| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07947184B2 |
Treatment chamber for separating compounds from aqueous effluent
Processes of using treatment chambers for separating compounds in an aqueous effluent are disclosed. More particularly, the treatment chambers use ultrasonic energy and an electrode potential to provide efficient and effective removal of compounds from aqueous effluents, such as textile effluents. |
| US07947182B2 |
Naphthenic acid removal process
A process is disclosed for removing naphthenic acid from a waste water stream using a composition containing a zeolite and carbon, wherein the carbon is present on the exterior surfaces and pore surfaces of the zeolite, for removal of at least a portion of the naphthenic acid from the waste water stream resulting in a treated water stream comprising less naphthenic acid than the waste water stream. |
| US07947176B1 |
Membrane fluid filtration and remediation system
A filtration and remediation system is disclosed herein including a quiet tank component, a circulation component, and a storage and filtration component, each with frames. The system can include a scalping shaker which can receive a slurry and separate a particulate from the slurry, forming an effluent. A tank can receive the effluent and a weir can remove oil from the effluent, forming a cleaned effluent. A second weir can discharge the cleaned effluent. The circulation component can include a tank and an absorbent material. The absorbent material can receive the cleaned effluent and remove oil from the cleaned effluent, forming a circulation effluent. A sludge can settle within the circulation tank from the circulation effluent, forming a cleaned circulation stream. The storage and filtration component can include a filtration membrane which can receive and separate the cleaned circulation stream into a clean permeate and a dirty concentrate. |
| US07947170B2 |
Apparatus for treatment of chemical mechanical polishing fluid
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and an apparatus for treating waste effluents from substrate polishing processes, such as from an electrochemical mechanical polishing (ECMP) process. In one embodiment, a method for treating a waste effluent mixture generated during a substrate process is provided which includes flowing a waste effluent comprising chelated metal complexes from a substrate process system, combining an oxidizing agent and the waste effluent to produce free chelators, flowing the waste effluent through an organoclay media and an activated carbon media to remove the free chelators, and flowing the waste effluent through an anion exchange resin to remove metal ions and produce a waste water. |
| US07947168B2 |
Segregation of streams for the production of ammonia
A method for recovering NH3 present in a sour water stream containing odiferous compounds such as pyridines, indoles, ketones and mercaptans produced during an upgrading process for upgrading bitumen from oil sands into synthetic crude comprising treating the sour water stream in a sour water treatment unit to produce a NH3-rich stream and a H2S-rich stream; and hydrotreating the NH3-rich stream in a hydrotreater in the presence of hydrogen to remove the odiferous compounds such as pyridines, indoles, ketones and mercaptans and produce a treated NH3-rich stream. |
| US07947166B2 |
Method for desulfurizing hydrocarbon fractions from steam cracking effluents
The present invention relates to a method for treating a feed corresponding to a pyrolysis gasoline, comprising: a) at least one stage of selective hydrogenation of the feed, referred to as HD1, b) fractionating in one or more distillation columns the effluent from stage a) in order to produce at least one light C5 cut, an intermediate C6 or C6-C7 or C6-C8 cut intended for aromatics production, a heavy C7+ or C8+ or C9+ cut intended for gasoline production, c) at least one stage of hydrodesulfurization and deep hydrogenation of the intermediate cut, referred to as HD2, d) at least one stage of alkylation of the heavy C7+, C8+ or C9+ cut consisting of a treatment on an acid catalyst allowing weighting of the sulfur compounds, e) at least one stage of distillation of the effluent from stage d), intended to produce a light fraction that can be directly used as a low-sulfur gasoline base, and a heavy C11+ or C12+ fraction rich in sulfur compounds, used as middle distillate or fuel oil. |
| US07947161B2 |
Method of operating an electroplating cell with hydrodynamics facilitating more uniform deposition on a workpiece with through holes
A method and apparatus for establishing more uniform deposition across one or more faces of a workpiece in an electroplating process. The apparatus employs eductors in conjunction with a flow dampener member and other measures to provide a more uniform current distribution and a more uniform metal deposit distribution as reflected in a coefficient of variability that is lower than conventional processes. |
| US07947160B2 |
System for coating objects
A system for coating an object having an elongate portion and a method of employing the same that includes at least one retaining member engaging a continuous belt, the retaining member including a retaining portion positioned to releasably retain the elongate portion of the object to the belt for coating the object. |
| US07947159B2 |
NOx-decomposing electrode and method for producing NOx sensor
A NOx-decomposing electrode is provided having a certain or a high NOx-decomposing/reducing ability, which is formed on a third solid electrolyte layer for decomposing a NOx to produce oxygen. The detecting electrode contains a noble metal Pt, a material ZrO2 of the third solid electrolyte layer, and a mixture containing silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al2O3). Specifically, the detecting electrode contains 80% to 90% by weight of the Pt, 9.5% to 19.8% by weight of the ZrO2, and 0.2% to 0.5% by weight of the mixture containing silica and alumina. |
| US07947157B2 |
Apparatus and method for depositing and planarizing thin films of semiconductor wafers
An electroplating apparatus for depositing a metallic layer on a surface of a wafer is provided. In one example, a proximity head capable of being electrically charged as an anode is placed in close proximity to the surface of the wafer. A plating fluid is provided between the wafer and the proximity head to create localized metallic plating. |
| US07947153B2 |
Tissue paper winding and cutting apparatus
A tissue paper winding and cutting apparatus includes a first winding roll, at least one core support plate, a pinch roller, and at least one arm. A channel is formed between the core support plate and the first winding roll. A tissue paper is attached to a lower half of the first winding roll for winding around a first core. The pinch roller is arranged below the first winding roll to partially project into the channel, and the arm is extended to a lower side of the first winding roll and has a bottom protuberance facing the pinch roller, so that a narrowed passage is formed in the channel. A second core rolling to and hindered by the narrowed passage holds the tissue paper thereto, and the tissue paper is pulled broken by a pulling force from a rolled tissue formed on the first core. |
| US07947152B2 |
Doctor blade for the paper industry
Doctor blade for the paper industry, comprising a scraping plate (1) and holding means (p) for the scraping plate which in turn are held by a frame (a) the ends of which are securely fastened (2) by two fastening points (pf) to a stationary structure (f), characterized in that it comprises: a) mechanical means for adjustable fastening (3) between at least one end (2) of the frame and the stationary structure (f) in such a way that the distance (d) between the two fastening points (pf) can be varied by the user; and b) means for incorporating an additional mass (5) in adjustable quantities. |
| US07947150B2 |
Multi-ply rolled paper separating device and method of use
A device for use in connection with a multi-ply rolled paper holder to separate multi-ply rolled paper into distinct individual plies. The device includes at least one arm and at least one member. Each arm has an upper end portion that is configured to releasably couple to a multi-ply rolled paper holder and a lower end portion that couples to the at least one member. The overall length L of the arm may be of a fixed length or may be adjustable through a telescoping or sliding mechanism. Each member has two ends, and a top surface and a bottom surface. When operatively positioned relative to the multi-ply rolled paper holder, the configuration of the member functions to divide the multi-ply rolled paper into the individual plies. A method of use and of assembly of the multi-ply rolled paper separating device are also disclosed. |
| US07947149B2 |
Lamination process and roller for use therein
A web of a first sheet material and a web of a second sheet material are laminated together by a process wherein the sheet materials are wound, in an interleaved relationship, upon a roller having a radially displaceable outer surface. The roller and webs and then subjected to heating and/or a low-pressure environment so as to complete the lamination. A body of adhesive material, such as a hot melt adhesive, may be interposed between the webs and the heating or low pressure environment can activate this adhesive. Further disposed are particular configurations of rollers with radially displaceable surfaces. |
| US07947148B2 |
Dry adhesion bonding
Methods for bonding include deposition an adhesion layer on at least one substrate using chemical vapor deposition. The two adhesion layers each have a reactive group that is complementary to the other, thus enabling strong adhesion between the bonded substrates. Devices include two substrates that can be adhered together by chemically depositing an adhesion layer on at least one substrate using chemical vapor deposition. The substrates each have a reactive group that is complementary to the other, thus enabling strong adhesion between the bonded substrates. |
| US07947143B2 |
Method for providing uniaxial load distribution for laminate layers of multilayer ceramic chip carriers
An apparatus for providing uniform axial load distribution for laminate layers of multilayer ceramic chip carriers includes a base plate configured to support a plurality of green sheet layers thereon, the base plate having at least one resiliently mounted load support bar disposed adjacent outer edges of the base plate. The load support bar is mounted on one or more biasing members such that the top surface of the support bar extends above the top surface of the base plate by a selected distance. |
| US07947140B2 |
Strip member application system and method
A strip member application system for feeding a ribbon-like rubber strip (4) through a clearance between application rollers forming a pair (11), and applying the rubber strip (4) onto a rotational member (2). A guide roller (7) to be wound by the rubber strip (4) is provided on the upstream side of the application roller pair (11), and defines a substantially U-shaped detour path extending downwards. A first and a second auxiliary rollers (6, 8) are arranged on the downstream side and the upstream side of the guide roller (7), respectively. The application roller pair (11) can be swung integrally with the guide roller (7) and the second auxiliary roller (8), within a horizontal plane and about a pivot that is spaced from the guide roller (7) toward the first auxiliary roller (6). |
| US07947135B2 |
Proximally self-locking long bone prosthesis
A method for arthroplasty includes using a self-locking prosthesis that has a member structured to transfer a load produced by the weight of a patient to a bone. An expandable bone-locking portion that is integral to the member includes a shape-memory material and expands to produce a locking force. A portion of the bone is removed to form an aperture in the bone. The bone-locking portion is inserted into the aperture, and a temperature increase causes a change from a contracted state to an expanded state resulting in expansion of the bone-locking portion so as to contact the inner surface. The expanding is sufficient to create a locking force at the junction between the inner surface and the bone-locking portion of the prosthesis and the majority of the locking force is applied at or above the metaphysis. The length/width ration of the prosthesis may be less than or equal to 5. The resulting reconstructed long-bone may have improved primary and long-term stability. |
| US07947133B2 |
Copper alloy strip material for electrical/electronic equipment and process for producing the same
A copper alloy strip material for electrical/electronic equipment includes a copper alloy containing 2.0 to 5.0 mass % Ni, 0.43 to 1.5 mass % Si, and a remaining component formed of Cu and an unavoidable impurity. Three types of intermetallic compounds A, B, and C comprising Ni and Si in a total amount of 50 mass % or more are contained. The intermetallic compound A has a compound diameter of 0.3 μm to 2 μm, the intermetallic compound B has a compound diameter of 0.05 μm to less than 0.3 μm, and the intermetallic compound C has a compound diameter of more than 0.001 μm to less than 0.05 μm. |
| US07947132B2 |
Multiple wash zone dishwasher
A dishwasher having multiple wash zones has an interior tub configured to provide an interior wash chamber for washing dishes and a dish rack located within the wash chamber. The dishwasher also has a spray arm assembly configured to spray a first flow of wash liquid toward the dish rack, thereby providing a first wash zone. A spray manifold provided within the wash chamber is configured to provide a second flow of wash liquid toward the dish rack, thereby providing a second wash zone. |
| US07947128B2 |
Atomic layer epitaxy processed insulation
In one embodiment the present invention provides for a method for depositing a thin film layer onto a composite tape 16, that comprises depositing at least one thin film layer of physically enhancing material 30 onto at least one portion of the composite tape. The depositing is accomplished by atomic layer epitaxy and the thin film layer is approximately 1-10 molecules thick. |
| US07947125B1 |
Fine particle dispersion liquid containing tantalum oxide fine particles, tantalum oxide fine particle-resin composite, and method of producing fine particle dispersion liquid
Provided are fine particle dispersion liquid containing tantalum oxide fine particles each having a small crystallite size and uniformly dispersed in an organic solvent, a tantalum oxide fine particle-resin composite, and a method of producing the dispersion liquid. The method of producing a fine particle dispersion liquid containing tantalum oxide fine particles includes: preparing a mixture of the tantalum oxide fine particles, a basic compound, a surface modifier, and an organic solvent; and subjecting the mixture to a dispersion treatment. |
| US07947123B2 |
Impact filter with grease trap
An impact filter suitable for a kitchen exhaust hood is provided with a grease trap to capture grease particles and channel the particles away. The trap can be of different configurations. The filter can be used in various system layouts. |
| US07947119B2 |
Hydrogen reservoir and process for filling a hydrogen reservoir
In a hydrogen reservoir having a housing with a hydrogen storage material arranged in the housing for absorbing and releasing hydrogen as needed, the hydrogen reservoir includes at least one unit having a porous body surrounding a container in which the hydrogen storage material is contained and a method is provided for charging the hydrogen reservoir with hydrogen from a hydrogen filling stations. |
| US07947117B2 |
Hydrogen purification process that uses a combination of membrane separation units
This invention describes a new hydrogen purification process that employs a combination of at least three membrane separation units. This process allows non-stationary operations and is particularly suitable for the production of hydrogen for the purpose of its use in a fuel cell. |
| US07947115B2 |
System and method for generation of high pressure air in an integrated gasification combined cycle system
An integrated gasification combined cycle system. In one embodiment (FIG. 2) a system (200) includes an ion transport membrane air separation unit (210) for producing oxygen-enriched gas (209) and oxygen-depleted air (227), a gasification system (5) for generating syngas with the oxygen-enriched gas (209), a gas combustor (234) for reacting the syngas (224), and a subsystem configured to provide a first stream of air to the combustor (234) at a first pressure and to provide a second stream of air to the air separation unit (210) at a second pressure greater than the first pressure. The subsystem includes a compressor (230) having multi-pressure outlets (203, 204). |
| US07947114B2 |
Carbon membranes
A process for the production of a carbon membrane comprising: (i) reacting a mixture of cellulose and hemicellulose with an acid; (ii) casting the mixture to form a film, (iii) drying said film; and (iv) carbonizing said film. |
| US07947113B2 |
Artificial lung
An artificial lung includes a housing, a tubular hollow fiber membrane bundle contained in the housing and providing a multiplicity of hollow fiber membranes having a gas exchange function, a gas inflow port and a gas outflow port communicating with each other through hollow portions of the hollow fiber membranes, and a blood inflow port and a blood outflow port through which blood is distributed. The tubular hollow fiber membrane bundle has a cylindrical overall shape, and a filter member having a bubble-trapping function is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the tubular hollow fiber membrane bundle. |
| US07947112B1 |
Method for degassing a fluid
A method for degassing a fluid includes providing a degassing system having a degassing module and a fluid pump apparatus having a fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid pump apparatus is operated in a discontinuous mode involving one or more discrete pumping cycles having a first cycle time. The fluid pump apparatus is calibrated to deliver a predetermined volume of the fluid from the fluid reservoir during each of the pumping cycles, and the degassing module is adapted to operably move gas from the fluid to an extent sufficient to render the fluid volume to a desired degassed condition within a period of time that is not greater than the first cycle time. |
| US07947106B2 |
Sb-Te alloy powder for sintering, sintered compact sputtering target obtained by sintering said powder, and manufacturing method of Sb-Te alloy powder for sintering
Provided is Sb—Te alloy powder for sintering in which the maximum grain size of the powder obtained by subjecting gas atomized powder of an Sb—Te alloy to mechanical pulverization is 90 μm or less, and a sintered compact sputtering target obtained by sintering this powder. Further provided is a manufacturing method of Sb—Te alloy powder for a sintered compact sputtering target including the steps of dissolving an Sb—Te alloy, thereafter subjecting this to gas atomization to obtain atomized powder, and further subjecting this to mechanical pulverization in an inert atmosphere without any atmospheric exposure so as to manufacture powder having a maximum grain size of 90 μm or less and reduced oxygen content. Thus, the Sb—Te alloy sputtering target structure can be uniformalized and refined, generation of cracks in the sintered target can be inhibited, and generation of arcing during sputtering can be inhibited. Further, surface ruggedness caused by sputter erosion can be reduced in order to obtain a high quality Sb—Te alloy sputtering target. |
| US07947098B2 |
Method for manufacturing chemical mechanical polishing pad polishing layers having reduced gas inclusion defects
A method for manufacturing chemical mechanical polishing pad polishing layers that minimizes entrained gas inclusion defects is provided. Also provided is a mix head assembly for use in the manufacture of chemical mechanical polishing pad polishing layers, wherein inclusions of entrained gas inclusion defects are minimized. |
| US07947097B2 |
Low corrosion abrasive articles and methods for forming same
An abrasive article includes a binder and abrasive grains. The binder is formed from a formulation including a polymer component, a curing agent, and an acid bonding agent. |
| US07947095B2 |
Method of and an apparatus for gasifying carbonaceous material
A method of and an apparatus for gasifying carbonaceous material, the apparatus including a gasification reactor, to which oxygen-containing primary gas and secondary gasification gas are introduced, whereby a portion of the material to be gasified is gasified to product gas, residual carbon contained in the fly ash extracted from the product gas is combusted in a cyclone combustor, and the exhaust gas from the cyclone combustor is guided to above the bottom level of the gasification reactor to act as secondary gasification gas. |
| US07947090B2 |
Catalyzed air oxidation haircolor
An air-oxidation haircolor composition is based: a) water; b) water soluble metal salt as a catalyst; c) etidronic acid (1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphoric acid) as a chelating agent and color deposition enhancer; d) oxidation primary dye intermediates; e) an aromatic triol such as 1,2,4-Benzenetriol; f) auxiliary oxidation dye couplers; g) dye antioxidants and stabilizers; h) optionally, a water soluble surfactant; i) optionally, a water soluble anionic polymer; j) a water soluble solvent system; and k) an alkalizer. |
| US07947089B2 |
Method of coloring or lightening in the presence of an inorganic base and kit
The present disclosure relates to a method of coloring or lightening of human keratin fibers in the presence of an oxidizing agent, comprising the application of an anhydrous cosmetic composition comprising at least one fat, and at least one surfactant, an oxidizing composition, a composition comprising at least one inorganic base. It also relates to a kit with several compartments, in which a first compartment comprises the aforementioned anhydrous cosmetic composition, a second compartment comprises an oxidizing composition and a third compartment comprises a composition comprising at least one inorganic base and optionally at least one dye. |
| US07947085B2 |
Prosthetic device utilizing electric vacuum pump
Evacuation devices for evacuating the socket of a prosthetic limb, and prosthetic limb systems employing such vacuum devices. The evacuation devices each preferably include at least an electrically powered vacuum pump and a power source. Such evacuation devices can be attached at various locations on or in a prosthetic limb. Because the electrically powered pump does not require manual manipulation to create vacuum, it is substantially easier to use than a manual pump. Due to the small size and small power source required by such an electrically powered pump, an evacuation device may be readily incorporated into a prosthesis. |
| US07947084B2 |
Hip joint prosthesis with a shaft to be inserted into the femur
A hip-joint prosthesis includes a shaft which is configured to be inserted into the femur and whose surface has an osteoinductive finish. This finish is provided exclusively in the metaphyseal portion of the shaft and laterally from the line delineating the maximum antero-posterior dimension of the shaft cross section. This ensures a better involvement of the metaphyseal spongiosa in the flow of forces, without compromising the ability to perform follow-up surgery on the prosthesis. |
| US07947083B2 |
Fixing assembly
A component, e.g. a prosthetic ball and socket joint like an acetabular cup (11) of a prosthetic joint, having a male or female location feature (15) in a surface thereof for mutual interfit with a fixing member (12) of a fixing assembly for securing the fixing member to the surface of the component and optionally for securing the component to a second component by means of a fixing screw (13). |
| US07947081B2 |
Skeletal implant for replacing a human bone
A skeletal implant for replacing a human bone includes an inner reinforcing member and an outer plasticized and fluid resistant layer encasing the inner reinforcing member. A structurally rigid and foamable layer is disposed between the inner reinforcing member and the outer plasticized layer. An end of the outer layer is configured for receiving, in articulated engagement, an end of an adjoining bone. A plurality of ligaments are grafted between the implant and the adjoining bone and proximate the articulated engagement. Conduit passageways are also established between the inner reinforcing member and the end of the outer layer in order to communicate a fluid to an articulating engagement and ligament supporting location with an adjoining bone. |
| US07947080B2 |
Methods for treating a defect in the annulus fibrosis
Methods and apparatus for treating disc herniation provide a conformable device which assumes a first shape associated with insertion and a second shape or expanded shape to occlude the defect which typically follows partial discectomy. The device may take different forms according to the invention, including patches size to cover the defect or plugs adapted to fill the defect. In a preferred embodiment, however, the device is a gel or other liquid or semi-liquid which solidifies to occlude the defect from within the body of the disc itself. In another preferred embodiment, a mesh screen is collapsed into an elongated form for the purposes of insertion, thereby minimizing the size of the requisite incision while avoiding delicate surrounding nerves. Such a configuration also permits the use of instrumentation to install the device, including, for example, a hollow tube or sheath adapted to hold the collapsed screen, and a push rod to expel the collapsed device out of the sheath for use in occluding the disc defect. A device according to the invention may further include one or more anchors to assist in permanently affixing the device with respect to the defect. |
| US07947079B2 |
Method and system for fusing a spinal region
A method and system for fusing a region in the spine involve the use of at least one guide tube to pass instruments and substances into the spinal region in a minimally invasive manner. In the preferred practice of the method, a guide tube is anchored to a vertebra and the guide tube is moved to thereby position the vertebra. A steerable drilling tool is passed through the guide tube and steered into position to abrade at least a portion of an intervertebral disc and thereby create a cavity in the disc. A flowable substance is passed into the cavity and permitted to solidify to establish fusion in the cavity. Optionally, an uninflated balloon is inserted into the cavity and the balloon is filled with the flowable substance to contain the flowable substance. |
| US07947078B2 |
Devices for forming curved or closed-loop structures
A device for forming structurally stable curved structures includes an elongated element (10) with a number of segments (12) interconnected at effective hinges (14) to allow deflection of each segment relative to adjacent segments between a reduced-curvature state and a flexed state. Neighboring segments have interlocking features (16) forming an inter-segment locking configuration such that, when the segments are deflected from the reduced-curvature state to the flexed state, the interlocking features interlock adjacent of the segments so as to retain the segments in the flexed state corresponding to a predefined curved configuration of the elongated element. Additionally, or alternatively, a leading portion (44) and a rear portion (40) of the elongated element have features forming at least part of a loop-lock configuration effective to lock together the leading portion and the rear portion so as to form a closed loop structure. |
| US07947075B2 |
Minimally invasive heart valve replacement
A replacement valve for implantation centrally within the orifice of a malfunctioning native heart valve. The valve is designed for minimally invasive entry through an intercostal opening in the chest of a patient and an opening in the apex of the human heart. The replacement valve includes either a separate anchor (11, 87, 111) or a combined anchor (67) that folds around the malfunctioning native valve leaflets, sandwiching them in a manner so as to securely anchor the replacement valve in a precise, desired location. |
| US07947074B2 |
Implantable prosthetic valve
An implantable prosthetic valve for regulating fluid flow through a body vessel is provided. The prosthetic valve comprises an anchoring member, at least one leaflet, and a restraining member capable of temporarily preventing substantial movement of the leaflet between and open and closed position so as to allow fluid flow in the antegrade and retrograde directions. In various embodiments, the prosthetic valve reduces the risk of thrombosis. In various embodiments, the prosthetic valve reduces the appearance of potentially thrombogenic abnormal flow patterns at the site of implantation immediately following the implantation, allows cell deposition making the valve more biocompatible, less thrombogenic before flow changes resulting from valving action set in and allows tissue growth so that a partially or completely biological functioning valve may form on the scaffold provided by the implant. |
| US07947073B2 |
Resorption-controllable medical implants
Bioresorbable medical implants are designed to have different resorption rates over time or over the topography of the implants. The resorption of the medical implants are controlled by including layers having differing resorption rates. The layers resorb sequentially over time through sequential exposure to body fluids. A resorption-controllable medical implant includes a series of two or more layers. The first layer includes a first bioresorbable material. The second layer includes a second bioresorbable material and resorbable particles of a first kind dispersed within the second bioresorbable material. Additional layers of bioresorbable material alone or including resorbable particles may be added to slow or speed resorption and achieve desired control over the resorption of the implant. Resorbable particles can be added in differing amounts or kinds in various segments of the implant to provide topographically differing resorption rates. |
| US07947071B2 |
Expandable slide and lock stent
An expandable slide and lock stent is provided that comprises a plurality of radial elements interconnected to form a tubular member. Each radial element can comprise a helical backbone and at least one elongate member extending from the helical backbone in a circumferential direction. Each backbone can have at least one slot that can be configured to receive an elongate member of an adjacent radial element. |
| US07947070B2 |
Dilatation and stent delivery system and related methods
The invention relates to a system for dilatation of a body passage and delivery of a stent into the body passage of a patient, and related methods of using such a system. The dilatation and stent delivery system may comprise a dilatation catheter having an expandable member on a distal end, and a stent delivery catheter configured to retain a stent and deliver the stent to a body passage. The stent delivery catheter defines a lumen sized to receive the dilatation catheter and permit movement of the dilatation catheter relative to the stent delivery catheter. |
| US07947068B2 |
Controlled heat transfer with mammalian bodies
Methods, computer programming and devices for transferring heat to and/or from a body portion of a mammal are provided. One approach includes directly determining a state of vasoconstriction or vasodilation in a portion of a body, and supplying heat to the portion of the body when vasoconstriction is determined, and removing heat from the portion of the body when vasodilation is determined. The body portion preferably includes specific heat exchange vasculature. In another approach, a transition of the body portion from a state of vasodilation to vasoconstriction is determined and the body portion is then actively kept in a state of vasodilation while removing heat therefrom. |
| US07947066B2 |
Universal transverse connector device
A connecting apparatus includes a first grasping member adapted to hold a first elongated member and a second grasping member adapted to hold a second elongated member. The second grasping member is operatively connected to the first grasping member so that the first and second grasping members are movable relative to each other. The apparatus further includes a first rotatable rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the first grasping member, a second rotatable rod disposed in mechanical cooperation with the second grasping member, a first engaging member operatively connected to the first rotatable rod, and a second engaging member operatively connected to the second rotatable rod. The first engaging member is adapted to engage at least a portion of a first pedicle screw. The second engaging member is adapted to engage at least a portion of a second pedicle screw. |
| US07947060B2 |
Method and device for filtering body fluid
Medical devices for filtering fluids flowing through a lumen and a method of forming medical devices. The devices can be used in vascular channels, urinary tracts, biliary ducts and the like, and filter emboli and other debris generated at a treatment site. |
| US07947050B2 |
Surgical instrument coupling mechanism
A medical system and an integrated drape assembly for a medical system is provided. The medical system comprises a surgical instrument that carries a distal tool configured for performing a medical procedure on a patient, a drive unit configured for controlling the movement of the surgical instrument within at least one degree-of-freedom, a coupling mechanism through which the surgical instrument is operably coupled to the drive unit, and an integrated drape assembly having a drape insert through which the coupling mechanism is coupled to the surgical instrument, a sterile drape covering the coupling mechanism. The drape assembly may comprise a coupling element mounted within the drape insert. The coupling element may be configured for coupling a driver element of the medical system to a driven element of the medical system. |
| US07947049B2 |
IOL injector
A device for injecting an intraocular lens (IOL) into an eye, the device having an injector body including a lumen and an open tip wherethrough the IOL is expressed from the device. An IOL loading bay is located in the passageway wherein the IOL is positioned and compressed. In a first aspect of the invention, the passageway diameter increases from a point adjacent the loading bay to the open tip to reduce compressive force on the IOL as it travels through the lumen. In another aspect of the invention, the plunger tip has a shape and diameter which has a close, sliding fit with the shape and diameter of the passageway to reduce the chance of the IOL becoming wedged between the plunger tip and the passageway wall as the plunger tip engages and advances the IOL through the passageway. |
| US07947048B2 |
Screwdriver for handling a screw in the body of a person or an animal
A screwdriver serves for handling a screw in the body of a person or an animal. The screwdriver has a handle, and a stem permanently connected to said handle. An outer tube surrounds the stem. A locking mechanism has a locking element engaging into a locking point in at least three different axial displacement positions of said outer tube. The locking element is prevented from moving further in an axial direction at a locking position by a barrier, which barrier can be overcome only by rotating said outer tube and said stem relative to one another about a longitudinal axis. |
| US07947044B2 |
Surgical instruments for shaping spinal endplates
The present invention relates to surgical instruments particularly suitable for preparing vertebral endplates during spinal interbody surgical procedures. Methods of using such instruments are also disclosed. |
| US07947039B2 |
Laparoscopic apparatus for performing electrosurgical procedures
A system and apparatus for irrigating a surgical site during an electrosurgical procedure are disclosed. The system includes a hand piece having an elongated housing connected to a multilumen tube extending proximally from the housing and having an irrigation tube for delivering irrigation fluid, a suction tube for withdrawing irrigation fluid, and electrical wiring, a first controls for adjusting flow of irrigation fluid within the irrigation tube and second controls for adjusting flow of irrigation fluid within the suction tube. A valve cassette is connected to the multilumen tube, which includes an irrigation valve configured to control the flow within the irrigation tube and a suction valve configured to control the flow within the suction tube. A hardware control module controls the irrigation valve and the suction valve based on control signals from the first and second controls. |
| US07947032B2 |
Needleless luer access connector
A needleless luer access connector is disclosed having a septum disposed in a housing. The septum has a proximal portion with a cross section, a medial portion with a cross section smaller than the cross section of the proximal portion, and a distal portion. A longitudinal slit extends through the septum from the proximal portion to the distal portion. The septum and housing are designed so that septum will not be rotated or removed from the housing when the connector is accessed by a male luer taper. In addition, the septum and housing are designed to bias the slit at the distal portion closed and so a male luer connector does not have to extend completely through the distal portion to open the slit at the distal portion. Finally, the septum and housing are designed to minimize the amount of dead space in the connector when accessed with a male luer taper. |
| US07947030B2 |
Retrograde perfusion of tumor sites
A system and method permit monitoring and location of a route in vivo and a visible image of that route for retrograde perfusion of a tumor with a therapeutic agent. Once the route is located, the path for flow of therapeutic agent to the tumor is confirmed as being a closed loop. The therapeutic agent is then introduced into the closed loop through retrograde perfusion to treat the tumor. The number of types and amounts of treating agents may be adjusted and observed as the treatment is in progress. |
| US07947026B2 |
Glans compatible single unit semen collection and storage device, kit and related methods of use
A method and device to conform with the glans penis to recover ejaculated semen completely, to prevent the loss of initial sperm rich epididymal fractions, to avoid the use of a condom for masturbation, to eliminate the multi-step transfers of semen following ejaculation that are common with current methods, and to provide a single device that contains a semen collecting chamber that fits onto a glans penis. The device provides a storage and measuring reservoir, an optional cap, and a vertical stand in one integrally formed module in a sterile pack. The device and method will have multiple uses in a variety of contexts including, but not limited thereto: in the diagnosis of infertility, in semen donation, in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) clinics, hospitals, forensic laboratories and research laboratories and will be included in kits intended for over-the-counter sperm testing devices. |
| US07947023B1 |
Method and apparatus for disposable aspirator cassette
A known disposable per use surgical primary cassette is modified to avoid contamination thereof during use by aspirated fluid from a vitreous cutter connected thereto by bypassing the aspirated fluid into a receiving chamber of a relatively less expensive disposable secondary cassette, whereby during use a vacuum produced in a chamber of the primary cassette connected to the receiving chamber of the secondary cassette in turn produces a vacuum in the receiving chamber of the latter for drawing aspirated fluid from the vitreous cutter directly into the receiving chamber. |
| US07947011B2 |
Implantable device fastening system and methods of use
A surgical fastening system for implantable devices is disclosed. The implantable device may contain a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, may have a housing fitted over or around it which contains a plurality of fasteners in pre-deployment position, or may be a part of a two-part system into which it fits. Accordingly, the present invention also encompasses a deployment system or tool that optionally positions the implantable device, and which causes the fasteners to move into post-deployment position. The fasteners may be staples, metal loops, coils, springs or hooks formed of biocompatible materials, including shape memory alloys such as NiTi. |
| US07947010B2 |
Composition and system for wound decontamination
The present disclosure is directed to a cleansing solution and system for administering the cleansing solution to decontaminate a wound surface. A method and kit for decontaminating a wound surface is also provided. |
| US07947006B2 |
Hip distraction
A hip distractor includes a pair of distractor members and a support configured to be fastened to a surgical table. The support includes at least two mounts for coupling to a pair of joints that couple the distractor members to the support. Another hip distractor includes a pair of distractor assemblies that are configured to apply a distraction load to a patient. Each of the assemblies includes a joint for coupling the corresponding assembly to a surgical table. The joint permits vertical and horizontal angular adjustment of the corresponding assembly. A method of distracting a hip includes coupling a patient's legs to a pair of distractor assemblies and simultaneously adjusting a vertical angle and a horizontal angle of at least one of the distractor assemblies. |
| US07947005B2 |
One piece brace liner having multiple adjustment zones
A joint protecting brace includes a cuff member. The cuff member includes a pair of upper lateral and lower lateral tightening portions positioned on opposed sides of a cuff longitudinal axis. The cuff member further includes a liner disposed between and coupled to the upper lateral tightening portions and lower lateral tightening portions and extending along the cuff longitudinal axis. The cuff member further includes a connector coupled to a latitudinal strap. The cuff member further includes a first adjuster coupled to the upper lateral tightening portions and the connector. The cuff member further includes a second adjuster coupled to the lower lateral tightening portions and the connector. The first and second adjusters are disposed in tension for adjusting a distance between the upper and lower lateral tightening portions respectively. The first and second adjusters are communicable via the connector. |
| US07947004B2 |
Lower extremity exoskeleton
A lower extremity exoskeleton, configurable to be coupled to a person, comprises two leg supports configurable to be coupled to the person's lower limbs and configured to rest on the ground during their stance phases. Each leg support comprises a thigh link, a shank link, and two knee joints. Each knee joint is configured to allow flexion and extension between the respective shank link and the respective thigh link. The lower extremity exoskeleton also comprises an exoskeleton trunk configurable to be coupled to the person's upper body. The exoskeleton trunk is rotatably connectable to the thigh links of the leg supports allowing for the flexion and extension between the leg supports and the exoskeleton trunk. In this exemplary embodiment, the energy required for flexion and extension movement between the shank link and the respective thigh link of a leg support over a cyclic knee motion is provided by the person. |
| US07946997B2 |
Measurement system to measure a physiological condition in a body
Measurement system comprising a sensor wire provided, at its distal end, with a physiological condition sensor to measure a physiological condition inside a patient, and to provide measured data to an external device, the measurement system comprises a transceiver unit adapted to be connected to the proximal end of the sensor wire, and a communication unit arranged in connection with the external device. The transceiver unit is adapted to communicate, by a communication signal, with the communication unit, in order to transfer measured data to the external device. The communication signal, including the measured data, is generated by the transceiver unit and transferred as an output signal and the communication unit is arranged to be connected to a standard input/output connector of the external device and to communicate with the external device in accordance with an established standard, or in accordance with relevant parts of an established standard, e.g. BP22 or USB. The measurement system further comprises a physical optical communication link arranged between the transceiver unit and the communication unit, wherein the communication signal is an optical signal transferred by the optical communication link. The transceiver unit also comprises an energy means adapted to energize the sensor, the transceiver unit and also the optical communication link. |
| US07946993B2 |
Ultrasonic endoscope
An ultrasonic endoscope comprises an insertion portion including: an angle portion; a hard distal portion; an endoscopic observation unit comprising a lighting portion and an observation portion; and an ultrasonic test unit comprising an ultrasonic transducer constituting an ultrasonic test unit, wherein the hard distal portion includes: a distal end main body including an entire portion whereat the ultrasonic transducer is attached; an observation portion block that includes a portion whereat the observation portion is attached and that is separably coupled with the distal end main body; and an elevator block that is securely held between the distal end main body and the observation portion block by engaging the distal end main body and the observation portion block, and that comprises the elevator, and wherein the distal end main body, the observation portion block and the elevator block are assembled so as to be capable of being disassembled. |
| US07946992B2 |
Velocity measuring method and velocity measuring device using the same
The present invention is to provide a velocity measuring method and a velocity measuring device for carrying out the method. The velocity measuring method includes: a step (S4) for expanding N time series signals by using 0-th to (N−1)-th degree discrete Legendre function as a base; a step (S5) for calculating 2n-th degree complex expansion coefficient by multiplying a linear combination of a (2n−1)-th degree expansion coefficient and a ( 2n+1)-th degree expansion coefficient by an imaginary unit and then linearly combining the result and a 2n-th degree expansion coefficient, and calculating a (2n+1)-th degree complex expansion coefficient by multiplying the (2n+1)-th degree expansion coefficient by an imaginary unit and then linearly combining the result, the 2n-th degree expansion coefficient and a (2n+2)-th degree expansion coefficient; a degree decision step (S4) for determining the degree m of a coefficient having the maximum absolute value among the complex expansion coefficients; and a step (S8) for calculating a signed velocity signal concerning a moving reflection object from a ratio of square sums of the expansion coefficients or complex expansion coefficients corresponding to the degree m. |
| US07946989B2 |
Ultrasonic diagnosing apparatus and ultrasonic image display method
A technique for displaying an ultrasonic three-dimensional image and its tomographic image at the same time is disclosed. According to the technique, it is provided with: a transmitting/receiving circuit 111 for carrying out a transmitting/receiving control of ultrasonic waves; a three-dimensional processing unit 120 for forming a three-dimensional image from an ultrasonic reception signal received by the transmitting/receiving circuit; an image processing circuit 115 for converting the tomographic image and the three-dimensional image into a display format; and the like. The three-dimensional processing unit is composed of: an angle detecting circuit 121 for generating an angle information of a high resolution from two encoder signals of a rotation and an oscillation; and a high speed operation processing circuit 122 for carrying out processes of generation, treatment and cut of a three-dimensional image data, and the like. |
| US07946985B2 |
Method and system for providing sensor redundancy
A closed loop system or semi-closed loop system for infusing insulin using sensor values applies a redundant sensor system as a fail-safe method against sensor failure. The redundant glucose sensors are used corroborate each other and a failing sensor is detected if the sensors no longer corroborate each other. The use of redundant sensors has the additional benefit of producing better sensor signals compared to the use of a single sensor. |
| US07946982B2 |
Minimal incision maximal access MIS spine instrumentation and method
a minimal incision maximal access system allows for maximum desirable work space exposure within the incision along with maximum access to the operative field utilizing a minimum incision as small as the width of the working tube. Instead of multiple insertions of dilating tubes the design is a streamlined single entry device to avoid repetitive skin surface entry. The system offers the capability to expand to optimum exposure size for the surgery utilizing retractors depending from a bi-hinged frame having internal or external controls to control the angle and separation of the retractors. Interchangeable retractor blades can be attached to the frame. Both retractor blades are independently controlled as to displacement and angle. |
| US07946981B1 |
Two-piece video laryngoscope
A two-piece video laryngoscope includes a disposable handle/blade unit having a handgrip portion with a cavity at the proximal end, a curved distal end portion extending from the handgrip portion terminating in a terminal face containing a LED and a lens and digital image sensor connected with a first connector in the cavity, and a tube receptacle channel extending distally along the dorsal surface of and a vacuum/oxygen passageway extending through the curved distal end portion; and a power/video module releasably engaged in the cavity having a flat panel display pivotally mounted at the proximal end thereof and containing a rechargeable battery and electrical and video circuitry connected with a second connector. An endotracheal tube is received and releasably retained in the tube receptacle channel in a preloaded condition. When assembled, the connectors are engaged to complete the electrical and video circuits and allow viewing of insertion and intubation. |
| US07946972B2 |
Adjustable chair for accommodating multiple body positions and methods of use thereof
A seating is provided that is adapted for imparting at least partial body support to a user in multiple positions. The seating apparatus has a support structure holding a body supporting assembly that includes one member defining a seating surface and another member that can be configured to form an auxiliary body support surface essentially parallel to and at a different level than the seating surface. The different level preferably includes at least one level that is below that of the seating surface. |
| US07946968B2 |
Exercise apparatus and a weight selection system
The present invention relates to an exercise apparatus comprising a weight stack for opposing a given exercise motion through a cable and pulley system. The weight stack comprises a set of weights vertically stacked on each other. The weights have a central aperture formed therein through which a lifting stem is downwardly insertable. Each weight is provided with weight selector means, which are pivotally engagable with said lifting stem for connecting and locking a selectable number of weights to the central lifting stem. |
| US07946966B1 |
Leg extensions
This invention provides a device for increasing the apparent height of persons, such as may be called for in theatrical and cinematographic applications. The device enables active normal-appearing walking and other motion, and is sufficiently compact to be used under costumes, and sufficiently light to enable extended use. |
| US07946965B2 |
Hand-held walking stilts
A hand-held walking stilt comprising a base that contacts a walking surface, where the base has a foot stand to support a user's foot a set distance above the walking surface, where the foot stand defines an opening for a pole. The base also has at least one base flange extending into the opening. There is also a pole adapted to extend through the opening in the foot stand, and to extend above the base away from the walking surface, with the pole having at least one pole flange that interconnects with the base flange to hold the base and the pole together. |
| US07946964B2 |
Adjustable lateral instability feature for rowing simulator
One embodiment of a lateral roll simulating assembly is provided which is adapted to attach to existing rowing exercise machines. It permits the user to experience various levels of physiological disequilibrium when a lack of proper balance control induces a sideways tipping action during a rowing workout. This facilitates the desirable and advantageous development of correct proprioceptive balance response using appropriate core musculature while practicing the rowing motion on a suspended rowing exercise machine. The apparatus comprises two floor-mounted members secured to each end of a rowing exercise machine that support the rowing exercise machine in a suspended condition. This assembly simulates lateral instability around the metacenter of any of a variety of rowing shells on water by allowing the rowing exercise machine to roll freely around a variety of longitudinal axes. Other embodiments are described and shown. |
| US07946963B1 |
Exercise cycle
An exercise cycle includes a base frame having front and rear wheels and a seat slidably mounted thereon. A pair of pivotal foot pedals operate a steering mechanism to turn the front wheels toward the left or right. Between the foot pedals is a vertical support bar having a drive pawl at an upper end with a cable spirally wrapped thereabout. A handle affixed to the distal end of the cable is accessible by a rider resting in the seat. A drive chain encompasses a gear on a side of the pawl and a similar gear on the rear wheel axle. Accordingly, a rider sits on the seat, grasps the handle and places the feet on the foot pedals. By pushing with the legs and simultaneously pulling the cable, the rider propels the cycle while simulating the workout typically provided by a rowing machine. |
| US07946961B2 |
Exercise apparatus and methods
An exercise apparatus including a video display. In certain embodiments the apparatus includes an integrated platform. Memory within the apparatus contains a library of instructional exercise programs, such as yoga, Pilates, body toning and stretching routines. The apparatus may also connect to a network, such as the Internet to stream and/or download additional exercise programs. A user interface enables the user to select from available programs, which are shown on the video display. Audio for the programs may be provided via speakers or though headphones, which may be rechargeable and/or wireless. |
| US07946960B2 |
System and method for predicting athletic ability
A system for predicting athletic ability is disclosed. The system includes at least one device for measuring at least a first athletic parameter and a second athletic parameter, and a computer for calculating a performance score based upon the first athletic parameter and the second athletic parameter. The performance score is predictive of athletic ability. Methods of predicting athletic ability based upon a plurality of athletic parameters are also disclosed. |
| US07946954B2 |
Method for activating a freewheel function in a vehicle
A method for activating a freewheel function of a vehicle, where the vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary brake, an auxiliary braking control for controlling the braking power of the auxiliary brake between an auxiliary brake not-active position and at least one auxiliary brake active position, at least one engine, at least one wheel driven by the engine via an automated mechanical transmission, an accelerator pedal for controlling the driving torque of the engine. When deactivation of the auxiliary brake occurs due to manual positioning of the auxiliary braking control to the auxiliary brake not-active position, the freewheel function is automatically activated if a freewheeling condition is sensed. |
| US07946951B2 |
Vehicle, driving apparatus and control method of both
During a standstill, a prescribed rotation speed N3, which is lower than a prescribed rotation speed N2 used during a travel at a low vehicle speed, is set as a minimum rotation speed Nemin (S410), and when a demand for an idle operation has been made (S490), the minimum rotation speed Nemin is set as a target rotation speed Ne* and the value 0 is set as a target torque Te* (S500), whereby an engine is controlled. As a result of this, it is possible to improve the fuel consumption of a vehicle when the engine is operated at idle at standstill compared to a case where the engine is operated at idle at the minimum rotation speed Nemin for which the prescribed rotation speed N2 is set regardless of whether or not the vehicle is at a standstill. |
| US07946949B2 |
Eight speed automatic transmission
A transmission is disclosed 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. |
| US07946948B2 |
9-speed transmission
The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide nine forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes four planetary gear sets having six torque-transmitting devices and four fixed interconnections. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is continuously connected to at least one of the planetary gear members, and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The six torque-transmitting devices provide interconnections between various gear members, the transmission housing and with the input member, and are operated in combinations to establish at least nine forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio. |
| US07946946B2 |
Preloaded differentials
A preloaded differential includes may take the form of a hold-out ring type locking differential having a preloaded thrust assembly that may be insertable in the differential as a one-piece unit. The preloaded thrust assembly includes a pair of thrust members each having complimentarily shaped protruding and recessed portions that interlock after assembly to prevent rotation of the thrust members relative to one another. Further, one or more conical, disc-shaped springs may be located between the thrust members to bias the thrust members directly against side gears positioned within the differential to reduce or prevent radial movement of the side gears. In one embodiment, the thrust members include a friction and thrust contact surface that directly contacts the side gears and the springs are located within a region formed by the interlocking features of the thrust members. |
| US07946944B2 |
Electric continuously variable transmission and the driving method thereof
An electric continuously variable transmission comprises a first rotating plate (110) which is mounted to a first shaft and provided with a sun gear (112), a second rotating plate (120) to which a planetary gear unit (121) is mounted, and a third rotating plate (130) which is mounted to a second shaft, with a ring gear (132) provided on a circumferential inner surface of the third rotating plate. The transmission further includes a field unit (140) which has a first coil (114) wound around a plurality of cores (113) provided on the first rotating plate. The transmission further includes a generation coil unit (150) which has a second coil (124) wound around a plurality of cores (123) provided on the second rotating plate. |
| US07946943B2 |
Method and device for controlling an automatic transmission
The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission (100) comprising a single-stage planetary gear train (110) in combination with a two-stage planetary gear train (120), and provision being made for a brake band (B1) assigned to the large sun gear of the two-stage planetary gear train (110) and a brake coupling (B2) assigned to the planet carrier of the two-stage planetary gear train (120). In order to reduce idling vibrations, the brake band (B1) and the brake coupling (B2) are actuated simultaneously for at least some of the time during an operating state in which the internal combustion engine is idling. |
| US07946942B2 |
Power pivot device
A pivot assembly may include first and second subassemblies. The first subassembly may be adapted to be coupled to a frame member and rotationally fixed relative thereto. The first subassembly may include a latch mechanism displaceable between locked and unlocked positions. The second subassembly may be adapted to be coupled to the frame member and may be rotatable relative thereto. The second subassembly may include a power pivot assembly and a cam member. The power pivot assembly may be drivingly engaged with the cam member and operable to rotate the cam member in a first rotational direction to a first position where the cam member urges the latch mechanism into the unlocked position. |
| US07946930B1 |
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. |
| US07946927B2 |
Golf training aid
The present invention is for a golf training aid designed to teach a golfer the correct path to swing a golf club from the set up position to the top of the swing to impact and follow through. Specifically, this invention includes a golf training aid in the form of a tubular frame with adjustable poles, preferably made of light weight aluminum or PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The golf training aid trains a golfer by using a swing board which is set up at the correct shaft angle plane which guides the shaft of the club back approximately 18 inches. As a result of the slight friction between the swing board and the golf club shaft, the golfer will feel the correct path of their swing going back. Two shaft plane guides are provided at the waist height of the golfer. The shaft plane guides are adjustable and permit the golfer to identify their correct backswing and downswing. On the downswing, the golfer keeps the club below the shoulder plane guide and above the shaft plane guide and the swing board, thus putting the club into the correct downswing position. The club will return slightly above the swing board to impact and stay outside the follow through guide (shaft plane guide). |
| US07946925B2 |
Dynamic damper
A dynamic damper in which the inner diameter (D2) of a first hole part formed at the axial one end part of a body part overlapped with a weight part in the radial direction is set smaller than the inner diameter (D3) of a second hole part formed at the axial other end part of the body part not overlapped with the weight part in the radial direction and tightened with a band member (D3>D2). The outer diameter (D1) of a drive shaft to be press-fitted into the first and second hole parts is set larger than the inner diameter (D2) of the first hole part and the inner diameter (D3) of the second hole part (D1>D3>D2). |
| US07946918B2 |
Allowing media and gaming environments to effectively interact and/or affect each other
Techniques for allowing gaming and media environments to interact with which each other and/or affect each other are disclosed. The techniques are highly suitable for computing systems (or devices) that can execute games and/or present media. In one embodiment, a gaming environment can be determined and/or affected based on one or more aspects of a media environment. By way of example, gaming content and/or the gaming experience provided and/or suggested to an individual can be tailored based on his/her musical profile effectively obtained from the media environment associated with the individual (e.g., based on favorite songs, songs recently played, songs purchased). Similarly, a media environment can be determined and/or or affected by a gaming environment. By way of example, musical content provided and/or suggested to an individual can be based on his/her gaming profile (games played, games purchased, manner in which a game is played). In addition, an open media-gaming environment can be provided where various media and gaming components can be integrated together. By way of example, an individual can identify one or more of his favorite songs to be presented for a game. The game can be packaged and/or sold without the song(s) but configured to receive and effectively provide them for game play. |
| US07946916B2 |
Variable payout wager games
A central gaming server communicates with a gaming workstation over a network, such as a local area network or wide area computer network. The gaming server makes an initial determination of payout percentage for an instance of a game engaged in by the workstation, and generates results of turns of the game in accordance with the initial payout percentage. In one embodiment, the payout percentage is dynamically changed by the gaming server, and it generates additional results of turns of the game using the new payout percentage. Triggers for determining a new payout percentage could be that a predetermined number of turns of play at the initial payout percentage have occurred, the elapsing of a certain amount of time, or the player logging off the game and then logging back on. In further embodiments, the gaming workstation includes a processor and instructions for locally determining an initial payout percentage, the results of play, and dynamically changing the payout percentage without requiring communication with a central gaming server. |
| US07946910B2 |
Substantially simultaneous intermittent contest
Provided, inter alia, is a type of contest in which, at various intervals, geographically dispersed players attempt to answer the identical problem at substantially the same time. In representative embodiments, problems (typically, questions) are made available at seemingly random times throughout the day (or throughout some specified time interval), and players have the opportunity either to respond to the problem or (e.g., in the event that a given player is occupied when a particular problem arises) to pass on the current problem and wait for another one. In such embodiments, more questions are made available than the players are permitted to answer in accordance with the rules of the game, so that players have flexibility as to when they participate. |
| US07946908B2 |
Flexible louver opening adjustment mechanism for a pivoting combine harvester cleaning element
A cleaning element for a combine harvester having a plurality of cleaning element frames pivotable about parallel longitudinal axes. Each of the cleaning elements has a plurality of pivotal louvers connected to a longitudinal actuating element extending coaxially through the longitudinal pivoting axis of the cleaning frame. A ball joint connects the actuating element with an actuator so that pivoting of the louvers is accomplished independent of the pivoting of the cleaning element frame. |
| US07946904B1 |
Bra having supportive camisole
A bra having a cover panel in the appearance of a camisole uses a bra construction with bra cups, with relatively wide shoulder straps that meet in a generally U-shaped joinder. A pair of torso straps extend laterally from either side of the U-shaped joinder and connect to a respective one of the bra cups, one of the two straps being in two sections with the ends of the two sections each having one portion of a typical closure, such that the closure is located under an armpit of a wearer when the bra is donned. The cover panel attaches to a lower edge of the bra and has support straps that attach to the shoulder straps substantially along the length of the shoulder straps so that the cover panel, in addition to being decorative, provides additional confinement and lift to the breasts of the wearer. |
| US07946901B2 |
Figurine with selectable audio and visual perception
A figurine and method of use is having selectable personalization includes a doll having a head and torso, also a base disposed adjacent to the head, the base including a surrounding sidewall extending from a bottom portion to an opening defining a first interior that receives a first selected indicia. Further, a transparent cover including an outer periphery that is removably engaged from the sidewall opening. The cover having a first side and second side forming a concave profile to define a second interior portion, with the second side adjacent to the base when the cover and base are engaged, wherein the first and second interior portions form a chamber for the first indicia to be protectively and securely displayed. The base and cover engagement prevents unauthorized removal of the first indicia from the chamber by requiring a tool to separate the base and the cover. |
| US07946900B2 |
Fabrication method of discharge lamp
A fabrication method for discharge lamps is disclosed, which comprises providing a glass tube of diameter between 2 and 20 mm, the glass tube having an inner wall coated with a fluorescent phosphor and having a through-passage with a first end and a second end, connecting a first dielectric electrode to the first end of the glass tube by applying an adhesive to a contacted portion of the glass tube and the first dielectric electrode, and sintering the contacted portion of the glass tube and the first dielectric electrode to securely connect the glass tube and the first dielectric electrode. Subsequently, processes of filling and sealing are conducted to complete the fabrication of the discharge lamps. |
| US07946887B1 |
Combo electrical connector
An electrical connector assembly includes a first and a second electrical connector each having two connector ports. The first connector port of the first connector has an insulating mating tongue with a plurality of contacts thereon and an insulating protecting frame arranged side by side with the mating tongue along a longitudinal direction of the first connector and spaced away from the mating tongue. The second connector port is received in the protecting frame and has a shielding shell surrounding therearound. |
| US07946885B2 |
Step up pin for coax cable connector
A coaxial cable connector includes a step up pin that engages the center conductor of a coax cable to increase the diameter of the center conductor to thereby make it more manageable. The pin is stored with the connector until the pin and connector are affixed to a coax cable. |
| US07946872B2 |
Cable connector
A cable connector including a housing with an inserting hole adapted to receive a flat cable including terminals mounted on the housing that has contact parts to be electrically connected to lead wires of the flat cable. The connector includes an actuator having a main body moveable between a first position to enable insertion of the flat cable and a second position, parallel to the direction of insertion-and-extraction of the flat cable, to connect the lead wires of the flat cable to the contact parts. The actuator includes locked portions on opposite sides of the main body and the housing includes locking portions on opposite sides of the housing which are engaged with the locked portions when the actuator is in the second position. The locked portions include tip edges extending parallel to the direction of insertion-and-extraction of the flat cable when the actuator is in the second position and the locking portions include facing tip edges inclined to the direction of the insertion-and-extraction of the flat cable with the distance between facing tip edges of the locked portions being narrower at the inlet side of the inserting hole. The actuator is mounted to permit rearward shifting movement when the flat cable is not received within the inserting hole which displaces the relative alignment between locked portions and locking portions thereby permitting easier opening of the actuator for insertion of the cable while also providing a secure lock when connection is made with the flat cable. |
| US07946868B1 |
Power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable plug
A power adapter having a replaceable and rotatable plug has a body having an annular chamber, two conducting elements inside the annular chamber, four channels recessed on a top thereof to communicate with the annular chamber, and an engagement slot abutting each of the four channels; and a hollow plug having two intermediate conducting elements, a cylinder protruding beyond a bottom of the plug and received in the annular chamber, four arced holes communicating with an inner portion of the plug, four engagement blocks protruding from a cylindrical periphery to respectively correspond to the four channels and four engagement slots, and at least two prongs mounted on a top thereof, one end of each of the two prongs penetrating through the plug to electrically connect with corresponding intermediate conducting elements. Given the aforementioned structure, the plug can be replaced and selectively oriented with respect to the body. |
| US07946867B2 |
Card connector with a spring member for retaining an electrical card
A card connector includes an insulative housing (1) having a receiving space (10); a set of contacts (2) retained in the insulative housing and protruding into the receiving space for electrical connection to the electrical card; a metal spring member (3) having an arcuate locking arm (34) protruding toward the receiving space for retaining the electrical card in the receiving space; and a metal guiding member (4) having a guiding portion (41) extending along the front-to-back direction for guiding a lateral side of the electrical card and a resisting portion (44) extending from a back end of the guiding portion for resisting a front free end portion (34) of the locking arm outwardly. |
| US07946865B1 |
Connector pick-up cover
A pick-up cover adapted to be mounted to a connector which includes an L-shaped insulating body with a base body and a prop body perpendicularly extending upward, includes a pick-up board mounted on the connector, two clipping boards extending downward from two opposite ends of the pick-up board to clip the insulating body therebetween, and prop boards protruding downward from a front of a bottom surface of the pick-up board and abutting on the base body to strengthen the pick-up board. The pick-up board has a flat top surface for the convenience of the pick-up cover being picked up by a SMT machine. A bottom edge of the clipping board protrudes inward to form a locating barb buckled in an end outside of the base body. A locating portion protrudes at an inside of the clipping board and abuts against an end of a rear surface of the prop body. |
| US07946863B2 |
Circuit protection block
A protection block and method of use are disclosed. The protection block includes a rectangular housing having a front, a rear, and top, bottom, left, and right sides. The protection block also includes a plurality of sockets arranged in a two-dimensional array in the front of the housing, each of the plurality of sockets associated with two pairs of opposed, normally open contacts. Each of the plurality of sockets is arranged to receive an overvoltage protection plug that separately connects each of the two pairs of contacts. The protection block also includes a plurality of electrical connections in a second discrete region of the block separate from the first discrete region, the plurality of electrical connections electrically connected to the contacts. The protection block also includes a grounding bar associated with one or more of the sockets and positioned for electrical connection to a ground connection of an overvoltage protection plug when inserted into a socket. |
| US07946860B2 |
Electric junction box for a vehicle
An electric junction box for a vehicle is assembled by fitting and locking a connector through an aperture provided in a main case; the aperture being used for fitting the connector that holds a retainer at a temporary latch location, the retainer providing a double latch for a terminal; inserting and latching the terminal of an electric wire into the connector; and pushing the retainer into a full latch position. A recess for retainer operation is provided at a location facing the retainer and on a surrounding wall of the main case that surrounds the aperture. |
| US07946858B2 |
Electrical plug and socket connector and plug thereof
An electrical connector includes a socket assembly and a plug assembly. The socket assembly includes a socket. The plug assembly includes a supporting member, a plug, and at least one elastic member. The plug includes a front end capable of inserting into the socket and a back end opposite to the front end. The at least one elastic member is connected between the back end of the plug and the supporting member. |
| US07946856B2 |
Connector for interconnecting surface-mount devices and circuit substrates
The invention relates to a connector for electrically connecting at least one terminal arranged on a surface of a surface-mount device to a corresponding substrate contact of a circuit substrate. The connector for electrically includes at least one resilient electrically conductive interconnection element being connectable to the at least one substrate contact and configured to establish a releasable electrical contact with the at least one terminal, and a connector housing for mounting the at least one interconnection element. The interconnection element is affixed to the housing by means of a foil-shaped carrier. |
| US07946852B2 |
Electrical connector and method of manufacturing same
In one example, an electrical device comprises an electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises a housing comprising an interior perimeter, and a rotating section located at least partially within the interior perimeter of the housing. The rotating section comprises a section wall, a front face coupled to a first end of the section wall, a conductor set, and a prong set. The conductor set comprises a first conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a first distance from the front face, and a second conductor at least partially circumscribing a perimeter of the section wall at a second distance from the front face. The prong set comprises a first prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the first conductor, and a second prong protruding through the front face and coupled to the second conductor. The rotating section, including the conductor set and the prong set, is rotatable relative to the interior perimeter of the housing. Other examples and embodiments are described and claimed herein. |
| US07946848B2 |
Dispenser for low viscosity dental material
A dispenser made of a pliable material having a slit therein for dispensing primarily low viscosity materials. A block made of pliable foam contains a low viscosity material within a slit. Dental instruments or dental material applicators having an applicating end are inserted into the slit of the block, coating the applicator end with the low viscosity material. The resilient nature of the block material also helps to keep the dental instrument clean by wiping the instrument against the interior sides of the pocket formed by the slit. The present invention is particularly well suited for dispensing a lubricating material, such as a resin, on dental instruments used in working, shaping, or contouring a relatively viscous composite restorative material on a patient's tooth. |
| US07946840B2 |
Device and method for a layerwise manufacturing of a three-dimensional object
A device for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layer-wise solidification of a building material in powder form at positions in the respective layers corresponding to the object is disclosed. The device comprises: a container (25) arranged in the device; a support device (26), which can be vertically moved in the container, wherein the upper side of the support device (26) forms a building platform (78), on which the three-dimensional object is generated layer-wise; an application device (27) for applying building material in powder form onto the building platform and a previously solidified layer, respectively; and an energy source (6) that provides a beam (9) for solidifying the building material in powder form. In a region below the container (25) in the device (1) outlets (90) are provided, wherein from each of the outlets (90) a directed flow of a fluid medium escapes in a directed manner to peripheral regions of the container (25). |
| US07946838B2 |
Mold for forming optical lens
A mold includes a plurality of inserts, a molding board, a base board, a plurality of fastening members, and a plurality of washers. The inserts each has a molding surface. The molding board includes a plurality of cavities for accommodating of the respective inserts. The base board for mounting the molding board thereto has a plurality of receiving holes. The fastening members are respectively received in the corresponding receiving holes for securing the corresponding inserts in the corresponding cavities of the molding board. The washers are sandwiched between the respective fastening members and an opposite ends of the inserts to the molding surfaces. |
| US07946837B2 |
Imprint lithography
In an embodiment, an imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that includes a support structure configured support an imprint template, the imprint template having a neutral plane which substantially bisects the imprint template, and an actuator located in a position such that, when the imprint template is supported by the support structure, the actuator is located between the support structure and a side of the imprint template, wherein the actuator is configured to meet the imprint template at a location which is displaced from the neutral plane of the imprint template. |
| US07946831B2 |
Compressor for refrigerant
To improve a compressor for refrigerant, comprising an outer casing, a scroll compressor disposed in the outer casing, a drive unit, disposed in the outer casing, for the second compressor body, having an eccentric drive, a drive shaft running in lying arrangement or approximately horizontally in the outer casing and a drive motor, which includes a stator and a rotor seated on the drive shaft, as well as a lubricant supply, in such a manner that the minimum possible quantity of lubricant is required, it is proposed that a lubricant collection space is disposed in the outer casing, that the lubricant supply has a delivery wheel which delivers lubricant from a delivery sump into a feed space for the drive shaft, and that a lower pressure prevails in a lubricant delivery space accommodating the delivery sump than in the lubricant collection space, so that the lubricant which collects in the lubricant space, on account of the pressure difference, passes into the delivery sump. |
| US07946830B2 |
Transfer case pump bracket
A bracket for use with a fluid pump in a transfer case of a vehicle comprises a base member and a plurality of support members extending outwardly from the outer periphery of the base member, with each support member comprising at least one wall member. The base member is positioned within a fluid pump cavity of a transfer case housing when installed into the transfer case, where the fluid pump cavity includes a plurality of indent portions for receiving lugs extending from the fluid pump. Each support member is disposed within a separate indent portion with a wall member being positioned between the transfer case housing and a portion of a fluid pump lug received within the respective indent portion such that the wall members at least partially inhibit the respective lug portions from contacting the transfer case housing proximate the indent portions of the fluid pump cavity. |
| US07946826B1 |
Wind turbine rotor blade with a suction side winglet
A rotor blade for a wind turbine is disclosed. The rotor blade may comprise a root portion, a tip, and a body extending between the root portion and the tip. The body may include a pressure side and a suction side. Additionally, a winglet may be defined by the body. The winglet may terminate at the tip of the rotor blade and extend inwardly in a direction of the suction side of the body. Further, a bend may be defined in the body such that a portion of the body extends outwardly in a direction of the pressure side of the body. |
| US07946821B2 |
Steam turbine rotating blade
A rotating blade for a steam turbine includes a root section and an airfoil section contiguous with the root section. The airfoil section is shaped to optimize aerodynamic performance while providing optimized flow distribution and minimal centrifugal and bending stresses. The blade also includes a tip section continuous with the airfoil section, and a cover formed as part of the tip section. The cover defines a radial seal that serves to minimize tip losses. The rotating blade is capable of running at operating speeds between 5626 and 11250 rotations per minute. |
| US07946819B2 |
Wind turbine drive shaft connection arrangement
A connection arrangement for connecting drive shafts of a wind turbine including a rotor having a rotor shaft and a hub, and a gearbox having a gearbox input shaft is provided. The connection arrangement includes a first shaft connection means having a recessed portion arranged at the rotor shaft symmetrically to the axis of the rotor shaft, a second shaft connection means having a protruding portion arranged symmetrically to the axis of the gearbox input shaft, wherein the protruding portion of the second shaft connection means engages with the recessed portion of the first shaft connection means, and a fixing means for fixing the protruding portion of the first shaft connection means at the recessed portion of the second shaft connection means. A frictionally engaged connection is provided. |
| US07946818B2 |
Shock absorber for adjustable pitch propeller with feathering blades, particularly for sailers
The lifetime of plural shock absorbing resilient inserts of an adjustable pitch propeller with feathering blades may be increased. According to an embodiment, stops are implemented between metal surfaces that may be reached only in the event of shocks of great violence and following a certain elastic deformation of the shock absorbing inserts, which remain partially compressed. At the bottom of each circular cavity housing a respective annular insert of elastomer of the flange of a first cylindrical sleeve directly keyed on the drive shaft of the propeller a hole coaxial and of greater diameter than the diameter of a central hole of the annular insert and of the relative engaging pin is formed. Pins projecting from the face of the terminal flange of a second circular sleeve extend through the coaxially formed holes at the bottom of the respective circular cavities of the flange of the first sleeve. |
| US07946814B2 |
Wind turbine blade cleaning method
A method for cleaning the blades of a wind turbine using precipitation. The method includes determining the presence or absence of precipitation. In response to the determination of the presence of precipitation, adjusting the rotor speed to increase the speed of the blades and/or adjusting the variable pitch drive to increase the pitch of the blades. The combination of the increased blade speed and/or the increase blade pitch and the presence of precipitation facilitate the removal of debris from the blades by the precipitation. |
| US07946809B2 |
Exhaust-gas-turbine casing
The exhaust-gas turbine comprises a turbine casing, a shaft rotatably mounted in a bearing housing, a turbine wheel arranged on the shaft, and a heat-protection wall, the heat-protection wall defining with the turbine casing an inflow passage leading to the turbine wheel. The heat-protection wall has two seatings, the first seating resting on the bearing housing and the second seating resting on the turbine casing. If the heat-protection wall becomes hot, the two seatings are pressed against the bearing housing and the turbine casing. The turbine casing is pressed outward in the radial direction. Centering of the heat-protection wall and thus also of the turbine casing is ensured by the radially inner seating of the heat-protection wall. |
| US07946803B2 |
Rotor blade for a wind power system
The invention pertains to a rotor blade for a wind power system as well as a wind power system. The present invention is based on the objective of disclosing a rotor blade with a rotor blade profile and a corresponding wind power system that make it possible to improve the efficiency in comparison with arrangements known thus far. In the proposed rotor blade for a wind power system, the position of maximum thickness of the rotor blade lies approximately between 15% and 40%, preferably between 23% and 28%, and the maximum profile thickness lies approximately between 20% and 45%, preferably between 32% and 36%. |
| US07946797B2 |
Egg transport module
An egg transport system has an egg transport module (10) where eggs are stored on a plurality of shelves (20) on a transportable frame (30) with wheels (11).The module (10) is loaded or unloaded by a loader (50, 150) and unloader (70), both of which can be vertical aligned to enable loading/unloading of a selected one of the shelves (20). |
| US07946794B2 |
Quick fastening nut
Of application in processes of assembly by screwing between a plastic piece and a supporting base, for example a bodywork, from which a fastener stands out perpendicularly. It is constituted by a circular base and a hexagonal body traversed by a central drilled hole which passes through and has a main segment and an expansion in which are some slightly arched internal protuberances which constitute the fastening means for connection of the nut to the fastener after a slight rotation of or pressure from the former and it determines the fastening and provisional positioning of the plastic piece with respect to the supporting base prior to its screwing. During the screwing operation the cutting effect which the metal fastener applies on the plastic walls of the drilled hole gives rise to a thread. |
| US07946793B2 |
Apparatus for drilling colinear holes through concentric pipes
Apparatus for drilling holes through concentric pipes is provided. The apparatus clamps on the exterior pipe and contains drilling assemblies that may be used for drilling sequentially or simultaneously two colinear holes. |
| US07946791B2 |
Arrangement of sheet-pile components
An arrangement of sheet-pile wall components includes two sheet-pile wall sections. The ends of the two sheet-pile wall sections are arranged. Their locks are hooked into two lock profiles of a connecting profile which is hooked via a third lock profile into the lock of an anchorage. The respective other ends of the sheet-pile wall sections are secured such that each of the two sheet-pile wall sections partially encloses a region. At least one of the lock profiles and the lock of the sheet-pile wall component of the anchorage in engagement therewith are configured in such a way that the lock profile of the connecting profile and the lock in engagement therewith are hooked one inside the other and grip around one another. As viewed in cross section, they bear on one another and are supported against one another by at least three points in at least one installed position. |
| US07946790B2 |
Installation comprising at least two bottom-surface connections for at least two undersea pipes resting on the sea bottom
A bottom-surface connection installation for at least two undersea pipes resting on the sea bottom, the installation comprising: a first hybrid tower having a vertical riser anchored to a first base and connected to an undersea pipe resting on the sea bottom and having its top end connected to a first float below the surface, and a first connection pipe, preferably a flexible pipe, providing a connection between a floating support and the top end of said riser; and at least one second rigid pipe rising from the sea bottom where it rests or from a second undersea pipe resting on the sea bottom and to which its bottom end that is not anchored to said first base is connected, up to below the surface, where its top end is connected to a second float situated at substantially the same depth as said first float, and fastened to said first float to at least one respective said connection pipe that is flexible and serves to connect it to the same said floating support. |
| US07946789B2 |
Waste water electrical power generating system with storage system and methods for use therewith
A method for selectively generating electrical power uses waste water gravity flow to generate electrical power. An electrical power generator is driven to generate electrical power in response to the waste. A portion of the electrical power generated by the at least one electrical power generator can be stored and tapped later to supplement the output of the electrical power generator. A portion of the waste water flow can be stored and tapped later to supplement the waste water flow. |
| US07946788B2 |
Road construction machine, leveling device, as well as method for controlling the milling depth or milling slope in a road construction machine
In a road construction machine (1) for the treatment of road surfaces with a milling drum (3) height-adjustable with regard to the milling depth, with a leveling device (4) with at least one controller (6a, 6c) which receives set values for the milling depth and/or the slope of the milling drum (3), and with at least one exchangeable sensor (A, B, C) or with several switchable sensors for registering the current actual value of the milling depth and/or the slope of the milling drum (3) relative to a reference surface, where the controller (6a, 6c) effects a milling depth control and/or a slope control for the milling drum (3) conditional on pre-determined set values and the currently measured actual values of the at least one sensor (A, B, C) by returning an adjustment value for achieving or maintaining the set value during the milling operation, where the leveling device (4) is provided with an indication and setting device (2) for indicating and setting operating parameters for the at least one sensor (A, B, C), it is provided that the indication and setting device (2) of the leveling device (4), in addition to an indication and setting unit (2a, 2c) provided for the at least one sensor (A, C) currently in use, is provided with an additional indication and setting unit (2b) for a selectable sensor (B) that is to be exchanged for the sensor (A, C) currently in use. |
| US07946785B2 |
Blocking bodies against vehicles having wheels
A blocking system or blocking body (1) is provided that is composed of at least four means or members (2) that have a common base (3) and in the transport state are pivoted upwards so that the tips (2.1) of all means (2) lie in one plane, wherein the means (2) in the active state are orientated in such a way that at least three tips (2.1) form contact points (9) on a surface (8) and at least the fourth means (2) pointing upwards penetrates one of the wheels when it is run over. This type of crow's foot (blocking body (1)) can be delivered by means of a thrower or by depositing it into the terrain in which the vehicles are situated, and whose continued travel is to be prevented. |
| US07946777B2 |
Multi-refill writing instrument
A multi-refill writing instrument includes a barrel, writing bodies accommodated in the barrel so as to be movable back and forth, elastic bodies urging the writing bodes backward, operating bodies connected to rear ends of the corresponding writing bodies and window holes formed in a side wall of the barrel so as to extend in the axial direction. The operating bodies protrude from the barrel to an outside through the window holes in the radial direction, one of the operating bodies slides forward along the window hole so that a nib of the writing body connected to the one operating body protrudes from the barrel through a front hole, and a nib of another writing body in a protruding state is retracted into the barrel, and the writing bodies and the operating bodes are pulled out from the barrel and inserted into the barrel. |
| US07946776B2 |
Medium feed control method for preventing overlap-feed of recording media
A sheet feeding procedure supplies recording media from a medium enclosing portion to a medium conveying path. An overlap-feed detecting procedure monitors a thickness of recording media supplied to the medium conveying path, thereby detecting the overlap-feed media. Sheet returning procedures (A) and (B) return the overlap-feed media into the medium enclosing portion when the overlap-feed media are detected. A looseness forming procedure applies rotational forces of different rotation speeds to upper and lower surfaces of the overlap-feed media during the medium returning procedure, thereby forming a looseness in the overlap-feed media. A medium re-feeding procedure supplies again the returned recording media to the medium conveying path from the medium enclosing portion. In the medium feed control, the overlap-feed can be further certainly recovered. |
| US07946774B2 |
Folding keyboard with numeric keypad
A folding keyboard is set forth with a numeric keypad, and one fold line located between the edge of a standard continuous space bar and the edge of the numeric keypad. Preferably, the keyboard further includes left and right top cases, supporting inexpensive rubber dome switches, left and right bottom cases, membrane sheets with circuit traces connecting keyboard electronics to contact points under each key, two hinge screws or rivets (or the like) that hold the left and right sides of the keyboard together at the hinges, and a locking mechanism to keep the case closed when folded shut. |
| US07946772B2 |
Monitoring camera
Provided is a monitoring camera including a base which is fixable and installable on a structure; a housing which is attachable to and detachable from the base; a hooking member which is disposed on the base so as to fix the housing with the base; a button member of which one end is exposed outside the housing and the other end is hinge-combinable with the housing in the housing; and a mounting unit which is fixedly attached to the hooking member so as to attach the housing to the base. The housing may be detached from the base by manipulating the button member which may detach the hooking member from the mounting unit. |
| US07946770B2 |
Hydrodynamic bearing device
A hydrodynamic bearing device has favorable bearing performance and long endurance life. A thrust bearing part of the hydrodynamic bearing device has a second thrust surface. In the second thrust surface, a dynamic pressure generating groove area having a plurality of dynamic pressure generating grooves is formed in at least a part thereof in a radial direction. The action of dynamic pressure of lubricating oil increases the pressure in a thrust bearing clearance between an end of a flange part of an axial member and the second thrust surface, to support the axial member in an axial direction in a non-contact manner. The dynamic pressure generating groove area of the second thrust surface is formed by press working. The difference in height between the inner and outer peripheral edges of the surface of the dynamic pressure generating groove area regulated between or equal to 0 and 2 μm. |
| US07946763B2 |
Multi-layered thermal sensor for integrated circuits and other layered structures
A compact resistive thermal sensor is provided for an integrated circuit (IC), wherein different sensor components are placed on different layers of the IC. This allows the lateral area needed for the sensor resistance wire on any particular IC layer to be selectively reduced. In a useful embodiment, a plurality of first linear conductive members are positioned in a first IC layer, in spaced-apart parallel relationship with one another. A plurality of second linear conductive members are similarly positioned in a second IC layer in spaced-apart parallel relationship with one another, and in orthogonal relationship with the first linear members or in parallel with existing wiring channels of the second IC layer. Conductive elements respectively connect the first linear members into a first conductive path, and the second linear members into a second conductive path. A third conductive element extending between the first and second layers connects the first and second conductive paths into a single continuous conductive path, wherein the path has a resistance that varies with temperature. A device responsive to an electric current sent through the continuous path determines temperature of the path from the path resistance. Two or more of the thermal sensors could be connected in series, for use in measuring critical IC circuits. |
| US07946762B2 |
Thermocouple
A thermocouple for use in a semiconductor processing reactor is described. The thermocouple includes a sheath having a measuring tip at one end and an opening at the other end. A support member having bores formed along the length is disposed within the sheath. A pair of wires formed of dissimilar metals are disposed within the bores, and one end of the wires is fused together to form a junction. The wires extend along the length of the bores. As the wires exit the bore, they are spatially or physically separated to prevent a short circuit therebetween. The ends of the wires exiting the bore are also free to thermally expand in the longitudinal manner, thereby reducing or eliminating the potential for the wires to fail due to grain slip. |
| US07946761B2 |
Shrinkable dispensing container for probe covers
This invention relates to a shrinkable dispensing container for probe covers of an ear thermometer. Therein, the ear thermometer probe cover refers to a product having a hollow body and a flange. The dispensing container for probe covers of an ear thermometer comprises a main body for accommodating a plurality of stacked probe covers and an access opening formed at one end of the main body for allowing an ear thermometer probe to insert into the probe cover in the main body. The present invention is characterized by a bottom portion formed at another end of the main body opposite to the access opening for supporting all the probe covers stacked within the main body. The main body is primarily composed of a plurality of member portions wherein each of the member portions comprises at last a bending portion so that when the member portion receives a compressing force acting along a lengthwise direction thereof, the bending portion is bent and contracted accordingly, and thereby causes the main body to be shrunk along a lengthwise direction thereof. An abutting component is disposed in the main body adjacent to the access opening to abut against the annular flange of the probe cover for preventing the probe cover from falling when there is no force acting on the probe covers of an ear thermometer. |
| US07946753B2 |
Rotatable mixing device and dynamic mixing method
The present invention generally relates to a rotatable mixing device, a dynamic mixing apparatus, and a high throughput workflow system and dynamic mixing method employing the same. |
| US07946744B2 |
Projector and image pickup apparatus
Light generated at a specific wavelength corresponding to a particular color or color range that is distracting or disruptive to a driver during a normal operation is blocked through an inexpensive construction without blocking light in a required range of wavelengths. A projector is constructed such that a plurality of LEDs are arranged in an array configuration. The LEDs can include a tinge of red reduction LED and near-infrared LEDs. The projector can be installed in a vehicle and disposed in proximity to the camera. In some embodiments, the projector can be controlled by a control circuit to be turned on in conjunction with the shutter of a camera. |
| US07946743B2 |
Vehicle lamp assembly
A vehicle lamp assembly includes a first lamp section and a second lamp section, which are disposed inside a lamp chamber defined by a lamp body and a front cover. The first lamp section includes a light source and a reflector which reflects light from the light source. The second lamp section includes a first light emitting device, a second light emitting device, a light guide member, and an optical component. The light guide member includes a base end face from which the light guide member extends in a strip shape along the front cover, a functional portion having a diffusing front surface which emits light from a first light emitting device, and a decorative portion having an internally reflecting rear surface which reflects light from a second light emitting device. A light emitting area of the decorative portion is larger than that of the functional portion. The optical component is disposed on a rear side of the functional portion to guide the light from the first light emitting device toward the diffusing front surface. The light emitted from the second light emitting device is incident on the base end face. |
| US07946739B2 |
Oven mitt with sound, light and video
A hand protective cooking apparatus, usually referred to an Oven Mitt and/or Pot Holder, including a combination of sound, light and video electric generating devices, including a power source, grouped as an electronic assembly secured into the body of the hand protective cooking apparatus. Sound, light and video combinations generated by the hand protective cooking apparatus, may entertain, inform, advertise and illuminate. A programmed sound chip, radio, MP3 player, television and Walkie-Talkie maybe embedded in the electronic assembly. Furthermore, the hand protective cooking apparatus has thematically integrated sounds, visuals, fabric design and a removable attached greeting card to strengthen the entertaining, informational, advertising, promotional, souvenir and gift value. |
| US07946737B2 |
LED illumination device and light engine thereof
An LED illumination device includes an optical section, an electrical section, and a heat dissipation section provided with a heat dissipation device. The heat dissipation device includes a hollow metal tube, a plurality of metal fins extending from the metal tube, a bottom cover plate and a top cover plate respectively sealing a bottom and a top of the metal tube, and a tubular member received in the metal tube and axially defining a vapor passage channel therethrough. A condensing chamber is defined between the metal tube and the tubular member. An evaporating chamber is defined between the bottom of the tubular member and the bottom cover plate. A vapor chamber is defined between the top of the tubular member and the top cover plate. A porous wick is received in the evaporating chamber and attached to the bottom cover plate. A working fluid is saturated in the porous wick. |
| US07946734B2 |
Low up-light cutoff acorn style luminaire
A low upright cutoff classification acorn style luminaire is described. The acorn style luminaire has a globe which has a top positioned thereon and which is mounted to a pole. Integrated within the luminaire is the lamp support and lamp, the lamp substantially surrounded and enclosed by a reflector. The interior surface of the globe has a plurality of substantially vertically extending prisms along a curved surface thereof, the prisms working in conjunction with the reflector to provide cutoff classification for the acorn style luminaire. |
| US07946733B2 |
Discharge lamp and light-source apparatus
A discharge lamp (10) has a fixing base (20) on one end. In some embodiments, the fixing base comprises a cylindrical first body portion (21) having a pair of notches (21H), a cylindrical second body portion being larger than the diameter of the first body portion and having a joint (23H), and a groove portion (25) formed in between the first and second body portion and having an equal or less diameter of a space of the pair of notches. A first body portion and a stepped surface (21B) of the groove portion is contacted to a base surface of a lamp holder (50) when the fixing base is inserted to the lamp holder. |
| US07946731B1 |
Power LED channel letter lighting module
Light Emitting Diode (LED) modules that generally comprise a) a frame or housing, b) a circuit board that comprises a solid state circuit and is mounted on the frame or in the housing, c) one or more LEDs connected to the solid state circuit and d) at least one of the following: i) a heat sink that extends outboard (e.g., outside the outer boundaries of) the housing or frame; and/or ii) a power regulator which controls power dissipation over load and line variations and/or a pulse regulation circuit which to regulates current pulses in the LEDs in the unfiltered full wave unregulated 60 cycle Hz alternating current (AC). These LED modules may be connected to one another in series and my operate on AC current. In some embodiments, these LED modules are used for channel letter lighting and other illuminated signage applications. |
| US07946729B2 |
Fluorescent tube replacement having longitudinally oriented LEDs
An LED-based light for replacing a conventional fluorescent tube in a fixture is provided. The LED-based light includes an elongate light transmitting rod defining a bore and at least one LED positioned at one or both ends of the rod and oriented to produce light longitudinally into a portion of the rod radially outward of the bore. At least one connector is physically coupled to an end of the rod and electrically coupled to the at least one LED. The at least one connector is adapted for physical and electrical connection to the fixture. In operation, the directional light produced by the at least one LED is dispersed by way of reflection, refraction, and/or diffusion while traveling longitudinally through the rod to reduce the appearance of bright spots. |
| US07946728B2 |
Combination signal receiving device
A combination signal receiving device includes a printed circuit board, a light source, a light cover, a receiving cover, and at least one signal receiver. The light source is mounted on the printed circuit board. The light cover is lighttight except a light transmissive logo. The light cover covers the light source. The receiving cover surrounds the light cover. The signal receiver is mounted on the printed circuit board beneath the receiving cover, configured for receiving outside signal passing through the receiving cover. Light emitted by the light source is incapable of reaching the signal receiver. The combination signal receiving device does not negatively influence the appearance of an electronic apparatus. |
| US07946724B2 |
Surface light source using white light emitting diodes and liquid crystal display backlight unit having the same
There is provided a surface light source using white light emitting diodes including: a plurality of white light emitting diodes arranged at a predetermined distance from one another, wherein the white light emitting diodes are arranged such that a light emitting diode unit defined by each of the white light emitting diodes and corresponding ones of the white light emitting diodes disposed at a closest distance from the each white light emitting diode has a central light amount ranging from 80% to 120% with respect to an average light amount of the white light emitting diodes. |
| US07946718B2 |
System and method for optical calibration of a picture modulator
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for optical calibration of a picture modulator. More specifically, there is provided a video unit (10) comprising a modulator (18) configured to modulate a projection lens assembly (16) between a first position and a second position, a photodiode assembly (22) configured to produce a first voltage corresponding to a first pixel pattern generated when the projection lens assembly (16) is in the first position and to produce a second voltage corresponding to a second pixel pattern when the projection lens assembly (16) is the second position, and a video control system (26) configured to adjust the location of the second position based on the first and second voltages. |
| US07946715B2 |
Light source and projector
A light source includes an discharge lamp including a first electrode and a second electrode emitting light by discharge between them, a drive unit performing a steady operation which supplies steady energy to the first and second electrodes and an initial operation which supplies energy to the first and second electrodes with an operation different from the steady operation before performing the steady operation, a determination unit determining states of the discharge lamp and a data storage unit storing plural initial power feeding conditions provided corresponding to states of the discharge lamp as examples of the initial operation and plural steady power feeding conditions provided corresponding to the states of the discharge lamp as examples of the steady operation, in which the drive unit performs the initial operation in any one of conditions selected from the plural initial power feeding conditions according to a determination result by the determination unit and performs the steady operation in any one of conditions selected from the plural steady power feeding conditions according to a determination result by the determination unit. |
| US07946713B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus, comprises a filter unit 33 attached on an air inlet opening 28a, having such a filter 36 that a suction negative load generating at the air inlet opening 28a formed in an upper cabinet 3 comes to be smaller than the suction load generating at gaps 29a and 30a defined in the upper cabinet 3, when driving a cooling unit 18, for sucking an air from the upper cabinet 3 and discharging the air used for cooling into the upper cabinet 3, when cooling down optical parts, such as, display devices 15R, etc., and a polarizing plate 16R, etc., of an optic unit 9. |
| US07946712B2 |
Projector apparatus equipped with a structure capable of shielding radiation and dissipating heat from a light source
A projector apparatus equipped with a metal plate structure serving as a light shield against a light source and as a heat radiator is provided. The metal plate structure is arranged over the light source to hide the light source. The metal plate structure extends farther to a cooling fan and connects to the upper end of the air expiration face of the fan. The metal plate structure thus serves as the top plate of the baffle section of the exhaust duct of the fan for leading the air expired from the fan. The metal plate structure also serves as a shield plate, which can be connected to a grounded metal piece. |
| US07946706B2 |
Lens assembly for vitreoretinal surgery
This invention is directed towards ophthalmic lenses used to assist during vitreoretinal surgery. More specifically, it is directed towards ophthalmic lenses that are constructed to generate a high-resolution image of the retinal surface during surgery while maintaining a minimal mechanical envelop all while using materials and assembly methods compatible with autoclave sterilization techniques. |
| US07946705B1 |
Rechargeable illuminated eyeglasses
This invention relates to a rechargeable illuminated eyeglasses, in which two temple arms are respectively hinged on both sides of a frame and a rechargeable lighting apparatus is provided in the interior of at least one temple arm. A light emitting body is disposed in front end of the temple arm such that the direction of light beam emitted from the light emitting body is in conformity with user's view direction. The rechargeable lighting apparatus comprises a light emitting body, a control switch, a battery and an USB slot. Configuring like this, the battery is recharged with electricity through the USB slot so that undesired battery replacement step can be eliminated to achieve environment protection purpose of reuse of battery. |
| US07946702B2 |
Printer incorporating partially arcuate printhead
A printer is provided which has a housing having an upper cover, a lower cover, a first side wall and a second, opposed side wall; a print engine housed within the housing, the print engine having two pairs of print heads arranged in opposed relationship across a print media feed path, each of the print heads having an arcuate portion in the vicinity of the print media feed path; an inlet roller assembly for feeding media into the housing; and an exit roller assembly for feeding the media out of the housing. The arcuate portion of each print head has a radius of curvature approximating that of the inlet roller. |
| US07946698B2 |
Ink jet recording method and ink jet recording device
An ink jet recording method comprising: applying an undercoating liquid containing a monomer represented by the formulae (I) or (II) onto a recording medium; partially curing the undercoating liquid that has been applied onto the recording medium; and recording an image by ejecting an ink that is curable by irradiation with actinic energy onto the partially cured undercoating liquid. In formulae (I) and (II), R1 represents a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, or alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; X1 represents a divalent linking group; R2 and R3 represent a substituent; n represents an atom group that is necessary for formation of a cyclic hydrocarbon structure that may contain —C(O)— and/or —C(O)O— together with a hydrocarbon linkage; k represents an integer of from 1 to 6; and q and r represent an integer of from 0 to 5, and wherein k, q and/or r are 2 or more, two or more of R1, X1, R2 and/or R3 may be the same as or different from each other. |
| US07946696B2 |
Ink cartridges and ink supply systems
An ink supply system includes an ink cartridge and an cartridge accommodating portion. An ink cartridge includes a cartridge case forming an ink chamber, an ink supply portion, and an air intake portion. The cartridge case includes a front face, a rear face opposite the front face, and a particular face connected to each of the front face and the rear face. The particular face has an opening formed therethrough. The ink supply portion is positioned at the front face and configured to supply ink. The air intake portion is configured to introduce air from the outside of the ink cartridge to the ink chamber. The air intake portion includes a valve, a valve seat, an urging, and an operation member. The cartridge accommodating portion has an accommodating chamber having a wall contacting an operation member. |
| US07946694B2 |
Liquid ejecting apparatus
A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a flow channel unit, having a liquid flow channel for supplying a liquid stored in a liquid cartridge; and a plurality of cartridge holders, including a first cartridge holder and a second cartridge holder adjacent to each other, and attached to the flow channel unit while the cartridge holders are arranged in a first direction, each of the cartridge holders adapted to hold the liquid cartridge and having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion. The first engaging portion of the first cartridge holder and the second engaging portion of the second cartridge holder are engageable with each other to lock the first and second cartridge holders, and the first engaging portion of the first cartridge holder and the second engaging portion of the second cartridge holder are disengageable from each other to unlock the first and second cartridge holders when one of the first and second cartridge holders is moved in a second direction that is apart from the flow channel unit. |
| US07946691B2 |
Deflection device including expansion and contraction regions
A method of printing and a printhead are provided. The printhead includes a nozzle array having a width; a gas flow source; and a gas flow duct in fluid communication with the gas flow source. The gas flow duct includes an expansion region and a compression region. The expansion region of the gas flow duct gradually expands along its cross sectional length to at least the width of the nozzle array. The compression region of the gas flow duct gradually contracts along its cross sectional length. |
| US07946689B2 |
Diaphragm plate with partially-etched port
A printhead has an aperture plate on a front side of the printhead, a diaphragm plate on a back side of the printhead, a body intermediate the aperture plate and the diaphragm plate, a chamber disposed within the body, a port boundary defining a port area, the port boundary disposed on the diaphragm plate and adjacent the chamber, a peripheral partially-etched region coinciding with a first portion of the port boundary, and a peripheral non-etched region coinciding with a second portion of the port boundary, wherein the port boundary is fractured at the partially etched peripheral portion and bent at the non-etched peripheral portion, the non-etched peripheral portion structured to prevent separation of the diaphragm plate and a leaflet defined by the partial-etched portion. |
| US07946688B2 |
Recording head and recording apparatus
A recording head includes a recording element substrate having a discharge port facilitating discharging a liquid droplet, an energy generating element configured to generate energy for liquid discharge, and a supply opening facilitating supplying the discharge port with a liquid. The recording head also has a support member having a supply path formed by laminating a plurality of plate-shaped members including an opening portion. The support member supports the recording element substrate and includes a chamber communicating with the supply path and adapted to hold air. |
| US07946683B2 |
Printing system particle removal device and method
A printing system includes a liquid source including a liquid with the liquid including particles. An acoustic transducer is associated with the liquid source. A controller is operably associated with the acoustic transducer and is configured to actuate the acoustic transducer to generate a standing sound wave including a nodal point in the liquid such that the particles are caused to move toward the nodal point of the standing sound wave. |
| US07946680B2 |
Liquid discharging apparatus and method for manufacturing liquid discharging apparatus
There is provided a head including a chip 10 that has a semiconductor substrate 11, heating elements 12 disposed on the semiconductor substrate 11, coating layers 14 disposed on the semiconductor substrate 11 and having nozzles 14a arranged in regions above the respective heating elements 12, and individual channels 14b each communicating with the outside and the region above the corresponding heating element 12, wherein the semiconductor substrate 11 does not have a through hole communicating with each individual channel 14b; a ink feed member 21 having a common channel 21b, the ink feed member 21 being bonded to the chip 10 in such a manner that the common channel 21b communicates with the individual channels 14b; and a top 22 disposed on the chip 10 and the ink feed member 21 so as to seal the opening of the common channel 21b. |
| US07946678B2 |
Printing apparatus and data processing method
In the case where a multipass printing and an interlace printing are used together, the present invention enables outputting an image of good quality independently of the relation between the number of passes in the multipass printing and increase in the resolution in the sub-scanning direction through the interlace printing. Data processing is executed while pixels of inputted image data are made to correspond to two or more rasters in the sub-scanning direction, so that the dots are arranged in these rasters at a substantially equal rate, in the case where the number of print scannings to be executed multiple times is not an integral multiple of the number of rasters. |
| US07946676B2 |
Liquid droplet ejection device, liquid droplet ejection method, manufacturing method of electro-optical device, electro-optical device and electronic equipment
A liquid droplet ejection device for ejecting a liquid from a nozzle of a head to a workpiece, the liquid droplet ejection device including: a table for loading the workpiece; a first shifting section capable of shifting the table in a first direction and in a second direction approximately intersecting the first direction at a right angle; a plurality of carriages having the head; and a second shifting section capable of positioning each of the carriages by mutually shifting each of the carriages along the second direction. |
| US07946671B2 |
Inkjet printer for photographs
A photo printer that prints 6″×4″ photos that has a stationary printhead. The printhead has a plurality of color channels, each color channel comprising at least one nozzle row extending along the length of said printhead, each nozzle in a color channel ejecting the same colored ink. The photo printer also has means for continuously moving 6″×4″ paper sheets past the printhead and during use, all firing nozzles of each color channel selected for one line of printing are fired within about 200 microseconds. |
| US07946670B2 |
Inkjet printer with a replaceable quality-assured ink cartridge
An inkjet printer includes a replaceable ink cartridge. The ink cartridge stores ink to be printed. The ink cartridge includes a quality assurance (QA) integrated circuit (IC) containing cartridge data. A controller unit is configured to read the cartridge data from the QA IC and then sets the print speed of the printer using the cartridge data. |
| US07946669B2 |
Aligning apparatus
An apparatus to align a substrate and a print head having a plurality of orifices so as to perform a printing operation by ejecting ink on the substrate comprises a camera unit provided between the substrate and the print head to photograph the plurality of orifices of the print head and the substrate so as to align the print head and the substrate, and a camera moving part to movably support the camera unit and to move the camera unit between the substrate and the print head. Thus, the aligning apparatus has a simple configuration that may be easily installed and may be controlled precisely. The aligning apparatus may also be used with opaque substrates. |
| US07946668B2 |
Printing on a rotating surface
In some examples, a printing system including a rotating platen having an axis of rotation and configured to support a substrate, and a printhead configured to eject drops in a direction parallel with the axis of rotation onto the substrate supported by the rotating platen. |
| US07946664B2 |
Corrugated shelf
A shelf unit includes a back wall having first and second end sections. First and second side walls extend outwardly from and in general perpendicular relation to the end sections of the back wall. Each side wall includes at least one first slot. The back wall and first and second side walls are formed from a first board made of a corrugated material. At least one first shelf formed from a second board made of a corrugated material extends between the first and second side walls. The first shelf has opposing end sections which project through the first slot of each side wall for securing the first shelf to the first and second side walls without the need of associated fasteners. The first slot has the same shape as a cross-sectional shape of the first shelf. |
| US07946662B2 |
Link for connecting track shoe of crawler belt, assembly for crawler belt, and crawler belt
A track shoe connecting link 25 has shaft holes 31, 32 at both end portions. In the track shoe connecting link 25, a plurality of insertion holes 39 are formed between the shaft holes 31, 32, and window holes 40, 41 are formed so as to correspond to each insertion hole 39. A bolt 43 is inserted through each of the insertion holes 39 and a nut 44 is screwed onto a distal end of the bolt 43 in each of the window holes 40, 41. Accordingly, the track shoe connecting link 25 is fixed to a track shoe 26. The area of the window hole 41 that is adjacent to the second shaft hole 32 is greater than the area of the window hole 40. Accordingly, the rigidity of the track shoe connecting link 25 becomes smaller toward the second shaft hole 32. |
| US07946661B1 |
Sprocket hub mounted guard
A guard for a crawler type land vehicles having a frame, a final drive on each side of the frame, the final drive including a spindle housing with a flange bolted to the frame and a sprocket hub rotationally supported on the spindle housing, a track sprocket on the sprocket hub, the spindle housing and hub establishing a small gap to form a mechanical shield to protect a rotational seal within the space enclosed by the spindle housing and sprocket hub, the guard being adapted to be assembled radially outward of the mechanical shield, the guard having a circular shell member for bolting to an inside face of the sprocket hub and extending axially in one piece across substantially all of the distance between the spindle flange and the sprocket hub, the guard shell having an internal circumferential groove, a circular radial flange for mounting in the space between the spindle flange and the sprocket hub, the guard shell being diametrally split whereby it can be radially assembled around the spindle flange with the radial flange closely fitting within the groove to form a stepped gap for excluding debris including strand material from a zone within the guard shell. |
| US07946660B2 |
Electronic compressed-air system
An electronic compressed-air system includes a compressed-air supply part having a compressor and a consumer part having load circuits. The load circuits are supplied with compressed-air via solenoid valves. At least one load circuit is provided with a pressure reservoir. The pressure in the load circuits is monitored by pressure sensors, whose signals are evaluated by an ECU that controls the solenoid valves. The load circuits include service-brake circuits having a compressed-air reservoir, secondary load circuits and a high-pressure circuit, wherein the solenoid valves of the service-brake circuits and the solenoid valves of the secondary load circuits are open in a de-energized normal state and the solenoid valve of the high-pressure circuit is closed in the de-energized normal state. |
| US07946657B2 |
Retention for an insert
A degradation assembly for attachment to a driving mechanism used for degrading a formation. The degradation assembly includes both a cutting structure and a tensioning element adapted to connect the cutting structure to the driving mechanism. The tensioning element includes a body having a engaging structure adapted to engage with the cutting structure on a first end, a thread adapted to engage with the driving mechanism proximate a second end, a necked region between the engaging structure and the thread which is operable to break when acted upon by a predetermined tensile force, and a torque member extending from the engaging structure that engages with the cutting structure to transfer torque between the cutting structure and the body, and which torque member is operable to break when acted upon by a predetermined torque. |
| US07946651B2 |
Mechanism for adjusting the inclination of backrests in chairs and arm-chairs, particularly in office chairs
The invention relates to a mechanism for an office chair or arm-chair, in which control means for the backrest inclination and spring means for biasing the backrest to the position of minimum inclination are provided, in which at least one stepped stop block can be moved in a controlled manner, a step of said block being suitable to interfere with a member connected to the backrest when the same is being inclined, in order to limit the stroke of said member between the position of minimum inclination of the backrest and a position of interference of the member connected to the backrest with a selected one of the block steps. The invention also relates to a method for transforming a locking mechanism to an end-of-stroke mechanism. |
| US07946648B2 |
Panel device for a sliding roof arrangement of a vehicle
The invention relates to a panel device for a sliding roof arrangement of a vehicle, having a panel element for closing a gap between a frame of the sliding roof arrangement and an externally-guided sliding cover when the latter is situated in a ventilator position, having a holding element in which the panel element can be at least partially held, having an actuating element which deploys the panel element relative to the holding element in a first direction, and having force absorbing means, by means of which a force which acts in a second direction perpendicularly on a side of the panel element and perpendicularly to the first direction can be absorbed. |
| US07946647B2 |
Device for covering a recess formed in a covering strip
A device for covering a recess (4) formed in a covering strip (5) has a flap (3), which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis, and a bearing arrangement for holding the flap (3) in bearing regions on the end side. There are journals (15, 16) with resilient fork limbs (18, 19) on the end side, wherein at least one fork limb (18, 19) is designed with a latching lug (20) on the end side. Furthermore, bearing sleeves (7, 8) are formed which each have a journal-receiving space (9) which extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the flap (3) and into which a journal (15, 16) can be fitted until it engages behind an edge side of the bearing sleeve (7, 8) by way of a latching lug (20). |
| US07946645B2 |
Vehicle body front portion structure
A vehicular body front portion structure includes a cowl panel and a dash panel that extends below the cowl panel. The cowl panel has a concave body with an opening formed on the upper side when viewed from the side of the vehicle body. The concave body is formed from a front plate portion, a bottom plate portion, and a rear plate portion. The cowl panel is spot-welded to the front plate portion. A drainage groove that extends in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body is provided in a front end portion of the bottom plate portion. An in-groove recessed portion, which is recessed from the drainage groove on the lower side of the concave body and which inhibits the dash panel from detaching from the cowl panel, is formed in the bottom of the drainage groove. |
| US07946642B1 |
Motorcycle windshield assembly
A motorcycle windshield assembly includes two frame units coupled to a windshield. Each frame unit includes a pair of corresponding adjusting elements jointly enclosing an end of an installation rod. Each pair of the adjusting elements are fitted into receiving spaces of a corresponding pair of left and right covers such that teeth formed on each pair of the adjusting elements mesh with teeth formed in the corresponding pair of left and right covers. Each pair of the left and right covers have a side provided with guide grooves for receiving a sliding element coupled to the windshield. Thus, the windshield coupled to the frame units can be conveniently raised, lowered, or tilted to provide the desired shielding effect. The motorcycle windshield assembly is flexibly adjustable in height and tilt angle and is collapsible when not in use. |
| US07946636B2 |
Vehicle front shock absorbing structure
A front shock absorbing structure of a vehicle includes a bumper reinforcement member that is disposed in a vehicle width direction in a front portion of a vehicle body and is formed as a rigid elongated member, and a shock absorbing member that is positioned on a front surface of the bumper reinforcement member. The shock absorbing member is vertically divided into a first shock absorbing portion and a second shock absorbing portion. The first and second shock absorbing portions are integrally coupled to each other at a forward side, so as to define a space therebetween at a rearward side. The coupling can be broken when an impact is applied by an impactor from ahead. The second shock absorbing portion has a protruding portion that is projected toward the space. |
| US07946634B2 |
Vehicle door latch
The object of the present invention is a vehicle door latch, whose basic version contains a locking mechanism (1, 2) with at least one operating lever (3) for the locking mechanism (1, 2) and a motor drive (4, 5, 6, 7) for opening the locking mechanism (1, 2). According to the invention, the motor drive (4, 5, 6, 7) directly acts upon the locking mechanism (1, 2) solely via the operating lever (3). |
| US07946630B2 |
Hydraulic system
A hydraulic system, especially for motor vehicles includes a master cylinder, a slave cylinder and a pressure medium line connected thereto. The invention provides a hydraulic system which is simple or economical to produce by virtue of the fact that the hydraulic system includes at least one hydraulic plug-type connection with a plug connector and a socket contact and the plug connector includes an abutment and a sealing element which are made of different materials and which are connected together in a material fit. |
| US07946627B2 |
Female quick coupling fitting element for pipes
A female element (1) includes a hollow internal body (2) having an end (3) provided with fastening device (5) to one of the pipes to be joined, a hollow external body (7) coaxial with the internal body (2) and having an end (8) which axially protrudes with respect to another end (4) of the internal body (2) opposite to that provided with the fastening device (5), one rigid central stem (9) coaxially supported by the internal body (2) by a transversal perforated base (18) and having a widened end (10) near the protruding end (8) of the external body (7), an axially sliding sealing bush (12) coaxially arranged about the stem (9) and elastically stressed to be engaged with the widened end (10) of the stem (9) to prevent the passage of fluid within the female element (1), a cleaning bush (14) coaxially arranged about the sealing bush (12) and axially stressed in position so as to prevent the entrance of dirt about the sealing bush (12) and a lock sleeve (16) arranged about the protruding end (8) of the external body (7) and engageable with a complementary end of a male element to ensure the stable union of the two male and female elements of the fitting. The stem (9) is fixed to the base (18) by at least one half bush (25) radially fitted and axially locked in corresponding seats (26, 27) of the stem (9) and the base (18). |
| US07946621B2 |
Airbag device for vehicle
An airbag device for a vehicle including an inflator that generates high-pressure gas upon receiving an impact; and an airbag that deploys between an occupant and a vehicle body side portion from a folded state upon receiving the high-pressure gas from the inflator, wherein the airbag has a deployment restriction member that restricts the height of the airbag in the vehicle body vertical direction during deployment. |
| US07946618B2 |
Airbag device
An airbag device includes: a bag body that is deployed by internal pressure rising as a gas is supplied into the bag body; and a gas pressure adjustment portion that is provided on the bag body so as to be able to release the gas from the inside of the bag body during a deployed state of the bag body, and that is set so that the amount of the gas released from the bag body in the deployed state to an inward side in a vehicle width direction is larger than the amount of the gas released from the bag body in the deployed state to an outward side in the vehicle width direction. |
| US07946612B2 |
Safety arrangement
A safety arrangement in the form of an air-bag module (1) to be mounted to the steering wheel of a motor vehicle. The air-bag module (1) comprises a housing (2) and a cover (3). The cover (3) is moveably mounted to the housing (2). A wire (25) is clipped to the cover (3) and the wire (25) is configured to engage contact members (16) provided on the housing (2) when the cover (3) is moved relative to the housing (2). The wire (25) and the contacts (16) together act as a switch arrangement which may be connected to an electrical circuit in the vehicle which controls the vehicle's horn. |
| US07946610B2 |
Arrangement of an air bag module on a motorcycle, and motorcycle incorporating same
A motorcycle includes main frames extending from a head pipe to rear left and right sides, a fuel tank provided between the main frames, seat frames extending rearwardly from the main frames; a seat supported by the seat frames; and an air bag module disposed at a position proximate to a front upper portion of the seat. The air bag module may be disposed in a recess formed on a rear upper portion of the fuel tank, and is mounted on stay members extending respectively upwardly from the left and right main frames. |
| US07946609B2 |
Wheeled transporting device with telescoping leg stabilization
A compactable wheeled transport system with a first pivotal shelf for ease of transporting a first object in a first mode of operation. A compactable wheeled transport system with a second pivotal shelf for use as a work surface and support a second object thereon. Additionally, a pivotal foot is disclosed for stabilization of the system. |
| US07946606B2 |
Converter dolly backup device
A backup device for limiting the rotation of converter dollies about a trailer hitch is presented. A dolly mounted, laterally extending moveable bar is selectively pressed against the vertical members of the trailer's underride guard in order to prevent rotation of the dolly relative to the trailer. The bar is retracted from the trailer to allow significant rotation of the dolly during normal forward operation. The backup device is operable with many makes and models of trailers because the laterally extending bar provides a large area that the trailer underride guard may contact. In addition to being operable with many models of trailers, the present invention does not require specific features to be added onto a trailer pulling the converter dolly. Additionally, the large contact area of the laterally extending bar allows the device to function with dollies that are significantly rotated about a trailer hitch. The backup device is also robust, aerodynamic, and self contained. Although manual operation of the device is possible, by connecting the device to the pressurized trailer brake line, the electrical circuitry of the trailer, or other means, the backup device may be operated from within the tractor cab. |
| US07946603B2 |
Air suspension system
An air suspension system for a multi-axle vehicle having air bags (4,5; 6,7; 8,9; 10,11; 44 to 49) supporting either side of the axles (2,3; 41 to 43), including separate air lines (18 to 25; 50 to 55) respectively connecting each air bag to a level control valve (16,17; 56,57) via manifolds (26,27; M) and air lines (28,29; 54,55) to independently control air supply to the bags on either side, the separate air lines being of the same size and length to ensure that substantially the same volume of air is supplied to each bag to improve the responsiveness and stability of the system. |
| US07946600B2 |
Torsion beam type rear wheel suspension system
In a torsion beam wheel suspension system, a stabilizer bush made of resilient material is received in a hollow interior of a torsion beam that connect intermediate points of a pair of trailing arms, and retains an intermediate part of the stabilizer to the torsion beam. A bracket including a pair of vertical walls opposing lateral sides of the stabilizer bush is attached to a part of the torsion beam to prevent the lateral shifting of the stabilizer bush without any part of the bracket or stabilizer bush restraining the torsional deformation of the stabilizer or torsion beam. The vertical walls may be spaced apart from the stabilizer bush. The structure is not costly and does not cause any complication or difficulty in the assembly work of the rear wheel suspension system. The bracket may have dual purposes of retaining the stabilizer bush and supporting a dynamic damper. |
| US07946592B2 |
Bearing seal
A bearing seal includes: a ring-shaped outer seal portion; a ring-shaped inner seal portion provided inside the outer seal portion; a connecting portion for connecting the inner seal portion and the outer seal portion; and a ring-shaped rigid portion provided at the connecting portion. The outer seal portion, the inner seal portion, and the connecting portion are integrally formed of the same material consisting of an elastic material. The inner seal portion has rigidity higher than that of the outer seal portion, and has a ring-shaped seal surface gradually approaching a ring center axis of the inner seal portion while extending from a ring-shaped base end side connected to the connecting portion toward a distal end side.The inner seal portion is formed in a tapered cylindrical shape having the ring-shaped seal surface on an inner peripheral surface thereof, and has a thickness which gradually decreases from the base end side toward the distal end side. The inner seal portion includes only one inner seal portion. |
| US07946587B1 |
Ball stacking game system
A base has upper and lower surfaces. Cylindrical recesses are arranged in rows and columns. A plurality of rods is received by the cylindrical recesses and held in a vertical orientation. A plurality of balls is adapted to be stacked upon the rods. The balls have an exterior surface with various optical characteristics. The number of different optical characteristics of the balls corresponds to the number of players of the game. The optical characteristics are chosen from the class of optical characteristics including colors and designs. The game is won when a player aligns a predetermined number of balls of a common optical characteristic in a line in response to players alternately placing balls on the base. |
| US07946578B2 |
Automatic original conveying device and image forming apparatus
In an automatic original conveying device, a motor rotates in a single direction and a driving force transmission mechanism transmits the driving force of the motor from a sheet feeding roller to a switchback roller. The sheet feeding roller conveys an original that stands by in a switchback conveying path to a second conveying path. A sorting unit sorts the original conveyed from a paper delivery path to an original delivery table or to the switchback conveying path. The switchback roller is provided between the sorting unit and the switchback conveying path and it is rotatable in a normal direction or a reverse direction. |
| US07946570B2 |
Image forming apparatus
A printer as an image forming apparatus controls to discharge the tab sheets that became no longer necessary when the type of tab sheets supplied is changed. Thus, the printer controls to discharge the tab sheets that became no longer necessary while printing a unit number of copies for a printing job. |
| US07946569B2 |
Sheet aligning device, sheet processing device, and image forming apparatus
A sheet aligning device includes a transport path, a movable fence, a tapping tab, and jogger fences. The transport path transports a sheet stack. The movable fence and the tapping tab align the sheet stack in a first direction in which the sheet stack is transported on the transport path. The jogger fences align the sheet stack in a direction perpendicular to the first direction on the transport path. The movable fence, the tapping tab, and the jogger fences align the sheet stack according to a plurality of aligning modes. |
| US07946565B2 |
Bookbinding apparatus and image-forming system equipped with the same
Imaging-system bookbinding apparatus avoids cutting any folded sheets mixed into booklets it trims. Furnished with: an imaging unit; a sheet-folding unit that folds imaging-unit sheets; a stacking unit that stacks sheets from the sheet-folding or image-forming units; a cover-sheet binding unit that encases stacking-unit sheet bundles with, and binds them into, cover sheets; a trimming unit that trims true the bundle fore-edge; and a fold-position computing unit that determines where a sheet is pleated by the sheet-folding unit. The sheet-folding unit has a sheet conveyance path along which folded sheets are transported elsewhere than the stacking unit, while the fold-position computing unit in a first control mode transports to the stacking unit sheets folded over by the sheet-folding unit, and in a second control mode transports them from the sheet conveyance path elsewhere than the stacking unit. |
| US07946564B2 |
Sheet processing apparatus and sheet processing method
There is provided a technique in which in a case where a sheet folding process or a staple process is performed, even in the case where the size precision of a sheet used is not satisfactory, the high-precision staple process and folding process can be performed to the sheet. In a sheet processing method of a sheet processing apparatus to perform a specified process to a sheet, a relatively moved sheet is detected, the size of the sheet is calculated based on the detection result, and a position where the specified process is performed to a bundle of sheets as an object of the specified process is adjusted based on the calculated sheet size. |
| US07946563B2 |
Sheet post-processing apparatus and image forming system comprising the same
A post-processing apparatus for transferring sheets from a sheet carry-in port to a first post-processing section and a second post-processing section to execute post-processing such as stapling and sheet folding on the sheets, includes a sheet carry-in path located in a substantially horizontal direction. The sheets fed to the carry-in port are sequentially transferred to a predetermined sheet discharging port. A first switchback conveying path branches off from the sheet carry-in path so as to reverse a sheet conveying direction. The first post-processing section connected to the first switchback conveying path executes the post-processing on the sheets. A second switchback conveying path branching off from between the carry-in port and sheet discharging port of the sheet carry-in path is upstream of the first switchback conveying path so as to reverse the sheet conveying direction. The second post-processing section is located downstream of the second switchback conveying path. |
| US07946561B2 |
Anti-vibration support system for engine
An anti-vibration support system for an engine, comprising an active anti-vibration supporting device including an elastic member adapted to receive a vibration of the engine; a liquid chamber, wherein at least a portion of a wall surface of said liquid chamber is defined by said elastic member; a movable member adapted to change a volume of said liquid chamber; and an actuator that uses an electromagnetic force to drive said movable member, wherein the vibration of the engine is prevented from being transmitted to a vehicle body frame by controlling a supply of electric current to said actuator, and wherein operation of said active anti-vibration supporting device is prohibited when an abnormality in an operational state of the engine is detected. |
| US07946556B1 |
Resilient seat seal for a valve
A resilient seat seal for a valve. The seal has a closed liquid-filled void therewithin, and the liquid redistributes within the seal as a portion of the seal is compressed, thereby causing effective sealing by all portions of the seal. Examples are shown with the seal used in a knife gate valve, a ball valve, and a butterfly valve. Preferably the seal is made of elastomer or polymer material such as GFLT (“good for low temperature”) FKM. The liquid within the void of the seal is preferably an antifreeze liquid such as ethylene glycol. |
| US07946555B2 |
Rotational angle sensors and throttle devices
The present invention includes a rotational angle sensor having a magnetic detection device. The magnetic detection device includes a sensing section that can detect a change of a magnetic field produced by at least two magnets attached to a rotary member. A housing member is molded integrally with the magnetic detection device and a support member. The support member may serves as a protective member for protecting at least the sensing section of the magnetic detection device or may serve as a positioning member configured to enable at least the sensing section to be positioned relative to the positioning member. |
| US07946551B1 |
Adjustable ergonomic keyboard, mouse, and wrist support
A keyboard, mouse, and wrist support arrangement with a pivotable transverse member, first and second elongate rails in combination with slide rails for slidably receiving the first and second elongate rails for retaining the pivotable transverse member for extension and retraction and for pivoting about a lateral pivot axis, a keyboard support plate retained relative to the pivotable transverse member, and a keyboard wrist support retained relative to the keyboard support plate. A mouse support plate, which can be independently moveable in relation to the keyboard support plate, can be retained relative to the pivotable transverse member, and a mouse wrist support retained relative to the mouse support plate. |
| US07946550B2 |
Concealment device
A device for concealing a space between an object and a planar surface includes a first interlocking strip and a second interlocking strip engageable with the first interlocking strip. The first and second interlocking strips move relative to each other such that they span the space between the object and the planar-surface. The first and second interlocking strips are movable linearly, angularly, and vertically to achieve concealment of the space between the object and the planar surface. |
| US07946547B2 |
Universal clamp
A universal clamp assembly for receiving an electrical conductor having a variety of diameters without exchanging parts. An insulator includes a support fitting thereon. The clamp assembly includes a keeper fixed to an end of the fitting with two guide arms disposed along two sides thereof. An internally threaded bore in the keeper has a longitudinal axis. An externally threaded bolt is threadedly received in the bore. The assembly also includes a clamp member relatively rotatably receiving and axially restraining the bolt and located adjacent to the keeper for translational movement of the clamp member relative to the keeper along the longitudinal axis of the bolt. The clamp member includes two axially extending sliding arms adjacent the two guide arms. Rotation of the bolt along the longitudinal axis moves the clamp member towards and away from the keeper. |
| US07946544B2 |
Folding support or frame structure
A structure is described that has an open and closed configuration. In the open configuration, the structure is free standing and is able to support weight. In the closed configuration, the structure is flat. The structure is formed of two elements that are interlocked at their corners in a manner that allows them to pivot with respect to each other. Chamfered surfaces on the sides of the elements provide stops limiting the motion between the elements. Several structures may be combined to form composite products. |
| US07946541B2 |
Pipe/cable enclosure and method for enclosing pipes and cables
The invention relates to a pipe/cable enclosure for pipes and cables of a medical diagnostic device, said enclosure surrounding the pipes/cables running from the diagnostic device to a partition wall and having at least one folding wall element with folds which, in the assembled state, is disposed folded at the folds around the pipes/cables, thus surrounding the pipes/cables. |
| US07946540B2 |
Coupling/splice/end bracket for channel
A coupling bracket having a back wall, first and second side walls extending from the back wall to a pair of edges, an open side opposite the back wall, a pair of opposing open ends and a passage extending between the opposing open ends. Each side wall has an open slot extending from the edge to a closed end or base. The bases of the open slots are correspondingly located and aligned and adapted to receive a rod extending through and substantially perpendicular to the side walls. The passage is adapted to receive an elongate rail. |
| US07946538B1 |
External point spring locking device
The invention provides an external spring-loaded locking device for use with railroad switches. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US07946537B2 |
Hot rail wheel bearing detection system and method
A system for detecting a moving hot bearing or wheel is provided. The system includes a summer for combining an input signal representative of radiation emitted by the moving hot rail car bearing with a feedback signal. The system also includes an integrator to accumulate an error resulting from the combination of the input signal and the feedback signal. The system further includes a feedback loop to feedback output of the integrator to the summer. |
| US07946535B2 |
Highly efficient supersonic laminar flow wing
An improved supersonic laminar flow wing structure, on a supersonic aircraft, having one or more of the following: a strake extending forwardly of the wing inboard extent, a raked wing tip, a reversed fillet at the strake or fuselage junction, an inboard leading edge flap extending over less than about 15% of the inboard wing panel span, and a hybrid plain-split flap having a lower surface portion deflectable downwardly relative to plain flap extent. |
| US07946533B2 |
Optimized land mobile satellite system for North American coverage
A constellation, including a plurality of spacecraft, including a first, second and third spacecraft, each of the plurality of spacecraft including a broadcast capability, and each of the plurality of spacecraft in its own approximately 24-hour orbit. Each of the orbits has a substantially teardrop-shaped or oval-shaped ground track, is optimized based upon elevation angle or probability of signal availability, and has an apogee longitude of approximately 90° west to approximately 100° west. Each of the orbits has a semi-major axis of approximately 42,164 kilometers, an argument of perigee of approximately 270° , an inclination of approximately 40° to approximately 60° , and an eccentricity of approximately 0.16 to approximately 0.4. The orbits of each of the plurality of spacecraft are selected to bring each of the spacecraft to apogee at time increments of approximately eight hours. |
| US07946531B2 |
Debris deflecting device, system, and method
A debris deflector includes a bracket and a horizontal blade assembly. The bracket is to secure the debris deflector to an aft side of a landing gear assembly. The horizontal blade assembly is secured to the bracket. The horizontal blade assembly includes a blade and flap. The blade has a forward blade edge, blade body, and trailing blade edge. The forward blade edge is configured for placement aft of a tire for the landing gear assembly. The blade body extends outward from the forward blade edge substantially parallel to a road surface. The flap is secured to the trailing blade edge and extends from the trailing blade edge generally rearward and downward from the trailing edge. |
| US07946530B1 |
Modular adaptive configured helicopter
A method and apparatus for a composite helicopter comprising a rotary wing parent vehicle with various modular cabins detachable therefrom to facilitate various configuration aircraft platforms, dual operation and modular economy. |
| US07946525B2 |
Material for absorbing noise in aircraft
The invention relates to a material for absorbing noise in aircraft, comprising at least one barrier layer and at least one absorptive layer. The barrier layer is provided with an elastomeric material having a minimum specific density of 1 and a mass per unit area of 1.3 kg/m2 or less while the absorptive layer is equipped with a porous and/or open-cell material having a weight per volume of 4 to 50 kg/m3, preferably 10 to 40 kg/m3, more preferably 15 to 35 kg/m3 even more preferably 20 to 30 kg/m3. The mass per unit area of the sound-absorbing material amounts to 2 kg/m2 or less. |
| US07946524B1 |
Device for holding the free end of a spool-wound item at a point-of-sale display
A device and method for preventing a wound item from inadvertently unwinding from a spool in a point-of-sale display. The point-of-sale display includes a shelf that holds the spool. The shelf has a forward edge that prevents the spool from rolling off the shelf. A device is provided that holds the wound item as it is drawn away from the spool. The device inhibits the movement of the wound item so that the wound item will not unwind from the spool when not manually drawn from the spool. The device includes a clip body that selectively engages the forward edge of the shelf proximate the spool. A retention mechanism is coupled to the clip body, wherein the retention mechanism receives and retains a section of the wound item, thereby preventing said wound item from inadvertently unwinding. |
| US07946523B2 |
Self-adjusting payoff core
An invention is provided which employs a self-adjusting core section having an outer diameter which essentially matches that, or is larger than that, of the inner diameter of a wire coil, where the self-adjusting core has a vertical slit along the its length to allow the diameter of the core to be adjustable. Bridging the vertical slit are straps secured to the core to determine the core's maximum diameter, and allow the core diameter to be reduced through flexing. |
| US07946522B2 |
System and method for dissipating static electricity in an electronic sheet material dispenser
An electronic dispenser for dispensing a measured sheet from a roll of web material includes a passive, self-discharging static charge dissipating material configured with at least one component of the dispenser that stores static charge generated by operation of the dispenser. |
| US07946520B2 |
Elastic rewinding hose reel with automatic stopping device
A hose reel includes a support casing, a drum rotatably fitted inside the casing and connected to it by an elastic rewinding element. The drum provides a flange integral with it and couplable in rotation with a locking disc equipped with teeth engageable with opposing teeth capable of stopping its rotation. An elastic separator is provided between the flange and the locking disc to keep the latter in a first position axially distanced from the flange, teeth and counter-teeth mutually engaged to allow the flange to draw the locking disc into integral rotation with it, and cam and counter-cam which, in the event of the flange exceeding a predetermined threshold speed cause the axial displacement of the locking disc into a second position adjoining the flange in which its teeth engage with the opposing teeth to produce the consequent stopping of the rotation of said drum. |
| US07946519B2 |
Pretensioned retractor
Seat belt retractors for spooling seat belts (webbings) include multiple independent torque transmission or absorbing systems. The seatbelt retractor comprises a webbing, a spool, a pinion, a pretensioner, at least one coupler pawl, and a locking mechanism including a lock base and a lock pawl. The at least one coupler pawl is positioned in a cavity in the spool. During a predetermined low acceleration event, the at least one coupler pawl pivots so that a portion of the at least one coupler pawl leaves the cavity and engages the lock base to load the lock base which is then prevented from rotating in a spool extracting direction by the locking pawl. When the pretensioner activates during a predetermined higher acceleration event, the pretensioner rotates the pinion in the webbing retraction direction to rotate the spool in the webbing retraction direction. |
| US07946518B2 |
Grinding roller and method for the reconditioning thereof
The invention relates to a milling roller of a high-pressure material bed roller mill, having profile-members which are embedded with a portion of the length thereof in holes of the roller body and, with the remainder of the length thereof, protrude above the surface of the roller body, with, when the milling roller is new, the holes having different depths and the profile-members having different lengths in differently loaded part-regions of the width of the roller body. Such a construction brings about a long service-life for the roller and cost-effective reconditioning after operational wear with a production operation which reduces costs. |
| US07946515B2 |
Shredder throat safety system
The present invention relates to a shredder that includes a housing having a movable part that forms at least a part of an opening for the insertion of articles to be fed into the shredder. A detector detects motion of the movable part, and in response, a controller performs a predetermined operation, including, for example, stopping cutting elements of the shredder mechanism. |
| US07946510B2 |
Nozzle assembly for spray guns
A spray gun includes a nozzle connected to the open end of the spray gun and an air cap having a central passage through which the nozzle extends. The air cap includes symmetrical angular passages and multiple air passages. A back board is located at the back face of the air cap and includes an air outlet portion which includes a central hole and multiple air passages which are independent from the central hole. The nozzle extends through the central hole. Multiple resilient members are located on the back face of the air cap and push the back board to contact the air cap constantly. The air cap includes protrusion on the back face and the back board includes notches in its front face so that when rotating the air cap relative to the back board, the user is acknowledged the angle that the air cap is rotated. |
| US07946502B2 |
Financial transaction token
There is provided a card or token for use in financial transactions. The financial transaction token or card has an onboard energy storage device that enables onboard electronics to operate when the card is not in the proximity of a merchant Point-Of-Service (POS) terminal. In one implementation, the onboard energy storage device includes a capacitor such as a thin-film capacitor that stores sufficient energy to power onboard electronics without the need for an onboard battery. The card may be incorporated within various conventional apparatus such as a see-through and/or protective substrate, an item of clothing, an item of jewelry, a cell phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a credit card, an identification card, a money holder, a wallet, a personal organizer, a keychain payment tag, and like personality. |
| US07946496B2 |
Radio frequency identification (RFID) label applicator
The invention is related to an RFID applicator that may include a peeler member (140) including a peel end (142), the peeler member being configured to cause an RFID label (102) to peel away from a web (110) when the web passes around the peel end; a label tamp assembly (150) configured to receive the RFID label and to move the RFID label into contact with an item (104) on which the RFID label is to be applied; and a label reject assembly having an extendable path altering mechanism (500) located proximate to said peel end, configured to advance from a retracted position to an extended position to alter a path of the web around said peel end, and wherein said extendable path altering mechanism is positioned and dimensioned to inhibit an RFID label from peeling away from said web. |
| US07946484B2 |
Optical code reader for producing video displays
An imaging optical code reader is adapted for use in producing video displays and for use in motion detection surveillance using video compression and narrow band width communication links. An optical system including a plane parallel plate may be employed to change the system focal distance. |
| US07946483B2 |
Biometric control of equipment
An example apparatus for allowing operation of equipment by an authorized operator comprises a biometric scanner receiving a biometric input from an authorized operator, and transmitting an authorization signal. The apparatus may further includes a base station that allows the equipment to operate while the base station receives the authorization signal from the biometric scanner, and which prevents the equipment from operating shoortly after the authorization signal is no longer received from the biometric scanner. |
| US07946472B2 |
Theft-resistant mailbox for parcels and method of construction thereof
A theft-resistant mailbox for parcels and method of construction thereof are presented. An inner door is pivotably affixed to a top inner surface of a housing and is rotatably moveable on a top edge around a sphere of rotation. An outer door is pivotably affixed to a front surface of the housing and is rotatably moveable on a bottom edge. At least one connecting member is rotatably attached on one end to a side edge of the inner door and on the other end to a common side edge of the outer door. An inner panel is fixedly attached to the bottom edge of the outer door and is rotatably moveable on a proximal edge in the same direction as the outer and inner door. The inner panel is comprised of a distal edge defining a sphere rotatably distinct from the sphere of rotation for the inner door. |
| US07946471B2 |
Brazing composition and brazing method for superalloys
A brazing composition for the brazing of superalloys including a base material with at least one initial phase is provided. The initial phase has a solidus temperature that is below the solidus temperature of the base material and, above a certain temperature, forms with the base material and/or with at least one further initial phase at least one resultant phase, the solidus temperature of which is higher that the solidus temperature of the initial phases. Heat treatment takes place in two stages, wherein the temperature of the second heat treatment is preferably 800-1200° C. The brazing composition may likewise be of the type MCrAlX, and the power particles of the initial phase may be in the form of nanoparticles. |
| US07946467B2 |
Braze material and processes for making and using
A braze material and processes for making and using the material, such as for use in the manufacturing, coating, repair, and build-up of superalloy components. The braze material is composed of particles with melt-modifying constituents that are limited to the surfaces of the particles, yet are capable of sufficiently promoting the heating of the particles by conventional means and microwave radiation to achieve at least partial melting of the particles. The melt-modifying constituents are in the form of particulates embedded in the outer surface region of each particle. The particulates are formed of melting point depressant(s) and/or microwave coupling enhancer(s), are much smaller than the particle in which they are embedded. |
| US07946466B1 |
Alternative ignition source system for an exothermic reaction mold device
An alternative ignition source system for an exothermic reaction mold device for welding conductors. The system includes a crucible in a block with an open top so that the crucible receives an exothermic weld material. The conductors to be welded exothermically are placed in the weld cavity of the mold. A lid covers the open top wherein the lid has a opening therethrough. An electronic thermal igniter assembly has an ignition component receivable through the opening in the lid so that the exothermic weld material may be ignited either by the electronic thermal igniter assembly or may be ignited by a spark. |
| US07946464B2 |
Actuator housing having a releasable actuator cartridge for use on hardwood flooring pneumatic nailers
An actuator housing (20) for use on a pneumatic nailer (10), the actuator housing comprising a casing (22) defining a cartridge insertion opening (24), and a selectively activated actuator cartridge (50) which is inserted in the casing through the cartridge insertion opening. The actuator housing further comprises a releasable second fastening means (30, 69) which allows releasable extraction of the actuator cartridge from the casing. The actuator cartridge comprises an actuator head (54) for sealing engagement with the cartridge insertion opening of the casing and extending outwardly of the casing. The actuator cartridge also comprises a piston assembly (58) received within the casing, the piston assembly comprising a cylinder (100) defining a cylinder chamber (101) therein and a plunger (120) movably mounted within the cylinder chamber. The actuator cartridge further comprises first fastening means (71, 104) to fasten the actuator head to the cylinder of the piston assembly. Upon selective activation of the actuator cartridge, the plunger is actuated along the cylinder chamber. |
| US07946463B2 |
One way valve for combustion tool fan motor
A combustion nailer (10) having a combustion power source (14) defining a fan motor chamber (50) having at least one chamber wall (52, 54) and a motor shaft hole (56). A fan motor (44) is disposed in the fan motor chamber (50) and has a motor shaft (42) projecting through the motor shaft hole (56). A one way valve (60) is associated with the chamber (18) and the motor and is configured for allowing unidirectional airflow through the hole (56) past the motor (44), and preventing airflow in the opposite direction. |
| US07946461B2 |
Ampoule opener and associated methods
An ampoule opener having a receiving body sized to accommodate a cap portion of an ampoule and a shield extending from the receiving body and being configured to lie adjacent a medicament storing portion of the ampoule when the cap portion of the ampoule is accommodated within the receiving body. The shield is rigidly related to the receiving body so as to be more resistive to bending relative to the receiving body in a direction away from a longitudinal axis of the receiving body than toward the longitudinal axis of the receiving body. |
| US07946454B2 |
System and method for dispensing of viscous food product
A system and method that portably stores, refrigerates, and dispenses a viscous, semi-solid food product. Cannoli cream is held in an open-top hopper with a lower outlet tube that is removably received inside an insulated and cooled portion of the dispenser housing through a door with an opening for the lower outlet tube. A horizontal dispensing nozzle is attached to the lower outlet tube from outside the door. The hopper is positioned under a piston assembly that moves a piston plate through the top of the hopper with a screw-jack. The piston assembly functions to pump cannoli cream from the hopper through the dispenser nozzle. |
| US07946445B2 |
Multiple-use two-reservoir bucket
A two-reservoir bucket comprised of conjoint reservoirs with sidewalls intersecting to form a narrow channel between the two reservoirs and an integral or removable divider with passageway(s) positioned in the channel to divide the reservoirs. |
| US07946444B2 |
TML inspection port
The device subject of this disclosure pertains to an insulated pipe or vessel including a single piece inspection plug device having a plug component attachable to an insulating structure and forming an aperture for access to an insulated pipe or vessel, a strap component attaching a lid component to the plug component, and that the lid component can be inserted into the aperture.Also disclosed is a method of providing access to a pipe covered with insulating material and a metal jacket comprising cutting a hole in the metal jacket and inserting the bottom of the plug component into the hole and further including inserting screws or clips through at least one pilot hole. The method may include pressing a skirt of the plug component to form an outer seal of the plug to the metal jacket and/or holding the plug component to the metal jacket using at least one flexible locking ring on the bottom of the plug component. |
| US07946439B1 |
Protective steel membrane system and method of erection for secondary containment for an above ground storage tank
An efficient, cost-saving system and method of designing, installing, testing, and monitoring a secondary containment system for new and existing Above Ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) that is comprised of a protective steel membrane for the floor of the tank, including the floor-to-wall juncture, and the lower portion of the tank shell such that the steel membrane creates one or more interstitial zones between the steel membrane and the tank shell. The steel membrane may be installed zone by zone such that the secondary containment system can encapsulate existing tank features by molding itself around the existing contours, such as repair plates, corners, sumps, etc. Furthermore, a unique testing method using a simple electronic device is provided for on-site testing of the integrity of the weld seams that may be efficiently used after each zone is installed without requiring that the entire tank be evacuated during the construction of other zones. |
| US07946437B2 |
Closure system for a vial, vial, method of closing and filling a vial and stand for a vial
A closure system for a pharmaceutical vial, comprising an elastomer closure part, a clamp part which holds the closure part in engagement with the mouth of the vial, and a cover part which engages with the clamp part. The interior of the closure part is profiled to minimize retention of residual liquid therein. |
| US07946431B1 |
Ultrafiltration process
An inorganic membrane suitable for ultrafiltration or nanofiltration, and methods for making and using the membrane. The membrane has a organic polymer deposited on the feed surface, but is not able to perform separations by solution-diffusion. |
| US07946428B1 |
Screen panel center retainer system
A screen panel center retainer system utilizes a center retainer that is provided with a retainer base which is adapted to be secured to screen stringer rails of a vibrating separatory machine. A pair of retainer channel legs form an upper portion of the center retainer and have screen panel edge receiving slots. A locking strip, having a wedging tongue, is used in conjunction with the center retainer. The wedging tongue is insertable into the channel on the center retainer which is defined by the two retainer channel legs. Flow control dams and cross dam retainers are used in conjunction with, and in addition to the center retainers and locking strips, to provide the complete installation of screen panels on the vibrating separating machine. |
| US07946427B2 |
Screen assemblies utilizing screen elements retained in perforated troughs
A screen assembly is disclosed for use with vibratory separators. The screen assembly includes a structural frame mounted to a vibratory separator into which a plurality of lightweight and flexible screen elements are inserted into multiple rows of perforated troughs which have geometric shapes. The perforated troughs are bonded to each other and to the structural frame. The perforated troughs are aligned parallel to the direction in which solids are conveyed by a vibratory motion. |
| US07946422B1 |
Dispensing and disposing container system
A dispensing and disposing container system is disclosed that includes a primary container having an upper opening and defining a primary compartment, and with a top and a bottom. The system also includes a secondary container having an upper opening and defining a secondary compartment. The system further includes a mounting structure on the primary container that mounts the primary container on the secondary container in a first mounting mode and a second mounting mode. The first mounting mode is characterized by the primary container closing the upper opening of the secondary container and the secondary container supports the primary container. The second mounting mode is characterized by the secondary compartment of the secondary container being accessible through the upper opening of the secondary container is maintained while the primary container is supported on the secondary container. |
| US07946420B2 |
Package containing a window and a performance characteristic indicator
A package including a container having a layer with an interior surface and an exterior surface. The layer forms an interior space. The container includes a window on only a portion of the exterior surface. The container contains within the interior space one or more absorbent articles each having substantially the same absorbent capacity. Each absorbent article is individually wrapped in a wrapper. The exterior surface of the container has a signal color corresponding to the absorbent capacity, and each of the wrappers has a substantially similar signal color in the form of a design. In addition, only a portion of the wrapper can be viewed through the window. |
| US07946417B2 |
Curable material mixing and delivery device
An apparatus and method for mixing two components and delivering the mixture to a patient. The apparatus contains a mixing chamber for mixing a liquid component and a powder component. The liquid component and powder component are mixed within the mixing chamber by rotation of a collapsible mixing element. A plunger is then advanced through the mixing chamber to force the mixture out of the mixing chamber and deliver the mixture to the patient. |
| US07946416B2 |
Retractable transfer conveyor
A transfer conveyor comprises a transfer tube supporting a transfer auger rotatably therein and a transfer drive mechanism arranged to drive rotation of the transfer auger so as to convey material from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of the transfer tube. A collector housing, typically in the form of a hopper, is supported for relative sliding movement along the transfer tube between an extended position in which the collector housing communicates with the outlet opening of the transfer tube and a retracted position in which the collector housing is closer to the inlet end of the transfer tube than in the extended position. Mounting of the collector housing on the inlet end of an implement, for example an agricultural conveyor, permits the inlet end of the transfer conveyor to be extended and retracted relative to the implement. |
| US07946413B2 |
Device for conveying round objects
A conveying device for conveying substantially round objects, such as eggs or fruit.The conveyor device has a roller conveyor with an endless transport element and successive rows of one or more rollers An object receiving space for receiving an object is delimited by two successive rollers. The roller conveyor has a discharge end where said objects are discharged by falling from said roller conveyor.The conveyor device furthermore has a second conveyor with an endless element and successive rows of one or more object holders, each object holder having an opening allowing to receive an object thereinThe second conveyor has a receiving end which is positioned in line with the discharge end of the roller conveyor so as to receive objects discharged by falling from the roller conveyor in the object holders of the second conveyor. |
| US07946407B2 |
Value medium processing apparatus
A value medium processing apparatus includes a common rolling path on which the IC coin and the coin roll, a coin characteristic detector provided on a side portion of the common rolling path, an IC coin characteristic detector configured to detect IC coin rolling on the common rolling path; an inlet to a coin path on which the coin rolls and an inlet to an IC coin path on which the IC coin rolls, a medium sorter provided upstream of the coin inlet and the IC coin inlet; a communicator provided on a side of the IC coin path and communicating with the IC coin; and a controller actuating the medium sorter based on one of characteristic information from the coin characteristic detector and information from the IC coin characteristic detector, and switching the common rolling path to one of the IC coin path and the coin path. |
| US07946404B2 |
Work vehicle controller
A device for a work vehicle eliminates uncomfortable operation feeling, improves the working efficiency, and reduces thermal load on a clutch and transmission shock. It is determined whether the current travel direction of the vehicle body is a forward travel direction F or a reverse travel direction R based clutch oil pressure of the forward clutch or reverse clutch. Braking force of a brake device is controlled such that the brake device is activated on the conditions that the travel direction position selected by the travel operation lever and the travel direction determined by a travel direction flag are opposite to each other, and the detected vehicle body speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. |
| US07946400B2 |
Viscous clutch
A viscous clutch assembly (100) includes a rotor (104), a selectively rotatable member (102) surrounding the rotor and defining a working chamber (114) therebetween, a first opening (126A) defined through the rotor (104) between front and rear sides of the rotor (104) and in fluid communication with the working chamber (114) at both the front and rear sides of the rotor (104), a reservoir (112) supported by the rotor (104) and having a second opening (138), a valve assembly (106) supported by the rotor (106) having a cover plate (140) for selectively covering the second opening (138), and a channel (128,130) defined in the rotor (104) between the first opening (126A) and an area adjacent to the second opening (138). The channel (128,130) is in fluid communication with the first opening (126A). |
| US07946399B2 |
Hydraulic shock absorber
Provided is a hydraulic shock absorber enabling an increase in a variable range of both damping forces produced in an extension stroke and a compression stroke thereof. A cylinder (1) filled with hydraulic oil is divided into first and second oil chambers (101) and (102) by a piston (2), and a main valve (4) is disposed in a main passage (81) of the piston (2). An extension side pilot chamber (6) urging a spool (8) in a valve-closing direction at pilot pressure introduced thereinto through a first orifice (32) in the extension stroke and a compression-side pilot chamber (7) urging the spool (8) in the valve-closing direction at pilot pressure introduced thereinto through a second orifice (43) in the compression stroke are formed at a back face of the spool (8) of the main valve. Also, the shock absorber comprises a pressure-receiving portion for receiving high pressure in the extension stroke and urging the spool (8) in a valve-opening direction against the pilot pressure and a pressure-receiving portion for receiving high pressure in the compression stroke and urging the spool (8) in the valve-opening direction against the pilot pressure. In addition, the shock absorber comprises an extension-side poppet valve (11) for regulating the pilot pressure in the extension stroke, a compression-side poppet valve (10) for regulating the pilot pressure in the compression stroke, and a solenoid (71) for urging to reduce initial loads of springs (9) of the extension-side and compression-side poppet valves (11) and (10) by passing current therethrough. |
| US07946398B2 |
Method for adjusting a braking torque and permanently excited magnetic hysteresis brake
A permanently excited magnetic hysteresis brake (1) comprises a support roller (7) rotatable about a fixed axle (9), a magnetic element (3), a hysteresis element (2) and an adjusting device for adjusting the position of the magnetic element (3) and hysteresis element (2) relative to one another and for adjusting the braking torque acting via the support roller (7) on the yarn (5). The magnetic hysteresis brake (1) has only one single mechanically acting actuator (18) for adjusting the braking torque. Both the adjustment of the braking torque to the desired value for the operation of the brake (1) and the adjustment of the braking torque when calibrating the brake (1) are carried out by actuation of this one actuator (18). The structure and handling of the magnetic hysteresis brake (1) can be simplified thereby. The magnetic hysteresis brake (1) can be used to maintain a uniform thread tension on textile machines. |
| US07946390B2 |
Tie-down compensation for an elevator system
An elevator system (20) includes a tie-down compensation arrangement (40). A tension member (42) extends between a cab (22) and counterweight (26) to provide a desired amount of tension on a load bearing rope or belt (30) that supports the cab and the counterweight. The tension member (42) in one example comprises a coated steel belt. At least one sheave (46) is supported on a base module (48) and remains stationary relative to a floor of a pit (52). A damper (50) is supported for movement with the counterweight (26) or the cab (22) to absorb energy that would otherwise tend to cause counterweight jump following a rapid descent and stop of the cab (22). |
| US07946386B2 |
Isolation mechanism for electrically isolating controls of boomed apparatus
An isolation mechanism for electrically isolating a control input mechanism of an otherwise substantially conventional boomed apparatus (12), such as, for example, an aerial device, digger derrick, or crane, having a workstation (14) coupled with a movable boom (16), wherein the isolation mechanism allows a worker to control movement of the boom (16) and positioning of the work station (14) while protecting against electrical discharge along substantially any path which includes the control input mechanism. In a first embodiment, the isolation mechanism takes the form of an improved control input mechanism (10), portions of which are constructed of or covered with an electrically non-conducting material. In a second embodiment, the isolation mechanism takes the form of a boom extension (110) constructed of or covered with electrically non-conductive material. In a third embodiment, the improved control input mechanism (10) and the boom extension (110) are combined. |
| US07946384B2 |
Acoustical and firewall barrier assembly
The present invention provides an acoustical firewall attenuating assembly. The assembly includes a first frame assembly having a first plate, a second plate and a first plurality of elongate members spaced from one another and extending between the first plate and the second plate. A structure is spaced from the first frame assembly and has an outer surface. A cement wall is positioned between the first frame and the structure and is attached to at least the first frame assembly by a first vibration dampener. |
| US07946371B1 |
Snowmobile suspension
A snowmobile suspension for allowing snowmobiles to more easily manage curves and moguls without the skis riding on their edges. The snowmobile suspension includes a base member being attached to a chassis of a snowmobile, and also includes a biased pivot assembly being supported by the base member and being attached to a body of the snowmobile to allow the body of the snowmobile to biasedly pivot relative to the chassis. |
| US07946370B2 |
Operator compartment assembly
A work machine includes a frame supported for movement over the ground, a prime mover for driving movement of the frame, an operator compartment supported on the frame and a cradle coupling the operator compartment to the frame. The cradle is pivotable between an operating position and a service position and includes a biasing mechanism for biasing cradle toward the service position and an isolation mount coupling the operator compartment to the cradle. The isolation mount permits deflection of the operator compartment relative to the cradle along a selected axis. A latch mechanism releasably couples the cradle to the frame and a handle is provided for actuating the latch mechanism. The isolation mount includes a deformable member having a void defining the selected axis. The axis can be aligned with a force exerted on the cradle by the operator compartment to reduce stress on the biasing member. |
| US07946364B2 |
Legged robot
A legged robot is provided whose trunk link is not prone to wobble in the front-back direction during walking. The legged robot is equipped with a trunk link and a pair of legs. Each leg has a pitch joint capable of rotating the connected links in a plane that intersects with a line extending in a lateral direction of the robot. Rotation centers of the pitch joints are located above a center of gravity of the trunk link. The legged robot walks mainly by swinging the legs backward and forward around such rotation centers. Hence, the trunk link wobbles mainly in the front-back direction around the rotation centers as the robot walks. Because the center of gravity of the trunk link is located below the rotation centers, the gravitational force acting on the trunk link acts in a direction to suppress swinging of the trunk link during walking. Due to this, the trunk link of the legged robot is not prone to wobble in the front-back direction during walking. |
| US07946363B2 |
Thermally stable polycrystalline diamond cutting elements and bits incorporating the same
Cutting elements are provided having substrates including end surfaces. TSP material layers extend over only a portion of the end surfaces or extend into the substrates below the end surfaces. Bits incorporating such cutting elements are also provided. |
| US07946359B2 |
Methods and apparatus for well construction
A method of constructing a borehole drilled with a drilling apparatus (16), the method comprises: connecting a flexible tubular liner sleeve (22) around the outside of the drilling apparatus and connecting the sleeve around an upper opening of the borehole so as to pass into the borehole; progressively extending the sleeve into the borehole as drilling progresses while maintaining connection to the drilling apparatus and borehole opening; at a predetermined point in the drilling, expanding the sleeve so as to contact the borehole wall; and setting the sleeve so as to be fixed to the borehole wall after expansion. Apparatus for use in such a method comprises: a flexible, expandable sleeve (22); a first connector for connecting the sleeve around the outside of a drilling assembly; and a second connector for connecting the sleeve around the opening of the borehole; wherein the sleeve is arranged to extend through the borehole between the connectors as drilling progresses. |
| US07946358B2 |
Sequence valve and a downhole tractor
The invention relates to a sequence valve for use in a hydraulic plant, which sequence valve has a pressure-controlled slide valve (5) with a spring return and in a starting position defines a first cavity (10), which cavity is connected with a tank and the hydraulic plant, and in a second, pressurized position closes off the connection with the tank. The cavity is connected to a second cavity (18) via a channel (15, 16, 17) in the slide valve, and the second cavity is adapted to be connected with a pump via a throttle (20) and is positioned on the same side of the slide valve as the spring (7). The sequence valve has a third cavity (19), which is adapted to be connected with the pump and is positioned on the opposite side of the slide valve from the spring, and the second and the third cavity are connected with each other via a fixed throttle with a short flow channel. The invention also relates to downhole tractor with the sequence valve. |
| US07946357B2 |
Drill bit with a sensor for estimating rate of penetration and apparatus for using same
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a drill bit, a tip on a bit body configured to contact a formation when the drill bit is utilized to cut into the formation, and a spring coupled to the tip. The apparatus also includes a sensor coupled to the spring and configured to provide signals corresponding to the displacement of the tip when the tip is in contact with the formation. |
| US07946356B2 |
Systems and methods for monitored drilling
An item (e.g. a drill bit) handling method, the item for use in a well operation, the method including producing information about an item used for a specific well task, the information including design information and intended use information, producing an item identification specific to the item, associating the information with the item identification producing thereby an information package, installing the information package in at least one wave-energizable apparatus, and applying the at least one wave-energizable apparatus to the item. |
| US07946354B2 |
Pneumatic power tool with air cooling system
A pneumatic air tool includes a housing with a forward angle gearing arranged in a gearing chamber, a motor chamber, a rear air outlet section and a forward air outlet section. The motor chamber includes a pneumatic motor with air communication openings, which communicate with both the rear air outlet section, and the forward air outlet section. A part of the outlet air is ducted through the forward air outlet section including a circular groove in the housing which form part of a cooling chamber. The walls of the groove form together an enlarged heat transferring surface by which the heat generated in the angle gearing is efficiently transferred to the cold exhaust air from the motor passing through the cooling chamber. By communicating exhaust air through the cooling chamber there is obtained an efficient cooling of the angle gearing while maintaining favorable outer dimensions of the housing. |
| US07946349B2 |
Method of radially expanding a tubular element
A method of radially expanding a tubular element comprises inducing the wall of the tubular element to bend radially outward and in an axially reverse direction so as to form an expanded tubular section extending around an unexpanded section of the tubular element. The bending process occurs in a bending zone of the tubular element, and the method further comprises progressively increasing the length of the expanded tubular section by inducing the bending zone to move in an axial direction along the tubular element. |
| US07946346B2 |
Supercritical fluid recovery and refining of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-bearing formations applying fuel cell gas in situ
A plume of combined gases are infused into hydrocarbon-bearing formations, “inert” as the major gas and “reactive” as the minor gas, where the minor gas reacts with hydrocarbons to fully saturate hydrocarbons with supercritical fluid, which migrate hydrocarbons out of formations, even at great distances from the regulated fuel cell source. Coal, tar sands, petroleum-contaminated soil, and/or oil wells that have lost gas pressure can also be desorbed by this in-situ method. |
| US07946340B2 |
Method and apparatus for orchestration of fracture placement from a centralized well fluid treatment center
A method and apparatus for orchestrating multiple fractures at multiple well locations in a region by flowing well treatment fluid from a centralized well treatment fluid center includes the steps of configuring a well treatment fluid center for fracturing multiple wells, inducing a fracture at a first well location, measuring effects of stress fields from the first fracture, determining a time delay based in part upon the measured stress effects, inducing a second fracture after the time delay at a second location based upon the measured effects, and measuring the stress effects of stress fields from the second fracture. Sensors disposed about the region are adapted to output effects of the stress fields. Location and orientation of subsequent fractures is based on the combined stress effects of the stress fields as a result of the prior fractures which provides for optimal region development. |
| US07946339B2 |
Multifluid heat exchanger
A heat exchanger has a pair of heat exchange conduits having adjacent primary heat exchange surfaces thermally coupled together for the transfer of heat energy between the conduits. A third fluid conduit has a primary heat transfer surface thermally coupled to the primary heat transfer surfaces of the pair of fluid conduits, so that heat can be transferred between any one of the fluid conduits and each of the other fluid conduits. |
| US07946337B2 |
Heat exchanger with vibrator to remove accumulated solids
A ultrasonic transducer is associated with a heat exchanger and is operable to vibrate a tube associated with the heat exchanger to break up accumulated solids which may have formed on an outer periphery of the tube. A gas flow passes over the tube to remove the pulverized solids. |
| US07946335B2 |
Ceramic cores for casting superalloys and refractory metal composites, and related processes
A rare earth-based core for use in the casting of a reactive metal is described. The core contains a ceramic composition which includes at least about 10% by weight of monoclinic rare earth aluminate (RE4Al2O9), wherein RE represents at least one rare earth element; and at least about 10% by weight of at least one free rare earth oxide. The ceramic phase of the composition may include a microstructure which comprises a multitude of substantially spherical pores which are formed as a result of the removal of aluminum metal from the core composition during a heat treatment step. Additional embodiments relate to a method for the fabrication of a ceramic core, employing a rare earth oxide, aluminum metal, and a binder. Methods for removing cores from a cast part are also described. |
| US07946330B2 |
Machine and method for applying labels to packets
A machine for applying inland revenue stamps to packets of cigarettes, the machine having a conveying device for feeding the packets along a given path through an application station; and a feed device for feeding the stamps to the application station, and applying each stamp to a given portion of a respective packet; the feed device being movable crosswise to the travelling direction to adjust the given portion of the packet to which the stamp is applied. |
| US07946328B2 |
Quick change tape application rollers within a carton or case sealing apparatus
A system for mounting the front or rear sealing tape application roller of a carton or case sealing apparatus wherein the front or rear tape application roller is able to be quickly and easily replaced upon its roller shaft without the need for special tools. A spring-biased detent pin which is spring-biased between a radially outwardly position at which the detent pin so as to be engaged with and block removal of the roller from its roller shaft but which may be depressed radially inwardly so as to be disengaged from the roller and thereby permit the roller to be removed from its roller shaft. |
| US07946323B2 |
Eco tire
An earth-friendly tire using raw materials derived from non-petroleum resources instead of all or part of raw materials derived from petroleum resources currently used for tires. The tire is prepared by using a natural rubber instead of a synthetic rubber; an inorganic filler and/or a biofiller instead of carbon black; vegetable oil instead of petroleum oil; and natural fiber instead of synthetic fiber so that the tire has a non-petroleum raw material in an amount of at least 75 % by weight based on the total weight of the tire. |
| US07946322B2 |
Interchangeable bag and cover system
An interchangeable bag and cover system is provided that comprises a body with a first connection portion. A first securing mechanism is coupled to the body. A plurality of covers are interchangeably connectable to the body. Each cover has a second connection portion releasably attachable to the first connection portion of the body, wherein the cover is moveable relative to the body between open position and closed positions. Each cover has a free end portion positionable adjacent to the body when the cover is in the close position. Each cover has a second securing mechanism configured to releasably engage the first securing mechanism to retain the cover in the closed position. |
| US07946317B1 |
Funnel assembly
A funnel assembly includes a perimeter wall that has a frusto-conical shape and has an upper edge and a lower edge wherein a diameter of an interior bounded by the perimeter wall decreases from the upper edge to the lower edge. Each of the upper and lower edges defines openings into the interior. The perimeter wall has an aperture extending therethrough. A tool is extendable through the aperture to engage a drain bolt of an oil pan. The aperture is spaced from the upper and lower edge. |
| US07946313B2 |
Flexible pipe
A flexible pipe for fluid transport especially in offshore application has a first extruded tube having nylon and a first layer having aromatic polyamide disposed about the first tube. A plurality of rings composed of stainless steel are disposed about the first layer. Each of the rings has first ends with circumferential lips and second ends with circumferential grooves interconnecting together. These lips and grooves permit adjacent ones of the rings to tilt relative to one another by about 1.5-degrees for every 4-inches of flexible pipe. A second extruded tube having fiberglass is disposed about the plurality of rings, and an exterior jacket having nylon is disposed about the second tube. |
| US07946310B2 |
System for controlling a plurality of turbomachine discharge valves
The invention relates to a pneumatic unit for activating a plurality of discharge valves of a turbomachine, the pneumatic unit having activation outlets corresponding to the number of discharge valves forming said plurality of discharge valves, and a single control input receiving a single control signal from an electronic control unit, the control signal serving to act on a control winding of a manifold means having outlets that form said activation outlets. |
| US07946309B2 |
Vacuum-actuated shear valve device, system, and method, particularly for use in service station environments
A vacuum-actuated shear valve coupled between piping from a storage tank and piping internal to a fuel dispenser that automatically opens and closes in response to a vacuum level. A vacuum actuator is provided to control a fuel flow valve inside the shear valve. When a sufficient vacuum level is generated to the vacuum actuator, the actuator keeps the flow path valve inside the shear valve open. When the vacuum is lost, the vacuum actuator releases the flow path valve inside the shear valve, which closes it. The vacuum actuator is coupled to a secondary containment space of a fuel-handling component that is drawn under a vacuum level by a vacuum-generating source to monitor for leaks. Thus, if a leak occurs in the monitored secondarily contained space, the shear valve is automatically closed to prevent the flow of fuel from continuing to be supplied to the source of the leak. |
| US07946308B2 |
Methods of packaging valve chips and related valve assemblies
A valve chip may include a substrate having first and second faces and openings between the first and second faces, and a plurality of flexible valve flaps on one of the faces of the substrate with each flexible valve flap being associated with at least one of the openings. The valve chip may be packaged by forming a frame having an opening therein, and securing the valve chip in the opening of the frame. More particularly, the valve chip may be secured in the opening so that central portions of the first and second faces of the substrate are exposed through the opening in the frame and so that a fluid seal is provided between the frame and edges of the substrate. Related valves, valve assemblies, and methods are also discussed. |
| US07946306B2 |
Portable garage
A portable shelter that attaches to the outsides of the tires of the vehicle, as opposed to the body or wheel hubs of the vehicle. The shelter includes a canopy attached to an upper end of at least one mast, and a mast base that is attached to a lower end of the mast. The mast base comprises a threaded bolt, a plate having a threaded opening for receiving the bolt therethrough, and a holder for receiving a lower end of the bolt. The base also includes a plurality of arms that each have a first end attached to the holder and a second end attached to a hook. Braces are mounted between the plate and the arms so that when the bolt moves relative to the plate, the arms move relative to the holder so that the hooks on the arms can receive the outsides of a tire. |
| US07946304B2 |
Dish washing machine having sump with drainage channel to remove wash water
A dish washing machine capable of smoothly discharging dirt contained in wash water out of a sump so as to prevent the emission of bad smells from the dirt and prevent the propagation of bacteria. The dish washing machine includes a sump to receive and pump wash water, a sump housing forming an external appearance of the sump, a drainage pump coupled with the sump housing to discharge wash water and dirt, and a drainage channel disposed in the sump housing to guide wash water and dirt to the drainage pump. |
| US07946303B2 |
Carrier for reducing entrance and/or exit marks left by a substrate-processing meniscus
A carrier for supporting a substrate during processing by a meniscus formed by upper and lower proximity heads is described. The carrier includes a frame having an opening sized for receiving a substrate and a plurality of support pins for supporting the substrate within the opening. The opening is slightly larger than the substrate such that a gap exists between the substrate and the opening. Means for reducing a size and frequency of entrance and/or exit marks on substrates is provided, the means aiding and encouraging liquid from the meniscus to evacuate the gap. A method for reducing the size and frequency of entrance and exit marks is also provided. |
| US07946301B1 |
Laser powered automobile window cleaning system and method
A laser powered cleaning system for cleaning pollutants and debris from both sides of automobile windshields and windows. The system includes an electromagnetic interior block having a top surface having a plurality of focused laser beams, and a magnetic exterior block having a top surface including a reflective surface. The windshield or window is situated between the interior and exterior blocks which pass over the window for cleaning. A power cord connected to an adapter plugs into an automobile power outlet for supplying power. A safety sensor is integrally coupled to the interior block for actuating the system when safe. The system is fixable onto a windshield or window within a door of an automobile. An on-off switch actuates the fixed system. |
| US07946298B1 |
Paint bell cup cleaning device and method
A device and method for cleaning a bell cup after its removal from a rotary paint atomizer. The device preferably includes an enclosure within which the bell cup is retained during the cleaning operation. Pressurized cleaning fluid is introduced into the enclosure where it flows over the bell cup and removes paint therefrom. The enclosure may be connected to the nozzle end of a paint spray gun that can be used to deliver the pressurized cleaning fluid thereto. |
| US07946297B1 |
Hair extension holder
A hair extension holder including a main body and a cover. The main body has a recess formed therein that is adapted to receive a hair extension bundle. The cover is operably attached to the main body such that the cover is movable with respect to the main body. A recess is defined between the cover and the main body that is adapted to receive a plurality of hairs. |
| US07946295B2 |
Smokeless tobacco composition
The invention provides a process for preparing a tobacco composition suitable for use as a smokeless tobacco composition, including: providing a moist tobacco material; heating the moist tobacco to a temperature of at least about 85° C. for a time sufficient to pasteurize the tobacco material while maintaining the moisture content at a relatively constant level; adding an amount of a base and water to the moist tobacco material sufficient to raise the pH of the slurry to at least about 8.7 and raise the moisture content to at least about 40% by weight, thereby forming a pH-adjusted moist tobacco material; and continuing to heat the pH-adjusted moist tobacco material to a temperature of at least about 55° C. for a time sufficient for the pH of the moist tobacco material to drop to less than about 8.5 while maintaining the moisture content at a relatively constant level. |
| US07946293B2 |
Cigarette lighter and method
A lighter for a smoking article is provided, which includes a body having a distal body portion and a proximal body portion; an ignition element disposed in the distal portion; a smoking article engagement structure disposed in the proximal body portion; a part of the proximal body portion that is configured for exerting a vacuum upon a smoking article retained by the smoking article engagement structure; and an exhaust port in fluid communication with the part of the proximal body portion that is configured for exerting a vacuum. A method is also provided, which includes the steps of: providing a lighter including a distal ignition means and a proximal means for exertion of a vacuum upon a smoking article; placing a smoking article with its lighting end proximate the distal ignition means and its mouth end in fluid communication with the proximal means for exertion of a vacuum; actuating the proximal means for exertion of a vacuum and the distal ignition means until the lighting end is ignited; and removing the smoking article from the lighter for consumption by a smoker. |
| US07946291B2 |
Ventilation systems and methods employing aerosol generators
A pressure-assisted breathing system comprises a pressure-generating circuit for maintaining a positive pressure within the system, and a patient interface device coupled to a patient's respiratory system. A respiratory circuit is positioned between the pressure-generating circuit and the patient interface device and a nebulizer is coupled to the respiratory circuit. |
| US07946290B2 |
Underwater exhaust system and method
An underwater exhaust system and method which includes an exhaust valve having a sealing edge, an exhaust outlet for exiting an exhaust gas, and a projection for directing water flow away from the exhaust valve. The exhaust valve includes a valve head and a valve stem, the valve stem being coupled with the valve head. The system and method prevent a siphoning effect, whereby leakage of water into the exhaust valve is minimized or prevented. |
| US07946288B2 |
Bite block system and method
A medical apparatus that holds open a mouth of a patient. The apparatus contains a passage through which the patient can breathe by mouth. The apparatus contains a port to which an oxygen line is connected and which delivers oxygen to the passage for inhalation by the patient. The apparatus contains a sampling port which samples air in the passage and delivers sampled air to a monitoring device. The latter measures, for example, carbon dioxide content in the sampled gas, and issues a warning if carbon dioxide concentration is out-of-bounds. Phosphor material can be added to the apparatus, to make the apparatus glow in a darkened operating room, to allow technicians to easily find the patient's mouth and to insert tools, tubing, instruments and the like in the patient's mouth. |
| US07946287B2 |
Hybrid photovoltaic concentrating system with corrected total reflection reflectors for very large concentrating ratios
Solar concentrator system(s) that include parabolic Total Reflection Reflectors with corrected Curved Rectangular Total Reflection Prisms are provided. The corrected Curved Rectangular Total Reflection Prisms remove optical imperfections of diffusion typically present at conventional rectangular prisms of conventional parabolic and paraboloid TRR, and enable accurate focusing and high concentration ratios. A variation of the corrected Curved Rectangular Total Reflection Prisms allows the construction of a corrected solar wave guide with total reflection walls (Solar Artery), which enables the removal of the diffusion (and losses) typically present at conventional Hollow Solar Wave Guides, and increase by one or more orders of magnitude the light-propagation range of Solar Arteries for the same level of losses. The solar concentrator system(s) can enable production of both thermal and electric power, and delivery of solar radiation to the interior of a building for replacement of artificial lighting with solar lighting. |
| US07946283B2 |
Toy gun mechanism with a sliding bolt assembly
The present invention relates to a toy gun mechanism with a sliding bolt assembly that closely resembles a real gun when the toy gun is fired and comprises a housing, a motor, a gear assembly, a bolt assembly, a trigger assembly and a latch. The gear assembly is mounted in the housing and is connected to and driven by the motor. The bolt assembly is mounted slidably in the housing and is selectively moved to a cocked position by the gear assembly. The trigger assembly releases the bolt assembly and drives air from the bolt assembly as the bolt assembly moves forward. |
| US07946282B2 |
Archery release
An archery release including a release body having a longitudinal axis, a fixed jaw having a bowstring facing surface being offset at a first predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis, and a movable jaw. The moveable jaw can define a bowstring notch, and can include a surface forward of the notch which opposes the fixed jaw. The moveable jaw surface can be offset at a second predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis, and can be substantially parallel to and oppose the bowstring facing surface when the moveable jaw is in a closed position. The first predetermined angle and/or the second predetermined angle can be about 0.1° to about 30°, about 0.1° to about 5°, or about 3° offset from the longitudinal axis. A method also is provided for drawing and releasing a bowstring with the assistance of the release. |
| US07946279B2 |
Straddle type vehicle having breather device
A motorcycle (1) includes an OHC engine (13) and a fuel tank (22) closely above the engine (13). The engine (13) includes a crankcase (17), a cylinder block (18), a cylinder head (19), a cylinder head cover (20), and an oil catch tank (37) that is provided on the right side portion of the cylinder head (19) and cylinder head cover (20) and configured to separate oil from blow-by gas supplied from the crankcase (17) through the cylinder block (18). The oil catch tank (37) includes lower breather chambers (37a, 37c) formed in the cylinder head (19) and upper breather chambers (37b, 37d) formed in the cylinder head cover (20). The oil catch tank (37) is arranged as high as possible regardless of almost no space between the cylinder head (19) and the fuel tank (22). |
| US07946276B2 |
Protection device for a solenoid operated valve assembly
A fuel injector is disclosed. The fuel injector includes an injector valve needle and a valve actuation assembly including a stator, an armature, and a valve, the valve in fluid communication with the injector valve needle. A stator protection device is positioned between the stator and at least a portion of the armature. The stator protection device is configured to prevent contact between the stator and the armature. |
| US07946272B2 |
Method for determining the composition of a fuel blend
A method for determining composition of a fuel blend from a first and at least a second fuel for operating an internal combustion engine. An ignition angle of the internal combustion engine is altered and a non-intermittent fluctuation in torque, which is a function of ignition angle, and/or a non-intermittent rotational discontinuity, and/or a variable derived from the discontinuity is used as a parameter for determining the composition of the fuel blend. |
| US07946271B2 |
Haptic device in a vehicle and method thereof
A system and method for providing a haptic device in a vehicle. The system comprises a foot operated pedal of a vehicle. A sensor is coupled to the pedal and is configured to sense a position of the pedal during use. The sensor is configured to output a sensor signal associated with the position of the pedal. A processor is coupled to the sensor and is configured to receive the sensor signal. The processor outputs a control signal upon the pedal moving past a threshold position. An actuator is coupled to the processor, wherein the actuator is configured to output a haptic feedback force to the pedal upon receiving the control signal from the processor. |
| US07946270B2 |
Valve apparatus
A valve apparatus includes a valve shaft, a body, a bearing housing, a fixing device, and an actuator. The body has a flow path therein, and the flow path has an opening degree that is operated by rotation of the valve shaft. The bearing housing rotatably supports the valve shaft, and the bearing housing has a predetermined attachment portion. The fixing device fixes the bearing housing to the body by fastening the predetermined attachment portion of the bearing housing to an outer surface of the body. The actuator is provided to cover the fixing device from outside, and the actuator is fixed to the body and the bearing housing. The actuator applies a driving force to the valve shaft. |
| US07946268B2 |
Two-part piston for an internal combustion engine
A two-piece piston for an internal combustion engine has an upper piece and a lower piece, the lower piece having an upper base part with an opening lying coaxial to the piston axis into which a pin on the upper piece is inserted. The upper piece is connected to the lower piece with a hexagonal nut screwed onto the pin. A resilient sleeve is arranged between the upper piece and the lower piece comprising an inwardly directed collar on the against which the upper face of the hexagonal nut lies and in the region facing away from the piston crown, a contact surface facing the piston crown lying on a surface on the inner side of the opening. An economically produced two-piece piston results with a resilient sleeve between both screwed piston pieces which exerts a pre-tensioning and thus provides security for the screw connection. |
| US07946266B2 |
Hydraulic circuit, particularly for camshaft adjusters, and corresponding control element
The invention relates to a valve and suitable hydraulic circuit, especially for camshaft adjusters of an internal combustion engine. The hydraulic circuit comprises a number of check valves or two-way valves operating as check valves, in order to provide a rapid camshaft adjuster with a high regulating quality. |
| US07946265B2 |
Valve timing adjuster
A supply control apparatus controls advancing supply, which is supply of working fluid to advancing chambers, and retarding supply, which is supply of the working fluid to retarding chambers. The supply control apparatus alternately and repeatedly executes the advancing supply and the retarding supply in such a manner that a rotational torque, which drives a camshaft, changes at a phase of cycle that is opposite from a phase of cycle of a variable torque, which changes with time and is applied to the camshaft, at time of limiting a phase of the camshaft relative to a crankshaft within a target phase range. |
| US07946263B2 |
Approach for adaptive control of cam profile switching for combustion mode transitions
A method is disclosed for controlling cylinder valve switching between a first valve condition and a second valve condition for transitioning between combustion modes of an engine. The method includes adjusting timing of a signal to switch between the valve conditions based on an oil degradation condition from an oil sensor, wherein the combustion modes include spark ignition and homogenous charge compression ignition. |
| US07946260B2 |
Internal combustion engine with variable compression ratio
A coupler, such as a piston pin, is pivotally coupled to a piston such that the piston can pivot about a first axis relative to the coupler. A connecting rod is coupled to the coupler for pivoting about a second axis. The relative positions of the first and second axes can be shifted by pivoting an eccentric portion of the coupler to thereby vary the compression ratio of a piston cylinder within which the piston slides. The coupler comprises a pivot member engager portion that is selectively shifted from first to second positions to vary the compression rates in response to shifting of a pivot member. The pivot member engager is shifted from first to second positions as the piston approaches the bottom dead center position. The pivot member and pivot member engager disengage from one another as the piston travels away from the bottom dead center position. |
| US07946256B2 |
Protective head cover for an animal and method of using the same
A stable and secure protective cover for an animal, the head cover having an inner shell with a pair of ear slits there-through for allowing the animal's ears to extend through the inner shell and an outer shell for sandwiching the animal's ears between the inner and outer shells thereby providing for stable and secure protection of the animal's ear canals from entry by foreign matter such as cheat grass seed. |
| US07946255B2 |
Anti-cribbing horse collar
An anti-cribbing collar for a horse. The collar includes an elongate rigid member defining a longitudinal axis. The collar includes at least one elongate flexible support member having a front edge and a rear edge and which defines a majority of the collar's circumferential length. The rigid member is positionable proximate a lower jaw depression and throat of the horse with its longitudinal axis extending in a generally front-to-back direction. The flexible support member extends laterally outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis proximate an intermediate longitudinal location on the rigid member and the first end of the rigid member projects forwardly of the front edge of the flexible support member and the second end of the rigid member projects rearwardly of the rear edge of the flexible support member. A portion of the rigid member is positioned below a tensile loop defined by the collar. |
| US07946254B2 |
Pet ear lifter
A pair of closed endless elastic rings connected to each other by a length adjustable band lifts the bases of the ears of a floppy eared pet, away from the pet's head and away for the openings to the pet's ear canals to reduce problems of the ear canals such as bacterial and fungal growth. |
| US07946252B2 |
Electronic animal trainer with temperament learning
An electronic animal trainer with temperament learning. The electronic animal trainer with temperament learning learns and remembers the response pattern of the animal to the correction stimulus to provide a customized training profile. |
| US07946243B1 |
Double acting lift mechanism for boat platform
A second stage lift assembly for a moveable boat stern platform is disclosed and provides the ability to raise the moveable platform up an additional higher amount as compared to it's in-line level with the boat's walk-on deck or fixed platform. By being raised higher when the boat is moving, the moveable platform avoids dragging problems often encountered where the moveable platform remains at the same height as the walk-on deck or fixed platform. |
| US07946241B2 |
Methods and apparatus for marine deployment
Methods and apparatus for marine deployment according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a floatable housing adapted to be deployed by a marine vehicle. The floatable housing may be adapted to be launched from a marine vehicle and rise to the surface. Assets, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, may be deployed from the surfaced floatable housing. |
| US07946236B2 |
Using zigzags to create three-dimensional embroidered structures
An embroidery process allowing for extra lengths of stitched thread pairs to be laid down in a zigzag pattern while embroidering on a dissolvable substrate such that when the substrate is removed, the extra length allows the two-dimensional embroidered structure to relax into a three-dimensional shape. |
| US07946235B2 |
Embroidery data creation apparatus and embroidery data creation program recorded in computer-readable recording medium
To provide an embroidery data creation apparatus, an embroidery data creation program, and a recording medium that records the embroidery data creation program, which create embroidery data for embroidery that is clear and sharp even when the tint or output size of an image is changed. The number of pixels necessary to create embroidery data is determined from thread density, size of the embroidery, and copied color data. Initial angle information is created from angle data and the angle information having necessary pixel configuration is re-computed from the initial angle information. Then, line segment data is created from the re-computed angle information, color data is created from the size adjusted color data and the line segment data, and the embroidery data is created from the line segment data and the color data. |
| US07946233B2 |
System and method for forming artificial/synthetic sports turf fabrics
A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material. The system generally will include spaced rows of needles mounted along a tufting zone and which are reciprocated through the backing to different penetration depths. A series of loopers and a series of hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form cut and loop pile tufts of yarns having varying lengths in the backing material. |
| US07946232B2 |
Planter with depth adjustment mechanism
A planter row unit has a pair of ground-engaging gauge wheels located in close proximity to opposite sides of a furrow opener of the unit. The depth of penetration of the furrow opener depends upon the vertical position of the gauge wheels relative to the furrow opener. Wheel arms that connect the gauge wheels to the frame of the row unit are operably coupled with a depth adjustment lever through a rigid link that transmits adjusting movement of the depth adjustment lever to the gauge wheels to raise or lower the same. The link is made adjustable in length to provide fine depth adjustment of the unit for calibration purposes or otherwise. |
| US07946225B2 |
Rotary fan press
A system for extracting liquid from a mass comprising a portable platform having an upper surface, a system mass input, a polymer feeding and blending system on the upper surface, a liquid extraction assembly on the upper surface, and piping having a first section between the system mass input and the polymer feeding and blending system, and a second section between the polymer feeding and blending system and the liquid extraction assembly. The system is configured to have mass inputted into the system mass input, transport the mass to the polymer feeding and blending system through the first section of the piping, inject polymer into the mass in the polymer feeding and blending system, and transport the mass from the polymer feeding and blending system to the liquid extraction assembly. Pressure from mass forced into the liquid extraction assembly forces liquid in the mass to exit the mass. |
| US07946223B2 |
Skewer shield
A skewer shield includes a shielding body adapted for placement on a cooking grill, and a skewer engaging portion extending upwardly from the shielding body. The skewer engaging portion has a top resting edge on which food-ladened skewers can be rested in such a manner that the shielding body of the skewer shield prevents the handle ends of the skewers from heating up. |
| US07946218B2 |
Apparatus for preparing a beverage
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for preparing a beverage (2) comprising a brew chamber (10) defining a volume for containing at least one container (11) with a soluble or extractable product for preparing said beverage, wherein said apparatus comprises adjustment means (12, 14) for varying the volume (V) of said brew chamber. Preferably the adjustment means include a cover member (12) with a piston portion (25). The invention also relates to a method for preparing a beverage. |
| US07946214B2 |
Gas system for firearms
A piston assembly is provided for a gas-operated firearm of the type having a chamber and a barrel. The piston assembly includes a gas expansion housing and a piston mounted within the gas expansion housing. An annular recess is formed in the outer wall of the piston to receive exhaust gases diverted from the barrel upon firing of the firearm. At least one longitudinally extending groove extends from the annual recess to the head of the piston and forms a pathway for diverting the exhaust gases to the head of the piston. During firing, pressurized gases are diverted into the annular recess and expand longitudinally from the annular recess to the piston head, whereupon the pressurized exhaust gas drives the gas piston rearwardly along the housing. |
| US07946207B1 |
Methods and apparatus for countering a projectile
Methods and apparatus for countering a projectile according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a countermeasure system. The countermeasure system may comprise a beam source adapted to generate an electromagnetic beam. The countermeasure system may further include a beam control system adapted to aim the electromagnetic beam at the projectile according to a fire control solution. The beam heats at least a portion of the projectile to a disruption temperature to deflagrate the projectile. |
| US07946206B2 |
Quick-release system
A thin veneer stone saw and related methods are provided. The thin veneer stone saw includes one or more circular saw blades. A quick release mechanism is disclosed to facilitate changing of saw blades. The quick release mechanism is operative for interconnecting a driven member to a rotating member. In one implementation, the quick release mechanism includes a bearing surface fixedly interconnected to the rotating member, a shaft fixedly interconnected to the rotating member, and a cam plate. The cam plate is disposed a fixed distance away from the bearing surface. The quick release mechanism further includes an adjustable plate that may be disposed between the bearing surface and the cam plate. A distance from the adjustable plate to the cam plate can be adjustable. The quick release mechanism further includes a clamp base that is selectably fixable to the shaft and a cam arm pivotably interconnected to the clamp base. |
| US07946205B2 |
Device and method for eliminating trimmings from series of products, such as rolls or the like
The device comprises at least a continuous movable flexible member (23) carrying a series of contact members (29, 29A, 29B) for the products (R; R1; RN) aligned with one another. A section of the movable flexible member is devoid of said contact members to allow the trimmings (Rc, Rt) to fall. At least a longitudinal supporting element (21) of the products (R; R1, RN), is also provided, parallel to the movable flexible member, the reciprocal position of said flexible member and of said longitudinal element being such that the products advance in contact with the contact members (29, 29A, 29B) of the flexible member and with the longitudinal element. A pusher (11) inserts the series of products with the respective trimmings between the flexible member and the longitudinal supporting member. The flexible member (23) is controlled with a variable speed to carry the section thereof devoid of contact members time by time to the level of the head and tail trimmings (Rc; Rt) of two consecutive series of products. |
| US07946203B2 |
Tool handle for holding multiple tools of different sizes during use
A circular, cylindrically shaped tool handle holds multiple sizes of tools. The handle includes one or more holding slots each positioned on the outer surface into which tools are inserted and held. Each holding slot includes one or more contoured compartments in which tools rest when engaged with the handle. Each contoured compartment is of a size and dimension which corresponds to one or more tool sizes. Each contoured compartment is formed about a corresponding receiving hole. A lock is positioned over the contoured compartment to irremovably confine the short leg of the hexagonal wrench within the contoured compartment. Hexagonal shaped tools other than wrenches are able to be used with the handle of the present invention such as screwdrivers and socket wrenches. A tool container stores the tools and the tool handle. |
| US07946200B2 |
Adjustable clamping tool
An adjustable clamping tool of the present invention includes a rotatable disc, two clamp portions, two slidable shanks, two rails and a housing member. When the rotatable disc is turned, the clamp portions are therefore driven to move toward or away from each other along the rails. |
| US07946199B2 |
Coaxial cable connector nut rotation aid
An improved coaxial cable connector rotation aid that facilitates rotation of a coaxial cable connector found on the end of a coaxial cable. Embodiments may include a nut with faceted portions or exclude a nut element. Embodiments may coupled with a nut having threads or the tubular element may include threads. Embodiments may include soft metal, plastic or composites to provide additional shielding. Embodiments allow the aid to slide from a first end of a coaxial cable to a second end, non-fixedly engaging the threaded connector nut on either end so that a single instance of one aid may be utilized on both ends of the cable. As the aid is slidingly engaged on the cable, it cannot be removed and swallowed by a small child or pet. Other embodiments allow for a combined textured and nut aid that allows for rotation by using a tool or by manual rotation. |
| US07946196B1 |
Rotary ring transfer system
Rotation and positioning of a rotary index table supported from a base is effected using a cam supported from a conveyor and cam follower lock, with the conveyor and cam follower lock being mounted on a carriage set for radial movement on the base inwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotary index table, and a plurality of cam followers depending from the rotary index table. |
| US07946195B2 |
Steering apparatus for vehicle
A steering apparatus for a vehicle capable of executing a steer-by-wire (SBW) mode of steering road wheels by a steering mechanism mechanically disconnected with a steering device. The steering apparatus includes a clutch which is composed of a shaft that rotates together with the steering device, an internal gear ring which has a rotation center coinciding with that of the shaft and transmits its rotation to the steering mechanism, an external gear ring partially intermeshed with the internal gear ring, lock members which transmit/disconnect the rotation of the shaft to the external gear, and a lock operating member for displacing the lock members to lock/unlock positions. |
| US07946193B2 |
Foot peg with replaceable cleat component
An multi-piece foot peg for use with power sport vehicles such as motorcycles and ATVs is provided that, in one embodiment, includes a base that attaches to the frame of the vehicle and a cleat member that attaches to the base wherein the cleat member may be replaced without replacing the entire foot peg thereby enabling economical replacement of worn cleats and enabling the adjustment of foot peg height and aggressiveness of the cleats. The base is configured to define an opening between two sub-components that extend away from the frame of the vehicle. The cleat member includes cleats and at least one opening between the cleats positioned to facilitate the passage of debris through the opening in the cleat member and through the opening in the base such that debris will not build up on the upper surface of the cleat member. |
| US07946191B2 |
Accelerator pedal system
An accelerator pedal system includes a vehicle speed sensor outputting a vehicle speed signal, an accelerator pedal, and a switch that generates a signal corresponding to at least one predetermined speed and a selected mode. An engine management system receives the signals from the vehicle speed sensor and the switch. A pedal control unit receives the vehicle speed signal and the switch signal, and outputs a control signal if a vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed. A reaction device is physically attached to the accelerator pedal and electrically connected to the pedal control unit. The reaction device applies force to the accelerator pedal based on the control signal. |
| US07946187B2 |
Mass flowmeter
A mass flowmeter is provided which operates on the Coriolis principle, having (1) at least four measurement tubes which can oscillate and through which a medium can flow, (2) at least one oscillation generator for excitation of the oscillations of the measurement tube, and (3) at least one oscillation sensor for detection of the excited oscillations of the measurement tubes. The measurement tubes are preferably arranged closely in parallel such that the flow cross section covered by the measurement tubes covers as small an area as possible. The use of four or more compactly arranged measurement tubes advantageously allows for the measurement of a high mass flow rate with measurement tubes having a relatively small cross section and length, resulting in a mass flowmeter having compact length and width dimensions, and which requires only a relatively low energy oscillation generator for excitation of the oscillations of the measurement tubes. |
| US07946183B2 |
Bending-detection apparatus
A bending-detection apparatus includes a sheet-shaped substrate having flexibility and a bending-detection mechanism including a sensor which measures a potential difference to detect bending deformations of the substrate and two bending-detection sections which are arranged on a surface of the substrate at different areas respectively. Each of the bending-detection sections has a piezoelectric layer provided on a surface of the substrate; plurality of first electrodes which are conducted with each other and each of which extends on a surface of the piezoelectric layer along a direction; a plurality of second electrodes which are arranged alternately with the plurality of first electrodes. An electrode-extending direction in which the first and second electrodes extend is different between the two bending-detection sections. Consequently, a bending-detection apparatus capable of detecting bending deformations in the substrate in various directions is provided. |
| US07946181B2 |
System for measuring deflection of rotating shaft in wireless manner
Disclosed herein is a system for measuring the deflection of a rotating shaft in a wireless manner. The system includes a non-contact-type angle division device, a plurality of wireless contact-type displacement sensors, a plurality of wireless transmitters, a relay, and a data reader. The non-contact-type angle division device is placed on a vertical rotating shaft and measures and transmits the angle of rotation of the rotating shaft. The wireless contact-type displacement sensors are installed on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, and measure the strain of the rotating shaft. The wireless transmitters transmit data about the displacement of the rotating shaft measured by the wireless contact-type displacement sensor. The relay receives and relays transmission signals from the non-contact-type angle division device and the wireless transmitters. The data reader receives the transmission signals from the relay, and performs simulation reading. |
| US07946176B2 |
Methods and apparatus for extracting first arrival wave packets in a structural health monitoring system
Methods and apparatus for extracting the first arrival wave packet of an acoustic signal in a structural health monitoring (SHM) system include receiving an acoustic signal transmitted between two transducers thereof. Electromagnetic cross-talk is removed from the signal. Signal amplitude threshold values used for picking out the first arrival wave packet are chosen based on signal characteristics or chosen adaptively as the value that leads to the minimum variance of the group velocity estimates of all the actuation-sensing transducer pairs. The group velocity is estimated as the known actuator-sensor distance divided by the propagation time of the first wave packet of which the envelope exceeds a candidate threshold value. The first arrival wave packet is determined as the signal segment where the signal envelope first exceeds the chosen amplitude threshold and the segment length exceeds a specified threshold of time width. |
| US07946173B2 |
Angular velocity sensor and process for producing the same
An angular velocity sensor has a stable characteristic in which a vibration element has a small variation in the driving efficiency even when carbon dioxide gas is generated by the reaction with oxygen gas in a package including therein the vibration element. To realize this, the angular velocity sensor has a mixed gas of inert gas and oxygen gas in the package so that the mixed gas in the package has a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. |
| US07946169B2 |
Fluid level detector
A fluid detector includes a piezoelectric element that outputs a first ultrasonic signal in response to an input electrical signal and a lens with an upper portion and a lower portion. A housing is integral with an outer surface of the wall of a container and defines a cylindrical central bore for receiving the lens. The piezoelectric element is coupled to the upper portion of the lens so that the lens focuses the first ultrasonic signal toward the wall so that it enters the wall. An ultrasonic detector is disposed adjacent the outer surface of the wall, for receiving a second ultrasonic signal from the wall that results from the first ultrasonic signal and that is affected by the presence or absence of fluid. The ultrasonic detector generates an output electrical signal corresponding to the second ultrasonic signal. |
| US07946167B2 |
Constant temperature hot-conductor anemometer
A constant temperature hot-conductor anemometer includes a set of electrically conductive pins including a pair of inner pins and a pair of outer pins. A conductor is electrically and mechanically coupled to the pins. A current source is coupled to the inner pins. The current source is configured to provide a current through the conductor between the inner pins. A voltage sensor is coupled to the outer pins and configured to measure a voltage across the conductor between the outer pins. The current source and voltage sensor are configured to maintain a constant resistance of the conductor between the inner pins. In an example, a second set of pins, a second conductor and a second circuit are also used to measure dynamic temperature of a fluid and also to calibrate resistances at a known ambient temperature. |
| US07946165B2 |
Over-speed, rough loads and hard landing detection system
A system, apparatus and method provide a means for indicating an overload condition has occurred during aircraft operation. The occurrence of an overload condition is automatically determined and an indication output thereof. Based on the indication received by the cockpit, avionics, maintenance, etc., further action may be taken to correct the effects of the overload condition on the tires and/or landing gear. |
| US07946163B2 |
Methods and apparatus for developing a vehicle suspension
An electronically adjustable shock absorber, and a system, method, and algorithm for developing a vehicle suspension. The shock absorber has damping characteristics that can be adjusted electronically to match a desired set of damping characteristics. The test method includes closed loop control of the electronically adjustable shock to achieve user-provided damping characteristics. The characteristics can be selected from a graphical user interface to simulate different internal flow passages of a shock absorber. Some embodiments make possible the simulated testing of different hardware embodiments, without the need to make the actual shock absorbers and without the need interrupt the vehicle suspension testing for multiple shock absorber installations. |
| US07946162B2 |
Method for estimating the oxygen concentration in internal combustion engines
A method for estimating the oxygen concentration in an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, an EGR system, a throttle valve, an air mass sensor for measuring a fresh air flow ({dot over (m)}thr) entering the intake manifold through the throttle valve, and cylinders. The method includes, but is not limited to the steps of estimating the total gas flow ({dot over (m)}o) entering the cylinders, calculating the EGR gas flow ({dot over (m)}egr), calculating the air fraction (f—air—em) of the gas flowing in the exhaust manifold, calculating the air mass (mim—air) entering the cylinders based on the air fraction (f—air—em) in the exhaust manifold, on the total gas flow ({dot over (m)}o) entering the cylinders, on the EGR gas flow ({dot over (m)}egr) and on the fresh air flow ({dot over (m)}thr), calculating the total mass (mim) in the intake manifold based on the fresh air flow ({dot over (m)}thr), on the EGR gas flow ({dot over (m)}egr) and on the total gas flow ({dot over (m)}o) entering the cylinders, calculating the air fraction (fair—im) in the intake manifold based on the air mass (mim—air) entering the cylinders and the total mass (mim) in the intake manifold, and calculating the oxygen mass concentration ([O2]m—im) in the intake manifold based on the air fraction (fair—im) in the intake manifold. |
| US07946161B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for estimating particulate production
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for estimating particulate production from a diesel engine. Engine conditions such as fuel rate, exhaust gas recirculation, and fuel injection timing are determined. Based on empirical evidence or theoretical calculations, or both, particulate production markers, each indicating a level of particulate production, are assigned to each engine condition. The markers are combined and the combined marker is used to interpolate between a minimum and a maximum level of particulate production from the engine to estimate a particulate production rate. The production rate may be combined with an oxidation rate to determine a particulate accumulation rate, which may in turn be combined with a particulate load estimate to produce a combined particulate load estimate. The combined estimate may be used to determine whether to initiate regeneration of a diesel particulate filter. |
| US07946160B2 |
Portable emissions measurement adapter device
A portable emissions measurement adapter device (PEMAD) for a vehicle exhaust system having an first exhaust pipe coupled to a second exhaust pipe defining an air inlet opening therebetween, includes an elongated tube having a first and a second end and adapted to fit through the second exhaust pipe to sealingly mate with the first exhaust pipe at the first end. The second end is adapted for operative connection to an emissions testing unit. No modification of the production vehicle is required to use the PEMAD. |
| US07946151B2 |
Proton exchange membrane fuel cell humidity sensor
A humidity sensing device for determining the amount of humidity in at least one primary fluid stream that is passed to a fuel cell stack is provided. The sensing device includes an outer housing and an inner housing. The outer housing is positioned within at least one conduit such that the outer housing and the conduit coact with each other to generate at least one secondary fluid stream from the primary fluid stream. The inner housing is positioned within the outer housing such that the inner housing is configured to receive the secondary fluid stream and to measure an amount of water present in the secondary fluid stream to determine the amount of humidity in the primary fluid stream. |
| US07946147B2 |
Tube expanding method and apparatus of damper tube
In a tube expanding apparatus of a damper tube supporting a thrust force of a punch applied to the damper tube by a stopper at a time of retaining one end of the damper tube by the stopper, inserting the other end of the damper tube to a die, inserting the punch to the other end of the damper tube so as to propel, and expand the other end of the damper tube while carrying out an ironing operation, the apparatus is provided with a stopper releasing means for releasing the stopper at a time when a load in an axial direction applied to the damper tube due to an elongation by the ironing work of the damper tube increases over a critical load which is previously determined to be a smaller load than an expected buckling load in the damper tube. |
| US07946145B2 |
Method and apparatus for blowing out and/or for spraying dies of a forging press
In a method for blowing out and/or for spraying dies (3, 5), arranged at the top and/or bottom, of forging presses, in particular drop forging presses, comprising automatic workpiece transport by means of a transport lifting beam (8) provided with gripping devices (9) and comprising a mechanical blow-out and spray device (11; 10) which is introduced into the tool space (1) of the forging press and is withdrawn again from the latter, a spray lifting beam (11) provided with spray devices (10) is moved into the tool space (1) synchronously with the lifting and removal movement of the transport lifting beam (8), but independently of the latter, while the transport lifting beam (8) lifts a workpiece (6) produced in a preceding forging operation and removes it from the tool space (1), wherein the spray devices (10) are actuated within the tool space and the forging dies (3, 5) are lubricated and/or cooled close to the contour. An apparatus used for this purpose is distinguished by the fact that a separate spray lifting beam (11) formed with spray devices (10) that can be actuated temporarily is assigned to the transport lifting beam (8), wherein the drives of the two lifting beams (8; 11) are synchronized with opposed sequences of movement via an automatic lifting beam mechanism and the lifting beams (8; 11) are connected for their activation to a common open-loop and closed-loop control device (12). |
| US07946144B2 |
Lock cylinder
A lock cylinder which can be fitted into a part of a lock assembly of a door or other operable panel. There is provided a lock cylinder (114; 214; 314; 414; 514; 614; 714) adapted for fitment into the lock housing (12), the lock cylinder comprising a key-operated locking part and an actuator (50), the lock cylinder having a predetermined profile for most of its length, and a securing part (70; 72,74; 76,78; 80,82; 170,172; 270,272; 370) projecting from the predetermined profile. The securing part is adapted to lie underneath a part of the lock assembly in use, such as a face plate of an operating handle of the lock assembly, so that the securing part prevents unauthorised removal of the lock cylinder through the face plate. |
| US07946139B2 |
Method and apparatus for upgrading washing machine water efficiency
A water level control for a washing machine provides an integrated unit that may replace standard mechanical water level controls with a microprocessor-based circuit that may provide for more sophisticated water management in a standard washing machine using a non-microprocessor cycle timer. |
| US07946136B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming glass flakes and fibres
Apparatus for forming fibers or flakes of material comprises means (1) for producing a heated stream of molten material (9), means for feeding the stream in a substantially vertically downward direction and means (7) for receiving the downwardly directed stream and for forming fibers or flakes therefrom. The apparatus includes means (11, 13, 15, 17) for effecting a change in the temperature of the stream subsequent to the production thereof whereby fibers or flakes of a desired thickness are obtained. Instead of, or in addition to, the temperature changing means, there may be provided means for controlling the mass or volume flow of the stream. The invention also provides methods corresponding to the apparatus. |
| US07946128B2 |
Glass compositions compatible with downdraw processing and methods of making and using thereof
Described herein are alkali-free, boroalumino silicate glasses exhibiting desirable physical and chemical properties for use as substrates in flat panel display devices, such as, active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs). The glass compositions possess numerous properties that are compatible with the downdraw process, particularly fusion drawing. |
| US07946121B2 |
Air conditioner
An air conditioner includes a refrigerant circuit, a refrigerant quantity calculating section, and a refrigerant quantity judging section. The refrigerant circuit is configured by the interconnection of a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, and an indoor heat exchanger. The refrigerant quantity calculating section uses a relational expression between the refrigerant quantity in each portion of the refrigerant circuit when the refrigerant circuit is divided into a plurality of portions and an operation state quantity of constituent equipment or refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit in order to calculate the refrigerant quantity in each portion from the operation state quantity of constituent equipment or refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant quantity judging section uses the refrigerant quantity in each portion calculated by the refrigerant quantity calculating section in order to judge the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity in the refrigerant circuit. |
| US07946117B2 |
Onboard method of determining EGR flow rate
A method of determining and regulating a mass flow rate exhaust gases recirculated into an engine is disclosed. The method may comprise directing the exhaust gases through a venturi and sensing a differential exhaust pressure across the venturi. The method may further include sensing an absolute exhaust pressure at the venturi, and sensing a temperature of the exhaust gases. The method may further include determining the mass flow rate of the exhaust based on the sensed differential fluid pressure, absolute fluid pressure, and temperature. |
| US07946114B2 |
Hydraulic control system
The invention relates to a hydraulic control system for providing at least one hydraulic consumer with a pressure medium. Said system comprises an LS pump system and a metering port for adjusting the pressure medium volume flow rate towards the consumer. The LS line is connected to a pressure medium sink via a current regulator. The invention is characterized in that the current regulator can be adjusted depending on the pump rate in order to modify the pressure drop at the metering port. |
| US07946112B2 |
Exhaust heat recovery device
An exhaust heat recovery device includes an accommodating portion extending continuously without shrinking a section therein and adapted to allow exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine to pass therethrough, a catalyst disposed in the accommodating portion for cleaning the exhaust gas, an evaporator disposed adjacent to the catalyst on a downstream side of an exhaust gas flow in the accommodating portion, and a condenser for condensing the working medium by radiating heat of the working medium flowing thereinto from the evaporator so as to recover exhaust heat on the coolant side. The condenser is located to return the condensed working medium to the evaporator. |
| US07946109B2 |
Emissions conformance for an exhaust after-treatment system having a dosing agent supply
An exhaust after-treatment system for a vehicle including a dosing agent that is selectively injected into an exhaust from a dosing agent supply includes a first module that determines a level of a dosing agent source. A second module selectively impedes vehicle operation by adjusting an engine operating mode if the level of said dosing agent source is below a threshold level. |
| US07946108B2 |
Method for regenerating a nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter
In a method for regenerating a nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter arranged in an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine, a constant value is set in a first regeneration phase for the air/fuel ratio λM of the air/fuel mixture fed to the internal combustion engine when a predeterminable triggering threshold value for the nitrogen oxide concentration in the exhaust gas on the output side of the nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter is exceeded. The first regeneration phase is followed by a second regeneration phase, in which the time rate of change d λM/dt of the air/fuel ratio λM is set as a function of the mass flow of the exhaust gas flowing through the nitrogen oxide storage catalytic converter or as a function of an internal combustion engine operating variable linked with the mass flow of exhaust gas. |
| US07946105B2 |
Bi-directional locking ring assembly for aircraft thrust reverser manual drive unit
A bi-directional locking ring assembly is provided comprising a housing and a gear having a plurality of teeth. The gear is coupled to the housing to rotate in opposite directions about a rotational axis. A pin is also coupled to the housing and has an apex configured to travel along a line that does not pass through the rotational axis of the gear. The pin is configured to translate between (1) a disengaged position wherein the gear is free to rotate, and (2) an engaged position wherein the apex resides between two of the plurality of teeth to prevent rotation of the gear in both rotational directions. A pin actuator is coupled to the housing and configured to engage the pin to selectively lock the pin in the engaged position. |
| US07946101B1 |
Method and system for verification of contents of a multi-cell, multi-product blister pack
A method of transferring a plurality of tablets of a product from a first blister card comprising a first plurality of blisters to a second blister card comprising a second plurality of blisters includes discharging the plurality of tablets from the first plurality of blisters of the first blister card. Then, each of the plurality of tablets are guided along one of a plurality of passageways defined by a transfer fixture positioned between the first blister card and the second blister card. Finally, the plurality of tablets are received in the second plurality of blisters of the second blister card. The method includes monitoring the deposit of product to the blister card and verifying the contents of the blister card. |
| US07946099B2 |
Method for producing a package and packaging machine
A method for producing a package with an inner volume of the package containing a headspace volume and a volume taken by the product, and a packaging machine. To allow the reduction of the size of such a package, the package is formed providing a product to be packaged inside the package; providing a tray with its height being smaller than the maximum height of the product; placing the product into the tray; replacing the atmosphere surrounding the product by a gas mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen; covering the tray containing the product by a formable sheet material; forming the formable sheet material and sealing tray together with the formable sheet material, so that the headspace volume containing the gas mixture makes at most half of the volume taken by the product inside the package. |
| US07946098B1 |
Apparatus for applying drinking straws
Apparatus for applying a drinking straw on a receiving surface of a stand up bag which can be supplied on a conveying surface to a transfer device for drinking straws. To increase the conveying speed of said apparatus, the transfer means is arranged such that the drinking straw while being handed over encloses an acute angle with the conveying surface. |
| US07946097B2 |
Feeder
The feeder for the controlled transfer of product items into the pockets of a web of sheeting has a base unit, a supply container for holding the product items, and a product conveyor for receiving the product items from the supply container. Further, the feeder has an exchangeable format unit including a sorting plate for receiving the product items from the product conveyor, a filling unit with a number of vertically extending filling tubes for receiving the product items from the sorting plate and with a blocking slide unit with a blocking slide plate for temporarily blocking the guiding channels of the filling tubes. The format unit further has a filling shoe for receiving the product items from the filling unit and for guiding them to the pockets of the web of sheeting. A plurality of drives and the corresponding electrical control components for moving the format unit, the sorting plate, the blocking slide plate and the filling shoe are arranged in the base unit. |
| US07946088B1 |
System for reinforcing structure using site-customized materials
System and method for reinforcing structures includes basalt textile 20 connected to surfaces of the structure 100 with fiber anchors 30. Textile spreads forces and increases ductility of structure. Textile may connect multiple structural elements together, including walls, floors, columns, beams, and roofs. Textile is covered with mortar 50 customized to match color and texture of structure by use of locally obtained grit, aggregate, or colorant. Basalt fiber textile is preferred to avoid degradation of textile from alkaline components of mortar 50. |
| US07946085B2 |
Stair stringer assembly
A stringer assembly includes a support element, a plurality of brackets and a plurality of alignment elements. The brackets are connected to the support element, and each bracket includes a rise indicator corresponding to a desired rise dimension and a run indicator corresponding to a desired run dimension. The alignment elements align the rise or run indicator on one of the brackets with the other of the rise or run indicator on an adjacent one of the brackets to space the brackets at a desired rise and run. The brackets each include a tread flange and a riser flange, such that a tread and a riser can be directly connected to each bracket. The brackets may include cutouts for a temporary tread system. |
| US07946080B2 |
Lock assembly
A passive lock assembly is suitable for use with a door mounted to a door frame. The passive lock assembly includes a housing, a bolt, an actuator, and a stop member. The housing is mounted on the door. The bolt extends from the housing and is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. The actuator is supported by the housing and is operably connected to the bolt. Additionally, the actuator is moveable to move the bolt between the extended position and the retracted position. The stop member is pivotably connected to the housing and pivotable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the stop member engages an engagement surface of the actuator to obstruct movement of the actuator and prevent movement of the bolt to the retracted position, and in the second position, the stop member does not obstruct movement of the actuator. |
| US07946078B1 |
Starter tray and planting and method using a tray
A plurality of plants of at least one species are planted in starter soil contained in a starter tray. The tray can have a perforated floor with a plurality of reinforcing ribs and one or more walls rising from the floor peripherally. The plants are nurtured in the starter tray long enough to develop entangled roots with an interplant root entanglement that at least partially consolidates the starter soil. |
| US07946077B2 |
Container for capturing mosquito larvae
The present invention is a container for capturing mosquito larvae comprising: a water container (8) in which natural water can be pooled; an open-top concave induction pipe (1) which is to be intruded into the water container (8); a passage opening (4) formed in the lower part of the concave induction pipe (1); a passage-blocking member (5) for blocking the passage opening (4) in the case where the water levels in the water container (8) and in the concave induction pipe (1) are not higher at least than the top end of the passage opening (4); and a closed space (11) formed in the upper part between the water container (8) and the concave induction pipe (1), characterized in that the above members are so constructed that, after spawning in the concave induction pipe (1), hatched mosquito larvae migrate via the passage opening (4) to the space between the water container (8) and the concave induction pipe (1) and, after emerging, the imagoes die in the closed space (11) and accumulated therein. |
| US07946067B2 |
Picture frame with tilt display and support
A picture frame comprising a block of foam attached to a flat cardboard backing with a hole formed therein to allow the picture frame to be mounted on a wall; a first double sided adhesive tape on the low-tack side attachable to a back surface of the picture; a support structure for the picture frame comprising an extended portion of the flat cardboard backing, wherein a proximal end of the extended portion is connected to the cardboard backing along a hinge and the distal end of the extended portion extends to an edge of the cardboard backing opposite the hinge, the extended portion having a perforated line dividing it to a first part and a second part. |
| US07946066B2 |
Sign holder and sign display system
A sign holder holding an end of each of two signs includes a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, and a connecting wall located between the first and second walls and secured thereto. A first sign holding section is defined by first portions of the first and second walls and is located on a first side of the connecting wall. A second sign holding section is defined by second portions of the first and second walls and is located on a second side of the connecting wall. A channel is defined on the second wall for engaging an associated bracket used to mount the sign holder on a support. |
| US07946062B2 |
Studded footwear
An outsole for an article of studded footwear in which said outsole includes receptacles for specifically-oriented studs. The outsole also includes traction elements formed integrally with the outsole. The studs and traction elements being so constructed and arranged to interact in use of the footwear. The traction elements are designed to complement the spike configuration of the stud. |
| US07946052B2 |
Concrete form alignment tool and method of use
A concrete column form aligning apparatus is useful for homeowners building decks, sheds or other structures or commercial builders making bridges, parking garages or other structures having column forms. The aligning apparatus comprises a plurality of platforms configured to engage a circumference of the concrete column form each having a securing device to fix and center each platform around the circumference of the concrete column form. Each of the apparatuses have at least one attachment bracket affixed at a predetermined angle, where the attachment brackets on each form linearly aligned at the proper angle with respect to the other attachment bracket on the other platform. A connector mechanism may be secured in the attachment bracket be using joining pieces at a designated length that secures and aligns the forms at the proper position. |
| US07946044B2 |
Surveying instrument and a method therefor
A surveying instrument includes a measuring system having a component, a support, and a mounting unit that is arranged at the support. The component is mounted on the mounting unit and the support and the mounting unit are configured such that the mounting unit is adjustable relative to the support. The instrument also includes a fine inclination sensor that is arranged at the component and is configured to measure an inclination angle of the component and to output fine inclination data. The instrument further includes a coarse inclination sensor that is arranged at the component, is configured to measure the inclination angle and to output coarse inclination data, and includes an electronic acceleration sensor. The instrument additionally includes an evaluation unit that is configured to select inclination data from the coarse inclination data and the fine inclination data and an output unit that is configured to output the inclination data. |
| US07946043B2 |
Archery bow plane alignment device and method
Methods and systems for tuning an archery bow are disclosed, including providing a bow having a string, providing a laser plane, rotating the laser plane to be inline with the string and aligning the bow to the laser plane. |
| US07946042B2 |
Apparatus and a method for drafting a framework for a pattern
An apparatus for drafting a framework for a pattern and a method of using the apparatus is presented. The apparatus includes a generally rigid planer structure. A pivot point includes a pivot point aperture extending through the rigid planer structure for enabling scribing a center point of the framework and rotating the rigid planer structure about the center point. A plurality of lines pass through the pivot point. Each of the plurality of lines includes a plurality of apertures for enabling scribing marks for forming a basis for lines in the framework. At least one line of generally equally spaced longitudinal apertures, wherein each of the longitudinal apertures is at a first fixed radial distance from the pivot point, enables scribing a circle for the framework, where the circle is scribed by rotation of the rigid planer structure about the pivot point. |
| US07946040B2 |
Chainsaw
A chainsaw includes: a body case 20 in which an engine for driving the chainsaw is accommodated; and a top handle 41 provided on an upper side of the body case 20. A fuel tank 7 for storing fuel of the engine is integrally provided to the top handle 41. A carburetor 6 is also provided to the top handle 41. The fuel tank 7 is disposed near the carburetor 6. |
| US07946035B2 |
Method of manufacturing a hollow article
A method of manufacturing a hollow article (10) comprising the steps of cold pressing two members (30,34) to form at least one depression (32,36) in the members (30,34). Arranging the two members (30,34) in abutting relationship such that the at least one depression (32,36) defines at least one chamber between the two members (30,34). Sealing (41) the edges (40,42) of the two members (30,34) together to form a core structure (44). Positioning the core structure (44) in a mold (46) to define a cavity (48) between the external surface (50) of the core structure (44) and the internal surface (52) of the mold (46), the internal surface (52) of the mold (46) substantially defining the external shape of the hollow article (10). Filling the cavity (48) between the core structure (44) and the mold (46) with a powder material (54), sealing the open edge of the core structure (44) to the mold (46). Removing gases from the cavity (48) containing the powder material (54), applying heat and pressures to consolidate the power material to form the hollow article (10) in the cavity (46) and removing the mold (46) from the hollow article (10). |
| US07946034B2 |
Method for manufacturing a tribological component
A method for manufacturing an annular tribological component in the form of a seal or a sliding bearing of a brittle material. In order to attain the necessary sealing action even with a segmented construction, without expensive reprocessing being necessary in connection with the manufacture of segment surfaces bounding on one another, it is proposed that the annular component be formed of segments made by breaking a ring element and that the segments be assembled such that fractured surfaces fitting one another lie one upon the other. |
| US07946026B2 |
Inkjet printhead production method
A method of producing an ink jet printhead includes steps of forming a substrate having defined therein a nozzle chamber for receiving and storing a fluid, the chamber fed at one side by an inlet passage; forming a nozzle plate in-situ on the substrate to define a nozzle opening on an opposite side of the nozzle chamber to the inlet passage; and forming first and second heater elements suspended between the nozzle opening and the inlet passage, the heater elements having two opposite planar sides and positioned to be in direct thermal contact with the fluid stored in the nozzle chamber at both opposed planar sides. The first heater element is formed on a different layer to the second heater element. The first heater element is formed with a surface area larger than that the second heater element. |
| US07946024B2 |
Method of manufacturing a can assembly of an enhanced coreless alternating current linear motor
A method of manufacturing a can assembly of a coreless AC linear motor is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a workpiece and gouging out material from the workpiece to form a deep groove in the workpiece. The workpiece having the deep groove forms a can. The method also includes providing a plurality of coreless coils and arranging the plurality of coreless coils in a straight line. The method also includes forming the plurality of coreless coils into a flat plate-shaped block using resin or adhesive. The flat plate-shaped block forms a coil assembly. The method also includes inserting the coil assembly into the deep groove of the can. The can assembly comprises the can and the coil assembly. |
| US07946022B2 |
Copper alloy for electronic machinery and tools and method of producing the same
A copper alloy for electronic machinery and tools, having a surface layer of a work affected layer whose thickness is 0.2 μm or below; and a method of producing the same. |
| US07946021B1 |
Double safety fastener
A double safety fastener prevents accidental disengagement. The double safety fastener is composed of a first and second threaded fastener. The two fasteners are joined with a pivotable protrusion extending from the first fastener into a recess of the second fastener. When both fasteners are engaged with a threaded rod, torque is transferred from the second fastener to the first fastener through the protrusion, recess interface. If the second fastener disengages the threaded rod, the second fastener will swing away from the threaded rod eliminating transfer of torque to the first fastener, thus eliminating the disengagement of the first fastener from the threaded rod. Conversely reengaging the disengaged second fastener to the threaded rod is accomplished by rotating (typically clockwise) and pressing the second fastener toward the first fastener thereby catching the beginning thread of threaded rod. |
| US07946020B2 |
Manufacturing of micro-objects such as miniature diamond tool tips
Techniques for affixing a micro-object to a mounting structure at a desired relative orientation. A shaped portion of a work piece is caused to become embedded in two or more reference structures at stages during fabrication. The micro-object may have dimensions less than 200 microns, and possibly on the order of 15-25 microns. The mounting structure may be formed with a blind recess or a through aperture in which the micro-object is mounted. |
| US07946019B2 |
Process for producing a stent for angioplasty
A stent has surface sculpturing, preferably on its outer surface only, having, for example, microspheres, having the function of increasing the actual geometric surface area of the stent, of creating undercuts and roughness to encourage the application of coatings of active or activatable agents, as well as of improving the attachment of the stent to the blood vessel wall. |
| US07946017B2 |
Integrated hinge and temporary door checker
A temporary checking device is provided that works in conjunction with elements of a vehicle hinge that remain in the vehicle's final configuration. The hinge includes a hinge pin rotatably connecting a door hinge bracket to a pillar hinge bracket. The checking device includes a spring portion that is disposed between the door hinge bracket and the pillar hinge bracket. The spring portion is compressed during movement of the door hinge bracket relative to the pillar hinge bracket from either of two rest positions. The spring portion urges the vehicle door affixed thereto back into one of the rest positions, thus allowing manufacturing operations such as painting, etc., to be performed on the vehicle. |
| US07946012B2 |
Apparatus for installing a waster disposer sink mount
An apparatus and method enhances installation of a waste disposer mounting assembly at a drain-received sink flange. The apparatus comprises a carriage guide, a carriage assembly, and a spring-actuable notch stop. The carriage guide comprises a hooked end, a handled end, and a notched face extending intermediate the hooked and handled ends. The carriage assembly is translatably and cooperably associated with the carriage guide and comprises a centralized rail guide aperture and a plurality of fastener-engaging arm assemblies. The guide aperture is sized and shaped to receive the guide rail and the notch stop engages the notched face for selectively prevent translation of the carriage assembly relative to the carriage guide. The arm assemblies of the carriage assembly carry a mounting assembly via fastener-port engagement to a mount position where a snap ring fastener may be manually installed to prevent downward displacement of the mounting assembly from the mount position. |
| US07946010B1 |
Installation tool for irrigation emitter barbs and tubing punch
A tool for installing irrigation barb emitters into irrigation tubing including a cradle handle and a punch handle, the cradle handle and the punch handle being arranged in a parallel relation and connected intermediate their ends at a center point. A cradle which receives irrigation tubing is included. A punch pin allows a user to punch holes in irrigation tubing as desired with a spring loaded body which removes the punch pin when it has been driven into irrigation tubing. A barb holder allows a user to install emitter barbs into irrigation tubing as desired. A barb remover allows removal of barbs from irrigation tubing as desired. |
| US07946004B2 |
Reclosable fastener with slider for high-pressure processing
A fastener for a plastic bag includes first and second mutually engageable track portions and a slider for engaging and disengaging the track portions. In a preferred embodiment, the slider includes a core portion and an end portion. The core portion is made of a first material having a first preselected material property. The end portion is made of a second material having a second preselected material property and is arranged at opposing ends of the slider. |
| US07946000B2 |
Apparatus for the fibre-sorting or fibre-selection of a fibre bundle comprising textile fibres, especially for combing
In an apparatus for the fiber-sorting or fiber-selection of a fiber bundle comprising textile fibers, especially for combing, which is supplied by means of supply device to a fiber-sorting device, especially a combing device for removal of the combed fiber material at least one take-off means with a sliver-forming element is present, downstream of which is a drafting system to enable productivity to be substantially increased and an improved combed sliver to be obtained, downstream of the supply device there is arranged at least one rotatably mounted roller rotating rapidly without interruption, which is provided with clamping devices for the fiber bundle, which clamping devices are distributed spaced apart in the region of the periphery of the roller and the combed sliver formed is arranged to be supplied directly to the drafting system. |
| US07945998B2 |
Gripping handle for supporting a tool extension
A handle for a rotating tool extension is disclosed. The handle includes a body member having a central portion with first and second end portions. The body member is positionable along an axis of rotation of the rotating tool extension and includes a bore formed in the body member extending therethrough along the axis of rotation. A liner may be at least partially disposed within the bore, and may be at least partially removable from and insertable within the bore. A rotating tool extension is at least partially inserted within the liner. Alternatively, the body member may include at least one roller bearing member contacting at least a portion of the rotating tool extension during rotation of the extension. The handle and extension may be provided as a combination and also as a kit. |
| US07945992B2 |
Mat fastening system
A system for securing a floor mat with respect to a carpet within a vehicle that may include a carpet grommet configured to secure to the carpet, a mat grommet configured to secure to the floor mat, and a locking ring secured to or within one of the carpet grommet or the mat grommet. The locking ring includes first ramped shelves configured to securely abut reciprocal ramped surfaces formed on the other of the carpet grommet or the mat grommet. The first ramped shelves are angled in a non-perpendicular and non-parallel manner with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the system, wherein the locking ring secures the carpet grommet to the mat grommet. The carpet grommet may also include an auger configured to pierce and secure into the carpet. |
| US07945991B2 |
Vacuum cleaner comprising an operating rocker
An actuating element mounted on an electrical appliance for pivotal movement about a pivoting axis in the switching direction of a switch, in order to switch a function of the electrical appliance by actuating the switch, and comprises a slide with an actuating surface that is guided along a slide path provided on the actuating element to adjust an operating parameter. An operating rocker/slide is provided enabling uniform forces introduced into the operating rocker during displacement of the slide. The actuating element includes the slide path and the pivoting axis extending substantially parallel to each other. The parallel orientation of the pivoting axis and the slide path enables the same length of lever arm to be obtained in relation to the pivoting axis of the actuating element, in each position of the slide, during the introduction of forces into the actuating surface of the slide. |
| US07945978B2 |
Duvet and duvet cover combination
A duvet and duvet cover combination where the duvet is arranged to be placed inside the duvet cover, where the duvet includes an integrated substantially rectangular extension part having a first long side attached to the duvet, and a second long side divided up in two parts that are separated by an aperture which extends essentially centered and over at least half the distance between the second long side and the first long side The duvet includes straps arranged in corners of the extension part and the duvet cover includes through holes arranged in corners of the extension part. The straps are arranged to be passed through the holes on the upper side and the under side of the extension part of the duvet cover whereafter they may to be tied together to keep the extension part of the duvet safely in place inside the extension part of the duvet cover, whereby the shoulders and arms of a user may be kept warm by the extension parts. |
| US07945977B1 |
Bedding accessory for article storage
A bedding accessory for storing a plurality of articles in the space fully beneath a bed frame includes a sheet portion, a side portion appended to an edge of the sheet portion, and storage compartments formed on the side portion. The sheet portion is placed in substantially covering relation to an upper surface of a mattress support structure. The side portion is arranged to hang downwardly from the sheet portion adjacent the space beneath the bed frame. Each storage compartment is configured to retain at last one article therein and is comprised of an outer panel facing outwardly away from the bed frame and an inner panel facing inwardly toward the space beneath the bed frame. The inner and outer panels of each storage compartment jointly define an opening for receipt of an article, and the compartment substantially retains the article in the space fully beneath the bed frame. |
| US07945975B2 |
Patient assistance device
An improved device for assisting a caregiver in lifting and moving a patient. The device comprises a unitary garment member having a front panel section, a rear panel section and an interconnecting central or middle panel section. The device further includes a plurality of integral, reinforced support straps that enhance the structural integrity of the garment member. The rear panel section includes two flap portions extending laterally on opposing sides of the rear panel section. The two flap portions can be pulled forward and attached to the front panel section whereby the device becomes a vest-type garment that completely surrounds the patient's torso. The improved patient assistance device includes a plurality of strategically positioned hand holds, which provide enhanced leverage enabling a caregiver to more easily assist a patient wearing the device to move from one position to another. |
| US07945974B2 |
Sleeper sofa
A convertible sofa-bed which is easy to convert between a sofa configuration and a bed configuration is provided. From a sofa configuration, a buttock-foot member may be pulled outward. Simultaneously, a head rest member and back rest member which are initially at a generally vertical position are traversed to a generally horizontal position. When the buttock-foot member is fully traversed outward (i.e., extended position), the head rest member, back rest member and the buttock-foot member are generally substantially co-planar and generally horizontal. This provides a firm bed surface upon which a person may comfortably sleep. From the bed configuration, head rest member and the back rest member may be buckled to allow the buttock-foot member to be pushed inward. The buttock-foot member is then pushed fully inward (i.e., retracted position) until the head rest member and the back rest member are in the generally vertical position. The person may sit on the buttock-foot member and lean backwards onto the back rest member. |
| US07945972B2 |
Support for wall mounted toilets
A support platform for wall mounted toilets is described. The platform attaches easily under the toilet and contains bolts and feet for adjustment. The platform provides support to wall mounted toilets so that persons of weight greater than the rated load of the wall mounted toilet can use the toilet in comfort and safety. It is removable for use in different bathrooms, easily transported and can be sterilized where bacterial or viral contamination is a concern. |
| US07945969B1 |
Cord holding garment
A garment, in the form of an apron, holds an electrical cord out of the way. The apron includes an elongated length of material having a front panel, a rear panel, and a neck portion adapted to fit about a person's neck and a plurality of releasable fasteners for securing the cord to the elongated length of material. The length of material is adapted to cover a person's torso. The releasable fasteners may be attached to the neck portion and to the elongated length of material. Each of the fasteners may include a strap adapted to hold the cord and hook and loop type fasteners. |
| US07945968B2 |
Protective clothing
Protective clothing includes trousers having a leg portion with a distal end, a proximal end, and a knee area that corresponds to a wearer's knee when the trousers are worn by the wearer. Padding is coupled to the trousers and extends adjacent the knee area. A first and second array of fasteners is coupled to the leg portion, the first and second array having an upper end relatively adjacent to the leg portion proximal end and a lower end relatively distant to the leg portion proximal end. The clothing includes an adjustable protective member having a first side and a second side. A first strap extends from the first side of the adjustable protective member and is removably coupled to the first array of fasteners. A second strap extends from the second side of the adjustable protective member and is removably coupled to the second array of fasteners. |
| US07945967B2 |
Method and apparatus for mounting a vision system
A bridge assembly couples a vision system to a helmet or headgear to allow a user to alternatively align an eyepiece of the vision system in front of a left or right eye of a user. The bridge assembly includes a receiver for removably mounting the vision system. The receiver is coupled to a slide assembly providing side-to-side movement of the vision system relative to the helmet. |
| US07950066B1 |
Method and system for restricting use of a clipboard application
Techniques and mechanisms for controlling copying of content from a secured file or secured document are disclosed. In one embodiment, the techniques or mechanisms operate to control clipboard usage such that content from a secured document of one application is not able to be copied to another application or a different document of another application by way of a clipboard. According to another embodiment, alternate content is copied to another application or a different document of another application instead of the content from the secured document. |
| US07950063B2 |
Diagnosis system with identification display device
An electronic system provides secure and authorized access to data or a user interface on at least one first computer for operating machines from at least one second computer. The data or the user interface on the first computer can be accessed exclusively from the second computer, in that the second computer has an authorization device which stores the access data for personnel with access authorization, and in that access to the data or the user interface on the first computer is preceded by a display apparatus connected to the first computer showing a display which reveals the identified personnel with access authorization from the second computer. |
| US07950061B2 |
Copy-protected audio, video and or data optical disk
Copy-Protected Audio, Video and or Data Optical Disk and the Protection Process for such Disk includes a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program which when once installed onto a computer system blocks any attempt to copy any designated Audio, Video or any Data on such Copy-Protected Optical Disk and or the Hard Drive. Additionally this system further includes a means of an optional Password Key which could be a Key Floppy or any suitable media. Optionally the password could be obtained by logging-on to an Internet based authentication terminal that unlocks the system and allows access to the stored contents on the disk for the first time user of the Copy-Protected Optical Disk thus increasing the pay per use revenues for Audio, Video and or Software Sales, Registration and or Rentals. |
| US07950054B2 |
Client-side security management for an operations, administration, and maintenance system for wireless clients
An Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OA&M) 16 provides security for managed resources on a wireless client device 10 at many levels of granularity, from the entire device, to subsystems, to software and hardware components, services and applications, down to individual attributes. |
| US07950047B2 |
Reporting on spoofed e-mail
Embodiments are directed towards detecting and reporting use by a domain of a message authentication mechanism, such as DomainKeys (DK), and/or DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and enabling subsequent blocking of messages based, in part, on its usage. When a message is received by an inbound message server, a message source is determined for the message. In one embodiment, the message source is a domain name associated with the sender of the message. Statistics are recorded about the message, including the message source, whether the message is suspect, includes a forged source identifier, employs DK/DKIM message authentication, and the like. The reports may ten be sent to various message sources to enable them to determine the extent of use of DK/DKIM message authentication, and to selectively block, re-direct, or forward the messages based, in part, on the use of DK/DKIM message authentication mechanism. |
| US07950044B2 |
Centrally managed proxy-based security for legacy automation systems
A system that facilitates enhanced security with respect to an industrial automation environment comprises a legacy device that is existent within an industrial automation system and a central access authority that provides access rules to a proxy. The proxy receives an access request directed to the legacy device and determines whether the access request is permitted based at least in part upon characteristics of the access request and the access rules provided by the central access authority. |
| US07950042B2 |
Fast switching between time division multiplexed (TDM) channels
A system and method of reducing a channel switching delay in TDM mobile television systems comprises transmitting a sequence of data bursts associated with channels for reception on a RF channel bandwidth received on a mobile television receiver; switching between an active state of transmission and a non-active state of transmission during reception of channels on the RF channel bandwidth, wherein the active state of transmission comprises transmission of data bursts associated with user-preferred channels and the non-active state of transmission comprises transmission of data bursts associated with user non-preferred channels; anticipating a particular user-preferred channel that a user will likely switch to during reception of channels on the RF channel bandwidth; decoding the sequence of data bursts during the active state of transmission; buffering one decoded data burst for each of the user-preferred channels; and replacing a previously buffered data burst with a newly buffered data burst. |
| US07950039B2 |
Multimedia data transmitting apparatus and multimedia data receiving apparatus
To provide, in a multimedia content server which stores multimedia data and transmits the stored multimedia data to a terminal, a technique which allows the terminal to properly detect and process version up of section data even when random access for trick play, and the like, is performed. Upon receiving a data transmission request from a multimedia data receiving apparatus, a multimedia data transmitting apparatus transmits the requested multimedia data and notifies data necessary for obtaining an update-point of section data included in the multimedia data or a URI which enables the obtaining of the data, to the multimedia data receiving apparatus. |
| US07950037B2 |
Wireless entertainment system
A wireless entertainment system includes a delivery station, a wireless telephone network, and a receiver. Entertainment, such as a motion picture, is ordered by a customer through a wireless telephone, and is delivered to the customer through the wireless telephone network. The entertainment is delivered in a non-permanent method (streaming) to the customer through the network, to a receiver, such as a television viewing set in the customer's home, or to an intermediate storage medium, such as a memory device, that is then communicated directly to a viewing device. |
| US07950033B2 |
Utilization of relational metadata in a television system
A method and mechanism for delivering and processing relational metadata in a television system. A client is configured to receive a broadcast signal and relational metadata which corresponds to received programming. The received relational metadata includes information which identifies two sets of data and a relationship between them. Upon identifying the data indicated by the relational metadata and determining the indicated relationship, the client is configured to perform a predetermined action which corresponds to the received relational metadata and the identified data sets. The receiver includes, or is coupled to, a mass storage device configured to store received relational metadata and programming. Among the actions which may be automatically performed include replacing the first identified data with the second data on the storage device, deleting the first or second data from the storage device, requesting the second data from a remote location, or copying a previously captured portion of a broadcast signal from a temporary buffer to a mass storage device. Further, utilizing the relational metadata, personalized viewing content and experiences may be created by a viewer. |
| US07950032B1 |
Ratings control system with temporary override capability
A system and related apparatus for comprising a video processing system having a ratings control system which blocks or permits viewing of programs which are broadcast with ratings or spending information according to a profile set by a supervisor who has entered a password accepted by the control system, in which supervisor can temporarily modify the profile. After completion of the time period(s) or supervisor-designated television broadcast(s) or programs, the system automatically returns to the normal profile. |
| US07950030B2 |
TV remote control signal log
An interceptor detects command signals from a TV remote control and logs the signals. The signals can be correlated not just to channel number but also to programs by accessing a program/channel database. A log of channels/programs that have been viewed by, e.g., a child can thus be obtained and viewed by a parent. |
| US07950029B2 |
Method for interactive television using foveal properties of the eyes of individual and grouped users and for protecting video information against the unauthorized access, dissemination and use thereof
A method of interactive television providing for generating, transforming or displaying video information taking into account individual peculiarities of the user's eye and individual peculiarities of a group of viewer's eyes. The method provides simultaneously all or, at least, two operations from the above operations of formation, conversion and transmission of video signal and display of video information perceptible on the screen of information display facilities for one and/or a group of users or an unrestricted group of users. This is accomplished by one or a combination of various video editing and transmission adjustment techniques. |
| US07950028B2 |
Disk apparatus with improved optical pickup mount
The position of an optical pickup with respect to a disk is maintained accurately by preventing the free end portion of a cantilever movable member from being displaced lower than its proper position during the rotation of the disk even if the movable member is heavy to have improved vibration characteristics. There are provided a movable member 4, a chassis 1, a clamp mechanism 3, and a cam mechanism 5. The cam mechanism 5 includes a shift lever 51 connected to the free end portion of the movable member 4 via elastic bodies 42 and a cam main body 55. Positioning means 8 is composed of a protrusion 53 on the shift lever 51, a stepped engaging surface 15 for supporting the protrusion 53 thereon, and a guide mechanism 71. There is also provided anti-positioning means 9 for disengaging the protrusion 53 from the engaging surface 15. |
| US07950027B2 |
Mutable application experience and user interface
A dynamic and interchangeable set of application behaviors is implemented upon the same underlying software engine. Downloadable data provider behavior descriptors configure the UI generation application dynamically on demand to meet needs that are unknown at ship time, or otherwise cannot be predicted in advance—inputs, formats, contents, and the optimal user interface or experience, all change over time. A data provider supplies the data source locations, data feeds, poll/pull intervals on feeds, parameter definitions, data binding definitions, lists, groups, UI templates, data transformation logic, resources, and UI templates to plug into the base application engine, which transforms the supplied data to create a UI experience tailored to match the appropriate events and available data over time. The base application engine is agnostic to both the data provider and the input data received. |
| US07950024B2 |
Mechanism for transparently interfacing with a third party version control system
Approaches for transparently interfacing with a third party version control system (VCS) are provided. In one approach, an enterprise application integration (EAI) system comprises an integrated development environment (IDE) client, a repository, an API, and an API implementation. The IDE client enables a user to develop one or more functional components that can be used or executed to derive one or more enterprise application functionalities. The repository interacts with the IDE client to save and access the one or more functional components. The API is invoked by the repository to interact with any VCS. The API implementation enables the repository, by way of invoking the API, to interact with a VCS, which is an external VCS that is not provided as part of the EAI system. |
| US07950016B2 |
Apparatus for switching the task to be completed in a processor by switching to the task assigned time slot
A method of assigning task management blocks for first type tasks to time slot information on a one-by-one basis, assigning a plurality of task management blocks for second type tasks to time slot information, selecting a task management block according to a priority classification when switching to the time slot of the time slot information, and switching to the time slot except the time slot information. Additionally a task switching apparatus selects the task management block assigned to the time slot and executes the task. |
| US07950013B2 |
System for monitoring time proportion for interrupt or task processing with restriction placed in subsequent monitoring time period when allowable time proportion is exceed
A storage system has a single processor that operates in a multitasking operating system environment. An operation time manager adjusts the balance between processing time proportions for interrupt processing and task processing requested of the storage system internally and externally so that those processing time proportions become within respective predetermined ranges. |
| US07950012B2 |
Facilitating communication and synchronization between main and scout threads
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for communicating and performing synchronization operations between a main thread and a helper-thread. The system starts by executing a program in a main thread. Upon encountering a loop which has associated helper-thread code, the system commences the execution of the code by the helper-thread separately and in parallel with the main thread. While executing the code by the helper-thread, the system periodically checks the progress of the main thread and deactivates the helper-thread if the code being executed by the helper-thread is no longer performing useful work. Hence, the helper-thread is executes in advance of where the main thread is executing to prefetch data items for the main thread without unnecessarily consuming processor resources or hampering the execution of the main thread. |
| US07950008B2 |
Software installation in multiple operating systems
A software application can be installed under one operating system, and accessed for execution by a second operating system compatible with the first operating system by identifying and making appropriate changes to system parameters in the second operating system. The two operating systems may be installed on the same of different machines. A record can be made of changes in system parameters that are made upon installation of the software application in the first operating system as a basis for making appropriate changes in the system parameters of the second operating system to allow the software application to be accessed for execution from the second operating system. |
| US07950007B2 |
Method and apparatus for policy-based change management in a service delivery environment
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer usable program code are provided for maintaining a computer network. Resources and services affected by a change to a resource are identified in response to receiving a request for the change. A determination of an optimal time for the change is made based on a policy associated with the service. The change is deployed with a deployment engine. |
| US07949987B1 |
Method and system for implementing abstract layout structures with parameterized cells
An improved method and system are disclosed for utilizing abstracted versions of layout portions in conjunction with parameterized cells (pcells). One significant advantage is that abstracted versions of pcells can be generated from normal pcells and stored in a pcell cache, which avoids the need to abstract layout pcells on the fly. |
| US07949986B2 |
Method for estimation of trace information bandwidth requirements
A method of evaluating the feasibility of a CoreSight trace architecture in a SoC before the hardware and/or firmware is available allowing for better die size estimates (IO count and gate count) and package requirement for the design in the early stages of planning. |
| US07949984B2 |
Method and apparatus for designing a three-dimensional integrated circuit
A method of designing a three-dimensional integrated circuit includes dividing two-dimensional layout data of a circuit formed on a semiconductor substrate into a plurality of layout block data in order to re-arrange in different layers, generating layout block data reversing one of the layout block data of two folded layers arranged vertically adjacent to each other, alternately arranging the reversed layout block data and non-reverse block layout data to form a plurality of layers vertically overlapped, selecting at least one from interconnects included in a plurality of layout block data of the circuit and ranging over plural layers so as to be mutually and functionally collected together with respect to at least one of time delay, interconnect length and block configuration, and re-arranging the selected interconnect using a via connecting an upper layer and an under layer of the folded interconnect. |
| US07949981B2 |
Via density change to improve wafer surface planarity
Changing a via density for viafill vias to improve wafer surface planarity for later photolithography is provided, in one embodiment, by obtaining a circuit design including a plurality of viafill vias having differing via density across the circuit design, each viafill via interconnecting non-functional metal fill shapes in different layers of the circuit design; selecting a region of the circuit design to evaluate using an evaluation window; determining a via density within the evaluation window; and changing a number of viafill vias within the region in the circuit design in response to the via density being different than a threshold via density that is selected such that a coating deposited over the plurality of vias presents a substantially planar surface. |
| US07949977B2 |
Method and device for estimating simultaneous switching noise in semiconductor device, and storage medium
The method comprises a number of simultaneously switching signals calculation step in which the number of simultaneously switching signals is calculated for each set of user setting information for the input and output signal on the basis of pin arrangement information and the user setting information of the pins in a neighboring area of a pin to be executed in the estimation process; and a simultaneous switching noise calculation step in which a difference is calculated between noise corresponding to an initial point and that to a terminal point in a range of the number of simultaneously switching signals calculated for each set of user setting information on the basis of a relationship between the number of simultaneously switching signals and the noise caused by the number of simultaneously switching signals for each set of user setting information. |
| US07949976B2 |
Systematic approach for performing cell replacement in a circuit to meet timing requirements
An improved, systematic approach is provided for automatically determining which cells in a circuit should be replaced to satisfy timing adjustment requirements (TAR's), and automatically replacing the cells with replacement cells to meet the TAR's. With the improved approach, there is a high likelihood that an optimal replacement scheme will be found which requires the fewest number of cells to be replaced while still satisfying all of the TAR's. |
| US07949968B2 |
Method and system for building binary decision diagrams optimally for nodes in a netlist graph using don't-caring
An improved method, system and computer-readable medium for constructing binary decision diagrams for a netlist graph is disclosed. The method comprises traversing a netlist graph in a depth-first manner. At least one binary decision diagram is built for one input of a node of the netlist graph using a binary decision diagram for the other input of that node as a don't-care condition. |
| US07949967B2 |
Design Pattern correcting method, process proximity effect correcting method, and semiconductor device manufacturing method
A design pattern correcting method of correcting a design pattern in relation to a minute step of the design pattern, is disclosed, which comprises extracting at least one of two edges extended from a vertex of the design pattern, measuring a length of the extracted edge, determining whether or not the length of the measured edge is shorter than a predetermined value, extracting two vertexes connected to the extracted edge if it is determined that the length of the extracted edge is shorter than the predetermined value, and reshaping the design pattern to match positions of the two extracted vertexes with each other. |
| US07949959B2 |
Target estimation device and target estimation method
A target estimation device that appropriately estimates a function targeted by a user from among functions of an operated apparatus includes: an item inputting unit (102) that obtains an item; a function representation storing unit (107) that stores function names of the operated apparatus; an identical word detecting unit (116) that detects a category of a word identical between each of the function names and the item; an operation intention calculating unit (117) that changes a method for calculating similarities between the item and the respective function names, for each of the function names, depending on the detected category, and that calculates the similarities as degrees of intentions of the user who has selected the item, using the changed calculation method; and a target estimation unit (112) that estimates a function so that the function having a higher degree of an intention is the function targeted by the user. |
| US07949953B2 |
Designing and generating charts to graphically represent data in a data source
A method, and computer program product for performing the method, is provided for defining a chart that graphically represents data stored in an electronic data source. The method includes receiving a user selection of 1) a data object family contained in the electronic data source, and 2) an attribute for the selected data object family. The selected attribute has multiple possible predefined values that are to serve as category axis values in the chart. The method also includes receiving a user definition of a first data series comprising a value measure to be determined for each of the category axis values and that uses stored data associated with the data object family. The method also includes storing an electronic chart definition file containing an identification of the selected data object attribute and the defined first data series. |
| US07949951B1 |
Selectively limiting paragraph recomposition
Techniques are provided for text composition. In some implementations, a computer-implemented method is provided. The method includes receiving text to compose, the text including a plurality of paragraphs, and composing the text using paragraph composition, the paragraph composition determining a layout for the lines of each paragraph according to a line break scheme that determines line breaks for the paragraph as a whole. The method also includes, identifying limited recomposition for one or more paragraphs of the plurality of paragraphs, receiving a modification to a line of a paragraph, the paragraph having a plurality of lines and where the modified line is subsequent to a first line in the paragraph, determining whether the paragraph of the modified line is identified as having limited recomposition and, if the paragraph has limited recomposition, recomposing a portion of the paragraph using a multi-line paragraph composition process without recomposing the full paragraph. |
| US07949947B2 |
Method and system for bi-directional data conversion between IEC 61970 and IEC 61850
A system and method of converting a file is disclosed that is based on a first standard to a file that is based on a second standard. The concerned standards can be IEC 61970 and IEC 61850 or their equivalents. For conversion, a file based on IEC 61970 is coded according to CIMXML (RDF Schema), and a file in IEC 61850 is coded according to SCL (XML Schema). The data in each file is modelled by using a UML model for the corresponding standard. The method includes the automatic generation of mapping rules that can be based on the UML models of the two standards and the mappings between the two standards. The method further converts the identified elements by using the generated mapping rules. Finally, post-processing rules can be applied to the converted elements to generate the file, based on the second standard. |
| US07949946B2 |
Layout and line routing composition
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for the facilitating the layout and composition of graphics. Embodiments of the present invention allow declarative input for creation and modification of layout compositions and also allows adjustments or modifications made to layout compositions. Layout compositions may be created, adjusted, and modified by input through a markup language or by user-commands and gestures. Relationships and associations among nodes and among line segments and connections between nodes which are embodied within a composition or created by an auto layout are preserved both during and after adjustments and modifications. |
| US07949944B2 |
Creation and delivery of customized content
A method, apparatus, and software are disclosed for delivering customized content to clients with diverse content needs, such as clients from diverse geographical areas an language backgrounds. Customizable content is separated from the underlying code, which is used as a template for inserting localized content into a basic document framework as represented by the template. Both electronic mail and Web community customization techniques are disclosed. |
| US07949943B2 |
Assigning a hot spot in an electronic artwork
Apparatus and methods implementing a technique for creating an electronic artwork with a hot area. For a selected layer of the artwork, a non-transparent region is identified and an action is assigned to an area corresponding to the non-transparent region, the action defining a function that will be activated when the area is selected. The technique is advantageous in computer application programs that composite images from layers and for producing HTML (HyperText Markup Language) output that refers to a corresponding composited image, where the action is a URL and the area is defined by an image map. |
| US07949941B2 |
Optimizing XSLT based on input XML document structure description and translating XSLT into equivalent XQuery expressions
Transformation of a set of XML documents via an XSLT stylesheet is made more efficient by rewriting the stylesheet at compile-time, based on the structural description of the set of XML documents, into an optimized stylesheet containing fewer dynamic template-matching calls than the original stylesheet. This rewritten stylesheet can be further rewritten into a set of XQuery expressions. At compile-time, the particular transformation templates that are appropriate for transforming the particular nodes contained in the set of XML documents are determined, and XSLT calls to the templates are converted to calls to corresponding XQuery user-defined functions. Determination of the appropriate transformation templates may be based on the structural description of the input set of XML documents, such as an XML Schema or Document Type Definition. The data from each template is translated into corresponding XQuery constructors, instructions from the template are translated into XQuery expressions, and the XQuery functions are inlined if possible. |
| US07949940B2 |
Program and method for restricting data entry
A data entry restriction program capable of rejecting invalid structured documents out of structured documents of a general-purpose format with great flexibility. When a structured document is entered, a data entry restriction apparatus compares the structure of the structured document with flexibility requirements (step S1). When the structured document does not meet the flexibility requirements, the data entry restriction apparatus records error information in association with the sending client of the document (step S2). After the error information associated with the client exceeds prescribed limits, the data entry restriction apparatus rejects structured documents from the client (step S3). Structured documents which meet the flexibility requirements and the data entry restriction apparatus has accepted are entered into a data processing apparatus and analyzed (step S4). |
| US07949936B2 |
Selecting advertising for a web page
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for identifying advertising for a web page. In response to receiving a universal resource locator containing identification information for selected text in the web page, the web page is retrieved to form a retrieved web page. The selected text in the web page is identified. Advertisements for the web page are identified using the selected text to form identified advertisements. The identified advertisements are placed in the web page. |
| US07949934B2 |
Enabling pseudo-class styles without revealing personal information
Various embodiments enable particular CSS pseudo-classes to be employed, but limit particular functionality aspects of those pseudo-classes that can lead to divulging personally identifiable information. Thus, various embodiments can change how a CSS pseudo-class is allowed to function. For example, in at least some embodiments, CSS pseudo-classes are permitted to be used to make the visual formatting changes to a web page, but not structural formatting changes. That is, changes that do not affect the structure of content within a web document are allowed, while changes that affect the structure of the content are not allowed. |
| US07949933B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a first memory cell coupled to a first WL and one of a pair of BLs for information bits, a second memory cell coupled to the first WL and one of a pair of BLs for parity bits, a third memory cell coupled to a second WL and the other of the pair of BLs for information bits, a fourth memory cell coupled to the second WL and the other of the pair of BLs for parity bits, column switches which connect the pair of complementary BLs for parity bits to a pair of data lines for parity bits, and a logic correction circuit connected to one of the pair of data lines for parity bits. The logic correction circuit executes a parity bit rewrite operation. |
| US07949932B2 |
Strengthening parity check bit protection for array-like LDPC codes
An LDPC parity check matrix originated using an array code provides more protection against errors for parity bits 1 through 1−p, which can, during decoding, allow faster convergence to a higher LLR value for those bits as well as higher overall reliability of other parity check bits. The present parity check matrix provides an upper triangular sub-matrix (H1) for the parity check bits, where column weights for parity bits 1 through p−1 can be greater than 1. Aspects include encoders to encode user bits using the parity check matrix, decoders to decode based on the parity check matrix, systems comprising encoders and/or decoders, encoder and decoder methods; as well as computer readable media comprising programs for implementing such methods. |
| US07949927B2 |
Error correction method and apparatus for predetermined error patterns
In a method of detecting an error pattern in a codeword transmitted across a noisy communication channel, a codeword is detected. A syndrome is then generated by applying a generator polynomial to the codeword. The generator polynomial is adapted to produce a distinct syndrome set for each of “L” (L>1) different error patterns potentially introduced in the codeword during transmission across the communication channel. A type of an error pattern within the codeword is detected based on the syndrome or a shifted version of the syndrome, and then a start position of the error pattern within the codeword. |
| US07949926B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding data
A method and apparatus for selecting interleaver sizes for turbo codes is provided herein. During operation information block of size K is received. An interleaver size K′ is determined that is related to K″, where K″ from a set of sizes; wherein the set of sizes comprise K″=ap×f, pmin≦p≦pmax;fmin≦f≦fmax, wherein a is an integer and f is a continuous integer between fmin and fmax, p takes integer values between pmin and pmax, a>1, pmax>pmin, pmin>1. The information block of size K is padded into an input block of size K′ using filler bits, if needed. Encoding is performed using the original input block and the interleaved input block to obtain a codeword block using a turbo encoder. The codeword block is transmitted through the channel. |
| US07949925B2 |
Fixed-point implementation of a joint detector
A joint detection system and associated methods are provided. A joint detection system is configured to perform joint detection of received signals. The joint detection system includes a joint detector accelerator configured to perform an operation of the joint detection of the received signals, wherein the joint detection includes computing joint detection variables. The operation includes a multiply and accumulate operation resulting in a value in an accumulator, and the value in the accumulator includes a plurality of bits. The joint detector accelerator is configured to select a subset of bits of the plurality of bits of the value in the accumulator, where the subset of bits selected is configurable. The joint detector accelerator is further configured to store the subset of bits into a memory as a fixed point representation. |
| US07949915B2 |
Method and apparatus for describing parallel access to a system-on-chip
The present invention provides a new hardware description language for chip-level JTAG testing. This new hardware description language, referred to as New BSDL (NSDL), enables testing resources of a system-on-chip to be described, thereby enabling the system-on-chip to be described in a manner that facilitates testing of the system-on-chip. The present invention provides a bottom-up approach to describing a system-on-chip. The present invention supports algorithmic descriptions of each of the components of the system-on-chip, and supports an algorithmic description of interconnections between the components of the system-on-chip, thereby enabling generation of an algorithmic description of the entire system-on-chip or portions of the system-on-chip. The present invention supports parallel access to one or more system-on-chip devices, including methods for describing and using parallel access for testing. |
| US07949914B2 |
Diagnostic mode switching
A system is described having a JTAG diagnostic unit and a serial wire diagnostic unit. A watcher unit is connected to a data connection shared between the diagnostic units. Special patterns detected upon the shared data connection serve to switch between diagnostic modes with respective ones of the diagnostic units becoming active. |
| US07949913B2 |
Method for creating a memory defect map and optimizing performance using the memory defect map
A method for storing a memory defect map is disclosed whereby a memory component is tested for defects at the time of manufacture and any memory defects detected are stored in a memory defect map and used to optimize the system performance. The memory defect map is updated and the system's remapping resources optimized as new memory defects are detected during operation. |
| US07949912B1 |
System and method of securing data stored in a memory
A system and method of securing data stored in a memory are disclosed. The method comprises storing a payload data in a memory in one of first and second states related by a transform, reading the payload data from the memory, attempting to use the payload data for an application, verifying the payload data as being in the first state, transforming the payload data as a function of the transform in response to verifying that the payload data is in the second state, and repeating performing the verifying and transforming steps until the payload data is verified as being in the first state. |
| US07949911B2 |
Method for testing storage apparatus and system thereof
A method for testing a storage apparatus, which includes: (a) writing a specific pattern to a storage unit of a storage apparatus; (b) reading the specific pattern written to the storage apparatus; (c) determining an error bit number of the specific pattern read in the step (b); and (d) determining that the storage unit has defect when the error bit number is larger than a error bit threshold value, wherein the error bit threshold value is smaller than a correctable bit number for a error correction code corresponding to the specific pattern. |
| US07949909B2 |
Address controlling in the MBIST chain architecture
A memory collar includes a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a first control signal, a second control signal and a third control signal in response to one or more test commands. The second circuit may be configured to generate a fourth control signal in response to said third control signal and the fourth control signal. The third circuit may be configured to generate one or more address sequences. The one or more address sequences are presented to a memory during a test mode. |
| US07949903B2 |
Memory management techniques selectively using mitigations to reduce errors
Techniques for performing memory management to mitigate memory errors. In accordance with the principles described herein, a memory management module may be implemented that acts in different modes of operation for each of one or more software modules issuing requests for performance of memory operations to the memory management module. In one mode of operation, one or more mitigation actions may be performed by the memory management module in addition to or instead of the memory operation requested by the calling software module, such that the memory operations are performed in accordance with the mitigation actions. These mitigation actions may serve to reduce a likelihood of a memory error negatively affecting the calling software module. In another mode of operation, the memory management module performs memory operations as requested, without performing mitigation actions. |
| US07949899B2 |
Control apparatus and method for controlling measuring devices to test electronic apparatuses
An electronic apparatus testing method is provided. The method includes the step of: reading a product ID of the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is connected to a control apparatus; determining the device type ID from the product ID, wherein the product ID comprises basic information of the electronic apparatus, determining the script files of the functions of the electronic apparatus in the testing table according to the device type ID; obtaining the script files from a data storage and running the script files to test functions of the electronic apparatuses, sending a control instruction to the corresponding measuring device of the function to control the measuring device test the function during the process of running the script files; and displaying test results through a display of the control apparatus. |
| US07949898B2 |
Multi-microprocessor system and control method for the same
A multi-microprocessor system and a control method for the same are provided. The multi-microprocessor system includes a first microprocessor and a second microprocessor. The second microprocessor is coupled to the first microprocessor. The second microprocessor transmits a detecting signal to the first microprocessor and determines a state of the first microprocessor by monitoring the first microprocessor for a predetermined time period. In the event that the first microprocessor crashes, the first microprocessor is immediately rest or restarted by the second microprocessor in order to maximize stability of the multi-microprocessor system. |
| US07949897B2 |
Optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus
A predetermined power failure recovery process is carried out when power failure recovery data is determined to be present in a flash ROM when a power supply is turned on after a power failure. However, when a tray opening and closing key is pressed before completion of this power failure recovery process, it is determined that a power failure recovery process interruption request is received, and the power failure recovery process interruption request is displayed at a power failure recovery selection screen. When interruption of the power failure recovery process is selected on the power failure recovery selection screen, it is determined whether or not reading of predetermined units of data relating to the power failure recovery process from the optical disc 1 is complete. A power failure recovery interruption process is then carried out after completion. A tray is then automatically opened when the power failure recovery interruption process is complete. |
| US07949895B2 |
Data reading method
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a method for controlling a controller connected to a plurality of storage units which are arranged in a redundant configuration, the controller reading data stored in the plurality of storage units in accordance with requests received from a host computer, the method comprising the steps of: receiving requests to read data successively from one of the storage units from the host computer; reading a part of requested target data from said one of the storage units; reading associated data and parity data stored in other storage units corresponding to other part of requested target data; generating other part of requested target data on the basis of the associated data and the parity data read out from the other storage units; and transmitting the part of the target data and the other part of the target data to the host computer. |
| US07949890B2 |
Method and system for precise synchronization of audio and video streams during a distributed communication session with multiple participants
Described are the architecture of such a system, algorithms for time synchronization during a multiway conferencing session, methods to fight with network imperfections such as jitter to improve synchronization, methods of introducing buffering delays to create handicaps for players with faster connections, methods which help players with synchronization (such as a synchronized metronome during a music conferencing session), methods for synchronized recording and live delivery of synchronized data to the audience watching the distributed interaction live over the Internet. |
| US07949889B2 |
Forced idle of a data processing system
Exemplary embodiments of methods and apparatuses to manage a power of a data processing system are described. One or more constraint parameters of a system are monitored. The data processing system is forced into an idle state for a first portion of a time while allowed to operate for a second portion of the time based on the one or more constraint parameters, wherein the system is forced into the idle state in response to comparing a target idle time to an actual idle time. The target idle time of the system is determined, in one embodiment, based on the one or more constraint parameters. The actual idle time of the system may be monitored to take into account interrupts which disrupt an idle time and idle times resulting from no software instructions to execute. The system may be allowed to operate based on comparisons of the target idle time and the actual idle time. |
| US07949887B2 |
Independent power control of processing cores
Independent power control of two or more processing cores. More particularly, at least one embodiment of the invention pertains to a technique to place at least one processing core in a power state without coordinating with the power state of one or more other processing cores. |
| US07949883B2 |
Cryptographic CPU architecture with random instruction masking to thwart differential power analysis
An apparatus and method for preventing information leakage attacks that utilize timeline alignment. The apparatus and method inserts a random number of instructions into an encryption algorithm such that the leaked information can not be aligned in time to allow an attacker to break the encryption. |
| US07949881B2 |
Mobil terminal device, personal identification number verification program, and method of verifying personal identification number
A mobile terminal device includes biometric information detecting means for detecting biometric information; encryption key generating means for generating an encryption key on the basis of the biometric information in registration; encrypting means for encrypting a predetermined personal identification number with the encryption key to generate a biometric encrypted personal identification number in the registration; encrypted personal-identification-number storing means for storing the biometric encrypted personal identification number in the registration; decryption key generating means for generating a decryption key on the basis of the detected biometric information in verification; decrypting means for decrypting the biometric encrypted personal identification number with the decryption key to reproduce the personal identification number in the verification; and personal identification number verifying means for comparing the reproduced personal identification number with the stored biometric encrypted personal identification number to perform the personal-identification-number verification. |
| US07949877B2 |
Rights enforcement and usage reporting on a client device
An integrity hash is obtained of rights information stored at a client device. The rights information is associated with content stored at the client device. The integrity hash is encrypted using a client device key to generate an encrypted hash. The client device key is externally inaccessible from the client device. The encrypted hash is stored on the client device. |
| US07949866B2 |
Exception types within a secure processing system
An apparatus for processing data includes a processor operable in a plurality modes including at least one secure mode being a mode in a secure domain and at least one non-secure mode being a mode in a non-secure domain. When the processor is executing a program in a secure mode the program has access to secure data which is not accessible when the processor is operating in a non-secure mode. The processor is responsive to one or more exception conditions for triggering exception processing using an exception handler. The processor is operable to select the exception handler from among a plurality of possible exception handlers in dependence upon whether the processor is operating in the secure domain or the non-secure domain. |
| US07949863B2 |
Inter-port communication in a multi-port memory device
A method and system for inter-port communication utilizing a multi-port memory device. The memory device contains an interrupt register, an interrupt signal interface (e.g., a dedicated pin), an interrupt mask, and one or more message buffers associated with each port. When a first component coupled to a first port of the memory device wants to communicate with a second component coupled to a second port of the memory device, the first component writes a message to a message buffer associated with the second port. An interrupt in the input register of the second port is set to notify the second component coupled to the second port that a new message is available. Upon receiving the interrupt, the second component reads the interrupt register to determine the nature of the interrupt. The second component then reads the message from the message buffer. |
| US07949856B2 |
Method and apparatus for separate control processing and data path processing in a dual path processor with a shared load/store unit
According to embodiments of the invention, there is disclosed a computer processor architecture; and in particular a computer processor, a method of operating the same, and a computer program product that makes use of an instruction set for the computer. In one embodiment according to the invention, there is provided a computer processor comprising: a decode unit for decoding a stream of instruction packets from a memory, each instruction packet comprising a plurality of instructions; a first processing channel comprising a plurality of functional units and operable to perform control processing operations; a second processing channel comprising a plurality of functional units and operable to perform data processing operations; wherein the decode unit is operable to receive an instruction packet and to detect if the instruction packet defines (i) a plurality of control instructions or (ii) a plurality of instructions one or more of which is a data processing instruction, and wherein when the decode unit detects that the instruction packet comprises a plurality of control instructions said control instructions are supplied to the first processing channel for execution in program order. |
| US07949855B1 |
Scheduler in multi-threaded processor prioritizing instructions passing qualification rule
A processor buffers asynchronous threads. Instructions requiring operations provided by a plurality of execution units are divided into phases, each phase having at least one computation operation and at least one memory access operation. Instructions within each phase are qualified and prioritized. The instructions may be qualified based on the status of the execution unit needed to execute one or more of the current instructions. The instructions may also be qualified based on an age of each instruction, status of the execution units, a divergence potential, locality, thread diversity, and resource requirements. Qualified instructions may be prioritized based on execution units needed to execute instructions and the execution units in use. One or more of the prioritized instructions is issued per cycle to the plurality of execution units. |
| US07949854B1 |
Trace unit with a trace builder
An instruction processing unit includes a trace builder circuit operable to (i) receive at least a portion of a first type of sequence of operations and to generate, based thereon, a second type of sequence of operations, where the portion includes at most one control transfer instruction that, when present, ends the portion, (ii) receive sets of at least two sequences of operations and to generate, based thereon, a plurality of third type of sequences of operations, where a sequence of operations of the third type includes one or more interior control transfer instructions and is generated from the sequence of operations of the second type and another sequence of operations of the third type, and (iii) retrieve the sequence of operations of the second type and the another sequence of operations of the third type from a cache circuit. |
| US07949852B2 |
Memory system, computer system and memory
The correspondence between logical addresses and physical addresses is determined so that the logical addresses in ascending order may be assigned to the physical addresses in ascending order with the physical addresses of defective blocks in a memory skipped. Then, the physical addresses of the defective blocks in ascending order are sequentially stored into the second blocks in ascending order of the physical addresses of the second blocks, respectively. To obtain a physical address from a logical address, a target block is retrieved out of a plurality of second blocks on the basis of the logical address, and the physical address of the target block is added to the logical address to obtain the physical address. Thus, it is possible to reduce the required capacity of a reserve storage region used for conversion of logical addresses into physical addresses without deteriorating the access speed. |
| US07949850B2 |
Methods and appratus for demand-based memory mirroring
A method includes determining an amount of memory space in a memory device available for memory mirroring. The method further includes presenting the available memory space to an operating system. The method further includes selecting at least a portion of the amount of memory space to be used for memory mirroring with the operating system. The method further includes adding a non-selected portion of the available memory to memory space available to the operating system during operation. An associated system and machine readable medium are also disclosed. |
| US07949846B2 |
Map shuffle-allocation map protection without extra I/O'S using minimal extra disk space
A method and system for allocating storage space on a storage device to a requesting entity. The storage device includes a set of extents. An allocation map is maintained in computer memory. The allocation map has a plurality of map blocks, the map blocks each having a plurality of map entries. The map entries include respective logical extent identifiers, physical extent information and obsolete indicators. An invalid extent logical identifier represents a free extent and a valid extent identifier represents a prior allocated extent. An obsolete indicator marks a map entry as either current or obsolete. In one technique an extent allocation request is received from the requesting entity. A first map block is selected having a first map entry marked as obsolete. A second map block is selected having a second map entry not marked as obsolete. Physical extent information is copied from the second map entry to the first map entry. The logical extent identifier is assigned to the first map entry. The first map entry is marked as current and the second map entry is marked as obsolete. The storage allocation system includes a disk storage device having a set of extents. A requesting entity is configured to request allocation of one of the extents. An allocation map is maintained in computer memory. An allocator is configured to allocate one of the extents on the disk device to the requesting entity. |
| US07949844B2 |
Pipelined burst memory access
A memory device for multichannel continuous or fixed burst mode operation includes multiple burst address counter circuits and associated control logic to minimize latency which would otherwise occur in multichannel operation. |
| US07949843B1 |
Method and system for single pass volume scanning for multiple destination mirroring
A method for operating a computer data storage system is disclosed. The system operates an active file system on a first volume of a plurality of volumes of storage devices connected to one or more servers, each volume being a plurality of storage devices. Snapshots of the active file system are stored on one or more destination volumes. A mirroring operation is initiated on a selected server of the one or more servers. A scanner executes on the selected server, the scanner identifying a latest snapshot on each of the one or more destination volumes, the scanner. Data blocks which are newer than a latest snapshot stored at each destination volume are sent to each destination volume. |
| US07949840B2 |
Method for saving computer data
The invention relates to a method for saving computer data which consist in transferring the data to be saved from a client computer to a buffer storage formed by the hard disc of a backup server, organized in a plurality of volumes of predetermined size, and in then transferring the data from said buffer storage onto a final medium (for example magnetic cartridge). The invention is characterized in that it consists in recording on said permanent medium, after transferring the volumes from the buffer storage onto the final medium, a single sequence of data specific to each of said volumes (basic data), the method further comprising a step which consists in constituting a database wherein are recorded the basic data. |
| US07949839B2 |
Managing memory pages
A method, and corresponding software and system, is described for paging memory used for one or more sequentially-accessed data structure. The method includes providing a data structure representing an order in which memory pages are to be reused; and maintaining the data structure according to a history of access to a memory page associated with one of the sequentially-accessed data structures. A position of the memory page in the order depends on a transition of sequential access off of the memory page. |
| US07949837B2 |
Contention detection and resolution
A multiple computer system is disclosed in which n computers (M1, M2 . . . Mn) each run a different portion of a single application program written to execute only on a single computer. The local memory of each computer is maintained substantially the same by updating all computers with every change made to addressed memory locations. Contention can arise when the same memory location is substantially simultaneously updated by two or more machines because of transmission delays and latency of the communications network interconnecting all the computers. In particular a method of detecting and resolving contention is disclosed which utilizes a count value indicative of the number of the sequence of occasions on which each memory location has been updated. Contention is indicated if the currently stored count value and the incoming updating count value are the same. The contention can be resolved by providing a further rule. One such further rule is that in the presence of contention the updating message from the higher numbered computer is to be accepted and the updating message from the lower numbered computer is to be rejected. Other further rules are also disclosed. |
| US07949835B2 |
Data processing apparatus and method for controlling access to memory
A data processing apparatus and method are provided for controlling access to memory. The data processing apparatus comprises main processing logic operable to execute a sequence of instructions in order to perform a process, and subsidiary processing logic operable to perform at least part of the process on behalf of the main processing logic. A memory is provided that is accessible by the main processing logic when performing the process, the main processing logic defining a portion of the memory to be allocated memory accessible to the subsidiary processing logic when performing part of the process on behalf of the main processing logic. Further, a memory management unit is provided that is programmable by the main processing logic and operable to control access to the allocated memory by the subsidiary processing logic. The main processing logic is arranged to program the memory management unit such that for an access request issued by the subsidiary processing logic relating to the allocated memory, the memory management unit produces a memory address and one or more associated memory attributes identifying one or more properties of the allocated memory at that memory address. |
| US07949833B1 |
Transparent level 2 cache controller
A digital system that connects to a bus that employs physical addresses comprises a processing core. A level one (L1) cache communicates with the processing core. A level two (L2) cache communicates with the L1 cache. Both the L1 cache and the L2 cache are indexed by virtual addresses and tagged with virtual addresses. A bus unit communicates with the L2 cache and with the bus. |
| US07949830B2 |
System and method for handling data requests
A system and method for handling speculative read requests for a memory controller in a computer system are provided. In one example, a method includes the steps of providing a speculative read threshold corresponding to a selected percentage of the total number of reads that can be speculatively issued, and intermixing demand reads and speculative reads in accordance with the speculative read threshold. In another example, a computer system includes a CPU, a memory controller, memory, a bus connecting the CPU, memory controller and memory, circuitry for providing a speculative read threshold corresponding to a selected percentage of the total number of reads that can be speculatively issued, and circuitry for intermixing demand reads and speculative reads in accordance with the speculative read threshold. In another example, a method includes the steps of providing a speculative dispatch time threshold corresponding to a selected percentage of a period of time required to search a cache of the computer system, and intermixing demand reads and speculative reads in accordance with the speculative dispatch time threshold. |
| US07949827B2 |
Storage system and access count equalization method therefor
This invention aims to optimize an entire storage system by equalizing the access counts in appropriate units. When migrating data in pool volumes to equalize the data access counts, which data migration—data migration in units of pages or data migration in units of volumes—is most appropriate is judged based on the information stored in an access information table storing access information, which is the information about the access counts for the data stored in the disk drives and, based on the judgment, data is migrated in units of pages or volumes so that the data access counts are equalized among groups. The data migration is repeated until the data access counts are equalized among the groups. |
| US07949822B2 |
Storage capacity status
In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory device is disclosed to include memory organized into blocks, each block having a status associated therewith and all of the blocks of the nonvolatile memory having collectively a capacity status associated therewith and a display for showing the capacity status even when no power is being applied to the display. |
| US07949820B2 |
Method for managing memory access and task distribution on a multi-processor storage device
In a system for reading and writing data, the system including a controller, multiple microprocessor units accessible to the controller, and multiple memory device configurations, each having one dedicated bus connection to individual ones or multiples of the microprocessor units, a method for managing access to one or more of the memory device configurations includes the steps, (a) receiving a request at the controller requiring access of at least one of the memory device configurations, (b) determining at the controller, which microprocessor unit or units will handle the request, (c) handing the request to the selected microprocessor unit or units, (d) determining at the microprocessor unit or units, the tasks specified in the request for that microprocessor unit or units and (e) determining a memory address or addresses in one or more of the memory device configurations and accessing the memory device configuration or configurations to satisfy the request. |
| US07949818B2 |
Memory system comprising semiconductor memory having plural different operation modes
A memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory and a controller. The controller controls the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. The controller selects whether to use the nonvolatile semiconductor memory in a first read mode or in a second read mode having shorter access intervals than the first read mode. |
| US07949814B2 |
Swapping “fixed system” hard disk
Method for ‘Cool-Swap’, ‘Warm-Swap’ and ‘Hot-Swap’ of ‘Fixed’ ‘System’ hard disk(s) in and out of the computer and for re-cycling the computer between ‘diskly’ state to ‘diskless’ state by combining the following features in one way or the other: separating the power supply of the ‘Fixed’ ‘System’ hard disk(s) from the internal power supply that is supplying power to other components of the computer, in particular the motherboard; taking the operating system, capable of being taken to run as ramdisk-based operating system, in control of the computer to run as ramdisk-based operating system; putting the computer into different power management states; and issuing commands or instructions for logical disconnection and/or re-connection of hard disk(s). |
| US07949809B2 |
Peripheral component interconnect express interface and method for signal processing
The present invention discloses a PCI Express interface and a method of signal processing, and particularly relates to the physical coding sub-layer that transmits data between physical media access layer and media access control layer of the PCI Express. The PCI express interface of present invention enables physical coding sub-layer to be able to receive or output 8-bit data as well as to receive or output 16-bit data by adding an input interface unit and an output interface unit in physical coding sub-layer, thereby the data formats of physical coding sub-layer and media access control layer are compatible; enables the physical coding sub-layer to be able to handle data with sampling errors during transmission from physical media access layer to physical coding sub-layer by adding data adjustment unit in the physical coding sub-layer and applying corresponding signal processing method, thereby it ensures the integrity of the data transmitted over physical coding sub-layer. |
| US07949806B2 |
Apparatus and method to provide an operation to an information storage device including protocol conversion and assigning priority levels to the operation
A method to provide an operation to an information storage device is disclosed. The method supplies an information storage device and a protocol conversion device capable of receiving an operation in a first communication protocol comprising a variable attribute, and providing that operation to the information storage device in a second communication protocol, where that second communication protocol does not support the variable attribute. The method provides an operation to the protocol conversion device using said first communication protocol, and determines if the variable attribute is configured in that operation. If the method determines that the variable attribute is not configured in the operation, then the method provides the operation to the information storage device using the second communication protocol. If the method determines that the variable attribute is configured in the operation, then the method implements that variable attribute when providing the operation to the information storage device using the second communication protocol. |
| US07949800B2 |
Method for exchanging information with physical layer component registers
A device and a method for exchanging information with registers of a physical layer component. The method includes allocating at least one receive buffer for receiving the status information; associating at least one receive buffer descriptor with the at least one receive buffer; sending to a physical layer component a request to read status information stored in a selected status register of the physical layer component; and writing the status information to the at least one receive buffer descriptor. |
| US07949799B2 |
Storage apparatus, and method of stopping operation of add-on storage device which is in operation within the storage apparatus
A storage apparatus and method are provided. The storage apparatus including includes a basic storage device having a control unit and an add-on storage device configured to be connected to the basic storage device. The add-on storage device including a first request receiving unit receiving a first operation stop request output from the basic storage device to the add-on storage device second request receiving unit receiving a second operation stop request different from the first operation stop request, communication monitoring unit monitoring communication from the basic storage device, and operation stop processing unit performing processing for stopping the operation of the add-on storage device. The operation stop processing unit determines the validity of the second operation stop request on the basis of a monitoring result obtained by the communication monitoring unit, and stops the operation of the add-on storage device. |
| US07949797B2 |
Computer docking station and switching method thereof
The present invention provides a computer docking station and a switching method thereof. The method comprises: monitoring whether a wired input/output module is connected to a host computer, and outputting a monitoring result; controlling a first data processing module to be connected to the wired input/output module when the monitoring result indicates that the wired input/output module is connected to the host computer, or otherwise controlling the first data processing module to be connected to a wireless input/output module when the monitoring result indicates that the wired input/output module is not connected to the host computer. According to the present invention, an extended interface can be provided to the host computer in either of a wireless way and a wired way. |
| US07949796B2 |
Device and file transfer system
A device is connectable to a computer using a data string based on the SCSI standard. The device includes a mode switching section configured to switch the device to one of a first mode and a second mode in which an access to the storage device with a standard SCSI commands is permitted and prohibited, respectively. When the standard SCSI command is received and the device is in the first mode, the physical storage area of the data storage section is accessed on the basis of the SCSI command. When the standard SCSI command is received and the device is in the second mode, a pseudo response is transmitted to the computer, which indicates that no storage medium is mounted. When a particular SCSI command is received, the file is accessed through a file system provided in the device based on the particular SCSI command. |
| US07949788B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for transformation services
A web services hub receives a request from a data source system, transforms the request, and transmits the transformed request to an external system. A secure service router is coupled to the web services hub. The secure service router authenticates the data source system and locates a transformation service to transform the request. |
| US07949784B2 |
Peer-to-peer data relay
Methods and apparatus for relaying data in a peer-to-peer network. In one implementation, a wireless device includes: an antenna; a wireless communication interface connected to said antenna and supporting wireless communication across a wireless connection provided by said antenna; storage supporting storing data; and a controller connected to said wireless interface and to said storage, supporting an application service, a message service, and a relay service for relay messages; wherein said application service provides execution and management of one or more application programs accessible by said controller using application data stored in said storage, said message service provides building messages and processing received messages, and said relay service provides building a new relay message indicating a selected recipient to which the wireless device does not have a direct wireless connection, sending a built new relay message, and sending a received relay message that indicates a recipient other than the wireless device. |
| US07949771B1 |
Authentication of unknown parties in secure computer communications
Authentication of an unknown party in a secure computer communication may be performed even without consulting a public whitelist of trusted parties. A digital certificate from an unknown party not authenticated by a trusted certificate authority may be locally processed to determine if the digital certificate is a trusted, non-trusted, or unknown digital certificate. For example, a model may be created by training a support vector machine to classify a digital certificate. The model may be provided to a computer involved in secure computer communication. The computer may receive an incoming digital certificate, extract fields from the incoming digital certificate, and take a hash of the extracted fields perform input data that may be employed by the model to determine if the incoming digital certificate is a trusted, non-trusted, or unknown digital certificate. |
| US07949766B2 |
Offload stack for network, block and file input and output
An apparatus for offloading network, block and file functions from an operating system comprises a network interface coupled to a network for receiving packet flows; one or more processors each having one or more processor cores; a computer-readable medium carrying one or more operating systems and an input/output networking stack which are hosted in one or more of the processor cores. The networking stack is shared among the operating systems. The networking stack comprises instructions which when executed cause receiving a request for data transfer from one of the operating systems at internal network, block and file system interfaces, and permitting data to be transferred between the internal interfaces and a plurality of external interfaces by preventing the operating systems from performing the data transfer and performing the data transfer on behalf of the operating systems. |
| US07949765B2 |
Data structure for analyzing user sessions
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing a data structure for analyzing user sessions. A computer-implemented method, for processing information exchanged between a client and server, includes receiving information characterizing requests and responses exchanged between a client and a server. The method includes extracting field names and field values from the information. The method includes, for each hit, creating a name-value element for each field of the display page of the hit. Each name-value element includes a field name of the corresponding field and all the field values of the field found in the request and the one or more responses of the hit. The method includes creating, for each hit, a vector of the name-value elements created for the hit. The method includes, if the requests and responses include multiple hits, specifying an order of the vectors of the respective hits to define a sequence of vectors. |
| US07949763B2 |
Information processing apparatus, session recovery method, recording medium for storing session recovery program
An information processing apparatus, a session recovery method and a recording medium for storing a session recovery program are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, even if a session with a server apparatus connected via a network is invalidated, it is possible to resume the session without user's recognition of the session invalidation. The information processing apparatus includes an authentication information maintain part maintaining authentication information supplied to establish the session, a session invalidation detection part detecting that the session is invalidated, and a session recovery part, when the session invalidation detection part detects that the session has been invalidated, requesting the server apparatus to establish a session by using the authentication information in the authentication information maintain part. |
| US07949760B2 |
System and method for serving an application to a heterogeneous collection of client devices
A system and method for serving an application to different types of client devices. The application is served from a J2EE-compliant application server, to clients operating a variety of communication protocols (e.g., HTTP, Telnet). The application is developed according to a single application model, but can be served to heterogeneous clients. The application communicates via a request/response format (e.g., HTTP), thereby requiring clients communicating via other formats or protocols (e.g., Telnet byte streams) to connect to the application via one or more other components of the application server. Illustratively, the application server includes a Telnet resource adapter for maintaining persistent communication connections with Telnet clients, and an EJB (Enterprise Java Bean) configured to discretize continuous Telnet data streams into discrete application requests. |
| US07949759B2 |
Degrees of separation for handling communications
A sender's degrees of separation from a recipient may be used to aid in spam filtering or to otherwise handle a communication. The “degrees of separation” represent a metric used to quantify whether/how the recipient is linked to the sender through intermediary people or other entities. A level of “trust” or “legitimacy” about a sender's communication can be inferred by looking at whether the sender is linked to an intended recipient. Typically, user contact lists (e.g., address book, buddy list, and/or white list) are evaluated to determine the number of degrees (or hops) are required to link or relate two users. |
| US07949756B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring web services resource utilization
A method for dynamically adjusting resources among a plurality of co-existing applications comprises the steps of: building a relation model between a request number and resource consumption of said plurality of applications; obtaining at multiple sampling moments a request number and resource consumption of each of said plurality of applications; calculating resource consumption ratio of each of said plurality of applications; and analyzing resource consumption of a plurality of currently co-existing applications. |
| US07949748B2 |
Timing module for regulating hits by a spidering engine
A method and system for retrieving web-site based information by a spider engine at a target bandwidth is described. A target bandwidth is received from the spider engine. A wait time is calculated by a timing module. Data retrieval from a web site is delayed by the calculated wait time so that data is retrieved at the desired target bandwidth. |
| US07949746B1 |
Logging system for logging operation of a network platform
A system in which a user (e.g., equipment operator) can readily configure a logging system to log desired information regarding a network platform (e.g., one or more pieces of network equipment), rather than restricting the user to select just one of a plurality of logging levels defined programmatically by the platform manufacturer. The system will provide the user with an interface through which the user can readily define one or more logging levels and, for a given logging level, the particular information that the system is to log. Particular information to be logged may include particular messages that would pass to, from, through, or within the platform, particular parameters of those messages, particular platform status or platform settings, and so forth. |
| US07949742B2 |
Prefix and IP address management scheme for router and host in network system
In a network system formed by one or a plurality of hosts having a function for accessing Internet, and a router for connecting each host and the Internet through an accessing communication path of a provider, two types of IP address including first type IP addresses and second type IP addresses are generated and selectively used by each host, according to two types of prefix including first type prefixes and second type prefixes that have shorter valid periods than the first type prefixes, which are advertised from the router periodically. |
| US07949739B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining causality mapping of distributed systems
A method and apparatus for determining causality mapping between causing events and detectable events among a plurality of nodes in a distributed system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of automatically generating a causality mapping model of the dependences between causing events at the nodes of the distributed system and the detectable events in a subset of the nodes, the model suitable for representing the execution of at least one system operation. In one aspect the generation is perform by selecting nodes associated with each of the detectable events from the subset of the nodes and indicating the dependency between a causing event and at least one detectable event for each causing event at a node when the causing event node is a known distance from at least one node selected from the selected nodes. In still another aspect, the processing described herein is in the form of a computer-readable medium suitable for providing instruction to a computer or processing system for executing the processing claimed. |
| US07949735B2 |
Transaction process for the provisioning of rules in a rule-based network
The invention proposes a transaction process for the provisioning of rules in a network which includes at least one rule server and one rule server client. The process includes a first stage of transmission from the server to the client of a request for acceptance of the provisioning of a set of rules. The process also includes a second stage of reservation by the client of the resources necessary for the reception and the putting into application of the rules if the request is accepted by the client. The process includes a third stage of response to the request, from the client to the server, and a fourth stage for provisioning the set of rules to the client if the response to the request is favorable. When the network has several clients, each of the clients responds to the request from the server, and the provisioning stage is executed only if each response is favorable. |
| US07949732B1 |
Systems and methods for determining characteristics of a network and enforcing policy
A packet transmitted on a network is read and decoded. A network device and its operating system are identified by analyzing the decoded packet. If more than one operating system is identified from the decoded packet, the operating system is selecting by comparing confidence values assigned to the operating systems identified. A service running on the network device is identified from the decoded packet or subsequent packets that are read, decoded and analyzed. The network topology of a network is determined by reading, decoding, and analyzing a plurality of packets. A flow between two network devices is determined by reading, decoding, and analyzing a plurality of packets. Vulnerabilities are assigned to operating systems and services identified by reading, decoding, and analyzing packets. Network configuration policy is enforced on operating systems and services identified by reading, decoding, and analyzing packets. |
| US07949730B2 |
System and method for remote data acquisition and distribution
Methods and systems for remote data collection and distribution include components and operations for receiving, at a server, data transmitted by a first client device via a communication network. The method may also include selecting, by one or more client devices associated with the communication network, a second device to receive the data. The method may further include establishing a connection between the server and the selected second device via the communication network. The method may also include automatically transmitting the received data to the second device using the connection via the communication network. The method may further include causing, by the one or more client devices, the second device to execute a predefined operation. |
| US07949729B2 |
System and method for displaying dynamic page content in a page-caching browser
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for displaying dynamic page content in a page-caching browser. The system and method prevent the loading of unintended page content from a local cache into a browser by ensuring the uniqueness of the content request. Such embodiments include (i) specifying an address to stored content; (ii) appending a unique identifier to the address; (iii) requesting the content with the address and appended identifier; and (iv) transmitting the content request to the server regardless of whether there is cached content associated with the address. By appending a unique identifier to the requested address, each content request is unique, thus, preventing the browser from locating and loading corresponding content from the cache. |