US08482567B1
A line rasterization technique in accordance with one embodiment includes conditioning a line by pulling in the ending vertex of the line or pushing out the starting vertex of the line. Thereafter, if the line exits a diamond test area of each pixel that it touches, the pixel may be lit.
US08482566B2
In an electronic paper terminal device, a drawing order determination unit analyzes an image to be displayed, and determines priority of each line. A priority storage unit stores the priority of each line determined by the drawing order determination unit. A drawing unit selects lines in descending order of the priority stored in the priority storage unit, acquires image data on the selected lines from the image to be displayed, and draws on the selected lines of a display device on the basis of the acquired image data.
US08482561B2
Aspects include API interfaces for interfacing shaders with other components and/or code modules that provide ray tracing functionality. For example, API calls may allow direct contribution of light energy to a buffer for an identified pixel, and allow emission of new rays for intersection testing alone or in bundles. The API also can provide a mechanism for associating arbitrary data with ray definition data defining a ray to be tested through a shader using the emit ray call. The arbitrary data is provided to a shader associated with an object that is identified subsequently as having been intersected by the ray. The data can include code, or a pointer to code, that can be used by or run after the shader. The data also can be propagated through a series of shaders, and associated with rays instantiated in each shader.
US08482551B2
A display system includes a display device, a driving circuit, a flexible printed circuit (FPC), a charge pump circuit and a control circuit. The driving circuit is disposed on the display device, for driving the display device. The FPC is externally coupled to the display device. The charge pump circuit is disposed on the FPC, for generating at least an output voltage to the driving circuit. The control circuit is disposed on the display device and coupled to the driving circuit, for generating a plurality of control signals to control the charge pump circuit. The charge pump circuit has a plurality of control ports coupled to the control circuit for receiving the control signals generated from the control circuit, respectively.
US08482545B2
A combination touch and transducer input system is provided, which facilitates user input into an electronic system with a finger and/or a transducer (e.g., a stylus). The system includes a transducer configured to generate an electric field, and a sensor including an array of electrodes and a controller. The transducer is configured to transmit digital data, such as pen pressure data and switch status data, to the sensor. For example, the transducer comprises electronic circuitry configured to encode the digital data in a signal for transmission to the sensor. The sensor controller is configured to operate both in a touch sensing mode and in a transducer sensing mode. During the touch sensing mode, the controller determines a position of a proximate object (e.g., a finger) by capacitively sensing the object with the array of electrodes. During the transducer sensing mode, the controller determines a position of the transducer based on a signal received by the array of electrodes from the transducer, and also receives and decodes the digital data encoded in the received signal. Digital data can be encoded in a signal using any suitable digital modulation techniques, such as a Frequency-Shift Keying (FSK) technique.
US08482542B2
A transparent capacitive touch panel comprising a transparent substrate, a transparent cover lens and a transparent adhesive layer is provided, wherein a first transparent electrode layer and a second transparent electrode layer are disposed on the transparent cover lens and the transparent substrate respectively. The transparent adhesive layer is used to bind the first transparent electrode layer and second transparent electrode layer in order to combine the transparent cover lens and the transparent substrate disposed in parallel. Thereby, the manufacturing process of the transparent capacitive touch panel is simplified, and the manufacturing cost of the same is lowered.
US08482537B2
A protection panel having a touch input function of the analog resistance film method for detecting an X-Y coordinate representing an operated position by a potential gradient based on a touch operation relative to the front substrate 6, in which the back substrate 5 and the front substrate 6 include contacts 5G and 6G, respectively, connected to each other in series on the resistance films 5A and 6A through the routing circuits 5C and 6C to have potential difference, in which the contacts 5G and 6G face each other at a predetermined distance when the back substrate 5 and the front substrate 6 are connected to each other, and in which a switch 12 is provided for detecting, when voltage is applied by the contacts 5G and 6G between the electrodes 5D or 6D of either one of the front substrate 6 and the back substrate 5, whether or not the contacts 5G and 6G are brought into contact with each other based on voltage detected by the electrodes 5D or 6D of the other of the front substrate 6 and the back substrate 5.
US08482527B1
An apparatus and method of providing a user interface (UI) on head mounted display and the head mounted display (HMD) thereof are discussed. The apparatus comprises a sensor unit detecting whether an object exists in the proximity of the HMD and if the object is detected, the sensor unit senses a distance between the object and the HMD. The apparatus further comprises a processor controlling a User Interface (UI) of the HMD based on a result of the sensor unit. A physical User Interface (UI) mode is applied if the detected object is within a predetermined distance from the HMD and a non-physical User Interface (UI) mode is applied if the object is not detected or is not within the predetermined distance from the HMD.
US08482521B2
The present invention provides an apparatus, a controlling method, and a controlling program for appropriately moving a pointer to a selection position regardless of alignment and size of function selection area, and improving operability and certainty of function selection in a GUI. The apparatus includes (1) means for determining whether or not the pointer has crossed over a boundary of a predetermined area from outside to inside based on position information of the pointer; (2) means for determining a speed of the pointer or whether or not an event has occurred, and setting two types of operating modes; (3) means for moving the pointer to a predetermined position within the area when the pointer has crossed over the boundary from outside to inside; and (4) means for changing a moving distance of the pointer, if the pointer moves at a speed less than a predetermined moving speed or the event has not occurred and when it is determined that the pointer exists within the area, based on the speed determined when the pointer existed outside the area.
US08482517B1
A control devices includes a key having a top surface configured to be pressed by a user, and a resistance device coupled to the key and configured to provide a resistance force to the key that opposes a user force applied to the top surface. A force sensor is coupled to the resistance device and is configured to detect the user force applied to top surface. A control circuit is coupled to the resistance device and is configured to change the resistance force of the resistance device according to a force profile.
US08482514B2
An ink substrate, an electrophoretic display device including the ink substrate and methods of fabricating the display, where in ink substrate includes a first substrate, an electrode adjacent the first substrate, and an ink layer adjacent the electrode, the ink layer including a plurality of microcapsules. At least one protective member is disposed on at least a side surface of the ink layer and a protective film disposed on a rear surface of the first substrate opposite the ink layer. The protective member is formed by one of spaying an ink protection liquid on at least the side surfaces of the ink layer or dipping at least the side surfaces of the ink layer into an ink protection liquid and curing the ink protection liquid to form a solid film. The protective member is an impact resistant, heat resistant, and moisture resistant material.
US08482510B2
A light source apparatus includes a light source module, a local dimming control part and a light source driving part. The light source module includes a plurality of light-emitting blocks. Each of the light-emitting blocks includes a first color light source, a second color light source and a third color light source, respectively. The local dimming control part drives the light-emitting blocks by blocks. The local dimming control part sets a reference duty signal for first, second and third color driving signals in accordance with a driving mode of the light source module. The light source driving part generates the first color driving signal, the second color driving signal and the third color driving signal by using the reference duty ratio set in accordance with the driving mode and a driving current having a same peak current level in accordance with the driving mode.
US08482506B2
Methods and systems for displaying videos with high contrast using fast transient response of liquid crystal materials are disclosed. The system comprises a liquid crystal material treated with a chiral dopant, which is aligned between two substrates with conductive layer on each substrate. The system can be operated in an active or passive matrix mode display. The active matrix display can be a thin film transistor (TFT) or MOS transistor, whereas no transistors are used for the passive matrix mode display. A full color display, with high contrast, can be achieved by illuminating the transient liquid crystal material with a pulsed backlight.
US08482503B2
A liquid crystal display and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel including data lines and gate lines crossing each other and liquid crystal cells, a timing control signal generating unit, a data drive circuit supplying a data voltage to the data lines, and a gate drive circuit. The timing control signal generating unit generates a first gate timing control signal for controlling a scan direction of the liquid crystal display panel in a sequential direction and a second gate timing control signal for controlling the scan direction in a reverse sequential direction. The gate drive circuit supplies a gate pulse to the gate lines while a shift direction of the gate pulse changes in response to the first and second gate timing control signals.
US08482499B2
To provide a liquid crystal display device and the like, which can improve the contrast ratio. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display unit and an image processing unit which supplies video signals inputted from a video source section to the liquid crystal display unit. The liquid crystal display unit is formed by stacking a single first liquid crystal display element and a single or a plurality of second liquid crystal display element(s). For each pixel unit of the second liquid crystal display element, the image processing unit generates, by having each dot of the video signal as a reference point, a drive signal for displaying an image according to processing for extracting a maximum value of relative gradations or relative transmittances among a region of a pixel unit (dot) group including the reference pixel units and the pixel units (dots) neighboring to the reference pixel units.
US08482498B2
A liquid crystal display panel includes a display region, a periphery circuit region, a joint obligate region, a plurality of first test thin-film transistors (TFTs), a plurality of second TFTs, a plurality of first lines, a plurality of second lines, a blank region, and at least one first adjustment TFT. The first and second test TFTs are disposed on the joint obligate region according to a regular distance. Each of the first and second test TFTs has a transistor width. The first adjustment TFT is disposed on the blank region. The width of the blank region is not smaller than the sum of the twice regular distance and the transistor width. Thereby, the present invention can prevent the band mura of the liquid crystal display panel effectively when the liquid crystal display panel is in testing.
US08482496B2
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming images on a display utilizing a control matrix to control the movement of MEMs-based light modulators.
US08482495B2
A pixel at an ith pixel row (i is a natural number) includes an organic light emitting diode (OLED); a driving transistor for supplying a current to the OLED and a storage capacitor between a gate electrode of the driving transistor and an (i−1)th emission control line; and a compensating unit for controlling a voltage of the gate electrode of the driving transistor to compensate for deterioration of the OLED. The compensating unit includes: a first compensating unit transistor and a second compensating unit transistor between the OLED and a first power source; first and second feedback capacitors between a second node between the first and second compensating unit transistors and a first node between the gate electrode of the driving transistor and the storage capacitor; and a third compensating unit transistor coupled between a third node between the first and second feedback capacitors and a reference voltage source.
US08482491B2
A display device capable of obtaining a constant luminance without being influenced by temperature change is provided as well as a method of driving the display device. A current mirror circuit composed of a first transistor and a second transistor is provided in each pixel. The first transistor and second transistor of the current mirror circuit are connected such that their drain currents are kept almost equal irrespective of the level of load resistance. By controlling the OLED drive current using the current mirror circuit, a change in OLED drive current due to fluctuation in characteristics between transistors is avoided and a constant luminance is obtained without being influenced by temperature change.
US08482484B2
A display device and an electronic device in which more sophistication and a high added value are realized by obtaining a read function by incorporating an imaging device, and by using a panel with small volume can be provided. A display device and an electronic device according to the invention has a first display surface and a plurality of pixels arranged in matrix over one surface of a light transmitting substrate and a second display surface over the other surface of the substrate. The plurality of pixels are each provided with a transistor, an imaging device, and a light-emitting element which emits light to the first display surface and the second display surface. The light-emitting element has two functions of serving as a light source when information of a subject is read and displaying an image. Thus, a display device according to the invention has two functions of an image sensor function to read information of a subject by using an imaging device and a display function to display an image by using the imaging device and the light-emitting element.
US08482477B2
A transmission line structure for propagating electromagnetic energy includes a transmission line conductor trace, a first dielectric foam layer and a second dielectric foam layer. The conductor trace is sandwiched between the first foam layer and the second foam layer. A first ground plane layer and a second ground plane layer sandwich the first foam layer, the conductor pattern and the second foam layer.
US08482474B2
An antenna apparatus that can be miniaturized without causing inference caused by antenna currents to be occurred if the high band of a dual band wireless system is close to the band of another wireless system in a wireless communication apparatus incorporating the dual band wireless system and another wireless system is provided. A first switch 5 blocks passage of a signal of a high band (first frequency) and allows passage of a signal of a low band (second frequency). A second switch 6 blocks passage of a signal of the low band (second frequency) and allows passage of a signal of the high band (first frequency). Accordingly, the antenna apparatus operates as a dipole antenna with no antenna current flowing into a feeder line at the first frequency and operates as a monopole antenna wherein a radiation element and a feeder line making up the dipole antenna becomes a radiation element at the second frequency lower than the first frequency.
US08482471B2
The hybrid multiple-input multiple-output antenna module includes a grounding unit, a plurality of radiating units, loop units and filter units. The radiating units and the loop units are arranged around a geometric center of the grounding unit and are alternately and symmetrically arranged on the grounding unit. The loop units are arranged along the outer peripheral side of the grounding unit. The filter units are respectively electrically connected to the loop units. The present invention not only has some advantages such as small size, low profile, good isolation, high antenna gain and good radiation properties, but also can replace the external dual-band access-point antenna of the prior art for 2.4/5 GHz operation with no need of an extra diplexer. In addition, the hybrid multiple-input multiple-output antenna module can be hidden in the wireless communication device in order to enhance the appearance of the product.
US08482449B1
An analog-to-digital converter comprises a switched capacitor array configured to receive an analog input signal, a comparator having inputs coupled to respective outputs of the switched capacitor array, register circuitry having inputs coupled to respective outputs of the comparator, and a metastability detector associated with the register circuitry. The register circuitry is configured to generate control signals for application to respective control inputs of the switched capacitor array and to provide a digital output signal corresponding to the analog input signal. The metastability detector is configured to detect a metastability condition relating to signals at the respective outputs of the comparator. The register circuitry responsive to detection of the metastability condition forces bits of the digital output signal to particular logic levels. The register circuitry may comprise, for example, a successive approximation register, and the metastability detector may be at least partially incorporated within the successive approximation register.
US08482448B2
Provided is an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter that may be used in an image sensor and a ramp signal generator that is used in an A/D converter. The ramp signal generator may generate a ramp signal and a reference voltage signal that include noise that has same noise characteristics that are input into the ramp signal, such that the signal to noise ratio (SNR) is improved and the image quality is also improved.
US08482445B1
A two-channel time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (TI-ADC) for communication signals offers a significant increase in the available sample rate of ADCs. Its performance is degraded by timing and gain mismatches. Both timing and gain mismatches are corrected in the digital data section of a two-channel TI-ADC for band-pass input signals. This is a realistic communications system scenario as modern system designs lean towards having the ADC interface with intermediate frequency (IF) signal in the analog section of a digital receiver rather than in the DC centered, analog down converted, in-phase and quadrature pair.
US08482443B2
Provided is a clock timing adjustment device for adjusting a time difference of clocks and a delta-sigma modulator. The clock timing adjustment device includes a power detection unit and a timing adjustment unit. The power detection unit receives input signals which are generated using pairs of first and second clocks having a plurality of clock time differences and respectively correspond to the clock time differences, detects powers of the input signals, and outputs a control signal corresponding to a clock time difference where the power is minimized. The timing adjustment unit receives a reference clock and the control signal and outputs the first and second clocks having the clock time difference where the power is minimized from the reference clock according to the control signal.
US08482441B2
A functional compression scheme involves determining a minimal entropy coloring of a characteristic graph of a random variable. Various scenarios are disclosed where the determination of the minimal entropy coloring of a characteristic graph is easy and tractable.
US08482436B2
Drag experienced by a vehicle traveling through an environmental media, such as air or water, may be modified by one or more energy beams which may increase or decrease drag. Environmental media may be adjusted by microwave, chemical, ultrasonic, acoustic (including subsonic, sonic, or ultrasonic), or electromagnetic energy. One or more energy beams may be directed toward a transition region between turbulent and laminar flow, at the leading edge of a laminar flow, or in the direction of a crosswind.
US08482425B2
An apparatus is disclosed comprising: a clothes washing machine (30); a detector (33, 44) attached to the washing machine in a location that receives radio frequency (RF) signals that emanate from an interior (48) of the washing machine; and a warning device (35) that receives a signal from the detector to provide an alert when the detector has detected a RF signal from the interior of the washing machine, wherein the radio frequency signals have a frequency in a band designated for mobile phone (40) signals.
US08482423B2
An electrical ground terminal block assembly and arrangement to make ground fault situation accessible comprise a ground terminal housing to hold the wire linking elements and a characterized ground fault indicating device. The ground terminal block based on the invention is comprised with signalling means to indicate ground fault. Fault current is detected by the ground fault indicating device through upper linking element detection device of said ground terminal block.
US08482421B2
Systems and methods for detecting a patch cord connection are presented. The insertion of a patch cord into a device jack physically closes a circuit, thereby permitting determination of the patch cord connection. The connection of only one side of a patch cord to a jack is able to be determined. In addition, a particular jack with which a patch cord is connected is able to be determined.
US08482420B2
A method of monitoring oil in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is provided. The method includes measuring a sump temperature of the engine and measuring a power output of the engine. Oil consumption is calculated as a function of the measured sump temperature and the measured power output. Remaining oil life is calculated as a function of the calculated consumption. The method may include alerting a receiver of the calculated remaining oil life.
US08482407B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a gateway comprising a controller to transmit a first RF signal to a remote control device, wherein the first radio-frequency signal is received by a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the remote control device, receive at each of a plurality of receivers operably coupled to the gateway a second RF signal from the RFID tag of the remote control device in response to the first RF signal, determine an approximate location of the remote control device based on at least a portion of the second RF signals received by the plurality of receivers, and transmit a signal to a set-top-box, wherein the signal comprises the approximate location of the remote control device, and wherein the set-top-box displays the approximate location of the remote control device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08482404B2
Systems and methods for providing alerts to end users of networked enabled portable devices are provided so that the end users are made aware when broadcast emergency alerts are issued. The systems and methods provide a way for a portable device to receive information about an emergency alert broadcast of which the user should be aware, e.g., from the EAS, and to notify the user of the emergency alert. A flag provides an indication the EAS should be on and the systems and method override the settings made by a user to a portable device to enable EAS reception. The user may then be automatically taken to the emergency alert information by having the portable device automatically tune to the emergency broadcast information, or the user may optionally retrieve the emergency information by tuning to the emergency broadcast channel, or the user may otherwise be presented with a reference to the emergency data (e.g., a link to the information).
US08482399B2
Asset including an arrangement for monitoring objects in an interior of the asset includes a sensor system arranged on or in the asset to obtain data about the asset or an object in the asset and a communication system arranged on the asset and coupled to the sensor system. The communication system transmits the data obtained by the sensor system to a remote facility via the Internet. A data reception system is arranged on the asset arranged to obtain data to enable the position of the asset to be determined, i.e., at the remote facility, and is coupled to the communication system which transmits the data to enable the remote facility to determine the location of the asset. The sensor system may be integrated with a cell phone or PDA.
US08482389B2
An RFID reader control system and method is provided. A protocol for controlling an RFID reader and an RFID reader control unit of a mobile phone is defined. Messages, information, commands, responses, and notification are constructed and transmitted between the RFID reader and the RFID reader control unit.
US08482380B2
According to one embodiment, an input aiding apparatus comprises an aiding module, wherein in the case where the selection of an input column in the direction toward the head or tail end is requested with the head or tail end input column, respectively, already selected, the tail end or the head input column, respectively, is selected, and at the same time, a predetermined number, character or code is displayed in all vacant input columns automatically and collectively.
US08482379B2
A method of using an electronic key for access to one or more mechatronic locks when the key moves from place to place, including the key periodically transmitting its geographical location to an access management server so as to allow said server to identify location coordinates for the key, and receiving an access profile from the server where the access profile includes a set of one or more cylinders accessible to the key and is based at least in part on the key's location. If the key's new location causes a change in access profile information associated with the key, the key's previous access profile is preferably replaced with the key's new access profile in an irreversible manner. The key preferably self-supervises its communications with the server by deactivating its access profile if it no longer receives information from the server for a predetermined period of time.
US08482377B2
An apparatus includes an energy store for supplying an actuator, an antenna device for receiving, by contactless communication, energy for charging the energy store and one or more control signals comprising a command for triggering the actuator, and a control unit for controlling the supply of energy to the actuator on the basis of the control signals. After the triggering command has been received, the state of charge of the energy store is determined. When this state is less than a state of charge threshold value that is sufficient for triggering the actuator, a response signal to continue contactless communication is transmitted to the transmitting device via the antenna device. When this state is greater than or equal to the state of charge threshold value, the control unit controls the supply of energy from the energy store to the actuator so that it is possible to trigger the actuator.
US08482373B1
An over-current protection device comprises a PTC material layer, first and second conductive layers, first and second electrodes, and four conductive vias. The first and second conductive layers are in physical contact with first and second surfaces of the PTC material layer, respectively. The first electrode contains a pair of first metal foils, and the second electrode contains a pair of second metal foils. The four conductive vias are formed at the corners each defined by two adjacent planar lateral surfaces. Two conductive vias connect the pair of the first metal foils and the first conductive layer, and the other two conductive vias connect the pair of the second metal foils and the second conductive layer. The ratio of the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the conductive vias to a form factor area of the device is in the range of 7% to 20%.
US08482369B2
A superconducting magnet assembly is provided that includes a magnet protection system electrically coupled to a plurality of magnet coils to form a closed loop circuit. The magnet protection system includes a single superconducting switch to selectively connect a power supply to the plurality of magnet coils and also includes a plurality of dump resistors arranged to form a resistor ladder circuit, with each of the plurality of dump resistors being connected between magnet coils forming a respective symmetric coil pair. The magnet protection system also includes a heater network connected between ends of the closed loop circuit and to the plurality of magnet coils, with the heater network configured to perform a quench-back operation to protect the plurality of magnet coils during quench and being driven by a partial-magnet coil voltage generated in a magnet coil upon initiation of a quench condition in the magnet coil.
US08482364B2
A differential cross-coupled power combiner in one aspect comprises a plurality of inputs, an output, a plurality of differential transmission lines each coupled between a corresponding one of the inputs and the output, and at least one set of additional differential transmission lines arranged in series between any two of the inputs. First and second ones of the additional differential transmission lines in the set are coupled to one another using a cross-coupling arrangement. Other aspects of the invention provide a differential cross-coupled power divider, communication system receivers and transmitters incorporating respective power combiners and dividers, and integrated circuit implementations of power combiners and dividers.
US08482360B2
Provided is a RF switch for switching a path of a RF signal using a semiconductor transistor such as a field effect transistor (FET). The RF switch includes a plurality of resonators connected to a RF transmission line, and at least one of switching elements connected in shunt or in series between the plural of resonators. The plurality of resonators resonate by interacting with the switching elements when the switching elements are shorted or open.
US08482354B2
A power amplifying device includes earth parts which are connected with via holes for grounding, source electrode earth conductors which connect the earth parts, source electrodes which are coupled to the source electrode earth conductors, an inner source electrode which is not in contact with the source electrode earth conductors, a drain electrode, a gate electrode and an air bridge which directly connects the inner source electrode and earth parts.
US08482335B2
A high linearity up-conversion mixer is disclosed, which includes a voltage-to-current conversion circuit and an up-conversion mixer core circuit, the voltage-to-current conversion circuit has a differential signal positive input end for receiving an I/Q-channel positive baseband voltage signal and a differential signal negative input end for receiving an I/Q-channel negative baseband voltage signal, wherein the received positive and negative baseband voltage signals are low pass filtered by the voltage-to-current conversion circuit and are respectively converted to a first and a second current signal; the first and the second current signals are inputted to the up-conversion mixer core circuit to mix with local oscillator signals so as to output high linearity frequency-mixed signals. By embedding low-pass filters into the voltage-to-current conversion circuit of the up-conversion mixer, the present invention can ensure the high linearity of the up-conversion mixer while reduce the chip area and the current.
US08482329B2
A high voltage input receiver with hysteresis using low voltage transistors is disclosed. In one embodiment, an input receiver circuit includes a hysteresis comparator circuit, based on a plurality of low voltage transistors, for generating a first output voltage by comparing an external voltage and a reference voltage and a stress protection circuit for preventing the plurality of low voltage transistors of the hysteresis comparator circuit from exceeding their reliability limits. In addition, the reference voltage is used to set a positive trip point and a negative trip point. Moreover, the input receiver circuit includes a source follower circuit for transferring the first output voltage to an output node of the source follower circuit from a voltage level of a VDDIO to a voltage level of a VDD.
US08482325B2
A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a recording unit which records image data on a recording medium; a first spread spectrum clock generator receiving a first clock signal, providing the first clock signal with frequency diffusion to have a first predetermined frequency diffusion width, and outputting a second clock signal; a PLL circuit outputting a third clock signal synchronously oscillating at a frequency obtained by multiplying the frequency of the first clock signal; an image processing unit receiving the third clock signal, and outputting the processed image data in synchronism with the third clock signal; a speed conversion unit receiving the second and third clock signals, and receiving and outputting the image data in synchronism with the second clock signal; and an input and output control unit outputting the image data to the recording unit in synchronism with the second clock signal.
US08482323B2
A decoupling circuit includes an inverter. The inverter includes i (i is an integer of 1 or more) PMOS transistors each having a first gate electrode, and j (j is an integer of 0 or more) PMOS transistors each having a second gate electrode. The inverter includes m (m is an integer of 1 or more) NMOS transistors each having a third gate electrode, and n (n is an integer of 0 or more) NMOS transistors each having a fourth gate electrode. The first to fourth gate electrodes are coupled to an input end of the inverter. A total area of the first and second gate electrodes is different from a total area of the third and fourth gate electrodes.
US08482321B2
An input circuit includes a first differential amplification circuit receiving input from a first power source and an output of a first buffer circuit to output to an input of the first buffer circuit, a second differential amplification circuit receiving input from a second external power source and an output of a second buffer circuit to output to an input of the second buffer circuit, a first resistance coupled between the output of the first differential amplification circuit and the input of the first buffer circuit, and a second resistance coupled between the output of the second differential amplification circuit and the input of the first buffer circuit. The first resistance and the second resistance are arranged at symmetric positions to a node on a signal line from the input signal terminal to the output signal terminal.
US08482312B1
A logic circuit has a first logic element (“LE”) including a first lookup table (“LUT”), where the first LUT is operable to produce a carry from a first set of bits of at least two numbers. The logic circuit also has a second LE including a second LUT, where the second LUT is operable to produce a sum from a second set of bits of the at least two numbers. The second LE also includes an adder coupled directly to the first LUT and coupled to the second LUT, where the adder is operable to add the carry and the sum. The at least two numbers may be three numbers, but the logic circuit includes a set of connections operable to programmably interconnect selected inputs so that the logic circuit is operable to add only two numbers. The logic circuit may be incorporated in a programmable logic device.
US08482306B2
A system to measure thickness of a shroud is provided. The system includes at least one resistive element embedded within the shroud. A reduction in a cross-sectional area of the at least one resistive due to wearing out of the shroud results in a change in a resistance of the at least one resistive. The system also includes an impedance measurement device that measures a total resistance associated with the at least one resistive element.
US08482289B2
In a method for operating a power tool with a diagnostic device, wherein the power tool has an internal combustion engine, a generator as an energy supply, and an electronic control unit, wherein a diagnostic device is connectable to the electronic control unit, and wherein the electronic control unit has an operating mode and a diagnostic mode, a non-uniform voltage signal is supplied by the generator as an energy supply and a uniform voltage signal is supplied by the diagnostic device as an energy supply. The electronic control unit evaluates the voltage signal that is being supplied as an energy supply and switches to diagnostic mode when the voltage signal is the uniform voltage signal supplied by the diagnostic device.
US08482281B2
A method, system, and apparatus including a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus that includes an MRI system having a plurality of gradient coils, a radio-frequency (RF) transceiver system, an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly, and a computer. The computer is programmed to implement a spin echo sequence to acquire magnetic resonance (MR) data, where the spin echo sequence includes an excitation RF pulse and at least one refocusing pulse per repetition time (TR) of the excitation pulse. The computer is also programmed to transmit at least two component RF pulses in parallel channels during implementation of the spin echo sequence to produce a first refocusing RF pulse and programmed to reconstruct an image from spin echo sequence image data.
US08482257B2
Provided are a battery state monitoring circuit with a small number of terminals and a battery device including the battery state monitoring circuit. An output of an overcharge detection circuit (12) is an open-drain output to a charge control terminal (18), and an input terminal of a voltage detection circuit (11) is connected to the charge control terminal (18), to thereby share a charger detection terminal and a charge control terminal.
US08482256B2
A portable power system which contains a battery, which is intended for use as a power source for charging the batteries of portable electronics devices or for powering other electrical systems. It contains a USB connection for power input and a myriad of adapters for connecting the power system with the proprietary connectors of portable devices, as well as a screen to output system information to the user. The power system also contains a microcontroller which controls internal systems, input and output current and voltage, such that the power system may operate with any portable device as well as any type of USB port.
US08482248B2
A method and apparatus for powering a handheld data capture device. The apparatus includes a cradle configured to accommodate a handheld data capture device detachably settled therein. The apparatus also includes an energy reservoir installed in the cradle, a charging interface, and a port operative to charge at least the energy reservoir with a current-limited host. The charging interface on the cradle is operative to charge the handheld data capture device with at least the energy reservoir.
US08482239B2
In an adder circuit, a sine wave is added to a compensation signal which is generated based on a position detection signal of a member to be driven and for compensating a position of a lens which is the member to be driven. An absolute value integrating circuit integrates absolute values of signals before and after the adder circuit adds the sine wave. The two obtained integrated values are compared by a comparator circuit, and a gain adjusting circuit adjusts a gain of an amplifier which amplifies the compensation signal so that the two integrated values are equal to each other.
US08482235B2
A fan arrangement (20) has a fan (24) driven by an electric motor (22). It further has an apparatus for continuously detecting an actual electrical value associated with the electric motor (22) during operation, an input apparatus for inputting a desired electrical value for the operation of said electric motor,a comparison apparatus (26) for comparing said electrical value with the actual electrical value, and a controller which regulates said electrical value by pulse width modulation (36).
US08482228B2
A lamp includes an arc tube and a lighting unit for lighting the arc tube. The lighting unit includes a rectifier circuit, a smoothing circuit for partial smoothing, and an inverter circuit having a pair of switching elements. The smoothing circuit smoothes portions of the output voltage of the rectifier circuit below the first voltage value and outputs a voltage that falls between the first voltage value and the second voltage value. The discharge sustaining voltage of the arc tube is set to fall between the first and second values of the voltage Vdc output from the smoothing circuit.
US08482227B2
A hot cathode preheating start discharge lamp comprises a lamp tube, a first electrode, a second electrode, a first heating element and a second heating element. The lamp tube has a sealed housing chamber. The first and second electrodes have respectively one end held in the housing chamber and another end connected to a power source. The first and second heating elements are spaced from the first and second electrodes without connecting therewith and have respectively another end connected to a discharge preheating controller or an electronic ballast. Thereby the invention does not need tungsten filaments or electronic powder coated on the tungsten filaments to generate a great amount of electrons like the conventional techniques do. Thus the problems of burnout and fracture of the tungsten filaments or exhaustion of electronic powder can be eliminated, and the lifespan of the lamp tube can be enhanced.
US08482225B2
A circuit for driving an LED load with a controllable converter includes a control circuit configured to turn off the converter in response to a PWM signal having a first level and to turn on the converter in response to the PWM signal having a second level. A load disconnect switch coupled in series with the LED load is also controlled by the PWM signal so that the load disconnect switch is opened when the PWM signal turns off the converter to thereby open the load current path.
US08482223B2
In at least one embodiment, a lamp includes a controller configured to generate power control signals for a lamp is also configured to receive lamp calibration data received via one or more power terminals of the lamp. The controller is configured to process the calibration data to calibrate the lamp. In at least one embodiment, the lamp includes one or more light emitting diodes.
US08482207B2
A temperature controlling system for a LED module includes at least one LED unit, at least one fan, at least one temperature sensor and a controlling device. The controlling device generates a driving signal for controlling the rotating speed of the fan based on a temperature detection signal transmitted from the temperature sensor, so that the fan can generate a compulsive airflow for dissipating the heat generated by the LED unit. According to the present invention, the working temperatures of the respective LED units can be kept the same, and a uniform heat-dissipating effect can be achieved.
US08482201B2
The invention relates to a gas discharge lamp with a gas discharge tube having a cylindrical discharge region and having two electrodes which are arranged at an outer side of the gas discharge tube. To achieve an improved gas discharge tube having external electrodes with an increased lifetime it is proposed that each electrode has a planar disc shaped holding section which each have a respective opening and in that the cylindrical discharge region is received in the openings in a shape matched manner, wherein the cylinder axis of the cylindrical discharge region lies perpendicular to the planar holding sections.
US08482193B2
An organic electroluminescent device includes at least two light-emissive units provided between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode opposed to the cathode electrode, each of the light-emissive units including at least one light-emissive layer. The light-emissive units are partitioned from each other by at least one charge generation layer, the charge generation layer being an electrically insulating layer having a resistivity of not less than 1.0×102 Ωcm.
US08482179B2
A brushless motor includes: a stator assembly including a stator core which includes a plurality of pole teeth each having a winding therearound; and a rotor assembly including a magnet which has a ring shape, is rotatably disposed so as to oppose the pole teeth of the stator core and which is circumferentially magnetized with a plurality of magnetic poles with opposite polarities alternating with each other, wherein the number of the pole teeth of the stator core is twice the number of the magnetic poles of the magnet such that each magnetic pole opposes a pair of adjacent pole teeth, one pair of adjacent windings have the same number of winding turns and the same winding direction as each other, and wherein another pair of windings located next to the one pair of windings have a winding direction opposite to the winding direction of the one pair of windings.
US08482176B2
A rotor for an outer rotor-type motor is provided. The rotor includes a metallic coupler and a polymeric frame molded over at least part of the metallic coupler.
US08482173B2
An explosion proof motor including a stationary assembly and a rotatable assembly is described. The stationary assembly includes a stator that defines a stator bore. The rotatable assembly includes a rotor and a rotor shaft extending substantially axially through the stator bore. The explosion proof motor includes a frame configured to at least partially surround the stator. The frame defines an interior and an exterior of the motor. The explosion proof motor also includes at least one end shield positioned at an end of the frame and a bearing cap positioned proximate to the interior side of the end shield. The explosion proof motor also includes a flame path gap defined between the end shield and the bearing cap. The flame path gap includes at least one section that extends substantially parallel to the rotor shaft.
US08482172B2
A terminal module includes a ring-shaped rail having a groove extending in a circumferential direction, a bus bar fitted into the groove, and a connector portion having a connector terminal connecting the bus bar with an external wire. The rail has a phase determining hole for determining a phase of rotation of the rail about an axial direction.
US08482166B2
An electric machine system including an alternating current (AC) electric machine. The AC electric machine includes a machine housing having a machine portion and a switch portion. A stator is fixedly mounted in the machine portion of the machine housing, and a rotor rotatably mounted relative to the stator. A switch assembly is arranged within the switch portion of the machine housing and electrically connected to the stator. The switch assembly includes a switch module having a switch member. The switch module is configured and disposed to be detachably mounted in the switch portion of the machine housing. A cooling system that includes an expandable coolant manifold is arranged in the switch portion of the machine housing. The expandable coolant manifold is fluidly connected to the switch module.
US08482165B2
A voice coil motor housing includes a top wall having an opening and four sidewalls extending from the top wall. The four sidewalls and the top wall cooperatively form a rectangular chamber opened at one end. Each of the sidewalls includes a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portions of the four sidewalls are connected to one another and forming a substantially gapless seam between each two adjacent sidewalls at the top portions. At least one slot is defined in the bottom portions of the sidewalls, the at least one slot is perpendicular to the top wall, and the slot is arranged adjacent to the corresponding gapless seam. At least one snap is arranged on the sidewalls at the corresponding bottom portion thereof, and the at least one snap protrudes inwardly of the chamber.
US08482158B2
Described herein are improved configurations for a wireless power transfer system with at least one adjustable magnetic resonator that may include a first magnetic resonator with a plurality of differently sized inductive elements, at least one power and control circuit configured to selectively connect to at least one of the plurality of differently sized inductive elements, one or more additional magnetic resonators separated from the first magnetic resonator, and measurement circuitry to measure at least one parameter of a wireless power transfer between the first magnetic resonator and the one or more additional magnetic resonators. One or more connections between the plurality of differently sized inductive elements and the at least one power and control circuit may be configured to change an effective size of the first magnetic resonator according to the at least one parameter measured by the measurement circuitry.
US08482156B2
A direct current to pulse amplitude modulated (“PAM”) current converter, denominated a “PAMCC”, is connected to an individual source of direct current. The PAMCC receives direct current and provides pulse amplitude modulated current at its three output terminals, wherein the current of each terminal is one hundred twenty degrees out of phase with the other two terminals. The pulses are produced at a high frequency relative to the signal modulated on a sequence of pulses. The signal modulated onto a sequence of pulses may represent portions of a lower frequency sine wave or other lower frequency waveform, including DC. When each phased output is connected in parallel with the outputs of similar PAMCCs an array of PAMCCs is formed, wherein each voltage phased output pulse is out of phase with respect to a corresponding current output pulse of the other PAMCCs. An array of PAMCCs constructed in accordance with the present invention form a distributed three-phase multiphase inverter whose combined output is the demodulated sum of the current pulse amplitude modulated by each PAMCC on each phase.
US08482149B2
What is disclosed is a wind turbine comprising a tower with a closable climbing opening and electrical components disposed inside the tower. In order to provide said wind turbine with the ability to provide a cooling system for cooling the electrical components, in particular the electrical components disposed in the area near the base of the tower, said cooling system able to be cost-effectively installed, it is proposed that the door opening of the wind turbine be located in a continuous tower port which is larger than the door opening, with air intake and exhaust openings passing through said tower port for passage of cooling air.
US08482146B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for the efficiency with which fluid energy is converted into another form of energy, such as electrical energy, where an array of fluid energy conversion modules is contained in a scalable modular networked superstructure. In certain preferred embodiments, a plurality of turbines, such as for instance wind turbines, may be disposed in an array, where the plurality of arrays may be disposed in a suitable arrangement in proximity to each other and provided with geometry suitable for tight packing in an array with other parameters optimized to extract energy from the fluid flow. In addition, the turbines may be a more effective adaptation of a turbine, or an array of turbines, to varying conditions, including fluid conditions that may differ among different turbines in an array, or among different turbines in a set of arrays.
US08482130B2
An interconnect structure including: at least one first substrate, whereof at least one first face is made integral with at least one face of at least one second substrate, at least one blind via passing through the first substrate and emerging at the first face of the first substrate and at a second face, opposite the first face, of the first substrate, at least one electric contact arranged against said face of the second substrate and opposite the blind via, and/or against the first face and/or against the second face of the first substrate, at least one channel putting the blind via in communication with an environment outside the interconnect structure and/or with at least one cavity formed in the interconnect structure, and extending substantially parallel to one of said faces of the first or second substrate.
US08482128B2
A flash memory storage apparatus is provided. The flash memory storage apparatus includes a substrate, a control and storage circuit unit, a ground lead, at least a signal lead, and a power lead. The control and storage circuit unit, the power lead, the signal lead, and the ground lead are disposed on the substrate, in which the power lead, the signal lead, and the ground lead respectively electrically connect to the control and storage circuit unit. Moreover, the flash memory storage apparatus further includes an extra ground lead electrically connected to the ground lead or a protrusion on the substrate, such that the ground lead first electrically connects to a host when the flash memory storage apparatus is plugged into the host.
US08482122B2
A conductive pad structure, configured in a peripheral circuit area of a device substrate, is provided. The conductive pad structure includes a conductive pad and a plurality of conductive spacers. The conductive spacers are configured on the conductive pad and arranged as a non-closed pattern on the conductive pad. Besides, a chip package structure and a device substrate that both have the above-mentioned conductive pad structure are also provided.
US08482117B2
An electronic component incorporation substrate and a method for manufacturing the same that provide a high degree of freedom for selecting materials. An electronic component incorporation substrate includes a first structure, which has a substrate and an electronic component. The substrate includes a substrate body having first and second surfaces. A first wiring pattern is formed on the first surface and electrically connected to a second wiring pattern formed on the second surface through a through via. The electronic component is electrically connected to the first wiring pattern. The electronic component incorporation substrate includes a sealing resin, which seals the first structure, and a third wiring pattern, which is connected to the second wiring pattern through a second via.
US08482116B2
A semiconductor device includes at least one first component (5) (for example, a first integrated circuit), having a front face provided with electrical connection pads. The first component is embedded in a support layer (2) is a position such that the front face of the first component is not covered and lies parallel to a first face of the support layer. An intermediate layer (8) is formed on the front face of the first component and on the first face of the support layer. An electrical connection network (9) within the intermediate layer selectively connects to the electrical connection pads of the first component. The device further includes at least one second component (11) (for example, a second integrate circuit, having one face placed above the intermediate layer and provided with electrical connection pads selectively connected to the electrical connection network. Electrical connection vias (17) pass through the support layer and selectively connect the electrical connection network to an external electrical connection formed on a second face of the support layer.
US08482114B2
A high bandwidth circuit is segmented into a plurality of portions, each portion for implementation on a corresponding semiconductor chip, an arrangement of one or more die bond pads for each corresponding chip is generated, and a chip location for each corresponding chip is generated, given package and given package I/O arrangement is generated, the generation of the die bond arrangements and the chip position being relative to given chip package parameters, and being generated to establish bond wire lengths meeting given characteristic impedance parameters. Boundary parameters for generating the segmenting are provided, including a bound on the number of portions and optionally a including bound on the area parameters of the corresponding semiconductor chips.
US08482108B2
A wafer-scale x-ray detector and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The wafer-scale x-ray detector includes: a seamless silicon substrate electrically connected to a printed circuit substrate; a chip array having a plurality of pixel pads formed on a central region thereof and a plurality of pin pads formed at edges thereof on the seamless silicon substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes formed to correspond to the pixel pads; vertical wirings and horizontal wirings formed to compensate a difference of regions expanded towards the pixel electrodes from the pixel pads between the chip array and the pixel electrodes; a redistribution layer having an insulating layer to separate the vertical wirings and the horizontal wirings; and a photoconductor layer and a common electrode which cover the pixel electrodes on the redistribution layer.
US08482107B2
A device that comprises a plurality of circuit elements on a substrate; a shielding element between at least two of the plurality of circuit elements; and a bonding element that electrically connects the shielding element to a grounding circuit of a semiconductor chip that is on the substrate.
US08482095B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of high-voltage insulated-gate field-effect transistors arranged in a matrix form on the main surface of a semiconductor substrate and each having a gate electrode, a gate electrode contact formed on the gate electrode, and a wiring layer which is formed on the gate electrode contacts adjacent in a gate-width direction to electrically connect the gate electrodes arranged in the gate-width direction. And the device includes shielding gates provided on portions of an element isolation region which lie between the transistors adjacent in the gate-width direction and gate-length direction and used to apply reference potential or potential of a polarity different from that of potential applied to the gate of the transistor to turn on the current path of the transistor to the element isolation region.
US08482094B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first well and a second well formed in a substrate and having a different impurity doping concentration; a first isolation layer and a second isolation layer formed in the first well and the second well, respectively, and having a different depth; and a third isolation layer formed in a boundary region in which the first well and the second well are in contact with each other, and having a combination type of the first isolation layer and the second isolation layer.
US08482084B2
A Schottky field effect transistor is provided that includes a substrate having a layer of semiconductor material atop a dielectric layer, wherein the layer of semiconductor material has a thickness of less than 10.0 nm. A gate structure is present on the layer of semiconductor material. Raised source and drain regions comprised of a metal semiconductor alloy are present on the layer of semiconductor material on opposing sides of the gate structure. The raised source and drain regions are Schottky source and drain regions. In one embodiment, a first portion of the Schottky source and drain regions that is adjacent to a channel region of the Schottky field effect transistor contacts the dielectric layer, and a non-reacted semiconductor material is present between a second portion of the Schottky source and drain regions and the dielectric layer.
US08482082B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first bulk electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first bulk electrode and the first electrode form a first parasitic diode. The first bulk electrode and the second electrode form a second parasitic diode. The second transistor includes a second bulk electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode. The second bulk electrode and the third electrode form a third parasitic diode. The second bulk electrode and the fourth electrode form a fourth parasitic diode. The first bulk electrode is connected to the third electrode, and the second bulk electrode is connected to the first electrode.
US08482080B2
A PMOS transistor is disclosed which includes a nitrogen containing barrier to oxygen diffusion between a gate dielectric layer and a metal gate in the PMOS transistor, in combination with a low oxygen region of the metal gate in direct contact with the nitrogen containing barrier and an oxygen rich region of the metal gate above the low oxygen content metal region. The nitrogen containing barrier may be formed by depositing nitrogen containing barrier material on the gate dielectric layer or by nitridating a top region of the gate dielectric layer. The oxygen rich region of the metal gate may be formed by depositing oxidized metal on the low oxygen region of the metal gate or by oxidizing a top region of the low oxygen region of the metal gate.
US08482062B2
A semiconductor device includes a first trench and a second trench extending into a semiconductor body from a surface. A body region of a first conductivity type adjoins a first sidewall of the first trench and a first sidewall of the second trench, the body region including a channel portion adjoining to a source structure and being configured to be controlled in its conductivity by a gate structure. The channel portion is formed at the first sidewall of the second trench and is not formed at the first sidewall of the first trench. An electrically floating semiconductor zone of the first conductivity type adjoins the first trench and has a bottom side located deeper within the semiconductor body than the bottom side of the body region.
US08482054B2
According to one embodiment, there is provided a semiconductor memory device including an element region, a first gate insulating film, a charge accumulation layer, a second gate insulating film, and a control gate electrode. The charge accumulation layer covers the first gate insulating film. The second gate insulating film has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion covers an upper surface of the charge accumulation layer when a side of a surface on which the element region of the semiconductor substrate is demarcated is an upper side. The second portion covers a side surface of the charge accumulation layer. The control gate electrode covers the upper surface and the side surface of the charge accumulation layer via the second gate insulating film. A breakdown voltage of the first portion is higher than a breakdown voltage of the second portion.
US08482048B2
A bypass capacitor is directly integrated on top of a MOSFET chip. The capacitor comprises multi layers of conductive material and dielectric material staking on top of each other with connection vias through dielectric layer for connecting different conductive layers. The method of integrating the bypass capacitor comprises repeating steps of depositing a dielectric layer, forming connection vias through the dielectric layer, depositing a conductive layer and patterning the conductive layer.
US08482047B2
DRAM cell arrays having a cell area of about 4F2 comprise an array of vertical transistors with buried bit lines and vertical double gate electrodes. The buried bit lines comprise a silicide material and are provided below a surface of the substrate. The word lines are optionally formed of a silicide material and form the gate electrode of the vertical transistors. The vertical transistor may comprise sequentially formed doped polysilicon layers or doped epitaxial layers. At least one of the buried bit lines is orthogonal to at least one of the vertical gate electrodes of the vertical transistors.
US08482038B2
A technique which reduces the influence of external noise such as crosstalk noise in a semiconductor device to prevent a circuit from malfunctioning. A true signal wire and a bar signal wire which are susceptible to noise and part of an input signal line to a level shifter circuit, and shield wires for shielding these signal wires are laid on an I/O cell. Such I/O cells are placed side by side to complete a true signal wire connection and a bar signal wire connection. These wires are arranged in a way to pass over a plurality of I/O cells and are parallel to each other or multilayered.
US08482032B2
Technology of making freestanding gallium nitride (GaN) wafers has been matured at length. Gallium nitride is rigid but fragile. Chamfering of a periphery of a GaN wafer is difficult. At present edges are chamfered by a rotary whetstone of gross granules with weak pressure. Minimum roughness of the chamfered edges is still about Ra 10 μm to Ra 6 μm. The large edge roughness causes scratches, cracks, splits or breaks in transferring process or wafer process. A wafer of the present invention is bevelled by fixing the wafer to a chuck of a rotor, bringing an edge of the wafer into contact with an elastic whetting material having a soft matrix and granules implanted on the soft matrix, rotating the wafer and feeding the whetting material. Favorably, several times of chamfering edges by changing the whetting materials of smaller granules are given to the wafer. The chamfering can realize small roughness of Ra 10 nm and Ra 5 μm at edges of wafers.
US08482028B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductive type, and a periodic array structure having a second semiconductor layer of a first conductive type and a third semiconductor layer of a second conductive type periodically arrayed on the first semiconductor layer in a direction parallel with a major surface of the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer are disposed in dots on the first semiconductor layer. A periodic structure in the outermost peripheral portion of the periodic array structure is different from a periodic structure of the periodic array structure in a portion other than the outermost peripheral portion.
US08482022B2
According to one embodiment, a light-emitting device includes a light-transmitting layer including first and second regions and a third region intervening therebetween, and a light-emitting portion overlapping the second region or the second and third regions. A first portion of the device corresponding to the first region transmits light having a certain wavelength in a visible range at a first transmittance. A second portion of the device corresponding to the second region causes emission by the light-emitting portion and transmits the light at a second transmittance lower than the first transmittance. A third portion of the device corresponding to the third region is configured to have a transmittance distribution in which transmittance for the light decreases from an end on a first portion's side to an end on a second portion's side within a range from the first transmittance to the second transmittance.
US08482015B2
Four LED chips are mounted on a sub-mount substrate so as to be parallel thereto. A wire 9a is installed to extend between a pad electrode 7a of two pad electrodes 7a, 7b provided in two diagonal corners of an upper surface of the LED chip 1 which pad electrode 7a is disposed on a first edge 1a side of the LED chip 1 and a bonding area of a conductive pattern 13 so as to be inclined at 15 to 40 degrees towards an orientation which moves away from a first edge 1a with respect to an orthogonal moving-away direction D relative to the first edge 1a. A wire 9b is installed to extend between the pad electrode 7b which is disposed on a second edge 1b side of the LED chip 1 and a bonding area of the conductive pattern 1 so as to be inclined 15 to 40 degrees towards an orientation which approaches a second edge 1b of the LED chip 1 with respect to an orthogonal moving-away direction D relative to the second edge 1b.
US08482011B2
The present invention provides a structure in which a pixel region 13 is surrounded by a first sealing material (having higher viscosity than a second sealing material) 16 including a spacer (filler, minute particles and/or the like) which maintains a gap between the two substrates, filled with a few drops of the transparent second sealing material 17a which is spread in the region; and sealed by using the first sealing material 16 and the second sealing material 17.
US08482006B2
The present invention relates to a mother substrate and a method for manufacturing the same, the mother substrate comprising: a substrate, comprising at least one display region and pre-cutting regions in a periphery of the display region, wherein the display region comprises gate scanning lines and data scanning lines, the pre-cutting regions comprise a gate-line connecting line and a data-line connecting line electrically connected to each other, and the gate-line connecting line is electrically connected to all of the gate scanning lines in the display region, and the data-line connecting line is electrically connected to all of the data scanning lines in the display region substrate.
US08482004B2
An object is to provide a light-emitting display device in which a pixel including a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor has a high aperture ratio. The light-emitting display device includes a plurality of pixels each including a thin film transistor and a light-emitting element. The pixel is electrically connected to a first wiring functioning as a scan line. The thin film transistor includes an oxide semiconductor layer over the first wiring with a gate insulating film therebetween. The oxide semiconductor layer is extended beyond the edge of a region where the first wiring is provided. The light-emitting element and the oxide semiconductor layer overlap with each other.
US08481993B2
A semiconductor composite film includes a semiconductor thin film layer containing an organic semiconductor material, an insulating thin film layer formed from a polymer material phase-separated from the organic semiconductor material in the film thickness direction, and a fine particle material dispersed in at least one of the semiconductor thin film layer and the insulating thin film layer.
US08481983B2
An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus in which debris moving within a chamber are prevented from reducing reflectance or transmittance of optical elements of an EUV collector mirror, etc, and extreme ultra violet light can stably be generated in a long period. The apparatus includes: a target supply unit for supplying a target to a predetermined position within a chamber; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to the target to generate first plasma; a collector mirror provided within the chamber, for collecting extreme ultra violet light radiated from the first plasma; a gas supply unit for supplying a gas into the chamber; an excitation unit for exciting the gas to generate second plasma around a region where the first plasma is generated; and an exhaust unit for exhausting the chamber and ejecting debris emitted from the first plasma to outside of the chamber.
US08481979B2
There are provided with a respiration induction apparatus that induces respiration, based on a desired respiration waveform; a switching device that switches the orbit of a particle beam; and an irradiation apparatus that controls irradiation, in synchronization with the desired respiration waveform. A controller, which performs synchronization control of the switching device and the respiration induction apparatuses in a plurality of treatment rooms, adjusts the periods and the phases of the desired respiration waveforms of the respiration induction apparatuses in the treatment rooms so that the irradiation times synchronized with the desired respiration waveforms in the treatment rooms do not overlap with one another, and controls the switching device so as to switch the orbits of the particle beam, in accordance with the respective irradiation times of the treatment rooms.
US08481978B2
In an immersion lithographic apparatus, bubble formation in immersion liquid is reduced or prevented by reducing a gap size or area on a substrate table and/or covering the gap.
US08481974B1
Devices for measuring single cell changes in photosynthetic efficiency in algal aquaculture are disclosed that include a combination of modulated LED trans-illumination of different intensities with synchronized through objective laser illumination and confocal detection. Synchronization and intensity modulation of a dual illumination scheme were provided using a custom microcontroller for a laser beam block and constant current LED driver. Therefore, single whole cell photosynthetic efficiency, and subcellular (diffraction limited) photosynthetic efficiency measurement modes are permitted. Wide field rapid light scanning actinic illumination is provided for both by an intensity modulated 470 nm LED. For the whole cell photosynthetic efficiency measurement, the same LED provides saturating pulses for generating photosynthetic induction curves. For the subcellular photosynthetic efficiency measurement, a switched through objective 488 nm laser provides saturating pulses for generating photosynthetic induction curves. A second near IR LED is employed to generate dark adapted states in the system under study.
US08481971B2
A water dispensing apparatus, comprising an input for water; a tank provided with means for chilling water; a UV lamp; a UV transmissive coil wrapped at least partially around the lamp such that the water to be dispensed passes through the coil and is thereby sterilized by the UV lamp to Class A UV standards and an output. A single Class A UV source can be used to sterilize both still and carbonated (sparkling) water, or chilled and ambient water, or all three.
US08481968B2
A method for preparing an electron microscope specimen is provided. The method includes providing a wafer sample with an analysis region disposed thereon. A dicing process is performed to cut a sample piece from the wafer sample. The sample piece includes a target pillar structure wherein the analysis region is located on a top portion of the target pillar structure. A thinning process is performed to thin the top portion of the target pillar structure. The invention further provides an electron microscope specimen and a method of forming a 3D image.
US08481964B2
A charged particle beam drawing apparatus has a drawing chamber including a movable stage which supports a mask, the mask being formed by applying a resist to an upper surface of a mask substrate, an optical column for applying a charged particle beam to draw patterns in the resist, a charged particle beam dose correction portion for correcting a dose of the charged particle beam applied from the optical column to the resist on the basis of proximity effect and fogging effect, and a conversion coefficient changing portion for changing a conversion coefficient on the basis of pattern density in the resist and a position in the resist, wherein the conversion coefficient is a ratio of an accumulation energy of the charged particle beam accumulated in the resist, to an accumulation dose of the charged particle beam accumulated in the resist.
US08481961B2
A device is described, which is sensitive to electric fields, but is insensitive to stray electrons/ions and unlike a bare, exposed conductor, it measures capacitively coupled current while rejecting currents due to charged particle collected or emitted. A charged particle beam establishes an electric field inside the beam pipe. A grounded metallic box with an aperture is placed in a drift region near the beam tube radius. The produced electric field that crosses the aperture generates a fringe field that terminates in the back surface of the front of the box and induces an image charge. An electrode is placed inside the grounded box and near the aperture, where the fringe fields terminate, in order to couple with the beam. The electrode is negatively biased to suppress collection of electrons and is protected behind the front of the box, so the beam halo cannot directly hit the electrode and produce electrons. The measured signal shows the net potential (positive ion beam plus negative electrons) variation with time, as it shall be observed from the beam pipe wall.
US08481959B2
Systems and methods of an ion implant apparatus include an ion source for producing an ion beam along an incident beam axis. The ion implant apparatus includes a beam deflecting assembly coupled to a rotation mechanism that rotates the beam deflecting assembly about the incident beam axis and deflects the ion beam. At least one wafer holder holds target wafers and the rotation mechanism operates to direct the ion beam at one of the at least one wafer holders which also rotates to maintain a constant implant angle.
US08481955B2
A dental radiology apparatus having: an intraoral sensor comprising a detector including an active pixel array produced using biCMOS technology and converting a received x-ray into at least one analog electrical output signal; an electronic module encapsulated in a case and which has at least one detector activation device, the module linked to the sensor for the transmission to the sensor of a detector activation signal generated in the module and for the transmission to the module of the at least one analog electrical output signal, the module having analog-digital means for converting the at least one analog electrical output signal into at least one digital output signal. A remote processing and display unit of the at least one digital output signal is linked to the electronic module to ensure the transmission to the unit of the at least one digital output signal.
US08481950B2
A nuclear medicine imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a detector, a measuring unit, and an end control unit. The detector is configured to detect radiation for generating a nuclear medicine image. The measuring unit is configured to measure the number of times the detector detects the radiation. The end control unit is configured to control the detector to end the detection operation when the number of times measured by the measuring unit is equal to or less than a threshold value.
US08481949B2
Detector crystals in a positron emission tomography (PET) apparatus gantry are cooled by directing cooling gas flow into a cooling duct bounded by the crystals and a cover defining the patient scanning field within the gantry. The cooling gas cools the crystals. Cooling gas may also be directed radially outwardly from the cooling duct into spatial gaps defined between detector enclosures that include the crystals, further isolating heat generated by other components within gantry from the detector crystals. Cooling gas is provided by a cooling system that may be incorporated within the gantry, external the gantry or a combination of both. Cooling gas can be provided by directing air within the gantry in contact with internal gantry cooling tubes and routing cooled air directly into the cooling duct with a powered fan.
US08481943B2
An improved net radiometer that measures the total net difference between incoming solar and surface reflected radiant short-wave solar energy flux, and inclusive of the down and upwelling long-wave infrared terrestrial radiant energy flux, within the combined short-wave and long-wave far infrared spectral range is disclosed. Disclosed are net radiometers with thermal absorbers structured to reduce wind sensitivity while maintaining or improving response time. Also disclosed are net radiometers that are configured in a novel way to reduce moisture and water accumulation on the thermal absorber surfaces. In addition, net radiometers are disclosed where the components are configured and thermal absorber structured to reduce unit-to-unit inconsistencies and minimize absorber sensitivity asymmetry effect between the upper and lower instrument absorbers.
US08481941B2
A dual function injection type array readout device includes at least two sensor groups and a dual function injection type array readout circuit. Each sensor group has two sensors of different functions, and each sensor generates a sense current according to a corresponding sensed target. The dual function injection type array readout circuit includes at least two dual function readout modules, each having two readout units, each electrically coupled to a respective sensor of a corresponding sensor group. Each readout unit includes a current-to-voltage converter having an integration capacitor, and a sample-and-hold device electrically coupled to the current-to-voltage converter. A switch unit is electrically coupled to the integration capacitors of the readout units.
US08481936B2
The present invention is for providing a scanning electron microscope system adapted to output contour information fitting in with the real pattern edge end of a sample, and is arranged to generate a local projection waveform by projecting the scanning electron microscope image in the tangential direction with respect to the pattern edge at each point of the pattern edge of the scanning electron microscope image, estimate the cross-sectional shape of the pattern transferred on the sample by applying the local projection waveform generated at each point to a library, which has previously been created, correlating the cross-sectional shape with the electron beam signal waveform, obtain position coordinate of the edge end fitting in with the cross-sectional shape, and output the contour of the pattern as a range of position coordinates.
US08481934B2
As an aspect for realizing accurate observation, inspection, or measurement of the contact hole with large aspect ratio, a method and a device to scan a second electron beam after scanning a first electron beam to a sample to charge the sample are proposed wherein the beam diameter of the first electron beam is made larger than the beam diameter of the second electron beam.
US08481928B2
Ions entrained in a gas are transported into the vacuum system of an ion user, such as a mass spectrometer, from an ion source located outside the vacuum. The gas and ions pass through a nozzle that connects the ion source to the vacuum system and is shaped to form a supersonic gas jet in a first vacuum chamber of the vacuum system. In the first vacuum chamber, ions entrained in the supersonic gas jet are extracted electrically or magnetically and are collected, for example, by an RF ion funnel and transmitted to the ion user. The supersonic gas jet travels on and, after passing through the first vacuum chamber, the supersonic gas jet is directed into a separate pump chamber out of which the gas is pumped.
US08481927B2
Gaseous analyte molecules are ionized at atmospheric pressure and provided to an inlet capillary of an ion spectrometer vacuum system by passing the ions through a reaction tube that ends in a conical intermediate piece for a gastight and smooth transition into the inlet capillary. The reaction tube is shaped so that the atmospheric pressure gas stream passing therethrough form the entrance of the tune to the intermediate piece is stably laminar. Analyte molecules from gas chromatographs, spray devices or vaporization devices can be introduced into the entrance of the reaction tube and ionized within the tube by single- or multi-photon ionization, by chemical ionization, by reactant ions or by physical ionization. For single- or multi-photon ionization, a beam from a laser can be passed axially down the reaction tube. Reactant ions can be produced by any means outside of the reaction tube and mixed with the analyte molecules within the tube.
US08481924B2
A method of identifying precursor ion species from their fragments comprises obtaining mass spectra of a plurality of precursor ion species and their fragments to high mass accuracy. The fragment mass spectrum, obtained from fragmentation of multiple precursor ion species, is then scanned it identify pairs of fragments whose combined mass matches the mass of one of the precursor ion species. Once pairs of fragment ion shave been matched to precursor ions, the composite fragment ion spectrum is broken down into portions, one per fragment pair. Analysis continues until no further pairs are identified. A simplified fragment ion spectrum is then reconstructed for each precursor sample ion by stitching together the broken down sections of the composite fragment spectrum. The resultant reconstructed, simplified fragment spectra are sent to a search engine which returns a score-sorted list of likely candidates for each synthetic fragment ion spectrum.
US08481921B2
A mass spectrometer is disclosed comprising a first storage ion trap arranged upstream of a high performance analytical ion trap. According to an embodiment ions are simultaneously scanned from both the first and second ion trap. At any instant in time the quantity of charge present within the second ion trap is limited or restricted so that the second ion trap does not suffer from space charge saturation effects and hence the performance of the second ion trap is not degraded.
US08481916B2
A vehicular accessory mounting system includes a structure adhesively attached at a region of an interior surface of the vehicle windshield. The structure is configured to accommodate an accessory. A light absorbing layer at the region of the interior surface of the vehicle windshield at least partially hides the structure from view by a viewer, who is external the vehicle, viewing through the windshield. The accessory views through a light transmitting portion of the light absorbing layer and through the windshield to the exterior of the vehicle when the structure is attached at the region of the interior surface of the windshield and when the accessory is accommodated thereat. The structure may include a mirror assembly mount button and the mirror assembly mount button may be configured to be received by a mirror mount of an interior rearview mirror assembly.
US08481915B2
An linear encoder includes: a scale; a light-emitting element that emits light onto the scale; a detecting head that has a light-receiving element that receives the light emitted by the light-emitting element to be reflected or transmitted by the scale; and a connector connected to the detecting head via a cable. The connector comprises a display that displays a status of the light received by the light-receiving element and a connector controller that controls the display. The connector controller includes a display controller that controls the display in accordance with the intensity of the light received by the light-receiving element.
US08481914B2
An optical encoder is configured as follows. Namely, the optical encoder includes a signal processing circuit which processes encoder signals output from a plurality of encoder heads, a control unit which specifies one of the plurality of encoder heads, sets the signal output of the specified encoder head in an on state, and further sets the outputs of the encoder heads not specified in an off state, thereby causing only the specified encoder head to output an encoder signal to the signal processing circuit, switch signal lines, and a common wiring line which is shared by the plurality of encoder heads and which transmits the encoder signals to the signal processing circuit.
US08481907B2
The effects of inter pixel capacitance in a pixilated array may be measured by first resetting all pixels in the array to a first voltage, where a first image is read out, followed by resetting only a subset of pixels in the array to a second voltage, where a second image is read out, where the difference in the first and second images provide information about the inter pixel capacitance. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08481903B2
An optical system configured to detect optical signals during imaging sessions. The optical system includes an objective lens that has a collecting end that is positioned proximate to a sample and configured to receive optical signals therefrom. The optical system also includes a removable path compensator that is configured to be located at an imaging position between the collecting end of the objective lens and the sample. The path compensator adjusts an optical path of the light emissions when in the imaging position. Also, the optical system includes a transfer device that is configured to move the path compensator. The transfer device locates the path compensator at the imaging position for a first imaging session and removes the path compensator from the imaging position for a second imaging session.
US08481902B2
This invention is to eliminate all of the above-mentioned disadvantages by proposing a heating element intended to be deposited on a metal substrate, e.g., made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, or even stainless steel, which is capable of delivering high outputs, in particular with a surface/output ratio possibly going as high as values on the order of 40 W/cm2, while at the same time maintaining good dielectric performance levels and/or being capable of delivering an even degree of heat over an entire surface.
US08481901B2
Methods for processing sample materials. Methods of the present disclosure can include providing a device including a process chamber array, the process chamber array including a loading chamber and a process chamber; providing sample material in the process chamber array; moving the sample material within the process chamber array by rotating the device; providing paramagnetic particles within the sample material located in the process chamber array; providing a magnet proximate the device; and rotating the device such that the paramagnetic particles within the sample material are subjected to the magnetic field of the magnet during rotation of the device.
US08481899B2
A Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) rod assembly and a preheater incorporating the same. The PTC rod assembly includes a negative terminal and a positive terminal coupled with opposite surfaces of a PTC rod, the negative and positive terminals being spaced apart from and parallel to each other; a PTC element interposed between and being in electrical contact with the negative and positive terminals, an insulating film adhered to exposed portions of the negative and positive terminals, which are coupled with the PTC rod, and a PTC rod housing. The PTC rod housing stores the PTC rod therein, the negative and positive terminals and the PTC element coupled with the PTC rod, and the insulating film adhered to the PTC rod. The PTC rod assembly is used stably even when a high voltage is applied thereto. A short circuit is prevented from occurring between the two terminals due to contact.
US08481896B2
A heater plate is constructed with an embedded thermal diffusion layer of pyrolytic graphite to provide increased temperature uniformity in a critical heating surface. The heater has first and second metal plates with a heater element contained within the first plate and a core of the pyrolytic graphite diffusion layer sandwiched between the heater element and the second metal plate. The diffusion layer may be sputter metal coated to improve bonding of the layer to the plates.
US08481895B2
A portable warming device for dry heating a towel. The portable warming device includes a heating arrangement that heats one or more surface of the portable warming device so as to heat a towel that is in contact with the one or more heated surfaces. The heating arrangement includes a controller to at least partially control the heating of the towel.
US08481894B2
An electrical cooking apparatus comprises a base, a cooking plate separable from the base, an electrical heating resistance integral with the cooking plate, and electrical connectors borne by the base and adapted to be connected to electrical heating resistance. The base bears an extracting member movable between a rest position and an extraction position, and adapted to cause the disconnection of electrical resistance from connectors and the release of the cooking plate from the base when displaced from the rest position to the extraction position. The cooking plate is movable from a cooking position in which electrical resistance is connected to connectors, and a released position in which electrical resistance is disconnected therefrom, and the extracting member is adapted to move the cooking plate from the cooking position to the released position thereof when moved from its rest position to its extraction position.
US08481892B2
A method for producing a ceramic heater includes performing firing at 1,600° C. to 1,750° C. in a state in which front and back surfaces of an inner shaped body composed of low-temperature sinterable raw material powder containing aluminum nitride powder as a main component and 0.03% to 1% by weight of rare earth oxide powder are sandwiched between a pair of outer layers composed of aluminum nitride sintered bodies having a volume resistivity of 1015 Ωcm or more through resistive heating elements composed of metal meshes, thereby obtaining a ceramic heater.
US08481891B2
An ironing system (500) comprises an iron (510) with a soleplate (512) comprising an induction heatable material. The ironing system (500) further comprises a unit (520, 530) that includes at least one induction coil (540) and a device (550). The induction coil (540) charges the iron (510) whereas the device (550) detects the temperature of the soleplate (512) by sensing a change in current flowing through the induction coil (540) or by sensing a change in voltage across the induction coil (540). The current or voltage changes as self inductance of the induction coil (540) changes with magnetic permeability of the soleplate (512) as a function of its temperature. The device (550) switches the induction coil (540) on or off depending on the detected temperature.
US08481887B2
A method for laser machining through micro-holes having desired geometric cross-section requirements in a thin, substantially homogenous material.
US08481886B2
A laser scanner system for removing a coating from a surface. The system includes a laser source for generating a laser beam; a focusing optic operative to receive, focus and re-direct the laser beam; a rotating multi-faceted mirror for receiving and reflecting the focused laser beam, wherein the rotating multi-faceted mirror repeatedly translates the reflected focused laser beam in one direction along an arc path and through a first focal point, and wherein passage of the laser beam through the first focal point results in divergence of the beam; a reimaging mirror for receiving and reflecting the divergent laser beam toward a work surface, wherein the reimaging mirror produces an image of the first focal point and its path; and wherein the rotating multi-faceted mirror and the reimagining mirror cooperate to produce a beam cross-over region having a minimal cross-sectional area relative to other points along the beam path, and wherein the beam cross-over region is located between the reimaging mirror and the work surface.
US08481883B2
A welding apparatus for welding a work-piece includes an energy source configured to generate a weld in a zone of the work-piece, with the work-piece characterized by a layer. The apparatus also includes a first wheel characterized by a first circumference and a first set of protrusions disposed on the first circumference, and a second wheel characterized by a second circumference and a second set of protrusions disposed on the second circumference. Each of the first and second wheels is configured to rotate relative to the work-piece, and the first and second sets of protrusions are configured to disrupt the layer as the work-piece is traversed between the first and second wheels. The energy source generates the weld in the zone of the work-piece following the disruption of the layer. A method employing the disclosed welding apparatus is also provided.
US08481882B2
Guide device for use in the processing, in particular welding, of curved surfaces, in particular pipe surfaces. A guide device includes a flexible elongate body provided with a guide for processing means and a tensioning means for tensioning the flexible body around the curved surface. The flexible body is provided along its length with indicators arranged according to a determined pattern, this pattern being such that a determined position of the guide device along the flexible body can be inferred on the basis of the detection of the indicators.
US08481879B2
A keypad assembly includes a keycap, fixing bracket, and a fixing member. The fixing member fixes the keypad to the fixing bracket. The fixing bracket includes two support portions, a fixing portion, and at least two resilient portions. The resilient portions interconnect the support portions and the fixing portions. The keycap fixes on the fixing portion. The resilient portions are capable of elastically deforming and generate elastic restoring force to the keycap.
US08481868B2
A junction box for electrically connecting insulated conductors of a first cable to corresponding insulated conductors of a second cable, including a terminal housing; a plurality of electrically conductive contacts extending through the terminal housing, each contact of said contacts including first and second insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) opening into respective first and second sides of the terminal housing; and first and second lid members operatively coupled to the terminal housing so that relative movement between the terminal housing and the lid members urges insulated conductors interposed therebetween into corresponding IDCs for electric connection to the contacts, wherein said relative movement electrically connects the insulated conductors of the first cable on the first side of said sides of the terminal housing to corresponding insulated conductors of the second cable on the second side of said sides of the terminal housing via the IDCs of common contacts.
US08481864B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a functional assembly as well as a functional assembly. According to the inventive method, at least one first material and a second material which are provided with different properties are applied layer by layer, partially in some parts, so as to create an encapsulation from the first material and a strip conductor structure from the second material, one or several functional units being embedded in the layer structure and being contacted with the strip conductor structure when the materials are applied. The disclosed method makes it possible to carefully structure a unit while offering a great degree of creative freedom.
US08481862B2
The present invention relates to a connector system for resiliently attaching and electrically connecting an integrated circuit chip to a circuit board using a plurality of leads. Each of the plurality of leads are sized and arranged to form a curved body having a first leg and a second leg with a curved portion between the first leg and the second leg. The curved body of the leads may be C-shaped in accordance with the present invention. The plurality of leads may be formed from strips of copper foil or copper mesh folded to form the curved body. The plurality of leads may also be sized and arranged to support the integrated circuit chip in a generally flat arrangement relative to the circuit board with a maximum separation of about 0.016 inches or less between the integrated circuit chip and the circuit board.
US08481855B2
A plurality of protruding substrate portions (12) is extended from positions placed at an interval from each other along a peripheral edge of a wiring substrate (10). Each of the protruding substrate portions (12) is provided with wiring terminals (15), (16) electrically connected to each of a plurality of electrode terminals provided to an electrical instrument substrate. A cut-out part (18) is formed in a peripheral edge (13a) between the protruding substrate portions (12) in the wiring substrate (10).
US08481847B2
A solar cell and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type having at least one via hole; an emitter layer only on at least a portion of the via hole and at least one selected from a group consisting of an incident surface and side surfaces of the substrate, the emitter layer having a second conductive type opposite the first conductive type; at least one first electrode on the incident surface, the first electrode being electrically connected to the emitter layer; a second electrode connected to an opposite surface to the incident surface; and at least one first electrode current collector on the opposite surface, the at least one first electrode current collector being insulated from the second electrode and being electrically connected to the at least one first electrode through the via hole.
US08481840B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a portable media player has the form of a wearable button and includes a body that has a front face and a rear face. The media player also has a means for detachably attaching the body to an article of clothing, such as a shirt or jacket. The player has a memory that contains at least one audio file and also includes means for converting the audio file into an analogue sound signal, wherein the content of the memory is factory programmed and cannot be changed by the user. Playback controls are provided to permit playing of the audio file stored in memory. In accordance with the present invention, artist indicia are fixedly disposed on the front face of the body. The indicia correspond to the content of the audio file. For example, the indicia can include the name of the artist and/or the name of the song and/or contain graphics that are associated with the artist of the audio file content.
US08481832B2
A portable docking station system is designed to mount a portable computing device flush onto a musical instrument. The system features buttons or openings so the user can easily access the controls on the computing device such as volume and power. The system features a housing having a eject system allowing the edge to pivot which provides ease in installing and removing an attached portable computing device. The system is adjustable to receive computing devices of various sizes and thicknesses. Fillers or spacers are added to the system to accommodate various computing devices.
US08481829B1
A novel maize variety designated PH18JA and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH18JA with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH18JA 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 PH18JA or a locus conversion of PH18JA with another maize variety.
US08481827B1
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated NPFX7789, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line NPFX7789 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line NPFX7789, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line NPFX7789, and plants produced according to these methods.
US08481817B2
A lettuce cultivar, designated 51-0703377-B, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of lettuce cultivar 51-0703377-B, to the plants of lettuce cultivar 51-0703377-B and to methods for producing a lettuce plant by crossing the cultivar 51-0703377-B 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 51-0703377-B, to methods for producing other lettuce cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar 51-0703377-B 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 51-0703377-B with another lettuce cultivar.
US08481811B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of nucleotide sequences of interest in a plant. Compositions are novel nucleotide sequences for a pericarp-preferred promoter associated with the maize cystatin coding region. A method for expressing a nucleotide sequence of interest in a plant using the regulatory sequence disclosed herein is provided.
US08481808B1
A novel maize variety designated X13A497 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X13A497 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13A497 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13A497, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13A497. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13A497.
US08481807B1
A novel maize variety designated X13B617 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X13B617 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13B617 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13B617, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13B617. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13B617.
US08481806B2
An absorbent article having a front end region, a rear end region, a central region disposed between the front and rear end regions, a fluids source area, and a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis. The absorbent article includes a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and a reinforcing structure disposed within the central region. In one aspect of the invention, the reinforcing structure includes a pair of traverse reinforcing elements each of which is formed by two traverse channels. The two traverse channels may be disposed generally parallel to the transverse axis with a reinforcement distance such that the absorbent core has an average density of in the range of about 5% to about 500% higher at the traverse reinforcing element than the fluids source area.
US08481801B2
A wound dressing composition comprising a partially cured polyurethane fluid. The composition can be injected directly into a wound, where it cures to form a wound filling dressing. Also provided is a wound dressing comprising such a composition. Also provided is a kit for the preparation of such wound dressings, the kit comprising (a) a polyurethane prepolymer; and (b) a curing agent for the polyurethane prepolymer. Preferably, the polyurethane components comprise reaction products of a diisocyanate with castor oil or a related ester of ricinoleic acid or its derivatives.
US08481800B2
An improved oxidization process may be used to oxidize a wide variety of feedstocks. Oxidation takes place in a reactor where the feedstock is mixed with an oxidizing acid, such as nitric acid. The reaction mixture may also include a secondary oxidizing acid such as sulfuric acid as well as water and/or dissolved and mechanically mixed oxygen gas. The reactor may be maintained at an elevated pressure such as at least approximately 2070 kPa or desirably at least approximately 2800 kPa. The temperature of the reaction mixture may be maintained at no more than 210° C.
US08481799B2
The present invention relates to a process for packaging radioactive wastes, in which the following successive steps are carried out: a/ radioactive wastes, the solids content of which comprises at least 90% of compounds selected from CaCO2, Fe2O3, SiO2, Al2O3 and B2O3, are supplemented, so as to achieve a target composition of said supplemented wastes after calcination, and b/ said supplemented radioactive wastes are melted and c/ said melt is poured into a container, so as to obtain, after cooling, a product comprising a vitreous or vitro-crystalline synthetic rock, having said target composition, characterized in that said target composition corresponds to the following definition, in a CaO, SiO2 and X2O3 ternary system, in which X2O3 is a trivalent oxide or a mixture of trivalent oxides selected from Al2O3, Fe2O3 or B2O3, PC and PS being the mass percentages of CaO and SiO2: PC is from 35 to 60%, and PS is from 10 to 45%.
US08481798B2
There is provided a closed loop purity and recovery control system and process for operating a xylene purification system such as a Parex unit.
US08481787B2
The present invention provides a method for producing a tertiary amine by using a secondary amine and an alcohol as starting materials to obtain a corresponding tertiary amine. The method of the present invention includes reacting a secondary amine with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is previously used in the reaction of a primary amine with an alcohol to obtain a tertiary amine.
US08481777B2
The invention provides metal carbamates of the general formula (I) where R1 and R2 are the same or different and are each an alkyl group having 1-18 carbon atoms and M is an alkali metal atom.
US08481775B2
The present invention relates to method for improving the color index of organopolysiloxanes functionalized with at least one UV-light absorbing group said method comprising the step of contacting said group carrying organopolysiloxanes with a hydroxy carboxylic acid or a cyclic ester thereof in an organic solvent.
US08481762B2
At least one compound that increases the level of glutathione (GSH) in the melanocytes of hair follicles, and admixtures thereof with other active agents selected from among active agents for combating desquamative conditions of the scalp, plant extracts having propigmenting activity and active agents that slow hair loss and/or promote hair regrowth, are useful for preventing and/or limiting and/or stopping the development of canities.
US08481760B2
The present invention provides compounds and methods of inhibiting and treating metastatic prostate cancer. The compounds include MEK4 inhibitors. In another aspect the invention provides methods of identifying inhibitors of metastatic prostate cancer by screening for inhibitors of MEK4.
US08481756B1
Catalysts and methods for the double carbonylation of epoxides are disclosed. Each epoxide molecule reacts with two molecules of carbon monoxide to produce a succinic anhydride. The reaction is facilitated by catalysts combining a Lewis acidic species with a transition metal carbonyl complex. The double carbonylation is achieved in single process by using reaction conditions under which both carbonylation reactions occur without the necessity of isolating or purifying the product of the first carbonylation.
US08481745B2
The invention relates to compounds of general formula (I): Wherein n, X1, X2, X3, X4, Y, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Ra and Rb are as defined herein. The invention also relates to process for the preparation of compounds of formula (I) and their therapeutic use.
US08481744B2
To provide a process for producing an anthranilamide having the 3-position of pyrazole substituted by a bromine atom, or its salt.A process for producing an anthranilamide compound represented by the formula (I) or its salt: which comprises reacting a compound represented by the formula (II): (wherein Z is 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridyl, 4-pyridyl or benzene substituted by a nitro group), with a brominating agent, to produce a compound represented by the formula (III): and further reacting the compound of the formula (III) with an oxidizing agent.
US08481743B2
The invention relates to phenylpropionamide compounds of Formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, and solvates thereof, wherein A, B, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are defined as set forth in the specification. The invention is also directed to the use of compounds of Formula (I) to treat, prevent or ameliorate a disorder responsive to the activation of opioid receptors, particularly μ-opioid receptors. Compounds of the present invention are especially useful for treating pain.
US08481740B2
This invention relates to the manufacture of novel chemical compounds which have biological activity, particularly to novel chemical compounds that are cytotoxic against colon cancer cells and colon cancer cell lines. The manufacturing of said chemical compounds displaying anti-cancer properties employs the use of multi-component chemical reactions. The object of this invention is to manufacture and isolate analogues of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine, namely compounds of Formula 1, which are cytotoxic against colon cancer cells, while concomitantly being relatively inactive against white blood cells. wherein, R is bromo, methyl, phenyl, nitro, hydrogen or an amide functional group; R1 is benzyl, 2,6-dimethylphenyl or cyclohexyl; and R2 is methoxy, benzyloxy or hydroxy.
US08481739B2
The present invention provides, inter alia, compounds of formula I as protein kinase modulators, methods of preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and methods of treatment, prevention and/or amelioration of kinase mediated diseases or disorders with them.
US08481735B2
[Problem]The present invention aims to provide a novel organometallic compound that can be used as a general-use highly active catalyst with superior selectivity for functional groups.[Means for Solving Problem]The present invention relates to an organometallic compound having a novel specific structure of general formula (1): and to a general-use highly active catalyst used in reductive amination reaction with superior selectivity for functional groups that comprises said organometallic compound, and to a process for preparing amine compounds by reductive amination reaction using said catalyst.
US08481734B2
Disclosed herein are pyrazine derivatives of Formula I: Formula I; wherein each of X1 and X2 is independently —CONR7R9; and each of Y1 and Y2 is independently —NR48R49; and methods of using the same. The disclosed pyrazine derivatives include those having urea, amide, sulfonamide, thiourea, and/or carbamate substituents. Among the various aspects of the present invention are pyrazine derivatives that may be detected in vivo and used in a number of medical procedures (e.g., renal function monitoring). Without being bound by a particular theory, the pyrazine derivatives described herein may be designed to be hydrophilic, thus allowing for rapid renal clearance for continuous monitoring of renal function.
US08481727B2
Provided are novel crystals of 4-bromo-6-(3-(4-chloro-phenyl)propoxy)-5-(pyridin-3-ylmethylamino)pyridazin-3(2H)-one monohydrochloride, and a process for production of same. A-form crystals of 4-bromo-6-(3-(4-chlorophenyl)propoxy)-5-(pyridin-3-ylmethylamino)pyridazin-3(2H)-one monohydro-chloride represented by formula (1), which exhibit a powder X-ray diffraction pattern with characteristic peaks at diffraction angles (2θ) of 8.24, 11.24, 11.76, 16.48, 17.16, 17.80, 18.24, 19.80, 21.64, 22.56, 22.96, 23.68, 24.52, 25.92, 26.32, 27.12, 27.40, 28.00, 28.64, 29.28, 31.84 and 34.80°.
US08481719B2
After adding water to the carboxymethyl carrageenan which is raw material and mixing them well, the ionizing radiation of more than fixed dose is irradiated to the obtained paste sample of fixed concentration. As a result, an excellent hydrogel in heat resistance which does not dissolve at 50° C. or more can be obtained. The manufactured gel can be used for many kinds of products. Because this gel has a biodegradation characteristic, it is possible to dispose by composting.
US08481718B2
A gel manufactured by irradiating ionizing radiation in the range of 5-1000 kGy to an obtained paste compound of a density of 10% by weight or more after adding water to carboxymethyl carrageenan and wherein each gram of dry gel obtained is capable of absorbing 20 grams or more of water. The ionizing radiation may be gamma rays, electron beams or X-rays.
US08481711B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a non-peptidic nerve axon and/or neurite outgrowth agent for allowing a nerve axon and a neurite to elongate. 3-(Aminocarbonyl)-1-[5-O-[[1-(6-amino-9H-purin-9-yl)-1-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranos-5-O-yl]phosphonyloxy(oxylato)phosphinyl]-β-L-ribofuranosyl]pyridinium that is an analogue of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) comprising β-L-ribose as the sugar component is used as a nerve axon and/or neurite outgrowth agent or composition, a cancer cell growth suppressing and/or apoptosis inducing agent, or a cancer cell growth suppressing and/or apoptosis inducing composition.
US08481710B2
The present invention is directed to small interfering RNA molecules (siRNA) targeted against nucleic acid sequence that encodes huntingtin or ataxin-1, and methods of using these siRNA molecules.
US08481696B2
The present invention provides novel glycopeptides antibiotic derivatives comprising a sugar residue (I) represented by the formula: (wherein n is an integer of 1 to 5: Sugs are each independently a monosaccharide, (Sug)n is a divalent sugar residue formed by binding of same or different 1 to 5 monosaccharides; RA1 is optionally substituted lower alkyl, optionally substituted lower alkenyl, or optionally substituted cycloalkyl; and RE is OH or NHAc (Ac is acetyl)) is bound to an aromatic ring of the fourth amino acid residue in the glycopeptide skeleton. These derivatives have antibacterial activity against vancomycin-resistant bacteria.
US08481694B2
The present invention provides methods of purifying immunoconjugates.
US08481692B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to an immunogenic composition that includes a mutant Clostridium difficile toxin A and/or a mutant Clostridium difficile toxin B. Each mutant toxin includes a glucosyltransferase domain having at least one mutation and a cysteine protease domain having at least one mutation, relative to the corresponding wild-type C. difficile toxin. The mutant toxins may further include at least one amino acid that is chemically crosslinked. In another aspect, the invention relates to antibodies or binding fragments thereof that binds to said immunogenic compositions. In further aspects, the invention relates to isolated nucleotide sequences that encode any of the foregoing, and methods of use of any of the foregoing compositions.
US08481690B2
Method of detecting Symmetrical dimethyl arginine (SDMA) in biological samples. SDMA analogs for generating anti-SDMA antibodies having little or no cross-reactivity with asymmetrical dimethyl arginine, arginine, and monomethylarginine. The analogs have a protected or free thiol (—SH) group or hydroxyl (—OH) group that allow them to be linked to a suitable conjugation target which can be, for example, a protein containing molecule of a label. The anti-SDMA antibodies can be used in diagnostic immunoassay for the diagnosis of SDMA associated disorders and/or diseases.
US08481683B2
The present disclosure provides isolated monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to CD22 with high affinity, particularly human monoclonal antibodies. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the antibodies of this disclosure, expression vectors, host cells and methods for expressing the antibodies of this disclosure are also provided. Antibody-partner molecule conjugates, bispecific molecules and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibodies of this disclosure are also provided. This disclosure also provides methods for detecting CD22, as well as methods for treating various cancers and inflammatory and autoimmune disorders using an anti-CD22 antibody of this disclosure.
US08481678B2
Peptide-based reagents comprising at least one tooth surface-binding peptide for delivery of at least one polymer-coated white colorant to the surface of teeth are provided. The peptide-based reagent may comprise at least one tooth-binding peptide coupled to, either directly or through one or more spacers, a polymer-binding peptide capable of binding to the polymeric coating on a polymer-coated white colorant. Methods of delivering a polymer-coated white colorant to a tooth surface are also provided as well as oral care compositions comprising the present peptide-based reagents. The peptide-based reagents may be used in conjunction with at least one polymer-coated white colorant to improve the cosmetic appearance of teeth.
US08481676B2
[Problems] To provide a polypeptide having a novel structure and showing an activity of inhibiting angiogenesis or an activity of inhibiting osteoclastogenesis, and to provide a recombinant protein by constructing a method of purifying the above protein. To provide an ingredient useful in designing remedies for tendinitis, rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis deformans, malignant tumor, etc.[Means for Solving Problems] A novel soluble polypeptide protein.
US08481661B2
A noncrystalline fluoroelastomer which is a copolymer consisting essentially of vinylidene fluoride and a fluoromonomer represented by the general formula (1): CH2═CFRf (1) wherein Rf is a straight or branched fluoroalkyl group containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and has a vinylidene fluoride units/fluoromonomer units mol ratio of 78/22 to 22/78 and a glass transition temperature of not higher than 25° C.
US08481655B2
Copper complexes of aminoorgano group-containing organosilicon compounds exhibit high thermal stability and can be used to impart thermal stability to a wide variety of polymer compositions. The complexes are particularly useful as constituents of xerographic rollers and fuser oils, and are simply and economically prepared.
US08481635B2
A hot melt adhesive comprises an ethylene α-olefin copolymer, an acid anhydride modified polyolefin and a hydrogenated tackifying resin. The hot melt adhesive has excellent viscoelastic properties and can be used in a variety of applications. In one application, attaching an elastic band to a flexible film, the adhesive has excellent viscosity and, in a finished absorbent article, a minimal creep characteristic. Also disclosed is a disposable article using the adhesive to adhere adjacent surfaces within the disposable article including an elastic band to a polyolefin backing film, for example, in a diaper, incontinent article or other such structure.
US08481625B2
The present invention relates to a polycarbonate resin composition (X) which includes a polycarbonate resin (A) and an aromatic polycarbonate resin (B), the polycarbonate resin (A) including a constitutional unit derived from a dihydroxy compound (a) having, as part of the structure thereof, a site represented by the following formula (1) and a constitutional unit derived from a dihydroxy compound (b) of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, wherein the proportion of the constitutional unit derived from the dihydroxy compound (b) of an aliphatic hydrocarbon based on all constitutional units each derived from a dihydroxy compound in the polycarbonate resin (A) is 45% by mole or more. (The case where the site represented by the formula (1) is part of —CH2—O—H is omitted.)
US08481623B2
The present invention relates to radiation-curable coating compositions combining high adhesion with high elasticity.
US08481618B2
A disclosed fire retardant resin composition includes a thermoplastic resin and a fire retardant. The fire retardant is formed of phosphorated polysaccharide that is formed by attaching thiophosphoric acid ester or phosphoric acid ester to a side chain of natural polysaccharide.
US08481611B2
The present invention relates to an artificial marble comprising a base resin; and layer-separated chips containing a matrix resin and additives, all or part of said additives is present in a state forming layered-phase in said matrix resin through phase-separation by a difference of specific gravity between said additives and said matrix resin, and a method for preparing the same. In the present invention, phase-separation (layer separation) of the additives in the chip is induced by adding the additives having specific gravity different from the matrix resin constituting base of the chip to the matrix resin, and if necessary, a position of the chip in the artificial marble is controlled through high specific gravity treatment. Therefore, the present invention may provide an artificial marble having a texture close to a natural rock by embodying various effects such as pearl effect, metallic effect and 3-dimensional effect.
US08481610B2
A method for manufacturing a puncture-sealing agent, which effectively prevents gelification of the puncture-sealing agent caused by agglomerates of rubber latex and that can enhance the productivity of the puncture-sealing agent is provided. The manufacturing method includes a first mixing process of mixing an antifreeze liquid with water to obtain a mixture liquid A1; a second mixing process of adding the mixture liquid A1 dropwise into a rubber latex that is being stirred and performing mixing to obtain a mixture liquid A2, while increasing the stirring speed as a liquid amount of the mixture liquid A2 increases; and a third mixing process of mixing the mixture liquid A2 with a tackifier. An amount of variation in the stirring speed is preferably from 0.1 rpm/mm to 6.0 rpm/mm, and a dropwise-addition rate of the mixture liquid A1 is preferably from 0.5 kg/min to 500 kg/min.
US08481604B2
The present invention provides a crosslinkable and expandable elastomeric material based on and/or containing siloxane polymer, the process for manufacturing of such material and the use of such material and its blends and composites.
US08481601B2
The disclosure relates to a method of performing a synthesis gas conversion reaction in which synthesis gas contacts a catalyst system including a mixture of ruthenium loaded Fischer-Tropsch catalyst particles and at least one set of catalyst particles including an acidic component promoted with a noble metal, e.g., Pt or Pd. The reaction occurs at conditions resulting in a hydrocarbons product containing 1-15 weight % CH4, 1-15 weight % C2-C4, 70-95 weight % C5+, 0-5 weight % C21+ normal paraffins, and 0-10 weight % aromatic hydrocarbons.
US08481599B2
Compositions and methods for treating, preventing, or reducing alcoholism, in particular methods for increasing patient compliance with therapies that require the intake of an ALDH inhibitor comprising the step of administering a monoamine oxidase B inhibitor.
US08481596B2
The present invention relates to a novel crystalline form L of (±)-desvenlafaxine benzoate and process for the preparing of the same. Further, the present invention also relates to pharmaceutical composition of novel crystalline form L of desvenlafaxine benzoate and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
US08481593B2
The invention relates to the use of para-coumaric acid or para-hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in cosmetic or dermatological compositions, specifically to the use of at least one compound derived from para-coumaric acid having a general formula (I) below: in which, especially, Z represents an oxygen or an —NH— group; X and Y are identical and each represent a CH or CH2 group, as an active principle with depigmenting, free-radical-scavenging and/or antiinflammatory activity. The invention also relates to the use of the above compounds for cosmetic care or for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition, especially for depigmenting an area of skin, having antiradical and/or antiinflammatory activity.
US08481591B2
The present invention relates to topical antibacterial compositions. The compositions comprise an antibacterial agent such as mupirocin, water, a polymer and a volatile solvent present in an amount of less than about 40%. The invention also relates to methods of treatment by administering the compositions to a patient in need thereof, and to the use of such compositions in the treatment of bacterial conditions.
US08481590B2
The present invention is directed to inhibitors of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such GSNOR inhibitors, and methods of making and using the same.
US08481588B2
The present invention relates to crystalline forms of the mono-sodium salt of D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, their use in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, and processes for their preparation. In particular, the present invention relates the crystal modification 2 (polymorphic form I) of the mono-sodium salt of D-isoglutamyl-D-tryptophan.
US08481576B2
The present invention relates to guanidine compounds of the general formula I corresponding enantiomeric, diastereomeric and/or tautomeric forms thereof as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The present compound further relates to the use of guanidine compounds as binding partners for 5-HT5 receptors for the treatment of diseases which are modulated by a 5-HT5 receptor activity, in particular for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders as well as the associated signs, symptoms and dysfunctions.
US08481563B2
The invention provides 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl-2-hydroxybenzamide compounds of formula (I): wherein R2, R7, and m are defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, that are antagonists at the mu opioid receptor. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, methods of using such compounds to treat conditions associated with mu opioid receptor activity, and processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds.
US08481562B2
The present invention is related to pyrazolo pyridine derivatives of Formula (I), pharmaceutical composition thereof and to their use for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of disorders or conditions related to Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH Oxidase).
US08481559B2
Methods and materials related to the use of morphine, morphine precursors (e.g., reticuline), and inhibitors of morphine synthesis or activity to treat diseases, to reduce inflammation, or to restore normal function are provided.
US08481557B2
Methods of treating cancer by administering a DNA damaging agent and a CHK1 Inhibitor on a dosing regimen are provided.
US08481556B2
The present invention is directed to piperidinone carboxamide azaindane derivatives which are antagonists of CGRP receptors and useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the CGRP is involved, such as migraine. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP is involved.
US08481553B2
Screening methods for identifying compounds and compounds and pharmaceutical compositions for treating and preventing cancer are disclosed. The compounds affect signal transduction downstream of the MET receptor.
US08481546B2
The disclosure generally relates to the compound of formula I, (R)—N-(3-(7-methyl-1H-indazol-5-yl)-1-(4-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)piperazin-1-yl)-1-oxopropan-2-yl)-4-(2-oxo-1,2-dihydroquinolin-3-yl)piperidine-1-carboxamide, including pharmaceutically acceptable salts, which is a CGRP-receptor antagonist. The disclosure also relates to pharmaceutical compositions and methods for using the compound in the treatment of CGRP related disorders including migraine headaches, neurogenic vasodilation, neurogenic inflammation, thermal injury, circulatory shock, flushing associated with menopause, airway inflammatory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer.
US08481542B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula I: in which R11 and R12 are defined in the Summary of the Invention; capable of inhibiting the Hedgehog and Smo signaling pathway. The invention further provides a process for the preparation of compounds of the invention, pharmaceutical preparations comprising such compounds and methods of using such compounds and compositions in the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies relating to the Hedgehog and Smo signaling pathway, for example, tumor formation, cancer, neoplasia and non-malignant hyperproliferative disorders.
US08481541B2
The present invention relates to the use of novel pyrrolopyrazine derivatives of Formula I, wherein the variables Q, R2, R3, and Y are defined as described herein, which inhibit JAK and SYK and are useful for the treatment of auto-immune and inflammatory diseases.
US08481540B2
This application discloses 6-(2-Hydroxymethyl-phenyl)-2-methyl-2H-pyridazin-3-one derivatives according to generic Formula I: wherein, variables X, R, and Y4, are defined as described herein, which inhibit Btk. The compounds disclosed herein are useful to modulate the activity of Btk and treat diseases associated with excessive Btk activity. The compounds are further useful to treat inflammatory and auto immune diseases associated with aberrant B-cell proliferation, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Also disclosed are compositions containing compounds of Formula I and at least one carrier, diluent or excipient.
US08481538B2
The present invention provides compounds useful as inhibitors of c-Met tyrosine kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various proliferative disorders.
US08481537B2
The present invention relates to a pyridazinone derivative which can be used as a caspase inhibitor, process for the preparation thereof, and pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting caspase comprising the same.
US08481533B2
The invention is directed to a compound represented by the following structural formula and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: Compounds represented by this structural formula are kinase inhibitors and are therefore disclosed herein for the treatment of cancer. Definitions for the variables in the structural formula are provided herein.
US08481529B2
Provided is a method for improving treatment of a neoplastic condition by combining a therapeutically effective amount of a polyADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor with a therapeutically effective amount of a compound which triggers the release of nucleolin from the G-quadruplexes in rDNA. As specifically exemplified, the compound which increases nucleolin binding is a substituted quinobenzoxazine analog, for example CX-3543.
US08481522B2
The invention relates to the platinum N-heterocycle derivatives of general formula (I) in which—R1 and/or R2 are, independently of one another, an aryl or aralkyl group, each optionally substituted, a linear or branched C1-C6 alkyl group, a monocyclic C3-C7 cycloalkyl group or a linear or branched C2-C6 alkenyl group, or else R′ is a hydrogen atom and R is a group selected from the following groups: cycloalkyl or heterocycloalkyl, which is monocyclic or bicyclic and has from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, or benzyl, which is optionally substituted, or else R and R′ form, together with NH, a C3-C8 monocyclic or bicyclic heterocycloalkyl, V is a nitrogen atom or a C—R4 radical, R3 and/or R4 are hydrogen or a phenyl group or R3 and R4 may also together form a C3-C6 alkylene radical or a C3-C6 heteroalkylene radical with one or more nitrogenous heteroatoms, it being possible for the carbon atoms of the heteroalkylene radical to be modified in the form of a carbonyl radical, and X is iodine, bromine, chlorine or a nitrato (—ONO2) group.
US08481521B2
The present disclosure provides methods for the treatment of cell proliferative disorders by administration of a Syk kinase or Syk/Flt-3 kinase inhibitor. Cell proliferative disorders treatable by the methods include, hematopoietic neoplasms and virally associated tumors. The compounds are also directed to therapeutic or prophylactic inhibition of tumor metastasis.
US08481520B2
Methods of inhibiting cytochrome P450 enzymes are provided that can be used for improving the treatment of diseases by preventing degradation of drugs or other molecules by cytochrome P450. Pharmaceutical compositions are provided that can act as boosters to improve the pharmacokinetics, enhance the bioavailability, and enhance the therapeutic effect of drugs that undergo in vivo degradation by cytochrome P450 enzymes.
US08481519B2
A method for isolating atraric acid from biological material, atraric acid derivatives, the chemical synthesis thereof, and the use of atraric acid and the derivatives thereof for treating or producing a medicament for treating benign prostate hyperplasia, prostate carcinoma or spinobulbar muscular atrophy is provided. In addition, a basic substance for the development of other agents used for treating benign prostate hyperplasia, prostate carcinoma, or spinobulbar muscular atrophy is provided.
US08481513B2
The present invention pertains to novel 3, 10, and/or 12a-substituted tetracycline compounds. These tetracycline compounds can be used to treat numerous tetracycline compound-responsive states, such as bacterial infections and neoplasms, as well as other known applications for minocycline and tetracycline compounds in general, such as blocking tetracycline efflux and modulation of gene expression.
US08481512B2
The present invention relates to compositions comprising semi-crystalline β-1-4-N-acetylglucosamine polymers (p-GlcNac) and methods utilizing such polymers modulation of vascular structure and/or function. The compositions and methods disclosed are useful for stimulating, in a p-GlcNac concentration-dependent manner, endothelin-1 release, vasoconstriction, and/or reduction in blood flow out of a breached vessel, as well as for contributing to or effecting cessation of bleeding. The methods of the present invention comprise topical administration of materials comprising semi-crystalline p-GlcNac polymers that are free of proteins, and substantially free of single amino acids as well as other organic and inorganic contaminants, and whose constituent monosaccharide sugars are attached in a β-1-4 conformation.
US08481510B2
Compounds of the formula I: including any possible stereoisomers thereof, wherein: R4 is a monophosphate, diphosphate or triphosphate ester; or R4 is R7 is optionally substituted phenyl, optionally substituted naphthyl, or optionally substituted indolyl; R8 and R8′ are hydrogen, C1-C6alkyl, benzyl, or phenyl; or R8 and R8′ form C3-C7cycloalkyl; R9 is C1-C10alkyl, C3-C7cycloalkyl, phenyl or phenyl-C1-C6alkyl, wherein the phenyl moiety in phenyl or phenyl-C1-C6alkyl is optionally substituted; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof; pharmaceutical formulations and the use of compounds I as HCV inhibitors.
US08481509B2
The present disclosure relates to methods of treating heat shock factor 1 (HSF1)-related diseases such as cancer and viral diseases, using a therapeutically effective amount of a RNAi agent to HSF.
US08481507B2
The present invention relates to the identification of two microRNAs, miR-499 and miR-208b, that repress fast skeletal muscle contractile protein genes. Expression of miR-499 and/or miR-208b can be used to repress fast fiber genes and activate slow fiber genes in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Inhibition of miR-499 and/or miR-208b is proposed as a treatment for cardiac hypertrophy, myocardial infarction, and/or heart failure. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising antagonists and agonists of miR-499 and miR-208b function are also disclosed.
US08481503B2
The invention relates to combination anticancer therapy with certain Akt inhibitor and other anticancer agents such as anticancer antimetabolites, anticancer antibiotics, plant-derived anticancer agents, anticancer platinum-coordinated complex compounds, anticancer camptothecin derivatives and anticancer tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
US08481502B2
Compounds having antibacterial activity are disclosed. The compounds have the following structure (I): including stereoisomers, pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof, wherein Q1, Q2, Q5, R1, R2, R3, Z1 and Z2 are as defined herein. Methods associated with preparation and use of such compounds, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, are also disclosed.
US08481496B2
The invention concerns Au(III) complexes of the type [AuIIIX2(Pdtc)] (X=halogen, pseudo-halogen; pdtc=peptide-/esterified peptidedithiocarbamato) which are able to both maintain the antitumor properties and the lack of nephrotoxic side-effects of the previously reported Au(III)-dithiocarbamato complexes, together with an improved bioavailability through the peptide-mediated cellular internalization. The Au(III) complexes described have shown a significant biological activity on human tumor cell lines and, thus, they can be advantageously used as antineoplastic agents. The preparation method and use for the treatment of tumor pathologies of the Au(III) complexes of the invention are further described.
US08481495B2
The present invention describes compounds of the formula pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and their use in therapy.
US08481490B2
The disclosure provides the use of GLP-1 receptor agonist compounds to treat pancreatitis (e.g., acute, chronic, hemorrhagic, necrotizing) in patients. The disclosure also provides the use of GLP-1 receptor agonist compounds to reduce elevated plasma amylase and/or lipase concentrations in patients. An exemplary GLP-1 receptor agonist compound is exenatide.
US08481484B2
A novel cyclic heptapeptide that is useful as a preadipocyte differentiation-inhibitory agent or an adipocyte fat accumulation-inhibitory agent, and the use of such agents, are provided. A novel cyclic heptapeptide represented by the following formula is provided. wherein R is CH3, CH2CH(CH3)2, CH2OCH2C6H5, CH(OH)CH3, or CH2OH.
US08481482B1
Methods of using portions of the N-terminal domain of prion protein for binding hemin are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method comprises administering at least one isolated amino acid sequence comprising a peptide from the octarepeat region of PrPC to a solution containing hemin, wherein the isolated amino acid sequence is effective for forming one or more chemical bonds with hemin.
US08481478B2
Disclosed here is a method for measuring the kinetics (i.e., the molecular flux rates—synthesis and breakdown or removal rates) of a plurality of proteins or organic metabolites in living systems. The methods may be accomplished in a high-throughput, large-scale automated manner, by using existing mass spectrometric profiling techniques and art well known in the fields of static proteomics and static organeomics, without the need for additional biochemical preparative steps or analytic/instrumental devices.
US08481475B2
The aim of the invention is to improve the cleaning power of detergents and cleaning agents, especially with regard to bleachable stains, while avoiding any damage to the textile treated with said detergents and cleaning agents. For this purpose, a bleach catalyst in the form of a complex of Fe—, Mo—, Mn— and/or W with a ligand having a skeleton of formula (I) is used.
US08481473B2
A detergent composition for preventing scale on various surfaces includes a threshold system, a caustic and a surfactant system. The threshold system includes a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer, an acrylate homopolymer and a phosphonoalkane carboxylic acid with a sulfonate/acrylate copolymer to acrylate homopolymer weight ratio of between about 2:1 to about 1:2. The pH of the detergent composition is between about 10 and about 13.
US08481472B2
A highly aqueous acidic cleaning composition for copper oxide etch removal from Cu-dual damascene microelectronic structures and wherein that composition prevents or substantially eliminates copper redeposition on the Cu-dual damascene microelectronic structure.
US08481468B2
Lubricant with non-terminal functional groups. The location of the functional groups minimizes free chain length and molecular weight of a lubricant while simultaneously maximizing evaporation temperature. The locations of the functional groups to the backbone of the molecule of the lubricant allows for shorter lengths of free backbone length between functional groups attached to a lubricated surface. The lubricant lubricates mechanical devices including hard disk drives. The lubricant can also be added to media or other mechanical parts in conjunction with other lubricants.
US08481467B2
Lubricating oil compositions have low friction properties and anti-wear properties and are excellent in long drain capability. The lubricating oil compositions are particularly suitable for use as a fuel efficient type lubricating oil for internal combustion engines. The lubricating oil compositions contain a lubricating oil additive comprising one or more compounds selected from a specific nitrogen-containing compound, an acid-modified derivative thereof, and an oil soluble metal complex obtained by mixing the nitrogen-containing compound and/or acid-modified derivative thereof with an organic metal salt and/or organic metal complex.
US08481466B2
A grease composition using lubricating base oil that is biodegradable by microorganisms in nature and has an affinity to the human body is provided. More particularly, a distillation residue secondarily generated in production of biodiesel from vegetable oil (soybean oil and canola oil) is used as the lubricating base oil.The grease composition is produced by adding 1 to 20 wt % of additives to 100 to 95 wt % of distillation residues, which is generated in production of biodiesel, and 1 to 30 wt % of thickeners.
US08481453B2
An apparatus and method for treating diesel exhaust gases are described. The system consists of two functionalities, the first being a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst system and the second being a capture material for capturing catalyst components such as vanadia that have appreciable volatility under extreme exposure conditions. The SCR catalyst component is typically based on a majority phase of titania, with added minority-phase catalyst components comprising of one or more of the oxides of vanadium, silicon, tungsten, molybdenum, iron, cerium, phosphorous, copper and/or manganese vanadia. The capture material typically comprises a majority phase of high surface area oxides such as silica-stabilized titania, alumina, or stabilized alumina, for example.
US08481452B2
An apparatus and method for treating diesel exhaust gases are described. The system consists of two functionalities, the first being a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst system and the second being a capture material for capturing catalyst components that have appreciable volatility under extreme exposure conditions. The SCR catalyst component is typically based on a majority phase of titania, with added minority-phase catalyst components comprising of one or more of the oxides of vanadium, silicon, tungsten, molybdenum, iron, cerium, phosphorous, copper and/or manganese vanadia. The capture material typically comprises a majority phase of high surface area oxides such as silica-stabilized titania, alumina, or stabilized alumina, for example, wherein the capture material maintains a low total fractional monolayer coverage of minority phase oxides for the duration of the extreme exposure. The method involves treatment of hot exhaust streams by both the catalyst material and capture material, wherein the capture material can be in a mixture with the catalyst material, or can be located downstream thereof, or both, but still be maintained at the extreme temperatures. Volatile catalyst components such as vanadia are thus removed from the vapor phase of the exhaust gas.
US08481432B2
An etching process for selectively etching exposed metal surfaces of a substrate and forming a conductive capping layer over the metal surfaces is described. In some embodiments, the etching process involves oxidation of the exposed metal to form a metal oxide that is subsequently removed from the surface of the substrate. The exposed metal may be oxidized by using solutions containing oxidizing agents such as peroxides or by using oxidizing gases such as those containing oxygen or ozone. The metal oxide produced is then removed using suitable metal oxide etching agents such as glycine. The oxidation and etching may occur in the same solution. In other embodiments, the exposed metal is directly etched without forming a metal oxide. Suitable direct metal etching agents include any number of acidic solutions. The process allows for controlled oxidation and/or etching with reduced pitting. After the metal regions are etched and recessed in the substrate surface, a conductive capping layer is formed using electroless deposition over the recessed exposed metal regions.
US08481429B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. According to an embodiment, the method includes forming a layer to be etched on a semiconductor substrate, and forming a photoresist pattern on the layer to be etched. A block copolymer including a hydrophobic radical and a hydrophilic radical is formed in the photoresist pattern, and the block copolymer is assembled to allow a polymer having the hydrophobic radical to be formed in a pillar pattern within a polymer having the hydrophilic radical. The polymer having the hydrophobic radical is then selectively removed.
US08481418B2
The invention provides a new method and chip scale package is provided. The inventions starts with a substrate over which a contact point is provided, the contact point is exposed through an opening created in the layer of passivation and a layer of polymer or elastomer. A barrier/seed layer is deposited, a first photoresist mask is created exposing the barrier/seed layer where this layer overlies the contact pad and, contiguous therewith, over a surface area that is adjacent to the contact pad and emanating in one direction from the contact pad. The exposed surface of the barrier/seed layer is electroplated for the creation of interconnect traces. The first photoresist mask is removed from the surface of the barrier/seed layer. A second photoresist mask, defining the solder bump, is created exposing the surface area of the barrier/seed layer that is adjacent to the contact pad and emanating in one direction from the contact pad. The solder bump is created in accordance with the second photoresist mask, the second photoresist mask is removed from the surface of the barrier/seed layer, exposing the electroplating and the barrier/seed layer with the metal plating overlying the barrier/seed layer. The exposed barrier/seed layer is etched in accordance with the pattern formed by the electroplating, reflow of the solder bump is optionally performed.
US08481417B2
Methods of fabricating semiconductor structures incorporating tight pitch contacts aligned with active area features and of simultaneously fabricating self-aligned tight pitch contacts and conductive lines using various techniques for defining patterns having sublithographic dimensions. Semiconductor structures having tight pitch contacts aligned with active area features and, optionally, aligned conductive lines are also disclosed, as are semiconductor structures with tight pitch contact holes and aligned trenches for conductive lines.
US08481415B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided that includes forming a replacement gate structure on portion a substrate, wherein source regions and drain regions are formed on opposing sides of the portion of the substrate that the replacement gate structure is formed on. An intralevel dielectric is formed on the substrate having an upper surface that is coplanar with an upper surface of the replacement gate structure. The replacement gate structure is removed to provide an opening to an exposed portion of the substrate. A high-k dielectric spacer is formed on sidewalls of the opening, and a gate dielectric is formed on the exposed portion of the substrate. Contacts are formed through the intralevel dielectric layer to at least one of the source region and the drain region, wherein the etch that provides the opening for the contacts is selective to the high-k dielectric spacer and the high-k dielectric capping layer.
US08481394B2
In a first aspect, a method of forming a memory cell is provided that includes: (a) forming a layer of dielectric material above a substrate; (b) forming an opening in the dielectric layer; (c) depositing a solution that includes a carbon-based switching material on the substrate; (d) rotating the substrate to cause the solution to flow into the opening and to form a carbon-based switching material layer within the opening; and (e) forming a memory element using the carbon-based switching material layer. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08481386B2
In one embodiment, a memory device includes a substrate, a tunneling oxide, a silicide nanocrystal floating gate, and a control oxide. The tunneling oxide is positioned upon a first surface of the substrate, the silicide nanocrystal floating gate is positioned upon the tunneling oxide, and the control oxide positioned upon the nanocrystal floating gate.
US08481385B2
A memory device comprising a vertical transistor includes a digit line that is directly coupled to the source regions of each memory cell. Because an electrical plug is not used to form a contact between the digit line and the source regions, a number of fabrication steps may be reduced and the possibility for manufacturing defects may also be reduced. In some embodiments, a memory device may include a vertical transistor having gate regions that are recessed from an upper portion of a silicon substrate. With the gate regions recessed from the silicon substrate, the gate regions are spaced further from the source/drain regions and, accordingly, cross capacitance between the gate regions and the source/drain regions may be reduced.
US08481383B2
A semiconductor device includes an NMOS transistor and a PMOS transistor. The NMOS transistor includes a channel area formed in a silicon substrate, a gate electrode formed on a gate insulating film in correspondence with the channel area, and a source area and a drain area formed in the silicon substrate having the channel area situated therebetween. The PMOS transistor includes another channel area formed in the silicon substrate, another gate electrode formed on another gate insulating film in correspondence with the other channel area, and another source area and another drain area formed in the silicon substrate having the other channel area situated therebetween. The gate electrode has first sidewall insulating films. The other gate electrode has second sidewall insulating films. The distance between the second sidewall insulating films and the silicon substrate is greater than the distance between the first sidewall insulating films and the silicon substrate.
US08481380B2
A junction gate field-effect transistor (JFET) for an integrated circuit (IC) chip is provided comprising a source region, a drain region, a lower gate, and a channel, with an insulating shallow trench isolation (STI) region extending from an inner edge of an upper surface of the source region to an inner edge of an upper surface of the drain region, without an intentionally doped region, e.g., an upper gate, coplanar with an upper surface of the IC chip between the source/drain regions. In addition, an asymmetrical quasi-buried upper gate can be included, disposed under a portion of the STI region, but not extending under a portion of the STI region proximate to the drain region. Embodiments of this invention also include providing an implantation layer, under the source region, to reduce Ron. A related method and design structure are also disclosed.
US08481379B2
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a method for manufacturing a FinFET, when a fin is formed, a dummy gate across the fin is formed on the fin, a source/drain opening is formed in both the cover layer and the first dielectric layer at both sides of the dummy gate, the source/drain opening is at both sides of the fin covered by the dummy gate and is an opening region surrounded by the cover layer and the first dielectric layer around it. In the formation of a source/drain region in the source/drain opening, stress is generated due to lattice mismatching, and applied to the channel due to the limitation by the source/drain opening in the first dielectric layer, thereby increasing the carrier mobility of the device, and improving the performance of the device.
US08481375B2
A method for producing a semiconductor device includes a step of forming a first insulation film, a step of forming a separation layer in a base layer, a step of forming a light-blocking film on the surface of the first insulation film, a step of forming a second insulation film such that the light-blocking film is covered, a step of affixing the base layer provided with the light-blocking film to a substrate, a step of separating and removing along the separation layer a portion of the base layer affixed to the substrate, and a step of forming a semiconductor layer such that at least a portion thereof overlaps with the light-blocking film.
US08481370B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device having a structure that can be mounted on a wiring substrate, as for the semiconductor device formed over a thin film-thickness substrate, a film-shaped substrate, or a sheet-like substrate. In addition, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device that is capable of raising a reliability of mounting on a wiring substrate. One feature of the present invention is to bond a semiconductor element formed on a substrate having isolation to a member that a conductive film is formed via a medium having an anisotropic conductivity.
US08481364B2
A fabrication method for integrating chip(s) onto a flexible substrate in forming a flexible micro-system. The method includes a low-temperature flip-chip and a wafer-level fabrication process. Using the low-temperature flip-chip technique, the chip is bonded metallically onto the flexible substrate. To separate the flexible substrate from the substrate, etching is used to remove the sacrificial layer underneath the flexible substrate. The instant disclosure applies standardized micro-fabrication process for integrating chip(s) onto the flexible substrate. Without using special materials or fabrication procedures, the instant disclosure offers a cost-effective fabrication method for flexible micro-systems.
US08481361B2
A method of depositing an antimony-comprising phase change material onto a substrate includes providing a reducing agent and vaporized Sb(OR)3 to a substrate, where R is alkyl, and forming there-from antimony-comprising phase change material on the substrate. The phase change material has no greater than 10 atomic percent oxygen, and includes another metal in addition to antimony.
US08481357B2
A method for fabricating a photovoltaic (PV) cell panel wherein all PV cells are formed simultaneously on a two-dimensional array of monocrystalline silicon mother wafers affixed to a susceptor is disclosed. Porous silicon separation layers are anodized in the surfaces of the mother wafers. The porous film is then smoothed to form a suitable surface for epitaxial film growth. An epitaxial reactor is used to grow n- and p-type films forming the PV cell structures. A glass/ceramic handling layer is then formed on the PV cell structures. The PV cell structures with handling layers are then exfoliated from the mother wafer. The array of mother wafers may be reused multiple times, thereby reducing materials costs for the completed solar panels. The glass/ceramic handling layers provide structural integrity to the thin epitaxial solar cells during the separation process and subsequent handling.
US08481355B2
A system and associated process for vapor deposition of a thin film layer on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate is includes establishing a vacuum chamber and introducing the substrates individually into the vacuum chamber. A conveyor system is operably disposed within the vacuum chamber and is configured for conveying the substrates in a serial arrangement through a vapor deposition apparatus within the vacuum chamber at a controlled constant linear speed. A post-heat section is disposed within the vacuum chamber immediately downstream of the vapor deposition apparatus in the conveyance direction of the substrates. The post-heat section is configured to maintain the substrates conveyed from the vapor deposition apparatus in a desired heated temperature profile until the entire substrate has exited the vapor deposition apparatus.
US08481351B2
Provided is an active matrix substrate manufacturing method, including the steps of: selectively forming a laminated structure pattern, by forming the laminated structure on a glass substrate (2), by forming a first photosensitive resin pattern (PR) on the laminated structure, and by selectively forming the laminated structure pattern using the first photosensitive resin pattern (PR), the laminated structure including a metal layer (a scanning signal line (11) material), a gate insulative layer (30), and a semiconductor layer (31, 33) (transistor material); fluorinating a surface of the first photosensitive resin pattern (PR) by dry-etching with fluorine gas; applying a coating-type transparent insulative resin (60) onto the glass substrate (2) to fill a space in the laminated structure pattern; and removing the fluorinated first photosensitive resin pattern (PR). This enables to form, in an active matrix substrate manufacturing process, a scanning signal line and a semiconductor layer with a single mask process.
US08481350B2
Methods for fabricating an optical device that exhibits improved conduction and reflectivity, and minimized absorption. Steps include forming a plurality of mirror periods designed to reflect an optical field having peaks and nulls. The formation of a portion of the plurality of minor periods includes forming a first layer having a thickness of less than one-quarter wavelength of the optical field; forming a first compositional ramp on the first layer; and forming a second layer on the compositional ramp, the second layer having a different index of refraction than the first layer and having a thickness such that the nulls of the optical field occur within the second layer and not within the compositional ramp, and wherein forming the second layer further comprises heavily doping the second layer at a location of the nulls of the optical field.
US08481346B2
An aspect of the present invention relates to a method of analyzing an iron concentration of a boron-doped p-type silicon wafer by a SPV method, which comprises subjecting the wafer to Fe—B pair separation processing by irradiation with light and determining the iron concentration based on a change in a minority carrier diffusion length following the separation processing. The iron concentration is calculated with a calculation equation comprising a minority carrier diffusion length LAF1 measured after the separation processing, a minority carrier diffusion length LAF2 measured after a prescribed time has elapsed following measurement of LAF1, and dependence on time of recombination of Fe—B pairs separated by the separation processing. The calculation equation is derived by assuming that the irradiation with light causes boron atoms and oxygen atoms in the wafer to form a bonded product, and by assuming that the bonded product has identical influences on LAF1 and LAF2.
US08481344B2
Apparatus and methods for evaporating metal onto semiconductor wafers are disclosed. One such apparatus can include an evaporation chamber that includes a wafer holder, such as a dome, and a test wafer holder that is separate and spaced apart from the wafer holder. In certain implementations, the test wafer can be coupled to a cross beam supporting at least one shaper. A metal can be evaporated onto production wafers positioned in the wafer holder while metal is evaporated on a test wafer positioned in a test wafer holder. In some instances, the production wafers can be GaAs wafers. The test wafer can be used to make a quality assessment about the production wafers.
US08481343B2
A manufacturing method of a molded image sensor packaging structure with a predetermined focal length and the structure using the same are disclosed. The manufacturing method includes: providing a substrate; providing a sensor chip disposed on the substrate; providing a lens module set over the sensing area of the chip to form a semi-finished component; providing a mold that has an upper mold member with a buffer layer; disposing the semi-finished component into the mold to form a mold cavity therebetween; injecting a molding compound into the mold cavity; and after transfer molding the molding compound, opening the mold and performing a post mold cure process to cure the molding compound. The buffer layer can fill the air gap between the upper surface of the lens module and the upper mold member, thereby preventing the upper surface of the lens module from being polluted by the molding compound.
US08481342B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: a step of etching a Si (111) substrate along a (111) plane of the Si (111) substrate to separate a Si (111) thin-film device having a separated surface along the (111) plane.
US08481340B2
A method of manufacturing semiconductor-based light-emitting devices, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), is described. The method comprises irradiating an interface region with a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) to improve the interface region between a light-emitting device stack and the substrate, within the light-emitting device stack, and/or between the light-emitting device stack and a metal contact layer in an end-type contact.
US08481335B2
The invention is directed to a sensor system including at least one sensor and target specific receptors bound substrates for purposes of enhancing detection sensitivity. Optionally, the sensor system may include quantum dots for independently verifying the presence of a target molecule or compound. The sensor system may be particularly beneficial in the field of medical diagnostics, bio-defense, food safety, water safety and general chemical detection.
US08481333B2
A method for determining the amount of NT-proBNP in blood samples from felines. The method includes detecting degradation products of feline NT-proBNP by various methods, including using antibodies, kits and devices.
US08481331B2
An oxidative dye indicator composition comprising an indicator dye that has been pre-reacted with a reducing agent prior to use in an oxidizing or disinfectant sterilizing system. The pre-reacted dye, when subjected to an oxidizing disinfection or sterilization agent, such as peracetic acid or hydrogen peroxide, under goes a visible color change and thus can serve as a chemical, process, or chemical integrator, indicator. The dyes include various azines, thiazines, and oxazines compounds and the reducing agents include alkali metal alkoxides and alkaline earth metal alkoxide compounds.
US08481329B2
The invention relates to an analysis system for the photometric determination of an analyte in a body fluid, having an analysis device and a test carrier. The test carrier has an evaluation zone in which a photometrically detectable change takes place as the result of a reaction of a sample of the body fluid which contacts the test carrier with a reagent contained in the test carrier. The analysis device comprises an optical emitter for emitting light onto the evaluation zone, an optical receiver for receiving light from the evaluation zone and for generating a measurement signal corresponding to the received light, and a measurement and evaluation device with a measuring unit and an evaluating unit. The measurement signal is amplified and digitalized in the measuring unit. In the evaluating unit, the concentration value is determined from the digitalized measurement signal. In the evaluating unit, a control value of a control parameter is detected at one detection point during the processing after the calculation step. An error in the measurement and evaluation device is recognized if the deviation of the control value from the expected value exceeds a predefined threshold value.
US08481327B2
Congeneric, halogenated, fluorinated aromatic compounds A and B are each phenyl radicals, L=oxygen atom, sulfur atom or alkylene radical and p=0 or 1; processes for their preparation and their use.
US08481319B2
A method for introducing a nucleic acid sequence into the genome of a plant cell and regenerating a transformed plant therefrom, including culturing the plant cell on at least one plant transformation media, the at least one plant transformation media comprising an effective amount of a compound or compounds which may modulate oxidative burst, such as melatonin, 6-hydroxy melatonin (a melatonin analog), N-t-butyl hydroxylamine (NtBH), thiamazole, 1,3 dimethylthiourea, Resveratrol, epicatechin, NADPH, or NADH.
US08481314B2
The present invention includes compositions and methods for targeting the LOX-1 receptor on immune cells and uses for the anti-LOX-1 antibodies.
US08481310B2
Provided is a tag peptide in which a protease recognition sequence and an epitope of an antibody against the tag peptide are overlapped and thereby the protease recognition sequence per se is usable for detection or purification. Also provided is a purification method for recombinant proteins using the tag peptide and an antibody thereagainst. A preferable tag peptide comprises a Tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease recognition sequence as the protease recognition sequence, and its examples include a tag peptide comprising the amino acid sequence (1): RX1X2LYX3QGKDG (wherein X1, X2 and X3 may be the same or different and represent any amino acid residue).
US08481307B2
Nucleic acid molecules encoding improved fluorescent mutants of the mKate2 protein, variants and derivatives thereof are provided, as well as proteins and peptides encoded by these nucleic acids. Also provided are proteins that are substantially similar to, or derivatives, homologues, or mutants of, the above-referenced specific proteins. Also provided are fragments of the nucleic acids and the peptides encoded thereby, as well as antibodies specific to the proteins and peptides of the invention. In addition, host-cells, stable cell lines and transgenic organisms comprising above-referenced nucleic acid molecules are provided. The subject protein and nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of different applications and methods, particularly for labeling of biomolecules, cells or cell organelles. Finally, kits for use in such methods and applications are provided.
US08481302B2
A system for measuring total microbiological content in an aqueous medium by adding a fluorescent dye to the aqueous medium, measuring the fluorescent signal in the aqueous medium to obtain a baseline fluorescent signal, releasing intracellular content of the microbiological matter into the aqueous medium by lysing the microbiological matter. The system then measures the fluorescent signal in the aqueous medium with the released intracellular content of the microbiological matter to obtain a second fluorescent signal. Next, the system subtracts the baseline signal from the second fluorescent signal to obtain a net fluorescent signal and equates the net fluorescent signal with a microbiological content.
US08481296B2
The present invention provides an isolated tyrosyl tRNA synthetase (TyrRS) polypeptide variant which comprises (a) a Rossmann fold region or a portion thereof, preferably including an α5 coil; and (b) an anticodon recognition domain or portion thereof, preferably including an α14 coil. Preferably, the α5 coil and the α14 coil have a greater spatial separation in the tertiary structure of the variant compared to the corresponding spatial separation in native human TyrRS. The variant preferably comprises an amino acid residue sequence identity of at least about 50% compared to the amino acid residue sequence of human TyrRS (SEQ ID NO: 3), includes at least one non-conservative amino acid residue substitution relative to the amino acid residue sequence of human TyrRS, and preferably presents an exposed ELR motif in the α5 coil on an external portion of the tertiary structure of the polypeptide. A preferred TyrRS protein variant comprises the amino acid residue sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 or a portion thereof. The proteins and protein fragments of the invention are angiogenic and are useful for stimulating angiogenesis in mammalian tissues.
US08481288B2
The present invention relates to blocking, inhibiting, reducing, antagonizing or neutralizing the activity of IL-17A and IL-17F. IL-17A and IL-17F are cytokines that are involved in inflammatory processes and human disease. The present invention includes antibodies that bind both IL-17A and IL-17F, hybridomas that produce the antibodies, and methods of using the same in inflammation.
US08481283B2
A method is disclosed for reversing fixation-induced cross-linking in tissue specimens that have been preserved for histological examination. The method involves placing the fixed tissue in a liquid under elevated temperature and pressure conditions that are sufficient to reverse the fixation-induced cross-linking, restore antigenicity to proteins, and permit improved molecular and proteomic analysis of the preserved tissue specimen. Methods are also disclosed for processing tissues for histological examination under elevated pressure conditions that enhance the perfusion of liquid reagents into the tissue and reduce overall processing times.
US08481280B1
A method for determining the combined activity of two or more ingredients by impregnating a carrier with one ingredient and bringing it into contact with target material to create a zone of inhibition, then adding a second ingredient to the target material and bringing the carrier into contact with it to create a second zone of inhibition. The zones are then compared.
US08481279B2
In accordance with the invention, novel gene deletions and translocations involving chromosome 2 resulting in fusion proteins combining part of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) kinase with part of a secondary protein have now been identified in human solid tumors, e.g. non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Secondary proteins include Echinoderm Microtubule-Associated Protein-Like 4 (EML-4) and TRK-Fusion Gene (TFG). The EML4-ALK fusion protein, which retains ALK tyrosine kinase activity, was confirmed to drive the proliferation and survival of NSCLC characterized by this mutation. The invention therefore provides, in part, isolated polynucleotides and vectors encoding the disclosed mutant ALK kinase polypeptides, probes for detecting it, isolated mutant polypeptides, recombinant polypeptides, and reagents for detecting the fusion and truncated polypeptides. The disclosed identification of this new fusion protein enables methods for screening for compounds that inhibit the proteins, and methods for inhibiting the progression of a cancer characterized by the mutant polynucleotides or polypeptides.
US08481277B2
Evaluation of VLP-I levels in combination with at least one of amyloid-β peptide (AB), hyperphosphorylated tau (pTau) or total tau (tTau) levels in samples of biological fluid improves the accuracy of diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
US08481265B2
The present invention relates to a method for isolating microorganisms and/or microorganisms nucleic acids from a bodily fluid that may comprise or may be suspected to comprise microorganisms and/or host cells and/or host cells debris. Microorganisms nucleic acids may further be isolated by lysing the isolated microorganisms. The present invention also relates to a method for detecting microorganisms in a bodily fluid. The present invention further relates to a saponin formulation and its use.
US08481259B2
The invention provides methods and compositions, including, without limitation, algorithms, computer readable media, computer programs, apparatus, and systems for determining the identity of nucleic acids in nucleotide sequences using, for example, data obtained from sequencing by synthesis methods. A plurality of smaller flow cells is employed, each with a relatively small area to be imaged, in order to provide greater flexibility and efficiency.
US08481258B2
Compositions and methods for chemical ligation are provided. Methods for nucleic acid sequencing, nucleic acid assembly and nucleic acid synthesis are also provided.
US08481256B2
The present invention relates to an in vitro method for identifying and evaluating compounds useful in the treatment of different types of cancer, especially lung, breast, colorectal and bladder cancer in an individual, for determining the stage or severity of said cancer in the individual, or for monitoring the effect of the therapy administered to an individual having said cancer; to finding, identifying, developing and evaluating the efficacy of compounds for the therapy of said cancer, for the purpose of developing new medicinal products; as well as to agents inhibiting the expression and/or activity of the choline kinase alpha protein and/or the effects of this expression.
US08481253B2
The present invention relates to a method and composition for the cryopreservation of adipose tissue with the intention to use this tissue in the culturing of stem and/or progenitor cells. The method uses a specific cryoprotection medium to prevent damage of the original tissue during the cryopreservation while still maintaining a high viability of the stem and/or progenitor cells obtained from the cryopreserved adipose tissue. Furthermore the cryoprotection medium of the present invention does not contain any kind of xenogeneic sera, a critical factor since it is the intention of that the cryopreserved tissue is used for obtaining stem and/or progenitor cells that can be used in medicine. The cryoprotection medium is characterized in that it is a solution of physiological water comprising glycerol and sucrose and/or trehalose and optionally serum albumin.
US08481247B2
To provide a resist underlayer film forming composition for lithography that is used in a lithography process for production of a semiconductor device. There is provided a resist underlayer film forming composition used in a lithography process for production of a semiconductor device, comprising a resin (A), a liquid additive (B) and a solvent (C). The liquid additive (B) may be an aliphatic polyether compound. The liquid additive (B) may be a polyether polyol, polyglycidyl ether or a combination thereof. Further, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the steps of forming a resist underlayer film by applying the resist underlayer film forming composition on a semiconductor substrate and by calcining the composition; forming a photoresist layer on the underlayer film; exposing the semiconductor substrate coated with the resist underlayer film and the photoresist layer to light; and developing the photoresist layer after the exposure to light.
US08481240B2
Disclosed herein is an electrophotographic imaging member comprising a substrate, and a charge generating layer containing a phthalocyanine pigment, a binder, and a solvent. The charge generating layer has a pigment particle separation distance of 28 nm or less after evaporation of the solvent. A coating system, a method of making an electrophotographic imaging member, and a method of printing also are disclosed.
US08481239B2
A carrier, including a magnetic particulate core material and a resin layer on the core material, wherein the resin layer includes a resin obtained by heat treatment of a copolymer including a site derived from a monomer component having the following formula (1) and a site derived from a monomer component having the following formula (2), and includes a cross-linked material obtained by hydrolysis of the copolymer to produce a silanol group and condensation using an organotitanium compound: wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; m represents an alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R3 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, or an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; X represents 10 to 90 mol %; and Y represents 10 to 90 mol %.
US08481235B2
A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, an undercoat layer thereover that contains a metal oxide, a phenolic resin, and a pentanediol ester; a photogenerating layer; and at least one charge transport layer.
US08481234B2
An image bearing member including an electroconductive substrate, a photosensitive layer provided overlying the electroconductive substrate, and a furan derivative represented by the following chemical structure 1, where Ar1 and Ar2 independently represent substituted or non-substituted aryl groups and R1 represents an alkylene group having one to six carbon atoms.
US08481231B2
A method of making an electrode ink containing nanostructured catalyst elements is described. The method comprises providing an electrocatalyst decal comprising a carrying substrate having a nanostructured thin catalytic layer thereon, the nanostructure thin catalytic layer comprising nanostructured catalyst elements; providing a transfer substrate with an adhesive thereon; transferring the nanostructured thin catalytic layer from the carrying substrate to the transfer substrate; removing the nanostructured catalyst elements from the transfer substrate; providing an electrode ink solvent; and dispersing the nanostructured catalyst elements in the electrode ink solvent. Electrode inks, coated substrates, and membrane electrode assemblies made from the method are also described.
US08481230B2
A liquid tank and a tubular structure for liquid tank capable of suctioning an internal liquid to the last drop even when the tank is tilted to any angle are provided. The tubular structure 40 has a duct line 41 extending from a specific position 41A in the tank body 30 in a direction toward apexes, sides, or faces of the tank body 30. Ends of the duct line 41 are contacted with the apexes, the sides, or the faces of the tank body 30, and have a liquid inlet 41B. Since the inlet 41B is limited to the ends of the duct line 41, flow of the liquid in the tank body 30 has a certain directivity that the liquid enters through only the inlet 41B into the duct line 41, is transported to the specific position 41A, and is suctioned outside. In the tubular structure 40, an inner structure 45 having voids thorough which the liquid passes such as a porous body is provided. The voids have an average pore diameter with which the liquid is able to be suctioned by capillary force from the inlet 41B to the specific position 41A, and thereby increase of flow path resistance is suppressed.
US08481229B2
In a fuel cell stack, a cell stack formed by laminating a membrane electrode assembly and a separator and sandwiching them from the both sides in the laminating direction with a pair of end plates is fastened by being tightened in the laminating direction with a first plate spring. The first plate spring includes two arm sections for pressing the pair of end plates and a connecting section connecting the arm sections, and has a C-shaped cross-section.
US08481220B2
A fuel cell power supply includes a fuel cell voltage detection means which detects a terminal-to-terminal voltage of the fuel cell; an internal resistance calculation element configured to supply electric power from a battery to a motor via a second DC-DC converter and configured to calculates a resistance value of an internal resistance of the fuel cell on the basis of a detection voltage of the fuel cell in a state where a current output of the fuel cell is stopped, a detection voltage of a terminal-to-terminal voltage of the fuel cell in a state where the output current of the fuel cell is adjusted to a value, and the value; and a deterioration level determination element configured to determines a deterioration level of the fuel cell on the basis of a change in the resistance value of the internal resistance of the fuel cell.
US08481207B2
Provided in one embodiment is an electrochemical cell for generating power, and more particularly to a metal-air electrochemical cell using a low temperature ionic liquid and a liquid metal fuel.
US08481195B1
This invention provides a novel battery structure that, in some variations, utilizes a mixed lithium-ion and electron conductor as part of the separator. This layer is non-porous, conducting only lithium ions during operation, and may be structurally free-standing. Alternatively, the layer can be used as a battery electrode in a lithium-ion battery, wherein on the side not exposed to battery electrolyte, a chemical compound is used to regenerate the discharged electrode. This battery structure overcomes critical shortcomings of current lithium-sulfur, lithium-air, and lithium-ion batteries.
US08481193B2
A battery module ensuring task safety during assembly or repair of the battery module by blocking current. The battery module includes: i) at least one first battery, each first battery having an end portion connected to an anode terminal and at least one second battery, each second battery having an end portion connected to a cathode terminal wherein the anode terminals and the cathode terminals are made of elastic materials; ii) at least one connection member for electrically connecting adjacent anode and cathode terminals; iii) a first pack case having battery-containing portions in which the batteries are contained and connection member mounting portions on which the connection members are mounted; and iv) a second pack case which is coupled with the first pack case. The anode and cathode terminals are pressed by the second pack case so as to be in contact with the respective connection members.
US08481189B2
A battery receptacle capable of receiving an external battery for an electronic device includes a receiving portion, a joint portion, a power input interface, and a power output interface. The receiving portion receives the external battery and includes a first receiving room and a second receiving room. The joint portion joins the battery receptacle to the electronic device. The power input interface electronically connects with an electrode of the external battery. The power output interface electronically connects with an external power connector of the electronic device.
US08481175B2
An oligofluorene compound is represented by the General Formula (1) below wherein in Formula (1) P1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; P2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted 2-naphthyl group; R1 and R2 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and n represents integer of 2 to 4.
US08481155B2
An EPDM foam is obtained by foaming a foam composition containing, based on 100 parts by weight of an ethylenepropylenediene rubber, 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of a vulcanizer, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a vulcanization accelerator, 1 to 30 parts by weight of a foaming agent, and a foaming auxiliary agent. The vulcanization accelerator contains a thiourea vulcanization accelerator, a thiazole vulcanization accelerator, a dithiocarbamate vulcanization accelerator, and a thiuram vulcanization accelerator such that a thiourea vulcanization accelerator/thiazole vulcanization accelerator/dithiocarbamate vulcanization accelerator/thiuram vulcanization accelerator weight ratio is in a range of 1 to 20/1 to 20/1 to 20/1 to 30.
US08481151B2
A hydrogen storage alloy comprises a hydrogen storage base formed of a mixture of magnesium and an alloy, such as a magnesium-nickel alloy, a magnesium-titanium alloy, a magnesium-niobium alloy, a magnesium-manganese alloy, or a magnesium-cobalt alloy, and a catalytic layer covering a surface of the base. A hydrogen storage alloy unit includes the hydrogen storage base and a porous body including an assembly of nanofibers. The alloy may be vapor-deposited onto the assembly of nanofibers. The nanofibers may be tangled to provide spaces between the fibers for the passage of hydrogen molecules. The nanofibers in one example are also porous. A catalytic layer of platinum may cover a surface of the hydrogen storage base.
US08481150B2
A transparent conductive multilayer body of the invention comprises a transparent film substrate with a thickness of 2 to 120 μm; a first transparent dielectric thin film, a second transparent dielectric thin film and a transparent conductive thin film laminated in this order on one side of the transparent film substrate; and a transparent substrate bonded to the other side of the film substrate through a transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, wherein the second dielectric thin film is made of an inorganic material or a mixture of an organic material and an inorganic material, and the conductive thin film contains a crystalline material in which the content of crystal particles whose maximum particle sizes are at most 300 nm is higher than 50% by area. Such a transparent conductive multilayer body fully satisfies the pen input bending durability for a touch panel.
US08481144B2
A complex sheet structure includes a base plate, a microstructure layer, and a shielding layer. The microstructure layer is formed on the base plate and has a first side and an opposite second side. The microstructure layer has a plurality of prismatic structures, and the base plate touches the first side of the microstructure layer. The shielding layer covers the second side of the microstructure layer and contains a low light-transmittance material.
US08481143B2
A ribbon for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, a honeycomb structure and a method of manufacturing a curved honeycomb structure having a plurality of honeycomb cells, a curved geometry and an inner and outer surface with minimal forming. The ribbon comprises a continuous series of foldable sections arranged in sequence along the length of the ribbon, and top and bottom edges curved along the length of the ribbon when the ribbon is in a flat, unfolded state. Each section may have a top edge and a bottom edge, at least one top edge or bottom edge of at least one section in said continuous series of foldable sections being curved to conform to said curved geometry of said honeycomb structure.
US08481135B2
This engaging member includes a male part and a female part each of which is capable of engaging with each other, in which each of the male part and the female part has a welded part to a main body of a bag and a part other than the welded part, at least the welded part is formed by a resin composition including (A) a polypropylene type resin having a maximum melting peak temperature measured by a differential calorimeter of not more than 145° C., and a melt flow rate ranging from 0.5 g/10 min. to 20 g/10 min., and (B) a polybutene type resin having a maximum melting peak temperature measured by a differential calorimeter of not more than 130° C., and a melt flow rate ranging from 0.1 g/10 min. to 20 g/10 min.
US08481133B2
Spirally wound paper products are disclosed having desirable roll bulk, firmness and softness properties. The rolled products can be made from a multiple ply tissue webs formed according to various processes. Tissue webs having basis weights greater than about 40 grams per square meter were wound into rolls having a Kershaw roll firmness of less than about 9 mm and a roll bulk of greater than about 15 cc/g. Similarly, tissue webs having basis weights less than about 40 grams per square meter were wound into rolls having a Kershaw roll firmness of less than about 9 mm and a roll bulk of greater than about 18 cc/g.
US08481120B2
The invention relates to a process for coating a substrate (S) whereby a metal alloy layer comprising at least two metallic elements is continuously deposited on the substrate (S) by means of a vacuum deposition facility (1) comprising a vapor jet coater (7) for spraying the substrate (S) with a vapor containing the metallic elements in a constant and predetermined relative content, the vapor being sprayed at a sonic velocity. The process is more particularly intended for depositing Zn—Mg coatings.The invention also relates to a vacuum deposition facility (1) for continuously depositing coatings formed from metal alloys, for implementing the process.
US08481117B2
A method and apparatus for forming thermally grown alpha alumina oxide scale on a substrate is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a heating chamber having a heat source and an oxidizing gas source selectively operable to provide a stream of oxidizing gas; b) providing at least one substrate disposed in the heating chamber, which substrate has a composition sufficient to permit formation of an alpha alumina scale on one or more surfaces; c) maintaining a vacuum in the heating chamber at a level that inhibits formation of one or more low temperature oxides on the one or more surfaces of the substrate; d) heating at least one of the one or more surfaces of the substrate to a predetermined temperature at or above 1800 degrees Fahrenheit; and e) directing the stream of oxidizing gas at a controlled rate toward one or more heated surfaces of the substrate.
US08481110B2
Methods of making inorganic membranes, for example, methods of making gamma-alumina inorganic membranes which can be useful for, for example, molecular level gas separations and/or liquid filtration are described.
US08481107B2
Leather-surface repair set consisting at least of a degreaser and of a composition comprising an emulsion of polyurethane and at least one pigment component and further comprising at least one further component which allows to relatively increase or decrease the elasticity of the reacted composition. Particularly, a 2-ethylhexyl-, 2-isodecyladipate and/or triisodecylphosphate are used as the further component. A method for surface repair of leather surfaces with the steps of treating the surface area to be repaired with a degreasing agent, applying a repair composition at least consisting of an emulsion of polyurethane to the spots to be repaired by filling the surface spots to be repaired with said emulsion and allowing the emulsion to polymerize.
US08481105B2
When forming an electrode by printing several times, the cross section area of the electrode is increased and the resistance is reduced while more electrode material is required, which leads to a cost up and waste of resources. There is provided a solar cell manufacturing method for forming an electrode of a predetermined pattern by repeating printing on a substrate surface by a predetermined number of times. A mask pattern for printing the entire predetermined pattern is used at least once among the predetermined number of printings while mask patterns, each for printing a part of the predetermined pattern, are used in the other printings, thereby forming the electrode of the predetermined pattern.
US08481103B1
An interface is formed by pressing a first surface and a second surface together, with a particle-loaded thermal interface material (TIM) in between. By applying the thermal interface material to controlled locations on the first surface in controlled amounts, final layer thickness at a given squeezing pressure, and time required to squeeze, are minimized. The locations and amounts are controlled such that small islands of TIM merge only just before final layer thickness is achieved. Better TIM thermal performance and quicker manufacturing result.
US08481096B2
Improved shelf stable microwave dessert packaged food products for individual servings comprise a cup; a shelf-stable ready-to-heat uncooked microwave bakeable foam product disposed within the cup, and a peelably removable, low gas permeability sealing membrane. The improvements reside in important part in selecting shelf stable food products embodiments having a pH of ≦6 and additionally comprising dried or gelled blue or purple inclusions such as natural or artificial blueberries dispersed within the foam. These inclusions can be colored with natural anthocyanin or artificial Lake pigments. Surprisingly, when the foam has a pH of about 6 or lower, the dried or gelled blue or purple inclusions exhibit color stability for extended times even though the foams are stored at room temperatures. The articles provide high quality finished expanded blue or purple inclusion containing baked dessert goods by microwave cooking and expansion of the foam.
US08481090B2
Disclosed is a method of reducing melanogenesis in a skin cell, comprising topically applying to skin in need of treatment a composition comprising navy bean extract, wherein topical application of the composition to skin reduces melanogenesis in said skin cell.
US08481089B2
Disclosed are compositions and corresponding methods of their use that include extracts from a Lonicera maackii and Polygonum hydropiper. The composition can be used to reduce tyrosinase activity and elastase activity in skin cells.
US08481087B2
The present invention provides Withania somnifera plant extract and composition comprising the extract useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease and/or disorders such as Alzheimers disease (AD). The present invention further provides a process for preparation of the extract.
US08481083B2
Compositions are provided that are useful for the preparation of a medicament. The compositions comprise granules having a layer of sodium picosulphate coated on potassium bicarbonate. Additional granules having a layer of magnesium oxide coated on a core of citric acid are also provided. The two types of granules may be combined to obtain mixtures (preferably homogeneous or substantially homogeneous mixtures) of the two types of granules, which are useful, e.g., as pharmaceutical compositions.
US08481081B2
A composition comprises a solid dispersion comprising a low-solubility drug and at least one polymer. At least a major portion of the drug in the dispersion is amorphous. The polymer has a glass transition temperature of at least 100° C. measured at a relative humidity of fifty percent. Another aspect of the invention comprises the same composition except that the dispersion has a glass transition temperature of at least 50° C. at a relative humidity of fifty percent. In another aspect of the invention, a composition comprises a solid dispersion comprising a low-solubility drug and a stabilizing polymer. At least a major portion of the drug in the dispersion is amorphous. The composition also includes a concentration-enhancing polymer that increases the concentration of the drug in a use environment. The stabilizing polymer has a glass transition temperature that is greater than the glass transition temperature of the concentration-enhancing polymer at a relative humidity of 50%.
US08481078B2
The invention provides stable, solid dosage forms and pharmaceutical compositions in particulate form comprising a fibrate, for example fenofibrate, dissolved in an non-aqueous vehicle in order to ensure improved bioavailability of the active ingredient upon oral administration relative to known fibrate formulations.
US08481071B2
A composition is provided, wherein the composition comprises a water-swellable, water-insoluble polymer, a blend of a hydrophilic polymer with a complementary oligomer capable of hydrogen or electrostatic bonding to the hydrophilic polymer. The composition also includes a backing member. Active ingredients, such as a whitening agent, may be included. The composition finds utility as an oral dressing, for example, a tooth whitening composition that is applied to the teeth in need of whitening. The composition can be designed to be removed when the degree of whitening has been achieved or left in place and allowed to erode entirely. In certain embodiments, the composition is translucent. Methods for preparing and using the compositions are also disclosed.
US08481068B2
Bone cages are disclosed including devices for biocompatible implantation. The structures of bone are useful for providing living cells and tissues as well as biologically active molecules to subjects.
US08481065B2
The present invention relates to a bone cement precursor system that is presented in the form of two shelf-stable pastes which have been terminally sterilized and are held in separate containers during product transport and storage. When the product is used during surgery, these pastes inject to a site of application through a static mixing device by the action of applied injection force. When the two pastes are mixed, they start to react to each other while injecting out. The resulting composition is highly biocompatible, osteoconductive, injectable, rapid setting and bioresorbable, and is useful in connection with bone repair procedures, for example, in the craniomaxillofacial, trauma and orthopedic areas.
US08481064B2
The present invention relates to novel drug depot implant designs for optimal delivery of therapeutic agents to subjects. The invention provides a method for alleviating pain associated with neuromuscular or skeletal injury or inflammation by targeted delivery of one or more therapeutic agents to inhibit the inflammatory response which ultimately causes acute or chronic pain. Controlled and directed delivery can be provided by drug depot implants, comprising therapeutic agents, specifically designed to deliver the therapeutic agent to the desired location by facilitating their implantation, minimizing their migration from the desired tissue location, and without disrupting normal joint and soft tissue movement.
US08481061B2
A cosmetic composition is provided herein, the composition comprising: an ester of pentaerythritol and a benzoic acid having the formula (I) wherein R1 and R2 independently indicate a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched fatty acid residue having 1 to 24 carbon atoms or a benzoic acid residue, and a cosmetically acceptable carrier.
US08481054B2
Disclosed is a new and emerging serotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae designated serotype 6C, and assays and monoclonal antibodies useful in identifying same. Also disclosed is a novel pneumococcal polysaccharide with the repeating unit {→2) glucose 1 (1→3) glucose 2 (1→3) rhamnose (1→3) ribitol (5→phosphate}. This new serotype may be included in pneumococcal vaccines.
US08481048B2
Methods for making an immunogenic conjugate that includes a hapten or an antigen covalently linked to a carrier. The methods include reacting a first agent with a dihydrazide resulting in a hydrazine-modified first agent, wherein the first agent is a hapten, an antigen or a carrier; reacting a second agent with a benzaldehyde compound resulting in a benzaldehyde-modified second agent, wherein the second agent is a hapten, an antigen or a carrier, provided that the first agent or the second agent is a carrier; and reacting the hydrazine-modified first agent with the benzaldehyde-modified second agent resulting in an immunogenic conjugate comprising a hapten or an antigen covalently linked to a carrier via a hydrazone linkage.
US08481045B2
Bacterial immunity proteins are utilized to increase immune response to an antigen of interest.
US08481044B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: where R1-R6, a, b, Z, and X are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and processes and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08481038B2
The present invention provides methods of treating a patient having a cancer comprising administering to the patient a soluble Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 (FGFR1) fusion protein such as an extracellular domain of an FGFR1 polypeptide linked to an Fc polypeptide or another fusion partner. The fusion protein may be administered at a dose of at least about 2 mg/kg body weight. In some embodiments, the patient has a fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) plasma concentration of at least 6 pg/ml. In some embodiments, the cancer is characterized by a Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2) having a ligand-dependent activating mutation.
US08481020B2
Pheromone compositions based on a combination of squalene, linoleic acid and 1-docosanol are described. The compositions are useful for behavior modification in mammals that exhibit undesirable or harmful stress-related behaviors.
US08481013B2
Sandalwood perfuming ingredients that are 2-[perhydro-trialkyl-2-naphthalenylidene]-1-propanol or propanal derivatives of the formula wherein one dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single bond and the other a carbon-carbon single bond or double bond; X represents a CH2OH group or a CHO group; each R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and the R2, taken separately, represent each a hydrogen atom or the two R2 groups, taken together, represent a CH2 group or a carbon-carbon double bond; and said compound is in the form of any one of its stereoisomers or a mixture thereof, along with the use of such compound(s) in perfuming compositions or articles in the perfumery industry.
US08480996B2
A high-purity tellurium dioxide (TeO2) single crystal and its manufacturing method are provided. The method comprises the following procedures: firstly performing a first single crystal growth, and then dissolving the resulting single crystal again, thereafter adding a precipitation agent to form powder, and finally performing a second single crystal growth of as-prepared powder to obtain the high purity single crystal. The TeO2 single crystal prepared according to present invention is of high purity, especially with a content of radioactive impurities such as U and Th decreased to a level of 10−13 g/g.
US08480995B2
The present invention relates to a use of sodium selenosulfate for supplementing selenium and enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy agents for cancers, and a rapid process for preparing sodium selenosulfate comprising: mixing sodium selenite, the reducing agent and sodium sulfite in a certain proportion to form sodium selenosulfate quickly.
US08480991B2
A method for purifying silicon wherein silicon is crystallized from a solvent metal. The method comprises the steps of providing a molten liquid containing silicon, a solvent metal and impurities, cooling the molten liquid to form first silicon crystals and a first mother liquor, separating the first silicon crystals from the first mother liquor, contacting the first silicon crystals with compound which will dissolve the first mother liquor and separating the washed crystals from the wash solution.
US08480978B2
A microfluidic fluid separator for separating target components of a fluid by filtration is described. Methods for separating target components of a fluid by filtration and methods for processing blood on a large scale with the microfluidic fluid separator are provided.
US08480975B2
Systems and methods for improved measurement of absorbance/transmission through fluidic systems are described. Specifically, in one set of embodiments, optical elements are fabricated on one side of a transparent fluidic device opposite a series of fluidic channels. The optical elements may guide incident light passing through the device such that most of the light is dispersed away from specific areas of the device, such as intervening portions between the fluidic channels. By decreasing the amount of light incident upon these intervening portions, the amount of noise in the detection signal can be decreased when using certain optical detection systems.
US08480957B2
Gas detector tubes may be used to determine a concentration of target gases in air. The gas detector tubes described may be read either by and optical reader or visually by the user. A gas detector tube reader having an optical reader capable of reading a length of stain, a color change and color density of a reagent in a gas detector tube. The gas detector tube may further comprise sensors for measuring the environmental conditions during sampling.
US08480952B2
A method of manufacturing liposome-containing preparations which contain liposomes exhibiting superior stability in vivo and high enclosure rate of a drug is disclosed, comprising mixing a supercritical or subcritical carbon dioxide, one or more liposome membrane constituents including a phospholipid exhibiting a phase transition temperature and a water-soluble chemical.
US08480942B2
A method of forming a patterned layer of a material on a substrate includes forming a layer of the material on a stamp, and contacting the stamp with a first substrate comprising a pattern of protruding and recessed features to bring a first portion of the layer into conformal contact with the protruding features. The stamp is then removed from the first substrate. The first portion of the layer remains in conformal contact with the protruding features, and a second portion of the layer opposite the recessed features is removed with the stamp. Accordingly, a patterned layer is formed on the stamp inverse to the pattern on the first substrate. The method may further include transferring the patterned layer on the stamp to a second substrate.
US08480940B2
A device for injecting a strand of a paste-like mass, which is formed from a plurality of constituents, into the intermediate space between two glass plates of an insulated glass pane. The device includes a nozzle having a storage unit for each of the constituents of the paste-like mass, which is connected to the nozzle by means of a supply path, in which provision is made for a dynamic mixer.
US08480926B2
Disclosed is a visible light-transmissive liquid-crystalline compound having good hole and electron-transport characteristics and useful as an organic semiconductor material. The compound is represented by a formula (1): wherein R independently represents hydrogen, or alkyl having from 1 to 24 carbon atoms, and any —CH2— in the alkyl may be replaced by —O—, —S—, —CO— or —SiH2—, any —(CH2)2— may be replaced by —CH═CH— or —C≡C—, and any hydrogen may be replaced by halogen; Ar represents naphthylene, anthrylene, phenanthrylene, or phenylene; and every hydrogen in phenylene is replaced by halogen, and any hydrogen in naphthylene, anthrylene and phenanthrylene may be replaced by halogen.
US08480925B2
A depolarizing film of the present invention comprises a film containing at least one liquid crystal compound, wherein the liquid crystal compound comprises a liquid crystal compound (1) that satisfies the relation: 0.05≦Δn≦0.5, with the proviso that Δn=ne−no, ne represents an extraordinary-ray refractive index, and no represents an ordinary-ray refractive index, and the film has a haze value of 15% or less and a thickness of 1 μm to 10 μm.
US08480920B2
A chemical mechanical polishing aqueous dispersion that is used to polish a polishing target that includes a wiring layer that contains tungsten, the chemical mechanical polishing aqueous dispersion including: (A) a cationic water-soluble polymer; (B) an iron (III) compound; and (C) colloidal silica having an average particle diameter calculated from a specific surface area determined by the BET method of 10 to 60 nm, the content (MA) (mass %) of the cationic water-soluble polymer (A) and the content (MC) (mass %) of the colloidal silica (C) satisfying the relationship “MA/MC=0.0001 to 0.003”, and the chemical mechanical polishing aqueous dispersion having a pH of 1 to 3.
US08480917B2
A solid electrolyte polymer including a cross-linked polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based polymer, and a polymer actuator including the cross-linked PVDF-based polymer and an electrolytic material.
US08480909B2
A method of treating an agricultural-water canal to decompose organic debris in the agricultural-water canal provides a controlled delivery of calcium hypochlorite particles to the surface of water by entraining calcium hypochlorite particles in an air stream and then propelling the calcium hypochlorite-laden air stream at high velocity to the surface of the water, whereat the calcium hypochlorite particles are released from the air stream. A device for implementing the method is also disclosed. The device includes a gas blower, a feed hopper and a port which is adapted to direct and propel the biocide-laden gaseous stream to the surface of water in the agricultural-water canal.
US08480906B2
In production of ultrapure water by purifying primary pure water with a secondary pure water manufacturing apparatus and a tertiary pure water manufacturing apparatus, high-purity ultrapure water is produced, wherein generation of hydrogen peroxide is minimized and the concentrations of TOC, DO, and hydrogen peroxide are reduced to the limit. In an ultrapure water manufacturing system, each of the secondary pure water manufacturing apparatus and the tertiary pure water manufacturing apparatus includes an ultraviolet oxidation device and a deionization device, downstream therefrom, by using an ion exchange resin. UV light control is performed in such a way that the hydrogen peroxide concentration results in 1 to 30 μg/L and the TOC concentration results in 1 to 10 μg/L at the outlet of the ultraviolet oxidation apparatus of the secondary pure water manufacturing apparatus and, in addition, the TOC concentration results in 0.1 to 5 μg/L at the outlet of the ultraviolet oxidation apparatus of the tertiary pure water manufacturing apparatus. UV light control is performed in such a way that the TOC concentration results in 1 to 10 μg/L at the outlet of the ultraviolet oxidation apparatus of the secondary pure water manufacturing apparatus and, in addition, the hydrogen peroxide concentration results in 1 to 20 μg/L and the TOC concentration results in 0.1 to 5 μg/L at the outlet of the ultraviolet oxidation apparatus of the tertiary pure water manufacturing apparatus.
US08480905B2
A method and system for recycling and treating dyeing wastewater are provided. To begin with, the dyeing wastewater is added with an adsorbent for assisted decolorization and filtration. Then, the wastewater is filtered with a first filtration device having hydrophilic membranes. The liquid having passed through the hydrophilic membranes undergoes an RO membrane-base filtration process to produce recycled water and concentrated wastewater. The concentrated wastewater is delivered into a second filtration device having hydrophobic membranes, before a micro-bubbling process is performed on the concentrated wastewater in the second filtration device to turn the concentrated wastewater into a creamy-white nebulized working liquid of high gas content. The steam in the working liquid can readily pass through the hydrophobic membranes to produce an effluent that meets effluent standards.
US08480903B1
The present invention provides systems and methods for in-situ remediation of soil and groundwater having contaminants such as but not limited to organic compounds perhaps providing adsorption, chemical oxidation, and even biodegradation of contaminants with novel treatments such as but not limited to mixtures of granular activated carbon, calcium peroxide, sodium persulfate, and nitrate perhaps in various concentrations.
US08480898B2
A membrane module for an immersed operation has a fiber bundle of hollow fiber membranes which are cast into a headpiece and in immersed operation are surrounded by a liquid to be filtered. The module has a permeate collection chamber connected to the headpiece with an outlet for permeate draining from the interior of the hollow fiber membranes, and a gas supply having a pipe guided by the headpiece. The pipe terminates in the interior of the fiber bundle and has a gas outlet for a gaseous medium, which after the transfer from the pipe to the liquid to be filtered rises as bubbles between the hollow fiber membranes. The fiber bundle is divided into sections and free spaces remain between the sections which extend from the pipe to the outer circumference of the headpiece and promote an inflow of the liquid into a foot area adjoining the headpiece.
US08480897B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for exhausting impurities included in a fluid, the apparatus including: a filtering net installation body; an impurity filtering net body; a fluid inflow pipe; a fluid exhaust pipe; a ball valve; and an air chamber housing (80) detachably assembled with a connecting part (70), which is inserted into and fixed to an inner periphery of an upper part of a hollow part (12) of the filtering net installation body (10), wherein the air chamber housing (80) includes an assembling part (82) assembled with the connector (70) and a collector (84) which is formed integrally with the assembling part (82) so as to communicate with the assembling part (82) and allows compressed air to be collected into the collector (82). In the apparatus, when a ball valve disposed at an intersection point between a fluid inflow pipe and a impurity exhaust pipe of a filtering net installation body is moved to a position where impurities is discharged so that supply of fluid is cut off, impurities piled up on the interior of the impurity exhaust pipe and fluid remaining therein are rapidly discharged outside through the impurity exhaust pipe due to pressure of compressed air collected into the interior of an air chamber housing positioned at an upper part of the filtering net installation body so that impurities are easily removed.
US08480894B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a desalination system comprising a plurality of elongated pressure vessels (PV). Each PV has a longitudinal axis, oriented such that the longitudinal axis thereof is of a vertical orientation. Each of the PVs is adapted to receive therein a plurality n of desalination membranes. The membranes located above the lowermost membrane within the PV have a total weight allowing them to function as a mechanism limiting axial expansion of the lowermost membrane, whereby the PV is free of any additional limiting mechanism.
US08480891B2
Apparatuses and methods for making and using a filter cloth assembly are described. A filter cloth assembly can have a liquid permeable filtering media attached to a connector ring. The liquid permeable filtering media separates at least one solid from at least one liquid in a slurry. The filtering media has a feed hole formed therein to allows passage of a slurry through the filtering media. The connector ring includes a flange having an upper flange section and a lower flange section. The lower flange section receives an edge of the feed hole to connect the filtering media to the connector ring such that the face of the filtering media is substantially flush with the upper flange section.
US08480890B2
A method and apparatus of fluid treatment for a plurality of fluids with a first and a second non-magnetically conductive fluid flow conduit sleeved within at least one segment of magnetically conductive conduit providing a plurality of distinct areas of concentrated magnetic energy. The instant invention prevents the formation and accumulation of contaminants within conduits and on equipment utilized in the transportation, delivery and processing of fluid columns. It may also be utilized to accelerate the separation of oil and water and increase the efficiency of oil/water separation equipment.
US08480886B2
A multistage immersion type membrane separator includes a liquid air separator, the liquid air separator including an outlet tube, an inlet tube, and a skirt. The outlet tube is cylindrical and has a outlet tube diameter, and the inlet pipe has an inlet pipe diameter of less than the outlet tube diameter. The inlet pipe is attached to and in communication with the outlet tube so that a mixed flow of air and liquid passing through the inlet tube is introduced into the outlet tube and flows circumferentially around the inside of the outlet tube. The inlet pipe is attached to the cylindrical outlet tube so that the inlet pipe is perpendicular to the outlet tube. The outlet tube has two ends, one end being closed and the other end being open. The skirt is attached to the outlet tube and is concentric with the outlet tube. The skirt is attached to the closed end of the outlet tube, and extends to just past the point of attachment of the inlet tube to the outlet tube. The skirt also has two open ends, and one open end penetrates through the closed end of the outlet tube.
US08480875B2
Embodiments herein concern systems, methods, compositions and apparatus for detection and/or determination of the presence and/or concentration of target molecules in a sample. In certain embodiments, target molecules can be separated and analyzed using non-gel electrophoresis technologies.
US08480874B2
A gel cassette adaptor for use with an electrophoresis system gel cassette is disclosed herein. The gel cassette adaptor allows a single gel cassette to be compatible with more than one electrophoresis system. In one example embodiment, the gel cassette adaptor includes an open sided trough having an attachment perimeter and an attachment flange coupled to the attachment perimeter. The attachment flange is designed to be compatible for mating with a gel cassette that is compatible with a first electrophoresis system. After attachment of the gel cassette adaptor, the resulting gel cassette assembly is compatible with a second electrophoresis system. Also provided is a gel cassette that includes a stabilizer post that connects the cassette plates to maintain a constant gap width between the plates during electrophoresis. In reducing deformation of the gap space between plates during gel runs, the stabilizer post can improve electrophoresis results for wide format gels.
US08480873B2
Device for the removal of ions from a polar liquid, e.g. water, including at least one compartment which includes at least one inlet for an entering polar liquid flow and at least one outlet for an outgoing deionized liquid flow, in which the compartment an electrochemically regenerable ion-exchange material fills a zone through which zone a liquid flow is able to pass, the device including one sensor of at least one dimensional change of the ion-exchange material. The sensor can include a photo-sensor or a sensor of mechanical stress. Preferably an apparatus connected to the sensor is able to analyze this dimensional change and to control the electric current. Also disclosed is a method of using the device, whereby the electrical current applied to the device is controlled according to the expansion of the resin.
US08480870B2
A gas sensor element, wherein an amount of flexure in a first section extending in a longitudinal direction of the sensor element from the position 8/27 of a size of the element apart from one end of the element to the other end, is set to be greater than or equal to 1/1360 and less than or equal to 1/670 with respect to the size in the longitudinal direction of the element. The amount of flexure is a sum of a distance from a regression line to an upper side maximum displacement point and a distance from the regression line to a lower side maximum displacement point when calculating the regression line representing the relation of the position X in the longitudinal direction of the element and the displacement Y in a thickness direction from a plurality of data sets showing the relation of position X and displacement Y.
US08480867B2
Apparatus are disclosed for measuring substrate content present in a specimen that is applied to a biosensor, where the apparatus include an input for receiving an electrical signal from the biosensor; and a circuit coupled to the input to detect the electrical signal to determine whether an amount of the specimen needed for specimen detection has been supplied to the biosensor; where the apparatus measures the substrate content included in the specimen when the circuit determines that an amount of the specimen needed for specimen detection has been supplied to the biosensor, and the apparatus is prevented from measuring the substrate content included in the specimen when the circuit determines that the specimen has not been sufficiently supplied to the biosensor.
US08480860B2
A divided exchange column includes a shell column having a first longitudinal axis, a cylindrical wall spaced apart from and surrounding the first longitudinal axis and defining a first interior space, a first divided wall column having a second longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis, and a second divided wall column having a third longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the first and the second longitudinal axes, where the first divided wall column and the second divided wall column are positioned in the first interior space of the shell column.
US08480859B2
Method and apparatus for treatment of crude oil or bitumen under the conditions of auto-oscillations
An apparatus to decrease viscosity of crude oil or bitumen and increase the rate of fractional extraction by breaking the high molecular chains in crude oil or bitumen undergoing treatment which includes a flow of crude oil or bitumen inside the treatment unit under simultaneous affection by cavitations and vibrations on different frequencies and between at least two opposite conical jets formed inside the diffusers having the same axis of symmetry and interacting with each other under the conditions of an auto-oscillations of the periodic backward flows of fluid inside each conical jet due to a periodic negative pressure inside each conical jet and the periodic negative pressure is determined in accordance with the following formulae: P a = P 0 - λ ρ V 2 2 , wherein V = f ( D 4 - 2 R ) Sh , Pa is negative pressure in backward flow between the opposite conical jets.
US08480846B2
Fumed silicon dioxide powder in the form of aggregated primary particles having a BET surface area of 175±15 m2/g and a thickening effect, based on the BET surface area, of greater than 18 mPas g/m2 is hydrophobicized with polydimethylsiloxane. This hydrophobic fumed silica has a BET surface area of 110±25 m2/g. It can be used in epoxy resins. These epoxy resins in turn can be used as adhesives.
US08480844B2
The invention relates to a composition for a structural acrylic adhesive that comprises an adhesion promoter including a phosphate ester and a high molecular-weight polyamine as a polymerisation accelerator.
US08480843B2
A process for protecting a surface of a metal layer or a metal oxide layer including providing a protective film containing a base material and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer formed thereon, wherein the surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer has a contact angle with methylene iodide as measured just after contact, θ1, of 70° or smaller and a change in contact angle with methylene iodide through 30-second standing, Δθ, of 8% or less.
US08480832B2
A method of manufacturing a laminate of three or more layers of optical films, including: forming a first and a second optical film pieces by cutting the first and second optical films having an elongated shape respectively; disposing the first and second optical film pieces adjacent to each other in a substantially band or strip shape with their optical orientation axis crossing the longitudinal direction of the band or strip-shape; laminating the first and second optical film pieces on a third optical film; and a cutting step of, while holding the third optical film, the first film layer and the second film layer in a laminated state, cutting them into plural pieces, and thereby forming optical film laminates.
US08480815B2
A method of making a permanent magnet is described. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a first alloy powder having a desired composition, the alloy powder containing neodymium, iron, and boron; coating the first alloy powder with dysprosium, dysprosium alloy, terbium, or terbium alloy so that the first alloy powder has a surface concentration of dysprosium, terbium, or both in excess of a bulk concentration of dysprosium, terbium, or both; and forming the permanent magnet from the coated alloy powder using a powder metallurgy process, the permanent magnet having a non-uniform distribution of dysprosium, terbium, or both therein. Permanent magnets are also described.
US08480812B2
A process for quickly removing hydrocarbon contaminants and noxious gases in a safe and effective manner from catalytic reactors, other media packed process vessels and associated equipment in the vapor phase without using steam. The cleaning agent contains one or more solvents, such as terpenes or other organic solvents. The cleaning agent is injected into contaminated equipment, along with a carrier gas, in the form of a cleaning vapor.
US08480804B2
A method for forming a thin film includes the steps of: supplying a deposition material in the form of a liquid onto a heated surface; heating and vaporizing the deposition material on the heated surface while the deposition material is undergoing movement; and depositing the deposition material onto a deposition surface. The deposition material is supplied onto a position of the heated surface where the vaporized deposition material does not reach the deposition surface.
US08480800B2
Provided are aminoalcohol compounds for use as neutralizing agents for paints and coatings. The compounds are of the formula (I): or salt thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and n are as defined herein. Also provided are precursors of the aminoalcohol compounds and processes for making and using them.
US08480796B2
Disclosed is a formulation for the absorption of CO2, which comprises water, at least one CO2 absorption compound and a carbonic anhydrase as an activator to enhance the absorption capacity of the CO2 absorption compound. The invention also concerns the use of carbonic anhydrase, in a CO2 absorption solution to increase the CO2 absorption rate of such solution.
US08480794B2
A method for adsorbing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) derived from organic matter comprises adsorbing the VOCs onto palladium doped ZSM-5, optionally at ambient temperature. The organic matter can be perishable organic goods such as food, including fruit and/or vegetables, horticultural produce, including plants and/or cut flowers, or refuse. The palladium doped ZSM-5 has a Si:Al ratio of less than or equal to 100:1 and preferably has a palladium content of from 0.1 wt % to 10.0 wt % based on the total weight of the doped ZSM-5.
US08480779B2
An air filter media construction or arrangement is disclosed. The air filter media construction or arrangement includes strips of media comprising corrugated sheets secured to facing sheets and forming inlet and outlet flutes secured to one another in a stack. Blocked stacked arrangements and slanted stacked arrangements are shown. Such stacked media is provided with molded end pieces to secure and seal opposite side edges of the media strips. Also described are serviceable filter cartridges and air cleaners including the filter cartridges. Methods of assembly and use are also provided.
US08480774B2
A filter device, in particular a reflux vacuum filter, has at least one filter housing (7) in which at least one filter element (3) can be accommodated. The filter element defines a longitudinal axis (25), and has at least two valve units in the form of a bypass valve (V2) and of a pre-pressurizing valve (V1). The valve units are arranged concentric to and along the longitudinal axis (25) of each filter element (3).
US08480772B2
Shaped ceramic articles can be obtained by screen printing the desired shapes from a dispersion of a precursor of the ceramic onto a receiving surface using a transfer assisted technique that applies a differential pressure, at least partially drying the screen printed shapes, and firing them to generate the shaped ceramic articles. Shaped abrasive particles made using lower viscosity sol gels that tended to flow or creep after the screen printing formation were found to have higher grinding performance over screen printed shaped abrasive particles made with higher viscosity sol gels.
US08480767B2
A fluidized bed gasification system is provided in which bed material and raw material are passed throughout a fluidized bed gasification furnace so that raw material is gasified with higher gasification efficiency to improve gasification productivity. A heat-resistant partition 32 for regulation of bed material flow is arranged between positions I and II of a downcomer 12 of a separator 8 and of a supply flow passage 25 in plane of a fluidized bed gasification furnace 2. As a result, the bed material introduced via the downcomer 12 is directed to a supply flow passage 25 through a circuitous flow passage 33 throughout the fluidized bed gasification furnace 2 defined by the heat-resistant partition 32.
US08480766B2
Gasification equipment with a gasification furnace which maintains a. high cold gas efficiency, and suppresses a temperature rise of the gasification gas to minimize ash deposition is disclosed. A part of a CO2 gas separated from an exhaust of a power generation plant is compressed by a. recovered CO2 compressor 25. The compressed CO2 gas is used for transport of coal (pulverized coal). The CO2 gas is supplied, together with the pulverized coal, into a gasification furnace to accelerate the formation of CO by an endothermic reaction between C and CO2 and suppress a temperature raise within a coal gasification furnace 15, thereby producing a gasification gas.
US08480764B1
Process for converting cellulose and hemicellulose into dimethyl furan, hydrolysing first cellulose in a mixture of N alkyl imidazolium chloride, hydrochloric acid 37% and an alcohol, to produce an acetal of glucose, making the dehydration to an acetal of hydroxymethyl furfural, extracting and making the hydrogenation of this acetal and distilling to produce dimethyl furan.
US08480754B2
Methods and devices are disclosed relating improved articular models, implant components, and related guide tools and procedures. In addition, methods and devices are disclosed relating articular models, implant components, and/or related guide tools and procedures that include one or more features derived from patient-data, for example, images of the patient's joint. The data can be used to create a model for analyzing a patient's joint and to devise and evaluate a course of corrective action. The data also can be used to create patient-adapted implant components and related tools and procedures.
US08480730B2
A heart valve implant according to one embodiment may include a shaft extending generally along a longitudinal axis of the heart valve implant having at least one anchor configured to be coupled to a first end of the shaft. A spacer may include a plurality of individual segments each including at least one passageway configured to be disposed about the shaft. The plurality of individual segments may define an outer surface of the spacer which is configured to interact with at least a portion of at least one cusp of a heart valve to at least partially restrict a flow of blood through the heart valve in a closed position. The plurality of individual segments may each having a length and at least one cross-section dimension no larger than an internal cross-section of a lumen of a delivery catheter.
US08480729B2
According to one aspect of the present invention, implantable and insertable medical devices are provided which contain one or more particle-containing regions that comprise silicate particles and carbon particles.
US08480728B2
A stent may include a side branch cell comprising a plurality of petals. Each petal may comprise struts and turns, and may have a longitudinal axis oriented at an angle to the stent longitudinal axis. Each petal may comprise a plurality of struts and at least one turn. For each petal, the width of a turn may be greater than the width of the struts. Upon expansion of the stent, a petal may deploy outwardly in a stent radial direction beyond an outer diameter of the rest of the stent.
US08480727B2
A covered stent including an endovascular implant having a polymeric stent structure with an integrally formed membrane-like graft component, also referred to as a stent-graft, and methods of manufacturing the one-piece stent-graft by an injection molding process. A molding system for creating the polymeric stent structure is injected with a melt stream of moldable material that is forced between a parting line of the molding system to create a thin, flexible membrane-like structure within the open areas or interstitial spaces of the molded stent structure. The stent-graft so created is a one-piece, unified structure molded from a polymeric material in a single manufacturing step.
US08480726B2
A stent graft (10) has a tubular body with a side aperture (16) covered by a valve arrangement (18) and an arrangement to hold the valve open (32) with a release wire (30). Retraction of the release wire closes the valve. The stent graft can have a tubular body with a first bifurcation (134) with first and second legs (130, 132) extending from the bifurcation. The side aperture and valve arrangement can be in one of the legs. One of the legs (132) has a further bifurcation (142) to define a side arm (140). The stent graft can be deployed into the vasculature of a patient with the tubular body being in an aorta of the patient, a first leg extending down an iliac artery, a second leg being directed towards a contralateral iliac artery and the side arm directed to an internal artery of the contralateral iliac artery.
US08480724B2
An assembly for preventing and treating moisture-based skin dermatitis includes an air flow conditioning module positioned in the output air flow in the output air flow chamber for increasing or decreasing the temperature of the generated air flow as received from the fan responsive to a received control signal, a temperature sensor positioned in the output air flow at the nozzle for sensing a current temperature of the output air flow as conditioned by the air flow conditioning module, an air flow conditioning control module is coupled to the air flow conditioning module and the temperature sensor and is configured for generating the control signal, and air flow conditioning control module that has a defined maximum temperature of the output airflow and is adapted for receiving the sensed current temperature from the temperature sensor, comparing the current temperature to the defined maximum temperature, and generating the control signal to provide the generated air flow at the nozzle does not exceed the defined maximum temperature.
US08480717B2
An orthopedic implant with a locking element for locking a bone screw in a bone screw receiving hole of the implant.
US08480715B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a spinal implant system and method. One embodiment of the present invention includes a spinal implant comprising, a first implant plate, a second implant plate, a spacer member coupled between the first implant plate and the second implant plate and an end plate coupled to the spacer member, the end plate configured to couple to adjacent vertebrae. The implant plates can include spacer channels that receive the spacer member and insertion tool channels that receive an insertion tool. Preferably, on each implant plate, the spacer channel is near the center of the plate and the insertion tool channels are on either side of the spacer channel. The spacer channels and insertion tool channels can be dovetailed or otherwise shaped to capture a portion of the spacer member and insertion tool. Mating connectors can prevent removal of the spacer member from the spacer channels.
US08480701B2
The invention relates to a device for the implantation of occlusion helixes (3) that can be separated by electrolysis in blood vessels and body cavities, especially aneurysms (12), said device comprising an insertion aid (4), at least one occlusion helix (3) that is distally arranged in relation to the insertion aid (4) and at least one electrolytically corrodible severance element (2), with at least one stabilization helix (5) being arranged between severance element (2) and occlusion helix (3) and said stabilization helix (5) being connected with the occlusion helix (3) by an electrically isolating adhesion layer (7) such that the occlusion helix (3) becomes isolated from the voltage when an electrical voltage is applied to the severance element (2). In this way, the current density in severance element (2) is further increased so that, on the one hand, shorter severance times are achieved and, on the other, the connection between the occlusion helix (3) and one of the stabilization helixes (5) used to stabilize the implant is significantly simplified compared to the known laser welding method according to prior art.
US08480684B2
The present invention provides a three section skin marking system combining target placement, lancing, marking, cleanup and protective bandaging comprising a positioning target, an ink application pad and a bandage pad, wherein the ink application pad is attached to the positioning target and the bandage pad is attached to the positioning target, wherein the positioning target is an appliqué with a top side and a bottom side and a peripheral border of material with a center portion of the appliqué removed and free of material, wherein the bottom side has an adhesive for adhering to skin of a patient; wherein the application pad comprises an absorbent pad surrounding micro-encapsulated or macro-encapsulated ink for marking the patient's skin; and wherein the bandage pad comprises an absorbent pad and an adhesive strip.
US08480680B2
A device useful for spinous process decompression includes a pair of prongs which can be moved apart from each other by rotation of a gear which mates with a threaded rod.
US08480676B2
A tamping apparatus is described that includes a cannula that has a tubular wall that includes a distal end portion that defines a tamping face. The cannula defines a longitudinally aligned aperture or lumen that provides access for an insert and the injection of treatment materials such as a bone graft. The distal end portion of the cannula can also include a plurality of movable elements that can be a part of or connected to the tubular wall. The tamp apparatus can also include a cannula or stylet that can be moved within aperture of cannula and is employed to move elements between the first position and second position of tamp apparatus.
US08480673B2
A cavity drill is provided, which is configured for use with a bone drill. The cavity drill includes a body. The bone drill has a first portion movably connected to a second portion. A third portion is movably connected to the second portion. The body is mounted with the third portion of the bone drill. A sheath extends from the third portion to a distal end. A curette is connected with the distal end of the bone drill. The curette is composed of retractable cutting tines/blades which are turned/powered by the bone drill motor. The curette tines can be used in a partially or fully deployed state and at low or high speed. The curette is designed to create cavities of varying size in a bone. The cavity drill and the bone drill may include a radiation protection guard and radiolucent portions. Methods of use are also provided.
US08480672B2
Some introducer tools for bone portals have a handle coupled to a driving member by a force-limiting coupling. A bone portal comprising a bone-penetrating portion and a bone stop may be driven to a desired depth in bone when the force-limiting coupling allows application of force to the bone portal that is sufficient to drive the bone-penetrating portion of the portal into the bone but not sufficient to drive the bone stop significantly into the bone. Bone portals of various types are described herein. Various configurations for stylets suitable for use in introducing bone portals or otherwise penetrating bone and methods for inserting bone portals are also described herein.
US08480662B2
The invention provides a catheter for optical ablation of tissue in a living body, the catheter including: a distal end; a proximal end; an elongate catheter body coupled between the distal end and the proximal end; a light emission device at the distal end and configured to emit an ablation light having characteristics selected to regulate an optically regulatable transcription control element operably linked to a nucleic acid sequence for a gene product, the expression of which gene product in cells directly or indirectly kills cells; and a projection control mechanism coupled to the light emission device and configured to control an effectively illuminated area where the optically regulatable transcription control element is effectively regulatable by the ablation light projected from the light emission device. Also provided is a system which includes the catheter, and methods to prevent, inhibit or treat AF which employ an expression cassette and/or one or more selected wavelengths of light.
US08480652B2
A percutaneous gastrostomy catheter includes an internal retainer configured to be maintained pressed against the stomach wall and to disengage itself from a tubing by biodegradation; and an external flange, traversed by the tubing, configured to be pressed against an external face of the abdominal wall and exert, in cooperation with the internal retainer, a pressure adapted to press an external face of the stomach wall against an internal face of the abdominal wall. The internal retainer includes an internal flange. A first face of the internal flange is configured to be pressed against an internal face of the stomach wall, the internal flange being detachable from the tubing under the effect of a simple pulling force. The internal retainer also includes an end piece pressed against the second face of the internal flange, such that the internal flange is between the end piece and the external flange, the end piece being made of a completely biodegradable copolymer or polymer having a bond with the tubing.
US08480641B2
A wound treatment apparatus includes a negative pressure source, a bandage configured to cover a wound and provide a sealed region around the wound, a drainage tube coupled to the bandage and the negative pressure source to drain fluid from the wound. The apparatus also includes a controller coupled to the negative pressure source.
US08480635B2
An intravenous flow control device includes a flexible drip chamber (20) comprising a fluid entrance (22) and an open bottom (231); a rigid drip assembly (30) secured to the drip chamber (20) and comprising an inner cylinder (31) having a bottom exit (331); and an internal float valve (10) comprising a fastening member (12) including a hollow inner cylinder (121), a plunger (11) slidably disposed through the inner cylinder (121), an upper float member (15) secured to one end of the plunger (11), a lower float member (13) secured to the other end of the plunger (11), and a block member (14) secured to the lower float member (13) for sealingly blocking the exit (331). Fluid flows into the inner cylinder (31) for accumulation so as to float the block member (14), thereby unblocking the exit (331) and moving the plunger (11) upward.
US08480627B2
An introducer assembly is provided with a handle assembly (10) which enables automatic retraction and splitting of a sheath (12) of the assembly. The handle includes a drum (22) onto which the sheath (12) can be wound, as well as a cutting blade (30) and a locking assembly (34). The locking assembly (34) provides for flushing of the space between the sheath (12) and inner catheter or other element (14), in a manner in which the handle assembly (10) is not filled with flushing fluid. The locking assembly (34) also provides for clamping of the sheath (12) during transportation and initial insertion of the introducer assembly into a patient and for release of the sheath (12) after flushing and when it is desired to retract the sheath (12). Once so released, the sheath (12) can be retracted and automatically split by means of the cutting blade (30).
US08480626B2
Catheters assemblies having structural configurations operable to reduce backflow along the catheter assembly track, and methods of making and using such catheter assemblies. Catheters assemblies in accordance with embodiments of the present invention find use in various applications including the treatment of acute and chronic medical conditions. An exemplary catheter assembly includes, in one illustrative embodiment, a flexible proximal catheter body portion, and a distal portion of a smaller diameter than the body portion. The distal portion includes a sealed distal tip or end and one or more side flow openings to permit flow of therapeutic substance from the catheter along an axis that is different than, e.g., skewed relative to, a longitudinal axis of the distal portion of the catheter assembly.
US08480623B2
Some embodiments of an infusion pump device may include a drive system that accurately and incrementally dispenses fluid from the pump device in a controlled manner. Particular embodiments of the drive system may include a rotational motor that is coupled to a string member, which is used to adjust a pawl relative to a ratchet body. In such circumstances, the drive system can provide a reliable and compact infusion pump device that accurately dispenses the desired volume of fluid.
US08480611B1
The middle ear ventilation tube is a drainage tube for placement through an opening formed through the tympanic membrane to drain fluid from the middle ear to the ear canal or outer ear. The middle ear ventilation tube includes a hollow, substantially cylindrical tube having axially opposed first and second open ends and a pair of diametrically opposed lateral drainage openings adjacent the first open end, thereby providing the tube with three drainage openings (the axial open first end and the two lateral openings). An annular flange is formed about the second open end and extends outwardly therefrom. In use, the tube is inserted through an opening formed through the tympanic membrane of a patient's ear so that the annular flange is positioned against the tympanic membrane within the middle ear, and the first open end and the pair of diametrically-opposed openings are positioned within the patient's car canal.
US08480608B2
A blood processing system includes a flow reversing device with at least an air sensor in the venous line located near the patient. During treatment, blood flow is reversed to cause air to infiltrate the blood lines if any disconnections or breaks in the blood line are present. One means for placing the sensor close to the patient is to provide the flow switching device aid sensors in a small lightweight module that can be located close to the treatment machine. Another is to provide a module with just the sensors near the access.
US08480595B2
A needle may be fired into tissue by a needle firing mechanism, which may include a fork for holding the needle and a firing rod coupled with the fork. A spring urges the fork to a distal, fired position. A screw gear is coupled with the rod. A sled is positioned at the proximal end of the rod. A catch is configured to engage the sled when the sled is moved to a proximal position. The screw gear is operable to convert rotational motion from a motor and gear set into linear motion to move the rod proximally to engage the sled with the catch, thereby cocking the needle firing mechanism. The motor may also be used to translate the screw gear distally relative to the rod after the sled has engaged with the catch. A trigger is used to fire the cocked needle firing mechanism.
US08480594B2
The invention provides improved apparatus and methods for treating congestive heart failure in a medical patient. The apparatus includes a pressure transducer permanently implantable within the left atrium of the patient's heart and operable to generate electrical signals indicative of fluid pressures within the patient's left atrium. The pressure transducer is connected to a flexible electrical lead, which is connected in turn to electrical circuitry, which in the preferred embodiment includes digital circuitry for processing electrical signals. The electrical circuitry processes the electrical signals from the pressure transducer and, based at least in part on those signals, generates a signal that indicates a desired therapeutic treatment for treating the patient's condition. That signal is then communicated to the patient via a patient signaling device, following which the patient administers to him or herself the prescribed therapeutic treatment indicated by the signal.
US08480590B2
Some embodiments include acquisition of color Doppler data, and detection of one or more transitions of the color Doppler data, each of the one or more transitions being between a first area representing flow velocity in a first direction and a second area representing flow velocity not in the first direction. A normalized energy function across one or more of the one or more transitions is calculated, a configuration of flow areas within the color Doppler data is determined, and aliasing corrections for the color Doppler data are determined based on the normalized energy functions and the configuration of flow areas.
US08480588B2
A method and a system for producing images of a subject, such as the heart of a human being. The method may comprise acquiring ultrasound images of the subject with a catheter comprising a position sensor. The method may also comprise capturing a plurality of 4D surface registration points in the acquired ultrasound images corresponding to points on the subject. The method may also comprise registering, in space and time, a high-resolution 4D model of the subject with the plurality of 4D surface registration points. The method may also comprise displaying high resolution, real-time images of the subject during a medical procedure based on the registration of the high resolution 4D model to the 4D surface registration points. Embodiments of the present invention are especially useful in left atrium ablation procedures.
US08480585B2
An ultrasonic system useful for providing imaging, therapy and temperature monitoring generally comprises an acoustic transducer assembly configured to enable the ultrasound system to perform the imaging, therapy and temperature monitoring functions. The acoustic transducer assembly comprises a single transducer that is operatively connected to an imaging subsystem, a therapy subsystem and a temperature monitoring subsystem. The ultrasound system may also include a display for imaging and temperature monitoring functions. An exemplary single transducer is configured such that when connected to the subsystems, the imaging subsystem can generate an image of a treatment region on the display, the therapy subsystem can generate high power acoustic energy to heat the treatment region, and the temperature monitoring subsystem can map and monitor the temperature of the treatment region and display the temperature on the display, all through the use of the single transducer. Additionally, the acoustic transducer assembly can be configured to provide three-dimensional imaging, temperature monitoring or therapeutic heating through the use of adaptive algorithms and/or rotational or translational movement. Moreover, a plurality of the exemplary single transducers can be provided to facilitate enhanced treatment capabilities.
US08480584B2
A non-invasive subject-information imaging apparatus according to this invention includes a light generating unit which generates light containing a specific wavelength component, a light irradiation unit which radiates the generated light into a subject, a waveguide unit which guides the light from the light generating unit to the irradiation unit, a plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed electroacoustic transducer elements, a transmission/reception unit which transmits ultrasonic waves to the subject by driving the electroacoustic transducer elements, and generates a reception signal from electrical signals converted by electroacoustic transducer elements, and a signal processing unit which generates volume data of a living body function by processing a reception signal corresponding to acoustic waves generated in the subject by light irradiation, and generates volume data of a tissue morphology by processing a reception signal corresponding to echoes generated in the subject upon transmission of the ultrasonic waves.
US08480579B2
A high-speed laser perfusion imaging instrument including a laser source, a detector, a signal-processing unit, data memory, and a screen to display results. A section of a sample surface is illuminated with laser light; reemitted light from the irradiated surface is collected by focusing optics on a 2D array of integrating photodetectors having elements that can be accessed individually or in a pre-defined selection of pixels at high speed. This 2D array measures intensity variations at each individual pixel. Average amplitude and mean frequency of the measured signal contain information about concentration and speed of moving blood cells. For real-time imaging, exposure time is used as a parameter to measure relative perfusion changes. These data are stored and processed with the signal-processing unit to deliver 2D flow maps of the illuminated sample section, and allow a simple overlay between a conventional image and processed flow maps.
US08480573B2
A new self-service surgical retractor with the characteristics comprising: main post (1), lock sleeve (7), lock operating lever (11), take-up device lock sleeve (15), take-up device (17) and hook plate (22). The lock sleeve (7) is covered on the lower part of the main post (1) to form a dovetail groove; the lock operating lever (11) is spun on the main post (1) through the thread; the take-up device lock sleeve (15) is spun on the upper part of the main post (1) and locks and fixes the inserted link (18) of the take-up device (17) on the upper end of the main post (1); the take-up device (17) is connected with the hook plate (22) through the retraction tape or rope (21). With simple structure and low cost, the present invention is easy to manufacture and use.
US08480572B2
An adapter-type endoscope includes a distal end adapter and an insertion portion. The distal end adapter includes a light-emitting device substrate and an adapter-side electrical connection portion. The insertion portion includes a distal end portion to which the distal end adapter is detachably mounted, and has an insertion portion-side electrical connection portion connected to an adapter-side electrical connection portion, and a dual-purpose wire for power supply and heat release serving as both a heat releasing wire and a power source wire. The adapter-side electrical connection portion includes an electrical connection portion main body serving as both an electrical connection portion and a heat conducting portion and whose distal end surface closely contacts the light-emitting device substrate. The insertion portion-side electrical connection portion includes an electrode serving as both an electrical connection portion and a heat conducting portion and having a close-contact surface closely contacting the electrical connection portion main body.
US08480570B2
A cap including an outer shell configured to be coupled to an access port of an endoscope, and a resilient member positioned interior of the inner peripheral surface of the outer shell. The resilient member includes an upper surface, a lower surface, an outer peripheral surface and a central opening sized to accommodate an endoscopic instrument therethrough. The resilient member further includes a slit extending outward from the circumferential surface of the central opening toward the outer peripheral surface of the resilient member.
US08480568B2
An endoscope apparatus includes an endoscope which has an insertion portion which is provided with a distal end portion and a bendable bending portion at a distal end side and is inserted into a body cavity of a subject, a relative position calculation section which calculates a relative position of the distal end portion in the body cavity to the subject, a selection section which selects a search method corresponding to the position detected from a plurality of search methods for searching for a bending direction of the bending portion, based on the calculated relative position, a bending direction determination section which determines the bending direction of the bending portion according to the selected search method, and a bending drive section which bends and drives the bending portion based on the determined bending direction.
US08480563B2
An endoscope apparatus includes: an endoscope that generates an image of an object; a display portion that displays the image and a cursor that designates a position on an image based on the image; a characteristic quantity calculating portion that calculates, based on the image, a characteristic quantity of the image on the basis of the position designated by the cursor; and a control portion that controls movement of the cursor in accordance with the characteristic quantity.
US08480553B2
In order to form two longitudinal folds in a material web, there are two plow folding units which extend in the vertical direction and are arranged behind one another in the movement direction of the material web. Each of the plow folding units has two guide elements for the material web, which guide elements are arranged in the manner of a gable or saddle roof. The guide elements are arranged behind one another in the movement direction of the material web and enclose a folding angle between them. The folding angle between the guide elements of the second plow folding unit which is arranged downstream of the first plow folding unit has a magnitude of at least 100°, preferably of at least 140°.
US08480549B1
An exercise bar is configured to removably receive elastic lines, allowing its use in elastic resistance exercises, and/or inelastic lines, allowing its use in suspended bodyweight exercises. Separate grips, each being engageable by a hand or a foot, are also provided, and may be removably connected to the bar or to each other via one or more lines. Bar supports may also be provided to support the bar above the ground, allowing easy use of the bar to perform push-ups and other exercises.
US08480544B2
An exercise chair of the type wherein a user can sit on a seating platform and extend and retract his legs while his feet are resting on a spring-resisted foot rod includes a movable bar for pivotally supporting the foot rod and which is positionable in an operative position or a storage position. In the operative position, the foot bar is positioned for desired use in pre-determined exercises while in the storage position it is positioned so as to permit nestable stacking of a plurality of the chairs.
US08480538B2
A utility vehicle is disclosed having an electric drive. The drivetrain is comprised of batteries, a motor, a transaxle driven by the motor, a rear differential driven by the transaxle, and a prop shaft which is driven by the transaxle and drives a front differential. The batteries are provided in two groups and are supported on the frame of the vehicle.
US08480535B2
A hybrid-type power transmission in which an internal combustion engine and an electric rotating machine are used as a source of power for driving an output shaft through a change-speed mechanism. In the hybrid power transmission, the operation of the electric rotating machine is controlled in such a manner that the rotation speed of a rotor-side rotary member is synchronized with the rotation speed of an input-side or output-side rotary member when the rotation speed of the rotor-side rotary member becomes higher in a predetermined difference than the rotation speed of the input-side or output-side rotary member in shifting operation of a sleeve coupled with the rotor-side rotary member.
US08480530B2
An automatic transmission includes four planetary gear sets, a plurality of friction and synchronizing clutches and two chain drive assemblies. Input torque is provided to four clutches which selectively provide torque to one element of a compound assembly comprising first and second planetary assemblies. The second planetary assembly includes only a sun gear and a planet carrier including elongate, stepped pinion gears which extend into the planet carrier of the adjacent first planetary assembly. The sun and ring gears of the first planetary assembly drive respective chain drive sprockets. A pair of chains transfer torque to respective driven chain sprockets. The chain driven by the first planetary assembly sun gear drives a third planetary assembly sun gear. The chain driven by the first planetary assembly ring gear drives a fourth planetary assembly sun gear. The transmission output is connected to the planet carriers of the third and fourth planetary assemblies.
US08480525B2
A hybrid vehicle transmission (3) which comprises a transmission input shaft (9), which can be connected to a drive motor by a shift element (12), and an electric machine (7) which can be operatively connected to the transmission input shaft in order to transmit torque. An additional shift element (8) is provided by which the electric machine (7) can be operatively connected to the transmission input shaft and can be disconnected from the transmission input shaft (9).
US08480518B2
A first lacrosse head constructed from a first material having first properties or a second lacrosse head constructed from a second material having second properties is selectively used in lacrosse activities, based on environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity and/or solar activity, to provide generally consistent head performance as perceived by a lacrosse player across a range of environmental conditions. The first and second heads can be identical in structure, but constructed from different materials. For example, the first head can include a polyamide, optionally, Nylon 6,6 polyamide, and the second head can include a high performance polyamide resin, optionally a polypthalamide. An environmental indicator that provides visual and/or audible output with regard to environmental conditions can be included with at least one of the first head, the second head and a shaft to which the heads can be joined. Related methods of use are also provided.
US08480516B2
This disclosure provides methods for encouraging golfers and other users to use greenhouse gas reducing golf balls. Greenhouse gas reducing golf balls may include carbon dioxide absorbents, in order that the golf ball may reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to aid in alleviating global warming. The methods may include determining a degree of usage of a used greenhouse gas reducing golf ball, and awarding a reward to a user based on the degree of usage. The methods thereby promote the use of certain greenhouse gas reducing golf balls instead of conventional golf balls, and encourages the reuse of those greenhouse gas reducing golf balls.
US08480510B2
Disclosed are grips and methods of making grips for use with the handle of an article, and in particular for use with golf clubs, fishing poles, bicycle handles, hand tools, etc. Embodiments preferably include a first portion made of a first material and a second portion made of a second material. The first portion is preferably less dense and/or lighter than the second portion to allow for the manufacture of a light grip with different characteristics.
US08480508B2
A golf club grip comprises a resilient inner sleeve, a single sheet, an axial seam strip, and a combination of adhesives. The single sheet is wrapped around and adhered on to the resilient inner sleeve's body and has its top and bottom circumferential margins respectively over the resilient inner sleeve's cap underside edge and retaining sidewall edge, and two axial margins forming an axial gap along the length of the resilient inner sleeve's body. The combination of adhesives includes a pressure sensitive adhesive and a structural adhesive. The pressure sensitive adhesive is used to adhere the single sheet onto the resilient inner sleeve's body. The structural adhesive is applied in the axial gap covered with the axial seam strip to form an axial seam structure. The single sheet can be a leather/foam single sheet to provide the golf club grip with a soft and cushion feel for the user.
US08480507B2
A set of golf clubs in accordance with at least some examples of this disclosure may include one or more iron-type golf club heads with a slot, or pocket cavity, behind the ball striking face of the golf club head. Further, one or more of the golf clubs in the set may include iron-type golf club heads with a split cavity or half cavity configuration. Additionally, one or more of the golf clubs in the set may include iron-type golf club heads of the blade-type. Also, one or more of the golf clubs in the set may include a hybrid-type golf club head with a cavity, or compression channel, extending through the bottom surface of the club head behind the ball striking face of the golf club head and one or more additional cavities extending through a bottom surface of the club head.
US08480504B2
A golf club putter having an alignment pattern is disclosed herein. The alignment pattern has first and second long lines that approach each other as they extend from an aft region of the putter to a front region of the putter and, when the putter is properly aligned with a golf ball, create an optical illusion of convergence of said lines at or near a center of the golf ball without actually intersecting.
US08480499B2
A method for brokering a game using a computer system is provided. The method includes act of configuring, by the computer system, at least one of a plurality of games to match a set of preferences gathered from a plurality of players, specifying at least one qualification criterion for entry into the at least one of the plurality of games, entering, by the computer system, at least one player having the at least one qualification criterion into the at least one of the plurality of games, receiving, by the computer system, at least one winner of the at least one of the plurality of games, storing information regarding the at least one winner on the data storage, receiving, by the computer system, authorization to reward the at least one winner and providing, to the at least one winner, access to at least one reward.
US08480494B2
Methods for crew creation and management are provided. One method includes providing a user interface by the social gaming program for generating a request for help by a requestor to enable access to a content item in the social gaming program. The request for help is forwarded to friends of the requestor based on analysis of the social graph to define a crew of friends in the social gaming program. The method includes obtaining an indication of acceptance of the request for help from at least one friend of the requestor. The acceptance is utilized to increase a progress toward enabling access to the content item. The method also includes detecting completion of the progress by the crew of friends and enabling access to the content item. The detected completion is saved to a crew database to signal a level change in the social gaming program.
US08480491B2
A game controller for controlling video games or other electronic interactive systems, having an adjustable trigger system for calibration or customized control of trigger action. The game controller includes a controller chassis and an actuator system, which includes a trigger body, a trigger mechanism chassis, a strike plate coupled to the trigger body, a first trigger adjustment control screw received in a screw thread disposed within the controller chassis, and a second trigger adjustment control screw received in a screw thread disposed within the controller chassis, wherein a portion of each of the first trigger adjustment control screw and second trigger adjustment control screw engages with a respective portion of the strike plate, and said portion of each of the first trigger adjustment control screw and second trigger adjustment control screw each create an end stop to limit the actuator movement of the trigger body.
US08480486B2
A customer may be permitted to use a gaming device such as a slot machine to manage various transactions related to a hotel, such as checking in and/or checking out of the customer's room at the hotel. A customer may receive a benefit in exchange for using a gaming device for a transaction.
US08480484B2
A detectable identification device (DID) comprising a communication device, a power converter device, memory, and a processor and/or read-write logic and counter logic is disclosed. The counter logic of the DID may selectively increment a counter value stored in the memory ever time the DID has been accessed by a reader. Furthermore, a method for detecting and monitoring the number of times the DID has been accessed is disclosed. This may comprise comparing a reader access count to the DID counter values to determine if unauthorized access is occurring.
US08480482B2
An apparatus and method allow a value of a credit balance on a gaming device to be determined. If the value is not less than a predetermined threshold, a benefit is provided to the player of the gaming device. In various embodiments, the benefit may be, e.g., an increase in the player's credit balance.
US08480472B2
A device includes a data processor executing program instructions for a wagering game. The program instructions include receiving a wager and a selection set from a player. A selection is received from the player, or randomly chosen, to locate a multi-spot template comprising a pattern of multiple spots on a matrix. An outcome set is selected and the player is rewarded in accordance with a pay table for matches between the selection set and the outcome set. The multi-spot templates are examined for a bonus trigger condition such as all the spots in the multi-spot template containing members of the outcome set. If a bonus trigger condition is fulfilled, a bonus feature is conducted.
US08480468B2
Certain non-limiting exemplary embodiments are taught which include a game comprising, a digital processor, digital storage coupled to the digital processor for storing instructions, a display coupled to the digital processor displaying a first plurality of indicia arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns such that there are a plurality of paylines through a contiguous plurality of indicia, a user interface coupled to the digital processor to select a subset of the first plurality of indicia taken along at least one column and to initiate a display of a second plurality of indicia which includes the selected subset of the first plurality of indicia on the display, and an award dispenser providing an award which is at least as large as the largest award associated with the plurality of paylines.
US08480467B2
An electronic amusement device and a method for operating the device are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, a slot machine server controls a secondary game of chance played at a client slot machine. The server receives a player identifier corresponding to a player and a client identifier corresponding to a client slot machine. The server retrieves registration data relating to a secondary game of chance corresponding to the player identifier and the client identifier. The server further receives an outcome from the client slot machine and analyzes the outcome based on game requirements associated with the secondary game of chance, thereby determining whether the outcome satisfies at least one of the game requirements. Once all of the game requirements have been satisfied, the server updates a session status indicating the completion of the game requirements.
US08480451B2
A breastshield is provided that may be adhesively secured to a mother's breast for use in a breastpumping system. The adhesive is sufficiently strong so as to independently support the breastshield in position throughout a breast pumping session, including supporting the milk container, thereby enabling the mother to participate in other activities during the pumping session. The adhesive is advantageously of a type that is readily removed from the breast with the breastshield, and most preferably without leaving any significant residue.
US08480448B2
A donor film for a laser induced thermal imaging method capable of improving the optical efficiency of an emission layer, a light emitting device using the same, and a method of manufacturing the light emitting device are provided. The donor film for a laser induced thermal imaging method includes a base substrate, a light to heat conversion layer (LTHC) provided on the base substrate and having a pattern with a predetermined step difference, and a transfer layer provided on the LTHC. It is possible to improve the optical efficiency of the emission layer by patterning the transfer layer using the LTHC having the pattern with a predetermined step difference.
US08480446B2
Apparatus, devices and methods of operating multiple high aspect ratio hydrodynamic horizontal ladder oriented vanes with pliable hinges and rotation limiting flexible webs attached between flexible support beams on swim fins. The fins can have a foot pocket. A pair of parallel support beams can be secured to the foot pocket and support a plurality of hydrofoil vanes in a resisted pivotal arrangement. Pivotal rotation of the vanes can be restricted by flexible membranes, between vanes and beams, to provide an optimum angle of attack for the during swimming. The fins can have at least one pivoting vane region connected to the fin with a flexible hinge member.
US08480443B2
An all season air propelled watercraft has an elongated cabin structure adapted to accommodate at least one person therein. An elongated central pontoon member adjustably mounted to a bottom portion of the cabin structure and extending in a parallel direction thereto for at least the length thereof. Two stabilizer connector assemblies adjustably attached to a bottom portion of the cabin structure and extending horizontally in opposite directions therefrom. Two lateral stabilizer pontoons respectively and adjustably attached to a distal end portion of each the stabilizer connector assembly.
US08480441B2
A connection member and a lead terminal seat structure with the connection member including a terminal seat and a connection member. The connection member has a first edge and a second edge, which are formed with alternately arranged depression sections and protrusion sections. The terminal seat has a recess formed with ridge sections and through sections in adjacency to the ridge sections. The ridge sections and the through sections are arranged corresponding to the depression sections and protrusion sections of the connection member with the connection member received in the recess of the terminal seat with the depression sections and the protrusion sections insert-connected with the ridge sections and the through sections.
US08480437B2
Connector assemblies for use with implantable medical devices having easy to assemble contacts are disclosed. The connector assemblies are generally formed by coupling a plurality of ring contacts, sealing rings, and spring contact elements together with at least one holding ring to form a connector having a common bore for receiving a medical lead cable. Contact grooves or spring chambers for positioning the spring contact elements are formed in part by assembling multiple components together. A further aspect is a provision for encasing each connector assembly or stack inside a thermoset layer or a thermoplastic layer before over-molding the same to a sealed housing.
US08480423B2
A contact region of an electrically conductive member includes a contact area, a shroud and at least one projection. The contact area is provided to electrically engage a mating connector. The shroud is positioned proximate the contact area and is dimensioned to cooperate with a portion of the mating connector to align the mating connector in the contact area. The at least one projection is provided proximate the contact area, such that the at least one projection cooperates with a mating connector to limit the rotation of the mating connector relative to the contact area.
US08480422B2
This is directed to connector assemblies for electric cables, and methods of manufacturing the same, that may include a body molded about one or more connections made between one or more conductive leads of the electric cable and one or more electrical contacts of the connector assembly. The molded body may provide support to the connections and may maintain the relative positions of the traces for functionally aligning exposed portions of the traces with other connector assemblies.
US08480420B2
In an example embodiment a plug-light assembly includes an outlet assembly and a light assembly releasably engageable with the outlet assembly. One or more outlet may be installed in a housing of the outlet assembly and wired to external wires extending through a rear aperture in the outlet housing. The light assembly may include one or more lights and may be wired to external wiring through a rear aperture or through an end aperture in the outlet housing. End caps may be provided at ends of the outlet assembly housing and apertures may be provided to allowing wiring to extend through the ends of adjacent plug-light assemblies. The outlets and lights may be powered by separate circuits.
US08480418B2
There is provided an electrical charger including a charger assembly and a locking assembly. The charger assembly includes a base unit configured for being electrically coupled to an electronic device, and an adaptor unit configured for being electrically coupled to a power supply. The external surfaces of the base unit and the adaptor unit include co-operating external geometries that provide a visual indication whether the charger assembly is disposed in the locked state or the unlocked state.
US08480415B2
A waterproof simplex receptacle (300) includes a main body (302) and a front portion (308). The front portion (308) includes a front surface (304) and rear surface (306). Terminals (310) extend outwardly from the front surface (304), and are connected to wires (318) extending rearwardly from the main body (302). The front surface (304) is angled. Further, ridges (224) can be positioned around the terminals (310) so as to prevent water or other liquids from entering apertures associated with the terminals (310).
US08480405B2
A system for simulating a surgical procedure that includes a housing covering an anatomical model. The model is made up of simulated tissue supported on a base assembly that allows pivoting and rotation of the simulated tissue. The simulated tissue includes a portion that represents soft tissue, such as dermal tissue, muscle, connective tissue and the like, and a portion that represents hard tissue, such as osseous tissue. The housing includes apertures through which a surgical instrument may be inserted for simulating a procedure on the simulated tissue. Cannulas may be set within the apertures.
US08480396B2
A system for a dental superstructure to be attached to an implant using a digital model description of a shape of the superstructure, the superstructure including first and second elements. The system comprises a computing device arranged to (a) analyze a recorded real clinical situation or shaped clinical situation of an implant axis and insertion axis, (b) compute a shape of the dental superstructure based at least in part on the determined implant axis, (c) generate digital data representing the shape of the superstructure, and (d) separate the computed shape into first digital data representing a shape of the first element to be connected to the implant and second digital data representing a shape of the second element to be connected to the first element, the shape of the first element being optimized, at least in part, based on a tilt angle between the determined implant axis and insertion axis.
US08480384B2
A quick attach and safe release arrangement for a pump of the type in which a pump chamber has at least one chimney and at least one separable port locatable in the at least one chimney. The quick attach and safe release arrangement is provided with a cooperating retaining elements integrally formed with the at least one chimney and integrally formed with the at least one separable port respectively, for retaining the at least one separable port in within the at least one chimney. The at least one separable port and the at least one chimney are rotatable relative to one another and the cooperating retaining elements have a single port release position at a predetermined angular position of the at least one separable port relative to the at least one chimney.
US08480377B2
An integrated electro-magnetohydrodynamic pump may include a flow channel adapted to contain a fluid to be pumped and a plurality of electrodes positioned adjacent the flow channel. A voltage controller operatively associated with the plurality of electrodes applies a voltage potential on the plurality of electrodes. A plurality of magnets are also positioned adjacent the flow channel. A voltage controller operatively associated with the plurality of magnets changes magnetic fields produced by the plurality of magnets with respect to the flow channel. The voltage controller and the magnet controller are operable to pump fluid contained in the flow channel by an electro-osmotic flow process and by a magnetohydrodynamic flow process.
US08480366B2
An internally cooled airfoil comprises an airfoil body, a baffle and a plurality of standoffs. The airfoil body is shaped to form leading and trailing edges, and pressure and suction sides surrounding an internal cooling channel. The baffle is disposed within the internal cooling channel and comprises a liner body having a perimeter shaped to correspond to the shape of the internal cooling channel and to form a cooling air supply duct. The baffle includes a plurality of cooling holes extending through the liner body to direct cooling air from the supply duct into the internal cooling channel. The standoffs are recessed into a surface of either the baffle or the airfoil body such that a height of the standoffs is greater than the spacing.
US08480361B1
The total-to-static pressure ratio is increased across a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) by developing a localized accelerated flow of free-stream air near the discharge of the turbine rotor exhaust. This localized accelerated flow decreases the static pressure at the exit of the turbine and allows for additional power generation for a given free-stream flight condition. Lobe mixers in various locations improves mixing between the accelerated flow and the turbine exhaust flow, and the combined exhaust flow and the free-stream air surrounding the aerodynamic body.
US08480360B2
A turbocharger turbine having a double-layer flow passage and a variable cross-section, including a turbine housing, a volute diffuser channel, a power turbine, a volute gas feeding passage, and a partition wall. The volute gas feeding passage is arranged in the turbine housing. The partition wall is arranged in the volute gas feeding passage and divides the volute gas feeding passage into an external volute gas feeding passage and an internal volute gas feeding passage. The external volute gas feeding passage is located outside the internal volute gas feeding passage. The combination of the external and internal volute gas feeding passages forms different flow areas, sufficiently utilizing the waste gas energy of engines in a segmented mode. The variable cross-section turbine has a simple structure, is easy to upgrade at low cost, and can be easily mass-manufactured.
US08480358B2
A variable nozzle for a turbocharger (10) has a nozzle ring (138) supporting an array of vanes (134) that are variable in setting angle. The nozzle ring (138) is rotationally oriented and fixed in position by a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially outwardly extending locating members (170) that engage corresponding locating grooves (159) in a flange member (157) of the turbocharger.
US08480341B2
A nut retainer for a fastener. The nut retainer may include one or more vertical support members that can mate with and receive vertical surfaces of the fastener. The nut retainer may also include one or more horizontal retaining members that can be coupled to at least one end of one or more of the vertical support members adapted to mate with and receive horizontal surfaces of the fastener.
US08480334B2
There is disclosed a floating system positioned in a body of water having a water bottom, the system comprising a host member floating on a surface of the water; a flotation module floating under the surface of the water; a flexible hose connecting the host member to the flotation module; and an elongated underwater line structure, comprising a top portion connected to the flotation module; a bottom portion extending to the water bottom and adapted to connect to a flowline lying on the water bottom; and at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion comprising a catenary configuration.
US08480321B2
A printer has a substantially linear transport path P1 in which a card C is transported, roller 41 provided on the transport path P1 to transport the card C, roller 42 spaced apart from the roller 41 on the transport path P1 to transport the card C to the opposite side to the roller 41, cleaning roller 31 that is disposed opposite to the roller 41 on the transport path P1 and that has an adhesive portion for cleaning the surface of the card C, and control section 95 for controlling the rotation velocity of the roller 31 to rotate the roller 31 at least at rotation velocity V1 and at rotation velocity V2 lower than the rotation velocity V1, where the control section 95 controls the rotation velocity of the roller 31 from the rotation velocity V1 to the rotation velocity V2 for a period during which the front end of the card C reaches the roller 41 from the cleaning roller 31.
US08480314B2
A method of butting and connecting a first optical fiber and a second optical fiber in an optical connector comprises placing said optical connector that holds said first optical fiber in wherein an optical fiber connection tool; mounting said optical fiber holder on a holder mounting base of a front end bevel processing tool; processing a front end face of said second optical fiber such that said front end face of said second optical fiber is beveled relative to the surface perpendicular to the optical fiber axis direction; transferring said optical fiber holder to said holder support base; and moving said optical fiber holder toward said optical connector along said guide part, and butting and connecting the beveled front end face of said second optical fiber to the front end face of said first optical fiber such that their bevel directions are aligned.
US08480306B2
A bearing unit for driving wheels, and a manufacturing method thereof, includes a hub, a bearing, and a constant velocity universal joint, such that a process for assembling the bearing unit to a knuckle member is simplified. In order to achieve this, a hub (10) and an outer joint member (31) of an out-board side constant velocity universal joint (30) are plastically joined together. An outer peripheral surface (26a) of an outer member (26) is press-fitted into an inner peripheral surface of the knuckle member, and a maximum diameter dimension (D1) of the out-board side constant velocity universal joint (30) is set smaller than a minimum diameter dimension (Dn) of the knuckle member (6). Also, a maximum diameter dimension (D2) of an in-board side constant velocity universal joint (40) is set smaller than the minimum diameter dimension (Dn) of the knuckle member (6).
US08480300B2
A device for analyzing a beam profile of a laser beam includes a carrier plate, a plurality of first temperature-sensitive measuring elements, in particular diodes, which are arranged in a preferably matrix-like arrangement on a first side of the carrier plate at a plurality of measuring locations, and a plurality of second temperature-sensitive measuring elements, in particular diodes, which are arranged in another preferably matrix-like arrangement on a second side of the carrier plate. One of the first measuring elements is arranged in each case opposite one of the second measuring elements and is thermally coupled to the first measuring element using strip conductors which extend through the carrier plate. Such a device can be included in a laser processing machine and used in an associated method for analyzing a beam profile of a laser beam.
US08480298B2
A device for positioning and contacting test contacts on a contact carrier for producing a test contact arrangement includes at least one contact head having at least one transmission channel for transmitting thermal energy. The contact head being equipped with a equipped with a test contact receptacle. The test contact receptacle includes a positioning device with at least two positioning faces for the positioned abutment against a test contact and the positioning of the test contact with an absorption region for absorbing the thermal energy in the channel mouth.
US08480296B2
A low temperature radiometer includes a main body, a main cavity, an exit cavity, a suspended thermometer, and an attached thermometer. The main cavity is disposed within the main body and is defined through an off-axis parabolic concentrating cone formed of the inner walls of the main body. The exit cavity is disposed within the main body and is defined through a cylindrical inner surface of the main body. The suspended thermometer is suspended within the exit cavity and is disposed to be in communication with radiation entering the main cavity and being diverted to the exit cavity. The attached thermometer is attached to the outer surface of the main body and is in thermal communication and contact with the main body.
US08480294B2
The invention relates to a balance spring (1, 1′) including a first hairspring (3, 3′) the curve of which extends in a first plane, a second hairspring (5, 5′) the curve of which extends in a second plane parallel to the first plane, an attachment member (4, 4′) securing one end of the curve of the first hairspring (3, 3′) to one end of the curve of the second hairspring (5, 5′) so as to form a dual balance spring (1, 1′) in series. According to the invention, the curve of the first hairspring (3, 3′) and the curve of the second hairspring (5, 5′) each include a continuously variable pitch and are symmetrical relative to a straight line (A) parallel to the first and second planes and passing through the median plane of projection of the attachment member (4, 4′) and in that each curve respects the relations. Px(0)=0 and Py(1)=2Py(0) in order to reduce displacements of the centre of mass thereof during contraction and expansion. The invention concerns the field of sprung balance resonators.
US08480292B2
The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for the reconstitution of dehydrated drinking products for use in a domestic setting. A captive magnetic mixing impeller is described. Furthermore, a dehydrated drinking product preparation system is described comprising a magnetic stir plate, a multipurpose mixing, storing, serving and drinking vessel with a captive magnetic mixing impeller and cap. Furthermore, methods for preparing dehydrated drinking products for human consumption are described using the apparatus and system.
US08480281B2
A backlight device for a liquid crystal display containing a substantially planar light guide with a light emission surface and a light-collecting portion opposing the light emission surface. A pair of opposing side portions may define the periphery of the light guide. A first plurality of LEDs are placed so as to direct the emitted light into the light-collecting portion. An NVIS filter is preferably placed adjacent to at least one of the side portions. A second plurality of LEDs are placed to direct the emitted light through the NVIS filter and into a side portion of the light guide. Alternative embodiments can contain NVIS filters and LEDs along additional edge portions of the light guide. Some embodiments may use directing elements or slanted surfaces of the light guide to direct the light from the second plurality of LEDs into the edge portions of the light guide.
US08480274B2
A lighting apparatus for use with a skateboard includes a light housing having top, bottom, and side walls defining an interior space. A fastener on the housing top wall is selectively attached to a lower surface of the skateboard. A plurality of lights is positioned in the light housing. A battery is also positioned in the light housing and electrically connected to the plurality of lights. The light housing wide walls are configured so that light from the plurality of lights is visible outside the light housing when the plurality of lights is energized. An extension structure may be connected to the light housing that extends away beyond one of the front and rear end of the skateboard. An entertainment device, such as a pinwheel is coupled to a free end of the extension structure.
US08480270B2
A headlamp aiming system is configured to include: a lamp unit; an actuator configured to displace the light axis of the lamp unit; an imaging apparatus configured to acquire the information necessary for adjustment of the light axis; and an ECU configured to control the actuator. By imaging a light distribution pattern formed by lighting the lamp unit with the imaging apparatus, and by controlling the actuator by the ECU such that the deviation between the position of an attention point in a light distribution pattern, obtained from the imaged image information, and the position of a reference point that has been set beforehand becomes the minimum or zero, an attitude of the lamp unit is adjusted such that aiming of the lamp unit can be automatically performed in a self-contained manner.
US08480264B2
A lighting apparatus is shown and described. In one aspect, the lighting apparatus includes a light source, a plate, and frame. The light source can include one or more lighting elements that are in thermal communication with the light source. The plate can have a dissipative portion extending outward from a point of thermal communication between the plate and the light source. The frame can at least partially enclose the light source and may also be in thermal communication therewith.
US08480263B1
A heat dissipation structure includes a base, a light emission module, a heat dissipation module, and a control circuit module. The base has two ends respectively forming an electrical connector section and an open cavity. The light emission module includes a substrate mounted in the open cavity and a plurality of light emission elements mounted on the substrate. The heat dissipation module includes a plurality of heat dissipation plates stacked on the substrate to form a concentrated heat dissipation zone. Each heat dissipation plate has a circumference forming a plurality of included side wing sections. The side wing sections of different heat dissipation plates have different inclination angle and form an expanded heat dissipation zone. The control circuit module is received in the base and is electrically connected to the substrate and the electrical connector section.
US08480262B2
A light emitting device includes a body, and a lampshade, a heat dissipation device and an adjusting plate are disposed on the body. The lampshade covers a light emitting diode (LED) module of the body and is capable of rotating relative to the body. The heat dissipation device has a plurality of heat dissipation fins covering a part of a lower edge of the lampshade, and a gap exists between two adjacent heat dissipation fins. The adjusting plate corresponds to the lower edge of the lampshade, and can be driven by the lampshade to adjust the width of the gap, so as to control a light profile generated by the light emitting device.
US08480261B2
The invention relates to a filter device for an illumination system, especially for the correction of the illumination of the illuminating pupil, including a light source, with the illumination system being passed through by a bundle of illuminating rays from the light source to an object plane, with the bundle of illuminating rays impinging upon the filter device, including at least one filter element which can be introduced into the beam path of the bundle of illuminating rays, with the filter element including an actuating device, so that the filter element can be brought with the help of the actuating device into the bundle of illuminating rays.
US08480259B2
A lighting apparatus includes one or more of a lens and a focus adjuster, a tilt adjuster, and a pan adjuster, each with corresponding indicia for setting focus, pan and tilt of the light apparatus.
US08480255B2
A light emitting diode (LED) lamp and socket system is disclosed. The lamp comprises a first pair of side connecting pins adapted to provide electrical input to at least one LED, the first pair of side connecting pins positioned at an angle from one another such that the angle between the first pair of side connecting pins is defined from the horizontal cross-sectional center of the lamp and the first pair of side connecting pins protrudes outwards from the lamp. The socket is adapted for receiving a LED lamp partially therein, it comprises a base portion adapted to secure at least one pair of side connecting pins of the LED lamp and a top portion adapted for receiving at least one pair of electrical wires, such that when the base portion and top portion are connected, each of the at least one pair of side connecting pins electrically contacts an electrical wire and thereby provides electrical input to the LED lamp.
US08480251B2
A backlight assembly includes: a light emitting unit having a plurality of unit LEDs formed in a matrix, each of the unit LEDs having a red LED, a green LED, and a blue LED; a plurality of bottom reflectors disposed under the respective unit LEDs; and a plurality of side reflectors disposed around the respective unit LEDs.
US08480247B2
A decoration system having a base object, receiving rings, decorative objects, and means for releasably coupling the decorative objects to the receiving rings. One or more of the receiving rings may rotate relative to the base object for a specified duration of time.
US08480246B2
A variety of methods and systems are described that relate to reducing optical noise. In at least one embodiment, the method includes, emitting a first light having a selected wavelength from a light source, receiving a reflected first light onto a phosphor-based layer positioned inside a receiver, the reflected first light being at least some of the emitted first light that has been reflected by an object positioned outside of a desired target location. The method further includes, shifting the wavelength of the received reflected first light due to an interaction between the received reflected first light and the phosphor-based layer, and passing the received reflected first light with respect to which the wavelength has been shifted through a light detector without detection.
US08480241B1
A space based occulter is provided. It comprises a base portion and a blanket section extending radially from the base portion. A plurality of starlight blocking petals are attached to the base portion and attached to the blanket section, the petals extending radially from the base portion, each of the petals being hingedly connected to an adjacent petal.
US08480229B2
A method for stabilizing contact lenses includes providing a lens design with a nominal set of stabilization zone parameters, applying a merit function to the lens design based on balancing moments of momentum, and creating a contact lens design with improved stabilization based on the application of the merit functions to the lens design with a nominal set of stabilization zone parameters.
US08480224B2
An aqueous inkjet printing fluid composition for use in an inkjet printer having a silicon-based material which contacts the aqueous printing fluid composition, including in a concentration sufficient to inhibit corrosion of the silicon-based material when contacted by the aqueous printing fluid composition a soluble metal ligand complex of Formula (I): wherein M represents a divalent or a trivalent metal; each of X and R may independently be chosen from the group consisting of halogen, cyano, carboalkoxy, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, hetaryl, carboxy, hydroxy, sulfo and phospho substituents; n and m independently represent an integer from 0-3; and the number of ligands y is 2 or 3; with the proviso that n+m is an integer from 1 to 6, and at least one of X and R comprises a solubilizing group capable of imparting water solubility to the complex. The useful lifetime of microelectromechanical fluidic devices based on silicon fabrication is extended.
US08480208B2
A liquid-droplet ejection head includes a nozzle substrate, a chamber substrate, a liquid supply substrate, a frame substrate, a driving circuit member, and wire members. The nozzle substrate includes nozzles. The chamber substrate is formed on the nozzle substrate and includes liquid chambers, diaphragms, and electro-mechanical transducers. The liquid supply substrate is formed on the chamber substrate and includes liquid supply channels. The frame substrate is formed on a first face of the liquid supply substrate opposite a second face of the liquid supply substrate formed on the chamber substrate. The driving circuit member that drives the electro-mechanical transducers is mounted on the frame substrate. The wire members connect the electro-mechanical transducers to the driving circuit member. A voltage applied to the electro-mechanical transducers through the wire members deforms the electro-mechanical transducers and the diaphragms to generate pressure in the liquid chambers.
US08480202B2
There is provided an eccentricity amount estimation device, including: a rotation body provided with plural detected portions disposed along the rotation direction at predetermined rotation angle intervals, each of the plural detected portions being formed such that from an outer peripheral end towards an inner peripheral end a width of the detected portion at a position at the peripheral inside is the same as or greater than the width at a position at the peripheral outside; a generating section that generates a pulse signal according to passing of each of the plural detected portions accompanying rotation of the rotation body; and an estimation section that estimates a physical quantity corresponding to an eccentricity amount of the rotation body, based on a high level side pulse width and a low level side pulse width within one period of the pulse signal generated by the generating section.
US08480197B2
A printing apparatus which prints by discharging ink droplets from a first nozzle array and a second nozzle array based on print data using a printhead including the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array for discharging ink droplets of the same color and different discharge amounts, the apparatus comprising: a specifying unit configured to specify a discharge failure nozzle in the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array; and a controller configured to assign print data corresponding to the discharge failure nozzle specified by the specifying unit to a nozzle of a nozzle array different from a nozzle array to which the discharge failure nozzle belongs, out of the first nozzle array and the second nozzle array.
US08480196B2
Described herein is a method and apparatus for driving a drop ejection device to produce drops having straight trajectories. In one embodiment, a method for driving a drop ejection device having an actuator includes building a drop of a fluid with at least one drive pulse by applying a multi-pulse waveform having the at least one drive pulse and a straightening pulse to the actuator. Next, the method includes causing the drop ejection device to eject the drop with a straight trajectory in response to the pulses of the multi-pulse waveform. The straightening pulse is designed to ensure that the drop is ejected without a drop trajectory error.
US08480190B2
A two-piece washing tank for a dishwasher and a method for manufacturing the two-piece washing tank for a dishwasher. The dishwasher includes a washing container and an assembly base made from plastic. The washing container has a base formed from a substantial portion of the top side of the plastic assembly base and side and rear walls formed substantially of stainless steel.
US08480184B2
A hydraulic motorcycle braking system is disclosed. In the hydraulic motorcycle braking system a pump suction valve, which is situated in a braking circuit that does not contain an isolating valve or a change-over valve, has a higher opening pressure than a pump suction valve which is situated in a braking circuit provided with an isolating valve and a change-over valve. Accordingly, pressure oscillations initiated during the start-up of the pump cannot have a retroactive effect or only have a slight retroactive effect on the actuated brake master cylinder.
US08480176B2
The invention provides a headrest for a dental treatment chair and a dental treatment chair wherein discomfort due to noise generated from dental treatment instruments can be reduced and communication between a dentist and a patient can be ensured.The headrest for the dental treatment chair and the dental treatment chair comprise a back head supporting member 91 for supporting a back of the head of the patient during dental treatment and ear supporting members 92 and 92 which can be bent in directions to cover ears of the patient at both ends of the back head supporting member 91. The ear supporting members 92 and 92 or the back head supporting member 91 has sound output sections 93 and 93 each for outputting a sound from a sound source, and the ear supporting members 92 and 92 have a sound collecting section 94 for collecting sounds in a surrounding environment. Acoustic filters 95 and 95 cut off frequencies higher than 8 kHz from a sound signal collected by the sound collecting section 94.
US08480175B2
The present invention provides for an automotive vehicle seat assembly allowing for fold flat functionality as well as sliding capabilities along a track located within the automotive vehicle. The seating assembly further including a plate. The seating assembly includes a handle bracket having an abutting edge, a biasing member connected to the handle bracket, and a planar bracket having a first end and a second end. The first end of the planar bracket having a stopper which abuts the abutting edge when in contact. The second end of the planar bracket operable to connect to a cable wherein the cable connects to a release mechanism allowing for movement of the seat assembly along the vehicle track. Sliding forward motion of the seat assembly is created when the handle bracket is rotated forward wherein the abutting edge contacts the stopper at the first end of the planar bracket, the planar bracket then rotates about a pivot point thereby pulling the cable and releasing a mechanism to allow for travel of the vehicle seat assembly. The fold flat functionality of the seat assembly occurs when the handle bracket is rotated upwards and the abutting edge travels over the stopper at the first end of the planar bracket thereby not activating the cable however still folding the seat back to a generally perpendicular position of the overall vehicle seat assembly.
US08480169B2
A bicycle seat assembly having an adjustable width nose portion includes an H-shaped base that supports a lateral left side pad and a lateral right side pad. A rail extends under the base and between the left and right side nose portions of the seat assembly. A front rail mount includes a housing, a shuttle, an actuator, and left and right mount supports. Operation of the actuator alters the position of the left and right mount supports relative to the housing and thereby alters a distance between the respective left and right side nose portions of the seat base.
US08480168B2
The present disclosure concerns embodiments of an operating support that supports a surgeon in a sitting position straddling a patient. By straddling the patient, the surgeon is ideally positioned to perform certain types of laparoscopic surgery, such as pelvic surgery, which requires the use of relatively long surgical instruments. The operating support supports the surgeon in a more ergonomically correct position that reduces the stress and strain on the surgeon's body as compared to the conventional technique of performing laparoscopic surgery in a standing position at one side of the operating table.
US08480163B2
In a center pillar structure, the strength of a center pillar is locally low at a weak portion and at a weak portion. Thus, when a vehicle is hit on the side, the center pillar bends at the weak portion and at the weak portion, and the other vehicle advances substantially horizontally. This can reduce the bending moment generated in the center pillar due to advancement of the other vehicle, so it is possible to control deformation of the center pillar in the event of a side collision while ensuring the strength of the center pillar.
US08480157B2
A vehicle window panel mounted in a window opening formed in a vehicle to close the opening includes a panel body obtained by molding a resin material. A light-transmitting window is integrally connected to the panel body, and a protrusion is integrally connected to the panel body to protrude toward at least one of an inside or outside of the vehicle.
US08480152B2
A storage assist device for a vehicle seat selectively changes in position between a use and a storage position. The device includes a supporting member for supporting a rotating shaft fixed to the seat cushion; a link member having a fixed portion fixed to the rotating shaft and an engagement portion provided at a position spaced from the fixed portion; a fixing member provided on the vehicle body floor side and disposed at a predetermined distance from the rotating shaft; and an urging spring mounted in a tensioned condition between the engagement portion of the link member and the fixing member that can apply the urging force in the urging direction. The link member is fixed to the rotating shaft such that the entire length of the urging spring is shortest when the seat center of gravity is located on a vertical surface including the rotating shaft.
US08480150B2
An armor panel assembly may comprise a set of bolts for attaching to a vehicle hull, an inner panel demountably attached to the bolts, and at least one outer panel demountably attached to the inner panel. The assembly may include a support panel for attaching the bolts to the hull and may further include brackets for mounting the support panel to the hull. Further, a kit of parts for forming a vehicle armor panel assembly may comprise a set of bolts for attaching to a vehicle hull, an inner panel demountably attachable to the bolts, and at least one outer panel demountably attachable to the inner panel.
US08480148B1
An exterior vehicle body assembly comprises a vehicle body panel and an exterior vehicle trim. The vehicle body panel includes a first mounting portion having a first pivot structure and a first attachment structure spaced from the first pivot structure. The exterior vehicle trim includes a second mounting portion having a second pivot structure and a second attachment structure. The second pivot structure mates with the first pivot structure such that the exterior vehicle trim is pivotally supported about a pivot axis defined by the mating of the first and second pivot structures between an initial installation position and a final installed position. The pivot axis extends in a vehicle heightwise direction of the exterior vehicle body assembly, and the first and second attachment structures are aligned with each other with the exterior vehicle trim being in the final installed position with respect to the vehicle body panel.
US08480140B2
A plastic sealing fastener includes a fixing member, a locking member defining a locking slot, a latching strip formed on the fixing member and a cover fixed on the fixing member. The locking member forms a locking portion in the locking slot. The cover defines a covering hole communicating with the locking slot, and a size of the covering hole is less than that of the locking slot. The locking portion comprises, for example, three locking teeth.
US08480139B2
A drum band assembly for securing a lid to a drum. The drum band assembly includes a band having a first free end and a second free end and an attachment device connected to the band, wherein the attachment device is adapted for removably attaching the band to the drum. The drum band assembly further includes a lid mounting device attached to the lid and the band, wherein the lid mounting device is adapted to allow the lid to open and close on the drum.
US08480138B2
A lock unit (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least a catch (2), a first pawl (3) having a pawl rotation axis (4), and a blocking lever (5), in which the catch (2) in a locked state of the lock unit (1) transfers a pivoting moment onto the first pawl (3) and in which the first pawl (3) is fixed by a blocking lever (5) and in which a second pawl (6) is provided that is mounted on the pawl rotation axis (4) and is engageable with the blocking lever (5) and the catch (2).
US08480135B2
A ferrule for a metal tube fitting includes an annular body having a generally cylindrical radially interior wall extending through the center of the ferrule. An outer radial wall extends from the ferrule front end to a rearward flange portion of the annular body. The outer radial wall has: a first tapered portion extending from the ferrule front end with an increasing radial dimension towards the rearward flange portion, the first tapered portion extending to a crown portion, the crown portion including a convex surface that tapers radially inwardly towards the rearward flange portion.
US08480134B2
A pipe fitting and associated piping joint assembly package allow re-use and repair of push-fit, formed piping elements without damage to the fitting or valve elements or the pipe, and without coining, gluing or threaded engagement of parts. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a pipe fitting having first and second radial housing elements for receiving one or more sealing members and a fastening ring, respectively. In one embodiment, the present invention further includes a sealing member stabilizer element, a housing divider element and a snap ring support member cooperatively engageable so as to facilitate the secure retention and optional removal of an inserted piping element.
US08480122B2
An airbag device equipped with an airbag having a reduced volume. An airbag inflated and expanded, by supplied gas, from a state folded in the rear of an instrument panel with respect to the vehicle's front-rear direction has an outer bag for restraining the upper body of a vehicle occupant from the front side in the vehicle's front-rear direction and also has a reaction force support tube inflated and expanded, by supplied gas, at the front on the inner side of the outer airbag. An inflator supplies gas to each of the outer bag and the reaction force support tube. When the outer bag restrains the upper body of the vehicle occupant, gas discharge from the reaction force support tube is suppressed by a one-way valve and the pressure in the reaction force support tube is maintained at a pressure higher than the pressure in the outer bag.
US08480121B2
An automobile airbag door is formed by a door base member, a door cover member, and a tear line. The door base member and the door cover member form a part of a base member and a part of a cover member of an instrument panel, respectively. When pressed by an airbag being deployed and inflated, the door base member is torn from the tear line. The first zone is defined as the bonded part between the outer surface of the door base member and the door cover member which extends along the tear line and includes a part on which the tear line is projected. The second zones are on both sides of the first zone and extend along the tear line. The automobile airbag door has a mechanism that makes the bond strength in the first zone weaker than the bond strength in each second zone.
