US08836133B2

An electronic apparatus includes a semiconductor substrate, a device structure supported by the semiconductor substrate, and a guard ring surrounding the device structure. The guard ring includes a plurality of conductive structures spaced apart from one another, supported by the semiconductor substrate, and coupled to a voltage source to establish an operating voltage for the guard ring.
US08836131B2

A semiconductor module is disclosed, including a substrate and at least one semiconductor component in bottom contact with the substrate. The semiconductor component including a main current branch sandwiched between the bottom and top of the semiconductor component. The side edges of a barrier layer zone coincide with the side edge portions of the semiconductor component between the top and the bottom. The space above the substrate and to the side of the semiconductor component is packed with an insulating compound at least up to the level of the top of the semiconductor component. Topping the semiconductor component and parallel thereto is a patterned or unpatterned metallization connected to a contact pad on the top of the semiconductor component.
US08836127B2

An integrated circuit device has a dual damascene structure including a lower via portion and an upper line portion. The lower via portion is formed in a polyimide layer, and the upper line portion is formed in an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer formed of USG or polyimide. A passivation layer is formed on the IMD layer, and a bond pad is formed overlying the passivation layer to electrically connect the upper line portion.
US08836111B2

Described herein is a semiconductor integrated device assembly, which envisages: a package defining an internal space; a first die including semiconductor material; and a second die, distinct from the first die, also including semiconductor material; the first die and the second die are coupled to an inner surface of the package facing the internal space. The second die is shaped so as to partially overlap the first die, above the inner surface, with a portion suspended in cantilever fashion above the first die, by an overlapping distance.
US08836104B2

Various stress relief structures are provided for effectively reducing thermal stress on a semiconductor chip in a chip package. Trenches on a metal substrate are created in groups in two-dimension, where each trench is opened from top or bottom surface of the metal substrate and in various shapes. The metal substrate is partitioned into many smaller substrates depending on the number of trench groups and partitions, and is attached to a semiconductor chip for stress relief. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of cylindrical metal structures are used together with a metal substrate in a chip package for the purpose of heat removal and thermal stress relief on a semiconductor chip. In another alternative embodiment, a metal foam is used together with a semiconductor chip to create a chip package. In another alternative embodiment, a semiconductor chip is sandwiched between a heat sink and a circuit board by solder bumps directly with underfill on the circuit board.
US08836097B2

A semiconductor device has a substrate with a plurality of conductive vias formed through the substrate and conductive layer formed over the substrate. A first encapsulant is deposited over the substrate outside a die attach area of the substrate. The first encapsulant surrounds each die attach area over the substrate and the die attach area is devoid of the first encapsulant. A channel connecting adjacent die attach areas is also devoid of the first encapsulant. A first semiconductor die is mounted over the substrate within the die attach area after forming the first encapsulant. A second semiconductor die is mounted over the first die within the die attach area. An underfill material can be deposited under the first and second die. A second encapsulant is deposited over the first and second die and first encapsulant. The first encapsulant reduces warpage of the substrate during die mounting.
US08836084B2

A crack prevention structure that reduces integrated circuit corner peeling and reduces cracking is disclosed. The crack prevention structure comprises a semiconductor substrate; a first plurality of dielectric layers of a first material disposed over the semiconductor substrate; a second plurality of dielectric layers of a second material different than the first material, disposed on the first plurality of dielectric layers, wherein the first plurality of dielectric layers and the second plurality of dielectric layers meet at an interface; and a plurality of metal structures and a plurality of via structures formed through the interface of the first plurality of dielectric layers and the second plurality of dielectric layers.
US08836083B2

A method of forming features on a target layer. The features have a critical dimension that is triple- or quadruple-reduced compared to the critical dimension of portions of a resist layer used as a mask. An intermediate layer is deposited over a target layer and the resist layer is formed over the intermediate layer. After patterning the resist layer, first spacers are formed on sidewalls of remaining portions of the resist layer, masking portions of the intermediate layer. Second spacers are formed on sidewalls of the portions of the intermediate layer. After removing the portions of the intermediate layer, the second spacers are used as a mask to form the features on the target layer. Integrated circuit devices are also disclosed.
US08836078B2

The present disclosure involves a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having a horizontal surface. The semiconductor device includes an interconnect structure formed over the horizontal surface of the substrate. The interconnect structure includes an inductor coil that is wound substantially in a vertical plane that is orthogonal to the horizontal surface of the substrate. The interconnect structure includes a capacitor disposed proximate to the inductor coil. The capacitor has an anode component and a cathode component. The inductor coil and the capacitor each include a plurality of horizontally extending elongate members.
US08836076B2

A semiconductor device includes a memory element including a stack structure stacking an insulator film and a metal film or a metal compound film; and a transistor including a gate structure having an identical stack structure as that of the memory element.
US08836075B2

According to one embodiment, a fabrication method for a semiconductor device includes: injecting an ion into a first substrate; joining the first substrate and a second substrate; irradiating a microwave to agglomerate the ion in a planar state in a desired position in the first substrate and form an agglomeration region spreading in a planar state; separating the second substrate provided with a part of the first substrate from the rest of the first substrate by exfoliating the joined first substrate from the second substrate in the agglomeration region; and grinding a part of the second substrate on a back surface opposite to an exfoliated surface in the second substrate provided with a part of the first substrate.
US08836074B2

A semiconductor memory device includes linear patterns disposed between isolation trenches extending in a first direction in a semiconductor device and having a first crystal direction the same as the semiconductor substrate. A bridge pattern connects at least two adjacent linear patterns and includes a semiconductor material having a second crystal direction different from the first crystal direction. A first isolation layer pattern is disposed in at least one of the isolation trenches in a field region of the semiconductor substrate. Memory cells are disposed on at least one of the linear patterns.
US08836064B2

Light sensors including dielectric optical coatings to shape their spectral responses, and methods for fabricating such light sensors in a manner that accelerates lift-off processes and increases process margins, are described herein. In certain embodiments, a short duration soft bake is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, temperature cycling is performed. Alternatively, or additionally, photolithography is performed using a photomask that includes one or more dummy corners, dummy islands and/or dummy rings. Each of the aforementioned embodiments form and/or increase a number of micro-cracks in the dielectric optical coating not covering the photodetector sensor region, thereby enabling an accelerated lift-off process and an increased process margin. Alternatively, or additionally, a portion of the photomask can include chamfered corners so that the dielectric optical coating includes chamfered corners, which improves the thermal reliability of the dielectric optical coating.
US08836052B2

An electromechanical transducer includes multiple elements each having multiple cells, with each cell including a first electrode formed from a conductive substrate, and a second electrode opposed to a first face of the conductive substrate and across a gap. The multiple cells of each of the elements are electrically connected, and the conductive substrate is divided for each of the elements by grooves extending from the first face to a second face which is opposite from the first face. In addition, insulating films are formed on opposing side walls of the conductive substrate and define each of the grooves, wherein a gap width of each of the grooves is narrower on the second face side of the conductive substrate than on the first face side of the conductive substrate.
US08836028B2

In a general aspect, a power device can include at least one N-type epitaxial layer disposed on a substrate and a plurality of N-pillars and P-pillars that define alternating P-N-pillars in the at least one N-type epitaxial layer. The power device can also include an active region and a termination region, where the termination region surrounds the active region. The alternating P-N-pillars can be disposed in both the active region and the termination region, where the termination region can include a predetermined number of floating P-pillars.
US08836027B2

The present invention relates to a switch circuit, and more particularly, to a switch circuit that uses an LDMOS (lateral diffusion metal oxide semiconductor) device inside an IC (Integrated Circuit). In the switch circuit that uses the LDMOS device according to an embodiment of the present invention, a gate-source voltage (VGS) of the LDMOS device may be stably controlled through a current source and resistances, the characteristics of a switch may be maintained regardless of the voltages of both terminals (A and B) by using an N-type LDMOS and a P-type LDMOS in a complementary manner, and the current generated by the current source is offset inside the switch without flowing to the outside of the switch.
US08836024B2

An electronic device can include a transistor structure, including a patterned semiconductor layer overlying a substrate, wherein the patterned semiconductor layer defines first and second trenches. The electronic device can also include a first conductive structure within the first trench, a gate electrode within the first trench and overlying the first conductive structure, a first insulating member within the second trench, and a second conductive structure within the second trench. The second conductive structure can include a first portion and a second portion overlying the first portion, the first insulating member can be disposed between the patterned semiconductor layer and the first portion of the second conductive structure; and the second portion of the second conductive structure can contact the patterned semiconductor layer at a Schottky region. Processes of forming the electronic device can take advantage of integrating formation of the Schottky region into a contact process flow.
US08836017B2

A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a plurality of first epitaxial layers, a second epitaxial layer and a gate structure. The plurality of first epitaxial layers is stacked on a substrate and has a first conductivity type. Each first epitaxial layer includes at least one first doping region and at least one second doping region adjacent thereto. The first doping region has a second conductivity and the second doping region has the first conductivity type. The second epitaxial layer is disposed on the plurality of first epitaxial layers, having the first conductivity type. The second epitaxial layer has a trench therein and a third doping region having the second conductivity type is adjacent to a sidewall of the trench. The gate structure is disposed on the second epitaxial layer above the second doping region. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is also disclosed.
US08836009B2

A MONOS Charge-Trapping flash (CTF), with record thinnest 3.6 nm ENT trapping layer, has a large 3.1 V 10-year extrapolated retention window at 125° C. and excellent 106 endurance at a fast 100 μs and ±16 V program/erase. This is achieved using As+-implanted higher κ trapping layer with deep 5.1 eV work-function of As. In contrast, the un-implanted device only has a small 10-year retention window of 1.9 V at 125° C. A MoN—[SiO2—LaAlO3]—[Ge—HfON]—[LaAlO3—SiO2]—Si CTF device is also provided with record-thinnest 2.5-nm Equivalent-Si3N4-Thickness (ENT) trapping layer, large 4.4 V initial memory window, 3.2 V 10-year extrapolated retention window at 125° C., and 3.6 V endurance window at 106 cycles, under very fast 100 μs and low ±16 V program/erase. These were achieved using Ge reaction with HfON trapping layer for better charge-trapping and retention.
US08836003B2

Deep trench capacitor structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a deep trench structure in a wafer including a substrate, buried oxide layer (BOX) and silicon (SOI) film. The structure includes a wafer including a substrate, buried insulator layer and a layer of silicon on insulator layer (SOI) having a single crystalline structure throughout the layer. The structure further includes a first plate in the substrate and an insulator layer in direct contact with the first plate. A doped polysilicon is in direct contact with the insulator layer and also in direct contact with the single crystalline structure of the SOI.
US08835993B2

Gate-all-around integrated circuit devices include first and second source/drain regions on an active area of an integrated circuit substrate. The first and second source/drain regions form p-n rectifying junctions with the active area. A channel region extends between the first and second source/drain regions. An insulated gate electrode surrounds the channel region.
US08835988B2

The present invention describes a hybrid integrated circuit comprising both CMOS and III-V devices, monolithically integrated in a single chip. It allows the almost complete elimination of the contamination issues related to the integration of different technologies, maintaining at the same time a good planarization of the structure. It further simplifies the fabrication process, allowing the growth of high quality III-V materials on (100) silicon substrates lowering the manufacturing cost. Moreover, differently from many prior art attempts, it does not require silicon on insulator technologies and/or other expensive process steps. This invention enables the consolidation on the same integrated circuit of a hybrid switching power converter that takes advantage of the established circuit topologies of CMOS circuitries and of the higher mobility and voltage withstanding of III-V HEMT devices.
US08835981B2

According to embodiments of the present invention, a solid-state image sensor has a semiconductor element substrate having a plurality of photo electric conversion elements, an interlaminar insulating film having wires, formed at a first surface of the semiconductor element substrate, a color filter having a plurality of dye films of a plurality of colors, formed at a second surface of the semiconductor element substrate, a micro lens array having a plurality of micro lenses, formed above the color filter, a plurality of inner lenses formed between the photoelectric conversion elements and the dye films, and a shroud that surrounds each of the inner lenses, formed above the second surface of the semiconductor element substrate.
US08835959B2

A transparent light emitting diode (LED) includes a plurality of III-nitride layers, including an active region that emits light, wherein all of the layers except for the active region are transparent for an emission wavelength of the light, such that the light is extracted effectively through all of the layers and in multiple directions through the layers. Moreover, the surface of one or more of the III-nitride layers may be roughened, textured, patterned or shaped to enhance light extraction.
US08835955B2

A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate structure and method of fabrication including a single crystal silicon substrate, a layer of single crystal rare earth oxide formed on the substrate, a layer of engineered single crystal silicon formed on the layer of single crystal rare earth oxide, and a single crystal insulator layer of IIIOxNy formed on the engineered single crystal silicon layer. In some embodiments the III material in the insulator layer includes more than on III material. In a preferred embodiment the single crystal rare earth oxide includes Gd2O3 and the single crystal insulator layer of IIIOxNy includes one of AlOxNy and AlGaOxNy.
US08835947B2

In a display apparatus including an organic EL element utilizing the optical interference effect, and a lens, a diameter of the lens is set such that, of light radiated from the organic EL element into a protective layer, light radiated at a larger angle than an angle, at which a light intensity distribution of the light radiated into the protective layer with respect to a radiation angle of the light takes a local minimum value, is not output to the outside of the display apparatus.
US08835940B2

A method and structure for stabilizing an array of micro devices is disclosed. The array of micro devices is formed on an array of stabilization posts formed from a thermoset material. Each micro device includes a bottom surface that is wider than a corresponding stabilization post directly underneath the bottom surface.
US08835931B2

An optoelectronic component for mixing electromagnetic radiation having different wavelengths, more particularly in the far field. A first semiconductor chip for emitting electromagnetic radiation in a first spectral range is provided on a carrier. Furthermore, at least one a second semiconductor chip for emitting electromagnetic radiation in a second spectral range is provided on the carrier. The first and second spectral ranges differ from one another. The first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip are arranged in a single package. The first semiconductor chip is optically isolated from the second semiconductor chip by a barrier. The first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip are arranged centosymmetrically about a common center o(Z) of symmetry.
US08835917B2

An object is to provide a semiconductor device having electrical characteristics such as high withstand voltage, low reverse saturation current, and high on-state current. In particular, an object is to provide a power diode and a rectifier which include non-linear elements. An embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor device including a first electrode, a gate insulating layer covering the first electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer in contact with the gate insulating layer and overlapping with the first electrode, a pair of second electrodes covering end portions of the oxide semiconductor layer, an insulating layer covering the pair of second electrodes and the oxide semiconductor layer, and a third electrode in contact with the insulating layer and between the pair of second electrodes. The pair of second electrodes are in contact with end surfaces of the oxide semiconductor layer.
US08835916B2

In an organic thin film (a light emitting layer) of an organic EL element, an organic thin film having an emitting material which is made up of an organic polymer main backbone polymerized with a molecular chain, which emits light having a maximum value at a wavelength different from a wavelength at which an emission spectrum emitted by the main backbone itself has a maximum value, and nanosized particles which are mixed into the emitting material is used as the light emitting layer. According to the above configuration, the maximum values of the emission spectra of light emitted by the molecular chain and the main backbone of the emitting material can be increased. Moreover, the light which has the emission spectra having the plural maximum values can be generated without depending on the plural emitting materials, so that the light emitting layer can be manufactured easily.
US08835912B2

The present invention discloses an OLED panel and the OLED display device thereof. The OLED panel includes a metallic absorbing film, disposed on a light-out side of the OLED panel and grounded, for absorbing electromagnetic radiation produced by the OLED panel. The present invention uses the metallic absorbing film integrating on a glass substrate on a light-out side so that the metallic absorbing film absorbs the electromagnetic radiation from the OLED panel effectively and has the advantages of a simple structure and cheap material.
US08835895B2

A resistive-change memory element-containing memory device including: a first memory element that includes a first resistive-change layer and a first electrode connected to the first resistive-change layer; and a second memory element that includes a second resistive-change layer and a second electrode connected to the second resistive-change layer, wherein at least one of the thickness and the material of the second resistive-change layer and the area of the second electrode in contact with the second resistive-change layer is different from the corresponding one of the thickness and the material of the first resistive-change layer and the area of the first electrode in contact with the first resistive-change layer.
US08835889B1

A thermally assisted magnetic memory cell device includes a substrate, a first electrode disposed on the substrate, a magnetic tunnel junction disposed on the first electrode, a second electrode disposed on the magnetic tunnel junction, a conductive hard mask disposed on the second electrode and a parallel shunt path coupled to the magnetic tunnel junction, thereby electrically coupling the first and second electrodes.
US08835888B2

In an integrated gimbal and High-Powered Multiband Laser (HPMBL) for use in an infrared countermeasure apparatus in a pod mounted on an aircraft, the improvement comprises an optical bench that connects the optical path between side-by-side mounted gimbal and high power laser; and a kinematic mounting system that prevents optical bench bending.
US08835883B2

A charged particle radiation device includes a sample chamber in which a sample stage adapted to mount a sample is installed, a charged particle radiation irradiation section adapted to irradiate the sample with a charged particle radiation to observe and fabricate the sample, sidewalls installed on a periphery of the sample chamber and the charged particle radiation irradiation section, a ceiling board installed on a plane located in an upper part of the sidewalls, and a sound absorbing structure section disposed below the ceiling board, and including a plurality of hole sections and a hollow section communicated with the hole sections. The sound absorbing structure section has an absorption band including a frequency band of a standing wave generated in a space surrounded by the sidewalls and the ceiling board. Further, a soundproof cover may include the sidewalls, ceiling board and sound absorbing structure.
US08835882B2

The invention provides a method to real time monitor the ion beam. Initially, turn on an ion implanter which has a wafer holder, a Faraday cup and a measurement device positioned close to a special portion of a pre-determined ion beam path of the ion beam, wherein the Faraday cup is positioned downstream the wafer holder and the measurement device is positioned upstream the wafer holder. Then, measure a first ion beam current received by the Faraday cup and a second ion beam current received by the measurement device. By continuously measuring the first and second ion beam current, the ion beam is real-time monitored even the Faraday cup is at least partially blocked during the period of moving the wafer holder across the ion beam. Accordingly, the on-going implantation process and the operation of the implanter can be adjusted.
US08835876B2

An inspection apparatus for a sheet of paper subjected to a process to impart a translucent property such as a “watermark” or a “security window” includes: an inspection cylinder in which a surface facing the sheet of paper is provided with a luminescence-producing portion; UV-LED illuminators which irradiate the sheet of paper with light containing the ultraviolet rays; a color camera which images the sheet of paper; an ultraviolet cut filter which eliminates the ultraviolet rays in the light emitted from the UV-LED illuminators and reflected off the sheet of paper as well as the luminescence-producing portion and makes only the light having wavelengths longer than wavelengths of the ultraviolet rays incident on the color camera; and a control device which determines appropriateness of a processed portion on the sheet of paper having the translucent property on the basis of luminescence in a visible light range produced by the luminescence-producing portion and made incident on the color camera.
US08835875B2

To overcome the disadvantages introduced by using UV sensors to detect the intensity of UV light in water purification apparatuses, a novel detection apparatus to “visualize” the quality of water in the form of visible light, instead of digitizing the intensity of UV light includes s a first detection window, coated with a first material for converting a received first ultraviolet light into a first visible light. The first ultraviolet light is emitted from an ultraviolet light source and traverses the liquid, and the detection apparatus further mixes the first visible light with second visible light to generate a third visible light. The different color of the third visible light can represent the different quality of the water.
US08835872B2

A sample stage device (10) is so configured as to calculate ideal position information xtg(i), tg(i) per predetermined period that is unaffected by drive conditions relating to gaps (25, 26), etc., and to determine, per predetermined cycle and in real time, deviations dx(i), dy(i) between real-time measured positions x(i), y(i) by position detectors comprising laser interferometers (33, 34), etc., and ideal position information xtg(i), tg(i). In addition, it calculates, based on deviations dx(i), dy(i) thus determined, such speed command values vx(i), vy(i) for motors (27, 28) that measured values x(i), y(i) would follow ideal position information xtg(i), tg(i), and performs stable and high-speed positioning control for a sample table (11) through feedback control that controls speed in real time. Thus, with respect to a sample stage device, it is possible to provide a stable and high-speed positioning control method for a sample table, which is capable of suppressing noise caused by thermal drift and vibration, without being affected by drive conditions, such as the initial states of gaps, etc.
US08835871B2

An electron cyclotron resonance ion source device includes a plasma chamber configured to contain a plasma; a high-frequency system configured to transmit a high-frequency wave into the chamber; a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field in the chamber; an accelerating tube including an isolating structure and an extraction system, the magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field being entirely located downstream of the isolating structure.
US08835858B2

Systems and methods for attenuation compensation in nuclear medicine imaging based on emission data are provided. One method includes acquiring emission data at a plurality of energy windows for a person having administered thereto a radiopharmaceutical comprising at least one radioactive isotope. The method also includes performing a preliminary reconstruction of the acquired emission data to create one or more preliminary images of a peak energy window and a scatter energy window and determining a body outline of the person from at least one of the reconstructed preliminary image of the peak energy window or of the scatter energy window. The method further includes identifying a heart contour and segmenting at least the left lung. The method additionally includes defining an attenuation map based on the body outline and segmented left lung and reconstructing an image of a region of interest of the person using an iterative joint estimation reconstruction.
US08835855B2

To provide a sighting device for use in a security sensor system, in which device enables an operator, assigned to conduct a sighting work, to look into the sighting device from a proper direction. The sighting device includes an eyepiece lens provided with a microlens, an objective lens provided with a first marker encompassed within the field of view of the eyepiece lens, and a reflecting mirror disposed on an optical path between the eyepiece lens and the objective lens. The first marker is comprised of a circular contour line or a polygonal contour line and is so set that when a viewing axis offsets from a tolerance, the first marker is viewed with a part thereof dropped out having been offset from the field of view of the microlens.
US08835850B2

A human body sensing device being mounted on an object comprises: a first and second sensor being mounted on a vertical plane of the object and each having a pair of a positive and negative electrode; and a lens covering over the first and second sensors, wherein: the lens forms a sensing block in a sensing area constituting a plane perpendicular to the vertical plane, the sensing block including the positive and negative electrodes of the first sensor, and the positive and negative electrodes of the second sensor; either a first virtual line or an extended part thereof and either a second virtual line or an extended part thereof have a point of intersection in the sensing area; and the first and second virtual lines are symmetric with respect to a line perpendicular to the vertical plane of the object and passing through the point of intersection.
US08835849B1

A method for obtaining a reflectance image from a plurality of thermal images utilizes a technique of A) obtaining a first thermal image of a subject, the first image containing both temperature and reflectance data; B) changing the environmental temperature of the scene, C) obtaining a second thermal image of the subject, the second image containing both temperature and reflectance data from the scene with said changed environmental temperature; and D) deriving a third image from the first and second images, that third image being essentially a reflectance image. In one embodiment, the third image is derived by subtracting the data in the first image from the data in the second image, or subtracting the data in the second image from the data in the first image. In another embodiment, either of the first or second images are processed along with the third image to produce a temperature image substantially devoid of reflectance information. A system for performing such techniques is also disclosed.
US08835844B2

The present invention has the object of providing charged particle beam irradiation method ideal for reducing the focus offset, magnification fluctuation and measurement length error in charged particle beam devices. To achieve these objects, a method is disclosed in the invention for measuring the electrical potential distribution on the sample with a static electrometer while loaded by a loader mechanism. Another method is disclosed for measuring the local electrical charge at specified points on the sample, and isolating and measuring the wide area electrostatic charge quantity from those local electrostatic charges. Yet another method is disclosed for correcting the measurement length value or magnification based on fluctuations found by measuring the amount of electrostatic charge at the specified points under at least two charged particle optical conditions, and then using a charged particle beam to measure fluctuations in measurement dimensions occurring due to fluctuations in the electrostatic charge at the specified locations.
US08835842B2

Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for determining an characteristic of a material. The characteristics may include, but are not limited to, crystallographic and chemical composition characteristics of a material.
US08835837B2

LC/MS data generated by an LC/MS system is analyzed to determine groupings of ions associated with originating molecules. Ions are grouped initially according to retention time, for example, using retention time or chromatographic peaks in mass chromatograms. After initial groupings are determined based on retention time, ion peak shapes are compared to determine whether ions should be excluded. Ions having peak shapes not matching other ions, or alternatively a reference peak shape, are excluded from the group.
US08835836B2

A mass spectrometer includes a first ion trap arranged upstream of an analytical second ion trap. The charge capacity of the first ion trap is set at a value such that if all the ions stored within the first ion trap up to the charge capacity limit of the first ion trap are then transferred to the second ion trap, then the analytical performance of the second ion trap is not substantially degraded due to space charge effects.
US08835828B2

A photoelectric conversion apparatus comprises: a first current amplifier for amplifying a current input through a first current input terminal; a first initializing unit for initializing a voltage of the first current input terminal; a first detector for detecting the voltage of the first current input terminal; a first feedback unit for feeding back the voltage to the first current amplifier; and a correction unit including a second current amplifier for amplifying a current input through a second current input terminal; a second initializing unit for initializing a voltage input through the second current input terminal; a second detector for detecting the voltage of the second current input terminal; a second feedback unit for feeding back the voltage detected by the second detector to the second current amplifier; and an arithmetic operation unit for correcting the current amplified by the first current amplifier.
US08835826B2

A pixel circuit for a depth sensor operating in a detection period and an output period in either a first operating mode (high incident light intensity) or a second operating mode (low incident light intensity). The pixel circuit includes a light receiving unit generating charge in response to the incident light, a signal generation unit accumulating charge in a FDN in response to a transmission signal, reset signal and selection signal during the detection period, and generating an analog signal having a level corresponding to a voltage apparent at the FDN during the output period, and a refresh transistor coupled between a supply voltage and the light receiving unit and discharging charge to the supply voltage in response to a refresh signal.
US08835808B2

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus to be used when welding two abutting sections of pipe or tubing, and also to purge blocks for establishing a localized inert atmosphere inside two abutting pipe sections in the region of a desired weld joint. The present invention comprises an inflatable bladder with elongated engaging members that can be removable positioned within the ends of two abutting pipe sections in order to center the two abutting sections of pipe and create the purge block.
US08835807B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure are also directed to a web-configuration system that includes at least one processor and one or more tangible, machine-readable media at least collectively including or storing instructions executable by the at least one processor. The instructions include a module configured to limit configuration options for a welding system based on user selection of a power source for the welding system, a module configured to calculate a weld cable size for the welding system based on the user selection of the power source and user selection of an input voltage, a module configured to assign weld cable characteristics based on the weld cable size and a user selected cable length, and a module configured to assemble a welding system order based at least on the user selection of the power source and the weld cable characteristics.
US08835802B2

A method of creating thin wafers of single crystal silicon wherein an ingot of single-crystal silicon with a (111) axis is flattened and polished at one end normal to the axis, and a notch with a vertex in the (111) plane is produced on a side or edge of the ingot, such that the distance between this vertex and said end is the desired thickness of a wafer to be cleaved from the ingot and such this vertex is in the desired plane of cleavage. Light of a wavelength able to penetrate into the silicon crystal without significant absorption, when the intensity of the beam is low, but is efficiently absorbed and converted to heat when the intensity of the beam is high, is focused to an elongated volume with an axis of elongation in the desired cleavage plane, parallel to and a short distance from said notch edge. Heating and the resulting transient local expansion of the silicon in this illuminated volume causes tensile stress at the vertex of said notch, substantially normal to the desired cleavage plane, thereby causing fracture of the crystal in the chosen cleavage plane. Movement of the illuminated volume relative to the ingot allows the fracture to propagate across the desired cleavage plane, thereby completely severing the wafer from the rest of the ingot.
US08835795B2

A method for optimizing a schedule for impulse welding including generating a weld lobe using a preexisting welding schedule, the schedule prescribing a current, a weld time, and a pressure; identifying an operating window on the weld lobe; analyzing the operating window, the analysis including determining a maximum time range of the operating window, and determining a maximum current range of the operating window; until (i) the determined maximum time range of the operating window is greater than a predetermined percentage of the prescribed weld time of the schedule and (ii) the determined maximum current range is greater than the prescribed current of the schedule, creating additional weld lobes by varying the pressure and repeating the identifying an operating window and the analyzing the operating window steps; and selecting, within the operating window satisfying conditions (i) and (ii), a second schedule including a second weld time, a second current, and a second pressure.
US08835794B2

In a process to connect components, especially metal components (1, 2), by at least one welding process, the components (1, 2) are at first brought together, or joined together, and are then simultaneously welded together at—at least—two differently located joining spots (3, 4) by a laser welding process and with the aid of robot control.
US08835792B2

A device and method for the removal of a metal-sheath layer from a metal-sheathed structure using capacitive discharge in conjunction with step-up and step-down transformers to create a low voltage, high current pulse to remove a selected portion of the metal-sheath layer from the metal-sheathed structure.
US08835790B2

A design for a winding is based on a material of low electrical resistance, such as copper, and of a diameter typically greater than 90 mm, intended to generate a magnetic field in an electrical contact for a medium voltage vacuum circuit-breaker. The winding includes a hollow cylinder including helical slots that are empty of material, arranged in parallel around its longitudinal axis, and that open out both to the hollow and to the outside of the cylinder. The angular length of each helical slot is equal to at least 360°. The design makes it possible to increase the level of the axial magnetic field (AMF) obtained by the winding(s) incorporated into an electrical contact of a vacuum circuit-breaker while improving uniformity, symmetry of the field, and production cost.
US08835789B2

An apparatus includes a surface; the surface has a conductive layer within a thickness of the surface. A trench is formed in the conductive layer to define a touch area, the touch area is isolated from the rest of the conductive layer. A conductive pickup is mounted on a back side of the surface over the touch area and the conductive pickup is electrically connected to a capacitive touch controller, such that when a user touches the touch area on a front side of the conductive the touch controller responds to the user's touch.
US08835785B2

A key switch structure capable of reducing the height of a key switch, reducing the number of components, and reducing manufacturing costs. The key switch structure includes: a key top; first and second linking mechanisms and adapted to support the key top; a membrane sheet having a contact point portion; a back plate disposed below the membrane sheet and having a function to guide light; and an LED sheet having an LED as a light emitting element disposed thereon, wherein the LED is disposed to be adjacent to the back plate.
US08835781B2

A toggle switch lockout clip including a clip body having a central region and including a latch portion protruding from the central region, the latch portion including an extension member and a hook member connected to the extension member to define a hook gap, a leg portion protruding from the central region away from the latch portion, a first side portion opposed from a second side portion, wherein the first and second side portions extend from the central region and define a gap therebetween, and an engagement portion positioned between the first and second side portions.
US08835777B2

An electronic device having a slide cover slidably attached in an openable/closable manner to a device case, and conceals a recording paper ejection opening in the device case; a waterproof gasket provided on either one of the slide cover and the device case in a part positioned in periphery of the recording paper ejection opening, and arranged between the slide cover and the device case surrounding the recording paper ejection opening, when the slide cover conceals the recording paper ejection opening; and a guide member which does not come in contact with the waterproof gasket on another side of the slide cover and the device case with which the waterproof gasket meets face to face during a sliding motion of the slide cover, and the waterproof gasket presses on both sides between the slide cover and the device case when the sliding motion is completed.
US08835776B2

An exemplary guideway mechanism includes four branches each including two parallel rails, four groups of connecting blocks each including four connecting blocks arranged at four corners of an imaginary square, and four supporting brackets each connecting one corresponding group of connecting blocks. Adjacent ends of the rails of each branch respectively connect two adjacent connecting blocks. Each of two ends of each rail connects one corresponding connecting block. Two adjacent rails respectively located in two adjacent branches are perpendicular to each other and connected together by a respective connecting block of one corresponding group of connecting blocks. The other two rails respectively located in the two adjacent branches connect another two respective connecting blocks of the one corresponding group of connecting blocks. The whole guideway mechanism is frame-shaped.
US08835760B2

Disclosed is an electric junction box in which a pair of cassette blocks is arranged at intervals to each other in a component-attaching direction, capable of downsizing without increase of the number of component. The electric junction box comprises a pair of cassette blocks, configured to attach electric components thereto, arranged at intervals mutually in a component-attaching direction; and a cross-sectionally U-shaped bus bar attached to one cassette block, electrically connected to the electric components, a middle of the bus bar being arranged in a direction perpendicular to the component-attaching direction, both ends of the U-shaped bus bar being arranged in the component-attaching direction, wherein the electric components attached to the other cassette block are opposed to the middle of the bus bar.
US08835758B2

An electronic device includes an enclosure body, a mounting apparatus, a securing apparatus, and a connector. The connector defines an engaging hole. The mounting apparatus includes a receiving housing and a first elastic member mounted in the receiving housing. The securing apparatus includes a sliding member mounted to the receiving housing and an engaging member. The engaging member is secured between the receiving housing and the sliding member. The engaging member is engaged in the engaging hole in a first position. The connector is received in the receiving housing and the first elastic member is compressed between the receiving housing and the connector in the first position. The connector moves out of the receiving housing from the first position to a second position when the sliding member slides relative to the receiving housing, to drive the engaging member to disengage from the engaging hole.
US08835756B2

A substrate-supported photoelectrode, which includes an essentially two-dimensional transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film supported by a substrate, wherein the film is doped with at least one element of Group III, and one or more single crystal essentially one-dimensional nanostructures that are integral with the film and grown upwardly therefrom without a boundary layer therebetween, wherein the film and the nanostructures are essentially identical in composition and include zinc oxide or a zinc oxide alloy. Methods for preparing the substrate-supported photoelectrode and solar cells incorporating the substrate-supported photoelectrode are also provided.
US08835754B2

A method of manufacturing see-through thin film solar cells includes the steps of: placing a patterned photo mask above a first substrate which has a photoelectric conversion film formed on the surface thereof; and ablating the photoelectric conversion film via a laser beam passing through the patterned photo mask to form at least one hollow-out zone with different transmittance. By incorporating the laser beam with the photo mask in the manufacturing process, the problem of shortened laser lifespan caused by frequent switching of the laser for ablating patterns that occurs to the conventional technique can be resolved. Through controlling the thickness of the patterned photo mask, grey scale patterns can be displayed and resolution thereof can also be increased, thereby improve the added value of the thin film solar cells.
US08835750B2

The present invention is an optically transparent laminate film comprising: at least three layers of film, wherein at least two of the at least three layers comprise ionomeric films, and wherein the film can be suitable for use in a photovoltaic cell or in packaging.
US08835744B2

A solar cell module having a solar cell panel with strings of electrically-coupled solar cells arranged in a row includes one or more lead wires that electrically couple the strings and a junction box. The one or more lead wires are arranged such that they do not overlap with each other and such that one or more of the lead wires includes a portion that overlaps and does not electrically connect to interconnector of a string. The lead wires include an interconnector connection part connected to a respective string interconnector, and the interconnector connection parts of the lead wires are arranged in a straight line.
US08835738B2

Musical performance/input systems, methods, and products can accept user inputs via a user interface, generate, sound, store, and/or modify one or more musical tones. The user interface can present one or more regions corresponding to related chords. A set of related chords and/or a set of rhythmic patterns are generated based on a selected instrument and a selected style of music. The related chords can be modified via one or more effects units.
US08835737B2

A piano tablature includes tab keys indicating a new measure where the tab keys display a standard piano keyboard. Middle C on a piano keyboard is highlighted. A tab measure includes note indicators for a selected song. The first beat of a tab measure is indicated by the bottom horizontal line of the tab header and each horizontal line of the tab measure below the bottom horizontal line represents a new beat in the measure, the placement of the note indicator can be traced vertically to a tab header to a corresponding note. White keys are represented by placing a note indicator between 2 vertical lines in the tab measure and black keys are represented by placing a note indicator directly on a vertical line. A piano tab is read from top to bottom.
US08835733B2

This invention relates to a musical instrument, specifically a frame cajon comprising a cuboid frame with structural surfaces on the top and bottom that completely support the weight of the player allowing multiple playable sides to be attached for the percussionist. Two of the sides are further partitioned to produce a high and low pitched tone. Where a raspier tone is desired, snare wires are strung vertically between top and bottom horizontal members of the frame. The vertical members on each side of the snares are slightly concave to gently engage the snares with the playing surface. One side has a 16″ drum head mounted for playing, resonance, and tuning the cajon. The cajon is raised a minimum of two and a half inches on casters or by other means to acoustically decouple the cajon from the floor to improve tone and clarity.
US08835721B2

The invention provides seed and plants of broccoli hybrid PX 05181808 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of broccoli hybrid PX 05181808 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a broccoli plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another broccoli plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants.
US08835716B2

The present invention relates to processes for modifying the thermal and/or digestion properties of corn starches and corn flours.
US08835714B2

Isolated nucleic acids and proteins associated with lipid and sugar metabolism regulation are provided. In particular, lipid metabolism proteins (LMP) and encoding nucleic acids originating from Arabidopsis thaliana are provided. The nucleic acids and proteins are used in methods of producing transgenic plants and modulating levels of seed storage compounds. Preferably, the seed storage compounds are lipids, fatty acids, starches or seed storage proteins.
US08835711B2

The present invention relates to transgenic animals comprising a mutation or deletion to the ANF-RGC protein, particularly to its ARM and/or its ATS-ST region. Such animals may be used to study the effects on pathways associated with ANF-RGC activation, including, but not limited to, hypertension. Such animals may also be used in drug screen assays, to establish toxicity profiles, or other similar methods discussed herein known in the art.
US08835707B2

An asbestos detoxification method comprising a step B1 of impregnating an existing asbestos layer with an asbestos melting agent and detaching the existing asbestos layer; a step B2 of pulverizing the existing asbestos layer; a step B3 of loading the pulverized material obtained in step B2 into a melting furnace; a step B4 of heating a resin subsidiary material used in the disposal of the asbestos layer to vaporize the resin portion thereof and further converting the vaporized resin portion into plastic oil; a step B5 of combusting either or both of the plastic oil obtained in step B4 and a fuel; and a step B6 of heating and melting the pulverized material that is in the melting furnace with the use of the heat obtained in step B5. By this detoxification method, it is possible not only to detoxify asbestos sprayed onto a surface of a base material such as a base material of a building, or asbestos-containing building material at low energy, but also to detoxify and recycle various subsidiary materials that are used in the detoxification and are required to be disposed of as specially controlled industrial waste, at the same time.
US08835695B2

A method for oxidizing saturated hydrocarbons with oxygen, preferably saturated cyclic hydrocarbons such as cyclohexane, to produce alkyl hydroperoxide is described. A method for oxidizing saturated hydrocarbons with oxygen in a plurality of consecutive steps to control the rate of the reaction and obtain a high degree of alkyl hydroperoxide selectivity is also described. The described methods can relate to methods for condensing oxidation gases recovered in an oxidation reactor and recycling thereof.
US08835692B2

A method for preparing a polyol having the following general formula (I): the method including a step of transesterification followed by a step of thiolation. The present invention also relates to polyols with the formula (T) such as those defined above.
US08835688B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing aromatic amines by hydrogenation of corresponding nitroaromatics by means of hydrogen, and also an apparatus suitable for this purpose. In particular, the invention relates to a process for preparing toluenediamine (TDA) by hydrogenation of dinitrotoluene (DNT).
US08835674B2

This invention relates to conjugated diene phosphinate compounds for making halogen free phosphinate-containing flame retardants, inimer and metal extractants, method for preparing said compounds from unsaturated ketones or aldehydes, and the 5 use thereof. The compounds of the present invention having the following formula (III), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 represent, independently, hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, or alkenyl groups; R7 represents hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl groups, or metals selected from the group consisting of Na, Li, Ca.
US08835673B2

Process for preparing aromatic isocyanates by reacting the corresponding formamides with an oxygen-comprising gas over noble metal catalysts at temperatures of from 300 to 600° C. and a contact time of from 1 to 1000 ms, wherein: a. the formamide is vaporized before entering the reaction zone, b. the reaction mixture obtained is quenched with an alcohol-comprising quenching liquid and c. the urethane formed is dissociated into isocyanate and alcohol.
US08835668B2

The invention relates to a new process for producing useful intermediates for the manufacture of NEP inhibitors or prodrugs thereof, in particular NEP inhibitors comprising a γ-amino-δ-biphenyl-α-methylalkanoic acid, or acid ester, backbone, such as N-(3-carboxyl-1-oxopropyl)-(4S)-(p-phenylphenylmethyl)-4-amino-(2R)-methyl butanoic acid ethyl ester or salt thereof.
US08835667B2

The present invention relates to electrolyte formulations comprising at least one compound of formula (I) Ma+[B(Rf)(CN)x(F)y]a— (I) in which Ma+ is an inorganic or organic cation, Rf denotes straight-chain or branched perfluoroalkyl groups having 1 to 4 C atoms, C6F5, C6H5, partially fluorinated phenyl or phenyl which is monosubstituted or disubstituted by perfluoroalkyl groups having 1 to 4 C atoms, a is 1 or 2, x is 1, 2 or 3, y is 0, 1 or 2 and x+y is 3 and their use in an electrochemical and/or optoelectronic device such as a photovoltaic cell, a capacitor, a light emitting device, an electrochromic or photo-electrochromic device, an electrochemical sensor and/or biosensor, preferably their use in a dye or quantum dot sensitized solar cell.
US08835663B2

Provided is a lubricity improver capable of improving lubricity and storage stability due to anti-oxidation, the lubricity improver containing a saturated fatty acid methyl ester derivative including at least one 1,2-dimethoxy ethylene structural unit represented by Chemical Formula a below, obtained by converting a double bond (olefin) of biodiesel, which is used as a lubricity improver of fuel, that is, the existing fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), into a dimethoxy group.
US08835656B2

The invention provides a universal linker capable of synthesizing nucleic acid having a hydroxy group at the 3′ terminal, a universal support carrying the linker, and a synthesis method of nucleic acid using the universal support. The linker contains a compound represented by the formula wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification.
US08835652B2

Delta crystalline form of the compound of formula (I): characterised by its X-ray powder diffraction diagram. Medicinal products containing the same which are useful in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
US08835644B2

The invention provides novel antimicrobial chemical entities based on a nitrothiazolide backbone that exhibit antibacterial and antiparasitic action against a wide range of human pathogens. The new classes of compounds show extended action against Gram positive bacteria including MRSA drug resistant pathogens. In the Gram-positive organisms, they specifically target and functionally inhibit microbial attachment to surfaces and biofilm formation. In Gram-negative bacteria, including enteroaggregative E. coli strains, these compounds function as pilicides by inhibiting the assembly of pilin subunits into adhesive filaments. Several of these compounds show potent antimicrobial action against Gram positive bacteria, perhaps involving novel targets. Many of the benzothiophene derivatives exhibit antimicrobial activity in the low micrograms per ml range and in blocking biofilm formation in the nanomolar range; ranges considered are well within the range of utility as therapeutics.
US08835643B2

Embodiments provided herein relate to molecules, compositions, and methods for light absorption. In some embodiments, the molecules and/or compositions can be used to absorb ultraviolet light. In some embodiments, the ultraviolet light absorption compound can be used in a sunscreen composition. In some embodiments, the compound includes an azobenzene group for the absorption of ultraviolet light.
US08835640B1

Described are novel nicotine derivatives represented by general formulas (I) and (III), and salts thereof, and herbicide & pharmaceutical compositions containing the same as the active ingredient. The compound and salts thereof can control annual or perennial weed growing on the land where various crops such as rice plant, wheat, cotton and corn grow for a wide period ranging from the pre-emergence to growth in a remarkably small dose. The compounds and salts thereof can be useful as an anti-microbial and anti-fungal agents and also for the treatment of blood pressure, skeletal muscle, attention deficit disorder, mental disorders, schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson's disease and depression. Also described is the preparation of the nicotine derivatives having formula (I) and (III).
US08835637B2

Novel iridium-based Ir(III) luminescent complexes, conjugates comprising these complexes as a label and their application, for example in the electrochemiluminescence based detection of an analyte.
US08835636B2

A method for producing a hydroxypyrazine derivative represented by formula (I) (wherein R1 represents a halogen atom), the method including reacting a pyrazine derivative represented by formula (III) (wherein R2 represents a nitrile group, an N-unsubstituted or N-substituted carbamoyl group, an ester group or a carboxyl group, M represents a cation capable of forming a salt, and n represents a number corresponding with the valence of M) with a halogenating agent. According to the present invention, a hydroxypyrazine derivative that functions as a production intermediate for the dichloropyrazine derivative can be produced efficiently at low cost.
US08835634B2

The present invention relates to methods for the treatment of a pathology associated with hyperglycaemia, particularly diabetes, by administering quinoxalinone compounds of formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as defined in the claims. The compounds have activity as insulin secretion stimulators. The invention also relates to the preparation and use of these quinoxalinone compounds for modulating insulin secretion in insulin-1 cells by contacting the cells with the compounds.
US08835630B1

The present disclosure relates, inter alia, to compositions and methods for treating viral diseases and cancer. There are disclosed lipophilic antiviral and anticancer acyclic nucleoside phosphonate diesters, preparation thereof, and methods of using the compounds to treat viral diseases and cancer.
US08835627B2

Process for the synthesis of ivabradine of formula (I): and addition salts thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable acid.
US08835621B2

The present invention provides synthetic 5′UTRs comprising a first polynucleotide fragment and a second polynucleotide fragment, wherein the first polynucleotide fragment comprises at least one splice site of a first eukaryotic gene, the second polynucleotide fragment comprises at least a portion of 5′ untranslated region of a second eukaryotic gene, and the first polynucleotide fragment is located 5′ of the second polynucleotide fragment. In one embodiment, the first polynucleotide fragment comprises the second intron of a sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase gene and the second polynucleotide fragment comprises at least a portion of the 5′ untranslated region (5′UTR) of a eukaryotic casein gene. The synthetic 5′UTRs are useful for increasing the expression of a transgene when positioned between a promoter and a transgene within an expression vector. The present invention also provides vectors comprising synthetic 5′UTRs and methods for increasing the expression of a transgene using synthetic 5′UTRs.
US08835615B2

The present invention provides 2′-fluorine-4′-substituted-nucleoside analogs or their pro-drugs or 5′-phosphate esters (including the pro-drugs of the 5′-phosphate esters), preparation methods and uses thereof. The compounds have the general formula as follows: wherein: The compounds are used in the synthesis of drugs for the treatment of virus infection, especially for the treatment of HBV, HCV or HIV infection.
US08835605B2

Cancer-targeting peptides and uses thereof in cancer diagnosis.
US08835603B2

The invention provides agents and vaccines for treating and diagnosing celiac disease. In particular, the present invention provides a combination of three peptides that are useful for treating and diagnosing celiac disease in a large proportion of patients.
US08835599B2

The present invention provides, among other things, segmented, degradable polymeric reagents suitable for reaction with biologically active agents to form conjugates, the polymeric reagents comprising one or more polymer chains divided or separated by one or more degradable linkages into polymer segments having a molecular weight suitable for renal clearance. The polymeric reagents can have a substantially linear structure, a branched structure, or a multiarm structure. Each structure includes one or more linkages capable of degradation in vivo.
US08835590B2

The present invention relates to an organopolysiloxane composition that can be vulcanized at room temperature into an elastomer that is crosslinked by polycondensation and that does not contain alkyltin-based catalysts and also to novel organopolysiloxane polycondensation catalysts.
US08835588B2

The present invention provides dual catalyst systems containing a metallocene catalyst and a hydrogen scavenging catalyst, and polymerization processes employing these dual catalyst systems. Due to a reduction in hydrogen levels in the polymerization processes, olefin polymers produced from these polymerization processes may have a higher molecular weight, a lower melt index, and higher levels of unsaturation.
US08835587B2

Provided are catalyst systems, processes for polymerizing one or more olefins, polymers resulting therefrom, and articles prepared from such polymers. The processes comprise contacting under polymerization conditions one or more olefin monomers, preferably propylene, with a catalyst system comprising a transition metal compound and an activator of the formula (1) or (2) as described herein. The polymer compositions described herein exhibit advantageously narrow composition distributions and high melting points in comparison to conventional polymers having the same comonomer content. The polymers described herein exhibit improved properties, e.g., pellet stability, impact properties, heat seal properties, and structural integrity in film and fabricated parts applications.
US08835583B2

A composition including an actinic radiation or thermally curable polyorganosiloxane ionomer having one or more reactive groups, for example, vinyl, acrylate, epoxy groups.
US08835579B2

The present invention relates to a process for polymerizing (hetero)aromatic compounds under formation of aryl-aryl C—C couplings for preparing conjugated polymers with high molecular weight and high regioregularity, and to novel polymers obtainable by this process. The invention further relates to the use of the novel polymers as semiconductors or charge transport materials in optical, electrooptical or electronic devices including field effect transistors (FETs), thin film transistors (TFT), electroluminescent, photovoltaic and sensor devices.
US08835576B2

Provided are processes and systems for recovering hydrocarbons in a vent stream from a polymerization process. The methods and systems may include the recovery of an olefin monomer from a polymerization vent gas using ethylene refrigeration to condense and recover the olefin monomers from the vent gas. In some embodiments, the methods and systems may also include compression and condensation of polymerization vent gas, recompression of ethylene refrigerant, and use of an expander compressor turbine device for ethylene refrigeration.
US08835575B2

A process for continuously producing water-absorbing polymer particles, wherein the monomer stems from at least two different sources and the monomer from one source differs from the monomer from at least one other source in the content of at least one secondary component.
US08835574B2

Novel adhesive compositions that can be used in the die attach process. The adhesives include a curable resin component, a curing agent, and a block copolymer additive. The block copolymer additive has a glass transition temperature of at least about 40° C. The block copolymer additive improves the affinity of the adhesive composition to a hydrophilic substrate, such as a silicon wafer, during the die pickup process. Also disclosed is an assembly which includes a hydrophilic substrate and a layer of adhesive and methods of producing the assembly.
US08835573B2

The invention relates to a composite system comprising at least one biodegradable blend, containing at least one biodegradable block copolyester urethane (PEU) and also at least one polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), possibly a filler comprising a polysaccharide and/or derivatives thereof and also possibly further biocompatible additives. Composite systems of this type are used for producing molded articles, molded parts or extrudates. Furthermore, the invention relates to possibilities for using the composite system.
US08835565B2

Preformed stabilizers useful for the production of low viscosity, high solids polymer polyols are produced by free-radical polymerization of: (a) at least one ethylenically unsaturated macromolecule or macromer with (b) at least three different ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the presence of (c) at least one free-radical polymerization initiator, and, optionally, (d) a liquid diluent, and, optionally, (e) a chain transfer agent.
US08835561B2

Branched block polymers, and the rubber compositions containing them, which can be used, in particular, for manufacturing tires or semi-finished products for tires. Processes for preparing said polymers and compositions are also disclosed.
US08835555B2

The present invention has an objective to easily obtain an emulsion exhibiting superior storage stability, and in particular, an emulsion of a polyorganosiloxane. The present invention provides a method for producing an emulsion characterized by obtaining an emulsion by emulsifying a mixture of an oil and a surfactant, obtained by synthesizing the surfactant in the oil. In particular, the method is suitably used for the preparation of an emulsion of an organopolysiloxane (A) which is usually difficult to be stably emulsified. A silicone-based surfactant (B), and in particular, a silicone-based surfactant having a small degree of polymerization of a siloxane chain such as a trisiloxane is synthesized in an oil. Thereby, an emulsion exhibiting superior storage stability can be produced.
US08835549B2

An engine part coated with an engine-parts-coating composition comprising (i) at least one of a polyfluoroalkyl group and a polyfluoropolyether group, (ii) an organopolysiloxane group, and (iii) an alkoxysilyl group.
US08835544B2

The invention relates to an acrylic polymer, modified with one or more hard core core/shell impact modifier, which is blended with one or more low melt viscosity polymer. The alloy formed by the blend has good impact properties, good melt processability, high modulus, high surface hardness, and excellent resistance to chemical attack.
US08835539B2

A resin composition containing fine paper powder used in molding is obtained by using a non-intermeshing type counter-rotating twin-screw kneading extruder (10) having rotor units (11b, 12b) disposed in at least a part of screws (11, 12), respectively, to knead a raw material containing a fine paper powder of an average particle diameter of 10 to 100 μm from 20 to 70 parts by weight, and a thermoplastic resin from 30 to 80 parts by weight, with a sum of the fine paper powder and the thermoplastic resin being 100 parts by weight, at a temperature of no more than 210° C.
US08835537B2

A natural fiber based, melt processable composite material comprising a polymer matrix of a biodegradable polymer and dried peat as a reinforcing agent.
US08835536B2

A highly loaded silica wet masterbatch utilizing a functionalized silica dry precipitated silica with a specific surface area in the range of 100 to 300 m2/gm treated with a plurality of silanes coupling agents to form a wet polymer silica masterbatch, then blending the masterbatch with a latex rubber component that includes a styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber or a blend of the styrene-butadiene copolymer rubber and another conjugated diene base rubber using a plurality of coupling agents simultaneously.
US08835524B2

Disclosed is a resin precursor composition including a bifunctional (meth)acrylate containing a fluorine atom, a bifunctional (meth)acrylate having a fluorene structure, and a photopolymerization initiator, the resin precursor composition in which the formation of precipitates during its storage is suppressed; and a resin obtained from the same.Specifically disclosed is a resin precursor composition that contains a bifunctional fluorine-containing (meth)acrylate (component A); a (meth)acrylate having a fluorene structure (component B); and a photopolymerization initiator (component C), wherein the component B includes a bifunctional (meth)acrylate having a fluorene structure (b-1) and a monofunctional (meth)acrylate having a fluorene structure (b-2) at a molar ratio (b-1):(b-2) of 90:10 to 70:30.
US08835505B1

A ready-to-use injectable, co-solvents (ternary mixture) pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of cardiac conditions and diagnosis applications, comprising methyl-3-[4-(2-hydroxy-3-isopropylamino)propoxy]phenylpropionate hydrochloride (Esmolol hydrochloride), a buffering agent, ethanol and propylene glycol. The ready-to-use injectable, co-solvents (ternary mixture) pharmaceutical composition is capable of being stored in a modified flexible plastic container that may be heat-sterilized without deformation and/or without having the integrity of the closure system being compromised. A method for the manufacture of the ready-to-use injectable, co-solvents (ternary mixture) pharmaceutical composition is also disclosed.
US08835495B2

The present invention relates to an association of active ingredients. More specifically: to an association of cyclobenzaprine and aceclofenac. Additionally, the present invention is also related to the use of aceclofenac and cyclobenzaprine, in association for the preparation of a medicine useful in the treatment of painful muscular diseases, as well as to a method of treatment of painful muscular diseases using an association of aceclofenac and cyclobenzaprine.
US08835487B2

The invention provides methods for treating multiple sclerosis by administering biotin. The invention also provides methods for treating sequalae after multiple sclerosis attacks by administering biotin.
US08835480B2

The present invention relates to polyamides capable of inhibiting ARE-, GRE- and ERE-mediated gene regulation in cells. The invention also relates to methods to treat diseases related to ARE-, GRE- and ERE-mediated gene regulation.
US08835476B2

The synthesis and activity of novel LpxA inhibitors is described, these inhibitors present antibacterial activity. The compounds were designed based on a receptor model developed using the crystal structure of LpxA and are arranged to have a favorable binding interaction at the active site of the enzyme. In particular, the compounds present the following formula (I) where V, W, X, Y and Z can be independently C, S, N or O and P1, P2 and P3 are ligands to bind to the three points of the proposed pharmacophore model. They can be chosen from a variety of groups.
US08835463B2

The compounds shown by their structural formulas in the specification have analgesic and or immunostimulant activity in mammals.
US08835455B2

The present invention relates to novel crystalline forms of sodium salt of trans-7-oxo-6-(sulphooxy)-1,6-diazabicyclo[3,2,1]octane-2-carboxamide (e.g., NXL-104) thereof. The present invention relates to compositions comprising a crystalline form of sodium salt of trans-7-oxo-6-(sulphooxy)-1,6-diazabicyclo[3,2,1]octane-2-carboxamide (e.g., NXL-104) alone or in combination with an antibacterial agent (e.g., ceftaroline fosamil). Processes for the preparation of the crystalline forms and methods of treating bacterial infections by administering the crystalline forms alone or in combination with an antibacterial agent (e.g., ceftaroline fosamil) are also described.
US08835454B2

Compounds of Formula I, including pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: wherein A is selected from the group of: are useful as HIV attachment inhibitors.
US08835439B2

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of compounds which are therapeutically active in the central nervous system.In one aspect, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of compounds of the general formula (I): wherein HA is a pharmaceutically acceptable acid and R1-R4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, and di-C1-C6-alkylamino-C2-C6-alkoxy. The invention also relates to the use of said compound to manufacture a medicament for the treatment of a serotonin-related disorder.
US08835437B2

The invention further relates to a DGAT inhibitor of formula (I), including any stereochemically isomeric form thereof, wherein A represents CH or N; the dotted line represents an optional bond in case A represents a carbon atom; X represents —NRx—C(═O)—; —Z—C(═O)—; —Z—NRx—C(═O)—; —S(═O)p—; C(═S)—; —NRx—C(═S)—; —Z—C(═S)—; —Z—NRx—C(═S)—; —O—C(═O)—; —C(═O)—C(═O)—; R1 represents a 5-membered monocyclic heterocycle containing at least 2 heteroatoms; a 6-membered aromatic monocyclic heterocycle; or a 5-membered heterocycle containing at least 2 heteroatoms fused with phenyl, cyclohexyl or a 5-or 6-membered heterocycle; wherein each of said heterocycles may optionally be substituted; R2 represents R3; R3 represents C3-6cycloalkyl, phenyl, naphtalenyl, 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxinyl, 1,3-benzodioxlyl, 2,3-dihydrobenzofuranyl or a 6-membered aromatic heterocycle containing 1 or 2 N atoms, wherein said C3-6cycloalkyl, phenyl, naphtalenyl, 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzo-dioxinyl, 1,3-benzodioxolyl, 2,3-dihydrobenzofuranyl or 6-membered aromatic heterocycle may optionally be substituted; a N-oxide thereof, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a solvate thereof. The invention further relates to methods for preparing such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds as well as the use as a medicine of said compounds.
US08835427B2

Disclosed are compounds of Formula 1 and Formula 1A including all stereoisomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof, wherein E, Y1, Y2, Y3, G, J, X1 and X2 are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula 1 or Formula 1A and methods for controlling plant disease caused by a fungal pathogen comprising applying an effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.
US08835423B2

The present invention provides compounds that modulate the activity of Janus kinases and are useful in the treatment of diseases related to activity of Janus kinases including, for example, immune-related diseases, skin disorders, myeloid proliferative disorders, cancer, and other diseases.
US08835409B2

3-Alkenyl-6-halo-4-aminopicolinic acids and their derivatives are potent herbicides demonstrating a broad spectrum of weed control.
US08835407B2

The present invention is directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising prasugrel and a cyclodextrin derivative, and methods of making and using the same.
US08835395B2

The present invention broadly provides novel peptides that can be used to form hydrogels. The peptides are short (preferably 30 amino acid residues or less) and include hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments joined by a turning segment. The hydrogels are formed by altering the pH of a solution of these peptides to an acidic level, or by introducing a source of ions into a solution of these peptides. The resulting hydrogels are shear thinning gels that have high storage moduli and high rates of recovery after destruction. They find use in medical applications, including tissue engineering.
US08835379B2

Acylated CGRP compounds with a linker have prolonged action and are valuable as medicaments.
US08835376B2

A process for making particles for delivery of drug nanoparticles is disclosed herein. The process comprises the steps of (a) forming a suspension of drug nanoparticles by mixing a precipitant solution with an anti-solvent solution under micro-mixing environment, where the formed nanoparticles have a narrow particle size distribution; (b) providing an excipient to at least one of the precipitant solution, the anti-solvent solution and the suspension of drug nanoparticles, the excipient being selected to maintain said drug nanoparticles in a dispersed state when in liquid form; and (c) drying the suspension of drug nanoparticles containing the excipient therein to remove solvent therefrom, wherein removal of the solvent causes the excipient to solidify and thereby form micro-sized matrix particles, each micro-sized particle being comprised of drug nanoparticles dispersed in a solid matrix of the excipient.
US08835373B2

Fluid fabric enhancer compositions comprising external structurants and processes for making and using same are provided. Such fluid fabric enhancer compositions can have a rich impression, stabilize/suspend performance ingredients such as perfume microcapsules, be easily poured/dosed and minimizes residue build up in laundry machine dispensers. In addition, such compositions have tunable rheologies.
US08835365B2

Provided is a lubricating oil composition for round die rolling, which is obtained by blending a base oil with: (A) 0.5 to 40 mass % of a monoester having 13 to 48 carbon atoms (a-1) and/or 0.5 to 30 mass % of a fatty dicarboxylate having 13 to 34 carbon atoms (a-2); (B) 0.01 to 10 mass % of a thiadiazole compound; (C) 0.01 to 15 mass % of a thiophosphite; and (D) 0.01 to 5 mass % of a triazole compound. The lubricating oil composition for round die rolling shows excellent processing performance without using any chlorine-based compound, and is able to improve lubricity in a bearing to lengthen the life of the bearing.
US08835364B2

Breaking compositions are disclosed for controlled breaking of borate cross-linked fracturing fluids, and to method for making and using same, where the composition includes an oxidative component and an ester component.
US08835355B2

This invention provides low-dose, low-concentration formulations of phytotoxic trace inorganic compounds for use in methods and systems for selectively and effectively controlling invasive plants.
US08835352B2

There is disclosed an indicator composition, the application thereof to substrates, and related products. The indicator composition comprises an organic solvent soluble polymer and a redox sensitive material which displays different visible properties in the oxidized and reduced forms. The organic solvent soluble polymer can be at least partially sulfonated polystyrene. The indicator composition can be dissolved in organic solvents such as acetone, ethanol and ethyl acetate to form inks which can be used in a variety of printing processes. The indicator composition can be used to detect oxidizing agents, oxygen, water, reducing agents, UV light, temperature and the passage of time.
US08835345B2

There is provided a catalyst comprising metal nanoparticles supported on nanocrystalline cellulose and a homogeneous catalyst system comprising this catalyst colloidally suspended in a fluid. There is also provided a method of producing this catalyst and various uses thereof.
US08835342B2

One aspect of the present invention relates to mesostructured zeolites. The invention also relates to a method of preparing mesostructured zeolites, as well as using them as cracking catalysts for organic compounds and degradation catalysts for polymers.
US08835332B2

A film deposition method, in which a film of a reaction product of a first reaction gas, which tends to be adsorbed onto hydroxyl radicals, and a second reaction gas capable of reacting with the first reaction gas is formed on a substrate provided with a concave portion, includes a step of controlling an adsorption distribution of the hydroxyl radicals in a depth direction in the concave portion of the substrate; a step of supplying the first reaction gas on the substrate onto which the hydroxyl radicals are adsorbed; and a step of supplying the second reaction gas on the substrate onto which the first reaction gas is adsorbed.
US08835322B2

The invention discloses a method for reducing a minimum line width in a spacer-defined double patterning process of the present invention. In the method, the silicon nitride spacers can be converted into trenches in the interlayer dielectric layer by using a silicon dioxide film as a mask and by means of a chemically mechanical polishing process and an etching process, so that the minimum line width of the trenches can be determined by the width of the silicon nitride spacers, and thus a smaller line width can be achieved and the process can be simple and easy to control.
US08835321B2

A method of forming fine patterns in a semiconductor device includes forming narrow-width patterns in a first region and wide-width patterns in a second region, where the widths of the narrow-width patterns are smaller than the resolution limitations in a photolithography process used to make the semiconductor device. The first and second regions may comprise cell array regions, with memory cells in the first region and peripheral circuits for operating the memory cells in the second region. The semiconductor device can be, for example, a NAND FLASH memory device. The semiconductor memory device can be variously classified according to the type of memory cells to be integrated in the cell array region, e.g., a DRAM, an SRAM, a PRAM, a RRAM, an MRAM, and a FRAM. In other embodiments, a MEMS device, an optoelectronic device, or a processor, such as CPU or DSP, may be provided on the semiconductor substrate.
US08835317B2

Methods and apparatuses for filling high aspect ratio features with tungsten-containing materials in a substantially void-free manner are provided. In certain embodiments, the method involves depositing an initial layer of a tungsten-containing material followed by selectively removing a portion of the initial layer to form a remaining layer, which is differentially passivated along the depth of the high-aspect ration feature. In certain embodiments, the remaining layer is more passivated near the feature opening than inside the feature. The method may proceed with depositing an additional layer of the same or other material over the remaining layer. The deposition rate during this later deposition operation is slower near the feature opening than inside the features due to the differential passivation of the remaining layer. This deposition variation, in turn, may aid in preventing premature closing of the feature and facilitate filling of the feature in a substantially void free manner.
US08835312B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming an interlayer insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, the interlayer insulating film including a trench, forming a work function metal layer in the trench, forming an insulating film on the work function metal layer, forming a sacrificial film on the insulating film and filling the trench, forming a sacrificial film pattern with a top surface disposed in the trench by etching the sacrificial film, forming an insulating film pattern by selectively etching a portion of the insulating film which is formed higher than the sacrificial film pattern, and forming a work function metal pattern with a top surface disposed in the trench by selectively etching a portion of the work function metal layer which is formed higher than the insulating film pattern.
US08835310B2

Electrodes, which contain molybdenum dioxide (MoO2) can be used in electronic components, such as memory or logic devices. The molybdenum-dioxide containing electrodes can also have little or no molybdenum element, together with a portion of molybdenum oxide, e.g., MoOx with x between 2 and 3. The molybdenum oxide can be present as molybdenum trioxide MoO3, or in Magneli phases, such as Mo4O11, MO8O23, or Mo9O26. The molybdenum-dioxide containing electrodes can be formed by annealing a multilayer including a layer of molybdenum and a layer of molybdenum oxide. The oxygen content of the multilayer can be configured to completely, or substantially completely, react with molybdenum to form molybdenum dioxide, together with leaving a small excess amount of molybdenum oxide MoOx with x>2.
US08835309B2

A method of performing a silicide contact process comprises a forming a nickel-platinum alloy (NiPt) layer over a semiconductor device structure; performing a first rapid thermal anneal (RTA) so as to react portions of the NiPt layer in contact with semiconductor regions of the semiconductor device structure, thereby forming metal rich silicide regions; performing a first wet etch to remove at least a nickel constituent of unreacted portions of the NiPt layer; performing a second wet etch using a dilute Aqua Regia treatment comprising nitric acid (HNO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl) and water (H2O) to remove any residual platinum material from the unreacted portions of the NiPt layer; and following the dilute Aqua Regia treatment, performing a second RTA to form final silicide contact regions from the metal rich silicide regions.
US08835298B2

The amount of Pt residues remaining after forming Pt-containing NiSi is reduced by performing a rework including applying SPM at a temperature of 130° C. in a SWC tool, if Pt residue is detected. Embodiments include depositing a layer of Ni/Pt on a semiconductor substrate, annealing the deposited Ni/Pt layer, removing unreacted Ni from the annealed Ni/Pt layer, annealing the Ni removed Ni/Pt layer, removing unreacted Pt from the annealed Ni removed Ni/Pt layer, analyzing the Pt removed Ni/Pt layer for unreacted Pt residue, and if unreacted Pt residue is detected, applying SPM to the Pt removed Ni/Pt layer in a SWC tool. The SPM may be applied to the Pt removed Ni′/Pt layer at a temperature of 130° C.
US08835297B2

A fabricating method for fabricating a non-volatile memory structure including the following steps is provided. A first conductive type doped layer is formed in a substrate. A plurality of stacked structures is formed on the substrate, and each of the stacked structures includes a charge storage structure. A first dielectric layer is formed on the substrate between the adjacent stacked structures. A second conductive type doped region is formed in the substrate between the adjacent charge storage structures. The second conductive type doped region has an overlap region with each of the charge storage structures. In addition, the second conductive type doped region divides the first conductive type doped layer into a plurality of first conductive type doped regions that are separated from each other. A conductive layer is formed on the first dielectric layer.
US08835293B2

Methods of forming conductive elements on and in a substrate include forming a layer of conductive material over a surface of a substrate prior to forming a plurality of vias through the substrate from an opposing surface of the substrate to the layer of conductive material. In some embodiments, a temporary carrier may be secured to the layer of conductive material on a side thereof opposite the substrate prior to forming the vias. Structures, including workpieces formed using such methods, are also disclosed.
US08835290B2

Compositions and methods for doping silicon substrates by treating the substrate with a diluted dopant solution comprising tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme) and a dopant-containing material and subsequently diffusing the dopant into the surface by rapid thermal annealing. Diethyl-1-propylphosphonate and allylboronic acid pinacol ester are preferred dopant-containing materials, and are preferably included in the diluted dopant solution in an amount ranging from about 1% to about 20%, with a dopant amount of 4% or less being more preferred.
US08835284B2

Annealed wafers having reduced residual voids after annealing and reduced deterioration of TDDB characteristics of an oxide film formed on the annealed wafer, while extending the range of nitrogen concentration contained in a silicon single crystal, are prepared by a method wherein crystal pulling conditions are controlled such that a ratio V/G between a crystal pulling rate V and an average axial temperature gradient G is ≧0.9×(V/G)crit and ≦2.5×(V/G)crit, and hydrogen partial pressure is ≧3 Pa and ≦40 Pa. The silicon single crystal has a nitrogen concentration of >5×1014 atoms/cm3 and ≦6×1015atoms/cm3, a carbon concentration of ≧1×1015 atoms/cm3 and ≦9×1015 atoms/cm3, and heat treatment is performed in a noble gas atmosphere having an impurity concentration of ≦5 ppma, or in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.
US08835282B2

A method for forming a multi-material thin film includes providing a multi-material donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and an overlying film comprising GaN. Energetic particles are introduced through a surface of the multi-material donor substrate to a selected depth within the single crystal silicon. The method includes providing energy to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action in the donor substrate. Then, a cleaving action is made using a propagating cleave front to free a multi-material film from a remaining portion of the donor substrate, the multi-material film comprising single crystal silicon and the overlying film.
US08835276B2

A semiconductor substrate is provided in which an alignment mark is formed that can be used for an alignment even after the formation of an impurity diffused layer by the planarization of an epitaxial film. A trench is formed in an alignment region of an N+-type substrate. This trench is used to leave voids after the formation of an N−-type layer. Then, the voids formed in the N+-type substrate can be used as an alignment mark. Thus, such a semiconductor substrate can be used to provide an alignment in the subsequent step of manufacturing the semiconductor apparatus. Thus, the respective components constituting the semiconductor apparatus can be formed at desired positions accurately.
US08835271B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor display device having an interlayer insulating film which can obtain planarity of a surface while controlling film formation time, can control treatment time of heating treatment with an object of removing moisture, and can prevent moisture in the interlayer insulating film from being discharged to a film or an electrode adjacent to the interlayer insulating film. An inorganic insulating film containing nitrogen, which is less likely to transmit moisture compared with an organic resin, is formed so as to cover a TFT. Next, an organic resin film containing photosensitive acrylic resin is applied to the organic insulting film, and the organic resin film is partially exposed to light to be opened. Thereafter, an inorganic insulting film containing nitrogen, which is less likely to transmit moisture compared with an organic resin, is formed so as to cover the opened organic resin film. Then, in the opening part of the organic resin film, a gate insulating film and the two layer inorganic insulating film containing nitrogen are opened partially by etching to expose an active layer of the TFT.
US08835267B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed. A strained material is formed in a cavity of a substrate and adjacent to an isolation structure in the substrate. The strained material has a corner above the surface of the substrate. The disclosed method provides an improved method for forming the strained material adjacent to the isolation structure with an increased portion in the cavity of a substrate to enhance carrier mobility and upgrade the device performance. In an embodiment, the improved formation method is achieved using an etching process to redistribute the strained material by removing at least a portion of the corner to be located in the cavity.
US08835266B2

The present disclosure provides a buried channel semiconductor structure in which a crystallographic wet etch is used to tailor the profile of etched regions formed into a multilayered substrate which includes a compound semiconductor layer located atop a buried semiconductor channel material layer. The use of crystallographic wet etching on a compound semiconductor allows one to tailor the shape of a source recess region and a drain recess region formed into a multilayered substrate. This allows for the control of gate overlap/underlap. Also, the use of crystallographic wet etching on a compound semiconductor allows independent control of the length of an underlying buried semiconductor channel region.
US08835251B2

A semiconductor device includes a transistor, a capacitor and a resistor wherein the capacitor includes a doped polysilicon layer to function as a bottom conductive layer with a salicide block (SAB) layer as a dielectric layer covered by a Ti/TiN layer as a top conductive layer thus constituting a single polysilicon layer metal-insulator-polysilicon (MIP) structure. While the high sheet rho resistor is also formed on the same single polysilicon layer with differential doping of the polysilicon layer.
US08835250B2

A finFET trench circuit is disclosed. FinFETs are integrated with trench capacitors by employing a trench top oxide over a portion of the trench conductor. A passing gate is then disposed over the trench top oxide to form a larger circuit, such as a DRAM array. The trench top oxide is formed by utilizing different growth rates between polysilicon and single crystal silicon.
US08835247B2

A sensor array for detecting particles, the sensor array comprising a substrate having a plurality of holes, a plurality of electronic sensor chips each having a sensor active region being sensitive to the presence of particles to be detected, and an electric contacting structure adapted for electrically contacting the plurality of electronic sensor chips, wherein the plurality of electronic sensor chips and/or the electric contacting structure are connected to the substrate in such a manner that the plurality of holes in combination with the plurality of electronic sensor chips and/or the electric contacting structure form a plurality of wells with integrated particle sensors.
US08835245B2

When forming sophisticated semiconductor devices, a replacement gate approach may be applied in combination with a self-aligned contact regime by forming the self-aligned contacts prior to replacing the placeholder material of the gate electrode structures.
US08835239B1

Various aspects of the technology include a quad semiconductor power and/or switching FET comprising a pair of control/sync FET devices. Current may be distributed in parallel along source and drain fingers. Gate fingers and pads may be arranged in a serpentine configuration for applying gate signals to both ends of gate fingers. A single continuous ohmic metal finger includes both source and drain regions and functions as a source-drain node. A set of electrodes for distributing the current may be arrayed along the width of the source and/or drain fingers and oriented to cross the fingers along the length of the source and drain fingers. Current may be conducted from the electrodes to the source and drain fingers through vias disposed along the surface of the fingers. Heat developed in the source, drain, and gate fingers may be conducted through the vias to the electrodes and out of the device.
US08835238B2

A semiconductor structure is provided, which includes multiple sections arranged along a longitudinal axis. Preferably, the semiconductor structure comprises a middle section and two terminal sections located at opposite ends of the middle section. A semiconductor core having a first dopant concentration preferably extends along the longitudinal axis through the middle section and the two terminal sections. A semiconductor shell having a second, higher dopant concentration preferably encircles a portion of the semiconductor core at the two terminal sections, but not at the middle section, of the semiconductor structure. It is particularly preferred that the semiconductor structure is a nanostructure having a cross-sectional dimension of not more than 100 nm.
US08835236B2

A method for manufacturing an oxide semiconductor thin film transistor (TFT) is provided, which includes the steps below. A source electrode and a drain electrode are provided. A patterned insulating layer is formed to partially cover the source electrode and the drain electrode, and expose a portion of the source electrode and a portion of the drain electrode. An oxide semiconductor layer is formed to contact the portion of the source electrode and the portion of the drain electrode. A gate electrode is provided. A gate dielectric layer positioned between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode is provided. An oxide semiconductor TFT is also provided herein.
US08835235B2

A method for fabricating a thin-film semiconductor device according to the present disclosure includes: preparing a glass substrate; forming, above the glass substrate, an undercoat layer including a nitride film; forming a barrier layer above the undercoat layer; forming a molybdenum metal layer above the barrier layer; forming a gate electrode from the molybdenum metal layer; forming a gate insulating film above the gate electrode; forming a non-crystalline silicon layer as a non-crystalline semiconductor layer above the gate insulating film; forming a polycrystalline semiconductor layer including a polysilicon layer by annealing the non-crystalline silicon layer using a continuous-wave (CW) laser, the non-crystalline silicon layer being crystallized by the annealing; and forming a source electrode and a drain electrode above the polysilicon layer. Part of the barrier layer changes into a layer including oxygen atoms as a major component by the annealing when forming the polysilicon layer.
US08835232B2

A disposable dielectric structure is formed on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate such that all physically exposed surfaces of the disposable dielectric structure are dielectric surfaces. A semiconductor material is selectively deposited on semiconductor surfaces, while deposition of any semiconductor material on dielectric surfaces is suppressed. After formation of at least one gate spacer and source and drain regions, a planarization dielectric layer is deposited and planarized to physically expose a top surface of the disposable dielectric structure. The disposable dielectric structure is replaced with a replacement gate stack including a gate dielectric and a gate conductor portion. Lower external resistance can be provided without impacting the short channel performance of a field effect transistor device.
US08835231B2

A method for forming a nanowire field effect transistor (FET) device includes forming a nanowire over a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate stack around a portion of the nanowire, forming a capping layer on the gate stack, forming a spacer adjacent to sidewalls of the gate stack and around portions of nanowire extending from the gate stack, forming a hardmask layer on the capping layer and the first spacer, forming a metallic layer over the exposed portions of the device, depositing a conductive material over the metallic layer, removing the hardmask layer from the gate stack, and removing portions of the conductive material to define a source region contact and a drain region contact.
US08835230B2

A method for manufacturing a device package may include constructing a spacer element coupled with a surface of a semiconductor die unit, where the spacer element is configured to create a gap between the semiconductor die unit and a surface of a carrier, and encapsulating the semiconductor die unit within a mold compound, where the encapsulating includes introducing the mold compound into the gap.
US08835228B2

A method for making a microelectronic unit includes forming a plurality of wire bonds on a first surface in the form of a conductive bonding surface of a structure comprising a patternable metallic element. The wire bonds are formed having bases joined to the first surface and end surfaces remote from the first surface. The wire bonds have edge surfaces extending between the bases and the end surfaces. The method also includes forming a dielectric encapsulation layer over a portion of the first surface of the conductive layer and over portions of the wire bonds such that unencapsulated portions of the wire bonds are defined by end surfaces or portions of the edge surfaces that are uncovered by the encapsulation layer. The metallic element is patterned to form first conductive elements beneath the wire bonds and insulated from one another by portions of the encapsulation layer.
US08835222B2

A method for producing a two-chip assembly includes: providing a wafer having a first thickness, which wafer has a front side and a back side, a first plurality of first chips being provided on the front side of the wafer; attaching a second plurality of second chips on the front side of the wafer, so that every first chip is joined in each instance to a second chip and forms a corresponding two-chip pair; forming a cohesive mold package on the front side of the wafer, so that the second chips are packaged; thinning the wafer from the back side to a second thickness which is less than the first thickness; forming vias from the back side to the second chips; and separating the two-chip pairs into corresponding two-chip assemblies.
US08835220B2

In some embodiments, selective electroless plating for electronic substrates is presented. In this regard, a method is introduced including receiving a coreless substrate strip, forming a stiffening mold on a backside of the coreless substrate strip adjacent to sites where solder balls are to be attached, and attaching solder balls to the backside of the coreless substrate strip amongst the stiffening mold. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08835219B2

An electric device and a method of making an electric device are disclosed. In one embodiment the electric device comprises a component comprising a component contact area and a carrier comprising a carrier contact area. The electric device further comprises a first conductive connection layer connecting the component contact area with the carrier contact area, wherein the first conductive connection layer overlies a first region of the component contact area and a second connection layer connecting the component contact area with the carrier contact area, wherein the second connection layer overlies a second region of the component contact area, and wherein the second connection layer comprises a polymer layer.
US08835212B2

Methods for developing and investigating materials and processes for various layers used in manufacturing CdTe, CIGS, and CZTS TFPV superstrate devices using high productivity combinatorial techniques is described. Typical layers subjected to the HPC techniques include the buffer layers, absorber layers, and the contact interface layers.
US08835207B2

In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device having an MEMS element over a single semiconductor chip, the movable part of the MEMS element is fixed before the formation of a rewiring. After formation of the rewiring, the wafer is diced. Then, the movable part of the MEMS element is released by etching the wafer.
US08835202B2

The present disclosure provides a light emitting diode (LED) apparatus. The LED apparatus includes an LED emitter having a top surface; and a phosphor feature disposed on the LED emitter. The phosphor feature includes a first phosphor film disposed on the top surface of the LED emitter and having a first dimension defined in a direction parallel to the top surface of the LED emitter; a second phosphor film disposed on the first phosphor film and having a second dimension defined in the direction; and the second dimension is substantially less than the first dimension.
US08835176B2

The invention relates to the cell disruption of microbes and the preparation of the microbe proteins for mass spectrometric analysis. The cells of microbes from microcolonies are disrupted by physical or chemical means directly on the nutrient medium. The released proteins are then transferred to sample supports by direct contact with their contact surfaces; electrophoresis can be used for assistance. Once the proteins are firmly adsorbed on the contact surfaces, they can be washed with water in order to remove substances which interfere with the ionization process. For analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI), the proteins are prepared on the contact surfaces of the sample supports with matrix substances to form MALDI samples; the sample supports are then introduced into a MALDI mass spectrometer for the acquisition of mass spectra. The microbes are identified by similarity comparisons between the mass spectra of the microbe proteins and similarly obtained reference spectra.
US08835174B2

A hemostatic device, method of making, and method of using for internal and external applications to wounds in the body of a patient to induce hemostasis at an anatomical site.
US08835170B2

The invention provides compositions and methods useful for treating wounds and enhancing wound healing, particularly for diabetic wound healing. One embodiment provides a method of treating a wound comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of adipose tissue derived stem cells to treat said wound, wherein the cells are cultured in the absence of serum prior to the administration to said subject. Another embodiment provides a method of treating a wound comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of adipose tissue derived stem cells to treat said wound, wherein the cells are cultured to induce the formation of at least one self-organizing mesenchymal blastema (SOMB) prior to the administration to said subject, wherein said SOMB is formed by culturing adipose tissue derived stem cells in hanging droplets.
US08835167B2

The present disclosure provides humanized CC49 monoclonal antibodies that bind TAG-72 with high binding affinity and that are minimally immunogenic. In one embodiment, a humanized CC49 antibody includes a non-conservative amino acid substitution in a light chain complementarity determining region 3 of the CC49 antibody. In a further embodiment, the humanized CC49 antibody includes a non-conservative substitution of a first residue in a light chain complementarity determining region 3 and a substitution of a second residue in a complementarity determining region of the humanized CC49 antibody. In several of the embodiments, methods are disclosed for the use of a humanized CC49 antibody.
US08835161B2

Expression systems are disclosed for the direct expression of peptide products into the culture media where genetically engineered host cells are grown. High yield was achieved with a special selection of hosts, and/or fermentation processes which include careful control of cell growth rate, and use of an inducer during growth phase. Special universal cloning vectors are provided for the preparation of expression vectors which include control regions having multiple promoters linked operably with coding regions encoding a signal peptide upstream from a coding region encoding the peptide of interest. Multiple transcription cassettes are also used to increase yield. The production of amidated peptides using the expression systems is also disclosed.
US08835141B2

The present invention relates to systems, compositions and methods for the conversion of lignocellulosic material to recalcitrant cellulose and hydrolyzed sugars and products produced therefrom (e.g., biofuel, nano-fibrillated cellulose). In particular, the invention provides novel fractionation processes configured to integrate production of hydrolyzed sugars (e.g., for biofuel production) and recalcitrant cellulose (e.g., for nano-fibrillated cellulose production) from lignocellulosic material and methods of using the same (e.g., in the production of biofuel and nano-fibrillated cellulose). The invention is also directed to nanocellulose with morphologies of having a less entangled and slightly branched fibril network, and having the same thermal stability as of that of the initial lignocellulose feedstock.
US08835140B2

A process for the use of peracid compositions to eliminate and/or control the growth of undesirable bacteria, including contaminating bacteria, in the fermentation production of alcohol is disclosed. Beneficially, the peracid compositions and methods of use of the same do not interfere or inhibit the growth or replication of yeast and have low or no adverse environmental impact.
US08835138B2

Aspects of the invention relate to the design and construction of Metabolite Valves, such as Glucose Valves, that can be used to divert metabolites from endogenous pathways toward alternative pathways in a cell.
US08835136B2

Non-naturally occurring amine dehydrogenases (AmDH) and methods of use thereof the produce chiral amines are disclosed. The AmDH are variants of amino acid dehydrogenases. AmDH based on phenylalanine, leucine, and valine scaffolds are provided. The AmDH typically have one, two, three, four, or more amino acid alterations relative to the scaffold. The alterations to the scaffold result in an enzyme that accepts the analogous ketone, such as methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), instead of the wild-type α-keto acid. Chimeric AmDH are also disclosed. The chimeras are fusion proteins that include a substrate binding domain from a first AmDH and a cofactor binding domain from a second AmDH. In a preferred embodiment, one of the domains is from a PheDH-based AmDH and one of the domains is from a LeuDH-based AmDH.
US08835130B2

Tissue array production method enables even roll-shaped tissue pieces having various diameters to be steadily fixed to a substrate block is provided. In a method in which roll-shaped tissue pieces formed by rolling sheet-like tissue pieces in the shape of a roll are arranged on a substrate in an array form, a tissue array is produced by placing a holding member which holds a plurality of roll-shaped tissue pieces so that their axis directions are vertically directed in a container into which a melted embedding medium is poured for its accumulation, to hold the respective roll-shaped tissue pieces in the holding member; pouring the embedding medium into the container, to form a substrate block constituted so that the plurality of roll-shaped tissue pieces is arranged in the array form; and slicing the substrate block so that the roll-shaped tissue pieces are ring-shaped.
US08835129B2

A method of diagnosing a pathological condition by detecting microparticles in a sample of bodily fluid using dynamic light scattering (DLS) is disclosed. The detection of microparticles in the bodily fluid by DLS may be used as an indicator of existing disease, to evaluate a risk of disease, as well, as to monitor the efficacy of a treatment for disease.
US08835119B2

The invention refers to an in vitro method of functionally determining at physiological conditions deficiencies in the lectin pathway of the complement system, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing a sample of mammalian blood, serum, plasma or another body fluid; (b) preventing in the sample the activation of the classical pathway by contacting the sample with an inhibitor of a molecule of the C1 complex of the complement system; (e) preventing in the sample the activation of the alternative pathway; (d) activating the lectin pathway in the sample; and (e) determining in the sample any activation of the autologous C5b-9 complex. The invention also refers to a kit for functionally determining in a body fluid from a mammal deficiencies in the lectin pathway of the complement system, which kit comprises the separate items (a) an inert carrier and a substance activating the lectin pathway; (b) a diluent comprising an inhibitor of a molecule of the C1 complex; and an antibody against the autologous C5b-9 complex.
US08835116B2

Methods are provided for identification of genes that are imprinted. In another embodiment methods are provided for identification and analysis of genes whose expression shows allelic imbalance. The expression products transcribed from genes that are present in the genome as two or more alleles may be distinguished by hybridization to an array designed to interrogate individual alleles. Genes whose transcription products are present in amounts that vary from expected are candidates for allelic imbalance, imprinting and imprinting errors.
US08835115B2

The present disclosure provides methods of identifying subjects having an increased likelihood of developing one or more adverse side effects resulting from administration of a microtubule-stabilizing agent. In particular examples, the method includes determining whether the subject has an ABCB1 predictive polymorphism for microtubule-stabilizing agent-induced toxicity, wherein the presence of such a polymorphism indicates that the subject has an increased risk of developing microtubule-stabilizing agent induced adverse effects. Examples of ABCB1 predictive polymorphisms include 2677G>T/A and 3435C>T. Also provided are methods of modifying microtubule-stabilizing agent therapy in a subject identified as having one or more ABCB1 predictive polymorphisms. Kits and isolated nucleic acid molecules that can be used in the disclosed methods are also provided.
US08835107B2

A new coronavirus is disclosed herein with a tropism that includes humans. Means and methods are provided for diagnosing subjects (previously) infected with the virus. Also provided are among others vaccines, medicaments, nucleic acids and specific binding members.
US08835106B2

The present invention relates to a method for detection and/or genetic analysis of HBV in a biological sample, comprising hybridizing the polynucleic acids of the sample with a combination of at least two nucleotide probes, with said combination hybridizing specifically to a mutant target sequence chosen from the HBV RT pol gene region and/or to a mutant target sequence chosen from the HBV preCore region and/or to a mutant target sequence chosen from the HBsAg region of HBV and/or to a HBV genotype-specific target sequence, with said target sequences being chosen from FIG. 1, and with said probes being applied to known locations on a solid support and with said probes being capable of hybridizing to the polynucleic acids of the sample under the same hybridization and wash conditions, or with said probes hybridizing specifically with a sequence complementary to any of said target sequences, or a sequence where T of said target sequence is replaced by U; and detecting the hybrids formed; and inferring the HBV genotype and/or mutants present in said sample from the differential hybridization signal(s) obtained. The invention further relates to sets of nucleotide probes and possibly primers useful in said methods as well as to their use in a method for typing and/or detecting HBV and to assay kits using the same.
US08835095B2

A resist composition contains (A1) a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (I), (A2) a resin being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid, (B) an acid generator, and (D) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the formula (II1) and a compound represented by the formula (II2), wherein R1, A1, R2, R6, X1, X2, R3, R4 and R5 are defined in the specification.
US08835091B2

A micro-structure is manufactured by patterning a sacrificial film, forming an inorganic material film on the pattern, and etching away the sacrificial film pattern through an aperture to define a space having the contour of the pattern. The patterning stage includes the steps of (A) coating a substrate with a composition comprising a cresol novolac resin, a crosslinker, and a photoacid generator, (B) heating to form a sacrificial film, (C) patternwise exposure, (D) development to form a sacrificial film pattern, and (E) forming crosslinks within the cresol novolac resin.
US08835087B2

A polyester for a toner obtained by polycondensing an aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acid compound having a total number of hydroxy group or groups and carboxyl group or groups of 4 or more; an alcohol component containing an aliphatic diol having a hydroxyl group bound to a secondary carbon atom in an amount of 50% by mol or more; and a carboxylic acid component, provided that the aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic compound is not included, wherein the aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acid compound and the aliphatic diol having a hydroxyl group bound to a secondary carbon atom are in a molar ratio, i.e. the aliphatic hydroxycarboxylic acid compound/the aliphatic diol having a hydroxyl group bound to a secondary carbon atom, of from 0.05 to 0.8; a resin binder for a toner, containing the polyester; and a toner for electrophotography, containing the resin binder. The polyester for a toner of the present invention is suitably used for a resin binder of a toner usable in development or the like of latent images formed in, for example, electrophotography, electrostatic recording method, electrostatic printing method or the like.
US08835085B2

Present embodiments relate generally to the flexible electrostatographic imaging members prepared to comprise a plasticized charge transport layer, plasticized ground strip layer, and a novel plasticized anti-curl back coating layer prepared to have internal stress/strain reduction, superb wear resistance property, and render the resulting flexible imaging members with absolute flatness to meet the functional requirement of electrostatographic imaging apparatuses. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to the reformulation of an anti-curl back coating layer comprising a novel high molecular weight film forming A-B diblock copolymer, a copolyester adhesion promoter, an organic or inorganic particles dispersion, and a plasticizer in the layer's material matrix.
US08835078B2

A proton selective membrane for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells that is produced by providing one or more template molecules, providing one or more functional monomers to interact with the template molecules, providing a cross-linking agent(s) to covalently bond polymer chains created with the template molecules and functional monomers by polymerization, providing an initiating agent to start a chemical reaction which results in an imprinted polymer, and removing the template molecules from the imprinted polymer to create a proton selective membrane.
US08835075B2

Diffusion media for use in PEM fuel cells are provided with silicone coatings. The media are made of a porous electroconductive substrate, a first hydrophobic fluorocarbon polymer coating adhered to the substrate, and a second coating comprising a hydrophobic silicone polymer adhered to the substrate. The substrate is preferably a carbon fiber paper, the hydrophobic fluorocarbon polymer is PTFE or similar polymer, and the silicone is moisture curable.
US08835071B2

An end plate is joined to a fuel cell stack. A first piping unit and a second piping unit are attached to the end plate. The first piping unit has a first attachment base, to which a fuel gas supply pipe, a first oxidation off-gas discharge pipe, and a coolant discharge pipe are coupled. The second piping unit has a second attachment base, to which an oxidation gas supply pipe, a coolant supply pipe, and a discharge pipe are coupled. The discharge pipe is joined to a discharge cylinder coupled to the first oxidation off-gas discharge pipe. The oxidation gas supply pipe and the coolant supply pipe are integrated with each other. Also, the first oxidation off-gas discharge pipe and the coolant discharge pipe are integrated with each other.
US08835070B2

A fuel cell system may include a fuel cell stack having a header and active area in fluid communication with the header. The fuel cell system may also include a wedge disposed within the header and configured to alter the cross-sectional area of the header along the length of the stack such that, during operation of the stack, a flow velocity of gas through the active area is generally constant.
US08835061B2

There is provided a metal oxygen battery which uses an oxygen-storing material containing YMnO3 as a positive electrode material, and can reduce the discharge overpotential. The metal oxygen battery 1 has a positive electrode 2 to which oxygen is applied as an active substance, a negative electrode 3 to which metallic lithium is applied as an active substance, and an electrolyte layer 4 interposed between the positive electrode 2 and the negative electrode 3. The positive electrode 2 contains, as an oxygen-storing material, a composite metal oxide obtained by crushing and mixing a yttrium salt, a manganese salt and an organic acid, primarily calcining the mixture, and thereafter, adding a zirconium salt to the obtained primarily calcined material, and secondarily calcining the mixture, the composite metal oxide containing YMnO3 and ZrO2.
US08835059B2

A lithium rechargeable battery, which includes a separator having excellent mechanical strength such as elastic strength, swelling resistance, heat resistance, and peel strength. The lithium rechargeable battery includes a cathode, an anode, a separator for separating both electrodes from each other, and a non-aqueous electrolyte, wherein the separator includes a porous membrane formed of a ceramic material and a binder, and the binder has an elongation ratio of 200 to 300%.
US08835052B2

A negative electrode active material for an electric device. The negative electrode active material including an alloy having a composition formula SixTiyZnz, where (1) x+y+z=100, (2) 38≦x<100, (3) 0
US08835048B2

An electrode for a power storage device with less deterioration due to charge and discharge and a power storage device using the electrode are provided. In the electrode for a power storage device and the power storage device, a region including a metal element which functions as a catalyst is selectively provided over a current collector, and then, an active material layer is formed. By selectively providing the region including the metal element, a whisker can be effectively generated in the active material layer over the current collector, and the whisker generation region can be controlled. Accordingly, the discharge capacity can be increased and the cycle characteristics can be improved.
US08835046B2

Nanocomposite materials having at least two layers, each layer consisting of one metal oxide bonded to at least one graphene layer were developed. The nanocomposite materials will typically have many alternating layers of metal oxides and graphene layers, bonded in a sandwich type construction and will be incorporated into an electrochemical or energy storage device.
US08835038B2

A battery cell cooler containing a pair of complementary plates. The pair of complementary plates together forms a tubular flow passage and one or more tubular sections. The flow passage has an inlet end, an outlet end and dimples or ribs along the length of the flow passage. The one or more tubular sections have an inlet duct and an outlet duct, the inlet duct being coupled to an expanded receptacle at the inlet end and in fluid communication with the inlet end of the flow passage and the outlet duct being coupled to an expanded receptacle, at the outlet end and in fluid communication with the outlet end of the flow passage. Also, disclosed is a device containing a battery cell sandwiched between a pair of battery cell coolers, as described herein. Further disclosed is a method for forming the battery cell cooler, as described herein.
US08835033B2

Disclosed is a battery pack case assembly for an electric or hybrid vehicle. The battery pack case assembly includes a case body and a cover. The case body receives a battery pack, and the cover is coupled to the case body. The case body is formed of a plastic composite in which a long fiber or a blend of a long fiber and a continuous fiber is used as a reinforcing fiber in a plastic matrix. A separate reinforced member is bonded to both side bracket parts for coupling to a vehicle body, and is formed of a plastic composite in which a long fiber, a continuous, or a blend of a long fiber and a continuous fiber is used as the reinforcing fiber in the plastic matrix.
US08835029B2

A solid-state battery structure having a plurality of battery cells formed in a substrate, method of manufacturing the same and design structure thereof are provided. The battery structure includes a patterned cathode electrode layer formed upon the substrate and structured to form a plurality of sub-arrays of the battery cells. The battery structure further includes a plurality of fuse wires structured to interconnect at least two adjacent sub-arrays. At least one of the plurality of fuse wires is structured to be blown to disconnect an interconnection having a defective sub-array. Advantageously, the plurality of fuse wires is an integral part of the battery structure.
US08835012B2

A coating composition for a food or beverage can that includes an emulsion polymerized latex polymer formed by combining an ethylenically unsaturated monomer component with an aqueous dispersion of a water-dispersible polymer.
US08835005B2

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of granules comprising the steps of: providing a granulation zone comprising particles, the particles being kept in motion; providing a first feed stream comprising a liquid composition into the granulation zone, the liquid composition being applied onto or over the moving particles in the granulation zone; withdrawing a product stream comprising granules from the granulation zone, the granules being the result of layered growth of the moving particles in the granulation zone; wherein a second feed stream comprising granulation nuclei is fed into the granulation zone, wherein the granulation nuclei have a particle size distribution characterized by a standard deviation of the particle size that is less than 15% of the mean particle size, and wherein the second feed stream comprises between 0.05 wt % and 50 wt % of the product stream.
US08835000B2

The present invention relates to modular sterically enhanced emission dye (SEED) clusters, wherein multiple SEED molecules are appended to a single polymeric chain.
US08834997B2

Carbon fibers and carbon fiber yarn consisting of carbon fibers, the fibers having been pretreated by electrochemical oxidation, characterized in that they have a finish consisting of epoxy resin(s), a vinyl component, and a plasticizer in an amount of 0.3 to 5 wt. % relative to the carbon fibers, which are to be provided with the finish.
US08834993B2

A thermoplastic single ply protective roof covering may have two pressure sensitive rubber-based adhesive backings These dual-adhesive backings may be used to provide for a non-heat welded seam having a combination of good seam strength and fire performance.
US08834992B2

A thermoplastic laminate plank is described wherein the thermoplastic laminate plank comprises a core, a print layer, and optionally an overlay. The core comprises at least one thermoplastic material and has a top surface and bottom surface wherein a print layer is affixed to the top surface of the core and an overlay layer is affixed to the top surface of the print layer. Optionally, an underlay layer can be located and affixed between the bottom surface of the print layer and the top surface of the core. A method of making the thermoplastic laminate plank is further described which involves extruding at least one thermoplastic material into the shape of the core and affixing a laminate on the core, wherein the laminate comprises an overlay affixed to the top surface of the print layer and optionally an underlay layer affixed to the bottom surface of the print layer.
US08834962B2

Methods for improving the strength of glass substrates are described. One such method for strengthening a glass disk substrate for a storage device includes immersing at least a portion of the glass substrate in a solution, the solution including a solvent and a coating material selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, and KNO3, removing the glass substrate from the solution, allowing the solvent to evaporate from the glass substrate, and heating the glass substrate at a preselected temperature for a preselected duration, where the preselected temperature is sufficient to substantially melt the coating material and is less than a transition temperature of the glass substrate.
US08834948B2

Methods and systems for producing a food product having a liquid component and an insoluble component, such as soups or stews. A food product assembly may include a cartridge containing a liquid component medium that is usable by a beverage forming machine to produce a liquid component of the food product. A second container, to which the cartridge may be removably attached, may contain the insoluble component of the food product, and may receive the liquid component so as to hold both the insoluble component and liquid component together, e.g., for consumption by a user.
US08834945B2

A granulated phosphate composition that provides sufficient nutritional value as well as enhanced pelleting benefits, such as abrasiveness and lubricity, compared to other granulated phosphate feed products. The granulated phosphate composition includes a phosphate source, such as monocalcium phosphate, mono-dicalcium phosphate, or dicalcium phosphate, and one or more additives such as lubricity and abrasivity additives. The lubricity additive can include a sodium additive that lubricates the die during a feed milling or pelleting process. The abrasivity additive can include silica or sand that scours the die during the pelleting process. The increased lubricity and abrasivity attributes of the composition benefits die throughput and efficiency in the pelleting process, without compromising nutritional value in the final feed product.
US08834941B2

This invention relates to methods for the treatment and prevention of metabolic disorders, digestive disorders, and pathological conditions related thereto whereby a patient is given a nutrient food combination comprising 1) mechanically processed bran and 2) meat or a dried product comprising fruit, vegetables, berries, or any combination thereof. Diluted vinegar may be included.
US08834937B2

A bone filling material comprising sintered titanium dioxide and dextrin and a method for reconstructing bone defects which comprises filling the bone defects in an animal with the bone filling material. The bone filling material of the invention has excellent cell compatibility, biocompatibility and shape-imparting property.
US08834935B2

A bone graft or biocomposite for treating osseous defects and neogenesis of bone which is a composite of a biodegradable polymer and granules of beta-tricalciumphosphate, further comprising as active ingredient and embedded in the biodegradable polymer a physiologically effective amount of underglycosylated recombinant human BSP as a multi-dental clathrate with a basic organic compound which simulataneously is active as a plasticizer for the biodegradable polymer. The biocomposite is moldable and shapeable, hardens rapidly in situ when placed by surgery or prosthetic dentistry and which furthers osseous repair and the healing of damage or diseased tissues and lesions.
US08834929B2

A secondary drying process is disclosed for removing residual solvent from drug-containing particles that have been formed by solvent-based processes.
US08834924B2

The present invention relates to an immediate release solid oral dosage form containing 1-aminocyclohexanes, preferably memantine or neramexane, and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable coating, wherein the active ingredient exhibits dose proportionality and is released at a dissolution rate of more than about 80% within about the first 60 minutes following entry of said form into a use environment. The dosage form is direct compressed and has a hardness within the range of between about 3 and about 40 Kp, exhibits an average Tmax within the range of about 2 to about 8 hours with an active ingredient load within the range of about 2.5 to about 150 mg. The formulation allows for dose-proportional compositions for once daily or b.i.d. dosing, while maintaining a steady average range of Tmax.
US08834916B2

An apparatus and a method for removing epithelium from the cornea include a fluid agent for facilitating de-epithelialization of the cornea. A disc includes a biocompatible material operable for covering a predetermined zone of a cornea. The disc is hydrated by the fluid agent, wherein the hydrated disc is pliable for conforming to a surface of the cornea. An application of the hydrated disc to the cornea substantially constrains the fluid agent to the determined zone and softens a corneal epithelium enabling delamination of the epithelium from an underlying stroma.
US08834910B2

Provided are a sustained release dispenser which can control the release of sex pheromone simultaneously toward two or more species of insect pests and can also release the sex pheromone in response to the generation period of insect pest and the pest control method toward two or more insect pests. Provided specifically is a sex pheromone sustained release dispenser comprising two or more sex pheromone substances, each substance being aliphatic derivative having 10 to 20 carbons, and first and second chambers wherein some or all of the sex pheromone substance having a smallest carbon number excluding a carbon number in a functional group is contained in a first polymer chamber and the remainder is contained in a second polymer chamber. Provided also is a pest control method for using the sex pheromone sustained release dispenser.
US08834908B2

A pest-combating composition including sodium lauryl sulfate and one or more of C6-12 fatty acids, preferably lauric and/or capric and/or caprylic acid, soy methyl ester, and 2-undecanone, and methods of combating pests utilizing same, are disclosed. The compositions can include a carrier oil such as silicon oil, soy methyl ester, or a vegetable oil, and can be in the form of an emulsion. The composition may be constituted as a spray composition, an aerosol, a lotion, a paste, or another compositional form. Pests that may be usefully combated with such composition include flying insects, including flies, mosquitoes, and wasps, ants, including arthropods such as fire ants, ticks, fleas, cockroaches, silver fish, thrips, gnats, aphids, Japanese beetles, and agricultural and horticultural arthropods and insects including beetles (potato and bean), flea beetles, fleahoppers, squash bugs, slugs, leaf hoppers, harlequin bugs, milk weed bugs, spiders, mites, lice, rodents, and deer.
US08834907B2

The present invention refers to new active nanocomposite materials, comprising a matrix and additives. The present invention also describes a process for obtaining these nanocomposite materials and their use in various industry sectors.
US08834904B1

A composition article, which may be applied to human, includes a non-oil thermoplastic gelatinous elastomer composition, which is formed into a composite by heating with a substrate material. The gelatinous elastomer includes a hydrogenated styrene/isoprene/butadiene block copolymer, at least one polymer or copolymer of the group poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), poly(styrene-isoprene), poly(styrene-isoprene-styrene), poly(styrene-isoprene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) or poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene), and a non-oil plasticizer.
US08834903B2

A nanoemulsion, the oily globules of which have a number-average size of less than 100 nm, comprising a surfactant which is solid at a temperature of less than or equal to 45° C., which surfactant is chosen from esters of a fatty acid and of a sugar and ethers of a fatty alcohol and of a sugar, and at least one oil having a molecular weight of greater than 400, the ratio by weight of the amount of oily phase to the amount of surfactant ranging from 2 to 10. The nanoemulsion may be used for cosmetics and dermatological applications, in particular for moisturizing the skin and/or mucous membranes, as well as for treating the hair, and in the ophthalmological field, as an eye lotion for treating the eyes.
US08834896B2

Methods and compositions are provided herein for immunizing a subject by administering to the subject an effective amount of an immunogenic peptide or an immunogenic fragment or variant thereof incorporated within a vault-like particle carrier. The methods and compositions advantageously exhibit enhanced ability to induce cell-mediated immunity and/or antibody-based immunity.
US08834893B2

The present invention provides a nucleic acid comprises a 5′ untranslated region, an NS3 protein coding region, an NS4A protein coding region, an NS4B protein coding region, an NS5A protein coding region, an NS5B protein coding region, and a 3′ untranslated region of a hepatitis C virus genome, wherein the nucleic acid has nucleotide substitutions causing one or more amino acid substitutions selected from the group consisting of M(1205)K, F(1548)L, C(1615)W, T(1652)N, A(2196)T, A(2218)S, H(2223)Q, Q(2281)R, K(2520)N, and G(2374)S, as defined using the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing as a reference sequence, in the NS3 protein coding region, the NS5A protein coding region, or the NS5B protein coding region.
US08834890B2

An immunogenic composition comprising a siderophore covalently linked to a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier molecule wherein the antigenicity of the siderophore moiety is sufficient to stimulate an immunologic response to the siderophore when the composition is circulating in the bloodstream of a human or non-human animal and vaccine.
US08834889B2

An antigen presenting composition comprising a plurality of 2-component MHC class I complexes and a carrier is described. A method for activating a group of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells comprising incubation of a group of naïve CD8+ T cells with the antigen presenting composition is also presented. A method for inducing the proliferation of a group of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells comprising incubation of a group of naïve CD8+ T cells with the antigen presenting composition is further described.
US08834886B2

The invention relates to therapeutic conjugates with improved ability to target various diseased cells containing a targeting moiety (such as an antibody or antibody fragment), a linker and a camptothecin as a therapeutic moiety, and further relates to processes for making and using the said conjugates.
US08834873B2

Methods are provided for treating cancer metastasis by administering a therapeutic composition targeting a kinase substrate cascade.
US08834866B2

The present invention provides chimeric polypeptides comprising myotubularin 1 (MTMI) polypeptides and an internalising moiety, wherein, the moiety can be an antibody, and is preferably monoclonal antibody 3E10, a functional variant or a fragment thereof. One aspect of the present invention provides compositions comprising these chimeric polypeptides together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and optionally, a further therapeutic agent. Another aspect of the present invention provides methods of treating Myotubular Myopathy comprising administering the polypeptides or compositions comprising the polypeptides to a subject in need.
US08834862B2

Methods, compositions and devices utilizing stinging cells/capsules for conditioning a tissue prior to delivery of a pharmaceutical agent are described.
US08834861B2

A cyclic carbonate monomer has the formula (2): wherein i) t and t′ are integers independently having a value from 0 to 6 wherein t′ and t cannot both be zero, ii) each Q1 is a monovalent radical independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halides, alkyl groups comprising 1 to 30 carbons, and aryl groups comprising 6 to 30 carbon atoms, iii) L′ is a divalent linking group comprising one or more carbons, and iv) S′ is a steroidal group.
US08834853B2

The present invention relates to coated dehydrated microorganisms comprising a dehydrated microorganism surrounded by at least one coating, said coating comprising by dry weight at least 25% of hygroscopic salt(s) and wherein the pH of the coating is compatible with viability of the coated dehydrated microorganism. The coating can be partially crystalline, the salt(s) in the coating having preferably a crystallinity degree of up to 60% once applied onto the dehydrated microorganism. The present invention also relates to liquid coating compositions, methods for coating and protecting a dehydrated microorganism. Finally, the present invention relates to a method for the preparation of food products, feed products, consumer healthcare products or agri-products as well as to a food product, feed product, a consumer healthcare product or an agri-product containing such coated dehydrated microorgansims.
US08834848B2

A drug and device combination system used in a method for treatment of patients suffering from severe and oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma and other respiratory diseases requiring a treatment with orally administered steroids. The method for administration of the inhalable corticosteroid by a flow rate and volume regulated inhalation. The combination system of the inhalable corticosteroid and the device for regulating flow rate and volume of the inhalable corticosteroid and thus achieving delivery of said inhalable corticosteroid into the small airways of the lungs. The individually programmable device that assures safe and reproducible corticosteroid delivery compliant with treatment protocol.
US08834844B2

Featured are a new class of reporter genes including reporter compositions as well as methods, MRI systems and MRI imaging kits related thereto. The genes according to the present invention provide MR contrast when the sample/subject is irradiated at a specific off-resonance radio-frequency (RF frequency), where the contrast mechanism utilizes chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) technique for imaging.
US08834834B2

Processes for producing synthesis gas from biomass in which char particles, which are formed during the production of synthesis gas from biomass, are employed as catalysts. The char particles may be used as catalysts in a gasifier or in a thermal reformer, whereby gaseous components, formed as a result of the gasification of the biomass, such as methane, light alkyl and aromatic compounds, and phenolics, as well as tar, may be reformed and/or converted into synthesis gas.
US08834833B2

Process for preparing an aluminum oxide powder which is present in the form of aggregated primary particles and comprises at least 85% by weight of alpha-aluminum oxide, in which an aluminum oxide powder which a) is present in the form of aggregated primary particles, b) is selected from the group consisting of gamma-aluminum oxide, theta-aluminum oxide, delta-aluminum oxide and/or X-ray amorphous aluminum oxide, and c) has a tamped density of at least 250 g/l, is subject to a heat treatment at 13000 C or more and subsequently milled. Aluminum oxide powder which can be obtained by this process. Aluminum oxide powder in the form of aggregated primary particles having a BET surface area of from 3 to 30 m2/g, in which the proportion of alpha-aluminum oxide is at least 85% by weight and the ratio dgo/dio of the weight distribution of the primary particles is at least 2.8. Use as constituent of fluorescent tubes.
US08834826B2

Provided is an aggregate of carbon nanotubes satisfying (1) there is a 2θ peak at 24°±2° by X-ray powder diffraction analysis; (2) a height ratio (G/D ratio) of G band to D band by Raman spectroscopic analysis of wavelength 532 nm is 30 or more; and (3) a combustion peak temperature is from 550° C. to 700° C. The present invention provides an aggregate of carbon nanotubes excellent in dispersibility while high quality, giving a film, molded article, membrane or the like having excellent characteristics.
US08834820B1

An emissions control system includes a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) device, one or more monitoring devices and one or more sensors. The system further includes a controller configured to determine an operating emissions gas conversion ratio of the SCR device. The controller is further configured to determine an injection amount of a reduction agent to maintain an operating emissions gas conversion ratio of the SCR device and to adjust the operating emissions gas conversion ratio to a target emissions gas conversion ratio by adjusting the injection amount of the reduction agent to the SCR device. The system utilizes a Time-Temperature model to determine the target emissions gas conversion ratio and/or reduction agent injection ratio. The system further includes a reduction agent injector configured to supply the adjusted injection amount of the reduction agent to the SCR device.
US08834813B2

A fluid analysis chip includes a channel formed within the chip. The chip includes a sample inlet and a sample outlet communicating with an outside of the chip, where the sample inlet and the sample outlet communicate with each other through the closed channel. An expanding part of the channel is formed in a longitudinal direction of the channel in such a manner that a pair of inner walls of the channel define an inner surface of the expanding part, and the expanding part has a larger sectional area than the channel.
US08834811B2

Provided are a device for storing a reagent capable of being adhered to a biochip and supplying the stored reagent to the biochip, and a method of discharging a reagent thereof. The device for storing a reagent includes an elastic film pressurizing part configured to pressurize an elastic film by magnetic force, and a reagent discharging part configured to store the reagent and discharge the reagent through an outlet by using the deformation in the elastic film due to the pressurization. According to the present invention, a magnetic force controlling device can be small-sized and the reagent can be automatically, high-precisely, and reproducibly supplied through the magnetic force control.
US08834804B2

A dielectric assembly for generating ozone includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a dielectric for generating the ozone, and a knob adapted to extend outside of a housing into which the dielectric assembly is to be placed. A system is also provided for sanitizing and deodorizing water, food, surfaces and air including a microbiological reduction filter device having an input connected to a water supply, a venturi injector disposed within a housing and connected to an output of the microbiological reduction filter device which generates ozone and mixes the generated ozone with the water, and an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes, a dielectric for generating the ozone, and a knob extending outside of the housing. The dielectric in a first embodiment and the entire dielectric assembly in a second embodiment can be removed from the housing and replaced in its entirety by the knob.
US08834803B2

A display assembly for containing and displaying perishable products includes a case having at least one wall and defining an internal volume, a quantity of gas contained in the case, the gas including ethylene emitted from the perishable products, and an electro hydrodynamic thrust device positioned in the case. The electro hydrodynamic thrust device ionizes a portion of the quantity of gas. The ionized gas includes at least one reactive oxygen species, and the at least one reactive oxygen species reacts with the ethylene to break down the ethylene.
US08834802B2

An exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine of the present invention comprises a silver-alumina-based catalyst device arranged in the engine exhaust system. When a temperature of the silver-alumina-based catalyst device becomes a second set temperature T2 lower than a first set temperature T1 at which the silver-alumina-based catalyst device releases NO2, and releases NO, the silver-alumina-based catalyst device is heated such that a temperature elevation rate thereof is increased to make the temperature T of the silver-alumina-based catalyst device be a third set temperature T3 between the first set temperature T1 and the second set temperature T2.
US08834800B2

An apparatus for the treatment of at least one of solids and gases includes a fluidized-bed reactor configured to fluidize the solids using fluidizing gas and to at least one of thermally and chemically treat the solids. A centrifugal separator is configured to separate the fluidizing gas and the solids from each other. A transfer duct connects the fluidized-bed reactor and centrifugal separator to each other. The transfer duct has a trapezoidal cross-section in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction. The transfer duct branches off from the fluidized bed reactor with a cross-section having a horizontal dimension that is greater than a vertical dimension. The cross-section of the transfer duct expands downwards in the vertical direction from the fluidized-bed reactor to the centrifugal separator. The cross-section of the transfer duct tapers in the horizontal direction from the fluidized-bed reactor towards the centrifugal separator.
US08834795B2

An optochemical sensor element suitable for sensing an analyte comprises a polymeric material in which at least a portion of the polymer material is solvent crazed to provide a multiplicity of pores of controlled nanometer size, and an indicator dye impregnated into the pores, in which optochemical sensor element the indicator dye is a long-decay photoluminescent dye selected from the group consisting of: phosphorescent platinum(II)—and palladium (II) complexes of porphyrin dyes such as octaethylporphine, coproporphyrin, octaethylporphine-ketone, benzoporphine, tetra (pentafluorophenyl) porphine, chlorin e6; fluorescent complexes of ruthenium (II), osmium(II), iridium(III) and europium (III); or derivatives or close analogs of these dyes. The sensor element in the presence of the analyte alters a photoluminescence parameter thus allowing sensing and/or quantification of the analyte.
US08834791B2

The present invention is a sample analyzer comprising: a reagent storage configured to store a reagent container containing a reagent used for analyzing a sample, wherein the reagent storage comprises a liquid storing section which stores a liquid such that a surface of the liquid contacts an air within the reagent storage; and a liquid supply unit configured to supply the liquid into the liquid storing section.
US08834784B2

A supporting frame and thin stave cooler for a metallurgical furnace comprises a metal structure fastened to the cold face of the thin stave cooler that adds strength and rigidity. The thin stave cooler itself is lightened, thinned, and simplified to take optimal advantage of the supporting frame and its provisions for mounting and attaching the thin stave cooler assembly to the inside walls of a furnace containment shell. Water is circulated in the thin stave cooler through feed and discharge piping connections that pass through the supporting frame and are sleeved by protection sleeves. The protection sleeves can serve as a primary or secondary support system when they are welded between the furnace containment shell and the supporting frame when first installed.
US08834765B2

[Problem] To provide a method of manufacture for an encased coil body, which is capable of easily manufacturing an encased coil body which is configured so as to be encased in a state where a coil is enclosed within an electrically insulating resin and is also capable of favorably preventing the coil from positional misalignment or deformation at the time of the manufacture.[Means for Solution] The method includes injection-molding a resin covering layer which encases the coil 10 with a thermoplastic resin, in which the injection-molding is carried out such that the injection-molding step is divided into a primary molding step and a secondary molding step, in which the primary molding step includes contacting a primary molding die to an inner circumferential surface of the coil 10 and molding a primary molded body 22-1 which includes an outer circumferential covering portion 46 in a state where the coil 10 is constrained so as to be positioned in a radial direction, and the secondary molding step includes, after the primary molding step, setting the primary molded body 22-1 along with the coil 10 to a secondary molding die and molding a secondary molded body which includes an inner circumferential covering portion.
US08834763B2

The present disclosure relates to a method of forming fibers. First and second precursors, each possessing a core and at least one functional group known to have click reactivity, are mixed in a hopper. The mixed precursors are then extruded through an extrusion die to crosslink and produce a filament. Polymerization of the first and second precursors is catalyzed by transition metal ions.
US08834755B2

Disclosed are wholly aromatic polyamide filament and a method of manufacturing the same, characterized by comprising multi-stage injection of a coagulant with sulfuric acid concentration lowered sequentially stage by stage, to a spun material fed into a coagulant injection tank. The present invention enables increase of a spinning and take-up velocity without occurrence of thread cutting by uniformly and evenly coagulating surface and inside of the spun material. In addition, the present invention recovers the coagulant or water already used and reuses the recovered coagulant or water in the earlier stages, so that it has advantages of saving production costs and reducing environmental contamination. Accordingly, the wholly aromatic polyamide filament produced according to the present invention has high crystallinity X, large apparent crystal size ACS and reduced defects in the crystal itself, thereby exhibiting more improved physical properties such as strength and modulus.
US08834746B1

Nanostructured compositions containing carbon nanotubes and at least one other type of nanoparticle can display the beneficial properties of both substances. Nanostructured compositions can contain a plurality of carbon nanotubes, a plurality of nanoparticles, and a plurality of linker moieties, where at least a portion of the linker moieties connect at least a portion of the carbon nanotubes to the nanoparticles. The nanostructured compositions can form a substrate coating. The nanostructured compositions can contain two or more different types or sizes of nanoparticles. Methods for forming a nanostructured composition can include forming a non-covalent bond between a linker moiety and a carbon nanotube, forming a covalent bond between a linker moiety and a nanoparticle or a surfactant coating thereon, and applying a plurality of carbon nanotubes to a substrate. The linker moiety can be non-covalently bonded to the carbon nanotube before or after applying the carbon nanotubes to the substrate.
US08834745B2

An oxyhalide luminescent material doped with rare earth containing metal particles is provided. The formula thereof is Re′1-xRe″xOX: yM, in which Re′ is the first rare earth element, Re″ is the second rare earth element, X is F, Cl or Br, M is metal nanoparticles, x is 0.001-0.15, and y is 5×10−5-2×10−3. A method for producing the luminescent material is also provided. By virtue of metal particles introduced into the oxyhalide luminescent material doped with rare earth and the surface plasma resonance effect of the metal surface, the luminescence intensity of the oxyhalide luminescent material is improved. The good stability, uniform appearance and excellent luminescence intensity of the luminescent material ensure its application in field emission devices. The production method has advantages of simplicity in operating, pollution-free, easy control, less demanding for equipment and suitability for industrialized production.
US08834732B2

A technique for processing a workpiece is disclosed. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the technique is realized as a method for processing a substrate, where the method comprises: providing the workpiece in the chamber; providing a plurality of electrodes between a wall of the chamber and the workpiece; generating a plasma containing ions between the plurality of electrodes and the workpiece, ion density in an inner portion of the plasma being greater than the ion density in an outer portion of the plasma portion, the outer portion being between the inner portion and the wall of the chamber; and providing a bias voltage to the plurality of electrodes and dispersing at least a portion of the ions in the inner portion until the ion density in the inner portion is substantially equal to the ion density in the periphery plasma portion.
US08834730B2

In the present invention, a nanoporous membrane having a columnar structure is manufactured through a deposition technology used in a semiconductor process, and the size of a nanopore is adjusted by etching the lower surface of the manufactured nanoporous membrane or using a seed layer and a nanobead layer so that scaling up is available at a lowered process temperature and the size of the nanopore can be easily adjusted when manufacturing the nanoporous membrane having a columnar structure.
US08834729B2

A method for making a printed wiring member including wire-bondable contact pads and wear-resistant connector pads, the method includes the steps of a) providing a blank printed wiring member comprising a copper foil laminated to a dielectric substrate; b) masking the blank printed wiring member to protect regions of the copper foil; c) removing copper in unprotected regions of the blank printed wiring member to form a patterned printed wiring member including contact pads and connector pads; d) depositing a nickel coating on the patterned printed wiring member using an electroless nickel deposition process; e) depositing a gold layer on the nickel coating using an electroless gold deposition process; and f) depositing palladium on the gold layer using an electroless palladium deposition process to improve wear resistance of the connector pads while preserving bondability of the contact pads.
US08834719B2

A dialysis machine method includes in an embodiment applying a pneumatic closing pressure to a first valve chamber and arranging a compliance chamber to flex and absorb energy from the pneumatic closing pressure so as to tend to prevent the pneumatic closing pressure from opening an existing closure of a second valve chamber.
US08834715B2

According to one embodiment, a copper recovery apparatus includes a precipitation tank configured to precipitate copper hydroxide grains in water, a filter aid supplier, a mixing tank configured to mix the filter aid with a water to produce a suspension, a separator provided with a filter, a line configured to supply the suspension to the separator, thereby forming a precoat layer formed of the filter aid on the filter, a separation tank configured to receive the detached matter of the precoat layer discharged together with the detaching water from the separator to magnetically separate copper hydroxide grains and filter aid, a line configure to discharge and recover the detaching water from the separation tank, and a line configured to return the separated filter aid to the filter aid supplier from the separation tank.
US08834708B2

A process for treating a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock is provided in which a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock comprising at least 20 wt. % of heavy hydrocarbons is mixed with hydrogen and a metal-containing non-acidic catalyst at a temperature of 375° C. to 500° C. to produce a vapor comprising a first hydrocarbon-containing product. The vapor comprising the first hydrocarbon-containing product is separated from the mixture, and, apart from the mixture, the first hydrocarbon-containing product is contacted with hydrogen and a catalyst containing a Column 6 metal at a temperature of 260° C.-425° C. to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing product.
US08834707B2

A process for treating a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock is provided in which a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock comprising at least 20 wt. % of heavy hydrocarbons is mixed with hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and a metal-containing catalyst at a temperature of 375° C. to 500° C. and a pressure of from 6.9 MPa to 27.5 MPa to produce a vapor comprising a first hydrocarbon-containing product, where the hydrogen sulfide is mixed with the feedstock, metal-containing catalyst, and hydrogen at a mole ratio of hydrogen sulfide to hydrogen of at least 1:10. The vapor comprising the first hydrocarbon-containing product is separated from the mixture, and, apart from the mixture, the first hydrocarbon-containing product is contacted with hydrogen and a catalyst containing a Column 6 metal at a temperature of 260° C.-425° C. and a pressure of from 3.4 MPa to 27.5 MPa to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing product.
US08834704B1

A method to detect beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) is described. The method includes the steps of adding a known concentration of hydrogen peroxide to a sample known to, or suspected of containing BLG; and electrolyzing the sample using a working electrode at a fixed potential sufficient to electrolyze BLG, and measuring a current signal within the sample. A diminution of the current signal in the sample as compared to a corresponding current signal from a standard solution containing a known concentration of hydrogen peroxide and no BLG indicates that the sample contains BLG.
US08834700B2

A method and an apparatus of reacting reaction components. The method comprises electro-chemically reacting reaction components on opposite sides of at least one membrane with at least one catalyst encompassing a respective volume. In another embodiment, the method includes conducting electrolysis, such as electrolysis of water. The apparatus includes at least one membrane with first and second sides encompassing a respective volume. The apparatus further includes at least one catalyst coupled to the first and second sides to electro-chemically react reaction components on the first and second sides in gaseous communication with the at least one catalyst, and a cover coupled to the at least one membrane to separate flow paths on the first and second sides.
US08834692B2

Provided is a dissolved oxygen measurement system. The dissolved oxygen measurement system includes a hydrogen storage device storing hydrogen, a first hydrogen fuel cell in which the hydrogen stored in the hydrogen storage device and water supplied from the outside in real time react with each other to generate first electricity energy, a water storage tank storing the water supplied from the outside, a second hydrogen fuel cell in which the water supplied from the water storage tank and the hydrogen stored in the hydrogen storage device react with each other to generate second electricity energy, and a control unit analyzing a difference between the first electricity energy and the second electricity energy.
US08834690B2

An analyte test sensor for use in measuring the concentration of a particular analyte in a test sample includes a non-conductive substrate, a reference electrode deposited on the substrate, a working electrode deposited on the substrate and a compensation electrode deposited on the substrate. The compensation electrode is provided with a resistive ladder and is designed to correct for test result inaccuracies which are the result of variances in the manufacturing of the test sensor. Specifically, in one embodiment, the compensation electrode corrects for test result inaccuracies in an analog manner by shunting a portion of the working current away from working electrode. In another embodiment, the compensation electrode corrects for test result inaccuracies in a digital manner by providing a calibration code which is proportional its resistance value. A batch of analyte test sensors are preferably manufactured in the following manner. An initial batch of the test sensors is constructed. Then, a limited sampling of the sensors is tested for accuracy using a control sample. Based on the test results, the resistance value of the compensation electrode for each remaining sensor in the batch is adjusted accordingly.
US08834684B2

A method is described to excite molecules at their natural resonance frequencies with sufficient energy to break or form chemical bonds using electromagnetic radiation in the radio frequency (RF) and microwave frequency range. Liquid, solid, or gaseous materials are prepared and injected into a resonant structure where they are bombarded with electromagnetic energy in the RF or microwave range at resonant frequencies of the molecules of the materials. Alternatively, electromagnetic energy tuned to dielectric particles prepared from the materials may also be supplied to further enhance the reaction.
US08834683B2

Heat exchanger steam condenser water distillation is described. In one aspect, a water distillation condenser has a heated air conduit in air flow communication with a heat exchanger. A cold raw water compartment is disposed above the heated air conduit and at least a bottom surface of the cold raw water compartment disposed at an angle. A heated raw water channel is defined between the heated air conduit and the raw water compartment. A floor of the heated raw water channel is defined by a top of the heated air conduit. A distilled water trough is disposed below a lower extent of the cold raw water compartment.
US08834682B2

A coal material decomposition apparatus includes a sealed rotary kiln body provided with a coal inlet and a coal outlet. A coal decomposition gas collecting pipe is arranged in the kiln body and is provided with two parallel spirals for dividing space in the kiln body into a heating gas bin and a coal material decomposition bin. The coal decomposition gas collecting pipe communicates with the coal material decomposition bin through a gas guide hole arranged in the coal material decomposition bin. As the kiln body is internally divided into the a heating gas bin and a coal material decomposition bin isolated from each other, a large amount of hot gas in the heating gas conducts and radiates the heat to pulverized coal in the coal material decomposition bin, and the pulverized coal fully absorbs the heat to be decomposed into gas, coal tar gas and coal with high heat-value.
US08834681B1

In an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed drying and dewatering system comprises an air knife and a vacuum slot, wherein the air knife is positioned over the vacuum slot and fibrous nonwoven material is passed under the air knife and over the vacuum slot. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be used to achieve greater water removal and more uniform binding agent distribution across the nonwoven fibrous material.
US08834673B2

A process chamber is provided for an etching apparatus that etches a substrate, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) substrate, using plasma. The process chamber may include a chamber body, in one wall of which a gate slit is formed, a rotary inner door that opens and closes an inner opening of the gate slit, and a door driving mechanism that rotates the inner door. When the substrate is etched, the inner door is closed preventing an interior of the chamber body from communicating with the gate slit. Thereby, a space in which the plasma is formed may be maintained symmetrical, so that the plasma may be uniformly distributed in an interior of the chamber body.
US08834664B2

Certain example embodiments relate to techniques for creating improved photovoltaic (PV) modules. In certain example embodiments and first and second glass substrate are provided. A PV array is provided between the first and second glass substrates. The first and second substrates are laminated together with the PV array between the glass substrates. In certain example embodiments the PV module is dimensioned to be similar to an existing roof system (e.g., a sunroof) in a vehicle. In certain example embodiments, holes are provided in a PV module sandwiched between two substrates, the holes being shaped and arranged within the PV module so as to allow light transmission into the vehicle at desired level while still being substantially filled by the laminate or adhesive material used to secure the PV module to the two surrounding substrates.
US08834650B2

A system for cleaning a site of a medical implement is disclosed. The system can include a strip of flexible material and a plurality of cleaning devices attached to the strip. Each cleaning device can include a cap, one or more protrusions, and a cleaning agent. The cap can be selectively removable from the strip of flexible material and can have an inner cavity that is sealed when the cleaning device is attached to the strip and unsealed upon removal of the cleaning device from the strip. The inner cavity can receive a site of the medical implement. The one or more protrusions can extend inwardly from the inner cavity and can engage corresponding protrusions on the site of the medical implement. The cleaning agent can occupy at least some of the inner cavity and can be formulated to clean the site of the medical implement.
US08834649B2

An embodiment of the present invention provides a water wash system that may mix a cleaning fluid with at least one chemical agent to form a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution may reduce the corrosives on components of a compressor. The cleaning solution may be a mildly acidic solution to reduce corrosion of a caustic nature. Alternatively, the cleaning solution may be a mildly basic solution to reduce corrosion of an acidic nature.
US08834640B2

The invention relates to a method and to a device for treating containers relating especially to cleaning plastic bottles (1) preferably in the inverted position. Each container is thereby subjected to a treatment medium (16) applied and/or introduced thereto. Electrically charged ions introduced into the treatment medium (16) serve to balance the charge of each container. According to the invention, the treatment medium (16) is tested for the presence of ions.
US08834637B2

There is provided a biochemical analyzer and a method of cleaning fluid components of the same. The biochemical analyzer includes a reagent adding mechanism, a sample adding mechanism, at least one reaction cup, a cleaning mechanism and a waste pipeline connected to the cleaning mechanism. A control system is employed, wherein the control system has a cleaning mode for cleaning fluid components of the biochemical analyzer, having: a) a water injection step; and b) a water discharge. With the cleaning method, the fluid components such as the water drawing device and waste valve on the waste pipeline may be automatically cleaned without manual intervention.
US08834618B2

Presently described are methods of inhibiting water vapor adsorption of a powder and methods of storing a powder at increased humidity level. The methods comprise providing adding discrete hydrophobic nanoparticles to a plurality of particles.
US08834606B2

A flue gas adsorbent and method for making an adsorbent for mercury capture are disclosed. The adsorbent comprises an admixture of an adsorptive material and an additive that have been physically combined thereby eliminating the need for traditional impregnation. A method for removing mercury from a flue gas stream is also disclosed.
US08834600B2

The present invention relates to a zero-waste process for extraction of alumina from different types of bauxite ores and red mud residues and of titanium dioxide from ilmenite. Iron oxide is first reduced to metallic iron above the melting point of C-saturated cast iron alloy which yields a high-C iron alloy and an Al and Ti metal oxide rich slag which is then treated with alkali carbonate to form alkali aluminates and titanates. The alkali aluminates are separated by water leaching from which the hydroxide of alumina is precipitated by bubbling C02. The residue from water leaching is treated with sulphuric acid and Ti02 is precipitated via a hydrolysis route. The process recovers most of the metal values and generates only small quantities of silicious residues at pH 4-5 which can be used for soil conditioning. The present also relates to a method for selective separation of Ti02-rich oxides from titaniferrous ore/residue materials via oxidative roasting in the presence of alkali carbonate or carbonates followed by aqueous leaching of the roasted material and selective precipitation of Ti02 under controlled condition below pH=4.
US08834599B2

In a method and a device for operating a smelting reduction process, at least part of an export gas from a blast furnace or a reduction unit is thermally utilized in a gas turbine and the exhaust gas of this gas turbine is used in a waste heat steam generator to generate steam. The remaining part of the export gas is fed to a CO2 separation apparatus, the tail gas thereby obtained being fed to a waste heat steam generator and burned for additional steam generation. The combustible components of the tail gas are sent for thermal utilization in a steam generator, so that the overall energy balance of the thermal use of the export gas is improved. In addition, a further part of the export gas is qualitatively improved by the CO2 separation apparatus, so as to generate a high-quality reduction gas which can be supplied for metallurgical use.
US08834596B2

A method for pretreating a sintering material using as a material at least two types of iron ore containing coarse grains and fine powder, using a first granulator to make the fine powder stick to coarse grains forming core grains so as to produce S-type granules, and using a second granulator to granulate only fine powder or mainly fine powder to produce P-type granules, which method producing the S-type granules by adjusting an amount of fine powder supplied into said first granulator so that the average stuck thickness of fine powder to the core grains becomes 50 to 300 μm and supplying the remaining fine powder not supplied to said first granulator to the second granulator.
US08834594B2

In one aspect, cemented carbide bodies are provided. A cemented carbide body described herein, in some embodiments, comprises a tungsten carbide phase, a binder phase comprising at least one metal of the iron group or an alloy thereof, a solid solution phase of carbides of zirconium and niobium (Zr,Nb)C and cubic carbides in an amount ranging from about 0.5 volume percent to about 6 volume percent.
US08834593B2

A method of enriching the iron content of low grade iron ore bearing materials has been developed which produces a high iron ore concentrate suitable for processing into pig iron and steel. The process includes reducing the low grade iron ore bearing materials to a fine particulate form and treating a water slurry of this material by applying a combination of ultrasonic treatments in a plurality of high and low intensity magnetic separation operations to remove interfering materials and concentrate magnetic and paramagnetic iron bearing materials into a high grade ore stock.
US08834584B2

A syngas cooler for use in a gasification system is described that includes a head portion including a plurality of conduit headers. The syngas cooler also includes an annular shell portion including a plurality of conduits, the plurality of conduits configured to be coupled in flow communication with the plurality of conduit headers. The syngas cooler also includes a quench portion configured to remove particulates entrained in a flow of syngas flowing through the syngas cooler. The head portion and the shell portion are configured to be coupled together with a circumferential seam weld.
US08834576B1

Fired magnesium oxide stabilized zirconia ceramic body having a highly smooth, polished or otherwise equivalent surface has, on at least part of the surface, a metal/metal alloy coating. The fired ceramic body can be a magnesium oxide stabilized tetragonally toughened zirconia. The coating can be from a metal or metal alloy other than by tantalum vapor deposition, and can include a titanium metal or alloy. The coated magnesium oxide stabilized zirconia ceramic can be a tool or an orthopedic implant or component for an orthopedic implant, which can be a load bearing implant or component for a load bearing implant having an articular surface and a nonarticular surface where the metal or metal alloy coating is on at least part of the nonarticular surface. Plasma arc spraying under vacuum may be employed.
US08834573B2

An orthopedic prosthetic device having at least one pyrocarbon insert is provided. The prosthetic device can include a prosthetic component having an articulating surface and a bone engagement surface. The articulating surface can be formed of a material that is distinct from pyrocarbon and is arranged to receive the at least one pyrocarbon insert so as to position a pyrocarbon articulating surface of the at least one pyrocarbon insert relative to the prosthetic component articulating surface.
US08834572B2

The invention relates to an implant (1) for osseous fusion between two bones, including a first portion (20) having a longitudinal axis A, for being inserted in the first bone and including a first means (24) for attaching said implant in said first bone, and a second portion (30) having a longitudinal axis B, for being inserted in the second bone and including a second means (34) for attaching said implant in said second bone, said first and second portions (20, 30) being connected by a central core (40), said central core being a solid body, the cross-section of which, in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal axis A, has the shape of a star having at least three points (41, 42, 43), said first portion having three tabs (21, 22, 23), each tab extending along said longitudinal axis A from the free end (41a, 42a, 43a) of one of the points of said central core.
US08834568B2

A spacer for implantation into a subject is provided that includes a sterilized piece of cartilaginous allograft tissue. The piece forms a Y-shape with a base adapted to insert within a first carpo-metacarpal joint or carpo-metatarsal joint of the subject, and has a first arm adapted to secure to a trapezium bone adjoining the joint, and a second arm adapted to secure to a proximal metacarpal or metatarsal bone adjoining the joint. A procedure for implanting the spacer includes exposing a target joint and abrading a bone surface interior to the joint to induce surface bleeding. The spacer base is then inserted into the joint. The spacer first arm is adhered to the first bone of the joint and the spacer second arm is adhered to the second bone of the joint. A kit is also provided for surgical implantation of the spacer.
US08834562B2

The present invention relates to a delivery system for delivering a device for closing a passageway in a body, for example a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a heart. The delivery system has an elongate member having a proximal and distal end. A deflectable needle assembly having luminal and abluminal surfaces is slideably engaged within the elongate member. An actuator is slideabley engaged within the elongate member and attached to the needle tip assembly such that translational movement of the actuator causes deflection of the deflectable needle assembly.
US08834555B2

Implantable devices, such as stents, having a surface modified with TiNxCy are disclosed.
US08834554B2

An expandable stent for implanting in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. In one aspect, the stent includes a butterfly pattern to which connecting links are attached. In another aspect, the stent embodies a non-directional structure.
US08834549B2

A one step method for drug coating an interventional device is disclosed by mixing a drug with a phosphorylcholine-linked methacrylate polymer in a liquid and applying the mixture to an interventional device, such as a stent, in a single step.
US08834548B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for regulating body temperature. The system includes a housing that comprises compartments for a phase change material and a heat transfer material. The compartments are configured to transfer heat from the heat transfer material to the phase change material. A temperature sensor is used to determine when the phase change material has reached a pre-determined temperature. When the pre-determined temperature is reached, a release mechanism or lever is coupled to the temperature sensor to separate the phase change material compartment from the heat transfer material compartment or to remove the heat transfer material away from the phase change material compartment. The heated phase change material compartment can be used to regulate body temperature.
US08834537B2

Removable drill guide tips are provided for simultaneous assembly relative to the holes of a bone plate. The drill guide tips may be used with an extension to together function as a conventional drill guide. After drilling, the extension or another tool is used to remove the tips from the plate. According to another use, the tip is used as a guide for a drill bit without any additional extension and then removed with a tool.
US08834535B2

Provided is a novel system that includes a low profile anterior vertebral body plate and closed thread screws for the fixation and stabilization of the cervical spine, the closed thread screw having an integral novel screw locking mechanism of an uppermost closed thread having a flat pitch, which engages and attaches the plate so as to lock the screw into the plate until an intentional, simultaneous combination of outward pulling force and counter-clockwise torque is applied to release the closed thread screw from the plate. Also provided is a method of stabilizing cervical vertebrae using the disclosed system.
US08834530B2

A device and method for a minimally invasive surgical implantation to reduce radicular symptoms by inserting an expandable cervical distraction implant in the facet joint and distracting the adjacent cervical vertebrae to increase the foraminal dimension. The implant, when positioned in the cervical facet joint, expands to via delivery of an inflation medium to increase the space between the vertebrae, thereby increasing the foraminal area or dimension, and reducing pressure on the nerves and blood vessels of the cervical spine.
US08834527B2

A spinal screw assembly adapted to be secured to a vertebrae for providing securement across at least two vertebrae. The assembly includes a pedicle screw having a substantially spherical head portion, a threaded shaft portion, and an engagement surface in the head portion for driving said screw into the vertebrae, and a body member comprising a tower portion having an open top, a break-away section for manipulation of the screw upon implantation into the vertebrae, a base body at a proximal region of the body member and a break zone which acts as a transition between the base body and the tower portion. A resealably securable setscrew within the body member secures and fully contains the rod within said assembly. The break-away section remains completely outside a wound and is removed or broken off once the screw has been fully assembled inside the vertebrae.
US08834525B2

An infant pacifier has a temperature sensitive material mounted on the front forming a “mood stone”. The front of the pacifier would change color based on the body temperature of the infant using the pacifier. The pacifier includes a metal strip or other temperature conductive material that connects to the metal frame of the mood stone and wraps around to come in contact with the baby's lips when the baby is sucking on the pacifier. The metal strip carries the heat from the baby to the stone, facilitating color change as the child's temperature changes.
US08834519B2

A device and method for obliterating or occluding a body cavity or passageway, in particular, the left atrial appendage of a patient's heart. The procedure can be carried out intraoperatively, but is preferably carried out percutaneously by use of a delivery catheter to position an occluding device adjacent a patient's left atrial appendage. The occluding device may prevent the passage of embolic or other material to or from the left atrial appendage by volumetrically filling the appendage, closing the opening of the appendage with an occluding member, or pulling the tissue around the opening of the appendage together and fixing it in a closed state.
US08834515B2

A device for delivering an occlusive element includes an elongate pusher member having a lumen. A locking member is disposed within the lumen of the elongate pusher member. A moveable elongate releasing member is disposed within the lumen of the elongate pusher member. A filament is secured to the distal end of the elongate releasing member. The occlusive member is locked to the elongate releasing member when the filament passes through a securing member on the occlusive member and is pinched or wedged between the locking member and the elongate releasing member. The occlusive element is in an unlocked state when the elongate releasing member is retracted proximally relative to the elongate pusher member. The filament, along with the elongate releasing member, are retracted proximally until the filament is detached or uncoupled from the securing member of the occlusive member.
US08834510B2

Catheter having a hypotube with a skive defined by a first angled cut, an axial cut, and a second angled cut. A midshaft member includes a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflation lumen of the hypotube, the inflation lumen of the midshaft member configured to receive at least a portion of the hypotube. A distal tubular shaft member extends distally from the midshaft member. The distal tubular shaft member has a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen defined therein, the guidewire lumen of the distal tubular shaft member in fluid communication with the guidewire lumen of the midshaft member. The inflation lumen of the distal tubular shaft member is in fluid communication with the inflation lumen of the midshaft member and a balloon is coupled to the distal tubular shaft member and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen.
US08834506B2

A method for puncturing a pericardial membrane of a human patient, the method comprising inserting a needle into the chest of the human patient, detecting a phase of a mechanical activity of the heart of the human patient, advancing the needle toward the heart of the human patient in synchronization with the detected phase of the mechanical activity of the heart of the human patient, and repeating the detecting and advancing steps until the pericardial membrane of the human patient is punctured.
US08834501B2

An endoscopic scissor instrument includes an elongate hollow member, an actuator that moves axially through the hollow member, and first and second scissor blades with respective cutting surfaces. At least one of the scissor blades is rotatably coupled to the hollow member adjacent its distal end. At least one of the scissor blades includes a base supporting a resilient leaf-spring portion that includes a respective cutting edge. The resilient leaf-spring portion extends from the base in a cantilevered arrangement and generates a spring force acting on the respective cutting edge such that in a loaded state there is an automatic preload force imparted between the cutting edges of the scissor blades to maintain a consistent and continuous mating force between the two opposed sharpened cutting edges preferably over the complete range of rotational movement of the scissor blades.
US08834494B2

An automated needle deployment device is provided. In one embodiment, the automated needle deployment device comprises a pusher, a needle, a tube, and an actuator. The pusher has a needle engaging end. The needle has a sharp end and an opposite end. A suture is associated with the needle. The pusher and needle are slidably disposed within the tube. The actuator comprises a control and a spring and is operatively associated with the pusher. Actuation of the actuator moves the pusher towards the needle expulsion end of the tube such that the needle engaging end of the pusher engages the needle and expels the needle from the tube.
US08834489B2

A robotic surgery system comprises a mounting base, a plurality of surgical instruments, and an articulate support assembly. Each instrument is insertable into a patient through an associated minimally invasive aperture to a desired internal surgical site. The articulate support assembly movably supports the instruments relative to the base. The support generally comprises an orienting platform, a platform linkage movably supporting the orienting platform relative to the base, and a plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument.
US08834472B2

A spinal joint distraction system for treating a facet joint including articular surfaces having a contour is disclosed and may include a delivery device including a generally tubular structure adapted to engage a facet joint, an implant adapted to be delivered through the delivery device and into the facet joint, the implant comprising two members arranged in opposed position, and an implant distractor comprising a generally elongate member adapted to advance between the two members of the implant causing separation of the members and distraction of the facet joint, wherein the implant is adapted to conform to the shape of the implant distractor and/or the articular surfaces of the facet upon being delivered to the facet joint. Several embodiments of a system, several embodiments of an implant, and several methods are disclosed including a method for interbody fusion.
US08834470B2

A bone repairing kit including a drilling device, a pushing device, a clamping member and a hole saw. An end of a tube body of the drilling device is a knife portion. When the tube body rotates with respect to a femur, a bone column is cut by the knife portion and located in the tube body. The pushing device includes a hollow tube and a push bar. The hollow tube is for receiving the tube body. The push bar is for touching and pushing the bone column in the tube body. The clamping member is for clamping the bone column. The hole saw includes a receiving body and cutting knives. The receiving body has a recess for receiving an end of the bone column. The cutting knives surrounding on an inner wall of the recess are for cutting an edge of the end of the bone column.
US08834466B2

A surgical instrument can comprise a handle and an end effector, wherein the end effector can comprise first and second jaws which can be opened and closed in order to capture tissue therebetween. The surgical instrument can further comprise a shaft extending between the handle and the effector and means for articulating the end effector relative to the shaft. The articulating means can comprise a portion of the shaft which is rotatable about a first axis in order to articulate the end effector about a second axis. In at least one embodiment, the shaft can comprise a first portion including a cam and a second portion including a cam follower, wherein the rotation of the second portion and the interaction of the cam and cam follower can cause the second portion to pivot relative to the first portion.
US08834465B2

Implementations of modular tools and methods of operating modular tools are described in the present disclosure. A modular tool according to one of several possible embodiments comprises a handle portion and a distal portion. The handle portion is configured to be manipulated by a user. The distal portion is configured to be attached to the handle portion, but is further configured to be removable from the handle portion by the user. Manipulation of the handle portion causes movement of one or more components of the distal portion. The distal portion is further configured to sense one or more parameters and transmit the sensed parameters to the handle portion.
US08834458B2

The invention relates to a system for medicinal treatment, in particular for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH, for use in the event of tumor resection or for use in thoracic surgery. The system comprises a diode laser device for producing a laser beam and to an application system based on optical wave guides that can be endoscopically introduced into a patient. Said system is designed in such a manner that the laser beam, produced by the diode laser device is guided through the application system and is emitted by said application system so that biological tissue can be treated in a selective manner with the emerging laser beam.
US08834456B2

Steerable and flexibly curved probes are provided, primarily for surgical applications. A probe with flexible distal portion is inserted through an incision or cannula and the flexible distal portion may be selectively bent or steered using a guide wire. The guide wire is extended through the probe on a radially offset axis, and affixed at its distal end to the distal end of the flexible distal portion. The curvature of the nitinol wire is induced by extending or retracting the wire from the proximal end of the flexible distal portion while the distal end of the guide wire remains affixed to the distal end of the probe. The guide wire is activated by a finger-actuated mechanism. A further embodiment is provided in which the guide wire is fixed at both ends of the flexible distal portion of the probe and has a normally curved conformation, and assumes such conformation after insertion through a straight cannula. Other embodiments and applications are similarly disclosed.
US08834454B2

The present application provides a drug-delivery device comprising a drug reservoir chamber 16, containing a substance to be delivered, in fluid connection with a drug administration means 18, and an electrically-controlled battery unit 10 comprising at least one displacement-generating battery cell 19 coupled to the drug reservoir chamber 16 by a coupling means 14, the arrangement being such that the displacement derived from the battery unit 10 is conveyed by the coupling means 14 to the drug reservoir chamber 16 such that the substance is expelled from the drug reservoir chamber 16 towards the drug administration means 18.
US08834447B2

A transdermal drug delivery patch and a method of controlling the drug release of the transdermal drug delivery patch by near-IR are disclosed. The transdermal drug delivery patch comprises a substrate, carriers and drugs. The drugs are encapsulated in the carriers, and the carriers having the drugs are disposed on a surface of the substrate. The carriers are formed of biodegradable polymers, and nano-particles with a photothermal conversion effect are loaded in the carrier. When the carriers are punctured into the skin and the nano-particles in the carrier absorb the near-IR, the near-IR is converted into heat by the nano-particles to melt the carrier and thus releasing the drugs encapsulated in the carrier into the skin. Accordingly, the speed of releasing the drugs encapsulated in the carrier can be controlled accurately by the near-IR.
US08834445B2

Provided is a method for treating or preventing peritonitis by administering a therapeutically effective amount of an oxidative reduction potential (ORP) water solution that is stable for at least about twenty-four hours. The ORP water solution administered in accordance with the invention can be combined with one or more suitable carriers and can be administered in conjunction with one or more additional therapeutic agents. Further provided is a method for preventing peritoneal hemorrhage, adhesions and abscesses.
US08834443B2

A kit of parts for an injection safety system comprises a vial comprising a container for storing an injectable substance, and an identifier removably secured to the container. The identifier comprises an indicium of the substance, and an engagement portion. The kit of parts further comprises a syringe for drawing the substance from the vial. The syringe comprises a mating engagement portion. The mating engagement portion is mateable with the engagement portion to secure the identifier to the syringe and transfer the identifier from the vial to the syringe.
US08834440B2

The present invention aims to provide a pants type disposable diaper free from noticeable gathers formed on the innermost side of the crotch region. In the crotch region of the pants type disposable diaper, the bodily fluid-absorbent core is sandwiched between the liquid-permeable inner sheet and the liquid-impermeable outer sheet. Further inside the inner sheet, the innermost sheet is provided and this innermost sheet prevents the inner sheet from coming in contact with the wearer's skin. The innermost sheet is joined, in the regions extending in the vicinity of the ends thereof opposite in the front-back direction A, to at least one of the inner sheet and the outer sheet. The innermost sheet includes, in its region defined on the transverse center line P of the diaper, the tuck extending downward toward the inner sheet.
US08834437B2

A disposable absorbent garment can include a waistband assembly that is configured to be worn about a waist of a subject, and an absorbent panel assembly having first and second ends that are coupled to the waistband assembly. The absorbent panel assembly can include a liquid-pervious body-side layer, a liquid impervious external layer, and an absorbent core positioned between the body-side and external layers. At least one of the absorbent panel assembly or the waistband assembly includes a contraction region, such as near the absorbent core, that is configured to be extensible and retractable along a longitudinal axis of the absorbent core. The longitudinal axis can be substantially parallel to a vertical or height axis of a wearer when the absorbent garment is worn by an upright or standing individual.
US08834431B2

An injection device having a delivery element with an inner thread may be driven by rotation and includes a cylindrical outer wall region, which is substantially smooth. Such features provide a delivery element configured such that it is less intimidating to patients than known threaded rods, and may facilitate easy cleaning. The delivery element may be non-rotatably guided and axially spring-loaded, and may be inserted axially into the housing when the reservoir is replaced. The driving thread element for the delivery element may be mounted in the vicinity of the distal end of the housing.
US08834428B2

A fluid delivery device includes an array of needles, each in fluid communication with a respective reservoir. Respective actuators are coupled so as to be operable to drive fluid from the reservoirs via needle ports. Each needle can have a plurality of ports, and the ports can be arranged to deliver a substantially equal amount of fluid at any given location along its length. A driver is coupled to the actuators to selectively control the rate, volume, and direction of flow of fluid through the needles. The device can simultaneously deliver a plurality of fluid agents along respective axes in solid tissue in vivo. If thereafter resected, the tissue can be sectioned for evaluation of an effect of each agent on the tissue, and based on the evaluation, candidate agents selected or deselected for clinical trials or therapy, and subjects selected or deselected for clinical trials or therapeutic treatment.
US08834426B2

A restraining device for covering and protecting an intravenous access site or other access site that comprises an intravenous compartment hub portion or tubing device hub portion, coupled to a U-shaped portion coupled to a straight tubing portion. The combination of the compartment hub portion, U-shaped portion and straight tubing portion allows for an area where the intravenous catheter, catheter needle, luer lock and tubing can be placed, surrounding which is a flat, generally planar area that includes an adhesive backing for adhering the device to the skin of a patient. The anchoring protection device is a one-piece unit that is made from a thin, transparent, flexible material.
US08834425B2

A gel pad for use with a retainer for securing a medical article. The gel pad is formed from a soft, tacky elastomer. A first surface of the gel pad is placed in contact with a patient's skin. A second surface that faces in an opposite direction away from the first surface receives the retainer. The retainer has a channel configured to retain at least a portion of the medical article. In some embodiments, a securement member is employed to affix the retainer relative to the patient. A securement system including the gel pad and retainer is further disclosed along with a method of securing a medical article to a patient.
US08834424B2

A securement device includes a retainer having at least one retention member extending into a channel of the retainer. The retention member is coupled to the retainer and includes a distal end. The distal end is movable relative to the retainer. The retention member can extend from the body and/or supports of the retainer on opposite sides of the channel axis. In some embodiments, a first set of retention members extends from a first support and a second set of retention members extends from the other support. The first set and the second set of retention members can be staggered laterally along the channel axis such that the lateral sides of the retainer are asymmetric which allow the same retainer to secure medical article having different shapes and sizes. The retainer may further include one or more abutment features or pills configured to contact the medical article.
US08834417B2

A needle assembly (10) includes a needle (14) attached to mounting structure (12), and is used to insert the needle into the body of a patient. A depth stop unit (50) of the needle assembly provides a stop surface (58) to limit the distance the needle can be inserted into the body. The depth stop unit may include a depth stop (52) that is adjustable to selectively change the depth to which the needle can be inserted. The entire depth stop unit can be removed from the needle assembly to permit the full length of the needle to penetrate into the body.
US08834412B2

A device for the back-injection of an implant including a holder to allow a user to hold the device, an injection needle, a retainer for retaining the implant before the injection needle, a plunger having a distal part for injecting the implant during withdrawal of the needle, a protective sleeve, capable of adopting an injection position leaving the needle uncovered and a safety position covering the needle again after use of the device, and a spring designed to move the protective sleeve into their safety position, the movement of the spring being controllable by the user.
US08834407B2

A covered yankauer suction device is protectable from contamination after use. The covered yankauer suction device includes a yankauer having a suction tip at a first end and a connector at a second end. A retractable sleeve partially encloses the yankauer. One end of the retractable sleeve is secured to the yankauer while the opposite end of the retractable sleeve is secured to a valve. The valve includes a cross-cut that enables the valve to open when the suction tip of the yankauer pushes against the underside of the cross-cut.
US08834402B2

A method for the re-anticoagulation of platelet rich plasma in a blood apheresis system includes priming the blood apheresis system with anticoagulant, such that a volume of anticoagulant is transferred to a PRP container. The method may then transfer the anticoagulant within the PRP container to a red blood cell container, and collect a volume of platelet rich plasma within the PRP container. The platelet rich plasma may be collected in a plurality of cycles. Between collection cycles, the method may transfer a portion of the volume of anticoagulant from the red blood cell container to the PRP container.
US08834396B2

A heel supporting and protective boot for bed-ridden patients, comprising unitary exterior and interior body forms which contain fiber filling and an angled foam wedge. Sewn tube holes on both sides allow for insertion of medical tubing. The inner fabric of the boot is antibacterial and moisture absorbent, while the outer fabric is moisture repellant. Left and right “Y-straps” provide secure upper and lower fastening of the boot as it envelops the patient's foot and lower leg. Two “loop” straps and a T-stabilizer stabilize the boot and keep the foot at a 90 degree angle to help eliminate foot drop. An opening at the heel of the boot and a circular cutout in the foam wedge allow the heel to remain exposed to air, provide proper elevation, and enhance blood circulation. The device enhances the healing of existing ulcers and minimizes the occurrence of foot drop and new pressure points.
US08834395B2

A system for delivering a medical dressing onto an appendage, such as a finger or penis, of a patient includes a medical dressing defined by a flexible tubular sleeve that is configured to elastically expand radially, and a delivery device including a pair of pivotable spreader arms attached to a handle portion. The spreader arms of the delivery device are configured for insertion within the sleeve to enable radial expansion from a first diameter to a larger second diameter and positioning of the medical dressing onto the desired anatomical area.
US08834390B2

A novel capture device apparatus comprising: (a) a capture device portion, at least a part of which is adaptable for insertion into a patient and (b) a control unit. The capture device portion comprises one or more apertures and one or more electroactive polymer actuators that open and close the one or more apertures based on control signals sent from the control unit. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of capturing a specimen within a patient's body of provided. The method comprises (a) providing a capture device apparatus like that above, (b) inserting at least a portion of the capture device portion of the apparatus into the patient such that the capture device portion is adjacent the specimen; and (c) closing the one or more apertures using the control unit, thereby capturing the specimen.
US08834389B2

A fertility monitoring apparatus measures body temperature and saliva or cervical fluid resistivity. The clinical device includes a sensor, processor and transmitter to wirelessly deliver information to a computerized device such as a smart phone, tablet, or laptop for further analysis and display. The computerized device is programmed with software to receive, analyze, display, and/or transmit the raw or processed information. The programmed computerized device computes fertility information of the user. A central fertility platform includes a programmed computing device, and a database of fertility information from multiple users. Input from user accounts are fed into the platform and stored in the database. Exemplary inputs include the user's age, cycle length, diagnosis of fertility, reproductive health information. The platform both provides feedback to the user and learns from the data collected to improve upon or self-modify calculations using machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data mining approaches.
US08834388B2

A system and method are described for sensing the orientation of a catheter relative to a tissue and regulating the application of power to maintain the tissue at a pre-determined temperature.
US08834383B2

The invention concerns an apparatus, system, wearable apparatus and concomitant processing system to detect instants in time at which a cyclically pulsating object within the body of an individual is temporarily quiescent, such an object being the heart, an artery or the lungs. The essence of the invention is the use of a doppler radar motion sensor, normally used for vehicular speed detection or the detection of building occupancy. The doppler radar motion sensor is arranged to transmit electromagnetic signal towards the object and receive reflected electromagnetic signal from the object, and the apparatus is further arranged to identify the instants in time at which the reflected signal indicates the object is temporarily quiescent. The invention is particularly suitable for ambulatory monitoring of the heart.
US08834379B2

A system for providing an indication of cardiovascular function, includes a respiration input (1) for receiving a respiration-related signal indicative of a physical property of respiration gases administered to a patient. A hemodynamic input (2) is provided for receiving a hemodynamic-related signal indicative of a hemodynamic property. An inspiration detector (3) is provided for processing the respiration-related signal to detect times of inspiration and a measure of the size of the inspiration. A correlator (5) is provided for correlating the sizes of inspiration with the hemodynamic-related signal, to obtain the indication of cardiovascular function. The respiration-related signal is indicative of inspiration pressure, inspiration volume, or inspiration flow. The hemodynamic-related signal is indicative of blood pressure.
US08834375B2

To be able to control an aperture in ultrasound transducer units comprised such that the signals from a plurality of ultrasound transducers are added and output. An ultrasound probe comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, a plurality of delay circuits, and an adder circuit, and configured to be able to control a reception aperture of ultrasound waves. The delay circuit performs a delay processing to reception signals. The adder circuit adds and outputs the reception signals for each predetermined group. The ultrasound probe further comprises a gate means. The gate means switches connection and disconnection of the signal path for each signal path arranged between the ultrasound transducer and the adder circuit. The gate means also connects only the signal path from the ultrasound transducer corresponding to the initial reception aperture that is previously set after the transmission of ultrasound waves within the cycle of the ultrasound waves and sequentially connects the corresponding signal path from the ultrasound transducer that is closer to the initial reception aperture according to the lapse in time of the reception period.
US08834366B2

Methods and apparatus for providing data processing and control for use in verifying the stability of sensor sensitivity of an analyte sensor.
US08834362B2

A speculum blade extender apparatus including a body composed of semi-rigid reusable material with first and second walls separated from and coupled together to form a cavity and extending laterally to form opposing lateral lips and extending distally to form a distal lip, such that the contact surface area of the speculum blade is increased, resulting in more efficient and accurate examinations and addressing patient and medical practitioner concerns, collectively.
US08834358B2

A cannula assembly includes a tubular element forming a lumen, a deployable element of a subassembly, and an electronic component mounted to the deployable element. The tubular element has a proximal end and a distal end adapted to be inserted into a body cavity. The deployable element is coupled through the subassembly to the tubular element, and is adapted to transition between a closed position and an open position. The electronic component has at least one imaging device and at least one illumination source. The subassembly, including the deployable element and the electronic component, are releasable from the tubular element.
US08834345B2

A centrifugal pump system for a cardiac assist device employs a disc-shaped impeller having an outer circumference adapted to be rotatably driven in a pumping direction. A pump housing has a pumping chamber receiving the impeller, wherein the pumping chamber defines an outlet volute having a separation edge spaced from the outer circumference to provide a limited backflow path coinciding with the pumping direction. A motor drives the impeller in response to a voltage provided to the motor. A current sensor measures current flow within the motor in response to the voltage. A controller estimates a pump flow rate in response to a predetermined relation between the measured current and the pump flow rate, wherein the predetermined relation includes a positive slope from a predetermined backflow rate to a zero pump flow rate.
US08834342B2

Various “contactless” bearing mechanisms including hydrodynamic, hydrostatic, and magnetic bearings are provided for a rotary pump as alternatives to mechanical contact bearings. These design features may be combined. In one embodiment, the pump apparatus includes a rotor having a bore, a ring-shaped upper rotor bearing magnet, and a ring-shaped lower rotor bearing magnet. The bearing magnets are concentric with the bore. The lack of mechanical contact bearings enables longer life pump operation and less damage to working fluids such as blood.
US08834341B2

A method of determining an optimal coil shape for use in magnetic stimulation includes identifying a stimulation location and a constraint at the stimulation location. A first electromagnetic effect at the stimulation location is determined. The first electromagnetic effect is induced by a first electrical quantity assigned to a first current element at a first current element location with a first orientation. A second electromagnetic effect at the stimulation location is also determined. The second electromagnetic effect is induced by a second electrical quantity assigned to a second current element at the first current element location with a second orientation. Based on the first electromagnetic effect and the second electromagnetic effect, an optimal orientation of a current element at the first current element location is determined. The optimal orientation is such that the constraint is satisfied. Repeating the process at a plurality of locations yields the optimal coil shape.
US08834329B2

A bench press and a power rack system having a combination of moving uprights to hold a barbell and safety arms to prevent dropping of the barbell on the user's body. The moving uprights being in the same plane as the safety arms and move inside them to provide maximum freedom for the users arms during the exercise, while protecting users entire upper body.
US08834320B2

A method for controlling a downstream clutch in a vehicle during an upstream torque disturbance includes slipping a downstream clutch by reducing the downstream clutch pressure, varying the downstream clutch pressure to a target threshold to control the slip of the downstream clutch, increasing the downstream clutch pressure to engage the downstream clutch. A vehicle includes a first prime mover, a second prime mover connected to the first prime mover using an upstream clutch, a transmission connected to the second prime mover using a downstream clutch, and a controller connected to the first and second prime movers and the upstream and downstream clutches. The controller is configured to (i) slip the downstream clutch by reducing the pressure, (ii) vary the downstream clutch pressure to a target threshold to control the slip, and (iii) increase the downstream clutch pressure to engage the clutch.
US08834312B2

A mill drive system includes a gear unit which is arrangeable below a grinding plate and has at least one planetary and/or spur gear stage, having a vertical shaft position. The mill drive system includes an electric motor, integrated into a housing of the gear unit and having a rotor and a stator which have vertically extending axes. Upper and lower bearing covers each including bearing seats for rotor shaft bearing are mounted on opposite end faces on the rotor and stator and are connected via a stator carrier, which has cooling fins on the outer periphery. A collecting tray for coolant is formed between the lower bearing cover and a base part of the housing. The motor is supported via a flange which is formed on an inner face of the housing and extends radially inward and to which the lower and/or upper bearing covers are connected.
US08834311B1

A drive system with a central longitudinal axis includes a brushless DC servomotor with a stator and a rotor disposed radially interior of the stator. The rotor defines a coaxial central void space. A planetary gear assembly connected to an input shaft and an output shaft is coaxially disposed in the central void space. A flange fixed to the rotor transfers torque to the input shaft. The ratio of the overall length of the drive system to its outer diameter is about one or less, thereby creating a power density along the central longitudinal axis that is greater than known electric motor/gear box drive systems.
US08834305B2

Bamboo lacrosse shafts and methods for manufacturing bamboo lacrosse shafts are disclosed.
US08834299B2

Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises a zero or negative hardness gradient center that is hard relative to an intermediate core layer. The overall core preferably has a zero hardness gradient, a negative hardness gradient, or a positive hardness gradient of up to 20 Shore C units.
US08834297B2

Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises a center and an outer core layer that are both soft relative to a hard intermediate core layer. The Shore C hardness of the outer surface of the center is preferably less than the Shore C hardness of the geometric center of the center.
US08834296B2

A multi-piece solid golf ball composed of a solid core having an inner core layer and an outer core layer encased by a cover including at least an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer. The inner core layer has a JIS-C cross-sectional hardness of from 60 to 83 at any single point on a cross-section, and has a cross-sectional hardness difference between any two points on the cross-section of within ±5. The ball has specific relationships between the hardness of the inner core layer 1 mm inside a boundary between the inner core layer and the outer core layer, the hardness of the outer core layer 1 mm outside the boundary, and the surface hardness of the outer core layer. And, the outer cover layer has the specific thickness and Shore D hardness, which is higher than that of the inner cover layer.
US08834294B1

The present invention comprises a golf club head comprising a body having a crown, a sole, a front will and a hosel, wherein the body defines a hollow interior. The golf club head further comprises a center of gravity height adjustment assembly wherein the center of gravity height adjustment assembly is positioned within the hollow interior of the body. The center of gravity of the golf club head can be adjusted approximately 0.050 inch and 0.100 inch.
US08834293B2

The invention relates generally to golf clubs and golf club heads that enable users, club fitters, club manufacturers, and the like to selectively control, change, and customize aspects of the “sound” associated with the golf club and golf club head when it strikes a golf ball. Golf clubs and golf club heads according to this invention may include: a) a club head body; b) a ball striking face engaged with or integrally formed as part of the club head body; c) a hosel member engaged with or integrally formed as at least a portion of the club head; and d) means for changing a sound emanated by the club head when a golf ball contacts the ball striking face. A user may change the vibrational characteristics associated with the club head when a golf ball is struck, thereby changing the sound emanating from the club head when a golf ball is struck.
US08834281B1

A round ride adapted for efficient and safe maintenance of elevated components. The ride includes a central hub assembly with a hub and a hub drive adapted for selectively rotating the hub about a central axis. The hub assembly includes a plurality of vehicle support arms pivotally mounted at a first end to the hub and extending outward to a second end. The round ride includes a maintenance platform assembly with, for each of the vehicle support arms, extension plates proximate to the first end and extending outward from sides of the vehicle support arm. The extension plates each include a planar upper surface, and the planar upper surfaces are coplanar with an upper surface of the vehicle support arm. When the support arms are pivoted into a horizontal position, the upper surfaces of the plates combined with the upper surfaces of the arms creates a platform near the hub.
US08834271B2

A first control unit includes a first operation data generation section for generating first operation data in accordance with a motion of a first control unit body included in the first control unit. A second control unit includes a second operation data generation section for generating second operation data in accordance with a direction input operation performed by a player or a motion of a second control unit body included in the second control unit. Further, one of the first control unit and the second control unit includes a transmission section for transmitting the first operation data and the second operation data to a computer at a predetermined timing.
US08834269B2

A program executed in a game device causes a controller to move a plurality of operated characters in a virtual three-dimensional space in accordance with operation signals; decide a moving direction of a field-of-view range; set a screen end of a display screen of a game image on the opposite side of the moving direction of the field-of-view range; generate, if a first operated character is located at a predetermined point outside the screen end, an operation event for receiving a specific operation from an operation unit operating the first operated character; and move, if the specific operation is received when the operation event is generated, at least a second operated character in the plurality of operated characters toward a position of the first operated character. The second operated character is closest to a screen end of the game image in the moving direction of the field-of-view range.
US08834257B2

A gaming machine is disclosed having indicia of a plurality of spinning reels in a first set of reels and indicia of a plurality of spinning reels in a second set of reels. A determination is made as to whether the outcomes of the indicia of the plurality of spinning reels in the first and second sets of reels are winning outcomes. Award-multiplier indicia of a first shared spinning base game award-multiplier reel is positioned between the first and second set of reels. The base game award-multiplier indicia modifies the winning outcome on the first set of reels, modifies the winning outcome on the second set of reels, includes a secondary game trigger symbol, forms a contiguous set of reels having a common axis of rotation with the first and second set of reels, or combinations thereof.
US08834251B2

A method for lottery play on a mobile device including a GPS receiver and a wireless data connection includes receiving coordinate data from the GPS receiver. Accuracy data is received from the GPS receiver. A region of confidence within which the mobile device is known to be within is determined based on the accuracy data received from the GPS receiver. An extent to which the region of confidence is within a pertinent jurisdiction is determined. Lottery play over the wireless data connection of the mobile device is permitted when it is determined that the region of confidence is entirely within the pertinent jurisdiction.
US08834246B1

A method for developing thinking skills comprises directing participants to play one or more real time strategy games and then directing the participants to engage in discussions about the game and the decisions that were made during game play. The steps of playing the game and then discussing the gaming experience may be repeated in an iterative fashion. Larger objectives external and/or in addition to the in-game objectives may be laid out for the participants, so that the participants are competing and/or trying to achieve objectives beyond those inherent in the real time strategy game itself. Also, a real time strategy (RTS) game provides “game within a game” capabilities, such that the game terrain (e.g., a game board) is divided up into a finite number of fragments. Within each fragment, game play is in real-time. A game at the fragment level is called a “local” real time strategy game (Local RTS), and the game at the level that encompasses the entire game terrain is called a “global” real time strategy game (Global RTS). The end of the game is reached when the Global RTS game is finished, not when a Local RTS game is finished.
US08834242B2

A ceiling embedded type air conditioner is embedded in a ceiling surface and includes an outlet that blows out air conditioned air toward an indoor space, and a louver capable of changing a blow-out vertical direction of the air conditioned air at the outlet. If a state in which a wind direction position of the louver is set so that it is oriented to a wind direction position continues for a first prescribed time or longer, then the louver is temporarily changed to a wind direction position more downward than the wind direction position, and once again changed to the wind direction position.
US08834237B2

An exemplary apparatus is provided for processing a poultry carcass part that includes a back portion and two legs connected to the back portion wherein the legs are separated from the back portion. The exemplary apparatus includes a conveyor line with shackles for conveying a series of poultry carcass parts suspended from the shackles, and at least one cutting device for making an incision in the joints connecting the legs to the back portion, wherein a series of cutting devices are assembled at the outer circumference of a cylindrical processing machine which is rotatable around a central body axis.
US08834236B2

A grinding wheel for treatment of a cutting edge, the grinding wheel arranged mountable on a rotatable shaft to be brought in rotation by the driven rotation of the shaft, and including two grinding discs (1≧2) opposing each other and arranged movable relative to each other in the shaft's longitudinal direction and pre-tensioned away from one another, each of the grinding discs having a hub section with fingers protruding freely from the hub section at a radial and an axial component of direction, wherein the fingers are arranged at intervals dimensioned for passage of the corresponding fingers of the opposite grinding disc such that the finger's axial components of direction together form an outwardly open, in an axial cross-sectional plane generally V-shaped notch (V) defined by the intersecting rotational planes of the crosswise running fingers, and in which the fingers each has an area for treatment of the knife's edge.
US08834222B2

A flotation device including hardwired waterproof speakers and one or more waterproof pockets is disclosed herein. The flotation device may be a vest including one or more internal foam pads that provide flotation. The waterproof speakers may be integrated into the shoulders of the vest, for example, in the shoulders on the front or back of the vest. The speakers may be wired internally through the vest to the waterproof pocket, in which an amplifier and/or a handheld media device may be stored.
US08834221B2

A flexible restraint (1) for use as a leash for a surfboard, the restraint including an elongate molded cord (2) that includes an end housing (3) which encapsulates an end (4) of a connector provided in the form of a swivel assembly (5). The end housing (3) is formed around the end (4) of the swivel assembly (5) to secure the cord (2) to the swivel assembly (5), the end housing (3) being integrally molded with the cord (2) so as to provide a unitary structure.
US08834211B2

The invention includes a grounding system which includes a grounding apparatus, a first ground conductor and a plurality of second ground conductors. The grounding apparatus includes a substrate and an elongated conductive member. The substrate has formed therein an aperture for receiving and electrically and mechanically engaging the first ground conductor. The elongated conductive member is mounted to a surface of the substrate and includes a plurality of lugs structured to receive and electrically and mechanically engage the plurality of second ground conductors. The substrate is structured for mounting to an exterior surface of a meter enclosure.
US08834198B2

An electrical adaptor comprising a housing. A male electrical plug comprises a prong extending from the housing and is configured as a standard 120-volt male plug. The prong comprises a distal tip, and the distal tip forms an end to the male electrical plug. A female socket is electrically connected to the male electrical plug and comprises an electrical contact positioned in the housing. The female socket is configured to receive a standard 120-volt male plug. The electrical contact comprises a distal tip, and the distal tip forms an end to the female socket. At least one thermal indicator circuit is electrically connected to the male electrical plug and the female socket and is electrically positioned between an end of the male plug and an end of the female socket. The thermal indicator circuit is configured to actuate an alarm upon detecting a temperature at or above a threshold temperature without interrupting electrical flow between the male electrical plug and the female socket.
US08834196B2

An electrical connector has a conductive member with a conductor receiving shoulder to at least partially define a conductor receiving receptacle at which a conductor may be positioned and a movable conductor engaging member configured for movement along a first path. At one position along the first path, the conductor is engaged between the conductor receiving shoulder and the conductor engaging member. The conductor engaging member also moves along a second path that intersects with the first path. At one of the positions along the second path, the conductor engaging member is retained to permit insertion of a conductor into the conductor receiving receptacle.
US08834192B2

An electrical connector for use with an electronic package, includes an insulative housing defining an upward facing cavity, a plurality of contacts disposed in the cavity of the insulative housing with contacts sections extending into the cavity, and a carrier frame mounted to the insulative housing and having a main body defining an opening for allowing part of the electronic package passing through the opening. The carrier frame assembles to the insulative housing having a preliminary alignment state and a final alignment state.
US08834189B2

A rotatable connector device includes a fixed-side member which is to be fixed, and a rotatable-side member which is relatively rotatably attached to the fixed-side member. The rotatable-side member receives a rotation input. The rotatable connector device have a fixed-side cable end accommodation section, projecting from an outer circumferential surface of the fixed-side member in a tangential direction thereof, for accommodating and holding a terminal conductor connection section provided at an end of a flat cable accommodated in the rotatable connector device. The flat cable has a bent portion, in a portion thereof on a side of the terminal conductor connection section, for bending the flat cable so as to shift the portion on the side of the terminal conductor connection section in a width direction of the flat cable.
US08834180B2

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a gas collecting member and a battery case. The electrode assembly has first and second electrode plates and a separator interposed between the first and second electrode plates. The gas collecting member is provided adjacent to the electrode assembly. The battery case accommodates the electrode assembly and the gas collecting member. In the secondary battery, the gas collecting member has a first collecting member collecting gas generated in the interior of the battery case and a second collecting member provided to surround the first collecting member.
US08834179B2

The present invention relates to a steering roll connector for a vehicle. The steering roll connector includes a roll stator, a roll rotor, a roller plate, and a locking unit. The roll stator is fixed to a vehicle. The roll rotor is coaxial to the stator, is rotatable relative to the stator, and includes a rotor connector provided with a steering wheel connector. The roller plate is rotatably disposed between the roll stator and the roll rotor. When a steering wheel shaft of the vehicle is not installed on the steering roll connector, the locking unit maintains the steering roll connector in a neutral position. When the steering wheel shaft is installed on the steering roll connector, the locking unit enables the roll rotor to rotate relative to the roll stator.
US08834177B2

A computer-implemented method teaches a user to evaluate a gemstone, such as a cut diamond. The method includes providing a computer system connected to an apparatus capable of capturing an image of a gemstone. The computer system is arranged to process a received image of a gemstone to determine one or more optical properties of the gemstone. In one aspect, the method presents on a display of the computer system a series of pre-stored screens comprising a graphical representation how the cut of a gemstone affects its light handling ability, and a user interface screen. The user interface screen allows the user to control the operation of the apparatus to measure the one or more optical properties of a particular gemstone provided to the apparatus, to view an image of the gemstone measured, and to view representations of the measured one or more optical properties.
US08834176B2

A plant management method using augmentation reality is provided. A method for providing a plant management screen overlaps and displays a real image of facilities in the plant and a virtual image indicating a facility to check. Hence, by displaying the facilities in the plant using the augmentation reality, the facility inspector can detect and access the facility having a problem more easily.
US08834175B1

A training portal facilitates an agent's management of training courses, including reviewing a training goal, indicating training courses available for the agent to download, downloading a specified training course to the agent, and receiving uploaded test results associated with a previously downloaded training course. The training portal may cooperate with an e-learning system for identifying downloadable courses, and may cooperate with a content delivery system for receiving the specified course which is to be downloaded to the agent. At a subsequent time, after the agent has interacted with a testing portion of the downloadable course, the agent may upload the test results to the portal. The training portal may be configured to receive test results uploaded within a certain time period. Once the training portal receives the test results, it provides the test results to the content delivery source. The content delivery source may then update the e-learning system.
US08834173B2

A method and system for assembling a test having a plurality of slots is disclosed. The method includes executing a test administration script to associate each of the plurality of slots of the test with an item collection from which an item to fill the slot is to be chosen and to determine a lookup table of optimization statistics and a degree of randomization to use in selecting items from the item collection. An interim test score is obtained based on a portion of the test previously assembled. Optimization statistics are applied to control a property of the test based on the interim score while taking into account the degree of randomization.
US08834159B2

An adjustable angle adapter for a prophy angle comprises a nose, a rotating member, a body, a shaft, a multi-axis rotation joint, and an outer joint. The nose is configured to receive a portion of the prophy angle. The rotating member is positioned within the nose. The body is adjustably connected to the nose. The shaft is positioned within the body. The multi-axis rotation joint connects the shaft to the rotating member. The outer joint includes a ball portion connected to one of the body and the nose, and a ball receiver connected to an other of the body and the nose. The nose is configured to pivot relative to the body into at least a first configuration and a second configuration.
US08834153B2

In a flame arrester arrangement having a housing (1) for holding at least two flame arrester inserts (6, 6′) having a large number of axial passage gaps dimensioned for a combustible gas, and having an intermediate layer (7) arranged between two flame arrester inserts (6, 6′), which permits a radial distribution of the gas flow emerging from one flame arrester insert (6, 6′) and entering an adjacent downstream flame arrester insert (6, 6′), the ability of the flame arrester inserts (6, 6′) to be easily assembled and disassembled for servicing purposes without restricting the functional integrity can be achieved by at least one separate closed seal (11, 11′, 15, 17, 17′, 20) being arranged between a flame arrester insert (6, 6′) and the housing (1) or between two flame arrester inserts (6, 6′) in such a way that a flow around the flame arrester insert (6, 6′) in a space (12) located radially outside the passage gaps is prevented.
US08834149B2

Disclosed herein is, amongst other things, a molding apparatus, comprising a stripper sleeve (116) for use in a first stack portion (110) of a mold stack (140), wherein the stripper sleeve (116) is configured to open a slide pair (122) of the first stack portion (110) and to strip a molded article (106) from the first stack portion (110).
US08834140B2

A media delivery assembly in which a defined compensating pressure is established at the backs of included axially adjustable rotors and a control valve is provided for establishing the compensating pressure at a predetermined value between a pressure on the pressure side and a pressure on the suction side.
US08834137B2

A pump includes a substantially tubular housing having an inlet end and an outlet end and defining a central axis and a chamber within the body portion, and a movable valve assembly slidably received within the housing for movement in the direction of the central axis. The pump also includes a handle assembly slidably disposed at least partially around an outer circumference of the housing for movement in the direction of the central axis, the handle assembly being substantially annular ring-shaped, and the handle assembly including a grip engageable by a hand of an operator for manually sliding the handle assembly, the handle assembly being coupled to the movable valve assembly, manual movement of the handle assembly along the central axis causing corresponding movement on the movable valve assembly along the central axis.
US08834131B2

A motor controller for a motor-driven compressor includes a compressing body for compressing and discharging a refrigerant and a motor including a rotary shaft, the motor for driving the compressing body through the rotary shaft. A coil of the motor is arranged in a refrigerant containing area in the motor-driven compressor. The motor controller includes a determining section for determining whether liquid refrigerant is present in the refrigerant containing area and a modulation control section for driving the motor in accordance with three phase modulation control or two phase modulation control based on a determination result of the determining section.
US08834122B2

A turbine bucket includes a radially inner mounting portion, a shank radially outward of the mounting portion, a radially outer airfoil and a substantially planar platform radially between the shank and the airfoil. At least one axially-extending angel wing seal flange is formed on a leading end of the shank thus forming a circumferentially extending trench cavity along the leading end of the shank, radially between an underside of the platform leading edge and the angel wing seal flange. A plurality of substantially radially grooves are formed on a radially outer surface of the angel wing seal flange and extend into the shank.
US08834111B2

A charging device may include a turbine housing and a bearing housing. The bearing housing may have a bearing arrangement for a shaft carrying a turbine wheel and a compressor wheel. A gasket may be arranged by metal-to-metal connection between a radially orientated flat surface of the turbine housing and a radially orientated flat surface of the bearing housing. The gasket may be resilient.
US08834110B2

The disclosure relates to a steam turbine outer casing that can be at least partially cast out of a first material and has a plurality of support regions adapted to support an inner casing. The outer casing can be at least one support region that has a metal insert, made of a second material, with a flaring portion for retaining the metal insert in the casting of the outer casing. The second material has a greater hot strength than the first material. The support region can include a guide for limiting the movement of the inner casing in the outer casing.
US08834105B2

A turbine shroud apparatus for a gas turbine engine having a central axis includes: an arcuate shroud segment comprising low-ductility material and having a cross-sectional shape defined by opposed forward and aft walls, and opposed inner and outer walls, the walls extending between opposed first and second end faces and collectively defining a shroud cavity; and an annular stationary structure surrounding the shroud segment, where the shroud segment is mechanically coupled to the stationary structure. The stationary structure includes at least one axially-facing bearing surface which is in direct contact with the shroud segment, and the shroud segment is disposed so as to absorb at least one axially-aligned force and transfer the axially-aligned force to the bearing surface.
US08834102B2

The invention relates to a unit comprising a hydraulic turbine (1), a duct (5) leading a forced flow of water to the turbine, a duct (8) discharging the outgoing flow from the turbine and vanes (20) for guiding the flow through the discharge duct. Each guide vane (20) is able to rotate about an axis (x22) secant to the wall (84) of the discharge duct. Means (30) are provided for controlling the angular position of the vane (20) about its axis of rotation (x22). Each guide vane (20) can also be retracted into the wall (84) of the discharge duct (8), and means (21) are provided for adjusting the extent to which they are withdrawn into the wall.
US08834101B2

An improved mechanical seal assembly is provided for hydro transport applications and other similar applications, such as large high pressure slurry pumps. This mechanical seal is used in large scale pumps having an axially adjustable shaft to accommodate high wear applications by maintaining suitable pump performance. The improved seal is a cartridge seal that includes a stationary seal adapter which is mounted to a pump casing and has a static gasket sealingly contacting a movable gland which non-rotatably supports the stationary seal rings of a mechanical seal. Additional seal rings are rotatably supported on the shaft wherein these rotatable and non-rotatable seal components are movable axially with the shaft to improve pump performance in high-wear conditions. The gland and non-rotatable seal rings are supported on and move with a bearing housing, along with the shaft and its seal rings.
US08834092B2

A fluid machine, a wind turbine, and a method for increasing velocity of an internal flow is provided. A basic shape of the casing has a cycloid curve having a convex portion at a throat section between the front and rear edges. The throat section and a vortex generating face disposed downstream of the throat section to generate the negative pressure region are formed on an inner circumferential face of the casing. A first outflow gradient is formed on an outer circumferential face of the casing and at the rear edge. A second outflow gradient is formed on a boundary of a throat-side adjacent face adjacent to the vortex generating portion to separate the internal flow. The negative pressure region of high vorticity is generated behind the vortex generating face by virtue of the non-streamline shaped casing to increase the velocity of the internal flow.
US08834089B2

A package assembly handling system for handling package assemblies in an automated aliquot and/or dispersal processes is provided. Embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, a package assembly handling system for handling a package assembly comprising first and second portions that cooperate to contain a particulate aliquot, the system including a package assembly handling device configured for applying a force to the package assembly so that the first and second portions at least partially separate, thus releasing at least a portion of the particulate aliquot.
US08834079B2

The present invention is a coring unit adapted to be engaged to an articulated arm, to reduce the labor necessary for on-site coring of sewage and water pipes. The coring unit includes a frame containing the components of the unit, which include a coring bit, a coring bit motor, a traverse mechanism, and a stabilizer for allowing ready orientation of the coring unit with respect to an object being cored. The unit may also be provided with a traverse motor for driving the coring bit into an object being cored, and for withdrawing the coring bit once a core has been formed. The coring unit may additionally be adapted to allow for remote operation of the coring unit.
US08834075B2

A cutting insert has a top surface and a bottom surface having a parallelogram shape, and four side surfaces connecting the top and bottom surfaces. One or more primary cutting edges are formed at intersections between the top and bottom surfaces and two opposing side surfaces. Secondary cutting edges are formed at intersections between the top and bottom surfaces and two other opposing side surfaces. The primary cutting edge forms a first angle with respect to a median plane parallel to the top and bottom surfaces. The secondary cutting edge forms a second angle with respect to the median plane. The top and bottom surfaces have a mounting surface and a rack surface, wherein the rack surface extends inwardly from the cutting edge toward the median plane. The top and bottom surfaces of the cutting insert have mirror symmetry with respect to the median plane.
US08834065B2

A water detention system comprises a sub-base of crushed rock or stone overlying an impermeable layer which may be naturally-occurring, as in an impermeable sub-grade, or may be formed by an impermeable membrane laid over the sub-grade prior to the sub-base layer. Over the sub-base layer is an incompletely impermeable layer the impermeability of which is compromised by openings in the form of slits or by spacing between adjacent strips forming the layer. These openings allow water to percolate downwardly through the layer into the sub-base, but substantially inhibit the escape of moisture by evaporation thereby serving to retain the collected water. Above the incompletely impermeable layer may be a laying course of finer particulate material such as pea gravel over which may be laid a wear surface of slabs or blocks to form an area for traffic, such as a roadway or parking area.
US08834064B2

A concrete paver system with a reconfigurable hydration system which utilizes a plurality of individually flow controllable spray nozzles, which are clamped on support structures, which also support objects being dragged across a top surface of concrete which is being finished. The plurality of flow controllable spray nozzles being configured to be moved about said hydration system so as to change a pattern of water vapor application, all without the use of tools.
US08834057B2

A one-piece rigid connector allows a nominal construction wood member to slip axially while fixed at its distal end, to accommodate the naturally occurring shrinkage of lumber. The connector surrounds the wood member and attaches to a second wood member to secure the members together. The connector may be slightly larger radially than the first member to accommodate natural movement. In one embodiment, the connector is made of a light gauge sheet metal and attaches a vertical baluster to the horizontal lower deck rail of an elevated wood deck guard rail system. The connector secures the baluster horizontally, but allows the baluster to move vertically to accommodate expansion or contraction of the baluster after construction. The distal end of the baluster is secured using conventional wood screw attachment. The connector includes tabs on each side to allow fastening of the connector to the lower deck rail using conventional wood screws.
US08834054B2

A paint trimmer with a three-part edging guide includes a paint applicator, a paint distributing manifold and a handle. The three-part edging guide includes a paint mask, a spacer, and a beveled trimmer guide. The three-part edging guide components work together to allow the paint trimmer to create a straight edge of paint along a surface without any extra traditional masking needed to prevent paint from being applied to any unwanted areas.
US08834036B2

An optical coupling structure of the present invention is configured with a lens body and a clamp. The lens body includes a lens section having the lens and a fixing section. The clamp includes a positioning section, a pressing spring, and a retaining section. The positioning section determines a position of the clamp except a position in a direction of the optical axis of the optical fiber. The pressing spring makes contact with a surface of the lens body having a normal direction matching with the end face of the optical fiber, and generates a returning force when the clamp moves in a direction opposite to the normal direction of the surface. The retaining section is formed in a portion of the clamp to press the optical fiber and retains the optical fiber not to move in a direction apart from the lens.
US08834033B2

A bearing includes a first race including first and second segments, forming aligned pairs of first surfaces, spaced angularly about an axis; a second race including second surfaces, each second surface aligned with one of the pairs of first surfaces; balls, each ball contacting the surfaces of the first and second races; and a cage retaining each ball and engaging the first and second segments.
US08834031B2

A shaft penetration of a housing has a bearing receptacle arranged in the wall of the housing. A bearing is coaxially inserted into the bearing receptacle in an insertion direction. At least one claw is disposed on the bearing and the at least one claw extends at a slant to a central axis of the bearing past a radial outer circumferential side of the bearing and has a free end. The free end of the at least one claw is hooked in a direction opposite to the insertion direction in a radial inner circumferential side of the bearing receptacle.
US08834027B2

A module flexible ligament damper includes an cylindrical inner structure with a central axis and an outer cylindrical surface. An outer casing with an inner cylindrical surface is positioned around the inner structure. A modular ligament with an inner flange and an outer flange connected by a web is positioned between the inner structure and the casing. The inner flange is connected to the inner structure and the outer flange is connected to the casing to support the inner structure within the casing, and to permit free orbital movement of the inner structure on a plane perpendicular to the axis of the inner structure. In one embodiment, the web is straight but does not intersect the axis of the inner structure for flexing in a radial direction. In other embodiments, the web is curved for radial flexing.
US08834022B2

A cassette carrier for containing a cassette incorporating a semiconductor radiation detector includes a rectangular recessed portion formed for containing the cassette with an irradiation surface exposed. The recessed portion is formed by a first frame that forms a side wall of one side thereof and includes a handle that a user holds, and a second frame forming a side wall of another side of the recessed portion. In the side wall formed by the first frame, an opening is provided in an opposite position opposing a connector unit of the cassette with the cassette attached to the recessed portion. The first frame has a space in communication with the opening, and connection/disconnection of an external cable to/from the connector unit is possible through the space with the cassette attached, and the space is large enough to contain an entire connector housing of the external.
US08834006B2

The present invention discloses a backlight module which can be incorporated within the liquid crystal display device, and which includes a waveguide, a heat dissipating frame, a light source and a backframe. The heat dissipating frame includes a carrying portion and a sidewalk. The carrying portion abuts against a bottom surface of the waveguide. The carrying portion is defined with openings in an area adjacent to the sidewalk. The light source is mounted onto the sidewall and offset to the opening. The backframe includes a bottom board and erections which extend and pass through the opening. The bottom board abuts the carrying portion. The thickness of the erection is larger than the thickness of the light source such that expansion of the waveguide exposed under heat will not in contacting with the light source. Accordingly, the light source will not be damaged by the expansion of the waveguide, and therefore prolong the service of the light source.
US08834000B2

A light-source unit for providing light to a display panel includes at least one light-source. The at least one light-source is mounted in a circuit board. A body portion having a housing space houses the circuit board on which the at least one light-source is mounted. A reflection portion reflects light emitted from the at least one light-source. The reflection portion has a parabola shape. The light is reflected by the reflection portion to proceed straight and in a direction perpendicular to a direction that the light is emitted from the at least one light-source.
US08833997B2

A light guide bar and an optical touch panel utilizing the light guide bar are provided. The light guide bar is applied to an optical touch panel with a sensing area. The light guide bar includes a bar body and a plurality of prisms. The bar body has a first receiving end, a light-exiting surface, and a structure surface. The light-exiting surface is opposite to the structure surface and faces the sensing area while the first receiving end is connected between an end of the light-exiting surface and an end of the structure surface. The prisms are formed on the structure surface. Each prism includes a first surface and a second surface respectively having a first angle and a second angle with respect to the structure surface, wherein the second surface is closer to the first receiving end than the first surface, and the second angle is larger than or equal to the first angle. The prisms are utilized to alter the angle of the light exiting the bar body to improve the touch-sensing effect of the optical touch panel utilizing the light guide bar.
US08833995B2

A lighting module, comprising a printed circuit board, which on the front side thereof, is populated by at least one light source as well as at least one light sensor; a hollow optical waveguide element, which laterally surrounds the at least one light source circumferentially; and a cover at least for the light sensor, arranged on the printed circuit board externally to the optical waveguide element, it being possible for a window to be located in the optical waveguide element to which window is connected a hollow light channel formed in and/or on the cover which leads to the light sensor.
US08833994B2

A light pointer (e.g., laser pointer) comprises an optical fiber light source. Optionally, the output beam provided by the pointer may be adjustable from small output angles (substantially collimated beam, “spot” mode to larger output angles providing “flood” illumination. The light pointer may emit infrared light, for example.
US08833987B2

A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes an electrochromic mirror reflective element and a heater pad disposed at a fourth surface of the rear substrate, with the heater pad having a substantially non-light transmitting portion and a light transmitting portion. A mirror back plate is disposed at said heater pad and has a plate portion having a rear plate surface and having a front plate surface facing the heater pad. The mirror back plate has a first structure at the rear plate surface that is configured to attach at an actuator of an exterior rearview mirror assembly. An indicator element is disposed at a second structure at the rear plate surface of the mirror back plate. The indicator element, when its light source is activated, emits light through the light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through the mirror reflective element.
US08833983B2

An LED lamp including a first light source device and a second light source device is provided. The first light source device has a light exiting surface and a connection portion, and is used for emitting a first illumination light through the light exiting surface. The light exiting surface surrounds the connection portion. The second light source device is connected to the connection portion, and is used for emitting a second illumination light.
US08833975B2

A headlamp disclosed includes: a laser diode for emitting a laser beam; a light emitting section including a fluorescent material which emits light in response to excitation light emitted from the laser diode; a light-transmitting heat conducting member which is provided so as to face a laser beam irradiation surface of the light emitting section and receive heat of the light emitting section; and an adhesive layer filling a gap between the heat conducting member and the laser beam irradiation surface. This arrangement improves efficiency of the heat conducting member in absorbing the heat of the light emitting section, and consequently cools the light emitting section efficiently.
US08833971B2

A display for an ice rink, comprising a first layer of ice within a peripheral boundary of the ice rink. An array of hermetically sealed, multiple individual organic light emitting diodes are positioned within the peripheral boundary on top of the first layer of ice. A second layer of ice on top of the array has an internal side facing the array and an external surface on a side opposite the internal side. A power source operatively connected to the array provides power to the individual organic light emitting diodes in the array. The multiple individual organic light emitting diodes are selectively controllable such that graphic images can be displayed by using specific organic light emitting diodes selected from among the individual organic light emitting diodes in the array and the graphic images will be visible through the external surface of the second layer of ice.
US08833970B2

The invention relates to a lamp (4) and to a lighting system and device (1) for lighting interiors such as dwellings or offices, the LED lamp (6) including an LED-supporting body (5) having a substantially circular or polygonal crown-shaped plan and provided with a plurality of LEDs on one of the surfaces thereof, which body defines a hollow inner space (17) through which natural light can pass via means (22) for conveying natural light provided on the device, such as, for example, segments of reflective tube (2,2′) that convey natural light or an optical fiber (3b). The lighting system enables the transmission via a communication channel (13) of the signal generated by a transducer element (10), involving at least one element (11) for transmitting to the corresponding receiver elements (12) which modify the elements (7) that control each lamp.
US08833969B2

An illumination system is described including a plurality of illumination devices, each device including (i) light-emitting elements (LEEs) arranged along a corresponding first axis; (ii) an optical extractor extending along a corresponding longitudinal axis parallel to the first axis; and (iii) a light guide positioned to receive at a first end of the light guide light emitted by the LEEs and guide it to a second end of the light guide. The optical extractor is optically coupled to the light guide at the second end and is shaped to redirect the light guided by the light guide into a range of angles on either side of the light guide. The illumination devices are connected to each other to form a polygon such that the longitudinal axes of the connected illumination devices lie in a common plane.
US08833965B2

According to one embodiment, a light-emitting circuit includes: a plurality of substrates in which wiring pattern layers are formed, the substrates including light-emitting elements connected to and mounted on the wiring pattern layers; and a linear conductor having electric conductivity, the linear conductor including linear joining sections at both ends electrically connected to the wiring pattern layers of the substrates and a convex section formed to be bent in a convex shape in an intermediate section between the joining sections, and the joining sections being respectively joined to the wiring pattern layers among the plurality of substrates adjacent to one another.
US08833955B2

A backlight module has a light guide plate, a back plate and light emitting assemblies. The light guide plate is substantially prism-like. The back plate has a shape corresponding to that of the light guide plate, and has an inclined first side plate and an inclined second side plate opposite to the first side plate. Each of the first and second side plates has at least one receiving recess, and the light emitting assemblies are received in the receiving recesses. In comparison with a side-light type backlight module, the present invention saves a heat-dissipation aluminum extrusion member. In comparison with a direct-light type backlight module, the present invention shortens the light mixing distance in a vertical direction, so as to reduce the module thickness.
US08833954B2

As disclosed herein, a rechargable glow stick can be constructed from a photoluminescent material and light source. The rechargeable glow stick can be used to repeatedly illuminate a dark environment without continuously expending energy.
US08833940B2

An eye measurement system may include a target that moves transverse to an optical path from the target to eye, so as to relax accommodation of the lens of the eye. The target may move transverse to the optical path on a display. The patient may be fogged while the target moves transverse to the optical path, and the target may become smaller such that the patient perceives the target to be moving away from the patient. A pupil camera may measure eye position that can be correlated with the position of the target on the display to determine that the patient has maintained fixation on the moving target. A visible measurement light beam may be pulsed subsequent to and/or during motion of the target that relaxes accommodation of the eye so as to avoid visual interference of the measurement light beam with the target on the display.
US08833935B2

Disclosed is a bifocal lens constructed such that the lens is not easily damaged when hit by flying fragments and, moreover, able to obtain a consistent focal length with a simple construction. The lens is equipped with a transparent substrate having transparency and rigidity, a transparent resilient body having transparency and elasticity, a transparent fluid enclosed in the space between the aforementioned transparent substrate and the aforementioned transparent resilient body, and a mechanism that induces changes in the shape of the aforementioned transparent resilient body. Changes are induced in the shape of the transparent resilient body to form the desired shape in the two states of the lens which comprises the transparent fluid enclosed in the space between the transparent substrate and the transparent resilient body, making it possible to obtain the desired characteristics (accurate optical characteristics) in either of the two states.
US08833934B1

A body-mountable device can include a transparent material and a substrate at least partially embedded in the transparent material. The transparent material can have a mounting surface and a surface opposite the mounting surface. A light source can be disposed on the substrate and configured to emit light through the surface opposite the mounting surface. The light source can be controlled by circuitry disposed on the substrate. The circuitry can be configured to receive modulation instructions and modulate the light emitted by the light source based on the modulation instructions.
US08833925B2

Methods and systems disclosed herein provide for drying of wet colorants applied to a print media utilizing a substantially optically transparent drum that includes a radiant energy source. In one embodiment, a printer includes a hollow drum and a radiating energy source inside of the hollow drum. The energy source radiates energy for drying a wet colorant applied to a print media. The hollow drum surrounds the energy source and is substantially transparent to the radiated energy of the energy source. The drum includes a peripheral surface that contacts the print media as the print media transits along a print path. The drum conductively heats the print media for drying the wet colorant, and permits the radiated energy of the energy source to dry the wet colorant.
US08833924B2

System for supplying ink printed on a print medium comprises a heater to heat air, an impingement plate with a plurality of holes, and a blower for blowing heated air through the holes of the impingement plate onto the print medium. The impingement flux length in the system which may be defined as the length of the impingement plate through which heated air is blown, is adjustable.
US08833908B2

Disclosed is a method for fabricating a planar heater structure for an ejection device. The method includes providing a substrate wafer having a plurality of plugs configured therewithin. The method also includes depositing and patterning a layer of a second metallic material over the substrate wafer, providing a layer of a dielectric material of a predetermined thickness over the patterned layer of the second metallic material, and conducting chemical mechanical polishing of the layer of the dielectric material to form a planarized top surface while exposing the patterned layer of the second metallic material. The method further includes cleaning the planarized top surface, depositing and patterning a resistor film over the planarized top surface, depositing one or more blanket films over the patterned resistor film, and patterning and etching the one or more blanket films. Further disclosed are planar heater structures and additional methods for fabricating the planar heater structures.
US08833903B2

An inkjet recording apparatus may include a recording unit, an ink receiver, and a control unit. The recording unit records an image on a sheet by causing a recording head including a plurality of nozzle arrays to reciprocate along a surface of the sheet in a direction in which the plurality of nozzle arrays is arranged. The ink receiver receives ink ejected outside the sheet in preliminary ejection from the recording head. Depending on a recording region on the sheet and which of the plurality of nozzle arrays is or are to be used for recording, the control unit determines a reversing position at which the recording head is reversed in direction of the reciprocation such that all of the plurality of nozzle arrays pass over the ink receiver in a single scan included in the reciprocation.
US08833901B2

A liquid ejection head includes: a chip including a substrate having an energy generating element, an ejection orifice member, and an electrode terminal; an electric wiring board; a support member for supporting the wiring board, the support member having an opening surrounding the chip; a chip periphery sealing member which fills a gap between the chip and the opening; and an electrically connecting portion sealing member disposed in contact with the chip periphery sealing member and which covers an electrically connecting portion between the chip and the electric wiring board. The electrically connecting portion sealing member is a cured product of a material containing filler. The chip periphery sealing member is a cured product of a material containing at least one of specific siloxanes. The chip periphery sealing member and the electrically connecting portion sealing member has a difference in coefficient of linear expansion of 50 ppm/° C. or more.
US08833898B2

An image forming apparatus in which an operation of reciprocal scans of a print head including a plurality of ejection ports for ejecting at least two kinds of inks onto a print medium and an operation of conveying the print medium are repeatedly performed, and in the meanwhile ink is ejected from the print head to the print medium for printing, comprises input unit configured to input ejection data for ejecting the ink onto the print medium to form an image, calculating unit configured to calculate an area ratio of each ink on the surface of the print medium based upon the ejection data, and setting unit configured to set the ejection data in such a manner that the area ratio is generally constant in the reciprocal scans.
US08833890B2

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a reference drive signal generation section that generates an analog reference drive signal, a signal modulation section that modulates the reference drive signal to generate a digital modulation reference drive signal, a signal amplification section that amplifies the modulation reference drive signal to generate a modulation drive signal, a signal conversion section that converts the modulation drive signal to an analog drive signal, and a liquid ejecting section that ejects a liquid in response to the drive signal. A sum of a resistance value of a reference drive signal transfer line and a resistance value of a drive signal transfer line is smaller than a sum of a resistance value of a modulation reference drive signal transfer line and a resistance value of a modulation drive signal transfer line.
US08833882B2

A refrigerator is provided. The refrigerator may include a cabinet, a door rotatably coupled to the cabinet, and a plurality of baskets each coupled to an interior side of the door. Each basket may include upwardly inclined bottom surface such that an upper one of a pair of vertically-adjacent baskets does not interfere with the basket below it.
US08833879B2

A device attaches a functional unit to a rail of a drawer pull-out guide. The device has at least one coupling element so that at least two different functional units can be selectively fixed to the drawer pull-out guide.
US08833878B2

A guide rail system for slidably opening and closing a drawer within an enclosure is disclosed. The system comprises a mounting bracket for fixing the system to the enclosure, the mounting bracket having a fixed rail for receiving an intermediate rail capable of sliding back and forth on the fixed rail, and a pull out rail operatively attached to the drawer and capable of sliding back and forth on the intermediate rail. A resiliently compressible damping device, channel guide with sliding member and a closing device are disposed along the mounting bracket. The pull out rail has a guiding pin on its bottom surface. The sliding member is adapted to travel along the channel guide and locate an end of the damping device that can be pushed inwardly to provide damping. The closing device comprises a housing, a resilient means, and a driver pivotally mounted with the housing and operatively connected to the resilient means. The driver is pivotable between a first locked position and a second linearly moveable position, and includes an angular slot for receiving the guiding pin and an abutment projection contactable with the sliding member. During a closing action, the pull out rail is caused to slide in a drawer-closing direction. When the guiding pin reaches and engages with the angular slot, the action of the guiding pin within the angular slot causes the driver to be pivoted from its first position to its second position where the abutment projection engages with the sliding member. Thereafter, linear movement of the driver urges the sliding member to correspondingly travel along the channel guide against the resilience of the damping device, resulting in deceleration of the closing motion.
US08833876B2

A hidden wall storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a wall depository includes: a storage receptacle assembly adapted for secure, concealed placement in an opening formed within a building wall, generally between a pair of wall studs, the receptacle defined by a rear wall, a left side wall, a right side wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall; and a frame assembly hingedly coupled to the storage receptacle assembly and adapted to pivot outwardly to expose a storage receptacle and to close inwardly to secure and conceal the storage receptacle.
US08833871B2

A ground engaging track for a track-type machine includes a set of identical standard track shoes each having a relatively narrow shoe footprint, and a sweeping track shoe having a relatively wide shoe footprint. The sweeping track shoe is connectable via track links with the standard track shoes in an endless chain configuration such that the sweeping track shoe juts outwardly of the standard track shoes, for sweeping debris from a clearance between the track and a main frame of the track-type machine. The sweeping track shoe includes bolting apertures formed therein and communicating between an upper shoe surface and a ground contacting shoe surface, the bolting apertures being arranged in a directional link bolting pattern. The directional link bolting pattern defines a minor shoe axis and a major shoe axis, and the sweeping shoe body may be configured such that an inboard sweeping edge is spaced further than an outboard edge from the minor shoe axis.
US08833867B2

In a method and a device for the control of a vehicle brake system, the setpoint values for each wheel are corrected based on the difference between brake pressures in at least one wheel brake of two different brake circuits.
US08833842B2

A vehicle body front structure includes a dashboard lower in which an opening portion into which a joint member, which connects a steering shaft of a vehicle with a steering gear box, is inserted is formed; a steering joint cover that is provided around the opening portion so as to surround the joint member; and a dashboard cross-member that extends in a left and right direction of the dashboard lower. The dashboard cross-member includes a pair of cross-members between which the steering joint cover is interposed, and each of these cross-members is fixed to the steering joint cover. Clip holes to which mounting clips mounting a steering grommet are fitted are formed within a range of the dashboard lower that is positioned around the opening portion and is covered with the steering joint cover.
US08833839B2

Impact protection structures for vehicles are described. An impact protection structure includes a support structure of the vehicle, an interior rail coupled to the support structure, and an exterior rail coupled to the interior rail. The exterior rail has an inboard boundary wall positioned between an upper mounting region and a lower mounting region. The upper and the lower exterior mounting region of the exterior rail are coupled to an upper and a lower mounting region of the interior rail. At least a portion of the inboard boundary wall is spaced apart from an outboard wall of the interior rail such that when the exterior rail is impacted by a blunt-object barrier, the inboard boundary wall of the exterior rail deforms, thereby damping energy of the impact at the exterior rail and arresting crack propagation between the exterior rail and the interior rail.
US08833833B2

The present invention relates to a reclining apparatus for a rear seat of a vehicle, having a back frame having a upper end and a lower end; a cushion frame having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side of the cushion frame is pivotally connected to the lower end of the back frame; a back frame locking module disposed on the upper end of the back frame, the back frame locking module removably engageable to a body panel and acting as a pivot center when engaged with the body panel; and a guide module configured to guide the cushion frame pivotally connected to the back frame so that the lower portion of the back frame pivots about the upper portion when the cushion frame slides up forward or down rearward to allow the back frame to move between an upright position and a reclined position.
US08833830B2

A vehicular accessory retention clip is used to attach a vehicular accessory, such as vehicular trim, to a vehicle. The vehicular accessory may have a substrate component that has at least one reinforcement post, and the vehicle may have a vehicular base component that has at least one corresponding opening configured to receive the reinforcement post. The retention clip has at least two walls that extend from an edge of a platform, each wall having an exterior tab and an interior tab configured to engage with the walls of the opening and the reinforcement post, respectively. The retention clip is slid onto the reinforcement post until the interior tabs engage with the reinforcement post, and the combination of the retention clip and reinforcement post is inserted until the exterior tabs engage with the walls of the opening.
US08833825B2

Mantle lifting device (10) has a body (26) configured to selectively engage and disengage an opening (24) of a mantle (12) by rotation in respective opposite directions about a central axis (28) of the body (26). The body (26) is provided with a lifting point (30) which is configured to couple with a lifting device such as a crane (not shown). The body (26) is in the general form of a plug having an upper surface (34) and an opposite surface (36) and tapered circumferential surfaces (38 and 40). The surface (40) is provided with indicia (43) commencing at a distance d on the surface (40) below the edge (42). This is used to indicate safe or unsafe lifting conditions. The indicia (43) being visible when the device (10) is engaged with the mantle (12) is an indication that the mantle (12) is worn to the extent that it may not be safe to lift the mantle (12) by way of the device (10), or at least not without additional safety precautions being taken.
US08833824B2

An apparatus comprises a bottle clamp having first and second clamp arms extending beyond respective first and second pivot axes. The clamp arms are held in a closed position. A rotatable locking element part is provided on an extension region of the first clamp arm, and a fixed locking element part is provided on an extension region of the second clamp arm.
US08833821B2

A lifting device for safely gripping and moving compressed gas cylinders is provided. The lifting device comprises a first and a second gripping element that slide over the top of the compressed gas cylinder and a plurality of gasket elements that engage the cylinder by friction as the lifting device scissors together permitting a user to safely move the cylinder.
US08833814B2

A lock device includes a tongue engaged in a housing, an anchoring device slidably disposed in the housing and movable with a moving device, the includes two sides each having a latch socket and an anchoring member, when one side of the anchoring device is directed toward the tongue, the lock device is locked when the moving device is turned off, and the lock device is locked when the moving device is turned on and when the other side of the anchoring device is directed toward the tongue, such that the electric lock device is adjustable and operatable when the electromagnetic mechanism of the moving device is either switched on or switched off.
US08833809B2

A window vent stop for use in a sliding member of a sliding sash window assembly or a sliding door assembly. The vent stop has a housing adapted to be disposed in a recess in the non-movable sash member of the assembly. This housing includes a cavity with a bottom plate. A tumbler has at least one pivot for pivotally securing the tumbler to the housing for movement between an extended position, to prevent movement of the sliding member and a retracted position, to allow movement of the sliding member. Also within the housing is a spring for biasing the tumbler toward the extended position. The housing has one or more flexible members extending from the end walls of the housing that secure the housing to the non-movable sash member.
US08833803B2

A connecting block includes a first member having a flow header extending from a sealing surface, a planar end face oppositely directed with respect to the sealing surface, and a perimeter wall angularly oriented with respect to the sealing surface. A second member is slidably received within the perimeter wall of the first member and has a flow member receiving bore axially aligned with the flow header. A bonding zone is created by heating both the first and second members until the planar end face and the planar interior face join together to create a physical connection between the first and second members. A material of the second member is corrosively sacrificial with respect to a material of the first member.
US08833799B2

Disclosed herein is a steering column for a vehicle. In a steering column (10) including an outer tube (100) accommodating a steering shaft (P), an inner tube (200) retracted into the outer tube (100), a main bracket (300) installed to the outer tube (100) and fixed to a vehicle body, a telescopic bracket (400) integrally fixed to the outer tube (100) and formed with a pair of slots for telescoping (410), and a position fixing bolt (600) installed through the slots for telescoping (410), wherein the telescopic bracket (400) is further formed with a slot for energy absorption (420) extending from at least one of the pair of slots for telescoping (410) and having a height (h) smaller than a diameter (D) of the position fixing bolt (600), thereby enabling impact energy to be absorbed by means of friction with the position fixing bolt during a vehicle impact.
US08833796B2

A knee air bag mounting system is provided that includes an air bag mount for a heavy truck-type vehicle. Such an air bag mount includes a front wall having an air bag aperture therein adapted for passage of an air bag module of the knee air bag system. The air bag mount also includes a first side wall extending away from the front wall, a second side wall extending away from the front wall in opposed-spaced relation to the first side wall, a top wall extending away from the front wall, and a bottom wall extending away from the front wall. A bracket structure is disposed within an interior space of the air bag mount and configured to provide a connection point for the air bag module. Each of the first and second side walls and top and bottom walls are free from direct connection to one another.
US08833794B2

A baby carriage includes a wheel assembly and a foldable frame connected to the wheel assembly. The foldable frame includes a front leg, a rear leg, a push handle located above the rear leg and connected to the front leg, a connecting rod, and a basket tube located on the rear leg. The front leg and the rear leg are connected to the wheel assembly. The push handle is pivotally connected to the front leg. An end of the connecting rod is pivotally connected to the rear leg. The baby carriage of the invention can be folded so as to avoid occupying much space.
US08833793B2

A ski binding comprises a sole element, a front retaining device, for retaining a toe of the ski boot, and an automatic heel unit, for retaining the heel of the ski boot. The sole element is pivotally mounted and is oriented transverse of the ski. The automatic heel unit allows release in the forward direction. The ski binding has a downhill position, in which the sole element is oriented parallel to the ski, and a climbing positions, in which the sole element can be pivoted. The automatic heel unit, both in the downhill and climbing positions, is arranged on the ski, with the heel region of a ski boot retained in the ski binding. In the climbing position of the ski binding, the heel can be freed, as a result of which the ski boot, can be pivoted about the pivot axis together with the sole element.
US08833789B2

A trailer hitch system for equalizing trailer loads and reducing trailer sway. The trailer hitch system may include spring bars that may be attached to a hitch head using a trunnion style connection. The spring bars may be attached to the trailer using rigid brackets that reduce swinging of the spring bars. The rigid brackets may include an upward extending portion for attaching to the trailer tongue, and a lateral extending portion for receiving the spring bars thereupon. The brackets may have a contact surface on the lateral extending portion that may be free from a coating such that a metal on metal contact is made between the spring bars and the brackets. Portions of the brackets beyond the contact surface may be covered with a protective coating.
US08833787B2

The subject matter of the invention is a bellows of a passage or the side panel between two vehicles joined in an articulated manner, e.g. a railway vehicle or an articulated bus, wherein the design contains numerous adjacent pleats, wherein at least on one side of the numerous pleats there is a corrugation element disposed in a pleat, in each case, wherein the ends of the respective pleats and the corrugation element are connected to one another.
US08833784B2

A vibration dampening bicycle fork assembly includes a pair of fork legs that sweep in a forward direction relative to a longitudinal axis of a steerer tube that extends in an opposite direction from a fork crown. A dropout is secured to a distal end of each fork leg and a dampener formed of an elastomeric material wraps about at least a portion of an exterior surface of each dropout. A passage extends through the dropout, is offset from the respective fork leg and is aligned with a pair of openings formed in opposite lateral sides of the dampener. An optional fastener cooperates with the passage and the openings and has a mass that is selected to further counteract vibration of the respective fork leg.
US08833783B2

A vehicle step for access to a vehicle with the vehicle including a chassis frame and a body panel. The vehicle step includes a cam track frame, a step assembly configured for guided reciprocal movement between the first and second plates of the cam track frame. The step assembly includes a pair of cam rods with each cam rod coupled to the step frame and configured to slidingly engage a first and second cam track defined in the cam track frame to guide the step assembly. A step latch is disposed in the step frame of the step assembly with the step latch configured for one of retaining the step assembly in a stowed position and releasing the step assembly to an extended position.
US08833780B2

An active suspension system suitable for use with a vehicle, includes a passive suspension element with a first end adapted for rigid engagement to a sprung mass of the vehicle and a second end adapted for rigid engagement to an unsprung mass of the vehicle. Also included is an active suspension element with a linear switched reluctance actuator which has a first end adapted for rigid engagement to the sprung mass of the vehicle and a second end adapted for rigid engagement to the unsprung mass of the vehicle.
US08833774B2

A wheelchair suspension comprises a frame, at least one pivot arm, at least one front caster, at least one rear caster, a stabilizing system, and a sensor. The pivot arm is coupled to the frame. The front caster is coupled to the pivot arm. The rear caster is coupled to the frame. The stabilizing system is coupled to the frame and the pivot arm. The sensor is arranged such that tipping of the frame causes actuation of the stabilizing system to at least partially resist further movement of the frame.
US08833772B2

In order to enhance a shape retaining property of a gasket consisting only of a rubber, prevent damage to a casing for an electronic equipment due to high reactive force of the gasket, and make assembling of the casing easy, a seal structure comprises a gasket installed in a non-adhesion manner between a case and a lid to be interposed in a compressed state when the case and the lid are assembled, and a resin film integrated with the gasket to enhance the shape retaining property of the gasket, the gasket has a portion compressed between the case and the lid when they are assembled, and a portion not compressed between them when assembled and the resin film is integrated with the portion which is not compressed.
US08833770B1

A board game with game pieces with video displays thereon, which display character and player specific images and video, which depend upon the progress of the board game and depending upon personal characteristics of particular players of the board game. Communication between the variable game pieces is facilitated.
US08833760B2

An image processing apparatus includes: a motor for driving a first rotary body and a second rotary body that rotates according to an image processing operation; a switching unit that switches a connection/disconnection of the motor and the second rotary body; and a control unit that performs: a constant-speed rotation process of rotating the motor at a first speed in the connection state; a disconnecting process of performing switching to the disconnection state during the constant-speed rotation process; a decelerating process of decelerating the motor to a second speed after the disconnecting process; and a connecting process of performing, before completion of the decelerating process, switching to the connection state when the rotating speed of the second rotary body at a timing when the decelerating process is performed is slower than that at a timing when the switching to the disconnection state is performed in the disconnecting process.
US08833759B2

A printer includes an enclosure, a paper output tray, and two positioning devices. The enclosure includes a receiving base and two side portions extending from the receiving base. The paper output tray is pivotally mounted between the two side portions. The two positioning devices are mounted to the two side portions. The paper output tray is placed in the receiving base in a first position. The paper output tray can rotate to resist each of the two positioning devices and move to a side portion, thereby enabling the paper output tray to rotate to a second position. Each of the two positioning devices restores to an original position to support the paper output tray stably in the second position, to enable the removal of a paper jam or other circumstance.
US08833758B2

A stacking system for stacking paper from a linear feed.
US08833754B2

A sheet feeding apparatus capable of reliably feeding a sheet even when a gap is formed between the sheet and a regulating portion, and an image forming apparatus are provided. A tail end regulating plate 13 regulates a movement of a sheet supported by a tray supporting the sheet so as to be lifted or lowered, and when a gap is formed between the tail end regulating plate 13 and the sheet supported by the tray, tail end regulating projections 18H and 18I which are provided so as to protrude to the gap regulate the movement of the sheet toward the tail end regulating plate 13.
US08833752B2

In a sheet feeding device, a main body includes a feeding unit configured to feed a sheet in a feeding direction to a conveying path. A cover is configured to pivot about a first axis relative to the main body between a closed position in which the cover closes the conveying path and an open position in which the cover exposes the conveying path. A plate is configured to pivot about a second axis which is parallel to the first axis and to contact and move away from the feeding unit. The second axis is closer to the cover than to the feeding unit in the feeding direction. In a state in which the cover is in the closed position, at least a part of the cover is positioned on an upper side of the plate so as to be contactable with the plate.
US08833748B2

A device comprising: a first tube, the first tube configured to couple to a work surface; a second tube coupled to an end of the first tube and arranged substantially perpendicular to the first tube; a lower jaw coupled to the second tube, the lower jaw having a first semi-cylindrical surface opposite the second tube; a jaw adapter coupled to the semi-cylindrical surface; an upper jaw rotatably couple to the lower jaw, the upper jaw having a second semi-cylindrical surface disposed opposite the first semi-cylindrical surface; and, a coupling assembly arranged to couple the upper jaw to the lower jaw, the coupling assembly being disposed on one end of the upper jaw and lower jaw.
US08833745B2

The present invention is intended to provide a seismic isolation device which, regardless of a load to be supported, is capable of reducing acceleration through lengthening a natural period of an upper structure, with excellent vibration energy absorbing capacity by obtaining a properly preferable frictional force as well as a returning characteristic, and others.
US08833737B2

A rackable fence with a rail, picket carrier, and plurality of pickets. The rail defines a rigid inverted U-shaped cross-section. The picket carrier includes a top span residing within and extending across the interior of the rail. The pickets are pivotally attached to the picket carrier and pivotable toward the rail.
US08833732B2

A valve for processing glue or other media, the valve having magnets, in particular permanent magnets, that are used for actuating a closure member (16). Two individual magnets (22, 23) located opposite one another are provided, at least in a region which is in contact with the medium or glue, with a protective layer or covering (34), which is preferably designed as a cap and consists of titanium, other metal or plastics material, in order to protect the magnets (22, 23) against the effects of the medium.
US08833726B2

A sealing frame for delimiting a surface of a component which is to be covered with a molding compound includes an upper frame part and a lower frame part which may be detachably joined together. The component to be covered with the molding compound is enclosable by the upper frame part and the lower frame part in such a way that a cavity is formed by the sealing frame and the component. The component is inserted into the upper frame par and lower frame part, and the upper and lower frame part are joined to form the sealing frame, so that the cavity is formed which is enclosed by the component and the upper frame part, and a molding compound is introduced into the cavity and cured to form a cover.
US08833715B2

A connection device for a cable management arm and a slide assembly includes a connection member, an engaging member and an insertion piece. The connection member is fixedly connected to the cable management arm and includes a passage and a window. The engaging member is fixedly connected to the connection member and has a resilient arm and an engaging portion. The resilient arm is located corresponding to the window. The insertion piece is fixedly connected to the slide assembly and has two insertion arms. One of the insertion arms has a contact section located corresponding to the engaging portion. When the insertion piece is inserted into the passage, the engaging portion of the engaging member contacts the contact section of the insertion arm to position the insertion piece to the connection member.
US08833713B2

A mount portion has a rectangular outside shape, and has an opening in its center part that can be fitted by hanging on mounting brackets fixed on a wall surface. An installation surface has mount fixing holes in its upper part and mount fixing holes in its lower part. Default positioning holes are provided adjacent to the mount fixing holes. In screwing, the mount fixing holes have given screwing position freedom. The regions of the default positioning holes have smaller opening areas than the regions of the mount fixing holes.
US08833705B2

A conduit hanger with at least one bracket element to receive a pipe, with a load-distribution plate that is placed into the bracket element, and with a fastening device for fastening the load-distribution plate to the bracket element. The fastening device has at least one catching element to grip the bracket element as well as a counter-bearing element, which are arranged offset on the load-distribution plate in the lengthwise direction of the plate, and between which a holding space is formed for the bracket element, and that the front of the bracket element has at least one recess that corresponds to the catching element so that the bracket element can be placed into the holding space.
US08833704B1

A support apparatus to releasably attach to the handle of a frying pan, skillet, or other type of handle-bearing cookware to lift the cooking pan at an angle relative to a stove cooktop or other surface to drain grease, sauce, or other liquid to the edge of the pan and away from the food in the pan. The apparatus includes a jaw or clamp portion for releasable capture of the pan handle; a body portion including a spring portion to provide a spring tension to the clamp portion; and a base portion to rest and stabilize the apparatus on a stove cooktop, kitchen countertop, or other surface.
US08833702B2

An autonomous system for a satellite which calculates collision paths of debris from anywhere within the spheroid around the satellite by using its radar/ladar data and from data on its own orbit derived by onboard sensors such as star, earth and sun sensors or from stored data sent from its ground control station through the satellite's command subsystem. If a collision would be likely, the system calculates the minimum change in the satellite's orbit to avoid such collision and generates and executes commands for firing on-board orbital control thrusters to put the satellite in a suitable avoidance orbit.
US08833701B2

A method of reducing the amount of water in a region of air including: forming seed ice crystals; dispensing the seed ice crystals towards the region of air; allowing water in the region of air to freeze or deposit onto the seed ice crystals; and allowing the resulting ice crystals to move from the region of air so as to reduce the amount of water in the region of air. An ice crystal seeding assembly arranged to reduce the amount of water in a region of air, the seeding assembly includes an ice crystal seeder and dispensing means, the dispensing means being arranged to dispense seeded ice crystals towards the region of air so that water in the region of air freezes or deposits onto the seed ice crystals and that the resulting ice crystals move from the region of air.
US08833688B2

A mixing shaft (1) is disclosed, used in an assembly (2) of a unit for thorough mixing and comminuting of food products. The mixing shaft (1) comprises a steel core (3), surrounded by a one-piece plastic coating (6) with mixing elements (4). In order to retain the plastic coating (6) on the steel core (3) of the mixing shaft (1), the surface of the steel core (3) has a structured embodiment. The plastic coating (6) is applied to the mixing shaft (1) by means of a particular isostatic pressurized application method.
US08833685B1

The Universal Nutcracker is set of jaws with an increasing opening between top and bottom jaws to allow for cracking different diameter nuts connected by a set of linkages. Each jaw has a set of teeth for gripping the shell of the nut to be cracked. A torsion spring is connected between the top and bottom center lever to assist in opening the jaw set after the nut has been cracked. Ends of top and bottom center levers are then coupled to a scissoring arms with linkage assembly for opening and closing with a mechanical advantage.
US08833670B2

The present invention discloses an intelligent thermostatic water outflowing device in the field of sanitary wares. By using said intelligent thermostatic water outflowing device, the defects of the current thermostatic water outflowing devices are overcome, such as a relatively complicated whole structure, a high cost and a poor applicability to ordinary valves. The intelligent thermostatic water outflowing device of the invention comprises a body provided with a hot water inflowing passage, a cold water inflowing passage and a water outflowing passage, and a valve core assembly provided between the cold water inflowing passage, the hot water inflowing passage and the water outflowing passage within the body. The present device further includes a motor, a water temperature control circuit and a temperature sensor. The valve core rod of the valve core assembly is connected with the output shaft of the motor fixed within the body. The temperature sensor is placed in the water outflowing passage and connected with the water temperature control circuit. The water temperature control circuit is connected with the motor and has an external power source connected thereto for supplying the power. The operation of the motor could be controlled by the water temperature control circuit according to the outflowing water temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The device has advantages such as a high precision, good safety and an excellent visual effect.
US08833665B2

A wrist-wearable device including an outer housing with a back cover, a front cover being parallel to the back cover, and a circumferential wall therebetween, the wall being perpendicular to the back cover and to the front cover. The device further includes at least one slot antenna configured to send and to receive electromagnetic signals, the slot antenna including a case made at least partly of an electrically conducting material and being fitted in the housing of the device. The case is limited on one side by an outer face lying substantially in a common plane with the wall of the housing. A slot extending substantially in a direction perpendicular to the back cover and the front cover is formed in the outer face of the case, the inside of the case thereby forming a cavity of the slot antenna.
US08833661B2

Multi-dimensional barcodes at a product include service identifiers for the product so that an end user with a portable information handling system captures an image of the multi-dimensional barcode and extracts the service identifiers to obtain service information from a service network location. For example, a service identifier embeds a URL that links to a video demonstrating how to assemble the product. As another example, a service identifier links to a service network location and includes a unique identifier so that an end user retrieves warranty or purchase information for the product.
US08833649B2

A device and system for providing identification and medical information are disclosed. The device includes a readable code that contains medical biographical information of the subject, a programmable reporter element that is programmed to electronically store at least one particular event relating to the subject, and a signal producing element functionally related to the programmable reporter element. The system includes collecting and storing medical biographical information of a subject, embedding the medical biographical information in a readable code of the device, and scanning the readable code of the device worn by or in the possession of the subject using an appliance to retrieve the medical biographical information of the subject. The medical biographical information allows medical professionals to obtain the subject's medical information in order to provide medical care. Also disclosed is an integrated system for alerting subjects to upcoming events related to their continued care.
US08833642B2

A system includes a first portable, ruggedized, and waterproof case. The first portable, ruggedized, and waterproof case includes a router and a switch. The system further includes a computing system connectable to the switch. The computing system includes a memory for storing first ticket information and a first set of instructions. The computing system further includes a first processor that, upon execution of the first set of instructions, receives a ticket identifier scanned from a ticket. The first processor also compares the ticket identifier to the stored first ticket information. Based on the comparison, the first processor further generates an indication of validity of the ticket. The first processor further transmits the indication of validity of the ticket.
US08833639B1

Disclosed are systems and methods for providing a financial transaction. The systems and methods provide techniques for providing an automated teller machine (ATM) and allowing a customer to operate the ATM at the ATM to complete the transaction. In addition, the customer, while at the ATM, can communicate with a representative at a centralized hub that is remote from the ATM and the representative can take control of the ATM to complete the transaction.
US08833631B2

A staple delivery applicator for delivering radioactive staples during brachytherapy medical treatment has an actuating device for attaching source staples located distally thereform. The actuating device is removably attachable to an actuator arm on a proximal end. A staple applicator cartridge holder is attached to the actuator arm on a distal end. The staple applicator cartridge is mountable in the holder and has slots for mounting of radioactive source staples therein. An anvil therein crimps the staples. The staple applicator cartridge holder is removably mountable in a connector and the connector is also removably mounted to a surgical staple holder. A trigger device has a control for closing the anvil of the cartridge holder and for firing of the source staples in the cartridge therein to cause the staples to crimp, and a control for opening the anvil and releasing the trigger device from the actuator arm.
US08833629B2

A circular stapling instrument is provided. The circular stapling instrument includes a handle forming a cavity, a reciprocating drive shaft, a carrier cover, and a shaft assembly. The reciprocating drive shaft is detachably secured within the cavity of the handle. The carrier cover covers a portion of the reciprocating drive shaft within the cavity of the handle. The shaft assembly is detachably coupled with the handle.
US08833624B2

A backpack type working machine has a main unit including a power source and a backpack band detachably attached to the main unit, for a worker to backpack the main unit and perform an operation. The back pack has a pad member including a belt-like cushion material and a belt-like band body extending along the pad member. The band body includes an upper end belt-like part branched from an upper end part of the pad member and an upper end joint for connecting the upper end belt-like part to the main unit. The main unit has an attachment for attaching thereto the upper end joint. When the upper end joint is attached to the attachment, the upper end part of the pad member comes into contact with the main unit from a worker side and is held downward.
US08833621B2

A ladder rack for a pickup truck can swing from a raised position to a lowered position for loading and retrieving a ladder. The ladder rack includes an upper support section attached with a hinge to a lower support so that the assembly that the ladder attaches to can swing to a horizontal, lowered position. This allows the person installing the ladder, or whatever is being transported such as pipes, canoes, kayaks, and the like, to remain outside the truck box to install and attach the ladder. The ladder can then be rotated upwards with the assistance of a hydraulic cylinder to the travel position and locked in to place with a wire lock pin.
US08833614B2

A metering and dispensing closure for a container wherein two rotatable disks rotate in conjunction with a stationary cap member to afford accurate measuring of a powder material and dispensing of it. The disks and the container cap afford a consistent measuring of the powder material, as well as provide a variety of drive members which can be utilized with the dispensing closure.
US08833607B2

A radio frequency identification (RFID) dispenser is configured to communicate with an RFID tag provided by a refill cartridge utilizes a multi band pass filter to convert the radio frequency identification into a digital signal. The digital signal read by the dispenser is processed by a controller to enable a dispensing function that is representative of the code associated with the RFID tag. In addition, the dispenser includes a pair of transistors that write to the RFID tag provided by the refill cartridge. The dispenser may also be configured to communicate with the RFID tags that are disposed upon cartridges utilized by the dispenser. In addition, the dispenser may be configured to utilize cartridges that include adjustable or telescoping partitions that allow the size of the cartridge to vary.
US08833603B1

A self-contained pill dispenser is disclosed. A housing is provided and a hopper for containing a plurality of pills is supported by the housing. A feed chute having a transport spiral therein is operatively connected to the hopper for receiving pills therefrom. The transport spiral has an outlet and controllable aperture. A vibrating plate is disposed proximate the outlet. A drive mechanism is connected to the vibrating plate for imparting vibration thereto. The drive mechanism can abruptly stop the vibration of the vibrating plate. A microcontroller is also operatively connected to the hopper, the transport spiral, and the drive mechanism. The system can self-calibrate the mechanism for counting and dispensing pills.
US08833599B2

The invention discloses a carrying device for a container, in particular for a keg, having an annular cap piece that comprises at least one connecting element suited for being connected with an upper rim of the container, and having a carrying handle, extending across the annular cap piece, which in a retracted position lies flat within an outer contour of the annular cap piece and which can be moved into a usage position in which it projects beyond the top of the outer contour of the annular cap piece and can be gripped by one hand.
US08833586B2

Closures having an integrated flip top handle for use with liquid containers and for carrying the liquid containers include an end wall, a skirt wall depending from the end wall, an outlet opening associated with the end wall, and a pivot hinge mount for pivotally mounting a flip top to the closure. The closure also includes the flip top pivotally supported by the pivot hinge mount. The flip top includes a closing member that closes the outlet opening when the flip top is in a first position, a pivot support member extending from the closing member to the pivot hinge mount and pivotally attached to the pivot hinge mount, and a carrying member extending from the closing member on a same side of the closing member as the pivot support member with a distal end that extends at least as far as the pivot hinge mount.
US08833581B2

The present invention provides a packaging box and stop wall of packaging box. The packaging box includes at least bottom plate, four third box-body splicing elements and four stop walls. The third box-body splicing element is fixed at each corner of the bottom plate and the two ends of stop wall are connected respectively to the two third box-body splicing elements on a side of the bottom plate and fixed between the two third box-body splicing elements to form with the bottom plate a semi-closed packaging box having open top. As such, the present invention can realize the packaging of liquid crystal panels of different sizes and increase the utilization efficiency of the packaging box to protect the liquid crystal panels as well as reducing packaging cost.
US08833580B2

A roll-off tub style container which is leak-proof to prevent liquids in the container from draining onto the ground or roadways. In one embodiment of the invention, the floor of the container has an upwardly and rearwardly extending inclined portion at the rearward end thereof to prevent liquid in the container from coming into contact with the tail gate of the container. In another embodiment of the invention, the rearward end of the container is elevated during transport to prevent liquid in the container from coming into contact with the tail gate. In yet another embodiment of the container, the floor of the container is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the forward end thereof to the rearward end thereof. A liquid collection tank may be positioned beneath the floor of the container which has an inlet in fluid communication with the interior of the container and a discharge outlet provided thereon to permit liquid in the tank to be selectively drained therefrom.
US08833557B1

A tool carrier including a base with an elongate vertical backboard body extending from a midline vertical axis of right and left walls of the base and is continuously disposed between first and second top sides of the base. A hinged lid completely separately covers each of the first top side and the second top side to secure items stored in compartments disposed within the base. Vertically oriented pockets on each of front and rear sides of the backboard body releasably secure hand tools therein. Each pocket has an open upper end, an open lower end, a strip member having a pair of spaced apart closed side walls, and a continuous opening between the strip member and the backboard body. The pockets include at least one standalone pocket and at least one row of the pockets. The pockets in each row of pockets are interconnected along the side walls.
US08833549B2

A suture package assembly is provided and includes a suture tray having a loading unit mounted thereon for supplying a surgical needle-suture assembly to a surgical instrument. A suture package cover is provided to protect the surgical needle-suture assembly prior to use. The suture package cover includes a disc engagable with the suture tray to protect the suture retained in the suture tray and an elongate flap configured to overlie the loading unit to protect the surgical needle contained therein. The elongate flap is bendable relative to the disk along a primary fold line and includes a nose portion removably engagable with the disk.
US08833545B2

A method and device for handling packs or similar unit loads in a packaging plant where packs exiting from a packaging machine are distributed and in the process optionally rotated and palletized in a palletizer, wherein distribution, rotation and palletizing are performed essentially continuously and directly consecutively from the packaging machine to the palletizer.
US08833536B2

A ratchet mechanism of a bicycle hub includes a ring fixed in the hub. The ring has a tapered surface and a flange is formed in the inner periphery of the ring. A driving unit is located in the hub and has multiple first ratchet teeth extending axially therefrom. A passive unit is located in the tapered surface and corresponding to the driving unit. The passive unit has a passive seat which has a tapered outer face matched with the tapered surface. The passive seat further has a stop portion which is stopped by the flange in one direction. The passive seat has multiple second ratchet teeth engaged with the first ratchet teeth. A magnetic unit is located between the hub and the passive set, and two magnetic members which are magnetically repulsive to each other so as to linearly move the passive seat toward the driving portion.
US08833533B2

An ultra slim power supply device for supplying power to an electric vehicle in a contactless manner includes at least one power supply track buried in a road. Each power supply track includes a plate-shaped magnetic core extending along the road, a plate or strip shaped magnetic field generator arranged above the magnetic core through which an alternating current is supplied to generate a magnetic field, a plate or strip shaped insulating body positioned between the magnetic core and the magnetic field generator to isolate them from each other, and a housing for enclosing the magnetic core, the magnetic field generator and the insulating body.
US08833531B2

The brake fluid cooling systems may be used for cooling the brake fluid in a hydraulic brake system. A pump may have an outlet port in fluid communication by a first conduit with a pressure port of a brake wherein there may be a check valve in the first conduit oriented to allow flow from the pump and not to the pump. A bleed port of the brake in fluid communication with a master brake cylinder. The master brake cylinder in fluid communication with an inlet port of the pump.
US08833529B2

A device (10) for damping the vibrations in a pad (16) of a disc brake suitable for being mounted between at least one pad (16) and at least one piston of a caliper of a disc brake. The device (10) comprises at least one substantially cylindrical damper (26) suitable for being mounted with interference in a cavity (28) made in the piston (22). The damper (26) has an interference surface (30) comprising at least one projection (32) that extends radially and that at least partially wraps around the damper (26) according to a direction having at least one tangential component (T). The damper (26) is suitable for being fixedly connected to the piston (22) through said coupling by interference. Said interference surface (30) of the damper comprising two or more projections (32) defining an undulating axial profile (34) of said interference surface (30).
US08833526B2

An electric brake apparatus compares an estimated thrust force corresponding to a predetermined rotational position of an electric motor, which is calculated from an electric current/thrust force conversion function, with a reference thrust force based on a rotational position/thrust force table indicating a relationship between the rotational position of the electric motor and a thrust force of a piston to correct and update the electric current/thrust force conversion function, thereby maintaining a predetermined control accuracy despite wear of a brake pad and other changes over time.
US08833525B2

A method including: detecting movement of a building door on a floor of a building; based on the detected movement of the building door, defining the floor of the building as a start floor for an elevator trip with an elevator system in the building; and based on the detected movement of the building door, placing a predefined destination call for the elevator trip. The detecting can include determining that a passenger is passing through the building door. A system for performing the method includes: a sensor; an elevator installation in the building; and a control unit coupled to the sensor and to the elevator installation, and configured to detect the door movement using the sensor, define the floor of the building as the start floor, and place a predefined destination call for the elevator trip.
US08833524B2

A monitoring device for safeguarding a driven element against undesired collisions with an object lying on the movement path of the driven element including at least one transmitting element and a multiplicity of receiving elements, wherein the at least one transmitting element is arranged in a horizontal boundary region of an opening to be monitored, where the opening can be at least partially closed by the driven element, and the multiplicity of receiving elements are arranged in a horizontal, opposite boundary region in a distributed fashion along the opening to be monitored, wherein the at least one transmitting element, together with each of the multiplicity of receiving elements forms a light barrier arrangement, which can be evaluated individually.
US08833523B2

An upright for a lift truck includes a first group of mast sections in a first stagger arrangement where a first mast section of the first group of mast sections is fixed to the lift truck. The upright further includes a second group of mast sections in a second stagger arrangement that is reverse nested inside the first stagger arrangement. Further, the upright includes a drive system for telescopingly extending and retracting the second mast sections relative to the first mast section.
US08833520B2

A fall safety barrier for use around a hole has anchor means removably secured adjacent a perimeter of the hole, first collapsible barrier means pivotally mounted about a first pivot location of the anchor means, and second collapsible barrier means pivotally mounted about a second pivot location of the anchor means opposite the first location. There are means for allowing the first collapsible barrier means to pivot between a first contracted position, where it lays upon the second collapsible barrier means, and a first expanded position, where it is upright and forms a first side of the fall safety barrier. There are also means for allowing the second collapsible barrier means to pivot between a second contracted position, where it lays adjacent the anchor means, and a second expanded position, where it is upright and forms a second side of the fall safety barrier opposite the first side. First linking barrier means are located between adjacent first ends of the first and second collapsible barrier means and form a third side of the fall safety barrier. Second linking barrier means are located between adjacent second ends of the first and second collapsible barrier means and form a fourth side of the fall safety barrier opposite the third side.
US08833514B2

The open air layer-type vibration reduction structure is provided with at least one plate-like member of which the obverse surface faces toward the open space side; and a frame spaced at an interval from the reverse surface of the plate-like member, and an air layer is formed between the plate-like member and the frame. An air-permeable ventilation portion is formed at least one of the plate-like member and the frame, such that the average value of the flow resistance on the surface of at least one of the plate-like member and the frame, which forms an air layer, is in a range greater than 0 N·s/m3 and equal to or less than 1,000 N·s/m3. The ventilation portion may be configured such that the sound pressure level generated within the air layer by applying an external force to the air layer is reduced by 3 dB or more.
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