pressure is not more than a second threshold; and a braking-boost-unit which allows the brake-fluid-pressure-control-unit to automatically increase the pressure in the wheel-cylinders when the second-determination-unit determines that the vacuum-pressure is not more than the second threshold.
US08382636B2
A continuously variable transmission having a continuously variable transmission mechanism for transmitting torque between an input side and an output side by means of frictional forces generated by pushing the input disc and the output disc against the planetary balls and continuously varying a transmission gear ratio between the input side and the output side includes a second group of helical gears capable of generating a first axial force for pushing the input disc toward the output disc, a first group of helical gears capable of generating a second axial force for pushing the output disc toward the input disc, and a thrust bearing and a central shaft for transmitting, when an opposite force in such a direction as to move the input disc away from the output disc and opposite force to the first force is generated on a side of the input disc, the opposite force to the output disc.
US08382629B2
A reduction gear transmission capable of realizing a large reduction ratio while preventing both an increase in its diameter and a decrease in the diameter of its through hole, including: a motor gear; an intermediate shaft; a first and second gear; an input shaft; and an external and internal gear. The first and second gears are fixed to the intermediate shaft. The first gear meshes with the motor gear. The input shaft causes an eccentric rotation member to rotate eccentrically with the rotation of the input gear, which meshes with the second gear. The external gear engages the eccentric rotation member, revolving orbitally around an axis line of the input shaft. The internal gear meshes with the external gear, each having a different number of teeth. The motor gear and first gear mesh at a position offset from a straight line formed by connecting an axis line of the intermediate shaft and of the input shaft.
US08382614B1
A method of marking the position of a golf ball on a putting green and assisting in aligning an ensuing putt of the golf ball. A marker is obtained. The marker comprises a thin object having a first major surface, a second major surface, and a peripheral edge. A segment of the object is pivotable relative to the balance of the object as between a first position in which the segment rests parallel with and within the same plane as the balance of the object and a second position in which the segment rests perpendicular to the balance of the object. The peripheral edge along the segment is conspicuously colored. The marker is placed proximate a golf ball on a putting green. The segment is pivoted from the first position to the second position. The marker is rotated as necessary to align the conspicuously colored edge of the segment resting in the second position with a predicted putting direction.
US08382611B2
The present invention is directed to golf balls comprising a dual-layer core and a cover. The core comprises a center formed from a high modulus HNP composition, and an outer core layer formed from a low modulus HNP composition. Low modulus HNP compositions of the present invention have a modulus of from 1,000 psi to 50,000 psi. High modulus HNP compositions of the present invention have a modulus of from 25,000 psi to 150,000 psi. The modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the low modulus HNP is at least 10% less than the modulus of the highly neutralized copolymer of the high modulus HNP composition. The cover comprises an inner cover layer formed from a thermoplastic composition and an outer cover layer formed from a polyurethane or polyurea composition.
US08382610B2
The present invention generally relates to golf balls and more particularly to golf balls having multi-layered cores comprising a thermoset rubber center, a thermoplastic intermediate core layer, and a thermoset rubber outer core layer. A cover layer is disposed about the multi-layered core. At least one of the center, intermediate core layer, and outer core layer comprises a polyalkenamer rubber. The rubber composition helps improve resiliency of the core and provides the ball with a comfortable and soft feel.
US08382607B2
A length adjustment system for joining a golf club head to a shaft is provided. The length adjustment system may be utilized to produce a minor length, an intermediate length, and an extended length of a golf club. In a minor length configuration, the length adjustment system includes a shaft sleeve attached to an end of the shaft. A retainer releasably secures the shaft and shaft sleeve to the golf club head. The minor length configuration also features a minor length weight system. The intermediate length configuration further includes a first spacer, a first hosel sleeve, and an intermediate length weight system. The extended length configuration further includes a second spacer, a second hosel sleeve, and an extended length weight system. The length adjustment system incorporates the discovery of unique relationships among its components so that the resulting golf club has similar characteristics in each configuration.
US08382603B1
A golf putter is provided having a training strike plate for training a user to consistently strike a golf ball at an optimal point on the putter face while putting. The golf putter has a club head. A training strike plate is selectively couplable to the club head. The training strike plate has a protrusion that extends from a face of the club head when the training strike plate is coupled to the club head. The protrusion has an elongated narrow face such that the protrusion is designed for driving a golf ball away from the protrusion at an acute angle relative to the face of the club head when the golf ball is contacted by an edge of the face of the protrusion.
US08382597B2
A vibration damper comprising at least two damper assemblies connectable in series, coupled with one another through a floating intermediary flange, and torque transmission devices and/or damping coupling devices and rotation angle limiting devices between the floating intermediary flange and a damper component of one of the damper assemblies, wherein the damper component is disposed in a force flow in front and/or behind the floating intermediary flange.
US08382594B2
A torque limiter comprises a first body, a second body, and a biasing mechanism. The second body is rotationally attached relative to the first body. The biasing mechanism comprises at least first and second compression springs and an adjustment device. The first spring has a maximum compression condition. The first and second springs are configured and adapted to create a torque-threshold below which the second body cannot be rotated relative to the first body and above which it can. The torque-threshold is adjustable via the adjustment device throughout a first torque range and a non-overlapping second torque range. The biasing mechanism is configured and adapted such that the first spring progressively compresses as the torque-threshold increases throughout the first torque range, and such that throughout the second torque range the first spring is in its maximum compression condition and the second spring progressively compresses as the torque-threshold increases.
US08382583B2
A method and system for managing tokens in an electronic gaming environment includes managing computer-readable tokens that may be issued by an issuer and transferred to an original recipient of the issued tokens, and thereafter, to one or more players of electronic casino games and/or to electronic gaming devices at which the players intend to play the casino games. The issued tokens may not be redeemable by the issuer, but may be redeemable by the original recipient of the issued tokens or an intermediary device of a hierarchy of devices including the original recipient and the electronic gaming devices. The players may play single-player and/or multi-player games. Tokens wagered during a single-player game may be cancelled if the wager is lost. Tokens wagered during a multi-player game may not be cancelled, but instead transferred to the winner of the multi-player game.
US08382581B2
A system and method for rewarding and providing real world rewards for online game participation is provided. The system allows a user to access an online website having a plurality of different games to play or other activities to participate in, whereby the online website is able to track and monitor online participation and award points that may be redeemed for physical prizes that may be sent to the individual participating in the online activity. Additionally, the system allows the user to accumulate a sufficient amount of points which may be redeemed for better prizes after prolonged play and utilization of the online activity. Moreover, the system may reward the individual for specific contributions or reward for superior activity or play within the participation activity.
US08382577B2
A gaming machine according to the present invention variably displays a plurality of symbols wherein a speed of the variable display of the plurality of symbols while executing a free game is different from a speed of variable display of the plurality of symbols while executing a basic game. In this manner, it is possible to impart a sense of expectation for free game to a player without separately preparing any effect video image such as a video image showing a process of adding WILD symbols.
US08382576B2
To provide a gaming machine and a control method therefor, having a new entertainment characteristics, a slot machine 10 of the present invention, when a “BONUS” symbol 250 associated with a pick-up bonus game is selected, receives selection of any one of twenty little pig's noses 210 displayed. Then, a benefit associated with the selected little pig's nose 210 is awarded. When the benefit to be awarded is a “stick house” 218 which means “step-up”, a step-up occurs to the stick house stage and the expectation value for a payout is raised. Thus, when one little pig's nose 210 is selected out of the twenty little pig's noses 210 displayed in the stick house stage, the payout amount of the benefit associated with the little pig's nose 210 is increased.
US08382571B2
A gaming system of the present invention includes: a plurality of gaming machines; and a common display device connected to the gaming machines; wherein each of the gaming machines has: a display device, which displays a plurality of symbols; a controller, which executes a process of rearranging symbols arranged on the display device, after a gaming medium is betted, and executing a first game of making a payment according to the rearranged symbols and a process of transferring to a second game which is different from the first game while it is triggered that a predetermined condition is met; a communication interface, which notifies an execution state of the second game to the common display device, and the common display device has: a communication interface, which receives notification from each of the gaming machine; a memory, which stores an effect image relating to the second game and an explanatory image explaining contents of the second game; and a control, which executes a process of judging whether or not the second game is started at each of the gaming machines, based upon the notification from each of the gaming machines, a process of displaying the explanatory image stored in the memory while the second game is started at each of the gaming machines, and process of displaying an effect image stored in the memory in place of the explanatory image.
US08382569B1
A poker-type card game offers a player the opportunity to play successive poker hands having increasing numbers of cards. In a method of the game, a player plays a 3 card draw poker stage of the game. If the outcome of that game is winning, the player uses that hand and an additional two cards in the play of a 5 card draw poker game. If the outcome of that game is winning the player uses that hand an additional two cards in the play of a 7 card draw poker hand. Winnings may be paid for winning outcomes at each stage of the game.
US08382568B2
A variation of casino blackjack. The player can have the option to split any two cards whether they are identical or not. The player can also double down and receive a double down card, and if the player does not like his or her double down card, then the player can discard the double down card and receive a second double down card.
US08382565B2
The invention generally relates to ventilation systems and methods, and more particularly to selectively configurable climate control systems and methods for use in data centers and the like. A device includes a support element and a plurality of ducts connected to the support element. The device also includes a manifold in fluid communication with each one of the plurality of ducts and a plurality of valves. Each respective one of the plurality of valves is associated with a respective one of the plurality of ducts. Moreover, there is at least one actuator operatively connected to the plurality of valves, which is structured and arranged to individually actuate each one of the plurality of valves.
US08382560B2
To provide a barrel worm-shaped tool capable of grinding processing in high precision, while maintaining the reduction of heavy load during the processing and partial wear. For this purpose, a barrel worm-shaped tool that is used in the gear machining of an internal gear (11) is formed with its diameter gradually increasing from the two end portions in the axial direction thereof towards the middle portion thereof. The barrel worm-shaped tool (12) is formed so that edge shapes (31) of the grinding wheel (12) becomes gradually smaller from the edge shape (31) located in the middle portion, in the axial direction of the barrel worm-shaped tool (12) towards the edge shape (31) located in the two end portions, in the axial direction, of the barrel worm-shaped tool (12) in accordance with the amount of machining allowance for the internal gear (11).
US08382558B2
An apparatus dresses a polishing pad. The apparatus includes a dresser drive shaft which is rotatable and vertically movable, a dresser flange coupled to the dresser drive shaft and configured to secure a dressing member thereto, a spherical bearing provided in the dresser flange and configured to allow the dressing member to tilt with respect to the dresser drive shaft, and a spring mechanism configured to generate a force against a tilting motion of the dressing member.
US08382552B2
A simulated eye includes a semi-spherical eyeball with a light-transmitting area, a light source, a light transmitting board, and a photochromic layer. The light transmitting board disposed between the eyeball and the light source faces the light-transmitting area. The light transmitting board includes a first portion and a second portion surrounding the first position. The first portion is in a first color. The second portion is in a second color other than the first color. The photochromic layer is formed by photochromic materials coated on a side of the second portion facing the light source. When the light source is turned on, the emitted light irradiates the photochromic layer, whereby an area of the second portion covered by the photochromic layer changes from the second color to a third color similar to or the same as the first color.
US08382549B2
There is provided a whistle which suppresses any delay of sound to a listener and any attenuation of a sound volume, can transmit sound waves directly, can be blown with various tones, and has a large sound volume. Two kinds of whistles are stacked up and down and integrated together as a single whistle, an orifice is formed opposite to an air feeding opening to transmit sound waves directly to a listener. Moreover, an amount of air flowing into each air feeding tube of the whistle is controlled depending on an angle of putting a mouthpiece in a mouth to select a tone. A tone selecting member or an air amount adjusting flap is provided, and tone can be selected by mechanically blocking off each air feeding tube. Furthermore, an air amount adjusting flap which changes an air-feeding-path cross-sectional area of the air feeding opening, the air feeding tube, or the orifice is provided, and a sound volume can be changed by adjusting an amount of passing air.
US08382537B2
A marine vessel includes a hull and a jet propulsion device arranged to take in water through an intake port and eject the water through an ejection port rearward with respect to the hull. The ejection port is arranged posterior to the intake port. The marine vessel also includes a reversing member arranged to be movable between a forward drive position and a reverse drive position. The reversing member is arranged to, when placed at the reverse drive position, reverse the direction of the water ejected from the jet propulsion device forward with respect to the hull (in a direction capable of generating a propulsive force in the reverse drive direction). The marine vessel further includes an operation unit arranged to be operated by a marine vessel maneuvering operator to locate the reversing member at the forward drive position or the reverse drive position, and an internal combustion engine arranged to drive the jet propulsion device. The marine vessel also includes a control unit arranged and programmed to operate in a reverse drive mode in which when the reversing member is located at the reverse drive position by the operation unit, and such that the control unit controls the internal combustion engine to operate within a predetermined speed range.
US08382530B2
A case-integrated connector (10) is such that a connector (11) is integrally assembled into a resin-made case body (12) by insert molding using the connector (11) as an insert. The connector (11) is provided with a first housing (20) including a receptacle (22) at one end and a second housing (30) including a connecting portion (33) to be fit into the receptacle (22). The case body (12) covers the outer peripheral surface of a fitting portion (11A) in which the receptacle (22) of the first housing (20) and the connecting portion (33) of the second housing (30) face each other. One of facing surfaces of the receptacle (22) and the connecting portion (33) is formed with annular projections (40) that project outward over the entire periphery to be held in contact with the other facing surface.
US08382529B2
An IS-4 terminal connector assembly includes three terminal electrodes positioned over an inner tubular member such that they are radially offset from one another. Each of the terminal ring electrodes are configured such that they can withstand both tensile and cyclical bending loads with minimal compromise in their outer geometry. Additionally, each of the terminal electrodes is configured such that they have both an inner and outer geometry that facilitates adequate insulation between a select terminal electrode and an adjacent conductor. Additionally, each of the terminal ring electrodes is configured such that they facilitate an external approach to staking a cable conductor.
US08382527B2
A plurality of contacts are arranged in a first direction along a side wall of a housing. The housing has a plurality of ribs projecting in a second direction from the side wall and interposed between the contacts, respectively. Each rib has a tapered portion adjacent to the side wall.
US08382525B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a direct-connect fuse unit for a battery terminal that can restrain from being upsized and can mount various kinds of electrical components. A conducting hardware is integrally provided with a connecting terminal. The connecting terminal is bent in a plate thickness direction of the conductive hardware to project from a surface of a casing. An electrical component housing contains and holds an external electrical component connected to the connecting terminal. The electrical component housing is separated from the casing and is adapted to be fitted in the casing.
US08382520B2
A connector assembly includes contact modules each having a dielectric frame and contacts held by the dielectric frame. The contacts are arranged along a contact plane within the frame. The dielectric frame includes frame members connected by connecting segments. The frame has windows between the frame members located between adjacent contacts. Holders support corresponding contact modules. The holders are electrically grounded. The holders each have a support wall and tabs that extend outward from the support wall. The contact modules are coupled to the holders such that the tabs are received in the windows to provide shielding within the contact modules. The holders are coupled together such that the contact modules are stacked together with the tabs of at least some of the holders that extend into the contact module held by the adjacent holder and across the contact plane defined by the contact module of the adjacent holder.
US08382518B2
Disclosed is type THHN cable having a reduced surface coefficient of friction, and the method of manufacture thereof, in which the central conductor core and insulating layer are surrounded by a nylon sheath. A high viscosity, high molecular weight silicone based pulling lubricant for THHN cable, or alternatively, erucamide or stearyl erucamide for small THHN gauge wire, is incorporated, by alternate methods, with the nylon material from which the outer sheath is extruded, and is effective to reduce the required pulling force on the cable during installation.
US08382516B2
A multimedia delivery system of a vehicle is provided comprising a passive configuration plug designed as a line-replaceable unit that permits quick and easy reconfiguration based on changing needs of the vehicle owner. The system comprises a plurality of multimedia servers comprising multimedia data files, a plurality of end user display devices that display information from the multimedia servers, and a configuration plug designed as a line-replaceable unit comprising: a frame, one or more covers connected to the frame, a plug mount comprising an end-user device plug and a server plug, wherein both the device plug and the server plug each contain a plurality of cable connectors, a plurality of cables, each connecting to a connector of the device plug on one end, and a connector of the server plug on an other end, the connections defining a cable mapping between the devices and the servers.
US08382508B1
An electrical power assembly comprises a motor lead with individual metal sheathed conductors, a power cable with individual metal sheathed conductors and a splice connector for connecting each of the conductors. Each splice connector has a tubular metal fastener body with an upward facing shoulder at an upper end and a downward facing shoulder at a lower end. A metal nut assembly is fixed to one of the power cable conductors with a downward facing shoulder in metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the upward facing shoulder of the fastener body. A metal coupler fixed to one of the motor lead conductors with an upward facing shoulder in metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the downward facing shoulder of the fastener body. Contacts electrically connect one of the motor lead conductors to one of the power cable conductors within the fastener body. An elastomeric seal disposed between the nut assembly and the fastener body, has expansion relief voids operable to collapse and relieve stresses exerted by the seal when the seal undergoes thermal expansion.
US08382504B2
A connector has a base having an opening formed at a front surface, to which a distal end of a flexible printed circuit is inserted, and insertion holes passing from the front surface to a rear surface arranged in a line, a connection terminal inserted into the insertion hole of the base, a support fitting arranged on both side edges of the base in which an elastic temporary holding portion is extended from one end to a first side and a lock long tongue piece is extended to a second side opposite the first side, and an operation lever for supporting a turning shaft portion arranged in a projecting manner from both side end faces on the same axis center at the base so as to be turnable, and including a lock cutout portion so as to communicate to a slit formed along an edge of the side end faces.
US08382500B2
A rotary connector device includes a stator, a rotator rotatable relative to the stator, a base ring arranged between the stator and the rotator, a flexible flat cable (14), and a rotating roller. The flexible flat cable (14) has a conductor part (14a), and is configured to electrically connect the stator side and the rotator side to each other. The rotating roller is rotatably supported on the base ring, and brings an outer circumferential surface thereof into contact with the flexible flat cable (14), thereby guiding it. The rotating roller is molded by using a die. When a plane including a parting line that is formed at the outer circumferential surface of the rotating roller at a time of the molding is defined as an imaginary plane (90), the imaginary plane (90) is perpendicular to an axis of the rotating roller and does not overlap the conductor part (14a) of the flexible flat cable (14).
US08382492B2
A domestic appliance that includes at least one mains connection for the supply of power to the domestic appliance from a building supply mains. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the mains connection may include data transfer contacts.
US08382490B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical junction box having a new structure that can simplify a parts control and can lower a cost in production by enabling already available connecting terminals to be converted. Support projections are provided on an insulation plate. The support projections receive and support connecting terminals and have projecting dimensions corresponding to the connecting terminals. A casing contains the insulation plate. The casing is provided on a surface opposed to the support projections with recess-like or bump-like matching portions that contact with projection end surfaces of the support projections to position the support projections.
US08382479B2
According to one embodiment, an apparatus for removing enamel from a person's tooth includes a blade portion and a handle portion. The blade portion includes an abrasive surface adapted to remove enamel from the tooth in response to reciprocating movement of the abrasive surface against the enamel of the tooth. The handle portion is coupled to the blade portion, has a substantially solid cross-section, and is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding opening in a driver mechanism that is adapted to drive reciprocating movement of the blade portion to provide the reciprocating movement of the abrasive surface.
US08382474B2
A dental articulator is provided in which at least one of the two arms thereof has a base member that is articulated with respect to a bracket element onto which a dental model may be mounted, allowing independent movement of the dental model with respect to the pivot axis hingedly linking the arms.
US08382472B2
The invention relates to a light curing device, comprising a light source which is accommodated in a housing which has a light exit, through which light leaves the housing. It is provided that the light exiting direction of the light beam is variable, in particular infinitely variable.
US08382461B2
An impeller for a vane cell pump includes, but is not limited to vane receptacles for receiving an at least radially movable pump vane. A chamber wall is formed between two adjacent vane receptacles to form a conveying chamber. The chamber wall has an axially projecting web for delimiting a movement of a position ring with respect to the radial movement of the pump vane. The chamber wall includes, but is not limited to a first wall region for secure receiving of the respective pump vane in the vane receptacle. The chamber wall further includes, but is not limited to a second wall region for forming a web thickness d of the web for secure abutment of a sintering tool. In addition, the chamber wall has a third wall region for forming an enlarged conveying chamber volume. As a result, the impeller is easily manufactured and has an enlarged pump capacity for the same installation space.
US08382453B2
Disclosed is a piezoelectric pump. The piezoelectric pump includes a pump body, a drive unit, a detection section, and a control unit. The pump body includes a hole for introducing a fluid from outside thereinto and jetting the fluid from inside, a wall portion disposed so as to face the hole, and a piezoelectric body provided on the wall portion to vibrate the wall portion. The drive unit drives the piezoelectric body. The detection section detects a signal corresponding to a discharge rate of the fluid from the hole. The control unit controls a drive voltage and a drive frequency of the drive unit on the basis of the signal.
US08382452B2
A pump arrangement includes a pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, and a safety valve arranged between the pump outlet and an outlet of the pump arrangement and having a valve seat and a valve lid. The valve seat, the pump outlet and the pump inlet are patterned in a first surface of a first integrated part of the pump arrangement, whereas the valve lid is formed in a second integrated part of the pump arrangement. An inlet of the pump arrangement and a fluid region fluidically connected thereto are formed in a third part of the pump arrangement. The second integrated part is arranged between the first integrated part and the third part of the pump arrangement such that a pressure in the fluid region has a closing effect on the safety valve, the pump inlet and the inlet of the pump arrangement being connected fluidically.
US08382446B2
A method for removing a fluid and a material in contact with the fluid from a borehole penetrating the earth, the method including: operating a pump coupled to the borehole at a first speed for a first time interval to remove the fluid; and operating the pump at a second speed greater than the first speed for a second time interval to remove the fluid and the material.
US08382442B2
Controllable pitch blade non-ducted propeller for a jet engine, comprising a rotor member comprising radial housing for mounting blade support plates, each plate being attached in a ring centered and guided in rotation in a housing of the rotor member and comprising external toothing engaged and locked in internal toothing of the ring, to withstand the centrifugal forces to which the propeller blades are subjected in operation.
US08382440B2
Wind turbine systems and methods are disclosed herein. A representative system includes a wind turbine blade having an inner region that has an internal load-bearing truss structure, and an outer region that has an internal, non-truss, load-bearing structure. In particular embodiments, the truss structure can include a triangular arrangement of spars, and/or can include truss attachment members that connect components of the truss without the use of holes in the spars. Spars can be produced from a plurality of pultruded composite members laminated together in longitudinally extending portions. The longitudinally extending portions can be connected at joints that interleave projections and recesses of each of the spar portions. The blades can include fan-shaped transitions at a hub attachment portion, formed by laminated layers and/or a combination of laminated layers and transition plates.
US08382439B1
A turbine rotor blade made from the spar and shell construction in which the shell is a thin wall shell made from a high temperature resistant material that is formed by a wire EDM process, and where the shell is secured to the spar using a retainer that is poured into retainer occupying spaces formed in the shell and the spar, and then hardened to form a rigid retainer to secure the shell to the spar. The spar and the shell both have grooves facing each other to form a retainer groove. A retaining material, such as a liquid or a powdered metal, is poured into the grooves and hardened to form a retainer to secure the shell to the spar. The retaining material also forms a seal on the top of the spar and between the spar and shell.
US08382427B2
A blower fan includes a housing having a compartment. A stator and an impeller are mounted in the compartment. The housing further includes an air inlet and an air outlet both communicated with the compartment. The impeller has a hub and a plurality of vanes coupled to the hub. Each vane includes an upper edge whose end is an air input portion adjacent to the air inlet of the housing, and an air gap is formed between the upper edge of each vane and a top of the housing, with various widths of the air gap ranging from 0.3 mm to 2.0 mm, while a shortest width of the air gap is formed between the air input portion of the upper edge and the top of the housing for providing reduced turbulence and noises.
US08382426B2
A high-speed air spindle including a spindle 1 supported by a first bearing 3 at the leading end side in the axial direction and a second bearing 2 at the rear end side, a driving air turbine 4 fixed in a spindle portion between the first bearing 3 and the second bearing 2, a speed-increasing air turbine 5 fixed in a spindle portion ahead of the first bearing 3, and an air passage 9 of an exhaust of compressed air supplied in the driving air turbine 4, flowing in the sequence of the first bearing 3 and the speed-increasing air turbine 5.
US08382419B2
The apparatus of the present invention is designed to provide an apparatus for placement and removal of gas containing tanks in various locations for usage or transport. The apparatus includes a transport carriage assembly with wheels for moving thereof and a generally vertical beam with an angularly positioned reinforcing member for strengthening thereof. A parallel swing brace is pivotally connected to the vertical beam and extends outwardly therefrom. A tank retaining bracket assembly is secured to the outermost end of the parallel swing brace. Holding brackets and a foot plate are secured to the parallel swing braces and define a tank holding zone. A strap secures the tank to the retaining bracket. A drive is connected to the parallel swing brace to power movement thereof in a vertical direction either upwardly or downwardly as needed.
US08382416B2
A method collates multiple-layer brochures containing a plurality of n signatures having a gathering and stitching machine. Here, in a first step, the depositing of a first signature takes place by a first feeder into a first transport segment and, in a second step, the depositing of a second signature takes place by a second feeder into a second transport segment. Correspondingly further depositing of further signatures can take place by further feeders into further transport segments. Finally, depositing of an n-th signature takes place by an n-th feeder into an n-th transport segment. The signatures which are deposited on a gathering element in this way are transported through the stitching station and the trimming station and are delivered in the delivery station. A gathering and stitching machine performs the method and has a control unit which has a machine program for collating multiple-layer brochures having a plurality of n signatures.
US08382411B2
The invention relates to a self-locking nut (1) having an upper threaded collar (3) provided with longitudinal slots (7), being V or U shaped, also with sharp edge, defining in the collar a plurality of circular arc segments (9) compressed by an external helical spring (5), and in which the collar slots have such a width as not to allow the mutual contact of the circular arc segments (9) compressed by the spring. The spring of the self-locking nut is made of precipitation hardening stainless steel whereby it shows high constancy of braking torque features even for repeated screwing/unscrewing cycles. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the nut.
US08382408B2
A trailer system for inspecting a vehicle inspection includes a trailer having a trailer body, the trailer bearing a vehicle to be inspected, a turning member rotatably provided on an upper surface of the trailer for abutting against wheels of the vehicle to be inspected that has halted on the trailer, and a turning plate rotation driving mechanism provided on the trailer for driving the turning plate to turn toward the upper surface of the trailer. The trailer system can trail the trailer with various loads passing through an inspection system such as a scanning passage, while bearing a heavy load, and maintaining the strength and rigidity thereof without damaging the vehicle to be inspected. A radiation imaging inspection system includes the trailer system.
US08382406B2
A parallel shaft strap tie down apparatus and system. Exemplary embodiments include a parallel shaft strap tie down apparatus and system for vehicle transports. Exemplary embodiments include a central shaft having a ratchet wheel and a pawl configured to wrap a strap around the central shaft. A parallel shaft is positioned parallel to the central shaft. The strap can be inserted between a variable gap between the central shaft and the parallel shaft. When the central shaft is rotated the strap is wound around the central shaft and the parallel shaft, both of which cooperate to create a self-tightening response of the strap on the central and parallel shafts.
US08382366B2
The invention concerns a programmable and reprogrammable mechanical memory wheel (30) for a timepiece, including a wheel (31) that is mobile about an axis of rotation (33).It is wherein it includes a mobile heart-piece (40) which pivots relative to said wheel (31), between indexing positions (34) of said wheel (31) with which said heart-piece (40) is arranged to cooperate via an indexing finger (41) included therein and towards which said heart-piece is returned radially by resilient return means (43), and which includes at least one support surface (45) arranged for cooperating with a timepiece mechanism.The invention also concerns a timepiece mechanism incorporating at least one memory wheel of this type (30), wherein, in proximity to each wheel (30), it includes support means arranged for cooperating with said support surface (45) of said memory wheel (30) in a disconnectable manner.
US08382360B2
The present invention provides a planar light guide film for a backlight unit having at least one point light source, the light guide film comprising a light input surface for receiving light from the point light source, a light redirecting surface for redirecting light received from the light input surface and a light output surface for outputting at least the light redirected from the light redirecting surface. The light input surface further comprises a composite lens structure having a circular tip segment with a first contact angle, and a first and second elliptical base segments with a second contact angle, the second contact angle being greater than the first contact angle and the second contact angle being equal to each other andwherein the circular tip segment satisfies the following equation: y1=a1+√{square root over ((r12−x2))} and the elliptical base segments satisfies the following equations: y4=d4+b4×√{square root over ((1−((x+c4)/a4)2)} y5=d5+b5×√{square root over ((1−((x−c5)/a5)2)}.
US08382348B2
A display device includes a generally annular display (10) and a light source (3a) disposed to oppose a rear surface of the display (10). The display (10) is indicated by a rotatable pointer (4) and includes an indicator portion (12) disposed along a trace of displacement of a tip end portion (4a) of the pointer (4), and a transparent member (20) having a light incidence surface (a light incidence portion) (21) on which light from the light source (3a) is incident. The transparent member (20) is disposed on a front side of the indicator portion (12) and spaced from a front surface of the indicator portion (12) with a clearance (K) therebetween, and extends toward a center axis of the pointer (4).
US08382345B2
A porcelain enamel substrate (1) mounts a light emitting element in which a porcelain enamel layer (5) is coated onto a surface of a core metal (4), and a reflective cup portion (7) that has a flat bottom surface and a sloping portion that surrounds this bottom surface is provided on a light emitting element mounting surface, and an electrode (6) for energizing a light emitting element (3) is provided on the light emitting element mounting surface, and the thickness of the electrode (6) within the reflective cup portion (7) is within a range of 5 μm to 100 μm.
US08382344B2
A low profile lighting assembly includes a lighting fixture and a remote ballast housing mounted on a ceiling grid. The ballast housing encloses emergency ballast provides emergency power to the lighting fixture in the event of a power outage. The ballast housing can enclose a fluorescent ballast connected to one or more fluorescent lamps of the lighting fixture. The emergency ballast is recessed with respect to the top end of the ceiling grid to provide a low profile structure. Inclined side walls of the emergency ballast provide easy connection of the wiring harness and power cable to the emergency ballast while maintaining the low profile structure.
US08382343B2
In an electronic device including a temperature sensor and an electronic component which is a heat generation source, the temperature is measured while the influence of heat from the electronic component is reduced. The electronic device includes: a base formed of a resin material; a board which is disposed at one side of the base, and includes an electronic component and a temperature sensor; and a heat sink which is disposed at the other side of the base for dissipating heat generated by the electronic component. The heat sink includes an extension part extending from the other side of the base toward a position of the board at which the electronic component is provided.
US08382339B2
A light output device comprises at least one light source having a light source output comprising at least a light output, and a switchable member through which the light output is provided, and which is switchable between at least two optical states. These at least two optical states provide different levels of uniformity of the light output. The switching of the switchable member is induced by the light source output.
US08382336B2
A lighting apparatus includes a body having a bottom surface and a side surface, a poly-pyramid shaped reflector being placed on the bottom surface of the body and including at least three reflective surfaces, and a light source being placed on the side surface of the body, including at least one light emitting device and being placed in an area corresponding to at least one of the reflective surfaces of the reflector.
US08382325B2
In one embodiment, a lamp with a ferrule includes a substrate to support a light emitting element and a wire insertion portion formed therein. A support portion to arrange the substrate is formed in one end portion of a base body. A through-hole is formed in the support portion corresponding to the wire insertion portion. A concave container portion is provided in the other end portion of the base body to accommodate a circuit board to mount electric parts. An insulating case is arranged between the circuit board and the concave container portion. The insulating case includes a protection element inserted in the through-hole and the wire insertion portion. The protection element is projected at least to inside of the wire insertion portion. A ferrule for supplying electric power to the light emitting element is provided in the other end portion of the base body.
US08382316B2
An LED lamp A1 includes at least one elongated LED unit 1 including a plurality of light emitting diodes 13, and bases 2 and 3 configured to be attached to the ends of the LED unit 1 in the longitudinal direction to receive power from outside. The lamp is configured to allow a plurality of LED units 1 to be serially connected. Such configuration contributes to reducing the manufacturing cost and facilitating the management of the products, with respect to a plurality of types of products of different lengths.
US08382315B2
An illumination apparatus includes an adapter that is detachably and electrically connected a fluorescent lamp socket; a power supply unit in the adapter to supply power; a light emitting device driver that generates driving power from the power supplied by the power supply unit; a controller that controls the light emitting device driver; and a light emitting device illumination unit that emits light according to the driving power from the light emitting device driver and that is electrically connects the power supply unit to another fluorescent lamp socket.
US08382297B2
A method, apparatus and system for combining non-visible data and visible data for a projector enabled to project visible images and non-visible images are provided. Visible bits representative of the visible images to be projected by the projector in a visible light spectrum are received; non-visible bits representative of the non-visible images to be projected by the projector in a non-visible light spectrum are received; a portion of the visible bits are replaced with at least a portion of the non-visible bits in video data such that the visible images and the non-visible images can be co-projected by the projector upon processing the video data.
US08382294B2
A method and apparatus for displaying an image on a communication device are provided. The communication device is formed of a housing (305) having a plurality of surfaces and includes an electronically controlled display (310) coupled to one of the surfaces. The housing further includes a reflecting device (345) for reflecting an image from the display (310) onto another, non-electronic, display (320) located on another surface of the housing. The image is thus viewable on both surfaces of the housing.
US08382290B2
A projector adapted to project an image includes: a detection section adapted to detect a motion of the projector; a determination section adapted to compare a detection result of the detection section with a predetermined criterion to perform determination on whether the projector is in a moving state or in a resting state; an adjustment section adapted to begin adjustment of at least one projection condition of the image in response to a transition of a determination result of the determination section from the moving state to the resting state; an auxiliary operation section adapted to auxiliary support the projection of the image by performing an operation with vibration; and a criterion determination section adapted to change the criterion based on a operation state of the auxiliary operation section.
US08382288B2
A projector includes: a first solid-state light source device including a first solid-state light source emitting main excitation light, and a fluorescent layer converting the main excitation light to light including a first color light component and a second color light component different from the first color light component, and emitting converted light; a second solid-state light source device including a second solid-state light source emitting a third color light component different from the first and second color light components; a light modulation device modulating the first, second and third color light components in accordance with image information; a projection optical system projecting the modulated light components from the light modulation device as a projection image; and a color light combining optical system combining light emitted from the first solid-state light source device and the third color light component.
US08382274B2
A printing system includes: a head that discharges electromagnetically-curable ink of multiple colors, each color having a different ease of curing with respect to electromagnetic wave, onto a medium; a provisional curing unit, common for all of the colors, that provisionally cures the electromagnetically-curable ink that has landed on the medium by irradiating the electromagnetically-curable ink with electromagnetic waves; and a controller that determines an irradiation condition of the provisional curing unit based on an ink discharge amount for each of the multiple colors per unit of area that has been found based on print data that has undergone a halftone process for each of the multiple colors, the ink discharge amount being weighted based on the ease of curing of each of the colors.
US08382272B2
A recording apparatus includes: a guide that includes a convex portion formed along a transport direction and guides a recording medium in the transport direction by allowing the convex portion to come in contact with a lenticular lens of the recording medium having the lenticular lens; and a pressing member that presses the recording medium against the guide.
US08382271B2
The present invention provides an inkjet ink which is excellent in image quality and high-speed printing on plain paper, in storage stability and in ejection stability and gives less load on a maintenance device for an inkjet recording apparatus; and an ink cartridge, an inkjet recording apparatus, and an inkjet recording method, using the inkjet ink. An inkjet ink containing a water dispersion of pigment-containing water-insoluble vinyl polymer particles; a water-soluble organic solvent; and water, wherein an ink residue from the inkjet ink has a viscosity of 3,000 mPa·s or less, the ink residue is obtained by leaving the inkjet ink to stand at a temperature of 25° C. and a humidity of 15% until substantially no mass change occurs, and wherein the inkjet ink, pH of which is adjusted to 7 with an acid, has a viscosity of 500 mPa·s or more.
US08382264B2
A universal inkjet cartridge usable in an inkjet printer the inkjet cartridge having an inkjet tank, the inkjet tank storing ink and having an upper surface and a lower surface is disclosed. Mounted on the lower surface are configurable color identification tabs and mounted on the upper surface are printer identification fins, the configurable color identification tabs are configured to allow the universal inkjet cartridge to be used in multiple inkjet cartridge locations within the inkjet printer identified by the printer identification fins.
US08382258B2
A printhead includes a jetting module that forms liquid drops travelling along a first path. A deflection mechanism causes selected liquid drops formed by the jetting module to deviate from the first path and begin travelling along a second path. A moving liquid curtain is positioned relative to the first path such that the liquid drops travelling along one of the first path and the second path contact the liquid curtain in a drop interception region of the liquid curtain. A liquid collection device is positioned to collect the liquid curtain downstream from the drop interception region.
US08382257B2
A piezoelectric actuator includes: a piezoelectric layer formed by a film formation method so as to have orientation in a prescribed orientation direction; and a pair of electrodes, disposed on a same surface which is substantially perpendicular to the orientation direction of the piezoelectric layer, for applying to the piezoelectric layer an electric field in a direction substantially perpendicular to the orientation direction.
US08382255B2
An inkjet printhead includes a substrate having a recessed cavity formed therein. The cavity has a continuous sidewall around the perimeter of the cavity. The printhead includes a heating element formed onto the sidewall of the cavity.
US08382253B1
In an embodiment, a fluid ejection device includes a die including a fluid feed slot that extends from a back side to a front side of the die, a firing chamber formed on the front side to receive fluid from the feed slot, a fluid distribution manifold adhered to the back side to provide fluid to the feed slot, and a corrosion-resistant layer coating the back side of the die so as not to extend into the feed slot.
US08382250B2
A printing material container is detachably attachable to a printing apparatus having a plurality of apparatus-side terminals. The printing material container comprises a first device, a second device, and a terminal group that includes a plurality of first terminals, at least one second terminal and at least one third terminal. The plurality of first terminals are connected to the first device and respectively include a first contact portion for contacting a corresponding terminal among the plurality of apparatus-side terminals. The at least one second terminal is connected to the second device and includes a second contact portion for contacting a corresponding terminal among the plurality of apparatus-side terminals. The at least one third terminal is for the detection of shorting.
US08382245B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a plurality of flow channel units, each of which includes a pressure generating chamber operable to generate pressure therein and a nozzle plate formed with a nozzle from which liquid is ejected by the pressure; a plurality of drive units, each of which includes a piezoelectric vibrator operable to apply a pressure vibration to the pressure generating chamber, and which correspond to the plurality of the flow channel units, respectively; and a head casing, in which the plurality of the drive units are stored, and to which the plurality of the flow channel units are fixed.
US08382237B2
A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from nozzles; a carriage capable of carrying the liquid ejecting head; a plurality of cap spaces capable of covering the nozzles; a suction pump capable of applying a negative pressure to each of the cap spaces so as to suck liquid from the nozzles; a plurality of suction channels that communicate with the plurality of cap spaces and carry the liquid sucked by the suction pump; a channel selection means for selecting one or more suction channels for cutting off the communication with the cap spaces based on the position of the carriage; and a communication cut-off means for cutting off the communication of the one or more suction channels selected by the channel selecting means.
US08382231B2
A print head having high printing reliability, in which temperature unevenness is suppressed even when printing is performed using a print head having an increased length and density of an ejection opening array, can be provided. Specifically, a temperature equalizing member such as a heat pipe and a cooling liquid passage is disposed between a first support substrate and each of second support substrates or is disposed inside the first support substrate. This makes it possible to equalize temperature among the plurality of second support substrates and further equalize temperature among the printing element substrates bonded to these support substrates. In addition, the temperature equalizing member is made close to the printing element substrate, thus making it possible to efficiently equalize temperature.
US08382227B2
A printing apparatus for performing printing on a recording medium includes a printing unit configured to perform printing a plurality of images sequentially on a recording medium, a detection unit configured to detect an unsuitable area that is not suitable for printing on the recording medium, and a control unit configured to control, when the detection unit detects the unsuitable area, so as to define an unprintable region, including the unsuitable area, where the image is not to be printed on the recording medium based on a length of the unsuitable area in a direction of conveyance of the recording medium, and to continue printing the images while avoiding the set unprintable region.
US08382224B2
A fluid ejection device includes: a modulator adapted to pulse-modulate a drive waveform signal forming a basis of a drive signal of an actuator to obtain a modulated signal; a digital power amplifier circuit adapted to power-amplify the modulated signal to obtain a power-amplified modulated signal; a low pass filter adapted to smooth the power-amplified modulated signal to obtain the drive signal; and a power amplification stopping section operating when holding a voltage of the actuator constant.
US08382213B2
A wheel hub assembly is fitted to a vehicle axle via a wheel bearing mounted on the axle. The assembly includes a hub mountable on the wheel bearing and rotatable relative to the vehicle axle and fastening members to releasably secure the hub relative to the wheel bearing. The hub can be removed without removing the wheel bearing.
US08382201B2
A safety device for children, specifically a cover for use with a variety of surfaces that provides a barrier to protect a child from the heat and/or contamination of a surface. In some embodiments, the device can prevent a child from being burned or uncomfortable by the heat of a swing seat or car seat by minimizing thermal transfer between a child's skin and the swing seat for an adequate amount of time. In some embodiments, the cover can be used in a planar configuration as a changing pad or play mat.
US08382197B2
A composite is provided that includes, but is not limited to a first steel plate, which is welded via a weld seam to a second steel plate, in which the two steel plates and the weld seam bonding them are hardened and the composite has a broadening in the area of the weld seam. Furthermore, a B-column is provided for a motor vehicle body that includes, but is not limited to a reinforcement B-column, the reinforcement B-column including, but not limited to a first steel plate, which is welded via a weld seam to a second steel plate, and the two steel plates include, but are not limited to a heat-treated steel and are hardened like the weld seam bonding them, and the reinforcement B-column has a broadening in the area of the weld seam.
US08382193B2
A spoiler includes an upper member and a lower member. The upper and lower members are joined together by vibration welding. One of the upper and lower members includes a main welding rib and an auxiliary welding rib. Each of the main welding rib and the auxiliary welding rib is protruded toward the other of the upper and members so as to be vibration welded to the other of the upper and lower members. The main welding rib is arranged to extend along a vibration direction of the vibration welding, and the auxiliary welding rib is arranged to extend along a direction perpendicular to the vibration direction. A height of the auxiliary welding rib is less than a height of the main welding rib before the vibration welding. The auxiliary welding rib is spaced apart from the main welding rib.
US08382179B2
An extendable device engages and operates a handle mounted on an electrical switching apparatus. The extendable device includes a first linear portion and a second linear portion, each of the first and second linear portions having a first end and a second end, a handle adaptor extending away from the second end of one of the first and second linear portions and a retainer mechanism structured to engage the first linear portion and the second linear portion such that the extendable device can be adjusted to a particular length and maintained at the particular length. The handle adaptor is structured to engage the handle such that the handle can be moved from a first position to a different second position.
US08382173B2
An advertising device for an improved golf ball retriever is provided. The golf ball retriever includes a hollow shaft made of a clear plastic material wherein an advertising slip can be placed into the hollow shaft by the use of a pole. The shaft may include a grip on one end for secure maneuvering of the golf ball retriever during retrieval. The shaft includes a suction cup with a hollow center on the opposite end where the grip may be located for retrieving a golf ball. The top end of the shaft also includes apertures in the shaft that allow a hanging device to be removably affixed to the shaft of the golf ball retriever. The top end of the shaft also has an end cap removably attached to the shaft to enclose the top end of the hollow shaft.
US08382170B2
A door handle device for a vehicle is arranged in a door thereof. The door handle device includes a support member, door handle, lock detection electrode, and capacitance sensor. The door handle includes a first end, second end, pivot portion, and operation portion. A capacitance sensor detects issuance of a door lock command from a change in capacitance between an outer panel and lock detection electrode. The door handle includes a first handle case and second handle case covering the first handle case. The lock detection electrode is proximal to and faces an inner surface of at least one of an upper wall and lower wall of the second handle case. The lock detection includes an electrode end face facing the outer panel and formed to be non-planar.
US08382168B2
A latch with dual rotary magnets is disclosed. The latch is particularly suited for releasably securing dual doors of a compartment in the closed position. Each rotary magnet helps secure in a closed position a respective door that is provided with a magnetic insert. Hook-like rotary pawls that rotate with the magnets provide for mechanical securing of the doors in the closed position. The latch is provided with a safety feature that makes the latch resistant to opening in the event that the vehicle in which the latch is installed is involved in a collision.
US08382167B2
A latch system for a liftgate of a motor vehicle. The system includes a handle rotatable relative to the liftgate. The system also includes a switch having a first contact biased apart from a second contact by a biasing member. The first contact is movable relative to the second contact to close the switch upon rotation of the handle. The system further includes a power actuation system in communication with and responsive to the switch to move the liftgate from the closed position to the opened position when the switch is in the closed position.
US08382158B2
An all terrain vehicle includes a steering shaft to which a handle is coupled, a pair of right and left frame members extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle body, at both sides in a width direction of the vehicle body, a steering shaft support member provided over and coupled to the pair of right and left frame members, and a bearing configured to rotatably couple a lower portion of the steering shaft to the steering shaft support member.
US08382157B2
An apparatus for supporting a steering column (40) in a vehicle (50) adjacent an instrument panel of the vehicle includes a mounting assembly (30) that connects the steering column (40) to the vehicle (50). The mounting assembly (30) includes at least one holding element (170) that has a first condition that blocks pivotal movement of the steering column (40) relative to the vehicle (50). The at least one holding element (170) has a second condition that permits pivotal movement of the steering column (40) relative to the vehicle (50) in response to impact forces urging the steering column (40) to pivot relative to the vehicle (50).
US08382155B2
A gas generator includes, a housing having a defining a first combustion chamber, an ignition chamber cup, defining an ignition chamber, and a combustion chamber cup, defining a second combustion chamber, being aligned at a distance in a radial direction, a first communication hole communicating the ignition chamber with the first combustion chamber being provided in a circumferential wall portion of the ignition chamber cup, a second communication hole communicating the second combustion chamber with the first combustion chamber being provided in a circumferential wall portion of the combustion chamber cup, a cup-shaped cover member covering the combustion chamber cup and closing the second communication hole, a disk-shaped retainer retaining a gas generating agent, being provided with a first opening for fitting the ignition chamber cup and a second opening for fitting the combustion chamber cup, an annular gap being formed between the second opening and the cover member.
US08382153B2
A child car seat for a land vehicle comprises a support for supporting at least a part of a body of a child, the support being positionable on a vehicle seat of the land vehicle and a restraint for holding the body in position relative to the support. A data processing unit forms when in operational mode and connected to an in-vehicle data communication network in the land vehicle, a child car seat network node in the in-vehicle data communication network. The seat includes a first network connector for establishing, in cooperation with a matching second network connector, a data communication connection between the child car seat network node and the in-vehicle data communication network. The child car seat has a signal carrier connecting the data processing unit to the first network connector.
US08382145B2
A system for braking a trailer being coupled to a pulling vehicle by means of a coupling device, comprising a supply circuit on the pulling vehicle side, and a brake circuit on the trailer side, wherein the brake circuit is removably attached to the supply circuit by means of at least one plug-in coupling. The invention is based on the object of providing a system for braking a trailer, wherein the risk of an uncontrolled vehicle movement, at least of the trailer vehicle, is reduced. The problem is solved according to the invention by means of a system wherein disposed within the brake circuit is a ventilation valve that can be remotely controlled by the pulling vehicle.
US08382144B2
The subject of the invention is a corrugation bellows of a transfer between two vehicles which are articulated together, comprising a plurality of corrugations which are U-shaped in cross-section, wherein two adjacent corrugations are connected together by a frame, wherein the corrugation of U-shaped cross-section has two limbs as well as a web connecting the limbs, wherein the material thickness of the web is greater than the material thickness of the limbs, wherein the material of web and limbs is identical and wherein the web is of substantially planar construction so that the limbs and the web extend at right angles to one another in a substantially neutral setting of the bellows.
US08382133B2
A foldable device is adapted to connect a front fork to a handlebar of a bicycle, and includes a linking member hingedly connected to lower and upper hingeable flanges about first and second hinge axes, respectively. The first and second hinge axes are transverse to each other. The upper and lower hingeable flanges are respectively coupled with the handlebar and the front fork. The handlebar is turned relative to the front fork about the first and second hinge axes to permit a handlebar line of the handlebar to be parallel to a longitudinal direction in which the bicycle extends so as to fold the bicycle and to minimize the entire width of the folded bicycle.
US08382123B2
The invention relates to a metal cylinder head gasket provided with at least one opening corresponding to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising a function layer and an annular support arranged thereon. The functional layer comprises one full bead. The cylinder head gasket is characterized in that the annular support comprises one full bead which is defined on the functional layer, and the annular support comprises one bead which is arranged on the side of the full bead which is oriented away from the combustion chamber The invention also relates to a metal cylinder head gasket provided with at least one opening corresponding to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising an upper functional layer, an annular support and a lower functional layer. The annular support is arranged between the upper functional layer and the lower functional layer and is adjacent to the lower functional layer. The upper functional layer comprises one full bead which is adjacent to the annular support. The cylinder head gasket is characterized in that the lower functional layer comprises one bead which is arranged on the side of the full bead which is oriented away from the combustion chamber.
US08382120B2
A seal assembly for a turbomachine includes a plurality of compliant plate members attached to an interior surface of a stationary housing. The compliant plate members define a sealing ring between the stationary housing and a rotor. Each of the compliant plate members comprises at least one slot therein. The seal assembly further includes at least one arcuate static ring attached to the interior surface of the stationary housing and extending radially into the at least one slot in the compliant plate members. Each of the at least one static ring extends circumferentially through and between a plurality of the compliant plate members. Finally, the seal assembly includes a vibration damper disposed adjacent to or provided on the plurality of compliant plate members. The vibration damper is configured to dampen vibration of the plurality of compliant plate members.
US08382116B1
Presently disclosed is modular archery target with specialized components for stopping multiple arrow types. The target consists of a hollow outer shell, in round or polygon configuration, a plurality of interchangeable cores, and an optional rigid cap. In some embodiments, the interchangeable cores may comprise a compression core and a broadhead core. To maintain inner compression core location, elastic bands may be used to secure the rigid cap to the hollow outer shell. The compression core may be made of various loose materials contained in a bag. The broadhead core may be made of laminated or molded foam material. The outer shell may be comprised of molded of laminated foam.
US08382114B2
Systems, methods and apparatus for providing, hosting and conducting a wagering game associated with Blackjack, which includes steps and/or components configured for generating a random initial hand of playing cards in the underlying game to form an initial player hand and an initial dealer hand; comparing the random initial player hand of playing cards with a preset qualifying criteria comprising the initial player hand being composed of playing cards which are consecutively ranked; conducting the Blackjack game until a final outcome is achieved; determining a payout award which is at least partially determined by the number of consecutively ranked playing cards in the final player hand if the preset qualifying criteria is satisfied by the initial player hand; and providing the determined payout award or collecting the wager if the preset qualifying criteria is not satisfied.
US08382110B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to gaming machines having mechanical reels. The machine is adapted so that the reels to some extent protrude from the front face of the machine to enhance the user's awareness that the reels are genuine and, optionally, the reels may have side walls having matching indicia to the symbols on the periphery of the reels. The reels may also be observed from front and rear sides of the machine or alternatively, rotated about an upright axis to enable a player to observe front and rear outcomes from one point.
US08382106B2
A method and apparatus for separating at least two bridges, especially gripper bars, of a segmented transport system for printing materials, e.g. sheets of paper in a printing press, include a transport system having a segmented electric linear drive with first and second primary parts constructed as segmented long-stator. The drive has a plurality of secondary parts constructed as carriages. Each secondary part assigned to the first primary part and each secondary part assigned to the second primary part are coupled by a crossmember to form a movable bridge. Two bridges in the same segment are moved jointly. A first bridge, reaching into a further segment due to jointly controlled movement, is moved individually under closed-loop control and separated from a second bridge, for locating the two bridges in different segments during further movement. Electrical and mechanical collisions of the bridges or of the carriages can therefore be eliminated.
US08382103B2
A sheet medium processing device comprises a housing, a feeding mechanism (1) mounted on the housing, a stacking mechanism (2) and a switching mechanism (3). The stacking mechanism (2), which is located downstream of the feeding mechanism (1), comprises an upper channel (20), a lower channel (21) and a channel driving mechanism (22). The lower channel is fixedly connected with the housing, and the upper channel is hinged with the housing with one end thereof separatable from or contactable with the lower channel. The channel driving mechanism is used to drive the upper and lower channels to move synchronously to transport sheet mediums. The switching mechanism (3) comprises a first cam (30) and a cam driving mechanism (31), wherein the cam is joined with the upper channel to drive the upper channel to rotate. Different transporting directions are formed by adjusting the position relationship between the upper channel and the lower channel of the stacking mechanism using the switching mechanism and thus sheet mediums are transported to different destinations according to specific requirements.
US08382098B2
The present invention provides a recording medium turnover device and a recording medium processing apparatus using the same. The recording medium turnover device comprises: a passage assembly, configured to form a first passage (3), one end of which is connected with a recording medium inlet (1) and the other end of which is connected with a recording medium outlet (2); a turnover mechanism (4), which is located on one side of the passage assembly and comprises a first plate (41) being located below the outlet and extending away from the outlet and a second plate (42) swingably arranged between the outlet and the inlet and forming a recording medium containing space with the first plate; conveying rollers (411, 424), configured to convey the recording medium; and a guide plate (5), which is controlled to guide the recording medium to enter the first passage or the recording medium containing space of the turnover mechanism. According to the present invention, the first passage and the turnover mechanism can share one power device to convey the recording medium, without switching the position state and the rotating direction of a plurality of mechanisms as in the conventional art, so that the structure of the recording medium turnover device and the control method are simplified, thus the number of power devices is decreased and the cost of devices is reduced.
US08382092B2
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a dual hopper assembly for use in a credential processing device, a credential processing device that includes a dual hopper assembly, and methods of feeding substrates in a credential processing. One embodiment of the dual hopper assembly comprises an upper hopper configured to support one or more card substrates, a lower hopper configured to support one or more card substrates and an input feed roller. The input feed roller is positioned between the upper and lower hoppers and is movable between a first position, in which the input feed roller engages a bottom substrate supported in the upper hopper, and a second position, in which the input feed roller is displaced from the bottom substrate.
US08382091B2
A recording apparatus includes a recording section that performs recording on a recording medium, a housing that stores the recording section, a recording medium cassette that is detachably mounted on the housing and has a cassette body that holds the recording medium in the vertical position, and a holder that holds the recording medium that has been fed from the cassette body and has been recorded in the recording section on the outer surface of the cassette body in the vertical position.
US08382088B2
A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed for bringing a substrate from a carrier, by a substrate transfer portion inside a transfer chamber, into a processing module to perform a process therein. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate storing chamber coupled to an exterior of the transfer chamber via a transfer opening to be in communications with the transfer chamber; a first storing shelf in the substrate storing chamber to store substrates for a first storing purpose; a second storing shelf in the substrate storing chamber to store substrates for a second storing purpose different from the first storing purpose; and a shifting mechanism that shifts the first and the second storing shelves to position a substrate storing area of one of the first and the second storing shelves so that substrate transferring is enabled between the substrate storing area and the substrate transfer portion via the transfer opening.
US08382077B2
A gas spring assembly includes a first end member and a second end member. A flexible wall is secured between the first and second end members and at least partially defines a spring chamber therebetween. A fitting is supported on the first end member and is rotatable between a first position in which the fitting can be axially displaced and a second position in which the fitting is axially restrained. A method is also included.
US08382075B2
An air stripper in the form of an submerged gas evaporator or a submerged gas reactor that includes a vessel, a gas delivery tube partially disposed within the vessel to deliver a gas into the vessel and a contaminated liquid inlet that provides a contaminated liquid to the vessel at a rate sufficient to maintain a controlled constant level of process fluid within the vessel. A weir is disposed within the vessel adjacent the gas delivery tube to form a first fluid circulation path between a first weir end and a wall of the vessel and a second fluid circulation path between a second weir end and an upper end of the vessel. During operation, gas introduced through the tube mixes with the process fluid and the combined gas and fluid flow at a high rate with a high degree of turbulence along the first and second circulation paths defined around the weir, thereby promoting vigorous mixing and intimate contact between the gas and the process fluid. This turbulent flow develops a significant amount of interfacial surface area between the gas and the process fluid resulting in a reduction of the required residence time of the gas within the process fluid to achieve thermal equilibrium and/or to drive chemical reactions to completion, all of which leads to a more efficient and complete evaporation, chemical reaction, or combined evaporation and chemical reaction process.
US08382072B1
A fuel and air charge forming device, such as a carburetor, may include a main body, a fuel and air mixing passage in the body, a fluid passage communicating with the fuel and air mixing passage and a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve may include a coil and a valve body having a base fixed against movement and a valve head extending from the base. The valve head may be driven by the coil between a first position wherein the valve head at least partially obstructs the fluid passage and a second position wherein the valve head permits greater fluid flow in the fluid passage to control fluid flow through the fluid passage.
US08382069B2
A support jack with a vertically telescopically displaceable supporting element having an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve is described. For the operator, it is sometimes hard to discern whether the support jacks find an adequate abutment on the ground. In an extreme case, the support jack sinks into the ground under the load of the vehicle. The vehicle is then no longer adequately supported and can tip over. For this reason, the object of the invention is to develop a support jack in such a way that secure standing is already discernible for the operator during extension of the supporting element. According to the invention, the object is achieved with a support jack in which a supporting load indicator with a pressure element is arranged on the supporting element, the pressure element triggering a signal when a predefinable supporting force is reached.
US08382056B2
A safety device, comprising: a mounting arrangement operable to receive and support a lower portion of a ladder; and a support assembly upon which the device may rest, the support assembly comprising a plurality of elongate support members, each of which has a pair of ground contacting locations on which the device may rest and is independently pivotable with respect to the mounting arrangement around a point located between the ground contacting locations.
US08382054B2
A holding device comprises a first accommodation portion, a second accommodation portion, an elastic portion, and an actuating portion. The elastic portion includes a first end contacting the first accommodation portion and a second end contacting the actuating portion. The first accommodation portion includes at least one aperture. The second accommodation portion includes at least one connecting part, which passes through the aperture and connects with the actuating portion. When the actuating portion is pressed toward the first accommodation portion, a space between the first accommodation portion and the second accommodation portion expands.
US08382049B2
A support device includes a support element, a plurality of legs rotatably connected to the support element which can be rotated to be changed from an unfolded state and a folded state, and a main body sleeves the support element. When the legs are rotated to be in the unfolded state, the legs cooperate with the support element to support an electronic device, and when the legs are rotated to be in the folded state, the main body sleeves on the support element receiving the legs.
US08382048B2
A surgical holding arm has a plurality of holding arm members which are coupled to one another and a tensioning device for tensioning the holding arm members against one another. The tensioning device is designed in such a manner that the holding arm can be brought from an operative position, in which the holding arm members are tensioned against one another so as to be immovable, into an adjusting position, in which the holding arm members can be moved relative to one another. The holding arm can be brought, in addition, into a cleaning position, in which adjacent holding arm members can be moved away from one another further than in the adjusting position.Furthermore, a surgical holding device is described.
US08382046B2
A riser lock unit is provided for quick and easy mounting onto an elevated sprinkler riser. The riser lock unit functions to retain or maintain the sprinkler riser in an elevated position, without normal spring-loaded retraction into an underlying sprinkler housing, to facilitate service and/or replacement of a sprinkler nozzle head mounted at the upper end of the riser. When desired, the riser lock unit is quickly and easily removed from the sprinkler riser.
US08382044B2
A high-lift system on the wing of an aircraft and a method for its operation are described. High-lift flaps (2) which are arranged on the wing (1) are extended from a retracted position in order to increase the lift, and a slot (3) through which flow passes from the lower face to the upper face of the wing (1) is opened (advanced slat/flap-gap control). According to the invention, the slot (3) through which flow passes is opened independently of the position of the high-lift flap (2). This makes it possible to selectively achieve a better maximum coefficient of lift (CL) or a better lift-to-drag ratio with less noise being produced.
US08382037B2
Composite sections for aircraft fuselages and methods and systems for manufacturing such sections are herein. A composite aircraft panel manufacturing assembly comprises a skin, a stiffener, a tubular bladder, and at least one ply of fabric. The stiffener comprises first and second flange portions bonded to the skin. The stiffener further comprises an interior surface, spaced apart from the skin, and extending between the first and second flange portions. The tubular bladder extends longitudinally between the interior surface of the stiffener and the skin. The at least one ply of fabric extends around the bladder and is bonded to the interior surface of the stiffener and an adjacent portion of the skin between the first and second flange portions.
US08382025B2
A method and a corresponding apparatus for connecting two material webs which are pulled off from an old and a new reel are specified, wherein each reel is driven and wherein the splicing takes place while both reels are in motion. One position of all units participating in the splicing operation is regulated as a function of a position of the new reel, by a position of an adhesive point which is applied to the new reel being detected for this purpose.
US08382023B2
Device and method for constant tension feeding, threads or yarns fed to textile or winding machine or metallic wire to similar machine, in discontinuously with phase sequences. The thread motion has at least first and second feeding or absorption states following each other in time. A controller, connected to a tension detector and thread accumulator, intervenes on the accumulator based upon tension value from the detector. A compensator, between the accumulator and tension detector, cooperates with thread to compensate variation of feeding or absorption state of the thread upon passage between each first and second feeding or absorption state. The controller intervenes to modify the accumulator's action on thread and maintain tension value detected by the detector at set value. Interaction between thread and compensator keeping constant tension value during the changing phase of the feeding state. The compensator freely moveable under action of thread relative to a resting position.
US08382009B2
A percussive sprinkler with adjustable discharge angle has a pedestal, adjusting ring, main body, percussion guide frame and sprinkler head driving rod. The percussive sprinkler is characterized by that, the height of the spacing for the driving rod retaining surface of the adjusting ring can be adjusted via an adjustor, such that the second end on the sprinkler head driving rod connected to the sprinkler head is abutted onto the driving rod retaining surface. When the main body of the percussive sprinkler is rotated, the sprinkler head driving rod will shift vertically along the circumferential path on the driving rod retaining surface, so the sprinkler head is driven to swing vertically with change of the discharge angle. In such a case, spray with different sprinkling distance can be generated by the sprinkler head, thus making up the shortcomings for more uniform sprinkling coverage with higher flexibility and applicability.
US08382000B2
A payment card (e.g., credit and/or debit card) or other device (e.g., mobile telephone) is provided with a magnetic emulator operable to communicate data to a magnetic stripe read-head. Such a magnetic emulator may comprise non-magnetostrictive material such that the magnetic emulator may be fabricated in a wide variety of fabrication processes. Additionally, magnets may be added to amplify the signal of a magnetic emulator. In doing so, a magnetic emulator may provide a large amount of signal while consuming a reduced amount of electrical energy when compared to a magnetic emulator that does not include the presence of one or more magnets.
US08381998B1
Method for manufacturing a long-range RFID metallic product and structure thereof are provided so that UHF RFID skills can be smoothly applied on the various metallic products without interference. Electromagnetic waves radiated from a transmitter can be received by a metallic first antenna. With the resonance and induction generated by the resonance chamber located in the metallic first antenna and a second antenna of the electronic tag module patch, the signal generated can be transmitted to the RFID chip to achieve long-range reading and transmitting effects. Due to the breaking cutlines of the first rigid clip located on the second antenna of the electronic tag module patch, the second antenna of the electronic tag module patch is damaged when removing the electronic tag module patch from the metallic first antenna by tearing along the breaking cutlines of the first rigid clip, thereby preventing the RFID from being duplicated.
US08381997B2
A radio frequency IC device that prevents variations in the value of capacitive coupling between a radio frequency IC element and a radiation electrode and has good signal transmission efficiency includes a radio frequency IC element including input/output electrodes and, a first base including intermediate electrodes that are capacitively coupled to the input/output electrodes and have capacitance values C1a and C1b, respectively, and a second base including radiation electrodes and that are capacitively coupled to the intermediate electrodes and have capacitance values C2a and C2b, respectively. A capacitance C1 obtained by combining C1a and C1b is smaller than a capacitance C2 obtained by combining C2a and C2b.
US08381983B2
Reliability of a decoded result on a barcode is improved without increasing a processing load and a processing time. While a medium transfer mechanism transfers a recording medium, an image capture section captures an image of a surface of the recording medium, and the image data captured is saved in an image memory. Next, a scanning line setup section sets a plurality of scanning lines for image data of a barcode, and meanwhile a decoding section decodes the barcode by making use of image data corresponding to the scanning lines. Subsequently, a judgment section calculates reading reliability according to the image data corresponding to the scanning lines, and makes a judgment on a scanning line having a highest reliability among the reading reliability values. Then, a decoded result for the scanning line corresponding to the judgment result is defined as decoded information for the barcode.
US08381973B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach that leverages public key infrastructure (PKI) digital signature and barcode technology in providing a passport that can be validated for authenticity and data integrity when in printed form. In one embodiment, there is a barcoding tool that includes a data retrieving component configured to retrieve a set of identity data; a data concatenating component configured to concatenate the set of identity data into a single data string; a digital signature generating component configured to generate a digital signature from the data string using a private key of an issuing authority; and a barcode generating component configured to generate a barcode symbol from the data string and a barcode symbol from the digital signature. In another embodiment, there is a barcode reading tool that includes reading the identity data and digital signature barcode symbols using a barcode reader; displaying the identity data and digital signature on a display device; verifying the digital signature; and displaying verification results on a display device.
US08381959B1
A stapler extension mechanism is disclosed that is attached to the operating handle of a squeeze handle stapler that permits the stapler to be operated against a ceiling without the operator having to climb onto a ladder, against a floor without the operator having to bend over, or into a wall. The stapler extension mechanism has a head that is fastened to the operating handle of the squeeze handle stapler and an adjustable elongated handle is attached to the head. The operator positions the stapler using the elongated handle, and then applies a pushing force via the elongated handle to depress the squeeze handle and operate the stapler.
US08381950B2
A piston and piston rod for a rodless dispenser for extrudable material are configured such that compressive force exerted on the piston from a push chain causes a reactive torque to be created that locks the links of the chain together. The push rod is located away from the piston's geometric center.
US08381940B2
A plastic container comprises an upper portion including a finish adapted to receive a closure, a lower portion including a base, and a sidewall extending between the upper portion and the lower portion. The upper portion, the lower portion, and the sidewall define an interior volume for storing liquid contents. The plastic container further comprises a pressure panel located on the container and moveable between an initial position and an activated position. The pressure panel is located in the initial position prior to filling the container, and is moved to the activated position after filling and sealing the container. Moving the pressure panel from the initial position to the activated position reduces the internal volume of the container and creates a positive pressure inside the container. The positive pressure reinforces the sidewall. A method of processing a container is also disclosed.
US08381935B1
Cup lid with integrated container(s) that couples with the top of a cup. The cup and cup lid form at least two containment volumes, Embodiments enable easy containment, inclusion of fresh food, transportation and access of solid or liquid in the container and cup without disengagement of the cup lid from the cup. Contents of the lid container may be accessed, partially consumed, replaced in the container and resealed at any time as desired by the user. Additionally, an independent drop-in container within the lid cavity may be resealed and removed from the lid cavity and taken to other locations such as home, work, or car. Simplifies eating and drinking from one unified container and cup in a theater or stadium having seats for example that provide one cup-holder per seat. Provides one free hand to hold a child's hand for safety while in stadiums and amusement parks.
US08381923B2
A knuckle for a railway coupler system is made without internal voids or cores. Instead, external pockets are formed on the front face and tail portion surface to reduce weight. The knuckle is formed by investment casting, which permits a pulling face to be provided without a draft angle or parting line typical of a cast part. As a result of these innovations, the knuckle according to the invention has an improved fatigue life.
US08381920B2
A simple collapse structure of tool hanger board is provided, especially for reducing package volume of the hanger with a tool inserted therein. The hanger board has a hanger board body that functions to hang a tool for exhibition. The hanger board body has a lower portion that forms an insertion slot for receiving insertion and positioning of a tool therein. With a retention plate projecting from the body for securely looping and fixing the tool, secure insertion of the tool can be realized. An upper portion of the body that is located above a central positioning bar is made as a pivotally connected foldable upper board section. The upper board section is folded downward to overlap a rear surface of the board body so as to reduce the overall length of the hanger and thus effectively reduce the package volume, facilitate handling and lower costs of packaging and shipping.
US08381918B2
A card-shuffling device reads a suit and value of individual cards that are moved through a card shuffler. Reading of the cards is effected after the cards have been received into a card holding area and before the cards have been delivered into a card collection area from which cards are removed from the card-shuffling device for use. The read suit and rank are then sent to a processor, wherein the processor identifies whether any playing card is a playing card that should be rejected from the card shuffler and the card shuffler then rejecting that playing card from the playing card shuffler.
US08381911B2
Disclosed is a storage device for medicaments, comprising a rectangular bottom part with 7 compartments (1) that are separated by partitions (2) and each have an independent pivotable lid (3) such that each compartment (1) can be individually accessed. Seven compartments (1) have a same-sized rectangular horizontal section within the bottom part (4) of the weekly dispenser, while at least one longitudinal side (4.2) of the bottom part (4), more specifically the access side, has a convex wall (4.3), and the top edge (2.3) of all partitions (2) has a uniform curvature having a radius R in the longitudinal direction thereof. The 7 dimensionally stable and elastic lids (3) have an adapted curvature R′ that matches said uniform curvature of the top edge (2.3) of the partitions (2). The closing parts (6) start detaching from one another when pressure is applied to the central or rear region of an arched elastic lid (3).
US08381908B2
A composite package having a folded paperboard card and two plastic components shaped to interfit with one another when the package is closed. The plastic components define a space for containing one or more articles. The folded paperboard card may be a dual-panel card with two panels joined to one another along a fold line or other hinge. Each paperboard panel may define an opening to seat a plastic component. The paperboard is configured to bring the two plastic components into registration when the panels are folded together along the hinge. The plastic components may be configured to releasably interlock when the package is closed. One of the two plastic components may include a shoulder that is configured to be snap-fitted or otherwise frictionally into the other plastic component. The opening may include a seat shaped to closely receive and provide a stop for the shoulder.
US08381906B2
A bulk wire dampening apparatus has a rod, an optional bracket, and a damper assembly. The damper assembly includes a sleeve and a damper where the sleeve slideably engages the rod.
US08381891B2
A friction clutch has a clutch housing including a friction plate, a clutch boss including a clutch plate, and a pressure plate causing the friction plate and the clutch plate to contact each other by moving in a predetermined direction. A clutch spring applies a biasing force in a direction of causing the pressure plate to press the friction and clutch plates into contact with each other. An annular retainer receives a reaction force to the biasing force of the clutch spring by supporting one end of the clutch spring opposite to the pressure plate. A circlip of a notched ring shape is fitted into an inner peripheral side of the clutch housing. The circlip locks the retainer to the clutch housing by abutting on an opposite side of the retainer. The retainer is configured to suppress radially inward deformation of the circlip when a vehicle engine is driven.
US08381890B2
A friction clutch having a wear adjuster that compensates for wear in the form of an incorrect spacing between the pressure plate and the pressing plate as a result of an abrasion of the clutch friction linings. The incorrect spacing between the disk spring and the pressing plate is compensated by a ramp device. The ramp device and the pressing plate are coupled to one another by a positive connection, which, in order to compensate for the incorrect spacing, is temporarily suspended only when the incorrect spacing has been detected by a position sensor.
US08381889B2
A dual clutch, which has a first friction clutch pulled by a first lever actuator and a second friction clutch pushed by a second lever actuator. The lever actuators each have a lever that is spring-loaded on one side and lever tips which are moved by a bearing block. The bearing block can be moved radially with along a profile of the lever to set a variable contact point of the lever between a rigid base plate and the lever to act on actuating bearings of the friction clutches. The bearing block is actuated by force application in one of the radial directions of motion by a drive controlled by a control unit in an automated manner. The drive of both lever actuators is formed by a pneumatic controller. In each drive a piston is movable in a housing and is connected to the bearing block by a piston rod.
US08381886B2
A release holding mechanism for a railcar hand brake includes a release shaft rotatably mounted in the housing. A quick release handle is rigidly secured to an external end of the release shaft for rotation therewith and manually rotatable into a release position to initiate the quick release of the railcar brake application. A release lever cooperates with a driving mechanism of the hand brake to effect quick release of the railcar brake application. A release ratchet wheel is mounted for rotation with the driving mechanism. A release pawl operably engages the release ratchet wheel when the driving mechanism rotated for releasing the brake application. A gravity weighted member is disposed on and rigidly secured to the release lever for maintaining the release pawl, due to gravity, in a disengaged position relative to the release ratchet wheel when the driving mechanism is manually operable for effecting the brake application.
US08381883B2
A wheelchair safety device comprises a brake lever, four link levers, an upper brake plate, a brake wheel, a lower brake plate, a parking wheel, and an angularly adjustable mounting plate. One end of the first, the second and the third link levers is respectively articulated at the brake lever, another end of the first and the second link levers are articulated with one end of the fourth link lever. Another end of the fourth link lever is articulated at the upper brake plate and another end of the third link lever is articulated at the lower brake plate. One end of the upper and the lower brake plates is respectively articulated at the angularly adjustable mounting plate, and another end thereof is mounted with the brake wheel and the parking wheel, respectively. The brake wheel and the parking wheel respectively act on the wheelchair.
US08381872B2
An acoustic composite comprises a flow resistive substrate having a solid acoustic barrier material bonded to at least a portion of a major surface of the flow resistive substrate; wherein the acoustic barrier material has a density greater than about 1 g/cm3 and the acoustic composite has a porosity between about 0.002% and about 50%.
US08381867B2
A transmission ratio variable mechanism includes an input member and an output member arranged to rotate around a first axis, an intermediate member arranged to connect the input member and the output member so as to be differentially rotatable, and a motor arranged to drive the intermediate member. The motor includes a cylindrical rotor arranged to rotate around the first axis. An inner periphery of the rotor is arranged to support the intermediate member and arranged to rotatably support the input member and the output member via bearings, respectively.
US08381855B2
In an all terrain vehicle, a radiator is disposed forward of a front panel in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The radiator is also disposed in a transverse center of the vehicle. A fan is configured to blow air from the front to an area behind the radiator. An engine unit is disposed rearward of the front panel. A cargo bed is disposed rearward of a seat. An exhaust device is disposed under the cargo bed. The exhaust device is disposed in the transverse center of the vehicle. A communication path is positioned in the transverse center of the vehicle. The communication path connects a space positioned behind the radiator and a space that the exhaust device is disposed. The communication path at least partially overlaps with the fan in a front view of the vehicle.
US08381844B2
Earth-boring drill bits include a bit body, an element having an attachment feature bonded to the bit body, and a shank assembly. Methods for assembling an earth-boring rotary drill bit include bonding a threaded element to the bit body of a drill bit and engaging the shank assembly to the threaded element. A nozzle assembly for an earth-boring rotary drill bit may include a cylindrical sleeve having a threaded surface and a threaded nozzle disposed at least partially in the cylindrical sleeve and engaged therewith. Methods of forming an earth-boring drill bit include providing a nozzle assembly including a tubular sleeve and nozzle at least partially within a nozzle port of a bit body.
US08381842B2
In various embodiments, a mining device can include a first housing portion and a second housing portion where relative movement between the first and second housing portions can extend and/or retract a cutting member with respect to the mining device. The mining device can further include a cable which can be mounted to the second housing portion where the cutting member is mounted to the cable and can be radially extended with respect to the first and second housing portions when the second housing portion is moved relative to the first housing portion along an axis. As the cutting member is extended, it can contact the sidewalls of a subterranean shaft to loosen material therefrom.
US08381840B2
A method of protecting a top drive drilling assembly includes incorporating a shock absorbing sub incorporated in the top drive drilling assembly. The shock absorbing sub comprises a first body and a second body capable of relative axial movement, with a shock absorbing medium disposed between the first body and the second body to absorb any reactive axial force exerted upon the top drive drilling assembly.
US08381831B2
A rotary impact tool includes a drive power source for producing rotational power, a drive shaft driven by the rotational power supplied from the drive power source, an output shaft operatively connected to the drive shaft for receiving the rotational power, an impact mechanism operatively couplable with the drive shaft. The rotary impact tool further includes a changeover unit for changing over an impact mode in which the impact mechanism is operated and a drill driver mode in which the rotational power produced by the drive power source is transferred to the output shaft without operating the impact mechanism and a multi-stage speed reduction mechanism for transferring the rotational power produced by the drive power source to the output shaft through the drive shaft at variable speeds in at least three speed modes including a low speed mode, a middle speed mode and a high speed mode.
US08381830B2
A power tool having a housing, an electric motor disposed in the housing, and a spindle drivingly attached to the electric motor. The spindle includes a cavity adapted for receiving a bit therein and a window extending through the spindle in communication with the cavity. The power tool further has a retention device including a bit engaging member disposed within the housing and operable to extend through the window and retain a bit within the cavity. The power tool still further has an actuator operable by a user externally of the housing to disengage the bit engaging member from a bit received in the cavity and, finally, a mechanical interconnection system operably coupled between the actuator and the retention device to actuate the retention device in response to the actuator, wherein the mechanical interconnection is disposed within the housing.
US08381829B2
A battery device is constituted by connecting such cell assemblies in parallel as each includes: a first cell group having a plurality of cells connected in series; a housing container for housing the first cell group; current detector housed in the container for detecting a current to flow through the first cell group; a switching element connected with the first cell group for turning ON/OFF the current to flow through the first cell group; and a controller for controlling the ON/OFF of the switching element in response to the output signal of the current detector.
US08381822B2
A wellbore apparatus includes a connector sub assembly having a body, the body having a first end adapted to couple to a first perforating sub component and a second, axially opposed end adapted to couple to a second perforating sub component. The connector sub body defines a cavity proximate the second end of the connector sub body; and a flow path in fluid communication with the cavity and a location exterior to the wellbore apparatus. The apparatus includes a valve residing in the flow path and actuatable to block or allow fluid flow from the cavity, through the flow path, to the location exterior to the wellbore apparatus.
US08381820B2
An in-well ESP string that can be installed or retrieved with a wireline instead of a rig. The ESP is combined with a motor and a hydraulic valve to pump formation fluid from a well to the surface. A wet connector is used to facilitate electrical and hydraulic connections. The ESP system is disposed within a tubing string located within the casing of a well. The hydraulic valve controls the flow of formation fluid to the ESP, opening to allow formation fluid to flow to the ESP, and closing to shut off production. When the valve is closed, the ESP may be cleaned with brine introduced via a flow port in the valve. This cleaning operation allows the ESP string to be to retrieved in an environmentally friendly manner. In addition, the wireline installation and retrieval is significantly less costly and less complicated than currently possible with a rig.
US08381815B2
A method for treating a tar sands formation includes providing heat to at least part of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a plurality of heaters located in the formation. The heat is allowed to transfer from the heaters to at least a portion of the formation. Fluids are produced from the formation through at least one production well that is located in at least two zones in the formation. The first zone has an initial permeability of at least 1 darcy. The second zone has an initial of at most 0.1 darcy. The two zones are separated by a substantially impermeable barrier.
US08381806B2
Systems for coupling ends of elongated heaters and methods of using such systems to treat a subsurface formation are described herein. A system may include two elongated heaters with an end portion of one heater abutted or near to an end portion of the other heater and a core coupling material. The core coupling material may extend between the two elongated heaters. The elongated heaters may include cores and at least one conductor substantially concentrically surrounds the cores. The cores may have a lower melting point than the conductors. At least one end portion of the conductor may have a beveled edge. The gap formed by the beveled edge may be filled with a coupling material for coupling the one or more conductors. One end portion of at least one core may have a recessed opening and the core coupling material may be partially inside the recessed opening.
US08381798B2
A micro fluid device includes a heating unit and a cooling unit, each with piping disposed within. The heating and cooling units are integrally coupled together, and fluid flows into the piping of respective units. A temperature control device includes a heat insulator which has a through hole equal in diameter to the piping disposed within the heating unit and cooling unit. The heat insulator is interposed between heating unit and the cooling unit. A positioning mechanism positions the heat insulator to bring the piping into communication with the through hole at the time of coupling the heating and cooling units.
US08381795B2
A casting apparatus is presented. The casting apparatus includes a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber includes a crucible and a sealed discharge outlet. The second chamber includes a casting mold for casting a plurality of filaments of a superalloy composition. The second chamber further includes a discharge inlet aligned with the sealed discharge outlet of the first chamber. The casting apparatus further includes a first port for applying a positive pressure to the first chamber and a second port for applying a vacuum to the second chamber. The sealed discharge outlet includes a hermetic seal comprising a material having a melting temperature equal to or greater than a melting temperature of the superalloy composition.
US08381793B2
The invention relates lift and tilt mechanisms for Venetian blinds typically, although not exclusively, comprising slats of very large dimensions, both relating to the width of the slats and to the longitudinal extension of the slats. Thus the venetian blind comprising these slats can be made to cover very large window openings or other parts of buildings and rooms. Both from a functional and from an aestethical point of view a precise and reliable raising and lowering of the slats of the Venetian blind as well as the tilting of the slats is very important. The present invention provides improved mechanisms for attaining these characteristics.
US08381791B2
A device for lifting the bottom side wall (7b) of the tire (7) in a tire removing machine comprises a frame (10), an arm (16) rotatably associated with the frame (10) at a first end of it (16a) to rotate between an angular rest position and an angular working position. A supporting element (18) is connected to a second end (16b) of the arm (16) to support a bottom side wall (7b) of a tire (7) when the arm (16) is in the working position. The device also comprises an arm (16) rotation stop member (20) operatively positioned between the arm (16) and the frame (10) and able to be activated to prevent the arm (16) from turning relative to the frame (10) at least at the angular working position.
US08381780B2
Disclosed are a lift assembly and methods that may be used to raise a component of a system, a component such as a collapsible bag to be used as a reactor for performing chemical or biological reactions, and/or to position the collapsible bag for use. Use of the lift assembly may allow for the automated assembly of the systems described herein. In some cases, trauma to the system components is minimized.
US08381774B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for loading a therapeutic substance or drug within a lumenal space of a hollow wire having a plurality of side openings along a length thereof that forms a hollow drug-eluting stent with a plurality of side drug delivery openings. Loading a drug within the lumenal space of the hollow stent includes a drug filling step, in which the drug is mixed with a solvent or dispersion medium. The lumenal space may be filled with the drug solution or suspension in a reverse fill process and/or a forward fill process. After the drug filling step, a solvent or dispersion medium extracting step is performed to extract the solvent or dispersion medium from within the lumenal space such that only the drug remains within the hollow stent. A stent cleaning step may be performed to an exterior surface of the hollow stent.
US08381771B2
The invention relates to a material feed receptacle for a thick matter pump comprising a receptacle lower part and a receptacle top that is detachably connected to the receptacle lower part, a two-part front wall, a rear wall, two two-part lateral walls, an upwardly pointing material feed opening delimited by a peripheral edge, and a pipe junction, which is situated inside the receptacle, can, on the entry side, swivel in an alternating manner in front of the delivery cylinder openings and which, on the output side, leads to a pressure pipe. The invention provides that the receptacle top has an upper lateral wall part and upper lateral wall parts, which have free ends and which extend away from the front wall part. The invention also provides that the peripheral edge has a first edge part, which forms an upper edge of the receptacle top, and ha a second edge part on the receptacle lower part, which is situated on the rear wall and is joined to the first edge part.
US08381767B2
An assembly for recycling a solvent from a contaminated solvent solution includes a reservoir module including a mounted reservoir including an interior volume and a removable lid. The lid including a portion that extends into the interior volume and an access port disposed in the portion. A back edge of a bottom wall of the reservoir is disposed above a front edge of the bottom wall of the reservoir and a front portion of a side wall of the reservoir is disposed non-vertical and substantially normal to the bottom wall of the reservoir adjacent the front edge of the bottom wall.
US08381762B2
The invention relates to the metering of fluids at low flow rates. More particularly, the invention provides a flow regulator for flows as low as about ½ ml per hour, provided with locking means for any set value within its range. The flow regulator comprises: an inner non-revolving core element, an outer housing, having a hollow base section and being revolvably supported co-axially with the core element, first and second chambers disposed between the core element and the outer housing, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the first chamber and the inlet of the second chamber being connected by a flow restriction path, a diaphragm separating the two chambers and sealing an inlet to a discharge tube when pressure in the first chamber is higher than pressure in the second chamber, and a circular spring placed in the secondary chamber below the diaphragm and around the discharge tube. The major improvement being the addition of a graduated flow rate locking ring housing a disk-like body disposed between the outlet of the discharge tube and the base portion of the outer housing.
US08381760B2
A stepper-motor gas valve control is disclosed that includes a main diaphragm in a chamber that controllably displaces a valve relative to an opening in response to changes in pressure, to adjust fuel flow through the valve. A servo-regulator diaphragm is provided to regulate flow to the main diaphragm, to thereby control the rate of fuel flow. A stepper motor is configured to move in a stepwise manner to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm, to control fluid flow to the main diaphragm. A controller mounted on the stepper-motor regulated gas valve control receives and converts an input control signal from a heating system to a reference value between 0 and 5 volts, and selects a corresponding motor step value. The control responsively moves the stepper-motor in a step wise manner to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm and thereby regulates the rate of fuel flow through the valve.
US08381752B2
For reducing the restart pressure of streams selected from waxy crude oils, water-in-crude emulsions and dispersions of hydrocarbon hydrates, at least partially structured, a mechanic disturbance is applied, in flow-stop conditions, on the streams. The temperatures are lower than the WAT (Wax Appearance Temperature) for the waxy crude oils and water-in-crude emulsions. The temperatures are also lower than the forming temperatures of the hydrates and pressures higher than the forming pressure of the hydrates, for the dispersions of hydrocarbon hydrates.
US08381749B1
An adjustable hunting blind for providing convenient organized tool storage and an optimized shelter configuration for various situations commonly encountered by hunters includes a pole. An extension arm is coupled to and extendable from the pole. A spike is coupled to a bottom end of the pole so that the spike extends from a bottom end of the pole. The pole extends upwardly from a ground surface when the spike is inserted into the ground surface. A canvas coupled to the extension arm so that the canvas hangs from the extension arm. An expansion ring is coupled to the canvas proximate a top of the canvas for holding the canvas in an expanded position when the canvas hangs from said extension arm.
US08381745B2
A water-conducting domestic appliance including a line system, a detergent feed facility that supplies at least one detergent into the line system, wherein the detergent feed facility includes at least one reservoir configured to be filled with detergent, and a refill fitting having a connection to the at least one reservoir, the refill fitting being arranged on a door of the water-conducting domestic appliance.
US08381744B2
A water-conducting domestic appliance, in particular a domestic dishwasher, the water-conducting domestic appliance including a washing compartment for receiving items therein that are to be subjected to a handling process by the water-conducting domestic appliance; and a detergent dosing system, the detergent dosing system having a detergent dispenser with a receiving compartment, the receiving compartment for receiving at least one cartridge that is configured to hold at least one detergent. The detergent dosing system is formed from a plurality of housing walls and at least one portion of at least one housing wall of the detergent dosing system has thermal insulation.
US08381736B2
A method of preparing a rod for use in the preparation of a smoking article is described. The rod has a first end and a second end. The rod has located therein a solid support. The solid support extends in a linear fashion from the first end of said rod to the second end of said rod. At least a portion of said solid support is coated and/or impregnated with an additive. The rod is prepared using rod forming means, wherein said rod forming means comprises a channel ending in an open exit, wherein material may pass through at least part of the channel and leave via the open exit in the form of a rod.
US08381730B2
An inflatable balloon cuff may be adapted to seal a patient's trachea when associated with an endotracheal tube. These cuffs may include indicia that facilitate attachment of the cuff relative to the tube to reduce manufacturing variability for such characteristics as rotational and length alignment. Such indicia may include protrusions that are formed in the wall of the cuff collars or may include visual indicators, e.g., colorimetric or shape-wise indicators. Cuffs with improved attachment relative to the tube may have increased sealing performance.
US08381725B2
A breathing assistance device, capable of operating according to several respiratory modes forming a list of possible modes. The device is equipped with a mechanism for selecting a desired mode from a group of modes that can be selected. The device also includes a mechanism for realizing a configuration diagnostic of the device, a mechanism for associating with authorization level with each possible mode, according to the results of the diagnostic, with the lowest authorization level corresponding to unauthorized modes, a mechanism for authorizing only the selection of authorized modes, in such a way that selecting unauthorized modes is impossible.
US08381718B1
The invention in one embodiment includes an aiming device coupled to an actuator and an object. The system comprises a base attached to the actuator, and a frame rotatably affixed to the base and the object. The frame and object rotate together about a first axis in response to activation of the actuator, while the object discretely rotates relative to the frame about a second axis different than the first axis each time the frame rotates a predetermined angle relative to the base.
US08381711B2
A universal dust shroud is mountable to many high speed gas powered concrete cutting saws while remaining strong and stable. The dust shroud is adjustable to properly fit the saw and effectively collect dust and debris.
US08381703B2
A method for calibrating an accelerator pedal during a driving operation, in which the mechanical position of the accelerator pedal is converted by at least one potentiometer to an electrical signal value and read in by an electronic engine control unit. An idle limit for an idle position of the accelerator pedal and a full-load limit for a full-load position of the accelerator pedal are set as initial values. An idle signal value that is less than or equal to the idle limit is stored in a potentiometer-specific idle data memory for each potentiometer, a representative idle signal value is determined from the stored idle signal values, and this value is set as the determining idle position of the accelerator pedal specific to each potentiometer. A full-load signal value that is greater than or equal to the full-load limit is stored in a potentiometer-specific full-load data memory for each potentiometer, a representative full-load signal value is determined from the stored full-load signal values, and this value is set as the determining full-load position of the accelerator pedal specific to each potentiometer.
US08381701B2
A bio-diesel fuel engine system and bio-diesel fuel engine operating method capable of producing a biomass fuel from a liquid state biomass source material of a fat-containing vegetable or animal oil allowing fuel to be combusted in a conventional diesel engine while providing the benefits of low fuel consumption, stable engine operation, and extended engine service life, with compared to use a biomass fuel reformed by methyl-ester method.
US08381695B2
A workpiece has a tribologically useable surface formed as a sliding surface, lubricated by an intermediate material, for a counterpart movable relative to the workpiece in a direction of movement. The sliding surface is provided with a structure formed of a plurality of pockets. The pockets form a closed micropressure chamber delimited by the uninterrupted peripheral rim, respectively. The uninterrupted peripheral rim is a deburred structure edge. In a plan view, the pockets are elongate and have a longitudinal extension. The sliding surface has a functional roughness in the supporting areas between the pockets.
US08381691B2
An engine includes a first piston with surfaces that define a substantially cylindrical chamber inside the first piston and a passage into the substantially cylindrical chamber. One or more second pistons are arranged to reciprocate inside the substantially cylindrical chamber and to define, in cooperation with the substantially cylindrical chamber, a combustion chamber. A fuel injector extends at least partially through the passage in the first piston to inject fuel into the combustion chamber. The first piston is arranged to move in a reciprocating manner relative to the fuel injector.
US08381687B2
An automated cat litter box comprising self-scooping mechanisms on a scooping carriage assembly at one end of a litter pan. The scooping carriage contains therein a waste drawer having a removable tray covered in lining. The tray travels with the carriage to the opposing end of the litter so that a grate can flip backwards to shovel collected waste into the waste drawer.
US08381685B2
A pet fountain having a housing of snap together construction formed of a base and cover. The base includes a basin in which an integrally formed filter-holding divider is disposed that separates the basin into a return sump and pumping chamber. The cover includes a water holding bowl, an inlet and a drain overlying the return sump that encloses a pump that provides fluid to the bowl via inlet when attached to the base. The cover includes a downwardly extending tube that fluidly registers with a discharge of the pump when attached to the base. In a preferred embodiment, the cover has upper and lower bowls connected by a spillway that conveys overflow from the upper bowl to the lower bowl where it is return via drain to the return sump. The cover can be configured to mate with the housing to enclose the entire basin, pump, and filter.
US08381684B2
An animal feeding structure can include one or more openings to drain water that is sprayed into the feeding structure in order to clean it. By draining the incident water, the remaining dirt, food and other particles are drained and removed from the feeding structure, thereby cleaning the structure without direct handling. Also, because the water is drained, water bounce back onto the person cleaning the bowl can be greatly reduced. The feeding structure can include an opening covered by a raised cap whose clearance from the bottom of the bowl can be adjusted. The feeding bowl can also include lateral and/or longitudinal slits of various sizes and shapes. The size and shape of openings can be designed to prevent food from falling out while allowing water, food crumbs, dirt, and debris to drain out. The effective size of the openings can be adjusted.
US08381681B2
A receptacle for receiving cleaning concentrate, the receptacle comprising a concentrate discharge and a container having an opening, wherein a block-shaped cleaning agent is disposed on the opening in a replaceable manner, a liquid supply which is arranged for a washing out action, wherein liquid is sprayed through the opening onto the cleaning agent in order to wash out the cleaning agent and to form a cleaning concentrate, wherein a valve is provided in the concentrate discharge, which valve is controlled by a control device, wherein the control device is arranged to keep the valve closed during the washing out action, and wherein the device further comprises a signal supplier which is arranged to give a first warning signal after a predetermined phase of the washing out action.
US08381678B2
A wide area atmospheric pressure plasma jet apparatus including a transmission mechanism, a plasma housing and two plasma-generating devices is provided. The transmission mechanism includes a rotation output end that has a center axis. The plasma housing has an opening. The plasma housing further has a air-attracting hole near the rotation output end and extended from an outer wall of the plasma housing to the interior of the plasma housing, so that the heat of the plasma housing can be dissipated due to the generated gas circulation. The plasma-generating devices are disposed within the plasma housing and connected with the rotation output end. Each of the plasma-generating devices has a plasma nozzle located at the opening and tilts from the center axis. When the rotation output end drives the plasma-generating devices to rotate, two plasma beams are obliquely ejected from the plasma nozzle and the plasma processing area is increased.
US08381668B2
In a ship-body frictional resistance reducing device, an ejection chamber having an air ejection hole is fixed to a bottom of a ship body, and an air supply path for supplying air to the ejection chamber and a marine-biofouling preventing-fluid supply path for supplying a marine-biofouling preventing fluid to the ejection chamber are connected to the ejection chamber. An on-off valve is provided on each of the paths, by which either one of the paths can be connected in a selective manner, making it possible to prevent adhesion of marine species to the air ejection hole of the ship body while suppressing power consumption therefor.
US08381664B2
A table (2) of a type which can be moved between storage and in use positions and which is free standing in both positions. The table typically includes at least two legs (12) connected to support arms (16) which are moveable between the two positions and which, when in the in use position engage with a frame member (34) on the underside of a table top via engagers (26, 28) having teeth which secure the leg support arms to the frame member and provide support for the table top (6).
US08381663B2
A plate-like element for supporting or bearing an object, with a core of generally rectangular shape and composed of a foamed plastic. The core is covered at least on both surfaces by a plastic film of impact-resistant material. A connection of the plastic films, which cover the core on both surfaces, is formed in the region of a peripheral side edge of the core between a surface of the core and an adjoining, peripheral border of the core. A plate-like element which receives a corresponding load can be reliably produced by simple method steps.
US08381658B1
A method of operating a locomotive including a set of electrical traction motors, a fuel cell power module for generating electrical current for the traction motors, an air system for providing an air mass to the fuel cell power module, and a cooling system for cooling the fuel cell power module. When an amount of power is requested from the power module, a required current and a stoic set point for the power module are determined. From the required current, the stoic set point, and numerical factors characterizing the power module, an air mass flow set point is determined for producing the requested amount of power. A compressor set point including speed and torque set points of a compressor motor are determined for the air system to produce the air mass flow corresponding to the requested amount of power.
US08381656B1
To hinder activation caused by unplanned stimuli, a munition may include first and second discrete, separable parts. The first and second parts may include interlocking components to prevent relative axial translation of the first and second parts. The first and second parts may be torsionally biased in opposite directions. A binder with a low melting temperature may fix the first and second parts together to prevent the torsional bias from rotating the first and second parts in the opposite directions. When the binder melts, the torsional bias may cause the first part to rotate with respect to the second part. Relative rotation of the first and second parts may allow relative axial translation of the first and second parts.
US08381653B2
One aspect of the invention concerns a method of charging an upwardly oriented hole with a pumpable material, typically a pumpable explosive material such as an ANE. In the method of the invention a laterally expandable retainer is provided. This is of smaller length than the hole and has an inlet at a lower end thereof and an outlet at an upper end thereof. In an unexpanded state the retainer has a smaller lateral dimension than the hole. The retainer is inserted upwardly into the hole in an unexpanded state, whereafter material with which the hole is to be charged is pumped upwardly into the retainer through the inlet such that the retainer fills up and expands laterally into engagement with a wall of the hole. Excess pumped material is allowed to upwardly out of the retainer into the hole through the outlet. After the retainer has been filled with material and the hole above the retainer has been at least partially filled with any excess material, the pumping operation is stopped and the inlet is closed. The material is then retained in the hole by engagement of the filled and expanded retainer with the wall of the hole. Another aspect of the invention concerns the apparatus used in the method.
US08381640B1
A pan for making spaetzle that has a shape, a rim, a depth, a collection of holes, a thickness and two handles that allows one to make spaetzle in a manner that is safer and easier than with currently known devices. The shape is a shallow circular shape with an overall curvature of a slice of a sphere. The rim has an open diameter of at least twenty centimeters and no more than twenty eight centimeters. The depth of the pan is from two to eight centimeters. A plurality of holes is located within a central pan portion that has a diameter of no more than 15.3 centimeters, the holes having a diameter of between six and thirteen millimeters. The thickness of the central pan region is not more than three millimeters and handles affixed to the rim each extend outward to a distance less than about five centimeters.
US08381637B2
A lid for a household electric cooking appliance, the lid having: a lower face; an upper face; a flue extending between the upper face and the lower face for evacuating cooking fumes and having an entry and an exit; a seal carried by the lower face and surrounding the entry of the flue, the seal having a periphery; and a removable filtration subassembly extending across the flue, wherein the filtration subassembly is mounted in an opening of the lower face outside the periphery of the seal. A household electric appliance composed of: the lid described above, and a tank having an upper edge, wherein the seal of the lid is provided to cooperate with the upper edge of the tank.
US08381632B1
The disclosure provides a shock absorbing layer comprised of one or more shock absorbing cells, where a shock absorbing cell is comprised of a cell interior volume containing a plurality of hydrogel particles and a free volume, and where the cell interior volume is surrounded by a containing layer. The containing layer has a permeability such that the hydrogel particles when swollen remain at least partially within the cell interior volume when subjected to a design shock pressure wave, allowing for force relaxation through hydrogel compression response. Additionally, the permeability allows for the flow of exuded free water, further dissipating wave energy. In an embodiment, a plurality of shock absorbing cells is combined with a penetration resistant material to mitigate the transmitted shock wave generated by an elastic precursor wave in the penetration resistant material.
US08381627B2
A method of severing tubular members using an expandable linear explosive shape charge positioner. The method involves placing a plurality of arc-shaped charge chambers along the same plane and adjacent to the interior walls of a tube. Simultaneous detonation of the charge chambers severs the tube along a common plane. The positioner is placed within a tubular member and includes a remotely extendible framework with linear explosive shape charges enclosed therein. When in the collapsed position, the apparatus passes through constrictions within the tubular members. When extended, the framework is positioned transversely to the axis of the tubular member with the shape charges positioned adjacent the interior walls thereof. Shape charge chambers with angled ends are presented to provide overlap when the device is fully extended to better ensure complete separation of the tubular member at the discontinuities of the shape charges about the plane of severance.
US08381625B2
A circular saw blade includes a substantially planar main body having an essentially circular periphery in which are formed a plurality of annularly spaced tip support portions, and a plurality of cutting tips affixed by brazing to the tip support portions of the main body. Each cutting tip has a mounting base formed with at least two locking surfaces along which the brazing affixes the mounting base to a respective tip support portion. The locking surfaces are configured and located in relation to one another and to the main body for counteracting forces which act against the cutting tip in differing directions in the plane of the main body during rotational cutting operation of the blade.
US08381624B2
A tensioning mechanism for a band saw includes a tension spring assembly coupled with a sliding tension bracket which is adjustably coupled with an upper arm of the band saw. The sliding tension bracket engages an upper band wheel which couples with a band saw blade. A cam assembly is coupled with the tension spring assembly, the cam assembly imparts a rotational force which is translated into a linear tensioning force by the tension spring assembly upon the band saw blade. A cover assembly is selectively engaged with the cam assembly through use of a biasing assembly. The cover assembly includes an index indicator for identifying an index position and includes a handle which enables a user to selectively engage and rotate the cover assembly. The rotation of the handle in turn rotates the cam assembly applying the rotational force which is translated into the tensioning force.
US08381621B2
A hand tool alternately-magnetizing structure includes a body, at least one magnetic component, and an adjustment ring. The body defines a central axis and a handle portion; in which defines at least one recess dented along a radical direction thereof. The magnetic component is received in the recess of the handle portion, and includes a resilient member and a magnetic member. The adjustment ring is sleeved onto the handle portion and capable of angular displacement, and defines at least one switchable portion dented at an interior wall face thereof for corresponding to the recess of the handle portion. The switchable portion describes an adjacent section and an outlaying section, wherein a wall thickness defined at the adjacent section is greater than that defined at the outlaying section. The effective magnetic field is adjusted by selectively aligning the adjacent section and the outlaying section with the recess of the handle portion.
US08381619B2
A fastening device used to fasten two locknuts to an object simultaneously includes a pedestal defining a first sliding groove, a pair of fixing blocks, a pair of rotating elements, a pair of first gear wheels and a second gear wheel. The fixing blocks are received and fixed in the first sliding groove. Each of the fixing blocks defines a through hole. Each of the rotating elements includes an operating portion and a shaft portion received in the through hole. Each of the pair of gear wheels includes a gear body attached to corresponding one of the shaft portions respectively and a sleeve protruding from the gear body and snugly receiving one of the locknuts. The second gear wheel is attached to the pedestal and engaging the pair of first gear wheels to achieve synchronous movements of the pair of first gear wheels.
US08381615B2
A shaft, such as a camshaft for use in the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in which the shaft includes a basic shaft body, a plurality of functional bodies, such as cams, mounted in axially spaced positions on the basic shaft body, and at least one balancing element mounted on the basic shaft body, in which the at least one balancing element is produced separately from the basic shaft body and from the functional bodies, and the functional bodies and the at least one balancing element are subsequently mounted on said basic shaft body, for example, by axial press fitting.
US08381605B2
A disc device has a sliding member 16 that operates in response to a rotational force of the first partially toothless gear 13 to disconnect a power transmission system from a disc conveying roller, and a protruding portion 16a disposed on this sliding member 16 is brought into contact with a rising portion 17b of a rotary lever 17 at an initial position of the sliding member before the sliding member starts operating, so as to restrict a rotation of the rotary lever 17 in such a way that a pin 17a does not come into contact with a wall surface of a cam groove 13d.
US08381600B2
A measuring system comprising a measuring transducer generating primary signals influenced by at least one measured variable characterizing the flowing medium; an evaluating circuit processing primary signals delivered by the measuring transducer to measured values. The measuring transducer includes: at least one measuring tube for conveying medium to be measured; an exciter mechanism acting on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate; and a sensor arrangement for registering oscillations of the measuring tube. The sensor arrangement including first, second and third oscillation sensors spaced from each other for generating first, second, and third primary signals of the measuring transducer, respectively, representing vibrations of the measuring tube. Based on said primary signals the evaluating circuit generates a measured value of mass flow representing a mass flow rate of medium flowing through the measuring transducer.
US08381589B2
The present invention proposes a single-axis-control-input gyroscope system having imperfection compensation, which comprises a gyroscope and a state observer. The gyroscope includes a mechanical structure, and the dynamic behavior of the mechanical structure is described with a plurality of system parameters and a plurality of dynamic equations. The system parameters include a mass of the gyroscope, two main-axis spring constants, a cross-axis spring constant, two main-axis damping coefficients, a cross-axis damping coefficient and an angular velocity. The mechanical imperfections cause the system parameters to deviate from the designed values and become unknown values. The gyroscope receives a single-axis control signal and outputs a plurality of gyroscopic system dynamics. The single-axis control signal includes at least two frequency signals. The state observer is coupled to the gyroscope to receive the gyroscopic system dynamics as the inputs thereof to feed back compensations to the state observer. Thereby is estimated an angular velocity.
US08381586B2
A metering apparatus for measuring the flow of water or other fluid through a conduit. The meter comprises a measuring chamber, in which is disposed a nutating ball and disc. A unitary biaxial member, comprising a drive shaft and a spindle having a longitudinal axis offset from that of the drive shaft, couples the ball and disc to a rotating magnet. The unitary biaxial member both controls the offset of the ball and disc from horizontal, such that it nutates in response to water flow through the meter, and translates this nutation to rotation of the magnet, allowing for measurement of water volume flowing through the measuring chamber.
US08381578B2
Apparatus and methods are described for subsea pipeline servicing, including line-pack testing, physical integrity testing, recovery of damaged sections of pipelines, and product removal from subsea structures. In one embodiment of the invention, a subsea pipeline service skid is provided including at least one sample collection bladder affixed to the skid and in fluid communication with a skid mounted pump dimensioned to pull a sample from the subsea pipeline. In another embodiment, a product removal bladder is provided for removal of the hydrocarbons from a subsea structure.
US08381576B2
A gas sensor is provided for use in a hazardous explosive atmosphere present continuously or for a long time. The gas sensor is not provided with a pressure-proof housing and is provided with at least one catalytic or semiconductor measuring element (3) in a hollow body (6) defining the measuring element (3) against the environment. The hollow body has breathing openings (4) and wherein the ratio of the area of the breathing openings to the total area of the hollow body equals, furthermore, at most 0.8 or the hollow body is porous with a porous hollow body material having a pore size according to ISO 4003 equal to at most 2 mm.
US08381570B2
A method for adjusting an acceleration sensor which includes a substrate and a seismic mass, the acceleration sensor having first and further first electrodes attached to the substrate on a first side, counter-electrodes of the seismic mass being situated between the first and further first electrodes, the acceleration sensor having further second electrodes on a second side and further fourth electrodes on a fourth side opposite the second side, an essentially equal first excitation voltage being applied to the first and further first electrodes in a first step for exciting a first deflection of the seismic mass along a first direction, the first deflection being compensated in a second step by applying a first compensation voltage to the further second and further fourth electrodes.
US08381569B2
A method for determining the amount of laundry in a laundry treating appliance comprises a drum defining a treating chamber for receiving the laundry and a motor for rotating the drum that may be operated to simulate a spring to oscillate the drum relative to a predetermined rotational position. The angular decay of the drum relative to the predetermined position may be determined and used to determine the amount of laundry.
US08381566B2
Attachments for power assisted lifting devices capable of rigidly positioning an object in three-dimensional space, for example pneumatically assisted manually operated mechanical arm manipulators, wherein the attachment is capable of securing an object for remote positioning thereof. More particularly, an end effector for a pneumatic manipulator that is capable of both passively following the motion of a secured object and actively adjusting the position of the secured object in an arcuate direction relative to the attachment of the end effector to the manipulator. The end effector is able to rotate the object about an axis passing through the end effector that also moves arcuately with the end effector. The end effector is particularly useful in the bending of metallic sheets or plates using a conventional sheet metal brake, as the end effector is capable of both positioning heavy sheets in the brake and following the movement of the sheet as it is being bent. The end effector may be used in conjunction with the manipulator to remove the sheet from the brake, flip the sheet using the rotation feature, then re-position the sheet within the brake for making successive bends on the same sheet without necessitating release by the end effector.
US08381565B2
A hand and mechanically activated rivet setting device uniquely and integrally designed to set multiple different types of rivets comprising tubular, semi-tubular and solid rivets made entirely or in part from aluminum, brass, steel and stainless steel having multiple different kinds of heads comprising truss, dome and flat rivet heads; in a work product consisting of pieces and components to be riveted together. The device has the means to set rivets from different positional locations within the device and provides the device operator the ability to completely control the rivet setting process, assuring precision rivet setting without damaging the pieces or components being riveted.
US08381552B2
A laundry system comprises a first laundry appliance, a second laundry appliance, and a vertical laundry module. The vertical laundry module can have a housing with a width less than the width of each of the first and second laundry appliances. The vertical laundry module can have a drawer that slidably opens from a face of the housing and a backsplash extending above an upper surface of the housing. The backsplash can further have a functional element that can be a storage compartment, a light, a control panel, or a power outlet.
US08381548B2
A method of manufacturing a photonic band gap fiber base material includes: a forming step of continuously forming a columnar core glass body 10 and a clad glass body 20 which coats the core glass body to obtain an intermediate base material 110; a hole making step of making holes 30 in the clad glass body 20; an insertion step of inserting in the holes 30 a plurality of bilayer glass rods 40 in which an outer layer 42 which has the same refractive index as the clad glass body coats high refractive index portions 41 having a higher refractive index than a refractive index of the clad glass body 20; and a heating step of heating the intermediate base material 110 and integrating the intermediate base material 110 and the bilayer glass rods 40.
US08381545B2
A triangular star shaped diamond adapted to display a hearts and arrows pattern when exposed to light comparable to the hearts and arrows pattern in a round diamond, comprising: six main crown facets, twelve crown half facets, a table facet, six main pavilion facets and an even number of main girdle facets separating the crown facets from the pavilion facets with each main crown facet having a symmetrical main crown facet in an opposing relationship and at least one edge in parallel alignment with an edge of the opposing main crown facet.
US08381537B2
The present invention provides a brine composition for a frozen food which does not raise the freezing temperature even if the ethanol concentration is low, and is therefore able to suppress tissue breakdown caused by the growth of water ice crystals in the tissues (cells) of foods, and a method for producing a frozen food. The brine composition for a frozen food contains 30 to 70% by weight of ethyl alcohol, 0.5 to 10.0% by weight of erythritol, and water. It is preferable that the concentration of the ethyl alcohol is 35 to 60% by weight, the concentration of the erythritol is 0.8 to 5.0% by weight, and the rest is water.
US08381535B2
A control module for a refrigerator/freezer wherein the control module drives a rotatable ice ejector for removing ice bodies from a mold of an automatic ice maker in the freezer section of the refrigerator/freezer. The control module has a motor which drives a cam gear which drives the ice ejector. The cam gear comprises a circular gear with a first face and a second face. Once or more cam projections on at least one of the first and second faces are positioned to selectively interact with one or more switches fixedly supported within the control module housing to activate at least one feature of the control module or automatic ice maker rotation of the cam gear.
US08381534B2
An ice distribution system and method according to which ice-filled bags are distributed within a unit such as, for example, an ice merchandiser.
US08381528B2
The present invention provides a regenerative superheater system for an ejector ramjet engine. The invention includes a superheater in thermal communication with the combustion chamber of the ramjet engine. The superheater transfers thermal energy from combustion chamber to an ejectant which is then redirected upstream to the ramjet ejector. In one embodiment of the invention the temperature of the ejectant is modulated by a variable geometry cooler that controls the amount of thermal energy removed from the superheater system by ambient air. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the temperature of the ejectant is modulated by a variable geometry superheater that controls the amount of thermal energy added to the superheater system through combustion gas.
US08381527B2
The present specification generally relates to improvements to combustors such as burners and engines. In one aspect, the specification presents an acoustically enhanced ejector system which can be used as part of an intake system for a combustor. In another aspect, the specification teaches the use of a combustor combustion chamber as an oscillator to magnify a harmonic frequency of a pulsating frequency of the combustor. In still other aspects, the specification presents a combustion chamber having an inlet with a plurality of tangentially spaced apertures, and an in-line intake system connected to the apertures.
US08381523B2
Two Geothermal energy harnessing devices, steam producing System, electricity production Method and heat energy Method are invented for mining renewable geothermal heat energy within a non-polluting, re-circulating, closed cycle intended for electricity generating applications or for other direct or indirect heat uses. The devices, the “Geothermal Energy Collector” and the “Geothermal Energy Exchanger” can work with a Depressurized Mixing Container and a Pressurized Storage Container the entirety of which comprises “THE GEOTHERMAL FLUID HEATING OR STEAM PRODUCTION SYSTEM. The system serves other equipment, such as a phase separator, steam turbine, generator and condenser, which working together with the system comprises either “THE GEOTHERMAL ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION METHOD” or “THE GEOTHERMAL HEAT ENERGY METHOD”. The GEC or GEE can work alone or within a system to add heat to any fluid and to use the heated fluid to supplement any appropriate technology, to produce electricity or for other direct or indirect uses.
US08381520B2
A motor vehicle internal combustion engine EGR loop, in which: with the fresh air flow rate in the air inlet path (2) of the EGR valve (1) set at a maximum, the path (3) for the EGR gases in the valve is progressively opened, and before the EGR gas flow rate in the valve increases any further, the fresh air inlet path (2) is progressively closed in order to continue to cause the EGR gas flow rate to increase on an increasing monotonous curve.
US08381516B2
There is disclosed an actuator (5) having an actuator chamber (6) and actuator piston (9) therein defining an extend chamber (10) and a retract chamber (7) separated from the extend chamber by the actuator piston.A first fluid pump (A) is in fluid communication with the extend chamber and the retract chamber and is arranged to transfer therebetween volumes of fluid substantially equal in magnitude to changes in the volume of the retract chamber resulting from movement of the actuator piston within the actuator chamber. A second pump B connected to the extend chamber and to an accumulator (17) allows the differential volume between the extend and retract chambers to be displaced into the accumulator at a pressure. Stored accumulator fluid pressure enables pump B to be back-driven so that it behaves as a motor whenever the pressure in conduit 15 is less than in conduit 16. A pre-charge (20) unit pressurizes the system until full mass counterbalance of the suspended load is achieved. In this state little or no input power from the servo motor (via pumps A & B) will be needed and significant energy savings can be made.
US08381513B2
A compression-ignition internal combustion engine system having an exhaust passage and an exhaust gas treatment arrangement, wherein the exhaust gas treatment arrangement comprises a three-way catalytic converter.
US08381509B2
A method for starting up an aircraft turbine engine using an electric starter is provided. The aircraft turbine engine is provided with at least one hydraulic fluid circuit for lubricating the aircraft turbine engine, the aircraft turbine engine lubricating circuit is provided with a temperature-regulating section that is able to remove the heat generated by the aircraft turbine engine when the aircraft turbine engine is running, the electric starter is provided with at least one hydraulic fluid circuit for lubricating parts of the electric starter, and the lubricating circuit of the electric starter is provided with the temperature-regulating section that is able to remove the heat emitted by the electric starter when the lubricating circuit of the electric starter is operating.
US08381507B2
A gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine may include a compressor for compressing a flow of air, a combustor for combusting the flow of air and a flow of fuel to create a flow of combustion gases, a turbine driven by the flow of combustion gases, a rotor driven by the turbine and driving the compressor, a rotor speed sensor, and a gas turbine shut down controller. The gas turbine shut down controller varies the flow of fuel to the combustor based upon a rotational speed of the rotor as determined by a dynamic target trajectory schedule.
US08381505B2
A two-layer cord having a number of wires in the outer layer, enclosing, but not completely, a cord core formed by a plurality of core wires, and in which the core wires are not preformed, while at least some of the outer wires are preformed.
US08381503B2
An improved crop pickup apparatus for a round baler in which the pickup apparatus substantially wider than the bale chamber inlet opening. The pickup apparatus includes a transversely aligned, overshot crop feed rotor positioned longitudinally between the forwardly disposed pickup tine reel and the rearwardly disposed floor roll. The feed rotor comprises a plurality of generally radially extending feed fingers that intermesh with a plurality of circumferential grooves on the floor roll and tines on the tine reel thereby enabling the spacing between the rotational axes of the floor roll, tine reel, and feed rotor to be reduced compared to a non-intermeshing arrangement. The intermeshed relationship also strips crop from the feed rotor without the use of a separate crop stripping device. The feed rotor further comprises a pair of tapered feed augers arranged on the feed rotor rotational axis positioned outboard of the inlet opening. The auger taper improves crop movement from the outboard portions of the pickup apparatus to the feed rotor feed fingers.
US08381492B2
A hygienic cover for a hair brush is an elastic plastic netting of lycra polyester stitched into a tunnel shape with open and closed ends. This cover is rolled on a hollow insert with two open ends. A hairbrush is inserted into and through the insert. The closed end of the cover hits the end of the brush and the cover is stretched over the brush and slides off the insert and compresses around the brush head. The cover is porous and the holes grow when stretched, allowing the brush bristles to pass through the cover. When allowed to slide off the insert and collapse around the brush, the cover closes tightly around the bristles to prevent debris from reaching the brush head. The cover protects the brush in use. After each use, the hygienic cover can be taken off and replaced by a new cover.
US08381488B2
Floorboards for making a floating floor have a core (30) which comprises at least two layers of material (L1, L2), which are arranged at different distances from the surface layer (31), and which differ in respect of material properties or material composition. Semi manufactures for making such floorboards are also disclosed.
US08381482B2
An anchor bolt locator is provided that is inexpensively manufactured on automatic die-press machines from sheet steel and a structural nut that does not require any welding, while also being easy to use and install with current, commonly-used building practices and anchor designs. The anchor bolt locator is made from a galvanized sheet metal chair and a structural nut attached to the chair by way of a friction fit.
US08381481B2
What is described is a linear connector for connecting two opposing ends of a hollow profile member for the purposes of forming a frame-like spacer for the production of insulating glass panes. The linear connector includes a top side, a bottom side and two side surfaces, connecting the top side and the bottom side of the linear connector. The linear connector is provided with a midsection in a middle area of the linear connector, with the midsection extending at least along an entire width of the top side or of the bottom side of the linear connector.
US08381480B2
An oil derrick comprising a derrick tower, where the derrick tower is asymmetrical about its z axis in both x and y directions. The dual offset derrick tower structure allows for a unique drill floor arrangement.
US08381479B1
A pre-fabrication of a modular reinforcement cage for high-rise concrete construction is provided. The primary vertical bars, often referred to as the longitudinal bars, are held in formation by a set of templates that are manufactured to the design of the construction. These templates ensure accurate placement of the vertical bars and provides great rigidity for the module when being placed in the field. The main vertical bars can have thread-like deformations along the length of the bar, and are locked in place by use of compatible hardware against the templates. Multiple modules can then be stacked and coupled by use of mechanical couplings as construction continues.
US08381472B1
A method and assembly for adjoining panels of building siding, that may include a first siding panel with a facing portion and a backing portion secured to the facing portion, a second siding panel with a facing portion and a backing portion secured to the facing portion, and an insert with a facing portion and a backing portion secured to the facing portion that is adapted to be installed between the backing portions of the first and second siding panels to create a butt seam installation.
US08381462B1
A mechanism for adjusting the length of a support column which comprises an elongated pipe. A cap plate is affixed onto a top end of the elongated pipe. The cap plate has a plurality of mounting holes. A base assembly is removably retained to a bottom end of the elongated pipe, utilizing an expandable chuck sleeve, after a lower portion of the elongated pipe is cut away, thereby to properly size the length of the elongated pipe.
US08381451B1
A system for blocking an edge of a building roof structure, e.g., roof structures of cementitious material poured over a corrugated deck or roof structures of rigid insulative panels supported on a corrugated deck, comprises an elongate U-shaped base member for affixation to the deck along the roof edge, an elongate cover member of inverted U-shape for affixation over the base member, the base and cover members being made of galvanized steel or other suitable non-wood material and, as assembled together, forming an auxiliary perimeter structure on the roof structure for border containment of the roofing material.
US08381448B2
An adjustable door sweep with an upper frame, a lower carrier, and at least one brush is provided. The adjustable door sweep includes diagonally oriented slots in the walls of the upper frame and the lower carrier with attached rotatable rods to assist in vertical adjustment of the extensions, such as brushes. The method of using such an adjustable door sweep is also provided.
US08381440B1
A pot cover has a pair of cover elements that are interlockable to together form a pot cover body. The pot cover body is formed by a plurality of annular cover elements that are concentrically arranged on a horizontal plane to together provide a top surface, an opposed bottom surface, an inner perimeter edge, and an outer perimeter edge. A plurality of concentric spaces are formed between each of the plurality of annular cover elements, and a plurality of radially extending connector strips interconnect the plurality of annular cover elements to hold the annular cover elements in the horizontal plane. The connector strips may be cut between two of the annular cover elements to remove at least one of the annular cover elements.
US08381437B2
The invention is a device and method for providing irrigation water to a plant that promotes the growth of the roots of the plant deep into the soil. The invention includes a tube, connector, and soaker hose that is buried next to a plant. The invention connects to an existing irrigation drip line system that previously provided water to the plant. The invention also repels the roots of the plant away from the apparatus so that the roots are hindered from destroying the apparatus.
US08381435B2
An adjustable plant pot support for supporting a plant pot on an underlying surface. The support has a substantially rigid body having top and bottom surfaces and an outer perimeter surface. The top surface is adapted to support a portion of the plant pot and the bottom surface is adapted to be seated on the underlying surface. The body has male and female elements that are adapted to be interconnected with the corresponding male and female elements of an additional plant pot support. The supports are vertically stackable and have a retaining wall extending vertically from the top surface to provide a guide against which to place the bottom of the plant pot.
US08381434B2
There is provided a greenhouse windbreak mechanism which is less prone to collapse of cultivation greenhouses, even when the greenhouse windbreak mechanism is constructed along with the cultivation greenhouses such as plastic greenhouses with relatively-lower strength and is subjected to storm winds or strong monsoons. There are provided a windbreak fence which surrounds one or more cultivation greenhouses and is annularly placed to be erected with a larger height than that of the cultivation greenhouses, a ventilation portion which is formed, at an upper portion of the windbreak fence, to have a predetermined longitudinal width from the upper end of the windbreak fence and includes a plurality of through holes which are dispersedly placed; and a plurality of baffle plates which form a plurality of through holes in its entire surface or partially for passing strong winds therethrough when they are laterally placed above the cultivation greenhouses. The ventilation portion and the baffle plates alleviate strong winds intruding into the inside of the mechanism by getting around the upper end of the windbreak fence, when the strong winds impinge on the windbreak fence.
US08381432B2
A vegetation and support layer comprising a mixture of natural soil materials and wicks. The wicks are made of a water-conducting and air-conducting material in the form of an elongate intertwined structure such that the wicks distribute water and air within the vegetation and support layer. The wicks in the vegetation and support layer according to the invention are randomly mixed with the soil material, are arranged similar to a net, or are introduced from above. The wicks are arranged at a distance from a lower receptacle that is filled with water or from a groundwater conductor such that the wicks do not reach lower layers of water.
US08381431B2
The invented equipment attracts mosquitoes in long distance by carbon dioxide which is created by combustion of kerosene and in short distance by temperature of a landing wall which is warmed up by exhaust gas of the combustion, utilizes not only intake air flow and habit of the mosquitoes to bite but also gravitational force, then effectively and economically traps the mosquitoes which land on the mosquito landing wall.
US08381413B2
Exemplary embodiments of a drying apparatus, for drying flexible objects such as bags or gloves, comprise a first suspension couplable to an external support, and a second suspension magnetically couplable to the first suspension. An object is supported between the first and second suspensions through the magnetic coupling. In a first embodiment, the second suspension comprises a magnetic hub and one or more spreaders, which may be fixed, removable, or moveably attached to the magnetic hub, and which may be repositionable between open and closed positions. The spreaders may be flexible, articulated, rigid, repositionable, collapsible, extendable, jointed, forked, hinged, slideable, continuous, or merged, and further may have substantially puncture-resistant terminations. The first suspension also comprises a magnetic member and a suspending member, such as an open hook or a clamp suspending member, for supporting the apparatus with the secured object from or by many types of external supports.
US08381411B2
A tape measuring device with magnetic end hook is provided, the tape measuring device comprises: a housing; an extendable and retractable tape blade having opposing ends, one end of the tape blade is attached to and situated within said housing; an end hook having opposing front and rear portions, the second end of the tape blade is attached to the end hook, the rear portion of the end hook is generally perpendicular to the front portion of the end hook, the front portion of the end hook has a frontal surface and at least one cavity, and the cavity forms a protrusion on a rear surface of the front portion of the end hook, and the front portion of the end hook comprises at least two opposing side arms, the side arms are offset so that the side arms are generally parallel to the protrusion on the rear surface of the front portion of the end hook to thereby allow for accurate measurements; and at least one magnet glued within the cavity of the end hook.
US08381408B2
A method for determining a contour data set of a spectacle frame rim comprising the steps of: a) providing a plurality (N) of three dimensional measured points along a contour of a spectacle frame rim; b) calculating a plurality of best torus that fits P points chosen among the N measured points and where P is equal or more than 4; c) selecting the (T) points among the N measured points that deviate from one of the best torus more than a threshold value; and d) forming the contour data set with (N-T) three dimensional measured points where the T selected points of step c) are excluded from the list of three dimensional measured points of step a).
US08381404B2
A method manufacturing of a fluid dynamic bearing includes: forming a substantially linear groove having a length corresponding to a circumferential direction width of the dynamic pressure groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of a shaft housing hole portion, along the circumferential direction of a surface orthogonal to a first processing direction along the central axis direction of a work, by a byte that performs a micro alternating drive in a second processing direction orthogonal to the first processing direction; and extending the dynamic pressure groove that extends in the first processing direction by continuously forming the substantially linear grooves in the first processing direction by displacing the relative positions of the work and the byte in the first processing direction.
US08381396B2
Ribbons containing e.g. inorganic NMOS devices are assembled in electrical contact with ribbons containing e.g. PMOS devices (preferably organic) to enable flexible electronic textile circuits, e.g. displays, to be inexpensive and practical for a wide for a variety of functions. The use of ribbons provides flexibility, reduces costs, and allows testing during assembly and different processes to be efficiently used for different components. This is apparently the first time that ribbons (especially inorganic-device-containing ribbons) have been interconnected to form a flexible CMOS electronic textile.
US08381393B2
Methods of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Embodiments of those methods include attaching a patch to an interposer, forming at least one interconnect structure above and on a top surface of the interposer; and attaching a flex connector to the at least one interconnect structure.
US08381386B2
A method of manufacturing a boundary acoustic wave device includes the steps of forming an electrode on a first medium layer, forming a second medium layer so as to cover the electrode on the first medium layer, and forming a sound absorbing layer on an external surface of the second medium layer. The sound absorbing layer has an acoustic velocity of transverse waves that is lower than an acoustic velocity of transverse waves of the second medium layer.
US08381383B2
Apparatus and method of placement of gravity installed anchors in offshore environments, for the mooring of structures thereto In the preferred embodiment, a gravity installed anchor has an outwardly extending load arm, which is preferably rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the anchor A load line is attached to the load arm, and a subsea connector is attached to the distal end of the load line The subsea connector is held in a staging device, which rests on the seabed and supports the subsea connector in a desired position to facilitate subsea connection thereto A deployment/recovery line is attached to the rearward end of the gravity installed anchor This gravity installed anchor and mooring assembly is lowered from the installation vessel on a lowering line, by a release hook on the end of the lowering line engaging the deployment/recovery line.
US08381375B2
A crosslapper receives a card web and folds it into a lap intended to be needle-punched or consolidated by other ways. The web includes zones which are more condensed, having a spectrum of orientation of fibers with a component parallel to the width of the web, alternating with less condensed zones having a longitudinal unidirectional spectrum of orientations. The zones which are less condensed are used to form the edge zones of the lap. The result is that the lap has different respective spectra of orientation which pre-compensate for the unwanted changes produced by the needle-punching or other consolidation which follows. A needle-punched lap is obtained having a uniform MD/CD ratio (relationship between longitudinal and respectively transverse tensile strengths) or having a sought profile of the MD/CD ratio across the width of the lap.
US08381368B2
A centering clip device can include a clip base having an opening for receiving a clip. The clip base can have a top surface that has a first bump, a second bump and a third bump all spaced away from each other. A clip can be included that has a substantially elongated body, a bottom flange formed on a bottom end of the clip, a top flange, an annular slot formed between the top flange and the bottom flange, and an umbrella structure. The top flange may also be formed as an umbrella structure having an inclined camming surface formed on its lower surface. The clip base can be configured to releasably engage the clip within the clip base. The camming surface can be biased against the first, second and third bumps to center the clip within the clip base, and permit connection between a first vehicle component, such as a roofliner, to a second vehicle component, such as a roof frame.
US08381353B2
A surface maintenance vehicle having a low profile recessed cavity in the side of the vehicle beneath the driver's seat which can be used for transporting items. The vehicle includes a vehicle shroud containing operational components of the vehicle, a driver's seat, and a seat shroud. A recessed cavity is formed in the side surface of the seat shroud and includes a vertically oriented anterior surface, a vertically oriented posterior surface opposing the anterior surface, a horizontally oriented bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface is generally perpendicular to the anterior and posterior surfaces, and a vertically oriented inner surface, wherein the inner surface is generally perpendicular to the anterior surface, posterior surface and bottom surface. The recessed cavity is open on the side and the top and can be used for transporting items while not increasing the overall size or footprint of the surface maintenance machine.
US08381350B2
The object of the invention is a wiper blade (10) with a wiper strip (12), in the lateral longitudinal grooves (20) of which spring rails (24) are inserted as springy supporting elements. The ends of the spring rails (24) are connected with one another by a bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) in that side parts (36, 66, 80) of the bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) are supported at the upper side of the spring rail (24) and engage recesses (28, 30) of the spring rails (24), whereas a middle part (34, 64, 78) of the bridge (32, 54, 62, 76) bridges a back strip (22) of the wiper strip (12), which forms the upper boundary of the longitudinal grooves (20). It is proposed that the spring rails (24), at their front faces, have short slots (28), which extend in the longitudinal direction of the spring rails (24) and which are engaged by the I-shaped angle pieces (38, 56) of the bridge (52, 54). Lower legs (40, 58) of the angle pieces (38, 56) are directed towards the middle of the spring rails (24), gripping these from below.
US08381342B2
A washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, a basket rotatably supported within the tub, and a spray device mounted within the cabinet and positioned to introduce water into the basket. The spray device sprays an initial amount of water onto a wash load received in the basket. The rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the wash load radially outwardly in the basket. The wash load within the basket is washed after the rotatable basket is rotated to redistribute the wash load.
US08381333B2
To accommodate safe, convenient, and effective sleeping arrangements perhaps with mothers and babies, the present invention entails a co-sleeping apparatus and methods having a simple support which may be affixed by friction in a bed and uses a cantilever design to support various forms of baby, pet, and doll baskets (or other sleeping receptacles of choice) at close proximity and convenient locations near a resting parent. This simple cantilever design may provide three important advantages: an immediate arms' reach access to an infant without ever having to leave a bed; interference free design perhaps with no floor supports or bulky stands; and an extremely simple method for single-handed mounting, adjusting, and dismounting of an infant, pet, and doll sleeping receptacle and the like. Embodiments may provide stowing the apparatus in a virtually disappearing condition and the apparatus may be easily disassembled or even folded linearly for convenient long term storage.
US08387161B2
An elongate probe (50) for use in probe microscopy comprises a module (51) provided between a probe tip (53) and a driver (52). In use the driver (52) applies oscillations to the module (51) which are transmitted by the module to the tip (53). With the probe tip (53) positioned close to the surface of a sample, any phase variance in the oscillation of the tip with respect to the driving oscillation is representative of an interaction between the tip and the sample surface. The elongate arrangement of the probe (50) is particularly beneficial when used to probe samples which require a liquid environment.
US08387159B2
The present invention provides a fast-operating and stable scanning probe microscope configured to detect the interaction between a probe and a sample to avoid generation of a harmonic component. An oscillation circuit (31) generates an excitation phase signal indicative of the phase of an excitation signal. An excitation signal generation circuit (33) generates an excitation signal from the excitation phase signal. A complex signal generation circuit (35) generates a complex signal from a displacement signal. A vector calculation circuit (37) calculates the argument of the complex signal. A subtracting phase comparator (39) compares the argument with the phase of the excitation phase signal by subtraction. The amount of the interaction between a probe device and a sample is obtained using the subtracting phase comparator (39). The result of the comparison carried out by the subtracting phase comparator (39) may be output as a difference in phase between the displacement signal and the excitation signal. Moreover, a loop filter may be provided to form a phase locked loop, and a frequency signal may be provided which is indicative of a variation in the resonant frequency of the probe device.
US08387154B2
In accordance with the domain management for digital media, a device obtains multiple pieces of protected content from multiple content providers, where two or more of the content providers employ different digital rights management systems. The device also accesses a license server to obtain, for each piece of protected content, a content license that is bound to a domain. The content license permits the device to play back a piece of protected content.
US08387153B2
The present invention relates to a method, node and system for efficient handling of sharing a set of data and in particular where the data set is shared in a volatile manner. Each node with access to the data set sharing group controls the access of data set from the node and each node stores data set received from other nodes in the group in a volatile manner providing removal of data set received from a node that has left the sharing group.
US08387148B2
Secure rights protection for broadcast mobile content techniques are described in which broadcast content may be securely provided to a mobile device. In one or more embodiments, this is accomplished by requesting and issuing of a content license via a data network based upon a subscriber identity module (SIM) of a mobile device. The license may then be utilized by the mobile device to output content received via a broadcast network.
US08387146B2
A method for collecting and distributing data on computer viruses identified on a plurality of computers during virus scanning includes receiving virus scan results from the plurality of computers and collecting and storing the virus scan results in a database. The results include the type of virus identified. The method further includes aggregating at scheduled intervals the virus scan results over a specified time period at a publisher server to create a virus database and replicating the virus database to a subscriber server. A virus report is created from the virus database upon receiving a request from a user computer at the subscriber server and sent to the user computer.
US08387134B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a main body, an authentication unit which performs an authentication process, upon power-on of the main body, if authentication information is registered in the main body, the authentication process including a process to authenticate a user based on authentication information input by the user and the authentication information registered in the main body, and a forced-registration unit which performs a forced-registration process to request the user to register new authentication information and inhibit the main body from operating until the new authentication information is registered, upon power-on of the main body.
US08387132B2
Modules and methods that provide virtual device communication via information packets addressed to the virtual devices. Virtual devices aggregate capabilities of target devices and represent the aggregate as an operational device to remote systems. Physical device elements and virtual devices contained within modules are able to communicate and cooperate over extended distances in a peer-to-peer fashion via a virtual bus tunnel offering addressing and data transport functionality. Such modules and methods can be combined with disk drives to form RAID-like storage structures.
US08387129B2
Disclosed is a method for verifying data packet integrity in a streaming-data channel. In the method, data packets are received from the streaming-data channel. Each data packet includes a data payload and a corresponding message integrity code. The received data packets are processed in a first processing mode, wherein the received data packets are forwarded to an application module before checking the integrity of the data packets using the respective message integrity codes. An integrity-check-failure measurement is generated for monitoring an integrity-check-failure rate in the first processing mode. If the integrity-check-failure measurement exceeds an integrity-check threshold, then the method transitions to a second processing mode. A received data packet is forwarded to the application module in the second processing mode only after passing the integrity check.
US08387125B2
Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include a method, device and/or system of performing an administrative operation on a user token. The method may include, for example, providing to an admin token user-identification data identifying the user token; receiving from the admin token an administrator code to enable performing the administrative operation; and providing the administrator code to the user token. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08387119B2
Systems and methods are provided for a secure application network according to one or more embodiments. In one embodiment, a system for a secure application network comprises a service provider server adapted to interact with an application development server and a client device over a network, wherein the service provider server is adapted to implement the secure application network system. The system also comprises one or more processors and one or more memories adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the secure application network system to: maintain a plurality of records associated with at least one application developer using the application development server; authenticate the at least one application developer based on the plurality of records; and enable the at least one authenticated application developer to create and/or deploy one or more applications operable on the client device to be downloaded by a user of the client device from the secure application network system.
US08387118B2
A server includes a limitation database, a monitor module, and a notification module. The limitations database is configured to store control limits for a user device. The monitor module is in communication with the limitations database. The monitor module is configured to monitor usage of the user device and to determine that one of the control limits for the user device has been exceeded. The notification module is in communication with the monitor module. The notification module is configured to notify a master device that the one of the control limits for the user device has been exceeded, to receive a request to disable the user device, and to disable the user device in response to the request.
US08387111B2
A method and apparatus for type independent permission based access control are provided. The method and apparatus utilize object inheritance to provide a mechanism by which a large group of permissions may be assigned to a codesource without having to explicitly assign each individual permission to the codesource. A base permission, or superclass permission, is defined along with inherited, or subclass, permissions that fall below the base permission in a hierarchy of permissions. Having defined the permissions in such a hierarchy, a developer may assign a base permission to an installed class and thereby assign all of the inherited permissions of the base permission to the installed class. In this way, security providers need not know all the permission types defined in an application. In addition, security providers can seamlessly integrate with many applications without changing their access control and policy store semantics. Moreover, application providers' security enforcement is no dependent on the security provider defined permissions. The method and apparatus do not require any changes to the Java security manager and do not require changes to application code.
US08387110B1
In some embodiments, communications in a private network are programmatically inspected to identify traffic associated with uncontrolled Web applications originating from outside of the private network. Unstructured data, including messages and application content, originating from such uncontrolled Web Applications may be disassembled, analyzed, and categorized into source specific application element types (AETs). A monitoring layer may be injected on a page associated with the uncontrolled Web Application to allow a user to switch between different modes. Activities associated with different modes may be handled differently utilizing AETs. Example modes may include personal, professional, etc. The monitoring layer provides an entity operating a private network with the ability to distinguish different types of user activities associated with accessing uncontrolled Web applications, allowing the entity to isolate those activities and contents that should be monitored and process them according to internal policies and/or business rules.
US08387104B2
A method and a device for transmitting a transport stream according to a digital television-transmission standard for stationary and/or mobile receivers with program and service data for a national and a regional broadcast determines the transmission capacity in the transport stream provided in each case for the national and the regional broadcast through a first multiplexer within a centrally positioned headend. The first multiplexer then fills the transport stream with program and service data for national broadcast within the transmission capacity of the transport stream provided for the broadcast and marks the transmission capacity provided within the transport stream for the regional broadcast. Second multiplexers provided in the regional headends and/or in the regional transmitters in each case fill the marked transmission capacity of the transport stream, transmitted in each case from the central headend to several regionally positioned headends and/or regionally positioned transmitters, with program and service data for regional broadcast.
US08387100B1
Provision of non video on demand applications and associated content through a video on demand (VoD) infrastructure is provided. An existing VoD application may be used to allow services other than traditional VoD services to be provided to a requesting networked device, such as a cable system set-top box. Applications may be provided by remote application servers acting as VoD servers. Remote content or applications may be requested by a client VoD application, wherein the requested content may be streamed to the requesting device, and a personalized client experience may be provided. The thin VoD client application may interact with the remote application as if the content were VoD content. Accordingly, normal VoD command functionality may be utilized to interact with the remote application.
US08387098B2
In video/audio information such as a movie in a mobile terminal connected to a terminal of a seat terminal for a mobile terminal, the video is converted into video data and transmitted to a seat terminal of a front seat via a transmission path. The video data are decoded by a video decoder of the seat terminal of the front seat and displayed on a video display section. Furthermore, audio is listened to by a user via a headphone of the user's own seat.
US08387094B1
Method and system to automatically select data network videos as television shows based on a persona
A system includes a television set for displaying a video for a viewer. The television set connects to a persona television system over a data network and sends a request for a television show for a persona to the persona television system. A “persona” includes a character representation of a person other than the viewer, an event, or a group. The persona television system selects a television show based on the persona. The persona television system sends to the television set a show description of the television show. The show description includes video source information about video source such that the television set can obtain television show from video source. In this manner, a data network video is automatically selected as a television show based on a persona and provided to the television set, increasing the ease with which the viewer can identify video choices of interest.
US08387087B2
A system and method for applying a database to video multimedia is disclosed. Certain embodiments provide media content owners the capability to exploit video processing capabilities using rich, interactive and compelling visual content on a network. Mechanisms of associating video with commerce offerings are provided. Video server and search server technologies are integrated with ad serving personalization agents to make the final presentations of content and advertising. Algorithms utilized by the system use a variety of techniques for making the final presentation decisions of which ads, with which content, are served to which user.
US08387086B2
Various embodiments related to delivery of advertising content for video on-demand are disclosed. One example embodiment comprises receiving a set of VOD metadata including a first configuration of ad avails to be included in a VOD content item. The first configuration specifies a first set of locations of ad avails and a size of each ad avail in the first configuration. The method further includes comparing the VOD metadata to a set of one or more policy rules specifying a second configuration of ad avails to be included in the VOD content item, the second configuration of ad avails specifying a second set of locations of ad avails and a size of each ad avail in the second configuration. The method further includes determining a number of advertisements to be included in the VOD content item based upon a result of the comparing and obtaining an ad decision.
US08387079B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a main body, an optical disc drive provided in the main body, an acceleration sensor provided in the main body, and a drive management module provided in the main body. The optical disc drive is configured to output an eject signal to an outside in response to an operation of an eject button. The drive management module is configured to determine whether the main body is shaking or not by using the acceleration sensor when the eject signal is received from the optical disc drive which is in a power-off state, and to supply power to the optical disc drive and send to the optical disc drive a signal instructing opening of a tray of the optical disc drive, when the main body is not shaking.
US08387077B1
A computer-implemented method includes identifying one or more application program interfaces from a group of application program interfaces for passing information between a scheduler, which is in communication with a virtual machine executed on a device, and a service provider of the device. The method also includes using the identified one or more application program interfaces to asynchronously pass information between the scheduler and the service provider of the device.
US08387072B1
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for executing software applications with an actual environment. Handlers for a software application are registered. Each handler can be executed upon receiving an indication of a triggering event. A determination is made that a triggering event for the software application has occurred. In response to the triggering event: a handler environment for the triggering event is determined based on the actual environment, triggered handlers of the registered handlers are determined to be executed, at least a respective portion of the handler environment is made available to each triggered handler, executing the triggered handlers, where at least one triggered handler updates its respective portion of the handler environment during execution, determining an updated-handler environment based on the handler environment and the portions of the handler environments after execution of the triggered handlers, and updating the actual environment based on the updated-handler environment.
US08387068B2
A method and device for managing an object instance label relate to network management technologies, and can implement uniform configuration for instances under different customer premises equipments (CPEs). The method for associating an object instance label includes: receiving a message for associating an object instance label, where the message includes an object instance and a corresponding label; and associating the label with the object instance according to the message, where the label is used to identify the object instance. The present invention is applicable to batch configuration for instances under different CPEs.
US08387065B2
A method and a data processing system by which population count (popcount) operations are efficiently performed without incurring the latency and loss of critical processing cycles and bandwidth of real time processing. The method comprises: identifying data to be stored to memory for which a popcount may need to be determined; speculatively performing a popcount operation on the data as a background process of the processor while the data is being stored to memory; storing the data to a first memory location; and storing a value of the popcount generated by the popcount operation within a second memory location. The method further comprises: determining a size of data; determining a granular level at which the popcount operation on the data will be performed; and reserving a size of said second memory location that is sufficiently large to hold the value of the popcount.
US08387053B2
A method of performing operations in a computer system, computer system, and related method of compilation, are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method of performing includes providing compiled code having at least one thread, where each of the at least one thread includes a respective plurality of blocks and each respective block includes a respective pre-fetch component and a respective execute component. The method also includes performing a first pre-fetch component from a first block of a first thread of the at least one thread, performing a first additional component after the first pre-fetch component has been performed, and performing a first execute component from the first block of the first thread. The first execute component is performed after the first additional component has been performed, and the first additional component is from either a second thread or another block of the first thread that is not the first block.
US08387049B2
Processing within a computing environment that supports pageable guests is facilitated. Processing is facilitated in many ways, including, but not limited to, associating guest and host state information with guest blocks of storage; maintaining the state information in control blocks in host memory; enabling the changing of states; and using the state information in management decisions. In one particular example, the guest state includes an indication of usefulness and importance of memory contents to the guest, and the host state reflects the ease of access to memory contents. The host and guest state information is used in managing memory of the host and/or guests.
US08387047B1
A system and method for virtualizing file extensions. The system includes a system environment, one or more virtual environments, and a shell extension. The shell extension detects a request to perform an action on a file in the system environment. The file has an associated file extension. The system environment includes applications for opening files. In response to detecting the request, the shell extension determines that the action is to open the file in the system environment and the file extension is not associated with any of the applications in the system environment. The shell extension queries the virtual environments to find an association between the file extension and an application, identifies at least one of the virtual environments in which the extension is associated with an application, and opens the file in a selected virtual environment.
US08387045B2
Systems, methods, and computer programs for creating a cloning image using a pseudo environment in a virtual machine. The pseudo environment is configured based on an inventory of the assets of a reference machine. The cloning image can be deployed to one or more target machines.
US08387044B2
Identifiers of a plurality of physical HBAs disposed in a real host are grouped into a virtual HBA(s) for each work application executed in the real host. A storage device of a management server manages a virtual HBA ID which is an identifier of the virtual HBA and physical HBA IDs which are identifiers of the grouped physical HBAs, which are associated with each other. A display device of the management server displays information on a virtual host in which the virtual HBA is virtually disposed.
US08387041B2
A method, apparatus, and program product to allocate processor resources to a plurality of logical partitions in a computing device including a plurality of processors, each processor having at least one general purpose processing element and a plurality of synergistic processing elements. General purpose processing element resources and synergistic processing element resources are separately allocated to each logical partition. The synergistic processing element resources to each logical partition are allocated such that each synergistic processing element is assigned to a logical partition exclusively. At least one virtual processor is allocated for each logical partition. The at least one virtual processor may be allocated virtual general purpose processing element resources and virtual synergistic processing element resources that correspond to the general purpose processing element resources and synergistic processing element resources allocated to the logical partition.
US08387037B2
In general, the invention is directed to updating images running on computing nodes within a distributed computing system. For example, a distributed computing system comprises a plurality of application nodes, a software image repository and a control node interconnected via a network. The image repository stores a master software image and a plurality of software image instances generated from the master software image. The control node automatically updates each of the software image instances using an updated version of the master software image.
US08387034B2
A Veil program analyzes the source code and/or data of an existing sequential target program without user interaction and determines how best to distribute the target program and data among the processing elements of a multi-processing element computing system. The Veil program analyzes source code loops, data sizes and types to prepare a set of distribution attempts or strategies, whereby each strategy is run under a run-time evaluation system and evaluated to determine the optimal decomposition and distribution across the available processing elements.
US08387029B2
A method for parsing and executing a software program includes receiving a portion of a software program in an original linguistic form, wherein the portion of the software program includes a nonlinear program element having a body, and, while retaining the original linguistic form, directly executing the nonlinear program element by manipulating a parse state and an input stream of tokens representing the body of the nonlinear program element, wherein directly executing comprises executing tokens until the dynamic end of the nonlinear program element is reached. A system includes a tokenizer operable to tokenize the software program and a parser operable to directly execute a nonlinear program element in the software program by manipulating a parse state and an input stream of tokens representing the body of the nonlinear program element, while preserving the original linguistic form of the software program.
US08387010B2
An automatic software configuring system includes a database storage section for storing therein a plurality of soft components. In the event that soft components are extracted from the database storage section and are combined together to thereby generate a file, a comment indicative of a storage location in the database storage section for storing a respective soft component extracted from the database storage section is added to the respective soft component. The automatic software configuring system further includes a device for identifying the respective soft component combined into the file and a storage location of the respective soft component by reading the comment; a device for identifying a comparison-target soft component stored in the database storage section; a device for identifying a soft component having a different content; and a device for replacing specified soft component in the database storage section with the soft component combined into the file.
US08386995B2
Automated or autonomic techniques for managing deployment of one or more resources in a computing environment based on varying workload levels. The automated techniques may comprise predicting a future workload level based on data associated with the computing environment. Then, an estimation is performed to determine whether a current resource deployment is insufficient, sufficient, or overly sufficient to satisfy the future workload level. Then, one or more actions are caused to be taken when the current resource deployment is estimated to be insufficient or overly sufficient to satisfy the future workload level. Actions may comprise resource provisioning, resource tuning and/or admission control.
US08386993B2
A workflow system includes: a workflow storage that stores workflows built by connecting a plurality of tasks assigned to persons in charge, respectively; a task extracting unit that extracts at least one task from each of two or more of the workflows stored in the workflow storage; a site creation unit that creates a conference site of which an access authority is given to the persons in charge of the tasks extracted by the task extracting unit and in which electronic information is shared; and an access controller that controls access to the conference site created by the site creation unit in accordance with the authority.
US08386988B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a first circuit part that is designed under a first corner condition with respect to a process variation, a second circuit part that is designed under a second corner condition narrower than the first condition, and a control part that changes an operating voltage supplied to the first circuit part and the second circuit part according to a delay amount of the first circuit part, and starts the second circuit part when a delay characteristic caused by a change in the operating voltage conforms to a delay characteristic under the second corner condition.
US08386985B2
A method, system, and computer program product for timing driven routing in a design of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A router application executing in a data processing system performs a pre-global routing optimization of the design. A plurality of wirelength target constraints are set on a plurality of subsets of a set of nets in the design. Global routing is performed on the design. The design is adjusted using wires placed in the design during the global routing. A priority is assigned to each net in the set of nets. Detailed routing is performed on the design.
US08386983B1
In one embodiment, a method for parallel routing of a circuit design is provided. Placement of a netlist of the circuit design is determined for a target device. A plurality of regions of the target device is defined. Each region of the plurality of regions is assigned to a respective set of processors, each set including at least one processor. Global routing of nets of the netlist on the target device is performed. The global routing of each net restricts the net to one or more possible routes through a corresponding subset of the plurality of regions. Local routing of the netlist is concurrently performed within the plurality of regions using the respective sets of processors. Within each region, the local routing of the netlist is performed exclusively by the respective set of one or more processors.
US08386980B2
This invention concerns an automated method of generating a design for an I/O fabric of a target integrated circuit having a core and pins. A process tool executes algorithms to generate a synthesizable representation of the I/O fabric ring in hardware description language. It imports integrated circuit design data, and from it captures I/O specification data for a circuit core, library of cells, pin, I/O control, BSR and I/O cell chaining, and die. The tool validates the specification data, and generates the I/O fabric design by configuring and inter-connecting a pin multiplexing and control matrix structures according to constraints for signal control, and timing. The structures includes on both the input and output paths of each pin a functional multiplexer matrix structure, a test multiplexer matrix structure, an override matrix structure, a multiplex select and control matrix structure, and an I/O Cell control logic. A required pin output circuit is configurable by modification of the I/O specification data, and/or, modification of a manner of wiring the algorithms, and/or by modification of the algorithms. The tool wires algorithms according to a wiring framework, and said wiring framework is modifiable.
US08386979B2
Methods and apparatuses to design an Integrated Circuit (IC) with a shielding of wires. In at least one embodiment, a shielding mesh of at least two reference voltages (e.g., power and ground) is used to reduce both the capacitive coupling and the inductive coupling in routed signal wires in IC chips. In some embodiments, a type of shielding mesh (e.g., a shielding mesh with a window surrounded by a power ring, or a window with a parser set of shielding wires) is selected to make more routing area available in locally congested areas. In other embodiments, the shielding mesh is used to create or add bypass capacitance. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08386977B2
A tool that allows three dimensional chip circuit designs to be checked subsequent to 3D design layer mirroring. The 3D chip design is converted to a corresponding 2D chip design by mirroring one or more design layers from the mirrored side of a 3D design and merging those design layers with unmirrored design layers from the unmirrored side of a 3D design. The converted circuit design can be processed by standard verification checks. The tool may also receive design layers corresponding to an integrated circuit that will pass through multiple semiconductor chips. Each design cell is examined to determine if it corresponds to a mirrored or unmirrored side of its respective semiconductor chip. If the respective design cell corresponds to the mirrored side, the design cell is mirrored. All mirrored cells are then merged with the unmirrored design cells in the correct order. The merged design is processed by standard verification checks. The tool also has the capability to create terminal metal abstracts for two adjoining chips. One of the abstracts is mirrored and then merged with the other for connectivity and alignment checking.
US08386976B2
A method for producing a layout of a device in an integrated circuit before actually fabricated is provided. The method includes inputting at least one fixed parameter for the device for fabrication. And then, a first part of a set of variable parameters of a layout of the device is input. The complete set of the variable parameters is generated. It is checked whether or not the layout with the parameters is satisfying a requirement, wherein an end step is reached if the layout is accepted by the requirement, and a new part of the set of variable parameters as the first part being looping in the foregoing steps if the layout is not accepted by the requirement.
US08386971B2
A method and apparatus for low delay recursive filter design. The method includes determining a predefined filter template with higher magnitude specification than a target filter design, determining at least one relaxation bound on the filter specification utilizing the predefined filter template, specifying at least one constraint for the target filter design utilizing the at least one relaxation bound, and determining a low delay recursive filter design for minimizing the average group delay of the filter utilizing the at least one constraint.
US08386961B2
The invention is directed to a widget of or in a graphical user interface for navigating amongst related objects. The widget is adapted for displaying first and second groups of objects within respective first and second visually linked display areas. The widget is further adapted, upon user selection of a relation between an object of the second group and a third group of objects, for displaying objects of the third group in the second display area and objects of the second group in the first display area. The invention also relates to a method for navigating amongst related objects, comprising a step of providing to a user a graphical user interface with such a widget. Lastly, the invention is directed to a computer program comprising code means for implementing the method and to a computer system comprising means for implementing the method.
US08386960B1
A software development environment may have a object interaction construction interface for defining sentences that include two or more sentence atoms in an ordered arrangement. The sentence atoms may be one of: a source object, an event, a target object, and an action. The object interaction construction interface may receive user input selecting the sentence atoms in a particular sequence. The object interaction construction interface may configure a menu list of available second sentence atoms according to the type of sentence atom selected as the first sentence atom. Throughout the sequence, the object interaction construction interface will self-configure the next menu list according to the type of atom selected in the previous selection. When the sentence is complete, the software development environment may generate program instructions and/or data structures to implement object interactions defined by the sentence, which may be used to build an application.
US08386958B1
A method for character input, involving activating a first rotating character ribbon on a display associated with a portable electronic device, wherein the rotating character ribbon includes a first plurality of characters for selection, selecting at least one character from the first rotating character ribbon, wherein the at least one character is selected using a positioning device on the portable electronic device, and storing the at least one selected character as part of a text sequence on the portable electronic device.
US08386957B2
In a method for dynamically scaling an original background layout having at least one element, an instruction to employ the original background layout in a new page that differs in at least one of size and aspect ratio from at least one of the size and aspect ratio of the original background layout is received. In addition, a type and a position of the at least one element is identified and one or more constraints are applied on at least one characteristic of the at least one element to modify the at least one characteristic of the at least one element for inclusion in the new page, in which the one or more constraints are based upon the type and position of the at least one element.
US08386947B2
An interface framework enables dynamic generation of a user interface for browsing online media content. The interface can be modified based on changing one or more configuration or data files rather than making changes to code. The files contain interface content, interface configuration parameters and content category information. The framework retrieves a collection of content corresponding to a category, configures the interface based on a set of parameters and the retrieved content, and provides the interface to a remote device. When the files used to generate the interface are modified, the interface provided by the framework thereafter is changed. As a result, the interface may be changed without modifying or adding any code or markup within the framework.
US08386935B2
Disclosed herein is an ability to create segments of content, such as video, audio, multimedia, image, animation, interactive, etc. content, to associate metadata to each segment created, and to generate a summary of content comprising one or more segments using the metadata associated with the content segments. One or more acticons represented as icons in a user interface displayable to a user can be used to indicate a starting and/or ending point for a content segment. An acticon can represent an occurrence in the content, or a reaction of a user experiencing the content, for example.
US08386934B2
In an information presenting apparatus, information associated with each of one or more motion images stored in a storage apparatus is displayed at a location corresponding to a file production time in the form of a calendar view. A plurality of frames of representative images are extracted from each motion image in accordance with a specified frame extraction method. Thumbnail images of the respective extracted representative images are produced, and each thumbnail image is related to a playback position in the motion image. The resultant thumbnail images are managed as a set of motion image thumbnail images in accordance with a production time of the motion image. Information associated with each motion image is displayed at a location corresponding to the production time of the motion image in the form of the calendar view. Thumbnail images associated with each motion image are displayed in an expanded form in the order of time.
US08386933B2
A digital content providing apparatus including an interactive content composer to compose continuous interactive contents by linking at least two content units depending on at least one pre-condition or post-condition selected determined on the basis of a user's request and a reproducer to seamlessly reproduce the composed interactive contents.
US08386932B2
A computer-implemented method for integrating help functions. A compound document is received. The compound document comprises a help module. The help module comprises a first collection of help information that applies specifically to the compound document. The compound document is associated with a processing application used to manipulate the compound document. The processing application comprises application help. The application help comprises a second collection of help information that applies to the processing application. The first collection of help information is distinct from the second collection of help information. The method also includes integrating the help module into the application help to form a modified help. The modified help comprises a combination of the first collection of help information and the second collection of help information. The modified help can be stored or displayed.
US08386929B2
An electronic personal assistant that uses task information to obtain task performance assistance and help content is provided. Tasks from an electronic tasks application may be utilized by the personal assistant application to search a variety of information sources for task performance functionality and help content related to the tasks. The personal assistant may provide functionality to help a user actually perform a given task. Alternatively, once help content is obtained, a new task may be generated or the related task may be modified to provide the help content or to provide a link to the help content. The personal assistant application may provide the help content in a separate user interface or cause an application from which the help content is obtained to be launched.
US08386927B1
A user interface of an electronic content rendering device implements gravity-based link assist to enhance user experience when browsing linked content. As a user moves a pointer along a trajectory across various links and objects, gravitational fields surrounding the links and objects provide a pulling effect that draws the pointer toward these fields. Responsive to pointer deceleration being detected when the pointer resides within a gravitational field, the link assist repositions the pointer to a center of the link or object relative to the trajectory of the pointer within the field.
US08386912B2
Hypermedia documents can be published using a computer system by recursively parsing a hypermedia document to identify at least one direct linked document and at least one nested linked document. The addresses for the hypermedia document, the direct linked document and the nested linked document are remapped and versions of the hypermedia document and the linked documents are stored in a directory at their remapped addresses. The directory then can be distributed to another location on a network. Alternatively, or in addition, the hypermedia document and a document linked to it can be processed (e.g., converted to standard formats) based on predefined criteria before versions of the documents are stored in the directory.
US08386910B2
Differencing and merging tree-structured documents, such as eXtensible Markup Language (XML) documents, is disclosed. A differencing-and-merging system for tree-structured documents of one embodiment of the invention includes a difference processing unit and a merging processing unit. The differencing processing unit performs a difference operation on at least two tree-structured documents, in accordance with difference configuration information regarding the documents. The merging processing unit performs a merging operation on the tree-structured documents from correspondence information generated by the difference processing unit, based on the difference operation configuration information regarding the documents. The correspondence information indicates differences among nodes of the documents. The difference operation configuration information specifies one or more nodes among the documents that are to be considered equivalent when the difference operation is performed, and one or more nodes among the documents that are to be ignored when the difference operation is performed.
US08386898B2
A method and apparatus for increasing the data rate and providing antenna diversity using multiple transmit antennas is disclosed. A set of bits of a digital signal are used to generate a codeword. Codewords are provided according to a channel code. Delay elements may be provided in antenna output channels, or with suitable code construction delay may be omitted. n signals represent n symbols of a codeword are transmitted with n different transmit antennas. At the receiver MLSE or other decoding is used to decode the noisy received sequence. The parallel transmission and channel coding enables an increase the data rate over previous techniques, and recovery even under fading conditions. The channel coding may be concatenated with error correction codes under appropriate conditions.
US08386894B2
A system and method are provided for parallel processing data that is forward error correction (FEC) protected with multiple codewords. The method accepts an electrical waveform representing a digital wrapper frame of interleaved FEC codewords. Typically, the codeword encoding is solved using an algorithm such as linear block codes, cyclical block codes, Hamming, Reed-Solomon, or Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH). The method calculates a first set of syndromes for a first codeword. In parallel with the calculation of the first set of syndromes, a second set of syndromes is calculated for a second codeword with a data component shared with the first codeword. Using the first set of syndromes, an error magnitude and location (EML) of the first codeword is performed. Using the second set of syndromes, an EML of the second codeword is performed in parallel with the EML of the first codeword.
US08386885B1
A programmable processing device having a non-volatile memory that may comprise a first memory portion and a second memory portion, where the first section of the first memory portion is configured to store program instructions or data and the second memory portion of the memory word is configured to store either the configuration data or the error detection bits depending upon if an error detection scheme is implemented for the program instructions or data.
US08386884B2
A memory apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. The memory apparatus includes a plurality of multi-level cells and a controller. The controller encodes input data according to a target encoding code to generate a plurality of encoded subsets, and stores the encoded subsets into the multi-level cells. Thereafter, the controller could read data from the multi-level cells, perform an error correction procedure on the read data to correct and recover the read data as recovered data, and decode the recovered data according to the target encoding code. Consequently, sensing windows between threshold voltage distributions of the multi-level cells are expanded.
US08386882B2
A signal is encoded by receiving input data. A first portion of the input data is encoded to obtain a first set of encoded data. At least some part of the input data is processed to determine which one of a plurality of subsets the input data corresponds to. In the event the input data corresponds to a first subset having a greater signal margin (SM) than a second subset, the first set of encoded data and a second portion of the input data are output. In the event the input data corresponds to the second subset, the second portion of the input data is encoded to obtain a second set of encoded data and the first set of encoded data and the second set of encoded data are output.
US08386879B2
A method of encoding for optical transmission of information includes encoding information with a generalized low-density parity-check (GLDPC) code for providing coding gains, and constructing the GLDPC code with a Reed-Muller RM code as a component code, the component code being decodable using a maximum posterior probability (MAP) decoding. In a preferred embodiment, the GLDPC code includes a codeword length of substantially 4096, an information word length of substantially 3201, a lower-bound on minimum distance of substantially greater than or equal to 16, a code rate of substantially 0.78 and the RM component code includes an order of substantially 4 and an r parameter of substantially 6.
US08386876B2
For downlink cooperative multi-point (CoMP) communication, each cooperating transmission point (e.g., base station) may send a retransmission packet with a different redundancy version to a user equipment (UE). Mechanisms may be provided to determine which transmission point should send packets with which redundancy version. For uplink CoMP, in order to reduce the backhaul overhead, each cooperating base station may share only a fraction of the retransmitted packet with the serving base station. Also, different retransmission packets with different redundancy versions can be transmitted to different cooperating base stations using spatial degrees of freedom.
US08386871B2
A retransmission control method involving a physical control channel transmitting step of transmitting, at a transmitting side apparatus, a new data indicator updated upon transmission of a new packet, and a retransmission sequence number indicating whether transmission is first transmission or retransmission, through a physical control channel associated with a physical data channel, and a transmission acknowledgement information transmitting step of transmitting, at a receiving side apparatus, transmission acknowledgment information on a packet received through the physical data channel, on the basis of the new data indicator and the retransmission sequence number received through the physical control channel.
US08386870B2
A mechanism is provided to allow an HARQ retransmission to more closely match the receiver's need for energy with the additional energy sent over the wireless link. In one aspect, the receiver sends the transmitter qualitative feedback which indicates to the transmitter an approximate amount of additional energy that the receiver needs to successfully decode the transmission.
US08386863B2
In a scanning-capable latch circuit, main latch circuits respectively corresponding to data inputs D1 to D4 are connected in series and, except the last-stage main latch circuit, the scanning output from each main latch circuit becomes the scanning input for the subsequent main latch circuit; while the scanning output from the last-stage main latch circuit becomes the scanning input for a slave latch circuit. Hence, in the scanning-capable latch circuit used in an information processing apparatus, the circuit area can be reduced and scanning can be performed with a small-scale circuit.
US08386860B2
Methods of calculating a compensation voltage and adjusting a threshold voltage, a memory apparatus, and a controller are provided. In the present invention, data is written into a rewritable non-volatility memory, and the data is then read from the rewritable non-volatility memory and compared with the previously written data to obtain error bit information. The compensation voltage of the threshold voltage is calculated according to the error bit information, and the threshold voltage is adjusted according to the compensation voltage.
US08386857B2
A test and measurement instrument includes a pattern detector for detecting a beginning sequence in a signal under test (SUT), and generates a synchronization signal. In response to the synchronization signal, a memory outputs a reference test pattern. A symbol comparator compares the reference test pattern with the SUT. The symbol comparator can produce a symbol error rate. One or more 8b to 10b converters receives the SUT from the input and the digitized data from the memory, and converts the data from an 8b coded format to a 10b coded format. A bit comparator compares the 10b coded reference test pattern with the 10b coded SUT in response to the symbol comparator. The bit comparator is coupled to a bit error counter, which produces a bit error rate independent of any disparity errors that may be present in the incoming digitized data received by the test and measurement instrument.
US08386848B2
Root cause analysis for complex event processing is described. In embodiments, root cause analysis at a complex event processor is automatically performed by selecting an output event from an operator and correlating the output event to an input event using event type and lifetime data for the input event and the output event stored in a data store. Embodiments describe how the lifetime data can comprise a start time and an end time for the event, and the correlation can be based on a comparison of the start and end times between the input and output events. Embodiments describe how the correlation algorithm used is selected in dependence on the event type. In embodiments, a complex event processing engine comprises a logging unit arranged to store in the data store an indicator of an event type and lifetime data for each output event from an operator.
US08386844B2
An array of logic devices capable of self-determining the program, inputs and outputs from configuration information provided by its nearest neighbors. The rules used by each device to self-determine its behavior are identical to those of every other device in the array. This facilitates the development of robust array configurations and robust behavior of the device as a whole. This system's logic devices utilize three shift-registers, two are programmed before operation, the third is programmed on-the-fly by the other two. This facilitates a fast response to changes in the performance of the array in the event of partial dynamic or static failures of the array. An iterative design algorithm for the array ensures optimum use of the resources of the array.
US08386836B2
Embodiments are described for managing memory faults. An example system can include a memory controller module to manage memory cells and report memory faults. An error buffer module can store memory fault information received from the memory controller. A notification module can be in communication with the error buffer module. The notification module may generate a notification of a memory fault in a memory access operation. A system software module can provide services and manage executing programs on a processor. In addition, the system software module can receive the notifications of the memory fault for the memory access operation. A notification handler may be activated by an interrupt when the notification of the memory fault in the memory access operation is received.
US08386834B1
A storage server receives a notification indicating a failure of a mass storage device in a storage array. The storage server determines whether a number of failures exceeds a fault tolerance level of the array and if the number of failures exceeds the fault tolerance level, recovers an address space corresponding to the failed storage device. When recovering the address space, the storage server replaces the failed storage device with a spare storage device having an identifiable pattern stored thereon and determines whether a file system on the storage system can automatically invalidate cached data blocks on the failed storage device.
US08386826B2
A method and system for managing power of a portable device is disclosed. The portable devices has a plurality device components that has controllable power settings. The device has a plurality of power profiles, each power profile referencing a list of the available device components that are configured for adequate power needs. Set of rules are then defined having a criterion for executing the plurality of power profiles, where the criterion is based on a device input. Once the rules and power profiles are created, the device inputs are monitored to determine if there is a match. If the criteria in the rules are matched, the corresponding power profile is executed to maximize battery life.
US08386825B2
A method for power management. The method includes gathering resource usage data for a first blade and a second blade on a blade chassis, migrating each virtual machine (VM) executing on the first blade to the second blade based on the resource usage data and a first migration policy, wherein the first migration policy defines when to condense the number of blades operating on the blade chassis, and powering down the first blade after each VM executing on the first blade is migrated from the first blade.
US08386823B2
A low cost, low power consumption scalable architecture is provided to allow a computer system to be managed remotely during all system power states. In a lowest power state, power is only applied to minimum logic necessary to examine a network packet. Power is applied for a short period of time to an execution subsystem and one of a plurality of cores selected to handle processing of received service requests. After processing the received service requests, the computer system returns to the lowest power state.
US08386819B2
A communication apparatus includes an automatic response unit configured to make a response to received data in a power saving state on behalf of one or more communication control programs, and a setting unit configured to collect automatic response information from the one or more communication control programs and to set the automatic response information in the automatic response unit, the automatic response information including conditions regarding received data to which the automatic response unit makes a response, and also including response data to be included in the response, wherein the automatic response unit sends the response data included in the automatic response information upon detecting that the conditions included in the automatic response information match data received in the power saving state, and causes the communication apparatus to exit the power saving state upon detecting that the conditions do not match said data received in the power saving state.
US08386818B2
Provided is a data storage device including a current detector. The data storage device includes a plurality of memory devices, a detector, and a power manager. The detector detects a current inputted from a power source. The power manager manages consumption power of the plurality of memory devices according to a result of the detection provided from the detector.
US08386815B2
A method of operating a storage system comprises detecting a cut in an external power supply, switching to a local power supply, preventing receipt of input/output commands, copying content of cache memory to a local storage device and marking the content of the cache memory that has been copied to the local storage device. When a resumption of the external power supply is detected, the method continues by charging the local power supply, copying the content of the local storage device to the cache memory, processing the content of the cache memory with respect to at least one storage volume and receiving input/output commands. When detecting a second cut in the external power supply, the system switches to the local power supply, prevents receipt of input/output commands, and copies to the local storage device only the content of the cache memory that is not marked as present.
US08386814B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method for continuously detecting when a USB client device may be charged according to a BCS charging standard. Power is supplied from a USB host device to the USB client device with a first current limit. Next, the USB host device monitors data lines D+ and D− for a first part of a handshake. When the first part of the handshake is detected, a second part of the handshake is provided by the USB host device indicating that the USB client device may be changed according to the BCS charging standard. All current sources and all voltage sources that are coupled to the data lines D+ and D− are decoupled from data lines D+ and D− after the handshake is complete. After the data lines are decoupled, communication may begin between the USB host device and the USB client device.
US08386810B2
Techniques and technologies are disclosed herein for measuring and managing energy consumption of the individual hardware components and software modules of various systems and devices. Such techniques and technologies do not require the addition of hardware to the systems (or devices), the modification of software modules hosted by the systems, or other modifications to the systems. Moreover, some of the techniques and technologies measure the energy consumed by the individual software modules as a result of the hardware operations which they call.
