| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09448770B2 |
Source code editor
Disclosed herein are technologies for facilitating source code editing. In accordance with one aspect, a request for an editing feature is received in response to an editing operation associated with a library. In response to the request, metadata may be extracted from the source code file of the library and used to present the editing feature. |
| US09448769B1 |
Employing code overlays to facilitate software development
In one embodiment, a method for editing and testing computer programming code is provided. The method includes receiving a first file comprising computer programming code, and a first code overlay comprising one or more modifications to be applied to the computer programming code of the first file. The method further includes determining a first location within the computer programming code of the first file, at which to apply the first code overlay. The method further includes generating a second file comprising uncompiled composite computer programming code, the uncompiled composite computer programming code comprising the computer programming code of the first file modified by the one or more modifications applied at the first location. The method further includes testing the uncompiled composite computer programming code of the second file. |
| US09448768B2 |
Modular multiplier and modular multiplication method thereof
A modular multiplier and a modular multiplication method are provided. The modular multiplier includes: a first register which stores a previous accumulation value calculated at a previous cycle; a second register which stores a previous quotient calculated at the previous cycle; a quotient generator which generates a quotient using the stored previous accumulation value output from the first register; and an accumulator which receives an operand, a bit value of a multiplier, the stored previous accumulation value, and the stored previous quotient to calculate an accumulation value in a current cycle, wherein the calculated accumulation value is updated to the first register, and the generated quotient is updated to the second register. |
| US09448767B2 |
Three-term predictive adder and/or subtracter
A predictive adder produces the result of incrementing and/or decrementing a sum of A and B by a one-bit constant of the form of the form 2k, where k is a bit position at which the sum is to be incremented or decremented. The predictive adder predicts the ripple portion of bits in the potential sum of the first operand A and the second operand B that would be toggled by incrementing or decrementing the sum A+B by the one-bit constant to generate and indication of the ripple portion of bits in the potential sum. The predictive adder uses the indication of the ripple portion of bits in the potential sum and the carry output generated by evaluating A+B to produce the results of at least one of A+B+2k and A+B−2k. |
| US09448765B2 |
Floating point scaling processors, methods, systems, and instructions
A method of an aspect includes receiving a floating point scaling instruction. The floating point scaling instruction indicates a first source including one or more floating point data elements, a second source including one or more corresponding floating point data elements, and a destination. A result is stored in the destination in response to the floating point scaling instruction. The result includes one or more corresponding result floating point data elements each including a corresponding floating point data element of the second source multiplied by a base of the one or more floating point data elements of the first source raised to a power of an integer representative of the corresponding floating point data element of the first source. Other methods, apparatus, systems, and instructions are disclosed. |
| US09448763B1 |
Accessibility management system for media content items
A system operates to manage accessibility of media content items based on a user's performance of a repetitive motion activity. The system can generate rule data based on a rule designed to permit access to certain media content items. The rule data can include information about various conditions to be satisfied to make the media content items accessible for playback. Such conditions can be associated with a user's performance or status of a repetitive motion activity. |
| US09448760B2 |
Method and system for identifying drawing primitives for selective transmission to a remote display
Remote desktop servers include a display encoder that maintains a secondary framebuffer that contains display data to be encoded and transmitted to a remote client display and a list of display primitives effectuating updated display data in the secondary framebuffer. The display encoder submits requests to receive the list of drawing primitives to a video adapter driver that receives and tracks drawing primitives that, when executed, update a primary framebuffer. |
| US09448756B2 |
Managing obstructed views of multiple display surfaces
Embodiments of systems and methods for managing multiple overlapping electronic displays are disclosed, including the electronic displays of electronic paper, electronic books, computer monitors, and other electronic display devices. In one embodiment, a method includes sensing an overlap area of a first display and a second display relative to a specified view location, determining a nearest unobstructed display to the specified view location, and displaying within the overlap area of the nearest unobstructed display a highest priority information from among first and second information. |
| US09448751B2 |
Print control device, image forming apparatus, and non-transitory computer readable medium
A print control device includes an output unit, an adding unit, and a transmitting unit. The output unit outputs generated print data to a printing mechanism. The generated print data is generated as a result of unit print data, which includes page data of at least one page, being copied; and includes pieces of the unit print data. The adding unit adds blank page data between one piece of unit print data and another piece of unit print data to be printed next in line to the one piece of unit print data. The transmitting unit transmits, to the printing mechanism, information for causing an additional image to be formed on a medium when an image based on the page data is printed on the medium, and information for causing the additional image not to be formed on a blank page formed based on the added blank page data. |
| US09448745B2 |
Configurable read-modify-write engine and method for operating the same in a solid state drive
A method of writing host data to a storage device including a central processing unit (CPU), a self-organized fast release buffer (FRB), and a non-volatile memory, the storage device being in communication with a host, the method including receiving a command from the CPU to write the host data to a location in the non-volatile memory, the host data being associated with a first plurality of codewords (CWs), allocating space in a buffer memory of the FRB for storage of the first CWs, storing the first CWs into the allocated space in the buffer memory, extracting data from the stored first CWs, organizing the extracted data and the host data into a second plurality of CWs, transferring a second CWs to a physical addresses in the non-volatile memory, and sending the plurality of physical addresses to the CPU to update a logical-to-physical table. |
| US09448744B2 |
Mapping locations of logical volume records on a physical stacked volume
A system, method and computer program product for accessing host data records stored in a virtual tape storage (VTS) system. The computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith. The computer readable program code includes computer readable program code configured to receive a mount request to access at least one host data record in a VTS system; computer readable program code configured to determine a starting logical block ID (SLBID) corresponding to the at least one requested host data record; computer readable program code configured to determine a physical block ID (PBID) that corresponds to the SLBID; computer readable program code configured to access a physical block on a magnetic tape medium corresponding to the PBID; and computer readable program code configured to output at least the physical block without outputting an entire logical volume that the physical block is stored to. |
| US09448736B2 |
Electronic storage module, method for assigning contacts of an electronic storage module, method for implementing an assignment
Provided are an electronic storage module, a method for assigning contacts of an electronic storage module and a method for implementing an assignment. Exemplary modules include chip cards such as SIM cards (Subscriber Identification Modules), in particular but not limited to cards that use six contacts. The electronic storage module has a plurality of contacts, including at least one reset contact and at least one first set of contacts forming a first communication interface between the electronic storage module and an electronic device including the electronic storage module. The set of contacts constitutes at least one second communication interface. The reset contact makes it possible to indicate which one of the first or second communication interfaces the first set of contacts uses at a given time. |
| US09448734B1 |
Storage system having cross node data redundancy and method and computer readable medium for same
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide for multi-dimensional disk arrays and methods for managing same and can be used in video surveillance systems for the management of real-time video data, image data, or combinations thereof. |
| US09448732B1 |
Power saving mechanisms for a dynamic mirror service policy
Described is storage system and method for reducing power consumption. The storage system has first and second physical disks configured to provide mirroring. The first physical disk is placed into a power-saving mode of operation, while the second physical disk is in an active mode of operation responding to read and write requests. The first physical disk transitions from the power-saving mode of operation to an active mode of operation for destaging writes pending from cache to the first physical disk, while the second physical disk responds to read and write requests. The second physical disk transitions from the active mode of operation to the power-saving mode of operation, while the first physical disk responds to read and write requests. |
| US09448728B2 |
Consistent unmapping of application data in presence of concurrent, unquiesced writers and readers
Free storage blocks previously allocated to a logical block device are released back to an underlying storage system supporting the logical block device in a manner that does not conflict with write operations that may be issued to the free storage blocks at about the same time. According to a first technique, write operations on the same storage blocks to be released are paused until the underlying storage system has completed the releasing operation or, if the write operations are issued earlier than when the underlying storage system actually performs the releasing operation, such storage blocks are not released. According to a second technique, a special file is allocated the free storage blocks, which are then made available for safe releasing. |
| US09448726B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing process guidance
A context-sensitive process guidance system provides process guidance based on context data from a system used in performing the process. The system may be a work item tracking system or similar project management tool. Process guidance may provide information to a user performing actions related to a process. Context data may be derived from various sources, including the state of an application at the time of the request for process guidance, the user making the request and the role assigned to that user in the process, or the data displayed for the user who made the request. The context-sensitive process guidance system may display context-sensitive process guidance content and provide links to related process guidance content based on the context data. |
| US09448724B2 |
Dynamically customizable touch screen keyboard for adapting to user physiology
A touch screen keyboard is dynamically customizable to modify the active regions of one or more keys in the keyboard to adapt the keyboard to a user's unique physiology. The active regions may be modified in response to monitoring user input directed to the keys in the keyboard so that the keyboard automatically adapts to the user's physiology. In addition, while the locations and/or sizes of the active regions may be modified to adapt to a user's physiology, in some instances the shapes of the active regions may also be distorted such that the resulting active regions are irregular in nature. |
| US09448723B2 |
Method and apparatus for intuitive navigation of a media program
A jog control for navigating a media program having a plurality of frames and a method for using the navigation control is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the control comprises a radial control at one of a plurality of user-selectable radial distances from a center of the jog control, the radial distance indicative of a jog control scale factor, wherein selection of the radial control selects and fixes the jog control scale factor until the control area is unselected, and wherein rotation of the selected radial control about a center of the jog control commands navigation through the plurality of media program frames at a rate determined by the selected jog control scale factor and an angular rate of the selected radial control about the center of the jog control. |
| US09448718B2 |
Method, system, and computer-readable medium for presenting user interface for comparison of marketplace listings
After marketplace listings are returned via a search, an indication of two or more of the marketplace results to pin and compare is received. A travel cost for any pinned local marketplace result to compare is calculated by determining a travel distance between the electronic device and the location in the pinned local marketplace result to compare and estimating a cost associated with traveling the travel distance. A true purchase price is calculated for each pinned local marketplace result to compare by adding the price for the product, the sales tax, and the travel cost. A true purchase price for each pinned online marketplace result to compare by adding the price for the product, the sales tax, and the shipping cost, these true purchase prices are then displayed side-by-side in the user interface. |
| US09448716B2 |
Process and system for management of a graphical interface for the display of application software graphical components
A process for the management of a graphical user interface (10) includes application software graphical components (26, 40, 40′), such as windows that display computer applications, displaying the data of an associated application software function. The process includes the stages of: tracing (E102), on the interface, a graphical shape (31, 31′) in such a way as to create a graphical component (30, 30′), combining (E128) an application software function with the graphical component that was created for assigning the graphical component to the display of the application software function, and determining (E110) a direction (S) of the graphical component that is created in such a way as to display data of the associated application software function according to the determined direction. |
| US09448715B2 |
Grouping of related graphical interface panels for interaction with a computing device
A stage-based user interface for a mobile device may include a sequence of panels that each include a cluster or grouping of items, such as graphical links, application shortcuts, representations of documents, or representations of other data associated with the mobile device. The panels in the sequence of panels may be grouped so that panels that are related or that include similar items may be placed next to one another in the sequence of panels. In one implementation, the device may particularly display a graphical window that presents a panel selected from a sequence of panels, the panels in the sequence of panels each associated with a group of items and the sequence of panels having an order determined at least partially by the groups of items associated with the panels. |
| US09448714B2 |
Touch and non touch based interaction of a user with a device
The invention relates to method for providing an input to a device characterized in that the input is based on a combination of at least one touch based interaction and at least one non-touch based interaction with the device, wherein the one type of input influences the action instructed to the device in response to the other type of input. The invention also relates to a corresponding device. To further improve the interaction between a user and a device, feedback providing means can be provided. |
| US09448704B1 |
Navigating digital content using visual characteristics of the digital content
One or more embodiments of a digital content system allow a user to conveniently search and/or navigate through a collection of digital content items. In particular, a user can interact with a client device to search for and identify one or more digital content items within a collection of digital content items. For example, the digital content system may provide a photo from a collection of photos via a graphical user interface. The digital content system can receive a user input identifying a selection of one or more visual features within the photo. Based on the selected visual feature(s), the digital content system may identify photos from the collection of photos that include the identified visual feature(s) and provide access to the identified photos via the graphical user interface. |
| US09448703B2 |
Information processing device, method, and storage medium for excluding a region selection in a form
An information processing device includes a first region extracting unit that extracts a first region from a background image, the first region which should not be hidden in the background image; a second region extracting unit that extracts a second region from a form to be composed with the background image, a position of the second region being fixed in the form; and a controller that, when a form is selected and when a background image and a form are composed, if the composite meets a condition relating to overlap of the first region in the background image and the second region in the form, provides control so that a form including the second region is not allowed to be selected. |
| US09448701B2 |
Customization of GUI layout based on history of use
A hand-held electronic device, method of operation and computer readable medium are disclosed. The device may include a processor is operably coupled to a visual display and touch screen. Instructions executable by the processor may be configured to a) present an image on the visual display containing one or more active elements; b) correlate one or more active portions of the touch interface to one or more corresponding active elements in the image on the visual display; and c) adjust a layout of content shown on the display according to a probability of one or more actions that may be taken with the one or more active elements. |
| US09448700B2 |
Sharing services
Apparatuses and methods relating to content sharing are described. In one embodiment, a match between content type and one or more content services determine what content sharing services are displayed. In one embodiment, content sharing is accessible to all applications in an operating system. |
| US09448699B2 |
Techniques for use with a calendar and messaging component
Techniques are provided for displaying electronic calendar information. A calendar entry corresponding to a date is selected. In response to selecting the calendar entry, the calendar entry is expanded by increasing a portion of a display area associated with the calendar entry. Other calendar entries are compressed by decreasing a portion of the display area associated with the other calendar entries. |
| US09448698B2 |
Free-form entries during payment processes
Various methods and systems are provided that allow a user to perform a free-form action, such as making a mark on a device, speaking into a device, and/or moving the device, to cause a step to be performed that conventionally was performed by the user having to locate and select a button or link on the device. |
| US09448696B1 |
System and method for media content collaboration throughout a media production process
A method for delivering media content in full motion video to users via a network in a collaborative media production process is disclosed. The method includes: receiving production digital media files at a server; preparing the production digital media files for downloading or streaming to a collaborative display interface, wherein the production digital media files include meta-data captured on a production set, including production time codes; downloading or streaming the production digital media files to a collaborative display interface via the network; and enabling viewing and collaborative interaction with the production digital media files by a user using the collaborative display interface, wherein the collaborative interaction includes interacting with other users during post-production by notating comments that include inserting a link to a specific digital media file and an actual media clip frame using a production time code. |
| US09448695B2 |
Selecting web page content based on user permission for collecting user-selected content
A method, system, and computer program product for selecting web page content based on user permission for collecting user-selected content within web pages (FIG. 4, 400) may comprise accessing web page data associated with a currently viewed web page (FIG. 4, 400), the web page data comprising a popular selection of content on the currently viewed web page (FIG. 4, 408) (505), with an electronic client device, presenting the popular selection of content of the currently viewed web page (FIG. 4, 400) to a user (535), and prompting the user to agree to the use of the user's selected content within a number of web pages in exchange for use of the popular selection of content on the web page (FIG. 4, 400). The web page content is selected, based on the user's response. |
| US09448692B1 |
Graphical user interface for displaying menu options
A system and a method are disclosed for displaying menu options. A menu icon is displayed on a touch-sensitive screen. In some embodiments, the menu icon is displayed with a feed from a social networking system. In response to detecting a contact with the menu icon, an animation of a plurality of sub-menu icons emanating from the menu icon is displayed. The sub-menu icons move along different predefined paths to different predefined positions. Each sub-menu icon is associated with an interface to post content to a social networking system. In response to detecting a contact with a sub-menu icon, the interface associated with the sub-menu icon is displayed. |
| US09448691B2 |
Device, method, and storage medium storing program
According to an aspect, a device includes a display and a controller. The display displays an icon corresponding to an application. The controller changes a display mode of the icon according to a use status of the application corresponding thereto. |
| US09448688B2 |
Visually indicating a replay status of media items on a media device
A device is provided for visually indicating a replay status of media items on a media device. Aspects of the device include displaying in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the media device a representation of a first media item; displaying a profile score of the first media item that is based on user preferences; and displaying a replay score for the first media item. |
| US09448685B1 |
Preemptive event notification for media experience
A notification manager receives a request for an application to execute an action. The notification manager determines whether an event is scheduled to occur during a time that the application is executing the action. If so, the notification manager presents a notification of the event prior to the application executing the action, so as not to interrupt the execution of the action when it comes time for the event to occur. |
| US09448679B2 |
Touch detection device, touch detection method and touch screen panel, using driving back phenomenon, and display device with built-in touch screen panel
Provided is a touch detection device, touch detection method, and touch screen panel, which detects a touch signal by detecting a driving back phenomenon occurring in a touch pad by a driving voltage applied to a driving capacitor, and a display device with a built-in touch screen panel. The touch detection device that is added on top of a display device and detects occurrence of a touch capacitance (Ct) by an approach of a bodily finger (25) or a touch input instrument such as a conductor similar to the bodily finger, the touch detection device comprising: a touch pad (10) that forms the touch capacitance (Ct) between the touch input instrument and the touch pad; a driving capacitor (Cdrv) whose one side is connected to the touch pad (10) and to the other side of which a driving voltage for detection of a touch input is applied; a common voltage detector that detects a common voltage generated from the display device; a driving voltage generator that generates the driving voltage in synchronization with the common voltage; and a touch detector that is connected to the touch pad (10), and that detects a touch signal by using a driving back phenomenon when the touch capacitance (Ct) is added to the driving capacitor (Cdrv) according to occurrence or non-occurrence of a touch in the touch input instrument. A touch signal is detected while avoiding a point in time of a change of a common voltage state, and a driving voltage is applied through a driving capacitor connected to a touch detector, to thus detect whether or not a driving back phenomenon occurs in the touch detector and to thereby acquire a touch signal. Accordingly, an influence due to parasitic capacitance generated by noise, coupling phenomenon or other factors is minimized, to thus acquire a touch signal stably. |
| US09448676B2 |
Touch display driving circuit, driving method and display device
The present invention provides a touch display driving circuit, a driving method and a display device. The touch display driving circuit comprises a data writing control unit, a storage unit, a touch sensing unit, a driving compensation control unit, a driving unit, a light-emitting control unit and a light-emitting unit. The data writing control unit is used for controlling a voltage signal of a data line, the storage unit is used for providing a voltage for the driving unit, the light-emitting, control unit is used for controlling the light-emitting unit, the driving unit is used for providing a touch detecting current and a driving current, the driving compensation control unit is used for compensating a voltage value of the storage unit, and the touch sensing unit is used for outputting the touch detecting current and changing the voltage value of the storage unit. |
| US09448675B2 |
Input sensing using a gate select line of a display device
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an input device including a display device having an integrated capacitive sensing device. The input device includes a plurality of select line blocks, a plurality of gate low voltage lines, a gate high voltage line coupled to at least one select line included in at least one of the select line blocks, a plurality of transmitter electrodes, and a processing system coupled to the plurality gate low voltage lines and the plurality of transmitter electrodes. Each select line block includes a plurality of select lines. Each gate low voltage line is coupled to a different select line block. The processing system is configured to drive the plurality of transmitter electrodes for capacitive sensing, receive resulting signals from the plurality of gate low voltage lines, and determine positional information based on the resulting signals. |
| US09448674B2 |
Making multi-layer micro-wire structure
A method of making a multi-layer micro-wire structure includes providing a substrate with a micro-wire layer having first and second areas. The micro-wire layer includes first and second micro-wire electrodes and first and second connection pads in the first and second areas, respectively. Each micro-wire electrode includes one or more electrically connected micro-wires and is electrically connected to a connection pad. The micro-wires are located in a common step. The first area is separated from the second area and the first area of the substrate and the second area of the micro-wire layer are located between the first micro-wires and the second area of the substrate so that a second layer edge extends at least partly beyond a first layer edge and one or more of the second connection pads is located between at least a portion of the first layer edge and the second layer edge. |
| US09448671B2 |
Touch screen panel and display device having the same
A touch screen panel includes: a substrate; an opaque peripheral pattern formed on one surface of a non active area of the substrate; an insulating member disposed on an active area of inside of the peripheral pattern so as to be positioned on a same layer as the peripheral pattern; conductive sensing cells formed on the insulating member; and peripheral wirings connected to the conductive sensing cells and formed on the peripheral pattern. |
| US09448666B2 |
Dark film lamination for a touch sensor
Different lamination methods may be used to create a touch sensor with a darkened side of metalized film facing the user. One lamination method includes laminating a metalized film to an optically clear adhesive (OCA) layer such that an edge of the metalized film including the termination pads remain un-adhered to the OCA layer. Flex-tails may be bonded to the termination pads at a later time by bending up the un-adhered edge. Anisotropic Conductive Film (ACF) may be placed on the termination pads prior to laminating the metalized films. Flex-tails may be placed onto an OCA layer in a location where the termination pads on the metalized film will be located when laminated to the OCA layer. A strip of ACF may be placed on the flex-tail pads. The flex-tails may be bonded to the termination pads of the metalized film prior to the metalized film being laminated. |
| US09448657B2 |
Display device
A drive circuit of an in cell type touch panel includes a thin film transistor that controls whether to pass a signal to drive a counter electrode when a finger touches and a thin film transistor that controls whether to pass a counter electrode voltage in display. The drive circuit raises a gate voltage applied to the thin film transistor when the drive signal is passed more than a gate voltage applied to the thin film transistor when the counter electrode voltage is passed. |
| US09448656B2 |
Capacitive in-cell touch panel and display device
Embodiments of the invention disclose a capacitive in-cell touch panel and a display device. The touch panel includes an array substrate and a counter substrate, the array substrate includes: pixels defined by gate lines and data lines and a common electrode corresponding to each pixel. All the common electrodes are divided into a plurality of first common electrode groups arranged in a row direction and a plurality of second common electrode groups arranged in a column direction; a plurality of metal wires disposed in a same metal layer, wherein all the metal wires are divided into a plurality of first metal wire groups arranged in the row direction and a plurality of second metal wire groups arranged in the column direction; the first metal wire groups in a direction of a same row are electrically connected to each other, and are electrically connected to first common electrode groups corresponding to them in position, respectively, so as to form a driving line; the second metal wire groups in a direction of a same column are electrically connected to each other, and are electrically connected to second common electrode groups corresponding to them in position, respectively, so as to form a sensing line. |
| US09448655B2 |
Touch sensor and methods of making same
The present disclosure relates to a touch sensor and touch sensitive display having a plurality of first and second conductive lines arranged substantially orthogonally with a sensing material to sense a change in capacitance between them. The first and second conductive lines and the sensing material defining an array of sensitive transistors. |
| US09448652B2 |
Method and terminal for activating application based on handwriting input
A method for controlling an application based on a handwriting input includes recognizing a handwriting input received on a touch panel of a terminal; determining a symbol corresponding to the handwriting input; selecting an application capable of being associated with the symbol; and associating the symbol with a function of the application. A terminal to control an application based on a handwriting input includes a determination unit to recognize a handwriting input received on a touch panel of the terminal, and to determine a symbol corresponding to the handwriting input; and a processor configured to select an application capable of being associated with the symbol, and to associate the symbol with a function of the application. |
| US09448651B2 |
Intelligent touchscreen keyboard with finger differentiation
Implementations of the present disclosure include actions of displaying a plurality of keys on a touchscreen of a computing device, receiving user input to the touchscreen, the user input including a contact with the touchscreen, in response to receiving the user input, determining spatial information associated with the contact and generating an image of the contact, determining an output based on the image and the spatial information, and executing the output. |
| US09448648B2 |
Method and system for ink data generation, ink data rendering, ink data manipulation and ink data communication
Methods and systems are provided for generating, rendering, manipulating (e.g., slicing), and communicating stroke objects that form ink data. In a method of generating a stroke object, pen event data indicative of pen down, pen movement, and pen up events are sequentially received to generate point objects that collectively form a stroke object. The point objects serve as control points for interpolating curve segments. Further, a start parameter indicative of a start point within a starting curve segment of the curve segments at which display of the stroke object starts, and an end parameter indicative of an end point within an ending curve segment of at which display of the stroke object ends, are generated for the stroke object. When rendering the stroke object, a system limits display of the stroke object to a range bound by the start and end parameters, as opposed to displaying the entire stroke object. |
| US09448647B2 |
Mobile device and method for operating the same
A mobile device configured to measure a touch pressure of a touch input made by a user to a touch screen display panel using a sound generated by the touch input, and a method of using the same, are disclosed. In one aspect, the mobile device includes a touch screen display panel configured to sense a touch input made by a user to the touch screen panel and output a coordinate value of the sensed touch input. The mobile device additionally includes a voice recognition device configured to sense a touch sound signal generated by the touch input. The mobile device further includes a touch pressure sensing unit configured to determine a touch pressure of the touch input based on the coordinate value and a sound level of the touch sound signal. |
| US09448643B2 |
Stylus sensitive device with stylus angle detection functionality
Techniques are disclosed for performing functions in electronic devices by changing the angle between a stylus and a stylus detection surface of an electronic device. The stylus and/or device can detect the stylus angle of inclination and any changes in stylus angle. Each uniquely identifiable angle change or combination of angle changes may be associated with a distinct device or stylus function. A greater angle change may result in an accelerated function or a different function entirely. The stylus angle gesture may perform functions on selected content or on one or more UI control features or icons on the device. In other cases, functions can be performed without reference to specific content or control features. The various functions assigned to stylus angle gestures may be performed on an application-specific level or a global device level. An animation can be displayed as the stylus gestures are executed. |
| US09448642B2 |
Systems and methods for rendering keyboard layouts for a touch screen display
Systems and methods are disclosed for rendering soft keyboard layouts for a touchscreen display that are based on the unique finger characteristics of different individual users by taking into account and accommodating unique hand characteristics of different individual users and/or different user preferences for positioning of the user's two hands on the touch screen. The disclosed systems and methods may be implemented in one example to render a custom soft keyboard layout for a user on a touch screen display having a touch display area that is larger than a standard keyboard layout. |
| US09448641B2 |
Gesture input apparatus
A gesture input apparatus that includes a command determination portion provided in a vehicle and determining a command according to a gesture of a first region in an upper limb of an operator who rides on the vehicle, a command output portion outputting the command determined by the command determination portion, a speed detection portion detecting a movement speed of a second region that is positioned nearer to a shoulder of the operator than the first region in the upper limb, and an output prohibition portion prohibiting an output of the command by the command output portion when the movement speed detected by the speed detection portion is equal to or more than a predetermined speed is provided. |
| US09448636B2 |
Identifying gestures using gesture data compressed by PCA, principal joint variable analysis, and compressed feature matrices
Systems and method described herein present techniques for identifying a gesture using gesture data compressed by principal joint variable analysis. A classifier of a gesture recognition system may receive a frame comprising a set of gesture data points identifying locations of body parts of a subject. The classifier may determining that a subset of the set of gesture data points is sufficient to recognize a first gesture. The subset may be stored into a database in reference to the first gesture. A recognizer may receive a new frame of new gesture data points identifying locations of body parts of a new subject. The recognizer may recognize that the gesture of the new subject corresponds to the first gesture responsive to comparing at least one new gesture data point from the new frame to at least one gesture data point of the subset. |
| US09448635B2 |
Rapid gesture re-engagement
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media are provided for use with a system configured to detect gestures. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a first user gesture meeting a first condition to enter a mode of operation. The method may further include exiting the mode of operation. The method may further include detecting a second user gesture meeting a second condition to reenter the mode of operation based on the detecting the first user gesture, wherein the second condition is less stringent than the first condition. |
| US09448633B2 |
Moving a display object within a display frame using a discrete gesture
A method, system, and computer program product for moving objects such as a display window about a display frame by combining classical mechanics of motion. A window nudging method commences by receiving a discrete user interface gesture from a human interface device such as a mouse click or a keystroke, and based the discrete user interface gesture, instantaneously accelerating the window object to an initial velocity. Once the window is in motion, then the method applies a first animation to animate the window object using realistic motion changes. Such realistic motion changes comprise a friction model that combines sliding friction with fluid friction to determine frame-by-frame changes in velocity. The friction model that combines sliding friction with fluid friction can be applied to any object in the display frame. Collisions between one object and another object or between one object and its environment are modeled using a critically-damped spring model. |
| US09448631B2 |
Input device haptics and pressure sensing
Input device haptics and pressure sensing techniques are described. An input device includes an outer surface, a pressure sensor and haptic feedback mechanism, and a pressure sensing and haptic feedback module. The outer surface is configured to receive an application of pressure by an object. The pressure sensor and haptic feedback mechanism has one or more piezos configured to detect and quantify an amount of the application of the pressure to the outer surface by the object, the one or more piezos configured to output a signal indicating the quantified amount of the pressure. The pressure sensing and haptic feedback module is configured to receive the signal from the one or more piezos indicating the quantified amount of the pressure and control the haptic feedback of the pressure sensor and haptic feedback mechanism. |
| US09448627B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling vibration transfer between vibration devices
Provided is an apparatus and method for controlling a vibration transfer between vibration devices. The apparatus for controlling a vibration transfer may change vibration values of a plurality of vibration devices according to a movement of a virtual vibration body, thereby providing a user with a sense of touch of a movement of the virtual vibration body. |
| US09448619B1 |
Video advertisement overlay system and method
This disclosure relates system(s) and method(s) for overlaying functionalities, text, annotations, and/or features on video advertisements and content videos. |
| US09448616B2 |
Anti-leakage supply circuit
An anti-leakage supply circuit which avoids any power leakage to earth includes an interface, a management chip configured to detect a working state of a computer, a motherboard power supply configured to supply power to the interface and the management chip, and a control circuit coupled to the management chip. The control circuit is coupled between the motherboard power supply and the interface. The management chip is configured to output a signal to the control circuit when the computer is in standby state which disconnects the motherboard power supply and the interface. |
| US09448615B2 |
Managing power savings in a high availability system at a redundant component level of granularity
Based on a current activity running on a first selection of components operating in a primary mode from among redundant components within a high availability system, a separate power setting is selected for each separate type of redundant component from among the types of redundant components within the redundant components as specified in a high availability status specified for the current activity. At least one controller interface is called with a request to set the powered state of a particular component that is redundant to at least one of the first selection of components, from among a second selection of components operating in a standby mode from among the redundant components, to the separate power setting for the separate type of redundant component. |
| US09448613B1 |
Actuator detection
A voltage control circuit in an electronic device receives an actuator identification signal from a personality module of an actuator in the electronic device. The voltage control circuit determines, based on the actuator identification signal, an operating voltage for the actuator and providing a drive signal at the operating voltage to the actuator. |
| US09448609B2 |
Multimedia processing system and method of operating the same
The multimedia processing system includes a plurality of first units including a CPU and a top domain; a storage domain configured to store a plurality of multimedia data; a multimedia codec domain configured to decode segments of target multimedia data received from the storage domain and to output decoded segments according to control of the CPU or the top domain; a system bus configured to connect the plurality of first units, the storage domain, and the multimedia codec domain with one another; and an alive domain configured to control power supply to the plurality of first units, the storage domain, the multimedia codec domain, and the system bus and to receive a signal from a user. |
| US09448603B2 |
Transferring power to a mobile device
Embodiments of the disclosure may include a system for transferring power, the system having a donor mobile device. Such a donor mobile device may include processor(s) and a donor wireless power transfer mechanism coupled to the processor(s). In addition, the donor mobile device may include software application(s) that: (i) configure the donor wireless transfer mechanism on the donor mobile device to initiate power transfer; and (ii) transfer power using the donor wireless transfer mechanism. The system may also have a receptor mobile device including processor(s) and a receptor wireless power transfer mechanism coupled to the processor(s). Further, the receptor mobile device may include software application(s) that: (i) configure the receptor power transfer mechanism on the receptor mobile device to receive power; and (ii) receive and convert received power into electric current using the receptor power transfer mechanism. |
| US09448602B2 |
System and method for cooling information handling resources
Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with traditional approaches to cooling information handling resources are provided. A method for cooling information handling resources, may include conveying a flowing fluid proximate to one or more information handling resources such that the flowing fluid is thermally coupled to the one or more information handling resources and heat generated by the one or more information handling resources is transferred to the flowing fluid. The method may also include conveying the flowing fluid to a cooling unit such that heat is transferred from the flowing fluid. |
| US09448598B2 |
Point of sale device
A point of sale (POS) device is provided that includes a main body having a receiving space, a cover that is rotatably connected to the main body for covering the receiving space, a circuit board, and a storage device that is removably mounted in the cover. The POS device further includes two displays that are mounted outside of the main body and the cover. The main body and the cover are mechanically coupled by two hinges and a lock. Two ends of each hinge are respectively connected to inner sides of the cover and the main body at a first side. The lock is provided at a second side, which is opposite the first side, to lock the cover to the main body. |
| US09448590B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a board, a module, cables, and an insulator. The module includes a module body having a first end portion protruding to form a step and module terminals attached to the first end portion. The first end portion is thinner than a main portion of the module body. The protrusion height of the module terminal is less than that of the step. The cables have cable terminals fixed to the module terminals. The insulator has a first adhesive portion adhered to an adhesive point arranged on the back side to the first surface opposite to the board, a second adhesive portion adhered to the first surface, and a cover portion continued to the second adhesive portion and covering the cable terminal between both adhesive portions. |
| US09448589B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal and a control method thereof are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a touchscreen, anda controller configured, upon reception of a predetermined touch input applied to the touchscreen, to display an object for controlling deletion of a text disposed around a touch point corresponding to the touch input at the touch point, to display a control area including a plurality of control items for setting a deletion direction and a deletion unit based on the object on the touchscreen, and to delete the text based on at least one control item upon selection of the at least one control item. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a user interface accessible more rapidly and easily when a text displayed on the touchscreen is deleted. |
| US09448588B2 |
Electronic device holder
A holder for an electronic device includes a head configured to removably receive and securely hold the electronic device. The head includes a first portion and a second portion that is slidably movable with respect to the first portion for adjustment to a size of the electronic device, wherein the first and second portions are biased toward each under a force of a spring. A damper is operatively positioned between the first portion and the second portion so as to dampen the movement of the second portion with respect to the first portion under the bias of the spring. |
| US09448586B2 |
Housing for electronic devices compatible with insertable memory card
An electronic device includes a housing, a pair of doors, and a memory. The doors are elastically and rotatably connected to the housing to shield the opening. Each door defines a guiding groove. When the memory card is inserted into the housing from the opening, the doors are rotated to open the opening, and the memory card is received in the guiding groove. When the memory card is removed from the housing, the doors shield the opening again so as to prevent contaminants from entering into the housing. |
| US09448578B1 |
Interface supply circuit
An interface supply circuit includes a power supply unit, a first and a second control circuit, and a detection unit coupled to an interface. The detection unit is configured to output a first control signal upon detecting a corresponding device is inserted into the interface and output a second control signal upon detecting no device is inserted into the interface. The first control circuit is configured to switch off in event receiving the first control signal and switch on in event receiving the second control signal. The second control circuit is configured to switch on in event the first control circuit is switched off and switch off in event the first control circuit is switched on. The power supply unit is configured to supply power to the interface after the second control circuit is switched on and be disconnected from the interface after the second control circuit is switched off. |
| US09448573B2 |
DC-DC converter control circuit, image display device using the same and driving method thereof
A DC-DC converter control circuit with enhanced driving efficiency while securing circuit stability during light-load driving of the DC-DC converter through variation of an on/off duty ratio of a burst mode according to load. The control circuit includes a detection unit for detecting an amount of current and a voltage at an output stage of a DC-DC converter, and generating and outputting a differential voltage according to a level of the detected voltage, a comparison unit for comparing the differential voltage with a reference voltage having a triangle or sawtooth waveform, thereby generating a duty signal, and a converter controller for generating an on/off control signal corresponding to a duty ratio of the duty signal, and supplying the on/off control signal to the DC-DC converter, to control on/off of the DC-DC converter. |
| US09448572B2 |
Voltage adjusting circuit and all-in-one computer including the same
A voltage adjusting circuit includes a voltage regulator module, a control chip, a platform controller hub (PCH), a basic input-output system (BIOS), a number of switching units, and a number of resistors. The voltage adjusting circuit is utilized to receive a voltage signal to supply a working voltage to a liquid crystal display (LCD). The voltage adjusting circuit controls switching units to turn on or turn off, and changes the current of the control chip, and further outputs different voltages to different LCDs. The disclosure further provides an all-in-one computer including the voltage adjusting circuit. |
| US09448568B2 |
Intelligent controller providing time to target state
The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that continuously, periodically, or intermittently calculate and display the time remaining until a control task is projected to be completed by the intelligent controller. In general, the intelligent controller employs multiple different models for the time behavior of one or more parameters or characteristics within a region or volume affected by one or more devices, systems, or other entities controlled by the intelligent controller. The intelligent controller collects data, over time, from which the models are constructed and uses the models to predict the time remaining until one or more characteristics or parameters of the region or volume reaches one or more specified values as a result of intelligent controller control of one or more devices, systems, or other entities. |
| US09448562B1 |
Utilizing acceleration information for precision landing of unmanned aerial vehicles
Systems and methods disclosed utilize acceleration information in landing an unmanned aerial vehicle. In particular, one or more embodiments include methods and systems that determine a UAV is landing, identify an acceleration spike relative to the UAV, and modify operation of the UAV while landing based on the acceleration spike. For example, in one or more embodiment, systems and methods identify an acceleration spike, compare the acceleration spike to a pattern indicative of contact with another object, and reduce the rate of rotation of rotors utilized by the UAV for flight based on the comparison of the acceleration spike to the pattern. |
| US09448561B2 |
Work vehicle cooperation system
A work vehicle cooperation system includes: a master traveling tack calculation unit that calculates a traveling track of a master work vehicle (1P) based on its position; a loop traveling detection unit that detects loop traveling in a loop work area (B); a redirection traveling target calculation unit that calculates a redirection traveling start point and a redirection traveling end point (Pc3) of a slave work vehicle (1C) based on a redirection traveling track including a redirection traveling start point (Pp1) and a redirection traveling end point of redirection traveling of the master work vehicle (1P); and a loop work traveling target calculation unit that calculates a target traveling position in loop work traveling of the slave work vehicle (1C) for the redirection traveling end point (Pc3) to a next redirection traveling start point (Pc1). |
| US09448558B2 |
Damage adaptive control
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to measuring, via at least one sensor, at least one of a damage and a compromise associated with a vehicle, determining at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and a level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise, and adapting an operational envelope for the vehicle based on the determined at least one of a region and a location of the at least one of a damage and a compromise and the level of the at least one of a damage and a compromise. |
| US09448551B2 |
Translation/rotation error compensation amount creating device
A translation/rotation error compensation amount creating device creates, for a multi-axis machining apparatus having two rotation axes, a translation error compensation amount and a rotation error compensation amount both depending on the rotation axes. The translation/rotation error compensation amount creating device calculates the translation error compensation amount and the rotation error compensation amount based on an assembly error (set value) including at least an assembly error in a table surface or an assembly error in a spindle turning centerline in a multi-axis machining apparatus as well as the positions of the two rotation axes, and inputs the calculated error compensation amounts to a numerical controller controlling the multi-axis machining apparatus. |
| US09448550B2 |
Energy management in a building
Method for managing the energy of a building, comprising one or more occupants likely to be present therein, each determining a comfort desire for a given period, characterized in that it comprises a step for determining an overall comfort parameter for a given period on the basis of the comfort desire of each occupant present in the area of the building in the given period, this global comfort parameter being used to manage the energy on the basis of the comfort desires of the only occupants present in the building. |
| US09448549B2 |
Method of operating an automation system
A method of operating an automation system cyclically communicating with a central unit in accordance with a send clock and a predetermined reduction ratio using a first cycle time, wherein the central unit uses a send clock SCC for its communication, and communicates with the automation device taking into account the send clock and a reduction ratio of the automation device, and wherein the send clock for the automation device is divided by the send clock of the central unit, the largest power-of-2 value smaller than the division result is selected and multiplied with the reduction ratio of the automation device resulting in a reduction ratio of the central unit for communicating with the automation device, and the reduction ratio of the automation device is used to step down the send clock of the central unit for cyclically communicating with the automation device using a second cycle time. |
| US09448545B2 |
Servo control device for performing correction based on amount of stretch or contraction of ball screw
A servo control device in the present invention corrects a position command to a feed axis, so as to compensate for an amount of stretch or contraction of a ball screw during operation, by taking into account an influence of tension applied to the ball screw. The amount of stretch or contraction of the ball screw is calculated, based on the tension acting on the ball screw on the side farther from the servo motor, a distance between two fixed units supporting the ball screw at its opposite ends, a distance from the fixed unit situated closer to the servo motor to a moving body, and a torque command to the servo motor. An amount of position correction of the feed axis is calculated, based on the calculated amount of stretch or contraction of the ball screw. |
| US09448543B2 |
Configurable personal digital identity device with motion sensor responsive to user interaction
A personal digital ID device provides a digital identifier to a service for a predetermined duration in response to user interaction. The user interaction may include a button press. The personal digital ID device may be in the form of a bracelet, a key fob, or other form factor. The service may be provided by a mobile device, in the cloud, or elsewhere. |
| US09448541B2 |
Electronic timepiece
An electronic timepiece can determine the reception state in detail, and can display the reception state with high precision. A GPS wristwatch 1 has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite; a reception level calculating unit 47 that calculates a reception level from the signal strength of the satellite signal; and a reception level display unit 48 that displays the reception level calculated by the reception level calculating unit 47. The reception level calculating unit 47 selects a specific number of satellite signals received from the positioning information satellites in order of greatest signal strength, and calculates the reception level from the signal strengths of the selected satellite signals. |
| US09448525B2 |
Image forming apparatus having first charging device performing supplementary charging process and second charging device performing main charging process
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a transfer device, a first charging device, a static elimination device, a second charging device, a light exposure device, and a development device. The transfer device transfers a developer image of a first polarity onto a recording medium from the image bearing member by receiving a transfer bias of a second polarity. The first charging device charges a region of the image bearing member that has undergone transfer to the first polarity by receiving a first charging bias of the first polarity. An absolute value of the first charging bias is greater during charging of a first region of the image bearing member than during charging of a second region of the image bearing member. The first region includes a trailing end contact section. The second region does not include the trailing end contact section or a leading end contact section. |
| US09448523B2 |
Dual input bump alignment assembly for an imaging device
A bump alignment assembly using at least two input media feeds for use in an imaging device. Two spaced apart media guides form a tunnel-shaped bubble chamber about a media path. Two media feed roll pairs are positioned adjacent to the entrance of the bubble chamber. The width of the entrance to the bubble chamber is equal to or greater than the separation of the feed nips of the two media feed roll pairs allowing two or more media paths to be accommodated without the use of media path extensions. A bump alignment roll pair is adjacent the exit of the bubble chamber. Entry, exit and biasing surface features of the media guides provide for buckling and bubble formation of media being fed into the bubble chamber. |
| US09448519B2 |
Motor control device and image forming apparatus with the same
A motor control device includes a motor device, a speed command section, and a load detecting section. The motor control device includes: a motor configured to drive a rotating body and output a speed notification signal having an oscillation frequency corresponding to a rotational speed of the rotating body; and a driver IC configured to control a rotational speed of the motor. The speed command section is provided outside the motor device and configured to output a speed command signal designating a rotational speed of the motor to the driver IC. The load detecting section is provided outside the motor device and configured to derive a phase difference between the speed command signal and the speed notification signal and detect a load on the motor based on the phase difference. |
| US09448515B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device fixes a toner to a recording medium. The fixing device includes a rotary member, a bearing, and a bearing holder. The rotary member is rotatable about an axis of rotation of the rotary member. The bearing is disposed around an end part of the rotary member. The bearing holder holds the bearing. The bearing has an outer circumferential surface with a flat portion and a bearing groove. The bearing groove has a bottom surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface. The first side surface of the bearing groove is capable of being in contact with the bearing holder. The second side surface of the bearing groove is capable of being in contact with the bearing holder. The bearing holder is engaged with the bearing groove such as to be in contact with the first and second side surfaces of the bearing groove. |
| US09448514B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes a first heater disposed opposite and heating at least a center of a fixing belt in an axial direction thereof and a second heater disposed opposite and heating at least a lateral end of the fixing belt in the axial direction thereof. A power supply supplies power to the first heater and the second heater. A controller that controls the power supply includes a calculator to calculate an elapsed time elapsed after at least one of the first heater and the second heater starts heating the fixing belt. The controller controls the power supply to supply power to the first heater and the second heater such that a power density of the second heater is greater than a power density of the first heater when the elapsed time calculated by the calculator is smaller than a predetermined time. |
| US09448512B2 |
Drive system and image forming apparatus including same
A drive system includes multiple vibrating members that tend to vibrate when these members are driven and a holding system to hold the multiple vibrating members. The holding system at least includes a first holding unit and a second holding unit superimposed on and partially connected to each other. The multiple vibrating members include a first vibrating member and a second vibrating member. The first vibrating member is held by the first holding unit and is not held by the second holding unit. The second vibrating member is held by the second holding unit and is not held by the first holding unit. At least one of the first vibrating member and the second vibrating member is a driving device to drive another member as a drive source. |
| US09448508B2 |
Development device and image forming apparatus including the same
A development device includes a developer container, a developer bearing member, a mixing/transporting member, an opening/closing member, and a drive mechanism. The developer container contains a developer. The developer bearing member is rotatably supported by the developer container. The developer bearing member also has a surface facing an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed. The developer is borne on the surface of the developer bearing member. The mixing/transporting member mixes and transports the developer in the developer container. The opening/closing member opens and closes a developer outlet for discharging an excess of the developer in the developer container. The drive mechanism drives the opening/closing member in association with driving of the developer bearing member or the mixing/transporting member to open the developer outlet. |
| US09448507B2 |
Nozzle receiver, powder container, and image forming apparatus
A nozzle receiver for use with a powder container includes: a shutter to open an opening of the nozzle receiver to an opening position when the shutter is pressed by a conveying nozzle of an image forming apparatus, and to close the opening to a closing position when not being pressed by the conveying nozzle, and that includes a sealing portion for sealing the opening; a supporter to support and guide the shutter between the opening position and the closing position; and a cap to cover the supporter when the shutter is located at the closing position. |
| US09448506B1 |
Developer discharge structure and image forming apparatus
A developer discharge structure includes a tube-shaped container portion disposed in an apparatus body and holding developer, the container portion having an outlet port that allows the developer to be discharged to a recovery container; an opening-closing member disposed in the container portion, opening the outlet port when the recovery container is positioned in an attached position in which the recovery container is attached to the apparatus body, and closing the outlet port when the recovery container is positioned in a detached position in which the recovery container is detached from the apparatus body; and an operating member disposed in the apparatus body and performing a detachment preparation operation, in which a member disposed adjacent to the container portion is prepared for detachment from the apparatus body, to restrict movement of the opening-closing member from a position in which the opening-closing member closes the outlet port. |
| US09448504B2 |
Developing roller
A roller (1) is provided, which is free from imaging failures even if being used as a developing roller, for example, in combination with a toner including highly spherical toner particles or a lower-melting-point toner. The roller (1) includes a tubular body made of a crosslinking product of a rubber composition containing a crosslinkable rubber component, and having a heat conductivity of 0.4 to 2.0 W/m·K and a Type-A durometer hardness of 50 to 70. |
| US09448502B2 |
Charging member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus
A charging member including an electro-conductive substrate, an electro-conductive elastic layer, and an electro-conductive surface layer, wherein the elastic layer includes a polymer having a unit derived from ethylene oxide and at least one particle selected from the group consisting of graphite particles and graphitized particles; wherein a particle-exposing portion where the particle is exposed is present on the surface of the elastic layer; the surface of the elastic layer including the particle-exposing portions is coated with the surface layer; the surface layer includes binder resin and resin particles dispersed in the binder resin and has a plurality of protrusions derived from the resin particles on the surface; when the resin particles in the surface layer are orthographically projected onto the surface of the elastic layer, areas other than projected areas of the resin particles on the surface of the elastic layer overlap the particle-exposing portion. |
| US09448501B2 |
Toner for developing electrostatic image, image forming apparatus, image forming method, and process cartridge
A toner for developing an electrostatic image, which contains: resin particles (C), wherein the resin particles (C) each contain a resin particle (B) and resin particles (A) or a coating film (P) deposited on a surface of the resin particle (B), where the resin particle (B) contains a second resin (b) and a filler (f), wherein the resin particles (A) or the coating film (P) contains a first resin (a), wherein the second resin (b) contains a crystalline resin, and wherein the resin particle (B) contains the filler (f) in an amount of 15% by mass or greater. |
| US09448498B2 |
Electrophotographic printer photoconductor based on ligand-free semiconductor quantum dots
A photoconductor and method of forming a photoconductor for an electrophotographic device comprising forming a charge generation material comprising a plurality of quantum dots, and forming an active region comprising one or more photoconductor layers comprising the charge generation material including the surface modified quantum dots. |
| US09448496B2 |
Electrophotographic photosensitive member
An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive substrate and a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer includes a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer located on the charge generating layer. The charge transport layer contains a pigment that is absorptive with respect to a wavelength of exposed light. The pigment is a metal phthalocyanine pigment represented by General Formula (I) or a metal-free phthalocyanine pigment represented by General Formula (II), where X represents a sulfur atom or an oxygen atom. R1 represents an aryl group or an alkyl group. R2-R4 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, a phenoxy group, an alkylthio group, a phenylthio group, or a dialkylamino group. M represents a metal atom. Y represents non-substitution or an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, a halogen atom, an oxygen atom, or a hydroxyl group. |
| US09448492B2 |
Multilayer mirror, method of producing a multilayer mirror and lithographic apparatus
A multilayer mirror for use in device lithography is configured to reflect and/or pattern radiation having a wavelength in the range of about 6.4 nm to about 7.2 nm. The multilayer mirror has a plurality of alternating layers of materials. The plurality of alternating layers of materials include first layers of materials and second layers of materials. The second layers have a higher refractive index for the radiation than the first layers. The materials of the first layers and the materials of the second layers are mutually chemically unreactive at an interface therebetween at temperatures less than 300° C. This may allow the mirrors to have a narrow boundary region of intermingled materials from alternating layers between the layers, for example of 0.5 nm or less in width, which may improve sharpness of the boundary region and improve reflectivity. |
| US09448491B2 |
Extreme ultraviolet lithography process and mask
A system of an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is disclosed. an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) system includes an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) reflection-type mask having a patterned flare-suppressing-by-phase-shifting (FSbPhS) layer disposed over a patterned absorption layer. The system also includes a radiation to expose the EUV mask and a projection optics box (POB) to collect and direct the radiation that reflects from the EUV mask to expose a target. |
| US09448489B2 |
Optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and microlithographic exposure method
The invention relates to an optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, and to a microlithographic exposure method. An optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises at least one mirror arrangement having a plurality of mirror elements, wherein these mirror elements can be adjusted independently of one another for changing an angular distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement, and a polarization-influencing optical arrangement which is arranged downstream of the mirror arrangement in the light propagation direction, wherein the polarization-influencing optical arrangement reflects a light beam incident on the arrangement in at least two reflections, which do not occur in a common plane, for at least one angular distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement. |
| US09448485B2 |
Composition for forming fine resist pattern and pattern forming method using same
[Object] To provide a composition enabling to form a fine negative photoresist pattern free from troubles, such as, surface roughness, bridge defects, and resolution failure; and also to provide a pattern formation method using that composition.[Means to Solve the Problem] A fine pattern-forming composition is used for miniaturizing a resist pattern by fattening said pattern in a process of formation of a negative resist pattern using a chemically amplified resist composition. The fine pattern-forming composition comprises a polymer comprising a repeating unit having a structure of the following formula (A), (B) or (C): and a solvent. This composition is cast on a negative resist pattern obtained by development with an organic solvent developer, and then heated to form a fine pattern. |
| US09448484B2 |
Sloped electrode element for a torsional spatial light modulator
A method of forming a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) pixel, such as a DMD-type pixel, by depositing a photoresist spacer layer upon a substrate. The photoresist spacer layer is exposed to a grey-scale lithographic mask to shape an upper surface of the photoresist spacer layer. A control member is formed upon the shaped spacer layer, and has a sloped portion configured to maximize energy density. An image member is configured to be positioned as a function of the control member to form a spatial light modulator (SLM). |
| US09448481B2 |
Generalization of shot definitions for mask and wafer writing tools
Techniques for reducing the number of shots required by a radiation beam writing tool to write a pattern, such as fractured layout design, onto a substrate. One or more apertures are employed by a radiation beam writing tool to write a desired pattern onto a substrate using L-shaped images, T-shaped images, or some combination of both. By reducing the number of shots required to write a pattern onto a substrate, various implementations of the invention may reduce the write time and/or write complexity of the write process. |
| US09448475B2 |
Photoresist composition, compound and process of producing photoresist pattern
A photoresist composition comprising a resin having an acid-labile group, an acid generator, and a compound represented by formula (I0). |
| US09448472B2 |
Optical pattern transfer mask and method of fabricating the same
An optical pattern transfer mask includes a light transmissive substrate, a reflection layer pattern on a plurality of first regions of the light transmissive substrate, a light absorbing layer on the light transmissive substrate and the reflection layer pattern, and a bank layer pattern on the light absorbing layer corresponding to the plurality of first regions of the light transmissive substrate, the bank layer pattern being vertically aligned with the reflection layer pattern. The bank layer pattern includes a Diels-Alder polymer that is polymerizable and depolymerizable by a reversible Diels-Alder reaction. |
| US09448470B2 |
Method for making a mask with a phase bar in an integrated circuit design layout
A method for making a mask includes receiving an integrated circuit (IC) design layout and identifying at least one targeted-feature-surrounding-location (TFSL) in the IC design layout, wherein TFSL is identified by a model-based approach. The method further includes inserting at least one phase bar (PB) in the IC design layout and performing an optical proximity correction (OPC) to the IC design layout having the at least one PB to form a modified IC design layout. A mask is then fabricated based on the modified IC design layout. |
| US09448468B2 |
Reflective mask blank and reflective mask, and methods for manufacturing reflective mask blank and reflective mask
A reflective mask blank, a reflective mask, and methods for manufacturing those, which suppress reflectance at a light-shielding frame. The reflective mask includes a substrate, a multilayered reflective layer formed on the substrate, an absorption layer formed on the multilayered reflective layer, and a frame-shaped light-shielding frame area at which the absorption layer has a film thickness larger than a film thickness at other areas. The multilayered reflective layer is diffused and mixed at the light-shielding frame area through melting. |
| US09448467B2 |
Mask shift resistance-inductance method for multiple patterning mask design and a method for performing the same
A system and method comprising providing a layout of an integrated circuit design, generating, by a processor, a plurality of multiple patterning decompositions from the layout, determining a maximum mask shift between the first mask and the second mask and simulating a worst-case performance value for each of the plurality of multiple patterning decompositions using one or more mask shifts within a range defined by the maximum mask shift. Further, each of the plurality of multiple patterning decompositions comprise patterns separated to a first mask and a second mask of a multiple patterning mask set. |
| US09448463B2 |
Focus control in continuous shooting in digital photographing apparatus
A digital photographing apparatus includes a focus lens, a focus detection unit that detects focus in a contrast auto focusing (AF) method by moving the focus lens, and a controller that calculates a velocity of a subject from a first focus detection result and a second focus detection result in a continuous shooting operation. The controller restricts a U-turn driving for correcting backlash of the focus lens when the calculated velocity of the subject is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. An AF initiating location and a final correction operation are adaptively adjusted based on the velocity of the subject in each process of the continuous shooting, thereby improving an AF performance and the continuous photographing speed. |
| US09448451B2 |
Driving method of liquid crystal display device
It is an object to provide a liquid crystal display device and a driving method of a liquid crystal display device in each of which deterioration of an image display function can be suppressed and power consumption can be sufficiently reduced. In the liquid crystal display device, a fixed potential is input to a capacitor before a power source is turned off, so that a potential difference between electrodes of the capacitor disappears (capacitance becomes almost zero) such that electric field is not applied to liquid crystals, whereby the liquid crystals are in an initial state. When the supply of the power source is stopped after an initial-state image is displayed, unnecessary electric field is not continuously applied to the liquid crystals in an off state, whereby the liquid crystals can be in the stable initial state; therefore, the liquid crystals can be prevented from deteriorating. |
| US09448450B2 |
Display device
A display device is provided with high definition and improved display capabilities. The display device includes a plurality of pixels, each of the plurality of pixels being arranged with a thin film transistor and a condenser; wherein the condenser includes a protruding portion arranged at a certain height above a substrate, a first electrode arranged on the protruding portion, an insulation film arranged on the first electrode, and a second electrode arranged on the insulation film. |
| US09448449B2 |
Glare reduction system
A glare reduction system is disclosed including a display device configured for placement in a line of sight of an object. The display device includes a plurality of picture elements without a color filter. Each of the picture elements have a pair of spaced apart polarizing elements in substantially parallel orientation with respect to each other, and a liquid crystal element between the polarizing elements. An imaging source is provided to receive light from the object. The glare reduction system further includes a display driver to process the received light to generate a voltage signal, and selectively provide the voltage signal to one or more of the picture elements in order to regulate the opacity of the display device. |
| US09448447B2 |
Lateral electric field type liquid crystal display device
A lateral electric field type liquid crystal display device includes substrates, liquid crystal put between the substrates, scan lines and data lines arranged on one of the substrates, and pixels each of whose boundary is defined by two scan lines and two data lines. In each pixel, a strip-shaped electrode and a common electrode are formed with an insulating film put thereamong, and the pixel electrode is arranged to extend close along one of the data lines. In each pixel, a part of the common electrode covering one of the data lines overlaps with the pixel electrode, the pixel electrode partially projects from the overlapping area, and a side edge of the projecting part of the pixel electrode is separated from a side edge of a part of the common electrode covering the other data line so as to generate a lateral electric field to drive the liquid crystal. |
| US09448445B2 |
Electrode structure and manufacturing method thereof, array substrate and manufacturing method thereof, and display device
An electrode structure comprises an introduction electrode and a body electrode, and a first isolating layer and a second isolating layer arranged between the introduction electrode and the body electrode. A first via hole is formed in the first isolating layer, a second via hole is formed in the second isolating layer. The hole axes of the first via hole and the second via hole are on the same straight line passing through the body electrode, so that a part of the body electrode is exposed via the first and the second via holes. The introduction electrode is electrically connected with the body electrode through the part of the body electrode. The diameter of the first via hole is smaller than that of the second via hole, and the first isolating layer extends to completely cover the hole wall of the second via hole. |
| US09448443B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display panel includes switching elements, transparent pixel electrodes, and a transparent common electrode having a predetermined area overlapped with an upper layer of the transparent pixel electrode through an insulating film and driving liquid crystal with the transparent pixel electrode. In plane view, a shading layer covers at least one part of a conductive pattern where a light leakage occurs in front view by an alignment defect of the liquid crystal near a non-permeable conductive pattern disposed in the display region at the time of black display, and has eaves more protruding than the conductive pattern. The transparent common electrode is provided to overlap with the conductive pattern arranged to overlap with the light-shielding layer having the eaves in a side of the liquid crystal and to protrude compared with the light-shielding layer having the eaves in a planar view. |
| US09448438B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel comprising alignment molecules having a core portion, a polarity portion, and a tail portion
A liquid crystal display panel including a first display substrate, a second display substrate coupled to and spaced apart from the first display substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second display substrates. The first and second display substrates include inorganic layers containing an inorganic silicon-based material. The liquid crystal layer includes alignment molecules vertically aligned with respect to the inorganic layers, and liquid crystal molecules vertically aligned between the inorganic layers. A manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel includes surface-treating the inorganic layers to vertically align the liquid crystal molecules. |
| US09448436B2 |
Planar light source device and liquid crystal display device equipped with same
In the present invention, a backlight (3) serving as a planar light source unit is equipped with: multiple LEDs (12); and a bottom plate (11a) having a mounting surface (11a1). The multiple LEDs (12) are two-dimensionally arranged on the mounting surface (11a1) within a rectangular area (RA) that is smaller than the bottom plate (11a). In addition, the arrangement density of the LEDs in the rectangular area (RA) is lower at the center part (Rc) than at the peripheral part (Rp). The rectangular area (RA) has a corner area, where at least one LED (12) is provided, at each of the four corners thereof. The LEDs (12) positioned in the respective corner areas are installed such that the central axes of the LEDs lean toward the periphery side of the rectangular area (RA) with respect to the direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (11a1). |
| US09448434B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and method for driving the same
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a liquid crystal display panel and a method of driving the same. A subpixel unit includes a transmissive portion and a reflective portion, the transmissive portion comprises a transmissive portion thin film transistor and a transmissive pixel electrode connected to a drain of the transmissive portion thin film transistor, the reflective portion comprises a reflective layer, a reflective portion thin film transistor and a reflective pixel electrode connected to a drain of the reflective portion thin film transistor, a gate of the transmissive portion thin film transistor and a gate of the reflective portion thin film transistor each are connected to a gate line of the subpixel unit, and a source of the transmissive portion thin film transistor and a source of the reflective portion thin film transistor are connected to different data lines. |
| US09448433B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the semiconductor device
An object is to provide a liquid crystal display device which can recognize image display even when the liquid crystal display device is used in a dim environment. In one pixel, a pixel electrode including both of a region where incident light through a liquid crystal layer is reflected and a transmissive region is provided, and image display can be performed in both modes: the reflective mode where external light is used as an illumination light source; and the transmissive mode where the backlight is used as an illumination light source. When there is external light with insufficient brightness, that is, in a dim environment, the backlight emits weak light and an image is displayed in the reflective mode, whereby image display can be performed. |
| US09448430B2 |
Reflective liquid crystal display device and electronic apparatus provided therewith
A reflective liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate provided with a reflective electrode, a second substrate provided with a transparent electrode, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an anisotropic scattering member formed on the second substrate. The anisotropic scattering member has first and second surfaces each including a first refractive index region and a second refractive index region having a refractive index different from that of the first refractive index region. A refractive index difference between the first refractive index region and the second refractive index region in the first surface is larger than that in the second surface. The anisotropic scattering member is disposed so that light enters from the first surface thereof and the light exits as scattered light from the second surface thereof. A phase difference is given to the light entered the anisotropic scattering member. |
| US09448423B2 |
Device and method for selecting optical pulses
The invention discloses a device for selecting pulses comprising an optical waveguide for guiding the optical radiation along an axis; comprising a first electro-optical modulator designed to modulate the optical transparency of the waveguide; comprising a second electro-optical modulator designed to modulate the optical transparency of the waveguide, wherein the first modulator and the second modulator are arranged one after the other on the axis of the waveguide, and further comprising at least one control circuit designed to actuate the first modulator and the second modulator at offset times, and characterized in that a substrate of a semiconductive material is provided, the waveguide and the at least one control circuit are arranged on the substrate. |
| US09448422B2 |
Integrated thermo-optic switch with thermally isolated and heat restricting pillars
System and method embodiments are provided for a thermo-optic switch with thermally isolated and heat restricting pillars. The embodiments enable increased integration density in photonic integrated chips (PICs), reduced power consumption, improved switching speed, and increased chip lifetime. In an embodiment, an optical waveguide; a resistive heater in thermal contact with a surface of the optical waveguide; and a plurality of heat flow restricting pillars connected to the sides of the optical waveguide and supporting the optical waveguide such that the optical waveguide is substantially thermally isolated from a substrate below the optical waveguide by a gap formed between the optical waveguide and the substrate, and wherein the pillars restrict heat flow from the optical waveguide to a supporting structure that supports the pillars. |
| US09448418B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens includes: a positive first lens group; a negative second lens group; and a positive third lens group. The first through third lens groups move such that the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group is greater, and the distance between the second lens group and the third lens group G3 is smaller at a telephoto end compared to a wide angle end. The third lens group is constituted by a positive 3-1 lens group and a 3-2 lens group. The 3-1 lens group is fixed when camera shake occurs and during focusing operations. The 3-2 lens group includes a shake preventing lens group that moves in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis to correct camera shake, and a focusing lens group provided toward an image side of the shake preventing lens group that moves along the optical axis during focusing operations. |
| US09448417B2 |
Illumination device and projector
An illumination device includes a light source device, a uniformization optical system which uniformizes the illuminance distribution of light from the light source device on a region to be illuminated, and a diffraction optical element which is provided in an optical path between the light source device and the uniformization optical system, and rotates around a predetermined rotation axis. The diffraction optical element includes a first region which forms a first illuminance distribution, and a second region which is provided at a position different from the first region around the rotation axis, and forms a second illuminance distribution different from the first illuminance distribution. |
| US09448416B2 |
Light source device and projection-type display device
A light source device includes: a laser light source; a circular substrate which has fluorescent body that emits light by using light from the laser light source as excitation light; a wheel motor which rotates circular substrate; a dichroic prism which transmits the light from fluorescent body while reflecting the light from the laser light source; a diffusion plate which diffuses the light from the laser light source; and a plate spring which interconnects diffusion plate and wheel motor. |
| US09448414B2 |
Polarization control unit
Disclosed is a display device that may include a display panel; a polarization control unit on the display panel, the polarization control unit including: a first substrate; a second substrate opposite the first substrate; a first electrode on a surface of the first substrate opposing the second substrate; a second electrode on a surface of the second substrate opposing the first substrate; and a partition wall and a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer between the first and second electrodes, wherein liquid crystal molecules of the polymer-dispersed liquid crystal layer are arranged in a space defined by the partition wall. |
| US09448411B2 |
Moire reducing optical substrates with irregular prism structures
An optical substrate having a structured surface that enhances brightness and reduces moiré effect. The optical substrate has a three-dimensionally varying, structured light output surface that comprises an irregular prismatic structure. The irregular prismatic structure may be viewed as comprising longitudinal prism blocks or rows thereof, arranged laterally defining peaks and valleys. Adjacent peaks, adjacent valleys, and/or adjacent peak and valley may be parallel or non-parallel, in an orderly, semi-orderly, random, or quasi-random manner. The lateral adjacent peaks, adjacent valleys, and/or adjacent peak and valley are not parallel. The adjacent irregular prism blocks may be irregular longitudinal sections having the same length, or random or quasi-random irregular sections having different lengths. The facets of each prism block may be flat, or curved (convexly and/or concavely). |
| US09448408B2 |
Collimating optical device and system
There is provided a light-guide, compact collimating optical device, including a light-guide having a light-waves entrance surface, a light-waves exit surface and a plurality of external surfaces, a light-waves reflecting surface carried by the light-guide at one of the external surfaces, two retardation plates carried by light-guides on a portion of the external surfaces, a light-waves polarizing beamsplitter disposed at an angle to one of the light-waves entrance or exit surfaces, and a light-waves collimating component covering a portion of one of the retardation plates. A system including the optical device and a substrate, is also provided. |
| US09448407B2 |
Head-mounted display device, control method for head-mounted display device, and work supporting system
A head-mounted display device for enabling a user to simultaneously visually recognize a virtual image and an outside scene includes a warning-information generating unit configured to generate warning information, which is an image for calling the user's attention and an image display unit configured to cause the user to visually recognize the warning information as the virtual image. |
| US09448404B2 |
Modifying virtual object display properties to increase power performance of augmented reality devices
Various arrangements for controlling a head-mounted display of an augmented reality display are presented. A head-mounted display may be provided and may be configured to present a virtual field of view comprising a virtual object superimposed on a real-world scene. A controller may be provided and configured to modify display of the virtual object by the head-mounted display based on a first color of a real-world object in the real-world scene. The virtual object in the virtual field of view may be superimposed over the real-world object. A lumen output of the head-mounted display for displaying the virtual object may be decreased. |
| US09448403B2 |
Optical scanner, actuator, image display device, and head-mounted display
An optical scanner includes: a movable portion that is provided with a light reflection portion and is swingable around a first axis; a frame body portion that is swingable around a second axis; a first shaft portion that connects the movable portion and the frame body portion; a fixed portion; a second shaft portion that connects the frame body portion and the fixed portion; a strain detection element that is disposed in the second shaft portion to detect deformation of the second shaft portion; a first signal processing portion to which a detection signal of the strain detection element is input and that outputs a signal based on bending deformation of the second shaft portion; and a second signal processing portion to which a detection signal of the strain detection element is input and that outputs a signal based on torsional deformation of the second shaft portion. |
| US09448397B2 |
Image pickup unit and endoscope
An image pickup unit includes: a moving lens holding barrel that holds a moving lens constituting a part of an objective optical system and is disposed so as to freely advance and retract along a shooting optical axis O; a drive unit that generates a driving force for advancing and retracting the moving lens holding barrel along the shooting optical axis O in a fixed barrel; a flexible substrate disposed so as to urge the moving lens holding barrel in one direction orthogonal to the shooting optical axis O and bent so as to press a part of an outer surface of the moving lens holding barrel in the one direction to an inner surface of the fixed barrel; and a magnetism detecting portion detecting a relative position of the moving lens holding barrel from the fixed barrel according to magnetism of a position detecting magnet. |
| US09448395B2 |
Bessel beam plane illumination microscope
A microscope has a light source for generating a light beam having a wavelength, λ, and beam-forming optics configured for receiving the light beam and generating a Bessel-like beam that is directed into a sample. The beam-forming optics include an excitation objective having an axis oriented in a first direction. Imaging optics are configured for receiving light from a position within the sample that is illuminated by the Bessel-like beam and for imaging the received light on a detector. The imaging optics include a detection objective having an axis oriented in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction. A detector is configured for detecting signal light received by the imaging optics, and an aperture mask is positioned. |
| US09448392B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus using the same
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, third lens unit having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens unit having a negative refractive power, a fifth lens unit having a positive refractive power, and an aperture stop disposed between the second lens unit and the third lens unit. At the time of zooming, the aperture stop moves and the fifth lens unit is fixed. At the time of zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, a distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit widens, a distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit narrows, a distance between the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit fluctuates, and a distance between the fourth lens unit and the fifth lens unit fluctuates. |
| US09448390B2 |
Projection optical system and projector having the same
A second group has different power in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the liquid crystal panel. Therefore, the horizontal-to-vertical ratio of the image of the liquid crystal panel and the horizontal-to-vertical ratio of the image projected on the screen can be set to be different. That is, the projection optical system is able to convert the aspect ratio which is a ratio of width and height. At this time, at the time of converting the aspect ratio, that is, at the time of switching the projection state, it is possible to adjust the position of the image on the screen through a zoom operation or a shift operation of the first driving mechanism or the fourth driving mechanism. |
| US09448388B2 |
Optical image capturing system
A five-piece optical lens for capturing image and a five-piece optical module for capturing image, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, include a first lens with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens with refractive power; a third lens with refractive power; a fourth lens with refractive power; and a fifth lens with negative refractive power; and at least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the five lens elements are aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras. |
| US09448385B2 |
Photographing lens assembly
A photographing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element, the third lens element and the fourth lens element have refractive power. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, wherein the surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one of the surfaces thereof has at least one inflection point thereon. The sixth lens element with negative refractive power has a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, wherein the surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one of the surfaces thereof has at least one inflection point. |
| US09448381B2 |
Dual lens-holding device
The invention relates to a lens-holding device (1) intended to be hooked on a mounting (101) of a conveyor carriage for transporting optical lenses (10) in order for said lenses to be treated by immersion in at least one bath of a treatment machine. The lens-holding device (1) is hooked on in such a way as to form an alignment of devices together with a group of other similar devices in a predetermined direction. The lens-holding device (1) comprises: means (3) for hanging same from the mounting (101); first means (4a) for holding a first optical lens (10) in position on the lens-holding device (1), which include supporting points (a, b, c) defining a first space for the first lens (10); and second means (4b) for holding a second optical lens (10) in position on the lens-holding device (1), which include supporting points (a, b, c) defining a second space for the second lens (10), the two spaces being arranged respectively in two planes separated by an angular distance of less than 30° and forming an angle of less than 30° relative to the direction defined by the alignment of the group of lens-holding devices (1). |
| US09448378B2 |
Adapter panel with lateral sliding adapter arrays
An adapter panel arrangement including a chassis and a panel of adapters. The adapters defining open rearward cable connections and open forward cable connections of the panel arrangement. The adapters being arranged in arrays that slide independently of other adapter arrays to provide access to the open rearward and open forward cable connections. |
| US09448377B2 |
Rapid universal rack mount enclosure
A cable enclosure assembly includes an enclosure, a cable spool and a length of fiber optic cable. The enclosure defines an interior region, a first opening and a second opening aligned with the first opening. The first and second openings provide access to the interior region. The cable spool is disposed in the interior region of the enclosure and is rotatably engaged with the enclosure. The cable spool includes a drum and a flange engaged to the drum. The flange has an outer peripheral side, a cable management portion and an adapter bulkhead portion. The adapter bulkhead portion extends outwardly from the cable management portion and forms a portion of the outer peripheral side. The length of the fiber optic cable is dispose about the drum of the cable spool. |
| US09448372B2 |
Optical coupling element and optical module having the same
An optical coupling element, for coupling a light emitting element to a light transmission element, includes a light guide element. The light guide element has a light incident part, a total reflection surface and a light output part. The light incident path is formed at the light incident part corresponding to the light emitting element. The light reflection path is formed at the light output part corresponding to the light transmission element. The first included angle θ1 is formed between the light incident path and the total reflection surface and is not equal to 45 degrees. The light emitting element is adapted to emit a beam toward the total reflection surface along the light incident path by passing through the light guide element from the light incident part. Moreover, the beam is reflected by the total reflection surface and is outputted toward the light transmission element. |
| US09448368B2 |
Optical fiber connector
The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber connector for holding an optical fiber. The optical fiber connector includes a core and a cladding layer surrounding the core. The optical fiber connector includes an optical fiber holding apparatus, a ferrule unit, and a housing connecting to the optical fiber holding apparatus and the ferrule unit. The optical fiber holding apparatus includes a holding member with a first holding portion and a second holding portion. One of the first holding portion and the second holding portion includes at least one positioning pillar, and the other holding portion defines at least one positioning hole corresponding to the positioning pillar. The positioning pillar is configured to wind the clad strips locking the first holding portion and the second holding portion cooperatively to the optical fiber, and the positioning pillar is engaged with the positioning hole. |
| US09448366B2 |
Small form factor field installable outside plant connector housing
A connector housing apparatus for allowing field engineers or technicians to run cable point to point, and to protect the connection in an environmentally sealed, crush resistant housing is provided. The connector housing apparatus includes a connector housing body, two sealing boots, two sealing elements, two seal nuts, a fiber optic adapter, a fiber optic adapter insert that holds the fiber optic adapter and two fiber optic pigtails connected to two fiber optic cables. Each boot has two seal points. The first seal is between the fiber optic cable, the sealing element, the seal nut and the tapered portion of the sealing boot. The second seal is between the snap finger on the sealing boot and the receiving catch on the connector housing body. |
| US09448359B2 |
Single mode propagation in microstructured optical fibers
The invention relates to an optical fiber as an optical waveguide for the single-mode operation. The present invention proposes a fiber having a microstructure, by which the propagation of modes of a higher order are selectively suppressed in the optical waveguide. At the same time, the propagation of transversal modes of a higher order is dampened more strongly than the propagation of the fundamental modes of the optical waveguide. |
| US09448355B2 |
Display device, electronic apparatus and lighting device
In a lighting device of a display device, a plurality of light emitting elements are mounted on a surface of a light source substrate, and the light source substrate is supported by a light source support member by means of a positioning (fixing) structure such as a metal screw. The plurality of light emitting elements are divided into a plurality of blocks, and the emission light amount can be controlled with respect to each of the blocks. Although the head of the screw is exposed on the surface of the light source substrate, the screw is located between adjacent ones of the blocks. Therefore, even though the illuminating light intensity becomes partially discontinuous owing to the presence of the screw, degradation of display quality originating from such discontinuity can be suppressed. |
| US09448351B2 |
Reflector, illuminating device and backlight module using the reflector
A reflector configured for guiding light emitted from a light emitting diode (LED) light source includes four reflective walls. The reflective walls are connected side-by-side to cooperatively define a cavity. The cavity has a first opening and a second opening at opposite ends thereof. An inner diameter of the cavity gradually decrease as it extends from the second opening toward the first opening. The LED light source is located at the second opening of the cavity. Light emitted from the LED light source enters into the cavity and is reflected by the at least one reflective wall toward the first opening of the cavity. An illuminating device and a backlight module using the reflector are also provided. |
| US09448345B2 |
Silver barrier materials for low-emissivity applications
A method for making low emissivity panels, including control the composition of a barrier layer formed on a thin conductive silver layer. The barrier structure can include an alloy of a first element having high oxygen affinity with a second element having low oxygen affinity. The first element can include Ta, Nb, Zr, Hf, Mn, Y, Si, and Ti, and the second element can include Ru, Ni, Co, Mo, and W, which can have low oxygen affinity property. The alloy barrier layer can reduce optical absorption in the visible range, can provide color-neutral product, and can improve adhesion to the silver layer. |
| US09448342B2 |
Optical sources and display devices
Provided are an optical member having adhesion and elastic restoring force, and a light source device and a display device including the same, the optical member including: a base film; an optical pattern layer provided on the base film and having adhesion; and an upper film partially adhering onto the optical pattern layer, in which at least a partial region of the optical pattern layer has a characteristic in which the partial region is deformed when external force is applied and restored when the external force is removed, and it is easy to assemble a product to improve productivity, and the elastic restoring force is excellent to suppress damage due to the external force. |
| US09448340B2 |
Embedded diffuser structure
An optical device comprises an optical diffuser structure embedded between media of substantially the same optical refractive index. The structure comprises a partially reflective optical coating at the interface between the two media. The partially reflective optical coating comprises a relief profile such that, in use, the optical diffuser structure diffuses light in reflection from the partially reflective optical coating and delivers substantially no optical deflection in transmission. |
| US09448337B2 |
Rod lens array and image sensor head that uses same
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a rod lens array, which has a deep depth of focus and a small depth of focus spot. The present invention provides a rod lens array that is equipped with at least one line of rod lenses between two substrates, said line of rod lenses having a plurality of columnar rod lenses wherein the refractive index decreases toward the outer periphery from the center, said rod lenses being arranged in such a manner that the center axes of the rod lenses are substantially parallel to each other. The rod lens array is characterized in that the average value (DOFave) of the depth of focus (DOF) is at least 0.9 mm, and the depth of focus spot (DOFcv) in the scanning direction of the line of rod lenses is not more than 12%. |
| US09448336B1 |
Fabrication method for small-scale structures with non-planar features
The fabrication of small-scale structures is disclosed. A unit-cell of a small-scale structure with non-planar features is fabricated by forming a membrane on a suitable material. A pattern is formed in the membrane and a portion of the substrate underneath the membrane is removed to form a cavity. Resonators are then directionally deposited on the wall or sides of the cavity. The cavity may be rotated during deposition to form closed-loop resonators. The resonators may be non-planar. The unit-cells can be formed in a layer that includes an array of unit-cells. |
| US09448329B2 |
Method to determine local variations of the earth's magnetic field and location of the source thereof
A method to determine the earth's magnetic field vector along a sub-surface wellpath having unknown and possibly changing azimuth, in the presence of a magnetic disturbance caused by a magnetic source external to the wellpath includes estimating the three components of the earth field along the three axes of a magnetic sensor package by a polynomial function of measured depth along the wellpath. Upon removal of the earth's magnetic field from the measurements, the resultant magnetic field of the disturbance is determined and can be used to determine the position and orientation of the source of the disturbance. |
| US09448328B2 |
Tailgate detection using infra-red beams
A system, for calculating an object location within a portal, includes a portal map formed by a plurality of infra-red beams. The system further includes a broken beam detector for detecting and recording, in response to an object moving through the portal map, data indicative of one or more broken beams of the plurality of infra-red beams. The data includes first data indicative of an initial position of the object within the portal, second data indicative of a subsequent position of the object within the portal, and third data including one or more time records. The system also includes at least one broken beam analyzer for obtaining the data from the broken beam detector, the broken beam analyzer calculating the object location based on at least one of the first data, the second data, and the third data. |
| US09448327B2 |
X-ray generator having multiple extractors with independently selectable potentials
A logging tool is for determining a property of a subsurface formation having a borehole therein and includes a housing to fit within the borehole. An x-ray generator is carried by the housing and includes at least three extractor electrodes, an electron emitter to emit electrons toward the extractor electrodes, and a target downstream of the extractor electrodes. The extractor electrodes have independently selectable potentials so as to allow direction of an electron beam, formed from the electrons emitted by the electron emitter, toward different longitudinal and lateral regions of the target, the target to emit x-rays into the subsurface formation when struck by the electron beam. A radiation detector is carried by the housing to detect incoming radiation resulting from interactions between the x-rays and the subsurface formation. Processing circuitry is coupled to the radiation detector to determine the property of the subsurface formation based upon detected incoming radiation. |
| US09448319B2 |
All fiber towed array
A system and method for an acoustic sensor array of a bundle of N different length optical fiber sensors. A coherent or noncoherent light source is input to each fiber for transmission along the length of the fiber. The light signal is reflected back at the fiber end point, and the resulting reflected light is diverted to an optical receiver so that perturbations of intensity and/or phase may be extracted. |
| US09448318B2 |
Determination of particle displacement or velocity from particle acceleration measurements
Techniques are described for determining particle displacement or particle velocity data from particle acceleration measurements. In an embodiment, an apparatus comprises an interface configured to received particle acceleration data, one or more processors, and one or more storage media. The one or more storage media store instructions for determining one or more of particle velocity data or particle displacement data, based upon the particle acceleration data, by processing the particle acceleration data using a filter that at least approximates a Wiener filter and that uses one or more damping factors selected to provide stability in the presence of noise in the particle acceleration data. |
| US09448317B2 |
Method for swell noise detection and attenuation in marine seismic surveys
Spatial data sequences are extracted in a frequency-space domain at selected frequencies in selected data windows in seismic data. A signal model and residuals are iteratively constructed for each extracted spatial data sequence. Each data sample in each extracted spatial data sequence is assessed to determine if the data sample is noisy. Each noisy data sample in each data sequence is replaced by a corresponding signal model value. The earth's subsurface is imaged using the noise-attenuated seismic data. |
| US09448311B2 |
Underwater node for seismic surveys and method
A method, system and a marine node for recording seismic waves underwater. The node includes a first module configured to house a seismic sensor; bottom and top plates attached to the first module; a second module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the second module including a first battery and a data storage device; and a third module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the third module including a second battery. |
| US09448309B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of radioactive isotopes
A method and apparatus for detecting an isotope. embodiments can detect radioactive isotopes. Embodiments can utilize a detector that incorporates at least two sub-detectors. Each sub-detector can receive energy from an isotope and create a signal corresponding to the received energy. Each sub-detector can incorporate a detector element, such as a detector element incorporating one or more diodes, a detector element incorporating a crystal, a detector element incorporating a solid-state device, or a detector element incorporating a scintillator. The sub-detectors can be configured such that for each isotope to be detected at least two of the sub-detectors produce different output signals, or readings. In an embodiment, each sub-detector is configured such that when there are at least two sub-detectors exposed to the isotope each of the corresponding readings from the sub-detectors are different from each of the other readings. |
| US09448308B2 |
GPS yield for emergency calls in a mobile radio network
An implementation of a system, device and method for communicating location data of a mobile station, enhancing location data, optimally communicating Assistance Data, and/or reducing rebids of Measure Position Request messages in a wireless network. |
| US09448306B1 |
Methods and apparatus for self-assisting positioning system
In a method of implementing a positioning system a buffer is configured to store a buffer record for each of a plurality of position fixes determined by the receiver and a database is configured to store a database record for each of the position fixes. Buffer records are accumulated, with each buffer record corresponding to one of the position fixes determined by the receiver. A first threshold position near an area in which a degradation event occurs is identified and recorded in a first database record. A second threshold position near the area is identified in a second database record. The second threshold position is indicated by one of the position fixes outside of the area and is proximate to a position at which the degradation event ends. |
| US09448305B2 |
Surface scattering antenna array
An array of scattering and/or reflector antennas are configured to produce a series of beam patterns, where in some embodiments the scattering antenna and/or the reflector antenna includes complementary metamaterial elements. In some embodiments control circuitry is operably connected to the array to produce an image of an object in the beam pattern. |
| US09448304B2 |
Ground moving target indicator (GMTI) radar that converts radar tracks to directed graphs (DG), and creates weighted DGs aligned with superimposed with digital maps
The present invention is directed to a system that includes a semantic reasoning engine that is configured to convert radar track data into a directed graph representation (DGR) of the predetermined surveillance region and iteratively combine the DGRs to create a weighted directed graph (WDG) aligned and superimposed with the digital map data. The WDG includes first WDG elements corresponding to moving objects detected by a radar system. The WDG is compared to historical data to obtain a surveillance detection parameter. An alarm message is generated if the surveillance detection parameter deviates from the historical data by a predetermined amount. An output device is coupled to the semantic reasoning engine and is configured to provide a representation of the digital map data, the WDG and the at least one alarm message. |
| US09448299B2 |
Information association system
An information association system for identifying a mobile terminal owned by a driver accurately is disclosed. The information association system is allowed to communicate with the mobile terminal and sensors arranged in a vehicle, and configured to identify the mobile terminal owned by the driver based on information about a detected signals transmitted form the mobile terminal(s) and sensor(s). |
| US09448298B2 |
Techniques for faster time-to-first-fix
Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed herein that may be utilized, in whole or in part, to facilitate or support one or more operations or techniques for a relatively faster time-to-first-fix, such as for use in or with a mobile communication device. Briefly, in accordance with at least one implementation, a method may include transmitting a first message to a mobile device, the first message comprising abbreviated positioning assistance data; receiving a second message from the mobile device, the second message comprising an indication of a coarse location of the mobile device; and transmitting a third message to the mobile device, the third message comprising a detailed tiled radio heat map obtained based, at least in part, on the received indication of the coarse location of the mobile device. |
| US09448295B2 |
Multi-layer cushion for optimum adjustment to anatomy and for susceptibility adjustment
A shim cushion for a magnetic resonance tomography system includes at least two layers. A first layer of the at least two layers includes both a higher deformability and also a lower susceptibility than a second layer of the at least two layers. |
| US09448292B2 |
Cryoprobe using closed gas loop for nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus
Provided is a cryoprobe using a closed gas loop for a nuclear magnetic resonance apparatus, including: superconducting magnets providing a magnetic field; a rotor rotatably disposed between the superconducting magnets in the state of a sample being put therein, the rotor being rotated by a driving gas; a coil configured to generate a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum according to a resonance phenomenon of the sample by applying a radio frequency to the rotor; and a gas loop configured to cool the driving gas in a cryogenic condition while circulating it in a closed-loop condition and to supply the driving gas to the rotor, wherein the gas loop supplies the driving gas to the rotor while cooling it in a cryogenic condition, thereby rotating the rotor. |
| US09448291B2 |
High pressure sample containment system for electromagnetic measurements
The present invention is related to systems and methods for chemical and biological analysis and, in particular, to systems, apparatus, and methods of sample conditioning and analysis. |
| US09448290B2 |
Magnetic resonance hyperpolarization and multiple irradiation probe head
A hyperpolarization and multiple irradiation probe head, suitable for use in connection with magnetic resonance techniques (DNP-NMR, photo-DNP-NMR, ENDOR-EPR, MRI, DNP-MRI), comprising a RF transducer for generating and detecting a RF signal, wherein said RF transducer has a conducting element (2) allowing, together with at least one fully or partially connected grid polarizer made of conducting grid elements (1) which are reciprocally spaced so as the grid is at least partially transparent to a given microwave beam (3), controlled RF current paths and a substantially uniform RF magnetic field inside the RF transducer, wherein the grid polarizer (1) and the conducting element (2) forming the RF transducer are shaped and oriented to conform to said microwave beam phase fronts, said grid polarizer and said conducting element surrounding a sample (8), which is apt to be irradiated also by said microwaves (3); the probe head being also suited for a simultaneous irradiation of the sample with THz, FIR, IR, visible, and UV electromagnetic radiation. |
| US09448285B2 |
Method and apparatus of wafer testing
A system for testing a wafer includes a probe card and a wafer. The probe card includes at least one first probe site and at least one second probe site. The wafer includes a plurality of dies. The at least one first probe site is arranged for a first test, and the at least one second probe site is arranged for a second test. Each of the plurality of dies corresponds to first probe pads and second probe pads. Each of the at least one first probe site is arranged to touch the first probe pads of each of the plurality of dies. Each of the at least one second probe site is arranged to touch the second probe pads of each of the plurality of dies. |
| US09448278B2 |
Direct liquid-contact micro-channel heat transfer devices, methods of temperature control for semiconductive devices, and processes of forming same
An apparatus to test a semiconductive device includes a base plane that holds at least one heat-transfer fluid unit cell. The at least one heat-transfer fluid unit cell includes a fluid supply structure including a supply-orifice cross section as well as a fluid return structure including a return-orifice cross section. The supply-orifice cross section is greater than the return-orifice cross section. A die interface is also included to be a liquid-impermeable material. |
| US09448272B2 |
Earthed connection detection
A mechanism is described for determining whether or not a ground connection is properly earthed by determining whether or not a potential difference exists between a voltage measuring point and a ground connection. A first capacitor is connected between the ground connection and a first power line and a first duplicating capacitor (having the same capacitance as the first capacitor) is connected between the voltage measuring point and the first power line. If the determining step determines that the potential difference does not exist, then it is determined that the ground connection is not properly earthed. |
| US09448262B2 |
Current sensor having at least one cancel coil
A current sensor according to the present invention includes a sensor element and a detector. The sensor element includes a core member, an exciting coil and a detection coil. The sensor element is configured such that, while the exciting coil is fed with an excitation signal, comprising a fundamental component, and when the signal to be detected flows, a signal, including a harmonic component, corresponding to the permeability μ of the core member at that point, being superposed on the fundamental component, is outputted from the detection coil. The detector includes a component extraction unit, a level specification unit, and an information output unit. |
| US09448261B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing attenuation in current transducers
A device includes a first axial ring, a first radial ring disposed below the first axial ring and a second radial ring disposed below the first axial ring. The first radial ring and the second radial ring are spaced apart in a radial direction. The device also includes an electrically non-conductive isolating ring disposed between the first axial ring and the first radial ring and a current sensor disposed between the first radial ring and the second radial ring. Further, the device includes a second axial ring disposed below the first radial ring, the second radial ring, and the current sensor. The first axial ring, the first radial ring, the second radial ring, and the second axial ring form a magnetic shield and an electrically conductive shell around the current sensor. The isolating ring disrupts the electrical continuity of the electrically conductive shell. |
| US09448260B2 |
Ascertaining the ballistic trajectory of an electromagnetically driven armature of a coil actuator
A method for determining the movement time curve of an electromagnetically driven armature of an actuator that has a coil may include: (a) applying to the coil a control signal dimensioned such that the armature undergoes only a partial deviation from the armature starting position without reaching an end position defined by a stop, and reaches the armature starting position again after reaching a turnaround position, wherein the deviation of the armature over time is described at least approximately by a section of a parabola at least between the turnaround position and the starting position, (b) determining the time at which the armature reaches the armature starting position again, (c) determining the speed with which the armature reaches the armature starting position again, and (d) ascertaining the movement time curve of the armature using a mathematical equation that describes the parabola based on the detected time and the detected speed. |
| US09448257B2 |
Distribution line clamp force using DC bias on coil
A power distribution monitoring system is provided that can include a number of features. The system can include a plurality of monitoring devices configured to attach to individual conductors on a power grid distribution network. In some embodiments, a monitoring device is disposed on each conductor of a three-phase network and utilizes a split-core transformer to harvest energy from the conductors. The monitoring devices can be configured to harvest energy from the AC power grid and apply a DC bias to core halves of the split-core transformer to maintain a positive magnetic force between the core halves. Methods of installing and using the monitoring devices are also provided. |
| US09448245B2 |
Specimen transportation system
A specimen transportation system is configured from linear modules, turn modules, and connection modules, wherein adjacent modules are connected to one another, and the modules form multiple paths through which specimen racks outputted from one specimen output device are transported to multiple analysis devices. Each path is associated with a node signal indicating whether said path can be used for transportation, and a node signal sequence comprising multiple node signals of the paths is configured. In the specimen transportation system, the node signal sequence is transferred from the downstream side to the upstream side, and problems such as the detention of a specimen rank in the specimen transportation system are dealt with by using said node signal sequence. |
| US09448244B2 |
Compound, and method for measuring iron concentration by using novel compound as chelate color former
The present invention addresses the problem of providing a chelate color former which can measure the concentration of iron with high sensitivity and with low blank values when measuring the concentration of iron, and an iron concentration measurement method and kit that use this chelate color former. The present invention relates to: a compound represented by following formula [1] or a salt thereof wherein, R1 and R2 each independently represent —SO3H or —CO2H; an iron concentration measurement method in which the compound is used as a chelate color former, the compound is brought into contact with iron in a sample, and the concentration of iron in the sample is measured on the basis of the degree of resulting color development; and a kit to be used therein. |
| US09448241B2 |
Mass spectrometry method for a polypeptide including a cysteine residue
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for treating a polypeptide including a cysteine residue for enhancing the sensitivity of detection thereof in mass spectrometry using charged particles. A mass spectrometry method for a polypeptide including a cysteine residue is provided which includes treating the polypeptide including a cysteine residue with a cyanation agent, treating the cyanated polypeptide with a base, and then desorption ionizing the base-treated polypeptides using charged particles for mass spectrometry. |
| US09448239B2 |
Monoclonal antibodies against PCBP-1 antigens, and uses therefor
The present invention provides and includes monoclonal antibodies specific or preferentially selective for PCBP-1 antigens, as well as methods utilizing these antibodies to determine the severity of breast cancer in a patient. |
| US09448237B2 |
Modified tyrosine amino acids, peptides containing them, and their use for detecting hydrolase enzyme activity
The present invention relates to a method and tools which allow the kinetic monitoring of hydrolase enzyme activity. The present invention also aims to provide synthetic peptides and peptide residues modified such that they can be used in assays for monitoring hydrolase enzyme activity, and preferably phosphatase activity. Also claimed are modified tyrosine amino acid derivatives of formula (IV), wherein Y is chosen from —POy2− with y equal to 2 or 3 and esters thereof, —SOZ− with z equal to 2 or 3 and esters thereof, a carbohydrate or carbohydrate derivatives; and; wherein X1 and/or X2 is selected from —N3, —NO2, —CI, or —CN, —SCN, a C1 to C8 alkyl, or H, wherein either X1 or X2 is not H. |
| US09448236B2 |
Biologically enhanced electrically-active magnetic nanoparticles for concentration, separation, and detection applications
The disclosure generally relates to a particulate composition formed from a conductive polymer (e.g., conductive polyanilines, polypyrroles, polythiophenes) bound to magnetic nanoparticles (e.g., Fe(II)- and/or Fe(III)-based magnetic metal oxides). The particulate composition can be formed into a biologically enhanced, electrically active magnetic (BEAM) nanoparticle composition by further including a binding pair member (e.g., an antibody) bound to the conductive polymer of the particulate composition. Methods and kits employing the particulate composition and the BEAM nanoparticle composition also are disclosed. |
| US09448225B2 |
Responsive luminescent lathanide complexes
The invention provides a compound of formula (I): (wherein: R1 is an optionally substituted 2-(1-azathiaxanthone); each —R2 is independently of the formula —CH2—C(═O)—R4, wherein R4 is an amino acid or a salt thereof, attached to the remainder of R2 through the nitrogen atom of the amino group; and R3 is hydrogen or a C1-6 alkyl group); or (wherein: R1 is an optionally substituted 2-(1-azaxanthone); each R2 is independently an optionally substituted glutaric or succinic acid, or a salt or ester thereof; and R3 is hydrogen or a C1-6 alkyl group). |
| US09448224B2 |
Cartridge and sensor-dispensing instrument
A disposable cartridge adapted to be used with a sensor-dispensing instrument comprises a housing, test sensors, a mechanical mechanism and moveable seals. The housing forms at least one opening therethrough. The test sensors are stacked in the housing. The test sensors are adapted to assist in testing at least one analyte. The mechanical mechanism is adapted to urge the test sensors in a first direction. One of the test sensors is positioned for ejection from the cartridge. The moveable seals is adapted to be in a closed position that seals the at least one opening so as to provide a substantially moisture-proof and a substantially air-tight cartridge, and one of the moveable seals is adapted to be in an open position that allows one of the test sensors to be moved therethrough. |
| US09448219B2 |
Electro-mechanical switches and methods of use thereof
One aspect of the invention relates to an ultrathin micro-electromechanical chemical sensing device which uses swelling or straining of a reactive organic material for sensing. In certain embodiments, the device comprises a contact on-off switch chemical sensor. For example, the device can comprises a small gap separating two electrodes, wherein the gap can be closed as a result of the swelling or stressing of an organic polymer coating on one or both sides of the gap. In certain embodiments, the swelling or stressing is due to the organic polymer reacting with a target analyte. |
| US09448213B2 |
Residual sterilant test method
Methods for determining the amount of residual sterilant remaining on the surface of an object at the end of a disinfection process are described. One method of determining the amount of residual sterilant on a test piece after a sterilization regime in a sterilization space includes the steps of: placing a test piece having a predetermined surface area into the sterilization space; subjecting the test piece to the sterilization regime; collecting the residual sterilant from the test piece in a collector solution; and measuring the amount of residual sterilant in the collector solution. |
| US09448210B2 |
Plug unit and connection system for connecting capillary tubes, especially for high-performance liquid chromatography
A plug unit for connecting capillary tubes includes a plug housing that has an axial borehole, a plug capillary tube that projects through the axial borehole, and a sealing element that surrounds the plug capillary tube. The front end of the plug capillary tube is sealed by an elastic and/or plastic deformation of the sealing element against the capillary tube receptacle opening of a bushing unit. A hollow cylindrical pressure piece is provided that surrounds the sealing element in an axial region facing away from the end surface of the plug capillary tube, and the pressure piece has a rearward end side that faces away from the end surface of the plug capillary tube and that can be loaded by the plug housing with an axial pressure force when the plug unit and bushing unit are connected. |
| US09448209B2 |
Method for testing the integrity of a flexible tubular pipe and device for implementing same
Method for testing a pipe for carrying hydrocarbons. The pipe has at least one internal sealing sheath made of polymer material, incorporating elements of reactive compound capable of reacting with corrosive gases contained in the hydrocarbons which diffuse radially through the sheath. The reaction forms a first layer, extending radially from the internal surface, in which the elements of reactive compound have reacted with the gases. A second layer, extends between the first layer and the external surface, in which the elements of reactive compound have not yet reacted with the gases. The method uses ultrasound to determine the position of an interface between the first and second layers to measure the progression of the diffusion of the gases through the sheath. |
| US09448201B2 |
In situ probe with improved diagnostics and compensation
A process combustion transmitter is provided. The transmitter includes a process probe extendible into a flow of process combustion exhaust. The process probe has a measurement cell and a diffuser that define a chamber within the process probe. Electronic circuitry is coupled to the measurement cell and is configured to provide an indication relative to a combustion process based on an output signal of the measurement cell. A pressure sensor is coupled to the electronic circuitry and is fluidically coupled to the chamber. The electronic circuitry is configured to provide an adjusted calibration based on pressure measured within the chamber during a calibration. |
| US09448199B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining battery current consumption in a portable terminal
According to one embodiment, an apparatus for selecting a battery voltage table including current consumption information of applications, and applying an offset to a battery output voltage according to current consumption of applications. The apparatus for determining a battery status in a portable terminal includes a memory unit configured to store a battery voltage table defined according to current consumption, a control unit configured to determine an executed application, and a power estimation unit configured to estimate a battery level using the battery voltage table defined for each current consumption of applications and a battery output voltage. |
| US09448193B2 |
Method and device for determining the heat loss coefficient of a premises
A method determining heat loss coefficient K of a premises, includes: in unoccupied premises, performing a campaign of measurements of at least one temperature inside the premises Tik at closely-spaced time intervals over at least two successive time periods Dk corresponding to distinct heating powers Ptotk of the premises; determining temperature of outside air Tek at the same closely-spaced times; for each time period Dk, on the basis of evolution Tik(t) of a quantity Tik as a function of time, selecting a time interval Δtk for which the evolution Tik(t) is substantially linear, then determining the slope αk of the tangent to the evolution Tik(t) over this time interval Δtk, and deducing the value of the heat loss coefficient K of the premises on the basis of the slopes αk. |
| US09448192B2 |
NMR reaction monitoring flow cell
A monitoring cell, used to perform a measurement in an NMR spectrometer of a reaction fluid produced by a reaction vessel, has a body having inlet and outlet transport coaxial capillaries for transporting the reaction fluid between the body and the reaction vessel. Cooling lines are also positioned coaxially with the transport capillaries to transport cooling liquid between the body and the reaction vessel. The cell further has a hollow sample probe for insertion into the NMR spectrometer and a coupler section that removably connects the sample probe to the body so that the inlet transport capillary extends through the body into the interior of the sample probe and the outlet transport capillary is sealed to the sample probe to allow reaction fluid that enters the sample probe via the inlet transport capillary to exit the sample probe via the outlet transport capillary. |
| US09448191B2 |
X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and X-ray fluorescence analyzer
An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer irradiates a measurement sample 1 with primary X rays from an X-ray source, and excites an element in the sample 1 to emit fluorescence X rays, and the primary X-rays are partially scattered as scattered X rays from the sample 1. A spectroscopic system is placed so that a first spectroscopic unit, a second spectroscopic unit, and a single X-ray detector form an optimized optical system. The first spectroscopic unit disperses the fluorescence X rays to collect the resultant X rays onto the X-ray detector. The second spectroscopic unit disperses the scattered X rays to collect the resultant X rays onto the X-ray detector. In this manner, the spectroscopic system disperses the fluorescence X rays and the scattered X rays so that the intensity of the fluorescence X rays and the intensity of the scattered X rays can be detected by the single X-ray detector 24. |
| US09448185B2 |
System and method for inspecting a body
A system for inspecting a body, which includes a first end side, a second end side, and cells extending through the body from the first end side to the second end side, is provided. The system includes at least one light source configured to project light through and out of at least one corresponding group of the cells, a target configured to display the light projected through and out of the at least one corresponding group of the cells, an imaging system configured to determine at least one location of the displayed light on the target, and a system processor configured to compare the determined at least one location of the displayed light with a location of the at least one light source and calculate, from the comparison thereof, at least one of a pointing angle and a pointing vector for the at least one corresponding group of the cells. |
| US09448181B2 |
Optical biosensor and biosensing system with resonant feedback controls
An optical biosensor is provided. The optical biosensor includes a biosensing unit, a detection unit, and a feedback circuit. The biosensing unit is configured to receive an input optical signal, sense a biomaterial, and generate a sensed optical signal. The detecting unit is configured to convert the sensed optical signal into an electrical signal and output the electrical signal as a detection signal. The feedback circuit is configured to output a feedback signal. The feedback signal is generated based on the detection signal and is changed according to a changed amount of a resonant wavelength of the biosensing unit. |
| US09448179B2 |
Gas analyzing apparatus
A gas analyzing apparatus includes a gas analyzing unit, a luminescence inducing component generating unit, and a measurement signal calculating unit. The gas analyzing unit receives a sample gas containing a component gas and/or a standard gas and the luminescence inducing gas. The gas analyzing unit is configured to output a detection signal based on an intensity of a reaction light generated by the interaction between the component gas and the luminescence inducing component. The luminescence inducing component generating unit generates the luminescence inducing gas by electric discharge generated repeatedly at specified intervals. The measurement signal calculating unit calculates a first measurement signal based on a first detection signal, based on the reaction light generated when the sample gas and the luminescence inducing gas are introduced, and a second detection signal, based on the reaction light generated when the standard gas and the luminescence inducing gas are introduced. |
| US09448174B2 |
Fluorometry
The invention relates to fluorometry, and in particular to methods and apparatus for time-delayed detection of fluorescence in a sample, for example for use in a clinical setting. Exemplary embodiments disclosed relate to a fluorometer (100) comprising a light source (101), a light detector (102), a sample holder (103) disposed between the light source and light detector, a motor (104); and a light transmission modulator (105) disposed around the sample holder and comprising a pair of plates (106, 107) attached to the motor for rotation about a common axis (108), the pair of plates arranged to allow transmission from the source to the sample in a first rotated position, to allow transmission from the sample to the detector in a second rotated position and to block direct light transmission between the source and detector in both first and second rotated positions. |
| US09448171B2 |
Security aspects of multiexponential decays
At least two luminescent materials are intermingled within a security feature. The materials are selected from among a larger set of luminescent materials each having a different individual exponential decay characteristic (decay constant and initial amplitude response to the degree of excitation) for photo-luminescent emission from the respective material following excitation. The ratio of the decay constants for any two materials is greater than or equal to about 1.5. The selected materials are mixed in one of a plurality of predetermined ratios. The combined emissions from the intermingled materials appear, to an unsophisticated measuring device, to have a single exponential decay constant. Based on measurements for the decay of the combined emissions following excitation, estimates of the individual decay constants and associated initial emission amplitudes allow decoding of the particular combination of materials and/or their ratios to validate the security feature, authenticating the article. |
| US09448165B2 |
Systems and methods for control of illumination or radiation collection for blood glucose and other analyte detection and measurement using collision computing
In a noninvasive system for detection/measurement of glucose and other analytes in a medium such as tissue, illumination is directed to the medium and corresponding radiation from the medium is collected. Spectral energy changes associated with fragment(s)/feature(s) obtained from the collected radiation are determined using collision computing. Such spectral energy changes generally represent analyte concentration. The collection of radiation and/or illumination is controlled either to target a particular volume of the medium or such that the spectral energy changes become directionally monotonic with respect to analyte concentration, or both. The collection parameters include: duration of collection, location and/or a size of a collection spot on the medium surface, and angle of a collector relative to the medium surface. The illuminated and/or collection spots may be treated to improve accuracy of analyte measurement. |
| US09448163B2 |
Method for detecting rare cell on observation region
The detection of rare cells can be achieved with high efficiency, without deteriorating the sensitivity of the detection. A detection method which enables the above-mentioned detection comprises: a first step of carrying out a pretreatment for removing erythrocytes from blood to prepare a cell suspension containing leukocytes and rare cells; a second step of providing all of the cells contained in the cell suspension produced in the first step onto an observation area having multiple holes formed thereon; a third step of taking an optical image of the cells that have been provided on the observation area; and a forth step of detecting the rare cells from the image obtained by the image taking in the third step. |
| US09448160B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing image data for constructing an image of a region of a target object
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method (200) of providing image data for constructing an image of a region of a target object, comprising detecting, by at least one detector (40), at least a portion of radiation scattered by a target object (30) with the incident radiation (10) or an aperture at a predetermined probe position, determining an offset vector (203) for reducing an error associated with the probe position (201), estimating a wavefront (210) based on a probe function having the offset vector applied to the probe position, and providing image data responsive to the detected radiation. |
| US09448158B2 |
Lightguides to simplify total emission detection for multiphoton microscopy
Light collectors for fluorescence microscopy include slab light guides having a specimen volume such as a specimen well configured to retain a specimen. The specimen volume is bounded by a surface of the slab light guide that permits laterally propagating fluorescence to enter the slab light guide and propagate toward a detection or imaging system. Typically, the slab light guide has an elliptical perimeter and the sample volume is situated at a first focus of the elliptical perimeter. A reflector such as a conical reflector is situated at the second focus so as to direct the collected fluorescence to exit the slab light guide. |
| US09448144B2 |
Air sample tracking system and method
A system for tracking one or more subjects for collecting airborne contaminants. The system includes one or more subjects configured to collect air contaminants. Each of the one or more subjects includes an identification tag encoded with identification information identifying the each subject. The system further includes an identification reader configured to decode the identification information encoded within the identification tag of a scanned one of the one or more identification tags. A computer receives and stores the decoded identification information in a record in a database. The computer may also receive and stored an identification code for a user who scanned the scanned identification tag in the record in the database. Additional records in the database are created each time the identification tag of one of the one or more subjects is scanned. The one or more subjects are thereby tracked as they collect airborne contaminants and are incubated. |
| US09448140B2 |
Service device for air-conditioning systems
A service or maintenance device is provided by which the maintenance work to be done on air-conditioning systems is made easier. An internal measuring system for the evaluation and display of measured data may have a display control means configured to optionally show measured values in a dynamic analog scale type in parallel to a numerical value, and to allow a comparison with a set memory marking. |
| US09448138B2 |
Method and apparatus for automation of vehicle wheel alignment measurements
Methods and apparatus for a vehicle wheel alignment service procedure and an for acquisition of vehicle measurements, which imparts a gravity-induced rolling movement to a vehicle on a vehicle support structure to transition the vehicle from a first vehicle support surface over a descending roll ramp to a resting position on a second vehicle support surface. |
| US09448136B2 |
Sensor control apparatus, sensor control system, and sensor control method
A sensor control apparatus which receives from a gas sensor (10) a sensor output signal Ip corresponding to the concentration of a specific gas component, and a pressure signal P output from a pressure sensor (20). The sensor control apparatus includes a computation section (38) which computes a specific component concentration which is corrected based on the pressure signal P so as to eliminate the influence of the pressure of the gas. The sensor control apparatus includes response adjustment sections (34) and (36) for adjusting the response rates of the sensor output signal Ip and the pressure signal P before being input to the computation section (38), the response rate exhibiting a time variation of the corresponding signal to a change in the pressure of the gas, such that the response rate of the sensor output signal Ip or the response rate of the pressure signal P, whichever is faster, approaches the slower of the two. |
| US09448134B2 |
Systems for detecting a chemical species and use thereof
Systems and methods for detecting chemical species including a lens, a beam splitter, first and second bandpass filters, and first and second electromagnetic radiation detectors. The first bandpass filter has a first transmittance window having a first width transmitting greater than 50% of the filtered first electromagnetic radiation beam within a first electromagnetic radiation wavelength range. The second bandpass filter includes a second transmittance window having a second width within a second electromagnetic radiation wavelength range. The second transmittance window has an upper limit wavelength value that is greater than an upper limit wavelength value of the first transmittance window. The second bandpass filter is configured to transmit a lesser percentage of the second electromagnetic radiation beam passing through the second transmittance window than the first bandpass filter transmits of the first electromagnetic radiation beam passing through the first transmittance window. |
| US09448131B2 |
Battery pack leak detection assembly and method
A method of detecting a leak in a battery pack according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, calculating a predicted amount of thermal energy at a position, measuring an actual amount of thermal energy at the position, and comparing the predicted amount to the actual amount to identify if a battery pack is leaking. |
| US09448124B2 |
Multiple temperature sensor system
A multiple temperature sensor system (120) includes a temperature sensor network (180) including temperature-sensing resistors RT1 and RT2 (186, 187) and frequency-selective filters (184, 185) coupled to the plurality of temperature-sensing resistors RT1 and RT2 (186, 187). The frequency-selective filters (184, 185) pass distinct time-varying signals into the temperature sensor network (180) and pass attenuated distinct time-varying signals out. The system (120) further includes a temperature measurement N controller (161) coupled to the temperature sensor network (180) and configured to inject the distinct time-varying signals into the temperature sensor network (180), receive the attenuated distinct time-varying signals in response to the injection, with the attenuated distinct time-varying signals being attenuated by the temperature sensing resistors (186, 187), and generate two or more substantially simultaneous temperature values from the attenuated distinct time-varying signals. |
| US09448119B2 |
Radiation thermometer using off-focus telecentric optics
A radiation thermometer utilizing an off-focus telecentric lens arrangement in chemical vapor deposition reactors. An object assembly of one or more optical components is positioned at a distance equal to its focal length from an aperture stop. The aperture stop is dimensioned so that the chief rays are substantially parallel with the optical axis of the object assembly, and so that the rays that pass through the aperture stop define a narrow solid angle about the chief rays. The off-focus telecentric arrangement thus configured is focused at infinity, but is utilized to capture radiation from a relatively proximate target (e.g., within a couple meters) that is out of focus. The capture of collimated radiation from the target diminishes the contribution of stray radiation, particularly with targets having a highly specular surface. |
| US09448118B2 |
Sensor assembly
A sensor assembly includes: a sensor including pixels that are aligned in a predetermined direction, the pixels being for detecting an electromagnetic wave; and a lens that forms, in a detector plane on the sensor, an image according to the electromagnetic wave, wherein the lens has an f-number in a first direction and an f-number in a second direction, the f-number in the first direction being different from the f-number in the second direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the predetermined direction in a plane parallel to the detector plane, and the second direction being the predetermined direction. For example, the f-number of the lens in the first direction is smaller than the f-number of the lens in the second direction. |
| US09448116B2 |
Free space single-mode fibers and fiber components for fiber sensor applications
This invention revealed and demonstrated a method of measuring and deriving a Jones Matrix of a fiber or fiber component, and to compensate the fiber or fiber component such that the fiber or fiber component plus the compensated optical circuit act as if an Unitary Matrix free space condition. In this way, all compensated fibers or fiber components act the same no matter what their original conditions are. It greatly enhances the fiber or fiber component repeatability and stability throughout the fiber or fiber component production line. The compensated circuit for Unitary Matrix can be applied externally or internally. |
| US09448113B2 |
Measurement apparatus, information obtaining apparatus, and measurement method
A measurement apparatus includes a terahertz wave generating unit configured to generate a terahertz wave in response to incidence of pump light thereon; a terahertz wave detecting unit configured to detect the terahertz wave in response to incidence of probe light thereon; an adjusting unit configured to adjust an optical path length difference to adjust a timing at which the terahertz wave and the probe light reach the terahertz wave detecting unit; an amount-of-change detecting unit configured to detect an amount of change in the optical path length difference; a vibration obtaining unit configured to obtain information about a magnitude of vibration of the adjusting unit; a determining unit configured to determine whether the magnitude is within a range of an allowable value; and an output unit configured to output a measurement start trigger in a case where the determining unit determines the magnitude is within the range. |
| US09448112B2 |
Multifunctional fluid meter and method for measuring coolant, bio-diesel, gas-ethanol and DEF
A simple and compact apparatus, and a method, for determining the characteristics of a number of fluids used in the truck and automotive industries including coolant, bio-diesel, gas-ethanol and diesel engine fluid (DEF). The apparatus includes a sample container providing optical paths of different lengths for making measurements on a sample. The dual path length design allows the apparatus to capture both NIR and UV spectral ranges. The qualitative and quantitative properties of the fluid under test are compared to test results under normal conditions or to the properties of unused fluid. Two light sources are used within a spectrometer with each source being associated with a different optical path length. |
| US09448109B2 |
Analog-to-digital conversion circuit, imaging apparatus and imaging system
An analog-to-digital conversion circuit includes: a plurality of comparators comparing an analog signal with a reference signal; a counter generating a count signal having a plurality of bits in Gray code; a plurality of first signal wirings each transmitting one of bits of the count signal from the counter to the plurality of memories each having a plurality of bit memories; and a plurality of second signal wirings, each connecting between the bit memories of the plurality of memories. Each of the second signal wirings is connected to one of the plurality of first signal wirings, and the first signal wirings and/or the second signal wirings include a signal wiring transmitting a signal of least significant bit in the count signal arranged between the plurality of other signal wirings each transmitting a signal of a bit different from the least significant bit in the count signal. |
| US09448108B2 |
Measuring and adjusting system and method on uniformity of light intensity of light source
A measuring and adjusting system and method on uniformity of light intensity of a light source. The measuring and adjusting system on uniformity of light intensity of a light source includes: a light intensity measuring plate; a light source, irradiating light to the light intensity measuring plate; an image acquisition module, acquiring color difference variation image on the light intensity measuring plate; a microprocessor, connected with the image acquisition module and connected with the light source through a control module, wherein the microprocessor compares the color difference variation image with colorimetric criterion internally stored, and obtains the light intensity distribution on the whole surface of the light intensity measuring plate, so as to judge the uniformity situation, and performs adjustment on the light intensity of the light source. |
| US09448106B2 |
Optical sensor
To provide an optical sensor that can ensure accuracy of positions of a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit in a case. The optical sensor includes a case, an integrated light projecting module that includes a light emitting unit and a light projecting lens, a light receiving unit configured to receive reflected light of light projected from the light projecting module, and a light receiving lens unit configured to form an image of the reflected light on the light receiving unit. The light projecting module, the light receiving unit, and the light receiving lens unit are each independently and directly fixed to the case. |
| US09448099B2 |
Self-weighing trolley case with weight sensor composed partially of soft material
A weighing case includes a trolley, a case body, a vertical handle, a horizontal handle, and wheels, where four weight sensing apparatuses are arranged on one side of the case body, and a display screen is arranged on the other side of the case body. The weighing case in the present utility model can conveniently display the weight of goods in the case body because four weight sensing apparatuses are arranged on one side of the case body and a display screen is arranged on the other side of the case body. The present utility model has a simple structure and a strong practicability. |
| US09448098B2 |
Fuel level inference from canister temperatures
Methods and systems for inferring a fuel level in a fuel tank based on temperature changes in a carbon canister are disclosed. In one example approach a method comprises, indicating a fuel level in a fuel tank based on a temperature change of adsorbent in a carbon canister during refueling. |
| US09448095B2 |
Volume metering dispenser
A volume metering dispenser comprises a body having a fluid cavity therein. The body further has a body wall, at least a portion of which is transparent or translucent, thereby permitting the operator to see the level of fluid within at least a portion of the fluid cavity. A valve is disposed within the body portion, the valve comprises a seal. The seal is selectively engaged to the body in order to selectively dispense fluid. The volume metering dispenser further comprises a resilient member. The resilient member is elastically deformable and the valve is attached to the resilient member. |
| US09448094B2 |
Method of and apparatus for measuring the mass flow rate of a gas
There is provided a meter (200; 350) for measuring the mass flow rate of a gas. The meter comprises a conduit (206) through which the gas flows in use. The conduit has a flow restriction orifice (212) through which choked flow occurs in use. The flow restriction orifice divides the conduit into an upstream portion (214) upstream of said orifice and a downstream portion (216) downstream of said orifice. The meter further comprises a sensor assembly (204), the sensor assembly including a piezoelectric crystal oscillator (218) in said upstream portion such that said piezoelectric oscillator is in contact with said gas when the meter in use. The sensor assembly is arranged: to drive the piezoelectric crystal oscillator such that the piezoelectric crystal oscillator resonates at a resonant frequency; to measure said resonant frequency of said piezoelectric crystal oscillator; and to determine, from the resonant frequency, the mass flow rate through the orifice. |
| US09448091B2 |
Vacuum insulated venturi meter for an exhaust gas recirculation apparatus
A venturi flow meter for an EGR apparatus includes an inner wall defining an interior space including a converging inlet section, a throat section, and a diverging outlet section and an outer wall surrounding the inner wall and attached to the inner wall, the outer wall being spaced from the inner wall to define an insulating space between the inner wall and the outer wall. |
| US09448090B2 |
Method of, and apparatus for, measuring the mass flow rate of a gas
There is provided a meter for measuring the mass flow rate of a gas, the meter comprising a conduit through which the gas flows in use, the conduit having a flow restriction orifice through which choked flow occurs in use, the flow restriction orifice dividing the conduit into an upstream portion upstream of said orifice and a downstream portion downstream of said orifice, the meter further comprising a sensor assembly including a first piezoelectric crystal oscillator in said upstream portion such that said first piezoelectric oscillator is in contact with said gas when the meter in use, a second piezoelectric crystal oscillator in said downstream portion such that said second piezoelectric oscillator is in contact with said gas when the meter in use, said sensor assembly being arranged: to drive the first and second piezoelectric crystal oscillators such that each of the first and second piezoelectric crystal oscillators resonate at respective resonant frequencies; to measure the resonant frequency of the first piezoelectric oscillator and the resonant frequency of resonant frequency of the first piezoelectric oscillator and the the second piezoelectric oscillator; and to determine, from the resonant frequency of the second piezoelectric oscillator, the mass flow rate of gas through said orifice. |
| US09448087B2 |
Contactless magnetic linear position sensor
In a position sensor, two field sensors are placed along a line parallel to the movement to be detected. Two magnets are placed at an angle to each other to generate a magnetic field such that their position is a linear or approximately linear function of the difference between the outputs of the sensors. |
| US09448083B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a navigation route with recommended charging
A system includes a processor configured to discover charging station locations within a predefined proximity to a route for which vehicle-charging is required to complete. The processor is also configured to determine a charging cost at each discovered station, including at least battery-damage resulting from a charge. The processor is further configured to present a plurality of charging stations, including the charging costs and an estimated total route time for each station. Also, the processor is configured to receive a station selection and present a route including a stop at the selected station. |
| US09448082B2 |
Method for operating a hybrid drive
A method operates a hybrid drive operable selectively in a first operating mode powered by only an internal combustion engine or in a second operating mode powered by only an electric motor. Prior to starting a trip, for which a route that leads from a start to a destination is determined, the entire route to be traveled is segmented, according to pre-defined logic, into a plurality of route sections. These route sections are used to select certain route sections that are ever taken into consideration, based on certain route section criteria, for driving in the second mode. From, the selected certain route sections, those are used to identify and to drive on the route in the second mode in which route travel in the second mode yields a total maximum fuel economy advantage compared to driving the route in the first or any other mode. |
| US09448079B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing navigation guidance via proximate devices
An approach is provided for connecting at least one first device with at least one second device proximate to at least one destination for navigation guidance. The approach involves determining at least one destination associated with at least one first device, at least one first user associated with the at least one first device, or a combination thereof. The approach also involves determining at least one second device, at least one second user associated with the at least one second device, or a combination thereof within at least one proximity threshold of the at least one destination. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a transmission of at least one navigation assistance request from the at least one first device, that least one first user, or a combination thereof to the at least one second device, the at least one second user, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one navigation assistance request seeks, at least in part, navigation guidance information related to the at least one destination, at least one point of interest associated with the at least one destination, or a combination thereof from the at least one second device, the at least one second user, or a combination thereof. |
| US09448077B2 |
Route search system, route search method, and route search program
A route search system according to one embodiment includes a receiving unit, a first search unit, a determination unit, a second search unit, and an output unit. The receiving unit receives search criteria. The first search unit searches for a first route and time required based on the search criteria by referring to a storage unit that stores route information. The determination unit determines whether a difference between user's time and the time required is equal to or more than a specified value. When the difference is the specified value or more, the second search unit searches for a second route that takes a longer time than the first route. The output unit outputs the second route. |
| US09448076B2 |
Navigation system, and control method and program for navigation system
Navigation systems, methods, and programs receive, with a signal receiver, a first signal and a second signal that is different from the first signal. The systems, methods, and programs estimate a region in which a current location is present on the basis of a combination of a status of reception of the first signal and a status of reception of the second signal. |
| US09448073B2 |
System and method for assessing road quality using data collected from a mobile device
A computer implemented method for assessing road quality using data collected from a mobile device is disclosed. The method may include obtaining travel data associated with a mobile device traversal. The travel data may include acceleration data associated with the mobile device during the mobile device traversal. The method may also include analyzing the travel data according to one or more heuristics. Each heuristic may provide a heuristic metric indicative of whether the mobile device traversal is a human-carried mobile device traversal. In addition, the method may include determining a confidence score for the travel data based on the heuristic metric provided by each of the one or more heuristics and processing the travel data based at least in part on the confidence score, wherein the processed travel data is configured to be used to assess road quality. |
| US09448071B2 |
Microelectromechanical device having an oscillating mass and a forcing stage, and method of controlling a microelectromechanical device
A microelectromechanical device includes: a body; a movable mass, elastically coupled to the body and oscillatable with respect to the body according to a degree of freedom; a frequency detector, configured to detect a current oscillation frequency of the movable mass; and a forcing stage, capacitively coupled to the movable mass and configured to provide energy to the movable mass through forcing signals having a forcing frequency equal to the current oscillation frequency detected by the frequency detector, at least in a first transient operating condition. |
| US09448059B2 |
Three-dimensional scanner with external tactical probe and illuminated guidance
An assembly that includes a projector and camera is used with a processor to determine three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of an object surface. The processor fits collected 3D coordinates to a mathematical representation provided for a shape of a surface feature. The processor fits the measured 3D coordinates to the shape and, if the goodness of fit is not acceptable, selects and performs at least one of: changing a pose of the assembly, changing an illumination level of the light source, changing a pattern of the transmitted With the changes in place, another scan is made to obtain 3D coordinates. |
| US09448057B2 |
Surface characteristic determining apparatus
A wavelength selector (5) selects a wavelength of a broadband light source (4). A light director (BS1, BS2) directs light from the wavelength selector along a measurement path towards a region of a sample surface and along a reference path towards a reference surface, such that light reflected by the region of the sample surface and light reflected by the reference surface interfere to produce an interferogram. A controller (20) controls the wavelength selector to change the wavelength selected by the wavelength selector. A recorder (63) records successive images, each image representing the interferogram produced by a respective one of the wavelengths selected by the wavelength selector. A data processor (18, 180) processes the recorded images to produce at least one of a surface profile and a surface height map of at least a part of the sample surface. The reference path may be controlled to compensate for environmental effects such as vibration, thermal effects and air turbulence. The data processor may use a graphics processing unit to enable pixel data to be processed in parallel. |
| US09448051B2 |
Detonator interrupter for well tools
An interrupter for use with a wellbore tool may include a housing having an interior and a fusible body disposed in the housing interior. The fusible body may be solid below a specified temperature and liquid above the specified temperature. The fusible body communicates a first high-order detonation to a detonator only when liquid. The communicated the first high-order detonation is at a magnitude sufficient to cause the detonator to produce a second high-order detonation. |
| US09448049B2 |
Surface skimming munition
A surface skimming munition comprises a hull, a traction propulsion motor positioned in the hull and having a combustion chamber for combustion of a propellant, at least one aft directed nozzle coupled to the hull at a position forward of a center of gravity of the hull and comprising an inlet section and an outlet section, the inlet section in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and the outlet section directing combustion gas received from the combustion chamber through the inlet section in the aft direction, and at least one stabilizing plane coupled to the hull and moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. |
| US09448047B1 |
Single canister selectable color smoke grenade
A selectable color smoke grenade for producing different color smokes from a single grenade canister. Each grenade canister includes an upper chamber that holds gas producing material and a fuze, one or more dye chambers with dye containing compartments and bypass chambers, a plug positioned between the one or more dye chambers and the upper chamber, and a mixing chamber to receive smoke from the one or more dye chambers and having holes to release the smoke to the environment. Each dye chamber has one or more compartments containing a different color dye. Holes in the plug are used to selectively channel the gases from the upper chamber into one or more of the dye containing compartments. Color selectivity is achieved by changing the alignment between the holes in the plug and the dye containing compartments by rotating the plug and dye chamber relative to each other about a common axis. |
| US09448044B1 |
Moving target device
A moving target device is disclosed having a target mounting frame for holding a target therein, a pivot assembly connected to the target mounting frame, an upper support arm and a lower support arm connected to the pivot assembly, a magnet support assembly connected to the pivot assembly, an electric magnet connected to the magnet support assembly, a motor connected to the lower support arm, a disk connected to the motor and capable of being rotated the motor, a spring connected to the magnet support assembly and the lower support arm, and a stop plate for controlling movement of the pivot assembly. |
| US09448043B2 |
Interactive target and system for long range shooting
An interactive target assembly is disclosed and claimed herein wherein the target assembly is meant to provide real-time feedback to a shooter or other remote onlooker. The shooter or other party can visually detect a strike to the target by way of a high powered LED light that is in wired communication with a target control module. The target control module is thereby in wireless communication via a multi-channel receiver with a remote control and an impact detection module. The impact detection module detects an impact to the target, sending a signal to the target control module, which illuminates a light to indicate a strike. |
| US09448042B2 |
Diminishing detonator effectiveness through electromagnetic effects
An inductively coupled transmission line with distributed electromotive force source and an alternative coupling model based on empirical data and theory were developed to initiate bridge wire melt for a detonator with an open and a short circuit detonator load. In the latter technique, the model was developed to exploit incomplete knowledge of the open circuited detonator using tendencies common to all of the open circuit loads examined. Military, commercial, and improvised detonators were examined and modeled. Nichrome, copper, platinum, and tungsten are the detonator specific bridge wire materials studied. The improvised detonators were made typically made with tungsten wire and copper (˜40 AWG wire strands) wire. |
| US09448040B2 |
Remotely guided gun-fired and mortar rounds
A method for guiding a gun-fired or mortared round towards an intended target. The method including: capturing image data from an image pick-up device during a descent of the round; transmitting the image data to a control platform remotely located from the round; receiving the image date at the control platform; displaying the image data to a user at the control platform; manually identifying one or more features in the image data on the monitor; and stabilizing the image on the monitor based on the one or more identified features. |
| US09448037B1 |
Aiming sight apparatus for devices that shoot projectiles
An aiming sight for devices that shoot projectiles having a housing with an interior. A sight element is positioned within the interior by means of adjustment threads. The adjustment threads pass through channels in the sides of the front sight element so that the front sight element is movable along the adjustment threads from the bottom to the top of the housing. The sight element has a sighting aperture through which a specific target point, intended for penetration by an arrow, is visible. The sighting aperture may be constructed as a front sighting aperture of a front aiming sight to align visually with a rear sighting aperture of a rear aiming sight. When aiming, the specific target point is viewed in the voids of the front sighting aperture and the rear sighting aperture without obstruction. |
| US09448027B1 |
Barrel nut with two-piece separable extension
A quick-attach/quick-detach coupler assembly used for mounting a hand guard around a rifle barrel, allowing prompt barrel change. The coupler assembly has a generally cylindrical barrel nut with a plurality of external rail-mounting teeth centrally around its exterior circumference, interior threads for connection to the upper receiver of a rifle, and multiple fastener holes allowing set screws to contact a two-piece separable extension and provide anti-rotational engagement between it and the barrel nut. The barrel nut's interior threads also connect it to the extension. A tool configured as a hand guard fastener and stored/carried on the hand guard is easily accessed to tighten/release the set screws. The tool's handle may also be configured to engage notches on the extension's barrel end and facilitate its release from the barrel nut. The coupler assembly will mount almost every hand guard currently marketed to the upper receiver of the AR family of rifles. |
| US09448026B2 |
Selectable kinetic energy of projectiles
Projectiles with sealed propellant are described herein. In one embodiment of the invention, a projectile includes a body having a nose portion and a tail portion, a plurality of propellant charges contained within the body, a plurality of selectable initiators contained within the body for ignition of respective propellant charges, one or more ports for exit of ignition gases produced by the charges for propulsion of the projectile from the weapon, and one or more inductors for inducing a firing current, where at least one initiator only initiates on receiving a firing current which is different from the firing signal required to initiate the other initiators. |
| US09448020B1 |
Barrel extension and bolt carrier system
Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for repeating and semi-automatic cone-breech firearm systems, including barrel extension and bolt carrier systems, are provided. A semi-automatic cone-breech firearm system may, for example, comprise a tapered semi-automatic seven (7) or eight (8) lug bolt having a cartridge channel that facilitates engagement of an ammunition cartridge with a cartridge seat and/or a plunger-style ejector and may comprise a barrel extension and mating bolt carrier for housing and accepting the bolt. |
| US09448019B2 |
Integrated slide-carrier and firing block assembly
Implementations of the present invention relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods for firing a belt-fed closed-bolt firearm by delivering an impulse from an impulse source along a first axis to a firing pin on a second axis. The first axis and second axis are not coaxial, allowing the impulse source to be disposed away from and not in direct contact or alignment with the firing pin. |
| US09448018B2 |
Expansion relief header for protecting heat transfer coils in HVAC systems
An expansion relief header is disclosed for use in an HVAC heat transfer coil. The expansion relief header includes a main body adapted to be secured to bends in fluid coils of the HVAC fluid tube system. The main body includes holes in alignment with holes formed in the bends to enable fluid to pass from the bends into the expansion relief header. The expansion relief headers include one or more relief devices, such as valves, that automatically open, preferably in response to pressure exceeding a predetermined threshold value or temperature falling below a predetermined value, to release fluid from the expansion relief header and then reseat themselves. |
| US09448017B2 |
Temperature control system for an electrochemical voltage source
The present invention refers to a temperature control system for an electrochemical voltage source. It is planned that the temperature control system comprises a fluid moving device for moving a fluid for controlling the temperature of the voltage source. |
| US09448014B2 |
Channel member, and heat exchanger, semiconductor unit, and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including the same
Channel members 100 to 107 according to the present invention have an inner spiral channel 9 through which a fluid 23 flows. The channel 9 is formed by a lid part 1, a bottom plate part 3, and a wall part 2 connected to the lid part 1 and the bottom plate part 3. The wall part 2 is made of a ceramic laminate. Even if the wall part 2 of the channel members 100 to 107 is narrow between channel segments 9, its good corrosion resistance allows the channel 9 to be resistant to collapse when the fluid 23 is supplied at high pressure. A heat exchanger 200, a semiconductor unit 300, and a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 400 including any of the channel members 100 to 107 have improved heat exchange efficiency between the channel members 100 to 107 and the fluid 23. |
| US09448008B2 |
Air conditioner and control method thereof
An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes at least one outdoor unit, a plurality of indoor units, and at least one remote controller to receive operation commands for the plural indoor units. One of the plural indoor units may be selected as a power-supplying indoor unit to supply electric power to the at least one remote controller, based on voltage values of electric power to be supplied from the plural indoor units to the at least one remote controller. The selected indoor unit supplies electric power to the at least one controller. The air conditioner enables a supply of electric power with a sufficiently high voltage to a remote controller by supplying electric power to the remote controller by one indoor unit exhibiting a highest voltage value of electric power to be supplied to the remote controller, as compared to other indoor units. |
| US09447996B2 |
Carbon dioxide removal system using absorption refrigeration
A carbon dioxide removal system includes a chilled ammonia carbon capture system; an absorber refrigeration system in fluid communication with the chilled ammonia system; and a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) in fluid communication with the chilled ammonia system and the absorber refrigeration system. |
| US09447993B2 |
Refrigeration cycle device and air-conditioning apparatus
A refrigeration cycle device selectively performs a heating operation and a cooling operation. The refrigeration cycle device includes: a compressor that suctions a refrigerant and compresses the refrigerant; a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger, a third heat exchanger, and a fourth heat exchanger each of which exchanges heat with the refrigerant; an ejector that includes a refrigerant inlet port, a refrigerant suction port, and a refrigerant outlet port; a controller that is connected between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger and configured to control a flow rate of the refrigerant; and a switching device configured to perform switching of a flow path of the refrigerant in both the heating and cooling operations. |
| US09447990B2 |
Solar array support structure with a telescopic wind brace
Disclosed herein is a solar array structure that includes a first vertical column having a first height and a second vertical column having a second height, the second height being taller than the first height. The solar array support structure further includes a first horizontal beam attached to and extending across a top of the first vertical column and a second horizontal beam attached to and extending across a top of the second vertical column. The solar array support structure further includes at least one solar panel attached above the first horizontal beam and the second horizontal beam in a plane that extends between the first horizontal beam and the second horizontal beam. Finally, the solar array support structure further includes a telescopic wind brace extending between an upper portion of the first vertical column and a lower portion of the second vertical column. |
| US09447983B2 |
Building energy analysis and management system
This application relates to a building energy analysis and management system for measurement and verification of building performance. The system can analyze, optimize, manage, maintain, trouble shoot, and/or modify building systems, such as HVAC systems, in connection with the building energy usage. Measurements may be gathered for one or more HVAC units coupled to pressure independent valves, and sent to one or more Surge Panels that pass data to remote analysis servers, which can receive other system or external data. The analysis servers compare measurements to predicted values and can standardize the predicted values to account for external conditions. The comparison can result in difference values used to generate probable causes and optimization recommendations. The system outputs reports or other data display using a graphical user interface that can be adjusted for an anticipated user. |
| US09447979B2 |
Suction hood
The invention relates to a sucking means, preferably vortex generator or tornado suction means, preferably for a suction hood, which pulls the air into a suction hood by generating an at least substantially circular, cyclone, vortex or helix movement, wherein the sucking means comprises a, preferably ring shaped, area with at least substantially tangential channels and/or channels with a tangential component which are separated from each other by separating elements, preferably blades, for generating the at least substantially circular, cyclone, vortex or helix movement, a suction hood and a method for generating an air suction by means of a suction hood. |
| US09447973B2 |
Combustion chamber of a gas turbine
A combustion chamber of a gas turbine includes an external combustion chamber wall and at least one shingle that is mounted at the same, as well as a base plate and a combustion chamber head, characterized in that the shingle extends over the entire length of the combustion chamber and is held at its frontal end area, as it appears with respect to the flow direction of the combustion chamber, inside a groove of the base plate, and at its back end area inside a groove of the external combustion chamber wall. |
| US09447968B2 |
Combustion-heating system
A combustion-heating system includes a plurality of combustion heaters connected to each other, a combustion heater including: a heating plate; an arrangement plate; an annular outer peripheral wall; a partition plate; a combustion chamber in which fuel gas collides with a flame-holding part constituting part of the outer peripheral wall, and thereby holding flames; an inflow path through which the fuel gas flows into the combustion chamber; and an outflow path through which exhaust gas flows from the combustion chamber toward the outside thereof, the outflow path to preheat the fuel gas by heat of the exhaust gas through the partition plate. The combustion-heating system includes a communication path communicating combustion chambers thereof with each other. The flame-holding part and the communication path are provided in series in a direction in which the heating plate and the arrangement plate face to each other. |
| US09447967B2 |
Burner forming and applying mixed cyclone and combustion method using the burner
This patent application relates to a burner which includes a burner head in the shape of a sleeve, under the burner head is connected with a ring gas-separating box, and in the space between the burner head and the gas-separating box there is a cylinder mixing box to mix the air and gas. Said gas-separating box has a independent center hole to bring in the air and gas inlets to bring in the gas. Several notches which are equispaced with each other and slant upwardly are set on the cylinder surface of the mixing box, while on the surface of the notches are positioned connecting holes to let the air out. Such a structure promotes the mixing process more fully of the dispersed gas and air in the slant upward notches, and the mixed flow rotates upwardly to reach the flame hole as a inversed cone frustum. Due to the full mixing of the gas and air and upward rotation of the mixed flow, the flame will burn more completely and be uneasy to be extinguished. |
| US09447963B2 |
Dynamic tuning of dynamic matrix control of steam temperature
A technique of controlling a steam generating boiler system includes dynamically tuning a rate of change of a disturbance variable (DV) to control operation of a portion of the boiler system, and in particular, to control a temperature of output steam to a turbine. The rate of change of the DV is dynamically tuned based on a magnitude of an error or difference between an actual and a desired level of an output parameter, e.g., output steam temperature. In an embodiment, as the magnitude of the error increases, the rate of change of the DV is increased according to a function f(x). A dynamic matrix control block uses the dynamically-tuned rate of change of the DV, a current output parameter level, and an output parameter setpoint as inputs to generate a control signal to control a field device that, at least in part, affects the output parameter level. |
| US09447958B2 |
Display device
Provided is a display device that is capable of preventing heat generated in a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) from being excessively transferred to a top chassis so that the occurrence of a safety accident and poor quality of a display panel can be prevented. The display device includes: a display panel on which an image is formed; a top chassis in front of the display panel and having an opening through which the display panel is exposed; a plurality of LEDs that provide light to the display panel; a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the plurality of LEDs are mounted; and a bottom chassis behind the PCB, wherein the PCB and the bottom chassis are arranged such that an air gap is between the PCB and an inner side surface of the bottom chassis. |
| US09447957B2 |
LED lamp
The present invention relates to an LED lamp. In the LED lamp, light may be emitted in lateral and rear directions as well as in a front direction to obtain light distribution characteristics similar to those of an incandescent lamp, and heat generated when the LED emits light may be effectively dissipated. |
| US09447956B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes at least one light emitting unit configured to emit light, a body unit supporting the at least one light emitting unit, and a support unit disposed on the body unit defining a light emitting position of the at least one light emitting unit. The support unit has a conical shape and is configured to support the at least one light emitting unit. |
| US09447955B2 |
Lighting assembly featuring a plurality of light sources with a windage and elevation control mechanism therefor
The present invention relates to a lighting assembly having a principal light source, at least one secondary light source, and a focusing element adapted to focus light emanating from the principal light source and adapted to let light emanating from the at least one secondary light source pass through the focusing element. The invention also relates to a windage and elevation control mechanism having a longitudinal and lateral mobile unit and a receiving unit. The mobile unit is adapted to receive a device to be adjusted, and has two aligned protrusions located respectively on longitudinal opposite sides thereof. The receiving unit defines a cavity adapted to receive the mobile unit. The cavity is defined by facing surfaces having complimentary channels adapted to receive the protrusions of the mobile unit. |
| US09447952B2 |
Electronic device with lighting apparatus
An electronic device includes a base, and a lighting apparatus mounted to the base. The lighting apparatus includes a bracket mounted to the base, a pivoting member pivotably attached to the bracket, and a lighting unit fixed in the pivoting member. The pivoting member is pivoted out of the bracket to expose and turn on the lighting unit. The pivoting member is pivoted into the bracket to cover and turn off the lighting unit. |
| US09447944B2 |
Unsaturated polyester resin composition, molded article thereof, and lamp reflector
The present invention provides an unsaturated polyester resin composition including an unsaturated polyester, a crosslinking agent, an inorganic filling material, a hollow filler, and a fibrous reinforcing material, in which the hollow filler has a content ratio of a hollow filler having a particle diameter of 30 μm or less of 80 vol % or more with respect to the total volume of the hollow filler, and in which the content of the hollow filler in the unsaturated polyester resin composition is from 15 to 24 mass %. The unsaturated polyester resin composition can provide a molded article having both reduced specific gravity and improved self-tapping strength while maintaining the conventional characteristics (surface smoothness, heat resistance, mechanical strength, dimensional accuracy, and moldability). |
| US09447943B2 |
High temperature moldable lens, lighting device comprising lens and method making lighting device
A lens configured to a lighting device, comprising an optical part (1) and a mechanical part (2) surrounding the optical part (1), wherein, the mechanical part (2) comprises a blocking protrusion (3) protruding in a direction parallel to the optical axis (4) of the lens, surrounding the optical part (1) and spaced apart from the optical part (1). This type of lens can effectively prevent the optical part from being damaged, for example, in a low pressure molding process, by a hot liquid glue, improve the yield of the lighting device, and have fine waterproof ability at the same time. Also disclosed is a lighting device having this type of lens, and the lighting device has beautiful appearance and fine waterproof effect. A method configured to make this lighting device is also disclosed. |
| US09447941B2 |
Lamp for vehicle
A lamp for a vehicle includes a light-emitting unit including a light source and a reflector, a shield unit to form a beam pattern by blocking at least some of the light generated by the light-emitting unit, and a lens unit disposed at the front of the shield unit. The shield unit includes a first shield, which forms a first region of the shield unit, and a second shield, which is driven to cover or uncover a second region of the shield unit. The lamp, with a simpler structure, can form various beam patterns while sufficiently securing a driver's field of view. |
| US09447937B2 |
Electronic luminary device with simulated flame
A flameless candle may include a side wall including an upper region and a lower region, a base engaged with the lower region of the side wall, and an upper surface extending from the upper region of the side wall to form an upper recess. The candle may also include a projection screen extending upwardly through an aperture in the upper surface. The position of the projection screen is fixed with respect to a position of the upper surface. Two sources of light positioned below the upper surface may project light through the aperture onto the projection screen. Circuitry may electrically connect to the first source of light and the second source of light. The circuitry may independently control each of the sources of light. |
| US09447936B1 |
Liquid motion lamp with isolated heating device
A liquid motion lamp with isolated heating device has an isolated heating device disposed inside a mounting seat, including a cement resistor connecting to AC power supply and a constant current driver. The cement resistor would produce heat after being electrified and cause the flowing of the liquids in the liquid motion lamp. The constant current driver would convert the AC power into DC power for the LED bulb to project lights on the liquid motion lamp. With the isolated circuits of lights and heat as a combined composite module, the liquid motion lamp has great efficiency by distributing the sources of lights and heat, saving the energy and prolonging the durability of the LED bulb. |
| US09447933B2 |
Visible light communication system
A visible light communication system includes a light transmitter including a group III nitride semiconductor laser element and a wavelength converter provided to face a light exit surface of the nitride semiconductor laser element and containing a fluorescent material. The visible light communication system further includes a wavelength filter configured to remove light emitted from the fluorescent material and a light receiving element configured to receive light emitted from the group III nitride semiconductor laser element via the wavelength filter. |
| US09447923B2 |
Replaceable assembly for a pressurized container
The present invention refers to replaceable upper or handle (2) and lower or support/base ring (4) elements for a pressurized container having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein said upper and lower rings elements are manufactured from a thermostable material, a thermosetting material or a combination thereof, e.g. polyurethane, and comprise fastening means to releasably engage the ring elements with projections (3, 5) provided on the upper and lower portions of said pressurized container. The invention also refers to a pressurized container having said replaceable ring elements. |
| US09447922B2 |
Internal heating of a fluid in a storage tank
A fluid storage tank is disclosed, the storage tank including a first conduit disposed therein substantially adjacent an inner surface of a sidewall of the storage tank, and wherein the inner surface facilitates a heating of the first conduit and a fluid in the first conduit during extraction thereof from the storage tank. |
| US09447918B2 |
Grease gun attachment apparatus
An invention is provided for a grease gun attachment apparatus for attaching a grease gun to a metal surface. The apparatus includes a housing having a plurality of side panels, and a magnet housing that forms a portion of the housing. The magnet housing is capable of holding a magnet, which is disposed within the magnet housing. In addition, at least one fastener is connected to the housing. The fastener allows the housing to be attached to a grease gun body of a grease gun, and can be connected to the housing via the plurality of side panels. |
| US09447915B1 |
Methods and apparatus for seismic mount
A seismic mount according to various aspects of the present technology may comprise a housing having at least two independent isolation sections. The first isolation section may comprise a sliding plate system fixedly attached to a structure on a first end and disposed within the housing on a second end. The first sliding plate may be configured to allow the housing to move about the fixed position of the first sliding plate during a transient period such as seismic event. A second sliding plate system may be coupled to the housing and extend downwardly therefrom. The second sliding plate system may be configured to allow for independent movement of both the housing and the second sliding plate system with respect to each other during the seismic event. |
| US09447906B2 |
Self-locking push-to-connect insert
A universal self-locking push-to-connect plumbing insert assembly provides flexibility to an installer to use the assembly in the field with a variety of different plumbing fittings for coupling conduits to such fittings. The assembly comprises first and second interlocking cartridges holding a dual function gripping ring. The gripping ring has inwardly projecting tines for gripping and holding a fluid conduit and outwardly projecting tines for holding the assembly within a plumbing fitting. A sealing ring is captively held by the first cartridge and is positioned to seal the insert assembly to a plumbing fitting when inserted therein and also seal a conduit extended into the assembly. In one embodiment, the assembly further includes a release ring held within the second cartridge for selectively engaging the inwardly projecting tines of the gripping ring to allow a fluid conduit to be removed from the insert assembly. |
| US09447900B2 |
Non-conductive roller assembly
A pipe roller assembly includes a roller base; a roller shaft mounted to the roller base, the roller shaft defining an outer shaft surface; a roller defining an outer roller surface and an inner bearing surface, the roller mounted on the roller shaft; and an non-conductive barrier mounted between the roller and the roller base, the non-conductive barrier electrically isolating the roller from the roller base. |
| US09447899B2 |
Tube support structure for aircraft
A tube support structure for an aircraft includes: a parallel movement mechanism configured to support the tube movably in parallel; and an angle adjustment mechanism configured to support the tube angle-adjustably. The parallel movement mechanism includes: an eccentric sleeve, through which the tube passes, configured to adjust a position of the tube in a Z direction perpendicular to the X direction, and a Y direction adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a position of the eccentric sleeve in a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Z direction. The angle adjustment mechanism includes: a first member configured to have a first curved surface and support the tube, and a second member configured to have a second curved surface with a shape corresponding to the first curved surface, have contact slidably with the first curved surface at the second curved surface, and support the first member by the second curved surface. Each of the first curved surface and the second curved surface is formed such that a cross-sectional shape in an XZ plane is a circular arc shape, and an angle of the tube is adjusted by sliding the first curved surface with respect to the second curved surface. Thus, a tube support structure for aircraft, which can suppress a preload, is provided. |
| US09447897B2 |
Handwheel for hydraulic valve provided with opening level indicator
A handwheel (30) for hydraulic valve provided with numerical indicator of the valve opening level, comprising a base-body (32) or fixed element apt to be stably restrained with respect to the valve-body and supporting a mobile element (34) rotatably coaxial with respect to said base-body (32), connected with a member of maneuver of the valve and provided with a knob (46) apt to be gripped by a user in order to impart a rotation to said maneuver member corresponding to the value or degree of opening required for the valve indicated by figures (50) displayed through an opening or window (48) of said knob, said base-body (32) and mobile element (34) rotatably co-operating one with the other by means of a kinematic continuous coupling with double parallel internal gear. |
| US09447890B2 |
Back pressure regulator with floating seal support
A sealing apparatus for a back pressure regulator includes: a body defining a process surface, and including: at least one process void communicating with the process surface; a recess disposed in the process surface; a floating support hub disposed in the recess, carrying an O-ring; a vent void communicating with the recess; an inlet port disposed in fluid communication with the at least one process void and adapted to be coupled in fluid communication with a fluid at a process pressure; and an outlet port disposed in fluid communication with the vent void; and a diaphragm having opposed reference and process sides, the diaphragm disposed against the body such that the process side is substantially coplanar with the process surface. |
| US09447886B2 |
Sealing device
A sealing device is provided with a floating ring between an outer periphery of a rotating shaft and an inner periphery of a casing and is characterized in that a turn-stopping means is provided to a single point in a circumferential direction of the floating ring, and a groove for generating dynamic pressure is provided in unequal distribution in the circumferential direction to an inner peripheral surface of the floating ring, wherein a dynamic pressure is generated by a dynamic pressure groove provided to the inner peripheral surface of the floating ring and is employed to thereby match together the center of the rotating shaft and the floating ring. |
| US09447881B2 |
Seal material
Provided is a seal that can ensure a satisfactory sealing property and can be easily separated from a sealing surface even in the case in which the seal is used for a long period of time under the conditions of a high temperature and a high pressure. The seal includes a seal body mounted in a seal groove that is formed in a first member and a second member is made to be in pressure contact with the first member to form a sealing part. The sealing part that comes into contact with the second member at the entire surface of the sealing part is formed along the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the seal. A step portion is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the seal in such a manner that an area of a contact surface is smaller for the sealing part as the contact area is closer to the bottom side of the seal groove. |
| US09447879B2 |
Piston ring
To provide a piston ring having a hard laminate coating for excellent scuffing resistance, wear resistance and peeling resistance, which can be used in an environment of high mechanical and thermal load in engines, the piston ring is provided with a hard laminate coating as thick as 10-60 μm on its outer peripheral surface, the laminate coating being formed by alternately laminating two types or more of layers made of different compounds, each of the compound layers being made of nitride of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Cr, Zr, V, Hf and Al. |
| US09447877B2 |
Mounting arrangement for a piston-connecting rod assembly in a refrigeration compressor
The arrangement is applied to a compressor which comprises: a crankcase, carrying a cylinder provided with a lateral slot and in which is housed a piston provided with two radial holes and with an eccentric axial hole; a connecting rod connected to a crankshaft driven by an electric motor and having a smaller eye mounted in the piston; and a wrist pin having a first end turned to the bearing hub of the crankcase, a second end turned to the lateral slot of the cylinder and a diametrical hole, adjacent to the second end in which is provided an engaging means, for the axial and rotational coupling of a tool for mounting and indexing the wrist pin, in the interior of the piston, in a position in which the diametrical hole is axially aligned with the eccentric axial hole, so as to allow an elastic pin to be introduced in said diametrical hole and in said eccentric axial hole. |
| US09447876B2 |
Transmission actuator and methods of use and manufacture thereof
Some embodiments are directed to a vehicular transmission actuator. A release shaft is operatively coupled to a gear, and is actuable between a first position in which the gear is engaged, and a second position in which the gear is disengaged. The release shaft extends through an opening of a transmission case so as to define an exterior portion that projects beyond the exterior surface of the transmission case. A protuberance is disposed at the exterior surface of the transmission case adjacent the opening. A bracket is operatively connectable to the exterior portion of the release shaft to enable manual actuation of the release shaft from the first position to the second position. The bracket is configured to cooperate with the protuberance to automatically hold the release shaft in the second position subsequent to manual actuation of the release shaft from the first position to the second position. |
| US09447874B2 |
Hydraulic drive
The present invention relates to a hydraulic drive which comprises a hydraulic motor having a first hydraulic connector and a second hydraulic connector, wherein the pressure applied at the first hydraulic connector of the hydraulic motor and the pressure applied at the second hydraulic connector of the hydraulic motor are each separately adjustable. |
| US09447869B2 |
Electric bicycle component
An electric bicycle component is basically provided that is capable of realizing finer control of the transmission device according to the riding environment. The electric bicycle component includes a control unit that is mounted to a bicycle. The control unit includes a controller and an acceleration detection unit. The acceleration detection unit includes programmed to detect an acceleration of the bicycle. The controller programmed to select one of a first to a third shifting conditions based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration detection unit, and controls an actuator of the transmission device based on the selected shifting condition. |
| US09447862B2 |
Driving device and image forming apparatus
A driving device includes: a plurality of vibrating members that vibrate when the vibrating members are driven; and a holding part that holds the vibrating members. The holding part includes a first member with which one or more of the vibrating members are brought into contact, and a second member with which one or more of the vibrating members are brought into contact. The first member and the second member are partially coupled to each other. A grounding member for electrically grounding a member held by the holding part is brought into contact with one of the first member and the second member that is more difficult to vibrate. |
| US09447858B2 |
Hydro-mechanical continuously variable transmission for producing high torque output
A hydro-mechanical continuously variable transmission for producing high torque output is provided. One transmission includes an engine drive shaft driven by an engine and a planetary gear unit driven by power from the engine and to provide power to drive a transmission output shaft. The transmission also includes a hydrostatic drive unit driven by power from the engine and to drive a primary hydrostatic drive shaft. The transmission includes an engine clutch to be driven by the engine and to drive an input sun gear of the planetary gear unit while engaged. The transmission includes a secondary hydrostatic drive shaft driven by the primary hydrostatic drive shaft and to drive a ring gear of the planetary gear unit. The transmission includes a hydrostatic output clutch driven by the secondary hydrostatic drive shaft and to provide power to drive an output sun gear of the planetary gear unit while engaged. |
| US09447857B2 |
Torque converter assembly for a vehicle
A torque converter assembly having a hub for connection with an input shaft of a gearbox, a lock-up clutch module for selective connection with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, a turbine module of a torque converter rigidly connected to the lock-up clutch module and rotatable with respect to the hub, and a spiral spring isolator to resiliently connect the hub with the lock-up clutch module and the turbine module. |
| US09447851B2 |
Structure of power transmission apparatus
A power transmission system transmits power from an internal combustion engine to a first and a second auxiliary device through an endless transmitting member. Prior to issuing of an engine start request, the first auxiliary device is actuated to move a tensioner pulley to a given position to increase the degree of tension of the endless transmitting member. The actuation of the first auxiliary device as an engine starter upon the issuing of the engine start request, therefore, enables a drive shaft of the engine to be rotated immediately within a required time to crank the engine. This achieves a quick start of the engine and results in a decrease in amount of time between the issuing of the engine start request and the actual start of the engine. |
| US09447849B1 |
Robot manipulator with modular torque controlled links
An example torque controlled actuator includes a frame, and one or more timing belt stages coupled in serial on the frame. The timing belt stages include an input stage for coupling to a motor and an output stage for coupling to a load, and the timing belt stages couple rotation of the motor to rotation of an output of the output stage. The torque controlled actuator also includes one or more belt idlers coupled to the frame that contact a timing belt of the output stage, and a strain gauge coupled to the frame to determine a tension of the timing belt of the output stage based on force applied by the timing belt of the output stage to the one or more belt idlers. |
| US09447845B2 |
Anti-backdrive actuator assembly
An actuator assembly may include a drive, a gear set coupled with the drive, an interface member coupled to the gear set, and an output coupled to the interface member. In at least one position of the interface member the gear set binds to prevent backdrive of the output. |
| US09447844B2 |
Cord connector and cord connecting methods
A cord connector, methods of connecting cords using a cord connector, an article including cord connections and a method of making an article with cord connections is provided. |
| US09447843B2 |
Belt or belt segment having an open end and attachment device therefor
A belt or belt segment defines a longitudinal direction and includes a plurality of steel ropes arranged to be essentially mutually in parallel and to extend essentially in the longitudinal direction. The belt or belt segment has at least one open end whereat the steel ropes have respective rope segments extending outwardly therefrom. An attachment device is disposed at the open end and is attached to at least a portion of the rope segments via clamping. |
| US09447842B2 |
Bicycle wheel and counterweight
A bicycle wheel including a rim with one or more counterweight assemblies. Each of the one or more counterweight assemblies includes a receiver attached to the rim and a counterweight that is attached to the receiver. |
| US09447838B2 |
Fluid-filled vibration damping device and method of manufacturing the same
A fluid-filled vibration damping device including: first and second mounting members elastically connected by a main rubber elastic body; a tubular fitting member externally slipped around the second mounting member and drawn so as to be externally fitted thereto in a fluid-tight manner; a sealing rubber layer fixed to at least one of an outer peripheral face of the second mounting member and an inner peripheral face of the tubular fitting member so as to be compressed therebetween about an entire circumference; and at least one pressure-relieving lip protruding from the sealing rubber layer and extending toward openings of the second mounting member and the tubular fitting member so as to be pressed against one of the outer peripheral face of the second mounting member and the inner peripheral face of the tubular fitting member in a direction of protrusion. |
| US09447836B2 |
Friction dampened mechanical strut
A spring system that includes a compressible material that is used to control the speed of the rod movement and/or the end travel cushioning. |
| US09447832B2 |
Vehicle brake monitoring system and method
A vehicle brake monitoring system comprises at least one sensor for detecting relative rotational position of a brake camshaft during vehicle braking. The at least one sensor is unconnected to the camshaft for remotely detecting the position. Processing structure communicates with the at least one sensor, and processes the output of the at least one sensor to determine brake status. |
| US09447831B2 |
Actuator for electrical parking brake system
An actuator for an electrical parking brake system can decrease the number of components and reduce noise generated in an operation of the actuator. The actuator includes a case, a motor installed in the case to provide power, a driving gear provided to a rotary shaft of the motor, a pair of transmission members installed inside the case to reduce torque of the driving gear and transmit the reduced torque, and an output gear provided to an output shaft to additionally reduce the reduced torque transmitted through the transmission member and output the additionally reduced torque through the output shaft. |
| US09447823B2 |
Rotary connector for a rotating shank or axle
A rotary connector has a sleeve body having an end region, an opening, an inner surface with clamping surfaces, spokes, levers acting to press the clamping surface against an axle when the rotary connector is rotating, individual masses forming the outer body of the rotary connector, azimuthal gaps and radial gaps for allowing the individual masses to clamp or release an axle inserted into the rotary connector. |
| US09447819B2 |
Thrust washer having lubricant pockets
The invention relates to a thrust washer (I) having a central hole (2) for pushing onto a bolt or a shaft, wherein the thrust washer (I) has lubricant pockets (4, 4′) on the two flat thrust surfaces (3, 3′) thereof, characterized in that at least one lubricant pocket (4) is assigned a corresponding lubricant pocket (4′) on the opposite thrust surface (3′), and at least one lubricant pocket (4, 4′) is connected to the corresponding lubricant pocket (4, 4′) thereof by way of at least one channel (6) which runs axially through the thrust washer (I) and is formed, in particular, in each case by a hole. |
| US09447817B2 |
Bearing structure
Bearing structure including a first bearing, surrounded by a housing, having a first inner and outer race and first set of rolling elements between the inner and outer races and a second bearing having a second inner and outer race and second set of rolling elements between the second inner and outer races. A first compliant element is connected to the first outer race. A rigid diaphragm is connected to the first outer race between the compliant element and outer race, and is connected to the housing at its outer end. The first compliant element, outer race and rigid diaphragm at least partly define a pressure chamber. The first outer race is axially slidable relative to the second such that a pressure increase in the chamber changes the axial spacing between the first and second outer races, inducing additional axial load on the bearings which helps balance thrust load sharing. |
| US09447806B2 |
Self-retaining alignment system for providing precise alignment and retention of components
An elastically averaging self-retaining alignment system includes a first component and a second component. The first component includes a first alignment member and an elastically deformable alignment element fixedly disposed with respect to the first alignment member, the alignment element having a hollow tube. The second component includes a second alignment member and an alignment feature fixedly disposed with respect to the second alignment member, the alignment feature having an aperture with a plurality of inwardly extending tabs. The elastically deformable alignment element is configured and disposed to interferingly, deformably and matingly engage the alignment feature. Portions of the elastically deformable alignment element when inserted into the alignment feature elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration that aligns and retains the first component relative to the second component in at least two of four planar orthogonal directions. |
| US09447804B2 |
Furniture joint
A joint for assembling two furniture parts to each other is disclosed. A first furniture part has a male part for co-operation with a female part of a second furniture part. Each of the male and female parts has a number of grooves. At assembly the male part is moved along the female part via co-operation between the grooves of the male and female part, respectively. The co-operating male and female parts have an insertion position and an end position, in which end position the furniture parts are assembled to each other. The grooves of one of the female and male parts are compressed during movement from the insertion position to the end position. The grooves of the pair of co-operating female part and male part are such that the furniture parts are pressed toward each other when the male part is moved along the female part. |
| US09447798B1 |
Fluid powered linear piston motor with harmonic coupling
A motor is disclosed that includes a module assembly including a piston that is axially cycled. The piston axial motion is coupled to torque couplers that convert the axial motion into rotary motion. The torque couplers are coupled to a rotor to rotate the rotor. |
| US09447793B2 |
Centrifugal pump and impeller protector for centrifugal pump
The invention relates to a centrifugal pump (1) that has a suction-side inlet (3) and at least one pressure-side outlet (4), wherein a rotatably mounted impeller (5) for pumping a pump medium from the inlet (3) to the outlet (4) and an impeller seat (10) are arranged in the pump housing (2).In order to achieve a high degree of sealing and a long service life, the impeller seat (10) is formed in a ring-shaped impeller protector (8) which is made from a corrosion-resistant material and is received in the pump housing (2), wherein an insertion region (7) of the impeller (5) is radially surrounded by the impeller protector (8).This impeller protector (8) protects the coating against damage to the impeller (5) in the impeller seat (10). |
| US09447792B2 |
Centrifugal blower
A centrifugal blower provided with a spiral shaped scroll chamber where a bottom part of the scroll chamber gradually expands downward in the axial direction of the fan well along with expansion of the spiral and where a flow area gradually expands toward an air outlet from a spiral start part of the casing, the centrifugal blower having an initial slant angle θ0 at the spiral start part of the bottom part of the scroll chamber of a range of angle of 5.2° to 27.5° or setting a backflow prevention rib at the fan outlet. |
| US09447790B2 |
Cross-flow fan
A cross-flow fan includes a disc-shaped or circular annular support plate, plural blades extending in a lengthwise direction from the support plate, and an auxiliary ring. The auxiliary ring has a ring portion that is positioned on a lengthwise direction intermediate section of the plural blades and is disposed on an outside of outer ends of the plural blades, and plural connection portions that extend from the ring portion as far as spaces between adjacent blades of the plural blades and are joined to the blades in the spaces between adjacent blades. |
| US09447779B2 |
Low-power hall thruster
A low power hall thruster is provided that is effective for micro-spacecrafts and nano-spacecrafts as well as mini-spacecrafts. The hall thruster comprises a co-axial acceleration channel capable of being applied with predominantly-radial magnetic field and a co-axial anode within a cavity capable of being applied with substantially longitudinal magnetic field. A cathode-compensator is placed beyond the acceleration channel and magnetic system is provided capable of generating the radial magnetic field within the co-axial acceleration channel and the longitudinal magnetic field within the co-axial anode. An electrically isolated gas distributor is also provided. |
| US09447773B2 |
Arrangement to measure the deflection of a blade of a wind turbine
An arrangement to measure deflection of a blade of a wind turbine is provided. A transmitter is arranged close to the tip end of the blade, while a receiver is arranged close to the root end of the blade. The transmitter and receiver are prepared for a wireless transfer of a monitoring signal, which is sent from the transmitter to the receiver. A monitoring system is arranged close to the root end of the blade. The monitoring system is adapted to generate the monitoring signal. The monitoring system is connected with the transmitter by a cable-bound communication line, thus the monitoring signal is transferred from the monitoring system to the transmitter. The monitoring system is connected with the receiver, thus the monitoring signal is transferred from the receiver to the monitoring system. The monitoring system is adapted to determine the deflection of the blade based on the transferred monitoring signal. |
| US09447770B2 |
Method for converting the energy of water waves into electricity by means of a wave power plant and a wave power plant
A method for converting the energy of water waves into electricity by means of a wave power plant, which comprises a floating body (1), a rotator (3) which is supported on the body and rotates around a rotator shaft (2) which is on average vertical, a gyro (5) which rotates around a gyro shaft (4) which is on average horizontal, the gyro and the gyro shaft rotating with the rotator around the rotator shaft (2), and at least one generator (6), which is connected to rotate together with the gyro or the rotator. By means of the rotator's mass (M) is produced a moment rotating the rotator on the one hand by means of the inclination moment generated by the inclination of the body and gravitation, and on the other hand by means of the acceleration moment generated by the horizontal acceleration of the rotator shaft (2). The inclination and acceleration are caused by directing the internal flows of the wave at the submerged part of the body (1). The moment generated by gyro force is used to equalize the said inclination and acceleration moments during the revolution and the kinetic energy of the gyro is used as an energy reserve to equalize the effective output of the wave power plant. |
| US09447766B2 |
Ignition coil apparatus for high-frequency discharge
An ignition coil apparatus for high-frequency discharge includes: a primary coil that generates and accumulates a flux; a secondary coil that is magnetically coupled to the primary coil so as to generate a predetermined high voltage when energy of the accumulated flux is released and connected at one end to a high-voltage terminal used to supply energy to an external apparatus; a capacitor that is connected to the high-voltage terminal and prevents passing of the high voltage; and an inductor that, together with the capacitor, allows passing of a predetermined frequency component alone. The primary coil, the secondary coil, the capacitor, and the inductor are installed within a same package. |
| US09447763B2 |
Air-powered starter motor
An adjustable air-powered starter motor that provides a plurality of different operational configurations. The air-powered starter motor includes a motor housing assembly that houses at least a portion of a rotary actuator assembly, and which may be connected to a cover assembly. The motor housing may be selectively attached to a mounting structure along first or second sides of the motor housing. Additionally, the motor housing may be attached to the mounting structure at a plurality of different angular orientations. The motor housing further includes an air inlet having first and second air inlet ports that are positioned on opposite sides of the motor housing, and an air outlet port that is positioned along a lateral axis that is generally parallel to, and offset from, a lateral axis of the inlet port. A mounting pin may align and interconnect the motor housing and rotary actuator assembly at each operational configuration. |
| US09447760B2 |
Drive device for an injection valve, and injection valve
A drive device for an injection valve may include an actuator configured for exerting a force along a first force action axis, a lever device coupled to the actuator, an output element coupled to the lever device and configured for absorbing a force from the lever device along a second force action axis, wherein the first and second force action axes are arranged offset with respect to one another, and a transmission element arranged between the actuator and the lever device. The transmission element may be coupled to the actuator in a first contact region and to the lever device in a second contact region. The first contact region of the transmission element may be arranged such that it is penetrated by the first force action axis. The second contact region of the transmission element may be arranged such that it is penetrated by the second force action axis. |
| US09447759B2 |
Filter element endplate defining inflow and outflow flow paths
A filter element for fuel, oil or other engine fluids, with an endplate that is designed to create flow paths for both clean and dirty regions. The filter element is part of a spin-on filter that is attachable to a filter head in an engine and that filters fuel, oil or other engine fluids. A pre-fill cap can be integrally incorporated onto the endplate to permit pre-filling and installation without removing components. |
| US09447757B2 |
Method for operating an air mass sensor
A method for operating an air mass sensor arranged in the intake section of an internal combustion engine and configured to measure the mass of the air flowing through the intake section includes the air mass sensor detecting a stationary state of the internal combustion engine using an element for evaluating measurement signals generated by an air mass sensor element, and, in response to detection of a stationary state, switching the air mass sensor element into a second operating mode that reduces contamination of the air mass sensor element. The second operating mode permits at least one measurement of the air mass flowing in the intake section, as a result of which the air mass sensor itself detects a starting of the internal combustion engine using the element for evaluating the measurement signals generated by the air mass sensor element. |
| US09447752B2 |
Detection method of airtight failure in working-gas circulating type gas engine, and working-gas circulating type gas engine using the method
[Subject] A low-cost and brief method to detect an airtight failure in a working-gas circulating type gas engine with sufficient accuracy and a working-gas circulating type gas engine using the method should be provided.[Means for Solution] In a working-gas circulating type gas engine, an extra predetermined quantity 1 of at least one of fuel gas, oxidizer gas, and working gas is supplied as surplus gas into a circulation passage. Based on the difference between this predetermined quantity 1 and increment of this predetermined quantity 1 and the increment of the quantity of the gas in the circulation passage separately detected by a gas quantity detecting means, the existence of an airtight failure in the engine is judged. |
| US09447744B2 |
Fuel shift monitor
Methods and systems are described for evaluating presence of fuel shifts in an engine. In one example, a method comprises indicating a fuel shift based on a time delay of an exhaust gas sensor during an entry into and an exit out of deceleration fuel shut off (DFSO). |
| US09447742B2 |
Method and system for improved dilution purging
Methods and systems are provided for expediting EGR purging in a hybrid vehicle during transient operations, such as tip-out to lower load conditions. In response to decreasing engine torque demand, engine fueling is disabled and a motor is used to spin the engine unfueled until a desired LP-EGR rate is achieved. Alternatively, engine operation is maintained with EGR disabled until the desired LP-EGR rate is achieved, and the excess engine torque generated is stored in a system battery. |
| US09447735B2 |
Method of controlling a turbomachine
A method of controlling a turbine engine, including: measuring a first temperature by a first temperature sensor; measuring a second temperature by a second temperature sensor; estimating a third temperature modeling the first temperature; and determining at least one control setpoint for at least one piece of variable-geometry equipment of the engine, as a function of the measured first temperature. The first sensor presents a time constant longer than a time constant of the second sensor. The method further detects ingestion of water or hail as a function of a drop in the measured second temperature; and when water or hail ingestion is detected, determines the control setpoint as a function of the estimated third temperature. |
| US09447734B2 |
Rotary wing aircraft with a hybrid power plant
An aircraft (1) having at least one rotor (2) driven by a main gearbox (3), at least one fuel-burning engine (4), an on-board electricity network (7), and at least one electrical machine (10) corresponding to the engine (4) and capable of operating both in electric motor mode and also in electricity generator mode, each electrical machine (10) being mechanically connected to said main gearbox (3) by first connection means (20) and being electrically connected to said on-board electricity network (7). Second mechanical connection means (40) connect each electrical machine (10) mechanically to a gas generator (5) of an engine. |
| US09447728B2 |
Magnet-based anti-cogging apparatuses and systems for applying an anti-cogging torque on a rotating shaft
An anti-cogging apparatus includes a first support member, a second support member, a first set of magnets, and a second set of magnets. The first support member is configured to be connected to and rotate with a rotatable shaft. The second support member does not rotate and is configured not to move with the first support member. The first set of magnets is mounted on the first support member in an alternating polarity or a non-alternating polarity configuration. The second set of magnets is mounted on the second support member in an alternating polarity configuration or a non-alternating polarity configuration. The first set of magnets magnetically interacts with the second set of magnets to provide an anti-cogging torque on the rotatable shaft. |
| US09447727B2 |
Variable displacement engine
A variable displacement engine includes sets of concentric gears with the crankshaft connected through gear trains to control the crankshaft radius and the piston rod length. One or more servos control the crankshaft concentric gears through gear trains to thus control the crankshaft radius and piston rod length, thereby controlling the engine displacement while maintaining compression ratio, and optionally controlling compression ratio independently. |
| US09447726B2 |
Accessory devices drive system
An accessories drive system, including: a clutch assembly with a drive shaft; and at least one accessory device connected to the drive shaft. In a first position for the clutch assembly: the clutch assembly is arranged to transmit first torque from an output shaft for a transmission to the drive shaft to drive the at least one accessory device and rotation of the drive shaft is isolated from rotation of a launch device for the vehicle. In a second position for the clutch assembly: the clutch assembly is arranged to transmit second torque from the launch device to the drive shaft to drive the at least one accessory device and the rotation of the drive shaft is isolated from rotation of the output shaft for the transmission. |
| US09447720B2 |
Device for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine
A device for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine with at least one injector includes an injector body equipped with a high-pressure accumulator, a nozzle needle axially displaceably guided in the injector and surrounded by a nozzle chamber, a high-pressure line connecting the high-pressure accumulator to the nozzle chamber, and a resonator line arranged in parallel with the high-pressure line and communicating with the nozzle chamber and opening into the high-pressure accumulator via a resonator throttle. The resonator line and the high-pressure line, at least in their sections adjacent the high-pressure accumulator, are formed in a retaining body which, on its end face, is screwed into the accumulator pipe forming the high-pressure accumulator. |
| US09447719B2 |
Radiator shutter
A radiator shutter provided for the frontal arrangement at a motor vehicle shows two groups of lamellae, which are pivotally supported at opposite sides of a drive unit, each parallel in reference to a shutter frame. For a joint pivoting of the lamellae an entrainer tappet provided here at a distance from its bearing axis in the direction perpendicular in reference to the longitudinal direction of the lamellae, engages a common coupling element. For a simple production of the engagement of the bearing tappets of the lamellae in the shutter frame and its entrainer tappets in the coupling element they are latched in bearing recesses open perpendicular in reference to the bearing axis. |
| US09447716B2 |
Honeycomb structure
A honeycomb structure includes a honeycomb structure part having porous partition walls which form a plurality of cells having a hexagonal cross-sectional shape and extending through the honeycomb structure part from an inflow end surface to an outflow end surface to become through channels of a fluid, and having an outer peripheral wall which is positioned at an outermost periphery. A porosity of the partition walls is from 35 to 60%, an average pore diameter of the partition walls is from 1 to 5 μm, and among the cells, incomplete cells which are the cells formed by the partition walls and the outer peripheral wall are plugged from the inflow end surface to the outflow end surface. |
| US09447715B2 |
Valve device for exhaust gas flow path
A valve device includes a butterfly valve and a first link member each supported by a stay so as to be rotationally movable about a first rotation axis and a second rotation axis, respectively, a second link member supported by the butterfly valve so as to be rotationally movable about a third rotation axis, and a spring to bias the butterfly valve in a valve closed direction. The first link member and the second link member are connected to each other so as to be mutually rotationally movable about a fourth rotation axis. An angle formed by a first link line connecting the second rotation axis and the fourth rotation axis to each other and a second link line connecting the third rotation axis and the fourth rotation axis to each other is formed to be the largest when the butterfly valve is in a valve closed state. |
| US09447709B1 |
Multi-position camshaft phaser with two one-way wedge clutches
A camshaft phaser, including a stator arranged to receive torque from an engine; a rotor arranged to be non-rotatably connected to a camshaft; first and second ramp rings radially disposed about the rotor and non-rotatably connected to the rotor; a first wedge plate radially disposed between the stator and the first ramp ring; a second wedge plate radially disposed between the stator and the second ramp ring; and a displacement assembly arranged to, for an advance mode, displace the first ramp ring in a first axial direction to enable rotation of the rotor, with respect to the stator, in a first circumferential direction, and for a retard mode, displace the second ramp ring in a second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction, to enable rotation of the rotor, with respect to the stator, in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction. |
| US09447703B2 |
Waste processing
The present invention provides a method and apparatus of processing material having an organic content. The method comprises heating a batch of the material (“E”) in a batch processing apparatus (16) having a reduced oxygen atmosphere to gasify at least some of the organic content to produce syngas, The temperature of the syngas is then elevated and maintained at the elevated temperature in a thermal treatment: apparatus (18) for a residence time sufficient to thermally break down any long chain hydrocarbons or volatile organic compounds therein. The calorific value of the syngas produced is monitored by sensors (26) and, when the calorific value of the syngas is below a predefined threshold, the syngas having a low calorific value is diverted to a burner of a boiler (22) to produce steam to drive a steam turbine (36) to produce electricity (“H”). When the calorific value: of the syngas exceeds the predefined threshold syngas having a high calorific value is diverted to a gas engine (40) to produce electricity (F”). |
| US09447702B2 |
Cooling system and cooling method for use with closed loop systems
Embodiments of systems that are configured as a closed loop system with a pump, an evaporator, a power generator, and a condenser, the combination of which circulates a working fluid to generate electrical power. The embodiments are configured with a cooling system that can depress the local pressure at or near components that are the target of cooling, which in turn permits the cooling fluid to function at temperatures that can remove heat, even when the ambient temperature rises above desirable levels. In one embodiment, the system is configured with an ejector device that can use energy of the working fluid F in vapor phase to lower the pressure in a housing, or like environment, that encloses critical elements of the generator. |
| US09447698B2 |
Double-walled turbocharger housing, flange and connection thereof
A double-walled turbocharger housing made of sheet metal includes an inner sheet metal shell which conducts hot exhaust gases and a relatively cold outer sheet metal shell which is spaced apart from the inner sheet metal shell via an air gap. The double-walled turbocharger housing is connected to a bearing flange with a circumferential collar via a common welding seam. The bearing flange is provided with a collar on an outside which faces away from the hot exhaust gas. An outer end of the inner sheet metal shell is provided with a collar with which it embraces the outer sheet metal shell. Both sheet metal shells are connected with the collar of the bearing flange via a common welding seam, wherein an air gap is present between the inner sheet metal shell and the outer sheet metal shell up to the outer end of the inner sheet metal shell. |
| US09447695B2 |
Diffuser seal for geared turbofan or turboprop engines
A diffuser seal for an aft end of a high pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The diffuser seal includes a flow guide carrier coupled to the diffuser case. The flow guide carrier is also coupled to a static seal. The static seal engages a rotary seal and permits air flow through the static and rotary seals in the aft direction. The flow guide carrier is also coupled to a fairing and a fairing/hub support. The flow guide carrier supports the fairing in a spaced-apart position with respect to the rear hub so that air flowing through the static and rotary seals passes between a forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub. The fairing/hub support extends forward from the flow guide support and engages an aft surface of the fairing thereby limiting movement of the rear hub and fairing in the aft direction. This design helps to prevent parts or debris from piercing the rear hub and entering the high pressure turbine in the even of a fan blade-out or fan blade-off event. |
| US09447694B2 |
Internal manifold for turning mid-turbine frame flow distribution
A mid-turbine frame (MTF) for a gas turbine engine includes an inner manifold directing air to a turbine rotor of the gas turbine engine. The MTF includes an outer MTF case and an inner MTF case. The inner manifold of the MTF is located in the inner case of the MTF. |
| US09447693B2 |
Compliant assembly
A compliant assembly includes an airfoil and a platform section from which the airfoil extends. The platform section includes a compliant attachment that is configured to secure the platform section to another structure different than the airfoil. The compliant attachment includes a compliant material. |
| US09447692B1 |
Turbine rotor blade with tip cooling
A turbine rotor blade with a main serpentine flow cooling circuit extending from a leading edge region to a trailing edge region, and a mini serpentine flow cooling circuit in the blade tip region connected between the first and second legs of the main serpentine flow circuit. Exit slots in the trailing edge region are connected to the last leg of the main serpentine flow circuit and to the mini serpentine flow circuit to provide cooling for the trailing edge region. |
| US09447690B2 |
Wind generator hub assembly with hybrid sail blades
A wind generator hub assembly with lightweight, high efficiency, hybrid airfoil/sail blades. The hub includes three to eight blade mounting surfaces each with a radially extending blade attached thereto. The blades are identical and wedge-shaped and evenly distributed radially around the hub. Gaps are created between each blade. Each blade has an airfoil profile with a curved outer skin layer. Each blade has a large curved leading edge and a flat trailing edge similar to an airfoil. The outer skin layer is secured along its leading edge and removeably attached along its trailing edge to a lightweight internal frame. Each blade includes a transversely aligned end cap with optional louvers. The blades are oriented so their outer skin layers face downwind and rotate towards their leading edges. When wind flows against the inside surface of the skin layers, the blades act as sails to produce thrust. |
| US09447687B2 |
Heat engine, method of control of the rotational speed in a heat engine, and method of design of a cam profile for a heat engine
A heat engine comprises two coaxial discoidal sectors and a mechanism of control of the rotational speed of the sectors that makes their respective rotational speeds to vary cyclically between a maximum and a minimum speed. The mechanism includes a linked structure provided with four links arranged in a deformable parallelogram and connected to each other by corresponding rotary joints located at their ends, each link including a roller located adjacent one end of the link. The mechanism further includes at least one cam profile for the rollers to follow, the cam profile being the locus of the path followed by the rollers when the sectors follow a motion such that the speed of each sector is kept at a maximum for at least 90% of the duration of a half-cycle, and is kept at a minimum for at least 90% of the duration of the other half-cycle. |
| US09447686B2 |
Axial piston machine having an insert ring and an insert ring for an axial piston machine
An axial piston machine includes a housing having a casting which is optimized with respect to casting. An insert ring which is optimized with respect to a pressure load is formed in the bottom of the housing. The insert ring is configured to be used with such an axial piston machine. |
| US09447685B2 |
Mine ventilation structure and a deck panel for such a structure
A mine ventilation structure is disclosed. The structure comprises a deck including a plurality of elongate sheet metal panels. Each panel is generally of inverted channel shape in transverse cross-section, having a top web and first and second sides extending down from the top web. The panels are connected by tongue-and-groove connections between adjacent sides of adjacent panels. A mine ventilation deck panel of desired construction is also disclosed. |
| US09447682B2 |
Carbon-based fluorescent tracers as oil reservoir nano-agents
The present invention relates to carbon-based fluorescent nano-agent tracers for analysis of oil reservoirs. The carbon-based fluorescent nano-agents may be used in the analysis of the porosity of a formation. The nanoagents are suitable for injection into a petroleum reservoir and may be recovered from the reservoir for the determination of hydrocarbon flow rates and retention times. |
| US09447681B2 |
Apparatus, program product, and methods of evaluating rock properties while drilling using downhole acoustic sensors and a downhole broadband transmitting system
Apparatus, computer readable medium, and program code for identifying rock properties in real-time during drilling, are provided. An example of an embodiment of such an apparatus includes a downhole sensor subassembly connected between a drill bit and a drill string, acoustic sensors operably coupled to a downhole data interface, and a surface computer operably coupled to the downhole data interface. The computer can include a petrophysical properties analyzing program configured or otherwise adapted to perform various operations including receiving raw acoustic sensor data generated real-time as a result of rotational contact of the drill bit with rock during drilling, transforming the raw acoustic sensor data into the frequency domain, filtering the transformed data, deriving a plurality of acoustic characteristics from the filtered data and deriving petrophysical properties from the filtered data utilizing a petrophysical properties evaluation algorithm employable to predict one or more petrophysical properties of rock undergoing drilling. |
| US09447679B2 |
Inflow control valve and device producing distinct acoustic signal
Systems and methods for generating and monitoring an acoustic response to particular fluid flow conditions in a wellbore include incorporating a sound-producing element into each inflow control device installed in a wellbore. Each of the sound-producing elements generates an acoustic signature that is readily identifiable from each other sound-producing element installed in the wellbore. |
| US09447674B2 |
In-situ method and system for removing heavy metals from produced fluids
Methods and systems relate to the in-situ removal of heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, etc., from produced fluids such as gases and crudes from a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation. A sufficient amount of a fixing agent is injected into formation with a dilution fluid. The fixing agent reacts with the heavy metals forming precipitate, or is extracted heavy metals into the dilution fluid as soluble complexes. In one embodiment, the heavy metal precipitates remain in the formation. After the recovery of the produced fluid, the dilution fluid containing the heavy metal complexes is separated from the produced fluid, generating a treated produced fluid having a reduced concentration of heavy metals. In one embodiment, the dilution fluid is water, and the wastewater containing the heavy metal complexes after recovery can be recycled by injection into a reservoir. |
| US09447671B2 |
Adjustable isolation sleeve assembly for well stimulation through production tubing
A fracturing system includes a fracturing spool that mounts onto a wellhead assembly for injecting fracturing fluid into a well beneath the wellhead assembly. An isolation sleeve is included with the fracturing system that couples to the fracturing spool and extends into the wellhead to isolate and protect portions of the wellhead assembly from the fracturing fluid. A seal is between the isolation sleeve and bore of the wellhead assembly, which is threaded to the isolation sleeve. Manipulating the threaded connection between the isolation sleeve and seal selectively positions the isolation sleeve to designated axial positions within the wellhead assembly. |
| US09447669B2 |
Pulsed acoustic impact for facilitation of oil and gas extracting
A method for improving and maintaining well productivity is disclosed. The method comprises placing acoustic devices within wells of a geological formation, measuring parameters for initial pulsed acoustic impact, and continuing to measure parameters in order to change impact parameters during production to optimize the acoustic effect. The method may be used to restore, maintain, or increase the productivity of an entire geological formation (oil or gas), and to reduce the water cut in the formation. |
| US09447668B2 |
Wellbore steam injector
Disclosed are systems and methods of injecting steam into a wellbore. One disclosed injection tool includes a body defining an inner bore and a radial flow channel, one or more fluid conduits defined in the body at the radial flow channel, a shroud arranged about the body such that an annulus is defined and in fluid communication with the one or more fluid conduits and the surrounding wellbore environment, a sleeve arranged within inner bore and movable between a first position, where the sleeve occludes the one or more fluid conduits, and a second position, where the one or more fluid conduits are exposed, and first and second seals generated at opposing axial ends of the radial flow channel when the sleeve is in the first position. |
| US09447662B2 |
Abandonment and containment system for gas wells
The invention presents a method for plugging and abandoning spent wells. An expandable liner hanger having sealing elements positioned thereon, is run-in and expanded, creating at least one seal against fluid migration. A redundant seal is created using a swellable annular sealing device, such as a swell packer. The swell packer and liner hanger are run-in and expanded. A bottom valve is closed and the expansion and running tools released from the liner hanger. After pulling out of the running tool, the wellbore is cemented creating an effective plug. |
| US09447656B2 |
BOP heating methods and systems and heat exchange units
A BOP heating method includes operating a coiled tubing unit (CTU) using hydraulic fluid. The fluid is supplied from the CTU to an exchange tube and returned from the exchange tube to the CTU. The method includes transmitting heat from the fluid to an inner plate. Heat is transmitted from the inner plate to a BOP on which the inner plate is temporarily mounted. A BOP heating system includes a CTU configured to use hydraulic fluid, a supply tube configured to supply fluid from the CTU to an exchange tube, and a return tube configured to return fluid from the exchange tube to the CTU. A BOP heat exchange unit includes an outer plate and an inner plate, an exchange tube between the outer plate and the inner plate, and a heat spreading material between the exchange tube and the inner plate. The exchange unit lacks any electrical component. |
| US09447654B2 |
Downhole circulating valve having a seal plug and method for operating same
A downhole circulating valve includes a generally tubular outer housing having a generally axially extending internal passageway. At least one generally longitudinally extending circulating passageway is formed through at least a portion of the housing. At least one exterior port and at least one interior port are in fluid communication with the circulating passageway. At least one seal plug is disposed within the circulating passageway. The seal plug has a first position relative to the housing wherein the seal plug is remote from the exterior port and the interior port, thereby allowing fluid flow between the exterior port and the interior port through the circulating passageway. The seal plug has a second position relative to the housing wherein the seal plug is between the exterior port and the interior port and wherein the seal plug forms at least one metal-to-metal seal with the circulating passageway, thereby preventing fluid flow between the exterior port and the interior port. |
| US09447653B1 |
Inflatable packer
A permanent inflatable packer enabling wellbore isolation in both open hole and cased hole wells expands multiple times its original diameter to conform to borehole irregularities and eccentricities. Cement, water based mud or oil based mud activation fluid under prerequisite fluid pressure causes retainer to slide upon a mandrel causing fracture of shearing screws and compression of Belleville metal ring washers to enable activation fluid to flow around an O-ring and into a recess area to effectuate inflation of ribs sandwiched between rubber layers. |
| US09447652B2 |
Atmosphere to pressure ball drop apparatus
An improved ball drop apparatus including an atmosphere-to-pressure frac ball injection chamber. A ball is first inserted into the atmosphere-to-pressure ball injection chamber from a ball feeding apparatus. The ball is then pushed into a pressure equalization section through a first seal pack. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure equalization section is connected to a pressure equalization apparatus and also to the wellbore through a second seal pack. Once the ball is injected into the pressure equalization section, the pressure equalization apparatus applies pressure, thereby causing the pressure of the pressure equalization section to increase until it reaches close to wellbore pressure. Once the pressures of the pressure equalization section and the wellbore are close, the atmosphere-to-pressure frac ball injection chamber and the frac ball are pushed through the second seal pack and into the wellbore, where the frac ball can be pumped downhole. The atmosphere-to-pressure ball injection chamber is then retracted into the pressure equalization section. The pressure equalization section can then be returned to atmospheric or close to atmospheric pressure by the pressure equalization apparatus. The ball injection chamber is then returned to a ball loading position where it may again be loaded by a ball feeding apparatus. |
| US09447647B2 |
Preemptive setpoint pressure offset for flow diversion in drilling operations
A method of controlling pressure in a well can include transmitting an instruction to change flow through an annulus formed radially between a drill string and a wellbore, and adjusting a pressure setpoint in response to the transmitting. A well drilling system can include a flow control device which varies flow through a drill string, and a control system which changes a pressure setpoint in response to an instruction for the flow control device to change the flow through the drill string. A method of controlling pressure in a well can include transmitting an instruction to divert flow from a drill string, and adjusting a pressure setpoint in response to the transmitting. |
| US09447643B2 |
Drilling rig equipment platform
An aircraft-transportable platform component for supporting a drilling rig includes a buoyant body supported by a frame and lifting members coupled to the frame for engagement by an aircraft. A portion of the frame protrudes from an underside surface of the frame for anchoring the platform component in unstable ground. The buoyant body maintains a top surface of the aircraft-transportable platform component above the unstable ground. |
| US09447642B2 |
Polycrystalline diamond material with high toughness and high wear resistance
A cutting element that includes a substrate; and an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material disposed upon the outermost end of the cutting element, wherein the polycrystalline diamond material: a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the bonded diamond particles, wherein the plurality of interstitial regions contain a plurality of metal carbide phases and a plurality of metal binder phases together forming a plurality of metallic phases, wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases are formed from a plurality of metal carbide particles; wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form at least about 60 to at most about 85% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material; and wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 35% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases is disclosed. |
| US09447641B2 |
Rotary steerable drilling tool with a linear motor
A rotary steerable drilling tool with an electromagnetic steering system can include a drill collar, a bit shaft, an orientation control module, a mud tube, a mud tube coupler, a universal joint, a mud sealing device, and a drill bit. The bit shaft can be mechanically coupled to the drill collar through the universal joint and the orientation control module and rotate about the universal joint. The orientation and the inclination angle of the bit shaft against the drill collar can be controlled by the orientation control module with the electromagnetic steering system. The orientation control module can include a guide track mounted on the inside wall of the drill collar, arrays of electromagnets mounted on the guide track, a positioning frame, a permanent magnet mounted on the positioning frame, a coupling tube, and at least two bearing wheels. A corresponding electromagnetic steering method is also provided. |
| US09447635B2 |
Motorized roller shade system with a sun angle sensor
Presented is a motorized roller shade system. The system includes a flexible shade material, a roller tube configured for windingly receiving the flexible shade material, a shade motor coupled to the roller tube, a motor controller in communication with the shade motor, and a sun angle sensor. The sun angle sensor is configured for determining the angle of the sun and transmitting the angle of the sun to the motor controller. The motor controller is configured for driving the shade motor to rotate the roller tube to wind or unwind the flexible shade material in response to the transmitted angle of the sun to limit sunlight penetration to a predetermined maximum distance into a room. |
| US09447633B2 |
Device for rolling up and unrolling a material web onto and from a shaft
The present invention discloses a device for rolling up and unrolling a material web (2) on a shaft (1, 15). The device is distinguished by the fact that a first radial spacing (R1) of the material web (2) from a rotational axis of the shaft (1, 15), which first radial spacing (R1) is assigned to any desired unrolled length (L) of the material web (2), differs from a second radial spacing (R2) of a tensioning cable (3, 16) from the rotational axis of the shaft (1, 15), which second radial spacing (R2) is assigned to said unrolled length (L), with the result that the direction and magnitude of a first torque which is exerted on the shaft (1, 15) via the material web (2) differ from those of a second torque which is exerted on the shaft (1, 15) via the tensioning cables (3, 16), in such a way that, on account of the torque difference between the first torque and the second torque, the shaft (1, 15) is driven by a force (F) which is transmitted by means of the tensioning cables (3, 16). |
| US09447630B1 |
Apparatus and method for supporting a decorative panel
An apparatus and method for detachably supporting a decorative or graphic panel or covering upon a frame or door without leaving a mark or other visible evidence of the presence of the panel. The panel may be used to install a decorative panel on a door or a decorative image on a frame to be hung on a wall, for example. Specially designed corner supports are attached to the panel and looped over the respective corners of the door or frame. The decorative image or graphic may be applied to the visible face of the panel or covering by any practical process. |
| US09447628B2 |
Clip equipped, elongated flexible polymer gaskets
Elongated, flexible polymer gasket include a tubular flexible polymer material body, a hollow chamber within the body extending uniformly the length of the body, and a plurality of individual openings through the sidewall forming the body and spaced apart from one another along its length. Each further includes a plurality of individual spring clip fasteners, each a length of metal wire bent to form an elongated, generally planar base portion with opposing major sides and an elongated, engagement portion extending transversely away from one of the opposing major sides. The maximum width dimensions of the base and engagement portions being greater than a maximum nominal dimension of the opening whereby the each individual spring clip member is captured in a separate one of the openings with the base portion within the hollow chamber and the engagement portion projecting traversely away from the base portion and the body. |
| US09447623B2 |
Vehicle door checker
A door checker includes a stopper provided to a tip portion of a check lever and defining a door opening limit by engaging with stopper surfaces provided to an outer surface of a peripheral edge of a through-hole in a support body. The stopper is formed from paired first stopper portions engageable with paired first stopper surfaces arranged side-by-side with the through-hole therebetween, and paired second stopper portions engageable with paired second stopper surfaces. The first stopper portions are formed from metal-made protrusions integrally projecting from opposite sides of a tip portion of a lever core plate, and projecting from an outer surface of a synthetic resin-made covering portion. The second stopper portions are formed from synthetic resin-made portions of the outer surface located between the first stopper portions and swollen on opposite sides in a direction orthogonal to an arrangement direction of the first stopper portions. |
| US09447622B2 |
Spring adjusting device for a door actuating device
A door actuating device, including a housing, at least one drive unit which is disposed in the housing and can be coupled to a door leaf, and at least one spring energy accumulator, which is in operative connection with the drive unit, and which includes a spring disposed therein under spring pretension, wherein the spring pretension of the spring is realized by means of a spring adjusting device, which includes at least one screwed sealing plug, which can be connected to the housing, and an adjusting nut, where a cylinder is configured at the screwed sealing plug and oriented towards the spring, at which cylinder the adjusting nut is linearly guided, where a setting element which is guided by means of the screwed sealing plug and, at least in sections, can be brought non-positively and positively into engagement with the cylinder, and which bears against the adjusting nut, serves for adjusting the spring pretension. |
| US09447619B2 |
90 degree magnetic latch to prevent high surface flux
An electronic device includes a housing having an external surface and a magnet within the housing that moves from a first position where the magnetic axis is substantially parallel to the external surface to a second position where the magnetic axis is substantially perpendicular to the external surface. The magnet may be configured to move in the presence of an external magnetic field of another magnet, thereby engaging the two magnets. |
| US09447618B2 |
Container lock
A locking device for containers with a container lock housing and with a locking hook. The locking hook has a pivot axis, which is stationary relative to the container lock housing and which can pivot about the locking hook into a standby position and a locking position. An activation mechanism is included for the locking hook, which has a first actuating element and a second actuating element as well as a release mechanism. The first actuating element holds the locking hook in its standby position, while the second actuating element is configured such that it blocks and clamps the locking hook in its locking position. The release mechanism after the releasing acts on the first actuating element and/or on the second actuating element, which automatically brings about the clamping and blocking of the locking hook in its locking position by the second actuating element. |
| US09447616B2 |
Window opening control device
One embodiment of window opening control device that limits the maximum amount by which a window can be opened includes a spool assembly for varying the amount by which the window can be opened and a slider assembly for engaging the spool assembly such that the amount by which the window can be opened does not exceed the maximum amount. |
| US09447611B2 |
Cable wrap security device
A security device includes a locking member, a ratchet mechanism, and a plurality of cables. The cables are wrapped around an object. An attachment clip is releasably snap-fitted into the body of the security device. The ratchet mechanism includes a spool and a locking pawl or lever. A key is used to unlock the clip from the housing. An alarm system is contained in the housing and actuates an audible alarm upon certain unauthorized actions occurring. Insertion of the clip into the housing automatically actuates the ratchet mechanism preventing movement of the cable in the unwind direction and activates the alarm system. |
| US09447606B2 |
Locking system
A locking system is provided whereby at least two locking devices can be actuated with one and the same key. The key has at least two control tracks, via which, in at least two scanning planes lying one behind the other respectively transverse to the insertion direction, the scanning of scanning points provided on the key is possible. Via the scanning points provided in at least one scanning plane, both types of platelet tumblers can be scanned via the mating scanning points thereof and separated, so that the arrangement of one type of the two platelet tumblers in at least one scanning plane can be chosen freely in order to form a multiplicity of locking devices having cylinders cores having an associated cylinder housing and matched to the free choice of the platelet tumblers, which can be actuated with one and the same key. |
| US09447602B1 |
Multipurpose modular screening device
A modular screening device includes a flexible first panel that is flexible having a vertical edge and an opposing vertical edge. A first sleeve is coupled to the vertical edge and a second sleeve coupled to the opposing vertical edge. A third sleeve is coupled to the first panel equally distant from the vertical edge and the opposing vertical edge. A first fastener is coupled to the second sleeve. A second flexible panel has a vertical border and an opposing vertical border. A first sheath is coupled to the vertical border and a second fastener is coupled to the opposing vertical border. The second fastener is complimentary to the first fastener. A second sheath is coupled to the second panel equally distant from the vertical border and the opposing vertical border. The device also comprises a plurality of framing tubes, S-hooks, spike anchors, bases, connectors, and support rods. |
| US09447597B2 |
Variable stiffness bracing device
The present invention relates to a variable stiffness bracing device comprising: a rectangular frame (100) having a solid quarter cylinder (101) at each angle of the rectangular frame (100); a pair of leaf spring (200) attached at each end of the rectangular frame (100) at the solid quarter cylinder (101); a steel rail (300) fixed on top middle of the rectangular frame (100); a core (400) fixed at the tip of each leaf spring (200), the core (400) is slidable along the steel rail (300); a cubic core (500) located in the middle of the core (400); and a rod cable (600) passes through each end of the rectangular frame (100) and the core (400) and ended at the cubic core (500) located in the middle of the core (400). The above provision is advantageous as the present invention deploys wholly mechanical in retrofitting and rehabilitation of structures. |
| US09447593B2 |
Skimmer device
A skimmer device for removal of debris and other contaminants from the surface of a body of liquid; said device including a central debris and contaminant collection element supported by outrigger buoyancy elements; said buoyancy elements ballasted by controlled charging of each of said elements with a volume of ballast liquid, and wherein an adjustment of buoyancy is provided by varying a volume of residual air retained in said buoyancy elements. |
| US09447592B2 |
Eco-acoustic theatre
An Eco-acoustic Theater is a truncated-spherical architectural structure appropriate for listening three-dimensional reconstructions of authentic natural soundscapes and eco-acoustic compositions. It is comprised of: a support structure that holds an external soundproof covering and an internal sound absorbing paneling; terraces of cylindrical concentric steps with decreasing or increasing diameter going upwards, built on grating; an annular screen placed onto the internal surface as to surround the terraces; loudspeakers embedded inside the support structure which convey distinct sound signals towards the terraces to reconstruct three-dimensional soundfields of acoustic ecosystems of primary rainforests (recorded or in streaming); projectors fixed to the said support structure to cast towards the said screen a real-time spectrogram of the average sound signal emitted by the loudspeakers. |
| US09447591B2 |
Tool for finishing an outside corner
A tool for finishing an outside corner comprises a handle and a V-shaped blade coupled to the handle. The V-shaped blade has a pair of planar blade surfaces which each extend from a vertex thereof. A retaining mechanism releasably retains a sponge against the surfaces of the V-shaped blade. |
| US09447589B2 |
Crown molding framing assembly
A framing assembly for crown molding includes a mounting bracket and a plurality of mounting blocks. The mounting bracket is elongated in a length direction and adapted for mounting in a construction joint with the length direction extending in parallel with the joint axis. The mounting blocks are connected to the mounting bracket and spaced apart in the length direction. The crown molding is secured in the joint via connection to the mounting blocks. |
| US09447580B2 |
Covered flange brace and flange brace cover
A building roof structure includes rafters, purlins, braces, and a suspension fabric. The suspension fabric, which may be part of a fall protection system, insulation support system, and/or vapor barrier system, extends across a bay or other portion of the roof structure such that the suspension fabric is above the rafters and below the purlins. The braces connect at least some of the purlins to at least some of the rafters, and each brace extends through a corresponding slit or other opening in the suspension fabric. Brace covers are provided for some or all of the braces to conceal the fabric opening, to facilitate sealing around the brace near the fabric opening, and/or to provide support for the suspension fabric near the fabric opening. |
| US09447575B2 |
Polyamide resin composition, expanded polyamide resin molding, and automotive resin molding
Provided is a polyamide resin composition which can provide an expanded molding being superior in heat resistance and sufficiently reduced in weight and having high load resistance by a simple molding process. The polyamide resin composition is characterized by comprising a polyamide resin (A), a glycidyl-group-containing styrene copolymer (B) having two or more glycidyl groups per molecule, a weight average molecular weight of 4000 to 25000 and an epoxy value of 400 to 2500 Eq/1×106 g and an inorganic reinforcing material (C) in a proportion such that the content of the glycidyl-group-containing styrene copolymer (B) is 0.2 to 25 parts by mass and the content of the inorganic reinforcing material (C) is 0 to 350 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the polyamide resin (A). |
| US09447573B2 |
Multi-story building and method for construction thereof
A method, apparatus and system for constructing a building. A foundation is provided, upon which is disposed one or more first-floor columns, each having a lower end, an upper end and an upper surface. One or more second-floor columns, each having a lower end, an upper end, a lower surface and an upper surface on one or more of the first-floor columns, are disposed on the top of the first-floor columns so that the lower surface of one or more of the second-floor columns abuts, and is supported by, the upper surface of one or more of the first-floor columns. |
| US09447572B2 |
Structure having a strengthening element made of high-strength concrete for increasing punching shear strength
A structure has a plate and a strengthening element made of high-strength concrete which increases the punching shear strength. The strengthening element is configured to have an annular shape and an opening. The strengthening element is made of multiple prefabricated segments which are arranged in an annular shape around the opening. |
| US09447568B1 |
Toilet fill valve with valve lock
Disclosed are various embodiments of a lockable toilet fill valve and methods according to the present invention. In one embodiment, a toilet fill valve includes a float/arm assembly. The toilet fill valve is closed when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a first position. The toilet fill valve being open when the float/arm assembly is disposed in a second position. A valve lock is associated with the float/arm assembly. The valve lock includes an unlock position and a lock position, wherein the valve lock fixes the float/arm assembly in the first position when the valve lock is in the lock position. |
| US09447566B1 |
Systems, devices, and/or methods for managing water and soap
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system comprising a faucet. The faucet can comprise a discharge assembly. The discharge assembly can comprise a middle column. The middle column can comprise a pump activator, which can be constructed to cause the middle column to dispense a liquid soap responsive to user compression. |
| US09447563B2 |
Stroke operation diagnosis supporting device for hydraulic cylinder
A stroke operation diagnosis supporting device for a hydraulic cylinder includes: movable portions; hydraulic cylinders; a stroke sensor measuring a stroke length of the hydraulic cylinder; a reset sensor measuring a reset reference point at which a measurement value of the stroke length obtained by the stroke sensor is reset; a stroke end detection process unit detecting a stroke end position of the hydraulic cylinder; a calibration process unit calibrating the measurement value of the stroke length upon the detection of the reset reference point and/or the stroke end position; and a monitor displaying on a screen at least the measurement value of the stroke length obtained by the stroke sensor and a calibration state obtained by the calibration process unit, wherein the monitor displays continuous time change of the measurement value of the stroke length obtained by the stroke sensor. |
| US09447562B2 |
Work vehicle and method of controlling work vehicle
A work vehicle includes a boom, an arm, a bucket, an arm cylinder, a direction control valve, a calculation portion, and a speed determination portion. The calculation portion calculates an estimated speed of the arm cylinder based on correlation between an amount of movement of the spool of the direction control valve in accordance with an amount of operation of an arm control lever and a speed of the arm cylinder. The speed determination portion determines a target speed of the boom based on the estimated speed of the arm cylinder. When the amount of operation of the arm control lever is smaller than a prescribed amount, the calculation portion calculates a speed higher than a speed of the arm cylinder in accordance with correlation as the estimated speed of the arm cylinder. |
| US09447559B2 |
Pick hole guard for manhole covers
Pick hole guards are provided for use in guarding pick holes on manhole covers. In some embodiments of the present invention, the pick hole guards can have a base, biasing member, and guard member. The biasing member can be attached to the base and guard member, and can bias the guard member toward a pick hole on the manhole cover to guard the pick hole. In other embodiments, the pick hole guards do not have movable guard members, but instead have retaining surfaces to serve as a receptacle for catching waste disposed through a pick hole. |
| US09447554B1 |
Method of dissipating water wave energy
The method of dissipating water wave energy includes using an array of vertically-extending breakwater walls for dissipating the energy of water waves in an area of interest. Each vertically-extending wall has a plurality of horizontally-extending slots formed therethrough. The areas and/or configurations of the horizontally-extending slots can be varied such that each vertically-extending wall can have a unique degree of porosity. Each vertically extending wall can be positioned in succession in front of a water-impregnable rear barrier. The slots of one vertically-extending wall can be staggered or nonaligned relative to the next vertically-extending wall in succession. |
| US09447550B2 |
Enhanced control of construction equipment
Novel tools and techniques for controlling heavy equipment vehicles, such as tractors, graders, road-forming machines, and the like. Some techniques allow a control system of a heavy equipment vehicle to transition from receiving position data from one positioning device to receiving data from another without ceasing operation and/or while limiting any resulting discontinuity in a manipulated ground surface to within acceptable tolerances. |
| US09447546B2 |
Two sided multi-ply tissue product
The invention provides a multi-ply tissue product having different surface characteristics on each side of the product. The multi-ply tissue product may be formed from two or more plies where one surface is formed by a substantially smooth creped ply and the other surface is formed by a textured through-air dried ply. In this manner the tissue product may be used for both personal care, which requires a soft and smooth surface, and general household wiping, which requires a rough, durable surface. |
| US09447544B2 |
Security feature having several components
The invention relates to a security feature having a luminescent component and a component camouflaging the luminescent component. The invention starts out from a security feature having a luminescent component having at least one luminophore consisting of a doped host lattice, and a component camouflaging the luminescent component, in which the camouflaging component has at least two substances, the first substance of the camouflaging component having an X-ray diffractogram which hides the X-ray diffractogram of the luminescent component, and the second substance of the camouflaging component having at least one cationic element of the luminescent component and at least one cationic element of the first substance of the camouflaging component, with the luminescent component and the first substance of the camouflaging component being formed of different cationic elements. |
| US09447543B2 |
Arrangement for and a method of manufacturing a fibrous web
A method of manufacturing a fibrous web including: preparing furnish of a thick stock component and filtrate, preparing foamed furnish by mixing a surfactant and gas into the furnish, introducing the foamed furnish to a headbox of a fiber web machine, and laying the foamed furnish on a wire or between wires of a wire section of a fiber web machine for forming the fibrous web, wherein the preparation of the foamed furnish by injecting the gas uses an injection liquid to the furnish. |
| US09447542B2 |
Sealing strip system
A sealing-strip system has a sealing strip for sealing a suction zone of a suctioned roller in a machine for manufacturing and/or processing a fibrous web. The sealing strip has a wear volume which is successively removed by tribological contact with the roller, and a wear-indication unit which is formed by at least one tube which is configured in or on the sealing strip and which is at least in part disposed on or in the sealing strip in the region of the wear volume. |
| US09447540B2 |
Process for treating microfibrillated cellulose and microfibrillated cellulose treated according to the process
The present invention relates to a process for dewatering a slurry comprising microfibrillated cellulose wherein the process comprises the following steps of, providing a slurry comprising microfibrillated cellulose and liquid, subjecting the slurry to an electric field inducing the liquid of the slurry to flow and separating the liquid from the microfibrillated cellulose. The invention also relates to microfibrillated cellulose dewatered according to the process. |
| US09447537B2 |
Fixed radial anode drum dryer
A clothes dryer apparatus (99) comprising an electrically conductive, grounded, generally cylindrical rotatable drum (13) having a hollow interior adapted to contain a load (15) of wet clothes to be dried. The drum's (13) exterior surface (27) is partially indented to form one or more integral, generally ring-shaped insulated notches (10). An electrically conductive, generally flat arcuate anode (11) is positioned within each notch (10), with no physical contact between an anode (11) and its corresponding notch (10). Each anode (11) is spatially fixed with respect to the rotatable drum (13), and is electrically isolated from conductive portions of the drum (13). A source (21) of RF power (12), operating at a single fixed frequency, is coupled to each anode (11). |
| US09447531B2 |
Process for producing nonwoven fabric
Described herein are spunlaid fibers including at least one polymeric resin and at least one filler having an average particle size of less than or equal to about 5 microns and/or having a top cut of less than about 15 microns. The at least one filler may be present in an amount of less than about 40% by weight, relative to the total weight of the spunlaid fibers. Also described herein is a method for producing spunlaid fibers including adding calcium carbonate to at least one polymeric resin and extruding the resulting mixture. Further described herein are nonwoven fabrics including such spunlaid fibers, and methods for producing them. |
| US09447527B2 |
Method for manufacturing heat resistant spun yarn and heat resistant spun yarn manufactured thereby
A method for manufacturing a heat resistant spun yarn having improved elasticity which includes the steps of providing changes in twist amount, twist direction as well as low temperature heat treatment of ply yarn. |
| US09447520B2 |
Gas-phase synthesis method for forming semiconductor nanowires
The present invention provides a method and a system for forming wires (1) that enables a large scale process combined with a high structural complexity and material quality comparable to wires formed using substrate-based synthesis. The wires (1) are grown from catalytic seed particles (2) suspended in a gas within a reactor. Due to a modular approach wires (1) of different configuration can be formed in a continuous process. In-situ analysis to monitor and/or to sort particles and/or wires formed enables efficient process control. |
| US09447519B2 |
Aluminum nitride bulk crystals having high transparency to untraviolet light and methods of forming them
In various embodiments, methods of forming single-crystal AlN include providing a substantially undoped polycrystalline AlN ceramic having an oxygen concentration less than approximately 100 ppm, forming a single-crystal bulk AlN crystal by a sublimation-recondensation process at a temperature greater than approximately 2000° C., and cooling the bulk AlN crystal to a first temperature between approximately 1500° C. and approximately 1800° C. at a first rate less than approximately 250° C./hour. |
| US09447518B2 |
Radical generator and molecular beam epitaxy apparatus
A radical generator includes a supply tube, a plasma-generating tube, a coil winding about an outer circumference of the plasma-generating tube, for generating an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma-generating tube, an electrode for generating a capacitively coupled plasma in the plasma-generating tube and adding the capacitively coupled plasma to the inductively coupled plasma, and a parasitic-plasma-preventing tube including a dielectric material which extends from a bottom of the plasma-generating tube to an opening of the supply tube in a space between the bottom and the opening, and a tip part thereof is inserted into the supply tube to cover an inner wall of the supply tube for preventing a generation of a parasitic plasma between the electrode and the inner wall of the supply tube. |
| US09447517B2 |
Seed material for liquid phase epitaxial growth of monocrystalline silicon carbide, and method for liquid phase epitaxial growth of monocrystalline silicon
Provided is an inexpensive seed material for liquid phase epitaxial growth of silicon carbide. A seed material 12 for liquid phase epitaxial growth of a monocrystalline silicon carbide includes a surface layer containing a polycrystalline silicon carbide with a 3C crystal polymorph. Upon Raman spectroscopic analysis of the surface layer with an excitation wavelength of 532 nm, a peak other than a TO peak and an LO peak is observed as a peak derived from the polycrystalline silicon carbide with a 3C crystal polymorph. |
| US09447515B2 |
Control of electromagnetic signals of coins through multi-ply plating technology
The present invention relates to novel metallic composites that are useful as coinage materials. These composites are produced through a multi-ply plating process and are designed to overcome difficulties associated with calibrating vending machines that can result in fraud. In one embodiment, the metallic composite comprises a steel core over which nickel and then a non-magnetic metal such as copper, brass or bronze is deposited as a layered pair. The magnetic and non-magnetic metals may also be applied in the reverse order, with the copper, brass or bronze applied directly over the steel and then covered by the nickel. The electromagnetic signature (EMS) of the composite is controlled by defining the thickness of the deposited metal layers. Advantageously, the invention overcomes problems associated when different coins are made from the same alloy and have similar sizes, and therefore cannot be distinguished by vending machines. |
| US09447514B2 |
Electrodeposition of thin-film cells containing non-toxic elements
A structure and method of making a thin-film solar cell is provided. A thin-film solar cell includes a substrate, absorber layer and a buffer layer. The absorber layer is deposited by a single-step bulk electrochemical process, or a multi-layer electrochemical process. The buffer layer is deposited by an electrochemical deposition process such as a multi-layer deposition or an atomic layer deposition. The absorber and buffer layers are non-toxic materials which can include sulfur incorporated during the deposition process or incorporated after deposition by an anneal step. |
| US09447510B2 |
Processes for the production of chlorine from hydrogen chloride and oxygen
Processes for the production of chlorine by multi-stage oxidation, for example, by thermal reaction of hydrogen chloride with oxygen using catalysts or by non-thermal activated reaction of hydrogen chloride with oxygen, in which the gas mixture formed in the reaction, comprising the target products chlorine and water, unreacted hydrogen chloride and oxygen, and possibly other secondary constituents, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen, (a) is cooled to condense hydrochloric acid as an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride and (b) the aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride formed is separated from the gas mixture, characterised in that (c) the separated aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride is fed at least partially to an electrochemical oxidation in which at least part of the hydrogen chloride is oxidised to chlorine, (d) the chlorine gas occurring in step d) is optionally added to the gas mixture occurring in step c), (e) the residues of water present in the gas mixture from steps c) and e), in particular by washing with sulfuric acid, are removed, (f) the chlorine-rich gas mixture forming is freed of oxygen and optionally of secondary constituents. |
| US09447509B2 |
Hydrogen producing cell, hydrogen producing device, and energy system including the hydrogen producing device
A hydrogen producing cell of the present invention is provided with an electrolyte supply hole, an electrolyte discharge hole, a first hydrogen circulation hole and a second hydrogen circulation hole respectively penetrating a housing. In disposing the hydrogen producing cell, the electrolyte supply hole is arranged on a vertically upper side than the electrolyte discharge hole, the first hydrogen circulation hole is arranged on a vertically upper side than the electrolyte supply hole, and the second hydrogen circulation hole is arranged on a vertically upper side than the electrolyte discharge hole. By this configuration, it is possible to considerably reduce the length of a pipe and the number of manifolds concerning the electrolyte and hydrogen, and to link the hydrogen producing cells with one another simply and rationally. |
| US09447502B2 |
Calcium phosphate complex, and method for production thereof
Provided is a means for fixing calcium phosphate onto the surface of a metal by a treatment method which uses no acid and produces less residue. A method of producing a calcium phosphate composite in which calcium phosphate is bonded to the surface of a base material, the method including a surface treatment step of bringing the surface of the base material into contact with a surface treating agent, and then into contact with a silane coupling agent, to surface treat the base material; a polymerization step of initiating, after the surface treatment step, polymerization of the silane coupling agent by means of a polymerization initiator; and a bonding step of bonding the silane coupling agent at the surface of the base material after the polymerization step, with calcium phosphate; wherein the base material is a metal, and the surface treating agent is ozone water. |
| US09447501B2 |
Forming articles and devices with carbon-coated metal particles
A non-aqueous photocurable composition contains dispersed carbon-coated metal particles in an organic diluent in an amount of at least 10 weight %. The dispersed carbon-coated metal particles have a median diameter equal to or less than 0.6 μm, and are dispersed using a particle dispersing agent that has a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of at least 2,000 and up to and including 100,000 and comprises nitrogen-containing units. The median diameter of the dispersed particles is determined using a dynamic light scattering method. Moreover, when the non-aqueous composition contains up to and including 25 weight % of the dispersed carbon-coated metal particles, it exhibits no visual settling when subjected to a settling test of at least 24 hours at 20° C. Such non-aqueous photocurable compositions include photocurable components and are useful to prepare photocurable and photocured electrically-conductive patterns and layers in various articles, including touch screen devices having touch screen displays. |
| US09447500B2 |
CVD reactor having a substrate holder resting on a gas cushion comprising a plurality of zones
The invention relates to a CVD reactor having a process chamber (23) and a substrate holder support (1) arranged therein, said support comprising at least one bearing surface (4), wherein a plurality of gas inlet lines (7, 8) open out into the bearing surface (4′). The CVD reactor further has a substrate holder (2), the back side thereof facing the bearing surface (4′), wherein the gases fed through the gas inlet lines (7,8) into the space between the bearing surface (4′) and back side form a gas cushion (19) supporting the substrate holder (2). According to the invention, the gas cushion comprises a plurality of zones (A, C) that each can be fed through an associated gas inlet line (7, 8) and that are separated from each other by a means (15) preventing gas exchange between the zones (A, C). At least one inner zone (C) is associated with a gas discharge line (13, 14), via which the gas fed into the inner zone (C) by way of the inlet line (7, 8) can be discharged. Gases having different heat conduction properties are fed into the zones. |
| US09447499B2 |
Dual plenum, axi-symmetric showerhead with edge-to-center gas delivery
A dual-plenum showerhead for semiconductor processing operations is provided. The showerhead may include a faceplate with two sets of gas distribution holes, each set fed by a separate plenum. One set of gas distribution holes may be through-holes in the faceplate of the showerhead and may allow gases trapped between the faceplate and a plasma dome to flow towards a wafer. The other set of gas distribution holes may distribute gas routed through passages or channels in the faceplate towards the wafer. The passages or channels in the faceplate may include radial channels and annular channels and may be fed from an annular gas distribution channel about the periphery of the faceplate. |
| US09447496B2 |
Nanolayer deposition process
A hybrid deposition process of CVD and ALD, called NanoLayer Deposition (NLD) is provided. The NLD process is a cyclic sequential deposition process, including introducing a first plurality of precursors to deposit a thin film and introducing a second plurality of precursors to modify the deposited thin film. The deposition using the first set of precursors is not self limiting and is a function of substrate temperature and process time. The second set of precursors modifies the already deposited film characteristics. The second set of precursors can treat the deposited film, including treatments such as modification of film composition and doping or removal of impurities from the deposited film. The second set of precursors can also deposit another layer on the deposited film. The additional layer can react with the existing layer to form a compound layer, or can have minimum reaction to form a nanolaminate film. |
| US09447495B2 |
Chemical vapor deposition raw material containing organic nickel compound, and chemical vapor deposition method using the chemical vapor deposition raw material
The present invention provides a chemical vapor deposition raw material, which has a low melting point, has heat stability such that no thermal decomposition occurs during vaporization, readily decomposes at low temperature during film-formation, and can stably form a nickel thin-film having fewer impurities. The present invention relates to a chemical vapor deposition raw material containing an organic nickel compound, in which a cyclopentadienyl group or a derivative thereof is coordinated to nickel, and a cycloalkenyl group having one allyl group or a derivative thereof is coordinated to the carbon skeleton of cycloalkyl. This raw material has a low melting point, proper heat stability and film-formation ability at low temperature. Further, due to a high vapor pressure, the raw material is suitable for a three-dimensional electrode material having a three-dimensional structure. |
| US09447494B2 |
Physical vapor deposition apparatus and physical vapor deposition method
A physical vapor deposition apparatus and a physical vapor deposition method for forming a film of a substance which is hard to be made fine particles even when it is heated by plasma, arc discharge, or the like are provided. It has an evaporation chamber 10 provided inside it with an evaporation source material 15 and a heating part 16 for heating the evaporation source material 15, a powder supply source 20 provided inside it with a powder, and a film forming chamber 30, wherein the evaporation source material 15 is heated by the heating part 16 to produce fine particles (nanoparticles), the fine particles and powder are sprayed out of a supersonic nozzle 35, are placed on a supersonic gas stream, and are deposited on a substrate for film formation 33 by physical vapor deposition. |
| US09447493B2 |
Plasma sputtering process for producing particles
A high production rate plasma sputtering process for producing particles having a size of 10 μm or less is disclosed. The process causes ionization of at least a part of the sputtered target atoms and is performed at such parameters that the pick-up probability of ionized sputtered target atoms on the surface of grains is high. |
| US09447492B2 |
Conductive anti-reflective films
A method of applying a transparent conductive film to a polymeric substrate having a desired textured therein is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a polymeric material having a texture disposed therein and conformally applying a transparent conductive material to the molded polymeric material to produce a conformal transparent conductive film thereon. The conformal transparent conductive film has a texture corresponding to the texture of the polymeric material and has a period that is not larger than the wavelength of visible light, whereby the conformal transparent conductive film is antireflective. |
| US09447491B2 |
Coated cutting tool and method of making the same
The present invention relates to a coated cutting tool with a coating comprising a multilayer structure consisting of alternating layers A and B forming the sequence A/B/A/B/A . . . or alternating layers A and B and an intermediate layer C between the alternating layers A and B forming the sequence A/C/B/C/A/C/B . . . . Layer A consists of ZrAlN and layer B consists of TiN. Layer C comprises one or more metal elements from each of layers A and B and is of different composition and structure than layers A and B. A method for forming the coated cutting tool is also provided. The method comprises heat treatment of the coated cutting tool prior to use. |
| US09447489B2 |
Methods of making photovoltaic devices and photovoltaic devices
One aspect of the present invention includes method of making a photovoltaic device. The method includes disposing an absorber layer on a window layer, wherein the absorber layer includes a first region and a second region. The method includes disposing the first region adjacent to the window layer in a first environment including oxygen at a first partial pressure; and disposing the second region on the first region in a second environment including oxygen at a second partial pressure, wherein the first partial pressure is greater than the second partial pressure. One aspect of the present invention includes a photovoltaic device. |
| US09447487B2 |
Torsional extreme-plastic processing method of conic metal pipe
The present invention relates to a torsional extreme-plastic processing method. In other words, a processing method in which severe plastic deformation based on torsion and compressive force is applied to a material by using a mold to produce miniaturize and nano-size crystal particles in a conic pipe. According to the severe plastic deformation method of the present invention, a punch that matches an inner shape of the conic metal pipe is mounted inside the conic metal pipe, and then a mold that matches an outer shape of the conic metal pipe is mounted outside the conic metal pipe. Thus, microstructures of the conic metal pipe may be ultra-finely crystallized or nano-crystallized through shearing by applying compression and torsion to the conic metal pipe. |
| US09447486B2 |
Ni-based alloy for casting used for steam turbine and casting component of steam turbine
An Ni-based alloy for casting used for a steam turbine of an embodiment contains in percent (%) by mass C (carbon): 0.01 to 0.1, Cr (chromium): 15 to 25, Co (cobalt): 10 to 15, Mo (molybdenum): 5 to 12, Al (aluminum): 0.5 to 2, Ti (titanium): 0.3 to 2, B (boron): 0.001 to 0.006, Ta (tantalum): 0.05 to 1, Si (silicon): 0.1 to 0.5, Mn (manganese): 0.1 to 0.5, and the balance of Ni (nickel) and unavoidable impurities. |
| US09447481B1 |
Dipentene dimercaptan compositions and use thereof as a mining chemical collector
The present invention shows polythiol compositions containing dipentene dimercaptans and intermolecular sulfide compounds, as well as mining chemical collector compositions containing such polythiol compositions. Flotation processes for recovering metals, such as copper and molybdenum, from ores using the mining chemical collector compositions also are shown. |
| US09447477B2 |
Fat-liquoring
A process for the production of fat-liquored, tanned leather or pelt is provided. The process comprises the steps of fat-liquoring and tanning, wherein an animal hide, skin or pelt is fat-liquored with a substituted acylaminopolyorganosiloxane (A) in the presence of a surfactant or surfactant mixture (B), which is an anionic or nonionic surfactant or mixture of anionic or/and non-ionic surfactants, before, during or/and after tanning, wherein the substituted acylaminopolyorganosiloxane (A) is a polyorganosiloxane containing substituted acylamino groups linked to silicon atoms of the polysiloxane skeleton via alkylene bridges or mono- or oligo-[alkylene-amino or alkylene-(substituted acyl)amino]-alkylene bridges. Also provided are tanned pelt or leather, certain substituted acylaminopolyorganosiloxanes (A′) and related processes and compositions. |
| US09447476B2 |
Method for preventing high molecular weight products during amplification
The present invention is directed to improved methods for amplifying and detecting a nucleic acid target that may be present in a biological sample comprising a primer pair for generating an amplicon, wherein at least one primer is modified at the 5′ terminus with a polyN sequence being non-complementary to the target sequence, and a detectable probe specific for said amplicon or a DNA binding dye. The formation of high molecular weight products during amplification is prevented or partly or completely suppressed. The invention further provides reaction mixtures and kits comprising said primers for preventing or suppressing the formation of high molecular weight products during amplification and detection of the nucleic acid target. |
| US09447474B2 |
System and method for analyzing DNA mixtures
Provided is a method for determining the presence or absence of an individual's DNA in a sample containing DNA from two or more contributors. A panel of a plurality of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is used. For each SNP in the panel, it is determined whether the minor allele of the SNP is present in the sample, and whether the minor allele is present in the individual's DNA. If the number of minor alleles that are present in the individual's DNA that are also present in the DNA sample is above a predetermined threshold, the individual's DNA is concluded to be present in the sample. Also provided is an array of DNA molecules for use in the method, as well as a method for estimating the number of individuals contributing to a DNA containing sample. |
| US09447472B2 |
Method for assessing risk of hepatocellular carcinoma
The present invention aims at providing a method for assessing risk of hepatocellular carcinoma with high sensitivity and specificity. Extracted were 30 regions containing 45 CpG sites which have DNA methylation levels significantly different between in normal liver tissue samples and in noncancerous liver tissue samples from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. It was found that the noncancerous liver tissue samples from patients with HCC were able to be assessed for risk of hepatocellular carcinoma by setting cutoff values for distinguishing between the normal liver tissue samples and the noncancerous liver tissue samples from patients with HCC for the extracted 30 regions. |
| US09447471B2 |
Microrna profiling for diagnosis of dysplastic nevi and melanoma
Provided herein are methods for miRNA profiling for the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of melanoma and differentiation of melanoma from nevi. |
| US09447467B2 |
Methods for obtaining fetal genetic material
The present invention relates to a method of enriching fetal nuclei from a sample. Enriched fetal nuclei can be used in a variety of procedures including, detection of a trait of interest such as a disease trait, or a genetic predisposition thereto, gender typing and parentage testing. |
| US09447464B2 |
Single molecule sequencing with two distinct chemistry steps
Methods, Compositions, and Systems are provided for nucleic acid sequencing where the sequential incorporation of nucleotides uses two distinct chemical steps. A plurality of nucleotide analogs, each having a labeled leaving group at its 3′ hydroxyl can be sequentially added to a growing strand in the presence of a selective cleaving activity that cleaves the 3′ hydroxyl leaving group preferentially after it has been incorporated. The selective cleaving agent can comprise an exonuclease activity, and the exonuclease activity can be a polymerase-associated exonuclease activity. Nucleotide analogs having labels on both a cleavable polyphosphate portion and on a 3′ hydroxyl leaving group can provide signals characteristic of nucleotide analog incorporation. Systems having illumination optics, collection optics, and substrates observe signals from the labels as they are being incorporated into a growing nucleic acid strand, allowing for the sequencing of template nucleic acids. |
| US09447463B2 |
Sequence amplification with linear primers
The present disclosure relates to the amplification of target nucleic acid sequences for various sequencing and/or identification techniques. The use of these primers, as described herein, allows for the reduction in the amplification of nonspecific hybridization events (such as primer dimerization) while allowing for the amplification of the target nucleic acid sequences. |
| US09447462B2 |
Methods for concurrent identification and quantification of an unknown bioagent
The present invention provides methods for the quantification of an unknown bioagent in a sample by amplification of nucleic acid of the bioagent, and concurrent amplification of a known quantity of a calibration polynucleotide from which are obtained a bioagent identifying amplicon and a calibration amplicon. Upon molecular mass analysis, mass and abundance data are obtained. The identity of the bioagent is then determined from the molecular mass of the bioagent identifying amplicon and the quantity of the identified bioagent in the sample is determined from the abundance data of the bioagent identifying amplicon and the abundance data of the calibration amplicon. |
| US09447459B2 |
Strategies for high throughput identification and detection of polymorphisms
The invention relates to a method for the high throughput identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms by performing a complexity reduction on two or more samples to yield two or more libraries, sequencing at least part of the libraries, aligning the identified sequences and determining any putative single nucleotide polymorphisms, confirming any putative single nucleotide polymorphism, generating detection probes for the confirmed single nucleotide polymorphisms, subjection a test sample to the same complexity reduction to provide a test library and screen the test library for the presence or absence of the single nucleotide polymorphisms using the detection probe. |
| US09447457B2 |
Detection of target nucleic acid sequences by cyclic exonucleolytic reactions
The present invention relates to the detection of a target nucleic acid sequence by a cyclic exonucleolytic reaction. The present method enabling to generate signals by probe digestion with no help of primers and to amplify signals with no help of simultaneous target amplification reactions may enable to detect multiple target sequences without any problems accounted in the conventional real-time PCR methods such as false positive signals and difficulties in oligonucleotides (primer and probe) selection and reaction condition optimization. |
| US09447454B2 |
Method of purifying RNA binding protein-RNA complexes
The present invention provides methods for purifying RNA molecules interacting with an RNA binding protein (RBP), and the use of such methods to analyze a gene expression profile of a cell. The invention also provides sequences of RNA molecules that mediate binding to an RBP, proteins encoded by the sequences, a method of identifying the sequences, and the use of the sequences in a screen to identify bioactive molecules. The invention also provides RNA motifs found among the sequences and compounds that bind the RNA motifs. In addition, the invention provides methods of treating diseases associated with a function of an RNA binding protein. |
| US09447453B2 |
Resolving genome fractions using polymorphism counts
Methods of reliably estimating genomic fraction (e.g., fetal fraction) from polymorphisms such as small base variations or insertions-deletions are disclosed. Sequenced data from a multigenomic source is used to determine allele counts for one or more of the polymorphisms. For one or more of the polymorphisms, zygosity is assigned, and genomic fraction is determined from the zygosity and allele counts. Certain embodiments employ SNPs as the relevant polymorphism. The disclosed methods can be applied as part of an intentional, pre-designed re-sequencing study targeted against known polymorphisms or can be used in a retrospective analysis of variations found by coincidence in overlapping sequences generated from maternal plasma (or any other setting where a mixture of DNA from several people are present). |
| US09447452B2 |
Selective oxidation of 5-methylcytosine by TET-family proteins
The present invention provides for novel methods for regulating and detecting the cytosine methylation status of DNA. The invention is based upon identification of a novel and surprising catalytic activity for the family of TET proteins, namely TET1, TET2, TET3, and CXXC4. The novel activity is related to the enzymes being capable of converting the cytosine nucleotide 5-methylcytosine into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine by hydroxylation. |
| US09447450B2 |
Red-shifted luciferins and methods of using same
Novel red-shifted luciferin derivatives and uses of those compounds are provided. |
| US09447447B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing cardiotoxicity and evaluating cardiomyocytes
In the present invention, a cardiomyocyte cluster is disposed on a transparent substrate, and the quality of the cardiomyocytes is evaluated from the response of the cells to a forced pulsation stimulus applied to the cardiomyocytes. The cardiomyocyte cluster is disposed on the transparent substrate, and is exposed to the flow of a liquid containing an agent in a manner so that the agent acts on the cells, which configure a network. The extent of cardiac toxicity resulting from the agent is evaluated from measuring the fluctuations obtained from a comparison of adjacent cardiomyocytes of the network. |
| US09447443B2 |
Method for producing 3-acetylamino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid
The present invention provides a method for conveniently and efficiently producing a 3-acetylamino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid-type compound that is a stable compound by a process using a microorganism. Specifically the present invention provides a microorganism having an ability to produce 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid, that is modified so as to increase an activity to form 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid from dihydroxyacetone phosphate and aspartate semialdehyde, wherein the microorganism is modified so as to increase an N-hydroxyarylamine O-acetyltransferase (NhoA) activity, as well as a method for producing the 3-acetylamino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid-type compound using such a microorganism. |
| US09447441B2 |
Method for producing polyhydroxyalkanoate having long main chain structure
A polyhydroxyalkanoate copolymer of 3HB (3-hydroxybutyrate), 3HP (3-hydroxypropionate) and 5HV (5 -hydroxyvalerate) disclosed. The polyhydroxyalkanoate can be used for bioplastic or biomaterial. A method for producing the polyhydroxyalkanoate comprises culturing a microorganism belonging to Ralstonia genus in a culture medium that comprises lactone and/or hydroxy acid or salt of hydroxy acid as a carbon source. |
| US09447435B2 |
Integrated processes for anaerobic conversion of hydrogen and carbon oxides to alcohol
Integrated processes are disclosed for the anaerobic bioconversion of syngas to alcohol wherein a gas substrate of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide is in contact with an aqueous menstruum that continuously contacts the gas substrate with said aqueous menstruum to produce alcohol and a depleted gas phase that is continuously withdrawn from the aqueous menstruum; continuously or intermittently and the gas substrate is made up of at least two gases having different compositions to provide an overall gas substrate having a ratio of electrons to carbon atoms in the range of about 5.2:1 to 6.8:1. |
| US09447434B2 |
Use of chimeric nucleases to stimulate gene targeting
Gene targeting is a technique to introduce genetic change into one or more specific locations in the genome of a cell. For example, gene targeting can introduce genetic change by modifying, repairing, attenuating or inactivating a target gene or other chromosomal DNA. In one aspect, this disclosure relates to methods and compositions for gene targeting with high efficiency in a cell. This disclosure also relates to methods of treating or preventing a genetic disease in an individual in need thereof. Further disclosed are chimeric nucleases and vectors encoding chimeric nucleases. |
| US09447433B2 |
Synthetic adeno-associated virus inverted terminal repeats
This invention relates to synthetic adeno-associated virus (AAV) inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) that exhibit altered activities compared to a naturally occurring AAV ITR and methods of using the same for delivery of nucleic acids to a cell or a subject. The synthetic ITRs provide a larger packaging capacity and the ability to manipulate activities such as transduction efficiency, cellular response to transduction, and transcription. |
| US09447431B2 |
Nucleic acid comprising or coding for a histone stem-loop and a poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal for increasing the expression of an encoded therapeutic protein
The present invention relates to a nucleic acid sequence, comprising or coding for a coding region, encoding at least one peptide or protein comprising a therapeutic protein or a fragment, variant or derivative thereof, at least one histone stem-loop and a poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal. Furthermore the present invention provides the use of the nucleic acid for increasing the expression of said encoded peptide or protein, particularly for the use in gene therapy. It also discloses its use for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition, e.g. for use in gene therapy, particularly in the treatment of diseases which are in need of a treatment with a therapeutic peptide or protein, preferably as defined herein. The present invention further describes a method for increasing the expression of a peptide or protein comprising a therapeutic protein or a fragment, variant or derivative thereof, using the nucleic acid comprising or coding for a histone stem-loop and a poly(A) sequence or a polyadenylation signal. |
| US09447430B1 |
Canola inbred line G2X0023AB
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola, designated G2X0023AB. Also included are seeds of canola G2X0023AB, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola G2X0023AB and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola G2X0023AB with itself or another canola genotype, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola G2X0023AB. |
| US09447425B2 |
Transcription factor sequences for conferring advantageous properties to plants
The invention relates to plant homeobox (HB) protein family polypeptides, polynucleotides that encode them, homologs from a variety of plant species, and methods of using the polynucleotides and polypeptides to produce transgenic plants having advantageous properties compared to a reference or control plant, including increased yield. |
| US09447424B2 |
Soybean ATPS promoter and its use in constitutive expression of transgenic genes in plants
The invention relates to gene expression regulatory sequences from soybean, specifically to the promoter of a soybean ATP sulfurylase (ATPS) and fragments thereof and theft use in promoting the expression of one or more heterologous nucleic acid fragments in a tissue-independent or constitutive manner in plants. The invention further discloses compositions, polynucleotide constructs, transformed host cells, transgenic plants and seeds containing the recombinant construct with the promoter, and methods for preparing and using the same. |
| US09447423B2 |
Regulatory polynucleotides and uses thereof
The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of transcribable polynucleotides in plant cells, plant tissues, and plants. Compositions include regulatory polynucleotide molecules capable of providing expression in plant tissues and plants. Methods for expressing polynucleotides in a plant cell, plant tissue, or plants using the regulatory polynucleotide molecules disclosed herein are also provided. |
| US09447414B2 |
Methods and compositions involving miRNA and miRNA inhibitor molecules
The present invention concerns methods and compositions for introducing miRNA activity or function into cells using synthetic nucleic acid molecules. Moreover, the present invention concerns methods and compositions for identifying miRNAs with specific cellular functions that are relevant to therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic applications wherein synthetic miRNAs and/or miRNA inhibitors are used in library screening assays. |
| US09447407B2 |
Double coating procedure for the membranes of bioartificial kidneys
The present invention generally relates to modified substrates such as membranes for use in bioartificial organs, such as bioartificial kidneys, and other applications. Certain aspects are generally directed to a membrane or other substrate modified to facilitate the attachment of cells. In one set of embodiments, the substrate or membrane may be at least partially coated with an adhesive such as 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA), poly(dopamine), or other adhesive comprising a molecule having a catechol moiety, for example on one side of the membrane or substrate. On at least a portion of the adhesive coated portion of the substrate, a protein may be coated, such as an extracellular matrix protein (for example, a collagen), to which cells such as primary human renal proximal tubule cells may be adhered. Surprisingly, such a dual coating may be used to promote the attachment of such cells to a membrane or other substrate that otherwise may not promote cell adhesion. In certain embodiments, the coating may also facilitate or promote not only cell adhesion, but also cell proliferation and/or differentiation. Such membranes or other substrates may be useful, for example, in bioartificial organs such as bioartificial kidneys, hemodialysis cartridges, bioimplants, biosensors, bioreactors, etc. In certain embodiments, cells may be attached to a membrane or other substrate on only one side, while the other side may be kept free of attached cells. |
| US09447406B2 |
Chemically modified cystathionine beta-synthase enzyme for treatment of homocystinuria
The invention provides reagents and methods for enzyme replacement therapy using chemically modified species of human cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) to treat homocystinuria and other related diseases and disorders. |
| US09447394B2 |
Methods and compositions for treatment of myotubular myopathy using chimeric polypeptides comprising myotubularin 1(MTM1) polypeptides
The present invention provides chimeric polypeptides comprising myotubularin 1 (MTMI) polypeptides and an internalizing moiety, wherein, the moiety can be an antibody, and is preferably monoclonal antibody 3E10, a functional variant or a fragment thereof. One aspect of the present invention provides compositions comprising these chimeric polypeptides together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and optionally, a further therapeutic agent. Another aspect of the present invention provides methods of treating Myotubular Myopathy comprising administering the polypeptides or compositions comprising the polypeptides to a subject in need. |
| US09447393B2 |
Phosphatidic acid phosphatase gene
The present invention provides a novel phosphatidic acid phosphatase gene. The object of the present invention can be solved by providing a nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 4, or SEQ ID NO: 5; a protein comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2; and mutants thereof. |
| US09447391B2 |
Diagnostic tests for the detection of inherited peripheral neuropathies
The disclosure relates to the field of human genetics, particularly the field of peripheral neuropathy, particularly inherited peripheral neuropathy. Specifically, the disclosure relates to methods and materials to detect hereditary peripheral neuropathy, more particularly autosomal recessive Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. |
| US09447389B2 |
Modified polymerases for improved incorporation of nucleotide analogues
The invention relates to modified polymerase enzymes which exhibit improved incorporation of nucleotide analogs bearing substituents at the 3′ position of the sugar moiety that are larger in size than the naturally occurring 3′ hydroxyl group. Also described are methods of using the polymerases to incorporate nucleotides into polynucleotides, particularly in the context of DNA sequencing. |
| US09447386B2 |
DGAT genes for increased seed storage lipid production and altered fatty acid profiles in oilseed plants
Transgenic oilseeds having increased total fatty acid content of at least 10% and altered fatty acid profiles when compared to the total fatty acid content of null segregant oilseeds are described. Novel DGAT genes are used to achieve the increase in seed storage lipids. |
| US09447385B2 |
Butanol dehydrogenase enzyme from the bacterium Achromobacter xylosoxidans
From a bacterial strain isolated from an environmental sample, after enrichment in medium containing 1-butanol as the carbon source, a new enzyme with butanol dehydrogenase activity was identified. The enzyme can convert butyraldehyde to 1-butanol, isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol, as well as 2-butanone to 2-butanol and thus is useful for biosynthesis of butanol in recombinant microbial hosts producing these substrates. The encoding gene, named sadB, was isolated from the strain identified as an isolate of Achromobacter xylosoxidans. |
| US09447371B2 |
Holder for culture plates with de-nesting feature
A holding structure for holding a plurality of culture plates in a stacked arrangement includes a feature for de-nesting the bottom culture plate from the plate above it. The de-nesting feature is preferably a structure which urges a plate to move laterally relative to the plate above it. The de-nesting of the bottom culture plate from the adjacent culture plate facilitates withdrawal of the bottom culture plate from the base via a robotic plate transfer mechanism. The de-nesting feature can be entirely passive, such as ramps formed in the base of the holding structure. |
| US09447369B2 |
Method and apparatus for making soap
The present invention is directed towards a method and apparatus for making soap. According to one embodiment, a soap making apparatus comprises a water vessel that holds water, an oil vessel that holds an oil mixture, a lye container that accepts enclosed lye capsules and a microcontroller that controls a mixture of ingredients that is discharged from the water vessel, oil vessel and lye vessel to produce one or more soap bars made. |
| US09447368B1 |
Detergent composition with low foam and high nickel solubility
A detergent composition comprising ethylene oxide/propyleneoxide (EO/PO), sodium-2-ethylhexyliminodipropionate, potassium hydroxide, hydroxyethylene diphosphonic acid (HEDP), and diethylenetriamine-penta(methylene phosphonic acid) (DTPMP) for removing contaminants from the surface of a hard disk. |
| US09447367B2 |
Alkaline cleaner comprising a ternary combination of complexing agents
The invention concerns a machine cleaner to clean kitchen appliances, comprising an alkaline system and a complexing component to bind metals or metallic cations, wherein the complexing component comprises a combination of at least one element from each of the following groups of complexing agents or complexing aids: methyl glycine diacetic acid or polyaspartic acid or salts thereof; polyepoxysuccinic acid or salts thereof; and gluconic acid or gluconates. The invention also concerns the use of a combination of different complexing agents or complexing aids in an alkaline machine cleaner as well as the use of a machine cleaner in accordance with the invention to clean kitchen appliances, in particular in the commercial kitchen sector. |
| US09447366B2 |
Organic cleaning composition
Organic cleaner/detergent compositions, formulations and solutions, and methods of cleaning using such compositions, formulations and solutions and manufacturing such compositions, formulations and solutions are disclosed. More particularly, compositions; formulations and solutions used for the cleaning and/or cleansing of a variety of industrial, domestic and/or communal hard surfaces, fiber/soft surfaces, including all natural, organic, synthetic and blended fibers, and organic surfaces, including, but not limited to, human skin and hair and animal skin and hair are disclosed. Such compositions, formulations and solutions are useful as laundry detergents, automatic dishwasher detergents, hard surface cleaners, hand soaps, human shampoos, and animal shampoos. |
| US09447361B2 |
Use of at least one coproduct from the vegetable oil refining industry for obtaining a purified total unsaponifiable vegetable oil product
The present invention relates to the use of at least one vegetable oil refining industry by-product to obtain a purified total unsaponifiable of vegetable oil cleared of the impurities initially present in the said by-product, advantageously cleared of sapid and odorous compounds and/or chemical compounds resulting from the deterioration and the degradation of vegetable oils. The invention further relates to a method for obtaining a purified total unsaponifiable of vegetable oil from at least one vegetable oil refining industry by-product. The invention further relates to a purified total unsaponifiable of vegetable oil able to be obtained by this method, as well as compositions containing such an unsaponifiable. The invention further relates to such unsaponifiables or such compositions for the use thereof as a drug, medical device, dermatological agent, cosmetic agent or nutraceutical, in humans or animals. |
| US09447357B2 |
Lubricating composition and method for the preparation thereof
The invention relates to lubricating compositions and methods for producing same. The lubricating composition comprises a lubricating medium and the product of dehydration of natural minerals or a mixture of natural minerals, or of synthesized hydrates.The dehydration product contains the oxides MgO and/or SiO2 and/or Al2O3 and/or CaO and/or Fe2O3 and/or K2O and/or Na2O and has a particle size in a range of 100-100000 nm. The method for producing the lubricating composition comprises a step in which hydrates of metal and/or non-metal oxides are dehydrated at a temperature of from 300 to 1200° C., a step in which the dehydration product is stabilized by being kept at a temperature of from 700 to 1200° C. for a period of 1 to 3 hours, and a step in which the resultant product is mixed with a lubricating medium.The resultant lubricating composition not only aids in reducing loads on friction surfaces, but also is capable of performing the function of strengthening friction surfaces as a result of the plastic deformation of the metal in nanovolumes and the surface layer being brought into an active nanostructured state, said surface layer thus being strengthened. At the same time, the grains of the metal undergo intensive fragmentation, the density of the grain boundaries is increased, and the conditions for the diffusion of carbon deep into the surface (vertically) and into the grains (horizontally) are improved. |
| US09447352B2 |
Motor fuel based on gasoline and ethanol
Motor fuel compositions containing ethanol, also known as gasohol, are disclosed, wherein the motor fuel is substantially in one phase and contains, 1 to 50, preferable 2 to 30 weight % of ethanol and an amount of water between 1 and 10 wt. % on the basis of the weight of the ethanol. Such motor fuel compositions can be produced by blending gasoline with hydrous ethanol, thus evading the necessity to use anhydrous ethanol as feedstock. Furthermore such motor fuel compositions may be produced by blending gasoline with hydrous ethanol and anhydrous ethanol, thus evading the necessity to use anhydrous ethanol as the sole feedstock. These motor fuel compositions may contain a second liquid phase that does not form a separate layer, and where no separate liquid phase can be detected by vision, and so meets with the specification that has become known as “clear and bright”. |
| US09447351B2 |
Composition and method to improve the fuel economy of hydrocarbon fueled internal combustion engines
A composition and method of improving the fuel economy of hydrocarbon fuel-powdered internal combustion engines. The composition contains a propoxylated and/or butoxylated reaction product of (a) at least one fatty acid, fatty acid ester, or mixture thereof and (b) a dialkanolamime. The composition is added to a hydrocarbon fuel in an amount of about 5 to about 2,000 ppm, based on the weight of the hydrocarbon fuel, to reduce friction within the engine and achieve an enhanced fuel economy. |
| US09447349B2 |
Direct aqueous phase reforming of bio-based feedstocks
A method comprises providing a bio-based feedstock; contacting the bio-based feedstock with a solvent in a hydrolysis reaction to form an intermediate stream comprising carbohydrates; contacting the intermediate stream with an apr catalyst to form a plurality of oxygenated intermediates, wherein a first portion of the oxygenated intermediates are recycled to form the solvent; and processing at least a second portion of the oxygenated intermediates to form a fuel blend. |
| US09447348B2 |
Use of hexylene glycol additive containing boric acid for reducing friction and corrosion in internal combustion engine crankcases
The present invention relates to an engine oil fuel additive that has the characteristics of reducing friction, corrosion, and wear in internal combustion engines. Reduction of engine wear and degradation due to friction and deposit formation is expected to result in increased engine efficiency, extension of engine life, and reduction in repair and maintenance costs. |
| US09447346B2 |
Two-step process for production of RON-enhanced mixed butanols and diisobutenes
A two-step process for the oligomerization and hydration of a mixed butenes feed is provided and is implemented in a two-stage system. The two-step process yields a product consisting of diisobutenes (DIBs) and mixed butanols. The DIBs are produced via the selective oligomerization of isobutene in a first stage and the mixed butanols are produced via the hydration, in a second stage, of mixed butenes that remain unreacted in the first stage. |
| US09447344B2 |
Advanced cellulosic renewable fuels
The invention relates to a process to manufacture advanced cellulosic gasolines. Dilute organic acids derived from pyrolized biomass are converted to their corresponding alcohols in a stand-alone hydrodeoxygenation unit followed by membrane pervaporation step to remove water. The alcohol product is blended directly into a neat hydrocarbon fuel basestock to make unadditized gasoline. |
| US09447343B2 |
Gasohol fuel composition for internal combustion engines
The present invention relates to a gasohol fuel composition that prevents corrosion of the metallurgies involved in fuel storage tanks, vehicle fuel tanks, fuel distribution systems, and transportation systems. The novel gasohol fuel composition comprises of a major portion of an alcohol blended gasoline fuel and a minor portion of a corrosion inhibitor formulation, wherein the corrosion inhibitor formulation comprises of (i) a reaction product of (a) a monosaturated fatty acid; and (b) an azomethine compound derived from a condensation reaction between a carbonyl compound and an amine compound; (ii) a fatty acid oil or ester selected from a group comprising of castor oil, palm oil, soyabean oil, and methyl soya ester; (iii) a dispersing agent, the dispersing agent being a sulfonate compound; and (iv) a viscosity reducing agent selected from a group comprising of ethanol, isopropanol, and propargyl alcohol. |
| US09447339B2 |
Hydroprocessing of biodiesel fuels and blends
A method for producing diesel fuel from biocomponent feeds includes hydrotreating the feed followed by catalytic dewaxing with a ZSM-48 containing catalyst. The hydrotreated feed may be cascaded directly to the dewaxing step, or the hydrotreated feed can undergo intermediate separation. The diesel fuel resulting from processing of the biocomponent feed exhibits superior cetane values. |
| US09447337B2 |
Fuel slurry heating system and method
The disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for heating a slurry to increase a solids concentration of the slurry while maintaining the viscosity of the slurry below a threshold viscosity. For example, in one embodiment, a system includes a fuel slurry preparation system having a slurry tank configured to hold a fuel slurry, the fuel slurry having a solid fuel and a liquid. The fuel slurry preparation system also includes a heat source and a controller configured to control the heat source to heat the fuel slurry to decrease a viscosity of the slurry below a threshold viscosity. |
| US09447336B2 |
Removing mercury from crude oil using a stabilizer column
Methods, systems and designs are provided for removing mercury from crudes. Crude oil is heated to a temperature above 100° C. in a stabilization column for a time sufficient to convert all of the forms of mercury in the oil into the elemental mercury form. The elemental mercury is then stripped from the crude oil by flashing, or preferably by gas stripping with a gas injected at the bottom of the column. Either process transfers the elemental mercury from the oil phase into the gas phase. Elemental mercury can then be removed from the gas phase by methods such as condensation, precipitation, or absorption either alone or in combination. |
| US09447335B2 |
Process for removing metals from hydrocarbons
The present invention relates to a process for the removal of mercury from a mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed using specifically selected ionic liquids comprising, contacting the mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed with an ionic liquid having the formula [Cat+][M+][X−] and separating from the ionic liquid a hydrocarbon fluid product having a reduced mercury content compared to the mercury-containing fluid feed. |
| US09447323B2 |
Method for producing liquid crystal display
A method for producing a liquid crystal display includes providing a first substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode on a surface of the first substrate. The first and the second electrodes are made of conductive films. A liquid crystal aligning agent is applied to the surface of the first substrate to form an alignment film on the first substrate. The liquid crystal aligning agent includes at least one of: a polymer that includes a photoalignment structure and a polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond; a polymer that includes a photoalignment structure, and a component that includes a polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond; or a polymer that includes a photoalignment structure and a polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond, and a component that includes a polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond. The second substrate is provided to form a liquid crystal cell. Light is applied to the liquid crystal cell. |
| US09447313B2 |
Hydration system for hydrating an additive and method
A hydration system configured to selectively enable a continuous process or a batch process of an additive for a hydraulic fracturing fluid, the hydration system including a hydration tank having a plurality of compartments, wherein the hydration tank is configured to enable movement of a material through the plurality of compartments in the continuous process. The hydration tank is configured to substantially restrict movement of the material between the plurality of compartments in the batch process. Also included is a method of selectively hydrating an additive in a batch process or a continuous process using a hydration system configured to enable both the batch process and the continuous process. |
| US09447311B2 |
Dual tapered shaped abrasive particles
Shaped abrasive particles comprising alpha alumina and having a first side, a second side, a maximum length along a longitudinal axis and a maximum width transverse to the longitudinal axis. The first side comprising a quadrilateral having four edges and four vertices with the quadrilateral selected from the group consisting of a rhombus, a rhomboid, a kite, or a superellipse. The shaped abrasive particles having an aspect ratio of the maximum length divided by the maximum width of 1.3 or greater. |
| US09447304B2 |
Coating for a surface
Coatings for a surface, especially a priming coating, of the present invention have been found to be durable, resistant to oxidative degradation, erosion and depolymerization, stable to sterilization and low particulating, and are easily applied to the required surface of a substrate in a surface-independent manner. Such coatings, when used as priming coatings to be coated with a subsequent coating, in at least some embodiments, form exterior coatings which are also highly durable and are stable to sterilization and aging. |
| US09447302B2 |
Printing ink
The present invention provides a colorless inkjet ink composition comprising at least 30% by weight of monofunctional acrylate monomer based on the total weight of the ink and at least 3% by weight of a photoinitiator based on the total weight of the ink, wherein the photoinitiator comprises an α-hydroxy ketone photoinitiator and wherein the ink comprises 0 to 6% by weight of acyl phosphine photoinitiator based on the total weight of the ink. |
| US09447296B2 |
Ink set for ink jet recording, and recording apparatus
An ink set includes a recording ink and a displacement ink. The recording ink contains a pigment, a resin, water, and a first surfactant and is substantially free of alkyl polyols with a normal boiling point of 280° C. or more. The displacement ink contains water, a second surfactant, an aprotic polar solvent, and an alkyl polyol with a normal boiling point of 280° C. or more. Each of the first surfactant and the second surfactant includes a silicone surfactant and/or a fluorosurfactant. The resin includes a water-soluble resin and/or a resin emulsion. The recording ink has a higher surface tension than that of the displacement ink. |
| US09447295B2 |
Ink-jet printing ink comprising N-vinyloxazolidinone
Use of a radiation curable composition as printing ink for ink-jet printing, wherein the radiation curable composition comprises N-vinyloxazolidinone of formula (I) in which R1 to R4 independently from each other are a hydrogen atom or an organic radical having not more than 10 carbon atoms. |
| US09447293B2 |
Blue ink for postage printing
A blue ink for postage printing, which contains a blue pigment, a black dye, and an aqueous carrier, wherein the weight ratio of blue pigment to black dye is in the range of 50:1 to 2:1. The blue pigment is a copper phthalocyanine pigment or an anthraquinone pigment, and the black dye is an azo dye. |
| US09447291B2 |
High heat resistant composition
The invention relates to a composition that can be used as a coating and that can protect a substrate coated with this composition from high heat. The composition comprises: -a polysulfide, -an epoxy resin, -a compound selected from compounds having a secondary and/or a tertiary amine group, and compounds having an amide group, -a phosphonate, -fibres and -less than 1 wt. % of a polysiloxane, wherein the wt. % is relative to the weight of the composition after evaporation of any solvent that is present in the composition. |
| US09447286B2 |
Low-friction ZnO coating and method for preparing the same
[Problem to be Solved]To provide a ZnO coating having low friction not only in a vacuum but in a liquid such as oil.[Solution]The low-friction ZnO coating, comprising (002) and (103) planes, and further comprising (100), (101), (102), and (104) planes in lower proportions than those of the (002) and (103) planes, has been prepared by sputtering using a zinc target in a sputter gas environment, wherein the sputter gas comprises an inert gas and oxygen gas, and the oxygen gas ratio is controlled. This coating has a specifically good low friction coefficient due to the piezoelectric effect, and this friction reduction mechanism is maintained even in oil such as n-hexadecane. Thus, this coating has been found to have excellent low-friction properties. |
| US09447274B2 |
Biologically-degradable polyester mixture
The invention relates to biodegradable polyester mixture, comprising i) from 5 to 80% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, of at least one polyester based on aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylic acids and on aliphatic dihydroxy compounds, and ii) from 20 to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, of at least one biodegradable homo- or copolyester selected from the group consisting of polylactide, polycaprolactone, polyhydroxyalkanoates, and polyesters composed of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and of aliphatic diols, and iii) from 0.1 to 15% by weight, based on the total weight of components i to ii, a) of a copolymer containing epoxy groups and based on styrene, acrylate, and/or methacrylate, b) of a bisphenol A epoxide, or c) of a fatty acid amide or fatty acid ester or natural oil containing epoxy groups; and iv) from 0 to 15% by weight of additive; and v) from 0 to 50% by weight of inorganic or organic filler, and also to processes for their preparation and a method for their use. |
| US09447266B2 |
Fluorine-containing polymer composition
Described herein is a melt-processible polymer composition comprising: a non-fluorinated melt-processible polymer; and a fluorine-containing polymer comprising an end-group having a structures from group consisting of: and combinations thereof; wherein X1, X2, and X3 are each independently selected from H, F, Cl, a C1 to C4 alkyl group, and a C1 to C4 fluorinated alkyl group; R7 is a linking group comprising at least 2 or more catenary atoms; and Z1 and Z2 are independently selected from F, CF3, and a perfluoroalkyl group. |
| US09447265B2 |
Polyethylene blend compositions and film
A polymer blend comprising first and second polyethylene copolymers is presented which has good processability, and which when made into film shows good toughness-stiffness balance, reasonable MD tear, as well as good optical properties. |
| US09447264B2 |
System and method for closed relief of a polyolefin loop reactor system
A reactor system including an enclosed pressure relief system and/or a control system. The enclosed pressure relief system including a slurry separation system communicatively coupled with a pressure relief valve coupled to a loop reactor such that activation of the pressure relief valve results in discharge of a slurry from the loop reactor to the slurry separation system, wherein the slurry separation system is capable of separating solid and liquid components from gas components of the slurry and transmitting the gas components to a flare via a flare header. |
| US09447260B2 |
Methods for preparing nanoparticle-containing thermoplastic composite laminates
High quality thermoplastic composites and composite laminates containing nanoparticles and/or nanofibers, and methods of producing such composites and laminates are disclosed. The composites comprise a thermoplastic polymer and a plurality of nanoparticles, and may include a fibrous structural reinforcement. The composite laminates are formed from a plurality of nanoparticle-containing composite layers and may be fused to one another via an automated process. |
| US09447258B2 |
Organopolysiloxane composition suitable for vulcanisation into an elastomer at room temperature and new organopolysiloxane polycondensation catalysts
The present invention relates to an organopolysiloxane composition which is suitable for vulcanization into an elastomer as from room temperature, and which crosslinks via polycondensation, as well as to new organopolysiloxane polycondensation catalysts. |
| US09447255B2 |
Method for producing rubber composition
The present invention provides a method for producing a rubber composition containing a rubber component (A) that contains a modified conjugated diene-based polymer obtained by using a modifying agent that has a functional group compatible with silica, a filler containing an inorganic filler (B), a silane coupling agent (C), and at least one promoter (D) selected from guanidines, sulfenamides, thiazoles, thiurams, thioureas, dithiocarbamic acid compounds and xanthogenic acid compounds, wherein the rubber composition is kneaded in plural stages, and in the first stage (X) of kneading, the rubber component (A), all or a part of the inorganic filler (B), all or a part of the silane coupling agent (C) and the promoter (D) are added and kneaded. |
| US09447244B2 |
Methods of making blocked-mercapto alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane compounds
Methods of forming blocked-mercapto alkoxy-modified silsesquioxanes are provided. The blocked-mercapto alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane compounds contain an alkoxysilane group that participates in an alkoxysilane-silica reaction as a silica dispersing agent in rubber, with the release of zero to about 0.1% by weight of the rubber as alcohol (a volatile organic compound (VOC)), during compounding and further processing. The blocked-mercapto alkoxy-modified silsesquioxane compounds also contain a blocked mercapto group which, when de-blocked, allows the mercapto group to interact with the polymer(s) in a rubber composition. Further described are rubber compounds containing the blocked-mercapto alkoxy-modified silsesquioxanes. |
| US09447243B2 |
Polymerization method and polymers formed therewith
Condensation of fluoro-substituted and silyl-substituted monomers provides polymers suitable for use, e.g., as engineering polymers. A monomer composition is condensed in the presence of a basic catalyst. The monomer composition contains a compound of formula F—X—F and a compound of formula (R1)3Si—Z—Si(R1)3, and forms an alternating X—Z polymer chain and a silyl fluoride byproduct. X has the formula -A(-R2-A)n-; each A is SO2, C(═O), or Het; R2 is an organic moiety; n is 0 or 1; Het is an aromatic nitrogen heterocycle; Z has the formula -L-R3-L-; each L is O, S, or N(R4); and each R3 is an organic moiety, and R4 comprises H or an organic moiety. |
| US09447236B2 |
Method of manufacturing polyalkylene carbonate
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing polyalkylene carbonate. More specifically, the method of manufacturing polyalkylene carbonate includes solution-polymerizing an epoxide compound and carbon dioxide in the presence of a cobalt complex having a neutral singe-site as a catalyst and a solvent, thereby providing stability and adjusting degree of polymerization and being advantageous for performing a post-treatment process after polymerization. |
| US09447229B2 |
Crystalline polyester resin, and binder resin dispersion for toner using same
The invention provides a crystalline polyester resin obtained by condensation polymerization of a mixture comprising a polycarboxylic acid component and a polyol component, present in a range such that the ratio of the number of carboxyl groups from the polycarboxylic acid component and the number of hydroxyl groups from the polyol component is in the range of 100:108 to 100:120, and having an acid value of 5 to 20 mgKOH/g, wherein the polycarboxylic acid component includes a C8-12 aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, the content ratio of carboxyl groups from the C8-12 aliphatic dicarboxylic acid is at least 90 mol % of the total amount of carboxyl groups from the polycarboxylic acid component, the polyol component includes a C8-12 aliphatic diol, and the content ratio of hydroxyl groups from the C8-12 aliphatic diol is at least 90 mol % of the total amount of hydroxyl groups from the polyol component. |
| US09447228B2 |
Polymer production apparatus and polymer production method
A polymer production apparatus, including: supplying unit containing first supplying unit to supply raw materials containing monomer, and second supplying unit to supply compressive fluid; contacting unit to bring the monomer and the compressive fluid into contact together; and outlet configured to discharge reaction product of the monomer, wherein reaction unit is provided between the contacting unit and the outlet, where the reaction unit is to pass the monomer from the contacting unit side to the outlet side, while allowing the monomer to carry out a polymerization reaction in the presence of the compressive fluid, and wherein the reaction unit contains circulation unit containing first pipe and second pipe, where a fluid is passed through the first pipe from the contacting unit side to the outlet side, and the second pipe is to return the fluid from return port provided upstream extrusion unit to inlet provided upstream the return port. |
| US09447222B2 |
Golf ball resin composition and golf ball using the same
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel golf ball material that controls the spin rate on the approach shots while suppressing the change in the spin rate on the driver shots. Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball which produces a high spin rate on the approach shots and a low spin rate on the driver shots. The present invention provides a golf ball resin composition comprising: a polyurethane having a polyol component having a number average molecular weight from 200 to 1,500 as a constituting component. |
| US09447221B2 |
Formaldehyde-free melamine carbohydrate binders for improved fire- resistant fibrous materials
Embodiments of the present technology include a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The composition may include melamine. The composition may also include a reducing sugar. In addition, the binder composition may include a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. Embodiments may also include a method of making a formaldehyde-free binder composition. The method may include dissolving melamine in an aqueous solution of a reducing sugar. The concentration of the reducing sugar may be 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % of the aqueous solution, which may be at a temperature of 50° C. to 100° C. The method may also include adding a non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone to the dissolved melamine in the aqueous solution to form a binder solution. The temperature of the aqueous solution of the dissolved melamine may be 50° C. to 100° C. during the addition of the non-carbohydrate aldehyde or ketone. The method may further include reducing the temperature of the binder solution. |
| US09447220B2 |
Self-assembled structures, method of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same
Disclosed herein is a graft block copolymer comprising a first block polymer; the first block polymer comprising a backbone polymer and a first graft polymer; where the first graft polymer comprises a surface energy reducing moiety; and a second block polymer; the second block polymer being covalently bonded to the first block; wherein the second block comprises the backbone polymer and a second graft polymer; where the second graft polymer comprises a functional group that is operative to crosslink the graft block copolymer. |
| US09447219B2 |
Impact modified monovinylidene aromatic polymer having low rubber crosslinking
The ductility/stiffness balance of a rubber-modified monovinylidene aromatic polymer, e.g., HIPS, is increased without increasing the rubber content of the polymer and/or changing the size of the average rubber particle by a process comprising the step of crosslinking the rubber such that the rubber-modified polymer has an optical crosslink index (OCLI) of <0.5 and an injection molded/compression molded (IM/CM) modulus ratio ≧1.3. |
| US09447218B2 |
Binder for manufacturing inorganic sintered body
The present invention provides a binder for manufacturing an inorganic sintered body that has excellent adhesiveness upon heat pressing and thermal decomposability and, especially when used as a binder for a ceramic green sheet, provides a ceramic green sheet having sufficient mechanical strength and flexibility. The present invention also provides a paste for manufacturing an inorganic sintered body, a ceramic green sheet, and a ceramic laminate individually manufactured using the binder for manufacturing an inorganic sintered body. The present invention provides a binder for manufacturing an inorganic sintered body containing a graft copolymer having a unit including polyvinyl butyral and a unit including a poly(meth)acrylic compound, the polyvinyl butyral having a polymerization degree of 800 to 5000, a hydroxy group content of 20 to 40 mol %, and a butyralization degree of 60 to 80 mol %, the unit including a poly(meth)acrylic compound having a glass transition temperature of 0 to 110° C. |
| US09447213B2 |
Polymers functionalized with polycyano compounds
A method for preparing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of polymerizing monomer to form a reactive polymer, and reacting the reactive polymer with a polycyano compound. |
| US09447212B2 |
Production method for vinyl ether polymer
The production method for a vinyl ether polymer of the present technology comprises the step of subjecting a vinyl ether monomer to radical polymerization in a mixed solvent to form a vinyl ether polymer. The mixed solvent is a mixed solvent in which the mass ratio of isopropyl alcohol to dimethylformamide is from 93:7 to 75:25, or a mixed solvent in which the mass ratio of isopropyl alcohol to water is from 50:50 to 5:95, and a mass ratio of the vinyl ether monomer to the mixed solvent is from 3:100 to 45:100. |
| US09447206B2 |
Process for the preparation of ethylene polymers using a number of reactors arranged in series
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of ethylene polymers using a number of reactors arranged in series comprising the steps in which a) ethylene, a diluent, a catalyst, a co-catalyst and optionally comonomers and hydrogen are introduced into a first reactor, b) polymerization of ethylene and optionally comonomers is carried out in the reaction mixture of said first reactor to make ethylene polymers, c) reaction mixture is discharged from said first reactor, d) said reaction mixture and fresh ethylene and optionally comonomers and hydrogen are introduced into the consecutive reactor to make additional ethylene polymers, e) said reaction mixture is discharged from said consecutive reactor and introduced into the further consecutive reactor, if any, with fresh ethylene and optionally comonomers and hydrogen to make additional ethylene polymers, steps c) and d) are repeated until the last reactor of the series, f) reaction mixture is discharged from last reactor of the series and ethylene polymers are recovered, wherein, additional co-catalyst is injected in at least a subsequent reactor of the series. Advantage of the process of the present invention is mainly to decrease catalyst consumption for the same polyethylene production, in other words to increase the productivity. In a most preferred embodiment the process of the present invention is carried out in two loop reactors under slurry conditions. |
| US09447203B2 |
Method for producing water absorbent polyacrylic acid (salt) resin powder, and water absorbent polyacrylic acid (salt) resin powder
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing water absorbent resin powder in which permeability potential (SFC) is improved while a water absorbing rate (FSR) is being kept. The method is a method for producing water absorbent polyacrylic acid (salt) resin powder including the steps of: (i) polymerizing an acrylic acid (salt) monomer aqueous solution; (ii) during or after the step of (i), performing gel grinding of a hydrogel crosslinked polymer obtained by the polymerization, wherein the hydrogel crosslinked polymer has resin solid content of 10 wt % to 80 wt %, and the gel grinding is carried out with gel grinding energy (GGE) of 18 [J/g] to 60 [J/g]; (iii) drying a particulate hydrogel crosslinked polymer obtained by the gel grinding, wherein the drying is performed at 150° C. to 250° C.; and (iv) carrying out a surface treatment to the particulate hydrogel crosslinked polymer thus dried. |
| US09447200B2 |
Method for producing stabilized polymer
Provided is a method of producing a stabilized polymer in which inhibition of polymerization of a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond is suppressed even when a specific phenolic antioxidant is added before or during the polymerization of the monomer.The method of producing a stabilized polymer is characterized by comprising the step of adding at least one phenolic antioxidant which is represented by the following Formula (I), (II) or (III) and masked with an organic aluminum to a catalyst system or a polymerization system before or during polymerization of a monomer having an ethylenically unsaturated bond: |
| US09447198B2 |
Method for extracting polysaccharides from higher plants and fungi through microwave chemical treatment
This invention relates to a field of pharmaceutical chemistry, relates to a process of extracting high water soluble polysaccharides from higher plants or fungi. The present invention discloses a process of extracting higher plants and fungi polysaccharides based on a microwave chemistry method, comprising: putting the residue or pulverized higher plants and fungi after being degreased by an organic solvent into a microwave reaction chamber to react with an acid solution; and then distilling to remove excess acid or washing with organic solvent to remove the acid; adding water solution for extraction, subjecting the extracting solution after concentration to alcohol precipitation, separating precipitates aka polysaccharides therefrom.The present invention has significant advantages like fast processing rate, high polysaccharides yield, low organic acid consumption and efficient and easy to recycle, low water consumption, low power consumption, etc., and obtained polysaccharides have high yield and purity, good water solubility, and good biological activity. |
| US09447197B2 |
Dissolution of oxidized cellulose and particle preparation by dispersion and neutralization
A process for dissolving modified cellulose includes contacting modified cellulose solution with at least one neutralizing agent to form a plurality of modified cellulose particles. |
| US09447196B2 |
Dissolution of oxidized cellulose and particle preparation by solvent and non-solvent precipitation
A process for dissolving modified cellulose includes contacting modified cellulose solution with at least one non-solvent to form a plurality of modified cellulose particles. |
| US09447191B2 |
Osteogenesis promoter
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an osteogenesis promoter for directly promoting osteogenesis by osteoblasts, and an agent for preventing and treating bone disease. The present invention is characterized in that a binding inhibitor substance of semaphorin 4D and plexin B1 is used. For the binding inhibitor substance, suitable examples include anti-semaphorin 4D antibody, anti-plexin B1 antibody, and protein comprising the extracellular domain of plexin B1. |
| US09447190B2 |
Anti-MCAM antibodies and associated methods of use
Described herein are anti-MCAM antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof that are capable of inhibiting the interaction between MCAM and its ligand, a protein comprising a laminin α-4 chain. These anti-MCAM antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof may be useful for, for example, treating inflammatory conditions characterized by the infiltration of MCAM-expressing cells into a site of inflammation in the body. |