最新美国发明专利第2011-02-01期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US07879546B2	Assessment of human papilloma virus-related disease This invention provides methods for assessing HPV infection. Gene expression levels are used to assess the progression of HPV infection from benign to malignant growth. Also provided are kits for carrying out the methods of this invention.
US07879545B2	Identification of novel targets for radio sensitization using a genomic-based radiation sensitivity classifier A classifier to predict cellular radiation sensitivity based on gene expression profiles in thirty-five cell lines from the NCI panel of 60 cancer cell lines (NCI-60), using a novel approach to predictive gene analysis. Three novel genes are provided, retinoblastoma binding protein 4 (RbAp48), G-protein signaling regulator 19 (RGS19) and ribose-5-phosphate isomerase A (R5PIA) whose expression values were correlated with radiation sensitivity.
US07879544B2	Methods of identifying adipocyte specific genes, the genes identified, and their uses Disclosed is a method of identifying genes that are over-expressed in adipose tissue as compared to pre-adipocyte tissue or other tissues comprising performing differential gene expression analysis between the white adipose tissue (WAT) or stromal vascular tissue (SVT) from any two different mice selected from the group consisting of wild-type, HMGI-C −/−, ob/ob, and HMGI-C −/− ob/ob genotype mice. Based on this method a number of nucleotide sequences are identified whose expression is adipocyte specific. The identified nucleotide sequences and their corresponding polypeptides are then used to prevent adipogenesis, to treat diabetes, and to screen for small-molecules that can modulate or prevent adipogenesis and to treat diabetes.
US07879542B2	Methylated gene biomarkers for detecting cancer The present invention includes methods diagnosising of cancer by analysis of a patient sample, particularly for the presence of a methylated SPARC nucleic acid molecule, and particularly for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The invention also includes therapeutic methods for treating cancers by administering to cancers patients therapeutically effective amounts of demethylating agents.
US07879539B2	Improving the post-thaw survival of mammalian blastocyt or sperm by applying hydrostatic pressure prior to cryopreservation The present invention relates to a method for improving post-thaw survival of cryopreserved biological material comprising applying hydrostatic pressure to said biological material; keeping the said biological material at the hydrostatic pressure for a predetermined time period; releasing the hydrostatic pressure; and freezing the said biological material using any protocol applicable thereto. The invention also relates to the use of a pressurizing device for the pretreatment of a biological material that is to be cryopreserved, as well as to a pressurizing device for the pretreatment of a biological material that is to be cryopreserved, said device comprising a pressure chamber for receiving biological material, means to produce said pressure, and means to maintain said pressure in said chamber.
US07879538B2	Frequency division multiplexing (FDM) lithography Systems and methods for generating an image are provided. These systems and methods include generating multiple light beams from a light source by controlling at least one parameter of the light source to be different among each of the multiple light beams. The systems and methods further include forming multiple light patterns of circuit structures that are separated in frequency by directing each of the light beams at a mask of circuit features. The systems and methods, when used in lithography for example, further include directing each of the light patterns toward a silicon substrate. The silicon substrate includes a silicon wafer having a surface at least partially covered with at least one of a photoresist material and a reversible contrast enhancement material (R-CEM).
US07879531B2	Immersion lithography fluids Suitable additives that may be added into immersion fluids, immersion fluids comprising at least one carrier medium selected from an aqueous fluid, a non-aqueous fluid, and mixtures thereof, and immersions fluids comprising at least one carrier medium and at least one additive useful for performing immersion lithography at an operating wavelength ranging from 140 nm to 365 nm are disclosed herein.
US07879528B2	Resist composition for electron beam or EUV A resist composition and a method of forming a resist pattern that enable contamination within the exposure apparatus to be prevented in lithography processes using an electron beam or EUV (extreme ultraviolet light). In this method, an organic solvent containing, as the principal component, one or more compounds selected from a group consisting of propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME), methyl amyl ketone (MAK), butyl acetate (BuOAc), and 3-methyl methoxy propionate (MMP) is used as the resist solvent.
US07879521B2	Electrophotographic carrier, method of manufacturing the same, and image forming method employing the same An objective is to provide a highly durable carrier for a developer which is capable of forming a high-definition image stably with no deterioration of a developing property since the carrier resistance and the charging ability remain stable even though the developer is used for a long duration; a method of manufacturing the carrier; and an image forming method employing the same. Disclosed is an electrophotographic carrier comprising a carrier core material and provided thereon, a resin-coated layer comprising charge control particles and low-resistive particles, wherein an initial carrier resistance is 5×108-3×1010 Ωcm; a concentration of the low-resistive particles grows higher toward a surface of the layer from an inner part of the layer; and a concentration of the charge control particles grows lower toward a surface of the layer from an inner part of the layer.
US07879519B2	Image bearing member and image forming apparatus using the same This invention relates to image bearing member and an image forming apparatus that employs the image bearing member. The image bearing member contains an electroconductive substrate; a charge generation layer; a charge transport layer; a cross-linking surface protective layer, and a monomer having one radical polymerizable functional group with a charge transport structure. The cross-linking surface protective layer is formed by curing a monomer having at least three radical polymerizable functional groups without a charge transport structure. For the image bearing member, the ratio of the layer thickness of the cross linking surface protective layer to the layer thickness of the charge transport layer is from 0.7 to 1.3.
US07879515B2	Method to control semiconductor device overlay using post etch image metrology A method of determining positioning error between lithographically produced integrated circuit patterns on at least two different lithographic levels of a semiconductor wafer comprising. The method includes exposing, developing and etching one or more lithographic levels to create one or more groups of marks comprising a target at one or more wafer locations. The method then includes exposing and developing a subsequent group of marks within the target on a subsequent lithographic level. The method then comprises measuring the position of the marks on each level with respect to a common reference point, and using the measured positions of the groups of marks to determine the relative positioning error between one or more pairs of the developed and etched lithographic levels on which the marks are located.
US07879514B2	Lithographic method and patterning device A lithographic method includes patterning a beam of radiation with a patterning device. The patterning device includes at least two image patterning portions and at least two metrology mark patterning portions. The method also includes projecting at least two image portions of the patterned beam of radiation sequentially onto target portions of a substrate such that the projected image portions are substantially adjacent to each other on the substrate and collectively form a composite image on the substrate. The method also includes projecting a metrology mark onto the substrate outside of the area of the composite image at the same time as projecting each of at least two of the image portions, and measuring the alignment of the metrology marks to determine the relative positions of the at least two image portions.
US07879512B2	Photomask, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic device manufacturing method A photomask includes a transparent substrate and an opaque film formed on the transparent substrate. The opaque film is configured to form a device pattern with which a wafer is to be exposed; and at least one pair of assist patterns is formed by the opaque film, one assist pattern on each side of the device pattern on the transparent substrate. The size of each assist pattern of the pair of assist patterns is such that the assist pattern is not resolved on the wafer. A part of each assist pattern of the pair of assist patterns includes step portions.
US07879505B2	Fuel cell having fuel and oxidation gas channels of different cross-sections A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly (101); a first gas diffusion layer (104) having a first raised portion (104a); an anode side separator (102); a second gas diffusion layer (105) having a second raised portion (105a); and a cathode side separator (103). A fuel gas passage (102b) formed by a first groove (102a) and the first raised portion (104a) has a first cross section (A1), while an oxidation gas passage (103b) formed by a second groove (103a) and the second raised portion (105a) has a second cross section (A2). The first raised portion (104a) and the second raised portion (105a) are different from each other in scale, forming the first cross section (A1) and the second cross section (A2) different from each other.
US07879503B2	Fuel cell stack including bypass A fuel cell stack including a bypass is provided. The fuel cell stack includes a plurality of electricity generating cells in the known manner. A bypass is included for reducing the water entering the electricity generating cells of the fuel cell stack. The bypass may comprise at least one bypass cell disposed adjacent the first electricity generating cell in the stack. The bypass cell comprises a pair of separator plates defining an anode side and a cathode side. The bypass cell includes a conductive spacer comprising gas diffusion media disposed between the pair of separator plates. The bypass cell preferably blocks the cathode port on the separator plate. In this manner, the cell is inactive and does not produce electricity. The anode port of the cell remains open and an anode feed flows through the bypass to reduce water provided to the first electricity-generating cell. Alternatively or additionally, the cathode port remains open. Further the bypass may be placed before the cell stack itself.
US07879499B2	Electrolyte for lithium ion secondary battery and lithium ion secondary battery comprising the same An electrolyte for a lithium ion secondary battery includes a non-aqueous organic solvent; lithium salt; and difluoro oxalato borate and fluoro ethylene carbonate (FEC). The capacity retention property and durability of a lithium ion secondary battery including the electrolyte is excellent even when the battery is left at a high temperature.
US07879495B2	Medical device having lithium-ion battery A medical device includes a rechargeable lithium-ion battery for providing power to the medical device. The lithium-ion battery includes a positive electrode comprising a current collector and a first active material and a negative electrode comprising a current collector, a second active material, and a third active material. The first active material, second active material, and third active material are configured to allow doping and undoping of lithium ions. The third active material exhibits charging and discharging capacity below a corrosion potential of the current collector of the negative electrode and above a decomposition potential of the first active material.
US07879493B2	Alkali metal titanates and methods for their synthesis Disclosed is a doped lithium titanate and its use as an electrode in a battery. Further disclosed is a method for making an alkali metal titanate, which method includes mixing an alkali metal compound and a titanium compound, impact milling the mixture, and heating the milled mixture for a time, and at a temperature, sufficient to convert the mixture to the alkali metal titanate. The alkali metal compound can be in the form of Li2CO3 and the titanium compound can be in the form of TiO2. A dopant may be included in the mixture.
US07879490B2	Lead battery and lead battery storage method This invention provides a lead battery that becomes usable by injecting an electrolyte thereinto. The battery includes: positive and negative electrode plates each having a grid comprising a Pb—Ca based alloy; separators that separate the positive electrode plates from the negative electrode plates; the electrolyte comprising sulfuric acid; and a battery container accommodating the positive and negative electrode plates, the separators, and the electrolyte. The battery container is sealed, and part of the positive and negative electrode plates is immersed in the electrolyte. The height Y0 of the positive and negative electrode plates and the distance Y1 from the bottom of the positive and negative electrode plates to the level of the electrolyte satisfy the relation: 15≦Y1/Y0×100≦60.
US07879488B2	Apparatus and method for a power source casing with a stepped bevelled edge One embodiment of the present subject matter includes a stack of substantially planar electrodes, the stack in alignment and having a stack form factor. Embodiments include a first housing portion including a first beveled edge at least partially defining a first stack aperture adapted to at least partially receive the stack, the first stack opening having a first thickness proximal the beveled edge, and a second thickness away from the first beveled edge and a second housing portion including a second edge defining a second stack aperture adapted to at least partially receive the stack. Embodiments are included wherein the second housing portion is joined to the first housing portion such that the first housing portion and the second housing portion define an interior space which substantially conforms to the stack form factor.
US07879484B2	Cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery A cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery includes an electrode assembly; a center pin positioned within the electrode assembly and having upper and lower ends that are closed; a can containing the electrode assembly and the center pin; and a cap assembly coupled to the top of the can. The center pin can include a body extending a predetermined length with its upper and lower end open and at least one closure member adapted to close the upper and lower ends of the body and to melt or fracture at a predetermined temperature. The center pin body may also or altematively include a circuit member positioned inside the center pin and adapted to be short-circuited in the case of overcharging and to consume current.
US07879483B2	Battery packs suitable for use with battery powered appliances Cooling air intake port (52), cooling air exhaust port (55), and securing walls (86, 87), which contact and secure the side surfaces of one or more battery cells (72), may be defined within two battery pack housing halves (50, 80). When battery pack (99) is assembled, at least one cooling air passage (91, 92) is defined by the side surfaces of the battery cells, the interior surface of the battery pack housing, and the securing walls. The cooling air passage connects the cooling air intake port to the cooling air exhaust port. Further, the securing walls isolate or physically separate the cooling air passage from battery terminals (72a, 72b). By forcing cooling air through the cooling air passage, the battery cells can be effectively and efficiently cooled. In addition, if the battery terminals are isolated from the cooling air by the securing walls, the electrical contact areas of the battery cells are protected or shielded against outside moisture and foreign substances that may be introduced into the battery pack by the cooling air.
US07879478B2	Battery module and method of manufacturing the same A battery module comprises: first and second rechargeable batteries, each of which includes a casing for storing an electrode assembly and a cap assembly provided on top of the casing; an interconnector provided between an upper portion of the first rechargeable battery and a lower portion of the second rechargeable battery so as to connect the first and second rechargeable batteries with each other; and an insulation cover which covers interconnected portions of the first and second rechargeable batteries, and which has at least one ventilation outlet.
US07879477B2	Polymer battery pack A polymer battery pack includes a polymer battery, an outer case having a first outer panel and a second outer panel, the outer case enclosing the polymer battery, an electrode tap in electrical communication with the polymer battery and positioned outside the outer case, and a protecting circuit board in electrical communication with the electrode tap and positioned outside the outer case, for enhanced operation and durability.
US07879469B2	Ferrite magnet powder, sintered magnet, bond magnet, and magnetic recording medium A ferrite magnet powder is represented by the composition formula AFe2+a(1-x)MaxFe3+bO27, wherein A represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ba, and Pb; and M represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zn, Co, Mn, and Ni, and wherein 0.05≦x≦0.80, 1.5≦a≦2.2, and 12≦b≦17. A high saturation magnetization 4πIs can be achieved by the partial substitution of the Fe2+ site of a W-type ferrite with an element M such as Zn within a certain range.
US07879467B2	Media for recording devices Improvements to magnetic recording device including magnetic recording media are described. The improvements include the addition of copper to the recording layer as well as improved underlayers. In addition, improved manufacturing processes and magnetic/recording properties for media through heating and oxidation are described.
US07879463B2	Dimethylenecyclohexane compound, method of preparing the same and organic light emitting device comprising the dimethylenecyclohexane compound Provided are a dimethylenecyclohexane compound represented by Formula 1 below, a method of preparing the same and an organic light emitting device comprising the dimethylenecyclohexane compound: The organic light emitting device comprising the dimethylenecyclohexane compound represented by Formula 1 has a low driving voltage, excellent efficiency and improved color purity.
US07879460B2	Welding wire and vehicle component manufactured using the same Disclosed is a welding wire for joining cast iron and stainless steel, having a composition of 0.03 wt % or less of C, 2.0˜3.0 wt % of Si, 12.0˜14.0 wt % of Mn, 7.0˜9.0 wt % of Cr, 45.0˜47.0 wt % of Ni, 0.5˜0.8 wt % of Nb, and 2.0˜3.0 wt % of Mo, with a balance of Fe. Using the welding wire, a weld zone which has no hot cracks and is sound and good can be obtained.
US07879458B2	Construction hardware and method of reducing corrosion thereof A method of reducing corrosion in an article of construction hardware resulting from exposure to ACQ treated lumber and an article of construction hardware treated in accordance with such method.
US07879453B2	Alloy, in particular for a bearing coating The invention relates to an alloy, in particular for an anti-friction coating, comprising elements which form a matrix (2) and at least a soft phase (3) and/or a hard phase (5), which soft phase elements and/or hard phase elements form a solid solution or a bond with the matrix element. The soft phase (3) and/or hard phase (5) is dispersed in the matrix (2) and the solid solution or bond is formed only in the region of the phase boundary (4) of the matrix (2) with the soft phase (3) and/or with the hard phase (5).
US07879450B2	Method for preparing silicone rubber/fluoroelastomer integrated rubber article A rubber article is manufactured by heat curing a heat-curable silicone rubber composition filled with untreated fumed silica to form a substrate, applying a primer composition comprising a fluoroalkylene or fluoropolyether compound having at least one alkenyl radical and at least one hydrolyzable silyl radical onto the substrate surface, and disposing a heat-curable perfluoropolyether elastomer composition thereon and curing the composition for integration. The integrally molded article has characteristics of both silicone rubber and fluoroelastomer.
US07879448B2	Coated article with low-E coating including IR reflecting layer(s) and corresponding method A coated article is provided that may be heat treated in certain example embodiments. A coating of the coated article includes a zinc oxide inclusive layer located over and contacting a contact layer that is in contact with an infrared (IR) reflecting layer of a material such as silver. It has been found that the use of such a zinc oxide inclusive layer results in improved thermal stability upon heat treatment, increased visible transmission, and/or lower sheet resistance (Rs).
US07879447B2	Underwater safety surface and method for preparing same The present invention is directed toward an underwater, safety surface and a method for preparing the same. The first layer of the surface consists of a typical existing swimming pool substrate. Next, a thin layer of flexible, breathable urethane primer is added. A thick layer of a mixture of rubberized particles bound by urethane is then applied. A final layer of thickened epoxy grout is then hand-troweled to ensure coverage between each of the rubberized particles. Finally, the epoxy grout is sanded, ground, and buffed to uncover the tips of the rubberized particles.
US07879442B2	Composite of vapor grown carbon fiber and inorganic fine particle and use thereof The present invention relates to a composite of vapor grown carbon fiber and inorganic fine particles comprising vapor grown carbon fiber, each fiber filament of the carbon fiber having a structure with hollow space extending along its axis, a diameter of 0.001 to 1 μm and an aspect ratio of 5 to 15,000; and inorganic fine particles having a particle size of 0.0001 to 5 μm, the particles being deposited onto the surface of the carbon fiber, wherein the ratio of the average diameter of the vapor grown carbon fiber to the average particle size of the inorganic fine particles is 1 0.01 to 1:5; the ratio by mass of the vapor grown carbon fiber to the inorganic fine particles is 1:0.005 to 1:50; and the carbon crystal structure of the carbon fiber is maintained and the surface characteristics are modified.
US07879440B2	Matte film A polylactic acid resin film or sheet which can be satisfactorily and stably formed and has excellent matte properties. It is a single-layer matte film or sheet which comprises a polylactic acid resin composition containing a particulate substance and at least one side of which has a surface gloss as measured in accordance with ASTM-D2457-70 (45° gloss) of 60% or lower.
US07879439B2	Polypropylene laminate film, and package comprising the same A wide polyolefin film may be made by high-speed film forming, which has uniform properties over its whole width and is free of thickness irregularities, and provides a packaging film applicable to large-scale production which has good gloss and bag-making property, as well as a package made from the film. A polyolefin laminate film includes an oriented base layer that is mainly made up of a polypropylene resin and a sealing layer mainly made up of a polyolefin resin which is formed on at least one surface of the base layer, which film has an effective product takeout width of not less than 5500 mm and satisfies the following relational formula of the thickness variation rate Y (%) of the film and the product takeout width X (mm) of the film: Y≦0.001X+4.
US07879438B2	Substrate warpage-reducing structure The subject matter disclosed herein relates to methods to reduce warpage of a substrate.
US07879437B2	Silicon-transition metal reaction products for coating substrates A non-particulate substrate having adhered thereto a coating composition comprising the reaction product of a transition metal compound such as niobium and a transition metal having electrons in the f orbital, and a silicon-containing material such as an organosilane or an organo(poly)siloxane. Reaction of the silicon-containing material with the transition metal compound results in a better adhering coating to the substrate than a comparable coating prepared from the silicon-containing material itself.
US07879431B2	Honeycomb structure A honeycomb structure 10 includes: multiple honeycomb units 11 having multiple through holes 12; and a seal layer 14 that joins honeycomb units 11 with each other via respective closed outer faces 13 of the honeycomb units 11 where the through holes are not open. The honeycomb unit 11 includes at least inorganic particles, inorganic fibers and/or whiskers. A cross section area of a honeycombed face of the honeycomb unit perpendicular to the through holes 12 is about 5 to about 50 cm2. The flatness of an entire end face as the honeycombed faces of the honeycomb units 11 joined by the seal layer 14 is about 2.5 mm or less. The level difference between the end faces of the honeycomb units 11 is about 2.0 mm or less.
US07879422B2	Optical disc and method for fabricating the same An optical disc capable of suppressing vibration during read/write process includes an annular substrate, a coated layer, and a damping layer. The annular substrate includes a supporting portion and a recording portion, and a recording surface corresponding to the recording portion. The coated layer is formed on the recording surface. The damping layer is formed on the coated layer side of the annular substrate for increasing the response time to vibration of the optical disc. A method for fabricating the aforementioned optical disc is also disclosed.
US07879421B2	Friction stir welding of fiber reinforced thermoplastics A fiber-reinforced component is formed of a first composite member including a thermoplastic matrix with reinforcing fibers having a diameter and a length distributed therein in a selected orientation and a second composite member including a thermoplastic matrix with reinforcing fibers having a diameter and a length distributed therein in a selected orientation. The first composite member is bonded to the second composite member by a solid state bond along a predetermined joint path, such that an average volume fraction of the reinforcing fibers of the first composite member and the second composite member within the joint path is substantially the same as an average volume fraction of the reinforcing fibers of the first composite member and the second composite member within the remainder of the fiber-reinforced component.
US07879417B2	Self-inflating cushion and footwear including same A cushion comprised of at least one chamber comprised of a barrier material, said barrier material comprised of an elastomer, said elastomer being at least semi-permeable to at least a first reactant compound, a second reactant compound disposed within said at least one chamber, wherein said first reactant compound and said second reactant compound react to form a resultant compound, and wherein a rate of diffusion of said resultant compound through said barrier material is less than a rate of diffusion of said first reactant compound through said barrier material. An article of footwear including a cushion, said cushion comprised of at least one chamber comprised of a barrier material, at least a first and a second solid or liquid reactant compounds disposed within said at least one chamber, wherein said first reactant compound and said second reactant compound react to form a resultant gaseous compound.
US07879413B2	Optically isotropic liquid crystal medium and optical device A liquid crystal medium is described, which has stability to heat, light and so on, a wide temperature range of liquid crystal phase, a large optical anisotropy and a large dielectric anisotropy, and exhibits an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase. The liquid crystal medium includes a liquid crystal compound represented by formula (1) and a chiral reagent and exhibits an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase. For example, R1 is C1-C20 alkyl; the rings A1-A6 are each 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,3-dioxan-2,5-diyl, 1,4-phenylene, or 1,4-phenylene with arbitrary hydrogen atom being replaced by a halogen atom; Z1-Z6 are each a single bond; L1-L4 are each a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom; X1 is a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom; each of l, m, n, o, p and q is 0 or 1, and the sum of them is 3.
US07879409B2	Repeatability of CVD film deposition during sequential processing of substrates in a deposition chamber We have a method of improving the deposition rate uniformity of the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of films when a number of substrates are processed in series, sequentially in a deposition chamber. The method includes the plasma pre-heating of at least one processing volume structure within the processing volume which surrounds the substrate when the substrate is present in the deposition chamber. We also have a device-controlled method which adjusts the deposition time for a few substrates at the beginning of the processing of a number of substrates in series, sequentially in a deposition chamber, so that the deposited film thickness remains essentially constant during processing of the series of substrates. A combination of these methods into a single method provides the best overall results in terms of controlling average film thickness from substrate to substrate.
US07879408B1	Method and apparatus for spreading treating agent on a moving web A method and apparatus for spreading a treating agent, for example, size or a coating onto a moving surface in the manufacture of the web-shaped folios or paper and paperboard and various sheet products in particular, includes feeding the treating agent into at least one feeding chamber and directing the agent from the feeding chamber onto the moving surface. Jets are formed from the treating agent by directing the agent through at least one nozzle plate comprising openings that are defined by the nozzle plate around the entire periphery, and the formed jets are applied directly onto the moving surface.
US07879406B2	Sealer composition A composition for sealing exposed wood before finishing the wood, which composition includes polymer solids and an acid neutralizing agent. The acid neutralizing agent may be a weak base and/or a buffering agent. The polymer solids may include acrylate monomers, urethane monomers, and the like. Also disclosed is a method of sealing and neutralizing a wood surface before finishing the wood surface by applying the composition to the exposed wood surface.
US07879405B2	Resin composition for sealing light emitting device A curable composition for sealing a light emitting device, comprising a modified polysiloxane containing, in a molecule, not less than one alicyclic hydrocarbon group and not less than two epoxy groups.
US07879404B2	Method of enhancing moisture management and providing negative ion properties to fabric materials The present invention relates to a method of enhancing the negative ion properties of a material and enhance its moisture management properties if necessary. The method of the present invention teaches the determination of the moisture properties of a material, development of a negative ion agent, and the application of that agent to the material, such steps leading to a material possessing negative ion properties and good moisture management.
US07879403B2	Method for making an article water resistant and articles made therefrom The present invention relates in general to a method and variations thereof for making an article such as cloth water repellent and/or water resistant. In particular, the method involves the process of providing a thin-layer polymer coating on the article thereby rendering the article water repellent and/or water resistant. Articles made according to the method of the present invention are also disclosed and claimed herein.
US07879402B2	Methods for forming articles having apertures and articles having substantially reduced residual compressive stress A method for forming an aperture includes stamping an aperture into the article using a pellet, and refining aperture shape(s) and/or aperture dimensions. Methods for forming articles having reduced residual compressive stress are also disclosed. Very generally, the methods include establishing a diamond coating on at least a portion of a substrate, and applying a stress-relief process to the diamond coating, the substrate, or combinations thereof.
US07879399B2	CV method using metal carbonyl gas A CVD method for forming a metal film on a substrate by using a metal carbonyl gas includes a preparing step for setting a vacuum chamber at a vacuum pressure and heating the substrate in the vacuum chamber to a first temperature where the metal carbonyl gas is decomposed. Also included are a supplying step for supplying the metal carbonyl gas into the vacuum chamber while exhausting the vacuum chamber with a first vacuum pumping speed and a removing step for removing a decomposed gas of the metal carbonyl gas by stopping supplying of the metal carbonyl gas and quickly exhausting the vacuum chamber with a second vacuum pumping speed sufficiently higher than the first vacuum pumping speed. The supplying step and the removing step can be repeatedly as desired.
US07879398B2	Carbon-nano tube structure, method of manufacturing the same, and field emitter and display device each adopting the same A carbon-nano tube (CNT) structure comprises a substrate and a plurality of CNTs, each CNT comprising a plurality of first CNTs grown perpendicular to the substrate and a plurality of second CNTs grown on sidewalls of the first CNTs. A method of manufacturing CNTs includes growing first CNTs on a substrate on which a catalyst material layer is formed, and growing second CNTs on surfaces of the first CNTs from a catalyst material on surfaces of the first CNTs. The second CNTs grown on the sidewalls of the first CNTs emit electrons at a low voltage. In addition, the CNT structure exhibits high electron emission current due to the second CNTs being used as electron emission sources, and exhibits uniform field emission due to the uniform diameter of the first CNTs. A display device incorporates the above-described structure.
US07879396B2	High aspect ratio performance coatings for biological microfluidics We have developed an improved vapor-phase deposition method and apparatus for the application of layers and coatings on various substrates. The method and apparatus are useful in the fabrication of biotechnologically functional devices, Bio-MEMS devices, and in the fabrication of microfluidic devices for biological applications. In one important embodiment, oxide coatings providing hydrophilicity or oxide/polyethylene glycol coatings providing hydrophilicity can be deposited by the present method, over the interior surfaces of small wells in a plastic micro-plate in order to increase the hydrophilicity of these wells. Filling these channels with a precise amount of liquid consistently can be very difficult. This prevents a water-based sample from beading up and creating bubbles, so that well can fill accurately and completely, and alleviates spillage into other wells which causes contamination.
US07879393B2	Method and device for applying fluids The invention relates to a method for applying fluids, especially particle material, on a area that is to be coated, wherein the fluid is applied on the area to be coated in front of a blade when observed from the direction of forward movement of the blade and said blade is then displaced on the applied fluid. The method is characterized in that the blade performs an oscillation similar to a rotational movement.
US07879390B2	Surface energy control methods for color filter printing Black matrix (BM) material is deposited on glass and patterned to form walls that define an array of wells. Various surface treatments and masking schemes are utilized to achieve surface energy control of the BM glass. The surface treatments include one or more of chemically treating the BM walls by depositing hydrophobic self-assembled monolayers on the uppermost wall surfaces, and plasma treatments to control the surface energy of the various BM glass surfaces. Masking processes include backside exposure and development of photoresist, and maskless, self-aligned photo-patterning of the monolayers. Color filter ink is then injected into each well from an ink jet print head. The high surface energy of the lower and side wall surfaces facilitates wetting of the ink, and the low surface energy of the monolayers prevents intermixing of ink between adjacent wells. The ink then dries to form a color filter in each well.
US07879386B2	Support device for a stent and a method of using the same to coat a stent A support device for a stent and a method of coating a stent using the device are provided.
US07879379B1	Method of pretreating citrus waste Method of pretreating citrus waste to break cell structure, pasteurize or sterilize citrus waste solids and remove inhibitory peel oil components (e.g., limonene) involving optionally reducing the particle size of the citrus waste prior to preheating, preheating the citrus waste through indirect heating in a preheater reactor to form preheated citrus waste and conveying the preheated citrus waste to a main reactor, heating the citrus waste through a combination of (simultaneous) indirect heating and direct heating to produce treated citrus waste solids that are pasteurized and a vapor containing water and peel oil components, separating the pasteurized citrus waste solids and the vapor containing water and peel oil components, and collecting the separated vapor containing water and peel oil components by condensation. The method optionally includes cooling the pasteurized citrus waste solids followed by saccharifying with enzymes and fermentation to produce ethanol or other products.
US07879377B2	Pet snack Pet food products and methods of manufacture are provided, the pet food product comprising a helical body having a first material formed to include an outer surface, and a second material having a striping portion deposited on the outer surface of the first material and positioned to lie along a length of the first material, the pet food product optionally having a stuffing portion positioned within a cavity in the first material. Illustratively, the second material has a composition that provides lubrication during an extrusion process to manufacture the food product.
US07879372B2	Method and composition for treating ear inflammation caused by dry ear A method of treating diseases and conditions associated with dry ear comprising topically applying to the ear canal of a subject that is suffering therefrom a liquid composition comprising an anti-irritant agent, a wound healing agent; and an anti-inflammatory agent dissolved in a polyhydroxy liquid solvent.
US07879370B2	Composition of which chief ingredient is polysaccharides having an immunoregulatory function An object is to establish a method of preparation of novel polysaccharides from a cassis polysaccharide (CAPS), wherein the novel polysaccharides exhibit a higher immunoregulatory effect per unit amount, have a low viscosity, and can be handled readily during the method of preparation a final product. Another object is to provide health foods and drinks having high safety and an excellent immunoregulatory effect at a low cost by utilizing a juice, processed juice or a purified product. The present invention relates to a composition of which chief ingredient is novel polysaccharides, having an average molecular weight falling within a range of 10,000 to 40,000; which is obtained by partially digestion of CAPS with enzyme, and an immunoregulatory foods and drinks utilizing the composition.
US07879369B2	Combretum laurifolium Mart. extract and methods of extracting and using such extract A method of inhibiting COX-2, inhibiting NF-Kappa B activation, treating inflammation, or treating cancer may comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of an extract of Combretum laurifolium Mart. to a patient. A medicament as described herein may comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle and a therapeutically effective amount of an extract of Combretum laurifolium Mart. suspended in the vehicle. A method of making an extract of Combretum laurifolium Mart. may comprise creating a component solution by treating Combretum laurifolium Mart. material with an extractor and a solvent and producing an extract by at least partially removing liquid from the component solution. An extract of Combretum laurifolium Mart. may comprise components extracted using various solvents.
US07879367B2	Metallic implant which is degradable in vivo The invention relates to a medical implant made of a metallic material. After fulfilling its temporary support function, the implant is degraded by corrosion at a predetermined rate. Negative long-term effects are thus avoided.
US07879366B2	Halogenated composition, method for preparing same and uses thereof A method of stimulating tissue healing in humans or animals includes administering to a human or animal a pharmaceutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition which includes (i) at least one halogenated compound, and (ii) at least one N-halogenated derivative of at least one compound selected from zwitterionic compounds and/or amino acids or their derivatives.
US07879364B2	Process for producing arsenic trioxide formulations and methods for treating cancer using arsenic trioxide or melarsoprol The invention relates to the use of arsenic compounds to treat a variety of leukemia, lymphoma and solid tumors. Further, the arsenic compounds may be used in combination with other therapeutic agents, such as a retinoid. The invention also provides a process for producing arsenic trioxide formulations.
US07879360B2	Nanoparticulate compositions having a peptide as a surface stabilizer The present invention is directed to nanoparticulate active agent compositions comprising at least one peptide as a surface stabilizer. Also encompassed by the invention are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a nanoparticulate active agent composition of the invention and methods of making and using such nanoparticulate and pharmaceutical compositions.
US07879359B2	Compositions for preparing external carbon dioxide agents Compositions for preparing external carbon dioxide agents comprising a granular material containing a water-soluble acid(s), a thickener(s) and a water-soluble dispersant(s) as the essential components wherein the thickener(s) is (are) mixed with the water-soluble acid(s) and the water-soluble dispersant(s), and a viscous material, which consists of a carbonate(s), water and a thickener(s) as essential components; to be mixed with the said granular material at use, by which an external carbon dioxide agent can be prepared easily in a short period of time. The prepared external carbon dioxide agent, containing much carbon dioxide evenly all over, has sufficient viscosity and can form a coating film on the surface in contact with air, therefore the diffusion of carbon dioxide is suppressed, the applied agent does not droop and its thickness is not reduced when applied to skin or mucosa; and the agent shows potent and quick cosmetic and medical effects.
US07879356B2	Polymeric compositions The present invention relates to novel bioabsorbable polymeric compositions based upon AB polyester polyether or related diblocks and triblocks. Compositions according to the present invention may be used in medical applications, for example, for reducing or preventing adhesion formation subsequent to medical procedures such as surgery, for producing surgical articles including stents and grafts, as coatings, sealants, lubricants, as transient barriers in the body, for materials which control the release of bioactive agents in the body, for wound and burn dressings and producing biodegradable articles, among numerous others.
US07879342B2	Vaccine adjuvant and making and using the same The present invention relates to a novel adjuvant and/or immunomodulator isolated from peanut skin extract, which may be useful in the preparation of immunogenic compositions and vaccines. The present invention also provides for a method of stimulating acquisition of protective immunity by administering peanut skin extract prior to vaccination.
US07879331B2	Ultra-high yield intravenous immune globulin preparation An efficacious large-scale alcohol-free plasma fractionation production process which produces a high-yielding, non-denatured, double viral-inactivated intravenous human immune gamma globulin (IgG) product. The process employs sodium citrate in two initial fractionation steps, followed by diafiltration to remove sodium citrate.
US07879330B2	Antibodies against type A botulinum neurotoxin Antibodies for binding epitopes of BoNT/A and hybridomas which produce such antibodies are described. The antibodies of the present invention can be used in a method for detecting BoNT/A in a sample and/or in a method for purifying BoNT/A from an impure solution. In addition, the antibodies can be used for passive immunization against BoNT/A intoxication or as intoxication therapy. Another aspect of the invention is a kit for detecting BoNT/A in a sample.
US07879328B2	Antibodies that immunospecifically bind to B lymphocyte stimulator The present invention relates to antibodies and related molecules that immunospecifically bind to B Lymphocyte Stimulator. The present invention also relates to methods and compositions for detecting or diagnosing a disease or disorder associated with aberrant B Lymphocyte Stimulator expression or inappropriate function of B Lymphocyte Stimulator comprising antibodies or fragments or variants thereof or related molecules that immunospecifically bind to B Lymphocyte Stimulator. The present invention further relates to methods and compositions for preventing, treating or ameliorating a disease or disorder associated with aberrant B Lymphocyte Stimulator expression or inappropriate B Lymphocyte Stimulator function comprising administering to an animal an effective amount of one or more antibodies or fragments or variants thereof or related molecules that immunospecifically bind to B Lymphocyte Stimulator.
US07879325B2	HER2 antibody composition A composition comprising a main species HER2 antibody that binds to domain II of HER2, and an amino acid sequence variant thereof comprising an amino-terminal leader extension is disclosed. Pharmaceutical formulations comprising the composition, and therapeutic uses for the composition are also disclosed.
US07879322B2	Compositions and methods for use for antibodies against sclerostin The present invention relates to antibodies against sclerostin and compositions and methods of use for said antibodies to treat disease related to bone abnormalities such as osteoporosis. An embodiment of the invention herein provides an antibody or a functional protein comprising an antigen-binding portion of said antibody for a target in sclerostin polypeptide, characterized in that the antibody or functional protein specifically binds to sclerostin polypeptide and can increase at least one of bone formation, bone mineral density, bone mineral content, bone mass, bone quality and bone strength in a mammal.
US07879317B2	Polymeric micelle compositions with improved stability and methods of making thereof Polymeric compositions capable of forming stable micelles in an aqueous solution, comprising an amphiphilic block copolymer of a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, and a polylactic acid derivative wherein one end of the polylactic acid is covalently bound to at least one carboxyl group. The carboxyl group of the polylactic acid derivative may be fixed with a di- or tri-valent metal ion, obtained by adding the di- or tri-valent metal ion to the polymeric composition.
US07879315B2	Agent for dissolving dental calculi and dental caries An agent for dissolving dental calculus and/or dental caries, which comprises one or more kinds of substances selected from the group consisting of inositol phosphoric acid esters (e.g., phytic acid), polyphenols (e.g., Perilla frutescen var. crispa polyphenols), phosphoric acids, edetic acid salts, tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, and glycolic acid as an active ingredient. Dental calculus and/or dental caries can be conveniently dissolved in a short period of time.
US07879314B2	Optical imaging of rheumatoid arthritis The present invention concerns the use of indocarbocyanine dyes, in particular indotricarbocyanine dyes for the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases, in particular rheumatoid arthritis, methods of diagnosing inflammatory diseases and an apparatus useful to carry out the method of diagnosing.
US07879313B1	Nanoparticles for protein drug delivery The invention discloses nanoparticles composed of chitosan, poly-glutamic acid, and at least one bioactive agent characterized with a positive surface charge. The bioactive agent is hydrophobic or lipophilic in nature and is associated with micelles before being encapsulated in nanoparticles.
US07879312B1	Nanoparticles for protein drug delivery The invention discloses the nanoparticles composed of chitosan, poly-glutamic acid, and at least one DNA/RNA or bioactive agent characterized with a positive surface charge and their enhanced permeability for gene delivery and bioactive agent delivery.
US07879306B2	Dispersion and separation of nanostructured carbon in organic solvents The present invention relates to dispersions of nanostructured carbon in organic solvents containing alkyl amide compounds and/or diamide compounds. The invention also relates to methods of dispersing nanostructured carbon in organic solvents and methods of mobilizing nanostructured carbon. Also disclosed are methods of determining the purity of nanostructured carbon.
US07879301B2	Microfluidic element A fluid element is provided which comprises a flow path formed in a substrate for carrying a fluid, and a heating means provided in the flow path for heating the fluid, in which the fluid is heated using the heating unit, thereby forming a supercritical state of the fluid.
US07879300B2	Method and device for depositing carbon nanotubes or nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes by pyrolysis Method for preparing carbon nanotubes or nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes by pyrolysis, in a reaction chamber, of a liquid containing at least one liquid hydrocarbon precursor of carbon or at least one liquid compound precursor of carbon and nitrogen consisting of carbon atoms, nitrogen atoms and optionally hydrogen atoms and/or atoms of other chemical elements such as oxygen, and optionally at least one metal compound precursor of a catalyst metal, in which said liquid is formed under pressure into finely divided liquid particles such as droplets by a specific injection system, preferably a periodic injection system, and the finely divided particles, such as droplets, formed in this way are conveyed by a carrier gas stream and introduced into the reaction chamber, where the deposition and growth of the carbon nanotubes or nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes take place.
US07879297B2	Methods and systems for reactor low product variation A method of operating a carbon-to-liquids system is provided. The method includes receiving a flow of syngas at the carbon-to-liquids system, shifting the syngas to facilitate increasing a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio (H2/CO) of the syngas, adding additional hydrogen to the shifted syngas to increase the H2/CO ratio, reacting the hydrogen/shifted syngas mixture with a catalyst in a vessel, extracting hydrogen from the syngas mixture, recycling the hydrogen to facilitate increasing the H2/CO ratio, and recycling naphta to act as solvent for wax extraction, and to facilitate catalyst recovery.
US07879296B2	Tandem reactor system having an injectively-mixed backmixing reaction chamber, tubular-reactor, and axially movable interface A reactor system for gas phase reacting of at least two fluid feed streams, where the reactor system has an injectively-mixed backmixing reaction chamber in fluid communication with a tubular-flow reactor. The injectively-mixed backmixing reaction chamber has a bulkhead that slides during real-time operation to either diminish or expand the internal volume of the backmixing reaction chamber. In one embodiment, the effective passageway space through the bulkhead is also variably adjustable. In another embodiment, the tubular-flow reactor shares the bulkhead so that axial bulkhead movement commensurately expands one reaction space while diminishing the other reaction space. Input gas streams enter the backmixing reaction chamber with sufficient velocity to turbulently agitate the contents of the injectively-mixed backmixing reaction chamber by injective intermixing of the alkane-containing gas feed stream and the oxygen-containing gas feed stream. A focal application is for direct (partial) oxidative conversion of natural gas to alkyl oxygenates.
US07879295B2	Conversion system for reducing NOx emissions Disclosed herein is a system for reducing NOx emissions comprising a fuel tank in fluid communication with a fuel converter, wherein the fuel converter is located down stream of the fuel tank and wherein the fuel converter comprises a catalyst composition that is operative to continuously convert heavy hydrocarbon molecules having 9 or more carbon atoms per molecule into light hydrocarbon molecules having 8 or less carbon atoms per molecule; a selective catalytic reduction catalyst reactor in fluid communication with the fuel converter and located downstream of the fuel converter; and an engine in fluid communication with the fuel tank and the selective catalytic reduction catalyst reactor, wherein the engine is located downstream of the fuel tank and upstream of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst reactor.
US07879291B2	Manual device for examining a body fluid The present invention provides a portable blood sugar measuring device comprising a tape unit for winding a test tape forward in sections, a detection unit for detecting measured values on the sections of tape to which body fluid has been applied, and a housing to hold the tape unit and detection unit. The tape unit and/or the detection unit can be deflected relative to the housing from an operating position against a flexible restoring element when subjected to a shock load. Also disclosed is a novel cover having open and closed positions. The cover is positioned at an opening of the housing through which the receiving site of the tape unit protrudes. The cover thus protects the receiving site from external effects when the cover is in the closed position. Similarly, the receiving site is accessible to apply body fluid thereto when the cover is in the open position.
US07879287B2	Hot-rolled steel sheet for high-strength electric-resistance welded pipe having sour-gas resistance and excellent weld toughness, and method for manufacturing the same A hot-rolled steel sheet for high-strength ERW pipes contains about 0.02% to about 0.06% C; about 0.05% to about 0.50% Si; about 0.5% to about 1.5% Mn; about 0.010% or less P; about 0.0010% or less S; about 0.01% to about 0.10% Al; about 0.01% to about 0.10% Nb; about 0.001% to about 0.025% Ti; about 0.001% to about 0.005% Ca; about 0.003% or less 0; and about 0.005% or less N, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of about 0.01% to about 0.10% V; about 0.01% to about 0.50% Cu; about 0.01% to about 0.50% Ni; and about 0.01% to about 0.50% Mo on the basis of mass. The group of C, Si, Mn, Cu, Ni, Mo, and V and the group of Ca, 0, and S satisfy specific relationships, and the microstructure of the steel sheet is composed of about 95% by volume or more bainitic ferrite.
US07879277B2	Method for forming hollow moldings having thin film on inner surface The method employs a stationary mold having depositing recesses equipped in its inside with a deposition element such as a target electrode, and movable molds made slidable. A primary molding is performed to form a body portion and a cover member to have joint portions around their opening. The body portion left in the vertically sliding mold is deposited after it was densely covered with the depositing recesses. Next, the deposited body portion and the cover member, as left in the molds, are registered and mold clamped, and the molten metal is injected to integrated the joint portions.
US07879272B2	Oriented thermoplastic elastomer film and process for producing the same An oriented thermoplastic elastomer film having reduced permeability and improved fatigue resistance comprising a dynamically vulcanized polymer blend of (A) a halogenated isobutylene elastomer and (B) polyamide, the film is produced by casting or blowing the above polymer blend under the condition such that a shear rate at a die lip for casting or blowing is regulated to control the molecular arrangement in the film, whereby the planar birefringence (PBR) of the resultant film becomes greater or equal to 0.002 and a production process of the same.
US07879268B2	Apparatus and method for manufacturing particulate resin An apparatus for manufacturing a particulate resin, including: a fine nozzle opening configured to extrude a melted resin mixture including a resin; an extrusion output control mechanism for controlling an extrusion output of the melted resin mixture; a collision mechanism configured to collide the melted resin mixture extruded from the fine nozzle opening with a high-temperature gas stream having a temperature of not less than a T1/2 temperature of the resin, so that the melted resin mixture is granulated to provide a particulate resin; a heat retention mechanism configured to retain the particulate resin in an atmosphere having a temperature of not less than a Tg of the resin for 0.01 to 10 seconds; and a cooling mechanism configured to cool the particulate resin;and a method for manufacturing a particulate resin using the apparatus.
US07879262B2	Aluminum paste composition and solar cell element using the same Provided are an aluminum paste composition capable of inhibiting formation of blisters and globules of aluminum in a back surface electrode layer, which is caused at the time of firing, of reducing bow of a silicon semiconductor substrate even when a thinner silicon semiconductor substrate is used, and of attaining a high BSF effect and a high energy conversion efficiency; and a solar cell element comprising an electrode formed by using the composition. The aluminum paste composition is a paste composition for forming an electrode (8) on a silicon semiconductor substrate (1), comprising: aluminum powder; an organic vehicle; and a plasticizer. The solar cell element comprises the electrode (8) formed by applying on the silicon semiconductor substrate (1) the paste composition having the above-mentioned features and thereafter, firing the paste composition.
US07879261B2	Carbon nanofiber, production process and use The invention relates to (1) carbon nanofiber containing iron (Fe) of 6 mass % or less and vanadium (V) of 3 mass % or less as a metal impurity other than carbon, which does not substantially contain metal elements other than Fe and V, (2) a method for producing carbon nanofiber characterized in contacting a catalyst in which Fe and V are supported on a carbon support and a carbon-containing compound at a high temperature, (3) a resin composite material in which the carbon nanofiber is blended and (4) use thereof. According to the invention, an inexpensive carbon fiber filler material can be obtained which has a low content of metal impurities and enables to exhibit electric conductivity when added to resin in a small amount.
US07879260B2	Additive for anode material for lithium secondary battery, anode material for lithium secondary battery, anode and lithium secondary battery using the anode material for lithium secondary battery An object of the invention is to provide such an additive for a lithium secondary battery that improves the battery capacity and the initial efficiency of the lithium secondary battery.In the invention, a fullerene derivative having a group having a formula weight of 6 or more is used as an additive for a lithium secondary battery. A fullerene derivative having a group having a formula weight of 6 or more is contained in an anode material for a lithium secondary battery, an anode for a lithium secondary battery, and a lithium secondary battery using an anode containing the anode material. The group having a formula weight of 6 or more in the fullerene derivative is preferably one selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal atom, a chalcogen atom, a halogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic group, a characteristic group containing oxygen, a characteristic group containing sulfur and a characteristic group containing nitrogen.
US07879255B2	Method and composition for electrochemically polishing a conductive material on a substrate Polishing compositions and methods for removing conductive materials from a substrate surface are provided. The method includes providing a substrate comprising dielectric feature definitions, a barrier material disposed in the feature definitions, and a bulk conductive material disposed on the barrier material in an amount sufficient to fill feature definitions; polishing the substrate to substantially remove the bulk conductive material; polishing a residual conductive material to expose feature definitions, comprising: applying a first voltage for a first time period, wherein the first voltage is less than the critical voltage; and applying a second voltage for a second time period, wherein the second voltage is greater than the critical voltage.
US07879248B2	Filtering systems with integral filter back-flushing A filter system includes a distribution valve operable to direct a received fluid stream to first and second outlets during respective first and second cycles. A filtering system filters at least some fluid output from the first outlet of the distribution valve during the first cycle with a first filter while back-flushing a second filter and filters at least some fluid output from the second outlet of the distribution valve during the second cycle with the second filter while back-flushing the first filter.
US07879244B1	Method for anion-exchange adsorption and thioether anion-exchangers A method for the removal of a substance, which has a negative charge and which is present in an aqueous liquid (I). The method comprises the steps of: (i) contacting the liquid with an anion-exchanger (1) that comprises mixed mode anion-exchanging ligands in which there is a positively charged nitrogen allowing binding of the substance to the anion-exchanger; and (ii) desorbing said substance from said anion-exchanger. The characteristic feature is that (A) the mixed mode ligands have a thioether linkage within a distance of 1-7 atoms from their positively charged atom, and (B) the anion-exchanger (1) (i) is capable of binding the substance of interest in an aqueous reference liquid (II) at an ionic strength corresponding to 0.25 M NaCl, and (ii) permits in the pH interval 2-12 a maximal breakthrough capacity for the substance which is ≧200% of the breakthrough capacity of the substance for Q-Sepharose Fast Flow (anion-exchanger 2).
US07879239B2	Wastewater treatment method using immobilized carrier To provide an inexpensive wastewater treatment method which facilitates downsizing of tanks and requires less withdrawal of an excessive sludge, the use is made of an aeration tank 1 in which wastewater is contacted with a particulate carrier under an aerobic condition, and a total oxidization tank 3 in which the volume of a sludge generated in the aeration tank 1 is reduced under an aerobic condition, a coefficient of self-oxidization of the sludge flowing into the total oxidization tank 3 is set to 0.05 (per day), and the method includes a step of adding a coagulant to the total oxidization tank 3 for the purpose of improving the solid-liquid separating characteristic of the sludge within the total oxidization tank.
US07879235B2	Methods for biological purification of waste A method for purifying a waste environment includes treating a portion of the waste environment to inactivate or diminish native microorganisms, adding augmenting microorganisms to the treated waste environment, simultaneously growing and acclimating a microbiological culture and discharging the microbiological culture to the waste environment. The method provides improved biological purification of waste and in-situ bioaugmentation.
US07879231B2	Under-the-sink reverse osmosis water purification system with water temperature control This invention is an improvement to the existing reverse osmosis water filtration systems used in under-the-sink and similar commercial applications. This improvement uses a thermally conductive liner that allows an increase of efficiency to heat or cool water within the reverse osmosis system. In addition, it includes a controller that determines the amount of cooling required without contact with the water. The controller provides slow-rate pulse-width modulation of the Peltier-like device to cool, and dependant on room temperature, potentially heat the water within the reverse osmosis system.
US07879228B2	High volume liquid waste collection and disposal system A system for collecting and disposing of liquid medical waste includes a fluid collection cart and a draining and cleaning station. The fluid collection cart includes a pair of containers, each of which includes a draining port and a cap. Each cap includes an outer portion having a flushing port and a bore formed therein and an inner portion having vacuum and patient ports formed therein. The inner cap portion is disposable and removably positioned within the bore of the outer cap portion. Liquid level detectors also communicate with each container. The cart also includes a regulator so a low vacuum level may be pulled on one of the containers while a full vacuum level is pulled on the other container. Fluids are collected in the containers via suction tubes connected to the patient ports. The flushing and drain ports of the containers are connected to corresponding flushing and drain connectors on the station when the containers are full so that they may be drained and flushed. The cart liquid level detectors communicate with the station microprocessor so that the draining and flushing cycles may be properly sequenced. The station may also clean suction canisters.
US07879227B2	Screen condition checking apparatus and method An apparatus for the condition checking of a screen cloth in a vibrating screen for drilling fluid, comprising a pump for drawing a drilling fluid sample from the bottom tray of the vibrating screen into the apparatus, a filter for filtering the drilling fluid sample, and a pressure gauge for measuring the pressure difference across the filter. A method for the condition checking of a screen cloth in a vibrating screen, comprising drawing a drilling fluid sample from the bottom tray of the vibrating screen, filtering the drilling fluid sample through a filter, and measuring the pressure difference across the filter.
US07879226B2	Flow indicator for showing blocking of filter cotton A flow indicator for showing blocking of filter cotton, being installed in a pipe line of a spraying head for the purpose of showing and controlling blocking of filter cotton in a filter in connecting with a submerged pump for the spraying head, it has a tri-branch tube to connect the pipe line, and to connect to a housing provided therein with an electric power source, an indicating device, an igniting switch and a triggering device, the tri-branch tube is provided therein with a pusher rod that can detect the pressure of water and can thus be moved. When the filter cotton is blocked to lower the water pressure, the pusher rod is moved and makes the triggering device to turn on the indicating lamp device, in order to warn a user to clean or change the filter cotton of the filter.
US07879225B2	Energy efficient and throughput enhancing extractive process for aromatics recovery An energy efficient, high throughput process for aromatics recovery can be readily implemented by revamping existing sulfolane solvent extraction facilities, or constructing new ones, so as to incorporate unique process operations involving liquid-liquid extraction and extractive distillation. Current industrial sulfolane solvent based liquid-liquid extraction processes employ a liquid-liquid extraction column, an extractive stripping column, a solvent recovery column, a raffinate wash column, and a solvent regenerator. The improved process for aromatic hydrocarbon recovery from a mixture of aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons requires transformation of the extractive stripping column into a modified extractive distillation column. The revamping incorporates the unique advantages of liquid-liquid extraction and extractive distillation into one process to significantly reduce energy consumption and increase process throughput. The revamp entails essentially only piping changes and minor equipment adjustments of the original liquid-liquid extraction facility, and is therefore, reversible.
US07879221B2	Process for preparing porous metal organic frameworks The present invention relates to a process for preparing a porous metal organic framework comprising at least two organic compounds coordinated to at least one metal ion, which comprises the steps (a) oxidation of at least one anode comprising the metal corresponding to at least one metal ion in a reaction medium in the presence of at least one first organic compound which is an optionally substituted monocyclic, bicyclic or polycyclic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon in which at least two ring carbons have been replaced by heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O and S to form a reaction intermediate comprising the at least one metal ion and the first organic compound; and (b) reaction of the reaction intermediate at a prescribed temperature with at least one second organic compound which coordinates to the at least one metal ion, with the second organic compound being derived from a dicarboxylic, tricarboxylic or tetracarboxylic acid.
US07879220B2	Method and means for improving electrolysis cell operation The present invention relates to a method of improving the current efficiency (CE) in an electrolytic aluminum production cell with an electrolytic bath, at least one anode and at least one cathode, and passing current between said anode and said cathode through said bath and feeding an aluminum containing feedstock to the cell. The CE is improved in that the aluminum containing feedstock is prepared in a manner where it contains substantially no humidity or water before it is fed to the cell, where the electrolytic process is carried out at conditions with reduced amount of hydrogen present.
US07879217B2	Method of forming valve metal anode pellets for capacitors using forced convection of liquid electrolyte during anodization A method and apparatus for anodizing a porous valve metal pellet in a flowing liquid electrolyte is described. The apparatus comprises an insulative container comprised of a lower region, a central region including a cavity for holding the pellet, an upper region, and a continuous passageway extending through the lower, central, and upper regions. Lower and upper screens serving as lower and upper electrodes are disposed in the passageway in the lower and upper container regions, respectively. During anodizing, the electrolyte flows through the lower container region including the lower screen, the porous pellet and then the upper container region including the upper screen. The lower and upper screens are at an opposite electrical polarity as the pellet so that a dielectric oxide is formed on the exposed valve metal including interior portions of the pellet that are exposed to the flowing electrolyte.
US07879216B2	System and method for isotope separation An anode and cathode for an electrolytic cell configured as a low inductance transmission line to enable control of an interphase at an electrode surface. The anode and cathode are coupled to a switched current source by a low inductance path that includes a parallel plate transmission line, a coaxial transmission line, or both. The switched current source provides fast switching between current sources to provide fast charging and discharging of the double-layer capacitance associated with the electrode surface so that an isotope may be selectively transported to the electrode surface for oxidation or reduction. A photon source may be used to create a population of isotope containing species within the electrolyte. An additional static magnetic field and/or an alternating current magnetic excitation source may be used to modify the composition of the population of species containing the isotope to be separated.
US07879214B2	Method and device for collecting suspended particles A description is given of methods for collecting particles (1, 2) which are suspended in a liquid, including the following steps: providing the liquid containing the suspended particles (1, 2) in a compartment (10) having lateral surfaces (11), wherein at least one electrode (21) is arranged on at least one of the lateral surfaces (11), and generating high-frequency electric fields by means of the at least one electrode (21) so as to form at least one circulating flow (30), by means of which the particles (1, 2) are guided to at least one predetermined collecting area (40) in the compartment (10), wherein the flow (30) is formed in such a way that at least one branch of the flow runs along a longitudinal extent of the at least one electrode (21), and the flow (30) circulates about an axis (31) which is oriented perpendicular to the respectively adjacent lateral surface (11) with the electrode (21). Corresponding devices for collecting particles are also described.
US07879212B2	Peptide nanostructure-coated electrodes An electrode coated with peptide nanostructures, composed of self-assembled peptides, is disclosed. The electrode is capable of conducting a response current resulting from an electrochemical reaction. The electrode can form a part of an electrochemical cell, a detector and a sensor array. Methods utilizing an electrochemical cell, a detector or a sensor array comprising the electrode for detecting an Analyte in a sample and kits containing same are also disclosed.
US07879209B2	Cathode for sputter coating A magnetron sputtering cathode for use in a vacuum deposition process is disclosed wherein the cathode is coated on its sides with an electrically insulating material such as alumina to prevent arcing, and wherein the first end surface of the cathode supports a material to be sputtered. The bottom of the cathode may also be coated with an electrically insulating coating or may be resting upon an insulating platform.
US07879207B2	Electrochemical cell with dynamic endplate An electrochemical cell stack and method are provided with use the generated hydrogen gas to pressurize a chamber. The electrochemical cell stack includes a plurality of cells mounted between a first static endplate and a dynamic endplate. A pressure chamber is formed between a second static endplate and the dynamic endplate. The chamber acts upon a dynamic endplate to increase the loading on a plurality of cells as the generated gas pressure increases.
US07879206B2	System for interphase control at an electrode/electrolyte boundary An anode and cathode for an electrolytic cell are configured as a low inductance transmission line to enable control of an interphase at an electrode surface. The anode and cathode are coupled to a switched current source by a low inductance path that include a parallel plate transmission line, a coaxial transmission line, or both. The switched current source provides switching between current sources at three or more voltages to provide fast charging and discharging of the double-layer capacitance associated with the electrode surface.
US07879205B2	Hydrogen generating apparatus, fuel cell power generation system, method of controlling hydrogen generating quantity and recorded medium recorded program performing the same A hydrogen generating apparatus, capable of controlling the amount of hydrogen generation, has an electrolyzer, which is filled with an aqueous electrolyte solution containing hydrogen ions, a first electrode, which is accommodated in the electrolyzer, is submerged in the aqueous electrolyte solution, and generates electrons, a second electrode, which is accommodated in the electrolyzer, is submerged in the aqueous electrolyte solution, and receives the electrons to generate hydrogen, a switch, which is located between the first electrode and the second electrode, a flow rate meter, which measures an amount of hydrogen generation in the second electrode, and a switch controller, which receives a set value, compares the amount of hydrogen generation measured by the flow rate meter with the set value, and controls an on/off status of the switch. The amount of hydrogen generation can be controlled by use of on/off time and/or on/of frequency of the switch.
US07879201B2	Method and apparatus for surface processing of a substrate Method and apparatus for processing a substrate with a beam of energetic particles. The beam is directed from a source through a rectangular aperture in a shield positioned between the source and substrate to a treatment zone in a plane of substrate movement. Features on the substrate are aligned parallel to a major dimension of the rectangular aperture and the substrate is moved orthogonally to the aperture's major dimension. The beam impinges the substrate through the aperture during movement. The substrate may be periodically rotated by approximately 180° to reorient the features relative to the major dimension of the rectangular aperture. The resulting treatment profile is symmetrical about the sides of the features oriented toward the major dimension of the rectangular aperture.
US07879200B2	Ultrasonic transducer and horn used in oxidative desulfurization of fossil fuels Devices and improved methods are provided for operation of ultrasonic transducers and horns.
US07879199B2	Polyether ketone, its monomer and its phenolate A process for the preparation of an alkali metal salt of 4-chloro-4′-hydroxy benzophenone including the steps of (a) preparing purified 4-chloro-4′-hydroxy benzophenone by a process including distilling under reduced pressure a liquid containing 4-chloro-4′-hydroxy benzophenone and a solvent selected from diphenyl sulphone, diphenylene sulphone, benzophenone and dichlorobenzophenone, and then (b) preparing the alkali metal salt of thus purified 4-chloro-4′-hydroxy benzophenone by the reaction of the purified 4-chloro-4′-hydroxy benzophenone with a stoichiometric excess of at least one alkali metal base. There is also described a polymerization process using the alkali metal salt to yield PEK with high inherent viscosity and improved mechanical and thermal properties.
US07879196B2	Tank assembly for making fibre products from stock The present invention relates to a tank assembly for making fiber products from stock comprising a stock vat, a main tank (2, 103, 202), at least one inlet (20, 21, 111, 216) to said main tank from said stock vat, and an outlet (22, 113, 217) from said main tank. The tank assembly further comprises at least one mold tank (3, 102, 203, 204) having at least one inlet (37, 114, 218, 219) at its bottom connected to the inlet to said main tank and an outlet (4, 116, 221, 223) connected to said main tank so that stock from the mold tank is arranged to flow into said main tank and in that the horizontal cross-sectional area at the top of said mold tank is larger than the horizontal cross-sectional area at the bottom of said mold tank.
US07879195B2	Structured forming fabric and method Forming fabric for making a bulky web. The fabric includes a machine facing side and a web facing side having pockets formed by warp and weft yarns. A bottom of the pockets is formed an exchange of a different number of the warp and the weft yarns. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US07879187B2	Plasma etching apparatus The present invention relates to a plasma etching apparatus, which comprises a chamber, a substrate support disposed inside the chamber to support a substrate, a shield disposed with a gap on the substrate such that plasma is not generated therein while allowing an edge portion of the substrate to be exposed, an antenna disposed at a position on an outer wall of the chamber to apply plasma-generating power to an area between the edge portion of the substrate and an inner wall of the chamber, and a bias-applying unit for applying bias to the substrate support. According to the present invention, the shield and the substrate support prevent plasma from being generated at other portions of a substrate except an edge portion of the substrate. Inductively coupled plasma is employed to generate plasma with high density, thereby removing a thin film and particles remained at the edge portion of the substrate. In addition, by means of the discharging of inductively coupled plasma, it is possible to improve an etching rate at the edge portion of the substrate and to adjust the profile of an etching process at a low processing pressure.
US07879179B2	Processing apparatus with a chamber having therein a high-corrosion-resistant sprayed film A processing apparatus of the present invention has a mounted chamber holding a semiconductor wafer and having members for work-processing the substrate under any of heating, plasma and process gas or a combination of them, in which a film of Al2O3 and Y2O3 is formed on an inner wall surface of the chamber and on those exposed surface of the members within the chamber and has a high-corrosion resistance and insulating property and, when the process gas is introduced onto a processing surface of a semiconductor wafer and diffused into it, any product is less liable to be deposited on a plasma generation area and on those members held within the chamber.
US07879175B2	Method for manufacturing pyrolytic boron nitride composite substrate Wettability of a PBN material surface with respect to a metal is improved to expand use applications. Hydrogen ions are implanted into a surface of a silicon substrate 10 to form an ion implanted region 11 at a predetermined depth near a surface of the silicon substrate 10, and a plasma treatment or an ozone treatment is performed with respect to a main surface of the silicon substrate 10 for the purpose of surface cleaning or surface activation. The main surfaces of the silicon substrate 10 and a PBN substrate 20 subjected to the surface treatment are appressed against each other to be bonded at a room temperature, and an external impact shock is given to the bonded substrate to mechanically delaminate a silicon film 12 from a bulk 13 of the silicon substrate to be transferred. An obtained PBN composite substrate 30 is diced to form a chip having a desired size, and a refractory metal is metallized on the silicon film 12 side to be connected with a wiring material.
US07879164B2	Method of producing hot-rolled steel sheet A steel sheet excellent in mechanical strength, workability and thermal stability and suited for use as a raw material in such fields of manufacturing automobiles, household electric appliances, machine structures, and of constructing buildings, and a manufacturing method thereof is provided. The steel sheet is a hot-rolled steel sheet of a carbon steel or low-alloy steel, the main phase of which is ferrite, and is characterized in that the average ferrite crystal grain diameter D(μm) at the depth of ¼ of the sheet thickness from the steel sheet surface satisfies the relations respectively defined by formulas (1) and (2) given below and the increase rate X (μm/min) in average ferrite crystal grain diameter at 700° C. at the depth of ¼ of the sheet thickness from the steel sheet surface and said average crystal grain diameter D(μm) satisfy the relation defined by the formula (3) given below: 1.2≦D≦7 formula (1) D≦2.7+5000/(5+350·C+40·Mn)2 formula (2) D·X≦0.1 formula (3) wherein C and Mn represent the content (in % by mass) of the respective elements in the steel.
US07879162B2	High strength aluminum alloys with L12 precipitates High strength aluminum magnesium alloys that can be used at temperatures from about −420° F. (−251° C.) up to about 650° F. (343° C.) are described. The alloys are strengthened by dispersion of particles based on the L12 intermetallic compound Al3X. These alloys comprise aluminum, magnesium, at least one of scandium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium; and at least one of gadolinium, yttrium, zirconium, titanium, hafnium, and niobium. These alloys may also optionally contain zinc, copper, lithium and silicon.
US07879160B2	Cold rolled dual-phase steel sheet A steel sheet having (a) a dual phase microstructure with a martensite phase and a ferrite phase and (b) a composition containing by percent weight: 0.01% to 0.2% C; 0.3% to 3% Mn; 0.05% to 2% Si; 0.1% to 2% Cr; 0.01% to 0.10% Al; and 0.0005% to 0.01% Ca, with the balance of the composition being iron and incidental ingredients. Also, the steel sheet is made by a batch annealing method, and has a tensile strength of at least approximately 400 MPa and an n-value of at least approximately 0.175.
US07879157B2	Method for pretreating the surfaces of weld parts of aluminum or alloys thereof and corresponding weld parts Described here is a method for pretreating the surfaces of weld parts of aluminum or alloys thereof, and weld parts produced with said method. Prior to welding, the weld parts are subjected to a treatment (17) in an acidic, aqueous solution, wherein the acidic, aqueous solution contains ions of the elements boron and/or silicon and/or titanium and/or zirconium and/or hafnium. The invention consists in that a polishing step (9) is carried out prior to the treatment in the acidic, aqueous solution to make for better sliding in a feed apparatus during the welding process.
US07879152B2	Apparatus and method for cleaning nozzle Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for cleaning a nozzle, which can automatically clean pollutant of the nozzle. The nozzle cleaning apparatus comprises the nozzle in a polluted state, a nozzle cleaning unit to clean a pollutant material from the nozzle by use of an absorbing member, and an absorbing member cleaning unit to clean a pollutant material from the absorbing member. With this configuration, the nozzle cleaning apparatus can clean the polluted nozzle by use of the absorbing member and in turn, can clean the polluted absorbing member by use of cleaning liquid, whereby automatic cleaning of the nozzle can be accomplished. Automatic cleaning of the polluted nozzle has the effect of reducing cleaning labor and time, and improving productivity.
US07879149B2	Vacuum processing apparatus The vacuum processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump, and a pipe 30 connecting the vacuum chamber to the vacuum pump to evacuate the vacuum chamber. A flexible pipe is included as a part of the pipe, and a mechanism for fixing the flexible pipe so as not to shrink at the time of evacuation. The mechanism includes a bar for fixing the vacuum pump side of the flexible pipe to a floor. In an embodiment, the vacuum processing apparatus is a substrate bonding apparatus for fabricating a display device.
US07879147B2	Large area, uniformly low dislocation density GaN substrate and process for making the same Large area, uniformly low dislocation density single crystal III-V nitride material, e.g., gallium nitride having a large area of greater than 15 cm2, a thickness of at least 1 mm, an average dislocation density not exceeding 5E5 cm−2, and a dislocation density standard deviation ratio of less than 25%, and methods of forming same, are disclosed. Such material can be formed on a substrate by a process including (i) a first phase of growing the III-V nitride material on the substrate under pitted growth conditions, e.g., forming pits over at least 50% of the growth surface of the III-V nitride material, wherein the pit density on the growth surface is at least 102 pits/cm2 of the growth surface, and (ii) a second phase of growing the III-V nitride material under pit-filling conditions.
US07879144B2	Filler comprising fly ash for use in polymer composites The present invention is a fly ash filler or filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes that can be combined with a polymer at higher filler loadings to produce a filled polymer for polymer composites that, in many cases, can produce improved mechanical properties for the polymer composites over polymer composites using conventional fillers. As a result, superior polymer composites (e.g. those used in carpet backing) can be produced at a lower cost than conventional polymer composites. The present invention also includes a method for producing a polymer composite, comprising the steps of combining a polymer with a fly ash filler or a filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes to produce a filled polymer and producing a polymer composite with the resulting filled polymer. The present invention further includes a method of determining what fly ashes can be used as fillers for polymer composites.
US07879142B2	Cyclone dust collector and vacuum cleaner A cyclone dust collector includes a cyclone body including a first cyclone chamber to centrifugally separate dust from drawn-in air for a first time, a plurality of second cyclone chambers to centrifugally separate dust from the drawn-in air for a second time, and a plurality of discharge ports to cause the drawn-in air to be discharged from the plurality of second cyclone chambers; an upper cover to cover an upper portion of the cyclone body, the upper cover having an inner wall facing the plurality of discharge ports; and a noise reduction part disposed between the plurality of discharge ports and the inner wall of the upper cover, to reduce noise generated inside the upper cover by the air discharged through the plurality of discharge ports. Therefore, it is possible to reduce noise generated inside the upper cover of the cyclone dust collector.
US07879138B2	Pressure swing adsorption method and system with multiple-vessel beds Pressure swing adsorption process for the separation of a feed gas mixture comprising (a) providing a pressure swing adsorption system comprising one or more composite beds, each composite bed comprising adsorbent material disposed in two or more vessels in parallel flow configuration, each vessel having a feed end and a product end; (b) performing cyclic sequential steps comprising adsorption/make product, withdrawing gas at decreasing pressure from the composite bed, purging the composite bed, and introducing gas into the composite bed at increasing pressure; and (c) for any of the sequential steps, setting a flow rate or flow rates of one or more gases selected from the group consisting of gas introduced into or withdrawn from the feed end or ends of any of the two or more vessels and gas introduced into or withdrawn from the product end or ends of any of the two or more vessels.
US07879135B2	Configurations and methods for claus plant operation with variable sulfur content Contemplated plants include an acid gas enrichment unit in which acid gas unsuitable for feeding into a Claus plant from an upstream acid gas removal unit is separated into a concentrated hydrogen sulfide stream that is fed to the Claus plant and a carbon dioxide stream that is compressed in a compressor before sequestration, further purification, and/or recycling to a gasification unit.
US07879132B2	Method for reduction treatment of metal oxide or ironmaking waste and method for concentration and recovery zinc and/or lead A method of reduction treatment of metal oxides characterized by using as a material a powder containing metal oxides and containing alkali metals and halogen elements and further, in accordance with need, carbon, mixing said material with water to produce a slurry, then dehydrating this and charging the dehydrated material, mixed with another material in accordance with need, into a rotary hearth type reduction furnace for reduction.
US07879130B2	Calcium-silicate based slag for treatment of molten silicon The present invention relates to a calcium-silicate based slag having a phosphorous content of less than 3 ppmw. The invention further relates to a method for producing a low phosphorous calcium-silicate based slag, where molten calcium-silicate based slag is treated with a molten ferrosilicon alloy in a vessel, whereby phosphorous in the calcium-silicate based slag is transferred to the ferrosilicon alloy, and a low phosphorous calcium-silicate to based slag is removed from the vessel.
US07879123B2	Inertial separator An inertial separator comprising a tubular body, the tubular body comprises a composition comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of a cyclic olefin polymer and a cyclic olefin copolymer, and, a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and/or a flame retardant and/or an anti-static additive, is disclosed.
US07879119B2	Heat integration and condensate treatment in a shift feed gas saturator Systems and processes for adjusting hydrogen content of a synthesis gas are provided. At least a portion of carbon monoxide in a syngas can be converted to carbon dioxide to provide a shifted syngas and condensed water. The syngas can have a first hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio and a first temperature, and the shifted syngas can have a second hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio and a second temperature, both greater than the first. Heat from the shifted syngas can be at least partially transferred from the shifted syngas to the condensed water to at least partially vaporize the condensed water. The syngas can be at least partially saturated with the at least partially vaporized condensed water. A ratio of the water vapor to syngas can be about 1.0 or less.
US07879118B1	Systems for producing fuel compositions Systems for producing fuel compositions with predetermined desirable properties are disclosed. Feedback control can be employed to meter precise amounts of fuel composition components while monitoring fuel composition properties to obtain fuel compositions having specifically defined properties.
US07879115B2	Method for using a static electric field to induce crystallization and to control crystal form Applying a strong static DC electric field to supersaturated aqueous glycine solutions resulted in the nucleation of the γ polymorph attributed to the electric-field induced orientation of the highly polar glycine molecules in large preexisting solute clusters, helping them organize into a crystalline structure. A method to induce crystallization and to prepare polymorphs and/or morphologies of materials by using a static electric field to cause nucleation and crystal growth to occur in a supersaturated solution in such a way as to obtain a crystal structure that would not normally appear without the use of the static electric field. Aqueous glycine solutions were prepared by combining solid glycine and water. Supersaturated solutions were generated by heating the tubes to 62-64° C. and holding them at that temperature in an ultrasonicator overnight. Once the glycine was completely dissolved, the solutions were slowly cooled to room temperature. A chamber was constructed consisting of two brass electrodes separated by a 5 mm insulating gap, with a hole drilled down through the center, parallel to the gap-electrode interface, with a diameter large enough to accommodate the test tube. A DC voltage was applied across the electrodes, large enough to produce electric fields in the range of 400,000 to 800,000 V/m. Tests tubes containing the aged solutions were placed in the high-voltage chamber. Exposure of the aged solutions to fields of 600,000 V/m resulted in crystallization typically within 30-90 min. The onset of nucleation was observed visually by the formation of a needle-shaped crystallite.
US07879111B2	System and method for RFID transfer of MAC, keys Network registration for a device is achieved by providing the device with an RFID chip bearing a MAC address, cryptographic capabilities and keys, and then disposing the device near a registration server (such as a home network server/server TV) to cause the information on the RFID chip to be automatically transferred to the server and thus execute registration of the device on the network automatically, relieving a person from having to enter long strings of numbers.
US07879109B2	Continuous phase composite for musculoskeletal repair A composite material for positioning in the anatomy to form a selected function therein. The composite may be resorbable over a selected period of time. The composite may allow for selected bone ingrowth as absorption of the composite occurs.
US07879107B2	Composition and method for inducing bone growth and healing A composition and method for inducing bone growth and healing is provided. The composition is useful for promoting new bone synthesis, and to enhance the mechanical stability and longevity of orthopaedic implants. The composition includes a bone endogenous material which is used as raw material for the body's natural osteogenic mechanism to synthesize new bone. The composition is applied in a flow phase and then undergoes a phase change to a congealed phase. The resulting material has a dual mode porosity system, having a first order porosity to accommodate and promote convective diffusion of nutrient species into and through the material, and a second order porosity to accommodate osteoblastic migration therein without the need for osteoclastic resorption.
US07879100B2	Methods and systems for forming implants with selectively exposed mesh for fixation and related implants Molded orthopaedic implants include at least one mesh substrate having opposing upper and lower primary surfaces. At least a major portion of the mesh substrate lower primary surface is integrally moldably attached to the molded implant body. The mesh substrate has at least one selectively exposed region devoid of molded material that exposes at least a portion of the mesh substrate upper surface to at least a partial thickness of the mesh substrate so as to allow for tissue in-growth in the at least one exposed region of the mesh substrate.
US07879099B2	Minimally invasive apparatus to manipulate and revitalize spinal column disc A method and apparatus are provided to manipulate and revitalize a spinal column disc while minimizing or preventing the removal of material comprising the disc. The method allows a device to be inserted in the disc either through a pre-existing rupture or through an opening formed in the front, back, or sides of the disc. Increasing the space between the vertebra bounding the disc or removing disc material often is not necessary to insert the device in the disc. The device generates internal traction or other forces acting on the disc to alter the shape of the disc. The shape of the disc is altered to relieve pressure on nerves adjacent the disc. The shape of the disc is also altered to draw nuclear hernias back into the interior of the disc and to produce a disc shape that improves functioning of the disc.
US07879097B2	Method of performing a procedure within a disc Methods of performing procedures within an intervertebral disc are disclosed. The methods include performing procedures such as implant delivery, tissue manipulation, tissue diagnostics, and therapeutic and diagnostic agent delivery at selected locations within intervertebral discs. In one embodiment, a method includes delivering an anchor and an implant within a functional spinal unit using a surgical device having at least one depth stop.
US07879096B2	Centrally driven expandable implant An expandable medical implant for supporting skeletal structures. The medical implant having a length along its expandable dimension. The implant having a first tubular member with a connection end, an opposite skeletal interface end, and a central expansion instrument opening. Also, the implant has a second tubular member with a connection end configured to engage with the connection end of the first tubular member. The second tubular member having an opposite skeletal interface end. Additionally, an expansion instrument is insertable through the central expansion instrument opening and expandable against the first tubular member and the connection end of the second tubular member to expand the medical implant. The combined first and second tubular members are of a greater dimension along the length of the implant than the combined first and second tubular members are in any dimension perpendicular to their length.
US07879095B2	Method of inserting, rotating and releasing a spring-loaded artificial disk A rotating, locking, spring-loaded disk implant for stabilizing adjacent vertebrae. The implant is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional shape with minimal height and maximal width. The implant is inserted into the space between two adjacent vertebrae from which a portion of the intervertebral disk has been removed and, when positioned in the disk space, rotated to bring the sides of the rectangularly-shaped implant defining the width of the implant, with its larger dimension, into engagement with the bodies of the adjacent vertebrae. A portion of the implant is biased away from the implant and into contact with the adjacent vertebrae to provide a cushioning effect between the implant and the vertebra. A lock is then secured to the implant to resist further rotation of the implant in the disk space.
US07879093B2	Electrospun apatite/polymer nano-composite scaffolds An artificial bone composite structure is provided. This structure includes a fibrous matrix that itself includes a plurality of fibers. Also, the structure includes a plurality of hydroxyapatite (HA) particles. These particles are dispersed within the fibrous matrix. Also, the HA particles have controlled size and aspect ratios and are aligned along long axes of the fibers. In some instances, the fibers include poly-(L-lactic acid) (PLLA).
US07879088B2	Capsular bag for artificial vitreous body and method for manufacturing the same A capsular bag for the artificial vitreous body is made up of a material selected from the group consisting of polysiloxane, polyurethane styrene triblock copolymer thermoplastic elastomers, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, poly (lactide-co-glycolide, and hyaluronic acid ester. A method for manufacturing the capsular bag for the artificial vitreous body is performed by dip-molding, effectively improving the smoothness of the inner surface of the capsule. An eye die is dipped into a gel solution until the surface adsorbs the gel, and then lifted, repeating 3-6 times. The dipped eye is hardened into shape. A shaped spherical outer capsule is peeled out of the eye die. The capsular bag for the artificial vitreous body has high biocompatibility and excellent flexibility.
US07879086B2	Medical device having a coating comprising an adhesion promoter This invention is directed to a coating for a medical device, such as an intravascular stent, in which the coating, which comprises a first coating region comprising an adhesion promoter and a therapeutic agent. The coating can also include a second coating region which is substantially free of the adhesion promoter or any adhesion promoter. The invention is also directed to a method for manufacturing such a coated medical device.
US07879084B2	Stent and stent delivery device A stent has a plurality of wavy annular members arranged adjacently to each other in an axial direction of the stent with the adjacent wavy annular members connected with each other. Each of the wavy annular members has a plurality of one-end side bent portions each having an apex at one-end side of the stent in an axial direction thereof and a plurality of other-end side bent portions each having an apex at the other-end side of the stent in the axial direction thereof. An apex of each of the one-end side bent portions of each wavy annular member penetrates into a space formed between the adjacent other-end side bent portions of one of the adjacent wavy annular members. An apex of each of the other-end side bent portions of each wavy annular member penetrates into a space formed between the adjacent one-end side bent portions of the other of the adjacent wavy annular members. The apex of the one-end side bent portion of each wavy annular member and the apex of the other-end side bent portion of the adjacent wavy annular member curve in an approach direction, thus engaging each other.
US07879080B2	Stent placement device A stent placement device capable of forward/backward operation for adjusting a placement position of a stent in a living tissue and forward/backward operation of an ultrasonic endoscope in a treatment instrument insertion channel is realized by providing a guide tube holding a stent to be placed in an opening formed in a tissue of a body cavity capable of moving forward/backward in the axial direction, a fixing portion provided at a tip end of the guide tube and including a claw portion and a reduced-diameter portion which is changeable between a locked position and a nonlocked position of the stent when the stent is held by the guide tube, and an operation portion for operating a pusher tube or the like operating movement of the stent of the fixing portion between the locked position and the nonlocked position.
US07879078B2	Use of convective air warming system for patient care A technique for heating a patient is provided. The technique includes providing a warming blanket comprising at least one section that can be moved relative to the remainder of the warming blanket to define an opening in the warming blanket. The technique also includes providing a drape suitable to cover the opening such that a seal is formed between the drape and the warming blanket along the periphery of the opening.
US07879071B2	Closure device and methods for making and using them A clip for engaging tissue includes a generally annular-shaped body defining a plane and disposed about a central axis extending normal to the plane. The body includes alternating inner and outer curved regions, defining a zigzag pattern about a periphery of the clip. The body is biased towards a planar configuration lying in the plane and deflectable towards a transverse configuration extending out of the plane. Tines extend from the inner curved regions, the tines being oriented towards the central axis in the planar configuration, and parallel to the central axis in the transverse configuration. The tines may include primary tines and secondary tines that are shorter than the primary tines. The primary tines may be disposed on opposing inner curved regions and oriented towards one another such that they overlap in the planar configuration.
US07879068B2	Feedback sensing for a mechanical restrictive device An apparatus comprises an implantable mechanically adjustable band configured to form a restriction in a patient. The band defines an inner diameter. The mechanical adjustability of the band is configured to permit the inner diameter defined by the band to be selectively varied. The apparatus further comprises an adjustment mechanism in communication with the band. The adjustment mechanism is operable to provide the mechanical adjustability of the band. The apparatus further comprises a sensor in communication with one or both of the mechanically adjustable band or the adjustment mechanism. The sensor is configured to sense a physical parameter associated with operation of the band. The physical parameter sensed by the sensor varies with the inner diameter defined by the band. The band may be used as a gastric band, among other potential uses.
US07879065B2	Locking component for an embolic filter assembly A locking component for locking a medical device onto a guide wire. Such medical devices include, for example, an embolic filter assembly used to capture embolic material that may be created and released into a patient's vasculature during a stenting or angioplasty procedure. The embolic filter assembly tracks along the guide wire, and is delivered to a treatment site where it is locked in place and deployed. The locking component enables the filter assembly to lock onto any standard guide wire, and does not require a modified guide wire that has a specially-designed fitting or stop to accomplish the locking function.
US07879064B2	Medical implant The invention relates to a medical implant (1′) in the form of an elongated helix wherein at least one part of the helix is preformed in such a manner that it has a secondary structure of identically sized loops which it assumes during implantation at the placement site, with said structure in turn forming at the placement site during implantation a polyhedral tertiary structure, and the polyhedron being provided with at least one additional loop.
US07879060B2	Balloon trepan The balloon trepan is used in minimal invasive surgery in order to create or maintain the area required for an operation by dilation of tissue or dissection of layers of tissue. The connection between the balloon and the sleeve of the trepan must be easily and securely produced without enlarging the outer diameter of the balloon trepan. The balloon must be secured against slipping and must be able to resist pressure during inflation. The balloon surrounding the distal end of the trepan is pressed against a peripheral step formed on the sleeve of the trepan by a clamping element in order to fix it to the sleeve of the trepan. The clamping element is displaced by rotation of at least one part of the clamping element about a longitudinal axis of the sleeve of the trepan in a longitudinal direction in relation to the said sleeve.
US07879059B2	Lancet assembly A lancet assembly is disclosed which eliminates the need for removing a resin cover that covers a pricking element. When a lancet structure is inserted into a lancet holder, a force is applied so as to separate a lancet cover, that encloses a distal end of a pricking element, from a lancet body so that the distal end of the pricking element which has been enclosed by the lancet cover is exposed in the lancet holder, and the opening of the lancet holder is positioned in front of the distal end of the pricking element. The lancet structure has a trigger which launches the pricking element of which the distal end is exposed, when the lancet structure is continually pushed into the lancet holder.
US07879058B2	Lancet device for forming incision An incision device capable of preventing inadvertent firing, and including a covered attached to the device. The incision device comprises a housing, and a lancet guide assembly having lancet guides and a lancet body. The lancet body further comprises a lancet blade. The lancet blade is covered by a removable protective cover having a stopper which prevents a trigger arm from being moved so as to fire the lancet blade.
US07879046B2	Suturing apparatus and method A suturing apparatus comprises a pair of jaws. A bendable needle housed in one of the jaws is adapted to carry a suture. An optional suture receiver may be disposed adjacent to the opposite jaw. A transition block curves the needle and directs it in a direction generally unparallel to an axis of the carrying jaw. The needle may also be configured to retrieve a suture. A retaining mechanism holds a suture in place to be engaged by the needle. The jaw housing the needle may include a lateral opening through which the suture may be inserted. The needle may also include a lateral notch which may be aligned with lateral opening to receive the suture. An actuator coupled to the needle enables the user to move the needle proximally to align the notch with the lateral slot.
US07879041B2	Systems and methods for internal bone fixation Internal bone fixation devices and methods for using the devices for repairing a weakened or fractured bone are disclosed herein. According to aspects illustrated herein, there is provided a device for repairing a fractured bone that includes a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the delivery catheter having an inner void for passing at least one reinforcing material, and an inner lumen for accepting a light pipe, wherein a distal end of the inner lumen terminates in an optical lens; a conformable member releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, the conformable member moving from a deflated state to an inflated state when the at least one reinforcing material is delivered to the conformable member; and an adapter releasably engaging the proximal end of the delivery catheter for receiving the light pipe and the at least one reinforcing material.
US07879039B2	Minimally invasive interspinous process spacer insertion device An interspinous process spacer insertion device that positions an interspinous process spacer between the spinous process of adjacent vertebrae in a minimally invasive percutaneous surgical procedure. The device includes a trocar rod that extends through a cannulated sleeve. The spacer is attached to the end of the cannulated sleeve, where a trocar tip of the trocar rod extends through the spacer. The trocar rod is moved through the cannulated sleeve and an incision in the patient, and is positioned between the spinous process of the vertebra to align the device. The cannulated sleeve is then moved down the trocar rod so that the spacer slides between the spinous process, and the trocar rod is then withdrawn from the patient. The spacer is then rotated so that it locks behind the spinous process, and the cannulated sleeve is detached from the spacer and removed from the patient.
US07879034B2	Internally located return electrode electrosurgical apparatus, system and method A bipolar, plasma-generating electrosurgical apparatus and system wherein the return electrode is enclosed within an electrosurgical shaft, and the active electrode is located on the outside surface of the shaft such that in treating the tissue, the tissue is exposed to plasma generated on the active electrode, but is minimally exposed to electric fields generated between the active and return electrodes. Due to the configuration of the electrodes, electric fields generated between the electrodes are directed away from the target tissue and inwardly towards the return electrode within the shaft, thereby electrical stimulation of neuromuscular structures in the tissue by the electric fields is minimized.
US07879033B2	Electrosurgical pencil with advanced ES controls An electrosurgical system is provided that includes an electrosurgical generator; and an electrosurgical pencil selectively connectable to the electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical pencil includes an elongated housing; at least one electrocautery end effector removably supportable within the housing and extending distally from the housing, the electrocautery end effector being connected to the electrosurgical generator; and at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing. The at least one voltage divider network is electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator and controls at least one of the intensity of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil and the mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrosurgical pencil. The voltage divider network generates a plurality of characteristic voltages which are measurable by the electrosurgical generator and which electrosurgical generator in turn transmits a corresponding waveform duty cycle at a particular intensity to the electrocautery end effector of the electrosurgical pencil.
US07879030B2	Multipolar, virtual-electrode catheter with at least one surface electrode and method for ablation Virtual-electrode catheters and methods for using such virtual-electrode catheters are disclosed. For example, bipolar and multipolar, virtual-electrode catheters having at least one internal electrode and at least one surface electrode, and methods of using these catheters for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias via, for example, radiofrequency (RF) ablation are disclosed. The catheters may comprise a catheter body with an internal lumen extending within it and adapted to flowingly receive a conductive fluid. An exit feature defining a flow path from the internal lumen to the catheter's outer surface may exist through a sidewall of the catheter body. A conductor is mounted within the internal lumen adjacent to the exit feature and is adapted to deliver treatment energy to the tissue via the conductive fluid in the internal lumen. At least one surface electrode is mounted on the outer surface of the catheter body adjacent to the exit feature.
US07879025B2	Fluid delivery system and flow control therefor A fluid delivery system having a closed-loop control process for delivering a medical fluid to a patient. A fluid infusion system includes a pump for delivering a fluid to a patient via an administration tube. A flow sensor associated with the administration tube provides an indication of the actual flow rate of fluid in the administration tube. Such a flow sensor may comprise a positive displacement flow sensor constructed using micro-fabrication and/or micro-molding techniques. A reader reads the actual flow rate signal and provides an indication to a controller for controlling the pump. The flow rate information can also be used for providing status information, such as the existence of a blockage in the fluid delivery system.
US07879019B2	Method of opening reservoir of containment device A method is provided for selectively opening a containment reservoir. The method includes providing a device which comprises a substrate in which at least one reservoir is located and covered by a reservoir cap; and directing laser light to the reservoir cap to cause the reservoir cap to disintegrate or become permeable. The device may be an implantable medical device. The reservoirs may contain a drug for controlled release or a biosensor.
US07879018B2	Fluid transfer device A fluid ducting assembly for enabling flow communication between a syringe and either one of a vessel and a dispenser for dispensing a fluid contained, a priori in the syringe or in the vessel. The fluid ducting assembly includes a base having a first member, a second member, and a third member for connection to and providing flow communication with the syringe, the vessel and the dispenser, respectively. The fluid ducting assembly further includes a flow controller within the base enabling any one of a flow path between the first member and the second member and a flow path between the first member and the third member. The flow controller has either a first operative position in which the flow path between the first member and the second member in enabled or a second operative position in which the flow path between the first member and the third member is enabled. The flow controller being readily switchable from its first operative position to its second operative position but not readily switchable form its second operative position to its first operative position.
US07879015B2	Drainable ostomy pouch with integrated closure A drainable ostomy pouch is disclosed which comprises a first or proximal and a second or distal side wall of flexible sheet material sealed to each other for defining a cavity therebetween for receiving human stomal discharge through an aperture in the proximal side wall. It includes an elongate drainage portion extending downwardly in a longitudinal direction and ending in a drainage opening extending transversely to the longitudinal direction, and a first or proximal and a second or distal flexible stiffening strip of relatively stiff material extending immediately adjacent to and along the drainage opening and being attached to the outer surface of the first and second side walls, respectively, of the drainage portion. The pouch further comprises a securing strip having interlocking elements on the wall and corresponding interlocking elements on a flap for securing a coil comprising the first and second stiffening strips rotated upwards at least two times.
US07879014B2	Valve assembly with chamber vent and fluid deflector One example of a media delivery system includes a burrette defining a chamber and having inlet and outlet connections in fluid communication with the chamber. The burrette further includes a vent assembly configured for fluid communication with the chamber. In addition, a float and seat assembly of the media delivery system include a buoyant float positioned in the chamber of the burette, where the float is arranged for movement within the chamber. The float and seat assembly further includes a seat assembly positioned in the chamber of the burrette and configured to cooperate with the float to manage a flow of fluid through the outlet connection of the chamber. Finally, a fluid management device is provided that is located proximate the inlet to the chamber.
US07879011B2	Endoluminal delivery of anesthesia Described herein are methods and devices for selectively applying fluids (particularly anesthetics) to a target tissue from within a blood vessel while minimizing the amount of fluid applied to non-target tissue. The injection catheters described herein may include an elongate body, a directional injector, and one or more holdfasts for securing the catheter before extending the injector. The methods of selectively applying anesthetic to a target structure generally include the steps of inserting an injection catheter into a body vessel, positioning the injection catheter within the body vessel near the target structure, anchoring the injection catheter before extending a directional injector from the injection catheter, and applying anesthetic from the injection catheter to the target structure.
US07879007B2	Injection device guide spring An injection appliance including a housing, a product container received by the housing and containing a product, a piston received in the housing in such a way that it can be displaced in a forward direction to dispense the product, a piston rod which acts on the piston in the forward direction, and a spring which acts on the piston rod in the forward direction, wherein, in one embodiment, the spring includes at least two adjacent spring sections each having a different buckling resistance in relation to the same length when the piston rod is a forward position and, in another embodiment, the appliance includes a spring guiding structure that is entrained or in use during a forward movement of the piston rod and secures the spring against buckling, wherein, when the piston rod is in the forward position, the guiding structure extends past an end of the rod.
US07879005B2	Device and method for collapsing an angioplasty balloon A device for collapsing a balloon in the vasculature of a patient after an angioplasty procedure includes a balloon and at least one elastomeric member that is attached to the inner surface of the balloon at a plurality of attachment points. Preferably, the elastomeric member is an annular band that will stretch during balloon inflation. Consequently, when the balloon is deflated, the elastomeric member pulls on the balloon at its attachment points to return the balloon to a predetermined configuration, wherein the balloon collapses inwardly onto itself for subsequent removal of the balloon from the vessel.
US07879002B2	Mixing device including a plunging mixing member for use with a syringe Mixing devices used with a syringe or syringe system and related systems for mixing dissimilar components contained therein. The devices and systems include a hollow elongate handle having a proximal end, a distal delivery end, and a delivery passageway therethrough. A mixing member is disposed at or near the proximal end of the hollow elongate handle, which mixing member and a portion of the handle are axially slidable within a syringe barrel during use. The user may push and pull the distal end of the handle, causing corresponding axial movement of the mixing member within the syringe barrel. The devices and systems may be used to homogenously mix difficult to mix two part compositions, as well as single part compositions which include components that may tend to separate over time (e.g., a fluoride varnish composition).
US07879001B2	Devices and methods for treatment of ocular disorders Intraocular implants and delivery instruments are disclosed for treating ophthalmic conditions and ocular disorders, such as glaucoma. The implants are configured to extend between the anterior chamber of the eye and a fluid outflow path or physiologic outflow pathway, such as Schlemm's canal, of the eye for enhancing outflow of aqueous from the anterior chamber so as to reduce intraocular pressure. The implants can have features for anchoring the implant into the physiologic outflow pathway as well as preventing the walls of the physiologic outflow pathway from closing the outlet of the implants. The delivery instruments can be steerable so as to make implantation easier. Additionally, the delivery instruments can be configured to hold a plurality of implants so that multiple implants can be implanted through one incision without removing the delivery instrument from the incision between serial implantations.
US07878996B2	Lumbar selective stabilization support/brace A lumbar support device and a selective stabilization support device for use in treating mechanical back pain. The lumbar support device includes a torso belt for positioning around the user's mid-section. At least two and typically three straps are also provided connectable at first and second end regions to a surface of the torso belt. Straps are provided to encircle the user's torso to maintain the lumbar support device in position and to engage and maintain in position a pressure appliance arm having a pressure pad thereon. The pressure pad is may thus be configured and precisely positioned to relieve symptoms of back pain.
US07878991B2	Portable ultrasound device for the treatment of wounds Device and methods for the treatment of wounds using ultrasound energy are disclosed. The portable wound treatment device may deliver ultrasound energy to a wound through direct contact with the ultrasound tip and/or through a liquid coupling medium. Several ultrasound tips specially designed to concentrate and focus ultrasound energy onto a wound are also disclosed. The ultrasound tip may also possess an abrasive peripheral boundary to aid in debriding the wound and/or removing necrotic tissue. The disclosed invention may have multiple beneficial effects in treating a wound such as sterilizing a wound, reducing external bleeding, and/or providing pain relief.
US07878990B2	Gait training device and method A gait training device includes a pair of weight sensors with one of the sensors placed under each foot of an individual. The device also includes a microcomputer and a pair of electrical cables connecting each of the weight sensors to the microcomputer. A control panel/display is connected to the microcomputer and includes a pair of monitors for displaying target loads and/or actual loads averaged over a number of gait cycles for each foot. An audio alarm is also provided and sounds each time that a target load is exceeded. Methods for analyzing and correcting excess forces on an injured limb are also disclosed.
US07878989B2	Knee prostheses A total knee prosthesis comprises a femoral component and a patellar component. The femoral component has a patellar flange into which is built a twist or roller coaster configuration. The patellar component has an off-set dome with respective lateral and medial facets. The configuration of the patellar flange resists forces from a medial to a lateral direction, whilst the lateral and medial facets of the patellar component are respectively shaped to allow area contact and line contact respectively with the femoral component. Also disclosed is a device for intra-operative checking of patellar tracking to allow correct insertion of the femoral and patellar components.
US07878988B2	Method for measuring the strength of healing bone and related tissues A method of measuring healing strength of bone includes a bone fixation plate (14) implanted at the healing area between bone segments (12). The bone fixation plate (14) includes high aspect ratio material with electric current conduction properties responsive to strain. This method causes an induced, or directly applied, electric current to pass through the high aspect ratio material. Analysis of the change in this current by a series of increasing loads placed on the healing body part indicates what level of load produces strain on the bone fixation plate (14). As healing strength increases, evidence of strain on the bone fixation plate (14) occurs at a greater load. Physicians determine thereby the strength of bone healing and safe levels of activity for patients while bone healing progresses.
US07878972B2	Removable optical assembly for a medical instrument An optical probe, for example, a medical endoscope, having a removable lens cell. In an embodiment, the optical probe has an elongated tube with a proximal portion terminating at a proximal end and a distal portion opposite the proximal portion terminating at a distal end. The elongated tube defines an axial lumen wherein a lens cell holder is disposed proximal the distal portion. The lens cell holder has an axial holder bore for at least partially containing the lens cell within and removably coupled with the holder bore.
US07878970B2	Apparatus and method for suspending a uterus An inter-vaginal device for performing a uterine suspension includes a rigid body for manipulating the uterus and implanting a suspension member, such as a mesh, for securing the uterus to an anchoring site (e.g., into a pelvic muscle or ligament). In one embodiment, a method includes inserting at least a portion of a uterine suspension member through an anterior or posterior vaginal incision. An end of the suspension member is anchored to a selected portion of a pelvic tissue. At least a portion of the suspension member is attached to a vaginal apex. A uterine manipulator is advanced in a direction toward the selected portion of the pelvic tissue such that at least a portion of a uterus is moved upward.
US07878966B2	Ventricular assist and support device A ventricular assist device to provide cardiac assistance to a damaged ventricle chamber. The ventricular assist device is formed of an ventricle body which is anchorable to spaced ventricle wall portions to provide cardiac assistance. Operation of the ventricular assist device is timed or synchronized with the operating phases of the ventricle chamber. The ventricular assist device can be intravascularly deployed to provide a less invasive treatment procedure and can be adapted to provide static support if active assistance is no longer required.
US07878964B1	Echogenic spacers and strands Echogenic strands and spacers are provided for use in brachytherapy. Methods of making the strands and spacers are also provided. An echogenic strand for use in brachytherapy and a method for making the strand includes an encapsulating material, a seed disposed within the encapsulating material, and a spacer disposed within the encapsulating material and arranged adjacent to the seed. The spacer has an axial length, an outer surface and an inner surface. A chamber is formed along the axial length, the chamber being defined by the inner surface. The chamber is adapted to improve ultrasound visibility relative to the spacer.
US07878961B2	Muscle stretching device and method of using the same A device and method for stretching, toning and strengthening the chest, shoulder, neck and upper back muscles of a patient thereby relieving pain and improving posture. Typically the patient is suffering from tension related muscle problems. The device and method are used to facilitate therapeutic treatment of the muscle problems by progressively stretching the muscles and thereby relieving the muscle problems.
US07878960B1	Waistline slimming exercise machine A waistline slimming exercise machine having an upper center connecting member, two swing arms of a swing mechanism attached to a through aperture of a base with a combining aperture on an upper center connecting member, a securing end of a shock absorber and a first assembly end of a first linkage member are screwed to a respective locking aperture on a side of the base adjacent an internal assembly space of the base, a pivoting end of each swing arm is assembled onto a first aperture of a balancing base, a first pivoting end of the first linkage member is assembled onto a connecting aperture of the balancing base, the swing mechanism further including a pair of second linkage members, each connected to a driving element having a first connecting end that is attached to a pedal such that movement of the first linkage member and the driving element of the second linkage member causes the pedal to rotate about a vertical axis when the pedals are moved up and down.
US07878955B1	Integrated resistance spring force machine An integrated resistance spring force assembly machine which is incorporated into an exercise machine and having a plurality of internal transverse sections with each section having respective constant force springs to output a respective magnitude of a spring resistance force, which serves as the respective force loads when in use, and a force selection mechanism which can be used to selectively activate the respective springs so that the respective force loads can be output to a combined level of resistance for an exercise routine.
US07878954B2	Portable workout apparatus having a pivotally mounted exercise bar An exercise device is disclosed that is useful for performing various exercises including Pilates exercises. The exercise device includes a pilates tower having first and second sides. A first padded surface extends horizontally from the first side of the pilates tower. The first padded surface pivotally mounts to the pilates tower. A second padded surface extends horizontally from the pilates tower. A third padded surface is removably attached to the first padded surface. A pivot frame pivotally attaches to the pilates tower. The pivot frame extends over the second padded surface in one embodiment. In addition, the pivot frame can include a first horizontal bar. The exercise device can also include a second horizontal bar for use as a plie bar.
US07878948B2	Stepper A stepper includes a base, two axle units, two pedal units and a coordinating unit. The base includes a post formed thereon. Each of the axle units includes an axle extended downwards from the post. Each of the pedal units includes a pedal pivotally connected to the axle of a related one of the axle units. The coordinating unit is used to connect the pedals to each other so that one of the pedals is moved upwards and outwards while the other pedal is moved downwards and inwards.
US07878944B2	Control method of a power transmission device To provide a control method for a power transmission device which can prevent the generation of impacts and noises when a speed change mechanism is changed over from a neutral state to a first speed gear without using a brake mechanism. In a control method of a power transmission device for controlling a power transmission device for transmitting a rotational power of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine to an output side by way of a clutch mechanism and a speed change mechanism, the speed change mechanism is automatically changed over from a neutral state to a first speed gear during a period from a point in time Ts at which an ignition switch is turned on to a point in time at which an engine rotational speed arrives at a steady-state idling rotational speed Nid due to the starting of an internal combustion engine.
US07878943B2	Drive train of a motor vehicle The invention is based on a drive train (10) of a motor vehicle in which a control device (16) limits an output torque of a drive machine (14) to a first maximum value or a second, higher maximum value. The object of the invention is to propose a drive train which permits low fuel consumption. According to the invention, the control device (16) has a signal transmitting connection to a roadway information device (camera 53) which supplies information relating to a profile of the roadway in front of the motor vehicle. The control device (16) can thus predictively change from the first maximum value to the second maximum value or carry out shifting back in the transmission (19).
US07878941B2	Multi-speed transmission A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes.
US07878940B2	Multi-speed transmission A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes arranged within a transmission housing.
US07878936B2	Drive train for a motor vehicle and power divider therefor A drive train for a motor vehicle, which has a front axle and a rear axle, of which one is driven constantly and the other is driven as required, with a drive unit which is installed in the motor vehicle transversely at the front and provides drive torque via an output member, the output member being connected to the constantly driven axle, with an angular gear which is arranged in the region of the front axle and is connected to a cardan shaft which serves for transferring drive torque to the rear axle, and with a friction clutch arrangement for cutting in the axle driven as required, wherein the friction clutch arrangement is integrated with the angular gear in the region of the front axle.
US07878934B2	Hydraulic control system of eight-speed automatic transmission for a vehicle Eight forward speeds and one reverse speed of an automatic transmission are achieved by: controlling a first clutch by a first pressure control valve controlled a first proportional control solenoid valve and a first pressure switching valve; controlling a second clutch by a second pressure control valve controlled by a second proportional control solenoid valve and a second pressure switching valve; controlling a third clutch by a third pressure control valve controlled by a third proportional control solenoid valve and a third pressure switching valve; controlling a first brake by first and second switching valves and a fourth pressure control valve controlled by a fourth proportional control solenoid valve and a fourth pressure switching valve; and controlling a second brake by a fifth pressure control valve controlled by a fifth proportional control solenoid valve and a fifth pressure switching valve.
US07878930B2	Baseball bat Baseball bats described herein may have handle, throat and/or barrel portions that include non-circular cross-sections.
US07878927B2	Highly-neutralized acid polymer compositions having a low moisture vapor transmission rate and their use in golf balls The present invention provides high moment of inertia golf balls comprising a low specific gravity core layer formed from a moisture resistant composition. The moisture resistant composition has a moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) of 12.5 g·mil/100 in2/day or less and comprises a highly neutralized acid polymer. Golf balls of the invention have a moment of inertia of 85 g·cm2 or greater.
US07878926B2	Golf balls incorporating peptizers and method of manufacture A golf ball including a composition having an unsaturated polymer, a cross-linking agent, a peptizer, and an accelerator. The composition can be incorporated into the golf ball's core, intermediate layers, and cover layers, and can provide optimal performance and durability properties. The golf balls incorporating the composition are easy to manufacture.
US07878924B2	Quick release connection system for golf clubs The present invention is directed at a quick release connection system to facilitate customization of golf clubs. It can be used to interchange shafts, removable weights, or soleplates quickly and easily. Teeth are disposed on the inside of a frame so that a shaft may be inserted with minimal resistance, but cannot be removed without specific steps which may require the use of a simple tool. Strengthening and interlock devices are provided to ensure performance quality akin to traditional golf clubs.
US07878922B2	Face structure for a golf club head A golf club head having a multiple material face is disclosed herein. The golf club head has a coefficient of restitution value greater than 0.83 and a characteristic time value of less than 257 milliseconds. The golf club head is preferably composed of a titanium alloy with a polymer layer disposed over a titanium alloy front wall. A preferred polymer is a polyurethane polymer.
US07878914B2	Constant velocity joint of tripod type A constant velocity joint includes: a hollow housing fixed to a first rotating shaft, an inner face of the housing including a plurality of guide grooves; and a tripod disposed at an end of a second rotating shaft, having a plurality of trunnions each positioned in a corresponding guide groove; and an inner roller mounted to each trunnion, an outer roller mounted on each inner roller. Each trunnion includes an a spherical surface in a circumferential area subjecting to the load, and a cylindrical protrusion protruded from the spherical surface of the trunnion, the cylindrical protrusion having an spherical contact surface at its distal end with a gap between the trunnion and the the respective inner roller, and the inner face of each inner roller includes a pair of guide grooves for receiving the cylindrical protrusions.
US07878912B2	Cardanic cross joint with insulation A universal joint comprises first and second joint yokes, each joint yoke having axially opposite yoke arms, and inner and outer sides with respect to an axis of symmetry of the joint; first and second connection elements, each having transverse arms for connecting the connection element to yoke arms of a respective joint yoke and a base web extending beyond the transverse arms in a direction away from the axis of symmetry of the joint; and an elastic coupling element guided around outer sides of the joint yokes and connected to the base web of each connection element at a location beyond the transverse arms in a direction away from the axis of symmetry of the joint.
US07878910B2	Gaming machine with scanning 3-D display system The present invention provides systems and methods that cast an image into a person's eye from a retinal image system included with a gaming machine. The gaming machine includes a retinal image system located within or about the external cabinet and configured to cast an image toward an eye of a person near the gaming machine. The gaming machine also includes an eye detection system configured to locate the eye relative to a position of a projection component of the retinal image system.
US07878896B2	Gaming token having a variable value A system installed in a casino allows gambling chips in the casino to have variable values. Each chip has an electronic circuit installed in it to store a chip identifier and data indicative of a value currently associated with the chip. Slot machines and other devices are arranged to interact with the gambling chips to read and write data from and into the chips. A central controller is connected to the slot machines and other devices that interact with the chips. The chips carry a display and/or an audio device to apprise players of the value currently associated with the chip.
US07878895B2	Methods and apparatus for providing a lottery game A gaming apparatus and method of play including a value input device and a controller operatively coupled to the value input device. The controller receives wager data in response to a wager made by a person on a game, with the wager data including a first plurality of indicia of a first type, a second plurality of indicia of the first type, where the second plurality of indicia potentially randomly selected to replace one or more of the indicia of a first type in at least one of the first plurality of indicia, and the second plurality of indicia also having an indicia of a second type. A winner is determined from matching any of the first plurality of indicia of the first type with any of the second plurality of indicia of the first type, including any replaced indicia, and a value payout is associated with the level of matching.
US07878894B2	Systems and methods for allocating an outcome amount among a total number of events Systems and methods are provided for operating a gaming system. In one embodiment, an outcome amount associated with a total number of events is determined. For example, a total payout amount associated with a number of instant lottery tickets may be determined. Based on a parameter associated with a player, the outcome amount is allocated among the total number of events. The outcome amount may be allocated, for example, based on a total number of events selected by the player.
US07878892B2	Strategy indicating table gaming apparatuses and methods Systems and methods for playing live casino games. The systems have changeable displays which portray virtual playing cards or symbols to live participants. Shuffling, cutting, dealing and return of playing cards are accomplished using data processing functions within an electronic game processor or processors which enable these functions to be performed quickly and without manual manipulation of playing cards. The invention allows casinos to speed play and reduce the risk of cheating while maintaining the attractive ambiance of a live table game. The systems can also be multi-user slot machines using the processor to associate or assign one or more symbols either with the virtual playing cards or as slot symbols in participant subsets. The participant subsets are compared to a predetermined list so that payoffs can be awarded on the basis of winning symbols or combinations of symbols.
US07878891B2	Generating polyomino video game pieces and puzzle pieces from digital photos to create photominoes Generation of video game photominoes is provided by constructing polyomino game pieces from the salient parts of digital photographic images. Further, generation of jigsaw puzzle photominoes is provided by constructing polyomino puzzle pieces from the salient parts of digital photographic images.
US07878888B2	Rack enclosure An enclosure is provided for housing electronic equipment that accommodates the different cooling and ventilating requirements of different types of equipment. The enclosure is constructed and arranged to support cooling airflow in a front-to-back configuration through the enclosure and in a side-to-side configuration from one side to an opposite side of the enclosure. The enclosure can thereby provide within a single enclosure means cooling air for components using front-to-back airflow for cooling, such as information technology (IT) equipment, and for components using side-to-side airflow, such as certain types of telecommunications equipment. The enclosure can thereby support a mix of IT and telecommunications equipment, providing flexibility and adaptability in network room and data center configuration. The enclosure is further configured to separate intake air used by equipment for cooling from exhaust air vented by equipment into its interior during operation. As a result, the enclosure promotes sufficient equipment cooling and prevents/minimizes equipment overheating.
US07878887B2	Method and device for the air-conditioning of a freight compartment of a cabin of an aircraft A method and a line system for the air-conditioning of a cabin of an aircraft envisage that at sites remote from passengers air that is at a temperature lower than air at sites closer to passengers is introduced into the cabin.
US07878886B2	Pneumatic grinder with an improved air intake control apparatus In a pneumatic grinder with an improved air intake control apparatus, a press board is designed on the bottom of a handle of the grinder and disposed at a position proximate to a grinding head, and a force applying end of the press board is turned by fingers by means of a first lever-and-fulcrum pivoting method, so that a pulling end of the press board pulls a pull rod of the air intake control apparatus to move downward and allows air to circulate. The operation by fingers is easier than the operation by pressing a palm onto the top of a handle at the press board. A second lever design allows a speed adjusting knob of the air intake control apparatus to be situated at a position nearer to the grinding head.
US07878883B2	Wire saw ingot slicing system and method with ingot preheating, web preheating, slurry temperature control and/or slurry flow rate control A system and method for slicing an ingot into wafers using the wire saw process. A slurry collection system collects and supplies slurry to a slurry handling system for controlling temperatures and/or flow rates of the slurry thereby providing slurry output at a controlled temperature and/or a controlled flow rate to slicing system for cutting the ingot, which may be preheated.
US07878882B2	Advanced workpiece finishing An apparatus for planarizing is disclosed. A methods of planarizing are disclosed. The methods and apparatus, can help improve yield and lower the cost of manufacture for planarizing of workpieces having extremely close tolerances such as semiconductor wafers. Cost of manufacture information are used for control. Methods to determine preferred changes to process control parameters are disclosed. Cost of manufacture models can be used and are disclosed. Process models can be used and are disclosed. A method to use business calculations combined with physical measurements to improve control is discussed. Use of business calculations to change the cost of planarizing and finishing semiconductor wafers is discussed. Activity based accounting can be used for some applications. Electro-planarizing and electro-processing for adding and removing material is disclosed. Use of current cost of manufacture information including activity based accounting information for improving manufacture, cost of manufacture, and profitability is discussed.
US07878880B2	Nursing garment A nursing garment has an outer bodice adapted for pulling down to expose an inner bodice, wherein the inner bodice has respective breast-feeding openings. The outer bodice provides breast cups. The outer bodice provides a bra-like support. The inner bodice is stretchable to provide a bra-like support.
US07878877B2	Inflatable educational structure An inflatable device designed to provide safety information to a plurality of people. The inflatable device includes at least one meeting venue and at least one at least one physical activity feature. The meeting includes an inflatable structure.
US07878874B2	Marine vessel propulsion drive module A drop-in-module consisting of a mass produced engine coupled to a drive system by use of a common mid-section mounting platform. The module provides a single assembly that can be easily installed and removed from a vessel. The drive system is based on motors using a vertical crankshaft orientation joined to a 90 degree gearbox with a forward-neutral-reverse transmission. A speed sensitive clutch arrangement separates the engine from the gearbox. The heat created by the air cooled versions of these engines can be vented into the propeller wash through a passage formed in the mounting plate.
US07878869B2	Connecting member with a receptacle and an insertion terminal of a shape different than that of the receptacle Provided is a connecting member by which an electric wire can be branched easily with high reliability. Receptacle connecting ends (2a) of a plurality of wire terminals (2) having wires (3) are inserted into a wire terminal inserting hole (1a) of a holder (1), then, a pin terminal (4a) is inserted into a pin terminal inserting hole (1b) of the pin terminal (4a). The pin terminal (4a) is inserted through a tubular contact (2c) of the receptacle connecting ends (2a) arranged in the pin terminal inserting hole (1b), and electricity is carried between the wire terminals (2) through the pin terminals (4a).
US07878865B2	Locking connector for engaging a USB receptacle A locking connector for engaging a Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) receptacle, including: a connector housing having a locking cam opening on one side of the connector housing, the connector housing split along a longitudinal axis of the locking connector forming a connector housing gap on the same side of the connector housing as the locking cam opening; a locking cam surface positioned within the locking cam opening in contact with the connector housing; and a pivotable locking cam actuating lever connected to a top of the locking cam surface, the locking cam actuating lever having a locked position and an unlocked position, the locking cam surface in a rotated position expanding the connector housing when the cam actuating lever is in the locked position, the locking cam surface in a relaxed position with the connector housing not expanded when the cam actuating lever is in the unlocked position.
US07878864B2	Audio jack having a contact with two sections separated with each other An audio jack (1) includes an insulative housing (2) defining an insertion opening (213), and a plurality of contacts (3) retained in the insulative housing (2); each contact (3) has a contact portion (313, 3212) extending into the insertion opening (213) and a tail portion (311, 3221) for connecting with a circuit board; at least a contact (32) comprises a mating section (321) for contacting with a corresponding audio plug (8) and a transmission section (322) separated with the mating section (321) for connecting with the circuit board which the mating section (321) does not connect; at least a contact portion (3212) is arranged on the mating section (321) to electrically connect with the transmission section (322) when the audio plug (8) is fully inserted into the insertion opening (213).
US07878859B2	Electrical connector assembly with a transition board An electrical connector assembly includes a first and a second connector (1, 2) each including an insulating housing and a plurality of terminals retained in the housing. The housing has a front mating portion, a rear face and a pair of first retaining portions at opposite ends of the rear face of the insulating housing. The terminals include leg portions extending out of the rear face of the housing. A receiving cavity (15) is defined between the pair of retaining portions of the first connector. A transition board (3) is vertically received in the receiving cavity of the first connector and the two pairs of retaining portions are engaged with each other to assembly the two connectors together.
US07878858B1	N-in-1 card connector An N-in-1 card connector (100), used for receiving at least two cards (a MS card A and a SD card B), includes an insulative housing (10), a number of first terminals (40) retained in the insulative housing, an ejector comprising a slider (30) moveably attached to the insulative housing, a floating member (60) floatingly received in the insulative housing and a plurality of second terminals (50) having respective parts retained with the floating member. The floating member remains at a lower position to stay clear of a first, narrower card (A) and is moveable to an upper position by a second, wider card (B). The second terminals are moveable together with the floating member at the upper position for engaging the second card.
US07878854B2	Electrical connector having variable length mounting contacts An electrical connector is provided for mounting on a circuit board having first and second vias. The electrical connector includes a housing having a mounting face for mounting along the circuit board, and first and second signal terminals held by the housing. The first and second signal terminals include respective first and second mounting contacts extending outward from the mounting face of the housing. The first and second mounting contacts are configured to be received within the first and second vias, respectively, of the circuit board. The first mounting contact extends a different length from the mounting face of the housing than the second mounting contact.
US07878853B2	High speed connector with spoked mounting frame A high speed connector with reduced crosstalk utilizes individual connector support frames that are assembled together to form a block of connector units. Each such unit supports a column of conductive terminals in two spaced-apart columns. The columns have differential signal terminal pairs separated from each other by larger intervening ground shields that serve as ground terminals. The ground shields are arranged in alternating fashion within the pair of columns and they are closely spaced together so as to face a differential signal terminal pair. The support frames support the ground and signal terminals utilizing radial spokes in which the spokes take the form of ribs that extend along the inner surfaces of one of the connector halves and define V-shaped air channels.
US07878849B2	Extender for a separable insulated connector Removal of a conventional separable insulated connector from an electric power system often results in a shortened electric cable. An extender for a separable insulated connector enables the separable insulated connector to connect to a shortened cable. A conventional cable adapter is inserted into the extender, which includes a conductive connector for accepting the shortened cable and a conductive rod for carrying electric power from the shortened cable to the separable insulated connector. The extender also includes an inner semi-conductive layer that borders the conductive rod and compression connector, an outer semi-conductive layer, and a insulating layer between the two semi-conductive layers. The extender is inserted into a separable insulated connector, which is then connected to the electric power system.
US07878843B2	Cable assembly having hold-down arrangement Provided is a cable assembly comprises an insulative housing having a plurality of contact terminals disposed therein. A plurality of conductive wires each is terminated with the plurality of contact terminals. And a hold-down arrangement is securely attached to the housing, and includes a metallic base portion substantially covering interconnection between the contact terminals and the conductive wires. The arrangement includes a first anchors interlocked to the housing, and a second anchors extending beyond a mating interface of the housing.
US07878842B2	Busbar device and circuit board having the same A busbar device includes a conductive body. The conductive body is provided with a number of mounting holes corresponding to the mounting holes of a mount device for mounting the busbar device. The conductive body is a flexible conductive body, and the distance between every two adjacent mounting holes in the conductive body is larger than or equal to the distance between two corresponding adjacent mounting holes in the mount device.
US07878836B2	CPU socket with locking device A CPU socket (1) mounted on a PCB (2) includes a metallic cover (10) and an insulative housing (20). The insulative housing has an installation section (30). The metallic cover has a main portion (11), a locking portion (13) and a resilient portion (12). The resilient portion is rotatably assembly to the installation section. The metallic cover is able to rotate around the resilient portion. The locking portion and the resilient portion extend from opposite sides of the main portion, respectively. The locking portion is able to be locked and released to a locking member (32) which is fixed to the PCB. The locking portion is driven by a screwdriver (5) to release or lock to the locking member (32). The CPU socket provides a solution for locking or releasing from the PCB without a lever, which is used to lock or release the metallic cover.
US07878833B2	Electrical connector having insulative housing configured with hermaphroditic halves An electrical connector (100) comprises a first connector (2), a second connector (3) electrically connecting with the first connector, an insulator (5) molded over the first connector and the second connector, and a housing member including a top housing (1) and a bottom housing (4) combined together to enclose the insulator (5) and at least one of the first and second connectors therein. The insulator (5) defines an expansion (51) thereon, said expansion of the insulator is located in a corresponding depression defined in an interior side of the top or bottom housing.
US07878821B2	IC socket having improved latch device An IC socket for receiving an IC package comprises a socket body for carrying the IC package. A plurality of contacts are received in the socket body for electrical connection with the IC package. A driving member is mounted upon the socket body and able to operate between an upper position and a lower position. At least one latch device comprises an upper section, a lower section parallel to the upper section and a regulator. The regular links the upper section and the lower section and force the lower section to move relative to the upper section.
US07878819B2	Socket connector having measurement preventing contact terminal from dropping An electrical connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1) and a contact terminal (2). The insulative housing includes a first and a second primary faces (13, 12), and a passageway (11) extending between the first and second primary faces. The passageway defines a first opening (112) at the first primary face and a second opening (111) at the second primary face. The contact terminal is inserted into the passageway through the first opening. The contact terminal is formed with a contact section (24) having a pair of blocking portions (25) projecting along a transversal direction of the first opening. The blocking portion is configured to cooperate with the first primary face to prevent the contact section from entering the first opening
US07878814B2	Electrically conductive bearing retainers Electrically conductive bearing retainers create an electrical path between the static and dynamic sides of a rotating joint to block EMI radiation from entering or leaving a system. Concentric annular inner and outer bearing retainers with an array of conductive contact members therebetween are installed in contact with the inner and outer races of a dynamic bearing interface. Each contact member includes a base and tips. The outer bearing retainer ring has a recess for mounting a contact member and a notch for positioning the contact member tips to make contact with the inner bearing retainer ring. The inner bearing retainer ring includes a conductive contact surface. The contact member tips contact the conductive contact surface to create a dynamic shield between an inner bearing race and an outer bearing race.
US07878812B2	Adhesive-backed chalkboard wall covering An improved chalkboard marking surface comprises a rollable, flexible sheet of polypropylene having two sides that are opposite one another, each having a generally flat surface. On one side, a layer of adhesive is applied to the polypropylene substrate. On the same side of the polypropylene substrate, a selectively removable release sheet is preferably applied to the layer of adhesive for the purpose of keeping foreign materials from attaching to the adhesive when the chalkboard surface is not in use. On the reverse side of the polypropylene substrate, a layer of ink is applied which forms an abrasive surface after it dries, and importantly, results in a chalkboard surface that is lighter in weight.
US07878804B2	Tracking teeth movement correction A method for tracking teeth movement includes using a set of positioning appliances shaped to move teeth through a number of successive stages of arrangements of an expected teeth arrangement model where each stage corresponds to a particular positioning appliance, mapping a current teeth position based upon positions of a number of physical markers attached to a number of physical teeth, comparing the positions of the number of physical markers with a corresponding number of virtual markers positioned on a number of virtual teeth of a stage in the expected teeth arrangement model, determining whether midcourse correction is needed.
US07878784B2	Injection molding machine An injection molding machine is provided. Permanent magnets are attached to a planetary roller spindle and/or ball screw spindle or to the spindle nut of the injection molding machine. Thus, the permanent magnets are integrated into the planetary roller spindle and/or ball screw spindle or to the spindle nut of the injection molding machine.
US07878779B2	Vane pump with housing end wall having an annular groove and a pressure groove that communicate via a curved connecting groove The vane pump has a housing containing a rotor driven by a drive shaft. A number of grooves are distributed over the rotor circumference and extend in a substantially radial direction of the rotor, in each of which grooves a wing-shaped delivery element is guided in sliding fashion. The rotor is surrounded by a circumferential wall that extends eccentrically in relation to its rotation axis against which the radially outer ends of the delivery elements rest. Housing end walls of the pump housing adjoin the rotor in the direction of its rotation axis. An annular groove encompassing the rotation axis of the rotor is provided in at least one of the housing end walls and is situated opposite the radially inner regions of the grooves of the rotor and communicates with the pressure region via a connecting groove in the housing end wall. The connecting groove extends from the pressure region radially inward in the rotation direction of the rotor to the annular groove.
US07878778B2	Rotary compressor having main bearing integrally formed with cylinder or piston serving as fixed side A rotary compressor includes a fixed side and a movable side that is eccentrically movable relative to the fixed side. The movable side moves in response to operation of a drive mechanism, which rotates a drive shaft. The fixed side has a main bearing formed as a unitary part. A cylinder may serve as the movable side, which is coupled through an eccentric part to the drive shaft. The drive shaft is supported by the main bearing. With such an arrangement, a ring-shaped piston may serve as the fixed side, which is formed integrally with the main bearing in a front head.
US07878776B2	Thermally compensated scroll machine The scroll machine has a first and a second scroll member each having intermeshed scroll wraps. A compensation member is attached to one of the scrolls. As the scroll machine warms to operating temperature, the compensation member exerts a force on the one scroll member causing it to deflect. The deflection of the scroll member compensates for the unequal growth of the scroll wrap which is caused by a temperature difference between the radially inner section and the radially outer section of the scroll wrap.
US07878774B2	Moineau stator including a skeletal reinforcement A Moineau style stator includes a helical cavity component having reinforced helical lobes. The lobes are reinforced with a three-dimensional network of physically bonded aggregate particles. The network of bonded aggregate provides a porous skeletal-like structural reinforcement. Pore volume between the bonded aggregate particles may optionally be partially or substantially filled with an elastomer. An elastomer liner is typically deployed on an inner surface of the helical lobes to promote a rotational interference fit with a rotor.
US07878772B2	Compressor assembly having an air-cooled electric motor An air-cooled electric motor is provided, which may be used in a compressor assembly, including a motor unit with a motor housing out of which a drive shaft extends, such that the drive shaft drives a ventilator, the ventilator includes at least two radially and/or axially separated ventilator sections to propel a first airstream as well as at least one other, second airstream that is separate from the first airstream, such that the airstreams are conducted separately on both the inflow side of the ventilator and the outflow side of the ventilator.
US07878767B2	Cyclonic, debris removing valve and method There is provided, in one embodiment, a ball valve for regulating the flow of petroleum fluids therethrough. The ball valve is capable of transitioning between an open and a closed position. The ball valve includes in one embodiment a hydraulic piston, containment union, ported stem, containment cage and drag plunger, and is adapted to regulate the flow of fluid northward through the valve. A ball and seat should be positioned above these components, so that the hydraulic piston may extend therethrough. More specifically, during a pump downstroke, fluid enters the drag plunger, moves northward through the containment cage and into the interior of the ported stem, exits the interior of the ported stem and enters a plurality of angled veins, which impart cyclonic motion on fluid passing northward therethrough, assisting in the removal of debris. Also during the downstroke, a pedestal portion of the hydraulic unseats the ball from the seat. During the upstroke, the piston withdraws, permitting the ball to come to rest on the seat, closing the valve.
US07878763B2	Turbine rotor blade assembly and method of assembling the same A removable rotor blade platform includes a first platform leg, a second platform leg, and a platform portion coupled to the first and second platform legs. The first platform leg is configured to be retained by a first retainer coupled to a first rotor blade, and the second platform leg is configured to be retained by a second retainer coupled to a second adjacent rotor blade. A method of assembling a blade assembly that includes a removable platform, a rotor assembly including the removable platform, and a gas turbine engine assembly including the removable platform, are also described herein.
US07878762B2	Tip turbine engine comprising turbine clusters and radial attachment lock arrangement therefor A tip-turbine engine comprises a fan-turbine rotor assembly that includes one or more turbine ring rotors. Each turbine ring is assembled from a multitude of turbine blade clusters. By forming the turbine blades in clusters, leakage between adjacent blade platforms is minimized which increases engine efficiency. Assembly of the turbine blade clusters to a diffuser surface includes axial installation and radial locking of each turbine blade cluster. This is accomplished by attachment lugs protruding from the underside of the arcuate base of the turbine blade clusters. Torque load surfaces are also integrated into the arcuate base.
US07878761B1	Turbine blade with a showerhead film cooling hole arrangement A turbine rotor blade used in a gas turbine engine, the blade including a showerhead arrangement of film cooling holes on the leading edge to provide a uniform layer of film cooling air over the leading edge surface. The showerhead includes three rows of film holes with a middle row located along the stagnation line, and the other two rows located on the pressure side and the suction side from the stagnation row. The stagnation row of film holes has a cooling air ejection angle greater than the ejection angles of the other two rows. Also, the openings adjacent holes in the three rows have bottoms that are aligned with each other in the blade spanwise direction. The outlet opening of the stagnation holes have a longer length in the spanwise direction than do the opening holes of the pressure side and suction side film holes. Because of the different ejection angles and the alignment of the bottoms of the film holes on the leading edge surface, a more uniform layer of film cooling air is provided for over the leading edge surface of the blade.
US07878758B2	Turbocharger with balancing features An exemplary thrust collar for a turbocharger includes a substantially annular body that includes an axis of rotation, a bore, opposing end surfaces where one of the end surfaces is substantially normal to the axis of rotation and capable of seating a back end of compressor wheel, and a surface disposed in the bore where the surface is substantially normal to the axis of rotation and capable of seating a surface of a turbocharger shaft. The axial distance between the end surface for seating a back end of a compressor wheel and the surface disposed in the bore for seating a surface of a turbocharger shaft is selected to improve balancing of a rotating assembly. Various other exemplary devices, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US07878757B2	Centrifugal water pump A centrifugal water pump for use in a diesel engine cooling system provides an improved water pump construction including multiple features which combine to provide increased operating life for the supporting and wearing components of the pump. The improvements include one or more of: a water seal system is provided having a stationary seal and a rotating seal made of silicon carbide with at least one of the seals having embedded lubricant; an o-ring added to the stationary seal ensures that pressurized water does not get past the stationary seal; metallic bearing seals and covers to prevent leeching of the lubricant from the bearing; optimized spring force on the rotating seal; tapered shaft impeller interface to minimize torsional stresses on these components from the keyway design of the prior art; and the housing engine oil inlet is removed to prevent the direct flow of hot, dirty, and contaminated oil from damaging the water pump bearings.
US07878755B2	Load lock and method for transferring objects A load lock is constructed and arranged to transfer a substrate between a first environment and a second environment and to maintain each of the first environment and the second environment therein. The load lock includes a load lock chamber provided with at least two mutually distinct substrate supports positioned one above the other. Each of the substrate supports includes a substrate displacement element. The load lock also includes an evacuation device constructed and arranged to evacuate the load lock chamber, and a door constructed and arranged to close the load lock chamber during evacuation and for opening the load lock chamber.
US07878752B2	Bearing between components on construction machines A bearing for use between components of a construction machine, particularly on a boom on excavators, loaders, cranes, and related equipment having a first component articulated to a second component by the bearing and in which a third component acts on the bearing. The bearing assembly having a pin extending in the direction of a swiveling axis of the bearing, borne in a bearing tube.
US07878745B2	U-nut fastener and collated strip thereof A stackable U-nut fastener includes first and second spaced arms and a folded edge portion interconnecting the arms. A plurality of U-nut fasteners can be engaged one with another to form a collated strip of fasteners. A collating tab from one arm of one U-nut fasteners engages an opening in an arm of an adjacent U-nut fastener.
US07878744B2	Fibrous microencapsulated washer for fasteners A fibrous microencapsulated washer is provided for sealing and retaining a fastener. The fibrous microencapsulated washer includes a substrate and a coating of a microencapsulated material on the substrate. The fibrous microencapsulated washer includes an aperture extending therethrough to receive a fastener, whereby a radial installation of the fastener causes the microencapsulated material to react on the substrate to form a seal and to adhesively secure the fastener to a workpiece.
US07878737B2	Apparatus for transferring particles Method and apparatus are provided for transferring particles from an upper zone through an intermediate zone to a lower zone. A valveless conduit provides particle communication from the upper zone to the middle zone and a valved conduit provides particle communication from the middle zone to the lower zone. The transfer of particles between the zones through the conduits is regulated by varying the pressure of the middle zone, the flow rate of gas passing through the valveless conduit, and the valve in the valved conduit.
US07878734B2	Heave plate with improved characteristics Apparatus embodying the invention include a damping plate attached to the submerged end of a spar-like element floating in a body of water. The spar like element tends to move up and down in a vertical direction in response to passing waves. The damping plate has a pair of oppositely facing surfaces extending transversely to the vertical direction of the movement of the spar-like element and vertical structures (“lips”) mounted on the oppositely facing surfaces for increasing the effective mass of water pushed during movement of the damping plate through the water. Damping plates with lips, as per the invention, may be used in wave energy converters to control the relative motion between the spar-like element and a float to increase the energy produced.
US07878730B2	Bar coupling apparatus and methods Particular embodiments of the inventive technology relate to a device for connecting the ends of two concrete reinforcing bars in which a metal sleeve has chambers at each end to accommodate the end of one reinforcing bar. Forces may be transferred from one bar to the other through, the use of, inter alia, an adhesive established within the space between the outside of the reinforcing bars and the deformed inner surface of the sleeve. The chambers are, preferably, separated by a fluid impervious barrier. One port associated with each chamber may be established to allow fluid such as air to escape, preventing air voids in the adhesive. Another configuration of the inventive device would be intended for the retention (under load, of course) of only one reinforcing bar, with an enlarged flange for anchoring the end of one reinforcing bar, perhaps at and outer surface of, e.g., a concrete slab.
US07878728B2	Viscous cosmetic A viscous cosmetic product that realizes smooth application thereof to application target areas and that prevents liquid dripping thereof onto a surface of a viscous cosmetic substance container and is free from stickiness at use thereof, enabling clean use thereof. A viscous cosmetic substance containing 1.0 to 10.0 wt % of silicic anhydride is accommodated in a tubular accommodation part. A front edge wall of the accommodation part is furnished with one or more distribution ports for the viscous cosmetic substance, and an application face is provided outside the front edge wall. Furthermore, the accommodation part thereinside is fitted with an inner tray that enables pressing the viscous cosmetic substance accommodated in the accommodation part so as to enable the viscous cosmetic substance to be pushed outward through the distribution ports.
US07878726B2	Stick-shaped material propelling container An inner barrel is slidably inserted into an outer barrel, chuck pieces which hold a stick-shaped material is provided at a tip end portion of the inner barrel, a chuck ring is inserted between the chuck pieces and the outer barrel, an elastic member receiving part is provided at part of an inner peripheral surface in a circumferential direction of the outer barrel, an elastic member receiving part is provided at part of an outer peripheral surface in the circumferential direction of the inner barrel, and a coil spring is placed at part in a circumferential direction of the outer barrel and the inner barrel between the elastic member receiving part and the elastic member receiving part, and urges the inner barrel with respect to the outer barrel.
US07878722B2	Method of developing photosensitive material and method of producing conductive layer-attached film An in-liquid turn bar disposed in a developing tank is set to discharge developer from plural slit-shaped discharge openings of a first cylindrical member such that a discharge rate of the developer per 1 m of the photosensitive material turning member is from 50 to 200 l/min (litter/minute). Regulating plates protruding from a surface of the first cylindrical member are provided at both transverse ends of the first cylindrical member. The amount of the developer discharged from both transverse ends of a photosensitive web is controlled by the regulating plates, thereby adjusting a gap between the first cylindrical member and the photosensitive web. Accordingly, the gap between the photosensitive web and the in-liquid turn bar is substantially uniform in a transverse direction, and thus the photosensitive web is turned without contact with the in-liquid turn bar.
US07878720B2	Shutter and camera module having same A shutter for a micro camera module includes a substrate made from silicon wafer and a light absorbing layer covering the surface.
US07878718B2	Image photographing apparatus and rotatable gripping unit of same An image photographing apparatus includes a main body, and a gripping unit rotatably disposed on the main body. The gripping unit includes a first member that protrudes from and is rotatably disposed on a side surface of the main body to adjust in a linear direction, and a second member fixed at approximate right angles to the first member. With this construction, a user can photograph while freely changing a position of her/his hand according a photographing angle that she/he wants to photograph at, in a position that a gripping state to the apparatus is held.
US07878710B2	X-ray radiation image photographing apparatus A radiation image photographing apparatus is formed with a photographing unit that includes a radiation emission means for emitting radiation, a radiation image detection means for recording a radiation image, a region of interest indication means for indicating a mark on a site of a subject corresponding to the region of interest specified in the radiation image, and the like; a computer having an input means, such as a mouse; and a monitor, in which a radiation image obtained by photographing is displayed on the monitor to have the user to specify a region of interest through the input means, and when coordinate information of the region of interest in the image is received from the computer, photographing unit, based on this, controls the region of interest indication means to automatically indicate a mark on a site of the subject corresponding to the region of interest.
US07878706B2	Strip for securing a device A personal attachment device includes a strip (101) having a first side (105) and a second side (106), the first side (105) of the strip (101) having an adhesive backing, the strip (101) including a hole formed between the first (105) and second (106) sides, and a device (103) for insertion into the hole, the device (103) including a flange (104) for contacting the first side (105) of the strip (101) upon insertion of the device (103) into the hole from the first side (105) to the second side (106), wherein the adhesive (107) is adapted to secure the strip (101), and thereby the device (103), to a substrate.
US07878704B2	Double-chamber mixing device for viscous pharmaceutical substances The invention concerns a double-chamber device for mixing at least two viscous substances, comprising: cylindrical and coaxial first and second communicating vessels, each hermetically sealed at one end by a mobile piston, and provided at its second end with a slightly conical bottom end, the two vessels being arranged, preferably vertically, in mirror symmetry relative to a meridian plane perpendicular to their common axis; a central mixing element connecting the two vessels at the two slightly conical bottom ends; and a high pressure hydraulic device for automatically activating the pistons in a coordinated reciprocating movement. A worm screw injection device in communication with one of the vessels or with the mixing element may be used to inject the substances. Mixing of substances may include driving the pistons in a coordinated reciprocal motion to collapse one vessel while expanding the other, forcing the substances through the central mixing element.
US07878703B2	Electronically controlled direct injection foam delivery system with temperature compensation Fire fighting equipment uses an electronically controlled direct injection foam delivery system. A water pump pumps water through a pipe. A foam pump pumps foam into a mixing chamber within the pipe to produce a water-foam mixture. A microprocessor-based control unit controls the water pump and foam pump. A conductivity sensor is coupled in-line with the pipe for monitoring conductivity of the mixture and providing a feedback signal to the control unit to regulate the foam pump. A speed sensor monitors the foam usage. A second conductivity sensor monitors conductivity of the water and provides a feedback signal to the control unit. The foam delivery system can be controlled by monitoring the flow rate of the water and regulating the foam pump to maintain a constant water and foam mixture. A temperature sensor compensates the regulation process for changes in water and foam mixture temperature.
US07878702B2	Baby food maker A baby food maker (100). Baby food maker (100) comprises a jar (102) having an open top and an open bottom for holding food, a top cap (104) for closing the open top of jar (102), a bottom cap (106) sealingly engaged with the lower end of jar (102) for forming a cooking chamber (103), a blending or stirring mechanism (114) installed inside cooking chamber (103) for blending/stirring food, a heating tube (116) fixedly installed on the bottom of bottom cap (106) for heating food, a blender base (112) disposed underneath cooking chamber (103) for supporting cooking chamber (103), a motor (124) installed inside blender base (112) and removably coupled with mechanism (114) for driving mechanism (114) to blend or stir food, and an adapting member (110) engaged with the lower portion of jar (102) for adapting cooking chamber (103) to stand on blender base (112).
US07878700B2	Polymer removal from a polymer mixer A method and apparatus for controlling the removal of polymer from a mixer using an outlet gate that is coupled to an actuator by way of a pair of flanges, one flange carrying a protuberance and the other flange carrying a depression into which the protuberance fits in a sliding manner.
US07878699B2	Drive for mixing drum with elastic element arranged between bearing incorporating drive system and base A drive system for a mixer barrel for absorbing weight of the mixer barrel (1). The drive system communicates with a base (5) via a weight supporting element which supports the mixer barrel (1) and enables relative movement therebetween. The weight supporting element comprises at least one distortable elastic element (28, 29, 30, 39) enabling the movement between the drive system and the base (5). The at least one elastic element (28, 29, 30, 39) supports the weight of the mixer barrel (1) above the at least one elastic element (28, 29, 30, 39). The drive system (4) has at least one component (36) which limits movement of the drive system (4) and increases a distance between the drive system (4) and the base (5) such that a torque strain on the drive system (4) is braced by the base (5).
US07878694B2	Up-down and left-right tiltable vehicular lamp A vehicular lamp has a lamp unit disposed within a lamp housing, a right-left actuator capable of tilting the lamp unit in a right-left direction, the right-left actuator having a rotational shaft connected to the lamp unit, and an up-down actuator capable of tilting the lamp unit in an up-down direction, the up-down actuator having a retractable shaft connected to a support member that supports the lamp unit. The right-left actuator and the up-down actuator are provided within a single actuator housing. An axial direction of the rotational shaft and an axial direction of the retractable shaft are positioned within an identical plane.
US07878692B2	Light fixture assembly having improved heat dissipation capabilities A light fixture assembly including an illumination assembly in the form of one or more light emitting diodes is interconnected to an electrical energy source by control circuitry. A mounting assembly supports the illumination assembly and a cover structure is disposed in heat transferring relation to the mounting assembly, wherein both the mounting assembly and the cover structure are formed of conductive material, thereby effectively dissipating the heat generated by the LED illumination assembly. The illumination assembly is connected to a source and electric energy by a conductor assembly comprising one or more conductive material connectors mechanically interconnecting components of the light fixture into an assembled orientation. A non-conductive insulation assembly isolates each of the one or more conductive connectors from the mounting assembly to avoid electrical contact there between.
US07878691B2	LED road lamp An LED road lamp includes a heat dissipater module containing circuit boards, LED chips, and a cooling fin seat; and a completely sealed power supply. By directly using the cooling fin seat as an outer cover of a road lamp to contact with atmosphere for cooling, and directly transmitting heat from the LED chips and the circuit boards to a stand pipe, a dual cooling effect is achieved. Heat of the power supply is dissipated from the stand pipe through its sealed outer casing, to largely increase cooling area, lower temperature, and increase a cooling efficiency, preventing the power supply from being affected by ambient weather. Therefore, lifetimes of usage of the LED circuit boards, the LED chips, and the power supply are prolonged, the circuit boards are quickly assembled on and disassembled from a cooling base, and convenience in assembling and disassembling the circuit boards is improved.
US07878690B2	Light diffusing plate and lighting device using it A light diffusing plate integrally formed with an optical element array on the front and rear surfaces thereof, and a direct lighting device having this light diffusing plate installed on a light reflection plate having a box type shape and provided therein with a light source, whereby a light diffusing plate and a thin direct lighting device are provided which eliminate luminance non-uniformity among a number of light sources (inter-light-sources distance) at a practical level (making luminance uniform), and realize higher luminance (delivering luminance equal to that when conventional prism sheets are laminated).
US07878689B2	Light source package structure The present invention relates to a light source package structure, which comprises: an accommodating space for accommodating a light source, a first refraction surface, and at least a second refraction surface. The first refraction surface receives light discharging from the light source while refracting the same to form a first refracting light, the upper part of the first refraction surface further comprising a refracting structure for refracting the light emitted from the light source. The second refraction surface receives and refracts the first refracting light to form a discharging light being emitted out of the light source package structure. Wherein, an included angle is formed between the normal vector of a portion of the second refraction surface and the central axis of the light source package structure. It is noted that the aforesaid package structure can be used in various packaging for improving refraction. In a preferred embodiment, a light source of light emitting diode (LED) is packaged by the light source package structure of the invention for enabling the light emitted from the LED to be discharged out of the package structure by a large angle after being refracted multiple times, so that the LED package structure can be adopted as a flat light source for diverse purpose applied in industry.
US07878683B2	LED-based lighting fixtures for surface illumination with improved heat dissipation and manufacturability LED-based lighting apparatus and assembly methods in which mechanical and/or thermal coupling between respective components is accomplished via a transfer of force from one component to another. In one example, a multiple-LED assembly is disposed in thermal communication with a heat sink that forms part of a housing. A primary optical element situated within a pressure-transfer member is disposed above and optically aligned with each LED. A shared secondary optical facility forming another part of the housing is disposed above and compressively coupled to the pressure-transfer members. A force exerted by the second optical facility is transferred via the pressure-transfer members so as to press the LED assembly toward the heat sink, thereby facilitating heat transfer. In one aspect, the LED assembly is secured in the housing without the need for adhesives. In another aspect, the secondary optical facility does not directly exert pressure onto any primary optical element, thereby reducing optical misalignment.
US07878674B2	Marine LED lighting system and method A method and apparatus of lighting a marine habitat for growth utilizing an LED light system. The light system includes an LED light source, a power supply for such light source and a controller for controlling the activation status and the intensity of the LED light source.
US07878671B2	File system for a stage lighting array system A file system for a stage lighting system that maintains the different files associated with the stage lighting system. Each of the files that can represent an effect are maintained within the system within a configuration file. The configuration file can be updated on each start of the system so that the system can maintain information indicative of current configuration files. A test mode can also be entered in which a pre-formed show can be tested against the current state of the configuration files.
US07878670B2	Illumination apparatus and liquid crystal display apparatus Provided is an illumination apparatus for a liquid crystal display apparatus having a plurality of transmission parts arranged two-dimensionally, having a plurality of aspherical lenses, which is installed in response to each of a plurality of the transmission parts and concentrates light for each of a plurality of the transmission parts; a plurality of light emission parts R1 installed in response to each focal point position of a plurality of the aspherical lenses; and an electroluminescence layer containing a non-light emission region R2 installed between a plurality of the light emission parts R1 themselves. Each of a plurality of the aspherical lenses has an inner side lens face containing an intersection with an optical axis AX, and an outer side lens face enclosing said inner side lens face, and curvature in the outer side lens face is smaller than curvature in the inner side lens face.
US07878669B2	Knob deco for laundry machine and manufacturing method thereof A knob deco for a laundry machine is provided. The knob deco may include a knob guard in which a dial knob is inserted, and a lamp window main body mounted at a rear surface of the knob guard. Lamp windows may be formed in the knob guard for transmitting light emitted from a rear side of the knob guard to a front side of the knob guard, and lamp window shielding members may be provided at the lamp windows to partially shield light transmitted through the lamp window.
US07878668B2	Deployable emergency lighting system An emergency lighting system comprising a housing further comprising a flat cover, wherein the flat cover automatically opens during an emergency condition; a removable light source located inside the housing further comprising a rechargeable battery and a wide angle LED light bulb, wherein the removable light source remains off under a normal condition and the light source automatically turns on in response to an emergency condition. The emergency lighting system may further comprise a fixed light source for continuous illumination during an emergency condition. Furthermore, the emergency lighting system may further comprise an electrical outlet for use during normal conditions. The emergency lighting system may be retrofitted into existing outlets or the emergency lighting system may further comprise outlet plugs to plug into an existing outlet.
US07878667B2	Latching solar concentrator pivoted mirrors during off-power period A novel latch for pivoted optical elements of a solar concentrator and other equipment latches them in position between orientation operations. The mirrors may be on a universal pivot that can rotate or tilt in any direction; or on gimbal pivots. The orientation power can be turned off between alignments with the mirrors remaining in alignment orientation during this off-power period. Turning off the alignment power between alignments, saves on both energy resources and on expensive apparatus. It permits a great reduction in power supply as the optical elements can be aligned sequentially. This not only reduces operating costs, but also capital investment because smaller power supplies can suffice. A preferred embodiment utilizes the freezing of a liquid material. Since this involves no moving parts for latching, the instant invention is ideally adapted for fabrication from the nano- to the mini-realm.
US07878663B2	Image display apparatus Provided is an image display apparatus, including: a light modulation element; an illumination optical system which includes at least one light source unit including a plurality of light emitting units two-dimensionally arranged and illuminates the light modulation element; and a projection optical system for enlarging and projecting an image of the light modulation element onto a projection surface, in which: an image of the plurality of light emitting units is imaged at a position corresponding to a stop of the projection optical system; the stop has an aperture shape of rotational asymmetry or of two-fold symmetry; and the plurality of light emitting units have illuminance intensities each independently controlled.
US07878659B2	Illumination optical system and projection-type image display apparatus using the same An illumination optical system configured to guide a light flux from a light source unit onto an illuminated surface includes a compression system configured to compress the light flux at a different compression ratio in a first cross section and a second cross section which are orthogonal to each other, and a polarized light splitting unit including a polarization split surface. The second cross section includes a line normal to the polarization split surface. Where a compression ratio for compressing a light flux in the first cross section is α, a compression ratio in the second cross section is β, and an F number smaller of F numbers calculated according to a maximum angle of a light flux incident on an illuminated surface in the first and the second cross sections is Fno, the following conditions are satisfied: −0.18(Fno)+1.245(Fno)−1.260<α/β<1 1.4≦Fno≦3.6.
US07878656B2	Stereo projection optical system A stereo projection optical system includes a first polarizing beam splitter, a transmission-type light modulator positioned to receive the first polarized light component from the first polarizing light splitter and an image assimilator positioned to receive an emergent light of the transmission-type light modulator. The image assimilator includes a second polarized light splitter and first, second reflective spatial light modulators. The stereo projection optical systems provide viewers three-dimensional images formed by two alternative polarization light beams whose polarizations are perpendicular to each other utilizing the transmission-type light modulators to form “3-D” images.
US07878654B2	Multi-purpose ophthalmological apparatus The present invention relates to a multi-purpose ophthalmological apparatus, comprising first optical means, provided with one or more first mires, and sensing means for acquiring along a first optical path an image comprising said one or more first mires reflected by a patient's eye, characterised in that it comprises separating optical means for separating the first optical path from at least one second optical path, and in that it further comprises second optical means, provided with one or more second mires, located along the first optical path between the separating optical means and the sensing means, whereby said image further comprises said one or more second mires reflected by the patient's eye.
US07878651B2	Refractive prescription using optical coherence tomography An optical coherence tomography apparatus and method for measuring refractive power of the human cornea is disclosed. The apparatus collects both the specularly reflected light from the anterior surface of the cornea and diffusely reflected light from the interior of the cornea. The combined refractive power of both surfaces of the cornea is determined.
US07878650B2	Contact lens materials, designs, substances, and methods A contact lens is provided that is capable of being worn by a user. The lens includes a contact lens body having an eye-engaging surface placeable against a surface of an eye and an outer surface. Microphobic features are provided in the lens for eliminating microbes from the eye-engaging surface. Preferably, these microphobic features are chosen from a group consisting of electrical charge inducing agents, magnetic field inducing agents, chemical agents and textural features. In another embodiment of the present invention, a contact lens is provided that can include a reservoir portion capable of holding a performance enhancement agent for enhancing the performance of the lens. The performance enhancement agent can include such thins as sealant solutions, protective agents, therapeutic agents, anti-microbial agents, medications and reduced size transparent portions. In other embodiments, a wide variety of designs, materials and substances are disclosed for use with contact lenses.
US07878649B2	Optical element comprising cells sealed by means of a layer of adhesive material An optical element comprises a base component (1) provided with a set of cells (10) open on a face of the component and a film (2) for sealing the cells. The film is adhesively bonded to ends (12) of separation walls (11) present between the cells. The adhesive bonding is carried out by applying a pressure adjusted so that the ends of the walls penetrate into a layer of adhesive material (3) positioned between the film and the set of cells. A refractive index value of the adhesive material is adjusted with respect to a value of the same index for the material of the ends of the walls m order to obtain an optical element which exhibits a high transparency.
US07878648B2	Strap lengthening arrangement for a retractable eyewear retaining strap A strap lengthening arrangement for eyewear incorporating an extendable and retractable retaining strap in a hollow temple to form a part of and be attached to eyewear such as eye sight correction glasses, sunglasses, safety and protection goggles, and the like. The temple has a longitudinal passageway extending the length of the temple and an eyewear retaining strap, a moveable or traveling strap retaining block, and a block retractor are disposed within and along the length of the temple. The strap is arranged to fold back on itself first about a pivot positioned proximate the end of the temple and then again about a second pivot attached to or made part of the block effectively tripling the length of the strap within the temple. An improved block retractor and lock and release mechanism for the block are also disclosed.
US07878647B2	Frame for eyeglasses, associated temple, and method of making the same A frame for eyeglasses, an associated temple, and a method of making the same are provided. The temple includes a receiver, a pliable support member, and a flexible ear piece. The receiver extends from a proximal end of the temple to a second end. The proximal end is configured to rotatably connect to a support section of an eyeglasses frame. The receiver defines a cavity that extends from second end toward the proximal end. The support member has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion of the support member is within the cavity. The distal portion of the support member extends out and away from the second end of the receiver. The ear piece extends around the support member and the second end of the receiver. The flexible ear piece and the pliable support member form an integrated ear piece that is shapeable by a wearer.
US07878646B2	Modular camera assembly with a compact printer A modular camera assembly includes a camera module. The camera module includes a camera, and a first body which supports the camera and terminates in a first connector opposite the camera. The camera includes a view finder, a lens, and a movable protective cover which can be moved to cover the view finder and lens. The camera further includes an image sensor which can capture an image through the lens that is viewed with the view finder. A printer module includes an elongate second body which terminates in a second connector. The second connector can connect with the first connector so that the bodies together form a barrel of substantially uniform diameter. The second body defines a pair of longitudinally extending and opposite slots. The second body houses a printer which can print the captured image on a sheet of print media which passes through the slots.
US07878645B2	Mobile device with printhead and media path in two relatively moveable sections A mobile device is provided which has first and second body sections movable relative to each other between operative and inoperative configurations of the device, a printhead for printing onto a media substrate, and a media feed path for feeding the media substrate past the printhead. The media feed path extends from the first body section into the second body section when in the operative configuration.
US07878640B2	Method of priming a printhead having downstream ink line connected to a priming pump A method of priming one or more inkjet printheads, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a printhead assembly comprising: an ink distribution manifold having an ink inlet and an ink outlet; one or more inkjet printheads mounted on the manifold, each inkjet printhead comprising an array of nozzles; an upstream ink line connected to the ink inlet; and a downstream ink line connected to the ink outlet; (ii) providing an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet via the upstream ink line; (iii) providing an air pump having a pump outlet in fluid communication with a headspace of the ink chamber, and a pump inlet in fluid communication with the downstream ink line; (iii) actuating the air pump so as to draw ink from the ink chamber, through the manifold and into the downstream ink line, thereby priming the inkjet printheads; (iv) receiving the ink in an expansion chamber in the downstream ink line; and (v) deactuating the pump.
US07878637B2	Valve system for molten solid ink and method for regulating flow of molten solid ink In a phase-change ink image producing machine, better control flow of molten solid ink may be provided by a solid ink valve system including a valve plate with one or more valve ports, an umbilical connector, and a valve positioned between the valve plate and the umbilical connector. Ink flow between the valve plate and the umbilical connector may be asynchronously regulated by actuating the valve. Such actuation may be performed by heating and cooling the valve, by applying electric current to a coil that surrounds a valve element of the valve and to a wire provided in the valve element and/or by asynchronously actuating a valve associated with the valve port.
US07878633B2	Ink refilling unit The present invention surely absorbs ink leaked from an atmospheric pressure introducing port using an ink absorber while achieving the miniaturization of an ink jet recording apparatus. An ink absorber housing is constituted of a fixing plate and a frame body which is formed on a periphery of the fixing plate and accommodates an ink absorber therein. Projecting ridges which project toward the ink absorber side and are brought into contact with the ink absorber are formed on an inner surface of the frame body thus increasing a holding force for holding the ink absorber in the inside of the ink absorber housing. Since the projecting ridges are brought into contact with portions of the ink absorber and resiliently deform the ink absorber, the deformation occurs partially and a deformation quantity is small. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the holding force for holding the ink absorber while preventing the large crushing of the small pores and the small interstices among the fibers in the ink absorber. In this manner, even when a multi-functional device is further miniaturized, it is possible to allow the ink absorber to surely absorb ink leaked from an atmospheric pressure introducing port.
US07878629B2	Stackable printer module with two pairs of printheads A printer module includes a housing. The housing surrounds a frame and defines footing holes. A print engine is housed within the housing and includes a pair of opposed print head assemblies for enabling double-sided printing on print media to be effected. Each printhead assembly includes a print media engaging roller and a pair of adjacent printheads configured to eject ink. Feet extend from the housing and are spaced apart to engage in respective footing holes defined in the housing of another printer module so that the printer modules can be stacked together.
US07878624B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus in which air or dust does not enter a recording liquid tube when an ink cartridge is changed is disclosed. An engine unit, in which an image forming section and a sub scanning direction paper carrying section are integrated as one unit, is removably attached to an apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus. Further, an ink cartridge storing section, in which an ink cartridge is removably stored, is integrated into the engine unit, and is changed together with the engine unit. In addition, a carriage, the recording liquid tube, and the ink cartridge storing section are removed as one unit from the engine unit.
US07878619B2	Maintenance method of fluid ejecting apparatus A maintenance method of a fluid ejecting apparatus having a fluid ejection head. A cap member faces an ejection region of the ejection head and a portion thereof facing the ejection region covers a space that includes the ejection surface. When the space covered by the cap member is to be uncovered, the facing portion of the cap member is tilted with respect to the ejection head. Fluid is then ejected from a first portion of the ejection region toward a predetermined region of the facing portion. The ejection head is then moved, and a second portion of the ejection region behind the first portion is positioned so as to overlap the predetermined region in a plan view. Fluid is then ejected from the second portion toward the predetermined region, and the potential difference resulting from the ejection of the fluid from the ejection head is detected.
US07878616B2	Cap and droplet ejecting apparatus The present invention provides a droplet ejecting apparatus including an ejector that ejects a liquid, and a humidity regulator that includes a humidity regulating material and regulates humidity around the ejector. The invention also provides a cap for maintaining a droplet ejecting port in an airtight condition, the droplet ejecting port being for ejecting a droplet by an ink jet system, the cap including, at least in an inner wall, a humidity regulating material containing an inorganic porous material.
US07878614B2	Printing apparatus having appropriate correction of feed amount A printing apparatus comprises a plurality of print heads, a moving member that can be moved and that is provided with the plurality of print heads, and a feed mechanism for feeding a medium to be printed. Dots for correcting a feed amount by which the feed mechanism feeds the medium to be printed are formed on the medium to be printed by ejecting ink from a predetermined print head, among the plurality of print heads, while moving the moving member. The predetermined print head is a print head other than the print head, among the plurality of print heads, that is the most susceptible to vibration caused by moving the moving member.
US07878613B2	Print data generation method, printing apparatus and method of generating mask Mask patterns to be used for multi-pass printing make it possible to make a print with a higher quality at a higher speed. Specifically, by performing a swapping process with adjacency forbiddance, two points in the horizontal direction, or the scanning direction of a printing head, are selected in a buffer in which codes for each scan pass are set depending on printing ratios of a gradation mask. Subsequently, codes are swapped between the two points. By this swap, adjacencies between print permitting areas are eliminated in the mask pattern. As a result, when driving frequencies set for the printing head is kept constant, the scanning speed can be doubled at minimum.
US07878602B2	Method and system to increase electric brake clamping force accuracy The method and system for increasing accuracy of clamping force of electric aircraft carbon brakes, once braking has been commenced, provides a first pair of electric brake actuators with a range of low brake clamping force responsive to low brake clamping force commands, and a second pair of electric brake actuators with a range of high brake clamping force responsive to high brake clamping force commands. The first pair of electric brake actuators is actuated to apply a minimum residual braking force once wheel braking is commenced, and the second pair of electric brake actuators is actuated only when the commanded braking force is in the high range of brake clamping force.
US07878599B2	Wheel balancing weights with body and mounting clip A wheel balancing weight has a body for providing mass and a clip attached to the body to securely grip a flange of a wheel. The clip defines a compartment within which is received the flange, and includes a hump projecting toward and into the defined compartment to contact a generally radially inward surface of the received flange such that the received flange contacts the clip at relatively smooth medial contact points on the hump. The weight may be formed as a unitary member from a sheet of steel and have a unitary sheet steel body and sheet steel clip.
US07878596B2	Automatic headrest activation gear A head restraint system includes a vehicle seat comprising a seat back and a seat bottom. The system further includes a head restraint guide positioned in the seat back. The head restraint guide is adapted to hold a head restraint at a selectable position. The system further includes a first and second gear rack and a gear system adapted to contact the first and second gear racks and move said gears tracks in a relative linear manner. The first gear rack is attached to the head restraint guide while the second gear rack is fixed relative to the seat back. An actuator system drives the gear system such that positioning of the seat back in a folded position causes the head restraint guide and the head restraint positioned therein to be lowered.
US07878592B2	Seat apparatus for vehicle A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a first lock mechanism switching between a first locked state and a first lock-released state and a second lock mechanism switching between a second locked state and a second lock-released state. The first lock mechanism includes a restraining member and a releasing member. The restraining member restrains a pivotal movement of a seatback at a predetermined angle position, at which the seatback does not interfere with a seat cushion moving between a first position and a second position thereof, when the second lock mechanism is in the second lock-released state. The releasing member is linked to the restraining member and releases a restriction to the pivotal movement of the seatback by being moved in association with a movement of the seat cushion when the second lock mechanism is in the second lock-released state.
US07878591B2	Sacral support member for seating A chair for providing sacral support including a seat, a backrest, a flexible support member and a sacral support member. The backrest has a frame with a generally central opening. The membrane is formed from an elastic material connected to the frame and extends across the central opening. A sacral support member is positioned proximate the central opening and is configured to apply support to the sacrum of a user sitting on the seat. The sacral support member incorporates a load distribution system and method in order to properly support and fit the anatomical contours of the sacrum and pelvis of a user while seated in the chair.
US07878586B2	System and method for an anticipatory passenger cabin A system for anticipating the needs of at least one passenger onboard a mobile platform (such as a train, marine vessel, aircraft or automobile) is provided. The system includes a passenger seating area for receipt of the passenger. The passenger seating area includes a seat that has a seat back that moves into a reclined position, a tray table that is operable to be positioned to provide a surface for use by the at least one passenger, and a light source disposed for illumination of at least a portion of the passenger seating area. The system includes a camera that acquires an image of the passenger, and a gesture control module that generates activity data that includes at least one activity that the passenger is performing as recognized in the image of the at least one passenger acquired by the camera. The system further includes a smart control module that moves the seat back, positions the tray table, activates or deactivates the light source and performs combinations thereof based on the activity data.
US07878584B2	Safety belt storage assembly and child seat having the same When a safety belt storage assembly's storage is mounted to a main body of a child seat, the storage of the safety belt storage assembly may be selectively configured between an opened state and a closed state. When the storage of the safety belt storage assembly is configured at the opened state, a safety belt set stored within the housing can be taken out and further used to fasten the child seat to an adult chair. The opened state storage further prevents the child seat from mounting on a frame body. When the safety belt set is stored in the housing, the storage of the safety belt storage assembly can be configured to the closed state and the child seat is allowed to be mounted to the frame body.
US07878583B2	Foldable high chair A foldable high chair in accordance with the present disclosure includes a juvenile seat and a seat foundation. The juvenile seat is mounted for movement on the seat foundation during folding and unfolding of the foldable high chair.
US07878582B2	Drive for moving a wind deflector on a cabriolet A drive for moving a lamella of a wind deflector is provided. The drive includes at least one coupling mechanism by which the lamella can be adjusted from a non-use position into a use position and vice versa. The mechanism is articulatedly connected at one end to the lamella and at the other end to the roof frame. The coupling mechanism is designed as a crank-rocker mechanism which raises the lamella away from the roof frame into the use position, and lowers the lamella onto the roof frame into the non-use position, in a substantially parallel fashion.
US07878576B1	Airflow deflector assembly An airflow deflector assembly for an open bed truck or like vehicle including a plurality of preferably two cover sections each having a base and an attachment assembly cooperatively disposed and structured to adjustably interconnect the two cover sections facilitating their selective positioning into any one of a plurality of operative orientations. The selected operative orientation corresponds to the width of the trailing end of the open bed of the vehicle so as to so as to establish a substantially continuous air deflecting surface over the trailing end and thereby increasing the aerodynamics of the vehicle. The cooperative structuring of the attachment assemblies facilitate an adjustable sliding interconnection there between such that the bases of each cover section may be reciprocally positioned toward and away from one another to assume the preferred operative orientation corresponding to the width of the truck bed.
US07878574B2	Vehicle skylight and method for installing same A skylight is provided for mounting to a wall of a vehicle to allow passage of light through the wall. The skylight may include a frame having a window that is configured to allow passage of light through at least a portion of the frame, and the frame may define an inner periphery about the window. A wall member may extend away from the frame adjacent to and about the inner periphery of the frame. A plurality of spaced apart gripping arms may extend away from one of the wall member and the frame adjacent to the inner periphery of the frame with the plurality of gripping arms extending beyond the wall member. Each of the plurality of gripping arms may be configured to engage the wall of the vehicle.
US07878573B2	Quick change tarpaulin for retractable tarpaulin system A tarpaulin structure for covering a cargo space and used in combination with a support and retraction system includes a body and an openable sleeve for a plurality of the cross supports of the system. Connectors hold the sleeves closed about the cross supports. The tarpaulin system may be installed onto and removed from the cross supports of a tarpaulin support and retraction system without requiring the user to disconnect the cross supports from the drive cables.
US07878569B2	Automobile In an automobile having a seat cushion 13 and a seat back 12 to be stored in an upper part of a vehicle interior, the seat cushion 13 and the seat back 12 can be lifted easily to the upper part position of the vehicle interior. The seat cushion 13 is rotatably coupled to the seat back 12 so that the seat cushion 13 can be superposed on the seat back 12, the seat back 12 is supported on a vehicle body 1 so that the superposed seat cushion 13 and seat back 12 can be rotated to the upper part of the vehicle interior, and a rear surface 12B of the seat back 12 is provided with a handle arm 16 that is grabbed by an operator to lift up the seat back 12 and the seat cushion 13 to the upper part of the vehicle interior.
US07878568B2	Vertical cargo box extender for compact pickup trucks and similar vehicles A vehicle bed assembly includes a vehicle bed having a floor and first and second side walls, wherein the first and second side walls include a top portion with a cavity. At least one compartment is disposed below the floor of the vehicle bed. First and second rails are extendably received in the cavity of each of the first and second side walls, wherein the first and second rails are mounted in vertical tracks that provide for linear translation of the first and second rails between an extended position and a retracted position.
US07878564B2	Vacuum type pickup apparatus and vacuum type pickup method A vacuum type pickup apparatus may include an absorption pad having an absorption inlet for contacting and/or picking up an object. A pad holder may be connected to the absorption pad. The pad holder may also have a vacuum line. A separator may be provided in the pad holder for forcibly releasing the object from the absorption inlet of the absorption pad. During the forcible release of the object, the air around the absorption pad may be drawn into the pad holder, thus reducing or preventing the potential contamination by impurities of the object as well as the equipment around the object. Also, an additional vacuum extinguisher may not be required, thus simplifying the structure of the vacuum type pickup apparatus and reducing installation costs. Furthermore, the object may be picked up and released in a relatively expedient, safe, and accurate manner, despite the suction force of the vacuum that may be maintained in the pad holder.
US07878563B2	Combination chopstick utensil A combination chopstick utensil may comprise a first chopstick member and a second chopstick member. A base may be coupled to each of the first and second chopstick members; wherein the base may include a first transition member. The base may also include a second transition member, wherein the second transition member may be coupled to the first transition member along an interior edge. The first and second transition members may be selectably coupleable. The base may further include a separation facilitation structure between the first and second transition members and configured to facilitate separation of the first and second transition members. The separation facilitation structure may include a groove between the first and second transition members. The combination chopstick utensil may also include a utensil coupled to the base and extending therefrom substantially opposite of the first and second chopstick members.
US07878562B2	Semiconductor wafer carrier blade A carrier blade for transferring a semiconductor wafers into and out of a deposition chamber may include transition surfaces sloping downward from ledge surfaces. The transition surfaces slope from the corresponding ledges at angles that are greater than about 90 degrees so that the edges between the ledge surfaces and the transition surfaces are not sharp. The carrier blade may include bevels extending from the ledge surface(s) to upper lateral edges of the carrier blade.
US07878559B2	Lock block assembly for an astragal An astragal assembly is disposed between doors of a double-door set mounted in a door frame of a building to seal between the doors. The astragal assembly includes an astragal attached to one of the doors and a lock block assembly slideable within the astragal. The astragal defines a channel and the lock block assembly includes a body slideably disposed in the channel. The lock block assembly includes a lift boot coupled to and resiliently extending from the body. The lock block assembly is slideable between an extended position and a retracted position. The lift boot includes a fin extending away from the body. The fin includes a first and second lateral portion spaced from each other and a primary portion extending from the first lateral portion to the second lateral portion for sealing against the door frame in the extended position to prevent elements from entering into the building.
US07878557B2	Knotter for a baler A knotter had a twine holder, a bill hook, an arm carrying a crotch and a cutter and a twine finger operated by a drive mechanism to form two knots consecutively, the first to tie together two runs of twine passed around a completed bale and the second to tie together two runs of twine drawn from respective supply rolls for the commencement of the next bale. The twine holder serves to grip the two runs of twine drawn from the supply rolls throughout the formation of the two knots. The bill hook serves to knot the runs of twine gripped by the holder. The cutter serves to sever the runs of twine between the holder and the bill hook. The crotch pushes the twine runs off the bill hook during the completion of each knot. The twine finger is pivotably mounted on the opposite side of the bill hook from the twine holder to bring the sections of the runs of twine to be knotted within the reach of the bill hook. In the invention, an edge of the twine finger contacting the runs of twine as the knots are pushed off the bill hook by the crotch comprises an obstruction to resist movement of the runs of twine in a direction transverse to their length.
US07878555B2	Coupling device for circular pipes A coupling device for circular pipes, in which locking rings, inserted into a body to clamp a circular pipe, are arranged in a pair so that the central line of a circular pipe can be aligned when the circular pipe is inserted. Furthermore, the degree to which the body presses the seal packing can be adjusted so that a reliable seal can be maintained and the circular pipe can be securely coupled no matter who uses the coupling device. A coupling device for corrugated and circular pipes is provided for the case where it is more effective to replace one of the circular pipes with a corrugated pipe. The first coupling section and a connecting means, which can engage with a corrugated pipe, are provided opposite the second coupling section, which is coupled with the circular pipe.
US07878553B2	Releasable connection assembly for joining tubing sections A connection assembly for creating a releasable fluid seal connection between two or more sections of tubing includes a male fitting and a female fitting. Connection assemblies generally include the male fitting having a pair of clasps that releasably interact with corresponding catch structures on the female fitting. Interactions between the female and male fittings can be rotatable with respect to the male and/or female fittings. Buckle structures are also disclosed having connection capabilities for a plurality of sections of tubing.
US07878552B2	Insert coupling An insert coupling more preferably intended for use with fuel lines consists of a sleeve-like coupling body (2) and a tubular insert part (1) carrying a retaining rib (3) on the outside. Via a coupling element (22) axially fixed in the coupling body (2) on to which engagement hooks (4, 4′) are molded which are intended for engagement with the retaining rib (3), a ring shoulder (23) is formed at the same time which together with a ring shoulder (24) of the housing (8) of the coupling body (2) axially spaced from said ring shoulder and the radially spaced cylindrical faces of the housing (8) facing each other and the insert part (1) define a ring space (11) in which a sealing arrangement consisting of two sealing rings (5, 7) and a support ring (6) arranged in-between are accommodated. As a result of the unambiguous axial fixing of the sealing arrangement in the housing (8) the function of the sealing arrangement is not impaired through the removal of the insert part (1) from the coupling body (2) and through inserting said insert part in the coupling body (2). A simple construction of the insert coupling is obtained in that said coupling factually consists only of three substantial components plus the sealing arrangement and can be employed with insert parts (1) which are smooth-walled except for a retaining rib (3).
US07878549B2	Printed substrate having embedded covert information A method for embedding covert information on a printed substrate is provided. The method can include the steps of printing overt indicia on a substrate and generating a pattern of microtext representative of at least a portion of the overt indicia. Such microtext is capable of being printed in at least two distinct fonts, including a first font and a second font. The method can further include steps of varying the pattern of microtext such that at least one character of the pattern of microtext is configured to be printed in the first font and at least one character is configured to be printed in the second font, thereby providing a font variation which corresponds to a covert code, and printing the pattern of microtext which includes the font variation on the substrate.
US07878546B2	Belt guide anchor and seat belt unit including the same A belt guide anchor is provided to improve handling operability of a seat belt even when a belt opening angle between a portion of the seat belt adjacent to a retractor and that adjacent to an occupant is increased. A belt guide anchor has a belt insertion hole into which a seat belt is fitted so as to be slidable and expanded portions formed on surfaces of the belt guide anchor facing the interior and exterior, respectively, of the vehicle adjacent to the belt insertion hole. In one form, a thin portion is formed in the expanded portion on the surface facing the interior of the vehicle at a position adjoining a part of the belt insertion hole facing the front side of the vehicle, and a thin part is formed in the expanded portion on the surface facing the exterior of the vehicle at a position adjoining a part of the belt insertion hole facing the rear side of the vehicle. With this, even when a belt opening angle θ is large, the seat belt comes into light contact with the thin portions in the expanded portions. Thus, the friction during drawing of the seat belt is small, and the seat belt can be smoothly drawn out.
US07878543B2	Ball ramp clamping mechanism A clamping mechanism having a static plate and a dynamic plate rotatable about a transverse axis relative to the static plate is disclosed. The static plate defines a plurality of static lifting ramps, and the dynamic plate defines a plurality of dynamic lifting ramps opposing the static lifting ramps. A roller is disposed between each opposing pair of the static lifting ramps and dynamic lifting ramps. The rollers move between a raised position and a recessed position in response to rotation of the dynamic plate relative to the static plate between a lock position and a release position. The lifting ramps are arranged in a spiral configuration relative to each other, with the dynamic lifting ramps substantially transverse to the static lifting ramps to force radial movement of the rollers relative to the transverse axis during rotational movement of the dynamic plate relative to the static plate.
US07878539B2	Airbag module with deployment control flap An airbag module includes a bag wrap, a retainer, an airbag, and an inflator to inflate the airbag. The airbag includes at least one vent hole, and a deployment control flap to change trajectory of the airbag such that the airbag will deploy upwards and laterally to left and right sides. The deployment control flap is fixed at both ends to the retainer, airbag, or bag wrap.
US07878536B2	Solid propellant/liquid type hybrid gas generator A gas generator comprising a housing having a mixing chamber and a pyrotechnic charge in the housing. A container having a liquid therein is disposed in the housing and has an open end and a closed end, with an end cap closing the open end and having a piston portion removably connected thereto and being movable within the liquid container to pressurize the liquid therein when the piston portion is separated from the end cap. The piston portion is positioned to be exposed to combustion gas from the pyrotechnic charge when it is ignited and is separable from the end cap when the combustion gas exceeds a predetermined pressure. In another embodiment, the liquid container may be a collapsible tube. The closed end of the liquid container has a weakened portion constructed to be opened when the pressure of the liquid in the container exceeds a predetermined pressure. The pyrotechnic charge and the weakened portion of the liquid container are in fluid communication with the mixing chamber so that combustion gases from the ignition of the pyrotechnic charge mix with and vaporize the liquid in the mixing chamber to generate a non-toxic, low temperature, low particulate inflation gas.
US07878534B2	Passenger airbag apparatus A passenger airbag apparatus for a vehicle includes a retainer, an airbag folded and retained in the retainer, a deployment-limiting sheet, and a shape-retaining sheet. The deployment-limiting sheet has one end coupled to the retainer or the rear portion of the airbag, and extends toward the front portion of the airbag while being superposed on the airbag. The deployment-limiting sheet has a first folded part and extends along the rear portion of the airbag during inflation of the airbag. The first shape-retaining sheet is coupled to the retainer or the deployment-limiting sheet for retaining a shape of the folded airbag and a shape of the deployment-limiting sheet. The first shape-retaining sheet has a shape-retainment release portion for releasing a shape of the folded airbag by inflation of the airbag.
US07878533B2	Airbag device There is provided an airbag device for allowing a holding member to firmly hold an outer circumference part and a peripheral edge part of an airbag during the airbag assembling work and to reduce the assembling work time. The airbag device comprising a holding member (14) for holding an airbag (10) in a state as folded and contained therein, and pressing down a side face of the airbag (10) on the outer circumference thereof. The holding member (14) is made of a woven cloth, and an anticipated rupture part (14k) to be ruptured by a gas generated from an inflator (30) is formed at the position corresponding to the part of the airbag (10), inflating in the initial stage of the expansion thereof.
US07878531B2	Seat device To provide a seat device that can provide a smooth and stable deployment performance of an airbag.A seat device includes a backrest 1B, an airbag 11, and an upper guide member 41 and a lower guide member 42. The backrest 1B includes a tear line at an upper portion thereof. The airbag 11 is formed of a bag member, in which base cloths are joined to each other, and is provided in an interior of the backrest 1B so that, during inflation, the airbag 11 cleaves the tear line 44 and is deployed to an upper side of the head of an occupant. The upper guide member 41 and the lower guide member 42 are provided in the interior of the backrest 1B so as to guide a deployment direction of the airbag 11 towards the vicinity of the tear line 44 while restricting the deployment direction during the inflation of the airbag 11.
US07878522B2	Vehicle with improved flexibility A vehicle includes a vehicle frame, a steering rod, a pair of arm units, and a drive unit. The steering rod is coupled rotatably to the vehicle frame. Each of the arm units is coupled pivotably to the vehicle frame. The drive unit is coupled to the arm units, and is operable so as to drive pivoting movement of the arm units relative to the vehicle frame.
US07878518B2	Motor vehicle flexible axle, comprising a cross bracing with open cross-section whereof the flanks include non-rectilinear edges, cross bracing and corresponding motor vehicle The invention concerns a motor vehicle flexible axle comprising two longitudinal arms (20) connected by a cross bracing (10) with open cross-section whereof the flanks (11), (21) have each an edge (1), (2) extending between docking zones (4) with the ends of said cross bracing. The invention is characterized in that said edges (1), (2) have a non-rectilinear shape enhancing their tensioning when said cross member is subjected to torsion, said tensioning enabling said docking zones (4) to be relieved of stresses due to said torsion.
US07878509B2	Mechanical seal device A mechanical seal has a seal cover attached to an outer surface of a device body, a fitting surface through which a shaft is insertable, and defines a space further away from a machine than the fitting surface. A quenching path penetrates the space and supplies quenching fluid therein. A first seal ring has a movement surface fitted to the fitting surface and a seal surface inward of the space section. A second seal ring has a relative slide seal surface in tight contact with the seal surface of the first seal ring and a seal surface that faces a restriction surface. A seal collar holds the second seal ring in a sealed state and is sealingly fixed to the shaft. A packing is in tight contact with the seal surface of the second seal ring and the restriction surface to prevent quenching fluid from leaking out of the machine.
US07878508B2	Compact restictive seal for bearing housings This invention relates to a restrictive seal of the labyrinth type of reduced external size. The invention has an inner deflector which is capable of retaining the lubricating oil within the bearing housing with great efficiency, and a highly accurate system for adjusting and aligning the elements of the labyrinths, ensuring an infinite service life. Because it has very much smaller external dimensions it can be applied as a replacement to the lip seals commonly in use without causing problems to accessory equipment connected to a pump.
US07878507B1	Spatial game apparatus A game apparatus with passageways for object passage. Some portions consist of stationary pieces. Each of these contains a plurality of passageways. Other portions consist of multiple pieces. Some of these can be moved and others cannot be moved. Those pieces that can be moved contain a plurality of passageways. The operator of the game moves these pieces via handles. In each position the passageways in the moveable pieces align with passageways in either the portions above or below. As alignments occur, objects drop from one portion to the one below. Mechanisms cause the movement of some pieces to transfer to other pieces. Below the lowest portion are two collection trays on opposite sides of the assembly. By manipulating the movable pieces game operators can cause objects to move down through the apparatus into the collection trays.
US07878504B2	Roller mechanism and image forming device A roller mechanism includes a pair of rollers and an urging unit. The pair of rollers oppose one another sandwiching a conveyance path of a sheet material, and are provided to be capable of increasing and reducing an axis-to-axis separation thereof. The urging unit urges at least one of the pair of rollers in a direction of reducing the axis-to-axis separation of the pair of rollers with an urging force that increases with an increase in the axis-to-axis separation of the pair of rollers, and presses the sheet material with the pair of rollers. The urging unit increases the urging force non-linearly, with a rate of increase of the urging force falling as the axis-to-axis separation of the pair of rollers increases within a range of changes at times of sheet material-pressing.
US07878501B2	Edge regulating device, printing medium cassette, and printing apparatus An edge regulating device that regulates edge of a printing medium by an edge guide includes a first holding unit that is able to hold the edge guide with a predetermined pitch along the direction of displacement of the edge guide and a second holding unit that is able to hold the edge guide with a pitch larger than the holding pitch by the first holding unit along the direction of displacement of the edge guide.
US07878499B2	Separating roller and sheet separating mechanism using the same A separating roller includes a sleeve having a first hollow cylinder, an arm protruding from an outer surface of the sleeve, a shaft assembly having a middle section, disposed inside the sleeve, and two ends on two sides of the middle section, a torque limiting element and two friction rollers. The sleeve and the shaft assembly are hung from a body by the arm. The torque limiting element coils around the middle section and contacts the shaft assembly, and is accommodated within the first hollow cylinder. One portion of the torque limiting element is fixed to an inner surface of the first hollow cylinder to provide a limiting torque to the shaft assembly and to limit rotation of the shaft assembly. The friction rollers are respectively fixed to the two ends of the shaft assembly. Each friction roller has an outer diameter greater than that of the sleeve.
US07878498B2	Medium transport apparatus A medium transport apparatus including a medium detection sensor having a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit that are arranged apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and that changes the signal level of a detection signal output from the light-receiving unit according to the presence/non-presence of a medium between the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit, and a medium guide member that is arranged in the middle of a transport path for the medium to guide the medium, and that has a medium guide face for guiding the medium, and a sensor attachment so that the medium guide face may be arranged at a position closer to either the light-emitting unit or the light-receiving unit.
US07878497B2	Image forming apparatus and sheet inserting device The image forming apparatus including a sheet conveying path which is arranged at the sheet inserting device and which conveys the sheets on which the images are formed at the image forming apparatus main body and the insertion sheet to the post-processing device and a sheet conveying portion which is arranged at the sheet conveying path and which conveys the sheets being capable of accelerating and decelerating is controlled to accelerate sheet conveying speed of the sheets from the image forming apparatus main body from a predetermined conveying speed at the sheet conveying path, to insert the insertion sheet so as to follow a preceding sheet which is accelerated, and to convey the sheets from the image forming apparatus main body and the insertion sheet to the post-processing device after being decelerated to the predetermined conveying speed.
US07878494B1	Making magazine pop-up formats A method of making magazine formats in the form of signatures that include a flat 3-D piece that is die-cut from a web on a web press, which produces a plurality of such identical signatures as part of a high speed operation. The flat 3-D piece is located at the upper edge of one sheet and is freed from the remainder of the page on which it is die-cut when the lateral edges of the folded signature are trimmed.
US07878489B2	Controlling vibrations In order to control vibrations of two parts of a piece of machinery, a variable force may be generated to oppose the vibrations, with the variable force being generated under control of a controller on the basis of an iterative relationship, the iterative relationship being such as to generate the force of one iteration using a controller output signal in frequency domain vector form derived from the controller output signal of the immediately previous iteration in frequency domain vector form plus a frequency domain vector quantity derived from the resultant vibration of more than one previous iteration.Where these two parts are connected by multiple (f) mounting devices, the controller output signals a previous iterations are taken into account, and the frequency domain vector quantity derived from the controller output signals and more than f previous iterations.The information corresponding to the vibration frequency may be derived from a rotating shaft, where the two parts are the engine and chassis of a vehicle.It is also possible generate a force between the two parts which is a harmonic of the frequency of vibration being suppressed.
US07878487B2	Universal retaining lock for chain link fence slats A chain link fence slat system comprising a plurality of slats and a channel. Each slat is elongated and has a longitudinal dimension with a first and a second end, a width dimension and a thickness dimension less than the width dimension. Each slat further has at least a first and a second notch formed near the first end of the slat, each of the notches being formed on opposite sides of the width dimension and extending across the width dimension and partly through the thickness dimension. The first notch is positioned at a first vertical height and the second notch is positioned at a second vertical height with the second vertical height being greater than the first vertical height. The channel receives one end of each slat. The channel has inner surfaces including a base portion, a first opposing wall and a second opposing wall. The first opposing wall has a first inwardly projecting barb for receiving the first notch of a slat and the second opposing wall has a second inwardly projecting barb for receiving the second notch of a slat. The spacing between the first and second opposing walls being equal to or greater than the thickness dimension of the slat.
US07878486B2	Releasable highway safety structures Consistent and reliable releasing of a guardrail during a vehicle impact is enabled by a releasable fastener for safety structures along a highway. The release of secured components such as guardrail is controlled, and precise positional cooperation is provided between securing members and the guardrail. Forces may be attenuated to further optimize response.
US07878485B2	Roadway guardrail system A roadway guardrail system including a rail, a plurality of support posts, and a plurality of fasteners assembly to redirect an impacting vehicle and dissipate a portion of the impacting vehicle's energy. Block-outs may be positioned in between the rail and support posts. A plurality of support posts each includes a slot extending along its length aligning with apertures in the rail and engaging with the rail through the apertures with fasteners including reinforcing members slidable along the slots in the posts. Alternatively, the rail has a plurality of laterally extending slots aligning with apertures in support posts and engaging with the support posts through the apertures with fasteners including reinforcing members slidable along the slots.
US07878484B2	Vehicle-mountable hoist Embodiments include an apparatus comprising a first part to be removably secured to a receiver hitch of a vehicle. The first part is removably integrated with a boom receiver. The boom receiver can be removably connected to a boom extending upward at an angle from the first part. An electric powered winch can be attached to the boom receiver. The winch includes a cable to hang down from the boom. Coupled to the cable is a device to connect an object to be moved by the apparatus.
US07878478B2	Base assembly for supporting and transporting a free standing structure Embodiments of the invention provide a base assembly for supporting a free standing structure such as a tent. The base assembly is configurable such that a base can be positioned in a generally horizontal orientation to support and stabilize a stationary structure. In some cases the base can be positioned in a generally vertical orientation to allow the base assembly to roll along a support surface, thus providing a ready and easily configurable manner of transporting the base assembly and any structure attached thereto.
US07878477B2	Multi-axis pivoting detent joint assembly for an exterior vehicle mirror A mirror assembly comprising a mounting bracket for attachment to a vehicle exterior; a first pivot plate on the mounting bracket having a concave upper surface with a series of grooves formed therein; a support arm pivotally carried on the first pivot plate of the mounting bracket; and, a second pivot plate carried by the support arm having a base surface with a plurality of protruding teeth engaging the grooves in the first pivot plate so that a pivot gap is defined between the upper surface of the first pivot plate and the base surface of second pivot plate; whereby the pivot gap allows the teeth to both pivot and slide in the grooves of the first pivot plate so that the support arm is pivotal in a multi-axis arrangement with the mounting bracket to accommodate misalignment between the mounting bracket and the support arm during installation on a vehicle.
US07878475B2	Subframe support apparatus A subframe support apparatus adapted to engage and support a subframe of a vehicle is provided wherein the subframe support apparatus engages and supports the subframe of the vehicle when the vehicle is either raised on a lift and/or on the ground and when a mechanic is working on components of the vehicle supported by the subframe of the vehicle. The subframe support apparatus includes an elongated housing or elongated support member having first and second subframe engaging assemblies adjustably connected thereto for engaging oppositely disposed portions of the subframe of the vehicle.
US07878473B1	Multi-functioning mount system for a monitor A mount system for a monitor attaches the monitor to a supporting surface such as a wall in two positions. In the first position, the mount system attaches the monitor in a flush position, and in the second position, the mount system attaches the monitor in a tilt position.
US07878472B2	Auto-locking holder apparatus A system for removably restraining an object in a vehicle includes a housing for attachment to a structure of the vehicle and at least one holder coupled to the housing for movement between an access position and a restraint position. An extensible member has a first end operably engaging the holder and a second end coupled to a retractor device. The retractor device is coupled to the housing and locks the extensible member when the vehicle experiences an event involving a rapid change in position, speed or acceleration, so that the holder is movable to the access position during absence of the event and the holder is locked in the restraint position during the event.
US07878467B2	Suction cup structure A suction cup structure is disclosed. The suction cup structure can be attached firmly on a surface of an object. The suction cup structure comprises a suction cup and a gel, wherein the gel has a first surface and a second surface; the first surface is connected to the suction cup, and the second surface is attached to the surface of the object.
US07878466B2	Apparatus supporting mechanism, sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus An apparatus supporting mechanism comprises: a fixing member 111 fixed to the bottom of the apparatus; a connecting member 115 disposed in the fixing member 111 in such a manner as to freely project and be housed; a supporting member 112 disposed in the connecting member 115 and freely displaced between a first position, at which the supporting member is grounded or located proximate with respect to the installation plane of the apparatus, a second position, at which the supporting member is separate from the installation plane of the apparatus; and a displacing mechanism which displaces the supporting member 112 to the first position when the connecting member 115 projects while displaces the supporting member 112 to the second position when the connecting member 115 is housed.
US07878462B1	Cable constraining device for reduced cable wear A cable constraining device features a flexible cable contact sheet that is inward attached to a cable constraining contour of a holding structure. The holding structure is configured for substantially encompassing a cable circumference while in constraining configuration. A cavity between the holding structure and the cable contact sheet is filled with a gel that provides a vibration dampening soft contact of the cable contact sheet with the cable insulation. The cushioning gel absorbs micro movement of the cable transferred onto the cable contact sheet such that wearing effects due to frictional sliding and vibration of the cable at its constraining location is substantially reduced. The holding structure may be of rubber like material that is formed on its outside like a well known grommet. An outer rigid clamping structure may be additionally employed in case of a circumferentially tight able configuration.
US07878459B2	Aircraft systems with shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, and associated methods Aircraft systems with shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, and associated methods are disclosed. A system in accordance with one embodiment includes an airfoil, a deployable device coupled to the airfoil, and a shape memory alloy actuator coupled between the airfoil and the deployable device. In one embodiment, the deployable device can be coupled to the airfoil with a hinge having a hinge load path supporting the deployable device relative to the airfoil, and the actuator can be movable along a motion path different than the hinge load path between a first position with the deployable device deployed relative to the airfoil, and a second position with the deployable device stowed relative to the airfoil. In another embodiment, an activatable link can be positioned between the actuator and the deployable device, and can have an engaged configuration in which motion of the actuator is transmitted to the deployable device, and a disengaged configuration in which motion of the actuator is not transmitted to the deployable device.
US07878458B2	Method and apparatus for enhancing engine-powered lift in an aircraft Lift produced by an airfoil of an aircraft is increased by suppressing fluid detachment from the surface of the airfoil. An engine cowling extends outwardly from the surface of the airfoil that has an exit plane configured for directing exhaust gases toward a rear of the aircraft. Fences extending outwardly from the surface and proximate to the exit plane of the engine cowling are configured to guide the exhaust gases along at least a portion of the airfoil surface, thereby restricting spanwise movement of the gases and increasing the Coanda Effect exhibited by the gases, thereby increasing the amount of lift produced along the surface of the airfoil. Such techniques may be used in short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft.
US07878457B2	Retractable vortex generator A flow control device is disclosed including a flow control surface over which fluid is designed to flow in a predetermined direction. Vortex generators are associated with the flow control surface. Each respective vortex generator has a pivot axis that forms an acute angle with respect to the predetermined direction and is capable of being positioned in both of an extended state, in which the respective vortex generators function to create a swirling fluid flow, and a retracted state, in which the respective vortex generators are pivoted via the pivot axis so as to lie adjacent to the flow control surface. An actuator is associated with each of the vortex generators, each actuator adapted to position the associated vortex generator between the extended and retracted states. The flow control device is disclosed to be used in tiltrotor vehicles.
US07878456B2	Protective shield assembly for space optics and associated methods A protective shield assembly capable of being deployed from a launch vehicle is provided, and methods for assembling and deploying the protective shield assembly are also provided. The protective shield assembly includes a shroud, and a flexible sheet of material within the shroud. The flexible sheet of material is capable of substantially conforming to a contour of at least a portion of the launch vehicle to provide a protective barrier.
US07878455B2	Refueling boom with backup raising cable A backup device for raising a refueling boom interconnecting a tanker aircraft with a receiver aircraft in flight, the boom being joined to the tanker aircraft by a mechanical articulation and a hoist cable. The backup device includes a secondary cable fixed at one side in the boom, and fixed at the other side in a cable actuator placed inside the tanker aircraft, the secondary cable being extended along the underside of the tanker aircraft and along the boom, and attached to them in at least three intermediate points with clips or staples that can be released by a force exerted through the secondary cable. The cable actuator has rolling devices to roll the secondary cable for raising the boom to the stowed position.
US07878454B2	Doors of aircraft cabins The invention relates to a guard for the upper part of a door (2) of an aircraft, consisting of: a composite comprising a composite and/or stainless steel strip (14) which forms the core of the guard (1) and which renders same flexible and resistant, a silicon which is optionally reinforced with fibres and a polyester.
US07878453B2	Piezoelectric and pyroelectric power-generating laminate for an airship envelope A power-generating laminate for an airship comprises a base fabric layer, a barrier layer disposed upon the fabric layer, an inner metal film layer disposed upon the barrier layer, a piezoelectric/pyroelectric layer disposed upon the inner metal layer, an outer metal layer disposed upon the piezoelectric/pyroelectric layer, and a cover layer disposed upon the outer metal layer. The power-generating laminate forms a gas-impervious envelope to maintain lifting gas and air therein, and is configured such that when the envelope is subjected to structural strain or experiences changes in temperature, power is generated, which is used to supply power to the various electrical systems aboard the airship.
US07878451B2	Low-leakage seal system for pivot door type thrust reverser A low-leakage seal system for a pivot door type thrust reverser comprises a forward seal, an aft seal, and a pair of seal stops. The forward seal is attached to a forward portion of a thrust reverser. The aft seal is attached to an aft portion of the pivot door. The seal stops are attached to opposing sides of the pivot door and each seal stop couples with a pivot door hinge pin. Each seal stop includes a forward tab and an aft tab. The forward tabs of the seal stops make flush contact with the forward seal and the aft tabs make flush contact with the aft seal such that a continuous seal is formed between the pivot door and the fixed structure of the thrust reverser when the pivot door is stowed.
US07878440B2	Winder with pitch modulation at transverse limits A winding machine having a user-defined pitch between rotation of a form and translation of a point of winding material along the form, reduces damaging accelerative forces on the machine components by a slight modulation of the pitch near travel-reversal of the point of winding. The pitch of the windings over most of the form is unaffected and rotational speed of the form need not be modified.
US07878434B2	Wood chipper A wood chipper includes a housing having an inlet opening and a discharge outlet with a chipper disk rotatably mounted in the housing and having a chipper knife mounted on a front face thereof adjacent a chipper slot extending through the disk. A plurality of fins are mounted on the back face of the chipper disk. An inlet hopper is connected to the inlet opening and a blow back shield is mounted in the upper end portion of the hopper with the shield including an outer layer of clear synthetic material extending across the hopper and an inner layer of synthetic material extending part way underneath the length of the layer of clear synthetic material. The inner layer may be provided with a safety warning thereon which is visible through the outer layer of clear synthetic material. A discharge chute is connected to the discharge outlet which has inwardly angled plates around part thereof. Vent holes are provided in a wall of the housing which add air flow to the wood chipper when it is being operated.
US07878432B2	Plunger can assembly A plunger can for a roller assembly within a pulverizing mill has a body which contains a compression spring. A stub shaft transfers the force generated by the compression spring to the roller assembly. A bushing in cooperation with a locking guide in the fore end of the plunger can, along with the stub shaft in an aft end of the plunger can, contains the compression spring there between. The locking guide has an annular flange that fits within an annular channel within the plunger can body. A plurality of extensions spaced around an outside perimeter of the annular flange cooperates with a plurality of extensions around an inside perimeter of the plunger can body such that both sets of extensions clear each other when the locking guide is inserted into the plunger can body. When rotated, the sets of extensions are aligned with each, forming a mechanical lock.
US07878427B2	Injector for fuel injection in an internal combustion engine An injector having an injector body to which a fuel line is connected for delivering fuel at high pressure. A filter bore is formed in the body and a fuel filter is disposed, through which filter the delivered fuel flows. A sealing seat is formed in the filter bore against which seat the end of the fuel line is pressed upon fastening of the fuel line to the injector body. The filter bore discharges at the outside of the injector body. The sealing seat is disposed with its longitudinal axis inclined to the longitudinal axis of the filter bore, and in the injector body, a bore extending at least approximately coaxially to the sealing seat is provided, into which the end region of the fuel line plunges. By the end region, plunging into the bore, of the fuel line, an outer end region of the filter bore, discharging at the outside of the injector body, is separated from an inner end region, subjected to high pressure, of the filter bore, and the fuel filter is disposed in the inner end region of the filter bore.
US07878420B2	Purge arrangement for fast powder change Purge arrangement for powder coating system includes a gun manifold (40) that is selectively assembled for fluid communication with either a purge manifold (36) or a hopper manifold (34). This allows purging of multiple hoses and guns at the same time and simplified color change operations.
US07878419B2	Spray head with covers Embodiments of the invention provide a spray head including a housing having a facetted front face with a plurality of intersecting surfaces. The spray head can include a nozzle in each one of the plurality of intersecting surfaces. The nozzle can be positioned within a first recess of the housing so that an outer end of the nozzle does not extend past an outer surface of the housing. The nozzle can generate and dispense a fog-like mist. The spray head can include a cover that substantially prevents an orifice of the nozzle from becoming blocked with debris. The cover can be installed within a second recess of the nozzle so that the cover is substantially flush with the outer surface of the housing.
US07878417B2	Multifunctional restrictive valve A multifunctional restrictive valve for controlling the flow of water therethrough. The valve has a main body with a flow channel through the main body. The main body receives water upstream thereof through an inlet port and passes it out through an outlet port at the downstream end of the body. A flow control assembly is located in the flow channel and includes a temperature sensor/actuator acting on a piston to move, when the temperature sensor heats up the piston, to block water flow control ports. The flow control assembly also includes an override feature wherein the piston is located within a slide and the flow control ports are located in the slide. By moving the slide away from the piston when the piston is blocking the flow control ports, the temperature sensor and piston may be overridden and flow may resume through the main body.
US07878409B2	System and method for verifying identity during data entry with a barcode scanner A hand-held barcode scanner includes a fingerprint reader for reading fingerprint data from a digit of an operator of the barcode scanner. Preferably, an operator's digit can be comfortably placed on the fingerprint reader while the operator is scanning barcodes. This type of barcode scanner may be used with a system or method for verifying identity during data entry. A system includes the barcode scanner with fingerprint reader; a database storing identification data and fingerprint data for users; and a controller, which is in communication with the scanning element, the fingerprint reader and the database, that compares fingerprint data from a digit placed on the fingerprint reader with the database to obtain an identity of a user and then associates the identity of the user with barcodes scanned by the barcode scanner. The system may activate an alarm if the identity of the operator is not an authorized user.
US07878408B2	Finger tip data reading device A reading device for reading an interface surface provided on a product item, the interface surface having disposed thereon coded data. The reading device includes: a harness which is configured to tight fittingly receive at least a portion of a user's hand; a housing coupled to the harness, the housing including a void configured to tight fittingly receive therewithin a finger tip portion of a finger of the user's hand received within the harness, the housing including an aperture in a wall of the housing which is located, in use, adjacent the underside of the finger tip portion of the finger; a sensor provided in the housing for sensing at least some of the coded data through the aperture; and a processor for decoding at least some of the sensed coded data.
US07878405B2	Dual laser targeting system A dual laser targeting system is described. At least one pair of lasers is arranged symmetrically about an objective lens in a symbology reader. The lasers project a beam along their respective axis, which, when an optical element is placed in front of the laser, produces multiple beams concentric about each laser axis. These multiple beams produce a composite pattern that appears to be symmetrical about the optical axis of the objective lens. The resulting targeting pattern includes laser beam spots that frame the field of view (FOV) of the symbology reader, and the laser beam spots on the laser axes frame the optical center of the target.
US07878401B2	Multiple barcode detection Disclosed is a method of decoding a first barcode and a second barcode, different from the first barcode. The barcodes have typically been printed on a page and are derived from image scanning. The first barcode comprises a plurality of marks modulated about a first grid to redundantly encode data and the second barcode comprising a plurality of marks modulated about a second grid. The method estimates (810) the first grid from a bitmap representation (805) of at least a portion of the page, using modulated marks contained therein. The method determines (820) a first barcode region from the first grid, the first barcode region being a portion of the first barcode, followed by estimating a second grid from the bitmap representation, using modulated marks contained therein. The method determines a second barcode region from the second grid, the second barcode region being a portion of the second barcode, and then decodes (830) the first and second barcode regions using the first and second grids respectively to derive the first and second barcodes.
US07878398B2	Counterfeit and tamper resistant labels with randomly occurring features Techniques are disclosed to enable utilization of randomly-occurring features of a label (whether embedded or naturally inherent) to provide counterfeit-resistant and/or tamper-resistant labels. More specifically, labels including randomly-occurring features are scanned to determine the labels' features. The information from the scan is utilized to provide identifying indicia which uniquely identifies each label and may be later verified against the label features that are present to determine whether the label is genuine. In a described implementation, the identifying indicia may be cryptographically signed.
US07878397B2	Enhanced security magnetic card reader especially useful in point of sale devices A magnetic card reader including a magnetic head, located in a non-secured region, at least one signal path including at least first and second electrical conductors extending from the magnetic head in the non-secured region to a secured region, circuitry located within the secured region and receiving at least one signal output along at least one signal path, the circuitry located within the secured region including functionality ensuring that a voltage difference along the at least first and second electrical conductors is virtually zero, thereby obviating illicit information retrieval via tapping of the at least first and second conductors and analysis of voltage differences therebetween.
US07878394B2	Methods and systems for managing transaction card accounts enabled for use with particular categories of providers and/or goods/services A computer-implemented method and system for managing transaction card accounts involves enabling a transaction card account by a card issuer for use with pre-defined categories of providers of goods/services and goods/services sold and issuing a transaction card and establishing an associated pre-qualified category card account. Upon receiving data for a transaction with the transaction card at a transaction terminal by a processing platform of the card issuer via a card association processing network, the category of the provider and goods/services is interrogated to determine whether or not the transaction can be posted on the pre-qualified category card account of the cardholder, and the transaction is approved and posted to the pre-qualified category card account if the transaction falls within the pre-qualified category of the cardholder.
US07878393B2	Method and apparatus for distribution of money transfers A method of performing money transfer send transactions begins with receiving registration information from a customer, including customer identification and qualification information and payment source identification and performing verification of at least a portion of the identification and qualification information and the payment source identification and upon sufficient verification building a distribution profile. The method proceeds by receiving from the customer and storing in the distribution profile send transaction specifications for staging each of one or more proposed send transactions, and receiving a send initiation instruction with associated customer authentication data and responsive thereto identifying a distribution profile and at least one send transaction specification to be executed. Responsive to the send initiation instruction, the method verifies the authentication data and the current status of the payment source identified in the distribution profile and upon sufficient verification, initiates a send transaction according to the at least one send transaction specification.
US07878391B2	Egg counting device and method A device and related method for counting objects, such as eggs or the like includes a plurality of first detectors, each of which has a locally delimited detection area, which can detect electromagnetic radiation, in particular light in the visible or infrared range, from the detection area, and which are arranged next to one another in a first line. An evaluation unit is coupled to the first detectors and is designed or configured to process the signals of the detectors and on the basis of the signals, to establish the presence of an object in the detection area.
US07878389B2	Closure for a compartment The invention provides a closure (106) for a compartment (100) having one or more walls (112, 114, 116 and 118) and an opening (110) defined by at least one of the walls (112, 114, 116 and 118). The closure (106) is associated with at least one fastener located inside the compartment (100). The fastener can hold the closure (106) in a first position (e.g. closed) relative to the opening (110). The fastener is adapted to cause the closure (106) to assume a second position (e.g. open) relative to the opening (110) upon receipt of a suitable signal. The closure (106) has at least on indicium (108) visible from outside the compartment (110). The indicium (108) is adapted to provide a visual indication of a status of the closure (106) or the compartment (110), such as closure open, closure closed, compartment empty, compartment occupied. Instead of indicium (108) or in addition to it, the closure of the invention can include in the fastener means for communicating to a remote device, a status of the closure or the compartment. The closure and the compartment may form an array with other closures and compartments having similar fasteners. In that event, the fastener in each compartment may be addressable.
US07878388B2	Apparatus and method for using a three dimensional flip-flop postcard The invention is a postcard in the form of a lightweight flip-flop sandal. This postcard is an efficient and unique way to memorialize and to convey the leisure experiences of the sender to an addressee. The three-dimensional flip-flop postcard can actually be worn, albeit without a mate unless two are sent, either before or after a message and appropriate address information is written in applicable marking areas and it is mailed with sufficient postage or otherwise delivered to the intended recipient.
US07878384B2	Ultrasonic welding device with opposite welding and lateral surfaces that delimit a compression space, and compression space An ultrasound welding device for welding metallic conductors for producing a junction point includes two welding surfaces, which are located on opposite sides, and two lateral delimiting surfaces, which extend transverse to the working surfaces and which, together, define a compression space. In order to eliminate longitudinal movement of the conductors during welding, at least one of the lateral delimitation surfaces is additionally structured next to the structured welding surfaces.
US07878383B2	Spring loaded set tool for hardwood plank staples A tool for driving a floor staple including an outer tubular body and a rod insertable into the tubular body. The tubular body has an end tip having angled surfaces and an inner bore. The rod is biased with the inner bore. The inner bore has a staple slot allowing an exposed end a staple to fit within the outer tubular body. The rod has a hammering head, which when struck, drives staple into a flooring plank.
US07878382B2	Wire feed drive assembly A wire feed station of a wire processing system draws a supply of wire into the system. The wire feed station includes first and second feed wheels that create a nip to pull the wire through the feed station. A drive assembly is coupled to the first and second feed wheels to cause rotation of the feed wheels. The drive assembly includes first and second drive shafts that are coupled to the first and second feed wheels through a pair of flexible couplings. The flexible couplings allow the first and second feed wheels to move relative to each other to adjust the feed nip. The flexible couplings allow a single drive motor to rotate the first and second feed wheels through a pair of drive shafts without the use of a complex belt or gear assembly.
US07878377B2	Plunger for syringe of liquid dispenser A plunger for a syringe of a liquid dispenser comprises a tapered front end section 12 having at its rear end 16 an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the syringe, a cylindrical drum section 14 continued to the rear end 16 of the tapered front end section 12, having a maximum outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the syringe and opening there, and a collar member 24 (30, 32) slidably formed by coupling with an outer circumferential surface in the vicinity of an opening 22 of the drum section 14 and maintaining the close contact with an inner wall surface 26 of the syringe 18, thereby inclination toward the syringe is eliminated and action within the syringe is constantly made smooth.
US07878376B2	Dry goods dispenser and dispensing mechanism A device is provided for holding dispensing and conveying substances such as dry foods such as, for example, flour, breakfast cereal or granola. The device may include a stand holding a possibly hermetically sealed container which may include a conveyor, having a flexible paddle belt mounted on at least two axles and possibly at least one connector. The conveyor is connected to a handle which when rotated may cause the conveyor to rotate and dispense the dry substances such as food from the container into, for example, an outside bowl.
US07878368B2	Center pull towel dispenser method and apparatus A center pull towel mechanism having an adjustable iris system where a locking system is configured to enclose the surfaces defining the towel iris. In one form the adjustable iris system automatically adjusts the cross-sectional opening with an adjustable member positioned in the transverse rearward portion with respect to the towlette members interposed therein.
US07878367B2	Blister pack system which assures a reliable contact making when an item is removed A blister pack system has an upper part and a bottom part, between which a blister pack is disposed. Pouches of the blister pack are aligned with corresponding ejection openings of the upper part and corresponding ejection openings of the bottom part. Every ejection opening of the upper part is associated with an individual contact surface that can be connected to a control/computing unit via an individual strip conductor. The system includes an ejection device, which at a top section has an electrical contact, and at a peg section an additional electrical contact which is electrically connected to the electrical contact of the top section. The individual contact surfaces and the individual strip conductors associated therewith, as well as a common contact surface and a common strip conductor associated therewith or a subsection thereof extend in surfaces of the upper part that are electrically isolated from each other.
US07878365B1	Theme mug with timepiece A mug (10) includes an outer transparent casing (40) having an open bottom end. A cup (11) is received in the casing (40). A display member (60) is positioned in a space (44) between the casing (40), and the cup (11) and images thereon can be seen through the casing (50). A threaded hub (16) is formed at the bottom of the cup (11), and a cap (64) engages the hub (16) to close the bottom of the casing (40). In this manner the cap (64) can be removed for access to the display member (60) should it be desired to change the display member (60). A timepiece (50) is carried by the casing (40) and a lid (20) may be attached to the cup (11). A cup (70) may be provided to engage the lower portion (43) of the casing (40) and to cover the cap (64).
US07878360B2	Container for sealant for pneumatic tires A container for storing and injecting a liquid sealant for sealing and closing a puncture hole of a pneumatic tire includes a container body for storing the sealant. An outlet for injecting the sealant to outside opens in a lid securing portion of the container body, and an outer lid member having a sealant path therethrough is connected to the lid securing portion and communicates the sealant path with an interior space of the container body through the outlet. An inner lid member is press-fitted into the outlet and maintained in a closure position for tightly closing the outlet. The inner lid member can be forced from the closure position into inside of the sealant path, by the pressure of the sealant in the container body and/or by the pressure of gas above the sealant. A connector member connects the inner lid member to the lid securing portion or the outer lid member so as to be movable from the closure position to the interior of the sealant path. The connector member limits the movement of the inner lid member toward downstream side, after it has been forced from the closure position.
US07878343B2	Stacking column The invention relates to a stacking column for holding warehouse items, in particular bodywork parts, on the support arms of ratchet levers, which pivot about a rotational axis from a resting position into a working position. Several ratchet levers are located above one another or next to one another and cooperate with one another. A supporting element, which in the working position lies on or against a preceding ratchet lever, rotates with the latter.
US07878340B1	Custom-fitted wine rack system A wine rack system for the easy assembly of a custom-fitted wine rack apparatus is described. The system comprises parts that enable the construction of the wine rack apparatus that is able to be easily assembled and custom-fitted into a variety of differently-sized home storage spaces and affixed to at least one storage space surface. The resulting wine rack apparatus is sturdy, flexible, modular and stationary.
US07878336B2	System and method for inspection of chips on tray A system for inspection of chips on a tray comprises an unloading arm device, a first support platform, and a plurality of first tray-handling apparatuses. The first support platform is disposed adjacent to the unloading arm device, movable along a first direction. The plurality of first tray-handling apparatuses are arrayed along the first direction on the first support platform. Each of the plurality of first tray-handling apparatuses provides a particular size of tray for inspection, different from the size of tray provided by other first tray-handling apparatuses, wherein the first platform is configured to move a desired one of the plurality of first tray handling apparatuses before the unloading arm device.
US07878335B2	Method and device for sorting irregularly shaped articles There exists a demand for providing a method and apparatus capable of sorting articles whose upper and lower attitudes are inverted, in a simple and positive manner, from among different-formed articles such as candies having upper and lower portions different in outside diameter. To meet such a demand, different-formed articles having upper and lower portions different in outside diameter are fed between a pair of right and left slant members from a start end side of the same members, the slant members being arranged at a width narrower than a maximum diameter of the different-formed articles and wider than a minimum diameter of the different-formed articles and in such a manner as to be low on the start end side and high on a terminal end side thereof, then only the articles having upper portions larger in diameter than respective lower portions are caught on the pair of slant members, while the articles having upper portions smaller in diameter than respective lower portions are allowed to pass as they are, thereby sorting the both of them.
US07878332B2	Packaging material, and packaging for protecting products against damage A packaging material which impart fragility capability and is easily manufactured and handled in preparing a product for shipment. The material is fabricated as a planar body having fold lines on which the body may be folded to encircle a product being packaged. The planar body is formed with locking features which enable a handler to easily secure the material about the packaged product and with defined openings facilitating handling.
US07878329B1	Shipping box system A shipping box system includes a plurality of walls defining a volume substantially in the form of a cuboid, a rigid base near a first wall of the plurality of walls adapted to resist motion relative to the first wall, and a rigid mount attached to the rigid base and adapted to connect with a shipped item to be placed in the volume, wherein the plurality of walls are configured to create a free space around the shipped item so as to prevent damaging contact with a substantial portion of the shipped item.
US07878328B2	Pack including a flange which partially covers a group of articles The invention relates to a packet (1) including: a group of articles (2) which are arranged in several rows (4, 5, 6, 7) which each contain at least two adjacent articles (2), including a first row (4) at the front end (3) of the packet (1), each article (2) having a base (9) and an opposing top (10); a side (16) which is made from a rigid or semi-rigid material, which is disposed on the articles (2) and which includes an upper panel (17) that covers the tops (10) of at least one row (5, 6, 7) of articles (2); and a film (19) which is wrapped tightly around the assembly. The aforementioned upper panel (17) of the side (16) covers the tops (10) of the articles (2) in all of the rows (5, 6, 7) with the exception of the tops (10) of the articles (2) in the first row (4).
US07878325B2	Container for an elongated, irregularly shaped object A container for an elongated product having an irregular shape, especially, a hockey stick, wherein the container comprises a corrugated tube having sufficient flexibility to conform to the shape of said elongated product and end caps on one or both ends of said tube.
US07878322B2	Structure for supporting pulley holder, and pulley holder A structure for supporting a pulley holder is provided with a pulley holder for rotatably supporting a pulley around which a belt is movably wound, a frame member that slidably supports the pulley holder along the direction of stretching the belt, and an urging member that elastically urges the pulley holder in a belt tensioning direction in which the belt is tensioned. The pulley holder has fitting portion that is stepwise formed along the belt tensioning direction, and the frame member has a fitting opening whose edge is stepwise formed corresponding to the fitting portion.
US07878320B2	Directional change twin-belt conveyor A directional-change conveyor (1) is provided for conveying piece goods (2) along a first conveying strip and a second conveying strip oriented in a different direction. A transfer structure (3) is provided for transferring conveyed piece goods from the first to the second conveying strip. The first and second conveying strips are twin-belt conveyors (4, 5). The transfer structure (3) is provided with tilted non-driven guide rollers (11) in an angle sector (10) between the two revolving belts (6, 7) of the first twin-belt conveyor (4). The lateral revolving belts (6, 7; 8, 9) of the two twin-belt conveyors (4, 5) are provided as the only drive of the conveyor (1). The tilted non-driven (first) guide rollers (11) are the exclusive deflection elements in the angle sector (10) and deflect conveyed piece goods (2) from the first twin-belt conveyor (4) on a curved strip to the second twin-belt conveyor (5).
US07878316B2	High torque one way clutch A high torque capacity one-way clutch includes a first, inner annulus nested within a second, outer annulus. The inner annulus includes a plurality of transverse grooves on its outer surface as well as a centrally disposed circumferential groove. A like plurality of moveable struts having a central opening are received within respective grooves in the inner annulus and are retained there by a circumferential band passing through the openings in the struts and received in the circumferential groove. The outer annulus includes a plurality of transverse grooves on its inner surface and receives the inner annulus, struts and circumferential band. Upon relative rotation of the annuli in one direction, the struts engage the grooves and inhibit rotation between the annuli, thereby transmitting torque. Upon relative rotation in the opposite direction, the struts slide along the inner surface of the outer annulus without engaging and thus do not transmit torque.
US07878313B2	Double overlap backing plate attachment A torque converter having a transverse axis of rotation, a cover having an inner diameter and an inner annular surface, an impeller shell having an inner diameter and an inner annular surface, and an annular backing plate having an outer diameter and an outer annular surface, wherein the cover, impeller shell, and backing plate are operatively arranged to rotate about the axis of rotation, wherein the backing plate is substantially orthogonal with respect to the axis of rotation, wherein the inner diameter of the cover is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the impeller shell, and wherein the inner annular surface of the cover and the inner annular surface of the impeller shell are fixedly attached to the outer annular surface of the backing plate.
US07878307B2	Information distribution for use in an elevator A method of providing video information to a display monitor within an elevator located in a building, which includes receiving first data defining a category of video information, receiving second data, associated with the category of video information and defining at least one source of the video information; and retrieving from the source, over a data communications path and on the basis of the first data and the second data, the video information to be displayed on the monitor within the elevator.
US07878306B2	Elevator system without a moving counterweight An elevator system includes a cab supported for movement within a hoistway. A tension device, which remains close to one end of the hoistway, maintains a desired tension on a load bearing member that supports the cab and moves to achieve a desired placement of the cab. The load bearing member extends from a first end of the hoistway toward the cab, wraps around a first sheave supported on the cab, extends toward the first end of the hoistway, wraps around a second sheave supported near the first end of the hoistway, extends toward a second end of the hoistway, wraps about a third sheave supported near the second end of the hoistway, extends toward the cab, wraps around a fourth sheave supported on the cab, and extends toward the second end of the hoistway where it is secured to the tension device.
US07878305B2	Oil-bearing shaft that supplies lubrication to the components of a transmission An oil-bearing shaft (1) through which the lubrication for components of a transmission is provided, comprising at least one longitudinal bore hole (2) and at least one oil supply bore hole (2) with one longitudinal bore hole (2), each fluid-mechanically connected, whereby the oil supply bore hole (2) is oriented with a setting angle β is proposed.
US07878301B2	Fire retardant nonwoven material and process for manufacture An improved acoustically and thermally insulating fire-retardant composite material suitable for use in structures such as buildings, appliances, and the interior passenger compartments and exterior components of automotive vehicles is provided. The material is comprised of at least one airlaid fibrous layer of controlled density and composition and incorporating suitable binding agents and additives as needed to meet expectations for noise abatement, fire-retardancy, and mildew resistance. Separately, an airlaid structure which provides a reduced, controlled airflow therethrough useful for acoustic insulation is provided, and which includes a woven or nonwoven scrim. A process for the production of the fire retardant nonwoven material is also provided.
US07878299B2	Silencer apparatus with disposable silencer cartridge unit A silencer apparatus for attenuating noise in gas flow systems. The apparatus generally includes a housing having an interior cavity and a gas flow inlet and outlet that are adapted to be connected to a passage such that a gas flowing through the passage enters and exits the cavity of the housing through the inlet and outlet, respectively. A silencer cartridge unit is removably disposed within the interior cavity of the housing and defines a gas flow path fluidically connected to the inlet and outlet of the housing. The silencer cartridge unit has at least one sound-attenuating element that surrounds the gas flow path. The housing is further equipped with a closure that sealingly closes a portion of the housing, and is releasable from the housing to provide an access opening through which the silencer cartridge unit can be removed. The apparatus can also be adapted to include a filtration medium.
US07878296B2	Speaker embodying a stereo sound The present invention relates to speakers and, more particularly, to a speaker sound system, characterized in that the speaker, mounted on a speaker housing constituting a sound emission apparatus, has a guide cover to guide sound radiating from the back of the speaker forwards when the sound is output both forwards and backwards because of fluctuations of a cone of the speaker due to electrical signals, that is integrally attached to the surface of the speaker, thereby providing vivid high-fidelity sound.
US07878293B2	Steering shaft supporting structure of vehicle To make an electrically-operated power steering unit less susceptible to influence of change in a positional relationship between supporting sections respectively at the two ends of the electrically-operated power steering unit. A gear case included in a electrically-operated power steering unit is attached to the lower section of a vehicle body frame, and the lower end portion of a steering shaft is rotatably supported by a housing annexed to the gear case with an upper bearing interposed in between, in a vehicle in which an input shaft provided to the electrically-operated power steering unit is linked to the lower end portion of the steering shaft, and in which an output shaft provided to the electrically-operated power steering unit is rotatably supported by the lower section of a vehicle body.
US07878291B2	Rear axle steering system for a mobile crane A rear axle steering system for a mobile crane includes at least one actively steered rear axle with wheels arranged thereon. A rear axle steering system of this type is provided with a hydraulic steering system including one or more hydraulic steering cylinders of which a particular number are in each case associated with an actively steered rear axle in order to steer this actively steered rear axle in a desired manner. A braking system is adapted to individually brake each wheel of the at least one actively steered rear axle. In the event of an error in the hydraulic steering system, a control system actuates the braking system in such a way that by selective braking of at least one wheel of the actively steered rear axle, which is affected by this error, the rear axle is brought to a predetermined, desired steering position. A method of steering a rear axle, with wheels of a mobile crane arranged thereon, by means of a hydraulic steering system.
US07878281B2	Transmitting state switching control apparatus for hybrid vehicle A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle for controlling and limiting the transmission of power from an engine to the driving wheels during start-up of the engine to produce a hybrid running mode where the vehicle is powered by both the engine and a motor-generator. During start-up of the engine, a first frictional element changing its state before and after a shift of the transmission is allowed to slip, and a second frictional element is allowed to slip. The element that is allowed to slip is switched from one to the other.
US07878278B2	Heavy vehicle Presented is a heavy vehicle, such as a transport vehicle or civil engineering vehicle, of a mass greater than 500 metric tons and operable to generate a motive power. The vehicle includes tires of radial structure having a diameter greater than 3.5 meters, a front axle coupled to at least two tires, and at least one rear axle coupled to at least two tires and by which is transmitted at least part of the motive power. At least one of the axles includes at least four tires associated in pairs symmetrically on either side of the axle, and two associated tires have different axial widths.
US07878277B2	Motorized wheeled vehicle caddy A motorized wheeled vehicle caddy for pushing or pulling one or more wheeled vehicles can be used to move and/or maneuver the vehicle(s) to different locations and positions. The vehicle caddy includes a hitch mechanism to attach the vehicle to the caddy, a suspension mechanism to align the caddy and vehicle when connecting the two, a steering mechanism to guide the movement of the caddy and attached vehicle, and a power drive mechanism to move the caddy and attached vehicle. Being compact in size and lightweight, the motorized wheeled vehicle caddy is also convenient for use in areas with limited space.
US07878276B2	Ambulatory vehicle An ambulatory vehicle having legs and configured for transporting a load is disclosed. The ambulatory vehicle includes a load that is able to shift the center of gravity of the ambulatory vehicle along a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis of a beam assembly. Additionally, leg assemblies of the ambulatory vehicle are configured to exchange places along the length of the beam assembly. Further, the vehicle is able to perform a number of gaits including a slow stable gait and faster dynamic gaits comprising striding, trotting, and bounding. The ambulatory vehicle is able to navigate rough terrain and steep slopes and navigate submerged.
US07878272B2	Forced balanced system A downhole tool including a purely mechanical stabilizer is disclosed. The stabilizer includes a plurality of fixed blades, each of which includes at least one automatically extendable and retractable piston. In use, a balance of forces determines the radial position of each piston; a hydraulic force urging the piston outward, a spring force urging the piston inward, and external forces acting on the tool (e.g., the force of the borehole wall urging the pistons inward). The stabilizer is further configured such that a balance of forces between the pistons causes the tool to be advantageously automatically and continuously centered during rotation of the tool in the borehole. As such, the invention is suitable for use in boreholes that rapidly change size and shape.
US07878270B2	Methods and apparatus for drilling, completing and configuring U-tube boreholes A borehole network including first and second end surface locations and at least one intermediate surface location interconnected by a subterranean path, and a method for connecting a subterranean path between a first borehole including a directional section and a second borehole including a directional section. A directional drilling component is drilled in at least one of the directional sections to obtain a required proximity between the first and second boreholes. An intersecting component is drilled, utilizing magnetic ranging techniques, from one directional section to provide a borehole intersection between the first and second boreholes, thereby connecting the subterranean path.
US07878268B2	Oilfield well planning and operation A system for performing a drilling operation for an oilfield. The system includes a drilling system for advancing a drilling tool into a subterranean formation, a repository storing multiple survey factors for at least one wellsite of the oilfield and multiple drilling factors corresponding to at least one section of a planned trajectory of the at least one wellsite, and a processor and memory storing instructions when executed by the processor. The instructions include functionality to configure a drilling model for each of the at least one wellsite based on the plurality of survey factors and the plurality of drilling factors and selectively adjust the drilling model with respect to a plurality of drilling scenarios to generate an optimal drilling plan.
US07878262B1	Notched coulter/disc and method of making same A coulter or disc having a plurality of directional notches therein is used in one rotational direction for one use and an opposite rotational direction for a different use. The notches are selected from many arcuate shapes and sizes. The notches taper from sharp to dull from one end to the other, but in use one can chose to lead with the dull or the sharp end of the notches. A method of making and using such coulters or discs is described and shown.
US07878260B2	Tiller A tiller with chassis, pair of handles, and tines, wherein simultaneously raising one handle and lowering the other twists the chassis to lower one tine and raise the other. The tines comprise pairs of blades, each blade having a pair of upturned tips. The height of tines is adjusted by adjusting the support for a wheel. The tiller is supported by an arm having a single ground engaging wheel, pivoting the arm and locking in position to adjust the height of the tiller. The tiller includes a third handle located along its chassis. The chassis is formed from two longitudinally split components. A blade cover for the tiller is thin and curved to lie in an arc spaced from the rotating tips of the tines. An attachment for the tiller has a V-shaped tip and shaped to form a furrow.
US07878259B2	Disposable tubular fire extinguisher One embodiment of the invention is a hand-held fire extinguisher including: a tube having an open outlet end, an outer surface, and an inner surface; a fire suppressant composition provided within the tube; a propellant source containing a propellant, having a propellant outlet, where the propellant outlet is distal from the open outlet end of the tube and from the fire suppressant composition, and where the propellant outlet is in fluid communication with the fire suppressant composition and the open outlet end of the tube; and an actuator for the propellant source. In such apparatus, actuation of the actuator allows propellant flow from the propellant outlet passing through the fire suppressant composition and out through the open outlet end of the tube.
US07878258B2	Portable, modular, active fire protection installation The invention relates to a fire protection installation (30) comprising a mist sprayer system with at least one nozzle (5, 10) through which extinguishing medium in the form of liquid is arranged to be sprayed out at high pressure, so that a mist is created for achieving fire extinguishing by means of cooling of combustion gases and the seat of the fire. The distinguishing characteristics are that the fire protection installation is portable and has a modular construction comprising a basic system (31) and a number of customized additional systems, which additional systems comprise different additional units that are adapted to a particular function profile that is set in the actual fire protection installation.
US07878256B2	Burst plug for a downhole fluid passage A burst plug for positioning in a downhole fluid passage has: a shear disc installable in a sealing position in the fluid passage. The shear disc is openable by applying fluid at a burst pressure against the shear disc. The burst plug has a retainer and sleeve formed to retain the shear disc in a fluid flow blocking position after the shear disc is removed from its sealing position. The sleeve has a shear disc retaining position in locking engagement with the retainer when fluid at burst pressure is in communication therewith. The sleeve thereafter assumes a shear disc removal position when fluid in communication therewith is reduced to a selected pressure lower than the burst pressure. In the shear disc removal position, the sleeve and retainer disengage from the blocking position, allowing the shear disc and retainer to be expelled from the fluid passage.
US07878253B2	Hydraulically released window mill An affixation and release arrangement includes a first component having a fluid pressure chamber. A piston is mounted in the first component and exposed to the fluid pressure chamber. A second component is affixed to the first component through the piston, the piston being responsive to fluid pressure increase within the chamber to unaffix the second component from the first component.
US07878250B2	System and method for automating or metering fluid recovered at a well Disclosed herein are methods, apparatus and systems for automating or metering fluid recovered at a well. According to one example, a system is described for automating the fluid recovery of oil wells using a pump jack or oil extractor. A communications device is installed with each system to allow remote bi-directional communications to monitor, control, and diagnose problems with the device or system.
US07878249B2	Communication system and method in a multilateral well using an electromagnetic field generator To perform communications in a multilateral well, a first communication unit having an electromagnetic (EM) field generating element is provided to generate an EM field in a formation between a main bore and a lateral bore of the multilateral well. The EM field generating element includes a component creating a voltage difference along the wellbore. A second communication unit is for positioning in one of the main bore and lateral bore to receive the EM field propagated through the formation between the main bore and the lateral bore.
US07878238B2	Cleaning apparatus A cleaning apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of an oil or gas production tubing is disclosed. The cleaning apparatus includes a tubular body, one or more cleaning elements mounted on the outer surface of the body and an elastically deformable stabiliser. The elastically deformable stabiliser is rotatably mounted on the body to centralise the apparatus in the tubing whilst also allowing the body to pass though areas of reduced diameter in the production tubing. Preferably, there are a pair of spaced apart stabilisers having a web arrangement of spars with a flange at each end.
US07878234B2	Evaporator An evaporator comprises tubes, configured for coolant flow, stacked in regularly spaced relation to one another, each of the tubes formed by coupled tube plates. Also comprising a tank in fluid communication with the tubes at an upper or lower side; inlet and outlet end-plates which respectively have an inflow part and an outflow part at an upstream side of coolant flow and positioned at respective end sides of the stacked tubes; and inlet and outlet manifolds in fluid communication with the tank and coupled to the inflow and outflow parts to define a coolant flow passage. The outlet manifold has a coolant movement preventing part isolating a rear portion from the coolant flow passage and comprises a closed space formed by joining the outlet end-plate and the outlet manifold to prevent formation of a dead zone where the coolant from the tank flows into a downstream side of the outlet manifold and is whirled therein.
US07878233B2	Air-to-air aftercooler An air-to-air aftercooler may include at least one tube body configured to direct a flow of charged air, wherein the at least one tube body includes a first material. The air-to-air aftercooler may also include a header assembly coupled to ends of the at least one tube body. The header assembly may include a second different material.
US07878231B2	Piping with coolant inlet The piping with a coolant inlet is provided with a partition wall within a body part. In the body part, a flow path having a U-turn region changing the flow direction of a coolant by about 180° degrees is defined. Much of the air contained in the coolant returning from a communicating hole to the body part floats up in a region leading to the U-turn region and is released from an inlet to the outside. By using this configuration, it is possible to provide a piping with a coolant inlet having a structure capable of efficiently releasing the air generated in a coolant circulation path.
US07878229B2	Hollow structure plate, manufacturing method thereof, manufacturing device thereof, and sound absorbing structure plate Introduction guides 12 are provided above and below a sheet-introduction opening portion of a pressure-reduced chamber 10, and heating means 17 is provided between the introduction guides. Each resin sheet 3 is attracted and attached respectively to the circumferential surface of a corresponding emboss roller 11 by reducing pressure. Pins 112 of the emboss roller 11 are truncated cone-shaped. The ratio of the total area of the lower bases of the pins 112 to the area of the circumferential surface of the emboss roller is 0.5 or more. The rising angle θ of the pin side face, in the vertical plane including the central axis of the pins 112, is in the range from 50 degrees to 70 degrees. Furthermore, a multilayered hollow structure plate 140 is formed by attaching non-air-permeable sheets 130 onto both the front and back of a core member obtained by fusing together hollow protrusions 112 in two thermoplastic resin sheets. A sound absorbing material 150 is provided on at least one of the front and back side thereof, and small holes 114a opened in the multilayered hollow structure plate are formed in liner portions 114 and the non-air permeable sheet 130 only in the positions that matches the liner portions 114.
US07878228B2	Heavy-duty tire with tread having closed sipes and edge sipes in ribs A heavy-duty tire comprises a tread portion provided with at least three circumferentially continuously extending ribs divided by at least two circumferential grooves extending straight in the tire circumferential direction, wherein the ribs have side edges adjacent to the circumferential grooves; each of the side edges is provided with edge sipes at intervals in the tire circumferential direction; each of the edge sipes extends parallel with the tire axial direction from the adjacent circumferential groove and terminates in the rib; each of the edge sipe has an axial length in a range of not less than 5% but not more than 15% of the axial width of the rib, a thickness in a range of not less than 0.3 mm but not more than 1.0 mm and a depth in a range of not less than 50% but not more than 100% of the depth of the circumferential groove; and the total number of the edge sipes per tire is in a range of from 4 to 8 times the value of the tire diameter in millimeter.
US07878223B2	Through air-drying fabric A through-air-drying (TAD) fabric for producing tissue paper and related products on a papermaking machine comprising a plurality of warp yarns interwoven with a plurality of weft yarns to produce a paper-side surface pattern characterized by alternating first pockets and second pockets. The first and second pockets are bounded by raised warp yarns and raised weft yarns produced by knuckles in the fabric pattern. The first pockets are preferably larger in area than the second pockets. The fabric base weave in the interior of the first pocket is preferably a plain weave pattern. The interior of the second pocket may also be bisected by a raised weft yarn.
US07878219B2	Fluid system coupling with pin lock A fluid system component is provided that includes first and second elements configured to be removably engaged with each other and defining a fluid passageway when engaged. The first element defines at least one groove. Correspondingly, the second element includes at least one engagement member configured and arranged to be received in, and travel along, a corresponding groove. The presence of a predetermined line pressure in the fluid passageway forces each engagement member into the terminal portion of the corresponding groove, so as to substantially foreclose disengagement of the first and second elements until the fluid pressure in the fluid passageway has reached a predetermined magnitude. The fluid system component includes means for selectively securing the second element, such as a collar, in relation to the first element, such as a sleeve, when the first element is received within the second element.
US07878214B1	Ullage pressure regulator A system for maintaining pressure in the liquid fuel tank of a high-speed flight vehicle, such as a hypersonic flight, scramjet powered air and space vehicle, manages tank ullage using a pressure regulator coupled to the fuel tank that supplies pressurized gaseous media into the fuel tank ullage based on the internal pressure of the tank. The regulator has an on-board controller that processes tank pressure input to deliver a pulse-width modulated input signal to the coil of the on-board solenoid metering assembly. Energizing the coil drives the metering valve open against spring force. The metering assembly is contained in a removable cartridge that has a floating valve guide that is held stationary by bias of the spring against the metering valve. The metering valve has a separate valve seat that mates with the metering orifice of a flow nozzle. The valve seat can have higher compressibility than a clapper part of the valve to effect a better seal, with its compression being controlled by contact of the clapper with a rigid stop surface of the flow nozzle.
US07878213B2	Substrate processing apparatus A reversing unit includes a fixed plate, a first movable plate provided so as to face one surface of the fixed plate, a second movable plate provided so as to face the other surface of the fixed plate and a rotary actuator. The rotary actuator rotates the first movable plate, the second movable plate and the fixed plate around a horizontal axis. A distance between the first movable plate and the fixed plate and a distance between the second movable plate and the fixed plate are set to be substantially equal to a difference in height between two hands of a main robot that carry a substrate in and out.
US07878212B2	Supporting plate for cosmetic products A supporting plate for a cosmetic product (P), includes a hollow region (C) for receiving the cosmetic product, and a retaining part (22; 44; 67; 105; 206, 207) which is protruding from the sidewall of the hollow region (C), for retaining the cosmetic product and avoiding its detachment from the plate. Examples refer to embodiments wherein the supporting plate is made by two or more elements joined together, or molded in a single piece. The main advantageous effect is that glue is no longer required to fix the cosmetic product on the supporting plate.
US07878210B2	Cellulose acetate fiber modification Cellulose acetate fibers can be modified to have physical imperfections and then incorporated into cigarette filter plugs as filtering materials. Cellulose acetate fiber modification can be achieved by etching with a gas phase etchant or a liquid phase etchant comprising hydrogen peroxide. Modification of cellulose acetate fibers may be performed at various stages during the manufacture of cigarette filter plugs. Furthermore, cigarette filter plugs containing modified cellulose acetate fibers can also have spaced apart slits along the length of the cigarette filter plugs.
US07878208B2	Method and apparatus for determining a characteristic of an in vivo sensor Methods and systems are provided for determining a characteristic of an in vivo sensor. A transmit field, operative to induce a response signal in an associated in vivo sensor, is generated at a transmitting component having an associated orientation. The response signal is received at a receiving component, having an associated orientation. The coupling between the transmitting component and the receiving component is measured. The associated orientation of at least one of the transmitting component and the receiving component is rotated as to reduce the measured coupling.
US07878204B2	Methods for treating hyperopia and presbyopia via laser tunneling A method for treating presbyopia utilizes an Erbium based, pulsed laser to sever sub-conjunctival strictures located within the scleral matrix of the eye. Introduction of treatment energy into the scleral matrix increases or facilitates an increase in accommodation, thereby mitigating the effects of presbyopia. The treatment energy can be directed into the scleral matrix to form tunnel ablations in and through the strictures of the scleral matrix. The tunnel ablations can enhance the accommodation of the patient's eye, enabling the eye to refocus at near distances while not losing its ability to focus at a distance.
US07878201B2	Supraglottic airway device and method of use A supraglottic airway device comprising a tube and a face plate assembly slidably installed on the tube, whereby upon insertion of the tube within the airway of a patient the face plate assembly is slid distally along the tube so as to substantially seal about the mouth of the patient. The supraglottic airway device further comprises an introduction tip assembly mounted on the tube substantially opposite the face plate assembly so as to guide the device into the patient airway and an expandable foam cuff located along the tube between the face plate assembly and the tip assembly so as to seat the device within the airway. The face plate assembly may further comprise tabs for substantially sealing within the nose of the patient.
US07878199B2	Disposable mask system A mask system includes a frame, cushion, cushion clip, swivel elbow, headgear and/or headgear clips that are configured for use in a clinical or hospital environment. One or more components of the mask system are configured to promote single patient use, e.g., by providing an age indicator and/or preventing disassembly and/or cleaning, etc.
US07878192B2	Adjustable solar collector and method of use A solar collector has operably connected reflective panels that can be positioned to substantially form a parabolic trough that concentrates solar radiation onto a tube running along the focal line of the trough. A folding mechanism can be manually or automatically operated to selectively fold and unfold the panels into open and closed positions and into any number of intermediate positions, including the position characterized by formation of a parabolic trough. A rotating mechanism can be manually or automatically operated to selectively rotate the solar collector about an axis parallel to the focus line of the parabolic trough.
US07878191B2	Solar collector stabilized by cables and a compression element A solar collector system including solar elements connected to form an array for intercepting the sun's radiation, a compression element that is positioned substantially perpendicular to the array, and pairs of cables that run from opposite sides of the array to the compression element to mutually stabilize each portion of the array to which the pair of cables connects. A support structure is provided for securing the array to a fixed structure. A tracking system further provides the system with two degrees of freedom for tracking the array with the sun's movement.
US07878181B2	Fuel delivery module regulator valve A pressure responsive regulator valve particularly suitable for a vehicle fuel system includes a substantially monolithic T-shaped body having a first bore defining a substantially unrestricted fluid flow path therethrough and a second bore in fluid flow communication with the first bore. A pressure responsive valve is provided in the second bore to open and close a fluid flow path through the second bore.
US07878180B2	Method and apparatus for determining operation errors for a high pressure fuel pump A control system and method for controlling pump includes a pump control module communicating a drive signal to the high pressure pump and a high pressure pump in communication with the pump control module operating in response to the drive signal. A current sampling module samples a pump current signal to form a sample prior to an end of the drive signal. A current comparison module compares the sample to a threshold that may be a function of pump solenoid resistance, pump solenoid temperature, and/or system voltage, and a fault indication module generates a fault signal in response to comparing.
US07878179B2	Fuel supply apparatus The present invention includes a fuel supply apparatus having a pressure regulator for regulating a pressure of fuel supplied from a fuel pump to a target, such as an internal combustion engine of an automobile. The pressure regulator includes a first pressure chamber, a second pressure chamber and a third pressure chamber each configured to be able to receive a supply of the fuel from the fuel pump. A first diaphragm separates the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber from each other. A second diaphragm separates the second pressure chamber and the third pressure chamber from each other. The first pressure chamber has a discharge port that can discharge the fuel supplied into the first pressure chamber. A valve assembly is coupled to the first and second diaphragms, so that the valve assembly can open and close the discharge port of the first pressure chamber in response to the balance of forces applied to the first and second diaphragms by pressures of the fuel within the first, second and third pressure chambers. A controller can control the pressure of the fuel within each of the second and third pressure chambers.
US07878178B2	Emissions sensors for fuel control in engines A system for controlling fuel to an engine to minimize emissions in an exhaust of the engine. There may be a controller connected to an actuator, for example a fuel control actuator, of the engine and to emissions sensors, such as an NOx and/or PM sensor, proximate to an exhaust output of the engine. The controller, for example a speed controller, may have an input connected to an output of a pedal or desired speed setting mechanism. A speed sensor at a power output of the engine may be connected to an input of the controller.
US07878177B2	Internal combustion engine having common power source for ion current sensing and fuel injectors A system and method for controlling operation of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine having fuel injectors and an ionization current sensor include a high-voltage power supply connectable to, and supplying substantially the same nominal boosted voltage relative to nominal battery voltage to, the fuel injectors and ionization sensor during at least a portion of the engine operation.
US07878173B2	Control device for marine engine A control device for a marine engine comprised so that a section of an angle sufficiently narrower than a crank angle corresponding to each stroke of a combustion cycle of the engine is set as an instantaneous speed detection section, a crank angle position that appears every time the engine rotates in the instantaneous speed detection section is detected as a specific crank angle position, an instantaneous rotational speed of the engine is detected every time each specific crank angle position is detected, it is determined whether the engine needs to be assisted from the degree of reduction in the instantaneous rotational speed, and a motor-generator including a rotor directly connected to a crankshaft of the engine is driven to apply a drive force from the motor-generator to the engine when it is determined that the engine needs to be assisted.
US07878171B2	Engine cooling flow debris cleaner and air pre-cleaner aspirator A work vehicle operating in a highly contaminated environment has a radiator with a rotary screen debris removal device upstream of the radiator. The debris thus removed passes through a fan for disposal away from the work machine. The engine is an air breathing fuel consuming engine and has a pre-cleaner for removing larger particles of air delivered to the engine for combustion. A conduit extends from the intake air pre-cleaner to a venturi device adjacent to and upstream of the fan for continuously and effectively removing particles from the engine air pre-cleaner.
US07878170B1	LPG fueled internal combustion engine powered devices A gas phase of LPG such as propane is used to power a small internal combustion engine driving or powering a preselected device such as a powered lawnmower, weed whacker, string trimmer, leaf blower or the like and the fuel system is provided with heating arrangements that insure the gas phase of the LPG is discharged from the LPG tank for all operating conditions of the device.
US07878163B2	Variable valve lift apparatus A variable valve lift apparatus includes an end lever; a variable lift body connected to the end lever, and rotatable around the end lever, a valve mounted on the variable lift body; and a low lift cam operable to open and close the valve. The variable lift body includes a high lift body, and a low lift body rotatable around the high lift body. A low lift connecting portion selectively connects the low lift body and the high lift body.
US07878161B2	Sliding mode control apparatus and adjusting method A sliding mode control apparatus. When displacing a controlled object to which an urging force is applied by an elastic member from one displacement end to the other displacement end, the control apparatus sets a switching hyperplane and controls the controlled object by using a sliding mode control in such a manner that a state quantity of the controlled object is converged on the switching hyperplane. In the sliding mode control, the control apparatus switches an operation mode for controlling the controlled object when the controlled object passes an operation switching point. The control apparatus detects disturbance in the sliding mode control and a change with time of the elastic member, and changes the operation switching point in accordance with both of the detected disturbance and the detected change with time.
US07878157B2	Fossil-fuel heated continuous steam generator The invention relates to a fossil-energy heated continuous steam generator, whereby the at least one combustion chamber, viewed in the flow direction of the hot gases, is divided into at least two throughflow segments, formed by evaporator heating surfaces, whereby the evaporator heating surfaces each comprise steam generation tubes welded to each other in a gastight manner and pressurized in parallel with a flow medium. According to the invention, said generator is suitable for operation with high fresh steam parameters, such as for example, steam temperatures of approximately 700° C., with a simple construction and particularly simple assembly, whereby a throughflow segment, arranged after the first through flow segment, viewed in the direction of flow of the hot gases, forms the first evaporator stage for the flow medium, such that the injection of particularly cold flow medium can occur in the region of maximum heating.
US07878155B2	Pet collar This invention relates to a collar device that limits the head movement for a canine or feline pet while the pet is recuperating from surgery or injury. The collar may be fitted with removable ear guards. The collar is capable of being coupled to a leash so the animal can be taken on a walk with the protective collar in an operative position.
US07878153B2	Confining animal training device and methods of use An animal training device that can be used to confine an animal during training, as well as methods for its use, is described. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a marginally unstable base that makes the device prone to rocking or toppling when physically disturbed by the movement of an animal in the device. Animals usually find the rocking or toppling unpleasant. An advantage of the animal training device is that an animal receives negative feedback from its undesirable behavior (excessive movement in or straining against the device) in the absence of disciplinary action by a human trainer. Additional advantages of the confining animal training device include, but are not limited to, reducing physical stress on a human trainer and decreasing the time required to train an animal.
US07878149B2	Method and device for detecting estrus The present invention provides a method and device for detecting estrus in animal by sensing along time the motion of the animal and identifying when the sensed motion is not related to eating periods of the animal. Based on the sensed motion which is not related to eating periods the estrus in the animal is identified.
US07878148B2	Pet dish having an extended threaded neck ring and screw-cap lid One embodiment of a contiguous pet bowl and lid (30) comprising a watertight hollow utensil (60) connected to a lid (30) by a tether (21). The pet bowl is surrounded by an adjacent skirt portion (50) with a means to secure a watertight seal (40) around the rim (71). The topside aperture (71) is large enough to accommodate use by an animal. The lid (30) is sealable (41) when joined to the means to secure a watertight seal (40) retaining liquid or solid matter in any position. The lid (30) and pet bowl are also independent from a contiguous means. Other embodiments are described and shown.
US07878147B2	Apparatus for automated transfer of injected eggs A pneumatically operated egg injection machine includes a sealed frame structure with a pair of in line parallel tracks through an injection section and a transfer section in series. An injection assembly includes a plurality of injectors gripped in a support plate to simultaneously inject vaccine into the same injection region irrespective of egg height and orientation. Fluid delivery systems meter prescribed vaccine dosages to the injecting needles with reduced turbulence, friction, heat and residence time to increase the delivered titer to the injected eggs. A transfer assembly lifts the injected eggs by causing a reduced pressure around the injection hole while maintaining the injection hole at atmospheric pressure. The injection assembly is sprayed with a sanitizing solution at the same time that the injected eggs are moved from the injection section to the transfer section.
US07878145B2	Monitoring plasma ion implantation systems for fault detection and process control A plasma ion implantation system includes a process chamber, a source for producing a plasma in the process chamber, a platen for holding a substrate in the process chamber and a pulse source for generating implant pulses for accelerating ions from the plasma into the substrate. In one aspect, the system includes a plasma monitor configured to measure ion mass and energy in the process chamber and an analyzer configured to determine an operating condition of the system in response to the measured mass and energy. In another aspect, the system includes a data acquisition unit configured to acquire samples of the implant pulses and analyzer configured to determine an operating condition of the system based on the acquired samples.
US07878144B2	Electroless plating apparatus and electroless plating method An electroless plating apparatus can form a protective film on exposed surfaces of embedded interconnects stably with good selectivity for thereby protecting the interconnects. The electroless plating apparatus includes a magnetic removal portion for magnetically removing small magnetic suspended solids in an electroless plating solution which have not been removed by a filter.
US07878143B2	Film-forming apparatus, film-forming method and particle-supplying apparatus A film-forming apparatus includes a mixing section which mixes material particles and core particles having a large particle size than that of the material particles; a separating section which separates the material particles and the core particles; an aerosol-generator which generates aerosol by dispersing the separated material particles in a carrier gas; and a nozzle which ejects the aerosol containing the material particles. The core particles having the large particle size can be easily controlled in terms of transport amount of the core particles, as compared to the material particles which are fine particles used for the film formation. Further, since the core particles hardly cause clog-up in the system, the concentration of aerosol can be maintained stably by appropriately controlling the transport amount of the core particles.
US07878141B2	Airbag system for use in an avalanche The present invention is directed to an airbag system that a user can deploy to reduce the chances of being buried in an avalanche or if buried, likely being buried near the surface, thereby improving the user's chances of surviving the experience. In one embodiment, the airbag system is comprised of an inflatable balloon, a pressure gas cylinder for holding a pressurized gas that is used in inflating the balloon, a valve that can be placed in a closed state to retain a pressurized gas in the pressure gas cylinder or an open state in which pressurized gas is released from the pressure gas cylinder. The system further comprises an ejector that operates to use pressurized gas received from the pressure gas cylinder and ambient air to inflate the balloon. Also part of the system is a flow restrictor that is located to receive pressurized gas from the pressure gas cylinder before the ejector receives the gas. A harness supports the noted elements of the system adjacent to an individual's body.
US07878140B1	Device and method to insure integrity to body armor or other ballistic protection apparatus A device and method to insure protection of a ballistic protection apparatus using a microtube indicator for alerting a user to inspect the ballistic protection apparatus for flaws, cracks and gaps. The device can include microtubes adapted to function as accelerometers. The microtubes can include a color containing component, a non-color containing component, and a frangible separating portion. The device can include a housing with a top surface, a window, a message, a bottom surface, parallel cuts, and an adhesive for securing the housing to the ballistic protection apparatus. A G-force impact that exceeds a preset limit can cause the color containing component to flow to the non-color containing component, thereby indicating that an excessive G-force event has occurred and that an inspection of the ballistic protection apparatus is required.
US07878133B2	Sewing machine and computer-readable recording medium storing sewing machine operation program A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a needle bar up-and-down movement mechanism that raises and lowers the needle bar, a needle bar up-and-down movement mechanism that raises and lowers the needle bar and a sewing machine motor for driving the needle bar up-and-down mechanism. The sewing machine further includes an operation device that is provided separately from a body of the sewing machine including at least one operation member to be operated by a user that outputs an output signal corresponding to an operation state of the operation member. The sewing machine also includes a command determination device that determines a command that corresponds to the output signal output by the operation device as a determined command and a drive control device that controls a predetermined operation of the sewing machine in accordance with the determined command.
US07878131B2	Integrated process for waste treatment by pyrolysis and related plant Process for solid waste treatment, and particularly municipal solid waste, with recovery of the thermal energy, which is based on the general pyrolysis process modified in order to improve, on the one hand, the energy yield and, on the other, to reduce the quantity of unusable solid residues to be sent to the waste disposal, the unusable solid waste being limited to 10-15% of the total weight of the initial residue. The process and relative plant include a boosted treatment of the incoming waste, with a preliminary separation into three solid fractions, the first one of which is separately subjected to a preliminary drying step and the third one undergoes further shredding. The process and relative plant also include a section for recovering energy from the pyrolysis coke, wherein the latter is subjected to a thermochemical treatment with the production of a further quantity of synthesis gas.
US07878123B2	Single rail film dolly and slider A single rail film dolly and slider includes a substantially V-shaped rail arrangement and a guide arrangement. The V-shaped rail arrangement is adapted to be secured to a tripod. The guide arrangement includes a plurality of wheels, wherein a first portion of the plurality of wheels frictionally engages an interior side of the V-shaped rail arrangement and a second portion of the plurality of wheels frictionally engages an exterior side of the V-shaped rail arrangement. The guide arrangement is adapted to accommodate a camera mounted thereon.
US07878122B2	Deformable drive sheave Drive sheaves are disclosed herein. An embodiment of a drive sheave includes a tire portion wherein the tire portion comprises an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface. The tire portion also includes a first surface extending between the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface and a second surface extending between the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface, the second surface being oppositely disposed relative to the first surface. At least one hole in the tire portion extends between the first surface and the second surface.
US07878120B1	Ammunition data link A cartridge includes a cartridge case base having a bottom surface, a primer and an annular recess formed in the bottom surface, the annular recess being concentric with the primer; first and second concentric conductive rings disposed in the annular recess, the first and second rings being radially spaced apart and substantially flush with the bottom surface of the cartridge case base, the first and second rings being electrically insulated from the cartridge case base and the primer; a first data pin electrically connected to the first conductive ring and extending into an interior of the cartridge case base; and a second data pin electrically connected to the second conductive ring and extending into the interior of the cartridge case base, the first and second data pins being electrically insulated from the cartridge case base.
US07878115B2	Line-pattern formation method and line-pattern formation apparatus A line-pattern formation apparatus includes: a pattern former with a display defining a pattern and a referential projection indicating a reference position of the pattern; a positioning plate including a line-pattern indicator indicating a plurality of patterns in a lateral condition and a reference-positioning indicator specifying the reference position of the patterns; and a positioner including a stand on which a sheet is placed and a fixing member for fixing the sheet placed on the stand. The fixing member is provided with fitting portions for making the positioning plate detachably attached to the fixing member.
US07878114B2	Synchronized unloading system and method for a cotton harvester with on-board module builder A procedure and system for unloading a compacted cotton module from an on-board module builder of a cotton harvester, which in an automatic mode utilizes a controller to automatically monitor ground speed and operate unloading apparatus at a synchronized ratio to ground speed, for maintaining integrity and shape of the module, and which is quickly and easily switchable between the automatic mode and a manual mode that allows an operator to position and operate the unloading apparatus independent of ground speed for purposes such as placing the module at a precise location such as next to an already unloaded module or the like.
US07878104B2	Armored shell kit and associated method of armoring a vehicle A kit for fitting a vehicle with protective armor includes an armored floor panel configured to be installed to a frame of the vehicle below an occupant compartment of the vehicle, and an armored shell configured to be received over an outer body of a cab of the vehicle. The armored shell may be removed to return the vehicle to its original, non-armored condition.
US07878099B2	Rotary cutting unit for trimming sheet material A rotary cutting unit for trimming sheet material has a support plate for receiving the sheet material. The rotary cutting device having a guide bar with a displaceably guided knife carriage. A rotary knife is rotatably mounted on the knife carriage. The guide bar is guided between an initial raised position and a lowered clamping position. The guide bar includes a clamping surface for contact against sheet material. The guide bar has a force impinged upon it by a spring device, in the direction toward the initial position. An actuation device moves the guide bar out of the initial position into the clamping position. The guide bar is clamped in vertically movable fashion between the spring device and a further spring device. The second spring device has a spring action directed oppositely to the first.
US07878092B1	Grasping tool A grasping tool for obtaining a firm grasp on a nut or other fastener structure that may be deformed in size or shape by time and damage. The tool includes a series of elongated fingers arranged radially in a group and mounted for longitudinal movement in a sleeve. A nut or other fastener to be removed is placed between ends of the fingers extending from the sleeve. As the sleeve is moved toward the nut or other fastener the wall of the sleeve pushes the ends of the fingers inward, to grasp firmly the nut or other fastener to be removed. Various structures and methods may be used to move the sleeve over the fingers and to rotate the grasping tool once attached firmly to the nut or other structure to remove the nut or other structure.
US07878089B2	Bicycle shifter A trigger shifter for operating a bicycle gear change device that includes a housing mountable to handlebar, a cable spool for pulling and releasing a control cable connected to the gear change device, a pull lever mechanism and a release lever mechanism. The pull lever mechanism includes a pull lever rotatable about a first axis defining a first plane of motion perpendicular to the first axis. The release lever mechanism includes a release lever rotatable about a second axis defining a second plane of motion perpendicular to the second axis. The first and second planes of motion form an angle therebetween in the range of 20 to 70 degrees.
US07878082B2	Sliding device for use in confined spaces A sliding device is provided in which a ball-nut screw system is disposed in a relation lying out of a guide rail and extending by the side of and in parallel juxtaposition with the guide rail, thereby making it possible to reduce the sliding device in the overall height. The ball-nut lead screw system may be easily mounted and/or demounted from the sliding device and easily made varied depending on design considerations. The sliding device includes the lead screw carried for rotation by bracket bearings in a way lying out of a guide rail in a way extending by the side of and in parallel juxtaposition with the guide rail, and a ball nut mounted to a slide table. The lead screw is actuated by a motor carried in a bracket bearing.
US07878080B2	Apparatus for adjusting position of vertebral column of dummy model for estimating feeling of sitting in seat An apparatus for adjusting a position of the vertebral column of a dummy model for estimating the feeling of sitting in a seat almost exactly mimics the characteristics of the vertebral joints of a human being. The apparatus comprises a pelvic plate; a plurality of lumbar joints, stacked on the pelvic plate so as to be spaced apart from each other, and having joint springs installed in front and rear portions thereof centered around a rotation center interconnecting two adjacent ones thereof; femur joints rotatably installed below the pelvic plate, and connected with one end of each femur bar; and pelvic pivoting members transmitting rotating force of the femur joints, which is caused by vertical pivoting of the femur bars, to the pelvic plate, and changing a vertical angle of the pelvic plate.
US07878079B2	Sampling ports and related container systems A sampling port includes an elongated flexible support tube having an interior surface bounding a first passageway extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the first passageway being closed at the first end of the support tube and open at the second end of the support tube. An elongated flexible sampling tube has an interior surface bounding a second passageway extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the second passageway being open at the first end of the sampling tube, at least a portion of the sampling tube adjacently extending along the length of the support tube and being connected to the support tube. A flange encircles and radially outwardly projecting from the support tube and the sampling tube at a location spaced apart from the first end of the support tube and the first end of the sampling tube.
US07878077B2	Device for measuring mechanical quantities, method for measuring mechanical quantities and use of a device for measuring mechanical quantities The present invention relates to a device for measuring mechanical quantities, in particular for detecting tensile forces, thrust forces and bending deformations, as well as to a method for measuring mechanical quantities and to the use of a device for measuring mechanical quantities.
US07878076B2	Torque tool with power amplifier A torque tool for measuring and/or cut-off tightening of a torque on a workpiece. The torque tool is provided within a housing with a handle. The torque to be measured is transmitted with a rod. A measuring element electronically detects the actual torque. A measure- and control electronics for processing the torque detected in such a way. The electronic measure and control electronics controls a cut-off switch for cutting-off the torque tool.
US07878071B2	Nanoindenter tip for uniaxial tension and compression testing The invention is an indenter tip that is modified to permit both compression testing and tensile testing on samples having dimensions smaller than approximately 1 μm. The modified indenter tip has both a surface that can be used to apply compressive forces, and tines that can be used to engage a free end of a specimen to be tested in tension. The apparatus used to perform the tests includes elements of a scanning electron microscope that permit visualization of the specimen to be tested and the modified indenter tip, so as to permit appropriate alignment and engagement of the same. The apparatus also includes elements of a microindenter that provide mechanical manipulation of the relative position and orientation of the modified indenter tip and of the specimen to be tested, as well as the necessary controls and instrumentation to perform the test and to collect, record and manipulate data.
US07878068B2	Digital pressure sensor A digital pressure sensor, which is mounted on a pressure controller of a pneumatic tube system, includes a casing including a control circuit, which has a pressure sensing unit, therein, a display, which has a plurality of displaying units for showing numerals or icons, on a front side connected to said control circuit, and a connection tube on a bottom thereof for communication with a connection tube of the pneumatic tube system that said pressure sensing unit of said control circuit senses a pressure in the tube via said connection tube; and a battery set received in said casing and electrically connected to said control circuit.
US07878067B2	Temperature compensating pressure sensor A temperature compensating pressure sensor arrangement includes a capacitive pressure sensor having a substrate carrying CMOS layers. A conductive membrane is arranged on the substrate and defines a reference chamber such that capacitance changes resulting from displacement of the conductive membrane can be converted to pressure change values. A cap covers the conductive membrane and has openings to permit pressure changes to be detected by the conductive membrane. A capacitive temperature sensor is operatively arranged with respect to the capacitive pressure sensor and has a conductive membrane arranged on the substrate and defines a reference chamber such that capacitance changes resulting from displacement of the conductive membrane can be converted to temperature change values. The conductive member defining openings and cap covers and seals the conductive membrane from an external environment.
US07878063B1	Simultaneous sample manipulation and sensing using surface acoustic waves The present invention provides a hexagonal, delay line surface acoustic wave device fabricated on a a piezoelectric substrate, such as lithium tantalate, coated with an insulating waveguide on to which a sensing film, such as an anti-human Interleukin-6 biosensor film, is physically absorbed. The acoustic waves that propagate along the delay lines of the SAW device provide for detection of biological species along one delay line and simultaneously provide for removal of non-specifically bound protein along the remaining delay lines.
US07878059B2	Axle assembly with sensor assembly An axle assembly for a vehicle includes an axle housing having a tubular portion. A bimetallic sensor mount having a first region of corrosion resistant material and a second region of weldable material is welded to the tubular portion. A differential unit including a side gear is disposed in a central cavity of the axle housing. An axleshaft having a shaft portion and a target portion with a plurality of teeth is disposed in the tubular portion of the axle housing. The shaft portion is coupled to the side gear. A sensor is coupled to the sensor mount and extends through an aperture in the mount and the tubular portion to locate an end portion of the sensor a predetermined distance from the teeth of the target portion. A method of making an axle assembly having a sintered bimetallic sensor mount is also disclosed.
US07878052B2	High pressure cavitation system The present disclosure is directed towards a clamping assembly for compressing a plurality of optical plates of a high pressure cavitation system. The clamping assembly may include a mounting frame and a housing coupled to the mounting frame. The clamping assembly may further include a holder distal the housing, the holder having the plurality of optical plates disposed therein. The clamping assembly further including a controllable clamping mechanism operably coupled to a top of the housing, the controllable clamping mechanism applying an axial force to the plurality of optical plate.
US07878050B2	Method and system for testing a fuel injector Disclosed is both an apparatus and method for quantifying an injection event of a fuel injector, including both multiple pulse and single pulse injection events. Typically, the fuel injector is a common rail injector. The apparatus includes a pressure chamber for isolating a portion of the injection pressure for reducing pressure waves and reflections which can create “noise” in the detection of an injection pressure. The invention further includes determining the precise start and end times of injection using cavitation created by the injection event.
US07878045B2	Apparatus and use of the apparatus for the determination of the density of a plasma Device for determining the density of a plasma, with of a probe (1) which can be immersed into the plasma, with a probe head (2) in form of a three-axis ellipsoid, and a handle (3) connected to the probe head (2), wherein the probe head (2) has a sheath (4) and a probe core (5, 5a) surrounded by the sheath (4), wherein the surface (8) of the probe core (5, 5a) has electrode areas (9, 10) of opposite polarity which are insulated from each other. The probe core consists of electrodes (6, 7), to which a signal is applied. The absorption of that signal is measured and evaluated as a function of the frequency. Based on a multipole expansion, a mathematical model is constructed with which the absorption spectrum of the probe can be unambiguously evaluated. For a particular design of the probe, the response can be restricted to a single resonance, from which the electron density of the plasma (to be inferred from the resonance frequency) can be found by an unambiguous evaluation algorithm.
US07878044B2	Sensor, system, and method, for measuring fluid properties using multi-mode quasi-shear-horizontal resonator A system and a method for providing information on two of the three variables, density (ρ), viscosity (η), and elastic modulus (c) of a fluid, such that independent knowledge of one variable allows the remaining two variables to be measured by a single sensor. The present invention relies on the interaction of a predominantly shear horizontal acoustic wave device (“quasi-shear-horizontal”) with the fluid, so as to measure subtle differences in the interaction of two or more acoustic resonance states or waveguide modes of a multi-mode resonator or waveguide, and to derive the desired fluid characteristics therefrom. The most preferred embodiment is a dual-mode coupled resonator filter geometry with one resonant mode having a high degree of symmetry and the other having a high degree of anti-symmetry. By combining the additional information of multi-moded operation with the inherent ability of a horizontally-polarized quasi-shear-horizontal acoustic wave device (AWD) to operate in fluid environments, one obtains a multi-mode quasi-shear-horizontal (MMQSH) resonator.
US07878040B2	Method of drawn and ironed processing of resin coated metal sheet and resin coated drawn and ironed can produced thereby A method of drawn and ironed processing of a resin coated metal sheet, in which in the drawn and ironed processing of resin coated metal sheet, there can be obtained a can body of satisfactorily small wall thickness and at an opening edge part of the can body, the coating resin is free from any defect; and a resin coating drawn and ironed processed can produced thereby.There is provided a method of drawn and ironed processing of a resin coated metal sheet, comprising performing drawn and ironed processing of a resin coated metal sheet composed of a metal sheet having at least one major surface thereof coated with an organic resin with the use of a punch and a die into a can body, characterized in that ironing is conducted with the use of a punch having a small-diameter portion at its rear end so that the ratio of ironing at an opening edge part of the can body after shaping falls within the range of 0 to 15%. Further, there is provided a drawn and ironed processed can of resin coated metal sheet produced through the processing method.
US07878032B1	Versatile guard for locks securing roll-up doors A lock guard is provided for padlocks securing different type J-hook latches of roll up doors in their locking position. The lock guard shrouds the shackle of the padlock thereby deterring vandals use of cutting tools to sever the shackle.
US07878030B2	Wearable article with band portion adapted to include textile-based electrodes and method of making such article A circular knit tubing adapted for making a wearable article has a first knitted single layer tubular portion and a second knitted single layer tubular portion separated by a junction portion. The second tubular portion is folded over the first tubular portion at a fold line in the junction portion. The first and second tubular portions are then joined together, whereby the junction portion forms a band or welt. After the band is formed, the second tubular portion is folded back to cover the band. The wearable article may be a shirt having single layer top and bottom portions with a central double welt portion for physical contact around the wearer's chest or torso. The junction portion forming the band or welt preferably is integrally knitted with the first and second tubular portions. The band or welt defines a central opening to receive an electronic or electrical device or other component.
US07878027B2	Glassware forming machine blowhead arm assembly A glassware forming machine blowhead arm assembly includes a one-piece blowhead arm body having at least one longitudinal air passage and a plurality of lateral air passages connected to the longitudinal passage. A blowhead chuck is removably received in a first end of each lateral passage and a cap is threaded into the second end of each lateral passage spaced from the associated blowhead chuck. A spring is captured in compression between each cap and an associated blowhead chuck biasing the blowhead chuck in a direction out of the lateral passage and away from the cap. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure adapted for use in conjunction with so-called isolated finish cooling blowheads, there are first and second longitudinal air passages extending through the blowhead arm body separately from each other, and separate air inputs in the body respectively coupled to the first and second longitudinal passages. Each lateral air passage is separately connected to the longitudinal air passages, and the blowhead chucks have separate air passages for feeding blow air and finish cooling air to a blowhead mounted in the chuck.
US07878018B2	Kimchi refrigerator and control method of the same A refrigerator and control method thereof are provided. The refrigerator emits light into a storage compartment formed therein to improve and preserve taste of food items stored therein. The refrigerator may include a light emitting unit to emit light into the storage compartment and onto the food items stored therein to improve and preserve taste of the food items.
US07878016B2	Device and method for on-die temperature measurement A system for measuring and managing thermal operations of a processor core on a semiconductor die using a sensor positioned in a hotspot of the processor core. A measured temperature reading is determined based upon a temperature sensed by the sensor. Interrupt signals and a software readable register indicating temperature information provide feedback about the thermal environment to the processor. Based upon the measured temperature reading, the interrupt signals direct the processor to modify operation.
US07878013B2	Trailer refrigeration system A trailer refrigeration system comprising: an electricity generator (22); an electricity-generator engine (21) for driving the electricity generator (22); a converter (23) for converting ac electric power generated by the electricity generator (22) into dc electric power; an inverter (24, 25, 26) including inverters (24), (25), (26) each for converting dc electric power from the converter (23) into ac electric power; a refrigerant circuit (30) having an electric compressor (31) and a fan (35, 36) including fans (35), (36), the electric compressor (31), the fan (35), and the fan (36) being driven respectively by ac electric power from inverters (24), (25), (26); and a control means (40) for individually controlling the speed of rotation of the electric compressor (31), the fan (35), and the fan (36).
US07878012B1	Portable sprinkler system A portable sprinkler system for a cooling system is disclosed, the portable sprinkler system includes a fluid source coupled to the sprinkler system, a plurality of spray nozzles fluidly connected by conduit, a solenoid connected in series, a protective cover enclosing the sprinkler system, and an electricity source providing electricity to the system. The sprinkler system may be incorporated into an air conditioner cooling system, the sprinkler system includes a portable sprinkler system coupled to the air conditioner cooling system, the portable sprinkler system having a water source coupled thereto, a plurality of spray nozzles fluidly connected by conduit, a chemical injector for inhibiting mineral build-up, a filter, and a solenoid connected in series. The air conditioner cooling system includes a disconnect unit electrically connected to a transformer. A plurality of shields are coupled to the housing of the air conditioner, the shields arranged to deflect air turbulence.
US07878007B2	Monitoring method and system for determining airflow rate through and heat removal rate of an air-conditioning unit Monitoring method and system are provided for dynamically determining airflow rate through and heat removal rate of an air-conditioning unit, such as a computer room air-conditioning unit. The method includes: sensing inlet and outlet temperatures of fluid passing through a heat exchanger associated with the air-conditioning unit; sensing air temperature at an air inlet side of the heat exchanger; automatically determining at least one of airflow rate through or heat removal rate of the air-conditioning unit, the automatically determining employing the sensed inlet temperature and outlet temperature of fluid passing through the heat exchanger, and the sensed air temperature at the air inlet side of the heat exchanger; and outputting the determined airflow rate through or heat removal rate of the air-conditioning unit. In one embodiment, the heat exchanger is an auxiliary air-to-air heat exchanger, and in another embodiment, the heat exchanger is the air-to-liquid heat exchanger of the air-conditioner.
US07878006B2	Compressor diagnostic and protection system and method A system and method includes a compressor operable in a refrigeration circuit and including a motor, a current sensor detecting current supplied to the motor, a discharge line temperature sensor detecting discharge line temperature of the compressor, and processing circuitry receiving current data from the current sensor and discharge line temperature data from the discharge line temperature sensor and processing the current data and the discharge line temperature data to determine a capacity of the refrigeration circuit.
US07878004B2	Method and device for optimizing a light-up procedure of a gas turbine engine An aspect of the invention is directed towards a method and device for optimizing a light-up procedure of a gas turbine engine. An aspect of the method comprises repeating an engine start attempt with amended light-up parameter values or range of light-up parameter values, where the values are amended by a predefined scheme including recording the light-up parameter value or the range of light-up parameter values of each start attempt together with the light-up success rate achieved in the respective start attempts, and optimizing the light-up parameter value or range of parameter values by analyzing the recorded data after the start attempts have been finished. An aspect of the device is to provide a control unit that implements the inventive method.
US07877995B2	Machine to convert gravity to mechanical energy The amount of buoyancy a object has is based on the amount of liquid the object displaces, and the weight of the object. If a submersed object increases in size its buoyancy increases, and if a submersed object decreases in size its buoyancy decreases. This machine attempts to change the size/buoyancy of a submersed object using only gravity as the energy source.
US07877993B2	Shift operating device for traveling vehicle The purpose of the invention is to simplify the linkage mechanism of a shift operating device and to unitize the shift operating device so as to improve the reliability of assemble accuracy. A forward traveling pedal and a rearward traveling pedal are rotatably supported by a installation plate; the installation plate rotatably supports a shift operating rotary sleeve connected through one link to the basal end of the forward traveling pedal (a forward traveling pedal rotary sleeve) and connected through one link to the basal end of the rearward traveling pedal (a rearward traveling pedal rotary sleeve); the forward traveling pedal, the rearward traveling pedal, the shift operating rotary sleeve and the installation plate are constructed as an integral unit; and the shift operating rotary sleeve is rotated forward and rearward interlockingly with the operation of the forward traveling pedal and the rearward traveling pedal so as to slant swash plates of a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor of a HST.
US07877989B1	Filter for vehicle exhaust system A vehicle exhaust system includes a catalytic converter connected to an exhaust pipe. An exhaust filter is connected to the exhaust pipe downstream from the catalytic converter. The exhaust filter is a charcoal filter that filters particulates from the air flow in the exhaust pipe. The exhaust filter is threadingly engaged with the exhaust pipe and is disposable.
US07877988B2	Apparatus, system, and method for controlling soot filter regeneration using maximum soot filter temperature An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for controlling soot filter regeneration. The apparatus includes an average temperature module configured to determine an average bed temperature, and a max temperature module configured to calculate a target maximum bed temperature based upon the average bed temperature. The system includes a vehicle having a motor, an exhaust system, an after treatment system, an after treatment controller module, and the apparatus. The method includes determining an average bed temperature, and calculating a target maximum bed temperature based upon the average bed temperature.
US07877987B2	Electrically heated particulate filter regeneration using hydrocarbon adsorbents An exhaust system that processes exhaust generated by an engine is provided. The system generally includes a particulate filter (PF) that filters particulates from the exhaust wherein an upstream end of the PF receives exhaust from the engine. A grid of electrically resistive material selectively heats exhaust passing through the upstream end to initiate combustion of particulates within the PF. A hydrocarbon adsorbent coating applied to the PF releases hydrocarbons into the exhaust to increase a temperature of the combustion of the particulates within the PF.
US07877979B2	Integrated gasification combined cycle plant, method of controlling the plant, and method of producing fuel gas A combined power generation unit includes a gasification unit with a gasification furnace that is used to produce fuel gas, and a gas turbine that uses the fuel gas to generate power. To produce the fuel gas required in the combined power generation unit according to a required power load, a feed-forward control of the gasification unit is performed. Also, a dead time compensator compensates for a lag and a dead time occurring while the fuel gas is fed from the gasification unit to the combined power generation unit. The gasification unit is operated using a zero flare process. The dead time compensator delays the power load required in the combined power generation unit on the basis of the lag and the dead time of the gasification unit so that the combined power generation unit is operated while a follow-up is performed with a predetermined delay.

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