Document	Document Title
US08373279B2	Die package In an embodiment, a die package may be provided. The die package may include at least one first height adjusting structure, the at least one first height adjusting structure may include a first adjusting height relative to a common plane; at least one second height adjusting structure may be positioned adjacent to the at least one first height adjusting structure, the at least one second height adjusting structure may include a second adjusting height relative to the common plane; wherein the second adjusting height may be different from the first adjusting height relative to the common plane; a first die may be positioned on the at least one first height adjusting structure; and a mold housing substantially surrounding the at least one first height adjusting structure, the at least one second height adjusting structure and the first die.
US08373273B2	Methods of forming integrated circuit devices having damascene interconnects therein with metal diffusion barrier layers and devices formed thereby Methods of forming integrated circuit devices include forming an interlayer insulating layer having a trench therein, on a substrate and forming an electrical interconnect (e.g., Cu damascene interconnect) in the trench. An upper surface of the interlayer insulating layer is recessed to expose sidewalls of the electrical interconnect. An electrically insulating first capping pattern is formed on the recessed upper surface of the interlayer insulating layer and on the exposed sidewalls of the electrical interconnect, but is removed from an upper surface of the electrical interconnect. A metal diffusion barrier layer is formed on an upper surface of the electrical interconnect, however, the first capping pattern is used to block formation of the metal diffusion barrier layer on the sidewalls of the electrical interconnect. This metal diffusion barrier layer may be formed using an electroless plating technique.
US08373267B2	Electrostatic discharge (ESD) silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) structure A structure includes first and second silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) formed in a substrate. The first and the second SCRs each include at least one component commonly shared between the first and the second SCRs.
US08373258B2	Semiconductor device and production method thereof An object of the present invention is to improve the quality control of a semiconductor device. By forming an inscription comprising a culled or pixel skipping pattern of dimples on the upper surface of a die pad in a QFN, it is possible to confirm the inscription by X-ray inspection or the like even after individuation and specify a cavity of a resin molding die. Further, it is possible to specify the position of a device region in a lead frame. As a result, when a defect appears, it is possible to sort a defective QFN by appearance inspection and improve quality control in the assembly of a QFN.
US08373257B2	Top exposed clip with window array A clip for a semiconductor device package may include a metal sheet including an array of windows and one or more conductive fingers. Each of the conductive fingers has a first end and a second end. The first end is electrically connected to the metal sheet at one of the windows. Each of the conductive fingers is adapted to provide electrical connection to a top semiconductor region of a semiconductor device or a lead frame at the second end.
US08373242B2	Photonic power switch and method of controlling current flow in the photonic power switch and use of such photonic power switch Photonic power switch and method of controlling current flow in the photonic power switch, the photonic power switch comprising an avalanche photo diode installed on a switch element, the switch element comprising a carrier donor layer and a channel layer. Photons are injected in the avalanche photo diode for generating electrical charge carriers by photoeffect, and the generated charge carriers are accelerated the by an electric field so as to produce an avalanche effect and are injected from the avalanche photo diode into the carrier donor layer of the switch element. A conduction layer built between the donor layer and the channel layer of the switch element is modulated, thereby modulating a current flow between a drain and a source of the power switch through said conduction layer.
US08373222B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device with alternately stacked isolation dielectric films and electrode films In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a stacked body is provided on a silicon substrate by alternately stacking pluralities of isolation dielectric films and electrode films, a through-hole is formed in the stacked body to extend in the stacking direction, a memory film is formed by stacking a block layer, a charge layer and a tunnel layer in this order at an inner face of the through-hole, and thereby a silicon pillar is buried in the through-hole. At this time, the electrode film is protruded further than the isolation dielectric film toward the silicon pillar at the inner face of the through-hole, and an end face of the isolation dielectric film has a curved shape displacing toward the silicon pillar side as the electrode film is approached.
US08373218B2	Nitride read-only memory cell and method of manufacturing the same A nitride read-only memory cell and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. First, a substrate is provided, and a first oxide layer is formed on the substrate. Next, a nitride layer is deposited on the first oxide layer via a first gas and a second gas. The flow ratio of the first gas to the second gas is 2:1. After that, a second oxide layer is formed on the nitride layer. Then, a bit-line region is formed at the substrate. Afterward, a gate is formed on the second oxide layer. The first oxide layer, nitride layer, the second oxide layer and the gate compose a stack structure of the cell. Further, a spacer is formed on the side-wall of the stack structure.
US08373215B2	Zero temperature coefficient capacitor A zero temperature coefficient (ZTC) capacitor including a silicon dioxide dielectric layer with a phosphorus density between 1.7×1020 atoms/cm3 and 2.3×1020 atoms/cm3. An integrated circuit containing a ZTC capacitor including a silicon dioxide dielectric layer with a phosphorus density between 1.7×1020 atoms/cm3 and 2.3×1020 atoms/cm3. A process of forming an integrated circuit containing a ZTC capacitor including a silicon dioxide dielectric layer with a phosphorus density between 1.7×1020 atoms/cm3 and 2.3×1020 atoms/cm3.
US08373211B2	Field effect transistor An electro-optic display comprises a substrate (100), non-linear devices (102) disposed substantially in one plane on the substrate (100), pixel electrodes (106) connected to the non-linear devices (102), an electro-optic medium (110) and a common electrode (112) on the opposed side of the electro-optic medium (110) from the pixel electrodes (106). The moduli of the various parts of the display are arranged so that, when the display is curved, the neutral axis or neutral plane lies substantially in the plane of the non-linear devices (102).
US08373206B2	Biosensor apparatuses and methods thereof A biosensor has one or more field effect transistors each comprising a source region and a drain region separated by a channel region and a gate positioned offset and spaced from the channel region. The biosensor also has one or more molecular probes coupled to at least one of the channel region and the offset gate, the one or more molecular probes configured to mate with at least one target. A method for detection of a target is also disclosed. One or more targets are immobilized as an electric field shunt between an offset gate and a channel region for one or more biosensors. A target measurement value is determined in proportion to a number of the one or more biosensors having the electric field shunt.
US08373199B2	Semiconductor device having a SiGe feature and a metal gate stack The present disclosure provides a method including forming STI features in a silicon substrate, defining a first and a second active regions for a PFET and an NFET, respectively; forming a hard mask having an opening to expose the silicon substrate within the first active region; etching the silicon substrate through the opening to form a recess within the first active region; growing a SiGe layer in the recess such that a top surface of the SiGe layer within the first active region and a top surface of the silicon substrate within the second active region are substantially coplanar; forming metal gate material layers; patterning the metal gate material layers to form a metal gate stack on the SiGe layer within the first active region; and forming an eSiGe S/D stressor distributed in both the SiGe layer and the silicon substrate within the first active region.
US08373196B2	Composition encapsulating optical semiconductor and optical semiconductor device using same A composition for encapsulating optical semiconductors. The composition comprises (A) a mixture of a linear alkenyl group-containing organopolysiloxane and an alkenyl group-containing organopolysiloxane resin containing at least one SiO2 unit, (B) a mixture of a linear organohydrogenpolysiloxane containing two or more SiH groups and a branched organohydrogenpolysiloxane that is liquid at 25° C., (C) a platinum group metal catalyst, and (D) a linear or cyclic organopolysiloxane having at least two functional groups selected from the group consisting of alkenyl groups, alkoxysilyl groups and epoxy groups bonded to silicon atoms. A cured product of the composition exhibits dramatically reduced surface tack, and therefore using the composition for encapsulating optical semiconductor elements improves the optical semiconductor device yield.
US08373190B2	Light emitting device, light emitting device package, and lighting system including the same Provided are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system including the light emitting device and the light emitting device package. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure, a dielectric, a second electrode layer, a semiconductor region, and a first electrode. The light emitting device includes a plurality of semiconductor layers that form a heterojunction that produces light and a homojunction that protects the device from a reverse current.
US08373187B2	Semiconductor light emitting device A semiconductor light emitting device comprises a substrate for mounting at least one light emitting element, a reflective film formed on the substrate, an edge of which rises perpendicularly to a surface of the substrate, and at least one light emitting element. A decrease in a reflected luminous flux from a reflective film can be restrained.
US08373186B2	Radiation-emitting component A radiation-emitting component includes a semiconductor layer stack having an active region that emits electromagnetic radiation, and at least one surface of the semiconductor layer stack or of an optical element that transmits the electromagnetic radiation wherein the surface has a normal vector, wherein on the at least one surface of the semiconductor layer stack or of the optical element through which the electromagnetic radiation passes, an antireflection layer is arranged such that, for a predetermined wavelength, it has a minimum reflection at a viewing angle relative to the normal vector of the surface at which an increase in a zonal luminous flux of the electromagnetic radiation has approximately a maximum.
US08373185B2	Light emitting device including resin and manufacturing method for the same A light emitting device is provided, including a resin which can be manufactured according to a simple process and deliver a desired scattering property. The light emitting device is manufactured according to a step for mixing two or more types of immiscible liquid materials to obtain a composition containing at least two types of materials phase-separated in a sea-island structure, and a step for arranging the composition in proximity to an LED chip, curing the composition with the sea-island structure being maintained, thereby forming an encapsulation resin. Accordingly, it is possible to form an island region which serves as a scattering center, according to a simple step of mixing materials.
US08373184B2	Vertical nitride based semiconductor light emitting device having improved light extraction efficiency The invention provides a nitride semiconductor light emitting device. In the invention, a first conductivity-type nitride semiconductor layer is formed on a conductive substrate having light transmissibility. An active layer is formed on the first conductivity-type nitride semiconductor layer. Also, a second conductivity-type nitride semiconductor layer is formed on the active layer. Further, a conductive light scattering layer made of a conductive material is formed on an underside of the substrate. The conductive light scattering layer has light transmissibility of 70% or more and has a rough pattern formed on an outer surface to scatter light.
US08373183B2	LED package for uniform color emission A light emitting diode package for one or more light emitting diodes mounted on a substrate. A frame is disposed on at least a portion of the substrate and substantially surrounds, but does not contact, the light emitting diode. The frame is substantially transparent to light emitted from the light emitting diode and includes one or more first wavelength converting materials. The wavelength converting materials, which may be one or more phosphors, convert at least a portion of light emitted at the emission wavelength to different wavelength. A cover covers the light emitting diode within the frame. The cover layer includes one or more second wavelength converting materials differing from the first one or more wavelength converting materials in wavelength converting material concentration or in converted light wavelength or in combinations of wavelength converting materials.
US08373180B2	Light emitting diode package A side-view type light emitting diode package for emitting light, emitted from a light emitting diode chip, toward a side surface is disclosed. The side-view type light emitting diode package comprises a package body having an opening portion for exposing the light emitting diode chip in a light emitting direction; and a light-transmittable resin covering the light emitting diode chip, wherein at least a portion of an inner wall of the opening portion is formed with a step projection for partitioning the opening portion into upper and lower sections, and the lower section of the opening portion below the step projection is filled with the light-transmittable resin. Accordingly, the light-transmittable resin with the convex lens shape may be easily formed, so that the light emission efficiency thereof can be improved.
US08373177B2	Light emitting diode (LED) light source and manufacturing method for the same An LED light source can include protection members to protect bonding wires. The LED can include a substrate including electrode patterns, a sub mount substrate located on the substrate, at least one flip LED chip mounted on the sub mount substrate and a phosphor rein covering the LED chip. The bonding wires can connect each of the electrode patterns to conductor patterns connecting to electrodes of the LED chip. The protection members can be located so as to surround both sides of the bonding wires. In addition, because each height of the protection members is higher than each maximum height of the bonding wires and is lower than a height of the phosphor resin, the protection members can protect the bonding wires from external pressure while the light flux is not reduced. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide a reliable LED light source having a favorable light distribution.
US08373167B2	RFID tag having non-volatile memory device having floating-gate FETs with different source-gate and drain-gate border lengths Non-volatile memory (NVM) devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a NVM device may include a substrate, and a field-effect transistor (FET). The FET may include a first doped region in the substrate and a second doped region in the substrate. The first and the second doped regions may define a channel region of the substrate between them. An insulating layer may overlie the channel region. A floating gate may overlie the insulating layer. Charge of an amount that encodes a value may be stored on the floating gate. The floating gate and the first and the second doped regions may be shaped such that the floating gate defines with the first doped region a first border of a first length, and the floating gate defines with the second doped region a second border of a second length that is less than 90% of the first length.
US08373160B2	Electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge image forming apparatus, and cured film An electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer provided on the conductive substrate, and an outermost surface layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor includes a cured film of a composition containing a charge transporting material having a chain polymerizable functional group and at least one selected from a nitroso compound, a nitrone compound or a nitro compound.
US08373159B2	Organic light-emitting diodes comprising carbene-transition metal complex emitter, and at least one compound selected from disilylcarbazoles, disilyldibenzofurans, disilyldibenzothiophenes, disilyldibenzophospholes, disilyldibenzothiophene s-oxides and disilyldibe The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting diode comprising an anode An and a cathode Ka and a light-emitting layer E which is arranged between the anode An and the cathode Ka and comprises at least one carbene complex and if appropriate at least one further layer, where the light-emitting layer E and/or the at least one further layer comprises at least one compound selected from disilylcarbazoles, disilyldibenzofurans, disilyldibenzothiophenes, disilyldibenzophospholes, disilyldibenzothiophene S-oxides and disilyldibenzothiophene S,S-dioxides, to a light-emitting layer comprising at least one of the aforementioned compounds and at least one carbene complex, to the use of the aforementioned compounds as matrix material, hole/exciton blocker material, electron/exciton blocker material, hole injection material, electron injection material, hole conductor material and/or electron conductor material, and to a device selected from the group consisting of stationary visual display units, mobile visual display units and illumination units comprising at least one inventive organic light-emitting diode; to selected disilylcarbazoles, disilyldibenzofurans, disilyldibenzothiophenes, disilyldibenzophospholes, disilyldibenzothiophene S-oxides and disilyldibenzothiophene S,S-dioxides, and to processes for their preparation.
US08373157B2	Carbon nano-tube (CNT) light emitting device and method of manufacturing the same Disclosed are a carbon nano-tube (CNT) light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same. Specifically, the CNT light emitting device comprises: a CNT thin film formed using a CNT dispersed solution; a n-doping polymer formed on one end of the CNT thin film; a p-doping polymer formed on the other end of the CNT thin film; and a light emitting part between the n-doping polymer and the p-doping polymer. In addition, the method of manufacturing a CNT light emitting device comprises steps of: mixing CNTs with a dispersing agent or dispersing solvent to prepare a CNT dispersed solution; forming a CNT thin film using the CNT dispersed solution; coating a n-doping polymer on one end of the CNT thin film; and coating a p-doping polymer on the other end of the CNT thin film. According to the invention, the n-doping polymer and the p-doping polymer are respectively coated on the CNT having a CNT random network structure to implement a p-n junction, thereby implementing a light emitting device in a simple and low-priced process.
US08373152B2	Light-emitting element and a production method therefor A light emitting element according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a support substrate; a second electrode layer formed on the support substrate; a current spreading layer formed on the support substrate; a second conductive semiconductor layer formed on the second electrode layer and the current spreading layer; an active layer formed on the second conductive semiconductor layer; a first conductive semiconductor layer formed on the active layer; and a first electrode layer formed on the first conductive semiconductor layer.
US08373150B2	Memory cell that employs a selectively grown reversible resistance-switching element and methods of forming the same In some aspects, a memory cell is provided that includes (1) a steering element above a substrate; and (2) a reversible resistance-switching element coupled to the steering element, wherein the reversible resistance-switching element is selectively formed by: (a) forming a material layer on the substrate; (b) etching the material layer; and (c) oxidizing the etched material layer to form a reversible resistance-switching material. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08373145B2	Charged particle cancer therapy system magnet control method and apparatus The invention comprises a charged particle beam acceleration, extraction, and/or targeting method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Novel design features of a synchrotron are described. Particularly, turning magnets, edge focusing magnets, concentrating magnetic field magnets, winding and control coils, and extraction elements are described that minimize the overall size of the synchrotron, provide a tightly controlled proton beam, directly reduce the size of required magnetic fields, directly reduces required operating power, and allow continual acceleration of protons in a synchrotron even during a process of extracting protons from the synchrotron.
US08373144B1	Quasi-annular reflective electron patterning device One embodiment relates to an electron-beam apparatus for writing a pattern on a target substrate. The apparatus includes a plurality of arrays of actively-controlled pixel elements at a surface of a reflective electron patterning device. The plurality of arrays of actively-controlled pixel elements are arranged so that there is an area without any actively-controlled pixel elements in a region surrounding an optical axis of the objective lens. The plurality of arrays may be arranged to each lie on a circle centered on the optical axis. Other features, aspects and embodiments are also disclosed.
US08373122B2	Spheroidal charged particle energy analysers Charged particle energy analysers enabling simultaneous high transmission and energy resolution are described. The analysers have an electrode structure (11) comprising coaxial inner and outer electrodes (14, 15) having inner and outer electrode surfaces (IS, OS) respectively. The inner and outer electrode surfaces are defined, at least in part, by spheroidal surfaces having meridonal planes of symmetry orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the electrode structure (11). The inner and outer electrode surfaces are generated by rotation, about the longitudinal axis, of arcs of two non-concentric circles having different radii R2 and R1 respectively, R2 being greater than R1. The distance of the outer electrode surface from the longitudinal axis in the respective meridonal plane is R01 and the distance of the inner electrode surface from the longitudinal axis in the respective plane is R02 and R1, R2, R01 and R02 have a defined relationship.
US08373120B2	Method and apparatus for ion manipulation using mesh in a radio frequency field Ion manipulation systems include ion repulsion by an RF field penetrating through a mesh. Another comprises trapping ions in a symmetric RF field around a mesh. The system uses macroscopic parts, or readily available fine meshes, or miniaturized devices made by MEMS, or flexible PCB methods. One application is ion transfer from gaseous ion sources with focusing at intermediate and elevated gas pressures. Another application is the formation of pulsed ion packets for TOF MS within trap array. Such trapping is preferably accompanied by pulsed switching of RF field and by gas pulses, preferably formed by pulsed vapor desorption. Ion guidance, ion flow manipulation, trapping, preparation of pulsed ion packets, confining ions during fragmentation or exposure to ion to particle reactions and for mass separation are disclosed. Ion chromatography employs an ion passage within a gas flow and through a set of multiple traps with a mass dependent well depth.
US08373117B2	Gas delivery system for mass spectrometer reaction and collision cells A gas delivery system for a cell-based mass spectrometer includes a mass flow controller having an input coupled to a gas source. A three-way valve includes an input coupled to an output of the mass flow controller, a first output coupled to a vacuum system, and a second output normally coupled to a reaction or collision cell. A cell is positioned inside a vacuum chamber of the mass spectrometer where the second output of the three-way valve is coupled to an inlet of the cell and the mass flow controller provides a gas to the cell that increases a pressure inside the cell relative to the pressure in the vacuum chamber.
US08373113B2	Calibration standard member, method for manufacturing the member and scanning electronic microscope using the member This invention provides a standard member allowing magnification calibration for use in an electron microscope to be performed with high precision. A (110) or (100) oriented silicon substrate including a magnification calibration pattern comprised of a constant pitch periodic pattern and a (110) or (100) oriented silicon substrate not including the constant pitch periodic pattern are bonded together by means of bonding without using an adhesive agent, while aligning the plane directions of the surfaces of the two substrates in the same orientation. Then, the thus bonded substrates are cleaved or diced so that their (111) surfaces or (110) surfaces become cross-section surfaces. Further, by selectively etching one side of the constant pitch periodic pattern, a standard member with no level difference and no damage to superlattice patterns and having a constant pitch concavity and convexity periodic pattern in a cross-section surface vertical to the substrate surface is created.
US08373112B2	Cold atom interferometry sensor The disclosure relates to a cold atom interferometry sensor that includes: a source of atoms; a dual-frequency laser capable of generating a first Raman dual-frequency laser beam; a reflector arranged so as to reflect the first Raman dual-frequency laser beam in order to generate a second Raman dual-frequency laser beam, the first laser beam and the second laser beam propagating in different directions in order to obtain atomic interference fringes from the emission of cold atoms obtained from the atom source; characterized in that the reflector is further arranged so as to enable multiple reflections of the first beam on surfaces of the reflector, so that the first beam and the multiple reflections thereof allow the capture of atoms from the atom source in order to obtain the cold atoms.
US08373111B2	Partition type optical sensing device An optical sensing device includes a shell, a partition structure, a pivot, a shading member, at least one light emitting member and at least one optical sensing member. The shell is formed with a black-body condition space having an arrangement chamber and a shading chamber adjacent to and communicated with the arrangement chamber. The partition structure partitions the arrangement chamber into a light emitting chamber and at least one optical sensing chamber. The pivot is set in the shading chamber. The shading member is located in the shading chamber and pivotally connected to the pivot. When the optical sensing device is tilted, the shading member is rotated in accordance with a tilting azimuth. The light emitting member is located in the light emitting chamber and projects a light beam. The optical sensing member is located in the optical sensing chamber and senses the light beam.
US08373106B2	Method of detecting and controlling perceptual flicker A method and apparatus are provided for processing light from a light source. The method includes the steps of measuring a predetermined set of characteristics of the light source and detecting flicker when the predetermined set of characteristics exceed a corresponding flicker fusion threshold value.
US08373102B2	Induction cooker An induction cooker includes a top plate (1) for placing an object to be heated thereon, a heating mode selection key (8) for allowing the user to select one control mode for heating the object to be heated between a manual heating mode in which the heat output is set by the user by using an output adjusting key (9) and at least another control mode in which the heat output is controlled automatically, and a heating off/on key (7) for starting to heat the object to be heated. In the standby mode, the controller starts heating only when the user operates the heating mode selection key (8) to change the mode to the cooking menu selection mode before operating the heating off/on key (7). When a predetermined time has elapsed in the cooking menu selection mode without a change in a selected control mode, the mode is changed to the standby mode. This prevents heating from occurring when the user inadvertently presses the heating off/on key (7) while the heating is not going on, thus providing the induction cooker with a high degree of safety and increased user-friendliness.
US08373097B2	Apparatus for thermally processing substrate An apparatus for thermally processing a plurality of substrates including a process chamber into which a boat having a plurality of substrates stacked thereon is loaded, and a heater chamber separate from the process chamber and having a plurality of heaters to apply heat to the process chamber. Here, the heaters are installed to correspond to all sides of the plurality of substrates. Therefore, it is possible to minimize a temperature distribution in the process chamber and uniformly supply heat to the entire region of the plurality of substrates.
US08373090B2	Method and apparatus to prevent stent damage caused by laser cutting Apparatus, method and system for cutting a polymeric stent including the use of a polymeric mandrel as a laser shielding device. The polymeric mandrel is allowed to roll freely within a polymeric tube that is cut into a polymeric stent.
US08373089B2	Combustion cap effusion plate laser weld repair A process for modifying or repairing a metallic component, such as a combustion cap effusion plate for a gas turbine, is disclosed. The method includes generating a notch or groove in the metallic component and depositing a filler material in the notch or groove. A pulsed laser is applied to the filler material. The pulsed laser has a power, frequency, and pulse width sufficient to apply heat to the metallic component and to the filler material to make at least a portion of the metallic component and the filler material melt in order to weld the filler material to the metallic component and repair or modify the metallic component. Various operating parameters of the pulsed laser can be configured to reduce undesirable heating affects.
US08373080B2	Method and device for discarding incomplete sets of caps A method and a device relating to handling caps for drinking straws is provided. In particular, the method and device provide for examining caps and discarding incomplete sets of caps and/or sets of caps in which at least one cap is aligned incorrectly.
US08373075B2	Implantable co-fired electrical feedthroughs A multilayered feedthrough for an implantable medical device includes a substrate having a first edge, a second edge, and a substrate length. A plurality of traces is formed on the substrate and extends along the substrate length. The plurality of traces extends to the first and second edges of the substrate. An insulator layer is formed on the substrate and the plurality of traces. A ground plane layer is formed on the insulator layer.
US08373066B2	Electrical feedthrough structure for superconductor element An electrical bushing structure includes a central conductor (19) designed to have one (26) of its two ends connected to a superconductor element situated in an enclosure (11) at cryogenic temperature, and its other end (25) connected to an article at ambient temperature. An electrically insulating sheath (20) surrounds the conductor over substantially the entire length of the conductor. A metal tube (24) surrounds the conductor over substantially its entire length and is interposed between the insulating sheath (20) and the conductor (19), the tube being mechanically fastened to the conductor close to one of the ends (25, 26) of the conductor, referred to as its first end, and not being mechanically fastened to the conductor close to the other one of the ends of the conductor, referred to as its second end. A space between the conductor and the tube containing a gas. The tube is in electrical contact with said second end of the conductor.
US08373065B2	Lightning protection system and method An omnidirectional, external, lightning protection system which serves to minimize damage from lightning current and lightning electromagnetic impulse (LEMP). Embodiments of the present invention disclose a variety of individual structural components which may be rapidly assembled to form an air termination system, down conductor system, and earth termination system, according to established standards of lightning protection. The apparatus may be erected to protect a structure, area, or equipment and dismantled to its components parts when no longer required. The assembled structure may serve as a temporary or permanent protective structure.
US08373063B2	Quantum dot solar cell A solar cell is disclosed that includes an electron conductor layer and a quantum dot layer. The quantum dot layer may include a plurality of quantum dots. A bridge layer may be coupled to the electron conductor layer and to the quantum dot layer. The bridge layer may include an antibiotic, a sulfur-containing amino acid, a vitamin, and/or a vitamin analogue. In some cases, a hole conductor layer may be coupled to the quantum dot layer.
US08373060B2	Semiconductor grain microstructures for photovoltaic cells Photovoltaic structures for the conversion of solar irradiance into electrical free energy. In particular implementations, the novel photovoltaic structures can be fabricated using low cost and scalable processes, such as magnetron sputtering. In a particular implementation, a photovoltaic cell includes a photoactive conversion layer comprising one or more granular semiconductor and oxide layers with nanometer-size semiconductor grains surrounded by a matrix of oxide. The semiconductor and oxide layer can be a disposed between electrode layers. In some implementations, multiple semiconductor and oxide layers can be deposited. These so-called semiconductor and oxide layers absorb sun light and convert solar irradiance into electrical free energy.
US08373058B2	Solar cell and method of adjusting color of the same The present invention provides a solar cell whose external color can be adjusted so that redness is suppressed. In the case where a photoelectric conversion layer contains amorphous silicon, an optical absorption layer is provided between the photoelectric conversion layer and a reflecting electrode layer. The optical absorption layer has a light absorbing property mainly in a long wavelength range, while the photoelectric conversion layer (amorphous silicon) has a selective light absorbing property mainly in a short/medium wavelength range. Incident light (solar light) passed through the photoelectric conversion layer further passes through the optical absorption layer and, after that, is reflected by the reflecting electrode layer. That is, remaining light of the incident light absorbed by the optical absorption layer and the photoelectric conversion layer is reflected by the reflecting electrode layer. Consequently, redness of the reflection light can be suppressed more than in the case where the optical absorption layer is not provided between the photoelectric conversion layer and the reflecting electrode layer.
US08373056B2	Waveform generation apparatus and waveform generation program In a waveform generation apparatus, a coordinates information group showing original waveform data in a two-dimensional phase space having a time axis and a wave height value axis is expanded to an n-dimensional phase space (n>2) including a time axis and a wave height value axis using Takens' embedding theorem, and converted to a coordinates information group showing attractor data. In addition, an area of the attractor data is shown, and after one of the coordinates information is specified from the coordinates information group within the shown area, coordinate values corresponding to a time axis in the coordinates information are acquired as time information. Then, composite waveform data is generated by a predetermined waveform data being added to the original waveform data, and the generated composite waveform data is outputted from a position of the original waveform data on a time axis corresponding to the acquired time information.
US08373054B2	Electronic musical instrument When musical performance data is input to the electronic musical instrument in accordance with user's operation for musical performance, the electronic musical instrument detects a chord in accordance with the input musical performance data at the defined timing T3 at which the chord detection timing ends. On the electronic musical instrument, furthermore, the application of the detected chord to the musical performance is instructed by user's pedal (foot switch) operation of turning off the pedal. In a case where the instruction to apply the chord has been already accepted at the chord detection timing T3 or in a case where the instruction to apply the chord has been accepted by user's pedal-off operation at a point in time (Tpf) situated between the chord detection timing T3 and the time limit T4, the detected chord is to be applied to the musical performance.
US08373046B1	Maize variety hybrid X80A457 A novel maize variety designated X80A457 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X80A457 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X80A457 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X80A457, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X80A457. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X80A457.
US08373041B2	Plants and seeds of hybrid corn variety CH105845 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH105845. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH105845, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH105845 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 CH105845.
US08373038B2	Plants and seeds of corn variety CV379998 According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV379998. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV379998, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV379998 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV379998 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV379998.
US08373025B2	Herbicide resistant sorghum Sorghum genotypes that exhibit resistance to dinitroanaline herbicides are disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of sorghum genotypes with resistance to dinitroanaline herbicides, to the plants of sorghum genotypes with resistance to dinitroanaline herbicides, to plant parts of sorghum genotypes with resistance to dinitroanaline herbicides and to methods for producing a sorghum plant produced by crossing of one or more sorghum genotypes with resistance to dinitroanaline herbicides with itself or with another sorghum plant.
US08373023B2	Biochemical route to astaxanthin Two sequences of a nucleic acid isolated from a cDNA library of the flowering plant Adonis aestivalis is disclosed (SEQ ID NO: 5). The first DNA sequence, referred to as AdKC28, encodes for a polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 6) that acts in conjunction with polypeptides encoded by either one of two other closely-related Adonis aestivalis cDNAs, AdKeto1 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and AdKeto2 (SEQ ID NO: 2), to convert β-carotene (β,β-carotene) into astaxanthin (3,3′-dihydroxy-4,4′-diketo-β, β-carotene). A second DNA sequence, referred to as AdKCl 7 is also disclosed (FIG. 9). Together, these Adonis aestivalis cDNAs, when operably linked to promoters appropriate to the transgenic host, enable the production of astaxanthin and other carotenoids with 3-hydroxy-4-keto-β-rings in a variety of host cells and organisms.
US08373019B1	Maize variety hybrid X18A650 A novel maize variety designated X18A650 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X18A650 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X18A650 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X18A650, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X18A650. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X18A650.
US08373015B2	Production of saturated C2 to C5 hydrocarbons Catalytic methods for the production of saturated hydrocarbons with 2 to 5 carbon atoms per molecule by conversion of small hydrocarbon halides and/or hydrogenation of carbonaceous material are disclosed that result in high yield of saturated C2 to C5 hydrocarbons at reduced corrosion of the reactors and in good lifetime of the catalyst. The methods are performed in the presence of a Lewis acid comprising catalyst and in the absence of oxygen or oxygen containing compounds, whereby an upper limit of at most 50 parts per million mass of oxygen or oxygen containing compounds can be tolerated.
US08372998B2	Process for preparing porous metal-organic framework materials The present invention relates to a method for producing a porous metal-organic framework material comprising the stepreacting a reaction mixture in the liquid phase of at least one copper compound having at least one at least bidentate, organic compound which can bind by coordination to the copper in the presence of a nonaqueous solvent, the at least one at least bidentate, organic compound being derived from a polycarboxylic acid having at least three carboxyl groups, and the reaction proceeding at atmospheric pressure above 80° C.
US08372996B2	Transition metal catalytic systems and methods for preparing ethylene homopolymers or copolymers of ethylene and α-olefins using the same Provided are transition metal catalytic systems for preparing ethylene homopolymers or copolymers of ethylene with α-olefins. More specifically, provided are Group 4 transition metal catalysts, which is characterized in that the Group 4 transition metal catalyst comprises around the Group 4 transition metal a cyclopentadiene derivative, and at least one naphthoxide ligand(s) having aryl substituent(s) that function(s) as an electron donor and serve(s) to stabilize the catalyst system by surrounding an oxygen atom that links the ligand to the transition metal at 2-position, and there is no cross-linkage between the ligands; catalytic systems comprising such transition metal catalyst and aluminoxane cocatalyst or boron compound cocatalyst; and processes for preparing ethylene homopolymers or copolymers of ethylene with α-olefins by using the same.
US08372980B2	Fused ring thrombin receptor antagonists Fused-ring, heterocyclic-substituted tricyclics of the formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate of said compound, isomer or racemic mixture wherein represents an optional double bond, and wherein An, En, Mn, Gn, Jn, R3, n7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R32, R33, X, Y, B and Het are herein defined and the remaining substituents are as defined in the specification, are disclosed, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing them and a method of treating diseases associated with thrombosis, atherosclerosis, restenosis, hypertension, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart failure, and cancer by administering said compounds. Combination therapy with other cardiovascular agents is also claimed.
US08372974B2	Regioselective preparation of substituted pyrimidines The present invention relates to a method of making pyrimidines of formula (III), wherein X1, X2, R1 and R2 have the meanings as defined herein.
US08372971B2	Heterocyclic compounds and methods of use Heterocyclic compounds derived from benzotriazine, triazines, triazoles and oxadiazoles are disclosed. The methods of synthesis and of use of such heterocyclic compounds are also provided.
US08372966B2	Oligonucleotide decoys and methods of use The present invention describes reagents and methods for using a concatemerized double-stranded oligonucleotide molecules (CODN) for transcription factor decoys. In one embodiment, the concatemers consist of a variable number of end-to-end repeated copies of a short (more than 5, 10, 15, 20, 2, 3035, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, or more by but generally less than about 3 kb) dsDNA containing a sequence or sequences that act as transcription factor decoys. The present invention also provides for the use of the polymers for CODN/polymer complexes to a specific cell type; thus the agent can be made organ, tissue and/or cell-type specific. In another embodiment, the present invention provides for use of the CODN's in vitro or in vivo, in isolated cells or intact animals in which specific blockade of transcription factors or delivery of DNA or other biological effector is desirable. In one embodiment, this includes use as a research tool, including studies of specific genes and studies to identify specific genes regulated by the transcription factors targeted. In another embodiment, the present invention provides for using polyamides for NF-kB-specific CODN delivery in the treatment of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion and myocardial infarction, heart failure and hypertrophy, cardioprotection, stroke, neuroprotection, sepsis, arthritis, asthma, heritable inflammatory disorders, cancer, heritable immune dysfunctions, inflammatory processes, whether caused by disease or injury or infection, oxidative stress to any organ whether caused by disease, surgery or injury. The decoys may be any transcription factors, including, but not limited to, NF-kB, AP-I, ATF2, ATF3, SP 1 and others.
US08372965B2	Nucleotide sequences for the detection of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) Nucleic sequences of plasmid origin are isolated from bacteria of the enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli group (EHEC) and used for the identification of EHEC(s), especially those possessing the genes encoding the virulence factors enterohaemolysin and intimin, and more particularly the specific detection of serotype O157:H7, and in detection kits.
US08372953B2	Composition comprising various proteorhodopsins and/or bacteriorhodopsins and use thereof The present invention provides a solid material comprising an immobilized mixture of two or more proteorhodopsins, two or more bacteriorhodopsins, or one or more bacteriorhodopsin and one or more proteorhodopsins. The proteorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing proteorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing proteorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The bacteriorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing bacteriorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing bacteriorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The present invention also provides an optical information carrier, such as an optical data storage material and a fraud-proof optical data carrier, comprising the above-described solid material and a substrate selected from the group consisting of glass, paper, metal, fabric material, and plastic material, wherein said solid material is deposited on said substrate. The present invention further provides security ink comprising one or more hydrophilic polymers and a mixture of various photochromic materials.
US08372950B2	IgG binding peptide The present invention provides a peptide capable of specifically binding to human IgG. In particular, the present invention relates to a human IgG binding peptide tag of 11 to 16 amino acids in length, comprising at least an amino acid sequence of the formula I: C-(X)n-W-X-X-X-W-(X)m-C(I)(SEQ ID NO: 17) wherein n and m are each an integer of 1 or more and the sum n+m is 4 or 5, wherein X-X-X in the formula I contains no cysteine residue, and wherein said amino acid sequence satisfies either or both of a) and b): a) (X)n-W in the formula I denotes Za-G-Y-W (SEQ ID NO: 18); and b) W-(X)m in the formula I denotes W-G-L-Zb (SEQ ID NO: 19) wherein Za and Zb are each 0, 1, or more amino acid residues.
US08372949B2	Molecular recognition of materials The present invention includes methods for selective binding of inorganic materials and the compositions that made up of the selecting agent and the target materials. One form of the present invention is a method for selecting crystal-binding peptides with binding specificity including the steps of contacting one or more amino acid oligomers with one or more single-crystals of a semiconductor material so that the oligomers may bind to the crystal and eluting the bound amino acid oligomers from the single-crystals.
US08372947B2	Foldable hydrogen storage media and methods Reversible, high density hydrogen storage that provides a mechanism for reversible uptake/storage/release of hydrogen fuel in response to combination of thermal, mechanical, magnetic, electrical, optical or chemical stimuli. Exemplary media are based on natural and/or synthetic composite materials, and potentially can achieve the highest possible storage density, while using a simple, fast and energy-efficient means for hydrogen uptake and release when needed.
US08372946B2	Copolyether glycol manufacturing process The present invention relates to a continuous process for manufacturing copolyether glycols with high incorporation of alkylene oxide by polymerization of tetrahydrofuran and at least one alkylene oxide in the presence of an acid catalyst, at least one compound containing reactive hydrogen atoms, and a specific diluent or solvent. More particularly, the invention relates to a diluent or solvent-assisted continuous process for manufacturing copolyether glycols with high incorporation of alkylene oxide.
US08372942B2	Polycarbonate resin, coating liquid containing same, and electrophotographic photosensitive body Provided are: a urethane-based polycarbonate resin, including a repeating unit represented by the general formula [1], and a repeating unit represented by the general formula [2], in which the urethane-based polycarbonate resin has high wear resistance by virtue of a strong hydrogen bond between urethane groups; and an electrophotographic photoconductor, including a photosensitive layer provided on a conductive substrate, in which the electrophotographic photoconductor includes the above-mentioned polycarbonate resin as a component of the photosensitive layer, has high wear resistance, and maintains an excellent electrophotographic characteristic over a longtime period: [Chem. 1] (Ar2 represents a group having a divalent aromatic group, and Ar1 represents a divalent aromatic group-containing group having a specific structure).
US08372939B1	Transparent polyurethanes The present invention teaches a new process to produce novel, hard, optically clear, impact-resistant polyurethane polymers that are characterized by excellent thermo mechanical properties and chemical resistance, and the polymers made as a result of such a process.The polyurethanes are made by reacting in a one step process 1) a stoichiometric excess of aliphatic polyisocyanate whereby the index is between 95 to 120; 2) a primary amine-terminated polyether with an amine functionality of about 2 and a molecular weight of greater than 400; 3) a polyol having an average hydroxyl functionality greater than or equal to 2 and an average hydroxyl equivalent weight of from about 300 to about 2,000, and 4) an aromatic diamine; wherein component 3 must less be present in a ratio of less than five to one stoichiometric equivalents relative to equivalents of component 2, and 5) optionally, a cross linking agent.
US08372934B2	Method for producing organopolysiloxanes Organopolysiloxanes with consistent product properties are prepared while minimizing alcohol usage in the hydrolysis of chlorosilanes by use of a vertical continuous loop reactor having a heating unit on an ascending side of the loop which is regulated such that the temperature of the reactant mixture is within ±5° C. of a set value.
US08372930B2	High vinyl terminated propylene based oligomers This invention relates to a co-oligomer having an Mn of 300 to 30,000 g/mol comprising 10 to 90 mol % propylene and 10 to 90 mol % of ethylene, wherein the oligomer has at least X % allyl chain ends, where: 1) X=(−0.94 (mole % ethylene incorporated)+100), when 10 to 60 mole % ethylene is present in the co-oligomer, and 2) X=45, when greater than 60 and less than 70 mole % ethylene is present in the co-oligomer, and 3) X=(1.83*(mole % ethylene incorporated)−83), when 70 to 90 mole % ethylene is present in the co-oligomer. This invention also relates to a homo-oligomer, comprising propylene, wherein the oligomer has: at least 93% allyl chain ends, an Mn of about 500 to about 20,000 g/mol, an isobutyl chain end to allylic vinyl group ratio of 0.8:1 to 1.2:1.0, and less than 100 ppm aluminum. This invention also relates to a process of making homo-oligomer, comprising propylene, wherein the productivity is greater than 4500 g/mmol Hf (or Zr)/hour.
US08372928B2	Hard, impermeable, flexible and conformal organic coatings Disclosed is a substantially alternating copolymer that is conformal, hard, flexible, and has low oxygen permeability. Also disclosed is an iCVD-based method of coating a substrate with the substantially alternating copolymer.
US08372927B2	Metal-ligand complexes and catalysts The present invention generally relates to metal-ligand complexes, catalysts comprising or prepared from the metal-ligand complexes, processes of catalyzing olefin polymerization reactions with the catalysts to prepare polyolefins, polyolefins prepared thereby, processes of making the metal-ligand complexes and catalysts, and intermediate compounds useful therefor.
US08372922B2	One component epoxy resin composition and motor or dynamo using the same An one-part epoxy resin composition for the use of bonding of a coil which is preferable for impregnation of a motor and a generator for an automobile, especially of a drive motor-generator set for a hybrid car, which has superior storage stability and a cured resin of the composition has excellent adhesion properties, thermal stability, and reliability, are provided. The one-part epoxy resin composition of the present invention comprises (A) a bisphenol A type and/or F type epoxy resin which is in liquid form at room temperature, (B) methylnadic anhydride as a cycloaliphatic anhydride which is in liquid form at room temperature, and (C) a nitrogen-containing latent hardening accelerator.
US08372918B2	Nitrile group-containing highly saturated copolymer rubber A nitrile-group-containing highly saturated copolymer rubber comprising α,β-ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer units (a) in 5 to 60 wt %, α,β-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acid mono ester monomer units (b) in 0.1 to 20 wt %, (meth)acrylic acid alkoxyalkyl ester monomer units which have alkoxyalkyl groups with 2 to 8 carbon atoms (c) in 11 to 50 wt %, and conjugated diene monomer units (d) in 20 to 83.9 wt %, where at least part of the conjugated diene monomer units (d) are hydrogenated.
US08372911B2	Golf ball material and method of preparing the same The invention provides a golf ball material which is a resin mixture composed of (a) a nonionic olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer and/or olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester copolymer, (b) a nonionic olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer and/or olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester copolymer, (c) an organic acid or a metal salt thereof, (d) a basic inorganic metal compound for neutralizing at least 70 mol % of acid groups in components (a) to (c), and (e) a spherical inorganic filler, which resin mixture has a Shore D hardness of from 40 to 60. The golf ball material of the invention provides an excellent rebound resilience and durability while maintaining the flow properties essential for injection molding.
US08372909B2	Composite edge for producing double or multiple pane insulation glass or solar modules A sealing compound includes a polymer modified with special, reactive groups and has the following overall composition: a) 30-60 wt. %, preferably 40-50 wt. %, olefinic polymers, Mn 400-600,000 D, preferably 5,000-300,000 D b) 2-35 wt. %, preferably 5-25 wt. %, modified polymer c) 5-40 wt. %, preferably 10-30 wt. %, fine-particle, inert fillers d) 5-25 wt. %, preferably 10-15 wt. %, desiccants and water scavengers 0-3 wt. % aging resistors, in particular anti-oxidants or UV stabilizers.
US08372907B2	Stabilizer for chlorine-containing resins and chlorine-containing resin composition A stabilizer for chlorine-containing resins of the invention consists of a polyol mixture composed of pentaerythritol and condensates thereof, wherein, with respect to the total amount of the polyol mixture, the content of pentaerythritol having a degree of condensation (n) of 1 is 0 to 10% by mass and the total content of pentaerythritol and condensates thereof having a degree of condensation (n) of 1 to 3 is 5 to 30% by mass. A chlorine-containing resin composition of the invention contains, with respect to 100 parts by mass of a chlorine-containing resin, 0.01 to 10 parts by mass of the above-mentioned stabilizer for chlorine-containing resins.
US08372904B2	Adsorptive ultra-fine metal particles Adsorptive ultra-fine metal particles having a bond between an organic acid component and a metal, and exhibiting an infrared absorption peak derived from the bond between the organic acid component and the metal near 1518 cm−1. The adsorptive ultra-fine metal particles are capable of exhibiting excellent deodorizing property and VOC-adsorbing property without impairing properties and formability of the resin. The invention is further concerned to an adsorptive resin composition and an adsorptive coating material containing the adsorptive ultra-fine metal particles and are capable of forming shaped resin articles or coatings.
US08372892B2	Attached, high reactivity rigid polyurethane foams Polyurethane foams are made and attached to a substrate having an open cavity, but reacting prepolymer and polyol components in the presence of certain carbamate blowing agents. This process allows for very fast curing, good quality, adherent foamy to be produced on, for example, vehicle parts and assemblies, for acoustical or vibration dampening and for structural reinforcement.
US08372886B2	Treatment of renal disorders, diabetic nephropathy and dyslipidemias Disclosed herein are methods, compounds and compositions for preventing or treating a renal disorder or chronic kidney diseases, including nephropathies such as diabetic nephropathy. The invention generally includes administering to a subject 1,3-propanedisulfonic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, e.g., 1,3-propanedisulfonic acid sodium salt. The invention also relates to methods, compounds and compositions for the prevention and/or treatment of for preventing or treating a renal disorder complication. The invention further relates to methods, compounds and compositions for the prevention and/or treatment of dyslipidemia, and more particularly for reducing levels of harmful serum lipid levels, especially cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetic patients.
US08372885B2	Organic compounds and their uses The present application describes organic compounds of a general formula: and salts, and isomers thereof, wherein R, R2 and R3 are defined in the specification. The compounds are useful for treating a gram-negative bacterial infection.
US08372882B2	Functionalized phenolic esters and amides and polymers therefrom The present invention relates to a compound of the formula: R-AR—O—Y—R′ Wherein R represents one or more members selected from H, alkoxy, benzyloxy, aldehyde, halogen, carboxylic acid, —NO2, —NH2, —NHCOCH3, and —NH—Y—R′, which is attached directly to AR or attached through an aliphatic chain. The carboxylic acid moiety in R includes but is not limited to the following carboxylic acids: benzoic acids, cinnamic acids, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, salicyclic acid, vanillic acid, phenylacetic acids, phenylpropionic acids, and sinapinic acid.-AR—O— is a biologically active phenolic moiety comprising 1 to 6 substituted or unsubstituted aryl rings that are directly bonded to each other, fused together, or joined through a linking group. Y represents a member selected from: —COCH2O— (glycolic ester moiety) —COCH(CH3)O— (lactic ester moiety) —COCH2OCH2CH2O— (dioxanone ester moiety) —COCH2CH2CH2CH2CH2O— (caprolactone ester moiety) —CO(CH2)mO— where m is an integer between 2-4 and 6-24 inclusive —CO CH2O (CH2CH2O)n— where n is an integer between 2 and 24, inclusive; and R′ is either hydrogen or a benzyl or an alkyl group, the alkyl group being either straight-chained or branched. The resultant functionalized phenolic compounds, used singly or in combinations, and their polymers have controllable degradation profiles, releasing the active component over a desired time range. The polymers are useful for biomaterials and biomedical devices, wherein said biologically active phenolic moiety is a residue of a phenolic compound.
US08372881B2	Acyloxyalkyl carbamate prodrugs of tranexamic acid, methods of synthesis and use Acyloxyalkyl carbamate prodrugs of trans-4-(aminomethyl)-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, methods of making prodrugs of trans-4-(aminomethyl)-cyclohexane-carboxylic acid, and methods of using prodrugs of trans-4-(aminomethyl)-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid and pharmaceutical compositions thereof to treat or prevent various diseases or disorders are disclosed. Acyloxyalkyl carbamate prodrugs of trans-4-(aminomethyl)-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid and pharmaceutical compositions thereof suitable for oral and topical administration and for administration using sustained release dosage forms are also disclosed.
US08372875B2	Indole carboxamides as IKK2 inhibitors The invention is directed to novel indole carboxamide compounds. Specifically, the invention is directed to compounds according to formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, and m are as defined herein. The compounds of the invention are inhibitors of IKK2 and can be useful in the treatment of disorders associated with inappropriate IKK2 (also known as IKKβ) activity, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, rhinitis, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Accordingly, the invention is further directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of the invention. The invention is still further directed to methods of inhibiting IKK2 activity and treatment of disorders associated therewith using a compound of the invention or a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the invention.
US08372869B2	Process for the treatment of bacterial infections using 2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one 1-oxide The subject invention demonstrates a novel antibacterial activity for 2-phenyl-1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one 1-oxide, commonly referred to as ebselen se-oxide, and is directed to the treatment of bacterial infections by administration of an effective amount of said compound. Bacterial infections include those infections which are either systemic or superficial in nature. The treatment is intended for a variety of animals, such as premature neonates to adult humans. Administration of ebselen se-oxide to treat superficial bacterial infections may be performed by a topical application, such as via an ointment, a spray, a cream, a mouth wash, an eye drop solution, an ear drop solution, a soap, a gel, or a lotion. In addition, an antibacterial capsule can be administered orally or intravaginally. Administration of ebselen se-oxide to treat systemic bacterial infections may be performed by an intravenous route, a rectal route, an intranasal route, an oral route, an intramuscular route, or by inhalation. Administration of said compound may also be achieved via aerosol, which can be generated by a nebulizer. Ebselen se-oxide may be administered alone, or with a carrier such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), an alcohol, or other suitable carrier. The effective daily amount of ebselen se-oxide is from about 1 μg/kg to 10 mg/kg of body weight.
US08372866B2	2-aryl and 2-heteroaryl 4H-1-benzopyran-4-one-6-amidino derivatives, new pharmacological agents for the treatment of arthritis, cancer and related pain 2-aryl and 2-heteroaryl 4h-1-benzopyran-4-one-6-amidino derivatives formula (I) useful as pharmacological agents for the treatment of arthritis, cancer and related pain.
US08372865B2	Dihydropyridone amides as P2X7 modulators Compounds of the formula I: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein m, n, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and Ra are as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of making the compounds and using the compounds for treatment of diseases associated with the P2X7 purinergic receptor.
US08372862B2	Pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating osteoporosis or obesity comprising phenyltetrazole derivative A phamaceutical composition comprising a phenyltetrazole derivative of formula (I) or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt thereof is effective in preventing or treating osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia, by regulating protein TAZ. wherein, A is ethyl or n-butyl; R1 is methyl, —CH2OH, —CO2CH3, —CH2F, —CH(OCH3)2, —CH2OC(═O)CH3, styryl or —CH2OCH2SCH3; R2 is H, Br, —CO2CH3, phenyl, pyridin-2-yl, pyridin-3-yl, or styryl; R3 is H or methyl; X is CH or N; and P is H or —CH(CH3)OCH2CH3.
US08372861B2	Inhibitors of the unfolded protein response and methods for their use Compounds that are inhibitors of the unfolded protein response and endonuclease IRE1 are provided, together with compositions comprising such compounds, and methods for their use in the treatment of various disorders, such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and diabetes. Also provided are packaged pharmaceuticals comprising these compositions. The compositions may be administered in combination with another therapeutic agent.
US08372859B2	CGRP receptor antagonists with tertiary amide, sulfonamide, carbamate and urea end groups Compounds of formula I: (wherein variables A, m, n, J, Re, Rf, R4, Ea, Eb, Ec, RPG and Y are as described herein) which are antagonists of CGRP receptors and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the CGRP is involved, such as migraine; and pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP is involved.
US08372844B2	Piperazinyl-propyl-pyrazole derivatives as dopamine D4 receptor antagonists, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same The present invention relates to a novel piperazinyl-propyl-pyrazole derivative, a method of its preparation and a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising the same. The novel piperazinyl-propyl-pyrazole derivative of the present invention has superior selective affinity for dopamine D4 receptor, can effectively inhibit psychotic behavior (cage climbing) induced by apomorphine, and has relatively low adverse effects in mouse rotarod test. Therefore, it can be developed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, in particular, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, stress diseases, panic disorder, phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, cognitive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, anxiety, paraphrenia, mania, seizure disorder, personality disorder, migraine, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, obesity, eating disorder, and sleeping disorder.
US08372842B2	Pyrazolopyridines as kinase inhibitors Compounds of Formula I are useful for inhibition of CHK1 and/or CHK2. Methods of using compounds of Formula I and stereoisomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such disorders in mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions are disclosed.
US08372841B2	Inhibitors of the 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 enzyme The present invention relates to compounds which are inhibitors of the 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme. The present invention further relates to the use of inhibitors of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme for the treatment of non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, lipid disorders, metabolic syndrome, and other diseases and conditions that are mediated by excessive glucocorticoid action.
US08372839B2	Bipartite inhibitors of bacterial RNA polymerase The invention provides a compound having a structural formula (I): X-α-Y, wherein X is an moiety that binds to the Rif pocket of a bacterial RNA polymerase, Y is a moiety that binds to the secondary channel of a bacterial RNA polymerase, and α is a linker. The compound can act as an inhibitor of bacterial RNA polymerase. The invention has applications in control of bacterial gene expression, control of bacterial growth, antibacterial chemistry, and antibacterial therapy.
US08372833B2	Urea derivative Disclosed is a novel compound having an NPY Y5 receptor antagonistic activity.A compound represented by the formula: its pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein X is hydrogen or the like, Y is a group of the formula: Z is —NR7— or the like, R1 is hydrogen or the like, R2 and R3 are each independently hydrogen or the like, n is 0 or 1, p is 0 to 6.
US08372826B2	Estriol therapy for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases The present invention discloses administering steroid hormones to mammals to treat autoimmune related diseases, more particularly, Th1-mediated (cell-mediated) autoimmune diseases including: multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), autoimmune thyroiditis and uveitis. Most preferably the invention is used to treat a patient with a therapeutically effective amount of estriol of 8 milligrams once daily via oral administration to treat the symptoms or prevent the onset of multiple sclerosis.
US08372823B2	Tetracyclic inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase Certain tetracyclic compounds are described, which may be used in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating disease states, disorders, and conditions mediated by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity. Thus, the compounds may be administered to treat, e.g., anxiety, pain, inflammation, sleep disorders, eating disorders, or movement disorders (such as multiple sclerosis).
US08372807B2	Methods of modulating uric acid levels Described herein are compounds useful in the reduction of blood uric acid levels, formulations containing them and methods of making and using them. In some embodiments, a compound disclosed herein are used in the treatment or prevention of disorders related to aberrant levels of uric acid.
US08372803B2	Modified Cry34 proteins This invention provides modified, insecticidal Cry34 proteins with enhanced properties as compared to wild-type Cry34 proteins. The modifications to these proteins were based in part on an analysis of the three-dimensional (3D) structure of this protein and other proteins in the Cry34 class. The subject invention also includes polynucleotides that encode these modified proteins, and transgenic plants that produce these modified proteins. This invention further provides methods of controlling plant pests, including rootworms, with these modified proteins. The modified proteins of the subject invention include chimeric toxins involving exchanged segments, domains, and motifs as discussed herein. The subject invention also provides methods of modifying Cry34 proteins.
US08372798B2	High-concentration protein formulations and method of manufacture Provided is a pharmaceutical composition involving a concentrated mixture of a precipitated protein and a liquid medium and a method for manufacturing the concentrated mixture. The concentrated mixture is manufacturable by precipitation of a protein with a biocompatible polymer precipitating agent, followed by removal of sufficient liquid to concentrate the resulting mixture to the desired degree. The precipitated protein can be stored for a significant time in the concentrated mixture, such as intermediate between processing stages during manufacture operations.
US08372797B2	Treatment of erectile dysfunction by stem cell therapy Methods, cells and compositions of matter are provided for treatment of erectile dysfunction using stem cell therapy. In particular, various stem cells are modified or administered freshly isolated in order to induce smooth muscle regeneration, neural regeneration, and restoration of endothelial function. In some embodiments endogenous stem cells are mobilized or activated to achieve therapeutic benefit. In other embodiments compositions derived from stem cells are utilized for treatment of erectile dysfunction.
US08372785B2	Method for immobilizing self-organizing material or fine particle on substrate, and substrate manufactured by using such method A method for immobilizing a self-organizing material or fine particles on a substrate, and a substrate whereupon the self-organizing material or the fine particles are immobilized. More specifically, the method for immobilizing the fine particles including a nucleic acid (for instance, DNA or RNA) or a metal oxide on the substrate, and the substrate whereupon the nucleic acid (for example, DNA or RNA) or the metal oxide is immobilized.
US08372782B2	Imaging system There are disclosed imaging members wherein a chemical compound in a crystalline form is converted, at least partially, and preferably substantially completely or completely, to an amorphous form that has intrinsically a different color from the crystalline form. Also described are imaging methods utilizing the imaging members. The conversion of the compound from the crystalline form to an amorphous form can be effected by laser exposure.
US08372780B2	Catalysts containing tungstate for the synthesis of alkyl mercaptan and method for the production thereof The invention relates to a catalyst containing alkali tungstate for the synthesis of alkylmercaptanes from alkanols and hydrogen sulphide, in addition to a method for the production of said catalyst, wherein the molar ratio of alkali to tungsten is <2:1.
US08372765B2	Odor inhibiting water-absorbing composites The present invention relates to a process for producing odor-inhibiting water-absorbing composites comprising water-absorbing polymer particles and fibers, wherein the fibers are premixed with at least one metal peroxide, metal hyperoxide or metal ozonide.
US08372764B2	Fiber composite material and method for manufacturing the same A highly transparent fiber composite material is provided that can be manufactured through a simplified process using reduced amounts of raw materials and that has high flexibility and low thermal expansivity and retains good functionality of the fiber material. The fiber composite material includes: a fiber assembly having an average fiber diameter of 4 to 200 nm and a 50 μm-thick visible light transmittance of 3% or more; and a coating layer that coats and smoothes the surface of the fiber assembly, wherein the fiber composite material has a 50 μm-thick visible light transmittance of 60% or more. With this fiber assembly, the scattering of light caused by the irregularities on the surface can be suppressed by coating the surface with the coating layer to smooth the surface, whereby a highly transparent fiber composite material can be obtained.
US08372763B2	Process for wet passivation of bond pads for protection against subsequent TMAH-based processing A process for forming a protective layer at a surface of an aluminum bond pad. The aluminum bond pad is exposed to a solution containing silicon, ammonium persulfate and tetramethylammonium hydroxide, which results in the formation of the protective layer. This protective layer protects the bond pad surface from corrosion during processing of an imager, such as during formation of a color filter array or a micro-lens array.
US08372759B2	Molecular self-assembly in substrate processing Methods for sealing a porous dielectric are presented including: receiving a substrate, the substrate including the porous dielectric; exposing the substrate to an organosilane, where the organosilane includes a hydrolysable group for facilitating attachment with the porous dielectric, and where the organosilane does not include an alkyl group; and forming a layer as a result of the exposing to seal the porous dielectric. In some embodiments, methods are presented where the organosilane includes: alkynyl groups, aryl groups, fluoroalkyl groups, heteroaryl groups, alcohol groups, thiol groups, amine groups, thiocarbamate groups, ester groups, ether groups, sulfide groups, and nitrile groups. In some embodiments, method further include: removing contamination from the porous dielectric and a conductive region of the substrate prior to the exposing; and removing contamination from the conductive region after the forming.
US08372745B2	Semiconductor device, its manufacturing method, and sputtering target material for use in the method A semiconductor device enables a barrier layer to fully acquire a barriering property against the diffusion of Cu from a wiring main body and the diffusion of Si from an insulating film, enhances the adhesiveness of the barrier layer and the insulating film and excels in reliability of operation over a long period of time. In this invention, a semiconductor device provided on an insulating film with a wiring includes the insulating film containing silicon, a wiring main body formed of copper in a groove-like opening disposed in the insulating film, and a barrier layer formed between the wiring main body and the insulating film and made of an oxide containing Cu and Si and Mn.
US08372738B2	Method for manufacturing a gallium nitride based semiconductor device with improved termination scheme This invention discloses a gallium nitride based semiconductor power device disposed in a semiconductor substrate. The power device comprises a termination area disposed at a peripheral area of the semiconductor power device comprises a termination structure having at least a guard ring disposed in a trench filled with doped gallium-based epitaxial layer therein.
US08372736B2	Method and apparatus for reducing flicker noise in a semiconductor device Some embodiments discussed relate to an integrated circuit and methods for making it. In an example, a method can include providing a semiconductor wafer including a fin, and introducing a noise-reducing dopant into a sidewall of the fin.
US08372733B2	Method for fabricating a locally passivated germanium-on-insulator substrate The invention relates to a method for fabricating a locally passivated germanium-on-insulator substrate wherein, in order to achieve good electron mobility, nitridized regions are provided at localised positions. Nitridizing is achieved using a plasma treatment. The resulting substrates also form part of the invention.
US08372729B1	Integrated circuit devices with ESD protection in scribe line, and methods for fabricating same A semiconductor wafer including an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective device, and methods for fabricating the same. In one aspect, the method includes forming a first semiconductor device in a first semiconductor die region on the semiconductor wafer; forming a second semiconductor device in a second semiconductor die region on the semiconductor wafer; and forming a protective device in a scribe line region between (i) the first semiconductor die region and (ii) the second semiconductor die region.
US08372727B2	Method for fabricating light emitting device Provided is a method for fabricating a light emitting device. The method includes forming a gallium oxide layer; forming a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the gallium oxide layer; forming a non-conductive substrate on the second conductive type semiconductor layer; separating the gallium oxide layer forming a conductive substrate on the first conductive type semiconductor layer; and separating the non-conductive substrate.
US08372726B2	Methods and applications of non-planar imaging arrays System, devices and methods are presented that provide an imaging array fabrication process method, comprising fabricating an array of semiconductor imaging elements, interconnecting the elements with stretchable interconnections, and transfer printing the array with a pre-strained elastomeric stamp to a secondary non-planar surface.
US08372720B2	Non-volatile semiconductor storage device and method of manufacturing the same A non-volatile semiconductor storage device has a plurality of memory strings to each of which a plurality of electrically rewritable memory cells are connected in series. Each of the memory strings includes first semiconductor layers each having a pair of columnar portions extending in a vertical direction with respect to a substrate and a coupling portion formed to couple the lower ends of the pair of columnar portions; a charge storage layer formed to surround the side surfaces of the columnar portions; and first conductive layers formed to surround the side surfaces of the columnar portions and the charge storage layer. The first conductive layers function as gate electrodes of the memory cells.
US08372714B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device A semiconductor device can be manufactured by a method that includes forming a structure that includes a plurality of layers of semiconductor material. One or more etching processes are performed on the multi-layered semiconductor structure, and then an Ar/O2 treatment is performed on the multi-layered semiconductor structure. The Ar/O2 treatment includes exposure of the structure to Ar ion bombardment and O2 molecular oxidation. The Ar/O2 treatment can be used to create a bottle-shaped structure.
US08372713B2	Semiconductor device and production method therefor A method of producing a semiconductor device including a MOS transistor includes steps of forming a plurality of pillar semiconductor layers and forming a gate electrode formed around each of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layers. The method also includes steps of forming a source or drain region in an upper portion of each of the pillar-shaped semiconductor layers and forming a first silicide layer for connecting at least a part of a surface of a drain or source region formed in a planar semiconductor layer.
US08372711B2	Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices with sidewall conductive patterns A gate pattern is disclosed that includes a semiconductor substrate, a lower conductive pattern, an upper conductive pattern, and a sidewall conductive pattern. The lower conductive pattern is on the substrate. The insulating pattern is on the lower conductive pattern. The upper conductive pattern is on the insulating pattern opposite to the lower conductive pattern. The sidewall conductive pattern is on at least a portion of sidewalls of the upper conductive pattern and the lower conductive pattern. The sidewall conductive pattern electrically connects the upper conductive pattern and the lower conductive pattern. An upper edge portion of the lower conductive pattern may be recessed relative to a lower edge portion of the lower conductive pattern to define a ledge thereon. The sidewall conductive pattern may be directly on the ledge and sidewall of the recessed upper edge portion of the lower conductive pattern.
US08372702B2	Method of manufacturing TFT and array TFT A method of manufacturing a thin film transistor includes sequentially forming a gate and at least one insulation layer on a substrate, forming a source electrode and a drain electrode on the at least one insulation layer, and forming a channel layer formed of a semiconductor on a part of the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the gate, the source electrode, and the drain electrode are formed by using a hybrid inkjet printing apparatus.
US08372697B2	Digital oxide deposition of SiO2 layers on wafers Novel silicon dioxide and silicon nitride deposition methods are generally disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing silicon on the surface of a substrate having a temperature of between about 65° C. and about 350° C. The heated substrate is exposed to a silicon source that is substantially free from an oxidizing agent. The silicon on the surface is then oxidized with an oxygen source that is substantially free from a silicon source. As a result of oxidizing the silicon, a silicon oxide layer forms on the surface of the substrate. Alternatively, or in additionally, a nitrogen source can be provided to produce silicon nitride on the surface of the substrate.
US08372695B2	Integrated circuit packaging system with stack interconnect and method of manufacture thereof A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a package substrate having a substrate base side and a substrate stack side; mounting an integrated circuit over the substrate stack side; attaching a stack connector to the substrate stack side; forming an encapsulation over the stack connector and the integrated circuit; attaching an external connector to the substrate base side; attaching an adhesive tape to the external connector having spacing between the adhesive tape and the substrate base side; cutting a step portion in the encapsulation to expose the stack connector; cutting a singulation kerf in the package substrate having exit damage on the substrate base side; and removing the adhesive tape.
US08372684B1	Method and system for selenization in fabricating CIGS/CIS solar cells The method and system for selenization in fabricating CIS and/or CIGS based thin film solar cell overlaying cylindrical glass substrates. The method includes providing a substrate, forming an electrode layer over the substrate and depositing a precursor layer of copper, indium, and/or gallium over the electrode layer. The method also includes disposing the substrate vertically in a furnace. Then a gas including a hydrogen species, a selenium species and a carrier gas are introduced into the furnace and heated to between about 350° C. and about 450° C. to at least initiate formation of a copper indium diselenide film from the precursor layer.
US08372676B2	Integrated getter area for wafer level encapsulated microelectromechanical systems There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, present invention is directed to a thin film encapsulated MEMS, and technique of fabricating or manufacturing a thin film encapsulated MEMS including an integrated getter area and/or an increased chamber volume, which causes little to no increase in overall dimension(s) from the perspective of the mechanical structure and chamber. The integrated getter area is disposed within the chamber and is capable of (i) “capturing” impurities, atoms and/or molecules that are out-gassed from surrounding materials and/or (ii) reducing and/or minimizing the adverse impact of such impurities, atoms and/or molecules (for example, reducing the probability of adding mass to a resonator which would thereby change the resonator's frequency). In this way, the thin film wafer level packaged MEMS of the present invention includes a relatively stable, controlled pressure environment within the chamber to provide, for example, a more stable predetermined, desired and/or selected mechanical damping of the mechanical structure.
US08372671B2	Solid state devices with semi-polar facets and associated methods of manufacturing Solid state lighting devices with semi-polar or non-polar surfaces and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a solid state lighting device includes a substrate material having a substrate surface and an epitaxial silicon structure in direct contact with the substrate surface. The epitaxial silicon structure has a sidewall extending away from the substrate surface. The solid state lighting device also includes a semiconductor material on at least a portion of the sidewall of the epitaxial silicon structure. The semiconductor material has a semiconductor surface that is spaced apart from the substrate surface and is located on a semi-polar or non-polar crystal plane of the semiconductor material.
US08372655B2	Plate for mass spectrometry, process for preparing the same and use thereof The present invention provides a plate for mass spectrometry comprising a support and a PVDF-containing coating (that is, a PVDF-deposited thin layer) thereon, and a method of preparing a plate for mass spectrometry, which comprises coating the support surface with PVDF. The present invention also provides a method of analyte identification comprising subjecting an analyte-containing sample to gel electrophoresis to separate the analyte, blotting the separated analyte from the gel to the above-described plate for mass spectrometry, and subjecting the plate to mass spectrometry, whereby the transferred analyte is analyzed.
US08372650B2	Sensing element for nitrogen oxide molecule sensing apparatus for nitrogen oxide molecule and method for sensing nitrogen oxide molecule In a sensing element for a nitrogen oxide molecule of the present invention, a sensing portion that is to be bonded to a nitrogen oxide molecule to be sensed is fixed between paired metal electrodes through connecting portions. The sensing portion is a single porphyrin molecule or a single porphyrin derivative molecule each having, as a central metal thereof, iron or cobalt. The connecting portions are each a mercaptophenyleneethynyl group bonded to the single porphyrin molecule or the single porphyrin derivative molecule. Provided are a sensing element for nitrogen oxide molecule, a sensing apparatus for nitrogen oxide molecule, and a method for sensing nitrogen oxide molecule.
US08372641B2	Marrow stem cell and pancreatic β cell fusion cell useful for the treatment of diabetes Methods described include methods of treating T1DM, the method comprising delivering a therapeutic amount of β-MSC to a subject in need thereof. Further disclosed are fusion cells comprising and MSC and a second cell wherein the nuclei of the MSC and the second cell are not fused in the fusion cell.
US08372638B2	Combinations of proteins to enhance viability of stem cells and their progenitors before transplantation Embodiments of the present invention include the use of placental alkaline phosphatase alone or in combination with human transferrin and, optionally, human α1-antitrypsin to enhance the proliferation and survival of transplanted stem cells and stem cell-derived progenitor cells.
US08372627B2	Methods for in situ acceleration of biological degradation of chlorohydrocarbon in a soil The invention provides methods for in situ acceleration of biological degradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons in a soil. The invention particularly provides a method for in situ acceleration of biological degradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons in a soil comprising adding H2, CO2 and acetate.
US08372622B2	Modified vaccinia virus ankara for the vaccination of neonates The invention relates inter alia to a method for inducing a long-term protection in an animal against foreign antigens and tumor antigens comprising the step of administering to the animal at least one factor selected from type I interferons and Flt-3, and to a method for inducing a long-term increase of the number of dendritic cells in an animal comprising the step of administering to the animal a factor selected from type I interferon and Flt-3 and to a method of inducing or enhancing the maturation and/or for the activation of the immune system of an animal comprising the step of administering to the animal a factor selected from type I interferon and Flt-3.
US08372621B2	Methods and materials for the production of shikimic acid Novel enzymes and novel enzymatic pathways for the pyruvate-based synthesis of shikimate or at least one intermediate thereto or derivative thereof, nucleic acids encoding the enzymes, cells transformed therewith, and kits containing said enzymes, cells, or nucleic acid. A KDPGal aldolase is used to perform condensation of pyruvate with D-erythrose 4-phosphate to form 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate (DAHP); a 3-dehydroquinate synthase is used to convert the DAHP to 3-dehydroquinate (DHQ); DHQ dehydratase can then convert DHQ to the key shikimate intermediate, 3-dehydroshikimate.
US08372620B2	Bacterial xylanases An improved dough for preparing bakery products is made by substituting a bacterial xylanase for the usual fungal xylanase, resulting in a dough which is less sticky. Suitable bacterial xylanases and xylanase inhibitors are identified.
US08372615B2	Fusion proteins The invention provides a single chain, polypeptide fusion protein, comprising: a non-cytotoxic protease, or a fragment thereof, which protease or protease fragment is capable of cleaving a protein of the exocytic fusion apparatus of a target cell; a Targeting Moiety that is capable of binding to a Binding Site on the target cell, which Binding Site is capable of undergoing endocytosis to be incorporated into an endocome within the target cell; a protease cleaving site at which site the fusion protein is cleavable by the protease, wherein the protease cleavage site is located between the non-cytotoxic protease or fragment thereof and the Targeting Moiety; and the translocation domain that is capable of translocating the protease or protease fragment from within an endosome, across the endosomal membrane and into the cytosol of the target cell.
US08372612B2	Production of four carbon alcohols using improved strain Using screening of transposon random insertion mutants, genes involved in accumulation of (p)ppGpp were found to be involved in bacterial cell response to butanol. Reduced production of proteins with enzymatic activity for (p)ppGpp biosynthesis confers increased butanol tolerance. Bacterial strains with reduced (p)ppGpp accumulation and having a butanol or 2-butanone biosynthetic pathway are useful for production of butanol or 2-butanone.
US08372610B2	Production of odd chain fatty acid derivatives in recombinant microbial cells Recombinant microbial cells are provided which have been engineered to produce fatty acid derivatives having linear chains containing an odd number of carbon atoms by the fatty acid biosynthetic pathway. Also provided are methods of making odd chain fatty acid derivatives using the recombinant microbial cells, and compositions comprising odd chain fatty acid derivatives produced by such methods.
US08372608B2	Processes for making [R]-ethyl 4-cyano-3 hydroxybutyric acid The invention provides novel processes for making ethyl-4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyrate, e.g., (R)-ethyl 4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid, and 4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid. The invention provides protocols for making and 4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyric acid and ethyl-4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyrate by whole cell processes, cell lysate processes, “one pot processes” and “multi-pot” processes using a variety of parameters.
US08372602B2	Methods for producing cytokine receptor ZALPHA11 Novel polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and related compositions and methods are disclosed for zalpha11, a novel cytokine receptor. The polypeptides may be used within methods for detecting ligands that stimulate the proliferation and/or development of hematopoietic, lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block ligand activity in vitro and in vivo. The polynucleotides encoding zalpha11, are located on chromosome 16, and can be used to identify a region of the genome associated with human disease states. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.
US08372594B2	Secreted phospholipase A2 biomarkers for arthritis The present invention relates to the use of protein expression profiles of sPLA2 isoforms with clinical relevance to osteoarthritis (OA). In particular, the invention provides methods for diagnosing OA or determining risk factors for development of OA based on expression of sPLA2-IIA.
US08372589B2	Methods for the diagnosis and prognosis of leukemia and other cancer types Methods for diagnosing leukemia and other cancer types, so that the malignancy thereof dependent on expression of ARTS at low levels or an absence of ARTS expression are disclosed. Moreover methods for prognosis of leukemia and other cancer types, which are prone for an effective treatment by restoring ARTS expression levels and/or restoring cellular ARTS activity are further disclosed.
US08372579B2	Microfluidic device for cell separation and uses thereof The invention features methods for separating cells from a sample (e.g., separating fetal red blood cells from maternal blood). The method begins with the introduction of a sample including cells into one or more microfluidic channels. In one embodiment, the device includes at least two processing steps. For example, a mixture of cells is introduced into a microfluidic channel that selectively allows the passage of a desired type of cell, and the population of cells enriched in the desired type is then introduced into a second microfluidic channel that allows the passage of the desired cell to produce a population of cells further enriched in the desired type. The selection of cells is based on a property of the cells in the mixture, for example, size, shape, deformability, surface characteristics (e.g., cell surface receptors or antigens and membrane permeability), or intracellular properties (e.g., expression of a particular enzyme).
US08372576B2	Miniaturized microparticles A system and method for forming encoded microparticles is described. One embodiment includes an encoded microparticle, the microparticle comprising a plurality of segments aligned along an axis, wherein the plurality of segments define a code for the microparticle; and an outer cuboid encapsulating the plurality of segments, wherein the plurality of segments are detectable through the outer cuboid.
US08372575B2	Ultraviolet-curing resin material for pattern transfer and magnetic recording medium manufacturing method using the same According to one embodiment, an ultraviolet-curing resin material for pattern transfer contains at least one of 2-methyl-2-adamantyl acrylate, 2-ethyl-2-adamantyl acrylate, and 1,3-adamantanedimethanol diacrylate, isobornyl acrylate, polyfunctional acrylate, and a polymerization initiator, or contains at least one of the acrylates described above, a polymerization initiator, and fluorine-based alcohol.
US08372574B2	Method of producing electrostatic latent image developing toner A method of producing an electrostatic latent image developing toner includes: preparing a resin particle dispersion by polymerizing, in a water-based solvent, a polymerizable monomer that comprises a polymerizable monomer comprising a vinyl-based double bond; extracting a liquid from the resin particle dispersion by heating; mixing the distilled resin particle dispersion with a colorant particle dispersion prepared by dispersing a colorant; and aggregating the resin particles, the pigment particles and a release agent particles to form aggregate particles, and then conducting heating to fuse the aggregate particles.
US08372569B2	Toner, and image forming method and process cartridge using the toner A toner is provided including toner particles A having a circularity of greater than 0.93 and not greater than 1.00 and toner particles B having a circularity of from 0.85 to 0.93, wherein the following relationships are satisfied: 70≦RA≦95, 5≦RB≦30, 0.014≦SD≦0.025, and 0.940≦ED≦0.950, wherein RA (% by number) represents a ratio of a number of the toner particles A to a total number of toner particles included in the toner, RB (% by number) represents a ratio of a number of the toner particles B to the total number of toner particles included in the toner, SD represents a standard deviation of circularity of the toner particles A, and ED represents an average envelope degree of the toner particles B.
US08372564B2	Reflective mask, reflective mask blank and method of manufacturing reflective mask A reflective mask of this invention includes a multilayer reflective film (13), on a substrate (11), having a structure in which high refractive index layers and low refractive index layers are alternately laminated, and an absorbing film (15) stacked on the multilayer reflective film (13) and adapted to absorb EUV exposure light. The absorbing film (15) is a phase shift film that allows the EUV exposure light having passed therethrough and reflected by the multilayer reflective film to have a predetermined phase difference with respect to the EUV exposure light directly incident on and reflected by the multilayer reflective film. A plurality of the layers or all the layers of the multilayer reflective film (13) in a blind area are removed from its upper layer.
US08372562B2	Conductive carbon carrier for fuel cell, electrode catalyst for fuel cell and solid polymer fuel cell comprising same A conductive carbon carrier for a fuel cell having at least a surface layer graphitized, characterized in that the dimension (La) in a six-membered ring face (carbon plane) direction of a crystallite measured by X-ray diffraction is 4.5 nm or more. This carbon carrier improves the durability in a fuel cell and enables operation for a long period of time.
US08372561B2	Composite fluid storage unit with internal fluid distribution feature Embodiments of the invention relate to a fluid storage unit comprising a composite fluid storage material and one or more internal fluid distribution features. The one or more internal fluid distribution features increase the homogeneity of fluid interaction within the composite fluid storage material, benefiting a number of properties and functions.
US08372560B2	Separator for fuel cell The present invention provides a separator for a fuel cell, in which a water discharge hole such as a venturi tube or a water discharge means including a metal plate for condensing water is provided on a land of the separator being in contact with a gas diffusion layer (GDL) of a fuel cell so that water generated by a reaction is easily discharged from the GDL through the water discharge means.
US08372556B2	Conductive porous spacers for nested stamped plate fuel cell A fuel cell having a pair of bipolar plates is provided. Each of the bipolar plates has a nested active area and a non-nested feed area which also may serve as active area. An electrolyte membrane is disposed between a pair of electrodes and a pair of diffusion medium layers. Each of the diffusion medium layers is disposed adjacent the nested active areas and non-nested feed areas of the bipolar plates. A porous, electrically conductive spacer is disposed between one of the diffusion medium layers and one of the bipolar plates. A fuel cell stack having the fuel cell is also provided.
US08372552B2	Method of removing residual oxygen in fuel cell by electrochemical purging A method of removing residual oxygen in a residential high temperature non-humidification fuel cell stack including at least one cathode. The method includes making the pressure in the cathode higher than that outside of the cathode and maintaining airtight sealing of the cathode of the fuel cell stack, removing the residual oxygen in the fuel cell stack, and stopping supplying of fuel to the fuel cell stack. The setting of the pressure includes blocking air flow out of the cathode, comparing the pressure in the cathode with a set pressure higher than the pressure outside the cathode, and supplying air to the cathode until the pressure in the cathode is the same as or is higher than the set pressure.
US08372551B2	Hydrogen generating apparatus and fuel cell power generation system A hydrogen generating apparatus and a fuel cell power generation system are disclosed. The hydrogen generating apparatus may include an electrolyte bath, which contains an electrolyte solution; a first electrode, which is stacked on a surface inside the electrolyte bath, and which generates electrons; a moisture absorption layer, which is stacked on the first electrode, and which absorbs moisture from the electrolyte solution; and a second electrode, which is stacked on the moisture absorption layer, and which generates hydrogen using the electrons and the electrolyte solution. With this apparatus, the electrodes can be formed as thin films, whereby the number of electrodes can be increased and -the gaps between electrodes can be decreased, to increase the amount of hydrogen generation. Also, the flow of electrons can be controlled, using a control unit, in accordance to the amount of hydrogen or amount of electrical power required by the fuel cell.
US08372539B2	Uniform graphite plate A substrate useful for the formation of, inter alia, a flow field plate for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell, the substrate formed of at least one resin-impregnated sheet of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite comprising two major surfaces, the substrate having an active area with flow field channels thereon, the sheet of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite having a local web thickness in at least about 50% of its active area that is no more than about 55% greater than the minimum web thickness of the active area of the substrate.
US08372536B2	Battery module A battery module for a rechargeable battery. The battery module has low contact resistance and includes: a plurality of electrode assemblies incorporating a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; a housing installed with the electrode assembly; and at least one conductive barrier inserted in the housing thereby dividing the space inside the housing, and electrically connecting the plurality of electrode assemblies.
US08372530B2	Vehicular power supply system In a vehicular power supply system, inclined portions (16c) extending obliquely upward toward the exterior from two mutually opposing side edges of a waterproof case (14) are formed on a hanger frame (16), and an upper face opening (14b) of the waterproof case (14) and an outer peripheral part of a lid member (15) are equipped with extended portions (14a, 15a) extending upward so as to cover the inclined portion (16c) of the hanger frame (16). This enables water flowing on an upper face of the lid member (15) or water that has accumulated on the upper face of the lid member (15) to be blocked by the extended portions (14a, 15a) and to be prevented from entering the interior of the waterproof case (14) via an outer peripheral face of the hanger frame (16) running through mating faces of a lid member (15) and the waterproof case (14) housing a battery module (24) and a high voltage electrical component (33).
US08372528B2	Phenyl and fluorenyl substituted phenyl-pyrazole complexes of Ir The invention provides emissive materials and organic light emitting devices using the emissive materials in an emissive layer disposed between and electrically connected to an anode and a cathode. The emissive materials include compounds with the following structure: wherein at least one of R8 to R14 is phenyl or substituted phenyl, and/or at least two of R8 to R14 that are adjacent are part of a fluorenyl group. The emissive materials have enhanced electroluminescent efficiency and improved lifetime when incorporated into light emitting devices.
US08372516B2	(Meth)acrylate phosphonic esters as adhesion promoters The invention is directed to compositions on a surface which comprise a) at least a (meth)acrylate prepolymer, b) an adhesion promoting monomer of formula (I) wherein Q, R1, R2, R4, R5, m and n are defined herein. Further the compositions may be used to improve the adhesion to surfaces, especially metallic surfaces and may include additional optional components such as adhesion promoting photoinitiators.
US08372515B2	Silane coating compositions containing silicon-based polyether copolymers, methods for coating metal surfaces and articles made therefrom A silane coating composition containing a silicon-based copolymer, a method for treating the surfaces of a metal such as steel, zinc-coated steels, or aluminum, to provide for the formation of a uniform conversion and/or passivation coating which increases the corrosion resistance of bare or painted metal and/or the adhesion properties of the metal, along with a metal having a conversion and/or passivation coating applied thereto are disclosed. Methods of the invention include contacting the requisite metal surface with an aqueous solution of a silane compound and a silicon-based polyether copolymer.
US08372512B2	Polylactic acid-based resin foamed particles for in-mold foam-molding and method for producing the same, as well as method for producing polylactic acid-based resin foam-molded article The present invention provides a method for producing polylactic acid-based resin foamed particles for in-mold foam-molding from which a polylactic acid-based resin foam-molded article excellent in heat resistance and mechanical strength can be obtained by in-mold foam-molding. In the method of the present invention for producing polylactic acid-based resin foamed particles for in-mold foam-molding, a rotary blade is rotated at a given rotation speed while being always in contact with the front end surface of a nozzle and a polylactic acid-based resin extrudate extrusion-foamed through a nozzle is cut with the rotary blade, so that it is possible to cut the polylactic acid-based resin extrudate surely to obtain substantially spherical polylactic acid-based resin foamed particles. Therefore, when polylactic acid-based resin foamed particles are used for in-mold foam-molding, the polylactic acid-based resin foamed particles foam uniformly in all directions and, as a result, the foamed particles are thermal fusin bonded to unite together strongly in all direction.
US08372505B2	Anti-glare member, display and screen using the same An anti-glare member prevents reflection of external light by surfaces of displays or screens without causing reduction of contrast and glare of displayed images. The anti-glare member has an anti-glare layer comprising microparticles and a transparent binder wherein the microparticles are black microparticles having a value (n), obtained by dividing absolute value of complex index of refraction of the black microparticles by index of refraction of the transparent binder, of 0.95 to 1.05. The arithmetical mean roughness (Ra) according to JIS B0601:2001 of surface of the anti-glare layer is 0.3 to 1.0 μm.
US08372504B2	Transparent composite compound Provided is a non-hydrolytic transparent composite composition having excellent transparency and heat resistance, and a low thermal expansion coefficient. Particularly, the transparent composite composition includes a glass filler dispersed in a crosslinked transparent resin produced by a non-hydrolytic reaction. The non-hydrolytic transparent siloxane resin is a resin having Si—O (siloxane) bonds, a resin having at least one kind of heterometal bonds, including Si—O bonds, or the resin further containing other ingredients. When the transparent siloxane resin produced by a non-hydrolytic reaction forms a composite in combination with the glass filler, the composite realizes high transparency and heat resistance, as well as a low thermal expansion coefficient. Therefore, the transparent composite composition is useful as a substrate for thin film transistor (TFT) devices, display devices and optical devices.
US08372503B2	Formable tray A self-sustainable formable tray is presented which possesses the abilities to be formed in any form or manner as the application desires. The tray can be used in the medical field where flexibility, formability, sterility and cleavability are desirable. Though designed with several adaptations in purpose, there are a myriad of fields of applications. The formable tray is designed for repeatable forming and cleaning cycles. The uniqueness of the tray is the ability for the tray to conform to trays, mandrels and forms using only human supplied pressures. The formable tray includes two layers of silicone or similar sheeting completely encapsulating flexible stiffening means. This flexible stiffening means will hold the device in various configuration as designed by the user. This flexible stiffening means include a stainless steel membrane, which can be magnetic completely, spot magnetized or be non-magnetic at the users behest, a metallic mesh or metallic rods.
US08372499B2	Pressureless pipe comprising a multimodal polyethylene composition with an inorganic filler The present invention relates to a pipe or a supplementary pipe article comprising a polyethylene composition comprising a base resin which comprises (A) a first ethylene homo- or copolymer fraction, and (B) a second ethylene homo- or copolymer fraction, wherein fraction (A) has a lower average molecular weight than fraction (B), the base resin has a flexural modulus determined according to ISO 178 of 1000 MPa or higher, and the composition further comprises (C) an inorganic mineral filler, wherein inorganic mineral filler (C) is present in the composition in an amount of 1 to 70 wt. %, and to the use of said composition for the production of a pipe or a supplementary pipe article.
US08372498B2	Composite core densification A reinforcement tube for composite core densification and a composite article therewith.
US08372494B2	Inkjet print media An inkjet print medium includes a base substrate, a layer of a deinking solution at least partially diffused into the base substrate, and an ink-receiving layer established on the layer of the deinking solution. The deinking solution includes a flocculant in an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 40 wt. % of a total wt. % of the deinking solution.
US08372484B2	Anti-frost coating and the application method thereof The present invention provides an anti-frost coating, which forms a coat having a hydrophilic and hydrophobic composite structure after being applied on a substrate, and contains a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer. The application method of the anti-frost coating comprises: dissolving the hydrophilic polymer and the hydrophobic polymer in a solvent to form a homogeneous solution, coating the solution on a substrate to form a film, drying and curing to form an anti-frost coat with a hydrophilic and super-hydrophobic composite structure including a super-hydrophobic surface layer and a hydrophilic inner layer. Water drips can roll off easily and the dust and impurities deposited on the surface can be easily removed. The anti-frost effect is desirable.
US08372482B2	Methods and apparatus for controlled chemical vapor deposition A gas injector system is provided that allows for improved distribution and directional control of the vapor material in a CVD or CVI process. Gas injector systems may be used without experiencing significant clogging of gas injector tube apertures over multiple CVD procedures. Further, a gas injector system include a dual aperture release system and/or allow vapor material to flow both substantially horizontally and substantially vertically.
US08372481B2	Methods of forming material on a substrate, and a method of forming a field effect transistor gate oxide on a substrate The invention includes methods of forming material on a substrate and methods of forming a field effect transistor gate oxide. In one implementation, a first species monolayer is chemisorbed onto a substrate within a chamber from a gaseous first precursor. The first species monolayer is discontinuously formed over the substrate. The substrate having the discontinuous first species monolayer is exposed to a gaseous second precursor different from the first precursor effective to react with the first species to form a second species monolayer, and effective to form a reaction product of the second precursor with substrate material not covered by the first species monolayer. The substrate having the second species monolayer and the reaction product is exposed to a third gaseous substance different from the first and second precursors effective to selectively remove the reaction product from the substrate relative to the second species monolayer. Other implementations are contemplated.
US08372480B2	Coater/developer, method of coating and developing resist film, and computer readable storing medium A transfer flow is produced in accordance with a process recipe of a process to be carried out. In the transfer flow, a type of modules listed in accordance with a substrate transfer order is associated with a necessary staying time from when the substrate is transferred into a module by a substrate transfer unit to when the substrate is ready to be transferred back to the substrate transfer unit after the corresponding process is finished. A cycle limiting time is determined to be the longest necessary transfer cycle time among those obtained by dividing the necessary staying time by the number of the modules mounted in the coater/developer. The number of the modules to be used is determined to be a value obtained by dividing the necessary staying time by the cycle limiting time or a nearest integer to which the value is raised.
US08372476B2	Method of plasmonic crystal A method of designing a plasmonic crystal is provided. The method includes: determining an arrangement period of a plasmonic crystal formed on a metal surface at an interface between a dielectric and the metal in accordance with a dispersion relation of a surface plasmon polariton at the interface and a Bragg reflection condition of the surface plasmon polariton.
US08372475B2	Method for preparing cross-linked ceramic-coated separator containing ionic polymer, ceramic-coated separator prepared by the method, and lithium secondary battery using the same The present invention provides method for preparing a cross-linked ceramic-coated separator containing an ionic polymer, a ceramic-coated separator prepared by the method, and a lithium secondary battery using the same. According to preferred methods for preparing a cross-linked ceramic-coated separator, a coating material containing ceramic particles for improving thermal and mechanical characteristics, a functional inorganic compound for improving cycle characteristics and high rate characteristics of a battery, and an ionic polymer for bonding the ceramic particles and the functional inorganic compound on a porous membrane substrate is coated on the porous membrane substrate and subjected to chemical cross-linking.
US08372474B2	Method of making fuel cell components including a catalyst layer and a plurality of ionomer overcoat layers A process comprising: providing a substrate with a catalyst layer thereon; depositing a first ionomer overcoat layer over the catalyst layer, the first ionomer overcoat layer comprising an ionomer and a first solvent; drying the first ionomer overcoat layer to provide a first electrode ionomer overcoat layer; depositing a second ionomer overcoat layer over the first electrode ionomer overcoat layer, and wherein the second ionomer overcoat layer comprises an ionomer and a second solvent.
US08372469B2	Method for producing a piezoelectric film A method for producing a biocompatible material of the formula NaxKyNbO3, 0≦x≦0.8, 0.2≦y≦1, x+y=1 includes the steps of a) providing a Na-precursor and a K-precursor for NaxKyNbO3, b) mixing the precursors in solution wherein said precursors first react to form a sol and thereafter a gel, c) heat treating the gel to obtain an oxide of the material NaxKyNbO3, 0≦x≦0.8, 0.2≦y≦1, x+y=1. The material can be produced as a film, and the material or film can be provided on the exterior surface of a medical implant that will come into contact with body tissue and/or body fluids upon implantation thereof.
US08372454B2	Methods of making pomegranate compounds for the treatment of erectile dysfunction Various processes for producing an extract containing phytochemicals from pomegranates are disclosed. The processes generally comprise providing pomegranate solids, such as the pericarp, inner membrane and seeds; creating a mixture comprising the pomegranate solids in an aqueous solution; adding enzymes to the mixture in an amount sufficient to at least partially degrade the pomegranate solids; heating the mixture to a temperature that permits the maximum rate of catalysis of the enzyme; maintaining the temperature of the heated mixture for a time sufficient to allow at least partial degradation of the pomegranate solids; and removing residual insoluble solid materials from the mixture. Compositions containing the extract may be used as a food product, beverage, pharmaceutical preparations, nutritional supplements, vitamin supplements, food additives, and food supplements. The compositions may also be used for preventing or ameliorating disease conditions by administering an effective amount of the composition to a subject in need thereof.
US08372443B2	Methods and compositions for the treatment and prevention of citrus greening disease The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for the prevention of citrus greening disease. In one embodiment, there is provided a method for repelling or killing insect vectors of citrus greening disease comprising exposing the vectors to an effective amount of at least one volatile compound set forth in Tables 1 and 2 herein. In one embodiment, the volatile compound is dimethyl disulfide.
US08372442B2	Liquid nutritional composition for bariatric surgery patients A ready-to-consume liquid nutritional composition which is particularly suitable for use by morbidly obese patients pre- and post-bariatric surgery. The composition comprises an energy content between 80-160 kcal/100 ml, a protein content between 40-80 En %, a digestible carbohydrate content between 0-30 En %, a fat content between 5-40 En %, a soluble dietary fiber content between 1.5-8 g/100 kcal, and micronutrients. The micronutrients comprise calcium in an amount between 150-1000 mg/100 kcal, phosphorus in an amount between 100-1000 mg/100 kcal, with a Ca:P ratio of at least 1.0, iron in an amount between 4-50 mg/100 kcal, vitamin D in an amount between 2-400 mcg/100 kcal and vitamin B12 in an amount between 0.5-300 mcg/100 kcal.
US08372431B2	Pharmaceutical composition comprising licarbazepine acetate A pharmaceutical composition comprising licarbazepine acetate, especially eslicarbazepine acetate, in combination with suitable excipients, in particular a binder, and a disintegrant. Also disclosed is a granulation process, especially a wet granulation process, for making the pharmaceutical composition.
US08372422B2	Hydroxyapatite-targeting poly(ethylene glycol) and related polymers Isolatable, hydroxyapatite-targeting polymeric structures, and biologically active conjugates thereof, are provided. The polymeric structure includes a linear or branched water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer backbone, such as a PEG backbone, having at least two termini, a first terminus being covalently bonded to a hydroxyapatite-targeting moiety, such as a bisphosphonate, and a second terminus covalently bonded to a chemically reactive group, wherein said chemically reactive group is protected or unprotected. Methods of preparing and using hydroxyapatite-targeting polymeric structures, and biologically active conjugates thereof, are also provided.
US08372421B2	Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases in cardiovascular disease The present invention relates to methods for inhibiting subacute thrombosis and/or intimal hyperplasia following an interventional vascular procedure by contacting a blood vessel or a synthetic material with a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway inhibitor. The present invention further relates to vascular devices comprising a MAPK pathway inhibitor.
US08372417B2	Polymer composite film with barrier functionality Polymer composite material with barrier functionality, in particular for the use in fumigation methods, comprising at least one base polymer compound and at least one barrier functional layer, wherein the barrier functional layer comprises at least one binder that is cross-linkable and after cross-linking capable of water absorbing and gel-forming.
US08372413B2	Immunomodulatory polynucleotides and methods of using the same The invention provides immunomodulatory polynucleotides and methods for immunomodulation of individuals using the immunomodulatory polynucleotides.
US08372411B2	S. pneumoniae antigens The present invention discloses isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding a hyperimmune serum reactive antigen or a fragment thereof as well as hyperimmune serum reactive antigens or fragments thereof from S. pneumoniae, methods for isolating such antigens and specific uses thereof.
US08372409B2	Dendritic cell binding proteins and uses thereof The present invention provides novel peptides which specifically targets and binds to dendritic cells. Also provided are fusion compositions comprising these peptides and a non-dendritic protein of fragments thereof. Further provided are DNA sequences encoding these peptides and fusion compositions. Methods of using the peptides or fusion compositions to promote an immune responses in an individual via administration also are provided.
US08372403B2	Humanized anti-factor D antibodies and uses thereof The invention relates to humanized anti-human Factor D monoclonal antibodies, their nucleic acid and amino acid sequences, the cells and vectors that harbor these antibodies and their use in the preparation of compositions and medicaments for treatment of diseases and disorders associated with excessive or uncontrolled complement activation. These antibodies are useful for diagnostics, prophylaxis and treatment of disease.
US08372394B2	Compositions and methods for treating cartilage disease The present invention provides a composition for regenerating cartilage or treating a cartilage disease containing a monovalent metal salt of alginic acid for which the endotoxin level thereof has been lowered to an extent that does not substantially induce inflammation or fever. As a result, it is possible to provide a composition for regenerating cartilage that improves cartilage regenerative action and ease of application to a cartilage injury lesion, and a composition for treating a cartilage disease, which has the effects of protecting cartilage from mechanical irritation, inhibiting degenerative changes in cartilage caused by wear and inflammation, repairing a cartilage injury lesion, and inhibiting inflammation and pain of joint tissue.
US08372376B2	IM-13 crystallized solid and its process for preparation The invention relates to a crystallized solid, referred to by the name IM-13, which has an X-ray diffraction diagram as provided below. Said solid has a chemical composition that is expressed according to the general formula mXO2: nYO2: pZ2O3: qR: sF: wH2O, where R represents one or more organic radical(s), X represents one or more tetravalent element(s) different from germanium, Y represents germanium, Z represents at least one trivalent element, and F is fluorine.
US08372375B2	Method of producing high-purity hydrogen For recovering hydrogen with a high recovery from a reformed gas and contributing to downsizing and cost reduction of facilities, a high-purity hydrogen E is obtained by reforming a reformable raw material A through a reforming unit 1 to yield a hydrogen-rich reformed gas B, compressing the hydrogen-rich reformed gas B with a compressor 2, allowing the compressed gas to pass through a PSA unit 3 to remove unnecessary gases other than carbon monoxide by adsorption, and allowing the resulting gas to pass through a carbon monoxide remover 4 packed with a carbon monoxide adsorbent supporting a copper halide to remove carbon monoxide by adsorption.
US08372374B2	Method and apparatus for electrokinetic co-generation of hydrogen and electric power from liquid water microjets A method and apparatus for producing both a gas and electrical power from a flowing liquid, the method comprising: a) providing a source liquid containing ions that when neutralized form a gas; b) providing a velocity to the source liquid relative to a solid material to form a charged liquid microjet, which subsequently breaks up into a droplet spay, the solid material forming a liquid-solid interface; and c) supplying electrons to the charged liquid by contacting a spray stream of the charged liquid with an electron source. In one embodiment, where the liquid is water, hydrogen gas is formed and a streaming current is generated.The apparatus comprises a source of pressurized liquid, a microjet nozzle, a conduit for delivering said liquid to said microjet nozzle, and a conductive metal target sufficiently spaced from said nozzle such that the jet stream produced by said microjet is discontinuous at said target. In one arrangement, with the metal nozzle and target electrically connected to ground, both hydrogen gas and a streaming current are generated at the target as it is impinged by the streaming, liquid spray microjet.
US08372369B2	Enhancing hydrogen spillover and storage Methods for enhancing hydrogen spillover and storage are disclosed. One embodiment of the method includes doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, and exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonication as doping occurs. Another embodiment of the method includes doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, and exposing the doped hydrogen receptor to a plasma treatment.
US08372366B2	NOx purifying catalyst Disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst which is capable of removing NOx sufficiently efficiently even during operations at low temperatures such as operations in diesel cars. Specifically disclosed is a NOx purifying catalyst for processing NOx in an exhaust gas by performing lean/rich control of air/fuel ratio of the exhaust gas. This NOx purifying catalyst comprises at least a first catalyst layer containing a β zeolite containing iron element and a cerium oxide material and a second catalyst layer containing a noble metal, a cerium oxide material and a heat-resistant inorganic oxide. The second catalyst layer and the first catalyst layer are sequentially arranged on a carrier in such a manner that the first catalyst layer forms the uppermost layer.
US08372351B2	Glucose monitoring system with wireless communications A glucose monitor having only a test strip reader and wireless transmission to a remote hand held calculation processor. All glucose data processing occurs in a remote hand held calculator processor with the glucose monitor providing only sensing and wireless transfer of data. In an embodiment, the glucose monitor includes a button for use in wirelessly pairing the monitor to a smart phone for data communication with a non-proprietary communication protocol, and a light source to communicate the progress of the pairing. In a further embodiment, the glucose monitor includes a switch coupled to the strip reader such that power is applied to the monitor when a test strip is inserted and power is removed with the withdrawal of the test strip. In another embodiment, inserting the test strip and activating the switch also places the glucose monitor into the pairing search mode to communication with a host remote processor.
US08372350B2	Tunnel for conditioning of products, especially for sterilization of food in prepackaged containers A tunnel is provided for conditioning of food products, especially for sterilization of food in containers or vessels of the heat-sealed type, in which the conditioning unit has: 1) an active pressure control system corresponding to at least one heating stage, which provides for balancing of the pressure within the heat-sealed vessels or containers; and 2) a conveyor which conveys the heat-sealed vessels or containers through the stages along the conditioning unit which contains mechanisms that move the conveyor outside of the conditioning tunnel, and 3) doors operating like check valves that separate the stages of the conditioning unit; and 4) a cross section of the tunnel of the polygonal type; and 5) the conditioning unit including inlets for introduction of washing liquids with a corresponding discharge outlet. Preferably, the magnetrons are covered to protect each magnetron from liquids. In preferred embodiments, the conditioning tunnel includes temperature sensors for measuring the temperature of products within the tunnel. Moreover, preferably the conveyor is adjustable to move forward and rearward, and the magnetrons are adjustable to provide a controllably moveable magnetic field. A controller is connected to the temperature sensors, conveyor and magnetrons to cause the conveyor to move products forward or rearward, or cause the magnetrons to move the magnetic field relative to the food products to more thoroughly and evenly cook the food products.
US08372349B1	Air freshener An air freshener including a housing having a reservoir chamber, a dispenser, a pump intermediate the reservoir and the dispenser, a pad, at least one fan proximate the pad, and wherein the dispenser transfers a scented liquid onto the pad and the at least one fan directs air flow proximate the pad.
US08372343B2	Multiple coagulation test cartridge and method of using same Embodiments of the present invention relate to multiple coagulation test cartridges and methods of using such cartridges. In one embodiment the cartridge is a disposable single-use cartridge for use in evaluating blood clotting. The cartridge includes multiple containers, such as tubes, each of which includes one or more coagulation affecting substances. The containers can be pre-filled with substances in amounts suitable for use with a single patient's blood sample. The cartridge may include one or more containers, each of which has multiple sections, or volumes, each section storing a different coagulation affecting substance. In another embodiment the cartridge is used in a method for determining at least one appropriate coagulation affecting substance for modifying a patient's coagulation status using a multiple coagulation test system.
US08372322B2	Process for the formation of pores in a polymer matrix The invention relates to a process for the formation of pores of controlled shape, dimensions and distribution in a polymer matrix comprising a step of embedding silicon nanowires and/or nanotrees in a nonpolymerized polymer matrix or a nonpolymerized polymer matrix in suspension or in solution in at least one solvent, a step of curing the polymer matrix, and a step of removing the silicon nanowires and/or nanotrees by chemical treatment. The process of the invention can be used for the manufacture of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell active layer. The invention has applications in the field of manufacture of proton exchange membrane fuel cells, in particular.
US08372317B2	Method of casting plastic lens starting material liquid and casting apparatus and method of manufacturing plastic lens A method of casting a plastic lens starting material liquid using a casting apparatus comprising at least a mixing and discharging part and a casting part, and casting a plastic lens starting material liquid sequentially into multiple casting molds. Discharge of the plastic lens starting material liquid from the mixing and discharging part is halted based on a discharge halt preparation completion signal transmitted by the casting part, the discharge that has been halted is recommenced (1) at least based on a discharge recommencement preparation completion signal transmitted by the casting part or (2) by reception by the mixing and discharging part of a forced discharge start signal transmitted upon elapsing a predetermined time following halting of the discharge or following reception of the discharge halt preparation completion signal without transmission of a discharge recommencement preparation completion signal by the casting part, and the stirring in the mixing and discharging part is continued during the period when the discharge is halted.
US08372311B2	Process for biomass conversion to synthesis gas Biomass is processed through a biomass fractioning system that creates, through the application of selective temperature ramps and pressure shocks, a series of useful volatile components and BMF char, wherein the BMF char is reacted sacrificially with any one stream of methane, carbon dioxide, steam or oxygen to create highly pure synthesis gas with a controllable range of compositions. The resulting synthesis gas may be used in any desired manner, including conversion to oxygenates such as methanol and dimethyl ether, and to hydrocarbons.
US08372302B2	Magnesium chloride and potassium sulfate deicer Deicing compositions comprising magnesium chloride and potassium sulfate are provided. The compositions are pet friendly and have less of a detrimental impact on the environment and vegetation than prior art compositions. Methods of reducing or preventing the build-up of ice or snow on various surfaces are also provided.
US08372301B2	Estolide compositions exhibiting high oxidative stability Provided herein are estolide compositions having high oxidative stability, said compositions comprising at least one compound of formula: in which n is an integer equal to or greater than 0; m is an integer equal to or greater than 1; R1, independently for each occurrence, is selected from optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; R2 is selected from hydrogen and optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched; and R3 and R4, independently for each occurrence, are selected from optionally substituted alkyl that is saturated or unsaturated, and branched or unbranched. Also provided herein are uses for the compositions and methods of preparing the same.
US08372300B2	Additives for electrolyte solution and electrolyte solution An additive of the formula (1) for use in electrolytic solutions wherein A is —CH(X)— or —C═C(X)—, X being hydrogen, halogen, alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonyl having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, benzoyl or alkoxycarbonylalkyl having 3 to 9 carbon atoms, Q1 and Q2 are the same or different and are each alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkoxyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonylalkyl having 3 to 9 carbon atoms or amino having as a substituent alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and A, Q1 and Q2 may form a ring structure.
US08372286B2	Method for production of separation media The present invention relates to a method for production of separation media using a so called Spinning Disc technology wherein the porosities of the beads are optimized in such a way that a desired biomolecule may be separated from a complex sample. The method comprises the following steps: a) feeding a 4-8% polysaccharide solution, which has a viscosity within 350-450 mPas, at 65-75° C. to one or more spinning discs at 3001-3010 rpm to form polysaccharide beads; b) capturing said formed polysaccharide beads in a capturing bath; wherein the porosity of the polysaccharide beads is controlled by varying the temperature of the capturing between 15 and 27° C., preferably between 17.5 and 24.6° C. The method yields porosities that prevent molecules larger than 150 000 g/mol to diffuse into the beads. The invention also relates to separation media produced by the method and use thereof for purification of biomolecules, in particular monoclonal antibodies.
US08372282B2	Mixing chamber A membrane module (5) including a plurality of porous membranes (6) extending in an array and mounted, at least at one end, in a header (8). The header (8) has a number of distribution apertures (11) for distributing a fluid into the module (5) and along a surface or surfaces of the membranes (6). An elongate chamber (10) having one open end (13) and another end is in fluid communication with the distribution apertures (11) for distributing the fluid to the distribution apertures (11).
US08372281B1	Scraper adjustment mechanism and method A scraper adjustment mechanism and method for a filter that permits an operator to adjust the distance between the scraper and a filter surface without the need to have access to the filter/scraper interface, or fasteners within the filter.
US08372279B2	Integrated high throughput system for the analysis of biomolecules Described is an affinity microcolumn comprising a high surface area material, which has high flow properties and a low dead volume, contained within a housing and having affinity reagents bound to the surface of the high surface area material that are either activated or activatable. The affinity reagents bound to the surface of the affinity microcolumn further comprise affinity receptors for the integration into high throughput analysis of biomolecules.
US08372273B2	Water purifying filter assembly module There is provided a water purifying filter assembly module that a water purifying filter can be easily released from or assembled with. The water purifying filter assembly module may include: a filter assembly head having a water purifying filter assembled on one side thereof, the filter assembly head configured such that water to be filtered flows into the water purifying filter and the water, filtered through the water purifying filter, is discharged to an outside thereof; and a module body having the filter assembly head rotatably provided therein, the water purifying filter being released from or assembled on the filter assembly head as the water purifying filter is aligned and rotates with the filter assembly head.
US08372268B2	High surface area composition for use in the catalytic hydroconversion of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, a method making such composition and its use A catalyst composition that is especially useful in the hydroconversion of pitch, micro carbon residue and sulfur contents of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock without the excessive formation of sediment. The catalyst composition is a reasonably high surface area composition containing alumina and a low molybdenum content with a high ratio of nickel-to-molybdenum. The catalyst composition further has a unique pore distribution that in combination with the special metals loading provide for good conversion of pitch and micro carbon residue without an excessive yield of sediment.
US08372266B2	Systems and methods for producing a crude product Systems and methods for hydroprocessing a heavy oil feedstock, the system employs a plurality of contacting zones and separation zones and an interstage solvent deasphalting unit. The contacting zones operate under hydrocracking conditions, employing a slurry catalyst for upgrading the heavy oil feedstock, forming upgraded products of lower boiling hydrocarbons. In the separation zones which operates at a temperature within 20° F. and a pressure within 10 psi of the pressure in the contacting zones, upgraded products are removed overhead and optionally, further treated in an in-line hydrotreater. At least a portion of the non-volatile fractions recovered from at least one of the separation zones is sent to the interstage solvent deasphalting unit, for separating unconverted heavy oil feedstock into deasphalted oil and asphaltenes. The deasphalted oil stream is sent to one of the contacting zones for further upgrade.
US08372264B2	System and method for introducing an additive into a coking process to improve quality and yields of coker products Heavy gas oil components, coking process recycle, and heavier hydrocarbons in the delayed coking process are cracked in the coking vessel by injecting a catalytic additive into the vapors above the gas/liquid-solid interface in the coke drum during the coking cycle. The additive comprises cracking catalyst(s) and quenching agent(s), alone or in combination with seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), carrier fluid(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack these components. The quenching effect of the additive can be effectively used to condense the highest boiling point compounds of the traditional recycle onto the catalyst(s), thereby focusing the catalyst exposure to these target reactants. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can also provide methods to (1) reduce coke production, (2) reduce fuel gas production, and (3) increase liquids production.
US08372261B2	Small volume in vitro analyte sensor and methods of making A sensor utilizing a non-leachable or diffusible redox mediator is described. The sensor includes a sample chamber to hold a sample in electrolytic contact with a working electrode, and in at least some instances, the sensor also contains a non-leachable or a diffusible second electron transfer agent. The sensor and/or the methods used produce a sensor signal in response to the analyte that can be distinguished from a background signal caused by the mediator. The invention can be used to determine the concentration of a biomolecule, such as glucose or lactate, in a biological fluid, such as blood or serum, using techniques such as coulometry, amperometry, and potentiometry. An enzyme capable of catalyzing the electrooxidation or electroreduction of the biomolecule is typically provided as a second electron transfer agent.
US08372259B2	Method of preparing chromium plating bath and method of forming plating film A chromium plating bath containing trivalent chromium ions and hexavalent chromium ions is prepared by a method including the steps of: (A) mixing chromic acid and an organic acid in an aqueous solution containing these acids and reducing chromic acid by the organic acid so as to prepare an aqueous solution not containing hexavalent chromium ions; (B) adding a pH adjustor to the aqueous solution not containing hexavalent chromium ions so as to adjust pH to a value of 1 to 4; and (C) further adding chromic acid to the aqueous solution not containing hexavalent chromium ions and having undergone the pH adjustment so as to prepare an aqueous solution containing trivalent chromium ions and hexavalent chromium ions. The chromium plating bath containing both trivalent chromium ions and hexavalent chromium ions can be prepared while easily and assuredly adjusting the contents (content ratio) of trivalent chromium ions and hexavalent chromium ions to predetermined values (a predetermined value).
US08372254B2	Anode structure for copper electrowinning An electrode for use in producing copper in either a conventional electrowinning cell or the direct electrowinning cell is provided. The electrode includes a hanger bar and an electrode body coupled with the hanger bar. The electrode body includes at least one conductor rod having a core and an outer layer surrounding the core and a substrate coupled with the conductor rod.
US08372251B2	System for protecting gasifier surfaces from corrosion According to various embodiments, a system includes a gasifier that includes a shell made of a first material exposed to a gasification region inside the gasifier and a patterned anode layer coupled to the shell inside the gasifier. The patterned anode layer is made of a second material, and the patterned anode layer is configured to protect the shell from corrosion by condensing hot gas in the gasification region.
US08372246B2	Multiaxial fabrics The present invention provides a multilayer multiaxial woven fabric for a papermachine having a reduced interference pattern and accordingly improved dewatering uniformity. The present invention also provides a method of forming such multilayer multiaxial fabric.
US08372243B2	Paper substrates containing high surface sizing and low internal sizing and having high dimensional stability This invention relates to a paper substrate containing high surface sizing and low internal sizing and having high dimensional stability, as well as methods of making and using the composition.
US08372240B2	Production line for hydraulic binder-based, tapered-edge boards The subject of the invention is a novel plasterboard and its manufacturing processes. The novel board comprises, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges and, on the other side, two other, second, parallel feathered edges that are perpendicular to the first ones; or, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges and, either on the same side or on the other side, two second parallel feathered edges that are perpendicular to the first ones, the said other parallel feathered edges having a width of between 100 and 200 mm; or, on one side, two first parallel feathered edges and, either on the same side or on the other side, two second parallel feathered edges that are perpendicular to the first ones, the said second parallel feathered edges having a width such that the ratio of the width of the said second parallel feathered edges to the width of the said first parallel feathered edges is between 1.5 and 5.
US08372239B2	Plasma processing apparatus An inductively-coupled-plasma (ICP) type plasma processing apparatus is provided. The plasma processing includes an antenna which is substantially straight in a plan view of the antenna. A plasma is generated for performing a plasma treatment to a substrate when a high frequency current is applied to the antenna to form an electric field in a vacuum container. The antenna includes two go-and-return conductors closely disposed to each other in an up-down direction, wherein the up-down direction is perpendicular to a surface of the substrate, and the high frequency current is applied to flow in opposite directions between the two go-and-return conductors. An interval is defined by a distance between the two go-and-return conductors in the up-down direction, varies in a longitudinal direction of the antenna.
US08372238B2	Multiple-electrode plasma processing systems with confined process chambers and interior-bussed electrical connections with the electrodes Apparatus for treating products with plasma generated from a source gas. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a plurality of juxtaposed electrodes arranged in adjacent pairs inside the vacuum chamber, and a plasma excitation source electrically coupled with the electrodes. The apparatus may include conductive members extending into the interior of each electrode to establish a respective electrical connection with the plasma excitation source. The apparatus may include a gas distribution manifold and multiple gas delivery tubes coupled with the gas distribution manifold. Each gas delivery tube has an injection port configured to inject the source gas between each adjacent pair of electrodes. The apparatus may further include flow restricting members that operate to partially obstruct a peripheral gap between each adjacent pair of electrodes, which restricts the escape of the source gas from the process chamber between each adjacent pair of electrodes.
US08372237B2	Process for obtaining CCM with subgaskets A continuous process for applying subgaskets to surfaces of CCM subassemblies, comprising: a) preparation of a roll (A), wherein on each of two surfaces, electrocatalytic layers longitudinally distributed at regular intervals are applied; b) preparation of two subgasket rolls (B) wherein, on a subgasket sheet, in correspondence to the position of the electrocatalytic layers in the roll (A), openings are made; the percent ratio (subgasket opening area)/(electrocatalytic layer area) being between 90% and 99%; c) hot lamination of two rolls (B) with the roll (A); the step being carried out so that the perimeter of the openings of the two rolls (B) falls inside the area of the electrocatalytic layers, and obtaining a roll (C), wherein on each of the two surfaces of the sheet formed of a CCM sequence (roll (A)) a subgasket sheet (roll (B)) is applied.
US08372234B2	Injection molded footwear and related method of manufacture A method of manufacturing footwear includes providing a modular forepart and a modular rearpart, overlapping these parts along an overlap margin a preselected distance, and permanently joining the parts to selectively manufacture footwear of at least two different sizes, for example, a full size or a half size or some other partial size. The forepart and rearpart can be injection molded from one or more polymeric materials in a mold. The polymeric materials can be bonded to a sheet of material which can be at least partially retained in a three-dimensional, contoured shape by the polymeric material. The molded polymeric material can form a supportive and/or structural exoskeleton in an upper portion of the footwear. The exoskeleton can define one or more holes through which the sheet is visible to form one or more aesthetic regions on the upper. An article of footwear constructed with the method is also provided.
US08372225B2	Machine and method for pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical-like product assembly A method and apparatus for assembling a plurality of independently formed solid components is provided thereby forming a single delivery vehicle for a pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical-like product. The solid components can be held and fed to the apparatus via a plurality of magazines. Pusher rods and the like can be used for positioning each of the solid components. Where the components are connected via a bonding liquid, a sprayer is provided and compression pins or the like press the components with the bonding liquid together to form the final product. A rivet or other connection structure can also be used and driven through holes in each of the solid components to form the final product.
US08372223B1	Gas generant with autoignition function A novel auto-ignition/gas generating composition contains a primary fuel selected from salts of azoles, alkyl tetrazoles, and mixtures thereof; a secondary fuel selected from salts of organic acids; and a primary oxidizer selected from metal nitrates. A tertiary fuel may also be provided and is selected from organic acids. Gas generators and gas generating systems incorporating the novel compositions are also contemplated.
US08372222B2	Method of producing locally austempered ductile iron A system and method for producing locally austempered ductile iron includes a computer program for closely controlling the heating and cooling of an iron part or workpiece. The process allows for the austempering of a relatively low cost iron workpiece to produce significantly higher quality end products. The locally austempered regions may be formed to a substantial controlled depth.
US08372221B2	Manufacturing method of steel sheet for cans A method provides a slab by continuous casting of a steel having a component composition of, in mass %, C: 0.005% or less, Mn: 0.05 to 0.5%, Al: 0.01 to 0.10%, N: 0.0010 to 0.0070%, B: 0.15×N to 0.75×N (0.15 to 0.75 in terms of B/N), and one or both of Nb: 4×C to 20×C (4 to 20 in terms of Nb/C) and Ti: 2×C to l0×C (2 to 10 in terms of Ti/C), and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurity elements; rough rolling the slab; finish rolling the rough-rolled slab wherein 5% or more and less than 50% of the total amount of rolling reduction in the finish rolling is hot-rolled at a temperature lower than the Ar3 transformation point; winding the hot-rolled steel sheet at a winding temperature of 640 to 750 ° C.; pickling the coiled steel sheet; cold rolling the pickled steel sheet at a rolling reduction rate of 88 to 96%; and annealing the cold-rolled steel sheet in a temperature range of higher than 400 ° C. to a temperature that is 20 ° C. lower than the recrystallization temperature.
US08372218B2	Magnet core and method for its production Magnet cores pressed using a powder of nanocrystalline or amorphous particles and a pressing additive should be characterized by minimal iron losses. These particles have first surfaces represented by the original strip surfaces and second surfaces represented by surfaces produced in a pulverization process, the overwhelming majority of these second particle surfaces being smooth cut or fracture surfaces without any plastic deformation, the proportion T of areas of plastic deformation of the second particle surfaces being 0≦T≦0.5.
US08372214B2	Vapor extractor for a warewasher A vapor extraction apparatus for a warewasher includes a housing in which a water-steam separation media is mounted. The housing has an inlet for receiving hot, humid air, water vapor and steam from a washing chamber of a warewasher, a blower for drawing the hot, humid air, water vapor and steam into the housing across the water-steam separation media, and an outlet for air dehumidified and cooled by the water-steam separation media to exit the housing. A duct connects the inlet to a washing chamber of a warewasher, and a bypass damper can be connected to the duct. The bypass damper is operable in a first position to permit air, water vapor and steam from the washing chamber to be drawn into the housing and in a second position to permit ambient room air to be drawn into the housing for cooling the vapor extraction apparatus.
US08372207B1	Method of and apparatus for maintaining hygiene for upper extremity amputation or hemiplegia A one handed hand washer/scrubber is provided enclosed in a self contained, counter placeable housing having an entry orifice at one side for insertion of a user's hand. A sensor monitors the entry orifice for detection of a user's hand accessing a washing cavity within the housing. Two scrubbing web assemblies are housed within the washing cavity, each having a proximal stepper motor placed near the entry orifice, opposite a second stepper motor spaced distally therefrom. Each stepper motor attaches to and supports a sanitizer, disinfectant, soap or cleanser soaked web draped between, and are used to dispense a new section of web for each subsequent use and to reciprocate a working section of web front to back (or back and forth) during use. A series of foam rollers align the rear of the working section of web. The rollers are spring urged to allow for intimate contact of the web against the variable contours of a users hand.
US08372203B2	Apparatus temperature control and pattern compensation A film formation system 10 includes a processing chamber 15 bounded by sidewalls 18 and a top cover 11. In one embodiment, a susceptor 16 is rotatably disposed in the system 10, and overlaps with a first peripheral member 205 disposed around the sidewalls 18. A radiant heating system 313 is disposed under the susceptor 305 to heat the substrate 19. In another embodiment, the top cover 11 has equally spaced pyrometers 58 for measuring the temperature of the substrate 19 across a number of zones. The temperature of the substrate 19 is obtained from pyrometric data from the pyrometers 58.
US08372194B1	Methods of forming a doped semiconductor thin film, doped semiconductor thin film structures, doped silane compositions, and methods of making such compositions Methods for forming doped silane and/or semiconductor thin films, doped liquid phase silane compositions useful in such methods, and doped semiconductor thin films and structures. The composition is generally liquid at ambient temperatures and includes a Group IVA atom source and a dopant source. By irradiating a doped liquid silane during at least part of its deposition, a thin, substantially uniform doped oligomerized/polymerized silane film may be formed on a substrate. Such irradiation is believed to convert the doped silane film into a relatively high-molecular weight species with relatively high viscosity and relatively low volatility, typically by cross-linking, isomerization, oligomerization and/or polymerization. A film formed by the irradiation of doped liquid silanes can later be converted (generally by heating and annealing/recrystallization) into a doped, hydrogenated, amorphous silicon film or a doped, at least partially polycrystalline silicon film suitable for electronic devices. Thus, the present invention enables use of high throughput, low cost equipment and techniques for making doped semiconductor films of commercial quality and quantity from doped “liquid silicon.”
US08372193B2	Cellulose-based masterbatch with improved breaking elongation, application thereof and method for preparing the same Disclosed herein is a thermoplastic cellulosic composition for preparing a cellulose-based masterbatch and/or a fiber with an improved breaking elongation. In one example, the thermoplastic cellulosic composition includes an esterified cellulose present in a range of about 77 wt % to about 95 wt %, polyethylene glycol present in a range of about 4.5 wt % to about 15 wt %, a bifunctional reactant present in a range of about 0.01 wt % to about 3 wt %, an initiator present in a range of about 0.01 wt % to about 0.15 wt %, and a dispersing agent present in a range of about 0.01 wt % to about 5 wt %.
US08372185B2	Apparatus and method of enhancing the quality of high-moisture materials and separating and concentrating organic and/or non-organic material contained therein The present invention harvests and utilizes fluidized bed drying technology and waste heat streams augmented by other available heat sources to dry feedstock or fuel. This method is useful in many industries, including coal-fired power plants. Coal is dried using the present invention before it goes to coal pulverizers and on to the furnace/boiler arrangement to improve boiler efficiency and reduce emissions. This is all completed in a low-temperature, open-air system. Also included is an apparatus for segregating particulate by density and/or size including a fluidizing bed having a particulate receiving inlet for receiving particulate to be fluidized. This is useful for segregating contaminants like sulfur and mercury from the product stream.
US08372177B1	Method of synthesizing tungsten nanoparticles A method to synthesize tungsten nanoparticles has been developed that enables synthesis of nanometer-scale, monodisperse particles that can be stabilized only by tetrahydrofuran. The method can be used at room temperature, is scalable, and the product concentrated by standard means. Since no additives or stabilizing surfactants are required, this method is particularly well suited for producing tungsten nanoparticles for dispersion in polymers. If complete dispersion is achieved due to the size of the nanoparticles, then the optical properties of the polymer can be largely maintained.
US08372175B2	Pleated filter with bimodal monolayer monocomponent media A pleated filter is made from a monocomponent monolayer nonwoven web containing a bimodal mass fraction/fiber size mixture of intermingled larger size and smaller size continuous monocomponent polymeric fibers of the same polymeric composition. Rows of pleats are formed in the nonwoven web, and the pleated web is cut to a desired size and shape to provide a filter element containing a self-supporting porous monocomponent monolayer matrix of fibers bonded to one another at least some points of fiber intersection and having an average initial submicron efficiency of at least 15% at a 1.52 meters/sec face velocity. The filter element is deformation resistant without requiring stiffening layers, bicomponent fibers or other reinforcing measures in the filter media layer.
US08372170B2	Fuel steam reformer system and reformer startup process A hydrogen generation system is disclosed that has a vaporization section receiving and vaporizing fuel along with water and passing the vapor to a reformer catalyst section heated by a combustor section which generates reformate gas and is fueled by off-gas from a H2 purification unit along with a combustion air source. The off-gas outlet feeds the combustor section in the reformer assembly to heat the catalyst section and the vaporization section. An H2 storage unit connected to the H2 purification unit pure H2 outlet receives the pure H2. The storage unit has an outlet selectively connectable to the reformer assembly process inlet during startup without the need for a spark igniter. The startup process includes generating heat in the combustor section of the reformer assembly by passing H2 from the H2 storage unit through the vaporization section, the reformer catalyst section, the H2 purification unit and through the off-gas connection to the combustor section, then introducing water and fuel through the vaporization section and reformer catalyst section to generate reformate gas when the system is warmed, passing the reformate gas through the H2 purification unit to the off-gas connection to the combustor section, and establishing a back pressure on the reformer catalyst section and vaporizer section to decrease the hydrogen flow from the H2 storage unit until the system is fully sustainable without addition of H2 from the H2 storage unit.
US08372168B2	Hydrogen generating fuel cartridge with volume exchange configuration A hydrogen generation fuel cartridge system which can be removably connected to a fuel cell power module is disclosed. The removable hydrogen generation fuel cartridge comprises a fuel storage module and a hydrogen generation system balance of plant (BOP) that is interchangeable with each module. All controls are preferably contained in the BOP. A heat exchanger may be employed to control the temperature of the cartridge and components such as the reaction chamber.
US08372163B2	Method of forming solid state electrolyte having high lithium ion conduction and battery incorporating same A method for making ion conducting films includes the use of primary inorganic chemicals, which are preferably water soluble; formulating the solution with appropriate solvent, preferably deionized water; and spray depositing the solid electrolyte matrix on a heated substrate, preferably at 100 to 400° C. using a spray deposition system. In the case of lithium, the deposition step is then followed by lithiation or addition of lithium, then thermal processing, at temperatures preferably ranging between 100 and 500° C., to obtain a high lithium ion conducting inorganic solid state electrolyte. The method may be used for other ionic conductors to make electrolytes for various applications. The electrolyte may be incorporated into a lithium ion battery.
US08372158B2	Obesity treatment and device A method and apparatus are disclosed for treating obesity includes an artificial fistula created between gastrointestinal organs such as between the stomach and the colon. The method includes selecting an implant comprising a passageway having an internal lumen with an inlet end and an outlet end. The passageway is positioned passing through a first wall of first gastrointestinal organ (for example, passing through the wall of the stomach) and a second wall of a second gastrointestinal organ (for example, passing through the wall of the large intestine) with the inlet end disposed within an interior of the first gastrointestinal organ and with the outlet disposed within an interior of the second gastrointestinal organ.
US08372150B2	Spinal device and method An artificial spinal joint, for creating at least a portion of a coupling between a superior vertebra and an inferior vertebra, comprises an anterior joint replacement component sized to extend into an intervertebral disc space between the superior and inferior vertebrae. The anterior joint replacement component includes a left anterior member separated and spaced apart from a right anterior member. The artificial spinal joint further comprises a bridge component coupled at a first end to the anterior joint replacement and sized to extend posteriorly outside the intervertebral disc space. The bridge component includes a left bridge member separated and spaced apart from a right bridge member. The artificial spinal joint further comprises a posterior joint replacement component coupled to a second end of the bridge component. The posterior joint replacement component includes a left posterior member separated and spaced apart from a right posterior member.
US08372144B2	Implant with a base body of a biocorrodible iron alloy A base body for an implant comprising a biocorrodible iron alloy including at least one of the following: (i) a biocorrodible iron alloy of formula Fe—P where P is 0.01-5 wt %, and Fe plus impurities account for the remainder up to 100 wt %; or (ii) a biocorrodible iron alloy of formula Fe—Mn—X where Mn is 5-30 wt %, X is at least one of Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh, Re, Ru and Os, and X is 0-20 wt % and Fe plus impurities account for the remainder up to 100 wt %; or (iii) a biocorrodible iron alloy of formula Fe—Z where Z is at least one of Pt, Ir and Os and Z is 5-30 wt %, and Fe plus impurities account for the remainder up to 100 wt %.
US08372140B2	Implantable valve prosthesis with independent frame elements An implantable valve prosthesis is provided. The valve prosthesis includes a frame structure having first and second independent frame elements. A graft member is attached to both the first and second frame elements and includes a closure member, such as a valve leaflet. The closure member is movable between a first position that allows fluid flow through the prosthesis in a first, antegrade direction and a second position that restricts flow through the prosthesis in a second, retrograde direction.
US08372139B2	In vivo sensor and method of making same Implantable in vivo sensors used to monitor physical, chemical or electrical parameters within a body. The in vivo sensors are integral with an implantable medical device and are responsive to externally or internally applied energy. Upon application of energy, the sensors undergo a phase change in at least part of the material of the device which is then detected external to the body by conventional techniques such as radiography, ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, radio frequency imaging or the like. The in vivo sensors of the present invention may be employed to provide volumetric measurements, flow rate measurements, pressure measurements, electrical measurements, biochemical measurements, temperature, measurements, or measure the degree and type of deposits within the lumen of an endoluminal implant, such as a stent or other type of endoluminal conduit. The in vivo sensors may also be used therapeutically to modulate mechanical and/or physical properties of the endoluminal implant in response to the sensed or monitored parameter.
US08372115B2	Bone support device, system and method A bone support and/or barrier device and having an implantable structure including an outer surface, an inner surface, a first bone contact portion, and a second bone contact portion. The structure is collapsible to an undeployed configuration capable of percutaneous insertion to the interior of a bone and expandable to a deployed configuration in the bone. In the deployed configuration, the first bone contact portion contacts a first portion of the bone, and the second bone contact portion contacts a second portion of the bone such that a load placed on the first portion of the bone is transferred through the implantable structure to the second portion of the bone. The implantable structure includes a barrier material adapted to restrict bone filler material inserted into the bone adjacent the inner surface of the structure from flowing to the outer surface of the structure. A method is also disclosed.
US08372114B2	Over-the-wire exclusion device and system for delivery A modification to allow delivery of a two port medical flow restrictor over a guidewire, and a means to mechanically collapse the new device. A thin walled, foil-like shell, is compacted for delivery. The invention includes the device, delivery assemblies, and methods of placing, and using, the device. A device with an aneurysm lobe and an artery lobe self-aligns its waist at the neck of an aneurysm as the device shell is pressure expanded. Mechanical force collapses both the aneurysm lobe and the artery lobe, captivating the neck of the aneurysm and securing the device. The device works for aneurysms at bifurcations and aneurysms near side-branch arteries. The device, unlike endovascular coiling, excludes the weak neck of the aneurysm from circulation, while leaving the aneurysm relatively empty. Unlike stent-based exclusion, the device does not block perforator arteries. This exclusion device can also limit flow through body lumens or orifices.
US08372113B2	Curved arm intracardiac occluder Disclosed herein are devices and methods for occluding intracardiac defects, for example, a patent foramen ovale (PFO). The devices according to the invention have various features that enhance the flexibility of the device and improve the device's ability to conform to the location of the intracardiac defect. In particular, intracardiac occluders with curved arms are disclosed.
US08372106B2	Body piercing assembly Apparatuses and methods for a ornamental piercing of body parts are disclosed. Various embodiments of the invention employ a coupling needle in a cartridge which is used to pierce a body part and subsequently detached and replaced with a nut (such as a spherical cap). The coupling needle in the cartridge may be implemented as a component in a piercing system, e.g. using a sterile, disposable cartridge that is operated with a piercing gun. After piercing, the coupling needle may be used to draw a coupled ornamental piece through the pierced hole after which the coupling needle is detached and a nut or spherical cap is attached in its place to complete the piercing. The ornamental piece may be coupled to the coupling needle within the cartridge and operated with the piercing system or it may be attached after piercing.
US08372096B2	Ring vessel dissector/harvester device A ring dissector/harvester device for dissecting and harvesting a vessel has a capture tool that is co-axially positioned around the vessel to at least temporarily hold the vessel. A sealing tool is coaxially positioned within the capture tool and is axially movable with respect to the capture tool. The sealing tool and the capture tool are engaged to cauterize a branch from the vessel and to seal the cauterized branch and vessel.
US08372092B2	Applicator instruments having protective carriers for hemostats and methods therefor An instrument for controlling bleeding includes an outer shaft, an intermediate shaft telescopically received within a central lumen of the outer shaft, and an inner shaft telescopically received within a central lumen of the intermediate shaft, the inner shaft having a proximal end and a distal end that extends distally from the intermediate shaft. The instrument includes a hemostat disposed at the distal end of the inner shaft, and a fluid-resistant element connected to the distal end of the outer shaft and surrounding the hemostat. The fluid-resistant element has a breakable, fluid-resistant seal at a distal end thereof that protects the hemostat from fluids until the hemostat is delivered and deployed onto tissue. In one embodiment, the instrument includes an inflatable balloon to deploy and tamponade the hemostat.
US08372086B2	Skin care file and method A skin care file includes a substantially linear handle portion, a substantially rounded file portion having an edge, and a substantially linear arm portion connecting the handle portion to the file portion. An angle between the handle portion and the arm portion is between approximately 15° and 60°. The file portion has a maximum dimension between approximately 0.5 and 1.5 inches. The file portion includes on at least one side and on at least a portion of the edge a grit surface having a grit between approximately 120 and 60 grit.
US08372085B2	Screwdriver for bone screws A screwdriver for bone screws, especially for compression screws and locking screws, has a handle and shaft extending out centrally from the handle. The shaft has a screwdriving tool on its free end. The shaft, includes a flexible shaft portion, wherein the shaft has two rigid, solid portions on both sides of the flexible portion. The flexible shaft portion has a flexible element for the transmission of a torque, and at least the flexible shaft portion is surrounded by an elastic protection hose or a rubber or plastic elastomeric tubular cover.
US08372075B2	Osteosynthesis clip and insertion tool for use with bone tissue fragments An osteosynthesis clip for the cicatrization of bone tissue fragments. The clip includes at least two engagement legs extending approximately parallel to one another and including respective distal bridging tips and respective proximal insertion tips to be inserted into the bone tissue fragments; and a connecting bridge coupled to the distal bridging tips of the two engagement legs, the connecting bridge including at least two elongated sections extending along side one another, the elongated sections extending along a non-linear trajectory to form a non-linear deformable region, such as a depression or a dome. The engagement legs include helical screw surfaces to facilitate removal of the clip after the bone tissue fragments have fused.
US08372063B2	Fiber optic phototherapy devices including LED light sources Fiber optic phototherapy device comprises a light emitter comprising one or more layers of optical fibers. The optical fibers have end portions extending from opposite ends of the light emitter that are mixed together and lighted using the same light source or light sources.
US08372058B2	System and method for closed, drip-free, and secure transfer of fluids A connector for enclosed, drip-free, and safe transfer of fluids, comprising an opening and a closure means adapted to close the opening and to establish a tight joint with another connector for transferring fluid between the connectors, further comprising a tube section arranged inside the connector and adapted to be advanced through the opening and out of the connector.
US08372054B2	Over-the-wire balloon catheter for efficient targeted cell delivery A method for delivering a therapeutic substance to a treatment site within a body lumen includes advancing a balloon catheter to the treatment site. A balloon of the balloon catheter is inflated and while the balloon is inflated, a primer that coats the treatment site and attracts the therapeutic substance thereto is delivered through a first fluid delivery lumen of the balloon catheter. The balloon of the balloon catheter is deflated for a predetermined period of time. The balloon of the balloon catheter is reinflated and while the balloon is reinflated, the therapeutic substance is delivered through a second fluid delivery lumen of the balloon catheter. The primer improves adherence of the therapeutic substance to the treatment site.
US08372043B2	Devices and methods for fluid administration Improved fluid delivery devices and systems are disclosed, including drug delivery devices and systems, and methods that permit, inter alia, the rapid sequential delivery of two or more fluids to a single external fluid flow or intravenous line.
US08372041B2	In-line fluid transfer devices and ambulatory infusion devices including the same Fluid transfer devices for use in, for example, ambulatory infusion devices and infusions devices including fluid transfer devices.
US08372039B2	Infusion pump system An infusion pump system is described that increases patient comfort and convenience. The infusion pump system includes an infusion site interface that is releasably connected to an infusion pump body, and has no tubing associated between the infusion site interface and the pump body. The infusion pump body may include a carrier frame that may be adhered to the skin of a user.
US08372027B2	Tampon applicator assembly A tampon applicator assembly having a barrel, a plunger, and a pledget is provided. The barrel has an insertion tip, a main section, and a finger grip. The main section can have a maximum outer dimension located closer to the finger grip than to the insertion tip and/or can have a main section taper ratio of about 1.07 to about 1.15. The insertion tip can have a taper ratio of more than about 0.66 and/or a plurality of petals with a petal length-to-width ratio over about 2 to less than about 3.
US08372023B2	Highly adjustable lumbar brace A back brace is designed to custom fit a wearer in a multitude of different configurations. First, the back brace could have a lumbar support that is split into upper and lower sections that are connected to a flexible joint, allowing the lumbar support to bend towards the spine of the user. The lumbar support is also generally split into left and right sections that are drawn towards one another while the joint bends towards the lumbar curve, This allows the back brace to conform to the lumbar curve of the wearer as a custom fit. Second, the brace could have optional extenders that alter the support length, width, and height of lumbar and lateral supports about the wearer. Third, the brace could have reinforcement support mechanisms that alter the rigidity of various lumbar and lateral supports about the wearer.
US08372020B2	Oral device An oral device for use with a person in which at least one non-toxic gas pulse is delivered to a predetermined location in the mouth via a device conduit. The oral device may be provided as a kit with at least one device for measuring the subject's responses and representing them as feedback to the subject/clinician. A method of creating a gas bolus pulse train, delivering it to a predetermined mouth area, and monitoring the subject's responses to it, is also shown. The oral device and method may be used as a diagnostic tool, or a therapeutic tool, in swallowing or speech rehabilitation of children and adults who have swallowing, speech, salivary, and/or oral sensorimotor impairments.
US08372017B2	Multi-stranded trackable guidewire A trackable guidewire is presented. The guidewire includes a plurality of wires arranged in a predetermined pattern to form a body of the guidewire, where the plurality of wires is configured to simultaneously provide electrical conductivity of signals and mechanical strength. A guidewire assembly is also presented, where the guidewire assembly includes a guidewire, where the guidewire includes a plurality of wires arranged in a predetermined pattern to form a body of the guidewire, and the plurality of wires is configured to simultaneously provide electrical conductivity of signals and mechanical strength, and one or more sensing devices, where the one or more sensing devices are operatively coupled to the guidewire. Methods of making the guidewire and the guidewire assembly are also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique.
US08372013B2	Method and apparatus for determining a respiration parameter in a medical device A method of determining a respiration parameter in a medical device in which pressure signals are sensed to generate corresponding sample points, and a breath detection threshold is continuously adjusted in response to the generated sample points to generate a current adjusted breath detection threshold. A current generated sample point is compared to the current adjusted breath detection threshold, and the continuous adjusting of the breath detection threshold is suspended and the breath detection threshold is equal to the most current adjusted breath detection threshold generated prior to the suspending in response to the comparing. A next sample point, generated subsequent to the suspending, is compared to the set breath detection threshold, and the respiration parameter is determined in response to the comparing of a next sample point to the set breath detection threshold.
US08372009B2	System and method for treating a therapeutic site A targeting catheter is used to locate an arteriotomy, such as is formed during a femoral artery catheterization procedure. The targeting catheter includes one or more targeting aids, such as an inflatable balloon or sensor (e.g., Doppler or temperature sensor), to locate the arteriotomy. The targeting aid may be positioned at the arteriotomy. An ultrasonic beacon on the catheter may then be located relative to a therapeutic ultrasonic applicator (e.g., by using acoustic time-of-flight) so that the focus of ultrasonic energy from the applicator can be aligned with the arteriotomy.
US08372003B2	Light source power based on predetermined sensed condition A medical instrument having a lighting system for illuminating a target area, the system comprising a light source and associated power controller, the system being configured to move from a first illumination mode to a second illumination mode based on a sensed or determined changed condition, such as predetermined temperature and/or change in a scene or brightness signal, or lack of change, from an image sensor that may be associated with the instrument.
US08372001B2	Portable electronic device and capsule endoscope diagnosis system The present invention is directed to reliably prevent a trouble that a battery is loaded either in a state where a ribbon is entirely housed in a battery housing or without a ribbon by a simple method using a ribbon. Guide parts (83, 84) are provided on both side walls (57, 58) of a battery housing (53). A ribbon (81) is set so as to cross the battery housing (53) in a stretched state by the guide parts (83, 84) in a position where the battery can be taken out by drawing the ribbon (81). With the configuration, at the time of loading a battery, by making the ribbon (81) extend outside, the ribbon (81) is not entirely housed in the battery housing (53) or absence of the ribbon (81) in the battery housing (53) can be prevented. By making the battery front end face come into contact with the stretched ribbon (81) and inserting a battery, a normal loading state in which the ribbon (81) is pushed to the deepest place can be assured. The battery ejecting function with a simple ribbon (81) can be reliably displayed.
US08372000B2	Method and apparatus for biliary access and stone retrieval Endoscopes, endoscopic instruments, and methods for making and using the same. An illustrative endoscopic instrument includes a catheter that can extend through the working channel of an endoscope. The catheter may include an end effector passing region.
US08371997B2	Article comprising an impeller II An impeller for use in conjunction with a percutaneously-insertable blood pump or other rotatable equipment includes a blade that is segmented into a plurality of overlapping or abutting bladelets. In some embodiments, the bladelets are foldable and one side of each bladelet is concave.
US08371996B2	System for rapid identification and use of proper spill remediation materials Material spill remediation packages (16, 40) designed to counteract particular, different types of material releases or spills are provided having spill control assemblies (18, 41) within vacuumized casings (20) and including respective color-coordinated displays (22, 42) and detachable labels (26, 46) for particular spill or release materials. In use, possible locations of material spills are identified and the appropriate labels (26, 46) are applied at or near these locations, prior to the occurrence of any spill. In the event of a spill, the appropriate spill control assembly (18, 41) can be readily identified by matching the color of the label (26, 46) and the color-coded display (22, 42) associated with the appropriate package (16, 40). This allows rapid, error-free response to both hazardous and non-hazardous material releases or spills, even by relatively unskilled personnel.
US08371980B2	Vehicle launch device A launch device includes a planetary gear set having a first member, a second member, and a third member. An input member and an output member are operatively connectable for rotation with different ones of the members of the planetary gear set. A centripetal clutch, referred to herein as a first centripetal clutch, operatively connects two of the members of the planetary gear set and is configured to transmit torque with a torque capacity that decreases as a difference between the speed of rotation of the output member and the speed of rotation of the input member decreases.
US08371978B2	Vehicle transmission A vehicle transmission including a rotatable input shaft connected to a driving source; a countershaft parallel to the input shaft; a differential unit below the countershaft, to which rotation is input from the countershaft, and coupled to right and left wheels; a case member containing the input shaft, countershaft, and the differential unit; a differential chamber disposed in the case member, contains the differential unit, and is separated from an oil storage chamber; and a differential separation member separating the differential chamber from the storage chamber, and formed along the differential unit ring gear, which meshes with an output gear of the countershaft. The differential separation member has an opening so the output gear can mesh with the ring gear, a communication portion, formed in an upper part of the differential separation member, and located on an upstream side of the opening in a rotation direction of the ring gear during forward traveling, discharges oil from the differential chamber, and a wall member on a side of an output gear meshing portion and the ring gear with respect to the communication portion, and contacts the differential separation member outer surface.
US08371961B2	Low lift golf ball A golf ball having a plurality of dimples formed on its outer surface, the outer surface of the golf ball being divided into plural areas comprising at least first areas containing a plurality of first dimples and second areas containing a plurality of second dimples, the areas together forming a spherical polyhedron shape, the first dimples comprising truncated spherical dimples having a first, truncated chord depth and the second dimples comprising spherical dimples having a second, spherical chord depth, the first dimples are of larger radius than the second dimples and have a truncated chord depth which is less than the spherical chord depth of the first dimples, and the total surface area of all first areas being less than the total surface area of all second areas.
US08371943B2	Game processing apparatus for performing area authentication of gaming information A game processing apparatus is provided, which includes a first memory, a second memory, and a controller. The first memory stores gaming information including information related to gaming rules corresponding to an area. The second memory stores a predetermined first area code representing a specific area. The controller is configured with logic to: (a) calculate a second area code corresponding to the area according to the gaming information; (b) compare the second area code with the first area code so as to determine whether the gaming information matches the specific area; and (c) when the controller determines a mismatching, restrict a start of a game.
US08371939B2	Hand-held game apparatus and game program A hand-held game apparatus and a game program are provided which allow a user to play a game while going back and forth between a narrow-range image and a broad-range image of map. The user can manipulate a touch panel which mounted on a display section for displaying the broad-range image. If the user manipulates the touch panel to point to a coordinate position on the broad-range image, thus designating coordinates for the narrow-range image, a changed narrow-range is displayed. If the user indicates a moving direction on the broad-range image, thus designating a scroll direction, the displayed broad-range image is moved (scrolled).
US08371937B2	Gaming device and method for wireless gaming system providing non-intrusive processes A gaming peripheral for a gaming machine is described. The gaming peripheral can be configured to emulate the functions of a lighting device, such as a candle. The gaming peripheral can be configured to provide enhanced gaming features such as 1) enhanced networking capabilities, 2) enhanced peripheral device monitoring and upgrade capabilities, 3) enhanced player monitoring and security capabilities 4) enhanced gaming function capabilities and 5) enhanced player reward capabilities. The enhanced gaming features can be provided in a non-intrusive manner such that regulated software executed on a gaming machine does not have to be altered.
US08371931B2	Gaming system and method for providing a bonus based on number of gaming machines being actively played A gaming system includes a controller linked to a plurality of gaming devices. The central server tracks: (i) a quantity of gaming devices being actively played by players, or (ii) a quantity of players actively playing at the gaming devices. The controller determines the players' eligibility for different awards based on the tracked quantity. When the controller tracks a first quantity, the controller provides the active players with an opportunity to win a first award. When the central server tracks a second quantity, the central server provides the active players with an opportunity to win a second award. As the tracked quantity changes, the controller determines or modifies the number of awards available to the players actively playing at the gaming devices.
US08371928B2	Gaming system having revealed mystery symbols A method for conducting a wagering game comprises receiving a wager and displaying a randomly selected outcome, the randomly selected outcome comprising a plurality of symbols arranged in an array. The array comprises a plurality of symbol positions, the plurality of symbols occupying the symbol positions. Each of the plurality of symbols is selected from a set of available symbols, the set of available symbols including a plurality of standard symbols and at least one mystery symbol. The method further comprises detecting the presence of the at least one mystery symbol in at least one of the symbol positions in the array and randomly selecting one replacement symbol from the plurality of standard symbols. The method further comprises replacing all occurrences of the at least one mystery symbol in the array with the replacement symbol to create a modified array and evaluating the modified array for winning combinations of standard symbols in accordance with a pay table of the wagering game.
US08371918B2	Special multiplier bonus game in Pai Gow poker variant A method of playing a Pai Gow poker wagering card game is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a player placing a wager on a Pai Gow poker game; players placing a second wager against a pay table on a separate poker-type game that uses each player's best five-card hands; dealing seven-card hands from a set of cards to six player positions and to one dealer position; resolving the Pai Gow game and awarding bonuses to players who made the second wager and that have a best five-card hand that exceeds a predetermined rank; and awarding an additional bonus to players with hands that exceed the predetermined rank if the dealer's best five-card hand is equal to or less than a predetermined rank. An optional envy hand event may be included with the second wager or a special qualifying second or third wager.
US08371914B2	Corn-shelling machine fitted with blower means and relative corn-shelling method A corn-shelling machine has a front head and a rear auger to collect and channel the cobs after shelling. The front head has at least one sheller roller fitted with blades to pull a stalk of a corn on the plant downwards. Sheller plates are positioned above the sheller roller, on the side opposite the ground. The sheller plates have an upper wall, opposite the ground and suitable to receive the cobs upon threshing and to retain them during the shelling phase. A blower generates a flow of air to channel the kernels of corn, removed from the cobs during shelling, towards the rear auger. The air flow is directed from the front head of the machine towards the rear auger.
US08371912B2	Unit type clean room A unit type clean room has a wide operation space while providing a high air cleaning effect, is unitized and can be easily installed. The unit type clean room is characterized by including: a machine room unit; a front room unit; and a clean room unit, wherein an air conditioner and a fixed air volume device are installed in the machine room unit, the air conditioner is connected to two HEPA filter units installed in the clean room unit via an air duct, the fixed air volume device is connected to a return air chamber installed in the clean room unit via a return air duct to circulate purified air, purified air is always retained in the clean room, and a front room and an air shower are placed in the front room unit.
US08371910B2	Packaging equipment and process for controlling of the packaging equipment A packaging device including a filling unit for transporting a filling material, a filling tube connected to said filling unit, for introducing the filling material supplied by the filling unit into a tubular casing and for ejecting the filling material located in the casing, a clipping unit disposed in the direction of transport of the filling unit, for constricting the casing at a predetermined position and for closing the casing with at least one closure element, a sensor unit disposed between the filling unit and the filling tube, for detecting impurities in the filling material and for emitting a detection signal to a control unit, wherein the control unit has a control connection to the clipping unit. The invention also relates to a method for controlling a packaging device.
US08371908B2	Cutting blade hard-facing method and apparatus A hard-faced cutting blade and hard-facing method is provided. A hard-facing material is applied to a cutting edge of a cutting blade such that a heat-affected transition zone may be created between the base metal and the hard-facing material. The heat-affected transition zone may create a sufficient bond to help resist delamination and flaking of the hard-facing material from the base metal.
US08371902B2	Adjustable push-up adhesive bra The push-up adhesive bra includes a pair of bra cups each comprising a generally concave inside surface opposite a generally convex outside surface. Each cup defines an eye-shaped perimeter including a generally curved top and bottom edge meeting at an inner and outer peak. An adhesive is disposed along a portion of the inside surface for removably adhering the bra to a pair of woman's breasts when worn. A two-piece connector is individually fixed to each cup and engagedly connects the pair of cups and is configured such that the connector is disposed substantially at or below a bottom breast line when worn. A shelf-like padding is disposed within each cup adjacent to the bottom edge generally disposed below the woman's breasts. The top edge of each cup comprises a plurality of strap engagement receiving slots where a strap can be selectively attached at any one of the slots.
US08371897B1	Vision technology for interactive toys An interactive toy comprises a body having a non-reactive portion and a reactive portion. There is a CMOS image sensor with the body for capturing an image in the vicinity of the body. A microprocessor processes the captured image and generates instructions in response to the processed image. The instructions cause operation of the reactive portion of the body. The toy can be a doll including a plush, soft or hard plastic head and body; and the CMOS image sensor has a resolution of about or selectively less than 1M pixels.
US08371892B2	Method for making electron emission apparatus A method for making the electron emission apparatus is provided. In the method, an insulating substrate including a surface is provided. A number of grids are formed on the insulating substrate and defined by a plurality of electrodes. A number of conductive linear structures are fabricated and supported by the electrodes. The number of conductive linear structures are substantially parallel to the surface and each of the grids contains at least one of the conductive linear structures. The conductive linear structures are cut to form a number of electron emitters. Each of the electron emitters has two electron emission ends defining a gap therebetween.
US08371887B2	Surf and rodeo aquatic entertaining ball device The surf and rodeo ball of the present application comprises a lower semi spherical body having an outer surface sufficient to define a volume for displacing enough water to support the apparatus itself and one or more persons riding it. The surf and rodeo ball of the present application also comprises a higher portion comprising a rope, a rope hook ring, a rope hook, for each of the hands of the user and a central elevated structure to accommodate and support the user's body. In addition to providing the amusement and exercise device, the ball has uses as a floating safety device.
US08371885B2	Outboard motor An outboard motor has an internal combustion engine, an engine cover forming an engine compartment for holding the internal combustion engine therein, and a top cover covering the engine cover from above and provided with a carrying grip. An intermediate member is placed in a space between the engine cover and the top cover. First connecting parts for connecting the engine cover and the intermediate member are arranged in a space between the engine cover and the intermediate member, and second connecting parts for connecting the top cover and the intermediate cover are arranged in a space between the top cover and the intermediate cover. The connecting parts arranged in the spaces between the engine cover and the top cover ensure rigid connection, the degree of freedom of arranging the connecting parts is increased, and the engine cover can be manufactured at low cost.
US08371867B2	Illumination device with a connector having a retainer with a rotary member and elastic pieces An illumination device includes a light tube holder including two connectors for receiving either a light-emitting diode (LED) tube or a fluorescent tube. One of the connectors includes a rotary member rotatably received in a through hole defined in a retainer, and three conductive elastic pieces positioned in the retainer around the through hole. One conductive piece is electrically connected to an LED tube drive circuit board and a fluorescent tube drive circuit board, and the other two conductive pieces are electrically connected to the LED and fluorescent tube drive circuit boards, respectively. The rotary member can be rotated to first and second positions, wherein at the first position, the LED tube can be activated, and at the second position the fluorescent tube can be activated.
US08371863B1	Modular wiring system In at least one embodiment, there is an electrical device comprising a functional module comprising a housing having a front face and a back face, and at least three arcuate blades extending out from the housing. At least one of the at least three arcuate blades has a locking section. The functional module can be used in a wiring system comprising at least one wiring module. The wiring module can include a housing having a front face and a back face and at least one opening for receiving at least one of the at least three arcuate blades. The disclosure can also include a wiring module which can be used separately from the functional module wherein the wiring module includes a housing having at least one movable arm. Inside the wiring module is a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing, wherein these contacts are configured to couple to electrical wiring.
US08371859B2	Instrument for suppressing drug craving and kit for suppressing drug craving The kit for suppressing drug craving K is used by connecting an instrument for suppressing drug craving 1 to a syringe 2 and the instrument for suppressing drug craving 1 has a cylindrical housing 11, a pouch 12 provided in the housing and containing pseudo-blood B and a connecting member 13 with which the distal end of a syringe is coupled and which cause the syringe to communicate with the interior of the pouch. When the syringe accommodating pseudo-drug M is connected to the instrument and the plunger is moved forward (pseudo-priming), the pseudo-drug M flows into a pouch and the pouch inflates (FIG. 2(b)), and if the plunger 4 is pulled back from this condition, the pouch 12 deflates and the pseudo-blood B flows back from the pouch 12 to the syringe 2 (flashback) (FIG. 2(C)).
US08371857B2	System, method and device for language education through a voice portal A method of teaching pronunciation is provided which includes communicating by a voice portal server to a user a model word and detecting a response by the user to the voice portal server. The method also includes comparing the response word to the model word and determining a confidence level based on the comparison of the response word to the model word. The method further includes comparing an acceptance limit to the confidence level and confirming a correct pronunciation of the model word if the confidence level one of equals and exceeds the acceptance limit.
US08371850B2	Device for forming a bone bed for dental implants A device for forming a bone bed for dental implants having a head composed of crystal of partially stabilized zirconium dioxide with a nanostructure having a crystallographic axis that coincides with the axis of the bone bed forming device. The head has cutting elements formed as a rotatable plate. The plate has two broad facets formed by circular arcs that are convex relative to the axis of bone bed forming device. Transition from one of the convex circular arc to another convex circular arc is smoothed by circular arcs that are concave relative to the axis of bone bed forming device. Grooves form first and second cutting members with narrow facets of the plate. The head has an end part shaped as a truncated sphere possessing a recess formed by two planes arranged at an angle of 90° relative to each other and passing through the truncated sphere center and two points belonging to two diagonally arranged plate ribs. A third cutting member is formed by the intersection of one of the above mentioned two planes and a spherical surface of one of the narrow plate facets of the end part of the head.
US08371837B2	Apparatus of preparing a molded article A sheet molding apparatus including at least one molding surface with a plurality of perforations, at least one sheet retainer with a plurality of vacuum perforations, and an accompanying vacuum mechanism for controllably drawing reduced pressure through the perforations. The sheet molding apparatus can be used for rapidly and accurately positioning thermoformable thermoplastic sheets to match the molding surfaces in producing molded articles.
US08371828B2	Air compressor having a cast aluminum crankcase An air compressor of a pneumatic system in a vehicle includes a piston pump that is fitted with at least one piston and a crankshaft which are located in a crankcase. At least part of the crankcase is cast from aluminum and includes an integrally formed coolant duct.
US08371816B2	Rotor blades for turbine engines A tip shroud that includes a plurality of damping fins, each damping fin including a substantially non-radially-aligned surface that is configured to make contact with a tip shroud of a neighboring rotor blade. At least one damping fin may include a leading edge damping fin and at least one damping fin may include a trailing edge damping fin. The leading edge damping fin may be configured to correspond to the trailing edge damping fin.
US08371815B2	Apparatus for cooling an airfoil An apparatus for cooling an airfoil is provided. The airfoil includes an upper airfoil section, a lower airfoil section, at least one cooling passage, and a transition section. The at least one cooling passage is defined at least partially within the lower airfoil section. The at least one cooling passage is configured to flow a cooling medium therethrough, cooling at least a portion of the airfoil. The transition section is disposed between the upper airfoil section and the lower airfoil section and has an outer surface. The outer surface defines at least one cooling hole. The at least one cooling hole is fluidly connected to the at least one cooling passage. At least a portion of the cooling medium is exhausted through the at least one cooling hole.
US08371804B2	Gas turbine comprising a unit for detecting a shaft rupture A device for detecting a shaft rupture in a rotor of a turbine, in particular a medium-pressure turbine, of a gas turbine, in particular of an aircraft engine, at least one stator-side sensor element being positioned downstream from the turbine, in particular in the area of a stator-side blade ring of another turbine, in particular a low-pressure turbine, and, in case of a shaft rupture of the rotor of the turbine, a radially externally situated segment of a last (seen in the direction of flow) rotor-side blade ring of the turbine working together with the, or with each, sensor element to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the shaft rupture.
US08371803B2	Fan casing assembly A fan casing assembly for a gas turbine, the assembly having a fan casing for surrounding a fan, a resilient, flexible containment material around the outside of the fan casing for containing a detached fan blade that breaches the casing during a fan blade off event, and a retaining cable arrangement for resisting separation of a first and second portion of the casing as a result of the breach. The cable arrangement includes a continuous length of retaining cable extending around the fan casing on the outside of the containment material, the retaining cable being slidably or rollably secured to each of the first and second portions at a plurality of positions around the fan casing to form respective cable spans between the casing portions, there being sufficient overall slack in the cable for accommodating radial flexing of the underlying containment material upon impact of the detached fan blade.
US08371802B2	Shaft stabiliser A load transfer arrangement is provided to act as a stabiliser for utilisation in centring rotational instabilities which may occur in rotor devices such as those within a gas turbine engine. By providing a fixed screw thread path which comprises a groove having channels and having constrictions and which define clearance crowns an acceptable eccentricity range it is possible to slow screw thread driving motion and therefore load transfer only to the positions where the rotational eccentricity enters tapers leading to the constrictions. In such circumstances an orbit thread is then progressively brought into confinement and continuous engagement with a fixed screw thread defined by crowns of channels of the fixed screw thread path defined by the continuous groove through the channels. In such circumstances wide eccentricity is allowed initially but as rotational speed reduces greater and more continuous driving motions are provided whilst avoiding excessive loading during early stage operation. High loads on final rundown contact are controlled by a diaphragm mount, the whole serving to restore the support stiffness of the rotor post fusing.
US08371795B2	Workpiece transfer system A workpiece transfer system may include a plurality of cassettes for storing workpieces, at least one workpiece processing apparatus, and a multi-joint industrial robot for loading and unloading workpieces to/from the cassettes. The multi-joint industrial robot may include a hand part for holding a workpiece, an arm part supporting the hand part so as to make the hand part rotatable, and a link mechanism that supports an arm joint part, positioned at a base side of the arm part, so as to make the arm joint part rotatable.
US08371794B2	Dry mechanical conveyor plant for pyrites and coal dust The present invention is about a conveyor plant for pyrites, other foreign materials like metal parts and occasionally ground solid fossil fuel, coming from the grinding mills of the solid fossil fuel, substantially comprising an open or enclosed metal container (1) inside which a metal conveyor belt (6) is disposed. The conveyor receives the material to be conveyed from the pyrites storage tanks (2) of each mill, through interception valves (3) and vibrating feeders (4) or directly from gravity discharge channels. Any spontaneous ignition of the conveyed material is controlled by a putting out system with water nozzles (17) or inert gas or steam admission nozzles (18) according to the plant configurations. The pyrites and the ground solid fossil fuel are collected in a stockage silo (16), it too provided with an inert gas or steam putting out system. For the storage tanks (2) a gas or steam inertization system is provided as well.
US08371790B2	Derrickless tubular servicing system and method A derrickless system for servicing tubulars at a wellhead has a first tubular handling apparatus with a gripper positioned adjacent the wellhead where the gripper grips a surface of one of the tubulars, a second tubular handling apparatus with a gripper positioned adjacent the wellhead where the gripper grips a surface of another of the tubulars, and a slip assembly positioned in the wellhead. The slip assembly has a wedge bowl positioned at the wellhead that is suitable for receiving the tubular therein, and wedges positioned in the wedge bowl that are suitable for positioning between the wedge bowl and the tubular. Each of the grippers of the first and second tubular handling apparatus has a stab frame and three grippers attached to the stab frame.
US08371789B2	Hole plug While a high pullout force is being achieved, when a hole plug is demolded from a mold, a load on a locking claw is reduced. A leg portion 3 of a hole plug 1 includes an inner tube 11, an outer tube 12 surrounding the inner tube, ribs 15 interconnecting the inner and outer tubes, and locking claws 14 provided on an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube and locked in a circumferential border thereof when the leg portion is inserted into a hole 22 of a body panel 21. The ribs are disposed corresponding to positions of the locking claws, and are structured so as to be tilted relative to a radial direction of the hole plug in a case of being viewed from an insertion direction of the leg portion.
US08371783B2	Spacer element for the attachment of a sheet metal part, component assembly and method for its manufacture A spacer element which is designed at both ends for the attachment to a sheet metal part or to a hollow section for the formation of a component assembly and which optionally has a fastener section with an internal thread or external thread for the attachment of a component to the component assembly by means of a screw or a nut, is characterized in that the spacer element is not deformable or at least substantially not deformable on attachment to the sheet metal part or to the hollow section and in that the spacer element is provided at both end faces with respective undercuts for the form-fitted reception of sheet metal material or of the wall material, whereby the spacer element is secured to the sheet metal part or to the hollow section and preferably also secured against rotation. Various variants, component assemblies and methods are likewise described and claimed.
US08371782B2	Adjustable mid- gate An adjustable array of gates and partitions for vehicles, particularly pickup truck beds, that enables succinct partitioned areas for a more organized load. A partition apparatus extends from between the two sides of a truck bed and may be moved forward or backward, including over wheel wells, through the use of rails. In addition, telescoping panels secured perpendicularly from the partition apparatus offers additional partition capabilities as the telescoping panels move from side to side through the use of additional rails.
US08371779B2	Locking chuck A chuck including a body having a tail section defining an annular shoulder and a nose section having an axial bore and angularly disposed passageways intersecting the axial bore. An O-ring is disposed in the annular shoulder and a plurality of jaws is slidably positioned in the passageways. A nut is rotatably mounted on the body in engagement with threads on the jaws. A first sleeve and a second sleeve each define a gripping surface thereon and one of the first and second sleeves is axially reciprocal on the body. The one of the first and second sleeves defines an annular groove on an inner surface thereof having a first shoulder and a second shoulder. The O-ring is received in the groove such that axial motion of the one of the first and the second sleeve is limited by abutment of the O-ring with said first and second shoulders.
US08371774B2	Cutting insert for machining a workpiece A cutting insert for machining a workpiece. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
US08371765B2	Apparatus for the deep cleaning of surfaces An apparatus is disclosed for the deep cleaning of surfaces, which comprises a support for at least two reservoirs arranged side-by-side and provided with deformable walls having uniformly perforated faces essentially facing the direction of the surface to be cleaned. At least one reservoir can contain a granular material for cleaning the surface and at least one reservoir can contain a fluid substance for the flowing of the granular material onto the surface. By means of the pressure exerted by a user on a support of the reservoirs in the direction of the surface to be cleaned, the granular material and the fluid substance flow from the corresponding reservoirs and are mixed together on the surface to be cleaned. A tangential movement of the reservoirs onto the surface conveys a compound of granular material and fluid substance onto the surface with a cleaning effect.
US08371745B2	Two-function controlling device for a wrist computer or alike and method for controlling a wrist computer or suchlike terminal The invention pertains to a double-acting control element for a wrist-top computer, comprising a crown, which can be moved in axially and radially, a reaction bar, connected to the and parallel to a crown's rotational axis. The reaction bar is arranged to transmit the movements of the crown from outside to the inside of a case. Switches are permanently fitted to the inside of the case. An axial switch is arranged to switch on from the axial movement of the crown. A radial switch is arranged to switch on from the radial movement of the crown. A slide, at least partly inside the case, is arranged to transmit the axial movement of the reaction bar to the axial switch and a gearwheel. The gearwheel is arranged to link the reaction bar to the slide to transmit the radial movement to the radial switch.
US08371743B2	Method for suspending or re-suspending particles in a solution and apparatus adapted thereto A method for suspending or re-suspending magnetically attractable particles is provided. In the present method at least a mixing vessel (10) is provided filled at least partially with a mixture (30) containing magnetically attractable particles (40) at least partially precipitated at the bottom (11) of the mixing vessel (10). An effective magnetic field acting at least in the front end area (3) of the mixing bar (1) is switched on by the magnetic field generating apparatus (4) while the mixing bar (1) is immersed in the mixture (30). Subsequently, the magnetic field is moved away from the bottom (11) of the mixing vessel (10) along with the mixing bar, whereby the movement of the magnetic field along with the mixing bar is carried out such that at least a part of the magnetically attractable particles (40) is raised from the bottom (11) of the mixing vessel (10) and the portion of the particles sticking to the bar is minimized. The magnetic field is switched off in a predefined distance from the bottom which is greater than the distance from the bottom at the time when the magnetic field is switched on. Thereafter, repeated mixing movements of the mixing bar (1) are carried out until the magnetically attractable particles present in the mixture (30) are sufficiently suspended or re-suspended whereby a magnetic field which is switched on does not exist at the front end (3) of the mixing bar (1).
US08371741B2	System and process for hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, or hydrofinishing A method for hydrodesulfurization by forming a dispersion comprising hydrogen-containing gas bubbles with a mean diameter of less than 1 micron dispersed in a liquid phase comprising sulfur-containing compounds. Desulfurizing a liquid stream comprising sulfur-containing compounds by subjecting a fluid mixture comprising hydrogen-containing gas and the liquid to a shear rate greater than 20,000 s−1 to produce a dispersion of hydrogen in a continuous phase of the liquid and introducing the dispersion into a fixed bed hydrodesulfurization reactor from which a reactor product is removed. Systems of apparatus for hydrodesulfurization are also presented.
US08371732B2	Vehicular duct with integrated lighting A body panel for a vehicle includes an outer lens and a light engine projecting a light into the outer lens. The body panel includes a duct, which is disposed at a substantially equal vertical elevation as the outer lens. The light engine is positioned relative to the outer lens to allow the duct to pass directly behind the outer lens, at approximately the same vertical elevation, to improve air flow through the duct.
US08371728B2	Control module for a lighting system, lighting system and light module for a lighting system The present invention relates to a control module (30) for a lighting system, which lighting system (10) comprises a base module (11) with at least two parallel electrodes (16) and at least one light module (20) coupled with said electrodes (16), said control module comprising: a controller (30) adapted to control at least one parameter of the at least one light module (20), and a holding member (28) adapted to removably hold said control module in engagement with said electrodes (16) of said lighting system (10). It also relates to a lighting system and a light module (20) for such a lighting system.
US08371726B2	Recessed luminaire with a reflector A HID recessed luminaire is disclosed and described. The HID recessed luminaire includes a reflector that has a primary reflector portion and a secondary reflector portion. The primary reflector portion defines a first frustum of a pyramid and the secondary reflector portion defines a second frustum of a pyramid. Optionally, a portion of the primary reflector and a portion of the secondary reflector are integrally connected to one another.
US08371723B2	LED lighting assemblies with thermal overmolding One or more light emitting diode diodes (LEDs) are attached to a printed circuit board. The attached LEDs are connectable with a power source via circuitry of the printed circuit board. An overmolding material is insert molded an over at least portions of the printed circuit board proximate to the LEDs to form a free standing high thermal conductivity material overmolding that covers at least portions of the printed circuit board proximate to the LEDs. The free standing high thermal conductivity material has a melting temperature greater than about 100° C. and has a thermal conductivity greater than or about 1 W/m·K. In some embodiments, the free standing high thermal conductivity material is a thermoplastic material.
US08371717B2	LED light emitting device having temperature sensor for controlling current supplied to LEDs therof An LED light emitting device includes a lamp housing, an LED light emitting component thermally attached to the lamp housing, a power source driver for providing electric energy for the LED light emitting component, and a temperature sensor attached to the lamp housing for sensing a surface temperature of an outer surface of the lamp housing. When the value of the surface temperature is smaller than a predetermined temperature value, the temperature sensor outputs a control signal to the power source driver to control the power source driver to supply a larger electric current to the LED light emitting component, and the LED light emitting component generates more heat to the lamp housing to increase the surface temperature thereof.
US08371711B2	Lighting device with wind generator A lighting device includes a casing unit, a lighting module, a wind generator, a power port module, a battery seat and a control module. The casing unit includes a first side, a second side, and a wind duct extending through the first and second sides. The lighting module is disposed at the first side and operable to emit light outwardly of the casing unit and away from the first side of the casing unit. The wind generator includes a blade unit disposed in the wind duct, and an electric generator unit coupled to the blade unit. The blade unit is driven to rotate by wind flow. The electric generator unit is driven by rotation of the blade unit to generate electricity. The control module is configured to control distribution of electricity generated by the electric generator unit to the lighting module, the power port module and the battery seat.
US08371709B2	Multipurpose hand lamp and electric cigar lighter assembly A multipurpose hand lamp comprises a housing accommodating a motherboard assembly carrying a contact switch, a lamp switch and a power socket, a power supply unit electrically connected with the power switch and carrying at least one replaceable rechargeable battery for power input and power output, a light source unit having a lamp cover hinged to the housing and at least LED lamp carried in the lamp cover and electrically connected with the lamp switch for giving off light, and an electric heater having an electric heating wire electrically connected with the contact switch and disposed below a cigarette lighter port of the housing, and a spring-loaded holding-down member for switching on the contact switch to turn on the electric heater when the lamp cover is opened.
US08371707B2	Portable light source A portable light source for connection to a hardhat. The portable light source has a battery housing with an LED light mounted in a swivel portion that is connected to the battery housing. The housing also has a mounting post that engages an aperture on the side of the hardhat for holding the portable light source in place.
US08371699B2	Image display device having a screen with a fluorescent region An image display device having a screen having a fluorescent region including a fluorescent material; a light irradiation system, including a first light source outputting excitation light exciting the fluorescent material; a second light source outputting visible light; a scanning unit scanning with a light beam output from each of the first light source and the second light source on the screen; and an excitation light wavelength band reflector reflecting light in a wavelength band of the excitation light toward the screen, and formed on an output side of a light beam from the light irradiation system with respect to the screen. The visible light output from the second light source is diffused by the screen, while the excitation light output from the first light source develops a color different from that of the visible light by being projected in the fluorescent region.
US08371686B2	Liquid ejecting apparatus A liquid ejecting apparatus in which a pressure adjustment unit having a pressure adjustment valve is provided between a filter chamber that houses a filter and a recording head having nozzles through which ink is ejected, the opening size of filter hole is set to ½ of a minimum inner diameter Da of the nozzle of the recording head or lower, and a pressure for pumping ink with an air pump is adjusted to a value that permits air bubbles in the upstream side space to pass through the filter.
US08371680B2	Substrate having protection layers for liquid-ejection head, liquid ejection head, method for manufacturing substrate for liquid-ejection head, and method for manufacturing liquid ejection head When an insulating layer is provided in order to protect an energy generating element, there arises a possibility that the layer dissolves in a contacting liquid. Therefore, in order to eject liquid, a first protection layer containing metal is provided on the insulating layer facing a substrate for a liquid-ejection head and a second protection layer containing metal is provided on the surface of a liquid supply port to which a base containing silicon is exposed.
US08371674B2	Method and printing system for implementing jet detection Disclosed is a user interface associated with a printing system and a method of using the user interface to select a profile for jet detection. The printing system has a plurality of jets for outputting test images and document images and a jet detection device with at least one or more sensors for reading the output test images to detect faulty jets. The user interface provides a plurality of profiles for the jet detection device for selection. Each profile has a plurality of predetermined conditions that cause a test image to be printed at a particular location and analyzed. For example, a profile can include a time and a location for printing output test images using one or more of the plurality of jets. Thus, a user can control the conditions for outputting test images and determining missing or faulty jets within the system.
US08371673B2	Printing apparatus and ink remaining amount detection method According to this invention, an inkjet printing apparatus having an arrangement for detecting an amount of remaining ink in an ink tank starts a printing operation in a short time immediately after power-on. If an operation in preceding use is ended without any error at the time of power-off, and no error has occurred even at the time of power-on, the inkjet printing apparatus of this invention starts the printing operation without executing the operation of detecting the amount of remaining ink in the ink tank after power-on.
US08371664B1	Interlocking device for a drawer slide An interlocking device for a drawer slide is provided with an outer board, a fixed seat, two linkage members, a middle board, a restricting member and an inner board. When one of the drawers in a cabinet is pulled toward the first end of the outer board, the inner board will be moved together with the drawer and push the restricting member, the middle board and the actuating block, then the two linkage members are pushed to move in an opposite direction to the Y direction, the two connecting rod are caused to push the linkage members of other interlocking devices, so that the inclined surface of the guiding portion of one of the linkage members of other interlocking devices will be received in the receiving space and abutted against the inclined guiding surface of the actuating block of the middle board to prevent other drawers from being pulled out.
US08371658B2	Apparatus and method for supporting a mine rib A mine rib support for bracing a vertical mine rib disposed between a mine floor and a mine roof. The support includes an elongated upright and continuous telescopically expandable support having a preset curvature. The member is longitudinally expanded for engaging the mine floor and the mine roof under compression with the curvature facing towards the mine rib. A support plate is laterally extended from the support member into compression engagement with the mine rib, thereby prestressing the support for support of the mine rib.
US08371655B2	Seat cushion frame structure of seat for vehicle and seat for vehicle with seat cushion frame structure A seat cushion frame structure of a seat for a vehicle has a seat cushion frame structure, a rear end of which is connected to a lower end of a seat back frame structure in such a way that the seat back frame structure can be inclined relative to the seat cushion frame structure, the seat cushion frame structure includes a pair of side frames, each of which extends in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and an oblique wire on at least one of the pair of side frames, an upper end of which is fixed to a side portion of the at least one of pair of side frames and a lower end of which is fixed to the seat cushion frame structure at a position forward of the upper end.
US08371653B2	Structure for legless leisure chairs with armrests A number of variations of a structure for leisure chairs with armrests (4a) that enable a user to sit very close to floor level (SS), with side base front supports (8f) that extend forward further than the backrest connection means (6). The structure for the chair comprises two sides (LS and RS), a backrest (2), and means (2p and 6) for connecting the backrest (2) to the sides (LS and RS). Each side (LS and RS) is comprised of a first or base portion (8) having a front supporting portion (8f) and a rear supporting portion (8r); a second or armrest portion (4a) comprising a front armrest portion (4af) and a rear armrest portion (4ar); whereby the second or armrest portion (4a) is above the first portion (8), and wherein the front armrest portion (4af) is generally above the front supporting portion (8f) to make the chair stable when downward force is exerted on the front armrest portion (4af). Additionally, a backrest pivoting extension (2e) provides general lumbar support (2u) alignment for the backrest (2) whether the backrest (2) is in an upright or reclined position. The backrest frame sides (2l and 2r) are disclosed as straight or with a convex curve in the lower portion of the backrest sides (2l and 2r) to support an occupant's lumbar curve. A simple adjustment stop (12) is also shown for the preferred embodiment. The chair with the structure claimed is shown with a backrest cushion (2c), a flexibly attached cushioned seat (16), an ottoman (18), and a headrest pillow (20).
US08371647B2	Blast resistant vehicle seat Disclosed are various seats for vehicles particularly military vehicles that are susceptible to attack by road-bed explosive devices such as land mines or improvised explosive devices. The seats often have rigid seat shells and may include rigid bracing for rigidly securing the seat to the chassis of the vehicle. Typically embodiments include channels and particulate media such as sand disposed in the channels. A gas distribution system is generally employed to pump a gas through the channels and in some embodiments the gas is provided at a pressure sufficient to fluidize the particulate media when an occupant is sitting on the seat.
US08371644B2	Cover element carrier having control slide A vehicle roof having at least one cover element, which selectively closes or at least partially exposes a roof opening and which can be adjusted between a closed position and a lowered displacement position and, with respect to a vehicle longitudinal center plane, comprises a carrier element on either side, the carrier element comprising a guide path, which interacts with at least one guide element of a drive carriage for pivoting the cover element, the carriage being guided in a guide rail fixed to the roof. At least one rear-side control slide is disposed on the carrier element and guides the cover element in a guide channel of the respective guide rail during displacement of said element and secures the cover element against pivoting. When pivoting the cover element into the lowered displacement position, the rear-side control slide recedes into the respective guide channel of the respective guide rail while sliding over a ramp.
US08371642B2	Vehicle body structure A vehicle body structure having improved roof strength and reduced weight is provided. The vehicle body structure includes a first roof rail, a second roof rail, a first rocker rail and a second rocker rail. A closed-section roof bow may join the first roof rail and the second roof rail. The closed roof bow is substantially perpendicular to the first and second roof rails. A B-Pillar may be provided for each of the first roof rail and the second roof rail. Each B-Pillar defines a B-Pillar hinge joint and each A-Pillar defines an A-Pillar hinge joint between the roof end and the cowl end. A cowl may also be provided which may be disposed substantially perpendicular to the first and second roof rails. The cowl may be coupled to the first and second roof rails via the A-Pillar corresponding to the first roof rail and the A-Pillar for the second roof rail.
US08371626B2	Fuselage door self-locking pin latch Latch systems for use in aircraft are disclosed. One system includes a frame, a pin at least partially inside frame, an interface portion, and a link. Pin has proximal and distal ends and is slidable between extended and retracted positions. Interface portion is pivotable between open and closed positions and has a handle for receiving a force to move interface portion to open and closed positions. Link is pivotably coupled to pin and interface portion such that pin is at extended position while interface portion is at closed position and pin is at retracted position while interface portion is at open position. Interface portion has an impact face in line with pin when interface portion is at closed position to ensure pin does not reach retracted position while interface portion is at closed position.
US08371619B2	Quick connection duct system A quick connection duct system with a unique connection mechanism for quick installation of hermetically sealed ducts.
US08371617B2	Expansion joint for pipe system An expansion joint for a pipe system includes a deformable section interconnecting first and second pipe sections. A first mount is secured to the first pipe section in a passageway of the first pipe. A second mount is secured to the second pipe section in a passageway of the second pipe. A flexible tension member, extending through the deformable section, tethers the first and second mounts to each other.
US08371604B1	Bi-directional snowboard with parallel reverse cambers for reduced snow contact and with traction planes for increased edge control An improved bi-directional snowboard having a board member with a pair of parallel, downwardly extending, reverse cambers or rockers disposed between a pair of snow boot bindings mounted on a top surface of the board member. The reverse cambers provide for reduced snow contact upon engaging the snow surface and increased speed during downhill racing. Also, the board member includes a pair of convex-shaped, traction planes on opposite sides of the board member between the board bindings. The traction planes provide for increased edge control and stability when making hard turns and during difficult snow conditions.
US08371602B1	Collapsible vehicle tow loop A collapsible tow hook for a motor vehicle includes a bracket attached to a vehicle structure and having laterally spaced side walls with first and second slots in each of the side walls. A tow loop has laterally spaced arms that straddle the spaced side walls of the bracket. First and second bolts extend through bolt holes in the laterally spaced arms and through the slots of the side walls. A retainer acts between the bracket and the first and second bolts to establish a normal upward position of the tow loop on the vehicle. The retainer yields to allow the first and second bolts to traverse the slots upon the imposition of a load on the tow loop in a direction opposite to the towing direction so that the tow loop is pivoted to a collapsed position relative to the vehicle structure.
US08371600B2	Fifth wheel with anti-theft protection device A fifth wheel comprising a coupling plate and an anti-theft protection device, the anti-theft protection device being configured such that it is integrally connected to the coupling plate and can be electrically actuated and the anti-theft protection device being arranged such that it is not discernible from the outside.
US08371598B2	Width adjuster for motorcycle stand The leverage device is intended to be installed on motorcycle stands that currently use a hex head machine screw for width adjustment. It consists of a) a female hex portion to mate with the hex head of the machine screw, b) a lever portion to be actuated by the user and c) a flat bottom to keep it captive to the machine screw. The device allows the user to loosen the screw slightly for width adjustment then re-tighten it without the use of tools. The low profile device is installed on the motorcycle stand to become a permanent part of the stand, unlike a wrench that is separate.
US08371589B2	Mass transit vehicle A mass transit vehicle includes one or a combination of the following: floor portions that are angled for creating an incline of a floor of the buss; a door or entranceway that is angle relative to a fore-aft axis of the vehicle; and/or an entranceway that opens a relatively low height relative to the ground.
US08371584B2	Indication position calculation mark unit A mark unit includes a holding section that is disposed at the top of a display section so that a light-emitting section is positioned on a side of a display screen of the display section and a weight section is positioned on a side opposite to the display screen to hold the light-emitting section on the side of the display screen that intersects a horizontal plane.
US08371579B2	Sheet alignment apparatus and image forming system using the same A sheet alignment apparatus includes: a sheet storage section for storing sheets; a sheet push-up section for conveying the sheets in the sheet discharge direction; a sheet discharge section having a pair of forward and reverse rotatable rollers configured to align sheet between the rollers and the sheet push-up section and to then discharge the sheets by sandwiching the sheet in the nip portion between the pair of rollers; and a sheet width direction alignment section located between the sheet storage section and the sheet discharge section and configured to align the sheets in the width direction perpendicular to the sheet discharge direction, wherein the sheet discharge section causes the pair of rollers in the reverse direction so as to separate the sheet edge in the sheet discharge section from the nip portion before the lateral alignment performed by the sheet width direction alignment section.
US08371577B2	Sheet stacking device A sheet stacking device for a sheet handling system, a method and a computer program product are provided for controlling a sheet stacking device of a sheet handling system. The sheet stacking device includes at least one sheet entrance pathway for receiving incoming sheets and a sheet output unit with at least one output tray for stacking the received sheets to form a at least one stack on the at least one output tray. The sheet stacking device further includes a control unit for determining the weight of the stack on the at least one output tray and for providing a control signal if the determined weight exceeds a predetermined value, and a stack separating mechanism for distinguishing two or more stacks on the same output tray, said stack separating mechanism being controlled by the control unit to limit the weight of the distinguished stacks.
US08371573B2	Feeding device A feeding device includes a tray for stacking sheet-like conveyance-target media, a first pressing unit, and a second pressing unit. The first and second pressing units face and apply a first and second pressing force, respectively, on a circumferential surface of a pick roller so that a first contact area and a second contact area overlap each other. The first pressing unit includes a first pressing unit separation roller, and the first contact area is defined wherein the first pressing unit and the pick roller make contact with each other. The second contact area is defined wherein the second pressing unit and the pick roller make contact with each other such that the first contact area and the second contact appear to partly overlap each other when viewed from an axial direction of the pick roller.
US08371565B2	Clamping device and coating apparatus having same A clamping device for clamping a substrate with a first surface and a second surface includes a supporting plate and a number of clamping units. The supporting plate includes a base portion and an engaging portion. The base portion includes a base surface. The engaging portion protrudes from the base surface of the base portion and includes an engaging surface facing away from the base surface. The supporting plate defines a through hole in the engaging surface. The supporting plate is configured for supporting the substrate on the engaging surface of the engaging portion. The clamping units are configured for clamping the substrate on the supporting plate such that the engaging surface of the engaging portion engaging surface is substantially coplanar with the first surface of the substrate.
US08371557B1	Dumpster lid opener A unit opens the lid of a dumpster in response to downward movement of a foot-operated pedal that is translated into upward motion by a lever rotatably mounted on a frame and connected to one end of a tether cord which is attached at the other end thereof to the dumpster lid. The weight of the lid is applied to the tether cord, and via the tether cord to the foot pedal via a cord attached to the lever and will move the foot-operated pedal back into its initial position upon release of the pedal. Another form of the invention can include an electromechanical system which is operated by a push button.
US08371555B2	Splittable hemostasis valve The present invention is a splittable multi-piece hemostasis valve that is held together in an assembled condition via a binder formed about the assembled valve. The binder may be a sleeve of thin polymer material shrink-wrapped about the valve. When the valve needs to be split in order to clear a medical device such as a pacemaker lead, the sleeve is split and the valve is disassembled.
US08371550B2	Equipment holder with optional grid function An equipment holder is provided with an optional grid function for positioning a first cabin component of an aircraft relative to a second cabin component of the aircraft and for attaching the two cabin components to each other. The equipment holder includes, but is not limited to an attachment element, a fixing element, and a position determination device. In this arrangement the attachment element is designed to attach the equipment holder to the first cabin component. The fixing element is designed to fix a position of the equipment holder relative to the second cabin component. Furthermore, the position determination device is designed to discontinuously indicate the position of the equipment holder relative to the second cabin component with a position signal.
US08371548B1	Holder attachable to a boat A holding device is attachable to a rail, cleat, etc., of a boat or other object such that the holding device holds a cooler or similar objects without using up passenger space. The holding device is a generally rectangular shaped basket member that has a top rail and a first series of straps extending between opposing sides of the rail and a second series of straps extending between opposing ends of the rail, the first straps and the second straps crossing generally normal to one another. One or more straps secure the basket member to an appropriate point on the boat. One or more bumpers buffer the device against the side of the boat. The basket member may have a netting therein to hold small objects safely.
US08371547B2	Detector extender support systems A detector extender support system for facilitating ease of accessing battery operated detectors, such as smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, without the use of a ladder or other elevation device. Detector extender support system may generally comprise an extender handle comprising a distal end and a proximal end. The distal end of the extender handle may comprise a round, disk-shaped detector support comprising a substantially planar surface to which the base of a battery operated detector may be fastened to via a set of screws. A hook may be securely attached to a top portion of the distal end of the extender handle so that the detector extender support system may be hung from a nail, screw, or other wall fastener. The proximal end of the extender handle may comprise a curvy, ergonomic profile facilitating ease of use. The detector extender support system enables a user to remotely access the detector mechanism for manipulation and service.
US08371545B2	Adjustable lamp An adjustable lamp holder has a mounting structure arrayed about a longitudinal axis. A pair of hollow pivot pillars extends from the mounting structure parallel to the longitudinal axis and a receptacle is positioned on the mounting structure parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially opposite the pivot pillars. A body with a body axis coaxial with the longitudinal axis has a pair of pivots formed thereon for engaging the pivot pillars. A projection is formed on the body substantially opposite the pivots and an angle adjuster, having a proximal end and a distal end, has the proximal end positioned in the projection and the distal end positioned in the receptacle. Movement of the angle adjuster tips the angle of the lamp.
US08371535B2	Method for releasing an unmanned missile from a carrier aircraft Unmanned missile and method for releasing the unmanned missile from a carrier aircraft, in which the missile has an autonomous flight control device that acts on control devices of the missile. The method includes adjusting vertical rudders and elevators of the missile into a neutral position in which a respective rudder angle is 0°, separating electrical and mechanical connections between the missile and the carrier aircraft, and detecting, via sensors of the missile, that the separating has occurred. The method also includes activating the autonomous flight control device and automatically controlling the missile with the flight control device and the control devices based upon correction flight condition variables caused by a prevailing downwash between the missile and the carrier aircraft, and automatically controlling the missile with the flight control device and the control devices based on data stored in at least one storage device on the missile.
US08371530B2	Aircraft with a rear fuselage protection shield The invention relates to an aircraft with a protection shield for the rear composite material, fuselage 25) for conducting tail impact tests, in addition to a tail absorber, the shield (11) being formed by a plurality of pieces (21) joined to supports (23) fixed to the rear fuselage (25) behind the tail absorber (1), said pieces (21) having a laminar structure with an outer steel sheet (13), an inner composite sheet (17) and an intermediate high resistance silicon sheet (15).
US08371527B2	Conveying device for a trolley in an aircraft cabin The invention relates to a conveying device for a trolley, in particular to a refreshments trolley, in an aircraft passenger cabin and consists in the fact that the conveying device comprises an electric drive with two drive wheels 12, 13 for moving the trolley 7 inside the aircraft passenger cabin, a further electric drive for raising and lowering the trolley 7 and a current collector 20 for supplying current to the installed electric motors 36, 37. The service crew is as a result relieved of physically tiring work and the trolley 7 is secured against uncontrolled movements during the service phase.
US08371523B2	Aircraft rudder authority control system A system that acts on a rudder (L) having its stop parts commanded or moved by an actuator (A) is described. The rudder system comprises a reversible mechanical system with movable stop parts working based on control/command signals, having stop parts (M, M′) inside of the field of movement of the actuator (A), interfering in the movement of said actuator; the mentioned control signals are based on informations of the aircraft such as traction of the engines or other signal from each engine (pressure, temperature or axis rotation speed); flight speed (“airspeed”); altitude; skidding angle; aircraft on the ground. The system limits the deflection of the rudder in flight with symmetrical traction, enough for normal maneuvers, and it allows total authority of the rudder (L), allowing a larger movement (larger deflection angle) just when necessary, in other words, when there is a traction asymmetry between the engines and, for aircrafts having wheels mechanically connected to the pedals and rudder, when they are maneuvering on the ground during taxi operations.
US08371519B2	Stem packing dispenser A cord material dispenser comprising a container including a surrounding sidewall having first and second openings and first and second cord materials disposed in the container. The first and second cord materials are dispensable through their respective first and second openings. The first cord material is preferably wound around a first spool and the second cord material is preferably wound around a second spool. The dispenser may include a first quantity of the first cord material and a second quantity of the second cord material, wherein the first quantity is less than the second quantity. For example, the first quantity may be one fourth of the second quantity. Preferably, the container includes indicia indicative of the ratio of the first quantity to the second quantity. The indicia may be in the form of a graphic representative of the intended use of the spooled materials.
US08371517B2	Powder gun deflector A system for dispensing pulverulent coating material comprises a source of pulverulent coating material, a source of compressed gas, a device for movably supporting a nozzle, the nozzle coupled to the source of pulverulent material and providing an opening through which the pulverulent material is dispensed, a deflector supported by the device and spaced from the opening to aid in shaping a cloud of dispensed coating material, and a source of high-magnitude electrostatic potential coupled to impart electrostatic potential to the dispensed pulverulent material. The deflector includes at least one first passageway extending with a radial component of the deflector and communicating with the source of compressed gas to direct gas with a radial component into the cloud of dispensed coating material.
US08371514B2	Spout cover A spout cover for a spout having an outlet end includes a first member, having a deflector, mounted to a second member having a liquid soap reservoir and a dispenser for dispensing liquid soap from the liquid soap reservoir toward the deflector. A receiving area is defined between the first and second members for receiving the spout. The first member is movable relative to the second member between a first position permitting the spout to be received in the receiving area and a second position locating the deflector underneath the outlet end of the spout and preventing withdrawal of the spout from the receiving area.
US08371509B2	Chip module for an RFID system The invention relates to a chip module for an RFID system comprising a web-type or sheet-type support material (4) on the upper face of which a coupling antenna (2) and an RFID chip (3), which is electrically, especially galvanically, connected to the coupling antenna (2), are arranged and the lower face of which is provided with an adhesive layer (9). The coupling antenna (2) consists of an aluminum layer (7) having a thickness of 1 μm-20 μm, especially of 3 μm-12 μm.
US08371505B1	System and method for compensating for motion relative to a barcode A barcode decoding system and method for compensating for motion of between an image sensor and a barcode to improve decoding of the barcode. The barcode decoding system includes an imager for capturing an image of the barcode, a motion sensor for collecting acceleration data and a processor that is configured to determine a velocity of the image sensor during the exposure period based on the acceleration data and a periodic motion model. The determined velocity is used to adjust the edge detection algorithm used to detect the barcode features in order to decode the barcode. The orientation of the captured barcode can also be determined in order to determine the velocity in a direction perpendicular to the barcode features.
US08371503B2	Portable computerized wireless payment apparatus and methods A mobile user apparatus and associated methods useful for conducting payment transactions wirelessly, such as at point-of-sale locations. In one embodiment, the mobile user apparatus is a cellular-enabled mobile device that includes a short-range passive radio frequency transceiver that when interrogated by a reader at the point-of-sale, issues a reply including information relating to an account of the user of the mobile apparatus that is to be debited for the payment. In one variant, the information stored on the mobile device is encrypted for security, and the mobile user apparatus is further configured to receive transaction data wirelessly in return.
US08371498B2	Method for manufacturing a printed wiring board A method for manufacturing a printed wiring board, the method including forming a solder resist layer having a small-diameter aperture and a large-diameter aperture, each aperture exposing a respective joint pad. A metal ball having a first diameter is mounted in the small-diameter aperture by using a mask for small diameter metal balls, which includes a small-diameter aperture area that corresponds to the small-diameter aperture on the solder resist layer. A metal ball having a second diameter larger than the first diameter is mounted in the large-diameter aperture by using a mask for large diameter metal balls, which includes a large-diameter aperture area that corresponds to the large-diameter aperture on the solder resist layer. A small-diameter bump is formed from the metal ball having a first diameter and a large-diameter bump is formed from the metal ball having a second diameter by heating each of the metal ball with a first diameter and the metal ball with a second diameter to at least their respective reflow temperatures.
US08371496B2	Method and apparatus for treating glass bodies, as well as a glass body and measuring probe The method and apparatus serve to treat a multi-walled glass body, in particular a glass body (20) with a glass membrane (25) for a chemical sensor or measuring probe, wherein a portion of at least one wall or of an interior tube (21) is to be fused, and wherein the fusing can have the purpose of closing off a first chamber (291). A glass element (286) which serves to absorb radiation energy is inserted in the vicinity of the portion (210) of either the wall or of the interior tube (21) that is to be fused. The glass element (286) is exposed to the radiation energy of at least one energy radiator (17), whereby the glass element (286) and the portion (210) of either the wall or the interior tube (21) are fused together.
US08371492B2	Surgical stapling apparatus A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a tool assembly having a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly that are movable in relation to one another; a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly, wherein each surgical buttress is secured to the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly by at least one anchor; a release assembly associated with the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly; and a drive assembly slidably translatable through the tool assembly between proximal and distal positions, wherein the drive assembly actuates the release assembly to thereby release the anchor to free the surgical buttress from the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly.
US08371489B2	Cylindrical contact arm having a tapered guide section in a power-driven nailing machine In a power-driven nailing machine for driving a nail disposed within a discharge port 7 of a nose body 6 into a work, a contact nose 13 giving a leading end discharge port 12 for guiding the nail driven from a discharge port 7 of the nose body 6 toward the work is provided to be protrusively urged toward the leading end of the nose body 6. In the leading end discharge port 12 of the contact nose 13, a guide portion 17, 19 longer than a maximum sized nail is formed from the leading end.
US08371488B2	Setting tool A setting tool for driving fastening elements in a constructional component includes piston stop device (30) for braking the setting piston (20) and which is located at an end region of the hollow chamber (14) of the piston guide (13) in which the setting piston is displaceable, adjacent to the bolt guide (12), and has a stop element for the setting piston (20) and which has a first ring (31) and a second ring (32) arranged coaxially with each other and displaceable relative to each other, and a receiving space (3) provided between the two rings and filled with particles (34) with respect to which the receiving space is sealed.
US08371483B2	Lid for containers which have an opening with a rolled inside edge A lid for use with containers having a peripherally disposed edge with a rolled inside edge positioned around the container opening. The lid has a flange with a first rim projecting downwardly therefrom. The first rim has an edge engaging section with a plurality of concentrically positioned snap rings that each have a concavely shaped contact surface facing outward from the first rim to engage a curved surface on the rolled inside edge. The first rim is tapered inwardly such that the lower snap rings have a smaller diameter than the upper snap rings to allow the container to select which snap ring provides the best fit for snap engagement with the curved surface. The snap rings are made out of a material that deforms to the shape of the curved surface. A second rim projecting downward from the flange outwardly of the first rim provides a dust shield.
US08371478B2	Wine preservation and dispensing apparatus A preservation and dispensing apparatus includes a pressurized gas supply assembly for pressurizing and dispensing fluid from a bottle in a manner that effectively creates a barrier protecting the fluid from harmful effects of oxygen. The pressurized gas supply assembly includes an inert gas output linked to the bottle via a dispensing nozzle secured within an opening of the bottle. The dispensing nozzle includes a connecting seal having a series of outwardly directed, flexible fins composed of a first material and an outwardly tapered seal member composed of a second material. The inert gas output includes a regulator assembly having a piercing pin that passes through an end cap of a gas capsule allowing gas from the gas capsule to pass through the regulator assembly. The regulator assembly reduces the gas pressure from approximately 2700 psi to approximately 5 psi in a single step.
US08371472B2	Freestanding cup holder A freestanding cup holder is disclosed comprising a primary cylinder for holding a cup, the primary cylinder wrapped in one of a memory foam or a rubber material; one or more secondary cylinders each capable of holding a cup; and a connecting member connecting the primary cylinder to one or more of the secondary cylinders.
US08371470B2	Container for dispensing liquid doses The present invention relates to spill resistant container for dispensing liquid doses wherein the container includes a body of generally hollow form about a center vertical axis with open ends, comprising: a liquid deposit chamber having an open first end and an opposing closed second end, a liquid withdrawal chamber having an open first end and an opposing closed second end, one or more apertures between said deposit and withdrawal chambers adapted to selectively permit liquid communication in controlled doses from the liquid deposit chamber to the liquid withdrawal chamber, a detachable base cap having a cavity in liquid communication with the liquid deposit and withdrawal chambers.
US08371459B1	Rotatable display carousel and associated method A rotatable display carousel may include a stationary central rod and a bottom plate rotatably mounted about the central rod. A plurality of shelf sections may be rotatably positioned above the bottom plate respectively. A rotating mechanism may be used to simultaneously rotate each shelf section respectively by rotating the bottom plate about the central rod. In this manner, each shelf section rotates in sync based upon a rotational speed of the bottom plate. The central rod remains stationary while the bottom plate and the shelf sections rotate respectively. The structural arrangement enables the plurality of shelf sections to be dynamically linked to the bottom plate in such a manner that the shelf sections synchronously rotate upon rotation of the bottom plate.
US08371451B2	Banknote handling apparatus A banknote handling apparatus 10 comprises a casing 12, an inlet 20 configured for inserting banknotes into the casing 12 from the exterior thereof, a plurality of storages 40 provided in a lower portion of the casing 12, in a substantially horizontal direction and in parallel relative to one another, and respectively adapted for storing therein the banknotes, and an escrow storage 42 juxtaposed with the respective storages 40 in the casing and adapted for escrowing therein the banknotes inserted into the casing 12 from the exterior thereof through the inlet 20. A transport unit 30 adapted for transporting the banknotes between any two of the inlet 20, respective storages 40 and escrow storage 42 is provided above the respective storages 40 and escrow storage 42 in the casing 12. In addition, a plurality of diverters 36 are provided at diversion points 35 in the transport unit 30 toward each of the storages 40 and escrow storage 42, respectively. Each diverter 36 is adapted for diverting the banknotes transported by the transport unit 30 into a specified storage 40 or escrow storage 42.
US08371450B2	Screening module A screening module for a screening assembly includes a panel member defining a plurality of screening apertures; and a support arrangement with which the panel member is fast. The support arrangement includes a plurality of strengthening arrays arranged, in use, beneath the panel member, each strengthening array comprising a skirt portion bounding an area on a bottom surface of the panel member.
US08371444B1	Tool positioning pad A tool positioning pad includes a pad having a plurality of position holes and at least one block unit detachably connected to the position holes. The tool bits are positioned via the position holes and the handles are positioned via the block unit so that the tool positioning pad can position not only the tool bits but also the handles. Therefore, when the users need multiple handles, the users do not need to take an added bag inconveniently for receiving the handles.
US08371430B2	Low profile telescopic conveyor assembly A telescopic or non-telescopic conveyor system having a feed section operatively associated with the conveyor system for feeding materials to one end of the conveyor system is provided. The conveyor system is pivotably mounted to the feed section to pivot the telescopic conveyor system to pivotably rotate relative to the feed section. In another embodiment, the feed section of the conveyor includes a frame to which is attached one or more movable baffles for moving material which has been collected at the sides of the feed section to permit displacement of the same upon lateral movement of the feed section.
US08371408B2	Bonnet structure A bonnet structure including a bonnet flange extending inward from an inner peripheral surface of a bonnet is positioned farther toward a first direction, which is opposite in a vehicle longitudinal direction to a rotary shaft for the bonnet, than shroud flanges extending outward from side surfaces of a shroud main body when the bonnet is located at a closed position. A first elastic sealing member mounted to the bonnet flange is brought from the first direction into contact with anteroposterior contact surfaces of the shroud flanges that face to the first direction when the bonnet is rotated about the rotary shaft from the opened position to the closed position. It is possible to effectively prevent an excessive abrasion and a detachment of elastic sealing members for sealing a gap between the bonnet and the shroud.
US08371407B2	Front-end module for vehicles A front-end module for vehicles which comprises a mounting member with a plurality of sections extending in different directions to accommodate vehicle components wherein a component provided as a cooling module is by means of fixing elements secured to said mounting member in a central area thereof and wherein an air guide unit is disposed adjacent to said mounting member which unit comprises at least one air guide element made of a foamed material.
US08371406B2	Fuel cell stack mounting structure and fuel cell stack mounting method The fuel cell stack is placed in an attitude for which the stacking direction of the plurality of cells are tilted in relation to the front-back direction of the vehicle, and the second end plate is positioned at forward and upper position relative to the first end plate in the vehicle. The radiator is provided at a forward position relative to the second end plate, and along the second end plate. The first compressor is fixed at a total of three or more points to both the first and second end plates below the fuel cell stack.
US08371404B2	Self-propelled pool service cart with sulky A self-propelled pool service cart specifically adapted for transporting a battery powered pool cleaning vacuum powered by an on-board rechargeable battery, along with other pool cleaning equipment and accessories. The cart is adapted an electric motorized transaxle with integrated transmission for powering the cart wheels. The electric motor receives power from the rechargeable battery that is used to power the vacuum. The cart is adapted with a handle assembly that includes a thumb actuated throttle that allows the user to selectively control the speed of the cart. In an alternate embodiment, a wheeled platform or sulky is provided for removable attachment to the cart in trailing configuration. The wheeled platform includes a pole mount for removably receiving a telescopic pool cleaning pole therein when in operation. A self-propelled cart in accordance with the present invention may be used either with or without the wheeled platform. The cart is further adapted for simple attachment and removal to a vehicle.
US08371391B2	Thrush and white line medicinal delivery system An equine medicinal delivery system includes a dental roll impregnated with a medicinal solution for placement in an equine hoof. Another embodiment of an equine medicinal delivery system includes a pledget impregnated with a medicinal solution for placement in an equine hoof. A method of manufacturing an equine medicinal delivery system includes providing copper sulfate powder, combining water with the copper sulfate power to form a solution, and impregnating an applicator device with the solution. A method of manufacturing an equine medicinal delivery system includes providing an applicator device impregnated with a medicinal solution for placement in an equine hoof.
US08371382B2	Methods relating to improved stimulation treatments and strengthening fractures in subterranean formations Of the many methods provided herein, one method comprises: providing at least one fracture in a subterranean formation that comprises tight gas, a shale, a clay, and/or a coal bed; providing a plasticity modification fluid that comprises an aqueous fluid and an alkaline embrittlement modification agent; placing the plasticity modification fluid into the fracture in the subterranean formation; and embrittling at least one fracture face of the fracture to form an embrittled fracture face.
US08371374B2	Sealing feed through lines for downhole swelling packers A swelling element on a packer has a trough formed on a longitudinal axis. The control line or cable or conduit that needs to run along the string where the packer is mounted is first wrapped in a preferably non-swelling underlayment that can be a loose scroll or have its seam sealed. A swelling cover is placed over the underlayment using a seam that can be longitudinal or spiral to allow rapid deployment. The covering assembly for the control line or conduit is placed in the slot of the swelling element of the packer. The line or cable continues out opposed ends and can be secured to the tubular string with clamps. The control line can be covered with a swelling material and forced into a groove that runs the length of the packer swelling element.
US08371372B2	Installation of tubular strings with lines secured thereto in subterranean wells A system which attaches at least one line to a tubular string can include at least one clip pivotably secured on one side of a recess. At least one structure is positioned on an opposite side of the recess. Rotation of the clip into engagement with the structure secures the line in the recess. A method of attaching at least one line to a tubular string can include securing the line to a support on the tubular string as the tubular string is being conveyed into a wellbore. The securing step further includes rotating at least one clip into engagement with at least one structure, thereby preventing removal of the line from a recess formed in the support.
US08371369B2	Crossover sub with erosion resistant inserts A crossover tool that resists the erosive forces of high velocity slurry streams of gravel in downhole fracturing and gravel packing operations employs hardened inserts that protect the inside face of the housing as well as the openings through the crossover housing wall. The inserts have an extending portion that goes through housing openings preferably to the outer surface of the housing. The inserts also have inboard flanged surfaces that preferably abut or overlap to give preferably full inner wall protection to the housing from the flow of abrasive slurry. The inserts can be secured to each other or to the interior of the housing to hold them firmly in place.
US08371360B2	Partition mount with integrated plunger assembly A partition mount system includes an integrated plunger assembly. The integrated plunger assembly is constructed and arranged to be integrated into an interior of an end of an extension pole, for example a standard telescoping extension pole. Mounting of the plunger in an interior portion of the pole in this manner provides for a sleek design that is relatively lightweight. Assuming that the pole in which the anchor is mounted is part of a telescoping pole system, the anchor and plunger do not interfere with full travel of the interior pole with respect to other poles in the telescoping system. In this manner, operation of the telescoping pole system is not inhibited by the integrated plunger assembly.
US08371358B1	Removable battery system and method In a window covering system with a shade roll, a removable battery pack system includes a battery tube conformed to fit within a shade roll with a hollow interior where the battery tube is electrically connected with the shade roll but, preferably, does not rotate with the shade roll.
US08371355B2	Window shade assembly with re-channeling system and single seal strip of wrapping material A window shade assembly includes a flexible shade material having a pair of non-beaded vertical edges positioned in a pair of opposed vertical side channels. A re-channeling system includes a lip to at least partially define a plane of the flexible shade material within the side channels, and a bottom rail irremovably and slidingly received in each side channel. The side channels can be two parts. A single resilient seal strip is used with the side channels to seal the flexible shade material. The seal strip can be an edge of the flexible wrapping material for the side channels.
US08371354B2	Apparatus and method for applying labels A method and apparatus enables linered label applicators to use labels on thin liners. Linered labels comprise a composite of an elongate sheet of thin or light-weight temporary liner having a precut label adhered to a low adhesion surface. The cut-out labels on the liner are fed into the linered label applicator. The use of support mechanisms other then vacuum application on rollers enables the use of thinner liner sheets on labels. A die head for cutting or perforating labels comprising adhesive on label stock comprising a die head having at least 80% of its outer surface comprising flat areas between cutting edges, multiple cutting edges on the outer surface, and an internal volume in the die head, the internal volume for carrying coolant liquid into and out of the volume so as to cool the outer surface of the die head when the coolant temperature is at least 10° C. cooler than the outer surface of the die head.
US08371352B2	Radial tire for use in aircraft and method of producing the same The present invention provides a belt formed of a spirally wound strip member constituted of a few juxtaposed cords and rubber coating thereon, with a structure which can absorb influence of difference in winding diameter at the unit width portion of the strip member without deteriorating productivity of the tire. Specifically, the present invention provides a radial tire for use in aircraft, having a carcass including at least one layer of carcass ply extending in a troidal shape between a pair of bead cores, at least two layers of belt formed by spirally winding in a tire circumferential direction a strip member constituted of plural juxtaposed cords and rubber coating thereon, on the carcass on the outer side in the tire radial direction at a crown region of the carcass, and a tread rubber laminated on the belt, characterized in that: thickness and circumference of the belt decrease from the tire equatorial face toward end portions thereof in the widthwise direction; at least a belt portion corresponding to a tire shoulder portion, a boundary face between the belt layers and the tread rubber has a stepped configuration descending in the tire radial direction from the tire equatorial face toward the end portions thereof in the widthwise direction; and a boundary face between the belt and the carcass is a smooth curved face.
US08371343B2	Method and apparatus to facilitate determining proper placement of a liquid One provides (101) a plurality of one-way degassing valves (202) that are to be installed on corresponding containers and places (102) a viscous liquid (such as silicon oil) (205) in each of the plurality of one-way degassing valves to provide a corresponding plurality of installable one-way degassing valves (208). These teachings then provide for automatically and non-destructively determining (103), prior to installation of these valves on the corresponding containers, whether the viscous liquid has been properly placed.By one approach, this can comprise using a captured image (210) of at least a portion of each such one-way degassing valve to make this determination.
US08371335B2	Solenoid valve assembly A solenoid valve assembly includes a three-port solenoid valve and a solenoid-valve holder having the solenoid valve mounted thereon, so that the solenoid valve can be attached on a pneumatic instrument via the solenoid-valve holder. When the solenoid valve is mounted on the solenoid-valve holder, this solenoid-valve holder is provided with a plurality of flow paths that communicate with each port of the solenoid valve, connection terminals electrically and respectively connected to electrification terminals conducting with an exciting coil of the solenoid valve, and receiving terminals for connecting the connection terminals to terminals of external power, respectively.
US08371327B2	Liquid distributor in pressurized fluid system A liquid distributor for distributing a liquid in a pressurized system, including an inlet line and a first outlet line for respectively supplying a pressurized fluid to the liquid distributor and receiving the pressurized fluid from the liquid distributor. The liquid distributor having a first container defining a first chamber with an aperture leading into the first chamber and a second container defining a second chamber, with an inlet port connectable to the inlet line and a first outlet port connectable to the first outlet line. A check valve is provided between the first and second chambers, operable between an open configuration. The check valve closing when a pressure inside the second chamber is larger than a pressure inside the first chamber by a predetermined pressure differential.
US08371324B1	Collapsible supersonic inlet centerbody A collapsible flow control structure for an axisymmetric inlet employs trapezoidal alternating actuated and non-actuated strips having leading edges hinged to a missile forebody and free trailing edges extending into an inlet aperture, the strips positionable to form a variable angle frustum of a cone. An interengagement mechanism secures adjacent strips and actuators are attached to an inner surface of the actuated strips for urging the strips between a collapsed, retracted position for a first angle frustrum to an extended position for a second angle frustrum for aerodynamic flow control.
US08371323B2	Method and apparatus for transporting a particulate material Fluidizing transport apparatus comprises a hopper, a pressure vessel and a valve element which controls a port between the hopper and the vessel. The valve element is retained closed against the port under pressure within the vessel. A fluidizing nozzle receives transport fluid, such as water from a fluid line. Water supplied through the fluid line thus fluidizes solids in the vessel and raises the pressure to maintain the valve element in the closed position. The fluidized solids material is then supplied to a transport pipeline from the vessel. Solids material loaded into the hopper depress the valve element when pressure within the vessel is relieved, so allowing a fresh charge of the solids material to enter the vessel for a subsequent cycle. The position of the valve element within the vessel is influenced by a float which responds to the water level within the hopper.
US08371312B2	Heating apparatus for heat retaining hair clips An improved hair styling device with heating elements and heat retaining clips inside the device's housing. The clips present double concave inner faces, and form an enclosed space when in a closed position. A heat retaining element with an elevated heat capacity is incorporated into the clips adjacent the inner surface of the jaws of the clips; and also presents a double concave surface to the inside of the clips when in a closed position. The heating elements are made up of elongated heating rods with multiple heating locations along their length. Each heating location has an enlarged double convex area on the surface of the heating rods. The heating locations are complimentary to the shape of the heat retaining element, and therefore heat the clips quickly and evenly.
US08371311B2	Packaging assembly comprising a modulated magnetization device An assembly includes a container that contains a fluid composition having magnetic substances and a magnetization device that makes it possible to produce a pattern on a substrate onto which said composition has been deposited, the magnetization device including a holder and two magnets, at least one of which is in the form of a flexible sheet, the two magnets being at least partially superposed so that the field lines that they generate in combination with one another result from the interference between the field lines of each of the magnets.
US08371309B2	Intraoral apparatus for treating upper airway disorders A removable intraoral apparatus for improving airway patency is described. Wearing the apparatus alters the position, configuration and freedom of movement of the tongue, the muscles of mastication, as well as the pharyngeal and facial muscles. The apparatus is useful for correcting snoring and/or obstructive sleep apnea due to intermittent closures or partial obstructions occurring in the oropharynx during sleep. The apparatus of the invention can improve various types of airway disorders and improve oral functions by changing the position, configuration and freedom of movement of selected portions of the tongue and mouth, reducing the resistance to air flow in the mouth and pharynx, re-orienting and reprogramming the muscles of the mouth and tongue, and maintaining a proper oral systemic balance.
US08371305B1	Fluoroscopy chair with radiolucent, adjustable supports convertible to resuscitation table A fluoroscopy chair convertible between a chair configuration for use during fluoroscopic procedures to a support table configuration. The fluoroscopy chair has a seat, a support column supporting the seat, a radiotranslucent chest support retained to an anterior side of the seat, and a back support retained to the posterior side of the seat. The back support is reconfigurable between a first configuration that forms an upstanding surface and a second configuration cooperating with the seat to form a support table. The chest support, which can have multiple, differently contoured support surfaces, can be adjusted vertically and rotated relative to the patient.
US08371302B2	Ergonomic and adjustable respiratory mask assembly with frame A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame having a front surface and a rear surface, opposite the front surface, and adapted in use to face the patient. The frame defines an inner wall and an outer wall extending from the rear surface, the inner and outer walls being spaced to define a channel therebetween. A cushion is removably attachable to the frame such that the cushion and frame are repeatably engagable with and disengagable from one another. The cushion includes a side wall to be inserted into the channel of the frame, the side wall having a first interlocking surface that engages a second interlocking surface provided in the channel when the cushion and frame are engaged with one another. The first and second interlocking surfaces interlock with one another to removably attach the cushion to the frame.
US08371301B2	Breathing mask for feeding a breathing gas to a mask user and discharge device for discharging breathing gas A breathing mask arrangement for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame, a mask having a frame contacting portion and a patient contacting portion, and a forehead support supporting forehead padding that is structured to engage a patient's forehead. The forehead padding of the forehead support is integrally formed in one piece along with the patient contacting portion.
US08371298B2	Method and apparatus for lung volume estimation In a method, ventilator and ventilator control unit for determining an end-expertorial lung volume (EELV) for a mechanically ventilated patient, a breathing gas is provided to the patient that has a first fixed N2/O2 gas composition, at least until the N2/O2 gas composition in air expired from the patient is constant. At least once, at a first predetermined point in time, the N2/O2 gas composition in the breathing gas is changed to a second fixed composition. The change in the N2/O2 gas composition exhaled by the patient for each breath is measured until a second point in time at which the level of expired O2 in at least two subsequent breadths is substantially stable. The measurement is made downstream of the expiratory tube of the ventilator. The total gas volume is determined for each breath, and the EELV of the patient's lungs is determined based on the change in O2 level between the first and second points in time.
US08371297B2	Nitrous oxide anesthetic administration system The present invention is a method and system for administering nitrous oxide. The system includes a fluid control system for controlling the flow of nitrous oxide and oxygen to the patient. A nitrous oxide and oxygen supply, vacuum source, a breather bag, and a nasal delivery interface system are fluidly connected to the fluid control system and a patient. The fluid control system also includes a safety scavenge system including a mass airflow sensor, master controller, nitrous oxide valve, and alarm. The mass airflow sensor reads the scavenging vacuum pressure which it communicates to the master controller. Depending upon the scavenging vacuum pressure, the master controller can activate an alarm or shut off the flow of nitrous oxide. In operation, the present invention provides a system for administering anesthesia/analgesia gas which prevents excessively high volumes of exhaled nitrous oxide in the operatory environment through monitoring of the scavenge vacuum pressure.
US08371292B2	Use of ciclesonide for the treatment of respiratory diseases The invention relates to new method of treatment of respiratory diseases, in particular the treatment of asthmatic children.
US08371291B2	Flow modification device An air flow device includes a flow passage having opposite ends. The flow passage (30) is divided into a plurality of sequential portions between the ends including an inlet portion (42) extending into the flow passage (30) from an inlet end (34) an outlet portion (36) disposed at the opposite end of the flow passage (30) from the inlet portion (34), and at least one intermediate passage portion (44) between the inlet passage portion and the outlet passage portion. Each of a plurality of divider sets are positioned in a different sequential portion of the passage to divide that passage portion into a predetermined number of additional passages. At least one of the additional passages is smaller than at least one of the preceding passages.
US08371288B2	Solar collector/heat exchanger A solar collector/heat exchanger includes a first panel of corrugated heat conductive material, a second panel of corrugated heat conductive material, and a third panel of corrugated material. A mounting structure mounts the first and second panels with the third panel sandwiched between the first and second panels. The mounting structure further defines an air flow path across the first and second panels. The corrugations of the first and second panels extend parallel to the air flow path and the corrugations of the third panel extend perpendicular to the air flow path so as to cause turbulence in air passing between the first and second panels.
US08371286B2	Mechanical damper control A mechanical damper control can be used to regulate the temperature of a smoker, barbecue grill, or generally any stove chamber. The mechanical damper control includes a housing that can be coupled to an inlet or outlet of a stove chamber, either directly or using an adapter. A temperature responsive expandable member and a damper are coupled to each other, and to the housing. A damper adjustment can be manipulated to just close the damper at a point when the stove has reached a desired temperature. Further changes in the temperature of the stove chamber cause the expandable member to expand or contract, resulting in a corresponding opening or closing of the damper to maintain the stove chamber at a substantially constant temperature.
US08371273B2	Bidirectional adsorbent-canister purging A method for combusting a vapor of a fuel accumulated in an adsorbent canister in a vehicle, the vehicle having an engine and a fuel tank coupled to the adsorbent canister. The method comprises, during a first operating condition including a higher availability of compressed air, metering the compressed air from a first air source, and flowing the metered, compressed air through the adsorbent canister along a first flow path. The method further comprises, during a second operating condition including a lower availability of compressed air, flowing air from a second air source through the adsorbent canister, and, during the first and second operating conditions, venting the fuel tank to an intake of the engine and flowing effluent enriched in the vapor from the adsorbent canister to the intake of the engine.
US08371267B2	Fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine The invention relates to a high-pressure fuel pump comprising a drive shaft supported by bearings, and fuel flows through the bearings in a forced manner in such a way that the mechanical and thermal load-carrying capacity of the bearings, and thus the entire high-pressure fuel pump, is significantly increased.
US08371258B2	Lash adjuster A lash adjuster includes a cylindrical body, a cylindrical plunger, a low pressure chamber defined in the plunger, a high pressure chamber defined in a hollow lower interior of the body and filled with an operating fluid, a check valve allowing the operating fluid to flow into the high pressure chamber when in a valve-opened state and cutting off flow of the operating fluid from the high pressure chamber into the low pressure chamber when in a valve-closed state. A retainer of the check valve includes a base plate and a cylindrical portion extending upward from an outer circumferential edge of the base plate so as to surround the valve element. The base plate includes a central portion on which the valve element is placed and which has an upper surface formed with a swollen portion. The cylindrical portion has a plurality of openings formed through it circumferentially equiangularly.
US08371255B2	Two stroke engine with regular lubrication system The invention is a two-stroke engine that incorporates advantages of both the two-stroke and four-stroke types of engines. The crankcase is sealed and uses an oil pump to lubricate the piston, connecting rod, and crankshaft. The combustion air does not flow through the crankcase. Instead, the engine uses two camshafts, one for the intake valve located on the cylinder head and the other for the exhaust valve located on the side of the cylinder. The engine has a compressor, powered by the engine battery to compress ambient air before it enters into the combustion chamber. Additionally, the engine has an exhaust powered turbine connected to an alternator, which provides additional power for the engine battery. The engine is equipped with one or plurality of fuel-injection nozzles. The piston is of the two step type, which reduces friction between the piston and the cylinder.
US08371254B2	Fuel injector cooling Systems and methods for cooling a fuel injector of a direct injection engine are disclosed. In order to route coolant directly beneath a fuel injector adjacent to a combustion chamber in a direct injection engine, a recess is cast beneath the injector and a slotted gasket is provided to route coolant from core prints of the exiting water jacket into the recess beneath the injector.
US08371252B1	Control system for a boiler assembly A control system for managing and interfacing a plurality of water heaters, e.g. boilers. The control system includes a first boiler unit controlled by a first boiler control unit and a second boiler unit controlled by a second boiler control unit. The first boiler control unit is operable to coordinate the operation of the first and second boiler units in response to changes in output demand. The flues of the first and second boiler units are connected to a common flue. The control system further includes an interface and an interface control system. The interface control system communicates requests from the interface, to report and/or alter the operating parameters of the first and second boiler units, to the first and second boiler control units and communicates the request outcome(s) back to the interface.
US08371248B2	Pet washing apparatus A pet washing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a base, a top member, side supports, and a flexible side wall. In various embodiments, a water line brings water in from a water source such as a sink faucet. The water line is attached to a nozzle. A drain tray is placed over the base so that water used within the apparatus drains through the drain tray into the base. A pump is provided in the base to pump water out of the base through a water exit line, for example, into a sink drain. The device is collapsible such that the drain tray, side support, and top member all collapse and fit within the base. Optionally, the base has a handle and wheels.
US08371244B2	Pet water bottle A water bottle for pets comprises a stainless steel canister, a liquid dispenser, a removable screw cap. The canister is used for containing water and has a closed end and an open end. Threads are positioned near the open end of the canister. The removable dispenser has threads for engaging the threads near the open end of the canister and a pet-operable drink valve. The removable screw cap selectively covers and uncovers the pet-operable drink valve.
US08371242B2	Powder coating cabin or substructure therefor In a powder spraycoating cabin or substructure for same, a cabin bottom contains bottom flaps configured near outer longitudinal walls and a walk-on bottom part situated between the bottom flaps. The bottom flaps are rotatable about an axis of rotation running in the lengthwise cabin direction, as a result of which the width of lengthwise bottom gaps situated bilaterally about the flaps can be varied. A suction duct is situated underneath. The walk-on bottom part is fitted with compressed-air outlets to blow compressed air toward/into the lengthwise bottom gaps.
US08371237B2	Computer work station with moveable monitor support A portable workstation configured for use with a primary worksurface includes a monitor support adapted to be moveably supported by the primary worksurface and an auxiliary worksurface pivotally connected to the monitor support about a horizontal axis. The auxiliary worksurface is automatically moveable with the monitor support and pivots downwardly from a first worksurface position to a second worksurface position. In one embodiment, a pivotable link member connects a base and a front portion of a worksurface. A method of configuring the workstation is also provided.
US08371225B2	Device, method, and apparatus for lifting a railway rail A railway-rail-lifting device for lifting a railway rail comprises an arm and a roller rotatably mounted to the arm. The arm is operable to be rotated to bring the roller to bear on the rail such that the roller exerts a lifting force thereon. Securing means are operable to releasably secure the device to a rail fastening assembly.
US08371222B2	Lumber printer Provided is a printer for printing stamps on boards and a method of printing stamps on boards. The printer is capable of printing multiple types of stamps simultaneously on boards.
US08371218B2	Letterpress printing original plate for laser engraving and a letterpress printing plate obtained therefrom To provide a photosensitive resin composition which is a material for a printing original plate for laser engraving which generates no printing deficiencies and from which a printing plate with a satisfactory resolution can be produced. A printing original plate for laser engraving where image is formed by irradiation of laser beam to form a printing plate, characterized in that the photosensitive resin composition layer consists of a photosensitive resin composition in which soluble polyamide or soluble polyether urethane urea, ethylenic unsaturated monomer and photopolymerization initiator are essential ingredients and the amount of (meth)acryloyl group in the photosensitive resin composition is 0.25 to 0.40 mol per 100 g of the photosensitive resin composition.
US08371216B2	Conveying and marking apparatus and method A conveying and marking apparatus is disclosed that can convey discrete pieces at high speeds, and in preferred embodiments permits marking on opposite sides of the pieces while the pieces remain in the same position on the conveyor.
US08371215B2	Method and arrangement for manufacturing optical products with complex three-dimensional forms A method, an arrangement and computer program product for manufacturing micro-optic surface design with complex, variable three-dimensional forms. A step embossing, step imprinting, a chip bonding or a corresponding device capable of patterning the surface of a target substrate is obtained. The target substrate whereto the micro-optic structures shall be patterned is obtained. A plurality of different stamping tools operable with the device is obtained. Each stamping tool includes one or more surface relief forms defining one or more micro-optic structures. A stamping tool is selected from the plurality of stamping tools by the device. The target substrate is embossed with the selected stamping tool as controlled by the device. The selected stamping tool is optionally heated or assisted by at least one ultraviolet light so as to cure the target substrate during or after the embossing. The selecting and embossing steps are repeated until the micro-optic surface design has been completed on the substrate.
US08371214B1	Biometric reader for compactor/baler and method A compactor/baler for compacting materials includes a frame defining a compacting chamber, a platen movably mounted to the frame, a loading gate movably mounted to the frame and a control panel including a biometric reader having a biometric scanner. The platen is movable within the compacting chamber and the loading gate is movable from a closed position blocking access to the compacting chamber and an open position exposing the compacting chamber. The control panel is actuable between a locked configuration and an operational configuration. The biometric reader is designed to accept a biometric attribute of a user and to actuate the controller between the locked and operational configurations. The biometric reader actuates the controller to the operational configuration if the biometric attribute matches a stored biometric attribute. The control panel prevents the loading gate from moving to the open position when the controller is in the locked configuration.
US08371213B2	Diagnostic system for compactor/baler apparatus A diagnostic system for a compactor/baler includes a controller and a plurality of switches coupled to inputs of the controller. A first switch is in a first position when a ram of the compactor/baler is below a predetermined location, and a second position when the ram reaches the location. A second switch is in a first position when pressure driving the ram is below a predetermined pressure limit, and a second position when the ram exceeds the pressure limit. A communication port and display are operatively coupled to outputs of the controller. The controller is configured to, upon actuation of the first switch to the first position, activate a ram timer to count to a predetermined timer setting, and, if the second switch is actuated to the second position before the ram timer reaches the timer setting, output an alert of a full bale condition the communication port and/or display.
US08371209B2	Bolt carrier impingement device for a firearm A bolt carrier impingement device for a firearm has a body including a rearward facing surface. The rearward facing surface of the bolt carrier impingement device abuts the forward facing surface of the bolt carrier, thereby transferring all rearward force imparted to the front of the bolt carrier impingement device through only the forward facing surface of the bolt carrier. The rearward facing surface of the body may be a notch and the forward facing surface of the bolt carrier may be a buttress. The bolt carrier may include a cam aperture formed through a top surface rearward of the forward facing surface. A forward most portion of the impingement device may terminate in front of the cam aperture. A bottom surface of the body may form a slot that forms an arch over the cam aperture.
US08371208B2	Method for shooting a semi-automatic firearm A method for rapidly firing a semi-automatic firing unit having a trigger, a receiver and a barrel. The firing unit is placed in a handle so as to enable only reciprocating linear movement along a constrained linear path that is parallel to the barrel. The user grasps the handle and places their trigger finger firmly on a finger rest. In use, the user generates a forward activation force that urges the firing unit forwardly so that the trigger collides with the stabilized finger, stimulating the first round of ammunition in the receiver. A recoil force from the discharging ammunition pushes the firing unit rearwardly so that the trigger separates from the stabilized finger. During the recoil event, the user may apply negative resistance to the translating firing unit which may be varied by the user on-the-fly to proportionally change the firing tempo.
US08371206B1	Wedge-type breechblock bidirectional make-break assembly A gun with a wedge-type breechblock containing a single make-break junction assembly, located between the stationary mass of the cradle and the breechblock. The make-break junction assembly having a first set of contacts located along the bottom of the ramp structure affixed to the cradle and a second set of contacts housed in a shoe affixed to the bottom of the breechblock, at a location corresponding to the first set of contacts. Such that, when the breechblock is in-battery and the gun loaded, this shoe will be aligned with and adjacent to the first set of contacts, so that the make-break circuit will be completed.
US08371195B2	Lathe machine A lathe machine includes a turret having a saddle movable along a longitudinal direction toward a headstock, and a turret body mounted on the saddle and movable along a transverse direction on the saddle, and a tailstock having a bottom seat movable along the longitudinal direction toward the headstock, and a tailstock body mounted movably on the bottom seat. A first coupler unit is provided to couple releasably the saddle and the bottom seat so that the bottom seat can be driven by the saddle to move along the longitudinal direction toward the headstock. A second coupler unit is provided to couple releasably the turret body and the tailstock body so that the tailstock body can be driven by the turret body to move along the transverse direction.
US08371189B2	Umbilical member arrangement unit of robot wrist section An umbilical member arrangement unit for an umbilical member, having a simple structure and high rigidity, capable of avoiding interference between the umbilical member and external equipment. The unit has a guide member constituted by a first plate member attached to a front end of a wrist section, a second plate member opposed to the first plate member and a connecting member connecting the first and second plate members. A cross-sectional region of the connecting member includes the wrist axis, extends from the axis in a first radial direction by a distance not smaller than a half of a size of the umbilical member in the cross-sectional direction thereof, and extends from the axis in an axisymmetrical second radial direction by a distance not larger than a half of the size of the umbilical member, so that the umbilical member contacts the second plate member and/or the connecting member at any rotational angular position of the guide member.
US08371187B2	Spherical linkage and force feedback controls A user interface system comprises a plurality of linkages connected between a platform and a base. The linkages permit motion of the platform over at least a portion of a spherical surface. A support assembly coupled between the platform and the base comprises a spherical joint having a center of rotation substantially concentric with a center of the spherical surface. The spherical joint constrains motion of the platform to the spherical surface. The system may include a sensor corresponding to each linkage. Each sensor may be coupled to sense a movement of its corresponding linkage in response to motion of the platform over the portion of the spherical surface. A user-manipulable handle may be coupled to the platform so that the user can move the platform.
US08371177B2	Tendon tension sensor A tendon tension sensor that has particular application for measuring tension on a tendon employed in a robotic arm. The tension sensor includes an elastic element having a curved channel through which the tendon is threaded. The elastic element also includes a center portion on which strain gauges are mounted that measure the strain on the elastic element. Tension on the tendon causes the center portion of the elastic element to flex or bend, which is measured by the strain gauges providing an indication of the tension in the tendon.
US08371174B2	Micro-deformable piezoresistive material and manufacturing method thereof and pressure sensor using the same A micro-deformable piezoresistive material is provided, including a hard plastic body, a micro-deformable rough texture surface, and a plurality of conductive particles. The micro-deformable rough texture surface is formed on a side of the hard plastic body, wherein the maximum deformation of the rough texture surface is far less than the thickness of the hard plastic body. Additionally, the conductive particles are evenly dispersed in the plastic body.
US08371166B2	Inertial or resonating sensor in surface technology, with out of plane detection by strain gauge A MEMS surface sensor, including: a substrate, a surface of which defines a substrate plane; a first zone having a first thickness, of which two surfaces form a first plane and a second plane parallel in relation to one another and to the substrate plane, first zone forming at least one mobile mass that moves in a direction out of the substrate plane; and a second zone, linked to a fixed zone of the substrate, the second zone forming at least a pivot link of the mobile mass in relation to said substrate, and having a thickness less or equal to that of the mobile mass and being linked to the mobile mass, an axis of the pivot link being between the first plane and the second plane, and parallel to the first plane and the second plane.
US08371162B2	Apparatus and method for testing a compressor A test device for a compressor has a valve and ducting connected to the valve. A flow nozzle connected to the ducting has a corresponding coefficient of flow. A pressure sensor connected to the flow nozzle measures a pressure of a working fluid, and a flow rate of the working fluid is calculated using the pressure and the coefficient of flow. A method for testing a compressor includes operating the compressor at a first power level, measuring a flow rate of a working fluid at the first power level, adjusting a pressure of the working fluid to equal a first predetermined pressure, and measuring operating parameters of the compressor at the first power level. The method also includes adjusting the pressure of the working fluid to equal a second predetermined pressure and measuring operating parameters of the compressor at the first power level with the pressure of the working fluid at the second predetermined pressure.
US08371151B2	Detection of channel saturation in phase-array ultrasonic non-destructive testing The present invention relates to a method of detecting non-linear operation of a measuring device comprising an array of transducers and at least one receiver channel portion. The method comprises receiving measured signals through transducers of the array, processing the measured signals from the transducers through the receiver channel portion, combining the processed measured signals to produce a combined measurement signal, and detecting non-linearity of the combined measurement signal and non-linear operation of the measuring device by detecting saturation of the receiver channel portion. In one embodiment, the receiver channel portion comprises an analog-to-digital converter, a threshold is assigned to a digital output of the analog-to-digital converter, and saturation of the receiver channel portion is detected when the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter oversteps the assigned threshold. In one application of the invention, the measuring device is a non-destructive testing device.
US08371150B2	Forming die Provided is a forming die, including a movable supporting member, a movable die, a fixed supporting member and a fixed die. The movable supporting member disposes an oblique sliding groove. The movable die disposes an oblique guiding surface engaged with the oblique sliding groove. The movable die disposes a forming portion, which includes a forming base and a protruding portion extending downward from the forming base. The movable die can tilted move along the oblique sliding groove. The fixed die disposes a flange having a high point. The forming die of the present invention employs the movable die tilted moving along the oblique sliding groove to make the protruding portion extend into the back space of the high point, so that no gap exists between a bending portion of a terminal and the flange for obtaining the bending portion having a large bending degree and having a stable size.
US08371147B2	Apparatus and method for the manufacture of a spring unit Apparatus and methods for use in the manufacture of a spring unit for incorporation into an upholstered article, for example, a mattress, cushion or the like. Coil formation apparatus includes a drive shaft to control movement of a coil pitch guide member and a link member comprising a connecting rod adjustably connected to a radius arm of the drive shaft. A coil interlinking process comprises compressing a first coil to define a clearance, extending a second coil passed the first coil via the clearance, allowing the first coil to extend across the clearance, and contracting the second coil to engage the first coil thereby interlinking the first and second coils. Spring unit manufacturing apparatus comprises a plurality of jaw pairs each comprising a first fixed jaw and a pivotal second jaw, the pivotal second jaw being pivoted by a cam and linkage assembly operated by a rotary drive shaft.
US08371143B2	Hose reinforcement knitting machine and knitting process A circular knitting machine (140b) for knitting a plurality of yarns (196) into a tubular reinforcement (45) on a rotating hose (41), comprising a knitting head (160b) having a plurality of knitting needles (170 and 170a) and a central passageway, wherein the rotating hose is designed to pass through the central passageway, and rotate in the same direction as the knitting head. Further comprising a conforming means defined on the circular knitting machine for conforming the knitted reinforcement to the exterior of the rotating hose.
US08371114B2	Exhaust gas purification apparatus for internal combustion engine The invention provides an exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine which evenly diffuses a reducing agent over an entirety of the exhaust gas which flows into an NOx catalyst disposed on the downstream side of thereof. The exhaust gas purification apparatus includes an NOx catalyst disposed in an exhaust gas passage of an internal combustion engine, and a reducing agent injecting unit for injecting the reducing agent into the exhaust gas passage which is on an upstream side of the NOx catalyst. A narrowed portion, in which a cross-sectional area of a flow passage is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the exhaust gas passage and of the NOx catalyst, is provided on a downstream side of an injecting position by the reducing agent injecting unit and the upstream side of the NOx catalyst, and a reducing agent diffusing device is provided on the narrowed portion.
US08371113B2	Mixing device for mixing urea and air The present invention provides a mixing device (1) for mixing urea with a gas, said urea being preferably dissolved in a fluid preferably water and said gas being preferably air. The mixing device comprises preferably a urea inlet (10) and a gas inlet (12) for feeding respectively urea and the gas into a mixing chamber (20) of the mixing device (4), and an outlet (14) for outlet of the mix of urea and gas from the mixing chamber (20), these inlets (10,12) and outlet (14) may preferably have a stream wise extension and runs preferably into the mixing chamber (20) and the outlet (14) originates preferably from the mixing chamber (20). Preferably, at least the gas inlet (12) for feeding air into the mixing chamber is designed so that depositing of urea crystals on selected surfaces of the said inlet is substantially (typically in the sense that deposited crystals does not clog the inlet) or totally avoided.
US08371110B2	Method for regenerating a particulate filter of an internal-combustion engine A method for regenerating a particulate filter of an internal-combustion engine, provides for air to be supplied into the exhaust gas pipe upstream of the particulate filter in order to perform post-combustion in the exhaust gas pipe. The method provides for fuel to be supplied to the cylinders of the internal-combustion engine by means of a high-pressure pumping unit, and for fuel to be supplied into the exhaust pipe upstream of the particulate filter by means of the high-pressure pumping unit.
US08371109B2	Exhaust emission control device The invention has its object to realize compact arrangement of particulate filter 5 and selective reduction catalyst 6 for improved mountability on a vehicle while a sufficient reaction time is ensured for generation of ammonia from urea water. In an exhaust emission control device with the filter 5 and the catalyst 6 capable of selectively reacting NOx with ammonia even in the presence of oxygen being incorporated in an exhaust pipe 4, urea water as reducing agent being addible therebetween, the filter 5 is arranged in a fore-and-aft direction of a vehicle and along a frame 10 of the vehicle. The catalyst 6 is arranged in a vicinity of an inlet end of the filter 5 and directed laterally outward of the vehicle. A communication passage 9 is arranged to guide the exhaust gas 3 discharged from an outlet end of the filter 5 to an inlet end of the catalyst 6 in a forwardly fold-back manner. A urea water adding injector 11 (urea water adding means) for addition of urea water is arranged midway of the passage 9.
US08371102B1	Combustor control based on fuel modulation and passive optical sensors A system for controlling the uniformity of combustion over a range of operating conditions in a combustor with a plurality of fuel nozzles. The system includes a number of optical sensors, each sensor comprising an optical probe that collects naturally occurring optical radiation emanating from a segment of the combustor or combustor exhaust, and at least one transducer that receives the radiation collected by the probes, compares the intensity of collected radiation from each sensor in a plurality of spectral pass-bands that are indicative of the fuel/air ratio in the combustor segments, and produces output signals that are indicative of the state of combustion in the combustor segments. A control system receives the output signals from the transducers and in response controls the fuel flow to the fuel nozzles to achieve an output from each of the sensors that has been determined to be indicative of a predetermined state of combustion.
US08371101B2	Radial inlet guide vanes for a combustor A combustor may include an interior flow path therethrough, a number of fuel nozzles in communication with the interior flow path, and an inlet guide vane system positioned about the interior flow path to create a swirled flow therein. The inlet guide vane system may include a number of windows positioned circumferentially around the fuel nozzles. The inlet guide vane system may also include a number of inlet guide vanes positioned circumferentially around the fuel nozzles and adjacent to the windows to create a swirled flow within the interior flow path.
US08371097B1	Baler gathering wheel height adjustment A mechanism for connecting outboard gathering wheels to a moveable crop pick-up assembly on a round baler that incorporates a multi-element linkage to enable the rate of vertical movement of the gathering wheels to be different than the rate of vertical movement of the pick-up assembly. As the pick-up assembly is moved vertically by an actuator, the linkage interconnecting the gathering wheels and the pick-up causes the gathering wheels to also move vertically, but at a rate that is different, usually less, than the rate of vertical movement of the pickup. The linkage enables the pick-up to be raised sufficiently for transport without causing the gathering wheels to impinge upon the baler frame as occurs when both are raised at the same rate. Use of tension members in the linkage allows the gathering wheels to up float during operation without damaging the linkage.
US08371094B2	Method and apparatus for compacting product A method for compacting a slug of product and apparatus for accomplishing the same. The invention describes collecting weighed product in an intermediate settling device to form a compact slug of product. The device can comprise a single settling chamber or can comprise multiple settling chambers which are axially rotatable. The slug can be compacted by jostling and/or vibrating the settling device. Thereafter, the product is discharged to a packaging apparatus. Because the product in the final package is denser, a smaller package can be utilized reducing manufacturing and shipping costs.
US08371092B1	Apparatus and methods for reducing capsule elongation A capsule pressure control assembly for regulating or controlling the internal pressure of filled capsules, whereby instances of capsule elongation are reduced or eliminated, thus resulting in an increased yield rate of acceptable filled capsules.
US08371091B2	Building system and method with prefabricated structures joined between them, reusable and transportable A building system and method by means of at least two prefabricated structures comprising a first prefabricated structure containing at least two lateral walls, a front wall and a back wall; a second prefabricated structure containing at least two lateral walls, a front wall and a back wall; a first transportation axis in which said first prefabricated structure is mounted, capable of towing said first prefabricated structure to a building site and said first transportation axis is parked in the construction site; a second transportation axis in which said second prefabricated structure is mounted, capable of towing said second prefabricated structure to said building site and said second transportation axis is parked in the construction site; at least one of said lateral, back or from wall of each one of said first and second prefabricated structure is dismounted, dismantled or rolled up; wherein said first and second prefabricated structures are joined in such a manner that said prefabricated structures are in communication by said dismounted, dismantled or rolled up side.
US08371088B2	Deployable truss with integral folding panels A deployable truss that extends and retracts in a stable and synchronous manner, and can deploy integral folding panels. Primary orthogonal joints, each consisting of two hinged halves, connect rotationally to the truss diagonals with an angled fitting. The main hinge pin of the orthogonal joints remains orthogonal to the truss longitudinal axis and remains centered in the folding truss diagonals. Hinge pins of each truss joint are connected by center-folding chords which cause the truss joints of adjacent bays to remain parallel to each other. Folding diagonals connected to the primary joint halves are hinged together, permitting the diagonals on each side of the truss to remain parallel to each as they form the short sides of a rectangular truss. The truss may deploy z-folded panels with active surfaces such as photovoltaic, reflective, heat-radiating, LCD/plasma, or radar; or structural floor panels for folding work platforms, bridges, and walkways.
US08371084B2	Suspended ceiling structure and layer-core-layer acoustic ceiling panel therefor An acoustic ceiling panel for a lay-in or suspended ceiling includes a core portion, and front and rear layers covering front and rear sides, respectively, of the core portion. The air flow resistance of the core portion does not exceed about 100 MKS rayls. The air flow resistance of the front layer lies in the range of about 300 to about 800 MKS rayls. The air flow resistance of the rear layer lies in the range of about 300 to about 1200 MKS rayls. The panel would be supported on a grid suspended below a structural ceiling to form an air space therebetween.
US08371070B2	Retractable load-bearing cover A retractable load-bearing cover apparatus is selectively deployable and retractable along a track defining a path of travel between first and second terminus points. The load-bearing cover apparatus includes a plurality of sections that are deployable along the track in a first direction, and retractable along the track in a second, opposite direction, wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of sections are releasably engagable to one another. The cover apparatus includes a drive system for deploying and retracting the sections along the track, and a storage system for disengaging the sections and arranging such disengaged sections into a vertically stacked orientation.
US08371066B2	Water storage device for growing a lawn surface The invention relates to a device comprising a trough (2) with a base wall (4) and side walls (5), said trough (2) designed to contain a liquid and a tray (3) for placing in the trough (2), for supporting a growing substrate with at least one well (15), the bottom of which communicates with the liquid in the trough (2) each of which has an adjacent breaking zone (7, 12), the cutting of which permits the device to be divided up.
US08371064B2	Insect and arachnid trap An insect and arachnid trap (10, 100) comprises a substrate (12) having a top surface (14) onto which a sticky substance (24) is deposited. One embodiment of the trap (10) is provided with a reinforcing rib (26) to reinforce the thin sheet substrate. The trap (10, 100) may also have a channel (22, 22) into which the sticky substance (24) is deposited. The top surface (14) may have a smooth finish and be inclined to the horizontal in order to prevent trapped insects and arachnids from extricating themselves from the sticky substance. The sticky substance is a composition which includes polybutene oil and polyisobutylene. The sticky substance preferably includes 5-15 wt % polyisobutylene. This sticky substance in combination with the channel and smooth top surface provides an insect and arachnid trap which is more effective than known examples. The reinforcing rib ensures that the substrate (12) does not fold back upon itself when handled after use. Contact with trapped insects or arachnids is thus avoided.
US08371063B2	Suction mounted insect eradicator This device consists of a portable frame of non-conductive material that has a plurality of separate grids of conductive material. The grid is broken into two or three separate pieces depending on the model. The first piece is the positive electric potential, the second is the negative electric potential and the third, (if used) is the grounded safety shield. The apparatus attaches to a surface, such as a window, mirror, wall, etc, via devices that connect to the frame such as: suction cups, hooks, dowels, etc. Power the electric grid is provided using either 110VAC or batteries. A removable tray is located at the base of the grid to catch dead insects for convenient disposal.
US08371060B2	Concealed hook fish lure A concealed hook fish lure is disclosed. In one embodiment, a lure body contains an interior body cavity wherein is placed a hook that is pivotally mounted on a bar with a spring biased to rotate the hook. In the non-deployed position, the hook is concealed and retracted within the lure up to the moment of the strike. At the moment of the strike, the fish compresses a hook trigger clip which releases the hook, which is then pivoted upwardly into the mouth of the fish, thereby facilitating the setting of the hook in the fish's mouth. The lure is useful in waters containing weeds and other debris, and provides improvements with respect to a simple mechanism for deploying the hook, and the ability to deploy hooks in multiple directions relative to the lure body. The hook may also be readily retracted to and cocked in its concealed position following a strike.
US08371051B2	System to label plates A label for a multi-well plate is provided including a visually observable indicia in a predetermined position on at least an upper side of a portion of the multi-well plate. The indicia has a color in contrast to the multi-well plate and is substantially permanently affixed to at least the upper side of the plate. A method for orienting plates using the label and a system of labeling are also provided.
US08371044B2	Shoes The present invention relates to a molded shoe featuring a 3 dimensional figure (e.g., an animal or character). The shoe has a sole having a bottom surface that comprises a series of projections and recesses that form a print for an animal or character, to thereby obtain an imprinting surface; and an upper, attached to the sole, having an outer surface that comprises a series of projections and recesses that form a three dimensional figure (e.g., an animal figure or a character figure). The sole and upper are substantially formed from molded plastic; the projections and recesses of the animal imprinting surface allow one wearing the shoe to make imprints on a soft surface, and the three dimensional figure on the outer surface of the upper relates to the print of the imprinting surface. The methods of the present invention further include making imprints with the bottom surface of the shoe.In an aspect, the shoe of the present invention includes a sole that includes a bottom surface and an outsole extending therefrom; and a toe cap, wherein the toe cap and the outsole comprise an outer surface that comprises a series of projections and recesses that form a three-dimensional figure. The toe cap, the sole, the outsole, and the three-dimensional animal or character figure are a single piece formed by a molded material. This embodiment of the invention further includes a modified upper, adapted to attach to the toe cap and the outsole.
US08371035B2	Combined set of interacting instruments A combined set of interacting instruments for constructing and analyzing mathematical figures includes a ruler, an adjustable triangle assembly, a compass and a protractor. The ruler includes an elongated strip of rigid or semi-rigid plastic having a length, width and relatively thin thickness. A pivot point is provided in a general middle portion of the ruler together with three parallel longitudinally extending guideways along portions of the ruler. One of the guideways includes a positioning hole for a writing instrument to act as a compass. The triangular assembly includes two moveable elements having first and second ends with the two elements pivotally connected together at one end of each of the elements so they can be disposed in an end to end relationship. The moveable elements also have a guide follower that fits within one of the guideways in the ruler. A protractor is also made of a thin sheet of plastic material and has a generally flat base portion and arcuate upper portion with angular indications between 0 and 180° marked on the base and upper portions. The protractor also includes a pair of guide followers for positioning within a second of said longitudinally extending guideways.
US08371031B2	Cutting device A cutting device, particularly suited for removing vehicle glazing panels, has forward blade carrier and a rearward handle spaced from the forward blade carrier. The forward blade carrier may function as a handle, the device thereby being operable in two handed use. The rearward handle and forward blade may be movable relative to one another permitting re-configuration of the device. The rearward handle and forward blade carrier may be connected by a bridge portion.
US08371030B2	Maintenance method of wind turbine generator A maintenance method is provided for a wind turbine generator including a tower and a nacelle. The maintenance method includes: attaching a pedestal to the tower; attaching a jack to the pedestal; and lifting the nacelle by using the jack to detach the nacelle from the tower, from a state where the nacelle is rotatably connected to the tower.
US08371021B2	Manufacturing method of rare earth-iron ring magnet with continuous orientation controlled anisotropy A process of manufacturing segments, an anisotropic direction of which is continuously changed in a plane vertically by a uniform magnetic field maintained in a constant direction and a process of arranging a plurality of segments on a circumference, extruding the segments in a ring shape by rheology based on the viscous deformation of the segments, from one thrust-direction end surface of the segments, and subsequently compressing the segments from both thrust-direction end surfaces of the segments are necessarily included. A ring magnet, anisotropy of which is controlled in a continuous direction, is provided, and a source for generating a static magnetic field has energy density (BH) max≧160 to 180 kJ/m3.
US08371019B1	Method for manufacturing a magnetic write pole having straight side walls and a well defined track-width A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a write pole with a very narrow track width, straight well defined sides and a well defined trailing edge width (e.g. track-width). The method includes uses two separate chemical mechanical polishing processes that stop at separate CMP stop layers. The first CMP stop layer is deposited directly over a RIEable fill layer. A RIE mask, is formed over the fill layer and first CMP stop layer, the RIE mask having an opening. A trench then is formed in the RIEable fill layer. A second CMP stop layer is then deposited into the trench and over the RIE mask, followed by plating of a magnetic material. First and second chemical mechanical polishing processes are then performed, the first stopping at the first CMP stop and the second stopping at the second CMP stop.
US08371017B1	Panel fastener head assembly and fastener installation tool An installation head for use with captive panel fasteners. The head is adapted for mounting onto a conventional fastener installation tool that can apply a predetermined outer axial compressive force distributed about a predetermined inner axial tensile force. The pulling head transfers the outer axial compressive force to an inner axial compressive force delivered to a flaring anvil, while at the same time transferring the inner axial tensile force to an outer axial tensile force delivered to an internally threaded bushing that accommodates the threaded shank of a captive panel fastener. Using the tool and the installation head to apply the predetermined axial tensile and compressive forces, captive panel fasteners can be reliably installed using a single tool stroke.
US08371014B2	Method and apparatus for forming a metallic container A method of forming a metallic container includes the steps of providing body and lid portions, placing the body and lid portions together, keeping portions of the body and lid portions in contact with one another, and reciprocally rotating the lid portion with respect to the body portion, thereby generating frictional heat and forming a friction weld therebetween. An apparatus for attaching the lid and body portions of a metallic container includes a base to support the body, a support assembly to support a flange of the body, and a sonitrode for contacting a flange of the lid, wherein the flanges of the lid and body are held together between the support assembly and the sonitrode. A motor reciprocally rotates the sonitrode relative to the support assembly, thereby moving the flanges relative one another to generate frictional heat and create a friction weld therebetween.
US08371011B2	Automated systems for roller rail disassembly and methods of disassembling roller rail assemblies An automated system for disassembling a roller rail assembly includes an actuation device configured to move the roller rail assembly in a disassembling direction. A guide bracket is arranged and configured to receive the roller rail assembly as the roller rail assembly is moved in the disassembling direction. The guide bracket allows movement of the roller rail assembly in the disassembling direction. A separator member is located downstream of the actuation device. The separator member being received by a housing member of the roller rail assembly and having a wide region that separates sidewalls of the housing member and releases roller wheels of the roller rail assembly as the roller rail assembly is moved past the separator member by the actuation device.
US08371010B2	Automotive maintenance tool Embodiments of a device and method for removing a valve spring from an engine are herein disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a base component with a compressor component removably connected to the base component via an elongate member threadedly engaged with the base component. A fastener may threadedly engage with the elongate member to reversibly keep the compressor component in place. The base component is configured to engage with opposing vertically-extending components on a cylinder head while the compressor component is configured to simultaneously engage with a valve spring. When rotational force is applied in a clockwork direction to the fastening component, the compressor component is forced in a downward direction thereby compressing the valve spring for subsequent removal thereof.
US08370991B2	Supply tank assembly for an extractor cleaning machine An extractor cleaning machine includes a supply tank assembly having a first tank and a second tank. The first tank is in fluid communication with a distributor. The first tank has a rigid body defining a first storage chamber for storing a first cleaning fluid and supplying the first cleaning fluid to the distributor. The second tank is positioned within the first storage chamber of the first tank in fluid communication with the distributor. The second tank has a rigid body defining a second storage chamber for receiving a second cleaning fluid and supplying the second cleaning fluid to the distributor. At least a portion of the rigid body of the second tank defines a boundary of the first storage chamber to separate the first cleaning fluid and the second cleaning fluid.
US08370985B2	Compact autonomous coverage robot An autonomous coverage robot includes a chassis having forward and rearward portions and a drive system carried by the chassis. The forward portion of the chassis defines a substantially rectangular shape. The robot includes a cleaning assembly mounted on the forward portion of the chassis and a bin disposed adjacent the cleaning assembly and configured to receive debris agitated by the cleaning assembly. A bin cover is pivotally attached to a lower portion of the chassis and configured to rotate between a first, closed position providing closure of an opening defined by the bin and a second, open position providing access to the bin opening. The robot includes a body attached to the chassis and a handle disposed on an upper portion of the body. A bin cover release is actuatable from substantially near the handle.
US08370981B2	Integrated continuous batch tunnel washer A method of washing fabric articles in a tunnel washer includes moving the fabric articles from the intake of the washer to the discharge of the washer through first and second sectors that are a pre-wash zone. In the pre-wash zone, liquid is counter flowed in the wash interior along a flow path that is generally opposite the direction of travel of the fabric articles. The fabric articles are transferred to a main wash zone, and a washing chemical is added to the main wash zone. At about the same time, counter flow is reduced or stopped. The main wash zone can be heated as an option. After a period of time (for example, between about 20 and 120 seconds) counter flow is increased. The increased counter flow after chemical treatment amounts to either an intermediate rinse or a pre-rinse depending upon which module or zone the goods occupy. The pre-rinse ensures that the fabric articles are substantially free of soil or the majority of any soil when they are transferred to an extractor for final removal of excess water.
US08370975B2	Movable examination bed The present embodiments provide a movable examination bed that includes a movable platform for supporting an object to be examined, a supporting body connected to the movable platform from below and used for supporting the movable platform, and a guide rail arranged underneath the movable platform. The examination bed also includes a transport mechanism that drives the supporting body such that the supporting body moves on the guide rail. The examination bed includes a connection mechanism securely connected to the transport mechanism, an electromagnet fixed to the connection mechanism and operable to magnetically attract the supporting body, and a controller operable to control the magnetic attraction between the electromagnet and the supporting body. The examination bed is operable to rapidly separate the movable platform from the transport mechanism in case of an emergency and return the movable platform to an original position after the emergency situation is over.
US08370972B2	Supine lift and stretcher A lift and stretcher apparatus for a patient includes a base portion at least partially defined by an elongated portion extending generally in a first orthogonal direction and having a first end, a second end, and a central portion interposed there between; a frame having a first lateral portion extending in the first orthogonal direction and defining a first lateral portion distal end and a first lateral portion proximal end, a second lateral portion defining a second lateral portion distal end and a second lateral portion proximal end, a proximal portion, and a distal portion extending generally in a second orthogonal direction; a lifting portion interconnecting the base with the frame for moving the frame relative to the base generally in a third orthogonal direction; a first axle portion having; and a second axle portion.
US08370969B2	Toilet overflow prevention system and method A system for preventing overflow of a toilet includes a sensor, a processor and an actuator. The sensor senses a parameter caused by fluid dynamics within the toilet during a flush cycle. The parameter may involve vibration, sound, pressure, fluid flow rate or other detectable characteristics of the toilet. The processor uses information regarding the parameter that is gathered by the sensor to evaluate the condition of the flush cycle to determine if an impeded flush condition exists. In the event of an impeded flush condition, the processor directs the actuator to close a valve, which may be the toilet flapper valve in some embodiments. Also disclosed are methods for preventing toilet overflow, detecting an impeded flush condition and calibrating the system.
US08370967B2	Adjustable head band for a helmet An adjustable head band for a helmet has a base, a band, an adjusting wheel, a dial and a cover. The base has at least one pawl. The band is annular and is movably mounted through the base and has two toothed ends. The toothed ends correspond to each other. The adjusting wheel has a gear and a ratchet wheel. The gear engages the toothed ends of the band. The ratchet wheel engages the at least one pawl of the base. The dial is mounted on the adjusting wheel. The cover is mounted on the base. The adjustable head band is attached to a helmet and is convenient and easy to operate to allow customization of the helmet on a head.
US08370964B1	Protective garment and associated accessories A protective garment for use while cleansing at least a portion of a user's body including: a lower garment, wherein the lower garment is adapted to releasably shield at least a portion of at least one lower extremity of an associated user while exposing an associated user's anal region; wherein the lower garment comprises a flexible, substantially waterproof member which includes: an upper region, wherein the upper region comprises a lower garment securement member which enables substantially water-tight releasable securement of the lower garment to an associated user; and a lower region, wherein the lower region and the upper region are spaced apart from one another to define a lower garment length. The protective garment optionally includes an upper garment and/or a base member.
US08370963B2	Sport glove A baseball glove comprises a palm section, a finger section, a thumb section, and a web section between the fingers and thumb sections. The finger section comprises four finger stalls. The outermost finger stall is wide enough to accommodate two fingers and a rigid insert is inserted into the outermost finger stall.

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