Document Document Title
US08269500B2 Geophysical measurement device for natural soil resource exploration in aquatic environment
A geophysical measurement device is provided for exploration of natural resources of the floor in an aquatic domain. The device includes a frame designed to rest in a stable manner on the floor of the aquatic environment, at least one buoyancy caisson resting on the frame, measurement instruments. The measurement instruments including: at least one sensor making it possible to measure locally at least one of the components of the magnetic field; an analogue and/or digital data acquisition and processing device; and a source of energy supply of the sensor and of the data acquisition and processing device. The at least one sensor is contained inside the buoyancy caisson.
US08269499B2 Failsafe protection from induced RF current for MRI RF coil assembly having transmit functionality
An electrically-controlled failsafe switch is included in an MRI transmit-and-receive RF coil assembly so as to protect it from induced RF currents in the event it is disconnected from an MRI system, but inadvertently left linked to strong MRI RF fields during imaging procedures using other RF coils.
US08269497B2 Enhanced fill-factor NMR coils and associated methods
An NMR probe which includes a probe matrix (24) having a void sample (28) volume therein. A conductive coil (16, 26) can be at least partially embedded in the probe matrix (24). By embedding the conductive coil (16, 26) in the probe matrix (24), the fill-factor can be significantly increased. NMR probes can be formed by a method which includes wrapping a conductive wire (16) around a coil form (18) to produce a coil precursor assembly. The probe matrix (24) can be formed around the conductive wire and coil form with a matrix material using any suitable technique such as soft lithography and/or molding. The coil form can be removed from the probe matrix leaving a void sample volume (28) in the probe matrix. Advantageously, the NMR probes of the present invention allow for fill-factors approaching and achieving 100%.
US08269480B2 Method and apparatus for identifying and reducing spurious frequency components
A method for identifying and reducing spurious frequency components is provided. A method in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure may include generating a digital sinusoidal waveform at a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) and receiving the digital sinusoidal waveform at an audio digital-to-analog converter. The method may further include converting the digital sinusoidal waveform to an analog sinusoidal waveform containing spurious frequency components, combining the analog sinusoidal waveform with an analog distortion correction waveform to generate a composite output waveform and receiving the composite output waveform at notch filter circuitry. The method may also include filtering the composite output waveform to generate a filtered composite output waveform and amplifying a difference between the filtered composite output waveform and a signal from a circuit-under-test (CUT) to generate an amplified analog signal. The method may also include converting the amplified analog signal to an amplified digital signal. Of course, additional implementations are also within the scope of the present disclosure.
US08269470B2 Mechanical flow battery
A mechanical flow battery comprises a flywheel system in which a spinning axis can be driven by an air-powered motor and the structure of the gyroscope is employed in the mechanical flow battery. The structure of the gyroscope can be constructed by coupling the housing of the flywheel system with a nutation frame which couples a precession frame so that the spinning axis in the flywheel can be isolated from any outside gyroscopic torque.
US08269468B2 Charging circuit having a smooth charging transition mode including a current mirror block controlled by a charge mode transition block comprising series connected transistors
A charging circuit includes a current mirror block configured to charge a load in response to a control voltage applied thereto, and a charge controller configured to generate the control voltage in response to comparison result values obtained by comparing a current sensing value and a voltage sensing value of the current mirror block with respective reference values. The comparison result value are applied to the gates of MOS transistors connected in series. The charge controller is configured to switch a charge mode from a constant current charge mode to a constant voltage charge mode when the charge state of the load reaches a predetermined state.
US08269460B2 Disconnection detecting device
A switch element is configured to decrease an impedance of a voltage-detection integrated circuit that detect voltage between both ends of unit cells of a higher-ordered battery block, for adjacently-connected pair of the higher-ordered battery block and a lower-ordered battery block. The voltage-detection integrated circuit is configured to detect disconnection of an electrical wire when voltage between both ends of a lowest-ordered unit cell that is detected with the switch element turned on is equal to or lower than a threshold.
US08269457B2 System and method for charging an on-board battery of an electric vehicle
An electric vehicle and a range extender engine are shown including the controls to operate the same.
US08269456B2 Secondary module for battery charging system
There is provided a planar inductive battery charging system designed to enable electronic devices to be recharged. The system includes a planar charging module having a charging surface on which a device to be recharged is placed. Within the charging module and parallel to the charging surface is at least one and preferably an array of primary windings that couple energy inductively to a secondary winding formed in the device to be recharged. The invention also provides secondary modules that allow the system to be used with conventional electronic devices not formed with secondary windings.
US08269447B2 Magnetic spherical balancing robot drive
A drive system is presented for controlling rotation of a sphere. The system facilitates holonomic motion of a drive with respect to a sphere such that a holonomic drive or drives may be maintained at a relative position with respect to a sphere. The motion of a sphere may be controlled by controlling the position of a drive with respect to the sphere. The drive may be controlled by way of a controller. A holonomic drive may be urged against a sphere by way magnetic interaction of the holonomic drive and a second structure. Also, a support structure is facilitated that allows a sphere to pass through a support column without breaks or interruptions in the sphere.
US08269442B2 Method and apparatus for driving a brushless D.C. motor
A brushless D.C. motor includes having a rotor and a plurality of stator windings that define a stator field when driven by a bridge circuit, where a microprocessor drives the bridge circuit using a pulse-width modulation logic. The brushless D.C. motor is driven by triggering a commutation of the stator field; voltage induced by rotating the rotor in a non-energized stator winding is monitored to determine whether the voltage reaches, exceeds or is below a threshold voltage. A delay time between triggering the commutation of the stator field and the voltage reaching, exceeding or being below the threshold voltage is determined; and using the determined delay time a triggering time point for a next commutation of the stator field.
US08269436B2 Motor control device
To prevent a step-out of a permanent magnet synchronous type motor (1), a motor control device (3a) is provided to include a flux control unit (16) for deriving an excitation current command value (iγ*) according to the rotation speed (ωe) of the motor, and a voltage shortage determination unit (30) for determining whether or not the supply voltage to the motor is running short based on the excitation current command value (iγ*). When a negative excitation current command value (iγ*) is smaller than a negative determination threshold value, the motor control device determines that the supply voltage is running short and prohibits an increase of the rotation speed or decreases the rotation speed.
US08269426B2 Light source apparatus, projector, and light source apparatus drive method
A light source apparatus includes an arc tube having a first electrode and a second electrode that carry out an emission of light due to a discharge between them, and a drive that, when supplying energy in an alternating current to the first electrode and the second electrode, carries out a steady operation supplying a steady energy to the first electrode and the second electrode, and an initial operation making a cumulative energy supplied to at least one electrode, of the first electrode and the second electrode, in an anode period of the relevant electrode, prior to the steady period, greater than during the steady period.
US08269424B2 Discharge lamp lighting device, projector, and driving method of discharge lamp
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a discharge lamp lighting device comprises a discharge lamp driving section, a state detecting section that detects a deterioration state of an electrode of a discharge lamp, and a control unit. The control unit alternately performs a first DC driving processing and a first AC driving processing in a first section of the driving current. The control unit alternately performs a second DC driving processing and a second AC driving processing in a second section of the driving current different from the first section. According to a progress of the deterioration state of the electrode, the control unit increases a length of at least one of: (i) a period for which the first DC driving processing is performed, and (ii) a period for which the second DC driving processing is performed.
US08269423B2 LED drivers with adaptive hysteretic control circuits and associated methods of operation
Various embodiments of LED drivers and associated methods of are described below. In one embodiment, a method for controlling an LED driver includes receiving a reference voltage, receiving a feedback voltage from said LED driver, receiving said input voltage as a first feed forward voltage and said output voltage as a second feed forward voltage, generating a hysteretic width based on said first feed forward voltage and said second feed forward voltage, and generating a hysteretic band voltage using said hysteretic width and said reference voltage. The method also includes generating a first control signal for controlling said LED driver based on said hysteretic band voltage and said feedback voltage, inverting said first control signal to generate a second control signal for controlling said LED driver, and achieving a generally fixed frequency for said LED driver.
US08269422B2 Output controllable frequency modulation electronic ballast
An output controllable frequency modulation electronic ballast includes a first stage for converting AC current into DC current and boosting of voltage; a buck DC-DC converter; a transistor of the buck DC-DC converter having an input end which is selected from a gate for MOSFET and a base for a bipolar transistor; and a PWM controller connected between the input end of the buck DC-DC converter and an output end of the lamp body; a frequency controllable oscillator being connected to the PWM controller for providing variable frequency to the PWM controller as a base band signals of the PWM controller; and an oscillation controlling processor being connected to the frequency controller oscillator for generating instructions to change the oscillation frequency of the frequency controller oscillator and thus to adjust the modulation frequency of the output of the PWM controller.
US08269416B2 Film with transparent conductive layer, flexible functional element and flexible dispersion-type electroluminescent element, and method for producing the same and electronic device by the use thereof
A compressed multilayered film for a flexible functional element includes a base film, a transparent conductive layer coated on one side of the base film, and a support layer with a low adhesion layer liner on an opposite side of the base film. The support layer is separable from the base film. The base film has a thickness of 3 to 25 μm, and the transparent conductive layer is composed mainly of conductive oxide microparticles and a binder matrix. The multilayered film is compressed to increase the filling density of the conductive microparticles in the transparent conductive layer.
US08269413B2 Organic light emitting display device with spacer on non-light emission region and manufacturing method of the same
An organic light emitting display device having spacers and a manufacturing method thereof. The organic light emitting display device according to the present invention includes a first substrate divided into a pixel region and a non-pixel region surrounding the pixel region; a plurality of organic light emitting diodes having each pixel formed on the first substrate and provided onto the pixel region; a second substrate for encapsulating the pixel region; and a spacer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate, provided in at least on region between pixels as a non-light emission region and containing a desiccant.
US08269405B1 Neutral electrode spark plug
A neutral electrode spark plug (10) consisting of a cylindrical metallic shell (20) having a tubular ceramic insulator (22), including an insulator tip (28) enclosed therein, and a central electrode (30) surrounded by the ceramic insulator (22). The central electrode (30) has a firing tip (36) extending from the insulator tip (28). A neutral electrode (38) extends from the insulator tip (28) providing a first spark gap that is separated from the central electrode (30). A side ground electrode (40) is attached to the metallic shell (20) and is laterally aligned with the central electrode (30) and the neutral electrode (38). The ground electrode (40) provides a second spark gap that is separated from the neutral insulator (38) and a third spark gap formed with the ground electrode (40) a distance away from the insulator tip.
US08269399B2 Systems and apparatus for harvesting energy
A sensor assembly includes a transducer and a control module coupled with the transducer. The control module is configured to selectively switch the sensor assembly between a first mode of operation wherein the sensor assembly measures an amount of energy induced to the sensor assembly, and a second mode of operation wherein the sensor assembly stores an amount of energy induced to the sensor assembly.
US08269398B2 Piezoelectric actuator
A piezoelectric actuator has a piezoelectric element and a frictional portion. The piezoelectric element simultaneously generates first and second vibration modes in response to a voltage applied thereto. The frictional portion is arranged on an outer surface of the piezoelectric element and adapted to come into contact with a body to be driven and cause a frictional force therewith. The frictional portion has a glass-containing portion containing a glass material and being aimed such as to project from the outer surface of the piezoelectric element. Without restricting the size of the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric actuator inhibits its driving state from fluctuating.
US08269388B2 Magnetic bearing assembly for rotors
A rotor assembly includes a rotor having a central axis extending between the two opposing ends and a radial surface, and is rotatable about the central axis. At least one electromagnet is disposed proximal to and configured to exert magnetic force on a portion of the rotor. Further, a channeling member is disposed generally adjacent to the electromagnet and has a radial surface disposed adjacent to the rotor radial surface. As such, magnetic flux generated by the electromagnet extends generally radially between the electromagnet and the rotor portion and generally axially between the rotor portion and the channeling member so that the magnetic force biases the rotor both radially and axially to maintain the rotor at a desired position. Preferably, the assembly includes a plurality of magnets proximal to each end, two channeling members, and a tubular body extending between the channeling members and enclosing the rotor.
US08269385B2 Injection-molded stator
An injection-molded stator has a stator core, a coil winding having a head, an end insulating plate having a first groove, and a connector. The end insulating plate is disposed on one end of the stator core, the connector is formed by the head of the coil winding and a power lead electrically connected to each other, and the connector is fixed in the first groove via sealant. The connector is conveniently installed, firmly fixed, orderly distributed and not easily corroded or oxidized, and features simple processing and good sealing effect.
US08269384B2 Alternator with dual axial air flow
A vehicle alternator comprises a rotor and a stator positioned within a housing. The housing includes a front face, a rear face, and a outer wall extending between the front face and the rear face. The front face includes a plurality of air inlet holes, and the rear face including a plurality of air outlet holes. The outer wall is void of air holes that extend through the outer wall. The rotor is positioned within the housing and configured to rotate about an axis. The stator is positioned within the housing between the rotor and the outer wall of the housing. The stator includes a core with an outer surface, a front end and a rear end. A plurality of substantially axial air passages are positioned between the outer wall of the housing and the outer surface of the stator core.
US08269369B2 Direct drive wind turbine and blade assembly
Apparatuses and methods for a wind turbine and blade assembly are disclosed. The wind turbine has a wind turbine assembly being rotatably driven by the blade assembly. The wind turbine assembly has a shaft connected to an inner wheel by a supporting structure. A magnet array is disposed circumferentially about the inner wheel. A transformer array is disposed circumferentially about an outer wheel. The shaft rotates the inner wheel with the magnet array within the outer wheel having the transformer array for producing electricity. Magnets within the array are angled relative to the inner wheel. Blades are held in a neutral position into the wind by tensioning means. Rotation of the blades out of the wind is resisted by the tensioning means to tune the blades to the wind velocity.
US08269367B2 Shaft brake mechanism of wind power generator
A shaft brake mechanism of wind power generator, including a first brake assembly and a second brake assembly independent from each other. The first brake assembly serves to provide braking effect for the shaft of the wind power generator against rotation. The second brake assembly serves to naturally restrain the rotational speed of the shaft from exceeding a nominal upper limit of rotational speed. Accordingly, the wind power generator can still safely operate in a situation that the wind speed exceeds a nominal upper limit of wind speed. Therefore, the wind speed range for the operation of the wind power generator is widened to increase the total power generation capacity thereof.
US08269353B2 Semiconductor device having a plurality of adhesion area patterns and one or more non-adhesion area patterns
Patterns provided on a surface of a substrate include an adhesion area pattern and one or more non-adhesion area patterns. A chip electrode on a backside of a semiconductor chip is attached to the adhesion area pattern by a conductive adhesive. Consequently, an area of patterns subjected to gold plating that is stable in a steady state is smaller in a substrate of the present invention than in a conventional substrate, resulting in reduction in costs. Further, the chip electrode is attached to the adhesion area pattern by a conductive adhesive in a liquid form. Consequently, a semiconductor device of the present invention allows reducing use of an expensive conductive adhesive compared with a conventional semiconductor device, resulting in reduction in costs.
US08269350B1 Reducing the switching noise on substrate with high grounding resistance
An interconnection component includes a plurality of through-substrate vias (TSVs) penetrating through a substrate. The plurality of TSVs includes an active TSV having a first end and a second end. The first end of the active TSV is electrically coupled to a signal-providing circuit. The second end of the active TSV is electrically coupled to an additional package component bonded to the interconnection component. The plurality of TSVs further includes a dummy TSV having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is electrically coupled to the signal-providing circuit, and wherein the second end is open ended.
US08269347B2 Semiconductor chip, electrode structure therefor and method for forming same
A semiconductor chip, an electrode structure and a method of manufacture, the chip including a semiconductor substrate having a multi-level interconnection and an electrode pad connected to the interconnection, a protective film on the substrate, an insulating film on the protective film, a bump of a metal on the electrode pad, and a barrier layer between the side of the bump and the insulation film.
US08269345B2 Bump I/O contact for semiconductor device
A bump contact electrically connects a conductor on a substrate and a contact pad on a semiconductor device mounted to the substrate. The first end of an electrically conductive pillar effects electrical contact and mechanical attachment of the pillar to the contact pad with the pillar projecting outwardly from the semiconductor device. A solder crown reflowable at a predetermined temperature into effecting electrical contact and mechanical attachment with the conductor is positioned in axial alignment with the second end of the pillar. A diffusion barrier electrically and mechanically joins the solder bump to the second end of the pillar and resists electro-migration into the first end of the solder crown of copper from the pillar. One diffusion barrier takes the form of a 2-20 micron thick control layer of nickel, palladium, titanium-tungsten, nickel-vanadium, or tantalum nitride positioned between the pillar and the solder crown.
US08269340B2 Curvilinear heat spreader/lid with improved heat dissipation
A heat spreader or lid for a microelectronic package, in which the heat spreader has an underside surface that includes at least one curvilinear contour, in which the curvilinear contour is selected from at least one positive or protruding curvilinear feature, at least one negative or recessed curvilinear feature, and a combination thereof. A microelectronic package that includes the heat spreader/lid, in which there is improved heat dissipation or reduced mechanical stress in an interface between the heat spreader/lid and a circuit chip.
US08269332B2 Semiconductor element mounting board
A semiconductor element mounting board includes: aboard having surfaces; a semiconductor element mounted on one of the surfaces of the board; a first layer into which the semiconductor element is embedded, the first layer being provided on the one surface of the board; a second layer provided on the other surface of the board, the second layer being constituted from the same material as that of the first layer, the constituent material of the second layer having the same composition ratio as that of the constituent material of the first layer; and surface layers provided on the first and second layers, respectively, each of the surface layers being formed from at least a single layer. In such a semiconductor element mounting board, each of the surface layers has rigidity higher than that of each of the first and second layers. It is preferred that in the case where a Young's modulus of each surface layer at 25° C. is defined as X GPa and a Young's modulus of the first layer at 25° C. is defined as Y GPa, the X and the Y satisfy a relation of 0.5≦X−Y≦13.
US08269331B2 Power semiconductor module
A power semiconductor element and a capacitor have their electrodes joined to each other in a module. The power semiconductor element is formed on a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces. A power semiconductor module includes an electrode through which a main current flows, joined to the first main surface, an electrode through which the main current flows, joined to the second main surface, and a resin portion sealing the semiconductor substrate, the capacitor and the electrodes. The capacitor includes electrodes. The electrode of the capacitor and the electrode of the semiconductor element are joined to each other by solder such that surfaces exposed through the resin portion are arranged on one continuous surface on which a cooler can be attached. Therefore, a power semiconductor module can be provided in which the capacitor and the power semiconductor element can effectively be cooled and the surge voltage can be reduced.
US08269327B2 Vertical system integration
The Vertical System Integration (VSI) invention herein is a method for integration of disparate electronic, optical and MEMS technologies into a single integrated circuit die or component and wherein the individual device layers used in the VSI fabrication processes are preferably previously fabricated components intended for generic multiple application use and not necessarily limited in its use to a specific application. The VSI method of integration lowers the cost difference between lower volume custom electronic products and high volume generic use electronic products by eliminating or reducing circuit design, layout, tooling and fabrication costs.
US08269323B2 Integrated circuit package with etched leadframe for package-on-package interconnects
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for integrated circuit packages, and for package stacking, are provided. An electrically conductive frame is attached to a first surface of a substrate. The electrically conductive frame includes a perimeter ring portion, a plurality of leads, and a plurality of interconnect members positioned within a periphery formed by the perimeter ring portion. Each interconnect member is coupled to the perimeter ring portion by a respective lead. A first end of each interconnect member is coupled to the first surface of the substrate. An encapsulating material is applied to the first surface of the substrate, without covering a second end of each interconnect member with the encapsulating material. The perimeter ring portion is removed from the electrically conductive frame to isolate the plurality of interconnect members. A first integrated circuit package is formed in this manner. A second integrated circuit package may be mounted to the first package. Signals of the first package may be electrically coupled with the second package at the exposed second ends of the interconnect members. Side surfaces of the interconnect members may be exposed at sides of the first package.
US08269320B2 Integrated circuit package system for electromagnetic isolation and method for manufacturing thereof
A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit package system includes: providing a lead frame; forming an integrated circuit package including the lead frame; providing a selectively exposed area on the lead frame; and coating a conductive shielding layer on the integrated circuit package for coupling the selectively exposed area.
US08269316B2 Silicon based substrate and manufacturing method thereof
A silicon based substrate includes a silicon wafer, a first circuit substrate and a second circuit substrate. The silicon wafer includes a first surface and a second surface and at least a through silicon via. The first circuit substrate is disposed on the first surface and includes a plurality of first dielectric layers and a plurality of first conductive trace layers alternately stacked. The second circuit substrate is disposed on the second surface and includes a plurality of second dielectric layers and a plurality of second conductive trace layers alternately stacked. The trace density of the first conductive trace layers is higher than the trace density of the second conductive trace layers. Otherwise, the first dielectric layer includes an inorganic material and the second dielectric layer includes an organic material. A manufacturing method of the silicon based substrate is also provided.
US08269314B2 Display apparatus
The present invention supplied a display apparatus using plastic substrate instead of glass substrate, which can solve such problems that the plastic substrate has a low heat conductivity and its heat release performance becomes bad so that it is difficult to obtain stable performance and reliability. In the display apparatus, inner surface electrode integrated with vertical wiring between plastic substrate and thin film LED 102 is accumulated, the inner surface electrode acts as a heat release layer for releasing heat produced inside the thin film LED 102.
US08269305B2 High-voltage semiconductor device
Aspects of the present invention provide a high-voltage semiconductor device and a high voltage integrated circuit device while minimizing or eliminating the need for the addition of back surface steps. Aspects of the invention provide a high-voltage semiconductor device that achieves, low voltage driving and quick response by way of stable high voltage wiring and a low ON voltage. In some aspects of the invention, a high-voltage semiconductor device can include a semiconductor layer is formed on a support substrate interposing an embedded oxide film therebetween. A high potential side second stage transistor and a low potential side first stage transistor surrounding the second stage transistor are formed on the surface region of the semiconductor layer. The source electrode of the second stage transistor is connected to the drain electrode of the first stage transistor. A drain electrode of the second stage transistor is connected to a drain pad.
US08269301B2 Submount for optical device and its manufacturing method
Submounts for mounting optical devices which have an excellent heat radiating property and can be formed in a wafer state in batch are provided.A metallized electrode including optical device mounting parts and wiring parts is formed on a surface of a first substrate containing an insulating material as a main component, a through hole is formed in a glass substrate serving as a second substrate, the optical device mounting parts of the first substrate are aligned to be located inside the through hole of the second substrate, and the first substrate and the second substrate are joined together by use of a method such as anodic bonding.
US08269293B2 Spin transistor and method of operating the same
Disclosed are a spin transistor and a method of operating the spin transistor. The disclosed spin transistor includes a channel formed of a magnetic material selectively passing a spin-polarized electron having a specific direction, a source formed of a magnetic material, a drain, and a gate electrode. When a predetermined voltage is applied to the gate electrode, the channel selectively passes a spin-polarized electron having a specific direction and thus, the spin transistor is selectively turned on.
US08269291B2 Low temperature Bi-CMOS compatible process for MEMS RF resonators and filters
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator or filter including a first conductive layer, one or more electrodes patterned in the first conductive layer which serve the function of signal input, signal output, or DC biasing, or some combination of these functions, an evacuated cavity, a resonating member comprised of a lower conductive layer and an upper structural layer, a first air gap between the resonating member and one or more of the electrodes, an upper membrane covering the cavity, and a second air gap between the resonating member and the upper membrane.
US08269282B2 Semiconductor component and method for producing a semiconductor component
A semiconductor component includes at least one field effect transistor disposed along a trench in a semiconductor region and has at least one locally delimited dopant region in the semiconductor region. The at least one locally delimited dopant region extends from or over a pn junction between the source region and the body region of the transistor or between the drain region and the body region of the transistor into the body region as far as the gate electrode, such that a gap between the pn junction and the gate electrode in the body region is bridged by the locally delimited dopant region.
US08269280B2 I/O and power ESD protection circuits by enhancing substrate-bias in deep-submicron CMOS process
A technique for enhancing substrate bias of grounded-gate NMOS fingers (ggNMOSFET's) has been developed. By using this technique, lower triggering voltage of NMOS fingers can be achieved without degrading ESD protection in negative zapping. By introducing a simple gate-coupled effect and a PMOSFET triggering source with this technique, low-voltage triggered NMOS fingers have also been developed in power and I/O ESD protection, respectively. A semiconductor device which includes a P-well which is underneath NMOS fingers. The device includes an N-well ring which is configured so that the inner P-well underneath the NMOS fingers is separated from an outer P-well. The inner P-well and outer P-well are connected by a P-substrate resistance which is much higher than the resistance of the P-wells. A P+-diffusion ring surrounding the N-well ring is configured to connect to VSS, i.e., P-taps.
US08269278B2 Semiconductor device with π-shaped semiconductor conductive layer and method for making the same
The semiconductor device with a π-shaped semiconductor conductive layer manufactured by the manufacturing method thereof utilizes two pathways of the π-shaped semiconductor conductive layer connected to the silicon layer of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate for heat dissipation, so as to reduce the self-heating effects (SHEs). Furthermore, the semiconductor device of the invention utilizes the self-aligned technique to form a self-aligned structure with a gate unit and the silicon layer, so that the process is simple, the production cost is reduced, the compacted ability and the yield are improved, the off current and short-channel effects (SCEs) are still similar to a conventional UTSOI MOSFET, and the stability and the reliability are therefore superior.
US08269275B2 Method for fabricating a MOS transistor with reduced channel length variation and related structure
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for fabricating a MOS transistor, such as an LDMOS transistor, includes forming a self-aligned lightly doped region in a first well underlying a first sidewall of a gate. The method further includes forming a self-aligned extension region under a second sidewall of the gate, where the self-aligned extension region extends into the first well from a second well. The method further includes forming a drain region spaced apart from the second sidewall of the gate. The method further includes forming a source region in the self-aligned lightly doped region and the first well. The self-aligned lightly doped region and the self-aligned extension region define a channel length of the MOS transistor, such as an LDMOS transistor.
US08269274B2 Semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
In a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, first to third drain offset regions of a second conductivity type are formed in that order in a bottom up manner. A body region of the first conductivity type is formed partly in the second drain offset region and partly in the third drain offset region. The second drain offset region has a lower impurity concentration than the first and third drain offset regions. A curvature portion of the body region is located in the second drain offset region.
US08269265B2 Trench capacitor for high voltage processes and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention provides embodiments of a capacitor and a method of forming the capacitor. The capacitor includes one or more trenches formed in a semiconductor layer above a substrate. The trench includes dielectric material deposited on the trench walls and a conductive fill material formed within the trench and above the dielectric material. The capacitor also includes one or more first doped regions formed adjacent the trench(es) in the semiconductor layer. The first doped region is doped with a first type of dopant. The capacitor further includes one or more second doped regions formed adjacent the first doped region(s) in the semiconductor layer. The second doped regions are doped with a second type of dopant that is opposite to the first type of dopant.
US08269263B2 High current density power field effect transistor
An ultra-short channel hybrid power field effect transistor (FET) device lets current flow from bulk silicon without npn parasitic. This device does not have body but still have body diode with low forward voltage at high current rating. The device includes a JFET component, a first accumulation MOSFET disposed adjacent to the JFET component, and a second accumulation MOSFET disposed adjacent to the JFET component at the bottom of the trench end, or a MOSFET with an isolated gate connecting the source.
US08269261B2 Methods and apparatus for measuring analytes using large scale FET arrays
Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis.
US08269254B2 Silicon on germanium
The use of atomic layer deposition (ALD) to form a semiconductor structure of a silicon film on a germanium substrate is disclosed. An example embodiment includes a tantalum nitride gate electrode on a hafnium dioxide gate dielectric on the silicon film (TaN/HfO2/Si/Ge), which produces a reliable high dielectric constant (high k) electronic structure having higher charge carrier mobility as compared to silicon substrates. This structure may be useful in high performance electronic devices. The structure can be formed by ALD deposition of a thin silicon layer on a germanium substrate surface, and then ALD forming a hafnium oxide gate dielectric layer, and a tantalum nitride gate electrode. Such a structure may be used as the gate of a MOSFET, or as a capacitor. The properties of the dielectric may be varied by replacing the hafnium oxide with another gate dielectric such as zirconium oxide (ZrO2), or titanium oxide (TiO2).
US08269248B2 Light emitting assemblies and portions thereof
Apparatus may be provided including a high power light emitting diode (LED) unit, at least one printed circuit board, and an interfacing portion of a heat sink structure. The high power LED unit includes at least one LED die, at least one first lead and at least one second lead, and a heat sink interface. The at least one printed circuit board includes a conductive pattern configured to connect both the at least one first lead and the at least one second lead to a current source. The interfacing portion of the heat sink structure is that portion through which a majority of heat of the heat sink interface is transmitted. The interfacing portion is directly in touching contact with a majority of a heat transfer area of the heat sink interface.
US08269243B2 LED unit
An LED (light emitting diode) unit includes an LED and a lens mounted on the LED. The lens defines a passageway at a central portion thereof. The passageway runs through the lens. The lens includes a concave light emitting surface at a top thereof. Light output from the LED with a small light-emission angle travels directly through the passageway, without a loss of light intensity.
US08269242B2 Semiconductor light emitting device having surface plasmon layer
Disclosed is a semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed therebetween, and a surface plasmon layer disposed between the active layer and at least one of the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers, including metallic particles and an insulating material, and including a conductive via for electrical connection between the active layer and the at least one of the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers, wherein the metallic particles are enclosed by the insulating material to be insulated from the at least one of the n-type and p-type semiconductor layers. The semiconductor light emitting device can achieve enhanced emission efficiency by using surface plasmon resonance. Using the semiconductor light emitting device, the diffusion of a metal employed for surface plasmon resonance into the active layer can be minimized.
US08269239B2 Light emitting diode chip package
A light emitting diode (LED) chip package including: a package body; an LED chip mounted on the package body and emitting an excited light; a phosphor layer including a phosphor absorbing the excited light and emitting a wavelength conversion light obtained by converting a wavelength of the excited light and a phosphor resin mixed with the phosphor; and a reflector layer including a reflector formed between the LED chip and the phosphor layer, transmitting the excited light to the phosphor layer, and reflecting the wavelength conversion light from the phosphor layer, and a reflector resin mixed with the reflector.
US08269235B2 Lighting system including collimators aligned with light emitting segments
A light source comprising a semiconductor light emitting device is connected to a mount. The light emitting device comprises a plurality of segments with neighboring segments spaced less than 200 microns apart. In some embodiments, multiple segments are grown on a single growth substrate. Each segment comprises a light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. A spacer is positioned on a top surface of the mount. The light emitting device is positioned in an opening in the spacer. A plurality of collimators is attached to the spacer, wherein each collimator is aligned with a single segment.
US08269234B2 Semiconductor light-emitting device
A semiconductor light-emitting device is provided. The semiconductor light-emitting device comprises a plurality of compound semiconductor layers, an electrode layer, and a conductive support member. The compound semiconductor layers comprise a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer. The electrode layer is disposed under the compound semiconductor layers. The conductive support member is disposed under the electrode layer. Herein, the conductive support member has a thermal expansion coefficient difference within about 50% with respect to the compound semiconductor layer.
US08269223B2 Polarization enhanced avalanche photodetector and method thereof
An avalanche photodetector comprising a multiplication layer formed of a first material having a first polarization; the multiplication layer having a first electric field upon application of a bias voltage; an absorption layer formed of a second material having a second polarization forming an interface with the multiplication layer; the absorption layer having a second electric field upon application of the bias voltage, the second electric field being less than the first electric field or substantially zero, carriers created by light absorbed in the absorption layer being multiplied in the multiplication layer due to the first electric field; the absorption layer having a second polarization which is greater or less than the first polarization to thereby create an interface charge; the interface charge being positive when the first material predominately multiplies holes, the interface charge being negative when the first material predominately multiplies electrons, the change in electric field at the interface occurring abruptly at the atomic level; the interface charge creating electric field discontinuity causing first electric field to attain the breakdown field in the multiplication region and the second electric field to be low or zero in the absorption layer to thereby eliminate the need for a doped charge layer and the associated thickness of the doped charge layer required to transition from the low field to the high field. Also claimed is a method of making.
US08269219B2 Printed TFT and TFT array with self-aligned gate
A method is used to form a self-aligning thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a gate contact formed with a state-switchable material, and a dielectric layer to isolate the gate contact. A source-drain layer, which includes a source contact, and a drain contact are formed with a source-drain material. An area of the gate contact is exposed to a form of energy, wherein the energy transforms a portion of the state switchable material from a non-conductive material to a conductive material, the conductive portion defining the gate contact. A semiconductor material is formed between the source contact and the drain contact.
US08269218B2 Display device
One object is to provide a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film which is used for the pixel portion of a display device and has high reliability. A display device has a first gate electrode; a first gate insulating film over the first gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film over the first gate insulating film; a source electrode and a drain electrode over the oxide semiconductor film; a second gate insulating film over the source electrode, the drain electrode and the oxide semiconductor film; a second gate electrode over the second gate insulating film; an organic resin film having flatness over the second gate insulating film; a pixel electrode over the organic resin film having flatness, wherein the concentration of hydrogen atoms contained in the oxide semiconductor film and measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry is less than 1×1016 cm−3.
US08269211B2 Organic electronic device with an organic semiconductor layer
An organic electronic device including: a first layer including a conductive or semiconductive organic material; a second layer including a conductive or semiconductive inorganic material, and in contact with the first layer; and an interface layer between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the interface layer includes a conductive or semiconductive organic material and a conductive or semiconductive inorganic material.
US08269198B2 Heavy ion therapy with microbeams
A method for delivering therapeutic heavy ion radiation to a subject, wherein a therapeutic dose of heavy ions is delivered substantially only to a target volume within the subject by generating a broad field of radiation effect substantially only within the target volume, and wherein the broad field of radiation effect is not generated in non-targeted tissue. The method includes the step of irradiating the target volume with at least two arrays of heavy ion microbeams, wherein the at least two arrays each have at least two parallel, spatially distinct heavy ion microbeams. The two arrays of microbeams are interleaved substantially only within the target volume to form a substantially continuous broad beam of radiation substantially only within the target volume.
US08269195B2 Patient alignment system with external measurement and object coordination for radiation therapy system
A patient alignment system for a radiation therapy system. The alignment system includes multiple external measurement devices which obtain position measurements of components of the radiation therapy system which are movable and/or are subject to flex or other positional variations. The alignment system employs the external measurements to provide corrective positioning feedback to more precisely register the patient and align them with a radiation beam. The alignment system can be provided as an integral part of a radiation therapy system or can be added as an upgrade to existing radiation therapy systems.
US08269194B2 Composite focused ion beam device, and processing observation method and processing method using the same
A composite focused ion beam device has a sample stage for supporting a sample, a first ion beam irradiation system that irradiates a first ion beam for processing the sample, and a second ion beam irradiation system that irradiates a second ion beam for processing or observing the sample. The first ion beam irradiation system has a liquid metal ion source that generates first ions for forming the first ion beam. The second ion beam irradiation system has a gas field ion source that generates second ions for forming the second ion beam. The first ion beam irradiated by the first ion beam irradiation system has a first beam diameter and the second ion beam irradiated by the second ion beam irradiation system has a second beam diameter smaller than the first beam diameter. The first and second ion beam irradiation systems are disposed relative to the sample stage so that axes of the first and second ion beams are orthogonal to a tilt axis of the sample stage.
US08269191B2 System and method for measuring depolarization
An apparatus for determining the depolarization efficiency of a environment includes a transmitter, a receiver, and signal processing circuitry. A reference object is located within the environment at a reference distance. The transmitter includes a radiation source providing incident radiation that has an initial polarization as it enters the environment. The receiver receives returned radiation from the reference, which may be diffuse reflection or photoluminescence. The signal processing circuitry calculates the depolarization efficiency of the environment from the initial polarization, luminescence or final polarization, and the reference distance. A method of determining depolarization efficiency includes directing incident radiation having initial polarization through an environment onto a reference, detecting returned radiation from the reference, and calculating the depolarization efficiency using the initial polarization and the luminescence or final polarization.
US08269190B2 Method and system for achieving optimal UV water disinfection
Methods and systems are provided for enhancing the ultraviolet output of a water disinfection apparatus by: (i) maintaining the source of the UV radiation at a stable operating temperature and, (ii) facilitating an efficient transfer of microwave energy to the source of the UV radiation.
US08269180B2 Method and apparatus for the measurement of signals from radiation sensors
The preferred embodiments of the present invention include a device for measuring an ionizing event in a radiation sensor. The device can include a charge amplifier and a timing shaper. The charge amplifier receives a cathode signal and is configured to output an amplified cathode signal. The timing shaper is operatively connected to the charge amplifier to receive the amplified cathode signal. The timing shaper is configured to generate a first pulse in response to a beginning of the ionizing event and a second pulse in response to an end of the ionizing event. The first and second pulses are associated with a depth of interaction of the ionizing event and are generated in response to a slope of the amplified cathode signal changing.
US08269178B2 Capacitive type proximity sensor
It is provided a capacitive type proximity sensor, comprising a sensing electrode, whereas the sensing electrode has a surface with electroconductive areas 113 and not-electroconductive areas 117, whereas the sensor is adapted for measuring an electrical field 110, 112 between the sensing electrode and an object 109, 111. Further it is described an apparatus for medical x-ray diagnosis and/or x-ray therapy and/or nuclear diagnosis/therapy, e.g. SPECT, a system for medical x-ray diagnosis and/or x-ray therapy and/or nuclear diagnosis/therapy, e.g. SPECT, a method for avoiding collision between an apparatus for medical x-ray diagnosis and/or x-ray therapy and/or nuclear diagnosis/therapy, e.g. SPECT, and an object, a program element and a computer readable medium. It is disclosed a capacitance type proximity sensor whose sensitivity of approaching objects has an improved independence from the special geometry of the sensor itself.
US08269175B2 Electronic device with sensing assembly and method for detecting gestures of geometric shapes
A method for detecting a gesture and controlling an electronic device includes providing a sensing assembly including at least one photoreceiver and a plurality of phototransmitters, wherein each phototransmitter emits infrared light; controlling the emisson of infrared light by each of the phototransmitters during each of a plurality of time periods during movement of an external object in a geometric shape relative to the electronic device. For each of the plurality of phototransmitters and for each of the plurality of time periods, a corresponding measured signal is generated which is indicative of a respective amount of infrared light which originated from that phototransmitter during that time period and was reflected by the external object prior to being received by the photoreceiver. The measured signals are evaluated to identify the geometric shape; and the electronic device is controlled in response to the identification of the geometric shape.
US08269172B2 Double layer photodiodes in ambient light sensors and proximity detectors
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, devices and methods for detecting both ambient light and proximity to an object. This detection is performed by a double-layered photodiode array and corresponding circuitry such that ambient light and proximity detection are enabled by a plurality of integrated photodiodes. In various embodiments of the invention, ambient light is sensed using a first set of photodiodes and a second set of photodiodes such that a spectral response is created that is approximately equal to the visible light spectrum. Proximity detection is realized using an integrated photodiode, positioned below the first and second sets of photodiodes, that detects infrared light and generates a response thereto.
US08269170B2 Methods and systems for remote detection of gases
Novel systems and methods for remotely detecting at least one constituent of a gas via infrared detection are provided. A system includes at least one extended source of broadband infrared radiation and a spectrally sensitive receiver positioned remotely from the source. The source and the receiver are oriented such that a surface of the source is in the field of view of the receiver. The source includes a heating component thermally coupled to the surface, and the heating component is configured to heat the surface to a temperature above ambient temperature. The receiver is operable to collect spectral infrared absorption data representative of a gas present between the source and the receiver. The invention advantageously overcomes significant difficulties associated with active infrared detection techniques known in the art, and provides an infrared detection technique with a much greater sensitivity than passive infrared detection techniques known in the art.
US08269168B1 Meta materials integration, detection and spectral analysis
A detector and modulator of electromagnetic radiation is 3-dimensional structure made of substantially 2 dimensional high impedance metamaterial surfaces stacked one above the other with a dielectric layer in between and located above a conducting ground plane. Each 2 dimension surface may be formed by an open continuous conductive trace, such as metallic wire or a printed circuit line, which is cast or plated on or into a 2-D periodic arrangement of an element that belongs to the Hilbert space filling curves.
US08269166B2 MS/MS mass spectrometer
A mass analysis of a standard sample having a known mass-to-charge ratio is carried out by performing a mass scan at a first-stage quadrupole (13) over a predetermined mass range, under the condition that a collision induced dissociation (CID) gas is introduced into a collision cell (14) and a voltage applied to a third-stage quadrupole (17) is set so that no substantial mass separation occurs in this quadrupole. Various kinds of product ions originating from a precursor ion selected by the first-stage quadrupole (13) arrive at and are detected by a detector (18) without being mass separated. Accordingly, based on the detection data, a data processor (25) can obtain a relationship between the voltage applied to the first-stage quadrupole (13) and the mass-to-charge ratio of the selected ions, with a time delay in the collision cell (14) reflected in that relationship. This relationship is stored in a calibration data memory (26), to be utilized in a neutral loss scan measurement or the like. By using this relationship, a mass shift due to the time delay in the collision cell (14) can be cancelled, so that the product ions can be detected with high sensitivity over the entire mass range. Furthermore, a mass spectrum having an accurate mass axis can be created.
US08269158B2 Sensing system and method for obtaining position of pointer thereof
In a sensing system and a method for obtaining a position of a pointer, the sensing system includes a sensing area, a reflective mirror, an image sensor and a processing circuit. The reflective mirror is configured for generating a mirror image of a pointer when the pointer approaches the sensing area. The image sensor is configured for sensing the pointer and the mirror image thereof when the pointer approaches the sensing area. When the pointer approaches the sensing area, the processing circuit calculates a coordinate value of the pointer according to an image sensed by the image sensor and a predetermined size of the pointer. The pointer forms an imaginary orthographic projection in the sensing area, the processing circuit regards the imaginary orthographic projection as a round projection, and a radius of the round projection is the predetermined size.
US08269155B2 Food service heat retention device
A heat retaining dish includes a pressure relief mechanism and has a heat retention material capable of being heated by microwave or other thermal radiation in order to maintain any food placed on the dish at an elevated temperature. The heat retention material is capable of accommodating expansion during heating of the device, and when an overpressure condition occurs as a result of inadvertent overheating, the pressure relief mechanism vents the pressure to the ambient environment. The pressure relief mechanism is an integral part of the wall construction of at least one of the portions making up the housing of the device, and deformation due to overpressure directly causes the opening of the pressure relief mechanism as soon as the housing is deformed sufficiently to open a fluid communication path through an aperture in the wall.
US08269154B2 Ovenware for microwave oven
Ovenware for microwave ovens which contain a composition comprising a susceptor and a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer are improved when the composition also has a thermal conductivity of about 0.7 W/m° K. or more. Heat generated by absorption of microwave radiation by the susceptor is more readily conducted to the food being cooked when the thermal conductivity of the composition is high, particularly when the part containing the susceptor is relatively thick. Also described are designs for various pieces of ovenware containing this composition.
US08269145B2 Method for operating a heating element in a motor vehicle by pulse width modulation
The invention relates to a method for operating a heating element in a motor vehicle by pulse width modulation, wherein fluctuations in the supply voltage are compensated for by adapting the duty cycle so as to achieve a desired heating output. According to the invention, during a voltage pulse the voltage that is present at the heating element and/or the current flowing through the heating element are measured at specified intervals, and the measured values or values determined therefrom are added to calculate a sum value, which rises with the energy that is fed into the heating element by the voltage pulse, and the voltage pulse is ended at the latest when the sum value has reached a target value. The invention furthermore relates to a glow plug controller for carrying out the method according to the invention.
US08269142B2 Weld current generating apparatus
A weld current generating apparatus includes a voltage conversion circuit, a control circuit, and a charge/discharge circuit. The voltage conversion circuit receives an AC voltage from an AC voltage input terminal and converts the AC voltage to a DC voltage. The control circuit receives the DC voltage and outputs control signals. The charge/discharge circuit receives the DC voltage and is charged by the DC voltage or discharged according to the control signals. The charge/discharge circuit outputs a continuous weld current during discharging process.
US08269140B2 Method and apparatus for laser soldering
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a solder paste feeding device feeds solder paste to a ring-like terminal surrounding a through-hole and a rod terminal fitted in the through-hole so as to fill in the through-hole, the laser beam irradiation device irradiates the solder past with a laser beam, and wire solder is further fed from above the solder past at the same time as melting of the solder paste is started, thereby fusing the wire solder and the solder paste to solder the ring-like terminal and the rod terminal.
US08269138B2 Method for separating a sheet of brittle material
A method for separating sheet of brittle material having a thickness equal to or less than about 1 mm is disclosed. Once an initial flaw or crack is produced, a full body crack can be propagated across a dimension of the brittle material with a laser beam that is substantially absorbed proximate the surface of the sheet to produce sub-sheets. In some embodiments, only a single pass of the laser beam over a surface of the sheet is necessary to separate the sheet. In other embodiments a plurality of passes may be used. Sub-sheets can be further processed into electronic devices by depositing thin film materials on the sub-piece.
US08269131B2 Nickel-containing flanges for use in direct resistance heating of platinum-containing vessels
A flange (13) for use in direct resistance heating of a glass-carrying vessel (10), such as a finer, is provided. The flange comprises a plurality of electrically-conductive rings which include an innermost ring (140) which is joined to the vessel's exterior wall (12) during use of the flange and an outermost ring (150) which receives electrical current during use of the flange. The innermost ring (140) comprises a high-temperature metal which comprises at least 80% platinum and the outermost ring (150) comprises at least 99.0% nickel. This combination of materials both increases the reliability of the flange and reduces its cost. In certain embodiments, the flange can also include one or more rings (190) composed of a platinum-nickel alloy which has a lower thermal conductivity than platinum or nickel and thus can serve to reduce heat loss through the flange.
US08269120B1 Interlock assembly for use with pair of aligned switches
A system and method of interlocking a plurality of electrical panel switches includes an interlock assembly having an interlock. The interlock has a first position that allows connection of one of utility power and power from an alternate power supply, such as a generator, to the electrical panel and prevents connection of the other of the utility power and alternate power. The interlock has a second position that allows connection of the other of the utility power and alternate power and prevents connection of one of the utility power and alternate power to the electrical panel. The interlock also is constructed to control the positioning and sequence of operation of neutral connections between the power supplies and the electrical panel.
US08269116B2 Circuit board case with electric connector and electronic unit provided with the same
A circuit board case with an electrical connector comprises a case member having formed thereon a connector mating portion, and a connection member accommodated in the case member and mounted on the connector mating portion to electrically connect the counterpart connector and the circuit board. The connection member comprises a terminal provided with a first bar portion and a second bar portion, and a first fixing member which holds the first bar portion of the terminal and is mounted on the connector mating portion of the case member to fix the terminal, and a second fixing member which holds the second bar portion and is mounted on the case member to regulate movement of the terminal in a direction in which the first bar portion extends into the case member.
US08269109B2 Flexible power cable with improved water treeing resistance
A power cable having a conductor, an inner semiconductive layer, an insulation layer and an outer semiconductive layer, wherein the insulation layer has a polymer having: (i) ethylene monomer units, (ii) polar group containing monomer units, and (iii) silane-group containing monomer units.
US08269104B2 Waterproof enclosure and electronic apparatus
A waterproof enclosure includes a first enclosure section and a second enclosure section. The first enclosure section has an opening along which a gasket is provided. The gasket has a body section and a lip section protruding from the body section. The second enclosure section is disposed opposite the first enclosure section. The second enclosure section has a planar surface and an inclined surface. The inclined surface of the second enclosure contacts the lip section of the gasket, and the body section of the gasket contacts the planar surface of the second enclosure section.
US08269102B1 Retrofit outlet electrical box
A retrofit electrical outlet comprises an electrical box comprising one or more moveable braces coupled to linear brace actuators, whereby pulling on the linear brace actuator causes the brace to move toward the front end of the box to impinge a wall surface material between the brace and a front flange of the box. Releases may be included to allow for adjustment of the braces. The braces may move linearly or pivotally toward the wall surface material. The linear brace actuator may be stored within the wall for future use.
US08269090B2 Keyboard practice apparatus
A keyboard practice apparatus is provided which includes a slide member, a support member, and means for supporting the slide member in juxtaposition with a keyboard of an instrument. The support member is configured to support an arm of a user and to be slidably coupled to the slide member. The apparatus is operable to allow a player of a keyboard instrument in a seated position with a forearm resting on the support member to move their forearm along a length of the keyboard by sliding the support member along a portion of a length of the slide member.
US08269085B1 Backless mobile guitar strap
An instrument shoulder strap device and method for use with musical instruments, wherein the device comprises: a backless shoulder strap; the shoulder strap has an adjustable front strap; an U shaped mounting bracket, which is attached to the shoulder strap; the U shaped mounting bracket has slidable connecting means for connecting an instrument to the shoulder strap; and wherein the instrument has a pivot axle member having attachment means for attaching the member to the instrument, thereby allowing a user the ability to connect the pivot axle member to the U shaped mounting bracket for attaching and detaching the instrument to the shoulder strap.
US08269079B2 Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH354755
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH354755. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH354755, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH354755 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 CH354755.
US08269075B2 Cotton variety 09R999B2R2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 09R999B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 09R999B2R2. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 09R999B2R2 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 09R999B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such method.
US08269066B2 Nitrate reductases from red algae, compositions and methods of use thereof
The NR enzymes described herein were discovered in the red algae of Porphyra perforata (PpNR) and Porphyra yezoensis (PyNR). The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering NR activity, nitrogen utilization and/or uptake in plants. The invention relates to a method for the production of plants with maintained or increased yield under low nitrogen fertility. The invention provides isolated nitrate reductase (NR) nucleic acids and their encoded proteins. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, and transgenic plants. Plants transformed with nucleotide sequences encoding the NR enzyme show improved properties, for example, increased yield and growth.
US08269063B2 Methods for identifying proteins with starch phosphorylating enzymatic activity
The present invention relates to a method for identifying proteins involved in the phosphorylation of starch and nucleic acids which code for such proteins. The present invention further relates to plant cells and plants which exhibit an altered activity of a protein which can be identified using the method according to the invention. Plant cells and plants of this type synthesise a modified starch. The present invention therefore also relates to the starch synthesised by the plant cells and plants according to the invention as well as to methods for the manufacture of this starch and to the manufacture of starch derivatives of this modified starch.
US08269056B2 Process for the preparation of an olefinic product
Process for the preparation of an olefinic product, which process comprises contacting a reaction mixture comprising an oxygenate feedstock and an olefinic component with an oxygenate conversion catalyst comprising a molecular sieve having one-dimensional 10-membered ring channels, in a flow-through reactor unit defining a flow trajectory for fluids towards a downstream outlet for an olefinic reaction effluent from the flow-through reactor unit, wherein an olefinic co-feed is added at an upstream olefin feed inlet of the flow-through reactor unit, and wherein oxygenate feedstock is admitted to the reactor such that it is added to the reaction mixture at a plurality of locations along the feed trajectory.
US08269055B2 Method for deactivation of an organometallic catalyst and reactor system therefor
The present invention relates to a method for the deactivation of an organometallic catalyst in the product stream from an oligomerization reactor for the production of linear alpha-olefin, characterized in that the catalyst-containing product stream of the reactor is subjected to a temperature of at least 160° C. in a heating device. A reactor system for the method of the invention is also disclosed.
US08269054B2 Process for producing tetra-hydro alkyl substituted indanes
The present invention relates to an improved process for producing tetra-hydro alkyl substituted indanes which are used in the synthesis of fragrance ingredients for perfumery applications.
US08269053B2 Process for toluene and methane coupling in a microreactor
A process for making ethylbenzene and/or styrene by reacting toluene with methane in one or more microreactors is disclosed. In one embodiment a method of revamping an existing styrene production facility by adding one or more microreactors capable of reacting toluene with methane to produce a product stream comprising ethylbenzene and/or styrene is disclosed.
US08269046B2 Cyclic bisamides useful in formulating inks for phase-change printing
Cyclic bisamides may be used to formulate inks for jet ink printing. The cyclic bisamide may be prepared from a cyclic diamine and acylic monocarboxylic acids. Conversely, the cyclic bisamide may be prepared from a cyclic diacid and acylic monoamines. The performance properties of the product may be enhanced by adding some additional difunctional reactant(s), e.g., diacid or diamine. A blend of bisamides may provide better performance properties than either of the component bisamides alone, where the blend includes at least one cyclic bisamide. The bisamides, in combination with an image-forming material, and optionally in combination with other materials, is taken to a molten form and the applied to a substrate to provide a printed substrate.
US08269044B2 Method for selectively producing primary amine compound
Disclosed is a method for producing a primary amine compound represented by the formula (3): wherein, Ar is as defined below, which is characterized in that a halogen compound represented by the formula (1): wherein, Ar represents an unsubstituted aromatic group such as a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, a pyridyl group, a furyl group, a thienyl group, a pyrrolyl group, an oxazolyl group, an isoxazolyl group or a pyrimidinyl group, or an aromatic group obtained by substituting such an unsubstituted aromatic group with 1-3 substituents; and X represents a halogen atom, ammonia and formaldehyde are reacted with each other, thereby obtaining a hexahydrotriazine compound represented by the formula (2): wherein, Ar is as defined above, and then the thus-obtained hexahydrotriazine compound is decomposed. By this method, a primary amine compound can be commercially advantageously produced by using a low-cost ammonia while suppressing production of a secondary amine as a by-product.
US08269043B2 Bicyclic aryl sphingosine 1-phosphate analogs
Compounds that have agonist activity at one or more of the S1P receptors are provided. The compounds are sphingosine analogs that, after phosphorylation, can behave as agonists at S1P receptors.
US08269042B2 Crystallized diacetylenic indicator compounds and methods of preparing the compounds
Crystallized diacetylenic compounds having certain crystallographic and other characteristics; diacetylenic compounds and mixtures crystallized from diacetylenic solutions; methods of preparing and identifying solvent systems for dissolving diacetylenic compounds; diacetylenic solutions; methods of recrystallizing diacetylenic compounds; crystals of 2,4-hexadiyn-1,6-bis(alkylurea) compounds; and ambient condition indicators and time-temperature condition indicators comprising crystallized diacetylenic compounds.
US08269040B2 Derivatives of venlafaxine and methods of preparing and using the same
Methods of preparing, and compositions comprising, derivatives of venlafaxine are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of treating and preventing diseases and disorders including, but not limited to, affective disorders such as depression, bipolar and manic disorders, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, cerebral function disorders, obesity and weight gain, incontinence, dementia and related disorders.
US08269038B2 Process for production of sulfonic acid ester
The present invention provides a method for producing a sulfonate ester efficiently and in high yield.The present invention is an invention of a method for producing a sulfonate ester compound, which comprising reacting: (a) a compound having a sulfo group (—SO3H); and (b) a compound having a group represented by the general formula [1]: —OR1  [1] [wherein, R1 represents a sulfonyl group represented by the general formula [2]: —SO2—R2  [2] (wherein, R2 represents a halogen atom, a haloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, or an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group) or an acyl group represented by the general formula [3]: (wherein, R3 represents an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group)]; in the presence of an organic base which is capable of forming a salt with said sulfo group.
US08269037B2 Absorption medium for removing acid gases which comprises amino acid and acid promoter
An absorption medium for removing acid gases from a fluid stream comprises an aqueous solution of a) of at least one metal salt of an aminocarboxylic acid, and b) of at least one acid promoter, wherein the molar ratio of b) to a) is in the range from 0.0005 to 1.0. The acid promoter is selected from mineral acids, carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, organic phosphonic acids and partial esters thereof. The absorption medium, compared with absorption media based on amino acid salts, has a reduced regeneration energy requirement without significantly reducing the absorption capacity of the solution for acid gases. In a process for removing acid gases from the fluid stream, the fluid stream is brought into contact with the absorption medium.
US08269035B2 Process for production of radioactive-fluorine-labeled organic compound
A process for production of a radioactive fluorine-labeled organic compound is provided which can improve the yield of radioactive fluorination. Provided is a process in which a compound represented by the following formula (1): (wherein R1 is a straight or branched alkyl chain with 1-10 carbon atoms or an aromatic substituent, R2 is a straight or branched haloalkylsulfonic acid substituent with 1-10 carbon atoms, a straight or branched alkylsulfonic acid substituent with 1-10 carbon atoms, a fluorosulfonic acid substituent or an aromatic sulfonic acid substituent, and R3 is a protective group) is heated under stirring in an inert organic solvent in a presence of a phase transfer catalyst, 18F ions and potassium ions, so as to effect labeling with a radioactive fluorine, wherein the heating temperature is 40-90° C., and the concentration of the phase transfer catalyst in the inert organic solvent is 70 mmol/L or more. Preferably, the molar ratio of the phase transfer catalyst is 0.7 or more relative to the compound of the formula (1), and the concentration of the compound of the formula (1) in the inert organic solvent is 50 mmol/L or more.
US08269024B2 Compounds and methods for modulating communication and virulence in quorum sensing bacteria
The present invention provides compositions and methods for modulating the communication and virulence of quorum sensing bacteria. In various exemplary embodiments, the invention provides a combinatorial library of quorum sensing compounds including synthetic analogs of naturally occurring and non-naturally occurring acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) analogs, and methods of synthesizing and using these compounds.
US08269022B2 Polymorphs of enantiopure erdosteine
The present invention provides novel crystalline polymorphs of enantiopure Erdosteine, referred to as Form I and Form II, and processes for the preparation thereof.
US08269018B2 Pyrazolotriazole compound and electrophotographic toner
A compound represented by Formula (X-1) is disclosed. in the formula, Rx1 and Rx2 each independently represents an alkyl group, Lx is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, Gx1 is an alkyl group having 2 or more carbon atoms, Gx2 is an alkyl group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, Gx3 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a Gx4-CO—NH— group or a Gx5-N(Gx6)-CO—group, Gx5 and Gx6 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and Qx1, Qx2, Qx3, Qx4 and Qx5 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent. An electrophotographic toner containing the compound is also disclosed.
US08269015B2 4-azetidinyl-1-heteroaryl-cyclohexane antagonists of CCR2
The present invention comprises compounds of Formula (I). wherein: X, R1, R2, R3, and R4 are as defined in the specification. The invention also comprises a method of preventing, treating or ameliorating a syndrome, disorder or disease, wherein said syndrome, disorder or disease is type II diabetes, obesity and asthma. The invention also comprises a method of inhibiting CCR2 activity in a mammal by administration of a therapeutically effective amount of at least one compound of Formula (I).
US08269004B2 Heterocyclical anti-aromatic chromophore architectures
NLO chromophores of the form of Formula (I): and the acceptable salts, solvates and hydrates thereof, wherein Z1-4, X1-4, π1-2, D, A and R have the definitions provided herein.
US08268997B2 Phenyl-substituted 1,3,5-triazine compound, process for producing the same, and organic electroluminescent device containing the same as component
A phenyl-substituted 1,3,5-triazine compound represented by the general formula (1); wherein Ar1 and Ar2 independently represent substituted or unsubstituted phenyl, naphthyl or biphenylyl group; R1, R2 and R3 independently represent hydrogen atom or methyl group; X1 and X2 independently represent substituted or unsubstituted phenylene, naphthylene or pyridylene group; p and q independently represent an integer of 0 to 2; and Ar3 and Ar4 independently represent substituted or unsubstituted pyridyl or phenyl group. This compound is suitable for an organic electroluminescent device.
US08268994B2 Fused ring heterocycle kinase modulators
The present invention provides novel fused ring heterocycle kinase modulators and methods of using the novel fused ring heterocycle kinase modulators to treat diseases mediated by kinase activity.
US08268986B2 RNA interference mediated inhibition of gene expression using chemically modified short interfering nucleic acid (siNA)
The present invention concerns methods and reagents useful in modulating gene expression in a variety of applications, including use in therapeutic, diagnostic, target validation, and genomic discovery applications. Specifically, the invention relates to synthetic chemically modified small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules capable of mediating RNA interference (RNAi) against target nucleic acid sequences. The small nucleic acid molecules are useful in the treatment of any disease or condition that responds to modulation of gene expression or activity in a cell, tissue, or organism.
US08268981B2 Plasmodium malariae and plasmodium ovale genes and uses thereof
The subject invention relates to nucleic acid sequences and amino acid sequences encoded thereby, derived from the Merozoite Surface Protein (MSP1) gene of the Plasmodium species P. malariae and P. ovale. Such genes and proteins have many beneficial diagnostic as well as therapeutic uses.
US08268974B2 Process to produce fibrillar proteins
A method for changing a globular protein structure into a fibrillar protein structure. The method comprising the steps of providing a globular protein, forming a solution containing the globular protein, adding a detergent to the solution containing the globular protein, applying the solution to a molecular sizing column with a pore size of at least 70 kDa and eluting with a solution containing detergent. A method for changing an unfolded protein structure into a fibrillar protein structure. The method comprising the steps of providing a globular protein, forming a solution containing the globular protein, adding a urea to the solution to unfold the globular protein, applying the solution to a molecular sizing column and eluting with a solution containing detergent. A method for treating cancer comprising the steps of providing a protein, changing the protein into a fibrillar structure, and administering a therapeutically effective amount of the fibrillar structure protein to a patient in need thereof. A method for producing a vaccine adjuvant or antigen adjuvant comprising the steps of providing a protein, and changing the protein into a fibrillar structure.
US08268968B2 Method for producing modified biopolymer and method for crosslinking biopolymer
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method wherein a structure which was prepared with a biopolymer such as gelatin is chemically modified with the use of a low-volatile chemical substance without dissolution of gelatin, and a biopolymer crosslinking method for producing a biopolymer having high strength (a high degree of crosslinking). The present invention provides a method for producing a modified biopolymer, which comprises reacting a structure prepared with a biopolymer with a solid-state compound having a melting point of 50° C. or more at a humidity of 50% or more, and a method for crosslinking biopolymer which comprises treating a biopolymer with a crosslinking agent, wherein the crosslinking agent concentration in a reaction mixture is 1.0% to 10% by weight and crosslinking is carried out in the presence of an organic fluorine compound.
US08268959B2 Energetic polyphosphazenes
This invention describes the synthesis and use of novel energetic poly(phosphazene) materials suitable for binding high explosives. These materials may also be used as explosives in their own right. The materials possess high energy density and are highly amenable to chemical modification thereby allowing for modification to the physical properties of the material. In particular the tacky and rubbery nature of these materials makes them ideal for use as binder and co-binder materials.
US08268957B2 Polyethylene imine based pigment dispersants
This invention refers to a novel process for the synthesis of polyethylene imine (PEI)-based pigment dispersants characterized by a “grafting from” approach, allowing the manufacture of solvent based dispersant systems. The polyethylene imine (PEI)-based pigment dispersant can be presented by the formula (I) X-(T)m-P-(T)n-H wherein P is a polyethyleneimine (PEI) back-bone; T is a residue —CO-A-O— wherein A is C2-C12 alkylene optionally substituted with C1-C6 alkyl with the proviso that each linkage between P and T is an amide bond and each linkage between X and T is an ester bond, X is a modifier or terminator residue R—CO— wherein R is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkanecarboxylic acids having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms or an unsaturated fatty acid residue or a hydroxycarboxylic residue or a polyester residue obtained from polycondensation of hydroxycarboxylic acids, or an acid terminated polyether; n, m independently are a number from 1 to 100.
US08268955B2 Polyamides
Polyamide containing a compound which bears at least one hydroxy group and has chemical bonding by way of an amide group to the end of the polymer chain, process for preparing this polyamide, and also fibers, films, and moldings, comprising at least one such polyamide.
US08268953B2 Polycarbonate containing plant-derived component and process for the preparation thereof
A process for the preparation of a polycarbonate containing a plant-derived component excellent in hue by using a plant-derived anhydrosugar alcohol represented by the following formula (1) or a composition thereof as a raw material: wherein R1 to R4 each independently represent a group selected from a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group and an aryl group.
US08268951B2 Composition comprising a fluorine-containing organopolysiloxane and a process for preparing the same
Present invention provides a fluorine-containing organopolysiloxane composition comprising a fluorine-containing silicone polymer having a three-dimensional, cross-linked structure, prepared by addition polymerizing the following (A), (B) and (C) and containing 10 to 30 mass % of the fluorine atoms, relative to a total mass of (A) to (C), (A) a vinyl group-containing organopolysiloxane represented by the following formula (1): (B) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane represented by the following formula (2): and (C) an organopolysiloxane having a reactive group on one end alone and represented by the following formula (3), and further comprising (D) a low viscosity silicone oil with a dynamic viscosity of 50 mm2/s or less at 25 degrees C.
US08268950B2 Glucosamine materials
Polymers comprising glucosamine (GlcN) are used to make medical devices. Examples include polyGlcN and carrier molecules containing multiple GlcN residues.
US08268948B2 Polymeric reagents comprising a terminal vinylic group and conjugates formed therefrom
The present invention provides conjugates having a degradable linkage and polymeric reagents useful in preparing such conjugates. Methods of making polymeric reagents and conjugates, as well as methods for administering conjugates and compositions, are also provided.
US08268947B2 Addition reaction to fluoroallylfluorosulfate
The invention pertains to a process for preparing compounds of formula (I-A) or (I-B) here below: by reaction of perfluoroallylfluorosulfate (FAFS) of formula (II): with at least one hypofluorite of formula (II-A) or (II-B): wherein: RF in formulae (I-A) and (II-A) is a monovalent fluorocarbon C1-C20 group, optionally comprising oxygen catenary atoms, optionally comprising functional groups comprising heteroatoms (e.g. —SO2F groups); R′F in formulae (I-B) and (II-B) is a divalent fluorocarbon C1-C6 group, preferably a group of formula wherein X1 and X2, equal to or different from each other, are independently a fluorine atom or a C1-C3 fluorocarbon group. The FAFS-hypofluorite adducts of formulae (I-A) and (I-B) can be produced with high selectivity so as to access useful intermediates which can further be reacted taking advantage of the un-modified fluorosulfate group chemistry.
US08268941B2 Process for polymerising or oligomerising a hydrocarbon
A process for polymerizing or oligomerising a hydrocarbon includes feeding at a low level a liquid hydrocarbon reactant into a bulk liquid phase comprising polymeric or oligomeric product admixed with a catalyst. The liquid hydrocarbon reactant is allowed to vaporise to form bubbles rising through the bulk liquid phase and to polymerise or oligomerise to form the polymeric or oligomeric product, with the rising bubbles creating turbulence in the bulk liquid phase, thereby mixing the bulk liquid phase. Gaseous components comprising any unreacted vaporised hydrocarbon reactant and any gaseous product that may have formed are withdrawn from a head space above the bulk liquid phase. Liquid phase from the bulk liquid phase is withdrawn to maintain the bulk liquid phase at a desired level.
US08268937B2 Crosslinkable aramid copolymers
The invention pertains to an aramid copolymer composition comprising an aramid copolymer having at least one arylene carboxylic acid moiety and at least one hydroxyarylene moiety, or comprising an aramid copolymer having at least one arylene carboxylic acid moiety or having at least one hydroxyarylene moiety, and a crosslinker agent. The invention further relates to crosslinked copolymers derived thereof and shaped articles comprising said crosslinked copolymers.
US08268930B2 EPDM production and reformation process for rubber products
The invention constituting the subject matter of this application is related to the production method and process regarding any and all products created by forming the EPDM rubber including a mixture of ethylene, propylene and diene by using heat and particularly the seal of the door gasket, which is a part of the washing machines.
US08268920B2 Heat aging resistant polyamides
Thermoplastic molding compositions comprising A) from 10 to 99.94% by weight of a polyamide, B) from 0.05 to 5% by weight of a polyethyleneimine homo- or copolymer, C) from 0.01 to 20% by weight of iron powder, and D) from 0 to 70% by weight of further additives, where the total of the percentages by weight of A) to D) is 100%.
US08268911B2 Bimodal filler systems for enhanced flame retardancy
Use of a bimodal filler system allows masterbatches with higher filler levels to be processable. When used with moisture curable resins, the use of a masterbatch having a bimodal filler allows the preparation of a composition having a higher percentage of moisture curable resin than if a unimodal filler was used and also provides enhanced flame retardant properties.
US08268910B2 Non-ionic surfactant additives for improved particle stability in high organic inkjet inks
Inkjet ink compositions and methods for increasing inkjet ink particle stability are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a latex polymer-containing inkjet ink composition comprises a secondary alcohol ethoxylate and a fluoro-surfactant at a concentration ratio effective to increase particle stability of the inkjet ink composition when the pigment particles are substantially electrostatically dispersed. In another embodiment, an inkjet ink composition comprises a latex dispersion having a conductivity of no more than about 1.5 mS/cm.
US08268897B2 Incorporation of catalytic dehydrogenation into Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to lower carbon dioxide emissions
A method for producing liquid fuels includes the steps of gasifying a starting material selected from a group consisting of coal, biomass, carbon nanotubes and mixtures thereof to produce a syngas, subjecting that syngas to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) to produce a hyrdrocarbon product stream, separating that hydrocarbon product stream into C1-C4 hydrocarbons and C5+ hydrocarbons to be used as liquid fuels and subjecting the C1-C4 hydrocarbons to catalytic dehydrogenation (CDH) to produce hydrogen and carbon nanotubes. The hydrogen produced by CDH is recycled to be mixed with the syngas incident to the FTS reactor in order to raise the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of the syngas to values of 2 or higher, which is required to produce liquid hydrocarbon fuels. This is accomplished with little or no production of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. The carbon is captured in the form of a potentially valuable by-product, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT), while huge emissions of carbon dioxide are avoided and very large quantities of water employed for the water-gas shift in traditional FTS systems are saved.
US08268890B2 Method of treating ischemia/reperfusion injury with nitroxyl donors
Nitroxyl donating compounds are administered prior to the onset of ischemia for the prevention and/or reduction of ischemia/reperfusion injury in subjects at risk for ischemia. Nitroxyl donors also are administered to organs to be transplanted for the prevention and/or reduction of ischemia/reperfusion injury upon reperfusion in a recipient. Nitroxyl donors include any nitroxyl donating compound. In particular cases the nitroxyl donor is a nitroxyl-donating diazeniumdiolate, such as Angeli's salt or IPA/NO.
US08268880B2 Soft protease inhibitors and pro-soft forms thereof
The invention provides compounds and methods for inhibiting proteases. One aspect of the invention features pro-soft inhibitors which react with an activating protease to release an active inhibitor moiety in proximity to a target protease. In certain instances, compounds inhibit proteasomes and/or post-proline cleaving enzymes (PPCE), such as dipeptidyl peptidase IV. The compounds of the invention provide a better therapeutic index, owing in part to reduced toxicity and/or improved specificity for the targeted protease.
US08268867B2 1,3-dioxane carboxylic acids
The present invention relates to novel 1,3-dioxane carboxylic acids of the general formula (I), their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, methods for their preparation, use of these compounds in medicine and the intermediates involved in their preparation.
US08268864B2 Combination of anticholinergics and leukotriene receptor antagonists for the treatment of respiratory diseases
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising an anticholinergic and at least one leukotriene inhibitor for treatment of respiratory diseases, including allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, COPD and common cold, and methods of treatment.
US08268850B2 Pyrimidine derivatives and compositions as C-kit and PDGFR kinase inhibitors
The invention provides a novel class of pyrimidine derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds and methods of using such compounds to treat or prevent diseases or disorders associated with abnormal or deregulated kinase activity, particularly diseases or disorders that involve abnormal activation of c-kit, PDGFRα and PDGFRβ kinases.
US08268843B2 5,8-difluoro-4-(2-(4-(heteroaryloxy)-phenyl)ethylamino)quinazolines and their use as agrochemicals
The present disclosure relates to 5,8-difluoro-4-(2-(4-(heteroaryloxy)-phenyl)ethylamino)quinazolines and their use as agrochemicals and animal health products.
US08268842B2 Fused ring 4-oxopyrimidine derivative
The present invention provides a compound represented by formula (I) below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which, having histamine H3 receptor antagonist or inverse agonist activity, is useful in the prophylaxis or therapy of metabolic diseases, circulatory diseases, or nervous system diseases. [where, for example, Ar is a divalent group formed by eliminating two hydrogen atoms from benzene, X1 is a nitrogen atom, sulfur atom or oxygen atom, R1 is a 5- to 6-membered heteroaryl group, Ring A is a 5- to 6-membered heteroaryl ring, R2 and R3 are amino groups or alkylamino groups, and X2 is represented by formula (II): (where R4 and R5 are lower alkyl groups, and n is an integer from 2 to 4).]
US08268836B2 Compound useful as a c-Met inhibitor
The present invention relates to a c-Met inhibitor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof useful in treating cancer mediated by activity of c-Met receptors.
US08268832B2 Maleate salts of 6-(5-chloro-2-Pyridyl)-5-[(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)carbonyloxy]-7-oxo-6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrazine
Pharmaceutical compositions of maleate salts of (6-(5-chloro-2-pyridyl)-5-[(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)carbonyloxy]-7-oxo-6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo [3,4-b]pyrazine) are provided. The maleate salts are sleep agents useful in oral dosage forms.
US08268825B2 Method for the treatment of anthrax infections
A method of treating an anthrax infection wherein a compound of formula I wherein R1 and R2 represent, independently of one another unsubstituted or specifically substituted C1-4alkoxy; and R3 represents hydrogen; cyano; unsubstituted or specifically substituted C1-6alkyl; C3-6cycloalkyl; C2-6alkenyl; C7-18bicyclyl; aryl, aryl-C1-4alkyl, aryl-Q-C1-4alkyl heteroaryl, heterocyclyl or heterocyclyl-C1-6alkyl, wherein aryl denotes a mono- or poly-nucleous group with 6 to 14 ring carbon atoms; heterocyclyl denotes a 4- to 6-membered non-aromatic heterocyclic group comprising 1 to 3, nitrogen, oxygen and/or sulfur atoms; heteroaryl denotes a mono- or polynuclear heteroaromatic group consisting 5- and/or 6-membered rings and comprising 5 to 13 carbon atoms and 1 to 4, nitrogen, oxygen and/or sulfur atoms; and Q means —SO— or —SO2—; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or hydrate or a prodrug thereof; is administered to said subject in a quantity effective to inhibit, suppress, or expel an anthrax infection in said subject.
US08268822B2 2-(amino-substituted)-4-aryl pyrimidines and related compounds useful for treating inflammatory diseases
A heterocyclic inhibitor having the formula I, with the variables defined herein, which is useful for treating inflammatory and other physiological disorders in which PKC-theta isoform plays a role:
US08268809B2 Kinase inhibitors for preventing or treating pathogen infection and method of use thereof
The present invention provides compositions and methods of use thereof to prevent and/or treat pathogenic infection. In particular, the present invention provides the use of kinase inhibitors to inhibit kinases that involve in pathogen-host cell interactions that are associated with or cause pathogenic infections, therefore, to effectively prevent and/or treat pathogenic infections with far less likely to engender resistance as compared to conventional antibiotics and anti-viral drugs. The present invention further provides the use of kinase inhibitors for the treatment of acute pathogenic infections for a short period of time to avoid toxicities that may caused by long term use of these kinase inhibitors.
US08268808B2 Carrageenan and carrageenan-containing products
The present invention discloses a carrageenan composition comprising: sodium in the range of about 5.410 to about 8.230%, preferably about 6.300 to about 8.230%, and more preferably about 7.380 to about 8.230%; potassium in the range of about 0.023% to about 0.248%, preferably about 0.023 to about 0.238%, and more preferably about 0.023 to about 0.078%; calcium in the range of 0.046-0.553%, preferably 0.046-0.446%, and more preferably 0.046-0.325%; and magnesium in the range of about 0.051 to about 0.338%, preferably about 0.051 to about 0.244% and more preferably about 0.051 to about 0.127%; wherein the carrageenan product has a gelling temperature of 7-30° C., preferably 7-18° C., more preferably 7-12° C.; and a melting temperature in the range 16-38° C., preferably 16-28° C., more preferably 16-24° C.
US08268807B2 Compositions and method for the treatment of multiple myeloma
The disclosure provides compositions and methods for treating multiple myeloma. In some embodiments, the compositions comprise (E)-3-hydroxy-21-[2′-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethoxy]-19-norpregna-1,3,5(10),17(20)-tetraene or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug thereof and a pharmaceutical carrier.
US08268803B2 5, 6-ring annulated indole derivatives and use thereof
The present invention relates to 5,6-ring annulated indole derivatives of the formula (I), compositions comprising at least one 5,6-ring annulated indole derivatives, and methods of using the 5,6-ring annulated indole derivatives for treating or preventing a viral infection or a virus-related disorder in a patient.
US08268802B2 Anti-proliferative compounds, compositions, and methods of use thereof
Compounds and compositions of Formula I are described, useful as anti-proliferative agents, and in particular anti-HPV, wherein: Y1A and Y1B are independently Y1; RX1 and RX2 are independently RX; Y1 is ═O, —O(RX), ═S, —N(RX), —N(O)(RX), —N(ORX), —N(O)(ORX), or —N(N(RX)(RX)); RX is independently R1, R2, R4, W3, or a protecting group; R1 is independently —H or alkyl of 1 to 18 carbon atoms; R2 is independently R3 or R4 wherein each R4 is independently substituted with 0 to 3 R3 groups or taken together at a carbon atom, two R2 groups form a ring of 3 to 8 carbons and the ring may be substituted with 0 to 3 R3 groups; R3 is R3a, R3b, R3c or R3d, provided that when R3 is bound to a heteroatom, then R3 is R3c or R3d; R3a is —H, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —CF3, —CN, N3, —NO2, or —OR4; R3b is ═O, —O(R4), ═S, —N(R4), —N(O)(R4), —N(OR4), —N(O)(OR4), or —N(N(R4)(R4)); R3c is —R4, —N(R4)(R4), —SR4, —S(O)R4, —S(O)2R4, —S(O)(OR4), —S(O)2(OR4), —OC(R3b)R4, —OC(R3b)OR4, —OC(R3b)(N(R4)(R4)), —SC(R3b)R4, —SC(R3b)OR4, —SC(R3b)(N(R4)(R4)), —N(R4)C(R3b)R4, —N(R4)C(R3b)OR4, —N(R4)C(R3b) (N(R4)(R4)), W3 or —R5W3; R3d is —C(R3b)R4, —C(R3b)OR4, —C(R3b)W3, —C(R3b)OW3 or —C(R3b)(N(R4)(R4)); R4 is —H, or an alkyl of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, alkenyl of 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or alkynyl of 2 to 18 carbon atoms; R5 is alkylene of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, alkenylene of 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or alkynylene of 2 to 18 carbon atoms; W3 is W4 or W5; W4 is R6, —C(R3b)R6, —C(R3b)W5, —SOM2R6, or —SOM2W5, wherein R6 is R4 wherein each R4 is substituted with 0 to 3 R3 groups; W5 is carbocycle or heterocycle wherein W5 is independently substituted with 0 to 3 R2 groups; and M2 is 0, 1 or 2; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
US08268796B2 Lipophilic nucleic acid delivery vehicle and methods of use thereof
Provided herein are compositions and methods for delivery of nucleic acids to individuals and to cells, including nucleic acid delivery particles that comprising a lipid-binding polypeptide, a lipid bilayer comprising one or more cationic lipids, and a nucleic acid.
US08268795B2 Emergence of a R-type CA2+ channel (CAV 2.3) contributes to cerebral artery constriction following subarachnoid hemorrhage
The invention relates to methods and products for treatment of a neurological defect such as a subarachnoid hemorrhage or cerebral vasospasm. Specifically, R-type voltage-gated calcium channel inhibitors and related compositions and kits are described.
US08268794B2 Pharmaceutical containing HIF-1 alpha and HIF-2 alpha expression inhibitor
Provided is a pharmaceutical product exhibiting a high therapeutic effect in the treatment of retinal diseases associated with angiogenesis such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and the like. A therapeutic agent for a retinal disease, containing a substance specifically inhibiting HIF-1α expression and a substance specifically inhibiting HIF-2α expression. The aforementioned inhibitory substances, which are active ingredients in the therapeutic agent of the present invention, are nucleic acids capable of inducing RNAi, antisense nucleic acids or ribozymes for HIF-1α and HIF-2α, or expression vectors thereof.
US08268787B2 Methods and apparatus for creating particle derivatives of HDL with reduced lipid content
The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.
US08268782B2 Composition and method for preparing plasminogen
Disclosed is both a method for preparing a plasminogen and a method for preparing a reversibly inactive acidified plasmin by activating the plasminogen. The prepared plasminogen is typically purified from a fraction obtained in the separation of immunoglobulin from Fraction II+III chromatographic process and eluted at a low pH. The prepared plasmin is isolated and stored with a low pH-buffering capacity agent to provide a substantially stable formulation. The reversibly inactive acidified plasmin may be used in the administration of a thrombolytic therapy.
US08268780B2 Process for solubilizing glucagon-like peptide 1 compounds
Disclosed is a method of preparing a GLP-1 compound that is soluble in aqueous solution at pH 7.4 from a GLP-1 compound that is substantially insoluble in aqueous solution at pH 7.4. The insoluble GLP-1 compound is dissolved in aqueous base or in aqueous acid to form a GLP-1 solution. The GLP-1 solution is then neutralized to a pH at which substantially no amino acid racemization of the GLP-1 compounds occurs, after which the soluble GLP-1 compound is isolated from the neutralized solution.
US08268770B2 Fibrous substrate with a solid hypohalite precipitate formed therein and process of making
A cleaning substrate which comprises at least one layer of a solid hypohalite precipitate, wherein the hypohalite precipitate is formed in situ on the layer of substrate material. A process for making a fibrous cleaning substrate comprising the steps of: a) providing at least one layer of fibrous material; b) exposing the fibrous layer to an aqueous alkaline earth salt solution; c) treating the fibrous layer with a hypochlorite solution; d) allowing the aqueous alkaline earth salt solution combine with the hypochlorite solution to form a solid hypochlorite precipitate around the fibers in the fibrous material and a liquid phase, and e) removing at least 65% of the liquid phase from the fibrous substrate.
US08268769B2 Composition and method for removing stains from fabrics
An aqueous solution containing a combination of Phosphoric Acid, Emulsifying Wax, Triethlyene Glycol, Cocamido Propyl Beatine, Lauryl Alcohol, EDTA-Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (polyamino carboxylic acid) and Sodium Hydrochloride is applied directly to stains on clothing that are caused by perspiration and/or the interaction of perspiration with commercial antiperspirants containing aluminum compounds. The aqueous solution converts aluminum oxide into a water-soluble phosphate compound that can be washed out when laundering the clothing, thereby effectively removing the stain.
US08268762B2 Transmission fluid composition
The invention provides a transmission fluid composition which has a kinematic viscosity as determined at 100° C. of 2 to 10 mm2/s and a viscosity index of 150 or higher and which satisfies a relationship between kinematic viscosity and NOACK evaporation loss amount represented by formula (I): X/3+Y≦6.33  (I) (wherein X represents a kinematic viscosity (mm2/s) as determined at 100° C., and Y represents a NOACK evaporation loss amount (mass %) at 200° C. for one hour), and a transmission fluid composition containing, as a base oil, at least one species selected from among α-olefin oligomers produced through oligomerization of an α-olefin through a specific method and hydrogenation products of the oligomers. Such transmission fluid compositions exhibit a very small evaporation loss despite having low viscosity, and a long metal fatigue life (e.g., pitting resistance) and have high viscosity index, good low-temperature fluidity, good extreme pressure properties, and good oxidation stability, and are suitable for transmissions, particularly automatic transmissions.
US08268759B2 Titanium compounds and complexes as additives in lubricants
A lubricating composition comprising an oil of lubricating viscosity, 1 to 1000 parts per million by weight of titanium in the form of an oil-soluble titanium-containing material, and at least one additional lubricant additive provides beneficial effects on properties such as deposit control, oxidation, and filterability in engine oils.
US08268751B2 Combination of active substances with insecticidal properties
The invention relates to novel insecticidal active compound combinations consisting, firstly, of anthranilamides and, secondly, of further insecticidally active compounds from the group of the pyrethroids, which combinations are highly suitable for controlling animal pests, such as insects.
US08268747B2 Safening penoxsulam herbicide injury in water-seeded, direct-seeded and transplanted paddy rice
Clomazone safens rice from the slight amounts of damage caused by penoxsulam at concentrations required to adequately control undesirable vegetation.
US08268743B2 Pluggage removal method for SCR catalysts and systems
The present disclosure relates to methods for treating an SCR catalyst or components of an SCR system having a decreased NOx potential efficiency as a result of particulate pluggage in the system or in one or more channels in the SCR catalyst which renders at least a portion of the catalytic active areas inaccessible for the flue gas. The methods include removal of the particulates and plug(s) using a blasting stream of a pressurized carrier gas having a particulate blasting medium directed at the SCR catalyst or component of an SCR system.
US08268742B2 Highly zirconia-based refractory and melting furnace
A highly zirconia-based refractory suitable for an electric melting furnace, which has a high electrical resistivity and does not exhibit a chipping off phenomenon and which is scarcely susceptible to extraction of components even when in contact with molten low alkali glass and, hence, is less susceptible to cracking during operation. The highly zirconia-based refractory that includes, as chemical components by mass %, from 85 to 95% of ZrO2 in terms of inner percentage, from 3.0 to 10% of SiO2 in terms of inner percentage, from 0.85 to 3.0% of Al2O3 in terms of inner percentage, substantially no Na2O, from 0.01 to 0.5% of K2O in terms of outer percentage, from 1.5 to 3.0% of SrO in terms of inner percentage, and from 0.1 to 2.0% of Nb2O5 and/or Ta2O5 as a value obtained by [(Nb2O5 content)+(Ta2O5 content/1.66)], in terms of inner percentage.
US08268737B1 Facer and construction materials made therewith
Electron beam curable resins or ultraviolet light curable resins can be used in combination with filler and other additives to make coated facers that can be used on insulation boards. Also disclosed are facers made of such composition, the process for making said facers and their use in insulation, building and construction boards. More specifically a flexible facer can be made by a process that comprises (1) applying a monomeric composition to a fiber mat, wherein the fiber mat is a non-asphaltic, non-cellulosic fiber mat, and wherein the monomeric composition is comprised of at least one monomer and/or at least one oligomer, and a filler, (2) initiating polymerization of the monomer within the monomeric composition by exposing the monomeric composition to ultraviolet light or an electron beam, and (3) allowing the monomer to polymerized to produce the flexible facer.
US08268718B2 Bonded structure and manufacturing method for bonded structure
A manufacturing method for a bonded structure, in which a semiconductor device is bonded to an electrode by a bonding portion, the method including: first mounting a solder ball, in which a surface of a Bi ball is coated with Ni plating, on the electrode that is heated to a temperature equal to or more than a melting point of Bi; second pressing the solder ball against the heated electrode, cracking the Ni plating, spreading molten Bi on a surface of the heated electrode, and forming a bonding material containing Bi-based intermetallic compound of Bi and Ni; and third mounting the semiconductor device on the bonding material.
US08268717B2 Manufacturing method of bump structure with annular support
A manufacturing method of a bump structure with an annular support includes the following steps. A substrate including pads and a passivation layer is provided. The passivation has first openings exposing a portion of the pads. An UBM material layer is formed to cover the passivation layer and the pads. A patterned photoresist layer, having second openings respectively exposing the UBM material layer over the pads, is formed on the UBM material layer. A diameter of each second opening located on a lower surface of the patterned photoresist layer is less than that located on an upper surface of the patterned photoresist layer. Bumps are formed in the second openings. A portion of the patterned photoresist layer is removed to form an annular support at a periphery of each bump. The UBM material layer is patterned using the annular supports and the bumps as masks to form UBM layers.
US08268716B2 Creation of lead-free solder joint with intermetallics
A method of coupling an integrated circuit to a substrate includes providing the substrate, forming a contact pad in the substrate, contacting the contact pad with a solder ball, and repeatedly exposing the solder ball to a thermal process to cause intermetallics based on a metal in the contact pad to be formed in the thermal ball.
US08268714B2 Method for fabricating solar cell using inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition
In one example, a method for fabricating a solar cell comprising a first electrode, a first-type layer, an intrinsic layer, a second-type layer and a second electrode is disclosed. The method comprising forming a second-type layer including an amorphous silicon (Si) carbide thin film by an inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) device using mixed gas including hydrogen (H2) gas, silane (SiH4) gas, diborane (B2H6) and ethylene (C2H4) gas, wherein the ethylene (C2H4) gas includes 60% hydrogen gas diluted ethylene gas, the diborane gas is 97% hydrogen gas diluted diborane gas, the mixed gas includes 1 to 1.2% ethylene gas and 6 to 6.5% diborane gas.
US08268712B2 Method of forming metal gate structure and method of forming metal gate transistor
A method of forming metal gate transistor includes providing a substrate; forming a gate dielectric layer, a work function metal layer and a polysilicon layer stacked on the substrate; forming a hard mask and a patterned photoresist on the polysilicon layer; removing the patterned photoresist, and next utilizing the hard mask as an etching mask to remove parts of the polysilicon layer and parts of the work function metal layer. Thus, a gate stack is formed. Since the patterned photoresist is removed before forming the gate stack, the gate stack is protected from damages of the photoresist-removing process. The photoresist-removing process does not attack the sidewalls of the gate stack, so a bird's beak effect of the gate dielectric layer is prevent.
US08268709B2 Independently accessed double-gate and tri-gate transistors in same process flow
A method for fabricating double-gate and tri-gate transistors in the same process flow is described. In one embodiment, a sacrificial layer is formed over stacks that include semiconductor bodies and insulative members. The sacrificial layer is planarized prior to forming gate-defining members. After forming the gate-defining members, remaining insulative member portions are removed from above the semiconductor body of the tri-gate device but not the I-gate device. This facilitates the formation of metallization on three sides of the tri-gate device, and the formation of independent gates for the I-gate device.
US08268707B2 Gallium nitride for liquid crystal electrodes
Described herein is a liquid crystal (LC) device having Gallium Nitride HEMT electrodes. The Gallium Nitride HEMT electrodes can be grown on a variety of substrates, including but not limited to sapphire, silicon carbide, silicon, fused silica (using a calcium fluoride buffer layer), and spinel. Also described is a structure provided from GaN HEMT grown on large area silicon substrates and transferred to another substrate with appropriate properties for OPA devices. Such substrates include, but are not limited to sapphire, silicon carbide, silicon, fused silica (using a calcium fluoride buffer layer), and spinel. The GaN HEMT structure includes an AlN interlayer for improving the mobility of the structure.
US08268696B2 Alignment mark for opaque layer
An IC alignment mark in a contact metal layer for use under an opaque layer, and a process for forming the alignment mark, are disclosed. The alignment mark includes contact metal fields, each several microns wide, with an array of PMD pillars in the interior, formed during contact etch, contact metal deposition and selective contact metal removal processes. The pillars are arrayed such that all exposed surfaces of the contact metal are planar. One configuration is a rectangular array in which every other row is laterally offset by one-half of the column spacing. Horizontal dimensions of the pillars are selected to maximize the contact metal fill factor, while providing sufficient adhesion to the underlying substrate during processing. The contact metal is at least 15 nanometers lower than the PMD layer surrounding the alignment mark, as a result of the contact metal removal process.
US08268695B2 Methods of making capacitors
Some embodiments include methods of making stud-type capacitors utilizing carbon-containing support material. Openings may be formed through the carbon-containing support material to electrical nodes, and subsequently conductive material may be grown within the openings. The carbon-containing support material may then be removed, and the conductive material utilized as stud-type storage nodes of stud-type capacitors. The stud-type capacitors may be incorporated into DRAM, and the DRAM may be utilized in electronic systems.
US08268693B2 Method for fabricating a radiation hardened device
A “tabbed” MOS device provides radiation hardness while supporting reduced gate width requirements. The “tabbed” MOS device also utilizes a body tie ring, which reduces field threshold leakage. In one implementation the “tabbed” MOS device is designed such that a width of the tab is based on at least a channel length of the MOS device such that a radiation-induced parasitic conduction path between the source and drain region of the device has a resistance that is higher than the device channel resistance.
US08268690B2 Methods of forming semiconductor devices having recessed channels
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate insulation layer, a gate structure, a gate spacer, and first and second impurity regions. The substrate has an active region defined by an isolation layer. The active region has a gate trench thereon. The gate insulation layer is formed on an inner wall of the gate trench. The gate structure is formed on the gate insulation layer to fill the gate trench. The gate structure has a width smaller than that of the gate trench, and has a recess at a first portion thereof. The gate spacer is formed on sidewalls of the gate structure. The first and second impurity regions are formed at upper portions of the active region adjacent to the gate structure. The first impurity region is closer to the recess than the second impurity region. Related methods are also provided.
US08268688B2 Production of VDMOS-transistors having optimized gate contact
A method for producing VDMOS transistors in which a specific layer arrangement and a specific method sequence allow setting up an improved gate contact when simultaneously producing source and gate contacts using a single contact hole mask (photo mask).
US08268684B2 Method and apparatus for trench and via profile modification
Embodiments of the present invention generally relates to an apparatus and a method for processing semiconductor substrates. Particularly, embodiments of the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for profile modification prior to filling a structure, such as a trench or a via. One embodiment of the present invention comprises forming a sacrifice layer to pinch off a top opening of a structure by exposing the structure to an etchant. In one embodiment, the etchant is configured to remove the first material by reacting with the first material and generating a by-product, which forms the sacrifice layer.
US08268683B2 Method for reducing interfacial layer thickness for high-K and metal gate stack
A method for reducing interfacial layer (IL) thickness for high-k dielectrics and metal gate stack is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming an interfacial layer on a semiconductor substrate, etching back the interfacial layer, depositing a high-k dielectric material over the interfacial layer, and forming a metal gate over the high-k dielectric material. The IL can be chemical oxide, ozonated oxide, thermal oxide, or formed by ultraviolet ozone (UVO) oxidation process from chemical oxide, etc. The etching back of IL can be performed by a Diluted HF (DHF) process, a vapor HF process, or any other suitable process. The method can further include performing UV curing or low thermal budget annealing on the interfacial layer before depositing the high-k dielectric material.
US08268682B2 Method for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device
When a natural oxide film is left at the interface between a metal silicide layer and a silicon nitride film, in various heating steps (steps involving heating of a semiconductor substrate, such as various insulation film and conductive film deposition steps) after deposition of the silicon nitride film, the metal silicide layer partially abnormally grows due to oxygen of the natural oxide film occurring on the metal silicide layer surface. A substantially non-bias (including low bias) plasma treatment is performed in a gas atmosphere containing an inert gas as a main component on the top surface of a metal silicide film of nickel silicide or the like over source/drain of a field-effect transistor forming an integrated circuit. Then, a silicon nitride film serving as an etching stop film of a contact process is deposited. As a result, without causing undesirable cutting of the metal silicide film, the natural oxide film over the top surface of the metal silicide film can be removed.
US08268678B2 Diode array and method of making thereof
A method of making a non-volatile memory device includes providing a substrate having a substrate surface, and forming a non-volatile memory array over the substrate surface. The non-volatile memory array includes an array of semiconductor diodes, and each semiconductor diode of the array of semiconductor diodes is disposed substantially parallel to the substrate surface.
US08268672B2 Method of assembly and assembly thus made
An assembly (100) is provided comprising a first chip (20) and a second chip (30) which are interconnected through solder connections. These comprise, at the first chip, an underbump metallization and a solder bump, and, at the second chip, a metallization. In this case the solder bump is provided as a fluid layer with a contact angle of less than 90° C., and an intermetallic compound is formed on the basis of the metallization at the second chip, and at least one element of the composition is applied as the solder bump.
US08268663B2 Annealing of semi-insulating CdZnTe crystals
In a method of annealing a Cd1-xZnxTe sample/wafer, surface contamination is removed from the sample/wafer and the sample/wafer is then introduced into a chamber. The chamber is evacuated and Hydrogen or Deuterium gas is introduced into the evacuated chamber. The sample/wafer is heated to a suitable annealing temperature in the presence of the Hydrogen or Deuterium gas for a predetermined period of time.
US08268661B2 Sealing laminated sheet for electronic device and electronic device production method using same
The present invention is a sealing laminated sheet for an electronic device in which a first sheet and a second sheet 5 are laminated, wherein the first sheet contains an acid-modified polyolefin-based thermoplastic resin, the second sheet 5 has a melting point higher than that of the first sheet, and a peel strength at 25° C. of the second sheet 5 relative to the first sheet is 0.5 to 10.0 N/15 mm. According to the present invention, the production yield of an electronic device can be improved.
US08268656B2 Optical device wafer processing method
An optical device wafer processing method including a protective plate attaching step of attaching a transparent protective plate through a double-sided adhesive tape to the front side of a sapphire substrate constituting an optical device wafer, the double-sided adhesive tape being composed of a sheet capable of blocking ultraviolet radiation and adhesive layers formed on both sides of the sheet, wherein the adhesive force of each adhesive layer can be reduced by applying ultraviolet radiation; a sapphire substrate grinding step of grinding the back side of the sapphire substrate; a modified layer forming step of applying a laser beam to the sapphire substrate from the back side thereof to thereby form a modified layer in the sapphire substrate along each street; a protective plate removing step of removing the protective plate in the condition where the double-sided adhesive tape is left on the sapphire substrate; and a wafer dividing step of breaking the sapphire substrate along each street where the modified layer is formed, thus dividing the optical device wafer into individual optical devices in the condition where the double-sided adhesive tape is left on the sapphire substrate.
US08268644B2 Light emitting device, and method and apparatus for manufacturing same
A method for manufacturing a light emitting device includes: measuring at least one of each wavelength of the emitted light of the light emitting element, each optical output of the emitted light of the light emitting element, and each chromaticity of the mixed light emitted through the mixed resin in a manufacturing process of the light emitting device; and adjusting chromaticity for each light emitting device by performing a prescribed chromaticity adjustment with regard to the mixed resin, on basis of a result obtained in the measuring, so that the chromaticity of the mixed light falls within a preset prescribed range.
US08268635B2 Methods of identifying agents that selectively activate p38 and/or NKkB signaling
The present invention relates to a method of selectively modulating a signalling pathway of interest controlled by a cell receptor involved in signalling through multiple pathways. The method includes exposing the receptor to an agent that modulates signalling by the receptor through the signalling pathway of interest and does not substantially modulate signalling through one or more other signalling pathways controlled by the receptor.
US08268631B2 Chiral selectors and stationary phases for separating enantiomer mixtures
Chiral selectors having α-unsubstituted β-amino acid derivatives of the structure: a stationary phase for separating substance mixtures containing the chiral selector, and processes for separating mixtures of chiral substances, including enantiomers, and especially enantiomers of substances selected from β-amino acids and derivatives thereof, α-amino acids and α-hydroxy acids are provided.
US08268623B2 Method of marking a product, marked product resulting thereof, and method of identifying same
A method and means for identifying the authenticity and the genuine nature of a solid or liquid bulk material, by incorporating a marking composition containing at least one trace ion into the said bulk material, whereby the total concentration of the incorporated trace ions in the market bulk material is chosen to be lower than the corresponding concentration of the same ions in standard sea water. The authenticity and the genuine nature or the adulteration level of the marked bulk material can be tested in-the-field using electrochemical sensors, and confirmed in the laboratory using a method such as atomic absorption spectroscopy, ion chromatography or mass spectrometry.
US08268620B2 OCT4 and SOX2 with SV40 T antigen produce pluripotent stem cells from primate somatic cells
Methods for reprogramming primate somatic cells to pluripotency using an episomal vector that does not encode an infectious virus are disclosed. Pluripotent cells produced in the methods are also disclosed.
US08268617B2 Anti-IGF-I receptor antibodies, DNAs, vectors, host cells and genetic constructs
DNAs, vectors, host cells and genetic constructs of antibodies, humanized antibodies, resurfaced antibodies, antibody fragments, derivatized antibodies, and conjugates of these molecules with cytotoxic agents, which specifically bind to and inhibit insulin-like growth factor-I receptor, antagonize the effects of IGF-I and are substantially devoid of agonist activity toward the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor. These molecules can be conjugated to cytotoxic agents for use in the treatment of tumors that express elevated levels of IGF-I receptor, such as breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, ovarian carcinoma, synovial sarcoma and pancreatic cancer. These molecules can also be labeled for in vitro and in vivo diagnostic uses, such as in the diagnosis and imaging of tumors that express elevated levels of IGF-I receptor.
US08268609B2 Production of sialylated N-glycans in lower eukaryotes
The present invention relates to eukaryotic host cells which have been modified to produce sialylated glycoproteins by the heterologous expression of a set of glycosyltransferases, including sialyltransferase and/or trans-sialidase, to become host-strains for the production of mammalian, e.g., human therapeutic glycoproteins. Novel eukaryotic host cells expressing a CMP-sialic acid biosynthetic pathway for the production of sialylated glycoproteins are also provided. The invention provides nucleic acid molecules and combinatorial libraries which can be used to successfully target and express mammalian enzymatic activities (such as those involved in sialylation) to intracellular compartments in a eukaryotic host cell. The process provides an engineered host cell which can be used to express and target any desirable gene(s) involved in glycosylation.
US08268605B2 Compositions and methods utilizing DNA polymerases
The invention features a novel isolated Family B DNA polymerase, a Thermococcus polymerase JDF-3, and mutant recombinant forms thereof. Mutant polymerases of the invention are deficient in 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity and/or exhibit reduced discrimination against non-conventional nucleotides relative to the wild-type form of the polymerase.
US08268595B2 Integrated methods for processing palm fruit bunches
This invention is directed to an integrated method for the processing of palm fruit bunches to oil and other products. The method comprises inter alia separating palm fruit carrying bunches into fruits and lignocellulosic empty fruit bunches, processing the fruits to form palm oil, and at least one lignocellulosic processing coproduct; generating an aqueous stream; producing a non-oil, non-alcohol, non-fatty acid ester third product from the oil, the lignocellulosic processing coproduct, the aqueous stream or from a combination thereof; processing at least a portion of the lignocellulosic empty fruit bunches, lignocellulosic processing coproduct or a combination thereof into a fourth product and optionally producing at least one fifth conversion product from the fourth product; and using at least a portion of the fourth product or a product of its conversion or a combination thereof.
US08268588B2 Methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of anemia
Methods for increasing and maintaining hematocrit in a mammal comprising administering a hyperglycosylated analog of erythropoietin are disclosed. An analog may be administered less frequently than an equivalent molar amount of recombinant human erythropoietin to obtain a comparable target hematocrit and treat anemia. Alternatively, a lower molar amount of a hyperglycosylated analog may be administered to obtain a comparable target hematocrit and treat anemia. Also disclosed are new hyperglycosylated erythopoietin analogs, methods of production of the analogs, and compositions comprising the analogs.
US08268586B2 Modified messenger RNA stabilizing sequences for expressing genes in bacterial cells
The present invention relates to methods of producing a polypeptide having biological activity in a bacterial cell, comprising: (a) cultivating a bacterial host cell in a medium conducive for production of the polypeptide, wherein the bacterial host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a promoter region operably linked to a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide and a modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the promoter region and upstream of the ribosome binding site of the polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide, wherein the modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence promotes higher expression of the polynucleotide sequence compared to an unmodified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence; and (b) isolating the polypeptide having biological activity from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to such modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequences, nucleic acid constructs, and bacterial host cells and to methods of obtaining such bacterial host cells.
US08268584B1 Hydrogen production from microbial strains
The present invention is directed to a method of screening microbe strains capable of generating hydrogen. This method involves inoculating one or more microbes in a sample containing cell culture medium to form an inoculated culture medium. The inoculated culture medium is then incubated under hydrogen producing conditions. Once incubating causes the inoculated culture medium to produce hydrogen, microbes in the culture medium are identified as candidate microbe strains capable of generating hydrogen. Methods of producing hydrogen using one or more of the microbial strains identified as well as the hydrogen producing strains themselves are also disclosed.
US08268582B2 Methods of synthesizing heteromultimeric polypeptides in yeast using a haploid mating strategy
Methods are provided for the synthesis and secretion of recombinant hetero-multimeric proteins in mating competent yeast. A first expression vector is transformed into a first haploid cell; and a second expression vector is transformed into a second haploid cell. The transformed haploid cells, each individually synthesizing a non-identical polypeptide, are identified and then genetically crossed or fused. The resulting diploid strains are utilized to produce and secrete fully assembled and biologically functional hetero-multimeric protein.
US08268580B2 Medium for detecting the presence or absence of pathogenic staphylococci
A test mixture for detecting the presence or absence of pathogenic staphylococci (“p.staphylococci”) directly in a first generation specimen test sample, the test mixture comprising: an effective amount of amino acids, an effective amount of nitrogen sources, an effective amount of salts, an effective amount of vitamins, an effective amount of calcium, and an effective amount of coagulase substrates, which coagulase substrates include fibrinogen, which will create a clot within a liquid medium containing the test mixture and the first generational specimen test sample at temperatures in the range of about 20° C. to about 42° C. in the presence of p.staphylococci in the first generation specimen test sample.
US08268570B2 Restricted access media and methods for making restricted access media
The present invention is directed to restricted access media (RAM), methods for preparing restricted access media, and kits for preparing restricted access media that contain protected ligand binding agents or protected enzymes. Certain RAM provided contain a plurality of protected regions of the support that contain ligand binding agents that are protected by blocking agents. Certain RAM provided contain a plurality of protected regions of the support that contain unbound ligand binding agents or enzymes that are retained in the protected regions by a capping agent. Methods of making the RAM of the invention and associated kits are also provided.
US08268568B2 Methods and compositions for categorizing patients
The disclosure provides, among other things, molecular markers for categorizing the neoplastic state of a patient, methods for using the molecular markers in diagnostic tests, nucleic acid and amino acid sequences related to the molecular markers, reagents for detection of molecular markers, and methods for identifying candidate molecular markers in highly parallel gene expression data.
US08268566B2 Enhanced FC receptor-mediated tumor necrosis factor superfamily MRNA expression in peripheral blood leukocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
A method for predicting patient responsiveness to rheumatoid arthritis treatments involving altering expression of tumor necrosis factor superfamily (“TNFSF”)-2, TNFSF-8, or TNFSF-15 is disclosed. A method for monitoring the effectiveness of such therapy is also disclosed. Furthermore, a method of screening compounds for use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is disclosed. A method of monitoring the disease state over time in rheumatoid arthritis patients is also disclosed.
US08268553B2 High throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms
The present invention provides a method and compositions for high throughput screening of genetically modified photosynthetic organisms for plasmic state. The present invention provides methods of producing one or more proteins, including biomass degrading enzymes in a plant. Also provided are the methods of producing biomass degradation pathways in alga cells, particularly in the chloroplast. Single enzymes or multiple enzymes may be produced by the methods disclosed. The methods disclosed herein allow for the production of biofuel, including ethanol.
US08268551B2 Sensitive sensing based on optical nonlinear wave mixing
Techniques and systems for using nonlinear four wave mixing to optically measure microarrays with sample cells of biological or chemical materials. Examples of suitable microarrays include but are not limited to DNA microchips and capillary electrophoresis microarrays.
US08268549B2 Method and assay for determining methylation of GAL3 promoter for early diagnosis of prostate cancer
A method and assay are described for determining prostate cancer and the general stage of progression of such cancer by quantifying levels of promoter methylation of gal-3, optionally in combination with the quantification of the level of GSTP1 promoter methylation, where the method and assay are non-invasive to a subject and can detect any of Stages I-IV prostate cancer.
US08268543B2 Methods of forming patterns on substrates
A method of forming a pattern on a substrate includes forming spaced first features over a substrate. The spaced first features have opposing lateral sidewalls. Material is formed onto the opposing lateral sidewalls of the spaced first features. That portion of such material which is received against each of the opposing lateral sidewalls is of different composition from composition of each of the opposing lateral sidewalls. At least one of such portion of the material and the spaced first features is densified to move the at least one laterally away from the other of the at least one to form a void space between each of the opposing lateral sidewalls and such portion of the material.
US08268542B2 Method for reducing side lobe printing using a barrier layer
A method suitable for reducing side lobe printing in a photolithography process is enabled by the use of a barrier layer on top of a photoresist on a substrate. The barrier layer is absorbing at the imaging wavelength of the underlying photoresist and thus blocks the light from reaching the photoresist. A first exposure followed by a development in an aqueous base solution selectively removes a portion of the barrier layer to reveal a section of the underlying photoresist layer. At least a portion of the revealed section of the photoresist layer is then exposed and developed to form a patterned structure in the photoresist layer. The barrier layer can also be bleachable upon exposure and bake in the present invention.
US08268534B2 Self-aligned, sub-wavelength optical lithography
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for performing self-aligned, sub-wavelength optical lithography. One embodiment provides a region of photoresist above a conductive surface having a plurality of periodically arrayed openings extending therethrough. At least a portion of the region of photoresist is then exposed to a light, wherein the intensity of the light is less than the intensity required to cure the photoresist. In so doing, at least one self-aligned, sub-wavelength location in at least one location of the region of photoresist is cured.
US08268532B2 Method for forming microscopic structures on a substrate
The invention relates to a method for forming microscopic structures. By scanning a focused particle beam over a substrate in the presence of a precursor fluid, a patterned seed layer is formed. By now growing this layer with Atomic Layer Deposition or Chemical Vapor Deposition, a high quality layer can be grown.An advantage of this method is that forming the seed layer takes relatively little time, as only a very thin layer needs to be deposited.
US08268528B2 Resist composition and patterning process
A resist composition is provided comprising (A) an additive polymer of acyl-protected hexafluoroalcohol structure, (B) a base polymer having a structure derived from lactone ring, hydroxyl group and/or maleic anhydride, the base polymer becoming soluble in alkaline developer under the action of acid, (C) a photoacid generator, and (D) an organic solvent. The additive polymer is transparent to radiation of wavelength up to 200 nm, and its properties can be tailored by a choice of the polymer structure.
US08268521B2 Electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
According to an aspect of the invention, an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer provided on a surface of the conductive substrate is provided. In the electrophotographic photoreceptor, an outermost layer of the photosensitive layer containing a crosslinked product formed from at least one charge transporting material having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of —OH, —OCH3, —NH2, —SH, and —COOH, an acidic substance, and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formula (A) and compounds represented by the following formula (B).
US08268517B2 Photolithographic method and mask devices utilized for multiple exposures in the field of a feature
A photolithographic mask set for creating a plurality of characters on a device includes a plurality of photolithographic masks, wherein each mask includes at least one mask character area and at least one mask character field area that surrounds said mask character area; wherein each said mask character field area has a radiation energy density transmission factor Tf that is greater than zero, and wherein each mask character area has a radiation energy density transmission factor Tc that is greater than zero, such that each mask character field area and each mask character area of each mask is not opaque.
US08268514B2 Pellicle mounting method and apparatus
Apparatus is provided for mounting a pellicle to a photomask. A chamber has at least one port for filling the chamber with extreme clean dry air (XCDA) or an inert gas. A pellicle mounter is provided within the chamber. A vacuum ultra violet (VUV) light source is provided for irradiating a mask held by the pellicle mounter while the chamber is filled with the XCDA or inert gas. The mask is irradiated with the VUV light in an atmosphere of the XCDA or inert gas, and the pellicle is mounted to the mask while the mask is in the atmosphere of the XCDA or inert gas and exposed to the VUV light.
US08268512B2 Polymer electrolyte fuel cell and manufacturing method for electrode-membrane-frame assembly
In a manufacturing method for an electrode-membrane-frame assembly in a fuel cell, a first frame member and an electrolyte membrane member are arranged in a first mold for injection molding such that the edge of the electrolyte membrane member is arranged on the first frame member, a second mold is arranged to form a resin flow passage for forming a second frame member which is in contact with the first frame member by interposing the electrolyte membrane member, and a part of the edge of the electrolyte membrane member is pressed and fixed to the first frame member by a presser member mounted on the second mold and a molding resin material is injected into the resin flow passage to form a second frame member.
US08268508B2 Fluid tank capable of supplying a fuel mixture irrespective of position for fuel cell
Disclosed herein are a fluid tank used as a water controller system for fuel cells, wherein the fluid tank includes a housing defining an inner space for receiving a liquid-phase component and a gas-phase component, discharging carbon dioxide and air of the gas-phase component, and supplying the liquid-phase component into a fuel cell stack, and wherein the housing is constructed in a dual structure in which a hermetically-sealed type inner case is disposed inside a hermetically-sealed type outer case such that a space defined between the hermetically-sealed type cases is filled with water, the housing is provided on the outer case and the inner case at one side surface thereof with one or more gas and liquid separation membranes, respectively, and the housing is provided on the outer case and the inner case at the other side surface thereof with one or more gas and liquid separation membranes, respectively, whereby the gas-phase component passes through the water filled in the space defined between the inner and outer cases when the gas-phase component is discharged to the outside from the inner space of the housing, and a fuel cell including the fluid tank.
US08268498B2 Fuel cell, fuel cell system, and electronic device
A fuel cell with which deterioration of an anode electrode is able to be inhibited by an inexpensive means while generated carbon dioxide is removed, a fuel cell system including the same, and an electronic device including the same are provided. The fuel cell includes: a power generation section having an electrolyte between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode; an anode side platy member provided on the anode electrode side of the power generation section; a fuel vaporization chamber; a through hole that is formed in the anode platy member and gives passage between the anode electrode and the fuel vaporization chamber; a carbon dioxide exhaust section that guides carbon dioxide generated in the power generation section to each side face of the anode platy member or the fuel vaporization chamber; and a valve provided in the carbon dioxide exhaust section.
US08268491B1 Thermally integrated fuel cell system
A thermally integrated fuel cell system includes a stack zone, a burner zone and a low temperature zone. The fuel is combined with steam and passed sequentially through a primary reformer and a secondary reformer or a radiative fuel heat exchanger. Air may be passed sequentially through an afterburner heat exchanger and a radiative air heat exchanger such that the radiative heat exchanger may be used to heat the stack zone. The stack exhaust is combusted in an afterburner. Afterburner exhaust heats the primary reformer, the high temperature air heat exchanger, the low temperature air heat exchanger and steam generator. The stack zone includes the stacks, the secondary reformer and the radiative heat exchanger. The burner zone includes the afterburner which includes a start burner, the primary reformer and the high temperature air heat exchanger. The low temperature zone includes the low temperature air heat exchanger and a steam generator.
US08268490B2 Catalyst layer, membrane electrode assembly and fuel cell
Catalyst layers include an electrocatalyst having high oxygen reduction activity that is useful as an alternative material to platinum catalysts. Uses of the catalyst layers are also disclosed. A catalyst layer of the invention includes an electrode substrate and an electrocatalyst on the surface of the electrode substrate, and the electrocatalyst is formed of a metal compound obtained by hydrolyzing a metal salt or a metal complex.
US08268488B2 Thin film electrolyte for thin film batteries
The invention relates to a solid-state lithium-ion thin-film electrolyte that, compared to the current state-of-the-art thin-film electrolyte, Lipon, exhibits an equal or larger electrochemical stability window (0-5.5 V vs. Li+/Li), an equal or smaller electronic conductivity (10−14 S/cm at 25° C.), the same ideal transference number for Li+ ions (t=1.000), and a 10× higher Li+ ion conductivity at −40° C. Latter provides thin-film batteries (TFBs) with at least a 5× higher power performance at −40° C. over the current state-of-the-art Lipon TFBs.
US08268479B2 Battery spacer, protection assembly for electric core, and power battery
A battery spacer, a protection assembly for electric core, and a power battery are provided. The battery spacer comprises a spacer body. The spacer body comprises: a tab passing area located in a middle portion of the spacer body, the tab passing area being adapted to receive an end of an electric core of a battery; and receiving areas adjacent to ends of the tab passing area along the spacer body. The spacer body and the tab passing area provide an end wall, two side walls, and a top wall configured to surround each of the receiving area. At least one tab aperture is formed in the tab passing area and penetrates the spacer body.
US08268469B2 Battery pack gas exhaust system
A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway within a battery pack. The system is comprised of a multi-sided, substantially airtight battery pack enclosure configured to hold a plurality of batteries, where at least one side of the battery pack enclosure includes at least one cavity. An inner wall of the enclosure includes a plurality of perforations configured to pass gas from within the enclosure to the cavity within the at least one side member. The system is further comprised of at least one gas exhaust port integrated into an outer wall of the enclosure and configured to pass gas from within the cavity of the enclosure side member to the ambient environment when one or more batteries contained within the battery pack undergo thermal runaway.
US08268465B2 Battery, electrical equipment, and a powering method implementing means for short-circuiting the battery
The present invention relates to a method of supplying electrical power to an equipment by means of a battery, said method including the step of short-circuiting the battery until it has a temperature greater than a predetermined threshold, characterized in that the battery is short-circuited with a temporal duty ratio determined to keep the equipment functioning and to maintain the temperature of the battery above the predetermined threshold. The invention also relates to a battery and an electrical equipment for implementing that method.
US08268460B2 High heat resistant masterbatch, heat ray shielding transparent molded resin, and heat-ray shielding transparent lamination body
To provide a transparent resin molded product with less yellowing due to thermal deterioration of a dispersant by melting and kneading during molding process, and having excellent visible light transmittance and excellent heat ray shielding function. Then, a high heat resistant masterbatch is provided, which is used for manufacturing a heat ray shielding transparent molded resin, comprising: a thermoplastic resin; composite tungsten oxide particles expressed by a general formula WOX (satisfying 2.45≦X≦2.999) and/or composite tungsten oxide particles expressed by a general formula MYWOZ (satisfying 0.1≦Y≦0.5, 2.2≦Z 3.0) and having a crystal structure of hexagonal crystal; and a high heat resistant dispersant having a thermal decomposition temperature of 230° C. or more, satisfying a range of 10≧[weight of the high heat resistant dispersant/(weights of tungsten oxide particles and/or composite tungsten oxide particles)]≧0.5.
US08268459B2 Benzanthracene compound and organic electroluminescence device using the same
A compound having the following structure as at least a part thereof: wherein FA and FA′ are independently a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon aromatic ring or hetero atom-containing aromatic ring, and at least one of FA and FA′ is the hetero atom-containing aromatic ring.
US08268458B2 Carbazole compounds and organo-electroluminescent devices using the same
A carbazole compound represented by Formula 1: wherein X1, X2 and X3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 aryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6-C30 arylalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C2-C30 heteroaryl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3-C20 cycloalkyl group and a substituted or unsubstituted C5-C30 heterocycloalkyl group; and l, m and n are each independently an integer from 0 to 5.
US08268446B2 Photocurable perfluoropolyethers for use as novel materials in microfluidic devices
The use of a photocurable perfluoropolyether (PFPE) material for fabricating a solvent-resistant PFPE-based microfluidic device, methods of flowing a material and performing a chemical reaction in a solvent-resistant PFPE-based microfluidic device, and the solvent-resistant PFPE-based microfluidic devices themselves are described. In an embodiment, a method is described for preparing a patterned layer of a photocured perfluoropolyether, the method comprising: (a) providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a patterned surface; (b) contacting a perfluoropolvether precursor with the patterned surface of the substrate; and (c) photocuring the perfluoropolyether precursor to form a patterned layer of a photocured perfluoropolyether.
US08268444B2 Crimping composite fiber and fibrous mass comprising the same
The present invention is directed to a crimping conjugate fiber, comprising a first component and a second component, wherein the first component comprises a polybutene-1; the second component comprises a polymer having a melting point higher than that of the polybutene-1 by at least 20° C., or a polymer having a melting initiation temperature (extrapolated melting initiation temperature measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as defined in JIS-K-7121) of at least 120° C.; in a cross section of the fiber, the first component occupies at least 20% of the surface of the conjugate fiber, and the centroid position of the second component is shifted from the centroid position of the conjugate fiber; and the conjugate fiber is an actualized crimping conjugate fiber in which three-dimensional crimps have been developed or a latently crimpable conjugate fiber in which three-dimensional crimps are developed by heating. Accordingly, a crimping conjugate fiber and a fiber assembly comprising the same are provided in which the elasticity, the bulk recovery property, and the durability are high.
US08268429B2 Perforated web product
Web products are disclosed which include forming selected perforation designs and patterns. The perforation designs and patterns can be formed in linear or nonlinear fashion, can extend in the cross direction or the machine direction and can be formed to complement or match an embossed or printed design on the web. The perforation designs and patterns can be formed utilizing various mechanical perforating techniques.
US08268420B2 Wrap film made of polyvinylidene chloride-based resin and process for producing the same
A wrap film having very stable physical properties wherein a sock liquid maintains the lubricating effect as an opening agent while a sock is stabilized and parison width changes and meandering are reduced to eliminate parison wrinkles is provided. Specifically, the wrap film is a wrap film made of a polyvinylidene chloride-based resin prepared by melt-extruding a polyvinylidene chloride-based resin from a die in tubular form, cooling the outer side of the extrudate by using a coolant while an aqueous solution of a liquid that is compatible with water and forms one-component is retained in the hollow portion of the extrudate, and inflating the solidified extrudate, wherein the liquid that is compatible with water and forms one-component has a concentration of 80 to 95% by mass in the aqueous solution, and the liquid is applied to the wrap film in amounts of 50 to 4,000 ppm.
US08268417B2 Multi-layer container
One embodiment of the present invention provides a partly-biodegradable system, which comprises a non-biodegradable portion and a biodegradable portion wherein the non-biodegradable portion is easily separated from the biodegradable portion for disposal of the system. In certain embodiments, the system further comprises a cover layer of non-biodegradable film which adheres to the first non-biodegradable portion to form a sealed compartment for food or drink reservation.
US08268414B2 Inkjet anti-curl compositions for media and systems for processing the media
Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure include print media and methods of preparing print media.
US08268413B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device comprises a color filter substrate and an array substrate. An optical compensation film is disposed on the color filter substrate and/or the array substrate, wherein the optical compensation film comprises a polyimide, comprising the following formula: wherein n is an integer greater than 1, and wherein when A is cyclo-aliphatic compound, B is aromatic compound or cyclo-aliphatic compound, and when A is aromatic compound, B is cyclo-aliphatic compound.
US08268410B2 Coating system and method for coating, as well as coated articles
In the case of CVD methods, comprising PECVD and PICVD methods, the aim of the invention is to improve the impurity-free and, as far as possible, temporally and quantitatively precise feeding of process gases for the targeted layer systems. To this end, the invention provides a coating system and a method for coating articles with alternating layers, in the case of which process gases are introduced in an alternating fashion into a gas mixing point and mixed with a further gas and led to the reaction chamber, in which the deposition is carried out by producing a plasma.
US08268409B2 Plasma-enhanced deposition of metal carbide films
Methods of forming a metal carbide film are provided. In some embodiments, methods for forming a metal carbide film in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) type process comprise alternately and sequentially contacting a substrate in a reaction space with vapor phase pulses of a metal compound and one or more plasma-excited species of a carbon-containing compound. In other embodiments, methods of forming a metal carbide film in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) type process comprise simultaneously contacting a substrate in a reaction space with a metal compound and one or more plasma-excited species of a carbon-containing compound. The substrate is further exposed to a reducing agent. The reducing agent removes impurities, including halogen atoms and/or oxygen atoms.
US08268404B2 Method for applying corrosion protection coatings to metal surfaces
The present invention relates to a method of applying atmospheric corrosion control coats to metallic surfaces, using copolymers comprising as monomeric building blocks monomers containing nitrile groups, monomers containing acidic groups, and vinylaromatic monomers. It relates, furthermore, to preparations for applying corrosion control coats.
US08268401B2 Method for producing ceramic honeycomb structure
A method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure comprising applying a coating material to an outer peripheral surface of the ceramic honeycomb body to form an outer peripheral wall, the thickness of the coating material applied being determined from the outer diameter of the ceramic honeycomb body and the drying shrinkage ratio of the coating material, such that the outer diameter of the dried ceramic honeycomb structure is within a target outer size±1.4 mm.
US08268395B2 Method for providing resistance to biofouling in a porous support
The invention is a process useful for providing a treated support comprising a porous nanoweb coating wherein the treated support is characterized by a biofilm cell count of less than 50% that of an untreated porous support control. The process is useful for modifying porous materials, such as filter media and barrier fabrics to provide resistance to biofouling. The porous nanoweb coating is comprised of fibrous structures derived from gelation and drying of supramolecular assemblies of non-covalently bonded organogelators. Typical organogelators useful in the invention include those that assemble via hydrogen bonding and π-stacking.
US08268391B2 Biodegradable nano-composition for application of protective coatings onto natural materials
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a biodegradable composition containing nano-particles of cellulose for forming a protective coating on natural materials. It is an object of the invention to provide a composition for forming a protective coating layer on a biodegradable natural material that imparts to the material improved waterproofing and grease-resistant properties. It is another object to provide a composition for forming a protective coating on natural biodegradable materials that is based on the use of nano-cellulose particles and that protects these materials from swelling, warping, and mechanical damage during contact with water, other aqueous liquids, or grease.
US08268387B2 Method for forming metal line of image sensor
Disclosed is a method for forming a metal line. The method includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having a first metal line, performing an oxidation process with respect to the first metal line, performing an oxide removal process to remove an oxide generated in the oxidation process, forming an etch stop layer on the metal line, forming an interlayer dielectric layer on the first metal line, and forming a damascene pattern on the interlayer dielectric layer, and forming a second metal line, which is connected with the first metal line, in the damascene pattern. The oxidation process for the first metal line can include a hydrogen peroxide treatment process using a solution including oxygen. The oxide removal process can be performed by using an oxalic acid (HOOC—COOH) solution.
US08268386B2 Method for manufacturing high-temperature superconducting conductors
A method for manufacturing a high-temperature superconducting conductor includes providing an elongate substrate to a reactor, the reactor having a longitudinal flow distributor. The longitudinal flow distributor has an entrance, a plurality of exits, and an interior distribution member provided between the entrance and the plurality of exits. The method further includes heating at least a portion of the substrate to a temperature sufficient to facilitate the formation of one of a superconducting material and a predecessor to a superconducting material. Further, the method includes flowing at least one precursor into the longitudinal flow distributor, through the entrance thereof, past an internal distribution member, and out through a plurality of exits, thereby longitudinally distributing the at least one precursor to form the superconducting material or predecessor thereof on the substrate.
US08268380B2 Pellets of vegetable protein
Pellets of vegetable protein Pellets, consisting of dried compressed proteins and a moisture content of maximum 12%, are described. These proteins comprise vital wheat gluten. A process for preparing these and the application in fish feed is described as well.
US08268376B2 Temperature controlled fluid bath food holding device and method
A method is provided for storing a cooked food in a flexible-walled container having an opening. The method includes placing a quantity of food in a flexible-walled container and submerging at least a portion of the container in a liquid with the opening being located so that liquid does not enter the opening. At least the lower portion of the container is maintained in the liquid and the food is maintained in the container below the surface of the liquid. The liquid collapses the container to seal the container. The temperature of the liquid may be maintained at a non-ambient temperature to heat or cool the food as it is stored. The method may also include storing the food adjacent a work surface, or at a remote main vat and transporting the rack to the work surface at which a serving that includes the food is prepared.
US08268372B2 Method for preventing defective ageing of white wines
The invention relates to a method for preparing a wine in such a way as to prevent the problems of defective ageing, according to which yeast which has been previously enriched in glutathione is introduced into the must at the beginning, during or following the alcoholic fermentation. Said enriched yeast contains more than 0.5% of glutathione, especially at least 1% of glutathione, and preferably at least 1.5% of glutathione, expressed in weight added to the weight of the dry substance of the yeast. The inventive method enables fresh white wines to be produced, which are more fruity with a more complex range of aromas. During the ageing of said wines, the freshness of the aromas is preserved and browning prevented. The invention also relates to a must which is enriched in glutathione by the introduction of enriched yeast, and to the wine produced in this way.
US08268363B2 Pharmaceutical combination preparation containing glycyrrhizine, zinc, and a compound comprising a thiol group or a group that is metabolized thereto
The invention relates to the application of a combination including all forms of zinc or zinc substances, at least one of an orally applied combination of a free thiol group or a group that is metabolized to a free thiol in a mammal, and as the only pure plant part, glycyrrhicinic acid or the substance from succus liquiritiae, for the production of a medication to fight acute or chronic viral infections. The free thiol group or the group that is metabolized to a free thiol in a mammal is derived from N-acetylcysteine, methionine, cysteine, allylcysteine, alpha lipoic acid, or sulfur.
US08268357B2 Processes for the preparation of lipophilic drug delivery vehicles
The invention provides compositions and methods for delivery of a bioactive agent to an individual. Delivery vehicles are provided that include a bioactive agent in disc shaped particles that include one or more lipid binding polypeptides circumscribing the perimeter of a lipid bilayer in which the bioactive agent is localized. Chimeric lipid binding polypeptides are also provided and may be used to add additional functional properties to the delivery particles.
US08268353B2 Polymer latex compound
A polymer latex composition has an acrylonitrile component, a polychloroprene component, and a natural latex component. When these components are blended together and formed into a film, the film exhibits a resistance to ozone that is greater than a resistance to ozone of materials in which acrylonitrile is not included. Furthermore, the combination of acrylonitrile and chloroprene imparts a synergistic effect to the composition with regard to ozone resistance. The film can be formed into a glove having a resistance to ozone that is improved over the resistance to ozone of gloves not including acrylonitrile. The glove may include an antimicrobial agent.
US08268351B2 Matrix film tablet with controlled release of a natural mixture of conjugated estrogens
A pharmaceutical matrix film tablet with controlled release of natural mixtures of conjugated estrogens which have been obtained from the urine of pregnant mares.
US08268339B2 Agrochemical formulations containing pyrrolidone alkylene oxides
The present invention relates to a composition comprising pesticide and polyalkylene oxide. The invention furthermore relates to pyrrolidone alkylene oxides and the use thereof in agrochemical formulations. It furthermore relates to the use of the composition according to the invention for controlling phytopathogenic fungi and/or undesired vegetation and/or undesired attack by insects or mites and/or for regulating the growth of plants. Furthermore, it relates to the use of a composition according to the invention for controlling undesired attack by insects or mites on plants and/or for controlling phytopathogenic fungi and/or for controlling undesired vegetation, where seeds of useful plants are treated with the composition. Finally, the present invention also relates to seed treated with the composition according to the invention. The present invention comprises combinations of preferred features together with other preferred features.
US08268338B2 Bactericidal silver surfactant delivery into coating and polymer compositions
Disclosed are surfactant compounds and compositions that are antimicrobial. Also provided are polymeric compositions incorporating the surfactant compounds. The polymeric compositions may be used to form antibacterial coatings on surfaces.
US08268337B2 Nontoxic killer of E. coli and other problem microorganisms
The present invention provide a composition of non-toxic low-cost ingredients that effectively kill pathologic bacteria and methods for use of the composition. The present invention comprises novel compositions and methods for controlling enteric pathogens and spoilage organisms such as Salmonella, Escherichia, Campylobacter, Listeria, Pseudomonas and Enterobacteracae on the surface of meat products and food preparation surfaces.
US08268336B2 Compositions containing aromatic aldehydes and their use in treatments
Disclosed are pharmaceutical and cosmetic compositions containing aromatic aldehyde compounds. Some of the disclosed compositions are useful as topical therapeutics for treating inflammatory dermatologic conditions. Some of the compositions are useful in transdermal and other systemic dose forms for treating other inflammatory conditions in mammals.
US08268334B2 Aqueous acidic hard surface cleaning and disinfecting compositions
A highly aqueous liquid acidic hard surface treatment composition having a pH of about 3.5 or less which necessarily comprises: 0.001-3.5% wt. of an acid constituent which comprises one or more organic acids, but which preferably comprises lactic acid and one or more further organic acids acids, and especially preferably wherein the acid constituent consists solely of lactic acid; an organic solvent constituent, desirably selected from a monohydric alcohol and/or a glycol ether; an anionic surfactant constituent, desirably a sulfur atom containing anionic surfactant constituent, such as of the sulfate or sulfonate types; a nonionic surfactant constituent; optionally a cosurfactant constituent, including one or more nonionic, cationic, amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants; optionally one or more further constituents selected coloring agents, fragrances and fragrance solubilizers, viscosity modifying agents including one or more thickeners, pH adjusting agents and pH buffers including organic and inorganic salts, optical brighteners, opacifying agents, hydrotropes, abrasives, and preservatives, as well as other optional constituents known to the art; and the balance, water, wherein water comprises at least 80% wt. of the composition. The highly aqueous liquid acidic hard surface treatment composition may be used as such, or may be used to impregnate absorbent substrates to form wipe articles.Methods for the use of said highly aqueous liquid acidic hard surface treatment compositions, in cleaning and/or disinfection of hard surfaces are also disclosed.
US08268329B2 Modified Vaccinia ankara virus variant
The present invention provides an attenuated virus, which is derived from Modified Vaccinia Ankara virus, wherein the MVA-BN virus, or a derivative thereof, induces at least substantially the same level of immunity in vaccinia virus prime/vaccina virus boost regimes when compared to DNA prime/vaccinia virus boost regimes. It further describes recombinant viruses derived from this virus and the use of the virus, or its recombinants, as a medicament or vaccine. A method is provided for inducing an immune response in individuals who may be immune-compromised, receiving antiviral therapy, or have a pre-existing immunity to the vaccine virus.
US08268327B2 Immediate protection against pathogens via MVA
The invention relates to the methods and kits comprising modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) to provide immediate protection against pathogens. MVA can be delivered to a host animal just prior to or after exposure to a pathogen and provide protection against the pathogen.
US08268322B2 Polypeptide specifically binding to vascular endothelial growth factor, fusion protein including polypeptide, and methods therefor
A polypeptide inhibiting binding between a vascular endothelial growth factor and a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, a fusion protein including the same, and a method of preparing the fusion protein are disclosed.
US08268319B2 Immunoconjugates with an intracellularly-cleavable linkage
The invention relates to therapeutic conjugates with improved ability to target various cancer cells containing a targeting moiety and a therapeutic moiety. The targeting and therapeutic moieties are linked via an acid cleavable linkage that increases therapeutic efficacy of the immunoconjugate.
US08268310B2 Prevention and treatment of complement-associated eye conditions
The invention concerns the prevention and treatment of complement-associated eye conditions, such as choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), by administration of Factor D antagonists.
US08268306B2 Pesticidal and antiparasitic compositions
This invention relates to pesticide and antiparasitic compositions for the control of pests, diseases and parasites attacking plants and animals. The compositions include, at least one chitinolytic agent or a chitinolytic activity-inducing agent, and sulfide or a sulfide-producing agent from microorganisms or chemical compounds, wherein the chitinolytic agent or the chitinolytic activity-inducing agent and sulfur or a sulfur-producing agent obtaining from microorganisms or chemical compounds are concurrently applied at a range significantly lower than any of the above-mentioned compounds, when they are individually to attain effective control.
US08268289B2 Hydrocarbon-decomposing catalyst, process for decomposing hydrocarbons and process for producing hydrogen using the catalyst, and power generation system
The present invention relates to a catalyst for decomposing hydrocarbons including hydrocarbons having 2 or more carbon atoms, comprising magnesium, aluminum, nickel and cobalt as constitutional elements, and further comprising ruthenium and/or palladium, wherein the metallic ruthenium and/or metallic palladium in the form of fine particles have an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 20 nm, and a content of the metallic ruthenium and/or metallic palladium is 0.05 to 5.0% by weight based on the weight of the catalyst. The catalyst of the present invention is capable of efficiently decomposing hydrocarbons including hydrocarbons having 2 or more carbon atoms (C2 or more hydrocarbons), is less expensive, and exhibits an excellent catalytic activity for decomposition and removal of hydrocarbons, in particular, an excellent capability of decomposing propane, and an excellent anti-coking property.
US08268286B2 High strength, fine grained spinel for window applications, methods of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same
Disclosed herein is a spinel article. The article comprises a spinel material, wherein the spinel material has a monomodal grain size distribution with average grain sizes of less than or equal to about 15 micrometers, and a biaxial flexural strength of greater than or equal to about 300 megapascals when measured by a ring-on-ring flexural test as per ASTM Standard C1499-08. Disclosed herein too is a spinel article manufactured by a method comprising calcining a spinel powder; milling the powder in a milling medium; granulating the powder; screening the powder to a mesh size of about 40 to about 200 mesh; pressing the powder to form an article; burning out organics from the article; sintering the article; and hot isostatically pressing the article.
US08268278B2 Phosphorus-calcium-strontium compound and uses thereof in endodontic cements
Phosphorus-calcium-strontium compound of formula (I); method for preparing same; composition for the extemporaneous preparation of a cement comprising a solid phase (SP) and a liquid phase (LP), wherein the solid phase comprises a mixture of inorganic compounds of formula (II); use as an endodontic cement.
US08268277B2 Synthesis of chabazite-containing molecular sieves and their use in the conversion of oxygenates to olefins
In a method of synthesizing a silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve having 90+% CHA framework-type character, a reaction mixture is prepared comprising sources of water, silicon, aluminum, and phosphorus, as well as an organic template. In one aspect, the reaction mixture is heated at more than 10° C./hour to a crystallization temperature and is retained at the crystallization temperature or within the crystallization temperature range for a crystallization time from 16 hours to 350 hours to produce the silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve. In another aspect, the reaction mixture is heated at less than 10° C./hour to a crystallization temperature from about 150° C. to about 225° C. and is then retained there for less than 10 hours to produce the silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve. The molecular sieve can then be recovered from the reaction mixture and, preferably, used in a hydrocarbon conversion process, such as oxygenates to olefins.
US08268254B2 Method and apparatus for the fluorination of plastics
The gas-phase fluorination of plastic articles is effected in a reaction chamber 1 into which the plastic articles to be fluorinated are introduced. The gas-phase fluorination is effected at normal or atmospheric ambient pressure of about 1 kPa in the reaction chamber. The gas-phase fluorination can be carried out statically or dynamically. The flushing carried out before the gas-phase fluorination for complete or partial removal of atmospheric oxygen from the reaction chamber 1 can also be effected at atmospheric pressure in the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber 1 is equipped with a cover 2 and metering valves V0, V1, V2 for air, inert gas and gas mixture comprising fluorine and one or more inert gases are present on the entrance side of the reaction chamber, which is not vacuum-tight and hence also cannot be evacuated. The metering valves are connected to the reaction chamber 1 via a flow meter 4. A release valve V3 and a flow-through/shut-off valve V4 are arranged in an exhaust gas line 8 of the reaction chamber 1.
US08268248B2 Online analyzer
An on-line analyzer for analyzing a test sample, having a measuring device, which includes at least one measuring cell and at least one optoelectronic component. The measuring device determines, at at least one wavelength, the transmission or absorption of electromagnetic radiation passing through the test sample and provides measurement signals. The analyzer further includes a control/evaluation unit, which evaluates the measurement signals delivered by the measuring device and makes analysis data available. The measuring cell and the control/evaluation unit are located spatially separated from one another; the at least one optoelectronic component of the measuring device is assigned to the control/evaluation unit; the measuring cell and the at least one optoelectronic component are connected together via a light wave conductor.
US08268246B2 PCB droplet actuator fabrication
Alternative approaches to fabricating printed circuit boards for use in droplet actuator operations are provided. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a droplet actuator for conducting droplet operations includes positioning a dielectric material between a first metal layer configured to include an electrode and a second metal layer configured to include an interconnect pad. The method additionally includes forming a connection between the first and second metal layers. Droplet actuators and methods of fabricating and supporting printed circuit boards of droplet actuators are also provided.
US08268239B2 Method and apparatus for sterilizing contact lenses
A method for sterilizing contact lenses included in a moist environment in a closed package, wherein the package is heated, wherein the heating is carried out by introducing the package into a space which is at superatmospheric pressure or which is adjusted to superatmospheric pressure and which is heated with dry hot air. Further, the invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out such a method.
US08268238B2 System and method for recycling sterilant gas
A system for recovery of a sterilant gas mixture from a sterilizer chamber is disclosed. The system includes a gas recovery tank, a sterilizer chamber in gaseous communication with the gas recovery tank and a gas recovery assembly coupled to the gas recovery tank and the sterilizer chamber. The gas recovery assembly is configured to transfer a sterilant gas mixture including at least one sterilant gas between the sterilizer chamber and the gas recovery tank. The system further includes an analyzer assembly coupled to the sterilizer chamber, the analyzer assembly including at least one sterilant gas sensor configured to detect density of the sterilant gas and a control module coupled to the analyzer assembly and to the gas recovery assembly. The control module includes at least one control module configured to determine at least one of a transfer pressure and flammability of the sterilant gas mixture as a function of the density of the sterilant gas.
US08268232B2 Dissolution apparatus for noble metals
Provided is an apparatus for dissolving noble metals. A pH adjusting unit controls pH of liquid inside a dissolution reactor in such a manner that a chlorine compound is produced. The noble metal in a noble metal-containing sample introduced into the dissolution reactor is dissolved by the chlorine compound, and the liquid evaporated from an inorganic material extraction unit is recycled to the dissolution reactor.
US08268231B2 Treatment method for high-temperature exhaust gas
This invention is intended to lower a temperature of a high-temperature exhaust gas to a desired temperature, while effectively suppressing adhesion of melting components and dusts in the high-temperature exhaust gas onto an inner wall of a cooling tower. For this purpose, a method of the present invention comprises an introduction step of introducing a high-temperature exhaust gas into a cooling tower through a gas duct, and a cooling step of sparging cooling water to the high-temperature exhaust gas in the cooling tower to cool the high-temperature exhaust gas. During the introduction step, the high-temperature exhaust gas is introduced into the cooling tower through the gas duct comprising two gas duct lines, in such a manner that respective portions of the high-temperature exhaust gas from the two gas duct lines become equal to each other in flow velocity and flow volume. Further, respective axes of the two gas duct lines are arranged so as to extend in directions opposed to each other and approximately orthogonal to an axis of the cooling tower, when viewed from a direction along the axis of the cooling tower.
US08268229B2 Injection blow molding machine and process for the stretch blow molding of plastic containers
An injection blow molding machine having an injection molding rotor including a plurality of injection molding units with individual split mold cavities for preforms, a transfer rotor, a blow molding rotor including a plurality of blow molds, and a removal rotor, essentially within a shared operating plane, and split mobile neck molding parts which fit into each blow mold and each mold cavity and which are transferred with a preform and removed with a stretch-blown bottle from the blow mold. In the process, each preform is transferred in the neck molding part into the blow mold.
US08268218B2 Release film for semiconductor resin molds
A process of sealing a semiconductor substrate by contacting the semiconductor substrate with a surface of a release layer (I) of a gas barrier release film that is in the form of a mold, which includes vacuum suction; injecting a sealing resin between the semiconductor substrate and the mold; and releasing said mold from said semiconductor substrate having said sealing resin present thereon, where the gas barrier release film has a release layer (I), which has excellent releasability; a plastic support layer (II) supporting the release layer; and a metal or a metal oxide gas restraint layer (III), present between the release layer and the support layer, where the gas barrier release film exhibits a xylene gas permeability of at most 5×10−15 (kmol m/(s·m2·kPa)) at 170° C., and a surface of said release layer (I) has an arithmetic surface roughness of from 0.15 to 3.5 μm, exhibiting a satin-finish.
US08268213B2 Flexible lip extruder, and methods of extruding material
An extrusion die or extruder having a flexible lip that is moveable by a geared mechanism. A shaft is operably connected to at least one gear, which in turn is operably connected to a movable lip of the extruder. Rotation of the shaft results in movement of the extruder lip.
US08268209B2 Pattern forming method and its mold
In a mold in which a pattern is formed of a fine concavo-convex shape, two or more of alignment marks for determining a relative positional relation between a substrate and a mold are formed concentrically. Moreover, a damaged mark is identified from the positional information and shape of the respective marks, and an alignment between the mold and the substrate to which a resin film is applied is carried out excluding the damaged mark.
US08268204B2 Method for manufacturing sintered annular nuclear fuel pellet without surface grinding
A method for manufacturing an annular nuclear fuel pellet is provided. In the method, an annular nuclear fuel green compact whose lateral cross-section is a trapezoid is prepared. The thickness of the annular nuclear fuel green compact reduces along one direction of the central axis, and a green density of the nuclear fuel green compact increases along one direction of the central axis. The annular nuclear fuel green compact is sintered under a reducing gas atmosphere so that the annular nuclear fuel pellet is obtained. According to this method, the annular pellet which has uniform inner and outer diameters and small diametric tolerances along the pellet height is fabricated without grinding the pellet surfaces.
US08268203B2 Method for producing microcrystalline titanium oxide
A method for producing microcrystalline titanium dioxide in the rutile form having a crystal size below 15 nm by an aqueous method, and a titanium dioxide product doped with silicon obtained by the method. The method generally includes adding a silicon containing compound during crystal formation to provide said titanium dioxide product with a small crystal size.
US08268202B2 Potassium cesium tungsten bronze particles
Disclosed are potassium cesium tungsten bronze solid solution particles of the formula KxCsyWOz, where x+y≦1 and 2≦z≦3. The particles are for instance micron or nano scaled particles. Also disclosed are organic or inorganic compositions comprising an organic or inorganic substrate and incorporated therein the present potassium cesium tungsten bronze solid solution particles. The substrates are for instance plastics, coatings, inks, adhesives, ceramics or glass. Also disclosed is a method for the preparation of the present potassium cesium tungsten bronze solid solution particles, which method comprises mixing a suitable tungsten source with a salt of potassium and a salt of cesium to form a powder mixture and exposing the powder mixture to a plasma torch under a reducing atmosphere. The present tungsten bronze particles are suitable NIR absorbers and heat shielding additives.
US08268180B2 Methods of fabricating large-area, semiconducting nanoperforated graphene materials
Methods for forming a nanoperforated graphene material are provided. The methods comprise forming an etch mask defining a periodic array of holes over a graphene material and patterning the periodic array of holes into the graphene material. The etch mask comprises a pattern-defining block copolymer layer, and can optionally also comprise a wetting layer and a neutral layer. The nanoperforated graphene material can consist of a single sheet of graphene or a plurality of graphene sheets.
US08268174B2 Wastewater treatment method and system with ozonation for microconstituent removal
In a sewage treatment system, microconstituents, including personal care products and pharmaceutical materials, often difficult to degrade biologically, are removed by supersaturating the untreated wastewater feed with ozone. This breaks down refractory microconstituents into more readily biodegradable materials, subsequently treated preferably in an activated sludge membrane bioreactor process. The oxygen byproduct of ozonation is utilized by feeding the oxygen into an aerobic part of the plant to meet a portion of the biological demand, thereby increasing efficiency of ozone use in the process.
US08268170B2 Filter
A filter including a filter bowl (4), filer head (48) and filter element (2). The filter element (2) comprises a locking ring (12), a first end cap (6) coupled to the locking ring (12), a filter media (10) coupled to the first end cap (6), and a locking rib (30) extending outwardly from the locking ring (12). The locking rib (30) comprises a first portion (34) which extends radially from the locking ring (12) and a second portion (38) which extends from the first portion (34) around the periphery of the locking ring (12). At least part of the second portion (38) of the locking rib (30) is arranged to flex relative to the first portion (34) of the locking rib (30). The locking rib (30) forms part of a bayonet connection.
US08268165B2 Processes for bitumen separation
Processes are provided for separating bitumen from oil sands and from other bitumen-containing compositions.
US08268161B2 Electrochemical sensor having a mediator compound with a solid
An electrochemical sensor is provided especially for gases. The electrochemical sensor has a mediator compound, which is both dissolved in an electrolyte (9) in a saturated form and is present as an excess solid (10) in the electrolyte (9).
US08268158B2 Plating bath and method
Copper plating baths containing a leveling agent that is a reaction product of a certain imidazole with a certain epoxide-containing compound that deposit copper on the surface of a conductive layer are provided. Such plating baths deposit a copper layer that is substantially planar on a substrate surface across a range of electrolyte concentrations. Methods of depositing copper layers using such copper plating baths are also disclosed.
US08268122B2 Process of producing high-yield pulp
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a high-yield pulp comprising a) treating a lignocellulose containing material chemically by means of an oxidizing system comprising at least one non-enzymatic oxidant substantially free from ozone and chlorine dioxide and an activator at a pH from about 2 to about 6.5; and b) treating the lignocellulose containing material mechanically for a time sufficient to produce a high-yield pulp, wherein the lignocellulose containing material is chemically treated prior to and/or during any mechanical treatment stage, and wherein the lignocellulose containing material is not chemically treated at a pH from about 11.5 to about 14 between stages a) and b).
US08268115B2 Differential pressure application apparatus for use in polishing layers of semiconductor device structures and methods
An apparatus for applying different amounts of pressure to different locations of a semiconductor device structure or other substrate during polishing thereof. The apparatus is configured to be associated with a wafer carrier of a polishing apparatus and includes pressurization structures configured to individually apply pressure to a major surface of the semiconductor device structure during polishing thereof. Systems including the pressure application apparatus, as well as differential pressure application methods and polishing methods are also disclosed.
US08268111B2 Method and apparatus for forming a continuous oriented structure of a polymer
A method and an apparatus for easily making a continuous oriented structure of a polymer are provided. In making a polymer assembly, single crystals are bonded to each other, an external force, such as an electrical field or a magnetic field, is applied to the single crystals, or a solution of the polymer is applied on a substrate such that the applied solution is linear in shape.
US08268109B2 Method of forming polymer dispersed liquid crystal layer including dichroic dye
Example embodiments relate to a method of forming a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layer including a dichroic dye. A first PDLC layer including the dichroic dye and a second PDLC layer having no dichroic dye may be bonded to each other so as to form the desired PDLC layer.
US08268098B2 Copper alloy having high strength, high electric conductivity and excellent bending workability
The present invention relates to a copper alloy having high strength, high electrical conductivity, and excellent bendability, the copper alloy containing, in terms of mass %, 0.4 to 4.0% of Ni; 0.05 to 1.0% of Si; and, as an element M, one member selected from 0.005 to 0.5% of P, 0.005 to 1.0% of Cr, and 0.005 to 1.0% of Ti, with the remainder being copper and inevitable impurities, in which an atom number ratio M/Si of elements M and Si contained in a precipitate having a size of 50 to 200 nm in a microstructure of the copper alloy is from 0.01 to 10 on average, the atom number ratio being measured by a field emission transmission electron microscope with a magnification of 30,000 and an energy dispersive analyzer. According to the invention, it is possible to provide a copper alloy having high strength, high electrical conductivity, and excellent bendability.
US08268096B2 Colored conversion layers devoid of chrome formed on metal surfaces
A method for producing colored layers on zinc, aluminum, magnesium or alloy surfaces. The surfaces are brought into contact with an aqueous treatment solution which is devoid of chrome, said solution containing, in total, 3-35 g/l persulfate ions and/or peroxodisulfate ions and not more than 10 g/l ammonia or ammonium ions, it has a pH value in the region of between 10-12 and a temperature in the range of between 30-80° C. The surfaces are brought into contact with the treatment solution for a period in the region of 0.5-5 minutes and optionally, they are covered with a coating based on organic polymers. The invention further relates to metal parts treated according to said method.
US08268085B2 Methods for forming metal gate transistors
A method for cleaning a diffusion barrier over a gate dielectric of a metal-gate transistor over a substrate is provided. The method includes cleaning the diffusion barrier with a first solution including at least one surfactant. The amount of the surfactant of the first solution is about a critical micelle concentration (CMC) or more. The diffusion barrier is cleaned with a second solution. The second solution has a physical force to remove particles over the diffusion barrier. The second solution is substantially free from interacting with the diffusion barrier.
US08268083B2 Method and device for treating objects with at least one treatment agent in a household device, said household device, associated packaging and a dosing device
A method for treating objects with at least one treatment agent in a household device includes the step of operating a first part of an identification system to identify data of a second part of the identification system, the data of the second part of the identification system comprising information on a dosing device operable to dose the treatment agent, and the data of the second part of the identification system being associated with a packaging for the dosing device. The method also includes the further step of adapting a treatment of objects by the household device or a dosing of the treatment agent based upon the identified data.
US08268079B2 Vacuum film deposition apparatus
There is provided a vacuum film deposition apparatus which forms a film on a substrate by a vacuum film deposition technique, include: substrate holding means for holding the substrate; a deposition preventing member for preventing film deposition at undesired positions within the apparatus; and contacting means for bringing the substrate or the substrate holding means and the deposition preventing member into contact with each other.
US08268073B2 System and method for making cement and cement derived therefrom
Integrated cement production systems and methods implementing the systems are disclosed, where the integrated cement production systems include a burnable fuel supply subsystem, a cement raw material supply subsystem, a kiln subsystem and a cement clinker composition storage subsystem. The burnable fuel supply subsystem is adapted to receive one or a plurality of used and/or unused healthcare materials. The burnable fuel supply subsystem can feed the materials directly into the kiln subsystem, can convert the materials into different form and feed the different form to the kiln subsystem or feed a combination of the materials, different forms and optionally conventional fuels to the kiln subsystem.
US08268063B2 Carrier solvent for fingerprint formulations
A method and composition for transforming a latent physiological biometric into a visible physiological biometric are provided, the method comprising: providing a latent biometric disposed on a surface of an article, wherein said biometric comprises at least one eccrine-derived compound; contacting said latent biometric with a developing solution, wherein said developing solution comprises at least one imaging reagent selected from ninhydrin and 1,8-diazafluoren-9-one and a carrier solvent comprising at least one C3-C4 hydrofluorocarbon; and reacting said imaging reagent with said eccrine-derived compound to produce a visible physiological biometric.
US08268058B2 High-performance labyrinth type air treatment apparatus
A high-performance labyrinth type air treatment apparatus includes a positively (negatively) charged dust collector mounted in an air passage inside a shell, the positively (negatively) charged dust collector having positively (negatively) charged dust collecting panels arranged in such a manner that a labyrinth-like detoured air path is defined through the positively (negatively) charged dust collector, an air ionization control means having discharge/emitting terminals arranged in the labyrinth-like detoured air path, and an electric fan for causing flowing of air through the positively (negatively) charged dust collector so that negatively (positively) charged heteroparticles carried in currents of air flowing through the labyrinth-like detoured air path are forced, to strike repeatedly against the positively (negatively) charged dust collecting panels and then effectively adhered to the positively (negatively) charged dust collecting panels, achieving extremely high air purification.
US08268047B2 Methods and systems for helium recovery
The present invention relates generally to processes and systems for recovering helium from low helium-containing feed gases (i.e., containing less than about 10 volume % helium and more typically, less than about 5% helium by volume). The present invention more particularly relates to processes and systems for recovering helium from low helium-containing feed gases using temperature swing adsorption (TSA) systems and multiple (e.g. two) stage vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) systems. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the first stage VPSA system is configured to provide regeneration gas for the TSA system, and/or the VPSA second stage tail gas is recycled to the first stage VPSA system.
US08268046B2 Removal of impurities from hydrogen-containing materials
Methods of purifying hydrogen-containing materials are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a purifier material comprising silica. The silica may be heated at temperature of about 100° C. or more in a dry atmosphere to form activated silica. The activated silica may be contacted with a starting hydrogen-containing material, where the activated silica reduces a concentration of one or more impurity from the starting hydrogen-containing material to form the purified hydrogen-containing material, and where the activated silica does not decompose the purified hydrogen-containing material.
US08268040B2 Method of controlling the order of rapping the collecting electrode plates of an ESP
A method and a system for controlling dust particle emissions from an electrostatic precipitator (1), which has a first and a second bus-section (16, 20), are provided. Dust particle emissions are controlled by observing that a rapping event of the first bus-section (16) is about to be initiated, verifying, before allowing the rapping event of the first bus-section (16) to be initiated, that the second bus-section (20) is ready to receive the dust particles to be released during the rapping event of the first bus-section (16), and then initiating, after verification, the rapping event of the first bus-section (16).
US08268039B2 Process for atmospheric leaching of laterite ores using hypersaline leach solution
An atmospheric leaching process for the recovery of a nickel and cobalt from a lateritic ore includes (a) preparing a slurry of the lateritic ore with saline or hypersaline water having a total dissolved solids (TDS) content greater than 30 g/L; (b) leaching the slurry of the lateritic ore with sulfuric acid at atmospheric pressure, and (c) recovering nickel and cobalt from the resultant leachate.
US08268036B2 Process for production of ultra low phosphorous and carbon ferromanganese by using of ferromanganese slag
Disclosed is a method of producing ultra low phosphorus and carbon ferromanganese having 0.1 wt % or less carbon and 0.03 wt % or less phosphorus. The method includes preparing low carbon silicomanganese having low phosphorus content, preparing molten manganese slag, subjecting the molten manganese slag and the low carbon silicomanganese having low phosphorus content to primary mixing and stirring at a ratio of 70˜72:28˜30 in a ladle, thus producing a metal melt and slag, and subjecting the metal melt separated from the above slag and the molten manganese slag identical to that used in the primary mixing and stirring to secondary mixing and stirring, thus producing slag and a metal melt including 91˜93 wt % manganese, 0.60˜0.85 wt % silicon, 0.05˜0.10 wt % carbon and 0.015˜0.02 wt % phosphorus.
US08268028B2 Compositions, devices and methods for hydrogen generation
Methods and systems for hydrogen generation from solid hydrogen storage compositions which generate hydrogen in an exothermic reaction wherein the heat released can be absorbed by solid endothermic compositions are disclosed. The solid hydrogen storage compositions comprise mixtures of chemical hydrides and water surrogate compounds. Fuel cartridges suitable for use with compositions which generate hydrogen upon the application of thermal initiation and methods for operating the fuel cartridges are also disclosed.
US08268024B2 Pre-reformer with extended surface and method
Apparatus, system, and method for producing syngas. The apparatus can include a first reformer, which can include a radiant section having a reformer tube disposed therein. The reformer tube can be at least partially filled with a first catalyst. The first reformer can also include a transition section coupled to the radiant section, a convective section coupled to the transition section, and a plurality of pre-reformer tubes disposed in the transition section. The plurality of pre-reformer tubes can be filled with a second catalyst and fluidly coupled to the reformer tube via a line external to the plurality of pre-reformer tubes. At least one of the plurality of pre-reformer tubes can have at least one extended surface disposed thereon. The second reformer can be coupled to the reformer tube and to an oxidant source. The third reformer can be coupled to the second reformer and to the reformer tube.
US08268019B2 Method for making capacitor element
A powder compaction press having opposed rib and channel punches which are interleaved and a production method are used to produce capacitor elements having a uniform compaction density and which are free of surface imperfections.
US08268012B1 Four-bar-linkage brake-included knee joint
A four-bar-linkage brake-included knee joint includes a knee carriage, first and second links rotatably coupled to the carriage, and a clamp member coupled to a joint body. The clamp member forms a through hole that receives an axle to couple the second links. A compression block is received in a rear portion of the joint body and is set in engagement with a back side of the clamp member. The clamp member forms a gap extending from the through hole of the clamp member to a bottom of the clamp member. When a heel of a prosthesis that includes the knee joint is put on the ground, a reaction force is induced in the prosthesis that causes the compression block to directly depress the clamp member thereby reducing the gap to have the clamp member tightly clamping the axle and thus preventing the axle from further rotation.
US08268011B2 Prosthetic limb attachment
The present invention provides an apparatus (1) for attaching a prosthetic limb to the bone of a patient, the apparatus comprising a proximal component (2) to mount to a bone implant, a distal component (3) to mount to a prosthetic limb, and a coupling body (4, 5) coupling together the proximal and distal components (2,3) with freedom to articulate when, in use, a bending and/or torsional force is applied to the prosthetic limb, only when the force exceeds a threshold level, whereby the force may be accommodated by articulation within the attachment apparatus (1). The attachment apparatus (1) thus functions as a fail-safe articulation mechanism protecting the bone of the patient.
US08268004B2 Stabilized, adjustable expandable implant and method
Embodiments of the invention include expandable, implantable devices and methods. Devices expand linearly to provide secure fixation between or among anatomical structures. In some embodiments, an implant replaces one or more vertebral bodies of the spine.
US08268002B2 Slide-on end cap for a vertebral implant
An implant for insertion between adjacent vertebral members, comprising an implant body with a base section having positioning teeth, and an end cap adapted for positioning at a selected point on the base section via adjustment of an approach direction. The end cap comprises a seating surface adapted to contact the base section when positioned on the implant body, an end cap angulation, and positioning passages adapted to receive the positioning teeth. The implant may further comprise a locking mechanism adapted to lockingly engage the end cap and base section and prevent axial movement of the end cap. The positioning passages and positioning teeth are complementarily configured to facilitate slideably positioning the end cap on the base section. The implant body and end cap combination will impart end cap angulation to an adjacent vertebral body at the selected point when the implant is positioned in the intervertebral space.
US08267996B2 Intraocular lens
An intraocularlens of novel structure by which the outer circumferential part of an optical portion can be pressed stably against a posterior capsule under worn state and crisis of secondary cataract can be suppressed more advantageously. A pair of coupling portions (14, 14) are formed to hold an optical portion (12) between them in one direction perpendicular to the optical axis, wherein the outer fringe parts of the coupling portions (14, 14) are made thicker than the outer fringe part of the optical portion (12), a pair of supporting portions (16, 16) are formed to project from the outer fringe parts of the coupling portions (14, 14) and a edge contour part (32) is formed continuously on the outer fringe parts of the optical portion (12) and respective posterior surfaces (20, 24) of the coupling portions (14, 14) so as to extend smoothly along the entire circumference thereof.
US08267990B2 Controlled degradation of stents
Stents fabricated from hydrolytically degradable polymers with accelerated degradation rates and methods of fabricating stents with accelerated degradation rates are disclosed.
US08267981B2 Suture anchor with improved drive head
A suture anchor is provided including an elongate shank defining a longitudinal axis and having at least one bone-engaging thread formed thereon, and a drive head having a proximal end and a distal end mated to the elongate shank. The drive head has a substantially oval shape and includes at least one suture attachment member formed in a portion of the drive head. The configuration of the drive head is particularly advantages in that it provides a suture anchor having improved physical properties, including a high failure torque and a high stripping strength.
US08267976B2 Bone screw and bone screw with holding element
A bone screw is provided, with a thread section (2) of tubular construction having a tip (3) at its first end and a second end opposite the latter. The tubular thread section (2) comprises a bone thread (22) on its outer wall, and the wall of the thread section (2) comprises a plurality of recesses (21). The bone screw further includes a holding element (4, 6) with a first section (41, 61) for connection to the thread section (2) and with a rod-like second section (43, 63) which in the inserted state of the holding element (4, 6) protrudes beyond the second end of the thread section (2). A stop is provided for limiting the distance of insertion of the holding element (4, 6) in the thread section (2). The holding element (4, 6) comprises an element (44, 64) at its free end for engagement with a screw-in tool.
US08267973B2 Fixable suture anchor plate and method for tendon-to-bone repair
A fixable suture anchor plate including an anchor plate having a tunnel aperture that aligns with one or more bone tunnels formed in the bone. The anchor plate also includes one or more suture passages that align with one or more grooves formed along an edge of the anchor plate to permit passing a suture through the anchor plate after the anchor plate is fixed to the bone. The anchor plate also includes a screw hole that allows the anchor plate to be fixed to a bone with a screw. A method for tendon-to-bone repair includes sewing a medial row of stitches proximate to a medial line of tendon-to-bone attachment and securing the suture to the anchor plate through a bone tunnel and sewing a lateral row of stitches along a lateral line of tendon-to-bone attachment and securing the second suture to the anchor plate.
US08267970B2 Laminar hook spring
Various devices and methods are provided for spinal augmentation. In particular, the device can includes a connector element having a superior portion and an inferior portion that is adapted to support adjacent superior and inferior vertebrae and a first superior seating member and a second superior seating member associated with the connector element. The first seating member can be adapted to receive a portion of a lamina of the superior vertebra and the second seating member can be adapted to receive a portion of the lamina of the inferior vertebra. The device can have a variety of configurations, including the connector element and the first and second seating members being unitary and the first and second seating members being separately secured to the connector element.
US08267969B2 Screw systems and methods for use in stabilization of bone structures
Methods, systems, devices and tools for placing bone stabilization components in a patient are provided. The systems and devices have a reduced number of discrete components that allow placement through small incisions and tubes. More particularly, the present invention is directed to screws for use in systems and methods of treating the spine, which eliminate pain and enable spinal motion, which effectively mimics that of a normally functioning spine. Methods are also provided for installation of the screw and other subject systems.
US08267966B2 Facet joint implants and delivery tools
A spinal joint distraction system is disclosed and may include a driver assembly with a tubular shaft, a pair of implant holder arms, an implant distractor, an internal actuator, and a distractor knob, the system also including a delivery device with a tubular shaft, a receiving assembly, and a pair of forks, where the delivery device is adapted for slidable insertion of the driver assembly, the system also including an implant, a chisel, and an injector. Several embodiments of an implant are disclosed as well a method of placing an implant.
US08267964B2 System and method for attaching soft tissue to bone
Disclosed herein are methods and devices for securing soft tissue to a rigid material such as bone. A bone anchor is described that comprises a base and a top such that suture material may be compressed between surfaces on the base and top to secure the suture to the anchor. Also described is an inserter that can be used to insert the bone anchor into bone and move the anchor top relative to the anchor base to clamp suture material there between. Also described is a soft-tissue and bone piercing anchor and associated inserter. Methods are described that allow use of the bone anchors to provide multiple lengths of suture material to compress a large area of soft tissue against bone.
US08267960B2 Device and method for treating central nervous system pathology
The present invention relates generally to a device and method for treating tissues of the central nervous system and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a device and method for treating the brain tissue.
US08267953B2 Angioplasty balloon with therapeutic/aspiration channel
An angioplasty balloon catheter with an added channel for delivering medication or removing body fluids distal to the site of angioplasty is disclosed. The balloons are especially useful in the treatment of occlusions in saphenous vein grafts, the coronary and carotid arteries, arteries arising from the aorta and branches thereof and in veins flowing to the heart or their tributaries and sub tributaries thereof.
US08267935B2 Electrosurgical instrument reducing current densities at an insulator conductor junction
An electrosurgical instrument having opposing end effectors and a handle for effecting movement of the end effectors relative to one another, includes a pair of electrodes each including an electrically conductive surface (e.g., which can be dimensioned for sealing, clamping and/or cutting), an insulating substrate having a first edge, and an insulating layer positioned in a channel formed by the electrically conductive surface within the first edge between the conductive surface and the first edge of the insulating substrate. The insulating layer has a portion proximal to the electrically conductive surface and a portion distal from the electrically conductive surface and a gradient such that the proximal portion has a lower dielectric strength than the distal portion. A coating on one of the pair of electrodes may be disposed in at least partial non-vertical registration with a coating on the opposing one of the pair of electrodes.
US08267930B2 Apparatus and method for cooling and moving ablation elements
A medical device comprising a cell including an ablation element and a carrier configured to receive at least a portion of said ablation element is disclosed. The medical device further comprises a tube enclosing the cell. At least a portion of the tube includes a membrane and the tube includes at least one hole proximate the ablation element for facilitating fluid flow. The medical device further comprises a fluid inlet for providing fluid to the interior of the tube. A method of using the medical device is also disclosed.
US08267924B2 Powered surgical instrument
A surgical instrument including a housing, an endoscopic portion, a shaft portion and an end effector is disclosed. The endoscopic portion extends distally from the housing and defines a longitudinal axis. The shaft portion is selectively connectable to a distal end of the endoscopic portion. The end effector is selectively connectable to a distal end of the shaft portion.
US08267921B2 Manually operable portable infusion device
A portable therapeutic fluid delivery device and a method for delivering a therapeutic fluid into a body of a patient are provided. In one aspect the therapeutic fluid delivery device and the method can be implemented using at least one housing securable to the body of the patient, a reservoir coupled to the at least one housing, a therapeutic fluid dispensing mechanism, a memory component, a controller, at least one bolus delivery button configured to signal the controller to initiate the delivery of the therapeutic fluid into the body of the patient; and, an inadvertent initiation prevention mechanism adapted for preventing the patient from activating the at least one bolus delivery button.
US08267918B2 System and method for percutaneously administering reduced pressure treatment using a flowable manifold
A reduced pressure delivery system for applying a reduced pressure to a tissue site includes a manifold delivery tube having a passageway and a distal end, the distal end configured to be percutaneously inserted and placed adjacent the tissue site. A flowable material is provided and is percutaneously deliverable through the manifold delivery tube to the tissue site. The flowable material is capable of filling a void adjacent the tissue site to create a manifold having a plurality of flow channels in fluid communication with the tissue site. A reduced pressure delivery tube is provided that is capable of fluid communication with the flow channels of the manifold.
US08267915B2 Dual well port device
A port for implantation within a body, comprises a housing having proximal and distal surfaces and a side surface wherein, the proximal surface faces outward toward the skin, the distal surface faces inward away from the skin and the side surface extends between the proximal and distal surfaces. A first well formed within the housing includes a first opening in the proximal surface and a second well formed in the housing adjacent to the first well has a second opening formed in the proximal surface. First and second outlet openings formed on the side surface of the port are in fluid communication with the first and second wells, respectively, and are separated from one another by a distance substantially equal to a distance separating lumens of a dual lumen catheter to which the port is to be connected.
US08267911B2 Flow-through fluid reservoir
A flow-through fluid reservoir includes a body with a first fluid port, a member movable within the body by an actuator to increase or decrease a volume of a chamber defined by a sidewall of the body. The actuator has a second fluid port. Movable member has a fluid path therethrough such that fluid ports are in fluid communication irrespective of the position of the movable member or the volume of chamber. A shaped slot on the shell of the actuator and a projection on the body cooperate to constrain relative movement of the body and actuator along a path corresponding to the shaped slot. The slot advantageously may include a stop intermediate therealong. A canted aspect of the slot may be used to initiate relative movement of the member within body. The body includes an end wall through which the first fluid port communicates. A shroud is defined by a coaxial extension of the sidewall beyond the end wall to surround the first fluid port, and gripping elements may be provided on the shroud. The projection may include a vent communicating into a space between a flexible barrier and an internal wall of the body. The slot may also have a one-way opening with a cammed roof. A clip may be provided for mounting the reservoir and includes a support member supporting a clip member which releasably receives the shroud and supports a mounting member such as for a sample site.
US08267910B2 Absorbing article comprising an absorbing structure comprising a deformation layer
An absorbing article, in particular an absorbing structure has at least one layer that can be used with advantage as a surface layer or in combination with a surface layer. The aforementioned layer has deformable fibers which are deformed and shrink when they become wet. The aforementioned layer thus constitutes a deformation layer and has at least one distinct admission passage. The admission passage is deformed and dilated when it becomes wet. In addition to improved admission in conjunction with repeated wetting, the article also offers a solution to the problem of feces handling in combination with repeated wetting.
US08267905B2 Apparatus and method for delivery of therapeutic and other types of agents
Implantable drug delivery systems target delivery of small volumes of drugs to specific tissues. In some cases, a drug delivery system includes an implantable osmotic pump connected to a drug-containing housing, with that housing connected to a needle, cochlear implant or other type of component for ultimate delivery to the target tissue. In some implementations, a subcutaneous port receives a fluid from an external pump. The port is connected to a needle or other component for delivery of one or more drugs to the target tissue. Both solid and liquid drug formulations can be used. In embodiments using solid drugs, a separate drug vehicle (such as saline) can be used to dissolve a portion of the solid drug, with the drug-loaded vehicle then delivered to the target tissue.
US08267902B2 Syringe, capsule device therefore, and syringe device
A syringe including a front end and a rear end. A front portion of the syringe having an axially extending hollow needle that projects from the front end. The rear end of the needle is in fluid communication with a space that extends substantially to the rear end of the syringe. A plunger extends axially and is movable to and fro in the space and is designed such that, when drawn out, it sucks liquid through the needle and, when pressed in, discharges liquid through the needle. A radially projecting flange element in the front portion of the syringe is designed in such a way that it can be gripped between the thumb and middle finger of a user's hand. The syringe is dimensioned so as to permit injection using the index finger of the same hand. A capsule device for at least partially accommodating a syringe. A syringe device.
US08267895B2 Needle guide system
A needle guide system comprising a needle guide including at least one wall defining an internal cavity and an outside of the needle guide. A lock is connected to the needle guide. The lock is movable between a first and a second position. A needle is disposed in the internal cavity of the needle guide, the needle having a long axis and a tip. The needle is movable along the long axis with respect to the needle guide when the lock is in the first position and the needle is locked to the needle guide and the tip extends beyond the wall of the needle guide when the lock is in the second position. Visual indicia on the lock may indicate whether the lock is in the first or the second position.
US08267893B2 Method and apparatus for detecting occlusions in an ambulatory infusion pump
An improved pump, reservoir and reservoir piston are provided for controlled delivery of fluids. A motor is operably coupled to a drive member, such as a drive screw, which is adapted to advance a plunger slide in response to operation of the motor. The plunger slide is removably coupled to the piston. A method, system, and an article of manufacture for automatically detecting an occlusion in a medication infusion pump is provided. The electrical current to an infusion pump is measured. Based on a series of measurements of one or more variables, the infusion pump detects whether there is an occlusion in the system.
US08267890B2 Intradermal delivery device with contoured skin engaging surface geometry
A medication delivery device, particularly an intradermal delivery device, having a needle cannula, with a sharpened distal end having a forward tip, and a limiter disposed about the needle cannula. The limiter has a distal end defining a skin engaging surface which is disposed transversely to, and at least partially about, the needle cannula. The skin engaging surface is generally non-flat with generally coplanar portions, and a recess being defined in the skin engaging surface which defines a void in or adjacent to the coplanar portions into which portions of a patient's skin can be deformed into when the skin engaging surface is pressed against the patient's skin. The forward tip of the needle cannula is spaced apart from a plane defined by the coplanar portions a distance ranging from about 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm such that the skin engaging surface limits penetration of the forward tip of the needle cannula to the dermis layer of the patient's skin.
US08267888B2 Bioerodible self-deployable intragastric implants
Described herein are bioerodible, biodegradable, or digestible self-deploying intragastric implants that may be swallowed. Once swallowed, the implants undergo self-expansion in the stomach and apply a suitable pressure against the stomach wall to provide a feeling of satiety to the individual. The implants then dissolve or are disassembled perhaps using gastric liquids and pass out of the stomach. Methods of using the devices, perhaps for an individual participating in a dietary control regimen, are described.
US08267885B2 Methods and apparatus for delivering peritoneal dialysis (PD) solution with a peristaltic pump
In one aspect, the invention provides methods and apparatus for delivering peritoneal dialysis (PD) solution (or other fluids), from a supply to a patient. A first pump, in fluid coupling with the supply, delivers PD solution from the supply to a “mesne” (or intermediate) measuring element, and generates signals indicative of a volume of that delivered PD solution. The mesne measuring element, in fluid coupling with the first pump, generates signals indicative of a volume of PD solution received from that pump. A second pump, fluidly coupled to the mesne measuring element, routes PD solution from the mesne measuring element for delivery to the patient.
US08267884B1 Wound treatment apparatus and method
Apparatuses and methods for treating wounds are disclosed. An apparatus for treating wounds is disclosed comprising an instrument for generating a low temperature, atmospheric pressure plasma, a means of flowing gas through the instrument, and a means of contacting the wound with the reactive gases flowing out of the instrument. A method for treating wounds using reactive gases is disclosed. The use of atmospheric pressure plasmas for treating wounds is also disclosed.
US08267878B2 Arterial cooling elements for use with a cervical immobilization collar
A kit for cooling the blood in the carotid arteries includes a cervical immobilization collar and a cooling element. The cooling element may include a body-facing panel attached on a body-facing surface to a lining layer, an outward-facing panel, and cooling material disposed between the body-facing panel and the outward facing panel. The cooling material comprises urea and Carbamakool™ in an amount sufficient to produce a temperature of 20° F. to 35° F. within a minute of activation when measured on the body-facing surface of the body-facing panel.
US08267872B2 Steerable guide wire with torsionally stable tip
A steerable guide wire includes a core wire having a proximal end and a distal end. A multi-filament bundle is affixed to the distal end of the core wire. An outer coil surrounds at least a portion of the core wire and the multi-filament bundle. A proximal end of the multi-filament bundle is secured to a distal end of the coil. By locating the multi-filament bundle in the distal tip portion of the guide wire, a guide wire is provided that is highly flexible, has a high degree of tensile integrity, and is highly steerable, even in tortuous vasculature.
US08267865B2 Sonoelastographic shear velocity imaging using crawling wave excitation
Vibration sources are applied to a body or other object to image a region of interest. The mechanical vibrations introduced by the sources interfere in the region of interest to produce a crawling wave, which is detected by an ultrasound probe A relationship between crawling wave phase derivatives and local shear wave velocity is derived with phase derivatives estimated using either one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) autocorrelation-based techniques to image the region of interest.
US08267845B2 Physical fitness and rehabilitation apparatus
A physical fitness and rehabilitation apparatus is provided for use in combination with an inflatable exercise ball. The apparatus may include a plurality of handles. In use, a user may rest against the ball and the platform while gripping the plurality of handles to improve the user's strength, balance, flexibility, and/or joint stabilization.
US08267843B2 Gluteus weight training machine
Some embodiments provide a gluteus weight training machine for progressive overload resistance training of the gluteus muscles. The gluteus weight training machine includes a frame, a support member linked to the frame, and two resistance members that provide resistance against a downward arcing rotation of the resistance member. Each resistance member includes a pad against which a user's leg applies force in order to perform the downward arcing rotation of the resistance member. Each resistance member further includes a weight assembly that adjusts the amount of weight used as resistance.
US08267838B2 Rehabilitation support apparatus
The present invention provides an overhead support apparatus for assisting a user while performing rehabilitation physical activities and includes a track assembly supported by the ceiling and a suspension device that depends from the track assembly and is attached to the user so that the apparatus acts to prevent the user from falling down during physical activities. The suspension assembly includes a trolley adapted to traverse the track assembly, a locking snap assembly attached to the trolley and associated with a swivel, and an adjustable lanyard that is connected to the swivel at one end and to a body harness at its opposite end, which body harness has straps for encircling the torso and legs of a user.
US08267836B2 Control system for automatic transmission
A control system for an automatic transmission includes a downshift control section configured to increase an engaging capacity of an engaging-side engaging element to engage the engaging-side engaging element and decrease a first engaging capacity of a disengaging-side engaging element to disengage the disengaging-side engaging element when a parameter representing a progressing condition of the downshift reaches a value, thereby carrying out the downshift in a power-on condition. Additionally, the downshift control section is configured to decrease the engaging capacity of the disengaging-side engaging element to a second engaging capacity smaller than the first engaging capacity to continue the downshift which is currently progressing and to cause the engine control section to continue controlling the engine speed when a power-off condition is detected upon an accelerator pedal being returned to a position representing an operating amount during the downshift.
US08267834B2 Self-propelled vehicle for conveyance and method of controlling stop thereof
A self-propelled vehicle for conveyance that can be safely stopped without deviating from a predetermined route when an obstacle is detected during running, and a method of controlling a stop of the self-propelled vehicle for conveyance are provided. The method of controlling the stop of the self-propelled vehicle for conveyance includes a second detection step in which an obstacle located at a set distance is detected during the running of the self-propelled vehicle for conveyance, and a stop step in which a leftward or rightward positional deviation of the self-propelled vehicle for conveyance from the predetermined route is correctively controlled in the state where brake means for a pair of left and right driving wheels are released and the self-propelled vehicle for conveyance is stopped, when the positional deviation turns out to be present on the basis of detection of the obstacle in the second detection step. Therefore, when the obstacle is detected during the running of the self-propelled vehicle for conveyance, the self-propelled vehicle for conveyance is safely stopped without deviating from the predetermined route.
US08267833B2 High efficiency transfer case
A multi-speed power transmission device includes an input shaft, first and second output shafts and a planetary gearset. An axially moveable sleeve fixes the first output shaft and the input shaft for rotation when in a first position and the sleeve fixes the sun gear and the input shaft for rotation when in a second position. A hub is axially moveable and free to rotate relative to the first output shaft when in the first position. The hub is fixed for rotation with the first output shaft when in the second position. A cam plate is continuously fixed for rotation with the carrier and urges the hub toward its second position when in a second axial position. The input shaft drives the first output shaft at a reduced speed via the planetary gearset when the sleeve, hub and cam plate are at their second positions.
US08267827B2 Final drive having a lubrication system
A final drive comprising a lubrication system is provided. The final drive comprises an axle housing and a differential housing. The differential housing is in alignment with the axle housing, and they share a longitudinal axis. The final drive further comprises a lubricant ring having a lubricant ring inner diameter. The lubricant ring travels about an inner surface of the axle housing. Further, the final drive has a longitudinal axis region, defined as the region formed by the lubricant ring inner diameter. The lubrication system comprises a lubrication inlet in fluid communication with a lubricant outlet. The lubrication inlet is disposed in the axle housing to capture a portion of the lubricant ring. The lubricant outlet is disposed in the differential housing to distribute the portion of the lubricant ring generally to the longitudinal axis region.
US08267826B2 Uninterruptible oil supply in planetary system
A planetary carrier includes a journal bearing for supporting a planetary gear. The journal bearing receives lubricant to produce a lubricant film to support gear loads. A torque frame is attached to the carrier housing to transmit torque and to prevent twisting of the carrier housing. The torque frame includes several lubricant communication passages to provide lubricant to each of the separate journal bearings. Each of the lubricant communication passages includes an accumulator for storing lubricant during normal operation. The accumulator stores a desired amount of lubricant to provide lubricant to the adjacent journal bearing for the interim period between primary system stoppage and reestablishment of lubricant flow by a secondary system.
US08267824B2 Control device for vehicle power transmitting apparatus
The present invention relates to a control device for a vehicle power transmitting apparatus. The vehicle power transmitting apparatus includes an electrically controlled differential portion of which differential state is controlled between a rotation speed of an input shaft to which power of an engine is input and a rotation speed of an output shaft by controlling an operational state of an electric motor connected to a rotary element of a differential mechanism, and a shifting portion constructing a part of a power transmitting path. The control device includes a correspondence controlling unit for controlling the engine or the vehicle power transmitting apparatus to allow the shifting portion to be shifted when a command for shifting by a manual shift operation is issued in an operating region restricting the shifting of the shifting portion.
US08267821B2 Mechanical tensioner with damping mechanism
A mechanical tensioner that includes a pulley arm with a tension pulley for a tension element drive of an internal combustion engine. The pulley arm is mounted to a mounting base that is fixedly attached to the engine. A spring that functions in compression and torsion is located about a pivot axis on the mounting base, with one end connected to the pulley arm and the other end attached to the mounting base. The spring provides torsion to the pulley arm to maintain tension on the tension element, and is also compressed between a mounting flange of the pulley arm and a support flange on the mounting base to transmit an axial force between the pulley arm and an outer hub that is fixed to the mounting base. A shaped bush which functions at least as a damping element, and can also function as a bearing, is located in the space between the outer hub and the pulley arm. The outer surface of the outer hub, the bush and the inner portion of the pulley arm are in the shape of a tractrix pseudosphere to provide increased life and reduced wear.
US08267818B2 Snap together split sprocket
Described herein is a sprocket for interfacing with a perforated material, such as a chain. The sprocket includes a hub and a material-interfacing plate. The hub is shaped to fit around an axially extending shaft, and includes a plurality of hub portions each shaped to fit around a portion of the shaft; and a retaining portion and a hub interlocking portion, each disposed on at least one of the hub portions. The material-interfacing plate has a periphery that is shaped to interface with the perforated material, and includes a plurality of plate portions each shaped to fit around a portion of the hub; and a plate interlocking portion shaped to interlock with the hub interlocking portion and disposed on at least one of the plate portions. The material-interfacing plate is in a secured position when the plate interlocking portion and the hub interlocking portion are interlocked with each other. The interlocked plate and hub interlocking portions prevent the material-interfacing plate from sliding radially off the hub and the retaining portion prevents the material-interfacing plate from sliding axially off the hub when the material-interfacing plate is in the secured position.
US08267801B2 Homokinetic joint
A homokinetic joint is described that comprises a male member with several arms, a female member for receiving the male member, a roller mounted and freely rotating on each arm, a spring provided between the male member and the female member and for urging the male member away from the female member, and a cup provided between the spring and the male member. The cup includes a skirt comprising an outer surface designed to contact at least one of the rollers when the joint is in a separated state.
US08267796B2 Game machine, game machine control method, and information storage medium
To provide a game machine capable of reducing a sense of discomfort which the user feels due to unmatched image display timing and image-related sound output timing. An image reproduction unit (highlight scene image reproduction control unit (72)) reproduces an image. An image-related sound reproduction unit (comment sound reproduction control unit (78)) reproduces an image-related sound corresponding to the image. A reproduction state determination unit (76) determines whether or not the reproduction state of the image and that of the image-related sound corresponding to the image satisfy a predetermined condition. Based on a result of a determination by the reproduction state determination unit (76), a reproduction state describing sound reproduction control unit (80) reproduces a reproduction state describing sound which describes the reproduction state of the image and/or image-related sound.
US08267793B2 Multiplatform gaming system
A multiplatform gaming system comprises in combination: (a) a mobile communication device provided with circuitry suitable to communicate over one or more communication channels; (b) software provided in said mobile device to receive inputs from one or more sensors of the device, and to transmit control data relying on said inputs over a communication channel; and (c) a gaming platform provided with a display, which platform runs software suitable to receive said control data and to control the behavior of a game according to such control data.
US08267786B2 Game controller and game system
A first control unit includes a first operation data generation section for generating first operation data in accordance with a motion of a first control unit body included in the first control unit. A second control unit includes a second operation data generation section for generating second operation data in accordance with a direction input operation performed by a player or a motion of a second control unit body included in the second control unit. Further, one of the first control unit and the second control unit includes a transmission section for transmitting the first operation data and the second operation data to a computer at a predetermined timing.
US08267784B2 Game system and computer readable medium including a marker position determination portion
There is provided a game system in which areas where operation instruction markers of each player influence each other. The game system 1 determines a division position DP of lane L where an operation instruction marker IM is displayed each time when a predetermined condition is satisfied during a game, and a size of display area DA of the lane of each player based on the determined division position DP. The game system 1 also determines the position of operation instruction marker IM corresponding to each operation timing 20 described in sequence data SD so that the position changes with the progress of music being reproduced, and displays a game image GI where the operation instruction markers IM corresponding to each players P are arranged in the display area DA corresponding to the player P.
US08267778B2 Video game feedback system and method
In order to track the behavior of a gamer with a virtual environment of a video game, the virtual environment is provided with a set of predetermined objectives. The completion of the predetermined objectives is monitored and recorded. This information is then provided to a game developer. In addition, comparing the record of the predetermined objectives with current game assets associated with the gamer serves to inhibit authorized duplication of game assets.
US08267766B2 Security system and method for lottery tickets
A system and method of printing lottery tickets produces a prize structure with ticket books containing all available prizes. A game generation file is then generated withholding the high tier prizes. A list of validation numbers is then created from ticket books that hold only low tier winning ticket values. In one embodiment, only validation numbers associated with tickets having no redemption value are included in the list Individual validation numbers are then selected at random from the created list of validation numbers, and high tier ticket prize data is assigned to each record associated with a selected validation number. The information is stored in a new file that can be contained on a separate file server from the original generation file, invoking increased access control and monitoring for additional security purposes. The new file contains the raw ticket data that is used in the printing of the tickets.
US08267761B2 Storage medium having game program stored therein and game apparatus
In a game apparatus, a plurality of puzzle elements each having a preset attribute are arranged within a predetermined area on the screen of a display device. A puzzle element arrangement pattern within the predetermined area is altered in accordance with a player's operation. In the game apparatus, when the arrangement pattern is altered, a ring-like puzzle element group is identified, which consists of puzzle elements having the same preset attribute and being adjacently arranged in a closed ring within the predetermine area. In the game apparatus, any puzzle element is deleted, which is arranged in a position determined by the identified ring-like puzzle element group defined by the ring-like puzzle element identification means.
US08267736B2 Animal bubble assembly
A bubble generating assembly has a head section having a bubble generator associated therewith, a body housing and a feet section that is configured as a reservoir for holding bubble solution. The body housing houses a motor and an air generator coupled to the motor, the outer surface of the body housing defining a handle for the assembly, and having an actuator provided on the outer surface of the body housing. A pump system is provided inside the body housing, and draws bubble solution from the feet section to the bubble generator.
US08267735B2 Pattern formation method for electroluminescent element
There is provided a pattern formed object having an electroluminescent layer coating. The pattern formed object comprising a substrate, partition walls provided on the substrate, and a coating stacked on the substrate in its part between the partition walls, wherein the partition walls have a sloped liquid non-repellent surface and have a section form that, at least in the lower part of the partition wall, as the distance from the substrate increases, the size of the partition wall in a direction parallel to the substrate decreases, and in the coating, the ratio of the maximum thickness (Tmax) to the minimum thickness (Tmin), Tmax/Tmin, is not more than 130% as measured in the coating in its part between the lower ends of the partition walls adjacent to each other.
US08267731B2 Breakaway safety system
There is provided a breakaway safety system for a vessel. The vessel includes: (a) a hull; (b) one or more engine arrangements supported by the hull; and (c) one or more propeller extensions mounted to the hull and coupled to receive motive power from the one or more engine arrangements in operation. The safety system includes: one or more sensors mounted to the vessel for measuring operating parameters of the vessel and generating one or more corresponding input signals; a control unit for receiving the one or more corresponding input signals, and for processing the one or more input signals to generate at least one control output; one or more fracturable regions for mounting the one or more propeller extensions to the at least one hull; and one or more fracturing devices operable to fracture the one or more fracturable regions for jettisoning associated one or more propeller extensions in an event that the control unit detects a potentially hazardous impact event and activates its at least one control output accordingly.
US08267712B2 RJ-45 connector assembly and assisting apparatus for unplugging RJ-45 connector
A Registered Jack-45 (RJ-45) connector assembly includes an RJ-45 connector, and an assisting apparatus for unplugging the RJ-45 connector. The RJ-45 connector includes a slanted resilient latch. The assisting apparatus includes a latching portion and a pressable portion. A receiving slot is defined in the front end of the latching portion, to engage with the resilient latch of the RJ-45 connector. When the pressable portion is pressed, the assisting apparatus drives the resilient latch of the RJ-45 connector to deform and disengage from a connector of an electronic device.
US08267711B2 Positive safety latch
An electronic connector latch system provides safety via an internally hidden latch that requires a correctly sized pin to open. The described system is positive, in that it provides a “deadbolt” style latching wherein the pull out force is perpendicular to direction of opening the latch, and latching occurs on both sides of the locking post. The system is still user friendly in that mating the two connectors together can be accomplished without any tools. Mating is achieved with a simple insertion of the mating connector. The latch is captured inside the plastic unit housing, and a stamped sheet metal spring provides high cycle life.
US08267706B2 Patch cord with insertion detection and light illumination capabilities
A patch cord for an intelligent patching system is provided. The patch cord is a ten-wire patch cord having a patch panel plug and a switch plug. The patch panel plug contains ninth and tenth wire contacts that interface with ninth and tenth wire contacts of an intelligent patch panel port. The switch plug is provided with a plunger-style switch that enables the intelligent patch panel to determine when the switch plug is plugged into a switch port. The switch plug is also provided with LED's and circuitry that controls the LED's.
US08267702B2 Electrical distribution center assembly having a terminal stabilizer integrally formed with a housing
An electrical distribution center assembly includes a housing having a connector shroud. The shroud defines a shroud cavity adapted for receiving a mating electrical connector body. A blade stabilizer is formed integral with the shroud in a first position within the shroud cavity. The blade stabilizer has blade apertures formed therein. Bladed terminals extend from the housing into the blade apertures. In this position, the blade stabilizer protects the terminal blades from being bent away from a terminal axis. The blade stabilizer is movable to a second position to enable female terminals of the mating electrical connector to electrically connect to the blade terminals.
US08267691B1 Threat fire simulation and training system
A firearm training simulation system for simulating the impact of one or more projectiles impacting a user includes an electrical impulse element configured for physical contact with the user. A controller is in communication with the electrical impulse element. The controller enables receipt of a signal for activating the electrical impulse element to deliver one or more electrical pulses to the user. Each electrical pulse simulates an impact of a projectile on the user.
US08267690B2 Simulating device
A device for simulating fire effects in military or civilian combat training. The device includes a light source configured to produce light beams and a light source control adapted to control a light lobe formed by the light beams from the light source. The light source control includes a two-dimensional array of elements electronically controllable to assume a selected state among at least a first state of letting through light incident thereupon in a main direction of the light lobe or a second state of not letting through the light incident thereupon in the main direction, and a unit adapted to control the elements for designing the spatial propagation of the light lobe.
US08267688B2 Dental implant and method for manufacturing dental implant
A dental implant is provided. The dental implant includes an abutment and a fixture to be coupled to the abutment and anchored to a jawbone, and the fixture having a female thread portion. The abutment comprises a titanium member composed of a sintered body made from titanium or titanium alloy, and a ceramic member fixed to the titanium member, the ceramic member composed of a sintered body made from oxide-based ceramic. The ceramic member has a female thread portion, and the titanium member has a first male thread portion which makes thread coupling with the female thread portion of the ceramic member and a second male thread portion which makes thread coupling with the female thread portion of the fixture, whereby the ceramic member is fixed to the titanium member and the titanium member is fixed to the fixture.
US08267685B2 Method of mixing high temperature gases in mineral processing kilns
A method is described for reducing NOx emissions and improving energy efficiency during mineral processing in a rotary kiln. The method comprises injection of air with high velocity/high kinetic energy into the kiln to reduce or eliminate stratification of kiln gases. The method can be applied to mix gases in a rotary kiln vessel or in a preheater/precalciner vessel.
US08267683B2 Apparatus for forming layered object
A layered-object forming apparatus (1) includes a holding mechanism (10) that holds a base (12), a liquid applying device (20) that applies a liquid to a predetermined position from above the base, a powder applying device (30) that allows a powder to fall from above the base, and a powder removing device that removes an unconsolidated powder on the base. Then, a process of applying the liquid by the liquid applying device, subsequently applying the powder by the powder applying device, subsequently consolidating the liquid and the powder applied onto the liquid and then removing the powder that has not been consolidated with the liquid by the powder removing device is repeated, thereby forming a three-dimensional structure on the base. Thus, it is possible to produce a three-dimensional structure that at least partially has a smooth surface, thus allowing omission or simplification of a surface smoothing treatment.
US08267647B2 Variable geometry turbocharger lower vane ring retaining system
A vane ring assembly which includes a lower vane ring (22), an upper vane ring (30), one or more guide vanes (80) positioned at least partially between the vane rings, and a plurality of spacers (42, or 50) positioned between the lower and upper vane rings for maintaining a distance between the lower and upper vane rings. By using a first set of fasteners (190) to fasten the lower vane ring to the turbine housing, and a second set of fasteners (191) to fasten the lower vane ring to the upper vane ring, the vane ring assembly is effectively decoupled from the turbine housing with regard to differential thermal expansion, and the co-planerism of the vane rings is easier to maintain.
US08267644B2 Multistage centrifugal compressor
In a multistage centrifugal compressor, a plurality of impellers is attached to the same rotary shaft. Vaned Diffusers and vaneless diffusers are used, as diffusers, for respective compressor stages configuring the compressor. The vaned diffusers are continuously used from the first compressor stage to the middle compressor stage, and the vaneless diffusers are used for the last compressor stage and the previous stage. While high efficiency is maintained at the compressor stages having the vaned diffusers, an operating flow range is secured at the compressor stages having the vaneless diffusers.
US08267642B2 Inlet section of an aircraft engine nacelle
A nacelle inlet for an aircraft engine of a type having an engine fan case with a forward flange includes an acoustic inner barrel having a forward edge and an aft edge, an outer shell having a nose lip portion with a trailing inner edge, and an outer barrel portion having an aft portion. The nacelle inlet also includes an aft attachment flange configured to attach the inlet to the forward flange of the engine fan case, and an aft bulkhead having an aft end and connecting the outer barrel portion of the outer shell to the aft attachment flange. The forward edge of the acoustic inner barrel is connected to the trailing inner edge of the nose lip portion, and the aft portion of the inner barrel is attached to the aft attachment flange.
US08267611B2 Optical structure comprising elastic suspension and method of producing such a structure
An optical structure comprising a first and a second component and a connecting element which connects the two components and which has at least two spring elements. The two components have an extremely high level of positional and angular accuracy relative to each other even with major fluctuations in temperature and each spring element has a spring constant at least twice as great in two respective mutually perpendicular spatial directions as in the third spatial direction perpendicular to the first two spatial directions, referred to as the elasticity direction, wherein the two spring elements have elasticity directions which do not extend parallel to each other.
US08267603B2 Sheet material cutter and printer
A fixed blade and a movable blade in which a cutting portion end face of the movable blade is orthogonal to a side surface of the movable blade, and the movable blade is brought into sliding contact with the fixed blade to cut a recording sheet. A cutout groove for forming a cutting residual portion in the recording sheet is formed in the cutting portion of the movable blade. A slant surface or a curved surface is formed at an intersection of the side surface of the movable blade, a cutting portion end face of the movable blade and the inner peripheral surface of the cutout groove.
US08267600B2 Early self-validation of persistent memory during boot in an optical transceiver
An operational optical transceiver configured to self-validate a boot image loaded from the persistent memory early in the boot process. The optical transceiver includes a persistent memory, a controller, and a system memory. The controller initializes the boot process and begins to load information from the persistent memory to the system memory. Next, the controller detects early in the boot process boot image verification data in the information being sent to the system memory. The controller then determines if the boot image verification data has an expected value. If the verification data includes the expected value, the controller continues the boot process. If the verification data does not include the expected value, the controller will retry the boot process a predetermined number of times and will enter a default operational state if the expected value is not detected while retrying the boot process the predetermined number of times.
US08267596B2 Fiber optic cable assemblies with fiber access apertures and methods of assembly
A fiber optic connector assembly includes a fiber optic cable with one or more optical fiber ribbons attached to a fiber optic connector. The connector includes a ferrule assembly and a crimp body with a fiber access aperture. The aperture has at least two walls defining a first width and a second width defining a predetermined delta and a predetermined aspect ratio. The delta and aspect ratio provide optical fiber access for alignment of the optical fiber ribbon to the optical fiber ferrule assembly. A method of making the fiber optic connector assembly is also disclosed.
US08267591B2 Wheel bearing seal and a wheel bearing apparatus provided with the wheel bearing seal
A wheel bearing seal (7, 19, 20) has an annular sealing plate (10 or 21) and a slinger (11 or 11′). The sealing plate (10 or 21) has a metal core (12 or 22) and sealing member (13 or 23). The sealing member (13 or 23) has a first side lip (13a or 23a), a second side lip (13b or 23b), and a grease lip (13c or 23c). The slinger (11 or 11′) has a cylindrical portion (11a or 11a′) and an upstanding portion (11b, 11b′). The first and second side lips (13a or 23a and 13b or 23b) slidably contact the upstanding portion. The grease lip (13c or 23c) slidably contacts with the cylindrical portion (11 a or 11a′). A relationship, F1+F2≦1.5×F3, exists between contacting loads F1 and F2, respectively, of the first and second side lips (13a or 23a and 13b or 23b) and a fastening force F3 of the grease lip (13c or 23c).
US08267589B2 Bush bearing
A bush bearing (1) is a wrapped bush bearing which has a cylindrical inner peripheral surface (2) serving as a sliding surface as well as an outer peripheral surface (3), and whose abutting faces (4) are abutted against each other. The outer peripheral surface (3) includes a cylindrical surface (11); a tapered surface (13) interposed between the cylindrical surface (11) and one annular end face (12) in an axial direction X and formed by roll forming; a smooth circular arc surface (14) interposed between the tapered surface (13) and the cylindrical surface (11); and a smooth circular arc surface (15) interposed between the tapered surface (13) and the end face (12).
US08267587B2 Housing for fluid lubrication bearing apparatuses
A housing for a fluid lubrication bearing apparatus is formed of a resin composition containing polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) as a base resin. The ratio of the base resin to the resin composition is not lower than 40 vol % but not higher than 70 vol %. Moreover, in the composition, an epoxy compound having two or more epoxy groups per molecule of the compound and epoxy value of 0.5 meq/g or more to the resin composition may be added so that the amount of epoxy groups in the resin composition is 8 meq/100 g or more. A carbon fiber may also be added to the resin composition in an amount of not less than 10 vol % but not more than 35 vol %. An inorganic compound may be further added to the resin composition to be the remainder of the resin composition.
US08267584B2 Rail of a longitudinal guide with a bearing block of a longitudinal guide and a pivotal flap
The rail of a longitudinal guide of a longitudinal adjustment device of a motor vehicle seat includes one rail profile, at least one bearing block including a bearing hole, a bearing shaft extending through the bearing hole and a flap, which is pivotal about the bearing shaft. The bearing block is made from the material of the rail profile by cutting out a border of the bearing block and by bending the thus obtained blank for the bearing block about a bending line.
US08267581B2 Slide mechanism for electronic device
A slide mechanism includes a fixing plate, a slide plate, and a slide assembly. The fixing plate defines a slide groove and forms a pair of slide rails on opposite sides of the slide groove. The slide plate is positioned on the fixing plate. The slide assembly is positioned between the fixing plate and the slide plate and is allowed an assisted back and forth movement on the slide assembly, and a rotation subjected to friction at the front end of the slide assembly and the slide plate.
US08267580B2 Freestanding bag
A free-standing bag and a method for producing a free-standing bag from a thermoplastic synthetic film is disclosed. The bag includes a front panel and a back panel, which are connected to one another by lateral seams thus forming a filling opening, and in a collapsed state of the bag, having an inwardly folded base, whereby the inwardly folded base is comprised of a front panel fold as well as a back panel fold, both folds being sealed into the lateral seams, and whereby in the area of the inwardly folded base, an assembly strip is attached, which is made of a reinforced plastic film, and that the assembly strip terminates at a distance from the lateral seams, whereby a reinforcing strip is attached or glued to the inside and/or outside of the front panel and the back panel in the area of the filling opening.
US08267574B2 Method for preparing a calibrated emulsion
The invention concerns a semi-continuous method for preparing an emulsion of droplets of a phase A in a phase B, including the following steps: (i) mixing an amount of phase A and an amount of phase B using a multi-shaft mixing system comprising at least one scraping agitator, so as to obtain a dispersion of phase A in phase B with a volume concentration of phase A higher than 74%; (ii) diluting the dispersion obtained in step (i) by adding an additional amount of phase B, and mixing using said multi-shaft mixing system, so as to obtain an emulsion of droplets of a phase A in a phase B.
US08267567B2 Backlight module, bezel assembly applied to backlight module, and display device
A bezel assembly, which is applied to a backlight module, includes a first bezel and a second bezel. The first bezel has a first side wall and a second side wall. A first hole structure is formed on a corner between the first and second side walls. The second bezel has a third side wall. A second hole structure and a third hole structure are formed on opposite sides of the third side wall. When the first bezel is disposed in the second bezel, the third side wall can completely cover the first hole structure of the first bezel from the outside of the first bezel, and the second and third hole structures are close to the first hole structure.
US08267564B2 Light emitting structure for backlighted sign
There is provided a light emitting assembly for a backlighted sign. The assembly may include first and second light emitting units configured to emit light in corresponding first and second directions into edges of first and second adjacent light guide plates. The assembly may also include a third light emitting unit configured to emit light in a direction substantially transverse to the first and second directions into a backlightable sign panel. Light emitting units are slidably insertable and slidably removable.
US08267553B2 LED illuminant module for medical luminaires
The LED illuminant module for medical luminaires contains a circuit board capable of heat dissipation, an LED die package, a beam splitter, and a reflector. The LED die package is attached to the circuit board and is covered by the beam splitter, which in turn is pressed by and positioned along with the reflector. Central beams from the LED die package are collimated by the beam splitter to project forward. The side light beams are refracted by the beam splitter, intercepted by the reflector, and directed to a target coverage area along with the central light beams. The illuminant module is able to achieve low energy consumption and ease of manufacturing simultaneously.
US08267540B2 Special purpose LED-based linear lighting apparatus
A linear lighting apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an elongated element having a substantially U-shaped cross-section and an LED strip placed longitudinally along a bottom of the elongated element. The apparatus further includes a first flange located on both sides of an exterior of the elongated element and a second flange located on both sides of the exterior of the elongated element. The apparatus further includes a gutter located on both sides of an interior of the elongated element and a first optical element comprising an elongated planar element composed of optical material. The apparatus further includes a rim located on a top of both sides of the elongated element and a second optical element comprising an elongated planar element for placement on top of the horizontal surface of the rim.
US08267537B2 Backlight unit and display device having the same
Disclosed are a backlight unit and a display device having the same. The backlight unit comprises a light emitting diode (LED) module comprising an LED, a case supporting the LED module and comprising a bending part that guides and fixes an end portion of the LED module, and a fixing part fixing the LED module to the case.
US08267535B2 Exterior mirror element with wide angle portion
A mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a glass substrate and a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary wide angle curved portion. The auxiliary wide angle curved portion has a curved recess established at a region of the rear surface of the glass substrate by at least one of grinding and ablating. The curved recess may have a cross-dimension size that is in the range from about 30 millimeters to about 80 millimeters, and may have a radius of curvature that is in the range from about 200 millimeters to about 1,000 millimeters, and may have a maximum recess depth that is in the range from about 0.11 millimeters to about 4.04 millimeters.
US08267534B2 Exterior rearview mirror assembly
An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket fixedly secured to the vehicle, a mirror casing secured to the bracket and defining a primary opening, and a single mirror support movably secured within the mirror casing disposed adjacent the primary opening. A primary mirror is fixedly secured to the single mirror support and disposed within the primary opening for providing a view rearward of the vehicle through a primary field of view, and a spotting mirror is fixedly secured to the single mirror support and disposed adjacent the primary mirror. The spotting mirror is defined by a single radius of curvature differing from the primary mirror such that the spotting mirror provides a second field of view rearward of the vehicle, such that the first field of view of the primary mirror overlaps the second field of view of the spotting mirror.
US08267527B2 Portable and transportable 2-D and 3-D display system
A portable projection system comprises a first and second vertical member including at least one hinged point for folding the first and second vertical member into at least two separate portions. A first and second horizontal member connected with the first and second vertical members includes at least one hinged point for folding the first and second horizontal member into at least two separate portions. At least one base member pivots between a first position parallel to the first or second vertical member and a second position perpendicular to the first or second vertical member. First and second mounting members of a projector mounting assembly include at least one hinged point for folding the first and second mounting members into at least two separate portions. A projector mounting assembly mounting bracket pivotally connects the first and second mounting members with the first horizontal member.
US08267526B2 Methods associated with receiving and transmitting information related to projection
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that are related to projection. For example, in at least some embodiments, methods in accordance with the present disclosure include receiving information associated with one or more projection parameters; processing the information associated with the one or more projection parameters to generate one or more projection associated instructions; transmitting the one or more projection associated instructions; and wherein at least one of the receiving information, the processing the information, or the transmitting is performed at least partially using one or more processing devices.
US08267517B2 Eyeball motion measurement apparatus
An eye movement measurement apparatus 1 measures movement of a cornea 101 by imaging a corneal reflection light image L2 generated as a result of irradiating the cornea 101 with infrared light L1. The eye movement measurement apparatus 1 includes: an imaging section 5 having a sensor section 51 including a plurality of pixels arrayed two-dimensionally, for generating imaging data including the corneal reflection light image L2 made incident on the sensor section 51; a bright spot position operation section 6 that calculates a position of the corneal reflection light image L2 in the imaging data; and a tremor signal operation section 7 that generates a third data string indicating a tremor component included in movement of the cornea 101 by calculating a difference between a first data string concerning temporal changes in position of the corneal reflection light image L2 and a second data string obtained by smoothing the first data string. Accordingly, an eye movement measurement apparatus capable of accurately detecting a tremor component is realized.
US08267511B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an ink discharge unit including nozzles to discharge ink and to form an image on a recording medium; a conveyer belt to convey the recording medium so that the recording medium passes through an area facing the ink discharge unit, the conveyor belt including blank discharge holes to let the ink for a blank discharge through; a control unit to control an ink discharge operation of the ink discharge unit; a blank discharge receiver to receive the ink for the blank discharge, provided at a position facing the ink discharge unit across the conveyor belt; and a belt position detection unit to detect a position in a direction perpendicular to a belt moving direction of the conveyor belt, wherein the control unit controls the blank discharge operation of the ink discharge unit based on a detection result detected by the belt position detection unit.
US08267508B2 Ink jet printer
According to one embodiment, an ink jet recording apparatus includes: a guide rail extending in a first direction; an ink head that slidably engages with the guide rail and discharges an ultraviolet light curable ink toward a recording medium; a second head that slidably engages with the guide rail; a carriage that moves along the guide rail; a first connection mechanism that bridges the carriage and the ink head and detachably connects the carriage with the ink head; a second connection mechanism that detachably connects the carriage with the second head; and an ultraviolet light irradiation device that is attached to the ink head to move together with the ink head, that is positioned in front, in rear or below the first connecting mechanism when the carriage and the ink head are connected by the first connecting mechanism, and that irradiates the ultraviolet light curable ink discharged from the ink head on the recording medium with ultraviolet light.
US08267504B2 Printhead including integrated stimulator/filter device
A jetting module includes a nozzle plate, a thermal stimulation membrane, and an enclosure. Portions of the nozzle plate define a nozzle. The thermal stimulation membrane includes a plurality of pores. At least one of the plurality of pores overlaps the nozzle when viewed from a direction through the nozzle. The enclosure includes a wall that extends from the nozzle plate to the thermal stimulation membrane to define a liquid chamber positioned between the nozzle plate and the thermal stimulation membrane. The liquid chamber is in fluid communication with the nozzle. The liquid chamber is in fluid communication with the plurality of pores of the thermal stimulation membrane.
US08267500B2 Single-pass inkjet printing
A single-pass print head has multiple orifice plates each serving some but not all of the area to be printed.
US08267493B2 Refrigerator
Provided is a refrigerator including a sliding storage member that is height adjustable through a vertically moving shelf with a multi-level configuration, and which can be selectively withdrawn from inside a storage space to the outside, where a user can improve usability of storage space in the refrigerator by selectively adjusting the height of the vertically moving shelf.
US08267487B2 Regenerative braking actuator apparatus
An actuator apparatus includes a booster creating an infinite boost ratio while a plunger valve does not contact with a reaction disc, and an oil reservoir and a pedal simulator unit forming a hydraulic circuit to follow hydraulic hysteresis characteristics. Therefore, it is possible to achieve insensibility of pedal changes transmitted from a master cylinder, minimize changes in pedal feel according to changes of pedal effort correspondingly generated, while blocking vibration transmitted to the pedal when achieving regenerative braking, and provide pedal feel following or simulating the hydraulic hysteresis characteristics.
US08267474B2 Portable self-contained pneumatic lift chair
A portable self-contained pneumatic lift chair is provided with a motor operated compressor and controls for pumping air into a bladder and exhausting air from the bladder to raise and lower patients seated on the chair. The seat is guided up and down by loops on the seat surrounding guideposts extending upward on a base under hand operated controls. Braces between the posts are used to make the chair sturdy and can be adjusted to control the distance the chair is raised and lowered and, with post height and bladder size, used to control maximum and minimum height of the seat.
US08267460B2 Front cover for a vehicle
The front body cover includes a lens for a headlight device. A front portion or edge of the lens bulges forward of a straight line connecting the front edges of a handle cover with the front edges of a front fender. This arrangement reduces the wind resistance around the front of the motorcycle and improves aerodynamic performance.
US08267450B2 Elevator for gripping and lifting a riser joint
An elevator for gripping and lifting a riser joint or several interconnected riser joints of a completion and work over riser. A body includes a through bore for receiving a production pipe of a riser joint. The through bore is accessible via a longitudinal opening in the body. The body includes at least one locking device including a hydraulic cylinder. A piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder is moveable to and fro between an unlocking position, in which the piston rod allows a production pipe of a riser joint to pass into or out of the through bore via the longitudinal opening, and a locking position, in which the piston rod prevents a production pipe received in the through bore from passing out of the through bore via the longitudinal opening.
US08267448B2 Cam arm actuated backup tong
A backup tong that comprises an activating mechanism for advancing a jaw die mounted on a jaw carrier within the backup into engagement with a pipe positioned centrally therein. The jaw carrier is fitted within the tong body to permit a sliding action radially toward the center point of the opening in the backup tong. Such mechanism includes a cam surface located along a first extension of a cam arm which pivots around a fixed pivot pin carried by the body of the backup. The other extension of the cam arm is connected toward its outer end to an actuator, anchored at one end to the backup body and oriented at the other end to swing the cam arm about the pivot pin.
US08267442B2 Outer operational device for panic exit door lock
An outer operational device includes a cover mounted to a side of a door. An actuating member is mounted in the cover and includes an end engaged with a handle to rotate therewith. A driving member is pivotably received in the cover and includes a wing. A link includes an upper end pivotably coupled with the wing and a lower end pivotably coupled with an end of the actuating member. A driving rod is coupled with the driving member and operably connected to a latch of a lock mounted in the door, so that rotation of the handle causes retraction of the latch.
US08267440B2 Connecting device for concealed-type top or bottom latch for panic exit door lock
A lock for a door includes a latch (128) to which an end of a connecting member (46) is operably coupled. A draw rod (48) is securely mounted to the connecting member (46) to move therewith. A base (32) is fixed to the door, and a slide (42) is slideably mounted to the base (32) in the vertical direction. An adjusting block (44) is fixed to the draw rod (48) to move therewith. An adjusting screw (446) is rotatably extended through the slide (42) and threadedly engaged with the adjusting block (44) so that movement of the slide (42) in the vertical direction causes movement of the adjusting block (44) and the connecting member (46) in the vertical direction and of the latch (128) between locking and unlocking positions. Rotation of the adjusting screw (446) causes movement of the adjusting block (44) and the connecting device (40) in the vertical direction to adjust the locking position of the latch (128) relative to the door (10).
US08267439B2 Apparatus and method for tying a necktie
An apparatus and method for tying a Windsor knot. In particular, an apparatus and method for tying a Windsor knot for a necktie, with the knot being symmetric, and the tie hanging straight and of proper length for the wearer or the necktie. The apparatus and method are universal for neckties, not requiring a special necktie to be used in conjunction with the apparatus and method.
US08267438B2 Two-piece flange adapter
A two-piece flange adapter including two identical flange parts. Each flange part has two ends, with each end having a planar mating surface disposed at each end of the channel disposed on an inner diameter surface of the flange part. A projection extends from one planar mating surface and is formed to continue the channel for a predetermined distance past the planar mating surface. The other end of the flange and channel define a groove having a depth that accepts the projection of a mating flange part to form a complete channel. A gasket having a cross-sectional area with an internal cavity is compressively disposed in a pocket defined by the channel and the mating pipes. The cross-sectional area of the gasket occupies less than 87% of the pocket and can also occupy approximately 82-84% of the pocket.
US08267437B2 Access cover for pressurized connector spool
A connector spool for connecting a compressor casing to a drive casing of an industrial compression system includes a spool body having a substantially cylindrical shape. The body has a first end coupled to the compressor casing and a second end coupled to the drive casing, and the body defines an interior region. Access ports are formed in the body for providing access to the interior region, and a hoop-shaped pressurized member covers the access ports.
US08267436B2 Arrow-shaped thread form for tubular connections
A thread form is shown which is used to make a threaded pipe connection capable of being screwed together and subsequently unscrewed. A pin member has external threads with stab flanks and load flanks and flat crests and roots for mating with the mating internal threads of a box member to make up a pipe connection. The stab flanks and load flanks form a distinct geometric profile which is arrow-shaped when viewed in profile. The arrow profile can be cut in either of two opposite directions. Each profile includes only two facets with the facets on the stab flank and the facets on the load flank both leaning in the same direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe, when viewed in profile.
US08267424B2 Airbag
At the inflation thereof, an airbag (10) has a three-dimensional shape composed of a front face (11), a back face (12), left and right side faces (13L, 13R), a ceiling face (14), and a bottom face (15). The front face (11) and the back face (12) have a trapezoidal shape in which the upper bottom is wider than the lower bottom. The upper edge of the front face (11) is formed to be wider than the upper edge of the back face (12). At a side collision, the airbag (10) inflates between seats (20L, 20R) so that the airbag face opposed to an occupant (P) falls to the occupant side. This can allow, when the occupant (P) moves to the collision side, the shoulder of the occupant to strike the airbag while simultaneously or substantially simultaneously allowing the head to strike the airbag. An airbag can be provided that blocks, at a side collision, the move due to the impact of the side collision of the occupant in the lateral direction.
US08267422B2 Air bag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system
An airbag module for a vehicle occupant restraint system is provided. The airbag module comprises an airbag, a gas generator, a gas generator support, and a visible surface facing the vehicle interior in the installed state formed by different segments of the airbag module. At least two of the segments comprise optically and/or haptically different surfaces and are mechanically connected to each other by means of mechanical interfaces such that the mechanical connection between the segments is at least partially released when triggered by opening the interfaces so that an opening is formed in the visible surface through which the airbag can exit the airbag module. All segments contributing to the formation of the opening for the airbag by opening the interfaces when triggered are thereby directly fastened to the gas generator support.
US08267421B2 Snowboard binding with a controlled instep element
The invention relates to a snowboard binding with a sole-plate which is to be fastened on the surface of a snowboard and to which, firstly, an instep element is fastened or coupled, which instep element can be adjusted between a clamping position and a release position and by means of which the upper side of a shoe, which can be accommodated in the snowboard binding can be partially embraced, and to which, secondly, a leg support is pivotably coupled, which leg support can be pivoted between a rear entry position and a front travelling position with control means provided by means of which a pivoting movement of the leg support into the entry position is coupled at least in some sections to an adjustment movement of the instep element from the clamping position into the release position.
US08267418B1 Cap of bicycle headset with easy adjustable mounting bracket
A cap of a bicycle headset with an easy adjustable mounting bracket includes a cap, a mounting bracket, a fastener, and a joining structure. The bicycle headset engaged in a steer tube includes the fastener positionable between a first engaging position in which the cap is rotatable about the fastener and the pivot is not tightly disposed in the recess and the bracket is pivotal to various pivoting positions with respect to the cap and a second engaging position in which the cap is fixedly positioned on the steer tube and the pivot is not tightly disposed in the recess and the bracket is fixedly positioned at one of the pivoting positions.
US08267405B1 Game machine
A game machine includes a main frame, a partition front slantingly mounted on a middle portion of the main frame. A collecting device is mounted onto an underside of the partition and multiple falling ball sensing units are mounted onto an upside of the partition. Multiple prize dispensing devices are mounted onto an internal panel of the main frame and electrically connected to a corresponding one of the falling ball sensing units. A control unit is secured on the main frame and an operational unit is disposed to an upper portion of the main frame, wherein the operational unit is electrically connected to the control unit. When starting a game, the operational unit firstly catches a ball and targets a selected falling ball sense unit, and then releasing the ball to the targeted falling ball sensing units for driving the prize the dispensing device.
US08267403B2 Syllabic roulette game with solmization, and method
A roulette game enables single-spin formation of meaningful character strings, which character strings may be coupled to tones for enhancing the gaming experience. The meaningful character strings may be defined by solfege-enabling letter groups, which letter groups may prompt underlying tones in solmization. The syllabic roulette game comprises a roulette wheel, a wager-enabling layout, and a plurality of balls. The wheel comprises alphabetic characters against a rainbow colored backdrop for enabling various payout schemes. A color-coordinated wager support surface is preferably disposed adjacent the roulette wheel for facilitating wager placement.
US08267394B2 Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A sheet feeding device that can be incorporated in an image forming apparatus includes a sheet feeder including a belt unit including an attraction belt facing a sheet stack and first and second tension rollers to keep the attraction belt taut, and a side holder to rotatably support the belt unit about the first tension roller that serves as a pivot of the sheet feeder being disposed upstream from the second tension roller in the sheet conveyance direction, a contact and separation drive unit to swing the sheet feeder to make the attraction belt contact with and separate from the sheet stack, and a swing range adjuster to adjust a range of swing of the belt unit with respect to the side holder between contact and separation of the attraction belt with respect to the sheet stack, according to a predetermined condition.
US08267390B2 Locking mechanism and reconfigurable clamp incorporating the same
A selectively lockable assembly includes a body, a pin, a locking member, and a plunger that is configured to selectively urge the locking member against the pin to lock the pin with respect to the body. The locking member is keyed to the body in a manner to prevent or limit rotation of the locking member and thereby limit movement of the pin under load. A corresponding clamp is also provided.
US08267388B2 Alignment assembly
Alignment assembly is used to center a sample on a moving stage system. The alignment assembly includes a pair of slides stacked on a stage with linear perpendicular movement relative to each other, and at least one actuator that is preferably physically separate from the linear slides and stage. The actuator(s) repeatedly extend an actuator arm to move the linear slides, and retract the arm for subsequent movement of the stage during and after the process of centering the sample in two dimensions on the stage. Either the stage system rotates, or multiple actuators are placed to move the alignment system in perpendicular directions relative to the stage, by repeatedly contacting only the top linear slide.
US08267383B2 Mount devices and methods for measuring force
Devices and methods are provided to facilitate measurement of forces acting on locations connecting a subframe portion and a body portion of a vehicle, such devices and methods include mount devices having an inner member, an outer member, at least one sensor, a sleeve and an annular member. The sensor is disposed within an annular chamber formed between the inner member and the outer member. The sensor is attached to at least one of the inner member and the outer member. The sensor is configured to measure force exerted on the mount device during use of a vehicle. Vehicles including these mount devices are also provided.
US08267382B2 Method of assembling a hydraulic shock absorber and hydraulic shock absorber
Before inner components of a hydraulic shock absorber, such as a cylinder, a piston and a piston rod, are placed, an outer shell is joined with a joint portion of an assembling apparatus so that a gas pressure chamber and the outer shell are in communication with each other. A low-pressure gas is supplied in the gas pressure chamber and the outer shell. Under a pressure of the low-pressure chamber, an oil tank subassembly is inserted in the outer shell and is fitted therein to form an oil tank. The oil tank is divided into an oil chamber and a gas chamber by a diaphragm. By this assembling method, it is possible to supply the low-pressure gas into the gas chamber without a need for a gas-supplying hole for supplying the gas into the gas chamber.
US08267381B2 Apparatus and method of dissolving a gas into a liquid
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for dissolving gas in a liquid is provided. The process comprises: tangentially introducing a liquid into a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall with sufficient volume and pressure to develop a vortex in the flowing liquid; introducing gas into the flowing liquid during at least a portion of its travel along vessel, the gas being introduced orthogonally to the stream through means located at the chamber inner wall for developing gas bubbles within the liquid. The apparatus comprises: a cylindrical chamber having a cylindrical inner wall, the chamber being oriented in any direction enclosed at both ends and with an entry port to introduce liquid to develop a spiral flow of liquid along the chamber inner wall toward the output end, a porous wall to permit the introduction of gas orthogonally into the stream to develop gas bubbles within the stream, and an exit port to discharge the mixture of gas bubbles and liquid.
US08267372B2 Cover-equipped manual valve
A cover-equipped manual valve having a ratchet mechanism for preventing rotation of a knob, comprising: a rod formed with an external thread portion on an outer periphery thereof, the rod being unconnected to the knob and held against rotation; a sliding nut of a cylindrical shape, the sliding nut being rotatably held by a body and internally formed with an internal thread portion threadedly engaged with the external thread portion of the rod; an engagement member fixed to the knob, the engagement member being elastically deformable to be engaged with the sliding nut and to be disengaged from the sliding nut when larger torque than a predetermined value is applied to the engagement member; and a knob cover of a hollow shape for covering the knob.
US08267369B2 Fan-fixing device
A fan-fixing device for fixing a fan on an installation panel which has a plurality of holes includes a body, a driving part and an elastic assembly. The body has a fixing portion for fixing the fan, at least one track is formed on a side thereof, and at least one first combined part is disposed on an opposite side thereof, wherein the combined part penetrates at least one of the holes. The driving part slidably disposed on the track. The driving part further has at least one second combined part, which penetrates at least another one of the holes. The elastic assembly is arranged between the body and the driving part. As a result, the first combined part and the second combined part can be fixed in the holes via force pushing the driving part, and can be departed from the holes via releasing the force.
US08267362B2 Mounting bracket mechanism for fixing a monitor
A mounting bracket mechanism includes a first stand, at least one beam locked on the first stand, at least one second stand disposed on a side of the first stand and locked on an end of the beam in an adjustable manner relative to the beam, and least one hanger for connecting a monitor and hanging the monitor on the beam so as to fix the monitor.
US08267361B1 Attachment to a long lens support device which functions as both a ball head and a gimble head
An attachment for a photographic instrument including a camera, comprising a transverse rotatable member having a top arcuate vertical support. A first top arcuate member is comprised of a gap and a second top arcuate member has an arcuate recess, wherein the top arcuate vertical support is connected to the respective first and second top arcuate member, which forms a seat as a housing of a universal joint. The universal joint is affixed to a shaft having a concentric bearing, which is further affixed to the camera mount, so that the camera mount can be rotated. A pin is affixed to the universal joint opposite to where the shaft is affixed. When the shaft having the bearing is downwardly and rotatably positioned inside of the recess, the pin is also upwardly positioned inside of the gap.
US08267349B2 Engine mount system for a turbofan gas turbine engine
A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes a gear train defined along an engine centerline axis, and a spool along the engine centerline axis which drives the gear train, the spool includes a low stage count low pressure turbine.
US08267348B2 Unmanned aircraft as a platform for telecommunication or other scientific purposes
Unmanned aircraft used as a platform for telecommunication or other scientific purposes at a predetermined altitude in the stratosphere. The unmanned aircraft includes a pressurized balloon filled with gas and that supports the platform. The pressurized balloon is arranged within an outer balloon provided with an aerodynamic external shape in the stratosphere and forms a low-pressure or high-pressure insulating chamber around the pressurized balloon. A heating and cooling system circulates medium in the insulating chamber and electrically driven propellers are located outside the outer balloon to maintain the position of the platform relative to the Earth. The negative effects that extreme differences in temperature have on the gas pressure in the pressurized balloon are thus largely cancelled such that the pressurized balloon can be made of a lighter and cheaper material and the service life thereof is effectively extended.
US08267328B2 Electronically controlled fitting
The invention relates to a fitting, in particular a washstand or bathtub fitting comprising an electronic control device for controlling a mixing device or a shut-off device for closing a pipe and an operating device, which is formed by a plate which is contact-sensitive and/or which is provided with proximity switches, for operating the control device. The plate is embodied in such a manner that at least two parameters from a group comprising a temperature parameter, a dispensing parameter, a volume flow rate parameter and a time parameter can be set at the same time by means of a sweeping motion, which is executed on the surface of said plate, by means of selectively touching different areas of the surface thereof and/or by means of a contact-free motion in front of the surface thereof.
US08267327B2 Payment card manufacturing technology
A payment card manufacturing process glues a thin battery and an autonomously reprogrammable magnetic device to the inside surface of one of two outer front and rear laminate sheets. The magnetic device is pressed through a precisely cut rectangular hole provided for it in the rear laminate sheet, and is sealed with a gasket bead. Such magnetic device is critically placed flush in a magnetic stripe area, and the end gaps are such that they will minimize adverse magnetic transitions seen by a reader between the magnetic stripe field and the autonomously reprogrammable magnetic device. The surfaces of the battery, electronics, and laminate sheets, are plasma treated to promote adhesion. These are then all sandwiched together inside a heated mold that is tilted or vibrated just before a two-part polyurethane is injected. Each of the two polyurethane parts is temperature adjusted to match viscosities and thus improve mixing. The liquid polyurethane is injected through a nozzle and manifold to fill all the voids between the laminate sheets, and air escapes or is vacuumed out the top edge of the mold. The polyurethane sets quickly and sheets of sixteen or more payment cards can then be de-molded and singulated.
US08267325B2 Wristband with elastic portion and inelastic portion containing a RFID inlay
A radio frequency identification (RFID) device includes: a first substantially inelastic portion (12); a second substantially elastic portion (14); and an RFID inlay (16) provisioned to wirelessly communicate with a reader device, wherein the RFID inlay (16) is at least one of carried on or encapsulated in the first portion (12). A compressible foam or mesh (13) is provided to create an air gap to increase the read range of the RFID inlay (16).
US08267324B2 Antenna interface having a pause detector
An antenna interface of a contactless device including a current source configured to provide a current signal which is dependent on a radio frequency field; and a pause detector coupled to the current source and configured to detect a field pause from the current signal and output a field pause signal.
US08267320B2 Label-controlled system configuration
A system utilizes an optical scanner to scan a printed configuration label on which is printed a printed system configuration code. The printed system configuration code describes a system configuration of the system, and is used to dynamically configure the system.
US08267308B2 Fluid processing medical apparatus and method for setting-up a fluid processing medical apparatus
The invention relates to a method for setting up a fluid treatment apparatus using a single, and always accessible, reader of information relating to replaceable components which are to be mounted on the apparatus to perform the fluid treatment. It is also disclosed a fluid treatment apparatus having the always accessible reader. The reader can also be relied on to enter information other that those relating to the replaceable components, such as commands for the apparatus, patients' related information, etcetera.
US08267307B1 Coded information for inventorying goods
Systems and methods for using information, provided in association with a shipping parcel containing or associated with the goods, by a shipping service provider and a recipient of the goods are shown. According to one embodiment, coded data, such as provided in a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or barcode, is used to identify the parcel and the goods, either directly or through correlation with other information, such as shipping information and/or inventory information. The coded data is preferably in a format readable by both the shipping service provider and the recipient of the parcel.
US08267300B2 Dampening device for endoscopic surgical stapler
A surgical instrument including a shaft and an end effector. The end effector may comprise a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw may be movable relative to the second jaw between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The surgical instrument may comprise a closure assembly which may be operably engaged with the first jaw. The closure assembly may comprise a closure trigger and a dampening system. The closure trigger may be configured to be actuated from a first position to a second position to close the first jaw. The dampening system may be configured to retard the opening of the closure trigger. The dampening system may comprise an aperture configured to receive the projection at a first end of the aperture and a seal configured to form a fluid seal between said projection and said aperture sidewall.
US08267295B2 Combustion powered nail gun having safety mechanism
A combustion powered nail gun includes a combustion sleeve moveable between a sealed position and an open position; a trigger switch having a first hook portion; a safety lever pivotally mounted in a housing and provided with a second hook biasable to be engaged with the first hook portion; and a restriction member connected to and moveable along with the combustion sleeve in a way that when the combustion sleeve is in the open position, the restriction member is stopped at the safety lever in which the second hook portion is engaged with the first hook portion so as to lock the trigger switch, and when the combustion sleeve is in the sealed position, the restriction member is spaced away from the safety lever to enable the second hook portion to be biasable away from the first hook portion so as to unlock the trigger switch.
US08267292B2 Load carrier for vehicle roof
A load carrier for a vehicle roof is disclosed. The load carrier includes at least one load profile which, in use, extends along the vehicle roof. The load profile has a first part and a second part which are movable relative to each other in their longitudinal direction. The first part that in use is positioned next to the vehicle roof having at the top an undercut groove which extends in the longitudinal direction of the first part and in which engages, in a longitudinally displaceable manner, at least one slideway belonging to the second part and having a shape matching the undercut groove.
US08267279B2 Device for dispensing dosages of substances in powder- or paste form
A dosage-dispensing device has a drive unit and a receiver for a dosage-dispensing unit. The drive unit has a drive shaft. The dosage-dispensing unit has a delivery orifice with a closure element that is disposed in the delivery orifice. The closure element is coupled to the drive shaft when the device is in an operating state. The closure element provides the delivery orifice with an aperture cross-section that varies between a closed position and a maximally open position. To couple the drive shaft to the closure element and to open the delivery orifice, the drive unit linearly advances towards the dosage-dispensing unit. A closure spring holds the closure element in a closed position up to the point of complete coupling. To prevent premature opening of the delivery orifice during the coupling process, the drive shaft has limited linear mobility in a direction away from the dosage-dispensing unit.
US08267276B2 Cap for holding powder to mixed with a fluid in a bottle
A cap for holding a powder to be mixed with a fluid in a bottle has a product cap with a reservoir. The product cap has a top wall and a side wall. The product cap has a number of inner protrusions on the side wall and a number of outer protrusions on the side wall. A cylindrical safety gate has a number of grooves. The inner protrusions of the product cap mate with the grooves of the safety gate. The cylindrical safety gate has a gate and an aperture at an end of the cylindrical safety gate. A bottle cap with a cylindrical body has a threaded end and a gate end. The gate end has a number of grooves that mate with the outer protrusions. The bottle cap has a gate and an aperture between the threaded end and the gate end.
US08267273B2 Hole plug system having opposed engaging ends
A conical hole plug for efficiently sealing various size and configuration holes and openings. The conical hole plug generally includes a first elongated portion including a first inner end and a first outer end, wherein the first inner end is opposite the first outer end and wherein the first elongated portion includes a first tapered outer surface extending inwardly toward the first outer end. A second elongated portion extends from the first elongated portion, wherein the second elongated portion includes a second inner end and a second outer end, wherein the second inner end is opposite the second outer end and wherein the second inner end extends from the first inner end and wherein the second elongated portion includes a second tapered outer surface extending inwardly toward the second outer end.
US08267269B2 Collapsible food guard, display and server
The present invention is directed to a collapsible food guard for displaying and serving food comprising a resilient transparent cover assembly for a substantially planar base. The cover assembly is substantially semi-cylindrical of a predetermined radius and has closed opposing ends. The cover assembly is reversibly pivotably attached to a base and has downward facing edges to seal the cover to the base when the cover is pivoted in the down (closed) position. The semi-cylindrical portion of the cover assembly is a resilient transparent shield that reversibly detachable from the arched surfaces of the closed opposing ends (side walls) and is sufficiently resilient such that when detached form the arched surfaces of the opposing side walls, it assumes the substantially planar shape in which it was initially molded. This resiliency allows the collapsible food guard to collapse into planar elements (side walls, shield and optional base) requiring minimal storage space and providing easy cleaning.
US08267267B2 Foam retainer
A foam retainer constructed with a having hollow tubular body including a receiving end and a discharge end. A passage is formed within the hollow tubular body through which a liquid is adapted to flow. The discharge end of the hollow tubular body is adapted to snugly fit onto an open end of a container into which the liquid flows. As the container is filled with the liquid, the foam generated during the dispensing of the fluid rises back into the discharge end of the hollow tubular body. In the hollow tubular body, the foam is received and captivated therein such that when the hollow tubular body is removed, the foam may also be removed from the container.
US08267264B2 Calibration device, method and system for a container crane
A device, method and system for automatic calibration of a container crane, the container crane being controlled by a system including a first sensor (LPS) and/or a second sensor (TPS), are provided. A calibration rig is arranged in a fixed position and includes a plurality of markers, each arranged at a known and fixed position and distance relative to one another. The markers may include a first marker with a first visual appearance, or active marker and/or a second marker with a second visual appearance, or passive marker. The active marker is preferably an illumination source, such as an IR source. A method for calibrating a container crane using the calibration device and a container control system including the calibration device and one or more computer programs are also described.
US08267261B2 Rack for transportation and display of plants
A rack assembly for transportation and display of potted plants and similar articles. The rack includes vertical supports, and a plurality of trays that are slidingly supported on the posts. The trays are extensible from a retracted position in which the trays are arranged in compact, vertically spaced relationship for transportation, to a deployed position in which the trays extend on opposite sides in an alternating arrangement with increased vertical spacing, and are tilted to a downwardly angled orientation so that the plants can be readily viewed and accessed by customers and other personnel. The posts and trays are mounted on a mobile frame that includes stabilizer legs which prevent the assembly from tipping when the trays are in the deployed position. The posts and trays are removable from the frame, and can be broken down for storage.
US08267260B2 Storage device
A storage device includes a supporting frame, a storage unit, a partitioning component, and a connecting belt. The supporting frame includes a hanger and is formed with an engaging hole. The storage unit is coupled detachably to the supporting frame, and includes a bottom wall and a surrounding wall cooperating with the bottom wall to define a storage space. The partitioning component is disposed in the storage unit for dividing the storage space into at least two compartments. The connecting belt is for connecting the partitioning component to the supporting frame.
US08267252B2 Battery holder and dispensing package
A battery holding and dispensing device can hold a plurality of batteries, in an assortment of battery sizes. The battery holding and dispensing device includes a frame having a plurality of compartments sized and shaped to each receive a battery of a particular battery size and each having a detent for releasably retaining the battery in the compartment. Each compartment has at least one opening in the bottom and lower side to expose a corner of the battery to allow finger ejection of the battery from the compartment past the detent, and to allow the user to touch the batteries to ascertain battery size by feel. The assortment of batteries held in the frame is preferably pre-selected to correspond to the batteries needed by a particular profession. An arrangement for illuminating the frame is provided.
US08267249B2 Forward leaning storage and dispensing box
A forward leaning, hinged-lid storage and dispensing box is described, suitable for use with flat, stacked articles such as index or playing cards, dry stiff articles and pads such as cleaning or burnishing pads, or the like. Minimally the box of the present invention comprises in combination; a back panel; side panels; a bottom panel; a front panel; a top panel; and, a lid hinged to the front panel that forms at least a portion of both the front and top panels of the closed box, and wherein the lid drops and opens forward on at least one hinged connection, and wherein the front panel is angled forward from vertical at least a few degrees. In this way, stacked flat articles loaded into the box will necessarily lean against and parallel to the inside surface of the front wall, ready for easy reach and removal one-at-a-time by the consumer.
US08267240B2 Auger conveyor
An auger conveyor includes a housing, at least one first mounting bracket, at least one second mounting bracket, an auger screw and one or more auger support assemblies. The first mounting bracket has a first landing and the second mounting bracket has a second landing. The first and second mounting brackets are attached to the housing at diametrically opposite positions. The one or more auger support assemblies each have a lateral member connected to a bushing assembly. The auger screw has a rotational axis and is rotatably mounted relative to the bushing assembly. First and second ends of the lateral member each have a geometry adapted to slidably engage with the first and second landings, respectively. The auger screw and the one or more auger support assemblies are adapted to be received within and removed from the housing as an assembled unit, through the first end of the housing.
US08267238B2 Banknote depositing machine and banknote depositing method
A banknote depositing machine has a receiving unit which takes in inserted banknotes, a stacking unit which stacks said banknotes, a transporting unit which transports the banknotes between said receiving unit and said stacking unit, a recognition unit which is provided in said transporting unit, and identifies and counts the banknotes, a storing unit which receives the banknotes from said stacking unit and stores the banknotes, and a controlling unit which, if said recognition unit has judged a banknote as abnormal, stops said transporting unit.
US08267233B2 Hydraulic system for controlling a double-clutch transmission
A hydraulic system for controlling a double-clutch transmission operating with wet clutches. A pump provides a system pressure in a supply line, and a control valve for applying to individual clutch actuators an actuation pressure that is derived from the system pressure and that is modulated in accordance with the operating conditions. A charging valve directs hydraulic fluid delivered by the pump into a return line when the system pressure is reached, wherein the hydraulic fluid flowing through the return line can be fed to the clutches to cool them.
US08267219B2 Vehicle steering system
In a steering system for a vehicle incorporated with a rear drive electric motor (5) for driving a pair of rear wheels (3rl, 3rr) that can function as a regenerative brake for the rear wheels, a steering torque control unit (38) reduces a steering assist torque provided by the power steering assist unit (21) when the rear drive electric motor is providing a regenerative braking. When the rear wheels are braked by a regenerative braking action without substantially applying a brake to the front wheel, the vehicle may acquire a temporal oversteer tendency. However, by increasing the effort required to steer the front wheels, such a tendency can be canceled or compensated, and the vehicle operator is enabled to control the vehicle without experiencing any unfamiliar feeling or discomfort. The effort required to steer the front wheels can be increased by decreasing the assist steering torque or providing a reactive steering torque at such a time.
US08267215B2 Drinking level detecting system and drinking level detecting method
There is provided a drinking level detecting system and a drinking level detecting method capable of improving the detection accuracy of the drinking level by allowing a third person to correct the drinking level of a driver. In a system or method which detects the drinking level of a driver of a vehicle, the drinking level of the driver is detected by an alcohol detector or the like, and the detection result is corrected by a third person other than the driver when there is an error in the detection result. Accordingly, even when the drinking level detected by the alcohol detector or the like is incorrect, the drinking level can be corrected after ensuring reliability by the determination by the third person.
US08267201B1 Method and apparatus for disposal of cuttings
A method and apparatus for disposing of drill cuttings 500 from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform 510, comprising providing a barge 10, the barge 10 having at least one storage area 30, a cover 100 operably connected to the at least one storage area placing the cover 100 in a first open state so that cuttings 500 can be placed in the at least one storage area 30; transporting the drill cuttings placing the cover 100 in a closed state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 of the barge 10 are contained; transporting the barge 10 from the drilling platform 510 to a collection site 540; placing the cover 100 in a second open state so that the cuttings 520 in the storage area 30 can be removed; and removing the cuttings 520 from the storage area 30.
US08267185B2 Circulated heated transfer fluid systems used to treat a subsurface formation
A method for heating a subsurface formation includes applying heat from a plurality of heaters to at least a portion of the subsurface formation. A portion of one or more of the heaters are allowed to move relative to the heaters respective wellhead using sliding seals to accommodate thermal expansion of the heaters.
US08267174B2 Internal retention mechanism
An anchoring device for stopping movement of a sliding component in a mandrel or case is disclosed. The anchoring device includes an elastically deformable anchor seat and an elastically deformable anchor retainer insertable into the anchor seat. The anchor seat has a groove profile thereon which will mate with a groove profile on the mandrel in an anchoring position. The retainer is insertable into the anchor seat and will hold the anchor seat in the anchoring position.
US08267170B2 Offset barrier wells in subsurface formations
A plurality of first barrier wells are formed in a formation for a first barrier. A substantially constant spacing separates adjacent first barrier wells. The formation is analyzed to determine the principal fracture direction of at least one layer of the formation. An offset distance of second barrier wells relative to first barrier wells is determined based on the principal fracture direction to limit a maximum separation distance between a closest barrier well and a theoretical fracture extending between the first barrier and the second barrier along the principal fracture direction to a distance of less than one half of the spacing that separates adjacent first barrier wells. The second barrier wells are offset from the first barrier wells by a distance that is at least substantially the same as the offset distance.
US08267168B2 Regulator dampening device and method
A flow regulator includes a flow regulating part configured to receive at an inlet a working fluid at a first pressure and to release the working fluid at an outlet at a second pressure; a slide provided inside the flow regulating part and configured to move along an axis to reduce the pressure of the working fluid; a control part attached to the flow regulating part, the control part including a chamber; a spring housing provided in the chamber and connected to the slide though a shaft, the spring housing configured to move the slide along the axis; a cap provided in the chamber and facing the spring housing, the cap being configured to have plural blind holes; and plural pins extending along the axis and attached to the spring housing, the plural pins being configured to enter the plural blind holes.
US08267166B2 Arrangement and method for heat transport
An arrangement for heat transport used for thermally insulating, or cooling, one or several elements. A casing is arranged to enclose a medium having heat-storing or cooling capacity. The casing has an internal space for receiving the element or elements and the medium with the medium surrounding the element or elements. The arrangement includes guides arranged in the internal space of the casing so as to guide the medium in the internal space such that a circulation and mixing of the fluid will be generated essentially throughout the internal space under the action of occurring temperature differences in the medium, whereby the natural tendency for temperature stratification of the medium is counteracted or eliminated. A corresponding method, the use of an arrangement for protecting a subsea installation or a part thereof from cooling, and use of an arrangement for efficient cooling an electrical appliance.
US08267149B2 Screw design and method for metal injection molding
A method of processing metal, metallic alloys, and metal matrix composites in a plastics injection molding machine is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a plastics injection molding machine having a screw. A step of removing the screw is included in the method. A step of replacing the screw with a modified screw configured and arranged for processing metals is also included. Alternatively, a step of removing the flights from the middle portion of the original screw shaft may be included.
US08267148B1 Hybrid ceramic/sand core for casting metal parts having small passages
A hybrid ceramic/sand casting method of manufacturing a metal part. The method is especially suitable for parts having one or more very small internal gaps, such as might occur with a linear passage or round opening. These parts are formed using a hybrid core having at least one ceramic section and at least one sand section, with the ceramic section being used to create the internal gap. A mold cavity is created for the part, and the hybrid core is positioned in the mold. Molten metal is introduced into the mold, and after the metal cools, the core is removed, thereby forming the part with the internal gap.
US08267144B2 Roman shade window curtain having a special head rail for using a roller shade as its release/retraction control
Present invention teaches to build a Roman shade window curtain where a roller shade is used in the back side of said window curtain, to provide for the release/retraction control, resulting in a “cord-less” control for the actuation of a Roman shade, which hangs down from a special head rail on top, with the roller shade fabrics slideably travel down the gaps between each horizontal fold created by the rib, clip and rib rod.
US08267141B2 Heat insulator manufacturing system and method
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a heat insulator, including: a frame having a feeder provided at front side of the frame for feeding a cross-linked foam polyethylene sheet and a winder provided at rear side of the frame for winding a completed heat insulator; a cutting part provided at a leading side of the frame, a widening part provided at a rear side of the cutting part, which is for transforming the cutoff slots into cells by widening a width of the cross-linked foam polyethylene sheet formed with the cutoff slots; a cooling part provided at a rear side of the widening part, which has cooling rollers to continuously maintain a widened width of the cross-linked foam polyethylene sheet and a shape of the cells transformed from the cutoff slots; and a sheet-attaching part provided at a rear side of the cooling part.
US08267139B2 Method for manufacturing a laminated mould part
A method for manufacturing a laminated mould part, preferably of a mould part for the inner trim of a vehicle, consisting of a shape-stable carrier part and a visible-side lamination connected to this, of film, fabrics or similar decorative lamination materials, with which a heated blank of a mat-like or plate-like semifinished product of fibre materials containing binding agent, is moulded into a mould part in a moulding tool, and thereby simultaneously is connected to the lamination (one-shot method). The lamination is regionally connected with the help of “rams” before the moulding procedure or lamination procedure with the semifinished product, in order to achieve an exact positioning of a seam or likewise.
US08267136B2 Heavy-duty pneumatic tire
An object of the present invention is to provide a heavy-duty pneumatic tire that is capable of suppressing deterioration by oxidation at a portion of a high heat generation in a bead portion, and that is excellent in sustainability of inner pressure holding performance as well as in durability. The heavy-duty pneumatic tire of the present invention includes a carcass and an inner liner disposed closer to the center of the tire than the carcass. The heavy-duty pneumatic tire is characterized in that one of a thermoplastic resin and a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a blend of a thermoplastic resin with an elastomer is disposed at a position closer to the center than the carcass in the bead portion in such a manner as to wrap at least a region extending to a front end PB of a bead toe or a region extending further from the front end PB of the bead toe to a portion beneath the bead, and the one of the thermoplastic resin and the thermoplastic elastomer composition containing the blend of the thermoplastic resin with the elastomer overlaps the inner liner by at least 2 mm in a tire width direction.
US08267131B2 Studless tire
A studless tire capable of exhibiting excellent performances on both icy road and snow-covered road, including tread portion 2 having a pair of middle circumferential grooves 3b each extending in a region between 15% and 25% of tread width TW from tire equator C to provide crown region CR between the middle grooves 3b and a pair of shoulder regions Sh between the middle groove 3b and ground contact edge E, wherein the crown region CR includes rows R1, R2 of blocks B having sipes S and defined by zigzag inner circumferential grooves 3a and crown lateral grooves 4a, 4b, each shoulder region Sh includes rows R3, R4 of blocks B having sipes S and defined by linear outer circumferential grooves 3c and shoulder lateral grooves 4c, 4d, and groove area rate Gs (%) of shoulder regions Sh is larger than groove area rate Gc (%) of crown region CR so that the difference (Gs−Gc) is from 3 to 7%.
US08267127B2 Method and apparatus for contamination-free transfer of a hazardous drug
A method for contamination-free transfer of liquid from one container to another, and devices to carry out the method are disclosed. Contamination-free transfer means that during the transfer process there is no (1) leakage of (a) the liquid, (b) air contaminated by the liquid, and (c) vapor from the liquid to the surroundings, and (2) surrounding contaminants from outside the containers that contact the liquid. The method's advantages include its simplicity, and the contamination-free transfer as defined above. The devices are adapted to effect contamination-free transfer of a hazardous drug to and from any container equipped with a standard connector port.
US08267121B2 Valve assembly for counteracting flow forces
A valve assembly is disclosed. The valve assembly may include a housing having an interior chamber, inlet port, outlet port, and control port. The valve assembly may further include a valve member configured to move within the interior chamber to permit flow between the inlet port and the control port and between the outlet port and the control port. The valve assembly may further include and an actuator configured to move the valve member to form a first opening and second opening to create flow forces tending to close the first and second opening. The valve member may also include a passageway in the valve member configured to direct fluid flow from the inlet port to the control port and from the control port to the outlet port, and counteract the flow forces at the first and second opening.
US08267103B2 Method and apparatus for cleaning substrates
Provided is an apparatus for cleaning and drying a substrate by applying a plurality of chemicals and gases to the substrate. The apparatus may include: a substrate support member including a chuck receiving a substrate; a first nozzle member injecting a drying fluid onto a top surface of the substrate for drying the substrate; a low cover including an opened top and enclosing the chuck; and an upper cover selectively closing the opened top of the low cover so as to dry the substrate in a closed space. Therefore, the apparatus dries a substrate more efficiently and protects the substrate from being contaminated by foreign pollutants. Furthermore, generation of an undesired oxidation layer on the substrate can be prevented.
US08267094B2 Modification of airways by application of ultrasound energy
Methods of increasing gas exchange performed by the lung by damaging lung cells, damaging tissue, causing trauma, and/or destroying airway smooth muscle tone with an apparatus inserted into an airway of the lung. The damaging of lung cells, damaging tissue, causing trauma, and destroying airway smooth muscle tone with the apparatus may be any one of or combinations of the following: heating the airway; cooling the airway; delivering a liquid to the airway; delivering a gas to the airway; puncturing the airway; tearing the airway; cutting the airway; applying ultrasound to the airway; and applying ionizing radiation to the airway.
US08267087B2 Device for adsorbing and desorbing anesthetic
A device is provided for adsorbing and desorbing anesthetic has good control of anesthetic dispensing such as in an anesthetic system. An adsorption filter is provided with adsorption beds (13, 14), which can be pivoted between an inspiration line (4) and an expiration line (6). The anesthetic is dispensed in the expiration line (6) on the incoming flow side of the adsorption bed (14) arranged there.
US08267081B2 Inhaled anesthetic agent therapy and delivery system
A therapy utilizing inhaled anesthetic agents (such as desflurane, sevoflurane, isoflurane, or xenon) for the sedation of patients outside of the immediate perioperative space such as in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) and the surgical intensive care unit (SICU). The therapy includes controlled delivery of volatile anesthetic agents to patients undergoing ventilatory support on an ICU ventilator over extended periods of time. A system which provides for the delivery of anesthetic agents includes an anesthetic agent vaporizer element, an anesthetic agent reflector, and a plug-in cassette which contains both a cartridge housing liquid phase volatile anesthetic agent and an anesthetic vapor scrubbing medium.
US08267079B2 Inhaler
A cartridge having an ejection head for ejecting medicine and a reservoir as integral parts thereof is provided with an electric connection section on a lower surface of a junction forming section thereof to be brought into contact with an inhaler body. As the cartridge is put into the inhaler body and secured to the latter by means of a cartridge fixing member, the electric connection section of the cartridge is brought into contact with an electric connection section arranged on a top surface of a cartridge mounting section of the inhaler body to establish electric connection between the cartridge and the inhaler body.
US08267073B2 Air intake apparatus for internal combustion engine
A housing has an intake passage extending substantially in a vertical direction of a vehicle. A valve is configured to open and close the intake passage. A shaft supports the valve. A bearing supports the shaft. A hose is connected with an upper side of the housing in the vertical direction and configured to lead intake air into the intake passage. A communication passage configured to communicate an inside of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle with the hose. The communication passage has an opening in the vicinity of a point directly above the bearing. The hose has a wall surface defining a condensate passage, which connects the opening with a target location from which condensate is to be dropped.
US08267071B2 Device for separating liquids from gases
The invention relates to a device for separating liquids from gases, especially for separating oil particles from blow-by gases of the crankcase ventilation of internal combustion engines.Proceeding from the drawbacks of the known prior art, a device is to be provided that is characterized by a simple, cost-effective and space-saving construction and with which a high separation performance can be achieved. As a solution, it is proposed that the individual flow tubes 2 have at least one tangentially arranged gas inlet 3 at their end facing towards the direction of gas inlet and are closed at the front side 2a adjacent thereto by means of a cover 5, wherein a combined rotational and axial flow with a vortex component is generated in the flow tubes 2, wherein the rotational flow in the individual tubes 2 repeatedly rotates by 360°.The individual flow tubes 2 are part of a base support that has a circumferential edge 1a. A base support has, for example, from 30 to 40 flow tubes 2 that are immediately adjacent to one another or are arranged in the form of groups. The flow tubes 2 have an inner diameter D of, for example, 5 mm and a length of from 10 to 20 mm.Due to the tangential introduction, the gas flow reaches higher rotational frequencies, and greater centrifugal forces are produced, whereby a clearly improved separating performance is achieved. The device may be designed as a very small and effective component that requires only a small installation space.
US08267061B2 Engine starting device and engine starting method
An ECU executes a program including the steps of selecting an engagement mode when start of an engine is requested and when an engine speed is smaller than α1; selecting a full drive mode; selecting a stand-by mode when start of the engine is completed; selecting a rotation mode when the engine speed is equal to or smaller than α2 and greater than α1, and selecting the full drive mode when fluctuation is predicted even when a difference Ndiff between rotation of a ring gear and rotation of a pinion gear is greater than a predetermined value β2.
US08267052B2 Engine provided with oil circulation path and cooling fluid path
An engine which can easily cool oil within an oil circulation path. The oil circulation path includes an oil reservoir, an oil pump for sucking oil from the oil reservoir so as to pressurize the oil, an oil supplying oil passage conducting the oil from the oil pump to each of lubrication points, and an oil returning oil passage for returning the oil to the oil reservoir from the lubrication points. The cooling fluid path includes a cooling fluid pump, and a cooling fluid passage for supplying the cooling fluid, which conducts the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid pump to the cooling points. The oil passage and the cooling fluid passage come into contact with each other at one or more points of the engine main body so as to be heat exchangeable via a partition wall.
US08267051B2 Water heater
There is provided an indoor mounting water heater in which combustion exhaust gas is discharged to the outdoors via an exhaust duct, wherein a decrease in draft force caused when the number of burner groups to be burned is reduced by a capacity changeover mechanism to decrease the combustion capacity can be prevented, and the heat efficiency can be improved. An air supply chamber 81 is divided into a plurality of parts 82 and 83 corresponding to a plurality of burner groups 51 and 52. The air sent from an air supply fan 84 is supplied to only a part of the air supply chamber corresponding to a burning burner group.
US08267045B2 System and method for aquaculture of marine life forms
Disclosed is a system for aquaculturing marine life forms such as coral utilizing a rotating tray that exposes the marine life forms to variable water flow conditions during each revolution of the tray.
US08267041B2 Plasma treating apparatus
A plasma treating apparatus adapted to provide a predetermined plasma treatment to an object W to be treated comprises a processing chamber 12 configured to be capable of being vacuumed, an object holding means 20 adapted to hold the object to be treated, a high frequency power source 58 adapted to generate high frequency voltage, a plasma gas supplying means 38 adapted to supply a plasma generating gas to be treated to generate plasma to the processing chamber, a pair of plasma electrodes 56, 56B connected to the output side of the high frequency power source via wirings 60 to generate plasma in the processing chamber, the pair of plasma electrodes being brought into an excited electrode state. In addition, a high frequency matching means 72 is provided in the middle of the wirings. In this case, each of the plasma electrodes 56A, 56B is not grounded. Thus, the plasma density can be increased, and the efficiency of generating plasma can be enhanced.
US08267037B2 Substrate processing apparatus
A substrate processing apparatus including a holder for rotatably holding a substrate; a coating solution supply nozzle for supplying a coating solution onto a front surface of the substrate to be processed held by the holder; a treatment chamber housing the holder and the coating solution supply nozzle; a cooling device which cools the substrate before the coating solution is supplied to the substrate, to a predetermined temperature; a heating devices which heats the substrate coated with the coating solution to a predetermined temperature; and a transferer that transfers the substrate between the treatment chamber, the cooling device and the heating device, wherein the treatment chamber, the cooling device and the heating device are partitioned from ambient air, and wherein at least the treatment chamber is connected to a gas supply mechanism having a supply source of a gas having a kinematic viscosity coefficient higher than that of air.
US08267035B2 Road safety device
An elasticated, high-visibility band is stretched over the rear boot of a car, providing a highly-visible X to alert other road users. The band is in the form of two connected loops or of one loop with two ties for attachment to the car.
US08267012B2 Reliable propagation of ignition in perforation systems
The invention relates to a method and a device for propagating the detonation effect from one detonation cord (5) to another, whereby the detonation cords (5) comprise respective boosters (4) at their ends. The booster of one detonation cord and the booster of the other detonation cord to which the detonation effect should be propagated are arranged with their front faces joining each other. The aim of the invention is to provide a method and a device which allows propagation also under unfavorable conditions while requiring only few individual parts. For this purpose, at least one booster of two adjacent detonation cords is subjected to a force acting in the direction of the other booster, thereby ensuring constant contact of the front faces (15) of the adjacent boosters.
US08267006B2 Axial piston machine
An axial piston intended for an axial piston machine and comprised of at least two components forming a driving part and a compressing part. To enable manufacture of the axial piston in an easy and inexpensive way while simultaneously reducing the weight, the components are manufactured by a solid forming process and joined together by a capacitor discharge welding process.
US08266998B1 Firearm modification kit
A kit, system and method for modifying an AK-variant firearm to permit bolt carrier pull back by the right or left hand. The kit, system and method includes a receiver cover including an arch-shaped crown and a pair of opposing retaining fins affixed to the bottom of the crown. One retaining fin has a slot that extends along the length of its upper portion. A guide track is affixed to the retaining fin having the slot. A charging handle assembly is secured to the guide track and is slidably engaged with retaining flanges and adapted to move along the guide track. An auxiliary charging handle is affixed to, and projects from, the slide. An engagement pin affixed to the slide projects inwardly to extend through the slot to engage the bolt carrier and move it when the charging handle is pulled.
US08266997B2 Table saw throat plates and table saws including the same
Throat plates for table saws and table saws including the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, the throat plates and/or saws include at least one securement mechanism adapted to secure and prevent inadvertent removal of the throat plate from the throat of the saw. In some embodiments, at least one of the securement mechanisms also provides a height adjustment mechanism and/or prevents vertical removal of the throat plate. In some embodiments, the throat plate includes an accessory mounting port that provides a portal for accessories, including safety accessories, to extend through the plate from beneath the table of the saw. In some embodiments, the port extends from the plate's outer perimeter to divide the plate's rear end portion into a pair of spaced-apart members. In some embodiments, these members are independently secured to the table saw and retained apart from each other by one or more of the securement mechanisms.
US08266990B1 Push button multi-position locking pliers
A push button locking pliers has a plurality of macro jaw width stations for grasping a wide variety of objects. A positioning mechanism is connected to a movable jaw member having a pivot that cooperates with a jaw adjustment slot in the main handle. The positioning mechanism is released by pushing on a push button on the pivot against a spring allowing the movable jaw member to move along the slot. The user places the positioning mechanism at the jaw positioning station that creates a macro spacing between the fixed and movable jaws that best fits the object to be grasped. The push button is then released allowing the pivot to engage the rounded hole of the new positioning station. The pivot is made self centering on the rounded hole of the new positioning station by having a frustoconical section that engages the side of the hole even if the pivot is not centered on the hole. The bias of the spring forces the frustoconical section along the side of the hole which pushes the pivot to a central position in the rounded hole making the pliers ready for use.
US08266989B2 Extension for wrench
A wrench includes a handle having first and second ends spaced along a longitudinal axis. The second end of the handle includes a first receptacle extending in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The handle further includes a second receptacle intermediate the first and second ends along the longitudinal axis. The second end of the handle is slideably received in an extension. A positioning hole extends from an inner periphery through an outer periphery of the extension. A first positioning member is mounted in the first receptacle and biased by a first spring to extend through the positioning hole, with a portion of the first positioning member pressing against the inner periphery of the extension. A second positioning member is mounted in the second receptacle and biased by a second spring to press against the inner periphery of the extension.
US08266987B1 Ratchet tool suitable for cooperating with thread forming taps
A ratchet tool includes a head and a handle extends from a first end of the head and an extension rod is removably connected to a second end of the head. A connection member is connected to the head and includes a slot in which two blocks are movably received therein. Each block includes a clamping face so as to clamp a thread forming tap therebetween. A cover has a hole defined centrally therethrough and two guide ways are defined through the cover. Two pins are connected to the two blocks and slidably extend through the two guide ways. When rotating the head, the two blocks are moved toward to clamp the thread forming tap which is rotated with the rotation of the head. An adapter is connected the head and located opposite to the connection member. The adapter is connected with socket or bit.
US08266984B2 Electronic communication wire connector
An electronic communication wire connecting an input speed sensor and a computer controller in a transmission system is provided. The electronic communication wire connects at one end to the input speed sensor through a first aperture in the transmission case and at the other end to the computer controller through a second aperture in the transmission case. Thus, the electronic communication wire is attached at both ends to internal devices but it partially exists external to the transmission case along the length of the electronic communication wire. The connection between the electronic communication wire and the input speed sensor is sealed with at least a single O-ring while the connection between the electronic communication wire and the computer controller is sealed with at least a pair of O-rings. A method of electronically connecting the input speed sensor and the computer controller externally of the transmission case is also provided.
US08266982B2 Method and apparatus for pedal hysteresis
A hysteresis assembly for a pedal includes an elastic member support, two adjacent hysteresis blocks, and an elastic member connecting the elastic member support to the more distant hysteresis block. The hysteresis blocks interface at a slope. The assembly is attached at one end to a mounting bracket for the pedal via a shaft, and at the other end to the pedal arm. As the pedal is displaced, the hysteresis blocks slide relative to each other and frictionally engage the mounting bracket. The frictional force is proportional to the return force generated by the elastic member. The spring rate of the elastic member, the angle of the slope between the hysteresis blocks, and the point of attachment are determined, through analysis, to provide desired hysteresis forces (i.e., idle force, frictional force, and return force) to the pedal, thus providing the feel of a mechanical pedal in an electronic pedal.
US08266976B2 Direct drive electromechanical linear actuators
Direct drive electromechanical rotary-to-linear actuators include one or more electric motors mounted in a housing. Each motor includes a stator and a rotor. The motor drives a planetary drive mechanism that includes an elongated central shaft having one or more helical threads on an external surface coupled to the rotor for conjoint rotation. A planetary nut having helical threads on an internal surface is disposed concentric to the shaft, and a plurality of planetary rollers are disposed concentrically between the shaft and the planetary nut. Each of the rollers has a helical thread on an external surface that is complementary to and in engagement with a thread of the shaft and a thread of the nut. Rotation of the rotor is converted with mechanical advantage into linear movement of the planetary nut. The actuators provide backlash-free operation, higher stiffnesses, slew rates and frequency responses, and better overall efficiency.
US08266974B2 Process for testing a detector mounted within a duct
A duct detector housing includes a housing cover and a housing body defining a midline between the center of a detector and a printed circuit board within said body. Gas inlet and outlets are off axis of the midline to allow water that collects in conventional housing to drain from the housing. A maintenance mode button associated with a duct detector housing cover that is secured to a housing body of the housing provides a preselected time period during which removal of the cover is independent of a cover removal alarm. A printed circuit board within the housing has dedicated terminal blocks providing grouped connections with each of the groups segregated from another. An improved duct detector terminal has a hole in the terminal adapted to receive a test meter probe therethrough to provide an electrical contact between the wire.
US08266973B2 Automatic sampler and method for injecting sample
After a sampling needle is moved to a position above a sample container, the sampling needle is moved down so that the tip of the sampling needle penetrates a septum, and is then preferably moved down to a position at which the tip of the sampling needle is not brought into contact with a sample contained in the sample container, and then, the sampling needle is once elevated until the sampling needle is pulled out of the septum, and is then again moved down to penetrate the septum until the tip of the sampling needle is inserted into the sample to suck the sample through a suction port of the sampling needle, and then, the sampling needle is moved to a sample injection port of an analyzer to inject the sample into the analyzer.
US08266969B2 Method and system for measuring properties of microstructures and nanostructures
A method is presented for characterizing properties of a specimen, such as a microstructure and a nanostructure. The method includes attaching a first end of the specimen to a first probe (204) and attaching a second end of the specimen, which is spaced apart from the first end by an intermediate portion, to a second probe that extends from a transducer (208). The method also includes causing a corresponding displacement of the specimen attached between the first probe and the second probe (224, 230). At least one parameter associated with the specimen is acquired (226, 232) during the corresponding displacement based on at least one output signal from the transducer. The properties of the specimen can be determined based on the at least one parameter (236, 238).
US08266968B2 Method, a system, and a control circuit for taking measurements in a crimping machine
A crimping system, a control circuit for a crimping machine, and a method to be applied in them, in which: a work piece (15) is subjected to a first force effect by an actuator (5) that is controlled by the pressure of pressurized medium, wherein said force effect is proportional to said pressure and causes a desired deformation in the work piece (15); a follow-up measurement is taken, whose measurement result is proportional either to the dimension of the work piece (15) or said pressure; the work piece (15) is subjected to a second force effect but by applying a reduced pressure which is lower than the pressure that contributes to said deformation; and a verifying measurement is taken, whose measurement result is proportional to the dimension of the work piece (15), when said reduced pressure controls said actuator (5) and the work piece (15) is still in the crimping machine (1).
US08266959B2 System and method of identifying the orientation of a tri-axial accelerometer
A system and method for analyzing a device that includes a mass configured for motion. The system includes a tri-axial accelerometer disposed to detect acceleration vectors of the device and to output three channels of acceleration data, and a user interface receiving the three channels of acceleration data. The user interface is configured to correlate the three channels of acceleration data with a reference frame defined by three orthogonal axes intersecting at a vertex, and includes a display and a selector. The display shows sets of options that represent dispositions of the device with respect to gravity, placements of the tri-axial accelerometer with respect to the device, and orientations of the tri-axial accelerometer with respect to the device. The selector selects one device disposition option, one tri-axial accelerometer placement option, and one tri-axial accelerometer orientation option.
US08266955B2 Tire monitoring device and system
A tire monitoring device may be used in conjunction with a tire monitoring system for a vehicle. The tire monitoring device includes a tire monitoring sensor unit having a state monitoring sensor monitoring a tire state, such as a tire pressure, and a first acceleration sensor and a second acceleration sensor respectively measuring accelerations in first and second directions on a plane perpendicular to a wheel axis, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine whether a wheel is on the left or right side of the vehicle on the basis of a relationship between alternating signals of the first acceleration sensor and the second acceleration sensor and determining whether or not a tire event has occurred with reference to a calculated value based on the accelerations measured by the first acceleration sensor and the second acceleration sensor. The tire monitoring device performs minimum operation required for automatic tire location recognition, thereby minimizing battery consumption and reducing the calculation load of the tire monitoring device itself and a central control unit.
US08266954B2 Tire pressure information monitoring system operating with high and low frequency clocks
A tire pressure information monitoring system includes a pressure sensor (24) for detecting air pressure within a tire, and a temperature sensor (25) for detecting temperature within the tire. The monitoring system further includes a CPU (21) that operates with a high frequency clock to send command to the pressure sensor (24) and the temperature sensor (25) to acquire internal information of the tire, and thereafter operates with a low frequency clock until stabilizing time of the pressure sensor (24) and the temperature sensor (25) elapses. The CPU then operates with a high frequency clock to transmit the internal information of the tire, which has been acquired by the pressure sensor (24) and the temperature sensor (25), to an external receiver at a constant time interval, and thereafter operates with a low frequency clock until the constant time interval elapses.
US08266952B2 System and method for quantifying the presence of components in the exhaust of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles
A system and/or method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in vehicle exhaust, and more particularly to a non-contact, extractive sampling system and method for quantifying the presence of one or more components in exhaust emissions of commercial and/or heavy-duty vehicles that emit exhaust at an elevated level, under actual operating conditions.
US08266939B2 Method for hydroforming and hydroformed product
The object is to raise the yield by greatly eliminating the disposed amounts of the tube ends, prevent wrinkles due to closing the mold while applying internal pressure, cutting the plurality of steps of hydroforming and pre-processing of the tube ends, cutting the mold costs by simplifying the mold mechanism, and obtaining a hydroformed product formed with a flange along its entire length.For this reason, the present invention provides a hydroforming method which places a metal tube to a lower mold in the state with the tube ends sticking out from it and injects a pressurizing fluid into the metal tube through the inside of a seal punch and gradually presses seal punches against tube ends of the metal tube to apply a predetermined pressing force and fill the inside of the metal tube with the pressurizing fluid to apply a predetermined internal pressure, next, in the state with the internal pressure and pressing force applied, lowers the upper mold and closes the mold so as to deform the tube and end the processing in the state with the tube ends sticking out from the mold, and, further, boosting the internal pressure in the metal tube after closing the mold and ending the forming operation and a hydroformed product processed using these methods and having a flange across the entire length in the longitudinal direction.
US08266937B2 Locking device and key for a locking device
The invention is concerned with a locking cylinder (1) and a matching key (2), wherein the locking cylinder comprises tumbler pins (6) with a head (7) and a tip. (8). The tip (8) engages in a coding recess (10) of the key (2) and, by withdrawing the key from the locking cylinder, slides along two sliding flanks (2), which follow on one another. The dimensions of the conical surface (9) following on from the rounding of the tip (8) and the sliding flank (12) are made to match one another in such a way that the transitional region (13) between the two sliding flanks is covered by the conical surface in the abutting position.
US08266936B2 Lock-actuating key with improved impact resistance
A key having one end secured to a yoke mounted between in a casing to turn about a pivot axis between a position in which the key is retracted inside the casing and a position in which the key is extended, and a control pushbutton mounted in a housing of the yoke so as to be constrained to pivot therewith and so as to slide between a position for holding the yoke at least in the retracted position, and a position for releasing the yoke for pivoting, the control pushbutton having at least one stud received in a groove of the housing, the groove including an inlet segment that opens out via a first end in an outer face of the yoke and that opens out via a second end in a terminal segment, forming an angle therewith, the terminal segment extending along the pivot axis.
US08266933B2 Adjustable archery bow lock
An adjustable archery bow lock for an archery bow with bow strings, or a limb with a cam or a pulley, includes a locking first frame with first and second rod receiving apertures there through. A lock mechanism is on the first frame with a moveable and securable locking index pin. A parallel second frame has first and second rods that are adapted to capture and immobilize the bow strings, or the cam or pulley with the limb. The rods pass through the receiving apertures. The second rod has a series of aligned indentations. The rods are secured to the first frame with the locking index pin secured into one of the indentations to prevent drawing or firing of the bow.
US08266930B2 Laundry device
A laundry treating machine including a laundry treating device (100) and a pedestal laundry treating device (200) is disclosed. The laundry treating machine is configured to achieve simultaneous or selective supply of water and simultaneous or selective draining of wash water for the laundry treating device (100) and pedestal laundry treating device (200). The pedestal laundry treating device (200) supports the laundry treating device (100) beneath and outside the laundry treating device. The pedestal laundry treating device (200) has a volume and a height smaller than those of the laundry treating device (100), and has a laundry treating function. The laundry treating machine (100) further includes a water supplier (350) for simultaneously or selectively supplying water to the laundry treating device (100) and pedestal laundry treating device (200), and a water drainer (460) for joining wash water discharged from the laundry treating device (100) and wash water discharged from the pedestal laundry treating device (200) into a draining pipe (430), and draining the joined wash water.
US08266922B2 Liquid dispensing apparatus and method
A liquid dispensing apparatus for a refrigerator includes a storage tank in fluid communication with a water inlet. The storage tank is configured to retain water flowing into the water inlet. An auxiliary tank is in fluid communication with the storage tank. The auxiliary tank includes a housing with a piston disposed therein. The piston is movable in a first direction to fill a portion of an interior volume of the housing with water and in a second direction to expel water from the interior volume of the housing.
US08266921B2 Data center
A data center includes an air-conditioned room, two rack rows formed on a floor surface of the air-conditioned room and each composed of a plurality of racks arranged in a horizontal direction, each of the plurality of racks housing electronic devices in multistage configuration, an air conditioner for conditioning air in the air-conditioned room to eliminate heat generated from the electronic devices housed in the plurality of racks, and a hot zone in the air-conditioned room. The hot zone is defined by the two rack rows arranged on the floor surface of the air-conditioned room such that rear sides thereof are opposite each other at a distance, a ceiling disposed above the two rack rows, two panels disposed at both ends of the two rack rows in the horizontal direction and extending from a lower end of the two rack rows to the ceiling, and two partitions disposed at an upper front top end of the two rack rows and extending to the ceiling. The ceiling includes an exhaust port for discharging heat in the hot zone, and the air conditioner is operable to introduce air-conditioned air from the air-conditioned room through front sides and then the rear sides of the two rack rows into the hot zone. The data center further includes a heat recovery means for recovering a heat of the air discharged through the exhaust port from the hot zone before cooling down the air by the air conditioner.