最新美国发明专利第2012-05-22期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

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US08183210B2	Reconstituted surfactants having improved properties Reconstituted surfactants comprising a lipid carrier, a polypeptide analog of the native surfactant protein SP-C, and a polypeptide analog of the native surfactant protein SP-B are useful for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of RDS and other respiratory disorders.
US08183206B2	Drugs comprising combination of antithrombotic agent with pyrazolone derivative It is intended to provide drugs for treating ischemic diseases which are safe and have little side effects. Namely, drugs having a combination of an antithrombotic agent and a pyrazolone derivative defined in the description or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt.
US08183202B2	Use of type-B lantibiotic-based compounds having antimicrobial activity A method for the treatment or prophylaxis of a microbial infection of the lower intestine or colon in a subject is described, wherein the method comprises administration to the subject of a type-B lantibiotic, wherein the type-B lantibiotic may include compounds selected from the group consisting of mersacidin, actagardine, plantaricin, planosporicin, ruminococcin, antibiotic 10789, michiganin and haloduracin, and derivatives and variants thereof.
US08183201B2	Methods of treating αvβ3 integrin-associated diseases by administering polypeptides selective for αvβ3 integrin The invention provides disintegrin variants, and more specifically to disintegrin variants which are selective αvβ3 integrin antagonists for treatment and prevention of αvβ3 integrin-associated diseases. The present invention also relates to pegylated proteins, including proteins comprising a disintegrin variant having an RGD motif variant 48ARLDDL53. The invention also relates to the use of the polypeptides of the invention for the treatment and prevention of αvβ3 integrin-associated diseases.
US08183195B2	Peroxide activated oxometalate based formulations for removal of etch residue Highly alkaline, aqueous formulations including (a) water, (b) at least one metal ion-free base at sufficient amounts to produce a final formulation alkaline pH, (c) from about 0.01% to about 5% by weight (expressed as % SiO2) of at least one water-soluble metal ion-free silicate corrosion inhibitors; (d) from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of at least one metal chelating agent, and (e) from more than 0 to about 2.0% by weight of at least one oxymetalate are provided in accordance with this invention. Such formulations are combined with a peroxide such that a peroxymetalate is formed to produce form a microelectronic cleaning composition. Used to remove contaminants and residue from microelectronic devices, such as microelectronic substrates.
US08183194B2	Carboxylic derivatives as violet and/or woody odorant The present invention relates to certain ester and nitrile derivatives of formula (I): wherein one dotted line represents a carbon-carbon single or double bond and the other dotted lines each represent a carbon-carbon single bond; R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 is a methyl or ethyl group, R3 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R4 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group or said R4 taken together with the bond between carbon atom 2 and 3 form a cyclopropane; and X represents a CN or a COOR5 group, R5 representing a C1-5 alkyl group; with the compound being in the form of any one of its pure stereoisomers or mixtures thereof. These compounds are useful perfuming ingredients.
US08183190B2	Complex polyol esters with improved performance A biodegradable lubricant composition containing a complex polyol ester having a polyfunctional alcohol residue and a saturated or unsaturated dicarboxylic acid residue having from about 9 to about 22 carbon atoms.
US08183187B2	Lubricant additive formulation containing multifunctional dispersant The present invention provides a lubricating composition comprising (a) an oil of lubricating viscosity; (b) a friction modifier; (c) a corrosion inhibitor; (d) an antiwear agent; and (e) a product prepared by heating together: (i) a dispersant; (ii) 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole or a hydrocarbyl-substituted 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole, or oligomers thereof; (iii) a borating agent;and (iv) optionally a dicarboxylic acid of an aromatic compound selected from the group consisting of 1,3 diacids and 1,4 diacids, or (v) optionally a phosphorus acid compound, said heating being sufficient to provide a product of (i), (ii), (iii) and optionally (iv), which is soluble in an oil of lubricating viscosity. The invention further provides a use for the lubricating composition in a transmission.
US08183182B2	Composition of microemulsion and method for advanced recovery of heavy oil A composition of a microemulsion including a mixture of a combination of surfactants and co-surfactants, an oil phase and an aqueous phase is described. In addition, a method for the advanced recovery of heavy oils is described which includes the steps of injecting a bank containing a microemulsion composition, injecting a bank of a polymer solution, and injecting water. The microemulsion composition can be applied in arenitic and carbonatic reservoirs, containing oils with API below 22.3° API, in both onshore and offshore fields.
US08183180B2	Graphene compositions and drilling fluids derived therefrom Drilling fluids comprising graphenes and nanoplatelet additives and methods for production thereof are disclosed. Graphene includes graphite oxide, graphene oxide, chemically-converted graphene, and functionalized chemically-converted graphene. Derivatized graphenes and methods for production thereof are disclosed. The derivatized graphenes are prepared from a chemically-converted graphene through derivatization with a plurality of functional groups. Derivatization can be accomplished, for example, by reaction of a chemically-converted graphene with a diazonium species. Methods for preparation of graphite oxide are also disclosed.
US08183175B2	Thermal recording material In a thermal recording material having an intermediate layer and a thermal recording layer that are laminated on a support in this order, the above intermediate layer contains a swellable starch and a pigment and is formed by applying onto the support a coating liquid containing the swellable starch and the pigment in the state of being dispersed in a dispersing medium composed of water as a main component, whereby a number of voids are formed in the intermediate layer and there can be provided a thermal recording material excellent in thermal response and head-matching property.
US08183174B2	IR-doped ruthenium oxide catalyst for oxygen evolution A method for preparing a metal-doped ruthenium oxide material by heating a mixture of a doping metal and a source of ruthenium under an inert atmosphere. In some embodiments, the doping metal is in the form of iridium black or lead powder, and the source of ruthenium is a powdered ruthenium oxide. An iridium-doped or lead-doped ruthenium oxide material can perform as an oxygen evolution catalyst and can be fabricated into electrodes for electrolysis cells.
US08183173B2	Fast activating catalyst A method of preparing a catalyst comprising aging a silica support in an alkaline solution to produce an alkaline aged silica support, removing at least a portion of the alkaline solution from the alkaline aged silica support to produce a dried silica support, and activating the silica support to produce a catalyst composition, wherein alkaline aging lowers the surface area of the silica support to less than about 50% of the original value and wherein activation of the silica support is carried out in batches of equal to or greater than about 500 lbs for a time period of less than about 8 hours. A method of preparing a polymer comprising alkaline aging a silica support material, adding chromium to the silica support material prior to the alkaline aging, after the alkaline aging, or both to form a chromium-silica support, rapidly activating the chromium-silica support to produce an activated olefin polymerization catalyst, contacting the activated olefin polymerization catalyst with at least one monomer in a reaction zone under conditions suitable to produce a polymer, and recovering the polymer.
US08183170B2	Contrast-enhancing UV-absorbing glass and articles containing same Disclosed are CuX-containing, Nd2O3-containing, UV-absorbing and contrast-enhancing glasses and article comprising the same. The glass has improved UV-absorption and color enhancing capabilities compared to glasses described in the prior art. The glass can be used in sunglass lenses and light filters of information displays.
US08183168B2	Process for producing electrode-formed glass substrate A lead-free glass for covering electrodes including, as represented by mass % based on the following oxides, from 30 to 50% of B2O3, from 21 to 25% of SiO2, from 10 to 35% of ZnO, from 7 to 14% in total of K2O and either one or both of Li2O and Na2O, from 0 to 10% of Al2O3, and from 0 to 10% of ZrO2, wherein when it contains at least one component selected from the group consisting of MgO, CaO, SrO and BaO, the total of their contents is at most 5%, and when the molar fractions of Li2O, Na2O and K2O are represented by l, n and k, respectively, l is at most 0.025, and l+n+k is from 0.07 to 0.17.
US08183166B2	Dielectric layer structure and manufacturing method thereof A method for fabricating a dielectric layer structure includes providing a substrate, blanketly forming a low-k dielectric layer of an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer, the low-k dielectric layer covering at least a first metal interconnect structure on the substrate, blanketly forming a single tensile film of the ILD layer having a thickness of 200-1500 angstroms on the low-k dielectric layer, and performing a moisture preventing treatment on the single tensile film. The single tensile layer possesses a stress comparative to a stress of the low-k dielectric layer and a hydrophobic characteristic that prevents itself from absorbing moisture.
US08183165B2	Plasma processing method According to the present invention,when a nitridation process by plasma generated by a microwave is applied to a substrate with an oxide film having been formed thereon to from an oxynitride film, the microwave is intermittently supplied. By the intermittent supply of the microwave, ion bombardment is reduced in accordance with a decrease in electron temperature, and a diffusion velocity of nitride species in the oxide film lowers, which as a result makes it possible to prevent nitrogen from concentrating in a substrate-side interface of an oxynitride film to increase the nitrogen concentration therein. Consequently,it is possible to improve quality of the oxynitride film, resulting in a reduced leadage current, an improved operating speed, and improved NBTI resistance.
US08183163B2	Etching liquid, etching method, and method of manufacturing electronic component An etching liquid used for selectively etching silicon nitride, the etching liquid includes: water; a first liquid that can be mixed with the water to produce a mixture liquid having a boiling point of 150° C. or more; and a second liquid capable of producing protons (H+). Alternatively, an etching liquid includes: water; phosphoric acid; and sulfuric acid, the phosphoric acid and the sulfuric acid having a volume ratio of 300:32 to 150:300.
US08183160B2	Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and semiconductor device obtainable with such a method A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a patterned hard-mask layer. The hard-mask layer is provided on an exposed surface of one or more layers to be patterned of a semiconductor intermediate product. The hard-mask layer covers the exposed surface in covered areas of the one or more layers to be patterned and does not cover the exposed surface in bared areas of the one or more layers to be patterned. One or more recesses are formed in the layers to be patterned by at least partially removing the layers to be patterned in the bared areas. The hard-mask layer is ten removed. After removing the hard-mask layer the recess is filled with a filling material.
US08183159B2	Device component forming method with a trim step prior to sidewall image transfer (SIT) processing Disclosed herein is an imaging method for patterning component shapes (e.g., fins, gate electrodes, etc.) into a substrate. By conducting a trim step prior to performing either an additive or subtractive sidewall image transfer process, the method avoids the formation of a loop pattern in a hard mask and, thus, avoids a post-SIT process trim step requiring alignment of a trim mask to sub-lithographic features to form a hard mask pattern with the discrete segments. In one embodiment a hard mask is trimmed prior to conducting an additive SIT process so that a loop pattern is not formed. In another embodiment an oxide layer and memory layer that are used to form a mandrel are trimmed prior to the conducting a subtractive SIT process. A mask is then used to protect portions of the mandrel during etch back of the oxide layer so that a loop pattern is not formed.
US08183156B2	Method of etching a material surface Disclosed is a method of structuring a material surface by dry etching, so that a passivation layer soluble in a solvent forms by the dry etching on parts of the structured material surface, sealing the passivation layer with a substance soluble in the solvent, and removing the sealed passivation layer and the substance by means of the solvent.
US08183151B2	Methods of forming conductive vias through substrates, and structures and assemblies resulting therefrom Methods of forming conductive elements on and in a substrate include forming a layer of conductive material over a surface of a substrate prior to forming a plurality of vias through the substrate from an opposing surface of the substrate to the layer of conductive material. In some embodiments, a temporary carrier may be secured to the layer of conductive material on a side thereof opposite the substrate prior to forming the vias. Structures, including workpieces formed using such methods, are also disclosed.
US08183146B2	Manufacturing method for a buried circuit structure A manufacturing method for a buried circuit structure includes providing a substrate having at least a trench therein, forming a conductive layer having a top lower than an opening of the trench in the trench, performing a selective metal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to form a metal layer having a top lower than the substrate in the trench, and forming a protecting layer filling the trench on the metal layer.
US08183145B2	Structure and methods of forming contact structures Methods and a structure. A method of forming contact structure includes depositing a silicide layer onto a substrate; depositing an electrically insulating layer over a first surface of the silicide layer; forming a via through the insulating layer extending to the first surface; depositing an electrically conductive layer covering a bottom and at least one vertical wall of the via; removing the conductive layer from the bottom; and filling the via with aluminum directly contacting the silicide layer. A structure includes: a silicide layer disposed on a substrate; an electrically insulating layer disposed over the silicide layer; an aluminum plug extending through the insulating layer and directly contacting the silicide layer; and an electrically conductive layer disposed between the plug and the insulating layer. Also included is a method where an aluminum layer grows selectively from a silicide layer and at least one sidewall of a trench.
US08183140B2	Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same A method of fabricating a semiconductor device and a flash memory device are provided. The method of fabricating the semiconductor device includes: forming a nitride film on a semiconductor substrate; forming a sacrificial vertical structure on the nitride film; forming sacrificial spacers on lateral surfaces of the sacrificial vertical structure; performing an initial patterning of the nitride film using the sacrificial vertical structure and the sacrificial spacers as etch masks; removing the sacrificial spacers after the initial patterning of the nitride film and forming gate electrodes on the lateral surfaces of the sacrificial vertical structure; and removing the sacrificial vertical structure from between the gate electrodes and performing a secondary patterning of the nitride film using the gate electrodes as etch masks.
US08183139B2	Reduced defectivity in contacts of a semiconductor device comprising replacement gate electrode structures by using an intermediate cap layer Superior contact elements may be formed in semiconductor devices in which sophisticated replacement gate approaches may be applied. To this end, a dielectric cap layer is provided prior to patterning the interlayer dielectric material so that any previously created cracks may be reliably sealed prior to the deposition of the contact material, while the removal of any excess portion thereof may be performed without an undue interaction with the electrode metal of the gate electrode structures. Consequently, a significantly reduced defect rate may be achieved.
US08183134B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method with improved epitaxial quality of III-V compound on silicon surfaces Stacking faults are reduced or eliminated by epitaxially growing a III-V compound semiconductor region in a trench followed by capping and annealing the region. The capping layer limits the escape of atoms from the region and enables the reduction or elimination of stacking faults along with the annealing.
US08183132B2	Methods for fabricating group III nitride structures with a cluster tool The present invention generally provides apparatus and methods for forming LED structures. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fabricating a compound nitride structure comprising forming a first layer comprising a first group-III element and nitrogen on substrates in a first processing chamber by a hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) process or a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, forming a second layer comprising a second group-III element and nitrogen over the first layer in a second processing chamber by a MOCVD process, and forming a third layer comprising a third group-III element and nitrogen over the second layer by a MOCVD process.
US08183129B2	Alignment marks for polarized light lithography and method for use thereof Mark and method for integrated circuit fabrication with polarized light lithography. A preferred embodiment comprises a first plurality of elements comprised of a first component type, wherein the first component type has a first polarization, and a second plurality of elements comprised of a second component type, wherein the second component type has a second polarization, wherein the first polarization and the second polarization are orthogonal, wherein adjacent elements are of different component types. The alignment marks can be used in an intensity based or a diffraction based alignment process.
US08183122B2	Semiconductor device including semiconductor thin film, which is subjected to heat treatment to have alignment mark, crystallizing method for the semiconductor thin film, and crystallizing apparatus for the semiconductor thin film Exact alignment of a recrystallized region, which is to be formed in an amorphous or polycrystalline film, is facilitated. An alignment mark is formed, which is usable in a step of forming an electronic device, such as a thin-film transistor, in the recrystallized region. In addition, in a step of obtaining a large-grain-sized crystal-phase semiconductor from a semiconductor film, a mark structure that is usable as an alignment mark in a subsequent step is formed on the semiconductor film in the same exposure step. Thus, the invention includes a light intensity modulation structure that modulates light and forms a light intensity distribution for crystallization, and a mark forming structure that modulates light and forms a light intensity distribution including a pattern with a predetermined shape, and also forms a mark indicative of a predetermined position on a crystallized region.
US08183118B2	Method for fabricating MOS transistor The invention discloses a method for fabricating a MOS transistor. A substrate having thereon a gate structure is provided. A silicon nitride layer is deposited on the gate structure. A dry etching process is then performed to define a silicon nitride spacer on each sidewall of the gate structure and a recess in a source/drain region on each side of the gate structure. A transitional layer covering the gate structure and the recess is deposited. A pre-epitaxial clean process is performed to remove the transitional layer. The substrate is subjected to a pre-bake process. An epitaxial growth process is performed to grow an embedded SiGe layer in the recess. The disposable silicon nitride spacer is removed.
US08183116B2	Method of manufacturing a double gate transistor A planar double-gate transistor is manufactured wherein crystallisation inhibitors are implanted into the channel region (16) of a semiconductor wafer (10), said wafer having a laminate structure comprising an initial crystalline semiconductor layer (14) adjacent an amorphous semiconductor layer (12). Upon heating, partial re-growth of the amorphous semiconductor layer is restricted in the channel area thus allowing for the thickness of the source/drain extension regions to be increased whilst maintaining a thin channel. Any remaining amorphous material is selectively removed leaving a cavity to allow for the forming of gate electrodes (30,32) on opposing sides of the channel region. The invention can be exploited to a greater extent by providing an amorphous layer on both sides of the initial crystalline semiconductor layer thus providing for re-growth limitation in two directions.
US08183114B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof for reducing the area of the memory cell region A structure is adopted for a layout of an SRAM cell which provides a local wiring 3a between a gate 2a and gate 2b and connects an active region 1a and an active region 1b. This eliminates the necessity for providing a contact between the gate 2a and the gate 2b. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size of a memory cell region C in a short side direction. Furthermore, a structure whereby a left end of a gate 2c is retreated from the gate 2a and a local wiring 3b which connects the active region 1b and gate 2c disposed in a diagonal direction is adopted. This allows the gate 2a to be shifted toward the center of the memory cell region C.
US08183111B1	Method of fabricating conductive electrodes on the front and backside of a thin film structure A method of fabricating a thin film device having conductive front and backside electrodes or contacts. Top-side cavities are first formed on a first dielectric layer, followed by the deposition of a metal layer on the first dielectric layer to fill the cavities. Defined metal structures are etched from the metal layer to include the cavity-filled metal, followed by depositing a second dielectric layer over the metal structures. Additional levels of defined metal structures may be formed in a similar manner with vias connecting metal structures between levels. After a final dielectric layer is deposited, a top surface of a metal structure of an uppermost metal layer is exposed through the final dielectric layer to form a front-side electrode, and a bottom surface of a cavity-filled portion of a metal structure of a lowermost metal layer is also exposed through the first dielectric layer to form a back-side electrode.
US08183110B2	Memory cells, methods of forming dielectric materials, and methods of forming memory cells Some embodiments include memory cells. The memory cells may include a tunnel dielectric material, a charge-retaining region over the tunnel dielectric material, crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material over the charge-retaining region, and a control gate material over the crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material. Additionally, the memory cells may include an amorphous region between the charge-retaining region and the crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material, and/or may include an amorphous region between the crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material and the control gate material. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells which contain an amorphous region between a charge-retaining region and a crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material, and/or which contain an amorphous region between a crystalline ultra-high k dielectric material and a control gate material.
US08183102B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof To improve field effect mobility of an inverted-staggered TFT using amorphous silicon. In an inverted-staggered TFT, a thin amorphous semiconductor layer which is made to have n-type conductivity is formed between a gate insulating film and an amorphous semiconductor layer. By depositing an amorphous semiconductor layer after a substrate over which up to a gate insulating film is formed is exposed to an atmosphere which contains a phosphine gas in a small amount, an amorphous semiconductor layer which contains phosphorus is formed during the early stage of deposition of the amorphous semiconductor layer. The thus obtained amorphous semiconductor layer has the concentration peak of phosphorus around the surface of the gate insulating film.
US08183098B2	SOI device with contact trenches formed during epitaxial growing A method for manufacturing an integrated electronic device. The method includes providing an SOI substrate having a semiconductor substrate, an insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor starting layer on the insulating layer; epitaxially growing the starting layer to obtain a semiconductor active layer on the insulating layer for integrating components of the device, and forming at least one contact trench extending from an exposed surface of the starting layer to the semiconductor substrate before the step of epitaxially growing the starting layer, wherein each contact trench clears a corresponding portion of the starting layer, of the insulating layer and of the semiconductor substrate, the epitaxial growing being further applied to the cleared portions thereby at least partially filling the at least one contact trench with semiconductor material.
US08183097B2	Thin-film transistor substrate and method of manufacturing the same A thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate includes a semiconductor pattern, a conductive pattern, a first wiring pattern, an insulation pattern and a second wiring pattern. The semiconductor pattern is formed on a substrate. The conductive pattern is formed as a layer identical to the semiconductor pattern on the substrate. The first wiring pattern is formed on the semiconductor pattern. The first wiring pattern includes a source electrode and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode. The insulation pattern is formed on the substrate having the first wiring pattern to cover the first wiring pattern. The second wiring pattern is formed on the insulation pattern. The second wiring pattern includes a gate electrode formed on the source and drain electrodes. Therefore, a TFT substrate is manufactured using two or three masks, so that manufacturing costs may be decreased.
US08183096B2	Static RAM cell design and multi-contact regime for connecting double channel transistors A static RAM cell may be formed on the basis of two double channel transistors and a select transistor, wherein a body contact may be positioned laterally between the two double channel transistors in the form of a dummy gate electrode structure, while a further rectangular contact may connect the gate electrodes, the source regions and the body contact, thereby establishing a conductive path to the body regions of the transistors. Hence, compared to conventional body contacts, a very space-efficient configuration may be established so that bit density in static RAM cells may be significantly increased.
US08183095B2	Semiconductor device and method of forming sacrificial protective layer to protect semiconductor die edge during singulation A semiconductor wafer contains a plurality of semiconductor die separated by a saw street. An insulating layer is formed over the semiconductor wafer. A protective layer is formed over the insulating layer including an edge of the semiconductor die along the saw street. The protective layer covers an entire surface of the semiconductor wafer. Alternatively, an opening is formed in the protective layer over the saw street. The insulating layer has a non-planar surface and the protective layer has a planar surface. The semiconductor wafer is singulated through the protective layer and saw street to separate the semiconductor die while protecting the edge of the semiconductor die. Leading with the protective layer, the semiconductor die is mounted to a carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and carrier. The carrier and protective layer are removed. A build-up interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die and encapsulant.
US08183093B2	Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by lamination A wiring circuit layer 2 having at least a wiring part and an insulating part, whose top and bottom surfaces (20A, 20B) is adhesive surfaces, is formed on a metal support substrate 1 in a way such that the layer 2 can be peeled from the substrate 1. Exposed in the first adhesive surface 20A of the wiring circuit layer 2 is a first connecting conductor part 21, which is connectable with an electrode 31 of a first semiconductor element 3 in a wafer state. After the wiring circuit layer 2 is laminated on and connected to the element 3, the metal support substrate 1 is peeled from the wiring circuit layer 2 to yield a semiconductor device 4. Another element may be connected to the other adhesive surface 20B exposed upon the peeling.
US08183089B2	Method for manufacturing package system incorporating flip-chip assembly A method for manufacturing a package system includes: providing a first semiconductor die; mounting a second semiconductor die on the first semiconductor die using an inter-die interconnect to form a flip-chip assembly; and attaching the flip-chip assembly on a package substrate with a contact pad, a test connection, a z-bond pad, and a die receptacle, with the first semiconductor die in the flip-chip assembly fitting inside the die receptacle.
US08183088B2	Semiconductor die package and method for making the same Semiconductor die packages are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor die package includes a premolded substrate. The premolded substrate can have a semiconductor die attached to it, and an encapsulating material may be disposed over the semiconductor die.
US08183082B1	Fabrication of organic solar array for applications in microelectromechanical systems and others A method of fabricating organic solar arrays for application in DC power supplies for electrostatic microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. A solar array with 20 miniature cells (as small as 1 mm2) interconnected in series is fabricated and characterized. Photolithography is used to isolate individual cells and output contacts of the array, whereas the thermal-vacuum deposition is employed to make the series connections of the array. With 1 mm2 for single cell and a total device area of 2.2 cm2, the organic solar array based on bulk heterojunction structure of π-conjugated polymers and C60 derivative (6,6)-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester produces an open-circuit voltage of 7.8 V and a short-circuit current of 55 μA under simulated air mass (AM) 1.5 illumination with an intensity of 132 mW/cm2. The present method can be used in the fabrication of microarrays as small as 0.01 mm2. This technology can be used to fabricate a power source that is light-weight and environmentally friendly for small electronic devices, with flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
US08183081B2	Hybrid heterojunction solar cell fabrication using a metal layer mask Embodiments of the invention generally provide a high efficiency solar cell using a novel processing sequence to form a solar cell device. In one embodiment, the methods include forming one or more layers on a backside of a solar cell substrate prior to the texturing process to prevent attack of the backside surface of the substrate. In one embodiment, the one or more layers are a metalized backside contact structure that is formed on the backside of the solar cell substrate. In another embodiment, the one or more layers are a chemical resistant dielectric layer that is formed over the backside of the solar cell substrate.
US08183078B2	Device with integrated circuit and encapsulated N/MEMS and method for production A method for producing a device including at least one integrated circuit and at least one N/MEMS. The method produces the N/MEMS in at least one upper layer arranged at least above a first section of a substrate, produces the integrated circuit in a second section of the substrate and/or in a semiconductor layer arranged at least above the second section of the substrate, and further produces a cover encapsulating the N/MEMS from at least one layer used for production of a gate in the integrated circuit and/or for producing at least one electrical contact of the integrated circuit.
US08183077B2	Force input control device and method of fabrication Methods of fabricating 3-dimensional force input control devices are disclosed. These roughly comprise: providing a first substrate, fabricating stress-sensitive IC components and signal processing IC on a side one of the first substrate, fabricating one or more closed trenches on a side two of the first substrate within each die area, creating elastic element, frame area and rigid island, providing a second substrate, patterning a side two of the second substrate to define areas for deep etching, creating a layer of bonding material in local areas on at least one of the surfaces of the side one of the second substrate and the side two of the first substrate, aligning and bonding the side two of the first substrate with the side one of the second substrate, etching the second substrate from the side two through to the first substrate, dicing the two bonded substrates into multiple separate dice.
US08183074B2	Light emitting element, method for manufacturing light emitting element, light emitting element assembly, and method for manufacturing light emitting element assembly A method for manufacturing a light emitting element includes the steps of (A) forming sequentially a first compound semiconductor layer having a first conduction type, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer having a second conduction type on a substrate, (B) forming a plurality of point-like hole portions in a thickness direction in at least a region of the second compound semiconductor layer located outside a region to be provided with a current confinement region, and (C) forming an insulating region by subjecting a part of the second compound semiconductor layer to an insulation treatment from side walls of the hole portions so as to produce the current confinement region surrounded by the insulating region in the second compound semiconductor layer.
US08183070B2	Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same A method of fabricating an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes: forming an initial photoresist (PR) pattern on a metallic material layer; etching the metallic material layer using the initial PR pattern as an etching mask to form the data line and a metallic material pattern, wherein the initial PR pattern is disposed on the data line; performing a first ashing process onto the initial PR pattern to partially remove the initial PR pattern so as to form a first ashed PR pattern, the first ashed PR pattern having a smaller width and a smaller thickness than the initial PR pattern such that end portions of the data line are exposed by the first ashed PR pattern; etching the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer and the impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer by a first dry-etching process; forming a source electrode and a drain electrode on the substrate.
US08183064B2	Thin film transistor devices for OLED displays and method for fabricating the same A system for displaying images. The system includes a thin film transistor (TFT) device including a first gate layer disposed on a first region of a substrate and covered by a first insulating layer. A first polysilicon active layer is disposed on the first insulating layer and a second polysilicon layer is disposed on a second region of the substrate. A second insulating layer covers both of the first and second polysilicon gate layers. Second and third gate layers are respectively disposed on the second insulating layer above the first and second polysilicon active layers. A method for fabricating a system for displaying images including the TFT device is also disclosed.
US08183060B2	Luminescent polymer and use thereof in bioassay It is an object of the present invention to provide a luminescent polymer that is useful as a luminescent signal probe for labeling and detecting a target substance at high sensitivity in bioassay, and to provide the application of said luminescent polymer to bioassay.The luminescent polymer of the present invention comprises at least one biotin covalently attached to a polymer that includes monosaccharide or amino acid as a constituent monomer covalently attached to a luminescent substance. Preferably, two or more biotins are attached. Examples of the above-mentioned luminescent substance include cyanoisoindoles, luminols, and acridinium esters, and examples of the polymer include polysaccharides, polyamino acids, peptides, polypeptides, and proteins.
US08183058B2	Target substance detection element, target substance detection method, and method for producing target substance detection element It is intended to provide a target substance detection element wherein a target substance capturing body for capturing target substances is immobilized with good orientation in a desired region on the surface of the target substance detection element, a method for producing the target substance detection element, and a detection method using the target substance detection element. The present invention provides a target substance detection element for detecting the presence or absence or concentration of a target substance in a sample, characterized in that: the target substance detection element includes at least a detection substrate including plural layers and a target substance capturing body immobilized on the surface of the detection substrate; the target substance capturing body has at least a first peptide region specifically recognizing a first layer of the plural layers constituting the detection substrate and binding to the first layer and a second peptide region specifically recognizing a second layer different from the first layer of the plural layers and binding to the second layer; and the first layer and the second layer are adjacent to each other.
US08183052B2	Methods and apparatus for sterility testing Methods and apparatus for testing the sterility of a product to be administered to a patient. The sterility of the product is tested by monitoring the pH change of a culture medium in contact with any culturable organisms (e.g., bacteria) that are collected by filtration of the product to be tested.
US08183050B2	Detection of lysophosphatidylcholine for prognosis or diagnosis of a systemic inflammatory condition The present invention provides methods and compositions useful for the diagnosis or prognosis of a systemic inflammatory condition such as sepsis.
US08183049B2	Method for detecting lead present in specimen With respect to a lead detection method that uses rhodizonic acid, it is made possible to clearly identify pink or red coloration caused by a reaction between lead and rhodizonic acid even in cases where Sn is present in a specimen. To this end, an acidic aqueous solution or a buffer solution thereof (e.g., tartaric acid) in which hydrogen peroxide coexists is used as a reagent. Hydrogen peroxide oxidizes Sn2+ into Sn4+. Since Sn4+ does not react with rhodizonic acid, the presence of Sn does not interfere with the visual identification of any pink or red coloration caused by the reaction between lead and rhodizonic acid.
US08183045B2	Indicating device for temperature sensitive products The present invention provides a device capable of exhibiting a time-temperature dependence that comprises an upper layer carrying a first reactant selected from a group of materials such as chelating agents and a base layer carrying a second reactant adapted to react with the first reactant upon triggering. A barrier layer is provided between the upper layer and the base layer. Visual characteristic is changed depending on time and temperature after triggering had occurred while the device is not susceptible to environmental conditions and can be stored in room temperature.
US08183042B2	Multi-layered implant prepared by a method of tissue repair using a multi-layered matrix A multi-layered matrix, a method of tissue repair using the same, and multi-layered implant prepared thereof are provided. The multi-layered matrix comprises a first element and a second element connected thereto, and the second element comprises a hollow cavity. The first and the second elements are composed of a composite material comprising a bioabsorbable porous material.
US08183039B2	Method for isolating BDCA-4+ dendritic cells The application describes, inter alia, a method for isolating or enriching for dendritic cells from a mixture of human cells involving contacting cells in the mixture with an antibody that binds BDCA-4, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, under conditions in which the antibody or antigen-binding fragment binds BDCA-4+ dendritic cells, and separating dendritic cells bound by the antibody or antigen-binding fragment from other cells in the mixture.
US08183038B2	Composition comprising recombinant nucleic acid encoding Sox2, Oct-4, Nanog and Lin28 The present invention relates to methods for reprogramming a somatic cell to pluripotency by administering into the somatic cell at least one or a plurality of potency-determining factors. The invention also relates to pluripotent cell populations obtained using a reprogramming method.
US08183037B2	Methods of genetically encoding unnatural amino acids in eukaryotic cells using orthogonal tRNA/synthetase pairs This disclosure concerns compositions and methods for genetically encoding and expressing prokaryotic tRNAs in eukaryotic cells. In some embodiments, the disclosure concerns methods and compositions for expressing unnatural amino acids in eukaryotic cells using orthogonal tRNA/synthetase pairs. In certain embodiments, the methods involve expressing prokaryotic tRNA/synthetase pairs in eukaryotic cells, for instance mammalian cells or yeast cells (such as those that are NMD-deficient), under the control of a pol III promoter, for instance a type-3 pol III promoter or an internal leader promoter. Also provided are cell lines that are NMD-deficient and methods of increasing the efficiency of UAA incorporation in a cell that include de-activating the NMD pathway in the cell. Also provided are methods increasing the efficiency of incorporation of an unnatural amino acid in a cell by disrupting a Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay—(NMD) pathway in the cell.
US08183036B2	Luciferase biosensor A modified beetle luciferase protein which is an environmentally sensitive reporter protein is provided.
US08183031B2	Composition containing β-glucan, method of producing the same and foods, drinks or skin moisturizers containing the composition It is intended to utilize β-glucan produced by a bacterium belonging to Aureobasidium sp. From a bacterium belonging to Aureobasidium sp., a mutant with little pigment accumulation is constructed by a mutagenesis means of, for example, irradiating with ultraviolet light or treating with a mutagen. A culture obtained by culturing this mutant in a liquid culture medium is usable as a composition with a large β-glucan content without showing any intense dark green color caused by the accumulation of melanin-like pigments. This composition may be taken as such as a functional food having the physiologically active functions of the β-glucan-containing composition. Alternatively, it may be added to foods, drinks. food additives, cosmetics and so on.
US08183030B2	Use of cell surface displays in yeast cell catalyst supports Methods and compositions for providing novel catalyst supports are included herein. In one embodiment, included herein are yeast cell supports including one or more receptor proteins uniformly displayed on the surface of a yeast cell having the species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Each receptor protein is anchored to a ligand that is selective for that protein, and each ligand is, in turn, bound to a catalyst. Both the catalyst support-catalyst combinations and the catalyst supports alone are contemplated by the invention.
US08183025B2	Solenopsis invicta virus A Unique Solenopsis invicta viruse (SINV2) have been identified and its genome sequenced. Oligonucleotide primers have been developed using the isolated nucleic acid sequences of the SINV2. The virus is used as a biocontrol agent for control of fire ants.
US08183023B2	Thermus egertssonii DNA polymerases The present invention relates to a thermophilic polymerase, wherein the DNA polymerase has an in-vitro primer extension rate that is >35 bases/second and faster relative to the primer extension rate of a DNA polymerase comprising amino acid sequences SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4, when measured under identical conditions in a DNA replication assay using primed single strand M13mp18 DNA and an incubation temperature of 60° C. The invention also relates to a vector comprising the polymerase, a host cell comprising the vector. The invention relates to a nucleic acid replication kit comprising the polymerase according to the invention.
US08183022B2	Use of ethanol plant by-products for yeast propagation Embodiments of the invention relate, for example, to methods for reducing the load of organic acids and glycerol in water recycled to the fermentation process. Organic acids and glycerol produced during ethanol fermentation are used as a replacement for carbohydrates for propagation of yeast. The yeast may be sold as a feed product or used in subsequent fermentation.
US08183018B2	Process for producing of epoxy-containing (meth)acrylic esters, using lipases A process for preparing (meth)acrylic esters (F) of alcohols (A) having at least one epoxy group, in which at least one alcohol (A) having at least one epoxy group is esterified with (meth)acrylic acid (S) or is transesterified with at least one (meth)acrylic ester (D) in the presence of at least one enzyme, the alcoholic leaving group being stable under the reaction conditions in the case of the transesterification.
US08183016B2	Synthesis method of aromatic amino acids A method for synthesizing aromatic amino acids according to one aspect of the present invention includes processes of: (a) of preparing a thermostable a Thermus thermophilus aspartate aminotransferase by culturing an E. coli BL21(DE3) cell transformed with a vector comprising a gene encoding the Thermus thermophilus aspartate aminotransferase; (b) contacting the thermostable Thermus thermophilus aspartate aminotransferase of (a) with an amino donor and an amino acceptor at a temperature range of 50-80° C. to obtain an aromatic amino acid; (c) precipitating the aromatic amino acid of (b); and (d) recovering the thermostable Thermus thermophilus aspartate aminotransferase.
US08183012B2	Methods and composition for the production of orthogonal tRNA-aminoacyltRNA synthetase pairs This invention provides compositions and methods for generating components of protein biosynthetic machinery including orthogonal tRNAs, orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and orthogonal pairs of tRNAs/synthetases. Methods for identifying orthogonal pairs are also provided. These components can be used to incorporate unnatural amino acids into proteins in vivo.
US08183011B2	RNA interferases and methods of use thereof The present invention is directed to the discovery of a novel family of enzymes designated herein as mRNA interferases that exhibit endoribonuclease activity. The novel finding of the present inventors, therefore, presents new applications for which mRNA interferase nucleic and amino acid sequences, and compositions thereof may be used to advantage. The invention also encompasses screening methods to identify compounds/agents capable of modulating mRNA interferase activity and methods for using such compounds/agents. Also provided is a kit comprising mRNA interferase nucleic and/or amino acid sequences, mRNA interferase activity compatible buffers, and instruction materials.
US08183006B2	Screening method for identifying new aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors The method comprising: a) obtaining a gene sequence codifying a naturally occurring aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase; b) engineering the gene codifying for said aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, resulting into an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase with a defective activity, with the proviso that the engineering does not affect the functionality of the catalytic site of the enzyme; c) cloning the gene resulting from step (b) in an expression vector; d) transforming isolated mammalian cells with the expression vector resulting from step (c); e) growing the recombinant cells resulting from step (d) in a nutrient medium under conditions which allow the expression of the engineered aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, resulting the expression into cell death or a decrease in the rate of cell division; f) providing a substance to be tested to the medium resulting from step (e); and g) analyzing the resulting cell growth, wherein if there is an increase in cell growth, then the substance selectively inhibits the activity of the engineered aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and does not affect to its cellular ortholog, resulting in that said substance is a candidate to drug.
US08183005B1	Pharmaceutical agents for treating HCV infections The present inventors examined the inhibitory activity against HCV replicon of myriocin, fumonisin B1, and ceramide trafficking inhibitor HPA-12, which are compounds derived from microorganisms such as those of the genus Aureobasidium, and found that these compounds have the effect of inhibiting the replication of HCV replicon RNAs or inhibiting the expression of HCV proteins. The present inventors further performed serine palmitoyltransferase knockdown experiments using siRNAs, and results showed that HCV replicon activity and HCV protein expression were significantly inhibited in cells with suppressed LCB1 expression. Thus, sphingolipid biosynthesis was found to be involved in HCV infection. This showed that HCV infection can be treated or prevented by inhibiting enzyme activities involved in the process of sphingolipid biosynthesis by adding compounds or knocking down a gene.
US08182999B2	Compositions and methods for early pregnancy diagnosis Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are structurally related to the pepsins, thought to be restricted to the hoofed (ungulate) mammals and characterized by being expressed specifically in the outer epithelial cell layer (chorion/trophectoderm) of the placenta. By cloning expressed genes from ovine and bovine placental cDNA libraries, the inventors estimate that cattle, sheep, and most probably all ruminant Artiodactyla, possess possibly 100 or more PAG genes, many of which are placentally expressed. The PAGs are highly diverse in sequence, with regions of hypervariability confined largely to surface-exposed loops. Selected PAG that are products of the invasive binucleate cells, expressed highly in early pregnancy at the time of trophoblast invasion and expressed weakly, if at all, in late gestation are useful in the early diagnosis of pregnancy. In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to immunoassays for detecting these PAGs.
US08182996B2	Compositions and methods for detecting Klebsiella pneumoniae Four highly conserved genes, encoding translation elongation factor Tu, translation elongation factor G, the catalytic subunit of proton-translocating ATPase and the RecA recombinase, are used to generate species-specific, genus-specific, family-specific, group-specific and universal nucleic acid probes and amplification primers to rapidly detect and identify algal, archaeal, bacterial, fungal and parasitical pathogens from clinical specimens for diagnosis. The detection of associated antimicrobial agents resistance and toxin genes are also under the scope of the present invention.
US08182990B2	Method for diagnosing or predicting susceptibility to optic neuropathy Disclosed is a set of genetic polymorphisms linked to optic neuropathy including glaucoma and Leber's disease. Those polymorphisms are useful for diagnosing and predicting susceptibility to optic neuropathy.
US08182980B2	Developing solution for lithographic printing plates and production method of lithographic printing plate A developing solution containing at least one of compounds represented by the formulae <1>, <2> and <3> as defined herein, and having a pH of from 2 to 10; and a method for producing a lithographic printing plate, including imagewise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor including an image recording layer and a support to cure the image recording layer in the exposed area, and developing the exposed lithographic printing plate precursor with an aqueous solution containing at least one of the compounds represented by the formulae <1>, <2> and <3> as defined herein and having a pH of 2 to 10 are provided.
US08182970B2	Image forming method An electrophotographic image forming method is disclosed. The method includes electrically charging a photoreceptor, imagewise exposing the photoreceptor so that a latent image is formed on the photoreceptor, supplying a lubricant on a surface of the photoreceptor, and developing the latent image with a toner so that a toner image is formed on the photoreceptor, transferring the toner image and cleaning the photoreceptor, in which the photoreceptor has an electro-conductive substrate, a photosensitive layer and a protective layer containing inorganic particles, a ratio RSm/D50 of an average length of surface roughness profile element in the direction making a right angle with the driving direction of the photoreceptor RSm (μm) to a number-based median diameter of the toner D50 is from 0.4 to 2.0, and a skewness of the surface roughness profile of the photoreceptor in the direction making a right angle with the driving direction of the photoreceptor Rsk is from −3.0 to 0.0.
US08182967B2	Optical data storage media and methods for using the same There are provided optical data storage media and methods of optical data storage using the same. The optical data storage media comprises a non-linear sensitizer capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to a reactant that undergoes change upon triplet excitation. The refractive index change (Δn) of the medium is at least about 0.005, or even at least about 0.05.
US08182965B2	Optimized cell configurations for stable LSCF-based solid oxide fuel cells Lanthanum strontium cobalt iron oxides (La(1-x)SrxCoyFe1-yO3-f; (LSCF) have excellent power density (>500 mW/cm2 at 750° C.). When covered with a metallization layer, LSCF cathodes have demonstrated increased durability and stability. Other modifications, such as the thickening of the cathode, the preparation of the device by utilizing a firing temperature in a designated range, and the use of a pore former paste having designated characteristics and combinations of these features provide a device with enhanced capabilities.
US08182961B2	Solid polymer type fuel cell separator and method of production of same The present invention provides a separator for a solid polymer type fuel cell superior in low contact resistance of the fuel cell separator surface with carbon paper and flatness and a method of production of the same, that is, a separator for a solid polymer type fuel cell comprising a substrate of stainless steel or titanium or a titanium alloy having a surface layer part on which conductive compound particles are fixed, wherein said conductive compound particles are comprised of one or more types of metal borides, metal carbides, and metal nitrides with an average particle size of 0.01 to 20 μm, said conductive compound particles are present in a region from said substrate surface to a depth of 10 μm, and a distribution of concentration of the metal element forming the conductive compound in said region satisfies relations between a concentration C of the metal element forming the conductive compound and a depth x from the substrate surface shown by equation <1> (C=A·exp(−x/t)+B) and equation <2> (10≦A≦90, −4.0≦B≦1.0, 0.5≦t≦4.0).
US08182957B2	Fuel cell, polymer electrolyte and ion-exchange resin for the same A fuel cell includes an electrode assembly, current collectors, and electroconductive separators. The electrode assembly includes an anode, a cathode, and a polymer electrolyte membrane arranged between the anode and cathode. The current collectors are arranged adjacent to the anode and cathode, respectively. The electroconductive separates are arranged outside the current collectors and have passages for feeding gases to the anode and cathode. The polymer electrolyte membrane includes an aromatic polymer having a sulfoalkylfluorene unit in its principal chain. An ion-exchange resin is used for the solid polymer electrolyte. An electrolyte membrane uses the ion exchange resin. A membrane/electrode assembly is used for the fuel cell.
US08182956B2	Fuel cell stack with internal fuel manifold configuration A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells, and a plurality of fuel delivery ports. Each of the plurality of fuel delivery ports is positioned on or in the fuel cell stack to provide fuel to a portion of the plurality fuel cells in each stack.
US08182954B2	Full cells evaporative cooling and combined evaporative and sensible cooling Water passageways (67; 78, 85; 78a, 85a) that provide water through reactant gas flow field plates (74, 81) to cool the fuel cells (38) may be grooves (76, 77; 83, 84) or may comprise a plane of porous hydrophilic material (78a, 85a), may be vented to atmosphere (99) by a porous plug (69), or pumped (89, 146) with or without removing any water from the passageways. A condenser (59, 124) receives exhaust of reactant air that evaporatively cools the stack (37), and may have a contiguous reservoir (64, 128), be vertical (a vehicle radiator, FIG. 2), be horizontal across the top of the stack (37, FIG. 5), or below (124) the stack (120). Condenser air flow may be controlled by shutters (155), or by a controlled, freeze-proof heat exchanger (59a). A deionizer (175) may be used. Sensible heat transferred into the water is removed by a heat exchanger 182; a controller (185) controls water flow (180) and temperature as well as air flow to provide predetermined allocation of cooling between evaporative and sensible.
US08182949B2	Polymer electrolyte membrane and process for preparation thereof, and membrane-electrode assembly and polymer electrolyte fuel cell A polymer electrolyte membrane comprising as a main ingredient a block copolymer (P) which comprises, as its constituents, a vinyl alcoholic polymer block (A) and a polymer block (B) having ion-conducting groups, which block copolymer (P) is cross-linking treated, and a membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell using the polymer electrolyte membrane, respectively. Preferred as polymer block (B) is one having a styrene or vinylnaphthalene skeleton or a 2-(meth)acrylamido-2-methylpropane skeleton. The ion-conducting group includes a sulfonic acid group, a phosphonic acid group or the like.
US08182943B2	Composite solid electrolyte for protection of active metal anodes A composite solid electrolyte include a monolithic solid electrolyte base component that is a continuous matrix of an inorganic active metal ion conductor and a filler component used to eliminate through porosity in the solid electrolyte. In this way a solid electrolyte produced by any process that yields residual through porosity can be modified by the incorporation of a filler to form a substantially impervious composite solid electrolyte and eliminate through porosity in the base component. Methods of making the composites is also disclosed. The composites are generally useful in electrochemical cell structures such as battery cells and in particular protected active metal anodes, particularly lithium anodes, that are protected with a protective membrane architecture incorporating the composite solid electrolyte. The protective architecture prevents the active metal of the anode from deleterious reaction with the environment on the other (cathode) side of the architecture, which may include aqueous, air and organic liquid electrolytes and/or electrochemically active materials.
US08182940B2	Electrochemical cell stack A redox fuel stack cell comprises a plurality of essentially similar half-cell frames of molded polymer; interleaved between them are semi-permeable membranes and bipolar plate electrodes. The frames are rectangular, with margins around central voids. At the voids, they have rebates in abutting faces for locating the plate electrodes. At their corners, they have apertures for forming ducts throughout the stack for flow of electrolyte to and from the cell cavities provided by the voids. The frames have electrolyte flow passages open in their faces abutting the frames and leading towards each other. The passages stop short of each other and are surrounded by grooves containing sealing O-rings. Diagonally opposite one of the passages end at openings passing through the frames. The other passages have no openings in the frames, but the frames have openings through them in register with the ends of the passages.
US08182939B2	Anode material for lithium secondary cell with high capacity Disclosed is an anode material comprising a metal core layer capable of repetitive lithium intercalation/deintercalation; an amorphous carbon layer coated on the surface of the metal core layer, and a crystalline carbon layer coated on the amorphous carbon layer. The anode material not only maintains a high charge/discharge capacity, which is an advantage of a metal-based anode material, but also inhibits changes in the volume of a metal core layer caused by repetitive lithium intercalation/deintercalation in virtue of an amorphous carbon layer and a crystalline carbon layer, thereby improving the cycle life characteristics of cells.
US08182936B2	Temperature control device for on-board battery pack A temperature control device has a heat exchanger recovering heat from exhaust gas of an engine, a water circulating passage in which a cooling water is circulated while receiving the recovered heat, an air conditioning unit heating air with the hot cooling water of the passage to produce a temperature controlled air, an air duct, a water heater attached to the bottom surface of a battery pack, and an electric heater attached side surfaces of the pack. The conditioning unit blows the controlled air against the battery pack through the duct. The water heater receives the hot cooling water of the passage and raises the temperature of the battery pack. The electric heater subsidiarily warms the battery pack with heat generated from electric power of the pack.
US08182930B2	Twisted wire and method of producing twisted wire A twisted wire 1 is produced by twisting two wires 2 together. When that portion of the twisted wire 1 extending from one ends 3 of the two wires 2 to a first predetermined position 4 is defined as a one end-side twisted portion 5, and that portion of the twisted wire 1 extending from the first predetermined position 4 to a second predetermined position 6 is defined as an intermediate twisted portion 7, and that portion of the twisted wire 1 extending from the second predetermined position 6 to the other ends 8 of the two wires 2 is defined as an other end-side twisted portion 9, a twisting pitch of the one end-side twisted portion 5 and the other end-side twisted portion 9 is smaller than a twisting pitch of the intermediate twisted portion 7.
US08182929B2	Solar absorptive material for a solar selective surface coating The present invention provides a solar absorptive material for a solar selective surface of an absorber of solar radiation. The solar absorptive material comprises a dispersed metallic material and a receiving boundary through which the solar radiation is received. Further, the solar absorptive material comprises a first region and a second region. The first region being located at a position closer to the receiving boundary than the second region and the first region has an average volume fraction of the dispersed metallic material that is larger than that of the second region.
US08182928B2	Layered wood composites A method for the preparation of a composite product, as well as the composite product. The composite product comprises at least two layers. At least one of the layers is of wood or another cellulose-containing material. The process comprises differentially treating the layers prior to, during, or after the lamination of the layers into a composite product.
US08182926B2	Protective films for textured substrates Surface protection films are disclosed that comprise an outer surface contact layer, an outer stiffening layer, and optionally a core layer, wherein the surface contact layer consists essentially of (A) a mixture of a tackified quadblock styrene block copolymer elastomer and a triblock styrene block copolymer containing up to 30 wt % of a diblock styrene copolymer; (B) a mixture of a tackified quadblock styrene block copolymer elastomer, a tackified triblock styrene block copolymer and a triblock styrene block copolymer containing up to 30 wt % of a diblock styrene copolymer; (C) a mixture of a tackified triblock styrene block copolymer and a triblock styrene block copolymer containing up to 30 wt % of a diblock styrene copolymer; or (D) a triblock styrene block copolymer containing up to 30 wt % of a styrene diblock copolymer and a low density polyethylene polymer.
US08182925B2	Adhesive and laminate prepared using the adhesive It is an object of the invention to provide a carbodiimide modified polyolefin adhesive having excellent adhesive strength in a room temperature atmosphere and excellent adhesive strength in a high temperature atmosphere even in continuously molding with a practical molding machine. An adhesive (D), i.e., a carbodiimide modified polyolefin adhesive of the present invention which can solve the above problem is obtainable by allowing a polyolefin (A) having a group capable of reacting with a carbodiimide group to react with a carbodiimide group-containing compound (B) in the presence of an unmodified polyolefin (C) and having a ratio of a peak intensity at 2130 to 2140 cm−1 to a peak intensity at 1470 cm−1, as determined by infrared absorbance analysis, of not more than 60% and a density of 0.870 g/cm3 to 0.920 g/cm3. Furthermore, the use of the adhesive provides a laminate of a polar resin (F) and a polyolefin (G) having excellent interlaminar adhesive force both under a room temperature atmosphere and under a high temperature atmosphere.
US08182924B2	Optical body having polyacrylate skin layer A multilayer optical body is disclosed. The optical body includes an optical film including polyester, a first skin layer is disposed on at least one side of the polyester optical film, and a strippable skin layer is disposed on the first skin layer. The first skin layer includes a mixture of a polyacrylate and an anti-static polymer. Methods of making such optical bodies are also disclosed.
US08182918B2	Cured soy protein with green strengthening additive and fabrication of such into green composite Strengthened soy protein based biodegradable composition comprises plasticized or unplasticized cured soy protein strengthened with green strengthening agent. Green strengthening agents include nanoclay, microfibrillated cellulose, nanofibrillated cellulose, cured green polysaccharide and green fibers, filaments, yarns, and fabrics and combinations of these. These can be fabricated into composites.
US08182917B2	Reduced graphene oxide film Spin coating a mixture of graphene oxide platelets, water, and an organic solvent by placing a drop of the mixture on a spinning substrate while blowing a drying gas onto the substrate and allowing the water and the organic solvent on the substrate to evaporate; and repeating the spin coating one or more times to form a graphene oxide film in contact with the substrate. An about 1-100 nm thick film of overlapping platelets of reduced graphene oxide.
US08182914B2	Water contact indicator The present invention discloses an adhesive article. The adhesive article comprises a first layer comprising a fluid transport substrate, comprising a low molecular weight hydrophilic polymer resin, the first layer having a first major surface and a second major surface. The adhesive article additionally comprises a second layer comprising a fluid transportable ink, the second layer being associated with the second major surface of the second layer. The adhesive article also comprises an adhesive layer.
US08182911B2	Cutting tool, manufacturing method thereof and cutting method Disclosed is a cutting tool having excellent wear resistance. Specifically disclosed is a cutting tool having a substrate and a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate. The cutting tool is characterized in that the substrate contains at least cobalt; the coating layer includes at least a titanium nitride layer formed on the surface of the substrate, a titanium carbonitride layer formed on the surface of the titanium nitride layer, an intermediate layer formed on the surface of the titanium carbonitride layer and an aluminum oxide layer formed on the surface of the intermediate layer; the intermediate layer contains at least oxygen and titanium, and the aluminum oxide layer incorporates particles composed mainly of cobalt.
US08182906B2	Multilayer clear over color polyolefin sheets and layered backing structure A multilayer structure includes a clear polyolefin layer, a colored polyolefin layer, and a random polyolefin backing layer. The colored and backing layers are coextruded and are permanently bonded at a layer interface, which is exclusive of an adhesive. The structure has a DOI of 70 or greater and passes a gravelometer impact test per the GM9508P standard, with a 10 pint load, at a −30° C. temperature, and at an impact angle of 30 degrees. Among other uses, the structures are appropriate for use as body panels in the motor vehicle industry. The structures display a “class A” finish and meet a variety of requirements for durability and weatherability. An ABA structured backing layer and a method of making it are also described herein.
US08182905B2	Ceramic matrix laminates The invention provides systems and methods for forming low density ceramic felt material cores which are sandwiched between ceramic matrix composites to form a ceramic matrix laminate possessing a high strength-to-density ratio while maintaining a stiffness required for mechanical applications. The core and face plates are coupled together using a chemical vapor process.
US08182904B2	Laminated ceramic package Provided is a laminated ceramic package. The laminated ceramic package includes a laminated ceramic substrate having a conductive pattern therein, a first ceramic layer on the laminated ceramic substrate, and a second ceramic layer on the first ceramic layer. The first ceramic layer has a firing area shrinkage rate of about 1% or less. The second ceramic layer has a cavity receiving electronic components and a different firing shrinkage rate from the first ceramic layer.
US08182903B2	Multivariate color system with texture application Implementations of the present invention relate to a translucent and/or transparent polymer-based panel system that incorporates multi-colored insert layers that enable manipulation of color, transparency or light transmission of the finished panel system. Implementations of the present invention also relate to the construction of such panels to avoid the capture and retention of air within the panels through the use of textured surfaces at the lamination interfaces. In addition, implementations of the present invention provide a method of quantifying the optical response achieved in a given panel system and describes types of construction that enable the multiplicity of color and optic manipulation. Furthermore, implementations of the present invention provide methods for applying texture in an efficient, uniform manner.
US08182901B2	Printed biodegradable plastic film A biodegradable plastic film 1 has at least one surface formed with a printed region 5. Within the region 5, non-printed sub-regions 7 are rather evenly distributed.
US08182898B2	Touch panel A touch panel of the invention comprises a first panel having a first film base with transparency and a first transparent conductive thin film provided on one surface of the first film base; and a second panel having a second film base with transparency and a second transparent conductive thin film provided on one surface of the second film base, wherein the first panel and the second panel are arranged so as to face each other with a spacer therebetween, in such a manner that the first conductive thin film and the second conductive thin film face each other, wherein the surface of the first conductive thin film has a hardness of 1 GPa or more and a modulus of elasticity of 5 GPa or more, the surface of the second conductive thin film has a center line average roughness (Ra) of 0.3 nm to 1.0 nm, and that of the center line average roughness (Ra) of the surface of the second conductive thin film is smaller than that of the surface of the first conductive thin film. The touch panel has good durability.
US08182896B2	Method and apparatus for making optical tiles A panel comprising a substrate having a top substrate surface and a bottom substrate surface. The substrate includes a plurality of tiles extending outwardly from the top substrate surface of substrate. The tiles having a top tile surface and a bottom tile surface. The tiles and the substrate are integral and formed of a single piece of material. Each tile is connected to the substrate at a connection area. Each connection area projects upwardly from the top substrate surface of the substrate and includes a bottom connection edge connected to the top substrate surface of the substrate at a first angle and a top connection edge connected to a bottom tile surface of one of the tiles at a second angle. The tiles form an optical image on the panel.
US08182895B2	Padded edge covers The padded edge cover has a hemispherical top portion and a cylindrical bottom portion extending from the top portion, the two portions forming a core of cushioning material. Prongs extend from a rear face of the bottom core portion to insert into hollow extruded metal frame members. The padded edge cover is resilient in order to cushion physical contact of personnel with the frame members. The padded edge covers are easily removable from the frame members and can be stored on a metal bracket designed specifically for the covers. Alternative embodiments of the padded edge covers are substantially rectangular and have either prongs or magnetic members to retain the padded covers to the frame members.
US08182894B2	Identification plates The invention relates to an identification tag (16) for identifying preferably electrical components, comprising a front side that has a marking area (18). According to the invention, the identification tag (16) has a plastic base (22) and a metal coating (24) that covers the surface of the base (22).
US08182892B2	Substrate structures applied in flexible electrical devices and fabrication method thereof A substrate structure applied in flexible electrical devices is provided. The substrate structure includes a carrier, a flexible substrate opposed to the carrier, a release layer formed on a surface of the flexible substrate opposed to the carrier, and an adhesive layer formed between the carrier, the release layer and the flexible substrate, wherein the area of the adhesive layer is larger than that of the release layer, and the adhesive layer has a greater adhesion force than that of the release layer to the flexible substrate. The invention also provides a method for fabricating the substrate structure.
US08182887B2	Vacuum insulating glass unit with viscous edge seal Vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, edge seals for VIG units and methods for forming the edge seals are provided. The VIG units include an edge seal that includes a viscous material, which serves to restrict the rate at which gas permeates into a vacuum space defined between the glass sheets of the VIG unit. The edge seals are configured to allow the glass sheets to move laterally relative to one another when the glass sheets experience differential thermal strain and further configured such that viscous shear occurs within at least a portion of the viscous material when there is relative lateral movement between the glass sheets.
US08182881B2	Methods for reducing stress when applying coatings, processes for applying the same and their coated articles A process for applying a coating to an axially split component includes the steps of installing at least one expansion or contraction device to at least one half of an axially split component; expanding at least one half to change a radius and maintain a constant curvature of at least one masked piece; applying a coating to the half; and, removing at least one expansion or contraction device from at least one half.
US08182878B2	Metal-enhanced fluorescence from plastic substrates The present invention relates to methods for functionally modifying a polymeric surface for subsequent deposition of metallic particles and/or films, wherein the polymeric surface is modified by increasing hydroxyl and/or amine functional groups thereby providing an activated polymeric surface for deposition of metallic particles to form a fluorescence sensing device. The device can be used for metal-enhanced fluorescence of fluorophores positioned above the metallic particles that can be readily applied to diagnostic or sensing applications of metal-enhanced fluorescence.
US08182873B2	Method for electroless plating and metal-plated article A method for metal plating with good adhesion to materials that are difficult to plate wherein a material to be plated is surface-treated with a silane coupling agent having in a molecule thereof a functional group with a metal-capturing capability, is heat treated at a high temperature of at least 150° C. in air or an inert gas atmosphere, surface treatment is performed with a solution containing a noble metal compound, and electroless plating is performed. Alternatively, a metal plating method is provided wherein a material to be plated is surface-treated with a liquid in which a noble metal compound and a silane coupling agent having in a molecule thereof a functional group with a metal-capturing capability have already been mixed or reacted, is heat treated at a high temperature of at least 150° C. in air or an inert gas atmosphere, and electroless plating is performed.
US08182872B2	Method of fabricating a porous elastomer A method is provided for fabricating a porous elastomer, the method comprising the steps of: providing a predetermined amount of a liquid elastomer and a predetermined amount of a porogen; mixing the liquid elastomer and the porogen in vacuum until a homogenous emulsion without phase separation is formed; curing the homogenous emulsion until polymerizations of the emulsion is reached, thereby forming a cured emulsion; and removing the porogen from the cured emulsion. The method can advantageously be used for forming biocompatible porous elastomers and biocompatible porous membranes.
US08182868B2	Encapsulation of particulate contamination A method for the encapsulation of contaminant particles on the surface of a component. The method includes encapsulating the contaminant particles with an organic coating such that the contaminant particles are immobilized. The coating enables the immobilization of particles having a particle size of less than 0.5 μm. The method is particularly useful in the manufacture of precision devices, such as disk drives.
US08182862B2	Ion beam-assisted high-temperature superconductor (HTS) deposition for thick film tape An ion source impinging on the surface of the substrate to be coated is used to enhance a MOCVD, PVD or other process for the preparation of superconducting materials.
US08182861B2	Methods and devices for monitoring and controlling thin film processing Thin film processing systems and methods are provided having a moving deposition sensor capable of translation and/or rotation in a manner that exposes the sensor to thin film deposition environments in a flux region substantially the same as the deposition environments experienced by one or more moveable substrates during a selected deposition period. In one embodiment, a thin film monitoring and control system is provided wherein one or more moveable substrates and a moveable deposition sensor are moved along substantially coincident trajectories in a flux region of a thin film deposition system for a selected deposition period. Systems and methods of the present invention may include SC-cut quartz crystal microbalance sensors capable of excitation of at least two different resonant modes.
US08182858B2	Compositions for improving flavor and safety of marinated meat products A composition for improving the flavor and juiciness of marinated meats and inhibiting growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and a process for making the composition are described. Lemon juice and vinegar are neutralized, concentrated and blended with non-neutralized lemon juice and non-neutralized vinegar in appropriate proportions to achieve the desired water binding and antimicrobial effects.
US08182857B2	Edible products with low content of saturated and trans unsaturated fats The present invention relates to a structured, fat continuous edible product, wherein the edible product contains, expressed on total product basis, less than 35 wt. % of saturated fatty acids, between 20 and 100 wt. % of a triglyceride composition, between 0 and 80 wt. % of a filler material and less than 15 wt. % of water. The triglyceride composition contains less than 50 wt. % of saturated fatty acids, less than 10 wt. % of trans unsaturated fatty acids, at least 10 wt. % of POP triglycerides, wherein P is a palmitic fatty acid, O is oleic acid, a ratio SUS/SUU of at least 1.3, a ratio SUS/S3 of at least 15, at least 90 wt. % of C8-18 fatty acids, a ratio C16/C18 saturated fatty acids of at least 1. The triglyceride composition has an SFC at 20° C. of between 3 and 55%. The present invention also relates to a process for producing such a product and to triglyceride compositions suitable for use in such a product.
US08182854B2	Coffee drink composition Provided is a coffee composition which does not generate hydrogen peroxide in the body even if it is taken for long periods of time. The coffee composition has a hydroxyhydroquinone content of 0 to 0.00005 wt. %.
US08182851B2	Ruminant feedstock dietary supplement This invention provides a control release formulation or rumen-bypass dietary supplement in compacted form. The formulation or supplement has the capability to transport fatty acid calcium salt and between about 1-75 percent of one or more rumen-protected undegraded biologically active agents to the post-ruminal digestive system of a ruminant. A feedstock containing the formulation or supplement for ruminants beneficially improves feed efficiency and body growth. The feedstock also is adapted to improve the lactational performance of dairy cattle.
US08182846B2	Plant extracts and uses thereof Plant extracts obtainable by extracting various plant materials with an alkaline agent, methods for preparing such extracts, compositions comprising such extracts, and methods for using the extracts or compositions thereof are described.
US08182842B1	Physico-chemical-managed killing of penicillin-resistant static and growing gram-positive and gram-negative vegetative bacteria Systems and methods for the use of compounds from the Hofmeister series coupled with specific pH and temperature to provide rapid physico-chemical-managed killing of penicillin-resistant static and growing Gram-positive and Gram-negative vegetative bacteria. The systems and methods represent the more general physico-chemical enhancement of susceptibility for a wide range of pathological macromolecular targets to clinical management by establishing the reactivity of those targets to topically applied drugs or anti-toxins.
US08182837B2	Methods and compositions for reducing the risk associated with the administration of opioid analgesics in patients with diagnosed or undiagnosed respiratory illness The present invention relates to methods for reducing the risk associated with the administration of opioid analgesics in patients diagnosed or undiagnosed with respiratory illness by administering an analgesic composition comprising a sub-analgesic dosage of a p-opioid agonist selected from the group consisting of morphine, fentanyl, sufentanil, alfentanil, oxymorphone and hydromorphone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a sub-analgesic dosage of oxycodone which is a κ2-opioid agonist or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08182828B2	Oil-in-water emulsified milky skin cosmetic preparation The present invention provides an oil-in-water emulsified milky skin cosmetic preparation, which is able to impart a refreshing feeling, an astringent effect, a moisturizing effect, and a softening effect to skin, when it is singly used, and which is excellent in terms of emulsion stability although it has a high water content and a low viscosity, presenting a milk white color. An oil-in-water emulsified milky skin cosmetic preparation comprising (a) a copolymer of 2-acrylamide 2-methylpropanesulfonic acid or a salt thereof/polyoxyethylene alkyl ether methacrylate, (b) an alkyl modified carboxyvinyl polymer; and (c) an alkylene oxide derivative, and having a viscosity at 25° C. of 10,000 mPa·s or less (Vismetron viscometer). It is preferable that the skin cosmetic preparation comprises 0.005% to 2.0% by mass of (a), 0.005% to 1.5% by mass of (b), and 0.005% to 15.0% by mass of (c). The skin cosmetic preparation may further comprise (d) oil having a viscosity at 25° C. of 100 mPa·s or less and being a liquid at an ordinary temperature, arbitrarily. Furthermore, it is preferable that the skin cosmetic preparation comprises 55% to 80% by mass of water.
US08182824B2	Ciclesonide-containing sterile aqueous suspension The present invention provides a ciclesonide-containing sterile aqueous suspension sterilized by autoclaving, wherein the concentration of ciclesonide after autoclaving is 95% or more compared to that before autoclaving.
US08182821B2	Flu vaccine admixture of mannan and flu antigen The present invention relates to a vaccine composition comprising a carbohydrate polymer comprising mannose and flu antigen(s) (e.g. whole inactivated influenza virus) in admixture, and a method of immunising a subject comprising the step of administering the vaccine composition to a subject.
US08182817B2	Antibodies to human IL-22 The present application provides human antibodies and antigen binding fragments thereof that specifically bind to the human interleukin-22 (IL-22). The antibodies can act as antagonists of IL-22 activity, thereby modulating immune responses in general, and those mediated by IL-22 in particular. The disclosed compositions and methods may be used for example, in diagnosing, treating or preventing inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases, allergies, septic shock, infectious disorders, transplant rejection, cancer, and other immune system disorders.
US08182815B2	Fibroblast growth factor receptor-3 (FGFR-3) inhibitors and methods of treatment The present invention relates to an isolated antibody or fragment thereof, which specifically binds to human FGFR-3(IIIb) and FGFR-3(IIIc), or mutant forms thereof. Further embodiments include pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibody and methods of using the antibody to treat cancer.
US08182814B2	Methods of treating inflammatory airway conditions by inhibition of IL-11 activity The present invention provides a method for the treatment or prophylaxis of T-helper type 2 (Th2)-mediated disorders using antagonists of IL-11.
US08182812B2	Human monoclonal antibodies against CD25 Isolated human monoclonal antibodies which bind to and inhibit human CD25, and related antibody-based compositions and molecules, are disclosed. The human antibodies can be produced by a hybridoma, a transfectoma or in a nonhuman transgenic animal, e.g., a transgenic mouse, capable of producing multiple isotypes of human monoclonal antibodies by undergoing V-D-J recombination and isotype switching. Also disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the human antibodies, nonhuman transgenic animals, hybridomas and transfectomas which produce the human antibodies, and therapeutic and diagnostic methods for using the human antibodies.
US08182811B2	Antibodies to CXCL13 The present invention relates to binding members, especially antibody molecules, for CXCL13. The binding members are useful for the treatment of disorders associated with CXCL13, including arthritic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.
US08182809B1	Methods for treating cancer by inhibiting MIC shedding Described herein are compositions and methods for treating cancer, comprising administering to an individual having cancer an agent to prevent MIC shedding (initiated at the alpha-3 ectodomain of MIC) by a tumor cell. Also provided herein are screening assays for identifying, or testing the efficacy of, an agent for increasing sensitivity of a tumor to immune cell-mediated killing.
US08182808B2	Recombinantly modified plasmin Polynucleotides and polypeptides relating to a recombinantly modified plasmin(ogen) molecule are provided. The plasmin(ogen) molecule has a single kringle domain N-terminal to the activation site present in the native human plasminogen molecule, combined such that no foreign sequences are present, and exhibits lysine-binding and significant enzymatic characteristics associated with the native enzyme.
US08182806B2	Synovial villi for use with tissue engineering Synovial villi derived explants and related surgical tools used to repair or prevent damage to injured or diseased tissue, including connective tissue. The tools including a harvesting tool for selectively harvesting synovial villi from the joint of patient and a delivery tool having a bulbous end for delivering the synovial villi derived explants while reducing damage to surrounding tissue.
US08182805B2	Prevention of allergic sensitization The present invention relates to prevention and treatment of allergic sensitization and diseases associated therewith by treatment with an enterovirus vaccine, wherein the enterovirus does not contain an exogenous nucleic acid sequence that is integrated into the viral genome and that encodes an allergen that induces said allergic sensitization.
US08182794B2	Sunless tanning products and processes Sunless tanning compositions are substantially improved by adding methylsulfonyl methane [MSM] and certain glycols to Dihydroxyacetone (DHA).
US08182782B1	Methods for production of double-walled carbon nanotubes The present invention relates to fullerene carbon nanotubes having a cylindrical wall comprising a double layer of carbon atoms and methods for the production and application of these double-wall carbon nanotubes; and, more particularly, to nanotubes with controlled number of carbon layers and methods for the production of macroscopic amounts of these nanotubes and there application as cathode materials in the cold field electron emission devices, notable such devices comprising light emitting CRT's.
US08182780B2	Synthesis of chabazite-containing molecular sieves and their use in the conversion of oxygenates to olefins In a method of synthesizing a silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve having 90%+CHA framework type character, a reaction mixture is prepared comprising first combining a reactive source of aluminum with a reactive source of phosphorus to form a primary mixture that is aged. A reactive source of silicon and a template for directing the formation of the molecular sieve can then be added to form a synthesis mixture. Crystallization is then induced in the synthesis mixture. Advantageously, (i) the source of silicon comprises an organosilicate, (ii) the source of phosphorus optionally comprises an organophosphate, and (iii) the crystallized silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieve has a crystal size distribution such that its average crystal size is not greater than 5 μm. The molecular sieve can then preferably be used in a hydrocarbon (oxygenates-to-olefins) conversion process.
US08182778B2	Boron carbide and method for making same The invention relates to boron carbide and to a method for making the same, as well as to a super-abrasive material and a machine device including said boron carbide. The boron carbide of the invention has the following formula BC5 and has a diamond-type cubic structure with a mesh parameter a=3.635±0.006 &angst. The boron carbide of the invention can particularly be used in the field of machining.
US08182777B2	Small pore molecular sieve supported copper catalysts durable against lean/rich aging for the reduction of nitrogen oxides A method of using a catalyst comprises exposing a catalyst to at least one reactant in a chemical process. The catalyst comprises copper and a small pore molecular sieve having a maximum ring size of eight tetrahedral atoms. The chemical process undergoes at least one period of exposure to a reducing atmosphere. The catalyst has an initial activity and the catalyst has a final activity after the at least one period of exposure to the reducing atmosphere. The final activity is within 30% of the initial activity at a temperature between 200 and 500° C.
US08182773B2	Process for separating a chemical element from uranium (VI) starting from a nitric aqueous phase, in an extraction cycle for the uranium A chemical element to be very efficiently separated from uranium starting from an acid aqueous phase, in an extraction cycle for the uranium, when this chemical element is present in said phase at a concentration less than that of the uranium, or even as a trace element, and when it is moreover less extractable by the extractant used in this extraction cycle than is the uranium. The chemical element can notably be neptunium(IV) or thorium 228.
US08182772B2	Radial flow continuous reaction/regeneration apparatus This specification discloses a radial flow continuous reaction/regeneration apparatus. Through employing a rotary device to individually and annularly distributing process fluid and regeneration fluid into a stationary segmented reaction/regeneration box and receiving effluents individually and annularly from the same stationary reaction/regeneration box, the mentioned radial flow continuous reaction/regeneration apparatus can be operated continuously and efficiently without the need for shutting down for regeneration. This radial flow continuous reaction/regeneration apparatus is not only used to separate components by adsorption, such as dehumidification, but also is used in chemical processes to carry out catalytic reaction, regenerate catalyst and used as filtration device to trap particles by changing the filler in the stationary reaction/regeneration box.
US08182770B2	Immunoassay device with improved sample closure An apparatus and method for sealing a fluid sample collection device, comprising: loading a fluid sample collection device with a fluid sample, said device comprising a housing having at least one substantially planar surface that includes an orifice in fluid communication with an internal fluid sample holding chamber which terminates at an internal capillary stop; and slidably moving a sealing element over at least a portion of said substantially planar surface in a way that displaces any excess fluid sample away from the orifice, seals the fluid sample within said holding chamber, and inhibits the fluid sample from prematurely breaking through the internal capillary stop.
US08182769B2	Clean transportation system A transportation system for transporting a biological material container between a sterile field and a nonsterile field and substantially maintaining sterility of the biological material container includes a housing assembly that removably houses the biological material container. The system also includes a port defined by the housing assembly, and the port provides communication into the biological material container from outside the housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a first member that covers a first portion of the biological material container such that a second portion of the biological material container extends from the first member. The housing assembly also includes a second member that covers the second portion of the biological material container. The second member is removably coupled to the first member to expose the second portion of the biological material container. A keying member that keys the transportation system in a centrifuge is also disclosed.
US08182768B2	Interface assembly for pre-concentrating analytes in chromatography A system for interfacing a sampling device and a chromatograph and for pre-concentrating analytes in a sample prior to introducing the sample into the chromatographic column is generally disclosed comprising an interface housing with a first channel and an adsorbent housing with a second channel, which contains at least one adsorbent. Valveless conduits permit fluid to be communicated between the sampling device and the first channel, between the first channel and the second channel, and the first channel and the column. In some embodiments, fluid flows in one direction when the analytes are adsorbed and in the opposite direction when analytes are desorbed. In certain embodiments, two different adsorbents are disposed in the second channel to adsorb different types of analytes.
US08182765B2	Fluid transfer mechanism A microfluidic device for transferring liquid from a first chamber to a second chamber is provided. The device has a first chamber; a second chamber; and a barrier between the first chamber and the second chamber, the barrier having least one opening fluidly connecting the first chamber to the second chamber, the at least one opening being sized such that a retention force, such as surface tension, keeps the liquid in the first chamber. The fluid is transferred from the first chamber to the second chamber when an initiation input such as fluid pressure is introduced to the liquid that is sufficient to overcome the retention force. The device may be a sensor strip.
US08182763B2	Rack for sample tubes and reagent holders A rack for holding samples and various reagents, wherein the rack may be used for loading the samples and reagents prior to using the reagents. The rack accepts complementary reagent holders, each of which contain a set of reagents for carrying out a predetermined processing operation, such as preparing biological samples for amplifying and detecting polynucleotides extracted from the samples.
US08182762B2	Device for distributing particles in a fluid and methods thereof A vial and particles for distributing reagent bound particles in a fluid, a kit, and methods for distributing particles in a fluid.
US08182757B2	Method and apparatus for manufacturing of a calcium carbonate product, the product and its use A method and apparatus for producing a calcium carbonate product formed of small <100 μm sized separate calcium carbonate particles. Calcium hydroxide is fed through a disintegration and spraying apparatus (14), operating on the principle of a pin mill, into a gas which contains carbon dioxide for precipitating calcium carbonate particles and which is inside a precipitation reactor (10). The temperature in the precipitation reactor is maintained at <65° C.
US08182755B2	Method for generating ozone using hemimorphic crystal and apparatus for the same A method and apparatus for easily generating ozone with a high concentration in the air without requiring a high voltage power supply or a vacuum apparatus, wherein an ozone gas with a high concentration is generated in the atmosphere around a hemimorphic crystal of which the direction of polarization is uniform by placing the crystal in the air and repeatedly heating and cooling the crystal, are provided.
US08182752B2	Exhaust gas treatment device A device for treatment of exhaust gases includes a housing, a fragile structure resiliently mounted within the housing, and a non-intumescent mounting mat disposed in a gap between the housing and the fragile structure. The mounting mat includes a plurality of inorganic fibers that have undergone a surface treatment to increase the holding force performance of the mounting mat. Also disclosed are methods of making a mounting mat for an exhaust gas treatment device and for making an exhaust gas treatment device incorporating the mounting mat.
US08182749B2	Products and methods for dispensing of air fresheners, deodorizers or sanitizers A device, such as a home air freshener, which is mounted to the main positive pressure air duct of a forced air furnace heating system and or a central air conditioning system by which an outside agent, such as an air freshener, is introduced into the air duct for the distribution to areas served by the air duct system. By means of a sub-duct properly positioned in the path of the airflow, the device can create a low pressure area in the sub-duct which will draw and distribute the air freshener and thus operate with out means of outside pressure, power, or moving parts.
US08182747B2	Test device for analyzing a biological sample liquid The invention concerns a test device for analyzing especially a biological sample liquid comprising a composite body consisting of a plurality of layers of flat materials and a sample channel located in the composite body for transporting the sample liquid from an application site to a measuring site. According to the invention it is proposed that the composite body has a plurality of transport layers arranged in a stack-like manner between support layers for holding in each case sample channel.
US08182745B2	Automatic analyzer An automatic analyzer having a positioning member connected to a nozzle support jig used to install a rinse nozzle having a suction member. The positioning member is present at a lower position than that of the suction member, has a vertically movable construction, and during a downward movement of the rinse mechanism, is brought close to/inserted into the reaction cuvette earlier than the suction member. Thus, the positioning member adjusts an inserting position of the suction member appropriately if the stopping position of the reaction cuvette deviates.
US08182739B2	Process for producing concentric-circular-gradient functional material for biogenic use and apparatus for producing the same A concentric-circular-gradient functional material for biogenic use is produced using first, second, third and forth cylindrical partitions, and a cylindrical dice which are concentrically stood on a supporting stand. Ti powder (A) fills the first cylindrical partition. A first mixed powder including Ti powder (A) and biogenic material powder (B) fills between the first and second cylindrical partitions. A second mixed powder including a smaller amount of Ti powder (A) than the first mixed powder fills between the second and third cylindrical partitions. A third mixed powder including a smaller amount of Ti powder (A) than the second mixed powder fills between the third and fourth cylindrical partitions. The biogenic material powder (B) fills between the fourth cylindrical partition and the dice. The first to fourth partitions are pulled out. The dice is capped using a punch. The powders are sintered using a discharge plasma sintering machine.
US08182727B2	Carbon-based material and method of producing the same, and composite material and method of producing the same A method of producing a carbon-based material includes steps (a), (b) and (c). In the step (a), an elastomer and at least a first carbon material is mixed and the first carbon material is dispersed by applying a shear force to obtain a composite elastomer. In the step (b), the composite elastomer is heat-treated to vaporize the elastomer, and a second carbon material is obtained. In the step (c) the second carbon material is heat-treated together with a substance including an element Y to vaporize the substance including the element Y, a melting point of the element Y being low.
US08182726B2	Process for preparing lime pellets A lime pellet for use in asphalt applications is prepared to include lime fines and an asphalt-compatible binder. The pellet is characterized as having a rigid structure with a dimension greater than about 1.5 mm and being compatible with a hot mix asphalt so as to dissolve in liquid asphalt. The pellet is manufactured by mixing the lime fines with the asphalt-compatible binder and forming pellets therefrom. A benefit of the present method is the elimination of steps that cost time and money because limestone can be converted to quicklime, the quicklime is hydrated, and the pellet is formed in a continuous process or in a single system. The pellets are useful for conditioning an end product of hot mix asphalt during the manufacture of such an asphalt.
US08182724B2	Method of energy distribution and consumption control based on melt quality improvement for plastic injection and extrusion processes A method of improving energy consumption and/or melt quality of injection molding or extrusion machine can include controlling energy input to the melt from screw drive and heat sources. One or more sensors can measure a present value of at least one process parameter associated with the melt. A control algorithm can compare the present value of melt with a set value. If the present value deviates from the set value by more than a predetermined amount, the set value of at least one operating parameter can be adjusted. The algorithm can determine energy transferred to melt material from thermal and mechanical sources, and adjust set values to optimize energy consumption. Process parameters can include melt temperature, melt quality characterized value, prospective throughput or injection cycle time, or prospective energy consumption value. Operating parameters can include barrel heating temperature, screw rotational speed, screw plasticizing back pressure, screw injection speed or screw injection pressure.
US08182723B2	Multi-cavity injection molding method for fabricating solar lenses The present invention discloses a multi-cavity injection molding method for fabricating solar lenses, which comprises steps: providing a mold set including a female mold and a male mold corresponding to the female mold, wherein the female mold has a receiving recess, and wherein the male mold has several lens cavities each having a lens pattern and connected with a cold runner; placing a glass substrate inside the receiving recess; injecting a silica gel to all the lens cavities via the cold runners; and heating the mold set to cure the silica gel, whereby to form several silica-gel lenses on the glass substrate in a single fabrication process. The present invention can effectively shorten the fabrication time and increase lens alignment.
US08182722B2	Methods for manufacturing zinc oxide base sputtering target and transparent electrically conductive film A method for manufacturing a zinc oxide based sputtering target includes the step of producing a zinc oxide based sputtering target by using γ-Al2O3 as a dopant material.
US08182717B2	Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal composition is provided that satisfies at least one of the characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, a small viscosity, a large optical anisotropy, a large dielectric anisotropy, a large specific resistance, a high stability to ultraviolet light and a high stability to heat, or is properly balanced regarding at least two characteristics. An AM device is provided that has a short response time, a large voltage holding ratio, a large contrast ratio, a long service life and so forth. The liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy contains a first component having especially negatively large dielectric anisotropy, a second component having a large negative dielectric anisotropy and a low minimum temperature, a third component having a high maximum temperature or a small viscosity. The liquid crystal display device contains the liquid crystal composition.
US08182716B2	Liquid crystal compound, liquid crystal composition comprising the same, and optical film using the same liquid crystal composition Disclosed is a novel liquid crystal compound, a liquid crystal composition comprising the same, and an optical film using the same liquid crystal composition. More particularly, there is provided a liquid crystal material of a viewing angle compensation film with high quality characteristics, which can improve a contrast ratio and minimize variations in color with viewing angles in a black state, a liquid crystal composition comprising the same liquid crystal material, and a compensation film obtained from the same liquid crystal composition.
US08182715B2	Chemical combination for the generation of disinfectant and heat This invention comprises a lightweight, portable chemical combination of reagents for sterilizing or disinfecting objects in the absence of electrical power or fire. The chemical combination includes a chemical oxidant with the capacity to liberate a biocidal intermediate, a chemical reductant of the oxidant with the capacity to react with the oxidant, and an effector to induce a reaction between the oxidant and reductant. In one embodiment, the oxidant comprises chlorite, the reductant comprises sulfite, and the effector comprises ascorbate. In another embodiment, the chemical combination comprises the oxidant, reductant, effector and iron-activated magnesium. When water or water solutions are added to either embodiment, the chemical combination generates heat, steam and a biocidal intermediate that can destroy contaminating microorganisms. In one embodiment, the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-based biocidal intermediate, such as chlorine dioxide. In another embodiment, the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-free biocidal intermediate.
US08182707B2	Method for etching a layer on a substrate A method for etching a layer that is to be removed on a substrate, in which a Si1-xGex layer is the layer to be removed, this layer being removed, at least in areas, in gas phase etching with the aid of an etching gas, in particular ClF3. The etching behavior of the Si1-xGex layer can be controlled via the Ge portion in the Si1-xGex layer. The etching method is particularly well-suited for manufacturing self-supporting structures in a micromechanical sensor and for manufacturing such self-supporting structures in a closed hollow space, because the Si1-xGex layer, as a sacrificial layer or filling layer, is etched highly selectively relative to silicon.
US08182706B2	Method for texturing silicon wafers for producing solar cells In a method for texturing silicon wafers for producing solar cells, the step of introducing a silicon wafer involves the use of a texturing solution which is at a temperature of at least 80 degrees Celsius and which comprises water admixed with 1 percent by weight to 6 percent by weight KOH or 2 percent by weight to 8 percent by weight NaOH and with a surfactant or a surfactant mixture constituting less than 0.01 percent by weight. Very economic texturing can be performed in this way.
US08182705B2	Method for producing thin film magnetic head having magnetoresistive effect element A method for producing a thin film magnetic head including a magnetoresistive effect element (MR element) that has a magnetic sensor multi-layered film with a polygonal shape such that a vertex angle faces an air bearing surface (ABS) and a tip of the vertex angle is cut when the magnetic sensor multi-layered film is viewed from an X-Y plane that is parallel to a plane of a lower shield electrode layer includes a step for stopping a lapping process by using a measurement point in which a resistance value is steeply increased while the lapping face is gradually approaching the vertex angle of polygonal shape by lapping from the ABS side. Therefore, an excellent effect in which an ultra narrow track width that exceeds limits of photolithography technology can be securely and constantly formed is obtained.
US08182704B2	Thin-film magnetic head structure, method of manufacturing the same, and thin-film magnetic head A thin-film magnetic head structure has a configuration adapted to manufacture a thin-film magnetic head configured such that a main magnetic pole layer including a magnetic pole tip on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium, a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole tip so as to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side, and a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or main magnetic pole layer are laminated. The magnetic pole tip of the main magnetic pole layer includes an even width portion having a substantially even width along an extending direction.
US08182700B2	Method and exhaust arrangement in the removal of surface scum A method and exhaust arrangement in the removal of surface scum. An exhaust arrangement is used existing in connection with a liquid basin. The exhaust arrangement includes a first surface chute arrangement for removal of surface scum utilizing an overflow arrangement, belonging to the first chute arrangement and being based on a continuous flow for overflowing the surface scum in at least two successive phases, from the fluid basin into a primary space in the fluid basin and from the primary space into a secondary space in the fluid basin, from where overflow is finally exhausted from the liquid basin utilizing an exhaust assembly for the surface scum. A second surface chute arrangement removes liquid processed in the liquid basin. Overflow of the surface scum in the primary space to the secondary space is controlled to minimize the amount of liquid drifting together therewith by adjusting a level of the liquid in the primary space utilizing a flow balancing assembly that connects the primary space and the second surface chute arrangement and/or by using an adjusting device existing in the wall defining the primary space and the secondary space. Passage of the surface scum in the primary space towards the secondary space is made more efficient by using a guiding arrangement for achieving a liquid flow in the primary space towards the secondary space to direct the surface scum.
US08182699B2	Method of engaging a filter cartridge to a manifold and filter cartridge therefor A filter assembly for filtering water from an external source, the filter assembly having a manifold assembly and a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge includes a cartridge engagement means while the manifold includes a manifold engagement means. The cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means cooperatively interfacing for removable attachment of the filter cartridge to the manifold assembly. The cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means oriented in a retaining relation during removal of the cartridge filter from the manifold assembly such that any entrained pressure within the cartridge filter is vented while the cartridge engagement means and manifold engagement means are in the retaining relation.
US08182694B2	Membrane stacks The present application discloses a membrane stack comprising a first and second membrane layers, and a spacer layer disposed between said first and second membrane layers, said membrane stack configured such that fluid passes through said membrane stack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of said membrane layers and said spacer layer. The application also discloses a module comprising a membrane as described above, said module having a fluid flow path that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the major surface of the membrane and spacer layers in said membrane stack.
US08182693B2	Method and apparatus for desalination A method and apparatus for purifying water are provided. A feed water such as seawater can be fed to a filter such as a microporous or nanofiltration membrane to produce a permeate that can, in turn, be fed to an electrodeionization system to produce fresh water.
US08182691B2	Apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment with a device for checking a sterile filter, and method of checking a sterile filter of an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus An apparatus for extracorporeal blood treatment has a dialysis fluid circuit and a blood circuit which are separated by a dialyzer. Arranged in the dialysis fluid circuit there is a sterile filter for producing a sterile dialysis fluid which flows into the dialyzer. To check the sterile filter, a chemical and/or physical property of the dialysis fluid, for example the conductivity, is changed upstream of the sterile filter, and the change in the property of the dialysis fluid is detected downstream of the sterile filter. From the time shift between the initiation of the conductivity impulse and the detection of the latter, it is possible to tell whether the blood treatment apparatus is fitted with a sterile filter. Moreover, the volume of the sterile filter can be inferred from the length of the time shift.
US08182690B2	Centrifugal partitioning chromatography device and method implemented by this device The present invention relates to a centrifugal partitioning chromatography device for separating a liquid having at least two phases, and to a centrifugal partitioning chromatography method implemented by this device. A chromatography device according to the invention comprises at least one flat ring (103) which can be rotated about its axis (X′X) of symmetry and comprises a multitude of cells (110) through which the liquid is intended to flow, each cell being provided with two input/output channels (111 and 112) that are intended to make the liquid flow from one cell to another and which open respectively via two inlet/outlet orifices (111a and 112a) of the cell on two radially internal and external sides (113 and 114) of the latter with respect to the axis of rotation. According to the invention, this device is such that, for at least some of this multitude of cells, these orifices opening into one and the same cell are placed on the same side of a radial line (D) of the ring passing through the axis and through the center of gravity (G) of the cell, seen in radial cross section.
US08182689B2	Methods of and systems for dewatering algae and recycling water therefrom A method of dewatering algae and recycling water therefrom is presented. A method of dewatering a wet algal cell culture includes removing liquid from an algal cell culture to obtain a wet algal biomass having a lower liquid content than the algal cell culture. At least a portion of the liquid removed from the algal cell culture is recycled for use in a different algal cell culture. The method includes adding a water miscible solvent set to the wet algal biomass and waiting an amount of time to permit algal cells of the algal biomass to gather and isolating at least a portion of the gathered algal cells from at least a portion of the solvent set and liquid of the wet algal biomass so that a dewatered algal biomass is generated. The dewatered algal biomass can be used to generated algal products such as biofuels and nutraceuticals.
US08182688B2	Biogas generator A biogas generator employs an anaerobic digestion process to convert organic waste material within a sealed reservoir to a biogas. A solar thermal panel connected to the reservoir heats a fluid traveling through a conduit, which is connected to a heat exchanger within the reservoir. The heated fluid travels through the heat exchanger and heats the waste material to facilitate the anaerobic digestion process. Solar cells produce electricity to operate one or more pumps that pump the heated fluid through the conduit, and pump the waste material and the generated biogas, into and out of the reservoir. A rotating lid structure has elongated agitators which extend into the reservoir.
US08182687B2	Methods of minimising the effect of integrity loss in hollow fibre membrane modules A method and apparatus for reducing the effect of integrity loss in a hollow fiber membrane module, said module including a plurality of hollow fiber membranes (5), at least one end of the fiber membranes (5) being supported in a pot (6), the method including the step of increasing flow resistance of the liquid through the lumen (8) of the fiber membrane (5) in the region of the pot (6).
US08182685B2	Effluent filter cartridge with progressive filtration A gas baffle for a waste water treatment plant filter housing that includes a first and second deflecting plate. The gas baffle has at least one flow-through opening defined by the first and second deflecting plates. The combination of the first and second deflecting plates deflects rising gas bubbles and any solid particulates so that the bubbles and particulates do not enter the filter housing. The gas baffle may include exterior apertures to dissipate the rising gas bubbles that travel on the bottom surface of each deflecting plate. The gas baffle may be integrally formed with the filter housing or created separately and subsequently connected.
US08182681B2	Oil filter assembly An oil filter assembly (10) has a receiving chamber that can be closed by a cover element and a spring-loaded supporting tube (22) that is fixed in the receiving chamber (18) and is designed to receive a filter element (20) that can be radially traversed by oil, the supporting tube being axially displaceable between an operating position and a drain position in such a way that, in the operating position when the receiving chamber is closed by the cover element (14), the tube closes a drain opening (42) and when the receiving chamber is open in the drain position, the tube releases a drain opening (42). The cover element (14) has a supporting tube contact area (58) on the side facing the receiving chamber in such a way that during the closing of the receiving chamber (14) when the filter element is located on the supporting tube (22), pressure is exerted on the tube by the support tube contact area (58), thus displacing the tube into the operating position.
US08182677B2	Tank flange Known tank flanges have a main filter which has a filter housing with an inlet and an outlet, and a first connecting duct for connecting the main filter to a feed unit. The filter housing is integrated in the tank flange, and filter fabric is inserted into the filter housing and the filter housing is closed off by a filter cover. The inlet of the filter housing is connected to the pressure side of a feed unit and the outlet leads to an internal combustion engine. A disadvantage is that, in order to exchange the filter fabric, the large-area filter cover must be opened, as a result of which a large amount of fuel vapor is dissipated to the atmosphere. In the case of the tank flange according to the invention, the exchangeability of the main filter is simplified by virtue of the main filter being embodied as a filter cartridge. It is provided according to the invention that the inlet of the main filter extends into the first connecting duct of the tank flange and therein forms a sealed connection.
US08182676B2	Wastewater effluent filter case with gas baffle A gas baffle for a waste water treatment plant filter housing that includes a first and second deflecting plate. The gas baffle has at least one flow-through opening defined by the first and second deflecting plates. The combination of the first and second deflecting plates deflects rising gas bubbles and any solid particulates so that the bubbles and particulates do not enter the filter housing. The gas baffle may include exterior apertures to dissipate the rising gas bubbles that travel on the bottom surface of each deflecting plate. The gas baffle may be integrally formed with the filter housing or created separately and subsequently connected.
US08182665B2	Sensor element for gas sensors and method for operating same A sensor element is provided for gas sensors, in particular to determine particles in gas mixtures, the sensor element including at least one electrochemical measuring element exposed to the gas mixture to be determined, and at least one temperature-measuring element integrated into the sensor element. The temperature-measuring element includes a resistor track, which has an electric resistance of less than 180 Ohm at 0° C. The resistor track may thus be produced by thin-foil technology, such as screen printing, for example.
US08182662B2	Rotary cathode for magnetron sputtering apparatus A rotary cathode for a magnetron sputtering apparatus is disclosed. The rotary cathode comprises a rotatable target cylinder, and a non-rotatable interior structure in the target cylinder. The interior structure has an outer surface and an inner passageway. An outer passageway is defined between an inner surface of the target cylinder and the outer surface of the interior structure. An end cap is affixed at a distal end of the target cylinder. A rotating aperture is adjacent to an inner surface of the target cylinder at the distal end thereof, with the rotating aperture configured to direct a fluid toward the inner surface at the distal end. A fluid pathway is at least partially defined by the end cap, with the pathway providing fluid communication between the outer passageway and the inner passageway through the rotating aperture.
US08182661B2	Controllable target cooling A sputter target assembly particularly useful for a large panel plasma sputter reactor having a target assembly sealed both to the main processing chamber and a vacuum pumped chamber housing a moving magnetron. The target assembly to which target tiles are bonded includes an integral plate with parallel cooling holes drilled parallel to the principal faces. The ends of the holes may be sealed and vertically extending slots arranged in two staggered groups on each side and machined down to respective pairs of cooling holes on opposite sides of the backing plate in pairs. Four manifolds tubes are sealed to the four groups of slots and provide counter-flowing coolant paths.
US08182660B2	Power supply apparatus and deposition method using the power supply apparatus A power supply apparatus includes a power supply mechanism which supplies, from an external power supply, electric power to be supplied to an electrostatic chuck. The power supply mechanism includes a first conductive annular member fixed to the end portion of a strut, and capable of rotating together with the strut, a second conductive annular member fixed to a housing, and brought into surface contact with the first conductive annular member, and a first power supply member which supplies a supplied first voltage to an electrode of the electrostatic chuck via the second conductive annular member and the first conductive annular member.
US08182659B2	Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrochemical cell having an integral, electrically-conductive, resiliently compressible, porous pad Electrochemical cell comprises, in one embodiment, a proton exchange membrane (PEM), an anode positioned along one face of the PEM, and a cathode positioned along the other face of the PEM. An electrically-conductive, compressible, spring-like, porous pad for defining a fluid cavity is placed in contact with the outer face of the cathode or the outer face of the anode. The porous pad comprises a particulate or mat of one or more doped- or reduced-valve metal oxides, which are bound together with one or more thermoplastic resins.
US08182656B2	Electrolyzing device An electrolyzing device is capable of removing scales adhered to a cathode in an electrolyzing mode without deteriorating an electrode forming an anode.An electrolyzing device includes a first main electrode 3, a second main electrode 4, an auxiliary electrode 5, and control means C for controlling current supply to the electrodes, the control means C includes an electrolyzing mode in which treated water is electrochemically treated by using the first main electrode 3 as an anode and the second main electrode 4 as a cathode, a scale removal mode of the second main electrode in which scales adhered to the second main electrode 4 are removed by using the second main electrode 4 as the anode and the auxiliary electrode 5 as the cathode, and a scale removal mode of the auxiliary electrode in which scales adhered to the auxiliary electrode 5 are removed by using the auxiliary electrode 5 as the anode and the second main electrode 4 as the cathode.
US08182652B2	Method of making a coating and a coated acoustical panel using degraded fibers An acoustical panel is made by applying a thin, acoustically-transparent coating to an acoustical base mat. A pulp is made from one or more fillers, a fibrous filler, a binder and water. A thickener solution is prepared from a thickener and water. A portion of the pulp and the thickener solution are mixed under high shear conditions to degrade the fibrous filler and form a smooth coating. The coating is applied to and distributed over a base mat and the coated base mat is then cut and dried to form a coated acoustical panel. The panel is free of visible mineral nodules on the surface of the coating. Optionally, the pulp is a portion of a pulp used to make the base mat. Other embodiments include the use of recycled dust or fine particles of the acoustical panel obtained from cutting or shaping the base mat or coated panels.
US08182650B2	Modified Kraft fibers A method of producing a modified pulp comprising treating wood chips in an extraction process to remove hemicellose to form treated wood chips; and subjecting said treated wood chips to chemical or semichemical pulping to form a modified Kraft pulp wherein the amount of hemicellulose contained in the modified Kraft pulp is from about 5 to about 10% by dry weight of the modified pulp.
US08182648B2	Binders and materials made therewith Binders to produce or promote cohesion in non or loosely assembled matter.
US08182628B2	Composite barrel sections for aircraft fuselages and other structures, and methods for systems for manufacturing such barrel sections Composite sections for aircraft fuselages and methods and systems for manufacturing such sections are disclosed herein. A composite section configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a skin and at least first and second stiffeners. The skin can include a plurality of unidirectional fibers forming a continuous surface extending 360 degrees about an axis. The first stiffener can include a first flange portion bonded to an interior surface of the skin and a first raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin. The second stiffener can include a second flange portion bonded to the interior surface of the skin and a second raised portion projecting inwardly and away from the interior surface of the skin. A method for manufacturing a section of a fuselage in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes positioning a plurality of uncured stiffeners on a mandrel assembly. The method can further include applying a plurality of fiber tows around the plurality of uncured stiffeners on the mandrel assembly.
US08182627B2	Method for high-speed continuous application of a strip material to a substrate along an application path on the substrate Disclosed are examples of a method for applying a flexible longitudinal strip material, having longitudinal side edges and a width therebetween, along an application path on a substrate, comprising the steps of: continuously drawing the strip material longitudinally from a continuous supply; continuously urging the strip material into a concave shape across its width; and continuously bringing the strip material into contact with the substrate along the application path.
US08182626B2	Tire composition with improved vulcanizing agent A tire composition with a Shore A hardness, according to DIN 53 505 and ASTM D2240, of not less than 40 and not greater than 95 and a glass-transition temperature Tg (E″max), according to DIN 53 513 with a specified temperature sweep of −80° C. to +80° C. and a specified compression of 10+0.2% at 10 Hz, not less than −80° C. and not greater than 0° C., with improved abrasion performance, in particular for pneumatic tires, has the following composition: at least one vulcanizable diene rubber selected from natural rubbers, synthetic polyisoprene rubbers, polyisobutylene rubbers, polybutadiene rubbers (BR), and random styrene-butadiene rubbers; from 35 to 300 phr of at least one active filler selected from carbon blacks, silicas, silicon based fillers, and metal oxides, of which at least 10 phr must be carbon blacks, silicas, or some combination thereof; from 0 to 250 phr of other or further additives; from 0.1·10−3 to 42·10−3 mhr (mol per hundred parts of rubber) of a vulcanizing agent which crosslinks with a functionality>4; and from 0.1 to 10 phr of at least one vulcanization accelerator.
US08182625B2	Method of manufacturing a sandwich panel and a sandwich panel as such The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a sandwich panel (10). Such a sandwich panel consists of a foamed core layer (12) and at least one thermoplastic cover layer (14). The sandwich panel is made by in situ foaming. In a first assembling step a core web, comprising at least one sheet of a thermoplastic material (12) containing an amount of a suitable physical blowing agent is positioned between two cover layers (14). The assembly of core web and cover layers is arranged between two press plates. Due to heat and pressure applied in a subsequent foaming step, foaming of the core web and effective bonding thereof to the cover layers is achieved. Subsequently the foamed assembly is allowed to cool down. Remaining physical blowing agent is removed during a subsequent drying step at elevated temperature while the outflow of physical blowing agent via the peripheral edges of the panel (10) is restricted, e.g. by taping (24) or clamping by clamps (16, 20).
US08182622B1	No-perchlorate flare composition The invention provides for a perchlorate-free pyrotechnic composition. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pyrotechnic composition includes from approximately sixty-seven percent (67%) to approximately seventy-eight percent (78%) of strontium nitrate [Sr(NO3)2], from approximately two percent (2%) to approximately eleven percent (11%) of potassium nitrate [KNO3], from approximately six percent (6%) to approximately fifteen percent (15%) of sulfur [S], from approximately one percent (1%) to approximately ten percent (10%) of polyvinyl chloride, from approximately one percent (1.0%) to approximately four percent (4%) of paraffin oil, and from approximately zero percent (0%) to approximately two percent (2%) of sawdust mixture.
US08182619B2	R-F e-B rare-earth sintered magnet and process for producing the same First, an R—Fe—B based rare-earth sintered magnet body including, as a main phase, crystal grains of an R2Fe14B type compound that includes a light rare-earth element RL, which is at least one of Nd and Pr, as a major rare-earth element R is provided. Next, an M layer, including a metallic element M that is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, In, Sn, Pb, Bi, Zn and Ag, is deposited on the surface of the sintered magnet body and then an RH layer, including a heavy rare-earth element RH that is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Dy, Ho and Tb, is deposited on the M layer. Thereafter, the sintered magnet body is heated, thereby diffusing the metallic element M and the heavy rare-earth element RH from the surface of the magnet body deeper inside the magnet.
US08182617B2	Nitrogen alloyed stainless steel and process The present invention comprises the nitrogen alloying of stainless steel with a gaseous nitrogen compound such as nitrogen gas (N2), or ammonia (NH3) at high temperature wherein the reaction pressure is lowered. A base powder with properties similar to those of a martensitic stainless steel is prepared from a molten metal with the subsequent incorporation of selective additives such as cobalt, chromium, boron, copper, vanadium, niobium and mixtures thereof to improve high temperature resistance to scuffing and adhesive wear. The molten mixture is then atomized by water- or air-atomization to yield a base powder which is mixed with nitrogen or ammonia gas at various pressures in a static or fluidized bed to provide a nitrogen alloyed particulate, i.e., a nitrided particulate alloy. The powder is heated in a hot isostatic press under vacuum with argon gas at reduced pressure and later cooled to ambient temperature.
US08182609B1	Apparatus and method for direct surface cleaning The present invention provides a method for cleaning a surface of a substrate that includes directing a laser towards at least one radiation-produced particle disposed on a substrate, generating a thermal increase in the particle and removing the particle from the substrate by thermal decomposition. The laser has a wavelength that substantially coincides with a high absorption coefficient of the particle.
US08182601B2	Powder formed from mineral or rock material with controlled particle size distribution for thermal films An ultra-fine powder formed from a naturally occurring mineral or rock material and having a controlled or “engineered” particle size distribution (PSD) to match the infrared spectra with a maximum particle size in the range of 14-17 microns measured as either D99, or preferably D95, and a minimum particle size D5 in the range of 4-7 microns. Preferably the maximum particle size is about 15 microns, the minimum particle size is about 5 microns and the D50 particle size is about 8-10 microns with the moisture content of the particle size “engineered” powder being less than about 0.20 percent by weight and preferably about 0.05 to 0.08 percent by weight of the powder. This specially “engineered” ultra-fine powder is used to reduce the thermicity of thermal film to a value less than about 20%.
US08182598B2	Violet colorant for colour filters, inks for ink-jet electrophotographic toners and developers and e-inks The invention relates to the use of a pigment preparation comprising a) a dioxazine compound of the formula (I) as base pigment and b) a dioxazine compound of the formula (II) as pigment dispersant Q-[Y—X]M (II) in which Q is an m-valent radical of the base pigment of the formula (I), Y is a bridging moiety, X is in particular a heterocycle, and m indicates a numerical value between 1 and 4 as a colorant in color filters, ink-jet inks, electrophotographic toners and developers, and electronic inks.
US08182592B2	Shell feed type gas separation membrane module A gas separation membrane module has a vessel housing a hollow fiber element including a hollow fiber bundle consisting of a number of hollow fiber membranes (1) and a tube sheet (2) holding one end of the hollow fiber bundle. The interior of the vessel is partitioned by the tube sheet (2) into two spaces consisting of a raw gas chamber and a permeate gas chamber. A high-pressure mixed gas is fed into the raw gas chamber where gas separation is carried out. The gas separation membrane module has a configuration where during operation, the tube sheet (2) is supported by means of a perforated plate (8) in the vessel by a pressure from the mixed gas fed to maintain airtightness between the two spaces and when the tube sheet (2) receives a pressure in the reverse direction to that applied during the operation of the gas separation membrane module, the tube sheet (2) is forced to move within the vessel by the pressure in the reverse direction, thereby losing airtightness between the two spaces.
US08182587B2	Filtration system for gas turbines A system for use with an inlet of a gas turbine through which an airflow toward the gas turbine proceeds is provided and includes a first self-cleaning stage to remove dust, snow and ice from the airflow, a second water tight stage, disposed downstream from the first stage, to prevent aerosol droplets and aqueous solutions of deliquesced particulates, which include at least portions of the dust not removed by the first stage and which are re-released into the airflow from the first stage, from proceeding along the airflow and to remove solid particulates not removed by the first stage from the airflow, and a third water removal stage, disposed downstream from the second stage, to remove from the airflow aerosol droplets leaking from the second stage.
US08182585B2	System and method of controlling dust and/or odors with a blower unit and a deployable baffle member A system and method for controlling dust and/or odors comprises a blower unit and baffle member deployed downstream of the blower unit. The blower unit comprises a fan propelled mister with a discharge tube and a fan disposed in the discharge tube adapted for drawing air into the discharge tube and creating a high velocity air flow exiting therefrom. The discharge tube has a plurality of nozzles and a fluid source is placed in communication with the nozzles such that the nozzles discharge fluid particles that are entrained in a high velocity air flow exiting from the discharge tube distal end. A baffle member is deployed downstream of the blower unit at an elevation above the blower unit so as to alter a flow path of ambient air flowing through a discharge path of the blower unit.
US08182582B2	Gas storage medium, gas storage apparatus and method thereof Provided are gas storage medium, a gas storage apparatus having the same and a method thereof. The gas storage medium includes a plurality of material layers each having a variable valence, wherein each of the material layers includes redundant electrons that are not participated in chemical bonding.
US08182580B2	Filter structure for filtering a particle-containing gas, method of its manufacture and use of porous paper The invention relates to a novel gas filter structure, a filtering method and a method of producing the filter structure. The structure according to the invention includes a planar, porous isolation material layer (12) having two opposing surfaces. According to the invention both surfaces of the isolation material layer (12) include comprise a porous conductive layer (14, 16) including a porous filtering matrix treated with a conductive material. The conductive material consists of a material different from the support matrix. By use of the conductive layers it is possible to create in the isolation material an electric field that considerably improves the filtering efficiency of the isolation material, especially for small particles.
US08182577B2	Multi-stage CO2 removal system and method for processing a flue gas stream An ammonia based CO2 capture system and method is provided in which multiple absorption stages are provided. Each absorption stage delivers an ionic solution at a predetermined temperature and contacts it with a flue gas stream.
US08182576B2	Apparatus and method for biogas purification The present invention is a biogas processing system having a compressor having a biogas input and output, a pump having a water input and output, a scrubber tower having a mixing chamber connected to a biogas input, a water pump input, a water output, and a processed biogas output, and a filtration member connected to the water output to remove contaminants from the water exiting the first scrubber tower. The system also includes devices for heating and cooling the recycled flow of water to enhance the ability of the water to absorb contaminants from the biogas and the ability of a stripper to remove absorbed contaminants from the water in a closed loop water system, and a controller for closely controlling the operating parameters of the system to achieve safe and optimal operation of the system.
US08182574B2	Metal fine particles, composition containing the same, and production method for producing metal fine particles The present invention provides metal fine particles which have selective wavelength absorption characteristics in a wavelength region from visible light to near infrared light, and have sharp absorption characteristics, and influences little the surrounding wavelength, and therefore, they yield tones having high chroma. The present invention provides metal fine particles wherein an aspect ratio is in a range from 1.1 to 8.0, a maximum absorption wavelength in plasmon absorption is in a range from 400 nm to 1,200 nm, and an absorption coefficient at a peak position of the maximum absorption wavelength is in a range from 6,000 to 20,000 L/mol·cm (measurement concentration: 1.6×10−4 mol/L, and solvent: water).
US08182573B2	Methods and devices for flame spray pyrolysis The present invention relates the manufacture of metal powders, non-oxidic ceramic powders and reduced metal oxide powders using an improved flame spray pyrolysis (“FSP”) process. The invention further relates to an apparatus specifically adapted to said process, to powders/naoncomposites obtained by said process and to the use of said powders/nanocompsites.
US08182571B2	Frame for receiving a filter element and method for providing A frame for receiving a filter element includes: a pair of first members and a pair of second members. The first members may be arranged alternately with the second members in the assembled orientation to establish a plurality of joining structures between adjoining members. Each respective joining structure of the plurality of joining structures maintains the adjoining members oriented substantially about a respective axis. The first members and the second members cooperate to define a volume for effecting the receiving.
US08182570B2	Compact air filter element In a compact air filter element (10) having a filter body (11) consisting of a coiled filter medium, through which filter body flow can pass through axially through its end sides (11.1), and which filter body (11) has at least one ring sealing element (15) extending along the periphery of the filter body (11), the filter body (11) is inserted into a hood element (12) and tightly seals to this. The hood element (12) covers one of the end sides (11.1) and grasps the outer periphery of the filter body (11) over the whole of the periphery in a grasping area close to the end side, wherein the grasping area of the hood element (12) ends in an outer edge having a ring edge surface (14.1) on or at which at least one ring sealing element (15) for placing against a sealing flange (22) of a housing pot element (20) is arranged. The reverse arrangement having the ring seal assigned to the housing pot element which presses on the hood element is also possible.
US08182565B2	Compressor incorporated with oil separator A compressor incorporated with an oil separator having a separation chamber and communication holes. The separation chamber is placed adjacent to a discharge chamber, has a space formed in the entire inside of the separation chamber, separates oil-containing gas, which is introduced into the separation chamber, into gas and oil by centrifugal separation, allows the separated oil to drop downward, and upwardly extracts the separated gas. The communication holes interconnect the discharge chamber and the separation chamber and introduce the oil-containing gas, coming from the discharge chamber, into the separation chamber. The communication holes are arranged in the separation chamber, in a direction extending from a gas release side to an oil drop side. The structure of an oil separation section is simplified to improve productivity and reduce cost, and a high degree of design freedom of the position of a discharge port is obtained.
US08182564B2	Multi-layer particle collector assembly A multi-layer bag assembly is used with a housing for collecting particles from air flowing through the multi-layer bag assembly. Multi-layer bag assembly includes at least two bags arranged one inside the other. Each of the bags includes an air permeable filtering material for collecting particles carried by air flowing through the material. The air permeable filtering material being may be the same or different for the at least two bags. The multi-layer bag assembly includes structure for holding the at least two bags in a wide open position. The structure may be a cooperating bag structure incorporated in the at least two bags for cooperating with the housing for selectively holding the respective bags in their respective open conditions. The structure may also be a removable collar attached to at the open portion of the at least two bags, where the removable collar is part of an integral collar of the multi-layer bag assembly. The removable collar of the innermost bag is separable from the remaining portion of the integral collar for enabling the withdrawal of the innermost bag of the at least two bags.
US08182563B2	Separating apparatus The present invention relates to a separating apparatus for separating particles from a fluid flow. Particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having such a separating apparatus for removing dust particles from a dust laden airstream. The separating apparatus includes a first cyclonic cleaning stage, a second cyclonic cleaning stage arranged downstream from the first cyclonic cleaning stage, and an elongate filter arranged downstream from the second cyclonic cleaning stage, wherein the filter is at least partially surrounded by the first cyclonic cleaning stage.
US08182561B2	Process to provide a particulate solid material to a pressurised reactor The invention is directed to a process to provide a particulate solid carbonaceous material to a pressurized gasification reactor comprising following steps, (a) transporting the solid material from a first lower pressure zone to a higher pressure zone using a bulk materials pump comprising a housing having a flow path for the solid material between an inlet fluidly connected to the first lower pressure zone and an outlet fluidly connected to the higher pressure zone, wherein said flow path in said housing is further defined by a space between two rotatable drive disks spaced from each other and wherein a materials scraper is present between said drive disks at the outlet to route a cake of solid material that is being transported between said drive disks to a transport conduit, which transport conduit fluidly connects the outlet of said housing and a burner as present in the gasification reactor, and (b) injecting a gaseous stream into the cake of solid material where the cake of solid material is discharged from the housing and enters the transport conduit, and (c) transporting the solid material and the gaseous stream in a transport conduit to the burner.
US08182560B2	Method for gasifying hydrocarbon materials for the production of hydrogen A process for gasifying hydrocarbon-containing materials and separating the resultant stream into hydrogen gas and other useful products.
US08182559B2	Fuel reformer housing container and fuel reforming apparatus There are provided a fuel reformer housing container and a fuel reforming apparatus, which are capable of maintaining a level of vacuum inside the fuel reformer housing container favorably and which have less power generation loss. A fuel reformer housing container includes a base having a concave portion for housing a fuel reformer in which reformed gas containing hydrogen gas is generated from fuel, a discharge pipe for communicating inside of the concave portion with outside thereof to discharge the reformed gas from the fuel reformer, a supply pipe for communicating inside of the concave portion with outside thereof to supply the fuel to the fuel reformer, and a gas adsorbent housed in the concave portion, for adsorbing gas in the concave portion.
US08182551B1	Systems, devices, and/or methods for washing and drying a product Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, and/or device adapted for washing and drying a product via a continuous forward flow of product and a reverse flow of aqueous content. Certain exemplary embodiments can provide an auger, a rotating paddle wheel, a perforated spiral drum, a perforated cylindrical drum, and/or a hydraulic ram press.
US08182549B2	Terminal theft protection process, and corresponding system, terminal and computer program A process is provided for protection against theft of electronic payment terminals utilized in a group including at least two electronic payment terminals organized as a network. The process includes the following steps: mutual detection of the presence of each of the terminals of the group; and transmission of absence information if at least one of the terminals is not detected.
US08182546B2	Attachment strap for trans-tibial prosthetics A secure anchoring strap over a prosthetic socket for securing a sleeve. The anchoring strap generally comprises a first strap attached at one end to one side of a closed loop buckle. The first strap laden with hook-attachments comprises a woven inner outer material fabric or loop material. A second strap Is attached at one end to another side of the closed loop buckle, the second strap comprising a laden with hook-attachments and a woven Inner outer material fabric or loop material. A user simply wraps the attachment strap around a margin of their sleeve overlying their prosthetic socket, and passes the free end of the first strap back through the closed loop buckle. They pull the opposing free ends of the straps taught, and secure the inner hook-material of the respective straps to the opposing woven fabric beneath, thereby securing the strap tightly in a flush configuration.
US08182541B2	Extended articulation orthopaedic implant A prosthesis (20) for use in performing joint arthroplasty is provided. The prosthesis (20) is to be fitted to a long bone (3). The prosthesis includes a first body (22) having a first body articulating surface (24) defining a generally circular outer periphery (26) of the first body articulating surface (24). The first body (22) has a support surface (28) opposed to the articulating surface (24). The support surface (28) is adapted to receive the head of the long bone (3). The prosthesis (20) also includes a second body (30) operably associated with the first body (22). The second body (30) has a second body articulating surface (32) extending from a portion of the circular outer periphery (26) of the first body articulating surface (24).
US08182528B2	Locking heart valve anchor Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve, including: a replacement valve adapted to be delivered endovascularly to a vicinity of the heart valve; an expandable anchor adapted to be delivered endovascularly to the vicinity of the heart valve; and a lock mechanism configured to maintain a minimum amount of anchor expansion. The invention also includes a method for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve. In some embodiments the method includes the steps of: endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve; expanding the anchor to a deployed configuration; and locking the anchor in the deployed configuration.
US08182525B2	Methods and systems for endovascular aneurysm treatment Aneurysms are treated by filling a double-walled filling structure with a curable medium. The structures may be delivered over balloon deployment mechanisms in order to shape and open tubular lumens therethrough. The filling structures are preferably used in pairs for providing flow into the iliac arteries when treating abdominal aortic aneurysm.
US08182521B2	Methods and apparatus for increasing blood circulation A method and apparatus for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), lower extremity edema, and other associated medical conditions by adjusting the temperature of the muscles of a foot or a leg, and/or applying vacuum or negative pressure to increase blood flow. A human extremity such as a leg is exposed to a negative pressure environment and/or a thermally controlled environment within a medical device. In one aspect, the device is portable. A thermal exchange unit and, optionally, a vacuum or negative pressure unit, are provided to increase blood flow and vasodilation. The device can be programmed by a controller in a manner to stimulate the muscles of the extremity to reduce pooling of blood therein.
US08182512B2	Facet joint prosthetic replacement and method The present disclosure provides prosthesis, methods, and kits for replacing a facet joint, in particular prosthesis, methods, and kits for replacing a spinal motion segment comprising a facet joint. The prosthesis includes a first and second member that interlock to form a sliding joint.
US08182511B2	Craniospinal fusion method and apparatus A spinal stabilization system that may be used to fix craniocervical junction. The system includes a cranial spinal attachment system that anchors one or more surgical instruments to a cranial surface using at least one cranial clamp and cranial fastener. The cranial spinal attachment system may be positioned along a perimeter of a cranial defect.
US08182508B2	Embolic protection device An embolic protection device including a core wire and a basket is disclosed. The basket includes struts and a filter portion formed from a cannula. The struts extend from a first end of the basket to the second end of the basket. The filter portion extends from the struts and is formed unitarily therewith. The filter portion extends between a middle portion of the basket and the second end of the basket and includes openings in the cannula configured to allow the passage of blood cells therethrough.
US08182507B2	Vascular protection devices and methods of use An embolic protection device or system for use in a lumen of a vessel in a patient's vascular system. The device filters debris and blood clots in a body lumen and/or prevents them from moving distally from a treatment site in a vessel and causing emboli. The device may include a filter placed distally of the treatment site. The device may include an occlusive element placed either distally or proximally of the treatment site.
US08182504B2	Nasal dilator and uses thereof A mechanical nasal dilator includes a frame provided with support plates (6,6′) at its ends, the frame including a central extranasal portion (1) and two intranasal portions (2,2′), wherein the extranasal portion (2) of the frame is globally U-shaped, whereof the central portion is elastic and spaces apart the nose wings by spring effect, the end of each of the branches of the U being itself U-shaped whereof one branch forms one part of the extranasal portion of the frame and the other branch, located between the branches of the extranasal portion of the frame, forms the intranasal portions (2,2′).
US08182502B2	Folded ultrasonic end effectors with increased active length An end effector for use with an ultrasonic surgical instrument. A body extends along a longitudinal axis. The body includes a proximal end and a distal end. The body comprises an outer surface that defines an inner portion. The proximal end of the body is configured to couple to an ultrasonic transducer configured to produce vibrations at a predetermined frequency and a predetermined amplitude. A folded element includes a first end coupled to the distal end of the body and extending proximally along the longitudinal axis from the distal end of the body toward the proximal end of the body. The folded element comprises a second free acoustic end. The folded element and the outer surface of the body define a single substantially parallel acoustic path. A clamp arm is operatively coupled to the body.
US08182501B2	Ultrasonic surgical shears and method for sealing a blood vessel using same An ultrasonic surgical shears includes an ultrasonic surgical blade, a clamping arm operable to open and close toward the blade, and a tissue pad attached to the clamping arm. A method for sealing a blood vessel of a patient includes obtaining an ultrasonic surgical shears and positioning the blood vessel between the blade and the tissue pad. The clamping arm is operated to exert an average coaptation pressure on the blood vessel between and including 60 psi and 210 psi. The blade is ultrasonically vibrated to transect and seal the blood vessel.
US08182499B2	Device for repeated semi-invasive abrasion of lesions on the walls of hollow organs A device is for repeated semi-invasive abrasion of lesions on the walls of hollow organs, in particular blood vessels or the gastrointestinal tract of a patient. The device includes an outer stent which, fixed in position at the site of the lesions, can be clamped against the wall of the hollow organ and has recesses through which the lesions can inwardly protrude. The device further includes a cutting body which is guided within the outer stent and only negligibly narrows the internal bore of the outer stent, which cutting body has cutting edges sliding on the inner side of the outer stent and is coupled magnetically to an external magnet system via which it can turn about the stent axis and/or can move longitudinally along the stent axis.
US08182498B2	Mechanical anastomosis system for hollow structures A system for making anastomoses between hollow structures by mechanical means is provided with a device in the shape of an annular or tubular element comprising circumferentially provided means, such as pin-shaped elements, for joining the abutting walls of the hollow structures together. An applicator is intended for moving said annular or tubular element in position and activating the joining means thereof, so as to make the anastomosis. Possibly, intraluminal joining means can be inserted without using an annular or tubular element.
US08182495B2	Suture tensioner with gauge A tensioner for a tightening a surgical knot has a squeeze handle and a pair of jaw arms that pivot from a common point behind the handle. The jaw arms have a jaw clamp at the distal tip to clamp onto the suture material, and a release handle at the proximal or butt end. A spreader or distractor mechanism may be a pantographic arrangement of struts joined to anchor points on the jaw arms. This converts axial motion of an actuator rod into a lateral distractive force. A tension gauge in the handle indicates the amount of tension being applied to the suture material.
US08182492B2	Medical instrument, especially uterus manipulator A medical instrument, especially a uterus manipulator, comprises a shaft, an actuator movable relative to said shaft in order to move a tool and a locking device to lock the actuator relative to the shaft. It is now proposed that the locking device comprises a clamping element which is slidably arranged therein.
US08182488B2	Apparatus and method for implementing patella resection guide during minimally invasive surgery An improved patella resection guide and a method for applying the patella resection guide during the performance of knee arthroplasty. The patella resection guide includes a plurality of gripping handles having a corresponding plurality of pivotally interconnected crossover members at distal ends of said gripping handles, an opening in each pivotally interconnecting crossover member wherein one crossover member is position inside another crossover member, a stem having a proximal end connected to each gripping handle and each pivotally interconnected crossover member wherein the members are intertwined at a crossing point and are adjoined by fastening means to said stem, and further having a distal end comprised of a female receptor, a clamp having a top flange and side flange, and adjustable locking means for fixing a distance between the teeth of the top flange.
US08182486B2	Guided reamer system for reshaping bone A reamer system is provided which includes a cannulated reamer handle, and a corresponding cannulated reamer, which, when assembled and operated over a drill pin secured in a manner axially aligned with the stem of the femoral joint, enables the accurate and controlled reshaping of the femoral joint. The reamer is made up of a cutting form and a central guide, in which the guide is supported at the center of the cutting form by a bar structure. The bar structure includes portions which connect to and extend radially between the central guide and a peripheral edge of the cutting form. Optionally, the central guide includes a surface offset from a plane of the bar structure to a degree which enables that surface to contact an associated surface referenced to the bone, in order to prevent the cutting form from plunging so far over the bone as to potentially damage the femoral stem. This offset surface is preferably polished to reduce friction during relative rotational movement between this surface and the surface referenced to the bone. The offset surface is an axially perpendicular surface of a boss through which the drill pin is guided.
US08182485B1	Fracture fixation system A bone fracture fixation system configured towards the treatment of a variety of different human bone fractures. The fracture fixation system including a plate portion configured to abut bone structure and having a plurality of threaded apertures designed to matingly receive a plurality of screws therein. The bone fracture fixation system will also include at least one scaffold building screw configured to extend through the plate portion and into the bone structure. The scaffold building screw will be configured to include any of a number of different configurations of bracing pegs and/or bracing screws therein to provide substantial structural integrity to the system.
US08182472B2	Intrastromal refractive correction systems and methods Devices, systems, and methods for laser eye surgery selectively ablate tissues within the cornea of an eye along one or more target surfaces, so that corneal tissue bordered by the laser incision surface(s) can be mechanically removed. An appropriate tissue-shaping surface can be selected based on the regular refractive error of the eye, and a shape of the target laser surface(s) can be calculated so as to correct irregular refractive errors of the eye, impose desired additional sphero-cylindrical and/or irregular alterations.
US08182467B2	Deflectable variable radius catheters The invention provides a deflectable catheter capable of forming many variable radius spiral forms from a single, flexible, distal end section. In one aspect, the catheter employs a variable radius control wire to extend or deform a pre-formed loop structure into a three dimensional spiral-like form or geometry. The ability of a single catheter to create a multitude of shapes and sizes allows users to access to a number of anatomical areas without changing the catheter during a procedure or treatment. In another aspect, the invention encompasses methods of producing deflectable variable radius catheters, where two or more regions of the catheter having common control wires are fused or formed onto one another.
US08182458B2	Fastener with adhesive blocker An absorbent article including a front waist region having an inner surface, and outer surface, a first lateral end portion and a second lateral end portion, a back waist region having an inner surface, and outer surface, a first lateral end portion and a second lateral end portion, a crotch portion longitudinally connecting the front and back waist regions, and at least one fastener disposed at each of the first and second lateral end portions of the back waist region or the front waist region. The at least one fastener includes a backing layer having a first end portion permanently attached to the back waist region or the front waist region and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, an adhesive layer disposed over at least a portion of the backing layer, a fastening material layer disposed over the adhesive layer at the second end portion of the backing layer, and an outer surface that is free of adhesive to form an adhesive-free region, wherein a fold is formed in the adhesive-free region.
US08182457B2	Garment having an apparent elastic band A disposable garment includes a chassis defining one or more openings for the legs, arms, waist or the like on a wearer. An apparent elastic band is located in the vicinity of at least one of the openings. The apparent elastic band looks and functions like an elastic band, but is not an elastic band, and is less expensive to implement than an elastic band.
US08182455B2	Method of using intravaginal device with fluid transport plates A method of capturing bodily fluid in a mammalian body includes inserting the fluid management device into the mammalian body and transporting bodily fluid. The bodily fluid is transferred via at least one fluid transport element that is capable of interfacing with a mammalian body element to provide a substantially uninterrupted fluid conduit. The fluid conduit provides a fluid path between at least one fluid transport element and the storage element. A distal portion of the at least one fluid transport element is capable of extending away from the fluid storage element.
US08182451B2	Blood collection device A safety needle assembly has a needle hub and a needle cannula projecting from the hub. Wings project transversely from the hub to facilitate manipulation and positioning of the needle assembly. A shield is hingedly attached to the needle hub and can be rotated from a first position where the needle cannula is exposed to a second position where the needle cannula is shielded. At least one latch may be disposed on the shield for secure locked engagement with the hub, the wings and/or the tubing extending from the hub. A spring may also be provided for propelling the shield into the second position.
US08182446B2	Balloon catheter for delivering a therapeutic agent Catheter balloon assemblies (10) for delivering a therapeutic agent to a body vessel are provided, as well as related methods of manufacturing and methods of treatment. The catheter balloon assemblies may include a concentrically disposed dual balloon assembly at the distal portion of the catheter having an inner balloon (44), a porous outer balloon (42) concentrically arrayed around the inner balloon and a catheter shaft (30) adapted to deliver a therapeutic agent to the body vessel through the apertures in the outer balloon. Radial outward expansion of the inner balloon may urge the outer balloon into contact with the wall of a body vessel, where the therapeutic agent may be delivered from the catheter shaft through apertures in the outer balloon directly to the wall of the body vessel. Preferably, the catheter balloon assemblies include a stiffening′ member (210) within the proximal portion and/or a plurality of lumens lined with a fluorinated hydrocarbon to independently inflate the inner balloon, deliver the therapeutic agent through the outer balloon and house a wire guide (50). The catheter balloon assemblies may provide improved tractability and/or pushability characteristics.
US08182445B2	Method and system for controlled infusion of therapeutic substances Programmable infusion systems and method for controlled infusion of diagnostic or therapeutic substances (e.g., drugs, biologics, fluids, cell preparations, etc.) into the bodies of human or animal subjects.
US08182442B2	Pyloric valve devices and methods A pyloric valve is provided for inhibiting the flow of chyme through the pyloric region of the gastrointestinal tract. The pyloric valve includes a blocking portion having a plurality of disc-shaped flanges connected in series. The blocking portion may be disposed in a contracted position wherein the plurality of disc-shaped flanges is disposed in a stacked configuration and a resting position wherein the plurality of disc-shaped flanges is disposed in a linear configuration. The pyloric valve may further include a sleeve that may have a beveled distal end. The pyloric valve may be constructed of silicon. Also provided are methods of inserting and removing the pyloric valve, which each include a step of manipulating the support between its resting and contracted positions. Insertion and removal systems are also provided for use with the pyloric valve.
US08182440B2	Dialysis machine having combination display and handle The present invention provides a dialysis machine that is readily moved by a patient, nurse or other operator. A display is provided on the front of the machine, which displays and controls various dialysis functions. The display is robust, mounted directly to the body and includes an open area that can be grasped by a person to move the entire machine. The combination display/handle enables the person to move the machine from the front of same and from odd angles with respect to the machine.
US08182439B2	Individual body support system A body support system having a frame with a vertical section that couples with a shoulder section and a hip section that are flexible and configured to fit over the shoulders and around a user's hips. The hip elements are coupled to the vertical section and allow limited pelvic rotation around vertical axis orthogonal to the vertical section. The hip elements are configured to use a latching hip strap to couple hip padding to the hip elements. The vertical section may have spinal padding for the thoracic portion of the spine. The shoulder section has shoulder elements are curved and coupled to form a yoke that fits over the shoulders. The yoke may couple to lifting straps. The vertical section may be curved to conform to the shape of a user's back.
US08182431B2	System and method for calibrating and determining hearing status Method and System for characterizing an incident pressure wave in a hearing test. The method includes introducing a sound signal of a predetermined frequency and amplitude into an ear canal, measuring at least a sound pressure level (Pm) in the ear canal, processing information associated with the sound pressure level, obtaining at least an acoustic reflectance (R) based on information associated with the sound pressure level, and determining an incident wave pressure parameter (P+) in the ear canal according to the following formula: P + = P m 1 + R .
US08182430B2	Thermocromatic patch for monitoring/detecting body temperature A thermocromatic device for detecting body temperature includes a substrate treated with a thermocromatic composition. The thermocromatic composition includes a thermocromatic agent that changes color at a predetermined temperature indicative of a condition to be detected.
US08182428B2	Dual frequency band ultrasound transducer arrays An acoustic probe transmits/receives acoustic pulses with frequencies both in a high frequency (HF), and a selectable amount of lower frequency (LF1, LF2, . . . , LFn, . . . ) bands. The radiation surfaces of at least two of the multiple frequency bands have a common region. The arrays and elements can be of a general type such as annular arrays, phased or switched arrays, linear arrays with division in both azimuth and elevation direction, like a 1.5D, a 1.75D and a full 2D array, or curved arrays. The element division, array type, and array aperture sizes for the different bands can also be different.
US08182426B2	Docking station and ultrasonic diagnostic system An ultrasonic diagnostic system has a tablet type electronic device for ultrasonic diagnosis and a docking station for mounting thereto the electronic device removably. The docking station includes a receptacle section against which one side of the electronic device comes into abutment when mounting the electronic device, and a hold-down section for holding down the electronic device releasably on the side opposite to the one side when mounting the electronic device.
US08182425B2	Method for measuring skin hydration The methods of this invention relate to means for measuring skin hydration. The methods of this invention utilize at least two wavelengths filtered by at least two polarizers to create digital images of skin treated with personal care products. The methods are useful for demonstrating the efficacy of skin care products intended to increase skin hydration and/or protect the skin from dehydration, even when such dehydration is not apparent to the naked eye.
US08182419B2	Endoscope with suctioning means An endoscope comprises: an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity; an operation portion continuously provided from a proximal end side of the insertion portion; and a suction section that performs suction from an distal end of the insertion portion, wherein the suction section comprises: a cylinder in which a gas is compressed and filled; a nozzle unit that generates a negative pressure inside the nozzle unit by jetting out the gas in the cylinder; and a liquid receiver tank communicated with the distal end of the insertion portion, the negative pressure inside the nozzle unit being transmitted to the liquid receiver tank.
US08182417B2	Articulating mechanism components and system for easy assembly and disassembly A component-based system for assembling articulating mechanisms that generally includes a variety of link, joint, central and spacer components together with connecting cables of varying lengths.
US08182414B2	Endoscope system having retaining instrument An endoscope system having a first image pickup device including at least one image pickup unit that is capable of picking up an image of an object, a second image pickup device including at least one image pickup unit, the second image pickup device being different from the first image pickup device, a retaining member being provided for retaining the second image pickup device in a body cavity, and including a camera cable that is connected to the second image pickup device and transmits an image pickup signal obtained by the second image pickup device, and a wire connected to the second image pickup device, a signal processing device that is provided outside the body cavity and processes image pickup signals obtained by the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device, and a display device that displays an image signal outputted from the signal processing device.
US08182410B2	Peripheral radiotherapy of protruding conformable organs A system for and method of applying non-invasive brachytherapy to a targeted volume within a protruding organ of a patient, employs an applicator constructed so as to be positioned relative to the organ so that an enhanced dose of divergent radiation is deliverable from at least two locations at or very near the periphery of the organ transcutaneously to the targeted volume of the protruding organ from at least two directions so that a higher dose is delivered to the targeted volume than to tissue surrounding the targeted volume. The treatment planning, and image guidance techniques are also described.
US08182409B2	Centrifuge comprising magnetically coupled rotating basket Embodiments of a centrifuge comprise a housing, a rotatable shaft extending upwardly into the housing and comprising a rare earth metal magnet disposed adjacent an upper surface of the rotatable shaft and a centrifuge basket configured to rotate with the rotatable shaft and magnetically coupled to the rare earth metal magnet of the rotatable shaft.
US08182408B2	Centrifugal separator with external bearings A centrifugal separator includes a rotating centrifuge rotor having a casing which defines an inner separation space. A set of separation discs is provided in the inner separation space. The centrifugal separator includes a torque transmitting part connected to the centrifuge rotor. A drive motor drives the torque transmitting part for rotation of the centrifuge rotor. The drive motor has a first axial end turned towards the centrifuge rotor and a second axial end turned away from the centrifuge rotor. The centrifugal separator includes a stationary frame and a first bearing and a second bearing, which are connected to the frame. The torque transmitting part is rotatably journalled in the first bearing and the second bearing. The first bearing is provided between the drive motor and the centrifuge rotor. The second bearing is provided outside the second axial end of the drive motor.
US08182406B2	Carton feeding and forming machine with selectively actuated lugs and related methods A machine for intended use in feeding and completing a partially formed carton is disclosed. In one embodiment, the machine includes an overhead conveyor with selectively actuated, depending lugs that engage and convey the carton in a first direction while a first flap on a lid is folded and sealed. A takeaway conveyor includes selectively actuated, upstanding lugs that convey the carton in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction while second and third flaps are folded and sealed. The lugs on each conveyor may be closely spaced or overlapping to allow for selective actuation at a desired instant without the need for timing the corresponding chain or the carton feed to the machine. A diverter located at a transition between the forward and return runs of the overhead and takeaway conveyors actuates the lugs in a controlled fashion. Related methods of feeding and forming cartons are also disclosed.
US08182405B2	Developing roller, developing roller production method, process cartridge, and electrophotographic apparatus A developing roller is provided which supplies a toner to a photosensitive member to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member. The developing roller has a surface layer which includes carbon black and a polyurethane resin. The polyurethane resin has a specific structure. The surface layer has a specific ester group concentration and a specific urethane group concentration.
US08182403B2	Pressurized-training apparatus and control method for the same To improve the effect and the safety of Kaatsu training.A training system includes a tight fitting device which is intended to be placed around a compressed range of an arm or a leg and which has a pneumatic bag, and a training device adapted to control the compression pressure that is applied to a compressed range by the tight fitting device by means of supplying air to the pneumatic bag of the tight fitting device or removing the air from the pneumatic bag. The training device supplies the air to the pneumatic bag and removes the air from the pneumatic bag in such a manner that the compression pressure that is applied by the tight fitting device to the compressed range oscillates between an upper peak and a lower peak within a range lower than an appropriate pressure.
US08182399B2	Foldable treadmill A foldable treadmill comprising a base bracket, a deck coupled to the base bracket for moving between a use position and a stored position, a support post extending upwardly and movably coupled to the deck, and a handle pivotally connected to the support post. A handle linkage can be coupled to the handle, and a lifting device can be coupled between the base bracket and the handle linkage for moving the handle when the deck is being moved. In one embodiment, the lifting device includes a support rod coupled to the support post and a deck rod coupled between the base bracket and the support rod. In this embodiment, the support rod has a first portion slidably coupled to the deck and another portion coupled to the handle linkage. The treadmill can further include a control panel movably coupled to the top portion of the support post. Preferably, a link bar is coupled between the control panel and the handle for moving the control panel when the deck is being moved.
US08182398B2	Control apparatus and control method for automatic transmission An ECU executes a program including the steps of: starting monitoring the turbine revolution speed and the output shaft revolution speed when a direct shift is started; performing complete disengagement control on a disengagement element; lowering control pressure of a disengagement element to preliminarily fixed control pressure; starting engagement control on an engagement element when a set time period Ts passes; performing complete disengagement control on the disengagement element when a set time period Ts passes; and starting the engagement control on an engagement element when turbine revolution speed NT is equal to or larger than (the synchronous revolution speed of a gear after a shift—a set value Ns).
US08182396B2	Method and system for delaying shift and throttle commands based on engine speed in a marine vessel A method for delaying shift and throttle commands based on engine speed comprises establishing a predetermined threshold engine speed. Shift and throttle commands are calculated based on the position of a control lever which allows an operator to manually control shift and throttle functions. Execution of the shift and throttle commands is delayed if the engine speed is above the predetermined maximum threshold engine speed.
US08182393B2	Electric vehicle A utility vehicle is disclosed having an electric drive. The drivetrain is comprised of batteries, a motor, a transaxle driven by the motor, a rear differential driven by the transaxle, and a prop shaft which is driven by the transaxle and drives a front differential. The batteries are provided in two groups and are supported on the frame of the vehicle.
US08182392B2	Method for operating a drive train A method for operating a drive train of a motor vehicle. The drive train comprising a hybrid drive with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, a transmission arranged between the hybrid drive and a drive output, and a clutch arranged between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. The internal combustion engine is started by engaging the clutch only when the electric motor is providing drive power. In this situation when shifting gears in the transmission with interruption of the traction force, immediately after the gear change and during a load build-up phase of the shift operation, the internal combustion engine is started by the electric motor without traction force interruption. The clutch is controlled to partially engage to start the combustion engine and then it is completely disengaged before reaching a synchronous speed between the combustion engine and the electric motor.
US08182389B2	Driving force transmitting device, image forming apparatus, and driving force transmitting method A technique that makes it possible to switch high-torque power transmission with a compact and simple configuration is provided. A driving force transmitting device that transmits driving force received by one of a first rotating body and a second rotating body to the other includes: the first rotating body; a first engaging section that is provided in the first rotating body; the second rotating body that rotates around a rotating shaft the same as that of the first rotating body; elastically deforming sections that are arranged in the second rotating body; and a second engaging section that is provided in the second rotating body and elastically supported by the elastically deforming sections to engage with the first engaging section and is disengaged from the first engaging section by centrifugal force involved in the rotation of the second rotating body.
US08182384B2	Power transmission chain and power transmission apparatus A gap with a predetermined size is formed between adjacent links arranged in a chain width direction, the size of the gap is set smaller than a maximum warpage amount of the links.
US08182381B2	Drive arrangement A wheel turns about a fixed shaft to reel in or pay out an aperture closure member. A motor provides drive to the wheel through a belt. The motor is mounted on a slider plate which can slide relative to a fixed plate, which is secured to the shaft. As the slider plate slides away from the shaft, the belt comes into tension allowing the motor to drive the wheel.
US08182377B2	Ball bat including multiple failure planes A composite ball bat includes multiple failure planes within a barrel wall. By including multiple failure planes in a barrel wall, the bat exhibits a drop in performance when subjected to rolling or other extreme deflection, with no temporary increase in barrel performance. Because the barrel performance does not increase, the ball bat is able to comply with performance limitations imposed by regulatory associations.
US08182376B2	Adjustable weighted field hockey stick A weighting system for a sports stick, particularly a field hockey stick, comprising a surface, recess, channel, hole or plurality of pockets formed along the length of the sports stick, and one or more weights moveably or selectively attachable along the surface and/or within the channel/pockets to allow a player to freely adjust the weight and balance point of the stick by slideably moving to or selectively adding or eliminating weight and points along the stick. A variety of embodiments are herein described, all providing an adjustable field hockey stick that allows players to adapt to play on different surfaces or in different conditions.
US08182373B2	Hockey training device A hockey training device includes a substantially elevated panel and a substantially horizontally positioned board having a top playing surface on which a puck is to be moved, following instantly on-and-off conditions of lights distributed in desired locations on the playing surface. The elevated panel displays the locations of the lights with the instant on-and-off condition of the lights to guide the player in a head-up position, to move the puck to the location of the light which is currently turned on, on the playing surface.
US08182368B2	Golf ball A golf ball 2 includes a core 4, an envelope layer 6positioned outside the core 4, a mid layer 8 positioned outside the envelope layer 6, and a cover 10 positioned outside the mid layer 8. The core 4 includes a spherical center 12 and a core outer layer 14 positioned outside the center 12. The center 12 has a diameter of 1 mm or greater and 15 mm or less. The difference (H4−H3) between the JIS-C hardness H4 of the core 4 at its surface and the JIS-C hardness H3 of the core outer layer 14 at its innermost portion is equal to or greater than 10. The cover 10 has a Shore D hardness H7 less than 40. The Shore D hardnesses H5, H6 and H7 of the envelope layer 6, the mid layer 8, and the cover 10 satisfy that H5>H6≧H7.
US08182367B2	Golf ball The invention provides a golf ball having a core and one or more cover layer encasing the core, wherein at least one cover layer is formed by injection-molding a single resin composition of primarily (A) a thermoplastic polyurethane and (B) a polyisocyanate compound, and at least some polyisocyanate compound in which all the isocyanate groups on the molecule remain in an unreacted state is present in the resin composition. The golf ball has a high rebound, an excellent spin performance and an excellent scuff resistance, and the cover layer-forming resin composition has excellent flow properties and an excellent cover layer manufacturability.
US08182363B2	Golf club head and removeable weight A golf club head and a removable weight that is received in a receptacle of the golf club head. The weight includes a cap and a slug. The cap is removably coupled to the receptacle and includes a recess that slidably receives a portion of the slug so that the cap and slug are able to rotate relative to each other. The slug includes an anti-rotation feature that prevents relative rotation between the slug and the receptacle.
US08182362B2	Golf club head A weight piece (14) containing 15 wt. % or greater of iron and tungsten, and having a specific gravity of 9 or larger, larger than a material of a head body (10) made of steel or pure iron, is joined to the head body (10) by welding.
US08182358B2	Releasable connections for golf club heads and shafts Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Golf clubs are provided that have spherical releasable connections between the golf club head and the golf club shaft along with head/shaft position adjusting features to allow interchange of shafts and heads and to allow modification of the head/shaft positioning properties. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: a shaft adapter, a shaft retainer, and a hosel insert located within an interior chamber of the club head. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft adapter may be rotated within the hosel insert to create different angles from the shaft so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.
US08182357B2	Adjustable connector According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjustable connector including at least two parts, each having a main body with a bore having a longitudinal axis therein, wherein an external surface of the main body of a first part is configured to bear against an internal surface of the bore of a second part when the first part is at least partially inserted into the bore of the second part to form a connection, characterized in that the positioning of the bores with respect to the main bodies is such that when the parts are connected to each other, rotation of one part with respect to the other changes the inclination of the longitudinal axes of the bores with respect to one another.
US08182355B2	Free-standing jumping device An apparatus includes a support frame, a resilient member, a seat, and a retainer. The resilient member has a first end portion configured to be coupled to the support frame and a second end portion, opposite from the first end portion. The seat is configured to be coupled to the second end portion such that the seat is suspended from the support frame by the resilient member. At least one of the first end portion and the second end portion includes multiple sleeves, each defining an opening therein. A portion of the retainer is configured to be disposed within a first one of the sleeves and coupled to at least one of the seat and the support frame such that a position of the seat relative to the support frame is adjustable by disposing the portion of the retainer within a second one of the sleeves.
US08182351B2	Universal joint assembly for an automotive driveline system A die formed monolithic yoke assembly for a universal joint of an automotive driveline assembly subject to high torsional loads having a substantially uniformed thickness, including a cup-shaped portion, a pair of opposed lugs integral with and extending from an upper portion of the cup-shaped portion and an integral, outwardly deformed substantially continuous lip portion extending outwardly from the upper surface of the annular wall and the lugs substantially strengthening the yoke assembly particularly against torsional loads. In one embodiment, the upper end of the cup-shaped portion included concave arcuate portions on opposed sides of the lugs adjacent the lugs, such that the upper surface of the cup-shaped portion transitions from a concave surface to a convex surface strengthening the yoke.
US08182347B2	Gaming machine having structural members According to one aspect of the present invention, a gaming machine for conducting a wagering game comprises a gaming cabinet having a front door, a first side wall, a second side wall, and a rear wall. The rear wall is adjacent to at least one of the first side wall and the second side wall. The gaming machine further comprises at least one structural member located between the rear wall and at least one of the first side wall and the second wall within the gaming cabinet for providing structural reinforcement.
US08182344B2	Intelligent button for a gaming machine A game button includes an enclosure in which are mounted at least one variable display, a sensor, a memory, and any other components of the game button. The variable display is capable of presenting a plurality of images thereon. The memory is communicatively coupled with the variable display, is adapted to store information for producing the plurality of images presented on the display, and is physically located between the variable display and the sensor.
US08182341B2	Character control device, character control method, recording medium, and program A formation information storage unit (240) stores formation information regulating a formation which characters should form. A character control unit (250) turns off assessment of contact between allies when the characters are to formate and, based on formation information, assembles the respective characters in respective positions. Then, after the characters are assembled, the character control unit (250) turns contact assessment back on. Further, when the characters are to attack, the character control unit (250) moves front row characters toward enemy characters and makes back row characters follow the front row characters, while maintaining a certain amount of space therebetween. Then, when a front row character is destroyed, a back row character replaces the destroyed character.
US08182338B2	Wagering game with multiplier for progressive fund pool A method for playing wagering games at which players are eligible for a progressive game includes, responsive to receiving wager inputs from players, conducting wagering games in which players are eligible to win a progressive game. The method includes funding the progressive game by a portion of the wager inputs. The progressive game has a certain number of fund pools, each fund pool receiving a substantially equivalent share of the funding portion. The method also includes displaying a progressive-game award value that is substantially equivalent to an amount of one of the fund pools. In response to a player triggering a progressive-award winning outcome, a plurality of selectable elements are displayed to the player, each selectable element being associated with a progressive-game award multiplier that increases the progressive-game award value to an enhanced-progressive-award value. The progressive game multiplier dictates the number of the fund pools to be used to award the enhanced-progressive-award value to the player.
US08182337B2	Jackpot server, a method of processing a jackpot win and a gaming system A method of processing a jackpot win in a gaming network comprising: providing a jackpot server: receiving jackpot claim data at the jackpot server; locking a jackpot record corresponding to the jackpot claim data; aggregating any outstanding jackpot contributions for the jackpot record from contributing parts of the gaming network to form a prize; and communicating prize data corresponding to the prize to a network destination identified by the jackpot claim data.
US08182336B2	Gaming machine having a plurality of terminals and playing method thereof A gaming machine of the present invention is configured to include: terminal devices each of which executes a base game with a game value being bet and awards a prize according to a predetermined winning; routes each formed by continuously disposing route light emitters from a corresponding terminal device out of the terminal devices to a common display; the common display having common display light emitters arranged in a matrix and route light emitters arranged so as to form several straight lines each acting as an extension route, the common display being attachably/detachably unitized with the routes; and a controller.
US08182335B2	Gaming machine having a plurality of consoles and playing method thereof In each gaming terminal, the base game is run independently from the other gaming terminals and the payout is awarded according to a predetermined winning. The bonus game is run based on a predetermined condition. When a predetermined winning is met in any of the gaming terminals, the state of the light emitting portions in the corresponding path having straight and bent portions is changed toward the bonus payout indicator, in numbers fewer in the straight portion than in the bent portion. The bonus payout is awarded in the gaming terminal corresponding to a path in which the light emitting portions underwent state changes up to the bonus payout indicator.
US08182334B2	Partial credits cashout system A system or method providing a player to cashout half of credits accumulated during gaming. Anonymous cashing out of credit is available to a player through routes both external and internal to a gaming machine.
US08182331B2	Gaming machine A gaming machine executes a second game based on game results of a first game. The second game is a game that awards a prize corresponding to an option a player selects from a plurality of options. In the second game, based on speech input by the player, the gaming machine identifies a language to be used by the player. Then, the gaming machine provides the player with information based on a game history for the second game. Then, the gaming machine expresses the information based on the game history in the identified language to be used by the player.
US08182326B2	Outcome based display of gaming results Embodiments of the present invention are directed to gaming devices and gaming systems having an outcome based display of summarized past gaming results and a method of processing and displaying the past gaming results. In one example, a gaming device may record game information corresponding to the gaming event on the device and a memory and store this recorded information in a memory. The recorded information may be processed by the gaming device or another device connected to the gaming device to generate a summarized display of the recorded information to depict to a current gaming player or prospective gaming player.
US08182325B2	Gaming machine with challenge feature A gaming system (10, 100) implementing a base game and a feature game. A game controller (101) controls play of the game. The gaming system has at least one display (14, 106) and a player interface (107). The feature game comprises at least one series of game events, in which a plurality of symbols from at least one predetermined symbol set that includes at least first and second symbols, are randomly selected and displayed on the at least one display (14, 106). The feature game is a challenge feature and during play of the feature game, the game controller (101) maintains in computer memory (103) counters for said at least first and second symbols, varies the value of said counters on the occurrence of the at least first and second symbols and causes the at least one display to show a value of the counters. The values of the counters are evaluated against predetermined competitive criteria to determine the outcome of the series of game events.
US08182324B2	Card game payout methods incorporating scatter awards A method for providing a payout based on a scattered combination of game cards is described. A plurality of hands of cards is displayed, including at least a first hand of cards and a second hand of cards. Each hand of cards includes one or more card positions. In each hand of cards, a card is placed in each of the one or more card positions. Characteristics associated with each card in the each displayed hand of cards are analyzed. A first card in a first card position in the first hand of cards is combined with a second card in the second hand of cards. A determination is made whether a winning combination of cards is formed by at least the first and second cards in the first and second hands of cards. A payout award is provided based on the winning combination of cards.
US08182323B2	Gaming method and gaming machine accepting side bet In a playing method of a card game, a predetermined number of cards are dealt to a player as player's cards, a predetermined number of cards are dealt to a banker as banker's cards, and a side BET different from a normal BET is placed. A result of a game is determined by comparing a hand of the player's cards with a hand of the banker's cards, when the banker should not fold. It is determined whether or not the banker should fold following a rule different from a previous rule on condition that the side BET is placed, when the banker should fold, and the result of the game is determined by comparing the hand of the player's cards with the hand of the banker's cards, when the banker should not fold.
US08182321B2	Methods and systems for playing baccarat jackpot A method and system for playing jackpot and casino games are provided. The method includes playing a baccarat or felt table game which allows a player to bet on jackpot and includes dealing cards to a player hand and a bank hand, allowing one player to place a bet on live baccarat or felt table game, allowing another player to place a bet on jackpot and determining the outcome of the live baccarat game according to the set of conventional casino game rules, and determining the outcome of the jackpot according to a combination of cards. Winning the jackpot is by from about 5% to about 100% of the jackpot. The system includes a betting terminal for playing the games according to the method.
US08182319B2	Computer chassis fan modules providing vibration isolation and pinch release A fan module for use with fan trays or decks within a computer chassis for forced-air cooling. The fan tray typically includes an elongated mounting post, and the fan module is configured to facilitate installation, retention, and removal such as with a single pinch release. The fan module includes first and second fan supports or frames housing cooling fans. The fan supports are spaced apart, and a bridge or living hinge member is positioned between the fan supports and acts to join the frames, e.g., in a resilient and pivotal/hinge manner. The bridge includes a body that is formed of an elastomeric material such as rubber. A retention groove is provided along one side of the bridge body and is configured for receiving and mating with the mounting post of the fan tray with its beveled or inward sloping sidewalls applying a spring or retaining force against the post sidewalls.
US08182317B1	Handheld sanding implement A handheld sanding implement includes an elongated handle resembling a toothbrush handle upon a first end is mounted a sanding pad. The sanding pad is attached to said handle via an affixing means. The sanding pad may be replaced with a spinning head that includes a plurality of sanding pads containing a sanding surface having the same or differing grits.
US08182316B2	Oscillatingly driven machine tool The invention discloses an oscillatingly driven machine tool, having an oscillatory drive for driving a drive shaft about its longitudinal axis, having a flange provided on the drive shaft against which an oscillatory tool can be clamped by spring force via a counter flange, and having a displacing mechanism for displacing the counter flange between a working position in which the oscillatory tool is clamped by a spring between the flange and the counter flange and a released position in which the counter flange can be detached from the flange.
US08182311B2	Device for abrasive machining A device for abrasive machining, comprising a substantially cup shaped to rough rotatable around an axis and having an inner chamber and a disk-shaped to working element at its one axial end; and immovable holder attachable to a machine to and surrounding at least a portion of said working element at an opposite axial end at a distance therebetween so as to form a passage for passing a cooling liquid; and a helical guiding means provided in said passage so that during rotation of said tool inside said holder the cooling liquid is supplied through the substantially helical guide into said inner chamber of said tool toward said working element.
US08182306B2	Flying toy having gyroscopic and gliding components Provided are flying devices and methods of manufacturing and launching same, in particular flying toys or other recreational items that are designed to be thrown through the air by a user participating in any one of a variety of throwing (i.e. “catch”) games. In particular, the concept is directed toward a flying disc having rotatably attached non-rotating (a.k.a. “gliding”) portions that are attached to the disc and provide an optical illusion, wherein the user (and, similarly, an observer) does not notice the spinning of the flying disc, but instead sees a flying craft that appears to have no propulsion, yet flies. While the non-rotating portions alter the airflow associated with a typical flying disc, they do not negatively affect the flight characteristics of the disc itself. Indeed, in certain embodiments, the non-rotating portions (e.g., ailerons) have been observed to improve the flight characteristics of typical flying discs. The non-rotating portions (a.k.a. “gliding”) also provide surfaces upon which to place advertising that remains legible during flight. In this manner, the non-rotating portions of the flying device serve both a functional and an aesthetic purpose.
US08182304B2	Method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescent device having organic light-emitting transistors An EL device with low manufacturing costs and improved yield due to simplified structure and use of an organic light emitting transistor and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The EL device includes: a first organic light emitting transistor including a first source electrode; a first drain electrode opposing the first source electrode; a first intermediate layer including at least an emission layer formed between the first source electrode and the first drain electrode; and a first gate electrode which is insulated from the first source electrode, the first drain electrode, and the first intermediate layer and surrounds the first intermediate layer; and a second organic light emitting transistor including a second source electrode; a second drain electrode opposing the second source electrode; a second intermediate layer including at least an emission layer formed between the second source electrode and the second drain electrode; and a second gate electrode which is insulated from the second source electrode, the second drain electrode, and the second intermediate layer, surrounds the second intermediate layer, and is connected to the first drain electrode.
US08182290B2	Electrical shielding cage and system thereof A shielding cage for receiving a plurality of electronic modules includes a bottom cage portion and a plurality of independent upper cage portions each one of which comprising a top wall and two lateral walls adapted to cooperate with the bottom cage portion. Furthermore, each of said upper cage portions defines with the bottom cage portion a respective compartment having an inner cavity for receiving an electronic module, and a subdivision of said bottom cage portion provides for a bottom wall of said compartment.
US08182285B2	Elbow coaxial electric connector and method to assemble such a connector The present invention concerns a connection assembly comprising: an elbow coaxial electric connector (2) configured to be mounted on a coaxial cable, the connector comprising: a central contact (7) provided with at least one crimping portion (11) configured to be crimped with a central conductor of the coaxial cable, an insulating element (8) comprising a bearing portion (15) having an upper face (16) on which the crimping portion of the central contact is applied at least in part, and a body (9) receiving the insulating element. Also included is an elbow sleeve (5) comprising a first tubular portion extending along a first axis of the sleeve and configured to be received inside the casing, and a second portion (31) extending along a second axis of the sleeve and comprising a housing (38) configured to receive the coaxial connector mounted on the coaxial cable. A hollow casing (4) and a pivotal cover (6) are to be mounted on the elbow sleeve (5). The casing includes a latch tab (47).
US08182283B2	Built-in USB3.0 receptacle connector A build-in USB 3.0 receptacle connector is disposed for a main board located within a computer, the build-in USB 3.0 receptacle includes an insulated housing, a plurality cavities, a plurality set of circuit boards, a plurality set of connective terminals and a plurality of conductive terminals. The cavities are recessed from a front-end surface of the insulated housing, the circuit boards disposed and suspended in the cavities and having a first surface, a second surface and multiple golden-fingers disposed on the front fringe of the first surface. Each set of the connective terminal is connected to the rear fringe of the second surface and electrically connected to the golden-fingers disposed on the first surface. The conductive terminals are disposed in the cavities, respectively, and each of the conductive terminals has a contact segment disposed on the front fringe of the first surface which is behind the golden-fingers. Therefore, the insulated housing has a plurality of stocking USB 3.0 sockets is used for inserting USB devices.
US08182281B2	Devices for connecting conductors of twisted pair cable to insulation displacement contacts An interconnection between a twisted pair communications cable and a communications connector having a plurality of IDCs includes: a housing having an aperture and a pair of first and second IDCs extending within the aperture; a twisted pair communications cable having a twisted pair of first and second conductors and a separator positioned between the first and second conductors; and a termination device. The termination device comprises: a body having an outer surface; a channel in the outer surface of the body, the channel configured to receive a twist of the first and second conductors and maintain the twist in position; and IDC guide structure configured to guide the first IDC into engagement with the first conductor at a first engagement location and the second IDC into engagement with the second conductor at a second engagement location, the engagement locations positioned within the channel and the twist of the conductors.
US08182279B2	Cordset assembly An extension cordset assembly includes a receptacle and a sealing gasket. The receptacle includes a receptacle main body, a receptacle connecting interface and first and second spade mating holes extending into the receptacle main body from the receptacle connecting interface. The receptacle is configured to mate with a plug having a standard spade configuration. The sealing gasket is positioned on the receptacle connecting interface and includes first and second spade openings aligned with the first and second spade mating holes, respectively. The sealing gasket is configured to provide a water-resistant seal between the receptacle and the plug.
US08182275B2	Lever connector with a connecting member manipulating mechanism for turning a turn lever to manipulate a connecting member A lever connector includes a first connector portion including a first terminal housing with a plurality of first connecting terminals, a second connector portion including a second terminal housing with a plurality of second connecting terminals, a plurality of isolating plates, a connecting member to fix the first and second connecting terminals at the contacts therebetween, and a lever structure including a turn lever provided to hold both sides of either one of the first or second terminal housing. The lever structure includes a connecting member manipulating mechanism for turning the turn lever to manipulate the connecting member to apply a pressing force to each of the contacts or release the applying of that pressing force. The connecting member manipulating mechanism includes a contact holding means for maintaining the electrical connections between the first and second connecting terminals, respectively, even in the event of the absence of the turn lever.
US08182274B1	Power converter having a pivotable and receivable plug A power converter having a pivotable and receivable power plug has a housing, an adapter board, a power output unit and a plug. The adapter board and the power output unit are mounted inside the housing. The adapter board has two conducting strips and a grounding strip. Each conducting strip has a shaft holder formed by bending a free end of the conducting strip, and two metal pivot shafts formed on two opposite sides of the plug are pivotally and respectively mounted in the shaft holders. The plug has a ground plate having a first engagement portion formed thereon. The grounding strip has a second engagement portion formed therein in a pivoting path of the plug to engage the first engagement portion and position the plug when the plug is pivoted and protrudes beyond the housing. Accordingly, the power converter can have a pivotable and receivable plug with minimum parts.
US08182273B2	Power semiconductor module with prestressed auxiliary contact spring A power semiconductor module having a housing, a pressure member, a substrate including at least one contact surface, and at least one connection element leading towards the exterior of the housing. The connection element has a first contact device, a resilient section and a second contact device. The pressure member has two stop elements. The first contact device is electrically conductively connected to the contact surfaces of the substrate. The second contact device is arcuate in shape and has at least one deformation at the beginning and at the end of the arc, wherein, as a result of the deformations of the second contact device co-operating with the two stop elements of the pressure member, the connection element is prestressed.
US08182272B2	Electrical connector An electrical connector includes a housing to be disposed on a circuit board, a receiving recess portion formed in the housing for receiving a mating connector, and a terminal arranged in the housing. The terminal includes a U-shape portion, an extending portion extending outside the receiving recess portion a first sidewall facing outside, and a connecting portion. The U-shape portion includes a first arm portion and a second arm portion. The first arm portion is fitted along the sidewall and the second arm portion is fitted along a second sidewall. The first arm portion and the second arm portion include locking portions for being fixed against an inner surface of the receiving recess portion, respectively. The extending portion is arranged to be away from the first sidewall to form a space in between.
US08182269B2	Assembly for practicing a gliding or rolling sport An assembly provided for the practice of a gliding, rolling, or walking sport, such as snowboarding, skateboarding, or snowshoeing, for example, the assembly including a device for receiving a foot or a boot, as well as a board. The assembly includes a system for marking the position of the receiving device with respect to the board (3), the marking system including a first marking arrangement associated with the receiving device, as well as a second marking arrangement associated with the board, the first and second marking arrangements being provided to cooperate with one another.
US08182268B2	Game apparatus and method for teaching core replacement behaviors The present invention comprises a game apparatus and method for teaching and providing practice in core replacement behaviors, such as Asking the Question (i.e., Manding), Accepting “No”, Waiting and Sharing, to individuals with behavior challenges, including individuals with special needs. Grounded in principles of Applied Behavioral Analysis, the invention allow a trainer, through discrete trial training in an entertaining game format, to manipulate motivating operations in order to teach in a positive fashion these core replacement behaviors to a player. The method also incorporates the use of other procedural components, such as interspersing easy and difficult tasks and demand fading. Data as to a player's performance and progress in carrying out these core replacement behaviors may be collected and recorded both by trainers with respect to game sessions and by direct care providers in the natural environment.
US08182266B2	Dental tool A dental tool for the removal of dental appliances or oral devices from a user's mouth comprises a universal handle which is substantially cylindrical. Interconnected thereto is an engagement head comprising a first engagement member extending upward and outward opposite the handle, and a second engagement member extending downward and outward opposite the handle. The first engagement member and second engagement member are disposed in angled relation to one another, each terminating in a broad distal tip having a curvilinear edge. The first and second engagement members further contain contact surfaces for contacting and engaging the dental appliance or oral device. The dental tool is comprised of a rigid material, with a resilient portion overlaid on at least the contact surfaces of the first and second engagement members and distal tips thereof. The dental tool may also be stored in a case to make a kit for removing oral devices.
US08182262B2	Stack injection molding machine An injection molding machine (1) having a stack mold (2) for producing injection molded parts comprises a fixed exterior molding part (3), a central block (5), as well as a mobile exterior molding part (4), with molding cavities being formed between the molding areas (9a, 9b) at the interior sides of the exterior molding parts (3, 4) and molding areas (10a, 10b) at opposite exterior sides of the central block (5). The central block (5) is supported rotationally or pivotally and at two exterior surfaces, adjacent to each other in the rotational or pivotal direction, molding areas (10a) are provided for first partial pre-molds (8a, 8c, 8e) and at the two other exterior surfaces, adjacent to each other, molding areas (10b) for second partial pre-molds (8b, 8d). The two exterior molding parts (3, 4) each include molding areas (9a, 9b) for one of the two partial pre-molds (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e) and, off-set in the rotary or pivotal direction in reference to the exterior molding parts (3, 4), at least one gripper (11a, 11b) each is provided for removing and holding a partial pre-mold (8a, 8c, 8e) and for positioning a previously removed first partial pre-mold (8a, 8c, 8e) to be interconnected to a second partial pre-mold (8b, 8d.) Alternatively the grippers for removing and holding a partial pre-mold (8f, 8g, 8h, 8i, 8l) and for inserting a previously removed first partial pre-mold (8f, 8g, 8h, 8i, 8l) is provided in a molding area (10b1, 10b2) for second partial pre-molds (8j, 8k) of the central block (5.)
US08182261B2	Bottom insert with heat insulation A bottom insert for a mold cavity for the production of moldings of plastic material. The mold cavity has a main body with a hot side which has a recess for receiving molten plastic material under pressure and a cold side having a recess, the inside contour of which is intended to come into contact with the molding to be produced and to shape the outside contour thereof. A gate (17) is provided that connects the recess of the hot side to the recess of the cold side and is intended to introduce molten plastic material from the hot side into the cold side. In accordance with the invention there is provided a device for thermal insulation within the bottom insert between the hot side and the cold side of the bottom insert to permit more rapid cooling of the cold side by restricting heat flow from the hot side.
US08182259B2	Flexible tooling method and apparatus A molding apparatus comprises an upper molding box, a lower mold box, an upper flexible membrane covering an opening of the upper mold box, a lower flexible membrane covering an opening of the lower mold box, a heating system located in the upper mold box, a set of ports located between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane capable of being used to draw a vacuum between the upper flexible membrane and the lower flexible membrane, and a displacement system located in the lower mold box under the lower flexible membrane.
US08182258B2	Imprinting device An imprinting device has a fixed side pressing structure and a movable side pressing structure that is movable toward and away from the fixed side pressing structure. The fixed side pressing structure includes a fixed base plate, a positioning pin for positioning a fixed stamper and a recording medium substrate, and a fixed stamper support for holding the stamper in place using suction. The movable side pressing structure includes a movable base plate, a positioning pin for positioning a movable stamper, and a movable stamper support for holding the movable stamper in position using suction, electromagnetism or adhesive.
US08182257B2	Light guide plate mold A light guide plate mold is configured for manufacturing a light guide plate having a number of microstructures. The light guide plate mold includes a substrate and a number of heating members. The substrate defines a number of grooves therein. The heating members are respectively received in the grooves. Each heating member has a height less than a depth of the corresponding groove. The grooves and the heating members cooperatively define a number of receiving spaces for forming the microstructures of the light guide plate.
US08182256B2	Sheet or film forming roll, sheet or film casting apparatus, and miniature pattern transferring apparatus By provision of a plurality of rolling rubber rolls 70 each adapted for a sliding contact with an outer circumferential surface of a central rotational shaft 20 and a sliding contact with an inner circumferential surface of an outer tube 40, an annular space between the central rotational shaft 20 and the outer tube 40 is divided by the rolling rubber rolls 70 in the circumferential direction into a plurality of heat medium chambers 91, 92, 93, and 94, the plurality of heat medium chambers being each respectively configured for individual conduction of heat medium.
US08182251B2	Expander-compressor unit An expander-compressor unit (200A) includes a closed casing (1), a compression mechanism (2), an expansion mechanism (3), a shaft (5), and an oil pump (6). The shaft (5) couples the compression mechanism (2) to the expansion mechanism (3) so that power recovered by the expansion mechanism (3) is transferred to the compression mechanism (2). The oil pump (6) is disposed between the compression mechanism (2) and the expansion mechanism (3), and supplies an oil held in an oil reservoir (25) to the compression mechanism (2). An oil supply passage (29) is formed in the shaft (5) so that the oil discharged from the oil pump (6) can be supplied to the compression mechanism (2). A lower end (29e) of the oil supply passage (29) is located below an inlet (29p) of the oil supply passage (29) formed in an outer circumferential surface of the shaft (5).
US08182249B2	Sealed type scroll compressor There is disclosed a sealed type scroll compressor which decreases a sliding loss between a thrust ring and a orbit scroll and improves the efficiency of the sealed type scroll compressor while preventing the leakage of a refrigerant between a fixed scroll and the orbit scroll, and the compressor provides a relation of F1
US08182246B1	High pressure open discharge pump system A high-pressure cam driven open discharge pump system is provided, wherein a high-pressure output at a relatively constant pressure is formed. The pump system includes a plurality of pressurizing subassemblies, each subassembly including a cam follower retained by a cam follower support guided by guide bearings to induce linear motion of a connected piston rod. The piston rod is slidably received within a removable high-pressure cylinder assembly which retains a high pressure cylinder.
US08182244B2	Vacuum pump provided with a device for its deactivation A vacuum pump has inside the pumping chamber valves intended to control the operation by opening and closing during the suction and delivery cycle of the pump. The valves or parts connected thereto are formed at least in part by a ferromagnetic material. A magnetic inductor is applied outside a wall, formed by a non ferromagnetic material, of the pumping chamber of the pump, and inside the pumping chamber are installed conducting elements of ferromagnetic material, for conducting magnetic flow produced, by the inductor, up to polar points close to the positions taken in the conditions of inactivity by the valves, so as to magnetically attract the valves (10,20) in an inactivity position when the inductor is operated, and thus stop the pneumatic operation of the pump without stopping its motion which then becomes idle.
US08182242B2	Compressor vibration isolation mount and method of use A compressor vibration isolation mount for isolating the vibrations of a compressor from the rest of a structure includes at least one frame; and at least one gimbal coupling the compressor to the at least one frame for partial rotation about at least one primary axis of rotation.
US08182241B2	Peristaltic pumping mechanism having a removable cover and replaceable tubing, rollers and pumping mechanism A peristaltic pump includes a pumping mechanism cover releasably coupled to a pumping mechanism base or gear case cover and configured to enshroud components including a roller assembly and tube. Removal of the pumping mechanism cover exposes the components to facilitate maintenance. The pumping mechanism cover may be locked into a closed position using a threaded bushing or a pivoting latch. A plurality of engagement studs may be provided to secure the pumping mechanism base to the gear case housing cover. The pumping mechanism base or gear case cover is configured for releasably engaging tubing inlet and outlet fittings. Thus, tubing may be installed or removed without having to disassemble or remove any other portion of the pumping mechanism base.
US08182240B2	Compressed air energy storage system utilizing two-phase flow to facilitate heat exchange A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US08182235B2	Multi-drive fluid pump A multi-drive pump may include a pump housing, an inlet port, an outlet port, a primary pump gear, a secondary pump gear, a first internal mechanical drive mechanism coupled to the primary pump gear and a second internal mechanical drive mechanism and an internal electro-magnetic drive mechanism coupled to the secondary pump gear. The pump housing may define an internal volume fluidly coupled to the inlet port and the outlet port. The primary pump gear and the secondary pump gear may be positioned in the pump housing and coupled to one another. Rotation of the primary pump gear and the secondary pump gear draws fluid into the inlet port and expels fluid from the outlet port. The primary pump gear may be rotated by the first internal mechanical drive mechanism and the secondary pump gear may be rotated by the second internal mechanical drive mechanism and the internal electro-magnetic drive mechanism.
US08182233B2	Component with a damping filler A component (10) and method for manufacturing a component. The component comprises first and second panels (16, 18) spaced apart from each other, the first panel (16) having at least one protrusion (20) extending therefrom towards the second panel (18). The protrusion (20) extends partially across the space (19) between the first and second panels so as to define a free end of the protrusion. The free end is surrounded by damping material (24).
US08182230B2	Fan blade preloading arrangement and method The fan blade includes a blade root at one end thereof configured for sliding insertion into a substantially axially extending slot defined in a periphery of a fan rotor hub. The blade comprises a first passageway extending at least partially through the blade root, in a direction generally parallel to an axial direction of the slot. It also comprises a second passageway extending at least partially through the blade root to intersect with the first passageway. A first member is provided in the first passageway, the first member configured to be retained in the first passageway once inserted therein, and a second member is provided in the second passageway, the second member having one end in cooperating engagement with the end of the first member. The second member has a portion projecting out of the bottom face of the blade root a distance sufficient to contact an inner surface of the slot and thereby force the blade outwardly in the slot.
US08182229B2	Methods and apparatus to repair a rotor disk for a gas turbine Embodiments of the invention can provide methods and apparatus to repair a rotor disk for a gas turbine. In one embodiment, a method to repair a rotor disk for a gas turbine is provided, wherein the rotor disk can include a base and at least one dovetail slot between a pair of dovetail walls. The method can include identifying one or more cracks on the base of the rotor disk, and removing one or more cracks by providing one or more fillets on the base of the rotor disk. Further, the method can include providing one or more conic cuts on the base of the rotor disk between the pair of dovetail walls of at least one dovetail slot.
US08182228B2	Turbine blade having midspan shroud with recessed wear pad and methods for manufacture A durable blade, a method of manufacturing it and a method of repairing blades are described and claimed. Durable blade includes an airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, a midspan shroud located on the airfoil, at least one recess on the midspan shroud and a wear pad attached to the recess of the midspan shroud.
US08182216B2	Connecting system with jaws of two ferrules, including a compressor A system for connecting two ferrules in an axial compressor case is disclosed. Each of the ferrules includes a substantially annular flange with a proximal face adapted to be integral with the ferrule, and a distal face. The system further includes securing members for clamping distal faces of both flanges one against the other. The securing members include at least one pair of jaws provided for being connected by a set of tensile members, each of the jaws of the pair being provided for abutting against the proximal face of one of the flanges. At least one jaw of the pair further includes a portion, such as substantially radial shoulders, provided for forming a positive connection with complementary portions in both flanges for a transmission of circumferential stresses between both flanges.
US08182215B2	Electric blower An electric blower includes an electric motor, a first fan, a second fan, a first casing and a second casing. The electric motor includes a motor body and a rotation shaft extending from the motor body only on one axial side of the motor body. The first fan is located to the one axial side of the motor body and defines a first axis of rotation aligned with the rotation shaft. The second fan is located to the one axial side of the motor body and further than the first fan from the motor body in an axial direction. The second fan defines a second axis of rotation aligned with the rotation shaft. The first fan and the second fan are driven by a driving force generated by the electric motor. The first fan is disposed in the first casing. The second fan is disposed in the second casing.
US08182214B2	Pond pump A pond pump comprising an impeller (2) which rotates about an axis of rotation (X) within a pump housing (1). The pump housing (1) comprises a suction inlet (11) that is coaxial to the impeller (2), a pressure outlet (14) for the water that is to be conducted, the pressure outlet (14) being disposed in a radial to tangential direction relative to the impeller (2), and a counterflow plate (12) between the suction inlet (11) and the pressure outlet (14). The impeller (2) is fitted with a radially disposed disk (22) with vanes (21) that are arranged on one side thereof. The counterflow plate (12) is on the impeller side encompassing the vanes (21) while channels (23) that are formed between the vanes (21) have a cross-section which tapers from the inner radial face to the outer face.
US08182213B2	Vane assembly with removable vanes A vane assembly for a gas turbine engine where each vane is connected to at least one adjacent portion of at least one of the inner and the outer shrouds through a melt-weld connection. The melt-weld connection includes non-metallic heat-meltable material with a metal wire mesh layer trapped therein, the metal wire mesh being heatable to melt the heat-meltable material for formation and breakdown of the melt-weld connection.
US08182207B2	Inner turbine shell support configuration and methods Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a turbine which includes an outer shell, an inner shell connected to and surrounded by the outer shell in generally concentric relation therewith, at least one turbine rotor housed within the inner shell, a plurality of nozzles and shrouds carried by the inner shell, a plurality of connecting elements engaging between the inner and outer shells aligning the inner shell about the rotor, and at least one compliant support. Embodiments of the present disclosure also relates a method of configuring the securing arrangement between the inner shell and the outer shell of a turbine.
US08182203B2	Turbine blade and gas turbine A turbine blade and a gas turbine are provided in which the velocity of cooling fluid at the inlet of a pin fin region is improved so that the cooling performance at the trailing edge of the turbine blade can be improved. It includes an airfoil; a supply channel extending through the interior of the airfoil in the span direction, through which cooling fluid flows; a pin fin channel extending from the supply channel along the center line of the airfoil toward the trailing edge of the airfoil and opening at the trailing edge to the exterior of the airfoil; a plurality of gap pin fins projecting from a pair of opposing inner walls that constitute the pin fin channel at a region at the supply channel side of the pin fin channel and forming a gap therebetween extending in the span direction; pin fins connecting the pair of opposing inner walls at a region at the trailing edge side of the pin fin channel; and an insertion portion disposed in the gap to decrease the area of the channel of the cooling fluid at the region at the supply channel side of the pin fin channel.
US08182189B1	Bar code label book single pass manufacturing process A method for manufacturing a pro label book includes printing static indicia on a web of label material, applying an adhesive to each portion of the web of label material that will become a label page in a pro label book that is not the portion of the web of label material that will become a top page of a label book to be formed if the adhesive is applied to a top surface of the web of label material or a bottom page of a label book to be formed if the adhesive is applied to the bottom surface of the web of label material, printing variable information on the web of label material, sheeting the web of label material to form label pages, and batching the label pages together utilizing the applied adhesive. Certain embodiments include attaching one of a backer or a cover to the web of label material following the printing static indicia step.
US08182186B2	Screw A screw (11) has a shaft (12), a thread (13) which is arranged in at least some areas over the circumference of the shaft (12) and which defines a helix (14), and cutting bodies (26; 36; 46; 56, 66) made of a material having hardness greater than the hardness of the thread (13) and arranged in recesses (20, 21) of the thread (13), with the cutting bodies (26; 36; 46; 56, 66) having their longitudinal extension oriented along the helix (14) so that their longitudinal axes (27; 37; 47; 57, 67) enclose an angle (A; B; C; D, E) of −35° to +35° with the respective tangents of the helix (14).
US08182183B2	Systems and methods for securing components Systems and methods for securing seats and other components to a seat track that may be implemented to provide flush symmetric and asymmetric seat track fitting assemblies that accommodate variances in the height of seat track extrusions. A component may be secured to mate directly with a seat track fitting surface and uppermost surface (flange) of a seat track, and with a fitting securing component (retainer or capture component) that provides additional load path in the lateral shear plane (X axis) while optimizing length of thread engagement of the component fastener.
US08182181B2	Cargo tie-down A cargo carrier tie-down assembly that utilizes a fastener made up of a shackle element that includes a wall in a form that is closed in two dimensions, defining an opening and wherein the wall also defines a pair of opposed apertures, a pin that can be inserted through the two apertures and a knob fastener element, having a head, that is sized to be passed through the opening when the pin is withdrawn from the wall, and that is retained when the pin is inserted into the two apertures. A tension member has one of the fastener elements attached to at least one end. The other fastener element is attached to the cargo carrier.
US08182173B2	Portable vibratory concrete wet screed with remote grade indicator and folding handles A portable vibratory wet concrete screed includes a blade, an exciter that is selectively driven to induce vibrations in the blade, at least one operator-manipulated handle connected to the blade and extending upwardly and rearwardly, a laser receiver mounted on the screed at a height above an upper end of the handle, and an indicator that is operatively connected to the receiver. The indicator provides a visual indication of the screed height relative to a desired grade. It is located remote from the receiver at a location which, when viewed from the perspective of a person in the vicinity of a screed operator, is at least substantially in a focal area containing the rear edge of the blade. The handle is mounted on the blade so as to be foldable from an upright, operative position in which it extends vertically and horizontally well beyond horizontal and vertical footprints occupied by a combination of the blade and the exciter to a stowed position in which it is positioned at least substantially entirely within the horizontal and vertical footprints.
US08182164B2	Printing apparatus and print setting method A printing apparatus which prints one image by sequentially transferring a set of a plurality of color inks to roll paper from an ink ribbon cyclically coated with the plurality of color inks, the apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit which acquires image data; a print processing unit which prints an image on the roll paper based on the image data acquired by the acquisition unit; a cutting unit which cuts the roll paper after the print processing unit prints the image; and a setting unit which sets a cutting position, the setting unit displaying an image to be printed on a display unit together with the cutting position, and changing the cutting position in accordance with an operation to an operation member, wherein the cutting unit cuts the roll paper in accordance with the cutting position set by the setting unit.
US08182162B2	Barcode label retention device of barcode printer A barcode label retention device is provided for a barcode printer. The barcode label retention device includes s at least one pair of label roll retainers, at least one pair of resilient elements, and at least one pair of fixing plates. The label roll retainers are mounted inside a housing of a barcode printer and spaced from each other to receive and retain a label roll therebetween. The resilient elements are arranged inside each label roll retainer, and the fixing plates are arranged inside each label roll retainer. The fixing plate is connected to the resilient element to provide the fixing plate with resiliency for inward depressibility or outward biasing so that a front portion of the fixing plate projects inwards beyond the label roll retainer to abut against opposite ends of the label roll, whereby the label roll can be securely held by the two fixing plates engaging the opposite ends thereof and the path of a winding/unwinding operation can be stabilized.
US08182158B2	Fixture for shape-sensing optical fiber in a kinematic chain Localized strain is effectively eliminated in a shape sensing optical fiber where the fiber exits a link in a kinematic chain. In one aspect, the fiber is positioned in a channel within a fiber fixture portion of the link, and a surface of a lip of the channel is curved. The curved surface of the lip begins tangent to a wall of the channel and has a maximum radius of curvature that is less than the minimum bend radius that the fiber will experience during shape sensing. In another aspect, the fiber is positioned within a shape memory alloy tube that extends from the link.
US08182156B2	Nested bearing cages A gas turbine engine bearing cage assembly includes: a first bearing cage having: an annular first bearing support ring; an annular first mounting flange; and an annular array of axially-extending first spring arms interconnecting the first bearing support ring and the first mounting flange, the first spring arms defining an outer diameter; and a second bearing cage having: an annular second bearing support ring; an annular second mounting ring, the second mounting ring defining an inner diameter greater that the outer diameter; and an annular array of axially-extending second spring arms interconnecting the second bearing support ring and the second mounting ring, the second spring arms defining spaces therebetween. The bearing cages are sized such that the first bearing cage can be received within the second bearing cage. The spaces are positioned to receive the first spring arms, permitting independent flexing motion of the first and second spring arms.
US08182149B2	Method and marking out apparatus for marking out a guide line for a penetration instrument, control device and recording system A method is disclosed for marking out a guide line of a penetration instrument entering an object along a penetration channel. In at least one embodiment, the penetration channel into the object is firstly determined based on image data of the object generated by an imaging recording system, the penetration channel being defined by a penetration point into the object and at least one penetration direction. Then, at least two light fan beams are emitted from different directions in such a fashion that the line of intersection of the fan beams is coaxial with the penetration direction. A marking out apparatus is further disclosed for carrying out the method, along with a control device suitable to this end, and an imaging recording system including such a marking out apparatus.
US08182147B2	Portable radiographic imaging device and radiographic imaging system A portable radiographic imaging device includes an operation unit, a controller, and an execution unit. The operation unit is operated when a target function is selected from plural different functions relating to radiographic image capturing. When a first condition, that expresses that a predetermined region has been placed at a predetermined placement portion, is established, the controller carries out control such that a function that should be effective when the first condition is established is selected. When a second condition, that expresses that the predetermined region is not placed at the placement portion, is established, the controller carries out control such that a function that should be effective when the second condition is established is selected. When the operation unit is operated, the execution unit executes a function that is controlled by the controller to be selected.
US08182145B2	Temperature sensor A temperature sensor including a temperature sensing element (102) having a temperature sensing unit (103) and a pair of device electrode wires (104) extending from the temperature sensing unit; a sheath member (106) including a sheath wire (108) connected at a junction (110) to one of the device electrode wires and a sheath outer pipe (107) retaining the sheath wire in an insulating material (114); an inner tube (112) which has a bottomed cylindrical shape, the inner tube accommodating the temperature sensing element and the junction in a bottom portion side of the inner tube serving as a leading end of the temperature sensor, and extending in an extension direction of the device electrode wire and the sheath wire; and an outer tube (120) which has a bottomed cylindrical shape including a gas inlet hole (122a, 122b, 122c), the outer tube covering the inner tube, and being spaced, from the inner tube on a leading end side of the junction when viewed in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the inner tube.
US08182144B2	Temperature-measuring device for a respiration humidifier A contactless temperature-measuring device especially for a respiration humidifier with a flow channel for breathing gas, which is improved in respect to handling and reliability of measurement. The device includes: a hollow body (1), which is closed towards the flow channel (2, 6), extends into the flow channel (2, 6) for assuming the temperature in the flow channel (2, 6); and an infrared detector (3, 7) is directed toward the inner surface of the hollow body (1) extending into the flow channel (2, 6) for the contactless detection of the temperature of the hollow body (1).
US08182140B2	Thermal icing conditions detector A sensor for detecting icing conditions in an airstream includes a flow housing mounted on an aircraft and in which one or more probes are mounted. At least one of the probes subjected to impingement of the airstream and liquid moisture droplets in such airstream. The heat removal, or cooling effect on the probe in the airstream carrying liquid droplets is determined. A temperature signal indicating the airstream temperature is combined with signals from the at least one probe for determining whether or not icing conditions are present.
US08182138B2	Device comprising a clock movement and a chronograph module A device comprises a basic clock movement MB whose time indicators are driven by a first barrel connected to a first wheelwork and a first regulator organ, and an autonomous chronograph module MCA whose indicators are driven by a second barrel independent from the first, connected to a second wheelwork and a second regulator organ. The chronograph module is exclusively composed of mechanical elements. The frequency of oscillation supplied by its regulator is equal N times the frequency of oscillation supplied by the regulator of the base movement, with the coefficient N being definable according to a specific application of the chronograph, so that any chronograph module thus previously defined can work with the same base movement. The chronograph regulator remains constantly engaged with the corresponding wheelwork. The chronograph module allows a time interval to be read with a minimum precision of a hundredth of second. The organs of the base movement and of the chronograph module are arranged in such a way that in assembled state, the height and overall diameter do not exceed 7.75 mm and 30 mm respectively, the dimensions of the chronograph itself being not greater than 4 mm (height) and 30 mm (diameter) when its elements are mounted on a bottom plate, so that the device can advantageously be integrated in the case of a wrist-watch and affords an aesthetic exterior.
US08182137B2	Mixing bag or vessel with a fluid-agitating element A vessel receives and agitates a fluid using an internal fluid-agitating element driven by an external motive device. In one aspect, the vessel is a bag including a first receiver for receiving and holding a fluid-agitating element at a home location. The first receiver may be in the form of an inwardly-projecting post having an oversized portion for capturing the fluid-agitating element, but various other forms are disclosed. Use of this feature in completely rigid vessels where the fluid-agitating element is free of direct attachment from a first receiver having an oversized portion is also disclosed. In another aspect, the vessel or bag further includes a second receiver for receiving a portion of an external structure, such as a motive device, and aligning the vessel relative thereto.
US08182134B2	Mixing system for thermoset compositions including static and rotary mixers Systems for mixing thermoset compositions are disclosed. Methods for making thermoset compositions using such systems are also disclosed. The systems include a static mixer in combination with a rotary mixer for mixing base and curing agent components of the thermoset compositions.
US08182130B2	Light guiding structure of a light guide plate A light guiding structure of a light guide plate is provided. The light guiding structure comprises a plurality of protrusion ridge portions extending along a longitudinal direction. The height or the vertex angle of each protrusion ridge portion periodically or randomly varies along the longitudinal direction.
US08182127B2	Light source A light source is provided. The light source includes: an elliptical reflection mirror having first and second focal points; a discharge chamber in which a luminescent substance is enclosed and which is disposed on the first focal point; a laser light generator which emits the laser light; and a laser light guide which guides the laser light from an opening side of the elliptical reflection mirror into the discharge chamber. The luminescent substance is excited by providing the laser light to the luminescent substance so as to emit light, and the light is reflected by the elliptical reflection mirror. The laser light guide is disposed in a shade area in which the light reflected by the elliptical reflection mirror is blocked by the discharge chamber.
US08182126B2	Automotive headlamp apparatus synthesizing light distribution patterns of right and left lamp units An automotive headlamp apparatus includes a left lamp unit, a right lamp unit and a headlamp apparatus control unit. Each of the left lamp unit and the right lamp unit includes a bulb, a movable shade, a shade moving mechanism and a fixed shade. Each movable shade can advance or recede with respect to the light axis of the bulb, and forms an individual light distribution pattern for a low-beam by shielding part of a light at an advanced position while allowing formation of a partial shape of a light distribution pattern for a high-beam at a receded position. The fixed shade forms the partial shape of the light distribution pattern for a high-beam when the movable shade is located at the receded position. A pattern control unit determines each shape of the individual light distribution patterns by controlling each of the shade moving mechanisms in the left lamp unit and the right lamp unit, and also determines a shape of a synthesized light distribution pattern by superimposing each of the individual light distribution patterns one on another.
US08182123B2	Flat illumination device for illumination and backlighting with integrated emergency power supply The invention relates to a flat light-emitting lighting device for a vehicle, and to a method for providing emergency energy supply to the lighting device. A shallow installation depth and low power consumption of the lighting device may be ensured by the use of a flat OLED illumination device. Due to the low power consumption of the flat OLED illumination device, an emergency energy supply may be integrated without this increasing the installation depth. Such flat lighting devices, which in the case of emergency are self-supplying, may, for example, be used in aircraft in order to, with suitable icons or text, indicate escape routes or other emergency-relevant information.
US08182116B2	Lighting fixture with recessed baffle trim unit A recessed lighting fixture providing illumination from a light source including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) placed within a cavity of a planar surface, such as a ceiling, wall, or shower. The fixture comprises a baffle integrated with a low profile heat sink that is used to draw heat out of the fixture and communicate that heat to a trim ring of the fixture for dissipation of the heat in the room so that higher intensity light sources can be used. Improved grounding of the recessed trim unit to the recessed housing is provided with combination support and grounding springs. One embodiment of the light source is fixed in position while a second embodiment is gimbal mounted for aiming the light produced by the fixture.
US08182108B2	Dynamo light A retractable leash light has a light housing; and a handle formed on the light housing for handgrip. The light has an LED element and a switch. The light is connected to an electric circuit. A crank mechanism is mounted on the light housing, and the crank mechanism has a knob pivotally mounted to a crank arm of the crank mechanism. The crank mechanism also has a crank wheel mechanically connected to the crank arm of the crank mechanism. A generator is connected to the crank wheel. Rotation of the crank wheel powers the generator to generate electricity output from the generator. The generator is connected to the electric circuit for powering the electric circuit. A leash is mounted on a leash spool. The leash spool is mounted within the light housing. The leash is retractable into the light housing and extendable from the light housing.
US08182107B2	LED luminaire made with recycled materials A method and apparatus for providing a luminaire employing at least one Light Emitting Diode (LED) device as the light source and a metal beverage container as the luminaire housing.
US08182103B1	Modular MMW power source A millimeter wave power source module may include N submodules, each of which includes M circuit devices, where M and N are greater than one. Each circuit device may have an output connected to a corresponding radiating element. Each submodule may include a power divider having K input ports and M output ports, where K is a factor of M. Each input port may be coupled to a corresponding receiving element, and each output port may be coupled to an input of a corresponding circuit device. Each submodule may include a heat spreader for removing heat from the circuit devices. The power source module may include a combination RF feed network and heat sink. The combination RF feed network and heat sink may include a wavefront expander to expand the RF input wavefront along at least one axis, and to direct the expanded wavefront to the receiving elements of the N submodules. The combination RF feed network and heat sink may also include a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the heat spreaders of the N submodules.
US08182101B2	Illumination optical system having the longest air interspace distance between a first and a second optical unit where a specific condition is satisfied for the optical system The illumination optical system includes an integrator configured to divide light from a light source into plural light fluxes, and a collection optical system configured to collect the plural light fluxes from the integrator toward an illumination surface. A rear principal point of the collection optical system is located closer to the light source than a front principal point of the collection optical system. The configuration provides a compact illumination optical system which brightly illuminates the illumination surface with the light and enables high contrast image projection.
US08182099B2	Noise immune optical encoder for high ambient light projection imaging systems A method and apparatus for bitstream modulation of an infrared light source used by an optical sensor in a stereoscopic projection system, combined with a bitstream filter on the receiver electronics.
US08182098B2	Projection optical system Provided is a projection optical system. The projection optical system includes: A projection optical system comprising: a first optical part that comprises at least one optical lens, and projects and displays light beams; a second optical part that comprises an image forming element and at least one optical lens, and emits incident light beams as light beams with images; and a third optical part that comprises a light source unit and a deflector that is located between the first and second optical parts, and directs light beams emitted from the light source unit to the second optical part and directs the light beams with images emitted from the second optical part to the first optical part.
US08182095B2	Apparatus for cooling heat generating spot of electronic device, cooling method therefore, and liquid crystal projector apparatus A silent cooling apparatus for effectively reducing the operating temperature of an electronic device includes a plurality of components which include surfaces opposite to each other with a spacing therebetween and have a heat generating spot on at least any of the surfaces opposite to each other, in a small and low-cost configuration. The apparatus for cooling a heat generating spot of an electronic device includes a cooling apparatus for forcedly air-cooling a heat generating spot of an electronic device which includes a plurality of components which are disposed side by side to have the same in-plane direction, and include heat generating spots within their surfaces. The cooling apparatus includes a first air cooling unit for feeding an air stream to the heat generating spot in an orientation of the in-plane direction, and a second air cooling unit for feeding an air stream to the heat generating spot in the in-plane direction in a different orientation from the air stream by the first air cooling unit.
US08182093B2	Image projection device including determining displayable region An image projection apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source for outputting laser light and a mirror section for reflecting and projecting the laser light having been output from the light source, and displays an image with at least a portion of the projected laser light. The image projection apparatus includes a detection section for detecting at least a portion of the laser light returning from a projection direction of the laser light, and a calculation section for determining an image displayable region based on the detected light. The mirror section reflects at least a portion of the laser light returning from the projection direction of the laser light so as to be led into the detection section.
US08182088B2	Systems and methods for determining intraocular lens power A system for providing an intraocular lens includes a processor and a computer readable memory. The computer readable memory is configured to communicate with the processor, the memory having stored therein at least one of: one or more ocular dimensions, and at least one predetermined refractive outcome. The memory further includes a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to select an intraocular lens, select a power of an intraocular lens, or provide an intraocular lens. The sequence of instructions includes determining one or more dimensions of an eye. The instructions also include calculating, based on a mathematical relationship, a distance from an apex of a cornea of the eye to an apex or plane of the intraocular lens after insertion into the eye. The instructions further calculating an optical power of the intraocular lens suitable for providing a predetermined refractive outcome. The mathematical relationship includes an axial length of the eye, an anterior chamber depth of the natural crystalline lens, and a corneal radius of the eye, but is independent of a thickness of the natural crystalline lens.
US08182085B2	Curved lenses configured to decode three-dimensional content Curved lenses configured to decode three dimensional content and method of fabricating the same. The lenses comprise a polyvinylalcohol polarizer film or similar type of material laminated with triacetate or similar type material on one or both sides, wherein the polarizer film has a polarizing efficiency equal to or exceeding 99% and a transmittance percentage equal to or exceeding 35% and a retarder film (e.g., norbornene copolymer resin) laminated on a front surface of the polyvinylalcohol polarizer film laminated with triacetate and aligned to produce a desired circular polarization responsive to specified retardation wavelengths. Thermoforming and press polishing techniques may be used to fabricate/curve the blanks into lenses. The lenses (optical elements) may be used in an injection molding process to add thickness.
US08182084B2	Display unit A display unit includes an image data output device, an image projecting device that projects image data so as to be perceived by eyes of a user, a skeleton frame on which the image projecting device is mounted, the sunglass lenses being disposed on the skeleton frame, in which the sunglass lenses are set so that a transmissivity of visible light in a predetermined wavelength region is peculiarly low and so that transmissivities of visible light in wavelength regions other than the visible light in the predetermined wavelength region are peculiarly high, and in which the coloring of image light visualized by the image projecting device is formed by light differing in color from the visible light having peculiarly high transmissivities in the sunglass lenses.
US08182076B2	Fluid supply system A fluid supply system for a printing device is disclosed. The fluid supply system includes an ink reservoir adapting member operatively disposed within an ink cartridge. The adapting member has an open end and an end opposed to the open end. The open end is adapted to have a filter disposed thereon. The opposed end is substantially angularly offset from the open end in a manner sufficient to substantially promote fluid and air migration toward a fluid conduit. A depth between the open end and the opposed end substantially varies along a length between two opposed sides of the adapting member. A predetermined area of the opposed end defines the fluid conduit, and the predetermined area is located at a region where the depth is substantially greatest. Further, the conduit is adapted to release fluid and air from the adapting member.
US08182075B2	Liquid delivery system and manufacturing method thereof The liquid delivery system is equipped with a liquid container that is installable on the liquid jetting device, a liquid supply device, and a liquid flow passage member. The liquid container is equipped with a recess portion having an opening provided on a first surface, a container main unit having a liquid delivery portion for delivering liquid to the liquid jetting device, and a sealing film that seals the opening of the recess portion to define together with an inner surface of the recess portion a chamber and a inner flow passage at an upstream side of the liquid delivery portion. The liquid flow passage member is connected to at least one of the chamber and the inner flow passage via a hole provided on the sealing film.
US08182074B2	Liquid ejection head In order to provide a liquid ejection head which enables ejection of a droplet at a higher frequency, according to the invention, a piezoelectric vibrator has a multilayer structure. In the multilayer structure, an upper piezoelectric layer and a lower piezoelectric layer are laminated one on another. A drive electrode is formed at a boundary between the upper piezoelectric layer and the lower piezoelectric layer and is electrically connected to a source for supplying a drive signal. An upper common electrode is formed on the surface of the upper piezoelectric layer. A lower common electrode is formed on the surface of the lower piezoelectric layer. An inertance of a nozzle orifice and an inertance of an ink supply port are set so as to become greater than an inertance of a pressure generating portion.
US08182059B2	Image printing device an image printing device comprises a transfer roller configured to transfer a printing medium in a transfer direction, a first sensor configured to detect a rotation amount of the transfer roller, a carriage mounted with a printhead. The image printing device further comprises a second sensor mounted to the carriage and configured to detect the printing medium. The image printing device further comprises a reference member disposed at a position opposing to the second sensor and a drive transmission mechanism configured to move the reference member in conjunction with a rotation of the transfer roller. The image printing device determines a position of an origin of the transfer roller based on detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor.
US08182058B2	Double-sided record apparatus and double-sided record method A double-sided record apparatus for forming images on both sides of a recording medium. The double-sided record apparatus includes: a print head that moves relatively to the record medium and ejects ink onto a face of the record medium; a counting unit configured to count the number of ejected ink droplets to a predetermined area on the record medium from the print head; a comparison unit configured to compare the number of ejected ink droplets counted by the counting unit with a predetermined value; and a determination unit configured to determine whether double-sided record of the record medium is enabled based on a comparison result of the comparison unit.
US08182056B2	Offset weight supporting slide An appliance is provided that includes a storage compartment with a shelf within the storage compartment. A support apparatus is configured for supporting the shelf. The support apparatus can include a first support, a second support, three track surfaces and three bearings. The first support is configured to be attached to an interior wall of the storage compartment. Each of the track surfaces is located on the first support. The second support is configured to engage the first support by the bearings of the second support being received within a respective track surface located on the first support. The shelf can be attached to the second support of the support apparatus. The shelf and the second support are movable into a plurality of positions relative to the interior wall of the storage compartment by a movement of the shelf with respect to the track surfaces located on the first support.
US08182054B2	Retraction mechanism for a drawer A retraction mechanism for a drawer includes a guiding member, a holding member, and an elastic member. The guiding member includes a first wall, a second wall, a first channel and a second channel, a first end portion extending from first ends of the first and second walls. The first end portion includes a locking portion adjacent to the first channel. The holding member includes a pin slot, and a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion to hold against the first and second channels, respectively. The first supporting portion includes a first supporting leg corresponding to the locking portion. The drawer includes a pin for engaging with or disengaging from the pin slot when the drawer is pulled or pushed. The elastic member is adapted to act on the holding member. The drawer urged by the elastic member will be retracted into a furniture body when the drawer is moved to a predetermined position.
US08182053B1	Bathroom cabinet with extendable mirrors A bathroom cabinet includes a housing having an open face in communication with an interior storage compartment. A pivotal door is positioned over the open face to provide selective access to the interior chamber. The door includes a front mirror similar to that found on conventional bathroom cabinets. Behind the front mirror is an extendable mirror assembly including a slidable magnifying mirror and an auxiliary mirror. A user can extend and position the mirror assembly as necessary to closely view a reflected image without leaning or bending.
US08182040B2	Forward tiltable motor vehicle seat with hinge mountings A forward tiltable motor vehicle seat having a seat carrier, a seat back and a hinge mounting arranged therebetween. The hinge mounting has an upper hinge arm connected to the seat back and a lower hinge arm hinged to the seat carrier about a forward tilt axis. The hinge mounting comprises a locking device on one seat side and at least one detent bight that is arranged to move together with the upper hinge arm on the other seat side. A movable detent part is provided and comprises at least one detent projection that: cooperates with the detent bight, is normally not engaged with the detent bight, and when the seat back is tilted forward about the forward tilt axis, is at least ready for engagement with the detent bight or engaged therewith.
US08182037B2	Fold-and-dive seat assembly for vehicle A fold-and-dive seat assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The fold-and-dive seat assembly includes a seat cushion dived downward toward a floor panel by means of a dive link, a seat back connected to the seat cushion by a connection link, and rotatably connected to the floor panel to be folded toward the seat cushion, a head rest provided on an upper end of the seat back, a sliding unit, connected to the head rest and the seat back, for moving the head rest in a back and forth direction in a sliding manner, and a slid driving member for operating the sliding unit in link with the dive link, upon folding and diving, to slide the head rest in a rearward direction.
US08182036B2	Rocking chair A rocking chair (1) is provided with a seat (30), a projecting member (40) provided on the lower side of the seat (30) and having a convex surface (41a) forming a part of a spherical surface (b) centered on a point (A) located above the seat (30), swivel casters (20) in contact with the convex surface (41a) of the projecting member (40) and guiding the projecting member (40) such that the projecting member (40) can rock along the spherical surface (b), and a support member (10) for the chair. The swivel casters (20) are mounted such that the axes (a) of swivel shafts (22) of the swivel casters (20) pass through the center point (A) of the spherical surface (b), and the seat (30) is guided in the direction of a force applied by rollers (25) of the swivel casters (20). Rocking of the projecting member (40) is smoother than that in rocking chairs using ball casters instead of the swivel casters (20), and noise caused by rocking is drastically reduced. The chair can be produced inexpensively because the swivel casters are inexpensive.
US08182035B2	Impact absorbing child safety seat The present invention provides a child safety seat. The child safety seat comprises a seat body and an impact absorbing mechanism. The seat body comprises a backrest part and a seat part, and the impact absorbing mechanism is connected to a bottom surface of the seat part. The impact absorbing mechanism comprises at least two protruding parts positioned on a rear part of the impact absorbing mechanism and protruding from the bottom surface of the seat part. The rear part is near the backrest part of the seat body. When the child safety seat is positioned on a car seat and contacts the car seat, the protruding parts are utilized for reducing impact force received from the car seat when the child safety seat encounters an impact.
US08182033B2	Child restraint systems Improvements for child restraint systems are directed specifically to the covers, handles, and harnesses thereof. A child restraint cover is readily removed without having to detach the harness from the seat. A soft and semi rigid child restraint handle includes members that are tied together in a crossover fashion. Another handle of the invention spans above the restraint in a head to foot direction. A further handle design includes dual integrated handles. 5-point and 7-point harnesses that do not require threading a child's limbs through harness loops are also provided. A harness height adjuster is also described.
US08182031B1	Poker kit with chairs and table A poker kit comprising a plurality of chairs; a cushion attached to the seat panel of the chair and a plurality of legs attached to the seat panel; a first armrest and second armrest extending from the back panel of the chair; an ashtray attached to the first armrest and a cup holder attached to the second armrest; a storage pouch attached to the arm near the ashtray; a table having an octagon shape and a felt panel attached the top; a plurality of legs attached to the table; wherein the cushions of the chair are decorated with a design of one of the four top poker hands; wherein markers are labeled on the felt on the table.
US08182026B2	Cockpit cross member for a motor vehicle A cockpit cross member (1,1′,1″) for a motor vehicle, has a basic member (2) and at least one fastening bracket (3) for connecting the cockpit cross member to the vehicle body (4). The basic member (2) is designed as a light-metal cast structure, and an adjusting element (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) is provided between the basic member (2) and the fastening bracket (3) to at least partially absorb the force exerted on the cockpit cross member in the event of the motor vehicle crashing.
US08182025B2	Method of producing a panel assembly A method of constructing a reinforced closure panel assembly for a vehicle roof assembly includes providing a substantially planar panel having two opposite surfaces, providing a reinforcement having a circumferential flange fitting on one of the surfaces of the panel, providing adhering material, positioning the reinforcement on said surface of the panel with interposition of the adhering material at least temporarily adhering the reinforcement to the panel such that an enclosed space is formed between the reinforcement and the panel, sealed by the adhering material, and injecting fluid encapsulating material into the space so as to substantially completely fill the space, allowing it to solidify and forming adherence of the reinforcement to the panel.
US08182024B2	Structure and a system for connecting a machine cab to a supporting frame A system is disclosed for connecting a cab to a machine supporting frame. A sub-frame is secured to the machine supporting frame and is configured to tilt relative to the machine supporting frame. A plurality of vibration damping mechanisms is configured to at least partially inhibit transmission of shocks and vibrations between the sub-frame and the cab. A plurality of dead stop mechanisms is configured to limit movement between the sub-frame and the cab. A rigid connection between the machine supporting frame and the sub-frame is configured to be selectively disconnected. A pivot connection between the machine supporting frame and the sub-frame is configured to permit the sub-frame and the cab to be tilted relative to the machine supporting frame upon disconnection of the rigid connection.
US08182021B2	Pick-up truck box cover A cover assembly for a pick-up truck cargo box includes first and second rails attachable at the sides of the box. A cover has a first resilient hinge strip connecting a first panel to a second panel and allowing the first panel to pivot relative to the second panel. A third panel is attached to the second panel by a second resilient hinge strip, which allows the second panel to pivot relative to the third panel. The panels are supported on the rails. Latches on the panels hold the panels onto the rails. The cover may be opened by sequentially releasing the latches and folding the panels over onto each other.
US08182019B1	Semitrailer tarpaulin securing system A semitrailer tarpaulin securing system includes a trailer with a first lateral wall, a second lateral wall and an opening extending into an upper side of the trailer. A plurality of covering supports extends between the first and second lateral walls and across the opening. A covering is removably positionable on the supports to close the opening. Each of a plurality of retaining members has a first end, a second end and a central portion extending between the first and second ends. Each of the first ends is attached to the first lateral wall and each of the second ends is attached to the second lateral wall so that the central portion of each of the retaining members extends over the opening of the trailer. The covering is between the supports and the retaining members. The retaining members inhibit the covering from blowing off of the trailer.
US08182017B2	Stowable child seat for automotive vehicles A child seat mount assembly, a seat for mounting a child seat, and a passenger vehicle having a stowable child seat are provided. A seat back is connected to the body for closing an access opening to a storage compartment and seating an occupant in an upright position, and for opening the access opening in a collapsed position. A child seat mounting plate is connected to the seat back such that the mounting plate and child seat extend into the storage compartment in the upright position of the seat back, and such that the child seat is in a seating position in the collapsed position of the seat back. A method is provided for converting a vehicle seat for receiving and storing a child seat in the storage compartment, and for deploying a child seat in the collapsed position of the seat back.
US08182015B2	Rear vehicle seat release and carrying handle The present invention discloses a removable rear seat assembly for use in a motor vehicle having a passenger compartment and a vehicle floor. A seat frame is mounted to the vehicle floor. A release mechanism is provided operatively connecting the seat frame to the vehicle floor as to prevent movement of the seat frame. A release handle is mounted to a rear of the seat frame and is connected to the release mechanism for purposes of activating the release mechanism. The release handle may also be used as a carrying handle allowing for increased maneuverability of the seat frame after removal. The seat frame is removable from the passenger compartment upon a downward pulling and upward rotation of the release handle. This specific movement requirement prevents the inadvertent release of the seat frame from the vehicle floor. The release handle is prevented from an immediate rotation upwards preventing a vehicle occupant from activating the release mechanism by kicking or lifting the release handle. The release handle is freely rotatable downwards to the vehicle floor creating a breakaway feature allowing a vehicle occupant to step on or kick the release handle without activating the release mechanism. These safety features prevent the inadvertent release of the seat frame.
US08182011B2	Slide deck device for vehicle This invention provides a slide deck device, for a vehicle, which prevents a slide deck from rattling with respect to a floor surface of a vehicle even if an upward load is applied to the side deck in a state where the slide deck is completely drawn into the vehicle. The slide deck device is provided with a supporting member 30 provided on a floor surface 15 and supporting an undersurface of a slide deck 20, a floor contact-member 52 provided on the floor surface, and a slide deck contact-member 60 provided on the undersurface of the slide deck. When the slide deck is located at the accommodated position, the slide deck contact-member is in contact with the undersurface of the floor contact-member.
US08182009B2	End effector An apparatus for transporting a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes an upper portion housing an electric motor, the electric motor having a drive shaft. A motor housing encloses the electric motor. A pivot bracket having a first end and a second end, where the first end of the pivot bracket is coupled to the drive shaft. The apparatus includes a lower portion having a top surface affixed to the second end of the pivot bracket. The lower portion includes a plurality of paddle assemblies each having support extensions extending though a bearing assembly of the lower portion. Each of the paddle assemblies has an independent drive assembly disposed between corresponding support extensions, wherein the lower portion translates between a vertical and horizontal orientation by pivoting around an axis of the driveshaft.
US08182008B2	Carrying apparatus A carrying apparatus comprising: an upper portion having at least one terminal end cantileverly extending from a first point in the upper portion; a lower portion comprising at least one terminal end having a receiving area formed on a first side of the lower portion on which at least a looped handle of a carrying item may rest, wherein at least one terminal end of the upper portion engages in an interlocking operational relationship with at least one terminal end of the lower portion.
US08182006B2	Cylinder lock having a reinforcement structure coupled to an outer rose disc A cylinder lock includes an outer rose disc having a middle opening, two locking holes, and an annular lateral rim formed with opposite engagement elements, a reinforcement structure having a first plate section that has a central hole aligned with the middle opening, and two passage holes aligned with the respective locking holes, two second plate sections extending transversely from two opposite ends of the first plate section, and two support sections respectively extending from the second plate sections to the lateral rim to engage the engagement elements. An outer drive tube extends through the middle opening and central hole. The reinforcement structure provides enhanced stiffness and robustness to two securing rods extending through the locking holes and the passage holes.
US08182005B2	Cylinder lock with reinforcements to improve structural strength A cylinder lock includes a shell that has an enlarged tubular section, and a constricted tubular section. A retractor case that contains a latch retractor for retracting a latch is disposed within the enlarged tubular section. An inner surface of the enlarged tubular section is provided with an interlocking unit that interlocks with the retractor case to prevent relative rotational movements of the retractor case and the shell. In an embodiment, the retractor case has at least one tongue extending radially between a pair of annularly spaced apart interlocking elements of the interlocking unit.
US08182002B2	Multipoint door lock system with header and sill lock pins An improved multipoint door lock system of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,077 additionally includes header and sill lock pins actuated by lost motion mechanisms for respective movement from a retracted position to an advanced deadbolt locking position engaged with respective header and sill keepers, in response to movement of one or more latch bolts from a normal latched position to a further extended deadbolt position. The latch bolts are further movable between the normal latched position engaged with associated strike sets on the adjacent door jamb for maintaining the door in a closed position, and a retracted position to permit swinging movement of the door to an open position. The lost motion mechanisms associated with the header and sill pins accommodate latch bolt movement between the latched and retracted positions, without displacing the header and sill pins.
US08182001B2	Direct action window lock A window latch for a sliding window having a sliding sash including a latch plate and a housing. The housing includes an engagement element movable relative to the housing from a locked position operatively engaged with the latch plate to an unlocked position disengaged from the latch plate. A handle is operatively coupled to the engagement element and movable from a first position to a second position in a first direction corresponding to the direction the sliding sash to which the handle is attached moves to an open position. The handle operatively moves the engagement element from the locked position to the unlocked position as the handle is moved in the first direction toward the second position.
US08181997B2	Water hose connector A water hose connector assembly has a main body, an elastic snapper seat, a sleeve and a pipe locking ring. A plurality of oblique guide blocks are formed on a tubular portion of the main body. The oblique guide blocks have an oblique guide surface. An elastic snapper seat has a C-shaped chassis and a plurality of elastic claws. The chassis is received in slots at a bottom of the oblique guide blocks. Elastic pushers are formed onto an inner wall of the sleeve and aligned with the oblique guide blocks.
US08181995B2	Cool tip junction A conduit junction for use with an electrosurgical system includes a body having a lumen defined therein and at least one positioning structure. The lumen is configured to receive to receive at least a portion of a tubular structure. The tubular structure includes at least one of a conductor and a conduit of an electrosurgical system. The positioning structure is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the lumen and is adapted to position at least one of the conductor and the conduit within the body of the conduit junction. The body of the conduit junction may include a first section and a second section pivotably connected to each other. The positioning structure may include at least one rib pocket.
US08181994B1	Sheet with wristband A printable form comprising a printable face surface and a wristband releasably bonded to f the printable face surface. In at least one embodiment the wristband may be detached from the printable face surface and secured to around a body part for use in identification. In at least one embodiment the wristband comprises one or more labels that may be detached therefrom.
US08181993B2	ID card comprising a contoured relief structure, and corresponding production method An identification card of plastic, for example PVC or polyester, is introduced, in which tactile symbols in the form of foamed relief structures are clearly visually perceivable. The symbols are outlined by a contour achieved by discoloration of the plastic.
US08181987B2	Air bag deployment door with force transmitting hinge An air bag deployment apparatus is provided for use in an air bag deployment system of an automotive vehicle. The apparatus has a support base for attachment to a rear surface of an occupant facing substrate. A door support panel has upper and lower surfaces and four side edges for attachment to the rear surface of the substrate within the area of an air bag deployment door. An air bag chute extends downward from the support base and contains a plurality of skirt walls for defining a path for deployment of an air bag from beneath the substrate. A hinge element extends from one of the skirt walls to one edge of the door support panel wherein the hinge element has upper and lower surfaces joined by a left side surface and a right side surface. At least one of the side surfaces protruding from the skirt wall includes an undercut so that a lower corner of the hinge element forms an obtuse angle, resulting in better transfer of deployment forces through the hinge element.
US08181980B1	Uncomplicated bicycle device for fastening a steering tube with a stem tube An uncomplicated bicycle device for fastening a steering tube with a stem tube includes two compression rings and a fastening set. The compression ring is fixed on a stem opening by inserting the lateral surface portion into the stem tube and the protruding portion abutted against the stem opening. The steering tube is inserted into the compression rings. A fastening set includes a star nut placed into the steering tube, a cap covering the stem opening and abutted against the compression ring, a cap bolt for screwing the cap and the star nut together. The present invention only uses the compression rings and the fastening set instead of any thread structure and lock nuts for fastening the steering tube within the stem tube. Thus, the adjuster can quickly calibrate and assemble the steering tube within the stem tube again.
US08181978B2	Bicycle suspension system In a preferred embodiment, an ultra-light weight suspension fork for bicycles that provides smooth action of the suspension system that hitherto has been unachievable. This fork assembly contains a telescoping mechanism located in the head tube of the bicycle that uses linear roller bearings to reduce stiction and prevent torsional losses, but limits weight by only using two such bearings. Side-to-side load is eliminated by the use of two longitudinal members in close proximity to the inner tube of this telescoping mechanism. The telescoping mechanism is coupled to the wheel via an arched single-sided fork crown designed to maintain torsional and braking stiffness. The arched crown contains arches in two dimensions. The fork crown is coupled to the wheel via a shaped fork tube whose wall is thickened while the outside diameter is reduced so that the connection point to the axle mechanism has the same outside diameter as the fork tube thereby enabling significant strengthening of the assembly.
US08181973B2	Clamping apparatus for a reciprocating tool Embodiments are disclosed for a tool-less clamping apparatus for a reciprocating tool having a reciprocating spindle having a center axis and at least one radially oriented aperture and a receiving slot at its forward end for receiving a tool accessory, the apparatus having an unclamped position and a clamped position, and comprising a hollow generally cylindrical sleeve secured to the spindle, a hollow generally cylindrical collar configured to fit on the sleeve and being rotatable relative to the spindle and the sleeve, the collar having an inner cam surface that increases in radius from the axis through a first predetermined circumferential arc in a first direction, a spring operatively connected to provide a biasing force to the collar toward its clamped position, and a detent pin positioned in the spindle aperture and configured to engage a hole in the tool accessory and thereby firmly hold the tool accessory in the apparatus when urged into contact with the tool accessory.
US08181969B2	Lubrication blocking seal A lubrication blocking seal includes a hollow body that has upper and lower planar surfaces, a surrounding wall, a reservoir area and an open top. The body has upper and lower seal-receiving recesses located in the upper and lower planar surfaces, and a lower central aperture sized and shaped to fit closely about a rotating shaft. A cover is sized and shaped to seal to the hollow body and has an upper central aperture sized and shaped to fit closely about the rotating shaft and means for mounting a bearing about the shaft and to the cover. A lower seal is sized and shaped to fit closely about the rotating shaft and into the lower seal-receiving recess. An upper seal is sized and shaped to fit closely about the rotating shaft and into the upper seal-receiving recess. A quantity of lubricating material sufficient to fill the reservoir area is provided.
US08181968B2	Piston ring A piston ring includes a piston ring body and a surface coating film formed on at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the piston ring body. The surface coating film comprises a heat-resistant resin and a metal powder contained in the heat-resistant resin, and a phosphate coating film is formed, as base coating film of the surface coating film, on a surface on which the surface coating film of the piston ring body is formed.
US08181967B2	Variable clearance packing ring Disclosed is a variable clearance packing ring including a plurality of arcuate packing ring segments positional seriatim, a plurality of biasing member interfaces defined by the plurality of arcuate packing ring segments, and a biasing member interactive with one of the plurality of interfaces on one of the plurality of arcuate segments and one of the plurality of interfaces on an adjacent one of the plurality of arcuate segments.
US08181964B2	Game A game apparatus and method of playing a game is disclosed herein. The game apparatus having: a central area that is configured to be rotated in a first direction; an outer member surrounding the central area, the outer member being configured to be rotated in a second direction, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; a wall member separating an outer periphery of the central area from an inner periphery of the outer member; and a plurality of grabbing devices disposed about the outer member, each of the plurality of grabbing devices being configured to grab an object from the outer member and move it to the central area by tossing it over the wall member.
US08181962B2	Casino wagering game with bonus suits A casino wagering game based on the card game of thirty-one. Each player is dealt three cards and the goal is to get as high of a hand as possible. Each player is allowed the option to replace one selected card. A bonus suit can be determined randomly, and if the player's hand is formed using the bonus suit then the player is entitled to playing benefits. The player benefits can include the ability to win on ties as well as receiving bonus payouts on hands.
US08181961B1	In-tube puzzle A self-contained three-dimensional puzzle game that has a plurality of free-floating individual puzzle pieces (6) enclosed within a transparent enclosure (8). Puzzle is solved by using a wand (1) to move the individual puzzle pieces and forming the three dimensional solution. Wand is comprised of a rod, which extends through a small hole (4) in the enclosure. One embodiment has the three-dimensional subject solution covered with image graphics (10) so that when the individual pieces are manipulated into the correct positions they bring about an overall composition.
US08181959B2	Method and apparatus for processing print products A method and apparatus for the processing of print products. The method may include conveying individually the print products with a feeding device along a feeding section, transferring individually the print products from the feeding section to a further processing section, and generating control signals from a control unit. The control signals may correspond to further treatment of each individual print product and to the transfer of a print product to the further processing section such that it can be processed further. The apparatus may include a feeding device configured to convey the print products individually along a feeding section, a transfer device configured to individually transfer the print products from the feeding device to a further processing device, and a control unit configured to generate control signals to control the transfer of the print products from the feeding device to the further processing device.
US08181956B2	Sheet transport device for image forming apparatus A sheet transport device includes: a registration roller pair that includes a first roller and a second roller lower in abrasion resistance than the first roller, and nips and transports a recording medium; and a drive mechanism that provides a rotation to the first roller to rotate at the first circumferential speed, and provides a rotation to the second roller to rotate at the second circumferential speed different from the first circumferential speed.
US08181955B2	Feeder device and method for moving printed products by planar motion A feeder device for printed products is provided including at least one first drum rotatable about a first axis; at least one second drum rotatable about a second axis; and an actuator coupled to the at least one first drum and the at least one second drum for reciprocating the at least one first drum and the at least one second drum axially. A printed product conveying device and a method of transporting printed products are also provided.
US08181949B2	Micro-adjustable parallel bench vise A micro-adjustable parallel bench vise includes a slide holder having a top dovetail rail, a vise body having a bottom dovetail groove coupled to the dovetail rail of the slide holder and holding a fixed jaw member, a screw holder slidably mounted in the top side of the vise body, a screw rod threaded into the screw holder and rotatable to move the screw holder relative to the vise body. When multiple vise bodies are mounted on the slide holder in parallel, they are micro-adjustable to hold a workpiece or multiple workpieces precisely in position.
US08181939B2	Continuous drain-type dehumidifier A dehumidifier for continuously draining water generated by dehumidification to an external side is provided. The continuous drain-type dehumidifier includes a case having an air inlet and outlet, a dehumidifying unit that remove moisture from air introduced through the air inlet and discharges the air through the air outlet, a middle part member having a bottom portion on which water generated by the dehumidifying unit is dropped and provided with a water outlet, and a water leakage preventing unit that is provided on the water outlet to prevent the water from leaking. The water leakage preventing unit includes a drain nipple cap inserted into the water outlet, a drain nipple snap-fitted to the drain nipple cap, and a ring compressed between the drain nipple cap and the drain nipple and close-contacting an outer circumference of the water outlet.
US08181937B2	Hydraulic leveling cylinder An anodized aluminum hydraulic leveling cylinder 10 for a vehicle includes an extruded hollow body 20 having a vehicle attachment portion 24 for attaching the body to the underside of a vehicle. A piston 80 is slidably fitted into the interior of the body. The piston is formed of ductile aluminum capable of being machined to a desirable shape and dimensions. The piston is hard anodized and PTFE coated for durable and silent operation. Hydraulic oil passage means 23a, 23b is formed in the body, and a cap 50 with a pair of dual flow-through passages 53 is attached to the top end 30 of the body for permitting the flow of pressurized hydraulic oil into and out of the interior of the body to effect axial movement of the piston. Hydraulic fluid may be transferred through one or more hollow mounting bolts.
US08181936B2	Universal jack stand A jack stand for a vehicle includes a plurality of walls joined together to form a body, the body being hollow. A base is formed by lower edges of the walls and a top surface joins top edges of the walls. One of the walls includes a wall opening and the top includes a top opening, the wall opening and the top opening extending towards one another, meeting proximate the top edge of one of the walls, thereby forming a single, continuous opening extending from the top into one of the walls.
US08181933B2	Pipe joint The present invention concerns a pipe joint, which includes a socket, and a plug arranged in confronting relation to the socket. A holder is disposed on one end of the socket. Further, a packing is retained between the socket and the holder. In addition, the packing is constructed from a body sealing portion disposed on an outer circumferential side thereof, a plug sealing portion disposed on an inner circumferential side thereof that abuts against an outer circumferential surface of the plug, and a valve sealing portion provided with a seating surface upon which a valve, which is disposed displaceably inside of the socket, can be seated.
US08181927B2	Providing constant counterbalance throughout predetermined range of motion An apparatus includes a lever arm that couples to a pivot point on one end and a display on the other end. The lever arm rotates around the pivot point through a lever arm range of motion, and the weight of the display produces a display torque around the pivot point that varies as the lever arm rotates through the lever arm range of motion. The apparatus also includes a spring that couples to the lever arm using a cable. The spring produces, through the lever arm, a spring torque around the pivot point that is equally opposite of the display torque throughout the lever arm range of motion.
US08181921B2	Platform telescoping mechanism Disclosed are various embodiments of a platform telescoping system which comprises a platform, a first supporting arm, a second supporting arm, a telescopic driving mechanism which comprises a first power output, end and a rotational driving mechanism which comprises a second power output end. The first power output end is integrated with the second supporting arm and causes the second supporting arm to move in a first direction, and the second power output end is integrated with the platform and causes the platform to pivot between a first position and a second position. The second supporting arm telescopes with respect to the first supporting arm for adjusting the position of the platform. The space occupied by the platform telescoping system may be reduced while its functions enhanced.
US08181919B1	Film bag holder The apparatus holds open the mouth of a plastic film bag, while holding it upright for filling. It is readily applied and removed after the filling has been done. It is easily cleaned. The holder has a convenient footprint for storage beneath the bag package when in a storage mode. The holder has arms that engage a surface of the bag proximate the bag opening and leg members that engage the other surface of the bag. The arms are removably attached to the leg members with the bag film sandwiched in between them by magnetic force. The combination of spaced-apart arms and spaced-apart leg members together hold the bag open and upright for filling.
US08181917B2	Apparatus and method for repairing a core spray line pipe weld joint A clamping device supports or structurally replaces a weld joint between connected pipes. The clamping device includes an upper clamp body and a lower clamp body securable on opposite sides of the connected pipes in facing relation, and at least one clamp bolt connecting the upper and lower clamp bodies and extendable through the connected pipes. One of the upper and lower clamp bodies has at least one shaped depression, which receives a complementary shaped clamp bolt nut engageable with the clamp bolt. The shaped depression prevents rotation of the clamp bolt nut.
US08181911B1	Satellite refuelling system and method The present invention provides a method, system and apparatus for robotic refueling of satellites. The system may include a dedicated refueling satellite launched directly from either earth, or alternatively it could be launched from another larger mother spacecraft or space station in which the refueling satellite is ferried into space in the case of the larger space craft or it may be stored on the space station until needed from which it can be launched. The system includes a robotic arm, suitable tools which can be affixed to the end effector of the robotic arm required for accessing, opening and closing the fuel fill valve on the satellite being serviced, storage and retrieval stations on a tool caddy on which the tools and various fuel fill valve caps are stored. The system is under teleoperation by a remotely located operator, for example located on earth, in the mother station or in the space station. Cameras are included focussed on the robotic arm and end effector and images are transmitted to the operator to allow the operator to direct and control the refueling procedure. The system may also be configured to be operated autonomously under computer control.
US08181909B2	Pressure bulkhead for aircraft A pressure bulkhead assembly adapted for installation in an aircraft fuselage includes a bulkhead web and a reinforcing structure. The bulkhead web has a first side facing the pressurized compartment and a second side opposite the first side. The reinforcing structure, which is formed from a series of primary beam members, secondary beam members, and connecting elements, is provided on the second side of the bulkhead web.
US08181907B2	Wing-drive mechanism and vehicle employing same A wing-drive mechanism is described that permits, with proper control, movement of a wing about multiple wing trajectories. The wing-drive is capable of independent movement about three rotational degrees of movement; movement about a flap axis is independent of movement about a yaw axis, and both are independent of changes in the pitch of the wing. Methods of controlling the wing-drive mechanism to affect a desired wing trajectory include the use of a non-linear automated controller that generates input signals to the wing-drive mechanism by comparing actual and desired wing trajectories in real time. Specification of wing trajectories is preferably also accomplished in real time using an automated trajectory specification system, which can include a fuzzy logic processor or a neural network.
US08181905B2	Aircraft engine nacelle with translating inlet cowl A nacelle for a turbofan aircraft engine having a fan case with a fan case forward edge includes an inlet inner barrel having an inner barrel forward edge and an inner barrel aft edge. The inner barrel aft edge is configured to be affixed to the fan case forward edge in a stationary position on the engine. The nacelle also includes a translating inlet cowl having an inlet lip with an aft inlet lip edge and an outer skin with rear edge. The translating inlet cowl is configured to be movably attached to one or more stationary portions of the engine such that the inlet cowl is selectively movable between a stowed flight position and an extended service position.
US08181903B2	Aircraft having the ability for hovering flight, fast forward flight, gliding flight, short take-off, short landing, vertical take-off and vertical landing Aircraft having two, preferably four or more, rotors (20) in wing hatches (10) which can be closed. The closure mechanism has, at the top, individually curved elements on a rollshutter (scroll/roller blind) (40) and, at the bottom, a set of longitudinal fins (30). One or more propeller/impeller drives are firmly connected to the stabilator (60), which can be pivoted over a wide extent. In hovering flight, the wing hatches (10) are opened and the impeller drives (60), together with the stabilator, are pivoted largely vertically downwards. During the transition to cruise flight, the large flaperons (100) are lowered, and the propeller/impeller drives (60), together with the stabilator, are slowly pivoted to the horizontal. When the forward speed is sufficient, the wing hatches (10) are closed, the rotors (20) are stopped, and the flaperons (100) are raised somewhat again. The pilot has unobstructed visibility through the gap between the wingtips (70).
US08181898B2	Winding plant for use in plastic film production lines, in particular, extendable plastic films, and winding method of plastic film rolls A winding plant for use in plastic film production lines comprises a plurality of reels (11-14) connected to a star-like reel carrier (15) rotatable around its own axis. According to the invention, said reels (11-14) are arranged around said star-like reel carrier (15) in a manner such that at least a first reel (12) of said plurality of reels is situated in an operative winding position of a film (20) to form a complete roll (21). Said reels (11-14) each comprise a mandrel (26) supported by a tailstock associated with a flange element (16) comprising at least a first and a second notch (23,24), wherein said flange element (16) is rotatable around its own axis in a manner independent from said star-like reel carrier (15) when said tails tocks are released from said mandrels (26), so to bring said first notch (23) to a second unloaded reel (13) and said second notch (24) to a third reel (14) loaded with a roll (21) of film (20).
US08181897B2	Winding device and method for tearing off web material by planetary-roller A winding device with a planetary-roller tear-off mechanism is disclosed, comprising a first winding roller which is driven to rotate in a predetermined direction and a plurality of core support plates that are arranged at a predetermined distance below the first winding roller, wherein an interval between the core support plates and the first winding roller is defined as a curved channel. A web material is conveyed through the curved channel to a winding zone to be wound as a roll. The planetary-roller tear-off mechanism includes a plurality of rotary arms and a plurality of planetary rollers. Each rotary arm is set at a predetermined location below the first winding roller, and having a driving end and a free end. Each planetary roller is rotatable, and mounted to the free end of the respective rotary arm. When the free end of the rotary arm is driven to rotate to a position facing a circumferential surface of the first winding roller, the web material is subjected to a drag force acting thereon to break the web material.
US08181896B1	Marking off tape assembly A marking off tape assembly includes an elongated and flexible panel that is comprised of a plastic material. The panel is wound upon a cylinder to form the panel into a cylindrical shape having a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge. At least one melt line is formed in the first lateral edge and melting together the layers of the panel. The melt line extends from the cylinder to an outer edge defined by the cylindrical shape. The melt line prevents the panel from unwanted unwinding from the cylinder.
US08181895B2	Wobble stroke adjustment of a cone crusher A crusher comprising at least a main shaft having an axial line and being mounted on the inner frame of the crusher, an eccentric comprising at least a first eccentric bushing and a second eccentric bushing, a first crushing blade, and a second crushing blade. The first crushing blade is fitted to move along an eccentric path, which path can be adjusted by changing the mutual position of the first eccentric bushing and the second eccentric bushing of the eccentric. The second eccentric bushing comprises a gear transmission for rotating the eccentric, and the crusher comprises adjusting means for changing the mutual position of the gear transmission of the first eccentric bushing and the gear transmission of the second eccentric bushing.
US08181894B2	Device for grinding coffee or other alimentary substances A device for the grinding of coffee, for instance in (semi)automatic machines for the preparation and the dispensing of drinks, comprising a housing (11), inside which are positioned at least two milling heads (19, 25) of which at least one (19) is revolving, means (2) of driving said at least one revolving milling head (19), an inlet (32) for feeding the coffee between the milling heads (19, 25) and an exit (35) for the ground coffee. Advantageously, the housing (11) and the milling heads (19, 25) internal to it are coupled to the means of driving (2) through an insert-and-lock joint (12, 13, 18, 218, 20, 120) that allows their rapid removal and reassembly without the aid of tools. Preferably the device includes means of regulating the relative distance between the milling heads and at least one sensor (S) for the measurement of such distance and/or a sensor (S1) of the speed of rotation of the drive shaft.
US08181892B2	Discharge device The invention relates to a discharge device for a cleaning fluid or treatment fluid, in particular to a lance for a high-pressure cleaner, comprising a pivotable head piece and an elongate holder which carries the head piece at its one end and is made at its other end for holding and for remotely controlled pivoting of the head piece, wherein the holder includes a carrier for the holding of the head piece and an actuation member adjustable relative to the carrier for the pivoting of the head piece relative to the carrier, and wherein the carrier and the actuation member extend up to the head piece in an at least approximately axially parallel arrangement, and in particular coaxial arrangement, with the carrier extending inside the actuation member.
US08181885B2	Method of imaging a coding pattern having an orientation identified via a plurality of direction components 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; (b) sampling and decoding a plurality of registration symbols contained in the imaged portion; (c) determining an orientation from the decoded registration symbols; and (d) using the determined orientation to sample and decode tag data.
US08181884B2	Machine-readable features for objects The present invention provides machine-readable features for objects, both physical and electronic. One claim recites an object including a substrate and a machine-readable code provided on the substrate, the object further includes a material deposited on or incorporated in the substrate, where the material is alterable to change the machine-readable code. Another claim recites a method including: obtaining an object including a machine-readable code; reading the machine-readable code; and changing the machine-readable code in response to said act of reading. Of course, other claims are provided as well.
US08181881B2	Stretchable wristband with RFID chip The present invention is an article of apparel, such as a wristband, that includes an radio frequency identification (RFID) device. The wristband is at least partially formed from an elastomeric material that allows the wristband to stretch while being drawn over the user's hand. The RFID device is positioned on or within the wristband. Once affixed, the RFID device remains an integral part of the wristband. The wristband may be used in any available RFID application, including a contactless payment system.
US08181875B2	RFID tag and driving method thereof The wireless tag includes a circuit which receives an AC signal from the outside and detects an envelope, a detection circuit which detects the level of electric power supplied from the outside and outputs a potential corresponding to the detected electric power, a protection circuit which changes an impedance of a circuit receiving the electric power in accordance with the electric power output from the detection circuit, a selection circuit portion which selects whether the electric power output from the detection circuit is input to the protection circuit.
US08181872B2	Imaging device and method for concurrent imaging of opposite sides of an identification card or document A device and method for imaging dual sided documents for authentification of the document. A document such as a driver's license traverses a linear flowpath into and out of a housing having a darkened interior. The document is segmentally imaged under a plurality of different light spectrums during travel along the flowpath. A data processor and software engaged to an imager capturing the segmented images assembles complete images of the document under one or a plurality of the light spectrums employed to yield a viewable rendition of both sides of the document to ascertain the presence of proper indica to validate the document. Also provided are a magnetic strip reader and bar code reader engaged to the data processor wherein data may be extracted therefrom for comparison to the images reviewed.
US08181867B1	Transit card credit authorization A system is provided for transit card credit authorization. An authorization component on a mobile device determines whether a balance on a transit card application on the mobile device is below a threshold, and determines whether a communication signal is too weak to request an approval for a balance increase from a server in response to a determination that the balance on the transit card application is below the threshold. The authorization component also determines whether credit data on the mobile device authorizes increasing the balance in response to a determination that the communication signal is too weak to request the approval for the balance increase from the server, and authorizes increasing the balance in response to a determination that the credit data authorizes increasing the balance. A fare gate enables access for the mobile device at the fare gate in response to the authorization component authorizing increasing the balance.
US08181866B2	Method and system to improve product recalls A method and system is provided to deter purchases of recalled products. An inventory control system is provided with an identification code corresponding to a recalled product. The identification code of the recalled product is identified when it is scanned or otherwise determined to be part of a sale at a retail establishment and/or an e-commerce establishment. The purchase of the recalled product corresponding to the identification code identified is automatically denied.
US08181865B2	Radio frequency identification point of sale unassisted retail transaction and digital media kiosk The invention relates to a self-checkout system that selectively activates an alarm when an item is determined to be stolen, engages the user regarding the purchase of the item, and informs the user of the purchase status of the item. When an item is determined to be stolen, and a number of occurrences of the item in the database indicating it is stolen is greater than a predetermined amount over a predetermined period of time, a theft detection module does not transmit a security signal to activate an alarm. The invention can also include a touch-screen display including a first portion dedicated to displaying POS transactions and online shopping and a second portion dedicated to displaying interactive digital media related to the item. Furthermore, the invention can include indicators on the touch screen display to indicate the status of an item.
US08181860B2	Apparatus and methods for monitoring objects in a surgical field Apparatus and methods for identifying and counting objects having identifiers entering and exiting a surgical field are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus has an entry scanner, a hand held scanner and an exit scanner for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. In another embodiment, the apparatus has a plurality of lower antennas and an upper antenna for generating a detection field and for receiving data which identifies said objects. Various surgical devices with identifiers and methods for preventing electromagnetic coupling between and protecting objects and identifiers are also provided. The invention further provides apparatus and methods comprising a handheld scanner and a mat adapted to underlie a patient during a surgical procedure.
US08181859B1	Method of authorizing automated banking machine use responsive to user data read from data bearing records An automated banking machine operates responsive to data read from data bearing records, such as user cards, to cause machine user authorization and financial transfers. Account data read from a user card is associated in a data store with instructions for displaying a customer interface uniquely associated with the particular bank where the user holds the account. The customer interface includes user-selectable financial transaction options. The arrangement enables the customer interface of the user's home bank, with which the user is familiar, to also be automatically displayed when the user operates automated banking machines of other banks.
US08181853B2	System controlled by data bearing records including check accepting and cash dispensing automated banking machine A banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records includes an automated banking machine which includes a deposit accepting device. Data read from a user card through operation of a card reader in the machine is used to determine if the data on the card corresponds to an account of an authorized machine user. The deposit accepting device is operative to receive a stack of sheets and to separate each sheet from the stack through operation of a picker. Each sheet is aligned with the sheet path and analyzed by analysis devices including at least one magnetic read head, an imager and/or a validation device. Sheets determined not to have at least one property of a genuine sheet are returned to a user of the machine. Sheets determined to have at least one property of genuine sheets are processed and stored in the machine. The machine operates to identify malfunctions of the deposit accepting device.
US08181851B2	Online purchasing system supporting buyer affordability screening An online system uses, in various embodiments of the invention, credit report information, loan affordability screening and credit approval and management functionality to facilitate the purchase and finance of products online. The online system may include both sellers of products and lenders that offer financing to buyers seeking to purchase the products. The system may automatically obtain a buyer's credit report information and use that information to determine if the buyer is pre-approved, for example, to obtain financing for a particular product or products. The system also enables use of buyer credit information to identify only those of a seller's products for which the buyer is pre-approved, for example, to finance using one or more loans. The system then enables selection of an identified product or products for purchase, and selection of a loan, for example, for financing of the selected product or products. Credit approval (or pre-approval) may be performed automatically, and along with credit processing, may be performed completely online.
US08181850B2	Anti-tamper using barcode degradation A method of authenticating a first document (270) including content (271) and a barcode (272). The barcode (272) comprising barcode elements each having a predetermined form. A plurality of the barcode elements of the barcode are detected in a representation of the first document (270). A visual difference between each of the detected barcode elements and the predetermined form of the barcode element is determined. The barcode (272) is decoded to determine a second document. The first document (270) and the second document are compared based on the determined visual difference, in order to authenticate the first document (270).
US08181849B2	Color detection system for detecting reservoir presence and content in device A system for identifying a reservoir used with a fluid delivery device. The system includes a reservoir comprising a housing for holding fluid and a colored marking located on a surface of the housing. A fluid delivery device includes a compartment for receiving and operatively coupling with the reservoir. A light source shines light on the colored marking of the reservoir. A color sensor detects wavelengths reflected and/or refracted from the colored marking due to the light shined on the colored marking. A processor of the delivery device determines a color of the colored marking from the detected wavelengths and ascertains information related to the reservoir or the fluid in the reservoir corresponding to the determined color, wherein the processor operates the fluid delivery device according to the ascertained information, wherein the information may include a reservoir type and/or medication type.
US08181845B2	Electrical bond connection system An electrical bond connection system between a first electrical contact surface and a second electrical contact surface having at least one first electrical conductor, which is bonded to at least one of the contact surfaces via at least one first bond connection. At least one additional second electrical conductor (9) is bonded to the first electrical conductor (8) via at least one second bond connection (10, 13), the two bond connections (10) being offset from one another. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an electrical bond connection system existing between a first electrical contact surface and a second electrical contact surface.
US08181844B2	Method for the permanent connection of two components by means of glass or metal solder The invention is a method for permanent connection of two components by soldering employing a glass or metal solder as the solder material. A layer system providing adhesion is applied to both components, between which the solder material is introduced. the layer system is heated to a soldering temperature characteristic for the solder material and results in a permanent solder connection between both components after cooling. The layer system providing adhesion has an adhesive layer applicable directly to the component and a solderable layer. The adhesive layer, if a glass solder is used, contains oxidic, carbidic, or nitridic components or mixed compounds thereof and, if a metal solder is used, the adhesive layer contains carbidic or nitridic components or mixed compounds thereof.
US08181843B1	Friction stir welding method and its device In a friction stir welding method, a tool is moved being rotated along portions to be joined of a work piece, where the portions include a corner with a smaller curvature that connect two portions with larger curvatures. The method includes the steps of setting the work piece on a supporting member, rotating the tool around a center axis thereof, moving the tool toward the work piece to penetrate a portion of the tool into the work piece at the portions to be joined, and moving and turning the tool along the portions to be joined. A rotation speed of the tool around the center axis thereof is decreased to be smaller at the corner with the smaller curvature than the rotation speed of the tool around the center axis thereof at the portions with the larger curvatures.
US08181842B2	Device for assembly by brazing an end cap onto a cylindrical body and vacuum cartridge comprising one such device The present invention relates to a device for assembly by brazing an end cover onto a cylindrical body, said end cover presenting a circular peripheral rim via which said cover is brazed onto a part of one of the end surfaces of the cylindrical body, this device being characterized in that the above-mentioned cover is shaped in such a way that, on the above-mentioned end surface of the cylindrical body, the circular peripheral part of the above-mentioned cover exerts a compressive stress, after brazing, on substantially the whole contact area between the end surface of the cover and the end surface of the cylindrical body.
US08181841B2	Linear friction welder with rocker arms A linear friction welding system in one embodiment includes a ram configured to vibrate along a welding axis, at least one rocker arm with a first end portion spaced apart from the welding axis and constrained against movement along the welding axis, and a second end portion which is movable along the welding axis, and a first welding component support member configured to hold a first welding component, the first welding component support member operably connected to the ram and supported by the second end portion of the at least one rocker arm, such that vibration of the ram along the welding axis causes the location of the first welding component support member along an axis orthogonal to the welding axis to vary.
US08181837B2	Pneumatic powered surgical stapling device A surgical stapler which includes or onto which a tool assembly can be mounted for deforming a plurality of surgical fasteners through and fastening tissue includes a housing having a fixed handle and a clamping handle mountable to the housing. The clamping handle is selectively movable relative to the fixed handle from a first position in spaced relation relative to the fixed handle to a second position closer to the fixed handle to actuate the clamping of tissue. An adapter yoke is included which translates within the housing upon actuation of the clamping handle. The adapter yoke mechanically cooperates with a lead screw to actuate the tool assembly to clamp tissue. A drive assembly is also included for rotating a shaft which mechanically engages the lead screw. Upon selective activation of the drive assembly, the shaft rotates the lead screw to advance a roll nut and force a firing piston into the tool assembly to deform the surgical fasteners through and fasten the tissue.
US08181835B2	Resilient strap mounting for user-borne athletic packs A resilient strap mount allowing for increased flexibility and movement of a user's shoulders and arms while wearing an athletic pack is presented. The resilient strap mount is constructed having a flexible body member consisting of two body member arms and a body member base. Shoulder harness straps, attaching to shoulder harnesses of the athletic pack, are each respectively threaded through one of the body member arms. An athletic pack strap, attaching to the base of the body of the athletic pack, is threaded through the body member base. In a preferred embodiment, each body member arm is constructed with a body member neck having a thinner width and thickness than the remainder of the flexible body member and each member neck has a pair of slot holes to allow for increased flexibility and stretching of the resilient strap mount.
US08181833B2	Harness for backpack vacuum cleaner and the like A harness (10) for a backpack vacuum cleaner (100) includes a back plate (20) mounted to a vacuum cleaner body (102). The back plate (20) includes an intermediate portion (22) and two flexible sections (24) on opposite sides of the intermediate portion (22). A waist strap (90) is fixed to the back plate (20) between the flexible sections (24). The flexible sections (24) are flexible to respectively pivot about two spaced vertical pivot axes (72). Upper ends (82) of two shoulder straps (80) are attached to a mounting plate (50) slideably mounted to the back plate (20), and lower ends (84) of the shoulder straps (80) are attached to the flexible sections (24). Relative positions between the upper and lower ends (82 and 84) of the shoulder straps (80) can be adjusted by moving the mounting plate (50). When a user moves his or her shoulders, the connection points (32) of the flexible sections (24) flex to respectively pivot about the pivot axes (72).
US08181832B2	Garment hanger including slide-in sizer A garment hanger having a slide-in sizer. The hanger includes a sizer-receiving frame defining at least one sizer-receiving slot for sliding receipt of a substantially flat and planar sizer. In one preferred embodiment, the sizer is formed from paper. The sizer-receiving frame may be positioned within a notch defined between the junction of the body and the base portion of the hook. Alternatively, the sizer-receiving frame may be positioned at the upper portion of the hook.
US08181830B2	Powder dispenser A powder dispenser includes a substantially hollow open top housing. A first cover is engageable with such housing and includes a first aperture. A measuring member including a cavity is slidably connected to an interior of such first cover and moveable between a first position within such first cover and a second position substantially outside thereof. When such first aperture and such cavity are substantially aligned, and such housing inverted, such cavity receives powder from within such housing. A second cover fits over such first cover and has a second aperture for allowing such powder from within such cavity to pass there through and into a container when such cavity and second aperture are aligned and inverted. A sidewall extending downward from such second cover includes an opening for such measuring member to pass partially there through. Such second cover member is rotatable around such first cover member.
US08181825B2	Hygienic beverage mixing and whipping assembly The present invention is directed to a beverage dispenser and more specifically to an assembly within the dispenser for mixing beverage components and optionally whipping the beverage product into a foam. The assembly includes a cleaning system that provides for cleaning of the surfaces that contact the beverage product or its components.
US08181820B2	Mechanism for opening and closing an opening portion A mechanism for opening and closing an opening portion is disclosed. The mechanism can simply and reliably open and close the opening portion without requiring a spring but using a simple mechanism and can stably maintain the closed state of the opening portion. When the opening portion is closed by a lid, with the head end side of the opening and closing member being protruded from the opening portion, the head end of the opening and closing member makes contact with the surface of the lid which faces the inner side of the opening portion, causing the lid to rotate about one end thereof which is rotatably supported by a rotation supporting shaft. This changes the state of the opening portion from the closed state to the opened state. When the head of the opening and closing member retracts into the opening portion from the state in which the opening and closing member is protruded from the opening portion, the protrusion of the opening and closing member will be made to engage the head end of a wound section of the lid, causing the lid to rotate about the one end of thereof which is rotatably supported by the rotation supporting shaft. This changes the state of the opening portion from the opened state to the closed state.
US08181819B2	Lid and container A lid for a container is disclosed that has a series of seals. The first seal is a cork seal mechanism that is forced against the container interior at a top portion of the container. The second seal is created by at least two ribs that produce a spring-like force against the container. An additional stretch fit seal can be incorporated into the lid. A tear strip can also be incorporated into the lid with windows immediately above the tear strip, thereby forming slits in the skirt to aid in removal of the lid.
US08181817B2	Raised container lid or beverage preparation and beverage bag retention Apparatus and methods for the individual controlled preparation of a beverage from one or more beverage bags within a variety of containers and the quick and sanitary storage of the bag or bags once the beverage preparation has been completed. Preferably, the beverage preparation and bag storage apparatus is sized and shaped to be seated on the lip of a container to cover the mouth of the container. The apparatus includes a raised container lid bag retention structure that is openable or open such that at least a portion of the beverage bag may be drawn within and thereby retained in a position elevated above the beverage so that the beverage can be sampled and consumed even with the apparatus in place on the container and the bag or bags retained within the apparatus. One embodiment of such apparatus includes a rounded raised area having a patterned area, such as weakenings formed in or perforations or incisions cut through the flexible cover panel, that can be opened partially or completely to provide a string/tag securing aperture or completely to provide a bag retention aperture by the application of respectively increasing amounts of pressure at the patterned area.
US08181816B2	Flexible drinking cup A drinking cup usable by persons having limited physical faculties includes a vessel portion having one or more walls and being closed at a bottom end to define a bottom surface, the vessel portion being configured to retain a liquid; a drinking portion having one or more walls and an open top end from which the liquid located in the vessel portion can be removed, the open top end defining a rim; and a flexible member connecting the vessel portion and the drinking portion. The flexible member facilitates movement of the drinking portion relative to the vessel portion.
US08181814B2	Can container To ensure sealing ability of a resealable can container formed of a welded can body between a curled portion of container mouth and a resin sealing liner, without degrading productivity and easiness to open the closure.The can body 2 is prepared by rolling a steel sheet and welding overlapped longitudinal edges of the steel sheet. In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, a level difference of a welded portion 2a on the surface of a curled portion 21a is reduced smaller than that on the trunk portion 22, specifically, kept within the range of 15 to 100 μm, and a durometer hardness of the resin sealing liner is kept within the range of HDA 30 to 70 according to ISO 868 (or JIS-K7215).
US08181813B2	Transportation and/or storage device comprising a double-walled insulating bulb The invention relates to a device (10) for transporting and/or storing products, particularly of cryostat type, having an external packaging structure (14) comprising walls defining an internal volume (16) within which is a double-walled insulating bulb (12) whose body (32) is formed by an outer wall (34) and an inner wall (36) defining an internal volume (38), bulb (12) comprising an upper neck (40) defining an upper filling opening (42), and the device (10) comprising bulb (12) supporting means (46) that comprise attachment means (48) capable of engaging with the inner wall (36) only of bulb (12) in order to suspend the bulb (12) vertically by its neck (40) in such a way that the bulb (12) hangs freely in the empty space inside the internal volume (16) defined by the packaging structure (14, 18, 22), with no contact between the outer wall (34) of the bulb (12) and the walls (24, 22) of the packaging structure (14), said device being characterized in that the means (46) for the suspended support of the bulb (12) consist of at least one (20) of the walls of the packaging (14).
US08181812B2	Multi sectional bucket A bucket having three or more sections for separating wash liquid. Dividers create the sections and are placed in an up position when filling the bucket so that the water will flow throughout the entire bucket. The dividers can then slide back down to create the separated sections of clean liquid. The dividers can be connected to each other by means of horizontal bars attached on the top of the dividers which run along the sides of the bucket along the inside. Lifting the horizontal bar up will lift all of the attached dividers up simultaneously. The horizontal bars can be provided in two sections that can be connected to each other. When the two sections are disconnected, when one lifts one bar section, only the attached dividers will lift up simultaneously, while the other bar section and its attached divider will remain in its down position.
US08181811B1	Thermally insulated container A thermally insulated container is disclosed for maintaining thermo energy of an object. A first anchor is pivotably secured to the container and pivots to a position below the container for engaging a soil layer and preventing rotation of the container relative to a ground surface. A first locking arm extends between the container and the first anchor for locking the first anchor relative to the container. A second anchor is pivotably secured to the container and pivots to a position below the container for engaging a soil layer and preventing rotation of the container relative to the ground surface. A second locking arm extends between the container and the second anchor for locking the second anchor relative to the container.
US08181808B2	Container for operating media of motor vehicles A container for operating media of motor vehicles which is chemically stable both in respect of the fuel carried and in respect of additives.
US08181806B2	Collapsible container A collapsible container that in the assembled configuration provides for a predetermined central space protected by six walls that are perpendicularly mounted with respect to each abutting wall and in the e collapsed configuration occupies minimum space. A bottom wall is provided with a predetermined umber of hinge knuckles with a central through opening through which pins are passed. Parapets of different heights are provided to raise the knuckles to predetermined heights that will clear the stacked up thickness of the folded walls. The height of the front, rear and the two side lateral walls is determined by the width of the bottom wall which in turn will also determine the width and height of the front and rear walls. A handle is removably mounted to the top wall, protruding toward the exterior.
US08181805B2	Hot fill container The plastic container according to the present disclosure is an aesthetically pleasing plastic container suitable for premium hot fill beverages, such as teas and fruit juices. The plastic container defines a body and includes an upper portion having a finish. Integrally formed with the finish and extending downward therefrom is a shoulder region. The shoulder region merges into and provides a transition between the finish and a first vacuum absorbing region. The first vacuum absorbing region merges into a waist region. The waist region merges into a second vacuum absorbing region. The second vacuum absorbing region transitions into a base portion having a base.
US08181803B2	Means for sealing bottle caps with evidence of opening The present invention consists of an improvement made on the patent “Means for sealing bottle caps with evidence of opening” with Spanish application number P200202864, which made use of a concealed tongue that was revealed after the first opening without allowing to recover the original situation. The present invention maintains a connection between the top and bottom segments of the capsule, preventing their rotation relative to each other and providing an audible evidence of opening.
US08181795B2	Polymer membrane for water treatment A polymer membrane for water treatment contained a chlorinated vinyl chloride resin with a chlorine content of 58 to 73.2%. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide polymer membranes for water treatment that, along with being able to achieve sufficient filtration capacity and water permeability, have extremely high strength.
US08181792B2	Process of forming multilayered structures The present invention provides for a method of producing an integral multilayered porous membrane by simultaneously co-casting a plurality of polymer solutions onto a support to form a multilayered liquid sheet and immersing the sheet into a liquid coagulation bath to effect phase separation and form a porous membrane. The support can be a temporary support or form an integrated support for the membrane. The plurality of layers may be of the same polymer or different, same concentration or viscosity or different and may be subjected to the same processing conditions or different ones to form unique structures.
US08181787B2	System and method of packaging A packaging assembly is disclosed. The packaging assembly is easily assembled and disassembled for convenient use and provides suspension of an enclosed article by way of an arched structure providing protection from impact, shock and vibration. This suspension package and method is called KLOS Pak.
US08181783B2	Wet sheet flexible package and label for the wet sheet flexible package The present invention relates to a wet sheet flexible package 1, including a plurality of wet sheets 2 impregnated with a liquid; a film bag 3 that is a flexible film bag packaging the plurality of wet sheets 2 and including a dispensing opening 31; and a label 5 attached to a surface of the film bag 3, covering the dispensing opening 31, and being able to be peeled off. In the wet sheet flexible package 1, when the label 5 is peeled off from the film bag 3, the dispensing opening 31 is unsealed and an adhesive layer 53 is exposed around the dispensing opening 51 on the surface of the film bag 3. A substrate 54 is provided between the adhesive layer 53 and the surface of the film bag 3, and the substrate 54 is composed of a film having a higher compression strength than a film composing the film bag 53.
US08181782B2	Dispensing system for double stack carton The carton of this invention is capable of carrying the plurality of containers stacked upon their ends in two tiers with a unique dispenser that permits the dispensing of containers on their sides. The dispenser is formed in a top side wall and extends into the end wall with most of the end wall being torn open but leaving a portion near the bottom side wall to prevent the bottom layer of containers from rolling out. Angled projections in the dispensing end of the carton near the top panel and bottom panel prevent the top layer of containers from rolling out. A divider may be inserted between the two tiers of containers to facilitate loading the carton and preventing the containers from accidentally rolling out when the dispenser is open.
US08181780B1	Socket storage device A socket holding device has a plurality of posts extending from a base. The base may be arranged so that shallow wells are linearly arranged in front of deeper wells with the posts extending from the center of the wells. The posts have arms with a radial bead connected thereto receivable within receivers in the shafts of sockets. A socket may be securely retained to the base thereby preventing undesired disengagement from the well if inverted or “knocked over”, while preferably allowing free rotation of an installed socket thus enabling one to read the sizing information on the exterior surface of the socket. This design is believed to provide an ability to be installed and uninstalled from the post multiple times without a loss of grip function and also preferably requires no secondary motion to remove or release the socket, and can consist of a one-piece design.
US08181779B2	Puncture instrument set and puncture needle disposal instrument A puncture instrument set is constituted by a puncture instrument which includes a cylindrical body, plural puncture needles to be held in a state where the puncture needles are connected in series in an axis direction, a puncture needle cartridge for linearly arranging the plural puncture needles in the body, a stopping member for stopping the puncture needle cartridge at a predetermined position in its axis direction, and an elastic biasing member for biasing the puncture needle cartridge in one direction; and a puncture needle replacement jig that enables, after puncturing by the puncture needle, setting of the puncture needle cartridge at the puncture position as well as disposal of the used puncture needle, for a subsequent puncture operation. Thereby, it is an object to provide a high-security puncture instrument set for puncturing the surface of a biologic body, which is provided with plural puncture needles, and is able to perform puncturing continuously by a simple operation.
US08181778B1	Package with catheter Package for a catheter, with a catheter having catheter tube with a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end being provided with a catheter connector. A main body is provided for holding the catheter, and a cap for closing off the main body. A gel container is positioned inside the main body, the gel container being provided with a cavity for holding an amount of a lubricating agent. The gel container includes a first opening at a distal end thereof, and a second opening at a proximal end thereof.
US08181777B2	Tearable applicator packaging The invention relates to a tearable packaging (1) for receiving at least one substance (6) and an applicator (7, 11), comprising a, for example, film-like carrier (2) in which at least one depression (4a, 4b) open on one side is formed which can be sealed towards the outside with a cover film (3) to form at least one chamber and comprising a channel (5a, 5b) formed between the carrier (2) and the cover film (3) in which the applicator (7, 11) is accommodated at least in sections in such a manner that the applicator (7, 11) is completely enclosed by the carrier (2) and the cover film (3).
US08181773B2	Container for a medical instrument or implant, in particular a dental instrument or a dental implant Container for a medical instrument or an implant, in particular a dental instrument or a dental implant (14), the container having an outer housing part (16), and an inner housing part (18) which is movable relative to the outer housing part (16) from a closed position to an open position. The inner housing part (18) has a grip element (44) accessible from the outside. The container has a locking mechanism (22), which acts between the outer housing part (16) and the inner housing part (18), and an actuation of the grip element (44) causes an unlocking of the locking mechanism (22).
US08181769B2	Workpiece transfer mechanism, workpiece transfer method and workpiece processing system A workpiece transfer mechanism 76 transfers workpieces W to a workpiece boat 40 having ringlike tables 86. The transfer mechanism 76 includes a fork main body 78 being movable forward and rearward with the workpiece W placed thereon; stopper members 94 provided at the end portion of the fork main body 78; clamp means 96 provided on the proximal end side of the fork main body 78 and having a pressing portion 102 coming into contact with the circumferential edge of the workpiece W and pressing the workpiece W toward the stopper member 94 for clamping; and fork elevating means 80 for lifting and lowering the fork main body 78. When the workpieces W are transferred to a workpiece boat 40, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 is controlled so as not to be inserted into a gap between tables 86. Thus, although the pitch between the tables 86 is small, the pressing portion 102 of the clamp means 96 does not interfere with the workpiece boat 40.
US08181765B2	Money item dispensing apparatus The application relates to money item dispensing apparatus (1, 123) having a money item acceptor (10, 124) and a hopper arrangement (23, 126). The application further relates to money item dispensing apparatus (1) having sorting means (15, 16, 17) operable to selectively direct a money item (12) to one of a first money item store (27) and a second money item store (142), to money item dispensing apparatus (139) having two hopper arrangements (23, 150), to a money item acceptor (10) having a self-clearing mechanism (37, 38), to a money item conveyor (160), to a method of purging the money items in a money item dispensing apparatus, to money item dispensing apparatus (1, 123, 139) having means for ejecting a money item from a receptacle through an outlet via a first path to a return tray and via a second path into a cashbox, to a method of filling a money item dispensing apparatus (180) and filling apparatus (170) for filling a money item dispensing apparatus (180).
US08181764B2	Media deposit apparatus and method for controlling the same Provided is a media deposit apparatus including: a deposit transfer portion providing a deposit circulation path of media deposited via a media deposit portion; a temporary transfer portion providing a temporary circulation path that contacts with the deposit circulation path to transfer the media to a temporary stack portion, and including a temporary stack gate, provided between the deposit circulation path and the temporary circulation path, to selectively convert a path of media to the temporary circulation path; and a media transfer portion providing a media transfer path that contacts with the temporary circulation path to transfer the media to a media storage portion, and including a media storage gate, provided between the temporary circulation path and the media transfer path, to selectively convert the path of media to the media transfer path. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify a media transfer structure and to enhance a media transfer efficiency.
US08181762B2	Frictional engaging piston and spring seat An annular frictional engaging piston includes an annular pressure apply portion which pushes a frictional engagement element in an axial direction against urging force of a return spring that urges in a direction opposite the frictional engagement element, and which has a cutout portion where a portion in the circumferential direction has been removed to avoid interference between the piston and another member. A partially removed region is provided, and a mounting hole for mounting the return spring on the piston is provided in a region other than the partially removed region.
US08181760B2	Equipment container with integrated stand Herein is described an equipment container with an integrated stand comprising a bag with a lid and a base, retractable legs, and a movable post attached to the lid, wherein the retractable legs can be enclosed into the base of the bag, and the movable post is adapted to be stowed for transport or deployed to support a piece of equipment.
US08181758B2	Damping device A damping device includes a cylinder in which a resilient member and a piston are received. A cover assembly and a seal member seal the cylinder and damping medium is filled in the cylinder. The piston includes a piston body, a connecting portion connected with one end of the resilient member, and a neck portion connected between the piston body and the connecting portion. The piston body has an opening penetrating through the piston body. A control valve is movably mounted to the neck portion to control the opening during operation. A piston rod has one end connected with the piston body and another end extending out from the cylinder. A damping member is located between the piston and the cover assembly. The traveling velocity of the piston is controlled by the control valve to close or to open the opening through which the damping medium passes.
US08181757B2	Adjustable damping valve with a fail-safe damping force characteristic An adjustable damping valve including an actuator, which exerts an actuating force on a valve body against the force of a spring to influence the throttle cross section which determines the damping force, where an emergency valve is connected in parallel with the throttle cross section with respect to the flow direction of the damping medium, where the two control surfaces of the valve body move in the axial direction and can thus can come to rest alternately on the two valve seating surfaces, and where the valve body is divided into two parts in the longitudinal direction, and each valve body assembly has its own control surface.
US08181756B2	Shock absorber A shock absorber is attached coaxially with a reciprocating rod driven by a reciprocating unit to prevent a bending moment from being applied to the reciprocating rod in absorbing an impact force. The shock absorber has a hollow rod and an outer cylindrical body mounted axially movably relatively to and outside the hollow rod. An accommodating space is formed between the hollow rod and the outer cylindrical body. A spring force in a direction of being relatively directed to one end portion side of the hollow rod is applied by a compression spring to the outer cylindrical body. The hollow rod is provided with an annular piston which partitions the accommodating space into two liquid chambers. When an impact force in a direction of being relatively directed to the other end side of the hollow rod is applied to the outer cylindrical body, liquid flows from one of the liquid chambers to the other through a gap, so that a resistance force is applied to the annular piston.
US08181752B2	Brake overstroke indication system A vehicle brake assembly provides an indicator system in which the operating shaft assembly rotates about a pivot axis to rotate a cam member attached thereto against a cam surface which extends from an indicator adjustment shaft. The cam member drives the cam surface and attached indicator adjustment shaft to overcome a biasing member, actuate an overstroke sensor, and simultaneously retract an indicator post to provide a visual indication. Another indicator system includes an overstroke sensor located within the brake housing in an angular position relative the pivot axis adjacent a path of the operating shaft assembly. Another indicator system includes a mechanical overstroke member that buckles in response to contact with the operating shaft to provide overstroke identification from outside the brake housing.
US08181750B2	Floating-disk type brake system A floating-disk type brake system that includes floating disk assemblies placed in spaces between a rotating member, such as a wheel of a transportation machine or a rotating shaft of a machine tool, and a stationary member to reduce differences in the rotating speed of adjacent sliding surfaces of the floating disk assemblies in frictional sliding engagement. The floating-disk type brake system includes a first floating disk assembly and a first disk assembly that are arranged between the ring gear and the planet carrier of a planetary gear built in a transmission or the like, and the first floating disk assembly and the first disk assembly are pressed together into frictional engagement to brake a rotating shaft.
US08181748B2	Lifting device for the assembly of a wind turbine Lifting device for the assembly of a wind turbine of which the top part of the tower (21) is fixed to the supporting structure (32) located above the upper platform (31) of the lifting device (3). The sections (221) of the lower part (22) of the tower are then installed, in such a way that the lifting device (3) is embedded in the anchoring beams (225) of the lower part (22). 10.In order to lift the upper part (21) of the tower, the upper platform (31) is separated from the lower platform (33) using cylinders (34) between said platforms, the upper platform (31) is fixed to the anchoring beams (225), the lower platform (33) is freed from the anchoring beams (225), the platforms (31, 33) are brought closer together and the lower platform (33) is anchored to said beams (225). Continuing successively until the flanges (211, 222) of the parts (21, 22) of the tower make contact.
US08181747B2	Bicycle chain cleaner and lubrication apparatus A bicycle sprocket chain cleaning and lubrication apparatus allows a sprocket chain (3) to be cleaned while still mounted on the bicycle. The apparatus includes a includes a housing (10) for enclosing the sprocket chain on all sides consisting of mutually connectable upper half-shell (11) and lower half-shell (12) portions and a securement assembly which includes a mounting plate adapted to attach to a rear wheel quick disconnect of the bicycle. The housing is suspended from the sprocket chain and provides a funnel shaped solvent hopper (17), a hose connection (21) to a compressed air supply, and an air knife (23) adapted to direct high velocity air to impinge upon and thereby dry the sprocket chain.
US08181746B2	Continuous supply fluid reservoir An assembly for holding a fluid includes an auxiliary reservoir inside a main reservoir. The auxiliary reservoir includes an auxiliary reservoir shell with a fill passage at or near its bottom. The auxiliary reservoir shell also has a vent passage at or near its top. The fill passage and the vent passage fluidically connect the auxiliary reservoir to the main reservoir. A fluid inlet is located inside the main reservoir and outside of the auxiliary reservoir. A fluid outlet located inside the auxiliary reservoir between the fill passage and the vent passage.
US08181738B2	Acoustical sound proofing material with improved damping at select frequencies and methods for manufacturing same A laminated panel is provided including a first layer of material having external and internal surfaces; a second layer of material having external and internal surfaces; a layer of viscoelastic glue in contact with the internal surface of said first layer of material and with the internal surface of said second layer of material; said glue including an acrylic polymer in a concentration between 10% and 60% by weight, or a tackifier in a concentration between 1% and 70%; or a plasticizing compound in a concentration between 0% and 15%; or a material with Tg greater than 0° C. in a concentration between 0% and 30%. A soundproof assembly is also provided including a first and second panel; at least one spacer between the panels, and a gap between the panels, wherein at least one of the panels comprises a laminated panel as provided above.
US08181732B1	Y splitter for exhaust systems A Y-pipe splitter for use on race cars, such as stock cars which race on oval tracks and sports cars which race on road course tracks, mounts to the lower frame or chassis of the car, and routes exhaust gasses from a Y-pipe assembly to a pair of tail pipes extending to the side of the car while providing improved ground clearance. The Y-pipe splitter includes first and second splitter tail pipe sections of a generally flattened oval cross-section with a longitudinally beveled inlet portions connectable to an outlet of the Y-pipe assembly and an outlet portion connectable to one of the tail pipes. The beveled inlet portions of the splitter tail pipe sections are affixed together along a respective edge of each thereof so as to merge together with respective centerlines thereof at an oblique angle to a single inlet opening which is connectable to the outlet opening of the Y-pipe assembly by affixing thereto.
US08181728B2	Automotive vehicle engine apparatus An automotive vehicle engine apparatus includes an air intake system. In a further aspect of the present application, an automotive vehicle engine apparatus includes an air intake manifold, an air box and an air scoop. Another aspect of the present application employs an air intake shaker and a supercharger. A method of manufacturing and/or operating an air intake system is also provided.
US08181727B2	Apparatus for feeding cooling air to a radiator of a motor vehicle Inlet openings at the frontal region of a vehicle have actuable transversely oriented pivoting lamellae disposed behind them. The lamellae guide an air flow to a vehicle radiator in a targeted manner. The pivoting lamellae are connected to an actuating device with control linkages that are articulated to one another via deflection levers for an upper and a lower lamella unit. The upper pivoting lamellae are adjusted at an angle which is different than the lower pivoting lamellae. The upper pivoting lamellae can be set in each case as a unit jointly with the lower pivoting lamellae as a further unit.
US08181725B2	Aircraft tug An aircraft tug includes a tow bar which extends from a chassis, the tow bar operable to autonomously attach with an aircraft main landing gear assembly and transfer electrical power therebetween.

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