最新美国发明专利第2011-12-06期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08071361B2	Semiconductor nanocrystal probes for biological applications and process for making and using such probes A semiconductor nanocrystal compound and probe are described. The compound is capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. The compound comprises (1) one or more semiconductor nanocrystals capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy, and (2) one or more linking agents, having a first portion linked to the one or more semiconductor nanocrystals and a second portion capable of linking to one or more affinity molecules. One or more semiconductor nanocrystal compounds are linked to one or more affinity molecules to form a semiconductor nanocrystal probe capable of bonding with one or more detectable substances in a material being analyzed, and capable of, in response to exposure to a first energy, providing a second energy. Also described are processes for respectively: making the semiconductor nanocrystal compound; making the semiconductor nanocrystal probe; and treating materials with the probe.
US08071356B2	Salmonella enterica strains of reduced pathogenicity, method for their preparation and uses thereof The invention concerns novel Salmonella enterica attenuated strains, characterized in that they are inactivated at the level of the znuABC operon through mutation in at least one of the znuA, znuB, znuC genes of such operon, for uses in medical or veterinary fields as vaccines.
US08071355B2	Polyhydroxyalkanoate production by coenzyme A-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase pathways Organisms are provided containing genes encoding one or more enzymes, Coenzyme-A-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase, acyl-CoA transferase, acyl-CoA synthetase, β-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase and/or PHA synthase. In some cases one or more of these genes are native to the host organism and the remainder are heterologous genes provided by genetic engineering. These organisms produce poly (3-hydroxyalkanoate) homopolymers or co-polymers comprising 3-hydroxalkanoate monomers other than 3-hydroxybutryrate wherein these 3-hydroxyalkanoate units are derived from the enzyme-catalyzed conversion of alcohols to 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA monomers, where at least one step in the conversion pathway involves a Co-enzyme A-dependent aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. The PHA polymers are readily recovered and industrially useful as polymers for articles such as films, latexes, coatings, adhesives, fibers, binders, resins, and medical devices.
US08071354B2	Method of producing rough strains of bacteria and uses thereof The present invention relates to a method of producing rough strains of a bacterium, such as Mycobacterium obuense, said method comprising exposing said bacterium to a sulfone and/or sulfonamide (such as 4,4′-Diaminodiphenyl sulfone or an analogue thereof). A rough strain of Mycobacterium obuense producible by said method and uses thereof. In particular, uses of a rough strain of Mycobacterium obuense deposited under the Budapest Treaty at the NCTC with the accession number NCTC 13365.
US08071348B2	Protein tyrosine phosphatase substrate-trapping double mutant and uses thereof The present invention provides protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) in which the invariant aspartate residue and the invariant glutamine residue are each replaced with a replacement amino acid residue, wherein the replacement residues together cause a reduction in catalytic rate (kcat) of the enzyme and an increase in substrate-binding affinity (Kd) of the enzyme. The present invention further provides methods for identifying a substrate of a PTP. Also provided are kits for identifying a substrate of a PTP. Additionally, the present invention provides methods for identifying an agent that alters interaction between a PTP and a substrate of the PTP. The invention also provides methods for reducing the activity of a substrate of a PTP.
US08071347B2	Ketoreductases and uses thereof The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds.
US08071346B2	System for the mitigation of photodamage in analytical reactions Compositions, devices, systems and methods for reducing and/or preventing photodamage of one or more reactants in illuminated analytical reactions by one or more of incorporating photodamage mitigating agents within the reaction mixture and/or interrogating different observation regions of the reaction mixture for a period that is less than a photodamage threshold period.
US08071343B2	Process for producing glycolic acid from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide A process is provided for producing glycolic acid from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide. More specifically, heat-treated formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide are reacted to produce glycolonitrile having low concentrations of impurities. The glycolonitrile is subsequently converted to an aqueous solution of ammonium glycolate using an enzyme catalyst having nitrilase activity derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 57746). Glycolic acid is recovered in the form of the acid or salt from the aqueous ammonium glycolate solution using a variety of methods described herein.
US08071342B2	Process for the treatment of methane emissions The invention relates generally to a system and method for the treatment of gaseous emissions comprising methane, and in one specific embodiment, to a system and method for the treatment of emissions through the use of methanotrophic microorganisms. Certain embodiments of the invention are particularly advantageous because they reduce environmentally-destructive methane emissions and produce harvestable end-products.
US08071333B2	Anti-integrin antibodies, compositions, methods and uses The present invention relates to at least one novel anti-alpha-V subunit antibodies, including isolated nucleic acids that encode at least one anti-alpha-V subunit antibody, alpha-V subunit, vectors, host cells, transgenic animals or plants, and methods of making and using thereof, including therapeutic compositions, methods and devices.
US08071332B2	Recombinant mammal cells, method of producing thereof, and method of producing proteins of interest The present invention relates to a method of expressing an objective protein at a high level and stably as well as for a long period even in the absence of a selection drug with a recombinant mammal cell. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of producing an objective protein by providing a recombinant mammal cell having multiple copies of the exogenous objective protein gene expression unit integrated into a hypoxanthine-phosphoribosyl transferase enzyme (hprt) gene locus and culturing said cell.
US08071323B2	Human monoclonal antibodies that bind human insulin like growth factors and their use Antibody compositions and methods for treatment of neoplastic disease in a mammalian subject are provided. Methods of diagnosing cancer in a mammalian subject are also provided.
US08071322B2	Method for identifying differentially expressed proteins The invention provides a method of identifying an antigen that is present in different amounts in two different samples. In general, the methods involve generating a first and second distinguishably labeled population of antibodies that reactive to the two samples, contacting the first and second labeled populations of antibodies with a plurality of antigens; and identifying any resultant antigens that are differentially bound by the first and second populations of antibodies. The antigens may be on the surface of cells e.g., animal cells, or on a solid support. Once identified, the nucleic acid encoding an antigen of interest may be identified and sequenced to reveal the identity of the antigen of interest. Kits for performing the methods are also provided. The methods find most use in medical and research applications, in particular, for identifying cell surface targets for immunotherapy and drug discovery.
US08071320B2	Use of specific T2R taste receptors to identify compounds that block bitter taste Assays for identifying compounds that modulate, preferably inhibit bitter taste associated with the activation of hT2R4, hT2R44 and/or hT2R61 are provided. The compounds identified according to these assays should modulate, e.g., inhibit bitter taste associated with bitter tasting compounds including quinine, 6-nitrosaccharin, saccharin and/or denatonium. These compounds are useful additives for foods, beverages or medicinal preparations having a bitter taste.
US08071314B2	Immunocellular receptors related to neurological disorders and therapeutic uses thereof Class I major histocompatibility complex, is required in the activity-dependent refinement and plasticity of connections in the developing and adult central nervous system, demonstrating that molecules can perform critical roles in both systems. Similarities in the cellular signaling mechanisms of the immune and nervous systems provide for development of therapeutic and diagnostic agents in abnormal neuronal cellular function.
US08071309B2	Methods for rapid identification of pathogens in humans and animals The present invention provides methods of: identifying pathogens in biological samples from humans and animals, resolving a plurality of etiologic agents present in samples obtained from humans and animals, determining detailed genetic information about such pathogens or etiologic agents, and rapid detection and identification of bioagents from environmental, clinical or other samples.
US08071305B2	Microarray-mediated diagnosis of herpes virus infection by monitoring host's differential gene expression upon infection The present invention discloses disease-associated molecules and assays, which are useful for diagnosing and assessing those animals with herpes virus infection, and determining those animals at risk of developing an herpes virus infection or its sequelae. The invention has practical use in the early diagnosis of disease, in monitoring an animal's immune response to the disease, and in enabling better treatment and management decisions to be made in clinically and sub-clinically affected animals.
US08071304B2	Methods for detecting a polymorphism in the NFKB1 gene promoter The present invention discloses a functional relationship between a recognized disease condition and a polymorphism in the nucleotide factor kappa B promoter (NFKB1). This relationship provides a platform for methods of altering promoter activity and for determining similar relationships between specific pathologies and identified polymorphisms. A statistically significant risk of developing ulcerative colitis was shown to be correlated with the presence of an ATTG insertion/deletion in the NFKB1 promoter and is likely to apply also to a variety of other inflammatory diseases.
US08071294B2	Cancer therapy sensitizer The present invention relates to compositions and methods for sensitizing cancer therapy. The invention provides such compositions comprising a SPARC family polypeptide or polynucleotide, as well as recombinant cells containing a SPARC family polypeptide or polynucleotide. The compositions and methods of the invention are useful in in vitro study of cancer therapy resistance, as well as ex vivo and in vivo therapy of cancer.
US08071288B2	Methods and reagents for detecting target binding by nucleic acid ligands The present invention provides novel methods and reagents for detecting the binding of protein targets to nucleic acid ligands. Using Universal Protein Stains (UPS), proteins bound by nucleic acid ligands may be labeled with a detectable moiety. The methods and reagents are particularly useful for the detection of protein targets bound to multiplexed arrays of nucleic acid ligands. The present invention also provides novel methods for the multiplexed evaluation of photocrosslinking nucleic acid ligands. The methods allow one simultaneously to: (1) evaluate the performance (dynamic range) of a plurality of photocrosslinking nucleic acid ligands; and (2) assess the specificity of each photocrosslinking nucleic acid ligand for its cognate target protein. Photocrosslinking nucleic acid ligands with the most desirable properties can then be selected for use in diagnostic and prognostic medical assays. The present invention also provides a photocrosslinking nucleic acid ligand that binds specifically to HIV gp120MN.
US08071287B2	Pharmaceutical and therapeutic applications relating to a type 9 adenylyl cyclase Polymorphism in asthma and reversible bronchial obstruction A pharmaceutical composition comprising an expression product of a Type Nine adenylyl cyclase gene polymorphism, along with a suitable physiological carrier, are provided. In addition, methods related to treating patients having asthma or a reversible bronchial obstruction, kits for determining the responsiveness of an individual to treatment regimens, and assays for screening pharmaceutical for efficacy in treatment are also provided.
US08071280B2	Media solutions and methods for cryopreservation and thawing of in vitro fertilization specimens A medium solution which will increase the growth, survival and ultimately the live birth rate of oocytes and embryos which have been or will be subjected to cryopreservation. The solution contains varied amounts of glucose, pyruvates, amino acids, vitamins K5 and C, antioxidants, fatty acids to supply the specimens with the chemical ingredients and uptake requirements required to recover and prosper during and after the cryopreservation process. The solution supplies nutrients to the specimens that will replenish depletion and damage to the specimens and their mitochondria, spindles and structural features, such as cell walls. One formulation addresses the additional requirements of frozen specimens as opposed to the current media solutions and methods which treat the un-frozen specimens the same as the frozen specimens when recovering them from cryopreservation.
US08071279B2	Plane waves to control critical dimension The present invention describes an aperture including: an opaque plate; two sliver openings located in the opaque plate, the two sliver openings having rectangular shapes, the two sliver openings being parallel to each other.The present invention further describes a method including: decomposing a pattern into horizontal sub-features and vertical sub-features; forming a first mask corresponding to the horizontal sub-features; forming a second mask corresponding to the vertical sub-features; forming a first aperture with two parallel horizontal sliver openings corresponding to the first mask; forming a second aperture with two parallel vertical sliver openings corresponding to the second mask; exposing a wafer using the first aperture and the first mask; exposing the wafer using the second aperture and the second mask; and exposing the wafer with the third mask.
US08071274B2	Aqueous treatment of on-press developable lithographic printing plate A method of treating an on-press developable lithographic printing plate with an aqueous treating solution after imagewise exposure and before on-press development is described. The plate comprises on a substrate a photosensitive layer developable with ink and/or fountain solution and capable of hardening upon exposure to a radiation. The plate is imagewise exposed with a radiation, overall treated with a treating solution to cause at least one chemical or physical change in the photosensitive layer or on the substrate surface, and then on-press developed with ink and/or fountain solution. Such a treatment allows improvement on the performance of the imagewise exposed plate by, for example, improving the white light stability, forming visible imaging, increasing the hydrophilicity of the substrate, or increasing the developability of the photosensitive layer.
US08071272B2	Method of forming patterns A method of forming patterns includes (a) coating a substrate with a resist composition for negative development to form a resist film, wherein the resist composition contains a resin capable of increasing the polarity by the action of the acid and becomes more soluble in a positive developer and less soluble in a negative developer upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation, (b) forming a protective film on the resist film with a protective film composition after forming the resist film and before exposing the resist film, (c) exposing the resist film via an immersion medium, and (d) performing development with a negative developer.
US08071269B2	Compressible flexographic printing plate construction The present invention relates to an improved compressible flexographic printing plate that uses a compressible layer comprising a polyurethane (meth)acrylate resin and microspheres. The process of the invention produces a chemically fused printing plate that eliminates the need for an adhesive to secure the compressible layer to the back of the printing plate.
US08071266B2	Electrophotographic photoreceptor, and process cartridge and image forming apparatus employing the same An objective is to provide a high releasing electrophotographic photoreceptor exhibiting lubricity and mechanical strength. The photoreceptor possessing a photosensitive layer on a conductive support, wherein an outermost layer of the photoreceptor comprises a fluorine resin represented by the following formula. wherein each of X, Y and Z represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a halogen-substituted alkyl group or a halogen-substituted alkoxy group; at least one of X, Y and Z represents a fluorine atom; each of R4, R5, R6 and R7 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a halogen-substituted alkyl group; each of R1, R2, and R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a halogen-substituted alkyl group; at least one of R1, R2, and R3 represents a fluorine atom; n1 represents an integer of 1-8000; and n2 represents an integer of 0-4000.
US08071265B2	Zinc dithiol containing photoconductors A photoconductor that includes, for example, a supporting substrate, a photogenerating layer, a zinc dithiol containing charge transport layer, a zinc dithiol containing photogenerating layer, or where the charge transport layer and the photogenerating layer both include a zinc dithiol.
US08071264B2	Pattern formation method using levenson-type mask and method of manufacturing levenson-type mask A method of forming a pattern including a first pattern portion having a first minimum dimension and a second pattern portion having a second minimum dimension includes a first exposure step of performing exposure using a Levenson-type mask and a second exposure step of performing exposure using a half tone-type mask. When second minimum dimension is 1.3 time or more than the first minimum dimension, the exposure amount of the second exposure step is set to be equal to or smaller than the exposure amount of the first exposure step.
US08071261B2	Lithography masks and methods of manufacture thereof Lithography masks and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. For example, a method of manufacturing a lithography mask includes forming a stack over a substrate. The stack includes bottom attenuated phase shift material layers, intermediate opaque material layers, and finally top resist layers. The method further includes patterning the stack and then trimming the resist layers to uncover a portion of the opaque material layers. The uncovered opaque material layers are subsequently etched followed by removal of any remaining resist layers.
US08071260B1	Thermoplastic holographic media The present invention provides an article comprising: a binder component, a polymerizable component; and a photoinitiator component comprising at least one photoinitiator that causes the polymerizable component to form a polymer or co-polymer when a portion of the polymerizable component is exposed to a light source. The present invention also provides a method for making such an article, and a method and a system for holographically recording a spatial light distribution to such an article. The present invention also provides an article comprising: a binder component and a photoactive component, a method of making such an article, a method of recording to such an article and a system for recording to such an article.
US08071255B2	Hydrophobic fluorinated polyelectrolyte complex films and associated methods A fuel cell comprising a proton transporting membrane is provided. The proton transporting membrane comprises a polyelectrolyte film comprising a multilayer comprising an interpenetrating network of a net positively charged polyelectrolyte polymer comprising repeat units with at least two fluorine atoms and a net negatively charged polyelectrolyte polymer comprising repeat units with at least two fluorine atoms, and further comprising a fluorinated counterion within the multilayer.
US08071254B2	Crosslinkable fluoropolymer, crosslinked fluoropolymers and crosslinked fluoropolymer membranes Crosslinkable polymers and crosslinked fluoropolymers are prepared from selected fluorinated dienes and monomers containing Br and I. Also disclosed are proton conductive membranes of these crosslinked fluoropolymers.
US08071249B2	Fuel cell system and mobile article The fuel cell system is provided with a fuel cell, a fuel supply system for supplying fuel gas to the fuel cell, an injector for regulating the gas state upstream in the fuel supply system and supplying the gas downstream, and control means for driving and controlling the injector at a predetermined drive cycle. The control means sets the working state of the injector in response to the operating state of the fuel cell.
US08071245B2	Hybrid fuel cell system According to the invention, a hybrid fuel cell system (100) is characterized by comprising a load portion (3) which consumes electric power; first control means (11) for obtaining a supply electric power set value (P bat ref) indicating electric power supplied from the electric power storage device (40), based on a supply electric power set value (P fc ref) indicating electric power supplied from the fuel cell (20) and a consumption electric power set value (P mot ref) indicating electric power consumed by the load portion (3); difference obtaining means (41) for obtaining a difference between the supply electric power set value (P bat ref) and an actual supply electric power value (P bat mos) indicating electric power actually supplied from the electric power storage device (40); and second control means (12) for controlling the amount of electric power consumed by the load portion (3) based on the difference.
US08071243B2	Fuel cell system In a fuel cell system, during the state where the fuel cell system is not generating an electric power, a fuel gas passage and an oxidizing gas passage are closed, and an inert gas supply device (54, 58) supplies an inert gas to an anode space (111) which is substantially isolated from outside, the anode space including the closed fuel gas passage and a space connected to the closed fuel gas passage, while an air supply device (67, 70) supplies air to a cathode space (112) which is substantially isolated from outside, the cathode space including the closed oxidizing gas passage and a space connected to the closed oxidizing gas passage. With this, the fuel cell system is capable of achieving high energy efficiency and of surely preventing degradation of electrodes during the state where the fuel cell system is not generating the electric power, irrespective of repeated start-up and stop.
US08071239B2	Long life and low corrosion lead storage battery A lead storage battery of the present invention has an electrode plate pack including: a plurality of negative electrode plates in each of which a negative electrode active material layer is retained by a negative electrode grid, a plurality of positive electrode plates in each of which a positive electrode active material layer is retained by a positive electrode grid, and a plurality of separators separating the positive and negative electrode plate; a positive electrode connecting member connected to each positive electrode plate of the electrode plate pack; and a negative electrode connecting member connected to each negative electrode plate of the electrode plate pack. The positive and negative electrode grids, and the positive and negative electrode connecting members comprise a Pb alloy including at least one of Ca and Sn, the negative electrode grid further includes Sb in a part thereof excluding the tab part, and the separator includes silica.
US08071236B2	Laminated packaging material, and battery using the material A laminated packaging material and a battery using the material are disclosed. The material includes an inner layer composed of a resin film, a first adhesive layer, a metal layer, a second adhesive layer, and an outer layer composed of a resin film. At least one of the first adhesive layer or the second adhesive layer is composed of an adhesive composition, as an essential component, selected from the group consisting of a resin having an active hydrogen group in a side chain, polyfunctional isocyanates, and a polyfunctional amine compound.
US08071228B2	Perpendicular magnetic recording medium Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording medium which does not cause medium noise to increase due to soft magnetic underlayers, is capable of easily controlling the thickness of a nonmagnetic layer disposed between soft magnetic underlayers, and capable of improving the corrosion resistance of the soft magnetic underlayers. According to one embodiment, in a perpendicular magnetic recording medium, an adhesion layer is formed on a substrate, a soft magnetic underlayer is formed on the adhesion layer, a seed layer and an intermediate layer are formed above the soft magnetic underlayer, and a perpendicular layer is formed on the intermediate layer. The soft magnetic underlayer has a first soft magnetic layer, a second first soft magnetic layer, and an antiferromagnetic coupling layer disposed between the first soft magnetic layer and the second soft magnetic layer, the first soft magnetic layer and the second soft magnetic layer are formed of an alloy comprising Fe as a main ingredient, the antiferromagnetic coupling layer is formed of an Ru—Fe alloy, and an Fe content is from 40 at % to 75 at %.
US08071223B2	EVA blend compositions suitable for RF welding applications Disclosed are films obtained from blends of ethylene copolymers with organic acid salt-modified potassium ionomeric copolymers. The films of the present invention can be welded using RF energy.
US08071222B2	Polymeric particles capable of absorbing blood and/or body fluids Polymeric particles capable of absorbing blood and/or body fluids, the polymeric particles being coated with at least one surfactant and with at least one solvent, are produced and used for absorbing blood and/or body fluids, especially in hygiene articles.
US08071216B2	Bundle of long thin carbon structures, manufacturing method thereof, and electronic device In the bundle of long thin carbon structures of the present invention, end parts of the bundle are interconnected in a carbon network. The interconnected end parts form a flat surface. By this, an electrical connection structure with low resistance and/or a thermal connection structure with high thermal conductivity are obtained. The bundle of long thin carbon structures can be used suitably as a via, heat removal bump or other electronic element.
US08071213B2	Resin coated piston manufacturing apparatus for shock absorber A resin coated piston manufacturing apparatus for a shock absorber is provided with a means for pressing a piston raw material to a resin sheet until the resin sheet is locked to a resin sheet locking annular groove of the piston raw material in such a manner as to be capable of reciprocating on a center axis of a set mold. The apparatus having an aligning guide mateable with an inner diameter of the piston raw material set to a piston set hole of the set mold. The aligning guide presses the piston raw material to the resin sheet so as to lock the resin sheet to the resin sheet locking annular groove of the piston raw material, and can press the piston raw material to which the resin sheet is locked, to a heating and cooling cylinder apparatus.
US08071212B2	Self-adhesive film A self-adhesive film comprises a substrate layer and an adhesive layer on the substrate layer, which comprises a carboxylic acid-modified thermoplastic elastomer, a carboxylic acid-unmodified thermoplastic elastomer, a crosslinking agent and a plasticizer. A self-adhesive functional film comprises a substrate layer, an adhesive layer formed on one side of the substrate layer, and a functional layer on the other side of the substrate layer which has at least one of antireflective, electromagnetic wave blocking, heat ray cutting off, antistatic, anticlauding, antibacterial, deodorizing easy-adhering, antifouling functions and hard coat layer.
US08071204B2	Fibre-reinforced composite material and manufacture thereof Prepeg for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material, the prepreg comprising a layer of dry fibers and a layer of resin material adhered to a surface of the layer of dry fibers, the resin material having a plurality of particles dispersed therein, the particles have an average particle size that is larger than the average fiber separation of the layer of dry fibers.
US08071203B2	Polymeric structures comprising a hydrophile/lipophile system Hydroxyl polymer-containing compositions, especially hydroxyl polymer-containing compositions that can be processed into polymeric structures, especially polymeric structures in the form of fibers are provided.
US08071202B2	Water-absorbing polymer structures with improved absorption properties The present invention relates to a process for production of water-absorbing polymer structures comprising the process steps of providing an untreated, water-absorbing polymer structure (Pu) with a retention of at least about 35 g/g; and bringing this water-absorbing untreated polymer structure (Pu) into contact with a permeability-increasing agent. The invention further relates to the water-absorbing polymer structures obtainable by this process, water-absorbing polymer structures, a composite, a process for production of a composite, a composite obtainable by this process, chemical products comprising water-absorbing polymer structures or a composite as well as the use of water-absorbing polymer structures or of the composite in chemical products.
US08071198B2	Glass articles with adhesion and stain resistant non-stick coatings The invention provides a non-stick coating for glass cookware that has good adhesion and stain resistance while maintaining the abrasion resistance of the non-stick coating. The non-stick coating comprises a base coat that contains fluoropolymer and colloidal silica and an overcoat comprising one or more polymer layers containing inorganic filler film hardener.
US08071195B2	Multi-layered object comprising hard coat layer and light transmitting layer, and method for producing the same The present invention provides a multi-layered object having a hard coat layer capable of improving anti-staining property, anti-staining durability, scratch resistance, abrasion resistance and the like. A multi-layered object comprising a hard coat layer and a light transmitting layer, wherein the hard coat layer is formed from a composition for hard coat comprising: an active energy ray-curable silicone-acrylic copolymer (A); and an active energy ray-curable polyfunctional compound (B), and wherein the active energy ray-curable silicone-acrylic copolymer (A) contains: a polysiloxane block (a-1), an acrylic block (a-2) containing an active energy ray-curable double bond group and a fluoroalkyl group-containing acrylic block (a-3).
US08071194B2	Heat collector A heat collector includes a heat absorption surface, an opposite heat focus surface and one or more surrounding sides. A matrix of the heat collector is a thermally conductive material. There is a plurality of adiabatic pores mixed within the matrix. A relative concentration distribution of the adiabatic pores increases from the heat absorption surface to the heat focus surface, and decreases from the surrounding sides to a center of the heat collector. The shape of the heat collector can be rectangular, cylindrical, prismatic, plate-shaped, square, or polyhedral. The heat collector can draw heat generated from electrical components, and collect the generated heat for reuse in order to enhance energy efficiency.
US08071193B2	Floor panel The invention relates to a floor panel in the form of a multilayer, rectangular laminate with a soft core (10) of plastic, a décor film (12) on the upper side of the core (10), a transparent finishing layer (14) and a transparent lacquer layer (16) applied on the finishing layer (16), as well as a back-pull layer (18) on the back of the core (10), with a lockable tongue and groove connection at least at two mutually opposite edges of the panel (20, 22).
US08071192B2	Flooring system with a plurality of different decorative upper surfaces A flooring system comprising a carrying panel with edges, said edges being provided with means for joining. The carrying panel is further being provided with an upper side and a lower side. The flooring system comprises a plurality of panels where each panel is provided with an upper decorative surface. The flooring system comprises panels with at least two of decorative surface selected from the group consisting of a thermosetting composite, a thermoplastic composite, an elastomeric foil, a thermoplastic foil, a metal sheet, a fabric, a mineral and a mineral composite.
US08071191B2	Reinforced packaging webs The specification discloses a method for affixing a strip to an underlying web substrate. According to the method, a substrate web having at least one surface is provided and at least one strip is applied over at least a portion of the substrate surface such that at least a significant portion of an underside surface of the strip disposed adjacent the substrate surface is unbounded to the substrate. A polymer coating is extruded over both the substrate surface and the strip. The strip is thereby affixed to the substrate surface by the coating while the portion of the underside surface of the strip remains substantially unbounded to the substrate surface. At the same time, a substantial portion of an upper surface of the strip adjacent the polymer coating layer is bonded to the coating layer. Also disclosed are packaging materials formed from the reinforced substrate.
US08071189B2	Blow molded body A hollow molded article including a polyolefin resin-based layer (A), a modified polyolefin resin-based layer (B) and a fluororesin-based layer (C), wherein the fluororesin-based layer (C) constitutes at least one of the innermost and outermost layers of the hollow molded article.
US08071188B2	Sealable, peelable film comprising a block copolymer peelable core layer The present invention concerns a sealed package formed from a polymer film comprising a block copolymeric substrate and a heat sealable coating and/or skin layer on the substrate, the package being formed by wrapping the film around an article to be packaged in a manner to obtain at least one region of film overlap, and heat sealing the resulting overlapped film sections to each other to provide at least one sealed region of the package, the sealed region being subsequently openable by manually separating the overlapped film sections, effective without substantial tearing of the film at or around the sealed region.
US08071182B2	Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device SubjectThe subject is to provide a liquid crystal composition that satisfies at least one of characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of the nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of the nematic phase, a small viscosity, a large optical anisotropy, a large dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a high stability to ultraviolet light, a high stability to heat and a short helical pitch, or that is suitably balanced regarding at least two of the characteristics. The subject is also to provide an AM device that has a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio, a long service life, a little light-leak and so forth.Means for Solving the SubjectThe invention provides a liquid crystal composition that has the nematic phase, including a specific optically active compound as a first component and a specific four-ring compound having a high maximum temperature of the nematic phase as a second component, and optionally including a specific compound having a high maximum temperature or small viscosity as a third component and a specific compound having a positively large dielectric anisotropy as a fourth component, and provides a liquid crystal display device including this composition.
US08071177B2	Substrate and method for producing the substrate A self assembling monolayer formed by the self assembling molecules is caused to bond onto the surface of a base material, and chelators are caused to bond onto the self assembling monolayer, to produce a substrate, in which the chelators are bound to the self assembling monolayer at a density within a range from 0.4/nm2 to 4/nm2. The bonding of the chelators onto the self assembling monolayer being performed within an organic solvent.
US08071176B2	Process for forming a weatherable polyvinyl chloride or polyolefin article This invention relates to a process for forming a PVC article having a weatherable coating by applying by in-line spray, roll-coat, brush-coat, gravure print, flexographic print, thermal transfer coat or inkjet a polymeric solution onto extruded PVC as it is being extruded. The invention also relates to rigid PVC articles coated by the process. A polyvinylidene fluoride coating can be applied to PVC to form an article having improved gloss, good weatherability, good color retention and stain resistance.
US08071170B2	Method of forming multi-layered patterned coating film The present invention provides methods of forming multi-layered patterned coating films comprising the steps of (1) applying a first colored base coating composition to a substrate, (2) applying a second colored base coating composition over the uncured coating film of the first colored base coating composition in such a manner that the first colored base coating film is partially exposed, the second colored base coating composition being able to form a coating film of different color and/or visual texture from that of the first colored base coating composition, and having, 30 seconds after application, 30 to 60 mass % of the solids content of the base coating composition, and (3) applying a top clear coating composition over the cured or uncured first and second colored base coating compositions, and curing the uncured composition(s).
US08071169B2	Droplet discharge method, electro-optical device, and electronic device A droplet discharge method includes performing a plurality of scans in which a discharge head and a substrate are scanned relative to each other, discharging droplets of a plurality of types of functional liquid from the discharge head onto a plurality of prescribed portions on the substrate that are arranged in a matrix while the discharge head and the substrate are scanned. The discharging of the droplets includes discharging the droplets onto the prescribed portions over the plurality of scans so that centers of newly discharged droplets are made to land at one of positions that overlap with centers of landing positions of the droplets already discharged to the prescribed portions and positions that are offset in a row direction and in a column direction of the matrix from the centers of the landing positions of the droplets already discharged to the prescribed portions.
US08071168B2	Micrometric direct-write methods for patterning conductive material and applications to flat panel display repair A new, low temperature method for directly writing conductive metal traces with micron and sub-micron sized features. In this method, a flat beam is used, such as an AFM cantilever, with or without a tip, to draw traces of metal precursor ink onto a substrate. The dimensions of the metal traces can be directly controlled by the geometry of the cantilever, so that one can controllably deposit traces from 1 micron to over 100 microns wide with microfabricated cantilevers. Cantilevers with sharp tips can be used to further shrink the minimum features sizes to sub-micron scale. The height of the features can be increased by building layers of similar or different material.
US08071163B2	Deposition of Ta- or Nb-doped high-k films Methods and compositions for depositing high-k films are disclosed herein. In general, the disclosed methods utilize precursor compounds comprising Ta or Nb. More specifically, the disclosed precursor compounds utilize certain ligands coupled to Ta and/or Nb such as 1-methoxy-2-methyl-2-propanolate (mmp) to increase volatility. Furthermore, methods of depositing Ta or Nb compounds are disclosed in conjunction with use of Hf and/or Zr precursors to deposit Ta-doped or Nb-doped Hf and/or Zr films. The methods and compositions may be used in CVD, ALD, or pulsed CVD deposition processes.
US08071158B2	Method for discharging droplets and droplet discharge apparatus A method of discharging droplets includes discharging a liquid material from a droplet discharge head and causing the droplet discharge head and a substrate as a landing target for the liquid material to move relative to each other to thereby deposit the liquid material on the substrate, feeding and removing the substrate to and from a droplet discharge apparatus provided with the droplet discharge head, performing a weight measurement discharge from the droplet discharge head substantially concurrent to the feeding and removing of the substrate to and from the droplet discharge apparatus, and measuring the weight of the liquid material discharged in the weight measurement discharge.
US08071157B2	Film forming method, film forming apparatus, pattern forming method, and manufacturing method of semiconductor apparatus There is disclosed a film forming method comprising continuously discharging a solution adjusted so as to spread over a substrate by a given amount to the substrate through a discharge port disposed in a nozzle, moving the nozzle and substrate with respect to each other, and holding the supplied solution onto the substrate to form a liquid film, wherein a distance h between the discharge port of the nozzle and the substrate is set to be not less than 2 mm and to be in a range less than 5×10−5 qγ (mm) given with respect to a surface tension γ (N/m) of the solution, discharge speed q (m/sec) of the solution continuously discharged through the discharge port, and a constant of 5×10−5 (m·sec/N).
US08071150B2	Processing technique to thaw partially frozen fruits and vegetables and incorporating solids A method for thawing and infusing partially frozen fruits or vegetables. Individually quick frozen fruits or vegetables are introduced into a mixing kettle. An infusion solution is circulated from a solution tank, through a bed of fruits or vegetables, and back to a solution tank. The infusion solution is maintained at a temperature of about 45° to about 50° F. and at a Brix of about 40° to about 50°. The infusion solution is pumped and circulated at a high rate which reduces thaw time but does not result in product degradation. After thawing, the pumping and re-circulating rate is decreased to allow for increased infusion efficiency. Pressure pulses are applied to the product in the mixing tank which decreases the infusion time. Thus, thawed and infused fruit and vegetables are produced quickly and with minimal product degradation.
US08071149B2	Easy open dough distribution manifold The dough distribution manifold (10) includes a housing (12) with a perimeter wall (14) forming a dough distribution chamber (20). Removable bottom wall (16) and removable top wall (18) are positioned on the perimeter wall. Top wall (18) includes a cover plate (40) and an insert plate (42), with the insert plate having a protrusion (44) that extends into the dough distribution chamber (20), whereby different sized insert plates may be combined with the cover plate to adjust the height of the dough distribution chamber. The perimeter wall (14) is independently supported with respect to said bottom wall (16) and top wall (18) so that the bottom and top walls may be removed while leaving the perimeter wall in place for inspection and cleaning. Valves (56) and dough dividers (34 and 64) are used to direct the movement of dough in equal amounts through the delivery openings (32).
US08071148B2	Method for separating cooking oils from snack food products through a quasi-continuous centrifuge action A centrifuge operative in successive low speed and high speed modes serves to remove surface cooking oil from a continuous stream of fragile snack food products wherein the oil removal occurs in the high speed mode and products are discharged from the centrifuge with relatively low kinetic energy in the low speed mode.
US08071146B2	In-shell pasteurization of eggs An in-shell egg pasteurization process (10) includes, in a temperature raising stage (16), raising the temperature of albumen of an in-shell egg predominantly by means of microwave radiation to a temperature between 57° C. and 60° C., the albumen temperature being raised at a rate which reduces at least once over time. Simultaneously, in the temperature raising stage (16), the temperature of an external surface of the egg is raised predominantly by means of external heat radiation or conduction to a temperature of between 57° C. and 70° C., or alternatively or in addition the egg surface temperature is allowed to rise to a temperature of between 57° C. and 70° C. as a result of the microwave radiation by inhibiting heat loss from the egg. Said temperatures are then maintained by means of microwave radiation and external heat radiation or conduction for at least some time.
US08071144B2	Chew toy for pets and method for manufacturing the same A method for manufacturing a chew toy for pets has steps of: producing a base layer and an outer layer; shaping the base layer; (c) applying the outer layer to the base layer to manufacture a semifinished material and drying the semifinished material to obtain a chew toy, wherein the base layer has poprice, sweet rice flour and water and the outer layer has soybean, animal parts and glycerol. The chew toy has poprice, sweet rice flour, soybean, animal parts and glycerol, therefore has a nutritional value, is easily digested and has health benefits for the pet, including strengthening their teeth and exercising their palate and jaw.
US08071136B2	Water-soluble pharmaceutical compositions of hops resins The present invention is drawn to water-soluble compositions for providing hops constituents, particularly alpha acids, iso-alpha acids, and beta acids. A pharmaceutical gel composition can comprise a hops extract and a surfactant. Such compositions can be formulated into products for various therapeutic applications, including oral and topical uses. Such compositions can also be dissolved in water to yield a clear solution containing more dilute hops acids. The invention also provides methods of treatment comprising administering water-soluble hops compositions. The present invention is also drawn to methods for making water-soluble preparations of hops constituents.
US08071133B2	Oral dosage forms of water insoluble drugs and methods of making the same A method of making an oral dosage form of a water insoluble drug such as Saquinavir or Cyclosporine or Paclitaxel is carried out by: (a) providing a single phase working Solution comprising or consisting essentially of an active agent, water, a water-soluble polymer, and a solvent, said solvent selected from the group consisting of alcohol, acetone, and mixtures thereof; and may or may not contain a surfactant and pH of the said working solution may or may not be adjusted (b) providing particles formed from a pharmaceutically acceptable core material; (c) combining, preferably by spraying, said working solution with said particles to produce active agent-coated particles; such drug loaded particles may contain an external coat (d) drying said active agent-coated particles; and (e) forming said dried particles into an oral dosage form. Dried particles produced by the process, oral dosage forms containing such particles, and methods of treatment therewith are also described.
US08071132B2	Unagglomerated core/shell nanocomposite particles The present invention provides a method for the synthesis of unagglomerated, highly dispersed, stable core/shell nanocomposite particles comprised of preparing a reverse micelle microemulsion that contains nanocomposite particles, treating the microemulsion with a silane coupling agent, breaking the microemulsion to form a suspension of the nanocomposite particles by adding an acid/alcohol solution to the microemulsion that maintains the suspension of nanocomposite particles at a pH of between about 6 and 7, and simultaneously washing and dispersing the suspension of nanocomposite particles, preferably with a size exclusion HPLC system modified to ensure unagglomeration of the nanocomposite particles. The primary particle size of the nanocomposite particles can range in diameter from between about 1 to 100 nm, preferably from between about 10 to 50 nm, more preferably about 10 to 20 nm, and most preferably about 20 nm.
US08071129B2	3′-[(2Z)-[1-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)-1,5-dihydro-3-methyl-5-oxo-4H-pyrazol-4-ylidene]hydrazino]-2′-hydroxy-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3-carboxylic acid bis-(monoethanolamine) Disclosed are novel pharmaceutical compositions containing 3′-[(2Z)-[1-(3,4-dimethylphenyl) -1,5-dihydro-3-methyl-5-oxo-4H-pyrazol-4-ylidene]hydrazino]-2′-hydroxy-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3-carboxylic acid bis-(monoethanolamine) (eltrombopag olamine) and processes for preparing the same.
US08071126B2	Percutaneous absorption type patch A percutaneous absorption type patch adapted to be applied to a skin surface of a patient. The percutaneous absorption type patch comprises: a stratum-corneum release member constituted from a sheet-like first supporting substrate and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer laminated on the first supporting member; a medicinal-components administration member constituted from a sheet-like second supporting substrate, a medicinal-components retention layer laminated on the second supporting substrate, and a protect layer laminated on the medicinal-components retention layer; and a sheet-like handling member interposed between the stratum-corneum release member and the medicinal-components administration member. An edge portion of the handling member is coupled to or integrated with both the first supporting substrate and the protect layer. Operations of peeling the stratum-corneum release member from the skin surface of the patient and peeling the protect layer from the medicinal-components retention layer are carried out at a time by pulling the handling member toward an operating direction.
US08071121B2	Dispersions of microemulsions in hydrogels for drug delivery An ophthalmically bioactive agent delivery system comprising a contact lens having dispersed therein as an oil-in-water microemulsion, an ophthalmically bioactive agent encapsulated in the oil phase, the oil phase comprising a material from which the agent VAN diffuse into and migrate through the contact lens into the post-lens tear film when the contact lens is placed on the eye and wherein the microemulsion is stabilized by the presence of a surfactant with sufficient packing at the oil-water interface to attenuate the rate of diffusion into and migration of agent through the contact lens.
US08071120B2	Methods for treating neovascularization and intravitreal implants Methods for reducing or preventing transplant rejection in the eye of an individual are described, comprising: a) performing an ocular transplant procedure; and b) implanting in the eye a bioerodible drug delivery system comprising an immunosuppressive agent and a bioerodible polymer.
US08071118B2	Method of inducing cell proliferation using fibroin A bioactive material is made using fibroin solutions and suspensions designed to support the constructions, repair, regeneration or augmentation of bone and other tissues of the body. The fibroin solutions, suspensions, and composites can be injected to fill cavities or to replace missing tissue. After injection, the materials can produce a scaffold capable of promoting tissue regeneration while degrading. The ability to inject the fibroin solutions, suspensions and composites can reduce the need for many types of surgical procedures that are used to replace or repair bone and other tissues. The fibroin solutions and suspensions are particularly useful for methods of tissue construction and/or repair.
US08071117B2	Pheromones The apple leaf midge and raspberry cane midge pheromones have been found to be acetoxyheptadecenone and acetoxyundecanone, respectively, and uses for these and related compounds are provided, including monitoring population levels of the midge and control of midge populations by disrupting mating patterns.
US08071114B2	Compositions containing quaternary ammonium compounds This invention relates to compositions containing quaternary ammonium compounds in which the nitrogen atom is substituted by at least one alkyl group having at least 12 carbon atoms, characterized in that said composition includes 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. This invention also relates to ophthalmic oil-in-water emulsions containing such compositions, said ophthalmic emulsions being useful for eye care or for the treatment of eye conditions.
US08071111B2	Virulence of Streptococci The invention relates to the field of diagnosis of and vaccination against Streptococcal infections and to the detection of virulence markers of Streptococci. The invention discloses a method for modulating virulence of a Streptococcus, the method comprising modifying a genomic fragment of Streptococcus wherein the genomic fragment comprises at least a functional part of a fragment identifiable by hybridization in Streptococcus suis to a nucleic acid or fragment thereof as shown in FIG. 5.
US08071099B2	Anti-FLT3 antibodies The present invention provides fully human antibodies that specifically bind to human FLT3 within extracellular domains 4 or 5 with high affinity. The invention further provides methods of treating leukemia by administering an effective amount of an antibody either alone or in combination with an anti-cancer agent or treatment including methotrexate.
US08071091B2	Non-neurotoxic plasminogen activating factors for treating stroke The invention pertains to the use and production of non-neurotoxic plasminogen activating factors e.g. of Desmodus rotundus (DSPA) for the therapeutic treatment of stroke in humans in order to provide a new therapeutic concept for treating stroke in humans.
US08071087B2	Reovirus for the treatment of cellular proliferative disorders Methods for treating proliferative disorders, by administering reovirus to a Ras-mediated proliferative disorder, are disclosed. The reovirus is administered so that it ultimately directly contacts ras-mediated proliferating cells. Proliferative disorders include but are not limited to neoplasms. Human reovirus, non-human mammalian reovirus, and/or avian reovirus can be used. If the reovirus is human reovirus, serotype 1 (e.g., strain Lang), serotype 2 (e.g., strain Jones), serotype 3 (e.g., strain Dearing or strain Abney), as well as other serotypes or strains of reovirus can be used. Combinations of more than one type and/or strain of reovirus can be used, as can reovirus from different species of animal. Either solid neoplasms or hematopoietic neoplasms can be treated.
US08071085B2	Primary cultured adipocytes for gene therapy The present invention relates to primary cultured adipocytes for gene therapy, where the adipocytes stably maintain a foreign gene encoding a protein that is secreted outside of cells. This invention provides cells suitable for gene therapy, which can replace bone marrow cells and liver cells used for conventional ex vivo gene therapy. The present invention established methods for transferring foreign genes into primary cultured adipocytes, which are suitable for ex vivo gene therapy; can be easily collected and implanted; and can be removed after implantation. Specifically, the present invention established these methods that use retroviral vectors. The present invention also established primary cultured adipocytes for gene therapy, where the adipocytes stably maintain a foreign gene encoding a protein that is secreted outside of cells.
US08071081B2	Reduction of airborne malodors using hydrogen peroxide and a catalyst-coated media Compositions, methods and apparatuses for reducing or eliminating malodors from indoor air are described. The method utilizes vapor phase hydrogen peroxide (VPHP) generated from either evaporation from an aqueous-based liquid composition or sublimation from a solid hydrogen peroxide-containing compound. VPHP engages a media coated with at least one transitional metal element or compound, which acts as an oxidation catalyst, in the presence of air that contains malodorous compounds to provide increased efficacy of malodor molecule oxidation. The apparatus can employ a disposable porous non-woven filter pad coated with one or more transition metal compounds, and a solid source of VPHP. Malodor-containing air engages the pad in the presence of the VPHP to effectively oxidize the malodorants. The apparatus can also include a mechanism to provide color change(s) in the presence of VPHP to indicate whether the device contains VPHP or not.
US08071077B2	Oral compositions containing biphenol antibacterial compounds Antiplaque oral compositions are provided that contain an orally acceptable carrier and an antibacterial effective amount of the compound of formula (I). In various embodiments, the compositions contain from about 0.001% to about 10% by weight of the compound of formula (I).
US08071070B2	Titanium dioxide having a variable sintering stability Provided is a crystalline TiO2 powder in the form of aggregated primary particles having a variable sintering stability at a BET surface area of 70-100 m2/g and a rutile content of greater than 10% but less than or equal to 40%, and a process for preparing the crystalline TiO2 powder, which involves: introducing a TiCl4 vapor and, separately therefrom, H2 and a primary air into a mixing chamber to produce a gaseous mixture; igniting the gaseous mixture in a burner to produce a flame, which is burned into a reaction chamber to produce the crystalline TiO2 powder and gaseous substances; and separating the crystalline TiO2 powder from the gaseous substances, wherein the relative amounts of TiCl4 vapor, H2 and primary air are selected to provide crystalline TiO2 powder having the aforementioned BET surface area and rutile content, with the proviso that factor A has a value of 0.1-0.4 g/m2 in accordance within the following formula: factor A=105{[(TiCl4 vapor×H2)/(amount of air×gaseous mixture)]/BET]}.
US08071068B2	Process for desulphurization of a gaseous effluent comprising a device for on-line analysis and control The invention concerns a process for desulphurization of a gaseous effluent containing hydrogen sulphide using a Claus treatment unit followed by a Claus tail gas treatment unit (TGT), said process comprising using a device for on-line analysis of the ratio H2S/SO2 at the outlet from the TGT unit and a feed-back loop which can maintain said H2S/SO2 molar ratio at the outlet from the TGT unit to a value close to 2 and generally in the range 1.5 to 2.5.
US08071067B2	Processes for making stable ferric chloride solutions Processes for forming ferric chloride solutions that are stable at relatively low temperatures and suitable for transportation without precipitation are provided. The stable ferric chloride solutions have an iron content of about 16 to about 23 weight percent and a hydrochloric acid content of about 11 to about 17 weight percent, wherein the ferric chloride solution is a stable solution and/or reversibly freezes at −10° C. Also disclosed are processes for reconstituting the stable ferric chlorides solutions to provide a final iron content of 10 to 14 weight percent and lower the concentration of hydrochloric acid contained therein.
US08071066B1	Method and apparatus for improving the quality of diamonds and other gemstones The present disclosure relates to methods for improving the quality of diamonds by eliminating internal defects, such as cracks and vacant volumes, without the use of filler materials such as glass, thereby improving the diamond's optical performance or appearance. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a method of curing defects in a genuine or synthetic diamond or other gemstone by using Atomic Layer Deposition (“ALD”) processes to form atomic layers within vacant volumes or cracks in the diamond or gemstone. Alternatively, ALD may be used to form crystalline layers of a new diamond or other gemstone.
US08071065B2	High density carbon foam composite tooling Tools for the forming of composite parts from composite forming materials, having tool bodies that comprise, at least in part, high density carbon foam where a surface of the high density carbon foam may comprise a tool face or support tool face materials. The tools of the present invention may be lighter, more durable, and less costly to produce and/or use than conventional tools used for the production of composite parts, particularly those tools used for the production of carbon composites. Additionally, such tools may be reusable, repairable, and more readily modifiable.
US08071064B2	XLI2MGHN hydrides as hydrogen storage compounds State-of-the-art electronic structure calculations yield results consistent with the observed compound SiLi2Mg and provide likelihood of the availability of IrLi2Mg and RhLi2Mg. Similar calculations provide likelihood of the availability of YLi2MgHn, ZrLi2MgHn, NbLi2MgHn, MoLi2MgHn, TcLi2MgHn, RuLi2MgHn, RhLi2MgHn, LaLi2MgHn, Ce4+Li2MgHn, Ce3+Li2MgHn, PrLi2MgHn, NdLi2MgHn, PmLi2MgHn, SmLi2MgHn, EuLi2MgHn, GdLi2MgHn, TbLi2MgHn, DyLi2MgHn, HoLi2MgHn, ErLi2MgHn, TmLi2MgHn, YbLi2MgHn, LuLi2MgHn, HfLi2MgHn, TaLi2MgHn, ReLi2MgHn, OsLi2MgHn, and IrLi2MgHn (here n is an integer having a value in a particular compound of 4-7) as solid hydrides for the storage and release of hydrogen. Different hydrogen contents may be obtained in compounds having the same XLi2Mg crystal structures. These materials offer utility for hydrogen storage systems.
US08071055B2	Water treatment techniques Exemplary systems and techniques for treating contaminated water are described. In one instance a plant or system includes a membrane filtration mechanism operable to receive an influent water stream containing a contaminant and to separate at least a first portion of the contaminant from a resulting first effluent water stream. The system also includes a reactive filtration mechanism operable to receive the first effluent water stream and to remove a waste stream containing a second portion of the contaminant to produce a resultant second effluent stream.
US08071054B2	Microfluidic magnetophoretic device and methods for using the same A microfluidic device may employ one or more sorting stations for separating target species from other species in a sample. The separation is driven by magnetophoresis. A sorting station generally includes separate buffer and sample streams. A magnetic field gradient applied to the sorting station deflects the flow path of magnetic particles (which selectively label the target species) from a sample stream into a buffer stream. The buffer stream leaving the sorting station is used to detect or further process purified target species labeled with the magnetic particles.
US08071050B2	Ergonomic pipette tip and adapters An ergonomically designed pipette tip that can be securely mounted to a barrel of a pipetter yet is designed to substantially reduce the axial force necessary to install and eject the pipette tip from the pipetter. An improved pipette tip that includes the addition of a second elastomeric material and cooperative means for insuring uniform interference and depth of penetration of the pipetter barrel as successive barrels are inserted and ejected. Also disclosed is an improved multiple-tip configuration with similar features as the ergonomic pipette tip that can be mounted to multiple barrels of a multi-pipetter as one tip instead of 8 or 12 individual tips. The secondary elastomeric material allows for better sealing and eliminates alignment issues, high installation and ejection requirements while reducing the hand and thumb forces that due to repeated use will sometimes result in repetitive stress injury.
US08071049B2	Pipette tip, pipetting device, pipette tip actuating device and method for pipetting in the NL range A changeable pipette tip includes a first end having a fluid opening and a second end having a pipe elastic in the radial direction having an orifice. The orifice and the fluid opening are in fluid connection. The first end is designed to be coupled to a matching coupling unit of a pipetting unit such that liquid may be sucked into the fluid area through the orifice by an actuating unit in the pipetting unit. In order to eject liquid as free-flying droplets or as a jet from the orifice of the pipe elastic in the radial direction, a volume change of a portion of the pipe elastic in the radial direction is effected.
US08071047B2	Centerpipe design for radial flow reactor A device is presented for use as a centerpipe in a radial flow reactor, or for a radial flow adsorption bed. The device includes a plurality of stacked slotted cylindrical sections and frustums. The design retains the particles in a solid particulate bed that can be flowing through the reactor. The frustums provide covers to the cylindrical sections to prevent the flow of solid particles back through the slots in the cylindrical sections.
US08071038B2	Progressive catalyst loading for integrated particulate filter and selective catalytic reduction unit The present invention relates to an emission control system for reducing gases from the exhaust of a combustion engine. In at least one embodiment, the emission control system includes an exhaust passage for transporting the exhaust from the combustion engine, and a particulate filter and selective catalytic reduction (SCR/PF) unit disposed within the passage, with the unit having a plurality of spaced filter walls extending axially along the passage and selective catalytic reduction catalyst variably loaded on the unit to provide a more uniform pressure drop relative to a unit having uniformly loaded catalyst.
US08071037B2	Catalytic devices for converting urea to ammonia Described are apparatuses, systems, and methods for treating exhaust. The described apparatus and systems typically include a catalytic device for converting aqueous urea to ammonia. The catalytic device may include a pyrolysis catalyst and a hydrolysis catalyst for converting aqueous urea to ammonia. The catalytic device typically includes an upstream face that is positioned at an angle relative to exhaust flow when the device is positioned in a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system.
US08071036B2	Mercury reduction system A mercury reduction system includes an NH4Cl supplying unit that sprays an NH4Cl solution into a flue of the boiler, a reduction denitration apparatus that includes a denitration catalyst for reducing NOx in the flue gas with NH3 and oxidizing Hg in the presence of HCl, and a wet desulfurization apparatus for reducing Hg oxidized in the reduction denitration apparatus with limestone-gypsum slurry. The NH4Cl supplying unit includes an NH4Cl solution feed pipe that supplies the NH4Cl solution into the flue in a liquid state, a blow pipe that is inserted into the flue so as to surround the NH4Cl solution feed pipe and through which air is injected into the flue, and a two-fluid nozzle that is fitted to an end of the NH4Cl solution feed pipe and through which the NH4Cl solution is injected. Through the two-fluid nozzle, the NH4Cl solution is injected and sprayed in fine liquid droplets. NH3 is supplied by an ammonia supplying unit and HCl is supplied by a hydrogen chloride supplying unit wherein both units are located between the NH4Cl agent supplying unit and the reduction denitration apparatus.
US08071033B2	Horizontal fluidised bed reactor A reactor for contacting a fluid with a granular solid, the reactor including: a reactor housing including a reaction zone in which the fluid and the granular solid are contacted together; a granular solids inlet adapted to deliver a bed of granular solids into the reaction zone wherein the height and/or width dimension of the bed of the granular solids is substantially less than the length of the bed; a plurality of fluid inlets for delivering the fluid into the reaction zone, whereby the delivery of the fluid into the reaction zone at least partially fluidises the bed of granular solids; a granular solids outlet for receiving the bed of granular solids after having passed through the reaction zone; and, a fluid outlet for receiving the fluid, and any entrained particles, after the fluid has passed through the reaction zone.
US08071029B2	Sample analyzer and sample analyzing method A sample analyzer and sample analyzing method perform following: a) mixing a sample with at least one of a first reagent and a second reagent, thereby preparing a measurement specimen; b) storing, in a memory, standard curve data corresponding to a reagent to be used in the step a) for preparing a measurement specimen; c) measuring the measurement specimen thereby obtaining measurement data; d) processing the measurement data based on the standard curve data, thereby obtaining an analysis result; and e) when the first, reagent and the second reagent are of the same type, determining a reagent to be used for the measuring between the first reagent and the second reagent, based on information regarding standard curve data stored in the memory.
US08071026B2	Tissue Processor A tissue processor is described that comprises a retort for processing histological samples using various reagents, a plurality of exchangeable reagent supply containers that each comprise at least one container opening, a system of conduits, a control device for conveying reagents out of the reagent supply containers through at least one reagent conduit into the retort, and system bottles. The reagent supply containers and the system bottles are connected via the pertinent reagent conduits to at least one valve. The valve is electrically connected to the control device such that at least one of filling and emptying of the system bottles with reagents from the reagent supply containers is controlled. This design allows differently dimensioned reagent supply containers while at the same time minimizing the space requirement for the reagent containers.
US08071025B2	Automatic analyzer An automatic analyzer having a smaller size, allowing a larger number of reagents to be loaded, and having a higher processing capability. Reagent disks are disposed inside and outside a reaction disk. Reagent probes are disposed to be able to suck reagents from the reagent disks and eject the reagents at common positions. A plurality of reagent probes are alternately accessed one by one to each of the reagent disks per cycle. Each reagent probe comprises two arms rotatable independently of each other so that the reagent probe is able to access a plurality of points and interference between the plurality of reagent probes can be avoided. A first reagent and a second reagent can be loaded on each of the reagent disks, and the number of loadable reagents can be increased without enlarging an overall system size. Thus, an automatic analyzer having a shorter cycle time and a higher processing capability can be realized.
US08071021B2	Hydrogen peroxide vaporizer A method of decontaminating articles, comprising the steps of: (a) moving a plurality of articles having a known temperature along a first path; (b) conveying a carrier gas along a second path that includes an elongated plenum, the second path intersecting the first path downstream from the plenum; (c) heating the carrier gas to a temperature of at least about 105° C. at a location upstream of the plenum; (d) introducing into the carrier gas in the plenum an atomized mist of a liquid hydrogen peroxide of known concentration; and (e) controlling the following: (1) the volumetric flow of carrier gas along the second path; (2) the volume of hydrogen peroxide introduced into the carrier gas; and (3) the temperature of the carrier gas introduced into the plenum, such that the concentration of the vaporized hydrogen peroxide in the carrier gas where the first path intersects the second path has a dew point temperature below the known temperature of the articles.
US08071019B2	Methods for introduction of a reactive material into a vacuum chamber Methods for the introduction of a reactive material into a vacuum chamber while minimizing or eliminating the simultaneous introduction of contaminating materials or substances. As a result, contaminating materials and substances that can interfere with any measurements or other processes that occur in the vacuum chamber are minimized or eliminated.
US08071016B2	Thin walled powder metal component manufacturing A method is disclosed of forming a powder metal compact. Powder metal is placed in an annular space of a compaction die tool set in which the annular space has inner and outer cylindrical surfaces that form inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the powder metal compact. An elastomeric tool has a first cylindrical surface adjacent to a fixed cylindrical surface of the compaction die tool set that is radially fixed and further has a second cylindrical surface, opposite to the first cylindrical surface, that touches the powder metal. The powder metal is compressed to form the powder metal compact by applying an external axial force on the elastomeric tool while maintaining the diameter of the fixed cylindrical surface so as to cause the elastomeric tool to compress the second cylindrical surface of the elastomeric tool against the powder metal.
US08071007B1	Three-dimensional bioresorbable scaffolds for tissue engineering applications The invention relates to the use of Fused Deposition Modeling to construct three-dimensional (3D) bioresorbable scaffolds from bioresorbable polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL), or from composites of bioresorbable polymers and ceramics, such as polycaprolactone/hydroxyapatite (PCL/HA). Incorporation of a bioresorbable ceramic to produce a hybrid/composite material support provides the desired degradation and resorption kinetics. Such a composite material improves the biocompatibility and hard tissue integration and allows for increased initial flash spread of serum proteins. The basic resorption products of the composite also avoids the formation of an unfavorable environment for hard tissue cells due to a decreased pH. The scaffolds have applications in tissue engineering, e.g., in tissue engineering bone and cartilage.
US08071000B2	In mold lamination of decorative products A method of manufacturing decorative plastic composites having a decorative layer, a backing layer and a clear outer layer which provides exceptional “depth of image” is disclosed. Decorative or protective appliqués' having a wide range of decorative patterns may be formed by injection molding a backing layer behind and a clear outer layer on the top surface of a thin foil, film, fabric or veneer.
US08070998B2	Process for drawing gel-spun polyethylene yarns Gel-spun multi-filament polyethylene yarns possessing a high degree of molecular and crystalline order, and to the drawing methods by which they are produced. The drawn yarns are useful in impact absorption and ballistic resistance for body armor, helmets, breast plates, helicopter seats, spall shields, and other applications; composite sports equipment such as kayaks, canoes, bicycles and boats; and in fishing line, sails, ropes, sutures and fabrics.
US08070996B2	Process for the production of flame-retardant viscose fibres The present invention relates to a process for the production in continuous of cellulose-based flame-retardant fibres or filaments and textile articles obtained therefrom, comprising the predispersion in water of an organophosphoric additive, the dosing and mixing of the aqueous predispersion in a solution of cellulose xanthogenate, the filtration of the mixed solutions and spinning in a regenerating and coagulation bath.
US08070989B2	Photostabilization of retinoids with alkoxycrylene compounds The photostabilizing electronic excited state energy—particularly singlet state energy from retinoid compounds—has been found to be readily transferred to (accepted by) α-cyanodiphenylacrylate compounds having an alkoxy radical in the four (para) position (hereinafter “alkoxycrylenes”) on one of the phenyl rings having the formula (I): wherein one of R1 and R2 is a straight or branched chain C1-C30 alkoxy radical, preferably C1-C8, more preferably methoxy, and the non-alkoxy radical R1 or R2 is hydrogen; and R3 is a straight or branched chain C1-C30 alkyl radical, preferably C2-C20. The alkoxycrylene compounds of formula (I) significantly increase the photostability of retinoid compounds in a composition by at least 3-fold and as much as 10-fold or greater. The ability of the alkoxycrylene compounds to stabilize the retinoid compound is concentration dependent, with the amount of retinoid photostabilization increasing with the concentration of the alkoxycrylene compound.
US08070988B2	Nano-carbon hybrid structures A stable colloidal suspension of carbon-based nanomaterials in a solvent has a stable colloidal suspension of nanodiamond particles having at least one additional carbon nanomaterials disbursed and agitated into the solvent to produce said suspension. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08070985B2	Method of making a lead-activated strontium hexaborate phosphor There is provided a method of making a SrB6O10:Pb phosphor that increases the manufactured quantity of the SrB6O10:Pb phosphor by approximately seven fold when using the same size reaction vessel, decreases the lead-containing waste stream, and eliminates the use of hazardous concentrated ammonium hydroxide. The UV emission brightness is equivalent to or better than the same phosphor when prepared using prior methods.
US08070982B2	Liquid crystal-containing composition and liquid crystal display device therewith A liquid crystal-containing composition includes a microcapsule. In the microcapsule, a liquid crystal is encapsulated by a shell material component containing polyurea. Monomer components included in the polyurea include a polyisocyanate component, a high molecular weight polyamine component and a low molecular weight polyamine component.
US08070978B2	Refrigerator oil composition There is provided a refrigerating machine oil composition which has a low viscosity, an improved energy saving performance, a good sealability and an excellent loading endurance and, therefore, can be suitably used in various refrigerating application fields, in particular, in closed-system refrigerators. The refrigerating machine oil composition of the present invention comprises a base oil containing a hydrogenated α-olefin oligomer as a main component and having a kinematic viscosity of 1 to 8 mm2/s as measured at 40° C., and is preferably applied to refrigerators having a sliding portion which is made of an engineering plastic material, or provided thereon with an organic coating film or an inorganic coating film.
US08070976B2	Compositions comprising fluoroolefins and uses thereof The present invention relates to fluoroolefin compositions. The fluoroolefin compositions of the present invention are useful as refrigerants or heat transfer fluids and in processes for producing cooling or heat. Additionally, the fluoroolefin compositions of the present invention may be used to replace currently used refrigerant or heat transfer fluid compositions that have higher global warming potential.
US08070975B2	Azeotrope-like composition of 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane (HCFC-244bb) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) Provided are azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions of 2-chloro-1,1,1,2-tetrafluoropropane (HCFC-244bb) and hydrogen fluoride (HF). Such azeotropic and azeotrope-like compositions are useful as intermediates in the production of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (HFO-1234yf).
US08070974B2	Soft-magnetic material and process for producing articles composed of this soft-magnetic material The invention relates to a soft-magnetic material comprising a micro fraction composed of particles of a soft-magnetic material having a particle size in the range from 1 to 100 μm and a nano fraction composed of particles of a soft-magnetic material having a particle size in the range from 100 to 200 nm, where the proportion of the nano fraction based on the total mass of micro fraction and nano fraction is from 5 to 70% by mass and the particles of the micro fraction and the particles of the nano fraction optionally consist of the same material, and also a process for producing an article composed of the soft-magnetic material.
US08070973B2	Ridge and mesa optical waveguides Apparatus including: a substrate layer having a substantially planar top surface; an optically conductive peak located and elongated on, and spanning a first thickness measured in a direction generally away from, the top surface; the optically conductive peak having first and second lateral walls each including distal and proximal lateral wall portions, the proximal lateral wall portions intersecting the top surface; and first and second sidewall layers located on the distal lateral wall portions, the sidewall layers not intersecting the top surface and spanning a second thickness that is less than the first thickness measured in the same direction.
US08070970B2	UV-LIGA process for fabricating a multilayer metal structure having adjacent layers that are not entirely superposed, and the structure obtained A layer of photoresist is spread on a metal substrate and heated, this layer is exposed through a mask to UV irradiation, the parts not photocured are developed, by dissolving them, so as to obtain a mold, a first layer of metal or of an alloy is galvanically deposited in the open parts of the mold, the metal structure and the mold are leveled by machining so as to obtain a plane upper surface, a metal ply layer is deposited on the entire upper surface, and then the above steps are repeated. A second layer of metal or an alloy is galvanically deposited in the open parts of the mold, the multilayer metal structure obtained is detached from the substrate by delamination and the photoresist is cured, the photoresist is separated so as to free the multilayer metal structure, and then that portion of the metal ply layer or layers which is not inserted between two electrodeposited metal layers is removed.
US08070965B2	Dual walled dynamic phase separator Separating a multi-phase mixture influent even during excessive flows of specific phases. The dynamic phase separator includes a chamber divided into two regions by an inner wall disposed radially inward relative to an outer wall. A gross separation region is defined between the inner wall and the outer wall, while a fine separation region lies inside an area defined by the inner wall and top of the chamber. Influent to be separated is fed through an inlet into the gross separation region. A plurality of porous disks are mounted to a rotatable shaft and disposed in the fine separation region. The outer and inner walls are separated by a predetermined distance sufficient to allow for adequate rotational velocity of incoming tangential flow of the influent and dwell time sufficient for natural separation of lighter phases from heavier phases within the gross separation region.
US08070962B2	Using oxidizing agents to remove thiocyanates from brines A method for reclamation of a brine that includes mixing a brine containing thiocyanates with an oxidizing agent; and allowing for a time sufficient for the oxidizing agent to oxidize at least a portion of the thiocyanates is disclosed. Other methods may also include determining the quantity of unoxidized thiocyanates after the oxidizing treatment.
US08070952B2	Apparatus and method for the treatment of blood The invention relates to an apparatus and method for simultaneous extrarenal blood purification therapy and respiration support therapy. The apparatus includes a CO2 removing means having a first inlet for receiving a flow of blood for CO2 removal and a first outlet for expelling blood deprived of CO2. The apparatus also includes filtering means having a first inlet for receiving the flow of blood, a first outlet for expelling purified blood, and at least one drain channel. The drain channel directs a diluting liquid obtained from the blood expelled during purification of the blood. The drain channel is directly connected to the first inlet of the CO2 removing means to supply the diluting liquid to the CO2 removing means without submitting the diluting liquid to any filtering treatment during passage along the drain channel.
US08070950B2	Boron-removing agent and boron removal method utilizing xerogel Disclosed is a boron removal method which can remove boron from boron-containing water satisfactorily by using a small amount of a chemical agent, and which generates small amount of precipitate. Also disclosed is a boron-removing agent which is easy to handle and has excellent boron-adsorption ability. A xerogel of an organic polymeric compound having a cis-type diol structure and a water-soluble salt of an alkaline earth metal are added to a boron-containing water under alkaline conditions.
US08070942B2	Suction device for cleaning a bottom surface of a structure of at least 15,000 m3 A suction device is disclosed for thoroughly cleaning the a bottom surface of a structure, covered with a non-porous plastic liner, that contains a body of water larger than 15,000 m3 for recreational use, with color, transparency and cleanness characteristics similar to swimming pools or tropical seas, said device operating by suctioning impurities from the bottom surface by a pumping system of said the structure.
US08070941B2	Control system A control system comprising a timer based controller and a valve wherein the timer-based controller has a fixed period and the timer based controller regularly cycles the valve between a first condition and a second condition with the first portion of the cycle directing a first flow of water through a dispensable material and the remaining portion of the cycle directing a lesser flow of water through the dispensable material.
US08070940B2	Fuel filter device A filter element is formed from a filter material configured to capture a foreign substance in fuel. A lower case is attachable to and detachable from a bottom portion of a housing in a movable direction. The housing and the lower case are configured to accommodate the filter element. The filter element defines a passage extending through the filter element in the movable direction. The passage is configured to accommodate the component. The component is configured to be attached to and detached from the housing together with the lower case when the lower case is attached to and detached from the housing.
US08070938B2	Apparatus and method for superheated vapor contacting and vaporization of feedstocks containing high boiling point and unvaporizable foulants in an olefins furnace A contactor/separator is formed from a vessel; an inlet for receiving a vapor/liquid mixture; an inlet for receiving a superheated vapor; a hub located within the vessel, the hub including a plurality of vanes for imparting a centrifugal motion to the vapor/liquid mixture or the superheated vapor; an outlet in a bottom of the vessel for removing liquid; and an outlet for removing vapor from the vessel. A method is also provided for heating and separating liquid and vapor from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising introducing a hydrocarbon feedstock into a contactor/separator: introducing a superheated vapor into the contactor/separator such that it contacts and vaporizes a portion of the feedstock within the contactor/separator; separating unvaporized feedstock from vaporized feedstock in the contactor/separator; removing the vaporized feedstock and the superheated vapor through a first outlet; and removing the unvaporized feedstock through a second outlet.
US08070936B2	Systems and methods of producing a crude product Contact of a crude feed with one or more catalysts containing a transition metal sulfide produces a total product that includes a crude product. The crude feed has a residue content of at least 0.2 grams of residue per gram of crude feed. The crude product is a liquid mixture at 25° C. and 0.101 MPa. One or more properties of the crude product may be changed by at least 10% relative to the respective properties of the crude feed. In some embodiments, gas is produced during contact with one or more catalysts and the crude feed.
US08070928B2	Nanofabricated structures for electric field-assisted nucleic acid extraction Embodiments of the invention provide devices and methods for extracting nucleic acid molecules from solution using electric fields. The structures and methods of embodiments of the invention are suited to incorporation into micro and nano fluidic devices, such as lab-on-a-chip devices and micro total analysis systems.
US08070927B2	Stabilizing aqueous anionic resinous dispersions with chelating agents Stabilization of aqueous resinous dispersions containing a pigment of a divalent metal such as strontium chromate is disclosed. Stabilization is achieved by incorporating a chelating agent in the dispersion.
US08070926B2	Multi-chamber workpiece processing A multi-chamber treatment/processing apparatus includes: a means for controlling/regulating operation of the apparatus providing the following operational sequence: performing a treatment/processing of at least one magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk in treatment/processing chambers, while each inlet gate and each outlet gate of each treatment/processing chamber is in a closed position and gas is exhausted from each buffer/isolation chamber; opening each of the inlet and outlet gates of each of the treatment/processing chambers and transporting the at least one magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk therein to the adjacent buffer/isolation chamber; closing the outlet gate of each of the treatment/processing chambers; transporting each of the magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk through a respective buffer/isolation chamber and initiating a flow of a respective gas to each treatment/processing chamber; and closing the inlet gate of each treatment/processing chamber immediately upon completion of entry of the at least one magnetic and/or magneto-optical disk into the respective treatment/processing chamber.
US08070925B2	Physical vapor deposition reactor with circularly symmetric RF feed and DC feed to the sputter target In a PVD reactor having a sputter target at the ceiling, a conductive housing enclosing the rotating magnet assembly has a central port for the rotating magnet axle. A conductive hollow cylinder of the housing surrounds an external portion of the spindle. RF power is coupled to a radial RF connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder. DC power is coupled to another radial DC connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder.
US08070920B2	Nanometer-scale sharpening of conductor tips The invention provides methods for sharpening the tip of an electrical conductor. The methods of the invention are capable of producing tips with an apex radius of curvature less than 2 nm. The methods of the invention are based on simultaneous direction of ionized atoms towards the apex of a previously sharpened conducting tip and application of an electric potential difference to the tip. The sign of the charge on the ions is the same as the sign of the electric potential. The methods of the invention can be used to sharpen metal wires, metal wires tipped with conductive coatings, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, semiconducting nanowires, and semiconductors in other forms.
US08070919B2	Method for preparing one dimensional spin photonic crystal device and one dimensional spin photonic crystal device prepared by the same Provided is a method for preparing a one-dimensional spin photonic crystal device and a one-dimensional spin photonic crystal device prepared by the same. The method comprises forming magnetic and nonmagnetic regions by the interference of laser beams generated from a femtosecond laser light source. The method of the present invention enables production of one-dimensional spin photonic crystals having excellent properties by a rapid and simple process, and is therefore suitable for high integration and large-scale production of desired devices. Further, the prepared photonic crystals exhibit excellent magneto-optical effects and are therefore applicable to development of novel optical devices, and the like.
US08070918B2	Metal-coated textile An improved metal coated textile and its production method where the coating of metal is deposited onto the textile through sputtering process in thickness between 20 to 2000 angstroms, with less than 5% variance in thickness across the entire length and width of the textile with width up to and over 10000 mm and length up to and over 1000 meters. The improved sputtering process utilizes longer cathodes, arrangements of metal target(s), tension controller with tension meter(s), guard(s), cylinder cover(s), and control over the textile while traveling through the chamber. The metal layer deposited is highly adhesive to the textile and is suitable for producing clothing, swim wear, diving suit, tent, cushion, wall paper, curtain, carpet, protective cover, screen window, equipment casing, and various other items. The metal layer confers characteristics such as anti-bacterial, deodorizing, improved metallic appearance and texture, electrical conductivity, heat-shielding, heat retention, and dirt repellency to the textile.
US08070917B2	Reactive sputtering method A reactive sputtering method for application of a bias voltage to a supporting substrate in formation of a film of a metal compound on the supporting substrate according to a bias sputtering method; wherein a supporting substrate conveyor unit and a cathode that includes a target facing the supporting substrate conveyor unit are provided; the supporting substrate is conveyed between the supporting substrate conveyor unit and the target for formation of a film of a metal compound on the supporting substrate; magnets are provided adjacent to the supporting substrate conveyor unit on a side thereof opposite to that of the supporting substrate, such that a magnetic field is closed and a continuing tunnel part of parallel or nearly parallel arched magnetic force lines forms an oval or a polygon on the supporting substrate, the magnets each having a first magnetic pole of an S pole or an N pole and a second magnetic pole opposite to the first magnetic pole, the second magnetic pole surrounding the first magnetic pole; and in film formation on the supporting substrate, the magnets are rotated inside a drum in an opposite direction to that in which the supporting substrate is conveyed outside of the drum, so as to secure uniform plasma application along the supporting substrate.
US08070915B2	Static dewatering element for a web forming machine and a method for covering a static dewatering element designed for a web forming machine A static dewatering element (10) for a web forming machine has a thermally sprayed coating (26) manufactured of powder particles (34). The powder particles (34) are agglomerates composed of primary particles (36). The average size of the primary particles (36) is smaller than 0.5 μm. The invention also relates to a method for covering a static dewatering element designed for a web forming machine.
US08070914B2	Anionic functional promoter and charge control agent with improved wet to dry tensile strength ratio The invention relates to a composition comprising (a) a functional promoter comprising a water-soluble anionic polymer having a molecular weight of at least about 50,000 daltons and a molecular weight charge index value of at least about 10,000; (b) a cationic surfactant component; such that when the composition treats a fibrous substrate, in conjunction with a cationic strength agent, the treated fibrous substrate exhibits (i) a ratio of wet tensile strength to dry tensile strength ranging from about 1:5 o to about 1:2 and (ii) an increase in a ratio of wet tensile strength to dry tensile strength of at least about 10%, as compared to when the fibrous substrate is treated with the functional promoter and without a surfactant. The invention also relates to a paper product made with such a system, and method for imparting wet strength to a paper product with the functional promoter.
US08070912B2	Cellulosic and lignocellulosic structural materials and methods and systems for manufacturing such materials Methods of treating wood and wood products include irradiating untreated wood having a first molecular weight with ionizing radiation to cause an increase in the molecular weight of a cellulosic component of the wood to a second, relatively higher molecular weight.
US08070911B2	Capacitive coupling plasma processing apparatus A capacitive coupling plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to have a vacuum atmosphere, and a process gas supply section configured to supply a process gas into the chamber. In the chamber, a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed opposite each other. The second electrode includes a plurality of conductive segments separated from each other and facing the first electrode. An RF power supply is configured to apply an RF power to the first electrode to form an RF electric field within a plasma generation region between the first and second electrodes, so as to turn the process gas into plasma by the RF electric field. A DC power supply is configured to apply a DC voltage to at least one of the segments of the second electrode.
US08070910B2	Shower head structure and treating device A shower head structure characterized by comprising a shower head section, opposed to the upper surface of a mounting table in an evacuable treating vessel, for injecting a processing gas into the treating vessel; a temperature observation through-hole which opens in the lower surface of the shower head so as to be opposed to the upper surface of the mounting table, a transparent observation window which hermetically seals the upper end of the temperature observation through-hole, a radiation thermometer disposed on the upper surface of the transparent observation window, an adhesion preventive gas supply path communicating with the temperature observation through-hole to prevent a film from adhering to the transparent observation window, wherein the adhesion preventive gas supply path communicates with the temperature observation through-hole through an injection nozzle for injecting the adhesion preventive gas to the transparent observation window.
US08070907B2	Jointing method for obtaining a joint structure formed of a plurality of parts A jointing apparatus includes a first laser head which emits a laser beam for adhesive heating and a second laser head which emits a laser beam for welding. In jointing components of a work with a thermosetting adhesive agent, the defocused laser beam is applied to an adhered part for a short time. Thereupon, the adhesive agent is primarily cured so that the components are tacked together. In spot-welding the components, the laser beam for welding that is converged by the second laser head is applied to a spot-welded joint.
US08070906B2	Process for improving the emission of electron field emitters This invention provides a process for improving the field emission of an electron field emitter comprised of an acicular emitting substance such as acicular carbon, an acicular semiconductor, an acicular metal or a mixture thereof, comprising applying a force to the surface of the electron field emitter wherein the force results in the removal of a portion of the electron field emitter thereby forming a new surface of the electron field emitter.
US08070903B1	Molded fabric and methods of manufacture A novel molded fabric is made by bringing a first patterned group of numerous discrete disjoint elements positioned on a first side of a contact boundary extending throughout the thickness of the fabric being molded, together with a second patterned group of numerous discrete disjoint elements, over-lapping the first group of discrete disjoint elements, on the opposite side of the contact boundary, and joining the elements together at their tip portions. Various techniques are disclosed for maintaining separation of overlapping cross-over portions of the thread elements crossing each other during joining the terminal portions together, so that they simulate woven cloth. First and second rolls can carry the elements in molten form within cavities in the roller surfaces or patterns of solid elements within first and second matrices, can be joined together at the nip of the rolls by heat or chemical means to produce substantial savings in fabric manufacture.
US08070902B2	Method for manufacturing a solar cell module available for the sunroof of a vehicle A method for manufacturing a solar cell module for a vehicle sunroof is disclosed, in which a solar cell is cut into multiple pieces so that it can be closely adhered to a curved glasses of a sunroof which is generally installed at an intermediate portion of a vehicle roof so as to provide a driver with an air circulation effect in the interior of a vehicle and a fresh driving feeling with its open environment. A solar cell module for a sunroof is manufactured based on a high temperature and vacuum compression work using a laminator as an EVA film adhering unit. So, it is possible to easily perform a laminating work for adhering a sunroof curved glass and a solar cell as compared to a conventional art in which it is not easy to perform the above work.
US08070901B2	Method of manufacturing an elongate structural element configured for stiffening a shell structure, and a method for manufacturing a rigid shell structure integrated with at least one elongate stiffening element A method for manufacturing an elongate stiffening element and a rigid shell structure integrated with at least one elongate stiffening element. The method includes providing a preformed, form-stable reinforcement member, which has a hat profile with two inwardly directed, opposing flange portions, covering the reinforcement member with a curable composite material to form an external hat profile having outwardly directed flanges, and integrating this assembly with either a curable or preformed shell structure of composite material.
US08070899B2	Method and apparatus for positioning layers within a layered heater system A method of positioning a tape preform as a layer onto a resistive device substrate during the manufacture of a layered resistive device is provided. The method includes locating the tape preform in a predetermined position and translating one or more of the following relative to each other until a portion of the positioning device engages the tape preform: a positioning device, the resistive device substrate, and the tape preform. The method also includes continuing the translation until the tape preform engages the resistive device substrate and continuing the translation such that components of the positioning device progressively translate around the resistive device substrate and subsequently position the tape preform onto the resistive device substrate. In some forms, the method includes using a controller and/or applying a predetermined cycle of temperature, pressure, and time to the substrate and tape preform.
US08070897B2	Case clamp The invention discloses a case clamp (20) for clamping of carcass parts into furniture carcasses, such as tall cupboards, top or bottom cupboards, having a base frame (1), at least one pair of compression beams (6, 7) provided on the base frame (1), whereby at least one compression beam is traversable along the base frame in relation to the other compression beam, and at least one feed device (5) for transporting in carcass parts to be clamped and/or for transporting out clamped carcasses. The case clamp according to the invention is characterized in that the case clamp (20) also has an ultrasonic welding device (15, 16, 17).
US08070895B2	Water resistant cementitious article and method for preparing same A fibrous mat-faced cementitious article comprising (a) a cementitious core, and (b) a first fibrous mat comprising polymer or mineral fibers and a hydrophobic finish on at least one surface thereof, wherein the hydrophobic finish is in contact with the cementitious core, and a method of preparing a fibrous mat-faced cementitious article, as well as a method of preparing a water-resistant cementitious article comprising (a) preparing an aqueous siloxane dispersion, wherein the dispersion comprises about 4 wt. % to about 8 wt. % siloxane, (b) combining the siloxane dispersion with a cementitious mixture to provide a cementitious slurry, (c) depositing the cementitious slurry onto a substrate, and (d) allowing the cementitious slurry to harden, thereby providing a cementitious article.
US08070891B2	Amorphous alloy and manufacturing method thereof The present invention relates to an amorphous alloy and a method for manufacturing thereof. The amorphous alloy according to the present invention includes has a chemical formula of Feioo-a-b-c-d-e-f-gCraMobCcBaYeMflg. Here, the M is at least one selected from a group consisting of Al, Co, N1 and Ni, and the I is at least one selected from a group consisting of Mn, P, S, and O as impurities. The a, b, c, d, e, f, and g are satisfied with the compositions of 16.0 wt %≦a<22.0 wt %, 15.0 wt %
US08070887B2	High-strength steel sheet and high-strength steel pipe excellent in deformability and method for producing the same The present invention provides a line pipe of, e.g., the API standard X60 to X100 class. The line pipe has an excellent deformability, as well as excellent low temperature toughness and high productivity, a steel plate used as the material of the steel pipe. Methods for producing the steel pipe and the steel plate are also provided. In particular, a high-strength steel plate excellent in the deformability has a ferrite phase is dispersed finely, and accounts for 5% to 40% in area percentage in a low temperature transformation structure mainly composed of a bainite phase. For example, most grain sizes of the ferrite phase are smaller than the average grain size of the bainite phase. A high-strength steel pipe excellent in deformability is also provided, in which a large diameter steel pipe is produced through forming the steel plate into a pipe shape. The steel pipe has the above-referenced structure, and satisfies the conditions that YS/TS is 0.95 or less and YS×uEL is 5,000 or more. Methods for producing such steel plate and steel pipe are also provided.
US08070884B2	Methods for rinsing microelectronic substrates utilizing cool rinse fluid within a gas enviroment including a drying enhancement substance Rinsing and drying a surface of a microelectronic device and the enhanced removal of rinse fluid from the surface of the microelectronic device while the microelectronic device is rotated is provided as part of a spray processing operation. Rinse fluid is generally directed to the surface of the microelectronic device by a dispensing device while one or more such microelectronic devices are supported on a turntable in a generally horizontal fashion. Drying gas is supplied after the rinsing step. During at least a portion of both rinsing and drying steps, a drying enhancement substance, such as IPA, is delivered to enhance the rinsing and drying. Particle counts and evaporation thicknesses are reduced by delivering a tensioactive compound like IPA, during at least portions of the rinsing and drying steps while a microelectronic device is controllably rotated. The tensioactive compound is preferably delivered into the processing chamber during rinsing and drying and rinse fluid, preferably DI water, is preferably dispensed to the microelectronic device surface at a temperature below the dew point of the tensioactive compound. Moreover, the rotational speeds of the microelectronic device during drying and the tensioactive compound delivery concentration, timing and duration are preferably optimized to achieve further reduced particle counts and evaporation thicknesses.
US08070882B2	Method for the wet-chemical treatment of a semiconductor wafer A method for the wet-chemical treatment of a semiconductor wafer involves: a) rotating a semiconductor wafer; b) applying a cleaning liquid comprising gas bubbles having a diameter of 100 μm or less to the rotating wafer such that a liquid film forms on the wafer; c) exposing the rotating semiconductor wafer to a gas atmosphere containing a reactive gas; and d) removing the liquid film from the wafer.
US08070879B2	Apparatus and method for hybrid chemical processing In one embodiment, an apparatus for performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process is provided which includes a chamber body containing a substrate support, a lid assembly attached to the chamber body, a remote plasma system (RPS) in fluid communication with the reaction zone, a centralized expanding conduit extending through the lid assembly and expanding radially outwards, a first gas delivery sub-assembly configured to deliver a first process gas, and a second gas delivery sub-assembly configured to deliver a second process gas into the centralized expanding conduit. The first gas delivery sub-assembly contains an annular channel encircling and in fluid communication with the centralized expanding conduit, wherein the annular channel is adapted to deliver the first process gas through a plurality of passageways and nozzles and into the centralized expanding conduit. The second gas delivery sub-assembly contains a gas inlet in fluid communication to the centralized expanding conduit.
US08070876B1	Fireproof insulating cementitious foam comprising phase change materials A fireproof insulating foamed cementitious composition with thermal energy storage capacity is provided for use in producing wall insulation boards, fireproof claddings for steel structures, inner cores of fire resistant wall or door panels, and the like. The composition demonstrates improved energy efficiency in which phase change materials, such as microencapsulates, are used in conjunction with a cementitious mixture of calcined gypsum and hydraulic cement, lightweight aggregates, a polymer latex, and a foaming solution to create stable air bubbles inside the cementitious matrix. The calcined gypsum and the hydraulic cement are present in a weight ratio range from about 1:3 to about 3:1. The composition may further include reinforced fibers, surfactants, inorganic flame retardants, and other additives. The presence of the phase change material not only increases energy efficiency of the cured cementitious foam material, but also improves compatibility between calcined gypsum and cement during slurry mixing and hardening.
US08070875B2	Slump retention in cementitious compositions The present invention relates to dispersants such as superplasticizers for hydratable cementitious compositions, and more particularly to methods for achieving variable degrees of longer slump life in concrete and mortar without loss of stability. This is achieved by using two admixture systems. The first admixture composition has multi-components for achieving initial-slump-enhancement, later-slump-retention, and limiting initial slump. The second admixture composition has the later-slump-enhancing component. Alternatively, conventional water reducers or superplasticizers can be employed initially, followed by the later-slump-enhancing admixture composition.
US08070872B2	Organic phase change carriers containing nanoparticles, phase change inks including same and methods for making same Disclosed is an organic phase change carrier and a method for forming same, and a phase change ink including same. The organic phase change carrier comprises a colloidal dispersion of nanoparticles exhibiting a substantially uniform distribution of said nanoparticles discretely distributed therewithin, at least one curable monomer; a phase change inducing component, and an initiator. The organic phase change carrier exhibits a substantially uniform distribution of the nanoparticles so that they are discretely distributed therewithin, and are substantially resistant to the aggregation of the nanoparticles distributed therewithin.
US08070865B2	Vacuum vessel for treatment of oils A vacuum vessel for continuous or semi-continuous treatment of oils in connection with deodorization comprises spaces (12, 121, 122) through which oil to be treated is brought to pass and means to heat or cool the oil in the form of U-tubes. There are perforated pipes (26) arranged at the bottom of said spaces to lead stripping gas into said oil. The vessel has a connection to a vacuum source (7). The spaces in the vessel are arranged such that the oil to be treated in the vessel flows through the same by gravity. The heating or cooling medium passing the U-tubes is arranged to be pumped therethrough. The U-tubes for heating or cooling medium are arranged in such a way in said spaces that the flow of oil is counter-current to the flow of heating or cooling medium all through the vessel and a number of U-tubes are arranged in groups (13), parallel and in rows above each other in said spaces.
US08070859B2	Method for producing a non-porous membrane A non-porous membrane suitable for use in removing dissolved oxygen in a fuel deoxygenator device in an aircraft is produced by solvent casting. A first membrane layer is deposited on a substrate. A second membrane layer is deposited on top of the first membrane layer. Subsequent membrane layers may be deposited on top of the second membrane layer as desired. The resulting non-porous membrane allows little or no leaking of fuel across the membrane.
US08070857B2	Particulate removal tool A particulate removal tool and method are provided to remove the particulates such as ash and soot from a particulate filter. The particulate filter can be placed on a filter holder in a housing of the tool where a quick burst of air can be provided to clean the particulate filter. The air then can travel to a container which includes additional filter to filter the air. A vacuum can be used to remove additional particulates from the container.
US08070856B2	Polyamine/alkali salt blends for carbon dioxide removal from gas streams Novel solvents and methods of use for the removal of CO2 from flue gas, natural gas, hydrogen gas, synthesis gas, and other process and waste gas streams are provided. The solvent contains an alkali salt such as potassium carbonate and a polyamine such as piperazine (PZ) where the polyamine concentration is at least 1.5 equivalents/Kg H2O and the alkali salt concentration is at least 0.5 equivalents/Kg H2O. The preferred alkali salt/polyamine ratio is from approximately 1:2 to 2:1, and no additional alcohol is required for solubilizng the PZ. This chemical solvent and method of use provides efficient and effective removal of CO2 from gaseous streams and other sources.
US08070855B2	Methods and apparatuses for reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds from pumps and storage tanks for VOC-containing fluids A method is provided for reducing emissions of a volatile organic compound (“VOC”) from a source of the VOC. The method includes the steps of: (A) operatively positioning a VOC-absorbing material between the source of the VOC and the atmosphere, wherein the VOC from the source of the VOC must pass through the VOC-absorbing material before being vented to the atmosphere, and wherein the VOC-absorbing material comprises: (i) a permeable substrate; and (ii) a stripper for the VOC; and (B) exposing the stripper of the VOC-absorbing material to bacteria, wherein the bacteria is selected for being capable of converting the VOC to another compound. A method for pumping a fluid from a low-pressure fluid source to a high-pressure fluid outlet and a method for storing or transporting a fluid are also provided, wherein the fluid comprises a VOC.
US08070854B2	Passive desiccant system In a method for removing moisture from an optical system at high altitude, the improvement comprises using the difference in flow resistance between the desiccant path and the optical cavity path to enable airflow through the desiccant unit and not through the optical path.
US08070850B2	Process for liberating metals using direct production of leach grade acid solutions A system which uses available waste acid process streams from hydrometallurgical extraction processes as absorption media for the direct production of leach grade acid solutions for return to the hydrometallurgical processing circuit for use in liberating metals from metal-bearing materials. The produced acid may have a concentration in the range suitable for processing of metal-bearing materials.
US08070846B2	Method of designing gas-solid separator A method for operating a gas-solid separator that has: an inner cylinder 10 having a closed lower end 11 and an opened upper end 1, and extending in a vertical direction; an outer cylinder 2 that coaxially covers the inner cylinder 10 from the outside and has a gas vent port 6 formed on the upper end side of the inner cylinder and communicating with an exterior; and a plurality of axially extending long holes 4 having a length L[m] and formed on a side surface on the lower end 11 side of the inner cylinder 10 in a circumferential direction, one of long side edge parts of each of the long holes being provided with a guide blade 5 that protrudes outward and is inclined circumferentially so as to cover the long hole 4, wherein the length L of each long hole 4 is defined such as to satisfy an expression of non-dimensional Stokes number St=(ρpdp2/(18μ))·U/L≧0.3, where U[m/s] represents a cross-sectional average linear velocity of a mixture of gas and solid particles that is supplied downward from the opening 1 of the inner cylinder 4, ρp[kg/m3] a particle density of the solid particles, dp[m] an average particle diameter of the solid particles, and μ[Pa·s] a viscosity of the gas.
US08070845B2	Dust collecting device A dust collecting device for a handheld power tool equipped with a dust exhaust fitting (12), in particular for an electric handheld power sander, includes a dust collecting bag (14) that has an air-permeable filter bag (15) and a reinforcing plate (16). The reinforcing plate (16) is situated in front of the filter bag (15) and has an inlet opening (17) that fits onto the dust exhaust fitting (12). A support is attached to the handheld power tool and has a filter chamber (20) for insertion of the filter bag (15) and a receiving chamber (21) situated in front of the filter chamber (20) for insertion of the reinforcing plate (16).
US08070840B2	Treatment of gas from an in situ conversion process A method of producing methane is described. The method includes providing formation fluid from a subsurface in situ conversion process. The formation fluid is separated to produce a liquid stream and a first gas stream. The first gas stream includes olefins. At least the olefins in the first gas stream are contacted with a hydrogen source in the presence of one or more catalysts and steam to produce a second gas stream. The second gas stream is contacted with a hydrogen source in the presence of one or more additional catalysts to produce a third gas stream. The third gas stream includes methane.
US08070835B2	Multi-purpose renewable fuel for isolating contaminants and storing energy Techniques, systems, apparatus and material are disclosed for generating multi-purpose H2-dense fuel for isolating contaminants and storing energy. In one aspect, a method of producing a renewable multi-purpose biomaterial for isolating a hazardous contaminant from an environment and storing energy includes dissociating biomass waste using a thermochemical reaction to produce at least one of hydrocarbon and alcohol by applying waste heat recovered from an external heat source. The method includes dissociating the at least one of hydrocarbon and alcohol to generate carbon and hydrogen. Carbon dioxide emitted from an industrial process is harvested and reacted with the hydrogen to generate the hydrogen-dense fuel. A hazardous contaminant is dissolved in the hydrogen-dense fuel operating as a solvent to generate a liquid mixture that isolates the hazardous contaminant from the environment. The hazardous contaminant includes at least one of a carbon donor and a hydrogen donor.
US08070820B2	Shoulder implant assembly An implant assembly and associated method for selectively performing reverse and traditional arthroplasty for a shoulder joint that includes a humerus and a glenoid. The implant assembly may include a head, a cup, a humeral stem and an adaptor. The method includes inserting the humeral stem to the humerus and connecting a male taper of the adaptor to a female taper of the head. For reverse arthroplasty, the method includes attaching the adaptor to the glenoid and the cup to the stem. For traditional arthroplasty, the method includes attaching the adaptor to the humeral stem and the cup to the glenoid. The method also includes articulating the head with the cup.
US08070817B2	Vertebral implant An implant for insertion between a pair of spaced vertebrae has two interfitted parts relatively shiftable along an axis and having outer ends turned axially away from each other and each formed with an axially outwardly directed part-spherical convex surface. Formations such as a screwthread engaged between the parts can axially shift them relative to each other and lock their axial positions relative to each other. Respective L-shaped mounting brackets each have one leg extending transversely across the axis and formed with a part-spherical concave seat complementary to and fitting with a respective one of the part outer ends and another leg extending generally axially outward. The brackets are adapted to be fitted to the vertebrae. Fasteners secure each of the other legs to the respective vertebra.
US08070816B2	Arthroplasty spinal prosthesis and insertion device An arthroplasty spinal prosthesis with first and second vertebra contacting members that are configured for engaging opposing vertebrae An articulation is supportively associated with the contacting members to allow relative pivotal and translational motion therebetween over anterior-posterior and lateral pivotal axes, and over anterior-posterior and lateral translational axes. This motion allows the opposing vertebrae to pivot and translate with respect to each other. The articulation is configured to permit translational movement substantially uncoupled from the pivoting movement.
US08070810B2	Method for repair and reconstruction of ruptured ligaments or tendons and for treatment of ligament and tendon injuries A method and a means for repair and reconstruction of ruptured ligaments and tendons by in vivo or ex vivo repair and reconstruction surgical procedures. The method comprises providing a biodegradable sleeve placed around the frayed edges of an injured ligament or tendon for protecting the ligament or tendon injury with a protective shield. A composition comprising a biodegradable tissue adhesive applied on top of, around and/or between the frayed edges of the injured ligament.
US08070809B2	Flush patch for elastomeric implant shell An elastomeric prosthetic implant having a shell and a patch providing a reinforced access region on the shell for introduction of manufacturing implements, such as a gel-filling tool. The shell may cover the entire inner face of the patch, or a substantial part thereof, and a peripheral edge of the patch and the shell cooperate to form a flush interface with no sudden surface steps on both interior and exterior surfaces of the implant. The removal of any surface steps eliminates undesirable tactile discontinuities and stress points that may cause the shell wall to wear or may irritate the surrounding tissues. The prosthetic implant may be a breast implant formed of a silicone elastomer. The patch may be the same material or a liquid silicone rubber, but at least has similar material properties such as elastic modulus, durometer and elongation. The patch may include a channel used for introducing silicone to the mold to form the shell, for venting the mold cavity during the mold process, and/or for introducing the silicone gel into the hollow prosthesis.
US08070807B2	Wireless breach detection Methods and systems for detecting wall breach in inflatable prostheses rely on intrusion of a body fluid or inflation medium to electrically alter a signaling circuit. In one embodiment, an open portion of a circuit is closed to enable or modify a transmitted signal. In another embodiment, electrical current is generated to power an electrical transmission.
US08070804B2	Apparatus and methods for heart valve repair Embodiments of a medical device and methods for percutaneously treating a heart valve. In one embodiment, the medical device has a first catheter body suitable for percutaneous advancement to a heart region, a support annulus disposed within the first catheter body, a steerable tendon disposed in the first catheter body, a deployment mechanism disposed in the first catheter body and configured to release a support annulus from the distal opening in the first catheter body, a second catheter body disposed in the first catheter body, the second catheter body defining a lumen therethrough and a clip disposed in the lumen of the second catheter body and a cord coupled to the clip.
US08070803B2	Universal annuloplasty system A holder for an annuloplasty ring is disclosed. It comprises a plurality of linked-together suture platforms, wherein said holder comprises an upper face, a lower face, and a closed peripheral edge with means for accommodating and supporting said suture platforms of said annuloplasty ring.
US08070802B2	Mitral valve system Valve prostheses are disclosed that are adapted for secure and aligned placement relative to a heart annulus. The valve prostheses may be placed in a non-invasive manner, e.g., via transcatheter techniques. The valve prosthesis may include a resilient ring, a plurality of leaflet membranes mounted with respect to the resilient ring, and a plurality of positioning elements movably mounted with respect to the flexible ring. Each of the positioning elements defines respective proximal, intermediate, and distal tissue engaging regions cooperatively configured and dimensioned to simultaneously engage separate corresponding areas of the tissue of an anatomical structure, including respective first, second, and third elongate tissue-piercing elements. The proximal, distal, and intermediate tissue-engaging regions are cooperatively configured and dimensioned to simultaneously engage separate corresponding areas of the tissue of an anatomical structure so as to stabilize a position of the valve prosthesis with respect to the anatomical structure, including wherein for purposes of so simultaneously engaging the separate corresponding areas of tissue, at least one of the first, second, and third elongate tissue-piercing elements is pointed at least partially opposite the direction of blood flow, and at least another thereof is pointed at least partially along the direction of blood flow. The valve prosthesis may also include a skirt mounted with respect to the resilient ring for sealing a periphery of the valve prosthesis against a reverse flow of blood around the valve prosthesis.
US08070800B2	Transcatheter heart valve prostheses The present teachings relate to a heart valve prosthesis. The heart valve prosthesis includes a docking station (77) having a wire frame defining a lumen and a valve frame (91) for positioning within its lumen. The docking station includes a diaphragm (78) adapted to have an open position and a closed position, which provides a temporary control mechanism for preventing free regurgitation during the time period between the deployment of the docking station and the deployment of the valve frame, and a sealing mechanism for preventing paravalvar leakage.
US08070799B2	Instrument and method for in situ deployment of cardiac valve prostheses An instrument for deploying a cardiac valve prosthesis, including a plurality of radially expandable portions, at an implantation site, includes a plurality of deployment elements each independently operable to obtain the radial expansion of a radially expandable portion of the valve prosthesis. A method for deploying the cardiac valve prosthesis includes advancing the instrument to an implant site and independently actuating the radially expandable portions.
US08070793B2	Stent for vessel Disclosed is a stent for a vessel implanted and left in the vessel of a living body to support the lumen of the vessel from inside. The stent for a vessel consists of a plurality of stent constituting members (4a and 4b), formed by combining a plurality of the tubular-body constituting elements (5a and 5b) in multistage, each of the tubular-body forming elements (5) comprising a part of a tubular member (2) is formed by bending a yarn (3) of a biodegradable polymer in a zigzag design. Each of stent constituting members (4a and 4b) is comprised with tubular segments (6) formed by combining the tubular-body forming elements (5a and 5b) facing each other, and by continuously joining at least neighboring parts of each tubular-body forming element (5a and 5b) together, to comprise a continuously joined tubular body (2).
US08070789B2	Apparatus and methods for deployment of vascular prostheses Apparatus for delivering stents to body lumens include one or more tubular prostheses carried at the distal end of a catheter shaft, a sheath slidably disposed over the prostheses, and a guidewire tube extending from within the sheath to the exterior of the sheath through an exit port in a sidewall thereof. A guidewire extends slidably through the guidewire tube. The sheath can be moved relative to the catheter shaft and the guidewire tube to expose the prostheses for deployment. Methods of delivering stents are also provided.
US08070788B2	Hot pad assembly for pedicure A hot pad assembly for pedicure comprises a hot pad comprising means for absorbing heat and releasing heat over a period of time, a hot pad attachment means to secure the hot pad around the knee, a hot pad cover shaped to fit and cover the hot pad having a plurality of means for securing the hot pad assembly around the shin and calf, and a leg cover for being placed between the leg and the pad cover having the hot pad therein. A beauty product is applied to the leg and the leg cover encloses the product and the leg together to improve the effectiveness of the beauty care product with the help of heat transfer from the hot pad.
US08070782B2	Facet fusion implants and methods of use An implant is insertable onto a vertebral facet joint includes a body with an inner surface that mates with one or both articular processes of the facet joint. The inner surface may define an interior cavity that accepts at least a portion of an inferior articular process and a superior articular process forming the facet joint. The body may be constructed of a bone growth material that fuses with the articular processes. The implant may help retain bone growth promoting substance that is inserted between or on articulating surfaces of the facet joint. A receiving portion of an exterior surface of one or both articular process may be prepared to stimulate bone growth. The implant may be placed onto the receiving portion to cover an exterior junction between or on the articulating surfaces of the facet joint. The implant may be secured to one or both of the articular processes.
US08070780B2	Bone anchor with a yoke-shaped anchor head for a dynamic stabilization and motion preservation spinal implantation system and method A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.
US08070776B2	Deflection rod system for use with a vertebral fusion implant for dynamic stabilization and motion preservation spinal implantation system and method A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.
US08070775B2	Deflection rod system for a dynamic stabilization and motion preservation spinal implantation system and method A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.
US08070771B1	Ambidextrous locking clamp system An ambidextrous locking clamp system for providing a user the ability to use the right or left hand to engage and disengage a ratcheting means on the clamp. The locking clamp has a hingedly connected first and second elongated member each with a finger engaging member, and a working head. At least two inter-engaging latching members are attached to the first and the second elongated members. The latching members each have a ratcheting head adapted to interact with each other, and are removably or fixedly attached to their respective finger engaging members. At least one of the latching members can have a flexible arm.
US08070769B2	Inverted embolic protection filter An embolic protection filter having an inverted membrane with improved blood perfusion characteristics is disclosed. An embolic protection filter in accordance with the present invention comprises a filter frame disposable about a guidewire, a support hoop coupled to a plurality of expandable struts, and an inverted membrane for filtering embolic debris. The inverted membrane has a tapered proximal section and an enlarged diameter distal section. Features of the present invention permit the perfusion of blood through the filter irrespective of embolic debris entrained therein.
US08070767B2	Optical penetrating adapter for surgical portal An optical penetrating adapter for mounting to a surgical portal to permit visualization through the surgical portal includes an adapter member defining a longitudinal axis and having a transparent window adapted to penetrate tissue and to permit visualization therethrough and means for coupling the adapter member to the surgical portal. The transparent window may have various shapes and configurations adapted to penetrate, dissect, resect or separate tissue in a non traumatic manner. Alternatively, the transparent window may incorporate structure such as cutting edges blades, points, etc to pierce, cut or incise tissue.
US08070766B2	Skin pricking apparatus A skin pricking apparatus includes a casing 1, a lancet 19 located within the casing, and a firing mechanism 5,13,31 for causing a needle tip 22 of the lancet 19 to be driven through an opening 14 in the casing to prick the skin of a user. The firing mechanism including a mechanical interlock 6,27 which is released by substantially simultaneous external pressure applied separately to two spaced apart components 5,13 of the firing mechanism by a user.
US08070757B2	Quick-release tag applicator An identification tag applicator is provided, which is especially suited to applying identification tags to animals. The applicator includes a body (12) which has a driving rod housing (20) in which a driving rod (24) is slidably engaged. The driving rod (24) has a driving surface (28) adapted to receive a tag (60) which is to be applied. The applicator also has a trigger member (14) which is pivotably attached to the body (12). The trigger member (14) includes a connecting pin (46) which is adapted to selectively engage the trigger member (14) with the driving rod (24). A release mechanism automatically returns the driving rod (24) to a retracted position when the driving surface (28) of the rod (24) reaches a predetermined distance from the housing (20). The release mechanism ensures that the driving rod (24) is immediately retracted out of the way as soon as the tag is applied.
US08070755B2	Joint arthroplasty kit and method A method for providing joint arthroplasty includes providing a gauge for making a measurement of the contour of a long bone, making a measurement of the contour of a long bone with the gauge, providing a plurality of joint prostheses, selecting one of the plurality of joint prostheses based upon the measurement of the contour, resecting a long bone, and implanting the selected one prosthesis onto the long bone. A kit is also provided for selecting one of a plurality of joint implants for use in joint arthroplasty on a bone. The kit includes a first gauge and a second gauge.
US08070754B2	Spine surgery method and instrumentation Surgical instrumentation for use in placing an implant into a disc space between a pair of spinal vertebrae may include: (a) a distractor having a distal end that may be placed into the disc space between the pair of spinal vertebrae; (b) an inserter for use in moving the implant toward the disc space between the pair of spinal vertebrae; and, (c) a distractor/inserter rail/groove interconnection that interconnects the distractor and the inserter for relative movement thereby.
US08070753B2	Bone treatment systems and methods The present invention relates in certain embodiments to medical devices for treating osteoplasty procedures such as vertebral compression fractures. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to instruments and methods for controllably restoring vertebral body height by controlling the geometry of fill material introduced into cancellous bone. An exemplary system utilizes Rf energy in combination a conductive bone fill material for polymerizing the surface of the inflow plume to control the geometry of the fill material and the application of force caused by inflows of fill material. In another embodiment, method of treating bone includes injecting a volume of fill material into a bone and selectively modifying a viscosity of a selected portion of the bone filler to control the direction of flow of the fill material within the bone. A system for treating bone using this method includes an introducer for delivering fill material into the bone and an energy source selectively coupleable to the fill material to alter the viscosity of the fill material as it flows out of the introducer.
US08070751B2	Instruments for minimally invasive stabilization of bony structures Systems for positioning a connecting element adjacent the spinal column in minimally invasive procedures include installation instruments that guide the connecting element from a location remote from one or more anchors to a location proximate to the one or more anchors. The installation instruments include extensions mountable to anchors engageable to the spinal column or other bony structure, and inserters mountable to the anchor extensions for positioning the connecting element adjacent the anchors.
US08070744B1	Nasal aspiration device A nasal aspiration device for clearing nasal passages is provided. The nasal aspiration device comprises a housing having a proximal end and a distal end. A plurality of slots are formed in the proximal end of the housing. A fan is mounted within the housing and a power mechanism powers the fan. An activation mechanism activates the power means. A nose cone is removably connectable to the distal end of the housing, the nose cone having an opening wherein upon powering the fan, air travels into the opening in the nose cone, through the housing, and out of the housing the slots.
US08070743B2	Devices and methods for attaching an endolumenal gastrointestinal implant The present invention provides devices and methods for attachment of an endoluminal gastrointestinal device, such as an artificial stoma device, a gastrointestinal bypass sleeve device or an attachment cuff, within a patient's digestive tract for treatment of obesity.
US08070742B2	Method for controlling body fluid condition using diuretics, based on weight measurement The system for controlling body fluids overcomes the limitations of the prior art by automatically infusing diuretic and/or other drugs into a human patient. In one approach, the rate of infusion of the diuretic is adjusted based on the measured weight of the patient. For example, this weight can be transmitted wirelessly to a portable diuretic infusion device attached to the patient.
US08070740B2	Processes and systems for hydrating and seeding medical implants with biological components Methods and systems for providing an improved apparatus and packaging system to more expeditiously hydrate or reconstitute medical grafts and to effectively and uniformly seed the medical grafts with biological components and cultured cells. The systems generally comprise a container comprising entry port, at least one substrate cavity, and top, side and bottom walls defining an inner surface. The entry port is configured to receive the biological solution. The cavity is in communication with the entry port and includes the porous substrate maintained under negative pressure. The container volume is substantially the same as a volume of the porous substrate. The side and bottom walls are configured to promote a laminar flow of the biological solution received through the entry port.
US08070733B2	Sealed device for regulating the flow rate of medical liquid directed towards a patient A device for regulating the flow rate of a medical liquid includes a body provided with elements associated with corresponding parts connected together but torsionally free, at least one of the parts including a plurality of recesses acting as flow regulator able to modify the flow rate of the liquid directed towards the patient by rotating the parts about a common axis of rotation. Between the parts a seal element enables the recesses to be selectively connected together via communication elements, so achieving flow rate regulation. Transverse sealers are provided between the seal element and at least the second part of the parts which are interconnected but torsionally free. The transverse sealers preventing the escape of liquid from the recesses and from the body of the device following a relative movement or misalignment between the parts in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation or along this latter during flow regulation or following any angular misalignment of the parts relative to the axis.
US08070726B2	Hydraulically actuated pump for long duration medicament administration Presently disclosed is a hydraulic pump device and its use thereof, especially in a fluid delivery system. In one embodiment, the fluid delivery system is an inexpensive, single-use device for slow dosing medicament applications. The fluid delivery system may employ a spring-compressed bellows crank or other combination of simple mechanisms operating according to the well-known peristaltic principle to force a volume of ultrapure bio-inert hydraulic fluid through an aperture, thereby expanding one chamber of a two chamber hydraulic cylinder. The second, fluid storage chamber, containing the medicament, is emptied through a conventional orifice in response to the expansion of the pump chamber. The medicament may thence flow through any suitable infusion set into a patient removeably attached thereto.
US08070725B2	Luer integrated air venting system A vascular access device incorporating a luer integrated air venting system, including a female luer fitting having a venting mechanism located within the female luer fitting and a fluid diverter located within the vent mechanism. The venting mechanism providing communication between said vascular access device and ambient surroundings until contact with a fluid.
US08070721B2	Auto-disable device for syringes An auto-disable device for use with a sterile single use hypodermic syringe has a barrel adapter configured to attach to the outlet end of the syringe barrel, external to the barrel. A needle hub holding a hypodermic needle is affixed to the barrel adapter, the barrel adapter and the needle hub forming an assembly having a cavity with a passage for the flow of liquid through the device. An elastically-deformable sealing ring and a moveable sealing member having a head and a shaft are positioned in the cavity. The sealing member is moveable within the cavity. The ring and moveable sealing member are configured to form a seal, after a single use of the syringe, against a flow of liquid into the syringe for refilling of the syringe.
US08070720B2	Methods for incorporating a drug into an elastomeric medical device A method of manufacturing a drug delivery device includes forming a undercoat on an outer surface of a dipping mandrel, forming a tack coat on an outer surface of the undercoat, depositing granular particles on at least a portion of the tack coat, forming an overcoat on the formed tack coat, trapping the granular particles between the tack coat and the overcoat and removing an outermost portion of the overcoat to expose a portion of the granular particles. A system for treating a vascular condition includes a catheter having an inflation lumen, an elastomeric drug delivery device disposed on the catheter and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, a plurality of expandable pores disposed within an outer layer of the elastomeric drug delivery device and at least one therapeutic agent disposed within at least a portion of the plurality of expandable pores.
US08070715B2	Method and apparatus for minimum negative pressure control, particularly for breastpump with breastshield pressure control system A breastpump, manual or motorized, that includes a mechanism to regulate pressure change, e.g., vacuum, within a breastshield chamber, including in some cases to a maintained minimum pressure that is less than ambient (atmosphere). The pressure regulator provides control for varying negative pressure between a minimum value and a maximum value (and values in between), or to achieve a specific actually measured negative pressure value within a breastshield.
US08070712B2	Loading system for alignment of fluidics cassette to console An eye treatment system includes an eye treatment probe and a console. The console has a cassette receptacle and a fluid drive system including a first peristaltic drive rotor and a second peristaltic drive rotor. The first and second drive rotors are exposed to the receptacle and are substantially coaxial. The cassette includes a cassette body and a fluid pathway network for coupling the fluid drive system of the console with the probe. The cassette body has cassette positioning surface for fittingly engaging the receptacle. The fluid pathway network has a first resilient tubing segment and a second resilient tubing segment, the first and second tubing segments are configured for peristaltic driving engagement by the first and second rotors, respectively, when the cassette is mounted to the console. Various elements of the cassette are configured for interfacing with the components of the console when the cassette is mounted to the console.
US08070708B2	Device and method for controlling in-vivo pressure A differential pressure regulating device is provided for controlling in-vivo pressure in a body, and in particularly in a heart. The device may include a shunt being positioned between two or more lumens in a body, to enable fluids to flow between the lumens, and an adjustable flow regulation mechanism being configured to selectively cover an opening of the shunt, to regulate the flow of fluid through the shunt in relation to a pressure difference between the body lumens. In some embodiments a control mechanism coupled to the adjustable flow regulation mechanism may be provided, to remotely activate the adjustable flow regulation mechanism.
US08070702B2	Splint assembly for positioning of the hand A hand splint includes: a forearm component; a strut mounted on the forearm component; and a hand component mounted on the strut such that a spacing extends between the hand component and the forearm component, whereby the strut spans a wrist when the hand splint is worn. The hand component is configured to receive the volar surface of digits 2 through 5, the thumb, and the palm. The hand component includes a malleable section and may include a resilient section for generating a continuous restoring force in response to bending. Multiple hand pieces can be used with the same palm support platform and forearm component for progressive treatment of hand. An initial hand piece having a malleable section and a rigid bar-like portion; a second hand piece having only a malleable section; and a hand piece having both a malleable section and resilient section may be progressive used.
US08070699B2	Method of making compression sleeve with structural support features In a method of forming a compression sleeve, flexible bladder layers are secured together to define first and second adjacent flexible sleeve sections. A rigid structural component, such as a tube for delivering air to a bladder of the sleeve or another structure, is secured between the first and second flexible sleeve sections to prevent buckling a movement of the sleeve sections downward when the sleeve is wrapped around a leg the wearer. An inner layer and an outer cover are secured to the bladder layers at a plurality of discrete weld spots to provide further structural support to the sleeve.
US08070698B2	Massage device with a shaft transmission mechanism The present invention relates to a massage device. In one embodiment, the massage device includes a massage assembly and a transmission assembly having a threaded bolt transmission mechanism for driving the massage assembly to provide massage effects. The massage assembly includes a pair of massage members. Each massage member has a driving member having an eccentric wheel and an eccentric block, a massage bracket engaged with the driving member and a plurality of massage heads attached to the massage bracket.
US08070696B2	Myopia therapy appliance and a blinder with said appliance The invention relates to a myopia prophylactic and therapy appliance, which includes a suction head and a handle. The end of the suction head is in the form of a round flat opening. A blowhole is set on the wall of the handle. During the course of using the appliance, first, put the suction head snugly on the eyeball in order to vent the air of the suction head. Then, negative pressure is produced in the suction head by nipping the blowhole. When a hand grasps, or nips, the blowhole, a negative air pressure is produced. The handle is then pushed and pulled resulting in the suction head tip attracting the eyelid and eyeball and causing same to move back and forth. The suction head sucks the eyelid and the eyeball, and moves forward and backward by pulling forward and pushing backward the handle. Because the eyeballs are controlled by 6 extraoculars, when they are pulled and pushed, there will be a little distortion of the eyeballs. With this distortion, there will be a strong massage to the ciliary muscle. So the ciliary muscle will relax and get back to regulate normally. Then the eyes will relieve, so the utility model is convenient and effective.
US08070691B2	Cytology device A cytology device and a method of use thereof are described. The cytology scraper comprises a scraping element that provides increased tissue removal capabilities over conventional cytology brushes. The edges of the scraping element can also simultaneously dilate strictures during the tissue removal procedure.
US08070681B2	Ultrasonic probe and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus It is intended to provide an ultrasonic probe permitting a reduction of a number of switching components while transmitting and receiving signals with the picture quality level held capable of being maintained. An ultrasonic the probe comprises transducers, transducer side cables which number is equal to a number of said transducers and are connected to the transducers, apparatus body side cables which number is less than a number of the transducer side signal lines and are connected to an apparatus body, switching units for switching connections of a transducer side cables of groups A and C which is connected to the apparatus body side cables of group D, and resistors provided between the transducer side cables of group B and the apparatus body side cables of group E.
US08070678B2	Detection of restenosis risk in patients receiving a stent by measuring the characteristics of blood clotting including the measurement of maximum thrombin-induced clot strength A method of selecting a stent for implantation in the circulatory system of a human being includes the steps of determining a threshold level of platelet hyper-coaguability (PHC). One marker of PHC is platelet-fibrin mediated clot strength (MA) of blood. MA above a threshold demonstrates a risk of restenosis that is relatively high. In practicing the method, a sample of blood is obtained from a patient who requires implantation of a stent, the blood sample is tested for its platelet-fibrin mediated clot strength, the clot strength of the blood sample is compared with the threshold level; if the blood sample has a clot strength below the threshold level, selecting a bare metal stent, and if the blood sample has a clot strength at or above the threshold level, selecting a drug-eluting stent. The method includes, in a preferred embodiment, use of a viscoelastic monitor to perform the testing step. Other markers of PHC may also be employed such as measurement of thrombin generation and/or platelet reactivity.
US08070672B2	Needle design for male transobturator sling Described are surgical instruments for use in surgical procedures, related methods, systems, and kits, the instruments including features that optionally include one or more specific dimensions, and features that may result in an ergonomic advantage during use.
US08070670B2	Methods and devices for luminal and sphincter augmentation Devices and methods for augmenting or otherwise enhancing closure of body lumens comprise magnetic or magnetizable components or particles which are implanted in the wall of the lumen. The magnet fields exerted by the components or particles act to close the body lumen with a desired force.
US08070669B2	Wall integrated multisensory therapy device A wall integrable multisensory therapy device for securement in a wall of a room dedicated for physiological therapeutic treatment is described. The device has a convection conduit with a bottom air intake and a top air outlet. A blower is secured between the inlet port and outlet port to heat air convected therethrough. Associated with the convection conduit is a front panel incorporating therein audio speakers and two different light sources, one being a white light source and the other being a colored light source. The white light source provides a luminotherapeutic sensation and the colored light source provides a chromotherapeutic sensation. The heated air provides a thermotherapeutic sensation. An aromatic liquid dispenser is also associated with the front panel provides an aromatherapeutic sensation. An audio transmitter equipped with speakers provides for a relaxing sensation of hearing to a user person. A control module is associated with a data processor which is programmed to generate combinations of these treatments some being adjustable in intensity levels and all having time adjustment capabilities, as programmed for selection by the user person.
US08070666B2	Disposable device for centrifugation of blood A disposable device for centrifugation of blood is used for separating or also washing constituents of the blood includes a centrifugation chamber with a revolving shaft and an opening through which the shaft passes, a rotational guide, a rotational driver, and at least one static member for admission/evacuation engaged in the centrifugation chamber. This member includes at least one channel for intake of the blood and at least one outlet channel for one of its constituents, and at least one admission channel for a pressurized gaseous fluid which opens out inside the centrifugation chamber. A gap is formed in the opening between the centrifugation chamber and the static member and allows the gaseous fluid to escape from the centrifugation chamber.
US08070665B2	Method for separating discrete volumes of a composite liquid A method for separating at least two discrete volumes of a composite liquid into at least a first component and a second component, comprising centrifuging at least two separation bags containing two discrete volumes of a composite liquid respectively, so as to separate therein the first and second components; transferring at least one fraction of a first separated component from the separation bags into satellite bags connected thereto respectively; detecting a characteristic of a component at determined location in each separation bag; and stopping transferring the at least one fraction of the first component from each separation bag into the first satellite bag connected thereto, upon detection of the characteristic of a component at the determined location.
US08070660B2	Device for managing a retractable sheet A device for managing a retractable sheet that is wound on a roller by the action of a spring that may be extended by pulling on the exposed edge of the sheet wherein the device is used for printing messages thereon or for obscuring the view of nearby items. The device is easily changeable for multiple uses as the roller containing the sheet is separable from the main unit, allowing reuse of the more complex and expensive components of the device. A brake on the device prevents the spring from unwinding when the roller is removed. A damping mechanism limits the retraction speed of the sheet, which the damping mechanism being disengaged when the sheet is being pulled out. A cover is provided to obscure the main part of the unit and to prevent tampering. A unique slot configuration allows for easy, tamper-resistant installation of a header card. A pull tab is made of inexpensive components and is designed to allow for easy placement of a graphic label.
US08070657B2	Exercise machine An improved exercise apparatus is described. The apparatus comprises a cylindrical element and a flexible member associated with the cylindrical element. The flexible member is movable between a wound configuration, in which the member is wound around the cylindrical element, and an unwound configuration, in which the member is unwound from the cylindrical element. The apparatus further comprises a recoil means biased to move the flexible member to the wound configuration and a resistance means that resists movement of the flexible member from the wound to the unwound configurations. The resistance means comprises an energy storage device, which is in a geared relationship with the cylindrical element. In a preferred embodiment the energy storage device is a flywheel.
US08070656B2	Collapsible athletic training ladder A collapsible ladder for use primarily for athletic training and the like has a plurality of spaced-apart, substantially rigid rungs secured with collapsible connectors to a plurality of spaced-apart, substantially rigid spacers extending therebetween. In one disclosed embodiment, the collapsible connectors are strips of flexible material extending between the rungs and spacers. Another disclosed embodiment has a second set of rungs aligned substantially parallel to the plurality of spaced-apart rungs along a common central set of spacers. The collapsible connectors allow the ladder to be quickly and easily transitioned between an extended, operational position, and a collapsed, storage position.
US08070647B2	Method and apparatus for adapting engine operation in a hybrid powertrain system for active driveline damping A powertrain includes an engine coupled to an input member of a hybrid transmission. The hybrid transmission is operative to transfer power between an input member and a plurality of torque machines and an output member. A method for controlling the powertrain includes, monitoring operation of the hybrid transmission, determining motor torque offsets for the torque machines, transforming the motor torque offsets for the torque machines to an input torque offset and an output torque offset of the hybrid transmission, and adjusting operation of the engine based upon the input torque offset and the output torque offset of the hybrid transmission.
US08070644B2	Gear and clutch arrangement for multi-speed transmission A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes arranged within a transmission housing.
US08070640B2	Fluctuating gear ratio limited slip differential A fluctuating gear ratio limited slip differential assembly is provided that includes a differential case and a pair of side gears disposed within the differential case. Each of the side gears may have a tooth with a first tooth flank. The differential assembly may further include a pinion shaft disposed within the differential case and a plurality of pinions supported by the pinion shaft. The pinions may be configured for engagement with the pair of side gears and each of the pinions may have a tooth with a second tooth flank. The first and second tooth flanks are configured to cause movement of the plane of action defining all contact points between the first tooth flank of the side gears and the second tooth flank of the pinions in a predetermined and/or controlled manner.
US08070636B2	Electroyhydraulic control device of a gear unit An electrohydraulic control device (1) of an 8-speed transmission having several electrically controllable pressure control valves (6-12) for hydraulically actuating five switching elements (A-E) and an electric gear control unit via which different operating states of the transmission may be adjusted. Three of the switching elements are connected in the force flow of the transmission for representing a gear ratio (“1” to “R”) of the transmission. When the gear control unit is de-activated and the power supply to the solenoid valve and pressure control valves is interrupted, and when the transmission is in the operating state, in which a gear ratio (“1”; “2”; “3”; “4”; “5”; “6”; “7”; “8”; “R”) is engaged, a predefined emergency transmission (“6”; “R”) is represented by three simultaneously hydraulically connected switching elements (C, D, E, A, B, D).
US08070628B2	Golf GPS device A portable golf GPS device comprising a microprocessor operably coupled to a GPS unit, an input device such as a keypad (or touch screen) operably coupled to the microprocessor, a voice recognition unit operably coupled to the microprocessor, and a display such as a liquid crystal display (“LCD”) operably coupled to the microprocessor. A program memory system which contains at least some of the software and data to operate the device is also operably coupled to the microprocessor. The portable golf GPS device is preferably contained in a housing such that the entire device has a very compact and lightweight form factor, and is preferably handheld and/or pocket size. The golf GPS device is configured to display distances to course features, and to receive and process voice input in order to select functions or input data into the golf GPS device.
US08070626B2	Golf ball with a translucent layer comprising composite material A golf ball having at least a core and a composite layer comprising a fibrous material and a matrix material is disclosed. The fibrous material may comprise a polymer, glass or metal. The matrix material preferably comprises a translucent polymer. In one embodiment of the present invention, the fibrous material comprises a ferromagnetic material and the golf ball is subjected to induction heating to improve adhesion between adjacent ball layers. The golf ball may additionally comprise a translucent cover layer surrounding the composite layer or an intermediate layer disposed between the composite layer and the core.
US08070623B2	Golf club head or other ball striking device having stiffened face portion A ball striking device, such as a golf club head, has a head that includes a face configured for striking a ball and a body connected to the face, the body being adapted for connection of a shaft proximate a heel thereof. The face includes one or more stiffening members or other structures on the inner surface of the face to provide locally increased stiffness to particular areas of the face. Certain stiffening members may provide greater stiffness than other stiffening members, allowing the face to be configured for areas of greatest stiffness and greatest COR tailored to common impact patterns.
US08070620B2	Method and apparatus for measuring golf green speeds A method, system and golf ball are provided to determine the deceleration of a golf ball and, in turn, the speed of a green. The system may include a golf ball and an offboard display device. The golf ball may include a golf ball body, a motion sensor disposed within the golf ball body to measure acceleration of the golf ball along each of three mutually perpendicular axes, and a transmitter disposed within the golf ball body to transmit data representative of deceleration. The display device may include a receiver to receive data representative of the deceleration of the golf ball from transmitter and a display to provide a representation of the deceleration of the golf ball. At least one of the golf ball and the display device may include a processor to determine deceleration of the golf ball based upon the acceleration measured by the motion sensor.
US08070619B2	Golf grip training aid The present invention provides a golf grip training aid that comprises a glove and a golf club handle grip or grip cover, the handle grip or grip cover having a plurality of discrete co-operating contact zones spaced apart therealong in locations to define a good grip position and adapted to co-operatively engage with corresponding discrete co-operating contact zones on the glove whereby the user may feel when their hand in the glove is in the required good grip position on the handle grip or grip cover by inter-engagement of the co-operating contact zones on the glove with the co-operating contact zones on the glove handle grip or grip cover.
US08070618B2	Golf putting practice device and methods of practicing putting thereof A golf putting practice device/simulator and ball return with no moving parts, and method for a golfer to practice putting a golf ball in which the device is located in close proximity to the golfer and the intended target can be of any normal putting distance allowing one to practice golf putts indoors of greater length than indoor spaces normally allow. The device accomplishes this by detecting the speed and the position of the golf ball as it approaches the device. The device is programmed and configured in such a way to accurately approximate the distance and to display the direction the golf ball would have traveled had the path of the ball not be interrupted by device. The practice device can be configured to account for a coefficient of resistance commonly know as the Stimp of the green in its calculations. The device receives and returns the ball to the user then evaluates the putt data. The results are then displayed on the digital display.
US08070617B2	Child swing and jumper apparatus and methods of operating the same Child entertainment apparatus and methods of operating the same are disclosed. An example child entertainment apparatus includes a frame and a support suspended for swinging movement relative to the frame. The support is elastically elongatable. A child seat is carried by the support and thus is able to swing and bounce relative to the frame. A drive arm extends between the frame and the seat and includes a first end journalled for rotation relative to one of the frame or the seat and a second end slidably coupled to the other of the frame or the seat.
US08070613B2	Connecting assembly between a shaft journal and a constant velocity joint A connecting assembly for use in the propeller shaft of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The connecting assembly comprises a shaft journal with an annular groove; a constant velocity universal joint with an inner joint part which is connected in a rotationally fixed way to the shaft journal for the purpose of transmitting torque; an axial securing ring for the inner joint part, which axial securing ring is positioned in the annular groove of the shaft journal; and a holding ring which is releasably connected to the inner joint part; wherein, in a mounted condition of the inner joint part, the axial securing ring is axially fixed on the shaft journal between a contact face of the inner joint part and the holding ring connected to the inner joint part.
US08070611B2	Plunging cross-track constant velocity joint A cross-track plunging constant velocity joint assembly includes an inner race having an outer diameter, an axial length, inner ball tracks, and a spline engageable with a first torque transfer member. An outer race has an inner diameter, an outer diameter, and outer ball tracks. The outer race is connectable to a second torque transfer member. A cage having multiple windows is disposed between the inner and outer races. A plurality of balls (N) having a ball diameter are held by the cage within the windows and engage pairs of the inner and outer ball tracks. The balls define a joint pitch circle diameter (PCD). The inner race has a plunge depth within the outer race. The ratio of 1.2≦(outer race outer diameter/outer race inner diameter)≦1.7 is satisfied.
US08070609B2	Flexibly configurable button panels for gaming machines Flexibly configurable button panels for electronic devices and dynamic display systems for wager based gaming machines are disclosed. Button panels include a flexible cable, surface mount or other cable connectors spaced along and coupled thereto, and button assemblies coupled thereto via the cable connectors to provide electrical access from buttons to circuit lines. Relative physical locations of buttons are then reconfigurable to form different button panel configurations while the buttons remain coupled to the flexible cable. A dedicated dynamic button panel controller for processing button functions and a button panel identification device having an identification code can also be provided. Buttons can be removably coupled to the cable connectors, and can also include dynamic displays thereupon. Other gaming machine dynamic displays can also be provided. Separate dynamic display controllers can be provided to control dynamic displays directly to alleviate processing burdens on the master gaming controller.
US08070607B2	Competition game system and game apparatus A competition game system designed such that tactical data created based on respective results of input operations to manual operation sections of two game apparatuses are transmitted and received between the game apparatuses to allow a competition game having an identical event to be progressed in each of the game apparatuses based on the transmitted and received tactical data. Each of the game apparatuses comprises an action-setting section 305 adapted to create player-side tactical data corresponding to a content of an input operation from the manual operation section 10A, a communication control section 306 adapted to transmit the player-side tactical data created by the action-setting section 305, to the opponent's game apparatus, and receive opponent-side tactical data from the opponent's game apparatus, through a communication section 130, a determination section 307 adapted to determine a competition result, based on the player-side and opponent-side tactical data, and an image display control section 302 adapted to display a game image onto a display unit 3 according to the determined competition result. The competition game system of the present invention makes it possible to efficiently achieve a competition game while exchanging minimum data between a plurality of game apparatuses having the same configuration, without setting a master-servant relationship to the game apparatuses.
US08070606B2	Progressive stall timer A progressive stall timer is disclosed. For example, in one disclosed embodiment, a participant in an online turn-based social experience is provided with a time interval in which to take an action in a current turn. If the participant does not take an action in the current turn during the time interval, then the participant is provided a shortened time interval during which to take an action in a later turn. In this manner, the negative impact a stalling participant has on the experience is reduced each time the participant stalls.
US08070605B2	Multi-area progressive gaming system The system provides a control and management solution for linked gaming machines in a progressive game environment. The system can track multiple meters so that multiple progressive jackpots can be maintained for each game and/or for multiple participating business entities sharing in game revenue. Correspondingly, multiple progressive display meters can be controlled for each game machine. The system is scalable from near area progressive systems to wide area progressive systems. In the event that communication is lost with in a wide area progressive environment, one or more game machines may automatically switch to near area progressive behavior until communication is restored. The system is independent of currency and denomination limitations by employing and converting currency as units instead of particular denominations. Game machine population and participation can be remotely managed, updated, and changed from a central management location.
US08070604B2	System and method for providing wireless gaming as a service application A gaming system is provided. The gaming system allows users to access applications via gaming communication devices coupled to a communication network. At least a portion of the network may be wireless. The gaming applications include gambling, financial, entertainment service, and other types of transactions. The system may include a user location determination feature to prevent users from conducting transactions from unauthorized areas.
US08070603B2	Network game system, network game server, and network game terminal Disclosed is a network game system in which a time lag is adjusted, using game terminal type information such as its ID number. A network game server comprises a lag adjusting program and a database to be referenced to execute the lag adjusting program. On the network, data from game terminals is transmitted in packets to the network game server where concentrated management is made of all packet data as user information. Different transmission time lags predetermined for the product types of the game terminals that are expected to connect to the server are stored into the database beforehand. When the server receives packet data from a terminal device having an EUI-64 identifier, the appropriate transmission time lag is read, based on the identifying information.
US08070599B2	Apparatus and methods facilitating the use of financial transactions in a virtual environment This disclosure includes systems which generate a video game or other virtual environment, and institutions and transactions of a financial nature are facilitated by the video game. Some types of financial transactions may be guaranteed, such as by real world financial devices including credit cards.
US08070590B2	Methods and apparatus for providing tickets from gaming devices and/or lottery terminals which are not dependent on a player's success on the underlying game Gaming devices dispense tickets which are unrelated to a player's success on a particular game played on a gaming device or to the player's credits on a credit meter or other “cash out”indicator. The gaming devices provide gaming awards and also provide tickets. Other methods provide tickets during the play of wagering games. Still other embodiments comprise lottery terminals which dispense tickets other than those purchased by a lottery patron or won on a purchased lottery ticket.
US08070589B2	Skill-based redemption game A skill-based redemption gaming machine in which a plurality of game symbols are arranged on a plurality of slot machine-type reels is configured to ensure that player awards comply with statutory guidelines. A player deposits consideration into the gaming machine and receives a corresponding number of plays and points, representing the number of available game plays and wager amounts, respectively. The player places a wager up to the number of available points which, upon commencement of play, are deducted from the total points value. Upon commencing play, the player is provided free replays or the opportunity to nudge one or more electronically displayed reels in an effort to obtain a certain alignment of game symbols. If such alignment is obtained, the player is presented with points and awards pursuant to a paytable, said rewards being redeemable for non-cash prizes.
US08070588B1	Cashless slot machine and/or amusement device with special features A slot machine gaming device and method which targets a monetary ticket to operate in selected gaming devices. A video poker game can also provide a player with an improved paytable. The slot machine can also pay a player using a special ticket instead of cash.
US08070586B1	Slot machine and method of use A slot machine and method of conducting a wagering game is disclosed. The slot machine incorporates a topper having a display unit corresponding to each primary game reel. Depending on its current state, the display units turn on and turn off in response to pre-established game indicia aligning along a payline. A payout is awarded when all the display units are turned on simultaneously after a game play.
US08070585B2	Game of chance and system and method for playing games of chance A game of chance is provided in which a predetermined fixed number of winning cell content drawn from a predetermined set of cell content. The drawn content is matched to the content on game cards and if the matched game card content covers a predetermined winning pattern then the game card is a winner. In one example, numerous winners may occur per game session because the game continues until the predetermined fixed number of winning cell content is drawn and not until a win occurs.
US08070583B2	Server based gaming system and method for selectively providing one or more different tournaments A gaming system includes a central server or controller operable to communicate a plurality of different commands to a plurality of gaming machines to provide non-tournament game play and to provide tournament game play on the same gaming machines.
US08070580B2	Conversion of lowest value symbols into special symbols in a gaming machine Upon a trigger event occurring during a main game on a video slot machine, a number of free games having a special feature are awarded to the player. For each trigger event that occurs during the free games, the lowest value symbol displayed for each free spin becomes a wild symbol or other high value symbol. The converted symbols remain converted during the entire free game session in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the converted symbols revert back to the original symbol if no further trigger event occurs in the free games. The accumulation of high value symbols over multiple spins increases the chances of the player winning an especially large award, such as a jackpot.
US08070575B2	Bowl N Hold-em The game will be called Bowl N Hold-em. It will combine the standard game of bowling, along with the poker game Texas Hold-em. The game will utilize the bowling center's computer scoring system, along with a standard deck of playing cards. This will be done by creating a computer program that will be compatible with a bowling center's existing computer software. The maximum number of players per pair of lanes, shall be ten. One standard deck of playing cards shall be used per pair of lanes.
US08070574B2	Apparatus, system, method, and computer-readable medium for casino card handling with multiple hand recall feature Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for detecting, storing, and retrieving information about the composition of present and past hands of cards in a casino table game. The method includes causing a card-handling device to substantially automatically generate a plurality of hands wherein each hand includes one or more cards. Card information is identified that includes a rank and a suit of each card as each card moves through the card-handling device. A play history is maintained of a card composition of more than one round wherein the card composition of each round includes the cards in each hand of each round. The card information of at least one hand from at least one round may be displayed.
US08070573B2	Video game apparatus and video game program A video game apparatus has a memory for storing two or more tasks which a player character can get instructed character(s) to execute according to a scenario development of a game, means for displaying tasks at a time when a scenario development of a game reaches a predetermined position so as to be selected by the player, means for determining candidate characters which can participate the task selected by the player and for displaying these so as to be selectable by the player, means for determining the character selected by the player as participant character, and means for executing the task according to a parameter which is set on the participant character on the basis of the participant character and the selected task.
US08070569B2	Cooling apparatus and method A cooling apparatus and method for temperature sensitive components or equipment housed in an enclosure are provided. The cooling apparatus and method removes hot air from the enclosure upon power or air conditioner failure or rise in temperature. The cooling apparatus and method helps to regulate the temperature of air in the enclosure. The cooling apparatus and method may be combined with existing enclosures either as a primary or auxiliary or “back-up” cooling system.
US08070568B1	Hide-on washer for beef carcasses An apparatus for cleaning a carcass includes an elongate housing having a forward and a rearward frame disposed in parallel, transversely opposed relation to one another. The elongate housing includes a plurality of stations. At least one rotating device at each station is disposed on the forward or rearward frame. A first station may include a pair of transversely opposed counter-rotating devices disposed at a common downward angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate housing. A second station includes a plurality of rotating devices positioned near the top of the apparatus to clean the hoof and ankle area. A third station includes a plurality of vertically stacked rotating devices. A fourth, fifth, and sixth station include plural rotating devices in axial alignment with one another that are collectively oriented in a predetermined downward slope relative to the longitudinal axis to clean a carcass from top to bottom.
US08070565B2	Microwave poultry processing device and method The invention relates to a method for loosening the feathers of a fowl prior to killing and processing, by exposing the fowl to a radio frequency source producing a frequency from between approximately 5 GHz and approximately 40 GHz, with an average surface power density between approximately 10 mW per square centimeter and approximately 100 mW per square centimeter, for a predetermined period of time. The invention also relates to a method for killing bacteria on the fowl prior to killing and processing.
US08070564B1	Apparatus and method for stunning poultry with minimum damage to the poultry products The present invention relates to an apparatus for stunning and separating poultry during the stunning process. The apparatus includes a multi-zone trough having a plurality of basins and a separator adapted to separate shackled poultry hung from a conveyor system into a respective one of the plurality of basins. Each of the plurality of basins is separated by a divider. Once separated, the divider maintains the poultry in a separated condition during a stunning process.
US08070558B2	Porcelain epoxy flooring and method for producing the same An epoxy porcelain tile surface including a plurality of spaced, substantially flat substantially smooth porcelain tiles and epoxy grouting substantially filling the spaces between the porcelain tiles. The plurality of spaced, substantially flat substantially smooth porcelain tiles are substantially flush with one another and substantially flush with the epoxy grouting.
US08070552B2	Repositionable infant entertainment device An infant gym includes a first support member having opposite ends engageable with a support surface, a hub located between the ends of the first support member, and a second support member having a first end pivotally coupled to a rear portion of the hub and a second end engageable with the support surface. The second end of the second support member is movable toward and away from the ends of the first support member, thereby changing the orientation of the hub relative to the support surface.
US08070550B2	Block for building a toy A block for building a toy is provided. The block includes a body, a case provided in the body, a holder with a sliding-prevention part, provided movably and rotatably within the case, and a magnet with south and north pole faces, installed in the holder. The blocks, each with this construction, can connect to each other to build a toy, without sliding off relative to each other.
US08070547B2	Method for manufacturing image display apparatus A spacer having bending portions in the vicinity of end portions is used, and grip portions provided between the end portions and the bending portions are held by holding units. Tension is applied to the spacer in a longitudinal direction, and the grip portions are rotated to release a rotational moment applied to a longitudinal portion of the spacer. In this state, the spacer is attached to a rear plate.
US08070546B2	Laser irradiation apparatus for bonding and method of manufacturing display device using the same A laser irradiation apparatus for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate using bonding members and a method of manufacturing a display device using the same, the laser irradiation apparatus including a stage on which the first substrate is mounted, bonding members disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a laser oscillating member configured to irradiate a laser beam onto the bonding members, and a temperature maintaining member co-operating with the first substrate to maintain a temperature of the first substrate at a predetermined temperature.
US08070545B2	Method for fabricating electroluminescent element A method for manufacturing an electro luminescent element includes a process of forming a light emitting layer and a photoresist layer in this order, on the base substance; a process of pattern exposing and then developing the photoresist layer, so as to the part corresponding to a predetermined light emitting part of the photoresist layer remains; a process of forming a light emitting part which its surface is covered with the photoresist layer, by removing the light emitting layer which is bared because the photoresist layer is removed; a process of forming a photoresist layer on the base substance, so as to cover the light emitting part; and a process of pattern exposing and then developing the photoresist layer, so as not to bare the light emitting part and the end part thereof.
US08070543B1	Inflatable life raft with detachable accessory pouch An inflatable life raft having one or more air channels forming a generally rectangular shaped body when the raft is unfolded and inflated. Valves in fluid communication with the air channels for inflating and deflating the life raft. The inflatable raft includes a waterproof pouch releasably attached to the raft for storing items such as a rope, flare launcher, strobe light, glow sticks, and whistle. An ankle tether couples the life raft to a user, and a plurality of reflectors are attached to the surface of the inflatable life raft. For added convenience, a storage means is integrally constructed with the life raft for storing the folded normally deflated life raft so that the raft can be easily carried and transported. A replaceable gas cylinder, and manual hand pump are operatively coupled to the valves for automatically or manually inflating the life raft.
US08070536B2	Crimp terminal, terminal-provided wire, and manufacturing method thereof Provided is a technique of enabling high-compression crimping without breaking a crimp terminal while forming a recessed portion promoting a wire crimp portion of the crimp terminal to cut into a conductor in the wire crimp portion. The crimp terminal according to the invention includes a wire crimp portion, which is crimped to a conductor of a wire and includes a first crimp portion crimped to a base side of the conductor and a second crimp portion crimped to a tip end side. A recessed portion for promoting a cutting-in effect is formed in an inner surface of the wire crimp portion. A recessed portion formed in the second crimp portion is divided in a terminal width direction or is shallower than a recessed portion formed in the first crimp portion. Alternatively, the recessed portion is omitted and a recessed portion is formed only in the first crimp portion.
US08070535B2	Printed circuit board terminal and printed circuit board connector having the same A printed circuit board terminal includes a rectangular metal wire rod having a substantially rectangle cross-section. One longitudinal end portion of the printed circuit board terminal includes an insertion portion that is configured to be inserted into a through hole provided in a printed circuit board and soldered. A conducting metal plated layer is provided on an entire surface of the rectangular metal wire rod. One marginal portion of the insertion portion, which faces a long side direction of the rectangle cross-section, is removed to reduce a dimension in the long side direction corresponding to a width direction.
US08070534B2	Electric connection block The electric connection block includes: a plurality of layers, each layer consisting of a plurality of terminals bent in an L-shape arranged in a line, each terminal having a first end portion for electric connection and a second end portion for connection to a circuit board; an electrically insulating terminal holder including receiving surfaces arranged in a stairs manner, each receiving surface placing a first section of the terminal thereon, and through holes each permitting a second section of the terminal to be inserted therein, the through hole being adjacent to the receiving surface; and a cover which includes hole parts each permitting the first section of the terminal to be inserted therein and joins the terminal holder.
US08070532B1	Electrical connector assembly with anti-mismatching mating connectors An exemplary electrical connector assembly includes an insert connector and a receiving connector. The insert connector includes a first pin and a second pin. The receiving connector defines a first and a second holes corresponding to the first and second pins of the insert connector, respectively. The first hole has a shape and a size matching the first pin, and the second hole has a shape and a size matching the second pin. The first and second pins of the insert connector are respectively extendable into and engagable in the first and second holes of the receiving connector. A transverse cross sectional area of the second pin is larger than that of the first pin, whereby the second pin of the insert connector is prevented from being received in the first through hole of the receiving connector.
US08070527B1	Electrical connector provided with a piercer portion and a clamping structure An electrical connector includes a limiting member having upper and lower sides and a piercer hole formed therethrough; two spaced-apart clamping structures formed on the upper side of the limiting member in parallel manner and sandwiching the piercer hole therebetween, each clamping structure including a protrusion projecting upward from the upper side and having a top portion, a cross-section width gradually larger toward the top portion and a recess adjacent to the protrusion; and a terminal disposed on the lower side of the limiting member, and having a piercing section extending into the piercer hole to pierce through a cable material so as to be exposed from the upper side of the limiting member. A gap defined by an adjacent pair of the protrusions is smaller than an adjacent pair of the recesses in order for clamping the cable material.
US08070525B2	Electrical connector assembly with an improved shell An electrical connector assembly includes an insulative housing (1) with a plurality of terminal passages (12), a plurality of contacts (2) received in the corresponding terminal passages, and a shell (5) enclosing the insulative housing. The shell has a top shell (51) and a bottom shell (52) assembled with each other, the bottom shell comprises a frame-shaped base portion (520) and an extension portion (523) extending backwards and bent downwards from the base portion. The base portion defines a top wall (5201), a bottom wall (5202) and a pair of side walls (5203) connecting with the top wall and the bottom wall, the extension portion has a bottom surface lower than the bottom wall of the base portion and a pair of side portions bent upwards from lateral edges of the bottom surface, the side walls of the base portion and the side portions of the extension portion have a locking mechanism engaging the base portion with the extension portion.
US08070520B2	Electrical card connector An electrical card connector (100) includes an insulative housing (1), a set of first contacts (21), and a metal shell (4) covering the insulative housing. The insulative housing has a receiving space (15) for receiving a first card and a bottom wall (11) under the receiving space. The bottom wall has a set of slots (111) extending along the first card insertion direction. The slots include a special slot (110) having a protrusion (1101) extending thereinto. The contacts have first retaining portions (214) retained in the insulative housing, first contacting portions (212) received in the slots (111) and bending upwardly into the receiving space (15) for mating with the first card, and first tail portions (215) extending from the first retaining portions for being mounted to a PCB. The first contacts include a special contact (210) having a connecting portion (216) extending along the special slot (110) and located between the first contacting portion (212) and the first retaining portion (214). The connecting portion (216) is sustained upwardly by the protrusion (1101).
US08070517B2	Electrical connector having an improved spring member for abutting against a metal plate An electrical connector for abutting against a metal plate, comprises an insulative housing defining a main body and a tongue plate extending forwardly from the main body, a plurality of terminals retained in the main body and extending into the tongue plate, a metal shell shielding the insulative housing and comprising an upper wall, a pair of side walls extending downwardly from two lateral sides of the upper wall, and a bottom wall in parallel with the upper wall, and a spring member defining a securing portion fixed to the shell and a resilient resisting portion abutting against the metal plate. The securing portion defines a ceiling plate portion shielding the fingers on the upper wall, and a pair of side plate portions extending downwardly from two lateral sides of the ceiling plate portion and shielding the fingers on the respective side walls.
US08070512B2	Stacked USB 3.0 connector having a length equal to that of stacked USB 2.0 connector A stacked electrical connector (100) has a mounting face to be mounted on a printed circuit board (80). The stacked electrical connector (100) comprises an insulating housing (20) defining a mating port (220) for mating with a mating plug and a cavity (222) below the mating port (220) in a front face (22), and a stacked USB 3.0 connector (40) received in the cavity (222) of the insulating housing (20). The stacked USB 3.0 connector (40) has two stacked mating ports (425, 427) aligned with the mating port (220) of the insulating housing (20) along the front face (22). The cavity (222) extends rearwardly from the front face (22) a front-to-back length (L) equaling a corresponding length of a stacked USB 2.0 connector.
US08070494B2	Universal connector and electronic device using the same A connector includes a universal conductor, a first connecting body, and a second connecting body. The first connecting body connects to the conductor, and the second connecting body rotatably connects to the conductor. The present disclosure further discloses an electronic device using the universal connector.
US08070491B2	Holding element for a dental implant Holding element for a dental implant including: an engagement section adapted for engagement with a manipulating tool; a retention section joined to the engagement section and adapted for engagement with a package, in particular an ampule; and a clamping section joined to the retention section and adapted for connecting the holding element to the dental implant, the clamping section including a force transmission element, wherein the clamping section further includes a clamping element provided with an elastic means extending in a non-compressed position thereof at and beyond the outer perimeter defined by the force transmission element.
US08070483B2	Burner with atomizer A burner comprising channels for the separate supply of a liquid fuel and an oxygen-containing gas. The burner comprises a twin-fluid atomizer head comprising first flow-through passages fluidly connected to the supply channel for oxygen-containing gas and second flow-through passages fluidly connected to the fuel supply channel. The second flow-through passages exit into the first flow-through passages at a point before the first flow-through passages exit into a coaxial ring of orifices. A cooling jacket envelopes the supply channel walls. The orifices run through the atomizer head at a distance from the cooling jacket. The atomizer head can, for example, be made of a first metal, such as a copper alloy, and the cooling jacket can be made of a second metal with a lower thermal conductivity than the first metal, for example steel.
US08070481B2	Combustion blower control for modulating furnace A furnace includes a combustion blower and one or more pressure switches. In some cases, the one or more pressure switches may be used to calculate one or more operating points for the combustion blower. Additional operating points may be calculated by interpolation and/or extrapolation, as appropriate. The furnace may temporarily alter these operating points as necessary to keep the furnace safely operating in response to minor and/or transient changes in the operating conditions of the furnace.
US08070477B2	Mold assembly having heat pipes passing through parallel fins A mold assembly includes a mold moving half, at least one heat sink positioned on the mold moving half, and a plurality of heat pipes positioned on the mold fixed half and on the at least one heat sink. The at least one heat sink includes a plurality of parallel fins. The plurality of parallel fins is secured to the heat pipes with the heat pipes passing therethrough. The heat pipes are capable of moving together with the mold moving half.
US08070476B2	Thermal insulation stamper and production method of same A thermal insulation stamper includes a first metal layer, a heat insulating layer, an intermediate layer, a conductive coating, and a second metal layer. The first metal layer has a fine pattern on an exposed surface. The heat insulating layer is formed of a heat-resistant resin and overlies the first metal layer. The heat-resistant resin contains oxygen. The intermediate layer overlies the heat insulating layer. The conductive coating overlies the intermediate metal layer. The second metal layer overlies the conductive coating. A region with a high concentration of oxygen is formed in the vicinity of an interface between the heat insulating layer and the intermediate layer. A method for producing such a thermal insulation stamper is also disclosed.
US08070466B2	Seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus In a seamless capsule manufacturing apparatus that ejects a droplet from a nozzle into hardening liquid to manufacture a seamless capsule SC, tube passages which are synthetic resin tubes are provided as flexible sections between pumps and the nozzle. The vibration caused by the pumps is absorbed in the flexible sections and thus is not transmitted to the nozzle, whereby eyes or the like of the seamless capsule caused by vibration noises can be suppressed. Instead of a synthetic resin tube, a vibration absorbing block formed of an elastic member may be attached to the tube passages. Alternatively, a vibration absorbing unit, which is provided with a pad formed of an elastic member and for holding the tube passages, may be provided.
US08070462B2	High-pressure fuel pump A high-pressure fuel pump is disclosed that includes a pump housing with a suction port hole for defining a suction port, a pressure chamber for sucking fuel from the suction port, and a delivery port hole for defining a delivery port delivering fuel pressurized in the pressure chamber. The fuel pump also includes a plunger for pressurizing fuel sucked in the pressure chamber due to reciprocal motion of the plunger. Furthermore, the fuel pump includes a relief valve provided in the suction port hole, wherein the relief valve opens when a delivery pressure of the fuel delivered from the delivery port exceeds a predetermined pressure, thereby reducing the delivery pressure of the fuel.
US08070461B2	Control valve assembly for a compressor unloader A closing element is for a valve assembly of a compressor unloader, the compressor including a casing with a compression chamber, the unloader including a housing defining a chamber. The valve assembly has a base between the compression and unloader chambers, a passage connecting the two chambers, a seat about the passage, and a stem bore within the base having a control chamber. The closing element includes a main body movably disposed within the stem bore and having a sealing surface disposeable against the valve seating surface to obstruct the valve passage and a control end surface within the bore control chamber A sealing member disposed about the main body prevents flow between the control chamber and the valve passage. The main body and/or the sealing member is configured such that the main body is radially moveable to align the body sealing surface with the valve seat.
US08070455B2	Scotch-yoke mechanism for redundant actuation applications A primary scotch yoke and a secondary scotch yoke are coupled in opposing arrangement and rigidly attached to a linearly reciprocating element. Each scotch yoke includes a rotary actuator with a cam follower and a yoke attached to the reciprocating element. Each yoke has a cam with an open gap through which the follower may be disengaged from the cam and stopped to an idle position. The follower of the secondary scotch yoke is kept idle in a position similarly disengaged from its cam. A controller detects a failure in the primary scotch yoke, disengages the cam follower of the primary yoke from its cam, and energizes the secondary scotch yoke, thereby causing its cam follower to engage its yoke and continue to provide uninterrupted motion to the reciprocating element, in particular the portable pneumatic pump driving an artificial heart.
US08070444B2	Turbine with coaxial sets of blades A turbine (5) having at least two sets of co-axially mounted, rotatable blades (10, 15) arranged so that one set cannot eclipse another. Preferably, the sets of blades (10, 15) are contra-rotatable. Each set of blades (10, 15) may be operable to extract similar amounts of energy, thereby to minimise the net reactive torque.
US08070441B1	Turbine airfoil with trailing edge cooling channels A turbine airfoil such as a turbine stator vane used in an industrial gas turbine engine, the vane including a trailing edge region having a thin wall cooling channel arrangement of mini cooling channels formed by a series of rows of elongated flow blockers that form the mini cooling channels between adjacent flow blockers. The adjacent row of flow blockers are offset from the each other such that the inlet and the outlet flow of cooling air is discharged directly onto the flow blocker in order to produce impingement cooling. The mini cooling channels have a spacing to hydraulic diameter ratio of less than 4.0 and a mini channel length to hydraulic diameter ratio of 5.0 of less in order to maintain a high flow velocity within the mini channels. In one embodiment, the flow blockers have a progressively decreasing length in the flow direction of the cooling air.
US08070439B2	Systems and methods for testing a wind turbine pitch control system Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for testing a wind turbine pitch control system. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for testing a wind turbine pitch control system is provided. The method can include measuring tangential acceleration (At) of a wind turbine rotor, determining pitch angle of one or more turbine blades, and predicting torque applied to the one or more turbine blades based at least in part on the tangential acceleration (At) and the pitch angle.
US08070436B2	Cooling airflow modulation A gas turbine engine airfoil (22) has a wall (42) provided with a cooling effusion hole (40) therein to facilitate film cooling of the external surface (52) of the wall (42). A member (46) attached to the internal surface (48) of the airfoil wall (42) is provided with an aperture (44) which at least partially overlaps the cooling effusion hole (40). The airfoil wall (42) and member (46) are formed from materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion and are mounted such that over a temperature range, the aperture (44) and cooling effusion hole (40) interact to a greater or lesser extent to modulate the flow of cooling air therethrough.
US08070434B2	Fan mounting assembly A fan mounting assembly includes a fan, a supporting device, two fixing devices, and two magnetic units. The fan includes a frame having two spaced walls, and at least two spaced fixing holes are defined in each of the walls. The fixing devices are oppositely mounted to the supporting device and sandwich the fan therebetween. Each of the fixing devices includes a fixing plate and two fixing arms perpendicular to the fixing plate. The fixing arms of the fixing devices are made of ferromagnetic material and align with the fixing holes of the fan respectively. Each of the magnetic units includes two magnets. Each magnet of the magnetic units engages in a corresponding one of the at least two fixing holes of a corresponding wall of the fan and attracts a corresponding fixing arm, to make the fixing arms clamp the fan.
US08070431B2	Fully contained retention pin for a turbine nozzle A retention pin for fastening retaining lugs of an outer sidewall, of a turbine nozzle, within a groove between a forward land and an aft land of a retaining ring. The retention pins fit through coaxial holes in the lug and the lands, securing the radial and circumferential location of the nozzles as well as allowing transitional motion. While maintaining limited contact with both the nozzles and the retaining ring they significantly reduce conductive heat transfer from the nozzle to the retaining ring. By positioning the nozzles, they also set the desired nozzle throat areas for targeted turbine performance. The pins have been designed such that the nozzle cannot disengage within the assembly due to the pin backing out of its nominal axial position, and the pin will not fail due to low cycle fatigue, creep, or yielding, all of which prevent nozzle fallout.
US08070429B2	Turbine singlet nozzle assembly with mechanical and weld fabrication Embodiments of this invention include a nozzle assembly for a turbine, the nozzle assembly including an airfoil, inner and outer sidewalls, and inner and outer rings. Each of these sidewalls and rings are coupled together at an interface through a combination of a mechanical interconnection on one end and a welded connection on the other end. The mechanical interconnection includes either the sidewalls or the rings having a protruding hook and the other having a corresponding hook recess. The interconnection can also include axial and radial mechanical stops. The configuration may further include one or more surfaces at an interface between a ring and a sidewall angled away from the interface to form a narrow groove. The configuration further may include a ring with a consumable root portion.
US08070427B2	Gas turbines having flexible chordal hinge seals Gas turbine systems having flexible chordal hinge seals are provided. According to an embodiment, a turbine system comprises: a nozzle segment comprising a stator vane extending between an inner band segment and an outer band segment; an inner support ring adjacent to the inner band segment; and an inner chordal hinge seal in operable communication with the nozzle segment, the inner chordal hinge seal comprising a flexible inner rail extending inwardly from the inner band segment, the inner rail having a projection for sealingly engaging the inner support ring.
US08070420B2	Airflow-cooling apparatus for a ceiling air-conditioning circulation machine An airflow-cooling apparatus of a ceiling air-conditioning circulation machine, and more particularly a structure permitting a smooth flow of the indoor air, wherein the drawn current of air passes through a cooling apparatus and then is guided indoors for reducing the temperature. A base frame includes a base frame having a rectangular positioning frame of the rim thereof. A plurality of radial supports are extended from the periphery of the positioning frame inwards. A circular frame is positioned at the center of the base frame. The rim of the circular frame is attached to the radial supports. A fan base is positioned within the circular hole of the circular frame and supported by a plurality of ribs. A plurality of conic and ring-shaped air outflow/inflow channels are concentrically and outwardly interposed between the circular frame and the positioning frame.
US08070419B2	Spiral pumping stage and vacuum pump incorporating such pumping stage A molecular spiral-type vacuum pumping stage comprises a smooth surfaces rotor disk cooperating with a stator body. The stator body comprises a plurality of spiral channels on at least one surface facing the rotor disk. The cross-section area (σ) of these channels are reduced from the center to the outer periphery of the stator body so that the condition is satisfied according to which the internal channel speed, i.e. the product of the channel cross-section area and half the rotor velocity normal to the aforesaid area, is constant throughout the channels. Due to this arrangement, it is possible to avoid the risk of internal compression or re-expansions, this limiting the power losses. The present invention also refers to a vacuum pump comprising at least one pumping stage as described above.
US08070416B2	Flow regulation mechanism for turbocharger compressor A turbocharger (10) for an internal combustion engine includes a compressor (12) having an impellor (16) disposed in a compressor chamber (18). The compressor chamber (18) receives fluid flow. A flow regulation mechanism (30) is disposed in the compressor (12) and includes a diffuser cover (32) and a recirculation gate (36). The diffuser cover (32) is moveably disposed in a diffuser passage (34) from a first position permitting fluid flow through the diffuser passage to a second position at least partially impeding the fluid flow. The recirculation gate (36) is moveably disposed in the compressor chamber (18) from a first position closing a recirculation groove (48) to a second position opening the recirculation groove to fluid communication with the compressor chamber.
US08070412B2	Wheel loader A wheel loader includes a bucket boom including a pair of left and right side members; a front frame to which the base ends of the pair of side members are coupled; and a boom cylinder of which a base end is coupled to the front frame and a distal end is coupled to the side members. A base-end interval between the pair of side members is smaller than a distal-end interval between the side members. A face section that inclines towards a middle as extending in an upwards direction is provided on the left and right extremities of the front frame. A mounting boss to which the base end of the boom cylinder is attached is provided on a lower side of the face section while a mounting boss to which the base ends of the side members are attached is provided on an upper side of the face section.
US08070407B2	Sheet bundle conveying apparatus, and bookbinding apparatus A sheet bundle conveying device includes a tray device on which sheets are placed and held in a bundle, a sheet bundle conveying path along which a sheet bundle from the tray device is guided to a predetermined processing position, a grip transferring device located on the sheet bundle conveying path for gripping and transferring the sheet bundle from the tray device to a processing position, and a grip controlling device for controlling the grip transferring device. When an apparatus error occurs, the grip transferring device moves the conveyed sheet bundle backward to the collection stage. A grip on the sheet bundle is released on the collection stage after the sheet bundle is returned.
US08070405B2	Self drilling bolt with anchor An anchoring device having a tapered, at least partially threaded shank with a front end, a drilling head and at a rear end thereof, a torque applying head and an anchor coaxially enveloping a front portion of the shank. The arrangement is such that during drilling through the structure the anchor axially displaces towards the rear end of the shank, wherein the shank tightens against an inside surface of the anchor so as to expand the anchor within the bore being simultaneously drilled, for fixedly retaining thereof within the structure.
US08070401B2	Apparatus for making centrifugally-cast tube An improved centrifugally-cast tube is provided, along with a related method and apparatus of making the tube. The tube includes a plurality of grooves and bosses that are mechanically machined into an interior surface of the tube, such as by a broaching process. The profile of grooves and bosses may be defined by a plurality of intersecting concave and convex radii. The tube is resistant to creep, carburization and metal dusting. The tube also has an enhanced heat transfer rate, and a desirable surface roughness. A method of making the tube is also provided. The method essentially consists of mechanically deforming the interior surface of the tube by passing a series of cutting inserts on support rings having incrementally-differing dimensions over the interior surface. An apparatus is also provided which includes a telescoping shaft upon which is mounted at least one cutting tool that has a plurality of cutting inserts and is adapted to form a plurality of grooves and bosses in the interior surface of the tube. The grooves and bosses may be straight or spiraled.
US08070399B2	Drill point for one-shot drilling of sandwich panels and similar A drill point (1) for drilling sandwich panels (100), composite materials and similar, comprising a shank (2) for coupling into the chuck a tool apt to drive said point (1) in rotation; a drilling member, integral to the shank, comprising a substantially cylindrical working portion (3), and a cutting head (4), located at the end of the working portion (3), having cutting edges (C); wherein onto the surface of the working portion (3) there are obtained helical flutes (5), spirally arranged about a substantially central longitudinal axis (A-A) of the working portion (3), the flutes (5) ending on a top face (4′) of the cutting head (4), characterized in that the constructive geometry thereof provides a helix angle (ε) with respect to the longitudinal axis (A-A), along which there develop the helical flutes (5), substantially comprised in a range of 30° to 35°.
US08070395B2	Woven geosynthetic fabric with differential wicking capability The present invention is directed to a geosynthetic wicking fabric for transporting water from beneath pavement structures to reduce or prevent damaged caused by frost heave and thaw. Further, the present invention is directed to a wicking drainage system employing the wicking fabric.
US08070394B2	Versatile grout bag type of underground support A support assembly (1) is provided for the roof or hanging wall (36, 114) of an underground mine. The assembly comprises at least one support elongate (30) and a grout bag (2, 60, 80, 90, 102, 108, 120) used in association therewith and wherein the grout bag is inflated with settable granular material or grout (42). The support elongate is substantially surrounded, in plan view, by the grout bag and set granular material or grout contained therein. Preferably at least one cross-member (28) extends generally diametrically across the top of the support assembly and is anchored to the roof or hanging wall by the support elongate. The grout bag is preferably suspended from the end regions of the cross-member. Various grout bags for inclusion in such a support assembly are also provided.
US08070386B2	Extension plate for a compactor and method An extension plate for use in a compactor includes an elongate body extending between a first surface configured to be coupled to the compactor frame and a second surface configured to be coupled to a support of the compactor. The first surface includes a first opening aligning with an opening into an interior of the compactor. A second opening in at least one of the elongate body or the second surface communicates with the first opening to allow passage of a hose through the extension plate and through the opening in the frame into the interior space.
US08070382B2	Interlocking rubber tiles for playgrounds A tile for covering an area and which interlocks with an adjacent tile includes a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface. The main body has at least a first lateral side and a second lateral side. The tile includes at least one male connector situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body and extending outwardly therefrom. The tile further includes at least one female receptacle situated on at least one of the first lateral side and the second lateral side of the main body and extending outwardly therefrom. The male connector of the tile is engageable with a female receptacle of an adjacent tile so that the tile may interlock with the adjacent tile.
US08070377B2	Quick-release coupler A quick-release coupler includes a rod having first and second sections. The first section includes an end for coupling with a pneumatic tool. The second section extends from the other end of the first section. A sleeve is slideably mounted around the rod and includes an end for releasably coupling a bit. The sleeve includes an axial bore having larger and smaller sections. The larger section has polygonal cross sections corresponding to polygonal cross sections of the first section. A radial bore is formed in the sleeve and in communication with the smaller section. A ball is moveably received in the radial bore and moveably received in a recess of the second section of the rod to releasably engage the sleeve with the bit. A spring is mounted in the larger section of the sleeve for biasing the sleeve towards the other end of the rod.
US08070376B2	System for connecting a shaft to a joint A system for connecting a shaft to a joint, and a corresponding method are provided, wherein a shaft journal embodied on the end of the shaft that is to be connected to the joint can be inserted into a recess of a joint connection. The aim of the invention is to be able to pre-assemble and axially align the shaft and the recess in a simple manner. To this end, the shaft journal and the recess are adapted to each other in such a way that the shaft journal can be displaced in the recess in an essentially weak manner in a first section T1 of the insertion path E, and a large amount of force is expended for the displacement of the shaft journal in the recess in a section T2 of the insertion path E.
US08070375B2	Coupling and shaft assembly Shaft-coupling assemblies using the same shaft but different removable coupling devices (pulleys or gears, etc). The coupling devices are located at any location on the shaft and can be the same or different sizes.
US08070372B2	Printer with a peeler mechanism A printer having an opening/closing cover for providing access to a roll paper compartment, a peeler mechanism for peeling printed labels from a web and for dispensing the peeled printed labels from the printer and an opening and closing mechanism 50 which locks and unlocks the cover and a peeler unit 10 of the peeler mechanism in response to the manual operation of a manual operating member such as a release button 17 with a single easy operation. When the release button 17 is depressed into a first operating position 17B, a lock lever 52 of the opening/closing mechanism 50 slides from a locked position 52A to a released position 52B to disengage the lock lever 52 thus unlocking the opening/closing cover 9. At the same time, the sliding lock lever 52 pushes engaging claws 74a, 73a that lock or unlocks the peeler unit 10. When the cover release button 17 is further depressed into a second operating position 17C, the lock lever 52 swings and a cover-lifting surface 54 on the lock lever 52 pushes the opening/closing cover 9 up causing the unlocked opening/closing cover 9 to move into a raised open position. Simply pushing the cover release button 17 thus unlocks and raises the opening/closing cover 9, and unlocks the peeler unit 10.
US08070371B2	Limiting device for roll printers A limiting device to prevent unwanted removal of paper from a paper or ticket printing and dispensing apparatus for paper roll printers, including paper cutter actuating means, positioned between a ticket dispensing exit and a cutting device to cut paper onto which printing has taken place and for controlling feeding of the paper and for controlling operation of the printer; activation of the cutting device is responsive to either an incompletely printed ticket or an action externally of said apparatus or to completion of any printing onto the ticket; a movable member or curved door is provided to more from a deactivation position to an activation position to control the operation of the paper cutter and the curved door is responsive to completion of a ticket printing operation or an occlusion at the dispensing exit or to a pre-set printing operation.
US08070369B2	Large diameter optical waveguide splice Techniques and systems suitable for performing low-loss fusion splicing of optical waveguide sections are provided. According to some embodiments, multiple laser beams (from one or more laser) may be utilized to uniformly heat a splice region including portions of the optical waveguide sections to be spliced, which may have different cross-sectional dimensions. According to some embodiments, the relative distance of the optical waveguide sections and/or the power of the multiple laser beams may be varied during splicing operations.
US08070365B2	Adjustable vehicle driveline mount A generally hollow three element boxed mounting bracket adapted to hold a carrier bearing assembly within it's central cavity and be mechanically affixed to a frame member of a vehicle. The three elements forming the boxed structure each have slotted orifices that align to allow the passage of mechanical fasteners. The relative positioning of the individual bracket elements allows for adjustment of the carrier bearing assembly in the X, Y and Z axes. The bracket also has two slotted orifices for the attachment of the carrier bearing assembly and allows for the attachment of all models of driveshaft carrier bearings.
US08070360B2	Motion guide device and method of lubricating the same A motion guide device is provided, which is able to not only lubricate rolling-element rolling surfaces with the use of a technique totally different from conventional lubricating techniques but also maintain a lubricating capability over a long period of time. The motion guide device for use in the vacuum environment a track member (1) having a rolling-element rolling part (1a), a moving member (2) having a rolling-element circulation passage containing a loaded rolling-element rolling part (2a) facing the rolling-element rolling part (1a) and being movable relatively to the track member (2), a plurality of rolling elements (3) placed in along the rolling-element circulation passage, and a lubricant storing member storing lubricant, which member is attached to the moving member (2) without contacting the track member (1). The lubricant storing member is exposed in a space formed between the track member (1) and the moving member. The vaporized lubricant reaches the rolling-element rolling part (1a), loaded rolling-element rolling part (2a), and rolling elements (3), so that these parts and elements can be lubricated.
US08070357B2	Device and method for evaluating a temperature A device having temperature evaluating capabilities, the device includes: (i) a temperature sensitive delay line that comprises multiple first type NMOS transistors and first type PMOS transistors; (ii) an configurable delay line that comprises second type NMOS transistors and second type PMOS transistors; wherein a process condition sensitivity of first type NMOS transistors and first type PMOS transistors substantially equals a process condition sensitivity of the second type NMOS transistors and second type PMOS transistors; wherein the configurable delay line is less sensitive to temperature than the temperature sensitive delay line; (iii) a phase detector, coupled to an output of the temperature sensitive delay line and to an output of the adjustable delay line, the phase detector is adapted to determine a difference between a delay introduced by the temperature sensitive delay line and a delay introduced by the adjustable delay line; and (iv) a controller, adapted to: (a) find a configuration of the configurable delay line that introduces a delay that substantially equals a delay introduced by the temperature sensitive delay line; and (b) determine a temperature of the temperature sensitive delay line in response to the found configuration.
US08070356B2	Method for the temperature measurement of substrates, and vacuum processing apparatus A method for measuring the temperature of substrates to be coated is disclosed. The substrates have an opening or a cavity, and the substrates are successively moved past a source of coating material. At least one substrate's temperature is measured during coating by at least one temperature sensor and the measured temperature value is transmitted to a measuring device. The temperature sensor is disposed inside the substrate's opening or cavity so as to prevent coating of the temperature sensor.
US08070355B2	Method of detecting leaks of fluoroolefin compositions and sensors used therefor Disclosed are a method of detecting a leak of fluoroolefin compositions and sensors used therefor. In particular, the method is particularly useful for detecting a leak of a fluoroolefin refrigerant composition from a cooling system of an automotive vehicle. Such fluoroolefin refrigerant compositions have double bond structures which make them particularly well suited with sensing technologies, including: infrared sensors, UV sensors, NIR sensors, ion mobility or plasma chromatographs, gas chromatography, refractometry, mass spectroscopy, high temperature thick film sensors, thin film field effect sensors, pellistor sensors, Taguchi sensors and quartz microbalance sensors.
US08070353B2	Horizontal mixer An easily cleanable horizontal mixer. This horizontal mixer (10) includes a mixing bowl (18) having an upper opening, a material feed port (20), a roof (22) configured so as to close the upper opening, a material feed tube (24) attached to the roof and extending upwardly from a periphery of the material feed port to define a material feed passage extending through the material feed port, and the lid (26) disposed in the material feed tube. The mixing bowl has a bottom wall (14), a peripheral wall (16) extending from the periphery of the bottom wall to the upper opening, and a scraper plate (32) at an upper end (16b) of the peripheral wall. The lid has an inner surface (26a) that is, at a position to close the material feed port, brought into a position where the inner surface is flush with an inner surface (22a) of the roof.
US08070350B2	Clay extruder The clay extruder includes a drum 2 having a screw 4 having a rotary shaft 6, a spiral rotary blade 5 for feeding the clay under pressure while kneading the clay fed into the screw, a pressure raising portion 10 to feed the clay under pressure while kneading the clay, and a rectifying portion 11 provided on the side of an extrusion port 20 in the drum 2 to rectify the clay into a columnar shape. The rectifying portion 11 has a rectifying rotary blade 7 whose intervals being longer than that of the rotary blade; an angle formed between the face on the side of the extrusion port in a sectional shape of the rectifying rotary blade cut along the central line of the rotary shaft 6 and the central line gradually decreases, as the rectifying rotary blade comes close to the extrusion port.
US08070349B2	Mixing drum A concrete mixing drum includes a wall having a first section (41) and a second section (43). The first section (41) extends in a spiral along an axial centerline (31) of the drum. The second section (43) extends in a spiral along the axial centerline (31) of the drum adjacent to the first section (41).
US08070344B2	Plane-like lighting units and display equipment provided therewith A light unit which includes a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) light sources arranged in parallel, a light-guiding member arranged on said LED light sources, a light reflecting part for reflecting light from said LED light sources forward, a light diffusion part for outgoing light from the surface of said light-guiding member to outside, and an optical path changing part arranged above said light-diffusion part, wherein a side of said light-guiding member that faces said light diffusion part is flat.
US08070342B2	Electronic apparatus and illuminating device having a translucent member with incident lines of protrusions A light emitting element is mounted on the surface of a board. The light emitting element emits light. The light passes through a translucent optical member. The light enters the translucent optical member through a incident surface. The lines of protrusions make the incident surface jagged. The jagged surface resulting from the protrusions enables diffusion of the light entering through the incident surface. The light spreads along the surface of the board. Simultaneously, the emitted light is partly reflected on the incident surface. The reflected light is reflected on a reflecting surface placed behind the light emitting element. The reflected light then enters the translucent optical member. The translucent optical member is thus allowed to illuminate over a wide range with a sufficient brightness. An impressive illumination can be realized.
US08070341B2	Light pipe with uniformly lit appearance A light pipe having substantially uniform brightness along a length thereof is disclosed. The light pipe includes a first end for receiving a plurality of light rays, a reflective portion for directing the received light rays in a pre-determined internal light pattern, wherein the reflective portion includes a plurality of reflective elements, and an emitting portion for emitting the light rays in a pre-determined light distribution pattern.
US08070339B2	Vehicle lamp A vehicle lamp including a projector headlight using an LED light source for a low beam can include a shade, an LED light source, an ellipsoidal reflector and a projector lens. Both a focus of the projector lens and a top edge of the shade can be located near a second focus of the reflector. The LED light source can be located near a first focus located below the second focus of the reflector. Therefore, light emitted from the LED light source can be effectively gathered near the focus of the projector lens via the reflector and can be projected via the projector lens with high light use-efficiency. The projector lens can include light dispersing portions or structures on an upside and downside thereof for reducing chromatic aberration. Thus, the lamp can project a favorable light distribution that can conform to light distribution standards for vehicle headlights and the like.
US08070336B2	Lighting or signaling device comprising a curved light guiding plate A lighting or signaling device for a motor vehicle which is capable of emitting a linear beam in the direction of an optical axis and which comprises a point light source that emits light rays radially around a source; a light ray guiding plate; wherein the light guiding plate is shaped so that the light rays generally propagate in incident propagation planes normal to the plate between the light source and the reflection edge and in reflected propagation planes normal to the plate between the reflection edge and the output edge.
US08070335B2	Fixture for a headlight unit, method for the production thereof, and front unit The invention relates to a fixture for a headlight unit, comprising fastening means (105) for attaching the fixture to a support part (102) of a front unit of a motor vehicle, a reception zone (106) for the headlight unit, and first and second spaced-apart elastic means (112, 114) between the fastening means and the reception zone. The reception zone extends between the first and second elastic means which are embodied such that the reception zone for the headlight unit can be translationally moved substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle in order to mount the fixture into a motor vehicle.
US08070330B2	Floating lamp system A floating lamp system is provided. The system includes an object having a first inner wall and a second inner wall. A first conductive element is mounted on the first sidewall and electrically connected to the anode of a power source. A second conductive element is mounted on the second wall and electrically connected to the cathode of the power source. The system further includes a floating lamp having a balloon and a lighting element mounted in the balloon. An anode contact point is mounted on the top of the balloon and a cathode contact point is mounted on the bottom of the balloon. The lighting element is electrically connected to the anode contact point and the cathode contact point. When the floating lamp floats, causing the anode contact point to contact with the first conductive element, the lighting element is lit up.
US08070326B2	Free-form lens design to apodize illuminance distribution A lens that angularly redistributes light from an LED is disclosed. The desired illuminance (power per area) pattern for an LED/lens combination has a relatively flat center, a knee, and a gradual tail. By overlapping adjacent combinations' tails, the resulting illuminance pattern may be generally uniform, with relatively loose tolerances on LED/lens placement and performance. The lens has a proximal face with a concave spherical indentation with its center at the light source. The lens's distal face has a “center thickness” (CT) on-axis, a peak thickness away from a longitudinal axis of about 1.0 to 1.2 times the CT, a radius at which the peak thickness occurs of about 0.5 to 1.0 times the CT, a radius at which the thickness returns to the CT of about 1.1 to 1.5 times the CT, and a radius (maximum lateral extent) of the lens of about 1.6 to 1.9 times the CT.
US08070325B2	LED light fixture A light fixture using LEDs includes a lower skin layer possessing heat transfer properties. A circuit board is affixed to the lower skin layer, and a single LED, or a plurality of LEDs, is electrically connected to the circuit board. The single LED, or plurality of LEDs, when electrically activated, emits light through substantially around a vertical axis. The light fixture also includes a core possessing heat transfer properties that is in thermal contact with the LED and has an interior cavity for the LED. The core is affixed to the lower skin layer, and an upper skin layer, containing a window or windows over the LED or LEDs, is affixed to the core. The LEDs may be white, infrared, ultraviolet, and/or colored and may be mounted on a printed circuit board or individually.
US08070316B2	Lighting apparatus with LEDs A lighting apparatus with LED includes a metal-made main body 90; a plurality of LED chip units 1 each including an LED chip and a pair of lead terminals 42, 43 electrically connected to electrodes of the LED chip; and a dielectric layer 80 disposed between the main body 90 and each LED chip unit 1 for making electrical insulation therebetween as well as bond the same. The circuit board 20 is formed with a plurality of windows 23 through which the individual LED chip units 1 extend respectively with the lead terminals held in electrical contact with the circuit pattern of the circuit board at the circumference of the window, each of the LED chip units being thermally coupled at its bottom face with the main body 90 through the dielectric layer 80, and the heat generated in the LED chip is conducted to the main body through the dielectric layer without passing through the circuit board.
US08070309B2	Showcase An object is to provide a showcase capable of improving the appearance of an illumination apparatus and also capable of improving the effects of illumination by the illumination apparatus. In the showcase, the inside of a display chamber formed in a main body thereof is illuminated with the illumination apparatus. The illumination apparatus includes: a plurality of LED illumination components equipped with LED elements; a holding member attached to the main body to hold the LED illumination components; a wiring connector provided between the LED illumination components; and a reflecting plate covering the connector.
US08070308B1	Helmet mounted bicycle lights A bicycle light system has front and rear (white and red) lights with mounting brackets to secure on a bicycle helmet. A rechargeable battery is contained in the rear light casing, with an electrical cord extending between the front and rear light casings. The front light casing has controls for both front and rear lights, which can include different power levels and preferably a flash mode for the front light. 360° visibility preferably is provided via the front light, which projects colored light, such as amber, toward the sides. In a preferred embodiment the battery is rechargeable using a micro USB connection, a serial bus configuration widely used for cell phones, so that the battery will ordinarily be rechargeable via a cell phone recharging cable or a connection to a computer. Helmet mountings for the front and rear light casings have a quick-release feature enabling the lights to be easily and quickly removed from the helmet, such as for recharging.
US08070307B2	Light-emitting warning device of a safety helmet A light-emitting warning device of a safety helmet, including a helmet main body, a light guide element and a light source control mechanism. An annular locating groove and a receiving cavity are formed on an outer face of the helmet main body. Two end sections of the locating groove communicate with the receiving cavity via two through holes formed in the helmet main body. An elongated flexible strip body is received in the locating groove. Two end sections of the light guide element extend through the through holes into the receiving cavity to connect with the light source control mechanism. The light source control mechanism projects light into the light guide element, and emits as a lighting ring along the periphery of the helmet main body. The light guide element communicates with an interior of the helmet main body to avoid dropping.
US08070303B2	Optical structures including polyurea Optical structures and sheeting that include polyurea and method for forming same are proposed in accordance with aspects of the present invention. One and two-component layers can be used to form the optical structures. The optical structures can include microstructures formed from polyurea. The sheeting can include at least one of cube-corner prisms, open-faced cube-corner prisms, linear prisms, lenticular lenses, moth-eye structures, lenses, Fresnel lens arrays, lenses, and fish-eye lens arrays.
US08070299B2	Light source apparatus and projector having a wavelength separator A light source apparatus includes a light source unit that supplies light having a first wavelength, a wavelength conversion element that converts the light having the first wavelength into the light having a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a wavelength separator that separates the first-wavelength light from the second-wavelength light. The wavelength separator directs the second-wavelength light from the wavelength conversion element in the exit direction and the first-wavelength light from the wavelength conversion element in a direction other than the exit direction.
US08070298B2	Laser display system with optical feedback configured to reduce speckle artifacts An imaging system (200) includes a plurality of laser sources (201) configured to produce a plurality of light beams (204). One or more optical alignment devices (220) orient the light beams (204) into a collimated light beam (205). A light modulator (203) modulates the collimated light beam (205) such that images (206) can be presented on a display surface (207). Speckle is reduced with an optical feedback device (221) that causes the laser sources (201) to operate in a coherence collapsed state. Examples of optical feedback devices (221) include partially reflective mirrors and beam splitter-mirror combinations.
US08070297B2	Projector that projects an image signal on a display surface A projector that projects video light corresponding to an image signal onto a display surface includes: a light source device that emits light; a housing that houses at least the light source device; a projection lens, that is, an optical element that transmits the video light projected onto the display surface and emits the video light toward the outside of the housing; a detecting unit that detects detection light supplied to the optical element; and a control unit that adjusts a light amount of the video light on the basis of a result of the detection by the detecting unit. The projector is set such that, when the optical element is in a normal setting state, the light amount density of the video light is equal to or lower than a predetermined value on an emission surface for emitting the video light of the optical element.
US08070292B2	Viewfinder system for a camera A viewfinder system for a camera, in particular a movie camera, in which there runs a viewfinder beam path that is diverted from a recording beam path for film exposure is provided. The viewfinder system comprising an eyepiece, an eye closure, a shutter for masking out stray light penetrating into the camera via the viewfinder system, and a control device that triggers the shutter and is connected to a sensor. The viewfinder system further comprising a sensor device for contactless detection of an eye or head, located at the eye closure of the viewfinder system, of a person viewing the picture to be recorded through the eyepiece.
US08070288B2	Eye shield structure Eye shade structure comprising inner and outer compressible material layers, and a resiliently compressible intermediate layer sandwiched between the inner and outer layers, the layers being flexible and locally compressed to define two re-entrant recesses adapted to be located over the user's eyes, the locally compressed layers defining reduced thickness sections of the layers in registration with the recesses, the inner and outer layers having portions bounding the recesses, and providing cushions to engage users facial structure bounding the eyes.
US08070287B1	Collapsible eyeglass structure A collapsible eyeglass structure includes a frame bilaterally provided with two temples. The frame has two ends, each having an inner side formed with a through hole. Each through hole has an entrance end with a beveled rim and an opposite end connected to an inwardly expanding receiving space. Each receiving space has a predetermined shape and an upper wall formed with plural teeth. Each temple has a pivotal connecting portion outwardly extended with a post. Each post has a convex tip and is notched so as to be pushed resiliently into the corresponding through hole of the frame. Each post further has an upper periphery formed with a tooth. When the posts are pushed into the receiving spaces in the frame respectively, the tooth of each post meshes with the corresponding teeth in the corresponding receiving space to allow angular adjustment or downward collapse of the temples.
US08070281B2	Ink-jet authentication mark for a product or product packaging A method of ink-jet printing including, in order, the steps of: a) providing a coated ink-receiving layer containing a polymeric binder and a curable compound; b) at least partially curing the coated ink-receiving layer according to a first image; and c) jetting at least one ink-jet ink on the ink-receiving layer according to a second image partially overlapping with the first image. The method can be advantageously used to apply authentication marks to a product, e.g., a security document or a product packaging.
US08070279B2	Liquid ejection head, liquid cartridge, and image forming apparatus A liquid ejection head including a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of pressurizing liquid chambers, a liquid supply portion, and a filter portion. The plurality of nozzles ejects liquid droplets. The plurality of pressurizing liquid chambers are in fluid communication respectively with the nozzles. The liquid supply portion includes a plurality of individual supply channels and a fluid-communicating portion. The plurality of individual supply channels are in fluid communication respectively with the pressurizing liquid chambers to supply a liquid to the pressurizing liquid chambers. The fluid-communicating portion keeps the plurality of individual supply channels in fluid communication with one another. The filter portion is positioned to face the individual supply channels of the liquid supply portion and filters the liquid supplied to the pressurizing liquid chambers.
US08070278B2	Method of priming a printhead with ink bubbles present in a printhead assembly A method of priming one or more printhead integrated circuits, the method comprising the steps of: (i) providing a printhead assembly comprising: an ink distribution manifold having an ink inlet and an ink outlet; one or more printhead integrated circuits mounted on the manifold, each printhead integrated circuit comprising a plurality of nozzles; an upstream ink line connected to the ink inlet; and a downstream ink line connected to the ink outlet, wherein at least part of the printhead assembly contains ink bubbles; (ii) providing an ink chamber in fluid communication with the ink inlet via the upstream ink line; (iii) priming the printhead integrated circuits by drawing ink from the ink chamber, through the manifold and into the downstream ink line using a pump; (iv) bursting ink bubbles in the downstream ink line; (v) sensing for ink downstream of a bubble-bursting point in the downstream ink line; and (v) shutting off the pump when the ink is sensed.
US08070275B2	Method for assembling a modular printhead assembly A method for assembling a modular printhead assembly having an ink delivery member and a plurality of printhead modules received in a channel at a predetermined pitch is disclosed. The method includes the steps of flexing the channel apart at a first location to enable receipt of a first printhead module into the channel at the first location, the step of flexing being performed against a pivot point located along a centerline of an underside of the channel; and flexing apart a first capping device to enable pushing of the first capping device over the first printhead module.
US08070274B2	Printing-fluid container A printing-fluid container includes a printing-fluid reservoir configured to hold printing fluid. A printing-fluid interface is configured to output printing fluid from the printing-fluid reservoir and an air-interface is configured to regulate an operating pressure within the printing-fluid reservoir.
US08070267B2	Ink jet recording head and production process thereof An ink jet recording element substrate includes a substrate; an ejection outlet array for ejecting ink; a heat generating element array comprising a plurality of heat generating elements for generating ejection energy for ejecting the ink from the ejection outlet array; a protecting film, comprising protecting portions, for protecting the heat generating element array; a common line, disposed along a side of the heat generating element array, for supplying electric power for driving the heat generating elements, and being divided into at least two portions by a line perpendicular to the heat generating element array; a testing electrode for testing a function of the protecting film; and an externally connecting electrode, disposed at an end of the substrate, for externally supplying electric power to the common line; wherein the ink jet recording element substrate further includes, in an area between the portions of the common line, a connecting line for electrically connecting the protecting portions of the protecting film disposed to sandwich the common line and a lead line for electrically connecting the protective film and the testing electrode.
US08070266B2	Printhead assembly with ink supply to nozzles through polymer sealing film An inkjet printhead assembly with a printhead integrated circuit formed on a wafer substrate, the printhead integrated circuit having an array of ink ejection nozzles, the array having a first section with nozzles for ejecting ink of a first color, and a second section with nozzles for ejecting ink of a second color. The assembly also having an integrated circuit support structure for mounting in the printer adjacent a media feed path, the integrated circuit support structure having conduits for supplying the printhead integrated circuit with ink of the first color and the second color and, a polymer sealing film between the integrated circuit support structure and the printhead integrated circuit for fixing the printhead integrated circuit to the integrated circuit support structure. The polymer sealing has apertures that allow sealed fluid communication between the conduits of the support structure carrying ink of the first color and the nozzles of the first section and sealed fluid communication between the conduits of the support structure carrying ink of the second color and the nozzles of the second section. No fluid communication exists between the first section of the array and the second section of the array. The printhead integrated circuit has channels for supplying ink to the array of ink ejection nozzles. Each of the channels being divided into channel sections by transverse walls. The apertures in the polymer sealing film are positioned at each of the transverse walls such that each of the apertures supplies ink to both the channel sections either side of one of the transverse walls.
US08070260B2	Printhead having displacable nozzles A printhead is provided having a plurality of nozzles defined on a substrate. Each nozzle is configured to hold fluid and has an ejection port and an actuator for moving the nozzle relative to the substrate to eject the held fluid through the ejection port.
US08070248B2	Image forming apparatus and control method of the same An image forming apparatus performs an image forming operation by driving a ejecting element of a recording head with an ink ejecting drive voltage for ejecting ink, detects a temperature of ink to be flown into the recording head and a temperature of ink to be discharged respectively with a first temperature detection section and a second temperature detection section, and corrects the ink ejecting drive voltage on the basis of a temperature of ink being heat-transferred with the ejecting element, which is estimated with a predetermined conversion formula on the basis of the detected ink temperatures, for controlling an ink amount to be ejected.
US08070244B2	Printing machine and a method of printing The invention relates to a printing machine comprising a support plate (42) and a printer unit (44) fastened to the support plate (42) to project ink onto articles for printing. The printer station includes at least one additional printer unit (46, 48, 50), and the printer units (44, 46, 48, 50) are arranged beside one another on a circle centered on the axis of rotation (B-B) of a mandrel (8), when the mandrel (8) is placed in its printing position. The invention also provides a method of printing.
US08070240B2	Sprocketed drive assembly for track-type machine A sprocket assembly for a track-type machine comprises a plurality of teeth, radially-disposed about a center of the sprocket assembly, each of the plurality of teeth comprising opposing tooth flanks, wherein successive pairs of teeth defines a substantially concave channel for receiving therein a cylindrical pin member associated with a track link member of a continuous track chain, each tooth flank having a tooth angle less than about 17 degrees.
US08070237B2	Brake control method and system To predictively determine the occurrence of rear wheel lifting before actual lifting of a rear wheel occurs and enable control of brake force.Vehicle body deceleration is computed on the basis of wheel velocities obtained by wheel velocity sensors 45 and 46 (S102), and when it is determined that that computed value exceeds a predetermined value K1 (S104), then the pressure of a front wheel cylinder 3 is reduced by a predetermined pressure and held at that reduced pressure (S106), and when it is determined that vehicle body deceleration has fallen below a value that is, for example, lower by a predetermined value α than the predetermined value K1 (S108), then the state of holding of the pressure of the front wheel cylinder 3 is released (S110) and brake control returns to normal brake control.
US08070235B2	Rim and method for producing a rim A rim and a method of producing a rim for bicycles and the like includes a rim body and a rim base provided thereon and lateral rim flanks provided with rim flanges. The rim flanges include a fibrous composite material having at least one fiber layer. The rim flanges include inwardly overhanging bulges of squashed fiber layers between which a tire can be accommodated at the rim body.
US08070234B2	Vehicle having loading and unloading capabilities A rear loading cargo carrying wheeled vehicle includes a pair of container lifts for moving shipping containers between a container support platform on the vehicle and an unloaded position behind the vehicle. Each lift typically includes a pivot arm pivotally mounted on the vehicle, a telescoping arm telescopically mounted on the pivot arm, and a container engaging support member mounted on the telescoping arm for engaging and supporting the containers. A platform lift is provided for lowering the platform during the loading operation to provide greater stability. The container support platform includes a forward section and tail section which is movable relative to the forward section to provide greater clearance for loading and unloading the container. Guide walls along either side of the platform guide misaligned containers onto the platform. The container lifts are configured for loading and unloading one or more containers onto and from the platform.
US08070225B2	Child seat article holder A system and method for supporting articles is generally provided for use, with a seat, such as a child's safety seat or stroller, having a seat surface and at least one restraining member that extends outwardly from the seat surface. The system may be provided with a support member having one or more pocket members for holding the articles. An aperture may be formed through the support member through which the restraining member may be passed to limit movement of the support member across the seat surface when the system is placed on the seat. In one aspect, the pocket members may at least partially depend from one or more side portions of the seat, with or without the use of a support member.
US08070217B2	Vehicle body rear part structure A vehicle body rear part structure improved against rear-side collisions is disclosed. The rear part of a vehicle body includes left and right rear side frames; a front cross member and a rear cross member, both extending between the left and right rear side frames; and a bar and a bracket. The rear cross member has arm support parts for supporting lower arms of left and right rear suspensions on a center part which is lower than lateral ends of the vehicle body. The bar is curved in a convex manner toward the bottom of the vehicle body, and the bar connects center parts of the front and rear cross members together. The bracket mounts a rear end of the bar to the rear cross member while enclosing the rear end from the bottom of the vehicle body.
US08070214B2	Flatbed trailer having an extendable configuration and an alternate configuration A flatbed trailer includes first, second and third flatbed sections whereby the first and second sections are joinable in an extendable configuration and the first and third sections are joinable in an alternate and typically standard configuration. The trailer can be switched between the extendable and alternate configuration within a fairly short time. The invention thus eliminates the need for both a standard extendable trailer and a separate non-extendable trailer, and provides the ability to use the alternate configuration when the extendable configuration is not necessary in order to substantially reduce the weight which would otherwise be involved with the use of the extendable configuration.
US08070212B2	Arranging structure of wire harness for motor vehicle An arranging structure spans a wire harness for a motor vehicle between a vehicle body and a slide member. The structure includes a corrugated tube for sheathing the wire harness; a protector made of a resin material, the protector holding opposite ends of the corrugated tube in a longitudinal direction and threading the wire harness; and a rotary member integrated with the protector or coupled to the protector as a different element from the protector, the rotary member being rotatably supported on supporting members provided on the vehicle body and the slide member.
US08070208B2	Multi-position tailgate adjustment apparatus and method A method and apparatus for adjusting the location of suspension for a tailgate is disclosed. The method may include selecting a vehicle comprising a first side, a second side, a tailgate, a tailgate support, and an adjustor. The tailgate may be connected to pivot with respect to the first and second sides through a range of motion. The adjustor may include a base and a traveler configured to move with respect to the base. The base may be positioned on, and fixed with respect to, one of the tailgate and a first side of the vehicle. When the base is positioned on the tailgate, the tailgate support may extend to connect the traveler to the first side of the vehicle. Alternatively, when the base is position on the first side of the vehicle, the tailgate support may extend to connect the traveler to the tailgate. In either configuration, by manipulating the position of the traveler with respect to the base, the location of suspension for the tailgate may be adjusted.
US08070204B2	Clip for attachment to at least one panel of a vehicle to support a molding A molding system includes a clip and a molding. The clip attaches to at least one panel of a vehicle. The clip includes a body that presents a surface. A pair of lips extends from the body in opposition to the surface. A fastener extends from the surface and is configured for engaging the at least one panel of the vehicle. A sealant is disposed on the surface. The sealant is configured to expand upon application of a condition such that the sealant engages the at least one panel of the vehicle to retain the clip to the at least one panel of the vehicle. The molding is configured to snap over the pair of lips on the clip such that the molding is secured to the at least one panel of the vehicle.
US08070200B2	Apparatus for picking up optical element An apparatus comprises a suction device and two positioning members. The suction device comprises a suction body and a suction nozzle. The suction body is in communication with the suction nozzle and is configured for providing a pressure below atmospheric pressure to make the suction nozzle picking up the optical element. The two positioning members movably mounted on two opposite sides of the suction body and are configured for moving towards each other to move the optical element picked up by the suction nozzle to a predetermined fixed position relative to the suction device.
US08070197B2	Energy absorption device The present invention relates to an energy absorption device (1) for a bumper arrangement of a vehicle, with a hollow longitudinal section (2) intended for deformation, a rolled-back region (3) adjoining the hollow longitudinal section, and an extension section (4) connected to the rolled-back region. In order to improve an energy absorption device of this type to the extent that obliquely acting accident forces can be absorbed with a high degree of efficiency in as simple a manner as possible, it is proposed, in an initial state prior to energy absorption, to orient the hollow longitudinal section (2) obliquely with respect to the axial direction of the extension section (4).
US08070195B2	Radiator grille of an automobile A radiator grille of an automobile includes a plastic main grille provided with plural air vents and plural positioning bases formed in the inside. Each of the positioning bases has a plugging groove for being inserted with a hooking member, which is made of metal with a locking portion located at one end, a blocking portion elastically extended outward, and a hunched positioning portion formed outwardly. So, with the hooking members made of metal to possess a strong strength and elasticity, they are not to be easily broken owing to improper operation while being assembled with the main grille. Moreover, the radiator grille can not only be conveniently and swiftly assembled, but also firmly positioned in a car.
US08070194B2	Mechanism for installing a control turning handle of a door lock and its deinstalling tool The invention relates to an installing mechanism and its deinstalling tool for a control turning handle (150) of a lock on an actuating rod (17) comprising two assemblies (E1, E2) that interact via a bayonet-type assembly by an axial engagement in the direction of the leaf then a rotation in a circular arc branch, in a second direction opposite the first direction around the axis of the rod, of the second assembly (E2) on the first set (E1), characterized in that each circular arc branch comprises an engagement limit stop upon which an associated stub rests, and a retractable stop for rotationally blocking the associated stub in the circular arc branch. The invention is particularly for use in a hygienic handle.
US08070192B2	Dogging device for latch assembly A dogging device includes a base mounted in a housing of a latch assembly. The base includes a hole through which a shaft rotatably extends. A limiting keyway extends from the hole and receives and limits rotation of a shaft key on the shaft. A dogging member includes a through-hole receiving the shaft. A keyway extends from the through-hole and receives the shaft key of the shaft, allowing joint rotation of the shaft and the dogging member. By engaging a tool with a driving groove in an end of the shaft or by utilizing a lock core key to turn a lock core that directly pivots the dogging member, the dogging member is pivotable between a first position engaged with a latching/unlatching control rod of the latch assembly to lock a latch bolt in a retracted state and a second position disengaged from the latching/unlatching control rod.
US08070190B2	Security splicing system of aligned pipes, against the expansion and/or contraction thereof A security splicing system of aligned pipes against an expansion and/or contraction thereof due to variations in temperatures, has a flange unit providing a stability and watertightness of a splice, and including a double flange with two identical fastening elements gripping an outer face of an end area of two previously spliced pipes with a watertight connecting flange, so that an accidental displacement of the watertight connecting flange is prevented in an event that dimensions of the end area of the pipes vary due to an expansion or contraction.
US08070189B2	Safety luer connection A connection device has a male connector and a female connector. The female connector will only accommodate the dedicated male connector, thereby prohibiting a misconnection with the wrong male connector. In certain embodiments, a member prohibits male connectors, other than a dedicated male connector, from being inserted into the female connector. In certain other embodiments, a post prohibits male connectors, other than a dedicated male connector including a slot, from being inserted into the female connector. In still certain other embodiments, a series of prongs in the male connector and corresponding grooves in the female connector ensure the proper connection. Once the male connector is inserted and secured within the female connector, a fluid-tight seal is formed between the male connector and the female connector.
US08070187B2	Interface hose seal for low permeation flange of a fuel supply unit A flange structure (10) is provided for a fuel supply unit of a vehicle. The flange structure includes at least one electrically conductive fuel port (16′) having a periphery and first and second ends (22, 23). The first end (22) includes first barb structure (28). A plastic flange (20′) is overmolded on at least a portion of the periphery of the fuel port between the first and second ends. A portion of the flange overmolded on the portion of the periphery of the fuel port defines fitting structure (25) having second barb structure (27). A hose (30) is coupled with the first end of the fuel port and with the fitting structure with the first and second barb structures engaging the hose thereby preventing fuel or fuel vapor from passing between the periphery of the fuel port and the overmolded flange.
US08070186B2	Printable reflective features formed from multiple inks and processes for making them The invention relates to reflective features formed from multiple inks. In one embodiment, the reflective feature includes a substrate having a first region and a second region, the first and second regions having different surface characteristics; a first reflective element disposed on the first region; and a second reflective element disposed on the second region, wherein the first reflective element is more adherent than the second reflective element to the first region. In another embodiment, the reflective feature includes multiple layers formed from different inks exhibiting enhanced reflectivity and/or durability. The invention is also to processes for forming these features, preferably through a direct write printing process.
US08070185B2	Restraint device for a seat belt The invention relates to a restraint device (1) for a seat belt (2) in a vehicle, comprising a housing (10) for guiding the seat belt (2) and for accommodating an energy-absorbing element (12) adapted to cooperate with the seat belt (2) so as to absorb energy when a predetermined retardation condition of the vehicle is fulfilled. Said device (1) comprises a device (15, 16, 23, 27, 28) for attaching the energy-absorbing element (12) to said seat belt (2) when said condition is fulfilled, said energy-absorbing element (12) being adapted to be attached in a lamellar manner to said seat belt (2) along a predetermined length thereof. The invention also relates to a method for restraining a seat belt (2). By means of the invention, a cost effective and safe device and method for restraining a seat belt in the event of a vehicle collision is obtained.
US08070181B2	Convertible cart The convertible cart comprises a first platform and a platform assembly. The platform assembly comprises a second platform and a third platform and is pivotably connected to the first platform. The platform assembly moves between a first position where the second platform is disposed above the first platform and a second position where the third platform forms a continuous platform with the first platform. In another embodiment the cart comprises a first platform and a second platform movable between a first position where said second platform is disposed above the first platform and a second position where the third platform is coplanar with the first platform. Methods of converting a cart between a utility cart and a platform truck are also provided.
US08070180B2	Stroller and shopping cart A stroller for carrying a user or multiple users may include a first and second front frame member for supporting a seat or seats and back support member, a first and second back frame member being detachably connected to the first and second front frame member, an expandable base member which connects between the first and second front frame member and the first and second back frame member. The expandable frame member may move between an extended and a retracted position to provide a storage area. The first and second back frame member may include handles, and the first and second front frame members may include an upper section and a lower section. The upper section may pivot with respect to the lower section, and the first and second back frame members may pivot with respect to the extendable base member. The first and second front frame members may pivot with respect to the extendable base member.
US08070174B2	Multi-mode tandem bicycle A multi-mode tandem bicycle includes a frame, a steering wheel, a directional wheel, a first pedaling member, a second pedaling member, a first seat, a second seat, a first transmission unit, and a second transmission unit. By pivoting at least one of the first seat and the second seat on the frame, direction of the first seat or the second seat can be changed and fixed on the aforementioned frame, and at least one of the first seat and the second seat is pointed toward and connected with the steering wheel, thereby resulting in a variety of riding modes.
US08070173B2	Push to release retractable side step A step assembly includes a mounting bracket assembly adapted to be fixedly secured to a motor vehicle. A first arm includes one end pivotal with respect to the mounting bracket assembly and an opposing end. A second arm includes one end pivotal with respect to the mounting bracket assembly and an opposing end. A step pad assembly is pivotally coupled to the opposing end of each of the first and second arms. The step pad assembly includes a step movable between a retracted position and an extended position. A push to release mechanism is operably coupled to at least one of the first and second arms to release the step from one of the retracted and extended positions in response to a push action on the step.
US08070172B1	Leaning vehicle suspension A leaning vehicle suspension. Preferred embodiments have two transversely-mounted steerable front wheels and a single rear wheel, but the vehicle suspension of the present invention may be used with two-wheeled vehicles or four-wheeled vehicles, and front and rear coupled vehicle suspensions may be employed. Two preferred embodiments of the vehicle suspension of the present invention are described. Both have a transverse leaf spring, left and right rotary dampers, and independent left and right parallelogram transverse control arms movably mounting left and right wheel mounting members to the vehicle's frame. A rocker member, to which the rotary dampers and leaf spring are mounted, is pivotally mounted to the vehicle frame by a central pivot bearing, permitting the rocker member to pivot about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The parallelogram geometry holds the front wheels at even camber throughout the suspension travel.
US08070169B2	Actuator for active roll control system An actuator for an active roll control system that connects a stabilizer bar with a lower arm may include a screw housing having a space, a power transmitter slidably mounted in an upper interior circumference of the screw housing, and having an upper end portion connected to one end of the stabilizer bar and a lower end portion slidably movable in the space wherein the lower end portion of the power transmitter includes a screw groove and a screw thread is formed at an interior circumference of an inlet portion, a lead screw being inserted in the screw groove of the power transmitter and threaded to the screw thread of the inlet portion and having a screw rotation shaft integrally connected to a lower end thereof, and a drive motor mounted at a lower portion of the screw housing and having a rotation shaft connected to the screw rotation shaft.
US08070166B2	Game piece storing and scoring product A score-keeping product for an anagram game that has a pouch for storing a plurality of anagram game cubes therein; a pair of slide members that each can be linearly moved between open and closed positions with each slide member, in an at least partially open position, enabling access to the interior of pouch so that the anagram game cubes can be stored or removed therefrom for the purpose of playing the game cubes with each of the slide members including a scoring pointer; and a pair of scoring indicia on the pouch and each disposed along a linear locus that extends respectively along side of a corresponding slide member with each scoring indicia provided with a series of score markers. The slide members are selectively movable so that the corresponding scoring pointer can be progressively moved to align with one of the series of score markers in scoring the game.
US08070163B2	Multilingual-tile word games In a set of multilingual tiles, each tile bears a first character of a first language and also bears a second character of a second language. Tiles are positioned by players of a game, to form words in an inherently multilingual educational and entertainment experience. Tile characters are not mere transliterations of one another. The characters on a given tile may have different spatial orientations. Sometimes each player can make words only in one language, and different players try to make words in different languages. Sometimes a player gains points for words made in a language that is not the player's native language, and loses points for words made in a language that is the player's native language. Extra points may be awarded if tiles form multiple words in multiple languages, or if tiles form related words, namely, synonyms and/or antonyms.
US08070162B1	Game having an electronic instruction unit The present invention is directed to a game having an instruction unit and a deck of game cards, with each card having game indicia. Game cards may be distributed to each participant, and each player in turn comparing the game indicia of the game cards to the game indicia of a top card of a discard pile. The game may further include discarding at least one of the game cards onto the discard pile if the game indicia of the player's game cards corresponds to the game indicia of the top card of the discard pile, and actuating the instruction unit to output a game instruction if the player determines that none of their game cards may be played on the top card. Still further, the game may include the player selecting additional game cards from the deck in response to the game instruction output by the instruction unit.
US08070158B2	Electronic device with paper sorting apparatus An electronic device includes a main body and a plurality of paper trays. The main body includes a mounting plate, and the mounting plate defines a paper outlet. A mounting bracket is secured to the main body. A control module is disposed on the mounting bracket. A driving member is connected to the paper trays. The control module is capable of causing the driving member to move the paper trays along a direction parallel to the mounting plate, so that one of the paper trays is aligned with the paper outlet.
US08070157B2	Recording apparatus A recording apparatus includes: edge guides which move in a width direction of the recording target medium and align side edges of the recording target medium which is stacked; a motor which moves the edge guides; a determining section which determines whether an electric current value when the motor is driven reaches a predetermined threshold value; and a position detecting section which detects a position of the edge guides in the width direction. Here, when the side edges of the recording target medium are aligned, the edge guides move close to the recording target medium and it is determined whether a difference between a position of the edge guides at the time when the electric current value reaches the predetermined threshold value and a position of the edge guides corresponding to the size of the recording target medium is equal to or smaller than a predetermined allowable value.
US08070153B2	Image forming apparatus with cassette and paper sensing device An image forming apparatus and a printing medium feeding unit thereof are disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes a main body, a cassette removably mounted in the main body to load a printing medium therein, and a sensing unit provided in the main body to sense whether the cassette is mounted in the main body and whether the printing medium is in the cassette. The sensing unit includes a first actuator mounted in the main body to sense whether the printing medium is in the cassette, a second actuator mounted in the main body to sense whether the cassette is mounted in the main body, and a sensor having a sensing part to sense operation of the first actuator and the second actuator. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus can sense whether the cassette is properly mounted in the main body and whether the printing medium is in the cassette, with a simple constitution while minimizing the number of sensors.
US08070147B2	Clamping device A clamping device includes a securing seat, a driving member movably mounted on the securing seat, a first fixture, a second fixture, a first securing pole, a second securing pole, a first joining member and a second joining member. The first fixture includes a first clamping member and a first connecting member. The first connecting member comprises a first moving portion. The second fixture includes a second clamping member and a second connecting member. The second connecting member includes a second moving portion. The first and second securing poles are fixed on the securing seat. The first and second joining members are respectively matched with the first and second securing poles. Two ends of the first joining member are respectively connected to the driving member and the first moving portion. Two ends of the second joining member are respectively connected to the driving member and the second moving portion.
US08070146B2	Support device for sputtering machine A support device used in sputtering machine includes a chamber housing, a frame, at least one holding device, a first and second driving assemblies. The frame is rotatably mounted in the chamber housing. The holding device is rotatably mounted on the frame. The first driving assembly is received in the chamber housing and includes a first motor mounted on the chamber housing and a first shaft installed on the first motor. The first driving assembly is configured for driving the frame rotating in a plane by the first shaft. The second driving assembly is received in the chamber housing and includes a second motor mounted on the chamber housing and second shaft installed on the second motor. The second shaft adjacently parallels to the first shaft. The second driving assembly is configured for driving the at least one holding device rotating in a plane perpendicular to the rotating plane of the frame.
US08070143B2	Load-bearing resilient mount A resilient mount including a first mounting member and a second mounting member is provided. The mount includes a first plurality of stiffening elements located between the first and second mounting members. At least a first stiffening element of the first plurality of stiffening elements is non-parallel to a second stiffening element of the first plurality of stiffening elements. Each of the first plurality of stiffening elements has a material thickness and an out-of-plane dimension that is greater than the material thickness. Each stiffening element of the first plurality of stiffening elements is substantially rigid so as to substantially limit the deformation of the stiffening element under load. The mount may also include a resilient material located between and coupled to adjacent stiffening elements of the first plurality of stiffening elements.
US08070142B2	Downcomer distributor A tray assembly is provided for improved gas/liquid contact when used in a large chemical process tower. Each tray has a downcomer wall of which the lower portion is a distributor. The distributor has discharge ports sized to control the rate of liquid flow at different positions across the distributor and flanges aligned individually to direct liquid flow from different discharge ports across different areas of the tray deck immediately below the downcomer. In combination, discharge ports and liquid flow directing flanges effect even liquid flow across the surface of the tray immediately below. Benefits of this invention are trays with better mass transfer efficiency and enhanced capacity compared with prior art trays.
US08070141B2	Fluid inlet device, use, and method or retrofitting A fluid inlet device (1) suitable for introducing a mixture of liquid and gas into a vessel, which fluid inlet device comprises a guide member having a surface on which surface a liquid film is present during normal operation, and having a main direction of gas flow along the surface; and wherein the guide member (20) is provided with a liquid catcher channel (40) extending from an upstream position with respect to the guide member (20) to a downstream position, and wherein a virtual line along the guide member between the upstream position and the downstream position deviates from the main direction of gas flow; the use of the fluid inlet device for introducing a mixture of liquid and gas into a gas-liquid contacting vessel; and a method of retrofitting a fluid inlet device.
US08070140B2	Durable portable pressurized mist cooling device A misting apparatus that is more durable and leaks less than systems known in the art. The apparatus includes a durable, integral flow control assembly and handle, which are especially beneficial for portable misting systems. The apparatus further includes a pressure gauge for monitoring the pressure inside the tank.
US08070138B2	Sauna apparatus A sauna apparatus includes an air blower, a blow channel and a humidifier. The air blower suctions and blows air. The blow channel conveys the suctioned air and humidified air. The humidifier has a sprayer that sprays humidifying water into the air passing through the blow channel for humidification, and a spray-water droplet splitter installed in a direction to which the sprayer sprays the water for humidification. By letting the sprayed water droplets collide with the splitter, the water droplets are split into much finer water droplets.
US08070135B2	Lineset winch with braking parts A winch which can operate with an external brake, or the external brake can be removed to operate with an internal brake. The winch has a cable drum that rotates to get cable on and off the drum. Two eccentric cams are rotated to always keep a soft plastic part pressed against the drum.
US08070134B1	Stabilized single-motor lift system without top rails A lift system for raising and lowering a load including a rigid platform, four spaced fixed supports positioned around corners of the platform, and a power source connected to a first of the supports. First and second inextensible lines are each preferably fastened at one end to a third support diagonally opposing the first support, and at another end thereof to the power source. The first line preferably extends from the power source to the third support, passing to a plurality of four pulleys each attached to a corner of the platform and over a pulley attached to the second support. The second line preferably extends from the power source to the third support, passing to a plurality of four pulleys each attached to a corner of the platform and over a pulley attached to the fourth support. The lift system produces a mechanical advantage of four.
US08070131B2	Recessed cutting edge for wire cutting gate valves A gate valve having a body, a chamber housed in the body, a passage through the body that intersects the chamber, a gate for selectively opening and closing the valve, and a cutting edge on the gate. The cutting edge can sever any lines that may be in the valve and still seal after closing. The gate includes a recess formed to collect cuttings formed while severing the line.
US08070119B2	Clamp assembly for a standing seam A clamp assembly is provided for securing an ancillary device (16) to a standing seam (8), the standing seam comprising a protruding web portion (10) with a head portion (12) at an outer extremity. The clamp assembly includes a substantially rigid member (18; 54) adapted to overlie and contact the head portion of the standing seam. First and second substantially rigid arms (22, 24; 58, 60) extend from the member and are adapted to embrace the head portion in co-operation with the member, at least one of the arms (24; 58, 60) being pivotally interconnected with the member at hinge means (28; 62, 64). The first and second arms have first and second free extremities (36, 38; 70, 72) adapted to face one another and to contact opposite sides of the web portion. Threaded fastener means (40, 41; 86) passes through the ancillary device and into a threaded aperture (46; 88) in the member, from an outer surface of the member. The hinge means permits pivoting of at least one of the first and second arms and separation of the first and second free extremities of the first and second arms, for locating the clamp assembly on the standing seam. The threaded fastener means is subsequently tightened to clamp the ancillary device and grip the web portion of the standing seam in jaw-like manner by the first and second free extremities of the first and second arms.
US08070118B1	Lever lock slotwall storage device A mounting bracket is provided for removably mounting a storage device on a slot track or slotwall panel having a plurality of slots having undercut sidewalls that form generally “T” shaped slats. The mounting bracket includes a support surface having a first “J” shaped hook to hook over the edge of a slat and into the undercut sidewall and a second “J” shaped hook to hook into a second slot and into the undercut sidewall. The mounting bracket includes a storage device connector attached to the support surface at a first end and has a second end. The storage device connector can include a lock rotatably mounted on the top wall adjacent the first “J” shaped hook having a locking member and an operator that is rotatable between locked and unlocked positions. A storage device can be coupled to the second end of the storage device connector. The storage device can be an actuatable holding system for a bicycle, or other storage device such as a basket or a storage shelf.
US08070110B2	Sink support systems Exemplary embodiments of sink support systems. An exemplary embodiment includes a cross-member having respective first and second cross-member attachment structures attached at respective ends. First and second mount brackets are configured for attachment to a vertical surface of the support structure. Each of the cross-member attachment structures is configured to engage a corresponding mount bracket to vertically support the cross-member. The cross-member has a plurality of leveling devices to support the sink.
US08070109B2	System and method for controlling a bell in a model vehicle A system and method is provided for controlling bell movement and/or sound in a model train or other model vehicle. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a user control, a sound subsystem, a bell controller and a bell device. The user control may include a lever, a track, and a plurality of predetermined positions on the track, wherein the lever can be moved by a user to any one of the plurality of predetermined positions. The user control may be configured to transmit at least one bell signal in response to the lever being released from (or moved to) one of the plurality of predetermined positions. The bell controller is configured to receive the bell signal, and to use the bell signal to control at least the bell device. The bell device may include a bell and an electromagnetic device, wherein the bell comprises a permanent magnet and is configured to swing from a bracket. By applying at least one voltage to the electromagnetic device, and placing the bell near the electromagnetic device, a magnetic field can be created and used to swing the bell from the bracket, thereby simulating bell movement. The bell controller may further be adapted to synchronize bell movement with bell sound by transmitting a bell sound signal to the sound subsystem at a particular time, so as to substantially synchronize at least one bell movement with at least one bell sound.
US08070105B2	Inflatable nested toroid structure An inflatable structure comprises at least two generally toroidal, inflatable modules. When in a deployed mode, the first, inner module has a major diameter less than that of a second, outer module and is positioned within the inner circumference of the outer module such that the first module is nested circumferentially alongside the second module. The inflatable structure, in a non-deployed, non-inflated mode, is of compact configuration and adapted to be transported to a site of deployment. When deployed, the inflatable structure is of substantially increased interior volume. In one embodiment, access between the interior of the first module and the second module is provided by at least one port or structural pass-through. In another embodiment, the inflatable structure includes at least one additional generally toroidal module external of and circumferentially surrounding the second module.
US08070102B2	Slide door device for aircraft A slide door device for an aircraft includes an upper guide roller at a tip end of an upper arm provided at an upper part of a slide door and a lower guide roller at a tip end of a lower arm provided at a lower part of the slide door that are rollably engaged with an upper guide rail and a lower guide rail that are fixed along an upper edge and a lower edge of a door opening frame formed in a fuselage of an aircraft, respectively. An intermediate guide roller, provided at a tip end of an intermediate arm provided in a door opening, is rollably engaged with an intermediate guide rail that is fixed to an inner surface of the slide door, while smoothly guiding the slide door with the upper guide rail, the lower guide rail, and the intermediate guide rail.
US08070101B2	Locking system for a movable nacelle cowl The present invention relates to a locking system (20) for a movable lateral cowl (8) of a turbine engine nacelle intended to be connected to a pylon (4) of an aircraft, comprising, on the one hand, a clevis (21) intended to be connected to the pylon, and, on the other hand, a rod (22) intended to be mounted on the movable cowl and capable of engaging with the clevis when the movable cowl is in the closed position, characterized in that the rod is mounted so that it can move translationally along a substantially longitudinal axis of the movable cowl so as to form a slider which can shift between a locked position, in which it is engaged with the clevis and provides a structural connection between the pylon and the movable cowl, and an unlocked position, in which it is disengaged from the clevis and allows the movable cowl to be opened.
US08070100B2	Aircraft structure An aircraft structure comprising: a spar; a primary cover attached to the spar and extending on a first side of the spar; and a secondary cover positioned on a second side of the spar and partially overlapping an internal surface of the primary cover. A bracket is attached to the spar, and a spacer is provided between the secondary cover and the bracket. The spacer is sized so that the primary and secondary covers together form a substantially continuous external aerodynamic surface. The structure provides an alternative to conventional butt-strap arrangements.
US08070095B2	Shrinking shock strut system for retractable landing gear A shrinking shock strut system for an aircraft landing gear having a retract actuator that is moveable in length to deploy or retract the landing gear, that includes a shrink strut and a transfer device. The shrink strut may be compressed in length for stowage in the fuselage. The transfer device may be in closed fluid communication with the strut shrink for transferring and receiving hydraulic fluid to and from the strut shrink. When actuated by an aircraft hydraulic system independent of any motion of the retract actuator, the transfer device may drive hydraulic fluid to the strut shrink thereby compressing or shrinking the shrink strut to a partially compressed length.
US08070093B2	Turbojet engine mounting structure for aircraft A mount for an aircraft turbojet engine. The mount includes a central box formed by an assembly of two side panels joined via transverse ribs and two side boxes secured to a forward part of the box and arranged either side thereof, each side box including an aft closure frame. One of the ribs forming the box includes two side extensions made in a single piece with the rib and respectively projecting from the two side panels outwardly from the box, the two extensions being fixedly mounted on the frame of each of the two side boxes, respectively.
US08070090B2	Stop-rotor rotary wing aircraft Systems and methods for transitioning an aircraft between helicopter and fixed wing flight modes are provided. In one embodiment, an aircraft comprises a plurality of wings each having a spar and a flap; a flap actuator configured to move the flap with respect to the spar; and a center section rotatably coupled to each spar. The center section includes at least one spar actuator configured to rotate at least one of the wings about a rotational axis of the spar when the aircraft transitions between helicopter and fixed wing flight modes.
US08070085B2	Pretensioner A pretensioner is provided, which can be partially changed in mechanical strength of in a cylinder, in addition, can be widely used. In the pretensioner, the cylinder is molded by forging, and a positioning portion as a high-strength portion is formed from a partition formed using a excess portion produced during the forging-molding. Therefore, while an outer circumferential shape of the cylinder is not changed, a specification of the positioning portion can be varied, the specification including a formation position of the positioning portion, an extension dimension of the positioning portion from the cylinder, and thickness of the positioning portion along a through direction of the cylinder.
US08070084B2	Spider having spider arms with open channel A spider for use with a gyratory crusher. The spider includes spider arms each formed from two spaced flanges joined by a connecting web to define an open channel having an open top end. The configuration of the spider arms increases manufacturability and provides the required strength and rigidity for the spider. The channel formed in each spider arm is covered by a spider arm shield to reduce abrasive wear to the spider arm.
US08070083B2	Method and apparatus for processing logs The present invention relates to a method of processing logs by means of an apparatus comprising a transportation level in the advancing direction (P) of the logs, where they are arranged to be transported in a position perpendicular to their advancing direction (P), and where orifice members going therethrough and extending in the advancing direction (P) of the logs. In the method, at least two support member units spaced from each other are arranged below the transportation level whereby each support member unit comprises at least one elongated support member, which is arranged rotatably parallel to the transportation level and perpendicular to the advancing direction (P) and protruding therefrom, and said axis of rotation each support member unit is adapted so that when rotating, the support members protrude through the orifice members above the transportation level whereby the logs are received in one or more receiving spaces formed between the support members protruding above the transportation level. The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing said method.
US08070081B2	Pressure monitor for pulverizer Load cells are placed in the pre-compression systems of spring suspended rollers in coal/ore crusher/classifiers to produce electrical signals representing actual forces generated in the suspension system during crusher operation. This permits forces to be closely monitored during operation and/or automatically adjusted. Alternatively or in addition, alarm signals can be generated when pressures go out of tolerance.
US08070074B2	Bathing apparatus and method of using same A bathing apparatus includes an in-line mixing unit and a hand operated injecting unit. The mixing unit is coupled between a water supply pipe and a water dispensing device, such as a showerhead and is in fluid communication with the hand operated injection unit. The injection unit, upon user demand, draws a controllable predetermined quantity of bathing fluid from a standard off the shelf purchased bottle of bathing fluid, such as a bottle of bath oil, and then ejects, upon user demand and in a hands free operation, the drawn bathing fluid, at a user selected flow rate. The ejected bathing fluid passes to the mixing unit which causes the ejected bathing fluid to be mixed within a stream of water being delivered to the water dispensing device.
US08070073B2	Composite rail joint end post An end post for a rail joint assembly comprising: a top portion having a profile substantially identical to cross-sectional shapes of rail head sections of first and second rails of the rail joint assembly; a base; and a stem disposed between the top portion and the base; wherein one or more of the top portion, base and stem comprise a plurality of pieces of a first electrically insulating material disposed on or in a second electrically insulating material. The plurality of pieces are preferably spaced apart and may have a substantially disc-shape or a substantially cylindrical-shape, and are preferably made from a ceramic material such as zirconium dioxide, aluminum oxide or silicon nitride, where the second electrically insulating material comprises a polymeric material, such as polyurethane.
US08070071B2	Method of imaging a coding pattern with data elements encoding by multi-pulse position modulation A method of imaging a coding pattern disposed on a surface of a substrate. The method comprises the steps of: (a) capturing an image of a portion of the coding pattern; and (b) low-pass filtering said captured image so as to obscure data elements and preserve target elements. The coding pattern comprises and target elements and data elements, which encode data values by multi-pulse position modulation.
US08070070B2	Antenna device and radio frequency IC device An antenna device is arranged to transmit or receive a radio frequency communication signal to or from an external device such as a reader/writer, and is arranged such that an antenna resonance circuit including an antenna coil and a capacitor is connected to an additional resonance circuit including an inductor and a capacitor. A radio frequency IC device preferably includes the antenna device and a radio frequency IC. The antenna device is constructed such that a change in characteristics thereof caused by a change in the distance between a radio frequency IC device and a reader/writer is minimized, and the radio frequency IC device performs communication with high reliability.
US08070067B2	Receptacles for removable electrical interface devices A receptacle device for an electrical interface device, the electrical interface device being capable of transferring data to and from a host and being adapted to operate in one of a universal serial bus (USB)-compatible mode, a Mu mode and a non-USB-compatible mode, the receptacle comprising a chamber defined by a first inner surface and a second inner surface, the first inner surface being opposed to the second inner surface, a first row of contacts arranged at the first inner surface, the first row of contacts being configured to electrically couple to a first row of pads of the electrical interface device when the electrical interface device is inserted into the chamber in a direction, a second row of contacts arranged at the first inner surface, the second row of contacts being configured to electrically couple to a row of pads of a USB-compatible plug when the USB-compatible plug is inserted into the chamber in the direction, and at least one protrusion on the second inner surface, the at least one protrusion extending against the direction to exceed the first row of contacts.
US08070065B2	Distributed antenna array with centralized data hub for determining presence and location of RF tags A distributed antenna array with a centralized data hub for determining the presence and location of RF tags has been disclosed. This antenna array centralizes electronics and distributes the RF to zones in a facility to greatly reduce the expense of recurring components for monitoring RF tags. A single BRT/hub with multiple antennas attached to transmit and receive ports is used to cover an entire facility. Large facilities are covered by a small number of the BRT/hub combinations. The BRT/hub has transmit antennas coupled thereto, preferably by co-axial cable, that transmit signals to a portion or all of the RF tags and all or a portion of them modulate and reflect the RF signal to a particular receiving antenna. The receiving antenna then returns the RF signal with tag data to the BRT/hub, preferably by co-axial cable. Also disclosed is an RF backscatter tag that cleanly switches a resonant aperture antenna on and off, thereby greatly increasing the mark-to-space ratio of the backscatter data. This enables tags to be detected by the BRT at much greater distances.
US08070062B2	Method and system for detecting the presence of a customer proximate to a wireless display tag A multiuse system for use with Wireless Display Tags (WDTs) includes, in one or more exemplary arrangements, techniques for automatically maintaining synchronicity between pricing data for a product and advertising, marketing or promotional data associated with that product, and for detecting the proximity and location of a customer within a category of goods displayed within a managed environment. A messaging format suitable for such low power operation among a large number of peers is also disclosed, as is a technique for integrating a plurality of smaller displays to yield a single large display. An access point capable of serving as a communications hub within such a network, while at the same time offering visual and audio surveillance capabilities, is also disclosed.
US08070060B2	Biometric assurance device and method The invention may be embodied as an identity assurance system or method. A system according to the invention may have a biometric sensor capable of providing static biometric indications, a strap capable of positioning the sensor on an organism, and a computer in communication with the sensor. The computer may have software running on the computer in order to (a) cause the computer to determine whether there is a match between a subsequent static biometric indication and an initial static biometric indication, and (b) cause the computer to send a signal indicating whether a match was determined in order to assure the identity of the organism.
US08070056B2	Handheld device for selling transaction instruments via web-based tools The present disclosure generally relates to a handheld point of sale system for distributing a transaction instrument. Such system may include a browser-based tool configured to facilitate distributing an open transaction instrument at the point of sale in association with purchase of the open transaction instrument by a consumer at the handheld point of sale system. The browser-based tool may also be configured to receive transaction information and to facilitate the distribution of the open transaction instrument by sending the transaction information from the browser-based tool to a host system, wherein the host system authorizes distribution of the open transaction instrument, funds and activates a transaction account associated with the open transaction instrument, and sends an authorization message to the browser-based tool. The browser-based tool may be further configured to receive the authorization and provide an indication of the authorization for the open transaction instrument to be vended to a consumer, wherein an account code is associated with the open transaction instrument and the transaction account.
US08070055B2	Banking terminal that operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data bearing records A portable terminal operates to cause financial transfers responsive to data read from data bearing records in the form of user cards. The user cards include credit and/or debit cards. Data corresponding to the card data is stored in at least one memory of the terminal. The terminal includes a wireless communication device. The terminal operates to wirelessly communicate data corresponding to card data wirelessly to one or more remote computers to cause financial transfers to or from selected accounts. The terminal also operates to provide outputs corresponding to account balances and to receive data corresponding to receipts.
US08070053B2	Self-locking stackable tapered container with partial top structure A stackable container for carrying produce. The container has tapered side walls or end walls to aid in the stacking of like containers. Also, the container has locking flaps that allow the container to be erected manually and without the need for fasteners. Further, at least one tapered wall of the container has a reinforcement flap that creates a partial top structure in the upper part of the container that helps prevent bulging of the walls. The reinforcement flap also creates doubled stacking tabs and diagonal corner posts that aid in the stacking of like containers.
US08070050B2	Heat conducting apparatus and solder melting method therefor A heat conducting apparatus includes an air guide hood and a heat conducting device. The air guide hood is connected to a hot air supply source for delivering hot air, and includes an air outlet for exit of the hot air. The heat conducting device is disposed at the air outlet of the air guide hood, and includes a contact wall spaced apart from and disposed below the air outlet for contacting a soldered component, and a surrounding wall extending upwardly from the contact wall and connected to the air guide hood. The contact wall and the surrounding wall cooperatively define a space for guiding the hot air. The contact wall conducts the heat to the soldered component so as to melt tin solders between the soldered component and a circuit board, thereby reducing any adverse effect on other electronic components or good chips on the circuit board.
US08070048B2	Method of attaching a solder ball and method of repairing a memory module In a method of attaching a solder ball, a first material is coated on a solder ball. A second material is coated on a pad of a substrate where the solder ball is to be attached to exothermically react with the first material. The solder ball makes contact with the pad such that the first material and the second material exothermically react with each other to release heat to adhere the solder ball to the pad using the heat.
US08070047B1	Flux composition and method of soldering A flux composition is provided, comprising, as an initial component: a fluxing agent represented by formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from a hydrogen, a substituted C1-80 alkyl group, an unsubstituted C1-80 alkyl group, a substituted C7-80 arylalkyl group and an unsubstituted C7-80 arylalkyl group; and wherein zero to three of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is(are) hydrogen. Also provided is a method of soldering an electrical contact using the flux composition.
US08070046B1	Amine flux composition and method of soldering An amine flux composition is provided, comprising, as an initial component: an amine fluxing agent represented by formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from a hydrogen, a substituted C1-80 alkyl group, an unsubstituted C1-80 alkyl group, a substituted C7-80 arylalkyl group and an unsubstituted C7-80 arylalkyl group; wherein R7 and R8 are independently selected from a C1-20 alkyl group, a substituted C1-20 alkyl group, a C6-20 aryl group and a substituted C6-20 aryl group or wherein R7 and R8, together with the carbon to which they are attached, form a C3-20 cycloalkyl ring optionally substituted with a C1-6 alkyl group; wherein R10 and R11 are independently selected from a C1-20 alkyl group, a substituted C1-20 alkyl group, a C6-20 aryl group and a substituted C6-20 aryl group or wherein R10 and R11, together with the carbon to which they are attached, form a C3-20 cycloalkyl ring optionally substituted with a C1-6 alkyl group; and, wherein R9 is selected from a hydrogen, a C1-30 alkyl group, a substituted C1-30 alkyl group, a C6-30 aryl group and a substituted C6-30 aryl group. Also provided is a method of soldering an electrical contact using the amine flux composition.
US08070043B1	Curable flux composition and method of soldering A curable flux composition is provided, comprising, as initial components: a resin component having at least two oxirane groups per molecule; a fluxing agent represented by formula I: wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are independently selected from a hydrogen, a substituted C1-80 alkyl group, an unsubstituted C1-80 alkyl group, a substituted C7-80 arylalkyl group and an unsubstituted C7-80 arylalkyl group; and wherein zero to three of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is(are) hydrogen; and, optionally, a curing agent. Also provided is a method of soldering an electrical contact using the curable flux composition.
US08070042B1	Process for joining stainless steel part and silicon carbide ceramic part and composite articles made by same A process for joining a stainless steel part and a silicon carbide ceramic part, comprising steps of: providing a stainless steel part, a SiC ceramic part, and a Al foil; bringing surfaces of the stainless steel part, SiC ceramic part, and Al foil into contact, with the titanium foil inserted between the metal part and ceramic part; applying a pulsed electric current to the stainless steel part, SiC ceramic part, and Al foil, heating the stainless steel part, SiC ceramic part, and Al foil to a joining temperature of about 500-650° C., and simultaneously applying a joining pressure of about 50-100 MPa to the stainless steel part, SiC ceramic part, and Al foil while the current is applied, and maintaining the joining temperature and the joining pressure for about 10-30 minutes.
US08070040B2	Single retainer mounted riser A motor vehicle car body framing apparatus for use at a welding station, the apparatus including a gate having a frame structure and a plurality of tooling members carried by the frame structure for use in positioning components of the vehicle body at the welding station for welding. The tooling members are mounted on the frame structure by a plurality of mounting brackets. Each mounting bracket includes a base member mounted on the frame structure and a riser mounted on the base and mounting a respective tooling member. The riser is fixedly mounted on the base by a single central fastener bolt which may include a reduced diameter portion sized to breakaway in response to predetermined impact against the riser. The interface between the riser and the base comprises a plurality of contact points arranged in concentric relation with respect to the fastener bolt. The contact points may comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced balls mounted on the base for coaction with circumferentially spaced grooves defined on the riser. A breakaway bolt assembly replacement kit is also disclosed as well as an arrangement wherein the riser is constituted by an integral extension arm of the tooling member.
US08070039B1	Linear friction welder A linear friction welding system in one embodiment includes a ram configured to vibrate along a welding axis, a cam follower operably connected to the ram, an eccentric including an eccentric outer periphery operably engaged with the cam follower, and an inner periphery, a first power shaft slidingly engaged with the eccentric, and a second power shaft eccentrically engaged with the inner periphery.
US08070038B2	Surgical instrument with pivotable jaw member A surgical instrument for surgically joining tissue is disclosed. The surgical instrument includes a handle assembly, an elongated portion extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis, and an end effector disposed adjacent a distal portion of the elongated portion. The end effector includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member. The first jaw member defines a first axis, which is transverse to the longitudinal axis. The first jaw member is pivotable about the first axis. At least one of the first jaw member and the second jaw member is movable with respect to the other between a spaced-apart and an approximated position.
US08070030B2	Backpack accessible from the user's front while wearing The present disclosure is an altered backpack with more than one shoulder strap, which allows the wearer to reconfigure the shoulder straps while wearing, swing the backpack around to the wearer's front, and access the contents of the backpack, while still wearing the backpack.
US08070028B2	Foldable truck bed extender A truck bed extender including an elongated support adapted for securement in a trailer hitch mounted on a truck, and a shorter upright support pivotally mounted at the opposite end of the elongated support, for pivotal rotation from a collapsed position generally alongside said elongated support, to an upright position extending upwardly away from said elongated support. A pair of arms are pivotally mounted to said upright support, generally at the top thereof, for rotation from a collapsed position, in which the arms extend generally side by side upwardly from and generally in alignment with said upright support, outwardly to an operating position in which they extend outwardly in opposite lateral directions away from one another. The truck bed extender can readily be installed into a trailer hitch and erected to provide extended support for items placed in a truck bed, and can be readily collapsed into a generally elongated condition with said upright support and said arms extending generally alongside said elongated support.
US08070024B2	Dispensing nozzle comprising an axially attached closure sleeve A nozzle for dispensing a liquid contained in a receptacle, the nozzle including a rigid body provided with a dispensing channel including a dispensing orifice emerging in the front wall of the body, the nozzle also including an elastically deformable sleeve that is disposed in a non-adherent fashion and in clamping contact around at least part of the periphery of the rigid body, the sleeve being provided with at least one front lip that is disposed opposite the dispensing orifice, the lip being arranged so as, by application of the dispensing pressure of the liquid on it, to be reversibly movable between a stable closed state and stressed opening state of the orifice, in which the attachment of the sleeve on the rigid body is achieved in combination by a first attachment for retaining the axial movement of the rear part of the sleeve relative to the rigid body and by a second attachment for retaining the axial movement of another part of the sleeve relative to the rigid body.
US08070020B2	Remote hot melt adhesive metering station A new and improved remote, hot melt adhesive metering station (510), for supplying predetermined or precisely metered volumes of hot melt adhesive material toward applicator head or dispensing nozzle structures, comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon an axially elongated drive gear manifold (512) such that the rotational axes of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are disposed parallel and adjacent to one side of the axially elongated drive gear manifold (512). Hot melt adhesive material is supplied from a remotely located adhesive supply unit (ASU), to the drive gear manifold (512), by an inlet supply port hose connection (542), and all of the pump driven gears (524) of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are respectively driven by manifold pump drive gears (514) which are all rotatably mounted upon a common, motor-driven drive shaft (516) rotatably disposed within the drive gear manifold (512). The drive gear manifold (512) is also provided with a plurality of outlet port hose connections (540) to which hot melt adhesive delivery hoses are to be connected.
US08070019B2	Product canister dispensing apparatus and method therefor An apparatus, method and vending system mixes a dry product mix with liquid to produce a mixed beverage. The apparatus includes a product canister containing the dry product mix. The product canister includes a dispensing mechanism that dispensed a portion of the mix through an outlet. During dispensing, a plurality of agitators positioned within the product canister and in contact with the product mix displaces the product mix, thereby keeping the product mix loose and lifted and resulting in a more evenly distributed product mix feed for dispensing through the outlet.
US08070017B2	Unified mounting cup and valve stem assembly A unified assembly of a mounting cup and valve stem assembly for aerosol containers. The mounting cup contains a flat central portion having an inner section extending downward from its periphery. An outer section extends upward from the lower edge of the inner section and abuts the inner section. The inner and outer sections constitute the lower wall. The outer section extends above the flat central portion and ends in a channel which can fit onto the bead of an aerosol container. The flat central portion has at least one hole through it. The valve stem assembly contains a flat circular upper piece having holes corresponding to those in the mounting cup. The holes are the open top ends of chambers for springs and plungers. Valve stems are below the chamber. The lower wall of the mounting cup is crimped to hold the mounting cup to the valve stem assembly.
US08070012B2	Can closure arrangement A closure arrangement for cans and pots comprising a tubular body having a side wall whose upper edge defines a seat for a lid. The upper edge comprises a peripheral annular flange carrying, in a free outer edge, a continuous rib with a cross-section contour comprising two opposite circle arc portions, with curvature centers disposed in the same plane orthogonal to the axis of the tubular body, the lid being inferiorly provided with a continuous circumferential groove to be seated against the respective circle arc portions of the continuous rib, so as to axially lock the lid in the tubular body. An annular gasket is carried by one of the parts of peripheral annular flange and lid, to be pressed by the other of said parts upon closing the lid.
US08070008B2	Sealing plug with a pressure-compensating chamber A plug to hermetically seal an aperture in a sheetmetal, or in the floor of a vehicle, comprising, a cap covering the aperture and comprising an external, circumferential flange resting on one side of the sheetmetal or of the floor and fitted with a first circumferential seal, an affixation portion entering said aperture and, a second circumferential seal configured at the cap or at the affixation portion and being a distance from the first seal and resting against the sheetmetal or the said floor, a cavity being subtended by the sheetmetal or said floor, the two seals and at least one wall of the plug, where said plug, includes a pressure-compensating chamber, which communicates with the cavity and, which compensates a change in pressure, caused by a change in temperature, inside the cavity, by changing the volume of the pressure-compensating chamber.
US08070007B2	Herb keeper with flexible projection Described is a herb keeper comprising a body having a closed end and an open end defining a cavity therebetween, and a removable tray portion sized to be slidingly received within the cavity of the body, at least one flexible projection extending from the body toward the tray portion, wherein the tray portion is held in a rest position by the at least one flexible projection.
US08070006B2	Deployable and disposable container assemblies with bendable support members Collapsible containers and associated methods are disclosed herein. Certain aspects of the invention are directed toward a collapsible container assembly that includes a foldable support member that has a length and a width. The support member has a concave cross-section that causes the support member to resist bending until a threshold force is exceeded. The support member has a folded position and an extended position where the support member is unfolded. The assembly further includes at least one surface member carried by the support member. The assembly has a deployed position where the support member is in the extended position and the at least one surface member forms an enclosure with an interior. The assembly also has a collapsed position where the support member is in the folded position. The container assembly has less exterior volume in the collapsed position than in the deployed position.
US08070005B1	Corrugated septic tank with strengthening features A molded thermoplastic tank for use as a septic tank or storage tank when buried in soil has a combination of transverse peak and valley corrugations in combination with one or more lengthwise peak corrugations, to provide in effect a molded-in beam structure. The lengthwise corrugations may be at the top, between spaced apart access ports, along the bottom. In one embodiment, the top has an H-shape pattern beam structure. In another embodiment separately formed plastic beams and or a combination of vertical and horizontal struts are inside the tank.
US08070003B2	Package feature Formation of an “organically”-shaped feature on an otherwise abstract-shaped package. In particular, an organic or human anatomical feature is provided on an otherwise inanimate shape. More particularly, a package, such as a bottle, having a non-representational form (in other words, a package not shaped to resemble any particular form existing in nature) is provided with a feature specifically designed to resemble a form in nature or “organic” form. In an exemplary embodiment, the form in nature (or “organic” feature) is a “baby fat crease.” In particular, a crease is provided on the package to mimic the look of a baby fat crease. The geometry of the crease as well as the geometry of the package are optimized to achieve the desired organic look or effect.
US08070002B2	Two piece draft gear housing having an integral yoke A housing for a railway car draft gear assembly for cushioning buff and draft shocks includes a rear portion engageable with the rear stops of such railway car and a front portion configured for attachment to a coupler arm. Opposed ends of the front and rear portions are provided with complimentary flanges for removable attachment of the front portion to the rear portion with threaded fasteners.
US08070000B2	Apparatus and method for assembling wind turbines An apparatus for assembling a wind turbine includes a crane boom having a main bearing cable coupled to a component for lifting the component during assembly of the wind turbine, and a control mechanism coupled to the crane boom for controlling the orientation of the wind turbine component during the lift. The control mechanism includes a guide member coupled to the crane boom, a movable member coupled to the guide member and configured to be movable relative to the crane boom, a coupling member configured to couple the movable member to the wind turbine component being lifted by the crane boom, and a drive mechanism configured to actively move the movable member relative to the crane boom independent of the movement of the main bearing cable. A method for assembling a wind turbine includes using the coupling member to change the orientation of the component.
US08069996B2	Gardening tool suspension device A gardening tool suspension device includes a suspension rack (20) having a through hole (22), a gardening tool (10) mounted on the suspension rack and a fastening mechanism (30) mounted on the suspension rack and locked onto the gardening tool to attach the gardening tool to the suspension rack. The gardening tool include two handles (13) pivotally connected by a threaded pivot shaft (12). The fastening mechanism includes a locking nut (31) screwed onto the pivot shaft and having a flange (311) extending through the through hole, and a retaining ring (32) locked onto the flange of the locking nut. Thus, only the locking nut is locked by the retaining ring so that the two handles of the gardening tool are not limited and can be pivoted freely, thereby facilitating a consumer operating the gardening tool.
US08069993B2	Medicine cart A medicine cart (1) having excellent workability in filling and returning a medicine, comprising an upwardly opening cassette (10) storing a plurality of medicines (15a, 15b, 15c) arranged in a row in an upright state and a pressing member (47) pressing the rearmost medicine (15c) in the cassette (10) forward. An insert guide part (51) is formed at the pressing side end part of the pressing member (47) so that the medicine (15) can be inserted between the pressing member (47) and the rearmost medicine (15c). The pressing side end part of the pressing member (47) having a vertical front surface and an inclined upper surface (51), wherein both the vertical front surface and the upper surface (51) are in the shape of a concave circular arc.
US08069990B2	Sealing gasket for a filter element, and a module including a filter element fitted with such a sealing gasket The invention provides a sealing gasket for mounting in a passage (5) of a support plate (4) to surround the end of a tubular-shaped filter element (3) provided with at least one fluid flow channel (31), the channel lying within a flow section Sc, the gasket being constituted in the form of a sleeve: possessing a height h not less than the height hps of the passage (5) in the support plate (4); and presenting an overlap bore (15) for the filter element (3) defined between one end (16) of the sleeve and a shoulder (17) which co-operates with the other end of the sleeve to define a channel bore (19) for the fluid, the shoulder (17) possessing a surface for acting as an abutment for the terminal portion of the filter element and presenting dimensions that are adapted to extend outside the flow section Sc so as to avoid impeding fluid circulation, the overlap bore (15) being provided with a groove (28) adjacent to the shoulder (17) in order to allow the gasket to creep.
US08069981B2	Hinged lid box for cigarettes A cigarette pack of the hinge-lid box type in which box side walls (24) and lid side walls (25) are correspondingly formed as a polygonal chain from adjoining wall portions (27, 28, 29), and the wall portions (27, 28, 29) are designed with the same width and directed at the same angles to one another and to the front side and rear side of the pack.
US08069978B2	Coin holder with edge view optics A coin holder having edge view optics. The coin holder includes a coin having an obverse side, a reverse side and a coin edge having features on the coin edge. The features can include lettering, decorative patterns or other features of interest. An optical frame is configured to surround the coin edge and includes reflective surfaces that project an image of the coin edge to a viewing side of the optical frame, where the features of the coin edge can be viewed in a desired orientation.
US08069972B2	Board lumber positioning fence Provided is a positioning fence for use in lumber sawmills that facilitates automated positioning of lumber for cutting and a method of positioning lumber for cutting. A continuous moving track loop has a plurality of paddles laterally positionable across the width of the track. Electromagnets are used to control the position of the paddles and, thus, the position of lumber being transported by the paddles. Also provided are uses of the positioning fence to position lumber for cutting.
US08069971B2	Bulk material handling system and control A bulk material handling system includes a bulk material handling apparatus to convey bulk material and a bulk material handling accessory to aid the bulk material handling apparatus in conveying the bulk material. The bulk material handling accessory includes a controller having one or more sensors. The controller generates a control signal to adjust operation of the bulk material handling accessory based upon at least one status signal of the one or more sensors. The controller also generates the control signal in accordance with a status signal to control signal response pattern defined by system parameter values. The system parameters include a minimum value to define a minimum level of the control signal associated with fail-safe operation and a maximum value to define a maximum level of the control signal associated with stable operation the bulk material handling accessory.
US08069963B2	Variable resistance strut assemblies and articles containing the same Disclosed herein is a strut assembly that comprises a piston that is in slideable communication with a housing. The piston comprises a piston head having a channel in operative communication with a fluid that is disposed in the housing. An elastic member and an active element are disposed in the channel. The active element is in operative communication with the elastic member and is operative to change the shape of the elastic member.
US08069958B2	Elevator system and method including a controller and remote elevator monitor for remotely performed and/or assisted restoration of elevator service An elevator (49) includes remote elevator monitoring equipment (50) (REM) connected by a communication linkage (52) to a central elevator monitoring and control station (51). Main, drive, and door controllers (56-58) are interconnected (5961) with the REM. Power-on-reset (POR) of controllers is caused internally (150) or by remotely-operable relays (63-65). An elevator expert at the remote station may order a POR (108), disable components (120), try various fixes (124), and/or order maintenance (115, 135) with instructions. In another embodiment, the controller (56a, 56b) includes elevator diagnostics (150) which can recognize an elevator malfunction and either cause a relay (63) to interrupt power for an interval or cause a reboot.
US08069957B2	Elevator display system providing an indication of an estimated arrival of an elevator car An elevator target floor registration unit, which displays an estimated amount of time until an assigned elevator car arrives, reduces feelings of uneasiness. Various target floor registration units by which a user may register a target floor are installed on respective floors of a building. The target floor registration units are connected to an elevator controller via an interface. The elevator controller: (a) assigns a most suitable elevator car corresponding to a user's target floor registered using the target floor registration unit; (b) computes an expected waiting time for the elevator assigned to arrive at the floor of the aforementioned registration; and (c) sends said pieces of information on the elevator assignment and the expected waiting time to aforementioned target floor registration unit in order to display them.
US08069954B2	Self erecting zipper lift A zipper style lift that coils into a box for storage, but extends to form a rigid, self erecting lift part. The lift stores itself in a housing when retracted, by retracting chain parts into a spiral form.
US08069951B2	Installation structure of oil cooler of vehicular transmission In an oil cooler installation structure for a vehicular transmission, an oil cooler by means of which oil is cooled is provided, oil being delivered between the oil cooler and an internal of a transmission housing, and an oil cooler installation portion is provided in the internal of the transmission housing and in which a first oil passage for supplying oil in the internal of the transmission housing to the oil cooler via a first opening portion opened at an external of the transmission housing and a second oil passage for supplying oil from the oil cooler to the internal of the transmission housing via a second opening portion opened at the external of the transmission housing are formed, the oil cooler being attached onto the oil cooler installation portion to enable a delivery of oil via the first opening portion and the second opening portion.
US08069949B2	Integrated lubrication module for compressors In accordance with certain embodiments, the present invention provides a modular approach to a lubrication package. Certain components such as the filter and cooler are directly connected to a block that has connections to accept them and internal porting to establish the proper flow paths for circulation, cooling and filtration of the circulating lubricant. The block can accept one or more coolers and one or more filters. The isolation valving for redundant equipment can also be integrated into the block. Many connections that had been used in past designs for the piping network are integrated into the block. The block can also be close mounted to the reservoir while a submersible pump further saves space and piping connections. Indeed, having the ability to maintain mechanical equipment (e.g., remove and replace filters and coolers) without shutting down, allows for continuous process flow, which eliminates down-town scheduling, loss of product and/or redundant backup, all of which comes at a considerable cost.
US08069946B1	Portable sound recording device A portable sound recording device and method comprises a first enclosure having symmetrical halves and a second enclosure having symmetrical halves. The second enclosure is fitted inside the first enclosure such that neither enclosure has direct contact with each other. The symmetrical halves pivot about the device handle. A sound resistant material aligns the inside walls of the second enclosure and the outside walls of the second enclosure. The device eliminates unwanted echoes and allows sound to be clearly captured by an attached microphone or input device.
US08069941B2	Fuel cell vehicle A fuel cell vehicle capable of improving energy efficiency by reducing switching loss is provided. The fuel cell vehicle includes: a fuel cell that generates direct current power; inverters which respectively include switching elements and convert the direct current power generated by the fuel cell into alternating current power; a diode that prevents current from flowing from the inverters toward the fuel cell; a step up/down DC/DC converter that adjusts the voltage of the cathode side of the diode; a voltage control part that controls the step up/down DC/DC converter, thereby controlling current output from the fuel cell; and a stop and idle determination part that stops the supply of air to the fuel cell, thereby stopping idling of the fuel cell. The voltage control part reduces the voltage of the cathode side of the diode as the voltage of the fuel cell is reduced by activating the stop and idle determination part.
US08069933B2	Bearing assemblies, and bearing apparatuses and motor assemblies using same Various embodiments of the present invention relate to bearing assemblies configured to accommodate non-uniform loading and misalignment with an adjacent bearing assembly. In one embodiment of the present invention, a bearing assembly for use in a subterranean drilling system is disclosed. The bearing assembly includes a support ring and a retention ring attached to the support ring, with the retention ring including a plurality of through holes. The bearing assembly includes a plurality of bearing elements each of which includes a superhard bearing surface. Each of the bearing elements is positioned in and extends from a corresponding through hole of the plurality of through holes. At least a number of the bearing elements are configured to restrict displacement through the corresponding through hole and away from the support ring. Further embodiments of the present invention are directed to a thrust-bearing apparatus, a radial bearing apparatus, and a downhole motor that incorporates disclosed thrust-bearing and radial bearing assemblies.
US08069929B2	Impact tool An impact tool includes: a spindle disposed in a housing; an anvil disposed in front of the spindle and rotatably supported by the housing through a metal bearing, a rear surface of the anvil having a bearing hole in which a front end of the spindle is received; an impact mechanism configured to transmit a rotation of the spindle to the anvil; an outer groove formed on an outer periphery of the anvil and opposed to the metal bearing; and a connecting opening radially extending in the anvil and connecting the bearing hole and the outer groove to provide a communication therebetween. The outer groove is formed to have a depth in the range of 3-10% of an outer diameter of the anvil, and the connecting opening opens at a rear end of the outer groove in an axial direction of the anvil.
US08069927B2	Rear-mounted work implement control system A control system for a rear-mounted work implement on a work machine operable from a forward-facing operator's station located on the work machine is disclosed. The control system includes a surface adjacent to the operator's station, the surface being fixed in a position. A control device is attached to the surface and includes a grip configured to be gripped by an operator. A position of the grip is fixed relative to the surface during use, and the grip is positioned to stabilize an operator when turned in the operator's station to view the work implement. The control device also includes a switching mechanism disposed between the grip and the surface, and being configured to operate the work implement and configured to be actuatable by a hand on the grip.
US08069923B2	Top suction fluid end A positive displacement wellbore servicing pump having a power end and a fluid end is disclosed. The fluid end has a main chamber and a suction bore in fluid connection with the main chamber and the suction bore has a suction central axis vector. A discharge bore is in fluid connection with the main chamber and the discharge bore has a discharge central axis vector. A portion of the suction central axis vector is vertically higher than any portion of the discharge central axis vector. A method of providing a wellbore servicing fluid to a wellbore is also disclosed. A method of providing a wellbore servicing fluid to a fluid end of a positive displacement pump is also disclosed.
US08069912B2	Heat exchanger with conduit surrounded by metal foam A heat exchanger is disclosed. The heat exchanger may have a conduit configured to conduct a fluid and at least one body of metal foam surrounding the conduit. The at least one body of metal foam may have a radially inner portion, a radially outer portion, and a radially intermediate portion between the radially inner portion and the radially outer portion. The at least one body of metal foam may have a lower percentage of void space at the radially outer portion as compared to the radially intermediate portion.
US08069910B2	Acoustic resonator for synthetic jet generation for thermal management A thermal management system is provided herein which comprises a synthetic jet ejector (201) driven by an acoustic resonator (209).
US08069907B2	Flexible heat pipe A heat pipe for cooling a heat-generating component has a generally planar, sealed flexible body having an evaporator section, a condenser section, and a flexible bellows section. The bellows section is located between the evaporator section and the condenser section along a longitudinal length of the body. A chamber extends from the evaporator section to the condenser section inside the body and contains a working fluid. The bellows section includes internal supports to keep the chamber open during repeated bending of the heat pipe at the bellows section.
US08069906B2	Vehicular exhaust heat recovery apparatus with frozen working fluid melting An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes an evaporation unit, a condensation unit, an evaporation-side communication part and a condensation-side communication part. The evaporation unit is disposed in a duct member through which an exhaust gas generated from an engine flows, and evaporates an operation fluid by heat of the exhaust gas. The condensation unit is disposed in a coolant passage through which a coolant flows, and condenses the operation fluid by radiating the heat to the coolant. The evaporation-side communication part connects the evaporation unit and the condensation unit for introducing evaporated operation fluid to the condensation unit. The condensation-side communication part connects the condensation unit and the evaporation unit for introducing condensed operation fluid to the evaporation unit. The condensation-side communication part is in contact with an outer surface of the duct member at least at a part.
US08069905B2	EGR gas cooling device A gas cooling device capable of efficiently cooling a gas such as an EGR gas, etc. is provided. A multiplicity of cooling pipes perpendicularly intersecting a gas flow direction in a gas pipe for a gas such as an EGR gas, etc. are provided to extend through an outer peripheral wall of the gas pipe, a cooling jacket is provided on an outer surface of the gas pipe on both sides of a group of the cooling medium pipes in an axial direction, or on the entire outer surface of the gas pipe, and the gas in the gas pipe is cooled by a cooling medium flowing through the cooling pipes.
US08069902B2	Aluminum alloy vacuum casting equipment An aluminum alloy vacuum casting equipment comprises a high pressure casting tank, in which a guard is equipped. The high-pressure casting tank is connected with a booster jar through a compressed air pipe. A first casting window and second casting window which are equipped with a first cylinder are set at top of the high-pressure casting tank. The high pressure casting tank is also equipped with a fixed guide and an unfixed guide at the bottom, an actuated exhaust ball valve at one side and a hatch door which is connected with a third cylinder. All operations except for putting in or taking out of the filler are completed automatically.
US08069901B2	Cylinder block manufacturing method, dummy cylinder liner, and dummy cylinder liner casting method In a cylinder block manufacturing method, first and second dies and a liner support are provided to form a liner overcast configuration. The first and second dies are positioned with respect to the liner support and a dummy cylinder liner made of an aluminum alloy such that the first die contacts a pressing section of a first axial end of the liner support and a first axially facing end of the dummy cylinder liner, and the second die contacts a second axial end of the liner support and a second axially facing end of the dummy cylinder liner. The first and second dies are preheated to a prescribed temperature with the dummy cylinder liner positioned on the liner support by injecting molten aluminum alloy into a cylinder block molding cavity to form a dummy cylinder block with the dummy cylinder liner casted in the dummy cylinder block.
US08069897B2	Fast door with contact detecting means The invention concerns a fast door comprising: a structure having in particular two posts (3) in each of which is provided a slide rail (16) and a transverse lintel-forming element (4), and a flexible curtain (12) connected to the structure at the lintel-forming element (4) via electromechanical means controlling the lowering and lifting of the curtain (12), the curtain (12) incorporating at least one flexible reinforcing bar (13, 29) inserted in receiving means provided in the curtain (12), the flexible reinforcing bar (13, 29) capable of being engaged at its ends in each of the slide rails (16) and capable of bending to be released at least from one rail (16) without being subjected to permanent deformation which would impair the operation of the door once reinstalled in its rails. The door further includes means for detecting any contact with the curtain associated with at least one flexible reinforcing bar (13, 29), the detecting means capable of having a normal operating condition when the bar (13, 29) is rectilinear and an abnormal operating condition under the effect of a contact with the curtain (12).
US08069895B2	Film-removing device An exemplary film-removing device for removing a protecting film from a workpiece includes a main body and a film-removing mechanism. The film-removing mechanism includes a suspending arm and a roller. The suspending arm has a first end rotatably connected to the main body. The roller is rotatably connected to a second end, opposite to the first end, of the suspending arm. The roller is driven to rotate by movement of the workpiece.
US08069886B1	Capsule preparation system A capsule preparation system includes a syringe holder for retaining a syringe, the syringe holder configured for operating a plunger of the syringe, a supply vial for storing a volume of radiopharmaceutical, and a capsule holder for capturing a capsule wherein the capsule holder is configured for selectively releasing the capsule from the capsule holder. At least a portion of the syringe holder is movable along a first direction and a second direction to position the syringe relative to the supply vial and the capsule.
US08069885B2	Apparatus and method for dispensing liquid and gaseous hydrogen A service station, in particular a hydrogen service station for filling a motor vehicle with a gaseous and/or a liquid medium, in particular with gaseous or liquid hydrogen, is disclosed. The station includes a) a reservoir for storing a liquid medium, b) a liquid medium dispensing unit which is supplied with the liquid medium from the reservoir, c) a compressor, an evaporator, a heating system, and an intermediate reservoir for intermediate storage of a compressed gaseous medium, d) a gaseous medium dispensing unit mounted downstream of the intermediate reservoir, e) a fuel cell which is supplied by the gaseous medium coming from the reservoir and/or the intermediate reservoir and supplies power to the compressor, and f) a control unit which is powered by the fuel cell and used for controlling the compressor, the gaseous medium dispensing unit and/or the liquid medium dispensing unit.
US08069882B2	Method and apparatus for filling open containers with a powdery product Apparatus and method for filling a container (7), particularly an open bag, with a powdery product has the following features” a net scale (1) situated above a tube arrangement and/or hopper arrangement (2), which terminates in a filler neck (6) above the container (7) to be filled while preferably projecting into this container. An intermediate chamber (3) is arranged downstream of the net scale and upstream of the container (7) to temporarily hold at least a portion of the product released by the net scale, and a compacting device (8, 9) is provided for compacting the product placed inside the container (7).
US08069879B2	Hydrocarbon application hose A hydrocarbon application hose to avoid substantial compression and blow-out resulting from high pressurization differentials therethrough. The hose is formed from an inner tube that has a layer of material with electromagnetic target, such as carbon fiber, disbursed therethrough. In this manner, the material, generally a polymer, may be electromagnetically heated once the layer has been wrapped with a metallic reinforcing member. Thus, the layer of material may transform into surrounding relation relative to the reinforcing member. A substantially unitary inner tube may thereby be provided that includes a reinforcing member for blowout resistance and is of unitary character for compression resistance.
US08069878B2	Hand-held dispenser A hand-held dispenser for precisely controlling the flow rate of water therethrough and for injecting a liquid chemical into the water passing through the apparatus.
US08069877B2	Pressure compensating flush valve with self-cleaning piston A flush valve according to the present disclosure includes a pressure compensating device for toilet and urinals to ensure consistent flush and bowl refill volumes. Certain flush volume limits may required for compliance with federal, state and local regulations regarding water usage. The flush valve can adjust water flow rates within the prescribed water usage limits and does not sacrifice the toilet's bowl washing and waste removal capabilities.
US08069876B2	Sealing bush, hydraulic unit, and check valve There is disclosed a sealing bush as well as a hydraulic unit fitted with the sealing bush and a check valve. The sealing bush is made of plastic and has, on an end face, a preferably conical elevation that can be brought into sealing contact with a bearing shoulder.
US08069871B2	Vented protective canopy housing for grill A protective canopy housing (1) for a barbeque grill (2) having a canopy (6) with a vent opening on a top (22) with an elevated vent cover (8). The canopy is supported by supports (5a, b and c) attached to a grill by C-clamps (4a,b). The canopy housing can include side curtains (10a, b) which may be rolled up and secured along the sides of the canopy. The side curtains may include mesh and can be maintained in a down position during use to protect the users from insects. The curtains can be removably detachable. The canopy would preferably be made of heat-resistant material.
US08069870B2	Ventilator for venting covers Disclosed is an improved ventilator apparatus for vehicle covers. The apparatus comprises a dome section that is associated with a first ventilator plate on the outside of a vehicle cover. The Dome section extends through the vehicle cover where it is associated with a second ventilator plate. A nut is used to releasably associate the component pieces together so that a portion of the vehicle cover is clamped between the first ventilator plate and the second ventilator plate. Both the first ventilator plate and second ventilator plate are configured so that either plate may be used on the inside or outside of the cover. The improved ventilator plate design comprises air vents disposed within the plate so that water on a top surface of the ventilator plate cannot run into the vent openings. In addition, support gussets have been redesigned so provide an improved venturi action that tends to suck air through the vent opening when air blows across the vent openings.
US08069869B1	Crutch and a grip unit thereof A crutch has a standing unit, an armpit rest and a grip unit. The standing unit has a top, a foot and multiple positioning holes defined between the top and the foot. The armpit rest is mounted on the top of the standing unit. The grip unit transversally attached to the standing unit has a grip, two positioning bases and two pins. The grip has two ends each having a recess, a pin hole and a limiting portion. Each positioning base has two insertions each having a limiting notch and a hook. When the positioning base engages the recess, the limiting notches combine with the limiting portions and the pin inserts into one corresponding positioning hole. When the positioning base is released from the recess, the limiting notches disengage from the limiting portions, the pin disengages from the positioning hole, and the hook combines with the limiting portion.
US08069862B1	Heat-less hair straightening device A hair straightening device and associated methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a hair-straightening band includes: an elongated band; a bristle-tipped insert having a plurality of bristles, the bristle-tipped insert disposed within the elongated band; and a plate having a plurality of apertures through which to receive the plurality of bristles, the plate adapted to secure the insert to the elongated band with the plurality of bristles exposed. The hair band is adapted for application to a head of hair with the plurality of bristles facing inwardly toward the hair, rotation upon the hair, and wear upon the hair to straighten the hair. The hair band is heatless and non-electric.
US08069859B2	Wrapping paper inspection apparatus and tobacco wrapping machine A wrapping paper inspection apparatus includes a nozzle arranged in a wrapping-paper discharge path, in which wrapping paper is wound and continuously discharged, for wetting one side of the wrapping paper with a liquid; an image pickup section for irradiating light to the wrapping paper wetted with the liquid by the nozzle, detecting light transmitted through or reflected from the wrapping paper, and generating an image signal; and a wrapping paper inspection section for determining defects in wrapping paper portions applied or affixed with a low flame spread material, from the image signal generated by the image pickup section, to thereby inspect such defects easily and reliably. This inspection apparatus can be mounted to a tobacco wrapping machine.
US08069858B2	Method and apparatus for deploying a shape memory polymer Methods and apparatus described herein may utilize activation of an SMP material to install medical devices with respect to a surgical site. Activation of the SMP material may be performed with the use of a triggering force and/or a constraint applied to the SMP material. Activation using a triggering force and/or a constraint may be used to create varied activation rates in an SMP material and may be combined with temperature or other activation stimuli to create the varied activation rates.
US08069857B2	Phototherapy method A method of providing phototherapy to a patient. In some embodiments, the method includes the steps of placing a patient on a rigid support surface of a phototherapy device, the support surface being adapted to support the patient without substantial deformation; transmitting light from a light source through a first portion of the support surface to the patient; and limiting light transmission from the light source through a second portion of the support surface.
US08069856B2	Dynamic infant head support A dynamic infant head support for preventing, or correcting, the abnormal shape of a head of an infant, and a method of using the support for treating deformational plagiocephaly. The support is an oval-shaped pillow, with a central opening to receive the head of the infant to be treated. Spaced barriers divide the interior of the pillow into a plurality of compartments. A ring-like manifold passes through the interior of the pillow and communicates with each compartment. A plurality of valves is operatively associated with the manifold; one valve is located in each compartment. The valves allow fluid, such as pressurized air, in the manifold, to inflate individual compartments. The manifold is pressurized by a pump, at a remote location; a heater warms the pressurized air. A remote controller is connected to the valves by electrical leads. The controller governs the sequence of operation of the valves, and regulates the duration of time that each valve is open. The controller may be programmed, to inflate or expand the compartments in the pillow, to gently lift, and mildly turn, the head of the infant positioned thereon, thus combating the abnormal shape or deformation.
US08069849B2	Parabolic solar collector A passive solar collector utilizes a support constructed of precisely machined foam to simplify the construction and calibration of the reflective surface. Further improvements include sensor-based positioning, and a receiver having inflow and outflow conduits adapted to improve thermal efficiency.
US08069840B2	Injector for injecting fuel into combustion chambers of internal combustion engines The invention relates to an injector for injecting fuel into combustion chambers of internal combustion engines, in particular a common rail injector. The injector has a high-pressure region and a valve element which is axially adjustable between a closed position and an open position in which the flow of fuel is enabled. According to the invention, it is provided that the valve element includes a first partial element and at least one separate second partial element, which partial elements are hydraulically coupled to one another by a coupler chamber. The coupler chamber is hydraulically connected only in one axial direction to the high-pressure region of the injector.
US08069839B2	Fuel management system for variable ethanol octane enhancement of gasoline engines Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.
US08069832B2	System for restarting internal combustion engine when engine restart request occurs In a system, a starter includes a motor for rotatably driving an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator that shifts the pinion toward a ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. A monitor unit monitors a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine drops after an automatic control for stop of the engine. When an engine restart request occurs with the rotational speed being within a preset range during the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine dropping by the automatic control for stop of the engine, a drive unit drives the actuator to shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. The drive unit rotatably drives the motor with the pinion being engaged with the ring gear to thereby crank the crankshaft.
US08069831B2	Method and apparatus for start control of a vehicle An accessory switch SWa and an ignition switch SWi are connected to a sub-relay RL1. A starter switch SWs is connected to a sub-relay RL2. The sub-relay RL2 is turned OFF when welding occurs in the starter switch SWs. When welding occurs in the accessory switch SWa, the starter switch SWs is turned OFF, or the starter switch SWs is not turned ON.
US08069827B2	Vehicle cooling controller and cooling control method A drive component for driving an electric water pump for causing engine coolant to flow is mounted in an engine compartment. When the ignition is off and the temperature of a exhaust heat recovery device is above a temperature, an ECU estimates a peak temperature in the engine compartment after the stop of the engine. When the peak temperature is above a temperature, the ECU stops the engine and drives the electric water pump and an electric fan for cooling the drive component for driving the electric water pump.
US08069826B2	Surface passivation and the methods for the reduction of fuel thermal degradation deposits In a specific embodiment of this invention, deposits and soot formation in a direct injection engine are reduced by passivating the injectors to within 0.1 mm of the injector nozzle. The fuel used with the inventive injectors comprises fuel-soluble additives.
US08069823B2	Vibration stimulus delivery device Described is a vibration stimulus delivery device for delivering a vibration stimulus to an animal and for maximizing the robustness and intensity of the vibration stimulus. The vibration stimulus delivery device is carried by the animal and includes a housing and a vibration probe. The vibration probe is positioned in direct contact with the skin of the animal and generates a vibration, which, when delivered to the animal, is the vibration stimulus. The vibration probe is coupled to the housing such that the coupling minimizes the inherent vibration dampening effect caused by the weight and mass of the housing. The result is a vibration stimulus delivery device that delivers a more robust and intense vibration stimulus to the animal.
US08069819B2	Egg incubation transport system and methods regarding same Methods and systems provide for incubating a plurality of eggs at least partially at a primary incubation location and then incubating the plurality of eggs (e.g., a plurality of single sex eggs sorted from the plurality of eggs) at least partially during transport to a secondary location.
US08069818B2	Drinking trough for animals and water-collecting bowl for a drinking trough for animals Drinking troughs for in particular poultry feature drinking valves arranged at regular intervals along a water supply line, with each drinking valve being assigned a water-collecting bowl (14). The water-collecting bowls (14) are usually made of plastic. The water-collecting bowls (14) are cleaned with agents that contain aggressive substances, which are capable of damaging the plastic of the water-collecting bowls (14). The invention is a water-collecting bowls (14) with a respective insert (17) made of a resistant material, thus making the water-collecting bowl (14) resistant to aggressive liquids, in particular cleansing agents.
US08069816B2	Coating film processing method and apparatus A coating film processing method is used for processing a coating film formed on a surface of a substrate to prepare for an immersion light exposure process arranged to perform light exposure through a liquid. The method includes supplying a solvent-containing liquid comprising a combination of a solvent and a solvent-ability decreasing agent for decreasing solvent ability, or a diluted solvent, onto an edge portion of the coating film, thereby performing edge portion cutting; and supplying a cleaning liquid onto the edge portion of the coating film, thereby performing edge portion cleaning, subsequently to the edge portion cutting.
US08069814B2	Stent support devices Various embodiments of methods and devices for coating stents are described herein.
US08069812B2	Apparatus and method of applying sunscreen or similar liquid A booth with a plurality of spray nozzles for the application of sunscreen, insect repellent, aloe lotion, skin care products, or similar lotions or liquids to substantial portions of the human body. One or more spray nozzles are oriented to avoid opposing air or spray flows that may cause inefficient or uneven application of the lotion or liquid. Spray nozzles may be fixed or adjustable. The invention may include means for rinsing the body prior to application of the lotion or liquid to promote even and unobstructed application to the body, as well as means for washing down the booth between or after use is provided. Power may be provided by electrical power sources, a battery, or solar panel(s).
US08069811B2	Flag pole This invention relates to a flag pole and more specifically, to a flag pole with moveable flag clips and an electric lamp to illuminate the flag.
US08069809B2	Stabilizing openings for corrugated plastic water craft floor A laterally stable foldable boat comprising a single sheet of corrugated plastic further comprising a first planar plastic substrate, a second planar plastic substrate, a plurality of elongate parallel ribs disposed between and joining the first and second plastic substrates, the plurality of elongate parallel ribs extend parallel along the entire length of the plastic substrates to form a plurality of open flute channels lengthwise through the substrates, a plurality of bend lines, a plurality of folding hinges located at each corner of the single sheet of corrugated plastic, and a stabilizing ballast, that further includes a first plurality of apertures centrally located in the hull area, wherein the first plurality of apertures are formed perpendicular to the sidewall bend lines and create at least one opening in the plurality of flute channels, wherein the first plurality of apertures allow water to enter or exit the plurality of flute channels running lengthwise through the foldable boat.
US08069804B2	Disconnectable turret mooring system for a vessel A disconnectable turret mooring system for a vessel is provided, comprising a turret positioned in a moonpool of the vessel and having an upper part cooperating with a first upper bearing assembly positioned between the turret and the vessel, and a lower disconnectable buoy part cooperating with a second lower bearing assembly positioned between the turret and the vessel, wherein the lower bearing assembly comprises a number of discrete circumferentially spaced bearing members which are attached to and extend radially inwards from the vessel for engaging the lower disconnectable buoy part of the turret, and which bearing members are displaceable radially between an inner operative position for engaging the lower disconnectable buoy part and an outer inoperative position for disengaging the lower disconnectable buoy part.
US08069799B2	Thread cutting device for a sewing machine A thread cutting device for a sewing machine with a hook rotatable in a vertical plane includes a drive motor, a fixed knife which has a working-side wall extending towards a thread fetching zone of the sewing machine to terminate at a first cutting edge, and a movable knife which is driven by the drive motor to angularly move between fetching and thread cutting positions in a vertical plane. The movable knife has a lateral edge surface defining a cavity in an intermediate segment thereof to engage lower and upper threads when the movable knife reaches the fetching position. The movable knife has a second cutting edge disposed to press the first cutting edge so as to complete a cutting action.
US08069798B2	Multi diameter gauge wheel An improved depth regulating member comprising: a first portion, the first portion positioned adjacent a furrow forming assembly for engagement with ground surface adjacent a furrow; and a second portion, the second portion positioned adjacent the first portion opposite the surface of the first portion adjacent the furrow forming assembly, wherein the second portion engages and drives residue through the area between adjacent furrow forming assemblies opposite the direction of travel of the furrow forming assembly.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10