最新美国发明专利第2012-10-02期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08277632B2	Onsite integrated production factory An onsite integrated production factory having an electrolytic plant, an ethanol plant, a vegetable plant, a culturing plant, and a power generation unit. The onsite integrated production facility is arranged so that fresh water, sulfuric acid or caustic soda produced by and received from the electrolytic plant is used in the ethanol plant to produce and output oxalic acid, sodium oxalate, fuel bioethanol. The oxalic acid or sodium oxalate produced in and received from the ethanol plant is used for removing calcium contained in the sea water in the electrolytic plant. The vegetable plant produces vegetables for generation and outputting of oxygen by receiving the carbon dioxide generated during the fermentation process in the ethanol plant and fresh water from the electrolytic plant. The culturing plant has a fishery farm or reef for using the oxygen generated in the vegetable plant.
US08277631B2	Methods and devices for the production of hydrocarbons from carbon and hydrogen sources Devices and methods are described for converting a carbon source and a hydrogen source into hydrocarbons, such as alcohols, for alternative energy sources. The influents may comprise carbon dioxide gas and hydrogen gas or water, obtainable from the atmosphere for through methods described herein, such as plasma generation or electrolysis. One method to produce hydrocarbons comprises the use of an electrolytic device, comprising an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte. Another method comprises the use of ultrasonic energy to drive the reaction. The devices and methods and related devices and methods are useful, for example, to provide a fossil fuel alternative energy source, store renewable energy, sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, counteract global warming, and store carbon dioxide in a liquid fuel.
US08277628B2	Method and apparatus using electric field for improved biological assays Disclosed are a method and apparatus that use an electric field for improved biological assays. The electric field is applied across a device having wells, which receive reactants, which carry a charge. The device thus uses a controllable voltage source between the first and second electrodes, which is controllable to provide a positive charge and a negative charge to a given electrode. By controlled use of the electric field charged species in a fluid in a fluid channel are directed into or out of the well by an electric field between the electrodes. The present method involves the transport of fluids, as in a microfluidic device, and the electric field-induced movement of reactive species according to various assay procedures, such as DNA sequencing, synthesis or the like.
US08277625B2	Gas sensing device and gas sensor This invention provides a gas sensing device and gas sensor including a porous portion in which a first porous portion absorbs phosphorus and silicone sufficiently so as to suppress generation of clogging in a second porous portion meeting demands for intensifying the performance and accuracy of a gas sensor, so that the accuracy of detection of air-fuel ratio is further improved.
US08277621B2	Halogen generator for above ground pools Disclosed herein is an improved electrolytic cell. The cell includes at least one pair of electrodes, an anode and a cathode. In general the anode includes at least one dimension, which is substantially greater than the cathode. In an exemplary embodiment, the length and the width of the anode are greater than the length and width of the cathode. In a first embodiment of a multi-cell chlorine generator, unequal dimension electrodes are stacked together. In a second embodiment of such a generator, the electrodes are of equal dimensions. In another exemplary embodiment of the improved electrolytic cell in accordance with this invention, the cathode forms a U-shaped member and the anode of at least one dimension being greater is located there between. Another embodiment of the chlorine generator includes at least two cells having the U-shaped cathode. In a first exemplary of embodiment of such a chlorine generator, the electrode are parallel to one another. In a second such exemplary embodiment, the electrodes are parallel and are coincident in plane with one another, respectively.
US08277619B2	Apparatus for electrochemical plating semiconductor wafers An electroplating apparatus for depositing a conductive material on a semiconductor wafer includes a vessel for holding an electroplating bath, a support for holding a semiconductor wafer within the vessel and beneath a surface of the bath; first and second electrodes within the vessel, between which an electrical current may flow causing conductive material to be electrolytically deposited onto the wafer, a third electrode disposed outside of the bath for applying a static electric charge to the wafer, and an electrical power supply coupled with the third electrode.
US08277618B2	Electrochemical cell The present invention relates to an electrochemical cell comprising a vibratile electrode (eg a vibratile microelectrode).
US08277616B2	Surface treating device and surface treating method A surface treating method for treating a tooth surface and a surface treating device thereof are provided. First, a working gas is filled into a tube. Next, a voltage is provided to the working gas for exciting the working gas into plasma. After that, the plasma is discharged through an opening of the tube for contacting the tooth surface.
US08277614B2	Multi-stage flash desalination plant with feed cooler The once-through multi-stage flash (MSF) desalination plant with feed cooler is a desalination system utilizing a feed water cooler. Particularly, the plant includes a conventional MSF system, with a separate water cooler for cooling the seawater or brine that is input into the system, prior to the passage of the brine into the condensation conduits and brine heater. In use, the cooled brine is pumped, under pressure, through at least one conduit that passes through a plurality of flash chambers. The brine is then heated and injected into the plurality of flash chambers, where it is flashed into steam. The steam condenses on an external surface of the at least one conduit, and the condensed water is then extracted from the plant.
US08277613B2	Patterning on surface with high thermal conductivity materials The present invention provides for high thermal conductivity paper that comprises a host matrix (10), and high thermal conductivity materials (12) added to a surface of the host matrix in a specific pattern (12). The high thermal conductivity materials are comprised of one or more of nanofillers, diamond like coatings directly on the host matrix, and diamond like coatings on the nanofillers. In particular embodiments the specific pattern comprises one or more of a grid, edging, banding centering and combinations thereof and the high thermal conductivity materials cover 15-55% of the surface of the host matrix. Multiple surfaces, including sub layers my have patterning.
US08277612B2	Controlling the detectability of an article and method for authenticating the article Cascading phosphors are described herein that produce emissions when they are excited by incident radiation. The cascading phosphors can be applied to articles, and can be useful in authenticating the article. The cascading phosphors include a host and at least three active ions.
US08277608B2	Method for treating pulp in connection with the bleaching of chemical pulp A method of treating pulp in connection with the bleaching of chemical pulp, said method including treating of the pulp in at least an ozone, chlorine dioxide or alkali phase and thereafter washing of the pulp in a washing device having an E10 value of at least 3, whereby washing liquid is introduced into the washing device countercurrently in relation to the pulp and filtrate is discharged from the washing device. At first the pulp is washed in the washing device so that the washing liquid is filtrate obtained from the washing device itself and the amount of thus circulated washing liquid is 1.5 - 3.5 t/adt pulp, whereafter the pulp is washed with liquid introduced from outside the washing device, the amount of said liquid being such that the dilution factor in the latter wash is less than 1 t/adt and that the total amount of washing liquid used in the washing device is such that the dilution factor is more than 0 t/adt.
US08277599B2	Compounds for placing objects by self assembling and the use thereof The inventive method for placing and fixing (bonding) a first object, whose surface is functionalized by compounds of formula I Y (X), A′ (I), on the surface of a second object whose surface is functionalized by compounds of formula II Y (X)n A (II), wherein A and A′ are functional groups enabling to be bonded at least by a link in a covalent manner to an object surface X and X′ are aliphatic, linear, branched or cyclic spacers which can comprise one or several hetero or aromatic, or heteroaromatic atoms or consist of several aromatic or heteroaromatic cycles and optionally of alternating aliphatic chains having aromatic or heteroaromatic groups, n and n′=0 or 1 and Y and Y are functions for generating one or several non-covalent bonds wherein said Y or Y′ are selected such that they are complementary or can complex a metal atom or an identical metal compound.
US08277598B2	Display manufacturing method In a method for manufacturing a display including a light-transmissive substrate bonded onto a display surface of a display body, a bonding surface of the display body and a bonding surface of the light-transmissive substrate are set in a mutually opposed manner across compression-deformable clearance regulation members. The compression-deformable clearance regulation members are provided between the display body and the light-transmissive substrate. An adhesive, previously applied to one terminal edge of a bonding surface, is spread between the bonding surfaces of both the display body and the light-transmissive substrate. This is done by pressing the light-transmissive substrate against the display body starting from one terminal edge towards an other terminal edge thereof and by gradually decreasing a clearance between the bonding surfaces by serially compression-deforming the clearance regulation member from the one terminal edge towards the other terminal edge.
US08277595B2	Method and apparatus for duplication of surface coating composition A method is provided to duplicate a custom coating composition. A laminate strip is die cut to form a bi-layer transparent labels on a backing strip. Each label includes a backing of release adhesive. The transparent labels are applied to cover indicia on a container of a custom composition coating.
US08277585B1	Electric primer Improved electric primer compositions, structures, and methods that are compatible with existing munitions and in particular an exemplary electric primer composition including carbon nanotubes along with energetic primer mixture(s) and an exemplary primer structure including layers of energetic materials wherein a layer exhibiting the most energetic character is positioned proximate to a primer button. Alternative embodiments include both conductive and non-conductive layers.
US08277579B2	Amorphous alloy composition An amorphous alloy has a specific composition of FeaBbSicPxCuy. Here, the values a-c, x, and y meet such conditions that 73 at %≦a≦85 at %, 9.65 at %≦b≦22 at %, 9.65 at %≦b+c≦24.75 at %, 0.25 at %≦x≦5 at %, 0 at %≦y≦0.35 at %, and 0≦y/x≦0.5.
US08277577B2	Method for obtaining a surface of titanium-based metal implant to be inserted into bone tissue The invention relates to a method for obtaining a surface of a titanium-based metal implant intended to be inserted into bone tissue, comprising: (a) projecting particles of aluminum oxide under pressure on the external area of the implant; (b) chemically treating the sandblasted external area of the implant with an acid composition comprising sulfuric acid and hydrofluoric acid; and (c) thermally treating the sandblasted external area of the implant by heating at a temperature of 200-450° C. for 15-120 min. The invention likewise defines a metal implant having said surface. The surface thus obtained has good micrometer-scale roughness with a suitable morphology, as well as a composition which is virtually free of impurities and a thickness which is approximately three times the thickness of conventional surfaces, which characteristics provide it with very good osseointegration properties.
US08277574B2	Method for manufacturing grain-oriented electromagnetic steel sheet whose magnetic domains are controlled by laser beam irradiation There is provided a method for manufacturing a grain-oriented electromagnetic steel sheet whose iron losses are reduced by laser beam irradiation, capable of improving the iron losses in both the L-direction and the C-direction while easily ensuring high productivity. The method for manufacturing a grain-oriented electromagnetic steel sheet reduces iron losses by scanning and irradiating a grain-oriented electromagnetic steel sheet with a continuous-wave laser beam condensed into a circular or elliptical shape at constant intervals in a direction substantially perpendicular to a rolling direction of the grain-oriented electromagnetic steel sheet, wherein when an average irradiation energy density Ua is defined as Ua=P/(Vc×PL) (mJ/mm2), where P (W) is average power of the laser beam, Vc (m/s) is a beam scanning velocity, and PL (mm) is an irradiation interval in a rolling direction, PL and Ua are in the following ranges: 1.0 mm≦PL≦3.0 mm, 0.8 mJ/mm2≦Ua≦2.0 mJ/mm2.
US08277570B2	Method of preventing premature drying A method for processing a substrate includes receiving a substrate and processing the substrate using a first fluid meniscus and a second fluid meniscus. The first fluid meniscus and the second fluid meniscus are applied to a surface of the substrate such that the first fluid meniscus is spaced apart from the second fluid meniscus by a transition region. A saturated gas chemistry is applied to the surface of the substrate at the transition region. The saturated gas chemistry is configured to maintain moisture in the transition region so as to prevent drying of the surface of the substrate in the transition region, before the second fluid meniscus is applied to the surface of the substrate.
US08277567B2	Method of cleaning turbo pump and chamber/turbo pump clean process A method of cleaning a turbo pump is described. The turbo pump is coupled with a CVD chamber of depositing a material and thus accumulates the material therein. The method includes switching off the turbo pump and using another pump to pump a reactive gas, which can react with the material to form gaseous products, through the turbo pump. Thereby, the turbo pump is cleaned up and is prevented from being a particle source in subsequent CVD operations.
US08277566B2	Mat washing machine and method Mat washing device, method of using the mat washing device, and method of washing mats. The mat washing device includes a system that may be transported on a flat bed trailer from one location to another. The mat washing device includes conveying systems, brush systems, rails systems and control mechanisms. The mat washing device may be used by placing mat, on edge, on a conveying system and conveying the mat to a first brushing system and a second brushing system. In one aspect the first brushing system includes a cable brush having a bolt secured at the end of a cable in order to beat or brush material from the mat when the cable brush is spun.
US08277565B2	Method for cleaning tanks Method and apparatus for removing residues of hazardous materials from vapor in a tank (1), wherein such a vapor is heated, passed outside the tank and subsequently cooled and the remaining dry vapor is recirculated, characterized in that a) said vapor is heated to a temperature of at least 5° C. above the melting point and below the self ignition point of the hazardous material, b) the vapor mixture thus formed is passed by means of a pump (3) from the tank through a discharge unit to a recovery unit, c) is cooled to a temperature of at least 5° C. lower and above the melting point of the hazardous material in a recovery unit, d) the liquid components of the vapor are recovered and the dry gas mixture is recirculated to the tank after reheating to the desired temperature, e) said recirculation being repeated as required.
US08277564B2	Method for removing a hardened photoresist A method for removing a hardened photoresist from a semiconductor substrate. An example method for removing a hardened photoresist layer from a substrate comprising a low-κ dielectric material preserving the characteristics of the low-κdielectric material includes: a)—providing a substrate comprising a hardened photoresist layer and a low-κ dielectric material at least partially exposed; b)—forming C═C double bonds in the hardened photoresist by exposing the hardened photoresist to UV radiation having a wavelength between 200 nm and 300 nm in vacuum or in an inert atmosphere; c)—breaking the C═C double bonds formed in step b) by reacting the hardened photoresist with ozone (O3) or a mixture of ozone (O3) and oxygen (O2) thereby fragmenting the hardened photoresist; and d)—removing the fragmented photoresist obtained in step c) by wet processing with cleaning chemistries.
US08277563B2	Plasma processing method The invention provides a plasma processing method which includes (i) feeding a transferring gas which decreases a pressure difference between a processing chamber and a transfer chamber in order to prevent particles from adhering a processing sample, to be processed, passed to the processing chamber, before transferring the sample into the processing chamber; (ii) transferring the sample into the processing chamber while continuing to feed the transferring gas to the processing chamber; (iii) generating a plasma from the transferring gas in the processing chamber while continuing to feed the transferring gas to the processing chamber after the step of transferring the sample; and (iv) changing a gas supplied to the processing chamber from the transferring gas used in the step of generating the plasma to a processing gas for subjecting the processing sample, different from a cleaning sample, to plasma processing.
US08277561B2	Chemical vapor deposition apparatus There is provided a chemical vapor deposition apparatus improved in structure such that a reaction gas introduced into a reactor where deposition is performed flows at a substantially uniform rate to ensure a thin film is grown substantially uniformly on the deposition object. The chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes: a chamber; a reactor provided in the chamber to have a deposition object deposited therein; and a reservoir storing a reaction gas fed from the outside to introduce the reaction gas to the reactor, the reservoir having a cross-sectional area changing according to a flow path of the introduced reaction gas.
US08277559B2	Quartz glass crucible for pulling up silicon single crystal and method for manufacture thereof A quartz glass crucible which has a non-transparent outer layer formed through melting a natural silica powder and a transparent layer formed in the inside of the outer layer, wherein the transparent layer comprises a natural quartz layer having a thickness of 0.4 to 5.0 mm transparent layer comprising a synthetic quarts glass is formed thereon in the inside of the crucible in the range of 0.15 to 0.55 L relative to L, which is the distance from the center of the bottom of the inner surface of the quartz glass crucible to the upper end thereof along the inner surface thereof. The quartz glass crucible can be suitably used for suppressing the occurrence of vibration and reducing the generation of roughened face in the surface of a crucible, and thus for pulling up a silicon single crystal with enhanced stability.
US08277554B2	Hot-melt adhesive and method for the manufacture thereof The invention relates to a hot melt adhesive, comprising at least one polysaccharide ester gained by a reaction of a polysaccharide with an imidazolide in melted imidazole. The invention relates, further, to a process for producing the hot melt adhesive, in which imidazole is melted, and an acid chloride and/or an acid anhydride and/or a lactone is reacted in and with the melted imidazole to form an imidazolide, whereby at least one polysaccharide is added to the melted imidazole, whereby the polysaccharide is reacted with the imidazolide to form a polysaccharide ester.
US08277546B2	Hydrocarbon adsorption trap with snap closure features A hydrocarbon adsorption trap for adsorption of hydrocarbon vapors includes a sheet-like hydrocarbon vapor adsorbent member having a hydrocarbon adsorptive media disposed between two or more media retention layers. The sheet-like member is inserted into an air permeable media support body including a first support member having a first set of locking members and a second support member having a second set of cooperatively configured locking members. The locking members are cooperatively aligned and configured to releaseably lock the first and second support members into a facing relationship with the hydrocarbon vapor adsorbent media arranged and retained therebetween. Mounting features are provided for mounting the hydrocarbon adsorption trap within the intake tract.
US08277543B2	Fossil fuel fired, closed cycle MHD generator in parallel with steam turbine cycle with zero emissions and CO2 sequestration Disclosed is a gaseous fossil fuel fired, indirectly heated, Brayton closed cycle comprising an alkali metal seeded noble gases that is rendered non-equilibrium, electrically conducting in a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electric power generator with zero emissions from the combustion products, including physical separation and sequestration of the carbon dioxide (CO2) what is emitted from the fossil fuel, with said cycle combined with a Rankine steam turbine bottoming cycle to compress the noble gas, while another optional new or existing Rankine steam cycle is placed in parallel and separate from the MHD cycle, and it is fired by the solid char remaining if the MHD cycle is fired with the devolatilized coal, and/or with solid coal culm, and/or unburned carbon in coal power plant waste ash, in order to achieve high efficiency at low capital, low operating, and low fuel costs.
US08277541B2	Apparatus and method for smoke removal A smoke removal apparatus, capable of operating in a confined space without ventilation of the apparatus to the atmosphere to provide removal of smoke from air to be treated. The apparatus includes one or more of the following filters: a mechanical filter; an electrostatic filter; and/or a chemical filter. The apparatus is arranged to collect smoke from a relatively higher position, pass smoke through the one or more filters/and expel treated air to a relatively lower position.
US08277538B2	Method of leaching copper sulfide ore Disclosed is a method of copper leaching without reducing the growth of iron-oxidizing bacterium and the iron-oxidizing capacity when leaching copper from a copper sulfide ore with the use of a sulfuric acid solution to which iron-oxidizing bacteria and silver have been added. Also disclosed is a method of leaching copper from a copper sulfide ore, including adding a naturally occurring nitrogen-containing organic component to a leaching solution upon copper leaching from a copper sulfide ore with the use of, as the leaching solution, a sulfuric acid solution to which iron-oxidizing bacteria and silver have been added is provided.
US08277533B2	Powder metallurgy composition A most preferred composition for the mixture, prior to sintering into an article (ideally a valve seat insert), is as follows: 35% hard phase, 65% matrix (excepting incidental impurities), the hard phase component being 2.2% C, 29.1% Cr, 4.9% Co, 5.3% Ni, 20.2% W with the balance being Fe and allowing less than 2% for one or more machinability aids and solid lubricants, and the matrix component being one of a high chrome steel powder (e.g. 18% Cr, 1% Ni, 2.5% Mo, balance Fe), a low alloy steel powder (3% Cu, 1% C, balance Fe; 3% Cr, 0.5% Mo, 1% C, balance Fe; 4% Ni, 1.5% Cu, 0.5% Mo, 1% C, balance Fe; 4% Ni, 2% Cu, 1.4% Mo, 1% C, balance Fe), or a tool steel powder (5% Mo, 6% W, 4% Cr, 2% V, 1% C, balance Fe), or a low-alloy steel powder as above but which issued in conjunction with a copper infiltration process during sintering.
US08277530B2	Grease removal apparatus, systems and methods A filter assembly includes a filter pad comprising fibers including natural, synthetic and/or hybrid fibers. A stabilizer frame formed of a non-metallic material may be imbedded in the filter pad. The stabilizer frame may be configured to provide support to the filter pad to maintain the filter pad in a generally flat configuration. In accordance with a particular embodiment, the filter pad may be comprised of at least first and second fibrous mats that are coupled together. In this embodiment, the stabilizer frame may be disposed between and coupled with the first and second fibrous mats.
US08277527B2	Air filter unit An air filter unit (1) for a carburetor (2) of a portable handheld work apparatus includes a filter element (3) and at least one clean air channel (10, 11) arranged between the filter element (3) and the carburetor (2). At least one condensation rib (29, 30, 31, 32) is arranged in the clean air channel (10, 11) running in flow direction.
US08277524B2	Reformer start-up strategy for use in a solid oxide fuel cell control system A method for determining an optimal combustion interval during start-up of a hydrocarbon catalytic reformer under various conditions of temperature, fuel type, and combustion fuel flow rate. An initial catalyst temperature is measured and an algorithm is used to calculate a rate of heating of the catalyst by combustion based upon heat content of the fuel, selected fuel flow rate, and heat capacity and mass of the catalyst and reformer passages. From the initial temperature and the heating gradient, an optimal combustion interval is inferred through the algorithm and used to terminate combustion, initiate a combustion quench interval, and change over the fuel flow rate and mixture from combustion to reforming.
US08277518B1	Ecological fabric having ultraviolet radiation protection An ecological fabric having protection from ultraviolet radiation incorporated therein is disclosed in which the fabric is treated by a method comprising the steps of dissolving zinc acetate or other zinc salt in a liquid to form a solution containing Zn(II) ions, adding a fabric to the solution, mixing the solution and the fabric, and adding a base to the solution when the solution and the fabric are being mixed to form a suspension of zinc oxide nanoparticles in contact with the fabric. Other methods are disclosed such as modifying a fabric by carboxylation or phosphorylation of the fabric followed by binding of the UV-blocking nanoparticles to the modified fabric and modifying UV-blocking nanoparticles with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) or polymer layer containing an active chemical group capable of binding to the fabric and depositing the UV-blocking nanoparticles on the fabric.
US08277516B2	Lightening agent having cationic acylpyridinium derivatives and certain ammonium compounds Agent for lightening keratinous fibers comprising in a cosmetic carrier (i) at least one oxidation agent, (ii) at least one acylpyridinium derivative of Formula (I) and (iii) at least one ammonium compound comprising hydroxyl groups of Formula (II).
US08277512B2	Extended articular surface resurfacing head A modular humeral head resurfacing implant including a head, an anchoring stem, and a modular extended articulation flange. The head includes an exterior hemispherical articulating surface defining a terminating rim, an interior concave surface opposite to the exterior articulating surface, and a first coupling mechanism proximate to the terminating rim. The anchoring stem is coupled to the interior concave surface and extends along a stem axis that extends through an axial center of the head. The articulation flange includes a second coupling mechanism configured to cooperate with the first coupling mechanism to fasten the articulation flange to the head and an outer articulating surface that is curved along substantially its entire length and is substantially flush with the exterior hemispherical articulating surface when the articulation flange is fastened to the head.
US08277507B2	Spacerless artificial disc replacements Spacerless artificial disc replacements (ADR) are disclosed. One preferred embodiment includes two saddle-shaped components to facilitate more normal spinal flexion, extension, and lateral bending while limit axial rotation, thereby protecting the facet joints and the annulus fibrosus (AF). Either or both of the superior and inferior components are made of a hard material such as chrome cobalt, titanium, or a ceramic including alumina, zirconia, or calcium phosphate. The articulating surfaces of the ADR are also preferably highly polished to reduce friction between the components. Metals, alloys or other materials with shape-memory characteristics may also prove beneficial.
US08277506B2	Method and structure for stabilizing a vertebral body An apparatus for stabilizing a vertebral body using a structural support to stabilize the vertebral body. The apparatus includes a first curable material deposit proximal to a first endplate of a vertebral body for providing support to the first endplate of the vertebral body and a second curable material deposit proximal to a second endplate of a vertebral body for providing support to a second endplate of the vertebral body. The apparatus also utilizes a stabilizing structure between the first curable material deposit and the second curable material deposit and connecting the first curable material deposit and the second curable material deposit for providing support to the vertebral body.
US08277504B2	Stent for irrigation and delivery of medication A stent comprises a flexible tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and a passageway extending from said proximal end toward said distal end. A first generally straight tube segment extends from the proximal end while a first generally curved segment extends from an end region of the first generally straight tube segment disposed away from the proximal end of the stent. A second generally straight tube segment extends from an end region of the first curved segment away from the first generally straight tube segment and is arranged at an acute angle relative to the first generally straight tube segment. A second generally curved tube segment extends from one end of the second generally straight tube segment and includes a channel on an exterior surface of the second generally curved tube segment. The first generally curved tube segment and the second generally straight tube segment further include at least one cavity irrigation hole extending from the tube passageway, for providing irrigation fluids into the cavity into which the stent is inserted. At least one segments includes a channel on an exterior surface. The channel is sized to serve as a reservoir to contain a predetermined amount of at least one form of medication for delivery, over a period of time, of the medication to a cavity region proximate which the stent has been inserted.
US08277500B2	Slide-and-lock stent The invention relates to an expandable stent comprising circumferentially adjacent modules. The modules comprise longitudinally adjacent slide-and-lock radial elements which permit one-way sliding of the radial elements from a collapsed diameter to an expanded/deployed diameter, but inhibit radial recoil from the expanded diameter.
US08277489B2	Transconnector The present invention is directed to a transconnector for joining adjacent longitudinal spinal rods. The transconnector preferably includes a bridge member and a pair of bone fixation coupling elements, the bridge member is preferably sized and configured to span a distance between the pair of bone fixation coupling elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the bridge member and sized and configured to receive one of the bone fixation elements. The bone fixation coupling elements are preferably sized and configured to engage the body portion of the bone fixation element. The bone fixation coupling elements may include a locking cap having a first set of threads for threadably engaging the bone fixation element.
US08277486B2	System for performing a procedure at a spinal location A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site includes the following steps: inserting a first cannula (10) into the body (130) of the patient; moving a first fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the first fastener (624) to a first vertebrae (601); moving a second fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the second fastener (624) to a second vertebrae (602); moving a first fixation element (650) through the cannula (10); and fixing the first fixation element (650) to the first and second fasteners (624).
US08277485B2	Pedicle screw system The present invention provides a pedicle screw system, which may include a bone fixation element having an elongate body. The elongate body may include a threaded segment having one or more spiral-oriented grooves, a neck segment adjacent to the threaded segment, and a head segment which is able to receive and/or couple to an orthopedic instrument or implant. The pedicle screw system may further include an anchoring element movably positionable about the bone fixation element. The anchoring element may include one or more elongate teeth which may be slidably positionable into a desired tissue region.
US08277474B2	Surgical cutting instrument A surgical cutting instrument including a first elongated member, a second tubular member, a handpiece, a first hub, a second hub, and an actuator assembly. The first tubular member has cutting tip and is co-axially disposed within the second tubular member such that the cutting tip is exposed at a cutting window. The first hub is mounted to the first tubular member and is moveably coupled to the handpiece. The second hub is mounted to the second tubular member and defines a hub axis. The actuator assembly rotatably couples the second hub to the handpiece and includes an actuator. Movement of the actuator is translated to rotational movement of the second hub so as to effectuate spatial rotation of the cutting window. In this regard, the actuator movement is not co-axial with the hub axis.
US08277473B2	Manipulator system and control apparatus A manipulator has an operation command unit and an exchangeable working unit. The working unit comprises an end effector operable under actions of a control apparatus, and an ID retaining section holding an ID for individualized discrimination of the working unit. The control apparatus includes an ID identification section for identifying the ID and for determining whether the working unit is connected to the operation command unit, an origin point recognition section for recognizing whether the end effector is in a prescribed origin point position or in a non-origin point position, and a warning section which generates a detachment warning when it is determined that the end effector has been detached from the operation command unit, in the event it is determined that the end effector is in a non-origin point position.
US08277471B2	Medical ultrasound system and handpiece and methods for making and tuning Several embodiments of medical ultrasound handpieces are described each including a medical ultrasound transducer assembly. An embodiment of a medical ultrasound system is described, wherein the medical ultrasound system includes a medical ultrasound handpiece having a medical ultrasound transducer assembly and includes an ultrasonically-vibratable medical-treatment instrument which is attachable to a distal end of the transducer assembly. An embodiment of a medical ultrasound system is described, wherein the medical ultrasound system has a handpiece including a medical ultrasound transducer assembly and including a housing or housing component surrounding the transducer assembly. A method for tuning a medical ultrasound handpiece includes machining at least a distal non-threaded portion of an instrument-attachment stud of the transducer assembly to match a measured fundamental frequency to a desired fundamental frequency to within a predetermined limit. A method for making a medical ultrasound transducer assembly determines acceptable gains for gain stages of the transducer assembly.
US08277469B2	Multi-stiffness guidewire The invention relates to an active oscillating guidewire (26) with varying stiffness to enable a safe crossing through an occluded vessel. The distal working zone (28) is made up of several distal segments (32, 34, 36, 38). A miniature engine is embedded in a segment (34).
US08277461B2	Methods for determining pedicle base circumference, pedicle isthmus and center of the pedicle isthmus for pedicle screw or instrument placement in spinal surgery A method of determining the pedicle base circumference and the pedicle isthmus to facilitate screw placement in a pedicle of a vertebral body during spinal surgery, comprising providing a series of first lines tangential to the outer cortical surface of the vertebral body in and near the pedicle on a transverse section from a three-dimensional image of the vertebral body, providing a series of second lines extending through the vertebral body in and near the pedicle thereof in perpendicular relation to the series of first lines, identifying the pedicle base circumference as the areas of the outer cortical surface where adjacent second lines are at the greatest angle with respect to one another, and identifying the pedicle isthmus as the areas of the outer cortical surface where the second lines that are opposed to each other are closest to being parallel to one another.
US08277460B2	Impactor An impactor for positioning and holding a surgical or veterinary prosthetic implant while it is being driven into position, said impactor including: (a) an impaction means; (b) an impaction shoe which is configured to receive and support a prosthetic implant in a predetermined position; (c) connection means which connect the impaction means to the impaction shoe and are configured to transmit an impact from the impaction means to the impaction shoe; (d) arms configured to engage an implant supported upon the impaction shoe; (e) said arms being biased into engagement with said implant, but movable against the bias out of engagement with the implant; (f) said connection means being adjustable between a first setting at which the impaction shoe is spring-loaded so as to bias an implant supported upon the impaction shoe into engagement with said arms but at which the impaction shoe can slide relative to said arms, against said spring bias; and a second setting at which both the impaction shoe and the arms are rigidly engaged with an implant supported upon the impaction shoe, to hold the implant in a predetermined position and orientation relative to the impaction means.
US08277458B2	Apparatus and method for arthroscopic transhumeral rotator cuff repair Apparatuses and methods are provided for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair incorporating a transhumeral bone tunnel. The apparatus comprises a number of components that can also be considered a repair system to include a drill guide, a marking hook, and a drill with a removable tip that serves as a bone anchor. In another aspect, the invention provides a suture especially adapted for securing both soft tissue and bone anchors that reduces forces transmitted to the anchors by secondary anchoring of the suture within the bone tunnel based on the geometry of the anchor. In additional aspects of the invention, the components of the drill guide assembly comprise a cannulated marking hook and a drill guide with multiple bores. In additional aspects of the invention, an implantable bone anchor is provided that is especially adapted for placement through a bone tunnel, and wherein the implantable anchor is collapsible to increase the effective size of the anchor for securing the anchor to the far side opening of the bone tunnel through which the anchor was placed. Methods of the invention include a method of arthroscopic repair of a rotator cuff, and methods of activating an implantable anchor.
US08277457B1	Orthopaedic inserter using a collet mechanism An orthopedic prosthetic inserter used for the implantation of an acetabular prosthetic cup implant. The inserter consists of a drive train, a C-shaped housing, and a collet mechanism used to attach a prosthetic cup implant. When activated by the drive train, the collet mechanism expands to draw the prosthesis towards the collet mechanism and create a substantially friction tight engagement therebetween.
US08277453B2	Instruments and systems for vertebral column manipulation Vertebral column manipulation systems include spinal derotation instrumentation to affect one or more derotation maneuvers on a scoliotic spine or on a spine having one or more displaced, misaligned or curved vertebral levels. Derotation instrumentation is attached to at least one vertebral body, with the instrumentation including at least two elongated extensions mounted to and extending proximally from the at least one vertebral body. A linking assembly extends between and links proximal ends of the extensions to one another. The linking assembly includes first and second mounting assemblies movably engaged to an elongate link member extending transversely to the extensions. Each of the mounting assemblies includes a movable joint for receiving the proximal end of a respective one of the extensions and a cam assembly for securing the mounting assembly in position relative to the link member and to fix the joint around the extension.
US08277450B2	Locking instrument assembly A locking instrument assembly for use in conjunction with an intramedullary device is disclosed. The locking instrument assembly includes an inner collet, an outer body, and a knob. The inner collet has a collar and a fastener member. The knob engages the fastener member to press the outer body against the collar. As the knob mates with the fastener member, the collar applies a clamping force to the intramedullary device.
US08277442B2	Disposable tip apparatus for laser surgical device A multi-component sterile, disposable tip apparatus for laser surgical devices is provided and features assembly for alignment of a self-contained optical fiber to the surgical device and releasably locking assembly between the tip and device.
US08277439B2	Coronary sinus lead delivery catheter A method of cannulating the coronary sinus or accessing a side branch of the coronary sinus of a patient's heart using a guide catheter. The guide catheter has a proximal portion and a distal portion formed into a preformed shape configured such that the distal portion of the shaft is supported on a wall of the superior vena cava during insertion of the distal portion into the coronary sinus. The preformed shape includes a first arc, a second arc, a third arc, a fourth arc, and a generally straight terminal portion. The preformed shape is generally a J-shape, having a terminal portion generally parallel to the proximal portion, a generally closed arc or a generally open arc.
US08277437B2	Method of accessing two lateral recesses Device and method are provided for diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries to the spine by injecting drugs into the diseased or injured area. The device and method of the subject invention provide improvements to patient and operator safety, along with ease-of-use and convenience improvements over conventional techniques.
US08277435B2	Infusion pump system Some embodiments of a portable infusion pump system can be configured to can be configured to adjust the sensitivity of particular detectors or alert systems based (at least in part) on information received from a monitoring device. For example, a glucose monitoring device can communication with an infusion pump assembly used to supply insulin or another medication to a user. In such circumstances, the data received from the monitoring device can be used to adjust the sensitivity of an occlusion detection system.
US08277434B2	Dosing device for an infusion system and method thereof A dosing device for an infusion system comprises a dosing unit having a variable volume and at least one opening in fluid connection with the variable volume, through which opening the variable volume can be filled with a substance or the substance can be dispensed from the variable volume. The dosing device is operable in a first state for filling the substance from a supply conduit, in a second state for preventing filling and dispensing, or in a third state for dispensing through a dispensing conduit. No direct fluid connection exists between the supply conduit and the dispensing conduit at any time. Methods for dosing a substance with the dosing device.
US08277427B2	Faecal management device A fecal management device suitable for attachment directly to the perianal skin between the buttocks of the wearer. The device utilizes an optimised adhesive wafer in order to securely attach the device to the skin of the wearer so that the device is maintained in position for the entire period of wear, including circumstances or periods of wear during which the wearer is active, i.e. not bedridden. In addition the fecal management device of the present invention has the ability for easy application of the device.
US08277422B2	Multi-chambered retractable safety syringe A retractable safety syringe may have a needle, needle holder, syringe body, and a plunger assembly. A proximal portion of the body and a piston of the plunger may define a vacuum chamber. The plunger assembly may comprise a distal piston and a proximal piston, with an intermediate chamber disposed between the two plungers. A vent through the syringe body pneumatically connects ambient air and the intermediate chamber allowing air to escape out of the intermediate chamber when a plunger assembly traversed toward the engaged position and allow air to be introduced into the intermediate chamber. A retraction force may be created by the vacuum chamber by traversing the plunger assembly to the engaged position. At the engaged position, the distal piston may engage the needle holder and the retraction force may retract the needle holder and needle into the syringe body to prevent accidental needle pricking and needle reuse.
US08277403B2	Support assembly for an orthopedic brace having a length-adjusting mechanism An adjustable support assembly for an orthopedic brace has a support arm, a housing and a locking mechanism. The housing includes a travel track which slidably receives the support arm. The locking mechanism includes a lock lever which selectively applies a sufficient force to the support arm to prevent slidable displacement of the support arm in the travel track.
US08277401B2	Closure system for braces, protective wear and similar articles A closure system for braces, protective wear and similar articles is disclosed. The closure system includes a plurality of opposing lace guide members and a tightening mechanism. The closure system further includes a lace extending through the guide members and coupled to the tightening mechanism. In some embodiments, a quick release apparatus is included to facilitate opening of the closure system. The tightening mechanism in some embodiments includes a control for winding the lace into a housing to place tension on the lace thereby tightening the closure system.
US08277400B2	Self administered chest physiotherapy system A chest physiotherapy device which allows self administered chest physiotherapy to assist in transfer of airway passage secretions.
US08277392B2	Biopsy collection device A method and device for removing tissue from a patient during a biopsy procedure utilizing a biopsy collection device are provided. The biopsy collection device includes a body portion configured for attachment to an endoscope and a receptacle portion configured to retain a portion of tissue removed from a target site during the biopsy procedure. The biopsy collection device further includes a passageway configured to receive a biopsy sampling device, such as a pair of forceps, passing through the endoscope to the target site.
US08277386B2	Combination sensor guidewire and methods of use The present invention provides for an improved combination sensor tip that includes an ultrasound transducer and a pressure sensor both disposed at or in close proximity to the distal end of the combination sensor tip. The present invention also provides for an improved connector to couple a guide wire to a physiology monitor that reduces torsional resistance when maneuvering the guide wire.
US08277385B2	Method and apparatus for non-invasive assessment of hemodynamic and functional state of the brain A method and apparatus for assessment of hemodynamic and functional state of the brain is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus includes non-invasive measurement of intracranial pressure, assessment of the brain's electrical activity, and measurement of cerebral blood flow. In some embodiments, the method and apparatus include measuring the volume change in the intracranial vessels with a near-infrared spectroscopy or other optical method, measuring the volume change in the intracranial vessels with rheoencephalography or other electrical method, and measuring the brain's electrical activity using electroencephalography.
US08277383B2	Method and apparatus to produce ultrasonic images using multiple apertures A combination of an ultrasonic scanner and an omnidirectional receive transducer for producing a two-dimensional image from the echoes received by the single omnidirectional transducer is described. Two-dimensional images with different noise components can be constructed from the echoes received by additional transducers. These can be combined to produce images with better signal to noise ratios and lateral resolution. Also disclosed is a method based on information content to compensate for the different delays for different paths through intervening tissue is described. Specular reflections are attenuated by using even a single omnidirectional receiver displaced from the insonifying probe. The disclosed techniques have broad application in medical imaging but are ideally suited to multi-aperture cardiac imaging using two or more intercostal spaces. Since lateral resolution is determined primarily by the aperture defined by the end elements, it is not necessary to fill the entire aperture with equally spaced elements. In fact, gaps can be left to accommodate spanning a patient's ribs, or simply to reduce the cost of the large aperture array. Multiple slices using these methods can be combined to form three-dimensional images.
US08277382B2	Automated pressing device and ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus using the device An automated pressing device (3) for an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus according to the present invention is constituted by being provided with a probe holding member (21) including an attaching portion (31) to which a probe (2) is detachably attached and a griping portion (32) to which the attaching portion is slidably attached together with the probe attached thereto so as to permit advancing and retreating of an ultrasonic transmission and reception plane (27) of the probe, a motive power transmission wire (23) including a flexible cylindrical body (41) of which one end is secured to the griping portion in the probe holding member and an inner wire (42) that is inserted in the cylindrical body and of which one end is coupled to the attaching portion and a pressing motive power means (24) to which the other end of the cylindrical body in the motive power transmission wire is secured and that couples with the other end of the inner wire to advance and retreat the same. Thereby, a user friendly automated pressing device is realized that permits to eliminate influences of electromagnetic noises as well as permits to apply a stable pressing to a body surface of a subject via such as a motor and a spring.
US08277380B2	Piezoelectric and CMUT layered ultrasound transducer array A CMUT or other semiconductor-based transducer is stacked with a piezoelectric transducer (PZT). The CMUT is sufficiently thin to avoid or limit interference with sound propagation through the CMUT from or to the PZT or crosstalk between transmitter elements. The PZT/CMUT layered structure is used as a matrix array, such as an array with a multi-dimensional arrangement of elements. The CMUT array is formed and thinned using semiconductor processing. The PZT transmits acoustic energy through the thin CMUT. The CMUT receives responsive echoes. Using integrated electronics in the thin wafer of the CMUT limits interconnection problems for the matrix receive array.
US08277377B2	Method and apparatus for monitoring exercise with wireless internet connectivity A method and apparatus are provided for wireless monitoring of exercise, fitness, or nutrition by connecting a web-enabled wireless phone to a device which provides exercise-related information, including physiological data and data indicating an amount of exercise performed. The connection may be by way of a wireless connection using protocols such as Bluetooth® or 802.11, or by way of a wired connection. An optional adaptor may be included if necessary. An application for receiving the exercise-related information and providing a user interface may be downloaded to the web-enabled wireless phone from an internet server. The exercise-related information may be transmitted to an internet server, and the server may calculate and return a response.
US08277373B2	Methods and apparaus for off-axis visualization Methods and apparatus for off-axis visualization are described herein. An endoluminal tissue manipulation assembly is disclosed which provides for a stable endoluminal platform and which also provides for effective triangulation of tools. Such an apparatus may comprise an optionally shape-lockable elongate body defining a longitudinal axis and adapted for endoluminal advancement in a patient body, at least one articulatable visualization lumen disposed near or at a distal region of the elongate body, the at least one articulating visualization lumen being adapted to articulate off-axis relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate body, and at least one articulatable tool arm member disposed near or at the distal region of the elongate body, the at least one articulatable tool arm member being adapted to articulate off-axis and manipulate a tissue region of interest.
US08277372B2	Cardiac support device with differential compliance A cardiac support device comprising a jacket of flexible and biocompatible material having a first axis for alignment generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of a patient's heart and a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. The material exhibits an amount of expansion in response to a force applied to the material along the first axis that is different than an amount of expansion in response to the force applied to the material along the second axis.
US08277370B2	Radiation catheter with multilayered balloon The disclosure is directed to catheter devices and methods for controlled application of irradiation to tissue adjacent a body site, such as cavity after removal of tissue, e.g. cancer. The catheter device includes an inflatable balloon having at least two layers. The inflatable balloon has an expansion of more than 25% and less than 200% when inflated from the un-inflated condition to a turgid condition, preferably more than 50% and less than 150%. In the turgid condition the polymeric material(s) of the balloon layers are at or near the elastic limit of the balloon layer material. The balloon may contain or be formed of or be coated with radiopaque material to facilitate positional or symmetry verification.
US08277368B2	Folding machine and knife holder for a knife shaft of a folding machine A folding machine for folding sheets of paper, board and the like, includes at least one knife-shaft unit for cutting, perforating, scoring or crimping the sheets. The knife-shaft unit has at least one pair of driven knife shafts. Knife-retaining units for retaining knives are fitted in a rotationally fixed manner on the knife shafts. The knife-retaining units have a split construction and are formed by a plurality of partial shells. A knife holder for a knife shaft of a folding machine, is also provided.
US08277366B2	Collapsible step exercising machine A portable stair-stepping exercise machine having independent movable stepping pedals for each foot along with an independent pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder is herein disclosed. A support arm and bracket either collapses or comes apart for storage and transportation. The machine is generally of a smaller size and profile than its conventional counterparts and as such, its size and weight make it ideal to be transported while traveling, or for use in an area with restricted space in which the machine must be stored away after use.
US08277365B2	Vehicular braking apparatus A vehicular braking apparatus includes an electric motor that generates a wheel driving force or a regenerative wheel braking force and also includes a mechanical wheel braking force generating device, an external braking force generating device, and a braking control device. The mechanical wheel braking force generating device includes a working fluid pressure adjusting unit that generates a mechanical wheel braking force by transmitting the pressure of a working fluid. The external braking force generating device applies an external braking force other than a regenerative vehicle braking force generated by the electric motor and a mechanical vehicle braking force generated by the mechanical wheel braking force generating device, to a vehicle. The braking control device compensates a braking force by an external braking force in order to satisfy a requested vehicle braking force by a driver when the conversion efficiency of the electric motor to electrical energy is decreased.
US08277360B2	Control apparatus for vehicular power transmitting system A control apparatus for a vehicular power transmitting system including (a) an electrically controlled differential portion which has a differential mechanism and an electric motor operatively connected to a rotary element of the differential mechanism and which is operable to control a differential state between a rotating speed of its input shaft connected to an engine and a rotating speed of its output shaft by controlling an operating state of the electric motor, and (b) a transmission portion which constitutes a part of a power transmitting path and which functions as an automatic transmission portion, the control apparatus including a shifting control portion configured to set a shifting point of the transmission portion, on the basis of a delay of a response of a change of an operating speed of the engine to a change of a required vehicle drive force to be transmitted through the vehicular power transmitting system.
US08277359B2	Automatic transmission and adjusting method of gap in axial direction of automatic transmission An automatic transmission comprises a transmission mechanism including plural planetary gear sets, a transmission case storing the transmission mechanism, and an end cover closing an opening at one end of the transmission case. A planetary gear set disposed the closest to the end cover is assembled in such a manner that before the end cover is attached to the transmission case, a sun gear is assembled to the transmission case and a pinion carrier is assembled to the end cover. A thrust washer is disposed between an end face of the sun gear and an end face of an inner peripheral portion of the pinion carrier. The thrust washer is a member for adjusting a gap which is formed in an axial direction in the transmission case, and the member is selected from plural ones which have different axial thicknesses from each other.
US08277356B2	Multi-speed transmission A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes.
US08277355B2	Multi-speed transmission having stacked planetary gear sets A transmission is has an input member, an output member, two stacked planetary gear sets, a third planetary gear set, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. The stacked planetary gear sets have a first, second, third, fourth and fifth member and the third planetary gear set has a first, second and third member. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.
US08277352B2	Power split transmission with energy recovery Power split drive (PSD) transmissions capable of energy recovery and suitable for use in automotive applications. Each PSD transmission includes a mechanical transmission system for mechanically transmitting mechanical power between a rotatable input shaft and a rotatable output shaft, and a hydraulic transmission system containing a fluid for hydraulically transmitting hydraulic power between the input shaft and the output shaft, and at least a third shaft operatively interconnected to one of the mechanical and hydraulic transmission systems. The hydraulic transmission system is operatively coupled by at least a first planetary gear train to the mechanical transmission system. According to the invention, the PSD further comprises means operatively associated with at least one of the mechanical and hydraulic transmission systems for storing and releasing energy within the PSD transmission, the energy storing and releasing means comprising a flywheel or an accumulator or a combination thereof.
US08277345B2	Stepless transmitting and speed varying structure A stepless transmitting and speed-varying structure contains a power mechanism to drive a first transmission shaft by using power. The first transmission shaft is connected with a set of disk members including fixed and movable discs. A transmitting mechanism includes a belt disposed on the disk members, with one end of the belt connected with an intermediate speed-varying stem coaxial with a transmitting member to actuate a second transmission shaft. The second transmission shaft includes a resilient member, with one end of the resilient member coupled with the intermediate speed-varying stem and with another end thereof connected with a fixed member. A speed varying mechanism includes the second transmission shaft connected with a variable speed member, an actuated member, and plural eccentric blocks. The variable speed member couples with a connecting rod, with one end of the connecting rod joined with the movable disc.
US08277344B2	Lighted gaming bag A gaming bag including at least one outer wall defining a cavity, at least one light emitting source positioned adjacent the at least one outer wall, a filling material disposed within the cavity, and wherein the at least one light emitting source provides illumination. A method of lighting a gaming bag comprising the steps of providing a gaming bag comprising at least one outer wall defining a cavity, at least one light emitting source positioned adjacent the at least one wall, a shock sensor within the cavity, a filling material within the cavity, and wherein the at least one light emitting source provides illumination, tossing the gaming bag, measuring a force with the shock sensor upon impact with a surface, activating the light emitting source when the force is greater than the predetermined threshold, and deactivating the light emitting source after a predetermined amount of time.
US08277340B1	Basketball training device A basketball training device that mimics an opposing player during practice. The training device has a weighted base set on caster wheels. A vertical support extends upwardly from the base. A slide structure moves up and down on the vertical support between a high position and a low position. A blocking form is coupled to the slide structure. The blocking form moves with the slide structure. Consequently, the blocking form can move up and down. An elongated control rod attaches to the wheeled base. The control rod is used by a coach to push and pull the training device along the basketball court during play. In this manner, a coach can adjust the position of the blocking form to better mimic the movements of a real opposing player.
US08277339B2	Ball rolling device Described herein is a rolling ball device comprising a pair of ball support structures secured together and spaced apart so as to support a golf ball there between, each of the ball support structures having a first portion having a first end and a second end and having a first surface with a clothoid shape and having a second portion having a first end coupled to a second end of the first portion and a second end, the second portion having a first surface having an arc shape and having a third portion having a first end coupled to the second end of said second portion and having a second end, the third portion having a first surface having an inverted clothoid shape.
US08277332B2	Golf ball pick-up device A golf ball pick-up device includes a body, which has a shape that allows the body to form a frame with a head of the golf club. The body has an end forming a clamping section that defines an internal receiving space. The clamping section also forms a sideway opening in communication with the receiving space. The clamping section uses the opening to lead a shaft of the golf club into the receiving space, so as to allow the clamping section to fit over and thus retain on the shaft of the golf club. A user may then use the frame formed by the body and the head of the golf club to pick up a golf ball, especially a ball that falls in a sand trap or a water hazard where hands may not reach to pick up the ball.
US08277329B2	Homokinetic plunging ball joint with low plunging forces A homokinetic rotary ball joint in the form of a plunging joint is described. The joint comprises a joint outer part 3 with outer first ball tracks 4 and with outer second ball tracks 5, the outer second ball tracks 5 intersecting a joint mid-axis A when the joint is aligned; a joint inner part 6 with inner first ball tracks 7 and with inner second ball tracks 8, the inner second ball tracks 8 intersecting the joint mid-axis A when the joint is aligned; first balls 9 which are held in first pairs of tracks including, in each case, an outer first ball track 4 and of an inner first ball track 7; second balls 10 which are held in second pairs of tracks including, in each case, an outer second ball track 5 and of an inner second ball track 8, in each case the outer and the inner ball track 5, 8 of the second pairs of tracks intersecting one another; a ball cage 12 which has, distributed circumferentially, cage windows 13, 14 in which the first and the second balls 9, 10 are held in a common plane; a second radial play formed between the second balls 10 and the second ball tracks 5, 8 is greater than a first radial play formed between the first balls 9 and the first ball tracks 4, 7.
US08277323B2	Remote tracking and reporting of software state A system and method for tracking data in a gaming environment using a beacon is provided and includes identifying an occurrence of a triggering event in a gaming environment, generating at least one key-value pair in response to the triggering event in the gaming environment, generating beacon data responsive to the at least one key-value pair and processing the beacon data to generate a key-value table data.
US08277320B1	Facilitating a game that operates within a social-networking application One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for facilitating a game that operates within a social-networking application. During operation, the system receives a request from a user to participate in a game that is running within the social-networking application, wherein the request is received at the game. Next, in response to the request, the system adds the user to the game. The system then receives a notification at the game that the user has performed an action within the social network. Next, in response to the notification, the system determines a point value assigned to the action. Finally, the system increments a score associated with the user by the point value.
US08277316B2	Method and apparatus for using a common pointing input to control 3D viewpoint and object targeting A computer graphics display system such as a video game system provides virtual camera 3-D viewpoint panning control based on a pointer. When the pointer is displayed within a virtual camera panning control region, the system automatically pans the virtual camera toward the pointer. When the pointer is displayed within a different region, panning is deactivated and the user can freely move the cursor (e.g., to control the direction a weapon is pointed) without panning the virtual camera viewpoint. Flexible viewpoint control and other animated features are provided based on a pointing device such as a handheld video game optical pointing control. Useful applications include but are not limited to first person shooter type video games.
US08277312B2	Role-playing slot game A game that includes both a slot-type game portion and a role-playing-type game portion. The game may include a plurality of characters with various abilities that may have modifiable values. The slot game may allow the player to play multiple lines and may include a multiplier that augments the value of any prize on any winning line. In addition, the slot game may include ability-related symbols on its reels, whereby an ability value for a selected character may be increased if the ability-related symbol appears on the reels after a spin. The role-playing type game may include features or subgames related to the abilities, where the features allow the character to compete to increase the ability values and to win additional prizes or compensation. Successfully completing a feature may be a random event, like the spin's of the slot game, or, alternatively, success may depend on the player's skill or ability.
US08277309B2	Method and apparatus for employing flat rate play Systems and methods are provided allowing a player to play a gaming device and receive a predetermined number of outcomes in exchange for a payment. The gaming device generates at least the predetermined number of outcomes, and adjusts a balance of the player device based on the outcomes. The player can continue playing regardless of whether the balance is less than zero.
US08277307B2	Gaming device having expanding and rolling wild symbols The gaming device and method disclosed herein have a plurality of reels and at least one expanding and roaming wild symbol. The wild symbol moves relative to the reels to provide additional award opportunities. When both the wild symbol and a designated trigger symbol appear on one of the reels, the wild symbol expands to form an expanded wild symbol set that includes a plurality of individual wild symbols. The designated trigger symbol determines the number of moves. For each move, the expanded wild symbol set moves to one of the reels. That is, the expanded wild symbol set enables a plurality of individual wild symbols to randomly move from reel to reel for a number of moves, wherein the number is determined based on the designated trigger symbol. After each move, the gaming device performs an award evaluation to determine whether a winning combination is displayed on the reels.
US08277306B2	Gaming machine A gaming machine of the present invention allows an insurance function to be set in a game, based upon an operation of a player. Among games in which plural types of symbols are rearranged on a display device every game execution in which the insurance function is effective, an accumulative value stored in a memory is updated so as to increase. As a result of repeating the game in which the insurance function is effective, where the accumulative value has reached a predetermined value for activating the insurance function, it is judged whether a payout of a preset value for insurance and an execution of a special game has been selected, according to an operation of a selection input section by a player. Either of the payout of the preset value for the insurance and the execution of the special game is performed, based upon a result of the judgment.
US08277299B2	Casino slot wagering system A new concept for designing casino slot games The game links together more than one game through their bets and their outcomes. All the bets and outcomes form a multidimensional matrix. A computer calculates the probabilities of all bets and outcomes during the betting rounds in real time. As a result of the so chained slot games the player makes decisions in multiple betting rounds in insufficient information about the game outcomes. At any time during the game play the player can evaluate the game outcomes as presented to him by the computer and raise his bet, proceed to the next betting round without changing the bet, or simply finish the game with no penalty.
US08277297B2	Gaming system A gaming system for use with a media player and one or more output devices, where the media player is configured to receive user signals, to read and execute information from a game medium, and to present portions of the information on the one or more output devices. The gaming system includes a remote unit operable by one or more users, including a controller, and a transmitter coupled to the controller. The remote unit also includes a plurality of buttons coupled to the controller, including a first button, and a second button. The controller is configured to cause the transmitter to transmit a first user signal upon actuation of the first button, and a second user signal upon actuation of the second button. The gaming system also includes a game medium having information readable by the media player that, when executed, causes the media player to produce a game having a plurality of scenes. Each scene causes the media player to present information on at least one of the one or more output devices, and to selectively respond to the reception of user signals transmitted by the remote unit's transmitter. A first scene causes the media player to respond to the reception of the first user signal by producing a second scene that causes the media player to disregard the reception of the second user signal.
US08277288B2	Particle blast cleaning apparatus with pressurized container A particle blast cleaning apparatus incorporates a pressurized container which is pressurized by the transport gas upon start up through a feeder which does not comprise an airlock. The feeder introduces the blast media into the transport stream. At start up, the transport gas pressurizes the container, flowing upwardly through the feeder until the container is substantially pressurized and the flow substantially ceases. The feeder rotor may be configured to crush or grind the particles.
US08277286B2	Slurry dispenser for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus and method A chemical mechanical polishing method and apparatus provides a deformable, telescoping slurry dispenser arm coupled to a dispenser head that may be arcuate in shape and may also be a bendable telescoping member that can be adjusted to vary the number of slurry dispenser ports and the degree of curvature of the dispenser head. The dispenser arm may additionally include slurry dispenser ports therein. The dispenser arm may advantageously be formed of a plurality of nested tubes that are slidable with respect to one another. The adjustable dispenser arm may pivot about a pivot point and can be variously positioned to accommodate different sized polishing pads used to polish substrates of different dimensions and the bendable, telescoping slurry dispenser arm and dispenser head provide uniform slurry distribution to any of various wafer polishing locations, effective slurry usage and uniform polishing profiles in each case.
US08277284B2	Ice skate blade sharpening machines and associated method of dressing a grinding wheel A sharpening machine generally includes a grinding wheel having a perimeter that is rotatable about a first axis. The sharpening machine includes an adjustment device adapted to be coupled to a structure of the sharpening machine. A shaft is mounted to the adjustment device. The shaft defines a second axis that is generally parallel to the first axis when the adjustment device is coupled to the structure. The shaft is movable along a predetermined feed axis toward the grinding wheel. A carousel is rotatably connected to the shaft of the adjustment device. A contouring tool is rotatably connected to the carousel. The contouring tool has a contour surface. Movement of the shaft of the adjustment device along the feed axis is configured to translate the carousel and move the contouring tool into and out of engagement with the grinding wheel to facilitate dressing of the perimeter of the grinding wheel to a grinding wheel contour.
US08277278B2	Acoustic imaging while cutting A method and apparatus for radially cutting tubulars in a downhole environment by emitting acoustic energy into the jet, the acoustic energy having a wavelength selected such that the jet acts as a waveguide, detecting reflected acoustic energy in the jet, and determining the depth of cut from a travel time of the acoustic energy.
US08277276B2	Brassiere cup with a breast enhancement insert and brassiere formed therewith A brassiere cup, and brassiere formed therewith, is provided for enhancing the shape of a wearer's breast. The brassiere cup comprises an outer fabric layer having a lower peripheral portion, and an inner liner fabric layer having a lower peripheral portion. A breast enhancement insert having upper and lower peripheral portions and inner and outer surfaces is attached along the lower peripheral portions of the outer fabric layer and the inner liner layer, the upper peripheral portion and the inner and outer surfaces of the insert being substantially unattached. The breast enhancement insert comprises a padding material encapsulated within a fabric cover.
US08277275B2	Game call apparatus A game call apparatus comprises a mouthpiece including an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening, and a mouthpiece air passageway connecting the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening. The game call apparatus further comprises an outer sound chamber including an air inlet opening, an air exit opening, and an internal surface connecting the air inlet opening of the outer sound chamber and the air exit opening. The game call further comprises an inner sound chamber including an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening disposed within the outer sound chamber. The inner sound chamber air passageway connects the air inlet opening of the inner sound chamber and the air outlet opening of the inner sound chamber, and the inner sound chamber air passageway is in communication with the mouthpiece air passageway to permit air passage between the air inlet opening of the mouthpiece and the air exit opening of the outer sound chamber.
US08277271B2	Fuel supply system for boat and outboard motor A fuel supply system for a boat includes a vapor separator tank arranged to be connected to a fuel tank mounted on a hull of the boat and arranged to contain fuel therein, an injector arranged to supply fuel to an engine, a high-pressure fuel pump arranged to supply the fuel contained in the vapor separator tank to the injector, and a throttle body including a throttle valve arranged to adjust a flow rate of air supplied to the engine. The vapor separator tank is disposed adjacent to the throttle body. The fuel supply system minimizes deterioration in engine startability.
US08277270B2	Boat propulsion unit A boat propulsion unit includes a power source, a propeller, a shift position switching mechanism, a control device, and a retention switch. The propeller is driven by the power source to generate propulsive force. The shift position switching mechanism has an input shaft connected to a side of the power source, an output shaft connected to a side of the propeller, and clutches that change a connection state between the input shaft and the output shaft. A shift position of the shift position switching mechanism is switched among forward, neutral, and reverse by engaging and disengaging the clutches. The control device adjusts an engagement force of the clutches. The retention switch is connected to the control device. When the retention switch is turned on by an operator, the control device controls the engagement force of the clutches to retain a hull in a predefined position. The boat propulsion unit provides a boat propulsion unit that can accurately retain a boat at a fixed point.
US08277269B1	Torque transmitting device and system for marine propulsion A torque transmitting device and related a marine propulsion system include an adapter that comprises a first portion shaped to engage in torque-transmitting relation with a propulsor shaft of the marine propulsion system so that rotation of the propulsor shaft about the axis of rotation causes synchronous rotation of the first portion about the axis of rotation. A second portion is shaped to engage in torque-transmitting relation with a propulsor hub of the marine propulsion system. The second portion is connected to the first portion by a plurality of elongated torsional members that are integrally attached to at least one of the first and second portions. The elongated torsional members are resilient so as to allow the first portion and second portion to rotate relative to each other about the axis of rotation.
US08277268B2	Outdrive unit for boats An object of the present invention is to provide an outdrive unit that allows space to be saved in the positioning of a hydraulic circuit for trolling, and enables easy maintenance of the hydraulic circuit for trolling. The invention provides an outdrive unit mounted outside of a boat, including: a propeller for propulsion; a hydraulic clutch that controls driving of the propeller; a transmission mechanism that transmits drive power from the hydraulic clutch to the propeller; a hydraulic circuit that operates the hydraulic clutch, the hydraulic circuit comprising a switching valve that switches a rotational direction of the propeller, a pressure-reducing valve for trolling that reduces a pressure of a pressurized oil supplied to the hydraulic clutch, a filter for the pressurized oil introduced to the pressure-reducing valve, and a hydraulic pump that supplies the pressurized oil to the hydraulic clutch; a housing that houses at least one of the hydraulic clutch, transmission mechanism, and hydraulic circuit; a base on which the switching valve, pressure-reducing valve, and filter are mounted, the base being detachably mounted in the housing.
US08277267B1	Amphibious paddle track propulsion system An amphibious paddle track propulsion system mountable on any water or land vehicle for enabling the ability to selectively travel over land or water, the paddle track propulsion system having a paddle track, spring-loaded paddles, paddle supporting terrain treads, terrain treads, lead and rear sprockets, chain sprocket, engaging assembly for extending and retracting the paddles and lever for controlling the engaging assembly wherein each paddle has an engager extension that is engaged and disengaged by the engaging assembly to extend and retract paddles.
US08277265B1	Electrical connector for mating in two directions An electrical connector is provided for mating with a mating connector having a mating contact. The electrical connector includes a housing having a receptacle that is configured to receive the mating contact therein from an insertion direction. An electrical contact is held within the receptacle of the housing. The electrical contact includes opposing arms and a contact finger that extends from one of the arms to the other arm. The contact finger includes a mating interface configured to engage the mating contact when the mating contact is received within the receptacle to electrically connect the electrical contact to the mating contact. The contact finger includes a segment having a length that extends at an angle relative to the insertion direction. The segment includes at least a portion of the mating interface. The electrical contact is configured to electrically connect to the mating contact when the mating contact is inserted into the receptacle of the housing in the insertion direction.
US08277260B2	Modular cable termination plug The invention is a modular cable termination plug having a conductor divider having an entrant barb and a plurality of divider channels, a load bar having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of slots, and a plurality of contact terminals. Additionally, the invention may include a housing, a strain relief collar and a strain relief boot.
US08277259B2	Connector A connector includes a first terminal housing with a plurality of first joining terminals aligned and accommodated therein, a second terminal housing with a plurality of second joining terminals aligned and accommodated therein, a connecting member for pressing and thereby collectively fixing the plural first joining terminals and the plural second joining terminals at the contacts therebetween respectively, and a covering member slidably provided to cover the connecting member, to maintain the pressing force of the pressed connecting member at a specified or greater pressing force that assures the stable connections between the first joining terminals and the second joining terminals, respectively, the covering member being provided in such a manner that it is not slidable to cover the connecting member until the pressing force of the connecting member reaches the pressing force that assures the stable connections between the first joining terminals and the second joining terminals, respectively.
US08277258B1	Electrical connector An electrical connector includes an insulating housing, and a plurality of electrical contacts assembled in the insulating housing respectively. At least two of the electrical contacts having the same transmitting action are short connected together in the process of manufacturing the electrical contacts. So the process of utilizing a wire to achieve a short connection between the corresponding electrical contacts, as described in the prior art, is omitted, and it saves a lot of manpower and material resources, and further simplifies the process for achieving the short connection effect.
US08277257B2	Connector A connector connectable to a plurality of receptacles of different specifications is provided while a connector of the prior-art configuration is not adapted for the connection with such receptacles. The connector includes: a connector body; and a connector portion partially inserted in the connector body and partially projected from the connector body. The connector portion includes: a first connector block that is singularly capable of mating with a receptacle conforming to a first specification but is singularly incapable of mating with a receptacle conforming to a second specification; and a second connector block that is disposed on the first connector block and combined with the first connector block to be capable of mating with the receptacle conforming to the second specification. The second connector block is free to slide on the first connector block 21 and to be inserted in the connector body.
US08277256B2	Electrical connector An electrical connector includes: an insulating body, having a plurality of terminal receiving holes, in which each terminal receiving hole includes a retaining slot recessed from an upper surface of the insulating body and a receiving slot formed through the insulating body and connected with the retaining slot, and the retaining slot has a bottom surface that forms a step with a sidewall of the receiving slot; a metal layer, plated on the sidewall of the receiving slot, being not higher than the bottom surface; and a plurality of terminals, respectively y accommodated in each terminal receiving hole, in which each terminal includes a retaining portion fixed in the retaining slot, a base and a soldering portion extend downwards from the retaining portion and are suspended in the receiving slot, and a clearance is formed between the retaining portion and the metal layer for preventing a conduction therebetween.
US08277254B2	Dual wiring system A dual wiring system with easy exchangeability of a function unit. A gate device is mounted in a wall surface of a structure, and connected to both of an electric power line and an information line previously installed in the structure. The function unit has at least one of functions for supplying electric power from the electric power line, outputting information from the information line and inputting information into the information line when connected with the gate device. The function unit has a module connector including an electric power connector and an information signal connector, which is detachably connected to a module port of the gate device comprised of an electric power port and an information signal port. To further improve function expandability, an additional function unit can be detachably connected to the function unit.
US08277249B2	Contact for coaxiable cable having a tearable band between a conductor barrel and a crimp barrel A contact for coaxial cable attached to an end of a coaxial cable includes a contact part and a connection part. The connection part includes a conductor barrel, an open crimp barrel, and a junction band narrow in width. The conductor barrel is disposed on a side to a base end portion of the contact part and can crimp the inner conductor. The open crimp barrel is adjacent to the conductor barrel and can crimp an exposed portion of the dielectric body so as to surround the exposed portion of the dielectric body in a cylindrical shape. The junction band joins the conductor barrel with the open crimp barrel so as to bridge the two. The both end portions of the junction band are torn during or after crimping of the conductor barrel and the open crimp barrel.
US08277248B2	High frequency plug connector An HF plug connector having an outside conductor part, and inside conductor part arranged within the outside conductor part and an end on the mating side that is designed for a plug-in connection to a complementary HF plug connector, wherein a housing made of an electrically insulating material, is arranged on the mating side end of the HF plug connector, at least partially surrounding the outside conductor part, wherein the housing exhibits a through-hole into which the outside conductor part engages. The outside conductor part has a first axial retaining element designed to a first predetermined section of the housing upon assembly on the outside conductor part and a second axial retaining element designed so that said second axial retaining element presses a second predetermined section of the housing together upon assembly on the outside conductor part.
US08277246B2	Battery terminal adapter An apparatus including a battery having first and second battery terminals; and an electrical connector adapter. The electrical connector adapter includes a first and second adapter terminals. The first adapter terminal has a first contact area on the first battery terminal at the first side of the battery and a second contact area on a second side of the battery. The second adapter terminal has a first contact area on the second battery terminal at the first side of the battery and a second contact area on the second side of the battery. The adapter is configured to allow first contacts to electrically connect to the first and second battery terminals through the first contact areas. The adapter is configured to allow second contacts to electrically connect to the second contact areas and be connected by the electrical connector adapter to the first and second battery terminals.
US08277241B2	Hermaphroditic electrical connector The disclosure describes an electrical connector assembly having first and second electrical connectors configured for mating. Each connector includes a housing that supports a plurality of electrical contacts. The contacts are arranged in first and second rows, and define a first terminal end extending from the housing and configured to connect with an electrical component, and a second hermaphroditic terminal end extending from the housing.
US08277240B2	Connector for backlight and having a member restricting movement of another member A connector has a first member connectable to a first object and a second member connectable to a second object. The second member is arranged so as to restrict movement of the first member in a first horizontal direction. The connector also has a connection member configured to connect the first member and the second member to each other so that the first member is movable relative to the second member in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.
US08277237B1	Electrical plug having retractable prongs The improved electrical plug includes electrical prongs that extend and retract into the housing via actuating means comprising a twisting action or a sliding tab. A twisting embodiment extends and retracts into the housing via a twisting action about a portion of the housing. A sliding tab embodiment includes a sliding tab located on a side of the housing that when moved up or down will extend or retract the prongs out of or into the housing, respectively. Either embodiment can be integrated into the design of an electrical cord or as an after-market product that is installed upon an electrical cord.
US08277234B2	Interface between connectable electrical devices A system for engaging devices having connectable electrical connectors includes a first device and a second device. The first device has a first electrical connector exposed at a first surface that is contoured to define one or more recesses, each of which has a lip. The second device has a second electrical connector exposed at a second surface that is contoured to define one or more gripping elements, each of which fits into one of the recesses to grip one of the lips when the first and second electrical connectors are connected together. The first device also has a movable element that can be positioned such that when the one or more gripping elements are in the one or more recesses and gripping the one or more lips, the movable element blocks the gripping elements from being moved out of the recesses or away from the lips.
US08277231B2	Electrical device with contact assembly The invention relates to an electrical device with a contact assembly 1 comprising at least one electrical contact 2 having a contacting end 10 for contacting a counterpart contact of another electrical device 14, and a holding device 3 for holding the electrical contact 2, wherein the holding device 3 comprises an elastomeric material 4 in which the electrical contact 2 is elastically held. In this way, an electrical device with such a contact assembly 2 is achieved that provides for a reliable electrical contact while being robust, easy to clean and preferably also watertight.
US08277230B2	Electrical connector and conductive member thereof An electrical connector and a conductive member thereof are provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, the conductive member is installed in an insulating body, and a solder ball is retained between two retaining ends of the conductive member to form the electrical connector. In the conductive member, a base extends downwards to form two soldering arms, each of the soldering arms has an extending arm and a retaining end extending from the extending arm, the retaining ends are exposed outside the insulating body, and at least one of the retaining ends is provided with a recessed portion, so as to enable the solder ball, when entering between the two retaining ends, to prop the two retaining ends and partially enter the recessed portion, so that the solder ball is securely retained by the two retaining ends, thereby preventing the solder ball from falling off from the two retaining ends when the electrical connector is under an external force.
US08277228B2	Connector set and jointer for use therein A connector set includes at least one of a header and a socket and a jointer. The jointer extends in a direction and is configured to couple the header and the socket so as to be in parallel with each other. The jointer includes first jointer connecting portions provided at both end portions thereof and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and which are configured to engage first connecting portions provided at both end portions of the header, and second jointer connecting portions provided at both end portions of the jointer body and extending in a third direction opposite to the second direction, and which are configured to engage the second connecting portions provided at both end portions of the socket.
US08277224B2	Dental articulator with endodontic module A dental articulator for use in dental education simulates the human mouth and has an adjustable hinge that interconnects upper and lower carrier trays for movement to and from a closed position. Modules of imitation gums and teeth are secured in the carrier trays by neodymium magnets. The hinge structure in the articulator is selectively movable to shift the jaw axis to a position to provide the desired alignment of the upper and lower teeth when the jaw is closed or demonstrate a misaligned condition. A dental training module may be installed which, upon removal from the articulator, has a pair of separable sections encasing a tooth to permit release of the tooth and removal from the module so that a completed treatment may be evaluated.
US08277223B2	External defibrillator training apparatus and method A training apparatus (500) for use with an external defibrillator is provided, the external defibrillator being responsive to a first electrode and a second electrode, including: a transparent layer having a first electrode attachment region defining an opening sized to receive the first electrode; a signal conductor disposed proximate the first electrode attachment region, the signal conductor having a transfer path, the transfer path operable to provide communication between the first electrode and the second electrode, when the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed on the training apparatus; and a two-dimensional representation of an anterior portion of a defibribation subject, identificable through the transparent layer, having the first electrode attachment region arranged thereon in a manner that defines a preferred plancement area of the first electrode on the defibrillation subject.
US08277219B2	Implant having circumferentially oriented roughness Implant (10) having a shaft which is adapted in use to be embedded in bone tissue and which has an outer surface provided with a circumferentially-oriented roughness. The circumferentially-oriented roughness has first and second axial sections (19, 21) with each section comprising a series of circumferentially-oriented peaks which have a crest and which are axially spaced apart by troughs. The axial spacing (d) between the crests of adjacent peaks in the first axial section (19) is less than the axial spacing (3d) between the crests of adjacent peaks in the second axial section (21). Although the axial spacing between the crests of adjacent peaks in the first and second axial sections of circumferentially-oriented roughness differs, the first and second axial sections of circumferentially-oriented roughness are adapted in use to provide the same or substantially the same pitch.
US08277215B2	Universal non-custom dental tray having anatomical features to enhance fit A non-custom, tray-shaped dental treatment device includes a moisture-resistant barrier layer having a front side wall and a bottom wall, and a dental treatment composition. In addition, the tray-shaped dental treatment device includes at least one of the following anatomical features to enhance the fit of the device: (1) the bottom wall includes a plurality of cuts positioned to help the bottom wall better conform to abrupt changes in the diameters of a person's teeth where the bicuspids and canines meet, and/or (2) the bottom wall includes at least one V-shaped or U-shaped indentation configured to be inserted into the depression typically found along the top surfaces of a person's molars, and/or (3) the front side wall and bottom wall include radii of curvature that account for typical flaring of a patient's incisors.
US08277210B2	Apparatus and method for manufacturing three-dimensional netted structure An apparatus for manufacturing a three-dimensional netted structure, the three-dimensional netted structure including a plurality of filaments of resin, the filaments being helically and randomly entangled and thermally bonded together, the apparatus including: an extrusion molding machine including a plurality of dies each having a mouthpiece with a plurality of holes; a pair of endless conveyors provided with endless members; a motor adapted to drive the endless members; and a tank adapted to partly submerge the endless conveyors therein. A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional netted structure using the apparatus by extruding molten filaments of a thermoplastic resin downward from the dies via the mouthpiece, helically entangling the molten filaments by entangling actions of the endless members, and cooling the entangled filaments in a liquid in the tank.
US08277207B2	Oil supply method of two-stage screw compressor, two-stage screw compressor applying the method, and method of operating refrigerating machine having the compressor A two-stage screw compressor has a low-pressure stage screw compressor and a high-pressure stage screw compressor integrally constructed. Compression space is formed by a male rotor and a female rotor, and operation gas is fed for compression to the compression space. A method of supplying lubrication oil prevents degradation of volumetric efficiency caused by return of lubrication oil, coming from a bearing and a shaft sealing device, to the low-pressure stage screw compressor. As a result, refrigeration capacity is improved and the amount of the lubrication oil is reduced.
US08277200B2	Variable displacement compressor with a discharge pressure compensated suction shutoff valve A variable displacement compressor with a discharge pressure compensated suction shutoff valve (SSV). The SSV prevents noise generated at low refrigerant flow rates by a suction valve from propagating out of the compressor and to an air conditioner evaporator by variably restricting a fluid communication with the suction valve. The SSV is configured so the variable restriction is increased correspondingly with the discharge pressure if the discharge pressure is less than a threshold that is an indicator of low refrigerant flow rates, and the restriction is decreased if the discharge pressure is greater than the threshold.
US08277199B2	Apparatus and method for controlling operation of linear compressor An apparatus and method for controlling an operation of a reciprocating compressor are disclosed in which a frequency is variably controlled to uniformly maintain a phase difference between current and stroke, a load is determined with a size of frequency at a point of time when the phase difference between the current and the stroke is uniformly maintained, and capacity is varied according to the determined load, to thus improve an operation efficiency. The apparatus for controlling an operation of a reciprocating compressor includes: a control unit for detecting a phase difference between current and stroke and outputting a frequency variable signal or a frequency detect signal based on the detected phase difference; a load detecting unit for detecting a current operation load according to the frequency detect signal; and a stroke reference value determining unit for determining a stroke reference value corresponding to the detected load.
US08277196B2	Adaptive accuracy for enteral feeding pump A pumping apparatus for use with a pump set to deliver fluid through the pump set includes a housing capable of receiving at least a portion of the pump set. A pumping device is moveably mounted in the housing and includes a motor that turns independently from movement of the pumping device when activated. The pumping device contacting the pump set when the pump set is received by the housing so the pumping device acts on the pump set to produce fluid flow in the pump set upon activation of the motor.
US08277192B2	Turbine blade An airfoil profile is formed such that a passage width ratio, represented in a dimensionless manner, of an inter-blade passage width of vane root cross-section to an outlet throat width substantially monotonously decreases from a blade inlet toward a blade outlet. The blade has a blade airfoil profile shape in an envelope within a range of .+−.2.0 mm in a direction normal to any surface location of an airfoil profile portion. The airfoil profile portion has a reference airfoil contour represented in Cartesian coordinates wherein Z is a distance representing a sectional height from a root of the airfoil profile portion. The contours represented by X and Y at each section Z are joined smoothly with one another in a blade height direction to form a complete shape of the airfoil profile portion.
US08277191B2	Apparatus for bucket cover plate retention In one embodiment, a system includes a turbine engine that includes a turbine stage including a turbine rotor having multiple blades disposed in a first annular arrangement. The turbine engine also includes multiple cover plates disposed in a second annular arrangement along interfaces between the turbine rotor and the blades. The turbine engine further includes multiple lugs coupled to the turbine stage and a first ring coupled to the lugs to hold the cover plates to the turbine stage.
US08277189B2	Turbine blade and rotor Embodiments of the invention relate generally to turbine blades and rotors and, more particularly, to turbine blades having, among other features, complimentarily shaped integral covers and bases capable of increasing stiffness and damping characteristics while decreasing vibratory stress. In one embodiment, the invention provides a turbine blade comprising: an elongate vane having a twisted configuration about a longitudinal axis thereof, the elongate vane having a leading face and a trailing face; a base at a proximal end of the elongate vane, the base having: a substantially planar member substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the elongate vane; and a dovetail member on a surface of the planar member opposite the elongate vane; and a cover member at a distal end of the elongate vane, the cover member having a leading face and a trailing face.
US08277182B2	Remote pitch controller for a variable pitch propeller A system for adjusting the pitch of a variable pitch propeller has a hub assembly, a valve assembly, and a fluid supply assembly. The hub assembly comprises a hub rotatably driven by a propeller shaft, an actuator connected to the hub, and a plurality of propeller blades connected to the actuator with at least one mechanical connection. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the valve assembly and the actuator. The fluid supply assembly comprises a valve control mechanism that is isolated from the valve assembly and the hub assembly. The valve control mechanism provides a variable hydraulic pressure control signal to the valve assembly, which transfers fluid to the actuator as a function of the variable hydraulic pressure control signal. Based on the fluid pressure in the actuator, the pitch of the propeller blades is adjusted.
US08277181B2	Fluid pump and method for producing a fluid pump The invention relates to a fluid pump, in particular a liquid pump for a cooling and/or heating circuit of a motor vehicle, having a pump housing and having a rotationally fixed shaft, which is arranged in the pump housing, for an inner rotor which has an impeller wheel. According to the invention, it is proposed that the shaft is mounted at one side and, at its end remote from the bearing point, supports a bearing cap which engages at least partially around the shaft. The invention also relates to a method for producing a fluid pump of said type, in which method the shaft is fixed with its first end in a housing, in particular in a plastic housing, of the pump, the inner rotor of the pump is pushed onto the shaft and is secured axially by means of a bearing cap which is placed onto the shaft and is supported by the shaft.
US08277176B2	Turbomachine exhaust case drain A turbomachine exhaust case having an annular groove perforated with an orifice in which there is mounted a drain, which is formed by a tubular cylindrical body, for discharging liquids retained in this groove is disclosed. The drain includes a skirt, formed at one end of the cylindrical body, for fastening the drain by crimping in the orifice in the groove of the case.
US08277175B2	Combustion air supply blower with access cover and motor and fan assembly A combustion air supply blower includes a blower housing having a housing body and housing cover. The cover is removably attached to the housing body and generally provides access to a motor and fan assembly including a fan and a motor. The motor and fan assembly is removably mounted within the housing body and is captured between the housing body and the housing cover such that, upon removal of the housing cover, the motor and fan assembly is exposed and may then be lifted out of the housing body for easy maintenance, repair, and/or replacement of any portion of the motor and fan assembly. Alternatively, upon removal of the housing cover, the motor and fan assembly may be accessed while remaining within the housing body to complete any maintenance and/or repair of the motor and fan assembly.
US08277173B2	Turbine rotor and steam turbine A turbine rotor 300 includes: a high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301 where high-temperature steam passes; low-temperature turbine rotor constituent parts 302 sandwiching and weld-connected to the high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301 and made of a material different from a material of the high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301; and a cooling part cooling the high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301 by ejecting cooling steam 240 to a position, of the high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301, near a welded portion 120 between the high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301 and the low-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 302. A value equal to a distance divided by a diameter is equal to or more than 0.3, where the distance is a distance from the position, of the high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301, ejected the cooling steam 240 up to the welded portion 120, and the diameter is a turbine rotor diameter of the high-temperature turbine rotor constituent part 301.
US08277167B2	Wind turbine operating apparatus and operating method An apparatus and a method for operating a wind turbine capable of preventing the occurrence of damage of the blades by evading excessive irregular loads from acting on the blades in the slanting direction in the event of power failure when strong wind blows, are provided.The operating method of a wind turbine having a support 106 standing erect on the ground or on a ship; a wind turbine 100A with a nacelle 102 supported for swivel movement in a horizontal plane, a rotor 105 having a plurality of blades 101 and being rotated by wind force acting on the blades 101, and a generator being contained in the nacelle and connected to the rotor 105; a rotation driving mechanism 4 for swiveling the wind turbine 100A; and a brake device for controlling the rotation of the wind turbine comprises the step of: rotating the wind turbine to naturally follow the direction of wind in a state that the rotor is positioned in a downwind position when one of signals of abnormality in the generator or abnormality of undue load of wind to the blades is detected.
US08277166B2	Use of non-uniform nozzle vane spacing to reduce acoustic signature A stator for a turbomachine. The stator includes a plurality of nozzle vanes, with the distance between each of the plurality of nozzle vanes varying circumferentially around the stator in a repeating pattern configured to distribute a vibration energy over a plurality of side band vibration frequencies around a nominal passing frequency in a rotor.
US08277161B2	Substrate processing apparatus and manufacturing method of a semiconductor device A substrate processing apparatus is equipped with a processing furnace for processing wafers, a loading port which is used for carrying a pod containing substrates into and out of a case, a pod transport mechanism for transporting the container at least from the entrance and exit place, and a top storage which is disposed above the processing furnace in such a manner that at least part of the top storage overlaps with the processing furnace in the direction of gravity.
US08277158B2	Floating nut plate Methods relating to and apparatus such as floating nut plates may include complementary surfaces limiting movement of a retainer toward or away from side walls of a receiver, such as wherein a nut element is positioned between the retainer and the receiver. One of the complementary surfaces may be a groove formed in the retainer. In one configuration, the receiver and/or retainer are non-metal.
US08277154B2	Adaptive thrust sensor drilling A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for performing a drilling operation. The drilling apparatus comprises a housing, a spindle, a spindle motor, a thrust motor, a load sensor, and a controller. The spindle may be capable of receiving a drill bit. The spindle motor may be capable of turning the spindle at a set of different speeds during the drilling operation. The thrust motor may be capable of moving the spindle in an axial direction. The load sensor may be capable of detecting a reaction thrust force during the drilling operation to form a detected reaction thrust force. The controller may be capable of controlling the spindle motor and the thrust motor to change a drilling speed in response to changes in the detected reaction thrust force.
US08277153B2	Cutting insert and shim for heavy machining operations A combination of a cutting insert and a shim. The cutting insert and shim have two opposing end surfaces with two identical opposing major side surfaces and two identical opposing minor side surfaces extending between the minor side surfaces. Each end surface of the insert has two lowered abutment members, each having a shim abutment surface for contacting the shim. One end surface of the shim has two raised abutment members, each having an insert abutment surface for contacting the insert. The abutment surfaces contact each other in an area where high cutting forces occur so as to help distribute the loads encountered in the cutting operation, as well as provide protection of the insert pocket in case of insert failure.
US08277149B2	Tensionable cable bolt with crimped shaft A tensionable cable bolt including a length of multi-strand cable and an anchoring portion comprised of a shaft received on the cable and attached to the cable at a crimp portion comprising at least one primary crimp with at least one secondary crimp disposed within the primary crimp. The cable may include a mixing portion and the anchor portion may include an expansion anchor threaded onto the shaft. A method of manufacturing the tensionable cable bolt includes providing a length of multi-strand cable; providing an anchoring portion including a shaft; extending the cable through the shaft; and crimping the shaft to the cable to form at least one primary crimp with at least one secondary crimp disposed within the primary crimp. The method may further include threading an expansion anchor onto the shaft and/or providing a resin mixing portion along the cable.
US08277141B1	Ball and socket joint for indirect fire weapon An indirect fire weapon may include a base cap with a ball end. The ball end may be inserted in or removed from a socket cap in a base plate at only a single combination of a traverse angle and an elevation angle of the weapon. The indirect fire weapon may rotate 360 degrees in the socket cap and may be elevated from the vertical down to a set declivity.
US08277139B1	Hand-held cosmetic powder applicator brush apparatus A hand-held cosmetic powder applicator brush apparatus for applying cosmetic powders such as facial powders and other powders to a user. The brush apparatus comprises a housing having a chamber for holding a powder to be dispensed and a valve mechanism for selectively opening and closing the chamber to a brush mounted on the housing so that powder in the housing may be dispensed to the bristles of the brush. The valve is operable by rotating an upper housing section such as a sleeve on the housing in a first direction to cause such opening. When the brush is not used, the upper housing section is rotated in the opposite direction to cause the valve mechanism to close. There is also a shield which extends around a portion of the brush to engage and protect the bristles when an outer cap is placed over the brush.
US08277137B2	Coating material extruding container To generate a sense of click according to the movement of a moving member, reset screwing sections to screw in when a screwing action of the screwing sections is released, and reduce the number of components. In a container 100, when a main body cylinder 2 and an operation cylinder 3 are relatively rotated in an extending direction and relatively rotated in a retracting direction, a female screw member 5 and a moving member 4 relatively rotate, the moving member 4 moves forward and moves backward according to a screwing action of screwing sections 8, and click teeth 54 and 64 also relatively rotate in synchronization with each other. Since an elastic body 61 urges the click teeth 64 toward the click teeth 54, a sense of click is given when the moving member 4 moves forward and moves backward. In addition, when the moving member 4 moves backward according to the relative rotation and a screwing action of screwing sections 8 is released, the elastic body 61 urges the screwing sections 8 to be reset to screw in according to the relative rotation in the opposite direction. In other words, the elastic body 61 is shared to realize the giving of a sense of click according to the movement of the moving member 4 and the reset for screw-in of the screwing sections 8.
US08277136B2	Stick-shaped material extruding container A stick-shaped material extruding container for performing forward and backward movements of a stick-shaped material without trouble and prevent detachment of the stick-shaped material by an impact. A movable body having a piston-like extruding portion, closely attached within a filling member, is arranged within a container. The stick-shaped material is loaded in the filling member so as to be closely attached to the filling member and the piston-like extruding portion. When the stick-shaped material is pushed by a forward movement of the piston-like extruding portion to appear from an opening of the container, a sucking action is generated due to decompression between the piston-like extruding portion and the stick-shaped material by a backward movement of the piston-like extruding portion to retract the stick-shaped material, and the decompression prevents falling off of the stick-shaped material from the container.
US08277135B1	Maintenance device for fasteners There is provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention a maintenance device for snaps or fasteners having a housing and a dynamic body that is slidably engaged within said housing. Attached to the dynamic body is a pair of cleaning arms. A spring positioned between the body and the housing biases the body and arms to a relaxed and extended position. When the body is pressed against and engages a fastener, the body moves to a retracted position within the housing causing the cleaning arms pivot and engage the fastener. With the cleaning arms engaged, a twisting movement of the housing removes corrosion, dirt and debris from the fastener. The device further includes a refillable lubrication reservoir and channel which serves to lubricate the fastener while it is cleaned.
US08277132B2	Bidirectional optical transceiver module A bidirectional optical transceiver module with a temperature control function is provided. The bidirectional optical transceiver module includes a package configured to have a flat bottom surface and include two windows used for optical transmission and reception; a ferrule configured to be coupled to one side of the package and allow an optical fiber to be inserted therein; an optical receiver module configured to be coupled to another side of the package in a direction perpendicular to that of the ferrule coupled to the package; a sub-optical transmitter module configured to be built in the package and include a light-emitting element and a collimating lens used to collimate light from the light-emitting element; an optical filter configured to be built in the package, transmit light from the light-emitting element to the optical fiber and reflect light received through the optical fiber to the optical receiver module; and a temperature regulator configured to be built in the package and control the sub-optical transmitter module to a preset temperature. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost of the package, effectively discharge heat, and be more endurable to external impact or vibration.
US08277131B2	Semiconductor optical communication module and manufacturing method thereof A semiconductor optical communication module includes a semiconductor chip mounted on a chip carrier and a lens assembly having an end parallel to and facing the front edge of the chip carrier. The semiconductor chip has a front facet oriented at an acute angle to the front edge of the chip carrier. An optical waveguide in the semiconductor chip transmits an optical signal that propagates on an optical axis extending from the front facet of the semiconductor chip to the end of the lens assembly. The optical axis is orthogonal to the end of the lens assembly and the front edge of the chip carrier. The angled mounting of the semiconductor chip on the chip carrier allows the lens assembly to be placed close to the edge of the chip carrier, and to be moved for optical axis adjustment without striking the chip carrier.
US08277127B2	Bearing cage A bearing cage for large radial or axial roller bearings, which has two axially opposed, circular ring-shaped side washers held at a distance to each other by connecting elements, and roll-shaped rolling elements disposed between the side washers which have bolt-like elements on the faces thereof. A side washer on at least one side of the rolling element has radial recesses into which the bolt-like elements protrude. At least one securing element suitable for holding the bolt-like elements in the area of the radial recesses in the assembled state is provided. Shaped elements that can each be introduced at least partially into the radial recesses of the side washer are provided as the securing element. This construction achieves easy assembly and disassembly of the housing, allowing high flexibility in repairing a roller bearing so equipped.
US08277122B2	Guide rail of a linear guide A guide rail of a linear guide, on guide surfaces on which a guide carriage is longitudinally displaceable. A material measure is arranged at a distance, preferably in parallel, to the guide rail and is fastened to the guide rail by means of a mount. The guide rail has a groove or a hole arranged outside the guide surface. The mount can be detachably fastened by means of expanding elements that engage with the groove or into the hole.
US08277117B2	Radial clamping system for a timepiece component The invention relates to a timepiece component (1) that has an aperture (7) for receiving a support element (3) and includes a clamping system (13) for exerting radial force, allowing said timepiece component to be secured to said support element. According to the invention, the clamping system (13) includes a radial clamping device (15) that has a crown (6) for exerting said radial force and a concentric, blind recess (8) spaced apart from said aperture, for allowing said crown to travel.The invention concerns the field of timepieces.
US08277111B1	Microingredient dispensing system Several improvements are provided for a microingredient additive dispensing system. One improvement is the use of a fluid eductor to entrain and mix the additives. Another improvement is to weigh and dispense ingredients using one or more non-compartmentalized vibratory trays that are mounted on a single weigh frame. Another improvement is a summing and filtering circuit that sums and filters the signals from four different load cells to accurately determine the weight of the dispensed additives. Yet another improvement is the placement of a pump upstream of the eductor, isolating the pump from additives that are pumped to the feed mixing station. Another improvement is a line-flushing mode in which a turbulent mixture of air and water are used to clean the delivery conduit of residue.
US08277109B2	LED lighting device with thermally conductive resin lampstand A LED lighting device includes a cooling lampstand, a circuit, at least one light emitting diode (LED), a sealant and a power converter. The cooling lampstand is made by a resin composition in which the thermal conductivity of the resin composition is about 1-50 W/mk. The circuit directly is disposed on the cooling lampstand. The light emitting diode (LED) is disposed on the cooling lampstand and electrically connected to the circuit. The sealant covers the LED. The power converter is electrically connected to the circuit for supplying an electrical power to the circuit.
US08277108B2	Structure of lamp combined with picture frame and essence A structure of lamp is combined with a picture frame and a mass of essence. The structure includes a picture frame body that receives and holds therein a picture or photo and forms a lighting chamber that receives and holds the lamp. The lighting chamber has a wall portion in which ventilation holes are defined. The picture frame body also forms an essence compartment that receives and holds the mass of essence that gives off a scent smell. The lamp, when lit, generates heat that causes the mass of essence to give off the scent that spreads through the ventilation holes of the lighting chamber. Thus, besides receiving and holding a picture, the picture frame also provides the functions of nighttime lighting and scent spreading for improving air quality of the surroundings.
US08277105B2	Backlight assembly and method of manufacturing light guide plate therefor A backlight assembly and a manufacturing method of light guide plate of the backlight assembly is provided. The light guide plate includes an incident surface to which light is incident, an exiting surface from which the light exits, and a reflection surface facing the exiting surface. The light guide plate includes recesses provided on the reflection surface recessed toward the exiting surface to scatter the light. Each of the recesses has a depth-to-width ratio of about 0.2 to about 0.33. Two prism sheets are disposed on the light guide plate. Light exits from the light guide plate at an angle of about 25 degrees to about 30 degrees.
US08277104B2	LED back-light unit and display device A back-light unit including a plurality of substrates, a plurality of light sources respectively disposed on the plurality of substrates and configured to emit light, and N (N≧2) light guide plates respectively disposed adjacent to the plurality of light sources, each light guide plate including a light incidence part having a light incidence surface for receiving light emitted in a first direction from a corresponding light source, and a light emission part for emitting the received incident light in a second direction different than the first direction. Further, at least one of the light guide plates includes light-extracting surface patterns disposed on the light emission part, and the light-extracting surface patterns comprise a first region of light-extracting surface patterns having a higher pattern-density than a second region of light-extracting surface patterns next to the first region.
US08277100B2	Vehicle lighting device A vehicle lighting device includes: a heat sink member; a semiconductor-type light source directly placed on a top face of the heat sink member; a power-feeding holder which is set on the semiconductor-type light source and the heat sink member, for holding the semiconductor-type light source at the side of the heat sink member and feeding a power current to the semiconductor-type light source; and a fixing member which is covered on the power-feeding holder and fixed to the heat sink member, for fixing the power-feeding holder to the heat sink member and sandwiching and fixing the semiconductor-type light source between the power-feeding holder and the heat sink member. As a result, this vehicle light device improves workability of assembling components.
US08277098B2	Boat lighting components and system An LED lighting system for watercraft, including LED lighting assemblies inserted into tubular members and inserted within rub rails mounted along the gunwale or wall of the hull, along the starboard and port sides, bow and stern. The LED lighting assembly can include ultraviolet LEDS for night fishing, white-light LEDs, a red LED port-running light, and a green LED starboard-running light. The string of LED lights can be pre-assembled into conventional insert tubing, and inserted into the cavities of the rub rail to emit the desired LED light from within the rub rail.
US08277090B2	Translating aperture adjustment for a recessed luminaire A mounting assembly includes a stationary plate for supporting and linearly adjusting a recessed fixture in a parallel direction relative to structural framing members. Telescoping mounting bars are fixed to a building structure and allow adjustability of the stationary plate in a direction generally perpendicular to structural framing members. An adjustable plate has a plurality of linear guides received in a linear movable manner within a corresponding one of linear guide slots of the stationary plate. A linear locking member is adjustably secured in one of the linear guide slots such that linear movement of the adjustable plate is prevented relative to the stationary plate when the linear locking member is in a locked position, linear movement of the adjustable plate being allowed relative to the stationary plate in a direction parallel to the structural framing members when the linear locking member is in an adjustable position.
US08277089B2	Back light unit A back light unit including a light emitting device assembly is disclosed. The light emitting device assembly includes a light emitting device module having a light emitting device, a light guide plate having a light incidence part disposed adjacent to the light emitting device module so that light generated from the light emitting device is incident upon the light incidence part and a light emission part from which the incident light is emitted, a reflective sheet provided at one side of the light guide plate, and a light adjustment part extending from the reflective sheet for adjusting a reflection amount of the light emitted from the light guide plate.
US08277088B2	Optical element In various embodiments, an optical element may include at least one elastically deformable support, on which at least one reflective layer is applied; and in addition at least one deformation apparatus for elastically deforming the at least one support.
US08277086B2	Round reflector for electromagnetic radiation A reflector has a one-piece sheet-metal body having an anodized front face and unitarily formed with a central annular part lying generally in a plane and having an inner periphery generally centered on an axis and adapted to accommodate a light source and an outer periphery. A plurality of flat fingers project from the outer periphery, extend at an acute angle to the plane, have outer ends, and each have a pair of generally parallel side edges. Each edge of each finger is closely juxtaposed with the edge of the adjacent finger and the fingers form with the annular part a concave shape.
US08277085B2	Compact LED downlight with cuspated flux-redistribution lens A lighting device has a light source, a reflector dish with a central opening facing the light source, and a lens between the light source and the reflector dish. The lens is so arranged that light emitted from the source towards the central opening of the reflector dish is diffracted away from the central opening. The reflector dish is arranged to reflect light received from the source through the lens back past the lens and source.
US08277084B2	Multiple focus point light A lamp unit with a relay lens that allows two different focus points. Two different optical altering elements are hence simultaneously in focus. The elements can be taken in and out of focus to allow different effects.
US08277082B2	Solid state light assembly having light redirection elements A light assembly that includes an enclosure, a circuit board having a plurality of light sources disposed within the enclosure, and a plurality of light redirection elements associated with a respective one of the plurality of light sources. Each of the light redirection elements directs light toward a common point within the enclosure.
US08277081B2	Lamp using LED Provided is a lamp using LED which has a heat sink and an air-flowing part formed in a body and is equipped with a heat pipe to make higher a heat-conductive efficiency and thereby to make higher a heat-generation performance considerably so that the light emitting diode can be applied to a high-output illumination device to increase a life-time.
US08277078B2	Light emitting device A light emitting device includes: a light source unit which has a first and a second LED which are connected in parallel and emit lights of different colors, respectively. The lights of the first and the second LED are mixed to provide an emission light of the light source unit when an operating voltage is applied. The light source unit further has a resistor which is connected in series to the first LED to make forward current changing characteristics of the first and the second LED depending on change in the operating voltage to be different from each other, so that a required luminous flux-color temperature property, in which change in a color temperature of the emission light is made to depend on change in a luminous flux of the emission light, is obtained while the first and the second LED are turned on by applying the operating voltage.
US08277077B2	Auxiliary lighting systems Vehicle-mounted auxiliary lighting systems adapted to provide primary or auxiliary vehicle lighting using light emitting diodes (LEDS) are disclosed.
US08277070B1	Counter with border lighting A counter includes a base and a countertop spaced from the base that has an edge that defines a border of the countertop. An edge or support collar is disposed between the base and the countertop, the edge collar including a light-transmissive band that extends along the border of the countertop. The light-transmissive band has an inner side and an outer side opposite the inner side that forms a stratified outer edge with the edge of the countertop. A light source is positioned adjacent the inner side of the edge collar and configured to emit light outward through the light-transmissive band.
US08277068B2	Backlight device and display device It is an object to manufacture a highly reliable backlight device with less color unevenness and less luminance unevenness, and a high-performance and highly reliable display device including the backlight device, which can display a high quality image. A light emitting diode (LED) is used as a light source of a backlight device and thermoelectric elements are provided in a chassis for holding the light emitting diode so as to surround the light emitting diode (the thermoelectric elements are provided under the light emitting diode and on the four sides thereof). A temperature in the backlight device is adjusted by cooling and heating by the thermoelectric elements.
US08277067B2	Light source module, method of manufacturing the same and backlight assembly having the same In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, a light source module includes a light source, a frame plate, and an insulation structure. The frame plate includes a plurality of light source pad portions, a power wiring portion, and a peripheral portion. The power wiring portion is electrically connected to the light source to be formed in the vicinity of the light source pad portion. A boundary area of the power wiring portion corresponding to the peripheral portion and the light source pad portion is formed to be open, so that the power wiring portion is spaced apart from the peripheral portion and the light source pad portion. The insulation structure is formed in the boundary area to electrically insulate the power wiring portion from the frame plate. In one aspect, the volume, weight, and manufacturing costs of the light source module may be reduced, and a process of individually packaging light sources may be considered unnecessary.
US08277063B2	Light amplification unit A general purpose energy saving light amplification unit suitable as a lantern, guide light, background light, safety light, ornament or decorative object, said unit adapted to harness external surrounding ambient light, or other remote energy sources from at least two directions, employing a plurality of reflector members to receive and concentrate energy in in order to luminesce or fluoresce an optimally placed mutually shared luminescent or fluorescent body member, lodged in a tapered or convergent section of a hyperbola or between at least two juxstaposed reflectors, stimulating photon and electron activity resulting in maximum amount of transmitted visible light from at least two directions, irrespective of receptive direction or angle of origin of light source.
US08277062B2	Lamp assembly and housing therefor A lamp assembly 10 has a housing 12 that preferably is non-rotationally symmetrical. In a particular embodiment the housing 12 can be rectangular; however, other non-rotationally symmetrical housings can also be employed. The housing 12 includes a base 14 and an upstanding wall 16 surrounding the base 14. The space between the cover 24 and the base 14 defines a light-conducting channel 34. A light-receiving aperture 36 is defined in the housing 12 and in one instance is formed to receive light from a light source 22. A first light-receiving conduit 38 is defined in the light-conducting channel 34 and is formed to receive light from the light source 22 that is fitted into the light-receiving aperture 36 and conduct light to a second light-receiving conduit 40 defined in the light-conducting channel 34. The second light-receiving conduit 40 is positioned at an angle relative to the first light-receiving conduit 38 and has a proximal region 42 to receive light from the first light-receiving conduit 34 and a distal region 44 to emit light. The second conduit 40 is not directly in the line of sight of the first conduit 38 and thus relies upon reflected light from the light source 22. The upper cover 24 comprises a light transmissive peripheral region 26 that is in communication with the light-emitting distal region 44 of the second light-receiving conduit 40.
US08277061B2	Light guiding mechanism for portable electronic device A light guiding mechanism for portable electronic device includes a cover, a light guiding module and four light sources. The cover includes a light transmitting region. The light guiding module includes a light guide plate having a first diagonal line and a second diagonal line. The light guide plate defines a first through hole. The light guide plate includes a light reflecting region around the first through hole. The light reflecting region includes a plurality of protrusions symmetrically positioned relative to the first diagonal line and the second diagonal line. Adjacent protrusions have a space therebetween. The size of the space uniformly increases with increasing distance from the first through hole. Light emitted from the light sources is repeatedly reflected by the protrusions and then passes the light transmitting region of the cover.
US08277060B2	Apparatus and method of shaping a laser beam profile Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for shaping a laser beam profile in which the apparatus includes a reformatting optical system configured to reformat a laser beam having a Gaussian intensity profile into a radiation beam having a top hat intensity profile; and a Fourier transforming optical system configured to transform the radiation beam having the top hat intensity profile into a radiation beam having a Bessel or sinc function intensity profile.
US08277059B2	Vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly A vehicular electrochromic interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing and an electrochromic mirror reflective element. At least a portion of a front substrate of the reflective element extends beyond a corresponding portion of a rear substrate of the reflective element to establish a ledge at least partially along the periphery of the reflective element, with no part of the rear substrate extending beyond any part of the front substrate. Electrical connections are made to conductive coatings or layers at the front and rear substrates. The electrochromic interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a concealing layer disposed along a perimeter border region to conceal the presence of the perimeter seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The mirror casing provides a bezel-less mirror casing where no portion of the mirror casing overlaps the first surface of the front substrate.
US08277053B2	Indoor projection of an aircraft A projection method and projection device for projecting an overall image to interior walls of an aircraft, in which method or device the boundary regions of several partial images of an overall image to be presented are matched correspondingly, and partial images are pre-distorted in order to, in this way, obtain a large-area non-distorted image presentation even in the case of complex geometric shapes of projection areas, in which image presentation the transition regions of partial images are at least perceptible only to a limited extent.
US08277049B2	Projector using LEDs as light sources A projector is provided, which includes a red substrate, a green substrate, a blue substrate, an X-cube, an electronic control element, a light guide element, a light valve element, and a projection lens. The red substrate, the green substrate, and the blue substrate respectively illuminate three surfaces of the X-cube, and the light is mixed in the X-cube and then exits from a light emitting surface. The electronic control element controls the red substrate, the green substrate, and the blue substrate. The light guide element is used for reflecting the light from the light emitting surface of the X-cube. The light valve element is used for reflecting the light from the light guide element back to the light guide element, and the light passes through the light guide element and then projected by the projection lens onto a projection plane area. Thereby, the ON/OFF switch time of the present invention is shortened, the temperature may not get over high, the optical efficiency is enhanced, and the whole volume is significantly reduced.
US08277046B2	Eyeglass retention apparatus An eyeglass retainer that features an elongated flexible segment of linear cylindrical material having a first end and a second end. Each end of the material can be tied into a knot so that each knot forms a loop of the material. Each of the two knots can be slidably adjustable over the length of the material so that each loop can be decreased in diameter to tighten the loop around a temple of a pair of eyeglasses. The small diameter and transparency of the material reduce the visibility of the eyeglass retainer to diminish its contrast with a wearer's clothing.
US08277042B2	Ink-jet recording apparatus and recording method therefor A recording apparatus has a recording head, a platen, and a first hole. The recording head includes a dot formation element array, and the platen holds a recording medium opposite the recording head. The first hole is disposed in an area of the platen opposite a downstream portion of the dot formation element array and guides ink discarded outside an end of the recording medium when the end is printed without a margin. Alternatively or additionally, a second hole is formed in an area of the platen opposite an upstream portion of the dot formation element array, and the platen guides ink, which is discarded outside an end of the recording medium when the end is printed without a margin, to the second hole.
US08277040B2	Printer A printer has an exhaust path that rectifies the exhaust flow of a centrifugal fan for producing air flow through a vacuum platen. Exhaust from a centrifugal fan 30 tends to flow in the direction of rotation A of the blades due to inertia even after being discharged from the exhaust opening 39. The exhaust thus produces a curving exhaust current C. An exhaust duct 32 connected to the exhaust opening 39 of the centrifugal fan 30 therefore curves in the direction of rotation A of the blades so as to not impede the flow of the exhaust current C. As a result, turbulence inside the exhaust duct 32 is suppressed, and the exhaust current C is rectified. The exhaust from the centrifugal fan 30 can therefore flow smoothly, and a loss of exhaust flow can be suppressed. In addition, noise caused by the exhaust current C hitting the inside wall of the exhaust duct 32 can be suppressed.
US08277037B2	Printing apparatus A printing apparatus for printing a heat shrinkable flattened plastics tubing or other elongate printable medium, the apparatus comprising: means for feeding at least one printable medium over a printer head; and a control means to control the sequence of printing operations on the medium, wherein the apparatus further comprises a return feed assembly to return the printable medium printed on a first face thereof inverted into the printing apparatus and off-set, e.g. spaced toward one side of the printing apparatus, relative to where it was first fed passed the print head for printing onto the obverse face of the medium, the apparatus being programmed to be set up initially with the medium installed for feeding/printing the first side whereby printing of the first side of the label/printable medium may be initiated and the printable medium stopped at a required set point along the medium for reverse feeding, allowing the medium to then be fed back through the printer for the printing of the second side before the printing resumes.
US08277036B2	Liquid discharging apparatus The image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharging head that discharges a liquid; and a damper chamber that is provided in a liquid supply flow channel, the damper chamber being an internal space that is formed by bonding a flexible member to a base member, wherein the flexible member has a bonding surface that is bonded to the base member, an opening that is formed in the bonding surface, and a swollen portion that is three-dimensionally swollen from the edge of the opening to form the damper chamber, the base member has a communicating port, through which the damper chamber and the liquid supply flow channel communicate with each other, in a state where the base member is bonded to the bonding surface of the flexible member and closes the opening, and the flexible member is disposed such that the swollen portion is swollen in a gravity direction.
US08277032B2	Acidic group-containing solid inks A microfluidic device includes a first substrate, and a phase change ink deposited on a surface of the first substrate. The phase change ink includes an ink vehicle including a polymeric material having one or more acidic groups, and an optional colorant, wherein the phase change ink is solid at room temperature but is liquid at a jetting temperature of from about 60 to about 150° C., and an acidic group mass percentage, measured as a total mass of acid groups to an entire weight of the ink, is from about 1% to about 35%.
US08277027B2	Printer with fluidically coupled printhead cartridge An inkjet printer that has at least three ink tanks for storing inks of different color, a printhead cartridge having a printhead with a nozzle face defining an array of nozzles, and a fluid coupling for supplying the printhead with ink from each of the ink tanks. The printer also having a cradle defining a reference surface for engaging a datum point on the printhead cartridge to support the nozzle face at a precise spacing from a media feed path and a latch for securing the printhead cartridge in the cradle, the latch being movable between an open position where access to the cradle is unobstructed, and a closed position where access to the cradle is obstructed. The latch is configured to apply a compressive force urging the datum point on the printhead cartridge into engagement with the reference surface. The printer further including a fluid interface in fluid communication with the ink tanks and a mechanical linkage between the latch and the fluid interface such that the fluid interface is displaced into sealed engagement with the fluid coupling upon moving the latch to the closed position, the fluid interface being displaced in a direction that does affect the compressive force between the datum point and the reference surface.
US08277026B2	Printhead cartridge insertion protocol A printhead cartridge is inserted in a printer in accordance with a particular protocol. The printer has a cradle with a reference surface for engaging a datum point on the printhead cartridge to support the nozzle face at a precise spacing from a media feed path. The printer also has a latch for securing the printhead cartridge in the cradle. The protocol involves the steps of placing the printhead cartridge in the cradle such that the datum point rests on the reference surface, moving the latch to the closed position to secure the printhead cartridge in cradle, providing a mechanical linkage between the latch and a fluid interface to ink tanks in the printer. The fluid interface sealingly engages the fluid coupling upon moving the latch to the closed position without urging the reference surface to disengage from the datum point.
US08277025B2	Printhead cartridge with no paper path obstructions A printhead cartridge for an inkjet printer that has a paper path for sheets of media substrate. The printhead cartridge has a cartridge body configured for user insertion in, and removal from an inkjet printer such that during printing, the cartridge remains stationary relative to the paper path and a printhead having a plurality of printhead ICs, each defining an array of nozzles for ejecting ink on to the sheets of media substrate. The printhead is mounted to the cartridge body such that when the printhead cartridge is installed in the printer, the array of nozzles are adjacent a planar section of the paper path, and no part of the printhead cartridge extends into the plane encompassing the planar section of the paper path.
US08277024B2	Printhead integrated circuit having exposed active beam coated with polymer layer A printhead integrated circuit includes: a substrate comprising drive circuitry; a ceramic nozzle plate spaced apart from the substrate, the nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzle openings and a plurality of moveable portions defined therein; an active beam disposed on each moveable portion of the nozzle plate, such that each moveable portion is moveable towards the substrate when a current from the drive circuitry is passed through a respective active beam; and a polymer layer coating the nozzle plate and the active beams, wherein the polymer layer is comprised of a polymerized siloxane.
US08277022B2	Fluid ejection apparatus There is provided a fluid ejection apparatus for ejecting a fluid including a head for ejecting the fluid and a moisture retention head cap device for retaining moisture of the head. The moisture retention head cap device is disposed so as to surround a periphery of the head to cover the whole of the head when retaining moisture of the head.
US08277021B2	Ink-jet recording apparatus An ink-jet recording apparatus includes a first driving source, a second driving source, and a control section. The first driving source drives a cap unit. The second driving source moves a cap and a recording head in directions different from a direction along which the cap is separated from the recording head by the first driving source. The control section drives the second driving source at the same time as the cap unit is driven by the first driving source.
US08277019B2	Introducing material into a printhead enclosure A printing apparatus comprises a jetting assembly including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting droplets on a substrate; an enclosure defining a print zone within which the jetting assembly prints on the substrate, the enclosure including an inlet for introducing a material associated with controlling an environment of the enclosure.
US08277015B2	Image forming device Blocking members are respectively provided at a conveyance direction upstream side and downstream side of a head unit of an inkjet recording device. The two blocking members are provided radially extending from an area near an outer peripheral surface of an image formation drum, and extend across a width direction of a paper, and respectively cover both conveyance direction sides of the head unit. An end of each blocking member near to the image formation drum is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the drum by a predetermined distance. Between an inkjet line head and a blocking member is provided a fan that blows air along a droplet ejection direction towards a vicinity of the outer peripheral surface of the image formation drum, thereby preventing heat from the image formation drum from being transmitted to an ejection direction distal end of the inkjet line head.
US08277014B2	Ink-jet recording apparatus An ink-jet recording apparatus, including: an ink-jet head; a conveyor mechanism; a relative movement mechanism; a detecting device; an output device; a sensor for detecting a recording medium existing between the head and the conveyor mechanism; and a relative-movement control device including: (a) a first control portion configured to control the relative movement mechanism to conduct a first operation in which the conveyor mechanism and the head are located at a medium removal position from a recording position when the detecting device detects a jam and to conduct, after the first operation, a second operation in which the conveyor mechanism and the head are located at the recording position from the medium removal position; and (b) a second control portion configured to control the relative movement mechanism to prevent the conveyor mechanism and the head from moving relatively toward each other where the sensor detects the medium in the second operation.
US08277012B2	Recording apparatus A conveyance unit continually conveys sheets of the number of continual prints. A head control section controls ejection of ink droplets from inkjet heads in such a way that there are produced image dots which make up an image to be printed on each of the sheet every time the sheet is conveyed and flushing dots corresponding to flushing dot candidates, among flushing dot candidates for flushing patterns included in a flushing pattern group determined from the continual print count, which are placed at locations where the image dots are not to be produced.
US08277009B2	Image recording device An image recording device including a feeder and a recorder with dot forming elements aligned in a predetermined direction at intervals of a predetermined pitch. When determining that a first whole length of an image group to be printed in the predetermined direction is more than a second whole length of the dot forming elements in the predetermined direction, the image recording device records the image group with the recorder while feeding a recording medium with the feeder by a first feed distance more than the predetermined pitch each printing operation to be repeated. When determining that the first whole length is equal to or less than the second whole length, the image recording device records the image group with the recorder while feeding the recording medium with the feeder by a second feed distance equal to or less than the predetermined pitch each printing operation to be repeated.
US08277008B2	Method and apparatus for driving inkjet head A method for driving an inkjet head includes applying drive signals including an ejection signal used for ejecting ink and a non-ejection signal used for not ejecting the ink, to an actuator provided with a pressure chamber at a constant cycle so as to increase or reduce pressure in the pressure chamber in such a manner that the ink is ejected or not ejected from a nozzle connected with the pressure chamber, wherein: a waveform of the ejection signal includes a combination of an ejection pulse for causing a droplet of the ink to be ejected from the nozzle and a non-ejection pulse for not causing a droplet of the ink to be ejected from the nozzle, the ejection pulse of the waveform of the ejection signal includes a part for reducing the pressure in the pressure chamber and a part for increasing the reduced pressure in the pressure chamber.
US08277005B2	Refrigerator door opening device and refrigerator having the same A refrigerator including a body, a door movably coupled to the body, a gasket installed at a rear surface of the door to establish a gasket seal between the door and the body when the door is in a closed position, a first mount provided at a first location of the door located adjacent to a left edge portion of the door, a second mount provided at a second location of the door located adjacent to a right edge portion of the door, and a door opening device to cause the gasket seal to break between the door and the body, the door opening device including a pivoting member mounted to the door, first and second operating portions and a first push unit mounted to a first mount to press against the body when being pressed by the first operating portion of the pivoting member.
US08277004B2	Refrigerator and opening/closing apparatus of the same A refrigerator includes an opening/closing apparatus. In the refrigerator and opening/closing apparatus, an extendible cabinet with shelves is accommodated in a storing compartment. Therefore, food or other items can be loaded in the cabinet and taken out from the cabinet more easily.
US08277001B2	Storage unit for electronic devices A storage unit (10) for electronic devices that comprises an openable housing and a mounting system (40) for receiving and retaining one or more electronic devices within the housing. The mounting system (40) has a hinging assembly (44) that supports two or more brackets (42), each bracket being arranged to receive and retain one or more electronic devices and being hingedly moveable relative to any other bracket by virtue of the hinging assembly to thereby enable access to the bracket for the installation, maintenance or removal of an electronic device or devices.
US08276999B2	Collapsible portable bar A compact collapsible bar includes a rigid top frame and a rigid bottom frame. A collapsible fabric enclosure is permanently connected to the top frame and to the bottom frame. A set of rigid collapsible legs is removably connected to the top frame and to the bottom frame. When collapsed, the entire bar assembly can be stored in a compact carrying bag.
US08276994B2	Sealing member for master cylinder and master cylinder having the same Disclosed herein are a sealing member for a master cylinder and a master cylinder having the same. The master cylinder is configured such that a communication hole of a piston is rapidly brought into communication with an oil path toward an oil tank upon release of braking. This may minimize meaningless retracting movement of the piston and delay in a braking release operation. The sealing member for the master cylinder includes an outer wing part to come into contact with the cylinder body, and an inner wing part to come into contact with the outer surface of the piston. The inner wing part includes a seal formed at a tip end thereof and at least one oil passage formed in a surface thereof opposite the outer surface of the piston.
US08276990B2	Drive station for an underground plough system and method for repairing recovery ploughs The invention relates to a drive station for an underground plough system, in particular a coal plough system, with a machine frame to which a plough box can be fastened, and with a wedge trough which is connected to the machine frame and is provided with a plough guide device, which has chain channels for a plough chain, and also a plough end stop on a runout section for a winning plough. In order to facilitate the repair of a winning plough, the plough end stop is formed on an attachment which can be dismantled, when the plough guide device is mounted, to produce a repair section in the longwall-gallery transition of the wedge trough. The invention also relates to a repair method in which the plough end stop is dismantled and the winning plough is moved into the repair section.
US08276989B2	Pivot pin and saddle assembly for a side-dump trailer or truck A pivot pin and saddle assembly is provided for a side-dump trailer or truck with the pivot pin and saddle assembly including structure which limits the relative movement between the side-dump body of the trailer or truck with respect to the frame of the trailer or truck. The saddle assembly of this invention includes a bearing block comprised of Nylon® or other composite material which supports the pivot pin to prevent metal-to-metal contact between the pivot pin and the associated saddle assembly.
US08276987B1	Children's tricycle with adaptable seat A children's tricycle comprises a frame, a set of handlebars, a fork, three wheels and a seat adaptable for users of different sizes without modification. The frame comprises a top tube, a head tube and a rear triangle that is substantially perpendicular to the top tube. In some embodiments, the seat extends from the head tube to a point on the frame. In some embodiments, the seat extends from a pivot point of the tricycle along the top tube to the rear triangle. Accordingly, to utilize the tricycle, different sized users are able to move forward or backward on the seat to comfortably engage the pedals and handlebars of the tricycle. In some embodiments, the frame of the children's tricycle comprises one or more of steel, aluminum and metal composite.
US08276985B2	Infant seat The present invention refers to an infant seat (10), in particular to be mounted to a baby carriage in a detachable manner, designed in such a way that it exhibits a seat configuration and coming from said seat configuration is transformable into a carry configuration, in which the infant seat may be used as a carrycot. According to the invention it is provided that the infant seat (10) comprises a separate unit serving as a carrycot (20), which is arranged in the seat configuration beneath an upper shell (12) of the infant seat (10). It is a particular advantage of the invention that the infant seat (10) can be transformed into the carrycot (20) with a small number of hand movements only. Furthermore in the mounted condition of the infant seat which is the seat configuration the carrycot is stored within the infant seat in a space saving manner.
US08276983B2	Manual retracting head restraint A seat assembly includes a seat back pivotally coupled to a seat cushion for movement between a generally upright seating position and a folded position overlying the seat cushion. A head restraint is slidably coupled to an upper end of the seat back for vertical movement between a use position spaced apart from the upper end and a stowed position adjacent the upper end. A mechanism is operative for automatically moving the head restraint between the use and stowed positions in response to pivoting the seat back between the seating and folded positions.
US08276981B2	Frame arrangement for a vehicle A frame arrangement for a vehicle comprises a first frame element extending a substantially lengthwise direction of a vehicle, a fastening element having sidewalls and operably coupled to the first frame element and configured to hold an axle guide, a second frame element extending substantially at right angles to the first frame element fastened to the fastening element such that the second frame element surrounds at least some region of the fastening element, and wherein the second frame element is substantially U-shaped and includes at least a pair of fastening segments forming legs of the U-shaped fastening segment.
US08276980B2	Vehicle frame side sill joints A vehicle frame assembly, system and method includes a vehicle frame assembly having a variable length longitudinal frame component. The longitudinal frame component is formed at a first length when used on a first vehicle type and formed at a second length when used on a second vehicle type.
US08276977B2	Automobile body structure It is an object of the present invention to prevent a vehicle door from protruding into a vehicle cabin when a collision load is applied to the door from a lateral side thereof, and to reduce costs that are required for measures to prevent the door from protruding into the vehicle cabin.
US08276976B2	Vehicle body front structure A vehicle body front structure provided with left and right side frames (16, 17). The left front side frame (16) has a rectangular closed cross-sectional shape. The front side frame (16) is provided with a rectilinear section (front half frame section) (44) extending rectilinearly from the front end (58) to the center section (43), and also with a moment receiving section (rear half frame section) (45) continuing from the rectilinear section (44) and extending in a curved form toward the inner side in the widthwise direction of the vehicle. A first ridge line section (78) is a portion which forms a corner (78) among the corners (78) of the rectilinear section (45), said corner (78) being located on the inner side in the widthwise direction of the vehicle. A second ridge line section (84) is connected to the first ridge line section (78) at a position inside the moment receiving section (45). A stiffener (65) is connected to the rear end (66) of the front side frame (16).
US08276971B2	Aerodynamic structure for vehicle An aerodynamic structure for a vehicle that can effectively adjust airflow within a wheel house is provided.An aerodynamic structure (10) for a vehicle has an airflow collision wall (24) provided rearward, in a vehicle body longitudinal direction, with respect to a front wheel (15) in a wheel house (14), and extending in a vehicle width direction and facing a lower side in a vehicle body vertical direction, and an airflow guiding wall (22) hanging downward in the vehicle body vertical direction from a rear end portion (24A) in the vehicle body longitudinal direction of the airflow collision wall (24). The airflow guiding wall (22) extends in the vehicle body vertical direction, or extends in a tilting direction directed both toward the front wheel (15) side and toward the lower side in the vehicle body vertical direction.
US08276970B2	Linkage lid configuration, and vehicle having a linkage lid configuration of this type A linkage lid configuration for a motor vehicle having a displaceable roof configuration, has a movable lid which opens or closes a linkage passage opening and is guided during its movement at least in sections by a displaceable guide track. In order to optimize the linkage lid configuration, there is provision for the displaceable guide track to be configured such that it can be displaced independently of the lid and, in a displacement position, to be moved out of a movement path of a movable component of the motor vehicle.
US08276964B2	Console of a motor vehicle having a container for receiving an object A console of a motor vehicle, in particular a central console of a motor vehicle, is provided that has a container, which has a receptacle space, which is open on top, for at least one object, and having an apparatus for lateral positioning of the at least one object, the container having a floor and side walls. The console is provided with an apparatus for lateral positioning that has a frame part, which is detachably connectable to the side walls in the area of the opening of the receptacle space and positioning elements mounted in the frame part.
US08276962B2	Apparatus and methods for litter support system for vehicles A litter support system for a vehicle including a support framework connectable to a wall of the vehicle, an upper litter support arm for holding a litter, the upper litter support arm connected to the support framework, a lower litter support arm for holding a litter, the lower litter support arm connected to the support framework, wherein the upper and lower litter support arms are connected to the support framework such that the upper and lower litter support arms are rotatable between a store position and a first support position and movable substantially horizontally between the first support position substantially adjacent to and near the support framework and a second support position substantially extended outwardly from the support framework.
US08276960B2	Device and method for seizing and setting down impact-sensitive sheets A device, method and computer readable-storage for mechanically handling impact-sensitive sheets of various formats ready for dispatch is described. The device has the following features: a) a control device in the form of a multi-axis robotic arm connected to a gripper device and means for mechanically gripping the sheets; b) the gripper device is hinged onto and suspended from the control device at a gentle incline by means of an adjustable damping device; c) the gripper device has sliding sections for the relative displacement of the means for mechanically gripping the sheets; d) the gripper device has means for determining the geometric dimensions of the sheets to be seized and for determining their set-down position; e) the gripper device has means for determining the exact positional co-ordinates of the set-down position; and f) the gripper device has means for gently feeding and depositing the sheets in the set-down position.
US08276955B2	Zero stack-up telescopically collapsible energy absorbing rail and bracket assembly An energy absorbing assembly for a vehicle that has a bumper and a frame. A receptacle is defined within the frame. A collapsible member is provided between the bumper and a recessed location spaced away from the bumper in the receptacle. The collapsible member may collapse at least partially into the receptacle in the event of a collision.
US08276953B2	Bumper system for a motor vehicle A bumper system for a motor vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a bumper cross member, which is fixed to a stiff frame of the motor vehicle, a pliable bumper shell, a compressible structure which is formed between an upper area of the shell and the cross member and one support section which supports the lower area of the shell, which, together with a crash box holding the cross member is anchored to the flange plates of the frame.
US08276952B2	Double-door stop apparatus Double-door stop apparatus comprises a rigid elongate bar element which has a length which spans a distance between open oppositely-hinged double doors, and attachment elements on the bar element for releasably fastening the bar element to each of the doors. In use, the double doors are thus securely held stationary in an open condition. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises an awning sheet of flexible material which is extendable from the bar element.
US08276951B2	Door-closing device for a domestic electrical appliance A door-closing device for a domestic electrical appliance comprises a frame with an aperture for the introduction of a keeper. A closing unit is arranged on the frame such that when in a closing position, the closing unit holds the keeper for the purposed of keeping the door closed and, in an open position, releases said keeper for the purposed of opening the door, said closing unit, in the course of its transfer from the open position into the closing position, draws the keeper along with it. A closing spring arrangement acts upon the closing unit to draw the keeper along with said unit. A blocking element that is movable relative to the frame to block and unblock the movement of the closing unit.
US08276950B2	Vehicle door lock Rotary latch lock for the locking closing of a vehicle door, having a lock case 2 exhibiting a cut-out recess for a lock pin, in which two rotatably mounted rotary latches, two rotary latch springs for imposing a load on the rotary latches and one pivotable, engaging lock element are arranged, which are capable of interacting in such a way as to actuate the lock, in conjunction with which an actuating element engaging in the lock case is provided, which element is capable of interacting operatively with the lock element, and by means of which locking is capable of being released, in conjunction with which an engaging locking element capable of pivoting and actuating this latch is provided for each rotary latch, in conjunction with which the locking elements are capable of interacting operatively with at least one actuating element, and in conjunction with which the rotary latch lock preferably exhibits an arrangement for locating, centering and guiding the vehicle door in relation to the body during opening and closing of the vehicle door.
US08276949B2	Vehicle door lock device A vehicle door lock device includes a latch mechanism having a lift lever and further includes an inside open lever, an outside open lever, an open link and an active lever. A spring is interposed between the outside open lever and the open link. In the housing, provided is an unlocked state holding guide for holding the open link in an unlocked state when the active lever is in an unlock position and when the outside open lever rotates. In the active lever, provided is a locked state holding guide for holding the open link in a locked state when the active lever is in a lock position and when the outside open lever rotates. This construction enables reduction of the number of components and construction of the device in a simple and inexpensive manner.
US08276940B2	Airbag arrangement for a vehicle occupant restraint system and a method for the production of an airbag module An airbag arrangement includes an airbag with at least one inflatable chamber and a first opening; and a cover that at least partially covers the first opening of the airbag and that comprises a second opening. The first and second openings are designed such that the chamber of the airbag is accessible through the first and second openings. The first opening is designed in a first layer of an airbag material and the second opening is designed in a second layer of an airbag material. At least one part projects into the airbag through the first and the second opening, whereby the first and the second layer are restrained by the part projecting into the airbag in the area of the openings such that a section of the rim of the first and a section of the rim of the second opening rest closely against the part.
US08276938B2	Curtain bag Provided is a curtain bag which can be brought into an inflated state as required in a short time without locally applying an excessive load to its outer peripheral joint part (1) and inner joint parts (2). The dot-like inner joint parts (2) on the inside of the outer peripheral joint part (1) are isolated from the outer peripheral joint part (1) and also made to be independent of each other.
US08276937B2	Side airbag for a motor vehicle A side airbag is provided for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger automobile, having an airbag and tensioner for stretching out the unfolded airbag. The tensioner has a peripheral, fillable tensioning frame.
US08276936B2	Automotive airbag apparatus An automotive airbag apparatus is able to reduce the shock caused by early deployment of airbag against a passenger not in a position for safe airbag restraint, and further able to deploy quickly and effectively when a passenger is in a position for safe restraint. The airbag apparatus includes an airbag housing in which a folded airbag resides until deployed by the gas from an inflator, an airbag door that opens on a hinge from the pressure applied by the deploying airbag, and a restrictor member extending over the folded airbag beneath the airbag door with a direction from front to rear of the vehicle. The restrictor member has a fixed end at forward part thereof attached to the airbag housing, and a releasable fixed or free end at rearward part thereof, the free end coming into frictional contact with the airbag door in the vicinity of the hinge as the airbag door is pushed out by the early phase of the airbag deployment.
US08276930B1	Tow bar having multiple interchangeable towing assemblies A tow bar having a towing portion with multiple interchangeable towing assemblies each structured to be releasably connectable to towing vehicles having different types and/or sizes of towing hitch apparatus; a towed portion with a body member connected to a pair of rearwardly-extending legs each with a rear connector releasably connectable to a baseplate connector of a towed hitch apparatus of a towed vehicle, at least one of the legs being pivotally connected to the body member; an attaching portion structured to releasably connect each interchangeable towing assembly to the body member; and a storage mechanism structured to releasable secure the tow bar to a baseplate connector of the towed hitch apparatus of the towed vehicle.
US08276929B1	Trailer for a livestock chute A trailer for a livestock chute with the trailer having a horizontally disposed frame with a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side. The livestock chute is supported upon and secured to the frame means of the trailer. A first selectively retractable wheel assembly is mounted at the first side of the trailer and a second selectively retractable wheel assembly is mounted at the second side of the trailer. A pair of hydraulically operated jacks are secured to the forward end of the trailer and a pair of hydraulically operated jacks are secured to the rearward end of the trailer. The trailer and livestock chute may be raised and lowered by way of the retractable wheel assemblies and jacks.
US08276928B2	Console for attachment to a vehicle chassis and vehicle comprising a suspension carrying console A console is provided for attachment to a vehicle chassis. The console includes a bracket body for a truck. The bracket body is formed by a casting which at least partly encloses a cavity for storing a fluid.
US08276926B2	Rear suspension spring support structure A rear suspension spring support structure enables a rear side member to have an improved rigidity, and thus driving stability is improved. The rear suspension spring support structure has a rear cross member connected to a rear side member with a rear cross member extension being interposed therebetween. An extending portion, on a vehicle lateral side, of the rear cross member extension passes under the rear side member and extends to the vehicle lateral side of the rear side member. The extending portion is welded to a lower surface of the rear side member and a side surface of the vehicle lateral side. A coil spring bracket for receiving an upper end portion of the coil spring is joined to a lower surface of the rear cross member extension.
US08276921B2	Snowboard binding A snowboard binding comprises two assemblies that are capable of being mated or docked with each other and locked together while the snowboard is in use. One of the assemblies may be affixed to the deck of the snowboard. In an embodiment of the invention, the other assembly may be secured, e.g., to the user's boot, and in an embodiment of the invention, the features of the other assembly that support docking and locking of the assemblies may be incorporated into a boot.Either or both assemblies may comprise one or more permanent magnets configured to assist docking by attracting the assemblies to one another in a manner that encourages them to dock in a proper configuration. In embodiments of the invention, locking the docked assemblies together may be achieved without use of the hands.
US08276917B2	Sealing device A sealing device in which oil (O) is supplied by ejection to a sealing device body (3). In the sealing device, an increase in friction of a seal lip (33) caused by the pressure of the oil (O) is prevented, and effective lubrication by the oil (O) is promoted. The sealing device has the sealing device body (3) having the seal lip (33) slidably in intimate contact with the outer peripheral surface of a rotating shaft (2), an oil ejection opening (12) for ejecting the oil (O) toward a position on the outer peripheral side of the seal lip (33) of the sealing device body (3), and oil splashing means (4) for splashing the oil (O), ejected from the ejection opening (12), back to a portion near a sliding portion (S) of the seal lip (33).
US08276915B2	Game apparatus and method A dice game and method of playing a dice game is disclosed wherein provided are ten dice, a dice box having a score pad and bonus card holding area, playing chips and chip holders, a score payout card, and instructions for playing the game. Players take turns rolling the ten dice in the dice box, and if three like kind or more dice of the same suit are rolled, such dice are placed on the score pad and removed from play, after which the player must decide whether to reroll the remaining dice or bank the point from the initial roll. If on a subsequent roll in a turn a dice of the same suit is not rolled, the players turn is over and all points accumulated in such turn are lost. If three like kind or more dice are not rolled on an initial roll, the player selects a “bonus” card and is awarded the designated number of points on the card, and the dice are rolled again. After a play becomes the “winner” by being the first to achieve 122,000 points, each other play will have a final turn in which to attempt to achieve an even higher score, with the player achieving the highest score becoming the “high roll winner”.
US08276910B2	Document feeder, method for controlling the same, and recording medium A document feeder to reverse a document by conveying the document to a reverse path. The document feeder includes a conveyance roller to convey the document, a reverse roller provided along a conveyance path of the document conveyed by the conveyance roller to convey the document to the reverse path by changing a direction of conveyance of the document, and a reverse roller control unit to control the reverse roller to correct skew of the document. The reverse roller control unit controls the reverse roller to correct the skew of the document by striking the document conveyed by the conveyance roller against a nip formed between the reverse roller and a roller provided opposite the reverse roller to temporarily bend the document.
US08276909B2	Media path crossover clearance for printing system A media path crossover for a printing system includes a first crossover pathway on which sheets of print media are conveyed across a crossover junction without interruption and a second crossover pathway on which sheets of print media are conveyed across the crossover junction without interruption. The second crossover pathway intersects the first crossover pathway at a crossover junction. The first crossover pathway comprises a first input path and a first output path and the second crossover pathway comprises a second input path and a second output path. At least the first input path includes a first access panel, whereby a sheet can be cleared therefrom while continuing conveyance of media along the second crossover pathway.
US08276907B2	Recording apparatus A recording apparatus includes: a recording unit that performs a recording operation on a sent recording medium; a main body that has the recording unit; a discharge stacker that places the recording medium discharged from the main body therein; and a flexible member that forms a lateral closed region by connecting a downstream end in a discharge direction of the discharge stacker and the main body on the upper side of the downstream end in the discharge direction of the discharge stacker in a placing direction.
US08276905B2	Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming system A sheet feeding apparatus including: a sheet loading table; and an adsorption conveyance section having: multiple belts with through-holes; and an air suction section in an inside of the belts and absorbs air through the through-holes; wherein the conveyance section sucks air, allows the sheet to be adsorbed to the belt, and conveys it; the adsorption conveyance section further includes: a first roller provides driving force to the belts; a second roller rotated by the belts, and a third roller between the first roller and the second roller and rotated by the belts, and the belts are supported by those rollers; and an outer surface of the belts mostly protrudes towards the sheets on the table at a central part of the third roller in a cross section perpendicular to the conveyance direction containing a shaft of the third roller.
US08276901B2	Paper sheet handling apparatus and paper sheet handling method A paper sheet handling apparatus includes a transport unit having a main transport path and a return transport path, a detection unit arranged at a predetermined detection position in the main transport path, and a controller controlling the transport unit based on the detection result of the detection unit. The controller leads, at the diversion position in the main transport path, a paper sheet transported along the main transport path into the return transport path, transports a subsequent paper sheet along the main transport path, and controls the transportation of the paper sheet and the transportation of the subsequent paper sheet respectively in response to the arrival of the subsequent paper sheet at the detection position such that the paper sheets are stacked into a batch at the joining position of the two transport paths with certain parts of the paper sheets being aligned.
US08276899B2	Media-sheet conveying unit A media-sheet post-processing apparatus performs post-processing on a media sheet delivered thereto. The sheet media post-processing apparatus includes a media-sheet conveying unit configured to convey a media sheet while moving in a media-sheet conveying direction; and a move drive unit configured to move the media-sheet conveying unit in the media-sheet conveying direction in such a manner that a difference between an amount that the media sheet is conveyed by the media-sheet conveying unit and an amount that the media-sheet conveying unit is moved is kept constant.
US08276898B2	Electrode transporter and fixture sets incorporating the same An electrode transporter is provided comprising a transporter frame, a plurality of transitional support elements, and a plurality of flipside support elements. The flipside support elements are configured to immobilize an electrode along a gravitational force vector normal to a major face of an electrode positioned in an electrode accommodating space defined by the transitional support elements and the flipside support elements. The transitional support elements are configured to transition back and forth from a secured state, where the electrode is further immobilized along an opposing force vector opposite the gravitational force vector, to an unsecured state where the electrode is relatively mobile along the opposing force vector. Additional embodiments relate to the use of a transporter tripod and an electrode removal puck and lifting fork to remove an electrode from the transporter frame.
US08276891B2	Gas mixture supplying method and apparatus A gas mixture supplying method includes supplying plural kinds of gases through gas supply lines connected to a common pipeline and supplying a gas mixture of the plural kinds of gases from a gas outlet of the common pipeline into a region where the gas mixture is used through a gas mixture supply line. When a typical gas supplied in a gaseous state from a gas supply unit and a liquid source gas vaporized by heating a liquid source material supplied from a liquid source material supply unit by a vaporizing unit are supplied simultaneously, the liquid source gas is supplied from one of the gas supply lines provided at a position closer to the gas outlet than that for the typical gas, and the liquid source gas is supplied to a downstream side of a filter for removing particles in the typical gas.
US08276890B1	Pressure monitoring panel for aeration basins The present invention is a pressure monitoring panel apparatus with a panel housing that contains a programmable logic controller. Pressure transducers transmit the pressures from an aeration basin diffuser head and an aeration basin airline to a programmable logic controller. The programmable logic controller uses the pressures from the aeration basin diffuser head and aeration basin airline to determine the airflow rate through the aeration basin diffuser and the pressure drop across the aeration basin diffuser. Those values are then displayed on a viewable interface.
US08276887B2	Building element with varying surface characteristics A building element (10) is formed from sheet material having opposite major surfaces (11, 12) that extend between longitudinal edges (13, 14). Margins of the sheet adjacent the longitudinal edges are turned out of a mid-plane of the sheet to form opposite profiled sections (15 and 16). The major surfaces (11, 12) of the building element have different surface characteristics, and one profiled section has one of the major surfaces as its outer surface, and the other profiled section has the other major surface as its outer surface.
US08276880B2	Butterfly valve plate sealing assembly Butterfly valve plate sealing assemblies are provided that include a sealing ring and a retention spacer disposed at least partially within a sealing ring groove formed about a periphery of a butterfly valve plate. The sealing ring includes a first portion, a second portion configured substantially perpendicular to the first portion, and a substantially L-shaped cross-section. The sealing ring is positioned at least partially within a groove opening and a groove body defining the sealing ring groove. The retention spacer is positioned at least partially within the groove opening and adjacent the first portion of the sealing ring. The retention spacer is configured to limit expansion of the sealing ring when under the influence of a pressurized fluid flow. The second portion of the sealing ring may be configured to optimize stiffness for a desired sealing ring tension.
US08276877B2	Solenoid valve controlled by wireless communication A solenoid valve controlled by wireless communication, in which the operation of the valve is controlled by wireless communication, thereby reducing costs and labors necessary for installation and maintenance. The solenoid valve includes a valve body having an inlet port, through which fluid is introduced, and an outlet port, through which fluid is discharged; a plunger movably mounted inside the valve body to open or close one or both of the inlet and outlet ports; a solenoid, which drives the plunger to a position, in which the plunger opens or closes one or both of the inlet and outlet ports, when electric power is supplied; and a communication module provided on the valve body. The communication module receives a wireless control signal transmitted from outside and controls the electric power supplied to the solenoid valve depending on the wireless control signal.
US08276874B2	Ceiling formwork system The invention relates to a ceiling formwork system comprising several grid elements, each of which is composed of a plurality of parallel longitudinal beams and at least one transversal beam that can be mounted or placed on vertical supports and extends perpendicular to the longitudinal beams. The longitudinal and transversal beams of the grid elements are rigidly interconnected. Standard grid elements are provided with two transversal beams in the opposite terminal areas of the longitudinal beams while transversal compensating grid elements are fitted with two transversal beams which are offset towards the inside in relation to the standard grid elements.
US08276870B2	Hanging structure A hanging structure includes a back bezel recessed with a bezel recess, a first hanging member, and a second hanging member. The first hanging member movably arranged in the bezel recess includes an ear-shaped hanging part which is axially recessed with an accommodating hole with a first guiding path at side face. The first guiding path includes an axial segment and two positioning notches obliquely extending from the axial segment. The second hanging member movably arranged in the accommodating hole includes a main body and a mushroom-shaped hanging part. The main body, at its surface, includes a guiding protrusion which is movably arranged in the first guiding path of the first hanging member. The mushroom-shaped hanging part selectively extends out of the accommodating hole depending on which positioning notch the guiding protrusion moves into. Therefore, the hanging structure has various hanging modes to be selected.
US08276867B2	Adjustable projector bracket assembly An adjustable projector bracket assembly has a pivoting device, a moving device and an adjusting device. The moving device is slidably connected with the pivoting device and has a bottom. The adjusting device is mounted on the bottom of the moving device and has a projector bracket and at least three supporting arms. The projector bracket has at least three arm grooves formed through the projector bracket. The at least three supporting arms are respectively pivotally and slidably connected with the at least three arm grooves. With the supporting arms pivotally and slidably connected with the arm grooves, projectors P of different sizes or having different assembling holes can be mounted securely on the projector bracket.
US08276863B2	Device support stand A device support stand has a base fixed to a device on which the support stand is installed, a first support shaft upstanding from the base, a second support shaft extended on a line perpendicular to the first support shaft and joined to the first support shaft via a first movable section, a third support shaft placed at a portion a predetermined distance away from the first support shaft, a fourth support shaft extended on a line perpendicular to the third support shaft and joined to the third support shaft via a second movable section, a pair of first and second connection frames joined to the fourth support shaft via third and fourth movable sections, respectively, and a device fixation member for device installation, installed on one end of the third support shaft. The first and second connection frames are joined together by adjustment/joint means for adjusting the spacing between the first and second connection frames so as to limit rotation of the first to fourth movable sections. The device on which the support stand is installed can be moved up, down, left, and right and can be fixed to a rear low position after changing its angle.
US08276862B2	Stand for image display device There is provided a stand for an image display device supporting a flat-plate-like image display device. The stand for an image display device is provided with: a plane plate member in which the outside dimension is larger than that of the outside frame of the image display device, and the back face may be arranged in such away that the back face contacts the wall surface; a leg portion installed on the opposite side to the wall surface at the lower end of the plane plate member; and an arm member connecting the back face of the image display device and the front face of the plane plate member in such a way that the image display device may be moved.
US08276860B2	Mounting apparatus for blower A mounting apparatus for a blower includes a parallel pair of racks, a pair of sliding rails attached to the racks and capable of sliding along the racks, a pair of seats attached to the rails and capable of sliding along the rails, two pairs of positioning members extending through the racks and engaging with the rails to position the rails on the racks, and a pair of fasteners extending through the blower to engage with the seats to attach the blower to the seats.
US08276859B1	Leveling mechanism An equipment mounting and aligning device including a base having an upwardly facing convex portion and a swivel pad having a downwardly facing concave portion, the swivel pad being pivotally supported on the base by means of the complimentary concave and convex portions which, when joined, interact to allow the swivel pad to pivot to compensate for a piece of equipment's bent or irregular mounting feet and for uneven mounting surfaces.
US08276858B1	Combination stand and jack for wire spools A stand used for supporting spools of wire and the like includes a cam which is operable to increase the length of a leg to thereby raise the spool of wire off of the ground. The stand is adjustable to allow its use with different sizes of spools of wire. The stand allows a single person to raise a spool of wire weighing thousands of pounds off of the ground and support the same to allow the spool to rotate freely upon an axle.
US08276856B2	Support mechanism having two detachable covers and hinge A support mechanism includes a base assembly and a hinge assembly. The base assembly includes a first cover and a second cover attached to the first cover. The first cover forms two first locking members and the second cover forms two restriction members. The hinge assembly includes a bracket and two pivot units rotatably connected to the bracket. The bracket includes a fixing portion and two connecting portions extending from opposite sides of the fixing portion. The first locking members are latched with the fixing portion of the bracket, and the restriction members engage the first locking members to prevent the first locking members from moving.
US08276852B2	Low noise wing slat system with deployable wing leading edge elements Concepts and technologies described herein provide for a low noise aircraft wing slat system. According to one aspect of the disclosure provided herein, a cove-filled wing slat is used in conjunction with a moveable leading edge element of an aircraft wing to provide a high lift system. The moveable leading edge element may include a one-piece or two-piece panel that retracts within the aircraft wing to accommodate the cove-filled slat in the stowed position. Upon deployment of the cove-filled slat, the moveable leading edge element deploys outward to create a continuous outer mold line shape with the wing.
US08276844B2	Unmanned aerial vehicle launching and landing system The invention relates to a system for landing UAV's. The system comprises a slingshot structure that includes arm based structure and an axis installed along the arm of the structure and enabling the arm to move around it. The system comprises a base connecting the axis to a platform at which the system is installable. The system also includes a controlled pulling and braking means that connects the arm of the structure and the platform upon which the system is installable and stretchable elastic installed in a stretched manner at a gap formed between two arms and set to connect with a landing UAV. At the landing phase, the controlled pulling and braking of the system essentially breaks the motion of the arm based structure that is propelled to revolve around the system's axis, and propels the structure to move around the axis.
US08276840B2	Fail-operational multiple lifting-rotor aircraft A rotorcraft having multiple rotors, and wings that provide lift in forward flight, has a mechanical coupling between rotors that can be disengaged and optionally reengaged, during flight. The coupling, which can prevent a failure of one rotor from interfering with rotation of the other rotor(s), can be accomplished using many different types of devices, including for example, dog clutches, friction clutches, and collapsible clutches. Disengagement can range from being completely under control of an operator, to partially under operator control, to completely automatic. Among many other benefits, designing, manufacturing, fitting, retrofitting or in some other manner providing an aircraft with a device that can disengage rotation of one of the rotors from that of another one of the rotors during flight can be used to improve survivability in an emergency situation.
US08276836B2	Fuel nozzle assemblies and methods A fuel nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body and an orifice plate. The orifice plate may be removably positioned on an interior of the nozzle body.
US08276832B2	Multiple spray actuator overcap An actuator overcap for producing multiple spray patterns includes a cap having a hub with a lower surface defining a socket and an upper surface defining a chamber fluidly communicating with the socket. First and second barrels extend between the hub and a side wall of the cap to define first and second flow paths. A trigger is pivotably coupled to the cap and includes a seal support. A selector is coupled to the trigger, and includes a user-engageable pad and a seal. The seal is configured to closely fit within the hub chamber and defines a central aperture fluidly communicating with the hub chamber and a first notch extending radially outwardly from and fluidly communicating with the central aperture. The trigger and selector are pivotable with respect to the cap to place the first notch in fluid communication with one of the first and second flow paths.
US08276828B2	Method of decoding coding pattern comprising control symbols A method of decoding a coding pattern disposed on or in a substrate. The method comprises the steps of: (a) operatively positioning an optical reader relative to a surface of the substrate; (b) capturing an image of a portion of the coding pattern; (c) sampling and decoding control symbols contained in the imaged portion to provide r1 registration symbols and r2 second symbols; (d) constructing an imaged registration codeword of length r1 using the registration symbols ordered in a defined sequence; (e) identifying a distinct registration codeword corresponding to the imaged registration codeword; (f) determining a registration corresponding to the identified registration codeword; (g) constructing an imaged format codeword of length m using the determined registration and some of the r2 second symbols; (h) identifying a distinct format codeword corresponding to the imaged format codeword; (i) determining a distinct format corresponding to the identified format codeword; and (j) using the determined registration and the determined format to decode data symbols sampled from the imaged portion.
US08276826B2	Security element for documents of value Value documents including a security element having magnetic material for securing the value documents. Along the security element, for example along a longitudinal direction of the security element, there are disposed one or more magnetic areas and one or more gap areas. The extension of the magnetic areas or the gap areas along the security element is preferably chosen so that the magnetic signals of adjacent magnetization steps interfere constructively with each other when transported past the magnetic sensor.
US08276823B2	Flexible card with display function A flexible card with display function includes a first card body, a second card body and a flexible thin electronic system disposed between the first card body and the second card body. The flexible thin electronic system includes a flexible display, a display circuit, a communication interface and a smart card IC. The display circuit is connected to the flexible display, and the communication interface is connected to the display circuit via the smart card IC. The smart card IC performs a security authentication, and communicates with the smart card IC and the display circuit after the security authentication succeeds.
US08276821B2	Portable data collector A portable data collector having scan buttons pressed by forefinger to input merchandise information and scan merchandise barcode includes a shell body having a top face and a bottom face corresponding to the top face; a circuit board installed in the shell body; a plurality of input buttons arranged on the top face for actuating the scan component to generate scan light to read barcode and electrically connected to the circuit board; a display screen also arranged on the top face of the shell body and electrically connected to the circuit board; a scan component additionally arranged in the shell body and electrically connected to the circuit board; and a scan button shown as a trigger shape and arranged on the bottom face of the shell body to be electrically connected to the circuit board; thereby, when the scan button is pushed by forefinger, the scan component is actuated.
US08276818B2	Magnetic ink character reading apparatus A magnetic ink character reading method includes conveying paper by a stepping motor, detecting magnetic ink characters on the paper and generating magnetic detection signals by a magnetic detection unit, generating magnetic noise data by accumulating magnetic detection signals before the paper passes the magnetic detection unit, and removing the magnetic noise by subtracting the magnetic noise data from the magnetic detection signals. The generated magnetic noise can be a function of a control period of the transportation mechanism and a control period of a photodetector.
US08276816B2	Smart card system with ergonomic fingerprint sensor and method of using A unitized smart card device with a partial fingerprint sensor, ergonomic guides and a processor is disclosed. The smart card contains secure memory, battery, and a processor to run the fingerprint sensor. The ergonomic guides help insure that the users finger properly swipes the fingerprint sensor. The smart card be used on a backwards compatible “dumb credit card” basis, or it may dock with an external smart card docking station. This docking station may act to facilitate communication between the smart card's fingerprint sensor and its onboard secure memory; and external computerized devices. The docking station itself may be configured with slots or other openings to allow users to access the smart card's fingerprint sensor while the smart card is docked with the docking station. The docking station itself may contain ergonomic guides to help ensure that the smart card's fingerprint sensor is used (swiped) in a correct manner.
US08276809B2	Smart phones with web based interfaces In general, the invention relates to a system that includes a smart phone and a smart card. The smart phone includes a web browser and a display for displaying a web page, where the web page includes at least one selectable entry. The smart card includes at least one proactive logic entity, where the at least one proactive logic entity is configured to respond to selection of the at least one selectable on the web page.
US08276804B2	Manufacturing method of fuel tank, and fuel tank This manufacturing method of a fuel tank is for manufacturing a metallic fuel tank having a concavo-convex portion in a course of seam welding using a seam welder, wherein the seam welding is performed using the seam welder provided with a non-interfering space where interference with the fuel tank is avoided, while changing the position of the fuel tank relative to the seam welder.
US08276803B1	Fixing frame and assembled fixing device for printing solder paste on printed circuit board A fixing frame and an assembled fixing device printing solder paste on a printed circuit board improve an assembly process, cut production costs, and save storage space. The fixing frame has a plurality of fixing portions and a motor unit. The fixing portions are connected to each other to define a hollowed-out planar region. The motor unit generates a plurality of pulling forces by means of mechanical transmission. The assembled fixing device includes a fixing frame and a stencil. The stencil has a solder paste printing region and a plurality of fixing regions. The edge of the solder paste printing region extends outward to define the fixing regions. The fixing regions are movably fixed to the fixing portions and bear the pulling forces. The solder paste printing region lies within the hollowed-out planar region. The directions of the pulling forces are coplanar with the solder paste printing region.
US08276802B2	Surgical instrument with double cartridge and anvil assemblies An end effector for use with a surgical instrument having a first cartridge assembly configured to deploy a first set of fasteners and a second cartridge assembly disposed distally of the first cartridge assembly. The second cartridge assembly is configured to move between an open position and an approximated position relative to clamp tissue. A central rod extends between the first cartridge assembly and the second cartridge assembly.
US08276797B2	Premium separator with contoured spaced-apart belt Apparatus for separating a fragile, packaged premium from a bandolier of packaged premiums includes a number of gripping pairs disposed along an axis of travel. The gripping pairs are designed to grip the premium packaging at pre-defined grip zones along the peripheral edges of the wrapper without clamping onto the premium-containing portion of the package. Preferably, the gripping pairs are sets of endless tracks that are beveled away from the contact surface of each tread such that the beveled surfaces are superimposed on a marginal portion of the premium-containing zone so as to assist in centering the bandolier on the axis of travel.
US08276792B2	Dispenser having a conical valve assembly A dispenser includes a dispenser body which defines a flow passage, a valve assembly, and an actuator. The valve assembly is disposed in the flow passage and includes a first valve member and a second valve member. An actuator is coupled to the valve assembly. When the actuator is manipulated through a first range of motion, only the first of the two valve members is displaced, and when the actuator is manipulated through a second range of motion, both the first and second valve members are displaced in unison.
US08276789B2	Heat transfer apparatus A heat transfer apparatus for a portable hydration system that includes a reservoir, a first check valve, a manual pump activated by user movement, a second check valve, a first fluid communication line including a proximal end in communication with the second check valve and a distal end in communication with a bleed valve, further included is a second fluid communication line including an inlet end in communication in the bleed valve and an outlet end in communication with the reservoir. The first fluid communication line and the second fluid communication line are continuously adjacent in position to one another, wherein the bleed valve discharges a selectable intermittent fluid flowrate to the user for consumption and the pump outputs a primary intermittent fluid flowrate greater than the selectable intermittent fluid flowrate, wherein operationally the heat transfer apparatus acts to further help equalize the reservoir and the bleed valve temperatures.
US08276788B2	Method and apparatus for heating products dispensed from a container A method and apparatus for heating a product dispensed from a handheld container having a nozzle for discharging the product from the container utilizes a discharge assembly having a discharge housing that defines a reservoir and is in fluid communication with the nozzle when the discharge assembly is coupled to the container. The reservoir receives the discharged product from the nozzle and collects the discharged product within the reservoir and allows the introduction of a warm liquid into the reservoir. A strainer allows the warm liquid introduced into the reservoir of the discharge housing to be separated from the discharged product by pouring the warm liquid from the discharge housing through the strainer. The strainer is configured to retain majority of the discharged product within the reservoir after pouring out the liquid. A product access port allows the discharged product to be removed from the reservoir of the housing.
US08276786B2	Beverage dispensing system with a head capable of dispensing plural different beverages A beverage dispensing system includes a base to which a dispensing head is removably attached without additional fasteners. Beverage-forming liquids are supplied through a plurality of separate conduits in the base. Each base conduit has a normally closed valve that normally blocks fluid flow. The dispensing head has at least one passageway that receives liquid from an associated one of the base conduits. A projection associated with each dispensing head passageway opens the associated conduit valve to allow fluid flow from the base to the head. Dispensing valves in the dispensing head regulate the dispensing of the beverage. By selectively opening the dispensing valves, a plurality of beverages are formed from combinations of one or more liquids. A dispensing head includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening at each end of a passage extending through a body, the inlet opening having a smaller cross-sectional area than the outlet opening.
US08276783B2	Container for food and beverage A food/beverage container includes a cup-shaped main body for containing liquid content, and a cap having a hemisphere body provided with a spouting portion. The cap is designed to be normally or inversely fitted on the cup-shaped main body. The cap includes a first coupling part along an outer circumference configured to attach to and tightly contact a coupling edge of the container for normal fitting in an opposed second coupling part positioned opposite the first coupling part for inversely fitting to the cup-shaped main body.
US08276778B2	Fuel container for motor vehicles The invention relates to a method for producing a fuel container and to a fuel container for motor vehicles. The method comprises the extrusion of web-type preforms, the shaping of the preforms in the first heat of the extrudate in a multi-part moulding tool to form shell-shaped intermediate products in a first step, and to form a one-piece, closed container in the same moulding tool in a second step, at least one tank-filling and/or operational venting device being fastened to the inner wall of at least one intermediate product between the first and second steps in such a manner that at least one preassembled part of the tank-filling and/or operational venting device with at least one connection fitting, at least one vent line and at least one functional component is connected to the inner wall by a material and/or form-fitting joint in one work cycle, the wall of the intermediate product being penetrated by the connection fitting during assembly, with the use of at least one conduit section of variable length as a part of the vent line.
US08276776B2	Lids and containers One aspect of the invention provides a lid comprising: a base defining a first orifice; and a sealing member rotatably coupled to the base, the sealing member configured to seal the first orifice when placed in a sealing position. The base and the sealing member include one or more detents configured to releasably hold the sealing member in the sealing position. Still another aspect of the invention provides a container including a mug and a lid configured for releasable coupling with the mug. The lid includes a base defining a first orifice and a sealing member rotatably coupled to the base. The sealing member is configured to seal the first orifice when placed in a sealing position. The base and the sealing member include one or more detents configured to releasably hold the sealing member in the sealing position.
US08276773B2	Bottle crown with removable frangible portion A pull tab crown for a bottle or other container provides a pull tab ring and a pull tab secured to the top of the crown by a rivet to form a pull tab assembly. A seat in the top of the crown formed by an indentation allows the pull tab assembly to rest flush with the top of the crown. One or more score lines extend from the pull tab assembly to rim of the crown. One of the score lines has a segment that extends for a distance equidistant from the top of the crown and the edge of the crown. The score lines have a curved cross-sectional profile.
US08276772B2	Shelf for showcase A shelf for a showcase in which a roller unit is formed with holding grooves on both sides of a bottom surface of a U-shaped roller plate. Fixing frames coupled with the roller plate include a bottom part, formed with a vertical rib to be fitted into the holding groove of the roller plate, and a vertical wall surrounding an outside of the roller plate and formed with a horizontal rib closing opened parts of fitting grooves of the roller plate, so that the fixing frames are mounted on both sides of the roller plate of the roller unit in pair correspondingly to each other. The vertical walls are formed with screw-coupling holes at front and rear ends in accordance with screw holes punched at both side walls of the end caps so as to be integrally coupled together by coupling screws.
US08276771B2	Float rack Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide a rack for storing floats. A float rack may comprise a vertical support post, a plurality of slip-Ts and a plurality of float support arms. The vertical support post will typically have a top end and a bottom end. The slip-Ts are connected to the vertical support post to provide a rotating joint about the vertical support post. The float support arms are attached to the slip-Ts.
US08276769B2	Wine rack A wine rack for storing a plurality of wine bottles comprising one or more pairs of front and rear horizontal supports connected to a pair of vertical side supports. A plurality of support member pairs, extend between each pair of horizontal supports to support a wine bottle. The support members are perpendicularly oriented to front and rear horizontal supports, which secure the wine bottles and prevent their longitudinal movement toward the front and back of the wine rack. In various arrangements, the horizontal supports are arcuate to provide improved, accessibility and viewing of wine bottles stored on the rack.
US08276766B2	Adjustable depth merchandising apparatus An adjustable depth merchandising apparatus includes an elongated mounting member operationally securable to an associated shelf and extending parallel to a longitudinal axis thereof. An adjustable divider system is selectively connected to the mounting member. The divider system includes a first divider portion and a second divider portion. Each portion contains connecting elements, which selectively engage each other to operatively connect the first divider portion to the second divider portion, thereby enabling the divider system to be employed on associated shelves of varying depths. A trackless pusher system is selectively received on the mounting member. The pusher system includes a mounting clip engaging the mounting member, a coil spring connected to the mounting clip and a pusher body slidably mounted in relation to the mounting member, wherein the coil spring is supported by the pusher body and connects the pusher body to the mounting clip. Both the divider system and the pusher system have a length which can be adjusted, thereby enabling the two systems to be employed on associated shelves of varying depths.
US08276764B2	Process for producing a polymer membrane, and polymer membrane The invention relates to a process for producing a polymer membrane, the polymer membrane being produced from a solution, in particular a casting solution, comprising at least one first polymer. The invention further relates to a polymer membrane. The process of the invention is distinguished by the fact that a water-soluble second polymer and/or oligomer that forms phases in the solution is part of the solution. The polymer membrane of the invention, preferably produced by the process of the invention, has an oil flow rate, in particular of a refined edible oil, of greater than 200 l/m2 h bar at 60° C.
US08276761B2	Froth flotation method and apparatus, a froth flotation method and apparatus for extracting bitumen from a slurry of water and oil sand, and use of the apparatus A froth flotation method and apparatus for extracting a valuable substance from a slurry comprising a mixture of solid phase, liquid phase and said substance. A gas dispersing mechanism (4) feeds gas into the slurry (1) in a flotation vessel (2) to infuse gas bubbles into the slurry. The slurry is agitated in the flotation vessel (2) for dispersing the gas bubbles into the slurry. The gas bubbles capture the valuable substance from the slurry and form a froth phase F above the slurry phase S. The froth phase F exits the vessel by overflow. Continuously moving negative pressure zones (7) are mechanically generated by rake blades (9) in the froth phase (F). The negative pressure zones (7) extend from the froth phase (F) to the slurry phase (S). The negative pressure zones (7) capture unwanted slurry and liquid pockets (8) entrained from the slurry phase to the froth phase (F) and form paths for guiding said unwanted slurry and liquid pockets (8) via said paths from the froth phase (F) downwardly back to the slurry phase (S).
US08276758B2	Wafer container with at least one oval latch A wafer container includes a container body and a door joined with opening of the container body for protecting wafers therein. At least one latch component is disposed in the door, and each latch component includes an oval cam and a pair of moving bars, a first end of each moving bar connecting to one of the two opposite sides of the oval cam and a second end of each moving bar having a guiding structure, a pair of moving grooves being disposed between the first end and the second end of each moving bar, at least a pair of rollers being disposed on the door and each roller being embedded in each moving groove of moving bar, and a locating spring being formed as an integral part of the moving bars.
US08276757B2	Container and kit for the preparation, storage and dispensing of compounded suppositories A container suitable for the preparation, storage and dispensing of compounded suppositories is provided. Methods of preparing, storing and dispensing compounded suppositories utilizing such a container and related kits are also provided.
US08276749B1	Portable ashtray apparatus A portable ashtray apparatus includes a main body having an open top, and a cavernous interior space for housing a removable container. The apparatus also includes a funnel cap secured to both the main body and the removable container in order to receive spent cigarettes and other like items and direct the same into the container for disposal. The apparatus also includes a solution for extinguishing embers and emanating aromatically friendly scents.
US08276745B2	Method and apparatus for transferring articles of different sizes Method and apparatus for transferring articles from a first carrier moving at a first speed to a carrier moving at a second speed. The apparatus may include a first transfer surface driven by a first motor and second transfer surface driven by a second motor. The first and second transfer surfaces receive and transfer different portions of an article at different speeds such that a desired amount of spacing can be provided between discrete articles in a process independent of the size of the article.
US08276744B2	Skillet conveyor drive adjusting method and tool A method and a tool are provided for adjusting a skillet conveyor drive having a motor-driven drive wheel mounted on an adjustable mounting mechanism including a threaded rod that is biased toward the skillet by a spring mechanism and wherein the compression of the spring is adjusted by rotating an adjusting nut. The method includes pulling on the threaded rod, measuring the force required for the pulling by reading a load cell indicator, using a look up table to correlate the measured force with a desired force, and then adjusting the nut to achieve the desire force. The tool can be removed and then moved to another skillet conveyor drive.
US08276743B2	Method and apparatus for the reversal of direction in the transport of articles A method and an apparatus enable the reversal of direction in a transport of articles, in particular flat mail items. The length of the leading article is measured. The two articles are transported, with a gap between them, to a direction reversal device. The direction reversal device possesses a “head station” and transports the two articles over a transport path in a transport direction and, subsequently, over the same transport path in the opposite transport direction. If the measured length is greater than a stipulated standard maximum length, the leading article is additionally transported over an additional transport route which follows the transport path, specifically, first, in the transport direction and, subsequently, in the opposite transport direction. The two articles are subsequently transported away in succession.
US08276740B2	Material handling apparatus for sorting or retrieving items A method and apparatus are provided for sorting or retrieving items to/from a plurality of destinations areas. The items are loaded onto one of a plurality of independently controlled delivery vehicles. The delivery vehicles follow a track that guides the delivery vehicles to/from the destination areas, which are positioned along the track. Once at the appropriate destination area, an item is transferred between the delivery vehicle and the destination area.
US08276735B2	Customer-operated ordering kiosk having modular hardware configuration including overlay and inlay plates A system and method for integrating devices and equipment into self-service kiosk devices is disclosed. Hardware configuration kits are provided which allow for a less complicated implementation of specific and customized functionality for quick service restaurant (QSR) environments. In certain embodiments a kiosk door is coupled to the kiosk body to form a kiosk cabinet in which devices and equipment used to operate the kiosk are housed. Certain interior kiosk components and devices, such as coin dispensers, bill acceptors, and the like, may be configured to extend or protrude through the kiosk door so that they may be accessed by the customer. The kiosk door may have a hollowed out center or aperture which allows access to the interior cabinet. The aperture may be substantially covered by a removable door inlay which cooperatively includes cutouts corresponding to the components protruding through the door. A removable door overlay may also be provided which attaches to an outer surface of the kiosk door and may also include cutouts which correspond to the protruding components.
US08276734B2	Bill validator with centering device Centering device 14 of a bill validator comprises a pair of pinch jaws 15 positioned on the opposite sides of a passageway 6, and a centering motor 30 for moving pinch jaws 15 toward and away from each other for reciprocation of pinch jaws 15 so that pinch jaws 15 come into contact with side edges of a bill between pinch jaws 15 to align a central line of bill with a central line of passageway 6. As centering motor 30 stalls when warpage resistance by centered bill is greater than inherent holding torque of centering motor 30, centering device 14 has the simplified structure with reduced number of structural components for light weight and reliable centering operation.
US08276731B2	Normally closed soundless bicycle hub A hub for a bicycle includes a shaft (12), a hub body (40), a ratchet wheel (43), a drive seat (10), a support ring (15), a rotation ring (21), a plurality of pawl members (22), a stop bushing (121), a limit ring (30) and a damper (33). Thus, when the drive seat is rotated backward by the pedal, each of the pawl members is retracted into the respective receiving slot (212) of the rotation ring to disengage the oneway ratchet teeth (42) of the ratchet wheel, so that each of the pawl members is spaced from and will not touch the ratchet wheel when the pedal is driven backward to prevent from producing a noise when the pedal is driven backward.
US08276729B2	Drive apparatus for motor vehicles A drive assembly for a motor vehicle including a flywheel secured to an engine output shaft, a clutch disk mounted on a transmission input shaft, a torsional vibration dampener functionally interposed between such flywheel and clutch disk and an adjustment disk disposed between the engine output shaft and clutch disk, in which a bushing mounted on the engine output shaft and the adjustment disk are provided with rotationally symmetrical, spherical contact surfaces.
US08276726B2	Gearbox shifting point for producing a rotationally fixed connection between at least one gearwheel and one shaft A gearbox shifting point for producing a rotationally fixed connection between at least one gearwheel and one shaft. The gearbox shifting point comprises a shaft, a shifting sleeve and two gearwheels. The two gearwheels are each rotatably mounted in relation to the shaft. The shifting sleeve is mounted in a rotationally secured fashion on the shaft. The shifting sleeve and the gearwheels are embodied in such a way that a positively locking, rotationally fixed connection can be produced between the shifting sleeve and in each case one gearwheel. In order to improve problems with respect to a gearshifting hole or blockage of the gearbox, the shifting sleeve interacts with the two gearwheels in such a way that at least one positively locking, rotationally fixed connection is always produced between the shifting sleeve and one of the gearwheels.
US08276718B2	Disk brake A disk brake having a brake disk, a brake caliper including a bracket, a caliper housing and a brake lining. The bracket and the caliper housing engage axially around the brake disk, with the caliper housing and the brake lining movable in an axial direction. The caliper housing has outer housing limb comprising two housing fingers which run substantially in a radial direction and which span a limb window situated between them and which is open in the direction of the rotational axis, with the housing fingers having one end section facing the rotational axis. A protective screen covers end sections of the housing fingers and conceals a section of the limb window that faces the rotational axis, with an outer dimension of the protective screen in a circumferential direction such that a transition between the protective screen and the housing fingers is substantially stepless in an axial projection.
US08276713B2	Method of building liquid tank using movable scaffolding Disclosed is a scaffold installed within a large structure such as a pressure vessel or a tank of a ship, and an insulation system construction method using the same. The scaffold for use in performing desired work within a large structure includes a supporting structure installed adjacent to both side surfaces and a top surface of the large structure, and a carrying unit installed movable along the supporting structure to allow materials to be carried or to provide a working space for a worker thereon, wherein the supporting structure is installed to be movable along a wall surface of the large structure.
US08276711B1	Sound barrier wall A method of forming a monolithically fabricated sound absorbing structural precast concrete noise barrier panel comprising a sound absorbing layer of specialized raw materials. The method includes providing a sound absorbing layer that is a blended mixture of an aggregate, granulated rubber, chemically treated wood particles, cement, pozzolans, water, air entraining admixture, and water reducing mixture; placing the sound absorptive layer ingredients in a form mold; compressing the ingredients to a preset density; backing the compressed ingredients with reinforced structural concrete; and curing the backed and compressed ingredients.
US08276705B2	Wheel loader A wheel loader having good operability. The wheel loader has a machine body travelably supported on wheels; a working device supported on the machine body, the working device having a boom swingably supported at its base end side on the machine body, an arm swingably supported at and connected to the forward end side of the boom, and a working tool swingably provided on the forward end side of the arm; travel operation means for performing travel operation of the machine body; and a brake for braking, when the travel operation means is not operated and the arm is swung, the wheels in operative association with the swing of the arm.
US08276700B2	Snowmobile A snowmobile includes a throttle motor that is protected from brake dust. The snowmobile includes a snowmobile body including an engine room therein, an engine disposed inside the engine room, brake equipment disposed inside the engine room, a throttle valve arranged to adjust intake air supplied to the engine, and a throttle motor which is disposed at a more forward position than the brake equipment inside the engine room and arranged to drive the throttle valve.
US08276699B2	Mounting arrangement for tractor front grille to shroud A mounting arrangement for a tractor front grille to a shroud includes a one-piece shroud having a radiator mounted thereto and a central opening to draw air through the radiator, and a tractor front grille slidably mounted to the shroud so that the grille can only move substantially vertically to access a battery behind the front grille. The battery may be positioned on a battery shelf that extends forwardly from and is integral with the shroud.
US08276695B2	Battery electrode sheet A battery electrode sheet comprises a conductive substrate and an electrode material coated on at least a portion of the conductive substrate. The coated portion of the conductive substrate comprises a first region, a second region, and a transition region between the first and second regions. The electrode material on the first region has a first thickness; and the electrode material on the second region has a second thickness, which is smaller than the first thickness. The electrode material on the transition region has a thickness that decreases between the first and second regions.
US08276694B2	Arrangement for a power electronics unit in a hybrid vehicle Arrangement for a power electronics unit in a hybrid vehicle power train, where all attachment points have a total thermal conductivity corresponding to less than 10 degrees temperature difference on a Kelvin-scale between electronics of said power electronics unit and the outside of said first transmission side for 5 kW of heat originating from one side of said attachment point. Arrangements including sound damping capabilities are disclosed. The arrangement can provide fewer parts and increased functionality of the power electronics unit.
US08276693B2	Powertrain, vehicle, and method with electric motors and dual belt drive Electric vehicle powertrains, highway vehicles, and methods of manufacturing vehicles have dual belts driving wheels from two electric motors. Embodiments have a centrally-located transmission housing containing two belts and pulleys, and motors are mounted outside of the housing. A battery may power the motors and an internal combustion engine may power wheels on the other end of the vehicle through a separate transmission. Each belt may have a tensioner and drive shafts may have universal joints and decouplers. The transmission may have a central wall or supports which may support the pulleys and adjacent pulleys may have a common centerline and be supported by a common pin through the central wall.
US08276691B2	Rotary drill bit including at least one superabrasive cutting element having a diamond-silicon carbide composite table Embodiments relate to rotary drill bits that employ superabrasive cutting elements including a diamond-silicon carbide composite table. In an embodiment, a rotary drill bit includes a bit body configured to engage a subterranean formation. The bit body includes a plurality of blades. The rotary drill bit further includes a plurality of superabrasive cutting elements. Each of the superabrasive cutting elements is attached to a corresponding one of the cutting blades. At least one of the superabrasive cutting elements includes a substrate and a superabrasive table bonded to the substrate. The superabrasive table comprises diamond-silicon carbide composite including a matrix comprising nanometer-sized silicon carbide grains and micrometer-sized diamond grains dispersed through the matrix.
US08276686B2	Vacuum assisted drill cuttings dryer and handling apparatus A vacuum assisted drill cuttings dryer and handling apparatus has a vacuum tank and an associated vacuum pump and motor configured for use with a high speed centrifugal dryer. Cuttings are drawn from the shaker of a drilling rig into the centrifugal dryer by means of a vacuum created in the centrifugal dryer by the vacuum tank and an associated vacuum pump and motor. The dryer is provided with sealable exit doors that may be opened and closed in sequence to allow removal of the cuttings even as cuttings are drawn in to the centrifugal dryer. A fluids collection chamber in communication with vacuum lines between the vacuum tank and centrifugal dryer collects fluids drawn from the centrifugal dryer.
US08276682B2	Continuous stroke pneumatic tool with ball valve A ball valve assembly for use as a control valve for controlling the flow of gas through a continuous stroke pneumatic tool. The valving element is generally spherical and non-magnetizable. The generally spherical valving element is loosely confined between two concave generally conical surfaces, which are provided on valve seat members. The concave generally conical surfaces are opposed to one another to define a valve chamber therebetween. Sufficient clearance is provided so the generally spherical valving element is free to roll and tumble as it moves in the valve chamber between the concave generally conical surfaces. This allows the ball valve assembly to be self purging of excess lubricant, dust, and the like. Wear is distributed over the entire generally spherical surface of the valving element. The loose confinement is also sufficient to provide a relatively large cross-section of gas passageway through the control valve assembly. The two valve seat members are suitably ported to permit the ball valve assembly to be used as a drop-in replacement for prior pneumatic tool control valves.
US08276680B2	Methods and apparatus for providing emergency fire escape path Methods and apparatus for fire egress/escape comprising a first container for storing a first fluid, a second container for storing a propellant, a nozzle to mix and atomize material from the first and second containers for forming a mist to suppress flame by evaporation, and an activation mechanism to enable a user to release material in the first and second containers for generating the mist.
US08276664B2	Well treatment operations using spherical cellulosic particulates Spherical porous and non-porous cellulose particulates for use in sand control as well as stimulation procedures, may be prepared by first dissolving cellulosic materials (such as fibrous cellulose, wood pulp linters, cotton balls and/or paper), in the substantial absence of water or a nitrogen-containing base, in an ionic liquid. The solution is then combined with a cellulose-insoluble liquid to render the spherical particulates. The surface of the cellulosic particulates may be treated with a coating or penetrating layer.
US08276663B2	Methods for reducing biological load in subterranean formations Methods of treating subterranean formations to reduce bacteria load are provided. Some methods include the steps of providing a treatment fluid, particulates, and tri-n-butyl tetradecyl phosphonium chloride (TTPC) wherein the TTPC is in liquid form or in solution; coating the TTPC onto the particulates; combining the particulates coated with TTPC with the treatment fluid to create a suspension; and, placing the suspension into the portion of the subterranean formation. Other methods involve the use of TTPC in the form of a solid salt.
US08276660B2	Dual anchoring tubular back-off tool A back-off tool for use in breaking a joint of a tubular disposed in a well. The tool is dual anchoring in nature such that breaking of the joint may be achieved with a degree of precision heretofore unavailable. Additionally, the dual anchoring nature of the tool at both sides of the joint allows for power requirements to be met through use of a dowhole power source incorporated into the tool. As a result, the use of heavier power carrying cables and equipment may be avoided as well as explosives or similarly hazardous and/or imprecise measures.
US08276658B2	Multi-channel, combination coiled tubing strings for hydraulically driven downhole pump This invention relates to a downhole hydraulic pump for hydrocarbon wells that is installed and operated using coiled tubing. The downhole hydraulic pump is driven by a hydraulic power system positioned at the surface and connected through a closed loop system using multiple channels of the coiled tubing. The coiled tubing is formed of a combination of channels including strength component such as steel and having one channel that is at least lined with a non-metallic corrosion resistant surface where clean hydraulic fluid is carried from the hydraulic power system to the downhole hydraulic pump through the non-metallic corrosion resistant channel so to be less likely to pick up manufacturing and environmental particulates and corrosion by-products within the channel carrying the hydraulic fluid to the downhole hydraulic pump. The non-metallic corrosion resistant lined channel may comprise plastic pipe.
US08276656B2	System and method for mitigating shock effects during perforating A perforating gun, according to one or more aspects of the present disclosure, comprises a loading tube and a plurality of charges mounted in the loading tube with at least a portion of the plurality of charges being tilted relative to an axis of the loading tube. Wherein the plurality of tilted charges are tilted relative to the axis to create a selected reactive dynamic force on the perforating gun to counter a detrimental force on the perforating gun in response to detonation of the plurality of charges.
US08276655B2	Heat conducting apparatus A heat conducting apparatus adopts a design of two oblique slide blocks disposed between and contacted with two objects for conducting heat from one of the two objects to another. The two oblique slide blocks can be adjusted freely according to the different heights of the two objects to conduct the heat produced by a heat generating component to a heat dissipating structure.
US08276653B2	Raised overlapped impingement plate A heat exchanger for transfer of heat from a first fluid to a second fluid, including: a housing defining an interior space, a plurality of tubes spaced apart from each other and extending in a first direction in the interior space in the housing, a first inlet for flow of the first fluid into the tubes, a second inlet for flow of the second fluid into the interior space about the external surfaces of the tubes, the second fluid flowing in a direction generally transverse of the first direction, and an impingement plate assembly situated in the interior space between the second inlet and the plurality of tubes, the impingement plate assembly including: (a) a top plate facing the second inlet, and (b) a bottom plate spaced from and generally parallel to and underlying the top plate with an aperture extending through said bottom plate from top to bottom thereof.
US08276652B2	High performance louvered fin for heat exchanger A high performance louvered fin for a heat exchanger is disclosed, wherein adjacent entrance louvers have increased widths and adjacent exit louvers have decreased widths in order to optimize thermal efficiency.
US08276645B2	Porosity detection A computer executing a software algorithm may be used to detect a depression in a temperature profile. The temperature profile may be smoothed to eliminate noise. Next, the temperature profile's center may be extracted. A polynomial may be fitted to extracted data. An algorithm used to fit the polynomial may guarantee that the fitted curve's peak may be below the actual temperature data's peak. Next, residuals may be calculated by subtracting the fitted curve from the actual data. If there is a dip at the center, then the residuals in the center may be less than zero. The software algorithm executing on the computer may then make a decision based on a sign of the residuals. For example, residuals less than zero may indicate bar porosity. Residuals above zero may indicate no porosity. The magnitude of the residuals may then be used to classify a size of a detected defect.
US08276644B2	Mold and casting method using the mold and design method of the mold A mold including a product cavity that is to be filled with a molten metal to mold a product; a supply cavity that connects to one side of the product cavity to supply the product cavity with the molten metal that is poured from a casting port; and a cooling cavity that connects to the other side of the product cavity and in which the molten metal filling the cooling cavity is cooled before the molten metal filling the product cavity and the supply cavity is cooled. A modulus M (=V/S) as a ratio of a volume V to a cooling surface area S in each of the cavities has a relation of Ms>Mp>Mc, where Mp is a modulus of the product cavity, Ms is a modulus of the supply cavity, and Mc is a modulus of the cooling cavity.
US08276642B2	Trough shade system and method A trough shade system and method of use provide improved support for a roller tube and shade material. The roller tube and wound shade material are located within a support cradle to minimize unwanted deflection by the roller tube and associated wrinkling and deformation of the shade material. Various mechanisms allow the roller tube a limited range of movement within the support cradle. The system is suitable for shading larger areas than other shading systems which rely on roller tubes with fixed supports at the ends.
US08276641B2	Tire-changing machine for fitting and removing vehicle wheels The tire-changing machine for fitting and removing vehicle wheels comprises a base frame for supporting gripping and rotating means for a vehicle wheel with a rim and a tire to be fitted/removed, an operating head operatively associated with the base frame and having at least a fitting/removal tool, operating means or actuators suitable for positioning the operating head in a work configuration in which the tool is arranged in contact against the tire substantially near the flange of the rim. The actuators are responsive to a processing and control unit which positions the operating head in the work configuration, so that the fitting/removal tools can fit, and/or remove, a tire from the rim of a vehicle wheel.
US08276640B2	Cartridge type coating film transfer tool Provided is a cartridge type coating film transfer tool, in which a cartridge can be simply dismounted and is readily exchanged. A case body comprises a slide member on an upper wall of an upper case. A tapered portion provided on the slide member is extended downward beyond a lower cartridge case of a tape cartridge in a height direction. When the slide member is slid toward a leading end side, a trailing end of the tape cartridge is lifted up until it abuts against a step portion in a state of riding over a tapered portion of the slide member. Thereby, it is possible to release engagement between engagement pawls and engagement holes, which are used in mounting the case body and the tape cartridge to each other.
US08276638B2	Intermittent cutting transferring device An intermittent cutting transferring device configured to cut a first web into individual sheets and to intermittently transfer the individual cut sheets onto a second web being continuously fed includes an upper blade roll with a blade and a lower blade roll with an anvil element. The cut sheet is configured to be sucked onto an outer peripheral surface of the lower blade roll at a position where both side edge regions of the cut sheet and a front end region thereof face an edge area of the second region while a remaining region of the cut sheet faces a center area of the second region. A suction holding force in the edge area is stronger than a suction holding force in the center area.
US08276636B2	Chemical fusion of non-metallic pipe joints The invention is a pipe joint that is particularly suitable for joining pipes composed of materials having a low surface energy and excellent resistance to solvents. The major components are an extrudable adhesive; a first pipe having a socket with an inside diameter, where said socket has a mouth, a self-centering bottom, and a substantially cylindrical wall with an inlet, an outlet, and an inner annular channel; a second pipe having an insertion section with an end and an outer annular channel, said second pipe having an outside diameter that is less than the inside diameter of the socket, where the difference in diameters defines a cap and where the outer annular channel lines up with the inner annular channel therein forming an interlocking keyway; and a flanged annular ring, where said annular ring has an inside diameter that enables it to be slid over the second pipe and a thickness that is comparable to the gap, and where the flange has a width that is sufficient to cap the mouth of the socket. When fully formed, the adhesive has changed to a solid material that substantially fills the gap and the interlocking keyway, and serves as a mechanical key in the interlocking keyway. The adhesive is preferably an alkyl borane adhesive.
US08276635B2	Machines and methods for manufacturing of an object closed onto itself The invention relates to a machine for manufacturing an object closed onto itself, which machine comprises first means for guiding and carrying a tire material to be arranged round the first means, characterized in that the first means can change form in controlled manner between a first form and a second form. The invention also relates to a machine for manufacturing an object closed onto itself, which machine comprises first means for guiding and supporting a tire material to be arranged round the first means, characterized in that the machine also comprises sixth means for folding the tire material arranged round the first means, for which purpose the sixth means comprise a number of folding members movable relative to each other, which folding members can engage on the tire material for folding and can therein move inside recesses provided for this purpose in the first means. The invention also relates to methods for manufacturing an object closed onto itself, comprising of arranging a tire material round first means provided for this purpose. Such machines and methods can be applied particularly in the production of tires for vehicles.
US08276633B2	Labelling machine A labelling machine for containers, including a basic machine provided with a docking station for a labelling unit, the labelling unit being adapted to be docked to and undocked from a target position at the basic machine with a predetermined sequence of relative movements, and respective media connector parts being arranged on the basic machine and on the labelling unit, respectively, and adapted to be coupled to one another. The media connector parts are implemented in such a way that and are arranged on the labelling unit and the docking station with respect to the target position in such a way that they are adapted to be automatically coupled by means of the docking sequence of movements and automatically decoupled by means of the undocking sequence of movements.
US08276632B2	Labeling and preparation device for test tubes A labeling and preparation device for test tubes. At least one storage section places at least one pallet having a set of test tubes at a preset position. At least one transfer section is disposed above the storage section, and clamps or releases one of the test tubes. A labeling section is disposed below the transfer section, receives the test tubes transferred from the transfer section, and attaches a label having information related to a sample on a circumference of each test tube. An ejection section is disposed below the labeling section, and ejects the test tubes to an outside. A controller controls drivers of the transfer section, the labeling section and the ejection section.
US08276629B2	Tread comprising dual orientation incisions A tread (1) having a plurality of raised elements (5) provided with at least one first incision (10) and at least one second incision (20). Each first incision (10) comprises at least two non-planar parts (111) separated by an intermediate part (112). The non-planar parts exhibit a dual undulation, whereas the planar parts have a single undulation. Each second incision (20) comprises at least two non-planar parts (211) separated by an intermediate part (212). The non-planar parts (212) exhibit at least one undulation (2112) in the depth of the tread of maximum amplitude C, whereas each intermediate part (212) of the at least one second incision (20) has no deformation in relief. The first incisions (10) intersecting at least one second incision (20) to form at least one intersection and thus divide the raised element (5) in which they are made into several volume elements (55), each intersection being created between an intermediate part (112) of the at least one first incision (10) and an intermediate part (212) of the at least one second incision (20).
US08276628B2	Non-pneumatic tire Provided is a non-pneumatic tire in which buckling can be prevented without a weight increase, the non-pneumatic tire including a spoke structure. The spoke structure is obtained by circumferentially arranging spokes intermittently at intervals and coupling together annular cylindrical outer member and cylindrical inner. The spoke structure is joined to an inner peripheral side of a tread ring. At least some of a plurality of spaces formed between two spokes adjacent to each other in the tire circumferential direction have an air-containing structure.
US08276625B2	Preservation device and container stopper for use therewith A device and method for preservation of an oxidizable substance, e.g. a liquid such as a beverage of which wine is an example, is described. In a first aspect, a device is described for controlling the delivery of a predetermined amount of inert gas into a container with a single opening such as a wine bottle at a pre-determined pressure, suitable for an efficient delivery of the inert gas, with a simultaneous displacement of the air present in the top space of the container or bottle, in a simple actuation. In a second aspect, an improved container or bottle stopper is described with simple features that allow easy and cheap manufacture significantly reducing the cost of the stopper. In a third aspect to an efficient and cost-effective method is described for the preservation of a degradable substances especially liquids such as beverages of which wine is an example.
US08276621B2	Element for a pipe for transporting hot gases and method of fabricating said element The present invention principally relates to a thermal insulation element (200) of cylindrical shape for a fluid transport pipe comprising an envelope (204) of longitudinal axis (X), a thermal insulation arranged in said envelope (204), the envelope (204) comprising a deformable annular zone, comprising a first (212.6) and a second (212.12) cylindrical surface that overlap and are able to slide against each other in the case of movement imposed by thermal loads applied to said pipe insulation element (200).The present invention also relates to a method of fabricating pipes for transporting fluids at high temperature, particularly hot gases, from elements according to the present invention by fitting a male connector of one element into a female connector of the other element.
US08276620B2	Flexible pipe for offshore and other applications A flexible pipe for conducting fluid, such as offshore production fluids, has interior tubing, a series of rings and clamps, and exterior tubing. The interior tubing has an extruded tube and a surrounding layer. Outer rings dispose about the interior tubing and abut end-to-end. Inner rings dispose on the tubing and fit in between each of the outer rings. These inner rings have tapered surfaces that fit against beveled ends defined in each end of the outer ring's internal bore. The clamps affix the abutting ends of the outer rings together, and the exterior tubing disposes on the series of rings and clamps. This exterior tubing has an inner layer of wrapped tape surrounded by an extruded tube. A flange couples by an end clamp to the end ring of the pipe, and inner and outer supports on the flange support the interior and exterior tubing.
US08276615B2	Fluid delivery extension system Disclosed are embodiments of apparatus, methods, and systems for fastening a rotatable tube to spigots and nozzles, for fluid-water flow diversion to facilitate the use of sinks by small children. In one embodiment, a tube is provided, which is fastened to a spigot and nozzle. The tube-spigot fastening may be facilitated by a tapered washer. The tube, in turn, may be rotated about the supporting spigot secured to the electronic article. The tube may be configured with curvature, tapering, wall and end openings of sufficient weight, shape, and/or size to allow for optimal water flow choices. Patent NoMonth/YearName 2,171,023August 1939Buxton 1,253,309January 1918Ulleland 5,349,987September 1994Shieh 4,736,890April 1988Wallington 2,476,079February 1947Benjamin 5,072,757December 1991Lin 2,507,535May 1950Madsen 5,758,690June 1998Humpert et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,130 B1January 2001Nguyen et al 6,381,770 B1May 2002Raisch 1,799,815April 1931Hoff 6,085,790July 2001Humpert et al 5,833,849November 1998Primdahl 3,765,455October 1973Countryman 5,983,938November 1999Bowers et al U.S. 2007/0176024 A1August 2007Denzler 5,165,121November 1992McTargett et al U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,707 B1April 2002Kang 2,747,930May 1956Hyde U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,187 B1November 2003Shypkowski 3,316,928May 1967Weakley D288520March 1987Bozarth U.S. 2006/0207670 A1September 2006Peters U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,149 B1July 2002Wang 3,638,968February 1972Barks U.S. 2007/0175531 A1August 2007Daniels U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,318 B2February 2006Burke
US08276614B2	Suction valve of variable capacity compressor for vehicle Disclosed is a suction valve of a variable capacity compressor for vehicle including: a valve sheet, a valve case, a spool valve, and a resilient member, wherein the valve case includes a first coolant discharging port and a pair of second coolant discharging ports, each second coolant discharging port being smaller in size than the first coolant discharging port, and wherein the spool valve includes a plurality of first grooves and two pairs of second grooves which are formed on the first grooves so that the second grooves in each pair face each other and a coolant may be introduced from the bottom surface of the valve case, and wherein when the spool valve is initially opened, the coolant is introduced through the first and second grooves.
US08276613B2	One-way valve of variable capacity compressor for vehicle Disclosed is a one-way valve of a variable capacity compressor for vehicle including: a valve sheet having a coolant inlet formed at the center; a valve case provided over the valve sheet and having a plurality of coolant discharging ports along the circumferential surface; a spool valve selectively opening/closing the coolant inlet and the coolant discharging port in the valve case; and a resilient member provided between the valve case and the spool valve, wherein the plurality of coolant discharging ports are spaced from each other by a predetermined distance and one of the plurality of coolant discharging ports is closed so that the spool valve is brought in tight contact with an inner wall surface of the valve case when the coolant discharging ports are initially opened not to be swayed left and right.
US08276612B2	System and method for hydraulically managing fluid pressure downstream from a main valve A system and method for controlling fluid pressure downstream a main valve includes associating a variable orifice with the main valve such that the variable orifice opens as the main valve is opened and closes as the main valve is closed. A fluid stream taken from a fluid inlet of the main valve is passed to an inlet of the variable orifice. A fixed orifice is in fluid communication with an outlet of the variable orifice. A pressure differential between the inlet and outlet of a fixed orifice is detected by a control pilot device, which hydraulically opens or closes the main valve in response to the detected fixed orifice pressure differential between low pressure and high pressure set points.
US08276610B2	Toilet cistern inlet valve A toilet cistern inlet valve, said inlet valve including an inlet stem connected to a water supply, a canister surrounding said inlet stem, a float canister freely supported on said canister, an annular float adjustably positioned on said float canister, an upper valve body, a pilot diaphragm valve, and a diaphragm filling valve within the upper body whereby during the emptying of the cistern the float canister lowers and contacts an actuator button to contact the pilot diaphragm valve to open the diaphragm filling valve to refill the toilet cistern.
US08276609B2	Concealed plumbing fixture Disclosed is a concealed plumbing fixture including a connection member that is provided with at least one connection for a water pipe, especially a domestic cold water pipe and/or a domestic warm water pipe, and at least one fastening element for fixing the connecting member in a mounting hole. Said plumbing fixture further includes a functional unit, particularly with a plumbing valve that is provided with connection means for creating a water connection to complementary connecting means of the connecting member, and a joining device that allows the functional unit to be removably fixed to the connecting member. The connecting member is preferably provided with an adjustable fastening device by means of which the same can be fixed in the mounting hole at different mounting depths. The inventive plumbing fixture also includes at least one fastening ring that can be moved in an axial direction along the connecting member as well as at least one means for locking the fastening ring on the connecting member.
US08276605B2	Device for cleaning a filter element A device (11) for cleaning a pleated filter element, the device having; a body, a fluid inlet (13), a work face (14) having at least one pleat separating projection (19) and at least one fluid outlet (22) for directing fluid between pleats separated thereby.
US08276602B2	Garbage collecting apparatus of dishwasher A garbage collecting apparatus of a dishwasher, mounted in a dishwasher such that washing water is pumped by a washing pump to wash garbage on targets to be washed, and then such used washing water is drained by a drain pump, the apparatus including a first garbage collecting net, and a second garbage collecting net having a mesh size relatively greater than that of the first garbage collecting net, whereby various sizes of garbage can be filtered by the garbage collecting apparatus, so as to automatically be discharged to the exterior, and also a decomposition, a displeasure, an inconvenience due to washing of the collecting nets and the like which may be caused when such garbage remains in the garbage collecting apparatus can be solved.
US08276600B2	Scraper machine The invention relates to a machine for scraping away sediment or the like deposited on the bottom of a gallery. The machine comprises: a first movable body suitable for moving over the bottom portion of the wall of the gallery; first movement means for moving said first movable body; scraper means for detaching sediment from the bottom; first buffer storage means mounted on said first movable body; first transfer means for transferring detached sediment into said first storage means; second transfer means for transferring sediment stored in said first buffer storage means to the outside of said first movable body; a second movable body; second movement means; and second storage means mounted on said second movable body to collect the transferred sediment.
US08276598B1	Multipurpose hair clip An improved hair clip employs a pair of cooperating main members that are pivotally connected and biased into a hair engaging orientation. Each of the main members is contoured and includes a first end spaced apart from a second end by a middle portion. The first end of each main member acts as an articulation tab that allows an individual to apply leverage necessary to place the clip in a hair engaging orientation. Attachment sleeves are removably attached to the main member middle portions with a centrally located articulation storage sleeve. Each storage sleeve may be capped for storage of loose items or may accept one of several interchangeable accessory tubes. A depending cover member is provided for positioning of a mirror for use in cosmetics application.
US08276591B2	Diaphragm based spontaneous inflation inhibitor in a pump for an inflatable prosthesis A method of preventing inadvertent inflation of an implantable prosthetic includes biasing a valve assembly such that an outlet is substantially closed and using inadvertent pressure increases from the inlet to supplement the biasing of the valve assembly. It may further include the step of preventing fluid flow through the outlet by selectively varying fluid pressure within a bypass passageway having a first end which is in fluid communication with an inlet and a second end which is in fluid communication with a chamber. And, may also additionally include the step of displacing a flexible abutting wall disposed between the chamber and the valve assembly so that the abutting wall is caused to contact the valve assembly and urge the valve assembly into a closed position when the fluid pressure within the chamber exceeds a predetermined amount.
US08276586B2	Valve for a breathing apparatus A respiratory valve, comprising a valve housing with a chamber, inlet (21) and respiration (22) openings. The chamber is limited by an arcuated or aslant interior wall section (18) extending from a lower part and into an upper part of the chamber, and is terminated in the upper part of the chamber, under the respiration opening. An outlet opening (23) is provided in the interior wall section. An elongated valve flap (32) in the form of a resilient plate element fixed to the lower part of the chamber terminates in the upper part of chamber. The flap is wide enough to cover the outlet opening, and is adapted to be positioned, in a rest position, in a distance from the interior wall section, and, in a work position, in contact with a part of the interior wall section. In the work position, the flap substantially covers and closes the outlet opening, and establishes a passageway between the inlet and respiration openings.
US08276583B2	Device for delivering medicament The present invention relates to a device for delivery of medicament comprising a main housing; a container arranged in said housing and arranged to be connected to a medicament delivery member, wherein said container includes at least two chambers and at least one longitudinally movable plunger and wherein at least one chamber contains a medicament agent; a pre-treating arrangement acting on said container; drive force means acting on a longitudinally movable plunger rod capable of exerting a force on said container; and activating delivery means acting a said drive force means for delivering medicament via said medicament delivery member characterised in that said pre-treating arrangement comprises clickable means for manually and delay intermittently mixing said medicament agent and for manually priming said container.
US08276581B2	Prefilled type nasal drip appliance Provided is an easy-to-handle prefilled type nasal drip appliance which can spray medical solution surely into the nostril while holding down the production cost. A syringe barrel has a spray hole and a latching portion of a center stopper on one side, with a conduction portion of medical solution being provided at the latching portion, and has a portion protruding inward of the inner circumferential surface formed on the other end side. A plunger has a portion protruding outward of the outer circumferential surface formed substantially in the axial center wherein both protrusions engage with each other. When the plunger is moved in the spray direction of the syringe barrel to get over the plunger side protrusion and disengaged, the medical solution moves the center stopper in the spray direction to form a medical solution inflow groove between the conduction portion formed at the center stopper latching portion and the center stopper. Consequently, a medical solution storage portion and the spray hole are interconnected and the medical solution can be sprayed.
US08276576B1	Bowstring vibration and noise eliminator The invention is a system that prevents the transfer of vibration from a bowstring to a bow riser and simultaneously silences the bowstring from making audible noise. The invention mounts to the riser of a bow or crossbow and disposes at.least one rigid finger and integral brush combination adjacent to the bowstring when the bowstring is in the neutral at-rest position. Upon release, the bowstring travels along a path parallel to the rigid finger and through the brush bristles. Kinetic energy of the bowstring is transferred to the brush bristles without inducing any vibration in the bow riser, and the bowstring quickly returns to the at-rest position without audible vibration.
US08276575B1	Archery bowstring release An archery bowstring release includes a pair of bowstring-gripping jaws actuatable by a trigger, with the trigger and jaws both being pivotally linked to the housing. A cam situated within the housing has a trigger cam pivot which translates and rotates with respect to the trigger, such that the cam is urged by actuation of the trigger to open and close the jaws. The forward part of the housing bearing the jaws may be rotatable with respect to the rear part of the housing, such that the plane in which the jaws move can be rotated with respect to the plane in which the trigger moves.
US08276573B2	Failure prevention in portable target throwing machines A circuit module for preventing component failure in portable target throwing machines, the circuit module comprising a microcontroller coupled to a power source and a motor, wherein the microcontroller is configured to count a number of clay target throwing cycles and a run time of the motor. The circuit module also comprises a relay coupled to the microcontroller and the motor, wherein the relay is configured to open and interrupt power supply to the motor when at least one of the number of clay target throwing cycles and the run time of the motor exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08276563B2	Internal combustion engine piston An internal combustion engine piston having a combustion bowl with fuel control structure for redirecting at least a portion of the fuel exiting the combustion bowl. One form of the piston includes a sharp edge disposed at the outer surface of the piston adjacent the entrance to the combustion bowl and a rounded fuel receiving lip located within the combustion bowl.
US08276555B2	Method for managing transitions in internal combustion engines with a hybrid drive powertrain Combustion mode transitions in a hybrid powertrain are managed by coordinated control of engine valve train, engine fueling and electric machine torque generation.
US08276554B2	Spark ignition type internal combustion engine In an internal combustion engine, a variable compression ratio mechanism (A) able to change a mechanical compression ratio and a variable valve timing mechanism (B) able to control the closing timing of an intake valve (7) are provided. The mechanical compression ratio is held at a maximum mechanical compression ratio at the engine low load operation side and gradually made to decrease as the engine load increases at the engine high load operation side. Combustion is performed by a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio at the engine high load operation side, and combustion is performed by a lean air-fuel ratio at the engine low load operation side where the mechanical compression ratio becomes the maximum mechanical compression ratio.
US08276553B2	Water pump attachment structure of water-cooled internal combustion engine A water pump attachment structure of a water-cooled internal combustion engine is provided to facilitate the maintenance of a valve train. A water pump attachment structure of a water-cooled internal combustion engine includes a semicircular cut-away surface of a water pump holder opposed to a semicircular surface of a cylinder head to form a water pump support circular hole. Screw members are passed through respective screw through-holes of the cylinder head and threadedly engaged with internal thread holes of the water pump holder. Thus, the water pump holder is fastened to the cylinder head. A water pump is fitted into and secured to the water pump support circular hole. A cylinder head cover is attached to the cylinder head by allowing their mating surfaces to conform with each other with the water pump holder liquid-tightly sandwiched therebetween.
US08276551B2	HCCI combustion moding state control for fuel economy and seamless transitions A method and system for controlling an engine includes a homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) operating zone boundary module determining a first HCCI operating boundary and a fuel rate module determining a first fuel rate from an operator input. The system also includes a switch module modifying the first HCCI operating boundary to a modified boundary in response to a measured mass airflow, cam positions and the first HCCI operating boundary. The system also includes a combustion control module operating the engine in a spark ignited mode when a second fuel rate request is outside the modified boundary.
US08276544B2	Sound dampened pet abode A pet abode with sound dampening characteristics comprising an interior space of a pet abode having sufficient dimensions to allow a pet to comfortably reside within the interior space. The interior space is formed from at least three walls where one or more of the walls exhibits sound dampening characteristics. The sound dampening characteristics reduces a one or more sounds originating from a source external to the interior space. That is, the interior space of the pet abode is sound proofed (or sound dampened), allowing a pet to be undisturbed by loud noises outside the interior space.
US08276543B2	Animal compartment assembly An animal compartment assembly includes a roof having a plurality of roof panels, a sidewall connected to and supporting the roof, and a floor supporting the sidewall. A hollow interior is defined between the roof, sidewall and floor. A hinge is connected to the roof such that at least one roof panel is hingedly raised.
US08276541B2	Illuminated hummingbird feeder An illuminated bird feeder, such as a hummingbird feeder, includes a housing portion for holding a quantity of liquid, a hanger portion associated with the housing portion for suspending the hummingbird feeder from a support, and a feeder portion with at least one artificial feeding flower fluidly connected to the housing portion. At least one light emitting member in the form of a fluorescent-doped optical fiber is associated with the at least one artificial feeding flower for sighting the hummingbird feeder in low light conditions.
US08276536B2	Rudder system A rudder system for a kayak includes a rudder configured for pivotal attachment to the kayak and a propeller housed in and extending from the rudder. A battery is in electrical communication with the propeller to selectively power the propeller. The kayak system includes an input in electrical communication with the propeller to operatively actuate the propeller, the input being accessible from inside the kayak. A sensor is operatively coupled to the kayak to determine a relative speed thereof. A processor is in data communication with the sensor and propeller, the processor including programming to determine a necessary propeller speed. The processor is in data communication with the input so as to establish the desired relative speed of the kayak. The propeller includes at least two blades and the propeller motor is housed in the rudder.
US08276534B2	Boat A boat includes a recess arranged in a middle, as viewed in a horizontal direction, of a stern, and outboard motors installed on an installation portion provided in the recess such that the boat driven by the outboard motors. A transom platform is located at left, right, and front sides of the recess so that a crew is allowed to walk on the transom platform. A rear portion of each of the left portion and the right portion of the transom platform projects rearward beyond the outboard motors. The starboard-side step of the transom platform has a step, while the port-side step has a step. A storage portion is arranged below the fore step, and a storage portion is arranged in a rear portion of the port-side step. The boat allows for an effectively usable large space to be provided in the boat body and allows for easy movement around the outboard motors.
US08276532B2	Sewing machine with engraving function A sewing machine includes a holder including an embroidery frame holding a workpiece cloth and a striking holder holding an engraving workpiece which is to be engraved by striking, a transfer mechanism detachably attached to either the embroidery frame or the striking holder to transfer the embroidery frame or the striking holder on a sewing machine bed, a striking needle which is struck against the engraving workpiece to engrave the engraving workpiece, a drive mechanism reciprocally driving the striking needle upward and downward, and a control device controlling at least one of execution of an embroidery sewing operation onto the workpiece cloth and execution of an engraving operation in which the striking needle is moved upward and downward so that the striking needle is struck against the engraving workpiece held by the striking holder while the striking holder is moved by the transfer mechanism.
US08276530B2	Air/product flow splitting apparatus for use with product distribution system of an agricultural seeding machine A splitter divides an air/product mixture flow, delivered thereto in an air-powered distribution line, between a primary and a secondary distribution channel, which may be flow-coupled to a product hopper or a hose flow-coupled to another product hopper or another splitter. The air/product mixture enters the inlet of the splitter along an angled downward flow path and exits a primary outlet, flow-coupled to the primary distribution channel, along a vertical downward flow path. Air/product flow is exhausted by a secondary outlet, which is flow-coupled to the secondary distribution channel, at an angled upward flow path. The velocity flow vector along which the air/product mixture is exhausted from the secondary outlet is at an acute angle relative to the velocity flow vector along which the air/product mixture is received by the inlet of the splitter.
US08276527B2	Corner bolt locking system A corner bolt locking system for a safe or vault is disclosed for use with cam and link locking mechanisms and a generally rectangular door panel frame, having a corner hole through its corner. A reinforcement channel is disposed at the corner and aligned with the corner hole. A corner bolt link arm is pivotably attached to a rotatable pin cam plate, and a corner bolt is pivotably attached to the corner bolt link arm and positioned through the reinforcement channel and the corner hole.
US08276525B2	Height-adjustable equipment stand A fast height-adjustable equipment stand, particularly for a notebook or for a monitor with a keyboard, which can be placed on a table and a support surface of which can be raised or lowered so low that a keyboard situated on the support surface can be operated without difficulty while sitting. To this end, at any height the equipment present thereon is held in a horizontal or defined oblique position such that the support surface is guided by at least two folding brackets, which cause a parallel guidance of the support surface relative to the base surface in that the edges thereof are fastened non-parallel to each other to the support surface in an articulating manner, and that the support surface can be locked in one or more heights to prevent accidental lowering.
US08276523B2	Worksurface assembly A worksurface assembly includes a support structure and a top portion that is movable relative to the support structure. The worksurface assembly may include a mounting rail configured to support various accessory units. A utility supply system is provided, and the top portion of the worksurface assembly may be moved to provide access to the utility supply system. A mechanism provides for controlled movement of the top portion of the worksurface assembly relative to the support structure.
US08276519B2	Wad-less cartridges and method of manufacturing the same This disclosure relates generally to cartridges for use in projectile-launching devices, such as ammunition cartridges, flare cartridges, and the like, including components of the cartridges, and methods for their manufacture. For example, the cartridges of this disclosure can be ammunition cartridges such as shotshell cartridges, which include an obturating medium which functions to seal the compressed but expanding hot gases and can be used without a pre -formed gas seal.
US08276517B2	Method, device and system of deploying a payload Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention include a method, device and/or system of deploying a payload. In some demonstrative embodiments, the system may include an invertible sleeve capable of being expanded in an inside-out manner, wherein first and second surfaces of the sleeve, which face outward and inward, respectively, when the sleeve is at an unexpanded state, face inward and outward, respectively, when the sleeve is at an expanded state; a payload conveyer to convey the payload, wherein the payload conveyer is detachably connectable to a first end of the sleeve; and a pressurizer to expand the sleeve by applying a pressure through a second end of the sleeve. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08276515B1	Ultra-miniature electro-mechanical safety and arming device A ultra-miniature, electro-mechanical, MEMS type safe and arming (S&A) device for medium- or large-artillery rounds, including, three sequenced S&A interlocks: a setback slider, which is positioned partially within and partially extending from an arming slider, such that, upon firing acceleration, the setback slider will compress into a channel within the arming slider (unlocking the 1st interlock); freeing the arming slider to move toward its arming position under urging of the round's spin; a stop and release mechanism formed by a flexible latch arm which impacts upon a safety catch located within the frame in which the arming slider is mounted, such that the arming slider is stopped until a release command signal is initiated by the fuze circuit, triggering a spot charge which generates an expanding gas wave that flexes the latch arm from contact with the safety catch (unlocking the 2nd interlock), thereby freeing the arming slider to continue its motion into an arming position (unlocking the 3rd interlock) and aligning the parts of the firetrain within the device, such that upon signal from the fuze circuit an output charge from the device will ignite the acceptor charge within the round.
US08276513B2	Method for handling printing plates and adjusting the spacing between plates A method for ejecting printing plates from an imaging apparatus includes providing a plurality of the printing plates to the imaging apparatus; forming an image on at least one of the printing plates; determining a desired tail-to-tip spacing between adjacent printing plates; ejecting a sequence of the printing plates from the imaging apparatus along a path; and adjusting a spacing between two adjacent printing plates in the sequence of the printing plates to reduce a variance between a projected tail-to-tip spacing and the desired tail-to-tip spacing.
US08276502B1	Ambidextrous safety lever This disclosure describes embodiments of an ambidextrous or reversible safety mechanism for firearms. The safety mechanism can be utilized on specific rifles and shotguns, for example an AK47, SAIGA or similar firearms, as a retrofit to reposition the existing safety mechanism to a configuration similar to or nearly identical to an AR15, M16 or similar firearms. In this way, personnel familiar with the safety operation of the AR15 or M16 will be able to operate the retrofit firearm without learning the operation of a new mechanism. Once retrofitted, the firearm safety mechanism will have the same visual appearance, action, and “feel” as the firearm with which they are familiar. The distance from the grip (trigger) to the engagement portion of the safety mechanism of the retrofit firearm will be very similar to that of the familiar firearm.
US08276499B1	Convertible ballistic structure with articulated panels A convertible ballistic structure has a threat side and a protected side. The ballistic structure includes a body panel assembly, and at least one movable side panel assembly adjacent the body panel assembly. Means are provided for articulating the side panel assembly relative to the body panel assembly, whereby the ballistic structure is convertible between a contracted condition and an expanded condition. In the contracted condition, the side panel assembly extends rearwardly from the body panel assembly and outwardly from the protected side of the ballistic structure. In the expanded condition, the side panel assembly extends outwardly substantially coplanar to the body panel assembly.
US08276493B2	Sawhead vertical adjusting friction winch and self-locking/braking system for sawmill A friction winch and braking system for a sawmill having a cutting mechanism for sawing lumber. The friction winch and braking system allows for easy, one-handed raising and lowering of the sawmill head within the sawmill carriage and the automatic braking of the sawhead at the vertical plane chosen by the operator.
US08276492B1	Angle adjustment structure of a hydraulic cut-off press An angle adjustment structure installed in a hydraulic cut-off press between a worktable and a machine base for adjusting the angular position of the worktable relative to the machine base is disclosed to have arched rails fixedly symmetrically provided at two opposite upright peripheral walls of the worktable at the bottom side, arched sliding grooves respectively formed in two opposite upright peripheral walls of the machine base at the top side for supporting the arched rails, a worm pivotally mounted in the machine base, and an arched worm gear fixedly mounted in the worktable at the bottom side and meshed with the worm for moving the worktable relative to the machine base along the arched sliding grooves upright rotation of the worm to adjust the angular position of the worktable by an external biasing force.
US08276491B2	Food article loading mechanism for a food article slicing machine An automated sequenced food article tray loading method and apparatus for a high speed slicing machine where food articles can be loaded sequentially into designated and separated lanes of a lift tray and automatically sequentially assume a preload condition. Food article separation is maintained on the lift tray after the food articles are loaded by a plurality of support plates and one or more dividers. A food article sweep mechanism receives the food articles on the lift tray in their separated positions and transfers the food articles into the food article feed mechanism while maintaining the separated positions. The food article sweep mechanism is a substantially open structure without enclosing walls.
US08276488B2	Boring machine for turbine casings A boring machine including a rotatable boring bar carrying a tool holder that is movable radially of the boring bar, wherein a sensor is provided on the tool holder to sense the proximity thereof to a work piece having a variable radius of curvature in a plane perpendicular to the boring bar.
US08276485B1	Pivot head wrenching tool A pivot head wrenching tool includes a handle, a switch, a pawl, a torsion spring, and a pivotal driving head. The pivot head wrenching tool is operable in a lock mode in which the pivotal driving head is restrained from being pivoted and in an unlock mode in which the pivotal driving head is able to be pivoted. The switch is in a first position and includes a first surface abutted against the pawl as well as the pawl is engaged with a connecting end of the pivotal driving head when the pivot head wrenching tool is in the lock mode. The switch is in a second position and includes a second surface gapped from the pawl as well as the pawl is disengaged from the connecting end of the pivotal driving head when the pivot head wrenching tool is in the unlock mode.
US08276479B2	Breather To perform exhaustion to regulate pressure in a case with surely recovering liquid in the case without draining it, even when the pressure in the case rises rapidly, a breather for regulating internal pressure in a case by performing exhaustion to the outside when the internal pressure exceeds predetermined pressure thereby reducing the internal pressure, includes an exhaust passage leading from the inside of the case to the outside; a liquid recovery passage for recovering liquid discharged from the inside of the case to the inside of the case; and a discharge valve means which opens when the internal pressure in the case exceeds the predetermined pressure, wherein the liquid recovery passage is provided at the atmosphere side beyond the discharge valve means, and a recovery valve means is provided in the liquid recovery passage.
US08276474B2	Power transmission device and image forming apparatus having the same A power transmission device and an image forming apparatus having the same that is capable of reliably transmitting intermittent power to a driven component from a driving source. The power transmission device includes a shaft, a first intermittent gear to receive power from the driving source and to rotate on the shaft, a second intermittent gear arranged so as to move between a first position in which the second intermittent gear is connected to the first intermittent gear along an axial direction of the shaft and a second position in which the second intermittent gear is disconnected from the first intermittent gear, a sliding unit arranged so as to slide along the shaft and to move the second intermittent gear in the axial direction of the shaft, and a driving unit to drive the sliding unit.
US08276473B2	Sift-drum apparatus and four wheeled vehicle with the same A shift-drum apparatus for a gear-type transmission including a plurality of shift forks and a shift drum provided at its outer peripheral surface with a plurality of shift grooves, in which a state of the gear-type transmission is shifted between a neutral state and a plurality of transmission gear stages. The number of shift forks is the same as the number of the transmission gear stages, and each of the shift grooves includes one or more gear-shifting recesses that are depressed in an axial direction of the shift drum. The shift forks are biased in the axial direction respectively by springs toward the corresponding gear-shifting recesses. Two of the gear-shifting recesses are formed in at least one of the shift grooves, while two of the shift forks are engaged with the shift groove.
US08276472B2	Transmission assembly for power unit of a vehicle, and power unit incorporating same A transmission assembly includes a shift drum operable to rotate in first and second directions. The shift drum includes a common speed change position, where both a fastest forward gear and a reverse gear are capable of becoming engaged, in such a manner that a reverse stopper arm fits at a first end of a reverse cam groove formed on the shift drum. When the shift drum is rotated in the second rotation direction, opposite to the first direction, from a state where the reverse gear is engaged, the reverse stopper arm surmounts the outer periphery of the shift drum from the first end of the reverse cam groove, without requiring the application of an external force thereto, so as to become detached and to move towards a second end of the reverse cam groove.
US08276470B2	Device and method for introducing gas for analysis device Gas is supplied from positive pressure (105 Pa or more) to an analysis device of high vacuum (10−2 Pa or less) precisely and stably, while keeping conditions constant and replicating the conditions, and performing switching to a desired gas within a short time. According to a gas introducing device and a method, a plurality of types of gases are synthesized in a mixing chamber, the synthesized gas is introduced and the pressure of the gas is reduced by a pressure reducing pump to a pressure ranging from 0.1 Pa to 0.1 MPa, and the depressurized gas is introduced to a gas analysis device through a switching operation using a gas switching valve.
US08276469B2	Stack-gas measuring apparatus and stack-gas measuring method A stack-gas measuring apparatus includes a sample introducing unit (sampling unit and heating conduit pipe) for introducing stack-gas, a cooling unit (containing wet filter) in which dust components in the stack-gas are agglomerated, a filter column containing a filter element made of a polymer material for collecting the dust components, a mist scrubber which is disposed downstream of the filter column and which contains an adsorbent for removing acid mist in the stack-gas, and an analyzer in which the cleaning-processed gas is introduced to measure a particular component in the stack-gas.
US08276467B2	Tactile sensor with decoupled sensor cells The invention relates to a tactile sensor with a sensor cell, wherein a sensor cell comprises an electrically-conducting workpiece made from flexible material and a connection to a first and a second electrode and the flexible material layers the electrical conductivity thereof under mechanical load. According to the invention, pressure distributions can be measured, by providing at least two sensor cells separated by an intervening zone, wherein two adjacent sensor cells are connected to a common first or second electrode and in the intervening zone between a first and a second adjacent sensor cell the electrically conducting workpiece of the first and the second sensor cell are at least partly separated from each other by medium with a greater specific resistance than the specific resistance of the electrically conducting workpieces.
US08276466B2	Two or three-axis shear load cell A two or three axis load cell capable of measuring axial and one or more shear forces is disclosed. The load cell can comprise a force collector connected by one or more connecting rods to one or more cross pieces. The load cell can comprise a single cross piece and can measure an axial force applied to the load cell and at least one component of shear force applied to the load cell. In other embodiments, the load cell can comprise two cross pieces, disposed at disparate angles, to enable the measurement of an axial force and both components of shear force applied to the force collector. The cross pieces are equipped with a means, such as piezoresistive elements to measure their deflection due to the applied forces on the force collector. The connecting rods can be fitted with additional piezoresistors to measure the axial forces on the force collector.
US08276464B2	Transverse load apparatus A loading device is provided, including a first member, a second member, a first clamping member, a second clamping member, and an actuator. The first member includes a first surface, where the first surface contacts a first side of a test piece. The second member includes a second surface, for contacting a second side of the test piece. The first clamping member includes a first clamping surface for contacting the second side of the test piece. The second clamping member is fixedly secured to the second member. The actuator exerts a predetermined force driving the second member in a first direction away from the first member, and a second direction towards the first member.
US08276463B2	Shear stress measurement apparatus A shear stress sensor for measuring the shear force of a fluid flowing along a wall. A floating member, flush with the wall, senses a shear force of the flowing fluid. The floating member is mounted by support means to a base element that is placed in the wall, so that the floating member is flush with the wall and a shear force, sensed by the floating member, is translated via the support means to a Fiber Bragg Grating. The force acting on the Fiber Bragg Grating changes the shape and the refractive index of the Fiber Bragg Grating, thereby changing the resonant frequency of the Fiber Bragg Grating and causing a shift in the spectrum of wavelengths of light that is introduced to the Fiber Bragg Grating. This shift in the spectrum of wavelengths is representative of the shear force of the flowing fluid.
US08276458B2	Transmitter output with scalable rangeability An industrial process transmitter includes a sensing system and transmitter electronics. The sensing system senses a process variable over a range. The transmitter electronics is connected to the sensing system and produces a scaled analog communication signal to communicate the process variable over an analog loop. The range is disproportionately distributed over the scale by the transmitter electronics.
US08276457B2	Pressure sensor and pressure difference sensor A pressure sensor includes a hydraulic path filled with a pressure transfer liquid and a pressure transducer having a pressure sensitive deformation body. The hydraulic path includes a channel which extends from a pressure input opening at least to the deformation body, wherein the pressure input opening is spaced a separation distance from the deformation body, and wherein pressure on the deformation body deviates from pressure at the pressure input opening by the difference of the hydrostatic pressure of the pressure transfer liquid between the pressure input opening and the deformation body. The pressure sensor further includes an inclination sensor for determining at least one inclination value dependent on the inclination of the hydraulic path, and a processing circuit, which is suitable to determine the difference of the hydrostatic pressure of the pressure transfer liquid between the pressure input opening and the deformation body as a function of inclination value, a density value of the pressure transfer liquid and a separation distance.
US08276453B2	Touchless input device An input device, including two or more ultrasonic transducers (UTs) driven by a driving signal (DS) for respectively sending a transmitting signal to sense an object; a driving circuit unit (DCU) generating the DS; a receiving circuit unit (RCU) determining whether echo signals (ESs) respectively returned from the two or more UTs are greater than a threshold value; a diplexer receiving and transmitting the DS to the two or more UTs, or receiving and transmitting the ESs to the RCU; and a control unit controlling the DCU to generate the DS, controlling the operation of the diplexer, and obtaining a relative motion information between the object and at least one of the two or more UTs according to all of ESs greater than the threshold value and determined by the RCU, so as to correspondingly output an input signal, is provided.
US08276446B2	Sensor device A sensor device includes a housing base part, a bearer part, a chip structure situated on the bearer part, and a spring/damper combination via which the housing base part and the bearer part are elastically connected to one another. In the sensor device, the housing base part, the spring/damper combination and the bearer part are situated one over the other.
US08276443B2	Method of using a level meter employing the radar principle A method of using of a level meter employing the radar principle, serving to measure the fill level of a medium in a container and incorporating an electric conductor system for conducting an electromagnetic signal into the container and returning reflected components of the electromagnetic signal from the container, the electric conductor system terminating at a predefined level in the container. In practicing the method a variation of the component of the electromagnetic signal reflected at the container-oriented end of the conductor system is utilized as an indicator of the attainment of the predefined fill level by the medium. This permits the detection of very small amounts of a medium for instance in the monitoring of drain pipes, spillway basins or leak-detection systems.
US08276441B2	Tire chip and tear test apparatus and method A tire testing apparatus that includes a test drum and at least one tire station. The test drum has an outer radial surface and a plurality of sectioned plates having outer radial test surfaces, wherein the plurality of sectioned plates mount on the outer radial surface of the test drum. The tire testing apparatus further includes at least one tire station having a selected tire with a tread, wherein the tread of the selected tire presses against the outer radial test surface of the plurality of sectional plates, and wherein the at least one tire station applies a force against the tread of the selected tire. Further, a tire testing method includes providing a selected tire having a circumferential tread and moving the selected tire against a rotating test drum having a plurality of sectional plates having a test surface. Further, the method includes maintaining contact between the selected tire and the plurality of sectional plates for a selected period of time, moving the selected tire away from the test drum, and evaluating the tread for wear.
US08276440B2	Device for error monitoring of chassis components of rail vehicles The invention relates to a device for the error monitoring of chassis components of rail vehicles, including at least one vibration sensor. According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one vibration sensor is arranged on a bogie frame or on a wheel set bearing of an axis of a bogie of the rail vehicle such that the detection direction thereof has a component in the moving direction (x-direction) or a component perpendicular to the moving direction (y-direction) and at the same time a component parallel to the vertical axis (z-direction) of the rail vehicle.
US08276438B2	Method for verifying the aging condition of a catalytic converter on board a vehicle The invention describes a method for determining the light-off temperature of a catalytic converter on board a vehicle. The aging condition of the catalytic converter is determined by means of the method. To test the catalytic converter, the latter is loaded for example with a CO/HC test pulse. During the combustion of the additional CO and HC on the catalytic converter, an axial temperature profile is generated. The position of the maximum of said temperature profile along the catalytic converter is dependent on the current light-off temperature. The temperature profile travels through the catalytic converter and can be measured at the outlet of the catalytic converter as a time-dependent profile. The original axial temperature profile can be inferred from the time-dependent profile. Using a calculation program, the current light-off temperature of the catalytic converter on the vehicle can be determined. The method has the advantage that the test can take place at exhaust-gas temperatures considerably higher than the light-off temperature. In this way, it is ensured that the test pulse does not lead to increased pollutant emissions.
US08276437B2	Clogging determining device for reducing agent injection valve and clogging determining method for reducing agent injection valve Provided is a clogging determining device and a clogging determining method for a reducing agent injection valve, which enable clogging of the reducing agent injection valve to be determined with high precision in further consideration of the individual difference of the system. There are provided an opened-valve pressure reduction amount calculating element for calculating an opened-valve pressure reduction amount representing a pressure reduction amount in the supply passage which is reduced in a predetermined time when the pressure-feeding operation of the pump is stopped under the state that the reducing agent injection valve is set to an injection mode, a closed-valve pressure reduction amount calculating element for calculating a closed-valve pressure reduction amount representing the pressure reduction amount in the supply passage which is reduced in a predetermined time when the pressure-feeding operation of the pump is stopped under the state that the reducing agent injection valve is set to a full-close mode; and a clogging determining element for comparing the opened-valve pressure reduction amount with the closed-valve pressure reduction amount to determine clogging of the reducing agent injection valve.
US08276436B2	Vacuum assisted nut drop test The present invention provides for an apparatus for testing a surface coating. An elongated tube having a first end and a second end is provided wherein said second end is open to a holding container. The first end of the elongated tube farther includes a funnel. A planar test panel is adapted to hold a variety of materials to be tested. Such materials include paint, coatings, tape, or other like materials. A separator is fluidly connected to the holding container via a first conduit. A vacuum is fluidly connected to a separator by means of a second conduit. A tester places a plurality of loose test pieces, such as metal nuts or small rocks, into the funnel and the loose test pieces fall through the elongated tube and onto the planar test panel. The loose test pieces then fall into the holding container. The vacuum creates suction through said separator and through the conduits into the holding container thereby removing the loose test pieces from the holding container through the conduit and into the separator. The loose test pieces can then be removed from the separator, and the testing process may easily be repeated.
US08276435B2	Surface texture measuring instrument and measuring method A surface texture measuring instrument includes: a measuring device that includes a detector for detecting surface texture of a workpiece and an X-axis movement mechanism for moving the detector in a measurement direction; an elevation inclination adjuster capable of adjusting an elevation position and an inclination angle of a table on which the measuring device is mounted; a stage on which the workpiece is mounted; and a controller that controls the measuring device and the elevation inclination adjuster. The controller includes: a measurement controller that controls the X-axis movement mechanism to conduct a preliminary measurement and main measurement of the workpiece; a computing unit that acquires a result of the preliminary measurement from the detector and obtains an inclination angle of the workpiece at which the workpiece is inclined to the measurement direction; and a positioning controller for adjusting the inclination angle of the table based on the obtained inclination angle.
US08276432B2	Transport pod interface A transport pod interface in one example including a sampling probe connected to a gas analyzer and an actuator coupled with an access door on the transport pod in the coupling position, and that moves said door towards the base of the interface in an retracted position in which the volume of gas to be analyzed contained within the transport pod is accessible by the sampling probe, characterized in that it includes at least one sealing joint configured such that at least when the interface is in the retracted position, the space between the actuator and said base is sealed in such a way as to isolate the volume of gas to be analyzed.
US08276428B2	Device for manufacturing profiles A device for manufacturing profiles from a sheet includes at least one work station with a base plate and two die halves, wherein the die halves and the base plate extend in the longitudinal direction of the profile to be manufactured, and the die halves are arranged on the base plate movable relative to one another perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the profile. A generic device and method for manufacturing profiles with which even heavily structured profiles can be economically produced with high flexibility, is provided by a punch for forming the sheet. The punch is movable perpendicular to the relative movement of the die halves and perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the profile to be manufactured. The base plate has a die adapted to the punch, in which the sheet is formed, and the die of the base plate and the punch pertaining to it are exchangeable.
US08276424B2	Grooved roll for a reducer and a reducer A pipe in which polygonization is substantially eliminated is manufactured by a reducer with a grooved roll with a groove having a groove bottom zone including the center of the groove in the roll axial direction and flange zones adjoining both sides of the groove bottom zone. The groove surface has a friction distribution in the roll axial direction such that the frictional force with respect to a material being rolled in the groove bottom zone is larger than the frictional force with respect to a material being rolled in the flange zones. This friction distribution can be achieved by working the groove surface so that the surface roughness of the groove bottom zone becomes greater than the surface roughness of the flange zones or by applying a lubricity modifier which differs with respect to amount and/or type between the groove bottom zone and the flange zones.
US08276421B2	Re-turning plant for rollers of a rolling mill A re-turning plant (1) for rollers (7) of rolling mills of the type comprising at least one roller stand (1) and a plurality of rollers (7) mounted to respective arms (6) pivoting in the plane of the roller stand (1) about respective pins (8) that are fixed to the roller stand (1), the rollers (7) being positioned within the roller stand (1) in a work position in which work surfaces (9) of the rollers (7) determine the outer profile of a body to be rolled, wherein the re-turning plant (1) comprises a support structure (12) configured to support the whole roller stand (1) in a turning position, a tool-holding device (13) that can be displaced in contact with the work surfaces (9) of each roller (7) of the plurality of rollers (7) fixed in the roller stand (1) and mandrel means (14) with means (15, 16) that can be rotatably coupled to each roller (7) of the plurality of rollers (7) fixed to the roller stand (1) to rotate the same substantially in the work position.
US08276420B2	Roll unit for use in surface treatment of copper foil Provided is a roll unit for use in a surface treatment of a copper foil, wherein shaft sleeves are fitted to a roll shaft of a roll so that the roll shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing via the shaft sleeves. Additionally provided is a roll unit wherein the shaft sleeves consist of two sleeves, namely a roll-side sleeve arranged on a roll main body side and a tapered sleeve arranged on a shaft end side, an oil seal is arranged between the roll-side sleeve and a bearing box, and the tapered sleeve is supported by a bearing disposed in the bearing box. Thus, this invention relates to a roll unit to be used in electrochemical surface treatments, such as roughening treatment, rust prevention treatment and surface oxidation treatment, to be continuously performed on a surface of a rolled copper foil or an electrolytic copper foil, and in particular relates to a roll unit capable of inhibiting the abrasion and corrosion of the roll shaft of such roll unit and capable of simple replacement of the bearing box, bearing and other components.
US08276418B2	Security cover plate with accentric mounting aperture A cover plate assembly 10 is provided for a cabinet door or drawer lock 12. A cover plate 26 defines a first circular aperture 28 and a rotatably circular cover plate insert 32 defines an eccentrically positioned second circular aperture 34. The second circular aperture 34 defines an inner diameter 33 sized to selectively receive the cylinder and plug assembly housing 20, and the insert 32 has an outer diameter 39 sized to fit within and selectively rotate with respect to the first circular aperture 28. During installation, the outer diameter 39 of the insert 32 is positioned within the first circular aperture 28, and the insert 32 is selectively rotated to a position that enables the cover plate assembly 10 to register with a bolt housing 16 and the second circular aperture 34 to register with a cylinder and plug assembly housing 20.
US08276415B2	Holding coil for electronic lock An electronic lock may include a locking mechanism and a cartridge having a body portion and one or more extension receiving portions that may receive the locking mechanism. The lock may also include a first coil positioned around the cartridge, a core disposed within the cartridge and substantially within the first coil, and a second coil positioned around the cartridge. The second coil may be spaced from the first coil. In addition, a first sliding barrier may be disposed within the cartridge, which barrier may be selectively in communication with the locking mechanism. A control circuit may be included in the lock, which may energize the first and second coils to cause the first sliding barrier to move from a first position magnetically attracted to the core to a second position magnetically attracted to the second coil and thereby allow actuation of the locking mechanism.
US08276408B2	Tub having structurally strengthened rear wall and washing machine with the same therein A washing machine includes a tub made of plastic to store water therein and a drum rotatably installed in the tub to hold laundry therein. A shaft passes through the tub and connects to the drum to transmit driving power from a motor to the drum. A wall having a recessing part and a projecting part is formed on an inner surface or outer surface thereof in a circumferential direction. A bearing housing has a stator fastening part where the stator fastening part has a recessing part and a projecting part corresponding with the recessing part and the projecting part of the wall in a circumferential direction, and a stator of the motor is mounted on the stator fastening part and a rotor of the motor is connected to a rear part of the shaft and surrounding the stator.
US08276403B2	Method and apparatus for reducing tin oxide in float glass production A method for removing oxygen from molten tin in the float bath chamber of a float glass manufacturing process is provided. The method includes providing a chamber having within it molten metal and a gaseous atmosphere above the molten metal, providing at least one reducing gas container proximate the interface between the molten metal and the gaseous atmosphere, providing a source of a reducing gas, and directing the reducing gas to the at least one container. In the at least one container, the reducing gas reacts with the oxygen in the molten metal. The method may include removing a vapor/particulate stream from the float bath chamber. The method may also include removing the vapor and/or the particulate from the stream. An apparatus for removing oxygen from the molten tin is also provided.
US08276396B2	Oil cooled generator for trailer refrigeration unit A transport refrigeration unit includes an integrally mounted unitary engine driven generator wherein the generator is cooled by the circulation of oil over the stator coils and the rotor to thereby provide a cooling system that is closed from the outside environment and capable of increased cooling efficiencies. In one embodiment, the circulation of the engine oil is integrated into the generator such that its serves the dual purpose of cooling the generator. In other embodiments, the oil is contained entirely within the generator and is circulated by various means such as by a pump and spray, a slinger or total immersion.
US08276394B2	Modular absorption heat sink devices for passive cooling of servers and other electronics A passive heat sink for cooling an electronic component such as a high-performance processor. The heat sink includes a shell with a surface that is positionable adjacent a heat generating surface of the electronic component. The shell includes a heat exchanger portion with cooling fins extending outward and positioned in a fan-provided airflow. A generator compartment is provided within the shell with a generator vessel for containing an absorbent, and the generator compartment is maintained at a pressure lower than ambient. The generator compartment conducts heat away from the electronic component to the absorbent in the generator vessel. An absorber compartment, at a pressure lower than the generator compartment, is provided within the shell above the generator compartment, and, in use, an absorption refrigeration cycle contained within the shell is activated by heat from the electronic component. A bubble pump moves absorbent from the generator compartment to the absorber compartment.
US08276389B2	Assembly for directing combustion gas An arrangement (10) for conveying combustion gas from a plurality of can annular combustors to a turbine first stage blade section of a gas turbine engine, the arrangement (10) including a plurality of interconnected integrated exit piece (IEP) sections (16) defining an annular chamber (18) oriented concentric to a gas turbine engine longitudinal axis (20) upstream of the turbine first stage blade section. Each respective IEP (16) includes a first flow path section (40) receiving and fully bounding a first flow from a respective can annular combustor along a respective common axis (22) there between, and delivering a partially bounded first flow to a downstream adjacent IEP section (42). Each respective IEP further includes a second flow path section (112) receiving a partially bounded second flow from an upstream adjacent IEP (66) and delivering at least part of the second flow to the turbine first stage blade section.
US08276388B2	Optimizing an anti-coke film in an injector system for a gas turbine engine An annular expansion ring centered on a main axis and suitable for being mounted on a fuel injector coaxial with the ring is disclosed. The ring presents holes that are distributed around the main axis and open out into its upstream face to enable air to pass towards the zone that is downstream from the ring. The ring includes a conical annular groove that converges downstream, that is open downstream, and that has the holes opening out into the upstream portion thereof. The axis of each of the holes makes an angle relative to the main axis that is strictly greater than the angle between the generator line of the cone defining the annular groove and the main axis, such that the air exiting from the holes impacts against the inner wall of the annular groove, i.e. its wall that is closer to the main axis.
US08276385B2	Staged multi-tube premixing injector A fuel injection nozzle includes a body member having an upstream wall opposing a downstream wall, and an internal wall disposed between the upstream wall and the downstream wall, a first chamber partially defined by the an inner surface of the upstream wall and a surface of the internal wall, a second chamber partially defined by an inner surface of the downstream wall and a surface of the internal wall a first gas inlet communicative with the first chamber operative to emit a first gas into the first chamber, a second gas inlet communicative with the second chamber operative to emit a second gas into the second chamber, and a plurality of mixing tubes, each of the mixing tubes having a tube inner surface, a tube outer surface, a first inlet communicative with an aperture in the upstream wall operative to receive a third gas.
US08276377B2	Method and apparatus for converting energy in a moving fluid mass to rotational energy driving a transmission Three bodies interact to drive a transmission having a pair of one-way clutches coupling a single length of drive chain or other elongate flexible member to an intermeshed pair of counter rotatable gears so as to drive a primary shaft in a single rotational direction. The three bodies are a fixed body, a floating body, and a suspended and usually submerged weighted body. The three bodies are interconnected by the single length of the elongate flexible member and are spaced apart there along. The weighted body is mounted at one end of the elongate flexible member. The primary shaft is mounted above the surface of a moving fluid mass to either the fixed or floating body. The end of the flexible member opposite to the weight is mounted to the other of the fixed or floating body.
US08276376B2	Hydraulic circuit with selectively actuated motor A hydraulic circuit for a vehicle having at least one selectively actuated hydraulic assist motor. The hydraulic circuit includes a first loop that includes, in serial order, a first hydraulic pump, a first hydraulic line, at least one hydraulic motor and a second hydraulic line. A second hydraulic pump and a third valve is used to control the flow of low pressure fluid from the second pump to the hydraulic motor casing. The low pressure fluid through the third valve maintains the motor pistons retracted when the motor is not being used. For actuating the motor, the third valve is actuated for disconnecting the second pump and relieving pressure from the motor casing. Low pressure is then provided to the first and second lines for extending the motor pistons. The first and second valves are then actuated for isolating the first and second lines from one another, and the first pump is used to power the motor. The first, second and third valves are advantageously solenoid cartridge valves.
US08276369B2	Exhaust purification system of internal combustion engine In the present exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine, a particulate filter is arranged downstream of an NOx storage/reduction catalyst device and an S trap device is arranged upstream of the NOx storage/reduction catalyst device. A first fuel supplying device for supplying additional fuel for regeneration of the particulate filter to the exhaust system upstream of the S trap device or into the cylinder is provided. An amount of the additional fuel supplied by the first fuel supplying device is controlled to make the S trap device not release SOx. A second fuel supplying device is provided in the exhaust system between the NOx storage/reduction catalyst device and the particulate filter to make up for a deficiency of the additional fuel supplied by the first fuel supplying device in the regeneration treatment of the particulate filter.
US08276365B2	Control device and control method for internal combustion engine In a region where the engine load is less than a first predetermined value, only a second exhaust valve that opens and closes a second exhaust passageway that bypasses a turbine of a supercharger is opened. In a region where the engine load is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than a second predetermined value, both the second exhaust valve and a first exhaust valve that opens and closes a first exhaust passageway that leads to the turbine are opened. In a region where the engine load is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value, only the first exhaust valve is opened. A predetermined value for the time of lean combustion is set lower than a predetermined value for the time of stoichiometric combustion.
US08276363B2	Method for compensating for combustion efficiency in fuel control system Compensation is provided for a fuel demand signal of a gas turbine controller during transition between operating modes. The compensation adjusts fuel demand to account for combustion efficiency differences between the starting and ending operating mode that otherwise can lead to severe swings in combustion reference temperature and lean blowout.
US08276358B2	Process of manufacturing ultra-soft yarn and fabric thereof A process of manufacturing a ultra-soft yarn includes wrapping a roving material with a yarn by a low twist-multiplier of about 1˜4, wherein the roving material is drawn at a draw ratio preferably between 1 and 10, wherein the ultra-soft yarn has a fluffy structure, which can provide better softness, draping property, and hand feel to users. Fabric including the ultra-soft yarn is also provided.
US08276356B2	Tractor mounted cotton harvester A low-cost, highly maneuverable cotton harvester (10) with a row unit (26) that effectively follows the ground contour includes frame structure (30) pivotally connected to the two lower links (22) of a tractor three-point hitch (14). A picking unit (26) is connected by a linkage structure (52) to the frame (30) and is closely coupled behind a rear drive wheel (16) of the tractor (12). A lift arm (98) extends forwardly and downwardly from an end (99) pivotally connected to the linkage structure (52a). The lower forward end of the lift arm includes a non-steerable gauge wheel (44) generally aligned with the tractor axle (44a), and a hydraulic cylinder (100) pivots the lift arm (98) relative to the linkage structure to adjust row unit operating height and to raise and lower the row unit to and from the field operating position. The gauge wheel axis (44a) is aligned with the axis (16a) of the drive wheel (16). A variable speed pulley assembly (90) synchronizes picker drum speed to ground speed.
US08276355B2	Harvesting machine with a transport unit for the installation and removal of a crop processing unit An agricultural harvesting machine is provided having a frame, a crop processing unit that is movable with respect to the frame between an operating position, in which it is inserted into a channel through which crop can flow, and a non-operating position outside the channel. A transport unit is provided with a first arm articulated to the frame of the harvesting machine pivotably about a first vertical axis, a winch and a traction device connected to the winch for lifting the crop processing unit out of its non-operating position and for moving the crop processing unit into a position outside the harvesting machine. The transport unit further is provided with a second arm holding the traction device and articulated to the outer end of the first arm pivotably about a second vertical axis.
US08276352B2	Packaging machine A packaging machine comprises a chamber (4) having a cover (5), wherein the cover (5) which is liftable from a lowered position in which a chamber (4) is closed into a lifted position, in which a chamber (4) is opened. It is the object of the device or the method to improve the ergonomic accessibility and the visibility of the cover inside of a vacuum chamber of a packaging machine during maintenance, repair or cleaning work. For this purpose, the cover (5) is pivotable in the lifted position.
US08276350B2	Method of wrapping a fragrance detectable soap bar Methods for placing apertures in a film material wrapping of soap bars so that the soap bar fragrance can be readily detected outside of the packaged soap bar. The apertures can be shaped apertures or slit apertures. The apertures can be placed in the film material at the time of the decoration of the film material or at the time of feeding the film material to be placed around the soap bar. The apertures can be any surface of the wrapped soap bar, but should be of an overall surface area to emit not more than 60% of the fragrance or 50% of the moisture content of the soap bar over a period of 6 months. In addition the surface of the film material adjacent the soap bar may contain a coating of the fragrance of the soap bar, or in the alternative the surface of an inner insert material such as a stiffener can contain a coating of the fragrance of the soap bar. Further the apertures can be coordinated with the decoration and when the decoration is a botanical the fragrance of the soap bar and that of the botanical can be coordinated.
US08276348B2	Sterile packing and sterilization method using this packing The packing according to the invention comprises: a container for holding said at least one object to be sterilized, having an inlet opening and a discharge opening via which said at least one object may pass into and out of said container, said container comprising a rigid part which comprises a peripheral wall bored with a multitude of small holes having dimensions smaller than those of the said at least one object, and a non-rigid part in a material porous to the sterilization fluid and non-porous to microbial contamination, this non-rigid part being able to contain said rigid part and to be sealed thereon; and at least one envelope made in a flexible and airtight material, which is vacuum sealing fitted on said container.
US08276347B2	Method for forming a transportable container for bulk goods A transportable container for flowable bulk goods is formed by disposing an outer wrap around a bottom support and a portion of a vertically spaced slip frame former. One of the slip frame former and the bottom support moves vertically relative to other in response to the fill level of the bulk goods. As bulk goods are added to the transportable container, the position of the slip frame former is radially adjusted to modify the shape of the transportable container. As the fill level increases in the transportable container, previously disposed portions of outer wrap are disengaged from the slip frame former to squeeze the filled portions of the transportable container. Additional portions of outer wrap are disposed around a portion of the slip frame former to maintain the transportable container for receiving bulk goods as the previously disposed portions of outer wrap are disengaged.
US08276346B2	Wrapping apparatus and method including metered pre-stretch film delivery assembly Methods and apparatus for dispensing a predetermined fixed amount of pre-stretched packaging material to a load are disclosed. An amount of pre-stretched packaging material to be dispensed by a packaging material dispenser is determined based upon the girth of the load to be wrapped. Once the amount of packaging material to be dispensed is determined, a ratio of relative rotational speed to packaging material dispenser speed can be set and mechanically controlled. In an alternative embodiment, the ratio is electronically controlled.
US08276344B2	Support structure and system providing element protection A structural support system with a means for capturing and channeling elements originating from an exterior surface is disclosed. More specifically, the support system not only creates a dry area under a deck but is also a load bearing component of the deck. The support system is multifunctional in that it alleviates the need for traditional joist-dependent construction methods while simultaneously providing an efficient and aesthetically pleasing structure for maintaining a useful, dry area under the deck. Advantageously, embodiments are scalable in that the system comprises a repeatable series of interlocking components operable to be customized to any foreseeable deck footprint or load bearing application.
US08276342B2	Flooring panel or wall panel and use thereof Flooring panel or wall panel and a use thereof in a wet room. The panel is provided with a locking means in the form of groove (6) and tongue (7) forming a tongue/groove joint for assembling of the panels. The groove (6) and the tongue (7) are preferably made of water tight material and formed with a snap-together joint.
US08276340B2	Concrete wall formwork module A concrete wall formwork module comprising a first side wall panel structure including a first grid and a first panel secured to the first grid, a second side wall panel structure including a second grid and a second panel secured to the second grid, and connecting rods having about a same length hingedly interconnecting the first and second side wall panel structures to allow movement thereof between a retracted parallel relationship to a spaced apart parallel relationship. A plurality of such concrete wall formwork modules allow assembling a formwork which is functionally similar to conventional formwork since the facing side wall panel structures are connected in a parallel relationship by the thin spacer connecting rods which allow concrete to freely travel within the formwork. When the first and second side wall panel structures are in the retracted parallel relationship, the concrete wall formwork module is more compact and therefore easier and less costly to transport.
US08276338B2	Low reflected-sound-pressure-level, low moisture-vapor-transmission-rate flooring system A flooring system having a top floor layer, a sub-floor, and an underlayment material disposed between the sub-floor and the top floor layer is disclosed. The underlayment material may include a cross-linked, polyolefin foam having a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than about 3.0 lb/1000 ft2/24 hr, and an average sound pressure level of less than about 15 dB over a range of about 300 Hz to about 1000 Hz. Foam density, gel fraction, and resin blend may combine to provide an underlayment material having such reflective sound and moisture vapor barrier properties.
US08276335B2	Attachment profile In the construction of walls in balloon framing below roof pitches, the attachment profiles need to be suitable for different inclines and are to be connectable to the incline. For this purpose, the attachment profiles have fastening tabs on both sides, which may be bent into the particular required inclined attitude. The fastening tabs extend nearly over the entire profile web and are only linked on a deflection edge on one side on the attachment profile in the area of the profile web. In addition, the attachment profile can be used for the upper and lower fixing of the sub profiles of a stud or stud round wall.
US08276332B2	Prefabricated insulation wall panels for construction of concrete walls Prefabricated insulation wall panels for construction of a concrete wall include two elongated studs, each having a planar web section and inner and outer flanges, and one or two insulation boards vertically disposed between the two studs. The web section includes multiple through-holes spaced apart in the body portion of the stud, disposed off center in a transverse direction and closer to the inner flange than to the outer flange. The insulation board is thinner than the width of the wed section. The inner surface of the insulation board is disposed against the inner flanges of the studs, with two side edges of the insulation board covering the through-holes on the web section of each stud, thus establishing a distance between the outer surface of the insulation board and the outer flanges of the studs through the body portion of the studs.
US08276330B2	Modular solar panel racking system Disclosed herein are embodiments of modular racking systems for solar panels and in particular, modular solar panel racks, racking systems, arrays of racks, kits and methods of use. One embodiment of a modular solar panel rack comprises a plurality of discrete ballast holders and a plurality of panel support members each having two upright portions, a transverse portion contiguously connected between the two upright portions, the connection such that the transverse portion is non-perpendicular to the two upright portions, and a retainer attached to the transverse portion and configured to retain a solar panel. Each of the plurality of ballast holders is connected to no more than four panel support members, each ballast holder perpendicularly connected to one of the upright portions.
US08276329B2	Fire resistant PV shingle assembly A fire resistant PV shingle assembly includes a PV assembly, including PV body, a fire shield and a connection member connecting the fire shield below the PV body, and a support and inter-engagement assembly. The support and inter-engagement assembly is mounted to the PV assembly and comprises a vertical support element, supporting the PV assembly above a support surface, an upper interlock element, positioned towards the upper PV edge, and a lower interlock element, positioned towards the lower PV edge. The upper interlock element of one PV shingle assembly is inter-engageable with the lower interlock element of an adjacent PV shingle assembly. In some embodiments the PV shingle assembly may comprise a ventilation path below the PV body. The PV body may be slidably mounted to the connection member to facilitate removal of the PV body.
US08276327B1	Relocatable concrete armory vault A relocatable concrete armory includes an outer vestibule and an inner vault separated by a dividing wall. A vestibule door provides entry to the concrete vestibule. A steel vault door and a security daygate are mounted to the dividing wall and provide entry to the concrete vault. The interior surface of the armory includes insulation panels embedded in concrete. The armory can be integrally lifted via removable lifting cams attached to concrete side walls. The concrete has a compressive strength of at least 15,000 psi.
US08276324B2	Branched spike bird deterrent A bird deterrent has a base and at least one branched spike extending from the base. The branching can occur anywhere along the spike, and a single branch point can give rise to multiple branches. Spikes can have multiple branches. The various branches can be of any suitable length(s), and can be oriented in any suitable direction(s).
US08276319B2	Fire resistant access panel for ducts and air handling equipment An access panel assembly for providing access to a duct through an opening in the duct. The access panel assembly comprises a sealing member, a cover member and fasteners. The sealing member fits around the opening in the duct and the cover member fits over the sealing member and coupled to the duct by the fasteners. The cover member may comprise a fire resistant panel and is formable to the shape of the duct thereby allowing the access panel assembly to be fitted to irregular shaped ducts or openings in the ducts. The access panel assembly allows easy and ready access to the interior of ducts or other air handling equipment to permit the inspection and cleansing of the interior surfaces and other interior components of any contaminants.
US08276317B2	Auto locking, manual unlocking door stay A door stay device for automatically locking a door in an open position includes a first component adapted to be attached to a stationary support, the first component including a plate having a curved cam edge with a radius matched to a swinging movement of the door between closed and open positions. The plate has a slot open at the cam edge at a location corresponding to the open position of the door. A second component is adapted to be secured at a lower or upper edge of a door, the second component having a locking member arranged to move into the slot when the locking member is aligned with the slot and the door is in the open position.
US08276316B2	Sliding door device The invention relates to a sliding door device including: a slider mounted to the sliding door so as to be movable on the rail; a lever provided in the slider so that a middle part thereof would be rotatable; a first roller provided on one end side of the lever so as to be rotatable on the rail; a recess formed in the rail so that the first roller would fall thereinto before the sliding door reaches a completely closed position, the recess having a rising wall surface of the rail being in a direction intersecting with a rotating surface of the first roller, the rising wall surface capable of coming into contact with the first roller; and a cable mounted to the sliding door for driving the sliding door to a closing direction when the cable is pulled. The cable is connected to the other end side of the lever and causes the lever to rotate in a direction that the first roller pushes the rail when the cable is pulled.
US08276310B1	Anchored fishing rod holder assembly A fishing rod holder includes a central shaft with telescoping sections and a pair of support legs secured adjacent the first end thereof. A third support leg attached to the central shaft provides further supports. A rod support arm is pivotally secured within a vertical slot in the second end of the central shaft. A second end of the rod support arm includes a forked end with finger sections. A T-shaped hanger supported by the forked end has a central leg section pivotally secured to a strap that engages the handle of a fishing pole. The fishing pole is free to pivot up and down relative to the T-shaped hanger. Raising the fishing pole disengages the T-shaped hanger from the support arm, thereby pivoting the rod support arm to a vertical orientation. An anchor further secures the central shaft to a support surface.
US08276307B2	Mount adapter device utilizing a push system A mount adapter device utilizing a spring-loaded push system for quickly and securely attaching accessories to weapon accessory rails is disclosed. The mount adapter device generally includes a first base member, a second base member, a push rod member, and a resilient member. The push rod member connects the first base member and the second base member. The first base member is linearly slidable into engagement with the second base member in a first direction, and the second base member is linearly slidable into engagement with the first base member in a second direction which is opposite the first direction. The first base member includes a first clamping member for engaging a first edge of the weapon accessory rail. The second base member includes a second clamping member for engaging a second edge of the rail. The resilient member provides a spring force and is arranged to force the first clamping member to move in the first direction into locking engagement with the first edge of the rail while simultaneously forcing the second clamping member to move in the second direction into locking engagement with the second edge of the rail.
US08276306B2	Rear firearm grip support rod and aiming method The present invention is a support rod that extends from the rear grip of a firearm with portable convenience features of quick, course adjustment, and slow, fine adjustment of the firearm without the shooter removing his hands from their normal firing position during aiming. The support rod is extended, retracted and adjusted by a button, spring, and a knob in the rear grip of the firearm.
US08276302B2	Manual slide and hammer lock safety for a firearm A firearm has a frame, a slide mounted to the frame, a trigger, a hammer-type firing mechanism including a hammer, and a manual slide and hammer lock safety mechanism (“manual safety”) including a detent spring biased rotatable tab mounted to the frame that blocks the slide from reciprocating and the hammer from rotating relative to the frame if the tab is actuated in an “on” position. The manual safety completely disables the firearm even if the trigger is actuated, thereby rendering the firearm safer.
US08276300B2	Display device having detachable decorative member The present invention is to provide a display device, which comprises a display body having two opposite sides adjacent to a periphery thereof and each formed with at least one first positioning element respectively, and at least one detachable decorative member made of an elastic material and formed with a second positioning element in two opposite sides adjacent to two end edges thereof respectively. When the second positioning element is inserted into and engaged with the first positioning element corresponding thereto, the elastic deformation force of the decorative member can generate a clamping force for enabling the second positioning element to firmly clamp the first positioning element, protecting the periphery of the display body from being broken due to external impact or abrasion, using the decorative member as an elastic cushioning for packing the display body into a packing box, and reducing the use of packing materials.
US08276296B2	Dynamically moderated shock attenuation system Various embodiments of this invention disclose a dynamically responsive shock attenuation system for footwear and/or apparel that comprises two or more materials with different, narrowly prescribed physical properties, which, when used together, produce a dynamic, continuous, and proportional response over a wide range of impact forces. In various embodiments of the invention, the two materials comprise a first material that exhibits generally Newtonian behavior to impact forces and a second material that exhibits generally non-Newtonian behavior to impact forces.
US08276295B2	Midsole with three-dimensional wear-resistant component and the method for manufacturing it The present invention provides a midsole with a main body and a peripheral component having foam material filled inside, precise ornamental details and wear-resistant outer shell. According to the present invention, a preferred method of manufacturing a midsole with less weight than traditional and high resolution pattern is provided with the steps of: forming a TPU thin sheet into a shell with three-dimensional ornamental details and a receiving space, filling a foam material into the receiving space thereby to enhance the strength of the shell, trimming the shell together with the filled foam material from the thin sheet to be a peripheral component of the present invention, forming a main body of the midsole by foam material, and bonding the peripheral component to the main body of the midsole.
US08276293B2	Laundry dryer providing drum rotation reversals and associated altered airflows A laundry dryer includes a rotatable drum and an air delivery system. The air delivery system can include a reversible blower that provides air at a first flow rate when operated in a first direction and provides air at a second lower flow rate when operated in an opposite second direction. The drum can be a reversibly rotatable drum that is rotatable in a first and an opposite second direction, and the dryer can include a drive motor that both rotates the drum and operates the blower. Drum and blower reversal may be controlled to optimize drying efficiency and also reduce stress on the drive system. A moisture delivery system can provide moisture (e.g., water mist or steam) into the drum while air is being provided at the lower second flow rate, and during drum rotation (tumbling).
US08276290B2	Washing and drying machine and clothes dryer A washing and drying machine includes a water tank, a rotary drum, an irradiating light source and control means. The rotary drum is rotatably supported in the water tank. The irradiating light source is for emitting a light beam including ultra-violet ray to the inside of the rotary drum. The control means controls the irradiating light source such that the light beam including the ultra-violet ray is emitted to the inside of the rotary drum after the end of the drying process.
US08276284B2	Tilt-sensing apparatus and automatic posture control apparatus using same A tilt-sensing apparatus for sensing whether the tilt of an object exceeds a predetermined level, and to an automatic posture control apparatus using same. An amplifying lever moves along with a tilt lever which rotates in accordance with the level of fluid. in a balanced state, the end of the amplifying lever is spaced apart by a predetermined gap from a contact of a case. when the tilt of the object significantly exceeds a predetermined level, the case fixed at the object is tilted together with the object. the tilt lever in the case keeps the balanced state by the level of fluid, the tilt lever rotates in one direction relative to the case, and the rotational displacement of the tilt lever is amplified by the amplifying lever to enable contact sensors and contacts to be interconnected and turned to the ON state.
US08276281B2	Circular saw A circular saw includes a housing, an electrical motor mounted in the housing, a base plate disposed below the housing, a saw blade attached to the housing and driven by the electrical motor, and an alignment indication assembly coupled to the housing. The saw blade has a portion below the base plate and can be tilted with respect to the base plate in a transverse direction. The alignment indication assembly has an indication member with an indicating end. The indication member is movable relative to a rotation center of the saw blade when the saw blade is being tilted with respect to the base plate so that the indicating end is maintained in front of and in line with the saw blade all the time.
US08276273B2	Method for removing blade ring and member for removing blade ring There are provided a method for removing a blade ring by pulling out the blade ring smoothly and surely while preventing damage to other components, and a member for removing a blade ring. By using a dummy blade ring, connection plates, and connecting bolts, work for removing and mounting a lower half section of the blade ring is performed. Thereby, work of rotation and the like can be performed while the lower half section of the blade ring and the dummy blade ring are connected to each other in both end portions. Therefore, during the work, the lower half section of the blade ring and the dummy blade ring are prevented from shifting from each other and therefore from interfering with the opposed rotor blade tip, a lower half section of a casing, and the like, thus preventing damage to the tip, distortion of the lower half section of the blade ring and the dummy blade ring, and the like. Consequently, a stator blade ring can be pulled out smoothly and surely.
US08276264B2	System for mounting components on boards A component mounting apparatus includes two board transfer devices, a component supply unit, a component placing device, a setting unit, and a controller. Until production of the urgent boards is instructed, the two board transfer devices and the component placing device mount components on the regular boards in accordance with a first mounting program stored by the controller. When production of the urgent boards is instructed, a regular board is unloaded from the other board transfer device, which has been set by the setting unit to transfer urgent boards, the transfer way width of the other board transfer device is adjusted to the width of the urgent boards, and the other board transfer device and the component placing device are controlled so that component mountings on the urgent boards are performed on the other board transfer device in accordance with a second mounting program stored by the controller.
US08276263B2	Surface mounting apparatus A surface mounting apparatus includes a conveyer supporting a printed wiring board being moved in a transportation direction, and a board transfer device that lowers a pair of tab members to positions spaced apart upstream and downstream of the printed wiring board and moves the tab members in the transportation direction. The board transfer device includes an interval changing device to change an interval between a pair of the tab members and a sensor to detect the position of the printed wiring board, an interference determination means to determine the absence or presence of the printed wiring board at the positions to which both the tab members are to be lowered according to the position of the printed wiring board detected by the sensor and interval setting means to move the tab members by driving the interval changing device according to a detection result of the interference determination means.
US08276259B1	Method of constructing a differential inductor A method of constructing a differential inductor having a high self-resonance frequency is provided. In general, a ground point is identified. A first coil having a first and second loop is created such that the first loop is electrically further away from the ground point than the second loop. A second coil having a third and fourth loop are created such that the third loop is electrically further away from the ground point than the second loop. The first coil and the second coil are positioned such that the first loop is positioned as a near neighbor to said fourth loop and said second loop is positioned as a near neighbor to said third loop.
US08276258B1	Method for fabricating a magnetic recording transducer A method and system provide a magnetic transducer that includes an underlayer and a first nonmagnetic layer on the underlayer. The method and system include providing a first trench in the first nonmagnetic layer. The first trench has at least one edge corresponding to at least one side shield. The method and system also include providing a second nonmagnetic layer in the first trench and providing a second trench in the second nonmagnetic layer. The method and system include providing the main pole. At least part of the main pole resides in the second trench. The method and system further include removing at least a portion of the second nonmagnetic layer between the edge(s) and the main pole. The method and system also provide the side shield(s) in the first trench. The side shield(s) extend from at least an air-bearing surface location to not further than a coil front location.
US08276256B1	Head stack assembly method using flexure tail raised region A method of assembling a head stack assembly (HSA) includes securing a flex cable to an actuator including an actuator arm having a side slot with a slot end. A first head gimbal assembly (HGA) is attached to the actuator arm. The first HGA includes a first laminated flexure having a first flexure tail with a first raised region that includes an out-of-plane bend. The first raised region is squeezed while inserting the first flexure tail partially within the side slot with the first raised region adjacent the slot end. The first raised region is allowed to expand into contact with the side slot adjacent the slot end. The first flexure tail is electrically connected to the flex cable.
US08276254B2	Surface micromachined differential microphone A method of forming a miniature, surface micromachined, differential microphone, comprising depositing a sacrificial layer on a surface of a silicon wafer; depositing a diaphragm material on a surface of the sacrificial layer; etching the diaphragm material layer to isolate a diaphragm; and removing a portion of the sacrificial layer beneath the defined diaphragm. A diaphragm formed in the diaphragm material layer is supported by a hinge and otherwise isolated from a remaining portion of the diaphragm material layer by a slit adjacent a perimeter of the diaphragm. An enclosed back volume beneath the diaphragm has a depth defined by a thickness of the sacrificial layer, and communicates with an external region via the slit. A transducer may be provided for producing an electrical signal responsive to a displacement of the diaphragm.
US08276246B2	Fastening device, in particular for hand grips for the interior of the motor vehicle A fastening device, in particular for hand grips for the interior of a motor vehicle, is equipped with a bearing block, which can be inserted into a recess in a plate-like structure, with a stopper which can be inserted into the bearing block, and with means which, upon insertion of the stopper, make it possible for rear engagement of the fastening device behind a plate-like structure. The invention makes provision for the rear-engagement means to be formed separately and to be produced preferably in the manner of wings from sheet steel.
US08276245B2	Window curtain pull cord concentrator safety device A window curtain pull cord concentrator safety device of the present invention provides a concentrator device which enables the gathering together of the free ends of a plurality of pull cords of a window curtain set, and enables complete transmission of a pulling force in an emergency. And basically comprises a drag cup, an inner bottom of a concave cavity of which is provided with a through hole enabling a wire hoop body coupled to a pulling member to penetrate therethrough. The wire hoop body is located in the interior of the drag cup, and displacement of an inner loop side of the wire hoop body relative to the drag cup is used to determine whether the free ends of the pull cords are radially restrained, thereby enabling complete relay transmission of the pulling force. In an emergency, the pull cords are rapidly released, thereby achieving instantaneous prompt safety effectiveness.
US08276244B2	Elastomeric releasable cable tie The present invention is directed toward an elastomeric releasable cable tie having a head and a strap extending from the head. The head includes an end wall, an inner wall and sidewalls. The end wall, inner wall and sidewalls define a channel that extends from an entrance end to an exit end of the head. The head also includes a hingeless wedge extending from the end wall into the channel for engaging the strap.
US08276243B2	Hook and loop tie with a non-slip area Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a hook and loop tie for securing a bundle of cables. The hook and loop tie comprises a loop component, a hook component, and a non-slip component. The loop component has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a plurality of loop fastening elements. The hook component is affixed to the loop component, extends from the first end of the loop component toward the second end of the loop component, and has a plurality of hook fastening elements. The non-slip component is affixed to the loop component, extends from the second end of the loop component toward the first end of the loop component, and overlaps at least a portion of the hook component.
US08276241B2	Hinge A hinge includes a base, a crank, a bottom board, a crank engagement seat, and a fixed seat. The crank is pivotably connected to the base. The bottom board includes at least one retaining portion, a first rivet hole and a vertical elongated hole. The crank engagement seat is connected to the crank and located between the fixed seat and the bottom board. The crank engagement seat includes first and second through-holes and a second rivet hole. The fixed seat includes first and second adjusting holes. A first adjusting member is extended through the first adjusting hole and the first through-hole into the first rivet hole. A second adjusting member is extended through the second adjusting hole into the second rivet hole. The bottom board and the crank engagement seat can be slightly moved in the vertical direction. The crank engagement seat can be slightly moved in the horizontal direction.
US08276235B2	Wearable wipe unit A wearable wipe unit having one or more absorbent members attachable to, and removable from, a retaining member, or each other. The retaining member has a mouth which attaches to a user's waist band or belt. One or more absorbent members may have a storage unit for securely holding a user's personal effects. The bottoms of the front and back sides of the retaining member are angled forward for ease of attachment.
US08276233B2	Multi-directional wiping elements and device using the same Multi-directional wiping elements are disclosed. The wiping elements comprise intersecting squeegee segments that provide top wiping squeegee edges and side wiping squeegee edges. Devices utilizing the multi-directional wiping elements of the present invention can include bristles that are configured to simultaneously wipe a working surface with the wiping elements. In accordance with the embodiments of the invention, the multi-directional wiping elements are utilized in a toothbrush cleaning head that is configured to be operated manually or, alternatively, is motorized and is configured to rotate, oscillate, vibrate and/or move according to a combination thereof.
US08276231B2	Oral-care device and system A device with two or more regions configured to clean or treat a working surface is disclosed. Preferably, the device is an oral-care device with a power cleaning head. The power cleaning head comprises two or more regions, wherein at least one of the regions is configured to move and wherein at least one of the regions comprises a squeegee element. Preferably, the regions are configured to independently rotate, oscillate, vibrate or otherwise move while cleaning teeth and gums and can each include bristles, nodules, squeegee elements, or any combination thereof.
US08276230B2	Operating method of laundry device Method for operating a laundry device including a sterilizing step for supplying steam to an inside of a drum having laundry introduced thereto for progressing sterilizing and/or soaking of the laundry, a washing water supply step for supplying washing water to an inside of the drum having the laundry introduced thereto according to an amount of the laundry, a washing step for rotating the drum for a preset time period to perform washing, a rinsing step for performing rinsing at least once upon finish of washing, and a spinning step for performing a final spinning cycle upon finish of the rinsing, which are to be progressed in succession, whereby consuming small amount of washing water, and power in soaking the laundry, and enabling sterilizing of the laundry having washing thereof finished.
US08276221B2	Cushion system for a washing/bathing tub A method for providing a cushion and tub assembly is provided and comprises obtaining a cushion with magnets within the cushion. The method also comprises obtaining a metallic member, the metallic member magnetically attracting to the magnets in the cushion. The metallic member is permanently secured to a hidden surface of a tub at a location corresponding to a desired location of the cushion on the exposed surface of the tub. The tub and cushion are provided with a cushion being releasably connectable to the exposed surface of the tub at the desired location by attraction forces between the magnets and the metallic member through the tub wall.
US08276219B2	Adjustable potty training seat waste disposal receptacle and liner A potty seat, liner system is provided wherein the seat liner (9) is supported in a receptacle (7) by resting in the contours of a pee deflector (79) and an indentation (81). The receptacle (7) rests inside a seat (5), which is supported by a base (3). Furthermore, the liner (9) can be removed and folded onto itself to enclose waste therein. When not used with the base (3), the seat (5) is provided with an adjustment mechanism to facilitate securing the seat (5) to any desired adult sized toilet seat.
US08276218B2	Macerator toilet A macerator toilet comprising a toilet body include a bowl portion and a base portion, the base portion defining a chamber and a macerator unit in fluid communication with the bowl portion, the macerator unit completely disposed in the chamber and operative for macerating a waste received from the bowl unit and pump the waste from the macerator toilet.
US08276217B1	Personal roll bar A personal roll bar device for protecting a user's head, neck and back provides, in the exemplary embodiment, an impact member positioned adjacent the user's back and removably engaged with the user proximal the user's waist, the impact member extending upwardly therefrom above the user's head. A stabilizing means is removably engaged with the user's upper body and slidably coupled with the impact member, and is configured for maintaining the impact member adjacent the user's back during use. Thus, in the event the user experiences a head-first fall while using the device, an upper end of the impact member substantially protects the user's head and neck from initial impact, with the resulting impact forces being distributed through the impact member and substantially absorbed by the user's waist, thereby reducing the risk of burst and compression fractures in the user's neck and back.
US08276212B2	Apron, towel and bath wrap for infants and toddlers An apron, towel and bath wrap drying garment to help a caregiver bathing an infant or toddler stay dry and keep the infant or toddler warm immediately after the bath. As an apron for the caregiver, the present drying garment closes behind the neck and waist of the caregiver (with secure Velcro fasteners and optional elastic adjustable attachment for the waist) and can be easily removed. Two slits are appropriately present in the garment allowing the caregiver to slide the caregiver's arms through them when taking the infant out of the water, allowing the safe removal of the infant from the water with both hands, while preventing the caregiver from getting wet. These slits also become placeholders for the toddler's arms when the garment is folded into a bathrobe. A method is provided to wrap infants and form a bathrobe for toddlers to keep them warm until changed.
US08281411B2	Security memory device and method for making same A security memory device includes a memory cell array that stores a plurality of contents, including a mine, which is stored as a portion of the plurality of contents. The mine is triggered when it is accessed, typically such that the mine erases the memory contents. Also, control logic is included that controls access to the plurality of contents. In one aspect, the memory cell array can include a protected-cell zone and a free-cell zone. In this aspect, the security memory device can further include a lock that provides protection for contents stored in the protected-cell zone from access and a key that is capable of unlocking the lock.
US08281404B2	System and method for administering security in a corporate portal A method, system, and computer program product for corporate portal security are provided, wherein security information corresponding to an external object imported into the corporate portal is automatically mapped from the object's native security system into the corporate portal system. For each external object imported, the corporate portal maps external users and external groups identified by the native security into corresponding portal users and portal groups according to a predefined mapping process, and stores the results in a manner that associates the external object with those portal users and portal groups. A plurality of database tables and maps determines the outcome of the predefined mapping process. Advantageously, when new external users or groups are added, they are detected by a synchronization agent which then automatically updates the database tables and maps. When custom group security configurations are desired, or when new domains are added, the portal administrator may manipulate a subset of the database tables and maps to achieve the desired configuration. Advantageously, manually intensive operations such as object-by-object security stampings, and/or re-manipulation of individual security settings associated with re-instantiated crawls, are avoided.
US08281399B1	Systems and methods for using property tables to perform non-iterative malware scans A computer-implemented method for using property tables to perform non-iterative malware scans may include (1) obtaining at least one malware signature from a security software provider that identifies at least one property value for an item of malware, (2) accessing a property table for a computing device that identifies property values shared by one or more application packages installed on the computing device and, for each property value, each application package that shares the property value in question, and (3) determining, by comparing each property value identified in the malware signature with the property table, whether any of the application packages match the malware signature without having to iterate through the individual property values of each application package. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08281393B2	Method and system for detecting windows rootkit that modifies the kernel mode system service dispatch table A method, system, and computer program product for detecting a kernel-mode rootkit that hooks the System Service Dispatch Table (SSDT) is secure, avoids false positives, and does not disable security applications. A method for detecting a rootkit comprises the steps of calling a function that accesses a system service directly, receiving results from calling the function that accesses the system service directly, calling a function that accesses the system service indirectly, receiving results from calling the function that accesses the system service indirectly, and comparing the received results from calling the function that accesses the system service directly and the received results from calling the function that accesses the system service indirectly to determine presence of a rootkit.
US08281386B2	Systems and methods for automatic secret generation and distribution for secure systems An authentication program on a network authenticator establishes a secure communication channel with an embedded device. The authentication program receives security credentials from an embedded device. The authentication program receives from the embedded device via the secure communication channel either a secret for the embedded device or a request to generate the secret for the embedded device. The authentication program registers the secret for the embedded device.
US08281378B2	Methods and systems for completing, by a single-sign on component, an authentication process in a federated environment to a resource not supporting federation A system for distributed authentication includes a client machine, in a first domain in a federation, that receives from a user a first set of authentication credentials. The system also includes an intermediate machine in a second domain in the federation, a server, also in the second domain, a password management program executing on the server and a non-federated resource. The intermediate machine authenticates the user responsive to receiving the first set of authentication credentials and identifies a second set of authentication credentials. The server in the second domain authenticates the user, responsive to the second set of authentication credentials. The password management program, executing on the server, retrieves a third set of authentication credentials associated with the user. The non-federated resource authenticates the user, responsive to receiving, from the password management program, the third set of authentication credentials.
US08281375B2	One time password authentication of websites A method including generating a first and second One Time Password (OTP) token from a shared clock, receiving a third OTP token, and comparing the second and the third OTP tokens. A system including a number generator residing on a first server to generate first and second One Time Password (OTP) tokens from a shared clock, a transmitter residing on the first server to transmit the first and the second OTP tokens, a receiver residing on a second server to receive the first, the second, and a third OTP tokens, and a comparator residing on the second server to compare the second and the third OTP tokens to authenticate an identity of a party who generates the third OTP token.
US08281369B2	Method and apparatus for creating secure write-enabled web pages that are associated with active telephone calls The proposed invention provides a user-friendly way for people to turn a traditional in-progress voice-only telephone call into a multi-media call. This may be accomplished using various technologies that can be provided over the Internet or some other multi-media computing/networking platform. The multi-media aspect of the invention may be used to facilitate the sharing of additional information between the call participants as well as dynamically update security aspects (e.g., encryption keys) associated with call.
US08281368B2	Communicating a password securely A secure (e.g., HTTPS) connection is established between a client and a server. Communication over the connection may utilize an application (e.g., a Web browser) that is not part of the client's trusted computing base. A password is sent from the client to the server over the connection such that the clear text password is unavailable to the application. For example, the password can be encrypted and inserted directly into the HTTPS stream from the client's trusted computing base.
US08281365B2	Information management method, information management system, computer-readable medium and computer data signal An information management method includes: receiving a request for certain operation of certain electronic information associated with operation right information that defines permitted operation for each user; determining as to whether or not at least one of (i) a history of previous operations, executed by the user, of the certain electronic information and (ii) a history of previous operations, executed by the user, of a location associated with the certain electronic information meets a predetermined condition, and if it is determined that the at least one of (i) the history of previous operations, executed by the user, of the certain electronic information and (ii) the history of previous operations, executed by the user, of the location associated with the certain electronic information meets the predetermined condition, starting to execute the certain operation.
US08281364B2	Method and system for performing secure logon input on network A trusted input technique in which switching is made between an OS environment unreliable in security and a BIOS reliable in security. Rapid switching to a secure environment, such as BIOS mode, upon request for secure input, is enabled. An OS environment of a user can be quickly resumed after the user completes the input of a cryptogram. The technique does not and will not have any influence on secure transaction architecture. The identification of a server is authenticated in a trusted secure environment, and thus it is possible to prevent such problem as “phishing” websites. The user cryptogram is present as plaintext only in a BIOS environment and server and as encrypted during intermediate transmission. Thus, it is impossible to be intercepted by any virus such as a “Trojan horse”.
US08281357B2	Network system, message processing method, service server, direct access management server, network home appliance, and computer program A network system includes a terminal apparatus, a network home appliance, a service server that provides the terminal apparatus with a service for controlling the network home appliance through a network, and a direct access management server that performs exchange of information necessary for directly accessing the network home appliance through the network. The network home appliance includes a first storing unit that stores setting information for setting necessity of message transmission concerning an event that occurs in the network home appliance and a message transmitting unit that judges necessity of transmission of a message concerning the event and transmits the message. The direct access management server includes a first message-transmission processing unit that specifies the service server and transmits the message to the service server. The service server includes a second message-transmission processing unit that specifies a destination of the terminal apparatus and transmits the message to the destination.
US08281355B1	Method, apparatus, and system for invoking third-party call control via a cable-television host device A method, apparatus, and system are provided for invoking third-party call control via a cable-television host device. A video signal is received into a cable-television host device, the video signal comprising an identifier associated with a first telephony endpoint. A command is received into the cable-television host device, the command requesting establishment of a communication session between the first telephony endpoint and a second telephony endpoint. A message is transmitted via a packet-switched network from the cable-television host device to a network entity, wherein the message comprises content based at least in part on the identifier, and wherein the message further comprises content for causing the network entity to invoke third-party call control to attempt to establish the communication session between the first telephony endpoint and the second telephony endpoint.
US08281347B2	System and method of receiving over-the-air television content A method of receiving over-the-air television content is disclosed and includes receiving input indicating a requested channel at a set-top box device. The set-top box device is coupled to a television via a first connection adapted to send television content to the television and via a second connection adapted to send data to, and receive data from, the television. The method also includes sending a control command from the set-top box device to the television via the second connection. The control command indicates that the television is to tune an over-the-air tuner at the television to the requested channel.
US08281346B2	Method and apparatus for utilizing DVD content through home network A method and apparatus for utilizing DVD content through a home network are provided. The method includes transmitting item information indicating DVD content in response to a request for a content list, and receiving a request for the DVD content in units of a sector from a client having acquired the item information, and extracting and transmitting data of the requested sector to the client. Various functions provided by the DVD video can be utilized similar to reproducing DVD content through a local DVD player while reproducing DVD content stored in a remote server through devices of a home network. Therefore, it is possible to reduce concerns of the DVD copyrighter about illegal copying of the content since encoded data is transmitted as it is, without being decoded.
US08281345B2	Personal video recorder systems and methods Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an interactive television system for recording television programming. The interactive television system may include components for providing personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, such as an interactive television program guide (IPG), PVR extensions, PVR application programming interfaces (APIs), a PVR device, any suitable hardware or software, or a combination thereof. These components may be implemented in, for example, an arrangement having an integrated PVR-compliant device with a PVR device, or in an arrangement having a PVR-compliant device (e.g., a set-top box) coupled to PVR equipment (e.g., a remote PVR server or a PVR sidecar) with a PVR device. The PVR-compliant device may include software and hardware configured to implement the IPG. The PVR APIs may be a library of intelligent vendor-specific and vendor-independent APIs able to determine the type of PVR device being used. The PVR extensions and PVR APIs may be configured to provide a seamless integration of functionality associated with the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device. A full port of the IPG may be implemented in both the PVR-compliant device and the PVR device.
US08281343B2	Management and display of video content A method of transmitting video content between a computing device and display device. The method includes establishing a data connection between a receiver unit and the display device, where the receiver unit includes a first wireless transceiver and an output port, establishing a data connection between a transmitter unit and the computing device, where the transmitter unit includes a second wireless transceiver and a memory and is configured to perform two-way wireless communications with only the receiver unit and is configured to not perform two-way wireless communications with any other devices, and transmitting the video content from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit.
US08281342B2	Digital broadcast receiving apparatus A tuner part 101 for receiving broadcast waves of a channel specified, a key operation part 111 including plural channel selection buttons B corresponding to channels, and a control part 116 for performing control so as to be able to visually distinguish a channel selection button B corresponding to a channel capable of being received by the tuner part 101 from other channel selection buttons B among the plurality of channel selection buttons B are provided, so that notification of a receivable channel can be provided surely.
US08281340B2	Information processing apparatus and method, and program In the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for recommending contents. The information processing apparatus may include recommendation information generating means for generating recommendation information for presenting a recommended content to be recommended to a user to the user, and when presenting the recommendation information to the user, changing a form of presentation of at least a part of the recommendation information.
US08281338B2	Extensible encoding for interactive user experience elements Detailed herein is a technology which, among other things, allows for storage and playback of interactive user elements in a television stream. In one approach to this technology, a content data stream, including a television program and a user experience element, is received. This content data stream is transformed, and the transformed data stream is examined, to identify which packets are associated with the user experience element. Those packets are then passed to a handler appropriate for the user experience element.
US08281337B2	System and method to display media content and an interactive display A method of displaying an interactive display at a set top box (STB) device is disclosed. The method includes receiving a media content stream. The media content stream includes a first content segment and a second content segment, where the second content segment is received at the STB device after the first content segment. The method also includes displaying a first interactive display, where the first interactive display includes at least one field to receive user input. The method also includes displaying a second interactive display after displaying the first interactive display but before displaying the second content segment. The method also includes performing a user-designated transition with respect to the second content segment based on a user input received via the second interactive display.
US08281336B2	Targeted television advertisements based on online behavior In a method for delivering targeted television advertisements based on online behavior, IP addresses indicating online access devices and IP addresses indicating television set-top boxes are electronically associated for a multitude of users. Using user profile information derived from online activity from one of the online access IP addresses, a television advertisement is selected, such as by using behavioral targeting or demographic information, and automatically directed to the set-top box indicated by the set-top IP address associated with that online access IP address. Preferably neither the user profile information nor the electronic association of online access and set-top box IP addresses includes personally identifiable information.
US08281334B2	Facilitating advertisement placement over video content Systems, methods, computer-readable media, and graphical user interfaces for facilitating advertisement placement over video content are provided. Images within a video are partitioned into image regions. Upon partitioning images into image regions, an intrusiveness score is determined for each image region. Based on the intrusiveness scores, optimal placement of an advertisement within the video is determined.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10