| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07740275B2 |
Air bag cushion
An airbag cushion is configured to be deployed by an introduced gas to provide a predetermined space therein, wherein a valley is configured to be formed at a center region which a passenger's face impacts when the airbag cushion is deployed. The airbag cushion includes a front panel, a rear panel provided rearward of the front panel, wherein the front panel and the rear panel are joined together and thus form the predetermined space when gas is introduced. |
| US07740274B2 |
Airbag vent
Certain aspects and embodiments of the present invention provide an airbag having a vent that can adaptively release gas from the airbag upon impact with an occupant. The vent may include a membrane and/or diaphragm that can control the amount of gas released from the airbag based on the pressure in the airbag. During a collision, the airbag can be filled with gas and absorb the energy from an occupant causing the pressure in the airbag to increase. The adaptive vent can release gas from the airbag by opening when the occupant impacts the airbag. In some embodiments, the size of the vents changes depending on the pressure existing in the airbag. |
| US07740269B2 |
Vehicular air bag door
A vehicular air bag door is disclosed. More particularly, a vehicular air bag door for achieving a reduction in the number of constituent elements and a simplified manufacturing process thereof is disclosed. The vehicular air bag door includes a chute provided at an instrument panel to mount an air bag module thereon, a door plate provided in an opening of the chute and connected with a door section defined in the instrument panel, and a hinge provided between the chute and the door plate. The chute, the door plate, and the hinge are integrally formed with one another. |
| US07740268B2 |
Airbag fastening system
An airbag fastening system in an airbag module has a clamping connection and includes a retaining ring for an injection orifice of the airbag in an airbag receptacle surrounding both the airbag module and the retaining ring. The retaining ring has a reducing width on an outer face in a main pulling direction when the airbag unfolds. At least a portion of the airbag receptacle or a component associated with the airbag receptacle has a smaller width above the retaining ring than a greatest width of the retaining ring. A lower end of the airbag forms the injection orifice, is folded over the retaining ring, and extends between the retaining ring and the airbag receptacle or the component. The retaining ring includes at least one portion having a conically tapered cross-section on the outer face in the main pulling direction when the airbag unfolds. |
| US07740264B2 |
Quick release stem
A stem connecting the handlebars and steerable fork of a cycle has one tube attached to the handlebars and another tube attached to the steerable fork with the tubes capable of being rotated and locked with respect to one another. This arrangement allows for various configurations of the handlebars and fork including the typical riding configuration as well as an alternate configuration where the handlebars are ‘folded’ with respect to the fork. Change in configuration is accomplished without tools by way of a biased locking arrangement for the tubes. |
| US07740256B2 |
Compressible fluid independent active suspension
An active, independent suspension system has dual piston, compressible fluid struts (22). Each of the dual piston struts (22) has an outer cylinder (24) and an outer piston rod (30), which each respectively define exterior peripheries for an outer pressure chamber (32) and an inner pressure chamber (54). Pressures applied to a compressible fluid (56) in respective ones of the outer and inner pressure chambers (32, 54) urge the outer piston to extend from within the outer cylinder (24). A control system (240) is provided for actively controlling an amount of compressible fluid (56) disposed within each of the outer and inner chambers (32, 54). |
| US07740255B2 |
Suspension beam with captured axle
A suspension beam with a captured axle is described, including a top and bottom plate, a pivot mount, and a spring mount, and side plates. Optional embodiments include an axle sleeve, multiple top and bottom plates, a u-shaped member in place of the side plates. The pivot mount includes a bush housing and a bush housing clamp. The side walls may be recessed, flush or outboard with respect to the top and bottom plates. The top and bottom plates are directly attached to the axle or axle sleeve, and to the pivot mount. |
| US07740254B2 |
Wheeled work machine
A wheeled work machine in which the center of gravity of a machine body is positioned low and the stability of the machine in a working position is secured without regard to the movement of the center of gravity caused by the rotation of a rotation table during work. An operation body (111) integrally rocking with a front axle case (96) is provided at the center in the left-right direction of the front axle case (96), and a rocking lock mechanism (112) for limiting the rocking of the operation body (111) is provided at a machine body frame (6). The rocking lock mechanism (112) has a lock cylinder (115) in which a piston rod (120) is horizontally fixed to the machine frame (6) and a switchover valve (118) for switching two oil chambers (124A, 124B) of the lock cylinder (115) between a communicated state and a closed state. A cylinder tube (116) of the lock cylinder (115) is operably connected to the operation body (111). |
| US07740250B2 |
Light vehicle comprising a swing axle
The invention relates to a light vehicle such as a golf caddie which includes a body and at least two wheels that are respectively connected to the body by first and second axles. The axles can be pivoted in a first position in which they are tilted against the body and in a second position in which they extend away from the body, where the second position is defined as the driving position of the vehicle. At least one spring acts on the body and on the axles, maintaining the driving position of the axles only by the elastic force thereof, without additional transversal supports and bracing. |
| US07740248B2 |
Annular seal
A seal assembly capable of low temperature service is disclosed. It features upper and lower metallic backup rings that are specially shaped to act as a spring to keep the sidewalls of such rings in contact with the inside and outside surfaces to be sealed to prevent extrusion of the seal material even in low temperature situations. Inner and outer grooves are provided. O-ring seals, used for the ID of the seal, are manufactured to have a slightly greater diameter than the groove into which they will be installed. The greater length provides stored energy to promote sealing functionality in cold temperature situations. The O-rings used for the OD of the seal are manufactured to have a slightly smaller diameter than the groove into which they will be installed. The shorter length provides stored energy to promote sealing functionality in cold temperature situations. |
| US07740244B2 |
Card cartridge for a shuffling machine
A card cartridge for shuffling machines has a body and a cover. The body has a longitudinal slot defined in the body in a slantwise manner for receiving cards discharged from the shuffling machine, and at least two stops protrude oppositely from two side edges of the body to define a drawing gap. The cover is mounted detachably on the body and has a tail extending slantwise into the slot and two side panels abutting two side surfaces of the body to ensure the cover is stably positioned on the body. Furthermore, a wedge is movably disposed in the slot, selectively moving toward the second end of the body to press the cards toward the stops. When playing a card game, the body is implemented horizontally and the wedge moves along the slot to press the cards so players can easily draw cards sequentially from the drawing gap. |
| US07740242B2 |
Document feeder
A document feeder includes a conveying path extended from a document supplying position to a reading position, a first conveying roller pair provided upstream from the reading position and nipping and conveying the document, a second conveying roller pair provided downstream from the reading position and nipping and conveying the document faster than the first conveying roller pair, a post-reading conveying path extended downstream from a nipping position of the second conveying roller pair, the post-reading conveying path being located above a plane tangent to the second conveying roller pair at the nipping position running in a reverse sheet feed direction, and a third conveying roller pair provided on the post-reading conveying path and nipping and conveying the document conveyed from the second conveying roller pair at a conveying force equivalent to that of the second conveying roller pair. |
| US07740240B2 |
Paper feeding apparatus for feeding sheets of paper
In a paper feeding apparatus, a paper feeding unit has a paper mounting surface provided with an air-blowing outlet. The paper feeding structure feeds an uppermost sheet of a stack of paper on the paper mounting surface. An air pump supplies air to an air-blowing outlet, a first air-blowing member and a second air-blowing member. The air-blowing outlet is so provided as to blow air to an approximately whole undersurface of the paper stacked on the paper mounting surface. When air is being supplied to the air-blowing outlet, an electronic control unit inhibits the feeding of sheets of paper by the paper feeding unit. |
| US07740230B2 |
Pig for installing a cable in a conduit
A pig for installing a cable in a conduit, in which it comprises a body and a seal intended to follow the internal surface of the conduit, the body comprising a radially elastic tubular part on which the seal is mounted, and a support part fixed to or integral with the tubular part, the support part having a guide surface intended to guide the pig in the conduit, the diameter of the guide surface being slightly less than the maximum diameter of the seal, so that the support part radially deforms the tubular part when the pig passes through deformed parts of the conduit. |
| US07740229B2 |
Log cradle for lifting logs
A log lifting beam with structural attachments that allow it to be fastened to a downed tree trunk. A means is provided for coupling the beam to a portable jack. The beam is positioned on a downed tree trunk with its forward end resting perpendicularly on the top of the tree trunk. The lower end of the beam rests on the ground. A tongue assembly hangs downward from the forward end of the beam. A steel chain stretched from the lower end of the tongue assembly and extended under the tree trunk to an attachment point mid-section the beam serves as a cradle for the tree trunk. The tongue of a jack is inserted under a short chain also bolted to the lower end of the said tongue assembly. The jack tongue is raised against this chain and the downed tree trunk is lifted. |
| US07740224B2 |
Valve
A valve, in particular, a proportional seat valve or gate valve, includes a valve housing (10) and at least three fluid connections (1, 2, 3) extending through the valve housing. A main piston (18) extends in the valve housing (10). A pilot piston (24) for executing a pilot control (26) may be controlled by a current-carrying magnetic device (28). During an open pilot control (26), fluid from one (2) of the connectors (1, 2), controlled by the main piston (18), reaches the connector (3), controlled by the pilot piston (24), by a cross-sectional narrowing (38) in the main piston (19). The pilot control (26) and, as a result of the corresponding pressure drop, the main piston (18) achieves a control position, controlling both fluid connections (1, 2) with regard to fluid amount. |
| US07740221B2 |
Suction-mountable display device having a periphery and a bend adjacent the periphery
A deformable device mountable by suction on a mounting surface including a body having an inner surface and a periphery. The inner surface has a concave portion and a suction portion contiguous with suction created to mount the body on the mounting surface. The inner surface includes a boundary defining the suction portion, an additional portion between the boundary and the periphery, and a bend adjacent the boundary at which the inner surface curves away from the mounting surface. The body is deformable from an undeformed shape to an actuated shape to mount the body on the mounting surface by positioning the inner surface of the undeformed body adjacent the mounting surface thereby forming a cavity and deforming the body to the actuated shape thereby sealing the body against the mounting surface and forcing fluid from the cavity to create suction between the body and the mounting surface. |
| US07740215B2 |
Jersey display device
A jersey display device permits a jersey to be displayed on an upright supporting surface, for example a wall, in two different orientations in which the two opposing sides of the jersey are displayed respectively. The device comprises: a panel having a contour which is suitably shaped so as to be arranged for supporting the jersey thereon, a first coupling member supported on the panel to be concealed by the jersey, and a second coupling member arranged to be supported on the wall mount. The first and second coupling members are magnetically attracted to one another so as to be arranged to support the panel with the jersey supported thereon on the wall. |
| US07740214B2 |
Display having self-orienting mounting area
A display assembly for automatically orienting a display item includes a base and a mounting member for mounting thereon the display item. The mounting member is removably mounted on the base to allow handling of the display item when removed and when mounted automatically moves from an unaligned orientation to an aligned display orientation. One alignment mechanism is magnetically operable and preferably includes first and second magnets respectively mounted on the base and mounting member wherein north and south poles of the first magnet align respectively with south and north poles of the second magnet to align the mounting member in the display orientation. Another alignment mechanism includes at least one camming surface for facilitating alignment of the mounting member and preferably camming surfaces respectively on the base and the mounting member which engage one another to facilitate to alignment. |
| US07740212B2 |
Apparatus to retain and position tubing of media bags
An apparatus to retain and position tubing of media bags with a bottom gate made of a single piece, with features to hold and retain media bag tubing, a recessed structure where the bottom gate is positioned when installed that places the top of the gate flush with the inside surface of the media bag holder, and locking tabs on the inside surface of the media bag holder that prevent the bottom gate from lifting and allow it to be installed in only the correct orientation. |
| US07740209B2 |
Cable routing device
A cable routing device for installation on a post of a computing system board, includes a tube shaped main body having a hollow inner cavity. The main body includes a lower generally cylindrical portion having a first inner diameter sized to achieve a clearance fit over the post, and a flexible upper portion having a general shape of a truncated cone when in an unflexed condition, the flexible upper portion having slits arranged approximately opposite to each other thereby defining two sides to the flexible upper portion, the flexible upper portion having a second inner diameter proximate to a top of the flexible upper portion. When the flexible upper portion is in the unflexed condition, the second inner diameter is smaller than the first inner diameter and smaller than an effective diameter of the post, and when the two sides are flexed in an outward direction the device achieves a clearance fit over the post. The device further includes a cable clip molded to the main body, and configured to retain a plurality of cables. |
| US07740203B2 |
Control device for deployment of inflatable structures
The invention relates to a device for controlling the deployment of an inflatable structure including, in the non-deployed state, a flexible tube (12) which is folded in zigzags and fixed to one end of a plug (13) provided with a buoyant gas admission (15), the other end of the tube being closed; means (25 to 29) for controlling the change of state of the tube from the folded state (12a) to the deployed state (30), the means being arranged inside the tube (12) and consisting of a set of interconnected flexible blades (25) which are radially arranged around the strut (16) in the form of petals, in such a way that the set can be displayed along the strut; and means (28, 29) for bringing the set of petals (25) towards the plug (13) in such a way as to press the folded part (12a) of the tube, each petal (25) being applied to a series of superimposed folds (21 to 24) of the folded part of the tube. |
| US07740201B2 |
Device and method for floor heating in an aircraft
The invention relates to floor heating for an aircraft which has a floor (20) made up of heatable panels (18). In order to be able to heat up the panels (18) in an energy-saving way, the same are provided with hollow chambers (26) which pass through them, wherein a feed line (28) for warm waste air originating from the cooling of the aircraft's electronic equipment which is connected to the first hollow chambers (26), conveys hot air to the first hollow chambers (26) when the floor heating system is in operation. |
| US07740199B2 |
Metallic filament end retaining clip and take-up reel for metallic filament
To make it possible to replace a metallic filament end retaining clip in a take-up reel for metallic filament, a clip (10) has, for example, a clip portion (11) having an essentially W shape, and attachment arm portions (12) and coiled portions (14) on both sides thereof. The upper portion of the clip portion (11) and the attachment arm portions (12) are fitted into the space between a flange outer periphery portion (4), and the end part of a metallic filament W is retained through elastic force. Alternatively, a clip mounting portion (107) and a clip tip retaining portion (109) are formed in a flange (101), into which a clip (110) is mounted in a detachable state, the clip (110) having, for example, essentially inverse U-shaped positioning attachment portions (112) formed on both sides of an essentially U-shaped clip portion (111). |
| US07740196B2 |
Mobile device for granulating slag fines
Device for implementing a method of granulating slag fines including a conveyable removable platform (1) on which there are arranged at least one device for the selective obtaining of fines (10) upstream of a feed hopper (5), a granulator (2) fed with the fines by the feed hopper (5), a storage reservoir (9) for a granulation aqueous phase feeding of the granulator (2) with the aqueous phase, a power source (4) and a monitor and controller (3) for producing granules from the fines. |
| US07740193B2 |
Cleaning device with preset lockable swivel head
A trigger actuated aerosol spray cleaning device has a cleaning head that swivel or be locked in different preset discrete angular positions relative to the device. The cleaning head pivotally mounts onto a swivel part of a coupler at and end of the device. In one position, a sliding swivel lock permits rotation of the swivel and in a locking position it prevents relative rotation by engaging one of several slots in the swivel. The slots are located so that the cleaning head can be centered (perpendicular) relative to the device or held at an oblique angle as may be desired for cleaning corners or other tight spaces. |
| US07740189B2 |
Suspension arrangement for a boom lift assembly of an agricultural sprayer
A suspension arrangement mounted in support of a boom lift assembly and boom supported thereon on a chassis of an agricultural sprayer is provided. The boom lift assembly is configured to move the boom between a raised, inoperative position and a lowered, operative position. The suspension arrangement includes a pivot linkage pivotally coupling the boom lift assembly and the chassis, and a dampener located between the boom lift assembly and the chassis. During operation of the sprayer, the dampener of the suspension arrangement reduces transfer of an impact force or stress force from transferring between the chassis and the boom lift assembly so as to isolate suspension of the boom lift assembly from the chassis of the sprayer. |
| US07740185B2 |
Tempering method, control device and tempering device
A method for controlling the temperature of a machine part, by the use of a regulating device, is accomplished by determining one respective value of a measured temperature at each of two separate spaced-apart measured points, which two points are located along a control distance. One of these measured values is fed to each of two control circuits of the regulating device which two control circuits are connected to each other in a cascade-type manner. |
| US07740184B2 |
Methods of dehumidification control in unoccupied spaces
Methods of providing dehumidification control in unoccupied spaces are disclosed. An illustrative method can include the steps of providing a controller having an away mode of operation adapted to provide dehumidification within the interior space of a building or room, providing one or more system components adapted to control the humidity and/or temperature within the interior space, initiating the away mode of operation within the controller, and operating the one or more system components for at least one cycle to reduce the humidity within the interior space. |
| US07740183B2 |
Thermostatic mixer with device for dynamic regulation of a water flow
The disclosure relates to a thermostatic mixer, including a device for the dynamic regulation of the cold water flow which supplies the mixer. A resistance is generated to the flow of cold water supplied to the thermostatic mixer when small flows of mixed water are required, and said resistance is lifted or reduced when large flows of mixed water are required. Said operation is automatically carried out by devices for dynamic regulation of flow, whereby the flow cross-section provided for the incoming cold water is reduced when the drawn flow is reduced and a larger flow cross-section reestablished when a larger flow is required. |
| US07740179B2 |
System and method for RFID-based printed media reading activity data acquisition and analysis
The subject invention provides a means of automatically detecting and recording a person's use of magazines, i.e. printed media exposure, for the purpose of market research. The present invention comprises one or more electrically conductive marker regions applied to certain specific locations on one or more magazine pages. In one general embodiment, the presence and relative separation of the marker regions are detected by a capacitive sensors and electronic device that stores, processes and communicates the data wirelessly to an external device. In another embodiment, a passive chip less tag is used to indirectly measure the change in conductivity of the conductive regions caused by prolonged exposure to air or light. Exemplary methods are described for acquiring readership and exposure data using the present invention. |
| US07740178B2 |
Set of contactless smart tickets
Set of tickets in the form of a continuous strip (35, 85) of multilayer detachable tickets featuring, between two adjacent tickets (30 and 31, 80 and 81), cross precuts (32, 82) alternating with ticket linking bridges (33, 83), the transversal precuts being used to guide the separation of adjacent tickets when a pulling force is applied on one of the tickets. The cross precuts (32, 82) feature at their end longitudinal precuts (34, 84) that are perpendicular or oblique to cross precuts so that the linking bridges (33, 83) between two adjacent tickets play the role of hinges when the adjacent tickets are folded or are not in the same plane, thus preventing the outer layer from being subjected to more stresses than the inner layer. |
| US07740177B2 |
Solar light stick
A solar light stick for use as a lawn or garden novelty. The solar light stick has a support member, a solar panel, a rechargeable battery, an LED, and a wand. The wand contains a light transmissive material that may be transparent or translucent. The solar panel charges the rechargeable battery which, in turn, provides power to the LED. The LED is positioned to provide light to the interior of the wand. As such, the LED may be located within a recess in the wand. Voids, such as interior bubbles, suspended objects, or surface irregularities may help to disperse light from the LED in a direction external to the wand. |
| US07740176B2 |
Indicia reading apparatus having reduced trigger-to-read time
A TTR time of a reading apparatus can also be reduced by designing an apparatus to exhibit a certain timing relationship between a receipt of a trigger signal and/or more of image capture and decoding. An apparatus in one embodiment can be configured to continuously capture frames of image data prior to receipt of a trigger signal and can further be configured so that an output decoded message is decoded from a frame of image data having a capture initiation time of prior to the time of receipt of a trigger signal. An apparatus configured to output a decoded message from a frame of image data having a capture initiation time of prior to a time of receipt of a trigger signal can have a TTR time of less than a frame capture period of the apparatus. |
| US07740173B2 |
Transparently securing transactional data
A secure magnetic stripe card stripe reader (MSR) module and software system capable of encrypting the magnetic stripe data to CPI, SDP and CISP standards for use in point of sale (POS) and other applications requiring data security using non secure networks and computing devices. Additionally, when incorporated within an attachment for conventional personal digital assistant (PDA) or cell phone or stationary terminal, provides encrypted data from the magnetic head assembly providing compliance with Federal Information Processing Standards Publication Series FIPS 140 covering security and tampering standards. Moreover, this module and software system includes the capability of providing secure POS transactions to legacy transaction processing systems and POS terminals transparently to the existing infrastructure. Furthermore, this module and software system includes the capability of transparently providing detection of fraudulently copied magnetic stripe cards. |
| US07740160B2 |
Surgical stapling apparatus having a wound closure material applicator assembly
A surgical stapling apparatus includes a staple anvil and a staple cartridge having a working surface, one or more rows of individual staple slots formed in the working surface, a knife track formed along a length of the working surface, and a plurality of surgical staples individually disposed within the individual staple slots. The apparatus further includes an actuation sled having a knife and being configured and adapted to movably position the knife axially within the knife track. The apparatus also includes a wound closure material applicator assembly having a needle secured to the knife to dispense a quantity of wound closure material along a length of the knife track as the actuation sled and knife are moved therealong. |
| US07740154B2 |
Bottle Fitment
A pump dispenser has a large ergonomic actuator designed to ergonomically deliver a composition to a substrate in the consumer's hand without the consumer having to pick up the pump dispenser. The ergonomic design allows the composition to be delivered in a proper aspect ratio to the substrate. The composition can be delivered in such a way that the composition is not aerosolized into the air or delivered to an unintended surface. The method of delivery can be made intuitive to the consumer by providing an actuator skirt that suggests the pumping mechanism or by providing a depiction of a hand or substrate over the pump dispenser. The pump dispenser is also useful for compositions or substrates that are not stable together. The pump dispenser may be designed with refill bottle fitment such that only certain refill bottles may fit into the pump dispenser. |
| US07740137B2 |
Beverage indicating container
A liquid-container assembly for indicating the contents contained therein is provided. The assembly preferably includes a liquid-container body for holding liquid, with a horizontal base and an outer wall structure extending upwardly from the base, where an upper portion of the wall defines an open top rim; a plurality of liquid-indicia being disposed about the periphery of the outer wall of the container body; and a lid covering the open top rim of the assembly. The lid has a tab that may be used as a pointer for selecting liquid-indicia, and therefore, visually displays the contents contained in the liquid-container. |
| US07740134B2 |
Infusion cap with reservoir shiftable downwardly
An infusion cap for a bottle having a threaded neck is screwed onto the threaded neck and by removing a locking tab a portion of the cap may be pressed toward the bottle to discharge an infusion substance into the bottle. In a modified embodiment instead of pushing against the cap, a portion of the cap is rotated on the bottle threads to discharge a substance to be infused from the cap into the bottle. |
| US07740132B2 |
Container for sheet products
The present invention relates to a container for sheet products that makes it easy to take out each individual piece of the sheet products stacked in the container. The container having a tray-like container body (2), an opening/closing lid (3) that is slidably mounted on the container body (2), a pressing member (5) elastically pressing the sheet products (4) stored in the container (1) toward the inner surface of the opening/closing lid (3), a friction drag member (7) that is installed on the inner surface of the opening/closing lid (3) to feed out the sheet products (4) according to the closing operation of the opening/closing lid (3), and a stopper (6) formed in the container body (2) to stop the backward movement of the sheet products (4) by the friction drag member (7) when the opening/closing lid (3) is opened. |
| US07740131B2 |
Case for maintaining insignia and articles related to uniform
A case for maintaining insignia and other articles associated with a uniform includes an outer cover and an inner surface, and is configured to fold about a center fold. The case includes an inner panel for attaching and carrying uniform articles and an inner pouch for carrying loose items. The flap and the pouch are each attached along one side to the inner surface of the case near the center fold. The case has a plurality of inner attachment surfaces, which includes the inner surface of the case, the side surfaces of the panel, and the outer surfaces of the pouch. At least one of the attachment surfaces includes a section having hook and loop fasteners to engage uniform badges having hook and loop fasteners. Additionally, at least one of the attachment surfaces includes foam backing configured to receive at least one uniform pin. |
| US07740128B2 |
Method for self-synchronizing a conveyor belt sensor system
A self-synchronizing system and method for conveyor belt sensor operation is disclosed based on the address of an RFID tag in the belt and the location of that tag in the system memory. A moving conveyor belt system has a plurality of sensors spaced along the belt and a sensor reader for detecting and identifying the presence of a sensor passing by the sensor reader. The belt further includes a plurality of identification tags spaced along the belt and a tag reader for detecting and identifying the presence of a tag passing by the tag reader. Associated time and distance target values are acquired from a calibration table for a next sensor (S1) based upon a detected and identified functional tag. Time and distance counters are initiated. The conveyor belt may be stopped in the event that the next sensor (S1) is not detected before the time and distance target values are exceeded. |
| US07740122B2 |
Workpiece transfer apparatus
A workpiece transfer apparatus is provided for transferring workpieces throughout an entire transfer path. A workpiece is transferred along a production line and is processed by processing facilities. Workpiece graspers grasp a workpiece. Rails are arranged above the processing facilities and movably hang the workpiece graspers. The rails are arranged so that at least the two of the rails partially overlap with each other above at least one of the processing facilities. |
| US07740120B2 |
Money processing system
A money processing system according to the present invention includes a coin change dispenser, a note change dispenser, and a control terminal, each having a control unit. The control units are generally adapted to carrying out a “change dispensing mode” control for receiving money given by a customer and dispensing change as occasion demands, and is adapted to carrying out a “money exchange mode” control, when a money exchange instruction is given from instruction means. In the money exchange mode, (a) when a single piece of money is received, a normal money exchange process for dispensing a combination of exchanged money each having a denomination smaller than that of the received money is executed such that a sum total of the combination of the exchanged money is equivalent to the received money, and (b) when a plurality of pieces of money are received, a reverse money exchange process for dispensing a combination of (the minimum number of pieces of) exchanged money each having a denomination larger than that of the received money is executed such that a sum total of the combination of the exchanged money is equivalent to the received money. |
| US07740119B2 |
Hydraulic control for a dual clutch transmission
A double clutch gearbox, which has a first volume flow valve for actuating a first clutch, which is arranged downstream, a second volume flow valve for actuating a second clutch which is arranged downstream, and a first hydraulic power source for supplying the volume flow valves and the clutches with a system pressure. In order to provide an improved double clutch gearbox, the clutches have fluid cooling which is arranged downstream of the first volume flow valve. |
| US07740118B2 |
Roller-type one-way clutch
The present invention provides, a roller-type one-way clutch comprising an annular outer race provided at its inner periphery with a cam surface, an inner race spaced apart from the outer race in a radially inner diameter side and disposed in coaxial with the outer race for a relative movement therewith and having an annular outer peripheral track surface, a plurality of rollers disposed between the outer race and the inner race and adapted to transmit torque between the outer peripheral track surface and the cam surface, a cage for holding the plurality of rollers, and a C-shaped annular spring for biasing the rollers toward a direction in which the rollers are engaged by the cam surface, through the cage, and wherein the C-shaped annular spring is assembled in a diameter-enlarged condition. |
| US07740102B2 |
Steering control device for vehicle
A steering control device can shorten a braking distance during straight-traveling deceleration and can efficiently acquire the acceleration performance during straight-traveling acceleration with a simple control while maintaining the stability of a vehicle by steering the wheel on a higher road surface friction coefficient road side with a predetermined steering angle when either one of the straight-traveling braking state and the straight-traveling acceleration state of the vehicle is detected. |
| US07740094B2 |
Snow groomer
A snow groomer having a frame extending along a longitudinal axis; ten supporting wheels connected to the frame by respective axle shafts to form a row of five supporting wheels on each longitudinal side of the frame, each supporting wheel on one longitudinal side of the frame facing a supporting wheel on the opposite longitudinal side of the frame, so that facing pairs of supporting wheels define a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth axle; two tracks, each looped about the supporting wheels aligned along a respective longitudinal side of the frame; an engine assembly of over 430 HP; and a mass distributed as follows: 16%+/−2% on the first axle; 20%+/−2% on the second axle; 20%+/−2% on the third axle; 22%+/−2% on the fourth axle; and 22%+/−2% on the fifth axle. |
| US07740093B2 |
Power plant with planetary gear train
To provide a power plant which is capable of improving the drive efficiency and power generation efficiency when electric power is generated using power of the drive part thereof.In a power plant (1), an output shaft (3a) of an internal combustion engine (3) is connected to driven parts DW and DW, and a transmission (20) is connected between the output shaft (3a) of the engine (3) and the driven parts DW and DW, while one of first to third elements (31), (32), and (34) of a planetary gear train (30) is connected between the output shaft (3a) of the engine (3) and the transmission (20), another one of the first to third elements to the output portion (42) of the generator-motor (40), and the remaining one of the same to the driven parts DW and DW. |
| US07740092B2 |
Method and apparatus for power electronics and control of plug-in hybrid propulsion with fast energy storage
A plug-in hybrid propulsion system includes a fast energy storage device that preserves battery life, where the energy storage elements of the hybrid drive train may be charged with externally supplied electricity as well as energy from the engine or regenerative braking. Electronic switches, passive electronics, an enclosure, controller circuitry, and/or control algorithms are used to manage the flow of power between a fuel powered engine, a battery, a fast energy storage system, traction motors; a charger, ancillary systems, an electrical distribution system, and/or a drive train. |
| US07740090B2 |
Stress relief feature on PDC cutter
A cutter having a base portion, an ultrahard layer disposed on the base portion, and at least one relief groove formed on an outer surface of the cutter. The at least one relief groove is configured to form a relief gap between the ultrahard layer and an inside surface of a cutter pocket. |
| US07740086B2 |
Suction device for a pick power tool
A suction device (11) for a hammer drill (6) has a first end (12) with a securing device (14) for securing the suction device (11) to the hammer drill (6) and a second end (13) opposite first end (12) and which has a contact area (15) with which the suction device (11) contacts a constructional component, the suction device (11) further having a receiving space (20) which at least partially encloses a working tool (7) of the pick power tool (6), and being provided with a connection device (18) for a vacuum source. A retaining element (21) having a through-opening (22) for the working tool (7) and a plurality of suction openings (23) is provided in an area (19) of the second end (13). |
| US07740084B2 |
Agricultural implement frame, track assembly and cart
A utility cart and a folding stacking frame for mounting agriculture implements is disclosed. The folding stacking frame includes wings that extend to a working position transverse to the direction of travel of the utility cart to extend across numerous rows of crops. The frame permits the wings to be folded forward so that they are generally parallel with the direction of travel, and then stacked above the utility cart in a transportation position. The wings can be provided with self-tucking wheels that provide support for the wings when in the working position, and which tuck to a collapsed position when the wings are folded to the transportation position. The utility cart can ride on tracks which closely follow the contours of the ground. The track construction utilizes idler wheels mounted on tandem arms to support the track. The idler wheels pivot independently from each other, and allow the track to twist and bend to match the contours of the ground. |
| US07740083B2 |
Sod harvesting apparatus
A sod harvesting apparatus comprises at least two different configurations. In at least one configuration, the sod harvesting apparatus is set up to harvest sod from a field. In at least one configuration, the sod harvesting apparatus is set up for transportation, storage, or the like, by reducing the overall size of the sod harvesting apparatus. |
| US07740080B2 |
Pressure energized seal
A seal for use in sealing on a wellhead assembly, where the seal is pressure energized and comprises an annular element having an inverted portion on its outer portion along its length. The seal may further include upper and lower ring members sandwiching the element between the ring members. The seal is formable by adjoining the open surfaces of two “W” shaped annular seals along their edges thereby forming an element responsive to pressure. |
| US07740072B2 |
Methods and systems for well stimulation using multiple angled fracturing
Methods, systems, and apparatus for inducing fractures in a subterranean formation and more particularly methods and apparatus to place a first fracture with a first orientation in a formation followed by a second fracture with a second angular orientation in the formation are provided. First and second fractures are initiated at about a fracturing location. The initiation of the first fracture is characterized by a first orientation line. The first fracture temporarily alters a stress field in the subterranean formation. The initiation of the second fracture is characterized by a second orientation line. The first orientation line and the second orientation line have an angular disposition to each other. |
| US07740066B2 |
Additives for high alumina cements and associated methods
The present invention includes methods and compositions that include a composition comprising a high alumina cement; a salt comprising at least one salt selected from the group consisting of an acidic salt, a neutral salt, and a low basicity salt; and a swellable clay; and methods of using that composition in subterranean formations. |
| US07740063B2 |
Method for identification of novel anaerobic denitrifying bacteria utilizing petroleum components as sole carbon source
A method for the phylogenetic identification of indigenous anaerobic denitrifying bacterial species in an oil well is described. The method avoids the process of enrichment of microbial samples. |
| US07740062B2 |
System and method for the recovery of hydrocarbons by in-situ combustion
A system and a method for recovering hydrocarbons from a reservoir containing hydrocarbons, by in-situ combustion. The system includes a primary liquid production wellbore having a substantially horizontal primary production length extending through the reservoir, a vent well in fluid communication with the reservoir at a venting position which is relatively higher in the reservoir than the primary production length, an injector apparatus in fluid communication with the reservoir along an injection line in the reservoir which is relatively higher in the reservoir than the primary production length and relatively lower in the reservoir than the venting position, and an injection gas source connected with the injector apparatus. The method includes providing the system, injecting an injection gas containing oxygen into the reservoir to cause combustion of hydrocarbons contained in the reservoir, producing hydrocarbon liquid from the primary liquid production wellbore, and venting combustion gases from the vent well. |
| US07740060B2 |
Method and device at rock drilling
Slacking off device (24) for use on a drilling device (2) for rock drilling. The drilling device (2) comprises a rock drill (4) to which a drill string (10) is adapted to be jointed by means of a thread joint. The drill string (10) comprises an arbitrary number of drill rods (12, 14, 16) which are adapted to be jointed together by means of thread joints. The drilling device (2) comprises a driving device for forward and back rotation of the drill string (10). The slacking off device (24) comprises a clamping device (25) arranged to clamp up the drill string (10) and a separate striking device (33) arranged to strike with an angle towards the longitudinal direction of the drill string (10) of principally 75°-105° on a first (32) of any of said thread joints under back rotation so that an impressed torque on the drill string (10) is obtained in a thread slacking rotation direction to provide slacking of the first thread joint (32). |
| US07740056B2 |
Outer shell structure for a heat exchanger
An outer shell structure surrounds a heat exchange unit formed of plates, which has first to third pairs of opposite planes. The structure has opposite end walls, opposite first walls and opposite second walls, and gap closure members. The end walls are placed on the pair of first opposite planes of the heat exchange unit. The first walls having openings are placed outside apart from the pair of second opposite planes of the heat exchange unit and connected water-tightly to edges of the end walls. The second walls having openings are placed outside apart from the pair of third opposite planes of the heat exchange unit and connected water-tightly to edges of the end walls. The gap closure members close a gap between the first walls and the heat exchange unit and a gap between the second walls and the heat exchange unit. |
| US07740054B2 |
Heat dissipation device
A heat dissipation device includes a heat dissipation fin module, a heat pipe and a centrifugal fan. The heat pipe is connected to the heat dissipation fin module at one end and connected to a heat generating source at an opposite end. The centrifugal fan includes a motor rotating a centrifugal impeller. A spiral housing encloses the centrifugal impeller and the motor. The spiral housing includes an air inlet, a first air outlet and a second air outlet. The air inlet exposes the centrifugal impeller such that the rotating centrifugal impeller introduces air through the air inlet. The first air outlet is connected to the heat dissipation fin module and the heat pipe, the second air outlet exposes the heat pipe. An isolation wall is disposed between the second air outlet and the air inlet. |
| US07740053B2 |
Method of cooling or heating a means of transport and a means of transport
A method of maintaining a space in a means of transport, such as a vehicle, at a desired temperature. The vehicle is provided with a storage tank containing a medium having a suitable temperature. According to the invention the storage tank is part of the transport means, the storage tank possesses an inlet opening for increasing the capacity for maintaining the space at the desired temperature, and is thus achieved; i) by feeding through the inlet opening a regenerating medium-comprising liquid and, after heat exchange between the regenerating medium and the medium, discharging the regenerating medium-comprising liquid; or ii) by via the inlet opening replacing the medium in the storage tank comprising liquid with medium-comprising liquid having a greater capacity of maintaining the space at the desired temperature. |
| US07740052B2 |
Method for extending the casting cycle for two-roll strip casting, and installation for carrying out said method
A method for extending the casting cycle for the two-roll strip casting of a steel strip, with inline rolling thereof, the steel strip being rolled in at least two successive rolling units of a rolling mill having replaceable working rolls. The casting process is carried out independently from the roll replacement by replacing the working rolls of one rolling unit during the casting, below or above the steel strip. An installation for carrying out the method includes a lifting devices for lifting the working rolls off the steel strip so as not to damage the strip during the replacement of the rolls. |
| US07740046B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for controlling a movable partition
Various apparatuses, methods and systems for directionally controlling a movable partition are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus may include at least one roller assembly coupled to a portion of a movable partition. A roller element of the roller assembly may be configured to maintain contact with an adjacent surface (e.g., a floor) while the partition is displaced along a desired path even though the adjacent surface may exhibit unevenness, undulations or other substantially nonplanar surface features. In one embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to maintain a substantially constant force between the roller element and the adjacent surface. In another embodiment, the apparatus may be configured to maintain a force between the roller element and the adjacent surface substantially within a specified range. A steering actuator may also be used to select, or change, the orientation of the roller assembly with respect to the partition. |
| US07740044B2 |
Awning assembly including drop-down shade
The primary roller of an awning assembly has an internal cavity, an opening between the internal cavity and the exterior of the primary roller and a first arresting element. A first awning material is adapted to be unwound from the primary roller when the primary roller rotates in a first direction and wound onto the primary roller when the primary roller rotates in a second direction. A secondary roller is mounted for rotation within the internal cavity of the primary roller. One end of a second awning material attached to the secondary roller extends through the opening in the primary roller. A second arresting element is attached to the one end of the second awning material and is adapted to engage the first arresting element of the primary roller, whereby rotation of the secondary roller in the second direction causes the primary roller to rotate in the second direction together with the secondary roller. |
| US07740043B2 |
Tire changer apparatus
Tire changer apparatus having a horizontally extended frame; a wheel holder device provided on said frame and designed to support a tired wheel (14) with horizontally positioned wheel axis; a carriage supported movably along the frame; a tool holder provided on the carriage; at least one tire changing tool for mounting the tire onto the wheel and/or for demounting the tire from the wheel; and actuator means to move the tool holder on the carriage to operating positions in which the tire changing tool is able to act on the tire for mounting or demounting on both sides of the tire, wherein during the mounting operation or demounting operation the carriage is driven by an actuator device along the frame; the tool holder is movably supported on a tool holder carriage which is movably supported on said carriage and driven by an additional actuator device provided on said carriage, and said additional actuator device is in drive connection with the tool holder carriage via a mechanical speed-increasing transmission. |
| US07740042B2 |
Apparatus for vibration welding of sheet materials
The invention provides large surface area geogrids with a high tensile strength, a method and apparatus for producing them, and their use as drain and reinforcement grids and as fences. The method for the continuous production of geogrids which have a large surface area and comprise thermoplastic bars which cross one another and are joined together by welding at the areas where they cross one another is characterized in that single-layer, homogeneous, molecular-oriented plastic bars with a high tensile strength are used and a multiplicity of crossing areas arranged behind one another and next to one another are intermittently welded simultaneously using the vibration-welding technique. In this method, a newly developed vibration-welding apparatus is used, which is characterized in that it has at least one vibration device which can be used to weld at least 100 crossing areas, preferably up to 500 crossing areas, simultaneously. |
| US07740040B2 |
Bottom zone turn-up membrane
A shaping drum for a tire blank comprising bottom zones formed of a circular reinforcement ring which is moved in rotation about an axis XX′, comprising bead-holding means (2a, 2b) mounted opposite one another on a central spindle. Each of the bead-holding means comprises a support (5a, 5b) mounted to be axially movably relative to the spindle. An assembly of return segments (9a, 9b) is distributed circumferentially around the axis XX′, which circulate radially between two circular rings (6a, 7a, 6b, 7b) fixed on the support (5a, 5b), and comprises a bead-receiving seat (10a, 10b). A turn-up membrane (12a, 12b) can slide over the bead-receiving seat, anchored in an airtight manner by its two ends (121a, 122a, 121b, 122b) on the radially outer circumference of the circular rings (6a, 7a, 6b, 7b) and anchored mechanically by appropriate means (14a, 14b) on the return segments (9a, 9b) along a circumferential anchoring line (90a). The section of the bead-receiving seat (10a, 10b) is of essentially circular shape with a developed length L1, and the circumferential anchoring line of the turn-up membrane (121, 12b) on the return segments (9a, 9b) is axially offset towards the centre of the drum by a length L2 relative to the bead receiving seat (10a, 10b), the length L2 being between 0.7 and 2 times the length L1. |
| US07740038B2 |
Pneumatic tire for motorcycle
A tire 2 comprises a tread 4, a sidewall 6, a bead 8, a carcass 10 and a belt 12. The belt 12 includes a belt ply 26. The belt ply 26 is formed by a ribbon 28 wound spirally in a circumferential direction of the tire 2. The carcass 10 includes a first carcass ply 22 and a second carcass ply 24 provided on an outside in a radial direction of the first carcass ply 22. The first carcass ply 22 is turned up around the bead 8. The first carcass ply 22 includes a turned-up portion 34 extended almost outward in the radial direction and a turned-up end 36 positioned on an outside in the radial direction of the turned-up portion 34. The turned-up end 36 is positioned on an inside of the second carcass ply 24. |
| US07740032B2 |
System and method for automatically filling a liquid receptacle
An automatic liquid filling system including a liquid supply, a liquid-retaining structure, and a filling apparatus in fluid communication with the liquid supply and the liquid-retaining structure. The filling apparatus is configured to automatically supply liquid to the liquid-retaining structure when the liquid recedes below a low level that is based on a position of the filling apparatus in relation to the liquid-retaining structure. |
| US07740030B2 |
Selvedge forming apparatus, weaving machine with a selvedge forming apparatus and method for forming a selvedge
Weaving machine, method and selvedge forming apparatus for introducing into a shed an end (30A) of a weft thread (30) which has been inserted into a shed, the selvedge forming apparatus (4, 5, 6) being provided with a device (20) for introducing the end of the inserted weft thread into a subsequent shed, wherein the selvedge forming apparatus (4, 5, 6) includes a blowing device (50) having at least one blowing opening (51) which, in use, is positioned at the level of the plane of a selvedge (16, 17) of the woven fabric (2, 3), with the blowing device (50), blowing essentially toward the beat-up line (36) in a direction opposite to the direction of fabric movement. |
| US07740027B1 |
Refrigeration condensate tray treatment apparatus
Apparatus applies chemicals to water in an air conditioning condensate tray. It has an elongate reservoir body with an open upper end, a closed lower end, and a central cavity enclosed by an encircling wall. The central cavity receives chemicals to prevent the growth of microorganisms. A closure closes the central cavity. A tubular member is operatively connected at a first end to an aperture in the wall, and has a second end extending outwardly therefrom. The second end is constructed for receiving condensate water from the condensate tray, providing a fluid passage to the central cavity in a first mode of operation when water in the condensate tray is above a preset level; and for dispensing water to the tray from the central cavity in a second mode of operation with chemicals disposed in the water from contact within the central cavity. |
| US07740026B2 |
Thermal storage type gas treating apparatus
A thermal storage type gas treating apparatus has a high sealing performance while achieving a simple apparatus construction. The thermal storage type gas treating apparatus includes a valve member rotatable to place successively a supply port for a gas to be treated and an exhaust port for a treated gas formed in the valve member, in an opposed and communicating relationship with supply and exhaust ports formed in a distributor, thereby successively passing gas to be treated and treated gas through a plurality of thermal storage chambers communicating at one end with a combustion chamber. The valve member is supported to be displaceable toward and away from the distributor. A valve biasing device is provided for pressing the valve body to the distributor, while being inoperative with respect to a gas chamber device. |
| US07740023B2 |
Check valve assemblies and related methods
Check valve assemblies and related methods are described. A valve assembly comprises a housing having at least a first inlet passage and an outlet passage. A flow channel is disposed within the housing, with at least a portion thereof extending inward from the first inlet passage. A first check member is disposed within the first inlet passage and is movable along the flow channel between a closed position in which the first check member is disposed against a first valve seat and an open position in which the first check member is spaced from the first valve seat. In varying examples, movement of the first check member from the closed position to the open position is unopposed. Optionally, the housing can include at least a second inlet passage wherein a second check member is disposed. In an example, the second check member is continuously biased toward a closed position. |
| US07740022B2 |
Outdoor canopy
An outdoor canopy includes a canopy frame, a canopy shelter and a side entrance arrangement. The canopy frame includes a roof frame and a legs frame downwardly extended from the roof frame to form a canopy area. The canopy shelter, which is made of waterproof fabric, is detachably fastening at the canopy frame to define a ceiling wall, a front wall, a rear wall and two sidewalls for enclosing the canopy area therewithin. The side entrance arrangement is formed on one of the sidewalls of the canopy shelter for a user to gain entry to and exit the canopy area without having to pass through the front entrance, wherein the side entrance arrangement contains a side entrance opening formed on the corresponding sidewall of the canopy shelter, and comprise at least one entrance fabric operatively mounted on the corresponding sidewall. |
| US07740021B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cleaning screens used in solid/liquid separations in oilfield operations
Methods, apparatus, and kits are described, one method embodiment comprising loading a solids-laden screen into a carriage of a washing enclosure, the solids-laden screen comprising a screen mesh partially obstructed with solids from a well drilling or work-over operation, and spraying a cleaning composition onto first and second sides of the screen while vibrating the screen. Apparatus and kits for practicing the methods are also described. This abstract allows a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure. It will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US07740019B2 |
Equipment and associated method for insertion of material into cigarette filters
Filter rods for use in the manufacture of cigarette filter elements are provided, with each rod having a longitudinal axis and incorporating a generally longitudinally extending filter material and a generally longitudinally extending strand within that filter material. A filter making unit receives a continuous supply of a filter material, and forms the filter material into a gathered composite having a continuous cylindrical shape. A continuous supply of a strand (e.g., colored thread) is provided and is introduced into the filter material gathered composite in the tongue of the filter making unit. The filter material and continuous strand positioned therein are formed into a continuous rod having the strand material laterally positioned within that rod, and the continuous rod is subdivided at pre-determined longitudinal intervals to provide a plurality of rod portions. |
| US07740018B1 |
Non-invasive laser treatment of large varices
The invention is directed to a method, a laser system, and a kit for non-invasive treatment and removal of varices. In particular the invention allows for non-invasive laser treatment of large varices, such as varices having a diameter larger than 5 mm. The method of treatment can apply presently available dermatological lasers. The invention further propose developments and additions to presently available dermatological lasers making these particularly applicable to the treatment method. |
| US07740016B1 |
Ankle and foot immobilizer
The present invention discloses an ankle and foot immobilizer has a base, a spine perpendicular to the base, and a shoulder perpendicular to both the base and spine. A foot cover is rotatably attached to the shoulder and engageable to the foot so that the sole is either resting upon the base to obtain a top view of the foot or so that the sole is resting against the spine to obtain a side-view of the foot. A vertical leg support that is releasably attached to the spine is provided to secure the leg in a vertical fashion. A horizontal leg support that is releasably attached to the spine is provided to secure the leg in a horizontal fashion. The base can have a cassette holder to so that a separate cassette holder is not required. The immobilizer has an anchor that can be releasably secured to a standard x-ray table such as a suction cup. |
| US07740015B2 |
Medical displaceable contouring mechanism
One aspect relates to reducing a pressure differential across one or more supporting surfaces of a body surface of an individual at least partially by displacing at least one displaceable contouring unit to at least partially conform to one or more contours of the body surface of the individual. Certain aspects can relate to stabilizing at least the one or more supporting surfaces of the body surface of the individual at least partially with at least one of the at least one displaceable contouring unit Other aspects can relate to relatively displacing at least one displaceable contouring unit with respect to a medical device portion based at least in part on a contour of an individual to support at least a portion of the individual while limiting pressure applied to the individual. |
| US07740013B2 |
Oxygen concentrating apparatus and execution support method of home oxygen therapy using the same
In order to enable a medical worker to certainly and easily know whether a patient on a home oxygen therapy, who continues to inhale an oxygen-enriched gas at home, performs the inhalation as prescribed, a history of a supply condition of the oxygen-enriched gas supplied to the patient is recorded and held as supply history information, this supply history information is compared with a prescription of the oxygen therapy of the patient to generate patient's compliance information to indicate the degree to which the oxygen therapy is performed in accordance with the prescription, the oxygen concentrating apparatus is constructed to be portable, and a doctor can confirm the patient's compliance information at the time of going to a medical institution regularly. |
| US07740011B1 |
Archery bow
An archery bow includes a bottom limb with first and second ends, a top limb with first and second ends, a leaf spring attached to the bottom limb, a bowstring spanning limb distals pivotally connected top and bottom limbs, such that a cantilevered second end of the top limb enacts a tension on the spring. A bow includes a bottom limb with first and second ends, an axial slot in the second end, a front and rear slat, a top limb with first and second ends, wherein the second end fits movably within the slot, a bowstring spanning limb distals, top and bottom limbs pivotally connected, such that a cantilevered second end of the top limb movingly fits the slot and drawback deforms the slats. A bow includes opposing limbs pivotally connected with spaced distal ends spanned by a bowstring, a cantilevered limb directly enacting a tension on a spring on the opposing limb. |
| US07740009B2 |
Spark control for improved engine operation
A system for controlling spark of an engine is disclosed. In one embodiment, a number of sparks produced by a spark plug is varied. The system may improve engine operation, at least during some conditions. |
| US07740006B2 |
Fuel-feeding devices
A fuel-feeding device may preferably include a pressure control valve capable of controlling a pressure of pressurized fuel that includes a housing having an inner cavity, a first movable dividing wall, a second movable dividing wall, a valve unit and a resilient member. The first and second movable dividing walls divide the housing cavity to a pressure controlling chamber, a back pressure chamber, and an open chamber positioned between the pressure controlling chamber and the back pressure chamber. The second movable dividing wall is arranged and constructed to move to a retracted position or an advanced position depending upon whether back pressure fuel is introduced into the back pressure chamber, thereby setting the resilient member to two different set loads. |
| US07739999B2 |
Method and apparatus to control combustion in a multi-cylinder homogeneous charge compression-ignition engine
A method and apparatus are provided to control combustion in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine operating in a controlled auto-ignition mode with minimum combustion phasing error using a least amount of fuel reforming. This comprises monitoring combustion in each cylinder, and determining a target combustion phasing. Fuel delivery to each cylinder is selectively controlled effective to achieve the target combustion phasing, and, effective to achieve the target combustion phasing further comprises controlling the fuel delivery effective to equilibrate combustion phasing of the cylinders. |
| US07739997B2 |
Remote drain and filter arrangement for a portable generator system
A remote drain and filter arrangement for a portable engine-driven generator is disclosed that positions the oil filter and oil drain at a location outside the enclosure of the generator. The arrangement generally consists of an oil filter assembly and oil drain assembly. The oil filter assembly includes an oil filter adapter used to interface with the oil filter and is coupled to the engine via oil conduits. The oil drain assembly includes an oil drain conduit and a flow control device that allows the oil to be drained from a location outside of the enclosure of the generator. A pump can be used to allow for sufficiently longer oil conduits. The invention is retrofittable to current engine-driven generators and can also be incorporated into future designs. |
| US07739995B2 |
Cylinder head gasket
A cylinder head gasket for an open deck engine includes a first metal plate having a folded portion extending from a curved portion and located under the base portion, and a second metal plate having an inner portion disposed on the folded portion, an outer portion outside the inner portion and a first half bead provided between the inner and outer portions. An annular bead plate having a full bead is provided on the inner portion of the second metal plate, and an intermediate plate is provided on the outer portion of the second metal plate, wherein an inner end portion of the intermediate plate is disposed under an outer edge of the annular bead plate. A total thickness of the metal plates at the flange is equal to a total thickness of the metal plates outside the flange including the inner end portion. |
| US07739994B2 |
Thermoelectric system for an engine
An internal combustion engine that includes a block, a cylinder head having an intake valve port and exhaust valve port formed therein, a piston, and a combustion chamber defined by the block, the piston, and the head. At least one thermoelectric device is positioned within either or both the intake valve port and the exhaust valve port. Each of the valves is configured to move within a respective intake and exhaust valve port thereby causing said valves to engage the thermoelectric devices resulting in heat transfer from the valves to the thermoelectric devices. The intake valve port and exhaust valve port are configured to fluidly direct intake air and exhaust gas, respectively, into the combustion chamber and the thermoelectric device is positioned within the intake valve port, and exhaust valve port, such that the thermoelectric device is in contact with the intake air and exhaust gas. |
| US07739992B2 |
Starting system for small-sized engine
A starting system for a small-sized engine is described which achieves downsizing, light-weight, and cost reduction of the system, prevents entry of dust or foreign substances at the time of assembly, and achieves easy assembly of a motor. The starting system for a small-sized engine includes a recoil starting system and a motor starting system integrated in a starter case, in which the motor starting system has a configuration in which a pinion is mounted on an output shaft of a reducer motor by an one-way clutch of a needle bearing and the pinion is engaged with a starting gear 6 of an engine, and the starter case has a configuration in which an inner lid is secured to a crankcase of the engine together by a screw and the inner lid has a joint portion with respect to the crankcase and a mounting seat for the reducer motor on the outside thereof. |
| US07739988B2 |
Variable valve timing system and method for controlling the same
An intake valve phase setting unit sets the target valve phase used in the variable valve timing control based on the engine operating state, and a control target value setting unit sets the control target value based on the target valve phase. An actuator operation amount setting unit prepares the rotational speed command value for an electric motor that serves as an actuator of a variable valve timing system based on the deviation of the current value from the control target value. A phase change rate control unit sets the rate of change in the valve phase to a lower value when the variable valve timing control moves the valve phase away from the reference phase (the phase when the engine is idling) at which combustion takes place stably in engine than when the variable valve timing control causes the valve phase to the reference phase. |
| US07739982B2 |
Bird feeder
A squirrel resistant bird feeder having a seed container, a seed tray mounted below the seed container, a shroud extending about the seed member and seed tray, the shroud having openings in a lower portion thereof, with a spring member mounted internally of the seed container and being enclosed by a central tube, the spring member having a first end thereof abutting a portion of the seed tray and a second end acting on the cover and shroud. Any excessive weight placed on the shroud or cover will cause the shroud to move downwardly covering the seed tray. |
| US07739981B2 |
Liquid droplet ejection apparatus, method for forming pattern, and method for manufacturing electro-optic device
A liquid droplet ejection apparatus has a droplet ejecting portion and an energy beam radiating portion. The liquid droplet ejecting portion ejects droplets containing pattern forming material onto an ejection target surface. The energy beam radiating portion radiates an energy beam onto a boundary between the droplets that have been received by the ejection target surface at different timings so as to move boundary areas of the droplets. Accordingly, using the liquid droplet ejection apparatus, a pattern having an accurately defined shape can be formed. |
| US07739979B2 |
Tumble breading system, and related method
A tumble breading system for applying a breading material to a food includes a housing designating an internal clean area, and an infeed belt for conveying the breading material and the food, arranged across the infeed belt in an infeed order, into the clean area. A rotary assembly with a plurality of vertically offset, rotating tumblers accepts and tumbles the food with the breading material as the tumblers rotate, to bread the food. An output belt accepts the breaded food from the tumblers and conveys the breaded foods from the clean area and the housing. The food arrives at the output belt in substantially the infeed order. |
| US07739975B1 |
Roll formed pontoon and method of manufacture
A method for making a pontoon for a pontoon boat and the pontoon made from the method. The method having an initial step of providing a sheet metal strip that has a width and a length. The strip is then formed longitudinally through successive rollers to provide a central portion having a closed cross section in which the lateral edges of the strip meet. After this stage of the process, end caps are formed at each end of the central portion. Typically, one of the end caps is a nose cone that is pointed and cuts the water as the boat moves forward. The end caps may be formed independently and separately of the strip or may be formed from material at the end of the formed strip. |
| US07739971B2 |
Systems and methods for assembling components of a fabric-covered prosthetic heart valve
A system and method for assembling a prosthetic heart valve, including a procedure for tightly wrapping fabric around a heart valve support stent having a highly contoured undulating outflow edge. A mandrel retains tension without manual assistance in a tubular length of fabric wrapped over the support stent, and includes relatively axially movable inner and outer clamping mechanisms and a pedestal tube on which the support stent rests. The clamping mechanisms include clamps that pull the fabric only in the support stent cusps. The mandrel assembly may be placed in a chuck of a sewing machine system for automatically forming the seam. A small shuttle with bobbin thread reciprocates within a channel inside of the support stent and cooperates with the sewing machine needle to form a lock-stitch in the fabric tube. The mechanization of the fabric covering procedure greatly enhances manufacturing throughput and reduces ergonomic strain on workers. |
| US07739970B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming variable loop pile over level cut loop pile tufts
A tufting machine that includes spaced rows of needles of inserting yarns into a backing material. The needles are engaged by opposed loopers and level cut loop pile hooks that pass between one another so as to engage the opposite row of needles for forming cut pile and loop pile tufts of yarns in the backing material. |
| US07739969B1 |
Side dressing shield
An ammonia knife assembly is mounted onto a toolbar and is moved across a field to apply ammonia into the bottom of a trench. The ammonia knife assembly includes a knife for piercing the ground and creating the trench, an ammonia supply tube, and a horizontal shield attached to the knife. The shield has a rounded portion extending forwardly from the leading edge and two side portions extending outwardly from the sides of the knife for deflecting any dirt particles that may be thrown upwardly and outwardly from the leading edge of the knife as it pierces the ground. |
| US07739963B2 |
Breakaway tray assembly
A breakaway tray assembly for supporting items is disclosed. The tray assembly has a first tray that is movably attached to a support structure and a second tray that is pivotally attached to and extends from the first tray. The support structure has a bracket that supports the first tray in the extended generally horizontal position and can assist in holding the first tray in a generally vertical position when said first tray is placed in a stored-away position. The second tray has an upright position wherein it is generally coplanar with and semi-rigidly extends from the first tray. The second tray also has a breakaway position where it is not generally coplanar with the first tray. |
| US07739961B2 |
Low profile shear pad and adapter
A low profile mounting assembly for use between a rail car side frame pedestal and the rail car roller bearing includes a shear pad and a bearing adapter. In one embodiment, the shear pad has relatively thin plates joined by an elastomeric layer. In another embodiment, the shear pad includes a projection extending downwardly from a plate to be received and retained by a recess defined in a top surface of the adapter. In another embodiment, a central cavity formed in a lower plate of the shear pad cooperates with the adapter top surface to distribute forces on the roller bearing. In another embodiment, an elastomeric projection of a shear pad plate bears against ridges on the adapter top surface to prevent disengagement. |
| US07739955B2 |
Device adjacent to an explosive charge with at least two liners
An explosive charge (3) can be equipped with two liners (4, 5) that can be attached to one another. The primary liner (4) is so devised that when choosing a first choice (11) of being able to work independently and by employing a symmetrical form achieving a forward-aimed Shaped Charge Warhead (SCW) effect upon explosive charge initiation by means of the material (7, 8) indicated for the primary liner. A secondary liner (5) is devised with a second choice (12) to be able to work together with the primary liner and together cause an asymmetric form that distributes the material (18, 19) from the liners at different velocities to thereby cause a forward-directed fragmentation effect. The ammunition unit (1) can, thus, be designed or prepared for two different combat cases in a technologically simple and unambiguous manner. |
| US07739952B2 |
Printing apparatus and method of tension control
A printing apparatus performs printing on a web of printing paper while transporting the printing paper along a transport path. The printing apparatus includes a first transport mechanism located upstream in the transport path, and a second transport mechanism located downstream in the transport path. The transport speed of the printing paper in the first transport mechanism is controlled so that a tension value measured by a first tension sensor provided near the first transport mechanism approaches a predetermined value. The transport speed of the printing paper in the second transport mechanism is controlled so that a tension value measured by a second tension sensor provided near the second transport mechanism approaches the tension value measured by the first tension sensor. Thus, the tension of the printing paper is maintained at the predetermined value in the two locations along the transport path. The printing apparatus presents no hunting problem because the tension control using the predetermined value as a target value is effected only in the first transport mechanism. |
| US07739946B2 |
Apparatus for brewing coffee
An apparatus for brewing coffee, in particular for a coffee machine (1), comprises a brewing chamber (19) which is enclosed by a housing (10) and has a base (12) with an outflow (40) provided on one side and a nozzle assembly (8, 9, 11) provided on the opposite side, the nozzle assembly (8, 9, 11) comprising a nozzle (11) for supplying a fluid. The base (12) can be moved within the housing (10) and, depending on the degree to which the brewing chamber (19) is filled, the base (12) can be fixed in different positions for the brewing operation. It is thus possible for the apparatus for brewing coffee, while being of straightforward construction, to be adapted in a flexible manner to the desired quantity of coffee. |
| US07739945B2 |
Bent axis pump
A bent axis pump wherein the coupling between a cylinder body and a connecting pin of a back body takes place by the interposition of a bush suitable for guiding the rotation of the cylinder body limiting the friction between the cylinder body and the pin. The pin life is considerably extended. |
| US07739944B2 |
Fluid operated rotary drive
A fluid operated rotary drive comprises a drive housing (2) and an output shaft (4) able to be caused to oscillate in relation to it and having a pivotal abutment arranged on it which cooperates with a counter abutment (34 and 35). The pivotal abutment is able to be positioned about the longitudinal axis (8) of the output shaft (4) in different abutment settings and is able to be clamped in a releasable manner respectively against a clamping face (56) on the housing by means of a clamping means (53). The counter abutment (34 and 35) has an anchoring structure comprising at least one anchoring projection and opposite to it there is an anchoring face extending at least for some distance about the longitudinal axis (8) of the drive shaft and prior to initial fitting of the at least one counter abutment (34 and 35) being smooth, the anchoring structure being able to bite into the anchoring face on clamping the counter abutment (34 and 35) with the formation of at least one recess structure (61) having an anchoring recess (65). |
| US07739940B2 |
Directional control valve device and fluid pressure cylinder device
In a directional control valve device, a first passage connects a second port with a first port by using a part of a movement path of a moving valve element when the moving valve element is in a position of a first end. A second passage connects the second port with the third port by using an internal passage of the moving valve element when the moving valve element is in a second end. The moving valve element is provided with a first check valve for permitting a flow in the internal passage only in the direction from the third port to the second port. When a fluid pressure is applied to the third port, the fluid pressure presses the moving valve element toward the second end so that the first passage is closed, and the first check valve is opened to open the second passage. |
| US07739937B2 |
Band saw blade guide
A band saw blade guide includes a cylindrical chisel shaped member mounted at an oblique angle to a band saw blade. The blade guide adjusts the angle of the band saw blade by rotation of the guide about its axis. By rotating the guide about its axis, the angle of the chisel point guiding surface is changed thereby changing the angle of the blade. Further the blade may be guided by a single guide forced against one surface of the blade thereby eliminating the need for guides on both sides of the blade. |
| US07739935B2 |
Lateral separating device for paper webs
A device for the lateral separation of paper webs, including: a paper introduction region with at least one driven web supply roller; a buffer region, in which the web is prepared for discontinuous forward motion; a cutting device; and a paper lead-off region with discontinuous web forward motion; the device further including at least a first tube group having two tubes which may be moved relative to at least a third tube of the tube group, perpendicular to the web. The tube group (120; 150) is arranged intermediate the paper introduction region having merger region tubes and a discontinuously driven paper web roller in order to form a turning web loop of varying length. The length as determined by the separation between the tubes of the tube group is regulated by a controller, in connection with the driven web supply roller and the discontinuous web forward motion. |
| US07739930B2 |
Universal key
The invention relates to a universal key (1), particularly a control cabinet key, with multiple key arms (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), on which tool heads (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) and/or retainers (5) for attaching tool heads (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) or bits (6) are arranged, where at least one key arm (2a, 2b) forms a pen-shaped, hollow handle (3), and the hollow handle (3) displays at least one opening (10, 11), through which at least one other key arm (2c, 2d) can be folded out and in. (FIG. 1) |
| US07739929B2 |
Structural component, a shielding component in particular
In a structural component (1), a shielding component in particular, with individual adjacent component sections (21, 23) that can be brought at least partially by a functional unit (25) into a definable three-dimensional position to each other along an action line. The functional unit (25) is divided into component units (27, 29, 31) enabling definable positioning along at least one further action line (29) extending at a definable distance adjacent to one action line (27). |
| US07739927B2 |
Adjusting device for positioning a load
An adjusting device for positioning a load comprises a spindle-type lifting gear, first and second bearing brackets with bearing pins that engage in a respective bearing bush of the gear unit housing for the swivelable bearing support of the gear unit housing of the spindle-type lifting gear, a driving motor with a motor shaft, and a motor flange unit with a flange housing that is rigidly connected to the driving motor on one side and to the gear unit housing on the other side. The flange housing is secured to one of the side surfaces of the gear unit housing at which the bearing bushes of the gear unit housing are arranged. The driveshaft of the spindle-type lifting gear extends parallel to the swiveling axis around which the spindle-type lifting gear is swivelable. The flange housing has, on the side facing the swiveling axis, a recess into which part of the end portion of the arm of the bearing bracket adjacent to the flange housing projects. |
| US07739919B2 |
Test specimen holder
A test specimen holder includes at least one pair of wedges, a plurality of pistons and a tie bar connected to each of the pistons. A single cylinder body is operable with each of the pistons and the wedges. The cylinder body is adapted to urge the wedges together with relative movement of the cylinder body with respect to the pistons. |
| US07739918B1 |
Adhesion testing device
The present invention provides a testing apparatus and method for testing the adhesion of a coating to a surface. The invention also includes an improved testing button or dolly for use with the testing apparatus and a self aligning button hook or dolly interface on the testing apparatus. According to preferred forms, the apparatus and method of the present invention are simple, portable, battery operated rugged, and inexpensive to manufacture and use, are readily adaptable to a wide variety of uses, and provide effective and accurate testing results. The device includes a linear actuator driven by an electric motor coupled to the actuator through a gearbox and a rotatable shaft. The electronics for the device are contained in the head section of the device. At the contact end of the device, is positioned a self aligning button hook, attached below the load cell located on the actuator shaft. |
| US07739917B2 |
Pipe formability evaluation for expandable tubulars
A method of testing a tubular member and selecting tubular members for suitability for expansion by subjecting a representative sample the tubular member to axial loading, stretching at least a portion of the tubular member through elastic deformation, plastic yield and to ultimate yield, and based upon changes in length and area calculating an expandability coefficient indicative of expandability of the tubular members and selecting tubular members with relatively high coefficients indicative of good expandability. |
| US07739911B2 |
Ultrasonic characterization of solid liquid suspensions
Using an ultrasonic field, properties of a solid liquid suspension such as through-transmission attenuation, backscattering, and diffuse field are measured. These properties are converted to quantities indicating the strength of different loss mechanisms (such as absorption, single scattering and multiple scattering) among particles in the suspension. Such separation of the loss mechanisms can allow for direct comparison of the attenuating effects of the mechanisms. These comparisons can also indicate a model most likely to accurately characterize the suspension and can aid in determination of properties such as particle size, concentration, and density of the suspension. |
| US07739909B2 |
Acoustic fluid level monitoring
A product including a cryogenic container and an acoustic sensor positioned to sense the resonant frequency of the container and any liquid contents therein. |
| US07739907B2 |
Container for physiological fluids
A container includes a chamber for containing fluid. At least one sensor is disposed within the chamber for sensing a property of fluid in the container. A unit that receives a signal from the sensor communicates with a device that displays the property of the fluid in the container. The container may include first and second chambers. A first sensor is disposed within the first chamber. The first sensor is in contact with fluid in the first chamber. The first sensor senses a volume of fluid in the first chamber. A second sensor is disposed within the second chamber. The second sensor is in contact with fluid in the second chamber. The second sensor senses a volume of fluid in the second chamber. A diverter may direct fluid from an inlet to a bottom portion of the chamber and prevents the fluid from contacting the sensor. A releasable device may prevent fluid from flowing from the first chamber to the second chamber. The releasable device permits fluid to flow from the first chamber into the second chamber upon release of the releasable device. An element of the sensor may have a first portion with an electrical resistance per unit length greater than an electrical resistance per unit length of a second portion of the element. A shunt resistor extending between lower portions of first and second elements of the sensor may have a resistance equal to approximately 0.08 times a resistance of the sensor when the chamber is empty. |
| US07739906B2 |
Sensor module, wheel with sensor and tire/wheel assembly
A sensor module includes a substrate having a cavity in a surface thereof; a first sensor inside the cavity; a second sensor inside the cavity; and a lid body sealing the cavity and including an internal surface. The second sensor includes a first electrode located on an internal surface of the lid body and a second electrode located in the cavity. |
| US07739905B2 |
Method of estimating a height of water in contact with a tire on a road
A method of estimating the height of water (hw) that is present on a wet ground of a road and that is in contact with a tread of a tire of a vehicle travelling on this wet road utilizes one or more sensors in the tread of the tire. Each of the one or more sensors is capable of measuring a characteristic quantity of stresses that the tread experiences locally when the tire is rolling on the ground. A signal corresponding to these measurements is produced, and a portion of this signal relating to a passing of the one or more sensors into an apparent area of contact between the tire and the ground is extracted. An instantaneous value (ΔL), relating to a length of an indirect contact region of the apparent area of contact between the tread of the tire and the ground, is determined from this information, and a water height (hw) is estimated from a calculation that takes into account the determined instantaneous value. |
| US07739904B2 |
Abnormality detection apparatus and method for oil level sensor
An abnormality detection apparatus for detecting an abnormality of an oil level sensor having lower and upper oil level detectors includes: a recording portion that records the output of the upper oil level detector before the internal combustion engine is started; and a determining portion that determines that the upper oil level detector has an abnormality if the output of the lower oil level detector is indicating, after the start of the internal combustion engine, that the oil level is higher than the first reference oil level while the output of the upper oil level detector recorded by the recording portion is indicating that the oil level was lower than the second reference oil level before the start of the internal combustion engine. |
| US07739902B2 |
Portable solution detector for identifying chemical solutions including from chemical spills
A detector and detection method for identifying unknown chemical solutions following chemical spills includes a specific gravity detector including a detector column having an inlet end operable to collect a sample of a solution, wherein the detector column is formed of an optically transparent material to allow visual observation of the sample in the detector column. At least a first plurality of specific gravity floats including a first specific gravity float is located and moveable within the detector column, wherein the first specific gravity float has a density to float in liquids having a specific gravity of greater than a first density level. At least a second specific gravity float is located and moveable within the detector column, wherein the second specific gravity float has a density to float in liquids having a specific gravity greater than the first density level. A sample of an unknown solution from a site of a chemical spill is introduced into the detector column. A float response of the first plurality of specific gravity floats is observed and based on the observation a presence or absence of at least one chemical solution in the unknown solution is identified. |
| US07739901B2 |
System and method for detecting and quantifying changes in the mass content of liquid storage containers
A storage tank leak detection system, including a quartz crystal type pressure transducer held at a constant temperature, a bubbler-based pressure sensor for reporting tank bottom pressure measurements to the transducer, a fluid surface measurement apparatus to report liquid surface pressure to the transducer, atmospheric pressure measuring apparatus, and a computing system for, based on data reported by all components, effecting data correction (corrected for atmospheric and container physical variations during data gathering) and regression techniques to yield data indicative of changes, if any, in mass content of a liquid storage container, such as a surface storage tank for petroleum and other chemicals. |
| US07739895B2 |
Verification of scale calibration method and apparatus
A method of determining whether a scale in a fluid handling device needs to be calibrated includes weighing a storage tank of fluid a first time with a scale, transferring the fluid from the storage tank to an area of known volume, weighing the storage tank at a second time with the scale, after fluid has been moved to the area of known volume, determining the pressure of the fluid in the area of known volume with a pressure sensor, calculating a temperature of the fluid in the area of known volume with the determined pressure, calculating the weight of fluid in the area of known volume based on the calculated temperature, calculating the weight of fluid in the area of known volume based on the determined temperature and temperature, comparing a difference in weight of the storage tank between the first and second weighing times with the weight of the fluid in the area of known volume; and sending a first signal to a user indicating a calibration of the scale is not needed if the difference between the compared weights of the fluid is within a predetermined range. |
| US07739893B2 |
2-way reinforcement bending machine
A two-way bending machine for a reinforcement includes a hollow worktable with a top, a drive mechanism, a bending mechanism and a retaining mechanism, the drive mechanism powered by a bi-directional motor to drive the bending mechanism at a reduced rotation, the bending mechanism being extended to the top where a turntable is provided, multiple positioning holes at the center of and on the turntable for insertion of a positioning member and a retaining member to hold the reinforcement in position, the retaining mechanism including two retaining blocks, a track and an air cylinder with both retaining blocks alternatively traveling laterally to get close to the left or the right side of the turntable to serve a support in the bending. |
| US07739892B2 |
Method of manufacturing seamless pipes
Seamless pipes excellent in quality features with high productivity is made by a by carrying out piercing-rolling using a piercer provided with a pair of inclined rolls. The piercing-rolling is carried out under conditions such that the plug tip draft (TDFT) or the root of the product of the plug tip draft (TDFT) are controlled along with the number of billet revolutions (N), namely (TDFT×N)0.5. In addition, positions of the inclined rolls are controlled in connection with the gorge draft (GDFT) indicating the ratio of the roll gap (Rg) which is minimal in the gorge section between the inclined rolls to the billet outside diameter (Bd). The piercing-rolling is carried out using a plug having a particular shape. |
| US07739881B2 |
Refrigeration cycle
A refrigeration cycle controls a second evaporator while a first evaporator is operating. The refrigeration cycle of the present invention makes a differential pressure between an inlet refrigerant pressure and an outlet refrigerant pressure of a second evaporator solenoid valve when starting or stopping the second evaporator during operation of the first evaporator smaller than the differential pressure when operating only the first evaporator, then opening or closing the second evaporator solenoid valve. |
| US07739879B2 |
Methods and apparatus to reduce or prevent bridging in an ice storage bin
Embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus to reduce or prevent bridging in an ice storage bin. In one embodiment, a storage bin for ice with an apparatus to reduce or prevent bridging within the ice storage bin is provided. The apparatus can include a probe hole positioned above an access door and opening, and also above an internal baffle. The probe hole can be sized to receive a probe used to break up bridges or clumps of ice within the ice storage bin. |
| US07739873B2 |
Gas turbine engine combustor hot streak control
A gas turbine engine combustion system includes a plurality of fuel injectors circumferentially disposed around a combustor in a one to one fuel supply relationship with a plurality of fuel nozzle valves, and an electronic controller for controlling the fuel nozzle valves to eliminate and/or reduce hot streaking in response to sensed hot streak conditions. The fuel nozzle valves may be modulating valves. The electronic controller may be used to individually control the fuel nozzle valves. The hot streak conditions may be sensed with temperature sensors such as temperature sensors operably mounted in the combustor. A program in the electronic controller may be used for determining broken or malfunctioning sensors by calculating a combustor temperature and comparing it to measured temperatures from the sensors and comparing the measured fuel pressures in the individual fuel nozzle circuits with the simulated or calculated fuel pressures. |
| US07739870B2 |
Hydrostatic transmission
A transmission for a vehicle includes a fixed displacement pump operable to produce a high pressure flow and a fixed displacement motor. A fluid flow path is disposed between the pump and the motor. The fluid flow path is integrated into a housing containing at least one of the pump and the motor. A single control valve controls the direction and the speed of the motor. |
| US07739863B1 |
Rope structure with improved bending fatigue and abrasion resistance characteristics
A rope structure adapted to engage an external structure comprising a primary strength component and a coating. The primary strength component comprises a plurality of fibers. The coating comprises a lubricant portion and a binder portion that fixes the lubricant portion relative to at least some of the fibers. The coating is applied to the primary strength component such that the lubricant portion reduces friction between adjacent fibers and reduces friction between fibers and the external structure. |
| US07739861B2 |
Corn head clutch monitor
A system for determining slippage of row unit or chopping unit slip clutches of a corn head includes a microcomputer coupled to at least one vibration sensor and a display or aural annunciator. A slipping clutch or group of clutches including a slipping clutch may be identified by recognizing a speed dependent predominant frequency. A slipping clutch or group of clutches including a slipping clutch may be identified by comparing magnitudes or times of receipt of vibrations from a pair of sensors. A slipping clutch or group of clutches including a slipping clutch may also be identified by comparing vibrations received from a single sensor with known location identifying magnitudes. |
| US07739860B2 |
Device for packaging items, in particular confectionery
Device for packaging items, in particular confectionery, such as for example lollipops, comprising a packaging conveyor having a series of holders rotating along a movement path for holding each item and its associated packaging sheet securely during conveying, a feed station for feeding the items and the packaging sheets to the packaging conveyor and a discharge station for discharging the items packaged on the conveyor, the packaging conveyor being provided with means for closing the packaging sheet on the respective item and with a series of heat-sealing means co-rotating with the holders for heat-sealing the closed packaging by supplying heat, each of the heat-sealing means comprising a sheet gripper which is provided with a heating body, the device furthermore comprising means for heating each heating body and means for controlling the heating means, the control means being designed for controlling the heating means for each heating body. |
| US07739858B2 |
Method for forming individual letters provided with envelopes
A method for forming individual letters provided with envelopes from printed same-size sheets, includes pre-printed envelope forms for forming the envelopes, and in the immediate vicinity of each envelope form one or more letter forms for forming a letter or letters and inserting them in the envelope. The envelope form is led as such to envelope formation; the letter forms are cut at least on one side into letters which are smaller than the letter forms; the letters are brought to contact with the envelope form; the envelope form is folded in two around the letters and glued at the side edges to form an open envelope; and the open flap of the envelope is glued and folded so that a sealed letter provided with an envelope is formed. |
| US07739855B2 |
Automated clippers
Pivotable clipper assemblies for attaching at least one closure clip to a product held in netting include a pivotable clipper mechanism having a clipper body configured to deliver clips to a clip window and attach the clips to netting and a first cutting cartridge mounted to the pivotable clipper mechanism. The first cutting cartridge includes: (a) a knife; (b) an actuation cylinder with a rod in communication with the knife that advances and retracts the knife; and (c) an anti-rotation block attached to a rear of the knife intermediate the knife and rod to inhibit the knife and rod from rotating, wherein, in operation, the first cutting cartridge pivots with the clipper mechanism. |
| US07739854B2 |
Column and bed of machine tool
A technique of easy manufacture of a column and a bed of a machine tool in a short time is provided by having an assembly structure of sheet metal members. A column body of the machine tool is constituted by combining a front member 110 with a rear member 130 and mounting a side cover. Its inside is reinforced by a plurality of ribs 150, 160. Each of the members is made by precision laser machining of sheet plate materials. The column body is assembled by inserting projection portions provided on one member into slits formed on the other member. |
| US07739853B2 |
Construction module arrangement
A construction module having a multi-layered top panel, a multi-layered intermediate panel and a multi-layered bottom panel which are bonded together and desired cavities are provided through one or more of the top panel, intermediate panel and bottom panel. |
| US07739850B2 |
Building construction components
A stud that may be used as a header, as a sill, as a jamb stud, in a support post assembly and as a floor girder. In one embodiment, the stud has a substantially planar web, a first flange and a second flange that each protrude from the web. A first leg protrudes from the first flange such that the first leg is substantially parallel to the substantially planar header web. Likewise, a second leg protrudes from the second flange such that it is substantially parallel to the substantially planar header web. A first return protrudes from the first leg and a second return protrudes from the second leg. Stiffener ribs may be provided in at least one of the web, the first and second flanges and/or the first and second legs. |
| US07739838B2 |
Quickly and easily assembleable portable bleacher
An easily and quickly assembleable bleacher includes basic light-weight component which can be assembled by one person, if necessary, and without the use of tools. The assembly includes a latching and locking mechanism for attaching the seat boards, foot boards and riser boards without the use of fasteners, and most of the other connections are made with pinned connections that save time and assembly. The upper guard rails are attached to lie in a slight rearwardly angled plane that provides comfort for the spectators and also facilitates assembly. |
| US07739837B2 |
Electric power-feeding structure
An electric power-feeding structure for feeding electric power to a moving body which is driven to be raised or lowered, includes: an arm having a distal end connected to the moving body movably in a horizontal direction and a proximal end rotatably driven to swing, to thereby drive the raising or lowering of the moving body. An electrical wire is routed alongside the arm, and one end of the electrical wire extending from the distal end is connected to the moving body. In a vicinity of a rotating shaft of the arm, the electrical wire is fixed to the arm at a first fixing point and to a base for supporting the arm at a second fixing point. The first fixing point is provided on a straight line defined by the rotating shaft and the second fixing point when the arm is at an intermediate position of its swinging range. |
| US07739835B2 |
Opening device
An opening mechanism having a cover assembly, a base mounting plate, and a lever member. The lever member has a first arm and a second arm, which pivot from a first position to a second position. The movement of the arms from the first position to the second position causes one of the arms to move a closure from a closed position to an open position. |
| US07739830B1 |
Vacuum-creating fly swatter
A vacuum-creating fly swatter. A blade is flat and a handle is hand-held, slender, elongated, and extends from the blade. The blade has a plurality of through bores that are diamond-shaped and extend in a specific configuration forming a vacuum when the blade is swatted, thereby sucking in a fly. The plurality of through bores include one central through bore and four peripheral through bores. The four peripheral through bores, each of which is 1 cm high and ½ cm wide, are positioned substantially at corners of a rectangle. Two peripheral through bores are ½″ from a forward edge of the blade, are 2¾″ apart from each other, and are ⅝″ from a pair of side edges of the blade, respectively. The other two peripheral through bores are 2½″ back from the two peripheral through bores, are 2¾″ apart from each other, and are ½″ from the pair of side edges, respectively. The one central through bore is central to the four peripheral through bores, is 1½ cm high, and is 1 cm wide. |
| US07739829B2 |
Killing insect pests inside wood by vacuum dehydration
Insect pests can be transported around the world in wooden shipping containers. To prevent the spread of wood-borne insect pests, it is necessary to kill insects within the wood. The wood is placed in a vacuum container having a flexible wall. The flexible wall presses against the wood and enables the wood to be heated by conduction. The wood and flexible wall can to be heated by contact with ambient or heated air, for example. Desiccant or dry air can be used to increase the rate of dehydration. Insects in the wood are typically killed after losing 25-50% of their body weight by dehydration. This technique will kill beetle larvae, nematodes and other invasive and destructive insects that live inside solid wood, and is particularly applicable for rendering wood acceptable for use in pallets and other containers shipped internationally. |
| US07739823B2 |
Fire control system using a LIDAR (laser identification, detection and ranging) unit
A fire control system that includes an array of photodiode elements. For each element of the photodiode array, there is a specific optical path in the atmosphere leading from the laser to a target and back from the target to the element. Accordingly, each element of the detector array can be regarded as if illuminated by a distinct light source. For short time periods (in the range of tens to hundreds of milliseconds) the shape or spatial distribution of the refractive-index irregularities does not significantly change, and the irregularities drift with the atmospheric wind. By measuring the signal fluctuations by any element of the photodiode array, it is possible to compute the crosswind velocity. By comparing signal fluctuations patterns of two or more elements it is possible to define the wind direction and to determine the turbulence strength value. |
| US07739821B1 |
Folding pistol
A lightweight, compact, collapsible, and easily concealed pistol. The pistol has a barrel and a handgrip which are pivotally attached to the frame. The barrel is locked to the frame by a barrel lock. Operation of the barrel lock releases the barrel, allowing the barrel to pivot for reloading. In the collapsed position, the handgrip folds to cover the frame and the trigger, which is retracted therein. In the firing position, the handgrip is rotated away from the barrel, and locks in place via grip locks disposed in the frame, and the trigger extends from the frame. The hammer is pivotally attached to the frame. The hammer incorporates a firing pin. A safety located on the hammer retracts the firing pin within the hammer to prevent firing the pistol in the safe position, and extends the firing pin to fire the pistol. |
| US07739816B2 |
Self-standing flat plate-like article and methods of exhibiting and manufacturing the same
A method for stably and easily exhibiting a flat plate-like article such as a flat exhibited article so as to be easily observed and less turned over and the flat plate-like article stably and simply exhibitable so as to be easily observed and less turned over and manufacturable at low cost. The flat plate-like article comprises two or more flat plate-like members and one or more connection parts. The flat plate-like article is characterized in that (A) any first and second flat plate-like members are connected to each other through the connection part and positioned on the border line of these both members and projected backward from the border line so that they can be double-spread and (B) the flat plate-like article can be self-stood when the first and second flat plate-like members are brought into a double-spread state so that a state that the insides of the first and second flat plate-like members are positioned diagonally upward relative to a ground contact surface when at least a part of the bottom-side of the connection part, at least a part of the bottom-side of the first flat plate-like member, and at least a part of the bottom-side of the second flat plate-like member are used as the ground contact parts. |
| US07739813B2 |
Telescoping boom for excavating apparatus
There is provided a telescoping boom system for an excavating apparatus which includes a linkage member having a pivot segment and lever segment pivoted about a rotating fixed boom. A first hydraulic cylinder is coupled from the fixed boom to the pivot segment. A second hydraulic cylinder is coupled from the lever segment to a retractable outer boom. The first hydraulic cylinder extends to rotate the pivot segment away from a proximate end of the fixed boom, thus forcing the lever segment to rotate towards the proximate end of the fixed boom. The second hydraulic cylinder retracts and combines with the extension force of the first hydraulic cylinder across the linkage member to provide a retraction force to the outer boom. |
| US07739810B2 |
Article of footwear for contact sports
An article of footwear for contact sports is disclosed. The article of footwear also includes pads disposed along its medial and lateral sides, including pads associated with the malleolus. Additionally holes along the toes, the bottom, and at the heel allow for increased contact of the user's foot with the ground, allowing greater feel and balance. |
| US07739804B2 |
Hands-free long level
A level for gauging stud orientation. The level includes an elongate frame, a level indicator secured to the frame, two support arms pivotably secured to the frame to facilitate holding of the level against the stud, and a coordinating arm pivotably secured to each of the support arms for synchronous movement of the support arms. The frame has two side-faces and at least one main reference surface extending therealong and having a mainwidth. The coordinating arm is substantially parallel to the main reference surface. Each support arm has a proximal end and extends to a free distal end to which an end member is secured. Each end member extends from a respective one of the distal ends crosswise with respect to the mainwidth and terminates in a stud-engaging portion which extends in a direction intersecting the plane of the reference surface. When the reference surface is against a stud surface the stud-engaging portions engage the opposite side of the stud for hands-free holding of the level thereagainst. |
| US07739802B2 |
Undercut saw
An undercut saw including a housing, a motor within said housing, a drive shaft rotated by said motor, and a blade mount mechanically linked to said shaft such that a circular saw blade mounted on said mount is rotated when the motor rotates the drive shaft. A fixed blade guard circumscribes a portion of the blade and allows selectable height adjustment of the blade. A stabilization bar on the fixed blade guard may be extended to make the device more stable. On the underside of the fixed blade guard a dust channel allows dust to be swept by the rotating blade into a dust port. The dust channel allows positioning of the dust port away from the leading edges of the fixed blade guard. |
| US07739798B2 |
Dry shaver
A dry shaver has an elongated shaving head with a lengthwise axis. The shaving head carries semi-cylindrical first and second outer cutters disposed on its opposite width ends, as well as a semi-cylindrical finishing cutter and a slit cutter interposed between the first and second outer cutters. The finishing cutter has a finishing foil which is deeply curved than a foil of the first and second outer cutters into an arcuate contour having a width less than that of the first and second outer cutters. The finishing foil disposed behind the first outer cutter comes into contact with a user's skin to make closer shaving than the first and second cutters. |
| US07739795B1 |
Method of manufacturing a corner module assembly
A method of manufacturing a corner module assembly wherein a wheel hub is attached to the knuckle and the knuckle is held by a clamping force applied through locator pads and thereafter a radial mounting surface and first and second bosses on the knuckle are machined into parallel alignment with the bases of the locator pads. After a rotor is fixed against the machined radial mounting flange, the first and second braking surfaces on the rotor finished machined, if necessary, into the same parallel alignment with the bases such that first and second friction member retained in a caliper are located in parallel alignment with the first and second braking surfaces when the caliper that is attached to the first and second bosses on the knuckle and finally attachments surfaces on the knuckle are machined. This sequentially machining substantially eliminates assembly tolerances of the corner module assembly. |
| US07739789B2 |
Method for forming surface graft, conductive film and metal patterns
The present invention provides a method for forming a surface graft, comprising the process of applying energy to the surface of a substrate containing polyimide having a polymerization initiating moiety in the skeleton thereof, to generate active points on the surface of the substrate and to generate a graft polymer that is directly bonded to the surface of the substrate starting from the active points and that has a polar group, and a surface graft material obtained thereby. The present invention also provides a method for forming a conductive film, comprising the processes of applying energy to the surface of a substrate containing polyimide having a polymerization initiating moiety in the skeleton thereof, to generate active points on the surface of the substrate and to generate a graft polymer that is directly bonded to the surface of the substrate starting from the active points and that has a polar group, and causing a conductive material to adhere to the graft polymer, and a conductive material obtained thereby. |
| US07739788B1 |
Support structure with integral retainer tabs for use in spindle motor wire routing
A base plate for magnetic disk drives is provided that includes a hooked protrusion integrated therein between adjacent spindle motor coils. The cross-over wires that span between adjacent coils are secured by the hooked protrusions, thereby optimizing coil height and reducing manufacturing steps. The hook-like protrusions of one embodiment of the present invention are preferably stamped into the base plate. |
| US07739786B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing magnetic head slider
An apparatus and a method for manufacturing a magnetic head slider are to improve product quality of the magnetic head slider while simplifying the process and reducing the manufacturing time. The apparatus includes: holding devices for holding the both ends of a block member of an array of the magnetic head sliders respectively; a cutting device for cutting out a potion in which the magnetic head sliders are to be formed from the block member; and a cut surface treatment device having cut surface treating parts on the front and back surfaces of the cutting device for treating cut surfaces opposite to each other which form the predetermined two cut surfaces of the magnetic head sliders. |
| US07739783B1 |
Head protection system and method
According to some embodiments of the invention, a system for securing a helmet to the head of a user is provided. The system includes a helmet body, and a roll cage disposed substantially within the helmet body. The system also includes at least a portion of a helmet retention system coupled to the roll cage so that a force applied to the strap is transferred to the roll cage before being transferred to the helmet body. |
| US07739781B2 |
Process for producing a stent for angioplasty
A stent has surface sculpturing, preferably on its outer surface only, having, for example, microspheres, having the function of increasing the actual geometric surface area of the stent, of creating undercuts and roughness to encourage the application of coatings of active or activatable agents, as well as of improving the attachment of the stent to the blood vessel wall. |
| US07739780B2 |
Method of manufacturing using a die to produce a machined part
A specific illustrative embodiment of the present invention is disclosed here. The disclosed die tool that will assemble dissimilar materials to form a carrier plate of steel material and an insert of bearing grade material. One die used in the tool is carrier plate itself. The carrier plate provides a die opening to blank and pierce the bearing material into the steel material cavity. |
| US07739778B2 |
High-performance cutting and turning machine and method for machining particularly spectacle lenses
A method for machining particularly spectacle lenses by means of a machine which comprises at least one cutting unit and at least one turning unit in a common working space, wherein at least two spectacle lenses are machined at the same time in the working space, one of said spectacle lenses being cut while the other is turned. The machine frames of the cutting unit and of the turning unit are essentially decoupled from one another in terms of vibration and/or at least two machining units of the machine comprise workpiece spindle units for generating a transverse movement of the spectacle lens to be machined with respect to the respective tool, the workpiece spindle units being arranged essentially perpendicular to one another. As a result, it is possible for spectacle lenses to be machined in an extremely short time with high machining performance and with high surface precision and quality. |
| US07739775B2 |
Restraint apparatus and methods
Restraint apparatus and methods for securing items are disclosed. The restraint apparatus include a retention element including an elongated arm secured to a body. The elongated arm defines a spiral to secure a fitting. The spiral of the elongated arm at least in part may define a gap to receive a fitting. A tether may be secured to the body of the retention element to extend across an item to be secured. |
| US07739771B2 |
Windshield wiper drive assembly with dual sector gear drive
A wiper drive system including a wiper drive mechanism driving a pair of wiper drive arms to sweep a wiper blade across a surface. The wiper drive mechanism has a motor driving a rack engaged with a sector gear that is supported by pivot bearings. Each wiper drive arm is driven by a sector gear. |
| US07739767B2 |
Pigging system
A liquid transport system has a number of access points, referred to generally as nodes, connected to an endless loop of piping such that liquid flowing in the system, to move the liquid from one node to another, flows in two generally discrete paths from a source node to a destination node. In general, any node can be associated with either a liquid source or a liquid destination. A source in a first liquid transfer can act as a destination in a subsequent liquid transfer, and vice versa. A single pigging system can be used to clean substantially the entirety of the liquid transport system among all sources and all destinations, except for leads from the nodes to the sources and/or destinations. The liquid transport system can be cleaned in place, thus to clean all of the piping which runs between the respective nodes in the liquid transport system. |
| US07739765B2 |
Tangling detection for an automatic washer
A method and apparatus for determining the degree of tangling of fabric items during a wash process based on at least one of the motor speed or motor current. |
| US07739764B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring load size and load imbalance in washing machine
A method of determining static and dynamic imbalance conditions in a horizontal axis washing machine utilizes a number of dynamic algorithms to automatically determine the total load size, the magnitude of any static load imbalance, and the magnitude of any dynamic load imbalance for any given load in a given washing machine based on power measurements from the washing machine motor obtained in predetermined speed profiles. |
| US07739761B1 |
Bedding accessory for article storage
A bedding accessory for storing a plurality of articles in the space fully beneath a bed frame includes a sheet portion, side portions appended to an edge of the sheet portion, and storage compartments formed on the side portions. The sheet portion is placed in substantially covering relation to an upper surface of a mattress support structure. The side portions are arranged to hang downwardly from the sheet portion adjacent the space beneath the bed frame. Each storage compartment is configured to retain at last one article therein and is comprised of an outer panel facing outwardly away from the bed frame and an inner panel facing inwardly toward the space beneath the bed frame. The inner and outer panels of each storage compartment jointly define an opening for receipt of an article, and the compartment substantially retains the article in the space fully beneath the bed frame. |
| US07739760B2 |
Bedstead assembly with a foldable support frame
A bedstead assembly includes a support frame and a top plate unit disposed on the support frame. The support frame includes a rectangular foldable frame member convertible between unfolded and folded states. The foldable frame member includes a plurality of parallel non-foldable plates and a plurality of pairs of foldable plates. Any two adjacent non-foldable plates interconnect pivotally one corresponding pair of foldable plates to define a void space when the foldable frame member is in the unfolded state. The void spaces in the foldable frame member are arranged along a direction parallel to the foldable plates. Pivotable plate portions of the foldable plates are perpendicular to the non-foldable plates when the foldable frame member is in the unfolded state, and are parallel to the non-foldable plates when the foldable frame member is in the folded state. |
| US07739751B2 |
Connecting and retaining structure for a shoe covering and trouser leg combination
A connecting and retaining structure for a shoe covering and trouser leg combination includes a connecting portion, a retaining portion, an extension portion, a position fixing portion and a shoe covering, and is capable of covering of the leg portion of a user against rain. A periphery of the retaining portion forms a covering that enables the extension portion and the shoe covering to be retained therein. The shoe covering is joined to a lower end of the extension portion, and is provided with an opening, through which the shoe covering and the extension portion can be rolled up and then disposed within the retaining portion. The extension portion adopts a flexible soft lining having length longer than the connecting portion, and provides an allowance for displacement and extension of the legs of the user when wearing the shoe coverings, thereby enabling unhindered large extending movements of the legs. |
| US07739749B2 |
Reversible, protective garment for military or paramilitary firefighter or emergency worker
A protective garment for a military or paramilitary firefighter or emergency worker has a shell of high visibility with trim that is reflective, fluorescent, or both, a shell of low visibility without such trim, and a moisture barrier between the shells. Being reversible, the protective garment is wearable with either shell facing outwardly and with the other shell facing inwardly. In terms of heat resistance, flame resistance, and tear strength, each shell conform to all applicable standards of NFPA 1971 for outer shells of protective clothing. In terms of thermal protection performance, the protective garment conforms to all applicable standards of NFPA 1971 for all layers of protective clothing. Desirably, the protective garment conforms to the standards of NFPA 1971, no matter which shell faces outwardly when the protective garment is worn, except that the shell of low visibility does not have trim that is reflective, fluorescent, or both. |