Document	Document Title
US07679422B1	Configurable switched capacitor block A configurable switched capacitor block includes a switched-capacitor (SC) sampling circuit, a fully differential amplifier, an SC feedback circuit, and a comparator. The SC sampling circuit is coupled to receive an input signal and to selectively generate a sampled signal to a differential input of the amplifier. The SC feedback circuit is coupled between the differential inputs and the differential outputs of the amplifier to selectively control a feedback of the amplifier. The comparator is coupled to the differential outputs of the amplifier to generate an output signal. The configurable switched capacitor block has multiple modes of operation which are selectable by programming the SC sampling circuit and the SC feedback circuit.
US07679413B2	Signal oversampling for improved S:N in reflector movement system Eight or more transition points are generated during a given period, and are used in tracking movement of an interferometer reflector. Duty cycles of generated square waves are used to establish precise intervals between the transition points, and precise wave-phase relationships.
US07679410B1	System and method for improving the efficiency and reliability of a broadband transistor switch for periodic switching applications A driver circuit is provided for enabling a transistor collector-emitter path to be used as a broadband periodic switch. The broadband driver circuit controls the magnitude of the transistor base-emitter current in order to enable a CLOSED switch state and to simultaneously control the magnitude of the transistor base-emitter reverse-bias voltage in order to enable the OPEN-switch state. The precise control of these parameters minimizes base-charge storage and prevents reverse-breakdown failure.
US07679408B2	Glitchless clock multiplexer optimized for synchronous and asynchronous clocks A circuit for switching clock signals with logic devices using a glitchless clock multiplexer optimized for synchronous and asynchronous clocks. The circuit comprises an asynchronous clock group and one or more synchronous clock group(s). The asynchronous group comprises a plurality of high frequency glitchless control (HFGC) blocks for asynchronous clock sources. Each synchronous group comprises a plurality of HFGC blocks for synchronous clock sources. The circuit comprises a multiplexer for receiving delayed input clock signals from HFGC blocks for asynchronous clock sources and from HFGC blocks for synchronous clock sources. A switching latency from a first input clock signal belonging to a synchronous group to a second input clock signal belonging to the same synchronous group is one clock cycle or less of the second input clock signal. Switching latency is the period in which no clock pulse appears at the final output of the circuit.
US07679393B2	Testing apparatus for fixing and testing a LCD panel A testing apparatus for fixing and testing a LCD panel includes a location frame and an adjustable base for fixing a camera set. The location frame and the adjustable base are connected together via a holder set. The adjustable base is able to be adjusted a distance between the location frame on the holder set. The location frame includes a framework set with adjustable plates on the edges of the backside of the framework. The adjustable plates are adjusted according to different sizes of the LCD panels for placing LCD panels with different sizes. The LCD panel is supported by top-supporting devices on the backside of the framework and located at the backside of the framework. Each edge of the framework is set with a movable shade which is adjusted according to different sizes of the LCD panels for shading metal rims of the LCD panel. When the camera set takes pictures of the LCD panel, the boundaries of the screen area and the rims are clearly defined to make the testing module accurately test the defects of the LCD panel and to improve testing quality.
US07679392B2	Methods and systems for semiconductor testing using reference dice Methods and systems of semiconductor testing where reference dice and non-reference dice in a wafer and/or lot are tested differently. In one embodiment of the invention, geography, lithography exposure, other characteristics, performance and/or behavior are taken into account when selecting reference dice, thereby improving the likelihood that the response of reference dice to testing is well representative of the wafer and/or lot. In one embodiment, based on data from the testing of reference dice, the test flow for non-reference dice and/or other testing may or may not be adjusted.
US07679386B2	Probe card including contactors formed projection portion A probe card includes a base wiring layer, a rewiring layer, and a contactor. The base wiring layer has a non-contactor area and a contactor area that projects to a higher level than the non-contactor area. The rewiring layer is formed on a surface of the base wiring layer so that the contactor area is higher than the non-contactor area. The contactor is provided on a surface of the rewiring layer in a contactor area thereof.
US07679385B2	Probe card for inspecting electric properties of an object In the present invention, an inspection contact structure is attached to a lower surface side of a circuit board of a probe card. The inspection contact structure has a silicon substrate, and sheets attached to upper and lower surfaces of the silicon substrate. Each of the sheets is elastic and has conductive portions in a projecting shape. The silicon substrate is formed with current-carrying paths passing through the substrate in a vertical direction so that the conductive portions of the sheets and the current-carrying paths of the silicon substrate are in contact with each other. The upper and lower sheets are fixed to the silicon substrate, and the sheet on the upper surface is fixed to a circuit board.
US07679382B2	Stepped PCB for probe card, probe card having the same and method for clamping the probe card A stepped printed circuit board for a probe card and for clamping by a testing machine is disclosed. The stepped printed circuit board includes a main body and a protruding body. The main body has a conductive circuit pattern arranged therein and a border area for the clamping of the testing machine. The protruding body is joined to a bottom side of the main body beyond the border area and defines with the bottom side of the main body an elevational difference. The protruding body has a conductive circuit pattern arranged therein and electrically connected to the conductive circuit pattern of the main body.
US07679380B2	Overcurrent detection device The present invention discloses an overcurrent detection device, which uses a first NOT gate and a second NOT gate to reverse the logic states of a first digital signal and a second digital signal which are digitalized audio signals in a class D power amplifier. Next, a CMOS transistor receives the reversed digital signals and drives a load. A comparing circuit detects the current of the load and compares the current with the reversed first and second digital signals. When the current of the load is too high, the comparing circuit respectively outputs a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal to a first logic gate and a second logic gate. Then, the logic gate outputs a signal to activate a protection circuit to prevent the entire circuit be damaged or burned out.
US07679377B2	Measuring apparatus and method for determining a dielectric property, in particular moisture and/or density, in a product The application concerns a measuring apparatus for determining a dielectric property, in particular the moisture and/or density, of a product, in particular tobacco, Cotton or some other fibrous product, having a measuring capacitor, a device for generating a high-frequency field in the measuring capacitor, which is influenced by a product which is arranged in a measuring volume of the measuring apparatus, and having a circuit device which includes the measuring capacitor and which is designed to determine suitable measurable variables of the high-frequency field influenced by the product, and is distinquished in that the circuit device is substantially non-resonant at the measuring frequency of the high-frequency field that is used, and measurement is based on the propagation of a travelling high-frequency wave in the measuring capacitor, and the circuit device is designed to determine two mutually independent measurable variables which are dependent on the amplitude and phase of the high-frequency wave influenced by the product. The application further concerns a corresponding measuring method.
US07679365B2	Current lead of superconducting magnet of magnetic resonance system A current lead for the superconducting magnet of a magnetic resonance system, the superconducting magnet being refrigerated by a cold head, has a positive current lead and a negative current lead electrically connected to the superconducting magnet for magnetization thereof. The cold head is electrically connected to the superconducting magnet and is used as one of the positive and negative current leads. The cold head is used as the positive current lead or the negative current lead so as to reduce the number of current leads as well as the heat conducted by the current lead, therefore it maintains a stable superconducting environment more efficiently. Furthermore, the cold head and the current lead can be provided in the same conduit without the need to design a separated turret tube and side tube, and the structure of the current leads of the superconducting magnet of the magnetic resonance system is simplified.
US07679356B2	Digital multimeter having improved recording functionality A digital multimeter having improved recording functionality is disclosed. The digital multimeter disclosed incorporates a rotary switch, a series of keys and buttons, and a digital display so as to provide highly integrated, programmable and configurable features. Several of these features, either taken alone or in combination, provide significant improvements in ease of use, speed of user operation, and safety associated with use of the instrument.
US07679354B2	Phase detecting device, phase control device including the phase detecting device, and fuser control device including the phase control device A phase detecting device includes a power input unit that receives an AC voltage; a phase detector that detects zero-crossing points of the AC voltage, and outputs a phase detecting signal when the zero-crossing points of the AC voltage are detected; and a power switch that selectively cuts off a flow of AC into the power input unit in response to a mode control signal.
US07679348B2	Switching regulator A switching regulator is disclosed that is able to operate with low power consumption and able to prevent variation of an output voltage. The switching regulator operates in a PWM control mode and a PFM control mode, and includes a switching unit; an error amplification circuit for amplifying an error voltage between an output voltage and a first reference voltage; a slope circuit for generating a slope signal; a reference voltage generation circuit for generating a second reference voltage for determining a time interval of an ON state in the PFM control mode; a multiplexer for outputting one of the second reference voltage and an output voltage from the error amplification circuit; a comparison circuit for comparing an output voltage from the slope circuit to an output voltage from the multiplexer; and an oscillation circuit for determining a timing of the ON state in the PWM control mode.
US07679342B2	Power converter with power switch operable in controlled current mode A power converter and method of controlling a power switch therein to improve power conversion efficiency at low output current. In one embodiment, the power converter includes a first power switch coupled to a source of electrical power and a second power switch coupled to the first power switch and to an output terminal of the power converter. The power converter also includes a controller configured to alternately enable conduction of the first and the second power switches with a duty cycle in response to an output characteristic of the power converter. The controller is configured to control a level of current in the first power switch when the second power switch is substantially disabled to conduct.
US07679337B2	Power supply system A limit value of an output current of power converter is defined as a first current value when a voltage at both ends of capacitor is higher than a voltage at both ends of battery, and a limit value of the output current thereof is defined as a second current value when the voltages are substantially equal to each other, the first current value is set to be smaller than the second current value. Thus, when a voltage at both ends of capacitor and a voltage at both ends of battery are substantially equal, heat is hardly generated. The limit value of the output current is set to a maximum current consumed by load. When a voltage at both ends of capacitor is higher than a voltage at both ends of battery, the limit value of the output current is set to be smaller than the second current value, and thereby heat generation is suppressed. Thus, the size of the heat dissipating components can be reduced, and a power supply system whose entire size can be minimized can be provided.
US07679336B2	Interactive battery charger for electric vehicle A method for recharging an electric storage battery in the charging system of an electric vehicle from an electric utility power grid includes determining the length of time required to recharge the battery, determining the desired time when the recharge is to be completed, transmitting to the electric power utility the length of time required to recharge the battery and the desired time, and recharging the battery from the utility grid during a period when projected load demand is lower than peak demand and ending no later than the desired time.
US07679317B2	Systems and methods for charging a chargeable USB device Systems and methods are provided for charging a USB device. A USB connector may be used to couple the system to a USB port on the USB device, the USB connector including a bus voltage (Vbus) connector, a positive data (D+) connector, and a negative data (D−) connector. Charger circuitry may be used to receive a source voltage and convert the source voltage into the bus voltage (Vbus), wherein the bus voltage (Vbus) is used to charge the USB device. Presence detect circuitry may be used to compare a first voltage present on the D+ connector with a second voltage present on the D− connector in order to detect when the USB connector is coupled to the USB port of the USB device.
US07679304B2	Intermittent wiper control device An intermittent windshield wiper control device for use with antique or historical cars. The control device includes a user actuator mechanism, microprocessor circuitry, a potentiometer system, and a relay system. User movement of the actuator mechanism is translated to the potentiometer system to vary an output therefrom. The microprocessor circuitry acts in response to the potentiometer system output in controlling operation of a vehicle's wiper motor via the relay system.
US07679299B2	Techniques for redundancy and fault tolerance in high demand machine safety applications Self-sensing feedback functionality for electromechanical actuators/motors is provided for use in operation and/or as a redundant safety mechanism to attain safety certification without adding extra bulk or wiring to the motor. An actuator can be manufactured having one or more saliencies that cause a spatial variance of inductance. A high frequency signal can be injected into the actuator and sampled to determine a current, voltage, or other electrical parameter. The parameter can be evaluated against the known saliencies of the actuator to determine a position of the actuator and/or an associated rotor. Additionally, the position can be evaluated as a function of time to determine a velocity. This can provide an alternative method for operating the electromechanical actuator according to the position/velocity provided. Additionally, this can provide a redundant feedback channel for safety certification without requiring additional actuator parts.
US07679298B2	Locomotive wheel speed control A method for controlling a wheel speed of a locomotive includes determining an estimated wheel speed (52) for a desired wheel set of a locomotive responsive to a locomotive operating parameter indicative of an actual wheel speed of the desired wheel set. The method also includes generating a first adjustment parameter (e.g., 46) based on an operating condition of the locomotive, and then applying the first adjustment parameter to the estimated wheel speed for generating a first adjusted estimated wheel speed signal (54) used as a first input for controlling a wheel speed of at least one of the desired wheel set and the other wheel sets of the locomotive.
US07679292B2	LED lights with matched AC voltage using rectified circuitry An LED light string employs a plurality of LEDs wired in block series-parallel, where the one or more series blocks, each driven at the same input voltage or rectified AC input voltage as the source voltage (110 VAC or 220 VAC), are coupled in parallel. This voltage matching requirement for direct AC drive places fundamental restrictions on the number of diodes on each diode series block, depending on the types of diodes used. The same method that apply to matching the sum of the LED lamps (VAC values) to the AC input, or applied voltage in an AC circuit apply to matching the sum of the LED lamps (VP values) to the full-wave or half-wave rectified AC (VP) voltage applied. Filtering capacitors may also be employed.
US07679281B2	Light emitting device having various color temperature A light emitting device capable of emitting light having various color temperatures is disclosed. The light emitting device includes a first light emitting part emitting a daylight color having a color temperature of 6000 K or more, a second light emitting part emitting white light having a color temperature less than 6000 K, and a third light emitting part emitting light in a visible range of 580 nm or more. The second and third light emitting parts are operable independently of the first light emitting part, and realize a warm white color having a color temperature of 3000 K or less with the white light emitted from the second light emitting part and the light emitted from the third light emitting part. The light emitting device realizes white light of various spectra and color temperatures corresponding to desired mood and utility. The light emitting device is controlled to emit light having a suitable wavelength or a suitable color temperature depending on the circadian rhythm of human, thereby enabling improvement of the user's health.
US07679278B2	Electron-emitting device, electron source and display apparatus using the same device, and manufacturing methods of them An electron-emitting device having little dispersion of its electron emission characteristic and a suppressed “fluctuation” of its electron emission quantity is provided. The electron-emitting device includes a substrate equipped with a first portion containing silicon oxide and a second portion arranged abreast of the first portion and having a higher heat conductance, and an electroconductive film including a gap therein, the electroconductive film arranged on the substrate, wherein the first and the second portions having a resistance higher than that of the electroconductive film, and the gap is arranged on the first portion.
US07679271B2	Piezoelectric powered vehicles and motors One or more piezoelectric elements are employed to generate electrical energy from one or both of the mechanical energy of a moving part of a conventional engine or vehicle or the combustion energy of an internal combustion engine. The generated electrical energy can be stored and used to power an electric motor in order to supplement the power generated by the conventional engine.
US07679270B2	Ultrasonic probe A wideband and high sensitive ultrasonic probe adaptable to harmonic imaging by improving the sensitivity of vibrators in a wider frequency band without hindering the operation of piezoelectric materials. The ultrasonic probe includes: a vibrator array including plural vibrators for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasonic waves, each of the plural vibrators including plural piezoelectric materials arranged in parallel between a first electrode and a second electrode and having different frequency constants from one another; at least one acoustic matching layer provided on a first surface of the vibrator array; and a backing material provided on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the vibrator array.
US07679268B2	Polymer actuator having active member layer that expands or contracts upon application of electric field A plane thin-type polymer actuator is provided with a conductive active member serving as a first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer, with at least a first electrolytic layer made in contact with the active member layer. The first electrolytic layer being sealed between the two electrode layers so that, by applying an electric field between the two electrode layers, the active member layer is expanded and contracted. In this structure, the first electrolytic layer is a solid-state electrolyte having a specific elastic modulus, or a liquid-state electrolyte. A holding member is provided to maintain the thickness between the active member layer and the second electrode layer.
US07679266B2	Longitudinally driven slotted cylinder transducer A transducer comprises a longitudinal tubular member symmetrically disposed about a central longitudinal axis, the tubular member having a slot extending from the front end of said member to the rear end of the member, the slot extending parallel to the central longitudinal axis; a stack comprising a single element or plurality of vibratory elements arranged from a first to a second end and; a mounting arrangement for mounting the said stack across the inner wall of said tubular member on a line relatively transverse to said longitudinal central axis. The mounting arrangement includes a layer of solid lubricant engaging opposite ends of the stack, enabling the stack to move in a direction of the central axis when the stack exhibits vibratory motion.
US07679263B2	Apparatus for two-dimensional transducers used in three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.
US07679248B2	Magnetic bearing system Disclosed is a magnetic bearing system capable of simplifying a demodulation operation and reducing a processing load associated with a magnetic levitation control. A carrier signal having a frequency fc is apply to a sensor through a filter. The sensor operates to modulate the carrier signal, and a difference amplifier operates to calculate a difference between the amplitude-modulated signal FAM (t) and a sensor reference signal Fstd (t). An A/D converter operates to A/D convert a difference signal Fsub (t) output from the difference amplifier to a discretized sensor signal. In the A/D conversion, a sampling frequency fs is set to satisfy the following relation: fc: fc=n·fs or fc=fs/2 (n is a natural number). Thus, the discretized sensor signal includes no carrier wave, and therefore a demodulation operation which has been previously essential can be simplified.
US07679246B2	Actuator A case (100), a rotor (200) that is freely rotatably supported in the case (100), and stators (110) for rotating the rotor by magnetic force are provided. The stator (110) contains a core (111) mounted at the outside of the case (100), and a magnetic coil (112) wound around the core (111). An end face of the core (111) constituting a magnetic pole is formed of at least non-laminate ferromagnetic substance, and exposed to the inner surface of the case (100) so as to form a part of the inner wall of the case (100).
US07679244B2	Motor A motor including a rotor having a rotor shaft and a permanent magnet fixed to an end part of the rotor shaft, a stator disposed around the rotor, a bearing for supporting the end part of the rotor shaft, a bearing holder which holds the bearing movably in an axial direction, and a pressurization member which is disposed on an outer side in the axial direction of the bearing holder for urging the bearing to the rotor shaft side. The permanent magnet is provided with a recessed part which is capable of accommodating the bearing and the bearing holder.
US07679242B2	Shrink tube encapsulated magnet wire for electrical submersible motors An electrical motor for an electrical submersible pump wherein the electrical motor has increased heat transfer capabilities. The electrical motor includes a housing and a plurality of stator laminations within the housing. Each stator lamination defines a central orifice and a plurality of lamination slots. A plurality of magnet wires pass through each of the plurality of lamination slots formed by the stacked plurality of stator laminations. Shrink wrap surrounds each of the plurality of magnet wires to secure the magnet wires in bundles. The result is that the wires are effectively bound together in a manner that allows oil to move freely inside the lamination slots surrounding the wire bundles. Since fluid can pass between and around the windings, the overall winding temperature will be normalized, essentially reducing hot spots that occur in prior art designs.
US07679239B2	Flat type vibrating motor Provided is a flat type vibrating motor capable of reducing a consumed current of the motor while maintaining torque of the motor, lengthening even more an operating time of an apparatus such as a mobile communication apparatus in which the flat type vibrating motor is mounted, and shortening a charging period. At least one auxiliary coil separated at a predetermined mechanical degree with respect to a center of the primary coil mounted on the substrate, and series-connected to the primary coil is provided, so that a current flowing through the coil is reduced and torque equivalent to or greater than that of a related art motor can be obtained. Accordingly, an amount of a consumed current of the motor is reduced.
US07679237B2	Drive apparatus for electric vehicle A drive apparatus for an electric vehicle includes a rotating electric device; a power source; and a terminal block. The rotating electric device drives the wheels of the vehicle. Electric power is supplied to the rotating electric device from the power source through a power-supply passage connected to the rotating electric device through the terminal block, which is fitted to the rotating electric device. The rotating electric device also includes a housing; a stator provided within the housing; and a coil-end positioned at the end of the stator in the axial direction. The terminal block is disposed near the coil-end at a position equal to or lower than the top surface of the housing. The terminal block is fitted to the rotating electric device so that the terminal block is electrically connected to the coil-end, by inserting the terminal block from the side surface of the housing.
US07679236B2	Electric actuator An electric actuator, which includes an exposed actuator terminal, for eliminating the need for insert molding and facilitating the manufacturing of a housing while preventing liquid from entering the housing. The actuator includes a motor. The housing is attached to the motor and includes an opening. A control circuit board accommodated in the housing controls the motor. An actuator terminal is arranged on the control circuit board and connected to an external terminal of an external connector through the opening. A terminal support arranged on the control circuit board supports the actuator terminal. A hollow fitting is attached to the terminal support and fitted into the opening so as to extend into the housing. A seal, arranged between the terminal support and the fitting, seals the housing.
US07679233B2	Decoupling device and method for the production of an electric motor The invention relates to a device for mounting an electric motor (10) in a manner that isolates vibrations, in particular a fan motor, wherein the electric motor (10) features at least one pole housing (12, 14) serving as a magnetic yoke circuit, as well as means (26, 27) for fastening isolating elements (32, 33), in particular elastic isolating elements. In accordance with the invention it is proposed that the means (26, 27) for fastening the isolating elements (32, 33) are embodied to be a single piece with the pole housing (12, 14).
US07679225B2	Voice coil motors and pre-compression generation devices thereof A voice coil motor. At least one guide bar is connected to a fixed base. A coil is connected to the fixed base. A support base is movably fit on the guide bar. An annular magnetic member is connected to the support base and surrounded by the coil. A magnetization direction of the annular magnetic member parallels a moving direction of the support base and annular magnetic member. The annular magnetic member includes a first magnetic pole and a second magnetic pole. The first magnetic pole is disposed in the coil and separated from the bottom thereof. The second magnetic pole is disposed outside the coil. The coil interacts with the annular magnetic member to generate a first force, driving the support base and annular magnetic member to move along the magnetization direction of the annular magnetic member.
US07679224B2	Circuit for protecting computer A circuit is used for preventing a computer from being powered up before a CPU voltage of the computer is prepared properly. The circuit includes a power supply for providing power to the computer, a power button for powering on the computer system, a power controller, and a switch. The power controller includes an input terminal connected to the power button and an output terminal for electrical connection to the power supply. The input terminal receives a PWRBT# signal when the power button is momentarily triggered, and the output terminal outputs a PSON# signal to the power supply to control the power supply to provide the electrical power to the computer in response to the received PWRBT# signal. The switch is serially connected between the output terminal and the power supply. The switch includes a control terminal monitoring if the CPU voltage is prepared properly so as to control conduction of the switch and further to control connection between the output terminal and the power supply.
US07679221B2	Power saving switch A power saving switch which can turn on an electric device manually by manipulation of an automatic switch button or a manual switch button by a user, and simultaneously, stop operation of a sensor for a predetermined time period in order for the sensor to fail detection of an entering of the user into an object area, and which can turn off the electric device automatically or output predetermined sound so as to make the user turn off the electric device manually when the user goes out of the object area.
US07679215B2	Wind farm power ramp rate control system and method A system and method for controlling power ramp rate of a wind farm is provided. The wind farm includes a plurality of wind turbine generators and a wind farm control system. The wind farm control system is operable to monitor rate of change of collective power output of the wind turbine generators, and to limit the rate of change of collective power output by generating a power output rate limiting signal based on the monitored rate of change of collective power output of the wind turbine generators and a desired collective power ramp of the wind turbine generators and applying the power output rate limiting signal to the plurality of wind turbine generators.
US07679201B2	Device package A package includes a device and a package substrate. The device includes a plurality of electrical pads, and has a periphery that defines a footprint. The package substrate, further includes a first substrate surface to which the device is attached, a second substrate surface, and a set of electrical contacts attached to the second substrate surface.
US07679200B2	Semiconductor chip with crack stop Various semiconductor chip crack stops and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes providing a semiconductor substrate that has a first corner defined by a first edge and a second edge. A crack stop is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The crack stop includes a first projection extending to the first edge and a second projection extending to the second edge to fence off a portion of the semiconductor substrate that includes the first corner.
US07679196B2	Stacked mounting structure A stacked mounting structure includes at least two substrates namely a first substrate on which a first protruding electrode is formed and a second substrate on which a second protruding electrode is formed, and an intermediate substrate which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and which connects the first substrate and the second substrate by leaving a predetermined gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. Mounted components are disposed in the gap between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first protruding electrode and the second protruding electrode are connected in an opening which is provided in the intermediate substrate.
US07679191B2	Polysilicon film with increased roughness The semiconductor device, in which a flaking of a layer or an element is prevented, is provided. A bonding pad section 13 of a semiconductor device 1 includes a polysilicon film 131, a barrier metal film 133 provided on the polysilicon film 131 and a metallic electrode 134 provided on the barrier metal film 133. The surface roughness of the surface of the polysilicon film 131 in the side of the barrier metal film 133 is equal to or larger than 3 nm. Further, the polysilicon film 131 contains substantially no phosphorus.
US07679186B2	Piezolectric micro electro-mechanical system switch, array of the switches, and method of fabricating the same A piezoelectric micro electro-mechanical system switch (MEMS), an array of piezoelectric MEMS switches, and a method of fabricating the switch, which are capable of improving low voltage and switching characteristics while securing high signal isolation, are provided. The piezoelectric MEMS switch includes a semiconductor substrate including a groove, a support formed over the semiconductor substrate and the groove. An actuator including a piezoelectric layer is formed on the support. A switching member is formed on the support on one side of the actuator, wherein upward movement of the switching member changes by a deformation of the piezoelectric layer of the actuator. Radio frequency (RF) transfer lines are arranged at a predetermined distance on the switching member and are separated by a predetermined interval from each other. The actuator is formed to have at least two cantilevers each having one end such that the ends are connected to each other.
US07679184B2	Semiconductor device having high cooling efficiency and method for manufacturing the same A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a semiconductor chip flip-chip mounted on the substrate, a sealing resin layer sealing the surroundings of the semiconductor chip, and a heat sink bonded to the sealing resin layer through a TIM layer. In addition, a cooling medium is encapsulated in an enclosed space formed on the rear surface of the semiconductor chip.
US07679183B2	Electronic cooling device and fabrication method thereof Provided are an electronic cooling device and a fabrication method thereof. The method may include forming an insulating layer on a semiconductor substrate, forming first and second silicide layers on the insulating layer, forming separate paired p-type and n-type semiconductors on each of the first and second silicide layers, forming a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer on the p-type and n-type semiconductors, exposing top surfaces of the n-type and p-type semiconductors, forming a third silicide layer on one semiconductor on each of the first and second silicide layers, forming a second ILD layer on the third silicide layer, and etching the second and first ILD layers to form contact holes exposing top surfaces of the first and second silicide layers.
US07679172B2	Semiconductor package without chip carrier and fabrication method thereof A semiconductor package without a chip carrier includes an insulating structure having an opening; an electroplated die pad provided in the opening; a chip attached to the electroplated die pad by a thermally conductive adhesive; a plurality of electrical contacts formed around the electroplated die pad, wherein at least one of the electrical contacts is provided on a top surface of the insulating structure, and the chip is electrically connected to the electrical contacts; and an encapsulant for encapsulating the chip, the insulating structure and the electrical contacts, wherein bottom surfaces of the insulating structure, the electroplated die pad and the electrical contacts, except the at least one electrical contact provided on the top surface of the insulating structure, are exposed from the encapsulant and are flush with a bottom surface of the encapsulant. A fabrication method of the semiconductor package is also provided.
US07679169B2	Stacked integrated circuit leadframe package system A stacked integrated circuit leadframe package system including forming a leadframe, packaging a top integrated circuit on a one side of the leadframe, packaging a bottom integrated circuit on an opposite side of the leadframe, and forming external electrical interconnects on the leadframe.
US07679163B2	Phase-change memory element A phase-change memory element for reducing heat loss is disclosed. The phase-change memory element comprises a composite layer, wherein the composite layer comprises a dielectric material and a low thermal conductivity material. A via hole is formed within the composite layer. A phase-change material occupies at least one portion of the via hole. The composite layer comprises alternating layers or a mixture of the dielectric material and the low thermal conductivity material.
US07679157B2	Image sensor and fabrication method thereof An image sensor has a substrate, a dielectric layer positioned on the substrate, a pixel array including a plurality of pixels defined on the substrate, a shield electrode positioned between any two adjacent pixel electrodes of the pixels, a photo conductive layer positioned on the shield electrode and the pixel electrodes, and a transparent conductive layer covering the photo conductive layer.
US07679156B2	Optical module and optical system An optical module has a circuit carrier, a housed semiconductor element placed on the circuit carrier, and a lens unit for projecting electromagnetic radiation onto the semiconductor element. The lens unit, which is constructed separate from the cased semiconductor element, preferably comprises a lens assembly formed of, for example, three lenses and of a diaphragm. The three lenses, optionally together with the diaphragm, are aligned in a well-defined manner due to their geometric design so that no additional optical adjustment is necessary. According to the invention, a support is formed, at least in sections, on the case of the semiconductor element, and the lens unit is placed thereon thus being supported. The concept is that by forming a support directly on the case of a cased semiconductor element even with classically cased semiconductor chips, it is possible to construct a camera module with which every mechanical focus setting can be eliminated. The novel system is particularly suited for use in the interior or exterior of a motor vehicle.
US07679127B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate; a first gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a first gate electrode layer formed on the first gate insulating film; an element isolation insulating film formed so as to isolate a plurality of the first gate electrode layers; a second gate insulating film layer formed so as to cover upper surfaces of the plurality of first gate electrode layers and the element isolation insulating films; and a second gate electrode layer formed on the second gate insulating film layer; and the second gate insulating film layer includes a NONON stacked film structure and a nitride film layer contacting the first gate electrode layer and constituting a lowermost layer of the NONON stack film structure is separated at a portion interposing the plurality of neighboring first gate electrode layers.
US07679123B2	Integrated circuit devices including a capacitor Integrated circuit devices include an integrated circuit substrate and a conductive lower electrode layer of a capacitor on the integrated circuit substrate. A dielectric layer is on the lower electrode layer and a conductive upper electrode layer of the capacitor is on the dielectric layer. A first intermetal dielectric layer is on the upper electrode layer. The first intermetal dielectric layer includes at least one via hole extending to the upper electrode layer. A first conductive interconnection layer is on the at least one via hole of the first intermetal dielectric layer. A second intermetal dielectric layer is on the first intermetal dielectric layer. The second intermetal dielectric layer includes at least one via hole extending to the first conductive interconnection layer and at least partially exposing the at least one via hole of the first intermetal dielectric layer. A second conductive interconnection layer is provided in the at least one via hole of the second intermetal dielectric layer that electrically contacts the first conductive interconnection layer.
US07679116B2	Photoelectric conversion device, method of manufacturing photoelectric conversion device, and image pickup system A photoelectric conversion device comprising a semiconductor substrate of a first conduction type, and a photoelectric conversion element having an impurity region of the first conduction type and a plurality of impurity regions of a second conduction type opposite to the first conduction type. The plurality of second-conduction-type impurity regions include at least a first impurity region, a second impurity region provided between the first impurity region and a surface of the substrate, and a third impurity region provided between the second impurity region and the surface of the substrate. A concentration C1 corresponding to a peak of the impurity concentration in the first impurity region, a concentration C2 corresponding to a peak of the impurity concentration in the second impurity region and a concentration C3 corresponding to a peak of the impurity concentration in the third impurity region satisfy the following relationship: C2
US07679111B2	Termination structure for a power semiconductor device A power semiconductor device having a termination structure that includes a polysilicon field plate, a metallic field plate, and a polysilicon equipotential ring.
US07679099B2	Low thermal resistance high power LED A light source having a circuit carrier and a die is disclosed. The circuit carrier includes top and bottom conducting layers sandwiching an insulating substrate. The bottom layer has a first surface adjacent to the insulating substrate and a second surface includes a portion of a bottom surface of the light source, the substrate having a die bonding region in which the top conducting layer and a portion of the substrate are absent. A portion of the bottom conducting layer is present under the die bonding region and the die is bonded to the top surface of the bottom conducting layer in the die bonding region. The bottom conducting layer is patterned to provide first and second bottom electrodes that are electrically isolated from one another and connected to first and second contacts for powering the LED.
US07679097B2	Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing the same A semiconductor light emitting device having a semiconductor stacking structure bonded onto the support member and having excellent characteristics is provided by a preferable electrode structure.The semiconductor light emitting device comprising; a semiconductor stacking structure having a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer of conductivity types different from each other, a first electrode connected to the first semiconductor layer, and a second electrode connected to the second semiconductor layer, wherein one principal surface of the first electrode has a portion that makes contact with the first semiconductor layer so as to establish electrical continuity and an external connection section.
US07679091B2	Photoelectric conversion element having a semiconductor and semiconductor device using the same A semiconductor device, particularly, a photoelectric conversion element having a semiconductor layer is demonstrated. The photoelectric conversion element of the present invention comprises, over a substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer and first and second electrodes which are electrically connected to the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion element further comprises a wiring board over which a third and fourth electrodes are provided. The characteristic point of the present invention is that a bonding layer, which readily forms an alloy with a conductive material, is formed over the first and second electrodes. This bonding layer improves the bonding strength between the first and third electrodes and the second and fourth electrode, which contributes to the prevention of the connection defect between the substrate and the wiring board and consequentially to high reliability of the photoelectric conversion element.
US07679088B2	Thin-film transistor and fabrication method thereof A fabrication method of a TFT includes successively forming four thin films containing a first conductive layer, an insulation layer, a semiconductor layer, and a second conductive layer on a substrate, performing a first PEP process to pattern the four thin films for forming a semiconductor island and a gate electrode with the semiconductor layer and the first conductive layer respectively. Then, a laser ablation process is performed to define a channel pattern in the four thin films and remove a portion of the second conductive layer so that unconnected source electrode and drain electrode are formed with the second conductive layer.
US07679081B2	Substrate structures and fabrication methods thereof Substrate structures and fabrication methods thereof. A substrate structure includes a bendable substrate and an inorganic electrode structure on the bendable structure, wherein the inorganic electrode structure includes a conductive layer or a semiconductor layer. The inorganic electrode structure includes carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, a nanolinear material, or a micro-linear material. The bendable substrate includes polyethylene (PE), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).
US07679072B2	Device for treating surface of a polymolecular formed product The present invention provides a surface treatment apparatus for molded polymer products. In the operation, a molded polymer product is held by a jig (11) on a product loading and discharging unit (20) and is fed by a product feeding unit (10). A first impurity removing unit (30) cleans the surface of the product. The product passes through an inlet vacuum unit (40) and reaches a product surface ion treatment unit. The ion treatment unit controls an ion beam electric current and produces plasma cations using gas supplied from an atmospheric gas supply unit (60), and the plasma ions are evenly scanned onto the product surfaces. The surface-treated molded product passes through a second impurity removing unit and is fed to the product loading and discharging unit, at which the jig exchanges the existing product for a new product.
US07679066B2	Multi-stage waveform detector A waveform detector may include multiple stages.
US07679059B2	Measuring water vapor in hydrocarbons Low concentrations of water vapor within a background of one or more olefin gases may be detected and quantified using a differential absorption spectrometer. A dehydrated sample of the gas is used as a background sample whose absorption spectrum allows elimination of absorption features not due to water vapor in the gas. Absorption spectra may recorded using tunable diode lasers as the light source. These lasers may have a wavelength bandwidth that is narrower than the water vapor absorption feature used for the differential absorption spectral analysis.
US07679053B2	Multiple sample sources for use with mass spectrometers, and apparatus, devices, and methods therefor A method for introducing samples through a boundary member partially defining a chamber at an entrance point coaxial to a sampling inlet of a mass spectrometer is described. Field-free conditions can be established in at least one region of the chamber. The sample can be introduced adjacent to the sampling inlet, and introducing at least a second sample can be introduced through at least one other entrance point in the chamber not adjacent to the sampling inlet. An apparatus having a sampling inlet and a boundary member partially defining a chamber is also described. Field-free conditions can be established in at least one region of the chamber, and there can be a first aperture in the boundary member through which a source emits sample. Related devices, uses and mass spectrometers are also described.
US07679050B2	Method of acquiring and processing neutron log data, and related apparatuses A method and apparatus for processing neutron log data having the steps of a) deriving from the near-spaced neutron count of a neutron logging tool an approximate, unfiltered, lithology-related characteristic of a formation; b) deriving a correction that is essentially independent of the lithology; c) long filtering the correction; and d) adding the resulting, long-filtered correction to the approximate, unfiltered characteristic resulting from step a. in order to derive a compensated characteristic. The method provides statistically good, compensated logs while permitting the use of low activity neutron sources.
US07679049B2	Calibrating a positron emission tomography scanner A method for calibrating a positron emission tomography scanner of a radiation therapy device is provided. The method includes applying at least one defined radiation dose in a sample body; measuring the activity generated by the radiation dose using the positron emission tomography scanner; and calibrating the positron emission tomography scanner based on the measured activity.
US07679048B1	Systems and methods for selecting microbolometers within microbolometer focal plane arrays Systems and methods for microbolometer focal plane arrays provide for the selection of microbolometers within the microbolometer focal plane arrays. In accordance with an embodiment, a microbolometer focal plane array includes a plurality of microbolometers forming a microbolometer array, wherein contacts within the microbolometer array are shared by the microbolometers; a first plurality of switches adapted to provide a voltage to respective ones of the plurality of microbolometers; a second plurality of switches adapted to receive an output signal from respective ones of the plurality of microbolometers; and a third plurality of switches adapted to selectively short respective ones of the plurality of microbolometers in the microbolometer array.
US07679043B2	Peripheral light sensor and liquid crystal display device using the same Disclosed are a peripheral light sensor and a liquid crystal display device using the same. The device includes: a peripheral light sensor including: one or more transistors each coupled between an output line and a ground power sources, and having a gate electrode coupled to the ground power source and a first electrode, a voltage value of the respective ground power source being less than a maximal voltage value supplied to the respective output line, wherein each of the transistors is configured to output to the respective outline line a peripheral light sensing signal corresponding to an intensity of a peripheral light.
US07679031B2	Method for checking a nozzle for a laser beam machine The invention provides a device which optically checks a nozzle tip of a laser machining tool. A camera unit 450 which is raised and lowered in opposing relation to a nozzle 65 of a laser beam machine has a camera chamber 454 and is sealed by protective glass 456, where the camera chamber 454 contains a CCD camera body 460 and lens 462. While a ring light 470 illuminates a surface of the nozzle 65, the CCD camera body 460 checks the nozzle 65 optically.
US07679026B1	Multi-frequency static neutralization of moving charged objects Efficient static neutralization of an electrostatically charged object that has a varying distance from an ion generating source, a varying velocity, a large dimension or any these is achieved by using an ionizing cell or bar having a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode for receiving a multi-frequency voltage that has a waveform, and the second electrode separated from the first electrode by a first distance and for use as a reference electrode. The waveform is adjusted during neutralization of a moving object based on at least one attribute of the object.
US07679025B1	Dense plasma focus apparatus An apparatus for the formation of a dense plasma focus (DPF) has a center electrode formed about an axis, where the center electrode includes a cylindrical part and a tapered part. An outer electrode is formed about the center electrode, and may be either cylindrical, tapered, or formed from a plurality of individual conductors including a helical conductor arrangement surrounding the tapered region of the center conductor. The taper of the center electrode results in an enhanced azimuthal B field in the final region of the device, resulting in increased plasma velocity prior to the dense plasma focus. Using the outer electrode helical structure an auxiliary axial B field is generated during the final acceleration region of the plasma, which reduces axial modal tearing of the plasma in the final acceleration region.
US07679016B2	Panel switch A panel switch includes an insulating substrate, a resist layer provided on an upper surface of the insulating substrate, a cover sheet, an adhesive layer bonded onto an upper surface of the resist layer, and plural push switches activated upon being pressed via the cover sheet. The resist layer has plural contact openings and a communication opening provided therein. The contact openings and the communication opening exposes the upper surface of the insulating substrate from the contact openings and the communication opening. The communication opening allows the contact openings to communicate with each other. The adhesive layer is provided entirely on a lower surface of the cover sheet and covers the contact openings and the communication opening. The push switches are accommodated in the contact openings, respectively. In this panel switch, the adhesive layer can easily be printed on the cover sheet and bond the cover sheet securely to the insulating substrate.
US07679015B2	Keypad assembly for electronic device A keypad assembly includes a pressing surface layer, a pattern layer, an elastic layer, a light guiding layer, and a pressing bottom layer. The pattern layer is under the pressing surface layer. The elastic layer is located between and interlocks the pattern layer and the light guiding layer by adhesive. The pressing bottom layer adheres to the light guiding layer. The keypad assembly has an ideal appearance by lights collection of the light guiding layer. User can feel comfortable when pressing the keypad assembly because of the elastic layer's buffering effect.
US07679011B2	Input device for electronic device An input device (100) includes a housing (80), a base (40), a shaft (20), a first elastic member (60), and at least one second elastic member (70). The housing has a cavity (800), a first end and an opposite second open end. The first end has a hole (802) communicated with the cavity. The base is pivotably received in the cavity of the housing with part of the base protruding out of the cavity from the hole. The base defines a through hole (406) and includes at least one protrusion (408). The shaft is slidably received in the through hole of the base. The first elastic member provides a force to reset the shaft. The second elastic member connected to the base and the housing for providing a force to reset the base. The present invention also provides an electronic device employing the input device.
US07679005B2	Circuitized substrate with shielded signal lines and plated-thru-holes and method of making same, and electrical assembly and information handling system utilizing same A circuitized substrate in which selected ones of the signal conductors are substantially surrounded by shielding members which shield the conductors during passage of high frequency signals, e.g., to reduce noise. The shielding members may form solid members which lie parallel and/or perpendicular to the signal conductors, and may also be substantially cylindrical in shape to surround a conductive thru-hole which also forms part of the substrate. An electrical assembly and an information handling system are also defined.
US07679003B2	Carrier tape A carrier tape according to the present invention includes a plurality of tape carrier packages provided at a regular interval on a lengthy insulating tape, a first and a second integrated circuit device respectively and mounted to each of the plurality of tape carrier packages. Further, a connecting line electrically short-circuits only between one of terminals for the first integrated circuit device and one of terminals for the second integrated circuit device. This configuration prevents the integrated circuit devices from being damaged by discharged static electricity as well as allows to conduct a performance test on the integrated circuit devices such as checking for input/output of a signal by applying a probe pin to an input or output pin.
US07679001B2	Circuit board and method of manufacture thereof Provided is a method of forming a circuit board including (a) providing a first conductive sheet; (b) selectively removing one or more portions of the first conductive sheet to form a first panel having a first circuit board that is coupled to a disposable part of the first panel by at least one tab that extends from an edge of the first circuit board to an edge of the disposable part of the first panel; (c) applying an insulating coating to the first circuit board so that at least each edge of the first circuit board is covered thereby; and (d) separating the first circuit board from the disposable part in a manner whereupon at least part of the tab remains attached to the first circuit board and includes an exposed edge of the conductive sheet of the first circuit board. Circuit boards formed by the method are also provided.
US07678995B2	Contact device for providing an electrical contact between flat current carrying line elements A contact device for providing an electrical contact between a first busbar (3) and a second busbar (4) which are arranged substantially parallel to each other, comprises a holder (2) with two sidewalls (21, 22) which extend substantially parallel. Said sidewalls (21, 22) enclose a slot (23) for receiving the second busbar. The sidewalls (21, 22) comprise an inner surface (211, 221) facing the slot (23) and an outer surface (212, 222). One sidewall (21, 22) is adapted to face the first busbar (3) with its outer surface (212, 222) and to face the second busbar (4) with its inner surface (211,221). Said sidewall (21) comprises a contact element (1) for providing an electrical contact through said sidewall (21) from the inner surface (211) to the outer surface (212).
US07678993B2	Outlet box assembly with anchor screw guide One aspect of the invention is an outlet box frame for installation in a hole in a floor structure. The hole having a perimeter and defining an internal wall surface in said floor structure. The frame including a walled member, at least one flange portion and a unitary retaining screw guide. The walled member being sized for insertion within the hole. The at least one flange portion extending outward from the walled member, wherein once installed at least a portion of the flange extends from the walled member past the internal wall surface. The unitary retaining screw guide supports a retaining screw. The screw guide being supported from the walled member and configured to receive the retaining screw therein. Upon installation, the retaining screw inserted in the retaining screw guide engages the hole wall without significant penetration thereof, providing at least pullout resistance of the frame from the hole. Alternatively, the outlet box frame may include the retaining screw.
US07678987B2	Apparatus and method for vibrating stringed musical instruments This invention provides apparatus and methods for seasoning stringed musical instruments. For stringed instruments having a bridge, the apparatus comprises an electric vibration generator attached to a bridge cradle, the bridge cradle being sized and configured for detachable attachment to a bridge of the instrument, the bridge cradle comprising a main body portion sized and configured to be placed upon the bridge in sufficient contact therewith to permit the transfer of vibration generated by the vibration generator into the bridge of the instrument. For stringed instruments having a sound hole, the apparatus comprises an electric vibration generator attached to a vibration cradle, the vibration cradle being sized and configured for detachable attachment between the body and strings of the instrument, the vibration cradle comprising a base sized and configured to be placed in sufficient contact with the sound hole to permit the transfer of vibration generated by the vibration generator into the body of the instrument.
US07678969B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH313215 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH313215. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH313215, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH313215 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH313215.
US07678966B2	Plants and seeds of corn variety CV591539 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV591539. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV591539, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV591539 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV591539 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV591539.
US07678965B2	Soybean variety D5624834 The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5624834. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5624834. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5624834 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5624834 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07678950B2	Process for converting carbohydrates to hydrocarbons Processes for the conversion of carbohydrates to gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons, and processes for increasing the solubility of carbohydrates used in such processes are disclosed. The solubility of carbohydrates may be increased by contacting the carbohydrate with an ion-exchange resin. The dissolved product may be hydrogenated and reacted in the present of a catalyst to form a reaction product containing non-aromatic and aromatic gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons.
US07678947B2	Method for producing halogen-substituted benzenedimethanol A method for producing a halogen-substituted benzenedimethanol represented by the formula (2): wherein X1 to X4 are the same or different and independently represent a halogen atom or the like, provided that at least one of X1 to X4 is a halogen atom, by reacting a halogen-substituted terephthalic acid diester represented by the formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and independently represent a C1-C20 alkyl group which may have a substitutent or substituents, and X1 to X4 is the same as defined above, with a borohydride compound in the presence of an alcohol which comprises adding the alcohol into a mixture of the halogen-substituted terephthalic acid diester represented by the formula (1), the borohydride compound and a solvent.
US07678942B2	Process for preparation of diphosphine compounds and intermediates for the process A production method of a compound represented by the formula wherein R1a, R1b, R1c, R1d, R1e, R1f, R2a, R2b, R2c, R2d, R2e and R2f are the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom and the like, and R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 are the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom and the like, or a salt thereof, which comprises reacting a compound represented by the formula wherein X is a leaving group and other symbols are as defined above, or a salt thereof, with a phosphine-borane complex represented by the formula wherein the symbols are as defined above, or a salt thereof, in a solvent in the presence of an amine and a nickel catalyst, is provided.
US07678937B2	Polyalkylated arylalkyl sulfonic acids and their salts The present invention discloses a process for producing light colored polyalkylated arylalkyl sulfonic acids. The polyalkylated arylalkyl sulfonic acids may be further neutralized with alkalis or amines to form the corresponding light colored sulfonated salts. The present invention also makes manufacture of polyalkylated arylalkyl sulfonic acids possible as first intent products using an inexpensive and simple reaction. The structure of the polyalkylated arylalkyl sulfonic acids produced using the process described in the present invention is shown below: Where R1, R2 and R3 are each separately and independently H, alkyl (branched or linear C1 to C30), R4═CH3(CH2)oCH(CH2)pCH3 m+n=4 to 28 o+p=3 to 27.
US07678930B2	Process for decreasing the amount of cholesterol in a marine oil using a volatile working fluid The invention relates to a process for decreasing the amount of cholesterol in a mixture comprising a marine oil, the marine oil containing the cholesterol, which process comprises the steps of adding a volatile working fluid to the mixture, where the volatile working fluid comprises at least one of a fatty acid ester, a fatty acid amide and a hydrocarbon, and subjecting the mixture with the added volatile working fluid to at least one stripping processing step, in which an amount of cholesterol present in the marine oil in free form is separated from the mixture together with the volatile working fluid. The present invention also relates to a volatile cholesterol decreasing working fluid and a health supplement and a pharmaceutical, based on a marine oil, prepared according to the process mentioned above.
US07678929B2	Furochroman derivatives Disclosed are furochroman compounds of formula I liquid-crystal media which contains the compounds of formula I, and the use of the media in electro-optical displays, in particular in VAN LCDs.
US07678928B2	Process for manufacture of simvastatin An improved method for manufacture of simvastatin of formula (I) in high purity. The process for preparation of compound (I) comprises the steps of agitating a compound of formula (II), wherein R is hydrogen, NH4+ or an alkali metal in an organic solvent and in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of between 27° C. to 40° C. in the presence of a weak acid followed by neutralization with an organic base and obtaining compound of formula (I) in high purity and substantially free of impurities through a step of isolation and crystallization.
US07678923B2	Method for synthesizing 5-chloro-1-aryl-4-(4,5-dicyano-1h-imidazol-2-yl)-3-alkyl-1h-pyrazole derivatives Method for synthesising 1-aryl-4-(imidazol-2-yl)-3-alkyl-1H-pyrazole derivatives from 1-aryl-3-alkyl-1H-pyrazo-line-5-one derivatives.
US07678920B2	Insecticidal N-substituted sulfoximines N-Substituted sulfoximines are effective at controlling insects.
US07678919B2	Method for producing pentacyclic taxans Taxan derivatives are produced efficiently and inexpensively, which are useful as oral-administrable antitumor compounds.A compound of formula (1) (wherein R1 is an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; R2 is a hydroxyl group optionally having a protective group) is processed with an alkali metal permanganate to produce a compound of formula (2), which may be a starting material for oral-administrable antitumor compounds.
US07678918B2	Intermediates for imidazonaphthyridines Imidazonaphthyridine and tetrahydroimidazonaphthyridine compounds induce the biosynthesis of cytokines such as interferon and tumor necrosis factor. The compounds exhibit antiviral and antitumor properties. Methods of preparing the compounds and intermediates useful in the preparation of the compounds are disclosed.
US07678916B2	Process The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of rosiglitazone, rosiglitazone prepared thereby and pharmaceutical compositions and therapeutic uses thereof, and methods of treatment employing the same.
US07678915B2	Process for production of piperidine derivatives The present invention relates to a process for preparing piperidine derivative compounds of the formulae: wherein n is 0 or 1; R1 is hydrogen or hydroxy; R2 is hydrogen; or, when n is 0, R1 and R2 taken together form a second bond between the carbon atoms bearing R1 and R2, provided that when n is 1, R1 and R2 are each hydrogen; R3 is —COOH or —COOR4; R4 is an alkyl or aryl moiety; A, B, and D are the substituents of their rings, each of which may be different or the same, and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogens, alkyl, hydroxy, alkoxy, and other substituents, The process comprises providing a regiosomer of the following formula: m is an integer from 1 to 6; Q and Y are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR5; G1, G2, and G3 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of OR8, SR8, and NR8R9; R6 and R7 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl moiety, an aryl moiety, OR8, SR8, and NR8R9; and R5, R8, and R9 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an alkyl moiety, and an aryl moiety and converting the regioisomer to the piperidine derivative compound with a piperidine compound.
US07678914B2	Deuterated benzo[D][1,3]-dioxol derivatives The present invention relates to an isotopologue of Compound 1 substituted with deuterium at the methylene carbon of the benzodioxol ring. The isotopologues of this invention selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and possess unique biopharmaceutical and metabolic properties compared to Compound 1. They may also be used to accurately determine the concentration of Compound 1 in biological fluids and to determine metabolic patterns of Compound 1 and its isotopologues. The invention further provides compositions comprising these deuterated isotopologues and methods of treating diseases and conditions that are responsive to increased neuronal serotonin transmission, alone and in combination with additional agents.
US07678904B2	Use of parthenolide derivatives as antileukemic and cytotoxic agents The present invention provides compounds of the formula (I) wherein: X1, X2 and X3 are heteroatoms; R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 are independently selected from H, halo, —OH, —NO2, —CN and optionally substituted aliphatic, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; and Z is optionally substituted C1-8 straight-chained or branched aliphatic, optionally containing 1 or more double or triple bonds, wherein one or more carbons are optionally replaced by R* wherein R* is optionally substituted cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; an amino acid residue, H, —CN, —C(O)—, —C(O)C(O)—, —C(O)NR1—, —C(O)NR1NR2—, —C(O)O—, —OC(O)—, —NR1CO2—, —O—, —NR1C(O)NR2—, —OC(O)NR1—, —NR1NR2—, —NR1C(O)—, —S—, —SO—, —SO2—, —NR1—, —SO2NR1—, —NR1R2, or —NR1SO2—, wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from H and optionally substituted aliphatic, cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; or where R* is NR1R2, R1 and R2 optionally together with the nitrogen atom form an optionally substituted 5-12 membered ring, said ring optionally comprising 1 or more heteroatoms or a group selected from —CO—, —SO—, —SO2— and —PO—; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester or prodrug thereof.
US07678896B2	siRNA targeting serine/threonine kinase 12 (STK12 or aurora B kinase) Efficient sequence specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology. By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed including those directed to STK12.
US07678894B2	Nucleotide analogs The disclosure provides nucleotide analogs and methods of their use. Analogs of the invention comprise a reporter molecule (label) attached via the N4, N6, O4, or O6 position of the nitrogenous base portion of the analog. In a preferred embodiment, nucleotide analogs of the invention comprise a label attached to the nitrogenous base portion of the analog via a cleavable linker at the N4, O4, N6 or O6 position.
US07678893B2	Fluorescent proteins from Copepoda species and methods for using same The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules encoding a fluorescent and proteins and mutants, homologues and derivatives thereof, as well as proteins and peptides encoded by these nucleic acids. The nucleic acid molecules and proteins of interest are isolated from Copepoda species. Also of interest are proteins that are substantially similar to, or derivatives, or homologues, or mutants of, the above-referenced specific proteins. Also provided are fragments of the nucleic acids and the peptides encoded thereby, as well as antibodies specific to the proteins and peptides of the invention. In addition, host-cells, stable cell lines and transgenic organisms comprising above-referenced nucleic acid molecules are provided. The subject protein and nucleic acid compositions find use in a variety of different applications and methods, particularly for labeling of biomolecules, cell or cell organelles. Finally, kits for use in such methods and applications are provided.
US07678879B2	Adhesive composition of phenol-functional polyamides The invention is based on the discovery that the compounds and compositions described herein are useful as film-forming adhesives for use in a variety of applications, including, for example, adhesive tapes for the electronic packaging industry. The invention compositions described herein can be cured in a variety of ways with or without a catalyst.
US07678875B2	Method for producing polycarbonate copolymer and polycarbonate copolymer A method for producing a PC copolymer with improved productivity is provided. The PC copolymer has a specific structure and the method uses a diester diol-containing monomer as a raw material. The polycarbonate copolymer is produced by reacting a diester diol-containing monomer, a divalent phenol, and a carbonate precursor by interfacial polymerization, wherein the diester diol-containing monomer is a product of reaction between a hydroxybenzoic acid or an esterified product thereof and a polyalkylene glycol, wherein the esterification degree of hydroxyl groups of the polyalkylene glycol is 50 to 90 mol %.
US07678874B2	Polyimide having an alcoholic hydroxyl group and a process for the preparation thereof This invention relates to a novel polyimide silicone having an alcoholic hydroxyl group and a process for the preparation thereof. The polyimide of the invention having a primary alcoholic hydroxyl group is represented by the following general formula (1), wherein X represents a tetravalent organic group, Y represents a divalent group having at least one monovalent group selected from the group consisting of a phenolic hydroxyl group and a carboxyl group, with at least one being a divalent organic group having an alcoholic hydroxyl group, Z represents a divalent organic group, W represents a divalent organic group having an organosiloxane structure, k is a positive number, and each of m and n is equal to 0 (zero) or a positive number, with 0.1≦k/(k+m+n)≦1, 0≦m/(k+m+n)≦0.8, 0≦n/(k+m+n)≦0.8.
US07678873B1	Acetylene-terminated hyperbranched poly(arylene-ether-ketone-imides) Novel ether-ketone-imide hyperbranched polymers with thermally reactive ethynyl endgroups were prepared from the corresponding AB2 monomer and the respective benzophenone-based endcapping agents in one-pot fashion. The resulting polymer has repeating units of the formula: where the chain-end groups, Ar is a benzophenone with an ortho, a meta- or a para-ethynyl substituent.
US07678863B2	Proton exchange membrane materials based on sulfonated poly (phthalazinones) A novel class of proton exchange membrane materials, sulfonated poly(phthalazinones), were prepared by modification of poly(phthalazinone). Sulfonation reactions were conducted at room temperature using mixtures of 95-98% concentrated sulfuric acid and 27-33% fuming sulfuric acid with different acid ratios in order to get SPPEK with degree of sulfonation (DS) in the range of 0.6 to 1.0. The presence of sulfonic acid groups was confirmed by FT-IR analysis, and the DS and structures were characterized by NMR. The introduction of sulfonic groups into the polymer chains led to an increase in the glass transition temperature and a decrease in the decomposition temperature. Membrane films were cast from solution in N,N-dimethylformamide or N,N-dimethylacetamide. Water uptakes and swelling ratios of the membrane films increased with DS and sulfonated polymers with DS>1.2 were water soluble at 80° C. Proton conductivity increased with DS and temperature up to 95° C., reaching 10−2 S/Cm.
US07678862B2	Electrophoretic particles and production process thereof Electrophoretic particles are constituted by pigment particles provided with a polymer chain connected with a polymerization initiation group at a surface of pigment particle. The resultant electrophoretic particles are excellent particle size uniformity and dispersibility.
US07678858B2	Fluorine-containing elastomer composition excellent in plasma-aging prevention effect and shaped article made thereof The present invention provides a fluorine containing elastomer composition which does not affect heat resistance and processability, is little in weight change for both of fluorine plasma and oxygen plasma exposed at the production step of a semiconductor and can inhibit generation of foreign objects (particles) significantly in those steps, and a molded article comprising the composition. The present invention relates to a fluorine containing elastomer composition for the seal material of a semiconductor production device comprising a fluorine containing elastomer and a compound having plasma antiaging effects.
US07678855B2	Rubber composition A rubber composition having a high hysteresis loss is provided without impairment of other physical properties, such as fracture characteristics. The rubber composition includes 100 parts by weight of a rubber component, 0.1 to 100 parts by weight of graphitized carbon material, and a lipid the amount of which is 0.02 to 0.2 times the amount of the graphitized carbon material. Preferably, the graphitized carbon material is carbon fiber grown from a vapor phase or graphitized carbon black, and the lipid is a fatty acid. Preferably, the rubber composition according to the present invention has a loss tangent tan δ in the range of 0.05 to 0.5 at a temperature of 60 degree C. after vulcanization.
US07678852B2	Flame retardant compositions Polymer compositions are afforded flame retardancy with the incorporation of a combination of melamine polyphosphate and poly(m-phenylene methylphosphonate). The polymer compositions are for instance epoxy resins for prepegs, laminates and printed circuit boards. The epoxy resins are for example for coating electronic parts. The polymer compositions are also thermoplastics such as polyolefins or polystyrenics, useful as fibers, films or molded parts. The melamine polyphosphate may be of a fine particle size.
US07678842B2	Radiation-curable silicone rubber composition Provided is a radiation-curable silicone rubber composition comprising: (A) a specific organopolysiloxane, which at each molecular chain terminal contains two or three silicon-containing groups that each contain a plurality of (from 2 to 9) (meth)acryloyl groups (in other words, a specific organopolysiloxane containing from 8 to 54 (meth)acryloyl groups within each molecule); and (B) a radiation sensitizer. The composition cures easily and favorably upon irradiation with low intensity, low energy radiation, and in particular upon irradiation with ultraviolet light emitted from a UV-LED light source. A cured coating generated from the composition rapidly develops favorable adhesion to a wide variety of substrates, and provides excellent corrosion prevention for the substrate, even under severe conditions.
US07678838B2	Nanothin polymer films with selective pores and method of use thereof A method of preparing nanothin polymer films having uniform and selectively sized pores utilizing pore forming templates. Lipids and pore forming templates are dissolved into a first solution. The solvent is removed thereby creating a lipid bilayer with pore forming templates dispersed throughout. The bilayer is hydrated and monomers and crosslinkers are added to create a second solution. A nanothin film with pore forming templates is created through polymerization of said second solution. The pore forming templates are dissolved into a third solution by addition of a chemical in which the pore forming template is soluble, but the lipid bilayer is insoluble. This third solution is separated from the mixture leaving a nanothin polymer film with pores of a uniform thickness and surface area. In summary, the guided assembly method presented here suggests a new general strategy for the fabrication of nanothin materials with controlled permeability, which provides improvements over the currently existing technology.
US07678835B2	Low-foaming gas processing compositions and uses thereof The invention relates to low-foaming gas processing compositions comprising (a) a silicone antifoam component comprising a base silicone fluid and a particulate metal oxide; (b) an emulsifying component in an amount suitable for the at least substantial emulsification of the silicone antifoam component in water; (c) a polypropylene glycol component at least partially soluble, emulsifiable, and/or dispersible in water; (d) a water-soluble or water-dispersible gas processing agent; and (e) water. The invention also relates to methods for processing a gas by treating the gas with these foam suppressing compositions.
US07678825B2	Pharmaceutically active isoindoline derivates Isoindolin-1-one and Isoindoline-1,3-dione substituted in the 2-position with an α-(3,4-disubstituted phenyl)alkyl group and in the 4- and/or 5-position with a nitrogen-containing group are inhibitors of, and thus useful in the treatment of disease states mediated by, TNFα and phosphodiesterase. A typical embodiment is 2-[1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)2-methylsulfonylethyl]4,5-diaminoisoindoline-1,3-dione.
US07678815B2	Thiazole-4-carboxyamide derivatives The present invention is concerned with novel thiazole 4-carboxyamide derivatives of the general formula (I) and with methods for the preparation thereof, which compounds are useful as metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonists: wherein R1 to R4 are as defined in the specification.
US07678794B2	Potentiators of glutamate receptors The present invention provides a compound of formula (I): pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods of using the same, processes for preparing the same, and intermediates thereof.
US07678785B2	Substituted aniline derivatives The present invention relates to novel aniline derivatives and their use in therapy, in particular their use in the treatment of fungal infections.
US07678781B2	11-phosphorous steroid derivatives useful as progesterone receptor modulators The present invention is directed to novel 11-phosphorous steroid derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of disorders and conditions modulated by a progesterone or glucocorticoid receptor.
US07678778B2	Salts of isophosphoramide mustard and analogs thereof as anti-tumor agents The present disclosure relates to salts and compositions of isophosphoramide mustard and isophosphoramide mustard analogs. In one embodiment the salts can be represented by the formula wherein A+ represents an ammonium species selected from the protonated (conjugate acid) or quaternary forms of aliphatic amines and aromatic amines, including basic amino acids, heterocyclic amines, substituted and unsubstituted pyridines, guanidines and amidines; and X and Y independently represent leaving groups. Also disclosed herein are methods for making such compounds and formulating pharmaceutical compositions thereof. Methods for administering the disclosed compounds to subjects, particularly to treat hyperproliferative disorders, also are disclosed.
US07678777B2	Composition for promoting the proliferation of Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei A composition for promoting bacterial proliferation and selectively proliferating Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei is disclosed, which includes a dextran. A variety of biological activities originating from L. casei subsp. casei can be sustained in a living body by selectively growing-proliferating and colonizing L. casei subsp. casei in the intestine of a human being, animal, or the like or by selectively growing-proliferating L. casei subsp. casei in the intestine, without supplying L. casei subsp. casei at all times.
US07678776B2	Inclusion complexes of butylphthalide with cyclodextrin or its derivatives, a process for their preparation and the use thereof The present invention relates to the inclusion complexes of butylphthalide, which is D, L-mixed or levorotatory, with cyclodextrin or cyclodextrin derivatives, to a process for their preparation and the use thereof. In the invention, the butylphthalide is complexed with cyclodextrin or cyclodextrin derivatives, preferably with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin in order to increase the water-solubility of butylphthalide, develop clinical solid or liquid formulations and improve the therapeutic effect of butylphthalide. The inclusion complex, in which the molar ratio of butylphthalide to cyclodextrin or cyclodextrin derivatives is in the range of 1:1-10, can be used to prepare infusion, injection, injectable powder, liquids for oral administration, syrup, tablets, granules, dispersible tablets and others.
US07678773B2	Salts of avermectins substituted in the 4″-position and having pesticidal properties A compound of formula wherein X− is an anion; n is 1, 2, 3 or 4; R1 is C1-C12alkyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl; or C2-C12alkenyl; R2 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C1-C12alkyl or C2-C12alkenyl; R3 is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted C1-C12alkyl, C3-C12cycloalkyl, C2-C12alkenyl; or C2-C12alkynyl; or R2 and R3 together are an alkylene or alkenylene bridge; and, where applicable, E/Z isomers, E/Z isomeric mixtures and/or tautomers; with the proviso that R1 is not sec-butyl or isopropyl when R2 is H and R3 is methyl; and, where applicable, their possible tautomers; a process for the preparation of those compounds and their tautomers and the use thereof; pesticidal compositions in which the active ingredient has been selected from those compounds and their tautomers; and a process for the preparation of those compositions and the use thereof; intermediates, in free form or in salt form, for the preparation of those compounds and, where applicable, their tautomers, in free form or in salt form, are described.
US07678761B2	Method of preventing pathological levels of factor VIII before, during and/or after a surgical procedure by controlling psychic and somatic stress A method of providing general anesthesia to an organism that improves surgical outcome by controlling a psychic and a somatic surgical stress before, during, and after a surgical procedure by preventing a pathological elevation of Factor VIII in the blood of the organism, comprising the steps of controlling the psychic stress in the organism by administering to the organism an anesthetic or hypnotic agent; controlling the somatic stress by administering to the organism an opioid and/or lidocaine; maintaining a normal body temperature of the organism; minimizing a non-surgical stress stimuli; and allowing a mild hypercarbia to support a respiratory drive in the presence of an opioid dosage. The method may further comprise the step of giving additional doses of an opioid as necessary to prevent sympathetic nervous system activation.
US07678760B2	Inhibitors of Memapsin 2 and use thereof Methods for the production of purified, catalytically active, recombinant memapsin 2 have been developed. The substrate and subsite specificity of the catalytically active enzyme have been determined. The substrate and subsite specificity information was used to design substrate analogs of the natural memapsin 2 substrate that can inhibit the function of memapsin 2. The substrate analogs are based on peptide sequences, shown to be related to the natural peptide substrates for memapsin 2. The substrate analogs contain at least one analog of an amide bond which is not capable of being cleaved by memapsin 2. Processes for the synthesis of two substrate analogues including isosteres at the sites of the critical amino acid residues were developed and the substrate analogues, OMR99-1 and OM99-2, were synthesized. OM99-2 is based on an octapeptide Glu-Val-Asn-Leu-Ala-Ala-Glu-Phe (SEQ ID NO:28) with the Leu-Ala peptide bond substituted by a transition-state isostere hydroxyethylene group (FIG. 1). The inhibition constant of OM99-2 is 1.6×10−9 M against recombinant pro-memapsin 2. Crystallography of memapsin 2 bound to this inhibitor was used to determine the three dimensional structure of the protein, as well as the importance of the various residues in binding. This information can be used by those skilled in the art to design new inhibitors, using commercially available software programs and techniques familiar to those in organic chemistry and enzymology, to design new inhibitors to memapsin 2, useful in diagnostics and for the treatment and/or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
US07678758B2	Method for enhancing T cell reactivity toward tumour antigens Provided is a method of vaccinating a patient against a tumor by administering an agent to reduce or prevent interaction between Notch and a Notch ligand, or expression or processing of Notch or a Notch ligand. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by administering to the patient a tumor antigen expressed by the tumor and exposing an antigen presenting cell in the patient to an agent that reduces or prevents interaction, expression or processing of Notch or a Notch ligand in a T cell.
US07678757B2	Cyclopropanecarboxaldehydes and their use in perfume compositions The present invention is directed to novel cyclopropanecarboxaldehyde compounds of the general formula wherein R is a straight, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon moiety consisting of 1 to 30 carbon atoms and containing single and/or double bonds.
US07678754B2	System and method for cleaning and/or treating surfaces of objects A system and method that are capable of cleaning and/or treating a surface of an object, such as the exterior surface of a vehicle. The system and method utilize wash solution formulations and rinse solution formulations including a wash solution composition that contains at least one ethoxylated interpolymer and a rinse solution with at least one layered silicate incorporating an inorganic pholyphosphate peptiser.
US07678753B2	Liquid detergent composition A liquid detergent composition containing (a) hydrogen peroxide or a compound for forming hydrogen peroxide in water, (b) a compound selected from boric acid, borax, a boric acid salt in an amount of from 0.05 to 1% by mass as a boron atom, (c) a compound having one or more sites, the site having one hydroxyl group at each of both sides of adjacent carbon atoms, in an amount of from 3 to 35% by mass, (d) a surfactant in an amount of from 4 to 45% by mass, and (e) water, wherein the molar ratio of the component (c)/the component (b) is from 1.5 to 2.7, and wherein the detergent composition has a pH at 20° C. of from 4.6 to 7.0.
US07678749B2	Organoleptic compounds The present invention is directed to the fragrance compounds and their intermediates and a method of improving, enhancing or modifying a fragrance formulation through the addition of an olfactory acceptable amount wherein the dotted line represents a possible single or double bond; wherein R is equal to a C3-C7 hydrocarbon moieties R1 and R2 together can be selected from the group consisting of oxygen and may form a closed ring structure represented by
US07678745B2	Viscosity reduction A well treatment fluid and method uses an organic peroxide. An activator embodiment can lower an effective concentration of the peroxide to break the fluid. A weight ratio of activator:organic peroxide can be at least about 1:20 in one well treatment fluid embodiment. A peroxyester breaker embodiment can be used in a well treatment fluid and method. A breaker delay agent embodiment can control the polymer break window in a well treatment fluid and method using an organic peroxide. A breaker package embodiment used in a well treatment fluid and method can include an organic peroxide and an amine breaker delay agent having the formula RR1NR2 wherein R, R1 and R2 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, and combinations thereof.
US07678744B2	Hydrocarbon industry servicing fluid and methods of performing service operations A hydrocarbon industry servicing fluid comprises an irradiated fluid that is biologically inert. The fluid may be irradiated with ultraviolet light. A method comprises performing a hydrocarbon industry service operation with an irradiated fluid that is biologically inert. The method may comprise disposing of the irradiated fluid to the environment or capturing the irradiated fluid when the service operation is complete. The method may further comprise re-irradiating the captured irradiated fluid to produce a remediated fluid, and performing a service operation with the remediated fluid.
US07678743B2	Drill-in fluids and associated methods Of the many compositions provided herein, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a drill-in fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid, a viscosifier, a relative permeability modifier fluid loss control additive, and a degradable bridging agent comprising a degradable material capable of undergoing an irreversible degradation downhole.
US07678740B2	Avermectin and avermectin monosaccharide derivatives substituted in the 4″-or 4′-position having pesticidal properties What is described are a compound of the formula (I) Wherein U is —N(R2)OR3 or —N+(O−)═C(RE)RZ); n is 0 or 1; X—Y is —CH═CH— or —CH2—CH2—; R1 is C1-C12alkyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl or C2-C12alkenyl; R2 and R3 are, for example; independently from each other, —Q, —C(═O)—Z—Q or —CN; RZ and RE are, independently from each other, —Q, —C(═O)—Z—Q or —CN; or RZ and RE together are a three- to seven membered alkylene or alkenylene bridge, which is unsubstituted or mono- to tri-substituted; Z is a bond, O or —NR4—; Q is H, C1-C12alkyl, C2-C12alkenyl, C2-C12alkynyl, C3-C12-Cycloalkyl, C5-C12-cycloalkenyl, aryl, or heterocyclyl, which are unsubstituted or mono- to pentasubstituted; R4 is for example H, C1-C8alkyl, hydroxy-C1-C8alkyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl or C2-C8alkenyl; or, if appropriate, an E/Z isomer, E/Z isomer mixture and/or tautomer thereof; a process for preparing these compounds, their isomers and tautomers and the use of these compounds, their isomers and tautomers; pesticidal compositions whose active compound is selected from these compounds and their tautomers; intermediates for the preparation of the said compounds of the formula (I), methods for the preparation of the compounds of the formula (I), and a method for controlling pests using these compositions.
US07678735B2	FCC additive for partial and full burn NOx control Ammoxidation catalysts have been found effective for the reduction of emissions of NOx and NOx precursors during FCC catalyst regeneration.
US07678734B2	Oxidation catalysts The present invention relates to an oxidation catalyst comprising a substrate and an oxidation coating of platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe) and cerium (Ce) applied to the substrate. Furthermore the invention relates to a method for producing such an oxidation catalyst and an internal combustion engine using such an oxidation catalyst.
US07678730B2	Hydroprocessing bulk catalyst and uses thereof A hydroprocessing bulk catalyst is provided. A process to prepare hydroprocessing bulk catalysts is also provided. The hydroprocessing catalyst has the formula (Mt)a(Lu)b(Sv)d(Cw)e(Hx)f(Oy)g(Nz)h, wherein M is at least one group VIB metal; L is optional and if present, L is at least one Group VIII non-noble metal; t, u, v, w, x, y, z representing the total charge for each of the components (M, L, S, C, H, O and N, respectively); ta+ub+vd+we+xf+yg+zh=0; 0=
US07678729B2	Process for the preparation of polyether polyols The present invention provides a process for conditioning double metal cyanide (DMC) catalysts, which are employed in the preparation of polyether polyols based on starter compounds having active hydrogen atoms, the preparation of polyether polyols using the conditioned catalysts and the use of the polyether polyols prepared in this way for the preparation of polyurethane materials.
US07678727B2	Regeneration of ionic catalyst by hydrogenation using a homogeneous catalyst A process for regenerating a used acidic ionic liquid catalyst comprising the steps of contacting the used ionic liquid catalyst and hydrogen with a homogeneous hydrogenation catalyst in a reaction zone under hydrogenation conditions for a time sufficient to increase the activity of the used catalyst is disclosed.
US07678724B2	Electronic device, dielectric ceramic composition and the production method A production method of a dielectric ceramic composition comprising a main component including at least one selected from BaTiO3, BaCaTiO3, BaTiZrO3 and BaCaTiZrO3, and a fourth subcomponent including rare earth oxide; comprising steps of dividing a material of the main component to a first main component material and a second main component material, obtaining a post-reaction material by making the material of the first main component react in advance with a part of the fourth subcomponent material, and adding the material of the second main component and rest of the fourth subcomponent material into the post-reaction material; wherein, when number of moles of the first main component is n1 and number of moles of the second main component is n2, a ratio is 0.5≦n1/(n1+n2)≦1: by which preferable characteristic can be obtained even when dielectric layers are made thin.
US07678720B2	Glass ceramics comprising beta-quartz or beta-quartz solid solution Glass-ceramics includes Li2O, Al2O3 and SiO2, have an average crystal grain diameter of a predominant crystal phase of 90 nm or below and have crystal grain diameter distribution of 20 nm or below. The glass-ceramics can be manufactured by heat treating glass comprising Li2O, Al2O3 and SiO2 under a temperature within a range from 650° C. to 750° C. and then further heat treating the glass under a temperature within a range from 700° C. to 800° C. for 100-200 hours.
US07678715B2	Low wet etch rate silicon nitride film The present invention pertains to methods of depositing low wet etch rate silicon nitride films on substrates using high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques at substrate temperatures below 600° C. The method additionally involves the maintenance of a relatively high ratio of nitrogen to silicon in the plasma and a low process pressure.
US07678711B2	Semiconductor device, and method and apparatus for manufacturing the same A SiO2 film is formed on a semiconductor substrate. Then, a SiN film is formed on the SiO2 film. In this event bis(tertiary butyl amino) silane and NH3 are used as a material gas, and the film forming temperature is set to 600° C. or lower.
US07678701B2	Flexible substrate with electronic devices formed thereon A method of manufacturing an electronic device (10) provides a substrate (20) that has a plastic material. A particulate material (16) is embedded in at least one surface of the substrate. A layer of thin-film semiconductor material is deposited onto the substrate (20).
US07678699B2	Method of forming an insulating capping layer for a copper metallization layer by using a silane reaction A new technique is disclosed in which a barrier/capping layer for a copper-based metal line is formed by using a thermal-chemical treatment with a surface modification on the basis of a silicon-containing precursor followed by an in situ plasma-based deposition of silicon nitride and/or silicon carbon nitride. The thermal-chemical treatment is performed on the basis of an ammonium/nitrogen mixture in the absence of any plasma ambient.
US07678694B2	Method for fabricating semiconductor device with silicided gate A method for fabricating a semiconductor device having a silicided gate that is directed to forming the silicided structures while maintaining gate-dielectric integrity. Initially, a gate structure has, preferably, a poly gate electrode separated from a substrate by a gate dielectric and a metal layer is then deposited over at least the poly gate electrode. The fabrication environment is placed at an elevated temperature. The gate structure may be one of two gate structures included in a dual gate device such as a CMOS device, in which case the respective gates may be formed at different heights (thicknesses) to insure that the silicide forms to the proper phase. The source and drain regions are preferably silicided as well, but in a separate process performed while the gate electrodes are protected by, for example a cap of photoresist or a hardmask structure.
US07678693B2	Exposure method for upper layer of hole of semiconductor device An exposure method executed after processing a hole in a substrate of a semiconductor device, has an exposure step of transferring a pattern on a mask onto an upper layer of the hole and forming a wiring groove by exposure, wherein a quantity of exposure with which a wiring groove 11 just above the hole or the wiring groove in the vicinity of the hole is exposed to light, is greater than a quantity of exposure with which a wiring groove 11A in a position spaced away from just above the hole is exposed to the light.
US07678692B2	Fabrication method for a damascene bit line contact plug A fabrication method for a damascene bit line contact plug. A semiconductor substrate has a first gate conductive structure, a second gate conductive structure and a source/drain region formed therebetween. A first conductive layer is formed in a space between the first gate conductive structure and the second gate conductive structure to be electrically connected to the source/drain region. An inter-layer dielectric with a planarized surface is formed to cover the first conductive layer, the first gate conductive structure, and the second gate conductive structure. A bit line contact hole is formed in the inter-layer dielectric to expose the top of the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is formed in the bit line contact hole, in which the combination of the second conductive layer and the first conductive layer serves as a damascene bit line contact plug.
US07678674B1	Memory cell dual pocket implant A method of forming implants for a memory cell includes forming an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stack over a substrate and implanting first impurities in the substrate adjacent each side of the ONO stack using a first implantation energy and a first tilt angle to produce first pocket implants. The method further includes implanting second impurities in the substrate adjacent each side of the ONO stack using a second implantation energy and a second tilt angle to produce second pocket implants, where the second implantation energy is substantially larger than the first implantation energy and where the second tilt angle is substantially larger than the first tilt angle.
US07678671B2	Method of forming epitaxial SiC using XPS characterization A semiconductor material having a stepwise surface structure of (0001)-plane terraces and (11-2n)-plane steps [n≧0] on the SiC substrate, a semiconductor device using the same and a method of producing the semiconductor material in which a carbon-rich surface is formed on the SiC substrate prior to epitaxial growth of an SiC crystal, the carbon-rich surface satisfies the ratio R=(I284.5/I282.8)>0.2, wherein I282.8 (ISiC) is an integrated intensity of a C1s signal having a peak at the binding energy relating to stoichiometric SiC (in the region of 282.8 eV), and I284.5 (IC) is an integrated intensity of a C1s signal having a peak at the binding energy relating to graphite, SiCx (x>1), or SiyCH1-y (y<1) (in the region of 284.5 eV), as measured by an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyzer (XPS).
US07678670B2	TEG removing method in manufacturing method for semiconductor chips A semiconductor chip manufacturing process includes sticking a protective sheet onto a first surface of a semiconductor wafer so that the sheet comes in contact with the TEG, placing a mask on a second surface that is a surface opposite from the first surface, performing plasma etching on the second surface to remove portions corresponding to dividing regions and separate device-formation-regions into individual semiconductor chips, and removing the TEG in a state where it remains unremoved in the dividing regions and stuck to the protective sheet together with the protective sheet by peeling off the protective sheet.
US07678666B2	Crystallization method of amorphous silicon for forming large grain with single pulse laser A layer structure comprising substrate, a metal layer, a first amorphous silicon layer, an insulating layer, and a second amorphous silicon layer, and a method of crystallizing the second amorphous silicon layer by irradiating single pulse laser to the layer structure are provided. The method provides an effect of forming large grain of amorphous silicon as good as using dual pulse laser or higher just by using single pulse laser without additional optical system. A semiconductor device employing the layer structure maximizes an electron mobility.
US07678663B2	Non-volatile semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same A method of manufacturing a non-volatile semiconductor memory device including previously forming a recess in a first peripheral region on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first gate insulator having a first thickness in the recess, forming a second gate insulator having a second thickness less than the first thickness in an array region and a second peripheral region on the semiconductor substrate, successively depositing first and second gate electrode films and first and second mask insulators on each of the first and second gate insulators, forming an isolation trench on a surface of the semiconductor substrate to correspond to each position between the array region and the first and second regions of the peripheral region, depositing a buried insulator on the entire surface, and polishing an upper surface of the buried insulator so that the upper surface can be planarized.
US07678652B2	MOSFET-type semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing the same A MOSFET-type semiconductor device includes a monocrystalline semiconductor layer formed in a shape of a thin wall on a insulating film, a gate electrode straddling over the semiconductor layer around the middle portion of the wall-shaped semiconductor layer via a gate insulating film, source and drain regions formed at the both ends of the semiconductor layer, a first metal-semiconductor compound layer formed on one of the side walls of each of source and drain regions of the semiconductor layer, and a second metal-semiconductor compound layer having a different composition and Schottky barrier height from that of the first metal-semiconductor compound layer on the other side wall of each of source and drain regions of the semiconductor layer.
US07678649B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof To provide a nonvolatile memory having an excellent data holding property and a technique for manufacturing the memory, a polycrystalline silicon film 7 and an insulating film 8 are sequentially stacked on a gate insulating film 6, then the polycrystalline silicon film 7 and the insulating film 8 are patterned to form gate electrodes 7A, 7B, and then sidewall spacers 12 including a silicon oxide film are formed on sidewalls of the gate electrodes 7A, 7B. After that, a silicon nitride film 19 is deposited on a substrate 1 by a plasma enhanced CVD process so that the gate electrodes 7A, 7B are not directly contacted to the silicon nitride film 19.
US07678648B2	Subresolution silicon features and methods for forming the same Novel etch techniques are provided for shaping silicon features below the photolithographic resolution limits. FinFET devices are defined by recessing oxide and exposing a silicon protrusion to an isotropic etch, at least in the channel region. In one implementation, the protrusion is contoured by a dry isotropic etch having excellent selectivity, using a downstream microwave plasma etch.
US07678646B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same To provide a semiconductor device capable of improving accuracy in finishing a hole in which a conductive plug right under a capacitor, and a manufacturing method of such a semiconductor device comprising the following steps: a step of forming first and second conductive plugs 32a, 32b in first and second holes 11a, 11b in a first insulating film 11; a step of forming a first opening 14a in an oxidation preventing insulating film 14; a step of forming an auxiliary conductive plug 36a in the first opening 14a; a step of forming a capacitor Q on the auxiliary conductive plug 36a; a step of forming third and fourth holes 41a, 41b in a second insulating film 41 covering the capacitor Q; a step of forming the second opening 14b in the oxidation preventing insulating film 14 under the fourth hole 41b; a step of forming a third conductive plug 47a in the third hole 41a; and a step of forming a fourth conductive plug 47b in the third hole 41a.
US07678638B2	Metal gated ultra short MOSFET devices MOSFET devices suitable for operation at gate lengths less than about 40 nm, and methods of their fabrication is being presented. The MOSFET devices include a ground plane formed of a monocrystalline Si based material. A Si based body layer is epitaxially disposed over the ground plane. The body layer is doped with impurities of opposite type than the ground plane. The gate has a metal with a mid-gap workfunction directly contacting a gate insulator layer. The gate is patterned to a length of less than about 40 nm, and possibly less than 20 nm. The source and the drain of the MOSFET are doped with the same type of dopant as the body layer. In CMOS embodiments of the invention the metal in the gate of the NMOS and the PMOS devices may be the same metal.
US07678635B2	Method of producing a transistor Method of producing a transistor, comprising in particular the steps of: producing a first etching mask on a gate layer, one edge of the first mask forming a pattern of the first edge of a gate of the transistor, etching the gate layer according to the first etching mask, first ion implantation in a part of the substrate not covered by the gate layer, trimming the first etching mask over a length equal to a gate length of the transistor, producing a second etching mask on the gate layer, removing the first etching mask etching the gate layer according to the second etching mask, second ion implantation in another part of the substrate.
US07678633B2	Method for forming substrates for MOS transistor components and its products The present invention provides a method for forming substrates for MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) transistor, comprising the following steps: (A) In a reduced-pressure environment having a pressure lower than 1×10−6 Torr, a base for accomplishing the surface reconstruction and a solid-state metal oxide source is provided, wherein the solid-state metal oxide source is chosen from the group consisting of the following: hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, scandium oxide, yttrium oxide, titanium oxide, gallium gadolinium oxide and metal oxides of rare earth elements; and (B) vaporize the solid-state metal oxide source in order to make the solid-state metal oxide source become a metal oxide molecular beam and, in a working substrate temperature that is required to achieve an amorphous state of a first metal oxide film, deposit on the base having an amorphous state so as to further fabricate a substrate for MOS transistors.
US07678624B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same Disclosed is a semiconductor device having a driver circuit operable at high speed and a method for manufacturing same. An active matrix liquid crystal display device uses a polysilicon film for its TFT active layer constituting a pixel matrix circuit because of low off current characteristics. On the other hand, a TFT active layer constituting driver circuits and a signal processing circuit uses a poly silicon germanium film because of high speed operation characteristics.
US07678614B2	Thermal interface material and method for making the same A thermal interface material (100) includes a macromolecular matrix (10) and a plurality of thermally conductive fibers (20) incorporated therein. The macromolecular matrix (10) has a first surface (11) and an opposite second surface (12). Each of the thermally conductive fibers (20) is substantially parallel to each other and extends between the first and second surfaces (11), (12). A method for manufacturing the thermal interface material includes the steps of: (a) providing a number of thermally conductive fibers; (b) aligning the thermally conductive fibers uniformly and directionally to form an array of the thermally conductive fibers; (c) immersing the array of thermally conductive fibers into a liquid macromolecular material; (d) solidifying the liquid macromolecular material to obtain a macromolecular matrix having the two opposite surfaces with the thermally conductive fibers embedded therein, that is, a desired interface material is obtained.
US07678603B2	Via wave guide with curved light concentrator for image sensing devices A CMOS image sensor (CIS) device includes an array of pixels, each pixel including a sensing element (e.g., a photodiode) and access circuitry. To facilitate the passage of light to the photodiode, each pixel includes a via wave guide (VWG) defined in the metallization layer formed over the pixel's photodiode. The VWG includes an upper light concentrator having a curved (e.g., parabolic) surface extending from a relatively wide upper opening to a relatively small lower opening. The VWG also includes a lower section extending between the lower opening of the light concentrator and the associated photodiode. A mirror coating is optionally formed on the surface of the VWG. An optional light-guiding material and/or color filter materials are disposed inside the VWG. An optional microlens is formed over the VWG.
US07678601B2	Method of forming an acceleration sensor A method of forming a MEMS structure over active circuitry in a semiconductor body includes forming active circuitry in a semiconductor body, and forming the MEMS structure over the active circuitry, wherein at least a portion of the MEMS structure spatially overlaps the active circuitry.
US07678600B2	Process for manufacturing a membrane of semiconductor material integrated in, and electrically insulated from, a substrate A process for manufacturing an integrated membrane made of semiconductor material includes the step of forming, in a monolithic body of semiconductor material having a front face, a buried cavity, extending at a distance from the front face and delimiting with the front face a surface region of the monolithic body, the surface region forming a membrane that is suspended above the buried cavity. The process further envisages the step of forming an insulation structure in a surface portion of the monolithic body to electrically insulate the membrane from the monolithic body; and the further and distinct step of setting the insulation structure at a distance from the membrane so that it will be positioned outside the membrane at a non-zero distance of separation.
US07678596B2	Method for manufacturing monolithic semiconductor laser First and second semiconductor lasers interelement-separated from each other are formed. Total thickness of a fourth upper cladding layer and a second contact layer of the second semiconductor laser is smaller than total thickness of a second upper cladding layer and the first contact layer of the first semiconductor laser. First and second ridges are formed in the first and second semiconductor lasers by dry etching, using a resist as a mask, and the dry etching is stopped when a second etching stopper layer is exposed at the second ridge. The second upper cladding layer remaining on a first etching stopper layer at the first ridge is selectively removed by wet etching, using the resist as a mask.
US07678593B1	Method of fabricating optical device using multiple sacrificial spacer layers The present invention is a method of fabricating an optical device using multiple sacrificial spacer layers. The first step in this process is to fabricate the underlying base structure and deposit an optical structure thereon. A facet is then created at the ends of the optical structure and alternating sacrificial and intermediate layers are fabricated on the device. A mask layer is deposited on the structure, with openings created in the layers to allow use of an etchant. User-defined portions of the spacer layers are subsequently removed with the etchant to create air gaps between the intermediate layers.
US07678588B2	Method for constructing module for optical critical dimension (OCD) and measuring method of module for optical critical dimension using the module An optical critical dimension measuring method, applicable in measuring a pattern, that includes a plurality of polysilicon layers, of a device, is provided. The method includes obtaining a real curve corresponding to the to-be-measured device. Then, determining whether an ion implantation process has been performed on the polysilicon layers, a different module is selected. A correlation process is performed according to the selected module to generate a theoretical curve that correlates with the real curve to obtain a plurality of parameters corresponding to the theoretical curve.
US07678584B2	Method for characterizing a surface, and device therefor The present invention relates to a method of characterizing a surface and to a device for implementing this method. In particular, this method makes it possible to measure, qualitatively and/or quantitatively, interactions that may be physical, chemical, biochemical or biological.
US07678582B2	Assays for preimplantation factor and preimplantation factor peptides The present invention relates to assay methods used for detecting the presence of PIF, and to PIF peptides identified using this assay. In particular, the present invention relates to flow cytometry assays for detecting PIF. It is based, at least in part, on the observation that flow cytometry using fluorescently labeled anti-lymphocyte and anti-platelet antibodies demonstrated an increase in rosette formation in the presence of PIF. It is further based on the observation that flow cytometry demonstrated that monoclonal antibody binding to CD2 decreased in the presence of PIF. The present invention further relates to PIF peptides which, when added to Jurkat cell cultures, have been observed to either (i) decrease binding of anti-CD2 antibody to Jurkat cells; (ii) increase expression of CD2 in Jurkat cells; or (iii) decrease Jurkat cell viability. In additional embodiments, the present invention provides for ELISA assays which detect PIF by determining the effect of a test sample on the binding of anti-CD2 antibody to a CD2 substrate.
US07678578B2	Cell permeabilization and stabilization reagent and method of use A cell permeabilization and stabilization reagent and method of use are disclosed. The reagent contains a N-acyl sarcosine or a salt thereof, a pH adjusting agent to adjust pH of the reagent in a range from about 4 to about 6; and an aqueous medium; the reagent having a low ionic strength defined by a conductivity of less than 9.0 mS/cm. The reagent further contains bovine serum albumin and glycerol. The reagent may further include an alkyl sulfate surfactant. Upon incubating the cells with the reagent, the reagent permeates the cellular membrane to allow penetration of an intracellular marker, causes intracellular protein aggregation within the cellular membrane, while preserves a cellular constituent for binding with a cellular marker for subsequent analysis by flow cytometry.
US07678575B2	Method for the detection of phosphine in cereals A method is described for the total phosphine detection in cereal caryopses, comprising the steps of inserting a sample of cereal caryopses inside a container (1) equipped with hermetic closure (2); adding to the sample an aqueous solution of H2SO4 with a v/v concentration in the range of 5-20%, with obtainment of an aqueous dispersion, and hermetically closing the first container (1); subjecting the aqueous dispersion contained in the first container (1) to the action of microwaves for a time not greater than 3 minutes; drawing a predetermined volume of gas overlying the aqueous dispersion and detecting the phosphine possibly present by means of colorimetric and/or spectrophotometric methods, preferably by bringing it into contact with a predetermined volume of an aqueous solution of AgNO3 of known molarity, inside a second container (3) with hermetic closure and visually analysing the obtained color and/or spectrophotometrically measuring the absorbance at 400 nm of the aqueous solution. Equipment for the execution of the aforesaid method is described.
US07678565B2	Flow cell array and the utilization thereof for multianalyte determination A one- or two-dimensional arrangement of flow cells is provided, as part of an array of sample compartments, with at least one inlet and outlet for each sample compartment, formed by a base plate and a body, with an arrangement of spatial recesses corresponding to the (geometrical) arrangement of the sample compartments, combined with the base plate. The arrangement allows for supplying to or removing from the sample compartments, which can be arranged at a high quantity on a small base area, even very small amounts of samples or reagents. An arrangement of one or more sample compartments includes a base plate and a body combined with the base plate in such a way that one or more recesses for generation of one or more flow cells fluidically sealed against one another, each with at least one inlet and one outlet, are formed between the base plate and the body, wherein at least one outlet of each flow cell is joined with a reservoir fluidically connected with the flow cell, the reservoir being operable to receive liquid exiting the flow cell, besides methods for its manufacturing and their use.
US07678561B2	Robust expression of a bioactive mammalian protein in chlamydomonas chloroplast Methods and compositions are disclosed to engineer chloroplast comprising heterologous mammalian genes via a direct replacement of chloroplast Photosystem II (PSII) reaction center protein coding regions to achieve expression of recombinant protein above 5% of total protein. When algae is used, algal expressed protein is produced predominantly as a soluble protein where the functional activity of the peptide is intact. As the host algae is edible, production of biologics in this organism for oral delivery or proteins/peptides, especially gut active proteins, without purification is disclosed.
US07678556B2	Beta-mannanase from coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei, and uses thereof The present invention relates to an isolated β-mannanase protein having an amino acid sequence which is 90% similar to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, as well as isolated polynucleotides encoding the β-mannanase protein, and isolated expression systems and host cells containing the polynucleotides. The present invention also relates to a method of recombinantly producing β-mannanase protein. Also disclosed is a method of degrading mannans and polysaccharides in plant material, which involves providing plant material and contacting the plant material with the β-mannanase protein of the present invention under conditions effective to degrade mannans and polysaccharides in the plant material.
US07678554B2	Nucleic acid shuffling Disclosed is a method of altering a nucleic acid. The method includes fragmenting a parent nucleic acid strand to generate nucleic acid fragments. At least a subset of the fragments are ligated to generate shuffled nucleic acid strands. A selected strand is identified from the shuffled nucleic acid strands for a criterion.
US07678547B2	Velocity independent analyte characterization The present invention provides apparatuses for determining velocity independent analyte characteristic parameters and methods for using the same. In one particular aspect, the present invention provides a velocity independent flow cytometry.
US07678542B2	Charge tags and the separation of nucleic acid molecules The present invention relates to novel phosphoramidites, including positive and neutrally charged compounds. The present invention also provides charge tags for attachment to materials including solid supports and nucleic acids, wherein the charge tags increase or decrease the net charge of the material. The present invention further provides methods for separating and characterizing molecules based on the charge differentials between modified and unmodified materials.
US07678538B2	Disinfection of biological fluids using asymmetric cyanine dyes Asymmetric cyanine dyes of Formula I bind nucleic acid but not red blood cell membrane, and function as photosensitizers when rigidly bound but not when free in solution. Unbound dye thus causes minimal oxidative damage. The dyes do not substantially accumulate in red blood cells, thereby minimizing hemolysis due to oxidative damage. Biological fluids can be disinfected by mixing the fluid with these asymmetric cyanine dye that binds to nucleic acid, irradiating the mixture, and recovering clinically significant components from the biological fluid and/or assaying the fluid for pathogens.
US07678535B2	Method for fabricating semiconductor device with recess gate A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a mask pattern over a substrate; etching a certain portion of the substrate using the mask pattern as an etch mask to form a first recess having sidewalls; forming a polymer-based layer over the sidewalls of the first recess and a top surface of the mask pattern; etching the substrate beneath the first recess using the mask pattern and the polymer-based layer as an etch mask to form a second recess wider and more rounded than the first recess, the second recess and the first recess constituting a bulb-shaped recess; and forming a gate pattern over the bulb-shaped recess.
US07678534B2	Mask for forming landing plug contact hole and plug forming method using the same Disclosed herein are a mask for forming a landing plug contact hole to vertically expose an active region of a semiconductor substrate to a bit line or storage node contact, and a plug forming method using the same. Through the use of the crescent-shaped masks, it is possible to increase the critical dimension at a lower end of the resultant contact hole in contact with an active region of a semiconductor substrate, thereby enabling exposure of a wider area of the active region to be connected with the bit line or storage node contact.
US07678532B2	Method of processing a substrate The present invention provides a method of processing a substrate, comprising a reflow process for forming a desired pattern by dissolving a resist pattern, whereby occurrence of defectives, such as disconnection, can be prevented, and a pattern having an appropriate uniformity can be formed efficiently on each predetermined area desired to be masked. From a photoresist pattern 206 including thicker film portions and thinner film portions, the thinner film portions are removed by a re-developing process. Next, the photoresist so formed by the re-developing process on a backing layer 205 is dissolved such that it passes through a stepped portion 205a formed at each edge portion 205b of the backing layer 205, thereby masking a predetermined area Tg. Upon masking the predetermined area Tg, the photoresist 206 is dissolved in a first dissolving-speed mode on the backing layer 205, and then after the photoresist to be dissolved reaches the stepped portion 205a, the photoresist 206 is dissolved in a second dissolving-speed mode which is slower than the first dissolving-speed mode.
US07678516B2	Test structures and methods for monitoring or controlling a semiconductor fabrication process Various test structures and methods for monitoring or controlling a semiconductor fabrication process are provided. One test structure formed on a wafer as a monitor for a lithography process includes a bright field target that includes first grating structures. The test structure also includes a dark field target that includes second grating structures. The first and second grating structures have one or more characteristics that are substantially the same as one or more characteristics of device structures formed on the wafer. In addition, the test structure includes a phase shift target having characteristics that are substantially the same as the characteristics of the bright field or dark field target except that grating structures of the phase shift target are shifted in optical phase from the first or second grating structures. One or more characteristics of the targets can be measured and used to determine parameter(s) of the lithography process.
US07678515B2	Thermally gated photochromic medium The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to image forming mediums useful for reimageable and transient documents. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to an image forming medium comprising thermally gated photochromic materials comprising diarylethene (DAE) photochromes which avoid problems with unwanted reduction in color contrast due to background coloration.
US07678506B2	Holographic recording medium and method for manufacturing the same A holographic recording medium in which a thick holographic recording layer is formed without the use of multilayering and without accompanying thickness unevenness, scattering, and nonuniformity of dynamic range, and a method for manufacturing the same. The holographic recording medium 10 is configured by sandwiching a hybrid material layer 14 and a photopolymer layer 16 between first and second substrates 12 and 18. The hybrid material layer 14 contains an inorganic glass and a photopolymer as main ingredients. The photopolymer layer 16 subjected to heat or ultraviolet curing is provided on the dried hybrid material layer 14 such that the combined thickness of this hybrid material layer 14 and the photopolymer layer 16 is uniform. The second substrate 18 is bonded and fixed to this photopolymer layer 16 serving as a bonding layer.
US07678505B2	Organic electrolytic solution and lithium battery employing the same An organic electrolytic solution and a lithium battery employing the same are provided. The organic electrolytic solution includes: a lithium salt; an organic solvent containing a high dielectric constant solvent and a low boiling point solvent; and an additive comprising a crotonate derivative including a substituted silyl group. The organic electrolytic solution and the lithium battery employing such an electrolytic solution suppress a reduction decomposition of a polar solvent and decrease irreversible capacity in the first cycle. Thus, the charge/discharge efficiency, lifespan, and reliability of the battery can be improved.
US07678499B2	Short-circuit free battery receptacle A battery receptacle includes an insulative casing, positive and negative electrodes, and an interface assembly. The positive and negative electrodes have end portions disposed on the casing. The negative electrode has an end portion disposed on the casing. The interface assembly is disposed on the casing, and includes an insulative body, anode and cathode terminals, a contact element, and an insulating protrusion. The anode terminal projects from the insulative body, and is in electrical contact with the end portion of the positive electrode. The cathode terminal is provided on a periphery of the insulative body. The contact element is in electrical contact with the cathode terminal, projects from the insulative body, and is in electrical contact with the end portion of the negative electrode. The insulating protrusion is provided on the insulative body, and abuts against the end portion of the positive electrode.
US07678495B2	Graphitic nanostructured battery A method and apparatus are disclosed wherein a battery comprises at least one electrode formed from a graphitic carbon nanostructured surface wherein the nanostructured surface consists of a plurality of nanoposts formed from graphitic carbon such that the graphitic nanoposts serve both as an operational feature (i.e., dielectric/electrode) and control feature of the battery itself. In one embodiment, the nanostructured surface consists of a plurality of nanoposts wherein a select portion of each nanopost is formed to serve as the dielectric of the nanostructured battery, and the balance of each nanopost is utilized to impart the control features to the nanostructured battery.
US07678482B2	Forced air fuel cell power system A portable electricity generation device comprises a plurality of fuel cells, each fuel cell having an anode end with a catalyst facilitating the separation of hydrogen atoms into electrons and protons, a cathode end facilitating the combination of the electrons and protons into water molecules in the presence of oxygen, and a current bearing portion providing a current path for the electrons to traverse. The electricity generation device also includes a fuel storage container for storing a supply of hydrogen and delivering the supply of hydrogen to an anode end of the plurality of fuel cells so as to initiate a flow of the electrons through the current bearing portion. In addition, the portable electricity generation device includes an air moving device configured to direct atmospheric air toward a cathode end of the plurality of fuel cells, wherein the air moving device is positioned to convectively cool the plurality of fuel cells as it supplies atmospheric air to the cathode end.
US07678477B2	Method of operating a fuel cell stack A method of operating a fuel cell stack including disconnecting the primary electrical device and purging gas in the cathode reactant gas flow field by flowing air into the cathode reactant gas flow field. Thereafter, the gas in the cathode reactant flow field is purged again by flowing hydrogen into the cathode reactant gas flow field. Gas in the anode reactant gas flow field is purged by flowing air into the anode reactant gas flow field. Thereafter, the anode reactant gas flow field is filled with hydrogen and both the anode and the cathode are stored with hydrogen.
US07678469B2	Decorative sheet, formed product and transportation apparatus A decorative sheet that may be attached to a surface of an object includes a base member, which has first and second opposed principal surfaces; a protective layer, which is arranged over the first principal surface of the base member; and a coloring layer, which is arranged either over the second principal surface of the base member or between the base member and the protective layer and which includes a pigment. The protective layer has a thickness of about 30 μm to about 60 μm and includes about 1.4 wt % to about 4.0 wt % of UV absorbent material. The coloring layer has a thickness of about 15 μm to about 80 μm and includes about 1.0 wt % to about 4.0 wt % of UV absorbent material.
US07678468B2	Composition and method for the addition of saturated slip agents to multilayer polyethylene films A multilayer polymer film comprising at least one core layer disposed between two skin layers, wherein at least one of the core layers, one of the skin layers, or both one of the core layers and one of the skin layers comprises a saturated organic fatty amide (SOFA) slip agent. A multilayer polymer film comprising an effective amount of a SOFA slip agent in at least one core layer such that the film exhibits blocking of equal to or less than about 75 grams. A method of packaging a product comprising providing a package fabricated from such films and placing the product in the package, wherein loose dust is not applied to the exterior of the package to reduce blocking. A method for the reduction of the presence of wax on the surface of a multilayer polymer film comprising adding a SOFA slip agent to a core layer of the film.
US07678463B2	Intercalated superlattice compositions and related methods for modulating dielectric property Compositions, methods of using inorganic moieties for dielectric modulation, and related device structures.
US07678461B2	Biaxially oriented polypropylene film provided with a cold-seal adhesive coating and having excellent lubricating properties The invention relates to a multi-layer biaxially oriented polypropylene film consisting of a base layer at least one first cover layer. The base layer contains a hydrocarbon resin, and the cover layer contains a polydialkylsiloxane with a viscosity of at least 200.000 mm2/sec. The first cover layer is provided with a cold-seal adhesive coating on its outer surface.
US07678442B2	Embossed non-woven fabric having a three-dimensional structure A three-dimensionally embossed non-woven fabric, which is comprised of fibers and/or filaments (3) oriented primarily in the moving direction (2) of the machine, and has zones (5, 7) with regularly alternating elevations (4a, 8a) and indentations (4b, 8b), which are separated from one another by non-embossed areas (6) that are continuous in the moving direction (2) of the machine. These non-embossed areas constitute a proportion ranging from 5% to 50% with regard to the entire surface of the non-woven fabric (1) and the elevations (4a, 8a), and indentations (4b, 8b), when viewed from the opposite side, form indentations or elevations respectively, whereby the surfaces (10a, 10b) delimited by the elevations give the non-woven fabric an apparent thickness ranging from 0.5 mm to 5.5 mm.
US07678441B2	Interlayers for laminated safety glass with superior de-airing and laminating properties and process for making the same This invention relates to thermoplastic interlayer sheets or films for laminated safety glass with superior vacuum de-airing at elevated temperatures and superior tacking and edge sealing properties. The sheeting has an embossed surface pattern on at least one of the surfaces, which provides relatively uninterrupted channels for de-airing in at least two non-parallel directions, wherein the channels are spaced about 0.1 to about 1 mm apart and have a depth of less than about 25 μm and a width of about 30 to about 300 μm.
US07678440B1	Deformable variable-stiffness cellular structures Described is a deformable, variable-stiffness cellular structure. The cellular structure a group of unit cells with each unit cell having a cellular geometry. The group of unit cells are formed of a variable-stiffness composite material (VSM). The VSM has a first stiffness state and a second stiffness state. Additionally, the cellular structure has a first shape and a second shape, with a gradation of shapes between the first shape and second shape. The transition from the first shape to the second shape occurs through using an actuation signal to actuate the VSM to change the stiffness of the cellular structure, thereby allowing the cellular structure to be deformed from the first shape to the second shape, and any shape therebetween. The cellular structure can be locked in the second shape through actuating the VSM from the second stiffness state to the first stiffness state.
US07678430B2	Method and device for microwave plasma deposition of a coating on a thermoplastic container surface The deposition of a coating on a thermoplastic container surface using low pressure plasma by excitation of a precursor gas with UHF electromagnetic waves in a circular shaped vacuum cavity receiving the container is provided. It includes dimensioning the cavity with respect to the frequency of the UHF electromagnetic waves so as to obtain a coupling mode generating several electromagnetic fields inside the cavity. In particular a TM 120 coupling mode is provided which generates two central fields (4A, 4B) inside the cavity, whereby two containers can be simultaneously treated in said cavity.
US07678426B2	Perfluoropolyether amide-linked phosphonates, phosphates, and derivatives thereof Perfluoropolyether amide-linked phosphonates and derivatives thereof are provided. Compositions containing perfluoropolyether amide-linked phosphonates or derivatives thereof, perfluoropolyether amide-linked phosphates or derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof are also provided. Additionally, articles, methods of making articles, and methods of reducing contaminant adhesion to a substrate are described.
US07678412B2	Sealant drawing method, sealant drawing apparatus, and method and apparatus for manufacturing liquid crystal device A sealant drawing method is provided in which patterns for sealing an electro-optic material over a plurality of panel formation regions on a substrate are drawn by discharging sealant on the substrate from a nozzle of a coating unit, and which includes forming continuously first patterns on the plurality of panel formation regions in a batch manner, so as to form parts of the individual patterns in the plurality of panel formation regions; and forming continuously second patterns on the plurality of panel formation regions in a batch manner, so as to form the remainders of the individual patterns in the plurality of panel formation regions.
US07678406B2	Puffed pet food for diet control Low energy-dense food products and methods of making low energy-dense food products are provided. Illustrative examples have a bulk density of less than 240 kg/m3 (about 15 lb/ft3) and comprise a high amylose starch and a starch comprising long chain amylose.
US07678401B2	Blanching vegetables A method for blanching vegetable material comprising heat treating the vegetable material in a current of hot air at a temperature in the range from above 100° C. to 150° C. in an environment which substantially reduces evaporative loss of water from the vegetable material.
US07678397B2	Edible dissolving gelatin strips Orally disintegrating or dissolving edible strips for use as a matrix for retaining and delivering nutrients, flavors and medicinal compounds are made from new liquid film casting compositions comprising a major proportion of gelatin. The particularly low melting range for hydrated gelatin produces films that leave virtually no residue upon dissolving in the mouth and can be used in the form of thicker films and strips than known edible films.
US07678393B1	Mixture composition and method useful for topical and internal application A mixture composition useful in wound healing comprising solvent extraction of anthrocyanin/proanthrocyanidin sources, ascorbic acid source, tannin or gallic acid source or polymeric gallic acid source, microbe source, protein source, fat source, acidification agent or buffer and sulfur absorbing compound.
US07678388B2	Method of treating with chlorine dioxide An aqueous chlorine dioxide solution which comprises dissolved chlorine dioxide in a concentration of about 10 to 3000 mg/l, pH in the range of about 1 to 6, and a chlorine scavenging means such as sodium chlorite in a ratio in the range of about 1:4 to 1:15 (w/w) sodium chlorite to chlorine dioxide. The chlorine dioxide solution may be stored for use over a period of several days to several months.
US07678378B2	Compounds for intracellular delivery of therapeutic moieties to nerve cells A compound for delivering a non-cytotoxic therapeutic moiety into nerve cells, the compound having the general formula: B-L-TM where: B is a binding agent capable of selectively binding to a nerve cell surface receptor and mediating absorption of the compound by the nerve cell; TM is a therapeutic moiety which has a non-cytotoxic therapeutic effect when absorbed by a nerve cell; and L is a linker coupling B to TM.
US07678366B2	Controlled delivery system of antifungal and keratolytic agents for local treatment of fungal infections of the nail and surrounding tissues A topical sustained release delivery system for delivery of antifungal agents to the finger or toenails achieving high penetration through the nails by combining the antifungal agent with a keratolytic agent and a humectant. The pharmaceutical sustained release topical preparation is provided in a varnish or spray form for treating the nail and surrounding tissues, where the active ingredient is an antifungal agent, a keratolytic agent, or preferably a combination of an antifungal and a keratolytic agent. The composition may further comprise an antibacterial, an antiviral, an antipsoriatic agents, or combinations thereof.
US07678364B2	Particles for inhalation having sustained release properties The invention generally relates to a method for pulmonary delivery of therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic agents to a patient wherein the agent is released in a sustained fashion, and to particles suitable for use in the method. In particular, the invention relates to a method for the pulmonary delivery of a therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic agent comprising administering to the respiratory tract of a patient in need of treatment, prophylaxis or diagnosis an effective amount of particles comprising a multivalent metal cation which is complexed with a therapeutic, prophylactic or diagnostic agent or any combination thereof having a charge capable of complexing with the cation upon association with the agent, a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and optionally, a multivalent metal cation-containing component wherein the total amount of multivalent metal cation present in the particles is more than 1% weight/weight of the total weight of the agent (% w/w). Release of the agent from the administered particles occurs in a sustained fashion.
US07678356B2	Process for the preparation of crystalline magnesium borohydride A process is described for the preparation of magnesium borohydride having a high purity and crystallinity, which comprises the reaction of an orgenometallic compound of magnesium of the type MgX2, wherein X is an organic binder selected from alkyl, amide, alkoxide, cyclopentadienyl, aryl, with a derivative of a boron hydride, in a hydrocarbon solvent.
US07678354B2	Integrated lime kiln process A process and system for recovering waste heat from a kiln used for lime or cement production. The system unifies the kiln, a waste heat recovery and power generation circuit and a dry scrubber for scrubbing the pollutants from the kiln offgas. Essentially, the system employs the boiler component of the waste heat recovery and power generation circuit as a heat exchanger to recover the waste heat from the kiln, which is used to drive the steam turbines. The heat absorption from the latter stage lowers the temperature of the kiln offgas sufficiently for optimum performance from the scrubber. The presence of lime particles in the offgas effectively protects the boiler tube surfaces from corrosion which would occur at optimum scrubber temperatures, and subsequently provides the lime required as a scrubbing medium for the dry scrubber. Further, the efficient scrubbing allows for the use of any fuel for firing the kiln inclusive of high sulphur content compounds. A process for effecting the technology is also provided.
US07678353B2	Process for scrubbing alkyl halides from gases Alkyl halides can be effectively scrubbed from gas streams containing them by passing the gas streams through dispersers having a very small pore size into an aqueous scrubbing liquid containing a nucleophile such as thiosulfate. Optionally, the addition of a water-soluble organic compound to the scrubbing liquid may increase the rate of destruction of the alkyl halide. Alkyl halides such as methyl bromide can be effectively scrubbed from enclosed spaces containing the halide, for example in enclosures used for fumigation.
US07678349B2	System for liquefying light hydrocarbon gas with a plurality of light hydrocarbon gas liquefaction trains An improved system and method for providing reduced acid gas/dewatered light hydrocarbon gas to a light hydrocarbon gas liquefaction process wherein a plurality of light hydrocarbon gas liquefaction trains are used.
US07678348B2	SCR catalytic converter without NH3 or urea injection A Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalytic converter that does not require the injection of a reducing agent, and, particularly, to an open-flow type or wall-flow type SCR catalytic converter that does not require the injection of a reducing agent, which includes a front portion, in which first supports supporting modified catalyst components are applied on the inner surfaces of porous partition walls, a middle portion, in which second supports supporting ammonia synthesis catalyst components are applied on the inner surfaces of porous partition walls, and a rear portion, in which third supports supporting SCR reducing catalyst components are applied on the inner surfaces of porous partition walls. The catalytic converter can improve a reduction rate of NOx without requiring the injection of an ammonia reducing agent from the outside.
US07678340B2	Esterification and transesterification systems, methods and apparatus Esterification and transesterification methods, systems and apparatus are disclosed which increase the efficiency of esterification reactions. The methods comprising utilizing an annular gap reactor comprises a rotor rotating within a stator to provide an annular flow passage comprising a flow path containing a high-shear treatment zone in which the passage spacing is smaller than in the remainder of the zone to provide a subsidiary higher-shear treatment zone. In exemplary embodiments, the reactor is modified to include an evaporator portion including an opening in the stator near the end of the reactor and a series of fins placed in the opening. Increase in the rates due to the annular gap reactor allow for the use of less catalyst, poorer catalysts, lower temperature and reduction in unwanted side reactions at more economically favorable conditions.
US07678333B2	Fluid transfer assembly for pharmaceutical delivery system and method for using same The present invention provides a transfer assembly for transferring a fluid between a vessel and a vial and a method for using same. The vial may be a maximum recovery vial. The vessel has a body with an open end and a slidable piston positioned within the body through the open end. The maximum recovery vial has an inner chamber with an open end and a closed end and a penetrable seal covering the open end of the inner chamber. The transfer assembly includes a housing having first and second open ends and a bore extending between the first and second open ends. The housing is connectable to the piston. The transfer assembly also includes a conduit having first and second ends and first and second apertures adjacent to the first and second ends, respectively. The conduit is longitudinally slidable within the bore between a retracted position in which the first aperture is positioned within at least one of the housing and the piston when the housing is connected to the piston, and an activated position in which the first aperture protrudes through the piston into the body of the vessel when the housing is connected to the piston. The transfer assembly also includes a vial socket assembly having a vial socket and a hollow piercing member. The vial socket is sized and shaped for receiving and engaging at least a portion of the maximum recovery vial including the penetrable seal. The hollow piercing member has a first open end in fluid communication with the conduit and a second open end for piercing the penetrable seal of the maximum recovery vial. The hollow piercing member is sized to extend substantially the full length of the inner chamber of the maximum recovery vial when the maximum recovery vial is fully engaged in the vial socket. The vial socket assembly is moveable longitudinally relative to the housing in concert with the conduit.
US07678331B2	Automatic loading of sample tubes for clinical analyzer A module for staging sample tubes and mixing the samples contained in the sample tubes for an automated clinical analyzer. In one embodiment, this module comprises a mixing drum, which is capable of mixing the contents of a sample tube in an end-over-end manner. The mixing drum is capable of mixing samples in the sample tubes without separating the solid components of the sample, e.g., red blood cells from the liquid components of the sample, e.g., plasma. A device for elevating the sample tube in the sample tube carrier can be used to enable the cap of the sample tube to be punctured by a piercing element in a piercing assembly. After the cap of the sample tube is punctured, a probe for aspirating the sample from said sample tube can obtain the sample in the receptacle of the sample tube through a bore in the piercing element. The piercing assembly can include a resiliently biased element for ejecting the sample tube from the piercing assembly.
US07678330B2	System, method and apparatus for use in blood testing through luminescence The present invention seeks to provide an express-control system for analyzing the compatibility of blood with other substances. The present invention relates to a system, method and apparatus for use in blood testing and more specifically, food intolerance testing through analysis of blood using luminescence. The present invention utilizes a blood testing system and apparatus, which includes a displacement assembly, a blood divider assembly, a reagent divider assembly, an electro-optical multiplier assembly and a central controller. A sample of blood is added to a corresponding one of a plurality of canisters containing a test substance. Thereafter a luminescent reagent is added and the plurality of canisters are moved in the blood testing apparatus until the canisters begin to luminese. The amount of luminescence is measured and analyzed an indicator of compatibility of the blood with the test substance and more specifically as an indicator of the presence and activity of neutrophil in the blood and more specifically the granulacy of the blood.
US07678323B2	Method of forming a groove The present method of forming a groove in an inner surface of a member for covering an airbag includes the steps of heating a blade by use of an induction-heating device and pushing the blade against the inner surface of the member. The induction-heating device is preferably a coil for induction heating. In addition, the present method of forming the groove preferably includes the steps of placing the member on a work bench having the coil, supplying alternating current to the coil, bringing the blade close to the coil, pushing the blade against the inner surface of the member, stopping current supply to the coil, and pulling the blade away from the inner surface of the member.
US07678318B2	Touch fastener products Touch fasteners for use as mold inserts in molding seat foam buns include selvedges that deflect under pressure to engage a mold surface in face-to-face contact. Another touch fastener includes a base with an exposed thermally activatable resin surface that has a softening point low enough to be activated by the exothermic foaming reaction to adhere the fastener in the foam bun.
US07678316B2	Coextruded profiled webs A method that includes coextruding two or more thermoplastic resin streams through a profiled die plate, which die plate is shaped to form a nonplanar film (three dimensional) preferably with a regularly oscillating peak and valley structure that oscillates from a top surface to a bottom surface forming longitudinally extending ridges on both faces of the film. The film is formed by coextruding the film through the oscillating die plate opening causing partitioning of the resins in different zones in the width direction of the film. Flattening of the film results in a film with side-by-side zones formed of different polymers or relative proportions of polymers.
US07678312B2	Method of treating rubber composition with cure inhibitor to create soft skin in golf ball core A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of providing a preform comprising an uncured polybutadiene composition; coating the preform with a first cure-altering material; curing the coated preform at a predetermined temperature to form a crosslinked golf ball core having an outer surface having a first hardness and a geometric center having a second hardness greater than the first to define a negative hardness gradient; and forming a cover layer about the core to form the golf ball.
US07678299B2	Stock solution for production of nonlinear-optical materials, nonlinear-optical material, and nonlinear-optical device The present invention provides stock solutions for production of nonlinear-optical materials using a wet coating method. In particular, the invention provides a stock solution containing a nonlinear-optically active organic compound, which is a push-pull π-conjugated compound having a particular chemical structure, having one or more cross-linkable functional groups. In addition, the invention provides a stock solution comprising a nonlinear-optically active organic compound having at least a certain chemical structure and a matrix-forming compound having one or more cross-linkable functional groups. Further, the invention provides a nonlinear-optical material and a nonlinear-optical device, both prepared by using the stock solutions.
US07678277B2	Materials for processing non-aqueous mixtures and methods for their preparation The invention provides porous matrices that comprise one or more anionic surfactants that can be used in non-aqueous environments.
US07678275B2	Method and equipment for liquid-liquid extraction The invention relates to a method for reversing the dispersion formed in the mixing section of liquid-liquid extraction and kept condensed in the separation section and the separated solutions form the rear end of the separation section to flow back towards the feed end of the separation section. The invention also refers to the extraction equipment for implementing the reversed flow.
US07678272B2	Biological fluid filtration system and biological fluid filter used therein A biological fluid processing or fluid filtration system is provided having novel open and closed loop processing systems wherein the gases transferred into and out of the system during processing pass through a porous medium in upstream and/or downstream gas inlet or outlet housings or vents in a manner which precludes the fluid being processed or filtered from ever contacting the housings or vents. Each housing or vent is separated from the fluid by a column of gas in its respective transfer line. The upstream gas inlet housing or vent is in communication with the unfiltered biological fluid, and the downstream gas inlet housing or vent is in communication with the filtered biological fluid.
US07678270B2	Device for focusing a magnetic field to treat fluids in conduits Three magnet casings are adjustably and removably attached to one another such that the device may snuggly fit about fluid conduits of differing diameters. An outer casing wall of ferrous content stainless steel confines the magnetic field. An inner magnet holder frame attached to the outer casing wall holds a magnet to the conduit and is fabricated of non-ferrous stainless steel to allow maximum trans mission of the magnetic field to the fluid in the non-ferrous section of the conduit around which the casings are attached together.
US07678266B2	Integrated water treatment apparatus and methods for natural water improvement A water treatment apparatus includes a float configured to float on the surface of a water body, a first fluid channel coupled to the float and configured to circulate contaminated water in the water body, and a second fluid channel coupled to the float and configured to filter contaminated water in the water body. A fluid transport apparatus can draw the contaminated water through the first fluid channel at a first flow rate and through the second fluid channel at a second flow rate.
US07678260B1	Measurement of cumulative localized corrosion rate using coupled multielectrode array sensors Methods of deriving the cumulative maximum localized corrosion rate and cumulative localized corrosion rate factor for corrosion monitoring using coupled multielectrode array sensor probes are disclosed. Compared with maximum localized corrosion rate, which is derived from the corrosion rate on any of the electrodes of a probe that has the highest corrosion rate at a given moment of time, cumulative maximum localized corrosion rate is derived from the corrosion rate of the electrode that has been corroded the most in a given time period. The cumulative maximum localized corrosion rate is directly related to the corrosion damage (maximum localized corrosion depth); the maximum localized corrosion depth equals the integration of the cumulative maximum localized corrosion rate. Cumulative maximum localized corrosion rate should be used to evaluate the localized corrosion effect on metal damage.
US07678254B2	Microchip processing method and apparatus The processing apparatus for microchips, each at least having a main flow path performing migration of a sample for analysis inside a sheet-like member, comprises a holding part holding microchips so that the multiple main flow paths are provided; a pretreatment part common to the multiple main flow paths for performing a pretreatment step prior to an analysis step in each of the multiple main flow paths; a processing part for performing analysis in each of the main flow paths independently of the others; and a control part controlling an operation in the pretreatment part so that when a pretreatment step for one main flow path ends, a pretreatment for a next main flow path starts and further controlling an operation in the processing part so that an analysis is subsequently performed for the main flow path where the pretreatment step has ended.
US07678251B2	System and method for detecting gas A system to detect a presence of a specific gas in a mixture of gaseous byproducts comprising moisture vapor is disclosed. The system includes an electrochemical cell, a transport to deliver the mixture of gaseous byproducts from the electrochemical cell, a gas sensor in fluid communication with the transport, the sensor responsive to a presence of the specific gas to generate a signal corresponding to a concentration of the specific gas, and a membrane to prevent transmission of liquid moisture, the membrane disposed between the transport and the gas sensor.
US07678250B2	Reagent compositions for use in electrochemical detection Biological reagent compositions with improved sensitivity to the concentration of blood glucose in patient samples for use in measuring systems and methods. The reagent compositions comprise a glucose oxidoreductase enzyme, a flavin nucleoside coenzyme and a mediator formulation. The mediator formulation comprises at least one electroactive organic molecule and at least one coordination complex.
US07678245B2	Method and apparatus for electrochemical mechanical processing Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for processing a substrate in an electrochemical mechanical planarizing system. In one embodiment, a cell for polishing a substrate includes a processing pad disposed on a top surface of a platen assembly. A plurality of conductive elements are arranged in a spaced-apart relation across the upper planarizing surface and adapted to bias the substrate relative to an electrode disposed between the pad and the platen assembly. A plurality of passages are formed through the platen assembly between the top surface and a plenum defined within the platen assembly. In another embodiment, a system is provided having a bulk processing cell and a residual processing cell. The residual processing cell includes a biased conductive planarizing surface. In further embodiments, the conductive element is protected from attack by process chemistries.
US07678244B2	Electrolytic cell leak limiter The purpose of this invention is a leak limiter (20) of an electrolytic cell (1) for the production of aluminum, fitted with confinement means comprising passage openings for the insertion of anode stems (3), characterized in that it comprises at least one support (21), capable of surrounding all or part of an anode stem, and at least one flexible sealing body (30, 30a, 30b, 30c) arranged around all or part of the periphery (23) of the support (21) and designed to close off all or some of the free space between the inside edge of an opening and an anode stem (3). This invention improves the leak tightness of covering means used in electrolytic cells.
US07678237B2	Heat integrated distillation column A heat integrated distillation column including a cylindrical shell having an upper and a lower end and at least one first inner volume and at least one second inner volume in the shell, and being in heat exchanging contact with each other through a wall separating the volumes. The heat integrated distillation column having the capacity to exchange heat through the wall from the first volume into the second volume, whereby the inside of the heat exchanging means is in open connection with the first volume.
US07678233B2	Machine direction sensor system with cross direction averaging Disclosed is a machine direction measurement system having an increased cross direction sampling area (significantly larger than the natural sensor measurement window) to generate a more representative and stable machine direction reading of the process. In effect, the sensor should have as wide a coverage area as possible without having to resort to the expense of measuring the entire width of the sheet.
US07678231B2	Process for increasing the basis weight of sheet materials Sheet-like products are disclosed containing an additive composition. In accordance with the present disclosure, the additive composition is applied to a creping surface. The additive composition includes at least an aqueous dispersion containing a thermoplastic polymer. A base sheet is then pressed against the creping surface for contact with the additive composition. The base sheet is then creped from the creping surface causing the additive composition to transfer to the base sheet. In particular, the additive composition is transferred to the base sheet in amounts greater than about 1% by weight, such as from about 2% to about 50% by weight. The additive composition may further include a lotion, a debonder, a softener, or mixtures thereof.
US07678213B1	Operating methods for a batch commercial metal coil laminating line Important features and improvements of a commercial coil batch laminating production line are disclosed for a successful, commercial, and economical operation. This invention addresses important processing sequences, operating parameters, control systems, designs, operating methods, and other novel features. This invention provides for a competitive cost structure meeting the needs of commercialization.
US07678209B2	Energy-producing material An energy-producing material which comprises a chemically uniform polymer material whose monomer units contain an electron donor and an electron acceptor, wherein the stoichiometric ratio of electron donor to electron acceptor is ≦1, is proposed.
US07678202B2	Drip shield for a drawer-type dishwasher A drip shield is mounted to a drawer of a drawer-type dishwasher so as to extend along an outer rear surface of the drawer and catch droplets of washing fluid falling from a lid of the dishwasher. The drip shield includes a shelf that extends between up-turned wall portions. The shelf is angled away from the tub so that any droplets of washing fluid that may fall onto the drip shield will migrate away from the drawer. The shelf is also formed such that first and second end portions are positioned higher than a central or intermediate portion. This construction forces the droplets of washing fluid to collect in a centralized drain point from where the droplets of water can be guided to a controlled location.
US07678197B2	Susceptor device A susceptor device comprises a base body, an electrostatic absorbing inner electrode which is disposed on a bottom surface of the base body, a power supplying terminal, an insulating sprayed layer which coats the electrostatic absorbing inner electrode and a connecting section for the power supplying terminal and the electrostatic absorbing inner electrode, and a temperature controlling section. The insulating sprayed layer and the temperature controlling section are attached together unitarily via the bonding agent layer. The flange of the base body fits to a notched section of the temperature controlling section such that the electrostatic absorbing inner electrode, insulating sprayed layer, and the bonding agent layer should be sealed from thereoutside. It is possible to form a thin supporting plate and improve controllability for temperature on the plate sample and transparency for the plasma.
US07678193B2	Product for treating reinforced concrete constructions The invention relates to the use of lithium glycerophosphate for treating structures made of a cement-based product and having steel rebars, making it possible to inhibit rebar corrosion, to prevent the alkali reaction and to avoid the presence of alkalis and sulfates in the structure.
US07678186B2	Pigment-based inks for ink-jet printing A neutral gray or black ink and combinations thereof for ink-jet printing, comprising: an ink vehicle; carbon black; another colored pigment or pigments such as a combination of cyan and violet pigments; wherein the carbon black and colored pigments are associated with a polymer or polymers which render the carbon black and pigments dispersible in aqueous solution.
US07678185B2	Anthrapyridone compound or salt thereof, magenta ink composition containing the same, and colored product The present invention relates to an anthrapyridone compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxy lower alkyl group, a cyclohexyl group or a (mono- or di-alkylamino) alkyl group, X represents a cross-linking group represented by the formula: —NH—(CH2)n-NH— (201) wherein, n is 2 to 8 and another cross-linking group, respectively or a salt thereof, a magenta ink composition containing the anthrapyridone compound, and a colored product therewith; said compound has a hue having a high vividness suitable for inkjet recording, a recorded matter therewith has strong fastnesses particularly such as light fastness and ozone fastness, and the ink composition has an excellent storage stability, whereby said compound is useful as a magenta coloring matter suitable for inkjet recording.
US07678183B2	Electroless palladium plating bath and electroless palladium plating method Disclosed is an electroless palladium plating bath containing a palladium compound, at least one complexing agent selected from ammonia and amine compounds, at least one reducing agent selected from phosphinic acid and phosphinates, and at least one unsaturated carboxylic acid compound selected from unsaturated carboxylic acids, unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydrides, unsaturated carboxylates and unsaturated carboxylic acid derivatives. Such an electroless palladium plating bath has high bath stability, and decomposition of the bath hardly occurs. Consequently, the electroless palladium plating bath of the present invention has a longer bath life than conventional electroless palladium plating baths. In addition, this electroless palladium plating bath enables to obtain excellent solder bonding characteristics and wire bonding characteristics since it does not affect plating film characteristics even when it is used for a long time.
US07678181B2	Hydrogen permeable membrane, fuel cell and hydrogen extracting apparatus equipped with the hydrogen permeable membrane, and method of manufacturing the hydrogen permeable membrane A hydrogen permeable membrane (10) for selectively allowing hydrogen to permeate therethrough includes a metal base layer (12) containing vanadium (V), a metal coating layer (16) containing palladium (Pd), and an intermediate layer (14) that is formed between the metal base layer (12) and the metal coating layer (16) and made of a metal having a higher melting point than the metal base layer (12) and the metal coating layer (16) and possessing hydrogen permeability.
US07678179B2	Method of processing volatile organic compound by using gas turbine and processing system of volatile organic compound A processing system according to the present invention is provided including: an adsorption apparatus in which a volatile organic compound contained in gas to be treated is adsorbed in a predetermined absorption agent, and said volatile organic compound thus adsorbed is desorbed using steam under a pressurized environment and mixed with the steam; a gas turbine having a combustor in which the steam mixed with the volatile organic compound is burnt; and a steam generating apparatus which generates steam through the use of the heat of the combustion gas discharged from the gas turbine; and wherein, by supplying compressed air discharged from the gas turbine to the adsorption apparatus, condensation of the steam in the adsorption apparatus at the time of the desorption of the volatile organic compound is suppressed.
US07678178B2	Method and system for treating metal-containing fluid emissions A system and associated method for removing metal, including metal in vapor form, from high temperature fluid emissions such as may occur at the exhaust of furnaces or thermal treatment equipment. One embodiment is the Integrated Metal Emissions Control System (IMECS™) incorporating both a Steel Screen Particulate (SSP) Filter System and a Perlite Based Sorbent (PBS) System. IMECS™ uses the SSP Filter System, with pore sizes down to one micron, to capture toxic metal particulate materials and the PBS System to capture vapor phase metals using surface-modified perlite. Using the IMECS™, EPA-listed heavy metals have been removed from representative high-temperature emissions in field tests to easily meet the NESHAP standards.
US07678172B2	Microwave treatment of ores A method of treating ore particles to facilitate subsequent processing of the ore particles to recover valuable components from the ore is disclosed. The method includes exposing the ore particles to microwave energy and causing structural alteration of the ore particles. In one embodiment structural alteration is achieve without significantly altering the mineralogy, i.e., composition, of the ore. In another embodiment structural alteration is achieved with minimal change to the sizes of the ore particles. In another embodiment the method includes exposing the ore particles to short duration, high energy pulses of microwave energy.
US07678166B2	Cyclone dust collecting apparatus for vacuum cleaner The present disclosure relates to a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner having a high fine dust collecting efficiency. The cyclone dust collecting apparatus includes a first cyclone having an air suction hole through which dust-laden air is drawn-in, the first cyclone forcing the dust-laden air to downwardly whirl in a space under the air suction hole so as to centrifugally separate dust from the dust-laden air; a second cyclone disposed inside the first cyclone, the second cyclone forcing semi-clean air entering from the first cyclone to downwardly whirl so as to centrifugally separate fine dust from the semi-clean air; and an air guiding member forcing the semi-clean air discharged from the first cyclone to directly enter the second cyclone and, the air guiding member having a plurality of guiding blades radially disposed in at least one circular shape based on a vertical axis of the second cyclone.
US07678165B2	Particle separator using boundary layer control A particle separator which broadly includes: an inner wall, an outer wall and a splitter, wherein the inner and outer walls define an air intake passageway, and wherein the splitter is positioned between the inner and outer walls so as to define a scavenge air flow passageway connected to the intake passageway and a main air flow passageway connected to the intake passageway; the inner wall having a humped-shaped portion between the intake passageway and the main air flow passageway; the humped-shaped portion having a peak and a radius of curvature at any point on the hump-shaped portion of the inner wall after the peak corresponding to a degree of curvature of from about 30 to about 60 degrees; and a boundary layer control mechanism for providing active boundary layer control along the inner wall after the peak and within the main air flow passageway. Also provided is a method for providing active boundary layer flow control along the inner wall after the peak and within the main air flow passageway.
US07678164B2	Ash handling and treatment in solid fuel burners A solid fuel gasifier includes first wall structure (12) defining a gasification chamber (14) and means (50, 52) to collect particulate solid residue from gasification in the gasification chamber. Second wall structure (16) defines a gas combustion chamber (17) and means (19) is arranged for admitting a flow of hot gases from the gasification chamber to the gas combustion chamber as combustion takes place. Also provided is means (178, 170) to conduct hot gases from the gasification chamber and/or gas combustion chamber into thermal contact with said collected particulate solid residue, for facilitating post-combustion and/or post-reduction of the solid residue. Also disclosed are an agitator bed (52, 182) for fine particulate material, and a method of gasification of solid fuel.
US07678159B1	Method of creating old art dyeing effect with acid and cationic dyed patterned carpet A method of manufacturing carpet provides for an old art dyeing effect. Specifically, acid and cationic dyes are provided in a solution to a carpet tufted with cationic and acid dye fibers. The carpet is preferably tufted in such a way that there is a relative scarcity of one of the cationic and acid dye fibers at a first width. An abundance of the other dye accumulates in higher concentration than in surrounding areas at the first width. This higher concentration tends to diffuse and/or be moved by other mechanisms to the surrounding areas or widths where the dye attaches to appropriate contacts. This creates at least one of the dark band, a fade and/or a old art dye effect at that location. By precisely controlling the carpet fiber location at the upper surface, the dye solution and the dyeing process, fades and other process can be precisely controlled for repeatable performance as has not been experienced in the prior art.
US07678158B2	Compositions for oxidatively dyeing keratin fibers and methods for using such compositions Compositions for dyeing keratin fibers comprise (a) at least one keratin dyeing compound selected from aromatic systems which comprise at least one boronic acid or boronic ester moiety and which are capable of forming upon oxidation a nucleophile or an electrophile, (b) at least one additional keratin dyeing compound selected from the group consisting of auxiliary developers and auxiliary couplers, and (c) a cosmetically suitable medium. Methods for oxidatively dyeing keratin fibers comprise the steps of applying such compositions in the presence of an oxidizing agent and rinsing the hair. A hair coloring product in kit form comprises a first separately packaged container comprising a composition as described above and a second separately packaged container comprising an oxidizing agent.
US07678141B2	Stent graft having a flexible, articulable, and axially compressible branch graft A stent graft and method for positioning and deploying the stent graft within a vessel system that includes a main vessel and a branch vessel emanating from the main vessel. The stent graft includes a tubular shaped main body formed from graft material, a branch opening (aperture)(ring) in the graft material of the main body whose position can be varied. A tubular shaped branch graft can extend from the main graft. A side wall of the main body may be configured as a series of connected annular corrugations or pleats, and coupled to the main body to define and provide variable positioning of its branch opening (aperture).
US07678130B2	Method and device for filtering body fluid Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site.
US07678124B2	Supplementary vascular clamp for the tool kit of an open approach stapler The present invention relates to medicine, in particular, to clamps used in vascular surgery for occlusion of blood vessels during a surgical operation, such as vascular clamps used in aortic aneurysm repair. The claimed supplementary vascular clamp comprises a pair of pivoting arms, each of them having a proximal end and a distal handle end. Each pivoting arm contains clamping jaws rigidly attached to a respective proximal end of this arm and shaped as a concave semi-cylindrical or semi-oval cavity. The clamping jaws are movable between the open position and closed position and define a through cylindrical or oval cavity in their closed position. The clamping jaws of the vascular clamp are also provided with a tightening means to provide intra-aortal bending of the ends of staples of an open approach stapler. The tightening means is shaped as plates or a strip of resilient material. The strip may be provided with a tensioning device. The vascular clamp may be also provided with a compensating means for correcting non-uniformity in the thickness of aorta walls. The vascular clamp may be further provided with a compensating means for correction of irregularity in wall thickness of the aorta, a first and a second sealing means for providing secure enclosure of aorta walls, as well as a means for providing regular ejection of staples.
US07678117B2	Articulating mechanism with flex-hinged links The invention provides articulating mechanisms, and flexible members and flexible segments that can form such articulating mechanisms. The mechanisms are useful, for example, for remote steering, guidance and/or manipulation of various instruments and tools at a targeted location. The mechanisms, members or segments include links connected by flexible hinges. The proximal and distal ends of the mechanisms are connected by at least one set of cables in such a fashion that a proximal active flexible segment forms a discrete pair with a distal active flexible segment. Movement of active flexible segments at the proximal end of the mechanism results in a corresponding, relative movement of segments at the distal end of the mechanism. This configuration allows each flexible segment pair to move independently of one another and also permits the articulating mechanism to undergo complex movements and adopt complex configurations.
US07678109B2	Ablation device and method comprising movable ablation elements A device for ablating tissue includes an elongate body, which may be flexible to wrap about a cardiac structure, and at least one movable ablation element coupled to the body. The movable ablation element is adjustable relative to the body to form an angle with a longitudinal axis thereof between about zero degrees and about 180 degrees. The movable ablation element may be a two element array, and a pivot pin may depend from an underside thereof to pivotably connect the array to the body via a mating pivot hole in the body. The body may be formable into both a substantially flat configuration and a generally curved configuration. In other embodiments, the body is wand-shaped. The device may further include at least one non-movable ablation element coupled to the body and forming an angle of about zero degrees with the longitudinal axis of the body.
US07678099B2	Device and method for treatment of sinusitis A method for treating a natural drainage passageway in a subject includes forming a cannulated artificial passageway into a subject's sinus cavity through the canine fossa region with a piercing member, the piercing member containing a hollow cannula thereon, the cannula comprising an elongate flexible member having a lumen passing therethrough. The piercing member is removed so as to leave the cannula in place. A balloon dilation catheter is then advanced within the lumen of the cannula so as to place the dilation balloon at least partially across the natural drainage passage in the sinus cavity. The dilation balloon is dilated so as to at least partially expand the natural drainage passageway.
US07678098B2	Venous cannula and cardiopulmonary bypass system This invention relates to a venous cannula for use in conjunction with cardiovascular examinations, treatments and surgery. The venous cannula is configured for two-stage drainage of oxygen-depleted venous blood from a central venous location via a peripheral venous insertion site, such as a femoral vein. The venous cannula is optimized for use in a cardiopulmonary bypass system that includes a multichannel arterial perfusion catheter. The cardiopulmonary bypass system is advantageous for use in performing standard open chest or least invasive cardiac surgical procedures.
US07678094B1	Reusable swim diaper A reusable swim diaper, which includes a main torso part having an extent defined by an elastic banded torso receiving aperture at its upper end for receiving a torso, a pair of elastic banded leg receiving apertures at its lower end, and a crotch portion generally between said leg receiving apertures. The main torso part includes a bodyside inner layer of breathable wick away fabric having an extent corresponding to the extent of the main torso part, an absorbent terry cloth intermediate layer, and a waterproof outer layer having an extent corresponding to the extent of said main torso part. The layers are made of materials which are capable of withstanding laundering and are restored to substantially their original conditions by laundering.
US07678091B2	Colostomy bag A colostomy bag provided with a stoma ring, a gas outlet and an external deodorizing filter in which a vertical baffle is provided intermediate the stoma ring and the gas outlet and extending from the upper marginal wall of the bag and a level slightly below the lowest point of the stoma ring. The baffle is designed to prevent feces from being squeezed sideways and upwardly into the gas outlet and clogging it.
US07678089B2	Delivery device and method of delivery An ophthalmic delivery device includes a body defining a fluid reservoir and a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir. The delivery device also includes a nozzle that includes a dosage chamber for holding a dosage of fluid, a valve seat, and a valve cover. The valve cover extends about the valve seat and forms an interface therebetween and the valve seat includes an outlet aperture. The interface is in fluid communication with the outlet aperture and the dosage chamber, and at least part of the valve cover is movable between (i) a closed position with the valve cover engaging the valve seat to close the interface and form a fluid-tight seal therebetween, and (ii) an open position with at least part of the valve cover spaced away from the valve seat in response to fluid flowing through the outlet aperture at a pressure greater than a valve opening pressure to allow the passage of pressurized fluid therebetween. The valve seat and the valve cover are dimensioned to dispense the dosage of fluid through the interface at a velocity of equal to or less than 6 meters per second.
US07678070B2	System of dampening pressure pulsations caused by a positive displacement pump in endoscopic surgery A system for distending body tissue cavities of subjects by continuous flow irrigation during endoscopic procedures, the system including: a fluid source reservoir containing a non viscous physiologic fluid meant for cavity distension; a fluid supply conduit tube connecting the fluid source reservoir to an inlet port of a variable speed positive displacement inflow pump and an outlet port of the said inflow pump being connectable to an inflow port of an endoscope instrument through an inflow tube for pumping the fluid at a controlled flow rate into the cavity, the flow rate of the said inflow pump being termed as the inflow rate; an inflow pressure transducer being located anywhere in the inflow tube between the outlet port of the inflow pump and the inflow port of the endoscope; an outflow port of the endoscope being connectable to a waste fluid collecting container via a waste fluid carrying tube, and characterized in that an active inflow pressure pulsation dampening means is connected to the inflow tube for dampening the pressure pulsations inside the cavity created by the positive displacement inflow pump.
US07678064B2	Apparatus for detecting tactile sensitivity An apparatus for helping to determine tactile sensitivity of a patient includes a housing and a probe supported by the housing and having a probe tip. The probe is adapted for selective longitudinal movement relative to the housing between a first probe position, wherein the probe tip is substantially extended from the housing, and a second probe position, wherein the probe tip is substantially retracted into the housing. A first biasing means is adapted to urge the probe toward the first probe position. A predetermined motive force is selectively exerted between the probe tip and the patient to move the probe from the first probe position to the second probe position. The motive force is indicative of tactile sensitivity of the patient. A method for helping to determine tactile sensitivity of a patient is also described.
US07678062B2	Flow-independent parameter estimation based on tidal breathing exhalation profiles Parametric characterization of nitric oxide (NO) gas exchange using a two-compartment model of the lungs is a non-invasive technique to characterize inflammatory lung diseases. The technique applies the two-compartment model to parametric characterization of NO gas exchange from a tidal breathing pattern. The model is used to estimate up to six flow-independent parameters, and to study alternate breathing patterns.
US07678058B2	Apnea type determining apparatus and method An apnea classification system provides for apnea monitoring and differentiation based on several sleep apnea related parameters for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Monitoring of such sleep apnea related parameters allows the apnea classification system to differentiate among the different types of apnea. This information may then be used to determine the best method of therapy, or adjust current therapy parameters to more effectively treat a subject.
US07678056B2	Array rotation for ultrasound catheters A transducer array is connected with a catheter housing. As the transducer array is rotated, the catheter housing also rotates. As a result, at least a portion of the catheter housing twists about a longitudinal axis. By applying rotation in a controlled way, such as with a motor, a plurality of two-dimensional images for three-dimensional reconstruction may be obtained. The rotation of the catheter housing may limit the total amount of rotation of the array, such as rotating the array through a 90 degree or less amount of rotation about the longitudinal axis. The housing of the catheter is formed with a soft section. The softer material allows for a greater amount or increased ease for twisting the catheter.
US07678049B2	Bone age assessment using ultrasound A method and an apparatus for estimating bone age by at least one acoustic signal in an ossification-actuated skeletal structure. The apparatus includes an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver positioned facing each other so that the structure is positioned between them. The structure has at least two bones. The transmitter is adapted for transmitting a signal to cross the structure transversely. An electronic moveable gantry is provided for adjusting the position of the acoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver in relation to the structure. A computer system is enabled to perform one or more functions to position the moveable gantry; transmit the signal by the transmitter; control the signal transmitted by the transmitter; receive the transmitted signal by the receiver; and estimate bone age responsive to the received signal by at least one bone age calculation formula.
US07678039B2	Method of monitoring operation of a centrifugal separator using pressure measurement Method for supervising a centrifugal separator with a separating chamber, a radially inner outlet connected to the separating chamber and to an outlet conduit, with a flow detector disposed in the outlet conduit and adapted to detecting a flow in the outlet conduit, and an intermittently openable radially outer outlet connected to the separating chamber. In order reliably and easily to supervise the intermittent discharge of the centrifugal separator, the pressure is measured by a sensor disposed in a portion of the centrifugal separator which is pressure-transmittingly connected to a central portion of the interior of the rotor. If the supervision unit does not detect a pressure drop pulse from the sensor within a predetermined period of time from when an intermittent discharge is initiated, an alarm signal is emitted.
US07678038B1	Device for compressing a folded edge A compression or fold completion device used to uniformly compress a folded edge of a workpiece, such as a box blank, in order to allow the blank to more easily be utilized in subsequent packaging operations. The device includes a pressure roller mounted to a rotatable adjustment member. The rotational axis of the pressure roller is offset from the rotational axis of the adjustment member. The adjustment member is in turn connected to an actuating assembly, which may include an arm secured at one end to the adjustment member and at the other end to an extendible and retractable actuator, in order to enable the actuator to rotate the adjustment member and selectively position the pressure roller in engagement with a folded edge of a workpiece passing beneath the pressure roller.
US07678036B1	Ripple bottom pizza box and its associated method of construction A ripple bottom pizza box and the method of creating a pizza box with such a ripple bottom. A pizza box blank is provided that is made of corrugated cardboard. The corrugated cardboard has parallel corrugation waves that traverse a flat bottom section pf the pizza box blank in a first direction. A roller is provided that has multiple parallel roller heads. The flat bottom section of the pizza box blank is advanced under the rollers. The parallel roller heads press parallel depressions into the flat bottom section in a direction perpendicular to the first direction of the corrugation waves. The result is that when the pizza box blank is folded into a pizza box, the bottom of the pizza box is contoured with parallel depression lines.
US07678031B2	Weight adjustable dumbbell for performing push up A dumbbell has a planar base allowing it to be supported in a stable manner upon the ground, for instance while the user holding a pair of dumbbells performs exercises such as push ups. A compliant sheet on the base provides a high friction slip-resistant face. A pair of flanges disposed on the base and protruding from the base for mounting a handle therebetween and the base has a waisted form. Weights are provided for adjusting the total mass of the dumbbell. Complementary tongue and groove couplers are provided on each weight and on the flanges whereby each weight is releasably fastened to the device.
US07678028B1	Martial arts training device A marital arts training device comprising a barrier for creating a target zone. In a preferred embodiment, the martial arts training device includes: a barrier support; at least one barrier mounted to the barrier support for creating a target zone; and a target located within the target zone.
US07678026B2	Mobile physical training system and method thereof A mobile physical training system and method, wherein a wheeled platform is secured to a user via a bodyworn harness and/or belt, wherein the user can easily and selectively manipulate the amount of resistant weight carried by the platform, and wherein consistent, hands-free delivery the resistant weight force is realized for both pushing and pulling actions, thereby enabling the physical training system of the present invention to target speed, strength, and endurance training for individuals of virtually any skill level during a variety of training activities, such as walking, jogging, forward, backward and lateral running, push training, mobility training, and wheelchair training.
US07678023B1	Method for providing mental activity for an exerciser A mental activity for an exerciser exercising on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication link is provided by contacting a computer connected to the communication link and providing a display of mental activity data such as sports scores, stock prices or a weather report received from the contacted computer on a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises.
US07678021B2	Method and device for controlling an internal-combustion engine before a starting operation A method and device are provided for limiting, in a first operating condition, a motor vehicle internal-combustion engine torque. The operating condition, resulting from an operation of a motor vehicle brake, when the engine torque is simultaneously demanded by a driver's intention indicator, differs from a second operating condition, in which the brake is not operated. The limiting takes place at least partially by way of a controlled reduction of an advance angle efficiency in the first operating condition in comparison to the second operating condition.
US07678020B2	Vehicle control apparatus A vehicle clutch has a pushing member that is energized against a friction plane and transfers power from a driving power source when it touches the friction plane. The location of the pushing member can be retained even when power is shut off. After a signal from the key switch ends, the control apparatus stops the driving power source and the vehicle, engages the friction transfer mechanism, and then stops the system.
US07678019B2	Control device and control method for friction engagement element An ECT_ECU executes a program including the step of prohibiting a lockup clutch from engaging if the lockup clutch is disengaged and a number of revolutions or speed NE of an input shaft of a torque converter minus a number of revolutions or speed NT of an output shaft of the torque converter is smaller than a threshold value ΔN (1).
US07678018B2	Method for implementing shifts from a source gear to a target gear of an automatic shift transmission, in particular downshifts of an automatic shift transmission A method for implementing shifts from a source gear to a target gear of an automatic shift transmission includes storing a respective upshift threshold and a respective downshift threshold for each possible sequential gear shift. The respective upshift threshold and the respective downshift threshold are defined in dependence of an accelerator pedal position, such that a limit value that is valid for a respective upshift or downshift is stored as a vehicle speed value in a control device. The vehicle speed that changes while the motor vehicle is driving and a changing accelerator pedal position are measured. Downshifts are simplified for a driver by configuring at least two downshift thresholds to be substantially horizontally extending in a first region of a possible accelerator pedal position and at least partly step-shaped in a second region of the possible accelerator pedal position.
US07678014B2	Control apparatus for vehicular power transmitting system A control apparatus for a vehicular power transmitting system including an electrically controlled differential portion having an electric motor, and an automatic transmission portion, the control apparatus including shift control portion operable upon determination that a jump shift-down action of the automatic transmission portion directly to a target gear position while skipping at least one intermediate gear position should take place and upon inhibition of the jump shift-down action, to generate a shifting command to perform the jump shift-down action when total jump-shift-down-action time required for the jump shift-down action is shorter than total sequential-shift-down-operation time required for a sequential shift-down operation consisting of a shift-down action to each intermediate gear position and a shift-down action from the last intermediate gear position to the target gear position, and a shifting command to perform the sequential shift-down operation when the total jump-shift-down-action time is not shorter than the total sequential-shift-down-operation time.
US07678011B2	8-speed transmission The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes four planetary gear sets having five torque-transmitting devices and five fixed interconnections. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to at least one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The five torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, and with a stationary member, and are operated in combinations of two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.
US07678010B2	8-speed transmission The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes four planetary gear sets having five torque-transmitting devices, four fixed interconnections and a grounded member. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to at least one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The five torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, and with a stationary member, and are operated in combinations of two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.
US07678005B2	Fixed speed operation in a hybrid transmission including sport and economy modes A method of operating a hybrid transmission includes controlling the transmission according to a drive mode, which includes a continuously variable speed ratio, and according to automatic and manual fixed speed relationships modes, which include a plurality of fixed speed relationships including mechanics gear ratios and virtual gear relationships. The method also includes receiving a driver request for transmission operation in one of an Economy or a Sport mode, and operating the transmission in the requested Economy or Sport modes.
US07678004B2	Steering apparatus A rotation transmitting apparatus comprises a first sun gear joined to a first shaft so as to rotate interlockingly, a second shaft arranged to the first shaft coaxially, a second sun gear joined to the second shaft so as to rotate interlockingly, a first planetary gear meshed with the first sun gear, a second planetary gear rotating with the first planetary gear and meshed with the second sun gear, and a carrier supporting the first and second planetary gears and arranged to be driven by a differential electric motor. In particular, the number of teeth of each of the first and second sun gears and the first and second planetary gears is determined so that the ratio of a torque applied to the second shaft to a torque applied to the first shaft ranges from 1:0.7 to 1:0.9.
US07678002B2	One-way clutched damper for automatic belt tensioner A new tensioner is disclosed that achieves asymmetric damping in part by using a moveable ramp plate. The moveable ramp plate is in frictional contact with the arm provides asymmetric frictional damping for the tensioner arm when the arm experiences wind-up and begins to move away from the belt. The ramp plate is rotatably associated with the movement of the tensioner arm through a spring. The tensioner arm may pivot in two directions. As the tensioner arm pivots in a direction toward the belt the ramp plate is urged such that friction between the ramp plate and tensioner are minimized. When the tensioner arm pivots in the opposite direction, as potentially typified by wind-up, the ramp plate is urged such that friction between the ramp plate and tensioner is increased thereby minimizing wind-up of the tensioner arm.
US07677999B2	Chain tensioner A chain tensioner includes a housing defining a cylinder chamber, and a plunger having a small-diameter end and a spring both mounted in the cylinder chamber. A register ring is fitted in a ring-receiving groove formed in the inner periphery of the cylinder chamber near its open end. A plurality of annular grooves are formed in the outer periphery of the plunger so as to be axially spaced from each other at equal intervals. The register ring is adapted to be press-fitted in one of the annular grooves. With the register ring trapped between an engaging surface of a first annular groove which is one of the annular grooves located nearest to the front end of the plunger and a locking surface of the ring-receiving groove, an outer cylindrical surface of the plunger extending forwardly from the first annular groove has its front portion supported by an inner cylindrical surface of the cylinder chamber extending forwardly from the ring-receiving groove.
US07677997B2	Double piston and belt type continuously variable transmission A double piston and belt type continuously variable transmission comprises a primary pulley provided with a primary piston chamber and a primary clamp chamber; a secondary pulley provided with a secondary piston chamber and a secondary clamp chamber; and an endless belt operatively put around the primary and secondary pulleys. A switching circuit is arranged to connect both the primary and secondary clamp chambers to either one of the primary and secondary piston chambers, which shows a higher hydraulic pressure than the other.
US07677993B2	Tennis backboard The invention provides a new tennis backboard design. The backboard includes a firm backing layer underlying a soft deadening layer. The rebound of a tennis ball from the backboard is reduced as compared to rebound from a rigid hard-surface backboard. This allows a player to stand fairly close to the backboard, which reduces misses. The player can stand fairly close and hit balls hard against the backboard. Because the rebound is reduced, the ball simply bounces back softly and easily to the player, allowing the player to hit hard again from a fairly short distance. Thus, long rallies without missing are easily achieved. Since the bounce is reduced, the player can stand closer to the backboard, and therefore the backboard can be smaller than conventional backboards without the player missing the backboard. This allows the backboard to be light, portable, and easily stored. Because of the addition of a soft deadening layer, the firm backing layer of the backboard can also be thin and made of lighter and weaker material than a conventional backboard, reducing the weight of the backboard.
US07677991B2	Par one A golf system that includes a tee or other area for striking a golf ball; and a golf green having a concave surface with a ball receptacle located at the lowest point in the surface so that a ball landing and remaining on the green will roll into the ball receptacle. The green includes a resiliently compressible layer coinciding with the concave surface. The resiliently compressible surface may include at least one layer of corrugated plastic material and may be covered with an artificial turf surface. The golf system may be used to play a unique game, wherein a plurality of balls are rolled on the green and travel in a spiral manner into the ball receptacle. The golf green may be mounted on a portable frame.
US07677990B2	Golf club head A golf club head of this invention includes a face and a plurality of striations formed on the face by milling. A pitch P in the arrangement direction of the plurality of striations satisfies 300 μm≦P≦600 μm. The surface roughness of a region in the face with the striations satisfies in the maximum height of the profile Ry, 15 μm≦Ry≦0.005×P+15.7 μm.
US07677982B2	Dual channel vented boot A constant velocity joint and a boot for a constant velocity joint are disclosed. The boot generally includes a first channel and a second channel. The first channel is in fluid communication with a joint chamber of the constant velocity joint. The first channel is also in communication with the second channel and generally allows airflow therethrough while resisting clogs from lubricant. Additionally, the second channel generally allows airflow therethrough to the atmosphere while resisting passage of foreign contaminants therethrough.
US07677981B2	Sealed joint assembly A sealed joint assembly includes an outer joint part (3) with outer ball tracks (9), an inner joint part (4) with inner ball tracks (10), torque transmitting balls (6) which are guided in pairs of tracks and held in a cage (7) with cage windows (8). A sleeve (16) is connected to the inner joint part (4) and is coaxially arranged thereto. A sealing mechanism (12) with an annular cap (13) is fixed to the outer joint part (3) and includes a sealing diaphragm (15) with an outer collar (18) connected to the annular cap (13) and an inner collar (19) sealingly connected to the sleeve (16). A securing ring (20) fixes the inner collar (19) on the sleeve (16). The sleeve (16) has an annular groove (33) which is engaged by the sealing diaphragm (15) by an inner annular bead (32) formed on the inner collar (19).
US07677979B2	Method and system for allocating resources in a video game The present disclosure provides various novel concepts to a video game environment. The disclosure describes video game environments that include a method and system for controlling the quantity and distribution of virtual natural resources, raw materials, skills and NPCs in and between games, where player characters may acquire, use and modify such virtual resources within the physical limits of the games.
US07677976B2	Video game processing apparatus, a method and a computer program product for processing a video game When a player character applies a damage to an attack target character on the basis of an attack action of the player character, it is determined whether the attack is a direct attack or a specific kind of attack different from the direct attack and defined in advance. A panic reaction term of a panic reaction is determined in the case where it is determined that the attack is the specific kind of attack. In the panic reaction, the attack target character becomes a state where the attack target character cannot attack the player character and defend oneself from an attack from the player character. The panic reaction is executed until the panic reaction term elapses. A privilege is applied to the player character in the case where it is determined that the attack target character suffers the direct attack during execution of the panic reaction.
US07677968B2	Wagering game with symbol combinations providing virtual mapping to table with game outcomes A gaming machine for conducting a wagering game includes a display for displaying three or more reels, one having at least one triggering symbol representing a guaranteed award when it lands along an active payline selected by the player. When the triggering symbol lands along the selected payline, resulting in a triggering outcome, a corresponding outcome is retrieved from a table containing mappings of each triggering outcome with a corresponding outcome. The table is predetermined such that at the time the triggering outcome is presented to the player, the outcome is preordained. The outcome can further include another triggering symbol, in which case that winning outcome is further mapped to a retriggered winning outcome. In addition to mapping to each triggering outcome with a outcome, each outcome can be mapped to a game enhancement parameter.
US07677959B2	Multilayer polishing pad and method of making A polishing pad has a polishing layer with a polishing surface and a first registration mark, and a backing layer connected to the polishing layer and having a second registration mark aligned with the first registration mark. The polishing pad may have a window that includes an aperture in the backing layer aligned with a solid transparent portion in the polishing layer.
US07677952B2	Supportive, washable adhesive bra with detachable support structures A strapless brassiere having winged support structures to maximize surface area of the bra to which an extended-wear adhesive is applied over substantially all of the undersurface of the bra.
US07677945B2	Method of forming an external electrode fluorescent lamp, thick film electrode compositions used therein, and lamps and LCD devices formed thereof This invention relates to method(s) of fabricating electrodes of an external electrode fluorescence lamp (EEFL) for use in thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) applications. Also disclosed is a structure with electrodes for external electrode fluorescence lamps used in TFT-LCD backlight units.
US07677944B2	Organic EL device manufacturing method and organic EL device A transparent substrate on which a transparent electrode layer is formed is prepared. An insulating layer having a first pattern for exposing a light-emitting region and a first terminal portion and covering a second terminal portion is formed on the transparent electrode layer. Then, an organic layer is formed on the entire surface of the transparent electrode layer and the insulating layer. A reflection electrode layer having a second pattern for covering the light-emitting region and the second terminal portion and exposing the first terminal portion is formed on the organic layer. After that, an exposed portion of the organic layer is removed by dry etching to expose a region of the first electrode layer in the first terminal portion. Finally, a sealing film having a third pattern for covering the light-emitting region and exposing the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion is formed on the resultant transparent substrate, thereby exposing the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion.
US07677941B2	Electronic device substrate, electronic device, method of manufacturing electronic device, and electronic apparatus An electronic device substrate includes an insulating plate base, an electronic circuit formed on one surface of the base, and a conductive film formed on the other surface of the base and having electrical conductivity. The electronic device substrate is completed through a manufacturing process including charge-removal movement in which removal of a charge of the base is combined with movement of the electronic device substrate. In the charge-removal movement, the electronic device substrate is moved with being supported by a substrate support part that has electrical conductivity and is grounded. The substrate support part abuts the conductive film during the charge-removal movement.
US07677926B1	Connector jack and connector combination using same A connector jack includes a housing, a receptacle shield, and a brace. The housing is configured for receiving a plug. The receptacle shield defines a receiving space for receiving the housing and exposing a plug receiving chamber of the housing to the outside, and includes two inward projecting prongs. Each prong has a base portion and a free end bent to form a ramped surface projecting inward into the interior of the receptacle. The brace is positioned between the receptacle shield and the housing, and has a main frame and two tabs respectively connected on the two ends of the main frame for abutting the prongs of the receptacle shield.
US07677915B2	Electrical contact element for medium or high voltage electrical equipment, and corresponding, method and equipment An electrical contact member, suitable for electrically interconnecting two conductive members in series, which members can move relative to each other and are part of an electrical apparatus. The electrical contact includes a strength-imparting base layer made of an electrically conductive material, and a coating layer formed from metallic silver and configured to come into contact with the two electrically conductive members. The coating layer has a micro-structure formed by pure silver crystals, with a presence of nodules made of silver and of an additional metallic material formed by at least one additional metal that is different from silver.
US07677911B2	Connector connection structure, connector connection method and vehicle A connector connection structure includes: a case having a side surface and a top surface, respectively extending in directions crossing each other at a first angle, and an opening; a connector terminal portion inserted into the case from the opening; a shield plate closing the opening; a bolt fastening the case and the shield plate; and a terminal block arranged in the case and connected to the connector terminal portion. The shield plate has a first portion extending along the side surface and closing the opening, a second portion extending along the top surface, and a bent portion positioned between the first portion and the second portion and bent at a second angle being smaller than the first angle. The bolt fastens the case and the second portion of the shield plate.
US07677904B1	Electrical connector with terminals bonded to housing An electrical connector includes an insulating housing and a plurality of electric terminals. The insulating housing defines a plurality of terminal grooves for correspondingly receiving the electric terminals therein. Each of the electric terminals has a welded portion extending outside from a rear of the insulating housing for being soldered to a printed circuit board. A substantially inversed funnel shaped injecting portion is formed at a middle portion of the welded portion for leading liquid-state material to inject therefrom and then flow to the welded portion until the liquid-state material is solidified and integrated with the insulating housing. Therefore, the welded portions are not easily warped while soldered to the printed circuit board. Thus, the welded portions are soldered to the printed circuit board firmly, and the electrical connection between the electrical connector and the printed circuit board is more stable.
US07677901B1	Electric connecting apparatus for semiconductor devices and contact used therefor The contact includes the plunger and a coil spring unit for holding the plunger thereon. The plunger includes an upper contact strip having a plurality of contact points on an upper end portion thereof, a wide portion, and a lower contact strip having two contact strips each having a contact point at a lower end portion thereof. The coil spring unit includes a spring portion and a funnel shaped tight wound portion including a guiding portion and a slimly wound portion having a contact point at a lower end portion thereof. The plurality of contact points provided on the upper contact strip is arranged in a plane so as to be broadened at a distance. The contact points provided on the two contact strips of the lower contact strip are formed to be resiliently deformable with respect to each other.
US07677896B1	System, method, and computer-readable medium for course structure design to support adaptive learning Automated system enabling educators to create and organize educational materials appealing to students' varied learning styles and cognitive capabilities. Templates conforming to five basic learning styles are provided for material creation and organization, though other templates conforming to other learning styles are definable as well. Once created, educational materials are exported to complementary systems for presentation to students via a standard electronic interface.
US07677894B2	Articles with spinning globe The articles with spinning globe include articles worn by a user and containers in which a spinning or rotating globe is disposed. The articles of apparel may be a shirt, a pair of pants a hat or other wearing apparel. The container may be a backpack, a purse, a suitcase, a lunchbox or other carrying container. The rotating globe is mounted in the articles of apparel and the containers so that a user may manually rotate the globe within the articles of apparel or the containers. The rotating globe may be placed in any of the articles and used by children as an educational tool to learn about geography, or by adults to note specific time zones when traveling or determine where a specific country is in relation to other countries.
US07677892B2	Method and extractor for removing a tool fragment from a tooth root canal The method and extractor relate to dentistry and are intended for extraction of metal instruments fragments from a root canal of the tooth, as these instruments may be broken and may get stuck here, for example, during endodontic treatment. According to the invention, two insulated metal electrodes assembled as a cylinder are inserted into the root canal until electric contact with the fragment to be extracted. Then electric current impulse is ran through the circuit formed by the first electrode, metal fragment and second electrode; the intensity and duration of the electric impulse shall be sufficient for welding of the fragment to the electrodes by means of heating at the contact points; this time a heating of the surrounding tissues remains at the physiologically acceptable level; afterwards the electrodes are extracted from the root canal together with the fragment. Depending on a clinical situation, electrodes of various size and configuration are used. Electric impulse is generated by the unit comprising a capacitor chargeable by a battery and dischargeable in pulsed mode via controlled electronic switch. The unit also has an indicator of contact resistance between the fragment and the electrodes for a better alignment of their relative positions.
US07677889B2	Device and method for forming a custom oral appliance In one embodiment, a method includes: accessing a bite register with a post, upper and lower dental models, and a fixture having upper and lower plates and a clamp; coupling the register post to the fixture, such that the register post has a first orientation; coupling the upper and lower models to the register; coupling the upper and lower models to the upper and lower plates; uncoupling the register; coupling an appliance post to the fixture, such that the appliance post has a second orientation the same as the first orientation; and forming a custom oral appliance coupled to the appliance post and maintaining the second orientation of the appliance post. In one embodiment, a device is configured to couple to an articulator and to position and retain a bite register post. The device includes a lower member, first and second couplers, an upper member, and an adjustor.
US07677888B1	Combination placement tool and light A combination placement tool and light device (10, 50) is disclosed which allows the dentist or surgeon to hold a dental appliance with a vacuum supplied to a flexible skirt (18, 90), position the dental appliance, and then tack the dental appliance in place with a light source (28, 60, 62) using light activated adhesive. The device (10, 50) can also be used to provide a full cure. The device (10, 50) can also have a source of drying air to aid the procedure. The device (50) can be used with a disposable molded acrylic collimator (76).
US07677883B2	Trailer mounted smokeless dual-phase burner system The smokeless liquid two-phase burner system of the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for burning a wide variety of flammable liquids using an integrated burner system. The system has both a primary injection path and an alternate injection path for the fuel to be burned, as well as a main air pump or blower. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for selectably injecting a secondary stream of a gas or vapor or volatile liquid into a flare system for the purpose of enhancing combustion. The apparatus is self-contained and self erecting on a transportable trailer.
US07677882B2	Smokeless liquid dual-phase burner system The smokeless liquid two-phase burner system of the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for burning a wide variety of flammable liquids using an integrated burner system. The system has both a primary injection path and an alternate injection path for the liquid fuel to be burned, as well as a main air pump or blower. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for selectably injecting a secondary stream of a gas or vapor or volatile liquid into a flare system for the purpose of enhancing combustion.
US07677879B1	Apparatus for docking dough An apparatus for docking dough includes a base member, a plurality of protrusions extending from a lower surface of the base member, and a handle secured to an upper surface of the base member. The base member is not flat, but rather has a curvature that enables the apparatus to be rocked from side to side when placed on a surface. Thus, in use, the apparatus is first placed on and manually pressed into a dough, such as an uncooked pizza dough. Then, the apparatus is rocked from side to side by the user to dock the dough, ensuring that dimples or divots are made throughout the dough.
US07677869B2	Monitoring and data processing equipment for wind turbines and predictive maintenance system for wind power stations A predictive maintenance system for wind parks, the wind park comprising a group of wind turbines (Ai), a communications network (RS), and a supervision and control system (ST). The predictive maintenance system comprises a monitoring and processing equipment (SMP) connected to the control system (PLC) of the wind turbine (Ai), such that the monitoring and processing equipment sends alarms through the control system of the wind turbine to the supervision and control system. A monitoring and processing equipment (SMP) for wind turbines is also disclosed.
US07677867B2	Guide vane arrangement of a turbomachine A guide vane arrangement of a turbomachine includes a casing, at least one guide vane carrier connected to the casing and having a first carrying portion and a second carrying portion spaced apart axially from the first carrying portion, a plurality of guide vanes connected to the guide vane carrier and arranged next to each other in a circumferential direction, and at least one securing element connected to the guide vane carrier and configured to provide an axial fixing of at least one of the guide vanes. Each guide vane has a platform including a first locking portion and a second locking portion spaced apart axially from the first locking portion, wherein each of the first and second locking portions and the respective first and second carrying portion are adapted to provide an axially pluggable and a radially positive fastening between the guide vane carrier and the respective guide vane.
US07677861B1	Slat replacement machine A slat replacement machine having an elongated rectangular frame supported at each end by a tracked drive unit which provides zero turn capability to the machine. A pair of outrigger assemblies is provided at the forward end of the frame and a pair of outrigger assemblies is provided at the rearward side of the frame. The outrigger assemblies may be pivotally moved from a stowed position adjacent the frame to an outwardly extending position. A telescopic boom is pivotally mounted on the upper end of a rotatable pedestal which extends upwardly from the center of the frame. Various components of the machine such as hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic motors are radio controlled.
US07677850B2	Clip comprising a pin and a bush A clip comprises a pin, and a hollow bush adapted to receive the pin therein. The bush includes a flange and a bush body having an opening which is formed by partially cutting off a peripheral wall thereof and adapted to receive therein a pin shank in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the bush body. The bush body and the bush flange are adapted to be expanded in a radially outward direction of the bush body about a position opposed to the opening, in a hinged manner. The pin has a shank that includes a protruding portion which has a narrow region formed near a distal end of the pin shank, causing no expansion in an outer diameter of the bush body in the radially outward direction when the pin is in a non-fastened position, and a wide region adjacent to the bush flange, causing an expansion in the outer diameter of the bush body when the pin is in a fastened position.
US07677848B2	Flexible belt having a planed seam and processes for making the same A post treatment process of a seamed belt for providing a smooth surface and substantially eliminating protrusions by using a planing blade, and a seamed belt that has undergone the post treatment.
US07677847B2	Sealing assembly for a spindle A spindle apparatus includes a housing for rotatable support of a spindle. The spindle is sealed by a brush seal in order to prevent fluid, contained in the housing, from escaping and/or to prevent ingress of a medium from outside into the housing.
US07677841B2	Method of building a retaining wall structure A supporting member and a retaining wall structure having the same, and an associated building method are provided. The supporting member may include a pair of downward protrusions spaced apart and extending downward in the same direction, and a coupling portion that connects corresponding ends of the downward protrusions. The downward protrusions are configured to couple two or more layers of a retaining wall structure.
US07677840B2	Green retaining wall utilizing helical piers The present invention provides a system and a method for a retaining wall which minimizes cost, assembly time and environmental impact while providing substantial load-bearing capacity. The system includes: a plurality of vertical helical piers driven into the ground, tie-back helical piers driven at a non-vertical angle into the ground, substantially horizontal waler rods, and substantially vertical extensions, which are interconnected through interlocking connectors. Multiple levels of the load-bearing structure can be built on top of each other depending on the height of the soil to be retained. Loads from the retained soil may be transferred to the extension bars and waler rods through wood lagging, wood planks, different types of plates, or some other intermediary. A mesh support for the soil can be provided in addition to the load-bearing structure. Trees, bushes or other plants can be planted through the mesh in the retained soil to improve the environmental impact of the invention.
US07677837B2	Device for transferring fluid between two floating supports A device for transferring fluid between two floating supports anchored to the sea bottom, having a rigid central undersea pipe installed below the surface with its ends each being connected to respective ones of two supports via a flexible hose. The main portion of the rigid central pipe includes or co-operates with buoyancy elements such that the central pipe adopts, in a quasi-static rest state, a configuration of an arch, preferably following a curve such that the angles between the half-lines of the axes of the rigid pipe and the horizontal half-lines at each of its ends extending towards the other end present absolute values of less than 20° and the flexible hoses present lengths and curvatures such that variations in the curvatures of the flexible hoses are suitable for compensating the movements of the floating supports.
US07677831B2	Flexible marker device A flexible marker device comprises a marker body having a bottom end and a top end, and a base for supporting the marker body. The base has an aperture in a center portion thereof and a groove extending about the aperture in an upper surface of the base. The bottom end of the marker body is at least partially disposed within the groove. A cured material, preferably polyurethane, is disposed in the groove to thereby secure the marker body to the base.
US07677830B1	Furniture joinery A furniture joinery comprises a slide rail having a plurality of grooves, at least one slide block slidably disposed in the slide rail, the slide block having a plurality of slides for engaging the slide rail, at least one of the plurality of slides having a neck and a head, the grooves receiving the neck therein.
US07677829B2	Inserts and reusable holder therefor Method and apparatus for providing inserts, such as lift inserts and step inserts, in cast members. The inserts have breakaway tabs mounted in receiving slots in either a reusable holder or disk-shaped member. The assembled insert and holder are inserted through a collar on the outer jacket of a mold assembly and a locking pin passes through cooperating openings in the holder and collar to retain the lift insert/holder in place during the casting operation. The disk-shaped member is fixed to a jacket of the mold assembly. The breakaway tabs break away from the insert when the cast member is separated from the mold assembly, the breakaway tabs being discarded and the holder (disk-shaped member) being reusable many times for subsequent casting operations. The slots, in one embodiment, have a locking shoulder to lock the tabs in their slots. In another embodiment, a cam surface on the tabs lock the tabs in the slots. In another embodiment, one slot and one tab differ in radial or circumferential length from the other tabs and slots to permit alignment between the slots and tabs in only one position to assure that the tabs are properly mounted in the holder.
US07677828B2	Extruding container of applying filler To enhance customer satisfaction in use of an extruding container of an applying filler, a leading tube having a discharge port (101c) is formed as a filling member (101), and the filling member (101) having a filling region (101x) filled with an applying filler (L) is inserted and attached to a leading end side of a main body side assembly (140) formed by installing a movable body (106), an engagement portion (104c, 106b) for moving the movable body (106) and a rotation preventing portion (102d, 106e), whereby the applying filler (L) can be sufficiently filled in the region (101x) between the inner side of the discharge port (101c) of the filling member (101) and the movable body (106) of the main body side assembly (140), and the applying filler (L) can be rapidly discharged at a first applying time by a user.
US07677821B2	Image processing apparatus The present invention provides an image processing apparatus which can perform image processing suitable for each image in a job as well as provides an image processing program storage medium. The image processing apparatus has an information storage section which stores processing information used for predetermined image processing in memory by associating it with front and back sides of paper each, a color conversion section which performs a color conversion process on an image based on the processing information associated by the information storage section with the front or back side on whichever the image is to be recorded, and a RIP section which converts the image data after color conversion into raster data while performing a correction process on the image data to correct image distortion.
US07677816B2	Camera terminal and imaged area adjusting device A camera terminal including an imaging zone adjusting apparatus that adjusts an imaging zone using multiple camera terminals, a camera that images a hypothetical imaging zone obtained by changing the position of an imaging zone within a specific zone in a specific period of time, an adjusting unit that adjusts the position of a hypothetical imaging zone, and a communications unit that sends/receives hypothetical imaging zone information indicating the hypothetical imaging zone. The adjusting unit adjusts the position of the hypothetical imaging zone of one's own camera terminal based on the hypothetical imaging zone of one's own camera terminal and the hypothetical imaging zones of the other camera terminals indicated by the hypothetical imaging zone information received by the communications unit so that a combined zone of the hypothetical imaging zones of the multiple camera terminals completely covers a specific imaging target zone.
US07677807B2	Hub unit for wheel A hub unit for wheel is described, with an outer ring having two bearing tracks on its inner circumferential surface, and a hub having a wheel mount flange on the outer end side and an end portion on the axially vehicle center side. The hub has a first bearing track corresponding to the axially vehicle outer end side bearing track of the outer ring, and an inner ring element fitted on the end portion side of the hub. The inner ring element has on its outer circumference a second bearing track opposed to the axially vehicle center side bearing track of the outer ring, and is fixed on the end portion by plastically deforming the end portion of the hub radially outwardly. Rolling members are provided between the two bearing tracks of the outer ring and the first and second bearing tracks.
US07677791B2	Rotary residual fuel slurrifier A rotary slurrifier of this invention comprises a pair of spinning discs, which throw a first fluid into a larger mass of second fluid in paired and flow connected impact cavities, within a counter-rotating cavity shell. The first fluid is to be largely insoluble in the second fluid. Impact of the first fluid with the larger mass of second fluid, in the impact cavities, causes atomization of the first fluid into a slurry of many small first fluid particles suspended in a continuous phase of second fluid. The final slurry flows out of the rotating cavity shell via a slowdown reaction turbine.High viscosity residual petroleum fuels and tars as first fluids can be thusly preatomized in a fuel in water slurry, and can then be cleanly and efficiently burned in small bore, high speed, diesel engines, which now require use of expensive low viscosity distillate fuels, which are in short supply.
US07677787B2	Intermeshing type twin screw extruder and mixing degree adjusting device A mixing degree adjusting device comprises a pair of spacer members arranged at a position sandwiching both round sectional portions of a pair of screws from both sides in the aligning direction of the pair of screws, and a pair of drawing members arranged as a position sandwiching both the round sectional portions from both sides in the orthogonal direction that is orthogonal to the aligning direction. The spacer members are movable between an adjusting position opposing to the round sectional portions, and a retracting position, when the screws are extracted from the barrel, for retracting to the outside until the passage of the screws is accepted. Opposing portions opposing to the round sectional portions at the time of moving to the adjusting position are formed in a substantially linear shape extending in parallel with the orthogonal direction seen from the axial direction of the screws. The drawing members are movable in the direction approaching to and retracting from the round sectional portions along the opposing portions in an area intervening between the opposing portions of both the spacer members at the time of moving to the adjusting position, and when the screws are extracted from the barrel, retractable to the outside until the passage of the screws is accepted.
US07677785B2	Backlight module and an optical slice unit support device thereof The present invention provides a backlight module and a support device for a sheet-form optical element contained within the backlight module. The backlight module mainly includes a frame, a support device and the sheet-form optical element disposed within the frame. The support device includes a support portion and a positioning portion. The support portion has a support end and a connection end. The support end extends into the space within the frame, and supports the bottom end of the sheet-form optical element. The positioning portion has a first end, a second end and a bend portion connecting the first end with the second end. The first end connects to the connection end of the support portion, and an included angle exists between the first end and the support portion. The positioning portion of the support device is inset in the frame to provide a support force for the support portion.
US07677784B2	Optical unit, backlight assembly having the same and display device having the same An optical unit includes a base, a light-condensing member disposed on the base to condense a first portion of light that is incident onto the base and protrusion members disposed on a surface of the light-condensing member to scatter a second portion of the light that is incident onto the base. A backlight assembly includes light sources, an optical unit receiving light from the light sources to condense and scatter the light, and may also include an optical member disposed over the optical unit to enhance the front luminance of the light. A display device includes light sources, an optical module and a display panel. Thus, display quality of the display device may be enhanced.
US07677782B2	LED flat lamp An LED flat lamp including a housing with a light-emitting area at the bottom thereof. The internal side thereof undergoes a reflexion treatment. At least one LED is disposed within the housing. A power connector is extended from the LED to the outside. The LED is installed on a circuit board. A light guide plate is installed at one side of the LED within the housing. The light exit side of the light guide plate is provided with a microstructure for a uniform light exit. Moreover, an optical film unit is attached to the bottom of the light guide plate such that the light-emitting area of the housing is covered with the optical film unit. The optical film unit consists of one or several brightness enhancement films and one or several diffusers. In this way, the problem of glaring light directly emitted by the prior art is resolved. The LED flat lamp in accordance with the invention can emit a non-glaring light and can be modularized into a standardized product.
US07677776B2	Lighting device for vehicle and door mirror device A lighting device for vehicle include a housing body, an outer lens provided on the housing body, a decorating wall provided between the housing body and the outer lens and a plurality of light emitting devices which are provided between the housing body and the decorating wall and disposed with intervals to each other. The decorating wall includes a plurality of light transmitting portions, each of which is disposed to face each of the plurality of light emitting devices. The light transmitting portion is disposed to set light emitted from the corresponding light emitting device within a range of a predetermined light distribution angle.
US07677773B2	Vehicle room lamp A vehicle room lamp includes a box-like body, a light source received within the box-like body, a switch provided within the box-like body so as to control the turning-on and -off of the light source, a light-transmitting portion which is provided at the box-like body at an opening thereof so as to move toward and away from the switch, and allows light from the light source to pass therethrough to the exterior of the box-like body, and an abutment member which is movable together with the light-transmitting portion, and can operate the switch in accordance with the movement of the light-transmitting portion toward the switch. The abutment member is disposed outside a light distribution range of light directed from the light source toward the light-transmitting portion.
US07677769B2	Displaying assembly for portable electronic device A displaying assembly (100) for use in a portable electronic device, includes a flexible circuit board (40), a light emitting diode (20) mounted on the flexible circuit board, and a light equalizer (10) having an optical attenuator (13) formed thereon. The light emitting diode is electrically connected to the flexible circuit board. The optical attenuator faces the light emitting diode.
US07677768B2	LED lamp having a convenient replacement structure An LED lamp for providing a relatively large luminous flux, includes a housing and a pair of LED units mounted in the housing. The two LED units are separated from each other by a clapboard set in the housing. Each LED unit includes a plate, a plurality of LED modules disposed on the plate and a cover laying on the plate and cover the LED modules. The cover forms a plurality of vents to expose LEDs of the LED modules therein. A plurality of first screws extends through the LED modules and the plate to secure them together, while a plurality of second screws extends through the plate, the cover and the housing to fix the whole LED unit to the housing. Each LED module has a printed circuit board and a plurality of LEDs on the printed circuit board.
US07677765B2	Light emitting device having a metal can package for improved heat dissipation A light emitting device having an hermetically sealed package that includes a light source positioned in a metal can container on which is placed an optically-transparent cover. An enclosed space formed by the metal can container and the optically-transparent cover may be filled with an inert, heat-conducting gas or liquid and the inner surface of the metal can container may be coated with a high-reflector material that prevents absorption of the light emitted by the light source. A method of producing a light-emitting device having an hermetically-sealed package and a method of dissipating heat from a light-emitting device having an hermetically-sealed package is also provided.
US07677764B2	Illuminating apparatus An exemplary illuminating apparatus comprises a light source holder, a linear light source and two elongated reflecting plates. The linear light source is mounted on the light source holder. The elongated reflecting plates are mounted on opposite sides of the light source holder. Each of the elongated reflecting plates is rotatable about a rotation axis relative to the light source holder.
US07677762B1	Lighting array and client attraction device A lighting array comprising a grid to be formed into multiple positions with at least two cells, at least one interconnected wall between each pair of cells, and an opening in each cell. The lighting array further comprises at least a first holding arm secured to each cell, a second holding arm secured to each cell opposite the first holding arm, a rigid housing removably insertable into each cell, at least one light supported within each rigid housing and a power supply connected to each light.
US07677761B2	Light-emitting diode stacked lighting core for lamp bulb A light-emitting diode stacked lighting core includes a core top board, a core bottom board, and vertical boards, all being circuit boards. The core top board and the vertical boards are provided with light-emitting diodes and the core bottom board is provided with a circuit that is formed of a rectifier and a voltage reduction element and having two terminals extending outward. The vertical boards form extended fitting tabs and the core top board and the core bottom board respectively form openings corresponding to the fitting tabs to receive the fitting tabs to fit therein and to be fixed thereto by means of soldering, whereby the light-emitting diodes of the core top board and the vertical boards are put in electrical connection with each other to form the lighting core that is receivable and fixed in a light-transmitting enclosure.
US07677760B2	Efficient and uniformly distributed illumination from multiple source luminaires Light projecting devices for integrating the light output from multiple light emitting quasi point sources into unified predetermined light patterns. The multiple light emitting quasi point sources (such as LEDs [Light Emitting Diodes]) are generally stacked with a common optical axis, each of the light emitting quasi point light sources further surrounded by a ring collimator designed to collect and project a radial beam of light away from the optical axis. In some embodiments, a series of individual collimators surround each of the light emitting quasi point sources and substitutions for the ring collimator forming an array of beams projected away from the optical axis. Further, either of the systems, whether incorporating a ring collimator or a series of individual collimators, may use reflecting surfaces to intercept and redirect the radiating collimated light into distribution patterns ranging from focused beams to ambient broad light distribution.
US07677757B2	Lamp holder, backlight device using the same, and display using the same A lamp holder includes a mounting portion, a lamp holding part which is connected to the mounting portion, and includes an end capable of surrounding a peripheral surface of a lamp, and is capable of being elastically opened and deformed with attaching and detaching of the lamp. The present invention also includes a recessed portion positioned at an opposed surface to the lamp in the lamp holding part and in a position between an end portion and a connecting region to a mounting portion, such that the recessed portion allows the lamp holding part to bend so that the end portion displaces in a direction to be away from the peripheral surface of the lamp.
US07677753B1	Programmable remote control electrical light operating system A control system for turning conventional AC electric window lights on and off particularly during the holiday season by means of a central, wireless remote control is herein disclosed. Specifically, the apparatus provides for the remote control of traditional, electric, window candlelight fixtures. Each lighting fixture has its own integral receiver which responds to on/off commands issued by a programmable remote control transmitter. Each lighting fixture comprises a manual switching means. The remote transmitter is also equipped with frequency learning firmware, a countdown timer, and a conventional timer to allow for the unattended operation of the window lighting fixtures.
US07677750B2	Backlight assembly and display apparatus having the same A backlight assembly includes a circuit board and a plurality of point light source groups. The plurality of point light source groups includes N point light sources that generate different respective colors and being arranged on the circuit board. Here, N is a number of point light sources. One light source group of the light source groups is rotated by an angle of predetermined degrees in a clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction with respect to another light source group that is adjacent to the one point light source group.
US07677747B2	Computer panel with light-reflecting and light-shielding member A panel assembly includes a panel (10), a mounting apparatus (50), a light-reflecting member (30) and a rotary member (70). The panel includes a light-pervious area (131) and an opaque area. The mounting apparatus is mounted in an inside of the panel. The light-reflecting member is pivotably coupled to the mounting apparatus. The light-reflecting member has an engaging member (371) and a light-pervious portion (35) for emitting light. The rotary member is rotatably attached to the mounting apparatus and accessible from an outside of the panel, and the rotary member being meshed with the engaging member of the light-reflecting member for driving the light-reflecting member to rotate between a first position where the light-pervious portion is aligned with the light-pervious area and a second position where the light-pervious portion faces toward the opaque area of the panel.
US07677736B2	Illumination light source and two-dimensional image display using same An illumination light source uses a beam to scan while a relatively small mirror, such as an MEMS mirror, is oscillated at or in the vicinity of the resonance frequency. In this instance, the scan angle is corrected with the use of a correction optical system for uniform illumination to be achieved.
US07677733B2	Method of designing a matched light guide for a stereoscopic 3D liquid crystal display A method of designing a backlight light guide for an autostereoscopic 3D display includes specifying a backlight having a light guide thickness and extractor angle and a light transmission surface having a predetermined width value and a predetermined length value. Then, the method includes selecting a plurality of design parameter value pairs, where each parameter value pairs includes a light guide thickness value and a prism angle value, and each design parameter value pair is different from each other. Then the method includes executing an ray tracing optical model on the light guide for each parameter value pair to calculate output data for each parameter value pair, the output data including a single pass light extraction efficiency value, an average minimum light angle value emitted from the second surface, and a maximum flux/minimum flux value emitted from the second surface; and selecting a parameter value pair based on the output data to manufacture the light guide for an autostereoscopic 3D display.
US07677731B2	Eye optical characteristic measuring apparatus Scattering can be measured by using an optical system having a Hartman-Shack wave-surface sensor. An eye optical characteristic measuring instrument comprises a light source unit 10 for emitting a light beam of a wavelength in the near-infrared region, an illumination optical system 40 for illuminating a small area of the retinal of an eye to be measured with the light beam from the light source unit 10, a light-receiving optical system 20 for receiving a part of the reflected beam of the light beam from the light source unit 10 reflected from the retina through a converting member for converting the part of the reflected light beam into at least substantially 17 light beams, a light-receiving section 23 for receiving the received light beam directed by the light-receiving optical system 20 and generating a signal, and a calculating unit for determining the wavefront aberration of the light beam entering the light-receiving optical system 20 and the degree of scattering of the received light beam on the basis of the signal from the light-receiving section 23.
US07677728B2	Ophthalmologic measuring apparatus A subject is placed in a more natural state or is encouraged to blink at specified intervals to obtain a measurement result under a fixed condition, and the judgment of the degree of dry eye is facilitated. A measurement part obtains, based on a reflected light flux from a subject eye, optical characteristic data of a two-dimensional vector form representing the time course of each optical characteristic of the subject eye in an blink interval from a certain blink to a next blink with respect to the first to the nth blink intervals. An analysis part one-dimensionally arranges each of the optical characteristic data with respect to the first to the nth blink intervals measured by the measurement part, and arranges the one-dimensional arrangement of the optical characteristic in a p-th blink interval at a p column to create a two-dimensional array, and performs a principal component analysis processing on the two-dimensional array.
US07677725B2	Ophthalmic lenses capable of reducing chromatic aberration A method of designing an aspheric ophthalmic lens with both refractive and diffractive powers that is capable of reducing chromatic aberration and at least one monochromatic aberration of an eye comprises combining aspherical refractive and diffractive surfaces, selecting an appropriate eye model, establishing a design lens having at least one aspheric surface with a capacity to reduce monochromatic aberration in said eye model, establishing a diffractive lens element that corrects for chromatic aberration of the model eye; and adjusting the lens surface design in order to obtain a suitably high polychromatic image quality in a form that is weighted to comply with a spectral merit function.
US07677721B2	Interchangeable decorative arrangement for spectacles A spectacle frame includes two lenses, a frame body holding said two lenses in position, and an interchangeable decorative arrangement which includes one or more personalizing elements detachably and interchangeably affixing at a personalizing portion of the frame body, wherein the personalizing element, having a shape corresponding to the personalizing portion of said frame body, forms an add-on personal decorative item to personify the frame body so as to enhance an aesthetic appearance of the spectacle frame.
US07677713B2	Solid ink set incorporating naturally derived materials and processes thereof A solid phase change ink composition that includes an ink vehicle, a colorant, and at least one naturally derived material. At least one naturally derived material is a low melt material having an onset of melting from about 45° C. to about 120° C., and a melt transition width of from about 3° C. to about 30° C. Also provided is a method for producing a solid phase change ink composition that includes selecting at least one naturally derived material, forming an ink vehicle, and adding a colorant, wherein at least one naturally derived material is a low melt material having an onset of melting of from about 45° C. to about 120° C., and a melt transition width of from about 3° C. to about 30° C. An ink jet device that includes the solid phase change ink composition described in the present disclosure is also provided.
US07677710B2	Attachment, liquid container, and liquid supply apparatus An attachment is mounted on a cartridge holder of a printer as a replacement of an ink cartridge. An ink outlet member having a link passage is separably secured to an attachment body. Ink is supplied from the exterior to the ink outlet member through an ink supply tube. When the attachment is mounted on the cartridge holder, a downstream end of the ink outlet member is positioned with respect to and connected to an ink supply needle of the printer. Accordingly, the attachment is easily and quickly installed in a liquid ejection apparatus. This reduces costs and makes it easy to use the attachment.
US07677706B2	Electrostatic actuator and fabrication method In one embodiment a method of making an electrostatic actuator includes: forming a first conductor over a first substrate to form a first structure; forming a flexible second conductor over a second substrate to form a second structure; forming an etch stop over the first conductor as part of the first structure or over the second conductor as part of the second structure; forming a spacer on the etch stop, the spacer selectively etchable with respect to the etch stop; etching the spacer through to the etch stop at a location of a gap between the first conductor and the second conductor; and bonding the first structure and the second structure together such that the first conductor is located opposite the second conductor across the gap.
US07677701B2	Micro-fluid ejection head with embedded chip on non-conventional substrate Micro-fluid ejection heads and methods for fabricating the same. One such micro-fluid ejection head includes a substrate having a plurality of fluid ejection actuator devices adjacent to a device surface thereof A valley is adjacent to the device surface of the substrate. A semiconductor chip is associated with the plurality of fluid ejection actuator devices. The chip is in the valley adjacent the device surface of the substrate. A conductive material is deposited adjacent to the device surface of the substrate. The deposited conductive material generally conforms to the valley. The conductive material is in electrical flow communication with the chip.
US07677692B2	Cradle unit for receiving a print cartridge to form a print engine Provided is a cradle unit for receiving a print cartridge to form a print engine. The cradle unit includes a main body defining an opening for receiving said cartridge, the main body having a frame structure including end plates with drive and exit rollers mounted therebetween. The cradle unit also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) pivotally mounted between the end plates for housing control electronics for controlling the operation of the print engine, and a cover assembly for securing said cartridge in the opening. The cover assembly is pivotally mounted between the end plates, with the cover assembly configured to pivot the PCB into electrical contact with a printhead controller on the cartridge when in a closed position, and to pivot the PCB out of electrical connection with said printhead controller when in an open position. Also included is a maintenance drive assembly having a motor operatively connected to a maintenance gear and maintenance actuator arrangement and to a wiper gear and wiper actuator arrangement, the maintenance drive assembly operated by the control electronics.
US07677685B2	Nozzle assembly for an inkjet printer for ejecting a low volume droplet A nozzle assembly for an inkjet printhead is disclosed. The nozzle assembly includes an inkjet nozzle having an actuator for ejecting an ink droplet from the inkjet nozzle when a resistive element of the actuator is heated by an electrical current. A drive transistor provides an energy pulse to the resistive element of the actuator, and control logic controls the drive transistor. The volume of said droplet is less than 3 pl.
US07677680B1	Drawer latch mechanism This present invention relates to a drawer latch mechanism, implementing to a drawer for removable hard drives in a server computer. The drawer latch mechanism comprises a latch member, which extends from the front edge of the drawer to the lateral edge of the drawer. The latch member is installed on the front edge of the drawer to be moved back and forth thereon. The latch member is applied to insert to a corresponding a lock hole to secure the drawer to a drawer shelf. The drawer latch mechanism further comprises a swivel member to withdraw the latch member from the lock hole.
US07677678B2	Wheelchair accommodating system A wheelchair accommodating system and method for providing an ergonomically suitable environment for users having a motor skill limitation and users without a motor skill limitation is provided. The system includes a height adjustment system, a depth adjustment system, and a tilt adjustment system that can be selectively actuated by a user to adjust the position of a platform of the system.
US07677673B2	Stimulation and recovery of heavy hydrocarbon fluids The present invention is directed to the use of electromagnetic radiation, acoustic energy, and surfactant injection to recover hydrocarbon-containing materials from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation.
US07677668B2	Vehicle seats having a back support lock assembly Vehicle seats having a back support lock assembly are disclosed. An example vehicle seat includes a seat bottom and a back support pivotally coupled to the seat bottom. The example vehicle seat also includes a lock assembly having a locking lever rotatably coupled to the back support, wherein the locking lever has an end to engage a surface of the seat bottom to lock the back support in a folded position relative to the seat bottom.
US07677656B2	Modular seat/console for a vehicle A center seat console that moves between a forward position between front seats, an intermediate position, and a rear position between rear seats is disclosed. The seat/console may function as a seat in the rear seat position, or in the intermediate position. In the intermediate position, the seat/console in the seat configuration may advantageously be used to support a child safety seat. The seat/console may also be configured as a console in either the rear seat, intermediate, or front seat positions. The seat/console is provided with an adjustable height support that permits the seat/console to be lowered to fit beneath arm rests assembled to the front seats when it is desired to place the console between the front seats.
US07677655B2	Combination seat and storage enclosure method and apparatus A seat having a back portion and a bottom portion can be inverted to form a storage enclosure, wherein the back portion forms the top of the enclosure and the bottom portion forms a side of the enclosure. Movable end panels may also be provided to secure the ends of the enclosure.
US07677653B2	Headliner retainer clip A retainer assembly for connecting a headliner panel to a support structure. A retainer clip is configured to connect the support structure to the headliner panel. A slot is defined in the support structure and configured to receive s stem portion of the retainer clip. The slot and the stem portion cooperate to define a float length and a float width, which define a range of motion over which the headliner panel is longitudinally and transversely moveable with respect to the support structure.
US07677652B2	Roof inner body structure A roof structure for a vehicle can include a tailor-welded-blank, inner roof frame. The inner roof frame can include, at least in part, an elongated, transversely extending, intermediate roof rail having a first material thickness, and a plurality of reinforced roof rails. Each of the reinforced roof rails can extend away from the intermediate roof rail in a common direction toward a remote end of the inner roof frame. Each of the reinforced roof rails can have a different material thickness than the first material thickness of the intermediate roof rail.
US07677650B2	Emblem for motor vehicle An outer part of a motor vehicle having an element and a carrier part. The emblem and carrier part are formed in one piece with the carrier part. The carrier part can take many forms such as a vehicle grille or decorative trim. The outer part can be formed using a method of injection molding and can have a variety of surface finishes.
US07677645B2	Impact protection reinforcing element and method of producing the element An impact protection reinforcing element has at least one outer surface which is conformed to the contour of a surface of at least one vehicle body part in such a way that it may be positioned with extensive contact against the body part in the area of complementary construction and connected firmly to the body part. Provision is made for the impact protection reinforcing element to be formed of a fiber/plastics composite. A method of producing the impact protection reinforcing element uses an injection molding process.
US07677641B1	Camper truck tent A Camper Truck Tent for detachably mounting on a pickup truck, consisting of front and rear mounting supports attached to the truck cargo box sidewalls, various tent poles attaching the folded out tent to the mounting supports, erecting means for folding out the tent and two beds placed inside the erected tent. When dismantled, all these components occupy minimum space. The tent itself is stored in a self-contained pouch on the cargo box floor, the mounting supports in an envelope integral with one bed and the tent poles in an envelope integral with the second bed. The stored components are close to the cargo box floor and out of sight of the truck driver. Several tent pole configurations are available: two main configurations and three alternative configurations. Front and aft erecting means keep the tent folded out. The front means is a front strap secured to the front of the truck or a cramping tent pole. The aft means are aft straps secured to the downed tailgate.
US07677640B2	Panel assembly for a vehicle A panel assembly for a vehicle door has trim panel coupled to the door and having at least a portion thereof that is spaced from the door's outboard frame. The trim panel has first and second impact areas. A plurality of energy absorbing structures is arranged in an array between the trim panel and the door frame. Each energy absorbing structure has a base end, an outboard end, and at least one sidewall. The base end is adjacent to the trim panel. The outboard end engages the vehicle door. The sidewall may include either or both of a reinforcement structure and a weakening structure that are sized and configured so that the energy absorbing structure has a predetermined range of energy absorption against the occupant during a side-impact collision. Energy absorbing structures having different energy absorption characteristics are located adjacent to the first and second impact areas.
US07677630B2	Automobile In an automobile having a seat cushion and a seat back that can be stored in a non-use position located in the upper part of a vehicle interior, the seat back can be stored in the non-use position easily even when the seat back stops at any position immediately before the non-use position thereof when the seat back is lifted up to the non-use position. A guide face is formed on a locking member. The guide face brings an engaging concave portion of the locking member into engagement with a striker while being in sliding contact with the striker when a handle arm provided on the seat back is rotated from the use position to the storage position thereof to rotate the locking member from the lock releasing position toward the locking position thereof, in a situation where the seat back stops upon reaching any position immediately before the non-use position thereof.
US07677617B2	Efficient joint for vehicle energy-absorbing device A vehicle having an energy-absorbing device mountable to a bumper of the vehicle is provided. The energy-absorbing device is attached to a vehicle rail having an inner rail surface and an edge surface. The energy-absorbing device defines a first crush surface interfacing with the inner rail surface. In a first embodiment, the energy-absorbing device defines a second crush surface positioned to directly interface with the edge surface of the vehicle rail in the event of an impact. The energy-absorbing device is configured to transmit load received from the impact directly to the edge surface of the vehicle rail through the second crush surface. This results in an efficient joint for the energy-absorbing device.
US07677616B2	Bumper absorber A bumper absorber includes an upper leg and a lower leg, each of which extends in a longitudinal direction of an automobile, and a spanning portion. The spanning portion connects the upper leg and the lower leg, and faces an outer surface side of the bumper absorber in a longitudinal direction of the automobile. Each of the upper leg and the lower leg includes a buckling inductive portion that serves as a starting point of the buckling that is caused when the spanning portion receives an impact load. The buckling inductive portion is formed as an angular transition portion in which the angle of inclination between inner side surfaces changes. The inner side surfaces mutually face between the upper leg and the lower leg that include the buckling inductive portion.
US07677614B2	Device for operating locks on doors or hatches of vehicles In a device for operating locks (16) on doors or hatches of vehicles, a fixed support (10) is a arranged on the door. A moving unit (20) is mounted (11, 12), such as to pivot on the support (10), belonging to which is at least one handle (21). Spring loading (25, 26) ensures the unoperated moving unit (20) is held in a flat rest position on the support (10). On operating the handle, the moving unit (20) must be pivoted against said spring loading, whereby the lock (16) is operated. A damping unit (30) ensures that the returning moving unit (20) pivoting action is decelerated. A reliable, economical damping unit (30) is obtained, whereby an elastic body (31) is arranged in at least one position on the moving unit (20) which extends outwards with a projection (32). On the return movement (39) into the rest position the extending projection (32) is deformed against a fixed counter-surface (40), whereupon the movement energy is largely dissipated. On reaching the rest position, the deformed projection (32) is supported against the counter-surface (40).
US07677613B2	Bimini twist knot maker A knot making device for quickly and efficiently tying a knot in a line. The device may be portable and capable of being secured to a stable surface such as a table or railing allowing for a user, such as an angler, to utilize the device while in the field. The device may comprise an extension arm having a loop holding assembly and a standing line holding assembly disposed at opposing ends of the extension arm. Both the loop holding assembly and the standing line holding assembly may further comprise a first and second tensioning member, respectively, for securely retaining the line. The device may further comprise a twist compactor element disposed along the extension arm and between the loop holding assembly and the standing line holding assembly. The twist compactor element may function to compress at least one twist present in the line while forming the knot.
US07677610B2	Connection and joint piece for well tubes The connection and joint piece (1) comprises a housing (3) and a sleeve (12), made from a multi-piece injection moulded plastic part. The sleeve (12) comprises an outer piece (14), forming an outer seal and an inner piece (15), forming an inner seal and a region with spring tongues (24, 25) and locking tabs (26, 27). The sleeve (12) is a multi-component injection moulded piece. In the assembled state the sleeve (12) is located in the central cavity (4) of the connector piece (1) and encloses one end (6) of a well tube (2).
US07677608B2	Quick connector When a retainer is mounted on or in a retainer mounting portion and is positioned at an inserting position, a pipe is inserted into the retainer mounting portion. An annular engaging projection of the pipe advances in the connector housing while spreading leg portions of the retainer outwardly. When the annular engaging projection reaches a connecting position, the retainer is automatically moved to an engaging position and snap-engages with the annular engaging projection.
US07677607B2	Adjustable fluid coupling assembly A coupling assembly including a union member having a first receiving portion with internal threads and a second receiving portion with oppositely oriented internal threads, a first coupling member (e.g., a hose adapter) having external threads that are threadingly engaged to the internal threads of the union member, and a second coupling member (e.g., an elbow fitting) having external threads that are threadingly engaged to the oppositely oriented internal threads of the union member. Upon rotation of the union member, the length and/or phase angle between the first and second coupling members changes.
US07677601B2	Patient starter kits A patient starter kit for distributing a product sample together with educational materials or additional product samples is disclosed. Integral to the kit is a one or a two-compartment packaging technique that provides pharmaceutical product samples in the same container as other patient drug information, disease state material and consumer product samples, coupons, other forms of media and/or related consumer products.
US07677594B2	Vehicle seat having a side airbag deployment strap A seat assembly for supporting an occupant in a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle. The seat assembly includes a seat back for supporting the back of the occupant. The seat back includes an airbag module, a frame, a trim cover and a plurality of straps connecting the trim cover to the frame. The airbag module has an inflatable airbag. The trim cover covers the airbag module, foam pad and frame. The trim cover has a first seam through which the airbag can deploy during operation of the airbag module. The trim cover has a second seam spaced apart from the first seam. The plurality of straps prevent stretching of the trim cover during deployment of the airbag and direct the energy associated with the deployment of the airbag toward the first seam. First and second straps of the plurality of straps each have a first end fixedly secured to the trim cover along the first seam and a second end fixedly secured to the frame. The airbag module is disposed the first and second straps. A third strap of the plurality of straps has a first end fixedly secured to the trim cover along the second seam and a second end fixedly secured to the frame.
US07677593B2	Side airbag curtain directional deployment bracket An inflatable passenger protection system for a vehicle having a structural front pillar frame member to be covered by a separate interior trim component, and a side curtain airbag to be positioned in a stowed condition between the front pillar frame member and the interior trim component, the interior trim component having at least a portion movable between a covered position enclosing the side curtain airbag in the stowed condition and an opened position in response to inflation of the side curtain airbag to the deployed condition, includes an extruded support bracket extending between the front pillar frame member and the interior trim component. The bracket has a primary attachment point and a secondary attachment point for supporting the interior trim component.
US07677587B2	Trailer and hitch mechanism for a robot A trailer and hitch system for a mobile robot. The trailer includes a front Ackerman steering linkage, a releasable locking mechanism for releasably positioning the Ackerman steering linkage in a turned position to arrest the trailer, a tow bar extending upwardly from the Ackerman steering linkage and terminating in a lunette ring, and spaced skid members extending downwardly and rearwardly. The mobile robot includes a hitch assembly for the lunette ring. The hitch assembly has a frame including a slot for the lunette ring and a guide portion for guiding the lunette ring into the slot, a latch pivotable with respect to the frame and biased to close the slot, and a decoupling mechanism configured to move the latch to release the lunette ring from the slot. A robot arm is maneuverable to engage the decoupling mechanism.
US07677578B2	Seal structure A seal structure includes a first member including a first joint surface and a flat third joint surface; a second member including a second joint surface joined with the first joint surface, a flat fourth joint surface; and a third member including a fifth joint surface joined, through a liquid seal, with the flat third and fourth joint surfaces. At least the second member includes a recessed portion. The fifth joint surface includes a flat region and a chamfered region which is recessed from the flat region and which confronts the recessed portion.
US07677574B1	Random chance device for use in a game where cards are drawn during play A game assembly and method of adding additional randomness to a game that uses a deck of cards during play. The deck of cards contains event cards that cause players to perform certain actions if drawn during the play of the game. A random selection device is provided. The random selection device utilizes indicia that correspond to the event cards and/or some new event activity. The random selection device embodies a means to randomly select a single indicia from the plurality of indicia being used. At least one card is added to the deck of cards that indicates that the selection device is to be used. Accordingly, when the card is drawn, the random selection device is utilized. The game is played as if the card indicated by the random selection device had been drawn from the deck of cards.
US07677571B2	Game apparatus A game apparatus is disclosed. The game apparatus comprises a rotatable wheel having a display surface divided into fifty-four concentric areas including indicia of fifty-two standard playing cards and indicia of two joker playing cars with stopping pegs disposed between each of the indicia of fifty-two standard playing cars and the indicia of two joker playing cards. The rotatable wheel is rotatably mountable to a stationary wheel having at least three tangs. the game apparatus also comprises a horizontal playing surface used in conjunction with the rotatable wheel. The horizontal playing surface has a main playing area divided into six columns of nine plots including indicia of fifty-two playing cards and indicia of two joker playing cards and a plurality of vetting areas disposed on at least three borders of the main playing area.
US07677569B2	Stock car racing card game A card game simulative of automobile track racing comprises a deck of cards having several categories of cards, including lap cards, offensive pit cards, defensive pit cards, sponsor cards, and a draft card, a die for determining a track condition for each round of play, and a method for keeping score to determine the order of finish for each player. The rules of the game closely simulate auto track racing with each player utilizing the cards in a strategic manner based upon certain track conditions and that approximates the strategic decisions an actual auto track racer makes during a race.
US07677562B2	Recording medium transport device, recording device, and liquid ejecting apparatus A paper guide up unit pivotally supporting a transport driven roller making contact with a transport driving roller is provided so as to be able to be displaced by the rotation of cams. The angle α made by a straight line passing the rotation axis line position of the transport driving roller and the rotation axis line position of the transport driven roller when viewed from the paper transport pathway side and a straight perpendicular to the paper transport direction is changed by the displacement of the paper guide up unit. Control means for controlling the displacement operation of the paper guide up unit reduces the angle α before the paper back end is passed through the nip point of the transport driving roller and the transport driven roller.
US07677561B2	Transport roller, transport mechanism, and image forming apparatus A transport roller is provided in a transport path in order to transport paper, the transport roller transporting the paper downstream in the transport path by making contact with the paper, and At least one contact portion that makes contact with the paper is provided in the transport roller. The contact portion is deformable in a direction that releases pressing force received from the paper when transporting the paper.
US07677557B2	Sheet discharging apparatus and image forming apparatus The sheet discharging apparatus for discharging sheets to a stacking portion by a discharging portion, including an opening/closing member openable and closable with respect to a main body of the apparatus; a lever member rotatably provided on the opening/closing member above the stacking portion and capable of taking a suspended posture by an own weight of the lever member in a position where the opening/closing member is closed; and a delay mechanism which delays a rotation of the lever member toward the suspended posture caused by the own weight of the lever member, when the opening/closing member is shifted from an open position to a closed position. It can be prevented from being caught by the sheet when the upper cover is opened and closed.
US07677556B2	Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus A holding member is rotatably axially supported to the apparatus main body, holds the sheet feeding unit to a rotational edge, and moves the sheet feeding unit to one of a sheet feeding position and a standby position and a gear train. By transferring the rotation of the opening/closing operation of the feed tray to the holding member through the gear train so that the sheet feeding unit is moved along with the opening/closing operation of the feed tray.
US07677554B2	Recording medium transfer apparatus A recording medium transfer apparatus includes a motor control unit for controlling the motor to rotate at higher speed when the recording medium is fed to the liquid ejection area than that when the recording medium is discharged out of the liquid ejection area, and a feed control unit for controlling a next recording medium to be fed simultaneously with discharge of the recording medium, if a position of a rear end of the recording medium when recording or printing has been finished is situated upstream of a predetermined position, which is upstream of the discharge roller as much as a distance between a feed start position of the recording medium and the liquid ejection area, whereas controlling the next recording medium to start to be fed after discharge of the recording medium has been finished, if the position of the rear end of the recording medium when recording or printing has been finished is situated downstream of the predetermined position.
US07677547B2	Apparatus and method for separating flat items from stacks A holder of an apparatus for individually separating flat items from stacks comprises a first separating structure for individually separating outer flat items from one of the stacks at one end of the holder and a second separating structure for individually separating outer flat items from another stack at the opposite end of the holder. At least one urging member is at least partially positioned between the two separating structures for urging at least one of the stacks in the holder towards one end of the holder. A method for separating flat items from two stacks in a holder is also described.
US07677546B2	Validator with recycling cassette and stacker A banknote acceptor and dispenser uses a stacked configuration of the validator the banknote accumulator and dispenser and the banknote cassette. The banknote path is relatively short to avoid bill misalignment by providing the banknote accumulator and dispenser in the intermediary position.
US07677544B2	Booklet-loading device, post-treatment device and image-forming system A booklet-loading device includes: a carry-out unit that conveys plural of booklets sequentially; and a transfer unit that transfers the plural of booklets sequentially conveyed from the carry-out unit, and arranges the plural of booklets in a partly overlapped state; a loaded unit that is loaded with the booklets transferred by the transfer unit; and a transfer control unit that controls a transfer amount per booklet in the transfer unit to a transfer amount depending on a quantity of booklets loaded on the loaded unit.
US07677534B2	Decorative fencing system A decorative fencing system is provided for use as a small fence or decorative accent for a yard. The fencing system comprises several different structural components that may be joined in various combinations so as to create a limitless number of different configurations or arrangements. The components include base units, decorative end units and gate units, each of which may be attached to the other components in any combination thereof. Each of these components are attached to post sections which are inserted through post rings or post hinges on the individual components to thereby allow for each component to be rotated to the desired position relative to the post section. The post sections are secured to the ground by means of stakes that are first driven into the ground and the post section is then inserted into a sleeve in the stake to thereby provide support and stability for the fencing system. A separate and smaller pin is provided on the end units to anchor these components to the ground.
US07677529B2	Electromechanical oxygen valve and regulator An electromechanical valve assembly for controlling oxygen flow from a compressed oxygen source in an aircraft includes: a valve housing, an inlet, an outlet, a passageway allowing flow of oxygen from the inlet to the outlet, a spring-biased conical poppet movable within the passageway; a spring-biased pressure regulating piston engagable with the conical poppet to maintain it in an open position, a push rod engagable with the conical poppet to maintain it in a closed position, and a movable seat in the passageway that engages the conical poppet to regulate gas flow through the passageway. Actuation of an electric motor assembly to cause the seat to move upward results in closing of the valve assembly and shutting off of the oxygen flow. Actuation of the motor assembly to cause the seat to move downward results in opening of the valve assembly and regulation of the oxygen flow.
US07677526B2	Mechanical override for a valve actuator An apparatus and method for manual operation of an actuator is disclosed. A mechanical override includes a housing coupled to the actuator, a drive ring, and a shaft extending through a bore of the housing. The drive ring rotationally keys to the bore such that the drive ring is capable of axial movement within the bore in response to automatic operation of the actuator. A backstop limits axial movement of the drive ring during manual operation. A thread located on an external portion of the shaft threads to the drive ring. In the manual operation, the shaft rotates through the drive ring imparting axial movement to the shaft capable of moving a valve between a first position and a second position. The override provides visual indication of the valve position during both automatic and manual operation. The backstop may be an insert that selectively permits movement of the shaft to a failsafe position in response to a temperature or pressure change.
US07677525B2	Vegetation attachment device A vegetation attachment device for supporting plant limbs is used in combination with an overhead support member, such as the horizontal support wire of a trellis system used to support grape vines. Embodiments of the device generally comprise an attachment hook configured to engage the overhead support wire, a closing hook, a catch member for engaging the closing hook, a deformable limb containment structure, and biasing means for maintaining the engagement of the closing hook to the catch member. The deformable limb containment structure deforms to accommodate limited lateral deflection or growth in the vine or plant limb. Embodiments of the disclosed apparatus may be used instead of currently known devices, such as wire ties, for supporting vines and branches.
US07677515B2	Arm apparatus with reinforcement An extension arm apparatus is provided for mounting devices such as flat panel monitors above a workspace. The apparatus includes upper and lower channels connected to a pair of endcaps. One endcap may connect to the workspace and the other endcap may connect to an extension arm or the to device to be mounted. At least one of the channels includes a reinforcement structure providing additional support to the apparatus. The reinforcement structure is tapered. A forearm extension may also include a reinforcement structure. The endcaps may have interior spacers that provide clearance for the sidewalls of the channels, which may be fabricated without parting lines.
US07677513B1	Spiral/coil wrap stand Coil/helix shaped stands and methods of using and installing the stands that can be wrapped about elongated supports. The stands can have looped holders for supporting objects such as planters and pots, off ground level. The looped holders can be adjustable so as to remain level with different size diameter elongated supports. The stands can be aesthetically pleasing and attractive and be easy to assembly and mount. The stands are easily removable. Additionally, the coil stands can support other objects such as tables, flagpoles and umbrellas.
US07677512B1	Mounting bracket for electrical outlet and low voltage units A rough-in bracket is provided consisting of a border with a central opening sized to fit one or more receptacles and one or more low voltage units. The bracket has a snap-off alignment bar to properly align the receptacle. Rearward protruding wiring flanges provides support for low voltage wires and cabling. Another embodiment has a removable via plastic nubs alignment tool snapped on and is snapped into the mounted receptacle to allow the border to be screwed into the stud. Then the alignment tool is removed. Screw in bases in the forward flange of the border provide a mount for a low voltage unit, whereby a single plastic cover can esthetically cover both the receptacle and the low voltage unit.
US07677481B2	Device for electrostatically projecting a coating material and a method for controlling power supply to voltage increasing of said device The inventive device for electrostatically projecting a coating product comprises a spray gun provided with voltage increasing means for producing a high direct voltage for a product electrostatic charge, wherein said spray gun is provided with a controllable valve for controlling an atomizing air flow inside the spray gun in the direction to a spraying head. A pressure sensor integrated into the spray gun is used for detecting the atomizing air pressure (P) representative value downstream of the valve and for delivering a signal (S1) for controlling the power supply of the voltage increasing means. Said invention makes it possible to control the power supply of the voltage increasing means according, in particular, to the signal (S1) received from the sensor.
US07677480B2	Enclosures for fluidic oscillators For those spray applications that use a fluidic oscillator of the type that generates a spray by having a pressurized liquid flow through the oscillator and exhaust into a surrounding environment, and where such an oscillator has a boundary surface which has fabricated into it a channel in the form of what is referred to herein as fluidic circuit, an improved enclosure for this oscillator includes: a body having an interior and an exterior surface, wherein a portion of this interior surface is configured to attach to the oscillator boundary surface so as to form with the oscillator's channel an enclosed pathway through which the to-be-sprayed liquid may flow, and wherein a segment of this interior surface is configured so as to yield specified properties of the resulting spray.
US07677462B2	Method of reducing electro-static discharge (ESD) from conductors on insulators A non-conductive carrier having a conductive component comprising a plurality of sections to disrupt the conductive component's conductive path. Each section is isolated from other sections such that a charge accumulated in one section cannot combine with the charge accumulated in another section, thereby minimizing any potential electrostatic discharge from the carrier.
US07677459B2	Dual-sided smart card reader A dual-sided smart card reader, and method for operating the same, is disclosed. The dual-sided smart card reader permits the simultaneous insertion of at least two different smart cards from opposing sides. The dual-sided smart card reader may additionally include a biometric verification device, such as a fingerprint scanner, for comparing biometric information from an operator of the reader to biometric information stored on a smart card. Also, the dual-sided smart card reader may additionally include a pulse monitor, such as a sensor, to detect a pulse of an operator of the reader.
US07677457B2	System and method for decoding a barcode Described is a method and system for barcode decoding. The method comprises receiving an input signal corresponding to a reflection of light from a bar code. The input signal is divided into a predetermined number of segments. Each segment includes a plurality of samples. Each of the segments is represented using at least one of the samples therefrom. At least one sample from each segment is analyzed to determine a location the bar code within the input signal.
US07677456B2	Information reader, object, information processing apparatus, information communicating system, information reading method, and program An information reader includes an object reading unit for reading an image of an object and obtaining the image as image data, an object data obtaining unit for analyzing the image data and obtaining object data as data contained in the object itself, a state data obtaining unit for obtaining state data indicating a state of the object during object image reading operation to read an image of the object, and an identifying unit for identifying predetermined processing by using as identification data the object data and at least one of the state data. The information which is obtained when an object is shot and which is meaningless in the conventional techniques can be effectively used. Therefore, the quantity of overall information can be increased without adding new hardware to the information reader.
US07677453B2	System and method for purchasing game and lottery tickets A system and method for buying tickets for games or lotteries in which a seller receives predicted game or lottery outcome data communicated from a buyer over a communication path. The seller generates a printed ticket based on the received outcome data and the seller transfers the printed ticket to a custodian that holds the printed ticket on behalf of the buyer. The custodian transmits data relating to the printed ticket to the buyer over the communication path and notifies the buyer if the printed ticket corresponds to an actual game or lottery outcome.
US07677452B2	Method and system for providing signatures for machines A method for identifying a machine and/or machine component includes storing an algorithm for generating a machine signature value associated with the machine and/or machine component. The method also includes receiving a first set of machine data from the machine and/or machine component. The machine data reflects at least one operational characteristic of the machine and/or machine component. The method also includes generating, using the algorithm, a first machine signature value based on the first set of machine data, storing the first machine signature value, and accessing the stored first machine signature value to verify the identity of the machine and/or machine component.
US07677444B2	Cash accepting automated banking machine having user interface illumination devices A banking system controlled by data bearing records. The system includes an automated banking machine (10) including a card reader (16) operative to read identifying data from user cards. The identifying data is used authorize operation of the automated banking machine. The banking machine includes a user interface (15). The user interface includes a card reader, receipt printer opening (30), cash dispensing opening (38), and deposit accepting opening (40). Multicolor light emitting devices (17, 31, 41, 43) are adjacent to and associated with a respective location where a user interacts with a particular transaction function device of the machine. One or more machine controllers (64) are selective to control the output color and duration of each light emitting device responsive to programming associated with the controller and an operative condition of the associated transaction function device.
US07677437B2	Methods for determining operational settings and related devices The present invention relates to a method, applied in a mobile device, for determining operational settings of the device. Country information is retrieved on the device. An operational setting of a function, such as an output signal format, is automatically determined based on the country information.
US07677436B2	Presence system and method for presence management A presence server stores a presence that is identified by presence IDs “a1” and “a2”, as the presence of a user “A”. User “A” can pass a card that they hold through a card reader at a timing of their choosing. The card reader reads in data from the card and transmits a renewal request to the presence server. The renewal request includes a renewer ID, an object ID, category information and the presence. When the presence server receives the renewal request, it specifies the presence ID “a1” of user “A” to be the presence that is to be renewed, based on the category information, and moreover, rewrites the presence of the presence ID “a1” to a presence “meeting room A” that is included in the renewal request. Thus, the card reader can renew the presence designated by the “category information”. As for the presence that is renewed, it is notified to a watcher of the presence “a1” from the presence server.
US07677430B2	Cold-pressure welding method and metal product welded by the method A welded metal product includes a first metal plate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface; and a second metal plate being cold-pressure welded with the second surface of the first metal plate by directly pressing the first metal plate with the die. The first surface has a recess portion which is deformed by directly pressing with a die. A hardness of the first metal plate is greater than a hardness of the second metal plate.
US07677429B2	Concave face wire bond capillary and method An improved wire bonding capillary used in the bonding of wires to the bond pads of a semiconductor device and the leads of a lead frame, the wire bonding capillary having a working tip having a working surface including a flat annular portion surrounding the wire feed aperture in the capillary and a concave surface extending therefrom to the intersection with the radius extending from the external tip diameter of the working tip.
US07677411B2	Apparatus, systems and related methods for processing, dispensing and/or evaluatingl dry powders Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably process dry powders using a non-linear vibratory signal individualized or customized to a target dry powder undergoing processing to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel.
US07677401B2	Load monitoring and control system with selective boom-up lockout A method is disclosed for controlling a crane which comprises a boom that may be raised or lowered by angular adjustment of the boom about a base portion of the crane. The method prevents operation of the crane in an undesired condition by continuously monitoring operation of the crane, including monitoring at least the position of the boom with respect to the base of the crane. If the crane approaches a limit of its operating range or any operational parameter, its operation will be controlled so as to selectively prohibit or permit a boom raising operation of the crane, depending on the cause of the condition, rather than uniformly prohibit such an operation.
US07677398B2	Process for improving membranes The invention provides a process for improving the antifouling properties and for increasing the selectivity of commercial composite polyamide nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes comprising circulating a low concentration of water soluble monomers and an initiating redox couple in an aqueous solvent, without transverse pressure over the surface of the membrane thereby effecting a free-radical graft polymerization on the surface of the membrane.
US07677397B2	Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus Discloses a mined ore processing apparatus to process mined ores, such as oil sands ore, into granular material. An ore processor bed receives the ore to be processed. The ore processor bed has a frame supporting several rotating elements each separately driven to provide independent rotation rate and direction from the other. The ore processing bed is operable as a sizing device to decimate mined ore supply into granular material and separating it from rocks and other large lump mineral materials found in situ. The ore processing bed may be oriented to provide an upward inclination, which, when combined with alternating rotating element rotation directions, provides a crushing action to the ore material to crush larger rock. Alternately, a rock crusher is also provided to disintegrate oversized materials.
US07677387B2	Carrier for containers A carrier for holding a plurality of containers. The carrier has panels that extend at least partially around an interior of the carrier. The panels comprise at least one bottom panel, a front panel, a back panel, and at least two side panels. A divider flap is foldably attached to the back panel and the front panel. The side panels, the back panel, the divider flap, and the front panel are arranged to at least partially define at least two container-receiving spaces of the interior.
US07677385B2	Pre-scraper for a conveyor belt A cleaning device for a conveyor belt for installation essentially transverse to the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt. The cleaning device comprises a supporting structure (3) adapted to hold the cleaning device in place transverse to the conveyor belt (2), the cleaning device covering essentially the whole width of the conveyor belt (2) and consisting of a plurality of individual scraper segments (1′), each of which consists of a body having a scraping face (4), which scraping face (4) rests against the conveyor belt (2). The scraping face (4) on each of the segments (1′) is elastically connected to the supporting structure (3), the number of segments (1′) is relatively great and all the segments are covered by a flexible material.
US07677379B2	Optical sensing device for detecting optical features of valuable papers An optical sensing device for detecting plural optical features of valuable papers is provided that comprises first and second photocoupers 5 and 6 or 9 and 10 positioned in the vicinity of and on the opposite sides of a passageway 13 for guiding the valuable paper 64. Each of first and second photocouplers 5 and 6 or 9 and 10 has a light emitting element 20, 22, 30, 32 for emitting a light, and a light receiving element 21, 23, 31, 33 for selectively receiving the light from the light emitting element 20 so that each light receiving element 21, 23, 31, 33 can receive lights reflected on and penetrating the valuable paper 64 for detection of multiple optical features from the valuable paper 64. Thus, the optical sensing device can derive plural optical scanning patterns by means of less number of light emitting and receiving elements to improve accuracy in valuable paper validation; can pick out optical patterns for different colors printed on valuable paper by means of plural lights of different wavelength irradiated on a same scan line or area on valuable paper; and can utilize inexpensive light emitting and receiving elements to reduce cost for manufacture.
US07677376B2	Electromagnetic friction engaged clutch, method for the operation thereof, and use thereof in a drive train for automatically actuating a vehicle door or a vehicle flap An electromagnetic frictionally engaged clutch provided with a rotor part including a friction lining. An electrical coil and a first permanent magnet are arranged on the rotor part. The clutch also includes an armature disk which is connected to a second shaft and can be displaced in a rotationally fixed manner, but axially from a coupled end position to an uncoupled end position. The coil of the clutch is enabled to be current-free both in the coupled state and in the uncoupled state. To this end, a second permanent magnet is provided for exerting an axial force opposing the magnetic force of the first permanent magnet on the armature disk.
US07677368B2	Apparatus for controlling the coning in a brake rotor An apparatus for controlling the coning in a brake rotor in which the brake rotor comprises a central rotor portion, a first set of mounting members connected to the central rotor portion and an inboard friction section and a second set of mounting members connected to the central rotor portion and an outboard friction section where the inboard and outboard friction sections are connected by a plurality of air directing structures. A channel comprising the first set of mounting members, the second set of mounting member and the plurality of air directing structures is provided.
US07677367B2	Electric brake In an electric brake of the present invention, a plunger of an actuator is connected through a pin to a pivot arm to which an engaging pawl engageable with a tooth portion of a ratchet is pivotably attached. A lower surface (a force-receiving portion) of the pin is adapted to receive an upward force which is applied by a tool inserted through a bolt hole threadably engaged with a watertight bolt. When the parking brake is operated (the engaging pawl is engaged with the tooth portion of the ratchet), if supply of current to the coil becomes impossible, the pin is moved upward by means of the tool, to thereby separate the engaging pawl from the tooth portion. Therefore, an emergency action to release the parking brake can be manually conducted.
US07677352B2	Method for steering a vehicle by means of a superimposed steering system A process for steering a motor vehicle having a superimposition steering system, in which a steering angle input by the driver and an additional angle (supplemental angle) are detected, and in which the steering angle input can be superimposed with the supplemental steering angle in accordance with additional values, particularly driving dynamic values, by a superimposition actuator, such as an electrical motor, and can be superimposed by a superimposition gear in order to adjust a resulting steering angle. A value for a gear input angle of the superimposition gear is determined in accordance with the resulting steering angle of the steering system and in accordance with a value that is directly dependent on the supplemental steering angle or describes the supplemental steering angle.
US07677351B2	Electrohydraulic steering system An electrohydraulic steering system includes a steering unit, triggerable via a user control element, for supplying a steering motor with pressure fluid. As a function of the actuation of the user control element or as a function of an external signal, the steering motor can be supplied with an additional quantity of pressure fluid via a steering valve. A blocking valve is located in the flow path of the additional pressure fluid and can be put in a blocking position in order to block the flow path of the additional pressure fluid to the steering motor.
US07677347B2	Adjustable shock A motorcycle shock system has a shock body formed at least partially of aluminum and an air compressor that provides pressurized air to the shock body when necessary. A piston held within the shock body defines a rear air chamber and a forward air chamber on the opposite side of the piston. Four electrically controlled air valves include a first air valve that when actuated opens a passage to allow air to flow into the forward chamber, a second air valve that when actuated opens a passage to allow air to flow out of the forward chamber to the atmosphere, a third air valve that when actuated opens a passage to allow air to flow out of the rear air chamber, and a fourth air valve that when actuated opens a passage to allow air to flow into the rear air chamber.
US07677336B2	Portable drilling device A portable drilling device for use in horizontal boring through a substrate beneath an impediment includes a motor mounted on an inclined stabilizer bar. The inclined stabilizer bar includes a handle for use by the operator of the drilling unit which allows the operator to guide the unit during operation. A shaft is operatively mounted on the motor and is rotatably carried by the stabilizer bar. The shaft is in turn attached to an auger which is rotatably carried within a bearing housing assembly that is attached to the inclined stabilizer bar at a predetermined angle. A skid shoe is mounted underneath the shaft-auger attachment point and is attached to both the housing and the inclined stabilizer bar, whereby, when the motor is engaged the shaft and the auger are rotated in order to bore a horizontal opening through the substrate beneath an impediment such as a sidewalk or driveway.
US07677316B2	Localized fracturing system and method A method and apparatus useful for fracturing subterranean formations with ultra high fluid pressure. The apparatus is capable of producing isolated pressure in a formation surrounding a primary wellbore, sufficient pressure is included within the formation for creating a fracture at the edge of the perforation. The apparatus is comprised of a motor, pump, and nozzle, where the entire apparatus can be disposed within the borehole. The apparatus can be conveyed within the borehole via wireline, coil tubing, slickline, or other tubing. Alternatively, a drill bit can be included for creating the perforation just prior to the fracturing procedure.
US07677315B2	Degradable surfactants and methods for use The present invention provides a method of generating an acid downhole that comprise providing a degradable surfactant; introducing the degradable surfactant into a well bore that penetrates a subterranean formation; and allowing at least a portion of the degradable surfactant to degrade, thereby releasing an acid. Also provided are methods of degrading an acid-soluble component present within a subterranean formation, and methods of reducing the viscosity of a viscosified treatment fluid.
US07677299B2	Nearly isothermal heat pipe heat sink A nearly isothermal heat pipe heat sink is provided. The heat sink includes a flat heat pipe connected to one or more flat vapor chambers using a conduit and a heat pipe. The connected flat heat pipe and the flat vapor chambers form a common vapor domain. Fins are attached on the outer surfaces of the flat heat pipe and the flat vapor chambers. Various capillary structures are also provided for fabricating flat heat pipes. A panelized welding process is further provided for fabricating flat heat pipes or flat vapor chambers. The panelized welding process uses either friction stir welding (FSW) or plasma beam welding to transversely join the panels that form the flat heat pipes or the flat vapor chambers.
US07677298B2	Jointing structure of a heat dissipating fin A jointing structure of a heat dissipating fin, disposed on an upper level edge and a lower level edge of each fin body of the heat dissipating fin, comprises at least one hole or more on each of the level edges, at least one lock tab or more on the fin body of the heat dissipating fin corresponding to the hole, and the lock tab is formed by directly folding the fin body instead of extendingly disposed from the upper and lower level edges. More than one protrusion is disposed on each of the lock tabs. The protrusions on the lock tabs of the upper and lower level edges in a previous fin body are coupled into the corresponding holes of the upper and lower level edges in a next fin body, so as to join multiple heat dissipating fins integrally and stably.
US07677296B2	Precision cast dental instrument An endodontic file (200) is provided particularly adapted for the removal of tooth structure, decayed or damaged nerve tissues or dentine material on the interior walls of a root canal or dentine and/or enamel from the external tooth wall. The endodontic instrument includes a shaft (202) having a shank portion (204) and a generally elongated working portion (206). The working portion preferably includes cutting or abrading features (232) adapted upon rotation and/or reciprocation of the instrument to cut, abrade or remove tissue from the interior walls of a root canal or dentine and/or enamel from the external tooth wall. The working portion extends from a proximal end (207) adjacent the shank portion to a distal end (208) terminating at a tip (250). The entire instrument and/or at least the working portion thereof is formed of an amorphous or essentially amorphous material having no or essentially no detectable crystalline structure and/or from a nanocrystalline material having an average crystalline grain size less than about 1 μm. The instrument may be formed by conventional grinding operations or by direct casting, forging or molding, in a manner producing an integral as-molded instrument having one or more sharp cutting edges. The instrument is inexpensive to manufacture and exhibits improved cutting-edge sharpness, wear resistance, lubriciousness and resistance to breakage.
US07677294B2	End mounting for supporting a roller An end mounting for supporting the roller of a cover for an architectural opening, the end mounting including a main body of substantially constant cross-section extending axially from a proximal end for mounting adjacent an architectural opening to a distal end for insertion into an end opening of a roller. A slider is mounted in the main body at an axial location towards the proximal end of the main body and is movable between a retracted position wholly within the cross-section of the main body and an extended position in which at least part of the slider protrudes outside the cross-section of the main body. With the slider in the retracted position, substantially all of the main body can be inserted into the end opening of the roller and, with the slider in the extended position, the main body is prevented by the slider from being inserted into the end opening of the roller beyond the slider.
US07677292B1	Hand-held/portable tire demounting machine A tool for pulling a first and second tire bead off of a wheel assembly. The tool is inserted between the bead to be removed and the rim edge, and engages the bead to be removed with a grappling structure and pulls the bead over the rim edge by a linear drive assembly disposed inside a tubular structure affixed to the grappling structure. Simultaneously an angled stay is positioned on the rim which is pressed in an opposite direction of the pulling motion. A second embodiment pulls the rim from a second bead of a tire. A hook is inserted between the rim edge and the second tire bead and hooks onto the lower rim edge. A linear drive assembly provides a pulling motion to pull the rim over the second bead, while a push plate simultaneously pushes the tire side wall in an opposite direction from the pulling motion.
US07677290B2	Cleaning device for a preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine The present invention relates to a cleaning device (5) to be used in a preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), comprising two filtering elements (11, 13) arranged such that a band (21) of tows supported by two plates (15, 17) joined with adjustable clamping means (29) for said filtering elements (11, 13) and means of fixing/separating them to/from said machine, circulates between them. The invention also relates to a preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine with at least one cleaning device (5).
US07677286B2	Tire/wheel assembly and run-flat core The present invention provides a tire/wheel assembly and a run-flat core, which enable reduction of a cavity resonance generated in a case where the run-flat core is inserted into a cavity formed between the pneumatic tire and a rim of a wheel. In the tire/wheel assembly of the present invention, the run-flat core is inserted into a cavity formed between the pneumatic tire and the rim of the wheel, the run-flat core includes a pair of elastic rings which are disposed on the rim respectively along bead portions of the pneumatic tire, and a circular shell which stretches between the elastic rings and extends in the tire circumferential direction. A sound absorbing member is provided to the circular shell.
US07677283B2	Workbench accessory An apparatus that offers a simple method for using tools on a workbench without permanently mounting or positioning all of them at one time. The apparatus consists of a two individual interlocking components. There is a rectangular shaped metal base plate milled on the top, which allows for easy mounting of most bench tools to the base plate. A tool mounting plate is attached, one per tool, to the bottom of the tool in a predetermined manner enabling the user to change tools when needed without losing time changing the mounting plate. The tool mounting plate is designed with overhanging side edges that interlock with the base plate onto which it slides. The base plate is designed so that the protruding outer edges permit the tool mount to slide onto and into the base plate for secure positioning of the two plates together. The base plate is bolted to the worktable. A cam lock arrangement is used to hold the mounting plates securely in place until ready for removal.
US07677279B2	Delimb knife mounting arrangement for tree harvester head A tree harvester head comprises a drive wheel, a delimb knife, a pin, a wheel-mounting inner sleeve to which the drive wheel is mounted, and a knife-mounting outer sleeve to which the delimb knife is mounted. The wheel-mounting inner sleeve surrounds the pin for rotation of the wheel-mounting inner sleeve and the drive wheel mounted thereto about the pin. The knife-mounting outer sleeve surrounds the wheel-mounting inner sleeve for relative rotation therebetween for rotation of the delimb knife about the pin.
US07677276B2	Funnel with an elastic engaging opening A funnel includes a funnel body, and a narrow stem portion connected to a lower portion of the funnel body, with a half-closed damper having an elastic engaging opening being formed on a top of the funnel body. Alternatively, the funnel includes a funnel body and a narrow stem portion connected to a lower portion of the funnel body, with an elastic engaging opening and a half-opened baffle being formed at an upper portion of the funnel body at two opposite positions. In the latter case, the elastic engaging opening includes two inward curved clamping arms, and a vertical slit is formed between the two clamping arms to downward extend to the funnel body. With the elastic engaging opening, the funnel can be used with liquid containers having differently sized spouts. And, with the half-closed damper or the half-opened baffle, liquid being poured into the funnel is prevented from spilling.
US07677272B2	Insulator apparatus for vacuum insulated tubing An insulating apparatus for use with vacuum insulated tubing sting to reduce heat loss through the joints, where the apparatus includes an insulator adapted to surround the joint and a latching joint protector adapted to surround the insulator and hold the insulator against the joint, where the protector also includes a channel for receiving injection and/or control tubing. The insulator is capable of reducing heat loss through the joints of a vacuum insulated tubing string by as much as 95%.
US07677268B2	Fluid distribution system for a swimming pool cleaning apparatus A fluid distribution system for controlling the operation of a swimming pool cleaning device includes a housing having an inlet for receiving a supply of pressurized fluid, a plurality of outlet openings and a valve chamber between the inlet and outlet openings. The housing has at least one compound cylinder having two portions with different bore diameters for slideably accommodating therein a mating stepped piston. Each portion of the compound cylinder fluidly communicates with pressurized water in the valve chamber via associated fluid pathways. The larger cylinder is vented by a relief valve actuated by a fluid driven cam that periodically opens and closes the relief valve. When the relief valve is closed, the pressure within the large cylinder pushes the piston to a first position which effects the opened/closed status of a port, e.g., allowing one of the outlets to communicate with the pressurized water in the valve chamber. When the relief valve is opened, the pressure within the larger cylinder is reduced, allowing the pressure in the smaller cylinder to push the piston to a second position which effects the opened/closed status of the port and/or opens another port to allow the pressurized fluid to be discharged through another outlet.
US07677250B2	Hemorrhoid treatment device The present application is directed to an adjustable seat having a hard, firm surface designed to treat hemorrhoids. The hard, firm surface of the seat is designed to place positive pressure on the area surrounding a hemorrhoid so as to develop a negative pressure within the body which causes the body to draw the hemorrhoids back up into the body. Many seats on the market today for hemorrhoids are designed simply to alleviate the symptoms that are associated with hemorrhoids and not treat the condition. In contrast to the seat of the present invention, these seats are usually soft cushioned seats designed to support hemorrhoids that protrudes from the anus or the surrounding area so as to reduce discomfort.
US07677247B2	Safety system and method of an underground mine A breathable air safety system and method having at least one fill site is disclosed. In one aspect, a method of safety of a mine structure is disclosed. A prescribed pressure of an emergency support system is ensured to be within a threshold range of the prescribed pressure by including a valve of the emergency support system to prevent leakage of breathable air from the emergency support system. The prescribed pressure of the emergency support system is designated based on an authority agency that specifies a pressure rating of the breathable air apparatus. An air extraction process is expedited from the emergency support system by including a RIC (rapid interventions company/crew)/UAC (universal air connection) fitting to a fill panel to fill a breathable air apparatus.
US07677245B2	Helmet for artificial respiration A helmet for artificial respiration without the aid of tracheal tubes comprises a container body (12), having at least a transparent portion (14) and in which a patient's head can be housed, and a collar for air-tight application to the patient's neck, which consists of at least a rigid ring (15, 15′), equipped with a series of gas administration connection and accessory-holder fittings (17), said rigid ring (15, 15′) being the only part of the helmet (10) connected to the outside when operating, wherein an opening (31) is present on the container body (12) for rapid access to the patient, which is substantially hermetically closed by rapid coupling elements (32).
US07677243B2	Solar heating system and architectural structure with a solar heating system A solar heating system for a building and other architectural structures including a solar heating system. The solar heating system comprises a solar heating module with an enclosure of panels bounding a plenum. An interior panel is disposed inside the enclosure. A collector panel, which is separated from the interior panel to define a heating chamber, is exposed to, and heated by, solar radiation. Outside air enters the heating chamber though passages in the collector panel, where the air is heated by heat transferred from the collector panel. An air-moving device is coupled with an air outlet from the plenum. The air-moving device applies a negative pressure in the heating chamber effective for drawing the outside air through the passages into the heating chamber and for withdrawing the heated air from the heating chamber through a delivery opening to the plenum for subsequent removal through the air outlet.
US07677238B2	Furnace with integrated blower housing and heat exchanger A combustion furnace includes a blower housing with a centrifugal blower impeller disposed therein and plural heat exchanger tubes disposed substantially around a major portion of the periphery of the impeller. The heat exchanger tubes receive combustion gasses from plural burner nozzles and discharge combustion gasses to a plenum in communication with a motor driven inducer gas pump. The integrated blower housing and heat exchanger may be disposed in a cabinet including support structure for a fuel delivery manifold, associated burner nozzles and forming air inlet and outlet openings for air being circulated by the blower.
US07677237B2	Furnace with integrated blower housing and heat exchanger A combustion furnace includes a blower housing with a centrifugal blower impeller disposed therein and plural heat exchanger tubes disposed substantially around a major portion of the periphery of the impeller. The heat exchanger tubes receive combustion gasses from plural burner nozzles and discharge combustion gasses to a plenum in communication with a motor driven inducer gas pump. The integrated blower housing and heat exchanger may be disposed in a cabinet including support structure for a fuel delivery manifold, associated burner nozzles and forming air inlet and outlet openings for air being circulated by the blower.
US07677236B2	Heater configured to operate with a first or second fuel Certain embodiments of a nozzle are configured to dispense a first gas, liquid, or combination thereof at a first pressure in a first mode of operation and dispense a second gas, liquid, or combination thereof at a second pressure in a second mode of operation. In some embodiments, the nozzle is integrated in a heat-producing device, such as, for example, a heater, a fireplace, or a stove. In some embodiments, the heat-producing device including the nozzle can operate with a first combustible fuel at a first pressure, or alternatively, can operate with a second combustible fuel at a second pressure. In some embodiments, the nozzle is used in applications other than heat-producing devices.
US07677218B2	Cylinder head including a stress slot with filler A seal for an engine is disclosed. The seal may include a cylinder head gasket. The seal may also include a cylinder head having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the cylinder head attached to the cylinder head gasket. The seal may also include a plurality of adjacent openings extending through the cylinder head, from the top to the bottom surface. The seal may further include one or more elongated slots in the bottom surface of the cylinder head, the one or more slots being located between at least two of the adjacent openings and extending between the openings. The seal may also include filler material filling each of the elongated slots.
US07677212B2	Added motion hydraulic circuit with proportional valve A hydraulic circuit comprises a temperature sensor, an added motion valve system, and a valve. The temperature sensor detects operating temperature of fluid in the hydraulic circuit. The added motion valve system includes a valve body having an actuator fluid volume. The valve adjusts flow rate quantity of fluid to the actuator fluid volume as a function of the operating temperature of the fluid. A method for controlling the hydraulic circuit is also disclosed.
US07677208B2	Radial rotary engine with energy storage The present invention is directed to a rotary engine power transmission system for use in vehicular as well as other applications. The power system includes a rotary engine or pump, which may be pneumatic or hydraulic in configuration. The power system includes components whose purpose is to convert rotational force into pneumatic or hydraulic pressure where that same fluid pressure can be reconverted back into rotational force. This conversion can be from a source to a driven component, or from the driven component back to the same source for use, for example, in vehicular applications for use. One purpose in a vehicular specific application is to convert rotational source energy into rotational power at the vehicles wheels, for acceleration, and to reverse this process to recapture deceleration losses.
US07677205B2	Portable or stationary animal alley An alley for processing animals such as cattle or buffaloes is described which includes a pair of spaced-apart alleys at the entrance end of the alley and a single alley at the exit end of the pair of alleys at the entrance end of the alley. The outer side walls of the alleys are easily adjusted to vary the width thereof thereby enabling the alley to accommodate animals of different sizes. Rear-up prevention device mechanisms are also provided in each of the alleys to prevent the animals from raring up and falling over backwards. The alley may be either portable or stationary.
US07677198B2	Method and apparatus for growing a composite metal sulphide photocatalyst thin film A method and apparatus are provided for growing a composite metal sulphide photcatalyst thin film, wherein photochemical deposition and chemical bath deposition are both performed for growing the composite metal sulphide thin film, such as (AgInS2)x/(ZnS)2(1-x), wherein x is 0-1.
US07677193B2	Cloth cover for hatch lid of boat A cover for a hatch lid or similar structure of a boat provides a secure, custom fit but is easily replaceable and maintainable. The cover includes a sheet of material having a periphery sized approximately to fit over a hatch lid of a boat and a securing feature including an elastic band extending along a portion of the periphery of the sheet, configured to securely couple the sheet of material to the hatch lid. The cover also includes a first corner strap and a second corner strap located on an underside of the sheet of material configured to fit over respective corners of the hatch lid.
US07677186B2	Apparatus for manufacturing multilayer articles An apparatus for manufacturing multilayer articles, comprising a first feeder for feeding a band made of textile material, a punching device arranged downstream of the first feeder to form slots in the band, a second feeder for feeding a strip of textile material arranged downstream of the punching device to arrange the strip so as to cover the slots, a sewing apparatus arranged downstream of the second feeder to fix the strip onto the band so as to cover the slots and provide a multilayer article, and a traction assembly arranged downstream of the sewing apparatus to actuate the advancement of the article through the sewing apparatus toward a collection unit.
US07677181B2	Interlocking precision flexible rail system An interlocking precision flexible rail system for carrying a positionable machine tool employs a first rail element having a first step on a lower surface extending from a first end to a termination at a predetermined length and a second rail element having a mating step on an upper surface extending from a second end to receive the first step. A pair of first clips is removably affixed to a top surface of the first rail element adjacent the first end with a first pin and to the second rail element with a second pin in each clip. A pair of second clips is removably affixed to a bottom surface of the second rail element adjacent the second end with a third pin and to the first rail element with a forth pin in each clip. Alignment holes to receive the pins have tolerances defined in conjunction with the predetermined length of the step, the length of the step allowing a reduced tolerance. The first and second pairs of clips and associated pins laterally secure the rail elements in mated engagement.
US07677174B2	Method for cleaning an anilox inking unit In a method for cleaning an anilox inking unit, a doctor bears against a roller and an intermediate roller bears against the roller and on an engraved roller. During cleaning, the intermediate roller has been or is displaced axially. Because the intermediate roller can be displaced axially, edge regions of the engraved roller can also be cleaned during a cleaning operation.
US07677173B2	Blanket holding rail In the case of a blanket holding rail for the releasable attachment of a blanket (12) on a printing mechanism roll comprising two holding limbs (13a and 13b) having an elongated configuration, and joined together by way of a back portion (14) and between which the blanket (12) may be clamped and be so fixed by means of additional securing means that the blanket (12) is secured to avoid its being pulled out athwart the longitudinal direction of the rail, the additional securing means are constituted by a claw means (16), which digs into the material of the blanket on clamping the blanket (12) in position.
US07677172B2	Ink pad container for a self-inking stamp An ink pad container for a self-inking stamp that is filled with ink by the top thereof at a pressure. The stamp has a housing and a stamping unit which is connected to an actuating element, movably arranged in the housing and provided with stamping characters. The ink pad container has a bottom and side walls projecting away therefrom. In use, horizontally arranged recesses are provided along a length of two lateral opposite side walls of the ink pad container and cooperate with continuous guiding and centering projections in an insertion compartment of the self-inking stamp to define precise guiding and centering of the ink pad container during its insertion.
US07677171B2	Printing machine and process for printing including a chain gripper system The machine comprises at least a printing cylinder (4), an inking cylinder (5) and a chain gripper transporting system (2,3) with grippers (17). The printing cylinder (4) comprises at least one transversal pit (7) for receiving said chain gripper system (3) such that the inking cylinder (5) inks the planar object (1) while said object (1) is held by said chain gripper system (3).
US07677170B2	Placement and removal device of a doctor blade in a printing screen cylinder The present invention relates to a device for placing and removing a doctor blade in a printing screen cylinder mounted on a printing machine having a support mounted on the frame of the machine in the continuation of the cylinder, and a track mounted on the support and designed to allow a slider to move parallel only to the axis of the cylinder between a first limit position situated outside of the cylinder and a second limit position situated inside the cylinder facing the working position of the doctor blade.
US07677162B2	High temperature, oil saving, rapid cook fryer system A deep fat fryer able to quickly cook food items, in about one-third to one-half of a typical cook time in the art for corresponding food items, includes a high powered, preferably high efficiency heating unit utilized to establish a cooking oil temperature in the order of about forty or more degrees Fahrenheit above a typical cook time, while preferably remaining lower than or equal to 410° F. A controller regulates the heat input from the heating unit so as to keep the temperature of the oil from dropping drastically after a product to be fried is placed in the oil for cooking. The amount of cooking oil employed is minimized. A sensing arrangement is utilized to input sensed operating conditions to the controller in order to maintain a desired operating temperature and oil level.
US07677158B2	Beverage maker having brewing chamber adapted to receive coffee pods or loose coffee A beverage maker is provided that allows a user to make a brewed beverage or dispense hot water. Various sealing and latching mechanisms are further provided for effectively sealing the brewing chamber under pressure. A mechanism is provided for reducing splashing when relatively short vessels are positioned beneath the brewing chamber.
US07677148B2	Tearless onion chopper The present invention relates to methods and devices for cutting produce, such as onions and other vegetables. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and devices for minimizing exposure to noxious and irritating gasses that are emitted from certain freshly cut produce, such as the syn-propanethial-S-oxide gas that is emitted by freshly cut onions. In certain preferred embodiments of the invention, a device is provided for cutting onions, which comprises (i) an open-ended container that is adapted to hold a liquid and (ii) a slicer that is capable of cutting onions when submerged in the liquid that is housed within the container.
US07677146B2	Cutting tool using one or more machined tool tips in a continuous or interrupted cut fast tool servo A cutting tool assembly having a tool post capable of lateral movement along a work piece to be cut and an actuator with at least one machined tool tip and possibly other tool tips. The actuator provides for control of the movement of the tool tip in an x-direction into and out of the work piece in order to make continuous or discontinuous microstructures in it. The machined tool tip provides for microstructures within microstructures. The machined work piece can be used to make microstructured articles such as films having non-adjacent lenslets.
US07677144B2	Brake drum finishing and balancing An improved brake drum and method for machining and balancing a brake drum are provided. The inner facing surface and the outer facing surface of the brake drum are machined. The inner and outer faces of the hub end of the brake drum are also machined. The machining is accomplished in a single operation that results in a radially balanced brake drum.
US07677143B1	Impact tool and method An impact tool will fit around a fastener such as a nut or bolt head. The tool has an annular section with an outside and an inside surface encircling the central axis of the fastener. The outside surface has at least one recess with a striking surface and guide surface. The striking surface lies in a plane intersecting the central axis. With the annular section placed around the fastener, the striking surface intersects a predetermined radial projection from the central axis. The striking surface is struck at a right angle to the predetermined radial projection to turn the nut or bolt head.
US07677141B1	Soft-grip, low-force, hand-held spring clamp A padded spring clamping device for making hand-crafted jewelry and similar activities comprising removable padded jaws and adjustable clamping force, is herein disclosed. The padding is of a closed-cell and chemical-resistant foam applied thereto the removable jaws in order to provide a soft covering that will protect fine jewelry, wood, or other items held within the jaws. The padding further provides increased frictional gripping ensuring that an item of varying size and shape is held with little or no movement.
US07677138B2	Ratchet screwdriver A ratchet screwdriver includes a handle, a ratchet, a shaft, a finger ring and a tool. The handle has a body having a receiving chamber and a front through hole. The receiving chamber is formed in the body and communicates with the front through hole. The ratchet is mounted securely in the receiving chamber and has a driving protrusion and a drive selector. The shaft is mounted rotatably in the body and has a proximal end mounted securely on the keyed driving protrusion. The finger ring is mounted securely around the shaft outside the body and is smaller than the handle to allow quick and easy rotation of the shaft. The tool is selectively mounted securely in the shaft.
US07677134B2	Forged product and method of making the product A forged product is made of a magnesium alloy and includes a through hole making portion to make a through hole that runs in a predetermined direction, and a bottom portion that lies on a plane intersecting with the predetermined direction. The through hole includes a first portion that has been formed by a forging process and a second portion that has been formed after the forging process. The second portion of the through hole has shifted toward the bottom portion with respect to the middle of the through hole in the predetermined direction.
US07677129B2	Multiaxis counterbalance and positioning system using a spatial linkage A spatial linkage including an inboard gimbal plate that provides a ground for the spatial linkage, an outboard gimbal plate, and three links that couple the outboard gimbal plate to the inboard gimbal plate. Each link has a longitudinal axis and two pivotal couplings disposed at opposite ends of the longitudinal axis. Each link is pivotally coupled to the outboard gimbal plate at a first end of the longitudinal axis and pivotally coupled to the inboard gimbal plate at a second end of the longitudinal axis opposite the first end. The pivotal couplings allow the outboard gimbal plate to move relative to the inboard gimbal plate and preventing relative rotation between the outboard gimbal plate and the inboard gimbal plate.
US07677122B2	Steering angle sensor assembly for vehicle In a steering angle sensor assembly for a vehicle, dependent gears are provided to mesh with an inner periphery of a rotary member rotated together with a steering wheel and to be rotated, and a circuit board that detects the rotation of the dependent gears and generates electric signals is also provided on the side of the dependent gears provided on the inner periphery of the rotary member. Accordingly, the entire size of the steering angle sensor assembly can be reduced to be substantially the same as the size of the rotary member rotated together with the steering wheel. As a result, it is possible to further reduce the entire size of the steering angle sensor assembly.
US07677121B2	Apparatus and methods for measuring shape of both sides of a plate In an apparatus for measuring shapes of both sides of a plate, a measuring apparatus body includes a reference plane of a longitudinal surface plate disposed in an almost vertical state at one end on a metallic bed, a holding mechanism for holding a plate to be measured in almost parallel therewith, and a displacement gauge scanning column. The displacement gauge scanning column includes a first air slide for mounting a first (second) displacement gauge and a second air slide for mounting a third displacement gauge, and is moved in a horizontal axis direction along a pair of V grooves. Moreover, the first (second) air slide is moved in a vertical axis direction. A shape of one of plate surfaces of the plate to be measured is measured by the scan of the first (second) displacement gauge, and at the same time, a shape of the other surface of the plate surface is measured by the scan of the third displacement gauge.
US07677112B2	Coriolis flowmeter having constant voltage sensor Coriolis mass flowmeter with a Coriolis tube and with an optical detection device, which optical detection device includes at least one optical sensor for generating a signal that is representative of the movement of the Coriolis tube, the optical sensor comprising a light source and a photosensitive sensor, wherein the optical detection device includes elements for applying a constant voltage across the photosensitive sensor during operation independently of the current generated by the photosensitive sensor in response to incident light, as well as elements for determining the value of the current generated by the photosensitive sensor and converting it into an output signal.
US07677101B2	Estimating propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor Techniques are described for estimating the propagation velocity through a surface acoustic wave sensor. In particular, techniques which measure and exploit a proper segment of phase frequency response of the surface acoustic wave sensor are described for use as a basis of bacterial detection by the sensor. As described, use of velocity estimation based on a proper segment of phase frequency response has advantages over conventional techniques that use phase shift as the basis for detection.
US07677100B2	Composite sensor and acceleration sensor In an acceleration sensor, a first vibrator is arranged on a surface of a substrate such that the vibrator can vibrate in an X-axis direction. An angular-velocity-detecting vibrator is arranged inside the first vibrator such that the vibrator can be displaced in a Y-axis direction. A vibration generating unit and a vibration monitor unit are provided between the substrate and the first vibrator. An angular-velocity-detecting displacement detecting unit is provided between the substrate and the angular-velocity-detecting vibrator. A second vibrator is provided outside the first vibrator such that the vibrator can be displaced in the Y-axis direction. An acceleration-detecting displacement detecting unit is provided between the first and second vibrators. An angular velocity detecting circuit detects angular velocity by performing synchronous detection on a displacement detection signal from the displacement detecting unit using a monitor signal from the vibration monitor unit. On the other hand, an acceleration detecting circuit detects acceleration by performing synchronous detection on a displacement detection signal from the displacement detecting unit using a monitor signal from the vibration monitor unit.
US07677099B2	Integrated microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) vibrating mass Z-axis rate sensor A sensor that measures angular velocity about an axis that is normal to a sensing plane of the sensor. The sensor comprises a sensing subassembly that includes a planar frame parallel to the sensing plane, a first proof mass disposed in the sensing plane, a second proof mass disposed in the sensing plane laterally to the first proof mass, and a linkage within the frame and connected to the frame. The linkage is connected to the first proof mass and to the second proof mass. The sensor further includes actuator for driving the first proof mass and the second proof mass into oscillation along a drive axis in the sensing plane. The sensor further includes a first transducer to sense motion of the frame in response to a Coriolis force acting on the oscillating first proof mass and the oscillating second proof mass.
US07677095B1	Method for providing enhanced stability of a vehicle with a deflated tire In a motor vehicle equipped with pneumatic tires and a hydraulically actuated wheel brake system, a method for enhancing stability of the vehicle by determining whether any tire on the vehicle is deflated, determining the current magnitude of brake pressure at the wheel of the deflated tire when the brakes are applied, and reducing the current magnitude of brake pressure at the wheel of the deflated tire.
US07677094B1	Method and system for testing road load durability of truck rear bed A method for testing road load durability of a truck rear bed includes calculating road pseudo fatigue damage on the rear bed based on road load data indicative of loads imparted on the rear bed while the truck is traveling on a proving road, determining a cyclic input applied to a rear bed assembly mounted on a bench test stand with the rear bed assembly being separated from at least a cab of the truck so that bench test pseudo fatigue damage on the rear bed that is substantially equivalent to the road pseudo fatigue damage is achieved by the cyclic input, and performing a durability bench test of the rear bed by applying the cyclic input to the rear bed assembly mounted on the bench test stand with the rear bed assembly being separated from at least the cab.
US07677093B2	Method for continuous measurement of dynamic fluid consumption A method for continuous measurement of the dynamic fluid consumption of a consumer by use of a two-way flow sensor, particularly the measurement of gaseous or liquid fuel, and possibly a conditioning device, whereby the pressure is reduced to a constant exit pressure downstream from the flow sensor. A minimum quantity of fluid is fed through the pressure regulator at any desired time whereby fluid is continuously returned in variable quantities from the region of constant exit pressure to the region between the flow sensor and the pressure regulator to make possible a continuous, accurate and timely highly defined consumption measurement with controlled exit pressure for the fluids using an open system which is able to maintain pressures in the entire line system even at highly dynamic consumption changes and which does not allow the formation of a multiphase flow. The device for to carrying out the method is provided with a pressure control device downstream from the flow sensor and a connecting line with a pump leading from the region behind the pressure control device to the region between the flow sensor and the pressure control device.
US07677088B2	Cantilever probe and applications of the same A method of fabricating a nanoscale cantilever probe. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of forming a cantilever having a tip vertically extending from an end portion of the cantilever, where the tip has an apex portion having a size in a range of about 1-1000 nm, and selectively doping the cantilever with a dopant to define a first doping region in the tip and a second doping region in the rest of the cantilever, where the dopant concentration of the first doping region is substantially lower than that of the second doping region.
US07677079B2	Method and device for sensing wear A sensor for detecting erosion of a wear surface of a component, particularly a liner attached to the mill shell of a rotating grinding mill. The sensor comprises a conductive element embedded in the component, the conductive element comprising a first end positioned at a first distance from the wear surface, at least one conductive loop comprising a wear portion positioned at a second distance from the wear surface proximate to the first end and a circuit coupled to the at least one element for determining a continuity of the conductive loop.
US07677078B2	Line-based calibration of ultrasound transducer integrated with a pose sensor Apparatus for calibrating an ultrasound transducer providing B-scans for two-dimensional (2D) images, includes: an ultrasound probe for providing B-scans; a position sensing device, the position sensing device being attached to the ultrasound probe and operating as part of a position sensing system in cooperation with a fixed sensing control unit, for labeling the B-scans with their respective relative positions and orientations (pose); a phantom marker for being imaged by the ultrasound probe for providing measurements which together with known physical properties of the phantom marker are used to derive calibration information for relating measurement data from the position sensing device to the poses of the B-scans to construct a 3D image; and the phantom marker comprising an encoded line object with distinctive calibration characteristics indicative of position along the line object, wherein the line object is disposed in a generally circumferential manner about a common axis with the probe.
US07677069B2	Threaded joint for an oil well pipe and method for manufacturing same A threaded joint for an oil well pipe in which a conventional threaded joint for an oil well pipe is improved so that sufficient fatigue fracture strength is secured, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. An axial-direction residual stress of a threaded bottom part is set to −400 MPa or less as a value of X-ray stress analysis between a surface and a part with a depth of 40 μm.
US07677068B2	Air brake plunger securing device The invention is an easy-to-use one-piece air brake securing device designed for use in recreational vehicles, trucks, and other automotive vehicles employing air-operated parking brakes. The device is designed to fit around the shaft of the air brake plunger and to prevent the plunger from being moved unintentionally or inadvertently in a manner that may disengage the air brake.
US07677060B2	Method for manufacturing optical fiber and the cooling of the optical fiber A method for manufacturing an optical fiber by drawing an optical fiber preform softened by heating, includes cooling the optical fiber at a cooling rate of not more than 4000° C. per second at a temperature of 1200 to 1400° C. of the optical fiber; and cooling the optical fiber at a cooling rate of not more than 8000° C. per second at a temperature of 850 to 1200° C. of the optical fiber. A drawing rate of the optical fiber is not less than 1000 meters per minute.
US07677058B2	Process and apparatus for making glass sheet An apparatus and process for making glass soot sheet and sintered glass sheet. Glass soot particles are deposited on a curved deposition surface of a rotating drum to form a soot sheet. The soot sheet is then released from the deposition surface. The soot sheet can be sintered into a consolidated glass. The soot sheet and the sintered glass can be sufficiently long and flexible to be reeled into a roll.
US07677057B2	Multichannel heat exchanger with dissimilar tube spacing Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems and heat exchangers are provided which include dissimilar tube spacing configurations. The heat exchangers include multiple sets of multichannel tubes in fluid communication with each other. One set of multichannel tubes contains a plurality of tubes spaced apart at one spacing while the another set of multichannel tubes contains a plurality of tubes spaced apart at a different spacing. The different spacing between the multichannel tubes allows each set of tubes to be configured to the properties of the refrigerant flowing within the tubes.
US07677056B2	Portable cooling system for a beverage container A portable cooling system for maintaining a beverage container at an internal temperature dissimilar to that of the temperature of its external surroundings comprising of a substantially circular shaped storage compartments with a hingly attached lid. The portable cooling system further includes a flexible temperature sleeve positioned in the interior volume of the storage compartment during use. The temperature sleeve contains a plurality of ribs being configure to have an internal chamber filled with temperature controlling substance.
US07677052B2	Systems for improved passive liquid cooling According to some embodiments, systems for improved passive liquid cooling may be provided. In some embodiments, a system may comprise an evaporator and a condenser. According to some embodiments, the evaporator may comprise a first side to receive heat, a second side, and one or more fins protruding from the second side. In some embodiments, the condenser may comprise an inner surface defining a cavity and one or more grooves, a first end coupled to the evaporator such that the one or more fins of the evaporator are disposed within the cavity, and a second end, wherein the one or more grooves extend at least partially between the first and second ends of the condenser.
US07677051B2	Compressor lubrication A system has a compressor having a compression path between a suction port located to receive a working fluid and a discharge port located to discharge the working fluid. The system has means for controlling a flow of at least one of additional working fluid and lubricant responsive to changes in at least one pressure parameter.
US07677044B2	Heat shield A heat shield according to the invention on a support structure comprises a number of heat shield elements, which are configured and arranged on the support structure such that they abut each other leaving gaps. The support structure of the heat shield according to the invention has a peripheral direction and an axial direction, the heat shield elements abutting each other in the peripheral direction of the support structure leaving a gap, hereafter referred to as a peripheral gap, and in the axial direction of the support structure leaving a gap, hereafter referred to as an axial gap. Both the peripheral gaps and the axial gaps are also sealed by sealing elements, the sealing elements sealing the axial gaps being at a different distance from the support structure from the sealing elements sealing the peripheral gaps.
US07677037B2	Hydraulic drive system with precharge logic A hydraulic drive system for storing and releasing hydraulic fluid includes a high pressure storage device, a low pressure storage device and a pump-motor operating at a range of pump-motor speeds for converting between hydraulic energy and mechanical energy. The pump-motor is disposed between the high pressure device and the low pressure device. In normal operation, the hydraulic drive system enters a motoring mode where hydraulic energy is released from the high pressure storage device and converted to mechanical energy using the pump-motor. It also enters a pumping mode where mechanical energy is converted into hydraulic energy. A neutral state exists where hydraulic energy is neither stored nor released from the high pressure storage device. An approach for facilitating the precharging of the high pressure storage device to a minimum threshold pressure promotes efficiency within the hydraulic drive system.
US07677033B2	Apparatus for joining components to a hub The present invention broadly includes a hub assembly for a torque converter having a hub arranged to rotationally connect to a transmission input shaft and includes first and second radial surfaces, a first plate rotationally connected to a turbine, rotationally connected to the hub, and fixed in a first axial direction by the first surface and a second plate rotationally connected to the first plate and fixed in a second axial direction, opposite the first direction, by the second surface. The hub assembly may include a hub having at least one radially disposed protrusion, the protrusion includes the second radial surface, and the first plate is rotationally connected to the protrusion. The hub may further include a body with a first diameter and the protrusion with a second diameter greater than the first diameter. The first and second radial surfaces may be arranged to axially fix a turbine with respect to the hub, or the first and second radial surfaces may be coplanar. The first plate may be in contact with the first radial surface, or the second plate may be in contact with the second radial surface.
US07677030B2	Apparatus, system, and method for determining a regeneration availability profile An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for determining a regeneration availability profile for an exhaust gas aftertreatment system. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is configured to determine whether required regeneration conditions could be met within the system if attempted. The apparatus may include a data module for storing and retrieving a regeneration availability profile and for receiving regeneration requirements data. The apparatus may further include an input module for receiving input relative to current operating conditions of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system. The apparatus may further include a controller which uses the required regeneration conditions, the retrieved regeneration availability profile, and the input relative to current operating conditions to produce and store a new regeneration availability profile.

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