最新美国发明专利第2011-07-05期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

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US07973264B2	Toaster oven with low-profile heating elements A toaster oven appliance including low-profile heating elements having a predetermined single-sided surface area calculated to provide uniform heating within the cooking chamber, facilitate cleaning and to increase its usable capacity is disclosed. Various alternative configurations of top, bottom, and side-mounted heating elements in combination with both fixed and vertically movable heating element embodiments are provided for use with standard and digital controls. The heating elements are positioned both internally and externally of the cooking chamber and are provided in unsheathed, plain-sheathed, and metallic-sheathed types for a given application of the present oven. In one embodiment the heating elements are constructed as removable plug-in modules for convenient cleaning and replacement. The present toaster oven further includes an optional forced convection fan to reduce cooking temperature and shorten cooking cycles. An optional rotisserie mechanism is also provided in conjunction with the aforementioned combinations of heating elements and heating controls.
US07973263B2	Mirror glass component with integrated illuminating means The invention concerns a vehicle outside mirror module with a heatable mirror glass assembly group, whereby the mirror glass assembly group exhibits at least one mirror glass and an at least one layered, foil-like heating foil, flexibly configured on the back side of said mirror glass, provided with power supply points. To this end, there are configured or integrated, on or in the heating foil, at least one means of lighting and at least one additional power supply point. On or in the heating foil, between the one or the several lighting means and the one or the additional power supply points, are configured or integrated conductive tracks providing current which contact said power supply points. Each lighting means has at least one main light exit surface whose spectral centroid lies above the mirror back surface.With the current invention, a vehicle outside mirror module is developed in which a mirror heater and at least one means of lighting are integrated and connected in such a manner that they can be simply and securely assembled while keeping the expenditure in cabling low.
US07973261B2	Cooling structure for plasma lighting system Disclosed is a cooling structure for a plasma lighting system comprising a fan housing having at least two discharge ports having different flow rates for introducing external air into a case and cooling heat generating components in the case. The structure intensively cools heat generating components of high temperature such as a magnetron, thereby prolonging a life span of the components and enhancing a performance of a system.
US07973260B2	Wire electrical discharge machining A wire electrical discharge machine (WEDM) including a motion platform, a sink, a workbench, a connecting element, a jib, a first head and a second head is provided. The sink is disposed separately above the motion platform, and the workbench is disposed in the sink. The workbench is connected to the motion platform via the connecting element such that the motion platform drives the workbench moving along a first direction and a second direction. Besides, the jib is fixedly connected with the sink, and the first head is disposed inside the sink and connected with the jib. The second head is disposed above the first head. Thus, the jib does not cause relative motion to the sink in order to avoid leaking.
US07973252B2	Ignition switch A three-position, single-pole, double-throw, rotary ignition switch is disclosed that is water-tight and provides qualitative and quantifiable durability in the presence of high-current loads, even after long use. It withstands a continuous 20 A load, plus an additional occasional 20 A load, when in the “run” position. It withstands an additional 75 A inductive load when in the “start” position. Then even after 12,000 operational cycles, leakage current (with 28 VDC supply voltage) when the switch is in the “off” position, and between non-current-carrying terminals when the switch is in the “on” position, remains under 0.3 mA, and still allows leakage current not exceeding 10 mA at any time while each disconnected pair of terminals and between terminals and ground are exposed to 1,000±5 Vrms at a frequency of at least 60 Hz being increased 400 V/sec for one minute.
US07973247B2	Connecting portion of circuit board and circuit board-connecting structure technical field In a circuit board-connecting portion 10, a first connecting portion 15 and a second connecting portion 20 are disposed in facing relation such that first conductors 14 contact second conductors 19, and also a first substrate 12 and a second substrate 17 are fixed to each other by an adhesive 22. The first connecting portion 15 has rigid members 24 provided at a reverse surface 12B of the first substrate 12 which is a soft substrate, and the rigid members 24 are disposed along a direction of a thickness of the first substrate 14, and are provided at positions corresponding to at least parts 14A of the first conductors 14.
US07973242B2	Vertical cable manager Embodiments of the invention provide a vertical cable manager for routing cables or wires. The vertical cable manager includes a vertical trough with sets of fingers. The fingers include arrow-shaped ends, which allow installation and/or removal of cables and wires, while retaining the cables and wires in cable rings. In some embodiments, a door attached to the vertical cable manager can be removable from one or both sides of the trough. In some embodiments, the vertical cable manager can include removable spools that can be attached to the trough in various positions and configurations.
US07973241B2	Pressure restraining enclosure for cables A pressure restraining enclosure for cables can include, for example, a first cable including a conductor and an oil-containing layer surrounding the conductor, and a second cable having a conductor. A splice can connect the conductor of the first cable with the conductor of the second cable. A pressure restraining sleeve can overly the splice and the conductors of the first and second cables. Several fasteners can be applied to several locations on the pressure restraining sleeve to tighten the pressure restraining sleeve around the splice and portions of the first and second cable. Embodiments of the pressure restraining enclosure can be used in the form of a sleeve on a single core cable, or alternatively as a body and a separate sleeve on multiple core cables such as three-core cables.
US07973239B2	Ultrafine-coaxial-wire harness, connecting method thereof, circuit-board-connected body, circuit-board module, and electronic apparatus A multicore ultrafine coaxial wire is formed by consolidating a plurality of ultrafine coaxial wires in a flat array. Each of the ultrafine coaxial wires has a center conductor, whose tip portion is exposed, an insulating layer, an outer conductor, and a covering. The harness has a grounding member that connects in common the outer conductors of the multicore ultrafine coaxial wire and an insulator frame that fixes the center conductors. End portions of an underside film and end portions of a topside film both of the insulator frame are provided with an alignment hole to align the center conductors with circuits on a substrate.
US07973237B2	Outlet assembly An outlet assembly installed over an existing device box and wiring to provide an integrated appearance for a new low voltage installation alongside the existing device box, without requiring disturbance of the existing device box or wiring.
US07973232B2	Simulating several instruments using a single virtual instrument A media application for providing outputs (e.g., audio outputs) in response to inputs received from an input device is provided. The media application may connect input mechanisms of an input device with parameters of channel strips (e.g., which may define output sounds) using an intermediate screen object. The media application may first assign an input mechanism to a screen object, and separately map a screen object to a channel strip parameter. The media application may map a screen object to several channel strips simultaneously such that, based on the value of the screen object, the volume of each of the several channel strips changes. The media application may provide a graphical representation of available channel strips using layers. As the media application accesses a channel strip, the appearance of the portion of the layer associated with the channel strip may change. The media application may also allow the patches, which may include several channel strips, to survive after a new patch is selected instead.
US07973228B2	Strap for musical instrument and method for adjusting length of strap belt A guitar strap 10 includes an adjuster 13 by which the length of a second belt section 17 is adjusted. The adjuster 13 includes a base 31, a lever 32 manipulated to adjust the length of the second belt section 17, and a torsion spring 38 urging the lever 32 to pivot in a first direction. The second belt section 17 is clamped by the base 31 and the lever 32 due to urging force of the torsion spring 38. The second belt section 17 is released from a state clamped by the base 31 and the lever 32 by pivoting the lever 32 in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, against the urging force of the torsion spring 38.
US07973225B2	Peg for stringed instrument The mounting position of a winding shaft on a main body is changed, and a peg may be mounted in various stringed instruments by miniaturizing the main body or reducing the thickness thereof. The peg for the stringed instrument includes a main body mounted in the stringed instrument; a worm rotatably supported by the main body, the worm having a knob at an end thereof; a worm wheel engaging with the worm, the worm wheel rotatably supported by the main body; a winding shaft connecting to one side of the worm wheel in an axial direction, the winding shaft for winding a string of the stringed instrument; and bearing holes formed in at least two surfaces of the main body, the bearing holes supporting the winding shaft rotatably.
US07973224B2	Guzmania hybrid named ‘FUSION’ A new and distinct Guzmania hybrid named ‘FUSION’ characterized by solid growth habit; funnel-form rosette plant, measuring about 42 cm to 48 cm in height (above the pot when flowering); numerous, dark green color foliage, measuring about 30 cm to 35 cm in length and about 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm in width; superior floral bract production; bracts have a unique dark purple color which distinguishes this cultivar from typical Guzmania; round, compound inflorescence, measuring about 30 cm in height and about 18 cm in diameter; and long-lasting habit.
US07973221B1	Soybean variety RJS49002 According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated RJS49002. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety RJS49002, to the plants of soybean RJS49002 to plant parts of soybean variety RJS49002 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety RJS49002 with another soybean plant, using RJS49002 as either the male or the female parent.
US07973217B2	Stem-regulated, plant defense promoter and uses thereof in tissue-specific expression in monocots The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as OMT promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an OMT promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.
US07973215B2	Method for the introduction of a heterologous polynucleotide into a mushroom The invention develops a simple and reliable mushroom transformation procedure on the basis of electroporation of spores or mycelial fragments of mushroom.
US07973212B2	Soybean plants having superior agronomic performance and methods for their production This invention provides compositions including favorable alleles of marker loci associated with genetic elements contributing to superior agronomic performance. Also provided are markers for identifying favorable alleles of marker loci associated with genetic elements involved in superior agronomic performance, as well as methods employing the markers.
US07973211B2	Animal model for hyperpigmentation An animal model for hyperpigmentations in which the formation of hyperpigmentations in human skin is faithfully simulated is provided. An animal model for hyperpigmentations, wherein a black person's skin is grafted onto a non-human animal, is provided.
US07973209B1	Fractionation recovery processing of light olefins free of carbon dioxide Processing schemes and arrangements for the catalytic cracking of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock and obtaining light olefins substantially free of carbon dioxide via amine treatment and employing fractionation processing are provided.
US07973207B2	Endothermic hydrocarbon conversion process The present invention is an improved cyclic, endothermic hydrocarbon conversion process and a catalyst bed system for accomplishing the same. Specifically, the improved process comprises reacting a hydrocarbon with a multi-component catalyst bed in such a manner that the temperature within the catalyst bed remains within controlled temperature ranges throughout all stages of the process. The multi-component catalyst bed comprises a reaction-specific catalyst physically mixed with a heat-generating material.
US07973206B1	Alkylation process using catalysts with low olefin skeletal isomerization activity A process is presented for the production of linear alkylbenzenes. The process includes contacting an aromatic compound with an olefin in the presence of a selective zeolite catalyst. The catalyst includes two zeolites combined to improve the linearity, and to produce detergent grade LAB. The two zeolites are selected to limit skeletal isomerization while producing a desired 2-phenyl content for the LAB.
US07973205B2	Process to make a lubricant component by oligomerizing and alkylating at a molar ratio of olefin to isoparaffin of at least 0.8 We provide a process to make a lubricant component, comprising: a. oligomerizing a feed comprising one or more olefins in an ionic liquid oligomerization zone, at oligomerization conditions, to form an oligomer; and b. alkylating the oligomer in the presence of an isoparaffin, in an ionic liquid alkylation zone, at alkylation conditions including a molar ratio of one or more olefins and one or more isoparaffins of at least 0.8, to form an alkylated oligomeric product that is a lubricant component having a kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of at least 6.9 mm2/s, a VI of at least 134, a cloud point less than or equal to −28° C., and a Bromine Number of less than or equal to 6.1.
US07973203B2	Method for substituting indenofluorenes The invention relates to a process for the preparation of trans-indenofluorene compounds of the formula (Ia) or cis-indenofluorene compounds of the formula (Ib) in a reaction with at least one compound of the formula (IIa) or (IIb) respectively with at least one compound of the R-Hal in the presence of at least one organic base and at least one organic, polar, aprotic solvent.
US07973202B2	Method for producing fluorine-containing olefin The present invention aims to reduce an amount of by-products generated in a reaction step for obtaining fluorine-containing olefin, and thereby to obtain fluorine-containing olefin as a target substance with a higher selectivity than that in the conventional method.In a reaction step for generating fluorine-containing olefin by a dehydrohalogenation reaction from fluorine-containing halogenated propane expressed by a general formula CF3CH(2-n)XnCH(3-m)Xm (wherein n=0, 1 or 2; m=1, 2 or 3; and n+m≦3; and X is selected from F, Cl and Br, independently), fluorochromium oxide having a fluorine content not less than 30% by weight is used as a catalyst.
US07973199B2	Process for producing acetone from bioethanol The present invention provides a technique for producing acetone in a high yield from hydrated ethanol derived from biomass, without requiring a large amount of energy. Hydrated ethanol derived from biomass is heated to a reaction temperature of 400° C. or higher in the presence of a Zr—Fe catalyst, thereby producing acetone. The reaction temperature is preferably from 450 to 550° C., and the Zr—Fe catalyst preferably contains 5 to 10% by mass of Zr. The present invention allows purification of hydrated acetone without requiring purification of the hydrated ethanol.
US07973198B2	Method for synthesizing optically active carbonyl compounds The present invention relates to a process for preparing optically active carbonyl compounds by asymmetrically hydrogenating α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in the presence of optically active transition metal catalysts which are soluble in the reaction mixture and have at least one carbon monoxide ligand, the optically active catalyst which has at least one carbon monoxide ligand and is to be used in each case being prepared by pretreating a catalyst precursor with a gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen and the asymmetric hydrogenation being performed in the presence of carbon monoxide supplied additionally to the reaction mixture.
US07973197B2	Colorant compound and blue resist composition for use in color filter containing the same The present invention provides (I) a method of manufacturing a triphenylmethane colorant that can suppress the sub-reactions in conversion to a sulfonamide and is industrially advantageous, (II) a colorant compound that has both excellent spectral characteristics and a high solubility relative to organic solvents or polymers as a coloring agent to be used in color filters and (III) a blue resist composition for use in a color filter that shows a high lightness and an excellent hue particularly for blue color and can be used to display an image that is excellent in terms of spectral characteristics and contrast.
US07973194B1	High solvating cyclohexane dicarboxylate diesters plasticizers Diesters of 1,4-cyclohexane dicarboxylate are surprisingly more efficient PVC plasticizers and fuse PVC faster and at a lower temperature than similar phthalates or terephthalate diesters. Hydrogenated orthophthalate diesters are slower fusing, i.e., require higher temperatures, than do the corresponding orthophthalate diesters.
US07973193B2	Method for producing ester condensed product The present invention is to provide a method for preparing an ester condensate and a catalyst therefore; wherein the method enables synthesis of enormous amounts of ester condensates comprising a specific structure in good yield, by a reaction of carboxylic acid and alcohol in equimolar amounts, while generation of by-products is prevented; wherein the catalyst exhibits good catalytic efficiency as a catalyst for use, the use of the catalyst in small amount is sufficient, and the catalyst is reusable and can be used repeatedly; therefore, the method for preparing an ester condensate of the present invention and the catalyst therefore can be applied to industrial methods which are preferable in view of green chemistry. Esterification reaction is performed by using a catalyst comprising a zirconium(IV) compound and/or a hafnium(IV) compound and an iron compound and a gallium compound. It is preferable that the zirconium(IV) compound is a compound represented by Zr(OH)a(OR1)b, wherein, R1 represents an acyl group or an alkyl group, and each of a and b is 0 or any one of integers of 1 to 4 and the relationship of a+b=4 is satisfied, and a zirconium(IV) halide.
US07973192B2	Preparation of both hexamethylene diamine and aminocapronitrile Hexamethylenediamine and aminocapronitrile are simultaneoussly produced by hemihydrogenation of adiponitrile, which includes a stage of separation of the hexamethylenediamine from the hydrogenate by distillation of the hexamethylenediamine, the distillation of the hexamethylenediamine being carried out from the hydrogenate containing a free acid and/or an alkali metal or ammonium acid salt, whereby a top fraction A recovered at the column top of the stage of distillation of the hexamethylenediamine is essentially crude hexamethylenediamine and a small amount of THA; the amount of THA (tetrahydroazepine) present in the crude hexamethylenediamine constitutes a small proportion of the THA present in the hydrogenate.
US07973191B2	Method for the production of dibenz[c,e] [1,2]-oxaphosphorin derivatives, amino-dibenz[c,e] [1,2]-oxaphosphorin and also use thereof The invention relates to general syntheses of (6H)-dibenz[c,e] [1,2]-oxaphosphorins which are substituted with nitrogen compounds on the phosphorus atom and comprising commercially available 6H-dibenz[c,e] [1,2]-oxaphosphorin-6-oxides. These nitrogen-containing (6H)-dibenz[c,e] [1,2]-oxaphosphorins can be used as reactive starting substances for further syntheses or as flameproofing agents or as stabilisers.
US07973190B2	Polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material, intermediate therefor, process for producing polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material, and process for producing intermediate of polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material A polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material (VIIa, VIIb, VIIc, VIId) is obtained in the following manner. That is, as shown in Scheme 1 below, a starting material (I) is dimetalated with an organometallic base. The starting material (I) thus dimetalated is trapped with an organosilicon reagent (i: (1) n-BuLi or t-BuLi; (2) HMe2SiCl). As a result, an intermediate is obtained. Thereafter, the intermediate is allowed to react with a metal reductant. This causes an intramolecular reductive cyclization reaction to proceed. As a result, a dianion intermediate is produced. The dianion intermediate is trapped with an electrophile (ii: (1) LiNaph, THF, rt, 5 min; (2) electrophile or NH4Cl) In this way, the polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material is obtained. The polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material, an intermediate therefor, a method for producing the polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material, and a method for producing the intermediate make it possible to provide a polycyclic fused ring type π-conjugated organic material having excellent light-emitting and charge-transporting properties.
US07973189B2	Cobalt nitride layers for copper interconnects and methods for forming them An interconnect structure for integrated circuits incorporates a layer of cobalt nitride that facilitates the nucleation, growth and adhesion of copper wires. The cobalt nitride may deposited on a refractory metal nitride or carbide layer, such as tungsten nitride or tantalum nitride, that serves as a diffusion barrier for copper and also increases the adhesion between the cobalt nitride and the underlying insulator. The cobalt nitride may be formed by chemical vapor deposition from a novel cobalt amidinate precursor. Copper layers deposited on the cobalt nitride show high electrical conductivity and can serve as seed layers for electrochemical deposition of copper conductors for microelectronics.
US07973185B2	Process for the preparation of phenolic hydroxy-substituted compounds The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a phenolic hydroxy-substituted compound of the general formula (I) by desalkylation of an alkyl aryl ether of the general formula (II) by treatment with a thiourea/aluminum chloride reagent pair, in said general formulae R1 stands for straight chain or branched C1-6 alkyl group; R2, R3 , R4 , R5, and R6 have the same or different meanings and stand for hydrogen or halogen atom, hydroxy, carboxy, nitro, oxo, C1-6 alkylcarbonyl, straight chain or branched alkyl or -alkoxy, or aryl group, or R2 and R3 together stand for a 5-7 membered ring or fused ring system; said 5-7 membered ring may be a partially saturated ring optionally substituted with an oxo group or can be an unsaturated ring; or said fused ring system may constitute with the first ring a steroid, preferably an estratriene derivative optionally substituted with an oxo or C1-6 alkylcarbonyloxy group in the 17 position.
US07973183B2	Process for the preparation of an olefin oxide The present invention relates to a continuous process for the preparation of an olefin oxide wherein an olefin is reacted with a hydroperoxidein the presence of a catalyst, and wherein the reaction which is carried out in at least three reactors operated in parallel is controlled by specifically adjusting the catalyst loads in the reactors.
US07973182B2	Process for the preparation of enantiomerically pure 1-substituted-3-aminoalcohols A process for the preparation of enantiomerically pure 1-substituted-3-amino-alcohols, particularly of (S)-(−)- and (R)-(+)-3-N-methylamino-1-(2-thienyl)-1-propanol, by asymmetrically hydrogenating salts of a carboxylic acids with an aminoketone of the formula: wherein R1 is 2-thienyl, 2-furanyl or phenyl, each optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms and/or one or more C1-4-alkyl or C1-4-alkoxy groups, and wherein R2 is C1-4-alkyl or phenyl, each optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms and/or one or more C1-4-alkyl or C1-4-alkoxy groups. The corresponding aminoalcohols are obtained by subsequent hydrolysis of their salts. Salts of a carboxylic acid with the aminoketones and the aminoalcohols obtained by asymmetrically hydrogenating the aminoketones, respectively.
US07973180B2	Process for producing aqueous dispersion of composite of poly(3,4-dialkoxythiophene) with polyanion The present invention provides a method for the production of an aqueous dispersion containing an electroconductive polymer component which enables electroconductive thin films which are outstanding in their transparency and electroconductivity to be formed, together with the aqueous dispersion obtained by said method. This method includes a stage in which a 3,4-dialkoxythiophene is polymerized in an aqueous solvent using an oxidizing agent in the presence of a polyanion and, in this stage, said oxidizing agent is added by the dropwise addition of a solution or dispersion containing said oxidizing agent to the reaction solution or, alternatively, in the polymerization stage, the alkali metal ion concentration in the reaction liquid is maintained at no more than 400 ppm.
US07973176B2	Process for production of aralkyloxypyrrolidine derivative The present invention provides a process for producing a 3-aralkyloxypyrrolidine derivative which is important for production of pharmaceutical products and the like. In the present invention, a N-protected-3-hydroxypyrrolidine is converted into a N-protected-3-aralkyloxypyrrolidine by allowing an aralkyl halide to act in the presence of a base and at least one of a metal halide and a phase-transfer catalyst followed by deprotecting a N-protecting group to convert it to a 3-aralkyloxypyrrolidine derivative and subsequently treating the derivative in a solvent containing a polar solvent, thereby obtaining the 3-aralkyloxypyrrolidine derivative as a crystal. According to the present invention, a 3-aralkyloxypyrrolidine derivative of high purity can be produced conveniently and efficiently on an industrial scale.
US07973174B2	Process of making 3-aminopentanenitrile A process for making 3-aminopentanenitrile from a crude 2-pentenenitrile (“crude 2PN”) comprising 2-pentenenitrile, 2-methyl-2-butenenitrile, and 2-methyl-3-butenenitrile includes contacting the crude 2PN with an ammonia-containing fluid and water. The ammonia-containing fluid can include at least one reactant selected from the group consisting of ammonia, aqueous ammonia, and ammonium hydroxide.
US07973171B2	Process for synthesis of dialkoxyorganoboranes The invention relates to a process for the synthesis of dialkoxyorganoboranes, in particular to a process for the synthesis of dialkoxyorganoboranes by an ester exchange reaction. Moreover, the invention relates to a process for the synthesis of organo-oxazaborolidine catalysts (organo-CBS) and of trialkylboroxins. Furthermore, the invention relates to methods of using dialkoxyorganoboranes for the preparation of organo-CBS catalysts and in Suzuki-type coupling reactions.
US07973168B2	Metallic compound and organic electroluminescence device comprising the same The present invention relates to a light emitting binuclear transition metal compound of Chemical Formulae 1 and 2, and an organic electroluminescence device including the compound. In the Chemical Formulae 1 and 2, M is selected from Ir, Pt, Rh, Re, and Os, and m is 2, provided that the m is 1 when M is Pt.
US07973164B2	Quinoline derivatives The invention concerns quinoline derivatives of Formula I or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof, wherein each of X1, p, R1, q, R2, R3, R4, R5, Ring A, r and R6 has any of the meanings defined hereinbefore in the description; processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the manufacture of a medicament for use in the treatment of cell proliferative disorders.
US07973159B2	Non-basic melanin concentrating hormone receptor-1 antagonists The present application provides compounds, including all stereoisomers, solvates, prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable forms thereof according to Formula I. Additionally, the present application provides pharmaceutical compositions containing at least one compound according to Formula I and optionally at least one additional therapeutic agent. Finally, the present application provides methods for treating a patient suffering from an MCHR-1 modulated disease or disorder such as, for example, obesity, diabetes, depression or anxiety by administration of a therapeutically effective dose of a compound according to Formula I. where R1, R1a, R1b, A, R3, R4, R5, R5b and R6 are as defined herein.
US07973157B2	Imino and amino sugar purification Novel processes for the purification of an imino or amino sugar, such as D-1-deoxygalactonojirimycin (DGJ). Particularly, there are described processes for the purification of multi-kilogram scale sugars using hydrochloric acid.
US07973156B2	Hypoxia-regulated genes According to the present invention, purified, isolated and cloned nucleic acid polynucleotide encoding hypoxia-regulating genes and the proteins thereof and antibodies directed against the proteins which have sequences as set forth in SEQ ID No:1, SEQ ID No:2, SEQ ID No:3, SEQ ID No:4, SEQ ID No:5 and SEQ ID No:6 are provided. The present invention further provides transgenic animals and cell lines as well as knock-out organisms of these sequences. The present invention further provides methods of regulating angiogenesis or apoptosis or regulating response to hypoxic conditions in a patient in need of such treatment. The present invention also provides a method of diagnosing the presence of ischemia in a patient including the steps of analyzing a bodily fluid or tissue sample from the patient for the presence or gene product of at least one expressed gene (up-regulated) as set forth in the group comprising SEQ ID No:2; SEQ ID No:3; SEQ ID No:4; SEQ ID No:5; and SEQ ID No:6 and where ischemia is determined if the up-regulated gene or gene product is ascertained.
US07973152B2	Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility and method of using same Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility in plants are described, with DNA molecule and amino acid sequences set forth. Promoter sequences and their essential regions are also identified. The nucleotide sequences are useful in mediating male fertility in plants.
US07973150B2	Reducing the immunogenicity of fusion proteins Disclosed are compositions and methods for producing fusion proteins with reduced immunogenicity. Fusion proteins of the invention include a junction region having an amino acid change that reduces the ability of a junctional epitope to bind to MHC Class II, thereby reducing its interaction with a T-cell receptor. Methods of the invention involve analyzing, changing, or modifying one or more amino acids in the junction region of a fusion protein in order to identify a T-cell epitope and reduce its ability to interact with a T cell receptor. Compositions and methods of the invention are useful in therapy.
US07973146B2	Engineered fluorescent dye labeled nucleotide analogs for DNA sequencing Engineered nucleotide compositions, having polymerase interacting components that improve the interactivity of the polymerase and the nucleotide, particularly for nucleic acid sequencing applications. Compositions include the interactive polymerases along with the nucleotide analogs. Kits, methods and systems are provided for analysis of nucleic acid synthesis reactions.
US07973144B2	Method for refolding protein It has been required to refold an inactive protein into an active protein with high efficacy. This problem can be solved by the method for producing a protein including a step of providing a porous body supporting an inactive protein in its mesopores, a step of applying a denaturant to the porous body supporting the inactive protein, and a step of changing the inactive protein to an active protein by removing the denaturant from the porous body.
US07973142B2	Antibodies that bind human protein tyrosine phosphatase beta (HPTPβ) Antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof that bind to human protein tyrosine phosphatase beta (HPTPβ), and uses thereof.
US07973139B2	Antibodies against nogo receptor The present invention relates to antibodies and related molecules that specifically bind to the Nogo receptor (NogoR). Such antibodies have uses, for example, in the treatment of spinal cord injury, brain trauma, paralysis, degenerative nervous system diseases, and stroke. The invention also relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding anti-NogoR antibodies, vectors and host cells containing these nucleic acids, and methods for producing the same.
US07973132B2	Cell-permeable fluorescent proteins This invention relates to methods and compositions for designing novel fluorescent proteins, preferably to a green fluorescent proteins (GFP). The engineered GFPs are modified by substituting negatively charged amino acids with positively charged amino acids on the exterior of the protein making the protein cell permeable. The ability of the engineered fluorescent proteins to permeate cells obviates the need for transfections, allowing these novel proteins to be used in numerous biological applications.
US07973126B2	Emissive polymeric materials for optoelectronic devices Polymers including at least one structural unit derived from a compound of formula I or including at least one pendant group of formula II may be used in optoelectronic devices wherein R1, R3, R4 and R6 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, oxaalkyl, alkylaryl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, substituted alkyl; substituted alkoxy, substituted oxaalkyl, substituted alkylaryl, substituted aryl, substituted arylalkyl, or substituted heteroaryl; R1a is hydrogen or alkyl; R2 is alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxaalkylene, CO, or CO2; R2a is alkylene; R5 is independently at each occurrence hydrogen, alkyl, alkylaryl, aryl, arylalkyl, alkoxy, carboxy, substituted alkyl; substituted alkylaryl, substituted aryl, substituted arylalkyl, or substituted alkoxy, X is halo, triflate, —B(OR1a)2, or located at the 2, 5- or 2, 7-positions; and L is derived from phenylpyridine, tolylpyridine, benzothienylpyridine, phenylisoquinoline, dibenzoquinozaline, fluorenylpyridine, ketopyrrole, 2-(1-naphthyl)benzoxazole)), 2-phenylbenzoxazole, 2-phenylbenzothiazole, coumarin, thienylpyridine, phenylpyridine, benzothienylpyridine, 3-methoxy-2-phenylpyridine, thienylpyridine, phenylimine, vinylpyridine, pyridylnaphthalene, pyridylpyrrole, pyridylimidazole, phenylindole, derivatives thereof or combinations thereof.
US07973125B2	Method of evaluating polymide dissolution rate, method of producing polymide, and polymide obtained using same methods A method of evaluating the dissolution rate of a polyimide by Raman spectroscopy, wherein the Raman spectral intensity I(a) of imide groups contained within the polyimide is measured, and I(a) is then compared with the Raman spectral intensity I(b) of imide groups contained within a polyimide with a known dissolution rate. The polyimides are preferably obtained using an aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydride and/or an aromatic diamine.
US07973124B2	Method for producing thermoplastic polyester elastomer, thermoplastic polyester elastomer composition, and thermoplastic polyester elastomer The present invention provides a thermoplastic polyester elastomer excellent in heat resistance, heat-aging resistance, water resistance, light resistance, low-temperature property and the like, and further excellent in block order-retaining ability, the thermoplastic polyester elastomer comprising a hard segment which comprises polyester constituted with aromatic dicarboxylic acid and aliphatic or alicyclic diol and a soft segment which comprises mainly aliphatic polycarbonate, wherein the hard segment and the soft segment being connected, and wherein when melting points of the thermoplastic polyester elastomer are obtained by measuring on a differential scanning calorimeter in three cycles in which a temperature is raised from room temperature to 300° C. at a heating rate of 20° C./min., maintained at 300° C. for 3 minutes and lowered to room temperature at a cooling rate of 100° C./min., a melting point difference (Tm1−Tm3) between a melting point obtained in the first cycle (Tm1) and a melting point obtained in the third cycle (Tm3) is 0-50° C., and a tensile strength at break is 15-100 MPa.
US07973123B2	Reaction injection material for a golf ball A golf ball having a layer composed of a polyurethane/polyurea material formed from reaction injection molding a polyol component and an isocyanate component. The polyol component preferably comprises a polytetramethylene ether glycol having a molecular weight of approximately 1000 and a 3,5-diethyl-2,4 toluenediamine. The layer is preferably a cover layer having a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.025 inch.
US07973121B2	Method of preparing polyorganosiloxane with functional groups in the presence of lithium silanolate The invention relates to a method of preparing polyorganosiloxanes containing at least one functional group using a lithium silanolate catalyst. A polyorganosiloxane, having at least one hydroxyl group, is reacted with a polyalkoxysilane having the formula (R1)a(R2)bSi(OR3)4-(a+b) (I), where R1 is an alkyl radical, a cycloalkyl radical, or an aryl radical; R2 is —(Z)m-(X)n, wherein m=0 or 1, n=1 or 2; Z is a divalent hydrocarbon residue; X is an unsaturated hydrocarbon radical when m=0 and, when m=1, X is chlorine, bromine, iodine, —O—CO—CR4═CR5R6 (in which R4, R5 and R6 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical and/or a phenyl radical), —RF (in which RF is a perfluorinated residue), —NHR7 (in which R7 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl radical, or a radical-R8—NH2, wherein R8 is Z), or —SH; R3 is an alkyl radical; a=0, 1, 2 or 3; b=0 or 1 and a+b=0, 1, 2 or 3, with the additional condition that the sum a+b=3, symbol b cannot be equal to 0. The method is performed in the presence of an effective quantity of a lithium organosilanolate catalyst having formula (R1)a(R2)b(OR3)3-(a+b)SiO−Li+ (II), wherein R1, R2, R3, a and b have the meanings indicated above. The method is performed without the addition of an aliphatic alcohol having the formula R3OH to the reaction medium.
US07973120B2	Enamine oils and method for the production thereof Organosilicon compounds containing at least one silicon-bonded radical of the formula (E1)xZ—Y—C(O)—CR4═C(CH2R4)—NR2—R1— are prepared by reacting the analogous ketoester or tautomer thereof with an amino functional organosilicon compound.
US07973117B2	Process for continuously producing (meth)acrylic ester polymer or copolymer A continuous production process, for producing an (meth)acrylic ester (co)polymer comprises the step of continuously feeding an organoaluminum compound-containing polymerization initiator solution and an (meth)acrylic ester into a reactor to continuously obtain a living polymer-containing polymer reaction liquid. The {[molar quantity of methacrylic ester or acrylic ester]/([molar quantity of organoaluminum compound]−[molar quantity of polymerization initiator])} fed into the reactor is regulated to be 15 to 80, and the content of the (meth)acrylic ester in the total feed amount of a polymerization initiator solution and an (meth)acrylic ester fed into the reactor is regulated to not more than 5% by mass.
US07973115B2	Catalyst systems based on macrocyclic ligands The present invention discloses the use of rotoxane ligands to prepare catalyst systems suitable for the oligomerization or polymerization of ethylene and alpha-olefins.
US07973113B2	Transition metal catalyst systems and formation thereof Catalyst systems and methods of forming the catalyst systems are described herein. The methods generally include contacting a support material with an activator to form a support composition, contacting a component with at least a portion of an aluminum containing compound including TIBAl, wherein the component is selected from the support composition, the transition metal catalyst compound and combinations thereof and contacting the support composition with a transition metal catalyst compound to form a supported catalyst system.
US07973111B2	Mechanically operated kill agent injection safety system and method to stop a runaway chemical reaction Disclosed is a method to safely terminate a runaway reaction within a reaction vessel, comprising: sensing an increase in pressure in the reaction vessel, opening a barrier blocking a flow path into the reactor, wherein the barrier opening is achieved via a mechanical response to the sensed increase in pressure, and injecting a kill agent into the reaction vessel via the opened flow path, thereby terminating the reaction. Also disclosed is a system for performing the method. The system functions without an external electrical source and is therefore compliant with ASME standards.
US07973108B2	Curable composition [Problem] There is provided a curable composition having good curability and adhesion by use of a non-organotin catalyst.[Means to Solve] A curable composition comprising (A) an organic polymer having a silicon-containing group being capable of crosslinking by forming siloxane bonds, (B) one or more kinds selected from a titanium catalyst, an aluminum catalyst and a zirconium catalyst and (C) a low molecular weight compound containing a hydrolyzable silicon group and having a molecular weight of from 100 to 1,000, characterized in that a ratio (a/b) of the total mole (a) of titanium atoms, aluminum atoms and zirconium atoms of the component (B) in the composition to the total mole (b) of silicon atoms of the component (C) in the composition is more than 0.4.
US07973107B2	Fluorosilicones and fluorine- and silicon-containing surface treatment agent A fluorosilicone reaction product of a mercapto functional organopolysiloxane and a fluorine-containing monomer, and methods of preparing the fluorosilicone are disclosed. The fluorosilicone products are suitable for application to substrates such as textiles, particularly fabrics, to impart oil repellent properties to the textile. The fluorosilicone reaction product is prepared from (A) a fluorine-containing monomer of the formula CH2═C(X)COOYRf, and (B) a mercapto functional organopolysiloxane.
US07973104B2	Rubbery core/shell polymer with improved heat and UV resistance The present invention relates to rubbery core/shell polymers that have improved heat and ultraviolet light resistance. These polymers can be blended with thermoplastics to make leathery compositions. The core/shell polymers of this invention have an inner core and an outer shell. The inner core is has repeat units which are derived from (a) butyl acrylate, (b) a member selected from the group consisting of methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, and ethyl acrylate, (c) optionally, an alkoxy ethyl acrylate or an alkoxy ethyl methacrylate, (d) acrylonitrile, (f) a cross-linking agent, and (g) a monomer containing reactive cure sites The outer core has repeat units which are derived from (d) acrylonitrile, (e) styrene, and (f) additional cross-linking agent. The outer core of these polymers is void of repeat units that are derived from methyl methacrylate.
US07973101B2	Biodegradable resin composition and molded article produced from the same Disclosed is a resin composition excellent in impact resistance, tensile properties and processability such as draw down property, which is produced by using a plant-derived biodegradable polymer produced by actively fixing carbon dioxide present in the earth. A resin composition comprising (A) a specific biodegradable (3-hydroxyalkanoate) copolymer, (B) a graft copolymer and (C) an acrylic processing modifier, the graft copolymer (B) and the acrylic processing modifier (C) being contained in the composition in amounts of 0.1 to 100 parts by weight and 0.1 to 30 parts by weight, respectively, based on 100 parts by weight of the biodegradable (3-hydroxyalkanoate) copolymer (A).
US07973100B2	Polypropylene resin and blow molded container Polypropylene resins of the present invention give blow molded containers excellent in transparency, impact resistance and flexibility. Stretch blow molded containers obtained from the polypropylene resins enable volume reduction and weight reduction. A polypropylene resin includes a random polypropylene (P1) having MFR (ASTM D 1238, 230° C., 2.16 kg load) of 0.5 to 100 g/10 min and an ethylene content of 3.0 wt % to less than 7.0 wt %, (i) the resin containing the random polypropylene (P1) at not less than 80 wt %, (ii) the resin showing a broad DSC melting curve which has a single melting point peak and in which the maximum intensity peak temperature (Tm) is not more than 120° C. and the half-value width on a higher temperature side from the maximum intensity peak is not less than 20° C.
US07973095B2	Water-soluble or water-swellable polymers, particularly water-soluble or water-swellable copolymers made of acrylamide and at least one ionic comonomer having a low residual monomer concentration The invention relates to a process for the production of water-soluble or water-swellable polymers having a low content of residual monomers, particularly on the basis of acrylic acid and/or acrylamide and at least one additional water-soluble comonomer, in which process a monomer solution in a polymerizing state is treated with electromagnetic radiation at the earliest after reaching the maximum temperature of polymerization, and the gel obtained is subsequently crushed and dried, and it also relates to the water-soluble or water-swellable polymers as such, which can be obtained according to said process, to their use in the hygiene industry, packaging industry, in the agrarian technology or in agriculture and horticulture, in the cable industry and information technology, in the food industry, papermaking industry, and to their use as flocculation aids and as drilling fluid in petroleum production.
US07973093B2	Foamed rubber member An object of the present invention is to provide a foamed rubber member which has low hardness and excellent durability. The foamed rubber member of the invention, produced through an impregnation treatment of a foamed elastic body with a treatment liquid containing an isocyanate compound and an organic solvent, the foamed elastic body being produced by foaming a base rubber, exhibits a compression set smaller than that of the foamed elastic body before undergoing the impregnation treatment, and exhibits a percent increase in stress, with respect to the stress of the foamed elastic body before undergoing the impregnation treatment, of 50% or less.
US07973091B2	Process for producing re-dispersable particles of highly fluorinated polymer A process for producing flowable and liquid dispersable particles of a highly fluorinated ion exchange polymer is provided in which a dispersion of a highly fluorinated ion exchange polymer in a liquid comprised of at least 10 wt % of an organic liquid is provided, atomized to produce droplets, and released into a inert heated gas. The dispersion droplets dry to produce flowable particles of highly fluorinated ion exchange polymer having dry exterior surfaces and an internal residual moisture content of at least 4 wt %.
US07973087B2	Process of synthesis gas conversion to liquid fuels using mixture of synthesis gas conversion catalyst and dual functionality catalyst A process is disclosed for converting a feed comprising synthesis gas to liquid hydrocarbons within a single reactor at essentially common reaction conditions. The synthesis gas contacts a catalyst bed comprising a mixture of a synthesis gas conversion catalyst on a support containing an acidic component and a dual functionality catalyst including a hydrogenation component and a solid acid component. The hydrocarbons produced are liquid at about 0° C., contain at least 25% by volume C10+ and are substantially free of solid wax.
US07973083B2	Pesticidally active compounds A pesticidally active combination comprising an HPPD-inhibiting herbicide in the form of an agrochemically acceptable salt and an insecticide is disclosed, provided that the HPPD inhibiting herbicide is not a compound of formula (A) wherein Ra is C1-2 alkyl or chloro; Rb is hydrogen or C1-4 alkyl; and Rc is C1-4 alkyl is disclosed.
US07973082B2	Substituted aryloxy alkylamines and their use as monoamine neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitors This invention relates to novel substituted aryloxy alkylamines useful as monoamine neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitors.In other aspects the invention relates to the use of these compounds in a method for therapy and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the invention.
US07973081B2	Emulsion compositions containing quaternary ammonium compounds Composition containing quaternary ammonium compounds in which the nitrogen atom is substituted by at least one alkyl group having at least 12 carbon atoms, the composition including at least 20% in weight by weight of the total composition, of ammonium halides in which the nitrogen atom is substituted by at least one alkyl group having at least 14 carbon atoms and more than 5%, preferably more than 7% in weight by weight of the total composition, of ammonium halides in which the nitrogen atom is substituted by at least one alkyl group having at least 16 carbon atoms. Ophthalmic oil-in-water emulsions containing such compositions, the ophthalmic emulsions being useful for eye care or for the treatment of eye conditions are also disclosed.
US07973080B2	Method for inhibiting the growth of antibiotic resistant of bacteria by using pentane-1,5-diol A method for inhibiting the growth of multiple-resistant bacteria comprises the topical administration of a pharmaceutical composition comprising 15% by weight or more of pentane-1,5-diol and a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a corresponding medicament. A method of disinfecting a surface contaminated with multiple-resistant bacteria comprises providing a disinfecting composition comprising 15% or more by weight of pentane-1,5-diol and an aqueous carrier, applying the composition to the surface; optionally, keeping it in contact with the surface for a period of time from 5 min to 24 hrs at ambient temperature, and rinsing the surface with water or an aqueous detergent composition. Also disclosed is the use of a corresponding bacteriostatic composition.
US07973079B2	Methods and compounds for treating retinol-related diseases Compounds that reduce serum retinol levels are used to treat ophthalmic conditions associated with the overproduction of waste products that accumulate during the course of the visual cycle. We describe methods, compounds, and compositions to treat, for example, the macular degenerations and dystrophies or to alleviate symptoms associated with such ophthalmic conditions.
US07973077B2	Amino acid based compositions for the treatment of pathological conditions distinguised by insufficient mitochondrial function The present invention relates to compositions suitable for the treatment of pathological conditions distinguished by insufficient or reduced mitochondrial function. The compositions comprise, as principal active ingredients, the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. The compositions may also comprise, as further active ingredients, amino acids threonine and lysine, and optionally, histidine, phenylalanine, methionine, tryptophan, as well as tyrosine and cysteine.
US07973064B2	Method and composition for potentiating an opiate analgesic Composition and methods of treating pain and reducing or reversing tolerance to opiate analgesics are disclosed. The composition and method utilize an opiate analgesic and an endothelin antagonist as active agents to treat pain in mammals, including humans.
US07973059B2	Potassium channel inhibitors The present invention relates to compounds having the structure useful as potassium channel inhibitors to treat cardiac arrhythmias, and the like.
US07973056B2	Triazole derivative or salt thereof A triazole derivative or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is provided, the triazole derivative being represented by formula (I): wherein * represents an asymmetric carbon and takes R configuration or S configuration; and R1 represents a structure represented by formula (II) or (III): represents single bond or double bond wherein Y represents a hydrogen atom or an oxygen atom; and R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, a formyl group, a carboxyl group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, an amino group, an alkylcarbonylamino group, an arylcarbonylamino group, a cyano group, a nitro group or a halogen atom.
US07973055B2	Crystalline forms of a biphenyl compound The invention provides crystalline forms of biphenyl-2-ylcarbamic acid 1-[2-({3-[2-(4-hydroxybenzylamino)ethylcarbamoyl]benzoyl}methylamino)ethyl]piperidin-4-yl ester, and pharmaceutically acceptable solvates thereof. The crystalline form can be a freebase (Form I or II), a salt such as a hemiedisylate salt or a heminapadisylate salt, or a solvate of a salt such as a heminapadisylate methanolate or a heminapadisylate ethanolate. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising these crystalline compounds or prepared using these compounds; processes and intermediates for preparing the crystalline compounds; and methods of using these compounds to treat a pulmonary disorder.
US07973054B2	Use of glucosidase inhibitors for therapy of mucovisidosis A method provides for the use of glycosidase inhibitors selected from compounds of general formula (1), wherein R1 represents a CH3 group, or CH2OH, R2 represents H or an alkyl group having 1-5 carbon atoms, or R1 and R2 together form a group having formula (II), with carbon in position (a) and nitrogen of formula (I) mentioned above, for the preparation of a medicament used to treat mucovisidosis. A corresponding product is also described.
US07973050B2	Enantiomeric compounds with antibacterial activity Novel compounds in enantiomeric excess that are inhibitors of bacterial methionyl synthetase (MetRS) are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for their preparation and their use in therapy as antibacterial agents, and in particular their use in therapy for Clostridium difficile infection.
US07973049B2	Morphinan compounds This disclosure relates to novel morphinan compounds and their derivatives, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, and hydrates thereof. This disclosure also provides compositions comprising a compound of this disclosure and the use of such compositions in methods of treating diseases and conditions that are beneficially treated by administering a σ1 receptor agonist that also has NMDA antagonist activity.
US07973048B2	Pharmaceutical composition A pharmaceutical composition comprising an analgesic or analgesic combination and a stool softener is disclosed. The analgesic is selected from morphine, meperidine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone, propoxyphene, pentazocine, levorphanol, codeine, acetaminophen and combinations of these analgesics. The composition is formulated for oral administration as a liquid or solid dosage form for immediate, slow, delayed or sustained-release characteristics.
US07973045B2	Anhydrous form of dasatinib and process for preparation thereof The invention provides anhydrous forms of dasatinib, methods for their preparation, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof.
US07973044B2	Heteroaryl, heterocyclic and aryl compounds which inhibit leukocyte adhesion mediated by VLA-4 Disclosed are compounds which bind VLA-4. Certain of these compounds also inhibit leukocyte adhesion and, in particular, leukocyte adhesion mediated by VLA-4. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases in a mammalian patient, e.g., human, such as asthma, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, AIDS dementia, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, tissue transplantation, tumor metastasis and myocardial ischemia. The compounds can also be administered for the treatment of inflammatory brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
US07973038B2	Modulators of ATP-binding cassette transporters Compounds of the present invention, and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions thereof, are useful as modulators of ATP-Binding Cassette (“ABC”) transporters or fragments thereof, including Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (“CFTR”). The present invention also relates to methods of treating ABC transporter mediated diseases using compounds of the present invention.
US07973037B2	Cathepsin cysteine protease inhibitors This invention relates to a novel class of compounds which are cysteine protease inhibitors, including but not limited to, inhibitors of cathepsins K, L, S and B. These compounds are useful for treating diseases in which inhibition of bone resorption is indicated, such as osteoporosis.
US07973036B2	2-methyl-5-imino-benzo[D][1 ,3]oxazin[5-B]pyrazole compound, preparation and use thereof The present invention disclosed compound 2-methyl-5-imino-benzo[d][1,3]oxazin[5-b]pyrazole and preparation method and uses thereof. The compound 2-methyl-5-imino-benzo[d][1,3]oxazin[5-b]pyrazole of the present invention has the following structure of formula (II), wherein the compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof can be used for preparing the drugs for treatment or prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
US07973032B2	Staurosporine derivatives for use in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma This invention relates to staurosporine derivatives are effective when used in combination with ionizing radiation for the delay of progression or treatment of a proliferative disease, especially a disease associated with a PAX/FKHR translocation including a PAX3/FKHR translocation and a PAX7/FKHR translocation, more especially a solid tumor disease such as a Sarcoma, most especially an Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma.
US07973031B2	Staurosporine derivatives as inhibitors of FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase activity The present invention relates to the use of staurosporines derivatives for the preparation of a drug for the treatment of diseases involving deregulated FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase activity, especially for the curative and/or prophylactic treatment of leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes, and to a method of treating diseases involving deregulated FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase activity.
US07973023B2	Oxidized lipids and uses thereof in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and disorders Novel synthetic oxidized lipids and methods utilizing oxidized lipids for treating and preventing an inflammation associated with an endogenous oxidized lipid are provided.
US07973016B2	Methods of treating, reducing, or preventing autoimmune conditions The present invention relates to methods and kits for treating, reducing, or preventing autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis by administering to a mammal in need thereof an agent that modulates the expression level or biological activity of Toll-like receptor-9 (TLR-9). Also disclosed are screening methods that make use of TLR-9 for the identification of novel therapeutics for autoimmune conditions.
US07973015B2	Induction of exon skipping in eukaryotic cells The present invention provides a method for at least in part decreasing the production of an aberrant protein in a cell, the cell comprising pre-mRNA comprising exons coding for the protein, by inducing so-called exon skipping in the cell. Exon-skipping results in mature MRNA that does not contain the skipped exon, which leads to an altered product of the exon codes for amino acids. Exon skipping is performed by providing a cell with an agent capable of specifically inhibiting an exon inclusion signal, for instance, an exon recognition sequence, of the exon. The exon inclusion signal can be interfered with by a nucleic acid comprising complementarity to a part of the exon. The nucleic acid, which is also herewith provided, can be used for the preparation of a medicament, for instance, for the treatment of an inherited disease.
US07973014B2	Medicinal composition containing ginseng secondary glycosides, its preparation method and application Medicinal composition containing ginseng secondary glycosides, its preparation method and application. The present composition contains mainly, as active ingredients, the ginsenoside with protopanoxadiol as aglucone (ginsenoside Rg3) and the ginsenoside with protopanoxatriol as aglucone (ginsenoside Rg2 and ginsenoside Rh1). It is prepared from the ginseng genus of plants through extracting, acid hydrolyzing and using macroreticular resin to separate, purify and concentrate. It is useful in the manufacture of medicaments for treating CHD, angina pectoris, myocardial ischemia, hemorrhagic shock, heart failure, and arrhythmia.
US07973000B2	Semi-solid lubricant composition for transmission element and mechanical system provided with the same A semi-solid lubricant composition for transmission elements which is excellent in lubricity, antiwear properties, and energy-saving performance, has high reliability, and is for use as a turbine oil, machine tool oil, metal working oil, plastic working oil, cutting oil, compressor oil, vacuum-pump oil, electrical-contact oil, grease, or machine oil; and a mechanical system provided with the composition. The composition, which reduces the wear of sliding parts of a transmission element, comprises: an amide compound having one or two amide groups and forming a three-dimensional network structure; and a liquid base oil ingredient having a dynamic viscosity at 100° C. of 25 mm2/s or lower and a viscosity index of 120 or higher. The composition contains substantially no ingredients other than the amide compound and liquid base oil ingredient. The mechanical system has a transmission element including sliding parts which are provided with the semi-solid lubricant composition for transmission elements.
US07972999B2	Heat transfer oil comprising a base oil having a low traction coefficient A heat transfer oil, comprising: a. a base oil fraction have a traction coefficient less than or equal to 0.015, when measured at a kinematic viscosity of 15 cSt and at a slide to roll ratio of 40 percent; and b. optionally, an antifoam agent; wherein the heat transfer oil has an auto ignition temperature greater than 329° C. (625° F.) and an ASTM Color less than 0.5.
US07972996B2	Gelled hydrocarbons for oilfield processes, phosphate ester compounds useful in gellation of hydrocarbons and methods for production and use thereof Phosphate esters useful for gelling hydrocarbons in combination with a metal source are disclosed along with methods of preparation of the phosphate esters. Fouling in oil refinery towers has been attributed due to distillation of impurities present in phosphate esters used to gel hydrocarbons for oil well fracturing. The improved method of preparation of the phosphate ester results in a product that substantially reduces or eliminates volatile phosphorus, which is phosphorus impurities that distill up to 250° C., and increases the high temperature viscosity of the hydrocarbon gels formed using the phosphate esters.
US07972994B2	Methods for synthesis of encoded libraries The present invention provides methods of synthesizing libraries of molecules comprising a functional moiety which is operatively linked to an encoding oligonucleotide, wherein the encoding oligonucleotide comprises a capping sequence containing degenerate nucleotides. The methods generally include providing a solution comprising initiator compounds comprising an initial functional moiety comprising n building blocks which is operatively linked to an initial oligonucleotide; dividing the solution into reaction vessels; reacting the initiator compounds in each reaction vessel with a building block comprising a complementary reactive group to form a covalent bond; and reacting the initial oligonucleotide in each aliquot with a distinct incoming oligonucleotide in the presence of an enzyme which catalyzes the ligation of the incoming oligonucleotide and the initial oligonucleotide, under conditions suitable for enzymatic ligation of the incoming oligonucleotide and the initial oligonucleotide to form an encoding oligonucleotide.
US07972993B2	Identification of protein binding sites The invention relates to the field of molecular recognition or detection of discontinuous or conformational binding sites or epitopes corresponding to a binding molecule, in particular, in relation to protein-protein, protein-nucleic acid, nucleic acid-nucleic acid or biomolecule-ligand interactions. The invention provides a synthetic molecular library allowing testing for, identification, characterization or detection of a discontinuous binding site capable of interacting with a binding molecule, the library having been provided with a plurality of test entities, each test entity comprising at least one first segment spotted next to a second segment, each segment having the capacity of being a potential single part of a discontinuous binding site.
US07972992B2	Methods for synthesis of encoded libraries The present invention provides methods of synthesizing a molecule comprising a functional moiety which is operatively linked to an encoding oligonucleotide. The methods include providing an initiator compound comprising an initial functional moiety comprising n building blocks, wherein the initial functional moiety comprises at least one reactive group, and is operatively linked to an initial oligonucleotide; reacting the initiator compound with a building block comprising at least one complementary reactive group, under conditions suitable for reaction of the complementary reactive group to form a covalent bond; and reacting the initial oligonucleotide with an incoming oligonucleotide corresponding to the building block in the presence of an enzyme which catalyzes ligation of the initial oligonucleotide and the incoming oligonucleotide, under conditions suitable for ligation of the incoming oligonucleotide and the initial oligonucleotide to form an encoding oligonucleotide.
US07972991B2	Heat-sensitive recording material Disclosed herein is a heat-sensitive recording material shows good barcode printability and provides printed images having an excellent milk resistance. The heat-sensitive recording material comprises a heat-sensitive recording layer contains 3,3′-diallyl-4,4′-dihydroxydiphenylsulfone and 1,2-di(methylphenoxy)ethane in a specific amount relative to the leuco dye, and contains a crosslinked diphenylsulfone-based compound in an specific ratio based on the total solid in the heat-sensitive recording layer.
US07972986B2	Fibrous structures and methods for making same Fibrous structures that exhibit a pore volume distribution such that greater than about 40% of the total pore volume present in the fibrous structure exists in pores of radii of from about 121 μm to about 200 μm, and methods for making such fibrous structures are provided.
US07972983B2	Interlock double weave fabric and methods of making and using the same Woven fabrics suitable for use as a lightning strike material are disclosed. Methods of making woven fabrics are also disclosed. Methods of using woven fabrics are further disclosed.
US07972977B2	ALD of metal silicate films Methods for forming metal silicate films are provided. The methods comprise contacting a substrate with alternating and sequential vapor phase pulses of a silicon source chemical, metal source chemical, and an oxidizing agent, wherein the metal source chemical is the next reactant provided after the silicon source chemical. Methods according to some embodiments can be used to form silicon-rich hafnium silicate and zirconium silicate films with substantially uniform film coverages on substrate surface.
US07972968B2	High density plasma gapfill deposition-etch-deposition process etchant A high density plasma dep/etch/dep method of depositing a dielectric film into a gap between adjacent raised structures on a substrate disposed in a substrate processing chamber. The method deposits a first portion of the dielectric film within the gap by forming a high density plasma from a first gaseous mixture flown into the process chamber, etches the deposited first portion of the dielectric film by flowing an etchant gas comprising CxFy, where a ratio of x to y is greater than or equal to 1:2 and then deposits a second portion of the dielectric film over the first portion by forming a high density plasma from a second gaseous mixture flown into the process chamber.
US07972963B2	Polished semiconductor wafer and process for producing it A polished semiconductor wafer has a front surface and a back surface and an edge R, which is located at a distance of a radius from a center of the semiconductor wafer, forms a periphery of the semiconductor wafer and is part of a profiled boundary of the semiconductor wafer. The maximum deviation of the flatness of the back surface from an ideal plane in a range between R-6 mm and R-1 mm of the back surface is 0.7 μm or less. A process for producing the semiconductor wafer, comprises at least one treatment of the semiconductor wafer with a liquid etchant and at least one polishing of at least a front surface of the semiconductor wafer, the etchant flowing onto a boundary of the semiconductor wafer during the treatment, and the boundary of the semiconductor wafer which faces the flow of etchant being at least partially shielded from being struck directly by the etchant. The shielding extends in the direction of a thickness d of the semiconductor wafer and is at least d+100 μm long.
US07972962B2	Planarization method using hybrid oxide and polysilicon CMP A method of planarizing a semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, first and second components provided on the surface of the substrate, and a first material provided between and above the first and second components. The first component has a height greater than a height of the second component. The method includes performing a first polishing step on the semiconductor device to remove the first material above a top surface of the first component, to remove the first material above a top surface of the second component, and to level the top surface of the first component. The method also includes performing a second polishing step on the semiconductor device to planarize the top surfaces of the first and second components.
US07972959B2	Self aligned double patterning flow with non-sacrificial features Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods of forming features on a substrate using a self-aligned double patterning (SADP) process. A conformal layer of non-sacrificial material is formed over features of sacrificial structural material patterned near the optical resolution of a photolithography system using a high-resolution photomask. An anisotropic etch of the non-sacrificial layer leaves non-sacrificial ribs above a substrate. A gapfill layer deposited thereon may be etched or polished back to form alternating fill and non-sacrificial features. No hard mask is needed to form the non-sacrificial ribs, reducing the number of processing steps involved.
US07972954B2	Porous silicon dielectric Embodiments of the invention provide a semiconductor device having dielectric material and its method of manufacture. A manufacturing method comprises forming a layer of silicon over a substrate, forming an opening through the layer of silicon, filling the opening with a conductor; and anodically etching the layer of silicon so as to form porous silicon. Embodiments may further include passivating the porous silicon such as by treating its surface with an organometallic compound. Other embodiments of the invention provide a semiconductor device comprising a layer comprising functional devices; and an interconnect structure over the layer, wherein the interconnect structure comprises a porous silicon dielectric. In an embodiment of the invention, the interconnect structure comprises a dual damascene interconnect structure. Other embodiments may include a passivation step after the step of oxidizing the porous silicon.
US07972952B2	Compound semiconductor light-emitting device and method for manufacturing the same A compound semiconductor light-emitting device which includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer and a p-type semiconductor layer, that are made of a compound semiconductor, formed on a substrate, the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer are stacked so as to interpose the light-emitting layer therebetween, a first conductive transparent electrode and a second conductive electrode. The first conductive transparent electrode is made of an IZO film containing an In2O3 crystal having a bixbyite structure. Also discussed is a method of manufacturing the device.
US07972947B2	Method for fabricating a semiconductor element, and semiconductor element In a method for fabricating a semiconductor element in a substrate, first implantation ions are implanted into the substrate, whereby micro-cavities are produced in a first partial region of the substrate. Furthermore, pre-amorphization ions are implanted into the substrate, whereby a second partial region of the substrate is at least partly amorphized, and whereby crystal defects are produced in the substrate. Furthermore, second implantation ions are implanted into the second partial region of the substrate. Furthermore, the substrate is heated, such that at least some of the crystal defects are eliminated using the second implantation ions. Furthermore, dopant atoms are implanted into the second partial region of the substrate, wherein the semiconductor element is formed using the dopant atoms.
US07972946B2	Plasma treatment method and plasma treatment device Provided are a plasma treatment method and a plasma treatment device capable of forming a silicon nitride film having high compressive stress. In the plasma treatment method for depositing the silicon nitride film on a process target substrate by use of plasma of raw material gas containing silicon and hydrogen and of nitrogen gas, ion energy for disconnecting nitrogen-hydrogen bonding representing a state of bonding between the hydrogen in the raw material gas and the nitrogen gas is applied to the process target substrate so as to reduce an amount of nitrogen-hydrogen bonding contained in the silicon nitride film.
US07972943B2	Manufacturing method of semiconductor device A cap film is formed over semiconductor films formed over an insulating substrate; the semiconductor films are irradiated with a laser beam which is capable of completely melting the semiconductor film in a film-thickness direction to completely melt the semiconductor film. By controlling the laser beam, a crystalline semiconductor films are formed over the substrate, in each of which orientations of crystal planes are controlled. In addition, an n-channel thin film transistor is formed using a crystalline region in which crystal planes are oriented along {001} and a p-channel thin film transistor is formed using a crystalline region in which crystal planes are oriented along {211} or {101}.
US07972942B1	Method of reducing metal impurities of upgraded metallurgical grade silicon wafer by using epitaxial silicon film Metal impurities of an upgraded metallurgical grade (UMG) silicon (Si) wafer are reduced. The UMG Si wafer having a 5N (99.999%) purity is chosen to grow a high-quality epitaxial Si thin film through atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). Through heat treating diffusion, the epitaxial Si film is used to form sink positions for the metal impurities in the UMG Si wafer. By using concentration gradient, temperature gradient and interface defect, individual and comprehensive effects are built for enhancing purity of the UMG Si wafer from 5N to 6N. Thus, a low-cost Si wafer can be fabricated for Si-based solar cell through a simple, fast and effective method.
US07972941B2	Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device A gate structure is formed on a substrate. An insulating interlayer is formed covering the gate structure. The substrate is heat treated while exposing a surface of the insulating interlayer to a hydrogen gas atmosphere. A silicon nitride layer is formed directly on the interlayer insulating layer after the heat treatment and a metal wiring is formed on the insulating interlayer. The metal wiring may include copper. Heat treating the substrate while exposing a surface of the interlayer insulating layer to a hydrogen gas atmosphere may be preceded by forming a plug through the first insulating interlayer that contacts the substrate, and the metal wiring may be electrically connected to the plug. The plug may include tungsten.
US07972937B2	Method for producing semiconductor substrate An object of the present invention is to provide a method by which bonding at a low temperature is possible and an amount of metal contaminants in an SOI film is decreased. An embodiment of the present invention is realized in the following manner. A single crystal silicon substrate 10 surface-activated by a plasma-treatment and a quartz substrate 20 are bonded together at a low temperature, to which an external impact is given to mechanically delaminate silicon film from a single crystal silicon bulk thereby obtaining a semiconductor substrate (SOI substrate) having a silicon film (SOI film) 12. Next, the SOI substrate is subjected to a heat-treatment at a temperature of 600° C. to 1250° C. so that metal impurities accidentally mixed into an interface of the SOI film and the quartz substrate and into the SOI film in such a step as a plasma-treatment are gettered to a surface region of the silicon film 12. Then, in the end, a surface layer (gettering layer) of the silicon film 12 of the SOI substrate after the heat-treatment is removed to finally prepare an SOI film 13 and a semiconductor substrate (SOI substrate) is obtained.
US07972930B2	Transistor and method of manufacturing the same In a transistor and a method of manufacturing the same, the transistor includes a channel layer arranged on a substrate, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on the substrate so as to contact respective ends of the channel layer, a gate insulating layer surrounding the channel layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a gate electrode surrounding the gate insulating layer.
US07972926B2	Methods of forming memory cells; and methods of forming vertical structures Some embodiments include methods of forming memory. A series of photoresist features may be formed over a gate stack, and a placeholder may be formed at an end of said series. The placeholder may be spaced from the end of said series by a gap. A layer may be formed over and between the photoresist features, over the placeholder, and within said gap. The layer may be anisotropically etched into a plurality of first vertical structures along edges of the photoresist features, and into a second vertical structure along an edge of the placeholder. A mask may be formed over the second vertical structure. Subsequently, the first vertical structures may be used to pattern string gates while the mask is used to pattern a select gate. Some embodiments include methods of forming conductive runners, and some embodiments may include semiconductor constructions.
US07972925B2	Flash memory device and fabrication method thereof The present invention relates to a flash memory device and a fabrication method thereof. A trench may be formed within a junction region between word lines by etching a semiconductor substrate between not only a word line and a select line, but also between adjacent word lines. Accordingly, the occurrence of a program disturbance phenomenon can be prevented as the injection of hot carriers into a program-inhibited cell is minimized in a program operation.
US07972921B2	Integrated circuit isolation system A method of manufacturing a self-aligned inverted T-shaped isolation structure. An integrated circuit isolation system including providing a substrate, forming a base insulator region in the substrate, growing the substrate to surround the base insulator region, and depositing an insulator column having a narrower width than the base insulator region on the base insulator region.
US07972918B1	Fabrication of semiconductor architecture having field-effect transistors especially suitable for analog applications A semiconductor structure is provided with (i) an empty well having relatively little well dopant near the top of the well and (ii) a filled well having considerably more well dopant near the top of the well. Each well is defined by a corresponding body-material region (108 or 308) of a selected conductivity type. The regions respectively meet overlying zones (104 and 304) of the opposite conductivity type. The concentration of well dopant of the selected conductivity type locally reaches a maximum in each body-material region at a location no more than 10 times deeper below the upper semiconductor surface than the overlying zone's depth, decreases by at least a factor of 10 in moving from the empty-well maximum-concentration location through the overlying zone to the upper surface, and reaches at least one other maximum in moving from the filled-well maximum-concentration location through the other zone to the upper surface.
US07972917B2	Method for manufacturing semiconductor device and semiconductor device A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes: forming a LDMOS region, an offset drain MOS region, and a CMOS region; simultaneously forming a first well in the LDMOS region and the offset drain MOS region; simultaneously forming a second well in the first well of the LDMOS region and the CMOS region; and forming a second well in the CMOS region, wherein a depth of the first well is larger than a depth of the second well and the second well is a retrograde well formed by a high energy ion implantation method.
US07972915B2	Monolithic integration of enhancement- and depletion-mode AlGaN/GaN HFETs A method for and devices utilizing monolithic integration of enhancement-mode and depletion-mode AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field-effect transistors (HFETs) is disclosed. Source and drain ohmic contacts of HFETs are first defined. Gate electrodes of the depletion-mode HFETs are then defined. Gate electrodes of the enhancement-mode HFETs are then defined using fluoride-based plasma treatment and high temperature post-gate annealing of the sample. Device isolation is achieved by either mesa etching or fluoride-based plasma treatment. This method provides a complete planar process for GaN-based integrated circuits favored in high-density and high-speed applications.
US07972913B2	Method for forming a Schottky diode Improved Schottky diodes with reduced leakage current and improved breakdown voltage are provided by building a JFET with its current path of a first conductivity type serially located between a first terminal comprising a Schottky contact and a second terminal. The current path lies (i) between multiple substantially parallel finger regions of a second, opposite, conductivity type substantially laterally outboard of the Schottky contact, and (ii) partly above a buried region of the second conductivity type that underlies a portion of the current path, which regions are electrically coupled to the first terminal and the Schottky contact and which portion is electrically coupled to the second terminal. When reverse bias is applied to the first terminal and Schottky contact the current path is substantially pinched off in vertical or horizontal directions or both, thereby reducing the leakage current and improving the breakdown voltage of the device.
US07972911B1	Method for forming metallic materials comprising semi-conductors The method for forming first and second metal-based materials comprises providing a substrate comprising an area made from a first semi-conductor material and an area made from a second semi-conductor material comprising germanium separated by a pattern made from dielectric material, depositing a metal layer and performing a first heat treatment in an atmosphere comprising a quantity of oxygen comprised between 0.01% and 5%. The metal layer reacts with the first semi-conductor material and the second semi-conductor material comprising germanium to respectively form the first metal-based material and the second metal-based material containing germanium.
US07972907B2	Via configurable architecture for customization of analog circuitry in a semiconductor device A semiconductor device having a plurality of layers and a plurality of circuit elements arranged in tiles. At least one of the plurality of layers in the semiconductor device may be a via layer configured to determine the connections of the plurality of circuit elements. The semiconductor device may include an interconnection quilt having a plurality of metal layers disposed to interconnect the plurality of circuit elements. The plurality of circuit elements may be analog circuit element and/or digital circuit elements. The tiles may be analog tiles and digital tiles that form a mixed signal structured array.
US07972906B2	Semiconductor die package including exposed connections A clip structure and semiconductor die package. The clip structure includes a first portion and a second portion, with a connecting structure located between the first and second portion. The clip structure is substantially planar. The semiconductor die package includes a semiconductor die located between a leadframe structure and a clip structure. Slots are formed within the molding material covering portions of the semiconductor die package. The slots are located between a first portion and the second portion of the clip structure, and the slot overlap with the semiconductor die.
US07972905B2	Packaged electronic device having metal comprising self-healing die attach material A method of assembling an electronic device and electronic packages therefrom. A die attach adhesive precursor is placed between a top surface of a workpiece and an IC die. The die attach adhesive precursor includes metal particles, a first plurality of first microcapsules having a polymerizable material inside, and a second plurality of second microcapsules having a polymerization agent inside to form a first polymer upon rupture of first and second microcapsules. A force sufficient to rupture at least a portion of the first plurality of first microcapsules and at least a portion of the second plurality of second microcapsules is applied to form a self-healing die attach adhesive wherein the first polymer binds the plurality of metal particles and the remaining microcapsules and secures the IC die to the top surface of the workpiece. The self-healing die attach adhesive generally includes at least 90 vol. % metal.
US07972903B2	Semiconductor device having wiring line and manufacturing method thereof An insulating film covering the lower surface of an external connection electrode of a semiconductor construct is formed. A mask metal layer in which there is formed an opening having a planar size smaller than that of the external connection electrode is formed on the insulating film. The mask metal layer is used as a mask to apply a laser beam to the insulating film, such that a connection opening reaching the external connection electrode is formed in the insulating film. A wiring line is formed on the insulating film in such a manner as to be connected to the external connection electrode via the connection opening.
US07972902B2	Method of manufacturing a wafer including providing electrical conductors isolated from circuitry Conductive lines are formed on a wafer containing multiple circuits. The conductive lines are isolated from the circuits formed within the wafer. Chips are mounted on the wafer and have their chip pads connected to the conductive lines of the wafer. The wafer may then be protected with a packaging resin and singulated.
US07972899B2	Method for fabricating copper-containing ternary and quaternary chalcogenide thin films An apparatus for depositing a solid film onto a substrate from a reagent solution includes reservoirs of reagent solutions maintained at a sufficiently low temperature to inhibit homogeneous reactions within the reagent solutions. The chilled solutions are dispensed through showerheads, one at a time, onto a substrate. One of the showerheads includes a nebulizer so that the reagent solution is delivered as a fine mist, whereas the other showerhead delivers reagent as a flowing stream. A heater disposed beneath the substrate maintains the substrate at an elevated temperature at which the deposition of a desired solid phase from the reagent solutions may be initiated. Each reagent solution contains at least one metal and either S or Se, or both. At least one of the reagent solutions contains Cu. The apparatus and its associated method of use are particularly suited to forming films of Cu-containing compound semiconductors.
US07972890B2	Methods of manufacturing image sensors Example embodiments may provide methods of manufacturing an image sensor. Example methods of manufacturing an image sensor may include forming a photoelectric converter in a semiconductor substrate, forming an interlayer insulating film covering a surface of the semiconductor substrate, forming metal wires and an inter-metal insulating film filling between the metal wires on the interlayer insulating film, forming openings above the photoelectric converter by removing a part of the inter-metal insulating film and the interlayer insulating film, curing the surface above the photoelectric converter by irradiating light into the openings, and/or forming a light transmitter filling the openings.
US07972889B2	Methods of fabricating camera modules including aligning lenses on transparent substrates with image sensor chips Example embodiments may provide a camera module including a high-resolution lens member and/or an image sensor chip that may be integrally formed, and a method of fabricating a camera module. Example embodiment camera modules may include a semiconductor package including an image sensor chip. A transparent substrate may include an upper plate portion and/or a supporting portion defined by a cavity under the upper plate portion, and the supporting portion may be attached on the semiconductor package. The upper plate portion may be spaced from the semiconductor package by the supporting portion. A lens member may be attached to the upper plate portion of the transparent substrate. A stop member may be formed on a top side of the transparent substrate and may expose a portion of the lens member.
US07972886B2	Method of manufacturing micro electro mechanical systems device Provided is a MEMS device which is robust to the misalignment and does not require the double-side wafer processing in the manufacture of a MEMS device such as an angular velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor, a combined sensor or a micromirror. After preparing a substrate having a space therein, holes are formed in a device layer at positions where fixed components such as a fixing portion, a terminal portion and a base that are fixed to a supporting substrate are to be formed, and the holes are filled with a fixing material so that the fixing material reaches the supporting substrate, thereby fixing the device layer around the holes to the supporting substrate.
US07972870B2	Methods and compositions relating to the regulation of MUC1 by HSF1 and STAT3 This invention relates to regulation of cell signaling, cell growth, and more particularly to the regulation of cancer or inflammatory cell growth and/or activation. The invention provides methods of inhibiting interactions between MUC1 and a heat shock factor, method of inhibiting interactions between transcription factors and the MUC1 promoter, and methods of inhibiting MUC1 expression. The invention also provides screening methods for identifying compounds that inhibit the aforementioned interactions. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the identified compounds can be useful in treating cancers and inflammatory conditions.
US07972869B2	Method and device for collecting and transferring biohazard samples A method and system for collecting airborne particles and hydrating the collected particles for analysis. The airborne particles, which may be biological contaminants, are collected from a container containing one or more mailpieces. In the collection stage, a dry filter collection assembly is connected to the container and air is drawn out of the container through a dry filter. A hydration solution is then injected into the collection assembly to hydrate the collected particles. Part of the hydration solution containing the collected particles is caused to move out of the collection assembly to a test cartridge for further testing.
US07972868B2	Methods for detecting dihydroxyvitamin D metabolites by mass spectrometry Provided are methods of detecting the presence or amount of a dihydroxyvitamin in D metabolite in a sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally comprise ionizing a dihydroxyvitamin D metabolite in a sample and detecting the amount of the ion to determine the presence or amount of the vitamin D metabolite in the sample. In certain preferred embodiments the methods include immunopurifying the dihydroxyvitamin D metabolites prior to mass spectrometry. Also provided are methods to detect the presence or amount of two or more dihydroxyvitamin D metabolites in a single assay.
US07972867B2	Methods for detecting vitamin D metabolites by mass spectrometry Provided are methods of detecting the presence or amount of a vitamin D metabolite in a sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally comprise ionizing a vitamin D metabolite in a sample and detecting the amount of the ion to determine the presence or amount of the vitamin D metabolite in the sample. Also provided are methods to detect the presence or amount of two or more vitamin D metabolites in a single assay.
US07972865B2	Sensor for detecting and differentiating chemical analytes A sensor for detecting and differentiating chemical analytes includes a microscale body having a first end and a second end and a surface between the ends for adsorbing a chemical analyte. The surface includes at least one conductive heating track for heating the chemical analyte and also a conductive response track, which is electrically isolated from the heating track, for producing a thermal response signal from the chemical analyte. The heating track is electrically connected with a voltage source and the response track is electrically connected with a signal recorder. The microscale body is restrained at the first end and the second end and is substantially isolated from its surroundings therebetween, thus having a bridge configuration.
US07972864B2	Method of measuring concentration of fuel A method of measuring concentration of a fuel is provided. First, a fuel cell unit having at least an anode, a cathode, and a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is provided. Next, a fuel is supplied to the anode, while a reactive gas is supplied to the cathode. Then, the amount of the reactive gas supplied to the cathode is adjusted and the concentration of the fuel is estimated in accordance with the consumption rate of the reactive gas in the fuel cell unit.
US07972863B2	System and method for alkylation process analysis A method and apparatus is provided for determining concentration of components in a liquid hydrocarbon mixture including hydrocarbons and water flowing through an alkylation process. A fluid flow path conveys the liquid continuously from the alkylation process through a first instrument configured for measuring a property of the liquid mixture, and having responsivities to concentration of the components, which are independent of the concentration of the water. A temperature detector generates temperature data for the liquid, and a second instrument measures another property of the liquid mixture. The instruments have mutually distinct responsivities to concentrations of the components. A processor captures data from the temperature detector and instruments, using the data with a model of responsivities of various concentrations of the components at various temperatures, to determine a temperature compensated concentration of the components while the liquid mixture flows continuously through the fluid flow path.
US07972861B2	Methods for performing hematocrit adjustment in glucose assays and devices for same Methods and devices for performing in situ hematocrit adjustments during glucose testing using glucose-monitoring products and using those adjusted values to estimate the hematocrit value of blood samples to reduce or eliminate the assay bias caused by the different hematocrit levels of blood samples. One method involves measuring the glucose value, Glum, of the blood sample; measuring the resistance of the blood sample (Rcell) using a biosensor reagent; measuring the resistance of plasma (Rplasma) using the biosensor reagent; determining the calculated resistance of red blood cells, RRBC, of the blood sample according to the relationship RRBC=Rcell−Rplasma; calculating the percent hematocrit, % Hctc, of the blood sample; determining whether to adjust the glucose value, Glum, to an adjusted glucose value, Gluadj; and using the percent hematocrit, % Hctc, and either the glucose value, Glum, or the adjusted glucose value, Gluadj, to adjust for any bias of the biosensor reagent.
US07972859B2	Authentication of ingestible products using saccharides as markers A method of determining authenticity of an ingestible product purportedly from a batch of saccharide-marked ingestible product is provided. The ingestible product is a food, beverage, or pharmaceutical, for example. The method includes identifying a sample of the ingestible product to be tested; and testing the sample for a marked presence of the saccharide using a saccharide-specific binding protein. The ingestible product is not authentic when the testing demonstrates an unexpected change in the marked presence of the saccharide, and the ingestible product is authentic when the testing demonstrates no unexpected change in the marked presence of the saccharide.
US07972857B2	Methods for the replacement, translocation and stacking of DNA in eukaryotic genomes The present invention includes compositions and methods for site-specific polynucleotide replacement in eukaryotic cells. These methods include single polynucleotide replacement as well as gene stacking methods. Preferred eukaryotic cells for use in the present invention are plant cells and mammalian cells.
US07972855B2	Microorganisms that extracellularly secrete lipids and methods of producing lipid and lipid vesicles encapsulating lipids using said microorganisms There are provided microorganisms, for example, Mortierella alpina, having a property of producing a lipid containing unsaturated fatty acids as constituent fatty acids and extracellularly secreting the produced lipid encapsulated in lipid vesicles, methods of screening said microorganisms, as well as methods of efficiently producing a fatty acid-containing lipid using said microorganisms. Furthermore, there are provided lipid vesicles encapsulating a lipid containing unsaturated fatty acids, and foods, cosmetics, and animal feeds comprising said lipid vesicles added thereto. Artificially treated microorganisms or microorganisms collected from nature are grown on a solid medium, and microbial strains that form lipid vesicles at the periphery of the colonies and/or microbial strains that, when cultured in a transparent liquid medium, make the culture liquid cloudy are selected. The microorganisms obtained are cultured, lipid-containing lipid vesicles secreted in the culture liquid, are separated from the culture liquid, and the lipid is separated and purified.
US07972854B2	Methods and compositions for targeted cleavage and recombination Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for targeted cleavage of a genomic sequence, targeted alteration of a genomic sequence, and targeted recombination between a genomic region and an exogenous polynucleotide homologous to the genomic region.
US07972852B2	Method of preparing basement membrane, method of constructing basement membrane specimen, reconstituted artificial tissue using the basement membrane specimen and process for producing the same A reconstructed artificial tissue is obtained by seeding and culturing desired homogeneous or heterogeneous cells having an ability to form a basement membrane on the basement membrane specimen constructed by the following process: the cells having an ability to form a basement membrane adhered onto a support structure through a basement membrane are treated with a surface active agent; the lipid component of cells is lysed; the mixture of an alkaline solution and a protease inhibitor is used to lyse the protein remained on the surface of the basement membrane of the cells. A protein support structure is temporarily adhered to plastic surface through an adsorptive polymer by hydrophobic bonding, such as an alternating copolymer of methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, which has a hydrophobic linear carbon skeleton and a functional group which can react with protein in a molecule and a basement membrane specimen or an artificial tissue is formed thereon.
US07972848B2	Isolation and identification of cross-reactive T cells Cross-reactive T cells recognizing both MBP93-105 and HHV-61-13 peptides represent a significant subset of T cells with some degree of TCR degeneracy. It appears that the recognition of the cross-reactive T cells has a less stringent requirement for the flanking residues of the two peptides. In contrast, these flanking residues are critical for the T cell recognition of mono-specific T cells. The association between HHV-6 and autoreactive immune responses to MBP indicates that cross-reactive T cells, peptides from the V-D-J region of the T cell receptor from autoreactive T cells, and antiviral agents may prevent or treat MS.
US07972847B2	Mature type-1 polarized dendritic cells with enhanced IL-12 production and methods of serum-free production and use The present invention discloses novel dendritic cell maturation-inducing cytokine cocktails, and methods for inducting type-1 polarized dendritic cells in serum-free conditions which enhance the desirable properties of DC1s generated in serum-supplemented cultures. The invention further discloses methods and systems using IFNγ and other ligands of the IFNγreceptor, in combination with IFNα (or other type I interferons), poly I:C, and other IFNα (and IFNβ) inducers to enhance the IL-12-producing properties of dendritic cells. More specifically, the present invention discloses type-1 polarized dendritic cells that have a unique combination of a fully-mature status and an elevated, instead of “exhausted”, ability to produce IL-12p70 allows for the generation of fully-mature DC1s in serum-free AIM-V medium. The invention discloses systems that use the foregoing products and methods to facilitate the clinical application of DC1-based vaccines and the identification of novel factors involved in the induction of Th1 and CTL responses by DC1.
US07972844B2	Nuclear factor κB inducing factor The present invention is directed to nuclear factor κB (NFκB)-inducing factor polypeptides (NFIF polypeptides) which are capable of inducing NFκB. The present invention includes within its scope NFIF polypeptides, including NFIF-14b and NFIF-7a, DNA, including cDNA, encoding these polypeptides, and expression vectors capable of expressing NFIF polypeptides. Also included are methods and compositions for increasing NFκB induction in a patient, methods and compositions for lowering NFκB induction in a patient, methods for inhibiting inflammation, and methods for manufacture of a medicament intended for the treatment and/or prevention of an NFκB-regulated inflammatory response. In addition, methods for determining whether a test compound inhibits or enhances the activity of NFIF polypeptides are provided.
US07972843B2	DNA-transfection system for the generation of infectious influenza virus The present invention is based on the development of a dual promoter system (preferably a RNA pol I-pol II system) for the efficient intracellular synthesis of viral RNA. The resultant minimal plasmid-based system may be used to synthesize any RNA virus, preferably viruses with a negative single stranded RNA genome. The viral product of the system is produced when the plasmids of the system are introduced into a suitable host cell. One application of the system is production of attenuated, reassortant influenza viruses for use as antigens in vaccines. The reassortant viruses generated by cotransfection of plasmids may comprise genes encoding the surface glycoproteins hemagglutinin and neuraminidase from an influenza virus currently infecting the population and the internal genes from an attenuated influenza virus. An advantageous property of the present invention is its versatility; the system may be quickly and easily adapted to synthesize an attenuated version of any RNA virus. Attenuated or inactivated RNA viruses produced by the present invention may be administered to a patient in need of vaccination by any of several routes including intranasally or intramuscularly.
US07972837B2	Signal enhancement system with multiple labeled-moieties Dipstick tests for detecting analyte are described. In a preferred embodiment, a multiple biotinylated antibody capable of binding analyte is bound to an anti-biotin antibody labeled with colloidal gold and wicked up the dipstick with test solution thought to contain analyte. Complex formed between analyte, biotinylated anti-analyte antibody, and colloidal gold labeled anti-biotin antibody is captured at a capture zone of the dipstick. Presence of colloidal gold label at the capture zone indicates the presence of analyte in the test solution. The sensitivity of analyte detection using such methods is an order of magnitude higher than for comparable methods in which biotinylated anti-analyte antibody bound to analyte is wicked up the dipstick in a first step, and a colloidal gold labeled anti-biotin antibody is wicked up the dipstick in a separate step. Kits for performing the tests of the invention are also described.
US07972829B2	Process for producing transglutaminase The present invention relates to a process for secretory production of a foreign protein, in particular, transglutaminase by a coryneform bacterium.According to the present invention, a process is provided for the secretory production of a foreign protein, in particular, transglutaminase, by making a coryneform bacterium to produce an industrially useful foreign protein, in particular, transglutaminase and efficiently release the product extracellularly (i.e., secretory production).An intended foreign protein, in particular, transglutaminase, is produced by using an expression construct wherein the gene sequence of the intended foreign protein containing the pro-structure part, in particular, pro-transglutaminase gene sequence, is ligated to the downstream of a sequence encoding the signal peptide region from a coryneform bacterium, introducing this expressional genetic construct into a coryneform bacterium, culturing the thus transformed coryneform bacterium, and treating the extracellularly released protein with a protease, etc. to cleave and eliminate the pro-part.
US07972828B2	Stabilized compositions of thermostable DNA polymerase and anionic or zwitterionic detergent The present invention provides compositions, methods, and kits for protecting thermostable DNA polymerase during amplification reactions conducted at a temperature ranging from about 40° C. to greater than 100° C. The composition comprises a thermostable DNA polymerase and an anionic detergent or zwitterionic detergent.
US07972826B2	Methods for reducing enzyme consumption in second generation bioethanol fermentation in the prescence of lignin Provided are methods of liquefaction, saccharification and fermentation of pre-treated lignocellulosic biomass in production of bioethanol. Addition of PEG or surfactant is effective to enhance cellulase hydrolysis yields at high dry matter (>20%) at surprisingly low concentrations compared with comparable results in low dry matter hydrolysis. This effect is most pronounced at comparatively low cellulase loading <7 FPU (g DM)−1. At high dry matter content, cellulase enzyme consumption can be reduced, without loss of hydrolysis yield, by addition of small quantities of PEG or surfactant.
US07972824B2	Microbial fermentation of gaseous substrates to produce alcohols The present invention relates to methods for increasing the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation processes (1) that produce acetate as a by-product in addition to a desired product, and (2) that can utilize hydrogen and/or carbon dioxide in the fermentation. The method comprises the steps of converting acetate produced by the fermentation process into hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide gas, and utilizing hydrogen gas and/or carbon dioxide gas obtained from the acetate conversion in the anaerobic fermentation process. In particular aspects, the invention relates to processes of producing alcohols, particularly ethanol.
US07972822B2	Enzyme-catalyzed polycarbonate and polycarbonate ester synthesis An enzymatic process for preparing aliphatic polycarbonates via terpolymerization or transesterification using a dialkyl carbonate, an aliphatic diester, and an aliphatic diol or triol reactant. A catalyst having an enzyme capable of catalyzing an ester hydrolysis reaction in an aqueous environment is subsequently added to the reaction mixture. Next, polymerization of the reaction proceeds for an allotted time at a temperature≦100° C. Finally, the copolymer is isolated from an the catalyst via filtration.
US07972821B2	Production of functional proteins: balance of shear stress and gravity A method for the production of functional proteins including hormones by renal cells in a three dimensional culturing process responsive to shear stress uses a rotating wall vessel. Natural mixture of renal cells expresses the enzyme 1-α-hydroxylase which can be used to generate the active form of vitamin D: 1,25-diOH vitamin D3. The fibroblast cultures and co-culture of renal cortical cells express the gene for erythropoietin and secrete erythropoietin into the culture supernatant. Other shear stress response genes are also modulated by shear stress, such as toxin receptors megalin and cubulin (gp280). Also provided is a method of treating an in-need individual with the functional proteins produced in a three dimensional co-culture process responsive to shear stress using a rotating wall vessel.
US07972818B2	Flow cytometric detection method for DNA samples Disclosed herein are two methods for rapid multiplex analysis to determine the presence and identity of target DNA sequences within a DNA sample. Both methods use reporting DNA sequences, e.g., modified conventional Taqman® probes, to combine multiplex PCR amplification with microsphere-based hybridization using flow cytometry means of detection. Real-time PCR detection can also be incorporated. The first method uses a cyanine dye, such as, Cy3™, as the reporter linked to the 5′ end of a reporting DNA sequence. The second method positions a reporter dye, e.g., FAM™ on the 3′ end of the reporting DNA sequence and a quencher dye, e.g., TAMRA™, on the 5′ end.
US07972815B2	Method of producing sugar chain using human G4 polypeptide The present invention provides a novel polypeptide having a β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase activity; a method for producing the polypeptide; a DNA which encodes the polypeptide; a recombinant vector into which the DNA is inserted; a transformant comprising the recombinant vector; a method for producing a sugar chain or complex carbohydrate, using the polypeptide; a method for producing a sugar chain or complex carbohydrate, using the transformant; an antibody which recognizes the polypeptide; a method for screening a substance which changes the expression of the gene which encodes the polypeptide; and a method for screening a substance which changes the activity of the polypeptide.
US07972814B2	Antimicrobial polypeptides from Pseudoplectania nigrella The present invention relates to polypeptides having antimicrobial activity and polynucleotides having a nucleotide sequence which encodes for the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the nucleic acid constructs as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.
US07972810B2	Production of glycoproteins using manganese Culture media comprising manganese and methods of culturing cells to improve sialylation and glycosylation of glycoproteins are provided.
US07972808B2	Protein hydrolysate rich in tripeptides The present invention describes a protein hydrolysate which is rich in tripeptides whereby the tripeptides are rich in proline at one end of the peptide.
US07972802B2	Lipoprotein-associated markers for cardiovascular disease The invention provides methods of screening a mammalian subject to determine if the subject is at risk to develop, or is suffering from, cardiovascular disease. The methods comprise detecting an amount of at least one biomarker in a biological sample, or HDL subfraction thereof, from the subject, and comparing the detected amount of the biomarker to a predetermined value, where a difference between the detected amount and the predetermined value is indicative of the presence or risk of cardiovascular disease in the subject. In some embodiments, the biomarker comprises at least one of ApoC-IV, Paraoxonase 1, C3, C4, ApoA-IV, ApoE, ApoL1, C4B1, Histone H2A, ApoC-II, ApoM, Vitronectin, Haptoglobin-related protein, and Clusterin, or combinations thereof.
US07972801B2	Determining and reducing immunoresistance to a botulinum toxin therapy using botulinum toxin B peptides The present invention provides BoNT/B peptides, BoNT/B peptide compositions, tolerogizing compositions, immune response inducing compositions, as well as methods of determining immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of treating immunoresistance to botulinum toxin therapy in an individual, methods of reducing anti-botulinum toxin antibodies in an individual and methods of inducing a BoNT/B immune response an individual.
US07972799B2	Method for determining sepsis using pro-ADM Uses of recombinant procalcitonin 3-116 in the diagnosis and therapy of septic diseases and the measurement of prohormones other than procalcitonin, and of dipeptidyl peptidase IV, as biomarkers in the diagnosis of sepsis.
US07972794B2	Oxidized apoA-I determination by mass spectrometry Methods are provided for the detection and quantitation of proteins generally and apolipoprotein A-I and oxidized derivatives thereof in particular. Further provided are methods for the assessment of the risk cardiovascular disease in a subject, wherein the assessment is based on the amount of oxidized and unoxidized apolipoprotein A-I in a biological sample obtained from a subject.
US07972793B2	Methods and compositions for the treatment of psychotic disorders through the identification of the SULT4A1-1 haplotype Methods and compositions that relate to genetic markers of psychotic disorders, e.g., schizophrenia (SZ), are provided. For example, in certain aspects methods for determinations of a SULT4A1-1 haplotype are described. Furthermore, the invention provides methods and compositions involving treatment of psychotic disorders using the haplotype status.
US07972782B2	Steroid-activated nuclear receptors and uses therefor A novel nuclear receptor, termed the steroid and xenobiotic receptor (SXR), a broad-specificity sensing receptor that is a novel branch of the nuclear receptor superfamily, has been discovered. SXR forms a heterodimer with RXR that can bind to and induce transcription from response elements present in steroid-inducible cytochrome P450 genes in response to hundreds of natural and synthetic compounds with biological activity, including therapeutic steroids as well as dietary steroids and lipids. Instead of hundreds of receptors, one for each inducing compound, the invention SXR receptors monitor aggregate levels of inducers to trigger production of metabolizing enzymes in a coordinated metabolic pathway. Agonists and antagonists of SXR are administered to subjects to achieve a variety of therapeutic goals dependent upon modulating metabolism of one or more endogenous steroids or xenobiotics to establish homeostasis. An assay is provided for identifying steroid drugs that are likely to cause drug interaction if administered to a subject in therapeutic amounts. Transgenic animals are also provided which express human SXR, thereby serving as useful models for human response to various agents which potentially impact P450-dependent metabolic processes.
US07972781B2	Detection of DNA damage The health condition of a living organism is detected by electrochemically analyzing samples from selected areas of the body of said living organism for elevated free levels of nucleotide excision products resulting from DNA or RNA damage.
US07972779B2	Method for assessing predisposition to depression The present invention relates to diagnostic methods for assessing predisposition of a subject to a mental disorder phenotype having an association with an at-risk allele of a brain-functional gene having a plurality of alleles, the association being conditioned by a pathogenic environmental risk factor status condition. Additionally, the invention relates to methods for discovering a conditional association between a mental disorder phenotype and an at-risk allele of a brain-functional gene having a plurality of alleles, the association being conditioned by a pathogenic environmental risk factor status condition.
US07972778B2	Method for detecting the presence of a single target nucleic acid in a sample A miniaturized assembly is provided whereby a fluid sample can be divided into a plurality of sample portions in retaining wells and the sample fluid can be displaced from open ends of the wells while simultaneously being sealed in the wells. A method of dividing a fluid sample using the assembly is also provided.
US07972777B1	Nucleic acid probe-based diagnostic assays targeting ssrA genes of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms Use of the ssrA gene or tmRNA, an RNA transcript of the ssrA gene, or fragments thereof as target regions in a nucleic acid probe assay for the detection and identification of prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic organisms is described. Nucleotide sequence alignment of tmRNA sequences from various organisms can be used to identify regions of homology and non-homology within the sequences which in turn can be used to design both genus specific and species specific oligonucleotide probes. These newly identified regions of homology and non-homology provide the basis of identifying and detecting organisms at the molecular level. Oligonucleotide probes identified in this way can be used to detect tmRNA in samples thereby giving an indication of the viability of non-viral organisms present in various sample types.
US07972774B2	Methods of diagnosing cervical cancer The invention provides reagents and methods for detecting pathogen infections in human samples. This detection utilizes specific proteins to detect the presence of pathogen proteins or abnormal expression of human proteins resulting from pathogen infections. Specific methods, compositions and kits are disclosed herein for the detection of oncogenic Human papillomavirus E6 proteins in clinical samples.
US07972772B2	KIF11 and method for diagnosing non-small cell lung cancer Disclosed are methods for detecting non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using differentially expressed genes KIF11, GHSR1b, NTSR1, and FOXM1. Also disclosed are methods of identifying compounds for treating and preventing NSCLC, based on the interaction between KOC1 and KIF11, or NMU and GHSR1b or NTSR1.
US07972770B2	Methods of detection of cancer using peptide profiles The disclosed methods address the identification and monitoring of cancer in a subject using serum peptide profiles. Such profiles allow the detection of the differential presence of certain serum peptide markers in comparison with controls. The profiles can be determined employing mass spectrometry.
US07972766B2	Method for forming fine pattern of semiconductor device A method for forming a fine pattern of a semiconductor device comprises: forming anti-reflection coating patterns over an underlying layer of a semiconductor substrate using an anti-reflection coating composition comprising a silicon-containing polymer; forming a photoresist pattern between the anti-reflection coating patterns using a photoresist composition comprising a silicon-containing polymer; and patterning the underlying layer using the photoresist patterns as an etching mask.
US07972765B2	Pattern forming method and a semiconductor device manufacturing method A pattern forming method is disclosed, which comprises forming a photo resist film on a substrate, irradiating the photo resist film with an energy ray to form a desired latent image pattern, placing the substrate on a spacer provided on a hot plate, heating the photo resist film by using the hot plate, and developing the photo resist film to form a photo resist pattern, wherein an amount of irradiation of the energy ray is set such that the amount of irradiation of the energy ray in an exposure region in which a distance between a back surface of the substrate and an upper surface of the hot plate is long is larger than the amount of irradiation of the energy ray in an exposure region in which a distance between the back surface of the substrate and the upper surface of the hot plate is short.
US07972761B2	Photoresist materials and photolithography process A material for use in lithography processing includes a polymer that turns soluble to a base solution in response to reaction with acid and a plurality of magnetically amplified generators (MAGs) each having a magnetic element and each decomposing to form acid bonded with the magnetic element in response to radiation energy.
US07972757B2	Resin for electrostatic-image-developing toner, electrostatic-image-developing toner, electrostatic image developer, method for forming image, and image-forming apparatus A resin for an electrostatic-image-developing toner includes a graft polymer, wherein the graft polymer has a polyester structure in the main chain thereof; the graft polymer includes monomer units derived from vinyl monomers in the side chains thereof; and at least a part of the monomer units have a residue of surfactant.
US07972756B2	Ketal containing photoconductors A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, and at least one charge transport layer comprised of at least one charge transport component, and wherein the at least one charge transport layer contains at least one of ketal. In embodiments, the charge transport layer may include an α-hydroxyketone, an α-diketone, or mixtures thereof.
US07972755B2	Substrate processing method and substrate processing system There is disclosed a substrate processing method by a multi-patterning technique, which comprises a lithography process and an etching process, each of the processes is performed to one substrate at least twice. The substrate processing method is performed by using a substrate processing system comprising a plurality of process units for performing respective steps of the lithography process. When a second lithography process is performed to a substrate, process unit(s) for performing one or more steps of the second lithography process to be used in the second lithography process is automatically selected based on the process history of the first lithography process in such a way that the process unit(s) to be used in the second lithography process is (are) identical to the processed unit(s) used in the first lithography process.
US07972749B2	Low voltage power tap on high voltage stack A fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell stack providing high voltage power. A tap is electrically coupled to the positive end of the stack to provide a positive voltage output terminal of the fuel cell stack, and a tap is electrically coupled to the negative end of the stack to provide a negative output terminal of the fuel cell stack. A low voltage tap is electrically coupled to one or more intermediate bipolar plates of the stack to provide low voltage power. Several intermediate taps can be electrically coupled to the bipolar plates, where a center intermediate tap is designated a reference potential tap. A switching network switches the several voltage potentials to provide an AC signal.
US07972746B2	Device to control the flow speed of media through a fuel cell stack A fuel cell stack that includes a stack of fuel cells each having a cathode side bipolar plate including parallel cathode gas flow channels. Airflow from a cathode inlet manifold is directed to the flow channels to provide the cathode gas to the fuel cell membrane. The fuel cell stack includes a device positioned within the inlet manifold that selectively blocks a predetermined number of the flow channels for each cell at low load operation to increase the flow rate in the unblocked flow channels, so that the fuel cell stack generates the desired low load output, and the increased flow rate prevents water from accumulating in the unblocked flow channels.
US07972744B2	Fuel cell assembly A composite electrolyte membrane for a fuel cell is disclosed. The membrane is formed of a polymer having layers of a clay-based cation exchange material. The substrate comprises an electrode formed from a solution that has an exfoliated, inorganic, sodium-based cation exchange material, an ionically conductive polymer-based material, and a solvent-dispersant.
US07972743B2	Membrane electrode assembly, method for producing the same, and solid state polymer fuel cell A membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) 1 has a solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2. The membrane 2 has ion-conductive domains 3 and non-ion-conductive domains 4 and an electrode catalyst 5. The electrode catalyst 5 is present selectively on surface sites of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane 2 which corresponds to the ion-conductive domains 3 rather than surface sites of the membrane 2 which corresponds to the non-ion-conductive domains 4. A spray liquid containing the electrode catalyst and a solvent is applied onto a surface of the membrane 2 by electrostatic spray deposition to selectively adhere the electrode catalyst 5 on the surface sites of the membrane 2 which corresponds to the ion-conductive domains 3. The membrane 2 is preferably subjected to a hydrophilization treatment before being sprayed with the spray liquid.
US07972741B2	Diffusion media for seal support for improved fuel cell design A fuel cell stack that includes straight cathode flow channels and straight anode flow channels through a seal area between bipolar plates in the stack. The fuel cell stack includes a seal that extends around the active area of the stack and between the stack headers and the active area. At the locations where the cathode flow channels extend through a seal area to the cathode input header and the cathode outlet header, and the anode flow channels extend through a seal area to the anode input header and the anode output header, the diffusion media layer on one side of the membrane is extended to provide the seal load. Alternately, shims can be used to carry the seal load.
US07972737B2	Fuel cell In a fuel cell which includes a plurality of stacks in which a plurality of cells, which cause reaction gases to undergo electrochemical reaction and generate electricity, are stacked in layers; and an electrically conductive member which electrically connects together end portions of the stacks, so that the stacks constitute a series circuit, there is also provided a first relay which electrically connects together some cell other than one at an end portion of a stack, and a cell of another stack. This first relay can create a bypass for cutting out a cell whose cell voltage value has become less than or equal to a predetermined value from the series circuit of the fuel cell.
US07972735B2	Fuel cell system and activation method for fuel cell A fuel cell system capable of performing activation for stabilizing electrical characteristics of a fuel cell with suppressing generation of polarity inversion associated with drying of a polymer electrolyte membrane and excess power consumption. An activation method for a fuel cell, the fuel cell system including a fuel cell having a fuel electrode and an oxidizer electrode that are provided on both sides of a polymer electrolyte membrane; a resistance detector for detecting an internal resistance of the fuel cell; a load connection portion having a mechanism for connecting a resistor between the fuel electrode and the oxidizer electrode; and a control unit for controlling the load connection portion. The control unit controls the operation of the load connection portion based on a value of the inner resistance of the fuel cell, which is detected by the resistance detector.
US07972734B2	Process for producing polymer electrolyte emulsion A process for producing a polymer electrolyte emulsion having the following steps (1) and (2) is provided. Step (1): a step of dissolving a polymer electrolyte in a solvent comprising a good solvent for the polymer electrolyte to prepare a polymer electrolyte solution having a polymer electrolyte concentration of 0.1 to 10% by weight. Step (2): a step of mixing the polymer electrolyte solution 10 obtained in the step (1), and a poor solvent for the polymer electrolyte at a ratio of 4 to 99 parts by weight of the poor solvent based on 1 part by weight of the polymer electrolyte solution. In addition, a process for producing a polymer 15 electrolyte emulsion comprising separating a polymer electrolyte dispersion in which a polymer electrolyte particle is dispersed in a dispersing medium, with a membrane is provided.
US07972730B2	Nonaqueous electrolyte battery, battery pack and vehicle A nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes a negative electrode including a current collector and a negative electrode active material having a Li ion insertion potential not lower than 0.4V (vs. Li/Li+). The negative electrode has a porous structure. A pore diameter distribution of the negative electrode as determined by a mercury porosimetry, which includes a first peak having a mode diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 μm, and a second peak having a mode diameter of 0.003 to 0.02 μm. A volume of pores having a diameter of 0.01 to 0.2 μm as determined by the mercury porosimetry is 0.05 to 0.5 mL per gram of the negative electrode excluding the weight of the current collector. A volume of pores having a diameter of 0.003 to 0.02 μm as determined by the mercury porosimetry is 0.0001 to 0.02 mL per gram of the negative electrode excluding the weight of the current collector.
US07972726B2	Primary alkaline battery containing bismuth metal oxide Primary alkaline batteries containing pentavalent bismuth metal oxides are disclosed.
US07972721B2	Method for manufacturing battery pack A heat insulation sheet (16) covers a temperature fuse (10) arranged on a sealing plate (23) of a rechargeable battery (2) so as to provide a shield from heat of resin that is filled in a gap between the rechargeable battery (2) and a circuit substrate (3) to form a primary mold (11) and to prevent destruction of the temperature fuse (10) caused by the heat.
US07972719B2	Battery assembly having slim battery tray A battery assembly (10) has a series of rectangular cells (20) and a square-U shaped tray (14) to support the cells (20) in series, with bottoms (24) coplanar and adjacent sides parallel. The tray (14) has spaced arms (43) for opposing the endmost ones of the series of cells (12) interconnected by a rigid web (41) that provides a generally flat seating surface for the cell bottoms (24). The web (41) has longitudinal tracks (49) which raise above the seating surface of the wen (41) and which extend beneath all the cell bottoms (24). The cell bottoms (24) have counterpart longitudinal channels (52) for self-assembling with the tracks (49) of the web (41) and provide properly aligned seating of the cell bottoms (24) by disallowing lateral displacement but allowing longitudinal sliding order to form as dense as a single-file line-up (12) as possible. The tracks (49) also serve to stiffen the web (41) against sagging or twisting.
US07972715B2	Glass substrate and thermal-assisted magnetic recording disk A plurality of recording magnetization portions is arranged in a concentric manner around a center of a glass substrate. A plurality of non-magnetization portion having a thermal conductivity lower than that of the recording magnetization portions is formed each between adjacent recording magnetization portions along a circumferential direction on a main surface of the glass substrate. A mean squared roughness of a surface of an area where each of the non-magnetization portions is formed is equal to or smaller than 1 nanometer.
US07972705B2	Use of a crosslinkable silicone-based inverse emulsion for producing “breathable waterproof” coatings Silicone coating on various soft supports, for instance textiles, made of synthetic polymers (polyamide, polyester) provides an efficient method for producing water impermeable and water permeable coatings, on soft supports, said method enabling to improve permeability to water vapor of the silicones while preserving impermeability to water. The inventive method enabling this consists mainly in: coating one of the surfaces of the support with a film formed by an invert water-in-oil silicone emulsion comprising a continuous oily silicone phase phi s, crosslinkable into elastomer and including a polyorganosiloxane (POS) A crosslinkable by addition polymerization, by cationic process or free-radical process; optionally a crosslinking organosilicon compound B; and optionally at least a catalyst C; an aqueous phase phi a; a stabilizing agent; and in ensuring crosslinking of the silicone phase phi s and elimination of water. The invention also concerns water impermeable and water vapor permeable soft polyamide or polyester substrates obtained by using an invert water-in-oil silicone emulsion.
US07972702B2	Defect inspection method for a glass substrate for a mask blank, glass substrate for a mask blank, mask blank, exposure mask, method of producing a glass substrate for a mask blank, method of producing a mask blank, and method of producing an exposure mask On inspecting a glass substrate for a mask blank which substrate has surfaces including one end face, the glass substrate is prepared to have the one end face which has a chamfered surface and a remaining surface serving as a side surface. The chamfered surface of the one end face is smaller in width than a chamfered surface of an opposite end face of the glass substrate. A short-wavelength light having a wavelength of 200 nm or less is introduced into the side surface of the one end face. From either the one end face or a different surface of the surfaces of the glass substrate, a long-wavelength light is received which is longer in wavelength than the short-wavelength light and which is generated by an internal defect of the glass substrate in response to the short-wavelength light. The internal defect is detected with reference to the long-wavelength light.
US07972701B2	Substrates coated with a polyurea comprising a (meth)acrylated amine reaction product A metallic substrate coated at least in part with a multilayer coating composite, comprising at least one of an electrocoat layer, a base coat layer, and a clearcoat layer; and a polyurea formed from a reaction mixture comprising isocyanate and a (meth)acrylated amine reaction product of a monoamine and a poly(meth)acrylate is disclosed. The ratio of equivalents of isocyanate groups to equivalents of amine groups in the polyurea is greater than 1 and the isocyanate functional component and the (meth)acrylated amine functional component can be applied to the substrate at a volume mixing ratio of 1:1. A building comprising a building component coated at least in part with such a polyurea is also disclosed, as is a substrate coated at least in part with such a polyurea, wherein the ratio of equivalents or isocyanate to equivalents of amine groups is greater than 1.3:1.
US07972698B2	Carbon foam core panels The core panel includes a plurality of carbon foam blocks. One or more of the blocks have a cell volume wherein at least about 90% of the cells have a diameter of between at least about 10 microns and about 150 microns. Also at least about 1% of the cell volume of the block has cells having a diameter of about 0.8 microns to about 3.5 microns.
US07972688B2	High density polyurethane and polyisocyanurate construction boards and composite boards A covered low-slope or flat roof comprising (a) a roof deck, (b) an optional insulation board including a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate cellular structure having a density that is less than 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, (c) a coverboard including a polyurethane or polyisocyanurate cellular structure having a density greater than about 2.5 pounds per cubic foot, and (d) a membrane.
US07972687B2	Porous silicon and method of preparing the same The present invention relates to a porous silicon material comprising one or more pore parts which include a first pore, a second pore, and a third pore. The first pore is formed in an upper side of the silicon. The second pore is formed in a lower side of the first pore and has a diameter that is larger or smaller than a diameter of the first pore. The third pore is formed in a lower side of the second pore and has a diameter that is identical or similar to the diameter of the first pore. The pore part having a double structure is formed in a silicon material. Since different electronic materials can be implanted into different pores of the porous silicon, it is easy to form interfaces of the implanted electronic materials.
US07972686B2	Composite materials with improved performance A composite material comprising at least one polymeric resin and optionally at least one fibrous reinforcement, where the polymeric resin comprises; at least one difunctional epoxy resin; and at least one epoxy resin with a functionality greater than two having at least one meta-substituted phenyl ring in its backbone.
US07972681B2	Textured screen-printed laminates A multi-layer laminate having a textured surface comprises a thin, flexible, thermoformable polymeric base layer, and a layer of spaced part segments of an ink material screen printed in a pattern on a surface of the polymeric base material. The ink material comprises a UV curable screen printing ink which contains a resinous binder, a hardener, and a fine particulate filler. The ink is pressed through a screen having an emulsion with a thickness from about 40 to 50 microns. The ink segments are dried on the base layer by UV curing to a height and a hardness sufficient to form a heat stable textured surface adhered to the base layer. In one embodiment, the printed ink layer has a print height from about 25 to about 50 microns and resists deformation from subsequent thermoforming and/or injection molding. The ink segments meet automotive hardness and abrasion specification requirements.
US07972679B1	Ballistic-resistant article including one or more layers of cross-plied uhmwpe tape in combination with cross-plied fibers A ballistic-resistant molded article having a sandwich-type structure including two outer portions of a first high modulus material surrounding an inner portion of a second high modulus material. The outer portions are comprised of a plurality of interleaved layers of adhesive coated cross-plied non-fibrous ultra high molecular weight polyethylene tape. The inner portion is comprised of a plurality of interleaved layers of high modulus cross-plied fibers embedded in resin. The stack of interleaved layers is compressed at high temperature and pressure to form a hybrid sandwich ballistic-resistant molded article that includes a mix of high modulus materials. It has been found that ballistic resistance is higher for the hybrid structure than for a monolithic structure of comparable areal density.
US07972674B2	Information recording medium, its manufacturing method, and sputtering target for forming information recording medium A write-once information recording medium having a high recording sensitivity and reliability with respect to long-term storage is provided. The information recording medium has a recording layer on a substrate, to which information can be recorded and from which information can be reproduced by irradiating the recording layer with laser light or applying electrical energy to the recording layer. The recording layer contains, as its primary components, TeO2 and a material A, where the material A is a material that exhibits a eutectic reaction with TeO2.
US07972673B2	Optical recording medium An optical recording medium is provided. The optical recording medium includes at least a reflective film and a cover layer on a substrate; main data by a combination of pit and land are recorded on the substrate; a write-once recording is made to be possible on the reflective film by irradiating a laser light; sub-data are recorded by a mark that is formed by the irradiation of laser light for the write-once recording with respect to the reflective film; a reproducing signal level at portion where said mark is formed increases for the land of specified length; the mark by which the reproduced level decreases at the portion where the mark is formed is formed for an optical disc recording medium manufactured by physical copy; the reflective film is composed of an Ag-alloy film of Ag100-xXx(0
US07972672B2	Laminated anti-fatigue area rug and method of manufacture A laminated anti-fatigue area rug comprises a bottom laminate of anti-fatigue material being rubber or vinyl having anti-slip properties for stability, a top laminate of cork with an upper wearing surface having a polyurethane coating and a middle bonding laminate of fiberglass cloth and adhesive material to bond the layers together. There resulting rug is sufficiently flexible that it may be rolled for storage without cracking the cork or delaminating.
US07972669B2	Biodegradable resin foam sheet, biodegradable resin foam article and biodegradable resin molded container Disclosed is a foam sheet made of a biodegradable resin composition. The biodegradable resin composition contains a wax and/or a polyolefin resin. The biodegradable resin is mainly composed of polylactic acid. Natural candelilla wax or paraffin wax is preferable as the wax. Polyethylene is preferable as the polyolefin resin. Also disclosed are a foam article and a molded container made of such a foam sheet wherein the degree of crystallinity of the biodegradable resin is 10% or more.
US07972668B2	Foamed laminated construction A laminated construction having a first layer having a plurality of criss-crossing foamed filaments adhered to each other and defining a net, an impermeable layer laminated to the first layer along two opposite longitudinal edges to form a sleeve, and a perforated pipe extending within the sleeve. In another embodiment, a porous membrane surrounds the layer having a plurality of criss-crossing foamed filaments adhered to each other. In another embodiment, the laminated construction forms a pipe having a first layer having a plurality of criss-crossing foamed filaments adhered to each other and defining a net, an impermeable layer laminated to the first layer along two opposite longitudinal edges to form a sleeve, and a plurality of loose fill elements are within the sleeve for passage of fluid therethrough.
US07972666B2	Coating compositions for forming inkjet-receptive coatings on a substrate Coating compositions for forming inkjet-receptive coatings on a substrate which are glossy, dry rapidly, provide good color density, exhibit low density loss, and are water-resistant, include (a) a crosslinkable cationic terpolymer, (b) an adhesion promoter, (c) a crosslinker, (d) a binder, and (e) water.
US07972662B2	Substrate for information recording medium, information recording medium and process for producing information recording medium An information recording medium is prepared by forming a multi-layered film, including an information recording layer, on a substrate by transferring the substrate heated at an average heating rate of at least 10° C./second in a heating zone, along consecutive film-forming zones, and consecutively forming layers forming the multi-layered film in the film-forming zones.
US07972658B2	Control of a coating process Devices, systems and methods for controlling the coating of a sample are disclosed. The exemplary system may have a manufacturing device for providing a sample with one or more sample characteristics associated with one or more coating characteristics. The exemplary system may have a sample sensor for determining the one or more sample characteristics and a manufacturing controller for controlling the manufacturing device and controlling the one or more characteristics of the sample provided by the manufacturing device based on the determined one or more sample characteristics. The exemplary system may also have a coating device for providing coating to the sample with the one or more coating characteristics; a coating sensor for determining the one or more coating characteristics; and a coating controller for controlling the coating device and controlling the one or more characteristics of the coating provided by the coating device based on the determined one or more coating characteristics.
US07972653B2	Method for removing amorphous carbon coatings with oxidizing molten salts and coated member regeneration method A coating film removal method for a coated member having a coating film formed over the surface of a substrate is disclosed, which can easily achieve a coating film removal, even for a carbon-based coating film containing carbon as a main component, besides a carbon-based coating film containing a metal element etc. A coated member regeneration method is also disclosed, which removes a coating film from a coated member, and then forms a new coating film over the member, to regenerate the coated member. The coating film removal method is adapted to remove a carbon-based coating film from a coated member (10) including a substrate, and the carbon-based coating film coated on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate while containing carbon as a main component. The coating film removal method includes bringing a molten salt having an oxidizing function for carbon into contact with the carbon-based coating film, to remove at least a portion of the carbon-based coating film coated over the surface of the substrate. A coated member regeneration method includes removing the carbon-based coating film from the coated member, using such coating film removal method, and subsequently forming a coating film on at least a portion of a surface of the film-removed member (11).
US07972651B2	Method for forming multi-layered structure, method for manufacturing wiring substrate, and method for manufacturing electronic apparatus A method for forming a multi-layered structure using a droplet-discharging device; the method comprises: (A) forming a first insulating-material layer covering the material-body surface by discharging a droplet of a first insulating material including a first photosensitive resin to a material-body surface; (B) obtaining a first insulating layer by curing in the first insulating-material layer; (C) forming a pattern of an electric conductive material layer on the first insulating layer by discharging a droplet of an electric conductive material to the first insulating layer; and (D) forming a wiring pattern on the first insulating layer by activating the pattern of the electric conductive material layer.
US07972650B1	Method for manufacturing 3D circuits from bare die or packaged IC chips by microdispensed interconnections A method for manufacturing an electronic circuit in three-dimensional space provides for interconnecting electronic components within the circuit by directly writing conducting lines. The method may include observing a direct writing tool of a direct write system using a vision system, determining proper placement of the direct writing tool at least partially based on the step of observing, and directly writing conducting lines in three dimensions using the proper placement. The direct writing may be on a surface or in free space. The method may include stacking a plurality of chips to provide a stack having a top surface and edges extending away from the top and interconnecting connections of the chips by directly writing conducting lines along one of the edges.
US07972647B2	Method for improving a protein product The invention relates to a method for improving one or more functional properties of a protein product, said method having the adjustment of the pH of the protein product to a value higher than 7. The invention further relates to a product having such a protein product and to the use of a protein product in a food product in order to improve one or more functional properties of the food product.
US07972640B2	Lemon/lime flavored beverages having improved stability A combination of an acidulant system and a buffer salt system is included in lemon/lime flavored beverages to achieve improved stability. The acidulant system includes citric acid and/or phosphoric acid and an additional organic acid having a smaller dissociation constant than both phosphoric acid and citric acid; the buffer salt system includes a citrate salt and a phosphate salt.
US07972639B2	Beverage dispenser with additive dispensing Beverage dispensers and dispensing methods that facilitate mixing of one or more additives (e.g., flavorings) with a base liquid are described. In a preferred method of preparing a beverage, a base liquid is dispensed from a dispensing device (100) into a container (150). A flowable additive is dispensed from the dispensing device into the container to mix the flowable additive with the base liquid during the dispensing of the base liquid to provide the beverage. Preferably, the dispensing of the base liquid and the flowable additive is controlled to vary the relative concentration of the additive in the base liquid in the container during the dispensing.
US07972638B2	Foodstuff There is provided use of a conversion agent to prepare from a food material a foodstuff comprising at least one functional ingredient, wherein the at least one functional ingredient has been generated from at least one constituent of the food material by the conversion agent.
US07972633B2	Nutritional supplements for healthy memory and mental function Compositions for supporting healthy memory and optimizing mental energy and methods for improving, preventing, and treating mental disorders or deterioration. The compositions of the invention can be formulated as nutritional or dietary supplements.
US07972632B2	Identification of Free-B-Ring flavonoids as potent COX-2 inhibitors The present invention provides a novel method for inhibiting the cyclooxygenase enzyme COX-2. The method is comprised of administering a composition containing a Free-B-Ring flavonoid or a composition containing a mixture of Free-B-Ring flavonoids to a host in need thereof. The present also includes novel methods for the prevention and treatment of COX-2 mediated diseases and conditions. The method for preventing and treating COX-2 mediated diseases and conditions is comprised of administering to a host in need thereof an effective amount of a composition containing a Free-B-Ring flavonoid or a composition containing a mixture of Free-B-Ring flavonoids and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US07972629B2	Product comprising a combination of milk serum apoproteins and free fatty acids The present invention relates to use of a milk apoprotein or a mixture thereof to prevent or treat microbial or viral infection of the human or animal body. It is believed that this is achieved by inhibiting adhesion of potential pathogens. More preferably, at least one milk apoprotein or a mixture thereof is administered, simultaneously or sequentially, with either or both of at least one free fatty acid or a mixture thereof or a monoglyceride thereof; and/or at least one organic acid or a salt or ester thereof or a mixture thereof. The active agent(s) may be delivered by means of a pharmaceutically acceptable delivery system which includes parenteral solutions, ointments, eye drops, nasal sprays, intravaginal devices, surgical dressings, medical foods or drinks, oral healthcare formulations and medicaments for mucosal applications.
US07972626B2	Fluticasone propionate nasal pharmaceutical formulations and methods of using same Nasal pharmaceutical formulations comprising a drug substance having a specific particle size distribution profile are disclosed herein. Such profile provides increased bioavailability, increased efficacy or prolonged therapeutic effect of the drug substance when administered intranasally. The formulations of the present invention may comprise one or more corticosteroids having a specific particle size distribution profile. In a preferred embodiment, the corticosteroid is fluticasone or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof for the treatment of one or more symptoms of rhinitis. Preferably, the drug substance is fluticasone propionate. The formulations herein may be provided as an aqueous suspension suitable for inhalation via the intranasal route.
US07972622B1	Method and apparatus for manufacturing dissolvable tablets Consumable or dissolvable tablets are manufactured by supplying a liquid containing a biodissolvable carrier to an outlet; establishing an electric field between the outlet and a support surface to cause liquid issuing from the outlet to form at least one fiber or fibrils of the biodissolvable carrier which fiber or fibrils deposit(s) onto the surface to form a fiber web or mat; separating the web or mat into a plurality of individual tablets; and incorporating at least one active ingredient on or in the tablets.
US07972619B2	Biodegradable polymer for marking tissue and sealing tracts A tissue marker formed of a biodegradable polymer having drug-delivery capabilities is combined with a sealant that encapsulates the tissue marker and which serves to help anchor the tissue marker against migration. The sealant is delivered to a site in dehydrated form and moisture inherent in tissue at the site expands the sealant. The expanded sealant is formed of a hydrogel and is therefore more compatible to the surrounding tissue than the material of the tissue marker. The sealant and the tissue marker are both bioabsorbed over time.
US07972618B2	Edible water-soluble film containing a foam reducing flavoring agent An edible water-soluble film is provided. The film includes at least one water-soluble polymer, and a foam reducing flavoring agent, wherein the film is free of added anti-foaming or defoaming agents.
US07972616B2	Medical device applications of nanostructured surfaces This invention provides novel nanofiber enhanced surface area substrates and structures comprising such substrates for use in various medical devices, as well as methods and uses for such substrates and medical devices. In one particular embodiment, methods for enhancing cellular functions on a surface of a medical device implant are disclosed which generally comprise providing a medical device implant comprising a plurality of nanofibers (e.g., nanowires) thereon and exposing the medical device implant to cells such as osteoblasts.
US07972612B2	Remedy for glaucoma comprising Rho kinase inhibitor and β-blocker A subject of the present invention is to find utility of a combination of a Rho kinase inhibitor having a novel action and a β-blocker as a therapeutic agent for glaucoma. Actions of reducing intraocular pressure are complemented and/or enhanced each other by combining the Rho kinase inhibitor with the β-blocker. For the administration mode, each drug can be administered in combination or in mixture.
US07972607B2	Attenuated francisella and methods of use Francisella tularensis is the bacterial pathogen that causes tularemia in humans and a number of animals. To date, no approved vaccine exists for this widespread and life-threatening disease. The present disclosure provides attenuated Francisella mutants that include functional deletions in one or more of the dsbB, FTT0742, pdpB, fumA, and carB genes. Also provided are immunogenic compositions that include the attenuated bacteria. Methods are provided for treatment using the attenuated Francisella mutants.
US07972605B2	Modified vaccinia ankara virus vaccine The present invention relates, in general, to vaccines and, in particular, to a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus, to a composition comprising such a virus and to methods of using same to induce an immune response.
US07972603B2	Stable immunogenic product comprising antigenic heterocomplexes The invention relates to a stable immunogenic product for the induction of antibodies against one or more antigenic proteins in a subject. The invention is characterised in that it comprises proteinaceous immunogenic heterocomplexes which are formed by associations between (i) antigenic protein molecules and (ii) proteinaceous carrier molecules and in that less than 40% of the antigenic proteins (i) are linked to the proteinaceous carrier molecules (ii) by a covalent bond.
US07972600B2	IGF-IR antagonists as adjuvants for treatment of prostate cancer The present invention relates to a method of treating prostate cancer with androgen deprivation therapy and an insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) antagonist. Although the response rate of prostate cancer to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is high, surviving cancer cells invariably become androgen independent (AI) and tumor growth follows. The invention inhibits or delays transition of androgen dependent cancer to androgen independent cancer, significantly decreases risk of recurrence, and improves treatment outcome.
US07972598B2	VEGF-binding fusion proteins and therapeutic uses thereof Fusion proteins which bind and inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The VEGF-binding fusion proteins are therapeutically useful for treating VEGF-associated conditions and diseases, and are specifically designed for local administration to specific organs, tissues, and/or cells.
US07972597B2	Methods of reducing chemotaxis using antibodies against monocyte chemotactic proteins The invention provides antibodies that bind to a plurality of β-chemokines, particularly monocyte chemotactic proteins MCP-1, MCP-2 and MCP-3. The invention also provides cells producing the antibodies, and methods of making and using the same.
US07972588B2	Radiolabelling methods The invention relates to radiodiagnostic and radiotherapeutic agents, including biologically active vectors labelled with radionuclides. It further relates to methods and reagents labelling a vector such as a peptide comprising reaction of a compound of formula (I) with a compound of formula (II): R*-L2-N3 (II) or, a compound of formula (III) with a compound of formula (IV) in the presence of a Cu (I) catalyst. The resultant labelled conjugates are useful as diagnostic agents, for example, as radiopharmaceuticals more specifically for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) or Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) or for radiotherapy.
US07972584B2	Magnesiothermic methods of producing high-purity silicon Magnesiothermic methods of producing solid silicon are provided. In a first embodiment, solid silica and magnesium gas are reacted at a temperature from 400° C. to 1000° C. to produce solid silicon and solid magnesium oxide, the silicon having a purity from 98.0 to 99.9999%. The silicon is separated from the magnesium oxide using an electrostatic technology. In a second embodiment, the solid silicon is reacted with magnesium gas to produce solid magnesium silicide. The magnesium silicide is contacted with hydrogen chloride gas or hydrochloric acid to produce silane gas. The silane gas is thermally decomposed to produce solid silicon and hydrogen gas, the silicon having a purity of at least 99.9999%. The solid silicon and hydrogen gas are separated into two processing streams. The hydrogen gas is recycled for reaction with chlorine gas to produce hydrogen chloride gas.
US07972582B2	Method and apparatus for treating exhaust gas An apparatus for treating an exhaust gas that includes a pre-treatment section that removes a powdery component, a water-soluble component or a hydrolytic component from the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas contains a fluorine compound and CO. A heating oxidative decomposing section performs heating oxidative decomposition of at least one of the fluorine compound and CO to detoxify the exhaust gas. The apparatus also has a post-treatment section for post-treating an acid gas such as HF which has been produced by the heating oxidative decomposition.
US07972579B2	Device for the automatic opening and closing of reaction vessels The invention relates to a device for the automatic opening and closing of reaction vessels. It comprises a holding device for the non-rotatable holding of one or more reaction vessels, a gripper for the gripping of a lid for the reaction vessel, wherein the gripper has gripping jaws to take hold of the lid, and a holding arm with a rotating mechanism for rotatable holding of the gripper. The gripping jaws are arranged in such a way that, when the lid is inserted into the area between the gripping jaws, it is held by the latter through frictional contact, and the gripper has no active operating device for opening and closing the gripping jaws.
US07972577B2	Chip using method and test chip A measuring chip is configured for separating and measuring a target component in a sample by rotation around first and second axes of rotation. The measuring chip includes a centrifugal separation tube that centrifugally separates the target component from the sample by rotating the measuring chip around the first axis of rotation; a first holding section installed in the bottom of the centrifugal separation tube, wherein non-target components other than the target component in the sample are introduced therein by rotation around the first axis of rotation, and the first holding section holds the non-target components during rotation around the second axis of rotation; and a measuring section connected to one end of the centrifugal separation tube that measures the non-target components introduced from the centrifugal separation tube by rotation around the second axis of rotation.
US07972576B2	Coiled capillary for compensating mechanical stress A fluidic device comprising a capillary for conducting a fluid and a pivot arm configured for being pivoted, wherein the pivot arm supports at least a portion of the capillary, and a part of the capillary is coiled to at least partially compensate stress resulting from pivoting of the pivot arm.
US07972572B2	Reactor vessel and liner A reactor vessel liner system includes a liner having a plurality of first conduits and a plurality of second conduits for conveying a coolant. The plurality of second conduits is located at least partially within corresponding ones of the plurality of first conduits.
US07972568B2	Apparatus for separating para-xylene from a mixture of C8 and C9 aromatic hydrocarbons The apparatus includes at least two adsorptive separation zones to separate para-xylene from a feed stream comprising C8 aromatic hydrocarbons and at least one C9 aromatic hydrocarbon component. The first adsorptive separation zone delivers a raffinate stream to a raffinate distillation zone and an extract stream to an extract distillation zone. The raffinate distillation zone delivers a stream to the second adsorptive separation zone and at least one of the extract distillation zone and raffinate distillation zone delivers a recycle stream to the first adsorptive separation zone.
US07972564B2	Combined labyrinthine fluid sterilizing apparatus The present invention provides a combined labyrinthine fluid sterilizing apparatus, comprising a chamber having an inlet and an outlet as well as a blower/fan provided in the chamber. Ultraviolet lamps are mounted in the lumen of the chamber. The lumen of the chamber is divided by a plurality of bafflers having pores. The pores in the adjacent bafflers are arranged to stagger up and down or from side to side. A mesh plate is provided at the pore. The top and bottom plates of the chamber can be flipped open. The baffler is inserted in the slots in the inner side of the front and back plates. The top and bottom plates have the pore and a cover plate which are both covered by a shield. At least one of the bafflers has a pore, and is provided with a one-way openable valve. The blower is mounted at the pore of the baffler. The chamber and the bafflers are coated with a layer of titanium dioxide. According to the present invention, it is possible to add, remove, or replace the baffler, the filter mesh, the blower or the purifying accessories and the like. The one-way openable valve can prevent the polluted water or air from flowing backwards. Further the to and fro winding disinfecting and sterilizing path prolongs the disinfecting and sterilizing process and increases the duration. With the photocatalytic effect of titanium dioxide, the organic substances are effectively decomposed, the dirt is eliminated, and deodorization and sterilization achieved. As a result, an ideal effect of disinfection and sterilization is achieved.
US07972561B2	Microfluidic device The invention relates to a microfluidic device comprising at least one micro-channel connected at one end to an enclosed area, characterized in that it also comprises an inlet circuit and an outlet circuit connected to the enclosed area and between which the fluid can be discharged without any contact with the micro-channel, wherein at least one of said inlet and outlet circuits can be controlled in such a way that the pressure at the end of the micro-channel can be modified independently from the pressure at the other end of the micro-channel.
US07972560B2	Apparatus for dispensing material An apparatus capable of dispensing drops of material with volumes on the order of zeptoliters is described. In some embodiments of the inventive pipette the size of the droplets so dispensed is determined by the size of a hole, or channel, through a carbon shell encapsulating a reservoir that contains material to be dispensed. The channel may be formed by irradiation with an electron beam or other high-energy beam capable of focusing to a spot size less than about 5 nanometers. In some embodiments, the dispensed droplet remains attached to the pipette by a small thread of material, an atomic scale meniscus, forming a virtually free-standing droplet. In some embodiments the droplet may wet the pipette tip and take on attributes of supported drops. Methods for fabricating and using the pipette are also described.
US07972559B2	Particle or cell analyzer and method A particle analyzer in which tagged particles to be analyzed are drawn through a suspended capillary tube where a predetermined volume in the capillary tube is illuminated. The illumination scattered by said particles is detected by a detector to count all particles. The fluorescent illumination emitted by tagged particles is detected and the output signals from the fluorescent detectors and scatter detector are processed to provide an analysis of the particles.
US07972557B2	Plasmon filter A plasmon filter may include an element supportive of plasmon energy and having a plurality of openings through which a material may pass. A system includes a fluid filter supportive of evanescent energy, an evanescent field generator, a sensor, and/or other components. A corresponding method may include generating plasmons on the filter and exposing a material to the plasmon energy.
US07972556B2	Electromagnetic agitator An electromagnetic stirring apparatus includes a vessel (2) for containing an electroconductive material in a molten state, such as a molten metal (1); an axially traveling magnetic field generating coil (3) for generating magnetic line of force (15) in an axial direction of the vessel (2) towards the molten metal (1) contained in the vessel (2) from an outside of the vessel (2); and a strip-shaped magnetic plate (4) disposed between the coil (3) and the vessel (2). Portions (11) where an axial electromagnetic force is generated in the molten metal contained in the vessel by the coil (3), and portions (10) into which a magnetic field is prevented by the magnetic plate (4) from locally entering, are formed in the vessel (2), whereby a circumferential pressure gradient is generated. Only with the axially traveling magnetic field generating coil (3), streams formed by convolution of axial motion and rotary motion are generated in the molten metal (1) in accordance with the axial electromagnetic force and the circumferential pressure gradient, thereby to perform stirring of the molten metal (1).
US07972553B2	Method for imprint lithography at constant temperature Method for transferring a pattern from a template (10) having a structured surface (11) to a substrate (12) carrying a surface layer (14) of a material devised to 5 solidify upon exposure to radiation, comprising: arranging said template and substrate mutually parallel in an imprint apparatus, with said structured surface facing said surface layer; heating the template and the substrate to a temperature Tp by means of a heater device (20); and while maintaining said temperature Tp, performing the steps of: pressing the template towards the substrate for imprinting said pattern into said layer; exposing said layer to radiation (19) for solidifying the layer, and—postbaking the layer.
US07972552B1	Method to locate and eliminate manufacturing defects in a quartz resonator gyro A method for locating and eliminating defects on a substrate wafer includes illuminating a top surface of the substrate wafer with a first illumination source, illuminating a bottom surface of the substrate wafer with a second illumination source, forming an image of a portion of the top surface of the substrate wafer while the substrate wafer is illuminated by the first and second illumination sources, adjusting a contrast of the image to accentuate defects on the top surface of the substrate wafer, locating defects in the image, and ablating the defects on the top surface with a laser.
US07972550B2	Method of increasing the load capacity of a radial tire An underground mine tire 20 having a nominal bead diameter of 20.0 inches or less has a carcass, a tread 25 and a pair of rubber sidewalls 23, each extending along the outer periphery of the carcass 21 below the tread 25. The tire 20 has a nominal bead width D greater than 8.50 inches and an overall diameter of less than 55 inches. The carcass 21 has at least one radial steel cord reinforced ply 24.
US07972547B2	Solution casting method A casting dope (27) prepared from CAP, additive and solvent is cast onto a belt (46) and peeled as a wet film (74) that is drawn in the longitudinal direction in a transporting area (80). In a tenter device (47), while the wet film (74) is stretched in the widthwise direction, a relaxation of the wet film (74) in the longitudinal direction is made. If an extent percentage of the stretch is less than 70%, the relation is started. The wet film (74) is fed out as a polymer film (82) from the tenter device (47). On the polymer film (82), the in-plane retardation increases and the thickness retardation decreases. Thus the optical properties become preferable.
US07972545B2	Device and method for manufacturing end mill A device and a method for manufacturing an end mill in which the amount of grinding of a blank end mill is small. The device for manufacturing an end mill includes: upper and lower punches; a die; a feed box for supplying a powder of material for the end mill; and a cleaner for eliminating the powder from a top surface of the die. The upper and lower punches are movable up and down relative to each other and have a lengthwise molding cavity formed thereon. The die has a penetrating slit sized to be approximated to the width of the upper and lower punches. The penetrating slit allows the up-and-down movements of the upper and lower punches. The feed box supplies the powder into a space formed by the wall of the penetrating slit and the lower punch.
US07972544B2	Resin multilayer injection molding method While a second layer resin is being charged, a movable platen is moved backward to reach a given movable platen position (S1) to enlarge the capacity of a second cavity. After the completion of charging of the resin, a toggle mechanism is promptly driven to reduce the second cavity capacity to reach a given movable platen position (S2), and after the lapse of a given time, the toggle mechanism is driven again to enlarge the second cavity capacity to reach a given movable platen position (S3). Thus, a high quality multilayer injection molded article which has small variations in the wall thickness, dimension, and mass and which is free from deformation or warpage can be stable obtained.
US07972540B2	Electronic device fabrication process A process to fabricate an electronic device comprising: (a) liquid depositing a composition comprising a liquid, silver-containing nanoparticles, a replacement stabilizer comprising a carboxylic acid on the surface of the silver-containing nanoparticles, and a residual amount of an initial stabilizer on the surface of the silver-containing nanoparticles, resulting in a deposited composition; and (b) heating the deposited composition to form an electrically conductive layer comprising silver.
US07972538B2	Conductive pattern formation ink, conductive pattern and wiring substrate A conductive pattern formation ink capable of producing a conductive pattern with reduced likelihood of generation of cracks, a conductive pattern which is small in the number of cracks generated, low in specific resistance and superior in high-frequency characteristics, and a wiring substrate provided with the conductive pattern which is small in the number of cracks generated, low in specific resistance and superior in high-frequency characteristics are provided. The conductive pattern formation ink is used for forming a conductive pattern on a base member by patterning and comprised of a dispersion solution. The dispersion solution includes a solvent, metal particles dispersed in the solvent, and an anti-cracking agent contained in the solvent, wherein the anti-cracking agent is contained for preventing generation of cracks in the conductive pattern during desolvation of the solvent.
US07972537B2	Carbon nanotube-conductive polymer composite A carbon nanotube-conductive polymer composite includes a plurality of CNTs and conductive polymer fibers. The CNTs are connected with each other to form a network. The conductive polymer fibers adhere to surfaces of the CNTs and/or tube walls of the CNTs.
US07972535B2	Composite particles for electrochemical device electrode, method of production of composite particles for electrochemical device electrode, and electrochemical device electrode Composite particles for an electrochemical device electrode containing an electrode active material, a conductive material, and a binder, wherein primary particles of the composite particles have a volume average particle size of 1 to 500 μm and, when a relative particle amount of the primary particles having a particle size of a fine range near a mode radius R1 of the primary particles in the particle size distribution of the primary particles of the composite particles found by the volume standard is ρ1 and a relative particle amount of secondary particles having a particle size of the fine range in the particle size distribution of the secondary particles of the composite particles found by the volume standard in measurement at 23° C. is ρ2, ρ2/ρ1 is 0.03 to 0.60.
US07972534B2	Retarding oxidants for preparing conductive polymers Process for preparing specific oxidants which in mixtures with precursors for preparing conductive polymers display a long processing time during the polymerization; oxidants obtainable by this process; mixtures comprising such specific (retarding) oxidants and the use of said oxidants for preparing solid electrolyte capacitors and conductive layers.
US07972531B2	Anti-freezing/deicing agent and related methods A composition for deicing or inhibiting formation of ice includes waste material from a fermentation process for producing an amino acid from a carbohydrate source, and at least some second anti-freezing and deicing agent or a carrier. The active agent is waste material from a fermentation process for producing an amino acid from a carbohydrate source. The carrier may be water. A method for deicing an icy surface includes applying to that surface an effective amount of waste material from a fermentation process for producing an amino acid from a carbohydrate source.
US07972530B2	Deicing and anti-icing compositions comprising renewably-based, biodegradable 1,3-propanediol Disclosed herein are deicing and anti-icing compositions comprising 1,3-propanediol, wherein the 1,3-propanediol in said deicing or anti-icing composition has a bio-based carbon content of about 1% to 100%. In addition, it is preferred that the 1,3-propanediol be biologically-derived, and wherein upon biodegradation, the biologically-derived 1,3-propanediol contributes no anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.
US07972529B2	Lubricant oil for a refrigeration machine, lubricant composition and refrigeration machine and system A lubricant oil for a refrigeration machine, and refrigeration machine, said refrigeration machine being of the type that operates with a refrigerant consisting of at least one component of the HC (hydrocarbon) group, the lubricant oil consisting of an alkylbenzene oil containing at least 80% by weight of alkylbenzene having a molecular weight of 120-288 and having a viscosity between about 3.0 and 7.0 cSt at a temperature of 40° C. and the lubricant composition consisting of said alkylbenzene oil and until about 8% by weight of one or more additives selected from a group consisting of improvers of oxidation resistance and thermal stability, corrosion inhibitors, metal inactivators, lubricity additives, viscosity index improvers, reducers of fluidity and flocculation point, detergents, dispersants, antifoaming agents, antiwear agents and extreme pressure resistant additives.
US07972528B2	Refrigerant composition A refrigerant composition consists essentially of three hydrofluorocarbon components selected from HFC134a, HFC125 and HFC143a and an additive selected from a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon or mixture thereof boiling in the range −50° C. and +40° C.
US07972518B2	Method for removing suspended solids from aqueous fluids A method for cleaning solids-laden aqueous fluids uses an apparatus comprising a settling tank having a sloping floor, which drops off into a collection area; primary and secondary mixing tanks, the lower regions of which are in fluid communication via fluid transfer means; and agitators in each of the mixing tanks. Solids-laden fluid is introduced into the primary mixing tank along with selected coagulant and/or flocculent chemicals, whereupon the agitator in the primary mixing tank is actuated to induce downward fluid flow toward the fluid transfer means and into the secondary mixing tank. The agitator in the secondary mixing tank is actuated to induce upward fluid flow in the secondary mixing tank, from which the fluid mixture overflows into the setting tank. Solids settle or precipitate into the settling tank, and then move downward along the settling tank's sloped floor and into the collection area, from which the solids can be removed for further treatment or disposal. Clean water is collected from the upper region of the settling tank, preferably via a spillway along the perimeter of the settling tank.
US07972517B1	Method for treatment of agricultural waste A method for treating a portion of liquid waste manure comprising adding a first reagent to the portion in a first vessel to cause the formation of waste manure flocs of a first size; adding a second reagent to liquid portion to cause growth of the waste manure flocs of the first size into separable waste manure flocs; adding optionally a third reagent to the portion of liquid containing waste manure flocs to cause further growth of the separable waste manure flocs; separating the liquid volume containing separable waste manure flocs into a waste manure sludge and a first filtrate; and dewatering the waste manure sludge in a filtration system comprising a first filter including a first housing, a first displaceable filter medium, and a first displacement actuator disposed between the first housing and the first displaceable filter medium.
US07972514B2	Method and a system for performing maintenance on a membrane used for pressure retarded osmosis A method and system for performing maintenance on a membrane having semi-permeable properties and is used in a pressure retarded osmosis PRO, the membrane having a high pressure first side and second side of lower pressure. A time controllable first valve or pump (31; 41; 51; 61; 71; 81; 91) is connected between an input (12) to the low pressure side of the membrane (13′) and an input (11) to the high pressure side of the membrane (13′), said first valve or pump operable to selectively deliver a plug (21) of a second type of water (FW) to the first side of the membrane to lower concentration of dissolved substance (s) in water of a first type (SW) thereat, thereby creating a PRO pressure backwash function with the water of the second type (FW) from the first to the second side of the membrane pressurized on said first side by high pressure supply of water of the first type (SW) upstream of said plug (21) of water of the second type (SW).
US07972513B2	Process for treating nitrogenous wastewater with simultaneous autotrophic denitrification, hetertrophic denitrification and COD removal A process for treating nitrogenous wastewater contains an autotrophic denitrification reaction, a heterotrophic denitrification reaction and a COD removal reaction simultaneously and mixedly taking place in a single reactor. The nitrification reaction is caused by nitrifying bacteria, in which ammonium is oxidized into nitrite. The autotrophic denitrification reaction is caused by autotrophic denitrifying bacteria, in which ammonium used as electron donor and nitrite used as electron acceptor are converted into nitrogen gas and nitrate. The heterotrophic denitrification reaction is caused by heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria, in which nitrate and COD are consumed. It is not necessary to build two separate reactors for aerobic nitrification and anaerobic denitrification, thereby effectively reducing the fabrication and operation cost.
US07972512B2	Suspended media granular activated carbon membrane biological reactor system and process A system and process for treating an industrial wastewater stream is provided using a membrane biological reactor in which granular activated carbon material is introduced into an aeration portion and maintained upstream of a membrane operating system. The size of the granules of activated carbon is selected so that they can be screened or otherwise readily separated from the mixed liquor stream before the mixed liquor enters the membrane operating system tank(s) containing the submerged membranes, thereby preventing abrasion of the membrane by the carbon granules. The aeration portion includes a waste discharge port whereby a portion of spent granular activated carbon can be removed when the effluent concentration of chemical oxygen demand compounds approaches limits typically set by governmental agencies, and replaced by addition of fresh or regenerated granular activated carbon having greater adsorbent capacity.
US07972510B2	Filtration apparatus A filtration apparatus for performing solid-liquid separation by immersing a plurality of hollow fiber membranes in a to-be-treated liquid containing a suspended component includes the hollow fiber membranes folded double, a treated liquid collection means communicated with an open end of each of the hollow fiber membranes, a holding member for holding a bent portion of each of the hollow fiber membranes with a gap formed between the bent portion and the holding member, and a gas-jetting means for jetting a cleaning gas from the bent side of each of the hollow fiber membranes to a side of the open end. A gap for flowing the gas jetted by the gas-jetting means is formed between the hollow fiber membranes and the holding member or/and in at least one part of gaps between the hollow fiber membranes.
US07972508B2	Rotary disc filter and module for constructing same A rotary disc filter device includes a rotary drum and one or more disc-shaped filter members secured about the drum. Each disc-shaped filter member includes a filter disposed on opposite sides thereof and each disc-shaped filter member includes a modular frame made up, in part at least, by a series of interconnected modules. One module of the modular filter frame includes a base that is secured to the rotary drum and a support projecting outwardly from the base. A series of these modules are interconnected to form a modular filter frame.
US07972507B2	Advanced wastewater treatment process using up and down aerobic/anaerobic reactors of channel type An apparatus for advanced wastewater treatment using up & down aerobic-anaerobic reactors of channel type in the single reaction tank provides the effluent recycle of channel type aeration reactor (internal cycle). For this, the anaerobic reactor of channel type is under the aerobic reactor of channel type in the single reaction tank. And the flow of the wastewater in the single reaction tank is based on the water level difference between inlet and outlet, and the air lift effect of the air diffusers. The partitions of channel type anaerobic reactor and the partitions of channel type aerobic reactor are cross each other. Consequently, the energy cost is cut down because the wastewater flow does not need much pumping energy. And the site need is reduced because of up & down aerobic-anaerobic reactors of channel type in the single reaction tank.
US07972503B2	Adjustable pin rack systems for cog rake bar screens A support plate is used in a cog rake bar screen of a wastewater treatment facility and the cog rake bar screen includes an adjustable pin rack system coupled to a frame. The support plate includes a plate having a centerline extending between opposite side walls of the plate. The plate includes a fastener hole for receiving a fastener to couple the plate to the pin rack system and the frame. A set screw is connected to the plate for adjusting position of the plate relative to the frame and thereby adjusting position of the pin rack system.
US07972501B2	Fluid clarification system and apparatus A fluid clarification system and method is described in which fluid is passed through one or more settling compartments, each having a solids outlet at the base of the compartment. The base of each compartment includes inclined surfaces for guiding settled solids to the outlet. Also described is a polymer reaction trough including baffles to promote gentle mixing of inflow fluid with flocculant. The system is designed to reduce costs of transportation, flocculent, and solids handling. The system is preferably arranged to facilitate transport on a skid or trailer, while maximizing fluid handling capabilities and minimizing costs.
US07972500B2	Waste water purification apparatus A wastewater purifying apparatus has plural treatment chambers for stepwise purifying wastewater discharged from a lavatory, a storage chamber for storing purified wastewater derived from the downstream-most treatment chamber, and a purified wastewater storage tank. A suction port is formed in the upstream-most treatment chamber for sucking the wastewater. Refluxing equipment refluxes wastewater from the treatment chambers downstream of the upstream-most treatment chamber into the upstream most treatment chamber. A purified wastewater supplier supplies the purified wastewater in the purified wastewater storage tank into the upstream-most treatment chamber. The above arrangement performs expedient and sophisticated purification treatment of the wastewater containing sludge components, such as sewage discharged from the lavatory, or miscellaneous effluents generated by pulverizing garbage by a disposer. The arrangement also simplifies washing of the apparatus.
US07972497B2	Process to prepare a heat transfer oil A process to prepare a heat transfer oil, comprising: a. dewaxing a substantially paraffinic wax feed by hydroisomerization dewaxing using a shape selective intermediate pore size molecular sieve under hydroisomerization conditions including a defined hydrogen to feed ratio, whereby a lubricating base oil is produced, b. selecting one or more fractions of the lubricating base oil having: i. a low pour point, ii. greater than 10 weight percent and less than 70 weight percent total molecules with cycloparaffinic functionality, wherein the one or more fractions have at least 31.2 wt % 1-unsaturations by FIMS, and iii. a ratio of weight percent molecules with monocycloparaffinic functionality to weight percent molecules with multicycloparaffinic functionality greater than 15; and c. blending the one or more fractions of the lubricating base oil with less than 0.2 wt % antifoam agent to prepare the heat transfer oil of a defined ISO viscosity grade.
US07972487B2	Micro-band electrode The invention concerns an electrochemical cell which, either alone or together which a substrate onto which it is placed, is in the form of a receptacle. The electrochemical cell contains a working electrode and a counter electrode, the working electrode being in a wall of the receptacle. At least one of the electrodes has at least one dimension of less than 50 μm. The electrochemical cell is principally intended for use as a micro-electrode suitable for screening water, blood, urine or other biological or non-biological fluids.
US07972485B2	Methods and apparatus for electromechanically and/or electrochemically-mechanically removing conductive material from a microelectronic substrate Methods and apparatuses for electromechanically and/or electrochemically-mechanically removing conductive material from a microelectronic substrate. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment includes a support member configured to releasably carry a microelectronic substrate and first and second electrodes spaced apart from each other and from the microelectronic substrate. A polishing medium is positioned between the electrodes and the support member and has a polishing surface positioned to contact the microelectronic substrate. At least a portion of the first and second electrodes can be recessed from the polishing surface. A liquid, such as an electrolytic liquid, can be provided in the recess, for example, through flow passages in the electrodes and/or the polishing medium. A variable electrical signal is passed from at least one of the electrodes, through the electrolyte and to the microelectronic substrate to remove material from the substrate.
US07972484B2	Gas diffusion electrode for electrolyte-percolating cells The invention relates to a gas-diffusion electrode for chlor-alkali electrolysis cells integrated in a percolator of plastic porous material suitable for being vertically crossed by a downward flow of electrolyte. The electrode comprises a catalytic composition based on silver and/or nickel mixed to a polymeric binder, directly supported on the percolator without any interposed reticulated metal current collector.
US07972482B2	Method for processing hydrocarbon pyrolysis effluent A method is disclosed for treating the effluent from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis unit without employing a primary fractionator. The method comprises passing the gaseous effluent to at least one primary heat exchanger, thereby cooling the gaseous effluent and generating high pressure steam, and then cooling the gaseous effluent to a temperature at which tar, formed by reactions among constituents of the effluent, condenses. The gaseous effluent and the condensed tar are fed to at least one knock-out drum, whereby the tar is separated from the gaseous effluent. The gaseous effluent is then further cooled to condense a pyrolysis gasoline fraction from the effluent and to reduce the temperature of the effluent to a point at which it can be compressed efficiently. The condensed pyrolysis gasoline fraction is separated from the effluent and then distilled so as to reduce its final boiling point.
US07972477B2	Surface treatment of substrate or paper/paperboard products using optical brightening agent The present invention relates to a process for applying optical brightening agent (OBA) to a sheet of paper or paperboard substrate. The process comprises the step of spraying an aqueous composition comprising an optical brightening agent onto at least one surface of a sized paperboard substrate to form a treated paperboard substrate. The treated paperboard substrate includes a layer of OBA on at least one surface of the paper or paperboard substrate in which the brightness of the treated paper or paperboard substrate is greater than the sized paper or paperboard substrate before treating thereof.
US07972468B2	Semiconductor device fabricating system A semiconductor device fabricating system 1 includes a casing 10, processing units 12, 13 and 14, for carrying out semiconductor device fabricating processes, disposed inside the casing, and platforms 15, 16 and 17 set outside the casing. The platforms are foldable. Spaces required by the platforms can be reduced and the footprint of the semiconductor device fabricating system can be reduced by folding the platforms.
US07972467B2	Apparatus and method to confine plasma and reduce flow resistance in a plasma reactor An apparatus configured to confine a plasma within a processing region in a plasma processing chamber. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a ring that has a baffle having a plurality of slots and a plurality of fingers. Each slot is configured to have a width less than the thickness of a plasma sheath contained in the processing region.
US07972465B2	Reinforced multi-lumen catheter A reinforced multi-lumen catheter and method of manufacturing the same. An assembly for manufacturing the multi-lumen catheter includes a catheter body substrate including a septum, one or more mandrels, a reinforcing element and one or more sleeves. The septum may have a distal region with a cross-sectional thickness greater than that of a proximal region. The septum can be separately formed. The septum can be split along a length of the distal region. The reinforcing element can be positioned over at least a proximal region of the catheter body substrate.
US07972464B2	Mat member, method of fabricating mat member, exhaust gas treating apparatus, and silencing device A mat member includes inorganic fibers, a first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, an edge surface surrounding the first main surface and the second main surface, and an inorganic fiber scattering reduction unit. The inorganic fiber scattering reduction unit is provided on at least a part of the edge surface of the mat member and configured to reduce scattering of the inorganic fibers.
US07972463B2	Continuous composite rod and methods A continuous composite fiberglass sucker rod for connection between a pump and a pump drive has a rectangular cross section. End fittings having a rod receiving cavity are connected to the rod ends using a curable adhesive. The rod fitting is maintained in a vertical position with the cavity facing upwardly. The rod end portion is positioned in the cavity with the end at the bottom of the cavity. Curable adhesive is introduced into the cavity. A centralizer bushing is used to maintain alignment of the rod relative to the cavity. A portable heating device receives the fitting and rod end portion and enhances the curing process.
US07972460B2	Method of manufacturing printed circuit board Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board. The method of manufacturing a printed circuit board having a via for connecting one layer to another layer can include forming a circuit pattern on one surface of a carrier; processing a hole corresponding to the via on one surface of the carrier; compressing the surface of the carrier into one surface of an insulation body; removing the carrier; processing a via hole on the insulation body, corresponding to a position of the hole; and forming a conductive material in the via hole, to thereby easily process a hole for forming a via and have high design freedom.
US07972456B2	Method of producing tire There is provided a method of producing a tire comprising the steps of: applying a chafer rubber 21 by spirally winding a rubber ribbon onto a base 15; applying a sidewall rubber 22 of a first color by spirally winding a rubber ribbon at a position on the base 15 spaced from the position where the chafer rubber is stuck; applying a sidewall rubber 23 of the second color by spirally winding a rubber ribbon between the chafer rubber sticking position and the first color sidewall rubber sticking position; and applying a cover rubber 24 of the first color over the entire surface of the sidewall rubber of the second color, wherein on the occasion when said chafer rubbers 21 or sidewall rubbers 23 of the second color are stuck, they are applied so that they are adjacent to each other, thereby sticking a rubber member of a colored tire onto the sidewall of the tire without involving defects such as trapped air and a bare as well as severe decrease of the productivity.
US07972454B2	Gasser composition and method of gassing A method of preparing a gassed water-in-oil emulsion explosives composition from a gasser solution of an inorganic nitrate, an ammonium species and an optional accelerator which is added to an emulsion explosive composition, reacts and forms gas bubbles is disclosed. The emulsion explosive composition is composed of a discontinuous aqueous phase, a continuous water immiscible organic phase, and an emulsifier. The reaction between the gasser solution and the emulsion explosive composition is such that the emulsifier does not undergo chemical attack.
US07972448B2	Method for the production of an anisotropic magnetic powder and a bonded anisotropic magnet produced therefrom Disclosed herein is a method for the production of an anisotropic magnetic powder or a magnet produced from said powder, wherein a hydrogenating and dehydrogenating method is applied to the starting material in order to produce the powder. An anisotropic oriented magnetic material, more particularly magnetic scrap metal, is advantageously used as starting material so that the complicated use of a molten mass with isotropic distribution of the c axes of the hard metal crystals is not required. The result is an anisotropic material having a fine grain structure and a crystallographic orientation matching a TMXB phase formed during hydrogenation.
US07972446B2	Automated cleaning system for structures A washing system for an elevated surface has a) a housing having a liquid application cleaning system therein; b) a support element that supports and elevates the washing system; c) a rigid member extending from a surface of the housing that faces away from a surface to be cleaned so that the cable, when supporting the cleaning system against the surface to be cleaned and connected to the housing at a connection point, exerts a rotational force on the cleaning system in relation to the fixed fulcrum at the roof top; and d) weights provided at a distance and direction from the connection point fulcrum to at least in part counterbalance the rotational force.
US07972443B2	Metering of particulate material and vaporization thereof Apparatus for metering and vaporizing a particulate material, includes: a metering device having: a reservoir for receiving particulate material; a housing having an internal volume and having first and second openings; a rotatable shaft disposed in the internal volume, the shaft having a smooth surface and a circumferential groove; a rotating agitator with a plurality of tines disposed in the reservoir and cooperating with the rotating shaft for fluidizing particulate material and transporting it from the reservoir into the groove; cooperating such that particulate material is transported by the groove; a scraper cooperates with the groove to dislodge particulate material retained therein, and deliver metered amounts of particulate material through the second opening; the rotatable shaft and the scraper cooperates to fluidize the particulate material at the second opening; and a flash evaporator that flash vaporizes the received particulate material.
US07972442B2	Photoplate for OLED deposition screen A photoplate for manufacturing a deposition mask that is used to form a matrix of pixel areas used in a display panel. The photoplate comprises a layer of material such as quartz, on which a matrix of pixel etching areas is defined. The pixel etching areas are configured to form pixel areas having a specified separation from each other in a vertical direction. The pixel etching areas on the photoplate include an outer periphery having a generally rectangular shape with elongated corners.
US07972441B2	Thermal oxidation of silicon using ozone A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.
US07972440B2	Monitoring and control of a fabrication process A system (10) for monitoring and controlling a fabrication process includes at least a first subsystem (12), a crystallographic analysis subsystem (14), and a second subsystem (16), wherein the first subsystem and second subsystem perform respective fabrication steps on a workpiece. The crystallographic analysis subsystem may be coupled to both the first subsystem and second subsystem. The analysis subsystem acquires crystallographic information from the workpiece after the workpiece undergoes a fabrication step by the first subsystem and then provides information, based on the crystallographic information acquired, for modifying parameters associated with the respective fabrication steps. The system may also include neural networks (24, 28) to adaptively modify, based on historical process data (32), parameters provided to the respective fabrication steps. The analysis subsystem may include a electromagnetic source (61), a detector (66), a processor (67), a controller (68) and a scanning actuator (65).
US07972438B2	High-index UV optical materials for immersion lithography This invention is related to material for use as an ultraviolet (UV) optical element and particularly for use as a 193 nm immersion lens element. The material for use as a UV optical element includes a Lithium Magnesium Aluminate (LMAO) body. The specific compound for this application is the disordered lithium magnesium spinel, having the general composition of LixMg2(1−x)Al4+xO8 where x=0 to 1 as the high-index UV transparent material for immersion lithography. The LMAO body may include a disordered spinel, such as, for example, a single crystal that may be cubic in symmetry, optically isotropic, and having cation disorder within the structure to reduce the intrinsic birefringence (IBR). The LMAO body has certain desired material properties and may be readily made in relatively large sizes suitable for use as the UV optical element for photolithography.
US07972437B2	Hollow nanocrystals and method of making Described herein are hollow nanocrystals having various shapes that can be produced by a simple chemical process. The hollow nanocrystals described herein may have a shell as thin as 0.5 nm and outside diameters that can be controlled by the process of making.
US07972436B2	Air management in cementitious mixtures having plasticizer and a clay-activity modifying agent An exemplary surface active agent admixture composition of the invention comprises (1) a first surface active agent comprising a betaine, an alkyl or aryl or alkylaryl sulfonate, or mixture thereof; and (2) a second surface active agent comprising a nonionic oxyalkylene-containing polymer surfactant. The present invention therefore provides a system for ensuring the presence in a hydratable cementitious composition (when hardened) a sufficient air volume and sufficient air void fineness and consistency. Further exemplary admixture compositions may comprise one or more plasticizers and one or more clay activity-modifying agents. Cementitious compositions and methods for modifying cementitious compositions, which incorporate the above-mentioned surface active agent combination, are also described. The invention provides the ability to adjust and stabilize air void systems in hydratable cementitious compositions, while allowing conventional air entraining agent (AEA) dosage practices to be followed.
US07972430B2	Composition and method for use with ceramic matrix composite T-sections A composition is for use with fabricating a ceramic composite stiffening member that defines a T-section. The stiffening member includes a web portion, at least one flange portion, a radius region disposed between the web portion and the at least one flange portion, and a skin member that is secured to the at least one flange portion and the radius region. The composition is a pliable mixture of refractory particles, plasticizers, silica-yielding polymers, and solvents that is applied along the radius region.
US07972426B2	Printed security mark Embodiments of a printed security mark and a process are disclosed.
US07972420B2	Hydrogen-processing assemblies and hydrogen-producing systems and fuel cell systems including the same Hydrogen-processing assemblies, components of hydrogen-processing assemblies, and fuel-processing and fuel cell systems that include hydrogen-processing assemblies. The hydrogen-processing assemblies include a hydrogen-separation assembly positioned within the internal volume of an enclosure in a spaced relation to at least a portion of the internal perimeter of the body of the enclosure.
US07972413B2	Precious metal recovery from solution A method for recovering precious metals such as gold and silver from aqueous solution as solid is described The method includes mixing an aqueous solution (e.g, thiosulfate or thiocyanate lixiviant) containing precious metals with ferrous ions in the presence of an effective amount of hydroxide ions. The precious metal ions are reduced and co-precipitate with iron hydroxides and/or hydrated iron oxides The co-precipitate is collected and purified. De-oxygenation of the reaction solution is optional. The recover/method is fast, complete and clean.
US07972412B2	Process for recovering platinum group metals from ores and concentrates A method for recovering at least one platinum group metal (PGM) species from a feed product selected from the group consisting of chromite ore, chromite ore concentrate and PGM concentrate comprising the steps of: mixing the feed with at least one salt so as to produce a mixture, whereby the concentration of salt in the mixture is sufficient to convert at least one PGM species into a corresponding PGM chloride salt; and contacting the mixture with gaseous chlorine and CO at a temperature between about 240° C. and 800° C. to induce the conversion of at least one species of PGM into a solid material containing a corresponding PGM chloride salt, whereby said chloride salt of at least one PGM species can be recovered.
US07972405B2	Air cleaner arrangements; serviceable filter elements; and, methods An air cleaner arrangement or assembly is provided. The air cleaner arrangement includes a serviceable filter cartridge. The air cleaner assembly also includes an arrangement for positioning the filter cartridge into a preferred, sealing, orientation and for securing the filter cartridge in that location. Preferred serviceable filter cartridges are provided, as well as methods of assembly and use.
US07972401B2	Air intake filter assembly An air intake filter assembly for filtering air flowing from a front end to a rear end includes a housing, a first filter stage, and a second filter stage. The filter stages are insertable in and removable from the housing. A latch is movable between a latched position in which the first filter stage is secured to the housing, and an unlatched position in which the first filter stage is not secured to the housing. A hinge is formable between the housing and the first filter stage, and the hinge allows the first filter stage to pivot with respect to the housing when the latch is in the unlatched position. When the first filter stage and the second filter stage are inserted in the housing and the latch is in the latched position, then the first filter stage is compressed against the second filter stage, which is compressed against the housing.
US07972399B2	Fabric filter with fluidised dust-bed, and a method of maintaining it A fabric filter (1) has at least a first compartment (2) and a second compartment (4). A hopper (42) is adapted for fluidisation of dust collected in the compartments (2, 4) to form a bed (52) of fluidised dust. A partition wall (62) is located between the compartments (2, 4) to separate them from each other. A passage (68) is formed at a lower end (66) of the partition wall (62) such that fluidised dust may pass through said passage (68). The partition wall (62) is arranged to extend into the bed (52) of fluidised dust for forming a seal (74) even when one of the compartments (2, 4) has been shut off. When shutting off a compartment (4) the inlets and outlets to that compartment (4) are closed and the dust in the hopper (42) is fluidised to provide a seal (74) between the compartments (2, 4).
US07972394B2	Selective methanation reactor for reducing carbon monoxide in a reformate stream A method of operating a methanation reactor to reduce carbon monoxide concentration in a reformate stream in a fuel cell reformer. The reactor includes a flowpath with a noble metal catalyst supported by a ceramic support such that the reactor preferentially converts carbon monoxide via methanation over that of carbon dioxide. The reduced level of carbon monoxide present in the reformate stream after passing through the methanation reactor reduces the likelihood of poisoning of the catalyst used on the fuel cell anode.
US07972392B2	Fuel preparation The invention relates to a fuel preparation for use in diesel engines consisting of plant oil mono-alcohol esters and up to 20 weight percent linear and branched paraffins and olefins of chain length C5-C11 and alcohols of chain length C2-C8, whereby the paraffins, olefins and alcohols are obtained by means of gasification of biomass and subsequent Fischer-Tropsch synthesis not involving any processing of the Fischer-Tropsch fraction by means of hydrogenating procedures and the preparation has a flash point >55° C. and a density >820 kg/m3.
US07972390B2	Methods for controlling crystal growth, crystallization, structures and phases in materials and systems This invention relates to novel methods for affecting, and/or directing various crystal formation, structure formation or phase formation/phase change reaction pathways or systems by exposing one or more components in a holoreaction system to at least one spectral energy pattern. In a first aspect of the invention, at least one spectral energy pattern can be applied to a crystallization reaction system. In a second aspect of the invention, at least one spectral energy conditioning pattern can be applied to a conditioning reaction system. The spectral energy conditioning pattern can, for example, be applied at a separate location from the reaction vessel (e.g., in a conditioning reaction vessel) or can be applied in (or to) the reaction vessel, but prior to other (or all) crystallization reaction system participants being introduced into the reaction vessel.
US07972388B2	Methods and kits for maintaining the condition of colored hair The present invention provides for kits and methods of treating hair in order to inhibit color fading and/or impart both shine- and condition-enhancing properties to colored hair, comprising a pre-treatment composition, a color-altering composition, a developer composition, a shampoo composition, a conditioner composition, and a post-treatment composition, wherein the post-treatment composition contains at least about 5% by weight of at least one oily component, based on the total weight of the post-treatment composition.
US07972387B2	Composition for dyeing keratin fibers comprising at least one oxidation base and a polyoxyethylenated sorbitan ester The present disclosure relates to a composition for dyeing keratin fibers such as the hair, which comprises, in a suitable medium, at least one oxidation base, optionally at least one coupler and at least one polyoxyethylenated sorbitan ester with a number of moles of ethylene oxide of less than or equal to 10. Such a composition makes it possible to conserve a strong coloration, while at the same time limiting the discomfort that may be experienced on the scalp at the time of application of the dye composition or after this application.
US07972381B2	Spinal implant surface configuration with a projection having a back cut The present invention is a specialized implant having opposed surfaces for engaging each of the vertebral bodies adjacent a disc space into which the implant is implanted. The surface comprises arrayed projections having at least one forward facing facet directed at least in part toward the leading end of the implant and at least one rearward portion directed at least in part toward the opposite trailing end of the implant. Each of the forward facet and rearward portion has a length and a slope. The length of the forward facet is longer than the length of the rearward facet. The slope of the rearward facet is steeper than the slope of the forward facet. The surface projections also have opposed side facets directed generally toward the sides of the implant. The side facets are located between the forward facet and rearward facet and converge toward each other in a direction away from the base of the surface projections. The surface may also include projections having left and right forward side facets and a rearward facet. The surface further may include projections having left and right rearward side facets and a forward facet.
US07972378B2	Stents for prosthetic heart valves A stented valve including a stent structure including a generally tubular body portion that has a first end and a second end, wherein an area adjacent the first end has a first stiffness, an area adjacent the second end has a second stiffness, and a central region between the areas at the first and second ends has a third stiffness that is less than the stiffness adjacent the first and second ends, wherein the stent structure can be reconfigured in its central area to match a curved patient anatomical region. The stented valve further includes a valve structure attached within the generally tubular portion.
US07972375B2	Endoprostheses including metal matrix composite structures An endoprosthesis that includes a composite having a metal matrix and a plurality of stiffening particles in the matrix. The metal of the metal matrix can include titanium, niobium, tantalum, or alloys thereof. The stiffening particles can include a metal core and a thin surface layer. The thin surface layer can include oxides, carbides, nitrides, or combinations thereof.
US07972373B2	Balloon expandable bioabsorbable stent with a single stress concentration region interconnecting adjacent struts An expandable, implantable medical device, such as an intraluminal stent fabricated from polymeric materials, includes a plurality of elongated struts in consecutive series and alternating stress concentration junctions interconnecting ends of adjacent struts. When the stent is in an expanded condition, the adjacent struts form expanded substantial V-shapes and stresses are concentrated within the junctions. The junctions define pivot points for the respective attached, adjacent struts. Each of the pivot points is located substantially on a line bisecting the V-shapes formed by the struts, when the stent is expanded.
US07972370B2	Stent graft system and method of use A stent graft system and method of use includes a stent graft for fixation at an attachment site with graft material defining at least one opening having an opening perimeter; a support attached to the graft material; a guide rail attached around the opening perimeter; and a helical anchor having a plurality of coils with a point at one end. The plurality of coils are rotatable around the guide rail to cause the pointed end of the coils to penetrate the graft material and the adjacent tissue in contact with the stent graft to sew the stent graft to the attachment site.
US07972369B2	Method for delivering a luminal prosthesis An embodiment of the invention provides a prosthesis delivery system comprising a delivery catheter having an expandable member and a prosthesis carried over the expandable member. The prosthesis includes a radially expandable scaffold section and at least two anchors extending axially from an end thereof; and means for capturing at least the anchors to prevent the anchors from divaricating from the expandable member as the catheter is advanced through a patient's vasculature.
US07972367B2	Device and method using integrated neuronal cells and an electronic device The present invention provides a device of integrated neuronal cells interfaced with an electronic device and a method of producing the same.
US07972366B2	Bone plate and screw retaining mechanism A bone plate assembly utilizing at least one bone screw for fixation of adjacent bones of a spine including a base plate having at least one aperture extending therethrough and screw retaining mechanism mounted and movable on the plate between locked and unlocked positions relative to the aperture for preventing the bone screw from backing out from the base plate. Furthermore, a device for placement into an aperture of a base plate including a screw retaining mechanism mountable and movable on a plate between locked and unlocked positions relative to an aperture for preventing a bone screw from backing out from the base plate.
US07972362B2	Wound closure product A wound closure system and a method of closing a wound are disclosed. The wound closure system includes a plurality of skin anchors mechanically attached to external skin tissue around a periphery of a wound, a line extending between the skin anchors, the line slidably engaged with each skin anchor, and a biasing member that provides tension on the line to draw all of the skin anchors toward the wound. The method of closing a wound includes the steps of attaching a plurality of skin anchors to external skin around a periphery of a wound, extending a line between the skin anchors around substantially the entire periphery of the wound, and providing tension to the line to draw the skin anchors toward the wound.
US07972360B2	Method for use in repairs of injured soft tissue A method, system and apparatus for augmenting the surgical repair of soft tissue injuries, in which a first end of a bridge member attaches to a first portion of healthy tissue, and a second end of the bridge member attaches to a second portion of healthy tissue. The bridge member (or bridge members) used to augment the soft tissue repair may be interconnected or function independently. Flexibility and elasticity of the bridge member are determined by the situation and may be altered to improve healing. The device may be used in arthroscopic procedures, and may be manufactured in a variety of lengths, or may be manufactured one length and be cut to the desired length, or otherwise altered to provide an optimal length of the bridge member.
US07972358B2	Apparatus for sealing a puncture by causing a reduction in the circumference of the puncture Apparatus is provided for sealing a vascular puncture by causing a reduction in the circumference of the puncture tract through delivery of a closure agent into tissue surrounding the puncture tract. A resultant inflammatory response and volumetric increase cause the tissue to swell into the puncture tract, thereby sealing it.
US07972355B2	Emboli and thrombi filter device and method of using the same A filter basket device includes two shaft wires, a filter basket adapted to capture emboli and thrombi, and an actuation handle. The shaft wires are loosely twisted together so that they remain adjacent to each other, and yet are able to slide relative to each other with little friction and without plastic deformation. One shaft wire is connected to the distal end of the filter basket, and the other shaft wire is connected to the proximal end of the filter basket. The actuation handle moves the shaft wires relative to each other to control opening and closing of the basket. In one embodiment, a guidewire-accepting fitting is attached to a distal portion of the device and permits advancement of the device over a guidewire until a desired location along the guidewire is reached. In another embodiment, the basket is provided with a tip resembling a guidewire.
US07972351B2	Balloon folding design and method and apparatus for making balloons An expandable balloon for a medical device having a static state, at least one first expanded state, and at least one second expanded state, the expandable balloon having a substantially polygonal geometric shape in the static state.
US07972349B2	Blood sampling devices A housing retains a lancet body which encloses a needle whose tip is covered by a cap. The cap has a head provided with flanges. These flanges locate within notches at the end of the housing on only two sides of the housing. The location of the flanges within the notches holds the lancet within the body, before use, so as to compress a spring positioned between a head and a slotted portion of the housing. When the device is to be used, the head of the cap is rotated through 90° so as to detach the cap from the rest of the lancet body and release the flanges from the notches. This allows the lancet body to be actuated by a sprung-loaded trigger-release mechanism, when required, so that the tip of the needle projects momentarily through the opening at the end of the housing and then bounces back.
US07972342B2	Apparatus for deployment of micro-coil using a catheter The apparatus for deployment of a therapeutic device such as a micro-coil detachably mounts the therapeutic device to a distal portion of a pusher member. In one embodiment, the therapeutic device is detachably mounted to the distal portion of the pusher member by a tubular collar that can be heated by a heater such as an electrical resistance coil to expand the collar and release and deploy the therapeutic device. The apparatus for deployment of a therapeutic device such as a micro-coil may also provide for a pusher member and a connector fiber for securing the therapeutic device to the pusher member. The connector fiber passes through a heater within the distal portion of the pusher member, for heating and breaking the connector fiber to release the therapeutic device when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved.
US07972339B2	Syringe for biomaterial An injector device for percutaneously injecting biomaterial in the form of particles of different sizes or in the form of paste includes a trocar (12) of generally cylindrical shape presenting a open first end with a sharp edge, the wall of the first end presenting at least one orifice (36, 38) for passing the biomaterial, and a second end (42) that is likewise open; a reservoir (14) for receiving the biomaterial, the reservoir including a part (20) of substantially cylindrical shape having two open ends, the cylindrical part being capable of being inserted at least in a portion of the trocar via the second end thereof; removable plugs for closing both ends of the reservoir; and a piston (16) insertable in the cylindrical part when the plugs are removed, the piston being capable of sliding in the cylindrical part and in the first end of the trocar.
US07972338B2	Self-supporting osteotomy guide and retraction device and method of use An improved osteotomy guide and retraction device for use during the performance of bunionectomies, whereby the improved device provides a self-supporting instrument that does not require independent fastening means to secure the device in the desired position at the surgical site, and a method of use of the device.
US07972337B2	Devices and methods for bone anchoring Embodiments of the invention relate generally to tissue anchors and methods of delivering same to the intervertebral disc or other sites within the body. In some embodiments, the anchors provide pull-out resistance, stability and/or maximize contact with tissue involving a minimum amount of penetration. In some embodiments, delivery methods are minimally invasive and include linear, lateral, and off-angle implantation or driving of anchors along, against or within tissue surfaces.
US07972336B2	Methods for treating fractures of the femur and femoral fracture devices The present invention relates to methods and devices for treating femoral fractures, wherein a polyaxial cross member is employed to accommodate a wide range of angles and anteversions/retroversions in the femur, and different securing mechanisms can also be employed to hold and retain such polyaxial cross member in place at the desired orientation.
US07972335B2	Coaptive tissue fusion method and apparatus with current derivative precursive energy termination control Biological tissue is sealed or fused to occlude an opening by compressing apposite sidewall portions of the tissue and applying sufficient energy to cause the fibers of the compressed apposed sidewall portions to intertwine and fuse with one another to form a permanent seal. The energy application is controlled by detecting a precursor fusion condition while applying the energy and before sufficient energy has been applied to achieve a permanent seal. The application of energy is terminated in a time-delayed relationship to the detection of the precursor fusion condition. The precursor fusion condition is detected from derivative values of an envelope established by peak values of cycles of high-frequency current conducted through the tissue.
US07972334B2	Coaptive tissue fusion method and apparatus with energy derivative precursive energy termination control Biological tissue is sealed or fused to occlude an opening by compressing apposite sidewall portions of the tissue and applying sufficient energy to cause the fibers of the compressed apposed sidewall portions to intertwine and fuse with one another to form a permanent seal. The energy application is controlled by detecting a precursor fusion condition while applying the energy and before sufficient energy has been applied to achieve a permanent seal. The application of energy is terminated in a time-delayed relationship to the detection of the precursor fusion condition. The precursor fusion condition is detected from derivative values of the total accumulated amount of high-frequency energy conducted through the tissue.
US07972333B2	High frequency incision tool for endoscope A high-frequency incision tool for endoscope comprises a sheath inserted through and extracted from a treatment tool guide lumen of an endoscope; an operation unit connected to the rear of the sheath; a pair of electrode blades disposed in parallel and oriented forward at the front position of the sheath, the pair of electrode blades opening forward and closing back through remote manipulation of the operation unit; and a planar portion provided at the tip of at least one of the electrode blades, the planar portion having a projected area, when viewed from the front, larger than the cross sectional areas of the electrode blades at a portion close to their front ends.
US07972331B2	Electrosurgical instrument with opposing jaws, central knife, and barbs for maintaining clamping tension on tissue even after opening jaws The invention concerns an electrosurgical instrument comprising two articulated limbs, which can be actuated in the manner of a cutting or a clamping tool. The instrument further comprises opposing electrode parts with coagulating surfaces at the distal ends of the limbs for grasping a vessel or tissue and for conducting a coagulating current through the vessel or tissue in order to cause it to coagulate, as well as current-supplying devices for supplying the coagulating current to the electrode parts from a HF generator. In addition, the electrode parts each have at least one clamping region, such that clamped tissue is pretensioned between the electrode parts in order that a cutting procedure can be carried out on the pretensioned tissue by means of a cutting instrument.
US07972329B2	Electrosurgical generator and method for cross-checking output power The functionality and the output power delivered are evaluated in an electrosurgical generator by calculating first and second values related to the output power delivered by using separate first and second computations. The two calculated values are compared, and an error condition is indicated when the two values differ by a predetermined amount. The separate computations, coupled with the other separate activities of measuring, averaging and sampling the output current and voltage measurements, serve as an effective basis for detecting errors caused by malfunctions or equipment failure. The error condition may be used to as a basis to terminate the output power delivery or indicate the error.
US07972327B2	Low temperature lesion formation apparatus, systems and methods Low temperature lesion formation apparatus, systems and methods. The apparatus includes a base member and an inflatable element carried by the base member.
US07972317B2	Absorbent article The absorbent article provides a signal viewable from the top surface of the absorbent article which gives a perception of depth within the absorbent article. This creation of depth perception is accomplished by the use of at least two tones within a color and/or by the use of multiple tones and multiple colors operating together to create a perception of depth within the absorbent article.
US07972316B2	Disposable diaper A disposable diaper (1) has a waist opening portion and a pair of leg opening portions and contains an absorbent body including a topsheet and an absorbent core. The absorbent core (4) is composed of a central absorbent member (41) and a pair of side absorbent members (42) disposed on both sides of the central absorbent member (41). The central absorbent member (41) is discrete from the side absorbent members (42) in at least the crotch portion (C). Each side absorbent member has a raising elastic member which is provided near its outboard edge along the longitudinal direction, so that the side absorbent member (42) rises while worm. The diaper is configured to exert a higher wearing pressure in its regions (91) that are to be applied to a wearer's body part between the iliac crests and the anterior superior iliac spines than in its waist opening portion while worn.
US07972313B2	Spring clip safety IV catheter A safety IV catheter includes a unitary, resilient needle guard received in a catheter hub. The needle guard includes a proximal arm or wall that includes an opening through which a needle passes for axial movement. When the needle is retracted from the catheter, it releases the force that had previously prevented movement of the needle guard within the catheter hub. This in turn causes the needle guard to snap into a position in which it is clamped onto the needle shaft and in which its distal wall blocks access to the needle tip. In this condition, the spring needle guard and needle can be removed from the catheter hub. A slot or crimp may be formed in the needle shaft that engages with the needle guard after the protected needle and needle guard are removed from the catheter hub, thereby to prevent removal of the protected needle from the needle guard.
US07972309B2	Needle assembly A blood collection set including a non-patient needle assembly interconnected with an intravenous needle assembly through tubing is provided. The non-patient needle assembly includes a hub assembly adapted for mounting with a blood collection set, and an internal blunting member including a blunted tip. The non-patient needle assembly further includes an external cannula concentric with the internal blunting member and including a non-patient puncture tip adjacent the blunted tip. The external cannula is axially displaceable with respect to the hub assembly between a first retracted position in which the non-patient puncture tip extends beyond the blunted tip and a second activated position in which blunted tip extends beyond the non-patient puncture tip.
US07972305B2	Drug supply system for CED (convection-enhanced delivery) catheter infusions A drug supply system for CED (convection-enhanced delivery) catheter infusions is provided, the system including a drug conducting system having a drug depot and a catheter supply line and a conveying device that provides for conveying the drug from the drug depot into the catheter supply line. The drug conducting system is a system that is closed to the outside in a fluidic seal The drug supply system further includes a conveying fluid conveying system arranged between the conveying device and the drug supply system and is connected to the conveying device and to the drug depot, via a drug displacement element, without fluid-drug contact.
US07972304B2	Syringe with disabling mechanism Syringe assemblies having a passive disabling system to prevent reuse are provided. According to one or more embodiments, the syringe assembly comprises a barrel, plunger rod and stopper wherein the plunger rod further comprises a flexible protrusion that locks the plunger rod within the barrel. Certain embodiments further include a frangible portion on the plunger rod that breaks when reuse is attempted. One or more embodiments include a plunger rod and stopper attachment that prevents disassembly of the syringe assembly prior to use. Syringe assemblies of one or more embodiments also include visual indicators or markers indicating whether a syringe assembly is used or the plunger rod is locked within the barrel.
US07972303B2	Syringe with disabling mechanism Syringe assemblies having a passive disabling system to prevent reuse are provided. In one embodiment, the passive disabling system activates after completion of an injection cycle. An exemplary syringe assembly incorporates a stopper and plunger rod attached in a manner to prevent users from disassembling the syringe prior to completion of the injection cycle. The barrel may also include an annular extension or collar that extends from the proximal end of the barrel. In a specific configuration, the annular extension at least partially envelopes a portion of the thumb press to prevent the user from accessing the thumb press and moving the plunger rod in a proximal direction Syringe assemblies of one or more embodiments also include visual indicators or markers indicating whether a syringe assembly is used or the plunger rod is locked within the barrel.
US07972302B2	Syringe with disabling mechanism Syringe assemblies having a passive disabling system to prevent reuse are provided. According to one or more embodiments, the syringe assembly comprises a barrel, plunger rod and stopper wherein the plunger rod further comprises a locking protrusion that locks the plunger rod within the barrel. Certain embodiments further include a frangible portion on the plunger rod that breaks when reuse is attempted. One or more embodiments include a plunger rod and stopper attachment that prevents disassembly of the syringe assembly prior to use. Syringe assemblies of one or more embodiments also include visual indicators or markers indicating whether a syringe assembly is used or the plunger rod is locked within the barrel.
US07972299B2	Balloon catheter with deflation mechanism A balloon catheter including an inflatable balloon affixed to a catheter. The proximal end of the balloon is fixedly connected to the distal end of the catheter, and the distal end of the balloon is supported by stiffening member that extends distally from the distal end of the catheter and through the interior of the balloon. The distal end of the catheter comprises one or more apertures that are in fluid communication with an inflation lumen extending through the catheter. A deflation mechanism is disposed about the stiffening member and is configured to facilitate the flow of an inflation fluid through the interior volume of the balloon and towards the aperture.
US07972296B2	Fluid component analysis system and method for glucose monitoring and control Disclosed are methods and apparatus for determining analyte concentration in a sample such as bodily fluid. Systems and methods disclosed herein can also include a treatment dosing system to infuse or inject a treatment drug (e.g. insulin or glucose) and provide glycemic control. The dose of the treatment drug may be based on the concentration of the analyte or the average value for the concentration of the analyte and/or the rate of change of the value of the concentration of the analyte.
US07972293B2	Nasal fluid relief plug A nasal plug for preventing excessive fluid discharge from a nasal passage includes a plug element fabricated from an absorbent material. The plug element has a size and configuration adapted and constructed to fit into a human nasal passage. A shaft portion extends from the plug element. The shaft portion is formed as an extension of the plug element and is fabricated from the same material as the plug element. A flexible sheathing is provided on the shaft portion.
US07972290B1	Dynamic foot-arch support system and associated methods A dynamic foot-arch support device for dynamically supporting the arch and structures of the human foot throughout phases of the biomechanical movement of the foot during weight-bearing activities is provided. A dynamic foot-arch support device for supporting the arch and structures of a foot is provided that includes a support band having an upper end and a lower end, the support band forming a loop at the upper end through which to place a foot and position the loop around or just below an ankle portion of the foot, the lower end configured to wrap from an inside area of the ankle portion of the foot and rotate to an underside of the foot for secure attachment below the underside of the foot, the support band thereby configured to provide a tension to support to an arch area of the foot.
US07972289B2	Blood-draw finger restraint An apparatus for drawing blood from a finger includes a flexible band, at least a portion of which is adapted to surround a portion of a finger. A remaining portion of the apparatus is disposed under at least one joint of the finger. The apparatus provides sufficient strength along its longitudinal length to restrict a child or other person from excessively bending the joint when the finger restraint is in position. After a puncture is provided near the tip of the finger, the apparatus is then squeezed to help force an additional quantity of blood to flow out through the puncture. After the blood sample is taken, the apparatus continues to “restrain” the finger until a required bandage is applied. A few of the many possible modifications are also shown.
US07972287B2	Heat transfer cuff The present invention is directed to a device that provides thermal energy therapy, compression therapy and negative pressure therapy simultaneously and/or in conjunction with each therapy. The outcome of the present invention is that a patient's bodily fluids can be maintained, controlled, and/or adjusted with decreased medication dependence. Using these three therapies individually does not obtain these desired results of controlling, maintaining or adjusting the patient's bodily fluid. This combination of therapies is beneficial to the patient.
US07972281B2	Lancet sensor assembly and meter A method of obtaining a test sample from a specimen using a lancet system includes engaging a lancet driver against a drive wing of a lancet system, the lancet system having a major portion of a lancet member slidably engaged within a lancet carrier and a sensor strip with a sample chamber attached to the lancet carrier, the lancet system having a lance connected to a first end of a lancet body of the lancet member wherein the lance is movable from a retracted position within the lancet carrier to an extended position outside the lancet carrier, the drive wing extending outwardly and transversely from the lancet body, the major portion of the lancet member having a sinuous portion with a distal end restricted from movement by the lancet carrier, the sinuous portion being non-compressible when initially disposed within the lancet carrier wherein the drive wing prevents the sinuous portion from being compressed, moving the drive wing with the lancet driver a predetermined distance causing the lancet tip to move from the retracted position to the extended position, and disengaging the lancet driver from the drive wing, the lance being automatically moved from the extended position to the retracted position.
US07972279B2	Method and system for managing patient data The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for managing patient data. In one aspect, the invention relates to a system for managing patient data having many instruments. The instruments have a sampling member for sampling a body fluid from a patient and are in direct communication with at least one other instrument.
US07972270B2	Ultrasound imaging apparatus and method having two dimensional focus An ultrasound imaging apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe configured to transmit an ultrasonic beam to an object and receive a reflective ultrasonic signal, a controller configured to control the ultrasonic probe such that the ultrasonic beam is focused on focus positions in at least two directions, each of which is substantially perpendicular to a transmission and reception direction, an image generation unit configured to generate an ultrasonic image based on the reflective ultrasonic signal and a display unit configured to display the at least two focus positions or the focus position in the direction which is substantially perpendicular to the ultrasonic image with the ultrasonic image.
US07972269B2	Ultrasonographic device and ultrasonographic method An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus including: a tomogram forming means forming a tomogram of a diagnosis portion of an examinee by transmitting/receiving an ultrasound wave to/from the examinee via an ultrasound probe; color Doppler image forming means forming a color Doppler image based on a Doppler signal obtained from the diagnosis portion; image processing means performing image processing on the tomogram and the color Doppler image; and display means displaying images obtained by the image processing means, the tomogram and the color Doppler image being color displayed on the display means, wherein the image processing means causes the color Doppler image to be displayed transparently.
US07972267B2	Diabetes management system A method of diabetes management, comprising (a) providing a glucose meter in communication with a portable microprocessor-based unit; (b) transmitting blood glucose level data into the hand-held microprocessor-based unit from the blood glucose meter; (c) running a program of instructions on the portable microprocessor-based unit or the glucose meter or both; (d) inputting data based upon the blood glucose level data as input data for the program of instructions; and (e) providing a signal to inject insulin when the blood glucose level data indicates.
US07972264B2	Plug body for endoscope An endoscope plug body comprises a plug frame, a lid member and a plug member and shuts off an inside of a treatment instrument insertion channel from an outside. The plug frame is provided with annular projection portions, a plug body destruction portion and a plug-frame destruction operation portion. A flange portion is arranged between the annular plug portions and fitted to a base of the endoscope. The plug body destruction portion and the plug-frame destruction operation portion releases the lock state by destruction. The plug frame is cylindrical and communicates with a pipe line disposed inside the endoscope. The lid member is separate from the plug frame and has a lid portion disposed at an opening at the other end of the plug frame. The plug member is separate from the plug frame, formed of an elastic member and has a plug-member treatment instrument insertion portion.
US07972256B2	Folder with multiple-motor drive A folder includes a first cylinder having at least one first gripper for holding signatures and at least one tucker for tucking the signatures to define a first fold, a second cylinder having at least one first jaw for holding the signatures at the first fold, a first motor driving the at least one first gripper, and a second motor separate from the first motor, the second motor driving the at least one tucker of the first cylinder and the at least one first jaw of the second cylinder.
US07972252B1	Ergonomic tool lifting machine and method An ergonomic tool lifting machine and method particularly useful for manipulating a machine tool or another heavy object. In one embodiment of the invention, the machine tool is a large milling cutter. The ergonomic tool lifting machine generally includes an articulating arm attached at a fixed end to a vertical lift mechanism, and at a free end to a grasping device or tool holder adapted for gripping and retaining an object of interest. When the object is a milling cutter, the ergonomic tool lifting machine may be used to transfer the cutter between a stored position and an installed position in a milling machine. Consequently, the tool holder of this embodiment is preferably able to rotate between a pick-up/drop-off position and an installation/removal position associated with the cutter. In general, the ergonomic tool lift machine allows heavy loads to be accurately moved with very little effort required on the part of an operator.
US07972249B1	Gym apparatus A gym apparatus combining a plurality of cardiovascular exercise machines such as a bike system with weight training machines allowing a user to have many different types of exercise equipment and maintain it in a small space. The apparatus features a housing, an extendable Pilates seat component, a foldable wrist exercise, a bike system, a retractable chin up bar; power barbells in the inner cavity of the housing; and a foldable power barbell bar operatively connected to the power barbells via a pulley system.
US07972248B2	Stationary exercise apparatus A stationary exercise device with a frame including a base, a front portion, and a back portion, a rail joined to the front portion and back portion including a portion of the rail that is spaced apart from and above the base, first and second supporting members linked to the frame to rotate about a first axis, first and second swing member connected to the rail to pivot about a swing axis, first and second control links pivotally connected to the first and second control members, and first and second pedals respectively connected to the first and second control links.
US07972242B2	Vehicle trajectory control system Systems and methods for controlling a throttle plate to adjust airflow to the engine are provided. A transmission having an input speed and an output speed and including a clutch and a driver-selectable transmission lever is controlled to adjust engine speed to a synchronous speed in a future gear ratio in response to driver foot pedal positions and driver-selectable transmission lever positions.
US07972233B2	Bearing roller chain A bearing roller chain which is sealed by a seal mechanism which prevents entry of foreign substances from the outside and leakage of lubricating oil leakage from the inside to the outside, resulting in an improvement in wear resistance of the bearing roller and avoidance both of rotation failure of the roller and of increased traveling resistance of the chain. A seal mechanism is provided between an inner link plate of a bearing roller chain and a bearing roller assembly carried by the link plate. The bearing roller assembly is formed by a plurality of anti-friction rollers between a hollow roller and a bush. The seal mechanism comprises an inner annular oil seal member, a spacer and a disk-shaped seal member having a flange extended toward an outer side surface of the hollow roller loosely into an outer circumferential concave groove on an end surface of the hollow roller. The disk-shaped seal member slidably comes into close contact with the inner link plate and the spacer, respectively. The flange and concave groove form a labyrinth structure protecting the inner annular seal member from entry of foreign substances from the outside. The annular seal has a plurality of lips supplementing the labyrinth seal structure.
US07972231B2	Pulley assembly A pulley assembly having first and second members. The first member is capable of cooperating with a power transmission belt to drive/be driven by the belt. The first member is movable guidingly relative to the second member around a first axis. A coil spring has a length and a circumference and a first portion attached to the first member and a second portion attached to the second member so that a force tending to move the first/second member around the first axis is transmitted through the coil spring to the second/first member. At least one of the first and second members has a groove bounded by a surface into which the respective portion of the coil spring is fit. The respective portion of the coil spring is clamp fit within the groove.
US07972229B2	Baseball bat A novel baseball or softball bat is disclosed. The bat has a handle of a heavy, strong wood such as hickory, to resist breakage, and a barrel of a lighter wood such as sapele, to facilitate a controlled and comfortable swing. Methods for making the bat are also disclosed. It may be formed of a plurality of wedge-shaped pieces of wood, and the two species of wood may be joined by interleaving these wedges over part of the bat's length.
US07972222B2	Iron golf club heads and golf club sets with variable weight distribution Described herein are iron golf club heads and sets of iron golf clubs that have variable weight distribution. Each iron golf club head has a cavity and a groove with a raised portion disposed therein. The groove and the raised portion can deepen the center of mass depth and lengthen the effective face length of the iron golf club. The width of the groove may vary between each golf club in a set of iron golf clubs, such that the width of the groove of the long irons is greater that the width of the groove of the middle irons, and the width of the groove of the middle irons is greater than the width of the optional groove of the short irons. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and discussed.
US07972219B1	Rotary game table A rotary game table includes a combination game table, two side support members, and at least one cross member. The combination game table includes a pool table surface formed on one side and an air powered hockey table surface, a gaming surface or a table soccer game formed on the opposite side. The at least one cross member is terminated on each end by a single side support member. The combination game table is pivotally retained by a side support member on each end thereof. To pivotally constrain the combination game table, at least one locking pin device is used; in a second embodiment at least two pivotal support arms; and in a fourth embodiment a pair of support latches. A third embodiment includes at least one side support member configured to retain a plurality of game accessories.
US07972212B2	Gaming method having dynamically changing image reel symbols A method for dynamically changing the graphical content on mechanical slot machine reels is disclosed herein. The system includes mechanical slot reels, flexible display panels, and data transmission techniques which provide for dynamically updating or changing the graphics on the spinning mechanical reels in a slot machine. In one method for dynamically changing graphical reel content, new image content is placed on the reels at any time, even while the reels are spinning. The method may even be used to give the appearance of rotation to a stationary reel.
US07972208B2	Slot machine and control method of game A slot machine of the present invention comprises: a symbol display device capable of variably displaying a plurality of symbols; an image display device; and a controller, the controller programmed to conduct the processing of: (A) executing a game in which the plurality of symbols are variably displayed and then stop-displayed to the symbol display device after game media are BET in number equal to or less than a previously set maximum number of BETs, and game media are paid out in number according to the plurality of symbols stop-displayed or a combination thereof; (B) shifting a mode from a non-insurance mode to an insurance mode on condition that a predetermined number of game media is inserted; (C) counting the number of games played after shifting to the insurance mode, in the insurance mode; (D) paying out a predetermined number of game media when the number of games counted in the processing (C) reaches a specific number; (E) shifting the mode from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode, when the predetermined number of the game media is paid out in the processing (D); (F) shifting the mode from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode, when a predetermined insurance canceling condition is established before the number of games counted in the processing (c) reaches the specific number; (G) displaying an image showing that the mode is shifted to the non-insurance mode to the image display device, when the mode has been shifted from the insurance mode to the non-insurance mode.
US07972202B2	Portioning device including clamps and a cutting blade The invention relates to a device for dividing a continuous sausage into portions, in particular sausage links. The invention includes at least one pair of opposing clamps which can be moved towards one another by actuation means in order to crush the sausage. Each clamp includes at least a first plate (141, 151) and a second plate (142, 152), each of said plates having front clamping edges (141a, 151a; 142a, 152a) and being arranged such that the front edge of the first and second plates form respectively first (181) and second (182) variable-cross-section passages. The invention also includes at least one blade associated with the pair of clamps, which can be moved transversely to the plates between the first passage and the second passage in order to cut the sausage.
US07972200B2	Abrading wheel with sintered metal core Article and method of making an abrading wheel having a sintered metal core and radially inward openings having curved inner edges to reduce stress in operation and to improve the ability of the wheel to clear residue from the wheel during operation.
US07972194B2	Weld gun tip dressing A method for dressing a pair of weld gun tips on a weld gun controlled by a robot is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: placing an alignment tool in a mounting head of a tip dresser tool, with the alignment tool including a central alignment bore having a diameter corresponding in size to a diameter of the pair of weld gun tips; teaching a robot path to cause the pair of weld gun tips to slide into the central alignment bore while the alignment tool is mounted in the mounting head; removing the alignment tool from the mounting head; inserting a cutter head into the mounting head; using the taught robot path to bring the pair of weld gun tips into contact with the cutter head; and dressing the weld gun tips with the cutter head.
US07972192B2	Curing device and manufacturing method for liquid crystal display A curing device comprises a reaction chamber, a workbench provided at a bottom of the reaction chamber, an ultraviolet lamp provided at the top of the reaction chamber for irradiating the workbench, and a light shielding plate provided under the ultraviolet lamp for shielding the second area of the workbench from the light of the ultraviolet lamp. The workbench comprises a first area and a second area surrounded by the first area, the first area corresponds to a non-display area of a display panel to be produced, and the second area corresponds to the display area of the display panel to be produced. The workbench comprises a heating device.
US07972187B2	Method and apparatus for controlling a water-jet driven marine vessel A method for controlling a marine vessel having a first steering nozzle, a reversing deflector and at least one of a bow thruster and a second steering nozzle is disclosed. The method comprises any of the acts of inducing a net transverse thrust to the marine vessel in response to a transverse thrust component signal, without substantially inducing any forward-reverse thrust or rotational thrust to the marine vessel, or inducing a net forward-reverse thrust to the marine vessel in response to a forward-reverse thrust component signal without substantially inducing any transverse thrust or rotational thrust to the marine vessel, or inducing a net rotational thrust to the marine vessel in response to the rotational thrust component signal without substantially inducing any forward-reverse thrust or transverse thrust to the marine vessel.
US07972186B2	Elastic sheet structure An elastic sheet structure includes a plate portion, two wedged portion formed at opposite sides of the plate portion, and a latching portion formed another side of the plate portion. The wedged portion and the latching portion can be formed by bending two extending portions of the plate portion downwardly, the wedged portion is used to resist with a circuit board, the latching portion is for insertion into a hole of the circuit board to latch with the circuit board.
US07972184B2	Contact for burn-in socket A contact for a burn-in socket electrically connecting an IC package and a printed circuit board, comprises a first contact, a second contact and a spring disposed between the first contact and the second contact. The first contact and the second contacts have a same configuration, and each contact has a U-shaped actuating portion with two legs and a conductive portion extending from one of the legs. The first contact and the second contact are orthogonally assembled together, and the first actuating portion bestrides the second actuating portion to clasp with second actuating portion, so that the conductive portions have an offset therebetween.
US07972181B1	Compound female connector A compound female connector is disclosed in the present invention. It has a first housing for fixing a first terminal set, a second housing for fixing a second set and a third terminal set, a terminal fixer for fixing all terminal sets after the first housing and the second housing are assembled together. The housings are connected together and enclosed by a shell. Each terminal set or the combination of terminal sets can support transmission specifications, such as eSATA, USB2.0 and USB3.0. A three-in-one female connector is provided so that the present invention can provide a single slot for different kinds of connectors. It saves cost and space for electronic products.
US07972179B2	Contact terminal and connector A contact terminal for coming into electric contact with a mating terminal of a mating component, the contact terminal includes a rotating member including protrusions on the surface, the rotating member rotates with an advance of the mating terminal, and a spring member that rotatably supports the rotating member and asserts the rotating member against the advancing mating terminal.
US07972175B2	Coaxial cable connector with threaded post A compression-type coaxial cable connector includes a post with at least one helical thread thereon. A typical coaxial cable includes a dielectric layer and a cable braid. The threaded post engages the coaxial cable between the cable braid and the dielectric layer, and can be installed by screwing the threaded post into the coaxial cable end.
US07972174B2	L-type coaxial connector A housing includes a cylinder portion, a back portion, crimping portions, and supporting portions. The cylinder portion has a first opening, a second opening, and a cut and can be in contact with an external conductor of a receptacle inserted from the first opening. The back unit covers the second opening. Each of the supporting portions is disposed on the cylinder portion. Each of the crimping portions extends from the back portion and is bent so as to face the back portion such that the supporting portion is disposed between the crimping portion and the back portion. An elastic portion is disposed between the crimping portion and the supporting portion.
US07972171B2	Card edge connector A card edge connector comprises a pair of mount members attached to the bottom of the insulating housing thereof. Each mount member comprises a body portion, at least one fitting nail connected to the body portion and configured to be disposed transversely for being soldered on a printed circuit board, and a tab portion connecting to the body portion and configured to be freely insertable into an aperture formed on the printed circuit board.
US07972163B2	Electrical connector having latching mechanism An electrical connector includes a plurality of pins, an isolation body and a latching mechanism. The isolation body includes a receiving part. The receiving part is arranged at a front edge of the isolation body and has a first engaging element. The latching mechanism has a second engaging element engaged with the first engaging element, so that the latching mechanism is fixed onto the isolation body.
US07972162B2	Socket with fixing equipment A socket, adapted for electrically connecting an IC package to a printed circuit board, comprises an insulative housing accommodating a plurality of contacts and a cover pivotally assembled on an end of the insulative housing. The insulative housing has two lateral sides and a base portion disposed between the lateral sides, and each lateral side is formed with two incepting portions on two opposite ends thereof. The cover has two fixing portions extending downwardly from two sides thereof and corresponding to the incepting portions of the insulative housing. When the cover rotates to a close position, the fixing portion of the cover directly latches the incepting portion of the insulative housing to prevent the cover from tilting.
US07972160B2	Adapter for electrical device Provided is an adapter for an electrical device such as a photographing device. In an embodiment, the adapter includes a base frame, a connector that is disposed in the base frame and can be connected to a power input terminal of the electrical device, and a power input jack that is disposed in the base frame and electrically connected to the connector and can be connected to an external power supply device. In yet another embodiment, the power input jack of the previously-mentioned embodiment is replaced with a power input cord having a plug that is configured to interface with an external power supply device such as an AC power outlet.
US07972155B1	Hotstick operable electrical connector with integral bushing well A hotstick operable electrical connector for use in a power distribution system that includes a housing, a well and first and second frustoconical members extending from a surface of the housing. Each frustoconical member has a distal end and an axial bore that extends from the distal end into the housing. The well includes a wall, a base with an aperture and a tapered cavity that extends into the housing from the surface opposite the frustoconical members. The well is adapted to receive a male end of an insert device, such as a feed-thru insert or bushing insert. The aperture provides communication between the cavity and the axial bore of one of the frustoconical members. An electrical contact assembly extends through the aperture between the cavity and the axial bore. The integrally formed well provides a means for direct connection with an insert device without the use of an adapter.
US07972154B2	Rotatable feed Implementations of the invention relate generally to an electrical feed, in particular a CEE feed, for the external supply of electrical power to the power supply system of a mobile load, in particular a mobile home or a recreational vehicle or a boat. This feed can include a) a flange for attaching the feed to and/or in a wall of the mobile load, and b) at least one feed connector for making electrical contact with a coupling, in particular a CEE coupling. Implementations of the invention can make provision for the feed connector to be arranged in the flange in a rotatable manner.
US07972153B1	Electrical connector assembly having pick-up cap with recess receiving the contacts An electrical connector assembly (100) comprises an insulative housing (3), a plurality of contacts (2) received in the insulative housing (3) and a pick-up cap (1) assembled to the insulative housing (3), the contact (2) comprises a base portion (20), a contacting portion (21) extending upwardly from the base portion (20) and a rear portion (23) extending downwardly from the base portion (20), the pick-up cap (1) comprises a flat body portion (10), the body portion (10) comprises an upper surface (101) and a lower surface (102) opposite to each other, the lower surface (102) is supported by the insulative housing (3), a receiving space (1020) recesses from the lower surface (102), and the contacting portions (21) of said contacts (2) project beyond the lower surface (102) into the receiving space (1020).
US07972150B1	Alien crosstalk preventive electrical socket, electrical plug and network cable An alien crosstalk preventive electrical socket, electrical plug and network cable, in which the body, upper back cover, lower back cover and IDC housing of the electrical socket, the insulative jacket, rack and plug body of the electrical plug and the cylindrical outer insulation of the network cable are made of an electrically conductive plastic complex material prepared from a compound of a plastic material and an electrically conductive material, said electrically conductive plastic complex material having high dielectric index and low electrical resistivity characteristics to avoid signal in and signal out and to reducing alien crosstalk, thereby effectively preventing EMI (electromagnetic interference) radiation.
US07972148B2	Male connector and printed board assembly equipped with male connector A new printed board assembly equipped with a male connector is provided. The male connector simplifies a connecting structure at a printed board side while maintaining stability in connection between an external electrical cable and an electrical conductive path on a printed board by being attached to an end of the external electrical cable. A housing contains a male terminal connected to an end of an external electrical cable. While the housing is held on a printed board by a lock means, a biasing means applies a biasing force to the male terminal, so that the male terminal is pressed onto and connected to an electrical conductive path on the printed board.
US07972143B2	Printed circuit assembly A printed circuit assembly includes a base printed circuit having a printed circuit receiving area and a plurality of electrical contacts provided on the printed circuit receiving area. The printed circuit assembly also includes a secondary printed circuit having a secondary substrate including a mating edge and a plurality of secondary contacts provided along the mating edge. The secondary printed circuit is mounted on the base printed circuit such that the mating edge of the secondary printed circuit is directly engaged with the base printed circuit at the printed circuit receiving area. Each of the secondary contacts is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the electrical contacts of the base printed circuit.
US07972139B2	Training device for forcibly opening a locked door A training device for training the techniques of forcible entry through a locked door includes a door having an inner vertical edge, the door being hingedly mounted within a door frame for swinging movement between closed and open positions, the door frame including a hollow vertical jamb having a vertical surface adjacent the inner vertical edge of the door and an opening in the vertical surface communicating with the hollow. A pin projects from the door and is received within the opening in the jamb. When the door is in the closed position the pin is clamped by a pair of vertically opening and closing hinged jaws, the jaws being operable within the hollow between open and closed positions and being biased into the closed position by compression springs.
US07972136B2	Oral irrigation and/or brushing devices and/or methods An oral hygiene device having, in one embodiment, a unique, peristaltic pump water streaming or jet action; and in another embodiment, a multi-headed toothbrush may also be disposed on the end of a handle on which the jet nozzle or nozzles are disposed.
US07972132B2	Injection molding valve gated hot runner nozzle A valve gated hot runner nozzle with at least two transition members made of different materials located between a nozzle tip and a mold gate component to provide a thermal transition region. A first transition member in contact with the nozzle tip is less thermally conductive than a second transition member in contact with the mold gate component. The valve pin when in the closed position makes sealing contact with at least the second transition member such that cooling from the mold gate component is transferred to the valve pin to cool the melt in the mold gate area.
US07972131B2	Plastification and injection unit with back-flow barrier A plastification and injection unit in injection-molding machines for processing of polymer materials, for example rubber, has a plastification screw that is disposed so as to rotate in a screw cylinder, which simultaneously represents the injection piston. The screw cylinder is disposed in an injection cylinder, in an axially displaceable manner. The injection cylinder can be connected with the sprue channel of an injection-molding die by way of a nozzle, and the injection piston has a back-flow barrier. The screw is axially displaceable in the screw cylinder by means of a separate drive. The screw tip projects out of the screw cylinder and has a closure body having a sealing surface for contact with the face surface of the screw cylinder.
US07972130B1	Method and apparatus for blowing plastic containers An injection blow molding machine (10) having a core rod (18) against which a parison of a thermoplastic material is formed by injection molding. The core rod is cooled by causing a stream of compressed and conditioned air from an inlet manifold (52) to flow through the core rod. The core rod has an outer annular tube (70) surrounding an inner annular tube (74) and defining an annulus (80) therewith, and the annulus (80) is divided into inlet and outlet flow passages (82, 84) by opposed projections (76, 78) that extend thereinto. Spent cooling air from the core rod is exhausted to an outlet manifold (54) from which it is discharged to atmosphere through a line (42) or recompressed by a compressor (46) and returned to the inlet manifold (52) after reconditioning. The conditioned air has a regulated pressure as a result of passing through a pressure regulator (24), and is heated, if needed, by passing it through a heater (26), or cooled, if needed, by injecting a water spray from a spray nozzle (36) thereinto.
US07972129B2	Compound tooling system for molding applications A compound mold or tooling system is designed to provide an alternative to conventional, expensive, metal molds for various plastics molding applications. The compound mold comprises a replaceable thin-walled liner, or skin-mold, defining the mold surface, temporarily bonded by vacuum means or mechanical means to a conforming backing-mold mold body supported by a rigid backing-plate. Both skin- and backing-molds are composed of suitable polymers with or without additives, fillers, reinforcements or other inclusions depending on mold requirements. The backing-plate contains standard features and fixtures common to all molds used in the particular process or of a particular geometry.
US07972128B2	Mold and process for forming concrete retaining wall blocks A mold and a process for non-manually cleaning the undercut along the bottom edge of the division plate which with a pallet under the mold defines a lip-forming subcavity results in a dry cast concrete block with an inside lip radius that is controlled to be within certain tolerances. Non-manually cleaning the undercut during the molding process can include spraying a jet of fluid, such as compressed air, at the undercut.
US07972126B2	Power steering system hydraulic pump A power steering system hydraulic pump has a pump component which is to be sealed and a first pump cover. A flat sealing element is provided between the pump component which is to be sealed and the first pump cover.
US07972121B2	Limited free-motion pump impeller coupling device A limited free-motion coupling device 10 coupling an impeller 14 to a shaft 16 of a rotor 12, the coupling device 10 comprising first and second parts 20, 22 which are axially engaged for relative angular displacement about a rotational axis A, and two spherical coupling members 24 for engaging the first and second parts 20, 22 to prevent the relative angular displacement. One of the first and second parts 20, 22 is provided on the shaft 16 of the rotor 12, and the other is provided on the impeller 14. The first part 20 comprises two spaced coupling member arms 30 which project radially. The second part 22 comprises a cylindrical wall 66 extending coaxially with the rotational axis A of the coupling device 10. Two spaced arcuate channels 50 are formed in the cylindrical wall 66. Each coupling member 24 is received in and projects radially from a respective arcuate channel 50, and is freely movable between end walls of the arcuate channel 50. As the first part 20, rotates relative to the second part 22, the coupling member arms 30 of the first part 20 engage and move the coupling members 24 along the respective arcuate channels 50 until the coupling members 24 abut the end walls of the arcuate channels 50, thus locking the first part 20 relative to the second part 22.
US07972119B2	Variable displacement compressor A variable displacement compressor includes a housing, a rotary shaft, a swash plate, a suction pressure region, a suction throttle valve, an oil reservoir, a lubricating oil passage, a gas flow passage, a communication passage, and a throttle mechanism. The suction-pressure region includes a suction chamber and a suction passage. The suction throttle valve is arranged in the suction passage and defines an upstream suction-pressure region and a downstream suction-pressure region. The lubricating oil passage connects the oil reservoir to the upstream suction-pressure region. The gas flow passage connects the crank chamber to the suction chamber. The communication passage connects the lubricating oil passage to at least one of the downstream suction-pressure region, the gas flow passage and the crank chamber. The throttle mechanism is provided in the lubricating oil passage between the oil reservoir and a position where the communication passage connects to the lubricating oil passage.
US07972115B2	Moving blade for a turbomachine A turbomachine moving blade without a top platform, the blade including a fastener root (110) surmounted by an airfoil (112) that presents an end face (114), a pressure-side face (116), and a suction-side face, said fastener root and said end face being situated respectively at bottom and top ends of the blade that are spaced apart along the main axis (A) of the blade. The airfoil presents a projecting edge defined between a portion (124) of its end face and a top portion (122) of its pressure-side face, these portions forming between each other a mean edge angle that is strictly less than 90°. The top portion (122) of the pressure-side face is corrugated, and in a section plane perpendicular to the main axis of the blade, it follows an outline formed by an alternating succession of concave curves (129) and convex curves (131).
US07972112B2	Systems and methods for determining the angular position of a wind turbine rotor Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for determining an angular position of a wind turbine rotor. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method for determining an angular position of a wind turbine may include measuring tangential acceleration and radial acceleration of the rotor, measuring speed of the rotor, determining rotational tangential acceleration of the rotor based at least in part on the change of rotor speed over time, determining rotational radial acceleration based at least in part on the rotor speed, adjusting the measured tangential acceleration based at least in part on the determined rotational tangential acceleration, adjusting the measured radial acceleration based at least in part on the determined rotational radial acceleration, and determining an angular position of the rotor based at least on the adjusted tangential acceleration and the adjusted radial acceleration.
US07972110B2	Centrifugal blower A centrifugal blower having a fan including a blade. A scroll casing houses the fan and has a first axial wall portion, a second axial wall portion, and a side wall extending between the first and second axial wall portions. The scroll casing includes a suction port in the first axial wall portion. The scroll casing also defines a scroll start portion and a scroll finish portion. The scroll casing has a scroll radius measured transverse to the rotation axis that changes from the scroll start portion to the scroll finish portion. Also, a maximum radius of the scroll radius is closer to the second axial wall portion than the first axial wall portion.
US07972106B2	Protection device for a turbine stator Protection device (10) for a stator of a gas turbine of the type comprising a series of sectors (12) constrained to each other by connection means, each sector (12) has at least one cavity (14) having a bottom (15), in correspondence with at least one cavity (14), a corresponding sheet (20) equipped with a series of pass-through holes (21) and suitable for covering at least one cavity (14) is fixed on an outer surface of the relative sector (12), each sector (12) is cooled by means of a stream of air coming from the pass-through holes (21) of the corresponding sheet (20) which is passed on the bottom (15) and discharged from at least one outlet hole, the bottom (15) of each sector (12) comprises a series of protuberances (30) to increase the thermal exchange surface and increase the cooling efficiency of the protection device (10).
US07972103B2	Apparatus for transferring settled or suspended solids from an open vessel into a closed vessel Apparatus for transferring settled or suspended solids from an open vessel into a closed vessel, the apparatus comprising a suction line which extends from the closed vessel to the open vessel via drive means, such as a pump or compressor, and a solids feed line which extends from a solids outlet in the open vessel to a solids inlet in the closed vessel, a fluidising apparatus being provided to fluidise the solids in the open vessel.
US07972102B2	Automated marine container terminal and system A storage area is accessed by automated guided vehicles which receive and unload containerized loads. On the waterside, loads are exchanged between the vehicles and ships using quay cranes. On the ground transportation side, loads are exchanged between the vehicles and truck or rail carriers using semi automated or automated remote-controlled bridge cranes. Within the storage area, loads are exchanged between the vehicles and the storage facilities using automated stacking cranes. The vehicles are adapted to receive a cassette storage platform which in turn receives standard ISO containers. The vehicles also are adapted to receive one or more alternative platforms including a coning platform for workers to manage container coning, a reefer access and maintenance platform, and a worker transport platform.
US07972101B2	Fastener A fastener includes a push pin, a plug and an elastic member. The push pin includes a head, a shaft extending from the head, and a clipping foot extending radially from the shaft. Two through receiving holes are defined in the head. A snapping hole is defined in the head and communicates with the receiving holes. The shaft and the clipping foot are between the receiving holes. The plug includes a handle, and two insertion portions extending from the handle. A raised point extends from each of the insertion portions. The insertion portions of the plug can extend through the receiving holes respectively until the raised points are snapped in the snapping hole and the insertion portions extend adjacent to the clipping foot. The elastic member can engage with the push pin to supply an elastic force pointing from the clipping foot to the head to the push pin.
US07972099B2	Self-tensioning tie down system A self-tensioning tie down assembly and safety system for tightening the retaining straps securing cargo on a carrier. Retaining straps are connected to winches connected to the carrier. A ratchet system is used to tighten the winch. A two bar torque linkage has a ratchet arm connectable to the ratchet wheel of the winch via a socket and has a connector arm connected to an actuator. The actuator is connected to a pneumatic/electrical circuit and provides reciprocating linear motion thereby actuating the torque linkage. The torque linkage may be set in a tightening or loosening position. The required tension level of the retaining strap is pre-set. Pressure within the circuit drives the actuator thereby actuating the torque linkage which tightens the strap on the winch until the tension level is reached. Signals are sent to a display panel to indicate when a strap is loose.
US07972093B2	One-way clutch and a clamping structure for a handled tool using the same The present invention discloses a one-way clutch capable of eliminating the phenomenon of “teeth scraping”, comprising: ratchet member, pawl seat, pawl member, control outer sleeve and control member provided with control portion, wherein at least one of the control portion or the pawl member has a first slope capable of being in contact with the other one of the control portion or the pawl member and said pawl member exerts a force towards the second direction on the control portion.
US07972084B2	System for surfactant-based water treatment for irrigated soils The disclosure is directed to methods of making and using a water treatment composition for improved water infiltration during irrigation of agriculture. These methods include combining additives with an aqueous fluid to create a treated irrigation water, wherein the additives comprise a preselected amount of a surfactant and a preselected amount of a displacement ion. The improved infiltration is obtained through a constant, or substantially constant, application of the treated irrigation water to the soil during the irrigation.
US07972083B2	Pile driving A system for aligning a pile during pile driving, comprising: a pile (16) having a laterally protruding coupling (20) for a tether; and a pile guide (10) for supporting the pile as it is driven into a substrate, comprising a base frame (12) and a pile guide member (14) mounted on the base frame (12), the pile guide member (14) having in its periphery a slot (24) which is configured to allow the laterally protruding coupling (20) to pass therealong as the pile (16) passes through the pile guide; wherein the pile and pile guide member comprise two pairs of slidably interfitting profiles (52, 86) which are configured to resist gaping in the slot (24) of the pile guide member (14) as the pile (16) is driven therethrough into the substrate.
US07972081B2	Sea wall system with displaceable and water level actuating components A sea wall system incorporated into a continuous and foundation supported structure, including a plurality of panels which are displaced in either of vertical or horizontal fashion from interior locations associated with the foundation structure. The panels are each constructed of a lightweight and fluid resistant material and are each displaceable from a first retracted position to an extended position, whereby the components collectively establish a heightened water barrier. A fluid communicating opening is defined in the foundation support and, in response to a rising water level, vertically displaces the panels.
US07972080B2	Bank-sided porosity storage reservoirs Natural soils and underlying bedrock typical of channel banks near a river and floodplain system are utilized to improve the economics and efficiency of constructing an underground porosity storage reservoir. A man-made barrier, typically a slurry wall, is keyed into these banks and forms a first portion of a closed boundary for the reservoir. The channel banks between the two ends of the slurry wall form a substantially impermeable natural barrier defining a second portion of the closed boundary for the reservoir, thereby reducing the construction costs on sites appropriate for such a design. Locating the bank-sided porosity storage reservoir over naturally occurring scour regions in the bedrock can greatly increase the storage capacity. By building an embankment and extending the slurry walls higher, an open water storage area can be created on top of the reservoir that is bounded by the elevated slurry wall and the channel bank.
US07972078B2	Power transmission mechanism of shaft and hub A power transmission mechanism of a shaft and a hub, wherein a shaft tooth part comprises a ridge part formed of a crowning with varied tooth thickness, and a hub tooth part comprises a ridge part having tooth thickness formed in a specified linear shape and having an inner diameter varying from the end part thereof to a shaft shank side. A first step part swelling to the hub tooth part is formed in the bottom part of the shaft tooth part, and a second step part recessed in a direction opposite to the shaft tooth part is formed in the ridge part of the hub tooth part. The start point of the first step part and the start point of the second step part are set at positions offset by a specified distance from each other.
US07972076B2	Refillable notebook A binding mechanism assembly for binding a sheet item, the binding mechanism assembly including a backing member having an upper surface, and a binding member directly or indirectly coupled to the backing member. The binding member includes a protrusion shaped and located to protrude through a hole of a sheet item to be bound thereto. The binding member further includes a generally flexible flange that is manually movable into engagement with the protrusion to form a generally closed loop and thereby bind the sheet item thereto. The loop is rotatable relative to the backing member from a first position in which the loop is generally located above the upper surface to a second position wherein at least part of the loop is located below the upper surface. The loop is fixedly and not slidably coupled to the backing member.
US07972072B2	Retractable writing implement To prevent faint writing or writing failure from occurring during a writing operation due to back shock and to reduce shock sound by using a simple structure, a pressure contact member protrudes from one surface or both surfaces on the side of a shaft tube and a knock body so as to come into sliding contact with each other, parts on the side of the shaft tube and the knock body being opposed to each other in a radial direction. Accordingly, even when the part on the side of the knock body retreats with respect to the part on the side of the shaft tube in terms of a releasing operation, a retreat speed of an ink tank becomes slow due to a friction resistance of the pressure contact member, and thus back shock remarkably reduces. As a result, ink does not flow to the ink tank in a reverse direction due to air introduced from a writing tip portion, and shock sound generated when the retreating ink tank returns to a normal position reduces.
US07972069B2	Camera system and camera body A camera body includes a body mount that supports an attachable lens unit, an imaging element that captures an optical image of a subject and generates image data, a shutter unit disposed between the body mount and the imaging element, a protecting plate that has a first condition of shielding an opening of the shutter unit and a second condition of retracting from the opening of the shutter unit, a motor that drives the protecting plate, a power source operable to supply power, and a camera controller that controls the motor before power supply from the power source is stopped, so that the protecting plate is in the first condition when the power supply from the power source is stopped.
US07972066B1	One-piece optical fiber adapter An optical fiber adapter according to the present invention includes a main body, an inner housing and a cover plate. The main body has an axial cavity defined by a first wall, a second wall, a third wall and a fourth wall, wherein the first wall faces the third wall and connects with the second and fourth walls. The axial cavity has two opposing axial openings and is configured to receive the inner housing. An access opening is arranged on the first wall for the inner housing to place within the axial cavity. A plurality of protruding portions is positioned on the second and fourth walls, respectively, wherein each the protruding portion has an indentation formed thereon and facing the access opening. The cover plate is configured to cover the access opening on the first wall of the main body, wherein the cover plate has a plurality of protrusions formed thereon and positioning corresponding to the indentations on the protruding portions of the main body. When the protrusions on the cover plate are melted and the cover plate is brought to cover the access opening, the molten protrusions will bond with the protruding portions of the main body.
US07972064B2	One way valve and container The present invention provides a one way valve having a valve body, a wall, a fluid inlet, and a fluid outlet. The valve has a plunger which is moveable with respect to the valve body from a first position to a second position. The valve also has a diaphragm positioned in the valve body for movement between a third position and a fourth position when the plunger is in the first position. When the diaphragm is in the third position the fluid outlet is closed and when the diaphragm is in the fourth position the fluid outlet is open.
US07972062B2	Optical positioner design in X-ray analyzer for coaxial micro-viewing and analysis An X-ray analyzer includes a sample stage for holding and positioning a sample and an optical positioner assembly configured above the sample stage. The optical positioner assembly includes a body member having an opening; an optical positioner located within the opening; and at least one X-ray optic and an optical viewing lens coupled to a first camera. The at least one X-ray optic and the optical viewing lens are secured to the optical positioner. The optical positioner is configured to align one of the at least one X-ray optic and the optic viewing lens normal to the sample on the sample stage such that the sample is irradiated with X-rays through the X-ray optic along a path which is normal to the sample and coaxial with the optic viewing lens receiving light reflected from the sample when the optic viewing lens is positioned normal to the sample.
US07972053B2	Lighting apparatus A lighting apparatus provided in the form of a bulb for use in a solar lantern or other electrical device. The lighting apparatus includes a hollow light guide with a light reflective layer on the inside. A first and second light source such as an array of LEDs, LECs, etc. is positioned at opposite ends of the hollow light guide such the light emitted by the light sources is directed through the light guide between the inner and outer sidewalls thereof. The first and second light source are connected to a power source such as a battery.
US07972047B2	Headlight unit A headlight unit having a virtual pivot center provided at a position different from a supported position to a vehicle body. Two, upper and lower headlight supporting portions spaced apart from each other are provided at a rear portion of a headlight unit The upper headlight supporting portion on each side includes a guide shaft formed on a support member of a radiator cover and a groove formed on an upper base portion of the headlight unit. The lower headlight supporting portion on each side includes an elongated hole formed through the support member of the radiator cover and a bolt threadedly engaged with a lower base portion of the headlight unit. The guide shaft and the bolt slide in the groove and the elongated hole, respectively, for performing the swing motion of the headlight unit about the virtual pivot center C to perform an adjustment of an optical axis.
US07972046B2	Vehicle lighting device A lighting device of the present invention includes: a first reflecting surface which is an elliptical reflecting surface; a semiconductor-type light source which is disposed at a first focal point of the first reflecting surface; and parabolic reflecting surfaces for controlling reflected light from the first reflecting surface and reflecting the controlled reflected light on a road surface, as predetermined light distribution patterns. The parabolic reflecting surfaces are a plurality of reflecting surfaces which are longitudinally divided into three sections. As a result, longitudinal steps are formed among the three parabolic reflecting surfaces that are longitudinally divided. Thus, if the reflected light from the first reflecting surface is incident to the longitudinal steps, the incident light is reflected in the lateral direction, i.e., in the transverse direction at the steps. In this manner, vertical stray light can be prevented.
US07972040B2	LED lamp assembly The present invention relates to lighting assemblies and more particularly to light emitting diode (LED) light bulbs comprising a support for one or more LED lenses, which can be used to position and support the lenses within the lamp housing and which facilitate assembly of the light bulbs during manufacturing.
US07972034B2	Laser light source, laser light source unit, illumination device, monitor apparatus, and image display apparatus A laser light source includes: a laser array in which plural emitters are arranged; and a submount having first and second surfaces facing in opposite directions. The laser array is provided on the first surface. A distance between the first surface and the second surface of the submount varies along an array arrangement direction of the laser array.
US07972032B2	LED assembly The present invention relates to a light emitting device assembly. Such a LED assembly comprises a plurality of lamp-type light emitting devices, each of said lamp-type light emitting devices having a light output side and side walls. The plurality of lamp-type light emitting devices are directly or indirectly connected to each other via said side walls. The latter allows to obtain a compact LED assembly with high brightness.
US07972030B2	Light emitting diode (LED) based lighting systems A lighting system comprises at least one excitation source (5), preferably an LED, operable to generate and radiate excitation radiation of a first wavelength (λ1); a shade (4) configured to at least in part surround the at least one source (5) and remotely located thereto; and at least one phosphor (16) provided in or on at least a part of the shade (4), wherein the phosphor (16) emits radiation of a different wavelength in response to incident excitation radiation. The phosphor can be provided on a part of an outer or inner surface of the shade. Alternatively, or in addition, the phosphor is incorporated within the shade. The lighting system finds particular application as a hanging, a desk, a floor standing, a wall mountable, a spot, an outdoor or an accent lighting fixture.
US07972028B2	System, method and tool for optimizing generation of high CRI white light, and an optimized combination of light emitting diodes The present invention relates to a system, method and tool for optimizing combination of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), and to an optimized combination of LEDs. The system and method provide a plurality of LEDs and corresponding specifications. Then, a color temperature and a color rendering index are selected. Calculations are performed for subgroups of LEDs. At least one optimized combination of LEDs having an optimized corresponding luminous flux is identified according to selected color temperature, color rendering index and LEDs' specifications. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a tool for optimizing white light generated by a combination of LEDs. The tool comprises a repository for storing specifications for the combination of LEDs, a selection module for selecting at least one of the following parameters: a color temperature, a color rendering index and a maximum shift variance from a black body locus, and a processing module for calculating for subgroups of LEDs resulting color temperature, color rendering index, luminous flux, and for identifying an optimized selection of LEDs. The present invention also relates to an optimized combination of LEDs for producing white light with high color rendering index, the combination of LEDs excluding blue LEDs.
US07972027B1	Illuminated door The invention is a light kit that attaches to the interior portion of garage door panels in order to illuminate the garage when either the garage door is open or closed. The kit includes a plurality of lights with corresponding mounting brackets, a watt reducer, lighting box, and a spring-loaded electrical wiring system.
US07972026B2	Light pole base cover Housings are described that include snap fittings or connections that can be placed on portions of the housing to allow assembly of the housing in the field, without the need for assembly tools or welding. Reduced assembly time and cost, as well as the reduction/elimination of tooling costs for assembly tools and/or associated hardware can therefore be realized. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can include a snap fitting with first and second portions, e.g., male and female portions, including a portion having a tab or clip punched out of a sheet and including a holding protrusion or portion, and another portion having an aperture or depression configured and arranged to receive and be held by the holding portion. Preferred embodiments can be utilized as light pole base covers.
US07972023B2	Lamp-cover structure containing luminescent material An LED lamp cover structure containing luminescent material and its fabrication methods are described. The LED lamp cover is comprised of a first lens cap providing the outer surface of the lamp cover, a second lens cap providing the inner surface of the lamp cover, and an encapsulating layer sandwiched between the lens cap providing the outer surface of the lamp cover and the lens cap providing the inner surface of the lamp cover, which is mixed with luminescent material for wavelength conversion.
US07972022B2	Stand-mounted light panel for natural illumination in film, television or video A lighting apparatus comprises a light panel having a panel frame, and a plurality of LEDs or other light elements secured to the panel frame. A self-contained battery unit securably attaches to the outside of the panel frame. The light panel may have a dimmer switch, and may also be capable of receiving power from a source other than the self-contained battery unit. The lighting apparatus can be mounted to a camera or a stand through adapters. Diffusion lenses or color gels can be integrated with or detachable from the light panel. The lighting apparatus may conveniently be provided in the form of a kit, with one or more of a light panel, self-contained battery unit, compact stand, connecting cable(s), adapter(s), lenses or color gels, and so on, provided in a single package.
US07972016B2	Projector system with combinated light sources A projector system includes a light source module and an integrator including a light receiving surface for receiving light from the light source module. The light source module includes a number of light sources for emitting parallel light, multiple sets of light-adjusting prisms corresponding to the light sources and a focusing lens arranged near the integrator. Light emitted from each of the light sources is refracted by the corresponding set of light-adjusting prisms, and then focused by the focusing lens to the light receiving surface of the integrator, and forms into a converging light cone with the apex being at the light receiving surface of the integrator. An angle of the light cone is 1/N of a cone formed by the light without being refracted, where N is number of the light sources and is greater than 1.
US07972015B2	Projection type image display apparatus A projection type image display apparatus includes: a cabinet; a screen which is provided in the cabinet; a display device which is placed inside the cabinet and forms an image; and an optical system which projects an image formed by the display device to the screen and comprises at least one mirror, a supporter for supporting the mirror, and a frame through which the supporter is fastened to the cabinet, all of the mirror, the supporter and the frame being disposed within a single interior space formed by the cabinet and the screen.
US07972013B2	Light source having a holding unit with air supply port for cooling air and projector A light source includes an arc tube which emits light, a reflector which reflects the light emitted from the arc tube, and a holding unit which holds the reflector. The holding unit has an air supply port through which cooling air is introduced into the light source on the light emitting side of the arc tube, and a first rectifying portion which guides cooling air having been supplied from the air supply port and passed through the light emitting side of the arc tube toward an area above the arc tube.
US07972012B2	Projector having cooling device for cooling target object and control device for controlling cooling device A projector includes a cooling device for performing cooling of a target object housed inside a housing, a first temperature sensor disposed in an anterior stage of the target object on a cooling path formed by the cooling device inside the housing, and for measuring a first detection temperature in an anterior area of the cooling among peripheral areas of the target object, a second temperature sensor disposed in a posterior stage of the target object on the cooling path, and for measuring a second detection temperature in a posterior area of the cooling among the peripheral areas, and a control device for performing calculation regarding the temperature of the target object from the first detection temperature and the second detection temperature, and controlling the cooling device based on the result of the calculation.
US07972011B2	Image projection apparatus and image projection system having beam deflection section An image projector according to the present invention includes a light source for emitting a laser beam, of which the intensity has been modulated in accordance with a modulation signal representing an image to be projected, and a beam deflection section for deflecting the laser beam two-dimensionally such that the image is produced by repeatedly scanning a screen with the laser beam in a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern has a repetitive frequency that is lower than a frame rate of the image.
US07972010B2	Projector for projecting an image from a plurality of projectors A projector that includes: a projector body including an image optical system for image creation and projection, and an image circuit that operates the image optical system; an auxiliary input unit that forms an auxiliary signal for exercising control over an operating state of the projector body; and a distribution unit that transfers the auxiliary signal formed by the auxiliary input unit to the image circuit and an external display unit.
US07972000B2	Method and arrangement for determining the individually required addition of a vision aid The invention is directed to a method for determining the individually required addition (Add) of a vision assist for an eye, the method having the following steps: a) a preliminary addition (Addpreliminary) is determined; b) the depth of field (T) of the eye is individually determined; and, c) the addition (Add) is computed according to the following equation: Add=Addpreliminary−ωT; wherein ω defines a real number which lies in the range 0<ω≦1. The invention is further directed to a corresponding arrangement for carrying out the method as well as a computer program.
US07971999B2	Method and apparatus for retinal diagnosis The invention relates to a method and an appliance for examination of the retina, with two-dimensional images of the retina being produced. The invention is based on the object of designing the method and the apparatus so as to allow comprehensive examination and diagnosis of the eye retina in a simple manner. The invention proposes that second data items and two-dimensional depth slice images be produced from the retina, and that the position of these second data items be known in the recorded two-dimensional image of the retina, and/or be predetermined on the basis of the two-dimensional image.
US07971992B1	Eyewear with interchangeable components Apparatus and methods described herein provide for an eyewear system having interchangeable components. According to one aspect of the disclosure provided herein, eyewear includes at least one lens structure and a temple that are configured to removably attach to one another. The lens structure includes two engaging elements with one attached to the lens structure towards the center and the other toward the temple. The temple includes two curved portions shaped to secure the temple to the engaging elements of the lens structure.
US07971990B2	Transported medium transporting apparatus and recording apparatus A transported medium transporting apparatus includes a transported medium transporting device and at least one pressing driven roller. The transported medium transporting device transports a transported medium in a predetermined transportation direction. The pressing driven roller is driven so that the pressing driven roller contacts one surface of the transported medium, which is transported by the transported medium transporting device. The pressing driven roller includes a rotary body and a shaft portion, both of which are made of elastic synthetic resin and formed integrally with each other. A plurality of protrusions are formed on the rotary body at regular intervals in a circumferential direction of the rotary body. The shaft portion rotatably supports the rotary body so that the rotary body can be driven. The pressing driven roller has a shape such that the rotary body contacts the transported medium with a predetermined pressing force owing to an elastic force of the shaft portion.
US07971988B2	Image forming apparatus In a state that a termination edge of a recording medium aligns with a termination edge of a region opposing a recording head (nozzle surface), a sticking force acting on the recording medium is set to be at least equal to or greater than the weight of a part (a portion having a length) of the recording medium protruding from a separation start position toward the downstream side in a conveying direction.
US07971985B2	Pigment dispersion, ink composition, inkset, and recording device A pigment dispersion containing a metal pigment, wherein the metal pigment contains plate-like particles, and in the case where the longitudinal diameter on the planar surface of the plate-like particle is X, the lateral diameter is Y, and the thickness is Z, the 50% average particle diameter R50 of a corresponding circle determined from the surface area in the X-Y plane of the plate-like particle is between 0.5 and 3 μm, and the condition R50/Z>5 is satisfied.
US07971984B2	Systems and methods for varying dye concentrations Systems and methods for varying dye loads. A fluid ejection apparatus includes a reservoir and an assembly. The reservoir stores ink with a first dye load and the assembly receives the ink with the first dye load from the reservoir. To obtain ink with higher dye load, the assembly evaporates a portion of the liquid solvent in the ink to obtain ink with a higher dye load.
US07971983B2	Ink set for ink-jet recording, ink-jet recording method, and ink-jet recording apparatus An ink set for ink-jet recording, which provides a vivid and sharp ink-jet recorded material with no bleeding, is composed of a plurality of pigment inks and configured such that the average particle diameter of a pigment contained in any ink precedently landing on a recording medium is less than that of a pigment contained in another ink subsequently landing on the recording medium, and such that at least two pigment inks are different in average particle diameter of the pigment contained therein to each other.
US07971981B2	Liquid circulation apparatus, image forming apparatus and liquid circulation method A liquid circulation apparatus includes: a plurality of liquid ejection elements each of which includes a nozzle, a pressure chamber which is connected to the nozzle and accommodates liquid, and a piezoelectric element which displaces a wall of the pressure chamber to eject the liquid in the pressure chamber through the nozzle; a plurality of individual supply channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements; a common supply channel which is connected to the individual supply channels, the liquid being supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements through the individual supply channels; a plurality of individual circulation channels which are respectively connected to the liquid ejection elements; a common circulation channel which is connected to the individual circulation channels, the liquid being circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel through the individual circulation channels; and a control device which controls a circulation volume of the liquid circulated from the liquid ejection elements to the common circulation channel, by adjusting a supply volume of the liquid supplied from the common supply channel to the liquid ejection elements in accordance with an ejection volume of the liquid ejected from the liquid ejection elements.
US07971979B2	High-speed phase change ink image producing machine including a static eliminating solid ink container An image producing machine including (a) an imaging member having a surface; (b) a printhead for forming an image onto the imaging surface; (c) a substrate supply system for feeding substrates to receive the formed image; and (d) a static eliminating container that includes a closed end; an open end; at least one cylindrical member having an interior surface defining a chamber for containing a quantity of solid phase-change ink pastilles. The static eliminating apparatus includes (i) a conductive interior portion for contacting the quantity of solid phase change ink pastilles being contained and moved therein; (ii) a groundable conductive exterior portion; and (iii) a conductive connector for connecting the conductive interior portion to the groundable conductive exterior portion, thereby enabling dissipation of static build up from frictionally moving the quantity of solid phase-change ink pastilles within the interior chamber.
US07971978B2	Refillable ink cartridge with ink bypass channel for refilling A refillable ink cartridge has an ink port for both supplying ink to a printhead and refilling the cartridge. An ink reservoir has ink absorbent material disposed therein with a main fluid channel extending between the ink port and the ink absorbent material. A bypass fluid channel with a control valve extends between the main fluid channel the said absorbent material. The bypass control valve is configured to allow ink to flow through the bypass fluid channel only when refilling the ink reservoir via the ink port.
US07971975B2	Inkjet printhead comprising actuator spaced apart from substrate An inkjet printhead including a substrate and a plurality of nozzle assemblies disposed on the substrate. Each nozzle assembly includes a nozzle chamber for containing ink and an actuator for ejecting an ink droplet from a nozzle aperture when a resistive element of the actuator is heated by an electrical current. The resistive element of the actuator is spaced apart from the substrate and suspended in ink contained in the nozzle chamber.
US07971974B2	Printhead integrated circuit with low loss CMOS connections to heaters A printhead IC with an array of nozzles 3. A chamber 7 and a heater 14 correspond to each nozzle respectively. The heater has a heater element 10 extending between a pair of electrodes 15. The heater element 10 is suspended in the chamber 7 by the electrodes 15 to heat printing fluid and generate a vapour bubble to cause a drop of the printing fluid to eject through the nozzle 3. Integrated circuit metalization layers corresponding to each of the nozzles supply electrical energy to the heater 14. The heater 14 and the integrated circuit metalization layers 23 are substantially planar and at least partially overlapping, the metallization layers electrically connected to the heater electrodes 15 by vias, the cross sectional area of all the vias being greater than 50% of the surface area of one side of the heater 14. A relatively large number of vias lowers the electrical resistance between the electrodes and the CMOS metalization layers. Lower resistance reduces the power losses and improves the operating efficiency of the printhead.
US07971973B2	Electrical connection structure, liquid ejection head, method of manufacturing same, and image forming apparatus The electrical connection structure includes: a first substrate which has a first electrode part; a second substrate which has a second electrode part opposing the first electrode part, and a wiring pattern connected to the second electrode part; an insulating cavity substrate which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and has a through hole in a position corresponding to the first electrode part, the through hole being deeper that a sum of a height of the first electrode part and a height of the second electrode part and having an opening surface area not smaller that an area of the first electrode part; and conductive material which is filled in the through hole.
US07971966B2	Ink jet recording head An ink jet recording head includes a recording element substrate having an energy generating member for generating energy in accordance with an electric signal, and an electrode portion for receiving the electric signal to be supplied to the energy generating member; an electric line member including an opening in which the recording element substrate is contained, an electric line extending toward an inside of the opening and connected to the electrode portion, an inclined electric wiring extending in a direction crossing with the electric line and contacted to the recording element substrate. The electric line member is disposed above a surface, having the electrode, of the recording element substrate, wherein the inclined member extends in a direction of an arrangement of a plurality of such electric lines, and constitutes an inclined surface descending from the electric wiring toward the surface of the recording element substrate.
US07971965B2	Ink cartridge for constant ink pressure An ink cartridge for an inkjet printer is configured to keep the ink pressure in the printhead constant. The cartridge has a sealed ink storage volume, an ink outlet for sealed fluid communication between the printhead and the ink storage volume, an air bag in the ink storage volume for expanding as ink is drawn through the ink outlet to keep a constant head of ink above the outlet valve. The air inlet for the air bag is a frangible that is ruptured as the cartridge is installed and the ink outlet opens.
US07971964B2	Liquid discharge head and method for manufacturing the same A method for manufacturing a liquid discharge head including an energy generating element, which generates energy utilized for discharging a liquid, and a discharge portion provided at a position facing the energy generating element and having a discharge port for discharging the liquid is provided. This method includes the steps of forming a negative photosensitive resin layer used for a member that forms the discharge port on the substrate, and exposing the layer to an i-line to form the discharge portion that is tapered in a direction from the substrate to the discharge port, wherein the layer has an absorbance per 1 μm thickness of about 0.02 to about 0.07 for light used for the exposure.
US07971959B2	Inkjet printer employing disposable sheet for printhead maintenance An inkjet printer comprises a printhead having an ink ejection face and an ink supply system including a face flooding system. A sheet feed arrangement feeds a disposable sheet past the printhead and through a maintenance zone spaced apart from the face, and a print media feed arrangement feeds print media past the printhead and through a print zone. The maintenance zone is nearer the face than the print zone, and no part of the disposable sheet makes contact with the printhead.
US07971952B2	Image recording apparatus and recording medium conveyance method executed by image recording apparatus An image recording apparatus executes a recording process for a recording medium is fed from a feeding unit, or the recording medium for which the recording process has been executed and which is re-fed at least via a path switching unit after the recording process. The image recording apparatus comprises at least a driving control unit for deciding a page gap between preceding and succeeding recording medium on a conveyance path according to at least either of the recording medium is fed from the feeding unit and the recording medium for which the recording process has been executed and which is re-fed via the path switching unit after the recording process, and for issuing a control instruction to the path switching unit.
US07971949B2	Printer controller for correction of rotationally displaced printhead A printer controller is provided for supplying ejection data to a printhead mounted to a carrier and having a plurality of ejection nozzles. The printer controller is configured to determine a rotational displacement of the printhead relative to the carrier, determine a correction factor at least partially based on a thickness of media being printed on so as to at least partially compensate for the determined rotational displacement, and alter the supply of the ejection data based on the correction factor.
US07971947B2	Systems and methods for remanufacturing imaging components An ink jet remanufacturing chip verifier for new ink jet chips attached to remanufactured ink jet cartridges includes a controller for verifying during the process of remanufacturing the ink jet cartridges: if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufactured ink jet cartridges are new ink jet chips, if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufactured ink jet cartridges were manufactured by a predetermined manufacturer of new ink jet chips, if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufactured ink jet cartridges are functional, and if the new ink jet chips attached to the remanufacture ink jet cartridges are a predetermined type of new ink jet chip; the controller for rejecting during the process of remanufacturing the ink jet cartridges: ink jet chips attached to remanufactured ink jet cartridges which have been previously used, ink jet chips attached to remanufactured ink jet cartridges which produced by manufacturers other than the predetermined manufacturer of inkjet chips, inkjet chips attached to remanufactured inkjet cartridges which are not functional, inkjet chips attached to remanufactured inkjet cartridges which are not a predetermined type of new inkjet chips; and a user interface for communicating the verification or rejection of the new ink jet chips from the controller during the process of remanufacturing.
US07971945B2	Ink consumption detecting method, and ink jet recording apparatus The present method detects an ink consumption condition in an ink cartridge loaded on an ink jet recording apparatus having a recording head for jetting ink drops, using a piezo-electric device mounted on the cartridge. The method detects the ink consumption condition using the piezo-electric device when the recording head is in a non-recording state. A complicated seal structure is not necessary and the ink residue can be detected surely.
US07971944B2	Mounting for an extension piece of a tall cabinet A mounting for an extension piece of a tall cabinet comprising a front furniture piece (5) which is attached to a vertical, central, strong frame (1). The height of the frame (1) is adjusted on the lower telescopic rail (2) by means of two height-adjustable screws (4) and is locked by means of a locking bolt (11) which is elastically guided in a horizontal manner in the lower frame segment (10).
US07971943B2	Food display with shelving system A food storage device for storing a food product, a shelf positioned at least partially within the housing, and a coupling assembly coupling the shelf to the housing and adjustable (e.g., infinitely) to position the shelf in one of a plurality of different angles relative to the housing. Preferably, the housing comprises a frame creating a surface coupled to the coupling assembly, and a translucent panel coupled to the frame to facilitate viewing food product positioned in the housing. In one embodiment, the coupling assembly comprises a magnetic assembly including a magnet secured to the shelf and magnetically coupled to the housing. Preferably, the magnetic assembly further comprises a magnet holder secured to the shelf, wherein the magnet is secured to the holder. In this embodiment, the magnet can be secured to the magnet holder by an intermediate material (e.g., plastic) positioned between the magnet and the magnet holder. The coupling assembly preferably includes a bracket that is positioned in an opening in the shelf. For example, the bracket can include an upper protrusion that engages an upper surface of the shelf and a lower protrusion that engages a lower surface of the shelf.
US07971941B2	Motorcycle brake system In a dual-circuit hydraulic motorcycle brake system with two hand or foot-operated master cylinders, at the commencement of the pump operation in one of the brake circuits, the change-over valve (20) and/or the separating valve (19) of that brake circuit assume a switching position in which the pressure which can be generated by the pump (9) is prevented from causing a reactive effect on the associated hand-operated or foot-operated master brake cylinder (7, 13). To this end, the separating valve (19) in the brake line may be switched to a closed or throttling position, while the change-over valve (20) in the suction path is closed. Alternatively, both the change-over valve (20) and the separating valve (19) can be opened at the same time so that the pump conveys brake fluid in a circle.
US07971936B2	Link mechanism for a chair and a chair There is provided a link mechanism for a chair that is a link mechanism that is used at a chair, the link mechanism for a chair having: a first link whose one end is connected to a bottom surface of a link that supports a seat surface portion of the chair; a second link whose one end is connected to another end of the first link; a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link; a second joint portion provided at another end of the second link; and a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion.
US07971935B2	Ergonomic side chair An ergonomic chair having a seat with selectively located slot patterns or spring mechanisms to reduce pressure on the occupant of the seat and a flexible back that allows the occupant to recline while at the same time providing lumbar support. An embodiment of the chair may be telescopically stacked in a space-saving configuration of a plurality of identical chairs.
US07971931B2	Automotive vehicle seat insert There is disclosed an insert suitable for use within a seating system of an automotive vehicle.
US07971929B2	Meal tray with advertising display A meal tray assembly for being carried by an aft-facing side of a seat back for use by a person seated aft of the seat back is provided. The assembly includes a tray mountable to the seat back and including a first shell having a forward facing surface when in the stowed position and a second shell for mating with the first shell and having a rearward facing surface towards the aft-seated person when in the stowed position. A major recess is defined in the rearward facing surface of the second shell and an inwardly facing elongate flanged is carried by the rearward facing surface of the second shell and extending towards the major recess. A flexible screen is provided for being positioned in the recess by an interference fit between the inwardly facing flange and an engaging surface of the major recess.
US07971928B2	Drive appratus for sunroof A sunroof driving device includes a pair of rail members adapted to be arranged at both edges of a roof opening formed in a vehicle roof in a vehicle width direction and each extending along a vehicle longitudinal direction, a slide member slidably supported by each of the rail members in a longitudinal direction therof, a supporting member connected to the slide member and supporting a movable panel opening and closing the roof opening, a cross-connecting member extending along the vehicle width direction for establishing connection between respective front ends of the rail members, a drive motor arranged at the cross-connecting member and including a rotating shaft extending along the cross-connecting member, a torque wire extending along the cross-connecting member and integrally rotating with the rotating shaft, and a torque-transmitting member rotated by the torque wire and sliding the slide member along each of the rail members.
US07971927B2	Door trim for vehicle A door trim for a vehicle to be mounted to a door panel of the vehicle is provided. This door trim includes a door trim body and a mounting part to which a shock absorbing member for absorbing an impact load between the door panel and the door trim is mounted. The mounting part has a position restricting member for restricting the position of the shock absorbing member in the vehicle width direction relative to the door trim body.
US07971926B2	Trailer having reduced weight wall construction A trailer wall construction having reduced weight. A trailer wall construction includes a spherical shaped corner at a juncture of three walls. Each of the walls includes at least one panel having spaced apart inner and outer shells. Another trailer wall construction includes a generally vertically extending front or side wall and a floor. The floor and front or side wall each includes at least one panel comprising spaced apart inner and outer shells. A curved connector connects a lower edge of the front or side wall to an edge of the floor. Yet another trailer wall construction includes a wall with panels attached to one another along opposing edges of the panels, each of the panels including spaced apart inner and outer shells. One connector is attached to each of the panels along a third edge. Another connector is attached to each of the panels along a fourth edge.
US07971924B2	Gangway bellows cover-style connecting device for articulated vehicles A gangway bellows cover-style connecting device for articulated vehicles comprises a plurality of bands (2) made of flexible material, equipped with stiffening frames (3), connected to each other and forming a tunnel (4) which has an upper wall (6) and two lateral walls (7) for connecting two coaches of a vehicle to each other, and a closing panel (9) connected to a lower portion of the bands (2) for forming a lower wall of the tunnel (4). The connecting device comprises connecting means (10) acting on ends of respective free edges (13, 16) of the closing panel (9) and of the lateral walls (7) of the tunnel (4), in such a way that the closing panel (9) lies coplanar with the free edges (16) of the lateral walls (7) of the tunnel (4).
US07971923B2	Door trim panel assembly and method A vehicle door assembly is provided that includes a retainer that secures to a door body panel, specifically, to the door inner panel, and is configured such that a door trim component or components may be secured to the retainer, rather than directly to the door trim panel. Door trim components of lightweight materials may be used, with the retainer providing the structural integrity required for securement to the door inner panel. Because it is not a visible component in the assembled door, the same retainer design may be used for doors of different models in a given vehicle platform, with different door trim components of different materials or styles consistent with the different models secured to identical retainers.
US07971922B2	Fuel filler housing and quarter inner panel for vehicle A fuel filler housing and quarter inner panel for a vehicle may include a quarter inner panel portion including an opening hole for filling fuel and at least an inserting hole formed to be spaced outwardly from the opening hole, and a fuel filler housing portion including a filling hole communicating with the opening hole of the quarter inner panel portion and at least a latching port formed to be spaced outwardly from the filling hole to be inserted into the corresponding inserting holes of the quarter inner panel portion, wherein the fuel filler housing portion can be guided and fixed to the quarter inner panel portion by the inserting holes and the latching ports thereof when mounted.
US07971921B2	Aerodynamic hemisphere and socket motorcycle fairing A motorcycle fairing comprised of plastic or composite material fabricated and assembled to form: a front, substantially hemisphere shaped fender or nacelle fairing section which substantially encloses the front wheel of the motorcycle and is affixed to the upper front fork assembly of the motorcycle allowing the front wheel to be turned laterally independent of the attitude of the main frame of the motorcycle; and a frame mounted fairing which intersects and substantially encompasses the hemispherical front wheel fender section within a matching hemispherical shaped socket located in the frontal portion of said frame mounted fairing, which fairing then extends rearward along, and substantially parallel to the main frame of the motorcycle, with both fairing sections together substantially enclosing the front wheel, headlight, and engine of the motorcycle.
US07971920B2	Walk-in memory apparatus for automobile seat A walk-in memory apparatus for an automobile seat locks the seat on a body only after the seat moves past a preset reference point when the seat, moved forwards with a seat back folded up by a seat walk-in apparatus, moves backwards with the seat back unfolded. The walk-in memory apparatus causes the entire seat to move forwards along tracks in an unlocked state when the seat back is folded up. The seat includes a track memory unit which, when the seat moves backwards with the seat back unfolded, causes the seat to be unlocked from the track when the stopper bracket is located ahead of a reference stopper and to be locked on the track when the stopper bracket is located behind the reference stopper.
US07971917B2	Apparatus for an automatic casing stabbing arm The apparatus for an automated drill pipe casing stabbing arm includes a telescopic tube assembly, a movable roller bracket assembly, a movable arm assembly, a mounting assembly, an apparatus actuator, and a PLC portable remote control device. An actuator mechanism positions the gripping arm assembly and the roller bracket assemble relative to one another in order to capture and grip the casing therebetween to support and grip the casing on the circumference thereof from opposing diametric sides. The automated stabbing arm is installed on a rig's mast or derrick. In a working position, the apparatus is oriented horizontally to provide radial support and guidance to the casing. A rig worker on the rig floor controls the apparatus by the portable remote control device.
US07971915B2	Nozzle unit A nozzle unit includes a rotating body and a driving source. The rotating body includes a plurality of nozzles for holding a component using a negative pressure and rotates the plurality of nozzles. The driving source drives the rotating body in a non-contact state.
US07971909B2	Pipe joint, refrigeration device, heat pump hot water supply device, closing valve, water supply piping, method of connecting piping, and in-the field piping method A pipe joint and a method of joining pipes using the pipe joint prevent loss of a sleeve, enhance workability in the pipe joining operation, and ensure sealing performance. The pipe joint may be utilized in a refrigerant device, a heat pump hot water supply device, a closing valve and a water supply piping. The method for connecting piping may be used in an in-the filed piping method. The pipe joint includes a joint body, a fastening member such as a nut, and a sleeve. The sleeve is integrated with the fastening member or the joint body before the fastening member is attached to the joint body. When the fastening member is attached to the joint body, the sleeve is cut off and separated from the fastening member or joint body. When the nut is fully attached, the sleeve bites into the pipe, and the pipe is joined to the joint body.
US07971908B2	Guide assembly for a safety belt A seat assembly includes a seat of a vehicle, a safety belt, and a guide assembly. The seat includes a seat back and an attachment feature that is operatively connected to the seat back. The safety belt includes webbing that is configured to extend in a generally diagonal direction across the seat back. The guide assembly includes a clip, a cord, an attachment mechanism, and a breakaway mechanism. The clip is configured for operative attachment to the webbing of the safety belt. The cord operatively extends from the clip. The attachment mechanism is operatively connected to the cord. The attachment mechanism is configured for selective attachment to the attachment feature of the seat back. The breakaway mechanism operatively interconnects the cord and the clip and is configured to separate such that the cord pulls free from the clip upon the application of a force to the clip or the cord.
US07971907B2	Seat belt buckle A vehicle seat belt assembly comprises a vehicle seat configured to contain a seat occupant; a seat belt webbing mountable to the vehicle seat and connected to a latch plate, wherein the latch plate is configured to be releasably connected to a seat belt buckle in order to secure the webbing in a position capable of restraining the occupant; and a buckle strap mountable to a portion of the vehicle seat or vehicle structure and connected to the buckle, wherein the buckle strap includes a plurality of brackets configured to attach to a buckle component. Additionally, a vehicle seat belt assembly could comprise a buckle strap and buckle frame manufactured as a single component.
US07971898B2	Multiple link, self-jacking work cart wa002 A multiple link, self-jacking mobile work cart includes the main body defining upper and lower portions supported by the plurality of rotating wheels. A multiple link, self-jacking mechanism is provided in connection with two laterally deployable work tables which can serve as infeed/outfeed tables for a power tool or the like supported by the main body of the cart. The multiple link mechanism includes an actuator arm, a linkage arm, a control arm and moveable support legs all pivotally connected to one another such that when the work tables are deployed, substantial weight placed on the tables is transferred to the support legs, rather than the wheels which support the main body.
US07971896B2	Towing hitch apparatus and method A towing hitch assembly for use with a vehicle and method is provided and includes a towing hitch frame structure, the towing hitch frame structure having a front surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The front surface can be configured to face away from the vehicle. A towing hitch can be located adjacent the towing hitch frame structure, and a mounting assembly can be configured to mount the towing hitch frame structure to a vehicle frame. The mounting assembly can include a first bracket configured to be adjacent the vehicle frame, and a second bracket capable of receiving the first bracket, the second bracket extending along the bottom surface and the front surface of the towing hitch frame structure. The towing hitch assembly according to the disclosed subject matter provides for, among other features, improved styling, safety, loading and bumper attachment.
US07971895B2	Trailer hitch and rear structure having trailer hitch for vehicle A trailer hitch is disclosed, which is configured to be provided at a rear part of a vehicle. The trailer hitch of the invention includes a pair of hitch side members. Each of the hitch side members including a mounting part and a cross member installation part. The mounting part is configured to be connected to a support portion of a rear side member of the vehicle, and the cross member installation part is configured to protrude from a rear end of the rear side member. The trailer hitch further includes a cross member and a hitch ball support member. The cross member extends in a widthwise direction of the vehicle, and having ends connected to the cross member installation part, and the hitch ball support member has a hitch ball. The upper end of the hitch ball support member is provided on the cross member so as to suspend therefrom.
US07971893B1	Wheelchair A wheelchair includes a chair member formed of a seat portion with a backrest portion vertically extending therefrom. On each of two opposing sides of the backrest is an armrest that pivots between a horizontal, deployed position when in use, and a stowed, vertical position when a patient is entering or exiting the seat. The chair is mounted on an electronics housing that includes a pair of reversible DC motors and associated gear boxes that rotate a pair of pneumatic tires. A caregiver can stand on a platform behind the chair member when operating the wheelchair. The chair's speed and direction are controlled with either of a pair of control panels. A caregiver's control panel is mounted on a steering bar attached to the rear surface of the backrest while a patient control panel is mounted on one of the armrests.
US07971892B2	Bicycle frame construction A unitary monocoque frame is provided for a bicycle including a right half shell having a peripheral edge and a left half shell having a peripheral edge symmetrical with the peripheral edge of the right half shell. The right half shell includes an integrally formed head tube portion and an integrally formed seat tube collar. The left half shell includes a curved surface to join with the head tube portion and a cupped recess to receive the seat tube collar. A tongue extends along at least a portion of the peripheral edge of one of the right and left half shells. A groove extends along at least a corresponding portion of the peripheral edge of the other one of the right and left half shells. The tongue and groove are in mating engagement to join the right and left half shells forming the unitary monocoque frame.
US07971885B2	Infant stroller rocking device A method of rocking a wheeled infant carrier (30) comprises using a rocking device (10) having a pair of discrete units (12,14). Each unit has a ground-engaging base (18a,b) and a platform (16a,b) supported thereon through bearings for movement relative to the base in a first direction. A drive one (12) of the units has a motor in a housing (20) arranged to drive the platform (16a) of the drive unit relative to its base back and forth in said first direction. A first wheel (34) of the carrier (30) is placed on the drive unit and a second wheel (32) on the second, slave unit (14), with the axes of rotation of the wheels being arranged parallel said first direction. The motor is operated to rock that end of the carrier that is supported by those wheels from side to side.
US07971884B2	Standing board for children This invention is a Standing board for prams, which is fastened to a pram with fastening beams that protrude from the Standing board and that have means for fastening to the pram on their outer ends. The fastening beams (4, 5) point forward in the Standing board's normal direction of movement and are basically parallel with it. They are also adjustable in a right angle to the movement direction, mounted on the forward edge of the Standing board with their fastenings (8, 9), which have means for retaining the fastenings in their adjusted position on the Standing board (1). The fastening beams are mounted in a manner that allows them to be twisted in the fastenings for adjustment of their angle relative to the supporting area.
US07971880B2	Token game machine A spiral rod that is rotated by a motor is disposed in a fall passage connected to a token chute 4. A second special game medium AM2 is captured at an opening W2 between the spiral rod and a rear wall positioned diagonally rearward from the spiral rod. A first special game medium AM1 is captured at an opening W1 between the spiral rod and a rear fall guide, the opening W1 being positioned on a downstream side of the opening W2. A token M passes through the openings W1 and W2 and is received by a token reception section. The special game media that have been captured are transferred due to the spiral movement of the spiral rod. The special game media are discriminated by a first rear side opening and a second rear side opening, and separately received by guide slopes.
US07971876B2	Method of and system for module to module skew alignment One disclosed feature of the embodiments is a method of aligning transport modules in a printing system, the method comprising a step (a) including passing at least one substrate media in a process direction through two adjacent belt driven transport modules with at least one module belt steering control disabled. The method also comprising a step (b) including detecting a position of at least one module transport belt in a cross-process direction using an edge sensor. Further, the method comprising a (c) including aligning the two adjacent transport modules based on the detected cross-process position.
US07971873B2	Image forming device An image forming device, which is configured to form an image on a sheet, includes a main body casing, a catch tray provided on the main body casing to be loaded with the sheet discharged in a first direction with the image formed thereon, and a cover configured to cover a downstream-side face of the main body casing in the first direction in an openable and closable manner. The catch tray is disposed such that a downstream-side end thereof in the first direction faces an upstream-side end of the cover in the first direction. The downstream-side end of the catch tray and the upstream-side end of the cover are configured to mutually overlap when viewed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a vertical direction.
US07971868B2	Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus with lifter mechanism A sheet feeding apparatus includes a middle plate, a lifter mechanism, and a sheet-feed roller. The sheet-feed roller can move to a first position retracted from the sheet, a second position lower than the first position for feeding the sheet, and a third position lower than the second position. The sheet feeding apparatus has a position control mode in which when a sheet is fed, the sheet-feed roller is moved from the first position to the third position and stopped there, the middle plate is moved toward the sheet-feed roller by the lifter mechanism, the sheet stacked on the middle plate is brought into abutment against the sheet-feed roller, the middle plate is moved until a position detection sensor outputs the detection signal that the sheet-feed roller is in the second position, and a height of the sheet is controlled.
US07971867B2	Sheet feeding apparatus and medium detecting method A sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding unit capable of feeding a sheet-like medium, plural speed detecting units capable of respectively detecting a speed of the medium fed by the feeding unit, at plural positions along a width direction of the medium orthogonal to a feeding direction of the medium, and a bound-medium detecting unit capable of detecting the medium having a part thereof bound with another one of the medium, based on the speed detected respectively by the speed detecting units.
US07971865B2	Inserting apparatus for discrete objects into envelopes and related methods An apparatus for inserting a paper or film object or a stack of such objects into an envelope. A feeding apparatus moves the object toward an insertion station and a vacuum drum has a surface adapted to engage and move the envelope toward the insertion station. A ramp element is coupled to the vacuum drum and is adapted to support a leading portion of the envelope as the envelope moves with the vacuum drum.
US07971863B2	Clamping apparatus with position validation function and clamping process using same An exemplary clamping apparatus includes a supporting body, a plurality of clamping units installed on the supporting body, a PWM controller, and a detection unit. Each clamping unit includes a magnet, a clamping pin, an electrical coil, and a coil core mechanically engaged with the clamping pin. The magnet is configured for holding the clamping pin at a target position. The PWM controller is configured for supplying a pulse signal to the respective electrical coil of each clamping unit and for thereby creating a magnetic force causing a corresponding coil core and a corresponding clamping pin to, synchronously, move. The detection unit is configured for detecting a back electromotive force representative of the arrival to the target position of a clamping pin and signaling the PWM controller to stop supplying the pulse signal. A clamping process utilizing the clamping apparatus is also provided.
US07971862B2	Vaporizer, fuel cell having vaporizer, and vaporizing method Disclosed is a vaporizer including a first liquid suction section to suck a first liquid; a second liquid suction section to suck a second liquid; and a heating element to heat the first liquid suction section and the second liquid suction section to vaporize the first liquid and the second liquid.
US07971859B1	Misting array assembly having upwardly and downwardly disposed nozzles Various methods and apparatus are disclosed that relate to one or more aspects of an abatement system that removes heat and/or one or more byproducts of combustion from a gas flow. In various aspects a misting array assembly is provided that includes at least one nozzle tubing having at least one nozzle coupled thereto.
US07971857B1	Filter/fan system An upper and a lower panel with side panels therebetween define a rectilineal chamber of a housing having an air input and an air output side. A fan includes a plurality of blades and a motor to rotate the blades within the chamber. A filter assembly includes a bracket adjustably secured on each side panel and a filter component positioned in facing contact with the housing whereby all air passing through the housing passes through the filter component.
US07971856B2	Drive rope and drive pulley The present invention discloses a drive system for theatrical rigging, comprising a drive rope and a drive pulley. The drive rope has a fiber or cable core, surrounded by a plastic jacket. Formed on or in the surface of the drive rope are traction features that engage corresponding grooves in the drive pulley.
US07971853B2	Friction spring for leak detection poppet A pressure management apparatus including a housing (30) defining a fluid communication passage between first and second fluid ports (46, 48). A poppet (40) is disposed in the housing and is movable between first and second positions. The first position prevents fluid communication between the first and second fluid ports, and the second position permits fluid communication between the first and second fluid ports. The poppet includes a portion (75) translatable along an axis relative to the housing. A member (78) is fixed with respect to the housing and is associated with the portion of the poppet. Spring structure (72) is associated with the portion of the poppet. The spring structure is constructed and arranged to engage and bias the portion of the poppet to frictionally engage a portion of the member to create a dashpot damping of resonance of the poppet in the second position.

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