US08519464B2
A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of stacked patterns where a tunnel insulation layer, a floating gate, and a dielectric layer are sequentially stacked over a substrate, trenches formed in the substrate between the stacked patterns, an isolation layer gap-filling the trenches and space between the stacked patterns, and a control gate formed over the dielectric layer.
US08519461B2
Presented are device structures and methods of fabricating three-dimensional integrated circuits that include post-contact back end of line through-hole via integration for the three-dimensional integrated circuits. Another aspect of the present invention includes three-dimensional integrated circuits fabricated according to methods of the present invention.
US08519460B2
In an X-Y address type solid state image pickup device represented by a CMOS image sensor, a back side light reception type pixel structure is adopted in which a wiring layer is provided on one side of a silicon layer including photo-diodes formed therein, and visible light is taken in from the other side of the silicon layer, namely, from the side (back side) opposite to the wiring layer. Wiring can be made without taking a light-receiving surface into account, and the degree of freedom in wiring for the pixels is enhanced.
US08519452B2
A semiconductor device with a JFET is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a trench and a contact embedded layer formed in the trench. A gate wire is connected to the contact embedded layer, so that the gate wire is connected to an embedded gate layer via the contact embedded layer. In this configuration, it is possible to downsize a contact structure between the embedded gate layer and the gate wire.
US08519439B2
According to one embodiment, the semiconductor element includes a first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer contains AlXGa1-XN. A top layer of the first semiconductor layer is terminated by nitrogen. The semiconductor element includes a second semiconductor layer containing non-doped or first conductivity-type AlYGa1-YN formed on the first semiconductor layer. The semiconductor element includes a third semiconductor layer containing AlZGa1-ZN formed on the second semiconductor layer. The semiconductor element includes a first major electrode connected to the third semiconductor layer. The semiconductor element includes a second major electrode connected to the third semiconductor layer. The semiconductor element includes a gate electrode provided on the third semiconductor layer between the first major electrode and the second major electrode.
US08519438B2
A III-N semiconductor device that includes a substrate and a nitride channel layer including a region partly beneath a gate region, and two channel access regions on opposite sides of the part beneath the gate. The channel access regions may be in a different layer from the region beneath the gate. The device includes an AlXN layer adjacent the channel layer wherein X is gallium, indium or their combination, and a preferably n-doped GaN layer adjacent the AlXN layer in the areas adjacent to the channel access regions. The concentration of Al in the AlXN layer, the AlXN layer thickness and the n-doping concentration in the n-doped GaN layer are selected to induce a 2DEG charge in channel access regions without inducing any substantial 2DEG charge beneath the gate, so that the channel is not conductive in the absence of a switching voltage applied to the gate.
US08519437B2
A light emitting device comprising a three-dimensional polarization-graded (3DPG) structure that improves lateral current spreading within the device without introducing additional dopant impurities in the epitaxial structures. The 3DPG structure can include a repeatable stack unit that may be repeated several times within the 3DPG. The stack unit includes a compositionally graded layer and a silicon (Si) delta-doped layer. The graded layer is compositionally graded over a distance from a first material to a second material, introducing a polarization-induced bulk charge into the structure. The Si delta-doped layer compensates for back-depletion of the electron gas at the interface of the graded layers and adjacent layers. The 3DPG facilitates lateral current spreading so that current is injected into the entire active region, increasing the number of radiative recombination events in the active region and improving the external quantum efficiency and the wall-plug efficiency of the device.
US08519431B2
Some embodiments include thyristors having first and second electrode regions, first and second base regions, and material having a bandgap of at least 1.2 eV in at least one of the regions. The first base region is between the first electrode region and the second base region, and the second base region is between the second electrode region and the first base region. The first base region interfaces with the first electrode region at a first junction, and interfaces with the second base region at a second junction. The second base region interfaces with the second electrode region at a third junction. A gate is along the first base region, and in some embodiments does not overlap either of the first and second junctions. Some embodiments include methods of programming thyristors, and some embodiments include methods of forming thyristors.
US08519424B2
Mosaic devices including an apparatus includes at least one electroluminescence (EL) device and a system substrate. The at least one EL device can be configured to be coupled mechanically and electrically to the system substrate. The system substrate can be configured to receive the at least one EL device at a non-discrete location or orientation. The system substrate can be a smart system substrate configured to automatically identify a device type. The EL device can be an area-emitting device such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) device.
US08519422B2
An encapsulating sheet includes an encapsulating resin layer and a wavelength conversion layer laminated on the encapsulating resin layer. The wavelength conversion layer is formed by laminating a barrier layer formed of a light transmissive resin composition and having a thickness of 200 μm to 1000 μm, and a phosphor layer containing a phosphor.
US08519419B2
A semiconductor light-emitting structure includes a silicon substrate, a distributed Bragg reflector, a semiconductor structures layer and an epitaxy connecting layer. The silicon substrate has a top surface. The distributed Bragg reflector is formed on the top surface of the silicon substrate. The semiconductor structures layer is configured for emitting light. The epitaxy connecting layer is placed between the distributed Bragg reflector and the semiconductor structures layer. Grooves extend from the semiconductor structures layer through the epitaxy connecting layer and the distributed Bragg reflector to reach the semiconductor structures layer.
US08519418B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device package and a lighting system. The light emitting device package includes a sub-mount including a cavity, a light emitting device chip provided in the cavity, an electrode electrically connected to the light emitting chip, a reflective layer formed on a surface of the cavity, a dielectric pattern on the reflective layer, and an encapsulant filled in the cavity.
US08519414B2
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a conductive carrier-tunneling layer over and contacting the substrate. The conductive carrier-tunneling layer includes first group-III nitride (III-nitride) layers having a first bandgap, wherein the first III-nitride layers have a thickness less than about 5 nm; and second III-nitride layers having a second bandgap lower than the first bandgap, wherein the first III-nitride layers and the second III-nitride layers are stacked in an alternating pattern. The semiconductor structure is free from a III-nitride layer between the substrate and the conductive carrier-tunneling layer. The semiconductor structure further includes an active layer over the conductive carrier-tunneling layer.
US08519413B2
An organic light emitting diode display is disclosed. The display includes a substrate, a first electrode placed on the substrate, an organic emissive layer placed on the first electrode, a second electrode placed on the organic emissive layer, and a refractive layer disposed between the substrate and the first electrode. The refractive layer is greater in refractive index than the first electrode.
US08519403B1
A method for forming a submicron device includes depositing a hard mask over a first region that includes a polysilicon well of a first dopant type and a gate of a second dopant type and a second region that includes a polysilicon well of a second dopant type and a gate of a first dopant type. The hard mask over the first region is removed. Angled implantation of the first dopant type is performed to form pockets under the gate of the second dopant type.
US08519401B2
A repair method for repairing an active device array substrate is provided. The active device array substrate includes a substrate, scan lines, data lines, active devices, pixel electrodes, and common lines. At least one of the scan line has an open defect. The scan lines and the data lines are intersected to define sub-pixel regions. The active devices are electrically connected with the scan lines and the data lines correspondingly. Each pixel electrode is disposed in one of the sub-pixel regions and electrically connected with one of the active devices. The repair method includes cutting one of the common lines neighboring to the open defect to form a cutting block that is electrically insulated from the common lines; and welding the cutting block, the scan line having the open defect and two active devices located at two opposite sides of the open defect.
US08519393B2
A thin film transistor array panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a gate electrode disposed on an insulation substrate; a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate electrode; a semiconductor disposed on the gate insulating layer; an etching stop layer disposed on the semiconductor; an insulating layer disposed on the gate insulating layer; and a source electrode and a drain electrode overlapping the semiconductor. The semiconductor and the gate insulating layer have a first portion on which the etching stop layer and the insulating layer are disposed, and a second portion on which etching stop layer and the insulating layer are not disposed. The source electrode and the drain electrode are disposed on the second portion of the semiconductor and the gate insulating layer.
US08519388B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for testing integrity of a passivation layer (108) covering a semiconductor device. A structured layer of electrically conducting material (104) is deposited onto at least a portion of a top surface of a substrate (102) of the semiconductor device. The structured layer (104) comprises a plurality of bands (104.1, 104.2) connected to at least two contacts (106.1, 106.2) and disposed on the at least a portion of the top surface such that one of consecutive bands (104.1, 104.2) and consecutive portions of the bands (104.1, 104.2) are connected to different contacts (106.1, 106.2). A passivation layer (108) is deposited onto the at least a portion of the top surface of the substrate (102) and the structured layer (104) such that material of the passivation layer(108) is disposed between the bands of conducting material (104.1, 104.2) and on top of the structured layer (104). Electrically conducting material is then deposited onto the passivation layer (108) and a resistance is measured between the at least two contacts (106.1, 106.2). An indication with respect to integrity of the passivation layer (108) is determined in dependence upon the measured resistance.
US08519383B2
Provided is an organic electroluminescence display apparatus capable of reducing a chromaticity difference caused by light emission from an organic layer including an emission layer having the same color, which is continuously formed over two sub-pixels included in a pixel. The organic electroluminescence display apparatus includes: a substrate; and multiple organic electroluminescence devices which are stacked on the substrate, each of which includes electrodes and an organic layer sandwiched by the electrodes in which first organic layer and a second organic layer are arranged side by side in an emission region corresponding to a pixel formed on the substrate and a third organic layer is stacked over the first organic layer and the second organic layer through an intermediate electrode. The third organic layer has an emission spectrum peak wavelength which is longer than an emission spectrum peak wavelength of at least one of the first organic layer and the second organic layer.
US08519379B2
An embodiment relates to a device comprising a substrate, a nanowire and a doped epitaxial layer surrounding the nanowire, wherein the nanowire is configured to be both a channel to transmit wavelengths up to a selective wavelength and an active element to detect the wavelengths up to the selective wavelength transmitted through the nanowire. Another embodiment relates to a device comprising a substrate, a nanowire and one or more photogates surrounding the nanowire, wherein the nanowire is configured to be both a channel to transmit wavelengths up to a selective wavelength and an active element to detect the wavelengths up to the selective wavelength transmitted through the nanowire, and wherein the one or more photogates comprise an epitaxial layer.
US08519377B2
A nonvolatile memory device group includes: (A) a first insulating layer; (B) a second insulating layer that has a first concavity and a second concavity communicating with the first concavity and having a width larger than that of the first concavity and that is disposed on the first insulating layer; (C) a plurality of electrodes that are disposed in the first insulating layer and the top surface of which is exposed from the bottom surface of the first concavity; (D) an information storage layer that is formed on the side walls and the bottom surfaces of the first concavity and the second concavity; and (E) a conductive material layer that is filled in a space surrounded with the information storage layer in the second concavity.
US08519374B2
A resistive memory device includes a lower electrode formed on a substrate, a resistive layer formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode on the resistive layer, wherein a lower portion of the upper electrode is narrower than an upper portion of the upper electrode.
US08519373B2
Some embodiments include memory cells. A memory cell may contain a switching region and an ion source region between a pair of electrodes. The switching region may be configured to reversibly retain a conductive bridge, with the memory cell being in a low resistive state when the conductive bridge is retained within the switching region and being in a high resistive state when the conductive bridge is not within the switching region. The memory cell may contain an ordered framework extending across the switching region to orient the conductive bridge within the switching region, with the framework remaining within the switching region in both the high resistive and low resistive states of the memory cell.
US08519363B2
An ion implanter performs ion implantation by irradiating a wafer having a notch at its outer peripheral region by an ion beam. In ion implanter, a twist angle adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust a twist angle, an aligner is configured to adjust an alignment angle, a wafer transfer device is configured to transfer the wafer between the aligner and the twist angle adjustment mechanism, an image processing device is configured to detect the twist angle of the wafer on the twist angle adjustment mechanism, and a control device is configured to carry out a twist control in which the wafer is rotated by the twist angle adjustment mechanism by an angle obtained from a first difference between the detected twist angle and the alignment angle and a second difference between the alignment angle and a target twist angle given as one of ion implantation conditions.
US08519359B2
Disclosed is a method for converting a primary electromagnetic radiation to a longer output wavelength that includes providing an energy conversion layer having a first photoluminescent material and a second photoluminescent material, exposing the energy conversion layer to the primary electromagnetic radiation, and transferring at least a portion of absorbed energy from the first photoluminescent material to the second photoluminescent material by dipolar coupling, such that the second photoluminescent material subsequently emits the longer output wavelength.
US08519358B2
The present invention relates to a system for conducting the identification and quantification of micro-organisms, e.g., bacteria in biological samples. More particularly, the invention relates to a system comprising a disposable cartridge and an optical cup or cuvette having a tapered surface; an optics system including an optical reader and a thermal controller; an optical analyzer; a cooling system; and an improved spectrometer. The system may utilize the disposable cartridge in the sample processor and the optical cup or cuvette in the optical analyzer.
US08519342B2
A nuclear medicine imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a detector, a measuring unit, and an end control unit. The detector is configured to detect radiation for generating a nuclear medicine image. The measuring unit is configured to measure the number of times the detector detects the radiation. The end control unit is configured to control the detector to end the detection operation when the number of times measured by the measuring unit is equal to or less than a threshold value.
US08519338B2
An X-ray detection device including a scintillator configured to convert gamma rays or X-rays into optical radiation, an optical image intensifier configured to intensify the optical radiation to generate intensified optical radiation, an optical coupling system configured to guide the intensified optical radiation, and a solid state detector configured to detect the intensified optical radiation to generate an interaction image representing an X-ray energy emission and to perform photon counting based on data of the interaction image.
US08519337B2
A method of determining a physical property of a composite material includes providing a series of composite materials surfacing films, which are subjected to increasing thermal experience to create a set of thermal effect standards, collecting near-IR spectra on those standards, performing data pre-processing and then multivariate calibration on the spectra of the composite materials surfacing films, and using that calibration to predict the thermal effect for samples in question.
US08519326B2
A universal projector interface including a mount interface portion with a plurality of elongate arm assemblies coupled thereto. Each arm assembly is selectively rotatable and translatable relative to the mount interface, and includes a coupling portion. The coupling portion of each arm assembly is selectively shiftable between a first position in which the coupling portion is securely engaged with a projector attachment member on the projector and a second position in which the coupling portion is freely disengageable from the projector attachment member.
US08519324B2
A laser projector displays an image based on raster scanning of a laser beam. The laser projector is capable of reliably detecting the deflection angle of a vibratory mirror used for horizontally scanning without the need for a light source other than a laser light source for displaying images even if the deflection angle is small, and also of accurately adjusting the deflection angle of the vibratory mirror to a predetermined deflection angle at the resonant frequency of the vibratory mirror without exceeding the predetermined deflection angle.
US08519320B2
Each optical sensor element includes an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a light dependent variable resistance element formed of amorphous silicon. Each optical sensor pixel includes: a capacitive element between the lower electrode and a reference voltage line; a first transistor inputting a first power source voltage to a second electrode, connecting a first electrode to the lower electrode, and inputting a second clock to a control electrode; a second transistor inputting a second power source voltage to a second electrode, and connecting a control electrode to the lower electrode; and a third transistor connecting a second electrode to a first electrode of the second transistor, connecting a first electrode to the output line, and inputting a first clock to a control electrode.
US08519319B2
A physical information acquisition method in which a corresponding wavelength region of visible light with at least one visible light detection unit coupled to an image signal processing unit is detected, each said visible light detection unit comprising a color filter adapted to transmit the corresponding wavelength region of visible light; a wavelength region of infrared light with at least one infrared light detection unit coupled to the image signal processing unit is detected; and, with the signal processing unit, a first signal received from the at least one visible light detection unit by subtracting a product from said first signal is corrected, said product resulting from multiplication of a second signal received from the at least one infrared light detection unit and a predetermined coefficient factor.
US08519318B2
According to one embodiment, a solid-state image sensing device for reading out, via an output circuit, a reset signal and a pixel signal from a pixel unit which performs photoelectric conversion includes a comparator which compares a signal read out from the pixel unit with a reference signal, a counter which counts clocks input until a pulse signal indicating a comparison result from the comparator is obtained, and a counter controller which prevents the counter from performing an operation of stopping pixel signal counting, based on an output result of the reset signal from the comparator.
US08519317B2
A photosensor includes a substrate, a gate line, and a data line disposed on the substrate. A thin film transistor is connected to the gate line and the data line. A first photo-sensing member is disposed on the substrate, and a first electrode is connected to the thin film transistor and the first photo-sensing member. A second photo-sensing member is disposed on the first photo-sensing member, and a second electrode is connected to the first electrode and the second photo-sensing member.
US08519316B2
A photoelectric conversion apparatus of the present invention includes a first semiconductor region functioning as a barrier against signal charges between a first and a second photoelectric conversion element, and a second semiconductor region that has a width narrower than that of the first semiconductor region and functions as a barrier against signal charges between a first and the third photoelectric conversion element. A region with a low barrier is provided at least a part between the first and the second photoelectric conversion element.
US08519314B1
The power input to the light source of a microscope is varied as necessary to maintain a constant degree of detector saturation as the objective is moved toward a best-focus position. Focus is found by tracking the source's intensity necessary to maintain the detector irradiance at a constant level. The in-focus position is reached when the power input (and correspondingly the intensity of the light emitted by the source) reaches a minimum. The concept can be applied in a similar manner to minimize or eliminate tilt in a sample.
US08519311B2
An RF timber drying apparatus includes a pair of capacitor plates within the chamber and spaced from each other across the chamber such that a timber load can be contained into the chamber between the capacitor plates, a resonator circuit, and an RF generating circuit with adjustable power output for adjusting the voltage output from the RF generator to compensate for changes in moisture content as the timber dries.
US08519307B2
An oven apparatus 24 having a modular construction for curing paint on the surface of a vehicle body 26 using radiant and convection heat. The oven apparatus 24 includes a plurality of oven modules 30. Each oven module 30 includes a pair of convection return air assemblies 128 for removing exhaust gases from the oven interior 98 and a pair of radiant heating tubes 100 for heating the vehicle body. Each of the convection return air assemblies 128 has a reflective outer surface 94 for reflecting radiant heat from the radiant heating tubes 100 at the vehicle body 26.
US08519299B2
A laser processing machine for processing workpieces, in particular metal sheets, includes a workpiece support and a beam receiver for the laser beam used as a processing tool. The distance between a workpiece lying on the workpiece support and the beam receiver is variable, owing to the fact that the workpiece support and the beam receiver are positionable relative to one another along the beam axis of the laser beam by means of an adjusting drive of an adjusting device with a positioning movement of a variably definable magnitude. A method for processing workpieces, in particular metal sheets, is also provided.
US08519273B2
A circuit subassembly, comprising: a conductive layer, a dielectric layer formed from a thermosetting composition, wherein the thermosetting composition comprises, based on the total weight of the thermosetting composition a polybutadiene or polyisoprene resin, about 30 to about 70 percent by weight of a magnesium hydroxide having less than about 1000 ppm of ionic contaminants, and about 5 to about 15 percent by weight of a nitrogen-containing compound, wherein the nitrogen-containing compound comprises at least about 15 weight percent of nitrogen; and an adhesive layer disposed between and in intimate contact with the conductive layer and the dielectric layer, wherein the adhesive comprises a poly(arylene ether), wherein the circuit subassembly has a UL-94 rating of at least V-1.
US08519265B2
According to one embodiment, a power module includes a metal base, a ceramic substrate, a semiconductor chip, a nut holder housing a nut, an electrode terminal and a casing. The ceramic substrate is connected to an upper surface of the metal base via a lower electrode. The semiconductor chip is located on a first major surface of the ceramic substrate. The electrode terminal includes a bent portion surrounding a nut holder. The electrode terminal includes a first connecting portion extending perpendicularly to the bent portion from one end of the bent portion, and being located on the first major surface via an upper electrode, and electrically connected to the semiconductor chip. A casing is bonded to the metal base to enclose the semiconductor chip and the electrode terminal. An upper end portion of the bent portion of the electrode terminal is exposed to outside of the casing through the opening.
US08519263B2
A below ground component management system includes a base plate disposed below a ground surface, a sleeve connected to the base plate and extending substantially perpendicular thereto toward the ground surface, and a cover sealably connected to an upper opening of the sleeve to form a substantially fluid-tight compartment with the base plate and the sleeve. The system also includes a component rack disposed within the compartment, and an actuator assembly configured to pass at least a portion of the rack through the opening. The actuator assembly includes a bracket, and first and second cylinders connected to the bracket. The first cylinder has a piston extending toward the base plate and the second cylinder has a piston extending toward the opening.
US08519260B2
A method to determine the cleanness of a semiconductor substrate and the quantity/density of pin holes that may exist within a patterned antireflective coating (ARC) is provided. Electroplating is employed to monitor the changes in the porosity of the ARC caused by the pin holes during solar cell manufacturing. In particular, electroplating a metal or metal alloy to form a metallic grid on an exposed front side surface of a substrate also fills the pin holes. The quantity/density of metallic filled pin holes (and hence the number of pin holes) in the patterned ARC can then be determined.
US08519252B2
An optoelectronic pickup for a musical instrument includes at least one light source which directs light to impinge a sound generating element of the musical instrument in at least one photoreceiver located to detect the reflected light, so as to generate an electrical signal that is responsive to sound generating element movement.
US08519243B1
A novel maize variety designated PH18K6 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH18K6 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH18K6 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH18K6 or a locus conversion of PH18K6 with another maize variety.
US08519241B1
A novel maize variety designated X13B553W 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 X13B553W with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13B553W through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13B553W, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13B553W. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13B553W.
US08519233B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP41004 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP41004, cells from soybean variety XBP41004, plants of soybean XBP41004, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP41004. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP41004 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP41004, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP41004, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP41004. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP41004 are further provided.
US08519229B2
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola, designated G152964H. Also included are seeds of canola G152964H, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola G152964H and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola G152964H with itself or another canola genotype, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola G152964H.
US08519201B2
Provided is a process for purifying an organic feedstock comprising (a) distilling a raw organic feedstock comprising hydrogen fluoride, 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane, and 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene to produce a first distillate stream comprising an azeotrope-like composition of 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane, 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and hydrogen fluoride, and a first bottoms stream rich in hydrogen fluoride; (b) cooling said first distillate stream to produce an intermediate composition comprising an organic layer rich in 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane and 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and an acid layer rich in hydrogen fluoride; and, optionally but preferably, (c) distilling said organic layer to produce a second distillate stream comprising an azeotrope-like composition of 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane, 2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and hydrogen fluoride, and a second bottoms stream comprising a purified organic feedstock substantially free of hydrogen fluoride.
US08519200B1
Provided are azeotropic or azeotrope-like mixtures of 1,1,3,3-tetrachloro-1-fluoropropane (HCFC-241fa) and hydrogen fluoride. Such compositions are useful as an intermediate in the production of HFC-245fa and HCFO-1233zd.
US08519195B2
Process for preparing an alkenone, which comprises (a) reacting a carboxylic acid halide with a vinyl ether by introducing vinyl ether into a liquid reaction medium containing carboxylic acid halide to form a halogenated precursor of the alkenone and (b) eliminating hydrogen halide from said precursor to form the alkenone.
US08519191B2
A synthesis method of 3-methylamino-1,2-propanediol is disclosed in the invention, and it includes the following steps: (a) adding glycerin chlorohydrin, aqueous monomethylamine solution and an amination catalyst, namely NaOH solution and NaHCO3, into a reactor, mixing the material sufficiently, and allowing amination reaction to proceed in two temperature stages; (b) removing monomethylamine and water from the amination solution after the amination reaction is completed, filtering out the solid resultant, and feeding the filtrate into a still; (c) distilling under reduced pressure to obtain 3-methylamino-1,2-propanediol, wherein the vacuum for distillation under reduced pressure is equal to or greater than 0.099 MPa and the temperature is 130-160° C.
US08519186B2
The present invention relates to a process of preparing indazolyl ureas that are useful as antagonists of the vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1).
US08519182B2
Disclosed is a method for controlling an acetic acid production process. The method comprises: (i) reacting methanol and carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst, a catalyst stabilizer, methyl iodide, water, and methyl acetate to produce a reactor mixture which comprises the catalyst, the catalyst stabilizer, methanol, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methyl iodide, methyl acetate, water, and acetic acid; (ii) measuring the concentration of a component of the reactor mixture by Raman spectroscopic analysis; and (iii) adjusting the component concentration in the reactor mixture in response to the measured concentration. The method of the invention is particularly useful for measuring and controlling the concentration of carbon monoxide in the reactor liquid mixture.
US08519176B1
The present invention is related to a process of preparing substituted p-aminophenol compound of formula (I) or a salt thereof,
US08519168B2
This application discloses a novel process for the preparation of 1,2-substituted 3,4-dioxo-1-cyclobutene compounds, which have utility, for example, in the treatment of CXC chemokine-mediated diseases, and intermediates useful in the synthesis thereof.
US08519166B2
A method for inhibiting the growth of a microorganism using an effective amount of one or more of the following synthetic brominated furanones: (i) 4-bromo-5Z-(bromomethylene)-3-methylfuran-2-one; (ii) 3-(dibromomethyl)-5-(dibromomethylene)furan-2-one; (iii) 3-(bromomethyl)-5-(dibromomethylene)furan-2-one; (iv) 4-bromo-3-(bromomethyl)-5Z-(bromomethylene)furan-2-one; or (v) 4-bromo-5-(dibromomethyl)-3-methylfuran-2(5H)-one. The brominated furanones inhibit the growth of both fungi and bacteria, including the fungal species Candida albicans, Gloeophyllum trabeum, Chaetomium globosum, and Trametes versicolor and the bacterial species Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The brominated furanones can be used topically or internally to treat human infections, and can be used to treat other objects, such as wood building supplies, to prevent fungal rot.
US08519149B2
The present invention relates to tricyclic compounds of formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as mPGES-1 inhibitors. These compounds are inhibitors of the microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) enzyme and are therefore useful in the treatment of pain and/or inflammation from a variety of diseases or conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, acute or chronic pain and neurodegenerative diseases.
US08519147B2
This invention relates to a carbene complex of metal salt represented by the formula: [T−M(R)c]n wherein, R is a monoanionic group; c is 1 or 2; M is a Li or Mg; T is a cyclic carbene ligand; and n is selected from the group of integers comprising 1 to 24 wherein the complex has 50% or less decomposition when stored in 0.01 molar benzene at 23° C. for a period of 1 hour. This invention also relates to transition-metal-carbene complexes prepared from such carbene complexes of metal salts, where the transition-metal-carbene complex is represented by the formula: [M*(T)(L0)q(L1−)s(L2−)t]g, where M* is a transition metal from Group 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, T is a cyclic carbene ligand, L0 is a neutral ligand, L1− is a monoanionic ligand, L2− is a dianionic ligand, q is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, s is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, t is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4, g is the overall charge of the molecule. The transition-metal-carbene complexes may be used for synthesis reactions, including metathesis of olefins.
US08519145B2
The present invention relates to a compound as a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) activator and a hydrate, a solvate, a stereoisomer and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutical composition, a cosmetic composition, a muscle strengthening agent, a memory improving agent, a therapeutic agent for dementia and Parkinson's disease, a functional food and a feed composition containing the same.
US08519140B2
A process for synthesizing pirfenidone from bromobenzene having less than about 0.15% by weight dibromobenze is disclosed. Also disclosed are processes of synthesizing pirfenidone without using ethyl acetate or n-butanol, and pirfenidone having controlled levels of ethyl acetate, n-butanol, di(5-methyl-2-pyridinone)benzenes, and other impurities having specified retention times. Also disclosed are formulated dosage forms including the disclosed pirfenidone.
US08519134B2
The present invention provides a compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and n are defined herein. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing compounds of the invention, and their therapeutic uses. The present invention further provides a combination of pharmacologically active agents and a pharmaceutical composition.
US08519120B2
Provided are a low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose powder having high compressibility, good flowability and excellent disintegration, and a method for producing the same. More specifically, provided is a method for producing a low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose powder having a molar substitution number per anhydrous glucose unit of 0.05 to 1.0, which is insoluble in water and swollenable by absorbing water, comprising the steps of: adding an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution to powdered pulp in such a manner that weight ratio of sodium hydroxide with respect to anhydrous cellulose is 0.1 to 0.3 so as to produce alkali cellulose; etherifying the obtained alkali cellulose to obtain a crude product; neutralizing the sodium hydroxide contained in the obtained crude reaction product; washing the resultant; drying; and pulverizing using by compaction-grinding.
US08519117B2
Assays using non-natural bases are described. In one embodiment, the method involves contacting a sample suspected of containing the target nucleic acid with a polymerase and first and second primers; amplifying the target nucleic acid by PCR using the first and second primers to generate an amplification product having a double-stranded region and a single-stranded region that comprises the non-natural base; contacting the sample with a reporter comprising a label and a non-natural base that is complementary to the non-natural base of the single-stranded region; annealing at least a portion of the reporter to the single-stranded region of the amplification product; and correlating a signal of the label with the presence of the target nucleic acid in the sample. The invention also provides corresponding kits for use in detecting target nucleic acids in a sample.
US08519114B2
The present invention relates to expression cassettes comprising transcription regulating sequences with constitutive expression profiles in plants obtainable from Arabidopsis thaliana genes At5g17920, At3g03780, At2g01100, At2g34770, At5g61560, At4g00830, At3g10220, At4g38520, At3g11110, At2g47170, Atlg64090, At5g60690, Atlg76350, At1g76580, Atlg31930, At5g18230, Atlg20970, or At4g35620. The expression cassettes according to the present invention may be employed for expression of a protein, or expression of an antisense RNA, sense or double-stranded RNA. Preferably, expression of the nucleic acid sequence confers to the plant an agronomically valuable trait. Vectors comprising such an expression cassette, and transgenic host cell or non-human organism comprising the expression cassette or the vector are also enclosed. Also enclosed is a method for identifying and/or isolating a sequence with constitutive transcription regulating activity.
US08519112B2
The invention provides humanized antibodies that bind to a plurality of β-chemokines, particularly monocyte chemotactic proteins MCP-1, MCP-2 and MCP-3. The invention also provides therapeutic reagents and methods of treating disorders associated with detrimental MCP activity.
US08519111B2
Methods and compositions are provided that allow for high-level expression of a factor VIII polypeptide. More specifically, methods and compositions are provided comprising nucleic acid and amino acid sequences comprising a modified factor VIII that result in high-level expression of the polypeptide. The methods and compositions of the invention find use in the treatment of factor VIII deficiency including, for example, hemophilia A.
US08519110B2
Dinucleotide cap analogs are disclosed, modified at different phosphate positions with a boranophosphate group or a phosphoroselenoate group. The analogs are useful as reagents in the preparation of capped mRNAs and have increased stability both in vitro and in vivo. They may be used as inhibitors of cap-dependent translation. Optionally, the boranophosphate or phosphoroselenoate group has a 2′-O or 3′-O-alkyl group, preferably a methyl group, producing analogs called BH3-ARCAs or Se-ARCAs. ARCAs may be modified with α-, β-, or γ-boranophosphate or phosphoroselenoate groups.
US08519108B2
The method of the present invention comprising successive column chromatography processes for the purification of an anthrax protective antigen can achieve an improved purity of the anthrax protective antigen product by effectively removing impurities (e.g., cellular residual proteins in the culture solution) without the loss of anthrax protective antigen. Therefore, the method of the present invention can be advantageously used for economically producing the anthrax protective antigen on a large scale.
US08519096B2
The present invention provides novel citrullinated peptides, their use in methods for aiding, assisting, improving, or facilitating the diagnosis or prognosis of rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and methods for identifying novel citrullinated peptides that are immunoreactive with anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs). The present invention also provides methods for detecting rheumatoid factor (RF) using novel RF detection reagents as a means to aid, assist, improve, or facilitate the diagnosis or prognosis of rheumatic diseases such as RA. Kits comprising at least one of the novel citrullinated peptides and/or RF detection reagents of the present invention are also provided.
US08519095B2
Disclosed is a method of making β-polypeptides. The method includes polymerizing β-lactam-containing monomers in the presence of a base initiator and a co-initiator which is not a metal-containing molecule to yield the product β-polypeptides. Specifically disclosed are methods wherein the base initiator is potassium t-butoxide, lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (LiN(TMS)2), potassium bis(trimethyl-silyl)amide, and sodium ethoxide, and the reaction is carried out in a solvent such as chloroform, dichloromethane, dimethylsulfoxide, or tetrahydrofuran.
US08519092B2
A polymer compound comprising at least one repeating unit selected from the group of repeating units shown by formula (1) or formula (2), wherein Ar1 to Ar4 represent an arylene group etc.; E1, E2, and E3 represent an aryl group (A) having three or more substituents, or a heterocyclic group (B) having one or more substituents, and the total number of substituents and hetero atoms of the heterocyclic ring is three or more; a and b represent 0 or 1, and 0<=a+b<=1, wherein Ar5 to Ar10 and Ar11 represent an arylene group etc.; E4 to E9 represent an aryl group or a monovalent heterocyclic group; l, m and n represent 0 to 2; o and p represent 0 or 1, and l+m+n+o+p is 2 or more.
US08519085B2
This invention provides a coating composition for use on a food-contact surface of a container (e.g., a food or beverage can) that includes a polymer having one or more segments of Formula I: —O—Ar—Rn—C(O)—O—R1—O—C(O)—Rn—Ar—O— wherein each Ar is independently a divalent aryl group (i.e., an arylene group) or heteroarylene group; R1 is a divalent organic group; each R is independently a divalent organic group; and n is 0 or 1. Containers comprising the polymer and methods of making such containers are also provided.
US08519078B2
A polyether-modified polysiloxane containing a perfluoropolyether group and its production method are provided. The polysiloxane has both the properties of a perfluoropolyether and the properties of a polyether-modified silicone, and it also has high affinity for organic solvents as well as coating compositions, cosmetics, and various coating materials. The polysiloxane is represented by the following general formula (1): wherein Rf is a perfluoroalkyl group; X is fluorine atom or trifluoromethyl group; Q is a divalent organic group, R is hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or acyl group; R1 and R2 are an alkyl group, aryl group, or an aralkyl group; a, b, c, d are 0 to 200; a+b+c+d is at least 1; e is 0 or 1; p and q are 0 to 50 with the proviso that p+q is at least 2; and k is 1 to 3.
US08519070B2
The present invention relates to the field of group 4 post-metallocene complexes based on sterically encumbered bis(naphthoxy)pyridine and bis(naphthoxy)thiophene ligands. It also relates to the use of such post-metallocene complexes in the polymerization of ethylene and alpha-olefins.
US08519056B2
Disclosed is the preparation of compositions which are blends of certain types of hydrogenated ethylene-dicyclopentadiene (E/DCPD) copolymers in combination with elastomeric polymers. An E/DCPD copolymer and an elastomeric polymer are co-dissolved in a common liquid reaction medium which is then subjected to hydrogenation conditions. These hydrogenation conditions serve to hydrogenate in-situ at least a portion of the residual double bonds of the E/DCPD copolymer component and possibly also eliminate any residual unsaturation which might be present in the elastomeric polymers. This combination of materials which has been hydrogenated in-situ can then be co-precipitated to form a polymer composition which can be molded into polyolefin materials of improved structural, thermal and mechanical properties with desirable impact resistance.
US08519046B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a polyolefin resin dispersion composition in which the dispersed resin is stable to water or a hydrophilic substance, and which has an adhesive property to nonpolar substrates, in particular poorly adhesive polyolefin-based substrates whose surface has not been treated, is excellent in a coating property, exhibits an excellent adhesive property through drying and press bonding with heat at a temperature in a wide range regardless of whether the temperature is low or high, is excellent in water resistance and gasohol resistance and is less tacky. That is, the present invention provides the dispersed resin composition containing (a) a polyolefin resin, (b) a (meth)acrylic acid homopolymer or copolymer having a side chain comprising an esterified alkyl group, (c) a basic substance and (d) water or a hydrophilic substance, and a process for producing the same.
US08519044B2
The present invention concerns a glass fiber reinforced polypropylene composition as well as articles formed from this composition, wherein the composition, comprises a) More than 15-wt % glass fibers, and b) a specific heterophasic polypropylene composition with an at least bimodal disperse phase.
US08519039B2
A subject matter of the present invention is a novel stabilizing ingredient for halogenated polymers comprising at least one β-carbonyl compound, an additive composition for halogenated polymers comprising the ingredient and a stabilized composition based on a halogenated polymer. The invention provides improvements as regards stabilization of halogenated polymers. The invention can in particular be applied to the stabilization of poly(vinyl chloride).
US08519037B2
The present invention relates to a polyolefin composition comprising a polyolefin and aromatic compounds, comprising a naphthyl-group or at least two linked phenyl-groups, as stabilizers for use in producing medium and high voltage cables with improved electrical breakdown strength.
US08519032B2
A crushed stone surface texture composition includes by weight approximately 45-65% crushed stones, 5-25% stone dust and 15-35% resin. The resin includes by weight approximately 40-60% industrial grade adhesive and also 40-60% industrial grade thickening agent, water and ammonia. The crushed stones may vary in size from 0.0625 inch diameter to 0.09375 inch diameter. The crushed stones and the stone dust may include marble or granite. The industrial grade adhesive includes a vinyl acetate copolymer emulsion stabilized with anionic surfactants. The industrial grade thickening agent comprises hydroxyethyl cellulose. Exemplary embodiments may also include 0.1-15% fire proofing material which may include alumina trihydrate. Stone dust fills the voids and pores resulting in a smoother finished product that retains it aesthetic look and color over time while remaining easy to clean.
US08519019B2
The invention relates to dental compositions which can be used to produce dental prostheses and for dental restoration. The inventive compositions comprise: (1) a concentrated silica solution comprising colloidal amorphous silica particles in at least one continuous silicon phase, consisting of polymerisable and/or crosslinkable silicon polymer and/or oligomer; (2) at least one photosensitiser; and (3) a cationic initiator which is selected from among those comprising a cationic entity selected from onium salts having formula (1): [(R1)n-A-(R2)m]+
US08519017B2
A catalyst precursor resin composition includes an organic polymer resin; a fluorinated-organic complex of silver ion; a monomer having multifunctional ethylene-unsaturated bonds; a photoinitiator; and an organic solvent. The metallic pattern is formed by forming catalyst pattern on a base using the catalyst precursor resin composition reducing the formed catalyst pattern, and electroless plating the reduced catalyst pattern. In the case of forming metallic pattern using the catalyst precursor resin composition, a compatibility of catalyst is good enough not to make precipitation, chemical resistance and adhesive force of the formed catalyst layer are good, catalyst loss is reduced during wet process such as development or plating process, depositing speed is improved, and thus a metallic pattern having good homogeneous and micro pattern property may be formed after electroless plating.
US08519016B2
A method of making a lightweight cementitious binder composition with improved compressive strength for products such as cementitious panels is disclosed. The method mixes fly ash, alkali metal salt of citric acid, alkali metal silicate, foaming agent for entraining air, water and in the preferred embodiment a foam stabilizing agent. Compositions which include fly ash selected from the group consisting of class C fly ash, class F fly ash and mixtures thereof, alkali metal salts of citric acid, alkali metal silicates, foaming agents, and preferably a foam stabilizer, such as polyvinyl alcohol, and do not require use of set retarders. Compositions containing class F fly ash can optionally contain Type III Portland cement.
US08519014B2
An ion exchangeable mixture containing a polymeric compound consisting of an ion exchange resin, an acrylamide mixture containing at least one bisacrylamide and at least one acrylamide, and a copolymer obtained by reacting the polymeric compound with the acrylamide mixture, and a method of producing the same are provided. The ion exchangeable membrane produced by using the ion exchangeable mixture has significantly smaller electric resistance than conventional ion exchangeable membranes, and has excellent selective permeability because the ion exchangeable membrane is electrically charged. The ion exchangeable membrane can be produced under very mild production conditions, and thus can be produced very easily. Furthermore, the ion exchangeable membrane can be also formed into film during a crosslinking reaction in a solvent of water, and thus is advantageous in that the ion exchangeable membrane can be freely produced into desired sizes, shapes and forms.
US08519012B2
Disclosed is a process for storing solar energy in organic compounds. The process comprises providing a water source and a carbon source. Water present in the water source is activated using solar energy. Activated water is reacted with the carbon source to form an organic compound comprising hydrogen and carbon. The organic compound has higher energy content than the carbon source.In a specific embodiment the organic compound is used as a fuel in an electricity-generating device, such as a fuel cell. In this embodiment the preferred organic compound is methanol.
US08519005B2
Effects of deprenyl or propargylamine compounds (MAO inhibitors) and novel compositions comprising at least one MAO inhibitor and at least one antiinflammatory agent such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), steroids, acetaminophen (COX-3 inhibitors), 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors, leukotriene receptor antagonists, leukotriene A4 hydrolase inhibitors, antihistaminics, histamine 2 receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase-4 antagonists, cytokine antagonists, CD44 antagonists, antineoplastic agents, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A inhibitors (statins), estrogens, androgens, antiplatelet agents, antidepressants, Helicobacter pylori inhibitors, proton pump inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, dual-action compounds, combinations of these drugs with other agents, derivatives and metabolites of synthetic and natural antiinflammatory agents. The compounds and compositions protect against gastrointestinal, renal and other toxicities induced by antiinflammatory agents, and enhance the beneficial effects of these drugs. Effects of MAO inhibitors such as 1-deprenyl co-administered with antiinflammatory drugs or chemically attached to antniinflammatory drugs are disclosed. Therapeutic methods of using MAO inhibitors and antiinflammatory drugs for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory disorders, pain, fever, cancer, gastrointestinal lesions, and a variety of cardiac, cerebral and peripheral disorders are disclosed.
US08519004B2
The present invention relates to the use of compositions comprising trans-clomiphene for treating men with hypogonadism. The invention is also directed to methods for treating males with hypogonadism and disorders related thereto, including reduction of muscle mass. limitation of body performance capacity, reduction of bone density, reduction of libido, reduction of potency, reduction of benign prostatic hyperplasia and infertility.
US08518994B2
An object of the invention is to provide a novel arginine derivative and a cosmetic satisfactory in compatibility with the skin and hair, excellent in skin softening effect and skin-conditioning effect, and satisfactory in use feeling with little sticky feeling and tense feeling.Such present invention relates to an arginine derivative represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched monohydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 3 carbon atoms and at least one of R1 and R2 represents a linear or branched monohydroxyalkyl group having 2 to 3 carbon atoms; and R3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, an ammonium, or an organic ammonium, and a cosmetic containing the same mixed therein.
US08518983B2
This invention relates to inhibitors of p38 and methods of utilizing the inhibitors and pharmaceutical compositions thereof in the treatment and prevention of various disorders mediated by p38.
US08518979B2
Novel Alpha-halo- and Alpha-alkyl-cyclopropylcarboxy compounds, and uses of these and related compounds in the treatment of a variety of neurological diseases and disorders, and particularly epilepsy, are provided.
US08518978B2
There is provided a pharmaceutical composition for prevention and treatment of restenosis comprising isoxazole derivatives. The pharmaceutical composition includes a therapeutic effective amount of isoxazole derivatives represented by Formula 1 or pharmaceutically available salts thereof. The pharmaceutical composition may be useful to prevent and treat vascular restenosis since the pharmaceutical composition shows an anti-restenosis activity and accelerates the re-endothelization.
US08518977B2
Novel benzamide compounds including their pharmaceutically acceptable isomers, salts, hydrates, solvates and prodrug derivatives having activity against mammalian factor Xa are described. Compositions containing such compounds are also described. The compounds and compositions are useful in vitro or in vivo for preventing or treating coagulation disorders.
US08518967B2
The invention relates to novel amides of acetic and propionic acids, methods for production and use thereof for the production of medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases and for improving perception, concentration, learning ability and memory.
US08518964B2
The present invention provides inhibitors of kinases, specifically IκB kinases, JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2. The invention also provides for compositions comprising such inhibitory compounds and methods of inhibiting said kinase activity by administering the compound to a patient in need of treatment for myeloproliferative disorders, cancer or NF-κB-mediated diseases.
US08518961B2
The present invention relates to novel pharmaceutical compositions in which the active agent is a topoisomerase I inhibitor, in particular a camptothecin derivative, that is useful for the treatment and prevention of proliferative diseases including cancer.
US08518959B2
The invention relates to methods of screening for binding partners, especially binding partners essential for the biological activity of erastin (e.g. VDACs such as VDAC3). The invention also provides reagents and methods for effective killing of cancer cells with erastin and related compounds or derivatives.
US08518954B2
The invention relates to compounds of the formula I, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: wherein: Z=O or S; n=1-3; R3=—CO2R8, —C(O)SR8, —C(O)NHR8, —C(S)OR8, —C(S)SR8, —C(S)NHR8, —C(NH)SR8 or —C(NH)NHR8, wherein R8 is —H or alkyl; R4=—H, —CH2R5 or —CH2CH2R5, wherein R5 independently has one of the meanings of R3; B=—NR2—, —CH2NR2—, —CH2CH2NR2—, —CH2CHR7— or —CH2O—, wherein R2 is H or a C1-3 alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group, and R7 is H or a C1-3 alkyl or alkoxy group; A= wherein R1=—NH2 or —OH, and C and D are each, independently, a 5- or 6-membered, substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic or non-aromatic ring which may also contain one or more heteroatoms, and C is connected to group B in any available position.
US08518948B2
Compounds of general Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, Ra, A, B and x are as defined herein are inhibitors of protein kinases in particular members of the cyclin-dependent kinase family and/or the glycogen synthase kinase 3 family and are useful in preventing and/or treating any type of pain, inflammatory disorders, cancer, immunological diseases, proliferative diseases, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, renal diseases, neurologic and neuropsychiatric diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.
US08518944B2
Compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds are disclosed, wherein the compounds have the structure of Formula I as defined in the specification. Corresponding pharmaceutical compositions, methods of treatment, methods of synthesis, and intermediates are also disclosed.
US08518941B2
An extreme temperature decontamination composition such as a solution for destroying microorganisms, chemical warfare and bioterrorism agents is utilized that generally does not freeze at low temperatures down to about minus 25° F. and also has no significant evaporation or decomposition at temperatures up to about 120° F. The solution is effective against nerve agents and vesicants such as VX and HD, and various biological agents. The composition comprises a metallic salt of dichloroisocyanuric acid or dibromoisocyanuric acid, an aqueous solvent system comprising polar compounds such as water and an alkyl glycol, and a quasi hydrophilic compound. The composition can be formulated as a one part system wherein all components are blended together.
US08518938B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula I useful in the inhibition of c-Met protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of proliferative disorders.
US08518933B2
The present application relates to 1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7-octahydropyrazino[1,2 -a][1,4]benzodiazepine, 1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7-octahydropyrazino[1,2-a][1,5]benzodiazepine, 2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,11b-octahydro-1H-pyrido[3,4-d][2]benzazepine, 1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7 -octahydropyrazino[1,2-a][1]benzazepine, 1,2,3,4,4a,5-hexahydro-7H-pyrazino[1,2 -a][4,1]benzoxazepine, and 2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexahydro-1H-pyrazino[2,1-d][1,5]benzoxazepine, and 5,6,7,7a,8,9,10,11-octahydropyrazino[1,2-d]pyrido[3,2-b][1,4]diazepine derivatives of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, X1, X2, X3, X4, Y1, Y2, and Y3 are as defined in the specification. The present application also relates to compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of treating disease conditions using such compounds and compositions, and methods for identifying such compounds.
US08518932B2
The present invention relates to novel oxime azetidine derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals as modulators of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors.
US08518931B2
The invention relates to triazine and pyrimidine derivatives having Formula (1) or (2), and methods for using such compounds. For example, the compounds of the invention may be used to treat, ameliorate or prevent a condition which responds to inhibition of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) activity, c-ros oncogene (ROS), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-IR), and/or insulin receptor (InsR) or a combination thereof.
US08518930B2
The present invention provides a therapeutic combination comprising (a) a compound of formula (I) as set forth in the specification and (b) one or more antineoplastic agents selected from the group consisting of alkylating or alkylating-like agents, antimetabolite agents and topoisomerase I inhibitors, wherein the active ingredients are present in each case in free form or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or any hydrate thereof.
US08518929B2
In various embodiments, the present invention provides methods of treating and/or preventing cardiovascular-related disease and, in particular, a method of blood lipid therapy comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutical composition comprising eicosapentaenoic acid or a derivative thereof.
US08518928B2
The invention provides compounds of formula I: wherein A, B, D, E, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, X, and - - - have any values defined herein, as well as salts thereof. The compounds have activity as G-quadruplex DNA stabilizers and as anti-proliferative agents.
US08518924B2
To reduce amounts of fat accumulated in abdominal cavity and to prevent or ameliorate visceral fat type obesity, considered to be a main factor of metabolic syndrome, the present invention provides an agent or a food or drink which contains a compound having a lophenol skeleton, or an organic solvent extract or a hot water extract of a Liliaceae plant, or a fraction thereof containing the compound as an active ingredient.
US08518923B2
The present invention relates to the use of a steroid in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for use in the therapeutic or prophylactic treatment of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP) or fetal growth retardation, said treatment comprising administering to a female mammal a steroid selected from the group consisting of: substances represented by the following formula (formula I) in which formula R1, R2, R3, R4 independently are a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or an alkoxy group with 1-5 carbon atoms; each of R5, R6, R7 is a hydroxyl group; no more than 3 of R1, R2, R3, R4 are hydrogen atoms; precursors of such substances; and mixtures of one or more of the aforementioned substances and/or precursors.
US08518917B2
This invention discloses 2-methylene-19-nor-vitamin D analogs, and specifically (20S)-25-hydroxy-2-methylene-19-nor-vitamin D3 and (20R)-25-hydroxy-2-methylene-19-nor-vitamin D3, as well as pharmaceutical uses therefor. These compounds exhibit relatively high binding activity and pronounced activity in arresting the proliferation of undifferentiated cells and inducing their differentiation to the monocyte thus evidencing use as an anti-cancer agent especially for the treatment or prevention of osteosarcoma, leukemia, colon cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer or prostate cancer. Although these compounds have relatively low calcemic activities they may also be useful in the treatment of bone diseases due to their ability to act as prodrugs in vivo.
US08518912B2
The invention relates to 2-phenyl-pyrimidine derivatives containing a phosphonic acid motif and their use as P2Y12 receptor antagonists in the treatment and/or prevention of peripheral vascular, of visceral-, hepatic- and renal-vascular, of cardiovascular and of cerebrovascular diseases or conditions associated with platelet aggregation, including thrombosis in humans and other mammals. (I).
US08518904B2
Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of STAT 6. The compositions comprise oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acid encoding STAT 6. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of STAT 6 expression and for diagnosis and treatment of disease associated with expression of STAT 6 are provided.
US08518902B2
In vitro studies using cells transfected with acid-sensing ion channel 3 (ASIC3) or acid-sensing ion channel 1 (ASIC1) cDNA, demonstrated that the miRNAs against mouse ASIC3 (miR844 and miR847) selectively inhibit mouse ASIC3, but not ASIC1 as detected by protein expression and responses to pH. When the RNAi agents, miR844 or miR847, were used in vivo, delivered into the muscle of mice using a replication-defective herpes simplex viral (HSV-1) vector, primary and secondary hyperalgesia were reduced after carrageenan-induced muscle inflammation. Accordingly, the present invention provides RNAi agents that target ASIC3, methods of preparing such RNAi agents, and methods of using them to modulate in a cell the level of ASIC3 or activity of an ASIC including at least one ASIC3. Modulation of ASIC3 activity or levels can be used for different purposes such as treating pain associated with the expression of ASIC3 and the like.
US08518901B2
The invention encompasses novel compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and compositions including therapeutically or prophylactically effective amounts of such compounds or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The invention also encompasses methods for treating or preventing diseases and disorders associated abnormal cell growth, for example, treating or preventing cancer or tumor growth, which methods include administering to a mammal in need thereof a composition comprising a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of a compound of the invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08518898B2
Disclosed is a cytoprotective composition comprising hesperidin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient. Having the ability to protect cells from radiation-induced injuries in addition to being non-toxic to cells, hesperidin in accordance with the present invention can be used as an active cytoprotective agent.
US08518896B2
Methods and medicaments therefor are provided for the treatment of cancers of the blood or a complication therewith in an individual. More specifically, the use of particular glycomimetics for the treatment is described. Methods and medicaments therefor are also provided without regard to cancer type for reducing in an individual the myeloablative bone marrow toxicities of chemotherapy.
US08518892B2
The expression of a mRNA encoding a putative 76 amino acid, secreted protein (“Enho1”) was found to negatively correlate with fasting triglyceride and cholesterol levels. A recombinant adenovirus was used to increase the expression of Enho1 mRNA in two mouse models of obesity, KK-Ay and Lepob/Lepob mice. Over-expression of Enho1 by adenovirus injection significantly, and reproducibly, reduced fasting triglyceride and cholesterol levels in both models. In addition, transgenic mice strains were made that over express Enho1 protein. Additionally, the expression of a key gene involved in lipogenesis (fatty acid synthase) and FAS protein levels were reduced by ENHO1 adenoviral treatment in Lepob/Lepob mice. Full-length ENHO1 peptide, or peptide derivatives, homologues, analogues, or mimetics thereof, delivered by oral intake, injection, subcutaneous patch, or intranasal routes, could be used as therapeutic or diagnostic agents for hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, and/or energy imbalance.
US08518887B2
The invention provides methods for treating various types of cancer/tumor by administering the combination of Dll4 antagonists, in particular, Dll4 antibodies and fragments thereof that specifically bind human Dll4, and chemotherapeutic agents. Such combination therapies exhibit synergistic effects compared to the treatment with either agent alone. Thus, the methods of the invention are particularly beneficial for cancer patients who have low tolerance to the side effects caused by high dosages required for the treatment by either agent alone, by being able to reduce effective dosages. Pharmaceutical compositions and kits containing Dll4 antagonists and chemotherapeutic agents are also provided.
US08518883B2
A therapeutic or prophylactic treatment method of ischemia, such as due to myocardial infarction, by administering thrombopoietin, alone or in combination with other drugs, to a patient suffering from or at risk of cardiac injury, such as myocardial ischemia. The thrombopoietin is administered in a concentration such that the subject's platelet count or production of platelets is not significantly affected.
US08518865B2
The present invention relates to water-rich formulations and the method using same, to remove bulk photoresists, post-etched and post-ashed residues, residues from Al back-end-of-the-line interconnect structures, as well as contaminations. The formulation comprises: hydroxylamine; corrosion inhibitor containing a mixture of alkyl dihydroxybenzene and hydroxyquinoline; an alkanolamine, a water-soluble solvent or the combination of the two; and at least 50% by weight of water.
US08518863B2
A sliding member has a base material whose surface is at least partially covered with a DLC film, wherein an intermediate layer is interposed between the base material and the DLC film, and the intermediate layer has a multilayer structure obtained by stacking a first Cr layer, a CrN layer and a second Cr layer successively from the side closer to the base material.
US08518862B2
An anti-seizing agent including: a first solid lubricant containing at least one of bismuth and a bismuth compound; and a second solid lubricant containing at least one of graphite, molybdenum disulfide and boron nitride. The anti-seizing agent satisfies the relationships 20 weight %≦a≦90 weight % and 10 weight %≦d≦80 weight %, in which a sum of the contents of the first solid lubricant and the second solid lubricant in the anti-seizing agent is taken as 100 weight %, and a represents a content of the first solid lubricant and d represents a content of the second solid lubricant.
US08518848B2
A titanium oxide photocatalyst that is capable of improving a decomposition rate, and a method for producing the same are provided. The titanium oxide photocatalyst of the present invention is a titanium oxide photocatalyst containing at least an anatase-type titanium oxide and fluorine, wherein a content of the fluorine is 2.5 wt % to 3.5 wt %, and 90 wt % or more of the fluorine is chemically bonded to the anatase-type titanium oxide.
US08518838B2
Methods used to perform an annealing process on desired regions of a substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, an amount of energy is delivered to the surface of the substrate to preferentially melt certain desired regions of the substrate to remove unwanted damage created from prior processing steps (e.g., crystal damage from implant processes), more evenly distribute dopants in various regions of the substrate, and/or activate various regions of the substrate. The preferential melting processes will allow more uniform distribution of the dopants in the melted region, due to the increased diffusion rate and solubility of the dopant atoms in the molten region of the substrate. The creation of a melted region thus allows: 1) the dopant atoms to redistribute more uniformly, 2) defects created in prior processing steps to be removed, and 3) regions that have hyper-abrupt dopant concentrations to be formed.
US08518829B2
A method of forming a nanopore array includes patterning a front layer of a substrate to form front trenches, the substrate including a buried layer disposed between the front layer and a back layer; depositing a membrane layer over the patterned front layer and in the front trenches; patterning the back layer and the buried layer to form back trenches, the back trenches being aligned with the front trenches; forming a plurality of nanopores through the membrane layer; depositing a sacrificial material in the front trenches and the back trenches; depositing front and back insulating layers over the sacrificial material; and heating the sacrificial material to a decomposition temperature of the sacrificial material to remove the sacrificial material and form pairs of front and back channels, wherein the front channel of each channel pair is connected to the back channel of its respective channel pair by an individual nanopore.
US08518825B1
The present invention relates to manufacturing technology of damascene copper interconnection in the semiconductor manufacturing field, and especially relates to a method to manufacture by trench-first copper interconnection. The method to manufacture trench-first copper interconnection forms metal trench and VIA hole structures in the photoresist which can form a hard mask through exposure and development processes, and then forms metal interconnection lines via etching metal trench and VIA hole in one etch process. The above method replaces the existing.
US08518820B2
Mask sets, layout design, and methods for forming contacts in devices are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of contacts disposed over a substrate, the plurality of contacts being disposed as rows and columns on an orthogonal grid, each row of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an neighboring row of the plurality of contacts by a first distance, and each column of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an neighboring column of the plurality of contacts by a second distance.
US08518818B2
The present disclosure relates to a method of forming a back-end-of-the-line metallization layer. The method is performed by forming a plurality of freestanding metal layer structures (i.e., metal layer structures not surrounded by a dielectric material) on a semiconductor substrate within an area defined by a patterned photoresist layer. A diffusion barrier layer is deposited onto the metal layer structure in a manner such that the diffusion barrier layer conforms to the top and sides of the metal layer structure. A dielectric material is formed on the surface of the substrate to fill areas between metal layer structures. The substrate is planarized to remove excess metal and dielectric material and to expose the top of the metal layer structure.
US08518813B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a stress can be effectively applied from a semiconductor layer having a different lattice constant from a semiconductor substrate to a channel part, whereby carrier mobility can be improved and higher functionality can be achieved.
US08518799B2
A process of making semiconductor-on-glass substrates having a relatively stiff (e.g. relatively high Young's modulus of 125 or higher) stiffening layer between the silicon film and the glass in an ion implantation thin film transfer process by depositing a stiffening layer or layers on one of the donor wafer or the glass substrate in order to eliminate the canyons and pin holes that otherwise form in the surface of the transferred silicon film during the thin film transfer process. The new stiffening layer may be formed of a material, such as silicon nitride, that also serves as an efficient barrier against penetration of sodium and other harmful impurities from the glass substrate into the silicon film.
US08518784B2
The threshold voltage of a sophisticated transistor may be adjusted by providing a specifically designed semiconductor alloy in the channel region of the transistor, wherein a negative effect of this semiconductor material with respect to inducing a strain component in the channel region may be reduced or over-compensated for by additionally incorporating a strain-adjusting species. For example, a carbon species may be incorporated in the channel region, the threshold voltage of which may be adjusted on the basis of a silicon/germanium alloy of a P-channel transistor. Consequently, sophisticated metal gate electrodes may be formed in an early manufacturing stage.
US08518765B1
A method for cleaning residues from a semiconductor substrate during a nickel platinum silicidation process is disclosed, including a multi-step residue cleaning, including exposing the substrate to an aqua regia solution, followed by an exposure to a solution having hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide. The SC2 solution can further react with remaining platinum residues, rendering it more soluble in an aqueous solution and thereby dissolving it from the surface of the substrate.
US08518764B2
A semiconductor device structure includes a substrate having a background doping of a first concentration and of a first conductivity type. A through substrate via (TSV) is through the substrate. A device has a first doped region of a second conductivity on a first side of the substrate. A second doped region is around the TSV. The second doped region has a doping of a second concentration greater than the first concentration and is of the first conductivity type.
US08518763B2
A thin-film transistor device manufacturing method of forming a crystalline silicon film of stable crystallinity using a laser of a wavelength in a visible region is provided. The thin-film transistor device manufacturing method forms a plurality of gate electrodes above a substrate. A gate insulation layer is formed on the plurality of gate electrodes. An amorphous silicon layer is formed on the gate insulation layer. The amorphous silicon layer is crystallized using predetermined laser light to produce a crystalline silicon layer. A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed on the crystalline silicon layer in a region that corresponds to each of the plurality of gate electrodes. A film thickness of the gate insulation layer and a film thickness of the amorphous silicon layer satisfy predetermined conditional expressions.
US08518757B2
A strained semiconductor structure and method of making the structure. The method includes: forming a pad layer on a top surface of a silicon layer of a substrate, the substrate comprising the silicon layer separated from a supporting substrate by a buried oxide layer; forming openings in the pad layer and etching trenches through the silicon layer to the buried oxide layer in the openings to form silicon regions from the silicon layer; forming spacers on the entirety of sidewalls of the silicon regions exposed in the trenches; forming oxide regions in corners of the silicon regions proximate to both the sidewalls and the buried oxide layer to form strained silicon regions, the oxide regions not extending to the pad layer; and removing at least a portion of the spacers and filling remaining spaces in the trenches with silicon to form filled regions abutting the strained silicon region.
US08518752B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a package base having an inward base side and an outward base side; mounting a device over the inward base side and connected to the outward base side; connecting a silicon interposer having a through silicon via to the device and having an external side facing away from the device; and applying an encapsulant around the device, over the package base, and over the silicon interposer with the external side substantially exposed, the encapsulant having a protrusion over the outward base side.
US08518749B2
A semiconductor device is made by mounting a prefabricated heat spreader frame over a temporary substrate. The heat spreader frame includes vertical bodies over a flat plate. A semiconductor die is mounted to the heat spreader frame for thermal dissipation. An encapsulant is deposited around the vertical bodies and semiconductor die while leaving contact pads on the semiconductor die exposed. The encapsulant can be deposited using a wafer level direct/top gate molding process or wafer level film assist molding process. An interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die. The interconnect structure includes a first conductive layer formed over the semiconductor die, an insulating layer formed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer formed over the first conductive layer and insulating layer. The temporary substrate is removed, dicing tape is applied to the heat spreader frame, and the semiconductor die is singulated.
US08518742B1
A packaged semiconductor includes inner bond fingers, at least first and second semiconductor dies, and an interposer. The packaged semiconductor further includes wiring between the first and second semiconductor dies and the inner bond fingers, wiring between the interposer and the inner bond fingers, and wiring between the interposer and the first and second semiconductor dies. The wiring between the interposer and the first and second semiconductor dies thereby reduces the count of inner bond fingers needed for the wiring between the first and second semiconductor dies and the inner bond fingers. The interposer further provides indirect access to the inner bond fingers when the inner bond fingers are inaccessible by the first and second semiconductor dies.
US08518738B2
A method for forming a semiconductor body, the method comprising: forming a mixture of an organic semiconducting material and a binder material; causing the semiconducting material to at least partially solidify; and causing the binder material to crystallize in such a way as to cause the semiconducting material to at least partially segregate from the binder material.
US08518726B2
A carbon nanobud molecule (3, 9, 18, 23, 29, 36) having at least one fullerene part covalently bonded to the side of a tubular carbon molecule is used to interact with electromagnetic radiation in a device, wherein the interaction with electromagnetic radiation occurs through relaxation and/or excitation of the carbon nanobud molecule.
US08518718B2
A method for forming a memory device includes forming a cavity having an inner surface with an undulating profile in a substrate, depositing a ferromagnetic material in the cavity, forming a reading element on the substrate proximate to a portion of the ferromagnetic material, and forming a writing element on the substrate proximate to a second portion of the ferromagnetic material.
US08518717B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a TMR sensor that reduces damage to a sensor stack during intermediate stages of the manufacturing process. In an embodiment of the invention, after formation of a sensor stack, a protective layer is deposited on the sensor stack that provides protection from materials that may be used in subsequent steps of the manufacturing process. The protective layer is subsequently converted to an insulating layer and the thickness of the insulating layer is extended to an appropriate thickness. In converting the protective layer to an insulating layer, the sensor stack is not directly exposed to materials that may damage it. For example, in an embodiment of the invention, Mg is used as the protective layer that is subsequently converted to MgO with the introduction of oxygen. Although direct contact of oxygen with the sensor stack may cause damage to the sensor stack, direct contact is avoided by the present invention. Subsequently, the thickness of the insulating layer, in this example can be extended to an appropriate thickness without exposing the sensor stack to damage causing oxygen and inter-diffusion.
US08518716B2
This disclosure relates to methods of predicting and diagnosing preeclampsia and eclampsia in pregnant subjects. These methods include detecting a decrease of soluble c-kit in a sample obtained from the pregnant subject. A significantly reduced concentration of soluble c-kit in the sample as compared to a gestational age-adjusted control indicates that the pregnant subject will develop or has preeclampsia or eclampsia.
US08518712B2
A method for discovering pharmacologically active substances from natural products at high speed, including: obtaining an activity profile by testing pharmacological activity of a plurality of samples; obtaining mass profiles based on mass spectra resulting from analysis of the samples by mass spectrometry; and determining molecular weight of pharmacologically active substances by comparing and analyzing the activity profile and the mass profile. The method allows fast discovery of pharmacologically active substances by performing high resolution mass spectrometry for numerous components included in an extract sample of natural products and comparing with the activity test data. The information about the intensity of the activity of the pharmacologically active substances of the natural products allows effective utilization of the natural products.
US08518709B2
In a method for regenerating a biosensor, a biosensor is prepared having a substrate surface on which at least one receptor is immobilized. At least one ligand that is binding specific to the receptor is bound to the receptor, said ligand, together with the receptor, forming a ligand-receptor complex. To regenerate the biosensor, the ligand-receptor complex is brought into contact with an enzyme. The enzyme is selected so that it catalyzes the ligand into fragments. The enzyme is inert with respect to the receptor.
US08518707B2
A method of monitoring breakthrough of an adsorbent bed consisting for example of ion-exchange resins, used during a stage of purification of an ester stream containing glycerin, obtained for example in a vegetable or animal oil and aliphatic monoalcohol transesterification process, permits the instantaneous detection of the presence of glycerol (glycerin) in the ester stream by arranging a turbidimeter at the adsorbent bed outlet.
US08518699B2
The invention relates to a modified lymphoid cell having gene conversion fully or partially replaced by hypermutation, wherein said cell has no deleterious mutations in genes encoding paralogues and analogues of the RAD51 protein, and wherein said cell is capable of directed and selective genetic diversification of a target nucleic acid by hypermutation or a combination of hypermutation and gene conversion. The invention also relates to a method for diversifying any transgenic target gene in said cell. Preferably, the target gene is integrated into the immunoglobulin light or heavy chain locus by targeted integration.
US08518696B2
Continuous cell lines that are highly permissive to infection by porcine circovirus type 2 (“PCV2”) are described. PCV2 is the causal agent of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (“PMWS”) in pigs. PMWS has emerged as a major disease that poses a significant threat to the economics of global swine industry. The highly permissive cell lines of this invention provide efficient and reliable sources of PCV2 for use in development of vaccines, therapies and diagnostic agents for PMWS.
US08518690B2
A method, device and system for producing preselected products, (either finished products or preselected intermediary products) from biobased precursors or CO2 and/or bicarbonate. The principal features of the present invention include a method wherein a binary culture is incubated with a biobased precursor in a closed system to transform at least a portion of the biobased precursor to a preselected product. The present invention provides a method of cultivation that does not need sparging of a closed bioreactor to remove or add a gaseous byproduct or nutrient from a liquid medium. This improvement leads to significant savings in energy consumption and allows for the design of photobioreactors of any desired shape. The present invention also allows for the use of a variety of types of waste materials to be used as the organic starting material.
US08518686B2
The present invention provides a three-dimensional structures of P. tremuloides isoprene synthase and P. alba isoprene synthase. The invention also provides methods of using the three-dimensional structure to design isoprene synthases with improved activity for increased isoprene production in microbial host cells. Biosynthetically produced isoprene of the present invention finds use in the manufacture of rubber and elastomers.
US08518684B2
The present invention relates to enzyme compositions comprising a polypeptide having cellobiohydrolase II activity, a polypeptide having xylanase activity, and one or more cellulolytic proteins and their use in the degradation or conversion of cellulosic material.
US08518681B2
Described are embodiments that employ ultrasonic energy to selectively lyse larger adipose cells in a suspension containing adipose cells of different sizes resulting in a suspension in which the only viable cells are the small adipose cells and stem cells. Embodiments provide for generating an acoustic standing wave field of sufficient intensity and proper geometry, that high shear stress is induced on the cell membranes of cells larger than a predetermined size. The remaining small adipose cells can be physically separated from the suspension after the suspension is subjected to the acoustic standing wave field.
US08518679B2
The present invention describes the use of a genetically improved Trichoderma reesei strain allowing to limit microbiological contaminations during an industrial process. The genetic strain improvement allows the latter to overexpress an extracellular protein having known antimicrobial properties and compatible with the secretory system of strains of fungi such as Trichoderma reesei. This modified strain can be used to produce the cellulolytic and/or hemicellulolytic enzymes used in a method of producing ethanol from cellulosic or lignocellulosic materials referred to as “second generation” materials.
US08518665B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a procedure for realizing inexpensive and simple production of 3-indole-pyruvic acid. A transformant is made using a polynucleotide having a specific nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an oxidase activity, and oxidase is generated by culturing the transformant in a medium to accumulate the oxidase in the medium and/or the transformant. Further, tryptophan is converted into 3-indole-pyruvic acid in the presence of the transformant and/or a culture thereof to produce 3-indole-pyruvic acid.
US08518661B2
The present invention relates to a method of selecting and separating normal cells and specific cells by using ultrasonic waves. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of selecting and separating normal cells and cancer cells, or normal cells and stem cells by using a difference in attenuation coefficients, speed of sound and so on in normal cells and specific cells obtained when ultrasonic waves are radiated. The method of the present invention is capable of selecting and separating normal cells and specific cells (cancer cells or stem cells) in a simple and efficient manner.
US08518650B2
Methods for identifying and evaluating suites of biochemical and/or gene entities useful as biomarkers for early prediction of prostate cancer, disease grading, target identification/validation, and monitoring of drug efficacy are provided. Also provided are suites of small molecule entities as biomarkers for prostate cancer.
US08518646B2
Detection of Staphylococcus aureus and identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and compositions for the detection and/or quantification of S. aureus from a sample, as well as methods and compositions useful for the detection and/or quantification of S. aureus and MRSA in a single assay. Embodiments include nucleic acids that hybridize to S. aureus-specific nuc sequences and MREJ sequences.
US08518637B2
A method for providing portable biological testing capabilities free from biological contamination from an environment outside the device is provided. The method includes providing components configured to be assembled together to seal a volume against passage of biological materials between the volume and an environment outside the volume. The method further includes sterilizing the components and providing a sterilized culture medium. The method further includes assembling the components together with the sterilized culture medium within the volume. The method further includes sterilizing the assembled components by elevating the temperature. The method further includes flowing gas from within the volume to the environment while at an elevated temperature. The method further includes reducing the temperature to be less than the elevated temperature while preventing gas from flowing from the environment to the volume, thereby creating a pressure within the volume which is less than a pressure outside the volume.
US08518628B2
A material is provided for use in an immersion lithographic process of a semiconductor substrate. The material includes a photo-sensitive polymer configured to turn soluble to a base solution in response to reaction with an acid and at least one of either a base soluble polymer or an acid labile polymer. The base soluble polymer is configured to turn soluble to water in response to reaction with a developer solution. The acid labile polymer is configured to turn soluble to water after releasing a leaving group in reaction to the acid.
US08518623B2
A toner includes a toner particle, which contains at least a binding resin, a colorant, and two types of polar resins, i.e., a polar resin H and a polar resin L, and which is obtained with granulation in a water-based medium, wherein solubility parameters, glass transition points, and weight-average molecular weights of the binding resin, the polar resin H, and the polar resin L, as well as amounts of the added resins satisfy respective specific relationships.
US08518622B2
A toner containing a binder resin, a colorant, and a releasing agent, wherein the colorant contains a mixed crystal of a C. I. PIGMENT YELLOW 185 and a C. I. PIGMENT YELLOW 139, and wherein a mass ratio of the C. I. PIGMENT YELLOW 185 to the C. I. PIGMENT YELLOW 139 (mass of the C. I. PIGMENT YELLOW 185/mass of the C. I. PIGMENT YELLOW 139) in the toner is 95/5 to 50/50.
US08518621B2
A toner for electrostatic image development containing a resin binder, a negatively chargeable charge control agent, and a positively chargeable charge control agent, wherein the resin binder contains at least one polyester, wherein a carboxylic acid component of the polyester contains isophthalic acid and/or an ester thereof and fumaric acid and/or an ester thereof, provided that if two or more polyesters are used, the carboxylic acid component is taken as an overall component, and wherein the negatively chargeable charge control agent contains a metal-containing azo dye and/or a metal complex of salicylic acid, and wherein the toner has a softening point of from 90° to 120° C. The toner for electrostatic image development of the present invention can be suitably used in developing latent images formed in, for example, electrophotography, an electrostatic recording method, an electrostatic printing method, or the like.
US08518617B2
The present invention provides an electrophotographic photoreceptor including at least an electroconductive substrate and a photosensitive layer provided on or above the electroconductive substrate, wherein an outermost layer of the electrophotographic photoreceptor is a layer composed of a cured film of a composition including at least one of compound having a chain-polymerizable functional group and a charge-transportable backbone in the molecule thereof, a polymerization initiator and a radical deactivator.
US08518615B2
A method of drying an organic pigment is provided which includes an under-depressurization microwave drying step of irradiating the organic pigment with microwaves under depressurization and drying the organic pigment. A method of processing a phthalocyanine pigment and a method of manufacturing an electrophotographic photosensitive member are also provided each of which utilizes the drying method.
US08518612B2
A pellicle for lithography according to the present invention comprises a pellicle film (10) of single crystal silicon, and the pellicle film (10) is supported by a support member (20) including an outer frame portion (20a) and a porous portion (mesh structure) (20b) that occupies an inner area surrounded by the outer frame portion (20a). In order to prevent oxidation of surfaces of the pellicle film 10, anti-oxidizing films 30a and 30b are provided to cover portions where the single crystal silicon film is exposed to the outside. The support member (20) can be obtained by processing a handle substrate of an SOI substrate, and the pellicle film (10) of single crystal silicon can be obtained from an SOI layer of the SOI substrate. Since the pellicle film (10) is tightly coupled to the support member (20), sufficient mechanical strength can be assured.
US08518610B2
Provided is a method for fabricating a photomask. The method includes the following processes. Light blocking patterns are formed on a mask substrate, and surface properties of the mask substrate on which the light blocking patterns are formed are changed into hydrophobicity. When the surface properties of the mask substrate are changed into the hydrophobicity, the mask substrate is treated using plasma gas. The plasma gas may be a gas mixture of trifluoromethane (CHF3), tetrafluoromethane (CF4), and hydrogen (H2).
US08518604B2
The present invention relates to primary and secondary electrochemical energy storage systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to such systems as battery cells, especially battery cells utilizing metal fluorides with the presence of phosphates or fluorophosphates, which use materials that take up and release ions as a means of storing and supplying electrical energy.
US08518603B2
This invention provides a highly electrically conductive sheet molding compound (SMC) composition and a fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate made from such a composition. The composition comprises a top sheet, a bottom sheet, and a resin mixture sandwiched between the top sheet and the bottom sheet. At least one of the top sheet and bottom sheet comprises a flexible graphite sheet, which has a substantially planar outer surface having formed therein a fluid flow channel. Further, the resin mixture comprises a thermoset resin and a conductive filler present in a sufficient quantity to render the flow field plate electrically conductive enough to be a current collector (preferably with a conductivity no less than 100 S/cm). Preferably, both the top and bottom surfaces are flexible graphite sheets, each having a substantially planar outer surface having therein a fluid flow channel formed by embossing. These two flexible graphite sheets are well-bonded by the middle resin mixture layer to form a highly conductive bipolar plate, which is particularly useful for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications.
US08518598B1
The plant (10) includes a molten metal anode (44) passing through a fuel cell (12) anode inlet (46) having a first interrupted flow generator (104), then into an anode flow field (42) of the fuel cell (12), and leaving the anode flow field (42) through an anode outlet (48) having a second interrupted flow generator (113). The molten anode (44) then flows into a reduction reactor (50) where the oxidized anode (44) is reduced by a reducing fuel (61). The molten anode (44) is then cycled back into the first interrupted flow generator (104) and anode flow field (42). Interrupting flow of the molten anode (44) prevents electrical continuity between the anode inlet (46) and the anode outlet (48) through the molten anode (44) within the anode flow field (42). This facilitates stacking the planar fuel cells in series within a fuel cell stack to build voltage.
US08518596B1
A fuel cell comprises a cathode gas diffusion layer, a cathode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion layer, an anode catalyst layer and an electrolyte. The diffusion resistance of the anode gas diffusion layer when operated with anode fuel is higher than the diffusion resistance of the cathode gas diffusion layer. The anode gas diffusion layer may comprise filler particles having in-plane platelet geometries and be made of lower cost materials and manufacturing processes than currently available commercial carbon fiber substrates. The diffusion resistance difference between the anode gas diffusion layer and the cathode gas diffusion layer may allow for passive water balance control.
US08518590B2
An output characteristic of a fuel cell is estimated by detecting an output current of the fuel cell and a voltage between terminals of the fuel cell, and then estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the detected output current and the detected voltage between the terminals, and a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell.
US08518588B2
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a circulation path, a water reservoir, a water level detector, a water discharger and a controller. The fuel cell generates electric power using fuel gas supplied to an anode and oxidant gas supplied to a cathode. Off-gas discharged from the fuel cell is returned to the fuel cell again through the circulation path. The water reservoir is disposed in the circulation path and stores water separated from the off-gas. During monitoring after stop of the fuel cell system or at startup of the fuel cell system, the controller operates the water discharger to discharge the water stored in the water reservoir when the controller determines that a level of the water detected or estimated by the water level detector is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference water level.
US08518581B2
An electrochemical device is claimed and disclosed, including a method of manufacturing the same, comprising an environmentally sensitive material, such as, for example, a lithium anode; and a plurality of alternating thin metallic and ceramic, blocking sub-layers. The multiple metallic and ceramic, blocking sub-layers encapsulate the environmentally sensitive material. The device may include a stress modulating layer, such as for example, a Lipon layer between the environmentally sensitive material and the encapsulation layer.
US08518571B2
A battery (100) includes an electrode body (80) having a positive electrode and a negative electrode and also includes an exterior case (50) formed in a box-like shape having an inner space corresponding to the electrode body (80). An insulation film (10) is provided between the electrode body (80) and the exterior case (50) to isolate them from each other. The insulation film (10) has a bag-like shape surrounding the electrode body (80) and is placed so as not to come into contact with corners (58) of the inner space.
US08518547B2
The present invention provides curing agent compositions comprising alkylated polyalkylene polyamine compounds. Amine-epoxy compositions and articles produced from these amine-epoxy compositions are also disclosed.
US08518541B2
A process for producing and a powdery water-absorbing polymers comprising: about 0.01 to 20 wt. % of a fine particle with a particle size of less than about 200 μm; about 0.001 to 10 wt. % of a thermoplastic adhesive; and about 60 to 99.998 wt. % of a water-absorbing polymer particle with a particle size of about 200 μm and above, wherein the powdery water-absorbing polymers have: a flow value (FFC) within the range from about 1 to 13, and/or a dust portion of at most about 6 are disclosed. Also disclosed are a transport process, a composite, chemical products, and a use of a thermoplastic adhesive.
US08518523B2
A polyester film including terminal carboxylic groups in an amount of from 2 eq/t to 23 eq/t, wherein an amount of carboxylic groups on a surface of the film is from 0.005 eq/m2 to 0.2 eq/m2, and a thickness of the film is from 120 μm to 500 μm.
US08518515B2
The multilayer optical recording medium with at least four or more recording and reading layers disposed one above the other has at least two or more recording and reading layer groups each including the recording and reading layers successively disposed one above the other. In adjacent recording and reading layer groups with an intermediate layer interposed therebetween, a recording and reading layer nearest a front side in the recording and reading layer group nearer a back side is higher than the higher value of the reflectances in a stacked state of two recording and reading layers nearest the back side in the recording and reading layer group nearer the front side.
US08518509B2
A decorative glass panel, and a method of production thereof, is provided for a door or window, and comprises a flat glass panel having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a thickness. A prescribed pattern is formed in at least the outer surface of the flat glass panel, the prescribed pattern including at least one substantially V-shaped groove. Each groove so formed has a width of between 9.0 mm and 19.5 mm and a depth of between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. An air-curable resin is applied within each substantially V-shaped groove forming the prescribed pattern.
US08518508B2
This invention provides a tube having durability against harsh flexion, shrinkage, torsion, or the like and reduced slip resistance between tubes or upon contact with another member. Such tube is used for a product comprising a site at which a plurality of tubes are fixed at both ends and tied together with each other and/or in contact with another member, and the sites of fixation at the both ends are sites of motion at which reciprocal movement is repeated. Such tube is obtained via extrusion molding of a thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer and has a satin-finished outer surface. The invention also provides a method for preparing such tube.
US08518496B2
The erosion-prone sections of the tubes in a circulating fluidized bed boiler are provided with a locally thickened sidewall without forming discontinuities on the outer surface of the tubes. This can be accomplished, for example, by replacing the erosion prone portion of the tube with a section having a smaller inside diameter, but the same outside diameter, or by replacing the erosion prone portion of the tube with a section having a thicker sidewall, but the same inside diameter, and smoothing over the outside discontinuity with an alloy coating. A useful alloy coating is also disclosed which can be used for this and other applications.
US08518495B1
A method is provided for applying a superhydrophilic coating to a surface of a sonobuoy and acoustic sensors. A variety of different processed and chemistries can be used to make superhydrophilic coatings including polyethylene glycol, titanium dioxide and nanoporous silica. Application to the surface can be by dipping, painting and spraying. Once applied to the outer surface of the acoustic sensor and specifically the sonobuoy, the sonobuoy can be handled/stored/deployed under existing procedures. Titanium dioxide and nanoporous silica are inorganic materials that would have to be inter-mixed with the coating. The coating allows a surface of the sonobuoy to wet completely upon immersion into a fluid thereby minimizing the formation of air bubbles on the surface whereby the suppression of bubble formation allows the sonobuoy to immediately generate high quality acoustic data.
US08518494B2
Disclosed is a technique for preventing a water-repellent protective film formed on a resist film from peeling off during immersion exposure. A resist film is formed on the front surface of a substrate and then the peripheral edge portion of the resist film is removed. Before forming a water-repellent protective film onto the resist film, an adhesion-improving fluid, preferably hexamethyldisilazane gas, for improving the adhesion of the water-repellent protective film, is supplied to the region from which the resist film is removed.
US08518487B2
A method of forming an organic film is provided and includes followings. An apparatus is provided and includes a gas storage chamber, an evaporator, a pressure gauge, a pyrolysis chamber connected with the gas storage chamber, and a deposition chamber. The evaporator connects with the pyrolysis chamber through the gas storage. An organic material in the evaporator is evaporated to form organic gas, wherein the organic gas is passed into the gas storage chamber. When pressure of the organic gas in the gas storage chamber, measured by the pressure gauge, reaches a predetermined value, a valve between the evaporator and the gas storage chamber is turned off and another valve is turned on for passing the organic gas into the pyrolysis chamber. The organic gas is pyrolyzed in the pyrolysis chamber to form a monomer. The monomer is delivered to the deposition chamber for deposition to form an organic film.
US08518478B2
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing conductive fibers, more precisely a method of manufacturing conductive fibers comprising the steps of coating silver complex compound coating solution on non-conductive fibers to coat the fibers with silver complex compound; heating the fibers to form a silver coating layer; and forming an antioxidant layer thereon, and conductive fibers prepared by the same.The method of manufacturing conductive fibers of the present invention not only is simple and easy but also requires low production costs. So, the conductive fibers prepared by the method of the present invention are not only excellent in conductivity but also excellent in other mechanical properties such as adhesive strength of the conductive layer, fiber strength and softness, etc.
US08518463B2
Technique for making a cream cheese product comprising steps of: providing a milkfat fluid comprising butterfat; pasteurizing the milkfat fluid; homogenizing the milkfat fluid; and culturing bacteria in the milkfat fluid; producing a cream cheese product comprising live probiotic bacteria cultures. Cream cheese product comprising: between about 10% by weight and about 55% by weight of total butterfat; and a live probiotic bacteria culture.
US08518450B2
The invention provides a process for the production of nanoparticle carriers for drug delivery, said nanoparticles being produced by preparing a double emulsion of water-oil-water including one or more polymer which forms the basis of the nanoparticle carrier, blending the drug to be delivered into one of the emulsion phases, doping either the oil-phase or the outer-water phase with a carbohydrate, and spray drying the emulsion to form nanoparticles of a narrow particle size distribution of 100 nm to 1000 nm, which nanoparticles are substantially spherical.
US08518443B2
Disclosed are oral dosage forms, comprising (i) a therapeutically effective amount of an opioid agonist; (ii) an opioid antagonist in releasable form; and (iii) a sequestered opioid antagonist which is not released when the dosage form is administered intact, and methods thereof.
US08518434B2
This invention provides a spermicidally and virucidally effective, vaginally applicable formulation, having the following approximate composition of essential ingredients: at least one benzalkonium chloride, in an amount from 0.05 to 0-0.2%; at least one spermicide selected from the group consisting of nonoxynols in an amount of from 0.05-12%, octoxynol-9 in an amount of from 0.05-4%, and triclosan in an amount from 0.05-2%; a biologically acceptable emollient, in an amount from 1-5%; hydroxypropyimethyl cellulose, in an amount from 0.1-3%; sodium carbomer, in an amount from 0.1-1%; de-ionized water, making up the balance. The composition has the attributes of (a) a semi-solid, essentially clear gel consistency and appearance, and (b) the ability to maintain a presence in the human vagina in the presence of mucous secretions therein, in virucidally effective amounts, for at least 24 hours after application thereto.
US08518433B2
The present invention is directed to compositions having at least one neocartilage particle, juvenile cartilage particle or a combination thereof and a matrix, and methods and devices that include the compositions.
US08518432B2
A block-shaped scaffold for a tissue engineering with improved shape stability and less volume change in water is produce by the steps of approximate-uniformly mixing the particle-shaped material having 100 to 2000 μm diameter with a solution, where a biodegradable polymer is dissolved with an organic solvent, freezing, drying it to remove the solvent, pulverizing thus obtained intermediate product, dissolving it with a liquid, where the biodegradable polymer is not dissolved, to remove the particle-shaped material taking thus obtained intermediate product into a mold, and pressing and heating it, the scaffold having ununiform and continuous holes occupying 20 to 80% in a cross-section area in a three-dimensional network structure having a small hole structure with 5 to 50 μm diameter, elastic coefficient being 0.1 to 2.5 MPa, and volume change being 95 to 105% when dipping it in water for 24 hours.
US08518430B2
Solid pharmaceutical compositions for parenteral injection comprising a binder and at least one therapeutic agent. The pharmaceutical composition has the strength to be injected directly with the need of using cannulas or the like.
US08518429B2
An arsenic trioxide medical elution scaffold and preparation method thereof, wherein the arsenic trioxide medical elution scaffold comprises scaffold, polymer coating covering the scaffold and arsenic trioxide loaded in the polymer coating which is in the form of single particle or particle conglomeration island. Animal experiments testify that the medical release of the arsenic trioxide medical elution scaffold is suitably uniform, and can be controlled to meet clinic requirement.
US08518427B2
A method of producing a fabric with antimicrobial properties that includes liquefying bamboo to produce a slurry, adding an antimicrobial element to the slurry, adding a non-bamboo fiber to the slurry to create a mixture and extruding the mixture to produce a fiber. The antimicrobial fabric may include a composition of 69% bamboo, 30% cotton and 1% silver.
US08518426B2
A topical anti-aging skin care formulation comprising an effective amount of a benzoquinone, such as CoQ10, plus a synergistic pair of stabilizers and a synergistic pair of whiteners. The stabilizers are octyl salicylate and octyl methoxycinnamate. The whiteners are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. When proper amounts of these ingredients are used in an aqueous based emulsion formulation, the product will be initially white, and will remain white for an extended period of time.
US08518419B2
The present invention relates to a method for treating a subject having or at risk of a diabetes-related disorder. In a preferred embodiment, the method involves increasing the level or activity of Hypoxia Induced Factor 1 (HIF-1 α) in pancreatic-β-cells or insulin-sensitive tissues in the subject by administering to the subject an inhibitor of a protein that decreases the level or activity of HIF-1α. The present invention also relates to a method of transplanting pancreatic islet cells in a subject.
US08518411B2
The invention provides modified TGF-β family proteins having altered biological or biochemical properties, and methods for making them. Specific modified protein constructs include TGF-β family member proteins that have N-terminal truncations, “latent” proteins, fusion proteins and heterodimers.
US08518410B2
The present invention includes compositions and methods for the expression, secretion and use of novel compositions for use as, e.g., vaccines and antigen delivery vectors, to delivery antigens to antigen presenting cells. In one embodiment, the vector is an anti-CD40 antibody, or fragments thereof, and one or more antigenic peptides linked to the anti-CD40 antibody or fragments thereof, including humanized antibodies.
US08518408B2
The present invention provides monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to the extracellular domain of human Claudin-1 on the cell surface, thereby inhibiting HCV entry into susceptible cells and preventing HCV infection of these cells; and hybridoma cell lines which produce such monoclonal antibodies. Also provided are reagents that comprise such antibodies, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such antibodies. Methods of treating or preventing HCV infection by administration of an inventive monoclonal antibody, or a pharmaceutical composition thereof are also described.
US08518400B2
The present invention relates to chimeric derivatives of serine protease zymogen containing the activation peptide of factor X or a fragment thereof for improving the half-life of said derivatives. Preferably, said chimeric derivatives are protein C and factor X derivatives. The invention also relates to said derivatives for the prevention or treatment of blood coagulation disorders.
US08518398B2
A method for treating an open wound, such as a surgical wound, may include preparing a first composition including a platelet poor plasma (PPP), and preparing a second composition including a platelet rich plasma (PRP). A layer of the first composition may be applied within the open wound, and a layer of the second composition may be applied within the open wound over the layer of the first composition.
US08518389B2
The present invention relates to a novel protein, TR17, which is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily. In particular, isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided encoding the human TR17. TR17 polypeptides are also provided as anti TR17 antibodies and vectors, host cells and recombinant methods for producing the same. The invention further relates to methods of killing cells using the antibodies of the invention.
US08518385B2
A composition for cosmetic compositions which contains (a) at least one dicarboxylic acid diester of a C6-C13 dicarboxylic acid with a C12-22 fatty alcohol; (b) at least one oil component. The composition provides excellent antiperspirant and deodorant sticks when combined with an antiperspirant or deodorizing composition. Addition of a pigment provides cosmetic sticks such as lipsticks. The composition can be water free.
US08518381B2
The present invention is directed towards a process for making oral compositions comprising gel networks. The gel networks are formed from a fatty amphiphile dispersion and swelling surfactant. The fatty amphiphile dispersion comprises one or more fatty amphiphiles, one or more dispersing surfactants, and one or more solvents. A gel network is formed when the fatty amphiphile dispersion is combined with the swelling surfactant. A method of preparing the fatty amphiphile dispersion and oral composition is included.
US08518380B2
A prophylactic (prophy) paste composition comprising about 40 percent by weight to about 55 percent by weight expanded perlite comprising perlite granules in the range of about 20 μm to about 70 μm and floaters. The prophy paste composition further comprises no more than 5 percent by weight of a surfactant, and greater than about 10 percent by weight water. In some embodiments, the inventive paste also contains a humectant and optionally, may contain coloring agents, preservative agents, alcohol, flavoring agents, viscosity increasing agents, and sodium fluoride. The present invention also provides methods for controlling the floater content of the expanded perlite used in the inventive paste and methods of packaging the expanded perlite paste composition in a tube. The present invention also provides a prophy paste product comprising the inventive prophy paste contained within a squeezable tube.
US08518373B2
The invention concerns a method for obtaining diagnostic images of a human or animal body organ, region, fluid or tissue by using combined X-ray and/or Magnetization Transfer (MT) based MRI techniques and iodinated radiographic compounds as contrast agents, as well as improved Chemical Exchange dependent Saturation Transfer (CESDT or CEST) based MRI procedures in which a iodinated contrast agents is used for in vivo determining a physiological parameter of diagnostic interest.
US08518364B2
A nanostructure, being either an Inorganic Fullerene-like (IF) nanostructure or an Inorganic Nanotube (INT), having the formula A1−x-Bx-chalcogenide are described. A being a metal or transition metal or an alloy of metals and/or transition metals, B being a metal or transition metal B different from that of A and x being ≦0.3. A process for their manufacture and their use for modifying the electronic character of A-chalcogenide are described.
US08518354B2
A mixture of urea, water and ammonium carbamate is formulated for use in the catalytic reduction of oxides of nitrogen in diesel exhaust. The mixtures may be formulated to optimize the amount of reductant in the mixture and the freezing point of the formulation. These formulations are especially useful in combination with Selective Catalytic Reduction systems and are well suited for use on heavy-duty trucks and heavy duty equipment used off-road. Some of these formations include between about 15.0 wt. % to about 40.0 wt. % urea; between about 15.0 wt. % to about 40.0 wt. % ammonium carbamate; and between about 40.0 wt. % to about 60.0 wt. % water. The formulation may be monitored for ammonia content and/or freezing point and the composition of the formulation may be adjusted to optimize the freezing point and ammonia content.
US08518344B2
The disclosed invention is a humidity indicating composition comprising (a) an organic pH indicator dye compound, (b) a Bronsted acid or base, (c) a polyol having the general formula HOCH2—(CHOH)n—CH2OH, wherein n can be 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, and (d) a solvent; wherein said components (a), (b), (c) and (d) do not contain halogen and/or heavy metals. Furthermore, the invention relates to a humidity indicator card comprising a sheet substrate and the humidity indicating composition from which the solvent has been allowed to evaporate, and to a process for preparing said humidity indicator card.
US08518342B2
The present invention relates generally to the field of analysis, for example biological analysis. More specifically, the present invention relates to an analysis device (10, 40, 501, 60) designed to be associated with a container (22, 50, 70) containing a sample (28) to be analyzed, said device comprising essentially: a first impervious membrane (12, 42, 52, 62); a second impervious membrane (14, 44, 54, 64) superposed on the first membrane (12, 42, 52, 62); said first and second membranes being fixedly attached over at least a part of their surface, defining a peripheral zone, in order to define an interstitial space forming an internal reaction cavity (16, 46, 56, 66), with no means of fluid communication with the outside of said analysis device (10, 40, 501, 60); at least one analysis means (18, 47, 57, 67), placed inside said internal reaction cavity (16, 46, 56, 66), designed to be placed in contact with the sample (28); at least one means designed to create a way for the sample to enter said internal reaction cavity. The present invention also relates to a container (22, 50, 70) comprising such an analysis device.The present invention also relates to a method of analyzing a sample contained in a container, in which an analysis device according to the invention is used.
US08518340B1
Steam autoclave having condensate bleed system, and condensate drainage system for a steam autoclave
A steam autoclave has a main drain line and an auxiliary drain line through which condensate in the autoclave chamber is drained, the auxiliary drain line having a conduit extending therethrough defining a path for condensate to move through the auxiliary drain line, and at least a portion of the conduit having a cross-section sized to permit effective draining of condensate through the conduit while the autoclave chamber is pressurized without substantial loss of steam pressure in the autoclave chamber. A sensor may be positioned in the autoclave chamber for sensing a pressure drop during condensate draining while the autoclave chamber is pressurized and for initializing insertion of additional pressurized steam into the autoclave chamber as needed to maintain adequate steam pressure in the autoclave chamber.
US08518339B1
To improve throughput of biomedical waste treatment, the present inventors devised an exemplary ozone-based system including a shredder, a roll-off treatment bin with ozone injectors, an ozone source, and a controller. The controller monitors electric current drawn by the shredder as shredded waste enters the ozone-enriched treatment bin. In response to current falling below a predetermined low level, indicating that a batch of waste has been shredded and loaded into the treatment bin, the controller starts a treatment timer. The timer measures elapsed ozone treatment or exposure time. If additional waste is added to the shredder and a subsequent low-current condition is detected, the controller restarts the treatment timer. Expiration of the timer indicates that the waste in the roll-off bin is sterilized and ready for transport to landfills. The exemplary system provides continuous waste processing and promises to boost throughput by 50% over some conventional ozone-based waste-treatment systems.
US08518337B2
Tube-bundle equipment for heat exchange operations at high pressures and temperatures, under conditions of high aggressiveness of the process fluids, comprising a titanium lining (11) and a series of tubes (1) consisting of at least one layer of zirconium (2), positioned in contact with said fluids, wherein the tube plate on which said tubes are inserted comprises an outer layer (S) of zirconium or an alloy thereof and an underlying layer (5) of titanium welded to the lining of the equipment. Said equipment is particularly used as a heat exchanger, for example as a stripper, in the high-pressure cycle of urea syntheses processes.
US08518335B2
A system for preparing silica aerogel powders. The system includes a material supplier, a mixer, a drier and a recoverer. The material supplier transmitting de-ionized water, water glass, an organosilane compound, an inorganic acid and at least one organic solvent. Some of organic solvents are mixed and transmitted to the mixer and tramining organic solvent is transmitted to the mixer. The mixer mixes the materials transmitted from the material supplier so as to generate silica hydrogel. The drier dries the silica hydrogel so as to generate silica aerogel powders. The recoverer recovers some vaporized materials of the materials used in the mixer and the drier.
US08518331B2
An apparatus with which areas near surfaces in a water environment that are contaminated by radioisotopes are decontaminated by non-thermal laser peeling without suffering re-melting, re-diffusing and re-contaminating. The apparatus includes a piping structure with which a substance to be irradiated that has been deposited on outer and inner surfaces of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel, and a nuclear reactor container tank, and the internal nuclear reactor structures all having been contaminated with radioisotopes, can be removed in the water environment. The piping structure, to secure a region in a water environment that is gas pressurized to discharge the water and filled with the gas to not interfere with laser irradiation, has a semi-hermetically closed, incomplete water seal that is half-open with a siphon provided downward, a mechanical structure that withstands water pressure in a radial direction, and an extendable bellows-like tube to enable the piping structure to tilt.
US08518330B2
An internal start-up heater (10) for an ammonia reactor (1), comprising longitudinal heating members (16) and a supporting structure for said heating members (16), the structure comprising plates (20A-20D) with parallel beams (22A-22D) in contact with said heating members (16), wherein the plates are arranged in plate sets formed by at least a first and a second plate having differently arranged supporting beams.
US08518328B2
Instrument-cartridge interfaces for fluidic analyzers that have an instrument and a removable cartridge are disclosed. For example, and in one illustrative embodiment, the instrument may include a needle that is adapted to penetrate a septum on a removable cartridge. In another illustrative embodiment, the instrument may include a plunger that is adapted to deform a deformable membrane on a removable cartridge. In yet another illustrative embodiment, the instrument may include a nozzle that is adapted to mate and seal with a flow channel on a removable cartridge. Techniques for detecting the flow rate in a flow channel on a removable cartridge, as well as the position of fluid in a flow channel of a removable cartridge, are also disclosed.
US08518321B2
Biaxially-oriented nylon film according to the present invention is biaxially-oriented nylon film made from nylon. In the biaxially-oriented nylon film, an elongation ratio of the film in each of four directions (an MD direction, a TD direction, a 45 degree direction and a 135 degree direction) until a film rupture is 70 percent or more, the elongation ratio being measured in a tensile test (testing conditions: a sample width is 15 mm; a distance between gauge points is 50 mm; and a tensile speed is 100 mm/min), and a stress ratio A (σ1/σ2) between a tensile stress σ1 and a tensile stress σ2 in a stress-strain curve obtained in the tensile test of the film is 2 or more in each of the four directions, the tensile stress σ1 being a value at a point where the elongation ratio becomes 50 percent while the tensile stress σ2 being a value at an yield point.
US08518320B2
Methods for electrospinning a hydrophobic coaxial fiber into a superhydrophobic coaxial fiber mat can include providing an electrospinning coaxial nozzle comprising a core outlet coaxial with a sheath outlet, ejecting an electrospinnable core solution from the core outlet of the electrospinning coaxial nozzle, ejecting a hydrophobic sheath solution from the sheath outlet of the electrospinning coaxial nozzle, wherein the hydrophobic sheath solution annularly surrounds the core solution, applying a voltage between the electrospinning coaxial nozzle and a collection plate, wherein the voltage induces a jet of the electrospinnable core solution annularly surrounded by the hydrophobic sheath solution to travel from the electrospinning coaxial nozzle to the collection plate to form the hydrophobic coaxial fiber comprising an electrospinnable polymer core coated with a hydrophobic sheath material, and wherein collection of the hydrophobic coaxial fiber on the collection plate yields the superhydrophobic coaxial fiber mat.
US08518318B2
Several processes for the manufacture of thin-walled tubes are described, including: injection molding an article and annealing the article, injection molding a blend of a polymer and a high melt flow polymer, injection molding a blend of a polymer and nanoparticles or nanocomposites. Using nanoparticles to improve ESCR and/or tear resistance of a polymer or blend is also disclosed.
US08518316B2
A system including a mold having a fluoropolymer wherein the mold defines a plurality of cavities having a predetermined shape and a cross-sectional dimension less than about 100 micrometers; a roller; a surface in cooperation with the roller to form a nip point configured to receive the mold, wherein the nip point is further configured to receive a substantially liquid composition and accelerate entry of the substantially liquid composition into the cavity. A method of forming particles including applying a substantially liquid composition to a mold, wherein the mold comprises a fluoropolymer and defines a plurality of cavities each having a broadest cross-sectional dimension of less than about 100 micrometers; nipping the mold between a roller and a surface such that the substantially liquid composition enters the cavities of the mold; and hardening the substantially liquid composition in the cavities of the mold to form a particle within each cavity, wherein the particle has a size and shape that substantially mimics the size and shape of the cavity of the mold.
US08518310B2
The present invention aims at providing a process for producing a dried composite semipermeable membrane having extremely small content of unreacted components, outstanding water permeability and salt-blocking rate even after drying treatment, and outstanding contamination resistance and durability. The present invention relates to a process for producing a dried composite semipermeable membrane comprising the steps of: preparing a composite semipermeable membrane having a skin layer including a polyamide resin obtained by reaction between a polyfunctional amine component and a polyfunctional acid halide component formed on the surface of a porous support; washing the composite semipermeable membrane; contacting a moisturing solution including a moisturizer and a hydrophilization agent only to the surface of the porous support of the washed composite semipermeable membrane and contacting a protecting solution only to the surface of the skin layer of the washed composite semipermeable membrane; and drying the treated composite semipermeable membrane.
US08518301B2
A synthetic gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide is efficiently obtained by reacting a hydrocarbon feedstock gas with carbon dioxide under pressure, while suppressing carbon deposition. The pressure is preferably 3 atmospheres (0.304 MPa), and used is a carbon dioxide reforming catalyst that contains at least one alkaline earth metal carbonate a catalytic metal promoting the decomposition reaction of a hydrocarbon feedstock gas, at least one alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, and Ba, and a complex oxide containing at least one component selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, Zr, Fe, W, and Mo, such as ATiO3, AAl2O4, AZrO3, AFe2O4, A3W2O9, A2WO5, or AMoO4, where A is at least one of Ca, Sr, and Ba.
US08518297B2
The present invention provides a polishing composition that can be suitably used in polishing of polysilicon, and a polishing method using the polishing composition. The polishing composition contains abrasive grains and an anionic surfactant having a monooxyethylene group or a polyoxyethylene group and has a pH of 9 to 12. If the anionic surfactant contained in the polishing composition has a polyoxyethylene group, the number of repeating oxyethylene units in the polyoxyethylene group is preferably 2 to 8. The anionic surfactant contained in the polishing composition can be an anionic surfactant that has a phosphate group, a carboxy group, or a sulfo group as well as a monooxyethylene group or a polyoxyethylene group. The content of the anionic surfactant in the polishing composition is preferably 20 to 500 ppm.
US08518293B2
The present invention pertains to azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions of the following three blends: 1. Trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234ze(E)), cis-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234ze(Z)) and hydrogen fluoride (HF); 2. HFO-1234ze(E), 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245fa) and HF; and 3. HFO-1234ze(Z), HFC-245fa and HF. These azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions are useful as intermediates in the production of HFO-1234ze(E).
US08518283B2
The present invention relates to a plasma etching method in which a special area for detecting an end point needs not to be set and an equipment therefor. At an etching step of forming SF6 gas into plasma to etch an etching ground on a Si film, the step is configured by two steps of: a large-amount supply step of supplying a large amount of SF6 gas; and a small-amount supply step of supplying a small amount of SF6 gas. An end-point detecting processor 34 measures an emission intensity of Si or SiFx in the plasma at the small-amount supply step, and determines that an etching end point is reached when the measured emission intensity becomes equal to or less than a previously set reference value.
US08518282B2
A method for etching features of different aspect ratios in a tungsten containing layer is provided. An etch gas is provided containing a tungsten etch component and a deposition component. A plasma is formed from the provided etch gas. A tungsten containing layer patterned with wide and narrow features is etched with the provided plasma.
US08518277B2
A method of removing portions of a conductive layer comprising a transparent conductive material and/or a metallic material disposed on a plastic substrate used for capacitive touchscreen devices includes providing a plastic substrate having a conductive layer disposed on a surface thereof and removing portions of the conductive layer at the surface of the plastic substrate to establish a pattern of electrically isolated conductive portions on the surface of the plastic substrate. The conductive portions or traces are electrically connected to a touchscreen controller, which is operable to determine a location of a touch or proximity of an object at or near the surface of the plastic substrate responsive to a detected change in capacitance. The removal process may comprise etching or laser ablating portions of the conductive layer at the surface of the plastic substrate.
US08518275B2
Methods for fabricating sub-lithographic, nanoscale microstructures in line arrays utilizing self-assembling block copolymers, and films and devices formed from these methods are provided.
US08518271B2
A water treatment feed device includes a hopper and a receptacle. The hopper has a granule-receiving compartment defined by an upper hopper portion and a lower V-shaped hopper portion connected to the upper hopper portion. The lower V-shaped hopper portion is fabricated from a porous material having a plurality of pores sized to at least substantially retain conventional water treatment granules therein. The receptacle has a water-receiving compartment with a weir disposed therein to divide the water-receiving compartment into a water inlet sub-compartment and a water outlet sub-compartment with the water inlet sub-compartment sized to receive the hopper loaded with conventional water treatment granules. A water treatment feed system and a method for dissolving conventional water treatment granules in water are also described.
US08518268B1
A mobile water filtration apparatus and method for on-site removal of contaminants from raw water comprising a portable platform and a first settling tank secured with respect to the platform. The settling tank includes flocculating agent and a lower portion into which sediment settles. A sloped trough is secured with respect to the platform and has an upper end which receives the flocculating-agent-containing water, a lower end, a plurality of spaced-apart walls between upper and lower ends which define a serpentine flow path, and a plurality of agitators between the walls. A terminal settling tank receives water from the trough lower end and includes a lower portion into which sediment settles and an outlet along an upper portion through which treated water flows. An exemplary apparatus includes a gate corresponding to each wall and defining an opening through which water flows.
US08518264B2
A method comprising (i) providing a metal organic framework formed by AlIII ions to which fumarate ions are coordinated to produce a porous framework structure, (ii) bringing a substance into contact with the metal organic framework such that the substance is uptaken by the porous metal organic framework to provide storage of or controlled release of, the substance.
US08518262B2
A method of integrating individual water treatment assemblies into a seamless water treatment control system. A Reverse Osmosis assembly contains a controller wherein all other pretreatment and post-treatment assemblies are electrical coupled thereto. The controller is preprogrammed for use in recognizing the coupling of the pretreatment and/or post treatment assemblies wherein and for receiving all control commands for operation thereof. The controller employs cells that allows and installer to interconnect assemblies by coupling low voltage control signal wiring having predefined inputs, set up as PnP, or by use of a personal wireless network.
US08518253B2
An electrochemical device comprises an electrochemical cell. The electrochemical cell comprises a composite cation-exchange member including a conductive base and a cation-exchange material in physical contact with the conductive base, a composite anion-exchange member including a conductive base and an anion-exchange material in physical contact with the conductive base; and a compartment between the composite cation-exchange and anion-exchange members. The compartment comprises an inlet for introducing a feed stream, and an outlet for exiting of an output stream out of the compartment. The electrochemical device comprises a control device configured to transmit an electrical current to the composite cation-exchange and anion-exchange members at a regeneration stage in a manner that the conductive base on the composite cation-exchange member loses electrons and the conductive base on the composite anion-exchange member gains electrons.
US08518240B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a process for removing one or more polynuclear aromatics from at least one reformate stream from a reforming zone. The PNAs may be removed using an adsorption zone. The adsorption zone can include first and second vessels. Generally, the process includes passing the at least a portion of an effluent of the reforming zone through the first vessel containing a first activated carbon. The adsorption zone is operated at a temperature of at least 370° C.
US08518236B2
A method for improving the precision of electrochemical measurements made using an electrochemical cell is provided. The method comprises preconditioning a working electrode of the cell by (i) baking the working electrode; and/or (ii) incubating the working electrode; and/or (iii) applying a preconditioning potential across the cell; and/or (iv) treating the working electrode with a UV laser.
US08518226B1
The present invention provides for a novel method of supercoiled DNA isolation using a microfluidic device. In a preferred embodiment, the supercoiled DNA is a plasmid present in combination with chromosomal DNA. The present invention also provides for a novel method of mitochondrial DNA isolation using a microfluidic device.
US08518218B2
A carbonization reactor to decompose used rubber products and the like by heating the rubber products under constant high temperature and the reactor comprise a conveyor which continuously move and drag the rubber products through cylinders where the decomposition process takes place to produce recyclable by products such as carbon black, oil vapor and the like.
US08518214B2
Methods and compositions for softening paper. An inventive composition and method of its use softens paper products (like tissue paper) by de-bonding its cellulose fibers and by improving the smoothness of the resulting paper. The invention forms a surfactant-polymer complex that attaches de-bonding non-ionic surfactants to cellulose fibers that would otherwise not be retained by the cellulose fibers. This complex prevents the fibers from bonding with each other and makes the paper product smoother. Best of all, the composition is environmentally superior and is a non-toxic.
US08518207B2
In various embodiments, a waterproof breathable (WPB) fabric and method of producing the same are provided wherein a WPB membrane is laminated to a first side of a fabric, the laminated fabric is then treated with a treatment agent, and the treated fabric is cured. The treatment agent may include at least one of an oleophobic (oil repellent) compound and/or a hydrophobic (water repellent) compound. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic compound may be a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment. The treatment agent may provide protection for the fabric by repelling oil-based and/or water-based substances.
US08518203B2
Two stacked bodies, each having a metal layer provided on a first metallic foil with carrier via a first insulating layer, are prepared. The first metallic foil with carrier has a metallic foil provided on a carrier plate via a peeling layer. A joined body is formed by jointing the stacked bodies such that the carrier plates are joined via a joining layer. First conductor patterns are formed by patterning the metal layers on both sides of the joined body. Second metallic foils with carrier are provided to the first conductor patterns of the joined body such that the first conductor patterns are opposed to the metallic foils via second insulating layers. Two substrates are formed by peeling the carrier plates with carrier from the peeling layers. Second conductor patterns which are connected electrically to the first conductor patterns are formed from the metallic foils of the substrate.
US08518201B2
A tubing with improved compression strength for a subsurface water drainage system comprising a core polymeric support structure wrapped longitudinally in first and second geotextile materials, wherein the core polymeric support structure is heated to soften the polymeric material and wherein the first and second geotextile materials overlap and are adhered together with a hot melt adhesive and tensioned to tightly wrap the core, thereby forming the tubing.
US08518199B2
Embodiments of the invention are used to provide ways of tire tread molding and retreading with a double tread rubber body having a unitary structure that comprises two treads in order to remove the need for buffing an oxide layer typically associated with tread molding and curing. Embodiments of the double tread molding and retreading methods also remove the need for cementing the cured tread to prevent future oxidation buildup. Once the double tread is cured and cooled, it is cut along the centerline with a double tread separation apparatus to expose a soft non-oxidized inner rubber. The cutting is much less energy intensive when compared to buffing with an expendable wire brush. There is no risk of spots of oxidized rubber being missed as is the case with buffing. There is little or no dust created.
US08518194B2
A magnetic article comprises, in total, elements in amounts capable of providing at least one (La1-aMa)(Fe1-b-cTbYc)13-dXe phase and less than 0.5 Vol % impurities, wherein 0≦a≦0.9, 0≦b≦0.2, 0.05≦c≦0.2, −1≦d≦+1, 0≦e≦3, M is one or more of the elements Ce, Pr and Nd, T is one or more of the elements Co, Ni, Mn and Cr, Y is one or more of the elements Si, Al, As, Ga, Ge, Sn and Sb and X is one or more of the elements H, B, C, N, Li and Be. The magnetic article comprises a permanent magnet.
US08518192B2
A lead-free copper alloy includes, in combination by weight, about 10.0% to about 20.0% bismuth, about 0.05% to about 0.3% phosphorous, about 2.2% to about 10.0% tin, up to about 5.0% antimony, and up to about 0.02% boron, the balance essentially copper and incidental elements and impurities. The alloy contains no more than about 0.05 wt. % or 0.10 wt. % lead.
US08518190B2
An electronic device including a magnetic body and a wire is provided. The magnetic body has a first magnetic powder and a second magnetic powder mixed with the first magnetic powder. The Vicker's Hardness of the first magnetic powder is greater than that of the second magnetic powder and the mean particle diameter of the first magnetic powder is greater than that of the second magnetic powder.
US08518185B2
Method of producing granulated maltitol, including the stages: preparing maltitol syrup having less than 50 wt.% dry matter and greater than 70 wt.% maltitol, introducing to a fluidized air bed granulator, a pulverulent bed of crystallized maltitol with a concentration at least equal to 99 wt.% and a mean diameter between 30 and 100 μm, controlling the air inlet temperature between 100 and 120° C. and air velocity between 1 and 2 m/s, fine spraying the maltitol syrup into the granulator, at between 35 and 45° C., onto the moving pulverulent bed; the bed being between 30 and 60° C.; the mass of the bed representing constantly at least 2.5 times the mass of the sprayed syrup, drying, after fine spraying, by raising the air temperature below the melting point of maltitol to obtain a bed temperature between 70 and 80° C., cooling the granulated maltitol to at most 25° C. and collecting.
US08518182B2
A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing chamber which is to accommodate at least one substrate; a gas supply system which is to supply processing gas into the processing chamber; an exhaust system which is to exhaust atmosphere in the processing chamber; and at least one pair of electrodes which are to bring the processing gas into an active state and which are accommodated in protection tubes such that the electrodes can be inserted into and pulled out from the protection tubes, wherein the electrodes are accommodated in the protection tube in a state where at least a portion of the electrodes is bent, and the electrodes are formed of flexible members, is disclosed.
US08518176B2
Method for suppressing antagonistic hydration reactions in Portland fly ash cement involves the use of unponded fly ash that is pre-hydrated, preferably as an aqueous slurry wherein fly ash, preferably having an alkaline earth metal oxide of at least 10% by weight, is soaked, whereby the hydration reaction of the resultant mixed fly ash and cement is accelerated when these components are mixed together with water to hydrate the cement. Blended Portland cement/fly ash compositions of the invention will also have higher early strength as well as shorter set time compared to untreated blends.
US08518175B2
The invention consists in the use, in a process of manufacture of GCC and PCC co-ground in water, of a co-grinding agent characterized in that: a) it is constituted by a least one homopolymer and/or at least one copolymer of acrylic acid, which is partially neutralised, of which the rate of molar neutralization is less than 75% of the total acid functions, b) and in that it is introduced: during the stage of preparation of the aqueous suspensions of GCC and PCC, and/or during stage 2) of co-grinding, and possibly during the stage of co-grinding and another stage of concentration, and possibly during this other stage of concentration. The invention also lies in the resulting aqueous suspensions of GCC and PCC, in the dry pigments of GCC and PCC obtained, and in the use of these products in paper, paint, rubber and plastic.
US08518173B2
A liquid coating composition comprising a resin solids content comprising (i) a binder solids content comprising at least one hydroxyl-functional binder A and 0.5 to less than 5 wt. % of at least one polyurethane resin B with functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, free isocyanate groups and blocked isocyanate groups and (ii) at least one cross-linker C, wherein the at least one polyurethane resin B is present as particles having a melting temperature of 40 to 200° C.
US08518171B2
The present invention provides modeling play materials comprising cooked tapioca starch, water, salt, lubricant, foaming agent, thickener, and filler. With higher amount of foaming agent, the play material can be molded as any designed shape of soap. The dough of the invention is excellent in formability, shape preservation of the molded shape in both two dimensional and three dimensional.
US08518168B2
This invention pertains to aqueous inkjet inks containing a pigment colorant and an effective amount of a water-soluble silver salt having increased optical density when printed.
US08518167B2
Described is a polish product, and particularly to a shoe or leather care product, in the form of a paste. The product is essentially free of volatile components (organic components as well as water). It comprises a wax component in an amount in the range of from 20-60%, a non-aqueous, non-volatile liquid component, wherein non-volatile is defined as not being an organic volatile substance having a vapor pressure of greater than 1 torr (0.13 kPa), in an amount in the range of from 20-60%, and a fatty component, preferably a fatty acid, in an amount of 1 to 40 wt %, preferably 5-15% all percentages being weight percentages based on total shoe care product.
US08518161B2
An apparatus and a system is provided that may be utilized to provide stability to air flow through a hood scoop. The present invention may also be utilized to straighten and smooth out air flow through a hood scoop and accompanying air filter media. The present invention utilizes an air filtration media which may be inserted into at least a portion of a vehicle hood scoop and may filter out particulate and may also slow air flow down temporarily in order to straighten and/or smooth turbulent air flow through the air filtration media. Additionally, the present invention may provide an apparatus that may facilitate more uniform pressure inside the hood scoop of the vehicle.
US08518155B2
A method and apparatus for removing carbon dioxide from a synthesis gas stream containing hydrogen is disclosed. The method includes absorbing the carbon dioxide using a physical solvent under high pressure and then liberating the carbon dioxide in a series of expansion stages where the pressure on the solvent is reduced. The expansion ratio increases with each expansion stage. The apparatus includes expansion stages having throttling devices and expansion tanks operated at increasing expansion ratios. Carbon dioxide is liberated in this manner so as to minimize the energy required compress for transport via a pipe line for sequestration of the gas. Sequestration of the carbon dioxide is preferred to atmospheric venting to curb the release of greenhouse gases.
US08518154B2
Compositions, and processes utilizing such compositions, are provided for reducing mercury emissions from combustion gases. Such compositions comprise a sorbent and a brominated organic compound.
US08518153B2
Metal-organic framework (MOF) materials are provided and are selectively adsorbent to xenon (Xe) over another noble gas such as krypton (Kr) and/or argon (Ar) as a result of having framework voids (pores) sized to this end. MOF materials having pores that are capable of accommodating a Xe atom but have a small enough pore size to receive no more than one Xe atom are desired to preferentially adsorb Xe over Kr in a multi-component (Xe—Kr mixture) adsorption method. The MOF material has 20% or more, preferably 40% or more, of the total pore volume in a pore size range of 0.45-0.75 nm which can selectively adsorb Xe over Kr in a multi-component Xe—Kr mixture over a pressure range of 0.01 to 1.0 MPa.
US08518142B2
A filter element includes a single seamless media pack having first and second opposite ends and first and second lateral sides extending between the first and second ends. The media pack also has pleats extending between the first and second ends and a first cross-section defined between the first and second lateral sides. The first cross-section having at least one outward projection that defines an internal radius of at least ¼ inch wherein a plurality of pleats of the media pack are fanned around the internal radius. A first end cap is secured to the first end of the media pack while a second end cap secured to the second end of the media pack. Additionally, a frame member is secured to the first end cap, second end cap, the first lateral side, and the second lateral side. A pre-filter is usable with described filter arrangements.
US08518136B2
The invention relates to a filter insert with a filtrate collecting chamber (4) which is connected to several filter bags (1) via a connecting plate (3). The connecting plate (3) includes longitudinal webs (5) for bridging joints (6) between the frames (14) of individual filter bags (1). The connecting plate (3) is sealingly welded to the filter bags (1) and the filtrate collecting chamber (4).
US08518133B2
A gasifier is disclosed. The gasifier may include a housing and a refractory system contained within the housing. The refractory system may comprise an upper manifold, an intermediate portion, and a lower manifold. The refractory system may also include columnar cavities. The columnar cavities may extend vertically through the intermediate portion and place the upper manifold in communication with the lower manifold.
US08518130B2
Gasoline fuel formulation containing (i) tricyclene, which is suitably biologically derived, and (ii) a gasoline base fuel. The formulation may contain one or more additional biofuel components or oxygenates: it may for example include ethanol, or ethanol together with one or more additional biofuels. The invention also provides a method for preparing the formulation, its use in a spark ignition engine, and the use of tricyclene in a gasoline fuel formulation for various purposes, including to enhance lubricity.
US08518129B2
Gasoline compositions are provided comprising component A, an alkyl alkenoate compound, or a mixture of alkyl alkenoate compounds, selected from compounds of formula I: wherein R1 is a linear alkenyl group containing 3 to 5 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by a methyl group, and R2 is a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, with the proviso that component A has a boiling point or boiling point range within the temperature range of from 90 to 200° C., and at least one additional selected component.
US08518119B2
An intervertebral implant has an implant structure providing a fixation surface for fixation to the endplate of a vertebral body. The fixation surface includes two bone contact regions at different heights in an axial direction. A transition between the two contact regions has a stepped form including at least two steps.
US08518116B2
The present invention is directed to the field of prosthetic devices. More particularly, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to an artificial disc that can be used as a replacement for an intervertebral disc (e.g., a human intervertebral lumbar disc, a human intervertebral cervical disc and/or a human intervertebral thoracic disc).
US08518115B2
Porous containment device and associated method for stabilization of vertebral compression fractures
The present invention is directed to a porous or permeable containment device for implanting into the interior volume of a targeted vertebral body for use in restoring the anatomy of the targeted vertebral body. The containment device is expandable from an insertion configuration to an expanded configuration via, for example, a bone filler material. The containment device preferably permits the bone filler material to flow out of the containment device via, for example, one or more pores, one or more flow-directing tentacles, etc. so that the bone filler material may interdigitates with the surrounding bone tissue. The containment device is preferably configured to have a pre-determined, ‘dog-bone’ shape, when in the expanded configuration. The containment device preferably also includes one or more knobs or ribs to facilitate anchoring of the containment device to the surrounding bone tissue, one or more air or fluid evacuation pores to permit air or fluid from escaping from the interior volume of the containment device and/or one or more radiopacity rings or markers to enable a surgeon to locate and/or position the containment device under X-ray imaging.
US08518114B2
A spinal implant includes a first component including a first surface configured for engagement with a first vertebral surface and a second surface configured to define at least a portion of an implant support cavity. A second component is connected to the first component and includes a first surface configured for engagement with a second vertebral surface and a second surface configured to define at least a portion of the implant support cavity. A removable intermediate component is configured for disposal in the implant support cavity. The intermediate component is inflatable to move the first component relative to the second component to expand the interbody implant from a first configuration to a second, expanded configuration. At least one agent is configured to replace the intermediate component in the implant support cavity in the second configuration. Methods of use are disclosed.
US08518101B2
A stent formed by slitting a tube to create a matrix of struts, the slitted tube being radially expandable to a stenting disposition in which the struts exhibit a zig-zag pattern in successive loops around the circumference of the stent, the zig-zag pattern exhibiting a cusp between any two adjacent struts, with selected tied cusps of any one loop being connected by a bridge to a facing cusp of the adjacent loop and with intervening free cusps, characterized by lengthwise staggering of circumferentially adjacent slits within said loops, wherein any two struts that are contiguous with a said tied cusp are of different lengths and any strut that extends from one free cusp to another free cusp has the same length as any other such strut such that, in the said stenting disposition, the free cusps of adjacent loops are circumferentially displaced from each other.
US08518100B2
A drug-eluting stent having a first cell pattern at one end and a second cell pattern on an opposite end. The cells in the first cell pattern have a smaller MCUSA than those in the second cell pattern. An anti-restonic drug can be coated on the first cell pattern and an anti-thrombotic drug on the second, with the anti-thrombotic drug overlaying and covering both the first and second cell patterns. The stent is operatively positionable at a distal graft-vein anastomosis with the first cell pattern adjacent the stenosis, and with the second cell pattern positioned adjacent the vein or the graft.
US08518094B2
A precisely guided phototherapy apparatus for treating soft tissue injury, chronic pain, and promoting wound healing for both human and animal targets. The phototherapy apparatus comprises sensors for monitoring the intensity, position, and movement of the therapeutic light beam over the treatment area. The delivered light energy dosage is determined accordingly based on these parameters. The phototherapy apparatus further comprises a projector device for projecting markers on top of the treatment area. The markers represent the values of the delivered light energy dosage for assisting the practitioner or clinician in precisely controlling the phototherapy procedure.
US08518093B2
A handpiece can treat biological tissue using electromagnetic radiation, which can be substantially fluorescent light. The handpiece includes a source of electromagnetic radiation and a waveguide. The waveguide is adjacent the source, receives electromagnetic radiation from the source, and delivers the electromagnetic radiation to the biological tissue. The handpiece also includes a system for moving a fluorescent substance through the waveguide. The fluorescent substance includes a fluid base and a fluorescing agent and is capable of modulating at least one property of the electromagnetic radiation. A method is described for removing the fluorescing agent from the fluorescing substance and replacing it with a second, different fluorescing agent.
US08518091B2
A system and method for attaching soft tissue to bone is provided. In general, the apparatus includes an expandable body that is configured to expand into bone, and an expander pin that is adapted to be driven into the expandable body. The device can also include a tissue attachment apparatus that can be used to secure tissue to the device, thereby providing a method for attaching tissue to bone.
US08518090B2
Bone plate system, including methods and apparatus, for attaching a fastener to a bone plate at a selectable angle. In an exemplary method, a bone plate and a fastener may be selected. The bone plate may define an aperture having an internal thread. The fastener may include a proximal region and a distal region. The proximal region may be tapered conically toward the distal region. The fastener may be disposed in the aperture and in bone, such that the serrated thread is cross-threaded with the internal thread to create an interference fit and locked engagement of the proximal region with the aperture.
US08518088B2
Plate shaping tools may be attached to a plate having pre-assembled guides while the plate is located on the bone to effect alteration of the plate shape in an effective and precise manner. The tools are designed such that a drill and K-wires can be inserted through the guides while the tools are coupled to the guides. In accord with tools disclosed and methods described, the plates are reconfigurable in shape.
US08518085B2
An adaptive spinal rod is provided for connecting levels of an adaptive stabilization system to support the spine while providing for the preservation of spinal motion. Embodiments of the adaptive stabilization rod include a ball having an anchor system, a deflection system, a vertical rod system and a connection system. The deflection system provides adaptive stabilization and load-sharing. The adaptive spinal rod connects different levels of the construct in a multilevel construct. The adaptive spinal rod cooperates with the deflection system to further reduce stress exerted upon the bone anchors and spinal anatomy.
US08518084B2
The present invention concerns a flexible connecting device for implantation into the human or animal body and especially for stabilizing the spine with a first rod, which has at least one flexible middle section and at least two connecting sections. At least one part of the flexible middle section includes an adjustment element, such as a flexible element or a stabilization element, which is arranged outside the cross-section of the first rod and connected to the first rod at a first location.
US08518077B2
A system and method of moving and stretching plastic tissue using dynamic force. An elastomeric driver is adjustably attachable to one or more anchors for securing the elastomer to the plastic tissue, providing a self adjusting system that is capable of exerting relatively constant tension over a certain distance.
US08518064B2
A method for occluding a body vessel in a patient to block or reduce blood flow therethrough includes puncturing a blood vessel wall at a proximal vessel entry site with a hollow needle and extending the needle through the proximal entry site into the vessel lumen. The needle is extended through the vessel lumen and extended through the vessel wall at a distal vessel exit site into the extravascular space surrounding the distal vessel exit site. An expandable biocompatible material, such as expandable extracellular matrix (ECM) material, is then ejected though the distal end of the needle into the extravascular space. Then, while continuing to eject the expandable biocompatible plug material, the distal end of the needle is retracted back through the distal vessel exit site into the vessel lumen, such that the plug material continuously extends between the extravascular space surrounding the distal vessel exit site into the vessel lumen. When the plug material is delivered into the lumen of the vessel, the plug material expands, anchoring the plug material to the vessel wall, whereby the plug material forms an occluding plug in the vessel lumen blocking or reducing blood flow therethrough.
US08518063B2
A vascular closure system includes a vessel closure device with an electrically conductive component. The vessel closure device is configured to be advanced percutaneously to an opening in a blood vessel and to mechanically draw together sides of the opening or occlude the opening. A power source in electrical contact with the vessel closure device provides power to the vessel closure device to thereby heat tissue in an area near the opening to facilitate the closure or healing of the opening. The vessel closure device may be configured to be advanced to the opening over a tubular medical device. The vessel closure device may include a superelastic or shape memory element. The vessel closure device may be in contact with two conductors from the power source and may be configured to heat tissue via direct resistive element heating. Alternatively, one conductor may be connected to the vessel closure device and a second conductor may be connected to a ground pad on the patient.
US08518062B2
An anastomosis device has first and second components which each having first and second parts. The first and second components are magnetically attracted to one another. The device forms a throughhole when in use. The first parts of the first and second components are positioned radially outward from the second parts relative to the longitudinal axis with the first parts of the first and second components contacting one another and being magnetically attracted to one another. The second parts of the first and second components also being magnetically attracted to one another and are separated by the vessel walls.
US08518052B2
The present disclosure concerns a delivery system for delivering a medically useful payload through the vasculature to a site of interest in the patient's body. The medically useful payload may be a therapeutic device, such as a stent, and it may be a diagnostic tool, such as an imaging device. Owing to its structural attributes, the presently-inventive delivery system is well suited for carrying medical payload to and through vessel curvature and to branched regions (i.e., bifurcations) in same. Also, the device is well-suited to traveling through a vessel over a guiding element, such as a guidewire, which itself exhibits curvature.
US08518047B2
Various method and apparatuses may be used to perform a procedure, such as a resection of a portion of the anatomy for preparation of the implants of a prosthetic. Various resecting member, including saw blades having selected geometries and shapes, can be used to assist in the resection of an anatomy to provide for implantation of a prosthetic. In addition, a cutting block assembly may be used to guide the resecting member. The cutting block assembly may be moveably mounted relative to the portion to be resected.
US08518046B2
An anterior lumbar interbody graft (ALIG) inserter includes prongs at the tip of the inserter which can optionally grasp, and thus insert, anterior and anterior-lateral grafts.
US08518043B2
A low cost disposable spherical hollow reamer for medical applications includes a reusable shaft and a disposable spherical hollow reamer. The hollow reamer is thin sheet metal with 0.125 mm to 0.812 mm thickness and has plurality of cutters and apertures that extend through its thickness. The shaft has a proximal end for attachment to a drill and a distal precision threaded screw end. The spherical hollow reamer has welded first plate in its interior with a precision threaded aperture engaging with the threaded end of the reusable shaft. The spherical hollow reamer has a welded second plate with a central precision aperture that slides over the shaft external surface. The threaded attachment and sliding fit attachment provides wobble free reaming action. The welded second plate in combination with the interior surface of the spherical hollow reamer forms enclosed space for capturing bone fragment and bone cement debris.
US08518038B2
An electrophysiology electrode having multiple power connections and electrophysiology devices including the same.
US08518030B2
Devices, systems, and methods control pulse energies of excimer and other lasers, particularly for refractive correction in which a pulse rate, pulse energy, or other parameters of a pulsed laser is varied during use. A calibration laser mode may be used to fire a series of laser pulses to characterize a correlation between laser energy and a laser operation parameter (typically discharge high voltage) throughout a range. During an operation mode, subsequent voltages may be set based on energies of prior pulses while accounting for a curve or change in rate of the correlation.
US08518025B2
A system is provided for clearing modes of operation on a multicomponent medical instrument with a basic instrument (1) and at least one connectable accessory instrument (4) for the basic instrument (1). The accessory instrument (4) is equipped with a wireless, readable data memory (2) for modes of operation of the medical instrument and the basic instrument (1) has a reading unit (3) for the data memory (2). The reading unit (3), when the accessory instrument (4) is connected, reaches a sending/receiving range for reading out the data.
US08518023B2
Integrated tools for noninvasively reading and adjusting an implantable, magnetically adjustable valve, and methods of use are disclosed. The tools include magnetic or electronic reading of the valve, and magnetic or electromagnetic adjustment of the valve. In use, the tools are positioned above or in contact with the patient's skin, in proximity to the valve.
US08518022B2
An electronically and remotely controlled pill (500) or medicament delivery system is provided. The pill (500) includes a housing (102); a medicament reservoir (104) for storing a medicament; an electronically controlled release valve or hatch (106) for dispensing one or more medicaments stored in the medicament reservoir (104) while traversing the gastrointestinal tract; control and timing circuitry (108) for opening and closing the valve (106); and a battery (109). The control and timing circuitry (108) opens and closes the valve (106) throughout a dispensing time period in accordance with a preset dispensing timing pattern which is programmed within the control and timing circuitry (108). RF communication circuitry receives control signals for remotely overriding the preset dispensing timing pattern, reprogramming the control and timing circuitry (108), or terminating the dispensing of the medicament within the body. The pill (500) includes an RFID tag (508) for tracking, identification, inventory and other purposes.
US08518010B2
A disposable absorbent wearing article having an absorbent chassis and an annular elasticized waist panel. The elastic waist panel includes a front waist panel and a rear waist panel. A rear waist panel has a dimension in a longitudinal direction that is greater than that of the front waist panel and further includes a first elasticized region, a second elasticized region defining a waist band and a third elasticized region located toward a crotch region of the article. Tensile stress of the third elasticized region, as measured in a transverse direction, is less than the tensile stress of the first and second elasticized regions.
US08518008B2
A disposable diaper is provided with an outer body including a belly side portion and a back side portion, and an inner body. The belly side portion and back side portion of the outer body each has a plurality of waist elastic members extending in parallel to each other in the transverse direction. The outer body has an annular waist gather region, a belly side pressing region, a back side pressing region, and an annular tightening region. The area of the back side pressing region is smaller than the area of the belly side pressing region, and the contractile force of the back side pressing region is smaller than the contractile force of the belly side pressing region, and is no greater than 0.35N, and the contractile force per unit width of the tightening region is no less than 0.45N/25 mm.
US08518006B2
An absorbent article includes a central absorbent assembly having a front waist region, a back waist region, and a crotch region interconnecting the front and back waist regions. Front side panels extend outward from the front waist region and back side panels extend outward from the back waist region. The article includes a pair of tabs. Each tab has an attachment region attached to one of the front side panels and the back side panels, and a tab region extending transversely outward from the attachment region and being releasably attachable to the other one of the front side panels and the back side panels. The one of the front side panels and the back side panels to which the attachment region of the tab is attached has a first stiffness and at least a portion of the tab region has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness.
US08518005B2
Tampons are packaged in a substantially cylindrical wrapper formed of a flexible, sheet-like material that is closed with one or more attachment zones having one or more gaps crossed by a line of weakness. The wrapper is closed at both ends and has a longitudinal seam area in which overlapping portions of the flexible, sheet-like material are attached. The longitudinal seam area comprises a substantially longitudinal attachment zone with a first edge and a second edge that defines a seam area. The line of weakness has a first end disposed within the seam area at a distance from a first end of the wrapper package; extends through a gap in the substantially longitudinal attachment zone; continues generally circumferentially about the wrapper; and terminates at a second end disposed within the seam area at the second edge of the substantially longitudinal attachment zone. The line of weakness extends across the seam area, and the wrapper can be removed as a single piece.
US08518004B2
A disposable absorbent article is provided. The article comprises one or more disposable absorbent articles having a configuration corresponding to a wearer's stage of development, the disposable absorbent articles being enclosed in a package; a brand indicator disposed on the package and a line-up indicator disposed on the package, the line-up indicator including visual indicia and narrative indicia. The line-up indicator associates the absorbent article configuration with a corresponding stage of development, the association enabling a consumer to identify the appropriate absorbent article configuration for a wearer. An array of disposable absorbent article configurations is also provided.
US08517999B2
An irrigated catheter with uniform cooling and/or uniform fluid distribution in longitudinally spaced apart elution holes by varying the diameter of a fluid delivery lumen. A number of elution holes are provided in a tip region of a catheter body, and these elution holes are in fluid communication with the lumen through ducts. The fluid delivery lumen may be provided with a flow constrictor to restrict flow of fluid towards the distal region.
US08517994B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, a medical device is provided, which comprises the following: (a) a hollow elongate body (e.g., an elongate cylinder, such as a needle) having distal and proximal ends; and (b) a rotatable member comprising a tissue morselizer and an elongate shaft (e.g., an auger-like tissue-drilling bit). The device (i) advance material (e.g., morselated tissue) toward the proximal end of the hollow elongate body when the shaft is rotated in a first direction, and (ii) advance material (e.g., a therapeutic agent and/or a bulking agent) toward the distal end of the hollow elongate body when the shaft is rotated in a second direction that is opposite the first direction. The invention also provides a method of treatment for morselizing and removing tissue from within the patient and creating a void within the patient and introducing a therapeutic agent and/or a bulking agent into the void.
US08517989B2
Embodiments of the present invention include a self-powered infuser with a medicament containing vessel coupled to the infuser capable of exerting sufficient pressure to cause a medicament to flow from the containing vessel, through intravenous tubing, and into a patient's circulatory system. The infuser and vessel may be contained within a sealable kit which may have a separate container for perishable medications such that the medications may be inspected and changed without exposing the remainder of the kit's contents. The infuser may be recyclable or disposable.
US08517986B2
A retractable safety syringe may have a needle, needle holder, syringe body, a shaft seal, and a plunger assembly. A proximal portion of the body and a piston of the plunger may define a vacuum chamber. The plunger assembly may comprise a shaft coupled to a piston. The shaft may have at least one non-engaging portion and at least one engaging portion. The plunger assembly is movable between a storage position and working positions. In the storage position, little or no force is exerted on the shaft seal by the non-engaging portion. In the working positions, the engaging portion is in sealing engagement with the shaft seal to seal the vacuum chamber. Stopper movement of the retractable safety syringe may be reduced or eliminated if the retractable safety syringe is prefilled.
US08517981B2
Embodiments provide a continuous monitor of a patient's oxygenation and/or respiration coupled to a device configured to stimulate the patient's respiratory drive and/or summon medical assistance. In embodiments, there are provided systems, devices, and methods to assist in preventing patients from overdosing themselves with narcotics post-surgery. In embodiments, an apnea prevention device (APD) may utilize a commercially available pulse oximeter and/or a respiratory monitor to continuously monitor a patient's level of oxygenation/respiration. Should a patient develop respiratory depression or apnea and begin to desaturate, an APD may, using a proprietary method, trigger a sequence of staged responses to reverse worsening hypoxia.
US08517976B2
A hollow plastic cannula with plunger having a funnel shape entrance at one side and a sharp slant cut on the other. A hollow polyethylene catheter is shaped to fit within the cannula once inserted in the abdomen. The present invention is a means of performing an error-free abdominal insufflation for Laparoscopic procedures.
US08517974B2
A valve assembly for adjusting the flow of bodily fluid from one part of a human body to another includes a body portion having a flow inlet and a flow outlet. A valve located in a flow path from the inlet to the outlet includes a valve seat and a closing element that is adapted to seal against the valve seat. A carrier element is mounted within the body portion and has a plurality of pockets. Each pocket houses a respective preload element, wherein each preload element is of a different weight from that of the other preload elements. The carrier element is moveable relative to the body portion so as to align a preload element of a desired weight with the closing element. The self weight of the chosen preload element applies a preload to the closing element dependent on the orientation of the valve assembly.
US08517956B1
A biopsy device, comprising a flexible coaxial structure, comprising an obturator within a sheath, the obturator being adapted to be displaced with respect to the sheath along the coaxial axis by a force applied at a proximal end; a disruptor, at a distal end of the obturator, adapted to disrupt a tissue surface to free cells therefrom, having a first position covered within the sheath and a second position freely extending beyond the sheath; an element, having a fixed position on the obturator, and a close clearance with respect to an inner surface of the sheath, such that a retraction of the obturator within the sheath causes an associated change in pressure in a space between the obturator distal to the element and the sheath, to thereby draw fluid proximate to an end of the sheath within the sheath.
US08517934B2
The present invention is directed to a device including an inner cannula having one or more wings or leaflets attached to one end thereof. The wings or leaflets can be cut to length or shaped to facilitate holding the operative field open for optimal visualization and the use of surgical instruments. A shorter, outer cannula is fitted over the inner cannula and a flange attached to the outer cannula is moved from a closed position in which the wings are covered by the inner surface of the cannula or to an open, deployed position in which the wings are opened. The outer cannula may be textured or shaped to aid in holding the desired position. The device also includes a dam or barrier at the end or other convenient location in the inner cannula to control the flow of air or fluids in the cannula as to make it useful in arthroscopic or endoscopic surgery of all types. The wings or leaflets can have mating tapered tips that joint into a single tip when closed or an optional trocar to ease insertion into the desired body cavity. The design allows for manufacture at almost any size to make the device useful in the widest of surgical applications and in all joint or body cavities large or small.
US08517931B2
Methods and devices are provided for performing surgical procedures using tissue retractors. In general, a surgical retractor device is provided that includes a flexible fabric tissue retractor configured to support tissue. At least one grasping element can be coupled to a perimeter of the flexible fabric, and the grasping elements can be manipulated to couple the flexible fabric to a surgical port, e.g., a trocar, inserted through a body wall and extending into a body cavity. The grasping element can also be configured to move the flexible fabric and thereby move the tissue.
US08517930B2
The invention relates to a valve device for medical instruments, in particular trocars, having a valve body configured as a flap for opening and closing an instrument and/or flow channel, which is positioned rotatably on a rotation axle positioned in a housing. To create a valve device, which combines simple and cost-effective structure with good cleaning properties, it is proposed with the invention that the rotation axle is configured in several components, such that the individual components of the rotation axle can be connected to one another by helical-shaped guide tracks.
US08517922B2
A socket section 72 for providing a first light guide 13 is supported movably in an endoscope main body 4, and a plug section 62 for fixing a second light guide 15 is disposed in an endoscope insertion section 5. The socket section 72 is configured to move freely in an insertion direction of the endoscope insertion section 5 and to a direction orthogonal with respect to the insertion direction. Furthermore, an attachment-detachment-detecting switch 33 is disposed in the endoscope main body 4 so as to detect that the endoscope insertion section 5 has been separated from the endoscope main body 4 before the plug section 62 is freely detached from the socket section 72. By this configuration, it is possible to attach the endoscope insertion section from the endoscope main body and detach them easily and reliably, in particular, to reduce loss of light caused by the attachment and the detachment.
US08517913B2
A computer system for reorienting, reducing anxiety, and/or reducing delirium risk of a patient in a hospital is provided. The computer has a central processing unit (CPU) for executing machine instructions for a passive and active module and a memory for storing the machine instructions. The machine instructions implement functions when executed by the CPU. Patient-specific content is inputted into the CPU. The system then communicates the patient-specific content from the CPU to the patient by displaying and looping the patient-specific content such that any point of the loop of the patient-specific content helps reorient and reduce anxiety and delirium risk.
US08517911B1
Sound delivery system (10) stimulates the two hemispheres of the brain separately by delivering different vibro-acoustic vibrations to the left and right sides of a person's body. Split resonator (30) includes left resonator member (32L) with attached left transducer (23) and right resonator member (32R) with attached right transducer (24). Left and right resonator members are spaced apart to prevent vibrations being transmitted between resonator members.
US08517910B2
The invention regards a method for determining a gain setting of a bone-anchored hearing aid comprising a bone anchor, the proximal and the distal ears having respective first and second monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds, the first monaural bone-conduction hearing threshold being higher than the second monaural bone-conduction hearing threshold. The method comprises: obtaining respective first and second measured monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds for the proximal and the distal ear; and determining the gain setting in dependence on the first and the second measured monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds.The execution of the method does not require obtaining other hearing thresholds than such that are typically determined or measured anyway during the diagnostic phase. Still, using both the first and the second measured monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds as a basis for determining the gain setting allows the hearing aid to avoid producing undesirably high sound levels in the good ear, even when the individual has asymmetric monaural bone-conduction hearing thresholds.
US08517909B2
This is a new invention, which is safer, simpler to use, less invasive into a user's daily routine and provides a lower cost solution to existing pulsed magnetic field and related vibrational electromagnetic therapy devices to improve sleep, encourage natural healing and reduce pain. This is accomplished through Multiple Simultaneous Extremely Low Frequency (MSELF) energy waves. The MSELF energy waves are derived from a quartz crystal with a fundamental frequency less than one-half of one percent from a natural Fibonacci Number. The apparatus utilizes firmware operating in a microcontroller emulating Circadian Rhythms. The microcontroller is also clocked by the Fibonacci Number Quartz Crystal. Additionally, the apparatus's unique application of an H-Bridge configuration power-driver with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) capabilities supports a novel approach to supply two simultaneous therapeutic frequencies.
US08517902B2
The present invention relates to a roller assembly and a rolling apparatus of a cooker including the roller assembly. In the present invention, an inner roller formed of ceramic material is coupled inside an outer roller formed of Teflon material. Thus, according to the present invention, while retaining a predetermined thermal resistivity and strength, roller assembly can be more easily fabricated.
US08517898B2
A portable hurdle for use primarily athletes has a base portion operably secured to a bow portion that holds the hurdle to a predefined height when the bow portion is placed in tension by a securing structure. The hurdle lays substantially flat when the bow portion is returned to its neutral position. In one disclosed embodiment, the securing structure is a trap that forms the top of the hurdle. In other disclosed embodiments, the base portion defines the top of the hurdle. An adjustment structure allows for adjustment of the hurdle's height.
US08517895B2
An exercise device, including, at least one vibrational member that is adapted to vibrate at least a part of the trainee's body, a power interface adapted to enable powering the vibrational member, one or more attachments connected to the vibrational member, wherein said attachments include an elastic member or biasing member forming an aerobic exercise device that is adapted to resist the trainee's motion during an aerobic workout, or wherein said attachments include an aquatic member that is designed to provide buoyancy or resist motion through water forming an aquatic exercise device, or wherein said attachments are weights forming a barbell and the weights are made up from a plurality of small unit masses, each unit mass cushioned by a cushioning material.
US08517885B2
A transmission for a vehicle employs four planetary gear trains to realizing at least forward 10-speed and reverse 3-speed gear ratios, thereby reducing the number of rotations of a second sun gear of a second planetary gear train so as to increase the efficiency of power transmission and to improve the longevity of related components of the second planetary gear train, such as a pinion gear, a pinion shaft, and a needle roller bearing.
US08517883B2
A transmission module for the variable distribution of torque in the driveline of a motor vehicle. A driveshaft 3 in a housing 8, is rotatingly drivable around a first axis of rotation A. A hollow shaft 4 is arranged coaxially relative to the first shaft 3 and is rotatingly drivable relative thereto. A transmission stage 5 having a first sun gear 32 which is drivingly connected to the hollow shaft 4, having a second sun gear 34 which is arranged so as to coaxially adjoin the first sun gear 32 and which is connected to the driveshaft 3 in a rotationally fixed way, and having a hollow gear 33 which, in the housing 8, is rotatably supported on an axis of rotation B extending parallel to the axis of rotation A and which meshingly engages the first sun gear 32 and the second sun gear 34, wherein the first and the second sun gear 32, 34 comprise different numbers of teeth. A friction coupling 6 has a first coupling part 26 which is connected to the first sun gear 32 in a rotationally fixed way and has a second coupling part 27 which is rotatable relative to the first coupling part 26 and which is connected to the hollow shaft 4 in a rotationally fixed way. By actuating the friction coupling 6, the first sun gear 32 is drivingly connected to the hollow shaft 4.
US08517882B2
A transmission to transfer power from an electric motor to first and second axles of a vehicle includes an input shaft adapted to be driven by the electric motor and a first planetary gear set. A second planetary gear set has a first member driven by the first planetary gear set, a second member restricted from rotation and a third member. A differential assembly has a first side gear adapted to drive the first axle, a second side gear adapted to drive the second axle and a pair of pinion gears meshed with the first and second side gears. A first clutch is operable to drivingly interconnect the first member and the differential assembly. A second clutch is operable to drivingly interconnect the third member and the differential assembly.
US08517879B2
The multi-stage reducer includes a first-stage reduction part to which the rotation from a motor is input and a second-stage reduction part to which the rotation having undergone speed reduction by the first-stage reduction part is input. The second-stage reduction part is disposed on an outer circumference of the first-stage reduction part.
US08517876B2
An automatic transmission for a hybrid vehicle has a first clutch connecting a first drive gear shaft rotatably supporting drive gears G3a and G5a, to an input shaft, a second clutch connecting a second drive gear shaft, rotatably supporting drive gears G2a and G4a, to the input shaft, a first meshing mechanism connecting the drive gears G3a and G5a to the first drive gear shaft, a second meshing mechanism connecting the drive gears G2a and G4a to the second drive gear shaft, a brake fixing a third element of a planetary gear mechanism to a transmission case, and a switching mechanism switching to where an electric motor is connected to a first element or where the electric motor MG is connected to the third element. The first element and the first drive gear shaft are connected. A second element and the drive gear G3a are connected.
US08517874B2
A bicycle chainwheel assembly that includes at least one smaller chainwheel and at least one larger chainwheel, the chainwheels engageable by a chain. The larger chainwheel includes a first tooth and a second tooth disposed adjacent the first tooth opposite a drive rotation direction. The first tooth and the second tooth have a configuration that improves the shifting of a chain from a smaller chainwheel to the larger chainwheel. The first tooth has a lateral recess and the second tooth has a deflection chamfer. The second tooth may also have a recess. The first and second teeth have a configuration that prevents the first and second teeth from capturing the chain. An inner link plate of the chain includes a chamfer disposed on an outer side surface in a central region of the plate.
US08517872B2
The present invention provides an anti-rotation structure for a balance chamber snap ring of a belt type continuously variable transmission having a balance chamber that balances a centrifugal oil pressure generated in an oil pressure chamber formed on a movable sheave back surface. A projecting portion, which comes into contact with an end portion of the balance chamber snap ring when the balance chamber snap ring rotates independently within a ring groove about a secondary shaft, thereby restricting independent rotation of the balance chamber snap ring, is provided on a latch portion of a cover member. As a result, independent rotation of the balance chamber snap ring can be prevented, thereby preventing the cover member and the balance chamber snap ring from becoming worn.
US08517862B2
A golf club head includes a wood type golf club head body having a first portion that extends from the top portion to the sole portion and includes a first depth of the golf club head body, and a second portion that extends from the top portion to the sole portion having a second depth smaller than the first depth. Further, the sole or top portion of the golf club head body is configured so that it includes a sloped boundary portion that defines a transition in depth between the first portion and the second portion of the golf club head body. The first portion and second portion may be configured so that a center of gravity of the golf club head body is positioned nearer to the heel side than the toe side of the club head.
US08517861B2
The present invention is directed to a golf club head with an improved striking surface. The grooves are machined into the strike surface with tight tolerances. The face may be selectively textured to enhance certain shots that the golfer may perform. This may include providing a plurality of distinct sets of texturing and surface roughening to accommodate a plurality of different shots. The grooves may contain a plurality of portions, including a radiused or angled portion, a portion having substantially parallel walls, a portion having a v-shape, and a curved portion. The grooves may also be characterized by various dimensions, including draft angle, inclusive side wall angle, width, depth, cross-sectional area, spacing, and pitch ratio.
US08517860B2
A hollow golf club head incorporating a stress reducing feature including a sole located stress reducing feature. The location and size of the sole stress reducing feature, and their relationship to one another and other club head engineering variables, play a significant role in selectively increasing deflection of the face.
US08517854B2
Disclosed is a real-time, automatic golf scoring apparatus that can automatically tally golf scores and record the positions of golf shots. The real-time, automatic golf scoring apparatus includes: a storage unit for storing information regarding driver shot positions at holes; a communications unit for receiving position computation information for calculating a current position of a golfer; and a control unit for counting the number of driver shots if a condition on the number of driver shots based on the information regarding the driver shot positions and information regarding the current position of the golfer is satisfied using these means, the system is capable of providing useful real-time information to golf players and of automatically managing play records.
US08517853B2
A golf training system includes a stationary front foot support, a pivotable rear foot support and a raised ball support. The pivotable rear foot support includes a rectangular mounting bracket transversely disposed across an enlarged base and a flat balance plate that directly teeters on the mounting bracket. In use, the golf training system can be used to promote proper weight distribution throughout a golf swing using sensory and auditory feedback. Specifically, the golfer disposes the rear foot on top of the balance plate and the front foot across the stationary front foot support with body weight maintained on the inner portion of the rear leg throughout the backswing. The golfer initiates the downswing by firing the hips open and driving the lower body forward until the balance plate pivots and strikes the base, thereby providing the user with immediate audible and tactile response of proper execution.
US08517850B1
The invention relates to golf clubs, more particularly to mechanisms for fastening accessories to clubs. The invention provides a golf club configured to house an electronic device such as an RFID tag within a recess within the grip, thereby protecting the device from the stress, shock, and exposure that arises when a golf club is used.
US08517846B2
A sliding-type tripod constant velocity joint that includes needle units, each of which is able to prevent rolling elements from falling off in a state where the rolling elements are introduced in a cage, is provided. Each cage (60) of a constant velocity joint (1) forms circulation paths that are trajectories of circulating rolling elements (50), and is formed of a pair of first circulation path forming member (70) and second circulation path forming member (80) that are coupled to face each other so as to respectively support both axial ends of the rolling elements (50). Then, at least one of the circulation path forming members (70 (80)) has a window portion (75 (85)) that is open so as to be able to introduce the rolling elements (50) laterally with respect to a circulating direction into the circulation paths and a rib portion (76 (86)) that is formed so as to extend from a periphery of the window portion (75 (85)) in an introducing direction in which the rolling elements (50) are introduced. After the rolling elements (50) are introduced into the circulation paths, the rib portion (76 (86)) is calked toward an opening of the window portion (75 (85)) such that the rolling elements (50) do not pass through the window portion (75 (85)).
US08517840B2
A method for providing a challenge user interface for an enterprise social network including users associated with an entity. The method can include receiving a request to select a specific challenge from a list of challenges a user is a participant and displayed on a user system associated with the user. Information associated with the selected challenge including points associated with an action can be obtained from one or more databases. The specific information can be transmitted to the user system for display. An action associated with the specific challenge can be received. A user profile associated with the user can be obtained from the one or more databases. In response to receiving the action, a total points parameter associated with the profile can be updated in response to receiving the action. The updated total point value can be stored in the one or more databases.
US08517839B2
An example game apparatus stores a state of a game during execution as execution state information in a memory, and stores a captured image of the game screen by bringing it into correspondence with the execution state information in the memory. Furthermore, during execution of the game, the captured image is displayed on a lower LCD while the game screen is displayed on an upper LCD. In a state that the game screen and the captured image are thus displayed, a selecting operation from a user is accepted. Then, by using the execution state information which is brought into correspondence with the captured image selected in response to a selecting operation, the state of the game is restored.
US08517838B2
An online game system is capable of connection with a client through a communication network to provide an online game to the client. The online game system includes a gaming logic server cluster and a network resource server cluster. The gaming logic server cluster is configured for providing at least one of client login service, client account service, game logic operation service, game database service and data backup service related to the online game. The network resource server cluster is configured for providing data resources associated with gaming images of the online game to the client.
US08517834B2
A videogame may include providing body position challenges to one or more players to assume various target body positions at, or within, a predetermined time. Body position challenges may be provided to the one or more players by displaying body position challenge representations that prompt the one or more players to assume body positions and/or execute one or more body movements or gestures corresponding to the body position challenges. The time may be indicated via various mechanisms associated with the display (as detailed below). At a given time or over a given time interval, the videogame system may compare the player's detected body position(s) and/or movement(s) to the body position challenges to determine a degree of match or mismatch based on various criteria. Based on the results of the comparison, the game may generate a score or other feedback for display.
US08517831B2
A player utilizing a mobile electronic communication device and a physical game tool may engage in location-based gaming. The mobile device can execute a program to enable the player to play a game. The physical game tool is physically manipulable by the player and also capable of determining its physical location in the physical world. The mobile device can receive from a server data pertaining to a virtual gaming object associated with a target object location that is based, at least in part, on the physical location of the physical game tool; cause a display device of the player to display the virtual gaming object at a virtual location within the game corresponding to the target object location; and cause the display device to update the virtual gaming object based on changes of the location of the physical game tool.
US08517825B2
A gaming machine 10 has a display 14 and a game controller arranged to control images of symbols displayed on the display 14. The game controller is arranged to play a game 16 in which at least one random event is caused to be displayed on the display 14. If a predefined winning event occurs, the machine 10 awards a prize. When a trigger condition occurs during the playing of a base game, a first feature is awarded that results in a feature prize potentially made up of a plurality of individual prizes. After completion of the first feature, a second feature occurs that enables a player to wager the feature prize for at least one other prize which is independent of a value of the feature prize.
US08517818B2
A gaming system and method for exchanging one or more triggered individual bonus games for one or more current plays of a community game or one or more future plays of a community game. If an individual bonus game is triggered in association with an individual gaming device, the gaming system enables the player to: (i) play the triggered individual bonus game, (ii) skip the individual bonus game and play or participate in a community or group game, or (iii) skip the individual bonus game and save an entry to play or participate in a future community or group game. In these embodiments, the gaming system determines one or more features or attributes of the available community game (which the player may play or defer play of) based, at least in part, on which of a plurality of different individual bonus games are triggered.
US08517813B2
A gaming apparatus has a plurality of gaming reels. Each gaming reel has a plurality of symbols that are randomly arranged in response to gaming events. A controller is coupled to the gaming reels and configured to randomize, in response to a user input, the plurality of gaming reels so that the gaming reels are in a first configuration. Based on the first configuration of the gaming reels, an arrangement of the symbols that satisfy a predetermined condition is determined. In response to the predetermined condition being satisfied, a subset of the gaming reels is randomized so that the gaming reels are in a second configuration. The subset of gaming reels is randomized independently of any user inputs occurring after the determination of the predetermined condition, and the gaming reels not in the subset of reels are held while the subset of gaming reels is randomized. The apparatus also includes a payout device that determines a payout based at least on the second configuration of the plurality of gaming reels in response to the randomization of the subset of gaming reels.
US08517810B2
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include tracking progress of a wagering game player account (player account) for a persistent-state game. The player account can fulfill progression requirements for the persistent-state game, such as by performing wagering game activities. The operations can then provide, or reward, the player account with progress in the persistent-state game. Operations can mark the progress by presenting progress markers on a progress chart available to the player account. The progress chart can be based on an episodic theme. The operations can present episodic theme content at certain locations on the progress chart. The operations can further unlock content based on progress in the persistent-state game and present unlocked content to the player account. Operations can also enforce progress limits, where the player account can perform gaming activities to remove the progress limits.
US08517809B2
A fire resistant louver system and method of making the same includes a plurality of overlapping louvers mounted in a frame for insertion in a door or wall with the louvers arranged to define a circuitous passage there between that allows air flow from one side to the other of the system. The strips of intumescent material mounted on at least selected ones of the louvers so that when the system is subjected to heat above a predetermined temperature the intumescent material expands to close the circuitous passages.
US08517803B2
An improved retaining ring used for chemical mechanical polishing of substrates, such as semiconductor wafers, to hold a substrate in place during the polishing process. The retaining rings are configured with inserts through which fasteners are positioned to securely affix the retaining ring to the polishing head. The inserts assist in dissipating the force of the fasteners, thereby allowing a more uniform polishing surface. The opening through which the fastener is positioned may be configured with concave or convex side walls to assist in dissipating the force of the fasteners during installation of the retaining ring or the polishing process.
US08517801B2
A method includes a grinding step of forming the shape of a contact surface, a grooving step of roughening the shaped contact surface to form grooves therein, and a contact surface lapping step of lapping the contact surface having the grooves with a lapping film to form oil grooves for holding a lubricant oil. The surface roughness of the contact surface is such that the maximum height roughness Rz is 4 μm or less, the mean length RSm of the roughness profile elements is 30 to 60 μm, the skewness Rsk of the roughness profile is −2.7 to −0.6 (no unit), the reduced peak height Rpk is 0.09 μm or less, and the reduced valley depth Rvk is 0.4 to 1.3 μm.
US08517800B2
A method of fabricating a polishing pad for polishing an article is described. The method includes providing a semi-finished polishing pad and then forming a moving track on the surface of the semi-finished polishing pad. The moving track substantially coincides with a polishing track of the article on the polishing pad.
US08517796B2
A dressing apparatus is used in a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate to planarize a surface of the substrate. The dressing apparatus includes a dresser disk, a dresser drive shaft coupled to the dresser disk, a pneumatic cylinder configured to press the dresser disk against the polishing pad through the dresser drive shaft, a pressure-measuring device configured to measure pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder, a load-measuring device configured to measure a load acting on the dresser drive shaft, and a pressure controller configured to control the pressure of the gas supplied to the pneumatic cylinder. The pressure controller is configured to establish a relationship between the pressure of the gas and a pressing force of the dresser disk against the polishing pad, based on measurement values of the pressure-measuring device and the load-measuring device.
US08517791B2
In order to provide a toy that increases the commercial value of the toy, imparts fresh wonderment and intellectual excitement to the user, and employs a simple structure with a suppressed number of parts, thus making it possible to reduce manufacturing costs and the number of manufacturing processes, the toy (1) comprises: an external component (2), provided with a hole (10) on the lower portion thereof, that maintains a substantially spherical shape and is provided with a housing space formed on the interior thereof; a lower component (3) disposed such that it can move between the inside and the outside of the housing space through the hole (10), and is disposed such that, when inside the housing space, the lower surface thereof aligns with the surface of the external component (2) and the toy (1) forms a substantially spherical shape; a locking means; a magnetic body disposed inside the lower component (3); and an elastic component. When no magnetic force acts between an external magnetic component and the magnetic body, the elastic force of the elastic component is resisted and the lower component (3) is retained inside the housing space by means of the locking means, by means of which the substantially spherical shape is maintained. When a magnetic force has acted between an external magnetic components and the magnetic body, the locking means is released and the lower component (3) rushes out from the hole (10).
US08517779B2
An electrical terminal has a soldering plate, a propping plate extending upward and rearward from a front end of the soldering plate, a resilient arm bending upward and then extending forward from a rear end of the soldering plate, and a pressing portion of inverted-V shape connected with a front end of the resilient arm and defining a mouth between a front arm and a rear arm thereof. A top end of the propping plate bends forward and downward to form a lower hook tail stretched in the mouth, resisting against an inner side of the front arm, and apart from an inner turning of the pressing portion. A bottom end of the front arm bends rearward and upward to form an upper hook tail hooking the lower hook tail with a free end thereof resisting against an outer side of the propping plate.
US08517776B1
A ground clamp (10) is provided for use with a ball stud (12) having a shaft (14) that terminates in a spherical end (16), and includes a body (20), a first jaw (22), and a second jaw (24). The first jaw (22) includes two fingers (40) that define a slot (44) through which the shaft (14) can extend when the ball stud is inserted into the clamp. The second jaw includes a laterally extending platform (50) and a rib (52) extending from the platform to be located within the slot with the jaws in a closed position. The second jaw has a concave clamp surface (54) defined in the platform (50) and the rib (52) that is engageable with the spherical end as the second jaw moves to the closed position to guide the jaws and the spherical end into proper alignment.
US08517772B2
The cable contains a cable member, a first connector electrically connected to an end of the cable member, a split member electrically connected to the other end of the cable member and having at least a second connector, at least an adaptors capable of electrically connecting to the second connector; and a joint member having a ring element for joining to the cable member and at least an extension element for joining to the adaptor. The cable, with the first connector and the other connectors on the adaptors, can be used to interface various appliances.
US08517764B2
Coaxial cable connector having a barrel to deform a portion of a casing for crimping a coaxial cable
An electrical connector for use with coaxial cables includes deformable cylindrical casing and a slidably engaged barrel.
US08517759B1
Push-on friction fit connectors for LED light strips form continuous flexible ribbon light strips. The low voltage light strips are cut at contacts periodically exposed along the strips. Ends of the strips with exposed contacts are pushed into receivers. Bent inward wires make frictionally connect contacts at ends of the strips. Wires extending through edges of the receivers are soldered to exposed contacts on printed circuit boards on which the spaced receivers are mounted. Circuits with contacts on the boards are connected to wires extending from the spaced receivers. Tops and sides of the receivers and bottom edges of the circuit board are protected by two-part outer covers. The covers are bonded or sonically welded to the receivers and the circuit board, leaving only outer ends of the receivers and their openings exposed.
US08517757B1
Shields or deflectors are supported on fuse barrels and positioned to protect power linemen and other electrical workers on high voltage distribution lines against injuries resulting from the ejection of sparks and fuse debris that occurs when a fuse melts or operates due to excessively high electrical currents, by securing the deflectors on the fuse barrels in a position immediately below the fuse barrels where the deflectors can effectively direct the dangerous materials away from the workers.
US08517752B2
A universal serial bus (USB) connector includes a shell, a body and an elastic portion. The body is provided inside the shell and can be moved therein. The body includes a first conductive terminal provided on a first surface and a second conductive terminal provided on a second surface, the first surface disposed opposite to the second surface. The elastic portion is connected to both leading edges of the first surface and the second surface for keeping the body in position inside the shell.
US08517750B2
Design and integration of a UV LED curing system into a multi-station UV-curing process, such as for inkjet or offset printing. Docking ports may be permanently mounted into various stations within the UV-curing process. The UV LED lamps may be modular and may therefore be inserted into any one of the desired docking ports at variable distances from the substrate to be cured without significant loss of optical uniformity or radiant intensity. The docking ports are designed such that they can accommodate UV LED lamps of differing wavelengths and, therefore, power requirements. The insertion of a UV LED lamp into a docking port is designed such that it is accomplished without tools and may be considered a “plug and play” operation. Multiple docking ports may be mounted into a single station in the UV-curing process to allow for the installation of multiple lamps at each station.
US08517748B1
A communication connector with analog coupling circuit and a mechanical coupling circuit used for providing security to electronic devices. The analog circuit includes a male plug with an outer shell and tongue shell. Between the outer shell and tongue is a thin layer of non-conductive material to prevent the closure of a circuit. Two separate conductors are wired through the USB body; one attaching to the outer shell and the other attaching to the tongue. A closed circuit is created when the male USB is placed into a female receptor. The mechanical circuit creates a closed circuit when the plunger switch becomes compressed. There is a security monitor system connected to an end of the two conductors, which sound an alarm when circuit is opened. The alarm will sound if a thief attempts to steal the article either by cutting the wire or removal of the plug.
US08517745B1
A card connector includes a first insulating housing defining a first receiving room, a second insulating housing defining a second receiving room, a first terminal group molded in the first insulating housing and having a plurality of first contact portions which project in the first receiving room, a second terminal group molded in the second insulating housing and having a plurality of second contact portions which project in the second receiving room, a drawer and a shielding shell. The first insulating housing is mounted on the second insulating housing, and the drawer is movably assembled between the first insulating housing and the second insulating housing. The drawer has two blocking slices bending downward to stretch in the second receiving room for ejecting a card out of the second receiving room by pulling the drawer outward. The shielding shell encloses the insulating housings.
US08517740B2
A patient simulator system for teaching patient care is provided. The system includes a patient simulator. The patient simulator includes a patient body comprising one or more simulated body portions. The one or more simulated body portions include a lung compliance simulation system in some instances. In that regard, the lung compliance system is configured to be used with an external ventilator, including positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and assisted-control ventilation. In some instances, the lung compliance system includes a lung compartment, a simulated lung positioned within the lung compartment, where the lung compartment defines an available volume for the simulated lung to expand into and where the available volume for the simulated lung to expand into is adjustable to control a compliance of the simulated lung.
US08517735B2
A dental prosthesis, typically formed in a press to metal process, includes application of a porcelain composition sufficient to form a veneer on a dental prosthesis supporting metal structure, the composition having an integrated tooth-like translucency providing an aesthetic appearance. The composition is formed of a dentin frit and an enamel frit, typically sintered into a desired ingot shape including an amount of composition sufficient to veneer the prosthesis. The porcelain composition is a component of a kit that includes opaquers, other porcelains and stains useful in finishing to provide an aesthetic prosthesis.
US08517726B2
Methods and devices utilizing a dental appliance having a resilient portion are disclosed. One such appliance is a removable dental positioning appliance that includes, a plurality of shell portions each having one or more cavities shaped therein to receive one or more teeth and wherein each of the plurality of shell portions is formed to be separate from each of the other plurality of shell portions; a resilient component attached to a side of at least two shell portions; and wherein at least one of, the resilient component and one or more of the shell portions, provides one or more forces to reposition one or more teeth from a first orientation to a successive orientation.
US08517721B2
A burner for fabricating an optical fiber preform, which can suppress the adhesion and deposition of glass particles to the front end of the burner without enlarging the burner diameter, is provided. The burner has a first tube, a second tube and a third tube coaxially arranged and define a glass raw material gas port, a sealing gas port, and a burnable gas port by the front end portions thereof, and a plurality of small diameter nozzles arranged between the second tube and the third tube, each of the nozzles arranged on a concentric circle relative to the glass raw material gas port and defines a combustion assisting gas port by the front end portion thereof, the front end portion of the second tube protrudes ahead of that of the first tube, and the front end portion of the third tube protrudes ahead of those of the second tube and each of the nozzles.
US08517714B2
In a sheet forming device having a supplying unit (1) for extruding an amount of plastically deformable material (W), a storing unit (3) for temporally storing the material (W) extruded from the supplying unit (1), and a rolling unit (2) for rolling the material (W) stored in the storing unit (3) into a sheet form, the device comprises a pressing mechanism (4) for pressing the material (W) stored in the storing unit (3) from the upper side thereof with a preset pressure, wherein a pressing member (41) constituting the pressing mechanism (4) has a pressing face (41a) whose area is set to from 30 to 95% of the area of an upper opening portion (31) of the storing unit (3).
US08517713B2
(A1) Translate this text A plastic film (1) is drawn by a method different from a conventional one. The plastic film is intermittently fed in the longitudinal direction. A drawing member and a support base are installed in a plastic film feeding path, oppositely to each other, on both sides of the plastic film in the thickness direction. When the plastic film is temporarily stopped, the drawing member advances toward the support base between the lateral both side edges of the plastic film and is pressed against the plastic film and the support base to draw the plastic film in the longitudinal direction. Then, the drawing member retreats from the support base, and is separated from the plastic film.
US08517712B2
Embodiments of the present invention allow for the manufacture of a number of drainage channels of different heights, widths, thicknesses, shapes, and slopes from only one mold or a greatly-reduced number of molds. In one embodiment, the drainage channel mold has an interior mold and an exterior mold. The exterior mold has two opposing sidewalls that can be placed at different distances apart from one another to vary the overall width of the drainage channel. The sidewalls can be independent of each other or they can be coupled to each other yet still allowed to be positioned at different distances apart. In one embodiment, the sidewalls are hingedly coupled to a base support mechanism. The mold also contains mold spacers that can be located between the interior mold and the exterior mold sidewalls to create different heights, widths, shapes, and slopes in the drainage channel walls formed by the adjustable mold.
US08517709B2
Disclosed herein are methods and pressure vessels for solid-state microcellular processing of thermoplastic rolls and sheets. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method for making a gas impregnated interleaved roll, which method comprises: providing a pressure vessel having an internal pressure chamber and a rotatable shaft horizontally positioned within the pressure chamber; placing an interleaved roll about the rotatable shaft and within the pressure chamber, wherein the interleaved roll is made from a thermoplastic material sheet interleaved together with a gas-channeling material sheet; pressurizing the pressure chamber to a selected pressure; rotating the rotatable shaft having the interleaved roll thereabouts (thereby rotating the interleaved roll) while under pressure for a selected period of time; and depressurizing the internal chamber to yield the gas impregnated interleaved roll. In other embodiments, the invention is directed to multi-chambered pressure vessels for gas impregnation of thermoplastic rolls, sheets, and films.
US08517706B2
The present invention is an apparatus that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension. The rotors are housed in a rotor case. A pressure cavity is at least transiently formed by the extension rotor and the chamber rotor. The present invention also includes a compressor that includes a chamber rotor with a chamber and an extension rotor with an extension where the extension is adapted to be received in the chamber when the rotors are synchronously rotated. The compressor also includes a power input shaft attached to the extension rotor and a gear assembly attached to the rotors that is adapted to insure the synchronous rotation of the rotors. A rotor case houses the rotors and has an intake port and an exhaust port. The present invention also includes an engine that is similar to the compressor and includes a spark plug. Methods of compressing, pumping and generating electricity and mechanical power are also part of the present invention.
US08517705B2
A rotor engine is provided for operation with a fuel expanding during a power stroke. To aid power stroke efficiency, the rotary engine contains a vane, where a tip of the vane includes one or more of: a rolling element configured to move with the vane, a bearing for bearing the force of the vane applied to the inner housing, a seal for providing a seal between a leading chamber and an expansion chamber, a pressure relief cut for reducing pressure build-up between vane wings and an inner wall of the rotor engine housing; and/or a booster enhancing pressure equalization above and below a vane wing. The vane reduces vibration of the vane-tips against the inner wall of the housing of the rotary engine during operation of the engine.
US08517704B2
A compressor includes first and second scroll members, a piston and a control valve. The first scroll member includes an end plate defining a capacity modulation passage. The first and second scroll members form a suction pocket, an intermediate compression pocket and a discharge pocket. The capacity modulation passage is in communication with the first intermediate compression pocket. The piston is supported on the first scroll member and partially defines a modulation control chamber. The control valve is in communication with the control chamber and selectively provides communication between the control chamber and one of the first and second pressure sources to displace the piston between a closed position and an open position. The piston isolates the capacity modulation passage from communication with the suction pressure region when in the closed position and provides communication between the capacity modulation passage and the suction pressure region when in the open position.
US08517700B2
The present invention relates to a submersible pump and a submersible pump system for pumping liquid to a marine structure, the pump being adapted to be located in a tube. The pump comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is adapted to be connected to means for suspending the pump in the tube. The pump has a vertical direction extending from the lower portion to the upper portion. The pump further comprises an inlet for allowing the liquid into the pump and an outlet for allowing the liquid out of the pump. The pump further comprises a sealing means located downstream of the inlet and the outlet in the vertical direction, the sealing means being adapted to seal against an inner surface of the tube. The invention further relates to an arrangement for hydraulic drive of the submersible pump and to a semi-submersible unit comprising the submersible pump system.
US08517699B2
A pump includes: (a) an elongated pump housing having first and second ends; (b) a primary impeller mounted in the housing for rotation about an axis, the impeller comprising a plurality of vanes whose outer tips define an impeller plane; (c) an inlet disposed in fluid communication with the primary impeller; and (d) an annular volute housing communicating with the primary impeller and with an outlet, where the volute housing is axially offset from the impeller plane.
US08517682B2
A wind turbine blade having a suction side and a pressure side, which sides are connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein one or more shape modifiable air foil sections are defined in the area of the trailing edge of the blade, and wherein said one or more shape modifiable air foil sections are attached to a blade body, each of the one or more modifiable air foil sections having an upper skin and a lower skin, a first one of the upper and lower skin being secured to the blade body, and a second one of the upper and lower skin being slidably movable with respect to the blade body, so that a force is applied to one of said skins cause said second skin to slide with respect to the blade body, so as to thereby modify the air foil shape of the trailing edge.
US08517670B1
A support assembly for a geared architecture includes an engine static structure. A flex support is secured to the engine static structure and includes a bellow. A support structure is operatively secured to the flex support. A geared architecture is mounted to the support structure. First members are removably secured to one of the engine static structure and the flex support and second members are removably secured to the support structure. The first and second members are circumferentially aligned with one another and spaced apart from one another during a normal operating condition. The first and second members are configured to be engageable with one another during an extreme event to limit axial movement of the geared architecture relative to the engine static structure.
US08517669B2
A mechanical wind mill is provided for producing electricity through the power of wind energy. The wind turbine may include a plurality of gears which may be interchanged to control the rotational velocity of the wind turbine to most efficiently produce electricity. Including in the plurality of gears are the set of gears which may be slid along a shaft to best control the rotational velocity, but which may be changed as wind speed changes. The gears are mounted on a shaft, which is connected to a generator that is capable of producing electricity by rotation of said shaft.
US08517667B1
A turbine stator vane with a low volume cooling circuit, the vane includes inner and outer endwall impingement cavities that feed cooling air to upward and downward flowing near wall cooling passages formed within the walls of the airfoil. The cooling passages then discharge into a collection cavity where the cooling air then flows out through trailing edge exit holes to cool the trailing edge region. The cooling passages are staggered from upward flowing to downward flowing.
US08517663B2
A cooling system for a turbine engine, as well as a methodology for controlling the cooling system, is described. A valve member is disposed between a cooling fluid passage and a wheel space of the turbine engine and operates to admit cooling fluid to the wheel space for cooling thereof. The valve assembly is responsive to a condition in the wheel space and varies the flow of additional cooling fluid to the wheel space based on that condition.
US08517662B2
An apparatus for producing electricity includes a tower capable of adding moisture at the top of the tower to hot-dry air so as to generate a downdraft of wind within the interior of the tower, vanes coupled to the exterior of the tower that at least partially define a plurality of elongated pockets at the exterior of the tower, flaps located within the pockets configured to redirect incident wind downwards, and at least a first wind tunnel configured to receive the redirected incident wind so as to convert such wind to electricity.
US08517656B2
A cover applier is provided. The cover applier includes a transport system transporting a book, a cover delivery delivering a cover to a book, the cover delivery driven by a servomotor, a book sensor detecting an image printed on the book prior to the cover being delivered to the book and a cover sensor detecting an image printed on the cover prior to the cover being delivered to the book. The servomotor adjusting the position of the cover with respect to the book as a function of the book sensor and cover sensor. A method is also provided.
US08517655B2
A locking wedge system for use with a load-carrying stud having a locknut (or work piece) mounted on the stud in locking relation with another work piece employs a laterally displaceable laterally tapered wedge member that is forced transversely into axial jacking relation between a pair of tapered washers so as to apply a large axial locking force against the lock nut and work piece. The tapered wedge member is forced into engagement between the pair of tapered washers by way of a transversely extending jacking screw. The jacking screw may pull or push the tapered wedge member into or out of engagement between the pair of tapered washers. A preferred wedge angle from normal to the stud is 3 degrees with an operating range from 1 degree to 10 degrees. The locking wedge system elements are selectively rotatable about the stud, for optimum operating access to the jacking screw.
US08517653B2
A snap fastener, for fastening a first thin wall to a second wall, has a base part and a head part extending away from this base part The head part presents a guide/channel for one or more push/holding elements. The ends of the push/holding elements project out of the guide/channel. The head part is provided as a housing with fastening projections. The housing can be snapped into through-openings in the first and second walls such that it grips only one wall. Unlocking devices are provided in the housing, which can pull the push elements back into the housing from the front, and which can disengage the housing from the other thin wall. According to the invention, a compression spring extending between the support plane of the base part and the associated edge plane of the thin wall (front panel) is arranged on the support plane of the base part.
US08517651B2
The invention relates to a functional element comprising a longitudinal axis, a body part, a hollow pressed part, an annular supporting surface which is arranged on the body part, substantially extended in a perpendicular direction with respect to the longitudinal axis and is radially displaced away from the pressed part and an annular groove which axially extends and is embodied in the body part radially inside the supporting surface. Locking ribs are preferably provided and at least partly cross the annular groove and the free end of the pressed part is provided with an annular cutting edge. The invention functional element is characterized in that an annular bulge is embodied on the pressed part between the annular supporting surface and the free end of the pressed part and an annular cavity is embodied around said pressed part between the bulge and the front free end thereof. An assembly component consisting of the functional element combined with a metal sheet, a method for producing the assembling component and a method for producing the functional element are also disclosed.
US08517642B2
A tool adapter is disclosed configured to locate a stud such as that in a wall of a structure. The adapter comprises a mounting portion configured to releasably attach externally to a tool, and a detector portion configured to detect the presence of a stud.
US08517641B2
An anchoring adhesive combination includes a slug or package of chemical anchoring adhesive having a proximal end and a distal end and a rod which can be a penetrator having a pointed proximal end, and open distal end, and a threaded or corrugated outer surface. The pointed proximal end of the penetrator is connected to the distal end of the slug or package of chemical anchoring adhesive so that the pointed proximal end is at least partially surrounded by chemical anchoring adhesive. The open distal end of the penetrator receives a proximal end of an anchor pin to form a combination of anchor pin, penetrator and slug or package of anchoring adhesive in series. By placing the combination adjacent to a borehole and simply pounding a distal end of the anchor pin an integrated method is performed whereby a) anchoring adhesive is released and mixed in the borehole, b) the inner wall of the borehole is scrubbed and scored by the outer surface of the penetrator, and c) the anchor pin is both mechanically anchored in the borehole using the penetrator and chemically anchored using the mixed chemical anchoring adhesive.
US08517638B2
This underwater structure is installed at the sea bed and supports an above-water structure that is provided above the water, being provided with a first support member made of steel that extends from the sea bed to above the water and that has a first space therein; and a filling material being filled in a portion of the first space.
US08517634B1
Methods and systems are provided for replacing, repositioning and/or repairing a section of pipe within a pipeline located on a seabed. System components are delivered by a surface vessel to the vicinity of the damaged section of pipe. Piles are partially driven into the seabed adjacent the damaged section of pipe such that each of the piles has an exposed pile top above the seabed. Pile tops are employed to support load-bearing manipulator assemblies each having a hydraulically controlled manipulator arm having a a grapple capable of grasping and repositioning a section of pipe. The manipulator assemblies are operated to grasp, lift and manipulate pipe surrounding the damaged section. Other pile tops are employed to support spool supports capable of firmly holding a replacement spool piece of pipe during replacement operations. During replacement of a damaged section of pipe, the manipulator assemblies hold the pipe while cuts are made to free the damaged section. Above the surface, a replacement spool is made and fitted with spool supports and pipe connectors. The replacement spool is lowered and installed with the assistance of a remotely operated vehicle.
US08517630B2
Asphalt paving machine includes screed assembly, plurality of lower and upper plate fasteners, and upper and lower screed plates, each having openings, and an electric heater at least partially disposed between the plates. Upper and lower plate fasteners extend into openings of the respective upper and lower screed plates and bores of a frame portion of the screed assembly to couple the plates to the frame portion. The upper plate fasteners couple the upper screed plate to the frame portion independently of the lower screed plate, so the lower plate is displaceable from the upper plate and the frame portion.
US08517622B2
A dispenser includes a multi-layered tip and a housing having a reservoir for containing a product, such as a cosmetic product or a medicinal product. The multi-layered tip comprises a translucent outer tip molded about an opaque inner tip. Both the translucent outer tip and the opaque inner tip may be formed of materials that are suitable for an injection over-mold manufacturing process.
US08517620B2
A printer includes a supporting member, a print head and a guide member. The supporting member is configured to support a sheet print medium on an upper surface of the supporting member. The print head is provided to print on the sheet print medium fed onto the upper surface of the supporting member. The guide member is configured to guide the sheet print medium to feed the sheet print medium onto the upper surface of the supporting member. The guide member includes at least one guide collar around which the sheet print medium is wound and a guide bar provided in the at least one guide collar so that the at least one guide collar is rotatable around the guide bar.
US08517610B2
Disclosed herein is a method for making an adapter piece for ordinary bags or a specialized bag that creates a larger opening, while maintaining the same form-factor of the original bag. The incorporation of this adapter piece to ordinary bags allows for easy loading of the bag and provides additional rigidity to the mouth of the bag. Additionally, this modification can easily be incorporated into standard manufacturing process for conventional paper bags.
US08517606B2
In a hydrocarbyl gas the presence and amount of a condensable polar component may be detected by voltage or current excursions over background noise as measured using a probe having at least two common electrodes and optionally a third electrode preferably inert to corrosion.
US08517602B2
A method of using a temperature sensor to determine the temperature of an object is described. The method comprises bringing the temperature sensor into thermal contact with the object to be measured. The temperature sensor is then used to acquire a plurality of temperature readings, the plurality of temperature readings being acquired prior to the temperature sensor reaching thermal equilibrium with the object. At least some of the plurality of temperature readings are then used to determine a pseudo-stable temperature at which the rate of change of temperature readings with time is less than a predetermined rate. The actual temperature of the object may then be predicted from the pseudo-stable temperature.
US08517600B2
A system and method are disclosed wherein differential heat transfer resistances are used to effectively and efficiently detect the early onset of deposit accumulation in industrial fluid processes and fluid transport vehicles.According to one embodiment, a probe is provided in conjunction with a heat source, a water source and a probe. The probe is comprised of a heat transfer surface, a first part of which is covered only by a thin metal layer. The second or remaining portion of the heat transfer surface is covered by a heat flux sensor and a thin metal layer. The metal layers of both the first and second areas of the probe are connected, and water flows across the full heat transfer surface. Deposition forms on a portion of the heat transfer surface as a result of slow water flow and elevated water temperature. The temperatures of the heat source, water source, and heat flux are measured. The deposition rate as a rate of change of heat transfer resistance is measured.
US08517596B2
A method includes directing first and second fluids into a plurality of first ports fluidly connected to a mixing chamber disposed between a first plate and a base plate, guiding the first and second fluids into a mixing chamber, directing the first and second fluid into a plurality of second ports fluidly connected to the plurality of first ports, guiding the first and second fluids from the plurality of second ports into another mixing chamber disposed between a second plate and the first plate and fluidly connected to the mixing chamber, activating a heating element to heat one of the first and second fluids entering the mixing chamber, creating a temperature gradient between the first and second fluids entering the mixing chamber, and operating a diaphragm operatively associated with the mixing chamber and the another mixing chamber to agitate the first and second fluids to form a fluid mixture.
US08517595B2
An apparatus and method for mixing by producing shear and/or cavitation, and components for the apparatus are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a mixing and/or cavitation chamber with an element such as an orifice component that is located adjacent the entrance of the cavitation chamber. The apparatus may further include a blade, such as a knife-like blade, disposed inside the mixing and/or cavitation chamber opposite the orifice component. In one version of such an embodiment, at least some of the portions of the orifice component surrounding the orifice and/or the blade are made of a material or materials that have a Vickers hardness of greater than or equal to about 20 GPa. A process for mixing by producing shear and/or cavitation in a fluid is also contemplated herein.
US08517587B2
Disclosed is a light source device which is made compact while suppressing increase in non-uniformity of brightness caused by existence of a non-light emitting portion between a plurality of light sources. A light source device is characterized in that a plurality of light diffusers have a first light diffuser located in front of a first light source in the light exit direction closely thereto, and a second light diffuser located in front of a second light source in the light exit direction closely thereto. The first light diffuser includes a first light absorbing material which absorbs visible light emitted from the first light source more easily than visible light emitted from the second light source, and the second light diffuser includes a second light absorbing material which absorbs visible light emitted from the second light source more easily than visible light emitted from the first light source.
US08517579B2
This invention relates to aircraft light units, in particular aircraft light units used when landing and taxiing an aircraft. The invention provides an aircraft light unit comprising a first light source with a principal beam axis in a first direction and a second light source with a principal beam axis in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction. The first and second light sources are arranged such that they can combine to create a net light beam in a plurality of different directions by variation of the power supplied to the light sources.
US08517570B2
A diffuse light reflector is disclosed for use in lighting fixtures including luminaires, light boxes, displays, signage, daylighting applications, and the like. The reflector includes a light reflective nonwoven, a polymer layer that enhances reflectivity, and an opaque blackout layer. The reflector can be laminated to coil steel or aluminum and can be formed in metal coil or sheet forming operations. The polymer layer can be easily cleaned of machine oils from the metal forming operations.
US08517568B2
A recessed type lamp with a radiant heat device (3), comprises a lamp shade body (1), a lamp body (2) installed in the lamp shade body (1), and a radiant heat device (3) connected with the lamp shade body (1). A flame-proof expansion piece (4) preventing the radiant heat device (3) from being damaged by the flame is installed between the radiant heat device (3) and the lamp shade body (1) and/or in the lamp shade body (1) and/or in the radiant heat device (3).
US08517565B2
An LED light bulb includes a light source unit. The light source unit includes an LED light emitting element for emitting light and a reflecting plate on which a part of the light emitted from the LED light emitting element is incident. The reflecting plate changes a direction of the part of the light so that the direction of the part of the light is inclined from a direction of an optical axis of the light emitted from the LED light emitting element toward a plane vertical to the direction of the optical axis.
US08517560B2
A portable multi-purpose illumination device that wraps into a compact shape for storage and includes a holding and storage device; a positioning member that is extendable and that is connected to the holding and storage device and around which at least a portion of the positioning member is wrapped for storage; and a light source housed within the holding and storage device and powered by connection to a power source which is at least one of (a) a power supply electrically connected via the positioning member and (b) a detachable battery housed within the holding and storage means. The positioning member is manually deformable and may be attached to various structures. The holding and storage device additionally features a retainer for various lenses and mirrors. The illumination device may be used to view a target object obscured from direct view by an intervening object by positioning the mirror appropriately.
US08517557B2
A black light lice comb which can be easily held as it is being used to examine, clean and remove and/or eliminate nits, lice, eggs or nymphs on the scalp or from environments in which remains my be found wherein the comb is structured around a body including a battery compartment which is accessed at one end of the body and which is provided with a lamp device that contains diodes that emit black light and which is enclosed by means of a lens through which the light emitted by said diodes is projected, while one line or edge of the body contains a row of LEDs emitting black light corresponding to a guide from which a lice comb means is projected, formed by a plurality of teeth made from a material that conducts the black light emitted by the row of LEDs.
US08517556B2
Helmet mounted lighting apparatus and method of manufacture. May utilize LED light source and battery power unit designed for mounting for example on a fire-fighting helmet. May couple with helmet or to an ornamental leather shield typically mounted on the front of a fire-fighting helmet. Enables enhanced visual field at night for benefit of the user. Apparatus is made of material suitable for the harsh conditions encountered by fire suppression and emergency personnel and is mounted in such a fashion as to not conflict with the typical physical features of the helmet or shield. The apparatus includes at least one lamp provided at a front side of the casing, a switch part provided remote to or in one side of the casing, a battery or series of batteries provided remotely or in the interior of the casing and optional time-out, power level adjustment, voltage and/or current control circuitry.
US08517553B2
A fan light apparatus comprises: a ceiling mount disk; a light frame, coupled to the ceiling mount disk; a lamp, fixed onto the light frame; a fan installing case, installed to the bottom of the light frame; a fan motor, installed in the fan installing case; a vane, pivotally coupled to the fan motor spindle; a support, movably coupled to an internal side of the bottom of the fan installing case; a wind-guide fan motor, fixed to the center of the support; a wind-guide vane, sheathed on a spindle of the wind-guide fan motor; a latch, pivotally coupled to the spindle of the wind-guide fan motor for supporting the wind-guide vane; and an anion generator, installed in a space between the vane and the wind-guide vane.
US08517552B2
The optical film may include a base film including a material having optical transmittance and a thermal resistance, a matrix layer disposed on the base film which may include a fluorescent material, and a protective layer disposed on the matrix layer and which may include a material having adhesive property.
US08517549B2
A light keyboard includes a base, a plurality of keyswitches and a backlight module. The keyswitches are disposed on the base. The backlight module includes a light shielding plate, a light guiding plate and a reflecting plate. The light shielding plate is disposed under the base. The light guiding plate is disposed under the light shielding plate. The reflecting plate is disposed under the light guiding plate. The light shielding plate, the light guiding plate and the reflecting plate are stacked with each other so as to form a middle area of the backlight module. An edge of one of the light shielding plate and the reflecting plate is folded and stacked with the other one of the light shielding plate and the reflecting plate so as to form an edge area of the backlight module. The middle area and the edge area are at equal height.
US08517545B2
The cover according to the invention serves to encapsulate microsystems, wherein the cover comprises or is made of one or more cover units, and at least one cover unit comprises at least one first recess caused by deformation and bounded at least partially by at least one optical window, the quadratic surface roughness thereof being less than or equal to 25 nm. The invention further relates to a method for producing optical components, wherein the method is particularly also suitable for producing a cover according to the invention allowing encapsulation at the wafer level.
US08517538B2
A model eye includes an optically transmissive structure having a front curved surface to receive a coherent light beam, and an opposite rear planar surface for directing a portion of the coherent light beam back out the model eye through the front curved surface; and a material structure adhered to the rear planar surface of the optically transmissive structure that has a characteristic to cause a speckle pattern of the portion of the coherent light beam that is directed back out the front curved surface of the optically transmissive structure to have a bright-to-dark ratio of less than 2:1. In some embodiments, the material structure may include a fabric-reinforced polyethylene tape adhered to the rear planar surface of the optically transmissive structure by an adhesive. One example material structure which may be employed is duct tape.
US08517533B2
An eyewear assembly for engaging in water sports and other activities that expose the wearer to turbulent conditions. The eyewear assembly has a frame, a lens, two earstems, and a removeable and secured adjustable strap. The earstems have soft ends for coming in contact with the wearer's head. The removeable strap is securely fastened to the soft ends via two fasteners.
US08517528B2
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method for recording a white overlaying layer and a non-white pattern layer to a recording medium, printed matters obtained by the recording method, and systems for realizing the recording method thereof.
US08517517B2
A liquid discharge head includes a recording element substrate including an energy generation element for generating energy used to discharge a liquid and a terminal electrically connected to the energy generation element, and an electric wiring board including an electrode electrically connected to the terminal via a wire to transmit an electric signal supplied from outside to the energy generation element, wherein the terminal has an area twice or more larger than a contact area between the terminal and the wire and the electrode has an area twice or more larger than a contact area between the electrode and the wire.
US08517516B2
A method of ejecting a liquid includes providing a liquid dispenser including a substrate. A first portion of the substrate defines a liquid dispensing channel including an outlet opening. A second portion of the substrate defines a liquid supply channel and a liquid return channel. A diverter member is positioned on a wall of the liquid dispensing channel that includes the outlet opening. The diverter member includes a MEMS transducing member anchored to the wall of the liquid dispensing channel. A compliant membrane is positioned in contact with the MEMS transducing member. The diverter member is selectively actuated to divert a portion of the liquid flowing through the liquid dispensing channel through outlet opening of the liquid dispensing channel.
US08517513B2
Disclosed is an inkjet printhead that includes a plurality of fluid ejecting chips arranged in a plurality of rows. The plurality of fluid ejecting chips includes a first set of fluid ejecting chips arranged in a first row of the plurality of rows. The plurality of fluid ejecting chips includes a second set of fluid ejecting chips arranged in a second row parallel to the first row of the plurality of rows. Each fluid ejecting chip of the second set of fluid ejecting chips is configured between two consecutive fluid ejecting chips of the first set of fluid ejecting chips in a predetermined orientation. The inkjet printhead further includes a plurality of fluid vias and a plurality of bond pads. Further disclosed are fluid ejecting chips for being used in an inkjet printhead.
US08517510B2
A fluid dispensing apparatus including a fluid ejector including a fluid reservoir having fluid, and configured to eject the fluid, a vacuum pump configured to create negative pressure in an activation mode and to create approximately no pressure in a deactivation mode, a meniscus pressure regulator configured to regulate the negative pressure received from the vacuum pump, a leaking member configured to reduce the negative pressure received from the vacuum pump towards or equal to atmospheric pressure in response to the vacuum pump being placed in the deactivation mode, and a back pressure regulator having a pressure reference port to receive the reduced negative pressure from the leaking member and the regulated negative pressure from the meniscus pressure regulator, the back pressure regulator configured to maintain a non-retraction negative pressure value to position a fluid meniscus in a non-retracted state and a retraction negative pressure value to position the fluid meniscus in a retracted state.
US08517509B2
A liquid ejection head according to the present invention includes a plurality of ejection openings arranged in a first direction and a plurality of electro-thermal transducers for ejecting liquid from the ejection openings, the liquid ejection head and a printing medium being subjected to the relative movement, wherein an arrangement pitch of the ejection openings forming an end group located in the respective opposite end section along the first direction is longer than an arrangement pitch of the ejection openings forming a central group located in the central section along the first direction. According to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate white streaks which may generate in a solid printing.
US08517508B2
Among other things, in one aspect, an apparatus comprises features to enable mounting first and second jetting assemblies on a frame. The features comprise first and second alignment datums pre-fixed with respect to the frame for establishing respective positions of the first and second jetting assemblies, when mounted, so that at least some of the nozzles along a length of one of the jetting assemblies have predetermined offsets relative to at least some of the nozzles along a length of the other of the jetting assemblies, and an opening exposing all of the nozzles along the lengths of the first and second jetting assemblies are exposed to permit jetting of a fluid onto a substrate.
US08517491B2
In a highly integrated printing head forming an image with continuously ejected ink droplets, there are disadvantages of a high cost for a control circuit and wirings due to a large number of the wirings for charging electrodes, a difficulty for ensuring electrical insulation between the wirings having a narrow pitch and a high density, and an induced voltage in the wirings due to the mutual induction therebetween. Therefore, the present invention includes dividing a plurality of nozzles into a plurality of groups, shifting production timings between the groups, and applying a charging voltage via common wirings to which the charging electrodes of different groups corresponding to each other are commonly connected.
US08517484B2
An ice/liquid dispensing bay for a domestic refrigeration device. The ice/liquid dispensing bay has a drip tray that defines a lower end of the bay and a drip plate that covers the drip tray. The drip plate has an edge with at least one locking recess into which a locking projection engages in a locked position. The locking projection is biased by a spring.
US08517480B2
The present invention relates to a household appliance (1) comprising a door (2) allowing access of the user inside, an outer panel (8) forming the surface of the door (2) in contact with the outside, preferably produced of a thin material like steel sheet, a handle (3) mounted on the outer panel (8), so that the user can hold to open, close the door (2) and one or more holes (9) on the outer panel (8), in the section wherein the handle (3) is to be mounted.
US08517478B2
A medicine cabinet has refrigeration capability for storing sensitive bathroom items. An evaporation tray is provided to receive condensation from the refrigeration system and evaporate it to the atmosphere without disrupting ornamental characteristics. The refrigerator compartment is preferably a modular unit.
US08517442B1
A vehicle trim attachment fastener includes a base, a trim clip and a first trim alignment flange. The base has a vehicle body attachment structure. The trim clip extends outwardly away from a first end of the base and includes a plurality of attachment fingers defining a trim panel retaining area therebetween. The first trim alignment flange extends outwardly from one of the plurality of attachment fingers away from the trim panel retaining area. The first trim alignment flange defines a trim alignment aperture and is configured to align a trim panel relative to the trim clip during installation of the trim panel to the trim clip.
US08517439B2
The detachable ears rope thimble comprised of thimble body, detachable ears and having the optional features of bale, main load pin sub assembly, and a restraning load sub assembly. The inventive thimble provides very high load capacity ability for wire or synthetic ropes. Furthermore the thimble assembly enables eye splicing on new ropes yet allows for the thimble addition to previously formed eyes without resplicing the eyes. The invention provides a thimble that fully contains even the oversize found in fresh synthetic ropes protecting them within an array of detachable ears from abrasion. The outer body has smooth form with embedded detachable ears and rounded edges preventing synthetic fiber damage.
US08517430B2
A coupling for securing pipe elements together in end-to-end relation is disclosed. The coupling has segments joined end-to-end by adjustable connection members. The segments surround a central space which receives the pipe elements. One or more gripping bodies are captured between the segments. The gripping bodies are arranged opposite to each other. When the segments are drawn toward each other by the connection members, interaction between the reaction surfaces and the contact surfaces forces the gripping bodies radially inwardly. Inwardly facing arcuate surfaces on the segments and the gripping bodies engage and retain the pipe elements.
US08517429B2
A bearing structure for a pivoting irrigation system apparatus having a rotatable vertical section with a plurality of annular assemblies mounted thereon. The assemblies include a plurality of components that are rotatable and non-rotatable with the rotatable vertical section so as to facilitate movement with decreased friction therebetween.
US08517424B2
A seat belt extender having a rigid non-flexible elongated flat strap with a male connector attached to a first end of the rigid non-flexible elongated flat strap for removably engaging a female connector attached to the floor of an automobile of a three point seat belt and shoulder strap restraint system, and a female connector attached to a second end of the rigid non-flexible elongated flat strap for removably engaging a male connector of the three point seat belt and shoulder strap restraint system. The rigid non-flexible elongated flat strip will stand upright when removably attached to the female connector and has a length that is between two and sixteen inches. The rigid elongated flat strip also has a bend that will locates the female connector of the seat belt extender sideways out away from the side of the seat by a distance of between one inch and four inches when removably attached to the female connector.
US08517420B2
A primary gas flow aperture communicates between upstream and the downstream sides of a bulkhead securable across an inflator discharge passageway, accommodating some inflation gas flow through the passageway. A deformable flow control panel peripherally secured on the downstream side of the bulkhead has a closure portion obscuring some inflation gas flow past the bulkhead. Pressure of the inflation gas on the closure portion deforms the control panel away from the bulkhead. A primary gas flow window through the flow control panel overlies all or some of the primary gas flow aperture. When the primary gas flow window is larger than or equal to the primary gas flow aperture, supplemental gas flow apertures are formed through the bulkhead separated from the primary gas flow aperture. Otherwise, supplemental gas flow windows are formed through the flow control panel separated from the primary gas flow window.
US08517418B2
A vehicle has an inflatable occupant restraint system that includes an inflatable occupant protection device and an inflator operable to inflate the inflatable occupant protection device when a predetermined event occurs. The vehicle also includes a child restraint system having a portable child seat with an inflatable child protection apparatus attached thereto. The child restraint system includes a connection interface connected to the child seat and adapted for connection to the occupant restraint system such that the child protection apparatus is inflated when the predetermined event occurs.
US08517416B2
An airbag cover with a support component and a top-cover component, wherein the support component and the top-cover component are covered up with a covering material. A predetermined breakage line is formed between the support component and the top-cover component, which defines at least one serration or one undulation at the edge of the top-cover component, and the covering material exhibits a structural weakening, wherein the contour of the structural weakening is congruent with the contour of the breakage line at least in the area of the serration or the undulation. The breakage line between the support component and the top-cover component and the structural weakening of the covering material are formed at least in the area of the serration or the undulation by means of one or a plurality of cuts, which fully penetrate the support component and partially penetrate the covering material.
US08517413B2
A mobile tool stand includes a base frame unit, a support unit connected to the base frame unit for supporting the base frame unit on the floor, and a carrier unit. The carrier unit includes a carrier plate for carrying a machine tool, a pair of links pivotally connected between the carrier plate and the base frame unit and movable relative to the carrier plate to move the stand between a collapsed position and a supporting position, and a pair of coupling rods pivotally connected to the carrier plate and slidingly coupled to the base frame unit, such that the coupling rods are movable in and out of the base frame unit. Thus, the tool that is carried on the carrier plate can be safely moved from place to place when the mobile tool stand is set in the collapsed, transporting condition.
US08517411B2
A trolley, comprising a retractable wheel assembly (31, 32) movable between stored and in-use positions. The wheel assembly comprising an assembly support; at least one wheel arm (35) operably-connected to a wheel hub, in us the wheel hub receiving a wheel; at least one control arm (36, 37) operably-connected to the wheel hub, for affecting the orientation of the wheel hub with respect to the wheel arm as the retractable wheel assembly is moved between the stored position and the in-use position; and drive means (34) connected to the assembly support and operably connected to the at least one wheel arm and the at least one control arm, for providing rotation of the at least one wheel arm and at least one control arm about a common axis between the stored position and the in-use position.
US08517409B2
A gliding board may have less resistance to bending in portions within one or both binding mounting regions as compared to portions at or near ends of the binding mounting regions. Some embodiments provide for increased ability to store and release energy when performing certain maneuvers with the board, such as nose presses, ollies and similar moves. A board may have a concave portion in the top surface located at both the forward and rear binding mounting regions, and convex portions may be located in the top surface between the binding mounting regions as well as forward of the forward mounting region and rearward of the rear mounting region. In another arrangement, concave portions may be located in the bottom surface of the board under the binding mounting regions so as to give desired bending characteristics to the board.
US08517405B2
A reciprocal pedal drive mechanism for human powered vehicles. The drive motion on each of the two pedals is efficiently converted to two motions, one for pedal recovery and the other for driving the vehicle forward.
US08517397B2
A foldable dolly for use with a truss. The dolly is also extendable.
US08517391B2
A hydraulic chuck assembly for a tool machine includes first and second valve units disposed to control flow of pressurized fluids into a cylindrical chamber so as to move an annular piston to thereby move a taper socket along a spindle axis. Each valve unit includes a ball movable along a valve axis radial to the spindle axis such that the ball can be further forced to abut firmly against a valve seat during a high-speed rotation. Oil leakage can be prevented to ensure firm engagement of a workpiece with a collet head.
US08517381B2
A gaming table, method and device including a plurality of rotors interchangeably operable in a decoupled mode and a coupled mode. The system includes a rotor coupler and a coupler actuator. The system provides an award associated with an indication of a combination of symbols of the rotors.
US08517380B2
A 3-number bingo game adapted to ensure there can be only a single winner. The numbers from 1 to 75 are divided into fifteen groups of five numbers each. For each group, the unique 3-number combinations of the five numbers taken three at a time are determined and printed on game cards. A single winner is determined if the unique 3-number combination on a player's game card matches a winning set of three numbers randomly determined by the House.
US08517377B2
A conveying apparatus includes a suction mechanism that suctions an interior of a bag, and a connecting mechanism that connects an opening of the bag and the suction mechanism.
US08517373B2
A sheet feeder includes a pickup roller for feeding a sheet on a tray toward a predetermined processing position, an arm member rotatably supporting the pickup roller, a rotary shaft supported on the housing to be rotatable about an axis thereof, a coupling member for coupling the arm member and the rotary shaft, a pivoting mechanism for pivoting the arm member via the rotary shaft so that the pickup roller shifts its position between a feeding position and a retracted position, and a controller for controlling the operation of the pivoting mechanism. The controller controls the arm member to pivot in such a direction that the pickup roller moves toward the retracted position when a sheet is placed on the tray.
US08517368B1
A stapler apparatus includes a clamp positioned to receive and stack sheets from a printing device, a support plate comprising a groove directing the clamp along one path of multiple paths, the multiple paths alternately directing the clamp relatively closer to one of multiple staplers. A first biasing member applies a first force to the clamp toward a closed position, and a first extension applies a second force to the clamp toward an open position. A second biasing member applies a third force to the clamp toward the open position.
US08517367B1
In some embodiments, the instant invention is a kit having at least: a tray, having: a first cutout, a second cutout, and a third cutout; and a protective film for an electronic device, where a first alignment tab and a second alignment tab are attached to the protective film, where the at least one first alignment tab includes a first alignment portion that extends from an edge of the protective film, where the at least one second alignment tab includes a second alignment portion that extends from the edge of the protective film, where the first alignment portion of the first alignment tab matches a shape of the second cutout and where the second alignment portion of the second alignment tab matches a shape of the third cutout so that the first alignment tab and the second alignment tab are capable of aligning the protective film within the first cutout.
US08517365B2
A clamp assembly including a header assembly with first and second ends and a plunger having an aperture with a portion of the aperture being threaded, the aperture forming a portion of a bore extending through the header assembly. First and second arms, in opposing spaced relationship, are connected to the first and second ends, respectively, of the header assembly. A ram assembly having first and second ends, each end having a passageway through which at least a portion of one of the first and second arms extend. A stem assembly including an upper stem end coupled to a handle, a lower stem end rotatably connected to the ram assembly, and a threaded stem portion designed to engage the aperture threaded portion. The plunger has engaged and disengaged positions in which the aperture threaded portion and the threaded stem portion are threadedly engaged and disengaged, respectively, with each other.
US08517351B2
An apparatus for delivering a compound includes a reservoir containing a compound to be delivered to the environment of use. The compound includes fragrances and insecticides. A compound permeable substrate includes a wick which extends from the substrate into the reservoir. A centrifugal fan is operatively associated with the compound permeable substrate to force air over the substrate when the fan is operational. A cover is disposed over the centrifugal fan in which the cover has at least one aperture on a top surface and provides for a side air passage from the centrifugal fan to the environment.
US08517348B2
A compact windlass and a method of operating the windlass are disclosed for exerting a force upon a load along a selected direction of force. A drum is extended along a longitudinal axis of rotation and a line is engaged with a surface on the drum. The line is aligned with a line spooling direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of rotation for being spooled onto the drum by a line spooling mechanism located in close proximity with the surface of the drum and engaging the line at a line engagement location juxtaposed with the drum, in response to rotation of the drum in a spooling direction of rotation, and off of the drum in response to rotation of the drum in an unspooling direction of rotation. A load is coupled with the line, and the line is directed between the line spooling direction and a selected direction of force aligned along a load path extending essentially parallel with the longitudinal axis of rotation and placed closely adjacent the drum, as the line is spooled onto and off of the drum, so as to exert a force upon the load along the selected direction of force. The windlass can be oriented in substantially any selected direction so as to orient the direction of force in a corresponding direction, for exerting a force along the corresponding direction, such as a lifting force or a pulling force, upon the load.
US08517347B2
The invention relates to a drum winch (100) that is arranged to allow “free fall” of an anchor secured by rode to a drum (116) of the drum winch (100). The drum winch (100) includes a mounting bracket (112) and a drive shaft (114) arranged to be mounted to the mounting bracket (112) and coupled to the drive unit (118). The drum (116) is arranged relative to the drive shaft (1114) so that in a first mode of operation of the drum winch (100), the drum (116) can be rotated by rotation of the drive shaft (114). In a second mode of operation of the drum winch (100), the drum (116) is free to rotate relative to the drive shaft (114) so as to enable “free fall” of the anchor. The drum winch (100) further includes means for actuating (150) either the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation.
US08517339B2
Interference fit assembly of a first metal part and a second metal part, wherein the first metal part has a recess with an inner contact surface, and the second metal part has an outer contact surface being coupled to the inner contact surface by an interference fit. At least one of the contact surfaces includes a surface layer including a diamond-like carbon. In a method for producing an interference fit assembly the surface layer is applied on at least one of the contact surfaces by a Physical Vapor Deposition or a Chemical Vapor Deposition process with the surface layer having the diamond-like carbon.
US08517333B2
A valve actuator includes an actuator housing, a piston, a linkage assembly, a magnet, and a Hall sensor. The actuator housing is adapted to receive pressurized fluid. The piston is movably mounted within actuator housing, and is configured to translate in a first direction and a second direction. The linkage assembly is rotationally coupled to the piston and is adapted to couple to a valve element. The linkage assembly is configured to rotate the valve element in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction in response to piston movement in the first direction and the second direction, respectively. The magnet is mounted on the piston and is movable therewith, and the Hall sensor is mounted on the actuator housing and is responsive to movement of the magnet to supply a position signal.
US08517328B2
A seat track assembly includes a lower track and an upper track slidably movable relative to the lower track. A latch is attached to the upper track and movable between a locked position wherein movement of the upper track is prevented, and an unlocked position wherein the upper track may be moved relative to the lower track. An actuation mechanism is provided and is movable between a first position wherein the latch is in the locked position, and a second position wherein the actuation mechanism engages the latch and urges the latch into the unlocked position.
US08517326B2
A mounting system for an air handling unit comprising four elongated rods attached at the upper ends to floor joists and at the lower ends to a pair of elongated supports disposed below the air handling unit whereby the rods are adjustable to allow for tilting of the air handling unit to prevent accumulation of moisture.
US08517322B2
An improved mounting bracket that provides an indication to an installer when a mount is not correctly aligned. The mounting bracket comprises a mounting contact portion and at least one side portion integrally connected to the mounting contact portion, with the at least one side portion defining a receiving region for accepting one or more retaining portions of a mount. The at least one side portion includes a first ramped surface at least partially outside of the receiving region. The first ramped surface configured to contact a retaining portion when the retaining portion is misaligned with the receiving region, thereby informing an installer of the misalignment.
US08517320B1
A quick attachment bracket that permits a tool holder to be quickly secured to the sidewall of a cart is disclosed. The bracket snaps onto the cart and locks the tool holder in position without the use of any mechanical devices.
US08517316B2
A vehicle detection system is provided for tracking, detecting, and monitoring vehicles. The system and methods of the present invention are suitable for on-track and roadway vehicles. In particular the present invention provides an improved and cost effective system and methods for tracking, detecting and monitoring locomotives and on-track vehicles.
US08517303B2
The invention relates to a powered wheel system for an aircraft, comprising at least one undercarriage with several rotatably held wheels, with the powered wheel system comprising two or more motors of which in each case at least one motor is coupled to at least one of the wheels, and comprising at least one control device that is coupled to the motors. A control device is equipped to control operation of the motors independently of each other as far as their respective rotary speeds and direction of rotation are concerned, so that the system is able, among other things, to effect taxiing; by means of rotary speed differentials on different motors to be able to steer the aircraft; prior to landing to bring the wheel circumference speeds to landing speed; and to boost the undercarriage brakes of the aircraft. Furthermore, by means of an improvement of the system according to the invention, the rotary speeds of the wheels may be determined with precision. The invention furthermore relates to a method for driving wheels of an aircraft.
US08517298B1
A fishing reel with a gear assembly disposed on the side of the reel opposite the crank handle which has an easy opening housing and an interchangeable gear assembly to easily and quickly change gear ratios to thereby change retrieval speeds.
US08517297B2
An apparatus for fracturing polycrystalline silicon having: a pair of rolls which are rotated in a counter direction each other around parallel axes; a plurality of fracturing teeth which are provided on and protruded radially-outwardly from outer peripheral surfaces of the rolls, and are made from cemented carbide or silicon material; and resin covers being wound around the roll in a state in which the fracturing teeth penetrate thereof so as to cover the outer peripheral surfaces of the rolls, and fractures fragments of polycrystalline silicon between the rolls.
US08517293B2
A waterless system for processing mined material to remove impurities therefrom includes a dryer, a pulverizer, and an air classifier. The dryer is configured to remove moisture from a batch of mined material, such as coal, and the pulverizer is configured to pulverize the dried coal into small, individual coal particles and liberate impurity particles from the coal without substantially reducing the size of the liberated impurity particles. The dryer heats an air stream containing the coal to a temperature of between about 500° F. and 1,000° F. and includes a plurality of rotating paddles. An air stream forces the coal through the plurality of rotating paddles to pulverize the coal into small, individual particles and to liberate the impurity particles. The air classifier separates the impurity particles and pulverized coal particles into respective product streams. A pelletizer pelletizes ultra fine coal particles into pellets or bricks to facilitate handling and/or storage.
US08517290B2
A process and installation for the milling-drying and storage of brown coal. Brown coal is milled to form brown coal dust in a low-oxygen atmosphere at temperatures which are higher compared to the prior art. Then, the brown coal dust is washed with low-oxygen, dry second conveying gas and stored in a silo in a low-oxygen, dry atmosphere at a temperature of above 60° C. The installation is designed to carry out this process and comprises, for the process steps mentioned above, a mill, a dust washing installation and a silo.
US08517278B2
The electronic module (18) for an electronic device (10) such as a microcircuit card, comprises a substrate (20) delimiting first (20A) and second (20B) opposite faces. More particularly, the module (18) comprises a light source (26) borne by the second face (20B) of the substrate (20) and capable of illuminating a visible part of the electronic device.
US08517261B2
A cash dispensing automated banking machine includes a card reader associated with a card slot. An anti-fraud sensing device is able to sense ambient light or generated radiation that passes to the sensing device through the card reader slot. The installation of an unauthorized card reading device on the machine changes at least one property sensed by the sensing device. A controller in the machine receives signals from the sensing device, and determines if an unauthorized card reading device has been installed.
US08517252B2
A method for server-based managing of unique memory device identifications, such as serial numbers, of memory devices having unique memory device identifications, like MIFARE devices, preferably emulated MIFARE devices like SmartMX cards, which memory devices are arranged in mobile communication devices, comprises keeping a repository of available memory device identifications; fetching a memory device identification from the repository and sending it to a specific mobile communication device; and instructing the mobile communication device to change the memory device identification of its associated memory device from its present value to the received new value. Further, the server instructs the mobile communication device to return the previous value of the memory device identification of its associated memory device. Finally, the server will add the returned memory device identification value to the repository of memory device identifications.
US08517246B1
A wire handling facilitator in the form of a backpack. An apparatus that is useful for handling small rolls of wire that is to be welded into channels of metal surfaces.
US08517244B2
In various embodiments, an assembly of a surgical instrument is disclosed. The assembly includes a housing, a cutting member relatively movable with respect to the housing, and an agent cartridge connected to the housing. The agent cartridge houses a medical agent. The assembly is configured to deliver the medical agent proximate a cutting surface of the cutting member.
US08517240B1
A medical device comprising an actuator, an extension portion, and a tissue interaction portion. The extension portion is coupled to the actuator and comprises at least first and second telescoping sections with each telescoping section having (i) at least one extended hook section having a head portion and a neck portion, and (ii) at least one body section being one of coupled and integrated to the at least one extended hook section. The at least one extended hook section of the first telescoping section is operatively coupled to the body section of the second telescoping section. The tissue interaction portion is operatively coupled to the extension portion and comprises at least one of a gripping mechanism, a stapling mechanism, and a cutting mechanism. The actuator is adapted to control at least one of the extension portion and tissue interaction portion.
US08517234B2
An accessory attachment system having a platform body with a platform recess, an accessory mounting plate having a plurality of mounting plate projections extending therefrom and a plurality of mounting plate apertures formed therethrough, wherein at least some of the mounting plate projections correspond to at least some of the slots so that when the mounting plate projections are aligned with the corresponding slots, the accessory mounting plate can pass the locking ledge into the platform recess, at least one release lever that is pivotable between a locking position and an unlocking position, and a plurality of internal stops formed within the platform recess, wherein the accessory mounting plate can be secured within a portion of the platform recess such that the mounting plate projections are secured between the internal stops and the accessory plate engagement portion when the release lever is in the locking position.
US08517233B2
A holder for surgical instruments that includes a device for holding the instruments, an arrangement for detachably fastening the holding device to the arm of a user and a coupling device for connecting the holding device and the fastening arrangement. The holding device includes a magnetic energy source.
US08517227B2
An aerosol spray actuator for a pressurized aerosol canister and in particular trigger or button actuated spray actuators having three main parts to simplify the mechanical moving parts of a spray actuator. An actuator button, an actuator base and finally a nozzle piece being inserted at the very end of a product dispensing passage embodied either in the body or the trigger part. A mechanism for permitting and blocking the actuation of the spray actuator is also provided so that inadvertent operation of the actuator can be prevented.
US08517225B2
A manually operated personal care pump, wherein a twisting motion is converted into a linear displacement that compresses the fluid in the accumulator. Pumps of this type may typically dispense between about 30 and 1000 μL of product per dose. The removal of the conventional button actuator at the top of the pump, allows the aesthetic intent of the design of the package to be carried all the way to the top of the package. It also, enables the top of the pump to serve as a customizable product applicator.
US08517221B2
A trigger sprayer having six parts: (i) a dip tube, (ii) a valve, (iii) a flexible pump diaphragm having a circumferential valve lip, (iv) a shroud having a trigger, an element which engages the diaphragm, and front and rear mating elements, (v) a body having a closure for a container, an inlet coupled to the dip tube, a valve seat for the valve, an element which engages the valve lip, a discharge barrel having a proximal opening into which the valve lip seats, a vent chamber, a vent barrel coupled to the vent chamber, a rear mating structure coupling to the rear mating element of the shroud so that the shroud can pivot, and a forward mating element, and (vi) a combination nozzle and door assembly with a nozzle which couples to the fluid discharge barrel of the molded body, and has a trigger locking element.
US08517217B2
An aerosol can has a dispensing valve at one end and discharge device at another end that allows the pressurized can to be safely depressurized. The discharge device has two elements that collectively fit into a wall of the aerosol can. The second element has a through passage within itself and is threadingly connected to the first element. The first element can be rotated such that the second element can move toward the interior of the aerosol can, which in turn opens the through passage to allow pressurized air to exit the can safely.
US08517211B2
A ventilation apparatus for a cooler combination. The ventilation apparatus has a first cooler engageable portion and a second cooler engageable portion. Each portion is configured to interoperate with either a first cooler location or a second cooler location. A body section connects the first and second cooler engageable portions together. The cooler has four perimeter walls and a lid. The ventilation apparatus is positioned at the first cooler location and second cooler locations which are located on the lid and the perimeter walls. The apparatus maintains a ventilation space between the lid and the cooler perimeter walls promoting ventilation of the interior space of the cooler.
US08517205B2
A pressure vessel including a container and a lid for placing thereon. By twisting the lid and container relative to each another, the container and lid can be detachably locked together by a peripheral locking segments configured along the lines of a bayonet fastening. A circumferential sealing ring is in the region of the lid edge and the container edge for sealing the interior of the container against a drop in pressure when said container and lid are in the locked position. The pressure vessel including an auxiliary device or aid for correct positioning of the lid on the container. The positioning aid comprising a downward-projecting positioning element in the region of the lid edge which, when the lid is correctly positioned on top of the container, can be inserted into a recess which is open towards the top and in the region of the container edge.
US08517200B1
A decorative radiator cap cover retention system provides for removable attachment of a radiator cap cover to a radiator cap using a retaining ring inside the radiator cap cover to removably attach the cap cover to the radiator cap. The inside of the radiator cap cover may have indentions conforming to the shape of the radiator cap and a groove for the retaining ring. Preferably, the number and shape of the intentions is sufficient to match the shape of many radiator caps.
US08517188B2
A tool hanger assembly has a frame and a hanger. The frame has a back plate and a bracket. The bracket is mounted securely on the back plate and has a track formed in a top of the bracket. The hanger is mounted securely on the frame and has a base plate and multiple pillars. The base plate is inserted securely in the track. The pillars are securely mounted on the base plate at intervals to allow sleeves to be mounted around. Accordingly, to assemble the hanger having the multiple pillars with the frame is quick, reduces assembling cost and is convenient.
US08517186B1
A cable rack arm and support system suitable for underground power and communication service is made from reinforced non-metallic polymers that will not rust or corrode. A cable rack arm up to thirty inches long may be compression molded with long glass fibers in a polyester or vinylester matrix. Each cable rack arm is securely mounted to a non-metallic stanchion that may be made from a reinforced, pultruded composite material. Nonmetallic pins may be used to secure the cable rack arms to the stanchions. Each cable rack arm then supports one or more cables in cable saddles that are snap-fit atop the arm, thus keeping the cables accessibly organized in a manhole, tunnel or vault. Each saddle may include elastomeric dampening material to reduce shock and vibration in the mechanical and electrical environment in underground tunnels, vaults and manholes.
US08517182B2
A reflux backwashing mechanism for automatic fluid filtration, includes a hollow shaft sleeve (12) is located inside of the fluid inversion chamber (2); a blade (11) and a baffle plate (10) are connected with the hollow shaft sleeve (12) which is provided with an opening (9) at a position of the lower part of the baffle plate (10); a hollow core shaft (13) with an upward opening is located inside of the hollow shaft sleeve (12); and the shaft wall of the hollow core shaft (13) is distributed with through holes (14); and the hollow core shaft (13) is installed on an upper baffle plate (4).
US08517175B2
A package including a container that has a layer having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The layer forms an interior space, and the container has a first window only on a portion of a first side of the exterior surface. The container has in the interior space a plurality of absorbent articles that are the same type. Each absorbent article has a thickness and substantially the same absorbent capacity, and each absorbent article is individually wrapped in a wrapper. The exterior surface of the container has a first signal color corresponding to the absorbent capacity, and each of the wrappers have a second signal color corresponding to the absorbent capacity, the second signal color being a same hue but a different intensity than the first signal color. In addition, at least a portion of the thickness of at least one of the absorbent articles can be viewed through the window.
US08517173B2
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a case for holding a hand tool at a point of sale is provided. The hand tool has a working end and a handle. The handle projects from the case to form a handle for the case and the case engages the hand tool such that the hand tool is prevented from being removed from the case while simultaneously, the handle can be rotated with respect to the case to test a function of the hand tool. Before the case and the hand tool is purchased the hand tool is prevented from being removed from the case; however, the handle can be rotated with respect to the case when the case is in a closed position. After the hand tool is purchased the customer can break a seal and the case may be opened, thereby allowing the tool to be removed from the case when the case is in an open position.
US08517168B2
A spring for a vibratory conveyor is described and which includes an elongated substantially planar main body which is mounted on a vibratory conveyor for moving a source of product, and which has a longitudinal axis, and a predetermined spring constant, and wherein the elongated main body can repeatedly flex and twist about the longitudinal axis without substantially degrading the spring constant of the elongated main body.
US08517162B2
An electronic lock is provided for removably securing a movable item to a structure, the electronic lock comprising first and second complementary cooperating member, each mounted to a respective one of the movable item and the structure and being engageable together in a lockable position and a securing assembly for securing the first and second connecting member together when engaged in the lockable position, wherein the securing assembly comprises inter alia a position detecting means, an electronic control means, an actuator, a locking aperture and a movable locking member.
US08517160B2
A method and apparatus for controlling note throughput in real time through a currency processing machine. The invention involves the use of asynchronous components, such as independently driven feeder, transport, and final disposition components, to vary individual note velocity and horizontal distance between notes as they are being processed. The adjustments are made in real time based on detected note quality characteristics and event characteristics of the inputting source of the notes.
US08517158B2
A combination is provided of an agricultural implement and vehicle. The implement includes components that can be driven that are connected to a power take-off shaft of the vehicle, the components being covered by at least one manually opened cover. A sensor is also provided to detect the open status of the cover, that is coupled to an electronic control unit of the implement. The electronic control unit, is connected with an electronic control unit of the vehicle. The electronic control unit of the implement instructs the electronic control unit of the vehicle in case of an opening of the cover detected by the sensor and advises an actuator to disengage a clutch of the power take-off shaft and/or to prevent the actuator from engaging the clutch.
US08517147B2
This invention provides a lubricating system for a gear train including: a lubricating oil supply port configured to supply a lubricating oil in a direction vertical to both axes of a pair of gears and toward a mesh point at which the pair of gears are meshed with each other; a shroud configured to cover at least teeth of the pair of gears so as to form a flow passage of the lubricating oil between the pair of gears and the shroud; and a pair of discharge ports respectively configured to discharge the lubricating oil from the flow passage. The pair of discharge ports are respectively positioned at two portions of the shroud respectively opposed to the mesh point across respective axes of the pair of gears.
US08517141B2
Disclosed is a reducer of an electric power steering apparatus. The disclosed reducer includes: a worm shaft bearing coupled with an end of the worm shaft's motor shaft coupling portion in such a manner that a ball coupled between an inner wheel and an outer wheel supports rotation of the worm shaft; and a first damper and a second damper which are tightly fitted in one side and the other side of the worm shaft bearing, respectively, while being insertedly-coupled with the worm shaft, so as to support the worm shaft and absorb a rattle noise transferred via the worm shaft, wherein each of the first damper and the second damper is provided with supporting plates at both sides thereof, and between the supporting plates, a damper made of an elastic material is coupled and formed. The reducer of the electric power steering apparatus reduces a rattle noise which occurs by an increase in backlash caused by abrasion of the worm and the worm wheel, or occurs by an impact transferred from a road via a wheel and the steering shaft, thereby providing a pleasant driving condition to the driver.
US08517138B2
A hydraulic motor unit according to the present invention includes an electric motor having an electric motor main body that is electrically controlled, an electric motor case that accommodates the electric motor main body and an electric motor main body output shaft that is rotated around an axis line thereof by the electric motor main body, the electric motor case being detachably mounted to the motor housing, wherein mounting of the electric motor to the motor housing causes the electric motor main body output shaft to be operatively connected to the first end of the control shaft so that the control shaft is rotated around the axis line in accordance with rotation of the electric motor main body output shaft.
US08517133B2
A powersplit transmission having a compact configuration that readily can be incorporated in a vehicle, particularly within the vehicle frame, includes (a) a mechanical transmission having a rotatable input shaft, a rotatable output shaft, and multiple gears for mechanically transmitting power between the input shaft and the output shaft; and (b) a hydraulic transmission containing a fluid for transmitting power between the input shaft and the output shaft. The mechanical transmission has a housing from which the input shaft and the output shaft extend. The hydraulic transmission includes first and second hydraulic units, each of which can function as a pump or a motor. The first hydraulic unit is coupled to the mechanical transmission system and the second hydraulic unit is coupled to the output shaft. The first and second hydraulic units are offset to the same side of the input shaft and the output shaft.
US08517128B2
A motor vehicle includes two drive assemblies in the form of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. For operating the motor vehicle at low speeds, preferably in an inner-city area, a fuel cell having comparatively small dimensions provides electric energy that is supplied to the electric motor directly and/or via an electric accumulator. In this way, the motor vehicle can be moved without emissions during the operation of the fuel cell with hydrogen. For operating outside of city areas, the internal combustion engine having an accordingly higher output is available. The fuel cell is arranged in the engine compartment of the motor vehicle together with the internal combustion engine.
US08517124B2
A drill bit is disclosed, comprising: a drill bit head having a cutting face with one or more fixed cutting elements; a flow passage extending from the center towards the gage of the bit which has been designed to increase the velocity across the cutting elements.
US08517120B2
A perforation tool e.g. for perforation of a formation, a well or the like downhole by detonation of a charge. The perforation tool has at least one charge and at least one switch for detonation of the charge. The switch has a housing, at least one contact, a shaft having a first end with a fastening member enabling a slidable fastening of the shaft in a predetermined position in relation to the tool and a second end for extending into the housing, and a conductor provided on the shaft enabling an electrical current to be conducted between the contact and the for detonation of a charge when the shaft extends within the housing.
US08517115B2
A downhole setting tool is provided. The tool comprises a tool housing and a hollow mandrel, the mandrel being situated in the housing. The tool further comprises a piston situated between the mandrel and the tool housing and a collar situated between the mandrel and the tool housing, wherein the tool housing, the mandrel, the piston and the collar define an annulus. The tool further comprises a first valve, wherein in a closed position the first valve blocks a path of fluid communication between the interior of the mandrel and the annulus.
US08517114B2
Parts that need to be retained against relative movement are held with at least one collet that is captured in a groove with sleeve that acts as a piston. The piston is exposed to tubing pressure on opposed ends to be in pressure balance despite variations of pressure in the tubing. When it is desired to allow relative part movement to actuate the tool, one of the ports to the piston is isolated from the other and pressure drives the piston in a downhole direction. This releases the collet and drives a sleeve in an opposite direction to actuate a tool. The parts can be optionally rotationally locked.
US08517108B2
A vortex-controlled variable flow resistance device ideal for use in a backpressure tool for advancing drill string in extended reach downhole operations. The characteristics of the pressure waves generated by the device are controlled by the growth and decay of vortices in the vortex chamber(s) of a flow path. The flow path includes a switch, such as a bi-stable fluidic switch, for reversing the direction of the flow in the vortex chamber. The flow path may include multiple vortex chambers, and the device may include multiple flow paths. A hardened insert in the outlet of the vortex chamber resists erosion. This device generates backpressures of short duration and slower frequencies approaching the resonant frequency of the drill string, which maximizes axial motion in the drill sting and weight on the bit. Additionally, fluid pulses produced by the tool enhance debris removal ahead of the bit.
US08517099B2
A tubular member having at least one drainage section (1) including a first plurality of self-adjustable valves or flow control devices (2) to control the flow of fluid into the drainage section from a well formed in a subterranean reservoir, each of the valves (2) comprising an inlet or aperture (10), thereby forming a flow path (11) through the control device (2) passing by a movable disc or body (9) designed to move freely relative to the opening of the inlet and thereby reduce or increase the flow-through area (A2) by exploiting the Bernoulli effect and any stagnation pressure created over the disc (9), whereby the valve (2), depending on the composition of the fluid and its properties, autonomously adjusts the flow of the fluid based on a pre-estimated flow design. To allow injection of fluid into the subterranean reservoir, the drainage section (1) is provided with a second plurality of such self-adjustable valves (32), each being situated in a direction opposite of the first plurality.
US08517098B2
A method, system and apparatus associated with the production of hydrocarbons are described. The method includes disposing a plurality of sand control devices having a primary flow path and a secondary flowpath within a wellbore adjacent to a subsurface reservoir. A packer having primary and secondary flow paths is then coupled between two of the sand control devices such that the primary and secondary flow paths of the packer are in fluid flow communication with the primary and secondary flowpaths of the sand control devices. The packer is then set within an interval, which may be an open-hole section of the wellbore. With the packer set, gravel packing of the sand control devices in different intervals may be performed. The interval above the packer may be packed before the interval below the packer. A treatment fluid may then be injected into the wellbore via the secondary flow paths of the packer and sand control devices. Then, hydrocarbons are produced from the wellbore by passing hydrocarbons through the sand control devices with the different intervals providing zonal isolation.
US08517096B2
An apparatus for use in a wellbore, made of a casing and an annulus with a fluid within, comprises a reel or wound optic fiber line fixed to an object within the casing, and a light transmitter/receiver device that is able to generate a signal through the optic fiber line and to measure a change of said signal. The optic fiber line is (a) on a first position fixed to a reference point linked to the light transmitter/receiver device, and is (b) on a second position unwound from the reel. The light transmitter/receiver device is able to measure the change of said signal when occurring at the second position, and the apparatus has a system able to measure the flow rate of the fluid exiting the annulus at the surface.
US08517091B2
A method for creating a drainage network in a subsurface rock formation includes drilling a first plurality of wellbores extending laterally in a first direction. Each wellbore includes a main portion and an extension portion extending therefrom. A second plurality of wellbores is drilled laterally in a second direction substantially opposed to the first direction. Each of the second plurality of wellbores includes a main portion and an extension portion extending therefrom. The extension portions of the first plurality of wellbores are disposed adjacent main portions of the second plurality of wellbores. The extension portions of the second plurality of wellbores are disposed adjacent main portions of the first plurality of wellbores. Each main portion is hydraulically isolated from each associated extension portion. Each main portion of each of the first and second plurality of wellbores is stimulated.
US08517087B2
An HVAC system for heating and cooling a passenger compartment of a vehicle includes a first heat exchanger that transfers heat between a primary loop and a secondary loop. The primary loop is a reversible loop and uses high pressure refrigerant. A compressor pressurizes the refrigerant. A second heat exchanger selectively transfers heat energy to and from the passenger compartment. The secondary loop is a low pressure liquid coolant loop that passes through the first heat exchanger. A pump moves fluid through the secondary loop. A third heat exchanger transfers heat to and from an external medium from the fluid passing through the secondary loop. A secondary heat source adds heat to the secondary loop during a heating mode. A bypass means selectively bypasses the secondary heat source during a cooling mode.
US08517082B2
To provide a method for producing fine particles, including: forming on a surface of a base material a concavo-convex pattern made by arranging a plurality of convex portions on the surface; forming fine particles made of a fine particle material on at least part of the concavo-convex pattern; and releasing the formed fine particles from the concavo-convex pattern.
US08517081B2
A transmission assembly for a roller blind has a mounting frame, a roller, a coil spring, a spring axle, a turning element, a torsional spring, a major damper, a positioning device and a blind cloth device. The roller is mounted in the mounting frame. The coil spring is mounted in the roller. The spring axle is mounted in the coil spring. The turning element is connected to the spring axle. The torsional spring is mounted in the turning element. The major damper is connected to the coil spring and has a turning rod. The positioning device is mounted in the roller and has a rotating mount, a rail mount and a positioning ball. The rail mount is mounted in the rotating mount and has two rails. The positioning ball is mounted between the rotating mount and the rails. The blind cloth device is mounted the mounting frame.
US08517078B1
An ultrasonic welding assembly having an ultrasonic horn and an anvil having first, second, and third plate portions is provided. The third plate portion is coupled between the first and second plate portions. The first plate portion has a first knurled region on a first side disposed proximate to the ultrasonic horn, and the second plate portion has a second knurled region on the first side. The third plate portion has a first aperture extending therethrough. The assembly further includes a bracket that receives the second side of the anvil for holding the anvil thereon. The bracket has a second aperture extending therethrough that aligns with the first aperture, such that a coupling member extending through the first and second apertures removably couples the anvil to the bracket.
US08517073B2
An apparatus, system and method for joining a first length of suture with a second length of suture are provided. The apparatus includes a substantially cylindrical body have a first end and a second end, a first cavity formed in the first end for receiving an end of the first length of suture, and a second cavity formed in the second end for receiving an end of the second length of suture, wherein the ends of the first and second lengths of sutures are welded within respective first and second cavities. The first and second lengths of suture may include the same or different diameters. The first and second cavities may be separated by a divider, or instead, may be continuous. The end of the first length of suture may abut the end of the second length of suture within the cylindrical body.
US08517071B2
A pneumatic tire wherein a distance t from an equatorial plane of a tire to outer circumferential main grooves and a distance b from the equatorial plane of the tire to an edge of a belt edge cushion in the width direction of the tire satisfy 0.85≦t/b≦0.90, in a cross-section in a meridian direction of the tire. Moreover, a distance d, which is half the width of a belt ply having the largest width, and a distance u from the equatorial plane of the tire to narrow grooves, satisfy 0.97≦d/u≦1.03. Furthermore, a distance a, which is half the width of a belt ply in the outermost layer, and a distance t, of outer circumferential main grooves, satisfy 1.15≦a/t≦1.25.
US08517069B2
Provided is a pneumatic tire having snow performances which are capable of being enhanced without sacrificing its running performance on dry road surfaces. A pneumatic tire of the invention includes two first main grooves, a plurality lateral grooves and a plurality of sipes in a tread part. In the pneumatic tire, a groove wall surface, of each first main groove, closer to a tire equatorial line is formed so as to cyclically repeat, in the tire circumferential direction, a change in an inclination angle of the groove wall surface to a direction normal to a tread, the change being a gradual increase from a minimum value of 0° to 15° to a maximum value of 15° to 45°. In places where the inclination angel of the groove wall surface, of the first main groove, closer to the tire equatorial line, is at its maximum, no lateral grooves communicate with the first main groove, and in the places, the other groove wall surface, of the first main groove, closer to a corresponding contact end extends uninterruptedly.
US08517061B2
A collar for a dispensing connector and a fitment assembly are disclosed. The connector collar engages a valved fitment for a container for holding and dispensing fluid. The fitment includes a spout connected to the container and a sliding internal valve body and an external valve body securely positioned within the spout. The connector collar has a fitment end mateable with the fitment so as to compress the top edge of the external valve body so as to form a seal between the external valve body and the dispensing connector.
US08517051B2
A flow control valve includes a body portion including a first end, a second end and an axially extending passageway. A metering valve is included that is axially moveable under the influence of fluid pressure from a rest position to a flow restricting position. In the flow restricting position, the metering valve can restrict the flow of fluid through the axially extending passageway. The metering valve includes an upstream portion and a downstream portion. The upstream portion has a flattened top spherical shape. A biasing device is provided that normally biases the metering valve in the rest position, and for provides resistance to movement of the metering valve to the flow restricting position.
US08517050B2
A pressure regulating device that regulates a pressure of a fuel, including a housing that includes a fuel introduction passage into which the fuel to be supplied into a fuel consuming unit is introduced and a fuel discharge passage from which the fuel is discharged, wherein the fuel discharge passage includes a plurality of discharge passage portions; a pressure regulating provided so as to partition the housing, and that communicates the fuel introduction passage with the fuel discharge passage and cuts off the fuel introduction passage from the fuel discharge passage, according to a pressure of the fuel in the housing; an impelling mechanism that impels the pressure regulating member in a direction of cutting off the fuel introduction passage from the fuel discharge passage; and a discharge restricting mechanism, provided in the fuel discharge passage, that selectively restricts discharge of the fuel from the discharge passage portions.
US08517042B2
A rupture disk is provided for relieving pressure between the interior and exterior of a battery box, the box having an outlet opening. The apparatus includes a first layer that provides a gasket which abuts the battery box, the gasket having a central opening which aligns with the battery box opening. A second layer is in the form of a reverse buckling disk having a disk flange, a domed portion and a weakened portion on the dome that defines a disk burst pressure, the second layer having concave and convex sides. A third layer is an outlet ring that sandwiches the second layer in between the first and the third layers, the outlet ring having a central opening surrounded by an edge. A plurality of teeth on the third layer extend from said edge inwardly a distance. A plurality of tabs are provided on the first and third layers.
