| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08394157B2 |
Filter for gas generator
A method of manufacturing a filter for a gas generator, by which a filter having a good shape retaining property can be obtained, is provided. A method of manufacturing a filter for a gas generator in which a tubular material is formed by knitting copper-plated iron wires, molten plated copper is adhered to an intersecting portion of the iron wire to fix the intersecting portion, wherein the method comprises a molding step for producing a tubular material by knitting the copper-plated iron wires, and a heat processing step in which the above tubular material is kept at a temperature not less than a melting point of copper but less than the temperature of sintering of the iron, and is then cooled. |
| US08394156B2 |
Ultra-pure air system for nano wafer environment
In one embodiment, an air filtration system includes a first ventilation path connected between at least one external air supply and a clean room. The first ventilation path is configured to direct air from the at least one external air supply to the clean room. A second ventilation path is connected to the clean room. The second ventilation path is configured to recirculate air in the clean room. A third ventilation path, separate from the first path, is connected between the at least one external air supply and a tool environment disposed within the clean room. The third ventilation path includes an ultra-pure air filtration unit disposed between the outdoor air supply and the tool environment. The ultra-pure air filtration unit includes a compressor and a dryer. |
| US08394153B2 |
Apparatus for producing nitrate granules
An apparatus for producing nitrate granules includes a first fluidized bed which is supplied with air that has been conditioned to a relative humidity of less than 30% at 40° C. and heated to a temperature of 40° C. to 100° C. One or more spray nozzles are provided for spraying a nitrate melt into the first fluidized bed to form nitrate granules. The apparatus also includes a second fluidized bed which is in direct communication with the first fluidized bed. Nitrate granules formed in the first fluidized bed flow directly to the second fluidized bed where they are cooled to a temperature of less than 60° C. The nitrate granules produced by the apparatus and process of the invention are spherical in shape, hard and dry and do not break down easily during handling. The apparatus according to the invention is compact, capable of very high product rates, and can be operated by one operator. |
| US08394151B2 |
Head hair dyeing method
There is provided a head hair dyeing method using a two-part hair dye composition which contains a first part containing an alkali agent, a second part containing hydrogen peroxide and a non-aerosol type foamer container for discharging a mixture solution of the first part and the second part as foam, the composition containing a surfactant in at least one of the first part and the second part, the method including discharging the mixture solution as foam, applying the foam to the head hair, and then re-foamed on the head hair. |
| US08394147B2 |
High performance femoral knee prostheses
Knee prostheses featuring components that more faithfully replicate the structure and function of the human knee joint in order to provide, among other benefits: greater flexion of the knee in a more natural way by promoting or at least accommodating internal tibial rotation in a controlled way, replication of the natural screw home mechanism, and controlled articulation of the tibia and femur respective to each other in a more natural way. In a preferred embodiment, such prostheses include an insert component disposed between a femoral component and a tibial component, the insert component preferably featuring among other things a reversely contoured posterolateral bearing surface that helps impart internal rotation to the tibia as the knee flexes. Other surfaces can also be specially shaped to achieve similar results, preferably using iterative automated techniques that allow testing and iterative design taking into account a manageable set of major forces acting on the knee during normal functioning, together with information that is known about natural knee joint kinetics and kinematics. |
| US08394138B2 |
Multi-strand helical stent
A stent including a stent wire comprising a plurality of filaments twisted into a bundle having a helix, the stent wire bent into a pattern having a plurality of substantially straight wire sections separated by a plurality of bends. The pattern of the stent wire is spirally wound about a central axis in the same direction as the helix formed by the plurality of filaments. Each of the filaments in a bend have a cylindrical cross-section where at least one of the plurality of filaments is displaced and spaced from an immediately adjacent filament in the bend. |
| US08394136B2 |
Stent graft with internal tube
A stent graft (1) with an internal tube (15) extending from the fenestration (11) within and towards an end of the tubular body (3) of the stent graft. An end of the tube remote from the fenestration is flared into a funnel or elliptical shape (17) to facilitate access into the internal tube from a main lumen of the stent graft. The flared portion is fastened (19) to the wall of the stent graft. The flared portion is held open with a resilient wire ring (21). |
| US08394127B2 |
Low profile spinal prosthesis incorporating a bone anchor having a deflectable post and a compound spinal rod
A bone anchor comprising a self-centering ball-joint suitable for use in a spine stabilization prosthesis which supports the spine while providing for the preservation of spinal motion. The bone anchor has a deflectable ball-rod partially received in a socket of a housing formed in the head of the bone anchor. A centering rod received partially in the ball-rod and partially within the housing operates to align the ball-rod with the longitudinal axis of the bone anchor. Deflection of the ball-rod bends the centering rod which in turn applies a restoring force upon the ball-rod. |
| US08394126B2 |
Bone anchoring device and bone stabilization device including the same
A bone anchoring device, includes a receiving part for receiving a rod-shaped implant element, the receiving part having a first bore coaxial with a longitudinal axis and extending from a first end of the receiving part, and a recess extending from the first end to accomplish insertion of the rod-shaped implant element. The device further includes a bone screw having a threaded section for insertion into the bone and being fixed at or positionable at a second end of the receiving part and a fixation element provided to the first bore to fixate a rigid section of the rod-shaped implant element. The rigid section of the rod-shaped implant element has a first width, and the recess of the receiving part has a second width. The second width is larger than the first width, such that the recess may accommodate a stepped portion of the rod-shaped implant element that has an increased thickness. |
| US08394122B2 |
Apparatus and methods for sealing a vascular puncture
An apparatus for sealing a puncture includes a cartridge, a pusher member, a sealant, and a tamping device on a proximal end of the cartridge. During use, the cartridge, sealant, and pusher member are advanced over a positioning member and into the puncture by advancing a cartridge hub carrying the tamping device. When further distal advancement of the cartridge is limited, the cartridge hub is further advanced, activating the tamping device, and causing the pusher member to advance relative to the sealant to compress the sealant within the puncture. |
| US08394120B2 |
End effector assembly with increased clamping force for a surgical instrument
An end effector assembly with increased clamping force for a surgical instrument including a hollow shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, a clevis coupled to the distal end of the hollow shaft, a flat support coupled to the clevis, a deflection member, a procedural member assembly rotatably coupled to the flat support and a pair of actuation means attached to the procedural member assembly and slidable relative to the hollow shaft for rotationally moving the procedural member assembly between a closed and an open position wherein the deflection member engaged the actuation means. The deflection member may be integral with the clevis, coupled to the clevis and the flat support, coupled to just the flat support, may be adjustable or rotatable or coupled to hollow shaft. |
| US08394118B2 |
Tissue expanders and methods of use
Tissue expanders and their methods of use. |
| US08394116B2 |
Surgical tools and components thereof
A surgical tool and monolithic frame therefore are disclosed. The monolithic frame defines a longitudinal axis between opposite first and second ends thereof, and is adapted to receive the flexible drive shaft of a surgical tool, and to support at an end thereof the rotary cutting tool of a surgical tool. The monolithic frame is characterized by greater flexibility in opposite directions along a first axis defined normal to the longitudinal axis than in opposite directions along a second axis defined normal to both the first axis and the longitudinal axis. |
| US08394112B2 |
Arthroscopic suture passing devices and methods
A system for transdermal repair of soft tissue includes an instrument comprising a proximal actuator portion, a fixed needle having a lumen and extending distally from the proximal actuator portion, and a movable needle having a lumen and extending distally from the proximal actuator portion. The movable needle is movable axially between an advanced position and a retracted position relative to the proximal actuator portion. A suture needle is disposed within the lumen of one of the fixed and movable needles, and has a length of suture connected thereto. Needle graspers are disposed in the lumen of each needle, for securing the suture needle and assisting in the transfer of the suture needle from one needle to the other to complete a suture passing step. |
| US08394110B2 |
Apparatus and method for manipulating or retracting tissue and anatomical structure
Integrated systems and associated method for manipulating tissues and anatomical or other structures in medical applications for the purpose of treating diseases or disorders or other purposes. In one aspect, the system includes a delivery device configured to deploy and implant anchoring devices for such purposes. |
| US08394109B2 |
Systems and methods for spinal fixation
A spinal stabilization system, method, and a surgical kit having a surgical extender apparatus for implanting a surgical screw are disclosed. The extender includes a housing having a distal end and a proximal end, a hollow interior passageway disposed between the distal end and the proximal end, a channel disposed along an exterior surface of the housing at least partially between the distal end and the proximal end and configured to at least partially expose the hollow interior passageway, an interior locking mechanism disposed on an interior surface of the housing and substantially adjacent the proximal end, wherein the interior locking mechanism is configured to allow attachment of at least one surgical tool, and at least one flexible member disposed substantially adjacent the distal end. The housing is configured to accommodate placement of a surgical screw implant. The surgical screw implant is secured to the housing using a mating feature in the surgical screw implant. The at least one flexible member is configured to retain the surgical screw implant. The mating feature is configured to control axial movement of the surgical screw implant. |
| US08394105B2 |
Apparatus for dispensing bone cement
An apparatus for dispensing bone cement includes a cartridge for containing the bone cement. The apparatus also includes a plunger insertable into the cartridge. An impedance sensor is coupled to the plunger and configured to produce an output signal indicative of an impedance of bone cement contained in the cartridge. The apparatus may also include a processing circuit configured to determine an impedance value of bone cement contained within the cartridge based on the sensor signal. The processing circuit may activate a visual indicator based on the impedance value to indicate that the dough time, the end-of-work time, and/or setting-time of bone cement contained in the cartridge has been reached. |
| US08394097B2 |
Osteosynthesis device
Intramedullary osteosynthesis device is capable of adopting a profiled H-shape in a closed introductory state in order to be easily implantable and an X-shape in an open implanted state for good fixation in the bone. |
| US08394089B2 |
Electrosurgical instrument and system
An electrosurgical system includes an electrosurgical instrument and an electrosurgical generator, the instrument having a longitudinal axis and including at least first, second and third electrodes. The electrodes are spaced from each other by one or more insulating members therebetween, the spacing between the first and third electrodes being greater than that between the first and second electrodes. The electrosurgical generator includes a source of radio frequency energy capable of producing either a coagulating RF waveform or a cutting RF waveform and has first second and third output connections connected to the first, second and third electrodes respectively of the electrosurgical instrument. The generator further includes a switching means, and a controller, the controller being such that when a cutting RF waveform is selected, the switching means directs the cutting RF waveform between the first and second output connections and hence the first and second electrodes. When a coagulating RF waveform is selected, the switching means directs the coagulating RF waveform between the first and third output connections and hence the first and third electrodes. |
| US08394084B2 |
Apparatus for patterned plasma-mediated laser trephination of the lens capsule and three dimensional phaco-segmentation
System and method for making incisions in eye tissue at different depths. The system and method focuses light, possibly in a pattern, at various focal points which are at various depths within the eye tissue. A segmented lens can be used to create multiple focal points simultaneously. Optimal incisions can be achieved by sequentially or simultaneously focusing lights at different depths, creating an expanded column of plasma, and creating a beam with an elongated waist. |
| US08394083B2 |
Integrated surgical microscope and wavefront sensor
A wavefront sensor is integrated with a surgical microscope for allowing a doctor to make repeated wavefront measurements of a patient's eye while the patient remains on an operating table in the surgical position. The device includes a wavefront sensor optically aligned with a surgical microscope such that their fields of view at least partially overlap. The inclusion of lightweight, compact diffractive optical components in the wavefront sensor allows the integrated device to be supported on a balancing mechanism above a patient's head during a surgical procedure. As a result, the need to reposition the device and/or the patient between measuring optical properties of the eye and performing surgical procedures on the eye is eliminated. Many surgical procedures may be improved or enhanced using the integrated device, including but not limited to cataract surgery, Conductive Keratoplasty, Lasik surgery, and corneal corrective surgery. |
| US08394073B1 |
Male catheter and pump system and associated method
A male catheter and pump system includes an external catheter, a temporary collection reservoir, and a water pump. The invention may further include a user interface, a controller and a pump to drain excess urine for the temporary collection reservoir. An inlet spout located on the external catheter may be adapted to receive the waste fluid from a user such as a bedridden patient. A first tube is connected from the external catheter to the temporary collection reservoir and a second tube is further connected from the temporary collection reservoir to a dispensing reservoir for permanent disposal of the urine. A sensor and a one-way valve are located in the temporary collection reservoir where the controller automatically transmits signals to operate the water pump and open the one-way valve to dispose the urine into the dispensing reservoir. |
| US08394071B2 |
Venous line disconnection / venous needle dislodgement clamp
In renal haemodialysis there is a condition whereby the patient can by at serious risk of harm if the venous line becomes disconnected or the venous needle becomes dislodged and the haemodialysis machine does not detect this condition. The invented device is designed to safeguard haemodialysis patients from serious losses of blood through venous line disconnection or venous needle dislodgement. The invented device is designed to clamp the venous line automatically before venous needle dislodgement or venous line disconnection becomes a serious problem and to make the haemodialysis machine stop drawing blood from the patient This will cause the haemodialysis machine to alarm in the normal way so as to alert the patient or healthcare worker to the problem. The invented device will have to be manually reset before therapy can continue. |
| US08394068B2 |
Flush syringe assembly
Syringe assemblies for use in flush applications are provided. Syringe assemblies according to one aspect of the present invention include a plunger rod and a syringe barrel that incorporate one or more pulsing elements on the plunger rod or barrel that are rotatable to create pulsatile movement or continuous and unimpeded movement a plunger rod within a syringe barrel. One or more embodiments pertain to syringe assemblies permit both pulsatile movement of the plunger rod within the barrel and continuous and unimpeded movement of the plunger rod in the distal direction along substantially the entire length of the syringe barrel upon application of force to the plunger rod in only the distal direction. Methods of flushing a catheter are also provided. |
| US08394064B2 |
Catheter introducer
The invention relates to a catheter introducer comprising: a tube-like introducer sheath; an introducer hub having a distal section and a proximal section, wherein the distal section is joined to the proximal end of the introducer sheath and the proximal section defines a chamber; a needle extending through the introducer hub and the introducer sheath and having opposite proximal and distal ends, the distal end forming a needle tip; a needle hub attached to the proximal end of the needle; a needle safety device slidably arranged on the needle, wherein the needle safety device is retained in the chamber of the introducer hub when the needle extends through the introducer hub and the introducer sheath, and removable from the introducer hub once the needle tip is received in the needle safety device upon withdrawal of the needle from the introducer sheath. |
| US08394061B2 |
Drug delivery apparatus
A drug to be infused into a patient is contained in a syringe or vial having a displaceable plunger for ejecting the drug out through an injection port into an administration set. Motion of the plunger of the drug delivery syringe/vial is controlled by a driver syringe having a piston or plunger for ejecting either a compressible or an incompressible fluid through a flow resistance element. Motive power for the piston of the drive syringe is provided by a constant load spring. A suitable linkage is provided for coupling the piston of the drive syringe to the plunger of the drug delivery syringe. Several types of flow rate control elements for use with the driver syringe are disclosed. |
| US08394056B2 |
Apparatus and methods for bone, tissue and duct dilatation
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for medical treatment comprising bone, tissue or duct dilatation using inflatable dilatation elements together with apparatus and techniques for tensioning, stretching, folding, and/or wrapping the dilatation elements externally as well as in situ to facilitate insertion, positioning and withdrawal procedures. |
| US08394055B2 |
Non-compliant multilayered balloon for a catheter
A balloon catheter having a multi-layered balloon which has a first layer and at least a second layer, and which has noncompliant limited radial expansion beyond the nominal diameter of the balloon. By selecting the polymeric materials forming the balloon layers, and arranging and radially expanding the multiple layers of the balloon in accordance with the invention, a balloon is provided having an improved low compliance, preferably in combination with high flexibility and softness. |
| US08394054B2 |
Robotic catheter system
A robotic catheter system includes a controller with a master input device. An instrument driver is in communication with the controller and has a guide instrument interface including a plurality of guide instrument drive elements responsive to control signals generated, at least in part, by the master input device. An elongate guide instrument has a base, distal end, and a working lumen, wherein the guide instrument base is operatively coupled to the guide instrument interface. The guide instrument includes a plurality of guide instrument control elements operatively coupled to respective guide drive elements and secured to the distal end of the guide instrument. The guide instrument control elements are axially moveable relative to the guide instrument such that movement of the guide instrument distal end may be controlled by the master input device. |
| US08394051B2 |
Micro-fluidic dead-end channel structure for pressure measurement within a fluid channel on the basis of the change of the volume of a trapped gas bubble
A device for detecting pressure and/or temperature changes in a fluid-channel and method thereof are disclosed. The device includes a main duct with an inlet and an outlet, a branch ductwork with a first branch end branching off the main duct downwards the inlet and with a second branch end discharging into the main duct upwards the outlet, and at least one dead-end channel with a first end that branches off the branch ductwork and a second closed end. The dead-end channel is adapted to trap a gas bubble within the dead-end channel when the device is primed or filled with a liquid fluid, wherein the gas bubble changes its size or position if a change in pressure or temperature occurs in the device. |
| US08394050B2 |
Straight cutting tip for a straight bore subcutaneous implantation instrument
A straight cutting tip for a straight bore subcutaneous implantation instrument is provided. An incising shaft body defines an axial bore extending continuously throughout the incising shaft body's length. The axial bore is open on both distal and proximal ends of the incising shaft body and has a non-circular cross section of at least five millimeters. A beveled surface is transversely formed beginning on a top surface and ending on a bottom surface of the distal end of the incising shaft body. A straight and sharpened cutting edge with rounded ends on each side curves inwardly towards the proximal end of the incising shaft body. The cutting edge is defined only along a bottom distal edge of the beveled surface. An attachment point is formed on the proximal end of the incising shaft body. |
| US08394049B2 |
Blood processing unit with modified flow path
A blood processing apparatus includes a heat exchanger and a gas exchanger. At least one of the heat exchanger and the gas exchanger is configured to impart a radial component to blow flow through the heat exchanger and/or gas exchanger. In some instances, a heat exchanger is configured to cause blood flow to follow a spiral flow path. |
| US08394040B2 |
Signal processing device for providing feedback on chest compression in CPR
A system for processing chest compression signals is disclosed including a processing unit, a depth signal device, and a threshold device comprising upper and lower thresholds. The system may also include a force signal device. The processing unit is adapted to output a signal depending on values of depth and force signals with respect to the thresholds. |
| US08394035B2 |
Multi-lancet device
The invention concerns a device for collecting body fluids which has at least one lancet comprising a lancet body with at least two tips of different lengths. The device is characterized in that it has a selection means with the aid of which only one tip is selected before the lancing. This selection means can have different functions and shapes. The selection means is used to select a tip from a plurality of lancet tips which have different lengths and make only this tip available for use in the lancing process. Since the various tips are attached to a lancet body, it is, for example, possible to use a bending element which bends one of the various tips out of the plane of the lancet body in order to provide only one lancet tip for use. This is especially preferable for lancet tips that are arranged linearly relative to one another. |
| US08394031B2 |
Acoustic detection of endotracheal tube location
A system and method for use in detecting an endotracheal tube location within a body electronically detects indigenous breath sounds emanating from a region of the body and processes the detected indigenous breath sounds to generate a parameter representative of an acoustic characteristic of the body associated with the endotracheal tube location within the body. The system and method generates an output indicative of the endotracheal tube location within the body based on the parameter representative of the acoustic characteristic of the body. |
| US08394023B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically determining time to aortic valve closure
A method for determining a time to aortic valve closure comprises receiving data corresponding to an imaged region of a left ventricle of a heart. A plurality of points within the data is identified. A peak negative strain is determined for each of the points and the peak negative strain comprises a maximum contraction value and a time from onset to maximum contraction value. A weight value for each of the points is determined based on the peak negative strain. A time to aortic valve closure is determined based on the weight value and the time from onset to maximum contraction value for each of the points. |
| US08394014B2 |
Endoscope
An endoscope comprises a shaft with an outer tube and with an inner tube extending inside the latter, the outer and inner tubes being radially spaced apart from one another such that they form between them an axially extending channel, which provides space for receiving a light guide. An intermediate tube having flexural strength is arranged between the outer tube and the inner tube, which intermediate tube at least partially surrounds the inner tube. |
| US08394012B2 |
Device for use for the treatment of hemorrhoid prolapse
A device for use for the treatment of a hemorrhoid prolapse, particularly by HAL surgery, attaching a tightening suture, or a rubber band ligation, using a tube having a tube shell wall and a closing device having a closure shell wall enclosing a hollow space. The tube shell wall is supported displaceably and/or rotatably in the hollow space of the closure shell wall, and the tube shell wall and the closure shell wall can be inserted into a rectum of a patient. The tube shell wall has at least one tube wall opening, and the closure shell wall has at least one closure shell opening which can be at least partially aligned with one another in an open position with a web arranged thereof protruding at least partially into the tube shell opening and/or into the closure shell opening. |
| US08394011B2 |
Expandable external penile support device (EEPSD) with attachments and method of manufacturing
The present invention relates to an expandable external penile support device (EEPSD) for use on a penis during sexual intercourse. The EEPSD includes a first support ring proximate a base of the penis, a latch pivotably coupled to the support ring, and a support member extending from the latch and defining a second support ring engageable with a distal end of the penis. The EEPSD expands and contracts to accommodate changes in penis size, usually due to the gain and loss of an erection. |
| US08394009B2 |
Portable controller with integral power source for mechanical circulation support systems
A portable external device for a mechanical circulation support system includes first and second power sources, e.g. batteries and control electronics for redundant uninterrupted operation of an implantable blood pump. The control and power source module may be configured to accommodate a variety of wearable configurations for patient convenience and comfort. |
| US08394005B2 |
Exercise table
An exercise table which finds use in Pilates exercising includes an outer framework, a slidably movable support platform, and a foot bar against which a user's feet can be engaged while sliding the support platform against the bias of springs by extending and retracting the user's legs. The frame has supporting legs which are tapered inwardly and downwardly so that one exercise table can be nestably stacked on another by inserting the tapered legs of an overlying exercise table through an opening in the frame of an underlying table until the frames themselves are closely adjacent. The foot bar, shoulder blocks, and pulleys used in operation of the table are also movable between elevated use positions and lowered storage positions to facilitate closely adjacent nestable stacking of identical exercise tables. Various systems are disclosed for accommodating different sized individuals while retaining desired resistance from resilient elements incorporated into the table. |
| US08394004B2 |
Selectorized dumbbell with selector comprising weight connecting pins carried in each end of handle
A selectorized dumbbell comprises a plurality of nested weights which have front and rear arrays of rails with the rails being vertically spaced from one another with a space beneath each rail. A handle is insertable into a gap between stacks of nested left and right weight plates. A selector comprises front and rear pin arrays in each end of the handle with the pins in these arrays being selectively movable in a horizontal direction into extended positions located in the spaces beneath the rails for coupling different weights to the handle. The pins in the arrays are movable into their extended positions by a single vertically movable member carried on a vertically rotatable shaft in the handle end or by a plurality of independently movable members in the handle end that are moved by a plurality of keys carried on a top side of the handle end. |
| US08394002B2 |
Treadmill with automatic speed control, control module of the same and control method of the same
The present invention provides a treadmill with an automatic speed control function, including: a body having a belt for supporting an exerciser; an exerciser detecting portion installed in a predetermined area of the body to detect movement of the exerciser; a driving motor coupled to the body to drive the belt; a control portion for generating a control signal for adjusting a rotation speed of the driving motor based on a signal received from the exerciser detecting portion; and a motor driving portion for adjusting the rotation speed of the driving motor according to the control signal received from the control portion, wherein a provision braking torque provided corresponding to the control signal is varied as the rotation speed of the driving motor is reduced. The treadmill quickly follows acceleration or deceleration of an exerciser, realizes a feeling like what an exerciser has while exercising on the ground to thereby improve an exerciser's exercising feeling, accepts various exercising patterns of an exerciser, resolves a problem in that a motor driving portion is tripped due to a load caused by quick deceleration, and pre-processes measured values of an exerciser's position to resolve a problem in that a speed of a belt can not be controlled due to measurement errors contained in measured values. |
| US08393995B2 |
Control device for hybrid vehicle power transmitting apparatus
A control device is provided for a hybrid vehicle power transmitting apparatus wherein when a fuel type supplied to an engine is altered, a drop in startability of the engine resulting from alteration on the fuel type is suppressed. Fuel-type determining means determines the fuel type for use in operating the engine, based on which a reactive control representing a control of reactive control of a second electric motor counteracting rotational resistance of the engine during engine startup, is altered. Accordingly, second-motor torque (reactive torque) for increasing an engine rotation speed during engine startup is adjusted depending on the fuel type, thereby increasing a temperature of fuel compressed and expanded in the engine, to a level available to initiate an ignition. This prevents the alteration of the fuel type from causing degradation in startability of the engine when the fuel type supplied to the engine is altered. |
| US08393993B2 |
Wind turbine comprising at least one gearbox and an epicyclic gearbox
The invention relates to a wind turbine comprising at least one gearbox. The gearbox comprises one or more sensors for measuring condition values of the wind turbine, and is characterized in that the one or more sensors are mounted on one or more rotating parts of the gearbox. The invention further relates to an epicyclic gearbox comprising a gearbox housing, one or more gearbox parts rotating in relation to the housing, and one or more sensors for measuring condition values of the gearbox. The epicyclic gearbox is characterized in that, the one or more sensors are mounted on one or more of the rotating parts of the gearbox. |
| US08393991B2 |
Axle assembly with a differential provided with a drive wheel
An axle assembly comprising a differential provided with a drive wheel comprising two pairs of bevel gears disposed in a two-part housing, one of the pairs of bevel gears being a pair of axle bevel gears and the other pair of bevel gears being a pair of compensating bevel gears. |
| US08393990B2 |
Continuously variable transmission
The invention is concerned with a continuously variable transmission incorporating a variator of the type having at least two co-axial races (D1-D4) between which drive is transferred at a continuously variable variator ratio. The variator races are mounted for rotation about a variator shaft (16). The transmission has a layshaft (18) which is laterally separated from the variator shaft. It has two epicyclic gears. A splitter epicyclic (14) has an input member driven from the transmission input (10) and two output members arranged respectively to drive the layshaft and the variator shaft. A recirculater epicyclic has first and second input members for coupling respectively to the variator shaft and to the layshaft and a recirculater output member. An arrangement of clutches is provided for selectively engaging any of at least three regimes. In one regime the recirculater output member drives the transmission output. In another the layshaft drives the transmission output. In a third, the variator shaft drives the transmission output. The arrangement of the components is such that the variator shaft is co-axial with the transmission output, the recirculater epicyclic, a first coupling, between the recirculater output member and the transmission output, which serves to drive the transmission output in the first regime, and a second coupling, between the variator shaft and the transmission output, which serves to drive the transmission output in the third above-mentioned regime. |
| US08393980B2 |
Swing ball training device with adjustable heights and varied swings
An improvement of a swing ball device with adjustable heights for hitting practice, featured with varied swing frequencies and paths to enrich training, includes an elastic swing piece associated with a ball disposed in a supporting cup. By the elastic swing motion of the swing, the ball is able to swing left and right in a three-dimensional plane. The swing piece is disposed with one or more interval holes for connecting with pipes of different heights, depending on weights of the ball and a user's preference. The two lateral securing ears helps to secure the ball inside the supporting cup from falling off. The swing piece when coordinated with a through-pin or a compressed plate produces motions of different angles and frequencies in swing, facilitating training in the coordination of hands, eyes, and the brain. |
| US08393976B2 |
Golf club head with top line insert
A golf club head having a recess located in a top portion thereof between the heel and the toe and extending toward the sole. The recess may be only in the top line of the club head or extend from the heel around the toe. An insert may be placed within the recess. The insert may have a density that is less than the density of the club head body to lower the center of gravity and moment of inertia or greater than the density of the club head body to raise the center of gravity and moment of inertia. |
| US08393972B2 |
Torsional vibration damper
A torsional vibration damper which has a hub and a flange disposed radially outside the hub. For axial fastening of the flange on the hub, a fixing element and a holding element attached to the hub are provided, which limit movements of the fixing element caused by radially oriented centrifugal force. |
| US08393969B2 |
Products and processes for operations management of casino, leisure and hospitality industry
In various embodiments of this invention, a suite of customized computer software applications, a linked or wireless computer network and accessory components cooperate to enhance and extend customer and employee resource management in the casino/gaming environment. |
| US08393965B2 |
Operation device
Provided is an operation device, including: a magnetic sensor (21); and an operation button (14) used for operation input by a user, in which the operation button (14) has a spring (14a) integrated therein, and the spring (14a) is formed of a non-magnetic material. |
| US08393958B2 |
Gaming system and method having bonus event and bonus event award in accordance with a current wager and one or more accumulated bonus event points
In one embodiment, the gaming system and method disclosed herein maintains a plurality of different bonus event average expected payouts which are ranked. In one embodiment, if a bonus event triggering condition occurs, the gaming system determines one of the plurality of different bonus event average expected payouts to utilize for the triggered bonus event. In one such embodiment, the determined bonus event average expected payout is based on a player's current wager and a quantity of accumulated bonus event points or units. In this embodiment, the gaming system enables players to accumulate bonus event points based on one or more aspects of a player's previous gaming experiences during a designated period of time. The gaming system then displays a bonus event to the player and determines a bonus event award, wherein the determined bonus event award is in accordance with the determined bonus event average expected payout. |
| US08393957B2 |
Method and apparatus for bonus round play
Methods and apparatus are provided for enabling a player to take a tour of a secondary game at a game machine. In one embodiment, a method is provided that includes offering to enable entry of a player into a bonus round of a game machine in exchange for a fee, receiving the fee from the player, and enabling entry of the player into the bonus round. The method further includes receiving an indication of at least one player selection during the bonus round, and determining an outcome based on the at least one player selection. In other embodiments, the method includes providing a prize to the player based on the outcome. |
| US08393956B2 |
Gaming system having dynamic payback percentage as a function of enabled features
A method of operating a wagering game comprises detecting receipt of a primary wager for playing a primary wagering game, and activating a first bonus feature in response to one or more first eligibility criteria, the first bonus feature having a first bonus payback percentage. The method further comprises activating a second bonus feature in response to one or more second eligibility criteria, the one or more second eligibility criteria including activation of the first bonus feature. The second bonus feature has a second bonus payback percentage higher than the first bonus payback percentage. The method further comprises displaying a randomly selected outcome of the primary wagering game, and in response to at least one triggering event associated with the first and the second bonus features, conducting the first or second bonus feature if the first and second bonus feature is active. |
| US08393955B2 |
Player wagering account and methods thereof
A system for adding funds to a handheld gaming machine. The system includes a portable digital wallet that wirelessly communicates with a handheld gaming machine (“handheld”). The digital wallet stores an amount of funds or funds associated with a remotely stored player account, and is used by the player to add credits to a handheld. The credit meter may be stored remotely, though the player perceives that the funds are actually being transferred via the digital wallet. Other funding techniques include a kiosk that accepts cash or credit/debit cards and dispenses tickets or other media that encodes information representing an amount of funds. The player uses this media to add credits to the handheld. The media may be player-dependent such that the player's identity is somehow linked to the media or it may be player-agnostic such that the player's identity is not linked to the funds associated with the media. |
| US08393952B2 |
Gaming system, gamng device and method providing accumulation game
A gaming system and method enables a player to assign at least one amplifier to at least one accumulator. In one embodiment, the amplifier causes an increase in the rate of advancement for the accumulator. In one embodiment, the gaming system provides the player any awards associated with the level of one or more of the accumulators. |
| US08393948B2 |
Integrating social communities and wagering games
A wagering game system and its operations are described herein. In embodiments, the operations can include determining that an online communal wagering game (communal game) requests additional players. The online communal wagering game can be provided by a wagering game provider. The operations can further include determining one or more social network user accounts (social network accounts) available to play in the online communal wagering game. The social network accounts can from different social network websites, servers, etc., across the Internet, or other communications networks. The operations can further include aggregating the one or more social network accounts into a communal wagering game session, controlling the communal game with bets from the aggregated social network accounts, and providing social communication content that the social network accounts can use to communicate, receive notifications, view game replays, trade items, etc. The operations can also include using jurisdictional rules to control wagering functionality. |
| US08393943B2 |
Roof ridge vent system
A roof ventilation system for asphalt shingle or composition roofs which include a vent slot located through the roof structure along a roof ridge is provided. An unrollable vent assembly that is installable in one piece is formed from an upper water barrier having first and second vent arrangements connected thereto, and each of the first and second vent arrangements include at least two continuous longitudinal strips of a vent material with a continuous longitudinally extending space therebetween separating the strips. The strips and the longitudinally extending space are positionable on the roof parallel to the ridge so that the first and second vent arrangements are located on each side of the ridge vent slot, respectively. The vent system prevent ingress of moisture and debris, and the upper water barrier extends between the first and second vent arrangements and over the vent slot in the installed position. |
| US08393939B2 |
Dust collection for an abrasive tool
Dust collection for an abrasive tool is disclosed. In one embodiment, a first dust extraction component extracts dust from an upper part of material that is machined, while a second dust extraction component extracts dust from a lower part of the material by the abrasive tool. The first dust extraction component and the second dust extraction component collect about 100% of dust generated from the material. |
| US08393935B2 |
Polishing apparatus
A polishing apparatus polishes a periphery (a bevel portion, a notch portion, an edge-cut portion) of a substrate by bringing a polishing tool into sliding contact with the periphery of the substrate. The polishing apparatus includes a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate, and a polishing head configured to polish the periphery of the substrate held by the substrate holder using the polishing tool. The polishing head includes a press pad for pressing the polishing tool against the periphery of the substrate, and a linear motor configured to reciprocate the press pad. |
| US08393933B2 |
Polishing pad and system with window support
A polishing system includes a polishing pad having a solid light-transmissive window, an optical fiber having an end, and a spacer having a vertical aperture therethrough. A bottom surface of the spacer contacts the end of the optical fiber, a top surface of the spacer contacts the underside of the window, and the vertical aperture is aligned with the optical fiber. |
| US08393931B2 |
System and method for redirecting smoke effects in a model vehicle
A system and method is provided for selectively directing smoke in a model train or other model vehicle. In one embodiment, a directional fan is used to guide smoke to one of at least two output ports. When the fan is rotated in a first direction, air is drawn in through a first port and smoke is directed out of a second port. When the fan is reversed, the flow of air is reversed to draw air in through the second port and to direct smoke out through the first port. In another embodiment, multiple blower units are connected to a common smoke generating unit and can be selectively operated to direct smoke to plural locations within a model vehicle. The volume an speed of smoke can be variably controlled, and audio effects can be synchronized with smoke visual effects for added realism. |
| US08393929B2 |
Boating safety lifeline
The present invention relates to a mountable safety device for a boat comprising: a canister where said canister includes as mounting lip at one end and an opening at the opposite end; a lifeline assembly, where said assembly includes a stored position and a released position, where the lifeline is stored within the canister; and a mechanism to release the lifeline assembly from the canister. The canister includes a releasable door that seals the opening and provides the mechanism to release the lifeline assembly. An eyelet is provided near the opening and provides a mechanism to attach the lifeline assembly onto the canister. The lifeline assembly includes an attachment end and a clasp end, where the attachment end attaches to the eyelet and the clasp end includes a mechanism to attach a floatation device. |
| US08393926B2 |
Hybrid marine power train system
A hybrid marine power train system is provided that facilitates selective use of one of multiple prime movers for powering and driving a boat. The multiple prime movers can include an internal combustion engine and an electric motor which can itself be part of a motor/generator assembly. The system further includes a power-take-in assembly that can have either an active or passive clutching device for selectively importing power from the prime movers into the transmission. The system is configured so that the second prime mover occupies relatively little space within an engine compartment of the boat, for example when compared to an amount of space occupied by the first prime mover and transmission. Since the second prime mover occupies relatively little space within the engine compartment, the system can be readily retrofitted to existing marine power train systems. |
| US08393924B1 |
Watercraft control system
A watercraft has an engine, a propeller, an electronic control unit (ECU), a throttle actuator, and a velocity control actuator separate from the throttle actuator. The velocity control actuator is movable between an inactive position and a plurality of active positions. When the velocity control actuator is in the inactive position, the ECU controls a speed of the engine based at least in part on a degree of actuation of the throttle actuator. When the velocity control actuator is moved from the inactive position to one of the plurality of active positions, the ECU reduces the speed of the engine based at least in part on a degree of actuation of the velocity control actuator independently of the degree of actuation of the throttle actuator. A method of controlling a watercraft is also described. |
| US08393923B2 |
Marine propulsion assembly
A marine propulsion assembly comprises or consists of a marine engine, a pair of parallel laterally spaced propeller shafts and a pair of marine propellers with one of the propeller fixed to each of the shafts for rotation. Each of the propellers includes a hub and four equally spaced blades and wherein the hub has a forward portion having the shape of a frustum of a cone with a decreasing radius from a forward edge thereof to the middle of the hub and a rear or second continuous portion having the shape of a frustum of a cone with an increasing radius from the middle of the hub to the rear of the hub. The bases or larger ends of the frustums are of equal size as are the tops of the frustums. In addition, each of the blades has a complex concave shape. |
| US08393921B1 |
Receptacle connector
A receptacle connector relates to a connector with sets of contacts arranged in at least one row, providing a solution to install supplementary terminal. As the plug connector plugging in the opening of the shell into the receiving room which is configured between the opening and the insulative housing which is enveloped at the shell, the contact zone at front end of the plug terminal connects with the contact of the principal terminal of the set of principal terminal and the tip of the supplementary terminal. A loop is so generated whereas electrically connecting the principal terminal and the supplementary terminal, wherein the tip and the contacts are all exposed in the receiving room, thereby providing a bridge between the soldering tail of the principal terminal and the soldering tail of the supplementary terminal transmitting auxiliary signal to the host board of the electric machine system. |
| US08393920B2 |
Electrical connector
An electrical connector including an insulator body, a shield, and an upper and lower rows of terminals held in the insulator body. One of the two rows of terminals is a row of low speed circuit terminals, and the other one is a row of high speed circuit terminals. The row of high speed circuit terminals includes two pairs of high speed differential signal terminals, and each of the high speed differential signal terminals has a contact portion, an insertion portion and a connection portion between the contact portion and the insertion portion. A part of the connection portion of the high speed differential signal terminal is folded away from the low speed circuit terminal to form a folding section. It increases the space between the high speed differential signal terminal and the low speed circuit terminal and effectively reduces the capacitive coupling crosstalk therebetween. |
| US08393919B2 |
Unprepared cable end coaxial connector
A coaxial connector provided with an increasing diameter compression sidewalk A grip ring is seated within the coupling body bore and is provided with a plurality of coupling spring fingers extending from the grip ring. An inner diameter of the coupling spring fingers has a grip surface and an inward projecting cable stop is provided at a connector end of the grip ring. The connector body and the coupling body are coupled together via threads, the grip ring dimensioned for axial advancement of the coupling body along the threads to drive the coupling spring fingers against the compression sidewall to exert a compression force radially inward upon the outer diameter of the outer conductor seated in the coupling body bore abutting the cable stop. |
| US08393917B2 |
Connector system with airflow control
A connector assembly includes a cage with a plurality of ports for receiving modules. An air passage is associated with each port and extends from a rear wall of the cage through a front face of the cage. The air passage way is configured to provide relatively consistent airflow regardless of whether or not a module is inserted into the corresponding port. |
| US08393909B1 |
Electrical card connector using a tray ejectable by an insertion pin
An electrical card connector includes a housing defining a front insertion opening, one or a number of terminal sets, a tray insertable through the front insertion opening into the housing and having one or a number of card-carrying portions, a recess, a stop wall at one side of the recess, a pin hole and a pin guide formed between the recess and the insertion hole, an elastic member, and an elastic interference device mounted in the housing and extending to the accommodation chamber for interfering with the recess and stopping against the stop wall and having an actuation portion. The elastic interference device is forced away from the recess and the stop wall for enabling the tray to be ejected out of the housing by the elastic member upon insertion of an insertion pin into the pin hole to push the actuation portion. |
| US08393908B2 |
Card edge connector assembly with rotatable card ejecting device
A card edge connector includes an insulative housing defining a central slot expanding along a transverse direction with a plurality of contacts disposed therein, and a pair of side arms disposed at opposite ends thereof. A pair of card ejecting devices are assembled on the side arms, each comprising an ejecting member attached to the side arm and an operation member which can rotate in a plane perpendicular to the card edge connector. The ejecting member comprises a block portion projecting into the central slot and moving along a front-to-rear direction perpendicular to the transverse direction by the urging of the operation member. |
| US08393907B2 |
Storage apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
A storage apparatus including a circuit board, a control circuit element, a terminal module and a storage circuit element is provided. The circuit board includes a first surface, a second surface, a connect part, openings, metal contacts and metal units. The openings pass through the circuit board from the first surface to the second surface and the metal contacts are exposed on the first surface. The terminal module is disposed on the first surface and has elastic terminals and each of the elastic terminals has a first contact part and a second contact part. The first contact parts respectively contact with the metal contacts and the second contact parts respectively pass through the openings to protrude from the second surface. The metal units are disposed on the second surface and located between the openings and the connect part. Accordingly, the volume of the storage apparatus can be reduced. |
| US08393906B2 |
Interactive doll with toy accessories
An interactive toy includes a doll and one or more compatible toy accessories. The doll is configured to hold each accessory, the holding action causing the particular accessory to operate according to its associated functionality. A socket unit is contained in and exposed from a doll, and includes a magnetic connector and a socket connector. A plug unit is contained in and exposed from an accessory, and includes a central connector and a plug connector. The socket unit and the plug unit are configured to engage one another. A battery source is connected to the socket unit, and an actuator is connected to the plug unit. The engagement between the socket unit and the plug unit causes power from the socket unit to be transferred to the plug unit, thereby causing the actuator to be actuated to perform the associated functionality of the accessory. |
| US08393904B2 |
Time out system and process
TIME OUT is a participant assisted system and process that can help participants learn to modify their inappropriate behavior in the classroom and/or in life. The educational, interactive computer program can guide the participant with pre-recorded or interactive verbal directions, videos and exercises in experiential learning. The system and process can have a Bio-feedback Check that measures the participant's level of stress at the beginning of the process and after the process has been completed that can measure the physiological change created by participating in the process. The particular exercise can be automatically chosen for them for the specific inappropriate behavior, specific age group and experience with the TIME OUT system and process. Each TIME OUT can be automatically saved in their TIME OUT Tool Kit. The system and process also can include off-site electronic or manual coaches that the participant accesses through the system. Some of the older and more advanced participants may be automatically offered access to mentors and apprenticeships. |
| US08393901B2 |
Group of flight simulators and associated structure
A system includes a plurality of flight simulators provided with a plurality of control posts and at least one display, wherein at least one control post is movable from a first fixed station to a mobile station. |
| US08393898B2 |
Apparatus for filtering dental solid waste
An apparatus for filtering dental solid waste has been developed. The apparatus includes a high volume evacuation (HVE) tip with one end that is connected to a suction line and another end that is inserted in a patient's mouth to remove dental waste. A filtration unit is located within the HVE tip that retains solid dental waste within the HVE tip. |
| US08393896B2 |
Self-ligating orthodontic bracket
An orthodontic bracket having a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth includes an archwire slot having a base surface defining a base plane and a slide engagement track defining a translation plane. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane. A ligating slide is engaged with the slide engagement track of the bracket body and movable along the slide engagement track and parallel to the translation plae between an opened position, in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot, and a closed position, in which the archwire is retained within the archwire slot. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane so as to prevent the ligating slide from contacting the gingiva surrounding the tooth when the ligating slide is moved to the opened position. |
| US08393891B2 |
Distributed-jet combustion nozzle
A combustion nozzle for use in a turbine. The combustion nozzle may include a center body and a cone extending from the center body. The cone may include a number of apertures positioned therein. |
| US08393886B2 |
Device for producing a stacking projection and container with same
Device (1) for producing a stacking projection (2) on the inner side (3) of a container wall (4) comprises a splaying mandrel (5) and a support ring (S) open at the top. Those are movable relative to one another between a standby position (7) and a deformation position (8). The splaying mandrel comprises at least in some places a retaining indentation (9) running externally circumferentially and the support ring comprises at least in some places a notch projection (10) running internally circumferentially. Through the interaction of those indentation and projection in the deformation position the stacking projection can be produced, wherein in the deformation a gap width (11) between in particular the retaining indentation and the notch projection in a border section (12) of the circumference is greater than the gap width (13) between the other circumferential sections (14). The corresponding container (33) comprises an inner wall (34) and an outer wall (35), in each case narrowing conically downwards The walls are at least joined together at the upper edge (36) of the container, wherein on the inner side (53) of the inner wall a denesting means (40), protruding inwards, is formed as a stacking projection. On that, another container when inserted in the container is supported. A distance between said stacking projection and the bottom (46) of the projection, is at least slightly larger than a distance between said bottom and a potential contact starting point at which the outer container when inserted in the inner container starts to contact the inner side of the inner wall of the inner container. |
| US08393879B2 |
Peristaltic pump
A peristaltic pump includes opposing occlusion surfaces and a rotor between the occlusion surfaces. The rotor carries a set of occluding surfaces. At least one of either the set of occluding surfaces or the opposing occlusion surfaces are linearly movable relative to the other of the set of occluding surfaces and the occlusion surfaces. |
| US08393878B2 |
Structure of preventing water from leakage for the pressurized pump of diaphragm type
Water leakage and damage to the electric motor of a diaphragm type pressurized pump are avoided by providing the diaphragm with integral hollow cylinders which are inserted through ladder holes of piston head pushing chunks and deformed into sealing engagement with the pushing chunks and their corresponding wobble plates by screws extending through the cylinders and threadedly engaged within corresponding threaded holes of the wobble plates. |
| US08393877B2 |
Portable liquid pump
A portable hand held controllable and directable liquid pumping device including a vortex pump head (1) fitted to a first end (2) of an elongate flexible drive shaft (3) and a pump drive (4) fitted to a second end (5) of the flexible drive shaft in which the pump drive includes a substantially rigid elongate housing (6) for a portion of the drive shaft and the elongate housing includes a first handle (7) at or near the first end (8) remote from the pump drive. |
| US08393867B2 |
Chambered airfoil cooling
An airfoil assembly includes an airfoil with at least one cavity that is in communication with a source of cooling air. A baffle is disposed within that cavity and includes a plurality of openings for directing cooling air against the hot wall. A plurality of dividers extends between the baffle walls and the internal cavity to direct cooling air toward one of a leading edge chamber and a trailing edge chamber. |
| US08393865B2 |
Rotor blade extension portion having a skin located over a framework
A wind turbine rotor blade extension portion having a permanent framework with one or more chord-wise members and a substantially span-wise member. A membrane is located over the framework to thereby generate a streamlined surface. The extension portion is configured to transmit aerodynamic loads from the membrane, along the chord-wise members to a rotor blade to which the extension portion is connected, in use. |
| US08393864B2 |
Method for operating a wind turbine
The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a wind turbine with the steps: detection of the values of predetermined operating parameters by means of suitable sensors, detection of at least one predetermined initial condition, comparison of the detected values to stored values of the operating parameters. The disclosure further relates to a wind turbine for implementing the method. Therefore, the object of the present disclosure is, to be able to adapt the operation of a wind turbine to changes using a method of the type named above, such that when the detected parameter values deviate from the stored parameter values, as a function of the initial condition, either the stored parameter values are adapted to the detected parameter values or the operation of the wind turbine is influenced as a function of the detected parameter values. In this way, the disclosure is based on the knowledge that, from a pragmatic view, the formation of ice on a rotor blade is also a (temporary, meteorologically-related) change to the rotor blade shape. From this it follows that the formation of ice on the rotor blades always leads to a change of the aerodynamic profile and thus to a negative effect of the output of the wind turbine. However, deviations from this shape and thus deviations in the magnitude of the generated output also result just from manufacturing-dependent deviations of the rotor blades from the predetermined optimum shape and from gradual soiling of the rotor blades during operation. |
| US08393863B2 |
Torque converter closure tabs
A torque converter including a cover with at least one slot located about a periphery and a pump with at least one protrusion located about a periphery of the pump. The protrusion extends axially through the slot and is bent radially about the slot to join the cover and the pump. In some aspects, the converter includes a sealing element disposed between the cover and the pump and the sealing element is selected from the group consisting of an o-ring and a gasket. A method of transferring torque including: inserting at least one peripherally disposed protrusion for one of a pump and cover of a torque converter through at least one peripherally disposed opening in the other of the pump and cover, radially bending the protrusion to clamp the cover and pump, and transmitting torque from the cover to the pump through the protrusion. |
| US08393862B2 |
Ceiling fan positioning structure for shielding a hanging portion of a ceiling fan
A ceiling fan positioning structure includes a fixing frame, a decoration casing, a plurality of retaining mechanisms and a plurality of convex posts. The convex posts are disposed on the fixing frame and the retaining mechanisms are fixed on the decoration casing; alternatively, the convex posts are disposed on the decoration casing and the retaining mechanisms are fixed on the fixing frame. In addition, each retaining mechanism has a base seat and an elastic plate, the base seat has a channel and a chamber for receiving the elastic plate. Therefore, each convex post is received in the channel of each base seat. When the decoration casing is rotated, each convex post is moved into each chamber. When the decoration casing is rotated to a predetermined position, the position of each convex post is limited in each chamber by the elastic force of each elastic plate. |
| US08393860B2 |
Heat exchanger
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including a heat exchanger having a manifold with a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet and a plurality of tubes with interiors fluidly connected to the manifold. In some embodiments, the plurality of tubes and the manifold are configured to fit within a bonnet of a compressor. |
| US08393849B2 |
Method and system for adjusting a position of an object
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for adjusting a position of an object to compensate for tilt includes providing a rotatable base supporting an object and directing the object relative to the base such that the position of the object is controlled relative to a first axis. The object is stabilized along a second axis. The object is positioned relative to the base using at least one bearing arm. The at least one bearing arm movably couples the object to the base at a first position relative to a third axis and a fourth axis. The at least one bearing arm includes a first portion and a second portion, which are coincident with the third axis and fourth axis, respectively. The object is adjusted to a second position using the at least one bearing arms to maintain the first axis when a tilt angle of the base is detected. |
| US08393846B1 |
Gondola carriage assembly
The device pertains to a carriage which may be separate or integrated with a mobile, powered loading vehicle to load or unload railroad track materials to or from a gondola and a method thereof. |
| US08393844B2 |
Header structure for a pipe handling apparatus
A system has a pipe handling apparatus with an arm between a first position and a second position, a derrick having a window through which the pipe handling system delivers a pipe to a wellhead, and a header mounted in the window of the derrick. The header receives the arm of the pipe handling system when the arm is in the second position. An outside surface of the header suitably fits within the window of the derrick. An inside surface of the derrick suitably receives the arm. The inside surface resists an upward motion and a sideways motion of the arm. The header has a body that has a head and legs. |
| US08393841B1 |
Self-contained tool bolt
A self-contained tool bolt has a head section comprising a top member and a handle section which is expandable from a stored position to a laterally outward, cantilevered position relative to the top member, to provide enhanced tightening and loosening capability of the tool bolt. The tool bolt also comprises a rigid shaft extending from the top member and a bolt section, with external threads, slideably mounted and moveable along the shaft. When the bolt section is at its lowest point on the shaft, the handle section is elevated to provide clearance from obstructions during tightening and loosening of the tool bolt. |
| US08393839B2 |
Self-locking screw connection
A screw connection having a screw section and a nut threaded thereon. A self-locking effect of the nut on the screw section is achieved in a simple manner in that an intermediate disk is supported non-rotatably on the screw section and is received on the nut so as to be rotatable relative to the nut. The intermediate disk includes a grid distributed around the circumference of the intermediate disk, and the nut carries at least one resiliently elastic, radially displaceable catch formed by a sheet-metal part which, after installing the nut, positively engages the grid to lock the nut against rotation relative to the screw section and intermediate disk. Upon application of a wrench to the nut, the at least one resilient, radially displaceable catch is compressed and drawn out of engagement with the grid, so that the nut can be rotated relative to the screw section. |
| US08393835B2 |
Detachable operating handle for a power tool
A detachable operating handle for an elongated handheld portable power tool with a nose portion having an output shaft and a slidable operating switch having an outer recess and being configured to slide between on and off positions, the handle comprising a housing configured to cooperatively mate with the power tool housing and be attached at least to the nose portion of the power tool, the housing having an elongated handle portion, a trigger located in the bottom of the handle portion positioned to be moved between depressed and rest positions by a user's finger while holding the handle portion, a linkage mechanism for interconnecting the trigger and the switch, and the linkage mechanism having a lockout mechanism for preventing the trigger from moving the switch when the lockout mechanism is in a locked position and permitting the trigger to move the switch when in a release position. |
| US08393833B1 |
Laterally cutting saw blade assembly
A wall trim coping assembly includes a frame with a front side, a back side, a first lateral side and a second lateral side. A plurality of first rails extends between the front and back sides. A chassis is mounted on the first rails. A second rail is mounted to the chassis and is orientated perpendicular to the first rails. A cutting assembly is mounted on the second rail. A receiving plate is mounted on the frame and a guide plate is mounted to the frame. An engagement member mounted to a chassis is configured to engage and follow the contouring of a face of guide trim removably clamped to the receiving plate. Wall trim is positioned on the receiving plate and is cut by the cutting assembly as the engagement member follows the guide trim. |
| US08393832B2 |
Tool for the machining of workpieces
The invention relates to a tool (1) for machining workpieces, having a base body (3), at least one geometrically defined culling edge (15, 17) on which a face (21) abuts, a chip space (47, 53) associated with the cutting edge for receiving the chips removed by the cutting edge (15, 17), and a chip guide element (27, 29) associated with the cutting edge (15, 17). The tool is characterized in that the cutting edge (15, 17) together with the chip guide element (27, 29) forms a receiving gap (43, 45) which merges into the chip space (47, 53) and into which the chips removed by the cutting edge (15, 17) are introduced, and the chip guide element (27, 29) has a guide surface (39, 41) which, together with the face (21), forms a receiving channel (51) which abuts the receiving gap (43, 45). |
| US08393831B2 |
Indexable drill and drill body
An indexable drill includes an insert attachment seat and a chip discharging groove formed so as to extend from a leading end surface to a trailing end side of the drill in the direction of the axis of rotation and through which chips generated by the cutting insert are discharged, and in that a wall surface defining the chip discharging groove at least partly includes a smoothed surface with a surface roughness of at most 0.5 μm in terms of arithmetic average roughness Ra, the wall surface of the chip discharging groove is partly formed on a thinned wall portion thinned by the central edge attachment seat and the outer peripheral edge attachment seat, and a crossing portion between the first wall surface and the second wall surface in the thinned wall portion is rounded. |
| US08393828B1 |
Boring machine steering system with force multiplier
A boring machine includes a steering head which is located behind a cutter head. The steering head has a plurality of steering openings spaced around its periphery. A steering component is mounted adjacent to each steering opening, and each steering component includes a steering paddle that is pivotally mounted with respect to the steering head so as to pivot about a paddle pivot axis. Each steering component also includes a linear actuator and a force multiplier. The linear actuator operates to direct an actuating force along a line that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering head, and it cooperates with the force multiplier and the steering paddle so that upon operation of the linear actuator, a pivot force which is the product of the actuating force and a multiplier factor greater than one causes the steering paddle to pivot about the pivot axis. |
| US08393827B1 |
Box service panel door and equalizer
Systems, devices, apparatus, and methods of locking and unlocking a door that is slidable through tracks, over an entry port to a storm water type vault or storm water structure. Locking the door in place can be accomplished by rotating upwardly protruding bolt type heads that are fixably attached to cams. Rotating the bolt type heads causes the cams to press the door against one side of the tracks. An elongated sealing strip can be compressed between the door edges and the one side of the track and seal and prevent water from passing about the sides of the door. Alternatively, removable wedges can be used to compress door edges in place. Furthermore, a hinged pressure relief door can be attached over a small opening in the slidable door. Opening the small pressure relief door by an elongated tool allows for water on both sides of the sliding door to equalize. Once water has equalized on both sides the tool can be used to rotate the bolt type heads on the top of the slidable door and make it easier to next pull the sliding door from the tracks. The vault/structure can be sealed so that a vacuum truck can then remove water and debris contents inside of the vault/structure at the beginning of the treatment service. |
| US08393823B2 |
Manhole cover security and removal
A manhole cover includes a security device, preferably located beneath an upper surface thereof. A cover removing apparatus includes a magnetic element to hold the cover, when a pin of the apparatus is engaged with the security device of the cover. A push force, which may be applied through a port in the upper surface of the cover, for example, by the pin member, can deform, and thereby unlock, a spring-loaded locking member of the security device. The security device may further include at least one elongate member, which is caused to move from a first position to a second position, by the push force, in order to disengage the cover from a manhole, so that the cover may be removed from the manhole. |
| US08393821B2 |
Single screw activated double axle locking mechanism
According to the present invention, there is provided a clamping device for locking two elements, e.g. rotatable shafts, having a substantially circular cross-section. The clamping device comprises a central holding part having two partly curved sections being adapted to at least partly encircle and hold the elements, which curved sections are inversely curved. Further, the clamping device comprises an upper holding part having a partly curved section arranged being adapted to at least partly encircle and hold a first element and a lower holding part having a partly curved section being adapted to at least partly encircle and hold a second element. The central, upper and lower holding parts are adapted to co-operate to lock the elements when pressed together by means of a tightening element. The curved sections are inversely curved in relation to each other and form together with the substantially rectangular section a substantially S-shaped central part. The invention according to the present invention is capable of locking the two elements, e.g. two rotatable spindles or shafts, firmly and accurate, i.e. without any substantial tension or torsion, by means of a single tightening element, for example, a screw. |
| US08393820B2 |
Rotationally locked drive assembly for a VSI crusher
A rotationally locked drive assembly for a VSI crusher comprises a drive shaft 52 rotatably securable in a bearing cartridge assembly 60, the drive shaft having a tapered upper end portion 62 for forming a taper joint in cooperation with the tapered central opening 72 of a flywheel 54, a top opening key receptor 81 formed on the top surface 76 of the flywheel for receiving a locking key 56, whereby tightening of fasteners 58 secures locking key 56 in key receptor 81, presses flywheel 54 onto drive shaft 52, thereby fortifying the taper joint between the flywheel 54 and drive shaft 52, and locking drive shaft 52, flywheel 54 and locking key 56 in rotational alignment. |
| US08393817B2 |
Small electrical appliance
An electric toothbrush is disclosed. The tootbrush includes two elements to be driven, wherein the first element is a movable brush head and the second element is a pump; an electric motor; and a device that drives the movable brush head in both directions of rotation of the electric motor and drives the pump in one direction of rotation. |
| US08393814B2 |
Retractable instrument having a two stage protraction/retraction sequence
A retractable instrument in accordance with the disclosure advantageously has a simple construction and fewer pieces or sub-assemblies than known retractable instruments. The retractable instrument includes a barrel that encloses a tool holder. The tool holder has an extension, and a tool extending from the distal end of the extension. A valve selectively covers the tool to protect the tool from environmental conditions. A biasing element is disposed between the valve and the tool holder, the biasing element biases the valve away from the tool holder. A movable closure assembly retains the valve on the extension and selectively allows the lid to open and close. The closure assembly includes a closure ring and a retention ring connected by one or more closure arms. The retention ring is disposed on the tool holder and the retention ring is prevented from sliding off of the tool holder by a retention stop. |
| US08393813B2 |
Personal care product dispenser systems
Personal care product dispenser systems include a dispenser and a base station. The dispenser comprises a casing including a personal care product and a shaft. The personal care product is disposed within the casing and comprises an antiperspirant or deodorant. The shaft extends through a portion of the casing and including a first end and a second end and is configured to advance the personal care product through the casing when rotated in a first direction. The second end has a chuck contact surface defining a first shape. The base station includes a motor and a chuck. The motor is operatively coupled to the chuck and is configured to rotate the chuck, and the chuck has a wheel contact surface to correspond to the first shape of the chuck contact surface. The base station is configured to rotate the chuck when the dispenser is mounted to the base station. |
| US08393810B2 |
Label roll and guiding system
The present invention provides a media guide system for guiding media unwound from a roll of a roll assembly along a direction of roll feeding in a printer. The guide system includes a guide base including a datum edge guide surface and a plurality of edge guide receivers. The datum edge guide surface is aligned along a direction of roll feeding. The plurality of edge guide receivers is formed in the guide base and extends along the direction of roll feeding. When the roll assembly is loaded into the guide base by engaging an edge guide of the roll assembly into at least one of the plurality of edge guide receivers, the datum edge guide surface of the guide base and the edge guide of the roll assembly serve as edge guides to guide the roll through the printer during a printing operation. |
| US08393806B2 |
Photo arm system
A photo arm is proposed here. A revolving handwheel is equipped for driving a transmission mechanism to bring the photo arm to rotate, so that a camera fixed on the photo arm can shoot from different angles along a circular path. The photo arm is also equipped with a power and signal connecting box for supplying power to the camera and transmitting image information and control instructions. Furthermore, a hoist handwheel is equipped for adjusting the height of the rotation center of the photo arm. |
| US08393805B2 |
Image capturing apparatus with improved continuous shooting speed
An image capturing apparatus includes a shutter spring which urges a shutter drive member for driving shutter blades, a shutter charge unit which is used to charge the shutter spring, and is switched between a fixed state in which a charge operation of the shutter spring is complete, and the shutter drive member is fixed and a released state, and a drive unit which drives the shutter charge unit. When a second determination unit determines that a switching ready state of a mirror from a mirror-down state to a mirror-up state is set when a first determination unit determines that a charge operation of the shutter spring is complete, the drive unit is controlled to drive the shutter charge unit to the released state without latch the shutter charge unit in the fixed state after the charge operation of the shutter spring is complete. |
| US08393799B2 |
Spring track roller assembly
A roller assembly comprises a first race and a second race. The second race is coaxial with the first race and is axially movable relative to the first race. The first and second races are movable between a static axial position and a dynamic axial position relative to one another. The roller assembly includes at least one biasing member that is operative to bias the first and second races from the dynamic axial position toward the static axial position. |
| US08393798B2 |
Bearing device for a wheel
A bearing device for a wheel has minimized circumferential play and allows a hub ring and an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint to be connected with excellent workability. Axially extending projections are formed on either one of the outer diameter surface of a shaft of the outer joint member and the inner diameter surface of a hole of the hub ring, and the projections are axially press fitted into the other. Recesses fitted in an intimate contact manner onto the projections are formed in the other. Thus, a recess/projection fitting structure is formed. In the structure, the entire fitting/contact portions of the projections and the recesses are in intimate contact with each other. Further, a shaft come-out prevention structure is provided between the shaft of the outer joint member and the inner diameter surface of the hub ring. |
| US08393788B2 |
Digital X-ray image capturing device
Disclosed is a digital X-ray image capturing device for easy mobility, including: a cassette having a built-in image plate; an image plate transfer device for taking the image plate out of the cassette and transferring the same to a scanning point; an image scanning device for scanning an X-ray latent image of the image plate by irradiating laser beams to the scanning point; an internal body including the image plate transfer device and the image scanning device; and an external housing surrounding the internal body. The image plate transfer device includes: a scan drum having a fastening means on a surface thereof, the fastening means being combined with an end of the image plate; at least one roller installed near the scan drum to closely wind the image plate on the surface of the scan drum; and an electric power means for applying torque to the scan drum. The slide mounting type or up-mounting type of cassette can be attached to the image plate transfer device. |
| US08393784B2 |
Characterization of flaws in composites identified by thermography
A method for identifying types of flaws in a composite object includes: a) rapidly heating the surface of the object; b) recording pixel intensities in a sequence of IR images; c) determining temperature-versus-time data for each of the pixels from the IR images; and d) determining what type of flaw if any corresponds to each of the pixels using the temperature-versus-time data determined in step (c). A contrast curve derived from the temperature-versus-time data may be used in determining what type of flaws if any corresponds to each of the pixels. The contrast curve may be determined by subtracting a synthetic reference curve from a temperature time curve from the temperature-versus-time data. The types of flaws may be determined from size and/or shapes of peaks in the contrast curves. Some flaws are delaminations, layers of porosity, and uniformly distributed porosity. |
| US08393780B2 |
Screw assembly for cooking extruders operating with significantly reduced specific mechanical energy inputs
Screw assemblies are provided for cooking extruders characterized by operation using significantly reduced specific mechanical energy inputs, wherein the screw assemblies include first and second elongated, axially rotatable screws which are substantially coextensive in length, with the screw flighting presenting a pair of axially spaced apart sections of short pitch length and an intermediate section of greater pitch length. The intermediate section has an axial length greater than about four times the length of the axially spaced apart sections. The screw assemblies permit incorporation of significantly greater amounts of steam into comestible products during cooking thereof, as compared with prior art designs. |
| US08393778B2 |
Backlight module and a wire positioning device thereof
A backlight module and a wire positioning/holding device for the frame structure thereof are disclosed. The backlight module mainly includes a frame and a light source module. The light source module is disposed on the lateral side or on the bottom of the frame. The wire holding device mainly includes a main body and a winding pillar. A first guide slot is disposed on the main body, and the first guide slot has an inlet end and an outlet end. The winding pillar extends from the main body and is situated at one side of the first guide slot. The winding pillar and the main body together form a wire holding portion. The wire holding portion is disposed corresponding to the outlet end of the first guide slot to receive the wires of the light source module coming out of the outlet end. |
| US08393777B2 |
Etendue-conserving illumination-optics for backlights and frontlights
Some embodiments provide luminance-preserving non-imaging backlights that comprise a luminous source emitting light, an input port that receives the light, an injector and a beam-expanding ejector. The injector includes the input port and a larger output port with a profile that expands away from the input port acting via total internal reflection to keep x-y angular width of the source image inversely proportional to its luminance. The injector is defined by a surface of revolution with an axis on the source and a swept profile that is a first portion of an upper half of a CPC tilted by its acceptance angle. The beam-expanding ejector comprising a planar waveguide optically coupled to the output port of the injector. The ejector includes a smooth upper surface, and a reflective lower surface comprising microstructured facets that refract upwardly reflected light into a collimated direction common to the facets. |
| US08393772B2 |
Vehicle lamp
A vehicle lamp includes a lamp body having an opening, a resin cover attached to the opening to form a lamp chamber together with the lamp body; and a light source disposed inside the lamp chamber to irradiate light through the resin cover. The resin cover includes a design surface portion, and a peripheral edge portion surrounding the design surface portion. The peripheral edge portion includes a gate mark, and a thick-walled portion having a greater wall thickness than the other part of the peripheral edge portion and extending from the gate mark toward the design surface portion. |
| US08393770B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device comprises a power circuit unit 23 that includes a plurality of power terminals 25 supplied with power from a power source, a plurality of harnesses 29 that supply power supplied to the power circuit unit to a discharge lamp, a terminal housing 43 that is made of a resin material, and includes a harness holding portion 48, one ends of the plurality of harnesses being disposed in the harness holding portion and a part of the plurality of harnesses being held in the harness holding portion, and a plurality of welding terminals 28 that includes portions disposed in the terminal housing and portions protruding outward from the terminal housing. One end portions of the plurality of welding terminals are connected to one end portions of the electric wires of the harnesses, respectively, and the other end portions of the plurality of welding terminals are connected to the power terminals of the power circuit unit by welding, respectively. Accordingly, the workability of a connecting piece for connection with a power circuit unit is improved and good connection of harnesses can be secured. |
| US08393767B2 |
Vehicle light
A light can be configured by assembling an additional optical system in a lower optical system in a period of time that can be shorter than that of the conventional case. The vehicle light can include a first optical system configured to form a part of a predetermined light distribution pattern, and a second optical system disposed adjacent to the first optical system and configured to form a part of the predetermined light distribution pattern. The second optical system can include a light source, and a reflector including a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface, and a third reflecting surface. The reflector can be integrally formed with the first reflecting surface, the second reflecting surface, and the third reflecting surface. |
| US08393765B2 |
Luminaire
A luminaire includes a light-emitting unit, a main body frame, a support frame, and a lighting unit. The light-emitting unit mounts light-emitting elements. The main body frame supports the light-emitting unit, and is formed rectangular having a hook-shaped engaging piece on one side. The support frame is formed rectangular surrounding the outer periphery of the main body frame, and has a groove-shaped receiving place to engage with the engaging piece of the main body frame, on one internal side. The lighting unit turns on the light-emitting elements. |
| US08393761B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device with an extended, non-punctiform light source, a reflector which conically surrounds the light source, and a lens for concentrating the emitted light is characterized by the fact that the lens is mounted so as to be capable of moving along an optical axis of the lighting device within a predetermined range of movement in such a way that the focal point of the lens in the direction of emission can be shifted at least into an area behind the notional apex of the reflector. |
| US08393760B2 |
Fluorescent light emission enhancer light-cone
A fluorescent light emission enhancer light-cone for insertion into the central aperture of the fluorescent light bulb and subsequent expansion into a cone which helps increases the light intensity of the fluorescent light bulb by emitting outside almost half of light emission from the fluorescent light bulb that is lost inside between its loped tubes. |
| US08393759B2 |
LED lamp capable of adjusting a beam spread thereof
An LED lamp capable of adjusting a beam spread thereof mainly comprises an adjusting module disposed between a seated body and a cover unit. The adjusting module includes a holder connecting to the seated body, a motivating member traveling within an aperture of the cover unit, an engaging member propping the motivating member against the holder, and a lens disposed on the engaging member. Thereby, rotating the motivating member triggers the engaging member to either move protrudently outward or draw back inward with respect to the cover unit. Accordingly, a beam angle of LED members disposed on a circuit unit of the lamp holder is able to be increasingly condensed or spread, then promoting the luminaire efficiency of the present invention. |
| US08393758B2 |
Laser light source device
A laser light source device includes a light source unit that emits laser light, an optical axis adjusting unit that adjusts an optical axis of the laser light, and a mounting member on which the optical axis adjusting unit is mounted. The optical axis adjusting unit includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the positions of a lens in X- and Y-axis directions. The adjustment mechanism includes an X-axis moving part that is movable in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis moving part that is moved together with the X-axis moving part in the Y-axis direction, X-axis adjusting means that is provided at the X-axis moving part and adjusts the position of the lens in the X-axis direction, and Y-axis adjusting means that is provided at the Y-axis moving part and adjusts the position of the lens in the Y-axis direction. |
| US08393757B2 |
Light-bulb type LED lamp and illumination apparatus
Provided is a light-bulb type LED lamp 10 including a plurality of LEDs 67-78, a base 12, a lighting circuit unit that converts commercial power provided through the base 12 into power for lighting the LEDs 67-78, and a heat radiation member 16 that includes a bowl-shaped portion 42. Two stages 46 and 48, extending inwards from an inner circumferential surface 44 of the bowl-shaped portion 42, are provided in a direction of a central axis X of the bowl-shaped portion 42. The LEDs 67-78 are mounted on the stages 46 and 48 in a circumferential direction around the central axis X. |
| US08393754B2 |
Laser navigation module
Disclosed herein is a laser navigation module, including: a light source radiating laser beam; a housing having a window mounted thereon and having a transparent or semi-transparent part formed therein in order to radiate light radiated from an inner portion of the housing to an outer portion thereof, the window transmitting the laser beam radiated from the light source therethough and reflecting the laser beam therefrom and blocking inflow of a visible ray; a lighting device mounted in an inner portion of the housing; a light diffusion member transferring light radiated from the lighting device to the housing; and a printed circuit board including a first printed circuit board having the light source mounted thereon and a second printed circuit board having the lighting device mounted thereon, the first and second printed circuit boards being formed in a stacked structure. |
| US08393752B2 |
Lighting device
A lighting device (100, 200, 300, 400) is disclosed. The device comprises a plurality of light sources (111, 119, 120, 211, 219, 220) providing light in different wavelengths, a collimating means (104, 204) having a receiving end (103, 203, 407) and an output end (114, 214, 409), wherein said light sources are arranged at said receiving end. The collimating means comprises a set of wavelength selective filters (109, 110, 115, 116, 117, 118, 215, 217) arranged as sub-collimators (106, 107, 108, 206, 207, 208) to each of said plurality of light sources such that, for each light source, said sub-collimator collimates the light from its light source, and said wavelength selective filter of said each light source is translucent for light from adjacent light sources of different wavelength, wherein said wavelength selective filters are high pass or low pass filters. |
| US08393750B2 |
Extendable strobe light device
The extendable strobe light device (1) comprises a telescoping light mount (10) bearing a strobe light (11). By manual operation or by power to an antenna drive motor (23) the telescoping light mount (10) is extended or retracted. An insulated electrical conductor (28) provides power to the strobe light (11). The insulated electrical conductor (28) is wound on a negator reel (46). A negator spring reel assembly (32) contains a negator spring (400) retracts the insulated electrical conductor (28) when the telescoping light mount (10) is retracted. An electrical brush assembly (43) comprises a brush assembly insulated housing (52) composed of a rigid material including metals and plastics. The brush assembly insulated housing (52) is affixed to the case by screws or bolts (34). |
| US08393749B1 |
Foldable mirror and associated method
A free-standing and adjustable tri-fold mirror preferably includes a tri-fold mirror having first, second and third reflective surfaces, a mounting bracket statically attached to a rear side of the tri-fold mirror, a swivel device pivotally mated to the mounting bracket, a stand attached to the swivel device and extending away from the tri-fold mirror, and a base member attached to a bottom end of the stand. Advantageously, the tri-fold mirror is freely pivotal along an x-axis and a y-axis while the stand remains stationary and further while the tri-fold mirror is freely adjusted between folded and unfolded positions respectively. |
| US08393741B2 |
Light source system and projector
There are provided a light source system which can suppress the deterioration of a luminescent material and a projector which can project a clear image. The light source system comprises a luminescent wheel, a driving unit for rotating the luminescent wheel, a light source for shining excitation light on to a luminescent material layer of the luminescent wheel, a light shining control unit for controlling an illumination timing of the light source, a light shining time integrating unit for integrating individual excitation light shining times to a plurality of predetermined divided areas of the luminescent wheel, an integrated light shining time storage unit for storing the individual light shining times to the predetermined divided areas, and a light shining range control unit for equalizing times over which excitation light is shone on to the plurality of predetermined divided areas of the luminescent wheel based on the individual excitation light shining times to the predetermined divided areas. |
| US08393739B2 |
Heat-dissipating device with shape memory alloy module within a projection display apparatus
A heat-dissipating device used in a projection display apparatus with an air outlet includes a fence module, at least one resilient member, and a shape memory alloy module. The fence module is disposed at the air outlet and includes at least one guiding plate with a pivot. The resilient member exerts a first force on the guiding plate to enable the guiding plate to rotate on the pivot, and the shape memory alloy module deforms when heated to exert a second force on the guiding plate to enable the guiding plate to rotate on the pivot. |
| US08393734B2 |
Pupilary screening method and system
A method of screening a pupil of a subject to determine whether the pupil reflex resembles a canonical pupil reflex is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of stimulating the pupil with a stimulus source. The method further includes the steps of using a pupilometer to track the pupil's constriction response over a duration of time, wherein the step of tracking the pupil constriction response begins substantially simultaneously with or immediately subsequent to time 0 and lasts for a period of time y, and using the pupilometer to collect a plurality of data points in which each data point corresponds with a diameter of the pupil at a specific time within the time duration y. The method further includes the step of generating a pupil data profile by compiling the data points and determining whether one or more conditions arc met. wherein the one or more conditions comprises the following: (a) more than two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at three or more separate times during duration y; (b) a first phase of the pupilary reflex response exists, wherein said first phase is characterized by a period of non-constriction immediately subsequent to time 0, said first phase having a duration of less than about 100 msec or greater than about 1000 msec; (c) if two data points exist representing the same pupil diameter at two separate times y1 and y2 during duration y, then the duration of time between y1 and y2 is less than about 100 msec; or during the first phase of the pupilary reflex, the diameter of the pupil increases before it decreases. Existence of one of said conditions indicates that the pupil reflex does not resemble a canonical reflex. |
| US08393731B2 |
Fixing structure of side shield for glasses
Disclosed therein is a structure for fixing a side shield of glasses, which is installed at a temple, wherein the side shield that surrounds a connection portion between the temple and a glasses frame is fixed at the temple by a fixture, and wherein the side shield located at the temple includes through holes respectively formed at upper and lower portions thereof; and guide portions respectively formed on the inner face of the side shield, and the fixture includes hook portions respectively formed at upper and lower ends thereof and inserted and caught to the through holes of the side shield, and the side shield further includes support pieces respectively formed at upper and lower portions of the inner or outer faces of the side shield for supporting the inside or outside of the hook portions of the fixture. |
| US08393725B2 |
Ink set and image forming method
The present invention provides an ink set including: an ink composition including a pigment, polymer particles having an ethylene oxide chain in a side chain of the polymer, and a water-soluble polymerizable compound that has an ethylene oxide chain and that is polymerized by active energy rays; and a treating liquid including an aggregating agent that aggregates ingredients in the ink composition. |
| US08393724B2 |
Maintenance liquid for inkjet recording, ink set and image forming method
The present invention provides a maintenance liquid for inkjet recording including at least water, an organic solvent, a basic compound and an acidic compound, and having pH of from 6.0 to 8.5. |
| US08393723B2 |
Bubble purging system for a fluid ejection head
A method and system for purging bubbles from a fluid ejection head comprising a plurality of fluid flow channels including a first plurality of fluid flow channels flowing a first ink to a first actuator device and a second plurality of fluid flow channels for flowing a second ink to a second actuator device. During a bubble purging operation the first and second actuator devices are pulsed with different energies that depend on the viscosity of the first ink and the second ink. Heating the inks with different energies, results in the viscosity of the first ink to be same as the viscosity of the second ink. In one embodiment, a test pattern that includes a plurality of dots is printed to determine a clogged fluid ejection nozzle. Based on the determination, an actuator device corresponding to the clogged fluid ejection nozzle is pulsed. |
| US08393717B2 |
Liquid ejecting head and method of inspecting liquid ejecting head
A liquid ejecting head ejects a liquid from pressure generating chambers through nozzles by varying pressure of the pressure generating chambers. The liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle plate in which the nozzles are formed. A first passage forming board is joined to the nozzle plate. A first liquid passage, including the pressure generating chambers, is formed in the first passage forming board. A second passage forming board is joined to the surface of the first liquid passage forming board and has a second liquid passage communicating with the first liquid passage. A first electrode layer electrically connected to the liquid in the first liquid passage and a second, independent, electrode layer are disposed on a vibration plate. Each of the first and second electrode layers includes a terminal drawn to the outside of a junction portion joining the first and second passage forming boards to each other. |
| US08393716B2 |
Liquid ejection head including flow channel plate formed with pressure generating chamber, method of manufacturing such liquid ejection head, and image forming apparatus including such liquid ejection head
A liquid ejection head is disclosed. The liquid ejection includes a flow channel plate, the flow channel plate being formed from one thin plate, the flow channel plate being formed with one or more pressure generating chambers, a fluid resistance section which supplies liquid to the pressure generating chamber, and a nozzle hole which opposes the pressure generating chamber. The flow channel plate is made of a metal material, and wherein the flow plate includes the pressure generating chamber which is formed of a groove-shaped indentation; the nozzle hole which is formed at one end in a longitudinal direction of the groove-shaped indentation; and the fluid resistance section which is formed at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the groove-shaped indentation. The pressure generating chamber, the nozzle head, and the fluid resistance section are formed such that they deform the thin plate in a thickness direction. |
| US08393715B2 |
Inkjet nozzle assembly having displaceable roof defining ejection port
An inkjet nozzle assembly includes: a nozzle chamber having a floor and a roof spaced apart from the floor, the roof having a displaceable portion defining an ejection port; and an actuator for displacing the displaceable portion of the roof towards the floor. Displacement of the displaceable portion of the roof alters a volume of the nozzle chamber such that when the volume is altered, fluid is ejected from the ejection port. |
| US08393713B2 |
Ink jet printing systems and methods with pre-fill and dimple design
Systems and methods of ejecting ink drops from an inkjet printer are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a printhead with one or more actuators with associated nozzles and membranes. A voltage waveform can be applied to the actuators to fill the actuators with a volume of ink and eject the ink through the nozzles as ink drops. The voltage waveform can have associated pre-fill voltage to fill the actuator with ink and a firing voltage to eject the ink. The actuator membranes can have multi-height dimples to protect the membranes from contacting electrodes and reduce the electric field. |
| US08393710B2 |
Parallel ink jet printing device and relative manufacturing
The printing device is ink jet, parallel or serial-parallel type and comprises a plurality of ejection modules each of which with ejection chambers suitable for containing ink and with associated relative heating elements for ink ejection control. The device includes a support and a nozzle plate common to the modules, and in which the support includes a base plate of rigid material that defines through its thickness a feeding duct for the ink which, in use, is substantially parallel to the line of printing (X axis) and the ejection modules are fixed side by side on the base plate and with the ejection chambers arranged in a line in the same direction (X axis), is a hydraulic, tight connection with the feeding duct. The nozzle plate is fixed on the ejection modules constituting an upper, hydraulically tight, closing surface, for the chambers and comprises a plurality of ejection nozzles in a line, in turn in hydraulic connection with corresponding cells of the modules. |
| US08393707B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for removal of ink buildup
A substrate patterning method including the steps of spraying ink on a surface of a substrate, the spraying of the ink resulting in an overspray of excess ink past an edge of the substrate; changing a temperature of the excess ink to cause a change in a viscosity of the excess ink; and removing the excess ink having the changed viscosity. |
| US08393706B2 |
Conveying apparatus, recording apparatus, and conveying method
A conveying apparatus includes a holding part that holds a recording medium in the form of a roll and rotates, a clamping unit that clamps the recording medium downstream from the holding part along a conveying route, a regulating member that regulates a position of a side end of the recording medium in a width direction intersecting the conveying direction between the holding part and the clamping unit in the conveying route, a drive unit that rotatably drives the holding part in a forward direction to unwind the recording medium and a reverse direction to rewind the recording medium, and a controller that controls a drive state of the drive unit. The controller controls the drive unit so that, after the holding part is driven forward, the holding part is driven in reverse. |
| US08393705B2 |
Recording apparatus with a line recording head
An apparatus includes a line-type recording head including a plurality of recording elements formed thereon, a holding unit configured to hold a sheet, a conveyance mechanism configured to convey the sheet held by the holding unit to a position of recording by the recording head, a shift mechanism capable of relatively shifting a position of the sheet in a sheet width direction with respect to the recording head while the sheet is fed from the holding unit to the recording position, and a control unit configured to control the conveyance mechanism and the shift mechanism. |
| US08393701B2 |
Using light-scattering drop detector to determine turn-on-energy for fluid-ejection nozzle
For each energy value of a number of energy values, the energy value is applied to cause a fluid-ejection nozzle to eject a fluid drop. After the energy value has been applied to the fluid-ejection nozzle, a velocity of the fluid drop is determined using a light-scattering drop detector of the fluid-ejection device. A turn-on-energy (TOE) for the fluid-ejection nozzle is determined based on at least the velocities of the fluid drops determined after applying the energy values to the fluid-ejection nozzle. |
| US08393700B2 |
Inkjet recording device with independently controllable light emitting devices
An inkjet recording apparatus is presented. The inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink head configured to move in left and right directions, comprising a plurality of nozzles arranged in a front-rear direction for discharging ink on a recording medium, wherein the ink is curable when irradiated with light from a first light emitting device or a second light emitting device, and a conveyor device configured to feed the recording medium in a direction, wherein the first light emitting device is configured to move integrally with the ink head and to apply light to the recording medium, and wherein the second light emitting device, disposed offset from the plurality of nozzles in the front-rear direction, is configured to turn on independent of the first light emitting device and to apply light to the recording medium. |
| US08393698B2 |
Image forming apparatus and foam application device
A disclosed image forming apparatus comprises an image forming unit configured to form an image on a to-be-recorded medium, and a foam application unit configured to apply foam of at least one of a liquid and a gel to the to-be-recorded medium or an intermediate member. The intermediate member is configured to apply the foam to the to-be-recorded medium. The foam application unit includes a storage unit configured to store the foam and spread the foam in a width direction of the to-be-recorded medium or the intermediate member, an applicator configured to apply the foam to the to-be-recorded medium or the intermediate member, and a transport unit configured to transport the foam from the storage unit to the applicator. |
| US08393694B2 |
Refrigerator with vertically moving member attached to home bar door
Provided is a refrigerator including a main body provided with a chilly storage, a refrigerator door rotatably coupled to the main body, a home bar at the refrigerator door, the home bar being provided with an opening, and a basket on an inside of the home bar, the basket being configured to store an object, wherein the home bar includes a home bar door rotatably provided on a side of the opening, and a driving device providing a driving force to vertically move the basket according to rotation of the home bar door. A gear assembly is operated while the home bar door is opened or closed, so that the home bar basket can easily move upward or downward. |
| US08393691B2 |
Hinge pulley for domestic household appliance
A hinge pulley for a household appliance having a housing, a washing container in the housing, a door pivotable about a horizontal axis at the lower part of the door between an open and a closed position for accessing an interior of the washing container, and a transmission element coupled between the door and the housing. The hinge pulley includes a unitary molded body having an integral first channel having a first curved portion for guiding the transmission element, and an integral second channel having a second curved portion for guiding the transmission element, wherein a portion of one of the integral first channel and the integral second channel includes a sliding surface formed from an ultra high molecular weight material. |
| US08393690B2 |
Enclosure for a portable hemodialysis system
An enclosure for containing a portable hemodialysis unit includes a housing suitable to support components for performing hemodialysis including a dialyzer, one or more pumps to circulate blood through the dialyzer, a source of dialysate, and one or more pumps to circulate the dialysate through the dialyzer. The housing may have a front panel at which blood circuit connections and dialysate fluidic connections are located, e.g., blood line connections for patient blood access, connections for a reagent supply, dialyzer connections for both blood flow and dialysate, etc. The enclosure may also include a pair of vertical, side-by-side doors hingedly mounted to the housing. With the doors in the closed position, access to the patient access and dialysate fluidic connections may be blocked, and the doors may allow for the retention of heat in the housing suitable for disinfection during a disinfection cycle. |
| US08393686B2 |
Hoist employing a multiple piston cylinder
A vehicle includes a vehicle chassis, a load support body connected to the chassis and movable between a lowered position and a raised position, and a hoist operable to forcibly move the load support body from the lowered position to the raised position. The hoist includes a cylinder and a pressurized drive fluid supply system. The cylinder includes a housing assembly and a shaft assembly. The housing assembly defines first and second cylinder chambers separated by a center cap. The shaft assembly is slidably mounted in the housing assembly and includes a shaft and first and second pistons affixed to the shaft at axially spaced apart locations along the shaft. The first piston is disposed in the first cylinder chamber and the second piston is disposed in the second cylinder chamber. The pressurized drive fluid supply system is operable to supply a pressurized fluid into each of the first and second cylinder chambers to forcibly extend the shaft assembly relative to the housing assembly in an extension direction to forcibly move the load support body from the lowered position to the raised position. The cylinder is configured such that, when the shaft assembly is fully extended, a volume of the pressurized drive fluid in the second cylinder chamber exerts an offset force on the center cap in a direction opposite the extension direction to offset axially expansive counter-forces on the cylinder housing. |
| US08393683B2 |
Automotive seat headrest supporting apparatus
An automotive seat headrest supporting apparatus includes headrest supporting members and stay locking units 20 which are incorporated into the headrest supporting members 10 to lock stays 4. The headrest supporting member 10 has a stay guiding hole 13 into which the stay 4 is inserted and an incorporating recess 14 which is opened to an outer surface and which communicates with the stay guiding hole 13 within the headrest supporting member 10 from a direction intersecting the stay guiding hole 13. The stay locking unit 20 includes a stay lock body 30 which is slidably fitted in the incorporating recess 14, a locking bar 21 which is incorporated into the stay lock body 30 and a coil spring 22 which biases the stay lock body 30 in a direction in which the locking bar 21 is brought into engagement with a locking portion 4a of the stay 4. The stay lock body 30 is configured so that, after the locking bar 21 is accommodated and disposed in accommodation grooves 36, a locking bar holding member 41 is set to hold the locking bar 21 within the accommodation grooves 36. |
| US08393682B2 |
Seat back locking device for automobile
A seat back locking device for an automobile for a seat back 5 configured so as to be capable of being changed from an upright position to a folded-down position and vice versa, including a locking mechanism 10 for locking the seat back 5 in the upright position, a locking knob 20 for unlocking the locking mechanism 10, and a key cylinder 30 capable of locking and unlocking the locking knob 20. In the locking device, a contact part 33 that comes into contact with a contacted part 26 provided on the locking knob 20 is connectingly provided integrally with a cylinder body 31 of the key cylinder 30 so that the key cylinder 30 can be changed over between a locked state in which the contact part 33 comes into contact with the contacted part 26 to inhibit the rotation of the locking knob 20 and an unlocked state in which the contact part 33 does not come into contact with the contacted part 26 to allow the rotation of the locking knob 20. |
| US08393681B2 |
Vehicle seat having an anti-submarining device and method
The invention relates to vehicle seat comprising a seat part and to a restraint device and a corresponding method of manufacture. The vehicle seat comprises an anti-submarining restraint device for preventing an occupant from slipping through on the vehicle seat when decelerated due to a crash, said restraint device being settable to a retracted inactive position and said restraint device being settable to an extended active position. The seat part, in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, has lateral seat parts on both sides of the seat, a padding defining a seat area and a padding support below said padding. The restraint device is arranged between the padding support and the padding and spaced apart from the lateral parts by means of a locking element provided for locking the restraint device in the active position. |
| US08393679B2 |
System for engaging multi-component carseat
A system for locking together the base and passenger seat of a multi-part carseat. The system includes a base and a passenger seat. The base has an upper surface that receives a passenger seat, front and rear ends, opposed sides extending between the ends, and two spaced apart locking points positioned toward the rear end of the base and two spaced apart locking points positioned toward the front end of the base. The passenger seat is dimensioned to be received by the upper surface of the base and includes four locking elements that are respectively positioned and configured for releasable engagement with a respective one of the four locking points of the base. An actuator releases the locking engagement between the locking elements of the seat and the locking points of the base. |
| US08393678B2 |
Infant child restraint system
A novel infant child restraint system that includes a base having a height adjustment to allow the base to assume one of a plurality of positions and inclinations when mounted to the vehicle seat. Additionally, in certain embodiments the base is formed to have a recessed knee-receiving area, into which the user can place their knee when tightening the vehicle's restraint system around the base. The base and car seat are removably attached in interlocking relation using a novel connection mechanism that is not susceptible to premature or improper release due to forces, regardless of the direction of such forces. This mechanism is independent of the car seat handle. Furthermore, this connection mechanism includes a simple manual disconnect or release system, to allow quick removal of the seat from the base. |
| US08393676B2 |
Decorative bench or seat assembly having a photoluminescent work bonded thereto
A bench or seat assembly including a decorative work bonded thereto in an essentially permanent fashion is provided wherein the work includes a photoluminescent material. The assembly includes a masonry seat member having an upper surface, a masonry back member having front and back surfaces and a support having exterior surfaces for supporting the seat member at a desired height. The work may include advertising or an image of which the photoluminescent material is a part of. The photoluminescent material may be photoluminescent particulate pigment or at least one photoluminescent stone which gives off light sufficient to allow at least a portion of the work to be viewed under limited ambient light conditions. In this way, the assembly is decorative not only in the daytime but also at night. The assembly may be an interlocking precast slab bench or seat assembly. |
| US08393670B2 |
Cab stopper device for work machine, method for fixing the cab stopper and cab of work machine
A cab stopper device 32 is provided between a bracket 23 on a machine frame of a work machine and a cab 25. The cab stopper device 32 restricts relative movement of the cab 25 with respect to the machine frame in the vertical direction. Two through holes 43, 44 are formed in a floor plate 27 of the cab 25. A stopper 48 of the cab stopper device 32 is inserted in the through holes 43, 44 from above. An engaging portion 48a is formed at the lower end of the stopper 48 that projects from the through holes 43, 44 downward of the floor plate 27. The engaging portion 48a is arranged to be engageable with a restricting groove 42 formed in the bracket 23. In this state, a securing portion 48b at the upper end of the stopper 48 is secured to the floor plate 27. |
| US08393669B2 |
Vehicle frame structure
A vehicle frame structure includes a tunnel portion provided in a floor and left and right side members. Each of the side members includes a front side member, an inner member, and an outer member. The inner and outer members branch off from the front side member in a direction toward the rear of the vehicle. The inner member extends toward the rear of the vehicle along the tunnel portion. The inner members of the left and right side members are connected together by a plurality of connecting portions in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle at least at a location corresponding to a front portion side of the tunnel portion. These connecting portions break when a front impact load is input to at least one of the side members. |
| US08393667B2 |
Occupant protection device
An occupant protection device includes: a seat cushion; a seat back; a base portion provided in a vehicle body; a support portion that is provided in the seat back and that overlaps a backrest of the seat back as viewed from front of a vehicle; a reclining angle adjustment portion that changes a reclining angle of the seat back by moving the support portion with respect to the base portion; and a contact portion that is provided in the vehicle body. If the support portion is displaced rearward in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle due to a rearward load that exceeds a prescribed magnitude being applied to the seat back, the contact portion comes into contact with the support portion on both the right and left sides of the seat back with respect to a center portion of the seat back. |
| US08393664B2 |
Rear baggage-compartment structure of vehicle
A winding device is provided behind a rearmost-row seat and extends in a vehicle width direction to wind up a tonneau cover member. The tonneau cover member comprises a cover body portion and a board portion connected to a rear end of the cover body portion and has its rear end portion capable of engaging with an engaged portion of a lift gate. The lift gate further includes a pair of restraint portions at a specified position of both end portions of the inner face thereof which is located above the engaged portion, which is operative to restrain the cover body portion from moving upward when the lift gate is fully open and the tonneau cover member engages with the lift gate through a contact thereof with the board portion to stop further upward moving of the board portion. |
| US08393663B2 |
Automobile glove compartment
An automobile glove compartment includes: a storage space (1) built into a dashboard and accessible through a main opening (2); a movable door (3); a tray (4) placed inside the storage space, the tray being slidable between a first position a), wherein the tray is stored in the storage space, and a second position b), wherein the tray is partially outside the storage space; and first tray-guiding elements (5), the first tray-guiding elements (5) each including a guiding element (10) projecting out from one of the respective side wall (7a, 7b) of the drawer (4), the guiding element (10) being insertable into a groove (11) built into one of the side walls (8a, 8b) of the glove compartment and slidable along the groove. The groove has a curved or angular shape enabling the sloping of the tray (4) towards the user when the tray (4) is partially outside the storage space. |
| US08393662B2 |
Robot hand for substrate transfer
There is provided a robot hand for substrate transfer in which the robot hand is so arranged that, even in case a substrate (S) gives rise to warping, the substrate (S) can be stably supported. On an upper surface of the robot hand there is formed a first seating surface on which is seated a lower-surface peripheral portion of the substrate (S) and, on a periphery thereof, there is formed an upwardly extended step. The step is provided with a plurality of stair-shaped stages. On an upper surface of the robot hand inwardly away from the first seating surface there is provided a second seating surface which is inclined downward toward the center of the substrate (S) such that a lower surface of the substrate (S) is seated on the second seating surface when the substrate (S) is warped downward into a concave shape. |
| US08393661B2 |
Single joint elevator having deployable jaws
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for lifting a single joint of pipe. The single joint elevator of the present invention comprises, in one embodiment, a pair of deployable jaws cooperating with a pair of static jaws to secure a pipe within the slot of a generally horseshoe-shaped body. The deployable jaws of the single joint elevator of the present invention may be rotatably deployable or translatably deployable, or both. In one embodiment, each jaw, including the static jaws and the deployable jaws, comprises a pipe slip movably disposed within the jaw to secure a pipe segment within the slot and to self-tighten as the weight of the pipe segment secured within the single joint elevator is transferred to the slips and the jaws. |
| US08393651B2 |
Safety device, and opening and closing mechanism
A safety device with a push-push type latch device latching and releasing a movable body to a main body by a push operation, has a circulation cam groove provided in the movable body; a responding member provided in the main body, and having a pin for tracing the circulation cam groove and a balancer; and an urging member for urging the responding member. When the responding member receives a load, the responding member turns and the circulation cam groove allows the pin to irreversibly move from a reciprocation groove portion to a latch groove portion through a latching guide groove portion. When the movable body retained in the fixed position receives the push operation, the circulation cam groove allows the pin to move from the latch groove portion to the reciprocation groove portion through the returning guide groove portion, thereby releasing the movable body from the fixed position. |
| US08393647B2 |
Bolt-on transition coupling for piping system
A transition coupling system for use with a dual containment pipe which includes an inner primary pipe and an outer secondary pipe with an interstitial space therebetween, the transition coupling comprising. The transition coupling includes an inner body configured to engage an inner surface of the primary pipe and an outer body configured to engage an outer surface of the secondary pipe. The outer body includes at least two releasably attachable portions, at least one of which is movable relative to the other in a radial direction thereof. The inner body and the outer body are configured to define a gap therebetween when coupled to the piping system such that the gap is generally sealed and in communication with the interstitial space. |
| US08393645B2 |
Devices for adjusting tension in seat belts and other restraint system webs, and associated methods
Devices that can be releasably attached to seat belts and other restraint system webs to adjust the operational tension in the webs are described herein. In one embodiment, a seat belt web passes through a clamping device that includes a button movably coupled to a housing. In this embodiment, manual operation of the button in a first direction causes the device to clamp onto the adjacent portion of the seat belt web, thereby preventing the portion of web from being pulled through a web guide by a retractor. Manual operation of the button in a second direction causes the device to release the web. |
| US08393644B2 |
Seat belt pretensioner
A seat belt pretensioner for a belt retractor includes a member that rotates relative to a frame of the belt retractor in response to a vehicle condition to rotate a spool of the belt retractor relative to the frame. A drive device rotates the member in response to the vehicle condition. The drive device applies a first torque to the member during a first stage of rotation of the member and the spool and applies a second torque greater than the first torque during a second stage of rotation of the member and the spool. A flexible drive member rotates the member relative to the frame. The flexible drive member extends around an axis of the member more than 360° after activation of the pretensioner. |
| US08393642B2 |
Rear structure of vehicle
A seat is arranged in front of a back door. An airbag is configured to inflate into a space between the seat and the back door in a rear collision of a vehicle. Herein, when a lower frame portion of a headrest support structure body receives a rearward load in the rear collision of the vehicle, an upper frame portion of the headrest support structure body is moved forwardly around a rotational point of connecting members which pivotally connect an upper portion of the headrest support structure body to the vehicle-body side wall. Accordingly, a headrest attached to the upper frame portion is moved forwardly so that the space between the headrest and the back door can be expanded longitudinally and the passenger's head portion can be supported securely. |
| US08393633B2 |
Golf bag cart foldable device
A golf bag cart foldable device includes a bottom cart stand having a rear wheel frame at each side to link a rear wheel. The bottom cart stand has a bag base to link a front wheel. An upper cart stand is in pinned connection with the bottom cart stand. A linkage set, including plural linkages, forms links between the upper cart stand and the bottom cart stand and between the upper cart stand and the rear wheel frame. A folding joint enables release of the folding joint first. By the link between the linkage set and the rear wheel frame, simultaneous unfolding or folding of the upper cart stand, the bottom cart stand and the rear wheels can thus be accomplished. The folding joint is secured to have the upper cart stand and the bottom cart stand locked to each other, to achieve handiness in use. |
| US08393632B2 |
Towing device for a towing vehicle
A towing device, for a towing vehicle, with a coupling shaft attached to the towing vehicle, a ball head mounted on the coupling shaft so that the ball head can rotate about a vertical axis, which can be coupled to a coupling counterpart of a trailer vehicle, and with an angle-measuring device by which rotation of the ball head about the vertical axis, relative to the coupling shaft, can be determined, and a force-measuring device by which force exerted by the ball head on the coupling shaft in the direction of the vertical axis can be determined. |
| US08393631B1 |
Automatic engaging and disengaging hitch assembly
A hitch assembly is provided that includes a body and a latch member that is movable relative to the body between an open position and a closed position for securing a hitch pin to the body. A locking pin is movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position for retaining the latch member in the closed position. An unlocking member is mounted to the latch member for movement between a retracted position and an extending position for preventing the locking pin from moving from the disengaged position to the engaged position. |
| US08393628B2 |
Axle assembly and suspension arm
An axle assembly for a vehicle is described, in which the axle assembly has a suspension arm for accommodating an axle of the vehicle and a damper. The damper is coupled to a first engagement point of the suspension arm. The first engagement point is situated on the suspension arm so that the damper may be situated outside an installation space for axle components located between the suspension arm and a chassis of the vehicle. |
| US08393627B2 |
Longitudinal link for an auxiliary frame, particularly for motor vehicles
The invention relates to an auxiliary frame (1) for multi-link rear axles of motor vehicles, comprising two lateral auxiliary frame parts (B) which are embodied at least approximately in a V-shaped manner in such an arrangement that the vertexes (6, 7) thereof face each other and are joined to each other via a central auxiliary frame part (C) that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The lateral auxiliary frame parts and the central auxiliary frame part are configured as hollow profiled members while the lateral auxiliary frame parts are provided with at least three of the following receptacles or recesses: the top transverse link; the bottom transverse link; the stabilizer; the longitudinal links; the fixture of the auxiliary frame to the vehicle body. |
| US08393623B2 |
Mechanical puzzle with hinge elements, rope elements, and knot elements
In one embodiment of the present invention, cubes with beveled edges that are joined by hinge elements can be folded into a larger cube. In another embodiment, a puzzle object with a plurality of holes may have a rope element threaded through it so as to conceal knot elements. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of puzzle objects with holes that are joined by hinge elements may have a rope element threaded through tunnels formed by the holes so as to conceal the knot elements. Different aspects and further embodiments of this invention provide for puzzles and amusements of varying design. |
| US08393619B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a body frame, an image forming unit and a transporting unit. The transporting unit includes a transporting tray, a side guide, a plate, a skew roller and an urging member. The transporting tray is configured to support the recording medium which is being transported. The side guide is configured to abut with an end of the recording medium in a width direction. The plate is facing the transporting tray. The skew roller is rotatably supported by the plate and is configured to skew the recording medium toward the side guide. The urging member is configured to urge a portion of the plate toward the transporting tray. |
| US08393613B2 |
Media level indicator and printer having same
A media level indicator and a printer having some are disclosed. The printer has the media level indicator, a housing and a media container slidably contained in the housing. The media level indicator includes a media detecting assembly and a level indicating assembly, wherein the media detecting assembly includes a shaft for rotatably engaged with the housing, a detecting arm fixed to the shaft and abutting the top of the paper stack, and a driving arm. The driving arm is articulated with a lever of the level indicating assembly. When the paper amount changes, the detecting arm is moved and drives the media detecting assembly to rotate, which provides motion in an indicating end of the level indicating assembly, which extends outwardly from the media container. Therefore, a change in the paper amount is indicated. |
| US08393610B2 |
Sheet feeding device and original sheet conveying device with feed-out roller protruded from the sheet tray and friction member applying friction to uppermost sheet
A sheet feeding device, which is configured to feed stacked sheets one by one in a sheet feed direction, is provided with a sheet tray configured to accommodate the stacked sheets, a feed-out roller protruded from the sheet tray and configured to feed the stacked sheets from the sheet tray, a feed-out nip member arranged above and opposite to the feed-out roller, the feed-out nip member being configured to contact an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets and bias the sheets toward the feed-out roller, a separation unit located on a downstream side, in the sheet feed direction, of the feed-out roller, the separation unit separating a lowermost sheet from the stacked sheets fed by the feed-out roller, and a friction member configured to contact the uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets at a position different from a position where the feed-out nip member contacts the uppermost sheet. |
| US08393609B2 |
Document handler
A document handler is provided that comprises a validator 2 having a main conveyor 4, a stacker 3 having a storage 50 detachably attached to validator 2, a storage conveyor 5 in storage 50 for stowing a document fed from validator 2 into storage 50 and picking out the document stored in storage 50 to validator 2 through main conveyor 4 to issue picked document from validator 2, a reversible motor 70 in main conveyor 4 drivingly and detachably connected to storage conveyor 5 of storage 50. |
| US08393602B2 |
Coil spring with irregular cross section
A coil spring with irregular cross section according to the present invention is made by subjecting a coil wire having an irregular cross section to a fatigue-strength improving treatment including a shot peening treatment after coiling the coil wire into a spring configuration, and the coil spring with irregular cross section has a vertical cross sectional profile whose coil inner-peripheral-side section is expressed by following Equation (1) and Equation (2) in a polar coordinate system and orthogonal coordinate system: x=(LR−Δb)cosnxr θ+Δb (1) y=SR sinnyr θ (2) wherein θ is a deflection angle in said polar coordinate system; and 0°≦θ<90°, 270°≦θ<360°, 0.7≦nxr≦0.9, 0.8≦nyr≦1.0, and 0.1SR≦Δb≦0.3SR; in said Equation (1) and Equation (2). In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to provide a coil spring with irregular cross section that exhibits more uniform and higher fatigue strength along a cross-sectional peripheral direction of the coil wire. |
| US08393601B2 |
Vibration isolation fastener insert
A vibration isolation fastener insert comprising: a rigid cylindrical hub having an externally extending flange and a through longitudinal opening to receive a fastener. An elastomeric bushing around the hub has a slot therein receiving the external flange. An upper housing is disposed around the side of the bushing and has a flange over the top of the bushing. A lower housing is disposed around the external side of the upper housing and has a flange extending below a lower surface of the bushing. |
| US08393599B2 |
Apparatus for liquid precursor atomization
An apparatus for atomizing a precursor liquid for vapor generation and thin film deposition on a substrate. The precursor liquid is atomized by a carrier gas to form a droplet aerosol composed of small precursor liquid droplets suspended in the carrier gas. The droplet aerosol is then heated to form vapor, producing a gas/vapor mixture that can be introduced into a deposition chamber to form thin films on a substrate. The liquid is introduced into the atomizing apparatus in such a manner as to avoid excessive heating that can occur or lead to the formation of undesirable by-products due to material degradation as result of thermal decomposition. The apparatus is particularly suited for vaporizing high molecular weight substances with a low vapor pressure that requires a high vaporization temperature for the liquid to vaporize. The apparatus can also be used to vaporize solid precursors dissolved in a solvent for vaporization. |
| US08393593B2 |
Portable molding apparatus for constructing pre-cast structures
Disclosed is a portable molding apparatus for constructing pre-cast structure. The portable molding apparatus comprises a container, a plurality of partition members, at least one retainer, and a plurality of spacing members. The container comprises a floor, and a pair of longitudinal walls vertically extending from the floor for configuring an interior space therebetween. The plurality of partition members is supported on the floor in a spaced apart manner. The at least one retainer is positioned between at least one pair of partition members of the plurality of partition members for configuring at least two sets of partition members. The plurality of spacing members is positioned between partition members of each of the at least two sets of partition members for configuring a plurality of mold cavities therebetween. The plurality of mold cavities is adapted to receive a building material for constructing the pre-cast structures. |
| US08393592B1 |
Oil and gas well pad foundation form system
The oil and gas well pad foundation form system isolates a concrete pour from the well head and provides blockouts for piping installation. The system can be removed after concrete pour and set up and reused countless times. The system is provided in different sizes with blockouts in varying locations as desired. Multiple well heads can be prepared for within a given cellar, simultaneously. |
| US08393591B2 |
Seat slide apparatus for vehicle
A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail, a second rail, a lock member, a plurality of engagement bores including a rear end engagement bore, a front end portion of the rear end engagement bore being further positioned in a forward direction than a rear end of the second rail in a state where the second rail is positioned at a foremost position, a rear end portion of the rear end engagement bore being exposed to a rear of the rear end of the second rail, a memory member, a holding member holding the memory member to move integrally with the second rail or holding the memory member to engage with one of the engagement bores, and an auxiliary bracket restricting a movement of the memory member that engages with the front end portion of the rear end engagement bore towards the rear end portion thereof. |
| US08393589B2 |
Container support device
A blood cleansing system includes: a weight scale; a container support device for supporting a container of a blood treating fluid, wherein the container support device includes: an attachment member for coupling the container support device to the weight scale; a joint body attached to the attachment member and configured to rotate about an axis of the attachment member; a support body secured to the joint body; and at least one container support extending from the support body, wherein the container support is configured to stably support the fluid container. |
| US08393588B2 |
Adaptor for fixing a medical apparatus
An adaptor for fixing a medical apparatus to one or two support structures, wherein the adaptor is constructed in three parts from a bearing part and two support parts, wherein the bearing part can be connected to the medical apparatus, the first support part can be connected to a first support structure and the second support part can be connected to a second support structure, and the adaptor can assume at least three states, wherein: in the first state, the bearing part is connected free of clearance to the first support part only; in the second state, the bearing part is connected free of clearance to the second support part only; and in the third state, the bearing part is connected free of clearance to the first support part and the second support part. |
| US08393585B2 |
Variable position workstation
The present invention relates to a framework for supporting pieces of equipment or other objects, and in particular to a variable position workstation for supporting work surfaces and/or electronic equipment such as computers, video displays, keyboards and the like. The workstation structure in one embodiment generally comprises a stand having a pair of spaced apart upright supports, a lateral support extending between the upright supports and having mounting means for mounting equipment from the stand. The mounting means typically allow for the positioning of a work platform or other piece of equipment at one of a plurality of different horizontal and vertical positions on the stand, thereby providing flexibility for the user. In addition, stand can comprise at least two foldable feet for maintaining the workstation in an upright position. The feet may be folded when the workstation is not in use to reduce the overall footprint of the workstation. |
| US08393579B2 |
System for disconnecting a fuel transfer boom
System (10) for disconnecting the nozzle (1) of a boom from a receptacle (2) to which the nozzle (1) is connected for fuel transfer, comprising latches (3) which are situated in the nozzle (1) and engage with latch-pins (5) arranged in the said receptacle (2), characterized in that the system (10) comprises a receptacle disconnection system (20) which operates the latch-pins (5) of the receptacle (2) and a nozzle disconnection system (30) which operates the latches (3) of the nozzle (1) such that, when an operator performs normal disconnection of the nozzle (1), the system (10) sends a first signal (21) to the receptacle (2) so that its latch-pins (5) are retracted in order to release the latches (3) of the nozzle (1) and, in parallel, sends a second signal (31) to the nozzle (1) so that the latches (3) of the nozzle (1) are retracted and release the said nozzle (1). |
| US08393574B2 |
Composite leg structure for a lightweight aircraft seat assembly
A lightweight leg assembly for an aircraft seat assembly includes a leg frame comprising at least one leg attachment bracket and a main frame member carried by the at least one leg attachment bracket and comprising a thermoplastic material. At least one track fitting may be carried by the leg frame. A method of fabricating a leg assembly for an aircraft seat assembly is also disclosed. |
| US08393571B2 |
Hydraulic fluid control apparatus
Upgrading existing aircraft braking systems to accommodate replacement of existing brake units employing sintered friction materials with brake units employing carbon-carbon composite friction materials is often desirable. However, when upgrading the braking systems it is necessary to ensure that the integrity of the existing airframe is not compromised by the use of the new brake assemblies employing the carbon-carbon composite friction materials. Consequently, the present invention replaces existing pressure control valves of existing braking systems with an electronic control unit (126) coupled to a pressure control servovalve (128), thereby ensuring proper application of hydraulic pressure to brake assemblies (122). An advantage of this invention is that the pressure profile of the hydraulic fluid is controllable and hence the integrity of the airframe is maintained. |
| US08393568B2 |
Enhanced lubrication skewed roller clutch assembly and actuator including same
A roller clutch assembly for use in an actuator is provided that includes a roller cage and at least one roller. A lubricating medium at least partially surrounds the roller cage and the roller. The roller cage includes at least one wiper configured to move the lubricating medium toward its functional location adjacent the rollers. An aircraft actuator for controlling movement of an aircraft flight control surface is also provided that includes a ball nut and a ball screw operatively connected to the flight control surface. A one-way roller clutch is operatively connected to the ball nut and substantially prevents rotation of the ball nut in a first direction in response to a compressive force on the ball screw. A roller clutch assembly according to the present invention is positioned between the ball nut and the one-way roller clutch. |
| US08393564B2 |
Personal aircraft
A safe, quiet, easy to control, efficient, and compact aircraft configuration is enabled through the combination of multiple vertical lift rotors, tandem wings, and forward thrust propellers. The vertical lift rotors, in combination with a front and rear wing, permits a balancing of the center of lift with the center of gravity for both vertical and horizontal flight. This wing and multiple rotor system has the ability to tolerate a relatively large variation of the payload weight for hover, transition, or cruise flight while also providing vertical thrust redundancy. The propulsion system uses multiple lift rotors and forward thrust propellers of a small enough size to be shielded from potential blade strike and provide increased perceived and real safety to the passengers. Using multiple independent rotors provides redundancy and the elimination of single point failure modes that can make the vehicle non-operable in flight. |
| US08393558B2 |
Mechanized separation and recovery system for solid waste
Methods and systems for separating a mixed waste into a wet organic fraction, a dry organic fraction, and an inorganic fraction are achieved by (i) comminuting the mixed solid waste, (ii) fractionating the comminuted stream by size to produce two or more particle-sized waste streams, and (iii) processing one or more of the particle-sized waste streams using density separation to produce an intermediate wastes stream, and (iv) recovering a homogenous product (e.g., a recyclable material or an organic fuel) from the intermediate waste stream. |
| US08393556B2 |
Preparation of nanoscalar UV absorbers
Disclosed is a method of preparing a composition, comprising a micronized insoluble organic UV absorber, which method comprises grinding the insoluble organic UV absorber, in coarse particle form, in a grinding apparatus comprising yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide grinding beads, in the presence of alkyl polyglucoside having the formula CnH2n+1O(C6H10O5)xH, in which n is an integer ranging from 8 to 16 and x is the mean polymerisation level of the glucoside moiety (C6H10O5) and ranges from 1.4 to 1.6, or an ester thereof and in the presence of an antifoam agent as dispersingagent auxiliary. |
| US08393554B2 |
Pest control aerosol sprayer
A pest control aerosol sprayer is provided that is free from giving rise to a fire or a burn in its storage or use.The pest control aerosol sprayer comprises a pressure-tight container (1) receiving therein a noxious insect behavioral inhibitor (A) of which an active ingredient is HFC-152a acting also as both a propellant and refrigerant, the pressure-tight container having at its top a valve (3) provided with a stem (5) and in the stem (5) with an injection hole (4) that can be opened with the stem (5) forced down; and a head cap (2) attached to a top of the pressure-tight container (1) and provided with a spray nozzle (10) and an inflow port (11) in which the stem (5) of the valve (3) in the pressure-tight container (1) is fitted, the head cap (2) being formed therein with an injection passage (12) leading from the inflow port (11) to the spray nozzle (10). |
| US08393548B2 |
Removable component for a consumable with identifying graphic
A removable component for dispensing a physical resource from a dispensing system may include a body defining a reservoir in which a physical resource may be stored, a graphic provided on the removable component having information. |
| US08393546B1 |
Games, prizes, and entertainment for powered cards and devices
Advanced payment applications are provided to improve the functionality of cards and devices. For example, a user interface may be placed on a card (e.g., a physical button) or a telephonic device (e.g., a virtual button on a capacitive touch screen). Manual input provided to this user interface may, for example, cause a purchase to be paid by credit and points may be earned for the purchase. A different manual input may, for example, cause a purchase to be paid by credit and points not be earned for the purchase in exchange for one or more chances to win a prize in a random lottery. An instant winner functionality may be provided on a card. For example, a card may randomly become an instant winner based on, for example, time and/or use. |
| US08393544B2 |
Intelligent identification of multimedia content for synchronization
An intelligent synchronization tool ensures access to desired content in a manner that automatically keeps the content current on the portable media device. A variation threshold or user-specified degree of content variation may be introduced among content downloaded to a user's mobile device to prevent the user from becoming bored. Furthermore, intelligent synchronization may automatically populate the portable media device with popular content to save a user time and/or use passive monitoring techniques to ascertain a user's preferences for subsequent population. |
| US08393543B2 |
Method and apparatus for scanning optical code
An optical aberration is intentionally introduced into the optical system which produces the scanning beam of an optical code scanner, in order to produce a scanning beam which has plural focal points or waists at different distances from the scanner. The operating range of the scanner can thereby be increased by taking advantage of different beam waist locations when the optical code is at different distances from the scanner. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, coma is intentionally introduced to an optical system providing a light beam for an optical code scanner. This provides a scanning beam with plural beam waists at different distances from the scanner. This may be accomplished by orienting the light source and focusing optical system so that their optical axes intersect or by introducing an optical member, such as a prism, between the original light source and the focusing optical system. |
| US08393540B2 |
XML printer system with RFID capability
An XML system is configured to print bar code labels, tags, tickets, cards, or other media, and/or encode RFID devices embedded in media, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream. The XML system includes a computer system operatively coupled to a network. The computer system further includes an XML processor configured to receive, parse, and process an XML input data stream and obtain schema identified in the XML data stream from a schema repository. The XML processor validates the XML data stream based upon the schema obtained. Also included is an XSLT processor configured to obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream from a stylesheet repository. The XSLT processor transforms data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained. Also, an XSLFO processor formats the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet. A barcode rendering subsystem then receives the formatted XML data and generates a bit map representative of the bar code label. Alternatively, the system includes an XML processor configured to receive and process the XML input data stream, a ZPL processor configured to receive and process a format template, a variable data integrator configured to develop an association between the XML data contained in the XML input data stream and the format template, a formatting engine configured to format the associated XML data according to a format governed by the format template, and a barcode rendering engine configured to generate a printable representation of the bar code label, tag, ticket, card, other media, and/or generate encoding information for an RFID device. |
| US08393539B2 |
In-flight programming of trigger time of a projectile
The present invention describes methods for programming trigger time of a projectile (60) based on remaining flight time to a target (P) after the projectile (60) is airborne. The actual muzzle (Vo) and flight speeds (V1, V2, etc.) are independently determined and compared to those used by the ballistic computer (30), and a better estimate of trigger time is accordingly used to activate detonation of the projectile (60). In one embodiment, a Kalman algorithm is used to provide a better estimate of the projectile's flight speeds obtained by independent methods to provide the better estimate of the trigger time. |
| US08393538B2 |
Self checkout terminal and control method of the same
According to one embodiment, a self checkout terminal includes a reading section, a main display, a ticker display and a controller. The reading section reads identification information of a commodity from the commodity. The main display displays information relating to the commodity whose identification information is read by the reading section to an operator. The ticker display displays information in the same direction as the main display and is provided at a position closer to the reading section than the main display. The controller controls the ticker display and causes arbitrary information to be selectively displayed. |
| US08393536B2 |
Payment system and methods
Disclosed are payment system and methods. |
| US08393532B2 |
Use of peer maintained file to improve beacon position tracking utilizing spatial probabilities
A method for improving position beacon tracking using spatial probabilities is provided. A beacon identity recognition device receives a central probability file from a remote data processing system to form a local probability file. The device receives a current position beacon identity. The device compares current position beacon identity to a previous beacon identity stored in the local probability file to form a comparison. The device determines if the current position beacon identity is valid based on the comparison. The device transmits a valid position beacon identity to the remote data processing system. The device updates the local probability file and then combines a weighted version of the local probability file with a new copy of the probability file from the remote data processing system to form a combined probability file. The combined probability file is then sent to the remote data processing system and replaces the existing probability file. |
| US08393531B2 |
Application control based on flexible electronic device conformation sequence status
A method includes, but is not limited to: obtaining and coordinating the one or more sequences of two or more conformations of one or more portions of one or more regions of the flexible electronic device with one or more commands. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08393528B2 |
Method for coating a turbine blade
A method for hardfacing a metal component surface (14, 16), especially a shroud surface of a turbine blade made of a TiAl alloy, with at least one metal material (18, 20), in particular a Co—Cr alloy. The hardfacing coating is produced separately from the component surface and is then joined to the component surface in a high-temperature soldering process. A turbine blade including such a hardfacing coating, primarily in a shroud region (2). |
| US08393527B2 |
Solder apparatus
A solder apparatus includes a platform, an operating mechanism, a solder member, a heater, and a control box module. The control box module includes a temperature controller and a temperature sensor. The temperature controller defines a predetermined temperature. The temperature sensor is capable of measuring the temperature of the solder member. The temperature controller has the heater heat the solder member when the measured temperature of the solder member is lower than or equal to the predetermined temperature, and has the heater stop heating the solder member, when the measured temperature of the solder member is higher than the predetermined temperature. |
| US08393526B2 |
System and method for packaging electronic devices
In accordance with particular embodiments, a method for packaging electronic devices includes melting solder for a solder jet. The method additionally includes depositing the melted solder from the solder jet in a pattern on a first substrate of a first component of an electronic device. The pattern comprises a plurality of individual dots of melted solder. The method also includes aligning a second substrate of a second component of the electronic device with the pattern deposited on the first substrate of the electronic device. The method further includes re-melting the solder deposited in the pattern on the first substrate. The method additionally includes, while the solder is re-melting, compressing the first and second substrates. |
| US08393524B1 |
Counter-rotating spindle for friction stir welding
A counter-rotating spindle includes a shoulder tool, a pin tool inserted in the shoulder tool, a first motor that is connected with the pin tool and rotates the pin tool, and a second motor that is connected with the shoulder tool and rotates the shoulder tool. The direction and the speed of the rotation for the pin tool may be selected independently from the speed and direction of rotation of the shoulder tool enabling optimization of the friction stir welding process. Counter-rotating the pin tool and the shoulder tool may improve the mixing abilities and efficiency of the pin tool and may prevent the galling effect between the pin tool and the shoulder tool. The counter-rotating spindle may be used, for example, for continuous path friction stir welding and spot welding of aluminum and its alloys, including cast alloys, as well as joining similar and dissimilar alloys. |
| US08393521B1 |
Flash ring separator
A method of producing a welded assembly from a first metal part and a second metal part includes bringing the first metal part and the second metal part into contact with one another at a joint region while providing a flash ring separator adjacent the joint region configured to intercept and separate flash. After heating the joint region, the first and second metal parts are forced together to join the first metal part to the second metal part, extruding metal flash from the joint region. The extruded flash impinges on the flash ring separator, forming a flash ring having at least one indentation. During subsequent machining of the welded assembly to remove the flash ring, the flash ring may fragment at the indentation, so that it does not cause damage by becoming hung around the assembly. |
| US08393520B1 |
Pulsed ultrasonic stir welding system
An ultrasonic stir welding system includes a welding head assembly having a plate and a rod passing through the plate. The rod is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof. During a welding operation, ultrasonic pulses are applied to the rod as it rotates about its longitudinal axis. The ultrasonic pulses are applied in such a way that they propagate parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rod. |
| US08393513B2 |
Surgical stapling apparatus including an anvil and cartridge each having cooperating mating surfaces
Surgical stapling apparatus are disclosed including an anvil having a working surface with a shaped topography, and a staple cartridge, in juxtaposition with the anvil. The staple cartridge includes a working surface with shaped topography which is complementary to the shaped topography of the working surface of the shaped anvil. When the anvil and the staple cartridge are approximated with or toward one another, at least a portion of the working surface of the anvil cooperates with at least a portion of the working surface of the staple cartridge to enhance alignment of the staple cartridge and the anvil in at least one of a transverse and longitudinal direction. |
| US08393508B2 |
Rack tower for securing crossbars on top of a vehicle
A rack for carrying cargo on top of a vehicle includes a pair of crossbars. Each crossbar spans a pair of rails. The crossbars are connected to the rails by towers. Each tower has a claw assembly which is adjustable along two axes. |
| US08393506B2 |
Bicycle support assembly for use with a load carrier for vehicles
The present invention relates to a support assembly (1) for securing a bicycle to a load carrier for vehicles, comprising a bar (2), which is provided at both ends with a gripping means (3, 4) for mounting the support assembly between a substantially fixed frame of the load carrier and the bicycle, a common tensioning means (5), when tightened forcing together said gripping means (3, 4). The main feature of the invention is that a first gripping means (3) for attachment to the frame of the load carrier comprises an openable annular clamp (8), which extends substantially completely around the frame, and an attachment fitting (9) which is fixedly attached to the clamp for attachment to the tensioning means (5), the opening of the clamp (8) being arranged adjacent said attachment fitting (9) and the clamp (8) has two mutually adapted clamping jaws (10, 11), which are arranged on either side of the opening and which upon tightening of the tensioning means (5) are pressed against one another to tighten the clamp (8) together around the frame. |
| US08393502B2 |
Seed metering gate assembly
A seed metering gate assembly (12) is provided for use with an upright seed bin (10) having a shiftable primary gate (24), wherein the gate assembly (12) provides an additional seed flow control function allowing more accurate dispensing of seed from the bin (10). The gate assembly (12) includes a seed hopper (13) equipped with a fore and aft-shiftable metering gate (42) movable between a closed position and an open position presenting a seed output passageway (40). Apparatus (62) is operably coupled with the gate member (42) in order to determine the travel of metering gate member between the fully closed position and a plurality of open positions presenting respective, differently sized passageways (40). The apparatus (62) preferably includes a rod (64) having a series of through openings (70) and coupled with the gate member (42), with a shiftable, motion-limiting collar (72) mounted on the rod (64) and securable at any of the openings (70) by a clip (76). The opening movement of the rod (64) is limited by engagement between the collar (72) and a bracket (68) affixed to hopper (13). |
| US08393499B1 |
Multipurpose dispenser organizer
A multipurpose dispenser having a container body adapted to removably retain a plurality of product containers within the container body is disclosed. The dispenser includes a plurality of dispensing devices coupled to the container body. The dispensing devices are adapted for dispensing products from the product containers removably retained within the container body. The dispensing devices include dispensing actuators and nozzles. The dispensing actuators activate dispensing of products through the nozzles for use of the products. |
| US08393497B2 |
Powder-metering apparatus with an impact device
A powder-metering apparatus (1) for dispensing measured doses of a powder into a receiving container has a handling and positioning device (2) with a handling arm (3) designed to handle a metering device (4, 4a, 4b, 4c). The metering device has a reservoir container (31, 31a, 31b, 31c) with a metering head (32, 32a, 32b, 32c) which has a discharge orifice (5, 6) and a flow-control element (34, 35, 36). The flow-control element controls the rate at which powder leaves the discharge orifice. The powder-metering apparatus is equipped with an impact device (11, 111) adapted to shock the metering device with upward-directed force pulses of high intensity and short duration. |
| US08393496B2 |
Stack of sheets and sheet container
A representative stack of sheets including sheet bodies each of which is formed by folding a sheet and has a plurality of pieces between both ends of the sheet body. The sheet bodies are stacked one on another in such a manner that one of the plurality of pieces of each of the sheet bodies on one side in a stacking direction and another piece on the other side are inserted between pieces of an adjacent sheet body on one side in the stacking direction with respect to the sheet body and between pieces of an adjacent sheet body on the other side in the stacking direction, respectively, wherein an auxiliary piece is formed by folding an end of the piece of the sheet body. |
| US08393493B1 |
Drink cooler with cold storage
A drink cooler with cold storage that includes an inner wall disposed circumferentially around a central cavity, the central cavity configured to releasably receive a cylindrical storage shaft slidingly insertable to, and retracable from, the central cavity, wherein items stored inside the storage shaft are kept cool by means of a chilled solution (such as ice water) stored within, and dispensible from, an interior cavity disposed between the inner wall and an insulated outer wall. |
| US08393491B2 |
Neck closure comprising a hermetically sealed neck and associated cover cap for initial opening
The neck closure has a wedge-shaped hollow neck with lips formed on the front wedge edge by converging wedge surfaces, the lips being connected to form a one-piece closed lip by a thin section, and having a cover cap that can be placed over the neck. When the cover cap is in place, the front region of the wedge-shaped neck is held in a position that has been rotated through at least 5 DEG in a clockwise direction, viewed from above, in relation to its normal unstressed position, as a result of the inner moulding of the cover cap. When the cover cap is rotated anti-clockwise, from this closed position, force is only applied to the front wedge edge region of the neck by pressure surfaces projecting from the inner face of the cover cap at diametrically opposed points on said front wedge edge region. |
| US08393489B1 |
Medical waste disposal device with self-closing lid
Waste disposal device includes a container, a lid, and a rotation mechanism that rotates a waste-containing member when present in the container. A slide mechanism enables opening movement of the lid to cause the rotation mechanism to rotate the waste-containing member or prevent the rotation mechanism from rotating the waste-containing member depending on its setting. A foot pedal assembly includes a foot pedal and a spring, and causes both opening of the lid when the foot pedal is depressed and closure of the lid when the pressing force is removed. The spring is moved against its bias upon depression of the foot pedal and returns to its original state when the pressing force is removed to cause closure of the lid and rotation of the waste-containing member. The device may be used for medical waste from hospitals, doctors' offices, home health care personnel and facilities, nursing homes, and biohazard laboratories. |
| US08393485B2 |
Food container for use in freezer storage of a food portion
There is provided a food container for use in freeze storage of a food portion. The food container comprises a body defining a compartment for receipt of the food portion; a sealing lid for reversible sealing of the compartment; and provided to the body, one or more connectors, each connector arranged for reversible mating connection to a mating connector provided to a second body of a second similar food container. |
| US08393481B2 |
Clothing display fixture
A clothing display fixture includes a sleeve having an inner surface, an outer surface, a pair of opposing edges defining a top and a bottom, a joint, a first cross member and a second cross member. The first and second cross members have first lengthwise edges and opposing second lengthwise edges and first widthwise edges and opposing second widthwise edges. The first and second opposing widthwise edges are located adjacent to the inner surface of the sleeve such that the second widthwise edges span across the joint and wherein the first and second support members extend through a center of the sleeve. |
| US08393480B2 |
Processing apparatus and method of operation thereof
A manufacturing facility includes a storage facility and a production facility. Workpieces are located in the storage facility in temporary storage accommodations, and are moved between the storage facility and stations in the production facility by mobile carrier units. The temporary storage accommodations may be units having a generally circular lading envelope, and an hexagonal optimal packing density. The mobile carrier units may be automated guided vehicles and may include self-navigating software, and interactive communication with other guided vehicles to permit suitable routes to be chosen, or to permit obstacles to be avoided. The facility may include a workpiece retrieval apparatus used for transferring workpieces between the storage accommodations and the automated guided vehicles, or to other locations. The workpiece retrieval apparatus may be mounted on a bridge, and may include a multi-element raising and lowering array that is biased to oppose torsional deflection of the lifting member. |
| US08393478B2 |
Inorganic membranes and method of making
An inorganic membrane having an improved pore structure. The membrane has a mean pore size of up to about 100 nm and a mean particle size in a range from about 10 nm to about 100 nm. In one embodiment, the membrane comprises α-alumina and is formed by providing a coating slip comprising δ-alumina; applying the coating slip to a support surface to form a coating layer; drying the coating layer; and firing the dried coating layer at a temperature of at least about 1000° C. to convert at least a portion of the δ-alumina to α-alumina and form the inorganic membrane. |
| US08393477B2 |
Filter medium
A filter medium includes at least one filter membrane (10) having a fabric ply (12) as a supporting and protective layer. At least one additional filter membrane (14) with another fabric ply (16) as a supporting and protective layer is also provided. A third fabric ply (18) extends between both adjacent filter membranes (10, 14). Both adjacent filter membranes (10, 14) are connected together by the threads (26) of the other two plies (12, 16) which reach through to the third ply (18). |
| US08393475B2 |
Postal sorting machine with a carriage for handling mailpieces
A sorting machine for sorting mailpieces such as letters and flats, said machine having at least one row of sorting outlets (3) and a trolley for handling the mailpieces as a stack outside the sorting outlets. The trolley is mounted to slide on the machine along said row of sorting outlets and carries a deck that is substantially horizontal and that is mounted to move in rotation relative to the trolley (8) about a vertical axis so as to take up at least two angular positions that are offset from each other by 90 degrees. |
| US08393472B2 |
Method and apparatus for automated mail processing
An apparatus for the automated processing of bulk mail in a continuous and automatic procedure includes an operative combination of processing stations including an input station for receiving incoming mail in bulk fashion and for separating the pieces of mail for individual delivery to the remainder of the apparatus; a station for detecting irregularities in the contents of the envelopes, such as metal items, folded contents, or oversized items; a station for out-sorting envelopes rejected in accordance with determinations made at the detection station; a station for opening the envelopes, preferably along multiple edges; a station for removing the contents from the opened envelopes, for subsequent processing of the contents; and a series of stations for handling, imaging and orienting the contents for subsequent delivery to a plurality of output stackers. |
| US08393468B2 |
System for packaging flowers purchased on the internet
A method and system suitable for ordering, packaging, and delivering harvested plants, such as fresh-cut flowers. The method and method entail placing an order for harvested plants by selecting at least one plant varietal, identifying a recipient for the plant by name and address, indicating a date for the recipient to receive the plant, and optionally creating a message to be delivered with the plant to the recipient. The plant is then placed in at least one recess within a transparent shell comprising a raised peripheral edge that surrounds and defines the recess. The shell and plant are then placed in a transparent enclosure formed from a perforated transparent foil, and the enclosure and a shipping label are then inserted in a shipping container that is at least translucent to enable the plant and the label to be visible therethrough. |
| US08393465B2 |
Pocket-size hybrid container for consumer items
A three-piece pocket-size hybrid container for holding a consumer product such as smokeless tobacco product in an interior volume of an inner ring mechanically secured to an interior of an outer base housing including a cover to fit over and snugly around the inner ring. When closed, a cover sidewall may engage a sidewall of the outer base housing to form a flush exterior sidewall of the closed container or the cover sidewall may be spaced apart from the outer base housing to form a gap in the exterior sidewall of the closed container. The outer base housing and cover can be metal and the inner ring can be plastic to provide a strong and robust package that maintains product freshness and is easily opened and closed. |
| US08393456B2 |
Mobile machine in main conveyor and method of using such machine
A storage platform is incorporated into the main conveyor. The machine is movable, and incorporates space for the storage of main conveyor structure. The machine also includes a mechanism for raising the top of the endless belt, and for permitting the lower or return portion of the endless belt to pass through the mobile machine. |
| US08393455B2 |
Coin processing device having a moveable coin receptacle station
A coin processing machine comprises a housing for containing the coin processing device, a coin processing unit disposed within the housing for processing received coins of a plurality of denominations and discharging processed coins into a plurality of coin receptacles, and a coin receptacle station disposed within the housing for holding a plurality of coin receptacles. The coin receptacle station includes a plurality of individually moveable platforms each having at least one coin receptacle disposed thereon. Each moveable platform is moveable between a first position and a second position. Each moveable platform is disposed entirely within the housing for receiving coins in the at least one coin receptacle disposed thereon when in the first position, and each moveable platform extends out of the housing when in the second position. |
| US08393454B2 |
Drive mechanism and method
A drive train is used at least including an input shaft and an output shaft. A clutch member is rotatable by a clutch shaft about an axis of rotation. The clutch shaft is supported for lateral movement along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member to cooperate with the drive train at a first lateral position to cause the output shaft to turn and to move the clutch member to a second lateral position to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft. A permanent magnet is supported by one end of the clutch shaft and arranged for receiving an external magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to selectively move the clutch member between the first and second lateral positions. A traveling shaft can be used to support a selected gear for movement by the permanent magnet to implement transmission and reversing configurations. |
| US08393452B2 |
One way clutch
In a one way clutch shipped and transported in a sub-assembly state in which one of inner ring and outer ring is assembled in a later stage. The retainer has pockets radially passing therethrough at predetermined intervals and columns between the adjacent pockets. The circumferential length of each column is so designed as to cause the biasing members, each having a spring force that allows reduction of drug, to exert a biasing force that is so strong that the torque transmission members are prevented by biasing by the biasing members from being dislocated in the sub-assembly state. The circumferential width of an engagement projection of a block bearing is smaller than that of a groove in one of the rings. When a torque greater than a predetermined level is input, the retainer shifts by a distance equal to a gap between the engagement projection and an end of the groove. |
| US08393447B2 |
Vibration damper with amplitude-selective damping force
A vibration damper includes a damping medium filled cylinder in which a piston rod carrying a working piston is guided with freedom of axial movement, the working piston dividing the cylinder into two working spaces. The piston rod forms a housing having an inside wall, the housing having first and second working chambers separated by a separating piston, the first working chamber being connected to one of the working spaces to provide amplitude selective damping as the working piston moves in the cylinder. The separating piston is spaced from the inside wall to form an annular gap in which a pressure gradient develops when the piston rod moves, thereby causing the separating piston to move in the housing, the separating piston being radially expandable to close the gap when sufficient pressure develops in one of the working chambers. |
| US08393446B2 |
Methods and apparatus for suspension lock out and signal generation
Methods and apparatus for regulating the function of a suspension system are disclosed herein. Suspension characteristics often contribute to the efficiency of a suspended system. Depending on the desired operating parameters of the suspended system, it may be desirable to alter the functional characteristics of the suspension from time to time in order to maintain or increase efficiency. The suspension hereof may be selectively locked into a substantially rigid configuration, and the damping fluid may be phase separated and/or cooled to increase damping rate during use (or offset rate degradation). The suspension hereof may generate power usable to achieve any or all of the foregoing or to be stored for use elsewhere in the suspended system or beyond. |
| US08393441B2 |
Spreader spring
A brake assembly comprising: at least one brake spring that includes: a first arm; a second arm, the first arm and the second arm forming a first arm plane; and a body portion between and connecting to the first arm and the second arm, the body portion forming a body plane, the body plane being at an angle relative to the first arm plane; wherein the at least one brake spring is between and in communication with a pressure plate of at least two brake pads. |
| US08393436B2 |
Flexible muffler for use in aircraft environmental control systems and method of manufacture
A flexible muffler for use in an aircraft environmental system includes a flexible body having a porous inner layer and an air impervious outer layer both supported by a helically wound adhesively attached reinforcing cord. The flexible body includes a pair of connecting end caps at opposed ends thereof which are joined to the flexible body in an air tight attachment. The resulting muffler provides acoustic energy absorptive and is readily flexed and bent to accommodate space restrictions within the environmental control system of the aircraft. |
| US08393431B2 |
Omnidirectional drive and steering unit
A compact, low profile omnidirectional drive and steering unit that, in one embodiment, utilizes a single, centrally located wheel, mounted on a drive shaft, upon which is also mounted a tapered pinion gear. The pinion gear on the drive shaft meshes with a ring shaped beveled worm gear contained within the outer housing of the gear unit that surrounds the centrally located wheel. At one side of the outer housing is a worm drive that meshes with the ring shaped and beveled worm gear. Rotation of the worm drive causes rotation of the ring shaped worm gear, which causes the drive shaft mounted pinion gear to turn, which turns the drive wheel to provide driving power for whatever vehicle or system of which the unit is a part. A steering and timing gear is mounted on the lower surface of the unit to provide steering capability. |
| US08393429B2 |
Variable wheelbase motor grader
A motor grader with an adjustable wheelbase. The motor grader may include front and rear wheels supporting a chassis and a main frame. A working blade may downwardly depend from the main frame between the front wheels and rear wheels to perform work on the ground below. The motor grader may also provide an adjustable wheel base to allow the center of gravity of the motor grader to better match the work load being addressed. The adjustable wheel base may also provide more swing clearance for the blade relative to the rear wheels, allow for an adjustable articulation angle, and minimize structural loads on the motor grader, particularly during ripping operation. The wheel base may be adjustable by providing structure through which the relative positions of the rear wheels can be altered automatically, manually, and dynamically. |
| US08393421B2 |
Hull robot drive system
A hull robot includes a robot body, at least one drive module for maneuvering the robot about the hull, an on-board power source, and a motive subsystem for the drive module powered by the on-board power source. A plurality of permanent magnet elements are associated with the drive module and each are switchable between a non-shunted state when adjacent the hull and a shunted state when not adjacent the hull. |
| US08393419B1 |
Superabrasive elements having indicia and related apparatus and methods
A cutting element for use on a rotary drill bit for forming a borehole in a subterranean formation may comprise a body and laser-generated indicia on at least a portion of the body of the cutting element. The laser-generated indicia may be provided on at least a portion of a substrate of the cutting element and/or at least a portion of a layer of superabrasive material of the cutting element. The laser-generated indicia may be used to indicate a product name of the cutting element, the name of a manufacturer of the cutting element, a preferred alignment for the cutting element relative to a drill bit, or any other useful information. Cutting elements and superabrasive inserts having laser-generated indicia may be employed in rotary drill bits. In addition, laser-generated indicia may be used in a method to distinguish between cutting elements having substantially identical external geometric features. |
| US08393418B2 |
Rock bit having a seal gland with a conical sealing surface
A drill bit includes a bit head and a rotating bit cone. A sealing system for the drill bit includes a seal gland and a seal retained within the seal gland. The seal gland is defined by a radial cone surface, a head sealing surface and an opposed cone sealing surface. At least one of the head sealing surface and opposed cone sealing surface is not cylindrical (i.e., the surface is conical and not parallel to an axis of rotation for the cone). Additionally, the radial cone surface may be conical (i.e., the surface does not extend perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cone). The seal is radially compressed between the head sealing surface and the opposed cone sealing surface. The use of one or more conical surfaces in the gland is provided to bias the compressed seal into a preferred dynamic sealing zone. |
| US08393416B2 |
Drilling rig and mounting method therefor
There is provided a drilling rig for use on a drilling platform, comprising a drilling mast having at least two segments and a feed carriage, said drilling mast being adapted to be constructed in such a manner that at least one segment is displaced upwardly by means of the feed carriage. A mounting method in accordance with the invention for a drilling mast having at least two segments comprises the following steps: fixing of a feed carriage, providing of a mast segment below the feed carriage, and displacing the mast segment upwardly by means of the feed carriage. Due to this, additional auxiliary devices for constructing the drilling mast are not required, and space may be saved. |
| US08393414B2 |
Establishing positions of locating field detectors and path mapping in underground boring tool applications
Specific apparatus and associated methods are described for use in establishing the positions of locating field detectors and a sonde. Two detectors can be located at positions within the region, each being operable in a transmit mode and in a receive mode such that each one of the detectors in the transmit mode is able to transmit a relative locating signal to the other detector for use in determining the relative position of one detector in relation to the other and such that both detectors receive an electromagnetic locating signal from the sonde in the receive mode for use in determining the position of the sonde and the detectors within the region. |
| US08393413B2 |
Closed loop control bore hole drilling system
A steerable bore hole drilling tool and method of drilling bore holes. The steerable bore hole drilling tool comprise means for mechanically decoupling the sensor unit from the tool body. The method comprises a step of mechanically decoupling the sensor unit form the tool body. |
| US08393412B2 |
System and method for accurate wellbore placement
A system and method of closed loop control whereby groupings of surface sonic transmitters disposed along the planned path of a well send sonic wave energy to a downhole sonic receiver (or alternatively a downhole sonic transmitter signalling to grouping of surface sonic receivers) in a manner that facilitates the downhole positioning of the well. Subsequent offset well positioning, relative to the first well, may be achieved in a similar manner. |
| US08393411B2 |
Method for controlling loss of drilling fluid
Methods for drilling and treating for lost returns continuously while drilling are provided. High fluid loss drilling fluid is used, along with particulate material that forms an immobile mass in hydraulic fractures to prevent their growth. The particulate material may be selected based on the predicted size of a hydraulic fracture, based on particle size to minimize fines, based on specific gravity to attain high solids content for a selected fluid density, and/or based on permeability of the particles to attain a high spurt loss. |
| US08393410B2 |
Millimeter-wave drilling system
System for drilling boreholes into subsurface formations. A gyrotron injects millimeter-wave radiation energy into the borehole and pressurization apparatus is provided for pressurizing the borehole whereby a thermal melt front at the end of the borehole propagates into the subsurface formations. In another aspect, a system for fracturing a subsurface formation is disclosed. |
| US08393403B2 |
Drill string flow control valves and methods
Drill string flow control valves and more particularly, drill string flow control valves for prevention of u-tubing of fluid flow in drill strings are provided. Drill string flow control valves may comprise a valve housing, a valve sleeve axially movable within a valve housing from a closed position to an open position, a piston axially movable within said valve housing and bearing against the valve sleeve, a biasing mechanism for biasing the valve sleeve into the closed position, a static pressure port for actuating said piston utilizing internal fluid pressure within said valve and a plurality of dynamic pressure ports for allowing a differential pressure to be exerted on the valve sleeve during dynamic flow conditions. The differential pressure exerted on the valve sleeve may be the result of an upstream pressure and a downstream pressure during fluid flow through said valve. By allowing a differential pressure resulting from a fluid flow to act on the valve sleeve, u-tubing in a drill string can be prevented or substantially reduced. Methods of use are also provided. |
| US08393402B2 |
Redundant position reference system for multilateral exit construction and method for use of same
A position reference system (100) for multilateral exit construction in a wellbore (32). The system (100) includes a casing string (34) having a window joint (106) and a pair of latch couplings (102, 104) interconnected therein and positioned in the wellbore (32). The first latch coupling (102) has a first inner profile operably engagable with a mating profile of a first latch assembly (114) to anchor and orient the first latch assembly (114) relative to the window joint (106). The second latch coupling (104) has a second inner profile that is different from the first inner profile of the first latch coupling (102). The second inner profile is operably engagable with a mating profile of a second latch assembly (124) to anchor and orient the second latch assembly (124) relative to the window joint (106). |
| US08393400B2 |
Metal-to-metal seal with wiper element and wellhead system incorporating same
A wellhead or Christmas tree seal assembly that forms a metal-to-metal seal between inner and outer wellhead or Christmas tree members. U-shaped metal seals having legs that face in opposite directions, are bonded to a wiping element. During installation of the seal assembly, the ends of the seal legs seal against the wellhead members and the wiping element compensates for defects on the surfaces of the wellhead members. The wiping element can be of an elastomer, metallic, or intercalated graphite material. |
| US08393398B2 |
Device for controlling slugging
A device for inhibiting severe slug flow in a multiphase fluid stream flowing through a pipeline and into a riser, wherein, the device is positioned immediately upstream of the riser and comprises at least one unit comprising (i) an upwardly inclined section of pipe having a lower end and an upper end and (ii) either a substantially horizontal section of pipe having a first end and a second end or a downwardly inclined section of pipe having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the lower end of the upwardly inclined section of pipe is connected either directly or indirectly with the pipeline, the upper end of the upwardly inclined section of pipe is connected either directly or indirectly with the first end of the horizontal section of pipe or with the upper end of the downwardly inclined section of pipe, and the second end of the horizontal section of pipe or the lower end of the downwardly inclined section of pipe is connected either directly or indirectly with the riser, and wherein the angle of inclination of the upwardly inclined section of pipe is in the range 5 to 90° to the horizontal, and the length of the upwardly inclined section of pipe is in the range 1 to 30 feet. |
| US08393395B2 |
Use of encapsulated chemical during fracturing
A process for hydraulic fracturing of a subterranean reservoir formation penetrated by a wellbore includes pumping a fracturing fluid or other aqueous fluid from the surface via the wellbore and into the reservoir. This fluid is an aqueous suspension of particles which each comprise an oilfield chemical distributed within an encapsulating matrix of water-insoluble carrier material. The encapsulating matrix is chosen so as to provide a delayed release of the oilfield chemical from the particles into surrounding fluid, such that oilfield chemical is liberated from the particles after they have entered the fracture. The encapsulating matrix may be a polymer which is at least partially amorphous, with a glass transition temperature below the reservoir temperature. |
| US08393391B2 |
Dry cement formulation for cementing holes in the earth
The present invention pertains to a dry cement formulation for cementing earth boreholes, in particular oil, gas and/or terrestrial heat boreholes, containing a) about 20 to 99.9 wt. % cement, b) about 0 to 65 wt. % powdered quartz/or quartz dust, c) about 0.1 to 30 wt. % water-redispersible dispersion powder, and d) about 0 to 20 wt. % further additives. Furthermore, the invention pertains to the use of the dry cement formulation for preparing a cement slurry as well as to the use of water-redispersible dispersion powders in a cement slurry for cementing earth boreholes, wherein the cement slurries can be used for reducing the water loss of the cement slurry, for reducing the gas and/or water penetration and/or for sealing off the gas and/or water channels by means of the cement slurry which has been introduced into the borehole and has set. |
| US08393385B2 |
Heat exchanging apparatus and method of making same
A heat exchanging device includes first and second disk members coupled together to form a disk unit having a chamber. The first disk member has an inlet and the second disk member has an outlet. At least one of the disk members has first and second connecting members coupled to the other disk member. The connecting members are arranged on opposite sides of a line extending axially through the inlet and outlet to define therebetween an inlet flow path above the line and outlet flow path below the line. A medium directing member is disposed within the disk unit. The medium directing member, the first and second connecting members and the chamber are arranged such that heat exchange media is directed to flow from the inlet, through the inlet flow path, through the chamber, through the outlet flow path, and into the outlet. |
| US08393384B2 |
Stacked-plate heat exchanger, in particular charge-air cooler
The invention relates to a stacked-plate heat exchanger, in particular a charge-air cooler, having a plurality of elongate plates (1-3;21-23;51-53) which are stacked on top of one another and are connected, in particular soldered, to one another, which plates (1-3;21-23;51-53) delimit a cavity (55-57) for conducting a medium to be cooled, for example charge air, in the longitudinal direction of the plates, and a further cavity (63-65) for conducting a coolant, wherein the plates (1-3;21-23;51-53) have in each case one inlet port and one outlet port for the medium which is to be cooled. In order to provide a stacked-plate heat exchanger which can be produced cost-effectively and has a long service life even at high temperatures, according to the invention, at least one coolant port (14-16) extends partially around a port (12) for the medium to be cooled. |
| US08393379B2 |
Shutter with gear drive for louvres
A shutter of the type having a frame, and louvres extending from side to side within the frame, the louvres being rotatable about parallel axes, the side frames having a hollow interior, and defining longitudinal slots, and having a louvre control member within the frame for operating all louvres, drive connector members connected to the louvre control member for engaging respective louvres, and each drive connector member in turn having a first gear operated by the louvre control member, a second gear supporting and driving an end of a louvre, a drive housing supporting the first and second gears in meshing engagement, and, drive surfaces on the first gear for interengaging with the louvre control member. |
| US08393378B2 |
Group control method for controlling motor-driven screens as a group, automatic motor control for implementing the method, and home automation installations including such automatic motor control
According to the method of the invention, the movement of movable screen ends for a group of motor-driven screens to a common position is controlled in a grouped manner. The method includes a step (E150) consisting of moving the end of a screen when said end becomes the farthest from the common position after moving the end of at least one other screen to said common position. |
| US08393372B2 |
Sheet processing apparatus and image forming system
The sheet processing apparatus includes a buffer roller to form a sheet bundle by overlapping a plurality of sheets while respectively displacing an end part of each sheet at one end of the conveying direction toward the conveying direction, a fold conveying path to fold the displaced and overlapped sheet bundle twice into three layers so that the end part at one end covers an end part at the other end and the end parts at the one end are respectively exposed, and a sealer to seal the sheet bundle by adhering the end part at the one end of the twice-folded sheet bundle to a surface of the sheet bundle with a seal. The sealer adheres all of the end parts at the one end and the surface of the sheet bundle with a seal having length longer than exposed length of the end parts at the one end. |
| US08393369B2 |
Labeling machine for labels printed on continuous film
A labeling machine for labels printed on continuous film, comprising, in an intermediate position between a motorized reel and a feed roller, a tunnel provided with suction elements adapted to determine on the film in transit inside it an attraction that gives it a bent configuration, elements being provided which are adapted to control the depth of the bend, the tunnel being provided with a bottom and a lid that are adapted to align the film at a constant height. |
| US08393368B2 |
Numerically controlled composite compaction device
A method of manufacturing a composite structure by compacting layers of laminate material within a mold and then curing the layers of laminate material within the mold. |
| US08393364B2 |
Refuelling container for fuelcell, method for refuelling, and holder for refulling container
In, for example, a direct methanol type fuelcell, fuel is allowed to be injected little by little when the fuel is injected and supplied from the outside to a fuel receiving part reduced in the amount of remaining fuel on the fuelcell body side and an electromotive part can be prevented from being damaged by keeping the pressure in the fuel receiving part at a fixed level or less when the fuel is injected. Specifically, when a fuel CL filled in a refuelling container C is injected into a fuel receiving part T in several lots, a fuel injecting operation is repeated in which the volume of the refuelling container C is shrunk and reduced to supply the fuel into the fuel receiving part T in a proper amount and then the original volume of the refuelling container is restored to thereby absorb the atmospheric gas in the fuel receiving part T, which makes it possible to inject fuel continuously without any hindrance to the injection of the fuel. |
| US08393362B1 |
Automated vehicle fueling apparatus and method
A multi axis robot is mounted in a fuel transfer housing. A programmable controller is connected to the robot. A control console receives instructions, from a vehicle operator who remains in an operator's station, and transmits instructions to the controller. Cameras locate the vehicle fueling port. A tube is extended from the transfer housing toward the fueling port. The port is opened by robot arm and tools extending through the tube. The cap is stored. A fuel discharge is connected to the port. A fuel pump is activated and then deactivated. The fuel discharge is removed from the port. The robot retrieves the fuel cap, closes the port and closes other port covers. The tube is retracted into the transfer housing. During fueling air and fuel vapors are sucked into the housing. Filters separate air. Captured fuel is returned to storage. The operator and vehicle separate from the fuel housing. |
| US08393361B2 |
Receptacle for weighing prescribed target quantities of substances
A receptacle for the weighing-in of free-flowing substances has a fill opening, a tubular-shaped circumference wall, and a bottom part. The bottom part is connected to the tubular-shaped circumference wall, which it tightly closes off in the direction of gravity when the weighing receptacle is in its operating position. The weighing receptacle can be set on the weighing pan of a balance and can be filled like a beaker with free-flowing substances without allowing the latter to escape therefrom. The bottom part can be opened either by an outside force acting on the weighing receptacle and/or through the influence of a solvent acting on the weighing receptacle, forming an outlet orifice in the bottom part. The weighing receptacle, otherwise tightly sealed in the direction of gravity, can be flushed out with a fluid when the outlet orifice is opened. |
| US08393359B2 |
Dual purpose bitumen/diluent railroad tank car
A dual-purpose railcar is provided, designed for hauling of bitumen or diluent, optimized to provide transport of bitumen to a destination and transport of diluent in the return trip of the car. |
| US08393358B2 |
Method for manual dispensing using standardized packaging
In one embodiment there is provided a system for recalculating a formula previously used in preparing a mixture made from adding at least two components. The system includes a control apparatus and scale. The control apparatus has a memory for storing the mixture formula. The scale, in communication with the control apparatus, allows the control apparatus to monitor a weight on the scale, such that a final weight of the mixture is stored on the memory. When an end weight of the mixture, defined to be the final weight of the mixture previously prepared minus an amount used by a user, is positioned back on the scale and when the control apparatus receives a recalculation signal, the control apparatus calculates the amount used, recalculates the mixture based on the amount used, and stores a new mixture for subsequent use. |
| US08393356B2 |
Device for controlling fluid motion into micro/nanochannels by means of surface acoustic waves
A device for controlling fluid motion in a micro/nanofluidic structure of channels by means of surface acoustic waves is described. The device comprises a structured volume of material bearing a predetermined configuration of micro/nanofluidic channels for holding and transferring amounts of fluids adapted to define at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet and presenting a hydrophobic behaviour for the fluids to be handled and a substrate made of material with piezoelectric properties coupled to the micro/nanofluidic channels. |
| US08393354B2 |
Self-sealing hydraulic control line coupling
There is provided a hydraulic fluid control line connector including first and second couplings configured to automatically seal shut when the members are disengaged. There is further provided a method for blocking contamination or pressure transfer of hydraulic fluid control lines by securing first and second couplings to corresponding ends of a hydraulic line and automatically sealing the couplings shut when the couplings are disengaged. |
| US08393350B2 |
Methods and apparatus for introducing additives into a fluid flow
Disclosed are an apparatus and methods for introducing additives into a fluid flow. An additive vessel, with chambers for one or more additives, is attached to a primary flow fixture in a configuration that permits a diversion of part of the primary flow through the additive vessel then back to the outlet of the primary flow fixture. When the apparatus is engaged, a part of the primary flow is diverted to the additive vessel, combines with the additive, and then is re-introduced to the fluid stream, exiting the primary flow fixture. |
| US08393346B2 |
Solenoid valve and method of assembly thereof
A valve assembly includes a housing having a valve bore, a valve seat, and at least one port communicating with the bore. A moveable plunger resides in the valve bore and selectively seals against the valve seat. A bobbin integral with the housing has a solenoid bore adjacent to and coaxial with the valve bore. A moveable armature resides in the solenoid bore and has an operating rod connected to the plunger. A pole piece resides in the solenoid bore adjacent the armature. A solenoid coil is wound about the bobbin. A flux conductor partially surrounding the bobbin, pole piece, and armature. An assembly method includes flowing air through the port, inserting the plunger or another sealing element into the bore while monitoring the fluid flow; and stopping the plunger or sealing element when the flow is at a preselected condition. |
| US08393345B2 |
Oil pressure control device
An oil pressure control device includes a plurality of solenoid valves, and a foreign matter discharge unit which carries out foreign matter discharge treatment for a treatment period composed of a first period T1 in which a current smaller than a predetermined value is supplied to one of the solenoid valves and a second period T2 in which a current equal to or larger than the predetermined value is supplied to the one of the solenoid valves, and makes timings for varying the current values different from one another so as to start supplying a current equal to or larger than the predetermined current value to another one of the solenoid valves at the beginning of the first period T1, and to start supplying a current smaller than the predetermined value to the another one of the solenoid valves at the beginning of the second period T2. |
| US08393342B2 |
Walking cane
The present invention includes a walking cane having a handle assembly, a support assembly and foot member. The handle assembly includes first and second generally upright rigid posts. A shaft adaptable for grasping by a user's hand connects to each end of the posts. Pliable mounts dispose between the terminal ends of the shaft and each post. The mounts, biased against the shaft, permit omni-directional movement of the shaft relative to each post. The support assembly connects to the handle assembly and includes three parallel elongated rods spaced apart from one another in a triangular formation. The handle assembly can be adjusted relative to the support assembly by means of two cooperating shims. The foot member connects to the support assembly and contacts the ground. The cane provides a light-weight shaft and a shock absorbing handle assembly to assist in relieving hand, wrist and arm strains. |
| US08393341B2 |
Audio system for outdoor umbrella
An outdoor umbrella includes an umbrella frame and an audio system. The umbrella includes a supporting frame and an awning frame supported by the supporting frame to define a shadowing area under the awning frame. The audio system includes at least a speaker unit supported by the umbrella frame and an audio input operatively linked to the speaker unit such that when the audio input sends an audio signal to the speaker unit, the speaker unit is adapted for producing audio effect within the shadowing area as an additional function for the outdoor umbrella. |
| US08393338B2 |
Cosmetic applicator with torque limiter
A cosmetic applicator includes a handle, a drive coupled to the handle, an applicator head coupled to the drive, and a torque limiter coupled to or within at least one of the drive and the applicator head such that the torque applied via the applicator head does not exceed a predetermined allowable torque. |
| US08393337B2 |
Nail cleaning apparatus
Aspects of the invention relate to apparatuses and methods for improving sanitary conditions. Certain aspects relate to an apparatus having at least one protrusion for removing visible debris from a nail and at least one nail cleaning region comprising an impregnable material for containing a liquid. In one exemplary embodiment, several nail cleaning elements may be configured to each clean a different nail without cross contaminating any other nail cleaning element on the apparatus. In various exemplary embodiments, the liquid comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of: a biocide agent, moisturizing agent, a cleaning agent, and combinations thereof. Multiple nail cleaning elements may be positioned to permit the simultaneous cleaning of multiple nails without cross-contamination. |
| US08393336B2 |
Packaging and applicator devices and kits, and methods of application
A packaging and applicator kit may comprise a receptacle containing a substance for application to nails that has a viscosity of at least approximately 0.3 Pa·s. The kit may also comprise at least one applicator configured to be loaded with the substance contained in the receptacle and to apply the substance to nails. The at least one applicator may comprise at least one flexible blade defining an application face. |
| US08393331B2 |
Electronic atomization cigarette
An electronic cigarette includes a shell and a mouthpiece. The external wall of the shell has an air inlet. An atomizer and a liquid-supply are in contact with each other. The air inlet, atomizer, an aerosol passage, and a mouthpiece are sequentially interconnected. |
| US08393323B2 |
Supplemental gas safety system for a breathing assistance system
A system for managing a supplemental gas supply in a breathing assistance system configured to provide breathing assistance to a patient includes a temperature sensor and a control system. The temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature associated with a breathing assistance system configured to deliver a first gas and a supplemental gas toward a patient. The control system is configured to automatically control the flow of the supplemental gas based at least on the monitored temperature. |
| US08393318B2 |
Heat exchanger
A furnace or other heat exchanger application for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems having condensate control. Specifically, the disclosure includes condensate control for secondary heat exchangers for use with high efficiency furnaces, particularly for small tonnage systems, such as residential or unitary systems. The application provides condensate management to permit a plurality of furnace orientations while providing resistance to corrosion due to liquid condensate, while providing a furnace system that utilizes less expensive materials and is easily fabricated. |
| US08393317B2 |
Inclusive single-use heating device
The invention comprises a fuel package comprising a vessel, a fuel, a combustion-restricting choke plate and a sealed lidding. |
| US08393316B2 |
Internal-combustion-engine control apparatus
In an internal-combustion-engine control apparatus provided with an exhaust gas sensor control device that outputs a detection signal detected by an exhaust-gas sensor, while switching amplification factors of an amplification circuit or offset voltages of an offset circuit, it is determined whether the exhaust-gas sensor is in an activation state or not, and an electric current flowing into the exhaust-gas sensor is stopped, in the case where it is determined that the exhaust-gas sensor is in a non-activation state; the amplification factors of the amplification circuit are switched so that there is detected an air-fuel ratio signal at the time when an electric current flowing into the exhaust-gas sensor is stopped, and it is determined whether or not the offset circuit is abnormal, based on whether the respective air-fuel ratio signals at the amplification factors are within a predetermined range. |
| US08393315B2 |
Crank case ventilator
The present invention relates to a ventilation device (5) for ventilating a crankcase (6) of an internal combustion engine (1), particularly in a motor vehicle, comprising a ventilation line (26), which is connected at the input side to the crankcase (6) of the internal combustion engine (1) in the mounted state, and which is connected at the output side to a fresh gas line (3) feeding fresh gas to the internal combustion engine (1), a ventilation line (27), which in the mounted state is connected to the fresh gas line (3) at the input side and to the crankcase (6) at the output side. A separator (28) is arranged in the ventilation line (26) to remove pollution from the gas that is discharged from the crankcase (6) and a pressure valve (3) is arranged in the ventilation line (26) to control the gas volume discharged from the crankcase (6). In order to increase the smoothness of running of the internal combustion engine (1) in idle, the ventilation device (5) comprises a locking device (37) for locking the ventilation line (27). |
| US08393311B2 |
Internal combustion engine with dry sump lubrication
An internal combustion engine with a dry sump lubrication system is disclosed. The dry sump lubrication system has an oil pan coupled to the engine, an oil reservoir, an oil discharge tube coupling between the oil pan to the oil reservoir, an oil supply tube coupling the oil reservoir to the engine, and a vent tube coupling the oil reservoir to the intake manifold. The dry sump lubrication system may have a fresh air tube coupled to the oil reservoir. A control element coupled to an upstream side of the fresh air tube controls fresh air supplied to the oil reservoir. The oil reservoir may be insulated to retain energy in the oil during short shutdown periods. The oil reservoir may have a heat exchanger which allows engine coolant to flow through the heat exchanger. |
| US08393308B2 |
Switchable cam follower of a valve train of an internal combustion engine
A switchable cam follower of a valve train of a combustion engine, which has an external lever that encompasses an internal lever. The levers are pivotably moveable relative to one another at a valve-side end. The cam follower has a stop for a gas exchange valve on an underside on the valve-side end and a complementary face on the other end for a support element. The cam follower has a start face on an upper side for at least one high-lift cam. In one receptacle of the internal lever a coupling element is seated, which is displaceable longitudinally and can be brought into engagement in sections in case of coupling with a driving surface of the external lever. Also, at least one torsion is clamped between the two levers. |
| US08393300B2 |
Pet toy with flexible body and rope support configurations
A pet toy includes a flexible body with rope support configurations. In one embodiment, the rope configurations include one or more loops that are exposed and one or more knots that are covered by an exterior plush component of the pet toy. In another embodiment, two or more strands of rope material are tied in a series of knots, and an additional strand of rope material may be tied to the other strands in a transverse fashion. Preferably, the exterior plush component includes fabric. One or more of the free ends of the strands of rope material may also protrude beyond the plush component. The fabric material is sewn over the exposed portions of the rope material. Enough fabric material is used such that twisting, extending and retracting the rope material does not transfer force directly to the exterior fabric, thereby preserving the exterior plush component. The knots provide internal bulk to the body of the toy eliminating the need for stuffing. The knots also provide a robust structure for biting and tugging that can aid in dental cleaning. The exposed loops or free ends of the rope material act as handles for grasping by the pet owner or animal. |
| US08393299B1 |
Toy gun
A toy gun is described. The toy gun includes a firing ram configured in a toy gun barrel to be capable of shifting from a first, pre-firing configuration to a second, resting configuration. The barrel comprises a tapered portion capable of holding balls of variable size substantially within the barrel, and a portion of the firing ram is capable of contacting a ball held within the tapered portion when the firing ram is in the resting configuration. |
| US08393297B2 |
Aquaculture net with steel wires coated with metal strip
The invention relates to an aquaculture net (10) comprising steel wires (12) having a steel core (14) and a tuneable metal coating (16) in the form of a strip to improve anti-corrosion and anti-fouling properties. In comparison with the prior art, the metal coating can be thicker and can have a composition that is homogeneous over its thickness. |
| US08393295B2 |
Ergonomic entrance lane for a milking platform
A system includes a first wall positioned substantially parallel to a second wall, a first end of the first wall and a first end of the second wall defining an entrance to a milking platform entrance lane having a width in the range of thirty inches to thirty-six inches. The system further includes a flare wall having a first end coupled to a second end of the second wall, the flare wall extending outwardly from the second wall at an angle in the range of thirty-five degrees to forty-five degrees with respect to the second wall. A second end of the flare wall and a second end of the first wall define an exit from the milking platform entrance lane having a width in the range of forty inches to fifty-four inches. |
| US08393291B2 |
Liquid application apparatus and application method
A liquid application apparatus includes a guide roll for guiding a sheet for application, and a slit die for applying a liquid to a surface of the sheet for application from an opening. The slit die has an upper layer flow path and a lower layer flow path spaced in the rotational direction of the guide roll and joining at the opening. In a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the guide roll, an angle α formed by the center line of the upper layer flow path and the center line of the lower layer flow path is 0.5 to 25°, an angle β formed by a line connecting the intersection point of the center line of the upper layer flow path and the center line of the lower layer flow path with the axis of the guide roll and by the center line of the upper layer flow path is 0 to 70° as measured from this connecting line toward the center line of the upper layer flow path in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of the guide roll, and the distance γ between a point where the two flow paths and join and the opening is 0.05 to 2.8 mm. |
| US08393290B2 |
Automated surface treatment system and method
This disclosure relates to systems and associated methods for applying a surface treatment to a part and curing the surface treatment without reorienting the part in the process. The systems include a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a system for applying a surface treatment, such as a powder coating application system, and a system for curing the surface treatment. |
| US08393289B2 |
Laser assisted nano deposition
An apparatus and method is disclosed for forming a nano structure on a substrate with nano particles. The nano particles are deposited through a nano size pore onto the substrate. A laser beam is directed through a concentrator to focus a nano size laser beam onto the deposited nano particles on the substrate. The apparatus and method is suitable for fabricating patterned conductors, semiconductors and insulators on semiconductor wafers of a nano scale line width by direct nanoscale deposition of materials. |
| US08393285B2 |
Boat cleat assembly
A movable cleat assembly is provided. The movable cleat includes a support base, a face plate positioned adjacent the support base and a retractable cleat. The retractable cleat includes a handle portion and at least one leg extending through the support base and the face plate. The face plate further includes an edge that is adapted to deform or otherwise embed a portion of itself into a boat when installed. At least one of the support base and face plate includes at least one tube to receive the leg therein. The at least one tube is composed of a corrosion-proof material. |
| US08393282B2 |
Sewn product and clothes
A sewn product comprises fabrics having conductive yarns inserted each in a warp direction and a weft direction and disposed in a lattice at intervals, wherein at least two stitches in at least one place of seam are provided with a stitch interval of not more than 5 mm, and a surface resistance (R) between two points separated by 30 cm across at least one seam is according to the formula: R≦1.0×1012Ω. A sewn product comprises fabrics having conductive yarns inserted each in a warp direction and a weft direction and disposed in a lattice at intervals, wherein in at least one place of seam a number of piles of clothing fabrics of seam allowance is 5 or more, and a surface resistance (R) between two points separated by 30 cm across at least one seam is R≦1.0×1012Ω. |
| US08393281B1 |
Particle feeder
A particle feeder is provided for feeding small particles at a uniform low feed rate. In some embodiments, the particle feeder includes a primary reservoir, a secondary reservoir, and a valve. The primary reservoir encloses an internal volume for holding particles and defining a hole through a bottom surface thereof. The valve includes a rod enclosed within and extending through the volume defined by the primary reservoir. The rod is movable between an open position, wherein particles can flow through the hole, and a closed position, wherein the rod blocks the hole. The actuator controls the movement of the rod between the open position and the closed position. The secondary reservoir has an internal volume, and a conduit for connecting the internal volume of the secondary reservoir with the internal volume of primary reservoir, such that particles can flow from the secondary reservoir into the primary reservoir. |
| US08393280B2 |
Lockable enclosure
A safe having a support assembly disposed in the interior of the safe. The door of the safe is coupled to the support assembly and is easily shiftable between a closed position wherein the door is received in an opening of the safe and an open position wherein the door is removed from the opening in the safe and disposed in the interior of the safe. |
| US08393277B2 |
Automatic carriage return for exhaust removal system
An automatic carriage return for an exhaust removal system having a carriage that is configured to translate along a track tube, the carriage being coupled at a first end to an exhaust extraction hose, the second end of the exhaust extraction hose being coupled to a vehicle exhaust for directing exhaust from the vehicle out the track tube. The automatic carriage return includes a drive cable spanning along the track tube, and an engagement assembly coupled to the carriage. The engagement assembly has an engaged configuration and a non-engaged configuration with respect to the drive cable. A drive motor is coupled to the engagement assembly, and drives motion of the carriage along the drive cable when the engagement assembly is in the engaged configuration. In the disengaged configuration, the engagement assembly is configured to be disengaged from the drive cable while the exhaust extraction hose is attached to the exhaust of a vehicle to allow the carriage to freely follow the path of the vehicle. Upon release of the extraction hose from the vehicle, the engagement assembly is configured to automatically activate to the engaged configuration to engage the drive cable. |
| US08393270B2 |
Printing blanket with convex carrier layer
An offset printing press is provided. The offset printing press includes an image cylinder, a blanket cylinder having an axially convex outer surface, and a printing blanket disposed over the axially convex outer surface, the printing blanket including a carrier sleeve layer having at least one axially convex surface. An axially profiled shim is also provided. |
| US08393267B2 |
Disposable cup insert for pad printing and decorating
A liquid supply assembly for use with a printing system of a type in which a liquid is deposited from the liquid supply assembly in a receiving region on a plate and any excess of the liquid in the receiving region is scraped from the plate by the liquid supply assembly. To this end, the liquid supply assembly employs a reusable cup, a disposable cup insert and a scraping element. As assembled, the reusable cup includes a reusable liquid reservoir, the disposable cup insert includes a temporary liquid reservoir holding the liquid within the reusable liquid reservoir, and the scraping element includes a conduit facilitating a flow of the liquid held by the temporary liquid reservoir through the conduit to the plate. |
| US08393263B2 |
Food dough extending apparatus
An object is to provide a food dough extending apparatus capable of adjusting a vertical position of an extending roller unit in an obliquely vertical direction in accordance with a thickness of food dough. A food dough apparatus includes an inclined transporting unit 7 inclined and configured to transport to-be-extended food dough 9 upward, a horizontal direction transporting unit 11 configured to transport the food dough 9 transported from the inclined transporting unit 7 in a horizontal direction, and an extending roller unit 13 provided above over an area from an upper end of the inclined transporting unit 7 to the horizontal direction transporting unit 11 and configured to extend the food dough 9. The extending roller unit 13 is vertically adjustable in a direction intersecting an inclination direction of the inclined transporting unit 7 and being upwardly inclined toward the inclined transporting unit 7. The extending roller unit 13 includes dust sealing mechanisms provided between ends of the extending rollers 79 and a pair of endless members 75, the dust sealing mechanism inhibiting circulation of air between rotation regions of extending rollers 79 and traveling regions of the pair of endless members 75. |
| US08393261B2 |
Capsule with integrated piercing member
The present invention proposes a capsule for containing beverage ingredients. The capsule includes a sealed ingredients compartment, an inlet face, an outlet face, and an opening member which is positioned at the inlet face outside the compartment and which is provided with piercing members directed towards the ingredients compartment. |
| US08393259B2 |
Firearm barrel having multiple ports and port selector
A cartridge gas port selector mechanism for a firearm barrel having a plurality of gas ports extending from the barrel bore and having a gas block with gas passages in communication with a gas tube. A selector valve member is movable within the gas block between an open condition permitting flow of cartridge gas from one or more ports of the firearm barrel to the cartridge gas passage and a closed condition blocking flow of cartridge gas from the barrel bore to the cartridge gas passage. A valve selector or actuator is connected with the valve member and is selectively moveable to position the valve member at the open condition or the closed condition to select the volume and timing of cartridge gas communication from the barrel bore to the gas energized autoloading mechanism of the firearm. |
| US08393256B2 |
Glass plate cutting method and glass plate cutting machine
A glass plate cutting machine 1 includes a cutter wheel 4 for forming a cut line 3 on a glass plate 2; a moving means 5 for moving the cutter wheel 4 along a cut line 3a which has been preset and is to be formed on the glass plate 2; a resiliently pressing device 6 for resiliently pressing the cutter wheel 4 against the glass plate 2; and a control unit 7 for controlling the resiliently pressing device 6 so as to alternately change over the intensity of a resiliently pressing force of that cutter wheel 4 with respect to the glass plate 2 in the movement of the cutter wheel 4 by the moving means 5. |
| US08393253B2 |
Cabinet anchor bolt assembly
An anchor bolt assembly for securing a cabinet and other structures to a sub-floor. A bolt with coaxial upper and lower threaded bores receives a threaded member from above and secures it to a threaded member from below. The upper threaded bore allows the cabinet to be secured to the upper floor. The lower threaded bore provides a securing means for the anchor bolt and its attachments through coupling the threaded bolt from the upper threaded bore to a threaded member protruding from the sub-floor. This threaded member engages the lower threaded bore. The threaded bores of the bolt provide two areas of stabilization against shear and torsional stresses along the axis of the anchor bolt assembly. |
| US08393252B2 |
Wrench
A wrench includes a body, a first driving head, a second driving head, a first ratcheting mechanism and a second ratcheting mechanism. The first ratcheting mechanism connects the first driving head to the body. The second ratcheting mechanism connects the second driving head to the body. |
| US08393250B2 |
Tool for stripping off a jacket from tubes or cables
A tool for stripping off a jacket from tubes or cables is characterized by a bend adapted to an outer diameter of the duct or cable to be stripped, and a blade protruding from the bend to the interior of the bend. The invention provides a cost-effective, accurate and easily producible tool for stripping off a jacket from tubes or cables. |
| US08393248B2 |
Baffle plate support structure for transmission
A baffle plate support structure supports a baffle plate inside a casing of a transmission. The baffle plate support structure includes a fixing portion and a supporting portion. The fixing portion secures a fixed end of the baffle plate to the casing by tightening bolts. The fixed end is one end of the baffle plate. The supporting portion supports a supported end of the baffle plate with respect to the casing. The supported end is another end of the baffle plate. The supporting portion has protruding ribs formed on an inner surface of the casing. The supporting portion is positioned such that the protruding ribs have a clearance of predetermined distance with respect to the supported end of the baffle plate in a vibrating direction of the supported end. |
| US08393246B2 |
Aerobar assembly
An aerobar assembly for a bicycle that generally includes an aerobar, an adaptor and a control cable guide. The aerobar includes proximal and distal portions and proximal and distal ends. The aerobar has a generally hollow interior. The adaptor mounts an actuator assembly to the aerobar. The adaptor includes an interiorly-disposed portion and an exteriorly-disposed portion. The interiorly-disposed portion is disposed in the hollow interior of the aerobar and is bonded to the distal portion of the aerobar. The exteriorly-disposed portion is configured to receive the actuator assembly. The control cable guide is configured to slidably receive a control cable therethrough. The control cable guide is coupled to the adaptor such that the control cable enters the distal end, extends through the interior of the aerobar, and exits the proximal end of the aerobar. |
| US08393245B2 |
Vehicle operation pedal
A vehicle operation pedal includes: a pedal arm disposed on a pedal support so as to be pivotable about a support axis, the pedal support being fixed to a vehicle; and a pedal sheet to be depressed by a driver, the pedal sheet being integrally fixed to a lower end portion of the pedal arm so as to extend from the pedal arm on both sides in a vehicle width direction, a pair of sheet attachment portions being integrally provided at the lower end portion of the pedal arm by bending the pedal arm so as to be enlarged apart from each other on both sides in the vehicle width direction, the pair of sheet attachment portions extending along the pedal sheet, and the pedal sheet being integrally fixed to the sheet attachment portions at two positions that are laterally spaced apart from each other in such a manner that a center of the pedal in the vehicle width direction sheet is located between the two positions. |
| US08393244B2 |
Bicycle operating device
A bicycle operating device is provided with a base member, a brake operating lever and a shift operating member. The base member is configured to be attached to a bicycle. The brake operating lever is pivotally coupled to the base member about a pivot axis to perform a braking operation when the brake operating lever is moved in a first direction. The shift operating member is movably arranged to move from a rest position in a second direction to perform a gear shift operation. The shift operating member is further movably arranged to move from the rest position to a full stroke position in a third direction different from the first and second directions without causing the gear shifting operation. |
| US08393239B2 |
Double clutch transmission
A double clutch transmission with two clutches (K1, K2) having input sides connected to a drive shaft (w_an) and output side connected to one of two coaxially arranged transmission input shafts (w_k1, w_k2). At least two countershafts (w_v1, w_v2) are provided on which toothed idler gearwheels (7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15) are situated in a rotatable manner. Toothed idler gearwheels (1, 2, 3, 4) are provided in a rotationally fixed manner on the two transmission input shafts (w_k1, w_k2). At least a plurality of forward gears which are power shiftable (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and at least one reverse gear (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8) are shiftable. A maximum of five gear planes (7-13, 8-14, 9-15, 10-4) are provided so that at least one power shiftable winding path gear (G1, G8, R4) is shiftable by at least one shift element (P). |
| US08393236B1 |
Modular power distribution and drive system
A modular drive system for a zero turn radius vehicle having a central gear box with a vertical input shaft, a central drive train that powers a variety of left and right side drive mechanisms, and a power take off mechanism having a clutch and brake assembly. The vertical input shaft is a through-shaft design that allows the central gear box to be mounted with either end of the through-shaft oriented in an upward direction. A screw-on filter acts in conjunction with a charge pump to remove debris from the central gear box's hydraulic fluid. |
| US08393235B2 |
Particulate dispersion device for vehicle hardware testing
A testing device for a vehicle part having an interior space is disclosed. The testing device includes a conduit, a test material source, and a controller. The conduit includes a first end and a second end, the first end operable to be disposed within the interior space of the vehicle part and the second end operable to be disposed outside the vehicle part. The test material source is in fluid communication with the conduit to provide a test material to the conduit. The controller is configured to direct the test material from the test material source through the conduit to the interior space in a predetermined manner. |
| US08393231B2 |
Multifunctional torque tool detection device
A multifunctional torque tool detection device includes at least one connection body, at least one tool joint bar, at least one signal ring assembly, a toque detection device, an angle sensor, a plurality of signal pick-up elements, and a displaying and processing unit. The connection body has an end coupled to the tool joint bar, and the tool joint bar is connected to at least one tool bit. The connection body is encased in a tool casing. The signal ring assembly is coupled between the connection body and the tool joint bar. The toque detection device and the angle sensor are attached to the connection body so that the toque detection device and the angle sensor respectively detect a torque value and an angle value applied by the tool bit in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation operation, and generate a torque detection signal and an angle detection signal that are supplied through the signal ring assembly. The signal pick-up elements are set in contact with the signal ring assembly to pick up the torque detection signal and the angle detection signal during the rotation of the connection body. The displaying and processing unit is connected to the signal pick-up elements to receive the torque detection signal and the angle detection signal and display an actual torque and angle that the tool bit applies in an operation thereof. |
| US08393221B2 |
Ball pressure gauge
A ball pressure gauge for measuring magnitude of an air pressure in an inflatable ball includes: a probe being configured to pierce into the ball; an air-pressure indicator being configured to move according to the magnitude of the air pressure; a gauge body being provided with a set of air-pressure scale for the air-pressure indicator to point and indicate the magnitude of the air pressure as a numeral value; and at least one ball-specific recommended pressure dial being set alongside the air-pressure scale and including segments representing ranges of applicable air pressures for different types of balls. Thereby, the ball pressure gauge informs a user rapidly and directly of ball-specific appropriateness of the measured air pressure, so that the user can instantly adjust the air pressure to optimization. |
| US08393218B2 |
Ultrasonic testing method and apparatus
An ultrasonic testing apparatus 100 comprises an ultrasonic probe 1 including n (n≧2) number of transducers arranged along a predetermined direction, disposed so as to face a test object P, and a transmission/reception control device 2 for selecting m (n>m≧1) number of transducers from among the n number of transducers, transmitting ultrasonic waves from the selected m number of transducers toward the test object, receiving the ultrasonic waves therefrom, and switched m number of transducers to b selected successively. If an angle that the arrangement direction of the transducers makes with the surface of the test object which ultrasonic waves enter is θ, and the effective beam width of each selected m number of transducers with respect to a target flaw is W1, the transmission/reception control device switches m number of transducers to be selected successively by a switching pitch length P satisfying the formula: P≦W1·cos θ. |
| US08393217B2 |
Ultrasonic flaw detection apparatus and ultrasonic flaw detection method for pipe
The present invention has a structure capable of detecting the scattered-type penetrator having oxides each with the size of several μm sparsely and widely dispersed. Specifically, the structure includes a wave transmission unit 6 for transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the welded surface of the welded portion 2 in a pipe axial direction of the pipe 1 such that the beam width of a transmission beam 8 is brought into a range from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm, and a wave reception unit 7 for receiving at least a portion of the reflection wave (reception beam 9) at the welded surface. The wave transmission unit 6 and the wave reception unit 7 include transmission/reception units formed of different groups of transducer elements on at least one or more array probes 5 arranged in the circumferential direction of the pipe. |
| US08393215B2 |
Micromechanical acceleration sensor having an open seismic mass
A micromechanical acceleration sensor having a substrate, a suspension, a seismic mass, and stationary capacitive electrodes, in which the seismic mass is suspended over the substrate with the help of the suspension, the seismic mass has a mass center of gravity, the suspension has at least two anchors on the substrate, the two anchors are situated on opposite sides of the mass center of gravity, the distance between the two anchors being small compared to a horizontal extension of the seismic mass, the two anchors determine a central axis, the seismic mass have recesses which are situated on opposite sides of the central axis and are laterally open outward on the sides facing away from the central axis, and the stationary electrodes at least engage in the recesses of the seismic mass. |
| US08393211B2 |
Sensor
A sensor includes a detecting oscillator supported in such a manner that the detecting oscillator is allowed to oscillate; first and second electrodes; a detecting electrode facing the first and second electrodes; and signal supplying units configured to supply first and second AC signals respectively to the first and second electrodes. Either the first and second electrodes or the detecting electrode is provided on the detecting oscillator. The first and second AC signals respectively supplied to the first and second electrodes by the signal supplying units cause the detecting oscillator to be maintained at a neutral position for detection without being displaced when no physical quantity is input. When the detecting oscillator is displaced, an input physical quantity is detected on the basis of a signal corresponding to charges induced at the detecting electrode by the first and second AC signals supplied respectively to the first and second electrodes. |
| US08393207B2 |
Methods and apparatus to use multiple sensors to measure downhole fluid properties
Methods and apparatus to use multiple sensors to measure downhole fluid properties are described. An example method of measuring a property of a downhole fluid involves obtaining a plurality of measurements for each of a plurality of sensors. Each of the measurements corresponds to a same property of the downhole fluid, and each of the sensors is differently configured to measure the property. Additionally, the example method involves obtaining a plurality of weighting values, each of which corresponds to one of the sensors. The example method also involves applying the weighting values to the respective measurements obtained by each of the corresponding sensors to generate a weight-corrected measurement for each of the sensors. Further still, the example method involves generating a value representative of a measurement of the property of the downhole fluid based on the weight-corrected measurements and outputting the value representative of the measurement of the property. |
| US08393205B2 |
Inflation valve and pressure gauge with over pressure protection
An inflation and pressure measurement system having over pressure protection for an attached pressure gauge. A plunger is placed within an internal cavity of a valve body where the plunger can move axially into a first and a second position. In the first position there is gaseous communication between an inflation valve and an operating port. While in the first position, a gauge port may release gas through a wiper seal. In the second position there is gaseous communication between the operating port and the gauge port. The plunger may be biased in the second position. The first and second positions may be located by a locating groove in the plunger and a locating structure passing through the valve body and contacting the locating groove. While the inflatable device can be inflated using high pressures, the pressure gauge is protected from over pressure damage. Some embodiments can inflate and monitor the pressure of multiple inflatable devices from a single position. |
| US08393199B2 |
Apparatus for measuring diffusion of transdermal absorption preparation
This invention is to provide a diffusion testing device to facilitate determination of diffusivity of prolonged release of drugs from transdermal therapeutic preparation.The diffusion testing device is characterized by a receptor liquid reservoir; a diffusion testing cell having a receptor chamber functioning to be full of receptor liquid and within which a stirrer be placed, a receptor liquid supply unit, a thermostat bath to hold the diffusion testing cell, a stirring apparatus located beneath the thermostat bath to cause the rotation action of the stirrer set in the receptor chamber, a sampling unit permitting sampling and storage of receptor liquid dissolving permeated drugs. Said receptor liquid reservoir, said receptor chamber, said receptor liquid supply unit and said sampling unit are connected with each other via infusion tube. Said thermostat bath comprises aperturees or through-holes functioning to hold the diffusion testing cells, and metal block which has temperature regulation unit to be installed. |
| US08393197B2 |
Method and apparatus for the measurement of atmospheric leaks in the presence of chamber outgassing
Embodiments of the present invention employ measurement of argon as the means to detect the presence of an atmospheric leak in a processing chamber. Argon detected inside the process chamber is conclusive evidence of a leak. Furthermore, the amount of detected argon provides information on the rate of air entering through the leak. In one embodiment, leak detection takes place in the main plasma inside the processing chamber. In another embodiment, leak detection takes place in the self-contained plasma generated in a remote plasma sensor. Additional measurements can be performed, such as measuring the amount of oxygen, and/or the presence of moisture to help in detecting and quantifying outgassing from the processing chamber. |
| US08393192B2 |
Can end scoring method, and tooling assembly and conversion press therefor
A tooling assembly for scoring a can end is provided. First and second opposing tool members cooperate to create a depression in the can end, and to form a scoreline within the depression. A conversion press for converting a can end shell into a can end, and a method for scoring a can end are also provided. The method includes engaging a first side of the can end with a score knife, supporting at least a portion of a second side of the can end with a score anvil, depressing the can end into a cavity of the score anvil to form the depression, and forming the scoreline within the depression. The depression and scoreline are formed substantially simultaneous within the same tool station of the conversion press. A sealant, which is applied to the scoreline, forms a pool within the depression, thereby completely covering the scoreline. |
| US08393190B2 |
Tube forming apparatus and tube forming method
A tube forming apparatus performs a forwardly rotating step in which a main roll is rotated forwardly with a pair of subsidiary rolls in a forming position during a move of a contact position between the main roll and a work from a first end of the work to a central portion of the work, a feeding step in which the main roll is rotated forwardly with the pair of subsidiary rolls in a retracted position during a move of the contact position between the main roll and the work from the central portion of the work to a second end of the work, and a reversely rotating step in which the main roll is rotated reversely during a move of the contact position between the main roll and the work from the second end of the work to the central portion of the work. |
| US08393186B2 |
Combination discus lock assembly and methods of using the same
The present disclosure describes combination discus locks and methods for using and making the combination discus lock assembly. The locks include a lock body at least partially containing a locking mechanism coupled to a plurality of engagement members with indicia disposed thereon, capable of displaying a combination. An actuator is coupled to the locking mechanism and to a locking member. The locking member is in a closed position, connected to the body, when the combination is not displayed and in an open position, at least partially disengaged from the lock body, when the combination is displayed. The actuator is manipulated to move the locking member from the closed position to the open position. The lock may also be resettable. |
| US08393182B2 |
Drum type washing machine
Drum type washing machine including a tub having a wall for mounting a driving unit, a drum installed within the tub, a shaft passed through the tub and coupled to the drum, for transmission of driving force from a motor to the drum, at least one bearing for supporting the shaft, a bearing housing secured to a wall of the tub, a stator; and a rotor around the stator which forms the motor, wherein the stator includes an annular helical type core having multiple layers, an insulator enclosing the helical type core, and fastening portions formed integrally with the insulator which has a fastening hole at a center for fastening the stator to the wall of the tub, thereby providing a drum type washing machine of a direct coupling type of a new structure having employed a motor for reducing factors of noise, faults, energy waste, and improving washing performance. |
| US08393178B2 |
Thermal control of the bead portion of a glass ribbon
Methods and apparatus for controlling the stress in, and the shape of, the glass ribbon (15) formed in a downdraw glass manufacturing process (e.g., the fusion downdraw process) are provided. In certain embodiments, the control is achieved by cooling the bead portions (21a, 21b) of the ribbon (15) at a rate which provides a heat flux Q″b at the thickest part of the bead (23a, 23b) which is given by Q″b=Q″q+ΔQ″, where (i) Q″q is the heat flux at a transverse position adjacent to the bead portion (21a, 21b) at which the ribbon's thickness equals 1.05*tcenter, where tcenter is the final thickness at the ribbon's center line (17), and (ii) ΔQ″≧(tb/tq−1)Q″q+10 kilowatts/meter2, where tb is the thickness of the thickest part of the bead portion. The cooling can take place along the entire length of the ribbon (15) or at selected locations, e.g., in the portion (50) of the draw which includes the glass transition temperature region (31) or the portion (60) of the draw where individual glass sheets (13) are cut from the ribbon (15). |
| US08393177B2 |
Glass flow management by thermal conditioning
Methods and apparatus for controlling glass flow in, for example, a downdraw glass manufacturing process (e.g., the fusion downdraw process) are provided. In certain aspects, the mass, thickness, and/or the temperature distribution of molten glass (40) on the surface of forming apparatus (60) is managed by: (A) constructing a stream-tube mapping between (i) regions (510; FIG. 5A) of a cross-section of a conduit (400) that supplies molten glass (40) to the forming apparatus (60) and (ii) regions (510; FIG. 5B) on the exterior surface of the forming apparatus (60); (B) using the stream-tube mapping to select a temperature distribution for the cross-section that results in a desired mass, thickness, and/or temperature distribution of molten glass (40) on the surface of the forming apparatus (60); and (C) heating and/or insulating the conduit (400) so as to produce a temperature distribution for the cross-section which equals or at least approximates the distribution selected in step (B). |
| US08393176B2 |
Downdraw method for producing glass sheet
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a glass sheet, the method including: running down molten glass along both side surfaces of a molded body; joining and integrating the molten glass just under a lower edge part of the molded body; and drawing downward and molding an integrated sheet-shaped glass ribbon, in which a guide member which contacts to an end in a width direction of a joined molten glass is provided, and a relative position and/or a relative angle between the guide member and a lower edge of the molded body is/are adjusted. |
| US08393167B2 |
Apparatus and method for identifying a filter assembly
A water dispensing system for a refrigerator comprising a refrigeration compartment includes a manifold assembly, a monitoring device coupled to the manifold assembly and including at least one sensor, and a filter assembly including a filter housing removably mounted to the manifold assembly. The filter assembly is configured to be compatible with a plurality of suitable filter media. At least two indicators are in signal communication with the at least one sensor when the filter housing is mounted onto the manifold assembly. A controller is operatively coupled to the monitoring device. The controller is configured to identify the filter assembly and the filter medium based on a signal received from the at least one sensor and operate the water dispensing system based on the identification of the filter assembly and the filter medium. |
| US08393161B2 |
Combustion chamber and gas turbine installation
A combustion chamber having a burner and a burner insert surrounding the burner while leaving a gap open towards the combustion chamber interior is provided. The burner insert comprises a carrier and a burner insert wall located in front of the carrier towards the combustion chamber interior, wherein a flow passage connected to a cooling-fluid source is formed between the carrier and the burner insert wall. The flow passage opens out into the gap between the burner and the burner insert and is otherwise sealed off from the combustion chamber interior. |
| US08393159B2 |
Gas turbine combustor and fuel supply method for same
A gas turbine combustor for mixing fuel into combustion air introduced from a compressor, burning an air-fuel mixture, and supplying produced combustion gas to a gas turbine. The combustor has a liquid fuel nozzle for jetting out liquid fuel and a pre-mixture chamber wall having a hollow conical shape gradually spreading in the direction in which the fuel is jetted out from the liquid fuel nozzle, and defining a pre-mixture chamber therein. A plurality of gaseous fuel nozzles are disposed around the pre-mixture chamber wall in an opposing relation respectively to a plurality of air inlet holes bored through the pre-mixture chamber wall and jet out gaseous fuel substantially coaxially with the axes of the air inlet holes. |
| US08393158B2 |
Low shock strength inlet
A supersonic inlet with a cowl lip may be configured to capture the conic shock and exhibit a zero or substantially zero cowl angle. The inlet may be configured to employ a relaxed isentropic compression surface and an internal bypass. The nacelle bypass may prevent flow distortions, introduced by the capture of the conic shock, from reaching the turbomachinery, thereby allowing the cowl angle to be reduced to zero or substantially zero. Such a cowl angle may reduce the inlet's contribution to the overall sonic boom signature for a supersonic aircraft while allowing for an increase in engine pressure recovery and a subsequent improvement in generated thrust by the engine. |
| US08393155B2 |
Gas turbine fuel injector with insulating air shroud
A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes an injector housing extending from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis. The second end of the housing is fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine and the housing includes a liquid fuel gallery annularly disposed about the longitudinal axis. The fuel injector also includes a stem extending longitudinally from the first end of the housing to a third end. The stem includes a liquid tube configured to deliver liquid fuel to the fuel injector. The fuel injector also includes an annular shell extending along the longitudinal axis from the first end to the third end and circumferentially disposed about the stem. The fuel injector further includes an insulating air shroud formed inside the shell. The air shroud includes a layer of air between the shell and the stem. |
| US08393153B2 |
Method, device, and system for converting energy
To convert energy, firstly a non-gaseous carrier medium is converted into a gaseous carrier medium by the introduction of thermal energy, so that the gaseous carrier medium rises and gains potential energy. Then the gaseous carrier medium is converted back at a specified height into a non-gaseous carrier medium. The potential energy of the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium can then be converted into another desired energy form. |
| US08393152B2 |
Electric supercharger
An lubricating oil from an oil pump that is driven by rotation of an engine is supplied as a refrigerant to a rotor of an assist motor via a pressure valve. The pressure valve is configured to be closed when the pressure of the lubricating oil is less than a predetermined value, and to open when the pressure of the lubricating oil is greater than or equal to the predetermined value. As a result, when the rotor is in low need for cooling down because the temperature rise of the rotor is small although the rotation speed of the rotor rises, that is, when the engine is operating at a low rotation speed with a high load, the supply of lubricating oil to the rotor is reduced or stopped. |
| US08393149B2 |
Wind powered energy amplification system and method
The present invention is comprised of a wind powered energy amplification method and systems for capturing wind power and harvesting tangentially amplified energy. The harvested tangentially amplified energy is converted, processed and stored for use for generating continuous, on demand and stand by electricity to supply electricity. The present invention is further comprised of methods and systems for extracting, processing and storing water and carbon dioxide to supply water and supply carbon dioxide. |
| US08393148B2 |
Compressed air energy storage system utilizing two-phase flow to facilitate heat exchange
A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control. |
| US08393146B2 |
Exhaust emission control device
An exhaust emission control device is provided which is compact in size and has favorable dispersibility of exhaust gas from a muffling structure 2 to an oxidation catalyst 3. The muffling structure 2 arranged upstream of the oxidation catalyst in a direction D of gas flow has a dispersion plate 6 for dividing the interior of the casing 5 into dispersion chambers 7a and 7b upstream and downstream in the direction D of gas flow, respectively, and an inner pipe 8 inserted from outside of and into the chamber 7a and with a tip end fixed to the dispersion plate 6 and circumferentially formed with pores 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d having diameters gradually reduced in the order in the direction D of gas flow from upstream to downstream. The dispersion plate 6 facing the dispersion chambers 7a and 7b is formed with a plurality of radially-outward-larger-diametered and radially-inward-smaller-diametered pores 14, 15 and 16. |
| US08393145B2 |
Exhaust gas post processing method and system
An exhaust gas post processing method may include regenerating a diesel particulate filter, reducing a part remaining in the diesel particulate filter by raising the concentration of a reducing agent included in the exhaust gas after the regeneration, oxidizing a part remaining in the diesel particulate filter by raising the concentration of oxygen included in the exhaust gas after the regeneration, and calculating a real ash amount trapped in the diesel particulate filter by detecting a front/rear pressure difference of the diesel particulate filter after the reducing and the oxidation. Accordingly, after regenerating the diesel particulate filter, impurities are sequentially eliminated in the reducing condition and the oxidation condition, and ultimately the real ash amount can be accurately estimated. Further, based on the accurate ash amount, the particulate matter amount can be accurately predicted. |
| US08393141B2 |
Method and arrangement for monitoring of injector
A method is provided for monitoring of the functionality of an After Treatment Injector (ATI) for injection of a fluid in an engine exhaust gas system upstream of an exhaust gas treatment unit. The monitoring is performed by using a pressure sensor which detects the pressure of the fluid delivered to the ATI for a specific condition or injection cycle. The pressure sensor is located downstream of a flow regulator and upstream of the ATI in a conduit for supplying of a substance from a container to the ATI. An ECU is programmed to perform a predetermined sequence of opening and closing commands for the flow regulator and the ATI in order to monitor the functionality of the flow regulator, the ATI and the pressure sensor. The can be used in connection with an On Board Diagnosis (OBD) system. |
| US08393137B1 |
Biomass harvesting system
A biomass harvesting system for harvesting agricultural plant growth from agricultural fields comprises a power source for providing mechanical and electric power to the system, a biomass accumulator for producing discrete units of accumulated biomass, a windrower for feeding biomass to the accumulator, a biomass quality analyzer for sensing and transmitting a set of quality characteristics of the biomass, a ground cover residue monitor for sensing and transmitting an optimal quantity of biomass residue to remain on the field, an active tracking system for identifying individual ones of the discrete units of accumulated biomass, and a central processing unit including a memory module storing an executable instruction set therein. The central processing unit executes the instruction set and integrates the sensed biomass quality characteristics and the sensed optimal quantity of biomass residue to remain on the field to determine a biomass quality index of the discrete units of accumulated biomass. |
| US08393136B1 |
Concave deck flexible hitch cutter
A rotary mower has a concave cutting deck. The deck comprises three curved plates welded to two longitudinal supports. Concavity is provided in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The lift frame assembly comprises swiveling linkages that allow rotation of the deck with respect to a three point hitch. The lift frame assembly further comprises a pivot brace on the top of the frame for further rotation of the deck. |
| US08393135B2 |
Flexible draper header having center draper
A harvesting machine includes a harvesting header with a header frame, a flexible cutterbar assembly attached to the header frame along the length thereof and configured to cut a crop, and a conveyor assembly positioned behind the cutterbar assembly and operable to receive severed crop material from the cutterbar assembly. The conveyor assembly includes a fore-and-aft draper with a draper frame swingably supported on the header frame at a pivot where the draper frame projects forwardly from the pivot, such that the draper frame is operable to swing relative to the header frame. The fore-and-aft draper includes a draper belt supported on the draper frame to present a rearwardly moving run for conveying the crop rearwardly. |
| US08393131B2 |
Device for the assembly of pocket spring strings
The device for the assembly of pocket spring strings includes a rack, on which a drum having receptacles for pocket spring strings is rotatably supported. An operator manually places the pocket spring strings into the receptacles and rotates, or initiates the rotation of, the drum about a predetermined angle, for example 60°. Now, the operator places a further pocket spring string into the subsequent receptacle , and at the same time an adhesive is applied to the advanced pocket spring string. Following a further rotational movement of the drum, the next pocket spring string is inserted, an adhesive is applied to the previously inserted pocket spring string, and at the same time the pocket spring string to which the adhesive was applied and which is now located in front of the assembly device is ejected. |
| US08393129B2 |
Metal composite panel and method of manufacture
The invention relates to a metal composite panel intended for construction, including at least two substantially parallel sheets (21) and (22) with at least three profiles (3) substantially parallel to each other arranged between and fastened to the sheets. The three profiles serve as separators, making it possible to separate the sheets and are arranged so that the average distance between two adjacent profiles is not necessarily uniform but suited to the local conditions of use of said panel. In order to obtain a panel having an optimal compromise between weight and performance, light alloys and, in particular, aluminum are advantageous. The composite panels are particularly useful as a floor of a rolling vehicle, as the floor, deck or ramp of a floating vehicle or as the floor of a flying vehicle. |
| US08393128B2 |
Process of combining two modular units with one another, and a thus combined house body
The present invention encompasses a process for initially combining and thereafter uniting two or more modular units to one another in order thus combined to be able to form a house body, for instance a cellar-adapted house body. A liquid-resistant layer is advantageously wholly or partly to be able to cover a base slab and in any event lower wall sections allocated to the wall portion, proximal the base slab, in order principally to prevent damp permeation. A first modular unit, with in any event a first open wall portion, is placed on a substrate prepared within a building site, a second modular unit, with in any event a second open wall portion, is placed on the substrate prepared within the building site, so that an open wall portion allocated to the first modular unit will connect to an open wall portion allocated to the second modular unit. The base slab of the one modular unit and the base slab of the second module form a free space defined by the mutually facing edges of the base slabs. The base slab of the one modular unit is connected, with the aid of a tractive force absorbing reinforcement, to the base slab of the second module over the free space and that the free space is filled with concrete or the like. The present invention also encompasses a house body thud produced. |
| US08393127B1 |
Relocatable restaurant and associated methods
A relocatable restaurant, method of assembly, and method of use are provided herein. The relocatable restaurant includes a slab positioned at a desired site, a plurality of modules, including in an exemplary embodiment one module for each of a kitchen, a dishwashing and bar, and bathroom facilities. The modules are positionable atop the slab adjacent exterior edges thereof. In an embodiment, a slab can be provided by an existing structure, such as a parking lot. The relocatable restaurant further includes a plurality of partitions sufficient for bridging the modules, at least one partition having a door structure, to create a substantially continuous exterior wall therearound. A roof is provided for the relocatable restaurant with the use of a substantially planar flexible element affixable about the exterior wall. A blower can be used to retain the roof in an upwardly extended state. |
| US08393126B1 |
Torsional braces
A method and apparatus for preventing twisting of at least one purlin. A roof construction has purlins extending between support beams to provide extra stability for the roof. To prevent purlins from twisting, a torsional brace is provided. A beam of the torsional brace extends between two of the purlins. A static clip is connected to a purlin, and a pin is used to secure one end of the beam to the clip. The other end of the beam can be similarly clipped to another purlin, or alternatively, the other beam can be bolted to the purlin. |
| US08393121B2 |
Fire-stop system for placement in a conduit through which a thermally weakenable pipe extends, method for placing the system and conduit provided with such a system
A thermally expandable fire-stop system for placement in a thermally stable conduit having an inner wall defining an inner space through which a single pipe, being a, relatively, thermally weakenable pipe having an outer wall, extends, or will extend, the system comprising at least a device which includes at least one component having a non-linear thermal expansion characteristic. |
| US08393119B2 |
Smart isolation base for sensitive structures such as nuclear power plants against earthquake disturbances
An isolation base system for sensitive structures such as nuclear power plant modules is suggested. The proposed isolation system considers a base supported on specially designed hollow spherical balls and equipped with 3 linear hydraulic actuators to restrict the lateral motion of the base and provide a stable base under normal conditions. The actuators are released when an earthquake signal is detected to allow the base to oscillate freely during the earthquake attack. The hydraulic actuators are reactivated after shock wave ends to compress the springs and restore the base to its original position. |
| US08393116B2 |
Elevated platform systems including fiber reinforced composite panels
An elevated platform system includes a base support structure and a plurality of fiber reinforced polymer composite panels. The base support structure includes pilings secured to a ground surface and attachment cradles coupled to the pilings. The attachment cradles are in electrical continuity with the ground surface. The fiber reinforced polymer composite panels include a panel body portion, fibrous material surrounding the panel body portion, a non-conductive matrix forming at least a portion of an outer-most layer of the fiber reinforced polymer composite panel, and an electrically-conductive layer at least partially embedded in the non-conductive matrix. The fiber reinforced polymer composite panels are coupled to the attachment cradles, such that the electrically-conductive layer of the fiber reinforced polymer composite panel is in electrical continuity with the ground surface. |
| US08393114B2 |
Device with a carriage for holding panels, carriage, rail and separation element
The device used to hold a separation element includes a carriage with a carriage body and at least one wheel which rolls on a running surface of a rail. The carriage is releasably connected to a mounting element which is connected to the separation element. The mounting element which is mounted laterally on an upper edge of the separation element includes a guide profile provided with a first guide surface which holds a lower and an upper flange element of the carriage body inserted therein which can be displaced along the first guide surface extending inclined by a first angle relative to the upper edge of the separation element and can be locked in an appropriate position by means of locking elements. |
| US08393112B1 |
Removable trigger mechanism for spring-biased fish hook assembly
A removable trigger mechanism for a spring-biased hook assembly includes a generally U-shaped swivel attachment portion having first and second spaced apart resilient surfaces cooperating to frictionally engage a first biasing element of the hook assembly. A hook-setting finger is formed adjacent the first resilient surface of the swivel attachment portion, and is adapted for temporarily holding a second biasing element of the hook assembly when in a loaded condition. An actuation lever is formed adjacent the second resilient surface of the swivel attachment portion, and is adapted for pivoting the attachment portion relative to the first biasing element of the hook assembly. When pivoted, the actuation lever simultaneously moves the hook-setting finger away from the second biasing element of the hook assembly in the loaded condition, such that the hook assembly is released for sudden movement from the loaded condition to an outwardly-flared deployed condition. |
| US08393110B2 |
Live sport fish protection system
A storage and transfer bag system are disclosed for use in tournament fishing competitions. A living fish can be stored in the storage bag, which is kept in a live well until the storage bag with living fish therein is placed in a transfer bag that is partially filled with water. The storage bag is made from a mesh fabric, enabling water to be drained from the storage bag. After draining the water from the storage bag, the storage bag and living fish are weighed, and the weight of the fish computed. The storage bag and living fish are then placed back into the transfer bag and transported to the lake or river or other body of water. The storage bag and living fish are removed from the transfer bag and the fish released without human contact. |
| US08393109B2 |
Combination red dot sight and range indicator apparatus
A combination red dot sight (reflex sight) and electronic range indicator displayed in a sighting element. The sighting element is housed in a body which includes lens elements and a light source for the red dot sight as well as an optical display for the range indicator. A processor for the red dot sight and the range indicator are housed in a frame. A user interface includes indicia for varying the intensity of the light source for the red dot sight as well as activate the range indicator. Alternately, the range indicator may be activated by a button positioned remotely, such as on the firearm or bow and may be wired to the range indicator circuit or communicate via wireless transmission. An emitting lens and a receiving lens are optically connected via a range finding circuit to the processor. |
| US08393104B1 |
Folding stack improvements
Adapter devices, apparatus, systems and methods of allowing a firearm to be supported by a foldable fore grip/gun handle. The fore grip gun handle can have bipod type legs that can be extendable from the handle. The fore grip handle can be just a vertical extension. The adapter can allow for the fore grip/gun handle to move from a fold back position along the bottom of the firearm so that the firearm can be easily carried, and the adapter to can allow for the handle to move down to a vertical support position beneath the firearm when the firearm is to be used. The adapter can also support a light in both a folded position and in a downwardly extended position, where light can be aimed forward, rearward to the side and/or pointed down from the firearm. The adapter can allow for a dual functioning component that can be either or both a fore grip and/or a light source. Other versions of the adapter can include a slidable thumb switch for locking a swinging plate with picatinny side rails to a main plate, and spring loaded detents for locking the swinging plate in substantially vertical orientations. Additionally, a folding rail system can be substituted for the existing picatinny rail system on firearms. The folding rail can have mounting holes for allowing the entire folding rail to be directly attached to the firearm, and have a hinge for allowing portions of the picatinny rails to pivot relative to the rest of the picatinny rails. |
| US08393101B2 |
Advertising display and method
A poster clamp (1) comprising first and second members (3, 5), the members (3, 5) comprising first and second gripping surfaces (7), respectively, for gripping opposing sides of a poster or a like, and a poster mounting system comprising a hoarding (208) and a plurality of such clamps (1), and a wire (210) on which the clamps (1) are to be mounted for tightening a poster within the frame of the hoarding (208). |
| US08393099B2 |
Device for creating and displaying liquid-medium movement within a vessel containing a dioramic scene
A dioramic apparatus includes a vessel having an inferior portion and a superior portion. The vessel includes a shell and defines an interior space. The interior space is partially filled by a liquid medium. At least one dioramic scene is disposed in the interior space. A reservoir is in fluid communication with the interior space. The reservoir includes a flow plate defining at least one liquid intake and at least one liquid output port. The at least one liquid intake is configured and arranged for receiving at least a portion of the liquid medium from the interior space when the dioramic apparatus is at least partially inverted. The at least one liquid output port is configured and arranged to output at least a portion of the liquid medium from the reservoir when the vessel is placed in an upright position. |
| US08393085B2 |
Device and method for controlling deflection of lamp
Controlling a deflection of an irradiation direction of a vehicle lamp based on a detected steering angle includes calculating a target angle of the irradiation direction of the vehicle lamp based on the steering angle and calculating a difference angle between the target angle and a current deflection angle of the irradiation direction of the vehicle lamp. A new deflection angle is calculated and includes setting the new deflection angle to the target angle if the difference angle is equal to or smaller than a given limit angle, and setting the new deflection angle to an angle obtained by adding or subtracting the limit angle to or from the current deflection angle if the difference angle is larger than the given limit angle. Deflection of the irradiation direction of the lamp is controlled based on the deflection angle. |
| US08393083B2 |
Adjustable thinning scissors
A thinning scissors of the present invention includes a first blade unit, a second blade unit, an adjusting button, a nut and a screw. The first blade unit has a first pivoting bore, and the second blade unit has a second pivoting bore. The adjusting button has an axle rotatably inserted in the first pivoting bore. The axle has an offset bore whose axis is offset from that of the axle. The nut is rotatably disposed in the offset bore, and the screw is inserted in the second pivoting bore and threaded with the nut. Thereby, the rotational axis of the first blade unit and that of the second blade relatively move as the adjusting button rotates in the first pivoting bore. |
| US08393082B2 |
Rotary electric shaver
A rotary electric shaver including cutter units, each having an outer cutter and an inner cutter rotating in resilient contact with the inner surface of the outer cutter, further including a shaver head which is pivotably provided on the shaver main body; an outer cutter frame attached to the shaver head to support the outer cutters in a depressible fashion; a main drive shaft for transmitting, via a first universal joint, the rotation of a motor housed in the shaver main body to a driving mechanism provided inside the shaver head; inner cutter drive shafts provided in the shaver head and rotationally driven by the driving mechanism; and second universal joints for transmitting the rotation of the inner cutter drive shafts to the inner cutters; and in this shaver the first universal joint being disposed near the pivotal center of the shaver head. |
| US08393079B2 |
Handling spine fin coils, winders, reels, shapers and/or processing spine fin and transition tube splicing and rework
A method of salvaging a scrap partially completed spine fin coil by initially placing the partially completed coil on a reel. Connecting an end of a straight tube that is helically wrapped with a spine fin strip to an end of the partially completed coil while said partially completed coil is on the reel, rotate the reel after completing the connection until the partially completed spine fin coil is complete. |
| US08393077B2 |
Fabrication of passive electronic components
A method for fabrication of passive electronic components includes disposing a sacrificial layer on a carrier and forming a curable resin layer on top of the sacrificial layer and patterning the curable resin to form a cured resin template having multiple pattern levels. A metal material is deposited into the first pattern level to form a first structure. A dielectric material is then formed on exposed portions of the first structure. A nonselective subtractive process is used to expose the sacrificial layer in a bottom of the second pattern level and metal material is deposited into the second pattern level and built up to include a portion which crosses over the dielectric material. |
| US08393076B2 |
Electrical connection of components
A component is electrically connected to an electrical circuit by a method that comprises forming an intermediate product in which the component (3) is disposed on one side of an electrically conducting sheet (1) so that at least one pair of contacts (4) of the component are electrically connected by the sheet and in which a patterned etch resist layer (2) is disposed on the other side of the sheet in registration with the component on said one side of the sheet, and then exposing the other side of the sheet to an etching agent and thereby removing areas of the sheet to leave the electrical circuit and also to remove the electrical interconnection between the contacts. |
| US08393075B2 |
Installation/removal device, display change device, and dosing system
A display change device is formed by connecting and thereby integrating an installation/removal device and a card display change device together. The card installation/removal device is configured to have at a back side thereof a pressure reception wall, at a further back side of which a position adjustment mechanism part is provided. The position adjustment mechanism part is configured to include a seat member, a moving part, and a drive part. The position adjustment mechanism part is configured to strike and move the card installation/removal device by an eccentric cam. The position adjustment mechanism part moves the eccentric cam far from the pressure reception wall under the condition that a reaction force Fr received by the eccentric cam becomes larger than a force Fa for pulling the moving part toward the pressure reception wall side. |
| US08393072B2 |
Method for producing a rotary electric machine stator
A method of producing a stator for a rotary electrical machine comprising a body in which axial recesses are produced and comprising a plurality of conductors arranged in the recesses, which comprises a step of depositing conductors on a linear support that comprises transverse recesses, comprising a first phase of depositing conductors in the recesses in the support in order to form a first layer of conductors, and a second phase of depositing conductors in the recesses, in order to form a second layer of conductors that is arranged vertically above the first layer; the first deposition phase and the second deposition phase consists of depositing one and the same conductor on the linear support.The invention also proposes an arrangement of a set of conductors on a linear support obtained at the end of the deposition step. |
| US08393070B2 |
Method and production line for laminate assembly
The production line according to the present invention is provided with a pressurization measurement apparatus adjacent to a press-working apparatus, a temporary laminate assembly worked and laminated by a press in the press-working apparatus is sent to the pressurization measurement apparatus, and a laminate assembly is produced by being pressurized and being subjected to regular caulking by a hydraulic servo press of the pressurization measurement apparatus. At this time, the lamination height of a regularly caulked laminate assembly is measured by a linear scale secured at the pressurization measurement apparatus. The main controller of a control apparatus inputs data of the measured lamination height, and adds and subtracts the set number of thin plates to be laminated of a laminate assembly by controlling the laminating means of the press-working apparatus so that the measurement lamination height is matched to the set lamination height using the measured lamination height, the preset lamination height, the height dimension tolerance, and the tolerance for judging the number of thin plates. |
| US08393068B2 |
Method and apparatus for assembling composite structures
Method and apparatus for mechanically-joining components to assemble a composite structure. A first component and a second component may be provided. At least one of the first and second components may comprise a composite component. A hole may be formed in each of the first and second components. A metallic sleeve may be placed in the holes in the first and second components such that the metallic sleeve is in contact with the first and second components, and a composite rivet may be placed in the metallic sleeve. Heat and a deforming force may be applied to the composite rivet to join the first and second components to form an assembled composite structure. |
| US08393067B2 |
Connection device for connection between pipe and connection member
A connecting device 30 is provided with a die 1 divided into a plurality of die segments 2 centering around a wedge hole portion 11 in a circumferential direction, and a mandrel 20. Each die segment 2 of the die 1 is moved radially outward of the pipe 40 by a mandrel 20 to expand an expansion target portion 41 of the pipe 40. The die segment 2 is equipped with apiece 3 having a first pressing protruded portion 4 for pressing one of two predetermined portions 41b and 41b of the pipe 40, a die segment main body 6 having a second pressing protruded portion 7 for pressing the other portion 41b, and connection means 15 for connecting the piece 3 and the die segment main body 6 in a detachable manner. |
| US08393063B2 |
Brake pad spreader tool for disc brake assemblies
A tool for spreading disc brake pads and compressing pistons of a disc brake caliper assembly includes a manually operated handle to drive a rod attached to a pusher plate. An arm assembly also connects the back end of the drive rod to the pusher plate. The plates thus extend in cantilever fashion from the drive rod and may be maintained in alignment by the arm assembly which also serves to reinforce the cantilever arrangement of the plates. |
| US08393062B2 |
Systems and methods for positioning fairing sheaths of gas turbine engines
Systems and methods for positioning fairing sheaths are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes using vacuum pressure to assist in moving opposing portions of a fairing sheath away from each other. |
| US08393061B2 |
Seat belt safety device
A seat belt safety device is configured to prevent access to a release button located on a side of a seat belt housing opposite a housing side at which a first seat belt segment is affixed and proximate a housing slot for receiving a tongue latch affixed to a second seat belt segment, which tongue latch is inserted in the housing slot to securely latch the first seat belt segment to the second seat belt segment. The seat belt safety device includes a first substantially planar member including a slot opening for receiving the tongue latch of the second seat belt segment and a limited access opening, substantially centered and proximate the slot opening so that when a tongue latch is inserted through the slot opening into the housing slot to latch and secure the first seat belt segment with the second seat belt segment, the limited access opening is located proximate the release button. A second substantially planar member attached to at least one edge of the first substantially planar member to extend at about 90° from a point of attachment so that when the tongue latch is inserted through the slot opening into the housing slot to latch, the second substantially planar member contacts to lay substantially flat against a portion of an outer horizontal surface of the seat belt housing such that the seat belt safety device is substantially immobilized. |
| US08393060B2 |
Quick release buckle with volatile substance diffusion means
The present invention relates to a quick release buckle of those commonly used for temporarily attaching two belt or band sections, for example of a backpack, sports bag, waist packs, harnesses or leashes for dogs, etc. The object of the invention is to provide said buckle with an additional function such that it can be used for diffusing an insecticide and/or air-freshener substance in the atmosphere, for which a buckle component integrates a diffusion element for diffusing a volatile substance. |
| US08393058B2 |
Clip
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a clip including: a flange and a leg. The leg includes: a pillar portion that vertically extends from the flange; a tip portion provided at a distal end in an axial direction; a rib that outwardly extends from the pillar portion to be connected to the flange and the tip portion; and an elastic engagement piece that extends from a distal end of the rib in a circumferential direction. The elastic engagement piece includes: a rigid portion that is connected to the rib and that is connected to the flange and the tip portion; and a deformable portion that is extended from the rigid portion and that is disconnected from the flange and the tip portion. |
| US08393057B2 |
Method for mixing short staple and down cluster by a dry processing
A method for mixing short staple and down cluster by a dry processing utilizes an air tool to blow the short staple over, so that the scattered short staple is mixed in the down cluster. Stirring blades are further applied for stirring. Chemical agents are needless, no pollution is generated, and processing time is preferably reduced since the mixture does not have to be soaked in the chemical agent. Both the processing time and the manufacturing cost are decreased. Preferably, a proportion of the short staple to the down cluster is adjustable for different needs and divergent warmth retaining effects. |
| US08393054B2 |
Door operator
A door operator includes a first component having a right-hand thread, a second component having a left-hand thread, and a plug-in or rotatable coupling having two complementary threads. The first and second compartments are interconnected to each other by the coupling when the right-hand thread of the first compartment and the left-hand thread of the second compartment engage the respective complementary threads of the coupling. |
| US08393053B2 |
Self-orienting caster for furniture
A self-orienting caster for pieces of furniture and the like, comprising at least one wheel which is supported so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis by a supporting structure which has a vertical cylindrical recess which is open upward and is axially offset with respect to said horizontal axis and constitutes said seat in which a pivot for the pivoting of the caster can rotate, the pivot being insertable in a receptacle of the piece of furniture onto which the caster is to be fitted, the supporting structure comprising two mutually opposite annular flanges, which form respective circular and coaxial holes, a tubular body whose opposite ends are rigidly coupled to the inner edges of the holes and form externally, between the flanges, a rolling track for a supporting bearing for the wheel, respective extensions being monolithically rigidly coupled to the flanges and being mutually associable so as to form the seat which is designed to receive the pivot for the pivoting of the wheel. |
| US08393051B2 |
Method and device for cleaning the water trickling surfaces in an air/water heat exchanger
A method of in situ scale removal from a heat exchange body suspended in a wet cooling tower. At least one air blast is generated by a generator implementing controlled expansion via a nozzle of a mass of compressed gas in a nozzle towards a zone of the body. The generator is opened at a distance from the zone, and the method repeats the operation after moving the generator under the body outside the zone. |
| US08393050B2 |
Portable cyclonic dust collector/vacuum cleaner
A cyclonic portable vacuum cleaner/dust collector for workshop or other use has a conic body that is supported on a hand cart or dolly. A funnel shaped divider plate within the conic body divides it into a cyclonic chamber between the divider plate and the lower nose, and a filter chamber between the divider plate and a motor plate that closes the upper mouth of the conic body. The filter chamber contains a filter cartridge. A vacuum air pump is mounted on the motor plate, and is covered by a shroud or housing. Clean, filtered air is exhausted into the ambient. Process dust settled into a dust collection drum supported beneath the nose of the conic body. A pulse cleaning arrangement serves for periodic filter cleaning. The supporting cart can be wheeled or can use a wall bracket for wall mounting. |
| US08393048B2 |
Method for cleaning two filters of a suction device for cleaning purposes and suction device for performing the method
A method for cleaning first and second filters of a suction device for cleaning purposes is provided. The suction device has a dirt collection container with a suction inlet. The dirt collection container is subjected to negative pressure via first and second suction lines, respectively, following the first and second filters. First and second closing valves close first and second external air inlets, respectively, into the first and second suction lines. For cleaning the filters, the closing valves are opened, subjecting the filters to external air on the clean space side. The dirt collection container is subjected to negative pressure via the first suction line and first filter by a first suction unit and via the second suction line and second filter by a second suction unit. The suction lines are sealed off relative to each other on the clean space side at least during the cleaning of the filters. |
| US08393039B2 |
Lawn sweeper assembly with tilt-able hopper and latch assembly and method of use thereof
The present disclosure relates to a lawn sweeper designed to collect debris, such as grass clippings and leaves, from a surface such as a lawn, and more particularly to a lawn sweeper with a tilt-able hopper frame and hopper bag that includes a handle such that an operator may tilt the hopper frame and hopper bag, using the handle, to empty the hopper bag contents. The hopper bag and hopper frame are connected to a lawn sweeper unit using a hopper rod which is inserted into two slots at the ends of two hopper support bars and secured within the slots by two corresponding latch plates, one latch plate at each end of the two hopper support bars. The latching mechanism allows the hopper frame and hopper bag to be easily removed from the lawn sweeper unit for storage. |
| US08393036B2 |
Apparatus for cleaning an immersed surface with gyration by means of a nosing-up action
Detailed is an apparatus for cleaning a surface which is immersed in a liquid including a body, guiding members defining at least one axle, a filtration chamber, at least one electric drive motor, a control unit which is configured to control each drive motor in at least one direction at a speed selected from: at least a first speed at which the apparatus is in a first movement position in accordance with a first predetermined trajectory, at least a second more rapid speed at which the apparatus is in a second nosed-up movement position in accordance with a second predetermined trajectory which is different from the first trajectory. |
| US08393034B2 |
Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface with easy drainage
Detailed is a device for cleaning an immersed surface including a body and members for driving this body over the immersed surface, a filtration chamber which has a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a hydraulic circuit for the flow of liquid between the inlet and the outlet through a filtering device, a handle for operating the body which allows a user to carry it in order to immerse it in the liquid or remove it from the liquid, wherein the liquid outlet is arranged at a longitudinal end of the body, and wherein the operating handle is connected to the body at an opposing end so that, when the body is suspended by the operating handle, it tilts spontaneously under the effect of gravity into an emptying position in which the liquid outlet is located below the liquid inlet. |
| US08393032B2 |
Submerged surface cleaning apparatus with angled pumping impeller
Detailed is a device for cleaning an immersed surface including a body and members for driving the body over the immersed surface, a filtration chamber which is provided in the body and which has: a liquid inlet located at the base of the body; a liquid outlet arranged opposite the base of the body; a hydraulic circuit for flow of liquid between this liquid inlet and this liquid outlet through a filtering device; a liquid pumping device including a pumping motor which has a rotating drive shaft which is coupled to a pumping propeller which is interposed in the hydraulic circuit, wherein the liquid outlet is longitudinally offset from the liquid inlet and the pumping propeller has an inclined rotation axis which forms, with the longitudinal direction, an angle which is not equal to zero and which is different from 90°. |
| US08393029B2 |
Apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface including a brushing device driven by members for driving the apparatus on the submerged surface
Detailed is a device for cleaning an immersed surface including a body, members for driving this body over the immersed surface in a longitudinal direction, including a wheel, a device for brushing the immersed surface, a mechanism for rotating the brushing device about a brushing axis, wherein the driving mechanism of the brushing device includes: an internally toothed ring which is fixedly joined to a wheel, a brush pinion which is fixedly joined to the brushing device and which is engaged in the ring of this drive wheel in such a manner that a rotation of this drive wheel brings about a rotation of the brushing device about the brushing axis thereof in the same rotation direction. |
| US08393026B2 |
Hospital bed
A patient support apparatus includes a deck, a plurality of side rails, a control panel, and a plurality of subsystems, such as a bed exit system that detects when a patient may exit from the support apparatus, or a lifting mechanism to raise and lower the deck. A controller is in communication with the control panel and is adapted to monitor conditions regarding the side rails and/or the other subsystems. At least one lamp is also provided on the patient support apparatus that is adapted to be illuminated in a first manner when a plurality of monitored conditions remain in a desired state, and in a second manner when at least one of the plurality of monitored conditions changes to an undesired state. |
| US08393024B2 |
Adjustable bed skirt
An adjustable bed skirt for use between a mattress and a box spring that is comprised of a top strip portion having a vertically extended, downwardly draped side skirt portion connected to the top strip portion outer perimeter edges. Alternatively, the adjustable bed skirt can be attached to an existing bed skirt. The top strip portion is formed by one or more strips, therefore creating a bed skirt simple to install, adjust, and remove. The top strip portion has a left strip, right strip and a foot strip. An outer edge extends along an outside of the left strip, right strip and foot strip and an inner edge extends along an inside of the left strip, right strip and foot strip. The width of the top strip portion and a height of the side skirt portion is adjustable when the elastic portions are expanded or retracted. |
| US08393021B2 |
Adaptor for a non-flexible floor covering
A non-flexible floor covering adaptor is provided for use with a shower tray (10) having a peripheral trough (18) and means for engaging flexible floor covering material in the trough (18). The adaptor (30) comprises a first profiled portion (32) locatable in the trough (18) of the shower tray (10); a second profiled portion (34) which matches or substantially matches a peripheral edge of the shower tray (10), and a floor flange (36) for engagement with non-flexible floor covering material, such as tiles or boards. |
| US08393019B1 |
Spa system with separate hot and cold reservoirs
A spa system featuring an immersion tank for holding a therapeutic liquid, the immersion tank may feature multiple sectors, a hot reservoir, a cold reservoir, and a mixer reservoir. The mixer reservoir is fluidly connected to each the hot reservoir, the cold reservoir, and the immersion tank via pipes. The hot reservoir has a heating element, and the cold reservoir has a cooling element. Pipes and pumps connect the immersion tank to the mixer reservoir and to the hot and cold reservoirs and the hot and cold reservoirs to the mixer reservoir. Temperature sensors are disposed in the immersion tank and the mixer reservoir. A control unit having a microprocessor functions to change temperature of the therapeutic liquid in the immersion tank by activating various pumps such that the temperature of the immersion tank matches a pre-programmed temperature. |
| US08393016B2 |
Discreet elastic belt
The invention relates to clothing support devices, and more particularly, discreet belts that support clothing, such as trousers, skirts, or the like, around a waist of a user. Provided is a discreet belt that includes a belt body formed from a flexible, elongated elastic strap adapted to be used in at least one fastening element and at least one adjusting element. Various embodiments, variants and method aspect are also provided. |
| US08393013B2 |
Systems and methods for providing inflatable apparel
This application relates to inflatable apparel. In particular, this application discusses systems and methods for providing apparel that is both selectively inflatable and adapted for use as a pillow. The inflatable apparel may include any clothing or object that is adapted to be worn by a person and is selectively inflatable so as to act a cushion for the person wearing the apparel or of another. The inflatable apparel comprises an apparel item, such as a necktie, and an inflatable bladder. In some cases, the necktie is made to receive and retain the bladder in an inflated position or a deflated position. The bladder extends through at least a portion of the necktie. Additionally, when inflated, the bladder provides a pillow or cushion for use by the individual wearing the inflated necktie, or for use by an individual other than the person wearing the necktie. |
| US08397310B2 |
Smart container system for charging, storing, and using electronic devices
The present invention is an apparatus and method for associating electronic devices to portable containers. A smart container is a container used for transporting items while traveling and comprising electronic devices. The smart container may comprise at least one module bay configured for receiving a module and a controller comprising a processing device associated with a memory. The controller is electrically associated with the module bay and configured for sending and/or receiving data to/from an electronic device associated with the module bay. The controller may be either an integral component of the smart container or a controller module removably received by the smart container. The smart container further comprises a power source associated with a power bus. The power bus is electrically associated with at least one of (a) a module bay, and (b) the controller. |
| US08397305B2 |
System and method for connecting gaming devices to a network for remote play
A system and method for connecting remote player devices to regulated host gaming devices in a network to provide remote game play. A host gaming device is configured to provide game information to a plurality of remote player devices to allow remote play of the host game device. Whether each remote player device is permitted to receive gaming data is based upon, at least in part, the geographic location of the remote player device. |
| US08397302B2 |
System and method for analyzing a process
A system for analyzing a process, comprising a model engine to generate a model of the environment using multiple components defining adjustable elements of the model and including components representing a process for provisioning and de-provisioning of access credentials for an individual in the environment and a risk analyzer to calculate multiple randomized instances of an outcome for the environment using multiple values for parameters of the elements of the model selected from within respective predefined ranges for the parameters, and to use a results plan to provide data for identifying the security risk using the multiple instances. |
| US08397299B2 |
Method and system for enhancing flow of behavior metrics and evaluation of security of a node
A method and system for enhancing flow of behavior metrics and evaluating security of a node are described. Instead of sending behavior metrics from a trustee node to a trustor node, the trustor node sends an evaluation function to the trustee node. The trustee node performs security evaluation and sends a result to the trustor node. Alternatively, the trustee node and the trustor node may send behavior metrics and an evaluation function to a trusted broker, respectively. The trusted broker evaluates the security of the trustee node using the evaluation function and the behavior metrics, and sends a security evaluation result to the trustor node and the trustee node. There may be multiple trusted brokers. The behavior metrics may be accumulated by each node as the behavior metrics flow downstream. The nodes may submit behavior metrics to an intermediary periodically and may be accumulated by intermediaries. |
| US08397296B2 |
Server resource management, analysis, and intrusion negation
A console host and intrusion negation system (CHAINS) includes a host component and a console component. The host component monitors resources at a server. Resources that are becoming overloaded can be throttled back. Reports relating to resource usage may be transmitted to the console component. At the console component, resource reports from multiple host components may be viewed and managed. |
| US08397293B2 |
Suspicious node detection and recovery in mapreduce computing
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to distributed computing for large data sets on clusters of computers and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for detecting and correcting malicious nodes in a cloud computing environment (e.g., MapReduce computing). In one embodiment of the invention, a computer-implemented method for detecting and correcting malicious nodes in a cloud computing environment can include selecting a task to dispatch to a first worker node, setting a suspicion index threshold for the selected task, determining a suspicion index for the selected task, comparing the suspicion index to the suspicion index threshold and receiving a result from a first worker node. The method further can include applying a recovery action when the suspicion index exceeds the selected suspicion index threshold. |
| US08397288B2 |
System and method for operation of open connections for secure network communications
In one embodiment, a system for extending IPSec communication over a wireless mesh network is disclosed. A VPN appliance is operative to establish an end-to-end communication tunnel with at least one of a plurality of wireless mesh gateways. The VPN appliance is configured for secure communication with at least one of the mesh gateways, by establishing an outer tunnel. At least one of the wireless mesh gateways is configured to establish connection with a plurality of wireless routers, where the wireless routers are configured to establish connection with a plurality of intelligent communication devices. Multiple paths exist for routing data packets from the plurality of mesh gateways to the plurality of intelligent communication devices. The VPN appliance is also configured to establish a plurality of inner tunnels nested within the outer tunnel. |
| US08397287B2 |
Method and system for authorizing a level of access of a client to a virtual private network connection, based on a client-side attribute
An appliance and method for authorizing a level of access of a client to a virtual private network connection, based on a client-side attribute includes the step of establishing, by an appliance, a control connection with a client upon receiving a client request to establish a virtual private network connection with a network. The appliance transmits, via the control connection, a request to the client to evaluate at least one clause of a security string, the at least one clause including an expression associated with a client-side attribute. The client transmits, via the control connection, a response to the appliance comprising a result of evaluating the at least one clause by the client. The appliance assigns the client to an authorization group based on the result of evaluation of the at least one clause. |
| US08397283B2 |
User role mapping in web applications
Roles and policies are used to provide display and access to data in a flexible manner. Users and/or web applications can be mapped to user roles that dictate which displays or other application resources are available to the user or application. Roles are assigned to web applications individually, allowing for user roles to be used without requiring an independent mapping of users to roles. In some cases, application roles can be centrally managed, so that presentation systems also avoid the need for an independent mapping of user or application roles. |
| US08397278B2 |
Configuring interfaces of a switch using templates
Configuring an interface of a switch includes sending an authentication request requesting authentication for an endpoint from a switch to an authentication server. The switch comprises interfaces and is operable to access templates, where a template is operable to generate one or more interface commands for an interface. An instruction is received from the authentication server. The instruction instructs the switch to apply an identified template to an interface, where the identified template is identified by the authentication server as associated with the endpoint. The identified template is applied to configure the interface according to the instruction. |
| US08397274B2 |
Method for authenticating device capabilities to a verified third party
A system, devices and methods for verifying an administrator computing device to a guest computing device, verifying the guest device to the administrator device and outputting a list of the guest device capabilities for the administrator device such that the guest device is capable of verifying the administrator device, for example to ensure it does not divulge its capabilities to imposters, and the administrator device is capable of identifying whether the list of device capabilities is authentic. Verification can be achieved through cryptographic hashes of private certificates, digital signatures or expected output from verified modules. The list of device capabilities may be restricted based on the authorization granted to the administrator computer and may be altered or watermarked for verification. A failure to verify the administrator device may restrict execution of instructions on the guest device to prevent unauthorized access to the guest device's capabilities. |
| US08397271B2 |
Power divider networks for cable television networks that include multimedia over coax bypass circuits and signal amplifiers that include such power divider networks
RF signal amplifiers for cable television networks are provided that include an RF input port. a power amplifier coupled to the RF input port and a power divider having an input that is coupled to an output of the power amplifier. The power divider includes a first directional coupler that is coupled to an output of the power amplifier. The directional coupler includes a first output branch and a second output branch. A first bypass circuit is coupled between the first and second output branches of the first directional coupler. A response of the power divider includes a null that substantially blocks signals received at the input of the power divider from passing to outputs of the power divider in a subset of frequencies within the range of 5 MHz to 1550 MHz. These RF signal amplifiers may provide improved performance, robustness and reliability when used in MOCA networks. |
| US08397269B2 |
Fast digital channel changing
Fast channel changing in digital-television-based entertainment networks can be implemented, for example, by electing to tune to channels at opportune tuning times. In an exemplary implementation, a method includes: receiving a channel change request that indicates a requested new channel from a client device; preparing a broadcast video data stream of the requested new channel that is offset in time behind a current broadcast time for broadcast video data of the requested new channel; and streaming the broadcast video data stream responsive to the channel change request. In another exemplary implementation, a system includes: a storage device that retains broadcast video data for multiple channels; a video data extractor that accesses the retained broadcast video data and retrieves an intra frame of broadcast video data that is in the past for a requested channel; and a video data distributor that transmits the retrieved intra frame of broadcast video data. |
| US08397268B2 |
Video transmission system with timing based on a global clock and methods for use therewith
A network module receives network global positioning system (GPS) signals and that transmits a video signal to a remote device that includes time stamps that are based on the network GPS signals. The network module receives a device parameter from the remote device that indicates that local GPS signals are available to the remote device. The network module reduces a frequency of the time stamps when the device parameter indicates that local GPS signals are available to the remote device. |
| US08397263B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and information processing program
In an information processing apparatus, a text information receiving unit receives text information, and a received text morphological analysis unit performs morphological analysis on the text information. An extraction unit extracts text information of a subtitle included in a program. A subtitle text morphological analysis unit performs morphological analysis on the text information of the subtitle. A similarity calculation unit calculates the similarity between a keyword included in a result of the received text morphological analysis performed by the received text morphological analysis unit and a keyword included in a result of the subtitle text morphological analysis performed by the subtitle text morphological analysis unit. A comparison unit compares the similarity with a predetermined threshold value. A recording unit records the program at a time at which the comparison unit determines that the subtitle text of the program currently includes a keyword having similarity higher than the predetermined threshold value. |
| US08397256B2 |
IPTV receiver and method of providing channel map information
AN IPTV receiver and a method of providing channel map information are provided. A network interface transmits and receives an IP packet through a network. An IP network stack checks a destination of the received IP packet and classifies the IP packet according to a protocol. A Service Information (SI) decoder parses a master SI table included in the IP packet to read channel map management information included in the master SI table, and parses a channel map record included in the IP packet to read a channel map instance included in the channel map record. An IPTV terminal function (ITF) operation controller controls the reception of the channel map record based on the read channel map management information. |
| US08397255B2 |
Advanced television system
A digital television recording method comprising: broadcasting a television program associated with a broadcaster set of parameters enabling access to a first set of predetermined portions of the program; operating an agent for determining whether to record the program and for associating with the program, upon recording of the program, an agent set of parameters enabling access to a second set of predetermined portions of the program; storing the program together with the broadcaster set of parameters and the agent set of parameters to generate an addressable program; retrieving at least a portion of the addressable program; displaying the at least a portion of the addressable program to a user; receiving from the user a user set of parameters enabling access to a third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program; editing the addressable program to include the user set of parameters enabling access to the third set of predetermined portions of the addressable program thereby generating an edited addressable program; and storing the edited addressable program. |
| US08397254B2 |
Broadcasting system with auto programming and viewer number feedback
A broadcasting system with auto programming and viewer number feedback is provided, which includes a data gathering device, a viewer number calculating device and a program auto-scheduling device. The data gathering device is used to gather a program list and a local viewer number data. The viewer number calculating device is used to calculate a local viewer number. The program auto-scheduling device is used to automatically determine whether to adjust a program schedule of the program list according to a comparison result between the local viewer number and a determined viewer number. Therefore, the broadcasting system of the invention can detect viewer and definitely calculate viewing efficiency within a predetermined status, and can precisely quantify the viewing efficiency using the caught data. Additionally, the broadcasting system of the invention can automatically evaluate whether to reschedule of a program according to the data feedback to conform the predetermined viewer status. |
| US08397250B2 |
Disc transfer mechanism and disc drive apparatus
A disc transfer mechanism includes a feed roller provided between a drive unit incorporated in a drive apparatus main body and an insert slot formed in the apparatus main body; a roller supporting member pivotably supporting the feed roller between a disc transfer position and an evacuated position; a drive cam for pivoting the feed roller between the disc transfer position and the evacuated position; and a driven cam moving in cooperation with pivoting of the feed roller. The drive cam engages with a rotation shaft of the feed roller and moves rectilinearly along one peripheral end of the drive unit, and the driven cam moves rectilinearly along the other peripheral end of the drive unit. |
| US08397247B2 |
Information processing system, information processing method and computer-readable storage medium
A technique to suppress a remote procedure call from a client by a server is provided. An information processing system is provided that includes a client component and a server component, wherein a program of the client component makes an RPC for a function of the server component. The client component includes a holding unit that holds return value information of the function, and a calling unit that receives an RPC request for the function from the program. The server component includes an execution unit that returns a return value of the function to set return value information. When the return value information has not been set in the holding unit, the calling unit makes an RPC for the function. When the return value information has been set in the holding unit, the calling unit returns the return value included in the return value information without making an RPC. |
| US08397244B2 |
Publisher flow control and bounded guaranteed delivery for message queues
Techniques for managing messages in computer systems are provided. In one embodiment, in response to a publisher attempting to enqueue a message in a queue, a determination is made whether a condition is satisfied. The condition is based on the current usage of the queue by the publisher. Based on whether the condition is satisfied, a decision is made whether to enqueue the message in the queue. The decision whether to enqueue the message may comprise restricting the publisher from enqueueing any more messages in the queue until the same or a different condition is satisfied. |
| US08397242B1 |
System and method for managing operations within virtual machines
A method, apparatus, and computer-readable storage medium for managing operations within virtual machines are provided. According to one embodiment, a virtual machine manager monitors the internal operations of the virtual machines by redirecting a reference from a first address to a second address. The first address is an address of a function to be executed by the virtual machine. The second address is an address of a memory location in the memory page. The virtual machine manager installs an execution event at the memory location. In response to a request resulting in the memory location being accessed, an execution event is triggered. In response to the triggering of the execution event, a message is sent to the hypervisor. The message indicates that the memory location has been accessed. |
| US08397241B2 |
Language level support for shared virtual memory
Embodiments of the invention provide language support for CPU-GPU platforms. In one embodiment, code can be flexibly executed on both the CPU and GPU. CPU code can offload a kernel to the GPU. That kernel may in turn call preexisting libraries on the CPU, or make other calls into CPU functions. This allows an application to be built without requiring the entire call chain to be recompiled. Additionally, in one embodiment data may be shared seamlessly between CPU and GPU. This includes sharing objects that may have virtual functions. Embodiments thus ensure the right virtual function gets invoked on the CPU or the GPU if a virtual function is called by either the CPU or GPU. |
| US08397240B2 |
Method to dynamically provision additional computer resources to handle peak database workloads
A method to handle peak database workloads may include requesting resources, receiving virtual-machine information in response to the requesting, allocating first and second portions of a workload according to the virtual-machine information, processing the first portion on a virtual machine to generate a first result, creating a cloned virtual machine with a virtualization layer, and cloning with the virtualization layer a storage allocated to the virtual machine to create a cloned storage. |
| US08397235B2 |
User tolerance based scheduling method for aperiodic real-time tasks
An apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising analyzing a plurality of tasks, determining a privilege level for each of the task, determining a schedule for each of the tasks, and scheduling the tasks for execution based on the privilege level and the schedule of each task. Included is a memory comprising instructions for determining a privilege level for each of a plurality of tasks, wherein the privilege levels comprise periodic real-time, aperiodic real-time, and non-real time, determining an execution time for each of the tasks, and scheduling the tasks for execution on a processor based on the privilege level and the execution time of each task. |
| US08397229B2 |
System and methods for migrating independently executing program into and out of an operating system
This invention generally relates to a methods and system in the field of independent programs operating within an operating system such as Linux and more particularly to computer software embodied in a computer readable medium including: an independent program for running autonomously in a native mode within an associated computer processor; an operating system program for running autonomously within an associated computer processor; a mode switcher process for switching operation from the independent program to the operating system program whereby the independent program functions as an embedded entity of the operating system; and wherein the mode switcher program switches the independent program from the operating system program whereby the independent program runs autonomously in the native mode. |
| US08397228B2 |
Systems and methods for updating device software
Methods and systems for updating device software are disclosed, including a method for updating an information handling system, the method comprising: receiving an update, wherein the update is identified with an update type selected from a predefined set of update types; determining a probability that the information handling system enters an essential operating state; and installing the update only in response to the probability being less than a threshold probability. |
| US08397224B2 |
Methods and system for executing a program in multiple execution environments
A system and methods are disclosed for executing a technical computing program in parallel in multiple execution environments. A program is invoked for execution in a first execution environment and from the invocation the program is executed in the first execution environment and one or more additional execution environments to provide for parallel execution of the program. New constructs in a technical computing programming language are disclosed for parallel programming of a technical computing program for execution in multiple execution environments. It is also further disclosed a system and method for changing the mode of operation of an execution environment from a sequential mode to a parallel mode of operation and vice-versa. |
| US08397223B2 |
Web application generator
A method, system and apparatus for providing a web application generator to generate the basis for a complete web application source code. Based on graphical user interface input files provided by graphic designers, the web application generator generates application framework code, an event handler skeleton and business logic foundation code. Web developers then prepare additional source code using an object-oriented programming language based on the event handler skeleton and business logic foundation code to create web application business logic objects and event handler methods. Ultimately the graphical user interface input files prepared by the graphic designers and web application source code prepared by the web developers are dynamically bound at runtime. |
| US08397222B2 |
Any-to-any system for doing computing
Methods for constructing an Any-to-Any data machine (consisting of Any-to-Any data components and their environmental requirements) and an Any-to-Any code machine (consisting of Any-to-Any code components and their environmental requirements) and relating them together so that they harmoniously interact and so that the data Any-to-Any machine controls and is also acted upon by the code Any-to-Any machine so as to produce an Any-to-Any system that transforms data in a manner that is useful and which is analogous to the harmonious interaction of the Any-Any binary code and Any-to-Any transistor systems, and which handles data and transforms it in a sufficiently similar manner to the manner in which the human handles and transforms data that the human finds it easy and intuitive to operate, all supported by methods that enable data to be stored in a single logical grid structure that can accept and correctly relate, transmit and receive any data, together examples of methods to derive benefits from these inventions. |
| US08397217B2 |
Integrating templates into tests
Test template may comprise a source code template instruction associated with source code commands. The source code template instruction is utilized in generation of a test. The generation of instructions associated with the source code template instruction takes into account utilization of shared resources by both the source code commands and by generated instructions that are generated by other template instructions. |
| US08397215B2 |
Executing a physical model with multiple physical domains in a web browser
System and method for performing program-related operations over a network via a web browser. A network connection is established between a server computer and a client computer over a network. A universal resource identifier (URI) is sent from the client computer to the server computer over the network, where the URI indicates a program, e.g., a graphical program (GP), or at least a portion of a graphical program interactive development environment (GPIDE), e.g., a graphical program editor, an execution engine, a static or dynamic analyzer, and/or compiler. The at least a portion of the GPIDE is received from the server computer over the network in response to the URI, and executed in a web browser of the client computer to perform some specified functionality with respect to the GP. |
| US08397209B2 |
Software modeling system and method
A software application to be used in an environment includes environmental, behavioral, design, and run-time model creating portions. The environmental portion includes a first set of attributes of the environment, wherein each of the first set of attributes has a declaration and a decomposition into environmental classes. The behavioral portion describes behavior of the software application at a boundary of the software application and the environment, wherein the behavioral model includes a second set of attributes, and each of the second set of attributes has at least one of a declaration and function. The design portion includes a first decomposition of the second set of attributes into a first plurality of groups. The run-time portion includes a second decomposition of the second set of attributes into a second plurality of groups, wherein the run-time model can record the decomposition of the software application into run-time components. |
| US08397208B2 |
Method and system for baselining across multiple domains
Techniques are provided for baselining across multiple domains. Relationship information that associates a collection of requirement objects with a set of configuration management objects is stored. The collection of requirement objects is defined in a requirement management system for a software product, and the set of configuration management objects is defined in a configuration management system that is operable to manage the development of the software product. A particular requirement object from the collection of requirement objects is determined. Based on the relationship information, one or more configuration management objects that are associated with the particular requirement object are determined. A baseline that includes copies of the one or more configuration management objects is created and stored, where the copies include specific versions of the one or more configuration objects. |
| US08397203B2 |
Planar manufacturing drawing production support device, planar manufacturing drawing production support method, planar manufacturing drawing production support program and branch angle design support device
The present invention aims to improve accuracy of a planar manufacturing drawing used to instruct manufacture of a three-dimensional structure in a planar form. According to path plan information is acquired by a path plan information acquisition unit 11a and manufacturing requirement information is acquired by a manufacturing requirement information acquisition unit, a layout configuration production unit 11c produces a layout configuration model in which the three-dimensional structure is laid out in a planar manner based on a manufacture layout and distortion of the wire harness. Then, a simulation unit 11d simulates a transformation from the layout configuration model to the mounting configuration model with which the three-dimensional structure is mounted to a mount object. Then, an evaluation item evaluating unit 11e evaluates a predetermined evaluation item by comparing the simulation result and the three-dimensional structure indicated by the path plan information. Then, an evaluation result information output unit 11f outputs the evaluation result to support path designing of the three-dimensional structure and/or production of the planar manufacturing drawing. |
| US08397202B1 |
Sorted data outlier identification
Systems and methods for performing a signature analysis on sorted data to identify one or more outliers in a dataset. The method includes determining, with a control platform, a percentile range of a sorted dataset, wherein the percentile range includes a first plurality of qualified vector patterns; determining a signature of the percentile range; determining a signature of a second plurality of vector patterns, wherein the second plurality of vector patterns includes a first test vector pattern that is outside of the percentile range; and comparing the signature of the percentile range to the signature of the second plurality of vector patterns. The method further includes, based at least in part on the comparing, identifying the first vector pattern as one of (i) a qualifying vector pattern or (ii) an outlier. |
| US08397200B2 |
Efficient continuous grading flow for test coverage analysis
A system for performing efficient continuous grading flow for test coverage analysis. The system provides for continuous test coverage grading. The continuous grading flow analyzes individual tests upon completion without requiring an entire set of tests to finish. As a result, the grading process at the end of the regression run is no longer necessary, disk space and memory requirements are dramatically reduced, and partial results are produced as the grading of individual tests complete, allowing engineers to track progress and make real-time decisions based on the intermediate results. The resource requirements of our continuous flow scale linearly with the number of tests rather than exponentially as with traditional approaches. |
| US08397199B2 |
Versatile method and tool for simulation of aged transistors
In an embodiment, an aging analysis tool may be configured to identify transistors that are expected to experience aging effects according to worst case stress vectors and/or designer identified worst case conditions. The aging analysis tool may modify a representation of the circuit (e.g. a netlist), replacing the identified transistors with aged transistors (e.g. by modifying parameters of the transistors in the netlist). The aging analysis tool may process the modified netlist over a range of conditions at which the circuit is expected to operate, to ensure that the design meets specifications after aging. The process may be repeated until the aged design meets specifications (with circuit modifications made by the designer to improve the design). |
| US08397197B1 |
Integrated circuit module time delay budgeting
A circuit analysis tool is provided, enabled as computer software instructions, for budgeting time delays between integrated circuit (IC) modules. The instructions accept a command enabling an IC floor-plan including a first module and a second module. The first module includes a first circuit element having a signal output interface, and an output port. The second module includes an input port, and a second circuit element having a signal input interface. A command is accepted defining a maximum delay value, and a first delay value is estimated between the first circuit element signal output interface and the first module output port. A second delay value is estimated between the second circuit element signal input interface and the second module input port, and a third delay value is estimated between the first module output port and the second module input port. The first, second, and third delay values are summed, creating a time budget estimate. The time budget estimate is approved if it is less than the maximum delay value. |
| US08397194B2 |
Layout versus schematic error system and method
According to various embodiments of the invention, systems and methods for presenting Layout Versus Schematic (LVS) errors within a layout using a visual circuit representation of the design and highlighting is provided. One embodiment includes overlaying the layout circuit representation on the schematic circuit representation with highlighting that indicates the LVS errors. The method of such an embodiment compares a layout netlist against a schematic netlist in order to identify the layout-versus-schematic errors, generates a graphical representation of the layout netlist and a graphical representation of the schematic netlist, displays an overlay of the graphical representation of the layout netlist with the graphical representation of the schematic netlist and then, highlights the identified layout-versus-schematic errors that are present. |
| US08397193B2 |
Proprietary circuit layout identification
A method is provided for identifying use of a proprietary circuit layout. A representation of a layout of a circuit is input and the locations of a set of predetermined physical features of the circuit are identified. This set of locations is then compared with a previously generated characteristic pattern file, the characteristic pattern file comprising a representation of relative locations of a set of these predetermined physical features in the proprietary circuit layout. If the set of locations matches the relative locations of the characteristic pattern file, then an output is generated indicating that use of the proprietary circuit design has been found. |
| US08397192B2 |
Proof based bounded model checking
An UNSAT core may be reused during iterations of a bounded model checking process. When increasing the bound, signals corresponding to signals within the UNSAT core may be used to represent the functionality of the model during cycles between the original bound and the increased bound. In case, consecutive unsatisfiability is determined in respect to different bounds, the same UNSAT core may be reused instead of computing a new UNSAT core. |
| US08397191B1 |
Determining failure rate from circuit design layouts
In one embodiment, a method is provided for determining a level of resilience of a circuit to single event upsets based on a layout of a circuit design. A set of locations in the layout of the circuit design is selected. A respective maximum level of linear energy transfer (LET) that is tolerable for each location in the selected set is determined. For each determined maximum level of LET, cross-section values at locations having the maximum level of LET are summed to determine a respective total cross-section value for the maximum level of LET. For each determined maximum level of LET, the total cross-section value is divided by the determined maximum level of LET to produce respective intermediate values. The respective intermediate values are summed to determine a level of resilience. |
| US08397190B2 |
Method for manipulating and repartitioning a hierarchical integrated circuit design
A hardware description language representation of an original circuit block containing one or more hierarchies may be obtained. Some, or all of the hierarchies may be dissolved to access each circuit component within the original circuit block at a same level of hierarchy. Designated circuit components may then be grouped together to create new circuit blocks at a new level of hierarchy. Components and signals within each new circuit block may be renamed to match logically corresponding components and signals within each other new circuit block. Missing pins may be added for each new circuit block, and connected to respective associated signals within the new circuit block, and logically equivalent pins may be given the same name to ensure the new circuit blocks are logically equivalent to each other and have identical interfaces. One of the new circuit blocks may be selected for physical build to obtain one or more physical instances corresponding to the selected new circuit block, and a top-level build may link each new circuit block instance to one of those one or more physical instances. |
| US08397186B2 |
Technique for replaying operations using replay look-ahead instructions
A technique for reliably replaying operations in electronic-design-automation (EDA) software is described. In this technique, the EDA software stores operations performed by a user during a design session, as well as any replay look-ahead instructions, in a log file. When repeating the first operation, the replay look-ahead instruction ensures that the same state is obtained in the EDA environment as was previously obtained. For example, if an interrupt occurred when the first operation was previously performed, the replay look-ahead instruction may specify when the interrupt occurred during the performance of the operation so that the effect of the interrupt may be simulated when replaying the first operation. Alternatively, if a blocking user-interface request occurred when the first operation was previously performed (such as a mandatory query), the replay look-ahead instruction may include one or more events associated with the user answer to the blocking user-interface request so that the same user answer may be provided when replaying the first operation. |
| US08397183B2 |
Generation of asymmetric circuit devices
A method, system and computer program product are disclosed for creating the appropriate block level shapes to manufacture asymmetric field effect transistors (FETs). In one embodiment, the method comprises obtaining an integrated circuit design having an active region level (RX) and a gate region level (PC), each of the RX and PC levels having a multitude of shapes representing semiconductor regions; and defining a new level SD having a multitude of SD level shapes from the RX and the PC level shapes. This method further comprises identifying which ones of the new shapes are source regions and which ones are drain regions; determining which ones of the source regions are pointing up and which ones are pointing down; and copying the shapes of source regions that are pointing up and the shapes of the source regions that are pointing down onto additional, defined levels. |
| US08397179B2 |
Display control apparatus and display control method
A display control apparatus that makes it easy to recognize a target image when images are displayed in each of regions obtained by dividing a single screen, even when the method for dividing the screen has changed. For example, when the method for dividing the screen in an index view is switched, the post-switch location of a target thumbnail image is calculated based on the ratio between the pre- and post-switch division numbers and the pre-switch location of the target thumbnail image, in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Then, the overall arrangement of the thumbnail images in the index view after the division method switch is determined based on the calculated location of the target thumbnail image. |
| US08397170B2 |
Medical image display apparatus
A medical image display apparatus stores examination information of a plurality of examinations and image data resulting from the plurality of examinations, displays a plurality of selectable icons corresponding to the plurality of examinations along one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction in a screen, displays one or more selectable thumbnail images along the other one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and displays an original image based on the image data. Each of the one or more selectable thumbnail images is displayed in a smaller size than the original image. An input unit is configured to select a first of the plurality of selectable icons and a first of the one or more selectable thumbnail images associated with the selected icon, so that an original image corresponding to the selected thumbnail image is displayed. |
| US08397169B2 |
Image forming system capable of causing document box information of the printer driver to automatically adjust to a change in the document box information that is stored in an image forming apparatus
An image forming system including a management device, an image forming apparatus including an auxiliary storage device, and a plurality of information processing devices, which are coupled to one another via a network, the image forming system being configured as follows. The management device is designed to: acquire a box information file regarding a document box created on the auxiliary storage device from the image forming apparatus via the network; and transmit the box information file to each of the plurality of information processing devices in its original format and a state after conversion thereof into a predetermined format. The plurality of information processing devices each control a printer driver compatible with the image forming apparatus to read the received box information file. |
| US08397168B2 |
Interfacing with a spatial virtual communication environment
A spatial layout of zones of a virtual area in a network communication environment is displayed. A user can have a respective presence in each of one or more of the zones. Navigation controls and interaction controls are presented. The navigation controls enable the user to specify where to establish a presence in the virtual area. The interaction controls enable the user to manage interactions with one or more other communicants in the network communication environment. A respective presence of the user is established in each of one or more of the zones on response to input received via the navigation controls. Respective graphical representations of the communicants are depicted in each of the zones where the communicants respectively have presence. |
| US08397167B2 |
System and method for a remote console preview of a server
A device and a method for a remote console preview of a remote server are disclosed. A preview image corresponding to a remote console image of the remote server is displayed. The preview image is updated at a predetermined time interval. A first selection of the preview image is received, and a remote console session of the remote server is initiated in response to receiving the first selection of the preview image. |
| US08397164B2 |
Apparatus and method for loading media in a digital cinema system
An apparatus and method for loading media in a digital cinema system is described. Specifically, the digital cinema system has a received storage medium and a local storage medium. A user is prompted to present the received storage medium. Responsive to the user specifying the received storage medium, a list of image programs is displayed. Responsive to the user specifying the image program, a list of audio programs is displayed. Responsive to the user specifying the audio program, how much storage space is required to store the selected image program and audio program on the local storage medium is determined. If the storage space required on the local storage medium is insufficient to load the selected image and audio programs, a warning indicative of insufficient storage space is displayed. Each selected program is then authenticated. |
| US08397163B1 |
Device, method, and system for providing an electronic reading environment
A device, method, and system for providing an electronic reading environment are described herein. The device, method, and system convert standard electronic text into a hyper-text document. The hyper-text document transforms standard electronic text into access points that allow a reader to further explore each word, group of words, or image in the hyper-text document. Navigational aids and features assist in combining the advantages of paper-based and electronic-based text into one electronic reading environment for reading any electronic text. |
| US08397162B2 |
Method, printing system and computer program for generating and processing document data streams
In a method or system to generate a document data stream of a first format that is serially structured per page, document data of a second format that comprise multiple pages of a document are linked with the document data stream. In the document data stream of the first format a separate characteristic type mapping is provided that indicates that contiguous document data that comprise multiple pages are linked with the document data stream. In the first format a first page of the multipage document is completely and successfully run through a parsing process before document data of subsequent pages are run though the parsing process. |
| US08397160B2 |
System and program for displaying device information using browser
A device information displaying system for displaying device internal information of one or more information devices includes: information browser means which acquires and analyzes document data described in a markup language, converts the acquired document data into layout data having a prescribed structure based on result of the analysis, and makes a display based on the layout data; and device information providing means which acquires the device internal information of the one or more information devices, generates display data containing the device internal information and having a structure equivalent to the prescribed structure of the layout data generated by the information browser means, and displays the generated display data through the information browser means. |
| US08397158B1 |
System and method for partial parsing of XML documents and modification thereof
Modifying a partially parsed Extensible Markup Language (XML) document. A stop node in an XML document is marked using at least one stop XPath expression. The XML document is then parsed till the stop node identified by the at least one stop XPath expression. Modifications to the XML document are specified in a modification script, including at least one modification instruction. A modification instruction includes a context node XPath expression which identifies a context nodeset requiring modifications, and the actual modification content. Sequence of event tokens corresponding to the parsed XML document are then stored. Further, the XML document is modified according to the modification script. |
| US08397156B2 |
Organizing documents through utilization of people tags
A method disclosed herein includes the acts of receiving a document that has a people tag assigned thereto, wherein the people tag comprises first data that is indicative of an identity of a first individual that corresponds to the document, and wherein the people tag is assigned to the document by an assignor, and accessing contact data pertaining to a second individual, wherein the contact data comprises second data that is indicative of identities of contacts of the second individual, wherein the second data comprises data that is indicative of the identity of the first individual. The method also includes comparing the contact data with the first data, and displaying the document on a computer screen in conjunction with text that identifies the first individual to the third individual, wherein the text indicates a name of the first individual as assigned to the first individual by the second individual. |
| US08397155B1 |
Efficient portable document
A computer-implemented method for formatting electronic documents involves obtaining, at a computer system, an electronic document in a source format. The process also involves processing the electronic document by optimizing sizes of one or more images embedded in the electronic document, optimizing sizes of one or more Type 1 fonts in the electronic document, and removing object duplicates in the electronic document. In addition, the process involves generating the document in a target format based on the processing. |
| US08397154B2 |
Remotely controlling a browser program
A method for remotely controlling a browser program is executed on a source computer from a target computer. A browser program generates a browser window in which objects are displayed in a structurally coordinated manner, and simultaneously transmitted to the target computer. The objects are individually transmitted to the target computer and displayed on the target computer by a second browser program that is executed on the target computer. The second browser program generates a second browser window in which the objects are displayed. The objects are displayed in a structurally coordinated manner on both the source computer and the target computer, and can thus be efficiently controlled. There is no dependency between the display views of the objects on the source computer and the target computer with respect to the size and/or resolution of the browser window. |
| US08397151B2 |
Integrity of low bandwidth communications
The invention relates to a method for checking the integrity of a set of data packets received by a receiving communication device from a sending communication device, the data packets of the set being received in unpredictable order. The invention also relates to a communication device implementing a method according to the invention, in particular to a smart card. |
| US08397150B1 |
Method, apparatus and computer program for calculating a branch metric
A chunk of branch metric computation bits is generated including bits that correspond to transition bits of a possible chunk of transition bits that could have been generated by a state transition of a convolutional encoder of a transmitter. The bits of the chunk of branch metric computation bits are scrambled. A branch metric for the received chunk of soft scrambled code bits is calculated as a function of the scrambled bits of the chunk of branch metric computation bits and the soft scrambled code bits of the received chunk of soft scrambled code bits. The branch metric is indicative of the probability that the received chunk of soft scrambled code bits was originally generated by the convolutional encoder as the chunk of transition bits corresponding to the generated chunk of branch metric computation bits. |
| US08397149B2 |
Methods for obtaining a set of path metrics and equalizer for a receiver for digital data
This invention relates to methods for obtaining a bin number of path metrics. When performing such methods, a histogram is provided, which comprises a bin number of values, a maximum value and a tail region left or right of the maximum value. A bin number of path metrics is obtained from said values. According to an embodiment a local extremum is removed from said tail region. According to another embodiment the tail region is forced to be convex. According to a further embodiment a maximum metric difference between neighboring metrics is ensured. |
| US08397145B2 |
Encoder, decoder, and encoding method
An encoder and decoder using LDPC-CC (Low Density Parity Check-Convolutional Codes) is disclosed. The encoder exhibits encoding rates realized with a small circuit-scale and a high data reception quality. In the encoder (200), an encoding rate setting unit (250) sets an encoding rate (s−1)/s (s=z), and an information creating unit (210) sets information including from information Xs,i to information Xz−1,i to zero. A first information computing unit (220-1) receives information X1,i at time point i to compute the X1(D) term of formula (1). A second information computing unit (220-2) receives information X2,i at time point i to compute the X2(D) term of formula (1). A third information computing unit (220-3) receives information X3,i at time point i to compute the X3(D) term of formula (1). A parity computing unit (230) receives parity Pi−1 at time point i−1 to compute the P(D) of formula (1). The exclusive OR of the results of the computation is obtained as parity Pi at time i. Ax. |
| US08397142B2 |
Shared information generating apparatus and recovering apparatus
There is disclosed a system for identifying falsified secret information shares included in k secret information shares used to recover secret information according to a (k,n)-threshold secret sharing scheme, and producing falsified secret information shares of reduced size. A shared information generating apparatus generates cheater identifying information Ai(i=1, 2, . . . , n) using n secret information shares Vi generated according to the (k,n)-threshold secret sharing scheme and random polynomials. A recovering apparatus detects cheated secret information shares using the arbitrary k secret information shares and k cheater identifying information, and recovers the secret information from the k secret information shares if it detects no cheated secret information shares. |
| US08397141B2 |
Coding pattern comprising Reed-Solomon codewords encoded by mixed multi-pulse position modulation
A substrate having a coding pattern disposed on a surface thereof. The coding pattern includes a plurality of macrodots encoding Reed-Solomon codewords. Each codeword contains Reed-Solomon data symbols and Reed-Solomon redundancy symbols. The coding pattern encodes the symbols using mixed multi-pulse position modulation. |
| US08397139B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing nuisance data
A memory device having a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells for storing stored data where the stored data includes user stored data and nuisance stored data. A memory controller includes a transmitter for transmitting write data for storage as the stored data in the memory. The transmitter includes a selector for selection of user write data for storage as the user stored data in the memory and for selection of nuisance write data for storage as the nuisance stored data in the memory. The memory controller includes a receiver for receiving the stored data from the memory as read data where the read data includes the user stored data and the nuisance stored data. The receiver includes a Hamming weight detector for detecting the Hamming weights of read data received from the memory for distinguishing user stored data from nuisance stored data. |
| US08397136B2 |
Method for appending data to tape medium, and apparatus employing the same
An information recording apparatus and method. The method includes sequentially writing datasets to a recording medium so that each of the datasets can be identified from a certain number indicating an order that the dataset was written, and from the number of writing operations (WP) carried out for the dataset of the certain number to identify a newest dataset among datasets having the same certain number; appending a new dataset onto the old dataset; and controlling execution, in the case where an error occurs at the time of the appending, of the appending step on the old dataset, in a position shifted forward on the recording medium such that the new dataset overwrites a part of the old dataset. |
| US08397134B2 |
System for handling of permanent bit errors in memory devices
A memory system including a primary memory storage partition, a secondary memory storage partition, and a memory controller that is connected to read and write to the primary memory storage partition and detect a permanent bit error at an address associated with the primary memory storage partition. In response to a detected permanent bit error, the memory controller stores data from the address associated with the permanent bit error to an address associated with the secondary memory storage partition. |
| US08397133B2 |
Circuits and methods for dual redundant register files with error detection and correction mechanisms
Embodiments of circuits and method for dual redundant register files with error detection and correction mechanisms are described herein. Other embodiments and related examples are also described herein. |
| US08397130B2 |
Circuits and methods for detection of soft errors in cache memories
Embodiments of circuits and methods for circuits for the detection of soft errors in cache memories are described herein. Other embodiments and related methods and examples are also described herein. |
| US08397125B2 |
Encoding apparatus, system, and method using low density parity check (LDPC) codes
A system and method is capable of performing a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) coding operation on-the-fly without using a generator matrix. The system and method includes an input configured to receive data and an output configured to output a plurality of codewords. The system and method also includes a processor coupled between the input and the output. The processor is configured to encode the received data and produce the plurality of codewords using a plurality of parity bits. The processor creates the plurality of parity bits on-the-fly using a portion of an LDPC matrix and a protograph matrix. |
| US08397124B2 |
Memory system, sense amplifier, use, and method for error detection by means of parity bits of a block code
A memory device for an error-correcting block code is provided, whereby each code word of the block code can have data bits and parity bits. The device also includes a memory for storing the data bits and the parity bits of each code word, and includes an error detection circuit, which is formed to detect an error of the data bits in a code word by evaluating exactly one subset of the stored parity bits of the code word. The subset being smaller than the total number of parity bits of the code word. |
| US08397123B2 |
Recursive realization of polynomial permutation interleaving
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate automatically generating interleaved addresses during turbo decoding. An efficient recursive technique can be employed in which layers of nested loops enable the computation of a polynomial and a modular function given interleaved parameters “a” and “b” from a look up table. With the recursive technique, interleaved addresses can be generated, one interleaved address per clock cycle which can maintain turbo decoding performance. |
| US08397122B2 |
Method and apparatus for unequal error protection of video signal over wideband high frequency wireless system
Disclosed are an Unequal Error Protection (UEP) method and apparatus of video signals based on a dynamic link in a broadband high frequency wireless system.A UEP transmission apparatus based on a dynamic link includes a UEP transmission controller to verify, based on a channel state when video data is inputted, a bit field size and a bit separation point of separating a priority for each pixel element being comprised of a pixel of the video data, and to control an error correction coding for correcting relatively many errors occurring in information with a high priority for each pixel element to be used, a bit separator unit to separate the video data pixel based on the priority for each pixel element, and a channel coding unit to perform a corresponding error correction coding through the control of the UEP transmission controller based on the priority for each pixel element. |
| US08397121B2 |
Decoding method and apparatus of retransmission communication system
A decoding method and apparatus of a retransmission communication system are provided. In the decoding method and apparatus, weights are applied to error data and retransmitted data, and the resulting error data and the resulting retransmitted data are chase-combined. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the coding rate of combined data and enhance the reliability of decoding. |
| US08397112B2 |
Test chain testability in a system for testing tri-state functionality
An embodiment of the invention provides system for detecting faults on a test chain. A circuit provides a test signal to an input of a test chain. The test chain includes a plurality of buffers connected in series. A register receives a logical value representing the output of the test chain. The register sends the logical value representing the output of the test chain to test circuitry where the value is observed. |
| US08397110B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for estimating a bit error rate of data communicated in a communication system
Apparatus, and an associated method, for estimating a bit error rate of data communicated to a receiving station of a digital communications system, such as a GSM/EDGE cellular communication system. Soft decision values, indicative of confidence levels that decided values have been correctly decided are compared with threshold values by a comparator. A count is accumulated by a counter whose counted value is representative of decided data values having low levels of confidence that the decided values are correct. The count value is used in the formulation of the BER estimation. |
| US08397109B2 |
Bit mapping/demapping method and apparatus for communication system
An improved bit mapping method and apparatus for a communication system is provided. A bit mapping method of the present invention includes arranging coded bits in a codeword in an order of recovery capability. A shift region including a number of coded bits is set. The coded bits are rearranged in the shift region by shifting the shift region by a number of bits equal to a number of bits that is indicated by a shift factor. The rearranged coded bits are mapped into a modulation symbol in an order of reliability from a lowest reliability bit position to a highest reliability bit position of the modulation symbol. |
| US08397101B2 |
Ensuring a most recent version of data is recovered from a memory
Method and apparatus for ensuring a most recent version of data is retrieved from a memory, such as a non-volatile flash memory array. In accordance with various embodiments, a controller is adapted to sequentially store different versions of an addressable data block having a selected logical address in different locations within a memory. The controller assigns a revision indication value to each said version, with at least two of said stored versions concurrently sharing the same revision indication value. In some embodiments, the revision indication value constitutes a repeating cyclical sequence count that is appended to each block, or logically combined with a code value and stored with each block. The total number of counts in the sequence is less than the total number of versions resident in the memory. |
| US08397098B2 |
Method for countervailing clock skew and core logic circuit using the same
A method for countervailing clock skew between a first clock signal and a second clock signal in a core logic circuit. The second clock signal is sampled based on the first clock signal in a sampling cycle to obtain a sampling result. When the sampling result indicates a non-compliant pattern, the phase of at least one of the first clock signal and the second clock signal is adjusted. Desirably, the core logic circuit keeps on working with the current first and second clock signals while continuing the sampling procedure of the second clock signal based on the first clock signal when the sampling result indicates a compliant pattern. |
| US08397097B2 |
Computer system and operating method thereof
A computer system is provided with an event counter, a CPU, a memory, an external device, a hub M31 and a hub I33. The computer system is further provided with a clock change module 50. System software 60 and applications 70a to 70m operate, and the clock change module 50 specifies a clock with which the applications 70 are executed. Based on stall cycles read from the event counter 21, the clock change module 50 specifies the clock that maximizes performance or power consumption characteristic while satisfying execution constraint 90. |
| US08397094B2 |
Node-to-node synchronizing apparatus, node-to-node synchronizing method, and computer product
A node-to-node synchronizing apparatus includes an information generating unit. Before receiving a synchronization request for synchronization, the information generating unit receives, from each process in each computing node, a mask generation request requesting to generate process location information (mask) indicating the location of processes that participate in synchronization. The information generating unit then automatically generates the process location information based on the mask generation request. |
| US08397087B1 |
Systems and methods for individually managing the power usage of software applications
A computer-implemented method for individually managing the power usage of software applications may include: 1) identifying at least one software application installed on a computing device, 2) determining the power usage of the software application, 3) identifying a power-management policy for managing the power usage of the software application independent of the overall power usage of the computing device, and then 4) managing the power usage of the software application independent of the overall power usage of the computing device in accordance with the power-management policy. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08397086B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes a power supply circuit, a load circuit, a main device, a memory, and a holding circuit. The power supply circuit has a controlled output terminal that selectively supplies a second power supply voltage according to a power supply output control signal. The controlled output terminal supplies the second power supply voltage in response to the power supply output control signal being at a first level. The main device has a built-in power supply controlling microprocessor. The memory stores a program that is processed by the power supply controlling microprocessor. The holding circuit temporarily holds the power supply output control signal at the first level when the commercial power supply is connected to the power supply circuit such that the power supply circuit supplies the second power supply voltage from the controlled output terminal until the power supply controlling microprocessor loads the program from the memory and starts up. |
| US08397081B2 |
Device and method for securing software
A device includes a first memory unit adapted to store encrypted instructions, a processor adapted to execute decrypted instructions, a second memory unit accessible by the processor, and a decryption unit. The device includes a key database and a key selection circuit, wherein the key selection circuit is adapted to select a selected decryption key from the key database for decrypting encrypted instructions. The selection is responsive to a fixed selection information stored within the integrated circuit and to received key selection information. A method includes a stage of receiving encrypted instructions; and executing decrypted instructions by a processor. The method includes receiving key selection information, selecting a selected decryption key out of a key database in response to fixed selection information and to the received key selection information, and decrypting encrypted instructions using the selected decryption key. |
| US08397080B2 |
Scalable segment-based data de-duplication system and method for incremental backups
A system in accordance with exemplary embodiments may provide a scalable segment-based data de-duplication for incremental backups. In the system, a master device on a secondary-storage node side may receive at least incremental changes, fingerprints, mapping entities, and distribute de-duplication functionality to at least a slave device, and performs data de-duplication on said plurality of segments via a way to cluster a plurality of fingerprints in a data locality unit called container for the incremental changes, varied sampling rates of a plurality of segments by having a fixed sampling rate for stable segments and by assigning a lower sampling rate for a plurality of unstable target files of de-duplication, and a per-segment summary structure to avoid unnecessary I/Os involved in de-duplication. |
| US08397077B2 |
Client side authentication redirection
A device, method and system for authentication by a user are disclosed herein. The exemplary method may authenticate a user password entered by a user. User specific attributes may be accessed and used to produce a generated password. The generated password may be produced using an algorithm and the user attributes. The generated password may be used to log onto a resource for the user. |
| US08397076B2 |
System and method for remote reset of password and encryption key
A method and system are provided for resetting a password using a first device and a second device. The second device stores data encrypted using a content protection key, which itself is stored in encrypted form using the password, and is also stored in encrypted form using a key encryption key. The first device receives a public key from a second device. The first device uses the public key and a stored private key to generate a further public key. The further public key and a new password are sent to the second device. The second device uses the further public key to generate the key encryption key, which is then used to decrypt the encrypted content protection key. A new content encryption key is created, and encrypted using the new password. |
| US08397075B2 |
Method and apparatus for access control to installation control systems of wind energy installations
A method for access control to installation control systems of wind energy installations. The method includes receiving a requested user name and a requested password, wherein authorizations and checking information are coded in the requested password. The method further includes decoding the authorizations and the checking information from the requested password, checking the requested user name on the basis of the decoded checking information, checking the decoded authorizations if the check of the requested user name on the basis of the decoded checking information has a positive result, and allowing access to an installation control system of a wind energy installation when the decoded authorizations are sufficient. A wind energy installation for implementing the method includes an installation control system and a decoding unit. |
| US08397067B1 |
Mechanisms and techniques for protecting intellectual property
Methods and apparatus for providing protection of pre-designed electronic components or modules (“intellectual property”) provided on target hardware devices are described herein. According to various embodiments, the component and the target hardware device include mechanisms for providing a first sequence and a second sequence respectively. While the component is running on the target hardware device, a comparator accesses and compares the first sequence with the second sequence. The comparator may either be included with the component or the target hardware device. If the first and second sequences match, a function of the component is allowed to operate with the target hardware device; otherwise, the function is prevented from operating with the target hardware device. As such, unauthorized use of intellectual property can be controlled. |
| US08397063B2 |
Method for a public-key infrastructure for vehicular networks with limited number of infrastructure servers
A system, and method related thereto, for providing a vehicular communications network public-key infrastructure. The system comprises a plurality of communications infrastructure nodes and a plurality of vehicles each having a communications component. The communications component provides vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communications, and communications via infrastructure nodes. A communications security component in each of the plurality of vehicles provides security for the communications between the plurality of vehicles using a plurality of security modules. The security modules include a certificate management module. A public key interface module may include a public key, a private key, an anonymous key and a management key. The system further includes a detection and response module for attack detection and attack mitigation. The communications security component assigns and installs at least one security key, a certificate of operation, and a current certificate revocation list. The communications component provides secure communications between the plurality of vehicles. |
| US08397061B2 |
Unattended code update of storage facility
Various embodiments for providing an update to at least one storage facility in a computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, a security verification is performed on the update via a certificate authentication mechanism to confirm a validity of the update. Subsequent to confirming the validity of the update, a safety verification on the update is performed to confirm a suitability of the update to the at least one storage facility. If the security and safety verifications are validated, the update is provided and installed in the at least one storage facility. |
| US08397058B1 |
System and method for communication between smart cards
A method and system which provides communication between a first portable device and a second portable device. The first portable device stores a first sequence number and a first key, and the second portable device stores a second sequence number and a second key. Verification is performed using the first and second keys. The first sequence number is compared to the second sequence number. If the second sequence number is newer than the first sequence number, the first sequence number is set to have a value of the second sequence number if the verification succeeds. If the first sequence number is newer than the second sequence number, the second sequence number is set to have a value of the first sequence number if verification succeeds. |
| US08397056B1 |
Method and apparatus to apply an attribute based dynamic policy for mashup resources
A computer system includes a mashup section that provides a mashup that performs an action on a resource. An attribute identification section identifies an attribute of a user running the mashup. An access control section provides access control. The mashup is associated to a permission artifact. The permission artifact specifies a principal and whether to permit the principal to take the action on the resource. The access control is triggered only when the mashup attempts to perform the action on the resource, and checks whether the attribute of the user running the mashup is predefined as belonging to the principal specified in the permission artifact associated to the mashup, and then permits the action on the resource only when the attribute belongs to the principal. Plural users with the same attribute belong to the principal when the same attribute is defined as belonging to the principal. |
| US08397050B2 |
Simulator and simulating method for running guest program in host
A Simulator and a simulating method for running a guest program in a host are disclosed. The simulator includes: an initialization device configured for setting content of a hypervisor page table in the host, the hypervisor page table mapping a guest physical address space to a host physical address space. The simulator further includes a binary translation device configured for employing a program logical address to perform a memory access in code translation. The simulator also includes a miss handling device configured for updating a guest translation look-aside buffer by treating a miss in a host translation look-aside buffer caused by the execution of the translated code as a miss in the guest translation look-aside buffer, wherein the host translation look-aside buffer is configured to buffer entries for mapping addresses in a guest program logical address space to addresses in the guest physical address space. The simulator further includes an update tracing device configured for, in response to the update to the guest translation look-aside buffer, perform the update to the host translation look-aside buffer. Also disclosed is a method for running a guest program in a host. |
| US08397049B2 |
TLB prefetching
In an embodiment, a memory management unit (MMU) is configured to retain a block of data that includes multiple page table entries. The MMU is configured to check the block in response to TLB misses, and to supply a translation from the block if the translation is found in the block without generating a memory read for the translation. In some embodiments, the MMU may also maintain a history of the TLB misses that have used translations from the block, and may generate a prefetch of a second block based on the history. For example, the history may be a list of the most recently used Q page table entries, and the history may show a pattern of access that are nearing an end of the block. In another embodiment, the history may comprise a count of the number of page table entries in the block that have been used. |
| US08397046B2 |
Method and apparatus for deploying virtual hard disk to storage system
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a solution to deploy a virtual hard disk (VHD) to virtual device with maximizing capacity efficiency and data access performance by making the allocation unit size of virtual device the same as that of the VHD. In one embodiment, a method of deploying a VHD file to a storage apparatus comprises checking a block size of the VHD file received by the storage apparatus based on a header of the VHD file; creating a virtual volume to provide a page size which is same size as the block size of the VHD file; and performing one of (A) copying contents of the VHD file to the created virtual volume by allocating one page of the created virtual volume for each block of the VHD file; or (B) formatting the created virtual volume with a virtual volume file system, and copying the VHD file to the formatted virtual volume. |
| US08397045B2 |
Memory management device, memory management method, and memory management program
One or more embodiments provide a technique of improving the conventional thread-local garbage collection (GC) so as to avoid fragmentation. A memory management device having a plurality of processors implementing transactional memory includes a write barrier processing unit which, when performing write barrier in response to initiation of a pointer write operation, registers an object that is located outside of a local area and that has a pointer pointing to an object located in the local area in a write log so as to set it as a target of conflict detection, and a garbage collector which, provided that no conflict is detected, copies a live shared object in the local area to the outside of the local area and collects any unwanted object irrespective of whether it is shared or not. |
| US08397044B2 |
Memory management method and computer using the method
Memory management by garbage collection involves a memory area that is allocated in a computer. Data is created in the memory area in accordance with a program executed by a processor of the computer, and it is checked whether or not data necessary to execute the program exists in the memory area to be released, in response to an explicit instruction to release the memory area. As a result of the check, if data necessary to execute the program does not exist in the memory area, the memory area is released. As a result of the check, if data necessary to execute the program exists in the memory area, the data is moved to a memory area different from the memory area to be released. |
| US08397037B2 |
Automatic association of reference data with primary process data based on time and shared identifier
A method and system for automatically associating primary process data with reference data. The primary process data may include image, video, audio, text, search data, and the like. The reference data may include location, temperature, pressure, and the like. A primary process data processor device, such as a digital camera, is used to acquire the primary process data with time information, but without any reference data. A reference data collector device, such as a cellular telephone, is used to acquire the reference data with time information. The primary process data and the reference data are uploaded to a server and each are associated with a shared identifier, such as a user ID. Of the content and reference data associated with the shared ID, the server determines which primary process data and reference data were acquired near the same time, and automatically associates the reference data with the primary process data. |
| US08397034B1 |
Multi-port arbitration system and method
A multi-port arbitration system has a write detection circuit coupled to each of a number of ports. An address coincidence detector is coupled to each of the ports. A deactivation pulse generator circuit is coupled to the address coincidence detector. |
| US08397028B2 |
Index entry eviction
Systems, methods embodied on computer-readable media, and other embodiments associated with index entry eviction are described. One example method includes selecting an index entry for eviction from a bucket of index entries based on a time value, a utility value, and a precedence value. A precedence value may be a value associated with an index entry that is static over time. Additionally, results of a function that compares two precedence values may be static over time. The example method may also include providing an index entry identifier that identifies the index entry. |
| US08397027B2 |
Methods and systems for multi-caching
Provided are methods and systems for multi-caching. The methods and systems provided can enhance network content delivery performance in terms of reduced response time and increased throughput, and can reduce communication overhead by decreasing the amount of data that have to be transmitted over the communication paths. |
| US08397025B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining a cache line in an N-way set associative cache using hash functions
A method and apparatus for determining a cache line in an N-way set associative cache are disclosed. In one example embodiment, a key associated with a cache line is obtained. A main hash is generated using a main hash function on the key. An auxiliary hash is generated using an auxiliary hash function on the key. A bucket in a main hash table residing in an external memory is determined using the main hash. An entry in a bucket in an auxiliary hash table residing in an internal memory is determined using the determined bucket and the auxiliary hash. The cache line in the main hash table is determined using the determined entry in the auxiliary hash table. |
| US08397024B2 |
Page buffer program command and methods to reprogram pages without re-inputting data to a memory device
A technique for efficiently handling write operation failures in a memory device which communicates with an external host device allows a page of data to be re-written to a memory array from a page buffer. The host provides user data, a first write address and a write command to the memory device. If the write attempt fails, the host provides a re-write command with a new address, without re-sending the user data to the memory device. Additional data can be received at a data cache of the memory device while a re-write from the page buffer is in progress. The re-written data may be obtained in a copy operation in which the data is read out to the host, modified and written back to the memory device. Additional data can be input to the memory device during the copy operation. Page buffer data can also be modified in place. |