US08476781B2
This rotating electric machine is so formed that the length from an end portion of a rotor core closer to a rotating shaft support portion to a portion first coming into contact with the rotating shaft support portion when a rotating shaft portion is inserted into the rotating shaft support portion is larger than the length from an end portion of the rotating shaft support portion closer to a stator to an end portion of a stator core opposite to the rotating shaft support portion.
US08476778B2
Inertia driven energy harvesters including a movable arm, suspension system, gearing system, generator and energy distribution system. The energy harvesters enable the efficient capture and conversion of kinetic energy to electrical energy.
US08476776B2
A semiconductor module manufacturing method includes a step of bonding a semiconductor wafer, which has a plurality of semiconductor elements each of which has an element electrode formed thereon, on an expansible first insulating resin layer; a step of dicing the semiconductor wafer; a step of expanding the first insulating resin layer to widen a gap between semiconductor elements; a pressure-bonding step of pressure-bonding a metal plate whereupon an electrode is arranged and the semiconductor elements with the widened gaps in between, by having a second insulating resin layer in between, and electrically connecting the electrode and the element electrodes; a step of forming a wiring layer which corresponds to each semiconductor element by selectively removing the metal plate and forming a plurality of semiconductor modules connected by the first insulating resin layer and the second insulating resin layer; and a step of separating the semiconductor modules by cutting the first insulating resin layer and the second insulating resin layer.
US08476774B2
A microelectronic assembly includes first and second stacked microelectronic elements, each having spaced apart traces extending along a front face and beyond at least a first edge thereof. An insulating region can contact the edges of each microelectronic element and at least portions of the traces of each microelectronic element extending beyond the respective first edges. The insulating region can define first and second side surfaces adjacent the first and second edges of the microelectronic elements. A plurality of spaced apart openings can extend along a side surface of the microelectronic assembly. Electrical conductors connected with respective traces can have portions disposed in respective openings and extending along the respective openings. The electrical conductors may extend to pads or solder balls overlying a face of one of the microelectronic elements.
US08476766B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a multilayer body, a second electrode film provided on the multilayer body, a second insulating film provided on the second electrode film, a semiconductor film, a memory film and a gate insulating film. At boundary between the inner surface of the second through hole and the inner surface of the third through hole, or on the inner surface of the second through hole, a step difference is formed so that an upper side from the step difference is thicker than a lower side from the step difference.
US08476764B2
A bonding pad structure includes a semiconductor substrate having thereon a plurality of inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layers comprising at least a topmost IMD layer; a bondable metal pad layer disposed on a surface of the topmost IMD layer within a pad forming region; a passivation layer covering a periphery of the bondable metal pad layer and the surface of the topmost IMD layer; and a plurality of via plugs disposed in the topmost IMD layer within an annular region of the pad forming region, wherein the via plugs are not formed in a central region of the pad forming region.
US08476762B2
A structure and a method of manufacturing a Pb-free Controlled Collapse Chip Connection (C4) with a Ball Limiting Metallurgy (BLM) structure for semiconductor chip packaging that reduce chip-level cracking during the Back End of Line (BEOL) processes of chip-join cool-down. An edge of the BLM structure that is subject to tensile stress during chip-join cool down is protected from undercut of a metal seed layer, caused by wet etch of the chip to remove metal layers from the chip's surface and solder reflow, by an electroplated barrier layer, which covers a corresponding edge of the metal seed layer.
US08476759B2
A structure comprises a top metal connector formed underneath a bond pad. The bond pad is enclosed by a first passivation layer and a second passivation layer. A polymer layer is further formed on the second passivation layer. The dimension of an opening in the first passivation layer is less than the dimension of the top metal connector. The dimension of the top metal connector is less than the dimensions of an opening in the second passivation layer and an opening in the polymer layer.
US08476753B2
An enhanced 3D integration structure comprises a logic microprocessor chip bonded to a collection of vertically stacked memory slices and an optional set of outer vertical slices comprising optoelectronic devices. Such a device enables both high memory content in close proximity to the logic circuits and a high bandwidth for logic to memory communication. Additionally, the provision of optoelectronic devices in the outer slices of the vertical slice stack enables high bandwidth direct communication between logic processor chips on adjacent enhanced 3D modules mounted next to each other or on adjacent packaging substrates. A method to fabricate such structures comprises using a template assembly which enables wafer format processing of vertical slice stacks.
US08476751B2
A stacked semiconductor package includes a semiconductor package module including a plurality of semiconductor packages each of which has a first surface, a second surface facing away from the first surface, side surfaces connecting the first surface and the second surface and through-holes formed on the side surfaces to pass through the first surface and the second surface and which are stacked such that their through-holes vertically connect with one another, and adhesive members which are formed between the semiconductor packages and attach the semiconductor packages to one another, a main substrate supporting the semiconductor package module and formed, on a third surface thereof facing the semiconductor package module, with main connection pads which are aligned with the through-holes, and conductive connection members formed in the through-holes and electrically connecting the semiconductor packages with the main connection pads.
US08476748B1
An exposed die overmolded flip chip package includes a substrate. A die is flip chip mounted to an upper surface of the substrate. The package further includes a mold cap filling a space between an active surface of the die and the upper surface of the substrate. The mold cap includes a principal surface, sidewalls extending from the upper surface of the substrate to the principal surface, an annular surface coplanar with the inactive surface of the die and extending outward from a peripheral edge of the inactive surface of the die, and protruding surfaces extending between the principal surface and the annular surface. The mold cap does not cover the inactive surface of the die such that heat transfer from the die to the ambient environment is maximized and the package thickness is minimized.
US08476746B2
A leadframe enhancing molding compound bondability includes a chip base and a pin holder. The chip bases includes a chip pad and a support, wherein the chip pad includes a side protrusion extending out of the support, and the side protrusion has a lower surface, and the support has a sidewall, and wherein the lower surface and the sidewall interconnect at an intersection line, and the lower surface is formed upwardly with a recess. Further, a pin holder includes a pin stand and a seat, wherein the pin stand has an edge portion extending out of the seat, the edge portion has a lower surface, the seat has a sidewall, and the lower surface and the sidewall interconnect at a crossing line. The lower surface of the pin stand is formed upward with a recess. As such, the bondability between the leadframe and the molding compound can be greatly enhanced.
US08476745B2
An integrated circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate; a first interconnection wire having a first portion and a second portion on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second portion is separated from the first portion; a second interconnection wire situated under the first interconnection wire; a first conductive via electrically coupling the first portion with the second interconnection wire; a conductive layer situated between the first interconnection wire and the second interconnection wire; and a second conductive via electrically coupling the conductive layer with the second portion.
US08476744B2
A thin film transistor with favorable electric characteristics is provided. The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer which includes a microcrystalline semiconductor region and an amorphous semiconductor region, an impurity semiconductor layer, a wiring, a first oxide region provided between the microcrystalline semiconductor region and the wiring, and a second oxide region provided between the amorphous semiconductor region and the wiring, wherein a line tangent to the highest inclination of an oxygen profile in the first oxide region (m1) and a line tangent to the highest inclination of an oxygen profile in the second oxide region (m2) satisfy a relation of 1
US08476737B2
An environment-resistant module which provides both thermal and vibration isolation for a packaged micromachined or MEMS device is disclosed. A microplatform and a support structure for the microplatform provide the thermal and vibration isolation. The package is both hermetic and vacuum compatible and provides vertical feedthroughs for signal transfer. A micromachined or MEMS device transfer method is also disclosed that can handle a wide variety of individual micromachined or MEMS dies or wafers, in either a hybrid or integrated fashion. The module simultaneously provides both thermal and vibration isolation for the MEMS device using the microplatform and the support structure which may be fabricated from a thin glass wafer that is patterned to create crab-leg shaped suspension tethers or beams.
US08476733B2
A semiconductor device 100 includes: a body region 105 of a first conductivity type placed on a principal surface of a substrate 101; a silicon carbide layer 102 including a drift region 107 of a second conductivity type; a channel layer 115 of the second conductivity type formed by silicon carbide and placed on the body region 105 and the drift region 107 on a surface of the silicon carbide layer 102; a gate insulating film 111 placed on the channel layer 115; a gate electrode 113 insulated from the silicon carbide layer 102 by the gate insulating film 111; a source electrode 116 provided on the silicon carbide layer 102; and a drain electrode 114 provided on a reverse surface of the substrate 101, wherein the source electrode 116 is in contact with the body region 105 and the channel layer 115; and a second conductivity type impurity concentration on a surface of the silicon carbide layer 102 that is in contact with the source electrode 116 is less than or equal to a second conductivity type impurity concentration of the channel layer 115. Thus, it is possible to provide a silicon carbide semiconductor device having a low loss and a desirable switching characteristic.
US08476731B2
In a Schottky electrode formation region on a nitride semiconductor, the total length of junctions of Schottky electrodes and a surface of a nitride semiconductor layer is longer than the perimeter of the Schottky electrode formation region. The total length is preferably 10 times longer than the perimeter. For example, the Schottky electrodes are formed concentrically and circularly.
US08476729B2
A solid-state imaging device includes an imaging element, an external terminal, an insulating film, a through-electrode and a first electrode. The imaging element is formed on a first major surface of a semiconductor substrate. The external terminal is formed on a second major surface opposing the first major surface of the semiconductor substrate. The insulating film is formed in a through-hole formed in the semiconductor substrate. The through-electrode is formed on the insulating film in the through-hole and electrically connected to the external terminal. The first electrode is formed on the through-electrode on the first major surface of the semiconductor substrate. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first major surface of the semiconductor substrate, an outer shape with which the insulating film and the semiconductor substrate are in contact is larger than an outer shape of the first electrode.
US08476725B2
The present invention is a front-side contact, back-side illuminated (FSC-BSL) photodiode arrays and front-side illuminated, back-side contact (FSL-BSC) photodiode arrays having improved characteristics, including high production throughput, low-cost manufacturing via implementation of batch processing techniques; uniform, as well as high, photocurrent density owing to presence of a large continuous homogeneous, heavily doped layer; and back to front intrachip connections via the homogenous, heavily doped layers on the front and back sides of the substrate.
US08476716B2
Band edge engineered Vt offset devices, design structures for band edge engineered Vt offset devices and methods of fabricating such structures is provided herein. The structure includes a first FET having a channel of a first compound semiconductor of first atomic proportions resulting in a first band structure and a first type. The structure further includes a second FET having a channel of a second compound semiconductor of second atomic proportions resulting in a second band structure and a first type. The first compound semiconductor is different from the second compound semiconductor such that the first FET has a first band structure different from second band structure, giving rise to a threshold voltage different from that of the second FET.
US08476714B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; an n-channel MOS transistor including a first gate insulating film provided on a p-type layer, a first gate electrode made of TiN, and a first upper gate electrode made of semiconductor doped with impurities; and a p-channel MOS transistor including a second gate insulating film provided on an n-type layer, a second gate electrode including at least as a part, a TiN layer made of TiN crystal in which a ratio of (111) orientation/(200) orientation is about 1.5 or more, and a second upper gate electrode made of semiconductor doped with impurities.
US08476712B2
A bipolar semiconductor component, in particular a diode, comprising an anode structure which controls its emitter efficiency in a manner dependent on the current density in such a way that the emitter efficiency is low at small current densities and sufficiently high at large current densities, and an optional cathode structure, which can inject additional holes during commutation, and production methods therefor.
US08476707B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises including a insulating pattern and a silicon film over a SOI substrate, thereby increasing a reduced volume of a floating body after forming a floating body fin transistor so as to secure a data storage space. The method comprises: forming a insulating pattern and a first silicon film over an upper silicon film of a SOI substrate; and forming a fin structure in the first silicon film.
US08476704B2
A circuit structure including a semiconductor substrate having a depression; a first insulating layer positioned on the surface of the depression; a bottom conductor positioned in a bottom portion of the depression, wherein the bottom conductor is connected to an external bias through a plurality of longer vertical contact plugs; an upper conductor positioned in an upper portion of the depression, wherein the upper conductor is connected to a plurality of shorter vertical contact plugs, and a top surface of the upper conductor is higher than a depression-bearing surface of the semiconductor substrate; and a second insulating layer positioned between the bottom conductor and the upper conductor.
US08476703B2
A three-dimensional semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor device, a second semiconductor device, and a patterned conductive layer disposed between the first and the second semiconductor devices. The first semiconductor device has a first plurality of terminals on a front side of the first semiconductor device and a first metal substrate on its back side, wherein one of the first plurality of terminals in the first semiconductor device is electrically coupled to the first metal substrate. The second semiconductor device has a second plurality of terminals on a front side of the second semiconductor device and a second metal substrate on its back side, wherein the second semiconductor device further includes a second metal substrate on its back side. The patterned conductive layer includes a plurality of conductive regions. Each of the conductive regions is bonded to a conductor coupled to one of the first plurality of terminals and another conductor coupled to one of the second plurality of terminals.
US08476702B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a body region of a first conductive type; trenches formed by digging in from a top surface of the body region; gate electrodes embedded in the trenches; source regions of a second conductive type formed at sides of the trenches in a top layer portion of the body region; and body contact regions of the first conductive type, penetrating through the source regions in a thickness direction and contacting the body region. The body contact regions are formed in a zigzag alignment in a plan view. With respect to a column formed by the body contact regions aligned in a predetermined column direction, the trenches are disposed at both sides in a row direction orthogonal to the column direction in a plan view, extend in the column direction, and form meandering lines each connecting a plurality of curved portions so that a predetermined gap in the row direction is formed respectively between adjacent trenches extending in the column direction and between the trenches and the body contact regions.
US08476701B2
A semiconductor device includes a transistor that has a trench formed in an element forming region of a substrate, a gate insulating film formed on side faces and a bottom face of the trench, a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film so as to bury the trench, a source region formed on one side in the gate longitude direction, which is formed on the surface of the substrate, and a drain region formed on the other side in the gate longitude direction. Here, the gate electrode is formed so as to be exposed also on the substrate outside the trench, and the gate electrode is disposed so as to cover upper portions of both ends of the trench and so as to form at least one concave portion having a depth reaching the substrate in a center portion.
US08476700B2
A semiconductor device comprises a recessed trench in a substrate, a gate insulating layer including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first thickness and covering lower portions of sidewalls of the recessed trench and a bottom surface of the recessed trench, and the second portion having a second thickness and covering upper portions of the sidewalls of the recessed trench, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness, a gate electrode filling the recessed trench, a first impurity region having a first concentration and disposed at opposing sides of the gate electrode, and a second impurity region having a second concentration greater than the first concentration and disposed on the first impurity region to correspond to the second portion of the gate insulating layer.
US08476697B1
A silicon carbide power MOSFET having a drain region of a first conductivity type, a base region of a second conductivity type above the drain region, and a source region of the first conductivity type adjacent an upper surface of the base region, the base region including a channel extending from the source region through the base region adjacent a gate interface surface thereof, the channel having a length less than approximately 0.6 μm, and the base region having a doping concentration of the second conductivity type sufficiently high that the potential barrier at the source end of the channel is not lowered by the voltage applied to the drain. The MOSFET includes self-aligned base and source regions as well as self-aligned ohmic contacts to the base and source regions.
US08476692B2
Provided are a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a charge storage pattern formed on a substrate; a dielectric pattern formed on the charge storage pattern; a first conductive pattern including silicon doped with a first impurity of a first concentration, the first conductive pattern being disposed on the dielectric pattern; and a second conductive pattern including metal silicide doped with a second impurity of a second concentration, the second conductive pattern being disposed on the first conductive pattern. The first concentration may be higher than the second concentration.
US08476691B1
A high voltage power semiconductor device includes high reliability-high voltage junction termination with a charge dissipation layer. An active device area is surrounded by a junction termination structure including one or more regions of a polarity opposite the substrate polarity. A tunneling oxide layer overlays the junction termination area surrounding the active device area in contact with the silicon substrate upper surface. A layer of undoped polysilicon overlays the tunneling oxide layer and spans the junction termination area, with connections to an outer edge of the junction termination structure and to a grounded electrode inside of the active area. The tunneling oxide layer has a thickness that permits hot carriers formed at substrate upper surface to pass through the tunneling oxide layer into the undoped polysilicon layer to be dissipated but sufficient to mitigate stacking faults at the silicon surface.
US08476689B2
A low cost IC solution is disclosed in accordance with an embodiment to provide Super CMOS microelectronics macros. Hereinafter, the Super CMOS or Schottky CMOS all refer to SCMOS. The SCMOS device solutions with a niche circuit element, the complementary low threshold Schottky barrier diode pairs (SBD) made by selected metal barrier contacts (Co/Ti) to P- and N- Si beds of the CMOS transistors. A DTL like new circuit topology and designed wide contents of broad product libraries, which used the integrated SBD and transistors (BJT, CMOS, and Flash versions) as basic components. The macros are composed of diodes that are selectively attached to the diffusion bed of the transistors, configuring them to form generic logic gates, memory cores, and analog functional blocks from simple to the complicated, from discrete components to all grades of VLSI chips. Solar photon voltaic electricity conversion and bio-lab-on-a-chip are two newly extended fields of the SCMOS IC applications.
US08476687B2
Transmission lines employing transmission line units or elements within integrated circuits (ICs) are well-known. Typically, different heights for these transmission line units can vary the characteristics of the cell (and transmission line), and there is typically a tradeoff between impedance and space (layout) specifications. Here, a transmission line is provided, which is generally comprised of elements of the same general width, but having differing or tapered heights that allow for impedance adjustments for high frequency applications (i.e., 160 GHz). For example, a transmission line that is coupled to a balun, with the transmission line units decreasing in height near the balun's center tap to adjust the impedance of the transmission line for the balun, is shown.
US08476680B2
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate with a gate insulating film interposed therebetween; a side wall spacer formed on a side wall of the gate electrode; source/drain regions formed in opposing portions of the semiconductor substrate with the gate electrode and the side wall spacer interposed therebetween; and a stress-applying insulating film covering the gate electrode, the side wall spacer, and an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. A gate-length-direction thickness of an upper portion of the side wall spacer is at least larger than a gate-length-direction thickness of a middle portion thereof.
US08476676B2
A semiconductor device and its method of fabrication are described. A trench formed in a semiconductor substrate is partially filling said trench with a semiconductor material that lines a bottom and sides of the trench, leaving a gap in a middle of the trench running lengthwise along the trench. A first portion of the semiconductor material located below the gap is doped with dopants of a first conductivity type. The gap is filled with a dielectric material. Second portions of the semiconductor material located on the sides of the trench on both sides of the dielectric material are doped with dopants of a second conductivity type. The doping forms a P-N-P or N-P-N structure running lengthwise along the trench with differently doped regions located side by side across a width of the trench.
US08476675B2
A semiconductor device (10) comprising a bipolar transistor and a field 5 effect transistor within a semiconductor body (1) comprising a projecting mesa (5) within which are at least a portion of a collector region (22c and 22d) and a base region (33c) of the bipolar transistor. The bipolar transistor is provided with an insulating cavity (92b) provided in the collector region (22c and 22d). The insulating cavity (92b) may be provided by providing a layer (33a) in the collector region (22c), creating an access path, for example by selectively etching polysilicon towards monocrystalline, and removing a portion of the layer (33a) to provide the cavity using the access path. The layer (33a) provided in the collector region may be of SiGe:C. By blocking diffusion from the base region the insulating cavity (92b) provides a reduction in the base collector capacitance and can be described as defining the base contact.
US08476673B2
A diode has a semiconductor layer and cathode and anode electrodes on a surface of the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer has cathode and anode regions respectively contacting the cathode and anode electrodes. The anode region has a first diffusion region having high surface concentration, a second diffusion region having intermediate surface concentration, and a third diffusion region having low surface concentration. The first diffusion region is covered with the second and third diffusion regions. The second diffusion region has a first side surface facing the cathode region, a second side surface opposite to the cathode region, and a bottom surface extending between the first and second side surfaces. The third diffusion region covers at least one of the first corner part connecting the first side surface with the bottom surface and the second corner part connecting the second side surface with the bottom surface.
US08476668B2
An LED chip comprising a plurality of sub-LEDs on a submount. Electrically conductive and electrically insulating features are included that serially interconnect the sub-LEDs such that an electrical signal applied to the serially interconnected sub-LEDs along the electrically conductive features spreads to the serially interconnected sub-LEDs. A via is included that is arranged to electrically couple one of the sub-LEDs to the submount. The sub-LEDs can be interconnected by more than one of the conductive features, with each one of the conductive features capable of spreading an electrical signal between two of the sub-LEDs.
US08476666B2
An emitting device including a first electrode, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, an emitting pattern including a portion between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a block pattern including a portion between the emitting pattern and the first electrode and/or on a same level as the first electrode.
US08476663B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting component is disclosed in the present invention. First, a substrate is provided and an epitaxial structure is formed thereon, wherein a first surface of the epitaxial structure contacts the substrate. The epitaxial structure includes a first type doped layer, a light emitting portion and a second type doped layer. A first electrode is then formed on a second surface of the first type doped layer. Subsequently, a functional structure is formed on the first electrode using an in-situ method. Afterwards, the substrate is removed to expose the epitaxial structure. Finally, an etching step is performed to etch the exposed epitaxial structure, so as to expose at least a portion of the first electrode.
US08476660B2
A photovoltaic device on a non-semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The device comprises two semiconductor layers forming an active region; at least one of the semiconductor layers is formed by a high-purity plasma spray process; optional layers include one or more barrier layers, a cap layer, a conductive and/or metallization layer, an anti-reflection layer, and distributed Bragg reflector. The device may comprise multiple active regions.
US08476657B2
To provide a light emitting device easy to produce and extracting light to its outside with high efficiency, the light-emitting device 70 of the present invention includes an insulating base 10; a light-emitting element 1 mounted on a side of the base 10; and a protection element 2 mounted on the side and protecting the light-emitting element 1. The element 2 is covered with a light-reflecting filler-containing resin 5, which is prepared by causing a flexible silicone resin to contain, before being cured, light-reflecting or light-scattering fillers 5a having a particle diameter larger than the wavelength of light emitted by the element 1. This causes light emitted from the element 1 to be reflected by the resin 5, instead of being absorbed by the element 2, so that such light is released to the outside of the light-emitting device 70. This allows the device 70 to extract light to the outside with high efficiency, and also allows for easy formation of the resin 5 having a desired pattern and position.
US08476656B2
A light-emitting diode includes a circuit board, a pair of electrodes provided on the circuit board, at least one light-emitting diode element electrically connected to the pair of electrodes, a central electrode for heat-dissipation, provided between the pair of electrodes on the circuit board, and a heat-dissipation plate disposed on the central electrode for heat-dissipation and including a reflection surface. The central electrode for heat-dissipation includes an upper central electrode disposed on the upper surface of the circuit board and a lower central electrode disposed on the lower surface of the circuit board and the upper central electrode thermally connected to the lower central electrode.
US08476655B2
An optoelectronic component comprising a housing and a luminescence diode chip arranged in the housing is specified, which component emits a useful radiation. The housing has a housing material which is transmissive to the useful radiation and which is admixed with radiation-absorbing particles in a targeted manner for setting a predetermined radiant intensity or luminous intensity of the emitted useful radiation. The radiation-absorbing particles reduce the radiant intensity or the luminous intensity by a defined value in a targeted manner in order thus to set a predetermined radiant intensity or luminous intensity for the component. A method for producing an optoelectronic component of this type is additionally disclosed.
US08476653B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) package includes a first chip group, a second chip group and an optical wavelength converting substance. The first chip group includes a plurality of red LED chips configured for emitting red light. The second chip group includes a plurality of blue LED chips configured for emitting blue light. The optical wavelength converting substance is arranged on light paths of the blue LED chips. The optical wavelength converting substance is configured for partly absorbing blue light emitted from the blue LED chips and emitting visible lights with different wavelengths. The plurality of blue LED chips has a total light output larger than that of the plurality of red LED chips.
US08476651B2
A vertical stacked light emitting structure includes a substrate unit, a first light emitting unit, a light guiding unit, and a second light emitting unit. The substrate unit includes at least one substrate body. The first light emitting unit includes at least one first LED bare chip disposed on the substrate body and electrically connected to the substrate body. The light guiding unit includes at least one light guiding body disposed on the first LED bare chip. The second light emitting unit includes at least one second LED bare chip disposed on the light guiding body and electrically connected to the substrate body. Therefore, the first LED bare chip, the light guiding body, and the second LED bare chip are stacked on top of one another sequentially.
US08476648B2
The present invention relates to a light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the light emitting device. According to the present invention, the light emitting device comprises a substrate, an N-type semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, and a P-type semiconductor layer formed on the N-type semiconductor layer, wherein a side surface including the N-type or P-type semiconductor layer has a slope of 20 to 80° from a horizontal plane. Further, the present invention provides a light emitting device comprising a substrate formed with a plurality of light emitting cells each including an N-type semiconductor layer and a P-type semiconductor layer formed on the N-type semiconductor layer, and a submount substrate flip-chip bonded onto the substrate, wherein the N-type semiconductor layer of one light emitting cell and the P-type semiconductor layer of another adjacent light emitting cell are connected to each other, and a side surface including at least the P-type semiconductor layer of the light emitting cell has a slope of 20 to 80° from a horizontal plane. Further, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing the light emitting device. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the characteristics of a light emitting device such as luminous efficiency, external quantum efficiency and extraction efficiency are enhanced and the reliability is secured such that light with high luminous intensity and brightness can be emitted.
US08476644B2
An optoelectronic component with a semiconductor body includes an active region suitable for generating radiation, and two electrical contacts arranged on the semiconductor body. The contacts are electrically connected to the active region. The contacts each have a connecting face that faces away from the semiconductor body. The contact faces are located on a connection side of the component and a side of the component that is different from the connection side is mirror-coated. A method for the manufacture of multiple components of this sort is also disclosed.
US08476643B2
A radiation-emitting body comprising a layer sequence having an active region for generating electromagnetic radiation, a coupling-out layer for coupling out the generated radiation, said coupling-out layer being arranged on a first side of the layer sequence, a reflection layer for reflecting the generated radiation, said reflection layer being arranged on a second side opposite the first side, and an interface of the layer sequence which faces the reflection layer and which has a lateral patterning having projecting structure elements, wherein the reflection layer is connected to the layer sequence in such a way that the reflection layer has a patterning corresponding to the patterning of the interface. A method for producing a radiation-emitting body is furthermore specified.
US08476641B2
A switching resistance RAM that is highly integrated as well as reduced in a read-out time is realized. There is formed an NPN type bipolar transistor BT composed of a collector layer made of an N-well 11, a base layer made of a P+ type Si layer 12A formed in a surface of the N-well 11, and an emitter layer made of an N+ type Si layer 15 formed in a surface of the P+ type Si layer 12A. Also, there are formed a word line WL0 electrically connected to the N+ type Si layer 15 and bit lines BL1-BL4 intersecting with the word line WL0. Also, there are formed a plurality of switching layers 14 formed on a surface of the P+ type Si layer 12A, each being electrically connected to corresponding each of the bit lines and switching between an ON state and an OFF state and an electric potential fixing line 19A to fix the P+ type Si layer 12A at a predetermined electric potential.
US08476639B2
There is provided a surface treatment method of a group III nitride semiconductor including: providing a group III nitride semiconductor including a first surface having a group III polarity and a second surface opposing the first surface and having a nitrogen polarity; and irradiating a laser beam onto the second surface to change the nitrogen polarity of the second surface to the group III polarity.
US08476637B2
Nanostructure array optoelectronic devices are disclosed. The optoelectronic device may have a top electrical contact that is physically and electrically connected to sidewalls of the array of nanostructures (e.g., nanocolumns). The top electrical contact may be located such that light can enter or leave the nanostructures without passing through the top electrical contact. Therefore, the top electrical contact can be opaque to light having wavelengths that are absorbed or generated by active regions in the nanostructures. The top electrical contact can be made from a material that is highly conductive, as no tradeoff needs to be made between optical transparency and electrical conductivity. The device could be a solar cell, LED, photo-detector, etc.
US08476633B2
A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor capable of simplifying a substrate structure and a manufacturing process is disclosed. The method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array substrate comprising a three mask process. The 3 mask process comprising, forming a gate pattern on a substrate, forming a gate insulating film on the substrate, forming a source/drain pattern and a semiconductor pattern on the substrate, forming a first, second, and third passivation film successively on the substrate. Over the above multi-layers of the passivation film forming a first photoresist pattern comprising a first portion formed on part of the drain electrode and on the pixel region, and a second portion wherein, the second portion thicker than the first portion, and then patterning the third passivation film using the first photoresist pattern, forming a second photoresist pattern by removing the first portion of the first photoresist pattern, forming a transparent electrode film on the substrate, removing the second photoresist pattern and the transparent electrode film disposed on the second photoresist pattern; and forming a transparent electrode pattern on the second passivation layer.
US08476632B2
To provide a wireless identification semiconductor device provided with a display function, which is capable of effectively utilizing electric power supplied by an electromagnetic wave. The following are included: an antenna; a power source generating circuit electrically connected to the antenna; an IC chip circuit and a display element electrically connected to the power source generating circuit; a first TFT provided in the power source generating circuit; a second TFT provided in the IC chip circuit; a third TFT provided in the display element; an insulating film provided to cover the first to third TFTs; a first source electrode and a first drain electrode, a second source electrode and a second drain electrode, and a third source electrode and a third drain electrode which are formed over the insulating film; and a pixel electrode electrically connected to the third source electrode or the third drain electrode. The first source electrode or the first drain electrode is electrically connected to the antenna.
US08476629B2
A semiconductor wafer has a die area and a scribe area. A first dummy pad is formed in a first test line area of the scribe area and filled with a first material as part of a first metal layer. A first interlayer dielectric is formed over the first metal layer. A first interconnect pattern is formed in the die area and above the first interlayer dielectric, and a first trench pattern is formed in the first test line area of the scribe area and above the interlayer dielectric. The first interconnect pattern and the first trench pattern are filled with a second metal layer, and the first trench pattern is aligned above the first dummy pad. An enhanced test line structure including the first trench pattern and the first dummy pad is formed and probed in a back end of line (BEOL) process.
US08476627B2
Provided is an oxide thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate that may enhance the display quality of a display device and a method of fabricating the same via a simple process. The oxide TFT substrate includes: a substrate, a gate line, a data line, an oxide TFT, and a pixel electrode. An oxide layer of the oxide TFT includes a first region that has semiconductor characteristics and a channel, and a second region that is conductive and surrounds the first region. A portion of the first region is electrically connected to the pixel electrode, and the second region is electrically connected to the data line.
US08476626B2
It is an object to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure. The semiconductor device includes memory cells connected to each other in series and a capacitor. One of the memory cells includes a first transistor connected to a bit line and a source line, a second transistor connected to a signal line and a word line, and a capacitor connected to the word line. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer. A gate electrode of the first transistor, one of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second transistor, and one electrode of the capacitor are connected to one another.
US08476622B2
Disclosed are an active matrix organic light emitting diode and a method for manufacturing the same. The active matrix organic light emitting diode includes: a substrate; a black matrix formed above a part of the substrate; at least one thin film transistor formed above the black matrix; a passivation film formed to entirely cover the at least one thin film transistor; a planarizing layer formed above the passivation film; a color filter formed above an upper part of the planarizing layer opposite to the position where the at least one thin film transistor is formed; and an organic light emitting diode formed above the color filter.
US08476620B2
There is provided an organic light-emitting diode luminaire. The luminaire includes a patterned first electrode, a second electrode, and a light-emitting layer therebetween. The light-emitting layer includes a first plurality of pixels having an emission color that is blue; a second plurality of pixels having an emission color that is green, the second plurality of pixels being laterally spaced from the first plurality of pixels; and a third plurality of pixels having an emission color that is red-orange, the third plurality of pixels being laterally spaced from the first and second pluralities of pixels. The additive mixing of all the emitted colors results in an overall emission of white light.
US08476615B2
A GaN-based semiconductor light emitting device 11a includes a substrate 13 composed of a GaN-based semiconductor having a primary surface 13a tilting from the c-plane toward the m-axis at a tilt angle α of more than or equal to 63 degrees and less than 80 degrees, a GaN-based semiconductor epitaxial region 15, an active layer 17, an electron blocking layer 27, and a contact layer 29. The active layer 17 is composed of a GaN-based semiconductor containing indium. The substrate 13 has a dislocation density of 1×107 cm−2 or less. In the GaN-based semiconductor light emitting device 11a provided with the active layer containing indium, a decrease in quantum efficiency under high current injection can be moderated.
US08476596B2
A thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate for an X-ray detector that improves a fill factor is disclosed. According to one aspect, the substrate includes a plurality of pixel areas each including a transistor area in which a TFT is formed, and a photodiode area in which a photodiode is formed. A first wire is formed in a first layer disposed in a lower portion of a photodiode layer in which the photodiode is formed, in at least a portion of the transistor area of the photodiode layer, and in a second layer disposed in an upper portion of the photodiode layer. A second wire, insulated from the first wire, extends in the pixel areas and is formed in the second layer. At least one TFT is formed in the transistor area and electrically connected to at least one of the first and second wires.
US08476594B2
A PET scanner (8) includes a ring of detector modules (10) encircling an imaging region (12). Each of the detector modules includes at least one detector pixel (24,34). Each detector pixel includes a scintillator (20, 30) optically coupled to one or more sensor APDs (54) that are biased in a breakdown region in a Geiger mode. The sensor APDs output a pulse in response to the light from the scintillator corresponding to a single incident radiation photon. A reference APD (26, 36) also biased in a break-down down region in a Geiger mode is optically shielded from light and outputs a temperature dependent signal. At least one temperature compensation circuit (40) adjusts a bias voltage applied to the sensor APDs based on the temperature dependent signal.
US08476589B2
A particle beam microscope comprises a magnetic lens 3 having an optical axis 53 and a pole piece 21. An object 5 to be examined is mounted at a point of intersection 51 between an optical axis 53 and the object plane 19. First and second X-ray detectors 33 have first and second radiation-sensitive substrates 35 arranged such that a first elevation angle β1 between a first straight line 551 extending through the point of intersection 51 and a center of the first substrate 351 and the object plane 19 differs from a second elevation angle β2 between a second straight line 552 extending through the point of intersection 51 and a center of the second substrate 352 and the object plane 19 by more than 14°.
US08476586B2
A mass spectrometry (MS) method which includes generating in a vicinity of the quadrupole ion trap hydrogen molecules, directing at least part of the hydrogen molecules into the quadrupole ion trap cell, applying AC and DC voltages to quadrupole ion trap cell electrodes to create a combined AC/DC trapping field, placing sample ions inside the quadrupole ion trap cell, cooling at least part of said ions using said hydrogen molecules as a buffer gas, changing the combined AC/DC trapping field to eject the ions from the quadrupole ion trap cell, and detecting the ejected ions.
US08476584B2
Disclosed is a method for estimating a density of an earth formation penetrated by a borehole. The method includes: emitting a pulse of fast neutrons into the formation during a neutron-pulse time interval; detecting gamma-rays due to inelastic scattering and thermal capture of the emitted neutrons in the formation to provide a gamma-ray energy spectrum due to the inelastic scattering and the thermal capture during a first time interval within the neutron-pulse time interval and to provide a time spectrum of counts or count rates due to thermal capture during a second time interval occurring after the neutron-pulse time interval; determining a macroscopic capture cross section of the formation from a decay in the time spectrum of counts or count rates; determining an elemental weight fraction from the gamma-ray energy spectrum; and estimating the density of the formation using the macroscopic capture cross section and the elemental weight fraction.
US08476583B2
A system for monitoring a borehole includes: a borehole string configured to be disposed within the borehole and configured to direct a fluid into the earth formation for storage in the earth formation, the fluid including carbon dioxide; at least one optical fiber sensor disposed on the borehole string at a fixed location relative to the borehole string, the optical fiber sensor including a plurality of measurement units disposed therein along a length of the optical fiber sensor, the plurality of measurement units configured to cause a wavelength shift in an interrogation signal received in the at least one optical fiber sensor due to at least one of a strain and a deformation of the borehole string; and a processor configured to transmit the interrogation signal to the at least one optical fiber sensor, and calculate at least one of the strain and the deformation based on the wavelength shift.
US08476578B2
A rotary encoder includes two first detection units disposed at positions that are symmetrical about a rotation axis, each of the first detection units outputting an incremental signal, and second detection unit that outputs an absolute signal φA. The rotary encoder includes a storage unit that stores a plurality of formulas for correcting errors of the incremental signals, the formulas being different from each other in accordance with the signal φA, and the errors being generated due to eccentricity; a calculation unit that calculates a corrected phase φI by performing operation on the incremental signals by using one of the formulas corresponding to the signal φA; and a generation unit that generates a rotation angle of the scale on the basis of the phase φI and the signal φA.
US08476571B2
The present invention is a Silicon PhotoMulitplier comprising a plurality of photon detection cell clusters each comprising a plurality of avalanche photodiodes connected in parallel, so that the output of each avalanche photodiode is summed together and applied to a cell cluster output. Each of the plurality of cell cluster outputs is connected to one of a plurality of cluster readout circuits, each of which includes an analog to digital converter that converts an analog representation of the total energy received by a photon detection cell cluster to a digital energy signal. A SiPM Pixel reader circuit is connected to the plurality of cluster readout circuits and configured to generate an overall pixel output by digital processing the plurality of digital energy signals received from the plurality of photon detection cell clusters by way of the plurality of cluster readout circuits. The SIPM pixel reader circuit also receives digital signals representative of timing triggers and the total energy received by a specific photon detection cell cluster and generates an overall SiPM energy signal and overall timing trigger in response to the signals received from the plurality of cluster readout circuits.
US08476566B2
A library device includes: a storage shelf including storage units aligned in a plurality of columns; and a conveying robot that grasps and conveys cartridges stored in the storage units, wherein the conveying robot includes: a base board located to face the plurality of columns, one end of the base board being supported movably up and down by a first support post, and another end of the base board being supported movably up and down by a second support post; a movable unit including a grasping unit grasping the cartridges stored in the storage units and moving on the base board; an inclination measuring unit measuring an inclination of the movable unit; and an inclination correction unit adjusting heights of both ends of the base board according to an inclination value of the movable unit measured by the inclination measuring unit and correcting the inclination of the movable unit.
US08476558B2
An ice buildup inhibitor is disclosed useful for preventing ice damming, in particular in conjunction with the use of a closed gutter. Heat escape through a roof made warm snow pack, causing it to melt and flow down toward the gutter. After moving away from the heated roof, the water may re-freeze and form an ice dam. In the ice buildup inhibitor may be configured to warm in the closed gutter, thereby preventing the formation of an ice dam. They ice buildup inhibitor may be configured to be easily installed onto an existing closed gutter, enabling responsive installation on only those homes experiencing ice damming.
US08476552B2
Processing workpieces such as semiconductor wafers or other materials with a laser includes selecting a target to process that corresponds to a target class associated with a predefined temporal pulse profile. At least one of the predefined temporal pulse profiles may be triangular. The target class may include, for example unpassivated electrically conductive links or other bare metal structures. Based on the target class associated with the selected target, a laser pulse is generated having a triangular temporal pulse profile. The generated laser pulse is used to process the selected structure.
US08476542B2
A flat-type input unit capable of outputting information regarding a position where a finger touches as coordinate data is provided in a casing of an input device. A main-switch unit and sub-switch units operated by the flat-type input unit are also provided in the casing. When ON output signals are simultaneously supplied from the main-switch unit and one of the sub-switch units, the flat-type input unit determines a position where the finger touches by performing a detection operation. It can be determined on the basis of the position whether the main-switch unit or the sub-switch unit is controlled. Moreover, since pressing any position of the flat-type input unit can cause the main-switch unit to supply an ON output signal, a confirmation input can be performed easily with the ON output signal supplied from the main-switch unit.
US08476539B2
A junction box for connecting a solar cell, having a housing; a diode; and a conductive foil strip electrical contact. The housing includes a base plate with a receiving passageway that extends along a slide direction. The receiving passageway opens along an upper side of the base plate through a receiving slot.
US08476537B2
A multi-layer substrate includes a planar transmission line structure and a signal via, which are connected by a multi-tier transition. The multi-tier transition includes a signal via pad configured to serve for a full-value connection of the signal via and the planar transmission line; and a dummy pad connected to the signal via, formed in an area of a clearance hole in a conductor layer disposed between a signal terminal of the signal via and the planar transmission line, and isolated from the conductor layer.
US08476536B2
A wiring substrate has pads formed from a plurality of metal layers and vias connected to the pads. The plurality of metal layers have a metal layer exposed through the wiring substrate, and a first metal layer which is interposed between the metal layer and the vias and which prevents diffusion of metal included in the vias into the metal layer. A second metal layer which is less subject to oxidation than the first metal layer is provided between the vias and the first metal layer, and the vias are connected to the second metal layer.
US08476534B2
Provided is a multilayer printed board 10 having three single-sided conductor pattern films 16 each having a conductor pattern 13 formed on one surface of a resin film 12 having a through hole 11 and a filled through hole 15 that is the through hole 11 filled with a conductor 14 integrally with the conductor pattern 13. These single-sided conductor pattern films 16 are stacked in such a manner that their tops are oriented in the same way. The conductor patterns 13 of the single-sided conductor pattern films 16 are electrically connected via the filled through holes 15. As the conductor patterns 13 of the single-sided conductor pattern films 16 are interlayer connected via the filled through holes 15, the interlayer connection reliability can be enhanced.
US08476529B2
An aluminum electric wire includes an annealing conductor that is made up of elemental wires made of an aluminum alloy containing 0.90-1.20 mass % Fe, 0.10-0.25 mass % Mg, 0.01-0.05 mass % Ti, 0.0005-0.0025 mass % B, and the balance being Al and has a tensile strength of 110 MPa or more, a breaking elongation of 15% or more, and an electric conductivity of 58% IACS or more, and an insulating material covering the conductor. The wire is produced by casting an aluminum alloy prepared by rapidly solidifying a molten aluminum alloy having the above composition, producing the wires by subjecting the alloy to plasticity processing, producing the conductor by bunching the wires, subjecting the wires or the conductor to annealing at 250° C. or higher, and then covering the conductor with the insulator.
US08476523B2
A roofing tile solar power generation system includes an array of solar panel ready tiles installed upon the roof of a house and that delivers power to a central control unit and that may be controlled either locally by a computing system or remotely via a server. The solar panel ready tiles include a solar panel ready tile body having a cavity to receive a solar panel and electrical connects to service same. The solar panel ready tile includes communication pathway connection plugs. The cavity receives a solar panel. A cover may protect the solar panel or the cavity prior to installation of the solar panel. The solar panel ready system may also optionally have sub-panel control system, consisting of one or more of their own power bus interface, communication interface, memory, power status indicators and lighting modules, plurality of sensors and a processing unit.
US08476504B1
An inbred corn line, designated SBK22, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line SBK22, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line SBK22 with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line SBK22 with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line SBK22, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line SBK22 and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.
US08476501B2
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato hybrid EX15567101 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato hybrid EX15567101 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08476499B2
A lettuce cultivar, designated Cayucos, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of lettuce cultivar Cayucos, to the plants of lettuce cultivar Cayucos and to methods for producing a lettuce plant by crossing the cultivar Cayucos with itself or another lettuce cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing a lettuce plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic lettuce plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to lettuce cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Cayucos, to methods for producing other lettuce cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Cayucos and to the lettuce plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid lettuce seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar Cayucos with another lettuce cultivar.
US08476493B2
The present invention relates to the regulation of reproductive development, particularly to the genetic ablation of reproductive tissues in angiosperm and gymnosperm species. Reproductive-preferred promoters, regulatory elements, and cytotoxic nucleotide sequences are disclosed herein, as are constructs and methods for genetic ablation.
US08476487B1
A novel maize variety designated PH12W5 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH12W5 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH12W5 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH12W5 or a locus conversion of PH12W5 with another maize variety.
US08476486B2
The invention is directed to varieties of safflower plants and seeds that are resistant to fungal disease, such as those fungi that cause foliage diseases in Carthamus tinctorus l.
US08476484B2
The invention relates to transgenic aquatic animals, particularly the clawed frog and the zebra fish and cells derived therefrom, characterized in comprising at least one expression cassette with a regulatory DNA sequence selected from the response elements to nuclear hormone receptors, particularly TRE, connected in a functional manner downstream of a DNA segment coding for a marker protein such as luciferase or GFP. The invention further relates to methods using the transgenic cells and animals according to the invention for the identification of endocrine disrupters in the environment.
US08476480B1
A method of fractionating bio-oil vapors which involves providing bio-oil vapors comprising bio-oil constituents is described. The bio-oil vapors are cooled in a first stage which comprises a condenser having passages for the bio-oil separated by a heat conducting wall from passages for a coolant. The coolant in the condenser of the first stage is maintained at a substantially constant temperature, set at a temperature in the range of 75 to 100° C., to condense a first liquid fraction of liquefied bio-oil constituents in the condenser of the first stage. The first liquid fraction of liquified bio-oil constituents from the condenser in the first stage is collected. Also described are steps for subsequently recovering further liquid fractions of liquefied bio-oil constituents. Particular compositions of bio-oil condensation products are also described.
US08476477B2
A process for preparing polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers from methanol is disclosed. For example, the process comprises contacting methanol with at least one oxidant in the presence of at least one catalyst wherein the at least one catalyst comprises at least one Group VIB metal component, such as in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 50 wt % (in terms of metal oxide) and at least one Group VIII metal component, such as in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 20 wt % (in terms of metal oxide), and at least one molecular sieve having acidic catalytic activity, such as in an amount of from about 40 to about 95 wt %, based on the total weight of the at least one catalyst for a time sufficient to obtain polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers.
US08476466B2
The present invention provides a method for making a harmful arsenic compound, antimony compound and selenium compound harmless by using an organic cobalt complex, in which the cost of the method can be improved. The present invention is a method for making a harmful compound harmless, including irradiating light to an organic cobalt complex containing cobalt as a central metal and a corrin ring as a ligand, a methyl group donor, a titanium oxide photocatalyst, and a harmful compound containing an arsenic atom, an antimony atom or a selenium atom to methylate the harmful compound. In the present invention, it is preferable that the harmful compound be trimethylated.
US08476459B2
The present invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, nitro, cyano, and pentafluorothio; R6 is C1-C4-alkyl, or C1-C4-haloalkyl; by oxidation of a compound of formula (II) with an oxidation agent selected from trifluoroperacetic acid and trichloroperacetic acid in the presence of a catalyst selected from hydroxides, oxides, sulfates, acetates or trifluoroacetates of lithium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, titanium (IV), zinc (II) and manganese (II).
US08476457B2
Compounds of the formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein, X, Y, Z, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of using the compounds for treating diseases associated with P2X3 and/or a P2X2/3 receptor antagonists and methods of making the compounds.
US08476425B1
This disclosure provides compositions containing solid forms of tazobactam arginine, and methods of manufacturing and using these compositions.
US08476422B2
A method to generate siRNAs in vivo is described, as are constructs and compositions useful in the method. The method does not depend on the use of DNA or synthetic constructs that contain inverted duplications or dual promoters so as to form perfect or largely double -stranded RNA. Rather, the method depends on constructs that yield single-stranded RNA transcripts, and exploits endogenous or in vivo-produced miRNAs or siRNAs to initiate production of siRNAs. The miRNAs or siRNAs guide cleavage of the transcript and set the register for production of siRNAs (usually 21 nucleotides in length) encoded adjacent to the initiation cleavage site within the construct. The method results in specific formation of siRNAs of predictable size and register (phase) relative to the initiation cleavage site. The method can be used to produce specific siRNAs in vivo for inactivation or suppression of one or more target genes or other entities, such as pathogens.
US08476420B2
Methods and compositions are provided for diagnosing lung cancer in a mammalian subject by use of three or more selected genes, e.g., a gene expression profile, from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of the subject which is characteristic of disease, a stage of the disease, or enables prognosis of recurrence of disease. The gene expression profile includes three or more genes of Table I, Table II, Table III, Table IV, Table V, Table VI or Table VII herein. Detection of changes in expression in the selected genes forming the gene expression profile from that of a reference gene expression profile are correlated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). One composition for use in such diagnosis includes three or more PCR primer-probe sets, wherein each primer-probe set amplifies a different polynucleotide sequence from the gene expression profile. Another composition for similar use contains a plurality of polynucleotides immobilized on a substrate, which probes hybridize to three or more gene expression products from genes in the gene expression profile. Still another composition involves detection of the protein expression products of genes from the gene expression profile.
US08476393B2
The invention is related to an ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer having at least a hard segment and at least a soft segment. The soft segment contains a higher amount of comonomers than the hard segment. The hard segment has low crystallinity. The copolymer has a number of unique characteristics disclosed herein. ethylene/α-olefin interpolymers containing low crystallinity hard blocks.
US08476390B2
Polymer and monomer compositions based on a chromophore and improved light absorption. Lens materials can be fabricated. A composition comprising: a compound comprising a polymerizable vinyl group covalently linked to a benzene ring-based chromophore comprising: a substituent comprising a carbonyl group at the 1-position; a substituent comprising a hydroxy, ether, ester or a combination thereof at the 2-position; and a substituent comprising a (p-Nitrophenylazo) group at the 4 position of the benzene ring, including salts.
US08476380B2
Room temperature curable silicon group-containing polymer compositions comprising (A) a reactive silicon group-containing polymer obtained through a reaction between a polyoxypropylene polyol and a y-isocyanate propyltrialkoxysilane, (B) a curing catalyst, and (C) amino group-substituted alkoxysilane or a hydrolyzed and condensed product of an amino group-substituted alkoxysilane.
US08476371B2
Interpolymer resin particles that include from about 20% to about 60% by weight based on the weight of the particles of uncross-linked polyolefin resin particles having a VICAT softening temperature greater than 85° C. and from about 40% to about 80% by weight based on the weight of the interpolymer particles of polymerized vinyl aromatic monomer composition particles that have been polymerized in the uncross-linked polyolefin resin particles to form an interpenetrating network of polyolefin resin particles and polystyrene particles. The interpolymer resin particles have a gel content ranging from about 0 to about 1.5% by weight based on the weight of the interpolymer resin particles, a VICAT softening temperature ranging from about 90° C. to about 115° C., and a melt index value ranging from about 0.2 to about 35.0 g/10 minutes (Condition G).
US08476367B1
A pellet is formed by a method includes, in one embodiment, dispersing up to about 95% by weight of thermoset rubber particles into a carrier resin to form the plastic compound. The carrier resin includes an olefin block copolymer. The method also includes the steps of extruding the plastic compound through a die having at least one die hole to form at least one extrudate filament, cutting the at least one extrudate filament to a predetermined length to form a plurality of pellets, conveying the pellets to a separator/centrifugal dryer in water having a temperature of about 170° F. or greater, and separating the pellets from the water in the separator/centrifugal dryer so that the pellets are substantially dry upon removal from the separator/centrifugal dryer. The resultant pelletized plastic compound has a flex modulus of less than about 20,000 pounds per square inch (psi).
US08476364B2
Embodiments relate to a relatively rapid transesterification process including transesterifying condensation polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or other polyesters used in commerce, with a modifying monomer mix containing other monomers to manufacture new polymers containing the pre-condensed moieties. The process preferably only involves transesterification as a reaction mechanism. The process preferably produces a rapid buildup of molecular weight and/or polymer uniformity by the high temperature transesterification of the condensation polymer with the modifying monomer mixture. The process can be performed in any suitable vessel including an extrusion line, and it has the advantage of greatly reduced cycle times over currently used condensation polymer utilization processes such as the recycling of PET into other materials.
US08476363B2
An adhesive composition, a process of manufacture and a method of filling a surface having voids with a void filler are disclosed herein. Upon insertion between opposing surfaces or around an exposed surface, the void filler expands into and around the voids, filling surfaces having voids and covering irregularities of concrete structures.
US08476359B2
A polyolefin based hot melt adhesive composition having improved heat resistance includes a blend of about 5% to 50% by weight of a glassy semicrystalline poly-alpha-olefin polymer, about 5% to 70% by weight of a soft or rubbery polymer, about 5% to 65% by weight of a tackifier, about 0% to 3% by weight of a stabilizer and optionally a wax and/or plasticizer. The composition can also contain other additives and fillers to further modify its properties. An application process for the adhesive composition and various articles assembled therewith are also disclosed. The composition is particularly suited for applications where complicated bonding needs exist that involve bonding of multiple components or parts fabricated from dissimilar materials ranging from steel to plastic to fabrics.
US08476341B2
The present invention provides a multi-branched polyalkylene glycol polymer useful for various applications, especially for an admixture for cement, a dispersant, admixture for cement, and cement composition each comprising the same, a thiol compound having a polyalkylene glycol chain useful for materials and the like of the polymer, and a method for easily and effectively producing the multi-branched polyalkylene glycol polymer and the thiol compound having a polyalkylene glycol chain at low cost. The multi-branched polymer comprises: a polyalkylene glycol chain; a residue of a compound having three or more active hydrogen atoms; and a polymer portion having a constitutional unit derived from a vinyl monomer component, one end of the polyalkylene glycol chain bonding to the residue, and a terminal oxygen atom of at least one of the other ends of the polyalkylene glycol chain bonding to a main chain end of the polymer portion directly or via an organic residue.
US08476340B2
The present invention provides ceramic powder capable of being incorporated into rubber or a resin for the preparation of a composition, which shows excellent heat resistance and flame retardancy and which is used, for instance, as a semiconductor-sealing material. The ceramic powder has a multi-peak frequency distribution pattern having at least two peaks as a particle size distribution as determined using a laser diffraction-scattering type particle size-analyzer, wherein the maximum particle size for the first peak ranges from 40 to 80 μm and that for the second peak ranges from 3 to 8 μm and wherein the rate of the particles having a particle size of not less than 20 μm and less than 40 μm is not more than 20% by mass (inclusive of 0% by mass).
US08476337B2
Silicone hydrogel contact lenses having ophthalmically acceptable surface wettabilities are obtained from pre-extracted polymerized silicone hydrogel contact lens products having relatively large amounts of removable or extractable materials. The silicone hydrogel contact lenses can be obtained from non-polar resin based contact lens molds and without surface treatments or an interpenetrating polymeric network of a polymeric wetting agent. Related lens products, polymerizable compositions, and methods are also described.
US08476334B2
A radiation-curable acrylate-modified aminoamide resin which is the Michael addition product of an aminoamide thermoplastic polymer derived from a polymerised unsaturated fatty acid with a polyol ester having at least three (meth)acrylate ester groups, the aminoamide thermoplastic polymer having an amine number of from 40 to 60 mgKOH/g, the ratio of the initial (meth) acrylate groups of the polyol ester to the initial amino functional groups of the aminoamide polymer being at least 4:1, is liquid at 25° C., and is useful as the resin component of various types of energy-curable coating composition, including inks, varnishes and lacquers, especially lithographic inks.
US08476331B2
A photosensitive resin composition comprises: 0.01 wt %-10 wt % of reflective particles; 0 wt %-12 wt % of pigment; 1 wt %-10 wt % of dispersant; 1.5 wt %-5 wt % of dispersion resin; 2 wt %-25 wt % of optically active polymer; 1 wt %-22 wt % of optical active monomer; 0.4 wt %-5 wt % of epoxy resin; 5 wt %-85 wt % of solvent; 0.1 wt %-3 wt % of photoinitiator; and 0.01 wt %-3.5 wt % of additives.
US08476330B2
The present invention relates to a composition and process for preparing fine-celled polyurethane foam obtained from frothing a polyurethane foam-forming composition possessing a synergistic combination of silicone surfactants.
US08476327B2
Prepare an extruded polymeric foam by extruding a foamable polymer composition through a foaming die and allowing the foamable polymer composition to expand into a polymer foam as it travels through and is constrained in its thickness dimension by at least two constraining sections, the first having opposing essentially parallel forming plates and the second constraining section having forming plates spaced further apart than the first constraining section.
US08476320B2
Formulations are provided for parenteral administration of (amino substituted (e)-2,6-dialkoxystyryl 4-substituted benzylsulfones and the sodium and potassium salts thereof for the prevention and/or treatment of conditions mediated by abnormal cell proliferation.Composition for parenteral administration are provided which comprise an effective amount of a compound of formula I or a compound of formula IIa and at least about 50% by weight of at least one water soluble polymer selected from the group consisting essentially of polyethylene glycol (PEG), poly-oxyethylene, poly-oxyethylene-poly-oxypropylene copolymers, polyglycerol, polyvinylalcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinylpyridine N-oxide, copolymer of vinylpyridine N-oxide and vinylpyridine.
US08476318B2
The invention relates to polyethylene glycol esters and blends of the polyethylene glycol esters with polyethylene glycol ethers, together with in particular cosmetic and/or dermatological preparations containing them, methods for the production thereof and use thereof.
US08476317B2
The present invention generally relates to refreshing, soothing, and cooling compounds that affect sensory processes. More particularly, the present invention pertains to certain N-alkylcarbonyl-amino acid esters compounds as described herein; compositions and articles comprising such compounds; and methods of treatment, for example, methods of reducing cough and pharyngeal irritation, itch, and/or pain.
US08476316B2
The present invention relates to purified 3-methanesulfonylpropionitrile or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a method for preparing such compound. The compound has at least 90% (w/w) purity. The present invention is also directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprises the purified compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The present invention is further directed to a method for treating inflammation, inflammatory-related disorders, or pain, by administering 3-methanesulfonylpropionitrile or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof to a subject in need thereof.
US08476312B2
A composition comprising a tetrahydrocannabinol compound, a solvent and an acid, wherein the tetrahydrocannabinol compound may be Δ8 tetrahydrocannabinol, (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol or a side chain alkyl derivative of either compound, the solvent may be an oil or C1-C4 alcohol (e.g. sesame oil or ethanol), and the acid may be an organic acid or a mineral acid.
US08476297B2
Tetrahydroisoquinoline compounds of formula (I), and compositions containing them, for the treatment of acute, inflammatory and neurophatic pain, dental pain, general headache, migraine, cluster headache, mixed-vascular and non-vascular syndromes, tension headache, general inflammation, arthritis, rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, inflammatory bowel disorders, inflammatory eye disorders, inflammatory or unstable bladder disorders, psoriasis, skin complaints with inflammatory components, chronic inflammatory conditions, inflammatory pain and associated hyperalgesia and allodynia, neurophatic pain and associated hyperalgesia and allodynia, diabetic neuropathy pain, causalgia, sympathetically maintained pain, deafferentation syndromes, asthma, epithelial tissue damage or dysfunction, herpes simplex, disturbances of visceral motility at respiratory, genitourinary, gastrointestinal or vascular regions, wounds, burns, allergic skin reactions, pruritus, vitiligo, general gastrointestinal disorders, gastric ulceration, duodenal ulcers, diarrhea, gastric lesions induced by necrotising agents, hair growth, vasomotor or allergic rhinitis, bronchial disorders or bladder disorders.
US08476293B2
The present invention relates to the compound represented by formula (I): (wherein, all the symbols have the same meaning as that of the specification), a salt thereof, a solvate thereof or a prodrug thereof. Since the compound of the present invention has an anti stress action, it is useful for preventive and/or therapeutic agent for a disease caused by stress, especially a digestive system disease caused by stress and is superior to oral absorption.
US08476288B2
The invention provides salts of 4-(dimethylamino)butyl 2-(4-((2-amino-4-methyl-6-(pentylamino)pyrimidin-5-yl)methyl)phenyl)acetate, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy.
US08476282B2
The present invention provides chemical entities or compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof that are capable of modulating certain protein kinases such as mTor, tyrosine kinases, and/or lipid kinases such as PI3 kinase. For example, the invention provides compounds of Formula: Also provided in the present invention are methods of using such compounds or compositions, and methods of using these compositions to modulate activities of one or more of these kinases, especially for therapeutic applications such as treatment of cancer.
US08476275B2
The invention related to N-[(piperazinyl)hetaryl]arylsulfonamide compounds of the general formula (I) in which Q is a bivalent, 6-membered heteroaromatic radical which possesses 1 or 2 N atoms as ring members and which optionally carries one or two substituents Ra which is/are selected, independently of each other, from halogen, CN, NO2, CO2R4, COR5, C1-C4-alkyl and C1-C4-haloalkyl; Ar is phenyl or a 6-membered heteroaromatic radical which possesses 1 or 2 N atoms as ring members and which optionally carries one or two substituents Rb, which is/are selected from halogen, NO2, CN, CO2R4, COR5, C1-C6-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-alkynyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl-C1-C4-alkyl and C1-C4-haloalkyl, with it also being possible for two radicals Rb which are bonded to adjacent C atoms of Ar to be together C3-C4-alkylene; R1 is hydrogen, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl-C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-hydroxyalkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy-C1-C4-alkyl, C3-C4-alkenyl or C3-C4-alkynyl; with the radicals n, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 having the meanings given in the patent claims, to the N-oxides and to the physiologically tolerated acid addition salts of these compounds and to pharmaceutical compositions which comprise at least one N-[(piperazinyl)hetaryl]arylsulfonamide compound as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10 and/or at least one physiologically tolerated acid addition salt of I and/or an N-oxide of I, where appropriate together with physiologically acceptable carriers and/or auxiliary substances for treating diseases which respond to influencing by dopamine D3 receptor antagonists or agonists, in particular for treating diseases of the central nervous system and disturbances of kidney function.
US08476268B2
The present invention relates to a compound of formula (I) or a salt thereof, wherein the substituents are as defined in the description, to compositions and use of the compounds in the treatment of diseases ameloriated by inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.
US08476267B2
The invention relates to substituted imidazo-, pyrazolopyrazines and imidazotriazines and processes for their preparation, and their use for the manufacture of medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, in particular of hematological disorders, preferably of leukopenias and neutropenias.
US08476261B2
Provided herein are spirocyclic aminoquinolones of formula I and compositions containing the compounds. The compounds and compositions provided herein are useful in the prevention, amelioration or treatment of GSK-3 inhibitors mediated diseases. In Formula (I): X1 is O or NR8; A is bond or substituted or unsubstituted C1-C2 alkylene, wherein the substituents when present are selected from one to four Q2 groups; where Q2 is alkyl or haloalkyl; p is 0 or 1; and q is an integer of 0 to 2.
US08476256B2
Novel diazonamide analogs having anti-mitotic activity, useful for the treatment of cancer and other proliferative disorders are provided.
US08476253B2
Compounds or pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof are provided. In various embodiments the compounds have an antagonistic effect on a neurokinin NK1 receptor, a neurokinin NK2 receptor, and a muscarine M3 receptor. The compounds are useful as therapeutic agents for bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or the like.
US08476252B2
Described are a sterile, ready-to-use, pharmaceutical oil-in water emulsion compositions for parenteral administration comprising: 0.015 to 1.2% wt/vol of progestogen; 0.5-30% wt/vol oil, wherein the oil comprises at least 85% wt/wt triglyceride; 0.0425-12.5% wt/vol phospholipid; 61.4-99.4% wt/vol aqueous medium; wherein the phospholipid is present in an amount of 6.8%-43% of the oil (wt/wt), and wherein the progestogen is present in an amount greater than or equal to 2.1 wt % of the oil. Also described are methods of making such compositions and method of using such compositions in therapeutic or prophylactic treatment, such as treatments comprising intravenous administration of the pharmaceutical composition.
US08476246B2
Pharmaceutical composition comprising a chemotherapeutic agent and a TGF-beta antisense oligonucleotide, wherein the antisense oligonucleotide reduces the sensitivity and IC50, respectively, of the cytotoxicity of the chemotherapeutic agent. Preferably, the antisense oligonucleotide is a TGF-beta 1, 2, and/or 3 antisense oligonucleotide and the chemotherapeutic agent is preferably gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil, temozolomide, dacarbacine, docetaxel, cisplatin, oxaliplatin, tamoxifen, or irinotecan.
US08476242B2
A method of treating cancer by introducing heat into cancerous tissue and delivering a liposome containing an active agent or a thermo-activated drug, gene or virus to said tissue. The heat delivered is sufficient to release the active agent or activate the thermo-activated drug, gene or virus. The cancer can be esophageal cancer. The liposome containing an active agent or a thermo-activated drug, gene or virus can be a thermosensitive liposome. The active agent can be an anti-neoplastic agent, for example doxorubicin.
US08476241B2
The inventors have determined, contrary to the prior art and experience, how to successfully use triciribine to treat esophogeal adenocarcinoma by one or a combination of (i) administering triciribine only to patients which according to a diagnostic test described below, exhibit enhanced sensitivity to the drug; (ii) use of a described dosage level that minimizes the toxicity of the drug but yet still exhibits efficacy; or (iii) use of a described dosage regimen that minimizes the toxicity of the drug.
US08476239B2
The present invention relates generally to stable formulations comprising CTLA4Ig molecules, including lyophilized, and liquid formulations for administration via various routes including, for example, routes such as intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) for treating immune system diseases and tolerance induction.
US08476232B2
The present invention relates to a fusion protein comprising IGF-I or an IGF-I variant N-terminally linked to the C-terminus of a propeptide. The invention relates also to a method involving the use of the aforementioned fusion protein in the production of a lysine-PEGylated IGF-I or IGF-I variant. The method comprises the steps of cultivating a prokaryotic host cell comprising an expression vector containing a nucleic acid encoding the fusion protein and causing the cell to express the fusion protein, recovering and PEGylating said fusion protein, cleaving said PEGylated fusion protein with IgA protease, and recovering lysine-PEGylated IGF-I or IGF-I variant. The invention relates also to a lysine-PEGylated IGF-I or IGF-I variant produced using the above method. In addition, the invention relates to a method for treating a neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's Disease using the lysine-PEGylated IGF-I or IGF-I variant and a composition comprising the lysine-PEGylated IGF-I or IGF-I variant.
US08476229B2
A blood sugar-modulating polypeptide, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide, and a method for modulating blood sugar in a mammal comprising the administration of the polypeptide are provided. The polypeptide has a following amino acid sequence or a homologous amino acid sequence derived from the substitution, deletion, and/or addition of one or more amino acids therein: RVRVWVTERGIVARPPTIG(SEQ ID NO. 11).
US08476226B2
DIG-10 Cry toxins, polynucleotides encoding such toxins, use of such toxins to control pests, and transgenic plants that produce such toxins are disclosed.
US08476225B2
The invention is related to anti-viral compounds, compositions containing such compounds, and therapeutic methods that include the administration of such compounds, as well as to processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds.
US08476221B2
Embodiments described herein are directed to methods for the treatment and control of hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, dyslipidemia, and other lipid disorders, and in delaying the onset of or reducing the risk of conditions and sequelae that are associated with these diseases, including atherosclerosis and non-insulin dependent diabetes. In addition, embodiments are directed to methods of treating coronary heart disease and metabolic syndrome. Embodiments are also directed to neurotensin analogs. In embodiments, the neurotensin analogs may be capable of binding to neurotensin receptors and, upon binding, may modulate the levels of lipids in subjects.
US08476209B2
A turbo-charged, sump-lubricated internal combustion engine which is susceptible to contamination of lubricant with liquid fuel, is lubricated with a lubricant which contains an amount of an aminic antioxidant, optionally in the absence of a phenolic antioxidant, thereby reducing the deterioration of said lubricant and formation of turbo sludge.
US08476205B2
The invention relates to oil compositions containing chromium catalyzed high viscosity index polyalphaolefins (HVI-PAO). In one embodiment the oil formulation comprises a chromium catalyzed HVI-PAO with a viscosity greater than 125 cSt kv 100° C. and a viscosity index greater than 100, a second base stock with a viscosity of at least 2 cSt kv 100° C. and less than 60 cSt kv 100° C. wherein the second base stock is at least 120 cSt kv 100° C. less than the chromium HVI-PAO, an ester with a viscosity of at least 2 and less than 6, the ester chosen from the group consisting of monoester, di-octyl sebacate and any combination thereof comprising more than 10 weight percent and less than 30 weight percent of the oil formulation, the oil formulation having a viscosity index of greater than 180.
US08476201B2
Invert emulsion drilling fluids that have extended emulsion stability and reduced sag potential are described herein. The drilling fluids comprise an invert emulsion, a weighting agent, and a plurality of colloidal particles. The invert emulsion comprises an oleaginous fluid continuous phase, an aqueous fluid internal phase, and a surfactant. At least a portion of the plurality of colloidal particles interact with the surfactant to form an associative supporting structure that inhibits sag of the weighting agent. In some embodiments, the weighting agent comprises barite particles, particularly barite particles that are less than about 45 μm in size. Methods for placing the invert emulsion drilling fluids in a subterranean formation via a wellbore are also disclosed.
US08476191B2
The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording material comprising one or more heat-sensitive recording layers, an intermediate layer and a protective layer that are formed on one side of a transparent support, and the present inventions provide a heat-sensitive recording material and a process for providing the heat-sensitive recording material, wherein the one or more heat-sensitive recording layers are formed from one or more heat-sensitive recording layer coating compositions that each contain a leuco dye and a developer, the intermediate layer is formed from an intermediate layer coating composition that contains a hydrazine-based compound and an oxazoline group-containing compound, and the protective layer is formed from a protective layer coating composition that contains a modified polyvinyl alcohol.
US08476190B2
In the present invention a composite particle including: a first polymeric particle having a diameter of from 100 nm to 3.5 microns including a core and a shell: the core including, when dry, at least one void; and the shell polymer having a calculated glass transition temperature (“Tg”) greater than 50° C.; and a second polymeric particle disposed on the surface of the first polymeric particle, the second polymeric particle having a minimum film-forming temperature of greater than 20° C.; wherein the ratio of the diameter of the first polymeric particle to the diameter of the second polymeric particle is from 1 to 50; and wherein the ratio of the weight of the first polymeric particle to the weight of the second polymeric particle is from 0.1 to 40, is provided.
US08476186B2
The invention concerns a catalyst comprising palladium on an oxide of aluminum support. In the calcined state, the oxide of aluminum support has a diffractogram obtained by X ray diffraction comprising peaks which correspond to the following interplanar spacings and relative intensities: Interplanar spacings d (10−10 m)Relative intensities ±5 × 10−3 dI/I0 (%) 4.54 3-10 2.70-2.75 5-25 2.41 35-45 2.28 15-30 2.10 0-10 1.98730-50 1.95830-50 1.6420-5 1.51910-20 1.394100
US08476181B2
The present invention relates to catalyst systems and a process for the simultaneous trimerization and tetramerization of olefinic monomers using those ligands.
US08476180B2
A process for regenerating a molecular sieve absorbent bed used for dehydrating an organic solvent is disclosed. The process is illustrated by regenerating a molecular sieve bed used for dehydrating ethanol, which includes a dehydrating cycle where an ethanol/water vapor mixture is loaded onto the molecular sieve bed at a first temperature to absorb water and recover a substantially dehydrated ethanol vapor effluent. In a regeneration cycle, the bed is subjected to a temperature swing technique whereby a dried gas, such as dried CO2, heated to at a second temperature greater than the first temperature, is passed over the molecular sieve bed, optimally in a counter current directional flow with respect to the dehydrating cycle. The process obviates the need for applying a vacuum pressure swing to regenerate the molecular sieve bed. Water and residual ethanol are removed with the CO2 effluent and can optionally be condensed and combined with a feed input for a subsequent dehydrating cycle.
US08476177B2
The optical glass has a refractive index nd of 1.945≦nd≦1.97, an Abbe number νd of 33≦νd≦36, and a composition with the following components in amounts expressed in % of their cations, with respect to the total number of cations in the composition: B3+, 35-46; La3+, 25-35; Ta5+, 6-14; W6+, 6-13; Zr4+, 1-7; Gd3+, 0-5; Nb5+, 0-4; Y+3, 0-4; Ba2+, 0-2; Σ alkaline earth metal cations, 0-2, Σ La3++Ta3++W6++Zr4++Gd3++Nb5++Y3+≧50; and at least one fining agent, 0-0.3. Also a ratio of B3+ to La+3 is 1.1 to 1.6 and a ratio of B3+ to Σ Si+4+B3+ is ≧0.5. The glass is free of lead, arsenic, Ti4+, Th4+, Zn2+, F−, and Hf+4.
US08476173B2
Laminate material having a first liquid-permeable material layer and discretely-arranged material pieces of a second liquid-permeable material, wherein the material layer and the discrete material pieces are joined internally. The laminate material also has a second liquid-permeable material layer joined to the first liquid-permeable material layer and the discretely-arranged material pieces.
US08476172B2
An electrically conductive knitted fabric comprising stitched rows of an electrically non-conductive ground thread (1), and of stitched rows of an electrically conductive thread (2) placed therebetween. In addition, a number of rows of an electrically non-conductive ground thread can alternate with one or more rows of comprising electrically conductive thread. A connection overlapping the rows comprising electrically non-conducting thread exists in places between the rows comprising electrically conductive thread.
US08476168B2
The present invention provides a method to form deep features in a stacked semiconductor structure. Deposition of a non-conformal hardmask onto a patterned topography can form a hardmask to protect all but recessed areas with minimal integration steps. The invention enables etching deep features, even through multiple BEOL layers, without multiple additional process steps.
US08476162B2
Methods for forming layers on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, methods of forming layers on a substrate disposed in a process chamber may include depositing a barrier layer comprising titanium within one or more features in the substrate; and sputtering a material from a target in the presence of a plasma formed from a process gas by applying a DC power to the target, maintaining a pressure of less than about 500 mTorr within the process chamber, and providing up to about 5000 W of a substrate bias RF power to deposit a seed layer comprising the material atop the barrier layer.
US08476138B2
Vertical MISFETs are formed over drive MISFETs and transfer MISFETs. The vertical MISFETs comprise rectangular pillar laminated bodies each formed by laminating a lower semiconductor layer (drain), an intermediate semiconductor layer, and an upper semiconductor layer (source), and gate electrodes formed on corresponding side walls of the laminated bodies with gate insulating films interposed therebetween. In each vertical MISFET, the lower semiconductor layer constitutes a drain, the intermediate semiconductor layer constitutes a substrate (channel region), and the upper semiconductor layer constitutes a source. The lower semiconductor layer, the intermediate semiconductor layer and the upper semiconductor layer are each comprised of a silicon film. The lower semiconductor layer and the upper semiconductor layer are doped with a p type and constituted of a p type silicon film.
US08476134B2
A method of manufacturing a super-junction semiconductor device includes growing an alternating conductivity type layer epitaxially on a heavily doped n-type semiconductor substrate, the alternating conductivity type layer including n-type and p-type semiconductor regions arranged alternately and repeated such that n-type and p-type regions are adjoining each other, and arranged to extend perpendicular to the substrate's major surface. The method includes forming a first trench having a predetermined depth in the surface portion of n-type semiconductor region; forming an n-type thin layer on the inner surface of the first trench; and burying gate electrode in the space surrounded by the n-type thin layer with a gate insulator film interposed between a gate electrode and the n-type thin layer.
US08476133B2
A trenched field effect transistor is provided that includes (a) a semiconductor substrate, (b) a trench extending a predetermined depth into the semiconductor substrate, (c) a pair of doped source junctions, positioned on opposite sides of the trench, (d) a doped heavy body positioned adjacent each source junction on the opposite side of the source junction from the trench, the deepest portion of the heavy body extending less deeply into said semiconductor substrate than the predetermined depth of the trench, and (e) a doped well surrounding the heavy body beneath the heavy body.
US08476128B2
A CMOSFET is composed of a P-channel MOSFET and an N-channel MOSFET formed on a silicon substrate. The P-channel MOSFET is formed a first gate insulating film, a first hafnium layer and a first gate electrode which are stacked on the silicon substrate. The N-channel MOSFET is formed a second gate insulating film, a second hafnium layer and a second gate electrode which are stacked on the silicon substrate. A surface density of the second hafnium layer is lower than a surface density of the first hafnium layer.
US08476126B2
A method for fabricating an integrated circuit device is disclosed. An exemplary method includes providing a substrate; forming a high-k dielectric layer over the substrate; forming a first capping layer over the high-k dielectric layer; forming a second capping layer over the first capping layer; forming a dummy gate layer over the second capping layer; performing a patterning process to form a gate stack including the high-k dielectric layer, first and second capping layers, and dummy gate layer; removing the dummy gate layer from the gate stack, thereby forming an opening that exposes the second capping layer; and filling the opening with a first metal layer over the exposed second capping layer and a second metal layer over the first metal layer, wherein the first metal layer is different from the second metal layer and has a work function suitable to the semiconductor device.
US08476124B2
The method of manufacturing the semiconductor device includes amorphizing a first region and a second region of a semiconductor substrate by an ion implantation, implanting a first impurity and a second impurity respectively in the first region and the second region, activating the implanted impurities to form a first impurity layer and a second impurity layer, epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer above the semiconductor substrate with the impurity layers formed on, growing a gate insulating film above the first region and the second region, and forming a first gate electrode above the gate insulating film in the first region and the second gate electrode above the gate insulating film in the second region.
US08476121B2
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an organic thin film transistor (TFT), comprising: providing a substrate layer; providing a gate electrode layer; providing a dielectric material layer; providing an organic semiconductor (OSC) material layer; providing a source and drain electrode layer; and wherein one or more of the layers is deposited using a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) process. Preferably the organic TFT is a bottom gate device and the source and drain electrodes are deposited on an organic semiconductor layer, or over a dielectric material layer using LITI. Further preferably a dopant material may be provided between the OSC material and the source and drain electrode layer, wherein the dopant material may also be deposited using LITI. Also preferably, wherein the dopant may be a charge neutral dopant such as substituted TCNQ or F4TCNQ.
US08476118B2
A semiconductor device and a fabrication method of the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device including: a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode which are placed on a first surface of a substrate, and have a plurality of fingers; a gate terminal electrode, a source terminal electrode, and the drain terminal electrode which governed and formed a plurality of fingers for every the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; an active area placed on an underneath part of the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode, on the substrate between the gate electrode and source electrode, and on the substrate between the gate electrode and the drain electrode; a sealing layer which is placed on the active area, the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode through a cavity part, and performs a hermetic seal of the active area, the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. Accordingly, the semiconductor element itself can have air-tightness, it is not necessary to cover the gate electrode surface with a damp-proof protective film, gate capacitance of the semiconductor element is reduced, and high frequency characteristics and gain of the semiconductor element improve.
US08476110B2
A storage apparatus including a circuit board, a control circuit element, a terminal module and a storage circuit element is provided. The circuit board includes a first surface, a second surface, a connect part, openings, metal contacts and metal units. The openings pass through the circuit board from the first surface to the second surface and the metal contacts are exposed on the first surface. The terminal module is disposed on the first surface and has elastic terminals and each of the elastic terminals has a first contact part and a second contact part. The first contact parts respectively contact with the metal contacts and the second contact parts respectively pass through the openings to protrude from the second surface. The metal units are disposed on the second surface and located between the openings and the connect part. Accordingly, the volume of the storage apparatus can be reduced.
US08476107B2
Resistive switching memory elements are provided that may contain electroless metal electrodes and metal oxides formed from electroless metal. The resistive switching memory elements may exhibit bistability and may be used in high-density multi-layer memory integrated circuits. Electroless conductive materials such as nickel-based materials may be selectively deposited on a conductor on a silicon wafer or other suitable substrate. The electroless conductive materials can be oxidized to form a metal oxide for a resistive switching memory element. Multiple layers of conductive materials can be deposited each of which has a different oxidation rate. The differential oxidization rates of the conductive layers can be exploited to ensure that metal oxide layers of desired thicknesses are formed during fabrication.
US08476105B2
In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided. The method includes disposing a substantially amorphous cadmium tin oxide layer on a support; and thermally processing the substantially amorphous cadmium tin oxide layer in an atmosphere substantially free of cadmium from an external source to form a transparent layer, wherein the transparent layer has an electrical resistivity less than about 2×10−4 Ohm-cm. Method of making a photovoltaic device is also provided.
US08476102B2
A method for manufacturing a solid state image pickup device including a first active region provided with a first conversion unit, a second active region provided with a second conversion unit, and a third active region adjoining the first and the second active regions with a field region therebetween and being provided with a pixel transistor, the method including the steps of ion-implanting first conductivity type impurity ions to form a semiconductor region serving as a potential barrier against the signal carriers at a predetermined depth in the third active region and ion-implanting second conductivity type impurity ions into the third active region with energy lower than the above-described ion-implantation energy.
US08476101B2
A method of making a semiconductor radiation detector includes the steps of providing a semiconductor substrate having front and rear major opposing surfaces, forming a solder mask layer over the rear major surface, patterning the solder mask layer into a plurality of pixel separation regions, and after the step of patterning the solder mask layer, forming anode pixels over the rear major surface. Each anode pixel is formed between adjacent pixel-separation regions and a cathode electrode is located over the front major surface of the substrate. The solder mask can be used as a permanent photoresist in developing patterned electrodes on CdZnTe/CdTe devices as well as a permanent reliability protection coating. The method is very robust and ensures long-term reliability, outstanding detector performance, and may be used in applications such as medical imaging and for demanding other highly spectroscopic applications.
US08476100B2
A method of forming thin film solar cell includes the following steps. A substrate is provided, and a plurality of first electrodes are formed on the substrate. A printing process is performed to print a light-absorbing material on the substrate and the first electrodes to form a plurality of light-absorbing patterns. Each of the light-absorbing patterns corresponds to two adjacent first electrodes, partially covers the two adjacent first electrodes, and partially exposes the two adjacent first electrodes. A plurality of second electrodes are formed on the light-absorbing patterns.
US08476098B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for disposing a photoelectric conversion element accurately on the focal point of a condenser lens.The method of the present invention comprises a step of forming a focal point on the reverse surface of the condenser lens to be a hydrophilic region, a step of removing the remained photoresist to obtain the condenser lens having the reverse surface where the hydrophilic region is surrounded by a water-repellent region formed of the fluoroalkylsilane film and a step of disposing the photoelectric conversion element on the hydrophilic region to obtain the solar cell comprising the condenser lens and the photoelectric conversion element.
US08476087B2
Fabrication methods are provided for a sensor device packages. An exemplary fabrication method involves bonding a sensor structure and another structure using a sealing structure. The sealing structure surrounds a diaphragm region of the sensor structure and provides an airtight seal between the sensor structure and the other structure to establish a fixed reference pressure on one side of the diaphragm region.
US08476083B1
Described herein is a time-gated, two-step FRET relay effective to provide temporal transference of a prompt FRET pathway, or provide spectro-temporal encoding analytical signals and other information. A FRET relay assembly includes a long lifetime FRET donor (for example, a lanthanide complex), a semiconductor quantum dot (QD) configured as an intermediate acceptor/donor in FRET, and a fluorescent dye configured as a terminal FRET acceptor, wherein the long lifetime FRET donor has an excited state lifetime of at least one microsecond and the QD and fluorescent dye each have excited state lifetimes of less than 100 nanoseconds.
US08476080B2
A vessel for use in clinical analysis including an open top, a closed bottom, and at least four tapered sides. A method for collecting magnetic particles in a fluid comprising the steps of providing a magnet and a vessel containing magnetic particles in a fluid, attracting the magnetic particles to the magnet, and moving the magnetic particles with the magnet out of the fluid.
US08476079B2
Methods and devices for reducing interference from leukocytes in an analyte immunoassay are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising the steps of amending a biological sample such as a whole blood sample with one or more leukocidal reagents that reduce or eliminate the metabolic activity of leukocytes, and performing an immunoassay on the amended sample to determine the concentration of analyte in the sample. Preferably, the sample is amended with one or more enzymes and optionally one or more enzyme substrates and cofactors.
US08476077B2
Disclosed is use of urine and serum biomarkers in diagnosing diabetic nephropathy, staging diabetic nephropathy, monitoring diabetic nephropathy progress, and assessing efficacy of diabetic nephropathy treatments. These biomarkers include urine precursor alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein, urine alpha-1 antitrypsin, urine alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, urine osteopontin, serum osteopontin, their fragments, and combinations thereof.
US08476075B2
A method of estimating the amount of unreacted starting materials (glycerides, methyl esters, etc.) and the composition of a biodiesel using TLC in conjunction with a lipophilic dye, Nile Red is described herein. The dye based TLC method of the present invention is convenient and provides significant advantages over existing methods for estimating the purity of a biodiesel composition.
US08476072B2
The invention relates to a set of genetic constructs which allow the efficient and reproducible introduction of a specific nucleotide sequence at a fixed position in the genome by generating a double strand break at a specific position in the genome using a meganuclease and so stimulating a homologous recombination event at this locus between the genomic site and a transfected donor sequence. The present invention also relates to methods using these constructs and to these materials in the form of a kit.
US08476069B2
The present specification discloses clonal cell lines susceptible to BoNT/A intoxication, methods of producing such clonal cell lines, and methods of detecting Botulinum toxin serotype A activity using such clonal cell lines.
US08476063B2
Methods and devices for the interfacing of microchips to various types of modules are disclosed. The technology disclosed can be used as sample preparation and analysis systems for various applications, such as DNA sequencing and genotyping, proteomics, pathogen detection, diagnostics and biodefense.
US08476062B2
A system for biosensor-based detection of toxins includes providing at least one time-dependent control signal generated by a biosensor in a gas or liquid medium, and obtaining a time-dependent biosensor signal from the biosensor in the gas or liquid medium to be monitored or analyzed for the presence of one or more toxins selected from chemical, biological or radiological agents. The time-dependent biosensor signal is processed to obtain a plurality of feature vectors using at least one of amplitude statistics and a time-frequency analysis. At least one parameter relating to toxicity of the gas or liquid medium is then determined from the feature vectors based on reference to the control signal.
US08476056B2
A new thermotolerant Actinomadura sp., which is capable of degrading polyesters, is provided. Compositions comprising the species for use in degrading polyesters are also provided. The invention also relates to methods for degrading polyesters by using the strain and the composition.
US08476047B2
In an alcohol fermentation process, oil derived from biomass is hydrolyzed into an extractant available for in situ removal of a product alcohol such as butanol from a fermentation broth. The glycerides in the oil can be catalytically (e.g., enzymatically) hydrolyzed into free fatty acids, which form a fermentation product extractant having a partition coefficient for a product alcohol greater than a partition coefficient of the oil of the biomass for the product alcohol. Oil derived from a feedstock of an alcohol fermentation process can be hydrolyzed by contacting the feedstock including the oil with one or more enzymes whereby at least a portion of the oil is hydrolyzed into free fatty acids forming a fermentation product extractant, or the oil can be separated from the feedstock prior to the feedstock being fed to a fermentation vessel, and the separated oil can be contacted with the enzymes to form the fermentation product extractant. The fermentation product extractant can be contacted with a fermentation broth for in situ removal of a product alcohol.
US08476040B2
The present invention generally relates to methods and compositions for expressing proteins or polypeptides in prokaryotic hosts using eukaryotic signal sequences.
US08476039B2
Disclosed is a Thermoanaerobacter sp. bacterial strain (BKH1) isolated from a hot spring, a purified protein (bioremediase) isolated from bacterial strain BKH1, as well as concrete compositions comprising BKH1 and/or the protein, and methods of using the protein and/or composition. Also disclosed are nucleic acids encoding the protein isolated from BKH1, as well as expression vectors, host cells, cell lines, and methods for generating and purifying the bioremediase protein.
US08476038B1
A method for determining a capability of a compound for inhibiting a receptor through a change of intracellular calcium ion when the receptor is activated is provided. Contacting a host cell genetically engineered to express an apo-clytin-II protein generated from a codon-optimized nucleic acid with a test compound, and then determining an amount of light generated. The intracellular calcium ion can be detected much more easily.
US08476037B2
A method for screening for an antiviral agent capable of blocking a viral viroporin by determining whether a test agent can rescue expression of a fragment of a viral viroporin in a Single Protein Production system of Escherichia coli is provided.
US08476035B2
The present invention provides an agent that modulates physiological condition of pests, wherein the agent has an ability to modulate the activity of an insect choline acetyltransferase; a method for assaying pesticidal activity of a test substance, which comprises measuring the activity of a choline acetyltransferase in a reaction system in which the choline acetyltransferase contacts with a test substance, and the like.
US08476029B2
The invention describes a practical and robust multi-antibody approach to the sensitive immunodetection and determination of the drug of abuse m-chlorophenyl piperazine (mCPP). The invention also describes methods and kits for mCPP detection in an in vitro sample.
US08476026B2
The invention is directed to assays for biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer that can be used diagnostically. It includes glass or plastic plates or slides on which the biomarkers have been immobilized and kits containing these plates or slides.
US08476024B2
The invention relates to an isolated polypeptide of the luminal domain of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2C of Homo sapiens wherein at least 70 percent of the amino acid sequence is identical to the amino acid sequence of the SV2C of Homo sapiens. The polypeptide binds the HC fragment of botulinum neurotoxin A provided that the polypeptide is not the synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2C of Homo sapiens.
US08476020B1
Genetic variants in the BRCA2 gene are disclosed which are useful as diagnosis biomarkers.
US08476018B2
The invention provides methods and compositions for attaching oligonucleotide tags to polynucleotides for the purpose of carrying out analytical assays in parallel and for decoding the oligonucleotide tags of polynucleotides selected in such assays. Words, or subunits, of oligonucleotide tags index submixtures in successively more complex sets of submixtures (referred to herein as “tiers” of submixtures) that a polynucleotide goes through while successive words are added to a growing tag. By identifying each word of an oligonucleotide tag, a series of submixtures is identified including the first submixture that contains only a single polynucleotide, thereby providing the identity of the selected polynucleotide. The analysis of the words of an oligonucleotide tag can be carried out in parallel, e.g. by specific hybridization of the oligonucleotide tag to its tag complement on an addressable array; or such analysis can be carried out serially by successive specific hybridizations of labeled word complements, or the like.
US08476016B2
The present invention relates to methods for performing surveys of the genetic diversity of a population. The invention also relates to methods for performing genetic analyses of a population. The invention further relates to methods for the creation of databases comprising the survey information and the databases created by these methods. The invention also relates to methods for analyzing the information to correlate the presence of nucleic acid markers with desired parameters in a sample. These methods have application in the fields of geochemical exploration, agriculture, bioremediation, environmental analysis, clinical microbiology, forensic science and medicine.
US08476014B2
A hybridization probe containing two linear strands of DNA lights up upon hybridization to a target DNA using silver nanoclusters that have been templated onto one of the DNA strands. Hybridization induces proximity between the nanoclusters on one strand and an overhang on the other strand, which results in enhanced fluorescence emission from the nanoclusters.
US08475997B2
A resist composition for immersion exposure including: a fluorine-containing polymeric compound (F) containing a structural unit (f1) having a base dissociable group and a structural unit (f2) represented by general formula (f2-1) (wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group or a halogenated lower alkyl group; and W is a group represented by any one of general formulas (w-1) to (w-4)); a base component (A) that exhibits changed solubility in an alkali developing solution under the action of acid; and an acid generator component (B) that generates acid upon exposure.
US08475996B2
There is provided a photosensitive resin composition comprising:(a) 100 parts by weight of a polyorganosiloxane obtained by a method of combining at least one silanol compound represented by the following formula (1): R12Si(OH)2 (1) {the groups in the formula being defined in the claims}, at least one alkoxysilane compound represented by the following formula (2): R2aR3bSi(OR4)4-a-b (2) {the groups in the formula being defined in the claims} and a catalyst, and polymerizing them without active addition of water; (b) 1-50 parts by weight of a photopolymerization initiator; (c) 40-600 parts by weight of a fluorene compound represented by the following formula (3): {the groups in the formula being defined in the claims}; and (d) 20-300 parts by weight of a compound other than component (c), having one or two (meth)acryloyl groups in the molecule.
US08475988B2
Disclosed are a resin-filled ferrite carrier core material for an electrophotographic developer, including a porous ferrite particle, wherein the composition of the porous ferrite particle is represented by the following formula (1), and part of (MgO) and/or (Fe2O3) in the following formula (1) is replaced with SrO; a ferrite carrier obtained by filling a resin in the voids of the ferrite carrier core material; and an electrophotographic developer using the ferrite carrier: ( MgO ) x ( Fe 2 O 3 ) y ( x = 10 mol % or more and less than 25 mol % y = exceeding 75 mol % and 90 mol % or less x + y = 100 mol % ) . ( 1 )
US08475987B2
A yellow toner is provided which can form high-quality images and has high offset resistance and excellent charging performance while being a capsule-type toner having excellent low-temperature fixability. The yellow toner satisfies, in DSC measurement, 40.0≦Tg(0.5)≦60.0 and 2.0≦Tg(4.0)−Tg(0.5)≦10.0, wherein when the concentration of the yellow toner in an ethyl acetate dispersion is Cy1 (mg/ml) and the light absorbance at a wavelength of 422 nm of the dispersion is A(ethyl acetate)422, the relationship between Cy1 and A(ethyl acetate)422 satisfies A(ethyl acetate)422/Cy1<0.45, and when the concentration of the yellow toner in a chloroform solution is Cy2 (mg/ml) and the light absorbance at a wavelength of 422 nm of the solution is A(chloroform)422, the relationship between Cy2 and A(chloroform)422 satisfies 6.00
US08475978B2
A photomask blank has a film of a transition metal/silicon base material comprising a transition metal, silicon, oxygen and nitrogen, having an oxygen content of at least 3 atom %, and satisfying the formula: 4×CSi/100−6×CM/100>1 wherein CSi is a silicon content in atom % and CM is a transition metal content in atom %.
US08475973B2
Exemplary embodiments include a product and a method of a bipolar plate assembly having a pair of plates, the bipolar plate assembly being a part of a fuel cell stack. The pair of plates may be joined together at their respective borders by a mechanical forming process.
US08475968B2
A fueled cell system comprising: an anode compartment comprising a compound having the formula R1R2N—NR3R4, a salt, a hydrate or a solvate thereof, as fuel, and a catalyst layer which comprises copper or a copper alloy; a cathode compartment comprising an oxidant; and a separator interposed between said cathode and said anode compartments, wherein each of R1-R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, heteroalicyclic, alkoxy, carboxy, ketone, amide, hydrazide and amine, provided that at least one of R1-R4 is hydrogen.
US08475967B2
To provide a membrane/electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells, capable of achieving high power generation performance under low or no humidity operation conditions, and a process for producing a cathode for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. A membrane/electrode assembly 10, comprising: an anode 20 having a catalyst layer 22 and a gas diffusion layer 28, a cathode 30 having a catalyst layer 32 and a gas diffusion layer 38, and a polymer electrolyte membrane 40 interposed between the catalyst layer 22 of the anode 20 and the catalyst layer 32 of the cathode, wherein the cathode 30 has, between the catalyst layer 32 and the gas diffusion layer 38, a first interlayer 36 comprising carbon fibers (C1) and a fluorinated ion exchange resin (F1), and a second interlayer 34 comprising carbon fibers (C2) and a fluorinated ion exchange resin (F2), in this order from the gas diffusion layer 38 side.
US08475961B2
The present disclosure relates to energy storage or collection devices and methods for making such devices having electrode materials containing exfoliated nanotubes with attached electro- or photoactive nanoscale particles or layers.The exfoliated nanotubes and attached nanoscale particles or layers may be easily fabricated by methods such as coating, solution or casting or melt extrusion to form electrodes. Electrolytes may also be used for dispersing nanotubes and also in a polymeric form to allow melt fabrication methods.
US08475954B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide flexible, multi-voltage battery modules having multiple cells that are nested together. The cells can be, for example, cylindrical lithium ion cells. To increase cell package density, the cells can be disposed in a nested configuration so that adjacent cell centers form equilateral triangles. The cells can be placed in a housing or case with interlocking tabs that allow multiple modules to be connected together. Within a module, the cells can be connected in different configurations by buss bars at the top and the bottom of the battery cells. The different configurations may provide different voltages for the module.
US08475952B2
The battery module includes: a plurality of batteries; a housing 50 in which the plurality of batteries are aligned and stored; and a cooling pipe 70 provided along the plurality of batteries in the housing 50, the cooling pipe 70 being filled with a cooling medium, wherein the cooling pipe 70 is made of a material which melts when the temperature of the battery reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature.
US08475951B2
A battery unit for vehicles comprises a plurality of battery, bus bars, and insulating plates. The plurality of batteries is installed with the terminals facing in the same direction, where the direction to which the pairs of terminals are facing is arranged in the same direction and the batteries are electrically connected by the bus bars. A refrigerant flows in the direction to which the pairs of terminals are connected, and cools the terminals and the bus bars. The insulating plates are disposed between the bus bars connected with different batteries. In addition, the insulating plates and are disposed extending in the direction to which the pairs of terminals are connected.
US08475950B2
There is provided a secondary battery enabling an electrode terminal to be deformed in an internal direction of a can by preventing the upper plate of the can from being deformed in an internal direction of the can when a compression is applied in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. In one embodiment, a secondary battery includes a can having one opened portion to accommodate an electrode assembly. An upper plate is positioned at the opened portion of the can and has a pair of short side portions and a pair of long side portions connected both sides of the short side portions. In the secondary battery, a short circuit preventing portion formed thinner than other regions while crossing between the long side portions is further formed at a central portion of the bottom surface of the upper plate. Accordingly, the stability of the secondary battery can be improved.
US08475947B2
A perpendicular magnetic recording medium, which includes a first magnetic recording layer, a second magnetic recording layer, and a third magnetic recording layer disposed sequentially on a nonmagnetic substrate, and a coupling layer formed between the first and second magnetic recording layers. The first, second and third magnetic recording layers have an easy axis of magnetization in a direction perpendicular to a film plane of the nonmagnetic substrate. The first and second magnetic recording layers are ferromagnetically coupled via the coupling layer.
US08475938B2
Disclosed is an organic EL device element having high external quantum efficiency and long life time. A lighting device and a display device each using the organic EL device element are also disclosed. The organic EL element comprises plural organic compound layers including a light-emitting layer and at least one hole transport layer, interposed between an anode and a cathode, and a phosphorescent light-emitting compound contained in the light-emitting layer emits light. The organic EL device is characterized in that at least one hole-transport layer contains two or more polymerizable compounds represented by general Formula (1) or two or more polymer compounds having a structural unit derived from a compound.In the Formula (1) L1 represents a divalent bonding group, Ar1 through Ar4 represent an aromatic group, provided that at least one of Ar1 through Ar4 represents a polymerizable group as a substituent.
US08475897B2
The invention relates to a laminate comprising two plastic films and in between a metal or metaloxide layer and a crystalline triazine layer, the laminate having a lamination strength of about 2 N/inch or more as measured in a 90 degree tensile testing at 30 mm/min. The invention further relates to a composite layer, comprising a metal or metal oxide, and a triazine layer comprising a triazine compound suitable for said laminate. The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of a composite layer, comprising the step of applying a triazine layer on a substrate with a metal or metal oxide layer by vapor deposition of the triazine compound, wherein the process comprises (a) applying to the metal or metal oxide layer a compound other than a triazine compound, (b) vapor depositing the triazine compound on the metal or metal oxide layer while the compound is at least in part in a liquid state.
US08475895B2
Articles including a primary composite structure having a circumference, at least one mounting flange operably connected to the primary composite structure about the circumference, the mounting flange having at least one circumferentially oriented core fiber.
US08475893B2
A vacuum insulation panel (VIP) in an example comprises first and second walls and a plurality of tensile elements. The first and second walls are structurally coupled to allow formation of a vacuum cavity between the first and second walls. The plurality of tensile elements structurally supports the first and second walls against external pressure contemporaneous with tension on the plurality of tensile elements. The plurality of tensile elements is located in the vacuum cavity between the first and second walls.
US08475892B2
A transfer film includes a substrate, a decorative layer, and an adhering layer. The decorative layer is positioned by solidifying ultraviolet curing ink on the substrate. The adhering layer is positioned on the decorative layer.
US08475878B2
A method of forming an article that includes applying an aqueous dispersion to a porous substrate, wherein the aqueous dispersion includes a thermoplastic polymer, a dispersing agent, and water. The method includes removing at least a portion of the water, to result in an article formed that is breathable.
US08475875B2
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for manufacturing a treated web. The subject methods and apparatus involve the control of numerous variables, including, without limitation, web tension (both overall web tension as well as the web tension immediately before and after each individual blade), angle of entry of web into each blade, blade angle in relation to horizontal reference point, blade pressure against moving web, angle of exit of web from each blade, web speed, number of blades, the pressure of the leading nip rolls, the pressure of the trailing nip rolls, static control, thickness of each blade, bevel on each blade, oven cure temperature, oven cure dwell time, blade temperature and blade surfaces and edge conditions and blade finish.
US08475873B2
A method is described for coating a flexible medium made from fabric, paper, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, polypropylene, polyamide, polyethylene, polyurethane, non-woven fibreglass fabrics, or polyethylene terephthalate with a tin-free elastomer silicon composition that can be cross-linked by polycondensation.
US08475872B2
Simplified patterning of layers of a thin film is disclosed. In some embodiments, the patterning can include patterning a first conductive layer using a patterned dielectric layer as a mask and patterning a second conductive layer using a patterned passivation layer as another mask. In other embodiments, the patterning can include patterning a first conductive layer using a removable photosensitive layer as a mask, patterning a black mask layer using a removable photo mask, and patterning a second conductive layer using a patterned passivation layer as another mask. In still other embodiments, the patterning can include patterning a first conductive layer using a patterned black mask layer as a mask and patterning a second conductive layer using a patterned passivation layer as another mask. An exemplary device utilizing the thin film so patterned can include a touch sensor panel.
US08475866B2
A method for manufacturing a ceramic electronic component capable of preventing degradation of the self alignment property and product characteristics due to absorption of flux into pores of a ceramic element assembly during soldering in mounting and a ceramic electronic component. In the method, a ceramic element assembly is subjected to an oil-repellent treatment by using an oil-repellent agent containing a polyfluoropolyether compound as a primary component and hydrofluoroether as a solvent, so as to avoid absorption of the flux by the ceramic element assembly.
US08475865B2
Aspects of the invention relate to a food emulsion, such as a water-in-oil emulsion. In some aspects the fat phase of the emulsion has a first fat and a second fat, where the melting point of the second fat is lower than that of the first fat. The first fat can exist in several crystal forms, but is present in the emulsion substantially in a single crystal form. The emulsion may be useful as a filling for confectionery compositions. Other aspects relate to confectionery compositions incorporating the emulsions, and to methods of making the emulsions.
US08475860B2
A method for preparing a liquid comestible from a cell by passing liquid through the substance using centrifugal forces, wherein gas contained in the cell is controllably purged from the cell as liquid fills the cell. In one embodiment, the method includes prewetting the substance in the cell by filling liquid in the cell and rotating the cell at a first rotational speed; and then extracting the liquid comestible from the cell in an extraction phase which comprises continuing to fill liquid into the cell and rotating the cell at a second rotational speed that is higher than the first rotational speed. The invention also discloses a cell for use in these methods which cell includes a filter for preventing solids from being carried by gas during the gas purge.
US08475855B2
A confectionery product comprises first and second confectionery mass layers arranged in contact with each other as a laminate. At least one of the inner surfaces of the first and second confectionery mass layers is provided with at least one depression, and preferably a plurality of depressions arranged in a regular two-dimensional array. The inner surfaces of the confectionery mass layers define at least one pocket in the confectionery product, the or each pocket being located in an area corresponding to a respective depression. The pockets may provide aeration on a macro scale, and they may be at least partially filled with a liquid, semi-solid or solid material.
US08475853B2
In the recovery of canola protein isolates from canola oil seeds steps are taken to inhibit the formation of coloring components and to reduce the presence of materials tending to form coloring components, to obtain a lighter and less yellow canola protein isolate.
US08475848B2
The invention provides a cosmetic composition for topical use having anti-radical properties and including at least one plant extract of natural origin in a cosmetically acceptable medium, the composition being characterized in that said at least one plant extract of natural origin is insoluble.
US08475846B2
A combination pigment having a mica and/or metal oxide-coated mica substrate, an absorption colorant coating, and a waxy film bonding the absorption colorant coating to the substrate.
US08475844B2
Polymers of fluorinated monomers and acrylate and alkyl acrylates are disclosed which demonstrate improved performance as coatings for implantable devices. Such coatings may, for example, be used to release a bioactive agent from the medical device. One specific application lies in drug-eluting coatings for stents.
US08475839B2
Monolayer, bilayer and trilayer solid dosage forms of a combination of valsartan, amlodipine and hydrochlorothiazide are made.
US08475837B2
The potential for substance abuse involving residual amounts of abusable substances remaining in used skin-worn patches is reduced by the provision of a system and method for combining the abusable substance with a separate anti-abuse substance agent as part of a removal or disposal procedure.
US08475827B2
A method is provided for preparing a tissue implant for implantation. The method includes treating a pericardium tissue material, which has been harvested from a donor and rendered essentially acellular, with a chlorine dioxide treatment solution; and thereafter treating the pericardium tissue material with an antioxidant solution, which comprises ascorbic acid or a salt thereof.
US08475825B2
The present invention is directed to curable compositions that comprise a non-porous substrate, one or more cyanoacrylate polymerization initiators and a prepolymer composition comprising at least one liquid cyanoacrylate monomer or mixture of such monomers (solid or liquid) and/or cyanoacrylate oligomers. The non-porous substrate is a collection of individual particulates that are not bound, bonded or fixed to one another. At least one initiator is deposited on the surface of the individual particulates to form a plurality of initiator carriers. The prepolymer composition receives the plurality of initiator carriers to begin a controlled and consistent polymerization or curing of the liquid cyanoacrylate monomer in order to produce a biocompatible adhesive composition for use on living tissue. The present invention also provides for methods of making and using and devices for such a curable compositions, particularly in treating living tissue by applying to living tissue a biocompatible adhesive composition.
US08475821B2
A method of manufacturing a bone prosthetic material, includes by forming tricalcium phosphate (TCP) particle precursor particles; by performing preliminary sintering on the TCP precursor particles at a temperature in a first temperature range to produce TCP particles of diameters in a predetermined diameter range; by granulating the TCP particles to produce granulated bodies; and by performing sintering on the granulated bodies at a temperature in a second temperature range to generate sinter assemblies. The second temperature range is higher than the first temperature range. In the bone prosthetic material manufactured thus, a first space in a range of 100 to 400 μm is formed between adjacent two of a plurality of sintered assemblies. Each of the plurality of sintered assemblies includes tricalcium phosphate (TCP) particles which are subjected to sintering, and a second space in a range of 5 to 100 μm is formed between adjacent two of the TCP particles. The second space communicates with the first space. Each of the plurality of sintered assemblies has a connection portion connecting the TCP particles, and the connection portion has a width in a range of 5 to 20 μm.
US08475820B2
Described herein are implantable devices, formulations and methods of making implantable devices for the release of a polypeptide from an implantable device, and methods of use thereof.
US08475817B2
The present invention relates to substantially dry personal cleansing articles useful for cleansing the skin or hair. These articles are used by the consumer by wetting the substantially dry article with water and then rubbing the article against the skin or hair. The article comprises a water-insoluble substrate having non-fibrous polymeric raised areas on at least one surface of said water insoluble substrate that are formed of a polymeric material having a Shore A hardness of no more than about 80, and a lathering surfactant releasably associated with the substrate. Preferably, the articles of the present invention further comprise a conditioning component.
US08475816B2
The present invention is directed to a hydrating and moisturizing solid emulsion lipstick composition, capable of imparting enhanced shine and coverage, containing: (a) at least one polyamine; (b) at least one polar modified polymer; (c) water; (d) at least one non-volatile solvent; (e) at least one wax having a high melting point; and (e) optionally, at least one colorant.
US08475811B2
A premixed cement paste for use in medical or dental applications. The premixed cement paste remains fluid when stored in a hermetically sealed condition, but hydrates and hardens to set when placed in a physiological environment. The cement paste includes at least one calcium silicate compound and at least one substantially water-free liquid carrier mixed with the at least one calcium silicate compound; the substantially water-free liquid carrier avoids hydration of the mixture during storage, but undergoes exchange with aqueous physiological solutions so that the cement past hydrates and hardens to set when placed in a physiological environment. The paste may be placed in the physiological environment by injection, for example. The at least one calcium silicate compound may be, for example, calcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium silicate, or mixtures thereof. The substantially water-free liquid may be, for example, ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, liquid glycerol, glycerin, ethyl alcohol, vegetable oil, animal oil, silicon oil, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, or mixtures thereof. The substantially water-free liquid carrier preferably includes water in an amount less than about 20% by weight percent of the paste. The paste may include a secondary phase for enhanced properties, such as, for example, a fibrous or particulate material for enhanced mechanical properties, biodegradable or soluble materials that provide room for bone in-growth, bioactive materials such as antibiotics that elute into the physiological environment from the set cement, and radio-opaque materials that enhance X-ray imaging of the cement.
US08475805B2
The present invention relates to a method for reducing the percentage of concomitant infections in pigs or a herd of pigs caused by pathogens other than PCV2 comprising the step administering to said pig(s) an effective amount of PCV2 antigen or an immunogenic composition comprising PCV2 antigen. It also refers to a method for improving the resistance of pigs against concomitant infections with pathogens other than PCV2, comprising the step administering to said pig(s) an effective amount of PCV2 antigen or an immunogenic composition comprising PCV2 antigen.
US08475796B2
The present invention relates generally to a method for the treatment and prophylaxis of pain. In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed that antagonists of GM-CSF are effective in the treatment of pain. Antagonists of GM-CSF include, but are not limited to, antibodies which are specific for GM-CSF or the GM-CSF receptor. The present invention further provides transgenic animals, such as a GM-CSF knock-out mouse, useful for testing antagonists in certain disease models.
US08475794B2
Disclosed herein are compositions and methods of use comprising combinations of anti-CD74 antibodies with a therapeutic agent. The therapeutic agent may be attached to the anti-CD74 antibody or may be separately administered, either before, simultaneously with or after the anti-CD74 antibody. In preferred embodiments, the therapeutic agent is an antibody or fragment thereof that binds to an antigen different from CD74, such as CD19, CD20, CD21, CD22, CD23, CD37, CD40, CD40L, CD52, CD80, IL-6, CXCR4 and HLA-DR. However, the therapeutic agent may an immunomodulator, a cytokine, a toxin or other therapeutic agent known in the art. More preferably, the anti-CD74 antibody is part of a DNL complex, such as a hexavalent DNL complex. Most preferably, combination therapy with the anti-CD74 antibody or fragment and the therapeutic agent is more effective than the antibody alone, the therapeutic agent alone, or the combination of anti-CD74 antibody and therapeutic agent that are not conjugated to each other. Administration of the anti-CD74 antibody and therapeutic agent induces apoptosis and cell death of target cells in diseases in which CD74 is overexpressed, such as solid tumors, B-cell lymphomas or leukemias, autoimmune disease, immune dysfunction disease, type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
US08475789B2
The present invention relates to products and methods for preventing, ameliorating and/or treating infections and other diseases. In one aspect, the products of the present invention relates to compositions comprising germ free colostrum. In another aspect, the products of the present invention relates to compositions comprising synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins. In a third aspect, the products of the present invention relates to compositions comprising germ free colostrum enriched with synthetically multimerised immunoglobulins. The invention also relates to use of said compositions as a pharmaceutical e.g. for prophylactic or ameliorating treatment of infections and other diseases. In addition the invention comprises methods for production of said compositions.
US08475785B2
Cell-based immunotherapy (e.g., immunization or vaccination) may be improved by frequent administration to a human subject of allogeneic cancer cells secreting a modified heat shock protein (e.g., gp96), depletion of B cells in the subject, or both. Antigen (e.g., epitope derived from neoantigen or tumor antigen of allogeneic or syngeneic cancer cells) may induce a specific immune response in the subject. For example, the epitope bound in an immunogenic complex with the secreted heat shock protein may be obtained from allogeneic cancer cells coexpressing both secreted gp96 and antigen, or from syngeneic cancer cells of the subject expressing only antigen.
US08475783B2
Disclosed and claimed herein is a device and method for generating carbon dioxide as an attractant for biting arthropods in combination with a trap, comprising: a reaction chamber charged with an aqueous acid solution when in use; a gas outlet from the reaction chamber connecting between the reaction chamber and the trap; a feeder reservoir containing a powder when in use, said powder comprising a bicarbonate salt; and means for controllably adding the powder to the reaction chamber; whereby carbon dioxide is generated in the reaction chamber, passed through the outlet and into the trap.
US08475776B2
Described herein are compositions and methods for preventing and/or treating diseases involving aberrant angiogenesis employing one or more benzo[c]chromen-6-one derivatives.
US08475774B2
Aqueous compositions including a discontinuous oil phase containing an ultraviolet radiation-absorbing polymer stabilized in a continuous aqueous phase, an oil-gelling polymer, and which are substantially free of non-polymeric ultraviolet radiation-absorbers.
US08475772B2
Peptides have been identified that bind to tooth enamel. Compositions and methods comprising peptide-based oral care reagents having at least one tooth enamel-binding peptide and an oral care benefit agent are provided to adhere the benefit agent to the oral surface.
US08475771B2
A dentifrice composition comprising an orally acceptable vehicle having distributed therein a water hydratable film flakes having a matrix comprised of a water soluble hydroxy alkyl cellulose polymer and a starch, and having entrained therein a constituent selected from therapeutic cosmetic and decorative materials.
US08475769B2
A stable, high VOC, single phase, non-aqueous liquid aerosol composition having enhanced dispersion based on reduced particle size and increased evaporation rate to result in improved active ingredient dispersion, slower settling in air and less residue on surfaces. The composition includes at least one hydrocarbon propellant, at least one active ingredient and a solvent blend. The solvent blend includes at least one low volatility solvent and at least one high volatility solvent wherein each has a defined vapor pressure and Hansen solubility parameter. The composition upon dispersion as a spray has an aerosol particle size of less than 30 microns.
US08475759B2
The present invention relates to a chemical composition and method of generating carbon dioxide for use with an insect monitor and/or capture device comprising: i) an effervescent agent; ii) a solid acid; iii) a deliquescent agent; and optionally iv) an anti-clumping agent.
US08475749B2
A method recovers noble metals from noble metal-containing compositions and includes steps of (i) providing a noble metal-containing composition containing an adsorption agent that is based on an inorganic material and is functionalized by organic groups and has at least one noble metal adsorbed to it, and (ii) ashing of the noble metal-containing composition provided in step (i) in order to adjust a residual carbon content of at most 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the noble metal-containing composition after ashing, to obtain an ashed composition.
US08475747B1
A method of processing spent TRIZO-coated nuclear fuel may include adding fluoride to complex zirconium present in a dissolved TRIZO-coated fuel. Complexing the zirconium with fluoride may reduce or eliminate the potential for zirconium to interfere with the extraction of uranium and/or transuranics from fission materials in the spent nuclear fuel.
US08475745B2
An apparatus and process is disclosed for hydroprocessing hydrocarbon feed in a hydroprocessing unit and hydrotreating a second hydrocarbon. The hydrotreating effluent is mixed with hydroprocessing effluent and together fractionated.
US08475744B2
The present invention provides a solution bag that is used for medical treatment and stores solution used for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry that measures and analyzes the concentrations of electrolytes, the partial pressures of gases, and the concentrations of metabolites or the volume ratio of red blood cells contained in blood. The solution bag for an apparatus for analyzing blood chemistry of the present invention includes: a receptacle that contains a solution; a valve body that is attached to the receptacle and has a through-hole longitudinally formed therein; a valve spool that is disposed in the through-hole of the valve body; and a solution leakage preventing unit that is disposed in the valve spool, in which the valve body has a flow channel and a solution discharging pipe spaced at a predetermined distance from each other.
US08475743B2
Multilevel microfluidic devices include a control line that can simultaneously actuate valves for both sample and reagent lines. Microfluidic devices are configured to contain a first reagent in a first chamber and a second reagent in a second chamber, where either or both of the first and second reagents are contained at a desired or selected pressure. Operation of a microfluidic device includes transmitting second reagent from the second chamber to the first chamber, for mixing or contact with the first reagent. Microfluidic device features such as channels, valves, chambers, can be at least partially contained, embedded, or formed by or within one or more layers or levels of an elastomeric block.
US08475739B2
Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.
US08475736B2
The present invention provides a microfluidic device, for instance for molecular sieving or for detecting a target substance in a sample fluid. The device comprises a first substrate (120) having a substantially flat first surface that is provided with first recesses (124), and a second substrate (128) having a substantially flat second surface that is provided with second recesses (130). At least some of the first recesses are filled with a porous material (114). Alternate first recesses and second recesses form a meandering channel for a sample fluid. The second recesses may be filled with a further porous material. In an embodiment, a capture substance for binding a target substance is arranged in or on the porous material.
US08475733B2
A hand-held test meter and analytical test strip cartridge assembly combination includes a hand-held test meter with a test meter housing and an extractor with a test strip engagement feature, while the analytical test strip cartridge assembly includes a desiccant vial and an analytical test strip cartridge with a cartridge housing, a test strip presentation mechanism disposed within the cartridge housing, and a plurality of analytical test strips (each with at least one extractor engagement feature) disposed in the cartridge housing. The test meter housing is configured for operative engagement with the cartridge housing and the test strip presentation mechanism is configured to present a single analytical test strip from the plurality of analytical test strips for engagement with the extractor. Moreover, the analytical test strip cartridge is configured for operative disposition in the desiccant vial.
US08475724B2
A method for plasma-treating a porous body, comprising the steps of generating plasma using an inert gas or a mixed gas of an inert gas and a reactive gas, (a) blowing the resultant plasma gas to the porous body at a flow rate per a unit area of the porous body of 0.002 to 2 L/minute/cm2, (b) sucking the porous body in a plasma gas atmosphere, or (c) sucking the porous body while blowing the plasma gas to the porous body at said flow rate, thereby treating the plasma the surfaces and pores of said porous body with plasma.
US08475721B2
A holding sealer for keeping a exhaust gas processing device, in which comprises a sheet member including inorganic fibers, the inorganic fibers are oriented in a predetermined angle except parallel against a direction of a thickness of a sheet member within at least a portion of the sheet member.
US08475712B2
An arrangement for the exposure of a pumpable medium to an electric field. The arrangement comprises, at least two power supplies (100) for the generation of electrical voltage, at least one non-conducting chamber (102) for pumping said pumpable medium, which said at least one chamber (102) is provided with a first (106) and a second electrode plate (108), a control means (104) for controlling said at least two power supplies (100). During control the control means (104), by synchronous control, establishes a series connection between at least two of said at least two power supplies (100), the first electrode plate (106) and the second electrode plate (108). A resulting composite voltage arises between the first (106) and the second electrode plate (108), which resulting composite voltage will result in an electric field between the first (106) and the second electrode plate (108). The pumpable medium is exposed to the electric field. A method for the exposure of a pumpable medium to an electric field is also provided.
US08475707B2
An apparatus and a method of manufacturing direct reduction iron and a reduction firing apparatus. The apparatus has a reduction furnace including a left chamber, a right chamber, a material containing device, a step mechanism, a slag distributing device, a charging device, heating burners, a fume extraction path, a charging device, a material receiving tank and a slag discharging path. The method includes the following steps: distributing and charging the slag in the material containing device; carrying and sending the material containing device through a preheating station, a heating station and a reduction station sequentially. Meanwhile, heating the material to be reduced by a combustion of fuel with the heating burners; discharging the reduced material into the material receiving tank; placing the material device from which the material is discharged into the feeding side of the other chamber, then a next work circulation begins.
US08475706B2
A method of making dielectric ceramics containing mixed metal oxides is provided. The method comprises the steps of at least partially coating a metal oxide powder with a metal hydroxide or metal oxide, compacting the coated powder with one or more additional metal compounds or metal compound precursors, and directly sintering the compact in a single step. The method of the invention may be used to avoid occurrence of significant quantities of one or more undesired but thermodynamically or kinetically favored side products. The method of the invention may also be used to synthesize perovskites, in particular lead-magnesium-niobium (PMN), lead-magnesium-niobium-lead-titanium (PMN-PT) perovskites, or lead zirconate titanate (PZT).
US08475694B2
An expandable material is shaped to form a part that can provide functional attributes such as reinforcement to a structure of article of manufacture such as an automotive vehicle.
US08475693B2
This invention provides composite semiconductor substrates and methods for fabricating such substrates. The composite structures include a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor superstrate and an intermediate layer interposed between the substrate and the superstrate that comprises a material that undergoes a structural transformation when subject to a suitable heat treatment. The methods provide such a heat treatment so that the intermediate layer becomes spongy or porous, being filled with numerous micro-bubbles or micro-cavities containing a gaseous phase. The composite semiconductor substrates with structurally-transformed intermediate layers have numerous applications.
US08475687B2
Provided is a hydrogen-storing carbon material with improved hydrogen storage capacity. The hydrogen-storing carbon material has a total pore volume of 0.5 cm3/g or more, and a ratio of a total mesoporous volume to a total microporous volume per unit weight of 5 or more. In addition, the hydrogen-storing carbon material may have a nitrogen content of 0.5 wt % or more and less than 20 wt %. In addition, the hydrogen-storing carbon material may have a stable potential of −1.28 V or more when a cathode current with respect to the hydrogen-storing carbon material is held at 1,000 mA/g in electrochemical measurement by chronopotentiometry involving using the hydrogen-storing carbon material in a working electrode in a three-electrode method.
US08475685B2
A particle includes: a metal; and a compound containing a hydrogen-bonding forming group, an absorption group different from the hydrogen-bonding forming group, and an aromatic ring, M representing the metal, A representing the absorption group, B representing the hydrogen-bonding forming group, a representing an integer of 0 or greater, b representing an integer of 0 or greater, c representing an integer of 1 or greater, R1 representing an aromatic ring (a planar ring up to a pi-electron number of 24) and a derivative of the aromatic ring, R2 through R5 representing a hydrogen atom, saturated hydrocarbon, unsaturated hydrocarbon, an ether bond, an ester bond, a cyano group, or derivatives of the substances and bonds, and the compound having a structure expressed by the following chemical formula.
US08475682B2
To provide a phosphor for manufacturing an one chip type LED illumination, etc, by combining a near ultraviolet/ultraviolet LED and a blue LED, and having an excellent emission efficiency including luminance. The phosphor is given as a general composition formula expressed by MmAaBbOoNn:Z, (where element M is one or more kinds of elements having bivalent valency, element A is one or more kinds of elements having tervalent valency, element B is one or more kinds of elements having tetravalent valency, O is oxygen, N is nitrogen, and element Z is one or more kinds of elements acting as an activator.), satisfying a=(1+x)×m, b=(4−x)×m, o=x×m, n=(7−x)×m, 0≦x≦1, wherein when excited by light in a wavelength range from 300 nm to 500 nm, the phosphor has an emission spectrum with a peak wavelength in a range from 500 nm to 620 nm.
US08475674B2
Methods of dry etching silicon-containing dielectric films are described. The methods include maintaining a relatively high temperature of the dielectric films while etching in order to achieve reduced solid residue on the etched surface. Partially or completely avoiding the accumulation of solid residue increases the etch rate.
US08475668B2
Provided are a substrate liquid processing apparatus, a substrate liquid processing method, and a computer readable storage medium having a substrate liquid processing program stored therein that can prevent the occurrence of the electrostatic breakdown caused by the discharge of electric charges in a substrate. The substrate liquid processing apparatus processes a circuit-forming surface of the substrate with a chemical liquid. Furthermore, prior to processing the substrate with the chemical liquid, the substrate liquid processing apparatus performs an anti-static process for an surface opposite to the circuit-forming surface of the substrate by an anti-static liquid, thereby emitting the electric charges on the substrate.
US08475663B2
A method for removing immiscible fluid from contaminated water includes at least one chamber; an injection line in fluid communication with an inlet of the one chamber; bubble generation means in fluid communication with the injection line for injecting gas bubbles into the injection line and allowing mixing in the injection line of the gas bubbles and the contaminated water to form an inlet fluid; an inlet weir within the chamber adjacent the inlet; an immiscible fluid weir within the chamber; a trough for collecting the immiscible fluid and allowing the immiscible fluid to flow out of the at least one chamber through an immiscible fluid outlet; and a cleaned water outlet generally at the bottom of the chamber.
US08475658B2
Arsenic is removed from water and other aqueous feeds by (1) treating the feed with a compound containing cerium in the +4 oxidation state, preferably cerium dioxide, to oxidize arsenic in the +3 oxidation state to arsenic in the +5 oxidation state and (2) removing the arsenic in the +5 oxidation state from the aqueous phase, normally by contacting the treated feed with alumina or other precipitating agent containing cations in the +3 oxidation state.
US08475656B1
A floating skimmer that is adapted to float on the surface of the water to collect surface debris. The skimmer comprises an inlet connected to a substantially tubular body having an intake port. The substantially tubular body connects to a conduit assembly having an outlet port connecting to the hose of an external suction pump. The conduit assembly may have a plurality of ports such as an intake pipe for connection to an underwater vacuum and a tubing input assembly. The tubing input assembly connects to flexible inlet tubes of various lengths to allow the flow of water and debris from various depths of the pool into the skimmer. In operation, the debris collected from the various intake pipes and ports is removed from the skimmer through suction provided from the external suction pump. This skimmer allows debris to be collected from the surface of the pool as well as from various depths in the pool.
US08475650B2
The present invention relates to a pre-passivation process for a continuous reforming apparatus prior to the reaction, or a passivation process for a continuous reforming apparatus during the initial reaction, comprising loading a reforming catalyst into the continuous reforming apparatus, starting the gas circulation and raising the temperature of a reactor, injecting sulfide into the gas at a reactor temperature ranging from 100-650° C., controlling the sulfur amount in the recycle gas within a range of 0.5-100×10−6 L/L so as to passivate the apparatus.
US08475646B2
Methods are disclosed for measuring substrate content in a specimen using a biosensor that includes two pairs of electrodes in a specimen supply path, where the methods include the steps of: (a) a first detecting step for detecting an electrical change in the first pair of electrodes; (b) a second detecting step for detecting an electrical change in the second pair of electrodes after the first detecting step; (c) a judging step for judging a shortage of specimen amount that is needed for measurement, when an electrical change is not detected in the second detecting step within a prescribed period of time after the first detecting step; (d) an indicating step for indicating a shortage of the specimen amount; and (e) a stopping step for stopping measurement of substrate content in the specimen once the shortage of specimen amount is indicated in the indicating step.
US08475637B2
Embodiments related to increasing a uniformity of an electroplated film are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides an electroplating apparatus comprising a plating chamber, a work piece holder, a cathode contact configured to electrically contact a work piece, and an anode contact configured to electrically contact an anode disposed in the plating chamber. A diffusing barrier is disposed between the cathode contact and the anode contact to provide a uniform electrolyte flow to the work piece, and electrolyte delivery and return paths are provided for delivering electrolyte to and away from the plating chamber. Additionally, a vented electrolyte manifold is disposed in the electrolyte delivery path immediately upstream of the plating chamber, the vented electrolyte manifold comprising one or more electrolyte delivery openings that open to the plating chamber and one or more vents that open to a location other than the plating chamber.
US08475636B2
An apparatus for electroplating a layer of metal onto the surface of a wafer includes an ionically resistive ionically permeable element located in close proximity of the wafer and an auxiliary cathode located between the anode and the ionically resistive ionically permeable element. The ionically resistive ionically permeable element serves to modulate ionic current at the wafer surface. The auxiliary cathode is configured to shape the current distribution from the anode. The provided configuration effectively redistributes ionic current in the plating system allowing plating of uniform metal layers and mitigating the terminal effect.
US08475635B2
Deposition processes and devices for the fabrication of multilayer systems to better control the energy contribution at different stages of the deposition. This is achieved by depositing films by sputtering in a scheme providing for thermalized particles. Thermalized particles are obtained by choosing the working gas pressure and the distance between target and substrate to result in a mean free path of particles smaller than the distance between target and substrate or to result in a product of pressure and distance being larger than 2.0 cmPa.
US08475628B1
A process and apparatus for orienting a plurality of bast stalks for decortication includes receiving a plurality of harvested bast stalks onto a moving belt. The belt has a longitudinal axis in the direction the belt is moving. The process and apparatus orients a substantial portion of the plurality of harvested bast stalks on the belt so that the harvested bast stalks are generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the belt. The oriented plurality of bast stalks may be collected for decortication.
US08475620B2
A holding tool 2 for use in producing of laminated glass includes a frame 3, a bag member 4 and a supporting member 6b for suspending the bag member 4 from the frame 3. The bag member 4 is made of a film with flexibility and airtightness, is provided with a sealable opening and has evacuating ports 7a and 7b in the vicinity of an periphery of a flat shape thereof having the periphery sealed. The frame 3 has a first frame member 3w and a second frame member 3y opposing each other and disposed outside the periphery of the bag member 4, and the bag member 4 is suspended by the supporting member 6b movably against the frame 3 on a holding face formed at least by the first frame member 3w and the second frame member 3y inside an area formed by connecting ends of these frame members.
US08475610B2
A system and method of induction heat treating a gear includes a workstation. The workstation has a power source, an inductor coil, and a rotational mechanism. The gear is induction heat treated at a first portion of the gear and a second portion of the gear remains untreated by induction hardening. The gear has an inner surface. The inner surface includes the first portion and the second portion. The first portion has a first width. The second portion has a second width. The inductor coil includes at least one heating loop and at least one non-heating loop. The inductor coil is energized to a predetermined frequency to create an alternating magnetic field, where the alternating magnetic field developed in the heating loop induces an eddy current in the first portion of the gear.
US08475606B2
Rendering a refractory coating on a metal substrate impenetrable by molten metal.
US08475600B2
A cleaning sheet including a cleaning layer which has a microasperity shape having an arithmetic average roughness Ra of 0.05 μm or less and a maximum height Rz of 1.0 μm or less. Preferably, a substantial surface area of the cleaning layer per a flat surface of 1 mm2 is 150% or more of a substantial surface area of a silicon wafer mirror surface per a flat area of 1 mm2. The cleaning sheet may be provided on at least one surface of a transfer member so that the transfer member has a cleaning function. When the cleaning sheet or the transfer member having a cleaning function is transferred in a substrate processing apparatus in place of a substrate to be processed therein, the cleaning sheet contacts and cleans a site of the substrate processing apparatus.
US08475597B2
A process is proposed for crystallizing, by progressively cooling, in multiple stages arranged in series in a crystallization vessel (10), a descending continuous flow of a saturated sucrose solution at a temperature from about 78° to about 120° C., each stage maintaining the sucrose solution being crystallized at a predetermined temperature, until reaching a temperature from about 25 to 40° C., obtaining substantially pure sucrose crystals. A suspension containing sugar seeds is introduced in the crystallizing equipment, in the first stage, jointly with the saturated sucrose solution of 1.05-1.15. In another embodiment of the invention, the saturated solution is fed and its temperature is controlled, already in the first stage of the vessel (10), to obtain a supersaturation between 1.05 and 1.15, inducing the formation of small crystals used as crystallization seeds.
US08475595B2
A coating system includes a housing, a coating umbrella, a rotatable assembly, a lift driver, a solvent storage chamber, and a jet device. The housing includes a block dividing the housing into a coating chamber and a painting chamber. The coating umbrella is configured for receiving a number of workpieces. The rotatable assembly is connected to the coating umbrella to drive the rotatable assembly to rotate. The lift driver lifts the rotatable assembly to switch the position of the coating umbrella between the coating chamber and the spray painting chamber. The solvent storage chamber is configured for storing paint solvent. The solvent storage chamber communicates with the painting chamber. The jet device is received in the solvent storage chamber, and communicated with the painting chamber to spray the paint solvent onto the workpieces.
US08475589B2
When a silicon single crystal is grown by the CZ method using a pulling apparatus in which a voltage can be applied between a crystal suspending member and a crucible, the voltage is applied under the condition that the crystal suspending member is set as a negative electrode while the crucible is set as a positive electrode in a process for growing a lower end portion of a cylindrical portion or a tail portion which is of a non-convertible portion of the silicon single crystal. A sample wafer is collected from the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion or the tail portion, which is grown in association with the voltage application, and the metal contamination of the sample wafer is evaluated. The sample wafer has enough metal impurity concentration to evaluate the metal contamination. The metal contamination is evaluated for each of the sequentially grown silicon single crystals, so that a metal impurity generation behavior in a pulling apparatus, which is a factor in silicon single crystal metal contamination, can assuredly be grasped.
US08475587B2
Method of improving the product properties of clinker in the firing of raw meal in a clinker or cement furnace in which at least part of the fuels used are low-heating-value or alternative fuels, waste products containing organic substances or low-heating-value or alternative fuels are subjected to thermal dissociation and reaction of the dissociation products using radiant energy. The product gas or synthesis gas formed in this way is fed to the burners of the main firing facility to increase the flame temperature.
US08475585B2
A foamed cement composition is disclosed for utilization in performing a variety of well cementing operations, and to methods for making and using same. The foamed cement composition basically includes a cement, water sufficient to form a pumpable slurry, a gas sufficient to foam the slurry, a foaming agent and optionally a foam stabilizing agent.
US08475569B2
A hydrocarbon adsorber and a thermoplastic resin combined and formed to a porous scavenger for insertion into the air intake system of a motor vehicle engine. The resulting porous scavenger adsorbs volatile hydrocarbon molecules from raw fuel remaining in the air intake when the engine is shout off. The adsorbed molecules are then stripped or purged from the scavenger and reintroduced into the air intake when the engine is next started.
US08475567B2
Process for separating propane and propylene using a distillation column and at least one membrane separation unit constituted by one or more modules operating in series, said membrane separation unit being placed either upstream, or downstream, or upstream and downstream of the distillation column.
US08475565B2
A system of sampling a fluid comprises a fluid separator having a central axis. The fluid separator includes an insulating sleeve. In addition the fluid separator includes a separator assembly coaxially disposed within the sleeve. Further, the fluid separator includes an annulus radially disposed between the sleeve and the separator assembly. The separator assembly includes a conduit, a support rod coaxially disposed within the conduit, and a plurality of separator members coupled to the support rod within the conduit.
US08475554B2
The present invention provides a permeable member which can attain both a pullout strength and following property (sealing property) and provides a permeable casing and an electrical component using the permeable member. The present invention includes a permeable film through which a gas passing an opening passes when the permeable film is fixed to the opening of a casing, and a tubular support that supports the permeable film. The support includes a first resin part that contacts the casing with the support fixed to the opening, and a second resin part composed of a material having a higher elastic modulus than that of a material constituting the first resin part, and the first resin part and the second resin part are laminated at least partly in a transverse section of the support.
US08475552B2
In accordance with one embodiment, a system includes a posimetric pump configured to increase pressure of a feedstock to provide a pressurized feedstock. The system also includes a fixed bed gasifier configured to gasify the pressurized feedstock, wherein the fixed bed gasifier comprises an enclosure, a feedstock inlet configured to receive the pressurized feedstock, at least one agent inlet configured to receive at least one gasification agent, a syngas outlet configured to output a syngas, an ash outlet configured to output ash, and a fixed bed configured to support the pressurized feedstock while allowing flow of the at least one gasification agent through the pressurized feedstock.
US08475549B2
To generate methane from biomass, a biomass pulp is produced from the biomass with a desired dry mass content being set, and the biomass pulp is placed under pressure. The biomass pulp is heated under pressure in order to liquefy the solid organic components of the biomass pulp. The pressurized and heated biomass pulp is heated further to at least the critical temperature of the biomass pulp. Solids precipitated under pressure and increased temperature are separated from the fluid phase. At least a part of the remaining fluid phase is gasified under pressure and increased temperature by means of a reactor to form a methane-rich gas.
US08475546B2
A reactor vessel includes a dipleg connecting a tubular syngas collection chamber and a quench chamber. The collection chamber connects to the dipleg via a slag tap having a frusto-conical part starting from the lower end of the collection chamber and diverging to an opening connected to an interior of the dipleg. The slag tap has a first tubular part connected to the opening of the frusto-conical part and extending in the direction of the dipleg. A second tubular part connects to the frusto-conical part or to the tubular part and extends toward the dipleg. The second tubular part is spaced away from the dipleg to provide an annular space having a discharge conduit. The discharge conduit has a discharge opening located to direct water along the inner wall of the dipleg. At least half of the vertical length of the first tubular part extends below the discharge opening.
US08475540B2
In one embodiment, the present invention relates generally to a multi-stage system for performing melt coalescence and separation, the multi-stage system. In one embodiment, the multi-stage system includes a first container for mixing a powder with a salt, the first container having an opening, a heating means coupled to the first container for heating the first container and a second container coupled to the first container.
US08475539B2
The present disclosure relates to compositions for preparing textile auxiliaries, which are used in particular to enhance the dyeing affinity of textile fibers. The disclosure concerns a composition in the form of an aqueous emulsion or solution which comprises (a) one or more hydroxyalkylamines of formula: NX1X2(CnH2nOH), where X1 and X2 are, independently of one other, either hydrogen or hydroxyalkyl radicals of respective formulae Cn1H2n1OH and Cn2H2n2OH, and n, n1 and n2 are integers from 2 to 6, and (b) one or more anionic surfactants selected from alkyl sulphates, alkylsulphonates such as paraffinsulphonates, alkylarylsulphonates, alkyl ether phosphates, and alkyl carboxylates, and at least one compound (c) and/or (d), where (c) is selected from one or more thioureas (thiocarbamides) of formula R1R2N(CS)NR3R4, where R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently either hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and (d) is selected from one or more dialkyl sulphosuccinates in combination with one or more anti-freeze agents selected from methanol, isopropanol, glycols, preferably glycerol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or glycol ethers, preferably ethers of ethylene glycol or of propylene glycol.
US08475537B2
The airflow regulation system is to be attached to a residual limb of an amputee. The device includes an airflow liner to define a regulated environment between the residual limb and the airflow liner. The liner has a plurality of airflow passageways defining inflow air channels and an outflow air channel in fluid communication with the defined regulated environment. An airflow control system is connected inline with the outflow and inflow air channels. The airflow control system includes an airflow regulation device, such as a vacuum pump, and an airflow initiating device, such as a solenoid.
US08475522B2
A delivery system for delivering a prosthetic heart valve to the aortic valve annulus. The system includes a delivery catheter having a steering mechanism thereon for delivering a balloon-expandable prosthetic heart valve to the aortic annulus in an antegrade fashion through an introducer passing into the left ventricle through its apex. The introducer may have a more floppy distal section than a proximal section to reduce trauma to the heart wall. The delivery catheter includes a deflecting segment just proximal to a distal balloon to facilitate positioning of the prosthetic heart valve in the proper orientation within the annulus. A trigger in a catheter handle may be coupled to a deflection wire that actuates the deflecting segment, while a slider in the handle controls retraction of a valve pusher. A pre-dilation valvuloplasty procedure may also be utilized.
US08475516B2
A low profile support frame for use as an or in an expandable intraluminal medical device includes first and second wire members that define arcuate paths having opposing curves. Connectors join the wire members, and barbs can be disposed on the connectors. The support frame has radially compressed and radially expanded configurations. When the support frame is in the radially expanded configuration, substantially no portion of the support frame is disposed on a first transverse axis of the frame opposite one end of the frame and substantially no portion of the frame is disposed on a second transverse axis of the frame opposite the other end of the frame. The support frame can be used as an intraluminal medical device by itself or as a component in a medical device that includes other components, such as a stent, prosthetic valve, occluder, or filter.
US08475514B2
A stent graft deployment device (10) has a tubular fixed handle (34, 36) to be gripped and held by a user and an elongate release handle (30) extending through the fixed handle so that the release handle can be moved through the fixed handle. The deployment device assembly has a pusher (38) and a sheath (18) to cover a stent graft (64) on the pusher. The pusher is connected to the fixed handle and the sheath is connected to the release handle so that retraction of the release handle through the fixed handle causes the sheath to be retracted from the stent graft on the pusher. The fixed handle includes a grip component (34) that grips the pusher and a rotator component (36) that grips a release clamp (48) on the pusher. The release clamp has trigger wires for the release of the stent graft attached to it. The rotator component has a screw thread (54) with a portion (52) of the release clamp engaged into the screw thread so that rotation of the rotator component causes longitudinal movement of the release clamp on the pusher which pulls the trigger wires.
US08475502B2
An apparatus for distributing the load caused by the insertion of a fastening device into bony tissue is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a crown having a plurality of protrusions. The protrusions may have any desired physical properties, and function to obtain purchase in the bony tissue. Preferably, the crown includes an opening that is selectively engageable with a spherical head of the fastening device. The opening preferably comprises a spherical curvature that allows the surfaces of the spherical head and the opening to maintain flush contact, even when the fastening device is inserted into the bony tissue at a non-orthogonal angle. When the fastening device is inserted into the bony tissue, the crown distributes the load over a wider section of the bone, allowing the bone to maintain its structural integrity.
US08475498B2
A dynamic fixation medical implant having at least two bone anchors includes a longitudinal connecting member assembly having at least one transition portion and cooperating outer sleeve, both the transition portion and sleeve being disposed between the two bone anchors. In a first embodiment, the transition portion includes a rigid length or rod having apertures therein for tying or otherwise attaching the rigid length to a second rigid length or to a flexible cord. Slender ties or cords extend through a plurality of apertures in the rigid lengths or are threaded, tied or plaited to the larger flexible cord or cable. In a second embodiment, a transition portion includes slender ties of a cord that are imbedded in a molded plastic of a more rigid member. The outer sleeve may include compression grooves. The sleeve surrounds the transition portion and extends between the pair of bone anchors, the sleeve being compressible in a longitudinal direction between the bone anchors.
US08475497B2
A spinal implant that includes plates and at least one connector for attachment to spinous processes. The plates may be sized to extend along opposing lateral sides of spinous processes. Connectors may be attached to the plates and extend across the spinous processes. Each of the connectors may be sized and shaped to extend over and across a spinous process and connect the opposing plates together. The connectors may be constructed from a shape-memory material to facilitate attachment with the plates and attachment of the assembly to the spinous processes.
US08475483B2
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of tissue removal and more particularly to methods and devices for use in medical applications involving selective tissue removal. One exemplary method includes the steps of providing a tissue cutting instrument capable of distinguishing between target tissue to be removed and non-target tissue, urging the instrument against the target tissue and the non-target tissue, and allowing the instrument to cut the target tissue while automatically avoiding cutting of non-target tissue. Various tools for carrying out this method are also described.
US08475479B2
An exemplary surgical probe and methods of making the same are disclosed. An exemplary surgical probe may include a tubular body and a scissor assembly received at least partially within the body. The scissor assembly may include a first blade fixed to the tubular body that includes a body portion and an end portion. The scissor assembly may further include a second blade that is configured to move longitudinally within the tubular body. The body portions of the first and second blades may each define respective cross sections normal to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body. The cross sections may each define centrally disposed edges adjacent one another, and the cross sections may each be asymmetrical about a line substantially parallel to the centrally disposed edges.
US08475474B2
A method of performing anastomosis between a graft vessel and a target vessel, each having a circumferential wall and a lumen therethrough, may include providing an anastomosis tool including a tissue effector and a fluid-driven actuator operationally connected to that tissue effector; connecting the fluid-driven actuator to an energy source; placing an end of the graft vessel in proximity to the side of the target vessel; and actuating the fluid-driven actuator to connect the end of the graft vessel to the side of the target vessel.
US08475468B2
A method and apparatus for accessing the pericardial space which provides for stable short term or long term placement of a delivery catheter or cannula having its distal most end located in the pericardial space. The catheter or cannula may be introduced into the pericardial space either transvenously through the wall of a heart chamber or transthoracically by penetrating the chest wall and the pericardium. Some embodiments are provided with a mechanism for stabilizing the distal end of the catheter or cannula, which mechanism may employ an extensible elastic, generally tubular member located at the distal end of the catheter or cannula. The device may be provided with a mechanism for extending the tubular member longitudinally, causing its diameter to diminish substantially. The tubular member may be passed through the wall of the heart or the pericardium in its extended configuration and thereafter, the distal-most portion of the tubular member may be moved proximally, causing its diameter enlarge, anchoring the distal end of the catheter or cannula to the pericardium or to the wall of a heart chamber. In these embodiments, the device is preferably provided with a shoulder or flange located proximal to the extendible tubular member, for location on the opposite side of the heart wall or pericardium from the distal end of the catheter or cannula.
US08475464B2
A cannula (1) comprising A) a central axis (2), a front end (3), a rear end (4) and a channel (5) coaxial or parallel to said central axis (2) and defining a peripheral wall (12) of said cannula (1); B) referencing means (15) at said rear end (4), so that said cannula (1) can be brought in a desired position relative to a cavity (120) in a bone; wherein C) said cannula (1) further comprises at least two perforations (8) penetrating said peripheral wall (12) transversely to said central axis (2); and D) said at least two perforations (8) are arranged in a portion (16) of said peripheral wall (12) which extends over an arc (18) orthogonal to said central axis (2) with a central angle α<270°. A method for applying bone cement into a bone structure comprising the steps of: A) selecting at least one region in a bone where the trabecular bone structure is to be augmented; B) producing at least one cavity (120) communicating with said at least one bone region; C) applying a fluid jet lavage towards said at least one bone region, and D) providing bone cement to said at least one bone region.
US08475445B2
A method and system for choosing suitable sites for catheter delivery ablative energy is provided that includes a catheter/ablation structure that is positioned on a potential ablation site on a heart. The catheter/ablation structure produces one or more electrograms recorded at the potential ablation site. A signal processing unit receives from the catheter/ablation structure the recorded one or more intercardiac electrograms from the potential ablation site and performing Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on the recorded one or more intercardiac electrograms as so to produce one or more spectral power distributions of the potential ablation site. A display unit displays the one or more spectral power distributions so as to determine whether the potential RF ablation site exhibit necessary spectral properties for the delivery of the ablative energy. A ablative energy generator unit provides the ablative energy to the potential ablation site using the catheter/ablation structure.
US08475441B2
A system and method for use with at least one cryoprobe for the treatment of biological tissue controls the energy applied to the tissue. The invention receives live procedure data such as temperature information from locations along the pathway of the cryogenic liquids, and calculates a procedure signature or profile based on the procedure data. In one embodiment, volumetric isotherms are calculated. The procedure signature is compared to a planning signature based on previously acquired image data and estimates of the thermal gradients from models. The system and method are further configured to automatically regulate the application of power based on analysis of the planning data to the procedure data.
US08475438B2
The invention related to a method and a system for non- or minimally disruptive photomanipulation of the lens and/or its constituents collectively or selectively of an animal or human eye, comprising focusing a treatment laser beam into a selected part of the lens and/or its constituents collectively or selectively where treatment is intended to occur, pulsing of said treatment laser beam, scanning the beam over at least a part of the lens, measuring one or more types of radiation from the said selected part and utilizing this measurement to decide to stop the said treatment laser beam or to adjust at least one of the parameters: focus, intensity, wavelength, pulse length, repetition frequency, pulse train length, scan velocity, size of scanned volume, scan repetitions, and scan pattern of said treatment laser beam.
US08475435B2
A partial-length catheter, or an extendable tube or sleeve member of the catheter, is selectively movable within the prostatic urethra to open a urine drainage passageway through and obstructed portion of the prostatic urethra or to open the external urinary sphincter muscle and thereby discharge urine from the bladder. A control element is manipulated at a position exterior of the urinary canal to selectively move the catheter or the extendable tube or sleeve member, thereby selectively controlling urine discharge.
US08475432B2
An infusion medium delivery system, device and method for delivering an infusion medium to a patient-user, includes a needle inserter device and method for inserting a needle and/or cannula into a patient-user to convey the infusion medium to the patient-user. The needle inserter device and method operate to insert a needle and cannula into a patient-user's skin and automatically withdraw the needle from the patient-user, leaving the cannula in place and in fluid flow communication with a reservoir. The delivery device may include a base portion and a durable portion connectable to the base portion, and wherein the base portion can be separated from the durable portion and disposed of after one or more specified number of uses. The base portion supports the reservoir and the needle inserter device, while the durable portion supports a drive device for selectively driving the infusion medium out of the reservoir and into the needle and/or cannula.
US08475429B2
A system for applying shear stress ex-situ to a fluid. A method of preparing a fluid for intravenous administration to a patient. In some embodiments, the system comprises a shear device; and at least one device configured for intravenous administration of the fluid to a patient, the devices defining a fluid passage configured to be sterilized and maintained sterile during use, the fluid comprising at least one therapeutic fluid, blood, or a combination thereof. The shear device of the system is in fluid communication with the at least one device configured for intravenous administration of the fluid to a patient.
US08475427B2
A disposable absorbent article to be worn about the lower torso of a wearer that facilitates an easy, intuitive change is provided. The disposable absorbent article includes at least one serviceable indicium that facilitates an easy change by providing alignment of the article relative to an anatomical feature of the wearer or by externally highlighting one or more components of the article thereby indicating alignment and fit about the wearer's lower torso.
US08475424B2
The disposable pull-on garment has a longitudinal centerline, a front region, a crotch region, and a back region. The front and back regions are joined at seams to form a waist opening and leg openings. The pull-on garment comprises a main portion, a side portion, and a waist portion. The side portion is disposed transversely outboard of the main portion. The waist portion comprises a center waist portion, an outer side waist portion, and an inner side waist portion. The contraction rate of the inner side waist portion is less than that of the center waist portion, and the contraction rate of the side portion longitudinally inboard of the inner side waist portion is greater than that of the inner side waist portion.
US08475422B2
The present invention is a sperm collector with squeezing function. It includes a soft rubber body provided with a penis insertion passage and a container body provided with at least a top end cover and receives the soft rubber body. When the top end cover and the container body are engaged, the soft rubber body is confined within a cavity formed by the top end cover and the container body. When the top end cover is disengaged, a front end portion of the soft rubber body protrudes out of an opening of the container body. A pressing means is provided at a middle lower portion of the container body. When using the present invention, the user could press the pressing means to squeeze the penis insertion passage of the sperm collector. Accordingly, stimulation to penis is increased and better effect of sperm collection is achieved. In particular, since the present invention is also provided with a heating rod, lubricant pockets and electrical vibrators, which enable the user to reach a climax as quick as possible, thereby further enhancing the effect of sperm collection.
US08475421B2
A shield that is useful in connection with an ostomy pouching system when changing a wafer or changing a collection pouch. The shield includes a plate adapted to be disposed over the stoma and at least a portion of the ostomy pouching system, an absorbent material adapted to absorb body waste flowing from the stoma, which absorbent material is disposed adjacent to a portion of the plate, and an adhesive or other mechanism for selectively securing the plate and the absorbent material proximate to the stoma such that the plate is disposed over the stoma when portions of the ostomy pouching system are changed. Also disclosed is the combination of an animal body and the shield, as well as a method of containing the flow of body waste from a stoma.
US08475419B2
Described herein is an automated fluid drain control apparatus and method which comprises a first collection chamber which is connected to a drain that has been inserted into the subarachnoid area in lumbar region of the body. The volume of fluid into the first collection chamber is controlled as a function of time by being constantly measured such that too much fluid will not be drained from the body.
US08475414B2
A medication delivery device (1) comprises a housing (4) having a proximal end (P) and a distal end (D), a cartridge (3) for holding a medication (M), the cartridge (3) having an outlet (2), a moveable piston (5) being retained within the cartridge (3), a drive member (17) moveable in a proximal direction with respect to the housing (4) for setting a dose of medication (M) to be delivered and in the distal direction with respect to the housing (4) for delivering the dose and a piston rod (10) adapted to drive the piston (5) in a distal direction with respect to the cartridge (3) for delivering the dose. The drive member (17) is releasably coupled to the piston rod (10). The medication delivery device (1) further comprises a resilient member (21) which is arranged to move the drive member (17) in the proximal direction with respect to the housing (4) after dose delivery, thereby reducing pressure of the piston rod (10) on the piston (5).
US08475405B2
A balloon catheter for use with an endoscope may have a flexible shaft extending between a proximal and distal end, with a hub affixed to the proximal end, and a balloon that is longitudinally asymmetrical. A balloon may have a central or cylindrical working portion, flanked by proximal and distal tapering portions, which are in turn flanked by proximal and distal balloon legs, which are affixed to the catheter shaft. In more specific detail, a longitudinally asymmetrical balloon may have proximal and distal tapering portions that have a relatively steep and a relatively shallow tapering angle, respectively. An optional additional feature of such a balloon catheter is that the catheter shaft may have a high pull strength and low longitudinal elongation, by including some type of reinforcement.
US08475393B1
Methods and devices for obtaining biopsy samples are described. In one embodiment, a capture tube with capture arms slides over a core tube to grasp and/or cut a tissue sample. Forceps with jaws may be used to hold the tissue before the capture tube is used to obtain the tissue sample. In another embodiment, a core tube includes needle channels in which capture needles are advanced to grasp and/or penetrate a tissue sample. In yet another embodiment, a capture tube includes grasping arms which close through slots in a core tube to grasp and/or cut a tissue sample.
US08475390B2
A method for assessing mechanical properties of a selected tissue includes defining an expansion chamber adjacent to the selected tissue and passing pressurized air into the expansion chamber. The method also includes providing an opening through which the pressurized air can escape the expansion chamber, the opening being disposed such that, while escaping from the expansion chamber, air passes by the selected tissue, thereby causing the selected tissue to vibrate.
US08475380B2
Certain embodiments of the present technology provide systems and methods that provide reduction of multiline artifacts in Doppler imaging. Certain embodiments provide for various ensembles of transmit beams at different spatial locations and overlapping receive beams between the locations. Certain embodiments provide for calculating various auto-correlation estimates based on the received beams and then combining the auto-correlation estimates to create an image. In certain embodiments, combining the auto-correlation estimates comprises applying a linear interpolation filter that decreases the weight applied for receive beams that are spatially located further away from the transmit beam.
US08475378B2
An apparatus for performing a transesophageal cardiovascular procedure includes an elongated tubular main access device having a first lumen with an open proximal end and a distal side opening, and a second lumen with a rigid outer wall and a collapsible inner wall. The second lumen is adapted to receive an elongated probe or surgical device. The apparatus further includes an inflatable sealing means on the outside of the main access device above and below the side opening, and a first fluid conduit extending along the main access device for inflating the sealing means so that when the main access device is inserted into a patient's esophagus and the sealing means are inflated. The portion of the esophagus opposite the side opening is isolated from the remainder of the esophagus above and below the side opening.
US08475375B2
An ultrasound system is provided for imaging an object. The ultrasound system includes an ultrasound probe for acquiring ultrasound data and a cooling subsystem for actively removing heat from the ultrasound probe. The cooling subsystem includes a pump disposed within a reservoir containing a coolant and configured to circulate the coolant through the ultrasound probe via a conduit.
US08475372B2
An implantable medical device, such as a sensor for monitoring a selected internally detectable physiological parameter of a patient, is attached to a fixation member that is deployable within the patient to position and orient the sensor to enable it to perform its function. The fixation member may be configured to lie in a single plane when deployed or may be tubular in shape. The attachment of the housing and fixation member includes providing the fixation member with a linear attachment strut that is non-circular in cross section and providing the housing with external members that define an elongate channel, non-circular in cross section and receptive to the attachment strut. The attachment strut can be inserted transversely into the channel and the external member can be crimped over the strut to secure the housing and fixation member together.
US08475370B2
Method for measuring patient motion, activity level, and posture along with PTT-based blood pressure
The invention provides a system and method for measuring vital signs (e.g. SYS, DIA, SpO2, heart rate, and respiratory rate) and motion (e.g. activity level, posture, degree of motion, and arm height) from a patient. The system features: (i) first and second sensors configured to independently generate time-dependent waveforms indicative of one or more contractile properties of the patient's heart; and (ii) at least three motion-detecting sensors positioned on the forearm, upper arm, and a body location other than the forearm or upper arm of the patient. Each motion-detecting sensor generates at least one time-dependent motion waveform indicative of motion of the location on the patient's body to which it is affixed. A processing component, typically worn on the patient's body and featuring a microprocessor, receives the time-dependent waveforms generated by the different sensors and processes them to determine: (i) a pulse transit time calculated using a time difference between features in two separate time-dependent waveforms, (ii) a blood pressure value calculated from the time difference, and (iii) a motion parameter calculated from at least one motion waveform.
US08475369B2
The invention is an integrated thermal and pressure device and method for detecting breathing patterns. The device has a manifold, two parallel nasal cannulas stemming from the manifold, and at least one flexible tube. The flexible tube stems from the manifold and provides an airtight connection with the manifold and a pressure transducer apparatus. The device also includes at least a first temperature sensor for detecting temperatures of air flowing from one cannula to the other cannula. The device can include a second temperature sensor for sensing oral air flow temperatures.
US08475360B2
An apparatus cooperable with a grasping slot of an elevator for an endoscope is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an expandable balloon disposable through the endoscope for dilitating a stricture in the body duct. The apparatus further comprises a catheter disposable about the expandable balloon and through the endoscope. The catheter comprises proximal and distal portions along a longitudinal axis thereof. At least the proximal portion comprises a splittable portion formed therealong to define first and second sections separable from each other for securing the catheter while protecting and maintaining the expandable balloon at the stricture.
US08475355B2
A medical device for assisting in the maintaining of an opening created in the thoracic diaphragm is provided. The medical device comprises a diaphragm contacting part adapted to be placed in contact with the thoracic diaphragm and thereby assist in the maintaining of the opening created in the thoracic diaphragm. A pericardial drainage device for draining a fluid from the pericardium of a patient is further provided. The drainage device comprises a conduit; the conduit comprises a first and second section. At least a portion of the first section is adapted to receive a fluid inside of the pericardium. The second section of the conduit is adapted to be positioned outside of the pericardium of a patient and enable the exhaust of said fluid received from said pericardium through at least a portion of said second section.
US08475350B2
A machine and method for the continuous folding of sheet material into difference three-dimensional patterns is featured. The innovative machine and method folds sheet material by force converging the sheet to a final stage that imparts a final fold or pattern. Unique programming allows for the change of convergence sequencing and change of materials.
US08475346B2
A storable exercise apparatus for home use. The apparatus includes an upright tower, a base structure, a bench frame, and a bench attached to the bench frame. A set of flexible pull lines coupled to a resilient spring system are carried within the tower structure. The user exercises by pulling the pull lines against the bias of the spring system. The grips for the pull lines are mounted at the top of the tower and generate significant tipping force on the tower when the apparatus is in use. To prevent tipping, the bench frame has pivotal and load-transmitting connections with the tower structure; the tower is stabilized by the weight of the user on the bench. The bench may be placed in either a raised or lowered position, and can be stored by collapsing and pivoting it so that it abuts the tower vertically.
US08475343B2
An exercise assembly includes an exercise handle with a grip base suitable for resting on a floor, and a grip elevated above the grip base. A user can situate the grip bases of a pair of the exercise handles on the floor, grasp their grips, and then perform push-ups. The grip bases can also be mounted to the top of a door or to other overhead structure, and the user can then grasp their grips to perform chin-ups. Preferably, this is done by providing a cradle which mounts to the door or other overhead structure, wherein the exercise handles may be firmly (but removably) nested into the cradles to mount them to the structure. The exercise handles may also bear passages or attachments for receiving elastic (or inelastic) cables for use in performing further exercises.
US08475341B1
The arm and leg-exercising machine is an apparatus that targets both the upper body and lower body to provide a full body workout. The upper and lower body workouts can be performed separately or simultaneously. The machine includes a generally U-shaped frame fixed to a base. Pedals and lateral handlebars are provided on the frame for respective leg (lower body) and arm (upper body) exercises. A three-drive mechanism including a plurality of pulleys or sprockets is coupled to the pedals and lateral handlebars and joined by bevel gears. A seat is mounted on the frame for strategically positioning an operator to employ the pedals and lateral handlebars.
US08475336B2
A hydraulic control system for a dual clutch transmission includes a plurality of solenoids and valves in fluid communication with a plurality of clutch actuators and with a plurality of synchronizer actuators. The clutch actuators are operable to actuate a plurality of torque transmitting devices and the synchronizer actuators are operable to actuate a plurality of synchronizer assemblies. Selective activation of combinations of the solenoids allows for a pressurized fluid to activate at least one of the clutch actuators and synchronizer actuators in order to shift the transmission into a desired gear ratio.
US08475332B2
In a locking mechanism provided with: a sleeve which is fixed in the circumferential direction and which can be stroked in the shaft line direction; a hub which can rotate in the circumferential direction orthogonal to the shaft line direction; and an actuator which can apply a driving force for displacing the sleeve in the shaft line direction, dog teeth are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the sleeve, and dog teeth are formed in the hub. Here, the engagement surfaces of the dog teeth are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the shaft line such that the hub performs relative rotation with respect to the sleeve in a process in which the sleeve is stroked in the shaft line direction. The ECU estimates the stroke volume of the sleeve on the basis of the rotation amount of the hub and the predetermined angle.
US08475328B2
The micro-hybrid system for a transport vehicle comprises a rotary electric machine suitable for being coupled mechanically to an engine of the vehicle, an AC-to-DC converter, a DC-to-DC converter, first and second electrical energy reservoirs suitable for storing an electrical energy produced by the rotary machine and for returning the electrical energy to consumer devices equipping the vehicle, and a controller for controlling the operation of the micro-hybrid system. The controller comprises piloting strategies module suitable for autonomously piloting the operating modes of the micro-hybrid system according to a plurality of strategies depending on information provided to said piloting means regarding an internal state of the micro-hybrid system and of a state of the vehicle.
US08475324B2
The present invention relates to a speed variable system, and in the first input rotating direction, it is capable of controlling the output shaft to output in normal and reverse rotating directions, and the input shaft is in different speed ratios to the output shaft with respect to the normal and reverse rotation directions.
US08475316B2
A drive system includes a pulley, an engine, a variator including an input and an output, for varying a ratio of output speed and input speed, and a gearset drivably interconnecting the input, the output, the engine and pulley.
US08475297B2
This disclosure provides a golf ball that includes carbon dioxide absorbents in order that the golf ball may reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to aid in alleviating global warming. The golf ball may include an intermediate layer that is substantially impermeable to water, in order to ensure that the golf ball's core is not degraded by water produced by the carbon dioxide absorbance reaction. The chemical absorbents may be encapsulated in microcapsules so that carbon dioxide is not absorbed until the golf ball is used by a golfer.
US08475286B2
A joint apparatus includes an outer joint portion having an opening end, an outer joint axis, and an outer joint inside surface defining, at least in part, an internal vault. The joint apparatus also includes an inner joint portion including a spider interposed within the outer joint portion and a shaft extending through the opening end. The spider includes a trunnion. The trunnion is at least partially interposed within the vault. The shaft defines a shaft axis. The inner joint portion includes an angular range of motion limiting device that selectively restricts the articulation of the shaft relative to the outer joint to prevent the shaft from contacting the outer joint.
US08475280B2
The present invention teaches methods and systems for providing a gaming server system (Gaming System) for enabling a quality-of-service on-demand (QoS) broadcast system to provide a gaming computer or game console with premium levels of quality-of-service. The gaming server provides premium network connection service levels based upon customer profile, current activity, account status or other criteria.
US08475278B2
In a network match game such as a ball game, to naturally reflect an intension of a user such as a player in the operation of an operation object such as a character, a storage unit (501) of a terminal device (401) stores positions and velocities of a mobile body and each control object; on the basis of instruction input received by an instruction input reception unit (502), a local position updating unit (503) updates a position and a velocity of a control object assigned to the terminal device (401); in a terminal device (401) in a parent device mode, a parent mobile body updating unit (509) updates the position and the velocity of the mobile body, whereas in a terminal device (401) in a child mode, a child mobile body updating unit (511) updates the position and the velocity of the mobile body on the basis of information transmitted from the parent device; and a parent transfer unit (507) estimates a control object that is to collide with the mobile body, and sets a mode of a terminal device (401) assigned to the estimated control object to correspond to the parent device.
US08475276B2
A method of operating a gaming system including a plurality of gaming machines and at least one server system. The method includes providing at least a first gaming service to each gaming machine by way of one or more first software processes and providing at least one second service common to a subset of the plurality of gaming machines, the second service implemented by one or more second software processes. The method also includes enabling inter-process interaction between at least one software process of the first service and at least one software process of the second service to enable interaction between the services. A server system, gaming machine and gaming system is also disclosed.
US08475275B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a unique interactive game that connects both physical and virtual play environments and includes multiple dynamic layers in which a participant may complete a variety of challenges and/or tasks. For example, the participant may obtain a physical gaming item from a retail phase that is usable in an interactive entertainment phase that provides virtual play via computer animation. The interactive entertainment phase may include multiple interrelated layers such that progress in one or more layers may affect the participant's experience in other layers. The participant may also receive training on how to use and improve the physical gaming item to help achieve special effects or complete one or more adventures and/or quests. During or following the interactive entertainment phase, the participant may use accumulated points and/or powers to redeem prizes and/or compete against other participants, such as in a duel or other face-off challenge.
US08475272B2
In a game program for a multiplayer game, when a player character receives damage and the strength level reaches a certain level, the player character goes into an extension state before death, in which the character is weakened but is able to recover. If a friendly player character performs a recovery action within a certain time from the weakened state having been reached, the player character in the weakened state recovers to a normal state. On the other hand, if the player character in the weakened state is attacked by an enemy character, or if the certain time has elapsed, the player character in the weakened state is caused to die and the game is ended.
US08475270B2
There is provided a game system where only states effective as a play state of a quasi-player are reproduced in a game.The game terminal 1 has a history information accumulating portion 14b for generating play history information PHI where, with respect to each of positions M obtained by player P, each of operations performed until the position M was obtained and a timing when the operation was performed are associated with each other, a excerpt information generating portion 14c for obtaining the play history information PHI from the server 2 to excerpt only pieces of play information PI which affects the game, and an other-player display controlling portion 14c for, by using the excerpted pieces of information as the play history information of the other player P′, displaying a predetermined indicator in sequence at the position M obtained by the other player P′ at the timing when the position M was obtained last.
US08475264B2
Systems and methods provide for the selective backup and rollback of software, firmware and data components of a wagering game machine.
US08475261B2
There is disclosed an electronic gaming system (100) comprising one or more player interfaces (6, 7, 17), and a main video display screen (1). The system enables players to simultaneously play a plurality of reel-type games and to place bets on lines of the games. The system displays a plurality of display windows on the main display screen, each window being associated with a respective one of the simultaneously played games and displaying the reels of that game, each reel displaying reel indicia. The system is configured for any one of the games to enter a feature phase when a feature-triggering event occurs. At the start of the feature phase, all the display windows on the main screen, except the particular display window associated with the feature phase, reduce in size or disappear, while the size of the feature game's display window increases, and the other games are also suspended, until the feature phase is completed.
US08475256B2
A gaming machine including a display. The display includes a plurality of display positions for displaying combinations of symbols. A controller controls operation of the machine. The controller includes a processor for processing data and displaying selected data on the display. A selector is operable by the player of the machine for enabling the player to select at least one feature which can be added to a base game played on the machine.
US08475250B2
To provide a game device for allowing a user to concentrate on an operation of one or more specific player characters and also capable of reducing a period of time with the user being left rarely able to be useful in a match. According to the present invention, a game of a sport match carried out between a first team operated by the user and a second team is carried out. A participating player selecting section (86) selects a plurality of player characters as operation target candidates from among a plurality of player characters belonging to the first team and participating in a match, based on an operation of a user. An operation target player switching section (88) switches, in the match, a user's operation target among the plurality of player characters selected by the operation target candidate player selecting section (86). A player control section (90) causes, in the match, a player character which is the user's operation target to act, based on an operation by the user.
US08475248B2
A discharge system for an agricultural harvester provides an air curtain that shields straw, chaff and other crop residue from the wind. The system includes a blower adapted for mounting to an agricultural harvester and having an intake side and a discharge side and a plenum fluidly connected to the discharge side of the blower. The plenum is arranged and disposed to distribute air exiting the discharge side of the blower to form an air curtain according to a predetermined profile at a location adjacent discharge that exits a rear door of the agricultural harvester as a windrow.
US08475245B2
A vehicle air duct includes a plurality of walls that are connected and define an interior air space. The plurality of walls includes inner and outer surfaces. The air duct extends from a first end to a second end where the first end includes a connection opening. At least one of the plurality of walls includes at least one rib in a region corresponding to the connection opening. The rib extends outward from the outer surface of the at least one wall for maintaining the shape of the vehicle air duct.
US08475242B2
A coin sorting plate for receiving and sorting a stream of coins by the diameter and hence the denomination of the coin has a number of coin recesses that extend along the path of the coin stream. Each coin recess is sized to receive a respective coin diameter. The coin recesses are arranged with the recess openings increasing in size in the downstream direction to progressively remove coins in order of increasing diameter. Each coin recess is bounded by a downstream wall that forces a coin in the recess to move off a peripheral edge of the coin sorting plate for collection or other processing.
US08475239B2
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a robotic device for inserting or removing rod-like elements into or from a storage frame, the rod-like elements, like smoking bars, serving for storing products, e.g. sausages, each having a sausage-shaped body and a loop for a pendulously storage of the products. The method comprises the steps of providing at least a first storage frame for temporarily storing rod-like elements, moving the storage frame into the operating range of the robotic device, picking up by the robotic device a rod-like element on which at least one sausage-like product is hung up, and inserting or removing the rod-like element into or from the storage frame by the robotic device. Moreover, the method comprises the steps of providing at least a first dataset including at least an information as to at least one geometric characteristic of the first storage frame, being used for controlling the robotic device, and by providing the first storage frame with a first identification mark for individually identifying the first storage frame and for providing a link between the first storage frame and the first dataset.
US08475235B2
The invention relates to a grinding holder (10) for connecting a rotary driven tool (20) to a device (30) for machining floor and road surfaces, comprising a first plate member (40) for detachable attachment of the tool (20), and a second plate member (50) for detachable attachment to the machining device (30).
US08475218B2
A sinking electrical connector defines a receiving space for receiving a corresponding plug and includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts retained on the housing, and a metal shell covering the housing. The shell includes a top wall, a bottom wall opposite to the top wall, a pair of side walls, and at least one mounting member. The mounting member has a first extending plate extending laterally from the side wall, a second extending plate extending backwardly from the first extending plate, a third extending plate extending inwardly toward the side wall from the second plate, and a mounting tail extending downwardly from the second extending plate to be mounted onto a printed circuit board.
US08475209B1
A receptacle assembly includes a front housing having a mating end and a loading end. The front housing has pockets at the loading end separated by separating walls having slots therethrough open at rears thereof. The front housing receives contact modules in corresponding pockets each having a holder holding a plurality of contacts between first and second side walls. The holders have embossments extending from the first side walls proximate to the fronts of the holders. The embossments are loaded into corresponding slots through the rears of the separating walls to control positions of the contact modules with respect to the front housing.
US08475205B2
A post having a first end, a second end, and a flange proximate the second end, wherein the post is configured to receive a center conductor surrounded by a dielectric of a coaxial cable, a connector body attached to the post, a coupling element attached to the post, the coupling element having a first end a second end, and a biasing member disposed within a cavity formed between the first end of the coupling element and the connector body to bias the coupling element against the post is provided. Moreover, a connector body having a biasing element, wherein the biasing element biases the coupling element against the post, is further provided. Furthermore, associated methods are also provided.
US08475203B2
A cable assembly (100) includes an insulative housing (1) having a top side, and a cavity (111) is defined in the top side; a plurality of contacts (2) received in insulative housing, said the contacts including two power contacts partially disposed under the cavity; a plurality of wires (3) electrically connected to the contacts, respectively; a printed circuit board assembly (5) received in the cavity, the printed circuit board assembly (5) having a substrate (50) with a light emitting diode (504) thereon, the lighting emitting diode electrically connected with the two power contact; and a light guide member (6) assembled to the cavity and located above the light emitting diode.
US08475202B1
An electrical connector socket includes an insulation base, a tongue piece and a detection terminal. The insulation base includes a stopping surface. The tongue piece includes a side wall vertically extending from the stopping surface. The detection terminal includes a fixed end embedded into the insulation base, an elastic arm extending from the fixed end in a curved manner with its concave surface facing the side wall, and a contact section continuously extending from the elastic arm in a curved manner with its convex surface facing the side wall.
US08475198B2
A plug connector (100) mating with a complementary connector includes a housing (1) and a latching mechanism (4) having a latch (41) and a puller (42). The latch includes a latching portion (411) provided with a claw (4110), a bar section (412) secured in the base, and a connecting portion (413) having a forwardly extending abutting portion (4133). The puller includes an actuator (422) and an operator (421) supported on the bar section and having an engaging portion (4217) engaged with the abutting portion. The operator slides rearwardly, in response to a rearward movement of the actuator, to upwardly and rearwardly move the engaging portion together with the abutting portion to thereby lift the claw from a latched position to a released position.
US08475195B2
A latch for securing a circuit card assembly to a circuit board mounted card edge connector includes first and second arms disposed on opposite ends of the card edge connector. The first and second arms define a reception space that receives the circuit card assembly. The first arm has a deflectable spring latch that is movable between a released position and a latched position. The circuit card assembly is secured by the spring latch in the latched position. The second arm has a latch hook that is configured to hook around and engage a portion of the circuit card assembly during mating of the circuit card assembly and the card edge connector. The latch hook defines a pivot point for pivoting the circuit card assembly into the card edge connector during mating of the circuit card assembly and the card edge connector.
US08475192B2
A bushing for a reefer plug includes an annular body having proximal and distal ends and an interior conduit for receiving an electrical cable. A distal circumferential seal portion is at the distal end, the distal circumferential seal inclining radially outwardly in the distal to proximal direction. A reefer plug assembly and method for connecting an electrical cable to a reefer plug are also disclosed.
US08475189B2
A connection unit for fluorescent tubes includes a base connected to each of two ends of a light unit and the base has an extension, two conductive plates are connected to two reception areas of the extension, a cover is removably connected to the base and has a room and a recessed area is defined in the top of the cover, a rotatable member is removably connected to the recessed area and has a face board which has a reception hole communicating with the room, a shank is connected to the periphery of the reception hole and the rotatable member is rotatable about an axis of the recessed area, the base and the conductive plates are pulled out from the recessed area and the room respectively.
US08475188B2
A multiple circuit duplex module comprising a chassis having an electrical chassis receptacle providing a plurality of connection points for the selection of power from two or more different circuits; a duplex element having at least one electrical duplex receptacle thereon to deliver power from one of the two or more different circuits to an external device in electrical contact with the at least one duplex receptacle; first conductor means for electrically connecting the at least one duplex receptacle to selected connection points in the chassis receptacle; wherein the duplex element is connectable to the chassis in different orientations, the orientation of the duplex element determining which one of the two or more different circuits is electrically connected to the at least one duplex receptacle.
US08475183B2
An electrical connector (100) includes a middle board (4) defining a plurality of receiving holes (41, 42), a first insulative housing (1) mounted on one side of the middle board and defining a first receiving room (13), and a number of contacts (3) mounted on the first insulative housing. The contacts include a number of signal contacts (S) and a number of grounding contacts (G). Each of contacts includes a first mating portion (31), a second mating portion (32), and a middle portion (33) between the first and the second mating portions. The middle portions extend beyond the first insulative housing and are received in the receiving holes. Each of the middle portions of the signal contacts is solid. Each of the middle portions of the grounding contacts has a through hole (331) and has an outer profile wider than that of middle portion of the signal contact.
US08475181B2
A FPC connector has an insulative housing with a general U-shape that defines an opening that receives a free end of a length of FPC. The housing has a base and two leg portions and the leg portions have engagement arms that hold engage the FPC free end when inserted into the connector housing opening. A cover of the connector housing has press members that press the FPC and dielectric barriers thereon into contact with contacts on a circuit board.
US08475174B2
One embodiment includes a computer-implemented method using a window environment of a display, with a detached sensor, to teach a user. Another embodiment includes a computer system helping teach a user using a detached imaging sensor. In yet another embodiment, a computer-aided-educational system considers a user's concentration level when teaching the user. The system monitors automatically more than once a user's concentration-sensitive behavior while the user is working on study materials. Through monitoring the user's volitional or involuntary behavior, the system provides an indication on the user's concentration level. Based on the indication, the system could react such as by providing rewards, punishments, and stimulation; or changing the study materials. The system can also react by asking the user a question to stimulate the user or to assess the user's understanding. Based on the user's response, the system may change to more appropriate study materials, or different presentation styles.
US08475171B2
Techniques and tools for measuring cognitive ability and/or detecting cognitive impairment or decline. For example, techniques and tools are described that can be used to diagnose or test susceptibility to cognitive impairments in children or in elderly people (such as cognitive impairments associated with Alzheimer's Disease). Techniques and tools are described that can be used to evaluate treatment effects and/or measure cognitive decline over time.
US08475155B2
A runnerless nozzle for an injection molding apparatus includes a bracing component having an internal space and a lateral bore, a nozzle tip extending from the internal space through the lateral bore of the bracing component, and a securing component installable in the internal spaced of the bracing component. At least one of the bracing component and the securing component defines a lateral channel in communication with and upstream channel for delivering molding material to the nozzle tip. The securing component includes an angled surface for wedging a likewise angled surface of the nozzle tip to engage the nozzle tip with the bracing component when the securing component is installed in the bracing component.
US08475140B2
A compressor may include a shell, first and second scroll members, and a first annular seal. The first scroll member may be supported within the shell and may include a first end plate having a first spiral wrap extending from a first surface thereof and a second surface having an annular groove therein. The annular groove may include a first portion having a first depth and a second portion disposed radially inwardly relative to the first portion and having a second depth that is less than the first depth. The second scroll member may be supported within the shell and may include a second end plate having a second spiral wrap extending therefrom and meshingly engaged with the first spiral wrap. The first annular seal may be positioned within the annular groove.
US08475122B1
A BOAS with a blade tip shroud having a row of teeth formed by rows of grooves on an underside surface, and where rows of teeth include cooling air passages to provide cooling for the blade tip shroud and to discharge cooling air into the blade tip gap to reduce an effective hot gas leakage area to reduce the blade tip leakage flow. The cooling passages include inlet convergent channels to increase the cooling air flow velocity, followed by flow metering sections and then cooling air exit slots that open onto the bottom surface of the teeth.
US08475121B1
A ring segment for a turbine in an industrial gas turbine engine, the ring segment having an inner side with a number of pedestals extending radially inward, each pedestal having an inlet metering hole connected to a diffusion chamber having an opening flush with a TBC covering the pedestals. The pedestals form a larger surface area to secure the TBC to the ring segment so that the TBC can be formed thicker than the prior art without spalling.
US08475116B2
A turbine balance assembly has a turbine rotor and shaft. Bearings are positioned radially outwardly of the shaft. A bearing sleeve is positioned radially outwardly of the bearings, and supports the bearings. The bearing sleeve extends along an axial length defined by a rotational axis of the shaft, and has a turbine rotor end adjacent to the turbine rotor, and a remote end. A radially outwardly extending flange on the bearing sleeve extends radially outwardly of a support portion of the bearing sleeve at the turbine rotor end. The flange has a nominal outer diameter, and includes a slot for receiving an anti-rotation tab from a gear cage over a first circumferential extent. A bearing sleeve incorporates the anti-rotation feature, and a gear cage incorporates its portion of the anti-rotation feature. An air turbine starter, and a method of installing components of a turbine balance assembly are also disclosed.
US08475115B2
An inlet filter house is provided for use with a turbine engine including an inlet duct. The inlet filter house is coupled to the inlet duct and includes an inlet hood including a filter assembly selectively positionable between an operating position and a bypass position. An actuating assembly is coupled to the filter assembly to selectively position the filter assembly. A sensor is configured to detect at least one operating parameter. A controller is coupled to the sensor for actuating the actuating assembly based on the at least one operating parameter.
US08475114B2
An air cycle machine includes a shaft formed from end sections attached to a center section. The center section includes a first diameter that is supported on bearings within the air cycle machine and a second diameter that forms a part of an interface with a corresponding end section. The second diameter is less than the first diameter and extends an axial distance from an end of the center section and provides for the weld beam to be directed normal to the interface location such that weld quality and manufacturing efficiencies are improved.
US08475097B2
A cargo barrier net for an aircraft includes a net mesh, defined by a plurality of net strands, a securing members coupled to one of the net strands, for securing the cargo barrier net across an internal space of an aircraft; and a tear webbing located between the securing members and the net strand. The tear webbing is configured to tear progressively when a load is applied to it, thereby increasing the effective length of net strand to which it is coupled and redistributing the load to other net strands in the cargo barrier net.
US08475096B2
A tonneau cover cargo containment track rail system including a cargo hold down and at least one tonneau cover rail. The cargo hold down has a base portion and a handle portion. The handle portion is operably attached to the base portion for movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The tonneau cover rail has a first attachment mechanism attached thereto. The first attachment mechanism is adapted to receive a portion of the cargo hold down to retain the cargo hold down in engagement with the tonneau cover rail while permitting the cargo hold down to move with respect to the tonneau cover rail.
US08475091B2
A drill guide, of the type that has a main body with a flat base and an aperture for assisting the movement of a drill bit, interchangeable drilling heads for guiding drill bits of different diameters, the heads designed to be optionally attached and fit onto the housing defined according to the size of through hole of the main body that has the aforementioned interchangeable drilling heads and inside apertures of different diameters on each drilling head, the apertures are specifically designed to guide drill bits of different diameters, a positioning device for attaching the drilling head in use in a set position inside the housing, and a retaining device for retaining any of the interchangeable drilling heads inside the housing.
US08475085B2
The present invention discloses a vortex induced vibration inhibitor (“VIVI”) comprising a hollow cylindrical housing having an elongated opening defined by locking edges. The housing is operable between an open and a closed position. Connecting assemblies include barbed connector pins received in grooved housings. Connector slots are provided in the connector and receptor housings. Retainer pins provide for release of connecting assemblies. Spacers are provided to limit movement of the housing in relation to the surrounded structure. An alignment stub is provided.
US08475082B2
Spring loaded J-Bar T Handle was created to eliminate time and effort spent loading and unloading material in the Vibratory Plow Blade. Spring mounted J-Bar T handle increases productivity and eliminates need for wrenches and other tools such as wing nuts etc. Invention also eliminates the need of a separate cable guide device allowing material to be fed directly into the chute from larger spools of material thus eliminating kinked and severed wiring and cabling.
US08475080B2
Provided is a method for remediating arsenic-contaminated soil, including: a collection step of collecting arsenic-contaminated soil; a washing step of adding the collected soil to a washing solution, which is acidic in nature and provides reducing conditions to the soil, so as to remove arsenic from the soil and transfer the removed arsenic to the washing solution; a solid-liquid separation step of separating the soil and the washing solution from each other after the washing step; and a post-treatment step of removing arsenic from the washing solution, which was separated in the solid-liquid separation step, and employing the soil for remediation.
US08475067B2
A printer has a carriage being movable between a first end and a second end of a reciprocating path; and a driving force transmitting path selecting mechanism provided at the second end of the reciprocating path. The selecting mechanism has: a common driving force outputting member; a plurality of force receiving members; a selecting member; and a position retainer for keeping the position of the selecting member. The selecting member connects the force outputting member to one of the plurality of force receiving members, and moves in association with the carriage when the carriage moves in a vicinity of the second end in a first direction extending from the first end to the second end. The position retainer keeps the position of the selecting member when the carriage moves in a second direction extending from the second end to the first end. The force receiving member connected to the force outputting member via the selecting member is selected in accordance with a movement of the carriage along the reciprocating path.
US08475066B2
An apparatus includes a reverse unit configured to wind a sheet printed at a print unit around the reverse unit and to reverse the sides of the sheet, and the reverse unit includes a winding rotary member having a cylindrical shape, and a skew correcting unit configured to correct skewing of sheets to be led into the winding rotary member.
US08475065B2
A portable printer having improved ergonomic and operational characteristics. The printer includes an asymmetrically-damped media centering mechanism having first and second media support members moveable along a common longitudinal axis and configured to grasp roll media. The media support members are coupled to a reciprocal movement mechanism configured to translate a longitudinal movement of the first media support member into a corresponding opposite longitudinal movement of the second media support member. A pivoting arm is coupled to the reciprocal movement mechanism. The pivoting arm pivots to a first position when the first and second media support members are moved closer to each other, which causes a damping gear to engage the reciprocal movement mechanism, thereby damping the grasping motion of the media support members and providing an improved user experience. The printer facilitates one-handed operation, including one-handed loading and unloading of media, enabling its use in a variety of environments.
US08475057B2
An optical module with an arrangement is disclosed in which the module has the LD, the TEC, and the lens with the lens carrier also mounted on the TEC. The signal light from the LD is concentrated by the lens and reflected by the mirror each assembled with the lens carrier mounted on the TEC. The TEC is mounted on the bottom metal that covers the bottom of the ceramic package, the first layer of which is widely cut to set the TEC therein. The FPC is coupled in at least two edges of the first ceramic layer left from the cut.
US08475056B2
A fiber coupled semiconductor device having an improved optical stability with respect to temperature variation is disclosed. The stability improvement is achieved by placing the platform holding the semiconductor chip and the optical fiber onto a spacer mounted on a base. The spacer has an area smaller than the area of the platform, for mechanical decoupling of thermally induced deformation of the base from a deformation of the platform of the semiconductor device. Attaching the optical fiber to a vertical mounting surface of a fiber mount, and additionally attaching the fiber mount to a submount of the semiconductor chip further improves thermal stability of the packaged device.
US08475054B2
An electric connector comprises a conductive terminal and a housing. The conductive terminal is provided with a terminal body portion, a soldering portion, to which an end portion of an electric wire is soldered, and a connection portion connected to a counterpart terminal. The housing is provided with a terminal receipt-hole, in which at least a portion of the terminal body portion is received, and a soldering portion accommodation-groove, in which at least a portion of the soldering portion is accommodated. The soldering portion accommodation-groove is provided with inner side walls, that extend along lateral ends of a soldering surface of the soldering portion, and a concave portion, which is formed in the inner side walls so that a portion of solder that is used for soldering of the end portion of the electric wire is able to come into the concave portion.
US08475036B2
To provide a timepiece face created by bonding a plurality of substrates configured primarily from polycarbonate, excellent bonding strength being achieved between substrates and air bubbles being effectively prevented from forming in the bond layer, and a timepiece including the timepiece face, a timepiece face according to the invention includes a first substrate configured primarily from polycarbonate; a second substrate configured primarily from polycarbonate; and a bond layer for bonding the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08475033B2
A first aspect of the invention relates to a luminescent object comprising an aligned polymer that contains an oriented photoluminescent material, said aligned polymer having a pretilt angle of 10-90°. The luminescent object according to the present invention may advantageously be employed in luminescent solar concentrator systems as it enables highly efficient transportation of radiation emitted by the photoluminescent material following exposure to incident solar light. Another aspect of the invention concerns a photovoltaic device comprising an electromagnetic radiation collection medium containing the aforementioned luminescent object and a photovoltaic cell capable of converting optical radiation to electrical energy which is optically coupled to the luminescent object. Further aspects of the invention include a fluorescent light activated display and a room lighting system comprising the aforementioned luminescent object.
US08475021B2
According to the present invention, additional reflection surfaces 9UL, 9UR, 9DL, 9DR are provided for reflecting light L6 from semiconductor-type light sources 5U, 5D on intermediate invalid reflection surfaces 9, 9L, 9R. As a result, the present invention is capable of: reflecting the light L6 from the semiconductor-type light sources 5U, 5D on the intermediate invalid reflection surfaces 9, 9L, 9R, by means of the additional reflection surfaces 9UL, 9UR, 9DL, 9DR; illuminating the intermediate invalid reflection surfaces 9, 9L, 9R; and lessening a dark part.
US08475019B2
The present invention is an optic used for producing a desired beam pattern having a body portion having a height and a thickness, and at least one sidewall profile, as well as an input port for receiving light from a light source. The optic of the present invention also includes an output surface formed as part of the body portion on the opposite side of the body portion in relation to the input port, at least one leg portion formed as part of the body portion, and at least one alignment feature formed as part of the at least one leg portion, the at least one alignment feature for controlling the alignment of the optic in relation to the light source.
US08475011B2
A lens member includes at least one of the annular prisms including a facet at an edge between an inner annular surface and an outer surface of the at least one of the annular prisms. The prisms with facets may be provided at a central portion of the lens member and the facets are configured to refract light toward a light-exit side of the lens member.
US08475009B2
An optical element for a side emitting light that emits light from a light source at side directions relative to the horizon is disclosed. The optical element has an internal recess adapted to fit over a light source. The internal recess includes a collimating surface and interior refractive surfaces. An exterior refractive surface corresponding to the interior refractive surfaces is provided. A faceted prismatic reflecting surface corresponding with the collimating surface is provided. Light at a substantially horizontal angle relative to the horizon is emitted through the interior refractive surface through the exterior reflective surface to a side direction and light at a substantially vertical angle relative to the horizon is collimated by the collimating surface and reflected by the reflecting surface in the side direction.
US08475000B2
A connector includes a plug connector and a receptacle connector which connect a circuit board to a connecting object and allow relative movement therebetween in a common plane or in mutually parallel planes. The receptacle connector includes a receptacle contact including a pair of holding portions and a pair of guide portions which are spaced from each other with the pair of holding portions positioned therebetween, wherein each guide portion includes a support groove. The plug connector includes a plug contact and a plug insulator which holds the plug contact. The plug contact is linearly elongated and resiliently deformable in a direction of thickness thereof and includes a contact portion that is engaged in the support grooves of the pair of guide portions. The plug insulator includes an opening facing the circuit board, and an accommodation space for accommodating the receptacle contact and the plug contact.
US08474998B2
In accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a mounting arrangement for use with an LED power strip module is provided. The mounting arrangement comprises one or more one frames having a first end and a second end, a first holding base configured to mate with the first end and a second holding base configured to mate with the second end, and at least one LED module having a first and second edge and comprising a plurality of LEDs, said LED module being adapted to removably attach to the one or more frames. The first and second holding bases are adapted to secure the one or more frames to an existing raceway structure.
US08474991B2
Light apparatus and systems to produce a diffused light source for stage, studio, motion picture and still photography. A tube constructed from selected proportions of diffusion material and reflective material is secured at opposite ends to light reflectors or light reflecting umbrellas with light sources. The light generated by the light sources is reflected off of the reflectors and is also reflected off of the reflective material of the tube to produce a desirable light dispersion pattern across the length of the diffusion material of the tube.
US08474978B2
Methods for analyzing retinal tomography maps to detect patterns of optic nerve diseases such as glaucoma, optic neuritis, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy are disclosed in this invention. The areas of mapping include the macula centered on the fovea, and the region centered on the optic nerve head. The retinal layers that are analyzed include the nerve fiber, ganglion cell, inner plexiform and inner nuclear layers and their combinations. The overall retinal thickness can also be analyzed. Pattern analysis are applied to the maps to create single parameter for diagnosis and progression analysis of glaucoma and optic neuropathy.
US08474974B2
Wavefront measurements of eyes are typically taken when the pupil is in a first configuration in an evaluation context. The results can be represented by a set of basis function coefficients. Prescriptive treatments are often applied in a treatment context, which is different from the evaluation context. Hence, the patient pupil can be in a different, second configuration, during treatment. Systems and methods are provided for determining a transformed set of basis function coefficients, based on a difference between the first and second configurations, which can be used to establish the vision treatment.
US08474967B2
Recording onto a non-ink-absorbing recording medium is performed using an aqueous ink composition containing a first solvent composed of at least one selected from 2-pyrrolidone, 1,3-dimethyl-imidazolidinone, and N,N′-dimethylpropylene urea, a second solvent composed of at least one selected from 1,2-hexanediol and 1,2-pentanediol, and a third solvent composed of at least one selected from glycol diethers and heating the non-ink-absorbing recording medium at 40 to 60° C.
US08474966B2
Recording onto a non-ink-absorbing or low-ink-absorbing recording medium is performed using an aqueous ink composition containing a first solvent composed of a glycol diether having a boiling point of 150 to 220° C., a second solvent composed of at least one selected from 1,2-hexanediol and 1,2-pentanediol, and a third solvent composed of a glycol having a boiling point of 170 to 220° C. and conducting two drying steps at different heating conditions.
US08474958B2
An ink cartridge includes a flexible container containing ink; and a restriction mechanism allowing the flexible container to deform only in the direction to decrease the volume of the flexible container. The ink cartridge is used for an image forming apparatus including an inkjet head for jetting ink from nozzles.
US08474954B2
A jettable solution includes an oil, the oil being one of a naturally occurring oil, an edible oil, or a removable oil, an edible surfactant, an edible aqueous solution, and a pharmaceutical solubilized into the naturally occurring oil, in which the naturally occurring oil, the pharmaceutical, the surfactant, and the aqueous solution form a microemulsion.
US08474951B2
A liquid ejection head includes: a first and a second common liquid chamber formed in a substrate; a first nozzle array in which short and long nozzles are connected to the first common liquid chamber and alternately arranged on one side of the chamber; a second nozzle array in which short and long nozzles are connected to the first common liquid chamber and alternately arranged on the other side; a third nozzle array in which short and long nozzles are connected to the second common liquid chamber and alternately arranged on one side of the chamber; and a fourth nozzle array in which short and long nozzles are connected to the second common liquid chamber and alternately arranged on the other side; wherein the long and short nozzles formed on the one side and the long and short nozzles formed on the other side are disposed within a pitch P.
US08474949B2
According to one embodiment, a printing apparatus includes an ink-jet head including a nozzle plate with a nozzle string in which a plurality of nozzle holes for discharging ink are arranged, and a cleaning device including an ink-repellent surface with ink repellency which is configured to come in contact with the nozzle plate in a state in which the ink-repellent surface is opposed to the ink-jet head, an ink-affinitive surface with ink affinity which is configured to create a gap between the ink-affinitive surface and the nozzle plate in a state in which the ink-repellent surface is in contact with the nozzle plate, and to have a smaller ink contact angle than the ink-repellent surface, and a plurality of suction ports formed in the ink-affinitive surface.
US08474946B2
An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a medium to be recorded; and a foam application unit that applies a foam generated from at least any one of a liquid and a gel to the medium to be recorded or an intermediate member for applying the foam to the medium to be recorded. The foam application unit has a foam generation unit that generates the foam, an application unit that applies the generated foam to the medium to be recorded or the intermediate member, a foam supplying path through which the generated foam is supplied to the application unit, and a unit that increases a volume of the foam supplying path. The foam application unit increases the volume of the foam supplying path when stopping the supply of the foam to the application unit.
US08474940B2
An image recording apparatus including: a controller including a position storing section storing a first position which is a position of a recording portion at a point in time earlier by a rotation required period than a point in time when the recording portion is positioned at a second position at which ejection of liquid droplets has been completed, the rotation required period being a period from a point in time when a drive command is outputted to a second motor for rotating a feeding roller to a point in time when an amount of the rotation of the feeding roller reaches a preset threshold amount; and a drive command outputting section configured to output the drive command to the second motor when the position of the recording portion has reached the first position.
US08474935B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a recording head having plural sub-heads, the sub-heads each including plural nozzles, each of the plural nozzles within a sub-head ejecting liquid droplets at the same time with respect to a medium on which an image is drawn, and the sub-heads being arranged in a width direction of the medium; a setting unit; and a rotation unit. The setting unit uses a timing when a predetermined sub-head of the plural sub-heads ejects liquid droplets as a reference to set timings when sub-heads other than the predetermined sub-head eject liquid droplets. The rotation unit uses a predetermined axis as a spindle to rotate and position the recording head in a plane parallel to a plane of the medium.
US08474914B2
An armrest adjustment device includes an armrest arranged at a top surface of an armrest support. The lower part of the armrest support is connected to a chair seat. The armrest can be adjusted to move forward and backward in relation to the chair seat. A first component is mounted in the armrest. The first component is assembled with and fixed on the armrest support so that the armrest can be moved forward and backward in relation to the first component. Moreover, a second component is arranged between the armrest and the armrest support. Instead of the first component, the second component is assembled with and fixed on the armrest support. Thus the armrest is moved in the left/right direction in relation to the second component.
US08474901B2
A cowl-top cover arranged across a lower end part of a front window panel, a rear end part of a front hood, and an upper end part of a dash panel, of a vehicle. The cover is formed by a seal loading portion supporting the rear end part of the front hood with a sealing member, a longitudinal wall portion extending downwardly LWR from a rear end part of the seal loading portion, and a panel loading portion supported at the upper end part of the dash panel. The longitudinal wall portion includes a first oblique face portion formed at a predetermined angle θ1 at a rear portion side PR on the basis of a perpendicular line with the rear end part of the seal loading portion being a start point; and a second oblique face portion bent and formed at a front side FR of the first oblique face portion.
US08474897B1
A storage assembly for use in a vehicle is provided. The storage assembly includes a body that includes at least one surface, at least one sidewall, and at least one recess portion defined within the surface. The recess portion is sized to contain at least one object therein. At least one holder is coupled to the sidewall, wherein the holder includes at least one opening defined therein that is sized to receive a container therein. At least two legs extend from the body for supporting the body a predefined distance above a floor of the rear portion of the vehicle. The two legs are spaced a predefined distance apart such that a passageway is defined therebetween. A receptacle is removably coupled within the passageway such that at least a portion of at least one item transported within the vehicle may extend through the passageway when the receptacle is removed.
US08474896B2
A vehicle topper provides an enclosed compartment when coupled with a cargo bed of a vehicle such as a pickup truck. Convenient open access is provided to the bed of the vehicle by employing a rolling door that is supported by a frame within two parallel guide tracks. When the rolling door is in a completely closed position, the vehicle topper creates an enclosed and lockable compartment in conjunction with the cargo bed and the vehicle's cargo box. When the rolling door is moved through the guide tracks to a completely open position, the door is substantially disposed within a sub-floor space between a floor supported by the frame of the vehicle topper, and the vehicle's cargo bed. The rolling door can be caused to bypass the completely closed position and to open in a reverse direction. An outer frame is included to secure the vehicle topper to the walls of the cargo box.
US08474895B2
An inner rack structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle which can easily form an inner rack with a distinctive outward appearance. An inner rack opening that opens upwardly is provided in an upper cover, and an inner rack body portion formed to bulge in a forward direction is provided in the upper portion of a lower cover. The inner rack opening is covered from below and the front by the inner rack body portion, and the inner rack body portion is covered from a rear direction by a lower-side rear wall portion that extends downwardly from the inner rack opening of the upper cover, thereby forming an inner rack serving as a storage portion.
US08474892B1
There is provided an assembly for hoisting and transporting objects having support receptacles affixed to its outer surface and for moving the objects into a desired close alignment in a predetermined location. The assembly includes a mounting bracket configured to mechanically engage with a lifting end of a crane and at least a pair of lifting plates pivotally coupled to the mounting bracket. The lifting plates have opposed non-parallel sides that are angled to engage the support receptacles during lifting of the object and during transportation of the object. When the crane moves the object to its desired location, the crane operator may pivot the assembly to facilitate aligning the object. Upon completion of alignment, the object is put down, and the lifting plates disengage from the support receptacles by sliding out of the slots of the support receptacles.
US08474883B2
A latching system for and a method of latching a first member to a second member are provided. The latching system includes a latching mechanism including a displaceable feature which, when operatively displaced, allows a striker to engage with a housing of the latching mechanism, at a recess defined by the housing, to provide supplementary or auxiliary latching force. The displaceable feature may be displaced by an actuating load transmitted between the striker and the latching mechanism, where the actuating load is substantially greater than the nominal load experienced by the latching system during ordinary latching conditions. The engagement of the striker with the housing at the recess may transfer a portion of the actuating load to the housing during the event generating the actuating load, thereby increasing the latching strength of the latching system and reducing the potential for deformation or distortion of the latching element during the event.
US08474878B2
A securing device for axially connecting a sleeve-shaped end section of a first fluid line part to an end section, which is designed as a pointed end, of a second fluid line part includes a clamping body which is of annular design and has a passage opening for insertion of the second fluid line part, at least one retaining element of a hook-shaped design, and at least one spacer of web-shaped design, wherein the at least one retaining element and the at least one spacer are both integrally formed with the clamping body and extend in the same axial direction.
US08474867B2
A steering wheel unit with an airbag module and a steering wheel body is connectable to a steering column defining the axial direction. The steering wheel body includes an accommodation for the airbag module in the hub area. The airbag module can be pressed down against the steering wheel body against the force of at least one spring and at least two positioning units act between the airbag module and the steering wheel body. The positioning units are arranged in a center of gravity plane being perpendicular to the axial direction. In order to provide an easy mountability and a high degree of flexibility in respect of the installation space, the positioning units act at least in non-axial direction and the at least one spring is spaced from the positioning units.
US08474866B1
An airbag is provided that includes one or more rigid regions within a restraint zone that has an elasticity lower than neighboring regions of the airbag. The rigid regions serve to contact the head of an occupant and provide directional support and guidance for the position of an airbag upon deployment or contact with an occupant.
US08474853B2
An apparatus for attaching a climbing skin to a ski or snowboard is provided as are kits and climbing skins joined to such apparatus. Included is an apparatus for attaching a climbing skin to a front portion of a ski or snowboard, the front portion including ski sides which converge toward a front end of the ski or snowboard, the apparatus including: (i) opposing first and second holders, each holder being configured to receive one of the converging ski sides; and (ii) a connector between the first and second holders which includes at least one hinge. Also included is a kit including the apparatus and a climbing skin. Also included is a climbing skin having a fastener, the fastener including a portion which is retained between layers of the skin and one or more portions which extend from the skin for attachment of the skin to a ski or snowboard.
US08474850B2
A lubricated guide unit is for a motorcycle fork tube that includes an outer tube and an inner tube telescopically slidable within the outer tube. The guide unit includes upper and lower sliding bushings axially spaced apart and disposed within a cavity of the outer tube and guide sliding movement of the inner tube. A first sealing device is mounted at an open end of the outer tube and seals against the outer surface of the inner tube. A second sealing device is mounted in the outer tube and seals against the outer surface of the inner tube. The second sealing device is axially spaced from the first sealing device such that a sealed, lubrication chamber is defined between the two sealing devices and the facing circumferential surfaces of the inner and outer tubes, the two bushings being disposed within the chamber.
US08474838B1
A hidden braking device installed on an adjustable walking aid has a connecting unit installed in the walking aid. The connecting unit has an upper shaft connecting to a braking grip, a lower shaft connected to a braking unit, an adjusting seat fixed to the lower shaft for the upper shaft to penetrate, a moving member slidably disposed in the adjusting seat for propelling the upper shaft, and a fastening unit disposed out of the walking aid, corresponding to the moving member. In adjusting the height of the walking aid, the fastening unit utilizes its magnetic attraction to control the moving member. The moving member is influenced to engage with one fixing slot defined on the upper shaft. The height of the walking aid and the length of the connecting unit are concurrently adjusted, which increases the operational convenience.
US08474827B2
In accordance with embodiments of this invention, a pressure actuated leaf seal assembly is provided that includes film riding, hydrodynamic/hydrostatic runners under seal member leaf ends. Leaf seal assemblies according to embodiments of this invention maintain the runner away from a rotating body until adequate rotating speed is present to generate lift required to allow the runner to float on a thin film of operating fluid on the rotating body, so that the runner does not rub the rotating body. In addition, runners are attached, or added, to leaf seal members such that the runners move in a radial direction, while remaining parallel to the rotating body. In one embodiment, a runner can comprise a separate structure coupled to a leaf seal member, and in another embodiment, a runner can comprise a wear-resistant pad on a distal end of a leaf seal member.
US08474824B2
A method of assembling a pressure sensing module includes affixing a pressure sensor unit to an alignment tool and indexing the alignment tool to a circuit board. After the pressure sensor unit is attached to the circuit board, a seal plate is indexed thereto. A locator feature indexes receptacle elements on the circuit board, alignment tool, and seal plate. An integrated seal module includes a mounting plate having first and second opposing faces, and at least one locator hole and one or more pressure passages extending therethrough. A unitary seal member effects a fluid seal between the pressure ports and the first face and the pressure sources and the second face. A seal member and locator bushings may be formed as a single, continuous liquid injection molded framework, including portions encased by the mounting plate. Pressure passages provide fluid to pressure sensors, which may be overmolded in the mounting plate.
US08474820B2
A roulette table allows players to make customized betting selections and customize the layout of the betting options that appear on the player station of the roulette table. In particularly contemplated embodiments, players may add, delete, or modify the appearance of betting options through a user interface so that the players may more readily indicate desired wagers. This functionality may not only speed up game play, but also make the betting layout more intuitive for each user resulting in increased attendance of roulette games.
US08474815B2
In a transport device, a first speed control unit controls a rotating speed of a first roller driving unit to reach a first target speed, and a second speed control unit controls a rotating speed of a second roller driving unit to reach a second target speed. The second speed control unit is arranged to perform, when a print medium is transported by both a first transport roller unit and a second transport roller unit, a follower control having a response sensibility to speed fluctuations in a predetermined frequency region of a control system, which is smaller than a response sensibility when the print medium is transported by the second transport roller unit solely.
US08474800B2
A fluid filled type vibration damping device including an elastic rubber body elastically connecting an inner shaft member and an outer tube member. The elastic rubber body has a solid rubber wall that includes inside face recesses and outside face recesses respectively formed to either side of the inner shaft member in an axis-perpendicular direction so that a pair of thin portions and a pair of thick portions respectively situated in opposition along mutually orthogonal axes lying in axis-perpendicular directions are formed in the solid rubber wall. A deepest part of the inside face recesses is situated towards an axial small diameter side of the solid rubber wall with respect to an deepest part of the outside face recesses, with the inside face recesses and the outside face recesses overlapping one another in the axis-perpendicular direction of the solid rubber wall.
US08474798B2
An air spring has at least one working space which is filled with compressed air and which is delimited at least partially by a rolling bellows which is fastened at its ends to connecting parts. At least one of its ends, the air spring has a wall which is thicker in relation to the rest of the rolling bellows body, wherein the rolling bellows has, at least one of its thickened ends, a continuously vulcanized layer cover which is folded back to such a length that, after the assembly of the air spring, at least one region of the rolling bellows which is highly loaded by chassis forces falls into the region of the layer cover.
US08474794B2
A control system for a lifting device and a lifting device comprising the same are disclosed. The control system includes a control unit comprising a processor with a memory communicatively coupled to the processor and having computer readable and executable instructions. A battery is electrically coupled to the control unit in addition to at least one indicator. The processor executes the computer readable and executable instructions to: determine an operating characteristic of the lifting device and an operating time of the lifting device as the lifting device is actuated; determine an accumulated load-time parameter for the lifting device based on the operating characteristic and the operating time; store the accumulated load-time parameter in the memory of the lift control system; compare the accumulated load-time parameter to a service constant; and provide an indication the indicator that a lift structural component requires service based on the comparison.
US08474793B2
The invention provides a lifting system that decreases the amount of energy used while lifting luggage from the ground in a variety of locations. According to the invention, a lifting system operates on a regenerative braking mechanism that provides for recharging the battery of the lifting system using energy created from rotational force generated by the lowering of an arm of the lifting system.
US08474792B2
In a valve device for selectively opening and closing a flow passage formed to open on a valve seat by a valve body through a resin-made seat, a hollow portion is formed on either one of the valve body and the valve seat and receives the resin-made seat therein, the resin-made seat has a thickness so that the resin-made seat partly protrudes from the hollow portion, and when the valve body is operated to close the flow passage, the resin-made seat is compressed to bring an end surface of the valve body into contact with the valve seat.
US08474788B2
The present invention provides a control device featuring a control module featuring one or more modules configured to provide a first control signal for controlling a first device in order to open or close a second device; and also configured to respond to a change in a parameter sensed in relation to controlling the first device, and to provide a second control signal for controlling the first device based at least partly on the change in the parameter in relation to time. The first device may be a motor; the second device is a valve; and the parameter may be current. In operation, the first control signal is for turning on the motor in order to open or close the valve, and the second control signal is for turning off the motor in order to open or close the valve.
US08474787B2
The invention relates to a valve cartridge for a solenoid valve, having a capsule, a valve insert that is inserted by a first end into the capsule and on its other end receives a valve body with a main valve seat. A lower valve part is axially braced on the valve insert, and a flat filter for filtering out dirt particles is connected via a retaining element to the lower valve part. According to the invention, the retaining element includes at least one component on the flat filter side and at least one corresponding component on the lower valve part side, which makes at least one partial clamping connection between the flat filter and the lower valve part. The invention further relates to a solenoid valve having such a valve cartridge.
US08474785B2
A valve assembly (1) comprising a valve housing (2), a stem (4) that is disposed perpendicular to the direction of flow within the valve housing (2), and a blocking member (3) which can be movably connected to the stem (4). The stem (4) is provided with a device (5) for limiting torque.
US08474784B2
A tube clamp having first and second opposed jaws (1012, 1014) joined by a hinge (1016), the jaws (1012, 1014) movable between open and closed positions, the tube clamp adapted to attach to a flexible plastic tube (1024) so that the tube (1024) passes between the jaws (1012, 1014), whereby the flow of fluid through the tube (1024) is permitted when the jaws are open but is blocked when the jaws are brought together to the closed position to pinch closed the tube there-between, and locking means (1048,1036,1042) to effect substantially permanent and irreversible locking of the jaws (1012, 1014) in the closed position.
US08474780B2
A cable retainer assembly for use inside utility pole base assembly. The cable retainer is anchored to the foundation using the same bolts as the pole base. The cable retainer discourages pole-to-pole cable theft by securing the copper conductor cables to the foundation and pole base plate below the handhole in the pole. Access to the clamps of the cable retainer may be prevented by including a blocking structure positioned between the cable retainer and the handhole in the pole base.
US08474779B1
A line post anchoring device for a roadway cable barrier system includes a lower helical anchor to which a detachable line post socket member is secured. The helical anchor and line post socket of each line post anchoring device have mating coupling sections that are preassembled and hydraulically screwed into the ground in a single operation. Each socket includes interior guide plates for properly guiding and positioning a line post therein, such that the cabling system can be effectively strung under tension at the same time the anchoring devices are installed in the ground. Damaged sockets are easily replaced with minimal disruption to the surrounding soil by backing the helical anchor out of the ground only so far as necessary to detach and replace the damaged socket, and then reinserting the helical anchor in the same location. There is no delay or multiple operations required for installation or repair, thus enhancing roadway safety by minimizing traffic disruptions and possible accidents incident thereto.
US08474775B2
A foldable and adjustable supporting apparatus is provided, including a base, an adjusting element, a receiving element and a positioning unit. The apparatus provides support to an object, such as, portable electronic device, to stand in various tilt angles. The receiving element is coupled to the base, and can rotate more than 270°. The adjusting element and positioning element located on the base are responsible for maintaining the tilt angle of the rotated receiving element. The apparatus, when not in use, can be folded into a box-like appearance. When in use, the apparatus can be expanded to provide support to portable electronic device to remain in standing position.
US08474774B2
The invention relates to a panel component holder arranged to be attached to a panel element. The panel component holder comprises at least one supporting means and a casing including a brim and at least one retainer. The at least one supporting means comprises an attached end being attached to the casing, an elastic means and a free end. Said at least one retainer is arranged to prevent outwardly movement of the at least one supporting means from said casing in a plane coinciding with the centre axis of the casing, wherein the outwardly movement of the supporting means is induced by the elastic means.
US08474772B2
A cup holder is deployed from a recess in a substantially vertical panel behind a substantially planar fold-down door which is pivotable adjacent to a bottom edge. A substantially planar tray member is slidably mounted to a guide frame to move between a collapsed position and an expanded position at respective distances from the inside surface of the fold-down door. A telescoping holder unit with substantially cylindrical sleeve elements slides from a collapsed state to an expanded state in response to movement of the tray member. A top rim of the holder unit is fixed with respect to a cylindrical sleeve element having a largest diameter and is coupled to the tray member. A bottom plate of the holder unit is coupled to the fold-down door. The holder unit accommodates various beverage containers.
US08474766B2
A height adjustment mechanism includes a fixing member, an adjustment member rotatably engaging with the fixing member, and a standard member having a standard surface. The adjustment member defines an engaging hole. The standard member defines an alignment hole through the standard surface corresponding to the engaging hole of the adjustment member. The standard member is separately positioned over the adjustment member, and the standard surface of the standard member contacts with one distal end of the adjustment member. An assembly method for an electronic device is also provided.
US08474755B2
According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a service unit for being installed on a service channel of an aircraft is disclosed, wherein said service unit features a mounting device and a connecting device. These two devices cooperate in such a way that the mounting and the automatic connecting are realized in one step when the service unit is moved into the installation position.
US08474752B2
An actuation system including a plurality of actuators; a plurality of position sensors coupled to the actuators, the plurality of position sensors providing rate feedback signals proportional to an actuator rate; a plurality of force sensors coupled to the actuators, the plurality of force sensors providing delta pressure signals; and a feedback control loop configured to receive the rate feedback signals and delta pressure signals and compute a difference in actual actuator rates and sum the difference with a computed difference in actuator forces to generate actuator positioning commands that equalize the actuator forces on a control surface.
US08474750B2
An engine attachment pylon for an aircraft including a rigid structure including a box including an upper spar and a lower spar, connected to each other through two lateral panels. At least one of the upper and lower ends of the web of at least one of the two lateral panels includes at least one assembly cleat projecting sideways from the web towards the outside of the box, and assembled to the spar on which it bears through an attachment mechanism located outside the inner space in the box.
US08474743B2
A ski-lift seat return device having a supporting structure; a reel mounted to rotate about an axis with respect to the supporting structure; a cable wound about the reel; a spring mechanism for opposing unwinding of the cable, and for rewinding the cable unwound off the reel; and a contactless magnetic brake connected to the reel and the supporting structure to adjust the brake torque as a function of the rotation speed of the reel; and wherein the magnetic brake has a first wall integral with and preferably defining part of the supporting structure; and a second wall connected movably to the reel and moved towards the first wall by the rotation speed of the reel; the first and second wall being coupled magnetically to each other.
US08474741B2
An extractor device for coffee grounds that substantially consists of a tubular frame (10), inside which is a casing (11) fixed to the frame (10) and comprising a gear motor (12) preferably the low-voltage type, the lower part of the tubular frame (10) being open to allow the possibility of attaching a container bag (13) to collect the coffee grounds from above, the motor (12), positioned inside the casing (11) whose upper part terminates with a conical shape (11′), comprising a shaft (14) attached to the extraction device (15) which substantially consists of a blade (16) with two or more sectors.
US08474734B2
An injector includes a nozzle body, a main body including a supply port on the outer peripheral surface of the main body and a high pressure passage, and a fuel pressure sensor on an outer peripheral surface of the main body to detect fuel pressure. The high pressure passage has a first passage extending from the supply port in a radial direction of the main body, and a second passage extending from a fuel downstream end portion of the first passage toward an injection hole in an insertion direction of the nozzle body. The supply port and the sensor are diametrically opposed to each other. The main body includes a sensor passage, which branches from the high pressure passage to extend from the fuel downstream end portion of the first passage in an imaginary extension of the first passage so that fuel flows into the sensor through the sensor passage.
US08474729B2
The room heater has, in an outer case 1, both a first air flow passage that leads to a vent hole 12 through a section in which the main heat exchanger 6 is arranged and a second air flow passage that does not pass through the section in which the main heat exchanger 6 is arranged but leads to the vent hole 12 through a section in which a supplementary heat exchanger 6′ is arranged provided. At least one of the first damper 20 which can freely block the first air flow passage and the second damper 21 which can freely block the second air flow passage is provided, and the first air flow passage or the second air flow passage is blocked in a weak combustion period.
US08474725B2
A wireless IC device includes a wireless IC chip arranged to process a transmission/received signal, a matching inductance element and a planar electrode which are provided on the surface of a feeder circuit board formed by a flexible dielectric, and a loop-shaped radiation plate provided on the undersurface of the feeder circuit board. Both ends of the radiation plate are coupled to a resonance circuit including an inductance element by electromagnetic field coupling. The wireless IC chip is operated using a signal received by the radiation plate. A response signal transmitted from the wireless IC chip is externally transmitted from the radiation plate.
US08474716B2
A storage system for a pharmacy that has a frame containing a rack-like structure with a plurality of storage carriers detachably suspended therefrom. The carriers are sized to receive filled prescription orders and the like and include individual identifiers that facilitate locating the carriers at a specific location on the rack-like structure. Preferably, the storage system includes a tracking system that detects, monitors, and displays to a worker the location of the storage carrier containing a particular customer's prescription order, thereby providing easy retrieval of the customer's prescription order.
US08474692B2
An analyzer which analyzes an analyte by using the analyte and consumables, the analyzer comprising: an automatic reading device which reads a first product information related to a consumable via an identifier given to the consumable or a container containing the consumable; and a controller which permits an analysis operation when the first product information is suitable information read by the automatic reading device via the identifier, and prompts an operator to manually enter a second product information comprising information specifying the manufacturer or seller of the consumable when the automatic reading device cannot read the identifier or the information read via the identifier is not suitable as the first product information and permits the analysis operation and storage of the input second product information when the operator has entered the second product information.
US08474685B2
A hexagonal box is formed from a box blank having a rectangular main body divided into six sections which are separated by score lines so that the main body can be folded to create the hexagonal box. The main body has a set of six flaps extending from one end of the six sections, and a second set of six independent flaps extending from the other end of the six sections. Preferably, at least two-thirds of the end-flaps are non-rectangular. Once the box blank is folded into a hexagonal box, the end-flaps may folded inward to create closed ends with minimal end-flap overlap. The hexagonal boxes may be constructed to have handles. A plurality of boxes may be grouped together into a honeycomb formation to maximize the packing density for shipment or transport.
US08474684B2
A method for bonding a composite multi-layer shell having complex curvature by the delta-alpha high temperature bonding process uses a novel tool. The tool includes a plurality of segments that combine to form a mandrel assembly having a substantially continuous outer surface. The outer surface has a substantially axisymmetric shape including a complex curvature. When the segments are combined to form the mandrel assembly, at least one of the segments is configured to be movable in a substantially inward direction without substantial obstruction by any other segment. The segments are constructed of a first material have a first coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than a second coefficient of thermal expansion of a second material of a composite multi-layer shell to be bonded together using the tool.
US08474673B2
A system for carrying articles from a belt worn on the body of a person or other animate bearer comprises a belt or elongated member (20) with a substantially planar rail (30) borne on the outside surface of the belt and a carrier (50) for articles attached to the rail by a sleeve sewn to the body of the carrier. The carrier (50) may be free to slide along the rail (30) or may be secured at least temporarily to the rail. The carrier (50) thereby can be moved along the rail when worn on the belt so that the bearer can place the carrier (50) in a more comfortable or useful position with respect to the body of the bearer and secure it in that position at least temporarily.
US08474670B1
A holster for a handgun, including a cavity having a frame/slide portion and a trigger guard portion; an axis extending between the frame/slide portion of the cavity and the trigger guard portion of the cavity; and a lever having a finger button portion and an engagement portion, wherein the lever includes a second side facing generally toward the holster cavity, and wherein the engagement portion of the lever includes a locking projection extending from the second side of the engagement portion; wherein the lever is pivotally attached atop the side wall of the holster, along the axis, approximately between the finger button portion and the engagement portion, such that the finger button portion extends from the axis and is positioned above the frame/slide portion of the cavity and the engagement portion extends from the axis and is positioned above the trigger guard portion of the cavity.
US08474668B2
A wearable food holder includes a container portion having multiple walls defining an interior volume; a tray portion, the tray portion being movable relative to the container portion from a closed position to an open position to access the interior volume; one or more spikes, the spikes being positioned within the interior volume of the container portion when the tray portion is in a closed position; and a mounting means for mounting the food holder to an article for wearing by a person.
US08474664B2
A spring member extending from a first end to a second end about a longitudinal axis, the spring having an inherent bias to assume an extended position with a first end spaced from the second end along the axis, the spring assuming compressed positions when compressed by forces applied parallel to the axis, in the compressed positions the spring resiliently urges its first and second ends axially away from each other toward the extended position, the spring member having a wall in the shape of a solid of revolution rotated about the axis and defining a central cavity therein open at the first end of the spring and substantially closed at the second end of the spring, the wall when in the unbiased extended position having a greatest diameter at the first end and a least diameter at the second end, a plurality of openings through the wall, the openings disposed symmetrically both circumferentially and axially relative to each other.
US08474655B2
In one embodiment, a bag-in-box container includes a fluid containment bag including a pliable body and a dispensing spout that extends from the body, the spout including a neck and a collar that extends outward from the neck, a carton in which the bag is positioned, the spout of the bag being recessed within an interior space of the carton, and a locking member placed in contact with the neck that secures the spout in a predetermined position within the carton interior space.
US08474654B2
A sample dispenser is provided allowing a consumer to sample a product. The dispenser includes a dosing unit having a mechanical pump and a nozzle for dispensing sampling amounts of the flowable substance. The dispenser also includes a cradle assembly featuring a cap and a dock, the dock having a receiving area and therein a floor from which projects an upwardly oriented hollow connector with a plastic wall piercing mouth. The cap is fittable over a product container. Tubing connects the pump and hollow connector allowing communication of the flowable substance between the product container and pump. Also provided is a method to allow a consumer to sample the product. The method includes providing the sample dispenser as described above, and activating the dosing unit to deliver a portion of the flowable substance to the consumer.
US08474653B2
The present invention relates to a method and a device for singulating ophthalmic lenses, particularly contact lenses. The method and the device are suitable for integration into an automated production of ophthalmic lenses, particularly contact lenses.
US08474649B1
A serving dish, such as in the form of a bowl is provided including an upper receptacle and a lower enclosure. The upper receptacle, in the form of a basin, supports a food item to be served frozen, such as ice cream. The lower enclosure, in the form of a stand, includes an interior containing a thermal mass therein. Materials forming the basin have a higher than average thermal conductivity, to relatively rapidly conduct heat away from chilled food items served within the basin. The thermal mass within the interior of the stand has a higher than average specific heat. When the stand and included thermal mass are pre-chilled, large amounts of heat can be rapidly conducted from food items within the basin, down into the thermal mass. Food items served within the basin of the bowl can thus be kept frozen during a serving period.
US08474642B2
A disposal container having a container body, a seal section disposed on top of the container body and having an opening with a seal band around the opening, a transfer barrel pivotally mounted on the seal section, the transfer barrel having a substantially spherical outer surface with an opening on the outer surface, and a handle pivotally mounted on the seal section. The handle and the transfer barrel are mounted to rotate coaxially in synchronization. When the handle and the transfer barrel are rotated to an open position, the opening of the transfer barrel is above the seal band; when they are rotated to a closed position, the opening of the transfer barrel is below the seal band. In another embodiment, a lid rather than a handle is provided and coupled to the transfer barrel to rotate it. Springs are provided to urge the lid toward an open position.
US08474633B2
Methods for moving a starting motor or a torque converter within an auxiliary compartment of a gas turbine are provided. A removal apparatus, which includes a lifting fixture attached to a beam pivotally mounted on a mast, is secured within the auxiliary compartment. To move the starting motor, a plurality of lifting hooks on the lifting fixture are attached to the starting motor, and the lifting fixture and the starting motor are hoisted. To move the torque converter, a pair of lifting lugs on the lifting fixture is attached to the torque converter, and the lifting fixture and the torque converter are hoisted. Methods are also generally provided for securing a removal apparatus within an auxiliary compartment of a gas turbine.
US08474629B1
A tramp metal separation device for removing contaminants from a stream of raw materials that is being conveyed by a pneumatic conveying line. The tramp metal separation device includes a first housing, a drawer, and at least one actuator. The first housing has an inlet and an outlet that are connectable to the pneumatic conveying line. The drawer is supported with respect to the first housing such that the drawer is moveable between an extended position, where a plurality of magnets are positioned within the first housing and a retracted position, where the magnets are positioned outside of the first housing. A wiper assembly removes contaminants from the magnets as the drawer moves from the extended position to the retracted position. The actuator moves the drawer between its extended position and its retracted position.
US08474618B2
A corrugated container for shipping a glass sheet, such as an automotive windshield, is disclosed. The container includes one or more support braces for contacting a first side of the glass sheet and one or more braces for contacting the opposing second side of the glass sheet. Suction cups can be connected to the braces. A cross-brace, generally perpendicular to the other support braces, can be provided for added protection and support of the glass sheet.
US08474617B2
The invention relates to a bottle case (10, 10′), including a case base (11), four side elements (12, 13, 14, 15) extending from the base, and a framework (16) having compartments (17) for accommodating bottles, wherein the bottle case (10, 10′) also has a mechanism (20) on at least two opposite side elements and on the case base for rotated stacking of a plurality of bottle cases. The bottle case (10, 10′) is suitable for transporting bottles whether the bottles are full or empty and for transporting the cases back and forth in an empty state.
US08474609B1
A cover for an electronic device having a first panel including a first and second edge, a second panel including a first and second edge and being positioned adjacent the first panel, a third panel including a first edge adjacent the second panel opposite the first panel, and means for connecting the first panel to a device holder or to the device itself. The cover may attach to a separate back panel which can be detachably secured to the electronic device. The second edge of the first panel, the first and second edges of the second panel and the first edge of the third panel are slanted so as to allow adjacent panels to be configured to form an angle to one another. The edges of adjacent panels are V-shaped and include two sidewalls which abut when the panels move together. This limits the minimum angle between adjacent panels.
US08474606B2
A link chain or a chain link for scraper chain conveyors with vertical and horizontal chain links which are interlinked in an articulated manner for scraper chain conveyors for use in mining. In particular to horizontal chain links with front sections with a straight face zone and with longitudinal limbs, which connect the front sections around an oval inner opening and which are provided on their outer surfaces with a recess, wherein the rear sides of front sections delimiting the inner opening form a contact zone for circular arcs of vertical chain links. In order to improve the service life of the link chain, the rear sides, which face oval inner opening, of front sections are provided with a surface which has a hollow, which forms a central region of the contact zone, between a fillet cambered in a crowned manner.
US08474605B2
A conveyor drive shaft for use in agricultural combines including an integral torque limiting device is disclosed herein. More particularly, a co-axial integrated torque limiter, such as an radial pin clutch, is provided in such a conveyor drive shaft to minimize additional space claim required to protect the conveyor drive shaft, and attached components from damage in the event of an unexpected jam or other stoppage. A conveyor system employing such an integrated conveyor drive shaft and a combine employing such a conveyor system are also disclosed.
US08474591B1
The garbage chute apparatus provides a chute of about 12 inches in diameter that is smooth with the rounded bend relatively gradual so that garbage items do no lodge within the chute or become trapped by any rough or uneven surfaces. The deodorizer within the chute further provides odor protection. The exhaust fan also prevents odor buildup. The coupler removably and sealably fits to the chute vertical leg via a hook and loop band, so that the coupling between the chute and coupler is leak proof with regard to odors and materials. The smooth bell-shaped coupler has no surfaces aberrations so that garbage items are not lodged, but pass straight through. The coupler opens widely at the bottom to allow for removable attachment to a plurality of garbage containers, with little regard to container size and shape. The elastic band seals the coupler to a given container.
US08474589B2
A compact universal fluid-actuated clutch employs a pair of tapered roller bearings between a cover plate and output shaft, the roller bearings serving to not only rotationally maintain the output shaft, but receive and transfer clutch reactionary forces therethrough. Lubrication to the tapered roller bearings serves to lubricate not only a thrust bearing through which the actuation forces are transferred, but also to lubricate the clutch, as well, in the embodiment of a wet clutch. Also provided is an output shaft brake assembly, which is also lubricated through the tapered roller bearings, and which is of a small compact nature, consisting of a piston rotatably secured to the end cover, and a rotor operatively attached to the output shaft. The invention substantially eliminates the need for rotary unions and rifle boring of the output shaft, and allows for adaptation of the shaft to direct or belt drive equipment connections.
US08474588B2
The present invention provides a lever actuator rear pull dry clutch to connect an engine with a vehicle transmission. A spring retainer and/or pressure plate of the clutch assembly has a dry lubricant for sliding in pivotal engagement with the levers to maintain the efficiency of the actuation of the clutch over an extended life cycle of the clutch assembly.
US08474577B2
A device for adjusting the release position of an operation element of a brake includes an articulated rod hinged and rotationally connected to the operation element. The articulated rod has an adjustment end provided with a pin having a threaded adjustment hole at least partly threaded and engaged with a threaded portion of a push rod, operatively connected to the operation element of the brake. The device comprises an anti-rotation device for preventing rotation of the push rod.
US08474567B2
A method for the readjustment of an actuator of an all-wheel drive clutch of a motor vehicle that includes determining a clutch slip value corresponding to a difference between the speed of a primary axle and the speed of a secondary axle; determining a reference secondary axle torque corresponding to the proportion of a driving torque which is transmitted to the secondary axle and for which a clutch slip value of substantially zero is expected; and comparing the clutch slip value with a threshold value and comparing a desired clutch torque with the reference secondary axle torque. A desired clutch torque/control signal relationship for the clutch actuator is changed in dependence on the result of these comparisons.
US08474555B2
A vehicle component mounting arrangement comprises a vehicle body member, a motor, an inverter and an air conditioning compressor. The motor serves as a drive source. The motor has a motor housing that is elastically supported with respect to the vehicle body member inside a motor room. The inverter is electrically connected to the motor to supply a drive current to the motor. The inverter is vertically arranged above the motor inside the motor room such that a vertical space exists directly between the inverter and the motor in a vertical direction of the vehicle. The air conditioning compressor serves to compress a refrigerant. The air conditioning compressor is attached to the motor housing, and is arranged inside the vertical space between the inverter and the motor.
US08474546B2
A packing pressure adjustment assembly for a ground opener unit of an agricultural implement includes a spring interconnected between a rotatable pressure adjustment arm and a trailing arm to which a packer wheel is rotatably mounted. The pressure adjustment arm is centered about an axle of the ground opener unit and is movable between a set of mounting positions that are defined by a set of teeth spaced and arced from one another along a frame portion of the ground opener unit. As the pressure adjustment arm is rotated, the amount of force exerted by the spring on the trailing arm is varied. The packing pressure adjustment assembly is relatively compact and is useful in providing high packing forces, such as a packing force in excess of 100 lbs.
US08474545B2
To provide a sprinkler head including: a sprinkler head main body having a nozzle therein, connected to water supply piping, and installed in a ceiling; a cover plate concealing the sprinkler head main body; a retainer disposed so that the cover plate is located below the ceiling surface and capable of releasing the cover plate in the event of fire; and a cylindrical member that is attached to the sprinkler head main body and to which the retainer is detachably connected, and having a structure that can save the trouble of removing and reattaching a protective cap at the time of installation of the sprinkler head. The sprinkler head has such a structure that a protective cap attached to the sprinkler head is fitted to the outer periphery of the sprinkler head main body.
US08474543B2
A fluid control device is provided for controlling and/or halting an uncontrolled flow of petroleum or natural gas from an open well head on the sea floor. The fluid control device includes an elongated member having a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the well head casing. A tapered section in connection with the elongated section, has a diameter equal to or greater than the inside diameter of the well head casing. An end section connected to the tapered section has a diameter greater than or equal to the outside diameter of the well head casing. The fluid control device, under its own mass or under an external force, overcomes the upward forces created by the flowing petroleum or natural gas, resulting in sufficient downward movement of the fluid control device and contact with the open well to seal the well head casing or drill pipe.
US08474537B2
A wellhead connector for connecting a riser or production tree to a wellhead of a subsea well utilizes a singular annular piston to lock the connector onto the wellhead. The wellhead connector includes a housing that contains dogs for engagement with the exterior of the wellhead housing. A cam ring is also included, which has an inner side for engaging the dogs and moving them inward into a locked position with the wellhead housing. The cam ring is of a reduced proportion relative to prior art. As such, the cam ring outer side is dimensioned to contact the inner side of the connector housing under load. Connecting rods connect the piston to the cam rings. As the piston moves downward, the cam ring also moves downward, forcing the dogs inward into a locked position. As the piston moves upward, the cam ring also moves upward, thereby unlocking the connector. A secondary annular piston is also provided to guarantee unlocking.At preload, a profile on the lower portion of the connector body engages a stepped profile on the outer diameter of the wellhead thereby creating a secondary load path for reacting to the applied bending moment.
US08474527B2
A mechanism for adjusting the relative angular orientation of two coaxial components includes a mandrel having a cylindrical central section between upper and lower splined sections, a sleeve rotatably and slidably disposed around the mandrel's central section, and generally cylindrical upper and lower ratchet members positioned, respectively, about the mandrel's upper and lower splined sections. The ratchet members have internal grooves which receive the mandrel splines for torsional load transfer while permitting limited rotation relative to the mandrel, but their axial positions relative to the mandrel are fixed. The upper and lower ends of the sleeve have circumferentially-arrayed ratchet teeth engageable, respectively, with corresponding teeth on the upper and lower ratchet members. The central sleeve has torque-transferring external splines slidable within matching grooves on the inner surface of a cylindrical tool housing enclosing the mechanism. The mandrel is rotatable relative to the housing, but its axial position is fixed. The teeth of the sleeve and ratchet members are configured such that movement of the sleeve from a position engaging the upper ratchet member to a position engaging the lower ratchet member, or vice versa, will effect an incremental angular shift of the mandrel relative to the tool housing, while maintaining effective transfer of torsional loads therebetween.
US08474521B2
The disclosure provides an adjustable modular skid system with a plurality of skid modules having a frame to support oil field fluid components, such as manifolds, mixing blocks, collection blocks, fracturing pumps, piping and connections, and other devices used to transport water, sand slurries, gas, oil, or other fluids in oil field applications. The modules can be arranged in multiple configuration to fit a particular well site. The modules can include supply modules, transition modules, and distribution modules. The skid modules can be coupled together through piping and relevant connections at the well site. If appropriate, the skid modules can be supported on pilings or other foundational supports. The system can be assembled remotely, started and tested, partially disassembled into the skid modules, and then installed at the well site with minimal additional effort by generally providing lines and connections between the modules.
US08474515B2
A cylindrical heat exchanger for use as a gas cooler in a thermal regenerative machine such as a Stirling engine includes an imperforate middle wall of sufficient strength and thickness to withstand the pressure exerted by the working fluid. The heat exchanger includes an inner corrugated wall located within an axial gas flow passage inside the middle wall, and an outer corrugated wall which defines an axial coolant flow passage along the outer surface of the middle wall. The coolant flow passage preferably contains a corrugated intermediate wall.
US08474514B2
The invention relates to a carrier structure (1) for partitioning and/or inner partitioning with integrated heating and/or cooling.The structure is characterized in that it comprises mounts (2) that can be fixed to the structure of a building and adapted for receiving a cladding (8); through chutes (5) formed so that they can be attached on said mounts (2); and a network of heating and/or cooling members (6) extending in a portion or the totality of said chutes (5).The invention also relates to a mount and a chute for realizing such a structure, and to a partitioning or inner partitioning for implementing the same.
US08474510B2
A sunshade assembly includes a sunscreen having opposed longitudinal edges which are provided with guide strips which are substantially rigid in transverse direction. Opposed longitudinal guiderails each include a guide channel section defining a guide channel in which the respective guide strip is accommodated when the sunscreen is moved between open and closed positions. The guide channel of each guide rail is bound on the side facing the opposite guiderail by a guide flange supporting the lower side of the sunscreen. A part of the guide channel supports the guide strip on its side remote from the sunscreen. A biasing member acts between at least one of the guide strips and the corresponding guide channel section to bias the guide strip at least on its edge adjacent the sunscreen in a direction away from the guide flange.
US08474509B2
Operating system (1) for rotatably controlling retraction and deployment of an architectural covering. The operating system includes a drive pulley wheel (3) having a circumferential rim (5), a length of looped drive cord (9) operatively engaged with the pulley wheel (3) about its circumferential rim (5) and having depending portions on opposite sides of the pulley wheel (3), a cover (7) co-extensive with a portion of the circumference of the pulley wheel (3) and at least one stopper (19) attached to a portion of the length of the drive cord (9) and adapted to engage the cover (7) to stop rotation upon a predetermined amount of rotation of the pulley wheel (3). The pulley wheel is provided with a cavity (17) on its toothed circumference for receiving the at least one stopper (19) to prevent it from engaging the cover (7).
US08474502B2
A method is provided for making an elastic composite for incorporation into a disposable absorbent garment. An elastic element applicator is provided that is configured to move a section of a continuous strand of elastic element generally about a plane. A first web of material is conveyed in a first web moving direction such that the first web intersects the plane. Then, the applicator is operated to move the elastic element about the plane, thereby applying the section of elastic element onto the first web along a direction generally transverse to the web moving direction and such that the first web draws the continuous elastic strand from the elastic element applicator as the first web is conveyed away from the plane. The elastic element applicator may be in the form of a spin cylinder or bracket that is operated to spin the elastic element about the moving first web, thereby applying the elastic element on the first web.
US08474500B2
A method of allowing control of a vehicle with at least two-wheels in case of puncture of a tire, each wheel including a rim and a tire associated therewith, includes the steps of: inflating each tire to an operating pressure; admitting a fluid compressed to a first pressure higher than the operating pressure of the tire into at least one tank associated with at least one of the rims; bringing the tire into communication with the tank when the inner pressure of the tire is lower than a predetermined first threshold value; detecting a variation of an inner pressure of the tank; activating a pressure measuring device when the inner pressure variation corresponds to a reduction and is higher than a first predetermined value; measuring the inner pressure of the tank with a predetermined frequency by means of (through) the pressure measuring device; calculating a variation in the inner pressure in a time unit; generating an alarm signal when the calculated inner pressure variation corresponds to a reduction and is higher than a second predetermined value; and transmitting the alarm signal to the driver.
US08474492B2
An automatic shut-off nozzle comprises a liquid delivery conduit and a liquid recovery conduit. A valve has a first movable valve portion movable between a valve closed position whereat liquid is precluded from being dispensed from the liquid-dispensing outlet of the liquid delivery conduit and a valve open position whereat liquid is permitted to be dispensed from the liquid-dispensing outlet of the liquid delivery conduit. A manually operable valve control mechanism is reconfigurable between an operating configuration whereat force can be transmitted from the valve control mechanism to the valve to thereby move the first movable valve portion to the valve open position, and a non-operating configuration whereat force cannot be transmitted from the valve control mechanism to the valve. A liquid sensor has a rest state and an actuated state whereat the liquid sensor reconfigures the manually operable valve control mechanism from the operating configuration to the non-operating configuration.
US08474480B1
A spool valve is formed from a spool having two adjacent lands of equal cross-sectional dimensions, and a third land having greater cross-sectional dimensions than the other two. The spool reciprocably moves through a bore formed in a housing, so as to open and close fluid communication between selected pairs of ports formed in the housing. The bore includes a first chamber which receives the third land of the spool and has no externally communicating port formed in its walls. The spool valve may be used as a control valve for the actuator of a system valve. As the spool valve begins to actuate, the third land becomes exposed to actuator pressure. The greater area of the third land serves to increase the force applied to the spool valve by the actuator pressure source, enhancing protection from unintended or malicious resetting of the spool.
US08474476B2
A freeze resistant sanitary hydrant is provided that employs a reservoir for storage of fluid under the frost line or in an area not prone to freezing. To evacuate this reservoir, a venturi is provided that is able to function in hydrant systems that employ a vacuum breaker.
US08474474B2
A method of diagnosing pressure boundary integrity of a control includes choosing a control valve having a valve body, determining a velocity profile within the control valve, choosing an area of the velocity profile, choosing a surface on an exterior of the valve body at or adjacent to the area, forming a pad on the exterior surface overlying the point, applying a testing device to the pad, and measuring a reference thickness of a wall of the valve body through the pad using the testing device. The method further includes applying the testing device to the pad at a time subsequent to measurement of the reference thickness, measuring a first thickness, and comparing the first thickness to the reference thickness. The comparison of the first thickness to the reference thickness can be used to calculate the amount of valve body wall lost during using and the remaining life of the control valve.
US08474472B2
A pipe fitting, useable in the installation of a sprinkler head, includes (a) a body having an open upstream end and an open downstream end, the downstream end having internal threads capable of accepting a threaded male fitting, the body defining an gasket retention area located upstream of the internal threads; and (b) an gasket disposed within the gasket retention area. The gasket retention area and the gasket are chosen so that a threaded male fitting threadedly disposed within the downstream end of the body can be rotated within the downstream end of the body 360° while remaining liquid tight for pressures in excess of 300 psig.
US08474469B2
A cleaning device of a hair removing apparatus having a hair clipping unit for removing hair includes a cleaning basin for accommodating the hair clipping unit therein; a fluid circulating mechanism for supplying or recovering cleaning fluid into or from the cleaning basin; a drying mechanism for drying the hair clipping unit in the cleaning basin after the hair clipping unit is cleaned; and a controller for controlling the fluid circulating mechanism and the drying mechanism. The controller transmits a control signal to the hair removing apparatus to drive the hair clipping unit while the drying mechanism is being operated.
US08474458B1
An ergonomic chin support is designed for use in combination with medical headgear. The headgear has flexible straps adapted for locating a ventilation interface on a patient. The ergonomic chin support comprises a generally arcuate and substantially rigid chin cradle. First and second substantially rigid extensions are formed at opposite ends of the chin cradle, and are adapted for being pulled by respective straps of the headgear to urge the chin cradle against the mandible of the patient. Retaining posts are provided for retaining the ergonomic chin support at a fixed location along respective lengths of the straps.
US08474446B1
A solar collector includes a first header, a second header and one or more riser tubes that connect the first header and second header. The solar collector is mounted to a surface, e.g., a roof, such that the headers are substantially parallel to a horizontal axis. The first header is curved so as to define a low point that facilitates drainage of liquid from the solar collector.
US08474440B2
A catalytic apparatus for efficient pre-combustion refinement of fossil fuel in vehicular engines, including an elongated outer metal pipe containing an elongated stainless steel inner tube of smaller diameter. The outer pipe is crimped or welded onto the inner tube to create a fuel chamber with connectors for the inflow and outflow of fossil fuel therethrough. The fuel chamber contains at least three catalytic elements each comprised of a different metal selected from the group Au, Cu, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Zn and platiniridium, which may be electroplated small-pore screens. As engine coolant is diverted through the inner tube, excess heat is transferred to the inflowing fuel. The fuel is forced to flow in close proximity to the inner tube for maximum convection, and through the catalytic elements before flowing out through the fuel line to the fuel injectors for more efficient combustion.Also disclosed is a method of pre-combustion fuel refinement consisting of the steps of transferring excess heat from engine coolant through a tube disposed through an inlet and outlet of a fuel chamber. In the chamber the heated fossil fuel is forced through the catalytic elements described before returning to the fuel line for injection and combustion.
US08474430B2
A crankshaft mechanism for an engine wherein a crankshaft can be disposed close to the piston side while securing a moment of inertia. In the crankshaft mechanism for the engine including the piston, the crankshaft is provided with a crank pin and counterweight parts, and a connecting rod connecting the piston and the crank pin of the crankshaft to each other, the inner side of a circumferential end, on the opposite side of the crank pin, of each of the counterweight parts is cut out along a curve at equidistance R from the center Q of the crank pin, to obtain such a shape so as to avoid a projected part, projected in the direction of the piston, at the lower end of a small end part of the connecting rod when the piston reaches the bottom dead center.
US08474428B2
An ignitor assembly constructed in accordance with one aspect of the invention has an upper inductor subassembly coupled to a lower firing end subassembly for relative pivot movement between the subassemblies. The upper inductor subassembly includes a tubular housing with inductor windings received therein with an upper electrical connector adjacent an upper end of the housing and a lower electrical connector adjacent a lower end of the housing. The lower firing end subassembly includes a ceramic insulator and a metal housing surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic insulator. The ceramic insulator has an electrical terminal extending from a terminal end and an electrode extending from a firing end. A flexible tube couples the upper inductor subassembly to the lower firing end subassembly and maintains the electrical terminal of the lower firing end subassembly in electrical contact with the lower electrical connector of the upper at a pivot joint.
US08474421B2
In a valve drive train device, in particular for a valve drive of an internal combustion engine, with a switching unit comprising an actuator with a solenoid unit and with a control unit for monitoring switching operations of the switching unit provided for switching an axially displaceable cam element by means of a switch gate, the control unit for monitoring the switching unit is taking into account at least one characteristic value of a voltage integral over a voltage which is induced in a coil of the switching unit during the switching operation and is adjusting the value with respect to a characteristic limit value stored in the control unit.
US08474419B2
A temperature control valve 10 for regulating the flow of coolant 15 in an automotive cooling system 11 that includes an engine 12 and a radiator 14. The temperature control valve 10 includes a valve body 40 having an inlet 42 and an outlet 46, a first valve assembly 100 that is movable between a closed position and an open position, and a chamber 74 that is adjacent to the first valve assembly 100. In the closed position of the first valve assembly 100, the inlet 42 of the valve body 100 is not in fluid communication with the outlet 46 of the valve body 100. In the open position of the first valve assembly 100, the inlet 42 of the first valve assembly 100 is in fluid communication with the outlet 46 of the first valve assembly 100. Fluid pressure within the chamber 74 is operable to move the first valve assembly 100 between the open position and the closed position. The temperature control valve 10 may include a second valve assembly 130 that is configured to regulate fluid pressure within the chamber 74 to thereby move the first valve assembly 100 between the open position and the closed position.
US08474415B2
A valve assembly for a fluid system is provided. The valve assembly includes a damping component to reduce undesired pressure fluctuations within the system. The valve assembly includes a valve guide member and a valve member at least partially situated around the valve guide member. The valve member may be slidable relative to the valve guide member. The valve member is configured to move between a first valve member position that substantially permits fluid flow from the fluid system through the valve assembly, and a second valve member position that substantially prevents fluid flow from the fluid system through the valve assembly. A metering hole is formed on the valve member and adapted to dampen the motion of the valve member from the first valve member position to the second valve member position.
US08474406B2
An ear prop prevents a pet's ears from contacting or substantially contacting food or water in a bowl or dish. The ear prop has members for elevating, supporting or displacing the pet's ears, and the ear prop may comprise a shield. A dish for holding food or water for a pet is constructed to keep the pet's ears from contacting or substantially contacting food or water in the dish. The dish comprises a bowl section and an ear prop section. The bowl section has a floor piece with a boundary continuously connectable to a boundary of a side wherein another boundary of the side defines an opening of the dish. The ear prop section is operably connected to the opening to provide a mechanism for elevating, supporting or displacing the pet's ears.
US08474398B2
A patch application system is provided comprising a powder application booth. The powder application booth comprises a powder block to temporarily house the powder prior to ejection, a nozzle insert to guide the powder onto the screw, a support stand to adjust the powder block to the appropriate position relative to the screw for a desired patch location and size, a powder cup to deliver the powder to the powder block. A programmable logic controller electronically coupled to the micro air-switch valve controls the duration the air-switch valve remains open. The entire process may be automated by including a screw hopper to temporarily store a plurality of screws, a bowl feeder receiving the screws and delivering the screws to a rotating disk, wherein the rotating disk passes the screws through a heating element and presents the heated screws to the powder application booth.
US08474394B2
A vertical flag display apparatus comprises a support bar, a flag spar, a flag pole, and locking end caps. The flag spar can be a rod, bar, or other tubular pole. The flag spar threads through a flag sleeve so that the flag hangs down from the spar when the spar is held parallel to the ground. The locking end caps attach to an end of the spar and ensure that the flag can not slide off of the spar. The end caps attach to each end of the support bar securing the spar to the support bar. The flag pole attaches to the support bar and extends downwards and perpendicular to the support bar. The flag pole is attached to the side of a building, etc. so as to hold the flag pole generally 45 degrees out from the side of the building and in an upwards orientation.
US08474381B2
A power source for applying a force to an object includes thermite in a quantity sufficient to generate a thermite reaction, and a gas producing substance disposed in association with the thermite. The gas producing substance produces a gas when the thermite reaction. The thermite reaction, the gas, or combinations thereof provide a force to the object.
US08474376B2
A device for printing via screen printing an object which has a conical portion, the device includes a frame, a screen which can be moved relative to the frame, elements for rotatably driving the screen about a rotation axis, including a single motor, first members for moving the motor, the first members, extending in a first direction, second members for moving the motor, the second members extending in a second direction perpendicular relative to the first direction, the first members carrying the second members.
US08474374B2
A juicer device comprised of a motor disposed within a housing and having an output shaft projecting away from the housing; at least two alternate cutters each individually detachably connectable to the output shaft; a plurality of alternate inserts wherein a selected one of the plurality of alternate inserts circumscribes a selected one of the at least two alternate cutters detachably connected to the output shaft; and a body circumscribing the selected one of the plurality of alternate inserts wherein the body and the selected one of the plurality of alternate inserts include openings for feeding food to the selected one of the at least two alternate cutters detachably connected to the output shaft and openings for receiving juice, homogenized food, or shredded food therefrom upon actuation of the motor under the control of a safety system.
US08474373B2
The present invention relates to a device for treating elongate food products in a process space using a conditioned airflow, comprising: a housing bounding the process space, with a feed opening arranged in the housing and a discharge opening arranged in the housing for respectively carrying elongate food products into the process space and discharging thereof from the process space, transport means for displacing the elongate food products through the process space, blowing means for generating an airflow in the process space, and conditioning means for conditioning the airflow.
US08474362B1
A diamond-reinforced SiC ceramic composite material and shaped article. The addition of diamond to the microstructure greatly enhances properties such as hardness and Young's modulus. Such a composite material has considerable promise as an armor material. In particular, significant increases in ballistic performance can be achieved versus a non-diamond-containing composite, particularly versus the M993 threat. Reaction bonded silicon carbide (RBSC) ceramics with 7% diamond were shown to offer ballistic performance levels that matched the best commercial ceramics tested on the program.
US08474357B2
Tomatoes are placed on parallel cutter blades (20) in article openings (46) of an article positioning plate (44). Alternate blades are oscillated in arcuate paths in opposite direction as article pushers (24) move downwardly, pushing the tomatoes through the parallel cutter blades (20). The end slices of the tomatoes are gathered separately in the collectors (96) and are later discarded, while the intermediate slices are received in a transfer plate (78). Gathering plates (100) urge the intermediate slices of the several tomatoes together in one accumulation of tomato slices, and the transfer plate (78) is lowered to a position immediately above the shipping containers (80) and opened to deposit the tomatoes in the shipping containers. A fluid spray nozzle (75) may be positioned to emit a spray of gas or liquid between the fins of the pushers and/or toward the cutter blades (20) and toward engagement with the tomatoes for sterilizing, cleaning, or other treatment of the tomatoes and the adjacent surfaces.
US08474350B2
A ratcheting tool including a handle formed with an integral yoke at a first end and a tool head coupled to the yoke at a pivot. The tool head has a toothed hub facing rearwardly of the pivot and into the yoke. A locking spool is rotatably carried in the yoke adjacent the toothed hub. The locking spool has a first face, a second face, and a first tooth extending along both the first face and the second face and engaging the toothed hub. The locking spool is rotatable between a first position in which the first face is adjacent the toothed hub, thereby locking the tool head in a selected angular position with respect to the handle, and a second position in which the second face is adjacent the toothed hub such that the tool head is pivotable about the pivot.
